Saturday, November 30, 2019

Silver In Spanish America

Introduction The discovery of silver in the Spanish America changed the regional parts of the country. There were two main areas of silver mining that were explored in the sixteenth century.1 The regions included the northern and western parts of Mexico City; Zacatecas, Guanajuato, and the Potosi. Potosi was commonly referred to as the mountain of silver.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Silver In Spanish America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It was situated in the Peruvian Andes. Zacatecas was predominantly an arid land with infertile soil and poor rain distribution. It drew a great deal of attention from many after the discovery of silver. There was a problem of labor shortage as the demand increased due to the high numbers of industries and mining companies. As the main administrators of the region, the Spanish crown was ready to receive tax from the locals. The cash collected was used to fund the Spanish ec onomy and also guard the vast empires all over the world in terms of military funding. The crown claimed all the land rights in the region, but as a way of attracting labor and investment from private individuals, it embarked on a state-directed means, and to some extent, private initiatives to lure a strong labor force and more investment. Capital was a necessity in funding all the mining activities and future explorations.2 Major Arguments- Silver in Spanish America Indians and Mestizo laborers were lured into the ridges from Mexico. They were offered relatively high wages and attractive incentives such as rewarding loyal workers in terms of promotion, medical cover, and being given time off to spend with their respective families. This ensured a large pool of workforce and improved the mining processes. African slaves also formed part of workforce in the region. And in this effect, the Trans Atlantic slave trade increased. This promoted the rise in the number of deaths as the sla ves brought with them new diseases. The slaves were also overworked to death. Influx of people into this region brought a lot of challenges in terms of population increase and insecurity issues. The large population required a lot of food to remain healthy. A settlement scheme was required to cater for the rising population in the area.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the New Spain, silver workers constructed a kind of aristocratic labor force with relatively greater privileges and freedom as compared to the Indians who were held in Encomianda. Accidents were also common in the mining sites. Therefore, the area was so dangerous; lives were lost.3 â€Å"Hispanization† also spread swiftly across the country and mostly among the Indians, Mezistos and the African workers in Zacatecas compared to anywhere else in New Spain. Therefore, Spanish workforce ensured the required jobs wer e done. The collective force created increased efficiency of the work and greatly improved the output. Common language meant an ease of communication. Directions and orders were clearly understood. It also became easy to solve disputes as both sides clearly expressed their feelings in a common language. The rising of industries in the region was also significant.4 This helped to cater for the vast population’s needs of food and clothing. Therefore, textile industries mushroomed as well as food industries. This also involved the artisan work and craftwork. The diverse employment opportunities helped improve the living standards of the people in the region as they got regular income from the activities they engaged in. Trade also became another important event that resulted from the silver discovery. There was a need to have middlemen and suppliers of various goods. A great deal of consideration was given to the high number of deaths that were recorded due to new diseases that were introduced by the incoming population of foreigners from Europe. Europeans came to trade silver while some came with the intention of exploring the lands and the silver mines. This implied that they stayed there for long. Exploration took a lot of time and so interaction with the locals was inevitable. There also emerged a great interest in education as people developed an interest for record keeping.5 European traders and explorers also introduced some analytical techniques such as observing, analyzing, arranging and recording of issues. These were quickly adopted by the locals who saw the need to keep records of their activities and possessions. There also changed perception about wealth. Land was no longer the basis of determining a person’s wealth as other valuable things emerged such as precious metals like silver.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Silver In Spanish America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Lea rn More Bibliography Bauer, Wise. The story of the world: history for the classical child. Charles City, VA: Peace Hill Press, 2003. Marichal, Carlos. Bankruptcy of Empire: Mexican Silver and the Wars between Spain, Britain, and France, 1760-1810. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Stein, Stanley. Silver, Trade, and War: Spain and America in the Making of Early Modern Europe. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2000. Footnotes 1 Wise Bauer. The story of the world: history for the classical child (Charles City, VA: Peace Hill Press, 2003), 34. 2 Stanley Stein. Silver, Trade, and War: Spain and America in the Making of Early Modern Europe ( Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2000), 45. 3 Stanley Stein. Silver, Trade, and War: Spain and America in the Making of Early Modern Europe (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2000), 56. 4  Carlos Marichal. Bankruptcy of Empire: Mexican Silver and the Wars between Spain, Britain, and France, 1760-1810 (New York: Cambridge Uni versity Press, 2007), 98.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 5 Wise Bauer. The story of the world: history for the classical child (Charles City, VA: Peace Hill Press, 2003), 34. This essay on Silver In Spanish America was written and submitted by user Brody L. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The eNotes Blog Stay Woke 8 Award-Winning Books About Race, Feminism, andImmigration

