Estore at Shell Canada Limited free essay sample

Some of the unique challenges usually faced by large organizations when embarking on innovative technology are the costs involved in developing the technology, bringing different organizational groups together, securing the technology through patents, integrating different departments during implementation, having a customer-friendly user interface, etc. In the case of shell the problems were more specific like the project cost, what platform to use, and language. Shell wanted to develop a web-based self-service for its agricultural customers. It was projected that Shell’s market share would increase by 2 per cent in that segment. But, initial cost estimates showed that developing such an application would be very expensive. Shell dealt with this problem by incorporating an application (eCATS) which was already in use. This helped in reducing the development costs considerably. The second issue that came up was regarding the platform to be used for developing this application. Shell already had a platform which was outdated. We will write a custom essay sample on Estore at Shell Canada Limited or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Shell’s IT vendor was in the process of introducing a new platform based on the latest technology. Shell Canada had already chosen the new platform for the development of eBusiness. It was finalized that the outdated platform would be used initially and the new platform would be introduced later on. The final product which came out was not as effective as it was perceived to be. There were several reasons for the product having such low popularity: Not customer friendly user interface No proper revalidation by marketing department in checking the successful orders through eStore Shell was unsuccessful in projecting eStore as a better product than other applications like telephone.

Political Consciousness in Ancient Greece and Rome essays

Political Consciousness in Ancient Greece and Rome essays In order for societies to have political consciousness they must understand that the state is secular, the states purpose is to serve the people, and that citizens work to benefit the state. Although the level of political consciousness in the ancient period world was overall high, the level fluctuated between different societies. With different societies came different forms of government, different rulers, and different ideas of excellence. All of the differences contributed to the level of political consciousness in ancient societies. The political consciousness in the Athenian Polls, the Hellenistic Kingdoms, and the Roman Principate are perfect examples of societies with different ideas, governments, and political consciousness. During the period of the Athenian Polls (600-431 B.C.), the Athenians were experiencing a time of high political consciousness. The Athenians felt that they were part of something greater than themselves, their polis. The citizens of the Athenian Polls understood that the state was secular, which means the state is created by people not God. Although the government was ruled and influenced by aristocrats, the farmers and peasants felt secure in their polis. Around 600 B.C. a plea was heard from the citizens of Athens to cancel debts and give land to the poor. The state responded by canceling all land debts, outlawed loans based on humans as collateral, and freed people who had fallen into slavery because of debt. These actions showed that the states purpose was to serve the Athenian citizens. The citizens also became more involved in the government with the formation of the social classes and the assembly. With a stable government in place and the support of the Athenian ci tizens, the state was able to concentrate on beautifying Athens, increasing trade, and building a standing army to fight the invading Persians. In the Persian War, the Athenians showed their determination to ...

Tanglewood Stores - Measurement and Validation Essay

Tanglewood Stores - Measurement and Validation - Essay Example The  table gives a clear analysis of various variables. It shows an estimate of the correlation between some of the common predictors like education, managerial interviews, job experience and the measures /variables of performance, citizenship, absence along with other correlations between the proposed predictors like biodata, applicant exams, extraversion, consciousness and retail knowledge. Content validity of the methods of selection is one of the key questions that have to be addressed.There are quite a number of scales that Tanglewood proposed which perfectly match the content that they are intended to measure.And they also correspond properly with the specific work of store associates.  First, we have the retail market knowledge exam which comprises of questions that pertain to the industry and the uniqueness of Tanglewood in the industry. This is properly done and very relevant in the sense that it is related to the basic knowledge of some of the vital marketing principles.Marshfield applicant exam which aims at helping individuals to get some problem-solving abilities, accuracy and fluency in numerical concepts.The personality exam is aimed at identifying the various personality types of those intending to work with Tanglewood.This is necessary for it assists the management to understand the kind of employees to put in various departments. If Tanglewood is interested in getting some of the best people to work for them, there a quite a number of things that they must do. They should focus more on aspects like education of the individual, his or her competencies, the experience he or she has in that particular are to avoid hiring people who lack the know-how and ensure that they give them more training pertaining the kind of duties that the organisation offers. For instance, those in the human resource have to be assisted on how to hire the best people for particular jobs within the stores. The above names predictors are some of the best because they will  ensure that the organisation has people who are competent and know what they are required of by their employers.  

Nutrition and Autism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Nutrition and Autism - Assignment Example Moreover, the elimination of lead-loaded petro has been identified as a deliberate campaign program that has been adopted to eliminate the adverse effects of the chemical substances. The article, therefore, links development of autism t exposure to chemical agents and thus its prevention lies squarely on elimination of exposure. Besides, the author identifies that children are more prone to these chemical agents. Exposure is mainly through maternal transfer to the baby during pregnancy or consistent early exposure to these chemicals. Whichever the case, there are over 200 chemicals that have been proven in laboratories to inhibit brain development. However, there is a critical impediment identified by the author as stumbling a block in avoidance of these chemicals. Firstly, the threshold to prove is too high and require study sample with the control group that is impossible due to ethical consideration. Besides, there are still gaps in chemical neurotoxicity tests leading to insufficient literature (Grandjean and Landrigan 2169). Despite the shortcomings, the article suggests removal of food items that contain these dangerous elements. I feel that the article is scientific and ought to offer direction to food industries that use chemical additives as preservatives or as food components. Mercury and lead have been identified many times as the dangerous elements whose exposure at pregnancy predisposes to teratogenicity. I consider the article findings on chemicals in food, fuel or any other source substantially convincing and policy makers should work around the clock to prevent exposure as an important step in prevention against autism and related conditions. The article explores nutrition, autism and how a combination of nutritional supplements can benefit autistic children. It further reports experimental studies that help affirm suggestion that vitamin B6 and Magnesium element combination is more

