Reggae into the Contemporary American Society Essay

Reggae into the Contemporary American Society - Essay Example Regardless of the culture from which and individual hails, the common point is that a desirable culture should provide an individual with a sense of identity and the individual should be able to understand the dynamic nature of the world and be able to adjust to the changes encountered. Folk culture refers to the natural way of life that is defined by an ideal culture in a given community. This culture emphasizes on the human values like honor and the principle of reasoning and a view that the natural setting should be valued and considered wholesome. The spirit of hard work, self-discipline, and excellence are some of the aims of a folk culture, and which have currently lost grounds in the majority of the modern culture. Others include individual responsibility and loyalty to the authority. There are various ways through which communities preserve their cultural heritage to uphold their identity. The traditional cultural preservations include some ritual practices, traditional folk dances, folk tales, and folk music (Jankee, 2). The themes of the folk songs pointed out the cultural values like brevity, loyalty, and hard work. They often contained information on peaceful coexistence among the individuals in a given society. These traditional folk cultural expressions developed into the modern expressions with some deviations. Much of the human values that were emphasized by the traditional folk songs are not stressed in the modern Western cultures. The modern culture happens not to view nature as it was viewed earlier and neither does it allow nature to take control of life as in the olden days. There has also emerged a relation between the cultural expressions and grass root developments, especially in the developing nations. The different cultural expressions that are witnessed in different parts of the world are all concerned with the issue of defining the identity of the community.  

The work of one religious agency working for world development Essay Example for Free

The work of one religious agency working for world development Essay Christian Aid was established in 1945 when the Second World War was drawing to an end. A coalition of British and Irish Churches formed Christian Aid with an aim to aid as many people as possible who had been affected by the war. In 1948 the organisation decided it was in order to raise money for third world countries. Christian Aid has since expanded over sixty countries worldwide. Christian Aid recieves a majority of its revenue from the Governments of Ireland, Britian and The European Union (The EU) and also from the help of supporters and donators. 28% is recieved from fundraising and 34% is from Government grants. Christian Aid also holds many charity events such as sponsored walks and book sales. Its income comes up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½40 million per year through donations from members, supporters and the general public. Since the expansion in and over 60 countries, Christian Aid has managed to help different countries in many situations. An example would be when Christian Aid joined forces with The Madras Christian Council for Social Service (MCCSS) in India to help the people living there. Many residents had no jobs or practical skills to offer which meant they were not very rich and lived in poor conditions. The MCCSS have taken on life projects to provide countries like this with proper housing, healthcare, sanitation and education. Christian Aid also helps other countries such as; Cambadia, Ethiopia, India, Sudan and Uganda. In these battles Christian Aid helps with hunger and poverty. Christian Aid is not a group of Christians helping other countries. It is an organisation, started by the Churches, in which Christians and Non-Christians work together to help all in great need, whatever their religion, politics, colour or country. Christian Aid is religious because Christians concerned about the worlds poorest countries, founded it. Even though the founders of Christian Aid were Christians, all may join in its work, whatever their race or faith. The Christian faith provide a base for Christian Aid because Christians believe that God loves the world and everything in it. They believe God became a human in Jesus so that people could meet God in every human. Many Christians follow the example of Jesus. He cared for those whom never cared for him; he was a friend to those despised by others. An example of Christian Aid work would be campaigning. Christian Aid has argued that poverty is caused and often made worse, by the more developed countries such as Britain. An example of this would be that in past decades Western Governments and banks lent billions of pounds to developing countries who now, cannot repay the debts. Christian Aid argue that the interest that the poorer countries are having to pay on top of their debts, is draining the wealth out of these developing countries. So Christian Aid and many other agencies campaign to cancel these debts so that the poorer countries can concentrate on developing their countries without worrying about their on-growing debts. Overall, Christian Aid was founded to express the concerns of Christians towards those whom were facing hardship, hunger and war. Christian Aid has certainly fulfilled its initial cause and has moved on to aiding many more.