Stay Woke 8 Award-Winning Books About Race, Feminism, andImmigration Read more books by diverse authors was a friends New Years resolution which, in my humblest opinion, is an important evolution from the common and, dare I say, vanilla Read more! resolution. While challenging because of  the low levels of publishing industry representation, reading diverse  books is a rewarding and crucial task in confronting your perspectives, privileges, and preconceptions. It helps us  not only practice empathy but also  intersectional empathy- a multi-dimensional way for us to hear, understand, and feel the varied experiences of other humans to the best of our ability. Complex topics like race, gender, immigration, class, and income inequality are at our socio-political forefront (now, seemingly more than ever). Poetry, essays, and fiction on these themes, penned by those with unique perspectives and experiences, are a crucial tool to listen to underrepresented voices. At , weve been working to highlight some of these important authors and texts with the intent to bring our readers more eye-opening, enriching literary experiences. Weve listed eight of our new, thematic favorites here and welcome your beloved recommendations in the comments below. 1. Between the World and Me Central Themes: Race and Racism â€Å"It is not necessary that you believe that the officer who choked Eric Garner set out that day to destroy a body. All you need to understand is that the officer carries with him the power of the American state and the weight of an American legacy, and they necessitate that of the bodies destroyed every year, some wild and disproportionate number of them will be black.† Between the World and Me  is a book-length letter by Ta-Nehisi Coates, written the year Tamir Rice and Eric Garner were killed and the year the world learned that Michael Browns killers would go free. Its written to Coatess fifteen-year-old son Samori to explain to him what it means to be a black man in America. Race and the black body are some of the central themes in  Between the World and Me- historically explaining how black bodies have been brutally used and imprisoned by their oppressors. Coates has learned how to bear this weighty burden, a burden shared by all African Americans, and he hopes to teach Samori to do the same. The American Dream, fatherhood, and death are other prevalent themes. 2. Bad Feminist Central Theme: Feminism â€Å"I embrace the label of bad feminist because I am human. I am messy. I’m not trying to be an example. I am not trying to be perfect. I am not trying to say I have all the answers. I am not trying to say I’m right. I am just trying- trying to support what I believe in, trying to do some good in this world, trying to make some noise with my writing while also being myself.† Roxane Gay writes about race, gender, sex, politics, and popular culture in this collection of thirty-seven essays.  Bad Feminists prevailing theme is, of course, feminism: a complicated word, Gay acknowledges, loaded with social misconceptions. To Gay, feminism is simply the belief that women should be treated as equals instead of second-class citizens (radical, I know). In her opinion, a bad feminist is someone who doesnt always fit the traditional, and often misguided, mold of a feminist- she likes the color pink and rap music. As an African American, Gay is an important intersectional voice contributing to the conversation on what it means to be a feminist, even if the core concept is a simple one. 3. Homegoing Central Themes: Race and Racism, Slavery â€Å"We believe the one who has power. He is the one who gets to write the story. So when you study history you must ask yourself, Whose story am I missing? Whose voice was suppressed so that this voice could come forth? Once you have figured that out, you must find that story too. From there you get a clearer, yet still imperfect, picture.† Homegoing  by Yaa Gyasi is a novel about two half-sisters who never meet, Effia and Esi, with radically different lives. Effia married a slave trader, and Esi was sold into slavery (by Effias husband).  The novel is broken into two parts, seven chapters each, with alternating chapters between Effias and Esis descendants. As is evident, race, racism, and slavery are central themes of the novel. Family is another important theme  as its essentially the story of two families with very different histories. Effias and Esis different family lines came to ultimately represent two different African experiences of being sold into slavery and being spared from it. 4. The Refugees Central Theme: Immigration He repeated his story so often even she allowed herself to believe it, until the afternoon of the seventh day, when they saw, in the distance, the rocky landing strip of a foreign coast. Nesting upon it were the huts of a fashing village, seemingly composed of twigs and grass, brooded over by a fringe of mangroves. At the sight of land, she had thrown herself into the professors arms, knocking his glasses askew, and sobbed openly for the first time in front of her startled children. The Refugees is a collection of eight short stories by Viet Thanh Nguyen, a professor from Vietnam- his debut novel, The Sympathizer,  was a  recipient of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The characters in The Refugees  are Vietnamese immigrants and their children, many whom fled Vietnam after the communist regime came into power. The central theme is, of course, immigration.  While the journies of the characters arent always safe, easy, or even attainable, its a complex but critical process to escape the communist regime in Vietnam. That said, communism is another theme of these short stories, as well as death and economic status- two haunting and fate-determining issues hanging over the various characters narratives. 5. We Should All Be Feminists Central Theme: Feminism â€Å"My own definition is a feminist is a man or a woman who says, yes, there’s a problem with gender as it is today and we must fix it, we must do better. All of us, women and men, must do better.† Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies We Should All Be Feminists was adapted from her wildly popular TEDx Talk. According to Adichie, being a feminist means understanding and acknowledging the foundational fact that sexism exists. She draws upon her early experiences growing up in Nigeria and, from there, her anecdotal experience and insight on feminism, economic power, and gender roles.  We Should All Be Feminists  is more-than-worth the read (and the watch!). 6. Americanah Central Themes: Race and Racism, Americanization â€Å"If you dont understand, ask questions. If youre uncomfortable about asking questions, say you are uncomfortable about asking questions and then ask anyway. Its easy to tell when a question is coming from a good place. Then listen some more. Sometimes people just want to feel heard. Heres to possibilities of friendship and connection and understanding.† Another work by  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,  Americanah  is novel about a young Nigerian woman, Ifemelu, who lives in Princeton, New Jersey, and decides to move back to Nigeria- shortly after going through a romantic break-up.  Ifemelu reconnects with her first love, Obinze, whom she first met and fell in love with immediately while in Nigeria. Though the prevailing themes are race, racism, and Americanization (Ifemelu manages a blog where she explores the issues of being a non-American black woman in America), the novel is also a powerful story about immigration and, ultimately, love. 7. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness Central Themes: Race and Racism, Mass Incarceration In every state across our nation, African Americans- particularly in the poorest neighborhoods- are subjected to tactics and practices that would result in public outrage and scandal if committed in middle-class white neighborhoods. Michelle Alexander, civil rights lawyer and Ohio State associate professor of law, argues that Jim Crow never died, but that it simply took a new form in the shape of mass incarceration. Loaded with historical and current facts  and court cases,   The New Jim Crow underlines how  convicts have effectively become slaves- stripped of their freedom, voting rights, and access to government programs. Loaded with historical backdrop, statistics, and recent court cases, this book effectively shows how the War on Drugs, mass incarceration, and Supreme Court rulings justifying racial profiling have contributed to systematic racism and oppression. 8. milk and honey Central Themes: Gender, Abuse, Sex and Love my father shoves the word hush between [my mothers] lips and tells her to never speak with her mouth full this is how the women in my family learned to live with their mouths closed Rupi Kaurs inaugural book,  milk and honey,  is a best-selling collection of poetry, primarily written from the point of view of a woman whos experienced sexual and emotional abuse from men. Its broken into four parts that form a loose narrative arc: The Hurting, The Loving, The Breaking, The Healing. Kaur is an immigrant from India (currently based in Canada) who was unable to speak English with the other children at school. Her feminist poetry is primarily about abuse (and overcoming it, the healing), sex, and love- which she identifies as not necessarily always going hand in hand.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Dont Be Vexed by Vexillology

