Latin American Literature Essay

It should be noted that Latin American Literature of the 20th century demonstrates perfect connection between the generations: the Ancient and the Modern. The most noticeable literary figures use the rich history, mythology and spiritual bound between the generations in order to demonstrate strong connection of their nation with the events and people who lived in the Ancient times and differed a lot from the present day realities. Many authors want to reveal that the spirit of the Ancient tribes living on the territory of contemporary Latin America is the most valuable heritage of contemporary people, connecting them with the past. It goes without saying that literary creations of the outstanding authors, living in the Latin American region, reflect the intentions to show deep connection of the different nations with their Ancient past, celebrating the unity of Ancient and Modern traditions within the nations of independent Latin American Countries. It is essential that the question of the Ancient heritage in Latin America is among the quite acute. That is why it is not surprising that it has found reflection in the outstanding 20th century novels, which take a significant place in Latin American Literary Heritage. They are The Storyteller by Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, written in 1987 and Where the Air is Clear by outstanding Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes, released in far 1958. Despite the significant difference in genre and plot structure these novels are united under the one theme. They reveal the close connection of the modern Latin American society with the past. The core idea of this research is to reveal this connection between the ancient and the modern within the pages of these books. Where the Air is Clear by Carlos Fuentes and close connection of the Modern world to the Ancient heritage. Where the Air Is Clear is the first novel, written by Carlos Fuentes and from the very beginning the author raised quite burning questions and important themes. One novel’s heroes, Ixca Cienfuegos, plays quite a significant cultural role in the novel, which is written in the form of character sketches collection in the Mexico City. Ixca Cienfuegos is connecting all separate parts within the pages of a book. Masterful combination of different techniques let the author represent the dynamical development of Mexico after the revolution at the time period of nearly a decade, 1940s and 1950s. It should be noted that the key figures of the novel is Mexico City itself and the author reveals cultural peculiarities describing the life of the city. The author takes the reader into the fascinating trip around the streets of Mexico City, dealing with some pages of its history. The novel could not be regarded as the typical analysis of the city dwellers; the author masterfully notes all the drawbacks incisively describing Mexico City inhabitants. He shows Federico Robles, who is a banker; Norma Robles, a social climber; Ovando family, who was rich before the revolution, but lost everything after; Rodrigo Polo, Mexican writer, who suffered during the revolution as his father was executed, Amerindian Gladys, who sells her body and certainly Ixca Cienfuegos, who is real critic and observer of the whole system. Carlos Fuentes, as a representative of Magic realism, could not avoid showing the reader the question of solitude and identity of Mexico, its loss in the labyrinth, understanding that there in no other country in Latin America, which obsessively seeks for it personal identity, returning again to its history and moving ahead. The country feels itself lost between the motherland (with all its cultural traditions and peculiarities) and the adopted land. With the help of different literary elements such as disjointed writing style, flashback, the stream of consciousness, non-chronological recount of events and alternation of narration forms, the author masterfully performs the surreal atmosphere of the constant search, which is one f the main themes of the novel. To find the correlation between the present and the past is very difficult for the main heroes of the novel and each of them touches the question of identity. It should be noted that the most surreal element of the novel is Mexico City, which is depicted as one of the core figures of the novel; this makes Where the Air is Clear outstanding from the other novels dealing with the question of national identity. The book itself essentially represents the quest for national identity in Mexico in the post – revolutionary times. Placing Mexico City as a central Figure, Carlos Fuentes shift the role of all the human characters to the background due to the fact that their lives and past experience correlate with the primary intention of definition the culture and history of the country. The question if perfectly revealed through the confrontation of the present day reality with its past, and the reader understand that this conflict has been lasting for already many years. The following quote perfectly illustrates the confrontation: â€Å"But does such a thing as ‘original’ blood exist? No: every pure element grows and is consumed in its own purity, does not develop; the original is the impure, the mixed, the mulatto and the mestizo, as I am, as all of Mexico is. Which is to say, originality supposes a mixing, a creation, not a purity previous to our experience. Rather than born original, we come to be original; origin is creation. Mexico must find her origin by looking ahead, not behind† (Carlos Fuentes, 1958, p. 44). The present day reality of the country could hardly correlate to the past of the Aztec Empire, its beliefs, hopes and cultural peculiarities. But the author makes a stress not on the confrontation and conflict; he tries to reveal that the Mexican identity and cultural peculiarity is the mixture of two different, even opposite cultures. The European Tradition and the Indian tradition; the history of Mexico, unites people of different origins, race and thought and every hero of the novel proves that, as every character is a certain emblem of different Mexican aspects, and if we integrate the histories of the heroes, we could reveal that it is the actual Mexican identity, in the unique integration of many different cultures. The story that seemed to be a disconnected is a surrealist approach of the Author, who makes a stress on the division of Mexico and its unwillingness to perceive itself as interracial community. Such surrealist technique of writing let Carlos Fuentes to show the reader his personal and vividly portrayal vision of Mexico: a confronting country with unclear identity It goes without saying that sharp division between the social classes in the 1950-s Mexico adds a lot in the constant quest for the national identity. If we look back in the history of Mexico, the Aztecs were on the top of social ranking, under the time of Aztec empire everything was subjected to their will; the situation in Where the Air Is Clear is quite opposite the indigenous Indians are on the lowest place in the Mexican society (good illustration is prostitute Gladys). Another conflict is also observed. The new and the past governing classes also involved in the confrontation. The impoverished Ovando family is contrasted to Nora Robles, the contemporary representative of the upper Mexican Classes. One of the most powerful scenes is her meeting with Lorenza de Ovando, bitter aristocratic matriarch. Here we could observe allusion on the Modern Mexico and the Past one. The country, which rejects her Aztec past, its Gods, myths and cultural traditions The Storyteller Mario Vargas Llosa, and close connection of the Modern world to the Ancient heritage. Mario Vargas Llosa tells us a story of two college friends: the anonymous narrator (some critics consider that the author introduced himself) and his friend, Saul Zurantas, a Peruvian Jew. They both very interesting time at college, studying ethnography, they had a number of philosophical disputes. As it usually happens the friendship was erased after graduation. The narrator was intended to find a scholarship and continue his studies abroad and his friend was seen at college seldom and finally disappeared. It was told that he either immigrated to Israel or lost somewhere in the jungle in the east of Peru within the Machiguenga people. The narrator graduated and started his career as a member of the field theme from the Institute of linguistics and further he became television documentaries producer. During this time he did not stop attempts to contact his lost friend Saul, intended to learn more about the cultural peculiarities of Machiguenga tribes, but unfortunately he failed. Only in the very beginning appears a haunting image, which narrator had at a Florentine Art Gallery. He recognized Saul Zurantas as the Machiguengas tribal storyteller on the photographs. The book unites and compares the chapters told by the narrator and the ones telling the reader of the Peruvian Indian Mythology. It makes the reading rich on the contrast. One chapter describes the discussion between Saul Zurantas and the narrator what impact provided the missionaries alongside with the business interest from the west on the unique nature of the Machiguenga tribes and culture. This chapter is prolonged with the national folklore telling about the spirit world, the animals and elements. It would be hard to reveal whether it is the voice of Saul Zurantas or the Machiguenga storyteller tells about mystical connection between the nature and the people. These two viewpoints thought provoking dialogues contrasted to the national tales is revealing the importance of keeping the unique cultures that are under the threat of westernization and loss of their identity. Saul Zurantas, of Jewish origin understands this more than the local Peruvians, that is why he is the storyteller, the one who keeps the connection between the generations, collecting the story of the legendary past. The book is not an easy to read as it has deep philosophical background. It provided a number of burning questions such as the investigation of the other cultures by the anthropologists and how these people, living outside of the civilized world could fit to the major society. The whole question civilization is raised within the pages of the book, the question of the lost heritage, where social anthropologist Saul Zurantas took the place of the story teller, to preserve unique Machiguenga culture, which is located in the depth of the rainforests of the Amazon River. â€Å"Who is purer or happier because he’s renounced his destiny†Ã¢â‚¬  The storyteller asked when he walked in the jungle with the Machiguengatribes, who should constantly roam to keep their obligation to the gods and keep save the Earth and the Sky and the Stars. â€Å"Nobody,† the storyteller replied. â€Å"We’d best be what we are. The one who gives up fulfilling his own obligation so as to fulfill that of another will lose his soul† (Mario Vargas Llosa, 1987). It is deeply spiritual novel, which deals about strong connection between the people of different times. The author tells us that the old tales could not leave anyone indifferent, as they are the part of the history and the part of the culture. Conclusion In the end I would like to make a stress on the fact that both authors reveal strong importance of the past for the present day world. It is important to keep the connection between the generations, to preserve cultural identity and the past could not be neither changes nor forgotten, as national identity of the country strongly deals with the question of the cultural heritage of the previous cultures. The Ancient Maya Tribes and Ancient Aztec have left rich cultural heritage for the Mexicans and the Peruvians and present day people should care and protect this heritage, understanding that the role of the Ancient in our present day Modern is really significant. References Fuentes, Carlos. Where the Air Is Clear. Dalkey Archive Press: orig. 1958; 2004 Llosa, Mario Vargas. The Storyteller. Picador: orig. 1987; 2001 Taube. Karl. Aztec and Maya Myths. Austin: University of Texas,1993 Gerald, Martin. Journeys through the Labyrinth: Latin American Fiction of the Twentieth Century. Verso: 1989

