Poverty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Poverty - Essay Example People living in poverty have poor access to health facilities, and, as a result, suffer from poor heath owing to the minimal care to which they are exposed. Some of the reasons as to why they have limited access to health care services are that they lack financial resources to pay for services rendered, as well as information on medical services. In addition, due to lack of medical care, ill health is prevalent among poverty-stricken areas and people. One of the main reasons that poverty stricken people cannot access, or have limited access to healthcare facilities is the geographical locale of the facilities. This is concerning the physical distance between the local area that an individual resides in, as well as the time required to travel to the health facilities. Moreover, people living in poverty do not seem to get the right type of care availed to them in health care facilities. This is concerning the time that Medicare is required, such as desperate times and conditions that require specialized equipment to treat. To add to this, the issue of acceptability crops up in the form social stratification. Medical practitioners tend to be more responsive to the needs of the socially able, while those of the poor are left to fend for their needs and receive minimal care. Furthermore, the quality of health care offered to these impoverished is of important concern, as quality of care usually depends on the monetary wellbeing of the patients. Therefore, poor patients receive poor quality services, as compared to their wealthy counterparts. In addition to this, there are far fewer medical facilities available in poor areas thus making it even more difficult for poor people to have appropriate access. Owing to the poor access to medical facilities, impoverished people are faced with a certain myriad of diseases and conditions that have already exited

The Current Macroeconomic Situation of the US Essay Example for Free

The Current Macroeconomic Situation of the US Essay In the recent years, the US economy has gradually improved. However some areas such as the housing industry have still remained negatively affected. The following paper will discuss some of the causes that led to the crisis and what the Federal Reserve should do to address the affected areas. Introduction Despite the improvement in the US economy, there is still a decrease in interest rates, depreciation of currency and unstable markets due to fluctuations. The current debt loan of the US is also big and may lead to depression of the economy resulting in minimized growth. This is mainly caused by low interest rates which encourage borrowing for the business sector and the consumers looking for homes. In order to service these loans, the government relies on foreign aid. Current Situation The current recession and economic crisis was however majorly caused by the increase of subprime adjustable rate mortgages issued, the decrease in prime mortgages issued and the made up collaterized debt obligations. In addition, bank loans were offered to people who expected an increase in housing prices leading to their default. Moreover, supply and demand, inflation due to an increase of oil market prices which led to the increase in price of some basic commodities, money supply and GDP which influence the economy were significant causes (Tyler, 2010). Thus, the US economy is still undergoing financial crisis as a result of these decreasing interest rates hence the zero interest rate bound and the major increases in government spending. This leads to the discussion of money printing against bond financing which arises since the latter creates fears of inflation. The current situation consists of a â€Å"money multiplier† which is influenced by the ratio currency/deposits and reserved/deposits. The public is practicing the C/D more by keeping money in the mattress while the banks exhibit the R/D through their preference to cash than loans and investments. US Congress and the Federal Reserve The US congress and the federal government should improve the international market in order to improve the GDP and attract more investors. Additionally they should lower interest rates in borrowing to attract the public to buy housing units (Liu, 2010). Once, the interest rates hit zero the federal government should increase the monetary base by purchasing bonds unlimitedly since it cannot be negative. This is because highly positive interest rates rely on deflation (Lemgruber, 2008). ? List of References Lemgruber, A. C. , 2008. A Monetarist Analysis of the US Macroeconomic Situation. Emerging Markets Ecomonitor. December, 7. Liu, 2010. Feature: To End or not to End. August 15. Retrieved from Xinhuanet: http://news. xinhuanet. com/english2010/indepth/2010-08/15/c_13445774. htm on August 15, 2010. Tyler, 2010. The Current Macroeconomical Situation and the Global Recession: The Cause of The Current World Crisis. Armchair Economics. March, 24.

Nigerias Rigid Expectations of Men :: essays research papers fc

In September 1997, in Oslo, Norway, a meeting was organized in co-operation with the Norwegian National Commission for UNESCO where international observer B. Mustakim said, â€Å"Highlighting masculinity may be seen as a way of excusing violent men, since their behavior is attributed to a masculinity which many believe to be "natural" and unchangeable.† Georg Tillner, author of Men and Masculinities, responded, â€Å"Power is the one aspect all variants of masculinity have in common, not necessarily as the real possession of power, but rather as a "demand for dominance" or an "entitlement to power". Masculinity is an identity† (Mustakim). Throughout Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, masculinity takes an impressive role in molding the clan’s male-dominated society, and plays a vital part in influencing characters’ decisions. In the novel, Achebe reveals the definition of what it means to be a man in Nigerian society ; he should be masculine and protect his family and friends in that he is willing to fight, earn his good reputation, and preserve and expand the honor of his family. In Nigerian society, a man was responsible for the protection of his family and friends in that he was willing to fight. No character in Things Fall Apart demonstrated this ideal better than that of Okonkwo. This was apparent in the very beginning of the novel when it is brought to the reader’s attention that Okonkwo had, at such a young age, already taken two titles and demonstrated undivided skill in two inter-tribal wars. At the closing stages of the novel, Okonkwo yet again attempted to protect his clansmen when five court messengers arrive at one of the clan’s meetings. Without any hesitation, Okonkwo pulled out his machete and killed the head messenger. Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, however, did not fit the same mold of masculinity as that of his high-achieved son. While Unoka and his neighbor, Okoye, were sharing a kola nut (a symbol of life and vitality) one day, they talked about several things including that of the impending war with the village of Mbaino. U noka did not condone war, but not because he believed that it was barbaric. He was simply a coward and could not stand the sight of blood. Thomas Alva Edison, a great inventor, businessman, and true Renaissance man, once said, â€Å"The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn't like to do† (Woopidoo!). Okonkwo became an important and successful asset to his clan by achieving things in which his father refused to partake.

Emperor Hirohito Essay

Emperor Hirohito ruled for 53 years, during those years, Japanese civilians invaded China, the Rape of Nanking happened, they attacked Pearl Harbor and Japan rose to become the world second economic superpower. He was the first Japanese Emperor to be welcomed into Europe. He married at age 16, was crowned prince in November 1921. He died in his 80’s of a sickness called Myocardial Infraction. In his early life at age 7 he was taught proper behavior by Maresoke Nayi at Peer’s School. Also, his parents hired two Confucian tutors for him to learn. A few years later at age 11 his father was crowned Emperor because the formal Emperor had died of old age. Hirohito was to marry at age 16 to a young Princess which name is Nagako Kuni who was only 14 at the time. Before he had married the princess he went and traveled around Europe and was the first Japanese prince who was welcomed by the royal queen herself. During the time he had traveled he became very interested in the study of Marine Science. He also developed an interest in golf, drinking tea and eating bread. After coming back from Europe he changed the law that said that royal family members could not travel the world and make new traditions. His main inspiration was watching how in Europe people could do as they please and not get judge for it. Around that same time his family had heard a rumor that said the Princess Nagako Kuni was colorblind, so Hirohito’s family decided to delay the wedding until they figured everything out. They didn’t get married until a year later in 1924. Just a couple of years later he had to become Emperor because of his father death (due to a mental illness). People refused to him as a god because of the way he ruled. Also, because nobody ever saw him. Hirohito was one who believed in democratic politics over any other thing. Due to this he everyone believed that Japan wanted to go to war with every single country. So many people had judged him very harshly for not putting himself together in the right time before the war. And his own military wanted to get someone more worthy of the thrown, not Hirohito. It was hard on him and even more because of the surprise attack f the two atomic bombs which were dropped an August 6-9, 1945 (O’Neil 1). Nobody knew what to do or how to do it. The only person that knew what to do was Hirohito. He had decided to surrender to Great Britain and United States and to see if that would make his people follow him again. Or maybe put him on their good graces. He ordered his government to make an unconditional surrender. Hirohito had to make a fast action and an effective plan for seizing power (Oâ€℠¢Neil 1). Even though he had to do all those things he never wanted to give in to those countries. He knew he could do better if he had done some military service. But he didn’t he had married young and did everything so fast due to his father’s death. But still no one gave him the credit for doing it. For this, he deserves considerable credit (O’Neil 1). He toured Europe in 1971, the first reigning Japanese monarch to visit abroad, and traveled to the United States in 1975 (Leaders 1). He was one of the first Japanese Emperor’s to do this. Later on in life he wrote a few books on Marine Science. It was one of the things that interested him in his younger ages. He has 7 children named: Akihito, Prince Hitachi, Atsuko Lkeda, Takako Shimazu, Shigeko Higashikuni, Kazuko Takasukasa, and Princess Hisa Sachiko. Hirohito’s reign was designated Showa, or â€Å"Enlightened Peace† (Leaders 1). But some people were relieved when he died and his son Crown Prince Akihito became Emperor. Even though they were glad there were disappointed because the Prince had married a commoner. Some contemporaries who lived in his time were Hitler and Hideki Tojo. Their roles in his life were that both of them had lived in the same days as Hirohito. And they never met in person but they had heard of each other. Emperor Hirohito was a very important person in his days because of the way he had treated his people he didn’t make any decisions with out considering the way they would have felt about it. After the war he had said â€Å"That most unfortunate war, which I deeply deplore. † The main reason he had said that was because of all the people who had lost their life just because of that war. Another quote he had said was â€Å"I made efforts to swallow tears and to protect the Japenese Nation. †