Dont Be Vexed by Vexillology Dont Be Vexed by Vexillology Dont Be Vexed by Vexillology By Maeve Maddox There is historical proof that Jeanne dArc had three ensigns Two were for military use: her Battle Standard, which was large in size and her Pennon which was small. The third was a religious banner made for the priests and men of the army to assemble around for morning and evening prayers. This excerpt contains four synonyms for flag: ensign, standard, pennon, and banner. English has many others. In modern usage, an ensign is a countrys official national symbol, used to identify ships, airplanes, and official installations like military camps and embassies. This is the flag flown on patriotic occasions. A pennon was a small flag, attached to a knights lance for identification. It was long, like a streamer, and usually triangular or swallow-tailed. A standard was larger and was fixed to a pole that could be stuck in the ground. The word banner is often used for its emotional connotations, as in the U.S. national anthem: O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave Oer the land of the free and the home of the brave. In US usage, the flag is called an ensign when it is displayed on a vessel, the colors when carried by someone on foot, and a standard when displayed on a car or an aircraft, and by the cavalry. Websters thesaurus gives the following flag synonyms, most of them not much used: banderole, banner, bannerol, burgee, color, ensign, gonfalon, gonfanon, jack, oriflamme, pendant, pennant, pennon, standard, streamer A jack is the identifying flag flown on a ship. The Union Jack is the familiar British flag. When flown on land, it is properly called simply the Union. (See Wikipedia article for a differing view on the use of Union Flag. The U.S. naval jack is the canton (the blue part with the stars) of the national ensign. NOTE: The Union Jack began as the canton of a larger flag. A burgee is a triangular pennant flown by members of yacht clubs. You can see a picture of one in the Wikipedia article on maritime flags. The word oriflamme is familiar to readers of medieval history and romance. It was the sacred banner of the French kings, first mentioned in 1124. In England, people turn out for the trooping of the colour, a patriotic parade held in June to celebrate the Queens birthday. U.S. military personnel on active service salute the colors twice a day: in the morning as the ensign is raised, and at sunset when it is lowered. In his unpleasant poem, Ethiopia Saluting the Colors, Walt Whitman uses a word not in Websters list, guidon, to refer to the cavalry flags carried by Shermans soldiers on their march to the sea. The study of flags is called vexillology. The word comes from vexillum, Latin for flag. You can find all sorts of fascinating vexillological information on the Flags of the World site. For rules and regulations surrounding the U.S. flag, and some interesting violations thereof, visit the Betsy Ross flag site. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureLatin Plural Endings20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Case Study Analysis Google Inc. in China Term Paper

Case Study Analysis Google Inc. in China - Term Paper Example Compliance to Chinese law conflicts the process of conducting a successful business model for companies such as Google. When attempting to circumvent various govern-ment-sanctioned filters, consumer freedoms are at risk from authorities charged with Web surveillance. Concurrently, defying sanctions that are not aligned or considered appropriate for Western nations such as the United States can lead to significant business disruption if (or when) the government demands complete deconstruction of Internet services such as Google. Thus, personally speaking, the regulatory environment in China creates a conflict of interest within the business model as it pertains to providing excellence in service and maintaining a filtered Web presence that does not sustain revenue growth or even brand reputation. B. State what you are bracketing:5 Â ¶ Personal values associated with a firm belief in the democratic process and consumer independence must be removed to avoid bias when analyzing the case study. The socialist doctrine that has replaced long-standing communist values would, according to various theories, be associated with promoting liberties for consumers and giving them more ownership over business and personal lifestyle. An enduring and genuine distaste for oppressive regimes must be bracketed to avoid incorporation of personal values associated with analysis of the case study. II. The Situation6: A. List the facts7 relevant to the issue(s) identified: Â ¶ Deciding whether to defy regulatory authorities to provide a richer and more liberal Internet experience is conflicted by the high volume of policing officials dispersed throughout China. The sophistication of Chinese filtering poses many risks to a business model that is designed to extend breadth of knowledge to consumers, having built this capacity in a free nation where such issues are not a business risk. From human capital to technologies, non-compliance to regulatory demands is going to be noticed by gov ernment regulatory forces and, thus, businesses providing Internet content cannot avoid these filtering obligations if the business is to remain sustainable in a foreign nation. B. List the facts that comprise the historical context relevant to the issue(s) identified: Â ¶ The physical structure of the Internet in China that was developed since allowing Internet services in 1999 provides ample opportunities for enforcement of laws associated with content sanctions. Furthermore, recruitment of private citizens in the enforcement and reporting processes seriously conflict attempting to avoid establishing government-mandated controls and filtrations and expanded the reach of enforcement against these laws. The totalitarian regime in China is long-standing, developed under previous communist-oriented government frameworks. The Chinese government also was not forthcoming in establishing clear and concise frameworks to define compliance to Internet censoring. Lack of clear language made the process of complying with laws, while also attempting to improve profitability in China, created a need for innovation at Google to satisfy

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

DISCUSSION AND REPLY TO A DISCUSSION( 4th year Nursing course) Essay - 1

DISCUSSION AND REPLY TO A DISCUSSION( 4th year Nursing course) - Essay Example The article also attempts to determine the extent to which formal FPDR policies exist in hospitals, and the level of awareness among the nurses there. Thus, the article has a great utility to the practicing nurses as it explicates salient issues about the practice of FPDR identified by nurses who responded to the qualitative portion of the survey. The conclusions of the study have great implications for the practice of nurses who experience family presence during resuscitation. "The practice of FPDR impacts both family members and members of the resuscitation team. Nurses weigh these impacts when considering whether or not to bring family members to the bedside." (McClement, Fallis, and Pereira, 2009). According to the findings of the study, the majority of critical care nurses support FPDR which suggests that the formal policies in hospitals to facilitate this process. Therefore, the article provides illumining insights into the nurse's perspective in regards to the presence of fami ly members during resuscitation and it also deals with benefits and risks of FPDR for family members and health care professionals.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Economic Issues Simulation Paper Essay Example for Free

