Kabaddi: South Asian Games and Bonus Line

Kabaddi is aptly known as the â€Å"GAME OF THE MASSES â€Å"due to its popularity, simplicity, easy to comprehend rules, and public appeal. The game calls for no sophisticated equipment what so ever, which makes it a very popular sport in the developing countries. It is basically an out door sport played on clay court, of late the game is being played on synthetic surface indoors with great success. The duration of the game is 45 minutes for MEN & Junior BOYS with a 5 minutes break in between for the teams to change sides.The duration of the game is 35 minutes with a 5 miniutes break in between for WOMEN, GIRLS, Sub-Junior BOYS and Sub-Junior GIRLS. Kabaddi is a combative team game, played on a rectangular court, either out-doors or indoors with seven players on the ground for each side. Each side takes alternate chances of offence and defense. The basic idea of the game is to score points by raiding into the opponents court and touching as many defense players as possible without getting caught on a single breath. During play, the players on the defensive side are called â€Å"Antis† while the player of the offense is called the â€Å"Raider†.Kabaddi is perhaps the only combative sport in which attack is an individual attempt while defense is a group effort. The attack in Kabaddi is known as a ‘Raid'. The antis touched by the raider during the attack are declared ‘out' if they do not succeed in catching, the raider before he returns to home court. These players can resume play only when their side scores points against the opposite side during their raiding turn or if the remaining players succeed in catching the opponent's raider. Yoga, the Indian science to control body and mind through meditation and self-control . lays an integral part of Kabaddi. The raider has to enter the opponent's court chanting the word â€Å"Kabaddi† while holding his breath and has to continue to do so until he returns to his home court. This is known as ‘Cant', which is closely related to â€Å"Pranayama† of yoga. While Pranayama is about with holding breath in order to exercise internal organs, cant is the means to with hold breath with vigorous physical activity. This is perhaps one of the few sports to combine yoga with hectic physical activity.The game calls for agility, good lung capacity, muscular co-ordination, presence of mind and quick responses. For a single player to take on seven opponents is no mean task, requires dare as well as an ability to concentrate and anticipate the opponent's moves. TECHNIQUES OF KABADDI TOP ORIGIN The sport has a long history dating back to pre-historic times. It was probably invented to ward off croup attacks by individuals and vice-versa. The game was very popular in the southern part of Asia played in its different forms under different names.A dramatized version of the great Indian epic, the â€Å"Mahabharata†. has made an analogy of the game to a tight situat ion faced by Abhimaneu, the heir of ‘ the Pandava kings when he is surrounded on all sides by the enemy. Buddhist literature speaks of the Gautam Buddha playing Kabaddi for recreation. History also reveals that princes of yore played Kabaddi to display their strength and win their brides! The game, known as Hu-Tu-Tu in Western India, Ha-Do-Do in Eastern India & Bangladesh, Chedugudu in Southern India and Kaunbada in Northern India, has undergone a sea chance through the ages.Modem Kabaddi is a synthesis of the game played in its various forms under different names. TOP FORMS OF KABADDI AMAR Amar literally means invincible. This is a form of Kabaddi, which is played based -on points scored by both sides. The play field has no specific measurements and nine to eleven players constitute each of the teams. In this form of Kabaddi, there is no ‘out' and . revival' system or ‘Iona' but time is the deciding factor. The main advantage of this form of the game is that tile players remain in the court through out the match and are able to give their best performanceGEMINI This form of Kabaddi is played with nine players on either side, in a play-field of no specific measurements. The principle characteristic of this form of Kabaddi is that a player who is put out has to remain out until all his team members are put out. The team that is successful in putting out all the players of the opponent's side secures a point. This is akin to the present system of ‘Iona'. After all the players are put out, the team is revived and the game continues. The game continues until five or seven ‘Iona' are secured. The game has no fixed time.The main disadvantage of this form of Kabaddi is that the player Is not in position to give his best performance since he is likely to remain out for the better part of the match until a Iona is scored. SANJEEVANI This form of Kabaddi is the closest to the present game. In this form of Kabaddi, players are put out and re vived and the game lasts for 40 minutes with a 5-minute break in between. The team consists of nine players on each side. The team that puts out all the players on the opponent's side scores four extra points for a ‘Iona'.The winning team is the one that scores the maximum number of points at the end of 40 minutes. The play field is bigger in this form of Kabaddi and the ‘cant' was different in various regions. Modem Kabaddi resembles this form of Kabaddi a great deal especially with regard to ‘out & revival system' and ‘Iona'. The present form of Kabaddi is a synthesis of all these forms of Kabaddi with a good number of changes in the rules and regulations. TOP THE GAME'S HISTORY Kabaddi attained National status in the year 1918. Maharashtra was the pioneer state to bring the game to the National platform and give it further popularity.Standard rules and regulations were formulated in 1918 but were brought out in print in the year 1923 and in this very year, an All India Tournament was organized at Baroda with these rules. Kabaddi has not looked back since then and numerous tournaments are organized all over the country through out the year. Kabaddi received its first Inter-National exposure during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, demonstrated by Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amaravati, Maharashtra. The game was introduced in the Indian Olympic Games at Calcutta, in the year 1938.It was in 1950, that the All India Kabaddi Federation came into existence. Regular conduct of National level championships as per laid down rules and regulations began with effect from the year 1952. After the formation of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, the first men's Nationals were held in Madras (now re-named Chennai), while the women's Nationals were held in Calcutta in the year 1955. The rules were modified and some changes were introduced to the game during the National Championships held at New Delhi in the year 1954.Efforts were made to demonstrat e the game in the World Youth Festival held at Moscow in the year 1957, but due to various unforeseen reasons, this could not be accomplished. The game was included in the curriculum of the Indian University Sports Control Board as a main sports discipline in the year 1961. The game got further recognition when the School Games Federation of India included it in the school games in the year 1962. This body has taken up the responsibility of organizing state and national level competitions for school going children all over the country in various sports on a regular basis, every year.The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, the new body, came into existence in the year 1972. This body was formed with a view to popularize the game in the neighboring countries and organize regular National level Men and Women tournaments. After the formation of this body, sub-junior and junior sections were included in Kabaddi national level tournaments, as a regular feature. Kabaddi was included in th e curriculum of Regular Diploma courses in coaching conducted by the National Institute of Sports, the premier institute to develop sports in the country with effect from the year 1971.There after, qualified coaches in Kabaddi are being produced every ear. The neighboring countries, Nepal & Bangladesh also send I their coaches for the diploma course in various disciplines including Kabaddi, regularly. These qualified coaches are equipped to train players at different levels in a systematic manner with sports science back up. In the year 1974, the Indian men's team toured Bangladesh as part of the cultural exchange program to play five test matches in different parts of the country.The Bangladesh returned the visit in the year 1979 and played five test matches in India. The Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation was formed in the year 1978, during the silver jubilee celebrations of National Kabaddi Championships in India, organized at Bhilai, Madhya Pradesh. The first Asian Championship in Kabaddi was organized in Calcutta, in the year 1980. A goodwill tour was organized in the year 1981 in which, the Indian men & women teams visited Thailand, Japan and Malaysia to play exhibition Kabaddi matches.Federation Cup Kabaddi matches also commenced in the year 1981. Kabaddi was included as a demonstration game in the IX Asian Games hosted by India in the year 1982. In the year 1984, an open Inter- National tournament was organized at Bombay (now renamed as Mumbai), in India. During the Tri-Centenary celebrations of the city of Calcutta, an Inter-National Invitation Kabaddi Tournament was organized in the city. The South Asian Federation included Kabaddi as a regular sports discipline from the year 1984. Kabaddi was played for first time in the SAF games at Dacca, Bangladesh.Since then Kabaddi is being included in every SAF Games, which is played every once in two years. For the first time in the Inter-National Kabaddi scenario, India faced defeat at the hands of Pakistan an d had to be satisfied with second place, winning the silver medal, in the VI SAF Games at Dacca, Bangladesh, in the year 1993. The second Asian Championship was hosted by India and was organized at Jaipur, Rajasthan. Malaysia and Japan participated for the first time in this Championship. In the XI Asian Games held in the year 1990 at Beijing, China, Kabaddi was included in the main disciplines.This was a major landmark in the history of Kabaddi. India won the Gold Medal, which was a proud and unforgettable moment for Kabaddi lovers who had strived to bring Kabaddi to the Asian platform. India has been the reigning champion in the succeeding Asian Games held in 1994 at Hiroshima, Japan and in the Asian Games held in 1998 at Bangkok in Thailand. An International Women Kabaddi tournament commenced in the year 1995, called the Nike Gold Cup, sponsored by NIKE, Japan. The III Asian Championship was hosted by Sri-Lanka in the year 2000.For the first time, Sri-Lanka secured a silver medal , defeating Kabaddi stalwarts Pakistan, in this Championship. Kabaddi will be introduced to the African countries as a demonstration sport in the Afro-Asian Games, which is to be hosted by India in the year 2002. This is a feather in the cap for Kabaddi lovers and has been made possible thanks to the efforts of Mr. J. S. Gehlot, President, Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India and the Indian Olympic Association. TOP DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAME There is a gradual but marked change in the style of the game during the past fifty years.What was once considered a game of brawn is not so now. The introduction of more techniques to the came has made it relatively easier for a player with more skill than weight to score points against better-built opponents. Over the years, the game's pattern changed along with the rules and the size of the playfield. The concept of Kabaddi as an Indigenous Game of India first came up during the year 1921 in Maharashtra, when a certain framework of rules was prep ared and the game was played on the pattern of Sanjeevani & Gemini in a combined form.A special committee was constituted in 1923 which amended the rules. These rules were applied in an All India Kabaddi Tournament organized during the same year. It was the Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amaravati, Maharashtra, which took up the task of organizing and developing Kabaddi in a more systematic & scientific manner. This Institution believes in the maxim † A healthy mind in a healthy body†, and has been doing yeoman's service to sports in general and indigenous games in particular, over the years.During the years 1927 to 1952, Kabaddi was played in different parts of the country based on rules framed by the various clubs and organizing committees, which mushroomed and gained in prominence. There were frequent disputes over the rules during tournaments owing to lack of uniformity in the rules and regulations followed in various parts of the country. In Maharashtra, the pionee ring state to regularize the game and bring it to the National platform, Kabaddi, which was known as â€Å"Hu-Tu-Tu†, was played according to the rules framed by the Deccan Gymkhana from 1928 to I 938.The introduction of the game to the Inter-national arena as a demonstration game in the 1936 Berlin Olympics led to the inclusion of Kabaddi in the list of priority games of the Indian Olympic Committee, in the year 1940. Thereafter, Inter-provincial Kabaddi tournaments were organized biannually. The matches at the district and provincial level were played as per the rules framed by the Akhil Maharashtra Sharirik Shikshan Mandal, while the Inter-Provincial Championships were based on Buck's Rules of Games and Sports, published by Mr. H. C Buck, Founder principal of YMCA College of Physical Education, Madras.The Indian Olympic Games were re-named as National Games in the year 1952 and are since being organized once in a year instead of biannually. The All India Kabaddi Federation , which was formed in the year 1952 appointed a ‘Rules Sub-Committee' with the express purpose of laying down standard rules and regulations to be followed by affiliated provincial units all over the country. A new set of rules were framed by the Rules Sub-Committee based on Buck's Rules and the game rules followed till then by the Akhil Maharashtra Sharirik Shikshan Mandal.The game's pattern also changed over the years, along with the standardization of rules and regulations. Some of the major changes in the game's pattern include the introduction of the Unproductive Raid Rule, Time Out system, Bonus Line Game, etc that did not change the basic structure of the game but all the same had a lot of impact. Some of the major changes that had an impact on the game are being elaborated in this chapter for the benefit of the readers. UNPRODUCTIVE RAID RULEThe Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation at the behest of certain member countries introduced the Unproductive Raid Rule. The ‘ rule reads as follows. â€Å"If in three consecutive raids by a side no point is scored by either side, the opponent's will get a point. The referee shall immediately declare such point which is to be recorded in the running score sheet by cutting the number with a cross mark â€Å"X†. The counts of such unproductive raids shall not be carried over to the game after ‘Lona', recess at half time and to extra time. â€Å"[Rules of Kabaddi Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation 1980]As per the rule, in case no point is scored in three consecutive raids, the opponent's side automatically gains a point. The referee is to immediately declare the point which shall be recorded in the running score sheet with the mark ‘X'. Though the score sheets records the scoring of a point, there is to be no revival of teammates as in the normal points scored. The idea behind the introduction of this rule was to make sure that the raider went all out to struggle and gain points in order to avoid the risk of giving away points to the opponent's side through three consecutive unproductive raids.However, it did not work out the way in which it was visualized, since the game lost some of its thrill and the scores did not reflect the true picture of the team's performance. After practicing the rule for three years in the National as well as Inter-National level, it was unanimously decided by the Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation and the Amateur Kabaddi federation of India to cancel the rule. Now the rule is not in force at either the National or the inter- National level anymore. TIME OUT SYSTEM The time out system has recently been introduced in the Asian and Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India rules.Hither to, â€Å"Time Out† was allowed when called by the captain of the team, with the permission of the referee, only in the event of injury of a player, not exceeding two minutes. Even in such an instance, no player on either side was allowed to leave the court witho ut the permission of the referee. The Time Out Rule reads: † Each team shall be allowed to take two ‘time out' of 30 seconds in each half. Such time out may be called by the captain/coach of the team with the permission of the referee. † †¢During the time out, team shall not leave the ground.Any violation is committed by the player/s/coach; a technical point shall be awarded to the opponent team. †¢Official time out: In the event of any injury to a player only, the referee shall call such time out. Such time out should not exceed two minutes. † BONUS LINE GAME The bonus line rule came into existence in the year 1978 as an out-come of some experiments conducted during a workshop organized by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India in the year 1976, to make the game more interesting. The Bonus Line is a line drawn parallel to the baulk line at a distance of one meter from the baulk line towards the end line.The rule reads: †¢Bon-us Line should be drawn at a distance of one meter from the baulk line towards the end lines. †¢One point shall be awarded to the raider when he completely crosses the Bonus Line. If the raider is caught, he shall be declared out and the opponent shall be awarded one point. One point shall also be awarded to the raider for having crossed the bonus line first. In this situation, the raider shall be awarded first point. †¢The bonus line will be applicable when there are minimum six players in the court.The bonus point shall be awarded by the Referee/Umpire after the completion of the raid, by showing thumb upwards towards the side which scores. †¢There shall be no revival for bonus point. †¢The bonus point shall be marked in the shape of a triangle in the running score. †¢If the raider after crossing the bonus line reaches home court safely touching one or more antis he will be awarded one bonus point in addition to the numbers. † It is further clarified that crossing th e Bonus Line is not compulsory and this rule applies only when the raider crosses the bonus line before the struggle.This rule makes the game more interesting since agile raiders can score points for their side without the risk of a struggle. A good defense is required to counter the raider's move to cross the Bonus Line and as such, the defense will concentrate on the Bonus Line, which will make the playing area smaller and increase the game's tempo. Without the Bonus Line, it is possible that both sides begin very cautiously and end up with zero or single digit points, which makes the match very dull and slow.It is also possible that neither the raider nor the defense will take any risk, which will make the result of the match very predictable. This rule is being followed in the Kabaddi tournaments at all levels in India and efforts are being made to include the rule at the Asian Level. In the meeting of the Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation held during the SAF Games at Katmandu, N epal 1999, it was decided that the Bonus Line Rule be adopted by all member countries on an experimental basis for competitions at National level so as to consider the inclusion of the rule in the next Asian Games 2002.