African American Cinema Essay

The subject of African-Americans in Motion Pictures provides some of the most interesting studies along with the many controversial interpretations of the roles as actors they played on screen. As far back as the silent films era, African-Americans have been featured in motion pictures playing roles depicting some aspect of acting and being purveyors of a black image. The messages or themes of these movies have over the years presented a mixture of images based upon what was thought to please the viewers of each particular film. Unfortunately, many of those films showed black characters in negative stereotypical roles, which the average African-Americans would never truly identify as being like themselves. Since many of our American icons and heroes have come from our motion picture stars, we need to understand what this narrow view presented and compare it with what we presently see at our local cinema today. The movies Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner (1967), Shaft (1971), Do The Right Thing (1989), Boys n the Hood (1991), and Menace to Society (1993) show a thematic style and stereotypes in the way that black films have progressed over the years. The motion picture industry was never too quick to change their approach in presenting African-Americans in realistic roles depicting social or civil conditions in an integrated context. Many of these roles required scenes showing African-Americans in positions of authority or relating to white Americans in a positive way. This Integration Period therefore brought together African-American actors with scenes along side white actors in roles showing both players dealing with racial conflict and resolution. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was truly a unique film for its time in that Sidney Poitier’s character breaks all the stereotypical views of blacks in American Cinema. In the early 1930’s blacks were portrayed as lower class, slow-witted figures of entertainment, often showed in menstrual shows. Poitier’s character broke all these stereotypes. 1971 brought to the big screen a successive series of superhero black or â€Å"blaxploitation† films. Shaft was released in 1971, and Richard Roundtree was the superman black hero detective. He was compared by many to the white James Bond. Related to Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Shaft took it up a notch in showing a black man as a hero. Poitier’s role was one to equalize whites and blacks in their roles in American cinema, but Shaft showed a black man who was an authoritative figure. Different themes can be mixed in between the two movies. They both show an intelligent black man that has a grip on reality. Both movies showed themes of how integration has struck America. They differ though on a level in that Shaft was a black dominant cast and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was predominantly white. Do the Right Thing, Boyz n the Hood, and Menace to Society were all produced in a more modern era, hence the fact that they all have similar racial themes. The films all paint a picture of urban Black America in their time period. All three films are thought to be racially reactionary films aimed at the psyche of both black and white viewers. The movies were all a success due to the touched topics of racial situations, ethnic tensions, and human encounters of anger. The superb casts of both black and white actors made the motion picture industry aware of a newer avenue for films and race relations. African-Americans in motion pictures in today’s expanding world of visual imagery can be seen on many expanding fronts. We see the making of motion pictures on subjects or themes which can be taken from history, life experiences, music, and unexplored events. Today’s markets are open, and African-Americans are taking advantage of these open door opportunities. Actors and actresses are expanding their roles from stage acting to movies to TV miniseries to video cassettes or discs, and roles taken from books, plus movie soundtracks. In our world today African-American actors and actresses will always have a place in American Cinema and their future looks bright and promising.

The 6 Cases of Latin Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives

The 6 Cases of Latin Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives There are six  cases of Latin nouns that are commonly used. Another two- locative and instrumental- are vestigial and are not often used.   Nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and participles are declined in two numbers  (singular  and  plural) and in six principal cases. The Cases and Their Grammatical Position in Sentences Nominative (nominativus):  Subject of the sentence.Genitive (genitivus):  Generally translated by the English possessive, or by the objective with the preposition  of.Dative (dativus): Indirect object.  Usually translated by the objective with the preposition  to  or  for.Accusative (accusativus): Direct object of the verb and object with many prepositions.  Ablative (ablativus): Used to show means, manner, place, and other circumstances. Usually translated by the objective with the prepositions from,  by,  with,  in, at.Vocative (vocativus): Used for direct address. Vestigial Cases: Locative  (locativus):  Denotes the place where. This vestigial case is often left out of Latin noun  declensions. Traces of it appear in names of towns and a few other words: RÃ… mae (at Rome)  /  rÃ… «rÄ « (in the country). Still another vestigial  case, the instrumental, appears in a few adverbs.​ All the cases, except the nominative and vocative, are used as object cases; they are sometimes called oblique cases (cÄ sÃ… «s oblÄ «quÄ «). Five Declensions of Nouns and Their Endings Nouns are declined according to gender, number, and case (a declension is essentially a fixed pattern of endings). There are only  five  regular declensions of nouns in Latin; there is a sixth for some pronouns and adjectives that end in -ius in the genitive case form.  Each noun is declined according to number, gender, and case. This means that there are six sets of case endings for five declensions of nouns- one set for each declension. And students have to memorize them all. Below are brief descriptions of the five noun declensions, with links to the full declension for each, including the case endings for each declension. 1.  First declension nouns: End in -a in the nominative singular and are feminine. 2. Second declension nouns: Most are masculine and end in -us, -er or -ir.Some are neuter and end in -um. Esse: The all-important  irregular verb esse (to be) belongs to this group.  Words associated with it are in the  nominative  case. It does not take an object and should never be in the accusative case. The following is a sample paradigm* of the second declension masculine noun somnus, -i (to sleep). The case name is followed by the singular, then the plural. *Note that the term paradigm is frequently used in discussions of Latin grammar; a paradigm is an example of a conjugation  or  declension showing a word in all its inflectional forms. Nominative somnus somniGenitive somni somnorumDative somno somnisAccusative somnum somnosAblative somno somnisLocative somni somnisVocative somne somni 3.  Third declension nouns:  End in -is  in the genitive singular.  Thats how you identify them. 4.​ Fourth declension nouns: Ending  in  -us are masculine, apart from manus and domus, which are feminine. Fourth declension nouns ending  in -u are neuter. 5. Fifth declension nouns: End in -es and are feminine.The exception is  dies, which is usually masculine when singular and always masculine when plural.