Economic Issues Simulation Paper Essay The Financing of Health Care Economic Issues Simulation Paper Health care system has evolved tremendously in the last few years, with many changes with the health care laws including but not limited to Universal Health Care, many individuals have choices when it comes to their coverage. According to healthcare. gov, in January of 2015, an employer with 50 or more full time employees will have to make an Employer Shared Responsibility Payment if a full time employee gets a lower health coverage premium cost if insurance is purchase in a marketplace. However, employers are not subject to this law if the numbers of employees are lesser than 50 but are still expected to offer coverage for their employees. (healthcare. gov) Employers must make sure that when choosing coverage for their employees, these should be within their needs; within health care requirements as well as inexpensive keeping in mind that lower cost may not necessarily mean better. With many varieties in health care plans such as Preferred Provider (PPO), Point of Service (POS), and Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO); the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) is the most preferred and utilized group health insurance plan. As a HMO representative of Castor Insurance, health care coverage will be built, including the potential utilization of the services by different enrollees. Castor Collins Health Plan Castro Collins Health Plan is a regional HMO that was founded in 1999. As a HMO, they provide health care services as well as health insurance to individuals in its statewide network of physicians and hospitals utilizing a capitation model to compensate their network of providers. Currently, there are 100,000 enrollees and these numbers are increasing. The responsibility of a Vice President in Strategy and Financial Planning is to interact with new clients and formulating health plans that will suit their needs. With the help of colleagues such as the Chief Financial Officer Helen Fouerman, the Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Wikes, and the Executive Vice President of Planning and Development, Adam Hunter, a plan will be put together that will include pricing and setting insurance premiums. In January of 2006, Castro Collins was approached and met with two groups of people for health insurance coverage. These groups are Constructit and E-editors, neither of them have group employer’s insurance. Constructit have 1000 people and they are willing to pay a maximum of $4000 per person as an annual premium, meanwhile E-editors will pay a maximum annual premium of $4500 per person with 1,600 people. Castor Collins offers three types of health plans: Castor Standard, Castor Enhanced, and the customized plan called Castor Enhanced Minor. The standard plan does not cover pre-existing medical conditions, the enhanced plan, however, cover pre-existing medical conditions and offers more services. Castor Enhanced Minor is a customized plan that is almost equivalent to Castor Enhanced with somewhat lesser services that requires high utilization. Demographics  and Health Care Risk Factors There are 550 men and 450 women employees in Constructit with ages 26 to 45 and 60 percent from this age group ranging from 26 to 42 are married. This means, spouses and children need to be considered in getting health plan. Also, great physical activities are involve within thirty- two percent of the people at Constructit, while 25 percent of the people has moderate physical activity. The remainder which is 43 percent of the people involves activities that are sedentary. There are no major health risks out of the thirty-eight percent an equivalent of 170 men and 210 women in the workforce. Injuries, respiratory system diseases, digestive disorders, migraine and allergic conditions are the major causes of absenteeism in Constructit. Obesity related diseases such as hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are moderately high for this workforce that consists of 36 percent of men and 43 percent of women. In E-editors, there are 750 men and 840 women with ages 35 to 54 and most of them are married. For the past ten years, ninety-five percent in the workforce have largely been sedentary; their job involves sitting in front of the computer for long periods of time. Only five percent are required moderate activity. Stress related injury (SRI) and problems with vision were acquired by at least 95 people who had this job for a while. There are no major medical health risks for the 170 men and 182 women (22%) from this group. Respiratory disorder is the 26 percent of the group problem because they are heavy smokers. There are 720 people who are obese in this group because of the heavy sedentary lifestyles, eating habits, and lack of exercise. This also means that there are increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases. Plan Analysis Based on the plans, I would recommend Castor Standard to Constructit and not to provide insurance to E-editors. Since Castor Standard does not cover pre-existing conditions, the risks of providing this plan are low. The premium that Constructit will be responsible annually is $3,428, with Castor Collins Health Plan earning $3. 43 million. Given the health profile and the expected utilization of services for E-editors, I think that not providing insurance is the right decision. There is a high risk of insuring this group and whatever Castor Collins earns from this group are inadequate to cover those risks. The goal is to maximize earnings. If E-editors are willing to pay a different premium they will be considered by providing an appropriate plan that minimized risks and increased earnings. Risk-averse consumers buy health insurance to avoid losing income or wealth when they are unwell. In other words, consumers pay insurance premium to transfer their risks of medical expenses to the insurance company. The premium that Castor Collins receives is a source of revenue. It is compensation for bearing risk and for bearing expenses such as payment to health care providers. If Castor Collins know that a particular group of enrollees is more susceptible to a particular disorder, its risk for providing coverage for that disorder is higher. However, if, as in the case of Constructit and E-editors, a group of individuals is not willing to pay a higher premium to cover greater risks, Castor Collins may not be able to provide coverage for greater risks. Therefore, while selecting a plan and the services to provide under that plan, Castor Collins has to weigh various considerations – the premiums that enrollees are willing to pay, the risks of providing a particular plan or service, the expected utilization and hence, the costs, of providing various  services in the plan, and the premium Castor Collins needs to charge to maintain profitability.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