Priestley’s Paradox

It is assumed that technology has aided the increase in interpersonal communication however it important to discuss the effects of technology on modern communication. This essay briefly provides a critical opinion on modern communication and provides examples of some interpersonal communication that rely on new technology, its potential advantage and possible dilemma with the use of modern technology in interpersonal communication. The world today is a global world; we live in a global village and the world as we know it keeps decreasing due to the rapid growth of technology. The ever increasing speed at the development of new technology creates innovative ways of communicating and in more ways than one has changed the way people communicate. Although modern communication has some advantages, which include convenience, speed, dissemination, and these advantages can be overpowered by disadvantages such as lack of content, language confusion. It will be argued here that the role of modern technology provides methods that hinder interpersonal communication, therefore while there are certain advantages associated with the increase of communications technology; these are evidently outweighed by the disadvantages. Communication is important to humans and a vital part of our world; man is a social animal and therefore requires communication as an essential tool for socializing. Focusing on interpersonal communication skills, Eunson (2008, p. 86) defines this as the processes that help, distort or block communication of messages between individuals but communicating effectively requires some basic skills such as active listening, usage and interpretation of body language and facial expressions. Technology however has created different channels to enhance interpersonal communication, invention such as mobile phones, emails, social networks, has made for easier, faster and smarter ways of communicating. This has led to the internet becoming an essential instrument in the media and communication strategies of civil society (Bailey, Cammaers, Carpentier 2008, p. 98). However with such availability, communication barriers are constantly increasing, with language confusion and a vast vocabulary of ever growing internet slang. Priestley’s paradox suggests that the rapid increase in communications technology has increased the quantity but decreased the quality of contemporary communication (Eunson 2008, p. 4-5). Whether or not this statement is entirely true, it is undeniable that it is very representative of the degree to which communication has deteriorated due to the constant increase of different technologically enhanced means of communication. Communication between individuals includes both verbal and non-verbal that can be easily misunderstood depending on the medium of communication. The occurrence of misunderstanding between individuals is heightened because of the lack of personal connection and context. Emails are generally informal, unstructured with the use of colloquialisms and jargons, email has rendered irrelevant more direct and often more effective forms of communication such as using telephone, walking down the corridor and talking, or attending meetings (Eunson 2008, p. 208-215). In addition to that, some people take advantage of the accessibility of sending an email and say things they wouldn’t feel comfortable saying in face to face conversations and messages sent can be misinterpreted or misunderstood by receiver further reducing the quality of communication. Things such as body language and eye contact is non-existent when it comes to sending emails, these are very essential part of daily conversations and some people use it as an excuse to avoid face to face conversation. Many may argue that in the past few years the world has undergone radical changes with the amount of available modern communication mediums, and these appears to have caused an increase in the number of social networks. Online communications mediums, weblogs in part, are sites of author audience interaction that differ from face to face performance and traditional reader relationship (Buckingham 2000, p. 207). Most young people spend countless hours on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo creating friendships and relationships with people they meet in cyberspace. The strangeway in which so many of these interactants see the internet as both an intimate area for exchange, as well as a place for public display, challenges our perceptions of these boundaries (Buckingham & Willet 2006, p. 19). The ease at which many disclose personal information on the internet via social networking sites is alarming as they generally are exposed to risks of contact with paedophiles (e. g. via grooming in chat rooms) and often exposure to violent or racist / hate material (Buckingham & Willet 2006, p. 94). Another advantage of communicating via social network sites is that people can share ideas a nd values while maintaining anonymity. Concerns about modern communication is the