Hazard and vulnerability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hazard and vulnerability - Essay Example The assumption that 'natural' disasters are inherently and predominantly natural phenomena has tended to exclude the social sciences from consideration in much of the spending that is done in disaster preparedness. This is despite the fact that over the last twenty years a considerable literature on disasters has emerged from human geography, sociology, anthropology and (to a lesser extent) economics. For many years, social science has contributed to policy formation for disasters (especially in the Third World) through the activities of many Non-Government Organisations (NGOs). The initial development of vulnerability analysis is then rooted in social science, and in a sense has constituted a political economy of disasters to the analysis of devastating events that are normally associated with natural hazards. At its most simplistic, vulnerability analysis asserts that for there to be a disaster there has to be not only a natural hazard, but also a vulnerable population. Much of the conventional work on disasters has been dominated by 'hard science', and has been a product of the prominence that natural phenomena have acquired in the disaster causation process. But this 'physicalist' approach is also a result of the social construction of disasters as events that demonstrate the human condition as subordinate to Nature.

Use And Problems Of Expert Witnesses In Court Law Essay

Use And Problems Of Expert Witnesses In Court Law Essay It is an ancient common law rule that on a subject requiring special knowledge and competence, evidence is admissible from witnesses who have acquired the necessary expertise on that matter, and such witnesses are known as experts.  [1]  The foundation of the use of expert witness in court was laid down by Lord Mansfield in Folkes v. Chadd  [2]  that the opinion of scientific men upon proven facts may be given within their own science. Although opinion evidence is inadmissible as a general rule, the main exception to this rule is the opinion of an expert on matters resting within his expertise, and this exception applies in both civil and criminal cases. Regarding the civil proceedings, the statutory recognition of the exception is reflected by section 58(1) of the Evidence Ordinance (Cap 8) that an experts opinion is admissible on any relevant matter on which he is qualified to give expert evidence. However, there is an issue of potential conflict of interest on the expert w itness.  [3]  On one hand, an expert witness has a paramount duty to assist the court; on the other hand, he is remunerated for his services by one of the parties under the adversary system, which assumed a more partisan role for them at the expense of impartiality.  [4]   This essay aims to examine whether the aspiration of expert objectivity is realistic in our adversary system. In the next part, we shall discuss the problem of adversarial bias as well as the duties of expert witnesses. In part 3, the applicability of court appointed experts in Hong Kong will be examined with reference to the inquisitorial system. In part 4, we will explore the problems associated with the small population of potential experts in Hong Kong, followed by the courts power in dealing with expert disagreements in part 5. Finally, a conclusion will be drawn in the last part of this paper. The problems associated with expert witness It is often said that the principal danger of adversary expertise is motivational bias.  [5]  As expert witnesses are employed by one of the parties to the litigation and they would purposely mould their views to fit their clients proceedings. In fact, the problem of lack of objectivity in expert evidence is not a new phenomenon. As early as in Lord Abinger v. Ashton  [6]  , Sir George Jessel said: Undoubtedly there is a natural bias to do something serviceable for those who employ you and adequately remunerate you, and expert witness may even considered themselves as the paid agents of their employers. The problem of adversarial bias is also widespread in Hong Kong.  [7]  As identified in the Interim Report of the Working Party on Civil Justice Reform, a major problem concerning expert evidence is the partisanship and lack of independence among experts.  [8]  Thus, it is suggested by Professor Gary Edmond that partisanship may be an unavoidable feature of knowledge p roduction and expert opinion.  [9]   Another reason for lack of objective expert evidence is due to the problem of expert shopping, which is a process of selecting opinions from one expert after another, until the most favourable opinion to the partys case is found.  [10]  Since the choice of experts lies with the parties, the expert evidence is selected on the basis that would serve the best interests of their clients cases. Consequently the court does not necessarily obtain the most independent or objective expert evidence. The practice of selecting the most favorable expert is indeed a distortion of the rationale behind expert evidence as well as a discredit to the administration of justice. 2.1 The duties of expert witness Due to the concern about the failure of experts to provide an independent and objective opinion, a developed code of conduct has been set out in National Justice Compania Naviera SA v. Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd. (The Ikarian Reefer)  [11]  to clarify the duties of an expert witness. The most important parts are the first two numbered paragraphs, which stated that: 1) Expert evidence presented to the Court should be the independent product of the expert uninfluenced as to form or content by the exigencies of litigation  [12]  ; 2) An expert witness should provide independent assistance to the Court by way of objective unbiased opinion in relation to matters within his expertise  [13]  . The Ikarian Reefer guidelines remain a good law in Hong Kong, and the relevant principles were set out in paragraph L1/58/7 of Hong Kong Civil Procedure 2009. The expert witnesss overriding duty to provide independent and unbiased assistance to court is also reflected in Order 38, rule 3 5A of the Rules of the High Court (RHC) as well as the Code of Conduct for Expert Witness in Appendix D of RHC. Further guidance is provided in Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd. v. Commissioner of Rating and Valuation  [14]  that an expert also needs to ensure no omission of material facts that could divert from his concluded opinion. Although the adversary system may not have provided an ideal environment for the expert witnesses to maintain their independence and objectivity from their clients, I believed that the promulgation of code of conduct would have raised awareness of the expert witnesses in meeting the courts expectations, so that they will be less easily manipulated by lawyers, which can tend to rein in the widespread problem of expert bias in Hong Kong. Court-appointed experts Apart from a code of conduct for expert witnesses, some commentators have recommended other ways to reduce the problem of expert bias, and one of them is the appointment of court experts with reference to the inquisitorial system. It is common for the court to appoint experts in many continental jurisdictions, such as Belgium, Germany and France. Unlike the way to appoint experts under the adversarial system, the expert witnesses are selected and remunerated by an independent authority, usually the court rather than the parties, which may avoid the problem of adversarial bias.  [15]  Take an example of the French system of expertise, the judge would normally commission the expert witnesses from a list of official experts, and they will be questioned by the judge.  [16]  The major distinction between the adversarial and inquisitorial system of justice is that the parties play a minimal role in locating evidence and they need not actively engage with the expert witness in court , as the expert witness is infrequently cross-examined by the defendants. As the court-appointed expert has little interaction with the parties, they are more likely to give an objective and unbiased opinion to the Court. Nevertheless, it is argued that the appointment of court experts under the inquisitorial system is contrary to the principles of the adversarial system of justice. Apart from the loss of right for parties to select their own expert witnesses, there are a number of arguments that go against the inquisitorial court-appointed experts. First of all, the main problem is that the court may place undue reliance on the evidence provided by the court-appointed expert, which may lead to an ultimate result that it would be the court-appointed expert instead of the judge who decides the case.  [17]  This is also highlighted by Lord Denning in In re Saxton that the appointment of a court expert in England is a rare thing, as the litigants realize that the court would attach great weight to the report of a court expert, and are reluctant to leave the decision of the case so much in his hands.  [18]   Second, it is difficult to ensure the validity or test the applicability of the expert evidence in inquisitorial systems due to lack of cross-examination and involvement of more expert opinion, which are fundamental features of the adversarial system. In the absence of challenges to expert evidence, its quality and reliability is therefore doubtful as there is no way to test the correctness of the expert conclusion.  [19]  Moreover, the exercise of courts power to appoint an expert is rare under Order 40 of RHC in Hong Kong. It is indicated in the case of Nguyen Ho Others v. Director of Immigration  [20]  that the Court of Appeal has declined an invitation to appoint a court expert. Consequently, the inquisitorial court-appointed expert is difficult to integrate in our adversarial system, especially the important feature of cross-examination which encourages critical scrutiny of the expert evidence is lacking under the inquisitorial system.  [21]  It is also of my view that the adversarial expertise may benefit the fact-finder in another way by providing a range of perspectives or interpretations that allows verification of the validity and accuracy of the expert evidence in Court. Problems with small population of potential experts As Hong Kong is confronted with the problem of parties obtaining hired gun experts,  [22]  the concern of expert bias may also arise when the employer of the expert witness is the prosecution. This is particularly the case for criminal prosecutions, where the expert witnesses are commonly and closely connected with the police or prosecution authorities. In fact, the small population of available experts in Hong Kong would render the reliance on expert witnesses employed by the prosecution inevitable, for instance, police officers may be called by the prosecution as witnesses to give evidence in drug cases regarding the average dosage of drug addictsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. One may nonetheless argue that relying on the prosecutions own officers as expert witnesses to provide opinion evidence would prima facie cast a doubt on their independence and objectivity in that case. Thus, it raises the problem of whether it is possible to restrict the officers of the prosecution from giving opin ion evidence as an expert in his field to support the prosecutions case. In R v. Chung Chen Hsin  [23]  (Chung), a police officer ballistics expert, who was possibly connected with the investigation, was called by the prosecution as witness to testify for them that the unusual weapon found in the defendants hand luggage was a firearm. The court has made some important points regarding the right of the prosecution authority to call its own officers as expert witnesses to offer opinion evidence. It is held that there is no requirement in a criminal proceeding where the expert witness ought to be independent of the prosecution authority, but a witness who is competent and properly qualified to provide his expertise would suffice.  [24]  Judge Stuart Moore also challenged the judgment in R v. Kai Tai Construction Engineering Company Ltd.  [25]  by claiming that it was not a material irregularity for the prosecution to have called a properly qualified expert from the same department responsible for that prosecution, and there must be powerful reaso ns to cast a doubt on the expert called by the prosecution in order to justify the refusal to allow the prosecutions own officers as expert witnesses.  [26]  Moreover, even the expert witness is so closely connected to the case that he may be biased in favour of the prosecution, it is ultimately a matter remained for the jury to assess the weight to be attached to his testimony and the question of admissibility is irrelevant. The rationale in Chung was reaffirmed in many recent cases, such as Tang Ping Choi Another v. Secretary for Transport  [27]  , where the court held that an experts evidence was not inadmissible merely due to the fact that he or she was an employee of one of the parties to the case. With limited human resources in Hong Kong, the fact that many expert witnesses have been employed by the party calling them is nearly inevitable, especially for the technical matters that require highly specialized experts to offer their opinion evidence. Despite the possible lack of independence of the expert witnesses employed by the prosecution, it has been made clear by the Hong Kong courts that the expert evidence would not be excluded merely on that basis. Even though the expert witness may have produced a biased opinion due to his or her vested interest in the outcome of the case, it is only relevant to the weight to be attached to that experts testimony rather than the admissibility of evidence. Expert disagreement With one of more expert witnesses giving opinion evidence at court, it is possible to have a clash of opinion between opposing experts. In fact, we may divide the discussion into two parts: one is the role the judge if this situation happens at the trial; while the other is the judges powers to limit the extent of expert disagreement before the trial. First of all, if there are conflicting experts opinions during the trial, the judge will need to direct the jury correctly. It is held by the Court of Appeal in Plait  [28]  that the judge should not direct the jury in a way that it is a case of choosing between their opinion evidence. Rather, the jury should consider if there is a reasonable possibility that either the opinion of the prosecution or defence expert, when taken in conjunction with all the other evidence, is correct; then the jury should proceed on that basis. For the second part, the introduction of Civil Justice Reform in Hong Kong has offered the courts more control over the expert evidence, including measures to reduce the expert disagreement before the trial. The most common way for the court to narrow expert disagreement is to direct an expert meeting and joint report  [29]  , where the experts of both sides will meet before the trial and indicate clearly in the joint report the reason for their disagreement with each other. The direction is supported by Justice Wood that experts moderate their opposing views in the expert meeting, or even reach agreement on the controversial aspects of their expertise.  [30]  It is also noticed that the experts have a duty to attend this pre-trial meeting and conclude with a proper joint report, or otherwise, the defaulting expert would have breached paragraph 12 of the Code of Conduct for Expert Witness. Furthermore, the court has an option to order the appointment of a single joint expert under Order 38, rule 4A of RHC. Under this scheme, parties may jointly choose the single joint expert, or the court can select from a list prepared by the parties or any manner as the court may direct. Although the use of single joint expert may allow the fact-finder to have a simpler and less-biased picture over the technical matter, it is stressed in the Woolfs final report that the appointment of a single joint expert is mainly used to deal with the problem of excessive and inappropriate use of experts instead of bridging the differences of opinion between experts.  [31]   As a result, it is believed that the direction of pre-trial expert meeting and joint report will be more useful to narrow the conflicting opinion between experts rather than the appointment of a single joint expert. Conclusion With increasing technological sophistication of issues in courts, it is no doubt that the expert witness is playing a more significant role in the judicial process. Unlike other witnesses, the expert witness has an overriding duty to the court to provide objective and unbiased opinion evidence. An absence of independence and objectivity on the part of the expert witness would be prejudicial to the court, and consequently lead to a devaluing role of the expert witness in the court proceedings. It is opined that the introduction of the code of conduct as well as the new rules under the Civil Justice Reform in Hong Kong have evolved new roles for the expert witness. By setting court expectations in respect of the expert evidence, the expert witness would strive to meet the high standards and adhere to their duties and responsibilities listed in the rules. Despite the effort of the expert witness, I believe the concerted efforts by all streams of the judicial system are also vital to restore not only the credibility of the role of expert witness, but also publics confidence in the administration of justice. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS M. R. Damaska, Evidence Law Adrift (New Haven London: Yale University Press, 1997) Mike Redmayne, Expert Evidence and Criminal Justice (OUP, Oxford 2001) Peter Murphy, Murphy on Evidence (10th edn OUP, Oxford 2008) Simon NM Young, Hong Kong Evidence Casebook (Sweet Maxwell Asia, Hong Kong 2004) ARTICLES REPORTS Charles Pugh Marcus Pilgerstorfer, Expert Evidence: The Requirement of Independence (2008) Journal of Personal Injury Law 224. Chief Justices Working Party on Civil Justice Reform, Civil Justice Reform: Interim Report and Consultative Paper (2001) Gary Edmond, After Objectivity: Expert Evidence and Procedural Reform 25 Sydney Law Review 131. Gary Edmond, Judicial Representations of Scientific Evidence (2000) 63 Modern Law Review 216. J.R Spencer, Court Experts and Expert Witnesses: Have We a Lesson to Learn from the French? (1992) 45 Current Legal Problems 213. Lord Woolf MR, Access to Justice: Final Report to the Lord Chancellor on the Civil Justice System in England and Wales (HMSO, London 1996) Peter Alldridge, Forensic Science and Expert Evidence (1994) 21 Journal of Law and Society 136. Samuel Gross, Expert Evidence (1991) Wisconsin Law Review 1113. NEWSPAPER Cliff Buddle, Judge calls expert witness mercenary SCMP (22 March 2002) EDT 7. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES Justice Sperling, Expert Evidence: The Problem of Bias and Other Things (1999): accessed 13 March 2011. Justice Garry Downes AM, Expert Evidence: The Value of Single or Court-Appointed Experts (2005): accessed 13 March 2011. Michael Wilkinson, Recent Developments Affecting Expert Evidence in Law Lectures for Practitioners (1991): accessed 13 March 2011. CASES Folkes v. Chadd [1782] 99 ER 589 Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd. v. Commissioner of Rating and Valuation [2004] 2 HKLRD 702 In re Saxton [1962] 1 WLR 968 Lord Abinger v. Ashton [1874] 22 WR 582 National Justice Compania Naviera SA v. Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd. [1993] 2 Lloyds Rep. 68 Nguyen Ho Others v. Director of Immigration [1990] Civ App No 135 of 1990 Plait [1981] CrimLR 332 Polivitte Ltd. V. Commercial Union Assurance [1987] 1 Lloyds Rep. 379 R v. Chung Chen Hsin [1996] 1 HKCLR 120 R v. Kai Tai Construction Engineering Company Ltd. [1996] 2 HKCLR 26 Tang Ping Choi Another v. Secretary for Transport [2004] 2 HKLRD 284 Whitehouse v. Jordan [1981] 1 WLR 246