Kassidy Hause CWL 320-06, Fall 2013 Dr. Talar Chahinian Final Paper 12-10-13 Ways of Dying, Violence, Fantasy & Comedy Zakes Mda was born in 1948 in Herschel, South Africa and is known for being a novelist, poet, activist, playwright and cultural theorist. Ways of Dying by Zakes Mda is a novel from western form. Literature that was written by Black South African writers between the 1948 and 1994 really captures the oppression and tragic violence that characterized the lives of Blacks under the apartheid. The apartheid or â€Å"apartness† as some Afrikaans call it, describes a system of laws and policies of complete and total racial segregation in South Africa that began in 1948 when the national party came to power. The apartheid did not end until 1994 when Nelson Mandela was elected president in the first democratic elections. The horrific deaths that are portrayed throughout Zake Mda’s novel Ways of Dying, were all true ways of dying that Zakes Mda, saw himself, read about in the newspaper or read when he was doing research. The very true deaths that he portrays in the novel really p aint a picture of the structural and political violence that was going on in South Africa during the apartheid. This violence and oppression really creates a tragic background for the novel however, Zakes Mda challenges the norm of violence and finds a way to portray it as something somewhat idiotic, which in turn makes Ways of Dying quite comical. He also combines fantasy and magic to the novel, which emulates all the spectacular and wonderful parts of South African beliefs and traditions. Zakes unique way of combining the depiction of how ridiculous it is that death has become so normalized in South Africa and magic and fantasy makes Ways of Dying an ... ... Magic and fantasy is also a central theme for this book because magic gives a sense of hope and belief in people and a strength that people never knew they had. The biggest example is the garden, a magic garden of beauty that still stands among all the horrible things that Toloki and Noria are living in. The garden gives them hope that magic and beauty still exist in the world. In this part of the novel the readers are laughing and smiling because they feel hope and happiness and sense of magic that they are going to get through their issues and be okay. Ways of Dying is a spectacular novel by Zakes Mda, written during the apartheid era, which was a horrific time for South Africans who were abused and murdered by their corrupt government. Zakes Mda was able to provide a sense of history, comedy and hope all into one novel and that any reader would enjoy to read.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Political Poetry by Margaret Atwood

â€Å"Backdrop addresses cowboy† by Margaret Atwood Creating a masterful poetic movement through the American mythos, Atwood skewers â€Å"manifest destiny† by embodying the voice of the Other, the discarded â€Å"I am. † Writing political poetry that artfully confronts dominant ideology – thus exposing the motivation and effects of misrepresentation – is a difficult challenge. The process can easily be derailed by temptations to write strident, overly didactic verse that elevates sentiment above nuance and craft.While passion is certainly important, it is the poem itself that transforms political intent into a dynamic act of oppositional literature. To be effective as a statement, it must first be effective as a poem. In â€Å"Backdrop addresses cowboy,† Margaret Atwood delivers a scathing indictment of imperialist power that, through its elegant craft and conceptual framework, is also a breathtakingly vibrant poem. The core message, a poten t denunciation of reckless power from the perspective of those who suffer its consequences, is simultaneously unequivocal and oblique.Though Atwood’s indictment is readily apparent, close reading reveals a brilliant poetic foundation comprised of nuanced language, double-meanings, and a metaphorical structure that satirically lambasts American exceptionalism by skewering the individualist ‘cowboy' myth with imagery from its own construction. In short, Atwood's poem succeeds as a political statement because she allows the demands of exceptional poetry to drive its articulation. From the outset, Atwood chooses language that economically expands the meaning of each phrase.For example, â€Å"Starspangled,† the poem’s first word, focuses a personification of ‘cowboy mentality’ into a subtle critique of nationalist manipulation. In addition, other connotations come to mind, like â€Å"starry-eyed,† or the gaudiness of â€Å"spangles. † Even elements internal to the American anthem apply: bombs bursting, a nation under siege, victory against all odds. Though speculative, a reading like this is supported by the poem’s representation of a cowboy who violently protects his own interests in an imagined landscape filled with heroes and villains.Regarded as a heroic figure by the myth of manifest destiny, he is conversely seen as a reckless tyrant by those who suffer the effects of his violence. The first stanza reveals a comic figure – â€Å"Starspangled cowboy† sauntering through his child-like fantasy while pulling a prop from the Hollywood simulacrum that supports his myth. Atwood complicates this image in the second stanza when she introduces violence to her â€Å"almost- /silly† characterization of the mythical â€Å"West. Using a line break to accentuate the transition, she plays the impact of a stand-alone line against the expanded meaning of its grammatical context. Isolated, line s ix (â€Å"you are innocent as a bathtub†) relates directly to the opening stanza’s child-like caricature, forming an aphoristic trope that is both interesting and oddly mundane. Accentuated by the break, the line’s reading adds dramatic nuance when its sentence unfolds into a broader meaning: â€Å"you are innocent as a bathtub / filled with bullets. Contrasting the ironic character of opposed readings (innocent and not-at-all-innocent) within the space of shared words, Atwood foreshadows an overall conceptual structure in which â€Å"backdrop† refers both to the simulacrum of Hollywood sets and to the genuine environment of a beleaguered world. Despite its obvious quantitative reference, â€Å"bathtub / filled with bullets† also infers a Hollywood cliche – the bullet-riddled bathtub – that reinforces a theme inherent to the myth: if you’re not ready to fight, they’ll get you when you’re vulnerable.An inference l ike this reflects back on the subtle statement of the earlier use of â€Å"starspangled†: a nation that imagines itself as besieged can use that camouflage as justification for militarism and imperialist expansion. Again, supported by the poem, these significations demonstrate a complicated structure that works internal logic to frame an effective (and damning) political statement. Oppositions and Conceptual Structure This is a poem about power and disenfranchisement.It employs oppositions as a conceptual device to turn manifest destiny on its head. Exploding the cowboy myth by use of its own imagery and overarching theme of heroes and villains, Atwood draws complex parallels to American exceptionalism, a black and white ideology that drains color from alternative perspectives. By use of satire, she effectively removes the shroud that justifies questionable actions as being both inevitable and heroic. As stated in the title, the voice of this poem is that of â€Å"backdropâ €  (i. . the environment of scenes portrayed by the myth and recontextualized by the poem) addressing â€Å"cowboy. † The expanding focus on â€Å"cowboy† and his violent milieu reaches a pivot in the fifth stanza when the Hollywood backdrop is fully exposed, and the speaker finally reveals herself. Using the word â€Å"ought† (implying mandatory obligation), she questions her expected role on the set (passive, â€Å"hands clasped / in admiration†) while asserting, â€Å"I am elsewhere. Spoken as â€Å"backdrop,† and expanded in the final stanzas, this statement implies a conceptual flip wherein â€Å"backdrop† becomes subject, inhabiting an environment desecrated by the reckless actions of a transient â€Å"cowboy†. Simulacra In the essay â€Å"Simulacra and Simulation,† philosopher Jean Baudrillard states, â€Å"The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth–it is the truth which conceals that there is none . The simulacrum is true. † While Baudrillard perhaps overstates his case, the point is clear: actions instigated and justified by myth play an undeniable role in shaping both material and social reality.Applying this concept to Atwood’s poem, manifest destiny can be seen acting as ‘truth’ in its own regard – concealing no truth, because instead it has replaced truth with artifice. Accordingly, â€Å"cowboy† becomes backdrop to the postmodern world from which Atwood addresses the genuine existence of other, more substantial truths conveniently denied by myth. The Alternative Power of Effective Verse As representation itself, replete with borrowed imagery and the detritus of experienced consequence, this poem enacts a self-reflexive reversal of the social forces it speaks against.With a vocabulary full of bullets, Atwood crafts a poem that stands the test of both ‘truth' and time – yet does so peacefully, through an act of oppositi onal literature. Whether her poem is construed as feminist, environmentalist, post-colonial, or just-plain-political (from a Canadian perspective), its verity is affirmed by continued relevance. Written in the mid-seventies, it speaks just as powerfully in our current era. In terms of effective poetics, how good is that?