Importance of Roleplay in Teaching English

http://busyteacher. org/7371-10-roleplay-ideas-for-general-english. html Role plays are an excellent way of getting your students to practise their English. They simulate real life situations and allow them to act out what they would do in a real situation. There are two ways a role play can go: scripted and non-scripted. With a scripted role play, the teacher might use an example in a text book. This is a good idea for a warm up exercise, by getting everyone to split up into pairs and allow them to speak to their partner, taking on different roles.Non-scripted ones are when students are given a role each and must use whatever knowledge they have in order to speak with that partner. Below is a list of ideas for a general English class. This can be adapted to suit a situation. Try These Fresh Role Play Activities With Your Class 1 Telephone Conversation Speaking on the phone is different to a face-to-face conversation because one relies solely on language to communicate. Get the stude nts who are practicing to sit back to back in order for this to work properly. There is a whole range of ideas which one can use to act this out.Examples include: phoning to make a complaint, speaking to a friend or inquiring about a job position. 2 Going to the Shop A great one for younger learners as it will teach them the basics of interacting with people. Children generally rely on their parents to buy things for them, therefore this will boost their overall general confidence in buying. It can be as simple or as complex as one wishes, depending on the situation. Key phrases are often important here, such as â€Å"I would like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"How much are†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Good morning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and so forth. 3 Booking a Hotel This will allow students to practise a specific type of language.Usually this will be formal language as it is a business conversation. This can also be done in the format of a telephone conversation, or it could be someone approaching a text. There is a wide range of opportunity here for the students to learn new forms of vocabulary. 4 Sharing Opinions Choose a topic that everyone appears to be interested in. Get the students to pair up and give them a list of questions to follow (for example, see our ‘130 Topics for Discussion (more than 2000 questions) For Any Level’). This will allow them to come up with their own phrases and use language in a much more practical way. Job Interview Work is usually a good topic to begin with when teaching adults. Many are learning English in order to improve their career prospects. As a result, a job interview role play is an excellent way to get the class learning that all important material. Again, this can be scripted or non-scripted. A good idea would be to have the interviewer have a list of set questions, and the students can take it from there. 6 Getting Everyone to Speak A traditional method is to ask the class to pair off. Of course, one cannot monitor every stud ent particularly if the class is quite large.Therefore, it is important to make sure everyone is speaking and getting the most out of the language they know. If one has time, have each individual group come up to the top of the class and speak in front of everyone else. This will allow people to use their language more creatively. 7 Argument Between Neighbours Again, this is a new opportunity for learning different types of vocabulary. This could be between two neighbours who are having an argument. Perhaps one plays music too loudly in the middle of the night and is disturbing the rest of the apartment block.This can be as absurd or ridiculous as the students’ want, as long as they are speaking and using the language correctly. Some of the situations thought up can be quite amusing. See some suggested situations here: â€Å"Neighbour Problems Role Play†. 8 Body Language Body language is just as important as spoken language, so in their role plays try and let the stude nts get into the role. Of course, one does not have to be an expert at acting but it is important for them to get a feel of the flow of the conversation. Using body language effectively will allow them to become a lot more in tune with the language they are using. Debate Debates are a brilliant way of encouraging language use. This is because they can become somewhat heated, and many new words can come up. It is important to choose a topic which might not be too controversial to some students. Remember to be sensitive to their age group and the general attitude of the particular country. Divide the class into two sides and give them each a side of an argument to defend. 10 Have Fun When it comes to role plays, it is all about the creative use of language. The student must put what they know to the test.This doesn’t mean they have to list off a boring dialogue. Allow them to be as creative as they can. Put them into challenging situations, and this will allow them to think of new ways of saying things. Role plays can work as a great ice breaker for the beginning of the class. Always remember to be sensitive to any particular issues at the time, however, and be wary of the students’ age. Usually, the likes of filing a complaint will not really be of interest to children. Once the students are having fun and speaking English, there are no limits to their own learning!

Examine Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now as war porn Essay

Examine Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now as war porn - Essay Example The contrast between the misty green landscape and the penetrating force of the hi-tech war machines is emphasized through the soundtrack which uses Wagner’s â€Å"Ride of the Valkyries† to dramatic effect. Echoes of the Nazi use of this music for propaganda purposes are not lost on a modern audience who must view the lusty singing of the soldiers as an example of the glory and at the same time the moral bankruptcy of modern warfare. This is the paradox that lies at the heart of most war films dating from the Vietnam period onwards. Any attempt by a filmmaker to depict the horrors of war can be interpreted as an encouragement to develop anti-war feeling in the audience, or alternatively, and much more disturbingly as a celebration and glorification of killing. It has been observed, for example, that Apocalypse Now has a focus on bodies and weapons, even to the extent that the character Kurtz is portrayed in a highly sexualized manner: â€Å"Coppola frames the first sig ht of him in an erotic manner, letting us see Kurtz’s bald head bathed eerily in yellow light in a manner that literally suggests the head of a penis† (Eberwein, p. 116). ... This change is depicted as a kind of subversion of Lance Johnson’s sanity and maleness, and an abandonment of normative male sexuality (Eberwein, p. 117). In other words, the film shows a deviant kind of masculinity which rejects â€Å"normal† relationships with women in favour of a much darker sexuality connected with brutality and violence, leading to the death of all outsiders, whether they are Vietnamese or American. This is the horrible end point of the brutalizing force of war, showing a lawless group operating out of control, on a mission of gratuitous cruelty and destruction. It can be argued that other characters in the film, such as the uptight Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) represent a counterbalance to the wayward band of followers under Kurtz’s influence, promoting a patriotic use of force in defence of more positive and moral objectives. Willard survives the terror tactics of Kurtz and in the end brutally murders him, proving perhaps the necessity o f absolute force. Under such a reading of the film, there is no pornographic content, because the extreme conditions of war simply demand an equally extreme response. For other observers, however, the moral depravity of war makes Willard just as culpable as Kurtz in his use of covert tactics to achieve his mission objectives. Lance is saved from the fate of Kurtz’s men, but at what moral cost? In Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket (1987) the very title of the film highlights the dehumanizing effect of war, or to be more precise, the systematic hardening up of soldiers that takes place in training courses designed to produce trained killers for military action. A large portion of the film

Arson Investigation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Arson Investigation - Research Paper Example An arson scene is not confirmed as an actual crime scene until days, hours or even weeks after the fire has been suppressed. The criminal fire scene would thus comprise various by-products of the combustion process that compromise the scene of criminal fire (Ross, 2009). These parameters include flame, heat, smoke, flame impingement and also the suppression operations. Besides setting up the protective yellow barrier tape, it is important to have individuals guarding the scene and who will testify against any claims of interference of the scene. Where an explosive reaction may have taken place, bomb technicians and emergency services must be called in. A security perimeter must be set up and access into and out of the scene should be restricted. This applies to the media, nonessential personnel and bystanders. Staging areas should be established to ensure that emergency vehicles have access to the area. Documentation of the scene should begin as soon as conditions permit. This includ es identifying witnesses, taking notes, photographing and videotaping bystanders. The fire department personnel reach the fire scene before the fire investigators. The roles of these marshals according to Wayne and Karen (2007) include the recognition of any fire and smoke conditions, determination of the cause of a fire and detection of arson evidence. They would be expected to know about building construction and about various components necessary for ignition, explosion and general fires. In most jurisdictions, the fire department chief has a legal responsibility to determine the cause of the fire. The fire department personnel should observe, identify and preserve possible evidence, as well as report and recall objective findings (Russell, 2009). The actions and observations of the fire department personnel are at times useful in the process of apprehending and possibly convicting arsonists. They serve as the ears and eyes of the fire investigator and must therefore pass on thei r observations after extinguishing the fire, and as such may need to be interviewed or required to prepare a written report to document their observations. The state fire marshal’s office is charged with several responsibilities in the designated state. According to the National Association of State Fire Marshals (2011), the state fire marshal is responsible for adoption and enforcement of fire safety codes, fire and arson investigation and public education about fire and arson. The agency also advices state legislators and governors on fire protection and also fire incident reporting and analysis. It also maintains public records regarding fire inspection and prevention activities and fire investigation activities. At an arson scene, the state marshal’s office employs fire inspectors, fire safety technicians and forensic laboratory staff to assist with the investigations. It works hand in hand with law enforcement personnel in that it has extralegal powers to take sta tements through recognizing, summoning and questioning witnesses present during an act of arson. Insurance companies also work closely with the state fire marshal’s office. When there are fatalities at an arson scene, the medical examiner has the responsibility to examine and supervise the collection of the body. A series of tests will be run on the body starting with a detailed physical examination to a series of X-rays of the full body and document the extent of the burns for the report (Russell, 2009). The throat and mouth should be examined to see if there is soot. The nose will also be examined for soot, as the victim may have inhaled and exhaled the air with soot, leaving