Shakespearean Theater :: William Shakespeare

Shakespeare was fortunate to begin his career in the late 1500s, when English theater was going through major changes. Professional actors had been performing in England for centuries. Called "Players," they traveled from town to town, setting up makeshift stages in public halls, marketplaces, and the courtyards of inns. Often they met hostility from local authorities, who believed that crowds of playgoers were a magnet for crime and also contributed to the spread of disease. Actor James Burbage built England?s first permanent playhouse in 1576. Other open-air theaters sprang up during the next few decades. These playhouses were all located in the suburbs rather than in London, which had strict laws governing entertainment. In 1599 Shakespeare's built their own playhouse, the Globe. This roughly circular building had three levels of covered galleries. A platform stage about forty feet wide projected out into the open courtyard, where people who paid the lowest admission price could stand and watch the play. Admission to the gallery benches cost about twice as much. Wealthy people paid sixpence (what a skilled laborer earned in a day) to sit in the "lords' room," the part of the gallery directly over the stage. In all, Shakespeare's Globe could accommodate about 3,000 spectators. Toward the end of his career, his company acquired a fully enclosed theater in London for the winter season. The stage at the Globe had trapdoors for the entrance and exit of actors playing ghosts or other supernatural characters. At the back of the main stage was a small, curtained inner stage used for indoor scenes. Above this stood a two tiered gallery. The first tier was used to stage balcony and bedroom scenes, the second to house musicians. Sound effects, such as the booming of thunder, were produced in a hut on top of the stage roof. All performances took place in the afternoon because there was no artificial lighting. The stage was mostly bare. There were few props and no movable scenery. Instead of relying on scenery, Shakespeare used descriptive language to help audiences visualize the settings of his plays. For example, his long descriptions of the moon are more than just beautiful writing---they reminded Elizabethan audiences that the characters were meeting at night. What the Elizabethan stage lacked in scenery, it made up for in costumes. Shakespeare?s audiences considered clothing an important indication of social rank, so they demanded extravagant?if not always historically accurate---costuming. Along with its playbooks, an elaborate wardrobe was an Elizabethan theater company? Shakespearean Theater :: William Shakespeare Shakespeare was fortunate to begin his career in the late 1500s, when English theater was going through major changes. Professional actors had been performing in England for centuries. Called "Players," they traveled from town to town, setting up makeshift stages in public halls, marketplaces, and the courtyards of inns. Often they met hostility from local authorities, who believed that crowds of playgoers were a magnet for crime and also contributed to the spread of disease. Actor James Burbage built England?s first permanent playhouse in 1576. Other open-air theaters sprang up during the next few decades. These playhouses were all located in the suburbs rather than in London, which had strict laws governing entertainment. In 1599 Shakespeare's built their own playhouse, the Globe. This roughly circular building had three levels of covered galleries. A platform stage about forty feet wide projected out into the open courtyard, where people who paid the lowest admission price could stand and watch the play. Admission to the gallery benches cost about twice as much. Wealthy people paid sixpence (what a skilled laborer earned in a day) to sit in the "lords' room," the part of the gallery directly over the stage. In all, Shakespeare's Globe could accommodate about 3,000 spectators. Toward the end of his career, his company acquired a fully enclosed theater in London for the winter season. The stage at the Globe had trapdoors for the entrance and exit of actors playing ghosts or other supernatural characters. At the back of the main stage was a small, curtained inner stage used for indoor scenes. Above this stood a two tiered gallery. The first tier was used to stage balcony and bedroom scenes, the second to house musicians. Sound effects, such as the booming of thunder, were produced in a hut on top of the stage roof. All performances took place in the afternoon because there was no artificial lighting. The stage was mostly bare. There were few props and no movable scenery. Instead of relying on scenery, Shakespeare used descriptive language to help audiences visualize the settings of his plays. For example, his long descriptions of the moon are more than just beautiful writing---they reminded Elizabethan audiences that the characters were meeting at night. What the Elizabethan stage lacked in scenery, it made up for in costumes. Shakespeare?s audiences considered clothing an important indication of social rank, so they demanded extravagant?if not always historically accurate---costuming. Along with its playbooks, an elaborate wardrobe was an Elizabethan theater company?

Is the Survival of a society dependent on Fate or Human Choice?