Emergency Room Overutilization Essay -- Emergency Room Misuse

Emergency room over utilization is one of the leading causes of today’s ever increasing healthcare costs. The majority of the patients seen in emergency rooms across the nation are Medicaid recipients, for non-emergent reasons. The federal government initiated Medicaid Managed Care programs to offer better healthcare delivery, adequately compensate providers and reduce healthcare costs. Has Medicaid Managed Care addressed the issues and solved the problem? The answer is ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. Throughout the early 1980’s and 1990’s the Federal Medicaid program was challenged by rapidly rising Medicaid program costs and an increasing number of uninsured population. One of the primary reasons for the overall increase in healthcare costs is the over utilization of hospital emergency rooms. This is a direct result of not having a primary care physician and/or family doctor who is the main source of healthcare delivery for an individual and/or entire family The traditional Medicaid program does not offer, or require, recipients to choose a primary care physician like, its counterpart, Medicare. Medicare still operates under the traditional fee-for-service methodology and does not require beneficiaries to identify and primary provider as well as having direct access to specialty services. This allows a cost sharing approach which results in higher out-of-pocket expenses and does not cover drug or prescription benefits. In an effort to offer better healthcare services and access as well as reduce costs the federal government allowed the States to turn to managed care and proposed a mandatory statewide implementation for the Medicaid population. In order to make major changes like these, states have to request waivers of Medicaid regulatio... ...sive.(Practice Trends)." Clinical Psychiatry News 33.2 (Feb 2005): 88(1). Academic OneFile. Thomson Gale. University of Phoenix. Retrieved February 25, 2013 from: . 5. Roohan, Patrick J., Anarella, Joseph P., & Gesten, Foster C. (July-August 2004) Quality oversight and improvement in Medicaid managed care.(Quality Assurance Reporting Requirements ). In Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 10, p321(9). 6. Wang, Cheng, Villar, Maria Elena, Mulligan, Deborah A., & Hansen, Toran. (Nov 2005) Cost and utilization analysis of a Pediatric Emergency Department Diversion Project. In Pediatrics, 116, p1075(5). Retrieved July 11, 2013, from InfoTrac OneFile via Thomson Gale:

Response on Quote from “The Waiting Years” by Fumiko Enchi Essay

In Chapter 1, of â€Å"The First Bloom† of the book â€Å"The Waiting Years† by author Fumiko Enchi, (Fumiko, 2002) it was easy to identify the little girl as one who was so important amid the small pace of the town. Suga was going to dance †Plum Blossom in Spring† where all eyes would be on her.   She was going to be looked at and judged according to her dance that day, in her mind,   which set the atmosphere for tension and apprehension of what they would think about her recital and about Suga.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Suga seemed so innocent and she always maintained her respectful nature as she did as she walked toward the school teacher’s house and you could sense that this dance was going to be very important to Suga.   She remained respectable, as you think about her life with an impoverished family in a world of young girls who were selected as future bride’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The setting in this piece of work was magnificent as I imagined the tiny house in this poor community.   The stage in the teacher’s house must have been so magical for Suga and for the other little girl who was already dancing when she arrived.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I feel sorry for Suga as I understand that she and every other girl is always being looked at but for the recital, I think this is one time when she really does want to be noticed and for something other than being a girl who will be chosen for other things in life besides her dancing. I think that this quote offers a good look into the life of Suga and gives a vivid description of her life and surroundings. Enchi, Fumiko, (2002) The Waiting Years, Oxford University Press, p.24