How relevant is Machiavelli's Prince for today's political leaders Essay

How relevant is Machiavelli's Prince for today's political leaders - Essay Example The book can be used as a manual for the politicians who yearn to win and stay in power as in his literature, Machiavelli guides a prince on the manner to act towards his enemies and applying both force and fraud in the course of war2. Regardless of the perceptions people have concerning politics, the book goes straight to the reality of how things work in what Machiavelli considers as effectual truth. It demonstrates that allies who exist in politics at home and across boarders are never really friends. Among the principles that are championed by Machiavelli is that leaders are always supposed to cover up their real intentions, make sure they cannot be predicted, and regularly act in a manner that is against mercy, faith, humanity and religion, so that they may be able to preserve the state, making ,Machiavelli’s name synonymous with the tyrants who are cunning. When the dismal perception of Machiavelli in regard to humanity is understood, it becomes easy to appreciate the ethical universe that he operates in as he begins his discussion that touches of virtues that a prince should have by discarding them immediately. According to him, virtues do not have utility and are simply products of a person’s imagination. In Machiavelli’s terms, truth is a factor of the effect or outcome associated with a specific action from the dictator’s perspective but not any intrinsic or rigid standard of value and obvious liberty or freedom is not among them. This creates the definition of the term effectual truth and Machiavelli defines himself as a relativist who adjusts to the situation why favoring dictatorship. This is the same kind of discourse that has been associated with the liberals as well as democrats; it has also been seen and heard in the self-proclaimed conservatives as well as the republicans. The introduction of a new approach in relation to the traditional political science by

The Role of Cognitive and affective conflict in early implementation Essay

The Role of Cognitive and affective conflict in early implementation of activity - based cost management - Essay Example The article is an empirical study of the problems concerning the implementation of activity-based cost management (ABCM), particularly during its introductory phase, as the new system impacts on the behavioural element in the organization. Two conflicts are apparently engendered when ABCM is newly implemented – there is the cognitive conflict and the affective conflict. The study tries to discover empirical evidence, through a survey of 56 senior managers representing as many manufacturing companies that have adopted the use of ABCM in their organizations. Through the use of regression and correlation statistics, the results of the survey are expected to yield insights into the relationship between conflict constructs and the seleted ABCM implementation factors. Through this study, the researcher hopes to gain insight into how manufacturing companies may benefit, financially and operationally, from activity-based cost management, while mitigating the adverse effects and enhanc ing the beneficial effects of behavioural considerations attendant to the change. The title is somewhat long-winded, but it does convey a good idea of the topic of the research study. It conveys the subject of how employees behave when change is introduced in an organization. It also captures the interest of the business student to know more about what activity-based cost management is and why it would result in behavioural conflict. From the point of view of managers, the title immediately hints that this study could provide useful insight into best practices in the management of change, in particular regarding activity-based cost management. The abstract is particularly well written. The dilemma addressed by the study is described in a way that could be easily understood by readers with a reasonable familiarity with business organizations. Hands-on managers

Higher Order Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Higher Order Thinking - Essay Example The three lowest levels of taxonomy are knowledge, understanding and application. Three highest levels are analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Analysis has to do with figuring out something on your own, i.e., an individual cannot be just repeating what he reads or hears. It is seeing how something works. An individual discerns what is connected to what. A student gets at why something is happening. During synthesis process, iIf analysis is taking things apart to see what makes them tick, synthesis is putting things together. Synthesis is solving a problem, making something whole out of a bunch of pieces nobody told you how to put together, or creating or devising something (Bloom, 1956). Evaluation is deciding on your own, and in an informed way, whether something is preferable; whether it has merit or worth; or whether it is morally right, just, or fair. Personal Meaning is reflection on the personal significance, consequence, or implication of some object of concern. It is importan t to help students recognize that all concepts are in some way related to one another. This is one reason concept mapping can be a very powerful evaluation tool. The main limitation of Bloom’s taxonomy is that it is not a strategy but a model which explains main thinking skills. It does not help to solve problems and develop effective critical thinking skills. Bloom explains some ideas and the concept of thinking but he does not explain how this model can be and should be applied to real world situations. His main works on taxonomy are Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Cognitive Dimension (1956). Another model of high order thinking was developed by Robert Marzano. Marzano adopted Bloom's taxonomy but added new characteristics to the model. This model consists of 8 characteristics: focusing, information gathering, remembering, organizing, analyzing, generating, integrating, evaluating. The ideology of Marzano is based on the idea that: "When content is new, students must be guided in relating the new knowledge to what they already know, organizing and then using that new knowledge. Knowledge can be of two types: Declarative (i.e., attributes, rules) or procedural (skills and processes). Items of this type are factual and content-specific" (Marzano 1995, p. 87). The main works by Marzano are Dimensions of thinking : a framework for curriculum and instruction (1988), Cultivating thinking in English and the language arts (1991), The systematic identification and articulation of content standards and benchmarks (1995). The most recent model based on Bloom's taxonomy is Anderson/Krathwohl mode (2000). According to this model, the following levels of thinking exist: (1) remembering: Retrieving, recalling, or recognizing, (2) understanding, (3) applying, (4) analyzing, (5) evaluating, (6) creating. The advantage of this model is that there isare student choice, exploration, or creative challenge. There is opportunity for students to collaborate, develop facility with language, and work with ideas. There is chance for students to write or say what they deeply care about. In sum, classrooms are all too teacher dominated, mechanical, and pedestrian for my blood. Whatever gains may result from mastery learning--and, remember the last section, they are significant--too often they are purchased at the expense of pointing us away from what really matters in education, that students learn how to take charge of their own learning and growth and empower themselves to live freely. The main problem describes the main stages of thinking but tells little about real life application and connections between these stages (Dettmer, 2006). In spite of limitations and weaknesses these models become a core of modern education helping teachers to construct tests

The growth in internet use has affected cultures around the world, Essay - 4

The growth in internet use has affected cultures around the world, leading to a westernised, homogenous world culture - Essay Example Triandis (1989) pointed out that other cultures learn from western culture in view of the individualism western conception: collective objectives are surpassed by individual ones implying that individuals are important. This essay will therefore, argue how the Internet use growth has affected many cultures globally, leading to a westernized, homogenous world culture. Furthermore, it will evaluate this claim critically in relation to youth culture, business, and politics. The use of the Internet growth has affected the youth culture globally, leading to a westernized, homogenous world culture. In particular, in the web content development many teenagers tend to be active participants. The capability of the youths as contributors was increased immensely by the web 2.0 dawn. Their capability as contributors was increased to web content and not passive consumers. According to Shim (2007), the association between the youth and media is another development of the internet culture. The varying framework of social media facilitates the establishment of large-scale and ad-hoc as well as formal online communities, where generated content of the user flourishes. With regards to this, the user generated content also created by photographers who share their photos, musicians who publicize their music and bloggers who post news. The reduced cost of distributing materials and of synchronizing innovative efforts facilitate the youth to create their content and toge ther work with others in political, economic, and social activities (Goggin and McLelland, 2009). A lot of youths are getting in expanding and are building relationships with their existing friends. Shim (2007) noted that not all youths are permanently engaged to the internet are committed to productions of contents. Unlike offline interaction, interactions online are not limited to a geographical area. Through the social media, youths are interacting, sharing

Critical Success Factor Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Critical Success Factor Report - Essay Example Apart from that, the study will also analyze the macro environment (political, economic, social, and technological) of Great Britain. Important aspects such as communication strategy, pricing strategy and customer services strategy need to be designed carefully to sustain the competition in the market. This report will examine each of these strategies required for the bathroom manufacturing company. The next half of the report will offer a brief introduction of the company. John Lewis: A Brief Overview John Lewis can be referred to as a chain of departmental stores that operates throughout the United Kingdom (UK). It was established by John Lewis in the year 1864. Presently it is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Initially the business started as single store operator, but during the year 1920 it established departmental store chain model through John Lewis Partnership (Davidmann, n.d). The partnership model emphasize on ownership of employee and their contribution as stakehol der to the departmental store chain. There are more than thirty eight thousand people working in the departmental store chain and each of them acts as a partner to the company (McCallion, 2010). The group has been ranked as one of the top five departmental store chains of Great Britain. This British departmental store chain has already opened thirty seven outlets and is planning to open few more within next 2 years. Customer Analysis John Lewis has established itself as premium departmental store chain in last 146 years. This departmental store has become a â€Å"cool† shopping destination for many people. Oxford outlet of the chain was founded in middle England in order to provide shopping solution to customers belonging to the central part of Britain. Marks & Spencer (M&S) is another favourite shopping destination for many people in Great Britain and is a strong competitor for John Lewis. Customers believe the ambience of the departmental store (John Lewis) chain is appeali ng and they like to spend more time in the outlet. Customers feel that lighting system of the stores is designed in such a way that it highlights each product separately. Any person entering the store can easily identify his/her favourite brand, thereby making the purchase decision easier. John Lewis has a customer base of people who like to shop for branded items. People belonging to higher income and middle income group are the major customers of the departmental store chain. Married couples and families also visit this departmental store chain to purchase different items. Customers prefer to shop for stylish items such as watch, designer clothes, bathroom items etc. Many customers perceive that after sales service is a critical factor behind the success story of any retail outlet. Employees working inside the stores are the greatest asset to the company. Employees own a percentage of shares in group’s business and they also earn a yearly bonus. Customer friendly behaviour and prompt after sales service made this British departmental store chain a preferred shopping spot for many customers. John Lewis also provides home delivery services for bulky items. Hence customers like to shop in this departmental store chain for aforementioned reasons. Ambience, customer service and availability of