There is no doubt that some societies are more fragile than others. The subjective observation of a societies ability to succeed or fail can sometimes be misleading when not all possible factors leading toward a societies outcome, are considered. When an observer does not scrutinize a societies success or lack there of, chances are, the observer will endlessly grapple over whether the outcome of a society was a result of fate, or human choice. Needless to say, through resources such as, Jared Diamonds book Collapse, and his movie Guns, Germs, and Steel as well as, Jeffery Sachs' book The End of Poverty, it is inevitable that both authors are confident in their revolutionary theories on a society's ability to succeed or fail. There is no question that the environment is the foundation for a societies future; however, it is the human choices of how and what should be built on that foundation, which determine whether it will be stable and succeed or not. Jeffrey Sachs and Jared Diamond have contrasting ideas on the significance of the environment and how it affects societies. While Jeffery Sachs seems to underestimate its significance, Diamond gives it too much credit. Jeffery Sachs gives six reasons in his book, The End of Poverty as to why societies â€Å"takeoff† and develop, or, lag on and remain in their poorly developed state. Some of the reasons mentioned by Sachs include: social mobility, political factors and fertility rates. Sachs did include physical geography as one of the factors as well; although, wouldn't one say that geography is at the root of all six of those revelations? At least, Diamond might agree. When faced with harsh environmental conditions solely based on where you live in globe, poses a question. Does ones survival purely depend on where they are born in the world? Sachs does address geography as an important factor in a societies success; however, he states that you can still have societal changes even if the geography does not allow for it. This is evident in chapter three of Sachs book as he discusses eight points that determine whether a society will thrive or not, and the role that humans are playing in failing societies. Some of these points include technology, trade, natural resource decline and population growth. When people die from extreme poverty, it is because they literally had nothing. They don't need a lot to survive, but they do need a lot to start a process of economic development; and that's where Sachs and I would differ. There's a reason societies who are under extreme poverty, have not been able to rise and be successful; environmental barriers. The environment can easily wipe out humans basic needs, which is the first step to survival in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. It is evident that environmental determinism does play an important role in a societies ability to thrive or not based on where you are on the globe? However, does is it location and the environment that comes with it purely determine whether a society will last? Easter Island is a society that virtually collapsed in isolation due to environmental damage. A perfect example of whether the success of a society depends on lack of human choices or environmental barriers. Jared captures his insight of the phenomenon in his book, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed with concrete evidence. Jared mostly recognizes the geographical and environmental barriers that support the analogy that Easter was doomed from the beginning. From his reading, it seems that even if the people of Easter Island had made the most suitable and sensible human choices as far as working with the environment to obtain their basic needs, they soon would have been doomed to failure. Jared gives an example of how something so vital for survival such as water, would immediately seep into the island when their only water resource, rainfall, would come. Although I strongly believe that the environment plays a large role in a societies ability to thrive or not, Jared overlooked and underestimated the severity of human choices, (culture) and its impact on Easter Islands failure. Deforestation was unfortunately one of the main contributing factors in Easter Islands failure. Jared states that Easter Island is covered with an abundance of substantial statues due to an aggressive competition between chiefs of the island that were built to honor them. This way of culture proved to work against its society because many trees were deforested in order to transport the massive statues. The history of Easter Island helps to reconfirm my opinion that a society is destined to failure or success through mostly geographical and environmental state and a pinch of a societies ability to make wise decisions. Jared Diamond believes that there are three things that determine the outcome of a society: Guns, Germs and Steel. The main conclusion I gathered from watching this film was that societies developed in different parts of the world because of differences in environments. Jared struggles to answer a provocative question to a Papua New Guinean, â€Å"why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people had little cargo of our own? Jared sets geography as the dominant factor, emphasizing, that, it is not the biological aspect of people that determine human history but rather the environmental context, which we have no control over. Diamond discusses his opinion on whether he believes in the old presumption that the reason European civilizations were able develop and come up with advanced economies so fast, was because of their innate superiority. Jared believes we all moderately have the same intelligence in every society, and that it is not based on genes or race. He was unable to accept the possibility that New Guineans are inferior intellectually to Europeans. I agree with Jared. I believe that the reason European society became more technologically and politically advanced was the fertile environment that these people were born into to. This environment would allow them to have food production, tamed animals, and all other advantages that the New Guinea people did not have. Once basic needs are met in a society, it is easier for a society to climb up the ladder of success. It is therefore evident that the survival of a person is pure luck, based on whether you were born in an area where the environment works for you, and some human choices that are made to work with tte environment effectively. In conclusion, I wonder if developing counties in the world are doomed to failure and whether it is hopeless trying to make a sustainable society in those regions, and whether they should just be abandoned. The only advantage of having a co-operative environment is that it allows you to have all your basic needs, but will not necessarily help a society to advance further. Once the foundation of a good environment is laid out, only then can human choice help a society climb up the ladder towards success.

