History about the war Essay

It is very true that the United States overthrew Guatemala, Chile and Iran. There are some motivations behind the overthrows. One of the motivations behind the overthrows is nationalism. This is because United Nations just like all other nations opposes nationalism. Other main motivations behind the United States overthrow to these countries include the urge to impose its ideology, gaining control of some of the valuable resources and the increase of its power. The United States also carries out coups, invasions and revolutions so that it can topple it feared or mistrusted. It also uses a variety of methods in persuading g other countries into assisting them with the coups revolutions and invasions. The methods used include the offering of booties to states that support its interests, time-honored strategies of diplomacy and retaliation threats to those countries that refuse to support them. In Chile United States launched its coup with the aim of propagating the spirit of good humanitarian ground. This is because Pinochet was highly involved in human rights violations because his security forces were perceived to be accountable for more than 3,197 murders of the Chilean citizens. 1,100 of the murdered citizens â€Å"disappeared† for they were abused to their death, thrown by the military from the helicopters into Pacific Ocean or buried into secret graves. The other reason as to why united states carried out the coup was to ensure that it prevented its consolidation and also limited the governments ability to implement some of the policies which were contrary to itself (U.  S) and also hemispheric interests. U. S also committed some coups with the aim of fostering its accessibility to some of the economically rich regions. For instance in 1953 Dulles ordered a coup on Iran which was intended to make Middle East very safe for American oil companies. United sates committed a coup in Guatemala because it disliked the communist policies which were set by Arbenz. He was perceived to be a communist because h e sought to give the landless some land or in other words he advocated for equal land distribution by giving peasants the idle lands which belonged to the upper class. Dulles had ordered the coup in Guatemala because he had disliked the way the nationalist government had confronted the power of the United Fruit Company which was represented by his old law firm (Npr. org, 01). United States of America was involved in what was called â€Å"people’s war† against fascism. All the American were in agreement with capitalists, democrats, republicans, communists, rich, poor and the middle class and this is why the war was referred to as the people’s war. This war was the trendiest in United States that the country had ever fought. This is because around 18 million people participated in the war. And over 25 million workers contributed financially to the war. The power of the nation, church, press and also chief radical organizations called for all-out war. The war was in opposition to an enemy of appalling evil. for instance Hitler’s Germany was widening totalitarianism, , militarism and overt aggressive, and racism warfare outside what an already contemptuous world had gone through yet, the governments(the United States, England, the Soviet Union) accomplishing this represented something considerably different, so that their success would be a bluster to imperialism, totalitarianism, racism, militarism, in the world. America stepped up as the defender of vulnerable countries matching its image in American history textbooks for high school. For instance it opposed Haitian revolution for independence from France at the beginning of 19C. America just pursued its imperialist interests in the name of assisting the helpless countries for it instigated conflicts with Mexico taking half of the country. It also pretended to rescue Cuba from Spain at the same time it stagnated there with military base, rights of interventions and investments. It also grabbed Hawaii Guam and Puerto Rico it also took the con troll of panama by revolutionizing against Columbia. The main reason as to why US entered the WW II was to defend the principle referred to as the non-intervention of other country’s or states affairs but many questions arose about its credibility. United States was one of the victors in WW II thus coming into a position to dominate many areas in the world and also creating conditions for efficient and effective control at home. The war brought about higher prices for all farmers, enough prosperity, higher wages, higher prosperity unlike thirties which was accompanied by a lot of unemployment and economic distress. The war was pressing people at home because the budget was mainly to the advantage of military operations abroad without considering the needs of people at home. For example people were affected by the test of the nuclear weapons but the leaders argued that it was not harmful (libcom. org/history 1). The presence of the country in permanent war kind of economy proved to be very big pockets for poverty. The distribution of health also remained unequal with the highest family getting 45 % of all the income and the lowest family getting 5% there was unequal distribution of wealth, tax advantages and income. Many American citizens were afraid of communism and this was oppressing those who believed in it. Many people were against the war. This is because they felt that the war was only seeking to dominate other countries. They said that it was commercial, ruthless and imperialistic. Socialist parties opposed the war arguing that it was a crime against the people of United States many opponent claim that the war was a human violence because it was a murderous kind of business. Again the opponents argued that a lot of nation’s money is not well utilized when it is used in wars for there are many ways of cheap mediations which do not involve conflicts. Opponents felt that the war is inhuman to both countries because some of the devices used are harmful to innocent citizens (Zinn 355). Bernay’s ideas on social control can be used to think about Friedman’s book secret histories because they both assume that propaganda can be a very effective tool for manipulating and shaping public opinion in the current society. Friedman has quoted how America used propaganda into fostering war against other countries. For example it lied that it was going to assist helpless countries only for the American to star dominating investing in those countries. Edwards’s propaganda disagrees with skeptics who argue about low levels of illiteracy. He says that printed word played a very crucial role during the early reformation. This is because it enabled Luther in broadcasting his attack towards the traditional authorities with greater rapidity and also made it possible to co-ordinate some of the activities of scattered followers. The printed medium embodied the subversive messages it conveyed. Numerous duplicates of cheap agitatory pamphlets reinforced the message of lay involvement much to the disadvantage and distress of catholic publicist. Edward uses the character of early Lutheran teachings to stress the difference between the limited vernacular literatures to lay readers before 1512 and what is currently known to the historian familiar with lathers works. Luther’s views were highly publicized by catholic rebuttals. In the hidden sides of Vietnam War Friedman is trying to identify some of the truth. Friedman argues that during the Vietnam War the United States was only seeking to undermine Hanoi’s subversion of the Saigon regime by sending Vietnamese operatives behind the enemy’s line. The secret to most of the Americans was that this covert operation was far from secret in Hanoi because all the commandos were either killed or captured and thereafter turned into communists to report false information. Using Bernay’s propaganda we can say that the U. S propaganda did its job incorrectly. This is because the educated section of the population accepted the government Vietnam War propaganda without questions. The United States was the one attacking southern Vietnam but it claimed that it was not the one because most of the American population was against those attacks. Book Review. The book â€Å"voices of a people’s history of united states† by Howard Zinn talks about gives the history of the fight for human dignity. He highlights some of the most significance political acts which were perceived to be the sound of the real human voice. This book assist me in understanding the modern American history for it highlights the idea that the minimization of resistance can only be achieved through the propagation of the idea that power remains with people who have guns, who posses wealth, own newspapers and also those who own television stations. The book assists me in understanding the reason as to why there are movements to fight the lack of voice brought about by lack of power.

Ethical Dillemma Worksheet

1. What is the ethical issue or problem? Identify the issue succinctly.The ethical issue develops when the truth is altered in the second or â€Å"signed off† report. The officer altered the report to state that they had actually witnessed the husband drive and park the car, although they had not.2. What are the most important facts? Which facts have the most bearing on the ethical decision presented? Include any important potential economic, social, or political pressures, and exclude inconsequential facts. The fact that the first report had said the officers only felt the vehicle with a warm hood, and only witnessed the husband walk up to the home. Is the first report really had not been signed off it may have been because they would not have a case given that the officers did not witness the husband actually driving the vehicle. Given that, the husband would have won the case and socially and politically it would show weakness within the department, because the officers mad e an arrest without meeting certain criteria for arrest. The second report had stated different, that the officers witnessed the husband driving and park as they pulled up.3. Identify each claimant (key actor) who has an interest in the outcome of this ethical issue. From the perspective of the moral agent—the individual contemplating an ethical course of action—what obligation is owed to the claimant? Why? Claimant(key actor) Obligation (owed to the claimant) Perspective (What does the claimant hope will happen?) The officers Fidelity, justice The officers hope they will win the case of DWI, although they did not witness the husband driving. The husband Fidelity, beneficence Hopes to stay out of jail and win the case against him since he was not witnessed driving while intoxicated. The wife Fidelity, beneficence Hopes to keep her husband out of jail. society justice Hopes that criminal justice personnel and system will be able to keep offenders off the streets as to n ot cause harm to innocent citizens. prosecutor Justice, non-injury Hopes to gain the truth of the matter as to not cause flaws in the justice system, and achieve absolute justice for all parties involved.Evaluating Alternatives4. What are two alternatives for the scenario? One alternative can be a wild card that you ordinarily may not consider an option because of potential implications. Both should be within free will and control of the same moral agent. Alternative AAlternative B Keep report number one and not file charges against the husband. Follow through with report number two, and file charges against the husband. 5. Respond to the following questions based on your developed alternatives.Alternative A Alternative BWhat are the best- and worst-case scenarios if you choose this alternative? Best-the husband will take this opportunity as a draw of luck and rehabilitate. The department and officers will not look bad for making an arrest without proper protocal. Worst- the husband continues to drive while intoxicated and harms another person, the first arrest may come to light and the prosecutor may be reprimanded for not perusing charges the first time Best-the husband will be taken off the streets and not allowed the opportunity to drive while intoxicated potentially causing harm to himself  and others. Worst- the truth will come to light and prosecutors and police officers are reprimanded for not telling the truth to begin with. Will anyone be harmed if this alternative is chosen? If so, how will they be harmed? Consider families and derivative effects.Yes, citizens can be harmed if accidents occur should the husband continue to drive while intoxicated. The wife may continue to be battered by the intoxicated husband. The family may be harmed if the husband is arrested and he is the only source of income. The department may be harmed should the truth be known. Would honor an idea or value— such as personal, professional, or religious—make t he alternative invalid? Professionally it may allow for an intoxicated driver to be on the streets, causing public harm.Professionally, religiously, and personally, it would be wrong to move forward with a falsified report.Applying Ethical Guidelines6. Consider each ethical guideline and explain whether it would support or reject your alternative. Guidelines based on the action itself Alternative A Alternative B Should this alternative become a rule or policy that everyone in this situation should follow in similar situations in the future? (Kant) Yes No Does this alternative result in using any person as a means to an end without consideration for his or her basic integrity? (Kant) Yes Yes Is the intent of this action free from vested interest or ulterior motive? (Kant’s good will) Yes No Does this alternative demonstrate a genuine concern for others affected by the decision, and is the moral agency responding to a perceived need? Yes No Guidelines based on consequences Alte rnative A Alternative B Is the good that results from this alternative outweighed by the potential harm that might be done to others? (Mill’s harm principle) No No Is any harm brought about by anyone other than the moral agent? (causal harm) YesYes Will anyone be harmed who can be said to be defenseless? (paternalism) Yes Yes To what degree is this alternative based on the moral agent’s own best interest? (ethical egoism)Which alternative will generate the greatest benefit—or the least amount of harm—for the greatest number of people? Select only one alternative. (utilitarianism) Alternative number one generates the greatest benefit or least harm.Ethical Decision Making7. Choose to proceed with either Alternative A or Alternative B and explain the reasons for your decision. Alternative A allows the husband to make better choices, as well as keeps the police officers and the prosecutor from lying. The truth will be known and it will not make the police dep artment look irresponsible for not taking proper steps to arrest with sufficient evidence.