Chinese Dynastys Over Time †History Essay

Chinese Dynastys Over Time – History Essay Free Online Research Papers Chinese Dynastys Over Time History Essay It is not unusual that we study famous and important people in history in order to understand what was going on at that time. However, did these people really change the history? I always wonder whether the present would be different if some of these people were not born. Are we meant to be where we are now or everything is just by chance? These questions are especially critical in modern Chinese history because there were many regimes and groups for different types of people’s interests. It seems like there were so many possibilities that maybe the history could really be different than the way it is. There is an old saying in Chinese-, (a one-hundred-year-old worm, its body would not be rotten after its death). It means that regimes which have ruled for a long time do not fail easily even though it is dead inside. Qing dynasty could be the best example; it did not collapse right away due to the internal and external problems, and it managed to get through the nineteenth century and on until 1912. Partial credit must be given to those scholars who worked hard on the Confucian restoration, trying to reform and revive Qing dynasty. Zeng Guofan was one of the most important representatives of this restoration attitude. Even though Zeng thought highly of traditional scholarly and moral values, soon he saw â€Å"the value of making selective use of Western technology† (Spence, P195). His good friend, Feng Guifen also presented Zeng a series of ideas about how and why â€Å"China must learn to strengthen itself†-â€Å"Why are France and Britain [they] small but strong? The answer lay†¦in four main areas, utilizing all their manpower resource, exploiting their soil to the full, maintaining close bonds between rulers and subjects, and ensuring ‘the necessary accord of word with deed’† (Spence P195). Not only did Zeng and Feng, scholars far away from the political center Beijing, realize that â€Å"China must learn to strengthen itself† (Spence P195). Prince Gong, an important Manchu in the royal family, also â€Å"emerge[d] as a reformer in the Tongzhi Restoration period† (Spence 198). Under his efforts, schools in Beijing started to offer classes in foreign languages, Western technology, science, mathematics, international law, etc. Also, Qing dynasty sent out teenagers to U.S.A., Europe and Japan to study in their schools, hoping these people could bring back the most updated technology in Western society. After Zeng’s death, Li Hongzhang gained the trust from the express dowager Cixi. He encouraged Chi nese people to open their own factories, to try to reduce foreign import , to develop arsenals and build up the Chinese navy army. These practices definitely boomed the Chinese economy and strengthened the Qing dynasty. However, the disastrous defeat in Sino-Japan war made it clear that â€Å"self-strengthening† was not as helpful as people expected-â€Å"the north China navy†¦with yet more damaging consequences to China’s self-strengthening goals† (Spence p221). Holding the fear that China would be carved up in the coming future, scholars attempted to seek a way to rescue China from Western domination. After the war with Japan in 1895, many people were amazed that Japan, such a small country, had managed to become so successful in only a few decades. Almost at the same time, because Japan was â€Å"not yet ready to risk an open test of strength with the forces of Russia or of other potentially hostile European countries† (Howard, p281), the Japanese government decided to develop a positive relationship with China. They offered assistance against Russia and other western powers, which was also in their own interest. Japan’s success and its assistance to China especially in â€Å"expanding and improving Chinese [its] military establishment† (Howard p283), started an trend in China that many scholars were attracted to the Japan’s restoration history and they believed China should follow Japan in its own restoration. Kang Youwei was the one who really tried to put these ideas into practice. He gained much of his knowledge of the Meiji reform in Japan from books. Kang’s faith in China’s success following Japan came from the similarity between China and Japan, the work Japan had already done, including the translation of an enormous amount of Western books, and Japan’s positive and helpful attitude towards the Chinese restoration. Kang was very eager to put his ideas intoreality after â€Å"his observations of the corruption and irresponsibility in political life†¦and the humiliation of the defeat by Japan† (Howard, p289). Finally, Kang got the chance to present his ideas to the young emperor, Guangxu, and received an enthusiastic response. With hopes that China might become as strong as Japan through the restoration, Guangxu, called for changes in four areas including â€Å"abolition of the highly stylized format known as ‘eight-legged essay’†¦t he convention of old academics to modern schools offering both Chinese and Western learning†¦local officials to increase the production of tea and silk for export†¦and the strengthening of armed forces† (Spence, p228). Guangxu mistakenly thought his aunt, the empress dowager Cixi would support him but Cixi was afraid of her power being taken away, she issued an edict on 21st September, 1898 that â€Å"the emperor had asked her to resume power† (Spence, p229), and ended all the movement. Many people argue that Kang’s picking Guangxu as the person to put his ideas into reality was a huge mistake, but it is less noticed that there were not many options for Kang. Kang had never got a chance to go to Japan to observe its policy until 1898, and all of his knowledge of Japan, especially about Meiji reform came from books. He was only a scholar without military power or bureaucratic experiences, and he needed to rely on someone who would appreciate his ideas and also be powerful enough to make a difference. He wanted to rescue China from western power which made it impossible for him to turn to western countries for assistance. At the same time in the Qing court where were full of conservative officials, his only hope left to be the young emperor even though he had nothing but a throne. Kang turned to Japan government for help after the failure of the movement, but all he got was private support from Okuma which was not even strong enough to rescue Guangxu. It is alm ost predictable that Kang would fail eventually because the â€Å"constitutional reformers† did not have any solid military power to support them and all the assistance they received from Japan was mostly sympathy but not anything practical. In this battle between the â€Å"conservative Qing officials’† and Kang as â€Å"constitutional reformers†, Zhang Zhidong played an interesting role. It seems to most people that it was difficult to understand which side he really supported. In his book-Quanxue Pian’s Inner chapters, he talks about â€Å"why the idea of popular power did not fit China’s needs† (Hon, p89), which made him in the opposite position of â€Å"constitutional reformers†. However, in the outer chapters, he suggested that people should not â€Å"stop(ped) eating altogether because of a hiccup† which encouraged people to change the old institutions according to the present needs. Zhang’s ambiguous attitude seemed to be confusing, however, still explicable. According to Tze-Ki Hon in his â€Å"Zhang Zhidong’s Proposal for Reform†, Zhang was â€Å"an experienced bureaucrat who knew how to bend to the political wings† (Hon, p95). I n Zhang’s time, there were two streams of power with conflicts. Even though Zhang had his own opinions of restoration and he wanted to reform the court, his experience as a bureaucrat prevented him from stepping up to support Kang. Therefore he proposed a coherent plan for founding a system to train new talent, which would slowly reform the Qing court. At the same time, he also worked on â€Å"how to reduce China’s reliance on foreign imports and†¦to build an efficient railroad system to improve transportation and bring the country together with a strong sense of national identity† (Hon, p93). Zhang’s plans might work but the emergence of Sun Yat-sen certainly did not give Zhang a chance to â€Å"gradually reform the Qing court†. Respected as the â€Å"Father of the Nation† in China, Sun Yat-sen showed his sympathy to Taiping rebellion and anti-Manchu hatred when he was very young-â€Å"while studying in Canton and Hong Kong, he is said to have admired Hong Xiuquan [Hung Hsiuchuan]† (Schiffrin, p 445). Different with Kang, Sun Yat-sen was not just a scholar who learned from books, he was fluent in English, and he had studied in many western countries. Being anti-Manchu, Sun realized that he needed assistance from foreigners â€Å"that no major political change could be carried out in China without the active assistance or friendly neutrality of foreigners† (Schiffrin, p447), therefore he went to Britain and Japan for assistance. Again and again, Sun showed his capability to â€Å"impress individual foreigners† (Schiffrin, p450). To British, he showed his â€Å"Christian affiliation† but in Japan, he appeared to be Asian and asked for help in â€Å"wiping away the humiliation of Asian yellow race† (Schiffrin, p452). Not only did Sun’s speech touch many foreigners’ hearts, also his image as a â€Å"Western-educated and Christian leader[s] of the Society to Restore China’s prosperity† also led foreigners to believe that they could benefit more from Sun in commercial trade, compared to Qing court which was trying to â€Å"reduce China’s reliance on foreign imports† (Hon, p93). All together, Sun successfully built up a positive relationship with foreigners, which brought him to the forefront of the anti-Manchu revolutionary movement-â€Å"Why was Sun chosen leader? †¦ one of the crucial factors was the overriding concern with the foreign threat and Sun’s purported ability to neutralize it.† (Schiffrin, p462). Sun’s success undoubtedly came from his personal charm, excellent lectures and his accurate analysis to complicated situations. At that time in China, foreigners were too influential to be neglected. Sun’s decision to develop a positive relationship with foreigners was definitely one of the key reasons why he succeeded to crash the Qing court and ended the â€Å"emperor system† existing in China for more than 2000 years. Unfortunately too much dependence on foreigners might also be the reason why he eventually failed to found a Republic China. From Zeng Guofan, Kang Youwei, Zhang Zhidong, to Sun Yat-sen, they all contributed to some degree to the modern Chinese revolution. However, as we may see from examples above, their success and failure were determined by the circumstances that existed where they were. I am not trying to argue that their individual beliefs were not influential in their decision making. On the contrary, the more we analyze how and why they made the decisions they did, the more we can see they did not have that many options. Inevitable as the outcome of the decisions were, I still appreciate the fact that they brought their personality into the decision making process, a truth without which they would not be known by us today. The Search for Modern China 2nd Edition, Spence Jonathan, New York, 1999 Howard, Richard Japans Role in the Reform Program of Kang Yu-wei Hon, Tze-ki, â€Å"Zhang Zhidong’s Proposal for Reform: A New Reading of the Quanxue pian Schiffrin, Harold Z., â€Å"The Enigma of Sun Yat-sen,† in China in Revolution: The First Phase, 1900-1913, ed. by Mary C. Wright Research Papers on Chinese Dynasty's Over Time - History EssayDefinition of Export QuotasWhere Wild and West MeetAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Bringing Democracy to Africa19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeTwilight of the UAWOpen Architechture a white paperAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaPETSTEL analysis of India