Outline and Evaluate Research Into the Effects of Day Care on Social Development

Belsky and Rovine (1988) conducted a study in order to assess attachment using the strange situation technique. They observed infants who had been receiving 20 hours or more of day care per week before the age of 1. Their findings suggested that, in comparison to children at home, these children were more often insecurely attached. With insecure attachments being associated with poorer social relationships this may be considered a negative effect of day care. The NICHD started a longitudinal study in 1991 to study many aspects of child development. Similarly the NICHD study found that children who were in day care for more than 30 hours a week were 3 times more likely to show behaviour problems when they went to school. By comparing the two studies we can see that the amount of time spent in day care plays an important role in whether or not children showed negative effects. However Violata and Russell’s meta-analysis showed that when time spent in day care exceeds 20 hours a week negative effects become apparent however the NICHD study found this time to be 30 hours therefore the results are contradictory and inconsistent. The EPPE study was a large scale, longitudinal study of the progress and development of 3,000 children in various types of pre-school education across the UK. The results of the EPPE study found that high levels of day care, particularly nursery care in the first 2 years, may elevate the risk of developing anti-social behaviour. To some degree the EPPE study supports the findings of Belsky and Rovine’s study as both found that the age of the child when placed in day care contributed to whether or not it was perceived to have negative implications. However the two studies can only be looked at comparatively to a certain extent as Belsky and Rovine’s study assessed infants under the age of 1 whereas the EPPE study assessed children up to the age of 7. Clarke-Steward et al studied 150 children and found that those who were in day care were consistently more advanced in their social development than children who stayed home with mothers, enabling them to better deal with peer relationships. Likewise, the EPPE study found increased independence and sociability in the children who attended day care. Field (1991) found that the amount of time spent in full-time day care was positively correlated to the number of friends children has once they went to school. However, although these findings suggest that full-time day care had positive effects on the child, the results clash with studies conducted by Belsky and Rovine. This may be due to individual differences of the children assessed in both studies, for example shy children may have appeared insecure when assessed using the strange situation technique by Belsky and Rovine. Moreover the positive correlation shown in Field’s study cannot accurately be used as grounds to state that full-time day care causes children to be more popular as correlation is not causation.

A Woeful Trap... Act 1 In Hamlet

Is he crazy or wise? It is simply crazy craftsmanship, but punishes the distraction of pain. Maybe Hamlet is a victim - as we all think of at some point - it is the intellectual perspective of the world for crazy confusion. He is a civilian of his own; a traveler with a passport goes into a strange, twilight region of the soul. Whether Hamlet's pain or insanity is caused by his relationship or his own melancholy, Hamlet's struggle reflects the essential nature of human suffering that all people can associate. The specific performance of Hamlet's suffering is closely related. In the first two scenes of the third act, Hamlet and Claudius designed traps to capture each other's secrets. Claudius secretly attacked Hamlet to discover its essence of madness. Live the conscience of the king (III. I 582). This drama is the story of the Duke of Vienna and his wife Baptista of Gonzago who married the murderer Lucian. Hamlet believes that this script is not a ghost, it is an opportunity to build a more reliable foundation for Claudius' sin. Since he did not know whether to believe a member of the spiritual world, he tried to judge whether Claudius read his actions and committed sin because of his feelings of guilt in his mental state. Hamlet 's uncertainty about Claudius' s sin and his importance of collecting Claudios evidence, Hamlet plans to organize a trap for his monologue at the end of the second act. Hamlet knew that society would not tolerate the murder of Claudius as a form of revenge without evidence that Claudius murdered Hamlet 's father. Hamlet noticed that the only evidence of his guilt against Claudius is a ghost word that could not rely on the evidence to prove that Hamlet's action was justified. He also needs to make sure that Claudius is guilty to make sure what he is doing is right. Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' has two examples of nemesis. It is hesitant to Hamlet and Hamlet. Hamlet fulfilled Claudius 'nemesis, Claudius killed Hamlet' s father and married his mother. The devil of Claudius demanded immediate revenge. His dead father's ghost appeared before Hamlet and persuaded him to retaliate. He discovered that Claudius was a real murderer and killed him after many insistent ideas. Among the same drama, Hamlet's nemesis is superior or inferior to him. He could not decide the dilemma he was facing. In the first game of the third act of the play, he revealed his way of thinking as follows: Is Hamlet a romantic hero? How will the reader's attitude towards Hamlet change through the script? How will the description of Hamlet's character affect the entire drama? Hamlet changed between Act 1 and Act 2? Or is Hamlet the same as what was drawn at the beginning of the play? I hope these Hamlet paper themes will help you create excellent works and model Hamlet paper. If you are busy for some reason, we can also help you. If you need help from qualified and experienced writers, visit our online resource, Writemy EssayOnline.com. You can order any k ind of paper about any subject, and subject in any format style. It can be used as a template for your own research. There is no need to prepay the full amount. In addition, you can track the progress of the order and preview the order for free. Please try it now. We are available 24 hours!

Team meeting and thair role Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Team meeting and thair role - Essay Example The process architecture, as described by Sammie, is where the direct invoice process precisely positioned. The direct invoicing process falls within its value chain. The modelling conventions was adopted and a justification for the choice given. Second, the business process modelling described in a structured manner, together with any of the assumptions related to the process modelled. The process models were presented in a direct invoicing process. It comprised of the value chain of the SSP where the direct invoicing process belongs. By Allen/Vision, the choreography diagram for the direct invoicing process layered a collaboration diagram for the direct invoicing process. The processes were as per the refinement of the choreography and they pertained; central process model by Nicole and the detailed sub-process models by Ibrahim. The processes and the sub-processes presented were sufficiently

Special Interest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Special Interest - Essay Example The company was established in 1911 and has continued delivering the best for more than a century. IBM currently operates in more than 170 countries and has massive employee strength. Over the years it has been a lucrative place for the employees to get associated with this global brand. The figures as of December, 2010 suggest that IBM has more than 426, 751 employees all round the globe (IBM Research Locations, n. d). In 2011, IBM was ranked as the 18th largest firm in the United States of America by Fortune The global ranking of the organization is also very impressive considering the fact that Fortune has listed it as the top organization in terms of leadership qualities exhibited by the organization. (About IBM, n. d) IBM organizes various training program on latest advancement in technology to its employees. The training process undertaken by the employees motivates them as it helps in the overall advancement of the career by adding value to their skills. The employees also feel that they can achieve the professional goals within the organization and thus creates a job satisfaction among them and they start performing better (Winning the Battle for Talent, n. d) IBM also stresses on the various activities among the employees so that their social needs are addressed in a better fashion and even engages the employees in various social activities so that they can feel to a vital part of the society.. Whenever a new employee joins in the organization in any country, IBM provides extensive training to the employees regarding the organizational culture, values and also regarding the process for which the employees are hired. The training process helps the employee to adjust themselves with the environ ment of the organization and gets a clear view of the role which he has to carry out. At the end of the training session, an assessment of the newly hired employee takes place to find out how well he had

Tourism, Leisure or Events Organisations in Attempting To Improve Essay

Tourism, Leisure or Events Organisations in Attempting To Improve Service Quality - Essay Example In this paper, two tourism companies have been discussed which include the GTi Travel Goup and Thomas Cook Group plc that provide tourism services in the market segment of the UK. In this regard, certain strategies are recommended to the companies with the motive of improving their performances substantially. Moreover, these strategies will assist these two companies in improving their brand image as well as to develop their offered service quality. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 1. Introduction 4 2. Critical Evaluation of Strategies 5 2.1 Positioning Strategy 5 2.2 Communication Strategy 6 2.3 Supply Chain Management 8 2.4 Human Resource Management (HRM) 10 3. Conclusion 12 4. References 13 5. Bibliography 16 1. Introduction Tourism is determined to be one of the largest industries worldwide and it is also considered to be one of the major elements towards the development of economic conditions and employment opportunities for both developing and developed countries. Service quality in tourism industry is considered to be a vital factor in order to acquire competitiveness in the provided services. The main objective of service quality is to determine the expectations as well as the preferences of customers and to provide services in accordance with their needs and preferences (Mohamed, 2006). The GTi Travel Group is one of the principal companies in tourism sector for overseas visitors in the United Kingdom (UK). The company is recognised to provide professional as well as value for money services for overseas visitors. In this regard, the international visitors are able to have a better outlook of Europe and Britain and the tour packages of the company range from one to thirty days (GTi Travel Group, 2013). Thomas Cook is a travel company in the UK and it is developed with the merger of MyTravel Group plc and Thomas Cook AG. It is one of the renowned tourism companies with having customers of around 23 million who travelled with the group in the previous year i.e. 2012 (Thomas Cook Group plc, 2013). The paper intends to discuss the strategies which could be adopted by GTi Travel Group and Thomas Cook Group plc with the intention of enhancing their service quality. 2. Critical Evaluation of Strategies The strategies that can be adopted by the GTi Travel Group and Thomas Cook Group plc are required to be analysed with the intention of determining the actions undertaken in order to improve the performance of these tourism companies with regard to service quality. These companies are identified to be famous packaged tour offering companies in the UK. In keeping with changing scenario of the global industry, the aspects of customer satisfaction, customer relations, service design and most importantly service quality have gained immense significance. Therefore, companies such as GTi Travel Group and Thomas Cook require to ensure that they abreast with requirements of the customers with superior quality of offerings. In this regard, the recommended strategies are described as follows: 2.1 Positioning Strategy The GTi Travel Group can adopt a positioning strategy with the objective of improving the brand image as well as competitive position of the company in the UK tourism market. The positioning strategy comprises three methods which include market analysis as well as internal analysis along with competitor analysis. In this regard, the GTi Travel Group should analyse the market conditions with respect to the preferences as well as needs of customers with regard to destinations (Alford, 1998). It has been recognised that the demand for the services offered by tourism companies has increased considerably in recent times. With the increase in the amount of disposable incomes of a large section of