Liquidity Crisis Essay Example for Free

Liquidity Crisis Essay At present our commercial banks are passing a difficult situation. Most of the banks are in liquidity crisis. And this type of shortage of money makes difficult to engage in various transactions. Now the main causes behind this are given below:- Currency value: In the recent year, our country has experienced a decline in the value of Tk against currency which has created has huge liquidity crisis in the banking sector. For this reason our country has failed to collect maximum amount of US dollar required to open letter of credit (LC) for local businessmen to import essential commodities for the country. As a result the importer is facing a severe crisis in their business. Mandatory reserve: Banks need to reserve huge amount of money to maintain CRR and SLR. As it is mandatory duty of them. BB has recently increased the rate of CRR and SLR as result the problem of liquidity crisis has been aggravated recently. Government credit: To decrease the deficit budget unit govt. are taking loan from commercial banks. And this thing create extra burden to our banking sector and it cause more liquidity crisis in that sector. Inflation: The liquidity crisis of the banking sector has been accelerated by the increased amount of inflation, thus increasing the price of overall commodities for general people. To keep pace with this inflationary effect, the people withdraw savings from the banks and use this fund for their transaction expenditure. As a result bank faces liquidity crisis. Non-recovery loan: the overall percentage of recovery loan is very alarming. And this is another important reason to increase the liquidity sector of commercial banks. Proposed budget: the proposed budget create a liquidity in the banking sector due to its over-reliance on domestic borrowing for implementing the annual development program.

Welsh Education Essay Example for Free

Welsh Education Essay According to Welsh Assembly Government the provisions of education is aimed at liberating talent, to empowering of the people of Wales, as well as meet the job and skills departments, as well as the creation of sustainable future (Randall, 1975). To show its commitment the government supports all stages of learning (Randall, 1975). The 1944 education is one of the most significant changes in education for Welsh. The 1944 Act was geared to aligning the education system in Wales to match standards in other common wealth countries. The 1944 Education Act also introduced free secondary school education as well as consolidating both church and state schools to ensure both maintained high standards of education (Randall, 1975). Major changes in the education in Wales have always corresponded to major social events as well as political events and particularly election. The year 1988 saw the introduction of ERA which was met with stiff resistance from teachers and parents although that did not influence the then leadership in government to consider revising the policy. Another significant change took place in 1992 in which schools gained control over the school budges (IMS) as well as a system in which schools began operating independent of the local councils. Other major changes were experienced in 1997 which saw the introduction of smaller class sizes, creation of education action zones to favour marginalised areas as well as the setting up of a general teaching council which aimed at improving the standards of education and at the same time ensuring effective teaching. Other recent changes in the year 2005 and 2006 have included introduction of Welsh Baccalaureate, which continues to be applied side by side with the long existing GCSE and A-level. Other changes have included introduction of breakfast in primary schools and a play curriculum for 3-7 year olds. Finally if the recommendations of Rees commission on higher education will be adhered to, every qualified student in Wales will continue to study without worrying about fees. The purpose of education is to ensure subject mastery, which is a vital pre-requisite in any profession. While not all careers are embedded in subject matter, certainly education and subsequent subject mastery is very vital for one to become a qualified professional. This calls for a deep studying and understanding of the usually complex subject matter. The above, points to the importance of the education to the growth of the profession. First of all, education enables professionals to keep abreast with new research findings in their profession. Since knowledge is dynamic, discoveries of new concepts are common and therefore professionals are better off if they remain in touch with new scientific discoveries concerning their professions. The above is important if professionals are going to be responsive to the needs of their organizations and the society at large. Education is also very important to professionals in that it gives them the necessary skills required to deal with people in their day to day running of their business affairs. It is through education that, a professional comes into contact with scholarly materials that play an important role in preparing a professional into becoming qualified and shaping their career. Education is evidently important to the growth of any profession; there is a need for the improvement of the training and curriculum so that the kind of education students receive is more responsive to the needs of the clients in the organizations where they serve. It is only through education that professionals can perform their duties more diligently, faithfully and effectively. In addition, the design of the curriculum programs should be aligned with the needs of the job market. The achievement of the purpose of education is largely dependent on how effective the teaching and learning process is. Effective teaching in England both at the local education authority as well as the higher education has been a subject of study by many scholars and commission. However most scholars concur that, the status of the teacher that is; qualified teacher status or lack of the qualified teacher status plays a very significant role in determining how teachers end up teaching. Equally important is the commitment and experiences of the teachers. The need for effective teaching is further complicated by the fact that the needs for schools differ widely depending on the facilities available, location as well as the type of students the schools are likely to admit. For example schools located in rural areas or schools serving marginalised communities such as the blacks and immigrants may have to adopt different teaching strategies so as to be effective in teaching. Such schools are likely to go for the strategies, which meet the needs of the vulnerable children they enroll. When designing or determining the most suitable or effective strategies for schools it is important to bear in mind the level of the pupils. Strategies, which may be effective in primary school level, may fail terribly if applied to higher education level. Developmental stages must be considered by teachers. For example primary school pupils are more likely to experience emotional imbalances than high school students. This calls for teachers to be careful on the way they plan for their teaching sessions. To counter behavioural barriers to effective teaching (Department for Education and Employment, (1997) suggests several forms of interventions such as behaviour management through training programmes, change of class environment as well as introduction of rewards or punishment to influence behaviour. The effectiveness of teaching in the UK and Wales has in the past been measured by performance of the students. However this kind of measurement is faulty and may place on the teacher a heavy burden of blame when performance is low and at the same time lead to praising of the teacher when performance goes up. According to (Tiffin, Rajasingham, 1995. 12-68), there is a lot to effective teaching than the exam results. For instance there is the issue of legislation, the kind of legislation in place can hinder or promote effective learning depending on how well suitable they are. Equally important is the class environment, which may include the size of the class, the facilities available in the school, the level of training of the teachers as well as kind of pupils or students in the class. Very important is the methodology teachers’ use in the teaching. This calls for the effective teachers to integrate all the applicable learning and teaching methods. The above serves to underscore the fact that teaching is just one component of learning which plays an important role in determining learning outcomes. For the education process to take place in an effective manner several factors are necessary; such include availability of teaching resources such as materials and staff, a conducive learning environment as well as the right working relationship between staff and students, students and parents as well as between staff and student (Department for Education and Employment, 1997). If the above is lacking the learning process is curtailed, students are likely to perform poorly, teachers are likely to get de-motivated and in general education standards diminish. According to the Department for Education and Employment, (1997. 4 -19) the social context of learning influences teaching and learning. These social contexts may be beyond teachers’ control in most cases. This implies that the kind of school one attended rather than the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the teachers was responsible for the performance. Pupils provided with an environment of fostering were more likely to excel academically than those pupils put in a social context, which is not empowering. According to (Department for Education and Employment, 1997) effective teaching calls for teachers to put more emphasis on academic learning, good utilization of learning time as well as offering result-based teaching whereby the pupils are made aware of the goals and objectives of the learning process.