Analysis of Japan

Analysis of Japan Japan has always been known as a conservative society that is well entrenched in its ideas of tradition, culture and the preservation of social institutions (Japan, 58-63). Yet, it is this focus on tradition that has resulted in the preservation of its ancient cultural traditions that has enthralled and fascinated the world for generations.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Analysis of Japan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the present, the country is home to 125 million people with the main language spoken being nihonggo. There are also various regional dialects such as Kansai-bien which is primarily being utilized within the rural areas of the Kansai region (Japan, 58-63). At the present, the current exchange rate between the Yen and Dirham is 1.00 AED = 21.7418 JPY. While it may seem high you need to take into consideration the fact that while Japan has some of the best inns in the world, the inherent costs are usually twice as high as those in other countries. For people wishing to visit the country, the best time to do so is during the winter and spring seasons in order to take full advantage of the hot spring resorts that the country is famous for. Infrastructure When it comes to the local infrastructure of Japan, it is actually quite interesting to note that the Japanese utilize public transportation more so than other countries. There are actually relatively few cars within the country with a vast majority of the general public relying on the dozens of train lines, bullet trains as well as airports that the country has to offer. To make things easier for tourists, the Japanese government has helpfully placed signs in both English and Japanese on all public methods of transportation in order to help tourists easily access various locations around the country. It should also be noted that weekly passes can be bought at various train stations that allow travelers to utilize the trains as much as they want within the designated period on the cards. As such, for any tourist wishing to go to various locations within the country it can be done in a relatively cheap and easy manner.Advertising Looking for report on geography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Types of Tourists International (Encompasses the U.A.E, U.S., Europe and other countries) Regional (Within the Asian region) Local (Within Japan) Potential Retirees (People looking for a permanent place to retire) Demographics: Middle to high income 30 to 55 years (middle aged) College Educated Is usually quite stressed 2 to 3 children High income Aged 30 and above Composed of Businessmen and entrepreneurs Usually coming from areas such as Hong Kong, Beijing and Australia 3 4 children Low to moderate income Young to middle agedHigh education statusWorks within the 2 largest metropolitan areas in the country (i.e. Tokyo and Osaka)1 to 2 childre nUsually goes on vacation with a large group of friends or associates from work Pensioned (fixed income) 60 years old and above College graduates Usually composed of U.S./European retirees 2 to 3 children Benefits Sought: Mid-quality hotel rooms, Affordable food, Located near the beach, Access to public/affordable transportation Professional hotel staff Friendly Locals High quality food, Located right next to the beach, Luxurious hotel rooms Professional hotel staff Friendly locals Cheap hotel rooms, Inexpensive food, Convenient access to the beach Located near affordable places to eat Access to public transportation Relaxing environment, Low cost of living expenses, Safety, Friendly locals Shared Values: Seeks to conform to an allotted budget for the vacation Focuses on a variety of outdoor activities such as surfing, diving, paragliding etc. Thinks quite highly of the local population Cost is not an issue Seeks to derive as much enjoyment as possible from the experience Intere sted in experiencing as many new things as possible Does not think highly of the local population To spend as little as possible Focuses more on practicality rather than luxury Enjoys taking vacations in large groups To find a nice quiet place to retire Develop good relationships with the locals Relax for the rest of one’s life in a nice environment Thought Patterns: Independent Open to new ideas Confident Arrogant Superficial Sticks to preconditioned ideas regarding the local culture Possesses a feeling of entitlement Peaceful Cooperative Fear of spending too much Peaceful Cooperative Open to new ideas Targeted By: Mid-level hot spring resorts, High end luxury resorts Mid-level resorts Small beach resorts with an attached development plan for beach front property for retirees. Purpose: To experience new activities and get away from the stress of work To enjoy the various luxurious amenities available within the target destination. To go out on a vacation with a group o f friends in order to better connect with one another To look for a place to retire in peace Motivation: The desire to unwind and relax To experience what Japan has to offer To go out with friends To finally retire in peace Buying Behavior: Influenced by the desire to experience new activities that they otherwise would not be able to do in the countries they come from (i.e. relax on the beach, paragliding, deep sea diving etc.) Focuses on having the best of everything throughout the entire experience. This encompasses having the best hotel rooms, the best foods, going for the most expensive activities etc. Revolves around the desire to participate in activities as a group. This involves eating with a large group of friends, interacting with people they know and going for a variety of group based activities. For retirees, this involves examining the country and location where they plan to retire. As such, buying behavior for this particular demographic is heavily influenced by th e degree of safety and relative ease of life in their desire location. Tourism Contribution to Local Economy On average, Japan brings in roughly 8.3 million tourists a year from various international locations such as the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and several countries within Asia. While tourism is not a vital part of the local economy, it still provides more than $3.5 billion dollars a year in annual income. It must be noted though that as a direct result of the Fukushima nuclear disaster tourism in Japan has actually dropped by 25% within the past year, however, the numbers are expected to rise given that the supposed danger has passed. Another factor that should be taken into consideration when examining the local economy of the country is the fact that a vast majority of tourism services are oriented towards local rather than international consumers. This is evidenced by the fact that there is little in the way of significant internationalization of services which specifi cally cater to international clientele. This is actually one of the impediments to increasing tourism within the country since many tourists are wary of visiting a country that does not have sufficient local services to address their concerns especially when it comes to being understood by the local populace that barely speaks English. Evaluation of Destination Marketing The primary strategy that has been employed by Japan has been to create partnerships with a variety of travel agencies within other countries in order to incorporate various locations within the country in their packaged tour deals. By doing so, this has brought in almost 60% of all guests to the location during the busy and slow seasons and continues to be one of the main ways the country is able to get tourists. One of the primary reasons behind the utilization of such a strategy is due to the fact that while English is taught in various schools, it is not extensively utilized in business proceedings.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Analysis of Japan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As such, Japan has had to rely extensively on external agencies in order to promote its various tourism destinations. Not only that, compared to Europe, Australia and the Philippines there is little in the way of a sufficiently extensive online presence within social media networks for Japan. The country does not even utilize E-commerce platforms in order to create a faster and more prudent method for international guests to make reservations and pay for rooms ahead of time. While it may be true that this due to the fact that many of ryoukans and onsens prefer to operate utilizing traditional methods this just means that they are missing out on potentially tapping the a large online consumer market. It must also be noted that the popularity of social media platforms such as Facebook and Google + makes it a free and easy method for hotels and tou rism destinations to advertise their services via satisfied liking and sharing of the page as well as through various online promotions. It is based on this that it is recommend that various ryoukans, onsens and tourism destinations within the country setup a proper E-commerce application for future websites as well as setup a Facebook page. By doing so this creates the potential for such establishments to access new customer bases in far off locations and make it easier for them to make a reservation and pay for their room without having to spend too much. Comparative Analysis of Popular Tourism Destinations within the Region to Japan Philippines Thailand Japan Australia Strength Has one of the world’s most biologically diverse marine ecosystems Possesses beautiful white sand beachesThe local population is known throughout the world for their hospitalityFood and hotels are relatively inexpensiveNearly everyone within the country speaks English Possesses a wide range of cultural traditions and historic sites that are unique to the country Has one of the lowest prices for hotels and food in the world Locals are relatively kind to foreigners Has one of the oldest cultures in the world with a wide range of unique cultural attractions throughout the country Is well known for its hot springs which supposedly have restorative properties Is one of the safest and most technologically advanced countries within the world Has a local culture that is understandable by most westerners Is well known for its beaches Widely considered to be one of the surfing capitals of the world Has a relatively low crime rate Weakness The local armed resistance groups such as MILF and Abu Sayyaf have been known to kidnap and hold tourists for ransom There is rampant corruption in various sectors resulting foreigners sometimes being gouged on prices Is located within a region that is prone to tsunamis The country is known more for its lucrative red light districts that it is for its cultural attractions Kidnapping by local criminals is a definite possibility It is one of the most expensive places in the world to take a vacation with prices for even basic goods exceeding the cost seen in most western countries The locals rarely understand English and are often afraid to interact with foreigners The country has hundreds if not thousands of local species that could kill a person rather quickly The Australian Outback is one of the most dangerous places on Earth Due to adverse water distribution policies several areas within the country are prone to dust storms Opportunities Still has a relatively underdeveloped tourism industry and as such there are numerous opportunities for expansion Within the past few years Thailand has emerged from the tsunami disaster through large investments in its tourism industry resulting in better facilities and more affordable prices Recent initiatives from the Japanese government to increase the number of tourists entering t he country have resulted in fewer restrictions and red tape involving tourist visas The country has slowly been building up a platform for increasing the number of tourists to the country through vigorous TV ads and online viral marketing campaigns Threat All locations indicated in this table suffer from the same problem of increased uncertainty over the current state of the global economy which has negatively impacted the number of people that willing to go on extended vacation (Hiwasaki, 675-692). Consumers have become more hesitant to go on vacations since they do not know if they will be able to continue to keep their jobs if they do so. The current prolonged recession has actually resulted in a direct slowdown of infrastructure development involving resorts within the countries indicated in this analysis and has cast doubt over the ability of the region to continue to maintain its current level of distinction which is the primary factor behind the continued decline of their t ourism industries within the past few years. Tourism Organizational Structure The main tourism organization within the country is the Japan Tourism Agency which basically monitors and implements the various tourism polices that apply to foreign tourists as well as local residents.Advertising Looking for report on geography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main purpose of the agency is to promote and monitor the number of tourists that enter into the country and develop specific legislation that is subject to the approval of the main governing body of the country that is aimed at ensuring a steady flow of tourists and the income they provide for local businesses (Japan: Market Profile, 186-190). One of the more recent actions of the agency has been the implementation of new legislation which lowers the standards and amount of requirements for foreign tourists to enter into the country (CHOONG-KI, 392-323). The main aim of such an endeavor was to encourage even individuals with moderate to low incomes to visit the country and see the sights. It should be noted though that the Japan Tourism Agency mainly concerns itself with international tourists and does not involve tourism activities of local residents. Security Risk and Assessment An examination of the U.A.E travel advisory website reveals that there are currently no announcemen ts that specifically state that there are major problems with vacationing in Japan at this moment in time. It was noted on the website though that tourists from the U.A.E should be cautious regarding the current political climate between Japan and China due to their current island dispute. As such, there is a possibility that increased activist protests may occur. All in all though, Japan is considered a relatively safe environment for foreign tourists and, as such, citizens of the U.A.E are free to travel there if they wish. Operating Sectors Attractions Underwater Scuba Diving Considered to be one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet, Japan, particularly Okinawa island, has a wide variety of coral reefs and diving spots that have been widely praised by diving magazines and the International Diving Association as being one of the most beautiful yet also one of the safest places to see the wonders of underwater nature unfold before their very eyes. Guests at any one of the various resorts in Japan can sign up for a rather affordable diving lesson along with supervised dives at several of the islands best locations. These dives include an exploration of the local coral reef system, diving into various caves near one the other local islands and a moderate feeding of the local marine life. Due to the crystal clear waters that the Japan island system are known for, guests can rent a variety of underwater cameras and equipment in order to film themselves diving and exploring the fascinating wonders in an around the island system of Okinawa. Do note though that it is highly illegal to either capture fish or attempt to extract coral from the surrounding areas and as such guests should abide by the rules lest they get into trouble and be banned from ever diving in the waters of Japan again. Another factor that should be taken into consideration is that those who wish to take up diving lessons must already know how to swim and have a moderate level of p hysical strength since the tanks are quite heavy. Hiking While the Japan does not necessarily have large mountainous areas, it does however have a variety of beautiful hiking trails where an intrepid explorer can go and visit the wonders the sparsely tree covered areas have to offer. It is usually the case that tour groups are led by a local guide who follows a predetermined path through the hilly landscape where he/she points out a variety of interesting sights and animals. Do note that forest exploration within Japan is not as dangerous as compared to countries such as Africa or South America for example since the country does not have any predators that would pose a danger to a hiker that is aware of his surroundings and can make a certain amount of noise to scare the creature off. Some hikes even end in a rather exciting whitewater rafting adventure where hikers climb onto orange rafts and navigate down the river until they reach a miniature lake which often has an alternative s ource of water in the form of a small waterfall. Do note though that you need to be in relatively good health and be in tip top shape in order to go hiking since it is often lasts for hours and goes through relatively tough terrain. Japanese Hot Springs If there is one thing Japan is famous for it is its onsens (i.e. hot spring resorts) located in areas such as Kusatsu, Shibi, Shirahone and Okuhida. These resorts cater primarily to individuals who want to experience the joys of relaxing in naturally heated (i.e. heated from the volcanic rock below) mineral rich waters (Buckley Jr. et al., 357-383). It is often the case that onsens