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Battle of King’s Mountain

The Battle of King's Mountain Major Ferguson of the Loyalist Militia was tasked with raising and organizing Loyalist units from the backcountry of South Carolina to help prtotect the British General Cornwallis. Ferguson gathered a few Tory units and marched towards Gilbert Town, North Carolina, where he set up a base camp. He issued a command to the opposition forces to lay down their weapons. If they refused he stated he would, â€Å"lay waste to their country with fire and sword. † Patriot militia leaders John Sevier and Isaac Shelby sent word to William Campbell in Virginia to aid an attack on Major Ferguson.Many more more militiamen and local gunmen were rallied by the Patriot leaders. These some 1,400 men became what was known as the â€Å"Mountain Men†. Among these hundreds of men were two traitors who deserted the Patriots and ran off the Gilbert Town to alert Ferguson of the mass of militia converging on him. The Major called for a full retreat to Charlotte, and requested reinforcements for General Cornwallis. The message did not reach Cornwallis until a day after the battle. The Patriot militia recieved word of Ferguson's retreat and urged on to try to catch him.Instead of reaching Charlotte, Ferguson's force camped at King's Mountain where they set camp just west of the mountain's highest point. In a rush to reach the Loyalist regime the Patriots sent over 900 men on horseback throughout the night and the next morning until they reached King's Mountain. The Mountain Men surrounded the camp and attacked. The Patriots formed eight detachments to fully surround the Loyalist camp. British Major Ferguson's force only consisted of Loyalists, not British Red Coats, the majority of which were just rallied days before from South Carolina.The rebel force charged up the mountain screaming and firing their muskets from behind natural barricades. The Loyalists were unaware and were caught off gaurd; Ferguson rallied his troops and led charges down th e hill. Lesser armed, the Patriots retreated to the forest until charging up the hill once again. A pattern formed in the battle in which rebel forces charged up the hill causing a Loyalist charge down the hill. The steep slope of the mountain caused the Loyalists to overshoot and completely miss the charging Patriots, also it became hard to lock on to a target which was in no form and never was in one place.An hour of firing resulting in large losses to the Loyalist force. However, Ferguson felt confident and would not allow a surrender. He continued charging until he was shot off his horse dead before he hit the ground. Eventually the Patriots overwhelmed the leaderless Loyalists and gained a surrender. The Battle at King's Mountain was a decisive victoy for the Patriot army and quite a significant win. There was such an enormous amount of bloodshed mainly because of the Patriots' hunger for retaliation after Banastre Tarleton massacred many continental soldiers. The defeat of Maj or Ferguson helped win the future battle at Cowpens, SC.Ferguson's militia was supposed to help cover General Cornwallis's flank. King's Mountain helped flip thhe momentum in the American south in the favor of the Patriots. The â€Å"Mountain Men† were able to destroy the Loyalists using what is one of the early accounts of â€Å"guerilla warfare†. British led troops were so used to fighting direct battles against lined troops, but the evasive and morphing attack of the Patriots is what decided their fate. The Battle of King's Mountain will forever stand as one of the pivotal battles of America's fight for freedom and of American history.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Top Intermediate French Mistakes