Psychology Questions

————————————————- Outline and evaluate the multi-store model? The multi-store model is a model of memory that has the advantage of being able to be broken down into sub-models of memory. According to the multi-store model of memory (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968) memory can be explained in terms of 3 stores (sensory store, short term store and long term store) and 2 processes (attention and rehearsal). Sensory Memory stores the incoming information from the senses.The model assumes that these are modality specific that is there is a separate store for each of the five senses. The store is very brief and the vast majority of information is lost here. Only information that is relevant or important is attended to and passed on to STM. STM Atkinson & Shiffrin believed the store to be fragile and retains information for about 30 seconds. Compare this to the 18 seconds of the Brownâ €“Peterson technique. Material that is rehearsed is passed on to LTM. LTM can store this information for a lifetime. Forgetting from LTM is by decay or interference.Attention: needed to transfer information from the senses to STM. Most stimuli that reach the senses are ignored because they aren’t seen as important. Only relevant or interesting information or material that we choose to concentrate on is passed to the STM. 99% is lost at this stage. Rehearsal: needed to transfer information from STM to LTM. We can rehearse information out loud as a child would do or we can rehearse sub-vocally, in our heads. Either way it is seen as crucial and is one of the main criticisms of the theory, as we shall see.Later models distinguished between maintenance rehearsal in which material is repeated in ‘rote’ fashion to maintain it in STM and help with transfer to LTM. Elaborative rehearsal links the information with existing material or elaborates it in some other way, again as an aid to longer term storage. To evaluate, the model has simplistic appeal and has been influential in stimulating research. Other models such as the ‘working memory model’ take the multi-store model as starting point and then add to it.Much of the supporting evidence for the multi-store model comes from artificial, laboratory studies which might not reflect how memory works in real life. Therefore memory research data have accumulated that traditional multi store models simply cannot explain. Researchers have, therefore looked to new models in order to explain memory more fully. ————————————————- Outline and evaluate the effects working memory model? Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch proposed a model of working memory in 1974, in an attempt to describe a more accurate model of short-term memory.Baddeley & Hitch proposed their tripartite working memory model as an alternative to the short-term store in Atkinson & Shiffrin's ‘multi-store' memory model. The model consist of three main components; the central executive, the phonological loop and the visuo-spatial sketchpad. The central executive has limited capacity but can process information from any sensory system. It has responsibility and controls for a range of important control processes, which include setting task goals, monitoring and correcting errors etc†¦ Moreover this core component is supported by two slave systems, which can be used as storage systems.Therefore the slave systems have separate responsibilities and work independently of one another. The phonological loop, is a limited capacity, temporary storage systems for holding verbal information in a speech based form. The visuo-spatial sketchpad is a limited capacity temporary memory system for holding visual and spatial information. To evaluate, although the working memory model has been applied to vari ous real life settings. However the working memory model does not offer a complete understanding of how memory works.For example the exact role for the central executive remains unclear and other researchers have also questioned whether there are separate verbal and spatial working memory models systems. Baddeley (2001) added the episodic buffer making the model more complex. This suggests again that the model is not complete and may need still further revision as more evidence is uncovered. Overall the model has proved to be influential and has stimulated lots of research. It is still being developed and expanded. ————————————————-Outline and evaluate the effects on day care on peer aggression? Day care is a form of temporary care not given by a family member or someone known to the child. It usually takes place outside of the family. There are many forms of day care but the most common ones are nursery and child-minders. Some research has shown that day care has negative effects on the social development of infants, however most importantly several factors have been identified as factors which will affect the effects day care has on an infant. These factors are the quality of care and the number of hours the child spends in day care.Vandell and Corasaniti (1990) found that eight year olds who had spent their early years in day care were rated as more ‘non-compliant’ by both their teachers and their parents. A number of studies e. g. Belsky (1999) have tended to support this finding that long periods of day care in the first five years can lead to raised levels of aggressive behaviour in later childhood. Haskins (1985) found that children kept in larger groups were more likely to be aggressive. Clarke-Stewart (again) argue that much of the research into aggression (e. g. Vandell and Corasaniti) fail to distinguish non-compliance from as sertiveness from aggression.What are being reported as more aggressive behaviour in the day care children could simply be children that have greater confidence and have learned to assert themselves better and to control their feelings and emotions. To evaluate, day care can be seen as a potentially stressful experience and poor quality care can be associated with less positive social outcomes such as increase aggression. Oreover it can be difficult to assess the effects o day care due to the variety of settings and individual differences in children’s attachments to their parents.

Discuss Plato's view of the Poet(artist) in The Republic, Ion, and Essay

Discuss Plato's view of the Poet(artist) in The Republic, Ion, and Symposium - Essay Example Plato explores his ideas regarding poetry in The Republic, particularly within Book X. As can be seen in his discussion regarding the nature of imitation, Plato considers poetry to be a representation of nature, or the divine, in his analogy of the carpenter. As he describes the making of a bed, Plato enumerates the three different types of beds that could be made: â€Å"Beds, then, are of three kinds, and there are three artists who superintend them: God, the maker of the bed, and the painter† (Ch. 10). The first of these, that made by God, is the original and the perfect form. The second is a copy of that form, brought into the material world by the activity of the carpenter and usable as such by those whom the carpenter might choose to provide access. The third, however, that created by the artist or poet, is described by Plato as being a mere shade of the object, perhaps only able to capture a very small aspect of the bed’s true elements. Thus, in imitation, the poe t is able to convey some truth about the nature of the bed and is therefore able to represent nature in some form, but he is never able to convey the whole truth about it. However, Plato also seems to recognize the potential danger of poetry to convey ‘wrong’ ideas as he introduces the concept of censorship by dictating â€Å"Whether in epics, lyrics or tragedies, whether in meter or not, god must be described accurately, and that turns out to be as unchanging; as good and the cause of only good; as incapable of violence; and as ‘altogether simple and true in deed and speech,’ for god ‘doesnt himself change or deceive others by illusions, speeches, or the sending of signs either in waking or dreaming’† (Griswold, 2003). He also recognizes the psychology of literature and its ability to affect all men, often attributing greatest honor to the poet who is most capable of

Pulfrich Effect Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Pulfrich Effect - Research Paper Example Then, the pendulum was tested to be actually moving in a way that it is not moving towards you and away from you but it is actually moving side to side. To test this, the experimenter looked at it on the side, (Figure 1, Person B) and viewed the pendulum if it is moving in a straight path and not in circular manner. Then, when the set up was completed, the person who will do the experiment, (person A) stood 224 cm away from the pendulum set up. Then, final verification of the pendulum was done again to make sure that it is really working. After that, the real experiment was done. The experimenter (person B) covered the right eye of Person A with the filter and the other eye was remained open while the pendulum was swinging. Then person A was asked to closely observe what will happen on the pendulum set up and to critically look at the object for him not to miss any vital observations that can be done. Then, person A was asked if he observed the phenomenon that is expected to happen in the experiment. Since the person A had observed the phenomenon, he was asked to describe the said effect in which person A claimed that the pendulum seems following an elliptical path. After it was verified, the same procedure was repeated, the same procedure applies using the same set of experimental devices and the same person A was asked to do the exper... Since the person A had observed the phenomenon, he was asked to describe the said effect in which person A claimed that the pendulum seems following an elliptical path. After it was verified, the same procedure was repeated, the same procedure applies using the same set of experimental devices and the same person A was asked to do the experiment but the thing is, the light is less brighter compared before. The light used was slightly dimmer from the previous one and it was set up by placing some dark filters directly on the bulb to control its brightness. The accuracy of the measurement is highly needed to produce a substantial result and analysis of the experiment. To measure D, the point where the resting pendulum is and the actual location where person A is standing was measured in a straight line. The s is measured by getting the distance between the two eyes. W was measured by getting the half of the full swing of the pendulum where p is the distance of the middle part of the weight up to the tip of the string of the pendulum. The d is the trickiest of all but it was done by placing a meter stick below the pendulum and a pencil vertically upright. Then, while observing the Pulfrich effect, the pencil was being moved until it seems that the elliptical path of the pendulum is directly above pencil. Then the measurement was get in cm to avoid confusion through out the experiment. The calculation of the entire experiment that can show the entire difference of time lags in two situation, (that is also the reference for question 1. A) is attached and labeled figure 2. In this experiment, the Pulfrich Effect can be observed and documented in a way that you can easily understand the concept behind

Assignments on the book after the fact Assignment

Assignments on the book after the fact - Assignment Example Therefore, initially we will tell something on the plot of the story; then, we will go to the perceived ‘truth’ of the story; then, to the ‘truth’ as it perceived today; and, finally, we will come to how it influences ‘history’ itself. Firstly, it must be stated that Ferdinando Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti ‘were suspected anarchists who were convicted of murdering two men during a 1920 armed robbery of a shoe factory’ in Massachusetts (current excerpt was brought from internet sources). Except this factual background, it is clear that historical truth as it appeared to be in 1920s and how it is nowadays totally differ, as two contradictive images of the story. It was believed that these Italian immigrants with evident anarchistic backgrounds were found guilty for double murdering and armed attack, but is stated clearly by different reliable internet sources of different origin that ‘there is a highly politicized disput e over their guilt or innocence, as well as whether or not the trials were fair’ and ‘the dispute focuses on contradictory evidence.’ (given excerpts are from internet sources) Obviously, they were blamed in their crimes unjustly and nowadays many historians of the 1920s suggested that basis of evidences in that case was particularly weak. Nevertheless, these two images of the story of ‘Sacco and Vanzetti’ told us the aged truth that we do not need to trust in overall historical facts cause they were fabricated by one or another request, of social, political, or cultural nature/interest. From the other perspective, these ‘facts’ could be fabricated not even in terms of ‘natures,’ but following the particular interests of group of people in the society or in the government. In other words, ‘history’ is written due to the evident interests of elites, groups of people who are in the authority in the given society o r social network with its vertical or horizontal socialization. Watergate Summarizing the story we will find out, equally with the previous sub-chapter, ‘what was the perceived truth of the situation and what do the writers find out;’ and, also, ‘how does it differs.’ Secondly, it can be regarded as necessary to pick a quote that I personally enjoyed telling why; furthermore, it is interesting from the perspective of how it changed perception of the ‘truth.’ Moreover, it will be clear afterwards how has this story of Watergate and President Nixon ‘changed the way you think about history and why.’ Initially, the most interesting citation concerning the case of Watergate, 1974, to my mind, is the next one which summarizes the case briefly: ‘As a result of the June 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration’s attempted c over-up of its involvement, the scandal eventually led to the resignation of Richard Nixon, the President of the United States, on August, 1974, the only resignation of a U.S. President.’ (the excerpt was brought from the internet sources) Thus, let us compare two images of the story, ‘perceived’ one and another one, ‘contemporary’ version of the events. Then, afterwards, we will successfully answer on a question about how these versions of the historical fact changed my personal