are open air baths within resorts that gives bathers a panoramic view of a clear night sky and the surrounding landscape. It is usually the case that the demographic to a Japanese onsen are individuals usually within their late 30s to early 70s however there has been an increasingly large amount of younger demographics that have been trying out these hot s pring resorts as of late. The primary reason is the fact that an onsen is considered the ultimate traveler’s experience within Japan that any tourist in the country should seek out (Hall, 19). Major Shopping Districts Akihabara While Japan has several of the worlds best shopping districts none compare to the fame of its Akihabara district. Connected with the otaku subculture of Japan, Akihabara can be considered a hub for technology, manga, and anime. It famously has an assortment of maid cafes wherein attractive Japanese girls dress up in maid costumes and serve you while calling you master. The shopping district is also one of the best places in Asia to find the best discounts on electronic goods and various unique types of consumer devices (Foster, 351-372). Lastly, it is also the primary location from which Japans otaku sub-culture congregates in order to trade, buy and sell all things related to manga and anime. What you have to understand is that the popularity of manga and anime has surpassed the borders of Japan and has actually reached numerous international locations such as the France, the U.S., China and even the U.A.E. As such, Akihabara has become a prime destination for many anime and manga lovers from different countries to stock up on various figurines and toys related to their favorite series. It should also be noted that what is unique about Akihabara is that unlike other prime tourist destinations around the world, it actually lacks the presence of any major hotel chains in the area. The primary reason behind this is due to the fact that a majority of the buildings located within the district primarily cater to the sale of consumer electronics and anime related paraphernalia. What the area has instead are capsule hotels, these hotels utilize a unique concept wherein instead of rooms rows of stacked man-sized capsules are placed within a room that have a bed, television and a small ventilation shaft installed inside. This type of hote l was meant to maximize on the limited amount of space within the Akihabara. Shinjuku Is a major business and commercial hub within Japan that possesses dozens of malls, several of the best hotels in the world and is comparable to Los Angeles on a busy day. Overall, this city is not that unique since it shares numerous similarities with other cities all over the world and does not have the uniqueness of Akihabara. Ecotourism While Japan has innumerable ecotourism destinations due to its focus on preserving natural resources and saving the environment, the most famous ecotourism destination within the country is Hokkaido Island located on the northwest part of the country (Hiwasaki, 107-126). The reason this particular destination is considered an ecotourism hotspot is due the fact that the general environment looks like an area in Europe rather than Asia. This is due to the combination of long fields of grass, small hills dotting the landscape here and there, snow capped mountains a s well as various species of trees that have white bark that do not resemble native species (Hiwasaki, 107-126). It should also be noted that the area is home to numerous native species that are not found any other place on the Earth such as the reclusive Hokkaido fox and deer as well as various species of owls. Not only that, the design of the buildings within this particular Business Travel Business travel within Japan is facilitated easily through the use of its expansive public transportation system, its bullet train system that connects various regions of the main island (the Shinkansen) as well as through several regional airports that have 24 hour flights. Overall, travel within the country is quite easy for foreign tourists so long as you follow the necessary guides for reaching your destination (Japan: Market Profile, 186-190). Cultural Heritage Tourism What you have to understand is that in the case of Japan its unique cultural heritage is the main selling point of its tou rism industry (FRANCIS-LINDSAY, 151-168). As such, in regions such as Kanto, Tohoku, Chugoku, and Kansai the main tourist attractions are not the local flora or fauna, rather, it is the various traditional temples, villages and ways of life that several Japanese communities espouse that become the main selling point of such regions (FRANCIS-LINDSAY, 151-168). Lodging For any tourist wishing to stay in Japan there are an assortment of 5 star hotels within the cities of Tokyo, Shinjuku, Osaka, Saitama and other such major areas of commerce, however, to truly appreciate a tourist experience in Japan it is highly recommended that you skip hotels and instead utilize Ryoukans which are the Japanese equivalent of inns. While these areas do not utilize the same ranking system as hotels, they are considered some of the best places to stay within the country since they serve guests traditional Japanese cuisine within traditional Japanese rooms with sliding doors, tatami mats and walls made ou t of thick paper. Do note though that there are no ryokans within the city since they are often found in the countryside in order to help their guests relax and appreciate nature. Several famous areas for ryokans are Tamatsukuri, Arima, Okinawa and Hokkaido due to their largely un-spoilt areas which are free from industrial development. Major Festivals and Events It is actually quite interesting to note that each region in Japan celebrates a variety of unique festivals that are inherent only to that particular region. This is due to various historical events, however, there are festivals such as Hanami, Tanabata, Toro Nagashi, the Shogatsu and assortment of others that universally celebrated across the various regions of the country. A large percentage of these festivals are usually held near or on the grounds of the local Shinto shrine and, as such, is usually the best direction to head to for tourists that want to experience the full force of Japans festivals. Future of Destinatio ns When it comes to the short and long term goals of the Japanese tourism industry, it is interesting to note that due to the current European debt crisis and the general turmoil in the global economic market it has been decided that within the short term the tourism sector of the country will continue to follow its current plan of providing high quality amenities and services at high cost however in the long term what will happen is a slow and carefully planned diversification of services in order to cater to clients that have medium to low income brackets (Hiwasaki, 675-692). The reason behind this is quite simple, the current problems within the global economy has created a noticeable impact on hotel guests and tourists at the present wherein many have been reluctant to spend as much as they used to (Uzama, 356-365). If this current trend continues it is likely that Japan will still continue to receive a steady stream of people however these will consist of individuals/families t hat would be looking for a bargain instead of luxury (Uzama, 356-365). Thus, a transition would be necessary in order to meet the demands of this new consumer market. It was realized within the past year that if such a strategy is not implemented it is very likely that the country will see a considerable reduction in the amount of tourists that arrive. Japan has actually taken the first initial steps into this direction by lowering the visa requirements needed to enter into the country in order to encourage foreign tourism. Market Problems The current problem with the tourism market between Japan and the U.A.E is the fact that consumer spending is at an all time low due to the 2008 – 2012 (present day) economic downturn. Unfortunately, the inherent problem with the current situation is that it creates a vicious cycle wherein low consumer spending results in companies reducing various aspects of their operational capacity (i.e. manufacturing of products, low level employees et c.) in order to remain in business which results in even lower consumer spending since people do not have jobs to support themselves anymore. An example of the effect of such a behavior by major corporations can be seen in the Dubai wherein up to 28% percent of current construction projects have been delayed due to workforce cutbacks employed by various companies in an attempt to continue to remain viable despite lackluster local demand. Another global factor that should be taken into consideration when examining the tourism trade of Japan is the current debt crisis in Europe that was brought about through not only the reckless actions of various banks within region (as seen in the case of Ireland) but also through government mismanagement of finances (seen in the case of Greece) and exposure to a reckless housing market (the case of Spain) which has also adversely affected domestic manufacturing within the U.S. Such factors have taken a steep toll on the airline passenger market wi th up to 50% of profits effectively wiped out in period immediately during the aftermath of the 2008 recession with only a marginal improvement on domestic flights. As a direct result of such issues, this has severely impacted Japan’s local tourism industry resulting in far fewer profits and the closure of several prominent tourism destinations due to lackluster demand. Solving the Problem Shifting to New Consumer Markets With low consumer spending and an atmosphere of economic uncertainty which pervades the traditional markets of Japan in Europe and America there is a necessity to pursue new consumer markets in various parts of the U.A.E. As such, the following are recommended methods of increasing the popularity of the country through using social media networks: Advertising Through Social Media: YouTube Stars Various forms of consumable media in the form of print ads, billboards, commercials, online marketing campaigns and a plethora of other types of advertising initiativ es are rife with the images of various popular individuals showing just how prevalent product endorsements are in the advertising campaigns of numerous companies. The logic behind this particular method of advertising stems from the fact that people are more likely to purchase a product or utilize a particular service if they see someone else happily using it, studies even show that the likelihood of product patronage goes up astronomically if it is seen that a pop culture icon is utilizing a particular type of product. This speaks volumes of the influence of pop culture on consumer buying behavior however it is also indicative of the fact that companies are aware of what causes consumers to purchase a particular product and act accordingly in order to exploit it. Yet, the inherent problem with using popular culture celebrities is the fact that they are often quite expensive and demand millions of dollars in fees. An alternative strategy that I have devised that overcomes this parti cular problem utilizes YouTube stars as a means of promoting the resorts of Bohol. On average, YouTube stars such as Ray William Johnson, Philip DeFranco, Shane Dawson, Smosh and others like them often generate millions of views per video, greater even than some shows on cable television. Furthermore, these shows are watched by a global audience encompassing countries such as the U.S., China, Russia, Australia, and various states within the European Union. This would enable any marketing campaign that centers on the use of such YouTube stars to in effect target a wide range of consumer markets at a relatively low cost. YouTube stars in general do not demand a lot of money for placing ads within their show; it is usually the case that by providing promotional code or a link in the description of the video the company that created an advertising contract with them usually pays on the basis on the number of clicks. This averages to around $5,000 to $6,000 on select advertising and prom otional deals; this is a vast difference when compared to the millions demanded by A-list stars within Hollywood. You also have to take into consideration the fact that YouTube stars can come from a variety of different countries wherein they have a distinct level of popularity with the local populace. Based on this, a marketing campaign could spend half the amount of money that would normally go to an A-list star yet reach four times the intended audience demographic by utilizing a select marketing strategy devoted to using YouTube stars from specific regions that cater to the audience demographics that the campaign is attempting to appeal to. Strategies to Consider Sponsored Links, Promotional Codes and Banners The best way in order to fully utilize the viewership of a YouTube star is to have them sponsor the resort by having them mention it then have them point to either a banner location on the screen, a promotional code the viewers can use to get discounts or a link in the desc ription of the video where viewers can go and visit a website detailing the various resort packages they can avail of. This is often the strategy Netflix uses on either the Philip DeFranco show or on EpicMealTime in order to gain a substantial amount of subscribers to their services. The same strategy can be utilized on select YouTube stars from specific regions and through multiple shows. By examining the viewership range and what type of viewers normally watch a particular YouTube star the marketing campaign will be able to determine what star to use, how long should the promotion period last for and will be able to monitor the overall effectiveness of the campaign via the number of clicks on the link, the number of people watching the video or the sheer amount of times the promotional code is used. Vloging a Sponsored Vacation One potential avenue of approach is to arrange for an all expenses paid trip for the YouTube star to a select resort in Bohol where they can vlog their exp erience to their viewership. Vlogging is a term that is a result of combining the words blogging (referring to act of publishing personal thoughts and experiences online for complete strangers to read) and video. The vlogs of YouTube stars often generate a substantial degree of views due to the current obsession over reality viewing wherein people want to watch people living their lives as it unfolds. By having YouTube stars vlog their experiences within the resort for a few days this in effect acts as type of commercial which shows cases the amenities and overall appeal of the location. Since it comes from a personal perspective and not through a telegraphed and obviously one sided view of the resort, this in effect generates a unique appeal to the market segments that the marketing campaign is attempting to target. It must also be noted that the YouTube stars in question could also be potentially convinced to host their shows with a live background of the resort. This enables the marketing campaign to more effectively capture a larger audience without having to increase the amount of money paid to the YouTube star since they are already on an all expenses paid free vacation. Summary Overall, it can be seen that Japan is a country that is rich in cultural heritage and possesses attractions that would cause a significant degree of wonder and amazement for any tourist from the U.A.E. It is truly beautiful and amazing and one that I myself would love to visit in the near future. It must be noted though that at the present the country lacks a significant enough online presence and is still considered one of the most expensive places to take a vacation. It is based on this that it is highly recommended that the country attempt several new ways in which it can develop its online presence, especially through social media, and devise a way that it can make its local services cheaper for tourists in order to increase the amount of foreign visitors into the country. B uckley Jr., Peter J., Hafiz Mirza, and Stephen F. Witt. Japans International Tourism In The Context Of Its International Economic Relations. Service Industries Journal  9.3 (1989): 357-383.EBSCOhost.Web. Choong-ki, Lee. The Impact Of Visa-Free Entry On Outbound Tourism: A Case Study Of South Korean Travellers Visiting Japan. Tourism Geographies 12.2 (2010): 302-323. EBSCOhost. Web. Foster, M. D. What Time Is This Picture? Cameraphones, Tourism, And The Digital Gaze In Japan. Social Identities 15.3 (2009): 351-372. EBSCOhost. Web. Francis-Lindsay, Janice. The Intrinsic Value Of Cultural Heritage And Its Relationship To Sustainable Tourism Development: The Contrasting Experiences Of Jamaica And Japan. Caribbean Quarterly 55.2 (2009): 151-168. EBSCOhost. Web. Hall, Kenji. Get Sick, Visit Japan. Businessweek 4143 (2009): 19. EBSCOhost. Web. Hiwasaki, Lisa. Community-Based Tourism: A Pathway To Sustainability For Japans Protected Areas. Society Natural Resources 19.8 (2006): 675-692. EBSCOhost.Web. Hiwasaki, Lisa. Tourism In Japans Parks And Protected Areas: Challenges And Potential For Sustainable Development. International Review For Environmental  Strategies 4.1 (2003): 107-126. EBSCOhost. Web. Japan. Travel Tourism Forecast Asia Australasia (2005): 58-63.  EBSCOhost. Web. Japan: Market Profile. Travel Tourism Forecast World (2004): 186-190.  EBSCOhost. Web. Uzama, Austin. Marketing Japans Travel And Tourism Industry To International Tourists. International Journal Of Contemporary Hospitality Management 21.3 (2009): 356-365. EBSCOhost. Web.