Top Intermediate French Mistakes After learning French for a while, whether in a class or on your own, youve probably found that there are some things you just cant figure out how to say, or that people are always correcting you on. These may be issues that you havent been taught yet  or concepts that youve studied but just dont get. As an intermediate French speaker, there is still plenty of time to fix these mistakes before they fossilize in your mind. Here are ten of the most common intermediate-level French mistakes with links to lessons. French Mistake 1: Y and En Y and en are known as adverbial pronouns - they replace the preposition or de plus a noun, respectively. They consistently cause problems for intermediate French speakers, though Im not sure whether this is because they are not adequately taught in French classes, or simply because they are difficult to master. Regardless of the reason for the difficulties, the fact is that both y and en are extremely important in French, so be sure to study this lesson. French Mistake 2: Manquer The French verb manquer (to miss) is a tough one because the word order is the opposite of what you probably expect. For example, I miss you translates not as je te manque but rather tu me manques (literally, you are missing to me.) Once you understand the proper French word order, youll never miss this one again. French Mistake 3: Le Passà © French past tenses are definitely tricky. The passà © composà © vs imparfait issue is a constant struggle until students truly understand each of these tenses and the differences between them. Theres also the matter of the passà © simple, which needs to be understood but not used. Get past this confusion with these lessons. French Mistake 4: Agreement Agreement of adjectives and à ªtre verbs may seem pointless and aggravating, but its part of the French language and needs to be learned. There are several kinds of agreement; the ones intermediate students really need to watch out for are agreement of adjectives with the nouns they modify, and agreement of the past participle of à ªtre verbs with their subjects in the passà © composà © and other compound tenses. French Mistake 5: Faux Amis There are thousands of French words that look a lot like English words, and while many of them are true cognates (i.e., mean the same thing in both languages), a lot of them are false cognates. If you look at the word actuellement and think Aha! Thats the French translation of actually, youre going to make a mistake because it actually means currently. Actuellement and hundreds of other faux amis are explained on my site, so take the time to learn the most common ones and thus avoid common pitfalls. French Mistake 6: Relative Pronouns The French relative pronouns are  qui,  que,  lequel,  dont, and  oà ¹, and depending on context can mean  who,  whom,  that,  which,  whose,  where, or  when. They are difficult for various reasons, including not having standard English equivalents and being required in French but often optional in English. The  pronoun  dont  in particular  causes major problems for French students, so be sure to learn about French relative pronouns. French Mistake 7: Temporal Prepositions Temporal prepositions introduce an amount of time, and the French ones are often confused. There is a correct time to use each of the prepositions  ,  en,  dans,  depuis,  pendant  and  pour, so take the time to learn the difference. French Mistake 8: Depuis and Il y a Depuis  and  il y a  are both used to describe  time  in the past, but  depuis  means since or for while  il y a  means ago. If you had studied this lesson one year ago (il y a un an), you would have already known how to use these expressions correctly for a year (depuis  un an). Its not too late -   allez-y! French Mistake 9: Ce  Homme French adjectives usually have to agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number, but there are several that have a special form used when they precede a word that begins with a vowel or mute H. For example, to say this man, you might be tempted to say  ce  homme  because  ce  is the masculine demonstrative article. But because French likes to maintain euphony,  ce  changes to  cet  in front of a vowel or mute H:  cet  homme. French Mistake 10: Pronominal Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns Pronominal verbs (including reflexive verbs) cause lots of problems, especially when they are used in the infinitive. You probably know that Im getting up is  je  me là ¨ve, but what about I have to get up or Im going to get up? Should you say  je  dois/vais  me  lever  or  je  dois/vais  se  lever? Look at this lesson for the answer to that question as well as all kinds of other good info about pronominal verbs. High-Intermediate Mistakes High-intermediate means your French is pretty good - you excel in everyday situations, and can even hold your own in long discussions, but there are still some issues that you cant seem to get the hang of, or that you simply dont remember five minutes after looking them up. Reading several explanations of the same issue can help cement understanding of these sticky issues, so here are ten of the most common high-intermediate French mistakes with links to my lessons - maybe this time it will finally make sense. High Intermediate Mistake 1: Se and Soi Se  and  soi  are two of the most commonly misused French pronouns.  Se  is a reflexive pronoun while  soi  is a stressed pronoun, but they are very often mixed up with  le  and  lui, respectively. These lessons will help you understand the difference in order to avoid any confusion.High Intermediate Mistake 2: Encore vs Toujours Because  encore  and  toujours  can both mean yet and still (though they both have several other meanings as well), they are very often confused with one another. Learn how and when to use each of them. High Intermediate Mistake 3: What Trying to figure out how to say what in French can be tricky - should it be  que  or  quoi, or what about  quel? All of these terms have specific uses in French, so the only way to know which one to use when is to understand exactly what each one means. High Intermediate Mistake 4: Ce que, ce qui, ce dont, ce quoi Indefinite relative pronouns link relative clauses to  a main  clause when there is no specific antecedent... huh? In other words, when you have a sentence like this is what I want or thats what he told me, the what that links the two clauses has an unknown (indefinite) meaning. French indefinite relative pronouns often - though not always translate as what, so take a look at this lesson for detailed explanations and examples. High Intermediate Mistake 5: Si Clauses Si clauses, also known as conditionals or conditional sentences, have an if clause and a then (result) clause, such as If I have time, (then) I will help you. There are three types of si clauses, and each requires a certain sequence of verb tenses in French, which can cause confusion. The rules, however, are quite simple once you take the time to learn them. High Intermediate Mistake 6: Final Letters French pronunciation is tricky when it comes to final letters. Many words end in silent consonants, but some of those normally silent consonants are pronounced when followed by a word that begins with a vowel or mute H. This is often difficult for French learners, but with study and practice you really can master it, and these lessons are the place to start. High Intermediate Mistake 7: Subjunctive A high-intermediate French speaker is certainly aware of the subjunctive and knows to use it after things like  il  faut  que  and  je  veux  que, but there are probably still some expressions or verbs that youre not sure about. Do you use the subjunctive after  espà ©rer, and what about  il est possible/probable? Take a look at these pages for help with all of your subjunctive questions. High Intermediate Mistake 8: Negation   Obviously, a high-intermediate speaker knows how to use  ne...  pas  and many other negative forms, but there might be a few issues you still find tricky, like  ne  pas  in front of an infinitive,  ne  without  pas, and  pas  without  ne. Whatever your question about negation, youll find answers in these lessons. High Intermediate Mistake 9: Two or More Verbs There are several different types of French verb constructions with two or more verbs: compound moods/tenses (e.g.,  jai  mangà ©), dual verbs (je  veux  manger),  modals  (je  dois  manger), passive voice (il est mangà ©), and the causative construction (je  fais  manger). Many of these do not translate literally from English and thus can be difficult for French students. Your best bet is to review the lesson on each structure to make sure you understand, and then practice whenever you can to remember it. High Intermediate Mistake 10: Word Order Last but not least, word order can be a problem, especially when dealing with negation, various pronouns, and more than one verb all in the same sentence. This is another area where practice makes perfect - review the lessons and then put them to work. Position of object pronouns  Position of adverbs