Ancient Art Unit 2 DB Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ancient Art Unit 2 DB - Research Paper Example This statue was originally sculpted and cast to illustrate a treatise (now lost) written by Polykleitos called the Kanon. A piece of Roman art that is also quite impactive is the Colosseum (Knapp & Lehmberg, 2000). Set in ancient Rome, this art was a symbol of Roman dominance and rule. The two art pieces are quite similar in some various aspects. The similarity is found in context, blend and style, and is what makes them some unique pieces (Leonardo & Otinno, 1969). They are however also different in form. One is abstract while the other is representational. The Doryphoros is a two dimensional work of art that achieves a balance of straight and bent, tense and relaxed form that marks it as an ideal example of contrapposto piece (Ritcher, 1970). The Colosseum however is a three dimensional work of art, falls under the representational category and cannot be labeled as a contrapposto piece. In conclusion, the Doryphoros is symbolic to the Greek culture and represents proportionality and completeness in structure and design. The Colosseum was a symbol of Roman power and rule. Both pieces have historical significance as they signify an important period of time in both

Wk 7 law enforcement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wk 7 law enforcement - Essay Example It is in light of this that advocates have pushed for the enforcement of laws as the basic requirement for security, rather than the enactment of law. But before laws can be enforced effectively, it is important to have human resource and personnel on the ground. This brings to discussion the issue of community policing as a mechanism of ensuring that law enforcement is enhanced at a localized status (Kelling and Sousa, 2009, p. 41). There is every indication that the presence of the community policing system has caused a lot of positive changes when it comes to the issue of dealing with crime in the area. If for nothing at all, statistics and available data suggests that the manpower in terms of presence of police personnel was increase from a total of fourteen (14) to eighteen (18). As resources were also made available in the form of the provision of logistics like close circuit television (CCTV) and signposts, the rate of crime reduced drastically (Kelling and Sousa, 2009, p. 45). A very strong highpoint is when the quantitative averages in number of serious crimes per work reduced dramatically upon implementation of the community policing interventions. There is no denying the fact that a lot of focus was placed on the prevention of drug related crimes at the intervention stage of the research. However, this could not be considered as a wasteful effort in any since as drug related crimes have often become the basis for several other crimes to be committed (Matisoff et al, 2001). It is for instance a fact that people who deal in drugs always have high demand for money. For this reason, they will be involved in other criminal offences such as robbery and stealing. Consequently, it becomes almost multi-variable approach to give drug offenses a lot of focus. In the light of all this, the study makes it clear that there were other forms of crimes that were also

Industry Information on park users perceptions and attitudes towards Research Paper

Industry Information on park users perceptions and attitudes towards public exercise settings - Research Paper Example According to Mowen, Kaczynski and Cohen (2008), parks preserve the physical environment to be utilized for the enjoyment of people. The contribution of parks in the promotion of physical activity has been acknowledged for many decades; Fredrick Law Olmsted, the ‘father’ of parks in North America, noted in the mid-1800s that parks promote healthy and active lifestyles. Since the mid-1800s to date, parks have been perceived as environments that preserve and promote appreciation of nature and as settings that provide opportunities for people to engage in positive recreational activities or leisure time physical exercises. Parks are a common feature in most communities all over the world but park access, condition as well as utilization of these physical environments vary significantly across communities or population segments. Parks are also perceived as places where individuals can simply visit to relax both their minds and their bodies, and to escape the nuances of their busy daily routines at the workplaces. Contemporary insightsAccording to Bedimo-Rung, Mowen, and Cohen (2005), park activity has the capacity to meet physical activity requirements but certain environmental and policy features to enhance the level of physical activity. Physical activity has been taunted as an effective remedy to curbing morbidity and mortality rates since it decreases the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, and high blood pressure, among other lifestyle ailments while enhancing healthy bones, muscles, and joints.

Research proposal--- The effects of transnational media on Asian Proposal

--- The effects of transnational media on Asian countries - Research Proposal Example The advancement in technology led to the free flow of communication to all over the world despite the resistance from the non-Western countries. Rapid advancement in communication technology guaranteed the transnational media the uncontrolled exposure of audience all over the world to the western messages. Western movies, news, music, game shows and other entertainment items have become easily assessable to all. This uncontrolled penetration of westerm media to other cultures and traditions has become dominant feature of the advancement of transnational media. Satellite, cable and computer have empowered the audience to choose and receive the media messages without any control. Local governments have no freedom to censure and control the content of the transnational media programmes and the local audience have gained the total freedom of choice, based on their values and tastes, what to see and not to see. This often leads to the cultural ‘sensitization’ or ‘hybrid ization’ internationally. The international audiences are constantly exposed to the social and cultural situations which are completely contradictory to their original cultural and traditional beliefs. For example, in many (most of) Asian countries, behaviors like dating (or any premarital sex), gambling and alcohol drinking are antisocial and unacceptable. But as a result of cultural desensitization, the constant exposure to these activities through entertainment shows, the people in Asia become desensitized to be free from the social inhibition and finally become more accepted and indulged in the above said Western behaviours (Galander, 2008). 2. Background of the Study and Review of the Existing Literature Initially, globalization affected industry, trade, finance and even agriculture of the nations, but the culture and traditions are also influenced by the globalization process by extending the activities of electronic and borderless media. It has led to the ‘statel essness’ and oligopolistic market of few transnational media firms (Hamelink, 1993). With the advent of communication technologies, media firms penetrated into the foreign markets by utilizing the opportunities of the opening up of communication sectors in the developing nations and tried to create production and distribution efficiency and built their own transnational media empires (Gershon, 1993). Globalization of entertainment industries with the advent of transnational media has led to the homogenization and westernization of traditions and cultures. This post modern hybridization of culture has occurred within the larger context of economic, political and cultural process within the regions, nations, ethnic communities and this growth was influenced by not only the policy decisions of the governments but also by the strategic management decisions of media owners, cable operators, satellite providers and agencies. The popularization of transnational media and process of globalization of electronic media raise various socio-cultural and ethical issues in the newly emerging Asian countries (Thomas, 2005). Transnational cable channels apply domestication strategie

Articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Articles - Essay Example This conclusion is justified since the researcher gained ample proof of the statement after conducting the research. The research questions were, ‘Based on 30-min pretest and posttest essays, will mean accuracy scores from the treatment group posttest essays be significantly greater than those from the contrast group? Based on 30-min pretest and posttest essays, will rhetorical competence scores, fluency scores, or complexity scores from the treatment group posttest essays be significantly lower than those from the contrast group?’ (Hartshorn, et. al., 2010) The sample population for the study was 47 ESL students ranging from advanced-low to advanced-mid category. Of these 47, 28 students belonged to the treatment group and 19 students belonged to the contrast group. Random sampling was used in this study. The questions in the survey were well-designed since they dealt with the core of the issue while dealing with ESL students. The idea was to improve upon the writing skills of the students and this meant allowing students to express their words in writing. It was concluded that WCF does indeed improve the writing skills of ESL students. Though, students being taught under the program did slightly less better in terms of sentence complexity and length of the writing piece but their writing skills considerably improved when compared with traditional teaching methods. The data is well-justified. The pedagogical implications suggest that using WCF teaching method is likely to result in improved writing skills. This is because traditional teaching styles are less focused on gaining accurate and timely feedback which delays the understanding process among students. The questions in the interview were well designed since they were semi-structured. This means that the interviewer did not follow predetermined questions that did not take into account the