Tennessee Walking Horse WGC Essays

Tennessee Walking Horse WGC Essays Tennessee Walking Horse WGC Essay Tennessee Walking Horse WGC Essay Every now and then a special bond occurs between a father and a daughter. It all began when my dad saw a Christmas promotion in the newspaper stating that Lowest home improvement store was giving away Dusty the pony on Christmas Eve, no purchase necessary. Dad was only 9 years old, but he got my grandmother to drop him off at Lowest the morning of the drawing. And the winner of Dusty the pony is Andrew Waiters (my dad)! Dad then got a Job at a Tennessee Walking Horse stable where the owner agreed to board and feed Dusty in exchange for my dads irking at the barn after school. Two years later, the owner took my dad to the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. It was then that my dad saw Reeves Little Boy crowned World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Pony. My dad told himself that if he could ever afford a real walking horse, he would want it to be Just like Reeves Little Boy and win the Pony World Grand Championship. When I was around 8 years old, my dad took me to a Walking Horse barn. I loved riding the huge, high stepping show horses, so my dad bought me my first horse. No there thrill topped showing in a ring full of horses with a great audience watching, even though most of the time I came out without a ribbon. More importantly, showing provided a gateway for a father/daughter relationship unlike any other I know. I began to dream about winning a World Grand Championship. After several years, my dad presented me with Prime Polios, a spectacular horse and together we became the leading contenders for the Juvenile World Grand Champion Walking Pony. At the Celebration however, I was disqualified over a minor technicality. To make matters rose, I was the leading contender again the next year, and was once again disqualified for another minor Infraction! Not giving up, I returned to the ring for a third and probably last time. This time, Prime Polios and I won the preliminary class and qualified for the World Grand Championship the following week. As show time arrived, I began to get nervous for the first time since Dad and I began this Journey. Having 30,000+ people watching every move Prime Polios and I made In the ring was quite nerve racking. Prime Polios was spectacular, and I was overwhelmed when I eared the announcer call out The winner of the 2010 World Grand Champion Walking Pony Is Lilly Wallets and Prime Polios! Everything blurred and I could hardly stay on Prime Polios as we made our victory lap to the applause of 30,000 people. Dad understood that my ride on Prime Polios that August night was the fulfillment of my 7-year dream, and I understood that my ride had fulfilled my dads 37-year dream. Two dreams fulfilled with one ride! Tennessee Walking Horse WAC By Toastiest dad presented me with Prime Poison, a spectacular horse and together we became qualified for another minor infraction! Not giving up, I returned to the ring for a third and probably last time. This time, Prime Poison and I won the preliminary class Having 30,000+ people watching every move Prime Poison and I made in the ring was quite nerve racking. Prime Poison was spectacular, and I was overwhelmed when I Walking Pony is . . Lilly Waiters and Prime Poison! Everything blurred and I could hardly stay on Prime Poison as we made our victory lap to the applause of 30,000 Dad understood that my ride on Prime Poison that August night was the