Tracking the U.S Economy

This will be followed by a personal economic outlook or the remainder of 2014. Current State of U. S Economy: A. Gross Domestic Product (GAP) According to the figures illustrated in the above graph prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (SEA), an agency of the Commerce Department, U. S. Real gross domestic product contracted sharply at an annual rate of 1. 0 percent in IQ 2014 compared to 2. 6 percent in the previous quarter. This marked the first decline in economic growth since January 2011, a period of three years.The drop in GAP growth comes as a revision, down from the BEAK'S original estimate released last April which showed an increase of 0. 1 percent. The BEA announces early estimates based on incomplete and partial data to provide a general picture of economic activity. These estimates are usually revised, with a second and third estimate being released as more data is acquired. The third and last revision for IQ 2014 is due to be released on June 25th and it remains to be seen how the GAP numbers will be affected. So why did the numbers decline so drastically?Many economists blame the anemic growth due to diminished business inventories, and the abnormally, harsh winter the country experienced during the beginning of the year, however, not everyone agrees. Forbes quotes Steve Blitz, chief economist at ITS Investment Research who states, â€Å"Looking through the rest of the report, we see the cold hand of winter, although I am not sure to what extent the cold in the Midwest caused the level of exports to drop by $40. 5 billion while imports only dropped $8. 8 billion. Surely the supply chains weren't frozen in only one direction. Despite the historically, cold weather, there is more to the unexpected, weak performance of the battered U. S economy. Numerous components of the GAP played a hand in causing the decline in economic growth, including a decrease in exports, lack of business investments and decreased government spending. Reduction in rea l exports (real imports, which are a subtracted in the GAP calculation declined as well), accounted for a significant portion of the economic decline, followed by a decrease in inventory investments, non residential fixed investments, residential investments and a cutback in state and local government spending.The GAP ‘s only supporter so far this year came in the form of increased real personal consumer expenditures, which grew from 2. 1 percent from the previous estimate of 2. 0 percent, mainly reflecting sharp increases in services and light increases in other areas. The BEA states, â€Å"The downturn in the percent change in real GAP, primarily reflected a downturn in exports, a larger decrease in private inventory investment, and downturns in nonresidential fixed investment and in state and local government spending that were partly offset by an upturn in federal government spending† (2014).The table below, prepared by the BEA, shows precisely which components of G AP rose and tumbled in IQ 2014. B. Foreign Trade (Exports & Imports) According to records maintained by the U. S Census Bureau and the BEA, exports in April of $193. 3 billion and imports of $240. Billion resulted in a trade deficit of $47. 2 billion, up from $44. 2 billion in March. The April exports were $0. 3 billion less than March exports of $193. 7 billion, but imports were $2. 7 billion more than March imports of $237. 8 billion. The chart produced by the BEA below displays the U. S. International trade in goods and services in a period of two years, from April 2012 to April 2014. Goods deficit in April increased by $3. 3 billion from March to $65. 8 billion and services surplus increased by $0. 2 billion from March to $18. 6 billion. Exports of goods decreased $0. 6 billion to $135. Billion, but imports however increased by $2. 7 billion to $200. 9 billion. Services exports increased by $0. 3 billion to $58. 2 billion and imports followed suit increasing by $0. 1 billion to $39. 7 billion. From April 2013 to April 2014, the goods and services deficit has increased by $6. Billion. Imports in that time period were up by 5. 4 percent or, $12. 4 billion and exports were up by 3. 0 percent, or $5. 6 billion. C. Gross Private Domestic Investments (Business Investment) Gross private domestic investment is a vital component of GAP because it gives us an idea of future productive capacity. It accounts for approximately 14 percent of our GAP and is considered to be the least stable component. The BEA defines gross private domestic investment as private fixed investment and change in private inventories.It is measured without a deduction for consumption of fixed capital and includes replacements and addition to the capital stock, but excludes investment by U. S. Residents in other countries, hence the domestic. The BEA divides business investments into to sub-categories, fixed nonresidential investment, residential investment and business inventories. In short, g ross private domestic investment is n aggregate component of expenditures and includes fixed investments (nonresidential and residential) and change in private inventories.In the above graph from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLESS), the analysis depicts gross private domestic investment data with future projections as far as 2022. The growth rate for the time period of 2002 to 2012 is 0. 6 percent, with negative annual growth rates for all categories of fixed residential structures. However, the annual growth rate in business inventories in this same time period increased from the last decade from -3. 3 percent to 12. 9 percent. They project business inventories to increase by 2022 at an average annual rate of 0. 6 percent. D. Consumer Spending The Consumer Confidence Index increased slightly in May.The index is currently at 83. 0, up from 81. 7 Just last month in April. The BEA recently reported that consumer spending increased to 10914. 40 billion in IQ 2014, up from 10831. 50 billion in Q 2013. U. S. Consumer spending fell for the first time in a year in April 2014 after two months of solid gains, but the decline is probably interim in nature given the strengthening numbers in the Job market. The drop followed a revised 1. Percent increase in March that was the largest gain since August 2009. Real disposable personal income (DIP) remained steady throughout IQ 2014 with a slight decreases in both April and May.E. Unemployment Rate As reported by the Bull's latest economic news release, total nonfat payroll employment increased by 217,000 in May. The increase was due largely to professional and business services, health care and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, transportation and warehousing and temporary services. Employment in other sectors such as manufacturing, mining and logging, construction, wholesale ND retail trade, information and financial services, and government remained steady. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6. 3 perce nt. In May, following a decline of 0. 4 percent in April.The number of unemployed persons remained the same in May at 9. 8 million, a decrease of 1. 9 million over the last year. Over the previous year, nonfat payroll employment averaged approximately 197,000 a month. The long term unemployed numbers remained steady at 3. 4 million and accounted for 34. 6 percent of the unemployed. That number has declined by almost a million workers, as the economy continues to gradually recover ND improve. The graph below by the BEA shows the inclines and declines of the unemployment rate since 1990. Updated unemployment figures and charts for June 2014 will be released on July 3, 2014. F.Inflation Rate (ICP) The most recent release by the BLESS states that the ICP for all urban consumers (ICP-U) increased by 0. 3 percent in April on a seasonally adjusted basis. Over the past year, the all items index increased by 2. 0 percent before seasonal adjustment. Gasoline, shelter, and food indexes all ros e in April and so did all items less food and energy. The consumer price index for May will be released on June 17, 2014. G. Government Spending: Fiscal and Monetary Policies According to the data reported by the BEA, current government expenditures exceeded receipts and caused a net government saving of -966. Billion during first quarter of 2014; an increase from Q 2013. Net lending or net borrowing which is an alternative measure of the government fiscal position was -1036. 5 billion, increasing from -968. 7 Q 2013. U. S. Economic Outlook: Remainder 2014 Coming off the harshest winter we've experienced in quite some time, the economy is expected to rebound and continue improving its upward growth in the remainder of 2014. The economy is expected to expand 2. 4 percent with the recovery of the housing market and business investments. Government consumption is expected to slow economic growth this year for the fourth straight year in a row.Consumer spending will remain in the 2 perc ent range, but it's possible that it might increase due to the increase in disposable personal income. This is assuming consumer confidence increases as the year passes. Employment is expected to continue its growth of 180,000-190,000 Jobs gained monthly similar to the previous two years. Structural unemployment will continue to be an issue as most Jobs created will be in he food service and retail industries. Small businesses are expected to gain confidence and provide support to the economic growth in 2014 with a key source of funding that's been missing since the recession; home equity.The increase in home values over the previous year and the ongoing housing recovery is expected to support small businesses. The recovering housing market will play a role in GAP growth as home values continue to rise fueling construction activity leading to an accelerated pace in residential investment. Accelerated business investment will gain approximately 2. 5 percent to around 4. Percent in th e following quarters; driven by hefty gains in nonresidential structures and slight increases in equipment and software expenditures. Growing demand for industrial space will support the increase in business investments.Inflation will rise modestly from the lows of 2013 but will remain humble. Consumer prices will rise as producer prices rise due to global and domestic demand. Net exports will play a leading role and is expected to add to the overall GAP growth. Economists predict a 6. 6 percent rate of growth, along with the support of the oil boom to increase the pace of export activity. U. S. Economic Personal Outlook: 2014 From the extensive research I've done on this topic, my personal outlook on the economy for 2014 in one word, subpart. I expect GAP to grow slightly over the year due to more than one component.Consumer spending is a strong candidate to increase most simply because disposable income is increasing. I understand that we just recently went through a recession and money conservation would be wise, but we're a consumer nation and a consumer based culture, therefore I expect personal consumer expenditures to rise. The winter that affected the nation during the ginning of the year slowed growth but in March, when the weather started to lift consumer expenditures skyrocketed. Personally, it would seem as if consumer confidence is on the rise and the data supports my theory.I believe the increasing home values will embolden consumers and business owners alike and add to economic growth, with businesses leading the way. I feel as if consumers aren't ready to make such a big financial commitment such as a mortgage and the ones willing to take risks will be the entrepreneurs or the business owners, so I expect to see growth in business investments. Residential investments will continue to improve as confidence is restored in the housing market allowing consumers to purchase rental properties to supplement or increase their income.Non residential inv estments will increase as well as values rise due to demand but I'm not quite sure how strong this demand will be. Being the consumer culture we are, I expect us to import more than we export like we have for over a two decades now, however, the strengthening oil and gas sector in the country will gain momentum, gradually relieving us of our oil dependency on OPEC nations in the years to come, decreasing our imports of foreign oil. Economic growth in 2014 may be slow, but it's much better compared to where we were as a nation a couple of years ago.