Gender issues in asian traditions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Gender issues in asian traditions - Essay Example t, the dichotomy in the gender roles occur as the primitive societies have viewed men as ‘rational and capable of universally valid thought’ whereas women have always been thought as emotional, feeble and submissive. For them, â€Å"sex differences, the division into male and female bodies, were seen as biological differences†¦.Gender differences, however, behavioural and psychological traits associated with masculinity and femininity, were viewed as socially constructed† (Alsop &Lennon p. 26). This paper tries to analyse the gender roles in Hinduism and Taoism with special reference to the characterization of the feminine in both the religions. One has to keep in mind the fact that both Hinduism and Taoism flourished in highly patriarchal societies where women had minimal roles to play. It is said that Taoism characterizes the feminine as â€Å"passive†, while Hinduism characterizes the feminine as â€Å"active†. However, a close analysis of th e religious practices, gender and social roles of women in both the religions shows one that the characterization of women in Taoism better works in favour of women compared to that of Hinduism. The gender traits of Hindu women can be traced back to their early Brahmanical religion and Vedic inheritance. As Young suggests, the role of women and their rituals during this period was limited to maintaining ‘social and cosmic order’. Rg-Veda propagates the images of the maiden and the bride and praises women for â€Å"their youthful beauty, radiance, appealing adornment, sweet odours, ample hips, and broad thighs† which are evidently associated with â€Å"feminine sensuality and the child-bearing capacity of the girl† (Young 61). Even though the Vedic women’s role was esteemed as wife and mother, she had to remain as a silent partner in the Vedic rituals. The husband’s role was much prominent as he was the patriarchal head of the family and was â€Å"host of the guests, the gods, and was primarily responsible for pleasing

B2B Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

B2B Marketing - Essay Example It is a slowdown activity over a long period of time. In the period of recession, the unemployment rate and bankruptcies rise. In every business life cycle, the growth of the industry is measured through the measures like employment generation, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), capacity utilization, investment spending, household incomes, and inflation and business profits. Recessions are believed to be originated by extensive drop in spending. Governments respond to this stage by taking expansionary macroeconomic policies, such as increasing money supply, decreasing taxation and increasing government spending (INSEAD, 2009). B2B (Business to business) marketing or Industrial marketing is a marketing concept where one company deals their products and services with another company. It is a different marketing approach from B2C (business to customer) marketing where in a company sales its product directly to the end customers. The activity of marketing is generally divided into four important activities. They are product, price, place and promotion. The marketing managers of each business have to concentrate on these four activities (also known as 4P’s) to sustain in this dynamic world. For the first P, the managers should be looking forward on product quality, brand name, accessories, warranty and services among other things. In price part, managers should go through the price discrimination, price flexibility, bundling, cash and payment system, seasonal pricing etc. On the other hand, distribution channel, transportation and warehousing are the three main aspects for the place segment of marketing mix and lastly in promotional part manager should focus on public relation and publicity. Product - ECS has three main services namely media services, advertising and marketing services. The company acts as a third part service provides and has clients from the domain of theme parks, universities, garden

Mother Tongue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Mother Tongue - Essay Example For those people who use English as their second language it is particularly difficult because their imperfect expressions of their thoughts often limit their opportunities in a given situation. Despite all difficulties, Tans story proves that good knowledge of English is really important for everyone because it goves more life opportunities and makes it easier to communicate with representatives of other cultures. Learning language is totally different from hard science as it is always certain; all people know that there is only one right solution in algebra but there are several ways to render the same thought in speech. Amy Tan uses this line of reasoning to explain why her grades in hard science have always been higher than her average achievements in English. Her explanation applies to my case as well. I find it easier to learn some historic dates or facts than language. Learning English as my second language is difficult because it presupposes a bit different way of thinking. When I use my native language, I rarely think about formulations because I make up phrases automatically. It is really different with English because there are many synonyms that have slightly different meanings. Native speakers can easily differentiate emotional connotation of particular words, but it is rather difficult for me. As a result, sometimes I use some words in the context which is not really appropriate for them. Language people use with their loved ones is always different from one they use in public. It is the reason why Amy Tan confesses that she uses the same language as her mother when she communicates with her. Even her husband speaks the same way as it is a sign of intimacy between them. The language I use in my family or with my friends is also different from one I use in writing. When I have to write an essay, I think carefully about words I use to express my thought to make them as clear as

The Impact on the Automobile Industry in China after Joining the WTO Essay

The Impact on the Automobile Industry in China after Joining the WTO - Essay Example In the end, the entry of China into the WTO was considered a positive thing by most, although there are certainly those with contradictory opinions. The efficacious qualities that China gained by entry into the WTO; an aid to the economy, and the opening up of China’s markets for more international trade and investment (to name a few). The aim of this paper is to discuss more thoroughly on these points and more, and to offer a more in-depth and comprehensive point of view on the situation of the impact on the automobile industry in China after China’s accession into the WTO. â€Å"Since the beginning of economic reform and its opening to the outside world, China’s economy has been growing at a rate of nearly 10 percent annually and its external trade has expanded by more than 15 percent a year. In 1999 China’s trade volume reached $360.7 billion, ranking 9th in the world, with export volume reaching $195 billion. China has emerged to become an important player in world trading system.† (Zhai & Li, 2000). Negotiations over China’s accession into the WTO immediately provoked a debate between â€Å"†¦pessimists who believed that opening the economy would lead to a flood of imports and a de-nationalization of manufacturing industry, and those who believed that it would spur rationalization of state-owned enterprises, lock in domestic reforms, attract foreign investment, and open the way for trade expansion.† (Noble et al). The aim of this paper is to thoroughly realize and discuss these interests and more, in order to come to a clearer and more understanding point of view on the particular situation. In order to do this, the following questions must be addressed: The WTO (World Trade Organization) is an organization which consists of 123 signatory countries. Established on January 1, 1995, and based in Geneva, the WTO replaced the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) as the most primary legal and institutional foundation among the