Women in Society Essay Example for Free

Women in Society Essay The role of women has changed drastically throughout history. Women were once thought to only be able to stay at home and tend the house and family. Women were isolated in their domestic sphere; however they did not stay there. Women faced many struggles during their battle to end their isolation from the idea of gender roles within the workforce to the belief that women are not equal to men and therefore do not deserve the same rights as men. Before 1865 women had very few rights. Her legal standing depended upon her marital status, and once she was married everything became her husbands. She could not control or acquire any property, she was not allowed to control any wages she earned, she could not transfer or sell any property, and she could not bring a lawsuit, or sign any contract. Her life rested solely in the hands of her husband. Women were expected to maintain the home which included cooking and cleaning. They were also expected to bear children and spend their days focused on those children. In 1840 something began to shift when two women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, met and discussed having a convention to address the situation of women. It took eight years for them to get back together and hold the convention known as The Seneca Falls Convention. The Declaration of Sentiments and its resolutions were presented to a group of three hundred people, including forty men. This stated that men and women were created equal and had a right to equality in all spheres including the right to vote. All of the resolutions were eventually passed. Afterwards they had to deal with ridicule and sarcasm. For example Frederick Douglass wrote a discussion of the rights of animals would be regarded with far more complacency by many of what are called the wise and the good of our land, than would be a discussion of the rights of woman† (na, http://www.npg.si.edu/col/seneca/senfalls1.htm). This shows just how women  were thought of back then. They were thought to be less than animals. While they faced mockery and anger over the fact that they thought they should have rights they did give the idea of women’s rights publicity and brought attention to the idea. This was the way many women lived until the end of the Civil War. After the Civil War the lives of women saw a change. America was expanding, and people were pushing westward. â€Å"Women played a very important role in the conquest of the West† (Bowles, 2011, The New South and New West (1865- 1890), para. 29). Some women moved west with their families, but there were also many single women who wanted to lead their own lives and widowed women who had no other choice. â€Å"while I suspect that some of the women traveled west for a mate, others were interested in a life built of their own strength, ambition and endurance. Wishart reports in the 2004 Encyclopedia of the Prairie that, under the Homestead Act, only women who were single, widowed, divorced or deserted could sign for their own land† (Willoughby, C.M., March 26, 2010, Pioneer women: how the west was really won, para. 11). Widowed women were forced to take over the role of their departed men. â€Å"These women took on the day-to-day responsibilities of farm and ranch life and were surprisingly successful. A quote from Katie Adams, a Pioneer widow, reads, â€Å"I was just like a hired man. I was right there, I even followed the plow† (Peavey Smith, 1996)† (Willoughby, C.M., March 26, 2010, Pioneer women: how the west was really won, para. 13). In Wyoming and Colorado, between 11 and 18 percent of all homesteaders were single women or widows† (Bowles, 2011, The New South and New West (1865- 1890), para. 30). There was also a need for educated women in the west in order to teach in the schools that were being created and write for the newspapers. This gave women the opportunity to bring in their own monetary contribution to the household or maintain the single life they were creating. The late 19th century was still very rural. In these rural communities women were still treated as if their â€Å"God-given role was as wife and mother, keeper of the household, guardian of the moral purity of all who lived therein. Housework took on a scientific quality, efficiency being the watchword. Children were to be cherished and nurtured. Morality was  protected through the promulgation of Protestant beliefs and social protest against alcohol, poverty and the decay of urban living† (Hartman, D.W., n.d., Women’s Roles in the Late 19th Century, para. 2). The late 19th century saw a huge growth in industry. This growth changed the nature of work in America. In early 19th century work was performed by skilled workers known as artisans, however this changed as businessmen realized that â€Å"mechanization increased profitability and decreased the reliance on skilled labor† (Bowles, 2011, Industrial Titans and Labor Unions (1860’s- 1890’s), para. 16). This opened up the door for women to take these positions. The time period of the 1890’s through the 1920’s is known as the Progressive Era. During this time period women took on a different role. Women were able to find jobs in retail, or as typists, clerks, and telephone operators. More women were graduating from college and going on to become professionals in the areas of law, healthcare, journalism, and science. â€Å"Recognizing the changes that were occurring in the lives of some women, the public and the press coined a phrase for these women, the â€Å"New Woman.† The â€Å"New Woman† was supposedly young, college educated, active in sports, interested in pursuing a career, and looking for a marriage based on equality† (The Status of Women in the Progressive Era, 2007, National Women’s History Museum, para.3). Many women, especially married, middle class women still did not work outside the home, but they still played a role in helping the plight of women by focusing their efforts on the reforms of the era. Women were able to reform areas such as education, sanitation, health, wages, working conditions, social welfare, and their greatest achievement was the implementation of the 19th amendment which gave women the right to vote. This brings us to the Women’s Suffrage Movement in which women sought the right to vote. Granted this movement had been going on for quite some time; however after the 14th and 15th amendment gave the right to vote to not just men but black men as well women believed their time for change had come. Two groups were formed with different ideas in how to achieve this goal. The National Women’s Suffrage Association (NWSA) was formed by Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. This group fought for women’s rights on a  national government level. The American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) was the second group that formed. This group fought for rights on a state by state basis. It was not until the two groups put aside their differences and became one forming the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) in 1890 that serious progress was made. Elizabeth Stanton was the NAWSA’s first president. Susan B. Anthony was the second president. While both of these women were in charge things were handled rather diplomatically and without much in the way of militant tactics. This all changed when Alice Paul took over as the leader after Susan B. Anthony died. Paul organized many protests and marches including one that took place during Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration as president. It was stunts like these that led many women within NAWSA to dislike her ways. She eventually left NAWSA and formed her own group, the National Woman’s Party (NWP). It was this new group that led a seven month picket of the white house which led to the arrest of the NWP suffragists. While they were imprisoned many of the women were placed in solitary confinement, so they went on a hunger strike in order to protest this unfair treatment. These women were then force fed for up to three weeks. When news of this mistreatment reached the rest of America the suffrage movement gained support including that of President Wilson (na., 2012). It was women’s actions during World War I that finally convinced the government that they were equal to men and in August of 1920 the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote was ratified. Women voted in their first election in November 1920. Women started off the 20th century in good standing. They had the right to vote finally, they were taking on more professional careers and they were becoming better educated. Women began smoking and drinking publicly, they cut their hair short and their skirts shorter. Women felt a sense of freedom at this point which can be seen when we look at the women’s fashion during these years for instance the flapper was a popular look. This new sense of freedom would be short lived. A change was on the way. On October 24, 1929 the stock market crashed. This brought with it challenges for women that they thought they had overcome. â€Å"Prosperity vanished almost over night, and very quickly, gender roles tightened up again. Many people blamed the crash on the loose morals of the previous decade, and the employment  crisistoo many laborers, too few jobs—seemed to dictate a return to the â€Å"natural† roles† (Radek, K. M., 2001, para. 12). This was the beginning of a time known as the Great Depression. Families lost everything during this time. There were very few jobs, so what jobs there were went to men. â€Å"There was an emotional crisis, as well, especially as men had been traditionally defined by working—especially since the industrial revolution—but couldn’t find work. In other words, without work, they couldn’t see themselves as men. To this end, many areas enacted laws to privilege men over women in regard to employment. Women were thrown out of work, and many states had laws mandating that if men were available, women couldn’t legally work—or if a woman’s husband worked, she couldn’t† (Radek, K. M., 2001, para. 12). Women were expected to take care of everything in the house regardless of a reduction in income. â€Å"Sociologists Robert and Helen Lynd noticed this trend in a study of Muncie, Indiana, published in 1937: â€Å"The men, cut adrift from their usual routine, lost much of their sense of time and dawdled helplessly and dully about the streets; while in the homes the women’s world remained largely intact and the round of cooking, housecleaning, and mending became if anything more absorbing.† To put it another way, no housewife lost her job in the Depression† (Ware, S., nd., para. 3). While traditional gender roles seemed to take over men could not be expected to fill the role of receptionist or nurse, therefore women in these positions were able to maintain their employment although they usually took a pay cut. This lasted until America became part of World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. With the onset of World War II it became necessary for men and women to change their view on gender roles in the workforce. The men in the country were being mobilized to go to war, and the country needed someone to fill their positions. Who else could they turn to but the women of the country? Women took up jobs in factories manufacturing clothes and boots for soldiers; they started working in munitions plants and aircraft factories, shipyards, and railways. Women were mail carriers, transit workers, and taxi drivers. They worked on farms and picked crops. Every area of the workforce became focused on the war and creating that which was needed to win the war against Hitler. Some women took a place in the military. Many  women served as nurses for the army and the navy; however for the first time women were allowed to serve. According to the National Women’s History Museum (2007) â€Å"more than 400,000 women served, 432 died, and 88 were prisoners of war†. Women also served as pilots flying aircrafts from the place they were manufactured to the place where they were needed. â€Å"Eighteen classes of women graduated from the Army Air Forces flight training school; they called the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs). These were the first women military pilots in U.S. history, and the nation needed them because there was a general shortage of trained pilots for the war. In total, 25,000 women applied, 1,800 were accepted, and 1,000 completed the training (Cole, 1995)† (Bowles, 2011, The World at War (1941-1945), para. 17). World War II could not last forever, and with its end men returned home expecting to have their positions back. Women who had found a purpose in working now found themselves no longer needed. They were sent back to their domestic sphere. â€Å"Families moved to the suburbs, fostered a baby boom, and forged a happy life of family togetherness in which everyone had a specified role. Women were considered domestic caregivers, with sole responsibility for the home and child rearing, while men ‘brought home the bacon.’ â€Å"Popular since the 1950s, this tenacious stereotype conjures mythic images of culture icons June Cleaver, Donna Reed, Harriet Nelson the quintessential white, middleclass housewives who stayed at home to rear children, clean house and bake cookies.† (Meyerowitz, 1994)† (Holt, J. (nd)., para. 1). America after World War II was a place of hope and new beginnings for many families in America. This was the time of the baby boom. Women were having more babies which increased their duties in the household therefore solidifying their role as caretaker. This was also a time of great consumerism. Many things were being created with the hope that it would make the lives of women easier such as vacuum cleaners, toasters, washing machines, and then of course there was the television. This allowed manufacturers to create commercial specifically geared towards the women of the household. It seemed as if the goal of most families was to be prosperous, happy members of society, but for the women of the 1950’s there was an underlying anger that stemmed from being removed from jobs that made them feel accomplished and good about themselves. â€Å"The culture was simply not portraying a lifestyle women wanted: indeed, studies indicate as many as 80% of post-war women felt working outside of the home would lead to a more satisfied life (Renzetti Curran, 2004)† (Holt, J. (nd)., para.8). It is this animosity that sets the stage for the women of the 1960’s and 1970’s. The women of the 1960’s and 1970’s were dissatisfied with their lives and the fact that they were being relegated to the role of housewife and mother. They wanted something else, something more than what they were being given. This is the beginning of the women’s liberation movement. Women watched as the civil rights movement was fought for, and gained insight into the fact that a movement could reach an entire nation. The civil rights movement breathed new life in to the women of this time. In 1966 the National Organization for Women (NOW) was created. The purpose of NOW was to bring about the true equality of women in America. According to NOW’s statement of purpose (1966) a majority of the women working outside the home â€Å"are in routine clerical, sales, or factory jobs, or they are household workers, cleaning women, hospital attendants† which indicates that the better jobs are going to the men. The statement (1966) also shows how poor the wages are for those women that are working outside the home with the women only earning 60% of what the men earn. One of the last things that the statement (1966) brings to light is the fact that well educated women are not able to hold jobs of importance in society. Women wanted a change in politics, education, and business. They wanted to be treated as equals. In 1972 the equal rights amendment was passed out of congress and ratified by 28 states, but that was not enough to make it a part of the constitution. This amendment would make it illegal for any form of gender discrimination. One major accomplishment of the women’s liberation movement was the ruling in Roe v. Wade which ended a ban on abortion in 46 states. The strides gained during these critical years were short lived as the 1980’s brought with it the idea that everything had been settled. Things essentially remained the same in the 1980’s. These were quiet times for women. More women were entering professional positions in their careers and achieving better education. There were some key accomplishments during the 1980’s such as the fact that the ERA expired in 1982. Sandra Day  O’Connor became the first woman justice of the Supreme Court in 1981. Sally Ride became the first woman in space in 1983. In 1984 Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman nominated for the office of vice president. President Ronald Reagan made it known that a teacher would be selected as the first private US citizen in space. This idea was called the Teacher in Space Program and on July 19, 1985 a high school teacher named Christa McAuliffe was selected to participate in this program. Unfortunately the joy of this accomplishment was short lived. On January 28, 1986 when the space shuttle Challenger took off it exploded 73 seconds into its journey killing everyone on it. In 1986 over half of college graduates are women. For most working women during the 1980’s there is the harsh realization that although they have made advancements in their respective fields; their advancements can only go so far before they hit the â€Å"glass ceiling†. It is obvious that the 1980’s had some large gains for women in society, but it also had some downfalls as well. The 1990’s saw great changes for women as they learned that they could be appointed to higher roles in the government. Madeleine Albright was appointed Secretary of State, Janet Reno became the United States Attorney General, Sheila Widnall became Secretary of the Air Force, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the second woman appointed to the Supreme Court. Women saw a boost in their sense of self-worth as several women including Anita Hill came forward to testify about the fact that they had been sexually harassed by Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. The fact that this case was put in the public eye showed women that they did not have to put up with sexual harassment, and gave many women the courage to stand up for themselves. In 1991 the Glass Ceiling Commission was created in order to ensure that women who are qualified for a job are not blocked from advancements. In 1993 emphasis is put on women in the work place as the first annual Take Our Daughters to Work Day is held. The Violence Against Women Act was established in 1994. This act made a priority out of investigating and prosecuting violent crimes against women. In 1997 General Claudia Kennedy became the first female three star general, and the WNBA is created. By 1999 some 60% of women work outside the home (Women of the Century, 2012). At this point it is obvious that there has been a huge shift in the way  Americans view women’s role in society. The role of women has changed drastically since 1865. There is even a drastic change in the way women are treated and viewed in just the last 50 years. The modern woman of the 21st century has moved out of the kitchen and into the workplace. Her focus has shifted from that of housekeeping and child bearing to that of education and career. â€Å"In the past, college was viewed by many as a place for women to find a husband or get their Mrs. Moving past that mentality has resulted in an increasingly large number of female college graduates, all coming from a variety of backgrounds (Sarna, M., 2004, para. 3). The education of women has gone from teaching them how to be the perfect wife and mother to giving them the opportunity to study anything they want including areas that were considered for men. Women are choosing to climb the corporate ladder rather than start a family. They are remaining single longer and waiting to have kids until their careers are solid. Women of today are living a completely different life than any of the women that have come before them. They have access to better education, careers, and are actually living longer than women in 1865. There are still people that maintain the idea that women should be barefoot and pregnant cooking for their husband, but that is not the thought of the majority. There is still progress to be made which is why the role of women is ever evolving. Women have faced many struggles, but they have been able to overcome those struggles and are no longer trapped in the domestic sphere of women in the past. References Bowles, M. (2011). A history of the United States since 1865. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education. Diane, D. (March 11, 2011). American History of Women in the 1990s. Retrieved from http://www.infobarrel.com/American_History_of_Women_in_the_1990s Evans, S. (2012). Women’s Liberation Movement. Retrieved from http://www.ourvoiceourcountry.org/research/womens-liberation-movement.aspx Hartman, D.W., (n.d.). Women’s Roles in the Late 19th Century. Conner Prairie Interactive History Park. Retrieved from http://www.connerprairie.org/Learn-And-Do/Indiana-History/America-1860-1900/Lives-Of-Women.aspx Holt, J. (nd). The Ideal Woman. Retrieved from http://www.csustan.edu/honors/documents/journals/soundings/Holt.pdf National Organization for Women Statement Purpose. (1966). Retrieved from http://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/111now.html Partners in Winning the War: American Women in World War II. (2007). National Women’s History Museum. Retrieved from http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/partners/10.html Pioneer Women: How the West was Really Won, (March 26, 2010), Friends of Homestead National Monument of America. Retrieved from http://homesteadcongress.blogspot.com/2010/03/pioneer-women-how-west-was-really won.html Radek, K. M. (2001). Women in the Twentieth Century and Beyond. Women in Literature. Retrieved from http://www2.ivcc.edu/gen2002/twentieth_century.htm Reforming Their World: Women in the Progressive Era. (2007). National Women’s History Museum. Retrieved from http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/progressiveera/suffrage.html Sarna, M. (January 13, 2004). Women Role-ing Into 21st Century: Womens Lifestyles Now Focus on Education, Jobs. Retrieved from http://www.palyvoice.com/node/13742 Stathopoulos, V. (2012). Christa McAuliffe. Retrieved from http://www.aerospaceguide.net/women_in_space/christa_mcauliffe.html The Seneca Falls Convention. (n.d.). National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved from http://www.npg.si.edu/col/seneca/senfalls1.htm Ware, S. (nd.). Women and the Great Depression. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Retrieved from http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/great-depression/essays/women-and-great-depression Women Who Fought for the Vote. (2012). The History Channel website. Retrieved from