Schools Have Options When Penning a Cell Phone Policy

Schools Have Options When Penning a Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are increasingly becoming more of an issue for schools. It seems that every school addresses this issue utilizing a different cell phone policy. Students of all ages have begun to carry cell phones. This generation of students is more tech savvy than any who has become before them. A policy should be added to the student handbook to handle cell phone issues according to your district’s stance. Several different variations of a school cell phone policy and possible consequences are discussed here. Consequences are variable as they could apply to one or each of the policies below. Cell Phone Ban Students are not permitted to possess a cell phone for any reason on school grounds. Any student caught violating this policy will have their cell phone confiscated. First Violation: The cell phone will be confiscated and given back only when the parent comes by to pick it up. Second Violation: Forfeiture of the cell phone until the end of the last day of school. Cell Phone Not Visible During School Hours Students are permitted to carry their cell phones, but they should not have them out at any time unless there is an emergency. Students are allowed to use their cell phones only in an emergency situation. Students abusing this policy could have their cell phone taken until the end of the school day. Cell Phone Check In Students are permitted to bring their cell phone to school. However, they must check their phone into the office or their homeroom teacher upon arriving to school. It can be picked up by that student at the end of the day. Any student who fails to turn in their cell phone and is caught with it in their possession will have their phone confiscated. The phone will be returned to them upon paying a fine of $20 for violating this policy. Cell Phone as an Educational Tool Students are permitted to bring their cell phone to school. We embrace the potential that cell phones can be used as a technological learning tool in the classroom . We encourage teachers to implement the use of cell phones when appropriate into their lessons. Students will be trained at the beginning of the year as to what proper cell phone etiquette is within the confines of the school. Students may use their cell phones for personal use during transition periods or at lunch. Students are expected to turn their cell phones off when entering a classroom. Any student who abuses this privilege will be required to attend a cell phone etiquette refresher course. Cell phones will not be confiscated for any reason as we believe that confiscation creates a distraction for the student which interferes with learning.

British class and gender formation during the nineteenth century Essay

British class and gender formation during the nineteenth century - Essay Example With this underlying premise, it can be argued that the economic conditions during that time due to the Industrial revolution perpetrated the spread of a unique kind of class and gender consciousness. However, it must be noted that this in no way undermines the role and importance of other factors. This argument does not state that the only factor responsible for the changing class and gender consciousness in 19th century England is purely economic in nature. Rather, the economic condition during that period is the most important determinant in class and gender consciousness due to it being inescapable; and because it is inescapable, it became the ground from where the cultural approach—which basically states that English ideologies and rhetoric are more significant in the construction of class and gender identities—sprouted. What the economic condition did was that it aggravated other factors, such as language and rhetoric, and this prompted the â€Å"making of the En glish working class,†1 as well as the â€Å"sexual crisis.†2 This paper will show, through notable writings that aim to explain the Industrial Revolution and the resulting class and gender consciousness through the cultural approach, how the economic factors surrounding these explanations cannot be avoided. These are the evidences that this argument will use in proving the premise that the economic situation at that time is the most important factor as it is both ubiquitous and inescapable. Athough these readings use the cultural approach, they still could not help but highlight the underlying reason for these experiences and rhetoric—and that is, the economic condition of that time, whether in the provinces or cities, became the set that staged the changes in familial and societal relationships. In order to better understand the economic conditions of 19th century England, the Industrial Revolution must be discussed

Final Assignment Autism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Final Assignment Autism - Research Paper Example The knowledge of sources is secondary, because whether autism has genetic, environmental, parental or other causes is less important than the condition; but it is important for instructors to know that autism seems to be such a fundamental learning and mental condition that it is not simply a matter of changing a child's attitude or getting them to open up a little. It is vital that, at the least, instructors understand the painful sensory barrage that autistics are often going through. Different types of autism mean different results. For example: Asperger and Rett are totally different in terms of how they present, their prognosis, appropriate diagnostic tools, and appropriate treatment. Asperger's sufferers have an obsessive interest in individual topics: This makes it very hard to treat them, but also gives a lasso-point to grab onto and pull, a way into their world by understanding what they obsess over. Meanwhile, Rett syndrome occurs suddenly after apparently normal developmen t. Diagnosis and treatment are the most important. In the case of Jack, past diagnosis helped shed light on the present, but we found that, looking at the speech pathologists' report, it may have been time to ramp up his speech therapy. Diagnostic tools over time are particularly helpful, as they start to tell people what can possibly be treated (indicated by large improvements), what is going to be a pernicious and slow-going problem (indicated by small or incremental improvements), and what is simply going to be a losing battle. With Jack, some areas had clearly improved, some areas had only slightly changed, and some areas stayed pretty consistent over time. There is a myth that every autistic is Rain Man, that all have some kind of amazing gift to trade off but are socially impossible. In fact, both parts of this image is inaccurate. Many autistics can improve to the point where they seem very much normal to people, have deep and enduring friendships, and can direct their obsess ive behaviors towards something productive. Many are also totally normal or even below average in various areas of functioning: Not every one is an autistic savant; in fact, autistic savants are quite rare! It is important that people working with autistics at all levels know that not every one of them is a genius ready to be harnessed, but rather a normal child seeking and yearning to have a less painful and more satisfying life. Whatever talents a child has, they are best served by educators and therapists directing them towards healthy social interaction rather than coddling or playing to their

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What is really real and what can we know about it - Essay Example They use the biblical teachings from the holy books to explain the reality behind Christian beliefs and practices in the society. However, many scholars have developed diverse disciplines in order to argue, clarify and understand the reality behind Christian beliefs and practices. From the biblical point of view, there is truly underlying reality that cannot readily be perceived when trying to understand the reality behind Christian beliefs, tenets, rituals and traditions. Individual responses towards the ultimate reality have been articulated and institutionalized in the religious arrangements. Theologians have made a considerable attempt of trying to make logical arguments in order to defend Christian beliefs, tenets and ritual practices. However, the way people from different places and at different times come to the conclusion in some unseen reality is ultimately unimaginable. Some people simply accept what they have been told to them or what is written in the Holy Scriptures. Others make their own conclusions on the ultimate reality of Christian beliefs and traditional practices. Christian virtuous action or behaviors in the Christian system are based upon the Holy books especially the Old and New Testaments. Christians emphasizes on the virtue ethics, and these virtues are where their moral teachings of Christian beliefs and practices are based upon Fisher (9). Christians emphasize on the moral behaviors, and they mostly emphasize on love and peace in the society. This is through being honest, humble, caring, generosity, kind and other good moral behaviors. Several traditional philosophers from the West were concerned on the virtue ethics and these aspects mostly can be well understood from the work of Aristotle and Plato, the Greek philosophers who attempted to explain the reality of moral behaviors during the medieval periods. The virtue theory simply argues on developing morally desirable

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Bargaining Goals, Bargaining Processes, and Bargaining Outcomes - Term Paper Example The first declaration was made on 16th February, 2005 by the commissioner of the National Hockey League, Gary Bettman. Abandonment of the season of NHL due to a dispute happening out of a disagreement on collective bargaining amid the owners of the league and the union of players’ was stated (Chan & Et. Al., â€Å"The NHL Lockout†). The sport of hockey was always on a remote fourth when it came to the extent of popularity in contrast with the other major sports’ league of the nation. It was predicted that due to the cancellation of the season, it will push away the league from the screen of the radar. The damage due to the lockout not only affected the business partners and the fans but also the huge number of people who earned their livelihoods from the industry (ESPN, â€Å"Lockout Over Salary Cap Shuts Down NHL†). Therefore, in this study the causes and the outcomes of the lockout will be investigated in details. About NHL The National Hockey League sta rted to be played from the year 1917. The NHL was structured in Canada 30 years prior to 1917. The NHL was successful in creating itself to be the leading hockey league in North America and began expanding in 1967 by adding more teams to its ‘Original Six’ and they were Chicago, Montreal, Detroit, Boston, Toronto and New York. Presently, the NHL includes 30 teams out of which most are in the United States and the rest are in Canada. The NHL was counted among the four most important sports leagues of America which included the National Football League (NFL), the Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Although being in the most important leagues of America, the sport of hockey always ranked fourth in popularity. This was partially because of the fact that the other three games i.e. baseball, football and basketball had an extensive appeal, the sport of hockey had mostly niche audience. Majority of the hockey fans were found in the northern Un ited States and in Canada. This was because of the cold climate that facilitated developing an attention in ice hockey. The uniqueness of the sport of hockey appeals more to its reactionary fans compared to the public in general. For instance, it is only in the sport of hockey where it is legitimate for the players to fight with one another throughout the game. It was however argued by the reactionary fans that fighting was an element of entertainment and necessity in the game whereas the casual spectators were shocked by it. Efforts were made to lessen the violence in the NHL in attempt to make it more appealing to the general public. This endeavor proved to be unsuccessful as it was not only futile in attracting new viewers but also incurred loss on loyal fan-following of NHL. This and a range of other different reasons declined the popularity of the game in the current years. The networks of television after becoming aware of the meager ratings with regard to televised hockey red uced the shows of the game to the extent where the sport had become nearly immaterial. Thus, the reaction in general to the news of lockout was a combination of unresponsiveness and acceptance (Chan & Et. Al., â€Å"The NHL Lockout†). The Lockout of 2004-05 The NHL encountered the first lockout prior to the season of 1994-95. The disagreement was however settled and an agreement of collective