Intramuros a Must See Essay Example for Free

Intramuros a Must See Essay Less than an hour away from the hustle and bustle of hectic cities surrounding the capital of the Philippines enters a whole different world. Before knowing the place being referred too, it must be kept in mind that if every nation is like a human body then it must be right to consent that the country’s capital city is its heart. Therefore as it pulses with life, it also pups the same to other parts of the nation body and vice versa. This is especially true about Metro Manila which itself is made up of several smaller cities and a handful of municipalities. But this capital, Manila, also has a heart of its own: one entirely surrounded by stone walls, one that had once dictated the country’s destiny for a long time and city which was being referred to is none other than Intramuros. At its peak, Intramuros was where piety was just as powerful as politics. It was not only where colonial Manila’s most prominent colleges, deluxe residences and most respected government offices were located, but also the grandest of churches. In this prime, the Walled City vibrated with vitality, throbbed with so much activity. Far from a bleeding heart, it had rules the rest of the country mightily, pounding its will on the people. Today, efforts to preserve the Walled City, and revive its illustrious past are stronger than ever. The present generation of Filipinos has come to realize its value as a national heritage as in the days of our forefathers. Keeping this in mind that Intramuros is a priceless treasure that is a must to share with the world which then leads towards the thesis statement of the research Intramuros is the best place to visit in Manila to see the glimpse of the past and its beauty. This research will be tracked through the means of transportation, places, food, and souvenirs to persuade the tourists on why to tour Intramuros and at the same time to inform them about the details they should know if they choose to tour Intramuros. BODY: Intramuros being considered as Manila’s one of the top tourists spots and a place where most people go relieve themselves with the history of Manila and the whole Philippines is quite big as it was the capital of the Philippines during the Spanish Era. Therefore the mode of transportation needed to explore the Walled City should be the first thing a tourist should think about. There are many ways to tour around Intramuros and these can either be by walking, by riding a pedicab, by hiring a Kalesa, or by going for a tour program. One of the ways to tour Intramuros is touring by foot which is the cheapest mode of travel and the most tiresome one. However, there are many people who prefer to walk when they are travelling. Therefore it should not be hassle since Intramuros is one of the most pedestrian friendly cities known. Touring by foot can be such a time consuming way since Intramuros is such a big city and it might take at least four-five hours to complete the wholesome tour. But on the other hand, this type of tour can give a great view of the history of Intramuros and Manila as there would not be anything blocking the eyesight. Hence according to Mr. George, if touring by foot is the option, it is advisable to bring a map of the walled city to plan the best path that can be taken for the tour and it is also advisable to bring an umbrella to avoid being scorched by the midday sun (Personal comm. Nov 3, 2011). The second way to tour Intramuros is by riding a pedicab which is a great alternative of touring Intramuros by foot. Pedicab is a bicycle that has a covered sidecar and operates somewhat like a rickshaw with an attached seat for two passengers. Riding a pedicab allows in-depth touring that’s otherwise seen only in bikes or walking tours therefore it is considered to be an ingenious way of moving inside the Intramuros since the pedicab drivers in Intramuros knows the ins and outs of Intramuros like the palm of their hands. For tourists, these pedicab drivers already have their route that they follow to tour their clients. Most of them have pamphlets about the tourist spots inside the walled city. Pedicabs can be hired for 100 pesos hour and it can take at least two hours to go and visit the interesting places. Lastly keeping in mind it is one of the Filipinos ways of addressing the need for environmental-friendly transportation (HealthBridge, 2010). The third and one of the best ways to tour Intramuros is hiring a Kalesa. Kalesa is the Tagalog word for a horse-drawn carriage which came to light in the Philippines during the 18th century by the Spaniards. At that period, this mode of transportation was used only by the nobles and high ranked officials who could afford it. But nowadays Kalesa are rarely used in the streets and are commonly seen in famous tourists’ spots and rural areas. Therefore to bring back the reminiscences on how Spaniards used to travel around Philippines, it is highly recommendable to hire a Kalesa while touring Intramuros depending on the budget. Kalesa are considered to be more expensive than the pedicabs nevertheless it can accommodate more people depending on their sizes. The price range varies from 350 pesos to 600 pesos for that reason its better to negotiate with the driver/kutchero before starting the tour as some of them rip off their passengers (Ahab, 2010). These kutcheros have a quite outstanding knowledge about Intramuros hence the two hour trip around Intramuros is worth it while riding a Kalesa . The last and final way to tour Intramuros is hiring a tourists or travel agencies that offer touring services inside this walled city. This is the most expensive of all mode of travelling inside the wall city however there are some benefits to it for instance the tourist guides would be a professional one which can enlighten their tourists with the history of every places in Intramuros thoroughly. This tour program will make the tourists ride on horse drawn carriages which are almost the same as the ones used during Spanish times that are better than the Kalesas plying around the walled city. An example of a tour program is â€Å"If These Wall Could Talk† by Carlos Celdran. This tour program led by Carlos basically uses a carriage that looked like it was owned by a royalty and the exceptional way Carlos tours around the tourists with his narration about the history of Philippines was like watching a theatrical act. This example of tour program lasts for at least three hours maximum with bringing the tourists basically everywhere in Intramuros and costs more than 700 pesos each person (Guevara, 2008). Considering all the options given above regarding transportation, choosing the best mode should come in versatile depending on the budget and time the tourists have. The main goal for travelling to Intramuros is to enjoy as much as possible with the right transportation guiding the way towards the past and inner beauty of the Walled City. After choosing the right mode of transportation, the places in Intramuros should come into an account to make the tourist wonder what they are about to see. Intramuros is known for its historical destinations therefore with 0. 67 sq. mi. lot size, it is advisable if there will be a well prepared plan to tour Intramuros. In the preparation to visit the Walled City the following aspects should be considered to make the tour worthwhile and these are as follow: best time of the year to visit Intramuros, operating hours of the places to visit in Intramuros, appropriate things to bring and clothes to wear in touring Intramuros and the most important are the places to visit. There are two seasons in the Philippines which are summer and rainy season therefore to discover Intramuros it is better to think about which season suits the best. Summer is when the flowers bloom and start of vacation of the students and professionals, it’s a great chance to go unwinding. The advantage of summer is that the sun is up most of the time and during this season the rainy days are rare which is a great chance to visit and appreciate places like the walls with its bastions and ports and also the beauty of the famous churches in the Intramuros, the old Spanish houses like Casa Manila, the Bahay Tsinoy, the monuments and the plazas and the Palacio de Gobernador. But there’s a disadvantage of summer. According to Mr. George (Personal comm. , Nov. , 2011) during summer the sun is at its peak so the temperature is high. Touring with this kind of temperature is not a comfortable idea. Well there’s the counterpart of summer it is the rainy season. In this season the temperature is fresh and cool and the sun is not at its peak. But then rainy days are more frequent during this season. Unfortunately there are places in In tramuros that are easily flooded when it rains. Therefore there are chances of cancelling the tour in Intramuros since the mode of transportation would not be easily available and at the same time some of the well known places may be closed. Once the season is chosen to visit the Walled City, one must know about the operating hours of the places. According to Mr. George (Personal comm. , Nov. 3, 2011) there are some places in Intramuros that are under construction and renovations and some became restricted places. These constructions and renovations may affect the schedule of the operating hours of these places because some are closed for a while to avoid casualties and provide safety for tourist. Mr. George (Personal comm. , Nov. , 2011) said that the construction and renovations are inside Fort Santiago and some parts of the walls for example near the Pasig River and there are also under going excavations like at the ruins of Intendencia. While these places are under construction and renovation, still there are other places that are open on their normal schedule which is from open from 8 am – 5 pm daily (Philippines-hotels, 2011) and even if Fort Santiago is under construction and renovation there are still plac es open to public. Fort Santiago is open from 8 am – 6 pm daily (Javellana, 2011). The appropriate things needed and clothes to wear should also come in consideration before exploring Intramuros. Mr. George (Personal comm.. , Nov. 3, 2011) suggested to bring umbrella and to wear a hat for the heat of the sun and also he suggested wearing a comfortable clothes like maong and t-shirt and maybe Sunday dress because some places have dress code like the church which doesn’t allow shorts inside. Also bring a bag for souvenirs and for things to be brought upon touring and a bottled water (about, 2011) to prevent dehydration because the temperature is hot in Manila especially at noontime. And the most important is to not forget to bring money for the expenditure while touring Intramuros. Finally when all things are planned and set, the tourists should be enlightened with the places they will or might visit while touring the Walled City to see the beauty of the past. There are a lot of places to choose from for a visit. Like for example the San Agustin Church which is the oldest church standing in the Philippines, Manila Cathedral which symbolizes the importance of the Church in the Philippines, Fort Santiago where the Philippine national hero Jose Rizal was prisoned and his last steps where seen before execution, Casa Manila which is the museum of the era’s architecture and lifestyle, Bahay Tsinoy, the walls with its bastions and ports, the plazas like Plaza Moriones and Plaza Roma, and the monuments like Monument de Magallanes, monument to King Carlos IV and monument to Simon de Anda ( Javellana, 2003). So, considering these aspects about places, the tour if well planned would be smooth and most likely fool-proof. Therefore the best plan in touring Intramuros is first to visit during the middle of the rainy season and summer season which starts from October till February to avoid at most possible chance the disadvantage of the two seasons. Also Mr. George (Personal comm. , Nov. 3, 2011) said start the tour during 6 am up until 10 pm or 3 pm onwards to have a more comfortable time while touring inside and if the tour starts as early as possible the more the time can be allotted to explore each and every places. Secondly, knowing the operation hours can give a hint on how to arrange the places to avoid missing any places that’s included in the plan like for example San Agustin church must come first before Fort Santiago because San Agustin church closes earlier than Fort Santiago. And then bring all the needed things to bring and don’t forget to wear the right clothes as Mr. George (Personal comm. , Nov. 3, 2011) reminded to also avoid missing a place if ever there’s a dress code in it like for example as said earlier the church that has a dress code as to not wear shorts. And if done considering these three factors then there’s a bigger chance that every possible place in Intramuros can be visited because everything is prepared and there’s no hindrances or any problems at most during the tour. Then touring Intramuros will be much fun and at the same time will unleash the history in the most appropriate and striking manner. Following the exploration of the historical monuments and destinations located inside Intramuros, the tourists are then ready to be acquainted with the food establishments found throughout the Walled City. One of the most popular food establishments is the sidewalk food establishment which could be found throughout the streets. Some of the sidewalk food establishments that can be found are: The Katunan which can be found at the sides of both LPU, and Mapua, Tiendas Mertaniya which is located in front of Mapua and stretches towards LPU, and last but not the least the qwek-qwek stalls or carts which is found basically everywhere. The ubiquitous activity of selling ready to eat foods, or also called as street foods, is one of the basic daily activity in the busy street of Intramuros. This activity reflects the Filipino local culture, especially the different roles of men and women in the society. Lighter and easier task are mostly given to women, while more profound and tougher task are given to men. For example, men sell soybean curd, or also known as â€Å"taho† in Filipino, which requires them great physical strength and stamina to carry their merchandise while women stay inside sidewalk food establishments, to cook, serve the costumers, and wash their wares (Weightman, 2010). The meal, snacks and refreshments served on the streets of Intramuros, provide for a wide variety of costumers’ tastes and range from traditional recipes. There are different and plenty of varieties of ready to eat foods accessible on this sidewalk food establishments which vary from: manioc, chips, eggrolls, and meal of rice with meat, fish, or chicken, along with a side dish served on a plate (Manahan, 2001). Therefore in the context of rapid urbanization, ready to eat foods or street foods, are becomingly increasing important as both as cheap, and quick meal option to your consumers and these sidewalk food establishments in Intramuros mostly caters students since it complements with the busy life of students but at the same time it can enrich the food quality within the tourists as well. On top of that the price of ready to eat foods or street foods ranges from fifty cents to 80 pesos which is prominently within the budget required. Though the sidewalk food establishments are quite popular in Intramuros, the restaurants situated in this place should also be taken into account. These restaurants are as follows: Illustrado, Casa Marinero, Barbara’s restaurant and many more. The said restaurants are known in their own perspective. They are designed in a way that can reveal how Spaniards used to dine during the invasion of the Philippines and some are designed to promote the respect of the Christianity religion. In their main dining room, oth families with small children and older women dining â€Å"out with the girls† could be seen sharing the family-style portions at tables surrounding a grand piano at which a live pianist plays on Saturdays. Since Filipinos love to eat, sing and be entertained, Intramuros is an opportunity to merge food and entertainment. This can also show the tourist one of the distinctiveness of the Filipinos. Last but not the least, a tour cannot be complete without having the k nowledge about the souvenir shops since it is the things bought in these shops that brings back the memories to treasure. The art galleries, antique shops and souvenir ships in Intramuros are considered to be one of the best souvenir ships in Manila. These souvenir shops are still existing and thriving money-wise because of the tourist influx in this walled city located inside the metro. The three famous souvenir shops located in Intramuros are Papier Tole Shop, Silahis Arts and Artifacts, and  Mananzan Handicrafts. The Papier Tole Shop was established in 1668 as major hub for recycled paper products. The Spanish era left a very important contribution to the Filipino people by utilizing their artistic talent and skills as it leaves unique masterpieces for the unique paintings in 3D or in watercolour, paper dolls, necklaces and other paper products (Travel Man, 2011). The shop was given the name Papier Tole as the name is signifies an art technique in which part or all image is raised from the surface to give a three dimensional effect which enhances the natural shape of image (The Papier Tole, 2005). The products found in Papier Tole shop are mostly engrossed by the 3D effects on the building art and related works. Although the ship is now incorporated with other indigenous art, paper products are still the highlights of the souvenir shop. The Papier Tole mostly attracts the tourists but in some instances there are students who take time from their busy schedule to go and visit the souvenir as the price ranges from 5 to 4000 pesos depending on the size of the product. The second souvenir shop to be considered is the Silahis Arts and Artifacts which was established in 1966. This shop is engaged in designing, producing, retailing and exporting the finest of handmade Philippine product. The main concern includes the principles such as indigenous esigns, native resources, and the spirits that have used them in everyday life (Silahis Center, 2003). The products found in this souvenir shop try to create a deeper understanding of the many-faceted heritage of the Philippines and its people through a greater appreciation of their culture and crafts. The price ranges from 10 pesos to around 2500 pesos an d it attracts both the tourists and the students. Finally the souvenir shop, Mananzan Handicrafts, opened its doors for the tourists back in 1968 at the basement of Manila Pavilion but now it is located right in the heart of Intramuros. This souvenir shop welcomes thousands of tourists from all over the world, balikbayans, and local buyers and provides them with the utmost in shopping convenience. According to Mr George, the grace and dignity of the quality of things can be found in this souvenir shop and gives a guarantee that would make the tour in Intramuros worth remembering (Personal Comm. , Nov 3, 2011). The products that are found in this souvenir shop are made by different tribal groups and have a little taste of the Spanish Era. The Mananzan Handicrafts carries extremely wide and interesting selection of Philippines-made products from all over the country. Therefore not only is the shop a source of unique and affordable souvenirs for tourists, it is also an exhibit of the Filipino’s world-renowned ingenuity and outstanding craftsmanship. The price range varies from 20 pesos to 1500 pesos. It is better not to spend too much money therefore here are few tips to help spend the money wisely in the souvenir shops. First, the souvenir items that are environmental-friendly or products from the recycled materials are the in-thing these days. Therefore items such as native bags, paper mache are few of the many things that should be considered. Second, items that are affordable should be chosen only if it is unique from this country. Lastly, budget everything before considering the things to by. Keeping this in mind, there is one thing that should be taken whole-heartedly and that is that the souvenirs and merchandize can be bought in very reasonable rate if well thought-out and planned properly. The products found in the souvenir shops of Intramuros are somewhat the replica of what it was like during the Spanish Era. The products are used from recyclable materials and can be bought in reasonable rate.

Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe: Loss Of Identity

Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe: Loss Of Identity Research Question: how does male dominance, reputation, and responsibility lead to the downfall of Okonkwos and other characters identity. My research paper has to do with the loss of identity of the main character as well as others. The conflicting battles they had with themselves and society as a whole. I believe this is important because within this novel, Things Fall Apart, there are countless conflicts that mostly ended in disarray. My gist was that the underlying themes within this novel were mostly responsible for these conflicts and so I took it upon myself to scrutinize the novel and find out for myself. In doing so, I heavily relied on the novel attained from my high school and researched other peoples perceptions concerning this topic. Through writing this paper I have made clear the motifs in this novel such as letting power control you instead of vice versa and such things were the cause of many characters downfall or rise within the novel. Loss of Identity in Things Fall Apart From reading the novel Things Fall Apart, you instantly pick up idea that the world of the Igbo people is engulfed in ancestral believes and hierarchy. These notions are strongly embedded within the society that the villages resistance to the European rein by force rumbles disarray in the society. The reader is reminded of a similar paradigm in the days of Queen Elizabeth the first.  From an Igbos view, one could pronounce that the emergence of the Europeans might have triggered the chaos follow-on their meddling with Igbo traditions. The foremost adjustment of these set in stone conventional cultures alarmed mainly the customary authority accredited to men by their known patriarchal society. Moreover, the characters keenness for male dominance undoubtedly interrupted various aspects of the existing ancestral believes and hierarchy, particularly reputation and responsibility which were deemed manly traits. Even more so, these traits amount to the main standard for measuring a mans respect and authority/dominance. The dominance of the male characters emerges inherent, within the Igbo patriarchal community where power is usually cited as the most important factor used by men to construct their own identities as the engendered representatives of humanity.(OLI) This sort of power is portrayed at the physical level as well as on a social and interactive level. On the physical level, people who tend to be lazy are regarded as an  agbala, which means a woman in Igbo. This idea is vividly illustrated through Onkonkwos father. Okonkwo himself achieved fame after showing his strength when he defeated Amalinze in a wrestling contest. This is the first account we have of Okonkwos t physical strength and ability; Okonkwo asserts comparison to the coercive physical power exercised by the British colonisers upon Umuofia people, and which Okonkwo uses to punish his wives (EP, p.52). On the social plane, we are introduced to a structural supremacy which involves several privileges accorded to the person by the tribe they belong to. We see this being exemplified through Ogbuefi Ezeudu a character who had been a great and fearless warrior in his time, and was now accorded a great respect in all the clan. (TFA, p.57). The positive male supremacy is the ideology employed in contrast to the coercive physical power. These perceptions were values customary to clans and established by the elders as a primary foundation of their ancestral beliefs and hierarchy in the Umuofia village. Within this novel, we observe the direct link between male dominance/authority and reputation. Effectively, the structural supremacy is accorded on the basis of the persons intelligence, and as well as some principles defined by the clan. Reputation however becomes the fulcrum around which most aspects of their ancestral beliefs and hierarchy turn. A reputation being the main focus in the org anised Umuofia system is stressed upon by fact that it is a standout feature of people who are capable to accede to the leadership of the clan. Subsequently, these people (men) show a great sense of responsibility because they do not want to be viewed as failures and also to encourage values that guarantee the continuation of the ancestral beliefs and hierarchy in the clan. Likewise any man who fails to attain authority or dominance loses his identity as a true member of the tribe. Consequently, my distress lies in depicting how male dominance, reputation, and responsibility have all directed to the downfall of Okonkwo and other characters identity. Situated in Igboland approaching the beginning of the twentieth century, Things Fall Apart  is embodied via the overlapping of various premises among which one is able to pull out male dominance, reputation, responsibility, collisions of cultures, ancestral beliefs and hierarchy. The novel points out the disarray as well as the incompatible circumstances caused by the onset of the white Europeans who on their arrival brought with them a new religion, new ways of going about life, and a shift in paradigm. The beginning phase of Things Fall Apart limns the integrated community of Umuofia Village, with its kingship political system.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The reader also experiences the initial exposure of male power through the central figure, Okonkwo who is portrayed as a strong fearless warrior whose celebrity status is undeniable across the Igboland, Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino. (TFA, p.3) Okonkwos reputation is given more weight by the narrator who stresses on the physical account that discloses much about his personality and gives the reader insight into the main character and his capabilities: That was many years ago, twenty years or more, and during this time Okonkwos fame had grown like a bush-fire in the harmattan.  He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look. He breathed heavily, and it was said that, when he slept, his wives and children in their houses could hear him breathe. When he walked, his heels hardly touched the ground and he seemed to walk on springs, as if he was going to pounce on somebody. And he did pounce on people quite often.  He had a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quickly enough; he would use his fists. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had had no patience with his father. (TFA, pg.3-4) At this point you could come to the conclusion that Okonkwo is satisfied with his accomplishments taking into account his authority as a man and status within the community. In accordance to Ada Uzoamaka Azado: In the Umuofia community of  Things Fall Apart, Igbo men are constrained to achieve and flaunt [male superiority], in order to be seen and respected.  (EP,  p.50) (OLI) The Nigerian civilization described within the novel has been established by patriarchy which is intern manifested throughout the novel. Regardless of the concept of  Nneka, which in translation means Mother is Supreme, which brings to mind the assertion that the most important factor with regard to the woman in traditional society is her role as mother, women are often measured and represented as possessions of men: In domestic terms, women are reckon as part of a mans acquisitions. Hence, women are regarded in the Umuofia community as part of the several measures perceived to be as sociated to masculinity. The seclusion of female characters from the social hierarchy is hammered on by the narrator. It was clear from the way the crowd stood or sat that the ceremony was for men. (TFA, pg.87). However this circumstance is not typical to Umuofia alone. Actuality, in pre-colonial African culture, women were deemed inferior and not at pair with the opposite sex. It is then not surprising when the author controverts Okonkwos father to him. His father Unoka is presented as a sluggish and irresponsible drunk; Unoka, for that was his fathers name, had died ten years ago. In his day he was a lazy and improvident and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow. If any money came his way, and it seldom did, he immediately bought gourds of palm-wine, called round his neighbors and made merry. He always said that whenever he saw a dead mans mouth he saw the folly of not eating what one had in ones lifetime. Unoka was, of course, a debtor, and he owed every neighbor some money, from a few cowries to quite substantial amounts. (TFA, pg.4) His fathers irresponsibility is portrayed through his failure to manage money properly. His main aim is to drink palm wine and to make merry with his friends. He is talked about as a failure, an  agbala. He endured mockery just because he did not live up to the standards set for men in the community; Unoka, the grown-up, was a failure. He was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat. People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back. /à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/ Unoka was never happy when it came to wars. He was in fact a coward and could not bear the sight of blood. And so he changed the subject and talked about music, and his face beamed. (TFA, pp.5-6) The subdued image of Unoka is by no means accidental. Achebe uses this as a medium to represent male dominance in the Igbo society as well as to depict the perception against men who do not succeed. Therefore, one comes to the realisation that male dominance within the novel is strongly associated with the individuals own pursuit for identity. This elucidates the motive behind the main characters unending efforts to attain power which is threatened in novel from time to time. Simply, Okonkwo aims to characterize himself in the sense of creating an image that regarded as the real man with all authority accredited to him in this patriarchal community Okonkwo appears, first, as a successful man who has achieved the self-fulfilment he tries to look for. As Ifeoma Onyemelukwe states:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   [Okonkwo] is the man who was able to resolve his identity crisis in late adolescence. At age 18 he had developed self-confidence, a high self-concept, and self-esteem and had high achievement motivation as typical of the average Igbo man. The consequence of this is his reverberating achievement and celebrity.  (EP, p.37) Okonkwos bodily strength in combination with the mans keenness to attain social climax moulded a very commanding persona which is fit for such a patriarchal community.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The ideology of the male character as an influential and commanding individual is subsequently toughened by the image of the  agbala  which generally alludes to fruitless or sluggish men. Onyemelukwe comments:   Things Fall Apart  depicts very successful Okonkwo as showing no empathy or sympathy to less fortunate men like his father, Unoka. Such individuals, to his mind, are simply agbala  (Igbo word for woman) or she-men.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   It is not surprising that Okonkwo stands out in the novel as a macho man with a great deal of self-esteem and self-confidence.