The African Continent

The African Continent Introduction As the African continent gained its independence, countries hoped for booming growth and expected rapid changes. This however did not happen. So after the independence, economists, journalists and researchers started examining the causes of those failures. They have been doing so for over four decades and the situation on the continent does not seem to be much better than it was. Since it is a complex and definitely the most urgent issue of the region, I consider this paper as an opportunity to analyze and discuss possibilities for improvement. In order to limit my scope to a reasonable size, I would like to focus on one particular country Zambia, as the country was a subject to similar, but much briefer analysis I have done and therefore I already have some background information. Since the country is generally underdeveloped, this condition affects all areas of life. That is why it is necessary to work on social, economic, political, environmental and other policies to foster development. Even though these fields are interconnected, I would like to focus on Zambian local governance system in this paper. According to my topic, I assume that the state may be having troubles to fulfill its role since its institutions and ways of governing were created from the elites downward; its system should be adjusted to find more links between itself and its citizens. The hypothesis is that Zambian local governance institutions are not effective as they could be, it would be favorable to use their potential better. My goal is to find out improvements or adjustments for the present system into a more efficient scheme, more suitable to the society and its customs. For this I will start with examining how the society used to regulate its own members, predominantly in small units, throughout the centuries, how it evolved and what were the contributing factors that shaped its present form. For this I would like to start as early as possible in the pre-colonial period. It may seem just too long ago, but that was the longest period with fewest outer influences building foundations that last until now. Later it is indispensable to see how the western civilization attempted to shape the people to the western image, what marks it left and how the states coped with these two ways of life for the last few decades to bring about growth and stability. If there is any viable way of the traditional type of governance I would like to use it as a building brick. In this part, I will rely mostly on Alex Thomsons Introduction to African Politics. Subsequently I will have to come up with a way to incorporate those traditional elements into the present network. To be particular, I would like to focus mainly on the issue of local chiefs and the incorporation of their authorities into administrative system. Resources supporting my conclusions and helping me understand the African reality better are among others blog platforms Zambian Economist, House of Chiefs, and Fareed Zakarias book Future of Freedom. I. Traits of the society Present African society is a blend of two different realities a traditional way of life that had been evolving throughout the centuries of its pre-colonial existence and a modern way of life brought first by the colonization and impacting the continent from the outside more intensely as driven by the globalization process. It is not only a melting pot of different entities, but it is a place where two different lifestyles mix and to some extent clash. Therefore to understand the structure and traits of this society we need to know those two currents that form its foundations. Pre-colonial period The continent has ever been diverse just as it is right now, but there are some general characteristics that applied to the most of the region. Africa had been spotted with so-called non-hegemonic states. Their nature was fundamentally different from that time Europe. Pre-colonial African states were not led by all-powerful governments that administered a part of delineated territory. The abundance of land allowed people to move away, further from the unfavorable authority, splitting, merging, and creating new polities. This type of governance is also way different from todays perception of a state that has, after all, evolved from a European model. As Alex Thomson notes in the Introduction to African Politics that is one of the explanations, why some of the African states did not succeed in building a governing state authority (Thomson: 10). Other trait he mentions is the importance of lineage groups. An individual is always a member of a larger community (e.g. extended family) and as this member adopts the scheme of customs and rules that determine his or her life. Identity of a person is therefore determined as identity of the group. In return this scheme provides welfare and security to its members (Thomson: 10). With these rules, the chief has a significant deal of power over his clan, because the individuals will generally behave as they are expected to. Clans or extended families are able of self-containment. These facts add up to the conclusion that this is a model of society that is able to manage itself well in small units. Colonial Period The above mentioned structures were something different from the European perception of a state and state power. Therefore with the colonization, the Europeans were trying to civilize the African people. In their meaning it was to categorize them into some predefined and clear categories so they became nations just like the European ones were. Repeatedly criticized arbitrary boundaries have split nations apart and left various different nations closed in one state. This division put barriers to earlier loose transition of an individual from one community to another and lay foundations of hostility towards each other. The impact of modernity As the decolonization process has brought the independence to the continent, the new countries and their leaders attempted to catch up with the developed world within few decades (or a single one). The simplest way of doing that was to adopt modern ways of governing the state. Longing for the developed state, the countries wanted to hurry up, so what got adopted the quickest were the most visible signs of the modern world, without adjusting them to the African society. Constitutions, parliaments, voting rights, all of that was included without having people understand them, or without having even the leaders understand the principles of these systems. There was industrialization without considering economic capabilities. George Ayittey calls that development by imitation (Ayittey: 87). Nowadays Africa is a melting pot of clans, families, tribes, and nations that fully realize their identity. Compared to the pre-colonial period however, the changes and overlaps are not as loose anymore. Needless to count how many times in Africa has the group solidarity been abused as a means to escalate a conflict. It is very easy to divide people on the basis of something that does not really impact their everyday life such as race or ethnicity. Current conditions In the previous parts of this work I have described the pre-colonial inheritance of the society. Extended families (or other entities) in which individuals behave according to customs and their social status, gives the entities ability to rule themselves effectively. This creates an informal structure and makes the unit of family or a similar community a suitable building brick for the wider structure and allows for a bottom-up strategy. In spite of some conditions that formed African society and left a mark on it until the present times, certain conditions have changed. What has changed has not only been people and their minds (as a result of colonial rule or modernization), but there have been changes also in the outer conditions. What has once been a continent with abundant land and low population density is now a bit different. The number of people inhabiting the continent has multiplied over the past few decades. The land has shrunk relatively; with growing density of population the land is becoming more important. Apart from the higher density there are now rigid borders that do not allow people to move freely wherever they want. Boundaries that are known to be artificial and illogical have existed for about half a century so nowadays they are starting to work. Despite any border conflicts, irredentist movements and spillovers they cannot be adjusted or removed. II. Zambia overview This landlocked country in the south of the African continent is not much of an exception from other African countries considering its GDP, HDI (or respectively HPI) rates. It is one of the poorest countries in the world; ranking 164th out of total 182 included in the UN HDI statistics.[1] Political system: It is a presidential republic (the president is both head of state and head of government). The cabinet is chosen from the members of the National Assembly and is appointed by president. Tthat gives the president quite strong power over the country. Ethnicity: Major ethnic groups include Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde and Lunda.[2] Nine largest groups add up to approximately 90 percent of the population. Apart from these, many people, predominantly in towns and cities see themselves as Zambians.[3] Speaking of ethnicity, the country has avoided serious ethnic conflict issues yet. Administration: The country is divided into 9 administrative provinces. Further there areis 72 local authorities which will be described in the next chapter. III. Proposals As I have mentioned before, people in remote rural areas do not identify themselves with the administrative system and have maintained a parallel system of managing their communities. To advocate the importance of traditional authorities, it is necessary to gain the inside look. Since it is hard to acquire from the Czech Republic, I would like to use the words of Chola Mukanga, a Zambian economist, posted on his blog. As he writes about majority of people living in rural areas where they do not rely on the government system maintaining social order, he describes the role of the customary governance: The chieftaincy therefore serves a critical function in promoting economic development, when it fills this critical gap in maintaining social order. Although he admits a weakness: Equally the chieftaincy may be seen to stand in the way of economic development where its system of administration appears to restrict the expansion of stronger reforms of social order e.g. expansion of formal s tate structures with greater accountability, all things being equal.[4] The biggest challenge therefore is to make one system out of the two of them. If the existing system is perceived as an alien element it is a reason why it should be abolished. Administrative System Western way of governance counts on clearly delineated boundaries. Border inviolability and territorial integrity are two of the conditions that define a sovereign state nowadays. The same principle is projected inward to the country, since it is subdivided into the smaller units. To have the administrative system working properly, it is necessary to ensure the balance of the geographical division. There are three factors that might influence balance among administrative units: ethnicity not to repeat the disaster of African boundaries, ethnic conflicts and subsequent civil wars population density and its demographic estimate to the future to keep the system viable and balanced in long term resources, wealth and overall economic level to prevent conflicts emerging from regional disparities However, for any adjustments of the administrative division, it is necessary to have thorough statistical information. For any successful plan that is to be implemented, it is necessary to know the starting conditions perfectly. The trouble with creating a picture of a Sub-Saharan country is a dismal state of any statistical data to base plans and proposals on. There is either lack of information or the researchers warn against inaccurate and misleading data that often poorly reflects reality. Apart from the geographical adjustments, there is more that can be changed in the division of power and overall structure. Bornwell Chikulo offers a comprehensive description of the present system and the following analysis is based on his review: [5] There are 72 local authorities countrywide: 4 are designated as City Councils 12 are Municipal Councils 56 are District Councils (comprised of smaller rural-based local authorities). The composition of councils is as follows: All elected councillors in the district All members of parliament in the district Two representatives appointed by all chiefs in the district as a means of involving traditional rulers in local governance. The weakness in this scheme is lack of participation of the locals the councilors that are elected to hold quite large powers, moreover they are not responsible to any of the local powers, but solely to the government. Two chief representatives that are members of the council representing something like voice of the people however cannot be chiefs themselves, as chiefs are prohibited by constitution to hold any public office. Moreover, the evidence shows, the way they are able to discuss and solve the local issues is to talk and cooperate with their members of parliament. This is exactly where the problem is, either the chiefs or their representatives have troubles cooperating with the MPs. Chieftaincy The issue of chieftaincy is lively discussed in Zambia, also in the wider regional level, since the situation in surrounding countries is similar. Although the traditional center of local power National Authorities were bequeathed soon after the independence, president Mwanawasa brought these authorities back in 1996 when the House of Chiefs was established. It consists of local chiefs that are respected within certain areas, some of them called kingdoms. By the constitution they are forbidden to hold any elected office while holding their functions as chiefs. The main issue can be comprised into the question: To what extent should the chiefs be considered and subsequently incorporated as political authorities? It is important to add that Zambian Chola Mukanga sees chiefs as not only a tradition that has prevailed until now, but as an element that is demanded: It goes without saying that the existence of traditional authorities is essentially a function of history and current demand for their services. That chiefs exist is clearly because their existence is demanded. But it was in the area of court administration where significant problems emerged which has continued to fuel significant demand for customary justice as mediated through traditional courts. This demand has principally emerged from two critical sources: insufficient capacity by central government to provide appropriate court capacity and necessarily expertise to adjudicate cases. This is despite the fact that traditional courts (and customary laws) have no formal status and exist parallel to the formal legal system.[6] This view clearly indicates that two representatives for the districts are just not enough. It is not about the number, but also about their power. Even if they are respected by the people and often serve as the judiciary system, they cannot promote much development in their district. It is always the parliament members that vote for the budget and decide on the amount and structure of the transfer money they receive from the government. The MPs also vote on the legislation and their vote is not subjected to any feedback from the chiefs (or currently their representatives) other than a friendly discussion. If the MPs do not reflect the local demands for the love of the people, the chiefs have practically no ability to change it. Appointing special chief representatives is another factor that hinders the process of change and development. Not only it means extra costs, but it also is an extra element in the chain of decisions. The decisions travel from the people to the chief from the chief to the chief representative from the representative to the MP and finally to the parliament. This contains too many members and therefore leaves gaps for possible conflicts. If the structure existed in order to provide, what can be called checks and balances, than it would have an advantage of being stable. However, the power is not distributed evenly among all the agents, but it is still concentrated in the top the parliament and centralized. From Chikulos review as well as from other articles it seems that even though local council exist, they lack decision-making autonomy and are dependent on the central budget. Some opinions indicate that often the politicians from the central apparatus are corrupt and therefore afraid of the power the chiefs have. That is why the politicians want to prevent them from the official power.[7] So even if the traditional ways of governance prevail in the society and are popular it should be clear that it is favorable to use it as a means to make the administrative system more effective and comprehensive. It would be the act of bringing the power closer to the people, just like the motto of the reforms that had been done in the early years of independence. With this act the motto would finally apply. However, the problem does not lie in the obsolete or primitive structure of the society, but in the unwillingness of those that have the power and the means of changing it. Conclusions This paper definitely discusses a complex topic. Although I lack direct experience as I have never been to Africa, I wanted to gain a deeper look into the problems of the Sub-Saharan countries. My conclusions might omit some important factors that otherwise are a part of the reality in Africa. Having read some amount of literature, attempting to present Sub-Saharan Africa however precisely and accurately, still does not make up for the real experience from the region. Therefore I stress that any of the presumptions I have made are based solely on someone elses observations. For people that are not familiar with the topic the root of all the problems often seems very simple. It is easy to put all the blame either on the colonialists for having exploited their colonies during their rule, or the present political leaders for exploiting their countries now, or even the people of those countries for their supposedly insufficient education, inertia, intolerance, or anything else. Even though that my work criticizes few elements of the state and its governance, I hope I have stayed away from prejudices in my work. I have found out that a fair deal of promoting development depends on few people. It might be a challenge for those that have that power to change the system which is beneficial for themselves. American political scientist Fareed Zakaria concludes, in a very general, but very point-blank way Africa needs good governance more urgently than democracy (Zakaria: 120). I have whatsoever no sympathy for any autocratic governments and I have no intention of taking democracy away from the countries that have it. My point is that no one has found a system of government with perfect balance of powers that does not leave a slightest gap for corrupt intentions. Until Zambia gets closer to this model, at least on track to catch up with the western world, it needs a leadership that will not abuse its power; a leadership that will take responsibility for its actions done on purpose as well as those unintended and one that will be able to face the consequences; a leadership that will show every cit izen that the things just work smoother when everyone plays by rules. But these wishes are perhaps utopian for most of the developed countries as well. References AYITTEY, George: Africa Unchained, New York, Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, Chapter 3, The Postcolonial Elite Development Model CHIKULO, Bornwell: Local Government Reforms in Zambia, 2009, retrieved: Dec 18, 2009, http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ComJlLocGov/2009/7.html THOMSON, Alex: An Introduction to African Politics, Abingdon, Oxon, Routledge, 2004, Chapter 2 History ZAKARIA, Fareed: Budoucnost svobody, Prague, Academia, 2004, 1st edition CIA World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/za.html MWANANGOMBE Lewis: ZAMBIA: Let our Chiefs Govern, Lusaka, published Dec 21, 2009, retrieved: Jan 12, 2010, http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=49771 MUKANGA, Chola: Zambian Economist, http://www.zambian-economist.com/2010/01/chiefs-and-economy-economic-institution.html, published Jan 3, 2010, retrieved Jan 12, 2010 United Nations: Human Development Reports: retrieved on Jan 14, 2010, http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/ CIA World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/za.html KVà CA, Vladimà ­r: Africa in International Relations, class handout MUKANGA, Chola: Zambian Economist blog, retrieved: Jan 12, 2010, http://www.zambian-economist.com/2010/01/chiefs-and-economy-economic-institution.html CHIKULO, Bornwell: Local Government Reforms in Zambia, 2009, retrieved: Dec 18, 2009, http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ComJlLocGov/2009/7.html MUKANGA, Chola: Zambian Economist blog, retrieved: Jan 12, 2010, http://www.zambian-economist.com/2010/01/chiefs-and-economy-economic-institution.html The complaints are not difficult to find in the internet. Web platforms like Zambian House of Chiefs (http://www.houseofchiefs.com/) or Zambian Economist (http://www.zambian-economist.com/2010/01/chiefs-and-economy-economic-institution.html) contain a number of articles discussing this problem. African Inter Press Agency brings related articles every once in a while as well. Recent publishing dates indicate that similar complaints are quite frequent.