Analysis Of President Bushs Post-Cold War Interve Essays

Analysis Of President Bush's Post-Cold War Interve Essays Analysis Of President Bush's Post-Cold War Intervention Policy Analysis of President Bush's post-cold war intervention policy What Leads to Intervention?: A Case Study of Intervention During the Bush Administration As Commander-in-Chief of the most powerful armed force in a world plagued by small military crises, the question ultimately becomes: when does a crisis call for intervention? From 1988 to 1992, this was President George Bushs dilemma. The days of the United States fearing embroilment in international affairs due to the towering menace of the USSR and global destruction ended at about the same time as Bush ascended the Presidency. However, with the threat of the USSR gone, the importance of small scale conflicts had taken priority in maintaining world peace. Further, the fall of communism had left the United States with a leading role in world politics. In that position, with a powerful armed force behind it, the United States carried the heavy responsibility of how and why to use its new found eminence. That responsibility fell onto the shoulders of Mr. George Bush as the first American President to sit in that exalted position. His actions would determine the United States place in the new world order and set the path that future Presidents would have to carefully tread. The world order that President Bush inherited was of a vastly different character then that of all his predecessors. The Cold War environment that the world had just left behind had provided a clear framework for national security policy and the use of the US military. The environment that Bush walked into was an environment filled with disagreement and confusion over the new framework with which the US should operate. It was also an environment with which the role of Congress was almost eliminated as President Bush continually authorized military operations without the full consent of Congress. It was an environment where the executive held the power to use the military based on his own intent. During his term in the Presidency, George Bush was confronted with many opportunities to demonstrate his intent for the US military. The four years while Bush was President saw crisis situations occur with alarming frequency. In each of these crisis areas, gross human rights violations were committed. In some cases he reacted with swift military action, in the name of humanitarianism, while in other cases he allowed sanctions to do the job. The crisis situations where he advocated a military intervention and the situations where he did not both tell the whole story. In analyzing these actions, it can be ascertained which variables promoted a military intervention and which did not. The Variables There are many variables that could influence the United States decision to send a military intervention, however very few are relevant, quantifiable or could possibly have a strong influence over such an important decision. Therefore, based on published literature and observation there appear to be five compelling variables which would have