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The cap fits Okonkwo in many instances in the given description. Achebe  portrays him as one who is neither patient nor tolerant. (EP, pp. 37-38)   Okonkwos authority is as a result of his will to attain success. This is evidently highlighted within the novel:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   But the Ibo people have a proverb that when a man says yes his  chi  says yes also. Okonkwo said yes very strongly; so his  chi  agreed. And not only his  chi but his clan too, because it judged a man by the work of his hands. That was why Okonkwo had been chosen by the nine villages to carry a message of war to their enemies unless they agreed to give up a young woman and a virgin to atone for the murder of Udos wife.  (TFA, pg.27) Achebe allows the speaker to broaden the confines of Okonkwos authority, evoking what his own father could not achieve: accomplishing himself as a man and building up his reputation. However, Okonkwo was unsuccessful in effectively conveying the authority he possessed. One might argue that the power controlled his actions and in the end the rationale behind his failure may be to shed light on the flaws of the hero blinded by his reputation of and his edge to climb up on the social ladder. Okonkwos reputation drops suddenly following his accidental murder of a young boy. He is no longer deemed as the figure of authority, fame and masculinity just because a bullet from his gun inadvertently killed a young boy. In addition, the laws and regulations customary to the Igbo community demands that any being found guilty of taking anothers life must be banished to his or her motherland. This in contrast to Okonkwos macho personality highlights the shame that adorn him. Overnight, great Okonkwo, the great warrior, the great warrior, the great wrestler, one of the most outstanding achievers of his time, most respected and revered, loses all he has laboured to achieve just in the twinkle of an eye. His hope or remaining one of the lords of the clan, is shattered.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   His flight to Mbanta implies starting life afresh, from the scratch. It means loss of self-esteem, peace, happiness. His ego is obviously punctured. His fame transforms into shame. His identity crumbles. Crises and conflict set in again. (EP,  pp.41-42) It is evident that the situation Okonkwo finds himself in is a paradoxical one because, in spite of the patriarchal trend, he is still banished to his mothers village. This occurrence can be regarded as a device Achebe utilizes to reconstruct the image of women. In this regard the author celebrates the Mother as a Supreme Being, a concept which is recurrent in Achebes writings. Noticeably, Okonkwos return to his motherland plays an important role as it secures him from European influences. At this point, Okonkwo becomes fully aware of his of himself in exile. The identity alteration is first observed by his mothers brother who pertinently comments.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Why is Okonkwo with us today? This is not his clan. We are only his mothers kinsmen. He does not belong here. He is an exile, condemned for seven years to live in a strange land. And so he is bowed with grief. But there is just one question I would like to ask him. Can you tell me, Okonkwo, why it is that one of the commonest names we give our children is Nneka, or Mother is Supreme? We all know that a man is the head of the family and his wives do his bidding. A child belongs to its father and his family and not to its mother and her family. A man belongs to his fatherland and not to his motherland. (TFA, pg.133) The speaker highlights Okonkwos responsiveness to his loss of identity. [He] knew these things. He knew that he had lost his place among the nine masked spirits who administered justice in the clan. (TFA,  p.171) However, his return in the subsequent lines stress upon his reputation and responsibility:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   He was determined that his return should be marked by his people. He would return with a flourish, and regain the seven wasted years. /à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/ Even in his first year in exile he had begun to plan his return. (TFA, pp.171) One might wonder if the changes that have occurred in his society would allow him to achieve his reintegration without troubles. However taking into account Okonkwo we knew at the early stages of the novel, you would come to think that his return would once more rekindle the ancestral beliefs and hierarchy within the village of Umuofia. Nonetheless the overlapping of models like reputation, male dominance, and responsibility are such that they compose in a common focus characterised by violent behaviour and also the downfall of Okonkwos fame and persona Revisiting Okonkwos reassimilation within his society, he is put in the skeleton of the above body depicting that his final condition is by no means perchance. Effectively, Okonkwo composes a blend of male dominance, reputation, and responsibility. Okonkwos petulance and zeal to succeed demonstrates the fundamental nature of his character. Hence, the violent condition that has propelled Okonkwo into an inevitable downfall is a produce of the overlapping of male dominance, reputation and responsibility. The society of Umuofia is structured such that man must climb up on the social ladder if he wants to gain respect in the community. The other side of the coin is set aside for women, or in this case, men incapable of achieving masculinity. In effect, the permutation female honour / power do not lead to a decline because a woman moving upward on the social ladder is tantamount to re-examination. Its an amelioration of their rank and cannot be viewed as a downfall. This is also evident in Achebes works; A Man of the People and the Devil on the Cross when Eunice and Warrà ®Ãƒ ®nga respectively, rid themselves of their male tyrannisers. These individuals found their identity and repositioned themselves at superiors on the social ladder and hierarchy.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  In consequence, Okonkwo who is unable to find some of his previous attributes is, inevitably excluded from his rank on the social hierarchy. No longer is he perceived as a role model that he was and, as a result, declines o n the hierarchy as low as an  agbala, like his  father. Okonkwos shift on the social hierarchy is negative. The only factor resultant from the overlapping talked about themes is violence. Eunice uses this as a tool however; this is not the same in Okonkwos situation. In the first instance, violence is utilized at the personal level to liberate themselves from the Europeans, whiles the second instance has an effect on the entire village of Umuofia. Moreover, because the violence in the case of Okonkwo is not tied to one person, the reparation thereafter is irrepressible and, things fall apart. To shed light on Okonkwos failure, Achebe distances the main character from the various revolutions taking place and affecting the people of Umuofia. The author shows a significant role in conjunction to his banishment and uses that as a tool to segregate Okonkwo from the occurring changes. The altercation is no more among Okonkwo and his community, but his cultural beliefs and the European imposed culture. In point of fact, the Europeans having accomplished their efforts in convincing the Igbo people, Okonkwo is left standing alone defending the traditions of Umuofia. His accomplishments and disappointments rest on his capability to formulate a suitable decision of the three principles that constitute to his personality: reputation, male dominance, and responsibility Okonkwo inhabits a society where male dominance is the focal point of traditional beliefs. The patriarchy that he and many others have emulated from ancestral traditions vitalizes him to adopt a mind-set of superiority over the opposite sex by abusing his wives. Okonkwo rose to fame as early as the age of eighteen and since then has been most certainly blinded by fame. As a result, his main aim is to stay at the peak of his power. Okonkwo then shifts from a well-liked hero to a villain. This shift in Okonkwos character demonstrates violence as a predestined outcome of the transformations which affected Okonkwos community. For Okonkwo and many others like himself, the only respond is through violence. Achebe exemplifies Okonkwos calamity as a character falling victim to social violence on the one hand, but also of himself on the other. The first of the violence is one brought upon the Village of Umuofia by European colonisers. This violence was physically imposed and it goes up against the two different lifestyles and their cultures. The second is violence imposed by traditions on the characters. For example; Okonkwo serves seven years banishment for having killed a Klansman; the intentionally killing of twin children to avoid a curse that may strike the village; also Ikemefuna as young as she is sacrificed to Ani (the Earth goddess,) to provide justice after the death of a member of the neighbouring village. Also the individual violence Okonkwo works out on his own personality. We first observe this particular type of conflict mentally. This was where he strongly believed in recapturing his lost identity and to achieve his cause, he ends up as the physical victim of his own violence choosing to hang himself rather than fall into captivity. However, in doing this, he sheds off his reputation.   It is apparent that the last few sections of  Things Fall Apart reveal an Okonkwo who has come to terms with his failure, and tries to evoke his identity. Okonkwo now is not the same Okonkwo who said yes strongly; so his chi agreed (TFA, pg.27). Sadly for Okonkwo, he came to realisation a little late and his strive to keep the little honour he had prove to be futile. Consequentially, committing suicide is gaze at as a taboo: It is an abomination for a man to take his own life. It is an offence against the Earth, and a man who commits it will not be buried by his clansmen. (TFA, pg. 207). He is forsaken even in death just because his ordeal was against [their] custom. (TFA, pg.207). However, the speakers convey some compassion through Obierika:   Obierika, who had been gazing steadily at his friends body, turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill  himself;  and now he will be buried like a dogà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ He could not say any more. His voice trembled and choked his words. (TFA, pg.208) The narrator attributes the blame of Okonkwos death to the District Commissioners men. And at this point Achebe condemns the negative and brutal aspects of the arrival of the colonisers in Africa  in general and the Igboland in  particular.  Things Fall Apart  can also be considered as a novel that Achebe uses to epitomise the irrationality of certain traditions which in the end have overwhelming effects on the individual and the entire society. Hence I conclude with this famous quote by W.B Yeats, Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. Word count: 3,582