Benefits Of Outsourcing To Host Country

Benefits Of Outsourcing To Host Country In spite of the recent global economic recession, the worldwide business outsourcing market has achieved tremendous growth, According to one of famous International investment consultancy firm known as McKinsey Company predicts that the demand for outsourcing services will obtain $230 billion by in 2011 from whole worlds and it will grow and by 10.5 percent (compound annual growth rate.). In the current business world many large organizations are outsourcing various jobs for example call centre services, payroll, e-mail services, Business Process Outsource and HR. As example: HSBC Bank has outsourced their call centres and Electronic Data Processing at India and Sri Lanka. AVIVA Insurance outsourced their call centres at India and Sri Lanka. IBM has outsource business Transformation system and customer contact work [call centres] at India 1.1 Outsourcing Outsourcing can be defined as contact between two companies to provide services which might otherwise be performed by in-house employees. In todays world there is trend of outsourcing .Many multinational companies are now outsourced various level of jobs, as example such as call centre services, payroll management-mail service assistance. These outsourced jobs are handled by companies who have skilful labours who specialize to provide in services which are located outside the home country. In today business world Outsourcings has become latest trend which is becoming more common in information technology field. 1.2 Reasons for Outsourcings There are various reasons behind for outsourcings. Following section will describe the reasons for outsourcing: Improve Goal Congruence Outsourcing allow management to make attention on the vital or core business issues related with meeting customer needs and maintaining day to day issues. Outsourcings Allow To Access World-Class Capabilities Each notation is specialization in their own core activities. Ex: Qualitative labour-India. Advance technology-China and Japan. Outsourcing allow to access world-class capabilities, including innovative technology and so forth Share Risks With Different Peoples Outsourcing allows management spread certain level of risks as example demand variability and capital investments. Provider Free Resources for non core activities Outsourcing allowing organization to concentrate on non core activities and it allow to allocate those free resources among other activities Reducing Cost By Economic Of Scale Outsourcing allows organization to provide services at lower cost structure, which resulted from economies of scale. Reducing cost is the most persuasive reasons for outsourcing. Allow To Use Resources Not Internally Accessible Outsourcing is most preferable opportunity for companies that have potential to rapid growth, expansion into a new geography area , or spin-offs . Outsourcing Allow to use Resources not internally accessible Allow To Mange Functions Are Difficult Control problems are a one of major reason for outsourcing. However, managers have to find out underlying causes for difficulties rather than outsourcing Even though there are various reason behind for outsourcing , ability of obtaining cost advantages is The main objective of outsourcing is, But lot of organizations are fail to realize any cost advantages received from outsourcing. The famous investment company Gartner is predictive that in 2009, 80% of organizations outsourced by having primary goal of coat cutting bit they are unable to achieve their primary goal of cost cutting, because there are various hidden cost of outsourcing. Such as outsourcing companies have high level of staff turnover rates than other organizations ,Normally it is high as 80% 100%, cost of losing client due to increases of frustration. Therefore outsourcing must be fully monitored. Can easily fail. 1.3 Different Types of Outsourcing Outsourcing can be different type. Following section demonstrate the different types of outsourcing 1. BPO Business Process Outsourcing BPO is the contact between two companies to handle business activities on behalf of another organization. The big companies in developing countries .such as USA, UK,Australian etc.., outsourcing their back office function to India to get cost advantages and quality services. E.g.HSBC and IBM outsourced its employee payroll, data entry, voice calling activities to India 2. LPO legal process outsourcing LPO is the contact between two companies to process legal activities, such as patent application drafting, legal research and so forth. 3. RPO Research Process Outsourcing. This is most famous outsourcing method in the biotech industry. Customers outsource their RD work to external parties. RPO also stands for Recruitment Process Outsourcing. 4. HRO Human Resource Outsourcing. Human resources management comprise training, staffing, payroll management etc. These activities are outsourced by external companies that are located overseas. Ex In the US market, HRM outsourcing is a vast area. The amount counter for HR outsourcing is 29-30% of the total outsourcing 5. MBPO Medical Business Process Outsourcing. 2.0 Call Centres Outsourcing The call centre industry comprises 80% of the total outsourcing industry in the world. that is why normally outsourcing refer and known as call centre outsourcing . A call centre outsourcing is that external party performs the part of a clients business which handling telephone calls. Outsourced call centre handle customer complaints over the telephone. Call centers actually start on as plain provider e-mail response and managing services. But in todays world outsourced has been spared in vast area. it cater huge areas ,such as providing technical support over the phone, handling customer relationships , arrangement of travel services, , provide educational consultation , customer care assistance , financial services, and provide online business to customer support Two different words go together with outsourcing, that is BPO and Call centre.Call centre can be stated as a BPO organisation. A Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) organization which is responsible for performing a process or a part of a process of another business organization. Call centres can be outsourced to following functions Call canters can be divided into major two parts Inbound contact centre Inbound contact centre mainly encompasses customer oriented services such as provide customer assistance, sales inquiries assistance, troubleshooting solutions, and credit card process. Outbound call centre. An inbound call centre also implements customer services as well as it became live representative to provide extreme satisfaction to its customer and enhance the performance of the organization. 3.0 Benefits 0f Outsourcing to The Host Country This section will discussed Benefits of outsourcing call centers to the host country. Current trend in the call centre outsource market is the Asian countries. That is lot of call centers are located in Asian Countries such as India, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Philippine, and so forth. in outsourced market, India is the market leader in the international outsourced by grabbing big market share which is more than 80 %.this is basically due to its well fluent English speaking skilled workforce and low level of salary range when compare to developed countries salary range. India salary range is 80% lower than developing countries like USA, UK and so forth .Other feasible locations for off shoring in Asia include China and the Philippines, Sri Lanka .this will further elaborated by using diagram [Figure 1] HSBC has one future plan to open wholly owned BPO subsidiary known as HSBC Electronic Data Centre in Kolkata, India,which forecated to employed 2,000 staff working on back-office operations, HSBC has another BPO at Naina Lal Kidwai India, , has employ 2,000 staff HSBC is spreading the network of processing centers by opening a new business process outsourcing centre in Sri Lanka to provide data processing and customer service facilities for the banks global operations. The new centre at Colombo Aviva has plan improve 5,000 employment opportunities in relation to business process outsource (BPO) services in India and Sri Lanka Figure 1: Distribution of Outsourcing Operation Is outsourcing desirable or undesirable? It is still debatable. Outsourcing provides various benefits to the home countries which is business is undertakings as well as the country where services are being or will be provided (Host Country). This assignment is basically based on outsource call centre in India. India is one of the worlds leading providers of call center services .India is the most favored IT/BPO destination of the world. There are lots of the big MNCs all over the world are interested in outsourcing their operations in India. This report will discuss the benefits of outsourcing to host country. To develop this report India is consider as home country Why India is selected for outsourcing? The answer is very straight forward. India is full with large skillful labour forces. India produces the largest number of graduates in the world. This lead to improve skilled labour forces in India. Call center Outsourcing offers many advantages to the country where the services are being provided can be discuss as follows: 1. Improve Economic Growth of Host Country Call centre Outsourcing brings cost advantages and increase in profits in macroeconomic terms to both home countries which business undertakings as well as host country benefits in various aspects. During last few years India has achieved tremendous growth rate by contributing services of off shoring. According to market research, India has been benefited extremely from growth in this outsorcing area and the rate of growth is above the expectation level. In the fiscal year that ended March 2010, Indias IT industry and outsourcing call centre revenue was $16 billion, and $8.5 billion of this was from Call centre Outsourcing services. According to market research ,It is forecasted that the countrys IT related services and call centre Outsourcing services exports will reach $30 billion by 2011 .Market research conduct on outsourcing predicted that the global call centre outsourced services will encounter for revenues of US$1.2 trillion by 2011. Finally, providing outsourcing services will lead to improve Economic growth of host country and Indian gross domestic product can be expected to grow at 8.5 +/- 0.25 per cent (in fiscal year 2010/11). Share of call centre outsourcing from total exports can be graphically shown as follows Figure 2: contribution of outsourcing to Indian Exports 2. Reduce Unemployment and Create New Employment Opportunities Outsourcing services will be the good sign for national unemployment in India. Services off shoring will lead to expand employment opportunities in developing countries like India. India has pawed the way for a significant number of jobs In terms of growth in off shoring area. According to market research and statistic Call centre outsources are projected to increases employment level up to 1.1 million by 2011 and 3.3 million by 2015 and in the telecommunication industry alone, it is forecasted that straight job creation is reach 2.2 million by 2011 as well as outsourcing will create a further 3 jobs which are not core related to outsourcing as well as Reduce unemployment and create new employment opportunities. It can be shown as follows [Figure 3] Figure 3: Unemployment Rate vs. GDP Growth Rate Example: HSBC is off shoring processing looks locations which enables to obtain work with lower cost ,to provide low cost qualitative services to Asian countries .in Asian news paper it indicate that in developed countries. These locations take on work such as data processing and customer service, but also internal software engineering at Pune, Hyderabad (India), Vishakhapatnam (India), Kolkata (India) , and 65,000 people were working in the call centers over the next two years Even though outsourcing is great solution for unemployment it has some negative impacts. Outsourcing is a management tool that has a great amount of emotions. Upon hearing about outsourcing, majority of the employees fear that they will lose their job. Like any other managing change in an organisation, workers resist and hate the concept of outsourcing. In both cases of off-shoring and outsourcing, in the short term, there are risks of job losses, but the gains from relocation could lead to the creation of new jobs and outsourcing is a great opportunity for the employees to get a better training, development and career opportunities. 3. Women are equally treated in providing Job Opportunities Outsourcing will provide equal job opportunities to women in India. The ability to complete far-off locations job that located very closer to their town lead to improve womens employment level. This is the one of major motivation factor which provides chance more female to enter the off shoring employment. For women, the unemployment rate has trended slightly downward over last few years, while the jobless rate has fallen quickly. [Figure 3-Unemployement Rate of women].This indicates that more women have entered the labor force during last few years. This factor has directly link to the employments opportunities created by outsourcing call centres in India. Example: According to market research, which indicates that 49 %of Wipros (a large Indian off shoring company) workforce is female, while ICICI OneSources workforce is 60 percent female . This will indirectly lead to improve employment level their earning capacity Figure 4: Unemployment of Women 5. Outsourcing provide motivation for Education One of major reason for outsourced manufacturing is cost .that is basically outsourcing relies on a basis for cheap, but with well educated and highly skilled workforce. The highly skilled labours are created from well established education process. In India the payment level provided by employees who are working in the outsourced companies are above the industry average range of salary. On other hand this type of employment can be considered as more respectable job. So all these factors lead to motivation to be part of outsourced company. so become employer of company potential candidates should have sufficient level of skilled including fluency of English. In a nutshell Outsourcing provide motivation for Education 6. Host country Consumers get Advantages of Quality of Services Some time The call centres being provide same services to host country local customers[Ex:India] as well as home country customers [Ex:US market ] .as a results host country customers enjoyed by getting qualitative services which are normally served to developing counties. Example: In 2009 HSBC established call-centre in Sri Lnaka which providing same services to host country local customers [Ex:Sri Lanka ] as well as home country customers 7. Transfer of Advance Technology to Host Country Outsourcing call centres will lead to transfer Technology and knowledge to home country. Outsourcing requires appropriate technical sophistication. For example, it is essential to have reliable and inexpensive communication links with the rest of the world when doing outsourcing. Host country can get massive advantages from latest technology in short term as well as long term. There is no limitation to transfer technical knowledge. 8. Improvements in Human Asset Export-oriented field have been shown to get better the quality of human Asset .outsourcing lead to Improvements in Human Asset 9. The Outsourcing processes is more environmentally friendly Outsourcing does not lead to adverse negative externalities, such as environmental pollution and labour expropriation. The impact of this type of negative environmental externalities is normally at ignorable level. Because it is very difficult to calculate these negative impact to the society and environment. Because the actual consequences which exposed to the world after a long period of time. 10. Rapid Expansion of the Services Sector The amount of employment level in service sector is about 30% , Based on marketing research, in developing countries, , 83% of the US employments market is non-farmers who are employment in services sector, There is high tendency to the growth of jobs in the services sector .it is estimated that in USA market more than 97% of the jobs created are service related jobs during the 2012 4.0 CONCLUSION In conclusion, Outsourcing has positive impact on both Host country and Home Country as well. Outsourcing Call centre helps multinational companies like HSBC, AVIVA, IFS and etc. to create a higher value at a lower cost through getting location advantages and low salary rate skilful labour. Host Country will be benefited by transmitting latest technology, global training for the employees, creation of massive job opportunities and rapid growth in GDP. On the other hand The benefit arrived for home country due to outsourcing is , people who live in home country need to less amount of money to purchase well qualitative goods and services, this lead to improve greater savings in home country which finally affect positively in home countrys economy In particularly while host country is being getting advantages of the outsourcing at the same time the employees in the home country will be affected by the facts of unemployment. Because outsourcing the jobs have possibility to lose. The developing countries like India , Sri lanka get benefited because of outsourcing , but in other hand the people in the first world nations will suffer from unemployment. Even though it improve unemployment level of economy of home country, it positively affect on home countrys economy by improving GDP. Then this leads to improve productivity on global economy. Outsourcing is a one of the latest and successful management strategy that has a huge amount of advantages. Lot of the employees are in under pressure .because they have fear of losing their job because of Outsourcing. Therefore employees dont like to engage with this concept even if there are many advantages exist to all parties.