Rappelling And Ascending Essays - Types Of Climbing, Prusik, Rope

Rappelling And Ascending Essays - Types Of Climbing, Prusik, Rope Rappelling And Ascending Rappelling and Ascending Ascending, descending and rope rescue are very exhilarating sources of entertainment and rescue while at the same time extremely complicated. This brief history of the long and ever adapting history of rope climbing and rescue is very interesting. The following article will provide information on how and why people do this on their free time for entertainment purposes. There are many types of tools and equipment used in rope rescue for all of its demanding tasks. Many knots are developed and used for safety purposes. Many skills are needed to be a good climber. Safety is always the primary concern of a climber or rescuer. Rope rescue is a major area in todays rescue world. Yesterdays hemp rope has evolved into a vigorous sport for some and a dangerous career for others. The history of rope can be traced back to as early as prehistory. Rope, a flexible line made of fibers or wires twisted or braided together for tensile strength. At first rope was twisted by hand. The Egyptians used tools to make rope from papyrus and leather, but hemp was the standard for rope until the 19TH century when Manila hemp replaced it. It was not until the 1950s when synthetic rope was introduced. There is an enormous difference between natural and synthetic ropes. There are a few different types of climbing such as alpine climbing, ice climbing and rock climbing. Throughout the world there are men and women who travel to exotic mountains for one purpose only, to reach the summit. For as long as time can tell, people have had an unquenchable thirst for thrill and excitement. I think other sports would struggle to compete with the exhilaration and danger of rappelling and ascending. Many people have made the ultimate sacrifice to explore their dreams on some of the most extravagant mountains here on Earth. Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth and the ultimate mountain for thrill seekers. Rope rescue has so many various tasks, which need specialized tools and equipment. The climber must first understand the nature of the climb to accurately bring the right tools and none of the wrong ones, since extra weight is anything but a luxury in this business. The figure eight is a non-moving piece of great importance for ascending. It allows for a slow controlled descent by using the ropes own forces and pressures to give the user the ability of a full range of speeds from a complete stop to free fall. This is a very fun and useful device. The carabineer is a major structure to someone on rope. It is a metal piece that connects hardware together. It a carabineer breaks, the person falls. Have you ever heard a chain is only as strong as its weakest link? A harness is best described as a pair of shorts constructed of nylon that fits around the person to support him and connect him to the equipment. There are three classes of harnesses, each having separate ranges of motion allow ed. They are also extremely uncomfortable. Rope is an obvious must for rope climbing. There are numerous types of ropes that are predetermined by the nature of the use. Some ropes bounce and some are water repellent for rescue situations such as floods. Ascending requires an ascender. Most preferred is a mechanical ascender, which allows the climber to simply stand up on his prussic and slide the ascender up. The ascender then locks into place allowing the climber to sit down and move his prussic up. Repeating this situation results in vertical movement. Knots are almost as vast as grains of sand on the beach; some are just more useful than other. Knots are in a few different categories. They are made of many materials and are used to hoist, anchor, attach, pull, stop and many other things. One such category is hitches, which should never be tied around a patient or anything vulnerable to pressure due to the fact that hitches get tighter more pressure is applied. A butterfly knot is mainly used to carry tools. It is also easy to remember due to its descriptive name. A prussic knot is used to grip rope

Chinese Fable Stories With Morals

Chinese Fable Stories With Morals Many Chinese fables tell an entertaining story to illustrate a moral lesson. Here are a few such stories. Stopping Halfway, Never Comes Ones Day In the Warring States Period, in the state of Wei lived a man called Leyangtsi. His wife was very angelic and virtuous, who was loved and respected dearly by the husband. One day, Leyangtsi found a piece of gold on his way home, and he was so delighted that he ran home as fast as he could to tell his wife. Looking at the gold, his wife said calmly and gently, As you know, it is usually said that a true man never drinks the stolen water. How can you take such a piece of gold home which is not yours? Leyangtsi was greatly moved by the words, and he immediately replaced it where it was. The next year, Leyangtsi went to a distant place to study classics with a talented teacher, leaving his wife home alone. One day, his wife was weaving on the loom, when Leyangtsi entered. At his coming, the wife seemed to be worried, and she at once asked the reason why he came back so soon. The husband explained how he missed her. The wife got angry with what the husband did. Advising her husband to have  fortitude and not be too indulged in the love, the wife took up a pair of scissors and cut down what she had woven on the loom, which made Leyangtsi very puzzled. His wife declared, If something is stopped halfway, it is just like the cut cloth on the loom. The cloth will only be useful if finished. But now, it has been nothing but a mess, and so it is with your study. Leyangtsi was greatly moved by his wife. He left home resolutely and went on with his study. He didnt return home to see his beloved wife until gaining great achievements. For centuries, the story has often been used as a model to inspire those who would back out in competitions. Ask a Fox for Its Skin Long ago, there lived a young man, called Lisheng, who had just married a beauty. The bride was very willful. One day, she had an idea that a coat of fox fur would look pretty on her. So she asked her husband to get her one. But the coat was rare and too expensive. The helpless husband was forced to walk around on the hillside. Just at the moment, a fox was walking by. He lost no time to catch it by the tail. Well, dear fox, lets make an agreement. Could you offer me a sheet of your skin? That isnt a big deal, is it? The fox was shocked at the request, but she replied calmly, Well, my dear, thats easy. But let my tail go so that I can pull off the skin for you. So the delighted man let her free and waited for the skin. But the moment the fox got free, she ran away as quickly as she could into the forest. The story can be used to illustrate that it is hard to ask someone to act against his own will, even in a seemingly negligible manner. Bian Hehs Jade In the Spring and Autumn Period, Bian Heh in the Chu state got a rough jade on Mount Chu. He decided to present the valuable jade to the emperor to show his official loyalty to his sovereign, Chuli. Unluckily, the jade was judged as a common stone by the court jaders- those who worked with and estimated the value of jade in ancient China- which made Emperor Chuli very angry and had Bian Hehs left foot cut down cruelly. After the enthronement of the new emperor Chuwu, Bian Heh decided to submit the jade to Chuwu to clarify matters. Emperor Chuwu also had it checked by the jaders in the court. And the conclusion resulted in the same fact that Bian Heh lost the other foot. After the death of Emperor Chuwu, the prince Chuwen was enthroned, that gave the poor Bian Heh a gleam of light of proving his clear conscience. However, the moment he thought of what he had incurred, he couldnt help crying beside a hill. He could not stop crying for several days and nights; he almost wept his heart out and even blood was dropping from his eyes. And it happened to be heard by the emperor in the court. He ordered his men to find out why he was so sad. Bian Heh sobbed out Call a spade a spade. Why was a real jade mistaken as a plain stone again and again? Why was a loyal man thought faithless time and time? Emperor Chuwen was touched by Bian Hehs deep grief and ordered the jaders to open the jade to have a close look. To their astonishment, in the rough coat, the pure content was sparkling and translucent. Then it was carefully cut and polished fine and at last, the jade became a rare treasure of the state of Chu. In memory of the faithful man Bian Heh, the Emperor nam ed the jade by Bian Heh. And so the term Bians Jade came into being. Even today, people describe something extremely precious in its value with Bians Jade. Cheap Tricks Never Last: The Donkey of Guizhou Thousands of years ago, donkeys were not found in Guizhou province. But meddlers were always allured by anything. So they shipped one into this area. One day, a tiger was walking around to find something to eat, when he saw the strange animal. The huge newcomer frightened him quite a bit. He hid between the bushes to study the donkey watchfully. It seemed all right. So the tiger came near to the donkey to have a close look. Hawhee!- a loud noise burst upon, which sent the tiger running away as fast as he could. He could not have any time to think before he settled himself home. The humiliation stung in him. He must come back to that strange thing to see it through, even though he was still haunted by the terrible noise. The donkey was enraged when the tiger got too close. So the donkey brought his unique skill to bear on the offender- to kick with his hooves. After several bouts, it became very clear that the donkeys power was too much. The tiger jumped upon the donkey in time and cut its throat. People are usually told the story to illustrate the limitations of tricks and trickery. A Painted Snake Makes a Man Sick In the Jin Dynasty, there lived a man named Le Guang, who had a bold and uninhibited character and was very friendly. One day Le Guang sent for one of his close friends since the friend had not turned out for long. At the first sight of his friend, Le Guang realized that something must have happened to his friend for his friend has no peace of mind all the time. So he asked his friend what was the matter. It was all because of that banquet held at your home. At the banquet, you proposed a toast to me and just when we raised the glasses, I noticed that there was a little snake lying in the wine and I felt particularly sick. Since then, I lay in bed unable to do anything. Le Guang was very puzzled at the matter. He looked around and then saw a bow with a painted snake hung on the wall of his room. So Le Guang laid the table at the original place and asked his friend again to have a drink. When the glass was filled with wine, he pointed to the shade of the bow in the glass and asked his friend to see. His friend observed nervously, Well, well, that is what I saw last time. It is the same snake. Le Guang laughed and took off the bow on the wall. Could you see the snake anymore? he asked. His friend was surprised to find that the snake was no longer in the wine. Since the whole truth had come out, his friend recovered from his prolonged illness right away. For thousands of years, the story has been told to advise people not to be too suspicious unnecessarily. KuaFu Chased the Sun It is said that in antiquity a god named KuaFu determined to have a race with the Sun and catch up with Him. So he rushed in the direction of the Sun. Finally, he almost ran neck and neck with the Sun, when he was too thirsty and hot to continue. Where could he find some water? Just then the Yellow River and Wei River came into sight, roaring on. He swooped upon them earnestly and drank the whole river. But he still felt thirsty and hot, thereupon, he marched northward for the lakes in the north of China. Unfortunately, he fell down and died halfway because of thirst. With his fall, his cane dropped. Then the cane became a stretch of peach, green and lush. From this fable came the idiom, KuaFu chased the Sun, which becomes the trope of mans determination and volition against nature.   Fish for the Moon in the Well One evening, a clever man, Huojia went to fetch some water from the well. To his surprise, when he looked into the well, he found the moon sunk in the well shining. Oh, good Heavens, what a pity! The beautiful moon has dropped into the well! So he dashed home for a hook, and tied it with the rope for his bucket, then put it into the well to fish for the moon. After some time of hunting for the moon, Haojia was pleased to find that something was caught by the  hook.  He must have thought it was the moon. He pulled hard  on  the rope. Due to the excessive pulling, the rope broke into apart and Haojia fell flat on his back. Taking advantage of that post, Haojia saw the moon again high in the sky. He sighed with emotion, Aha, it finally came back to its place! What a good job! He felt very happy and told whomever he met with about the wonderment proudly without knowing what he did was something impractical.