Treatment for Hypothyroidism

Treatment for Hypothyroidism Levothyroxine sodium is a synthetic thyroxine (T4) hormone, and is the mainstay of treatment for hypothyroidism and the suppression of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in patients with thyroid cancer or after thyroidectomy.1 Two main properties of levothyroxine have contributed to a turbulent regulatory history. First, levothyroxine targets a narrow therapeutic range of T4 hormone and requires careful titration to a safe and effective dose.2 Second, levothyroxine is relatively unstable and its degradation is accelerated in response to environmental factors and in the presence of some inert product ingredients.3,4 Between 1991 and 1997 there were at least 10 recalls of different levothyroxine products mostly due to sub-potency or uncertain potency, comprising 150 lots and 100 million tablets.5 Although major regulatory changes were implemented to improve the quality and safety of levothyroxine products in 1997 and again in 2007,5-7 concerns persist about bioequivalence and variation in product potency.8 In a previous study of generic drug use from a nationally representative sample of commercial claims data in late 2013, we found that generic utilization of thyroid agents, mostly comprising levothyroxine, was 61%,9 despite the availability of generic preparations for >10 years. This utilization rate is markedly low given that overall generic uptake is approaching 90% in U.S.10 To encourage use of generic levothyroxine, more information is needed about the healthcare provider and patient barriers to uptake of generic preparations. We used a large electronic health records (EHR) database from a healthcare delivery system to evaluate measurable determinants of, and unexplained variation in, outpatient generic prescribing of levothyroxine. We hypothesized that both patient and provider factors contribute to generic levothyroxine prescribing and that residual variation in providers generic prescribing would persist after accounting for measurable factors. METHODS Race and ethnicity were captured by self-report during routine clinical practice in accordance with U.S. Census standards.13 We identified TSH laboratory results for each patient in the 12 months prior to the index prescription. In the case of multiple measurements, we chose the one closest to (but not after) the date that the index prescription was ordered. We also extracted information on other patient characteristics, including use of concomitant medications, insurance type, and clinical diagnoses. Insurance type was categorized as fee-for-service or preferred provider organization (FFS/PPO), health maintenance organization (HMO; including Medicare Advantage), Medicare, Medicaid, and unknown (including self-pay). For each patient, we calculated a Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score based International Classification of Disease-9 encounter and problem-list diagnoses documented in the 12 months prior to the index prescription.14 We used 2010 U.S. Census block information to deter mine the median householdincome of the Census track in which patients reside as a proxy for socioeconomic status. We used information from the EHR database to characterize the index levothyroxine prescription. We classified the encounter at which the index prescription was ordered as an office or online/telephone encounter. The index prescription was classified as incident if there were no active prescriptions or pharmacy claims for this drug in the 12 months prior; otherwise it was classified as a renewal. For each patient, we quantified the duration of index prescription (recorded start date to the imputed end date, as determined by the prescribed daily dose, quantity dispensed, and number of refills). We quantified healthcare providers prescribing volume of levothyroxine by calculating the average number of levothyroxine prescriptions written per week in the three months prior to the index prescription for each patient. We also quantified healthcare providers total patient volume by calculating the average number of office encounters per week in the three months prior to the index prescription per patient. Statistical Methods We used mixed-effects multivariable logistic regression models to assess the relationship between generic prescribing of levothyroxine (dependent variable) and patient and prescription factors (level-1 predictor variables), and healthcare provider factors (level-2 predictor variables) (see Table 1). We assumed that patients with prescriptions from the same healthcare provider were more alike in their propensity to receive a generic than patients from different providers. Accordingly, we included random-effects (i.e., random intercepts) in our models for each prescribing healthcare provider of the index levothyroxine prescription (N=941). To quantify between-cluster variation, we calculated the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) in the absence of covariates (variance-components model) and in the presence of patient, prescription, and provider fixed-effect covariates (mixed-effects multivariable models). These models were also fitted separately by provider type (PCP and endocrin ologist). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for fixed-effect covariates. We derived predicted probabilities of receiving generic levothyroxine for each fixed-effect covariate from post-hoc estimation of adjusted means, holding all other variables constant.15 We included interaction terms in the mixed-effects multivariable model to examine effect modification by provider type for patient age, sex, race/ethnicity. When interactions were present, we calculated predicted probabilities of receiving generic levothyroxine for the covariate of interest stratified by provider type. Due to multiple comparisons within models, a P-value 220 days vs. 74% for prescriptions à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤60 days). Patients and providers may have been more accepting of generic levothyroxine when it would be taken for longer periods of time, reflecting lower cumulative out-of-pocket drug cost. The predicted probability of receiving generic levothyroxine was also higher for renewals than incident prescriptions (83 vs. 73%) and for online/telephone encounters versus office encounters (81% vs. 72%). These factors are related, as patients with a renewal more frequently receive levothyroxine during an online/telephone encounter than those with an incident prescription, yet they remained independent predictors of generic prescribing in the multivariable model. Among patients with a renewal, 84% received generic levothyroxine prior to the index prescription and, of those, the vast majority (92%) received a renewal for generic levothyroxine. It follows that patients were less likely to have been prescribed brand levothyroxine if they were already taking a generic. In a study of 36,832 older adults (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥65 years) in the U.S. initiating narrow therapeutic index drugs, of which warfarin (48%) and levothyroxine (29%) were the most prevalent, predictors of higher generic drug initiation, included older age, male sex, higher comorbidity, lower Census block median household income, and prior generic utilization. These findings from a Medicare population are overall consistent with our results.23 In our study, bivariate analyses showed that HMO and Medicare beneficiaries were more likely to receive generic levothyroxine; however, this association was mitigated in the presence of other factors in multivariable analyses. We found that provider type was an effect modifier for the relationship between patient sex and generic prescribing of levothyroxine in multivariable models. In stratified analyses, while the predicted probability of receiving generic levothyroxine from a PCP was similar among women and men (81%, each), the probability of receiving a generic from an endocrinologist was disproportionately lower for women (63% vs. 71% for men). Because lower prescribing of generic levothyroxine was observed for endocrinologists but not PCPs, this occurrence is likely driven by provider rather than patient preferences. Future studies are warranted to understand these prescribing practices among endocrinologists. The results of this study should be interpreted in the context of several limitations. The retrospective, observational nature of this study prevents causal inferences. Furthermore, rates of generic prescribing of levothyroxine may overestimate generic utilization of this drug, as some patients may not consent to generic substitution at the pharmacy. Although California has a permissive generic substitution law, patients can still refuse a substitution. In the absence of pharmacy claims, we cannot know whether a generic or branded product was actually dispensed. Nevertheless, in a previous study we showed that our algorithm used to determine brand versus generic prescribing measured by EHR data performs well in predicting actual dispensing patterns.12 Thestudy setting is a healthcare delivery system in Northern California, and we cannot know if our findings are generalizable to other parts of the U.S.; however, the organization is a mixed-payer system, and operates much like other pr ovider-based delivery systems in the nation, without a single drug formulary. As such, we are confident that our findings are relevant to other similar health systems in the U.S. This study has several strengths. We used a relative large cohort of patients from a mixed-payer healthcare delivery system over a four-year period to examine patterns in and determinants of generic prescribing of levothyroxine. We leveraged extensive information from the health systems EHR database, including disease and medication history, TSH levels, and providers levothyroxine prescribing and patient volume. To our knowledge, this is the first study to quantify variation in generic prescribing of levothyroxine between healthcare providers. The presence of residual variation between providers in generic prescribing of levothyroxine, after controlling for important measurable confounders, indicates potential unwarranted variation due to prescribing preferences. Such variation, which may also be influenced by patient beliefs and preferences, can be the target of provider interventions or patient education aimed at improving levothyroxine generic uptake.

