Hinduism Temple Visit Personal Experience Reflection

Hinduism is a religion of religions; it is one of the first as we know it. It isnt just a religion however, it is a way of life. A culture that India has been known for having. I have discovered that Hinduism is so much more than a religion or a culture. As a matter of fact it is a way of being; a way of life. Hinduism has been a journey for me and it all came alive through the need to write this paper. When I first met up with my host, Devi, I noticed her garments right away. She had her hair down with silver earrings a shirt that looked like Indian garb. It was White with golden inlay. It was beautiful! She wore beige leggings and dark flats. Devi had bracelets on both of her wrists too. On her left wrist, there was a thick†¦show more content†¦It seemed to be symmetrical. I was told that it is symmetrical so that the balance of the chakras and other energies around are in check and aligned. Devi then asked if she could take some time to meditate. There were m any people doing this in the temple on rugs. I like meditation, but it also gave me more of a chance to observe everything. The people throughout the temple, did not have a uniform way of sitting, like the movies perceive monks and meditation. One thing I noticed that was similar with everyone, was that all arms and legs were inside of the vehicle at all times. No one had any limbs off the sides of the rugs. The people in the temple who we praying were in a sitting position for the most part, but I dont know if you could call this a lotus position or not. I know that in yoga, the lotus position is with the legs intermingled almost in a cross-legged form fashion, with the arms out and placed on the knees. When we were finished with this, Devi showed me a place in the temple where they had a chimney and a fire blazing. Fire is the most powerful of the elements in the Hindi culture. The fire is a reminder to us, that the fire can purify and can also destroy us. This is why it is considered to be the most powerful. Devi said that after her son, Rishi, was born, the family had a ceremony with fire to represent him coming into the world. Rishis youth and innocence were pure like the fire, and any impurities were to burn away in theShow MoreRelatedEmptiness Is Not Nothingness2013 Words   |  9 PagesEmptiness is not Nothingness Emptiness is not Nothingness One of the most beautiful places I have ever had the opportunity to experience. An â€Å"experience† is the perfect term to describe it, far more than just a visit, the experience of entering a place so different than what I have known through my life and so beautiful in its own respect was an unbelievable opportunity. Kawasaki Daishi What an appropriate setting for the peaceful meditation, chants, and daily prayersRead MoreEssay about Worldview Comparison3374 Words   |  14 PagesReflection Paper Anon. Moral Reasoning and Worldview October 24, 2011 Summary This paper will summarize the Christian worldview perspective, while offering an overview of my own worldview; a Christian perspective with a spin I like to say. The ANA Code of Ethics, Provision 2 will be looked at in relation to an issue experienced in my personal practice and I will apply the Christian perspective as well as a Modern worldview perspective and explore how the application of each could affect theRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesthings about Ennis Edmondss Rastafari: From Outcasts to Culture Bearers is that it correctly traces the connection between the emergence of Rastafarianism and the history of resistance and black consciousness that has been part of the Jamaican experience for years. The truth is that there has always been a committed Jamaican counter- culture that celebrates and sees redemption in Africa and rejects the European values that have oppressed a society. But prior to the advent of popular culture andRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pagesand problems represent linkages to an integrative project management view. The chapter content of the text has been placed within an overall framework that integrates these topics in a holistic manner. Cases and snapshots are included from the experiences of practicing managers. The future for project managers appears to be promising. Careers will be determined by success in managing projects. Student Learning Aids The text Web site (www.mhhe.com/larsongray5e) includes study outlines, online

Comparing Creons Metamorphosis in Antigone, Oedipus the...

Creons Metamorphosis in Antigone, Oedipus the King, and Oedipus at Colonus Temptation is ever present in our society and always has been throughout human history. When a person gives into temptation, this is seen as a sign of weakness. Usually, after a person has given into temptation once, that person will find each successive temptation easier and easier to give in to. Before realizing it, this person has changed into a completely false, morally lacking being. Over the course of Sophocles three plays Antigone, Oedipus the King, and Oedipus at Colonus, Creon gradually changes from a moral, just king into a morally corrupt and deceptive character. In the opening of the first Theban play, Oedipus the†¦show more content†¦Who would?* How could kingship Please me more than influence, power Without a qualm? (Lines 654-665). Even the chorus backs Creon up in his self-defense. After Creon tells Oedipus not to Convict me on sheer unverified surmise (Line 683), the chorus agrees with Creon, telling Oedipus, Good advice / my lord, for anyone who wants to avoid disaster. / Those who jumps to conclusions may go wrong (Lines 691-693). Even when it is evident that Oedipus should excuse Creon of this great accusation, Oedipus remains ignorant. At this point, the audience, knowing that he is unwarrantedly being accused of high treason, pities Creon. Towards the end of Oedipus the King, Creons change first becomes apparent. Now that Oedipus has blinded himself and gives up his throne, his seat is left unfilled. Although Creon doesnt jump at the opportunity to become the new king, he takes on some authority, driving out Oedipus from the land. Even though it was Oedipus idea to be exiled, Creon does little to stop him, perhaps realizing with Oedipus gone, it is he who will be king. Creons change is greatly noticed in the next Theban play, Oedipus at Colonus. It is in this play where the audience sees Creon as a different person and begins to grow a great hatred toward him. First, it is implied that Creon must have taken the throne with some kind of force. Oedipus at Colonus describes the way in which Oedipus

Faith in Development Theory

Question: Does Faith have a place in Development Theory? Answer: Introduction Within the sphere of psychology, religious development has always been a major topic of interest since the beginning of this domain. Several researches have been done focusing on the developmental theory that has indicated a severe change in the complexity in both the behavioral and cognitive growth (Andrade 2014). However, the Faith Development Theory of James Fowler has been considered to be the most powerful framework with this field. The concept of the development debate was initially introduced in 1949, but has always been debated until a single explanation as to its meaning came (Nicholas 2014. In the initial stage, the term development was considered to be a concept in the economic field. Over the course of time, the concept of development has evolved and outgrew from the economic concept and included other concepts under an umbrella term. Later, the term development has been described as the procedure of enlarging the choice of people. However, the debate continued around hav ing an exact definition of development. The concept of faith have included with the developmental theory in later times. In this essay, the place of the concept of faith in the development theory has been critically discussed. Discussion In the early stages, the theory of development has been introduced by the president Truman in 1949, since then the concept was a topic of continuous debate (Bloch and Richmond 2015). The terms underdeveloped and developing have always been associated with the economic field. In the early stage, development and progress both were interrelated terms and progress was related with the economic growth. Later, several other concepts started getting included with the term development and evolved not only as an economic term but also as the quality of life that cannot be assessed only in terms of economic term. Concepts such as literacy, health care, infant mortality were associated with the concept of development (Heist and Cnaan 2016). Also, the identification of the needs of the needy and who exactly has the right to identify those needs were very much emphasized. Thus a traditional top down approach have started developing and it led to the grass root approach with the much popularized c oncepts like empowerment and participation. However, the continuous debate with the concept of development had been going on, there was a major lack in the thought of the development. Several researchers have called the term development as a polished variety of colonization and bringing westernization in all the other countries (Stewart and Shamdasani 2014). The initiatives with developmental theory and the developmental interventions have failed numerous times, and that was the primary reason for the debates regarding the developmental theories. As a result of development, there have been times, where in order to sustain true development, the bio centric norm of progression should be more specified and concerned than the human centric norms (Streib, Wollert and Keller 2016). Development should take into account that the sustainability of the earth is much more important, but also it needs to recognize that human is a little part of the huge interest and should acknowledge that even if human has achieved much more sophistication than the other beings, it still will be a small part of the universe. This growing belief with the concept of development, the developmental theory and the interventions took the account of spirituality and faith of the society as the concept of faith plays a significant role in the daily lives of individuals and the community life (Kelcourse 2015). According to some academicians, for most of the people the spirituality is an integral part of their understanding of the community and the development. Therefore it is very much expected that those concepts will find their way to the developmental theory. Many suggest that there is a strong belief in the human being that no development can be possible without the spiritual advancements and mist people across the world believe in this concept. According to the Director of the Church and Society Program of the Zimbabwe Council of Church, the development is supposed to be related with the values, choice making and confidence and this adherence is quite natural (Matthews 2017). Thus, it can be said, in many li teratures and discussions development is presented as a more spiritual and holistic concept in understanding the deepest longing and aspiration of life. Before getting into the discussion of faith in the developmental theory, it is important to look at the areas of religion and spirituality and its relation with faith. According to researchers, the spirituality acts as the major factor that drives the human beyond the natural beings and it refers to the transcendence (Ager and Ager 2015). An individual transcend the space and time in his imagination; he transcends the earthly limits of the body in speech; and religion and faith makes the individual transcend the humanity. Psychologists state that spirituality takes the individual in a specific context of time frame which is larger than the present one and provides a meaningful connection between the collective and the individual. Spirituality puts the individual in a meaningful place in the universe and unites the individual to that which will succeed him. Therefore the individual spirituality makes the connection with the broader picture or the God, whom no one can transcend. On the other hand, religion is very much God centric concept that involves the specific official as transmitted by the authorities and it is preserved by the traditional concepts. Therefore, faith is the response of the spirituality and the religious beliefs, although both of the concepts vary in a high degree (Crain 2015). Spirituality is a concept that incorporates the faith; however, faith incorporates the concept of religion. An individual might have faith with religious beliefs but cannot have religion without the faith, although this might happen on a surface level. Few academics say that, if religion can act as the instrument, the spirituality acts as the goal and faith acts as the trust through which the instrument travels to the goal. Faith is a formless concept that can extend beyond the established form of religion. It may include few political philosophies and the religious elements and the traditional beliefs that can blend the factors of mainstream religion with traditi onal and local practices (DeFilippis and Saegert 2013). Therefore, faith explains a more fluid concept than the religion and it crosses all the academic and other boundaries of the specific person. Consequently it can be said that faith and spirituality are both synonymous words which deal with the personal experience and the connection with the God. As long as the historical background of the role of faith in developmental theory is concerned, both the concepts were not related at their early stage. Mostly in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth century, the faith based organizations, or the FBOs go together with the colonial state in terms of education and health services in the developing countries, educational sector, hospitals, care homes etc (Casimir, Mathew and Nwankwo 2015). The time of 1945-1980 was the time of state supremacy and FBOs played an ambiguous role in the developmental procedure. In the recent time, faith and religious beliefs have redeveloped their role in the developmental discourse as a much prominent one, although it is quite minor. There can be found ample number of documents on the significant of incorporating the concept of faith into the development theory and distinguishing it as an element of development if it is succeed. Several post developmentalists suggest that the traditional outlook of development as the economic improvement had contributed to most of the destruction of many structured communities, as it had imposed many cultural values and norms of the development organizations on the communities (DeFilippis and Saegert 2013). However, no such programs can bring positivity and long-term outcomes until the concept is justified in the cultural norms and the values of the society. The spirituality is regarded as the prerequisite for the accomplishment of the developmental theories, as till now the scientific theories and other efficient concepts could not bring an end to the severe problems of the society such as malnutrition, hunger and poverty and human being is still left with inequality, social inj ustice and creeping depressive thoughts with death (Corey 2015). On the other hand, developmental programs with faith and spirituality encourage the general people in finding the meaning of life in the awareness of their deepest spiritual being which signifies the divine spark for some people. The most interesting concept about the faith in the developmental theory, that it can represent different belief systems and does not give any kind of supremacy to any one of the religions, however, it draws relevance from the common factors of them (Mitchell 2017). As an element of development, faith builds on the deepest sense of identity within the individual empowerment. It can be clearly recognized that the issue of faith and spirituality is being incorporated in developmental theory with the course of time. In a literature produced by World Bank 1998, a dialogue began between the Churches of Africa and the World Bank. This also indicates that the mainstay of modernism, World Bank conside red that there is a place of faith in the development theory. Academicians also say that if the faith inspired objects are introduced to the development theory, it becomes authentic and more successful. The objects that are based on faith, if they are introduced to the development theory, it becomes a mutual venture, where issues related to its logical applications become irrelevant (Ware, Ware and Clarke 2016). Thus the development theory has evolved to the response of individual beliefs and faith. The believers in the concept state that, development theory is a joint venture of love and faith which is concerned with the assurance that how long it will stay. Not only in the under developed countries, faith has also played an important role in the developed countries like UK, where faith has made a huge difference in the homeless services. The services in Manchester and London were severely influenced by the faith based organization. However, there are several arguments that the concepts of religion and faith can work as an obstruction to development. If it is historically concerned, the concept of development was first brought by the missionaries with the idea of improving the native countries they visited. The carnage that was committed with their specific goals of the visitation, spreading religion, have left several bitter implications with the concepts of missionary because most of the people have reacted against it. Not only this, development was secularized for a lot of other reasons too (Casimir, Mathew and Nwankwo 2015). There are three primary reasons that can show that religion and faith can be an obstruction to development theory. The first of them is that religion is a disruptive concept; secondly the religious politics can be much complex, thirdly religion can be risky while few religious beliefs work towards the basically diverse agenda that are driven by diverse tradition (Corey 2015). Spirituality and faith both deal with dark and sacred things that give an individual a specific identity and an interpretation of the world. Another reason that can enhance the idea of faith as an obstruction to development, that due to the work of the different faith institutions that are provoked by the wish to have more converts. As a result to that developmental sectors have been more associated with the similar faith groups. Conclusion In the previous sections, it can be seen that faith and spirituality have occupied a dichotomous position as an element of faith on one hand, and on the other hand it can work as an obstacle to the development theory. While faith may act as a highly compatible component of faith and can work as a motivating factor, it may also be a contradictory element to the specific aims of development and can be used to create divisiveness and inequality. In order to overcome this dichotomy, the early stage of development needs to be considered and it is necessary to find out what exactly the term adheres to. Many academicians have stated that history does not deal with the whole universe; rather it distinguishes it in different sectors. In that way, science and humanities can be treated as two independent spheres. If a discourse that is interdependent of all creations can be initiated, perhaps faith would not be used as something that can be used either negatively or positively, rather it can be treated as something that is a link between the scientific and the human experience. Reference List Ager, A. and Ager, J., 2015. The Place of Faith in Humanitarian Engagement with Displaced Communities. InFaith, Secularism, and Humanitarian Engagement: Finding the Place of Religion in the Support of Displaced Communities(pp. 31-54). Palgrave Macmillan US. Andrade, A., 2014. Using Fowler's Faith Development Theory in Student Affairs Practice.College Student Affairs Leadership,1(2), p.2. Bloch, D.P. and Richmond, L., 2015.Connections between spirit and work in career development: New approaches and practical perspectives. Routledge. Casimir, A., Mathew, C. and Nwankwo, A., 2015. Partnership between the State and the Church: Contextualizing Nigerian Faith-Based Vehicles as Poverty Reduction Tools in the Millenium.Open Journal of Political Science,5(02), p.58. Corey, G., 2015.Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Nelson Education. Crain, W., 2015.Theories of development: Concepts and applications. Psychology Press. DeFilippis, J. and Saegert, S., 2013.The community development reader. Routledge. Heist, D. and Cnaan, R.A., 2016. Faith-based international development work: a review.Religions,7(3), p.19. Kelcourse, F.B., 2015.Human development and faith: Life-cycle stages of body, mind, and soul. Chalice Press. Matthews, S., 2017. Colonised minds? Post-development theory and the desirability of development in Africa. Mitchell, B., 2017.Faith Based Development: How Christian Organizations Can Make a Difference. Orbis Books. Nicholas, S., 2014. Peacebuilding for faith-based development organisations: informing theory and practice.Development in Practice,24(2), pp.245-257. Stewart, D.W. and Shamdasani, P.N., 2014.Focus groups: Theory and practice(Vol. 20). Sage publications. Streib, H., Wollert, M. and Keller, B., 2016. The Faith Development Interview: Methodological Considerations. InSemantics and Psychology of Spirituality(pp. 239-249). Springer International Publishing. Ware, V.A., Ware, A. and Clarke, M., 2016. Domains of faith impact: how faith is perceived to shape faith-based international development organisations.Development in Practice,26(3), pp.321-333.

Religion, The State And Sovereignty The Influence Of Religion On Human

Religion, the State and Sovereignty The influence of religion on humankind can be traced back to the first records of history. Religion has served as a pillar of strength to some and binding chains to others. There are vast amounts of information and anthropological studies revealing the interaction of religion and humankind. However, for the purposes of this paper, the time periods of study will be broken up into three sections. Each section will give a general description of how religion affected the institution of the state and its Sovereignty in a Euro-centric perspective. The first period is the early period, which will encompass from Christianity and the Roman Empire to the Medieval times (approx. 311 to 1100 A.D.). The second period will include the Renaissance, the Reformation to the Treaty of Westphalia (1101 to 1648 A.D.). The third and increment of history will range from 1649 to 1945 A.D. The date 311 A.D. marks the issuing of the "Edict of Toleration" for Christ ians. This date is important because it symbolizes "national" acceptance of Christianity, and planted its roots as a political institution. Later the Roman Empire on the verge of internal collapse acknowledged the importance of Christianity and used it to hold together the remnants of it former self. This adoption of Christianity took form and eventually became the Catholic church. The church became intermingled with politics and became a strong entity. The policies delivered from the church had more authority than the local rulers and magistrates of the developing feudal system. For example, St. Augustine wrote about war and what justified its enactment against fellow men. This policy was followed and adhered to for hundreds of years after St. Augustine wrote it. Another example, is the use of the Bible as a guideline for establishing governing systems. Scripture portrayed God as choosing the king of the people. The pope, being God's "representative" was then given the au thority to crown the king. This crowning process gave the pope large influence in the political arena. This ritual continued for a number of centuries. The Crusades, which occurred around 1100 A.D., played a crucial role in challenging the church's authority. The pope identifying the spread of Islam as evil requested all of Europe embark on a "Crusade" to defeat the infidels. As the battles were fought, great treasures were found in the form of books and knowledge. These books were crude translations of old Greek texts, containing information which would eventually produce the waning of Church authority in the future. The Renaissance marked the beginning of intellectual re-birth. Writers such as Dante, Machiavelli, Guiarccidini, Vitoria, etc., all attempting to reform and some even contest church dominance. Dante in his imaginative work "Inferno" writes of hell which he envision is the pope's final destination. Machiavelli takes a more direct role classifying the actions of a prince to be above morality and ultimately above the Church. He continues the affront by classifying a human character of "virtu" as being completely centered around man (humanism). The Raison D' Tat is supreme especially in terms of the church belligerence. In the middle of the Renaissance, the Church was dealt a deadly blow from which it would never recover. This assault came via Martin Luther. His work, "95 Thesis", marked the beginning of the Reformation. This movement split the church into Catholic and Protestant sects. It marked the beginning of a bloody period which virtually split Europe in half. Examples of the conflict raged between Protestants and Catholics from the great slaughter of Protestants in Paris 1572 A.D. (7000 dead) to the Thirty Years War. With the Church in disarray, freedom was given to the "state" to begin to develop. During this period of Renaissance the political identity was going through a tremendous transformation. This transformation took form in what is called Absolutism. "Princes" began to tolerate less and less manipulation from the church. The political entity in the form of monarchy began to wean itself from the Church for its legitimacy and looked toward its own power. Other writers began to rise and discuss issues of sovereignty and the state. Thomas Hobbes discusses the state and refers to it as "Leviathan" which is the concurring title

Talking about Age in the Media

Talking about Age in the Media Talking about Age in the Media Talking about Age in the Media By Maeve Maddox Everyone wants to live longer, but no one wants to be old. –Harry Moody, director of academic affairs for AARP (2012). To me old age is always ten years older than I am. –Bernard Baruch, American financier (1870-1965). About forty-two million Americans are 65 years or older. Advertisers, politicians, and researchers often need to refer to this group, but finding a term that will not insult its members is not easy. Various terms have been suggested with varying degrees of success. Elder, elderly, senior, and retiree are the most common. In Canada, according to what I’ve read in forums, the term elder has connotations of venerable age and wisdom; in the United States, however, people tend to associate elder with disapproving church elders or the word elderly. The decline of the acceptability of the word elder is illustrated by the name change of a travel organization established in 1975 for active Americans 60 and older. The parent organization is still called Elderhostel, but in advertising, the program is now known agelessly as â€Å"Road Scholar.† Even the word retiree is heavy with the connotations of age. These days, the American Association of Retired People (founded 1958) goes by its initials only: AARP. When politicians talk about â€Å"our seniors† in the same breath as â€Å"our children,† mature adults understandably bristle. An article in The Senior Times says that the term â€Å"senior citizen† was coined in 1938 during a political campaign. Its use soars on the Ngram Viewer beginning in the 1940s. According to National Public Radio reporter Ina Jaffe, â€Å"senior citizen† is a term that â€Å"seems to annoy just about everyone.† Recognizing the minefield of age and terms relating to it, The AP Stylebook has this entry for the word elderly: Use this word carefully and sparingly. Do not refer to a person as elderly unless it is clearly relevant to the story. It is appropriate in generic phrases that do not refer to specific individuals: concern for the elderly, a home for the elderly, etc. If the intent is to show that an individual’s faculties have deteriorated, cite a graphic example and give attribution for it. Use age when available and appropriate. Apply the same principle to terms such as senior citizen. Age is one of the realities of life that our culture prefers to deny. It’s unlikely that any term can be found to refer to old people that would not be offensive to someone because in our culture, old age itself is seen as offensive. Perhaps the safest course is to refer to the intended age group in numeric terms: between the ages of 65 and 75 above the age of 65 septuagenarian octogenarian nonagenarian centenarian Colloquial synonyms for â€Å"old person† range from friendly to deliberately hurtful, for example: old-timer oldster codger dotard crone coot Although the word codger (like coot) usually has a negative connotation, this review about Dick Van Dyke in the Chicago Tribune (1992) makes a kind of compliment of it: The wonderfully funny Dick Van Dyke, insufficiently honored in his prime, has now passed into the lovable-old-codger stage. His comic gifts are sharper than ever, and he still dances with grace, style and a naughty insouciance. He is much too good for the quirky-old-coot roles that are his lot nowadays. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 Idioms with Heart50 Idioms About Arms, Hands, and FingersComma Before Too?

Biography of Benito Juárez, Mexicos Liberal Reformer

Biography of Benito Jurez, Mexico's Liberal Reformer Benito Jurez  (March 21, 1806–July 18, 1872) was a Mexican politician and statesman of the late 19th century and president of Mexico for five terms during the turbulent years of 1858–1872. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Jurez’s life in politics was his background: he was a full-blooded native of Zapotec descent and the only full-blooded native to ever serve as president of Mexico. He did not even speak Spanish until he was in his teens. He was an important and charismatic leader whose influence is still felt today. Fast Facts: Benito Juarez Known For: First Mexican president of full Mexican heritageAlso Known As: Benito Pablo Jurez Garcà ­aBorn: March 21, 1806 in  San Pablo Guelatao, MexicoParents: Brà ­gida Garcà ­a and Marcelino JurezEducation:   Oaxaca Institute of Arts and SciencesDied: July 18, 1872  in Mexico City, MexicoAwards and Honors:  Namesake for many roads and schools as well as the Mexico City airportSpouse: Margarita Maza  Children: 12 with Margarita Maza; 2 with Juana Rosa ChagoyaNotable Quote: Among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace. Early Years Born on March 21, 1806, into grinding poverty in the rural hamlet of San Pablo Guelatao, Jurez was orphaned as a toddler and worked in the fields for most of his young life. He went to the city of Oaxaca at the age of 12 to live with his sister and worked as a servant for a time before being noticed by Antonio Salanueva, a Franciscan friar. Salanueva saw him as a potential priest and arranged for Jurez to enter the Santa Cruz seminary, where young Benito learned Spanish and law before graduating in 1827. He continued his education, entering the Institute of Science and Art  and graduating in 1834 with a law degree. 1834–1854: His Political Career Begins Even before his graduation in 1834, Jurez was involved in local politics, serving as a city councilman in Oaxaca, where he earned a reputation as a staunch defender of native rights. He was made a judge in 1841 and became known as a fiercely anti-clerical liberal. By 1847 he had been elected governor of the state of Oaxaca. The United States and Mexico were at war from 1846 to 1848, although Oaxaca was nowhere near the fighting. During his tenure as governor, Jurez angered conservatives by passing laws allowing for the confiscation of church funds and lands. After the end of the war with the United States, former President Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna had been driven from Mexico. In 1853, however, he returned and quickly set up a conservative government that drove many liberals into exile, including Jurez. Jurez spent time in Cuba and New Orleans, where he worked in a cigarette factory. While in New Orleans, he joined with other exiles to plot Santa Anna’s downfall. When the liberal general Juan Alvarez launched a coup, Juarez hurried back  and was there in November 1854 when Alvarez’s forces captured the capital. Alvarez made himself president and named Jurez the minister of justice. 1854–1861: Conflict Brewing The liberals had the upper hand for the moment, but their ideological conflict with conservatives continued to smolder. As minister of justice, Jurez passed laws limiting church power, and in 1857 a new constitution was passed, which limited that power even further. By then, Jurez was in Mexico City, serving in his new role as chief justice of the Supreme Court. The new constitution turned out to be the spark that reignited the smoking fires of conflict between the liberals and conservatives, and in December 1857, conservative general Fà ©lix Zuloaga overthrew the Alvarez government. Jurez and other prominent liberals were arrested. Released from prison, Jurez went to Guanajuato, where he declared himself president and declared war. The two governments led by Jurez and Zuloaga were sharply divided, mostly over the role of religion in government. Jurez worked to further limit the powers of the church during the conflict. The U.S. government, forced to pick a side, formally recognized the liberal Jurez government in 1859. This turned the tide in favor of the liberals, and on Jan. 1, 1861, Jurez returned to Mexico City to assume the presidency of a united Mexico. European Intervention After the disastrous reform war, Mexico and its economy were in tatters. The nation still owed great sums of money to foreign nations, and in late 1861, Britain, Spain, and France united to send troops to Mexico to collect. Intense, last-minute negotiations convinced the British and Spanish to withdraw, but the French remained  and began fighting their way to the capital, which they reached in 1863. They were welcomed by conservatives, who had been out of power since Jurez’s return. Jurez and his government were forced to flee. The French invited Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph, a 31-year-old Austrian nobleman, to come to Mexico and assume rule. In this, they had the support of many Mexican conservatives, who thought that a monarchy would best stabilize the country. Maximilian and his wife Carlota arrived in 1864, where they were crowned emperor and empress of Mexico. Jurez continued the war with the French and conservative forces, eventually forcing the emperor to flee the capital. Maximilian was captured and executed in 1867, effectively ending the French occupation. Death Jurez was reelected to the presidency in 1867 and 1871, but he did not live to finish his last term. He was felled by a heart attack while working at his desk on July 18, 1872. Legacy Today, Mexicans view Jurez much like some Americans see Abraham Lincoln: he was a firm leader when his nation needed one and took a side on a social issue that drove his nation to war. There is a city (Ciudad Jurez) named after him, as well as countless streets, schools, businesses, and more. He is held in particularly high regard by Mexico’s considerable indigenous population, which rightly views him as a trailblazer in native rights and justice. Sources Gonzalez Navarro, Moises. Benito Juarez. Mexico City: El Colegio de Mexico, 2006.Hammett, Brian. Jurez. Profiles in Power.  Longman Press, 1994. Ridley, Jasper. Maximilian Juarez. Phoenix Press, 2001.

SWOT annalysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SWOT annalysis - Assignment Example This paper examines the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as depicted in the Figure 1 below. With regard to strengths, PepsiCo, Inc. is renown in maintaining top brands. Indeed, Pepsi is one of the most recognized brands in the globe. In the year 2008 for example, Pepsi featured in the 28th position in the top 100 global brands rankings. Furthermore, most of its other brands are top brands as well. They include Diet Pepsi, Lipton Teas, Tropicana, Aquafina Bottled Water, Quaker Foods and Snacks, Tostitos, Sierra Mist, Gastorade Mountain view among many others. Most of these brands dominate in over 200 countries worldwide. Another strength of PepsiCo, Inc. is product diversification. In this regards, Pepsi maintains a wide variety of products including juice drinks, snacks, bottled water, breakfast cereals, ready-to-drink beverages, cakes, among other. Also, PepsiCo, Inc. maintains an excellent distribution channel. In this regards, the company enhances proper the delivery of its products directly from the places of manufacture to the consumers and retail stores. The company also markets their own products, giving them a competitive advantage. With regards to weakness, PepsiCo, Inc. heavily depends on Wal-Mart. Approximately 12 percent of PepsiCo’s total net sales is sold to Wal-Mart (Datemornitor, 2011). This therefore implies that PepsiCo is greatly affected by Wal-Mart’s strategies to large extents. For instance, Wal-Mart’s low price strategy mounts lots of pressures to PepsiCo, Inc. Overreliance on the US markets also constitutes PepsiCo’s weakness. In this regards, a substantial portion of PepsiCo’s revenues originate from the United States. As such, the company is largely affected by changes in the economic condition in the US economy. With reference to opportunities, PepsiCo continues to broaden its product base. For example, PepsiCo, Inc. recently

Curriculum for the gifted Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Curriculum for the gifted - Essay Example A major shift in the curriculum design for the gifted was introduced by Van Tassel-Baska and Little when they suggested that the curriculum design should be a performance-based model which gives emphasis on the level of functioning of the individual to determine whether he is ready to go up the next level (Chapter 1 - Curriculum for the gifted: Past, present and future directions). This new development changed the view that the curriculum should have an optimal match with the characteristic of the gifted learner. With this new approach therefore, the curriculum design becomes more responsive to the needs of the gifted learner. There are several issues in developing a curriculum for gifted learners. A major issue which confronts a teacher in developing a curriculum for the gifted is that not all gifted learners are alike with regards to their characteristics and needs (Chapter 2 - Curriculum design issues in developing a curriculum for the gifted). The background of the student, like income level, must be taken into consideration so that the curriculum can be adapted accordingly. Another issue that faces the curriculum developer is the choice of content and the process design (Chapter 2 - Curriculum design issues in developing a curriculum for the gifted). A decision has to be made on whether the topic will be of interest to the gifted. The content should be meaningful and challenging enough so that the students will be interested to explore it. The teacher who will be discussing the topic must be appropriately knowledgeable of the topic, else the gifted student might lose interest in it. The strategy to be used in teaching the content is another issue that must be tackled by the instructor of gifted individuals. A single strategy may not work for all learners. The issue is determining what combination of strategies must be applied so that the gifted learners get the maximum benefit from the curriculum (Chapter 2 -

Greek mythology Essay Example for Free

Greek mythology Essay Engels biography is a display of such scientific course. His early life had been the explanation why he came about with his voluminous works on history. His works were a summation of the different implications of the facts how he was raised and intended of him to become, his experiences, and his direct contact with the production process and later in complete absorption to the revolutionary struggle in the industrial West. Friedrich Engels was born in Barmen, Prussia to a family of bourgeois origins in September 28, 1820. At that moment, Europe was at the height of the development of the industrial era and wars of conquest for the accumulation of market, labour and resources for the bourgeois economy. It was a time of rapid changes ensuing on all borders. Expansion of industrial interests was grappling Europe. Colonies in Asia, Africa and Latin America were continuously ransacked while the European continent was in a constant scrabble of migration from different nations in search of industrial work. Indeed an era of accumulation of wealth and technological advances to improve productivity . With these changes in the economic landscape came the winds of liberal thought. New machines that were never seen before were conceived side by side with political ideas never heard before. Thus the revolutionized industry became a breeding ground for a revolutionary spectre. Friedrich Engels was never detached from these changes. From his childhood until his intellectual career was on its full bloom, the economic transformations in Europe became the solid foundations of Marxist historiography. His nascent years had been vital for the development of his future philosophical pursuit. In his poem â€Å"To My Grandfather†, written December 20, 1833, Friedrich had shown his early acquaintances in history through stories in the Greek mythology which he described as â€Å"many a beautiful story† that his grandfather had told him . Another untitled poem written 3 years after described characters in stories from all over Europe seen by young Friedrich as â€Å"pictures to delight† . He was an observer and the environment drew much attention from him. Once he wrote about the conditions in Wuppertal, one of his first attempts to explain the seemingly complicated miseries of the working class , even the columns of a building and the style of architecture did not escape his watch. It was the beginning of his acquisition of his most powerful weapon in his revolutionary battle – excellence in textual conveyance. Not only was it a peek to his future history inclinations but also his superb literary talent that has greatly manifested in his works. In such a young age, Engels had learned that his wealth was a curse. The environment in which Friedrich Engels lived was full of stark contradictions. External factors greatly affected his inner resolve. His father, a German textile mill owner, wanted him to become an industrialist too like himself. Knowing in his self that he was not fit for that kind of life, a strained relationship developed between them. A supporter of the Prussian government, Friedrich’s father held conservative views in politics and religion which were attributed to his Protestant Pietist devotion. He enrolled Friedrich in local Pietist schools where he was indoctrinated with narrow fundamentalist views of society. Those were never acceptable to his broad interests. Hoping that the radical youth in Friedrich could still be doused with cold waters of isolation, he was sent to Bremen before he finished his high school studies to work as a clerk. These efforts were put to waste. There he exhibited despise to autocracy and religion, enjoyed life at its fullest and studied literature, philosophy, theology and history . Engels was drawn to the democratic struggles that were gaining political momentum at that time. Using a pen name of Friedrich Oswald, he participated in the literary movement. His first work, a poem titled â€Å"The Bedouin † was published in the Bremisches Conversationsblatt No. 40. In September 1838 and many other literary works and commentaries proceeded thereafter. As an active radical, Engels wrote articles for the democratic movement while attending lectures at Berlin University with his military service all at the same time. When he moved to Berlin to join the Household Artillery of the Prussian Army, he already had attractions to the Young Hegelians .

Developing a Responsive Police Organisation Essay -- Police Organizati

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." -- Abraham Lincoln INTRODUCTION The responsibility to maintain a peaceful society is shared by each level of government; local, state, and federal. However, because crime is an immediate threat to the communities, the police have a highly visible and primary role in overcoming the threat and fear of crime. The process of policing a democratic society is complex and due to this fact, a police department is probably one of the most difficult public institutions to manage effectively. It is therefore important to have processes that are critical to operating police departments and their commitments in securing peace in the society. In order to understand the field of police administrations, one has to look further beyond the dynamism and complexity aspects of the field. Laws are constantly modified, the environments police officers regulate in continually change, new problems regularly occur, and administrative practices that were once treated as gospels are now facing constantly modifications, often challenged and in some cases, discarded. The terrorist attacks of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, have significantly changed the ways police departments police globally. The primary mission of police in local communities has become somewhat blurred as community policing efforts from the last decade fade to the emergence of security checks, intelligence gathering, and participation in join terrorism task forces. Police organisations are now facing ever changing ordeals that require the administrators to change the ways policing is performed, by which creating a more open and responsive organisation through the positiv... ...on, 2008. - Vol. 01. Blackler John Historical Influences on Australian Policing [Article] // Violence and Police Culture. - [s.l.] : Melbourne University Press. Chan Janet B. L. Changing Police Culture [Article]. Wainwright Elsina Police Join the Front Line [Article] // ASPI Strategic Insights. - 2004. - pp. 1-12. Westmarland Louise Police Ethics and Integrity: Breaking the Blue Code of Silence [Journal] // Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy. - 2005. - 2 : Vol. 15. - pp. 145-165. Wimshurst Kerry and Allard Troy Criminal Justice Education, Employment Destinations, and Graduate Satisfaction [Journal] // The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. - 2007. - 2 : Vol. 40. - pp. 218-235. Wong Kam C. The Philosophy of Community Policing in China [Journal] // Police Quarterly. - 2001. - 2 : Vol. 4. - pp. 186-214. Developing a Responsive Police Organisation Essay -- Police Organizati "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." -- Abraham Lincoln INTRODUCTION The responsibility to maintain a peaceful society is shared by each level of government; local, state, and federal. However, because crime is an immediate threat to the communities, the police have a highly visible and primary role in overcoming the threat and fear of crime. The process of policing a democratic society is complex and due to this fact, a police department is probably one of the most difficult public institutions to manage effectively. It is therefore important to have processes that are critical to operating police departments and their commitments in securing peace in the society. In order to understand the field of police administrations, one has to look further beyond the dynamism and complexity aspects of the field. Laws are constantly modified, the environments police officers regulate in continually change, new problems regularly occur, and administrative practices that were once treated as gospels are now facing constantly modifications, often challenged and in some cases, discarded. The terrorist attacks of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, have significantly changed the ways police departments police globally. The primary mission of police in local communities has become somewhat blurred as community policing efforts from the last decade fade to the emergence of security checks, intelligence gathering, and participation in join terrorism task forces. Police organisations are now facing ever changing ordeals that require the administrators to change the ways policing is performed, by which creating a more open and responsive organisation through the positiv... ...on, 2008. - Vol. 01. Blackler John Historical Influences on Australian Policing [Article] // Violence and Police Culture. - [s.l.] : Melbourne University Press. Chan Janet B. L. Changing Police Culture [Article]. Wainwright Elsina Police Join the Front Line [Article] // ASPI Strategic Insights. - 2004. - pp. 1-12. Westmarland Louise Police Ethics and Integrity: Breaking the Blue Code of Silence [Journal] // Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy. - 2005. - 2 : Vol. 15. - pp. 145-165. Wimshurst Kerry and Allard Troy Criminal Justice Education, Employment Destinations, and Graduate Satisfaction [Journal] // The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. - 2007. - 2 : Vol. 40. - pp. 218-235. Wong Kam C. The Philosophy of Community Policing in China [Journal] // Police Quarterly. - 2001. - 2 : Vol. 4. - pp. 186-214.

Youth obesity

Game consoles, MacDonald's, KFC, all companies that provide entertainment and fried foods for kids are the main causers of the growing number of children becoming obese. These companies are so prevalent on today's youth's lives that they make a profound impact on their health. With the rate that these companies are expanding worldwide, the rate at which children are becoming obese is bound to become even worse. Every corner you go around especially in America you will find a fast food restaurant. This is the main reason why America has the highest youth obesity rate. During the past 30 years the percentage of obese children between the ages of 6 and 11 has tripled. It is amazing is it not all we have to do to change this is adjust our food intake and watch our daily activities so I ask of you to join me and change for the better of our own lives. There are three causes of youth obesity that stood out from the rest for me. These are poor nutrition, low self esteem and a less – active – youth. Eating healthy means taking a lot more time to prepare a meal and it costs more than a readymade, extremely fast, unwatched while being cooked and full of oil fast food meal. A lot of parents are not educated with what is right for their children to be eating. So they leave their children to enjoy what they like instead of having a balanced diet. Children's self esteems lower when they are obese because of society's influences on being thin. As they get more obese their social interactions with other youths decrease because of this influence. Now the low self esteem that develops leads to children no longer being around others thus making them become less active which helps to make children even more obese. A study performed by Research Triangle Institute International for the Centres of Disease Control in Washington, DC surveyed 986 parents on childhood obesity and prevention. The results were as follows 49.5% did not feel schools had the right to record children's weights. 72.9% felt that schools needed to provide weight loss and exercise programs. 39.1% thought an increase on the tax of fast food was constructive. 42.31% favoured the standardization of food portions in restaurants. You must be thinking that to stop obesity means we just have to remove fat from our diets. But you would be wrong stopping obesity does not just mean removing fat from your diets. Usually when people remove fat from their diet they will increase their intake of sugar, high density carbohydrates, and starches. This means you are having a low protein and fat meal which often leave people feeling hungry which leads to them filling their stomachs as soon as possible with whatever they can find to eat. That is wrong. You need to have and stick to a balanced diet. Most of us eat 3 large meals, breakfast, lunch and supper. That too is wrong. You need to eat six small meals and your last meal should be eaten at least two hours before going to sleep to allow for you to burn all fat and energy from the meal. This information was given to me by an actual dietician from CFB. Coming back to the topic of game consoles and I would like to add into that topic television. The question is, is television a friend or foe of youth obesity is what I shall answer for you. Every hour a child sits and plays a video game or watches TV they may double their risk of becoming obese. Glenda Nichols, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Tarrant County College she stated in an interview that on average a child watches or plays a video games for 7.1 hours a day. That equals to 25,000 hours of being in front of a television by the time that they would be seniors in high school. That is extremely dangerous because children are guaranteeing their chances of becoming obese. Some long term effects of childhood obesity are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and the development of diseases such as type 2 diabetes. These are all very dangerous for the human body. But these are just a few of the many associated problems. More problems associated with obesity are: 1. Diabetes 2. Hyperlipidemia 3. Blood circulation diseases like arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, and palsy 4. Skin disease 5. Joint problems, back, knee, and ankle pain 6. Liver disease 7. Cholelithiasis 8. Menstrual abnormalities 9. Female infertility 10. Breast cancer 11. Endometrium cancer 12. Decline in libido 13. Mental stress We all live in a society that sends out very strong messages about beauty and body weight. Girls are encouraged to constantly diet and exercise until they attain a fit, thin body. Boys are told to constantly work out and do whatever is necessary to attain a buff, muscular figure. Am I wrong? So come on let's follow the messages society sends to all of us together. I ask all of you to not do it for me but to do it for yourself. You will not forget it especially in the long run. So come on let's get healthy.

Important Events in the European History That Changed the European Society Essay

The changes are an integral part of progress and development. It is a well-known fact that in order to gain a new level the society should go through the series of different transformation. These transformations are not always pleasant and peaceful but, in general, they are useful for the society and help it to become a better one. In this work I am going to explain how, the European world changed dramatically as a result of a series of stresses in the late 13th to the mid 15th centuries and how such events as Black Plague, the One Hundred Year’s War and the collapse of Papal Power influenced the Medieval European society. The transformation of the Medieval society was long and painful process, which lasted approximately 150 years. The development in the years 1000-1300 brought the positive changes in agriculture, finance and trade. Growing food supply, the creation of guilds, the development of urban life, commercial revolution, the new life of learning – all these changes influenced positively on the society (Beck et al. 387-392). This is the first reason why the later changes were so dramatic for the society. They were so much unexpected that the people were simply not ready for them. The Black Plague, which is also known as the â€Å"Black Death† was probably among the most dramatic events, which constantly changed the face of the Medieval World into the new one. When the historians talk about â€Å"The Black Death,† they mean the specific outbreak of plague that took place in Europe in the mid-14th century. The Black Death came to Europe in October of 1347, spread swiftly through most of Europe by the end of 1349 and on to Scandinavia and Russia in the 1350s† (Shell, â€Å"The Black Death†). This epidemic also came back several times during the rest of the century. These events were followed by mass fear and hysteria. The main changes in social life brought by the plague were the rise of marriage and birth rate, the increase of violence and the upward mobility. The economic effects also were quite dramatic. First of all, â€Å"surplus of goods resulted in overspending; it was swiftly followed by a shortage of goods and inflation† (Shell, â€Å"The Black Death†). The second effect was lack of laborers. The level of trust to the Church also decreased. The One Hundred Years’ War was another historical even, which influenced on the society in the Middle Ages. It â€Å"was a long struggle between England and France over succession to the French throne. It lasted from 1337 to 1453, so it might more accurately be called the â€Å"116 Years’ War† (Wheeler, â€Å"The Hundred Years’ War†). Actually, it was the series of smaller wars and included several battles. The war involved two countries, England and France, which were among the leading ones in Europe during the Middle Ages. Nothing special, that such a massive struggle, which involved a large amount of people during the extremely long period of time, resulted into the drastic demographic, economical and political changes. England lost most of its continental territories and the insanity of the King brought it into the series of internal conflicts. On the contrary, France was able to strengthen its positions. The third important point, which initiated the changes in the European society and brought it to the new era of development, was the collapse of Papal Power. In the Middle Ages the belief that there is one Pope, who rules the church, was extremely strong. That is why the division of the Papacy into the two ruling points, one in Avignon, France and one in Rome was a great tragedy for many people as everything that they believed in, was destroyed. Despite the fact that finally the power was re-united in Rome, â€Å"it never recovered entirely from its stay at Avignon, and from the Great Schism. The power of the popes was never again as great as it had been before the quarrel between Boniface VIII. and the King of France† (Harding, â€Å"The Story of the Middle Ages†). The respect to the Church, which was among the most important factors, which influenced the Middle Ages, was destroyed. That is why these events are so important for the formation of the new society. To sum up, the European society went through the series of dramatic changes from the late 13th century to the mid 15th century. One of the most important factors, which influenced the changes, was the high speed of it. Such events as the Black Death, The Hundred Years’ War and the collapse of Papal Power were the events, which were â€Å"the beginning of end† for the Middle Ages. After them, the society required changes in order to adapt to the new conditions of life.

Currency Exchange Rates, Management, and Speculation

Currency Exchange Rates, Management, and Speculation Read about the ways government and investors can manage and speculate on the value of their currencies. Currency exchange rates have become a global issue in the past year, particularly for developing economies which are generally performing better than the economies of the US, Europe, and Japan – the three sources of the â€Å"reference currencies† that essentially determine the value of the rest of the world’s money. This article is a short primer on the basics of currency exchange. It explains the ways in which governments and private investors can manage and speculate on the value of their currencies. Fixed vs. Floating Exchange Rates The value of the currency is always relative to something else, whether some commodity (gold has historically served as a reference) or other currencies. A fixed exchange rate also called a peg is a value that is determined by a government’s central bank, which must engage in the market trade of its currency for the reference currency in order to maintain the peg value. The main requirement for a fixed exchange rate scheme is that the central bank holds a large reserve of the reference currency. In a scheme in which the currency is pegged to a single reference currency, maintaining the peg is relatively straightforward. The value of the local currency is a simple function of the amount of the reference currency in the financial system, and changes in the currency value are reflected as price inflation or deflation; in order to exercise control over the local currency, the central bank sells the reference currency to move the value of the local currency higher, or purchases the reference currency to reduce the value of the local currency. Read more:  Money Makes the World Go Around A single currency peg is impractical  because the value of the reference currency always fluctuates. Let’s say that an example country – we’ll call it Examplestan – sets the value of its currency, the clam, at 5 clams to one US dollar. If a merchant in Examplestan imports $20 worth of goods from the US, he pays 100 clams. At the same time, he imports $20 worth of goods from Europe, whose euro is equal to $1.20; therefore, he only receives $16.67 worth of goods for his 100 clams. That means to earn back his 100 clams from selling the goods, he has to inflate the price by 16.65%, because the goods he bought from Europe are only worth 83.35 clams. The relative value of the clam is also affected by price inflation or deflation in the US; the actual amount of goods received for the equivalent of $20 will differ as inflation increases or decreases, which causes inflation or deflation of the clam as a follow-on effect. The opposite end of the spectrum from a fixed exchange rate is a floating exchange rate, in which market forces determine the value of the currency. The currency in a floating exchange rate system is treated as a commodity, and its value is determined by supply and demand.   There is no country that uses a fully floating exchange rate scheme, but some of the effects of what it can do to a local currency can be seen in emerging markets where large inflows of foreign investment money have driven the value of the local currency higher. The Philippines, which currently has the best-performing stocks in the world, is a good example. The high inflow of foreign money into the local stock market represents high demand for the Philippine peso – the investors are trading their dollars, euros, yen, and other currencies for equity, valued in pesos, in Philippine companies. Thus the value of the peso is growing, meaning that fewer pesos can be exchanged for one unit of a foreign currency. This is good for the economy in one respect because it makes imports cheaper, but it increases the cost of exports and tends to dampen demand for local labor and goods. Dirty Floats and Currency Hedges In order to find a â€Å"happy medium† between imposing strict control over the currency value and allowing it to seek an efficient value through market effects, most governments practice what is called a managed float, sometimes also referred to as a â€Å"dirty float†. Instead of setting a fixed exchange rate for its currency, the central bank will set a target range. Rather than fix the currency at 5 clams = $1, the central bank of Examplestan might instead choose to let the value of the clam fluctuate, so long as it does not fall outside a range of 4.50 to 5.50 clams per dollar. There is a number of advantages to maintaining a dirty float. Allowing the currency to fluctuate within a controllable range reduces the number of foreign reserves the central bank must hold, which frees up financial resources and permits the central bank to speculate on the future value of the currency to a degree by issuing bonds denominated in either the local or foreign currencies. This is a form of hedging, because the bonds lock in a future value, in the sense that the amount of a bond issue represents a known release of either the local or foreign currency in the future when the bonds reach their maturity. This is similar to the forms of hedging and speculation that private investors can engage in by treating currency as a commodity, including options contracts, forward contracts, currency swaps, and futures contracts. In the private sector, currency hedging and speculation are particularly useful for companies whose trade involves a large amount of foreign currency. For example, the trader in Examplestan may wish to purchase an option to swap a certain number of clams for US dollars at a fixed rate lower than the present exchange rate, say 5.10 clams to the dollar, if he suspects that when he completes a future purchase of US imports, the rate will be even lower than that. If when the time comes, the actual exchange rate is 5.12 clams to the dollar, he exercises the option and lowers his purchase cost by 0.1% not a lot, but for companies whose transactions are in the millions of dollars (or clams), the difference can be very significant. Naturally, foreign currency exchange rates is far more complex theme than what is described in this brief article, but to help understand its intricacies, just remember the basic point that the value of a currency is determined by its amount in a financial system compared to other currencies in the system, and that managing the values of those is really only a matter of managing quantities.

Restoring the American Chestnut Tree

Restoring the American Chestnut Tree Glory Days of American Chestnut American chestnut was once the most important tree of the Eastern North American Hardwood Forest. One fourth of this forest was composed of native chestnut trees. According to a historical publication, many of the dry ridge tops of the central Appalachians were so thoroughly crowded with chestnut that, in early summer, when their canopies were filled with creamy-white flowers, the mountains appeared snow-capped. The Castanea dentata  (scientific name) nut was a central part of eastern rural economies. Communities enjoyed eating chestnuts and their livestock was fed and fattened by the nut. The nuts not consumed were sold if a market was available. Chestnut fruit was an important cash crop for many Appalachian families that lived near rail hubs. Holiday chestnuts were transported to New York, Philadelphia and to other big-city dealers who sold them to street vendors who sold them fresh-roasted. American Chestnut was also a major lumber producer and used by home builders and woodworkers. According to the American Chestnut Foundation or TACF, the tree grew straight and often branch-free for fifty feet. Loggers tell of loading entire railroad cars with boards cut from just one tree. Straight-grained, lighter in weight than oak and more easily worked, chestnut was as rot resistant as redwood. The tree was used for nearly every wood product of the day - utility poles, railroad ties, shingles, paneling, fine furniture, musical instruments, even paper. The American Chestnut Tragedy A devastating chestnut disease was first introduced in North America from an exported tree to New York City in 1904.This new American chestnut blight, caused by the chestnut blight fungus and presumably brought in from eastern Asia, was first found in only a few trees in the New York Zoological Garden. The blight rapidly spread to northeastern American forests and in its wake left only dead and dying stems in what was a healthy chestnut forest. By 1950, American chestnut had tragically disappeared except for shrubby root sprouts the species still continually produces (and which also quickly become infected). Like many other introduced diseases and insect pests, the blight quickly spread. The chestnut, being completely defenseless, faced wholesale destruction. The blight ultimately invaded every tree throughout the entire range of the chestnut, where now only rare remnant sprouts are found. But with these sprouts bring some hope of reestablishing American chestnut. For decades, plant pathologists and breeders have tried to create a blight-resistant tree by crossing our own species with other chestnut species from Asia. Native chestnut trees also exist in isolated areas where the blight is not found and are being studied.   Restoring the American Chestnut Advances in genetics have given researchers new directions and ideas. Working and understanding the complex biological processes of blight resistance still need further study and improved nursery science. TACF is a leader in American chestnut restoration and confident that we now know we can have this precious tree back.   In 1989, The American Chestnut Foundation established the Wagner Research Farm. The purpose of the farm was to continue a breeding program for ultimately saving the American chestnut. Chestnut trees have been planted at the farm, crossed, and grown at various stages of genetic manipulation. Their breeding program is designed to do two things: Introduce into the American chestnut the genetic material responsible for blight resistance.Preserve the genetic heritage of the American species. Modern techniques are now being used in restoration, but success is measured in decades of genetic hybridization. An elaborate and time-consuming breeding program of backcrossing and intercrossing new cultivars is TACFs plan to develop a chestnut that will exhibit virtually every Castanea dentata  characteristic. The ultimate desire is a tree that is fully resistant and, when crossed, the resistant parents will breed true for resistance. The breeding method began by crossing the ​Castanea mollissima and ​Castanea dentata  to obtain a hybrid which was one-half American and one-half Chinese. The hybrid was then crossed to another American chestnut to obtain a tree which is three-fourths dentata and one-fourth mollissima. Each further cycle of backcrossing reduces the Chinese fraction by a factor of one-half. The idea is to dilute out all of the Chinese chestnut characteristics except for blight resistance down to where trees are fifteen-sixteenths dentata, one-sixteenth mollissima. At that point of dilution, most trees will be indistinguishable by experts from pure dentata trees. Researchers at TACF report that the process of seed production and testing for blight resistance now requires about six years per backcross generation and five years for intercross generations. Says TACF about the future of a resistant American chestnut: We planted our first set of intercross progeny from the third backcross in 2002. Well have progeny from the second intercross and our first line of blight  resistant American chestnuts will be ready for planting in less than five years!

Apply to University Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Apply to University - Personal Statement Example I have the zeal to know how computers operate and how I can use them to positively influence the world in my own way. English is my second language and I have had some difficulties learning it since I did not have enough learning materials in my native place. I figured out that if I become a computer expert I can make these materials available to kids who crave for knowledge and, consequently, help in dissemination of knowledge. I have studied Information Technology in my bachelors. The IT course equipped me with basic knowledge and skills in computer programming, web designing in form of HTML, information searching and retrieval and subject indexing and thesaurus construction. These skills and knowledge should give me a head start in computer science. I do not have any previous work experience as I have just completed my bachelor’s degree in IT. However, during my bachelors I undertook a work placement programme at a nearby high school for two months. My duties were akin to those of a system administrator where I helped the school’s system administrator configure computers and check for security breaches. I also helped students who did not know how to use computers to use them effectively. As a result, I grew my computing and management skills which should prove helpful for this course in the long run. I have a host of interests and hobbies. However, the ones I love most are to play and watch football, to play chess and to participate in enlightening debates. I believe football is a competitive and passionate sport. This should make me a competitive and passionate person in all my undertakings. Debating helps me grow my English language and vocabulary and equips me with the skills of thinking at my feet and adequately relaying information. Lastly, chess equips one with planning, thinking and overall strategizing skills. All these skills will be

World War I and the Economic Impact on the United States Essay

World War I and the Economic Impact on the United States - Essay Example Even though the United States was actively involved in the war for only 19 months, the economic effects of World War I started as the war broke out in Europe and extended way into the 1920s and 1930s long after the war had ended in 1918. The economic impact of World War I on the economy of United States is twofold: Economic impact during the war and impact after the war. The economic impact during the war and immediately after the war, which was short term, was a positive one which helped the American economy to recover from recession. The economic impact after the war, which was long term, was a negative one which forced the American economy into depression (The Great Depression). During The War Prior to the war, United States was in a recession. The economic situation changed dramatically during the war as United States saw the economy boom during this period. The demand for war goods increased rapidly across Europe and the United States benefited greatly from this increase in dema nd as Europeans started purchasing war goods from the United States1. The Manufacturing industry benefitted heavily from the rise in demand from Europe. All kinds of goods were now exported to Europe from America bringing in huge profits. American industries expanded rapidly during the period. Unemployment declined greatly during the war as 3 million people were recruited by the military and half a million jobs were created in the government2. This created employment opportunities for women and immigrants of African origin who were not a major part of the workforce prior to the war. Manufacturing and other industry related jobs were created and were now filled by the previously unemployed. Unemployment rate fell from 7.9% to 1.4% during the war3. Another major impact of World War I on United States was the graduation from a net debtor to net creditor. Prior to the war United States was a debtor country but by the time war had ended it had become a net creditor. In 1914 foreign inves tment is the United States was way greater than the amount invested abroad by the United States. But the equation had changed dramatically during the war and by the end of it United States had emerged as a creditor country. New York had replaced London as the world capital market and Federal Reserve had emerged as the world’s most important financial institution downplaying the bank of England4. This change made great impact on the American economy and contributed to development of America as a global economic superpower in the second half of the 20th century. Post World War Post world war production in industries slowed down and the demand for labor also reduced drastically. Adding to the already poor unemployment condition was the return of soldiers from the war. There weren’t enough jobs for all. Due to decrease in demand the prices of many farm products fell by nearly 50% and this lead to many farmers going bankrupt. Demand for many industry products had reduced an d this meant the overall production went down. Apart from decline in jobs, this also reduced the cash flow into the country. The European demand for American products after the war was not the same as it was during the war. Industry that thrived during the war was the industries that produced weapons and other war goods. All of a sudden there was no demand for the war industry goods. One of the other negative effects of World War I on United States was inflation. The cost of living by the end of the war rose to 100% above the level before the war5. The seeds of the Great Depression were planted by the rising unemployment and bleak economic situation after World War I. Impact on the Ideas about Economics Apart from

Cultural Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Cultural Tourism - Essay Example A thriving cultural economy can often improve the socio-economic status of a city and contribute positively to local community life. An improved packaging and marketing of The Thames Gap which consists of the Hampton Court Palace, the Richmond Park, the Kew Gardens and the view from Richmond Hill will result in higher revenues in the form of higher visitor arrivals for this cultural venue. Hence, the management of The Thames Gap must derive useful inputs from the SWOT Analysis which is tackled in this paper. A better and improved marketing strategy will redound to higher revenues and ultimately, the greater well-being of the residents of the City of London. Various tourism studies have highlighted the importance of cultural tourism and its contribution to the socio-economic development of the City of London. Von Eckardt (1980:140) has emphasised that culture is something that rises up from below. This development is a result of the new cultural planning which leads to community development. Fox-Przeworski et al. (1991:250) suggest that there is no single set of measures that can bring about successful urban economic regeneration for all cities. Hence, a cultural planning approach aims to combine cultural planning with other urban policies covering the. economic, environmental, social, political, educational, symbolic parts to ensure a more integrated development (Bianchini, 1993). Evans (2001) provides a complete analysis of the development of arts and cultural planning within the context of urban renaissance. Von Eckhardt (1980:142) again emphasised the integral nature of cultural planning by emphasizing that the art of architecture, the art of urban design, the art of winning community support, the art of transportation planning, and the art of mastering the dynamics of economic development.In addition, Harvey (1989) argued that cultural tourism is inextricably linked in the context of urban development. planning has a significant economic dimension, as stated by Von Eckhardt (1980): Good cultural planning is quite similar to good economic planning. Smith (1996:57) suggests that 'the so-called "urban renaissance" has been stimulated more by economic than cultural forces'.In the past, heavy focus been placed on the economic imperative in regeneration strategies. Fox-Przeworski et al. (1991:237) claim that the basic basis for successful local economic regeneration is an honest evaluation of the challenges and opportunities facing the local economy. Social, cultural and welfare issues whic h are crucial to the welfare of local communities has not been neglected by key officials.Cultural tourism requires global competitiveness. For instance, specific measures to enhance the competitiveness of the local economy should consider the entire economic, social and environmental structure. The local population is the priority where jobs are to be created or housing improved. Bianchini (1993:212) also stressed the importance of local community interests in urban regeneration initiatives in Western Europe as a clear goal to revitalise the cultural, social and political life of local residents which should always precede and sustain the formulation of physical and economic

Drama Essays Women in Comedy

Drama Essays Women in Comedy The Changing Role of Women in Comedy. How has comedy between 1950 to 2000 been used by female performers to highlight the oppression and objectification of women in society? What impact has this had on the contemporary female comedian of today? Introduction Overview Chapter One: A Sense of the Times 1950s 1960s 1970s-1980s Chapter Two: Women’s ‘Sense’ of Humour Chapter Three: Issues in Stand-up Comedy Being a Woman Traditional Gender Expectations Aggressiveness Sexuality and Femininity Issues of Power and Control Modes of Stand-up Comedy Self-Deprecation in Women’s Humour Self-deprecation in the work of Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers The domestic goddess Conclusion: The 1990s and Beyond: The Future of Women in Stand-up Comedy Reference List Introduction Comedy is a form of expression which stretches and sometimes breaks boundaries. It crosses all kinds of boundaries, including those of gender. It can be risky because it often ridicules social and moral conventions in a way that challenges and threatens accepted norms, threatening the status quo. This is particularly true of women’s comedy. This paper will examine the way that comedy has been used by female performers during the period from 1950 to 2000, focusing on the themes of oppression and objectification of women in society. It will also analyze the ways in which the experiences of these five decades have affected contemporary female comics. Chapter One gives a general overview of each decade, to explain the political and social climates of that time as a framework for examining the changes in women’s roles. Included will be examples of different women comics whose experiences best represent selected aspects of that time frame. This will be followed by an analysis of what people mean when they talk of a ‘sense of humour’ what, exactly, is a sense of humour? Do women have a different sense of humour than men? Most of the literature about women comics touches on this question on some level; some of the literature goes into a great deal of depth. This is frequently done to respond to the assertion that has been made, repeatedly over the years, that women ‘don’t have a sense of humour’. This statement has been made most frequently by men. However, this same assertion has at times been leveled (often in an accusatory manner) by women toward other women. Chapter One:  Ã‚   A Sense of the Times A. The Decade of the 1950s   The decade of the 1950s was a time of great change. Britain was entering a period of increased affluence and freedom, and many of the old social and cultural structures began to be challenged, particularly by the young. In Hollywood, as well as throughout the United States and North America, post-war sentiment lingered on and mingled with the confusion that accompanies times of great change. In some places, such as Britain, this turmoil was exemplified by a tendency to pull away from formal religion. In the United States, this period was an era of economic growth mixed with a sense of conservation. At the same time, there seemed to be a professed belief in the old values; however, this belief was tinged with doubt. According to one scholar, the professed belief was ‘mixed with a sense of unease that maybe the old values no longer held all the answers’ (Sova, 1998, 106). According to critics Linda Martin and Kerry Segrave, the portrayal of women during the 1950s was generally considered to be negative. Women actors and performers were mostly typecast as ‘dumb, ugly man-chasers or some image thereof’ (Martin and Segrave, 1986, 203). Some notable performers of comedy of this period include Judy Holliday, Lucille Ball, Phyllis Diller, and Joan Rivers. Blond comedian Judy Holliday, who had been appearing in films as early as the 1940s, continued to so do in the 1950s. She even managed to become a film comedy star in the 1950s, a feat that even Lucille Ball did not manage. Sova asserts that Holliday ‘went for the laughs in an innocent manner’, something which worked well for her in the 1950s, but which did not work for Ball either then or later (Sova, 1998, 120–121). Holliday and Ball were similar in that they both played both straight drama, and then switched over later on to a comedic format. Ball, however, was not a larger-than-life presence on the silver screen, and she failed to attract the kind of interest that Holliday did. Hence, she never reached stardom on a cinematic level. Still, Ball is perhaps a more familiar name, even to this day. She went on to revolutionize television with her comedy partner and husband Desi Arnaz. In so doing, it may be said that Lucille Ball set the standard for what was then a fairly new genre, the situational comedy. Phyllis Diller is another comedian who became known during this period, and has remained known to this day. ‘Diller transcended â€Å"comediennes† of the day, if not femaleness itself, by announcing her arrival in the mid-1950s in the most outlandish manner imaginable,’ asserts a contemporary of hers. He goes on to describe her entrance onto the stage:   ‘She landed onstage like a flightless goony bird wielding her cigarette holder, piercing the nightclub air with her manic squawk, all beak and beady chicken eyes, and dressed in a deliberately garish getup’ (Nachman, 2003, 216). Susan Horowitz points out that Diller came out of the 1950s, ‘a period which stressed and exaggerated sex–role differences’ (Horowitz, 1997, 50). In addition, it is significant to note that at the time Diller entered the profession of comedy in the mid 1950s female comics were practically non-existent. Commenting on her career as a whole, Horowitz asserts that ‘both Diller’s subject matter sex appeal and domestic competence and the manner in which she handles it self-deprecation are Diller’s comedic take on the stereotypical 1950’s woman’ (Horowitz, 1987, 62). This decade also ushered in Joan Rivers, who is described by a colleague as arriving upon the scene ‘with forked tongue and sharpened talons. . . [she] bit and clawed her way to comic success and has clung to it for dear life’ (Nachman, 2003, 592). Rivers’ comedic approach has been described as ‘a jolt of contrasts’: her rapid-fire manner of talking, combined with her wide variation of topics, kept her audience members on their toes. Her comedic style is often attributed to background: she drifted between social classes, never feeling truly comfortable in any one category. Horowitz has described her as ‘both an insider and an outsider, classy and dà ©classà © the private school student whose family cannot pay the bills; the wealthy celebrity whose act mocks the elite; the elegant lady who talks about farts and pooping’ (Horowitz, 1997, 93). Yet not even the most outrageous comedy act could compete with television. The growth of this television’s popularity had a strong impact on every aspect of society. Television had very quickly become more popular than radio, replacing it as the preferred form of entertainment in the home. In addition, more and more people began to have television sets in their homes. The proliferation of television brought with it a change in style. Martin and Segrave explain that ‘where radio relied on women mangling the language, television, in keeping with its visual nature, relied more on physical sight gags to convey â€Å"dumbness†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Thus, this period hallmarked the combination of the dumb, blonde, buxom stereotype. At least on television, as opposed to radio, women were able to articulate clearly (Martin and Segrave, 1986, 204). B.   The 1960s The movement away from the conservative fifties began and continued throughout the turbulent 60s in America. Revolutionary ways of thinking spread rapidly, and real change transformed the cultural fabric of American life.  During this decade, consumption continued in Britain, but had become less connected with utilitarian needs, and more to do with status and comfort. For women comics, however, the first half of the 1960s was one of the least productive in their history. Although in Hollywood the film industry was opening up more for women, the field of comic stand-up seemed to be at a standstill. Martin and Segrave do point out that there was at least one positive image in American humor to welcome the new decade. This one exception was Elaine May. Elaine May was an example, and she represented what women could accomplish when given a fair and equal opportunity. May, according to Martin and Segrave, ‘provided a sample of what was to follow as more and more female comics cast off the old images and stereotypes and broadened and extended their place in the field of humor’ (1986, 206). What was noteworthy about May’s performance is that she did not try to look ugly, the way so many women comics of this period seemed to do. In addition, she did not rely on self-deprecation the way other female comics did. She and Nichols shared an equal partnership another rare thing at this time. Ordinarily the woman would play a foil to showcase the other, male, part of the duo. Among the comics who started to become know during this time, one was Carol Burnett. According to Martin and Segrave, Burnett ‘represented a performer who straddled the line between independence and submissiveness’ (1986, 308). This was no easy task, given the hostile climate the world of comedy offered women. Horowitz points out that Burnett’s style at this time was marked by self-deprecation: ‘Burnett’s self-deprecating humor was typical of comediennes of the late 1950s and early 1960s, and it served to soften audience resistance to the notion of an assertively funny woman’ (Horowitz, 1997, 69). Dave Tebert, the man who ran the talent department at NBC in the early 1960s, asserted that women were given the same opportunities as men, but that ‘they were not aggressive enough or forceful enough to deal with the drunks and hecklers often found in the audience’ (Martin and Segrave, 1986, 18).In addition, Bob Shanks, the talent coordinator for the Paar show, made an attempt to find female comics. Over a three-year period, however, he interviewed 500 women; only twenty of them were considered good enough to pass. He commented that ‘the wit was missing’ or that the women lacked ‘quickness of response’ (Martin and Segrave, 1986, 19). Comedy was performance arising from skill and wit, and performance was a male role. Funny girls would not be asked out on dates’ assert Martin and Segrave (1986, 19). Being popular in school, having a date to the prom, being seen as attractive and compliant these qualities were valued in young women and girls. Being clever and witty key qualities for a comic, were not valued. There, most women of the time felt that given a choice, comedy should be submerged. When men make clever jokes at women’s expense, they may be considered great, insightful comics, assert Martin and Segrave. On the other hand, women who do the same at the expense of men may be labeled such derogatory terms as ‘ball-busters or man-haters’. In fact, ‘women are not even safe poking fun at other women. They are considered anti-female or catty’ citing Joan Rivers as an example of this (Martin and Segrave, 1986, 20). C.  Ã‚   1970s–1980s   The 1970s was a time of gradual change. According to some, ‘the decade of the 1970s was one of slow but steady growth in the number of women entering or reentering facets of the film industry that had been closed to them for decades’ (Sova, 1998, 153). Laugh-In hadhit the airwaves at the end of the 1960s, and once it was firmly entrenched, it showcased a variety of women comics. In fact, it was the first time that so many comedians had so much exposure since the days of vaudeville. Laugh-in helped a number of comics to get exposure and start careers. Among these were Goldie Hawn, Ruth Buzzi, JoAnne Worley, Lily Tomlin. Lily Tomlin brought some unique skills to the industry through her intelligence and creativity. She did this through the creation of new comic characters. In addition, she was able to perform several well-received stage concerts. Her film career has been less successful; this may be partly due to the poor selection of roles she has been given. The beginning of the Women’s Movement in America in the late 1960s and early 1970s of course had an effect on women in comedy throughout the United States and Britain. Comedians who began to appear during this time include Bette Midler, Sandra Bernhard, Madeleine Kahn, and Marilyn Sokol. Laugh-In continued to display women comics. In addition, shows like Shows like Saturday Night Live and SCTV helped start the careers of such comedians as Gilda Radner and Andrea Martin. The 1980s did not see much improvement. ‘Comediennes with anything to say were being labeled â€Å"hostile† or â€Å"too masculine† (Martin and Segrave, 1986, 312). The most phenomenal rise, however, was the unprecedented number of women who had begun to appear in comedy clubs as stand-up comics. These new women comics dealt with women’s issues, such as fashion, menstruation, weight, hygiene, being single, sex and relationships. These topics were often part of the self-deprecating humor that continued to mark women’s humor through the remainder of the century. During this time, it should be noted that very few minority women appeared in this profession. The great exception was Moms Mabley, who managed to overcome exceptional obstacles in gaining acceptance in the world of primarily white male entertainers. Chapter 2 Women’s ‘Sense’ of Humour In their 1986 volume Women in Comedy, Linda Martin and Kerry Segrave assert that female comics are a rare commodity. The explanation for this, they assert, lies in the commonly held belief that ‘women are just not funny they don’t laugh at jokes, nor do they create them’. To support their assertion, Martin and Segrave describe a magazine article written in 1951. A writer named Robert Allen wrote an article about women and humor for Maclean’s. Allen bemoaned the fact that women never seemed to know when to laugh at a joke, or they often failed to laugh at all. He claimed he had experimented at home, and that he used different kinds and different styles of humor, but that his ‘subjects’ never seemed to get the jokes. To be fair, he said he tested people outside his own home, including a ‘variety’ of other females. Still, he got the same results with that group. After all this, he stated that the only conclusion he could draw was that women have no sense of humor (Martin and Segrave, 1986, 16-17). It is interesting to note that it never occurred to Allen that he might be the one who was not ‘getting it’. It also interesting to note that Allen’s article was considered important enough to eventually make it into Reader’s Digest as a condensed piece but this did not happen until thirteen years later. Considering the fact that most Reader’s Digest condensed articles appear within months of the original publication, a lag time of thirteen years is rather remarkable. As Martin and Segrave suggest, ‘this illustrated perhaps the timelessness of the idea and the need to present it again in a different decade, to a new audience just at a period when the image of the female comic was beginning to be liberated’ (1986, 17). The humorist James Thurber, writing contemporaneously with Allen, wrote a piece in which he addressed an anonymous Miss G.H., who had sent him some unsolicited comedy material. He responded to her material by suggesting that she ‘become a bacteriologist, or a Red-Cross nurse, or a Wave, like all the other girls’. The most scathing criticism at the time, however, came from a woman. Sarel Eimerl wrote in a November 1962 issue of Mademoiselle that ‘a woman who really makes one laugh is about as easy to find as a pauper taking his Sunday brunch in the Edwardian Room’ (Martin and Segrave, 1986, 17). It appears that in the 1950s and beyond, women were thought mostly by men, but also some women to be lacking a sense of humor. That belief has not been completely eradicated to this day. In her essay ‘Gender and Humour’, Lizbeth Goodman analyzes the following joke from Banks and Swift’s 1987 book on comedy:Question: How many feminists does it take to screw in a light bulb?Answer: That’s not funny. Goodman goes on to explain that although the idea of the joke is simple, that there is a great deal more going on. This joke is, in fact, ‘an example of an accessible and non-valorized form of social critique, which functions as a mirror of the values of the dominant culture’ (Goodman, 1992a, 287). It is also interesting to note that this joke is familiar to us. It has been repeated any number of times in recent years, each time with some detail changed. Often the change is in the choice of target. Different minority groups may be featured as the target, depending on the context of the telling. Therefore, the teller of the joke is implicitly stating that women, too, are a ‘minority’. According to Goodman, ‘that women are singled out as a â€Å"minority† group, despite the majority of women in society, is indicative of the male bias of society and its values’ (Goodman, 1992a, 288). Horowitz points out that, like other groups that have suffered discrimination, women are classified as a minority group by affirmative action programs; however, ‘unlike ethnic minorities, women are a numerical majority’ (Horowitz, 1997, 8). Goodman also points out that the fact that women are so frequently targeted in jokes in western culture is significant in itself:   ‘that women are so often the butt of jokes in western culture says a great deal about that culture’. It reveals, for example, that the jokers are usually men. It also reveals that the listeners are deeply immersed in the patriarchal culture. In fact, Goodman takes this a step further. She points out that the listeners are steeped in the patriarchal culture ‘to the extent that certain types of responses are â€Å"gendered†: for instance, loud laughter as opposed to quiet hand-over-the-mouth giggles’ (Goodman, 1992a, 288). Another way to analyze this joke, Goodman suggests, is to take into consideration the fact that the value of the joke does not lie solely within the joke itself. Rather, its value depends on other factors. One of these factors is the context of the telling; the other is the interpretation of the hearer. She cites Adrienne Rich’s 1979 reinterpretation of the joke, explaining that doing so ‘requires an awareness of the context of the joke’s production and an ability to decontextualize the joke mentally’ (Goodman, 1992a, 288). By doing this, the joke can be interpreted in such a way that it is not an insult to women, or an insult to feminism. Instead, it becomes a critique of the simplistic notions that are commonly held about women in society and especially about women who are feminists. This ultimately brings us to the rhetorical question about women and humour: do women have a sense of humour? Linda Naranjo-Huebl answers this in the affirmative. She also includes an explanation of how this humor is different. ‘One of the common findings of all the gender and humor studies is that there does in fact exist something that can be identified as womens humor’, she asserts. She then explains that it is a ‘distinct’ form of humor, ‘characteristic of and arising from womens experience that serves distinct communicative functions associated with that experience’ (Naranjo-Huebl, 2005, web). Linda Naranjo-Huebl asserts that ‘the stereotype of the humorless female has stubbornly persisted, reinforced by studies concluding that women use humor less often than men’. She puts forth three theories to explain why this stereotype has persisted for so long. The first explanation has to do with women’s use of language. Women are generally brought up to be polite, and the language of humour is often impolite. In addition, humour tends to be aggressive, and women have traditionally been discouraged from expressing any sort of open aggression. The second explanation for the continuation of this stereotype is that ‘much of womens humor has been either censored or misinterpreted’ (Naranjo-Hueblo, web). That is to say, women do have a sense of humour, but it has largely gone unrecognized a situation which is still being rectified today. Not only have examples of women’s humour been censored and misinterpreted, but also the methodology of the studies has frequently been flawed. The methods used, primarily those created by men, tend to favor male forms of humor. The results then falsely ‘prove’ that women lack a sense of humour. Naranjo-Hueblo explains one such study, in which 250 undergraduate business students from a major university were asked to answer questions regarding a hypothetical situation. The situation consisted of the students pretending that they were with a colleague; the colleague is carrying a briefcase which suddenly becomes open, resulting in papers flying all over the place. The students are then asked how they would respond: would they ignore the episode and keep on walking? Would they assist the colleague by stopping to help pick up the papers? Or would they tease the colleague or in some other way express humour? Each student was allowed to choose only one response. As one might expect, the majority of men chose to respond with humour, while the majority of women chose to help. This creators of the study assumed that one couldn’t be helpful and humorous at the same time. Furthermore, it led them to conclude that women did not have as great a sense of humour as men. Naranjo-Hueblo points out the choices do not include the possibility that women may be humorous about the situation as they are assisting their colleague. Furthermore, ‘another problem with the study is that it posits humor as a one-line quip in a slapstick situation, which is not womens preferred form of humor (Naranjo-Huebl, web). The third reason women have been found to lack a sense of humour is that humour has largely been defined by men. Women find humour in different sources, often preferring word jokes and puns as well as stories, whereas men prefer much more derisive forms of humour. ‘It has always been more acceptable for masculine styles to influence feminine ones, rather than vice versa. . . The powerless take on the trappings of the powerful’ (Horowitz, 1997, 9). Chapter Three: Issues in Stand-up Comedy Being a woman Traditional gender expectations Aggressiveness Sexuality and Femininity Power and Control Issues Modes of Stand-up Comedy Self-Deprecation in Women’s Humour Self-deprecation in the work of Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers The domestic goddess A.   Being a Woman As stated earlier, comedy is a form of expression which stretches and sometimes breaks boundaries. This is very true in the case of stand-up comedy. Stand-up comedy ridicules the norms of society. It challenges convention, and it questions moral views. in particular has a tradition of ridiculing moral, social, and political conventions. The stand-up comedian is frequently considered as existing on the fringes of mainstream society. For any stand-up comedian, male or female, a number of factors come into play when they are in front of an audience. What race are they? What is their ethnic background? What is their sexual orientation, or what does it appear to be? Are they disabled, and is that uncomfortable for the audience member? When you add gender into the mix, it becomes that much more unpredictable. The reaction the audience gives to a female stand-up is much different to the one they would give to her male counterpart. The audience seems to expect a man to be funny. When confronted with a female stand-up, they suspend judgment until she can prove that she is funny. B.   Traditional Gender Expectations Traditional gender expectations are also a very important issue for women comics. Conventional definitions of ‘lady-like’ behavior are an obstacle. Conventional definitions of what it means to be ‘feminine’ or to act ‘lady-like’ are incongruent with the often-inappropriate behavior of women in comedy. This is particularly true of such forms of comedy as stand-up routines. In stand-up comedy, women comics cannot be passive and demure on stage, for this behavior will not elicit laughter. Instead, they must be aggressive, sometimes loud, and frequently un-ladylike. They must completely break with accepted social conventions. Bucking these conventions is difficult for a number of reasons, not the least of which is economic profit. Gender expectations are reinforced, especially by mainstream corporate media, because they are tied into money. The objectification of women ‘is a central factor in the sale of commodities, another pillar of the competitive system’ (Sakeris, 2001, 227). Women comics by definition break barriers and defy convention. By so doing, they present a number of different challenges to mainstream society, and especially to that portion of mainstream society which will ultimately suffer financially. In addition, notes Sakeris, ‘the ghettoization of women’s work and the provision of necessary, but unpaid, labor in the home all supported by our processes of gender socialization are central to a capitalist economy as well’ (Sakeris, 2001, 227). C.   Aggressiveness Another aspect that must be considered is the aggressiveness involved in stand-up comedy. Stand-up comedy can be viewed as an aggressive act. In the attempt to elicit laughter, it can be said that the comic is trying to exert control over her audience. Thus, it can be seen as a power struggle. Because of the power associated with the successful use of humor, humor initiation has become associated with other traditionally masculine characteristics, such as aggression, dominance, and assertiveness. For a female to develop into a clown or joker, then, she must violate the behavioral pattern normally reserved for women (Naranjo-Huebl, 2005, web). This is in direct opposition to the passiveness that society traditionally expects of women. To get up on stage and act aggressively is something that goes against traditional norms and is therefore suspect. Being female means acting demurely, being subservient while remaining unobtrusive. When a female gets up on stage and performs as a comic, she is aggressive, actively engaging the participants, and demanding for attention.  Ã‚   Womens humour is frequently interpreted as a challenge. This is naturally due to the aggressive nature of stand-up comedy, especially in an audience, which will most probably be comprised primarily of men. Too much aggression can be alienating in the best of situations. When too much aggression is exhibited by a female, the threat is compounded. It can appear to males that this female interloper is trying to seize what they think of as their territory ‘male’ territory. This can be disastrous for an act, eventually for a career. As several researchers have pointed out, comedy is an aggressive activity, and it requires performers to be hard and women are not supposed to be hard. ‘Being pervasively nice is not conducive to comedy which requires satire and ridicule. Women who do break through into comedy are branded with all sorts of unpleasant labels, such as strident, dyke, or frustrated’ (Martin and Segrave, 20). D.   Sexuality and Femininity   Another issue, and one which is vitally important, is that of sexuality. Even if she is not talking about sex in her act, this is an issue. The question of a woman’s sexuality and her sense of femininity are undeniably central issues to the professional woman comic. What is the connection between comic appeal, sex appeal, and our notions of what is feminine? Mother, virgin, prostitute: these are the social roles imposed on women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The characteristics of (so-called) feminine sexuality derive from them: the valorization of reproduction and nursing; faithfulness; modesty,   ignorance of and even lack of interest in sexual pleasure; a passive acceptance of men’s ‘activity’; seductiveness, in order to arouse the consumers’ desire while offering herself as its material support without getting pleasure herself’ (Irigary, 1985, 63-4).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Some would go as far as to see parallels between the act of standup comedy and the act of sex. For example, Horowitz asserts that ‘sexuality can be loving, mutual vulnerability as can comedy (Horowitz, 1997, 12). Horowitz and others have suggested that there is an intimacy in the relationship between the comic and her audience that is not unlike the intimacy between lovers. There are varying levels of frankness in different stand-up routines. This may be seen as mirroring the sexual frankness of the male stand-up comedian. However, it is accepted less easily. As Horowitz points out, ‘female comics are expected to go far but not too far’ (Horowitz, 1997, 17).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   E.   Power and Control Issues Humour is often used as a means of controlling social situations. In a highly volatile set of circumstances, humour can often defuse the threat by helping to ease the tension. By using humour this way, dangerous explosions of temper can be averted without forcing confrontations. Yet since the end result is the same the situation is brought to a halt by peaceful means this also means that humour exerts a kind of power. The dynamics of power are complex and can be difficult to negotiate. These dynamics are further complicated when it comes to the case of self-deprecatory humour. The comic may seem to be relinquishing control by taking her own inadequacies and flaws and putting them out there on public display.