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2.Outline and analyse the concept of ideological hegemony. Employ the concept in analysis of a piece of text - Essay Example Gramsci’s idea of ideological hegemony is related to his view of the role of the intellectuals in the society as mediators. Journalists are also included in the blurred category of ‘intellectuals’, though Gramsci says this with a slight tone of regret (141). In Prison Notebooks, Gramsci argues that intellectuals do not constitute a separate class but rather perform certain functions: â€Å"All men are intellectuals, one could therefore say: but not all men have in society the function of intellectuals† (Gramsci 140). This means that there can be no stable class characteristic of the intellectual ‘elite’ that controls ‘masses’ (particularly, by the means of media). Such role is obtained as a function, in the process of social interactions between different groups. As the influence of such groups is not limited to their official status or the power assigned to them by law, Gramsci distinguishes between ‘dominant groups’ and state institutions: he says that intellectuals are the functionaries of such â€Å"superstructures† of the society as â€Å"civil society† (â€Å"private†) and â€Å"political society† (â€Å"the State†) (145). The former corresponds â€Å"to the function of â€Å"hegemony† which the dominant group exercises throughout society† (Gramsci 145). Thus, â€Å"hegemony† is achieved on the discoursive level, by the influence of the messages and social relations that are reproduced more successfully than that of the other ‘groups’. In Allan’s wording, it manifests itself through â€Å"persuasion† rather than â€Å"coercion† (109). The main tool of this reproduction (often used unconsciously) is so-called ‘common sense’, an intricate game of representing some group’s opinion in the â€Å"common language† of the other groups of the society (or most of them). According to Gr amsci, ‘common sense’ lies in the conventions of cultural entities within the society and is carried in language, or,

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The Handmaid's Tale - Essay Example Offred is placed to serve under the commander and Serena. The age of infertility has reduced Gilead to offer the provision of demeaning women freedom. Offred serves as the example of the limited freedom presented within the society as the chores that she has been assigned with to complete present restriction within the society. Women are restricted and offered the challenge of progressing within the society as the captives converted into Handmaids. Offred had been declined to a demeaning routine that saw the creation of limited opportunity for the progress of women in a disruptive community. However, Atwood includes a solution in the rebellion Mayday that the Handmaid Ofglen belongs to, and the organization plots to overthrow Gilead to restore freedom to the society. The events within the tale suggest the achievement of redemption in the rebellious group and the quest to seek lost love that has been within the previous regime. Through the character selection with the main character O ffred, Atwood combines bold language and reference to develop a dystopian society within Gilead. Offred, as the leading character, directs the reader to discover a changed society from the traditional U.S. that presents freedom ad free ideology. This mechanism is achieved through the application of flashback that explains the affair that she has had with her lover in Luke. The society presented had offered minimal opportunity for advances, and she failed to find the similar affection as in the previous regime. Atwood writes, â€Å"What I feel towards them is blankness. What I feel is that I must not feel. What I feel is partly relief, because none of these men is Luke. Luke wasn't a doctor. Isn't,† (Atwood 33). Offred explains that she has lost a remarkable past that promised better lifestyle and resolution to her miserable progress. The events that had led to the loss of her lover and daughter did not impair her judgment to recognize her achievement. Atwood’s vibrant reference to the moral decay within the society serves as the lesson to highlight the use of humanity as tools to impress a tyrannical regime. She explained the role created in the Handmaid that represented the immorality within Gilead. Offred had been used as the tool of the Commander, and served to sexually satisfy the family and conceive children. This is presented in her position as the Handmaid to the house, and she struggled with the lifestyle that had been established. The Republic of Gilead is depicted as the environment that harbored injustice and tolerated moral degradation in demeaning the role of the woman. Atwood recognizes this provision through bold imagery and reference to sexual situations that the Handmaids has been subjected to tolerate. Atwood explains that sex is applied as a tool to progress and has lost its meaning in the Gilead society. â€Å"I'm not talking about sex, he says. That was part of it, the sex was too easy,† (Atwood 210). The phrase is app lied to explain that sex has lost its true meaning and is used by the dictators as a means of pleasure with women serving as objects to be manipulated. The role is referred to the Handmaids that were considered servants after being enslaved. Atwood develops the role of the Handmaids who were trained under Aunt Lydia, but issues the recognition of the weakness of the male character due to love. Aunt Lydia serves as the character that shaped the recognition o