Effective Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Effective Leadership - Research Paper Example This definition makes leadership accessible to everyone since it does not restrict it to the formally designated leaders in a group. Effective leadership is hard to realize. Although it is possible to give an unending list of leaders, this paper proves that a limited number of these many leaders eventually realize effective leadership. Effective leadership has been the focus of many of the individuals enlisted as leaders. However, John and Joseph (2009) collected data and their statistics shows that less than 30% of the leaders realize this long-term goal. It involves influence, as its principal concern is how the leader affects followers. Influence is the sine qua non of leadership, without which leadership does not exist. Groups are the context through which leadership takes place. Leaders engage themselves in influencing individuals in a group to a particular common purpose (Minja, 2009). The group in question can be a small task group, a community group, a faith based group or a large group encompassing an entire organization. Therefore, defining leadership as a process does not encompass training programmes, which teach people to lead themselves since the group aspect in leadership does not exist. Leadership can be categorized either as good or bad. Of all management concepts, good leadership is the most investigated but least understood by many people. In defining effective leadership, Barbara & John (2005) asserted that it must incorporate dialogue, conviction and delegation rather than issuing orders. In this regard, the two authors argue that genuine leaders recognise and achieve agreement to an exciting and challenging vision. They do not only promote performance of individuals but also of complete groups and obtain commitment within their own working group (Lok & Crawford, 2009). Effective leaders know what they want: they communicate their intentions efficiently, empower others and know when they should keep the way

Bargaining Goals, Bargaining Processes, and Bargaining Outcomes Term Paper

Bargaining Goals, Bargaining Processes, and Bargaining Outcomes - Term Paper Example The first declaration was made on 16th February, 2005 by the commissioner of the National Hockey League, Gary Bettman. Abandonment of the season of NHL due to a dispute happening out of a disagreement on collective bargaining amid the owners of the league and the union of players’ was stated (Chan & Et. Al., â€Å"The NHL Lockout†). The sport of hockey was always on a remote fourth when it came to the extent of popularity in contrast with the other major sports’ league of the nation. It was predicted that due to the cancellation of the season, it will push away the league from the screen of the radar. The damage due to the lockout not only affected the business partners and the fans but also the huge number of people who earned their livelihoods from the industry (ESPN, â€Å"Lockout Over Salary Cap Shuts Down NHL†). Therefore, in this study the causes and the outcomes of the lockout will be investigated in details. About NHL The National Hockey League sta rted to be played from the year 1917. The NHL was structured in Canada 30 years prior to 1917. The NHL was successful in creating itself to be the leading hockey league in North America and began expanding in 1967 by adding more teams to its ‘Original Six’ and they were Chicago, Montreal, Detroit, Boston, Toronto and New York. Presently, the NHL includes 30 teams out of which most are in the United States and the rest are in Canada. The NHL was counted among the four most important sports leagues of America which included the National Football League (NFL), the Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Although being in the most important leagues of America, the sport of hockey always ranked fourth in popularity. This was partially because of the fact that the other three games i.e. baseball, football and basketball had an extensive appeal, the sport of hockey had mostly niche audience. Majority of the hockey fans were found in the northern Un ited States and in Canada. This was because of the cold climate that facilitated developing an attention in ice hockey. The uniqueness of the sport of hockey appeals more to its reactionary fans compared to the public in general. For instance, it is only in the sport of hockey where it is legitimate for the players to fight with one another throughout the game. It was however argued by the reactionary fans that fighting was an element of entertainment and necessity in the game whereas the casual spectators were shocked by it. Efforts were made to lessen the violence in the NHL in attempt to make it more appealing to the general public. This endeavor proved to be unsuccessful as it was not only futile in attracting new viewers but also incurred loss on loyal fan-following of NHL. This and a range of other different reasons declined the popularity of the game in the current years. The networks of television after becoming aware of the meager ratings with regard to televised hockey red uced the shows of the game to the extent where the sport had become nearly immaterial. Thus, the reaction in general to the news of lockout was a combination of unresponsiveness and acceptance (Chan & Et. Al., â€Å"The NHL Lockout†). The Lockout of 2004-05 The NHL encountered the first lockout prior to the season of 1994-95. The disagreement was however settled and an agreement of collective

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 14

Ethics - Essay Example Similarly theory of circular logic postulates that the conclusion is almost identical to its hypothesis. A. Psychological egoism explains that the determining motive of every voluntary action is a desire for ones own welfare. The fallacy exists in this theory because this theory believes that others conceal their motive just for gaining self benefit which is not at all true in several contexts. Another fallacy lies in hasty generalization. For example, several people conduct their duty when their self-interest lies elsewhere and help someone in need without thinking of self-gain. Some people will follow religious precepts without personal benefit. Some people will even act against their self-interest so that they can follow their conscience. They do whats right even though they wont personally benefit. The concept of ethical egoism being consistent and complete are strong points. This holds good in several contexts. Universal ethical egoism, individual ethical egoism, and rule based ethical egoism can be considered as strong versions as they explain the logical basis for personal actions. Weak version of ethical egoism: However the concept of ethical egoism  is incomplete in several contexts which is its weak point. In those occasions ethical egoism is  mistaken in truth or inconsistent or incomplete. Ethical egoism is contradictory because it evaluates the same act as both right and wrong i.e. the concept is mistaken in truth; it is inconsistent. Ethical egoism is defined as an inherent desire to perform altruistic acts where as psychological egoism is defined as an inherent selfishness of all acts. Ethical egoism differs from psychological egoism mostly on account of the various ways of viewing altruism (EN 1 and EN 2). Ethical egoism prioritizes on what ought to be, rather than what is where as psychological egoism gives more importance to â€Å"what is†. Several theories of motivation were postulated and they

Distracted by Today’s Technology Essay Example for Free

Distracted by Today’s Technology Essay We are part of a country that is focused on making life easier and faster. Technology is something that is constantly on the rise, we are always looking for that new gadget better than the last that is meant to facilitate the everyday life. As a result, many people are starting to lose the ability to show emotions or even carry on a face-to-face conversation, therefore making it difficult for those individuals to develop appropriate social skills. Unfortunately, we fail to see the damage that is being caused by the amount of time being spent on texting, playing with video games, or spending countless hours on social networks as an alternative to making new acquaintances or spending quality time with their loved ones. Let’s start with text messages, known as one of the most popular method of communication these days. It is an unavoidable fact that the text message has become a necessary part of our lives. Like with new couples, who are unable to attain an appropriate sense of what their new partner is actually like. These couples often prefer the convenience of texting as a way of getting to know each other, as opposed to talking on the phone or going on dates. What they fail to realize is that, by trying to maintain a relationship mostly through texting and with barely any physical interaction they are truly inhibiting their ability to assess reactions, expressions or feelings shown by the other person. Sadly, these couples usually choose to end their relationship before knowing if it truly had a chance to flourish into a something meaningful. Although talking on a cellular phone while behind the wheel of a car has been proven to be dangerous, it has now taken a back seat to those drivers who surf the internet and text while on the road. According to a study done by The American Automobile Association, forty-six percent of teens who were interviewed admitted to being distracted behind the wheel because of texting. Many parents will instruct their children not to text while behind the wheel, when in all reality they are not following what they preach by continuing to put us all at risk. Overall, it is a real source of concern that these individuals are consciously adding to the increasing number of accidents on our roads today. Then we have video games, which have been around for decades. In recent years, the popularity of video games has sky rocketed amongst our youth. Our children are learning how to hijack a car from a pregnant mother with her two kids, shoot a gangster with an automatic weapon, and even drag race down the streets of a quiet neighborhood, all from the comfort of their couch. The days of going outside to play with friends and bike riding have been replaced by sitting in front of a television set and playing with your Nintendo, Xbox, or PlayStation, just to name a few. Homework and chores are often overlooked, but worse are the many parents that are using these gaming devices as babysitters as an alternative to spending quality time with their kids. Many parents remain satisfied by simply knowing that their children are safely in the house, dismissing the possibility their children are becoming couch potatoes with no social skills. Sadly, many of these children are not receiving any other exercise than what is given during their P.E. class in school. These are the children that will likely end up as obese, anti-social members of our society. Lastly, we are now surrounded by social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter that are dedicated to connecting friends and family that live all around the world with the intentions of increasing communication between them. Friends can post pictures, write about what they are doing at the moment, and surf other friends profiles. While we cannot deny the benefits that these sites may provide, we should also not fail to realize the many dangers that can be linked to these social networks. Computer viruses are one of the most common disadvantages seen with social networks, one wrong click and you could send all you personal information to some crook across the country. But more damaging are the ill effects that our children are likely to encounter. Cyber bullying is much more intense and malicious than what some of us may have experienced in our high school hallways. Teasing, harassing, and name calling are now posted on the internet for everyone to see. In 2006, a teenage girl committed suicide for the constant bullying she received from her classmates and even one of their parents, her mother never suspected any of it. More importantly, many children and teenagers are now sharing too much information with strangers that they meet online, believing they are someone of their same age and with their same interests. Unknowingly, they are making themselves easy targets for predators of all kinds. This could possibly be avoided if parents were to limit the time spent online and diligently monitor their internet usage. I understand that some people may disagree with my views on the damaging effects that could be associated with allowing too much technology into all aspects of our lives. At the end of the day, what are the benefits we are receiving from allowing technology to play such a large role in our lives? Are we coming together at the end of the day? The days of â€Å"family dinner time† are slowly becoming memories of the past. Fewer are the families that sit around a table to share a meal, socialize, and relate stories about their day. We are missing out on opportunities to bond with our children and watch them grow. As well as new couples that would benefit from more phone conversations and dates, perhaps giving themselves a better chance at a more meaningful and stable relationship, possibly reducing the current divorce rates. It is a fact that we live in a world that technology has become a must in our lives. We are now dependent on cellular phones, and computers, while our children are consumed by their games. I also agree that all of the advancements made by technology are simply indented to somehow improve the way we function on a daily basis. But there should be a limit to how much technology we allow in our lives. Maybe we should make an effort to dedicate time to our families by turning off the cellular phone and put aside the computer a few nights a week. The benefits we will receive for maintaining a loving and nurturing relationship with our loved ones will continue to be evident for years to come.