J.B.Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls :: English Literature

An inspector calls' - what is the main message and is it still relevant today? We get the impression that she is a when Priestly adds, ‘very pleased with life’. She is ignorant to the world of the working class, and is constantly surrounded by her riches without even considering the lives of other people. During the engagement party, Gerald gives Sheila an engagement ring. This is to represent their relationship and love. Her words on receiving the gift are ‘Oh –Gerald-you’ve got it’. The pause in her sentence indicates the excitement in her voice. She then becomes very involved with the present- like a child receiving a birthday gift. Mr. Birling is about to make his speech about the war and the Titanic, however, he pauses when he realizes that Sheila may not be listening, as she is only concentrating on her ring. This is what a child may do when receiving a toy. This as with both her ‘mummy’ and her father gives us the impression that these people are annoying and makes us dislike them. WHOM 2 BLAME After the inspector leaves the house, they are shocked, but then think about the idea whether the inspector really is the guy he pretends to be and they come to the conclusion that he is not an inspector after all. They find this out by contacting the police who then unfold the truth about him. The play finishes when the police calls saying a young lady died and an inspector is on his way to the Birling house. I think the whole play is very important and a good example of collective responsibility. You understand the problem which follows the behaviour of those people. The content shows the bad treatment of a â€Å"normal â€Å"family towards a person, who lives on a lower social standard, without realizing that they destroy this person’s life. This is as significant for the society of that time as it is for the society in our own time. This will never change. The play wants to show that poor people did not have a chance to change their lives to improve it. This is only possible in our world and in our time. My main reason for thinking that Mrs. Birling is responsible is because she was not only the last step before Eva/Daisy ended her life but because in my eyes she was the most powerful one. Eva/Daisy was at a time where she was most emotional and she must have been feeling J.B.Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls :: English Literature An inspector calls' - what is the main message and is it still relevant today? We get the impression that she is a when Priestly adds, ‘very pleased with life’. She is ignorant to the world of the working class, and is constantly surrounded by her riches without even considering the lives of other people. During the engagement party, Gerald gives Sheila an engagement ring. This is to represent their relationship and love. Her words on receiving the gift are ‘Oh –Gerald-you’ve got it’. The pause in her sentence indicates the excitement in her voice. She then becomes very involved with the present- like a child receiving a birthday gift. Mr. Birling is about to make his speech about the war and the Titanic, however, he pauses when he realizes that Sheila may not be listening, as she is only concentrating on her ring. This is what a child may do when receiving a toy. This as with both her ‘mummy’ and her father gives us the impression that these people are annoying and makes us dislike them. WHOM 2 BLAME After the inspector leaves the house, they are shocked, but then think about the idea whether the inspector really is the guy he pretends to be and they come to the conclusion that he is not an inspector after all. They find this out by contacting the police who then unfold the truth about him. The play finishes when the police calls saying a young lady died and an inspector is on his way to the Birling house. I think the whole play is very important and a good example of collective responsibility. You understand the problem which follows the behaviour of those people. The content shows the bad treatment of a â€Å"normal â€Å"family towards a person, who lives on a lower social standard, without realizing that they destroy this person’s life. This is as significant for the society of that time as it is for the society in our own time. This will never change. The play wants to show that poor people did not have a chance to change their lives to improve it. This is only possible in our world and in our time. My main reason for thinking that Mrs. Birling is responsible is because she was not only the last step before Eva/Daisy ended her life but because in my eyes she was the most powerful one. Eva/Daisy was at a time where she was most emotional and she must have been feeling

History, the Concatenation of Human Experiences :: European Europe History

History, the Concatenation of Human Experiences In June 1961, I left Berlin, Germany, with my parents, my sister, and my Swedish cousin enroute to Sweden for what was to be two weeks of Scandinavian fun. The Russian soldiers who processed us through the checkpoints were impeccably dressed in jodhpurs and the shiniest black riding boots I had ever seen. It was obvious they had been carefully selected for this job, which entailed a goodly measure of public relations; the Communists displayed only their best. The soldiers were not only good looking and efficient, processing our papers quickly; on that day they were noticeably relaxed, with genuine smiles on their faces. A week earlier than planned, my family returned to Berlin, driving through the same checkpoints. This time the atmosphere was tense. There were no smiles. Passports and other papers were scrutinized slowly, creating long delays, much to our discomfort. What had caused the change? An event that will be taught in history classes for hundreds of years. An event that even a thousand years from now will be at least a footnote in the history books. The East Germans had erected a wall, dividing one of the world’s most famous cities in two. Barbara Tuchman would argue—correctly, I think—that it is too soon to write the history of the Berlin Crisis. This contemporary generation, born and raised in the tensions of the Cold War, will record the facts and write the narrative, but we are too close to have a good perspective on it (Tuchman 27-28). For the interpretation of those facts, we will have to wait for the generation now being born, a generation which will have few, if any, emotional attachments to the event and therefore be better able to analyze it with some objectivity—or ignorance, as Edward H. Carr would call it (9). This is how history is written. It is a process—a recording of facts and later an interpreting of those facts to relate them to the future generations. The question, of course, is what history our descendants will write. Human beings are by nature egocentric. In the West we assume future historians will see the crisis as we do. The wall was not constructed for noble reasons; it was a manifestation of the evil empire, was it not?