The Italian Essay -- essays research papers

In Ann Radcliffe's "The Italian", the very first thing that we see described is a veiled woman: "It was in the church of San Lorenzo at Naples, in the year 1758, that Vincentio di Vivaldi first saw Ellena di Rosalba. The sweetness and fine expression of her voice attracted his attention to her figure, which had a distinguished air of delicacy and grace; but her face was concealed in her veil. So much was he fascinated by the voice, that a most painful curiosity was excited as to her countenance, which he fancied must express all the sensibility of character that the modulation of her tones indicated" (5).Even without knowing anything about Gothic elements, this indicates very clearly what the quality and tone of the book are going to be like. Vivaldi's pursuit of the veiled woman is a signal that his is the pursuit of the mysterious, with the certainty that it will be beautiful. This certainly does seem to be a great fascination in the novel; it is a component and often a catalyst for that anxiety which runs throughout.It is this anxiety which causes the heightening of our emotions; our emotions are heightened as we watch the characters' pursuit of the mysterious; and our curiosity is excited more and more until we are nearly begging for its gratification. But Radcliffe heightens our emotions without satisfying our curiosity, or at least not enough. For example, the very first chapter establishes a sense of mystery about the assassin in the Church. The Englishman inquires as much for himself as for us about the assassin. His concern and state of shock invoke our own inquiry into this odd circumstance and then his Italian friend tells him a mystery without actually telling him anything:"'He [the assassin] sought sanctuary here', replied the friar; 'within these walls he may not be hurt'"(2).He makes it clear that there is a story here but that it is long and suspenseful, maybe shocking:"'It is much too long to be related now; that would occupy a week; I have it in writing, and will send you the volume'" (3).What it is exactly, or what the tale is going to be is only hinted at in a very curiosity invoking way: as if it is a secret.Instead of the Englishman and his Italian friend going down to the street cafà © and relating the story, the Italian friend says that he will send him something written the following day and t... ...ld be suspect and it was. Her susceptible nature often led her into the suspicion out of which the novel's Gothic tone is constructed; just like Vivaldi's and Paolo's susceptible natures lead them to jump to most horrifying conclusions earlier in the novel.When talking about perceptions, it is impossible to omit the distinction between the real and unreal in "The Italian". The strand of reality, interwoven with fantasy, seems to be a driving force in the plot. In the episode involving Ellena, her suspicions are confirmed; her fantasy becomes confirmed as reality as her fears about Spalatro's intentions are confirmed (although not until the end). Of notice is also Vivaldi's constant desire to solidify his fantasy (getting married) with Ellena; as if the real thing will finally restrict the fearful possibilities into a single reality. Yet it is this reality from which Vivaldi derives his fearful fantasies. It is this drama between what is real and unreal that gives the novel its impetus. For example, when Marchesa is speaking to Schedoni, they are both thinking of murder, but both refuse to 'say' it, as if doing so would make it more 'real' than merely thinking about it.

Handguns in America: To Ban or Not to Ban Essay -- argumentative, persu

Handguns in America: To ban or not to ban. Americans should be able to have, own and carry handguns if they feel the need to protect them. It’s a statement that is a topic of major debate and has been for years. There are proponents and oppositionists with regards to handgun laws and rights. Both sides have strong, seemingly valid arguments. In the end, we should have that choice. One of the strongest arguments for banning handguns: An increase in the availability of handguns equals an increase in crimes using handguns. â€Å"Handguns were used in murder more than all other weapons combined.† Page 75 (Every handgun is aimed at you) Josh Sugarman is for banning handguns arguing, the higher number of handguns, and the higher number of crime. That fact may be accurate according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports. However, who is to say about the likely hood of the murder occurring regardless if the gun was available or not. If someone has a gun, they are more likely going to use it. But if someone is murder-minded, they will commit the murder, regardless of the weapon. To argue this point further, John R. Lott Jr. in his book The Bias Against Guns, mentions a study from 1977 to 1992. The research showed that the states that adopted right to conceal laws had a decrease in crimes with guns immediately following the passing of those laws. (pg 228 the bias against guns) Suicide and handguns: â€Å"†¦.the ready availability of handguns in the moments of despair takes thousands of lives each year.† (page 35 Every handgun is aimed at you) The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention states that: â€Å"Firearms account for 50 percent of all suicides. Death by firearms is the fastest growing method of suicide.† Just as the murder-minded individual h... ...ection of this site, deals specifically with statistics on firearms and suicide rates. Sowell, Thomas. "RealClearPolitics - Judges, the Constitution & Gun Control Laws." RealClearPolitics. Creators Syndicate Inc., 29 June 2010. Web. 10 Mar. 2012. The author is a general columnist and writes political articles including publishing weekly articles in Forbes magazine. He is a respected top economist. His article shows the author’s view on how stricter laws will increase gun violence. Sugarmann, Josh. Every Handgun Is Aimed at You: The Case for Banning Handguns. New York: New, 2001. Print. The author is the executive director/founder of Violence Policy Center. He has published two books on the subject of guns and has written many articles for several newspapers across the country. This book looks at gun violence in America and why we should completely ban handguns.

Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports Essay -- Sports Steroids Drugs E

Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports In all areas of sports, professional, college, and even high school, there is widespread illegal use of performance-enhancing drugs. Although there are many reasons for athletes to choose to use these drugs, the cost of such use, both to the athlete and to society can be extraordinarily high. It is important to understand why performance-enhancing drugs are used and what are the consequences of their use to the athlete and society. One of the reason athletes choose to use performance-enhancing drugs is to bulk up. Athletes have guidelines pertaining to size that must be met. If one wants to be a defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL), one cannot weigh 175 pounds; so some athletes will use performance-enhancing drugs to make themselves gain weight. Another reason athletes will choose to use illegal drugs is to get more oxygen to their muscles. When blood and muscles are full of oxygen, one?s body can perform better. An athlete who has used a performance-enhancing drug to get more oxygen to his or her muscles can perform for longer periods of time. A third reason an athlete would choose to use an illegal drug is to stimulate the body. The reasons an athlete would need to keep his or her body stimulated are to reduce tiredness, to stay alert, and maintain aggressiveness. It is the same as when a person drinks coffee in the morning to perk him or herself up. One final reason an athlete would use performance-enhancing drugs is to mask an injury. For example, if a quarterback breaks his toe during the South Eastern Conference Championship game, there are two options: one, the quarterback can be taken out of the game or two, the trainer can give the quarterback an injection to take the pain away, allowing the quarterback to return to the game. In this instance the quarterback most likely would choose the injection due to the magnitude of the game and he would most likely feel an unconscious pressure from the fans, his teammates, and the coaches to do so. Often the decision to use is made without considering the risk. Athletes who make the decision to use performance-enhancing drugs do not focus on the side effects. They do not realize that gaining weight quickly and unnaturally is not healthy. They are risking having mood swings, aggressive behavior, or even life t... ...use performance-enhancing drugs for many reasons, justifying the benefits while ignoring the risks. We as a society do not condone drug use in sports, but at the same time we look the other way for the star athlete giving him a slap on the hand and warning him not to do it again. I believe as long as society puts the idea that being the best player and having the best team is the # 1 priority, the use of performance-enhancing drugs will only get worse. We will get the upper hand on the use of illegal drugs in sports only when we as society look at sports for exactly what they are, just games. Works Cited Edwards, K. (2005, January 8). During an interview on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports. MacAuley, D. (1996, July 27). Drugs in sports. British Medical Journal. Downloaded January 7, 2005 from Western International University online library, Info Trac, http://www.apollolibrary.com/Library/databases.aspx?db=0 McCaffrey, B. (2001). The United States Must Spearhead Reforms to Eradicate Drugs in Sports. Drugs and Sports. Downloaded January 7, 2005 from Western International University online library, Opposing Viewpoints, http://galenet.galegroup.com

Coca Cola in India: Business Communications

Sanjiv Gupta, President and CEO of Coca Cola in India, is facing a crisis concerning pesticide levels in coke in the country of India. The Center for Science and Environment (CSE), an activist group in India focused on environmental sustainability issues issued a press release stating: â€Å"12 major cold drink brands sold in and around Delhi contain a deadly cocktail of pesticide residues† (Argenti, p. 284). Recommendations for Coke’s communications strategies include accepting and adhering to higher standards of social responsibility in India and forming an alliance with the government to set these higher safer standards.Coca Cola should choose to emerge and set itself apart from its biggest competitor, Pepsi, by accepting a more socially responsible. In order to accomplish this, Coke can align itself with the CSE goals for an environmentally safe and industrialized India. Coke should recognize the enormous reputational benefits that could come from such a partnership in correcting the pollution problem in India. Taking on social responsibilities has a number of positive outcomes for corporate leaders.Once the world community learns of Coke’s environmentally responsible goal in India, the company will project a positive interest in India and to the rest of the world (Argenti, p. 65 ). The people of India have shown that they want a company that is concerned about their health, welfare, and environment as â€Å"sales down over 30-40%1 in only two weeks on the heels of a 75% five-year growth trajectory and 25-30%2 year-to-date growth† (Argenti, p. 285 ) A positive reputation can help companies weather crises more effective (Argenti, p. 91) The next step would be for Coke to enhance its relationship with the government.Companies have begun to realize that instead of fighting regulation, it should advocate its position to political decision makers (Argenti, p. 238). Businesses use a number of tactics to further the position of their bu siness with the influential group of economic decision makers (Adams & Brock, 1986). With the influence in the government, Coke can be involved with the developing of the new standards the government has demanded. Strong government relations are important in India (in any country) and will provide an opportunity to communicate all the benefits and investments Coke has provided to the economy in India including almost 7000 jobs.By working with the government to set standards and clean up pollution, Coke will have influence of the government. Influence over the government has proven to be a benefit for business (Irin, 2010). When business has an â€Å"influence in government, unless you’re right there to limit it, it can intrude in just about any industry,† In conclusion, leaders of successful organizations with a consistent in their message and image has ensured everyone involved of an initiative or change, what it is intended to achieve, as well as the route that will be taken is going to continue to be successful (Clutterbuck 2001).A company with an international image and reputation is going to weather this crisis. They can also take a socially responsible approach, and lead change in India. This will distinguish the corporation from its competitors, and as Proverbs tells us, â€Å"defend the rights of the poor and needy† (Proverbs 31:9). A constituent is someone who is on the receiving end of a message, in the words of Aristotle â€Å"person †¦ to whom the end or object of the speech refers† (1975). The key constituents are those that are receiving the message of the communication.In this case, the constituency would be the government of India and the Coke-drinking public, particularly those in India. The message will be sent out all over the world that Coca Cola aided in the environment of India. With use of the internet, messages of companies reach the far corners of the world within a matter of minutes (Argenti, p. 172). Biblical Integration: God wants us to help our fellow brother, not to ignore them. The Bible tells us â€Å"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. † Psalm 82:3-4