Diversity in Human Services

Diversity in Human Services People are both similar and different; diversity is the recognising and valuing difference. Diversity relates to distinction such as gender, age, religion, race, culture, education, occupation, language, attractiveness, health, physical appearance. Cultural diversity is one aspect of diversity with a multitude of differences which come from our cultural heritage. Every aspect of life is touched by culture, culture affects how people perceive things, and it influences how people attribute meaning to communication. When cultural communication systems are unknown or ignored, messages are likely to be misinterpreted resulting in barriers to communication. To ensure effective communication Human Services workers require awareness of and sensitivity to cultural differences to enable them to successfully serve a diverse range of people. This essay examines effective cross cultural communication for the Human Services worker, as culture refers to the language, knowledge, rituals, values that connect any group of people, in the scope of this essay the context of cultures is that from different countries. Firstly, it looks at some of the differences and problems when communicating cross culturally. Then the essay proposes solutions to reduce communication barriers and, finally proposing principles human service agencies should adopt to enhance communication. Working cross culturally the human service worker faces many challenges to effective communication because of the complex nature of culture, intercultural behaviours, core values and expression provide much possibility for misunderstanding. According to Fouad Arredondo communication patterns, styles, symbols and gestures are highly culture bound and unconsciously scripted. (Fouad Arredondo 2007 p42). Several variables can be considered to assist in the understanding of cultural differences to identify why problems arise, individualism versus collectivism is one variable. Individualistic cultures are where emphasis is on individual achievement as contrasted to collective cultures where importance is on what is best for the group. Counselling itself is a culturally specific activity having evolved from a Western philosophy of individualism, asking a client from a collective culture to focus on hyperintrospection and hyperindividualism will not resonate result in a lost opportunity. Whi lst not speaking the same language is a more obvious barrier to communication, consider the communication barrier created when a client for whom English is a second language is expected to verbalise highly complex emotions. (Wheeler 2006 p150) Cultures can also be distinguished as having low context or high context communication, in low context cultures such Australia or America communication is direct, the meaning is in the message. Asian, Mediterranean and Arab cultures are high context where communication is indirect and it is equally important to look at the implicit meanings and body language. Misunderstandings arise when there is a lack of awareness in the different style of communicating. For example, Indigenous Australians would consider it rude to directly ask a question and instead hint (Mundine 1999, p. 1). This is similar to Asian concept of saving face indirect communication is used to prevent discomfort for either party. In some Asian cultures this is extended to some not disclosing physical abuse for fear of losing face or embarrassing the family (Devito 2009, p. 281), however withholding such information creates a barrier to communication for the human services worker. Non verbal communication is another factor which in which meaning differs between cultures, and if these differences are not understood leads to communication breakdown. In some cultures nodding the head means no, or the nod of a head from a Chinese person does not implicitly mean that they agree. In Western culture direct eye gaze is considered a sign of honesty, in cultures such as Japan however, direct eye gaze is a sign of disrespect. De Vito (2009, p. 133) concludes try visualising the potential for misunderstandings that eye communication alone could create. A Human Services worker lacking awareness of cultural-based norms, such as family structure and gender rules, risks violating these rules, their behaviour impeding trust and confidence. For example, married Muslim women cannot touch a man other than their husband. Lack of awareness or sensitivity to these norms creates conflict and a lost opportunity for engagement. Another barrier to communication results where the Human Service worker consider their own culture to be superior to others cultures. Gamble and Gamble conclude that ethnocentrism is key to failed intercultural communication efforts. (Gamble Gamble 2009, p.27). Finally, cultural stereotyping is a barrier to effective cross cultural communication, whilst it is necessary to group people to simplify understanding differences, it is problematic perceive that all are the same. For example, to believe that all immigrants from the Middle East are unable to assimilate into Australian society is cultural stereotyping. Stereotyping demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of diversity leading to a breakdown in communication. This paper has looked at some cross cultural communication differences and problems that arise that can be covered in the scope of this essay, the paper now proposes solutions to enhance communication and reduce communication barriers. To enhance communication and reduce barriers in cross cultural communication the Human Services worker develops knowledge and skills. Integral to this is self awareness, being aware of and challenge ones perceptions and bias. Workers must to increase intercultural communication competence by developing knowledge of different cultural differences, Gamble Gamble confirm it is vital to make the unknown known we need to conduct ourselves in a manner designed to reduce the strangeness of strangers; that is, we need to open ourselves to differences by adding to our storehouse of knowledge, by learning to cope with uncertainty and by developing an appreciation of how increasing our cultural sensitivity positively affects our communication competence (Gamble Gamble 2009, p. 30). It would however be uninformed to believe that a person can ever completely understand another culture making it necessary for Human services workers to be comfortable dealing with ambiguity. As important as it is to be familiar the difference in culture conversely it is important not to allow cultural traits to hinder understanding nor to focus excessively on differences. Clients are individuals; human services workers serve a person, not a culture (Egan 2006). Empathy listening skills are integral to effective communication and equally so when communicating interculturally. The Human services worker should put themselves in their clients shoes to imagine what is like from his or her world view point. Listening skills and careful observation of cues such as non verbal signals should be taken into account interpret full meaning, particularly when communicating with a person from a high context culture. To enhance communication the human services worker should also regularly seek confirmation of understanding. A deeper level of trust and confidence may need to be built with people from some cultures before they disclose emotional or what they consider to be shameful. To enhance communication with these people it may take patience, time and also an appropriate level of self disclosure on the workers part. To reduce communication barriers the worker may ask permission before asking sensitive a sensitive question. Workers should also be aware an d sensitive to taboo subjects, in some Indigenous Aboriginal communities it is shameful to talk about mental illness, to reduce communication barriers workers would avoid using certain words or lables (XXXXX). Working with people who speak English as a second language poses another set of challenges in communication, to reduce barriers workers should speak slowly, be patient and allow pauses, alternatively an interpreter could be offered. (Kenny 2009). To reduce communication barriers for their diverse range of stakeholders it is vital for Human services agencies should foster their own culture where diversity is embraced and celebrated. A philosophy of respect of individuality and uniqueness which commitment to self development and ongoing learning is promoted. This philosophy should be brought to life by encourage a diverse range of workers with difference backgrounds and experience. A culturally specific approach to training programmes, developing intercultural communication competencies when working and human services workers be regularly reviewed against competencies identifying areas for development. Culture influences everything about people, including the meaning attributed to communication, this poses challenges for the human services worker when working cross culturally. This essay has considered some of the communication differences and issues that Human Services workers face working interculturally, it has also looked at ways to enhance communication and also principles agencies should adopt to reduce communication barriers. The essence however is that ultimately no two people even those from the same culture are the same, innumerable differences makes each person unique. Human Services workers require cross cultural competency to effectively communicate with the diverse range of people that they meet the most fundamental of these abilities being willingness to learn and respect of all individuals. Biblography DeVito, J 2009, The interpersonal communication book, 12th edn, Pearson Education, Boston, USA. Egan, G 2006, Skilled helping around the world: addressing diversity and multiculturalism, Thomson Higher Education, Belmont. Fouad, NA Arrendondo, P 2007, Becoming culturally oriented: practical advice for psychologists educators, American Psychological Association, Washington. Gamble, TK Gamble, M 2009, Communication works, 10th edn, McGraw Hill, New York. Kenny, S 2006. Developing communities for the future, 3rd edn, Cengage Learning, South Melbourne. Mundine, J 1999 Face to face: communication protocols, viewed 12 August 2010, http://www.nipaac.edu.au/Face2Face_CommnProtocols.pdf. Wheeler, S (ed) 2006. Difference diversity in counselling: contemporary psychodynamic perspectives, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid Training and research program. Cultural considerations communication techniques: Guidelines for providing mental health first Aid to an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. Melbourne: Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, University of Melbourne and beyondblue, the national depression initiative 2008 Viewed 20 August 2010 http://www.mhfa.com.au/documents/guidelines/8307_AMHFA_Cultural_guidelinesemail.pdf ;

Essay --

Students typically spend 7-8 hours in school, five days per week. Being homeless contributes to disadvantages in education, their health, and additionally to their family status. Our nation is experiencing more homeless persons now than they had since the Great Depression and this is affecting our educational framework. Nearly 1.2 million public school students were identified as being homeless during the 2011-2012 school year, 73 percent more than before the Great Recession (The state of America's children 2014, 2014, p. 26). The experiences students receive from an early age carries on to all other aspects of their lives, whether it is positive or negative, and follows them for the rest of their lifetime. Many reasons are attributed to why so many households are now homeless, such as the inability to afford housing, the decrease or lack of government funding, health problems, domestic violence, just to name a few. Unfortunately, the rising housing costs are exceeding many peoples income, especially if employees only make minimum wage. A full time worker receiving minim...

Type of Genre :: essays research papers

Type of genre and its importance by "Briton Hammon" Briton Hammon's captivity narrative was a well-recognized African American prose text that was published in North America. His life has been limited to the information that is within his narrative. While reading through his prose it is still undetermined as to whether he was a servant or a slave. In his narrative he has tried to explain a life of a man of African decent and how he gets along with the public sphere and made use of the opportunities he was given. Hammon mainly discussed the issue of his suffering while he was in captivity. In the introduction he explains him and other people were brought to the shore and were suddenly attack by sixty Native Americans, "†¦but on advancing yet nearer, we found them, to our Surprize, to be Indians of which there were Sixty; being now so near them we could not possibly make our Escape." (pg 1005) He says as soon as they figured out who these people were it was already too late to escape. He also says that all their arms and necessary items were taken away from them. While reading along his narrative, Hammon describes how these Indian caused an environment of terror among these people, and how he tried to escape from these savages and was once again trapped with them. Soon he escaped from these villains by getting aboard a Spanish schooner, later he was imprisoned again in a dungeon for four years in Spain because he refused to serve their ships. After escaping that imprisonmen t Hammon worked in Cuba, which lead to his opportunity to go back to London. As said before, Hammon's life is limited to the information contained within the narrative. He had spent thirteen years of his life in captivity. Hammon's narrative is one of the best examples of genre. He chose to write a narrative so that his audience thoroughly understand the hardships that he went through while being an African decent and a captive. According to his writing he was liked were ever he went as a prisoner, which forced the Indians to request an appeal for his relief, "†¦[the Captain] came to the Prison, and ask'd the Keeper if he might see me; upon his Request I was brought out of the Dungeon†¦intercede with the Governor for my Relief†¦and the next Day the Governor sent an order to release me.

Casting a Circle :: essays research papers

Casting a Circle   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Casting a circle is one of the most basic magickal acts that a Witch does. Circles are used for rituals and sometimes magickal workings. A circle does a number of things. Most importantly, it protects the practitioner(s) from spirits, negative energies, and other nasty things out there. With that in mind, please be sure to practice with extreme care and be sincere in what you are doing. Abide by the Wiccan Reed* and you should be fine. The circle also serves as a sacred place in which to do ritual workings like sabbat celebrations and certain spells. The circle keeps the energy in a contained area so that it can be concentrated and strengthened as much as possible before it goes out to do its job. So without â€Å"further ado† here is how... Ok, first things first. Prepare your area. There are two ways to do this. One walk around the circumference of where the circle will be and sprinkle water to wash the area, or two, water mixed with salt for a stronger purification. Try doing both and stick with which ever works better for you. Now you may cast. A circle is created with energy, and you are the director of that energy. Make sure you know where the boundaries will be before you cast it and have everything that you are going to use inside of this area because breaking the circle drains a lot of energy and is just not fun to do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Start out by clearing your mind. Next, visualize the energy of nature and the universe mixing with your own, building up inside of you. Simply see yourself glowing a bright purple or blue. On the other hand, any other color if you feel more comfortable, do whatever you feel is the best way to do it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now, pick a quarter or cardinal point at which to start. I usually pick North because it is what I've always been taught, but some Celtic traditions start with East, I've heard. Point your athame, wand, finger, or whatever you use towards the ground and see the energy flowing out. Begin to walk clockwise (Towards your right) and walk the circumference of the circle. While you're doing this, be sure to imagine a circle forming. Don't see it as a circle on the ground, but as a giant sphere with you inside. Half of it is above the ground, you are walking on a plane through the diameter, and the other half is below the ground.

Zoe’s Tale PART II Chapter Eighteen

The conversation Hickory was having with Dad about the Conclave and the Colonial Union was really interesting, right up until the point where Hickory said it and Dickory were planning to kill my parents. Then, well. I sort of lost it. To be fair, it had been a really long day. I had said good night to Enzo, dragged my butt home, and could barely think straight enough to hide the stone knife in my dresser and fend off Babar's lick attack on my face before I collapsed onto my cot and passed out without even bothering to get all the way undressed. At some point after I lay down, Jane came home from the medical bay, kissed me on the forehead and slipped off my boots, but I barely remember that other than murmuring something to her about how happy I was she was better. At least, that's what I was saying inside my head; I don't know if my mouth formed the actual words. I think it did. I was very tired at the time. Not too much after that, though, Dad came in and gently nudged me awake. â€Å"Come on, hon,† he said. â€Å"I need you to do something for me.† â€Å"I'll do it in the morning,† I mumbled. â€Å"I swear.† â€Å"No, sweetheart,† he said. â€Å"I need you to do it now.† The tone of his voice, gentle but insistent, told me he really did need me to get up. I did, but with enough grumbling to maintain my honor. We went to the living room of our bungalow; Dad steered me to the couch, which I sat on and tried to maintain a semiconscious state that would allow me to go back to sleep when we were done with whatever it was we were doing. Dad sat down at his desk; Mom stood next to him. I smiled sleepily at her but she seemed not to notice. Between me and my parents were Hickory and Dickory. Dad spoke to Hickory. â€Å"Can you two lie?† he asked it. â€Å"We have not yet lied to you,† Hickory said. Which even in my sleepy state I recognized as not being an actual answer to the question that was asked. Dad and Hickory bantered back and forth a little about what being able to lie brings to a conversation (in my opinion, mostly the ability to not have to argue about stupid things it's just better to lie about, but no one asked me), and then Dad asked me to tell Hickory and Dickory to answer all his questions without any lies or evasions. This finally woke me all the way up. â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"Please do it,† Dad said. â€Å"All right,† I said, and then turned to Hickory. â€Å"Hickory, please answer my dad without lying to him or evading his questions. All right?† â€Å"As you wish, Zoe,† Hickory said. â€Å"Dickory too,† I said. â€Å"We will both answer truthfully,† Hickory said. â€Å"Thank you,† Dad said, and then turned back to me. â€Å"You can go back to bed now, sweetie.† This annoyed me. I was a human being, not a truth serum. â€Å"I want to know what's going on,† I said. â€Å"It's not something you need to worry about,† Dad said. â€Å"You order me to have these two tell you the truth, and you want me to believe it's not something I need to worry about?† I asked. The sleep toxins were taking their time leaving my system, because even as I was saying this I realized it came out showing a little more attitude to my parents than was entirely warranted at the moment. As if to confirm this, Jane straightened herself up a bit. â€Å"Zoe,† she said. I recalibrated. â€Å"Besides, if I leave there's no guarantee they won't lie to you,† I said, trying to sound a bit more reasonable. â€Å"They're emotionally equipped to lie to you, because they don't care about disappointing you. But they don't want to disappoint me.† I didn't know if this was actually true or not. But I was guessing it was. Dad turned to Hickory. â€Å"Is this true?† â€Å"We would lie to you if we felt it was necessary,† Hickory said. â€Å"We would not lie to Zoe.† There was a really interesting question here of whether Hickory was saying this because it was actually true, or whether it was saying it in order to back me up on what I said, and if the latter, what the actual truth value of the statement was. If I were more awake, I think I would have thought about it more at the time. But as it was, I just nodded and said, â€Å"There you go,† to my dad. â€Å"Breathe a word of this to anyone and you're spending the next year in the horse stall,† Dad said. â€Å"My lips are sealed,† I said, and almost made a lip-locking motion, but thought better of it at the last second. And a good thing, too, because suddenly Jane came up and loomed over me, bearing her I am as serious as death expression. â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"I need you to understand that what you're hearing here you absolutely cannot share with anyone else. Not Gretchen. Not any of your other friends. Not anyone. It's not a game and it's not a fun secret. This is dead serious business, Zoe. If you're not ready to accept that, you need to leave this room right now. I'll take my chances with Hickory and Dickory lying to us, but not you. So do you understand that when we tell you not to share this with anyone, that you cannot share it with anyone else? Yes or no.† Several thoughts entered my mind at that moment. The first is that it was times like this when I had the smallest inkling of how terrifying Jane must have been as a soldier. She was the best mom a girl could ever have, make no mistake about it, but when she got like this, she was as hard and cold and direct as any person could be. She was, to use a word, intimidating. And this was just with words. I tried to imagine her stalking across a battlefield with the same expression on her face she had now, and standard-issue Defense Forces rifle. I think I actually felt at least three of my internal organs contract at the thought. The second is I wondered what she would think of my ability to keep a secret if she had known what I had just done with my evening. The third was maybe she did, and that was what this was about. I felt several other of my internal organs contract at that thought. Jane was still looking at me, cold like stone, waiting for my answer. â€Å"Yes,† I said. â€Å"I understand, Jane. Not a word.† â€Å"Thank you, Zoe,† Jane said. Then she bent down and kissed the top of my head. Just like that, she was my mom again. Which in its way made her even more terrifying, if you ask me. That settled, Dad started asking Hickory about the Conclave and what it and Dickory knew about that group. Since we had made the jump to Roanoke, we had been waiting for the Conclave to find us, and when they found us, to destroy us, like they had destroyed the Whaid colony in the video the Colonial Union had given us. Dad wanted to know if what Hickory knew about the Conclave was different than what we knew. Hickory said yes, basically. They knew quite a bit about the Conclave, based on the Obin government's own files on them – and that their own files, contrary to what we had been told by the Colonial Union, showed that when it came to colonies, the Conclave much preferred to evacuate the colonies they confronted, rather than destroying them. Dad asked Hickory why, if they had different information, they had not shared it earlier. Hickory said because they had been ordered not to by their government; neither Hickory nor Dickory would have lied about having the information if Dad had asked them, but he had never asked them about it before. I think this struck Dad as a bit weaselly on the part of Hickory and Dickory, but he let it go. Dad asked Hickory if it'd seen the video the Colonial Union had given us, of the Conclave destroying the Whaid colony. Hickory said that it and Dickory had their own version. Dad asked if their version was different; Hickory said it was – it was longer and showed General Gau, who had ordered the destruction of the Whaid colony, trying to convince the Whaidi colony leader to let the Conclave evacuate the colonists, only to have the Whaid refuse to leave before the destruction of their colony. Hickory said that other times, on other colony worlds, colonists did ask to be evacuated, and the Conclave carried them off the planet, and sent them back to their homeworlds or allowed them to join the Conclave as citizens. Jane asked for numbers. Hickory said they knew of seventeen colony removals by the Conclave. Ten of those had the Conclave returning colonists to their former homes. Four of those had the colonists joining the Conclave. Only three involved the destruction of the colonies, after the colonists refused to move. The Conclave was dead serious about not allowing anyone else to start new colonies, but – unlike what we were told by the Colonial Union – didn't insist on killing everyone on those new colonies to make the point. This was fascinating stuff – and disturbing. Because if what Hickory was saying was true – and it was, because Hickory would not lie to me, or to my parents against my will – then it meant that either the Colonial Union had been wildly wrong about the Conclave, and its leader General Gau, or that the CU had lied to us when it told us what would happen if the Conclave found us. The first of these was certainly possible, I suppose; the Colonial Union was in a state of active hostility with almost every other alien race that we knew about, which I would guess would make intelligence gathering harder than it might be if we had more friends. But it was really more likely that the second of these was the truth: Our government lied to us. But if the Colonial Union lied to us, why did it do it? What did it get from lying to us, punting us to who knows where in the universe, and making us live in fear of being discovered – and putting all of us in danger? What was our own government up to? And what would the Conclave really do to us if it found us? This was such an interesting thing to think about that I almost missed the part where Hickory explained the reason why it and Dickory actually had detailed files about the Conclave's other colony removals: in order to convince Mom and Dad, should the Conclave come knocking, to surrender our colony rather than to let it be destroyed. And why would they want to convince Mom and Dad of this? â€Å"Because of Zoe?† Dad asked Hickory. â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"Wow,† I said. This was news. â€Å"Quiet, sweetheart,† Dad said, and then gave his attention back to Hickory. â€Å"What would happen if Jane and I chose not to surrender the colony?† he asked. â€Å"We would prefer not to say,† Hickory said. â€Å"Don't evade,† Dad said. â€Å"Answer the question.† I caught Hickory giving me a quick look before it answered. â€Å"We would kill you and Lieutenant Sagan,† Hickory said. â€Å"You and any other colony leader who would authorize the destruction of the colony.† Dad said something to this and Hickory said something back, but I missed most of it because my brain was trying to process what I had just heard, and it was absolutely and completely utterly failing. I knew I was important to the Obin. I had always known it abstractly, and then Hickory and Dickory had pounded the point into me months ago, when they had attacked me and showed me what it felt to be hunted, and showed me why I had to learn to defend myself. But in no formulation of my importance was even the conception that I was so important to the Obin that if it came to it, they would kill my parents to save me. I didn't even know how to think about something like that. Didn't know how to feel about it. The idea kept trying to hook into my brain, and it just wasn't working. It was like having an out of body experience. I floated up over the conversation, and listened to Jane interject herself into the discussion, asking Hickory if even after admitting this as their plan, if it and Dickory would still kill her and John. Kill my mom and dad. â€Å"If you choose to surrender the colony, yes,† Hickory said. I actually felt a snap as I reeled myself back into my head, and I'm happy to say that I quite suddenly knew exactly how to feel about all of this: absolutely enraged. â€Å"Don't you dare,† I said, and I flung out the words. â€Å"Under no circumstances will you do that.† I was surprised to find myself standing when I said it; I didn't remember getting up. I was shaking so hard with anger I wasn't sure how I was still standing. Hickory and Dickory both flinched at my anger, and trembled. â€Å"This one thing we must refuse you,† Hickory said. â€Å"You are too important. To us. To all Obin.† To all Obin. If I could have spat, I would. Here it was again. All of my life, bounded by the Obin. Bounded not in who I was, but what I was. By what I meant to them. There was nothing about my own life that mattered in this, except what entertainment I could give them as billions of Obin played the records of my life like it was a funny show. If any other girl had been Charles Boutin's daughter, they would have happily watched her life instead. If any other girl's adopted parents had gotten in the way of the Obin's plan for her, they would have slaughtered them, too. Who I was meant nothing. The only thing that mattered was that I just happened to have been one man's daughter. A man who the Obin had thought could give them something. A man whose daughter's life they had bargained with to get that thing. A man who ended up dying because of the work he'd done for them. And now they wanted more sacrifices. So I let Hickory and Dickory know how I felt. â€Å"I've already lost one parent because of the Obin,† I said, and loaded everything I could into that last word. All my anger and disgust and horror and rage, at the idea they should so casually decide to take from me two people who had only ever shown me love and affection and honor, and flick them aside like they were nothing more than an inconvenience. I hated Hickory and Dickory that minute. Hated them in that way that comes only when someone you love takes that love and betrays it, completely and totally. Hated them because they would betray me because they believe they loved me. I hated them. â€Å"Everybody calm down,† John said. â€Å"No one is killing anyone. All right? This is a nonissue. Zoe, Hickory and Dickory aren't going to kill us because we're not going to let the colony be destroyed. Simple as that. And there is no way I would let anything happen to you, Zoe. Hickory and Dickory and I all agree that you are too important for that.† I opened my mouth to say something to that and just started sobbing instead. I felt like I'd gone numb from the legs; suddenly Jane was there, holding me and leading me back to the couch. I sobbed on her like I did so many years ago outside that toy store, trying to sort out everything I was thinking. I heard Dad make Hickory and Dickory swear to protect me, always, under all circumstances. They swore. I felt like I didn't want their help or protection ever again. I knew it would pass. Even now I knew it was because of the moment that I felt this way. It didn't change the fact that I still felt it. I was going to have to live with it from now on. Dad talked with Hickory more about the Conclave and asked to see the Obin's files on the other colony removals. Hickory said they would need to go to the information center to do it. Even though it was now so late it was almost morning, Dad wanted to do it right then. He gave me a kiss and headed out the door with the Obin; Jane held back a second. â€Å"Are you going to be okay?† she asked me. â€Å"I'm having a really intense day, Mom,† I said. â€Å"I think I want it to be over.† â€Å"I'm sorry you had to hear what Hickory said,† Jane said. â€Å"I don't think there would have been any good way to handle it.† I sniffled out a small grin. â€Å"You seem to have taken it well,† I said. â€Å"If someone was telling me they had plans to kill me, I don't think I would have taken it anywhere as calmly.† â€Å"Let's just say I wasn't entirely surprised to hear Hickory say that,† Jane said. I looked up at her, surprised. â€Å"You're a treaty condition, remember,† she said. â€Å"And you are the Obin's main experience of what it's like to live.† â€Å"They all live,† I said. â€Å"No,† Jane said. â€Å"They exist. Even with their consciousness implants they hardly know what to do with themselves, Zoe. It's all too new to them. Their race has no experience with it. They don't just watch you because you entertain them. They watch you because you're teaching them how to be. You're teaching them how to live.† â€Å"I've never thought about it that way,† I said. â€Å"I know you haven't,† Jane said. â€Å"You don't have to. Living comes naturally to you. More naturally than to some of the rest of us.† â€Å"It's been a year since any of them have seen me,† I said. â€Å"Any of them but Hickory and Dickory. If I've been teaching them how to live, I wonder what they've been doing for the last year.† â€Å"They've been missing you,† Mom said, and kissed the top of my head again. â€Å"And now you know why they'll do anything to have you back. And to keep you safe.† I didn't have a good answer to that. Mom gave me one last quick hug and headed to the door to join Dad and the Obin. â€Å"I don't know how long this is going to take us,† she said. â€Å"Try going to bed again.† â€Å"I'm too worked up to get back to sleep,† I said. â€Å"If you get some sleep you'll probably be less worked up when you wake up,† Jane said. â€Å"Trust me, Mom,† I said. â€Å"It's going to take something pretty big to get me over being worked up about all of this.†