John Smith Essay -- essays research papers

John Smith is one of the most famous people in American literature history. He was a dedicated man to his country of England, and wanted nothing more than to claim America in the name of the king. During his adventures to the new land he encountered many new things and people including a young Native American woman named Pocahontas. He also wrote many journals enticing people to want to come to America. This shall tell you the story of John Smith from his journeys as a young man all the way to when he finally came to America, and how his writings still influence people to immigrate to America still today. John Smith was born in Lincolnshire, England to a farmer and his wife in 1580. He only had a grammar school education, but with this education he was able to join the British volunteers fighting in the Dutch war of independence from Spain. While in the military, he was captured by the Turks and sold as a slave. He eventually escaped and came back to his mother land of Great Britain in 1605. He then became interested in settling Virginia in the new world. The following year, Smith sailed to Virginia with the Virginia Company’s first colonist as one of seven councilors. This was the first of many voyages to the new world for him. Smith spent much time exploring the land. By this time, the governor of Jamestown was executed for treason and Smith was then elected president of Jamestown colony. He then began building houses, churches, and fortifications. He also had a policy th...

Dbq: Cricket and Politics Rough Draft

When examining the relationship between cricket and politics In South Asia from 1880 to 2005, there was much continuity and change. A significant continuity was that as in document 3, â€Å"first it was the hunter, the missionary, the merchant, next the soldier and the politician, and then the merchant. † It was said by Cecil Headlam that this was the history of British colonization. As this continued cricket brought together the rulers and the ruled, which continued to make things more moral.A significant change is that politically India and Europe didn’t really get along so in Document 6 and the Natore XI defeated European teams that had such pride. Also in document 2, Prince Ranjiitsinhji would return to England to join the Sussex team, but will return to India as head of an English team and then return as a head of an Indian team. It shows how politics changed things in India as well in England were cricket brought people of different religions and politics together over time.Most of the documents I could find many great continuities between politics and cricket, cricket seemed to bring more people together of different backgrounds from competitively to just the game itself. Since the early 1900’s cricket united the people of a supreme power to its followers. The game since then to 2005 put the politics to the side and taught people morals, self-restraint, and even education in pluck. Cricket was far more valuable, this helped to continue the history of the British colonization (Doc. ). Also cricket has many lessons in others walks of life not just in India or even Britain, but there continues to be a lesson. In the game there was always a connection to the other players because they all came to play the same game (Doc. 6). In the 1940’s the Hindu cricket club requested Mohandas Gandhi for his support in continuing religiously based cricket competitions, to Gandhi the continuation of religious based teams were un-sportsman like.T he influence of government changed who played the game of cricket and now challenged each other’s religion instead of the game. (Doc. 8). The game of cricket has been looked upon as not of an elite sport. Also problems were seen mostly in class systems in Docs. 2, 3, and 4. In Doc. 2 Prince Ranjiitsinhji was able to join a team in Britain, were Britain’s looked down to Indians. In Doc. 3, In England a English writer saw the game of cricket as a uniting tool, but if this came from an Indian historian things could be seen differently.It seems that the English always tried to make the game of cricket full of unity, but I feel as if the Indians would disagree with many things the English had put out over the years, in which India later on became independent. In Doc. 4 there was more of a sense of equality between the castes in India, they seemed to be able to ignore the caste and focus on the true game of cricket. If it wasn’t for cricket the people of the different classes would look down on the lower classes or even the lower classes would not like the others.

Ebay’s Strategy in China: Alliance or Acquisition Essay

In December 2006, eBay Inc., a US company that offered e-commerce, e-payments and internet communication services globally, announced its plan to form a joint venture with China-based online portal and wireless operator, TOM Online, in which eBay would have 49% ownership.1 The move reflected the increasing difficulties foreign internet companies were facing in their attempts to snatch a share of the Chinese market amid fierce competition and a changing market environment. eBay first set foot in China in 2002 by acquiring 33% interest in EachNet—a domestic online auction company, followed by a full acquisition in 2003.2,3 In 2005, eBay acquired Skype4 to expand into the online communication sector. While Skype was a wholly owned subsidiary of eBay globally, it operated indirectly in China via a joint venture with TOM Online. Due to this existing relationship between the two companies,5 TOM Online seemed to be a natural choice of partner for eBay’s subsequent decision with regards to its online marketplace business. Recognising TOM Online’s local knowledge and political connections, eBay believed that a joint venture would benefit its failing business in China and help the company further develop its Chinese market.6 Some analysts questioned whether political connections alone were the answer and suggested that eBay focus on its product and service offerings.7 1 Vara, V. and Chao, L. (20 December 2006) â€Å"EBay’s China retreat highlights a tough market†, Wall Street Journal. eBay (Date Unknown) â€Å"eBay and EachNet Team Up in China†, Press Release, http://investor.ebay.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=74802 (accessed 27 April 2007). 3 After the full acquisition in 2003, eBay operated under the name of eBay EachNet. 4 Skype is a peer-to-peer software program that allows people to make free calls over the internet to anyone who also subscribes to this service. Skype provided peer-to-peer internet telephony service—ie, instant messaging and online telephone service. In 2005, eBay acquired 49% stake in Skype China, with TOM Online owning the rest. Source: Schwankert, S. (20 December 2006) â€Å"EBay to replace Chinese auction site with JV†, ITworld.com, http://www.itworld.com/Tech/2403/061220ebay/ (accessed 27 April 2007). 6 Bradsher, K. (22 December 2006) â€Å"With TOM Online, eBay gains Chinese clout†, International Herald Tribute. 7 Rein, S. (24 December 2006) â€Å"TOM Online Must Focus on Products: Connections Don’t Ensure Success†, SeekingAlpha, http://china.seekingalpha.com/article/22946 (accessed 20 June 2007). 2 Isabella Chan prepared this case under the supervision of Prof. Zhigang Tao and Dr Jiangyong Lu for class discussion. This case is not intended to show effective or ineffective handling of decision or business processes. This research was partially supported by a grant from the University Grants Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. AoE/H-05/99).

Criticism on the Novel Essay

Nature setting are explicit Page 30: â€Å"When I was about fifteen years old we had retired to our house near Belrive, when we witnessed a most violent and terrible thunderstorm. It advanced from behind the mountains of Jura, and the thunder burst at once with frightful loudness from various quarters of the heavens. I remained with curiosity and delight. As I stood at the door, on a beautiful oak which stood about twenty yards from our house; and so soon as the dazzling light vanished, the oak had disappeared, and nothing remained but a blasted stump. [†¦] It was not splintered from the shock, but entirely reduced to thin ribbons of wood.† Foreshadowing?: power of electricity sparks his attention, if it can destroy something so quickly, why can’t it bring dead flesh to life? Scientific descriptions lack important information Page 48: â€Å"It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.† We see how she was a poet in this quote: she gives more descriptions of the surroundings than the scientific aspect of which many people long for. Obviously shows the lack of knowledge displayed by Mary Shelly. Countries are â€Å"close together† Shows once again how much knowledge Mary Shelly had regarding geography. It sparks attention when she says that it takes longer to go from Geneva to Ingolstadt (a total of 413.6 miles) than it is to go to England. Monster has superhuman abilities yet he is made from human parts Page 70: â€Å"I thought of pursuing the devil, but it would have been in vain, for another flash discovered him to me hanging among the rocks of the nearly perpendicular ascent of Mont Saleve, a hill that bounds Plainpalais on the south. He soon reached the summit and disappeared.† Stereotyping of the Turkish and Irish people If Frankenstein had already created a monster, why did he need help from some other scientists for the creation of another monster? Page 153: â€Å"I found that I could not compose a female without again devoting several months to profound study and laborious disquisition. I had heard of some discoveries having been made by an English philosopher, he knowledge of which was material to my success [†¦]† The Monster tells Frankenstein how he’s survived mobs throwing rocks and several other projectiles and such, yet Frankenstein never stops trying to think he can kill the monster. Page 206: â€Å"[†¦] the monster whom I had created, the miserable demon whom I had sent abroad into the world for my destruction. I was possessed by a maddening rage when I thought of him, and desired and ardently prayed that I might have him within my grasp to wreak a great and signal revenge on his cursed head.† All quotes from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein