Thursday, October 31, 2019

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

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

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

Sunday, October 27, 2019

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.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Songs :: essays research papers

I don't know if I'll ever know why Or hear the sound when angels cry What you said to me late last night I'll remember for the rest of my life Every night when you close my eyes I see the ways that you've touched my life And I want you to know that I'll Always be right here These are the days these are the moments that pass us by We ask the questions but we never really find out why I dig my toes into the sand The ocean looks like a thousand diamonds strewn across a blue blanket I lean against the wind Pretend that I am weightless And in this moment I am happy...happy I wish you were here... I lay my head into the sand The sky resembles a backlit canopy with holes punched in it I'm counting UFO's I signal them with my lighter And in this moment I am happy...happy I wish you were here... And all the roads we have to walk are winding And all the lights that lead us there are blinding There are many things that I Would like to say to you but I don't know how Because maybe, you’re gonna be the one that saves me And after all, you’re my wonderwall I'm here without you baby But you're still on my lonely mind. I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time. I'm here without you baby But you're still with me in my dreams And tonight, it's only you and me. Cuz it’s you and me And all other people with nothing to do Nothing to lose And it’s you and me And all other people And I don’t know why I can’t keep my eyes off of you What are the things That I want to say Just aren’t coming out right And tripping on words You got my head spinning I don’t know where to go from here I'm slow But I'm trying And I'm still dying to know Say you won't leave for the rest of my I can't have you leave for the rest of my Say you won't leave for the rest of my life listen to your heart when he’s calling for you listen to your heart there’s nothing else you can do I don’t know where you’re going and I don’t know why but listen to your heart

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Korean Air and China Airlines

Lesson 1 – Self introduction Trick – Stereotype Airlines – China Airlines Instructor:Fiona Y. Hsiao ? ? : Profile-? ? 1. Marketing & Sales VP 2. (Kingdom of Bahrain) (Gulf Air) 3? / / ? ( ) 3. Duty travel: — ? 4. 5. 6. 7. : TVBS WTO , 8. : ? ?†¦ Interview Skills Outlines Stereotype Self Intro Education Work Experience †¢ Greetings †¢ Manner †¢ Characteristics †¢ Nature †¢ Professionalism Major + Activities + LearningPosition + Specialties Storytelling Quick Response B + F+ Q + E Ambition for the position : What is Cabin Crew? Main Accountabilities: †¢ You will be responsible for ensuring the safety of our guests as well as providing excellent customer service at all times. †¢ inspiring our guests †¢ displaying a high degree of motivation †¢ enthusiasm and commitment in everything you do. What CI is doing? Green Energy Aircraft Weight Reduction Ground Repair & Service Maintenance Management : What CI is doing? China Southern, China Eastern, Xiamen Airlines and China Airlines Form †Greater China Connection† PartnershipOn January 3, 2013, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and China Airlines jointly launched the †Greater China Connection† program. The four SkyTeam member airlines in the Greater China region will share resources to establish a common set of CrossStrait membership services. The scope of the †Greater China Connection† program extends across more than 41 airports and more than 270 Cross-Strait flights a week. In other words, one in every two China-Taiwan flights is provided by a member of †Greater China Connection. ‘ With more than 280 China/Taiwan-Hong Kong flights and nearly 25,000 China domestic flights a week, †Greater China Connection† provides travelers with a more extensive network, more frequent flights, greater value and more convenient services. S kyTeam: Air France Korean Air KLM †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. : Q:  What  do  you  think  of  us? When I get to know that China Airlines becomes the first Taiwanese airline to join SkyTeam and cements the alliance’s #1 position in the Greater China region. I feel honored being a Taiwanese. As I am aware of, there are Star Alliance, One World and SkyTeam partnership, non of irliners from Taiwan is able to be part of the member. By putting so much effort that people don’t know, we China Airline has came to the 1st airline joining team. It shows the identity of hub of Taiwan. Also, the ‘Plum Blossom’ promoting China Airlines’ corporate identity and presenting how blossom our crew could be every day when having guests on board†¦.. : Blood Type Parents’ Occupation Zodiac Sign Trick Trick – Stereotype Where you come from 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Capricorn (12. 21-01. 20) Aquarius (01. 21-02. 19) Pisces (02. 20-03. 20) Aries ( 03. 21-04. 19) Taurus (04. 20-05. 20) Gemini (05. 21-06. 21) Cancer (6. 22-07. 22) Leo (07. 23-08. 22) Virgo (08. 23-09. 22) Libra (09. 23-10. 23) Scorpio (10. 24-11. 21) Sagittarius (11. 22-12. 20) Zodiac  Sign In-class practice stereotype ?Example 1? A1: Hello, how are you today? Welcome to our interview. Please introduce yourself in 3 minutes. B1: I would be very glad to do so. My name is _____. It’s a special name which means________. I come from a ordinary and simple family so that I get intimate with classmates better than with families. I fit to live in groups instead of loneliness.A2: Are your parents nine-to-fivers? B2: Yes, they are nine-to-fivers who go to work early and come home late. A3: Do your parents support you to join this interview? B3: Sure! My family thinks this is a long-term career and hopes that I can hold this chance to bring myself into this field. A4: Do you live in Taipei? How will you come to work if we hire you? How long does it take yo u on transportation? B4: I don’t live in Taipei. It’s no problem with me to be on time! I can drive. If parking is inconvenient, I would go out earlier to match up my duty. : In-class practice ?Example 2? BufferA1: Please describe yourself by using 3 words. B1: It can’t come to my mind immediately. But I think I can introduce myself by a phrase sentence that is â€Å"work smart†. I am particular about efficiency. Most social freshmen can’t grasp the right point; they often make mistakes and re-do it. Therefore, they easily make things delay behind the progress. stereotype A2: That’s right. Where do you live? B2: I live in HsinDen where is located in south of Taipei and near Wulai. Wulai is very beautiful. Many people go hot springs and hiking on holidays. A3: But it’s quite far from your place to the office. How will you come to work?B3: Since high-speed way completed, people who live in HsinDen and Mucha usually go to work by either MRT or driving. I have the driving license / driver’s license and MRT card. Distance is not an issue as long as I am capable to manage my time well. A4: What do you think that you can’t work from nine-to-five? B4: I think it can’t be a nine-to-five job in aviation industry. Because we need to cooperate with airport operation and flight schedule, I understood. : In-class practice ?Example 3? stereotype A1: Talk about your family. B1: I’m very happy to. I come from an academic-oriented family.My parents are teachers who are very conscientious and well-disciplined. They say â€Å"to be strict with ourselves and lenient towards others† which is reasonable to me. A2: Have you ever talked about your willingness to your family? B2: Yes. My mother agreed, but my father was worried. Finally my decision is the decision. fact A3: Are you living with your family? B3: No, I rent a place with roommates. I wasn’t used to it in the beginning because we ne ed to clean up the toilet and garbage by turns. But now, I am used to living independently and sharing housework. It makes me become more independent and matured.A3: Do you worry that you will keep away from your family & friends at a distance? B3: Yes, it maybe is true. But you know that true affection won’t be changed because of distance. We have e-mails and cell phones. Nowadays, the communication system is so convenient that the whole world is just like a â€Å"global village†!! I am not worried about it at all. : In-class practice stereotype ?Example 4? A1: Please briefly introduce yourself. B1: Sure. I come from south of Taiwan. I am diligent, patient and can adapt to the environment better than ones from north. A2: That’s right. Will your accommodation be a problem to you?B2: I have to say I need some time to set up housing, but 1 week is enough! A3: You seem very confident! However, the salary we can provide in the beginning won’t be high. Could you accept it? B3: Normally, people always expect to have higher salary. I am not exceptional. I understand that we will have a great deal of training courses so that the salary won’t be high in the initial stage. A4: OK. Could you turn around right here? B4: Sure. Is this ok? If needed, I can do it again. ?: : ~ ~ :so that :instead of Ving / N. :match up : Since + , S+ /. †¢ †¦ †¦:either†¦or†¦ †¢ , : as long as + . †¢ S + used to + V: , ;? ( )? ; : †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ !! be + used to +Ving †¢ :to keep someone at a distance †¢ :adapt to : †¢ :a large number / a great quantity / a great deal (of) / a world of ? ? ? ? ? Now, your show time†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 60’s – Greeting with your interviewers. – Your name? – Your age? – School level / major? – Work experience? – Why do you think know about China Airline? – Reasons for being a flight attendant ? – What is your contribution? – Saying Thank You. :Your blood type is â€Å"O. â€Å"Some says this type means people is very stubborn and objective. What do you think? Buffer & Stereotype Actually,  I  have  heard  and  got  this  question  quite  often  when   people  gets  to  know  my  blood  type  is  Ã¢â‚¬Å"O†. Turning I  had  to  admit  that  we  are  somehow  stubborn  and  objective   Point than  the  rest. However,  in  stead  of  saying  we  are  like  that,   I  would  put  in  this  way  by  saying  we  are  devoting  and  insisting  in   doing  things  which  are  supposed  to  be  done  in  a  right  way. For   example,  as  a  employer,  I  believe  that’s  no  short? cut  when  doing   work,  not  to  mention  in  the  service  industry.I  believe  that  we   should  provide  services  to  customers/passengers  up  to  standard   as  how  we  are  trained  no  matter  there’s  someone  checking   behind  us. That’s  how  I  am  going  to  devote  myself  when  flying   with  our  big  family. : †¢ Q: Please introduce yourself in 1 minutes. †¢ Q: What are the three major elements from a successful flight attendant? †¢ Have you ever fly w/ us? And your impression? †¢ If one of the PAX touches your hand, what would you do? : ? ? * www. airjob. com. tw * [email  protected] com. tw We Welcome You to Our Workshop†¦ :

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Aims of education Essay

Culture is activity of thought, and receptiveness to beauty and humane feeling. Scraps of information have nothing to do with it. A merely well-informed man is the most useless bore on God’s earth. What we should aim at producing is men who possess both culture and expert knowledge in some special direction. Their expert knowledge will give them the ground to start from, and their culture will lead them as deep as philosophy and as high as art. We have to remember that the valuable intellectual development is self- development, and that it mostly takes place between the ages of sixteen and thirty. As to training, the most important part is given by mothers before the age of twelve. A saying due to Archbishop Temple illustrates my meaning. Surprise was expressed at the success in after-life of a man, who as a boy at Rugby had been somewhat undistinguished. He answered, â€Å"It is not what they are at eighteen, it is what they become afterwards that matters. † In training a child to activity of thought, above all things we must beware of what I will call â€Å"inert ideas†-that is to say, ideas that are merely received into the mind without being utilised, or tested, or thrown into fresh combinations. In the history of education, the most striking phenomenon is that schools of learning, which at one epoch are alive with a ferment of genius, in a succeeding generation exhibit merely pedantry and routine. The reason is, that they are overladen with inert ideas. Education with inert ideas is not only useless: it is, above all things, harmful – Corruptio optimi, pessima. Except at rare intervals of intellectual ferment, education in the past has been radically infected with inert ideas. That is the reason why uneducated clever women, who have seen much of the world, are in middle life so much the most cultured part of the community. They have been saved from this horrible burden of inert ideas. Every intellectual revolution which has ever stirred humanity into greatness has been a passionate protest against inert ideas. Then, alas, with pathetic ignorance of human psychology, it has proceeded by some educational scheme to bind humanity afresh with inert ideas of its own fashioning. Let us now ask how in our system of education we are to guard against this mental dryrot. We enunciate two educational commandments, â€Å"Do not teach too many subjects,† and again, â€Å"What you teach, teach thoroughly. † The result of teaching small parts of a large number of subjects is the passive reception of disconnected ideas, not illumined with any spark of vitality. Let the main ideas which are introduced into a child’s education be few and important, and let them be thrown into every combination possible. The child should make them his own, and should understand their application here and now in the circumstances of his actual life. From the very beginning of his education, the child should experience the joy of discovery. The discovery which he has to make, is that general ideas give an understanding of that stream of events which pours through his life, which is his life. By understanding I mean more than a mere logical analysis, though that is included. I mean â€Å"understanding† in the sense in which it is used in the French.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Armamemts essays

Armamemts essays In a world where the most vulnerable members of society suffer, its comforting to reflect on the protective umbrella of democracy and the rule of law. As the innovators behind some of the worlds latest peacekeeping hardware, with all-embracing air, sea, land and space capability, bae systems can help to protect a nations freedom and its future generations. Its all part of our long-term commitment to making the world a better place. Where social and economic stability can safeguard livelihoods, nurture education and training, promote technological growth and restore the environment. Armaments are just another global commodity. Yes indeed. One can almost smell the fiery depths of hell as one reads of the assassinations in parts of Africa, Asia, or Europe and tries to absorb the virulent rhetoric and the torrents of accusation and counter-accusation. We all want to live in peace, but throughout this human world some of the most explosive elements and forces have plagued the planet itself the legacies of colonial dispossession, bizarre racial theories, perceived historical slights and injustices, warped religious cults, zealotry, and ideologies with pretensions to transcendent truth. Theres a need to stay ever cautious; armaments provide that necessary peace of mind. Simply, if you want to be left in peace, you have to be able to defend yourself. Armaments have become a necessity, a demanded and supplied product, manufactured and traded. P. Bobbitt wrote in his The Shield of Achilles; War, Peace and the Course of History We are at a moment in world affairs when the essential ideas that govern statecraft must change. For five centuries it has taken the resources of a state to destroy another state: only states could muster the huge revenues, conscript the vast armies, and equip the divisions required to threaten the survival of other states. Indeed posing such threats, and meetin...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Cellphone Rant essays

Cellphone Rant essays My Hell is a stadium of 20,000+ people in which everyone has a cell phone... Here's why. Say I'm walking down the street. Someone's cell phone happens to go off and thirty-five people all pat themselves down like they are on fire. To boot, the ring tone is nothing but an eardrum-shattering sonic boom of a cute, yet inaccurate version, of the latest pop molasses released for the mindless sheep we call mainstream radio listeners, It seems that the world renowned pocket communicator has swept the world is such a way that even children not a day over twelve feel the need to call their friends on a cell phone that has been so lovingly bestowed upon them by their materialistic and quite egotistical parents with morals that need to have a serious reality check. Who has the money for 600,000 anytime, anywhere, free-night-and-weekend minutes to shell out on a sixteen year old? Not I, yet there are some out there that suffer from gotta-buy-a-cell-phone-cause-my-son/daughter-might-not-look-cool-enough syndrome. Why do we succumb the beckoning to annoy the not-so-innocent public with the insatiable urge to raise our voices to that high level reserved for Jerry Springer guests and Televangelists into the receiver your receptionless handset just so that the probably nonlistening party on the other end can hear all about the size, color, and frequency of the contagious blue fungus on your teeth, or some other too-hot-for-TV topic. Do me a favor and use the cell phone for what it was meant to be, an emergency device. Not a release for an impulse to ask your buddies whats going on during second period when you know they are either sitting in class or they're ditching to go mud-riding with all their redneck compadres in one's dad's military-class war machine with a four-foot lift kit and pipes that sound like gun-shots that you wouldn't be able hear over ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Topics for Ecology Essays

Topics for Ecology Essays Ecology is the study of the interactions and reciprocal influence of living organisms within a specific environment. Its usually taught in the context of biology, though some high schools also offer courses in Environmental Science which includes topics in ecology. Ecology Topics to Choose From Topics within the field can range broadly, so your choices of topics are practically endless! The list below may help you generate your own ideas for a research paper or essay. Research Topics How are new predators introduced into an area? Where has this happened in the United States?How is the ecosystem of your backyard different from the ecosystem of another persons backyard ecosystem?How is a desert ecosystem different from a forest ecosystem?What is the history and impact of manure?How are different types of manure good or bad?How has the popularity of sushi impacted the earth?What trends in eating habits have impacted our environment?What hosts and parasites exist in your home?Pick five products from your refrigerator, including the packaging. How long would it take for the products to decay in the earth?How are trees affected by acid rain?How do you build an ecovillage?How clean is the air in your town?What is the soil from your yard made of?Why are coral reefs important?Explain the ecosystem of a cave. How could that system be disturbed?Explain how rotting wood impacts the earth and people.What ten things could you recycle in your home?How is recycled paper made?How much carbon dioxide is released into the air every day because of fuel consumption in cars? How could this be reduced? How much paper is thrown away in your town every day? How could we use paper that is thrown away?How could each family save water?How does discarded motor oil affect the environment?How can we increase the use of public transportation? How would that help the environment?Pick an endangered species. What could make it go extinct? What could save this species from extinction?What species have been discovered within the past year?How could the human race become extinct? Describe a scenario.How does a local factory affect the environment?How do ecosystems improve water quality? Topics for Opinion Papers There is a great deal of controversy about topics that link ecology and public policy. If you enjoy writing papers that take a point of view, consider some of these: What impact is climate change having on our local ecology?Should the United States ban the use of plastics to protect delicate ecosystems?Should new laws be enacted to limit the use of energy produced by fossil fuels?How far should human beings go to protect ecologies where endangered species live?Is there ever a time when natural ecology should be sacrificed for human needs?Should scientists bring back an extinct animal? What animals would you bring back and why?If scientists brought back the saber-toothed tiger, how might it impact the environment?

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Will It Be Possible for more African Nations to Transition to Essay

Will It Be Possible for more African Nations to Transition to Democracy - Essay Example Not all African nations lack democracy; however, most of the African nations have demonstrated poor or lack of democracy. These can be seen through personal dictatorships, one-party systems and military regimes. This paper will examine the barriers to democratic transition in African countries. Secondly, the paper will explore how African countries can overcome these difficulties. Lastly, the paper will focus on South Africa as a country that has moved towards democratic transition. Will it be possible for more African nations to transition to democracy? Why it is incredibly difficult for African nations to democratic transition According to Riley (1991), African nations can adopt democracy as most western countries such as the United States have adopted. However, the transition to democracy is incredibly a difficult task, which requires many changes in hindrances to democratic transition. There are several policies that need to be adopted by most African nations in order to enhance their chances for a democratic transition. South Africa is one of the African nations that have demonstrated a successful democratic transition through overcoming the barriers of such a transition. There are several barriers that prevent the African nations from having a successful democratic transition. First, there has been the lack of democratic culture in many African nations. There is an African culture that allows a single chief who cannot be challenged throughout the history of African leadership. Such a tradition has passed across generations and is a barrier to democratic transition (Bates, 1995). In addition, in many African nations, the sense of a democratic majority is expressed by a single party system and a need for unity among ethnic, cultural and linguistic groups. Such an idea leads to conflicts among various tribes and cultures. The other barrier to successful democratic transition includes the underdeveloped economies in many African nations. Democracy is expensiv e since it requires the establishment of institutions that deal with problems such as corruption, poor governance, and dictatorship. The institutions of democratic government and civil society are weak in many countries; this makes the transition to democracy a substantial challenge. Being underdeveloped, most of the African countries cannot support the establishment of democratic institutions (Bates, 1995). Riley (1991) asserts that unstable societies can be regarded as a barrier to democratic transition in many African nations, which has resulted from wars and violence. Some African countries such as Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, and Rwanda have experienced tribal or civil wars. For a successful democratic transition, there must be a stable society that focuses on the development. The effects of wars tend to be tremendous both economically and socially. Economic and social inequalities tend to undermine one’s capacity to participate in public discourses that may lead to significant changes in life. The violation of human rights in many African countries also hinders the transition to governance. In these countries, human rights are not given a priority; there are many cases of child abuse, rape, killings and even slavery and other human rights violations (Nzongola-Ntalaja & Lee, 1997). In such a state, it is almost impossible to have a successful transition to democracy. Poor education system in many African countries is also a barrier to democratic transition. In countries where there is democracy, such as United States, education systems aim at producing scholars who are capable of criticizing the lack of democracy. Poor education results to low earning and low standards of living. Consequently, income inequality may undermine democratic instit

Friday, October 18, 2019

Person-centred Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Person-centred Planning - Essay Example But in order to successfully organize a person-centred mode of planning it is incumbent that all the factors and elements are in place. This form of service delivery relies heavily on a professional approach combined with the human touch. The chief players are the facilitators in the different care providing roles. The group that forms the care givers include both professionals as well as family members. So it is obvious that coordination and cooperation among all the team members is the primary criterion in successful implementation of the planning. Task/role assignment According to Molly (2006) the most important aspect of person-centred planning is the roles of the care providers for they are the ones who are in direct charge of the care receiver. It is important that the individual service providers have a clear cut picture of what they have to do and the task they have to perform. They should be aware of their specific role in the care facilitating service. Molly (2006) stresses upon the importance of the ‘circle of support’ which consists of both the professional care givers and the family members. In this context it is important that each one of the care providers have a distinctive task to perform so that the care receiver gets proper service. It has been found that in cases where there is no proper task or role assignment the care receiver suffers. The care giving system takes over the needs of the individual being and the whole focus shifts from catering to the person to meeting the needs of the system (Molly, 2006). Molly refers to two distinct cases of Frances and Crystal to show how well a service facilitating system can work if roles and tasks are definitively allotted so that every member of the team contributes as per his/her responsibility. The defined role in fact helps to build a distinctive relationship between the care receiver and the care provider, for one of the most important criterion of a care provider is to care for the dependent. In fact it is the care receiver who gets to make a choice of his/her care givers. This explains the significance of the role that the care giver has to play. Coordination & collaboration in the team When building a person-centred planning team it is important that all the team members are assigned uniform responsibility in their respective roles. It would not only prevent grudges among team members but optimise the full potential and strength of the team. In their study of client-centric approach Sumsion and Lencucha (2009) have pointed out the challenges and difficulties faced by the teams when working in an interprofessional, person-centric module. They throw light on the common areas of discontent like time management, interpersonal and professional differences and hierarchies. These issues could be effectively sorted out by addressing appropriate team goals, properly distributing roles and responsibilities and through a continuous process of sharing information relati ng to the background and management of the client (Sumsion & Lencucha, 2009). Moreover through information dissemination at all levels members could coordinate better and know the functioning methods of each other. In their research Sumsion and

The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell Essay

The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell - Essay Example Rainsford becomes the prey and in doing so the author unveils the resourcefulness and animal instinct that lies below Rainsford's pompous exterior. Here we glimpse the evil that lies at the primal core of all men such as Rainsford. Rainsford is portrayed as a man of breeding and good manners. He hunts animals because he believes they have no understanding and are incapable of feeling fear or pain. He shows his arrogance on the yacht by insisting he knows the mind of the jaguar and rebuffing the anecdotal tales of Ship-Trap Island as nonsense. Rainsford's smug attitude is further revealed as he "indolently puffed on his favorite brier". However, in his first physical challenge, Rainsford falls overboard as he struggles to retain the symbol of his self-indulgent aristocracy, his treasured pipe. The pompous Rainsford now confronts the sea and a more resourceful man is revealed. He "wrestled himself out of his clothes", as the yacht became a dim drone in the distance. The keen-witted Rainsford is able to make his way to the direction of the gunshots and locate the chateau of General Zarnoff. Zarnoff feeds and clothes Rainsford and tells him of his grisly preoccupation with hunting humans. Rainsford is repulsed by the idea and demonstrates his basic belief in puritan civilization by perceiving Zarnoff as a murderer.

The Third Way Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Third Way - Essay Example And so governments have to decide which programs will best reward the investment of tax dollars (Merkhofer 1987). One of the most controversial areas of public policy involves health care for that part of the population least able to pay for their own care. Socioeconomic status has been identified as a powerful factor in one's health (Bloomberg, Meyers and Braverman 1994). The more health problems that those citizens at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum have, the greater the tax burden will be on the rest of the citizenry. However, while the politics of money should play a significant part in the development of social policy, there is also the idea of social justice to consider. Social justice takes on many definitions, depending on the political leanings of the definer, but the general idea involves the creation of a sense of fairness or equality of opportunity to members at all socioeconomic levels of a society (Jordan 1998; Marshal, Swift, and Roberts 2002). Under the Thatcher administration, inequalities in access to quality health care began to widen in British society (Wagstaff, Paci, and van Doorslaer 1991). When Prime Minister Blair took office, one of his first moves was to establish improved access to health care as a top priority. There are at least three schools of thought as to how to engineer social change. The "laissez-faire" line of thinking - which basically involves allowing society to shake itself into the desired state - might argue that education alone would awaken the British public to the plight of the poor, particularly with regard to health care. The transition in the health habits of the Indian state of Kerala, between 1961 and 1974, could serve as a strong example for the laissez-faire viewpoint. Over that period of time, the birth rate fell from 39 to 26.5, while levels of literacy, life expectancy, female education, and age of marriage became the highest in all of India (Ratcliffe 1978). The cause of this change is not massive social expenditure for contraceptives, not an infrastructure of free clinics, but simply public education about the benefits of family planning, and about the importance of equitable distribution of opportunities (Ratcliffe 1978). Near the other end of the spectrum stand the Social Democrats, who believe that social justice can be achieved, if government planners can only find the right level of taxation to put into place sufficient programs and infrastructure. The natural sympathy that rightly extends to those who need medical treatment that goes beyond what they can afford has made social justice one of the central ethical principles of public health nursing. Programs that do not ultimately result in a change of behavior, however, are only short-term solutions that will not change societal patterns over time (Drevdahl, Kneipp, Canales, and Dorcy 2001). Also, programs that do not accurately address the factors that connect socioeconomic status and health will, ultimately, waste taxpayers' money and will solve nothing (Marmot and Feeney, 1997). The New Labour way of thinking sits somewhere, at least in its own mind, between the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Quote two claims Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Quote two claims - Essay Example Observably, it can be stated that having good sense is not important, but it is significant for people to use it in a good direction. It is quintessential that an individual should not presume his/her mind to be better than other individual in general. Besides, sharpness, clarity in thoughts and memory which is capacious is argued to be vital components within an individual to define the perfect mind. It is also crucial to select a path that enables an individual to develop imaginations and maxims, which ultimately leads an individual to foster method that facilitate him/her to acquire knowledge gradually (Thomas and Turner 32-44). Thomas and Turner’s notion, â€Å"clarity is the central virtue of classic prose† can also be supported, grounded on the fact that classic writer were engaged in presenting literary works that has already been perceived by them. Classic prose can be argued to be predominantly an efficient instrument, which neither invents nor misleads their view. Besides, classic prose evaded hesitations and uncertainties. Thus, it can be firmly justified that â€Å"clarity is the central virtue of classic prose† (Thomas and Turner

The Life of an Outsider in New York Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Life of an Outsider in New York - Essay Example On the other hand, Mosley paints a less romantic picture of America by detailing struggles of the working class. He says that although America is a land of great wealth, it has a large population of the poor population. The paradox of the situation is that while the poor people make the wealth for the rich people, the wealth is retained by a smaller part of the population. It is essential to highlight that immigrants usually provides the highest population of workers. Such workers do low-end jobs that involve tedious work. Mosley blames the middle class for their negligent attitude on the phenomenon of income inequality (White 187).   Ã‚  Capitalism, therefore, is a disease to the country since it relies on wage labor as a contributor to profits. In spite of its importance, labor is not adequately compensated for the same. On the other hand, Mosley paints a less romantic picture of America by detailing struggles of the working class. He says that although America is a land of great wealth, it has a large population of the poor population. The paradox of the situation is that while the poor people make the wealth for the rich people, the wealth is retained by a smaller part of the population. It is essential to highlight that immigrants usually provides the highest population of workers. Such workers do low-end jobs that involve tedious work. Mosley blames the middle class for their negligent attitude on the phenomenon of income inequality (White 187). Capitalism, therefore, is a disease to the country since it relies on wage labor as a contributor to profits. In spite of its importance, labor is not adequately compensated for the same.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Quote two claims Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Quote two claims - Essay Example Observably, it can be stated that having good sense is not important, but it is significant for people to use it in a good direction. It is quintessential that an individual should not presume his/her mind to be better than other individual in general. Besides, sharpness, clarity in thoughts and memory which is capacious is argued to be vital components within an individual to define the perfect mind. It is also crucial to select a path that enables an individual to develop imaginations and maxims, which ultimately leads an individual to foster method that facilitate him/her to acquire knowledge gradually (Thomas and Turner 32-44). Thomas and Turner’s notion, â€Å"clarity is the central virtue of classic prose† can also be supported, grounded on the fact that classic writer were engaged in presenting literary works that has already been perceived by them. Classic prose can be argued to be predominantly an efficient instrument, which neither invents nor misleads their view. Besides, classic prose evaded hesitations and uncertainties. Thus, it can be firmly justified that â€Å"clarity is the central virtue of classic prose† (Thomas and Turner

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Catawba Industrial Company Essay Example for Free

Catawba Industrial Company Essay 1.Is the company correct in its practice of not manufacturing standard model compressors on Sundays because of the accounting loss incurred on each unit? 2.The compressor department and its manager are evaluated based on profit. Compute the compressor department profit with and without Sunday production. 3.If Marge McPhee decides to manufacture ten light-weight compressors each week and to sell them at a price of $8,000, how much better or worse off financially would Catawba be? 4.What weekly production plan for standard and light weight compressors would result in the highest financial return for Catawba? That is, how many of each product should Catawba produce each week? Assume that you have been hired by Marge McPhee to help with the three decisions she must make: (1) whether to produce on Sunday, (2) whether to produce any light-weight compressors, (3) how many of each compressor should be manufactured each week. You will recommend and justify a course of action for each decision. McPhee wants to make the right decision for herself and her division, which is treated as a profit center and evaluated based on profit as computed in Exhibit 2. However, the correct decision model and her best interests (in terms of short term performance measurement) may not agree. As an accountant, you must inform her of this inconsistency and explain it so that she can, in turn, explain it to owners or top management. Be sure to discuss all the assignment questions within your written analysis. You will need to determine the optimal volume and price to choose the correct production schedule. Memo Instructions 1.The memo is an individual project, so you are expected to work on it yourself without seeking any one’s help other than the instructor. You should bring TWO complete copies of the memo and any exhibits to class. All assignments must be handed in by the beginning of the class. Bring a copy of the memo and/or detailed notes to class with you so you will be able to discuss the case intelligently in class. 2.Download and read the memo about writing memos provided by the communications specialists. You can download it from the course’s web page in the announcements section. 3.The memo should: a.Be written in proper memo format to Marge McPhee. Several templates are provided in MS Word. This assignment has a three-page maximum page limit, not including exhibits. b.Indicate the author’s name and show his/her handwritten initials. c.Begin with a short introductory paragraph stating the purpose of the memo, and end with a brief concluding paragraph. d.Your memo should contain at least the following sections: Sunday manufacturing, Minimum light-weight production, Optimal light-weight and standard production, and Performance evaluation issues. e.If you wish to use brief references to the work of others (including the text and readings assigned for this course, as well as any other sources you may choose), you must acknowledge the source using appropriate footnotes.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Leadership Style: Indian Prime Minister

Leadership Style: Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi-one of the first female prime ministers in the world (preceded only by Sirimavo Bandaranaike who became prime minister of Sri Lanka in 1960), as well as the longest serving prime minister of India, the most populous democracy in the world-was an ideal candidate for this assignment. An exceedingly complex individual, Indira Gandhi was frequently perceived as a shy, aloof young woman. And yet her behavior as Prime Minister was engaged and aggressive, climaxing in her declaration of a State of Emergency in 1975. Born into Indias most prominent political family in 1917, Indira Nehru was immersed in politics from an early age. Stepping into the void left by her mothers untimely death in 1936, as a young woman she became her fathers hostess, a role that expanded into confidant and advisor over the ensuing years. After her fathers death in 1964, she accepted a minor portfolio in the Shastri government. Lal Bahadur Shastris subsequent death, two years later, made her the compromise choice of the ruling Congress Party hierarchy for the post of the prime minister, since she was thought to harbour no political ambitions of her own. Over the next 11 years, she proved to be a formidable political leader, consolidating her control over the party and the country, winning the 1971 war with Pakistan that saw the creation of Bangladesh, and declaring a State of Emergency in 1975. This latter action, a culmination of bitter relations with the opposition, led to her political defeat in the 1977 elections. Out of power for the next three years, she returned triumphantly in 1980, and ruled India with an increased determination to maintain herself in office. Not above manipulating communal grievances to stay in power, ironically she, herself, eventually fell victim of one of these crises. In 1984, she was assassinated by her own bodyguards, members of the Sikh community, thus ending a remarkable political career. Leadership Style: A New Synthesis While every scholar seems to have his or her own definition of leadership style, the underlying concepts appear to be similar-how the leader carries out the responsibilities of his or her office; more specifically, the leaders work habits, and how they relate to those around them. After reviewing various studies of presidential leadership style Hermann and Preston (1994) distilled five common leadership style variables involvement in the policymaking process, willingness to tolerate conflict, motivation for leading, and preferred strategies for resolving conflict. Kaarbo (1997, pp. 561-563) adopted and modified these five variables and added two variables from the literature on organizational leadership style-relations with members of the cabinet and task orientation. This study adapted five of the variables (motivation for leading, task orien- tation, cabinet management strategy, information management strategy, and rela- tions with the party) developed by Hermann and Preston (1980) and Kaarbo (1997, pp. 561-563), and added another five variables that examine the prime ministers relations with personnel, opposition parties, the media, and the public, and his/her investment in job performance. These have been grouped into three spheres of activity: first, the leader and his/her motivation, task orientation, and investment in job performance; second, the leader and the executive-cabinet and information management strategies; and third, the leader and relations with other personnel, caucus, the party, the opposition, and the media. Leadership Style of Indira Gandhi This section examines the empirical evidence of Gandhis leadership style: motivation for leading; task orientation; investment in job performance; management style, both with the cabinet and in the realm of information gathering; and her interpersonal relations with her associates, the caucus, the extra-parliamentary party, the opposition, the media, and the public. Results showed that she was motivated primarily by pragmatism and power, focusing on goals rather than process. With her cabinet, she functioned largely as an advocate for her goals and preferred to rely on independent sources of information. In her dealings with personnel, the party caucus, the extra-parliamentary party organization and the opposition parties, she was largely demanding, domineering, competitive, controlling, and oppositional. She was capable of being both accessible and friendly to the media as well as being hostile and closed, depending on the time period. It was only with the public that Indira demonst rated a consistent pattern or openness and warmth. Motivation The first leadership style variable centers around the question of a prime ministers motivation for leading. A survey of the literature has suggested that a variety of needs and incentives induce individuals to assume leadership positions in politics (see Kaarbo Hermann, 1998, pp. 251-252). The leader may be motivated by pragmatism (a belief in an obligation to the party to shape government policies along incremental lines); by personal validation (the wish to be popular and to be accepted); by an ideological agenda (a coherent system of political beliefs that shapes government policy); or a desire for power (dominance and control). In the area of motivation, it can be observed that notwithstanding a brief flirtation with socialism, Indira Gandhi was a decidedly non-ideological leader. Investment in Job Performance The amount of energy and time that a prime minister brings to the office is another variable of leadership style (Barber, 1972/1992). It demonstrates whether the leader places limits on the extent of the commitment to the office or whether there is a tireless outpouring of energy. Prime ministers may be interested primarily in the process of government, the building of concurrence, and the development of good relations among the members of cabinet, or they may be more goal oriented, focusing on specific ends and their implementation. Indira Gandhi was heavily involved in her role as Prime Minister. Politics took over her life as she travelled extensively crisscrossing India with extraordinary energy (Gupte, 1992, p. 331). A 16-hour or longer working day was the norm with very little time for family, friends, or relaxation (Frank, 2001, p. 355). Task Orientation The way in which the prime minister organizes the composition of and manages the decision-making process within the cabinet is another facet of leadership style. How are policy dilemmas resolved? To what extent is there involvement in the policy process? Who becomes part of the locus of decision making is also something the prime minister decides. In these activities, the prime ministers style may run the gamut from being largely uninvolved, to a consensus builder, to an arbitrator, and finally, to a strong advocate The empirical evidence indicates that Indira Gandhi was overwhelmingly concerned about task implementation and little concerned with the issue of building concurrence among her cabinet. Rather, she treated many of her cabinet colleagues as potential challengers, and if any grew too powerful, she saw to it that their powers were curbed, even if it meant dismissing capable individuals. Cabinet Management Although information in a cabinet setting is usually channelled through the various ministries, prime ministers will differ as to how they choose to review such information and how they relate to their close advisers. The same, of course, is true for presidents in a presidential system (George, 1980, 1988; George George, 1998; Hermann, 1978, 1987; Hermann Preston, 1995; Kaarbo, 1997). They may want all the facts about the problem or situation and do the interpretation themselves, or they may only be interested in seeing summaries and policy options. Of interest here is how much input the prime minister wants into the way problems and issues are framed and get onto the agenda. Strategy Indira Gandhis dealings with her cabinet demonstrated overwhelmingly that her preferred role was to act as an advocate, rather than a consensus builder, or arbitrator between various government ministers. But advocacy only partly captures the extent to which she dominated her colleagues; she dismissed those who might have challenged her and placed her favourites in senior government posts. Her advocacy was, in fact, an authoritative, peremptory exercise of power. Information Management Strategy In managing the flow of information that comes to the office, does the prime minister use a system of individuals to filter information and minimize direct involvement, or is close scrutiny more likely? Closely related is the question on which the prime minister relies for information. Does the prime minister prefer to receive policy relevant data from his cabinet and senior civil servants, or is there a reliance on other sources? As part of her overall activist stance as Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi demonstrated a high degree of involvement in the management of information, prefer- ring to search out what she wanted to know, rather than waiting for it to be presented to her. Relations with Personnel The final cluster of leadership style variables focuses on the prime ministers interpersonal relations with those with whom he/she works, i.e., state-level., governmental officials, members of the judiciary, etc., with his or her own party, with the opposition, the media, and the public. The prime minister interacts with a number of individuals on a daily basis. The extent of the involvement may be high or low; stylistically it may encompass patterns ranging from solicitous, to polite, attention seeking, demanding, and even exploitative. With both the caucus and the extra-parliamentary party organization, the prime minister may behave cooperatively or be competitive or combative and overbearing. Since conflict is a very pervasive element in cabinet life, especially in highly factional single party cabinets and in coalition cabinets (see t Hart, 1994), the management of party relations by a prime minister is extremely important. Indira Gandhis dealings with her aides, advisers, and members of other branches of government were coded for the degree of involvement and the type of behavior exhibited. Relations with other stakeholders Analysts have also focused on how the leader carries out or implements decisions, the way in which the leader mobilizes, orchestrates, and consolidates support for his or her policy decisions (Renshon, 1996a, 1996b). Does the prime minister attempt to sell policies by going beyond the party and parliament to appeal to the public at large? Does he or she try to educate or manipulate the public? Or does the leader display little direct engagement with the public, preferring government officials to articulate and defend government policy? Those prime ministers who focus on policy achievements are more likely to use the office of the prime minister as a bully pulpit, while those who stress the policy process will be less inclined to try to generate additional support among the attendant public. I . Party Caucus and Extra-Parliamentary Party Organization Indira Gandhis relationship with the party caucus-and more particularly her cabinet colleagues-was overwhelmingly contentious from 1966 until 1970. From 1970 on, as power shifted from the Cabinet to the Prime Ministers Secretariat, her relations with the party caucus became manipulative/exploitative. Later, power would shift even more to the Prime Ministers house next door (Frank, 2001, p. 354). The party caucus and the cabinet increasingly assumed a rubber stamp function and the cabinet no longer operated as a center of policy making. Indiras relations with the party organization largely mirrored those with the party caucus. Given the nature of her competitive and controlling relationships with both her caucus and the Congress party organization, it is hardly surprising that Gandhi would manifest the same type of behavior with the various opposition parties. Born into Indias most prominent political family in 1917, Indira Nehru was immersed in politics from an early age. Stepping into the void left by her mothers untimely death in 1936, as a young woman she became her fathers hostess, a role that expanded into confidant and advisor over the ensuing years. After her fathers death in 1964, she accepted a minor portfolio in the Shastri government. Lal Bahadur Shastris subsequent death, two years later, made her the compromise choice of the ruling Congress Party hierarchy for the post of the prime minister, since she was thought to harbour no political ambitions of her own. Over the next 11 years, she proved to be a formidable political leader, consolidating her control over the party and the country, winning the 1971 war with Pakistan that saw the creation of Bangladesh, and declaring a State of Emergency in 1975. This latter action, a culmination of bitter relations with the opposition, led to her political defeat in the 1977 elections. Out of power for the next three years, she returned triumphantly in 1980, and ruled India with an increased determination to maintain herself in office. Not above manipulating communal grievances to stay in power, ironically she, herself, eventually fell victim of one of these crises. In 1984, she was assassinated by her own bodyguards, members of the Sikh community, thus ending a remarkable political career. Born into Indias most prominent political family in 1917, Indira Nehru was immersed in politics from an early age. Stepping into the void left by her mothers untimely death in 1936, as a young woman she became her fathers hostess, a role that expanded into confidant and advisor over the ensuing years. After her fathers death in 1964, she accepted a minor portfolio in the Shastri government. Lal Bahadur Shastris subsequent death, two years later, made her the compromise choice of the ruling Congress Party hierarchy for the post of the prime minister, since she was thought to harbour no political ambitions of her own. Over the next 11 years, she proved to be a formidable political leader, consolidating her control over the party and the country, winning the 1971 war with Pakistan that saw the creation of Bangladesh, and declaring a State of Emergency in 1975. This latter action, a culmination of bitter relations with the opposition, led to her political defeat in the 1977 elections. Out of power for the next three years, she returned triumphantly in 1980, and ruled India with an increased determination to maintain herself in office. Not above manipulating communal grievances to stay in power, ironically she, herself, eventually fell victim of one of these crises. In 1984, she was assassinated by her own bodyguards, members of the Sikh community, thus ending a remarkable political career. II. Media and Public Lastly, in relations with the media, the prime minister may be accessible and informative or inaccessible and hostile. Prime ministers who emphasize the implementation of significant policy changes are more likely to generate greater opposition, which in turn will be reflected in some parts of the media, than those who are more concerned with maintaining the political process with incremental changes. In the face of hostility on the part of the media, the Prime Minister is more likely to become less accessible and more hostile. Gandhis relations with the media vacillated between being accessible, informative, and friendly to being uninformative, inaccessible, and unfriendly after the imposition of Emergency Rule in 1975. However, in her relations with the public, Indira Gandhis leadership style was extremely open. The Indian crowds seemed to energize her, and she felt a special bond with the Indian masses who loved the combination of her aristocratic background and her simple down-to-earth manner. Over the next 11 years, she proved to be a formidable political leader, consolidating her control over the party and the country, winning the 1971 war with Pakistan that saw the creation of Bangladesh, and declaring a State of Emergency in 1975. This latter action, a culmination of bitter relations with the opposition, led to her political defeat in the 1977 elections. Out of power for the next three years, she returned triumphantly in 1980, and ruled India with an increased determination to maintain herself in office. Not above manipulating communal grievances to stay in power, ironically she, herself, eventually fell victim of one of these crises. In 1984, she was assassinated by her own bodyguards, members of the Sikh community, thus ending a remarkable political career. Conclusion Analysis shows Indira Gandhi as strongly goal-oriented, tireless in the exercise of her job, an advocate within her cabinet with a preference for receiving information from independent sources. As well, the type of involvement she exhibited with associates, the caucus, the party organization, and the opposition, which was largely competitive and controlling, also fitted expectations for the Ambitious, Controlling, and Contentious leader. Indira Gandhis leadership behavior in the selected categories revealed that her leadership style patterns strongly indicate toward her Ambitious, Dominant, and Contentious personality as well as Reticent, Retiring, and Aggrieved personality patterns. Although, Indira Gandhi demonstrated some Reticent personality traits when she assumed the office of the Prime Minister, the demands of the job and the initial hostility she encountered from the Congress elites-the Syndicate-seem to have galvanized the Ambitious, Dominant, and Contentious dimensions of her personality into action. Compensatory narcissism allowed Indira to appeal over the heads of the Syndicate and establish a strongly personal and very effective relationship with the masses that bolstered her self-esteem and fueled this aspect of her personality.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Shifting Views on Native Americans in the Film, Dances With Wolves :: Movie Film Essays

Shifting Views on Native Americans in the Film, Dances With Wolves A wounded soldier lay on an operation table. The scene is surely not that unusual. 150 years ago, the medical field dealt with gangrene and infections by amputating any wounded limb. Now John Dunbar finds himself in almost the same situation. On a stroke of luck, as it would turn out, the doctor feels to tired to complete the operation on Dunbar and decides to finish for the day before taking his leg off. In the moments that followed, a frustrated, confused and disillusioned Dunbar pulls his boots back on and stumbles back onto the battle field. Feeling like there is nothing left to live for, Dunbar mounts a horse and charges the stagnant enemy line, bringing the battle to full fledged combat. Though his original intent I feel was not to start the battle, but rather to end his life, he becomes a hero, seeing that he wasn't shot or wounded. His cowardly actions in a twist of fate, ironically landed him as a decorated soldier. Due to his position, Dunbar was given the option to go where ever he wanted. This was a customary option for war hero's of his time. Being the romantic type, as depicted in the film, he requested to be sent out west to become a US marshal. He felt a calling to see the Old West before it was gone. Upon his assigning to his post, it was understood that he was an Indian hunter. So, he was sent to a completely unmanned post in the west. Here is confronting with an interesting sequencing of events that would eternally change his life. The American Indians, in the eyes of virtually everyone moving west, were considered the enemy. I didn't get the impression that Dunbar or his traveling counterpart felt any differently as they the stopped and carefully and with concern, inspected a human skeleton with arrows in it. I also couldn't help but feel some comradery with them. Moments later, a band of Indians notice a cloud of smoke rising in the distance. We see the paint and the scowls on their faces. They look like everything I've ever thought to be Indian. Savage, heartless, rough, mean and having no concept of rational. And sure enough, as the film would lead me to believe, the horrid Indian descends into the plains to find a white traveler cooking a meal.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Origins of The Beauty Myth :: Naomi Wolf, The Beauty Myth

Naomi Wolf's "The Beauty Myth," discusses the impact of our male-dominated society upon women. Wolf argues that women's most significant problems associated with societal pressures are a "fairly recent invention," dating back to the 1970s (6). She explains that women have "breached the power structure" by acquiring rights equal to men in areas such as, education, professional careers, and voting. As a result, Wolf suggests that the "beauty myth" is the "last one remaining of the old feminine ideologies that still has the power to control those women" (3). Considering that the beauty myth is women's last battle, the struggle is increasingly more difficult. Wolf claims that women are currently experiencing "a violent backlash against feminism," noting the recent rise in eating disorders, cosmetic surgery, and objectification of women's bodies (3,2). While Wolf accurately defines the beauty myth, she incorrectly states that eating disorders, cosmetic surgery, and pornography are recent issues, resulting from an intentional "backlash" against women's rights. Wolf utilizes the term "the beauty myth" to demonstrate that the interpretation of beauty is a creation of society, intended to keep women trapped inside their bodies. Wolf claims that the beauty myth "is not about women at all." She explains, "it is about men's institutions and institutional power" (5). In addition, she claims that women have recently obtained numerous rights, which now threaten "to destabilize the institutions on which a male-dominated culture has depended." She continues to explain that "a collective panic reaction [†¦] has forced a demand for counter images" (8). Clearly, society as a whole does create pressure on women to act in a certain manner. However, Wolf's implication that it is an intentional, organized effort to keep women oppressed is one-sided and extreme. While Wolf fails to conclusively prove that the beauty myth is an organized group effort, she is certainly correct in her explanation of the symptoms associated with the beauty myth: There is a secret "underlife" poisoning our freedom; infused with notions of beauty, it is a dark vein of self-hatred, physical obsessions, terror of aging, and dread of lost control. (3) According to Laura Shapiro, a notable researcher on eating disorders, the medical condition of anorexia consists of several elements. By definition, anorexia nervosa is a condition characterized by intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese, as well as a distorted body image, and a feeling of loss of control (Shapiro 69). Origins of The Beauty Myth :: Naomi Wolf, The Beauty Myth Naomi Wolf's "The Beauty Myth," discusses the impact of our male-dominated society upon women. Wolf argues that women's most significant problems associated with societal pressures are a "fairly recent invention," dating back to the 1970s (6). She explains that women have "breached the power structure" by acquiring rights equal to men in areas such as, education, professional careers, and voting. As a result, Wolf suggests that the "beauty myth" is the "last one remaining of the old feminine ideologies that still has the power to control those women" (3). Considering that the beauty myth is women's last battle, the struggle is increasingly more difficult. Wolf claims that women are currently experiencing "a violent backlash against feminism," noting the recent rise in eating disorders, cosmetic surgery, and objectification of women's bodies (3,2). While Wolf accurately defines the beauty myth, she incorrectly states that eating disorders, cosmetic surgery, and pornography are recent issues, resulting from an intentional "backlash" against women's rights. Wolf utilizes the term "the beauty myth" to demonstrate that the interpretation of beauty is a creation of society, intended to keep women trapped inside their bodies. Wolf claims that the beauty myth "is not about women at all." She explains, "it is about men's institutions and institutional power" (5). In addition, she claims that women have recently obtained numerous rights, which now threaten "to destabilize the institutions on which a male-dominated culture has depended." She continues to explain that "a collective panic reaction [†¦] has forced a demand for counter images" (8). Clearly, society as a whole does create pressure on women to act in a certain manner. However, Wolf's implication that it is an intentional, organized effort to keep women oppressed is one-sided and extreme. While Wolf fails to conclusively prove that the beauty myth is an organized group effort, she is certainly correct in her explanation of the symptoms associated with the beauty myth: There is a secret "underlife" poisoning our freedom; infused with notions of beauty, it is a dark vein of self-hatred, physical obsessions, terror of aging, and dread of lost control. (3) According to Laura Shapiro, a notable researcher on eating disorders, the medical condition of anorexia consists of several elements. By definition, anorexia nervosa is a condition characterized by intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese, as well as a distorted body image, and a feeling of loss of control (Shapiro 69).