Milton S Epic Poem A Paradise Lost Theology Religion Essay

Milton S Epic Poem A Paradise Lost Theology Religion Essay Paradise Lost could possibly be regarded as one of the most controversial and dangerously convincing piece of literary works of all time. Although, ironically English Scholars and English teachings tend to ignore Miltons masterpiece as an exquisitely elegant form of written work, along with the dismissal of the English Commonwealth from 1649 to 1660. The English Commonwealth was a significantly major part of the British Monarch effecting both religious and political ways of life. There are many early modern literature works that were created during this catastrophic event who attempted to influence the British Public through their subtle underlying Propaganda, yet still sticking to strict authorities. Milton was among these writers that were appointed to specifically use his ability to base transcripts, poems and books on maybe the reflection of how leaders of Britain wanted its citizens to think and live. Milton was an influential part of the literary movement of the time that encom passed a move away from free expression and instead became a voice for the governments agenda of the  period. Milton had many creative works but one particular text over the years has stirred up debates across the minds of many critics. Even by todays standards Paradise Lost has caused controversy, leading into accusations of denying Christianity to the sympathising of the devil. After researching critics that have based their works on studying Miltons epic poem, along with looking closely at his involvement with powerful figures of 17th century government, will assist in determining if Paradise Lost was specifically used for political propaganda or if it was purely written from Miltons own beliefs and experiences. On the surface Miltons Paradise Lost, one could say, is a biblical reconstruction of the globally famous story that basis its context for the doctrine of the original sin. There are many critics that have revolved their analysis of Miltons epic poem solely on the theme of religion, which are the major factors that lead to the disproval of Miltons work. Religion during Seventeenth Century Britain was compulsory; it was indeed part of the law to attend to church. Milton himself was a devote Christian which oppose the views of the likes of Blake and C.S Lewis as they accused him of sympathising with the devil. Both insisted Milton was part of the the devil party. Both observations from these key early critics are a contradiction upon Miltons actual religious beliefs and practices he took part in. They accuse Milton of creating him as a sort of sub hero and provide him with humanised characteristics thus making him to be a dangerously likeable character [quote from a critic that support s this]. Realistically, the content of Paradise Lost does in fact have particular parts that reflect upon these early critical responses to the poem. Specifically in books [ ] the devil seems to become the most humanised character of them all, the speeches he presents to the reader are so simply rhetorically persuasive and some of the most beautiful words come from the mouth of Satan, thus the reader being human can relate more so than that of God[quote]. The reader relates through jealously, seduction and the tempting mind, these being only a few of the attributes humans possess that make up who they are. Therefore these human abilities such as failure, temptations and desire are being regarded to be atrocious because they are being presented through the most famously sinful figure in religion, Satan. Consequently leading to the conclusion that Milton could quite possibly be criticising Christianity suggesting the religion denies a humans downfalls, these downfalls being what make a human, human. However, in retrospect to this argument and the question I ask myself, if Milton was a devote Christian himself why would he deny the religion? There were many figures in the literary world that were against the idea that Milton was portraying Christianity as a corrupt religion and believed Paradise Last was actually strongly supporting his own belief [read keel]. Paradise Lost was written after the Restoration of the monarchy of Charles II in sixteen sixty, when he returned the Church of England back to how it was when his father ruled the country. This brought back the restoration of the Catholic Church and the Puritan faith had failed to subdue and the religion was made illegal. It is a very subjective text and the answers are not all in black and white it is extremely hard to pin point what Miltons exact beliefs were but readers must be aware that he was a very religious man. We can see through many parts of the collection of poems some of his beliefs and can interoperate to an e xtent what he was actually trying to say through his words. Therefore from my own research and opinions I have come to accept it is not plausible to claim that Milton is directly attacking the Christian faith. Milton often changed his views of the corrupt religion and government of the time of Britain in the sixteen hundreds, but he wasnt afraid to express his belief as a Puritan. Puritanism was associated on the Parliamentary side during the English Civil War against the Laudianism Church on the Monarchist side. The puritan faith focused on the importance of preaching from the Bible and the idea that God is the only leader of the Church and Milton evidently believed in God, being noticeable through the portrayal of God being the creator and the King of the heavens [Quote from PL]. Paradise Lost is a reconstruction of a well known biblical story of the original sin; therefore this is defiant evidence that Milton pin pointed the importance of unambiguous preaching. Of course many of Miltons masterpieces were a form of preaching; Lares (2001, pg.1) states in Milton and the preaching arts: Miltons poetic programme in terms of genres in which he may choose to write and on this sense of vocation to serve as a poet-priest. The angels in Paradise Lost can be seen as figures of preachers, a subtle way for Milton to put his message across to his readers. As seen through the angel Raphael Milton applies his preaching words through the mouth of the angel, one specific example that shows a message being advocated across is where Raphael is sent forth to Adam to warn him not to eat from the forbidden tree: in the day thou eatst, thou diest; Death is the penalty imposed; beware And govern well thy appetite; lest Sin Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death. (VII 544-547) Raphael here is warning Adam the extent of his punishment if he is to eat the forbidden fruit having an aim to encourage the obedience of Adam towards God. However as Lares (2001, pg.152), again, quotes that in fact Milton favours correction, and in fact has his angel warn against sin rather than encourage virtue Due to background reading it is known that Milton was in favour of the Independents (see further on for more information about Independents) therefore this particular part of his epic poem communicates Miltons own religious views that everyone is entitled to choose what they believe in and not what institutions tell them to believe in. There is also evidence that Milton agreed with this idea that religion should be accessible to the ordinary person, he took part in writing poems for productions in theatres to allow anybody from all walks of life to be educated about God. Milton, like any other Puritan believed in joyfully practicing the faith and some focused on the value of nature and arts and the natural world. Here the Romantic Writers of the sixteenth century can be linked in to Miltons epic poem where throughout beautiful descriptions of the paradise plays an important part of imagery to the readers. WRITE ABOUT Romantics Another factor that contributes to this idea that Milton believed in an equal soceity is the humanising of Satan. Milton believed in an Independent Church, The independents wanted each specific congregation to be able to decide for itself its beliefs and practices. (Christs College  at  Cambridge University). Here I think, personally, that he believed very passionately in God but he did not believe in the institutions that claimed to be doing Gods will. In other words he warned people against believing everything you hear in church and believed instead in following your own personal beliefs so you have a relationship with God instead of with the church. This is conveyed by allowing both Adam and Eve and the devil to be accessible to their freewill. Thus portraying the devil just as human as anyone else; this could also relate to freewill and the Devils own choices to revolt against God. These ideas surrounding free will are explored in chapter one. However some say that Milton re tracts the reader away from the dehumanising of the devil by indeed making him relatable to us in order for us to feel guilty that we feel sympathetic towards him after realising he is in fact evil, by the use of reverse psychology. Milton emphasises how dangerously tempting Satan is therefore attending church and believing in what you believe in will protect from the evil hands of the devil. [Critics quote] Although on the surface Paradise Lost is indeed a biblical piece of literary work, however under the surface there are many hidden messages through Miltons work that can be determined as Political Propaganda of its time. During the Civil war and the Commonwealth Milton was involved heavily with the Government and especially worked closely with Oliver Cromwell. He was appointed the Secretary of Foreign Tongues under the Cromwellian Government and played an important role of being the voice for the English Revolution to the rest of the country. Unlike many he believed in the Republic and was in favour of freedom the Commonwealth have provided for the Puritan faith. Miltons first piece of major Political Propaganda was The  Readie and Easie Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth where he emphasised the importance and benefits of a British Republic. Paradise Lost is possibly a less obvious form of political regime than the less subtle works he created, however it is achievable to regard certain characters and events as parallel to that of what is happening in the real world. Starting with the Devil: He is constantly fighting for his own dignity and freedom which causes the sympathy most people fight for a democracy especially in 17th century Britain Devil is a symbolic of the failure of the discourse of politics and the corrupt religion should be free and not illegal. The devil could actually be a portrayal of Cromwell or maybe even Milton himself constant battle with lord and rules god/king However when PL was written it was known that Milton actually changed his views on Cromwell and saw flaws in him son couldnt follow him, false leader ship is the devil, wrong.. God can be seen obviously as Godomniscient/ powerful/ leader highly regarded in paradise lost, so should he be in society and not the king the devil could also be see Many Throughout Miltons work there is a fine line between his political and religious beliefs

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues - We Must Accept Gays and Lesbians :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Don't Tolerate Gays and Lesbians    Tolerance. Preference. I am so sick of those words.    Why should people have to be tolerated? Tolerance should apply to annoying habits, like hearing the tapping of a pencil or cracking knuckles. People shouldn't have to be tolerated because of who they are. People shouldn't have to be put up with because of whom they wish to spend their time with.    I believe a person's sexuality is not a preference. It is not a choice or a decision. It is simply the way a person is born. Period. Some are born straight, some are born gay, and some are born loving everyone. There is no choice in the matter. One can, however, decide whether or not to live out who he or she is. Living a lie for a lifetime is not good for anyone.    I am proud of who I am. I am a teenager, and I am a lesbian. I haven't told my family yet because I am afraid of what they'll say. It's a really sad world where a daughter has to be afraid of being herself in front of her parents, but it is the world I live in.    It's a really sad world because I have to, essentially, move across an ocean to the Netherlands just to get married if I ever find a woman I wish to spend the rest of my life with. There are actually laws prohibiting homosexual marriages in the United States. In the land of freedom and opportunity, I am denied the right to love and marry as I see fit.    It's a really sad world where there are people in my generation telling me that I am wrong, that I can always go back to being straight, that I am disgusting.    Whether they're influenced by parents, religion, or other peers, I find it extremely disappointing that individuals in our nation, especially younger ones like me, can be so closed-minded and prejudiced.    My parents are the type of people who claim to be accepting of all, but really aren't. They are prejudiced against everyone - black people, Middle Eastern people, Asian people, people who talk with an accent, homosexuals - in short, everyone who isn't like them. I have learned to tune them out and ignore the cruel things that come out of their mouths.

Natural environment Essay

It has been long debated the importance of nature verses nurture. It is hard to prove one from the other since it is shown for them both to play major roles in the development of a child to an adult. I believe that my personality is a combination of both nature and nurture but I think that I am +more nurtured. There are so many behaviors that I have developed from the environment I grew up. I have learnt to respect all people from being influenced at school and by my parents. I have also been trained to be responsible of things such as doing my work. I learnt that if I am not responsible and don’t do my work, then I must pay bad consequences. I have also learnt from experiences that if I do what I am supposed to do, I may be rewarded for good things done. My environment has influenced me in many ways to act upon certain things automatically. Things like looking both ways before crossing the street, or other things that appear to be common sense are learnt from nurture. I have gone through many experiences in which I have learnt different lessons. These lessons have taught me how to act in my life. I know that I am very different person than my mom or my dad. I don’t have very much in common with either of them. Although we do share some of the same aspects, I feel that I am more different from them than alike. I have developed the majority of my social skills from my friends and not my parents. Most of my social life revolves around my friends, who have influenced me a lot of the decisions I make and in the way I act. I don’t socialize with my parents nearly as much as I do with my peers. I don’t think I know my parents well enough to say if I am like them when they are around their friends or not. The nature and nurture of a person can vary greatly. Sometimes there are certain things that are hard to decide whether they are inherited or learnt. I might share some qualities with my parents, but they could just be characteristics that I learnt in my life that my parents also learnt in their lives too and were not inherited. I believe that genes indicate the potential for one’s behavior and personality, and that the environment helps create the extent as to how that behavior is carried out.