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Alex Bell Essays - C. S. Lewis, British Films, Knights Bachelor

Alex Bell Huma 3303 November 21 , 2015 History of shadowlands William Nicholson was born in 1948 and is the original master mind behind the story of shadow lands. The film that we have today actually started off out as a play for television and a live stage show. It would be called the best play in 1990 and also won him a Tony Award. In 1994 Nicholson worked with Richard Attenborough in order to turn his stage play into a full film. The film itself was shot mostly in England in places such as Christ Church Meadow, Oxford, and Oxford shire. The real life story is supposed to show the coming together of Joy Gresham and C.S Lewis but like many retold stories some of the actual facts were skewed a bit for example in real life Joy Gresham had two sons but in the film she is only shown to have one. Personal Critique Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger, Julian Fellowes , Joseph Mazzello Director: Richard Attenborough Synopsis: Poet Joy Gresham travels to England with her son, who is a big C.S Lewis fan, in order to meet C.S Lewis himself. When they meet they realize that they are polar opposites but manage to start a glowing friendship. She divorces her husband that is in America and ask C.S Lewis, also known as Jack if he would agree to marry her in order for her to stay in England. After agreeing to marry her strictly so she may remain in the country, she becomes very ill and he discover that despite them not knowing each other very well he really loves her and wants to be with her. Unfortunately their love will be short lived. Lord Richard Attenborough's film brings together a great cast of actors that all are able to show off their acting abilities in this journey of love that brings together two unlikely people together. Sir Anthony Hopkins is a generational actor that adds on to his impressive acting resume with the portrayal of C.S Lewis. He has a natural and smooth voice that seems to help draw in the audience into wanting to listen to every word that he says. With this particular character he was able to combine both the intellectual brilliance and emotion that was required to really bring the story together. Debra Winger is the second star that the story circles around and her character in the Shadowlands appears to be tailor made for her. The Cleveland, Ohio native portrays the fiery Joy Gresham who refuses to take any lip from anyone regarding her life. Much like Hopkins her ability to be able to be both emotional and hardnosed added to the ch aracters appeal to the viewers. Shadow Lands which is based on the play by William Nicholso n is a great story that puts the brilliant acting styles together in a film to show that true love does not have to come from the typical channel that relationships are formed. Professional Critiques 1. Shadowlands' (PG) By Desson Howe Washington Post Staff Writer January 07, 1994 "Shadowlands" isn't just a three-hankie tearjerker. You'll need bulk linen to stay dry through this romance between Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger. Yet this dramatized account of the C. S. Lewis-Joy Gresham af fair is more than manipulative. An engaging encounter between adults, it's also about lost childhoods, questions of God, intellect versus emotion, pain versus pleasure and other far-reaching themes. Perhaps most significantly, "Shadowlands" is illuminated from beginning to end by Hopkins. This may be the best thing he's ever done. The basic biographical details are true. Lewis, author of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe," among many books, indeed met and fell in love with Gresham. But as screenwriter William Nicholson (who wrote the original BBC teleplay and Broadway stage play before this) emphasizes in press notes for the movie: "I have used parts of their story, not used othe r parts and imagined the rest." If those imaginings are all-too-neatly contrived, they're at least arranged along the classier lines of "84 Charing Cross Road" (another Brit-Yank encounter starring Hopkins), David Lean's "Brief Encounter" and "Turtle Diary," to name a few. On

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Ethics, professionalism and contemporary Issues Essay

Ethics, professionalism and contemporary Issues - Essay Example This makes them easy targets to forced labour and prostitution; the main countries in which this vice of human trafficking is rampant includes India, Mexico, El Salvador and Philippines. There is an estimated ten thousand forced labourers in the U.S. prostitution, poverty; globalization and government corruption are some of the major factors that contribute to the high numbers in human trafficking. Several laws have been passed to try and curb human trafficking and under the U.S code human trafficking is termed as a federal crime. Technology, which generally covers; mobile devices, internet and social media has been instrumental in human trafficking, it has played both a negative and a positive role. The beauty of technology is that it provides better visibility and can help in tracing of people who are involved in human trafficking (Hart 5). Technology has contributed to human trafficking by making it easier for the criminals to advertise and sell their victims. When one searches in the internet, it is very easy to find underage victims who are exploited for sex under online classifieds. In the pornography websites, one will find a section for teen prostitutes; it is then made easier for both parties, the one advertising and the one looking for services to communicate using mobile phones. Social networking sites are also another venue for advertising for victims of human trafficking because it is very easy to reach a large number of people. Technology has also made it easy to search for and purchase victims. Using the internet to find and locate people has never been easier (Davidson and Gottschalk 98). Once the contacts needed have been found, they then proceed to use the other types of technology such as instant messaging, emails and so forth to reach the people concerned. On the other hand, technology has made it simple to track the criminals involved in human trafficking, as it is possible to trace the individuals concerned by following the activities they have been doing online. Moreover, tracing their phone calls, messages and emails, and past data on the activities they had been involved with can also be traced using technology (Dunn 14). A new online role playing game has been created that allows the players to upload real pictures of them and also hold dialogue. The game has become very popular among online players, but this has also brought new challenges with it, as the game can be used to promote human trafficking. This is because it easy to identify a person through the picture they have put and request for a personal meeting with another player through dialogue. As the designer of the game, there are moral obligations that one has to uphold, but that does not mean that they do not come at a price. The designer has to make a choice that he or she understands can lead to the collapse of his online game while combating the challenge of human trafficking possibility or choose to ignore the problem at hand. One would argue that the game by itself does not influence the decisions one makes it only promotes their thoughts and behavioural patterns, and therefore, the designer should not respond to the concerns that come up. For a criminal who decided to use the game to target his victims is merely using the game for the wrong reasons as that is not what it was meant for, and it would be highly unfair to ask the designer of t