The Failed Offensive

The year 1961 saw the attempt of Cuban exiles to replace the Cuban government led by Fidel Castro, and it was on April 17 on the same year when aerial bombings were launched as an attack by a coalition backed by the United States against Cuba which later came to be known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Although the United States helped in the planning and in the funding of the invasion, it failed right after the night landing of the invasion was discovered which led to the defeat of the invasion just within three days.It is because of the immediate discovery and the reports about the invasion which practically enabled the Cuban government of Castro to frustrate the invasion and capture a large number of invaders. The consequence of the failed invasion is for Castro to start obtaining nuclear warheads from the Soviet government in the fear of another invasion backed by the United States, thereby leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis. History The history of the Bay of Pigs invasions stems b efore the time of the Kennedy administration.Miller and Miller observe that the strains between the relations of Cuba and America stems back from immigration issues. They observe that: As the number of immigrants increased, relations with Cuba began to deteriorate after 1959. In June 1960 U. S. oil refineries in Cuba refused to process Russian crude oil. The Cuban government retaliated by nationalizing the oil refineries. On July 5, 1960, the Cuban government nationalized all U. S. property in Cuba.In retaliation, the United States canceled Cuba's sugar export quota. This action amounted to an economic sanction against Cuba (Miller and Miller, p. 53). In the following years, the tension between the two countries grew and the desire to free Cuba from the leadership of Castro intensified. Miller and miller notes: Attempts to free Cuba from Castro's regime began under the Eisenhower administration, and under the Kennedy administration, U. S. -Cuban relations continued to deteriorate.Le ss than three months after becoming president, Kennedy authorized an invasion of Castro's regime by Cuban exiles on April 17, 1961. Regrettably for the United States, the 1,500-man exile force was defeated in less than 72 hours. The invasion increased Castro's political power and popularity. As William Goodwin, a White House advisor, stated: â€Å"It made him even more of a hero as the man who had defended Cuba against the greatest power in the world (Miller and Miller, p. 54). â€Å"Almost a year before the actual Bay of Pigs Invasion, the U. S. Central Intelligence Agency recommended to then-President Dwight Eisenhower a plan to equip Cuban exiles and use them for action against the newly established socialist Cuban government led by Fidel Castro. Since it was the policy of the American government to provide military, logistics and strategic assistance to guerilla forces fighting the government of Castro, the CIA pursued to train Cuban exiles for the mission.Among the first plan s to be adopted for the invasion is to land the Cuban exiles near the city of Trinidad, Cuba since the site gave a handful of choices for the brigade of Cuban exiles to exploit at the height of the invasion in the coming days. At the least, the site gave the exiles the advantage of a beach landing and of returning to the mountains for a possible retreat as the necessity would arise. However, the progress of the plans to invade Cuba led to several changes such as the change in the landing spot for Brigade 2506 from Trinidad to the Bay of Pigs.As a result, contacts with the rebels situated in the Escambray Mountains were cut thereby reducing the military support the Cuban exiles needed. Further, senior KGB operatives Osvaldo Sanchez Cabrera and â€Å"Aragon† warned the Cuban government about the forthcoming invasion, thus giving Castro and his military men the time to anticipate and plan their counter moves against the U. S. -backed offensive. All these changes in the invasion plan under the helm of President Kennedy after seeking information to his advisors if the overthrow of Fidel Castro could be tied with weapon shipments.The Invasion The invasion could be divided into at least three actions: sea, air and land offensives. The invasion was initiated with three flights of B-2B bombers on the early hours of April 15, 1961. As aircrafts with the markings of the Cuban Fuerza Armada Revolucionaria (CRAF) flew over and bombarded the airfields of Antonio Maceo International Airport, San Antonio de los Banos and Ciudad Libertad, counter air attacks against the CRAF, named Operation Puma, were also formed.In the attempt to paralyze the air force of the Cuban government through the air attacks, the first air operations failed primarily because the air strikes were discontinued as opposed to what was original intended. There was a second attempt to foil the air force of the Cuban government by launching another air attack. However, the second plan was cancelled b ecause President Kennedy hoped to make the operation look as if the Cuban exiles were the ones responsible in the attacks and not the U. S. government.By doing so, the American government can easily deny accusations of being held responsible for the operation. The cancellation of the air assaults on the air fields of Cuba largely contributed to the failure of the invasion and the deaths of many Cuban exiles. Almost two days after the failed air strikes, approximately 1,300 Cuban exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs situated at the Cuban southern coast. Armed with weapons provided by the American government, the exiles intended to proceed to Havana in the hopes of gaining local support.At first, the invaders were able to suppress the ground militia at the beach, forcing the Cuban forces to surrender. It was under the prerogative of President Kennedy to use air force to support ground troops but he never opted to do so. As a result, the armies of the government of Castro were able to stop the invading forces at the Bay of Pigs. Naval offenses also took a crucial role in the offensives, with the invader ship Blagar fighting off Cuban aircrafts and with the naval forces of Castro losing at least one ship, the P.C. Baire. The aftermath Although the exact number of deaths for the Cuban government is widely disputed, it can hardly be argued that the death toll went by the thousands. Interestingly, even though the casualties among the Cuban government were higher in contrast to the invading forces, the Castro government ended up gaining as much as $53 million worth of food and medicine in exchange for the lives of the captured exiles who were sentenced to thirty years in prison for treason.However, negotiations for the release of the captured exiles took almost twenty months which started from the demand of Castro for 500 large tractors to his demand of $28 million. In the end, 1,113 prisoners were released in exchange for $53 million worth of food and medicine; the funds were supposedly obtained from private donations. It was also reported that President Kennedy hesitated to back the ground forces of the Cuban exiles with further air strikes because Kennedy did not want a full scale war. In doing so, Kennedy effectively abandoned the Cuban exiles fighting on the ground against the forces of Fidel Castro.More importantly, the CIA believed that the invasion would lead to a spark in the sentiment of the people against the government of Castro thereby gaining the support of the Cubans with the offensive. In its entirety, Erich Weede observes that the failure of the invasion reinforced the ironies in the decisions and motives of the United States. Weede argues that: The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961 was the most important case of vacillation and inconsistency: President John F. Kennedy would have liked to get rid of Fidel Castro and to replace him by a more friendly government, but he did not want to send in U.S. troops when Cuban exiles were not up to the task. The Bay of Pigs disaster only reinforced Castro's hostility toward the United States (Weede, p. 136). Thus, one of the consequences of the failure in the Bay of Pigs is the increased hostility of Fidel Castro towards the United States, which also led to his forging an informal alliance with the Soviet Union, a nation which has been a firm opponent of America. The observation of Weede reinforces the idea that Kennedy was playing things safe, owing to the fact that Cuban exiles were the primary ‘tools’ in engaging the Cuban government into a hostile battle.Piero Gleijeses further notes that one of the causes of the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasions is the â€Å"miscommunication between the CIA and the White House† and that it would have been â€Å"politically costly for Kennedy to have aborted the operation† (Gleijeses, p. 2). He stresses the point that: The Bay of Pigs was approved because the CIA and the White House assumed they were sp eaking the same language when, in fact, they were speaking in utterly different tongues (Gleijeses, p. 2). Gleijeses’ observation indicates that the â€Å"miscommunication between the CIA and the White House (Gleijeses, p.2)† contributed to the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, stemming back to the discontinuation of the plans first determined prior to the attacks at the Bay. At the aftermath of the failed attempt to invade Cuba right from the Bay of Pigs, Lucien Vandenbroucke observed that Kennedy and his advisers â€Å"did not carefully weigh competing alternatives and then select the invasion of Cuba as the best policy† without taking into account the fact that â€Å"Castro had over 200,000 men in arms and the benefit of the Guatemalan precedent† (Vandenbroucke, p. 472).He further noted that: Carried out deftly enough to conceal the American hand, [the Bay of Pigs invasion] promised to deal with Castro while preserving the United State’s imag e. In short, then, the rational actor model suggests that the lack of other viable alternatives prompted the choice of the invasion, which appeared best in terms of a rational cost-benefit analysis (Vandenbroucken, p. 472). There is little or no disagreement over the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion which resulted to the increased tension between the United States and Cuban governments.As the tensions increased, Fidel Castro apparently looked for ways to strengthen his military capabilities and, thus, the military aid by the Soviet Union in terms of nuclear warheads was a tempting option to be easily discarded. The years that followed soon paved the way for the Cuban Missile Crisis which further smeared the capabilities of the Kennedy administration to handle tough situations which involve the security of the United States.Had the Bay of Pigs invasion been a success, there were promising chances for the American government to further launch successful offensives against the Castr o government with the aid of the Cuban exiles (Dominguez, p. 20). Works Cited Dominguez, Jorge I. â€Å"Us-Cuban Relations in the 1980s: Issues and Policies. † Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 27. 1 (1985): 20. Gleijeses, Piero. â€Å"Ships in the Night: The Cia, the White House and the Bay of Pigs. † Journal of Latin American Studies 27. 1 (1995): 2. Miller, Willard E. , and Ruby M. Miller. â€Å"The U. S.Invasion of Cuba: The Bay of Pigs. † United States Immigration: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 1996. 53, 54. Vandenbroucke, Lucien S. â€Å"Anatomy of a Failure: The Decision to Land at the Bay of Pigs. † Political Science Quarterly 99. 3 (1984): 472. Weede, Erich. † Patterns of International Conflict During the Cold War and the Contemporary Challenge. † Economic Development, Social Order, and World Politics: With Special Emphasis on War, Freedom, the Rise and Decline of the West, and the Future of East Asia . Boulder, CO: Boulder Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1996. 136.