Mean-Variance Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mean-Variance Analysis - Essay Example The practical applications of portfolio theory abound in different segments of business and finance. This report seeks to explain the principles of diversification, and discuss some practical applications of portfolio theory in business and finance. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Principles of Diversification 4 Application of Portfolio Theory Mutual Funds 5 Application of Portfolio Theory Capital Allocation 7 Application of Portfolio Theory to Product Portfolio Decisions 8 Recommendations 10 Conclusion 10 References 11 Introduction Diversification is the premise that underlies portfolio theory (Markus, 2008). A portfolio is a combination of assets with a unified risk and return value expectation. Diversified portfolios ensure that loses are minimized if they occur (Hill, 2010). Mean-variance analysis helps determine the viability of an investment portfolio through the analysis of the portfolio risk. The theory relies on the use of portfolioâ €™s variance by comparing how assets in the portfolio vary with regard to each other (Diether, 2010). Mean-variance analysis for a diversified portfolio measures the portfolio’s efficiency. The most efficient portfolio has the highest expected return for a certain standard deviation. Mean-variance analysis application in business and finance helps in making the optimum decisions about the riskiness of a portfolio. This report seeks to demonstrate the practical applications of mean-variance analysis in portfolio theory. Principles of Diversification One of the principles of diversification is the belief that the portfolio, as a whole, is more important than the individual assets (Sumnicht, 2008). Secondly, investors are risk averse, and therefore will only invest in those portfolios which they belief will be adequately commensurate to their returns. Investment should be for the long term, probably up to ten years into the future (Sumnicht, 2008). Diversification presumes t hat markets are efficient, and will not have any unforeseen disruptions. Finally, each risk level bears its own unique optimal allocation with regard to asset class at which the portfolio bears maximum returns. Application of Portfolio Theory Mutual Funds Mutual funds are actively managed investment options in which investors pay investment companies to invest their money in stocks and pay a return on the same. The financial analysts at the mutual fund companies make use of portfolio theory in calculating risks on their clients’ portfolios. The portfolio theory offers a robust and comprehensive model on which to calculate risk and make sound investment decisions from the results (Sumnicht, 2008). However, mutual funds offer a unique challenge to the effectiveness of the portfolio theory in that the final return faces significant distortions due to high fees, hidden costs, unpredictable taxes, and uncertain stock investments (Rutner, 2004). A major part of the modern portfolio theory is the frontier curve. The frontier curve plots risk and return (FundsMover, 2012). According to the portfolio theory, the funds that lie on the curve form the maximum yield potential for a given level of risk, measured as standard deviation. The curve flattens as the return rises. The rate of return per risk decreases, and at some point the amount of risk an investor exposes himself/herself to increases considerably for a slight increase in the return. The standard deviation indicates the volatility of the mutual fund.

We were soldiers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

We were soldiers - Essay Example The General and his men were killed at the Little Bighorn Battle. An intuitive leader, Lieutenant Colonel Moore manages to accomplish the unfeasible despite being out-numbered by his enemy; Lt. Col. Moore refuses to surrender and ultimately proves victorious after forcing the Vietnamese troops to leave their headquarters. Lieutenant Colonel Moore uses a variety of supervisory techniques in leading his unit to conquest. The first technique that Lt. Col. Moore applies prior to him and his troops getting to the combat zone; is that of leading through example. A leader earns loyalty and respect after setting example so that others follow. This involves a leader practicing what he or she preaches. The night prior to their departure, Lt. Col. Moore conveys a speech to his unit at a party he had held, where he pledges that although he might not bring all his soldiers alive home; he would be the first to enter the battlefield and the last to leave. He adds that, dead or alive, he would not leave any person behind. He makes sure that each of his men is not left at the battlefield after the battle is over, true to what he had promised. During war, Lt. Col. Moore also leads through example many times; for instance, he refuses to surrender and performs other acts of heroism. The second supervisory strategy that is obvious in Lt. Col. Moore’s leadership is that of treating everyone with dignity and respect. In the same message delivered by Lt. Col. Moore to his men, he factors out that every man in his unit, despite his origin or race, is an essential participant of the troop. â€Å"†¦here in the States some men in this unit may experience discrimination because of race or creed, but for you and me now, all that is gone (Wallace n.pg).† By guaranteeing that everyone recognized this, Lt. Col. Moore was building assurance, self-respect and team cohesiveness that would go a long way in guaranteeing that his unit members trusted each other. Finally, Lt. Col. Moore is

Compare Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Compare Paper - Essay Example Operant conditioning describes positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment and extinction as reinforcement options for behavior. It considers the external factors those which can be viewed as the basis for human behavior. Resource allocation theory is a direct measure of the keenness and effort of an individual to accomplish the task effectively. It is based on certain expectations from the attainment of the tasks based on the success from the past experiences. It is the desire of the individual to contribute effort for the task accomplishment. For instance, as explained by John Whitmore (2009), self motivation can be considered as an inevitable ‘winning ingredient’ if individuals have the desire to attain self-worth and identity (p. 107). As the name suggests, goal orientation perspective refers to individuals’ response to proposed goals. It implies individuals’ attempt to accomplish their wishes set as personal goals. This perspective helps to identify individual preferences through motivation.

Biochemistry - Cystic Fibrosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biochemistry - Cystic Fibrosis - Essay Example In some cases, the CFTR protein is prevented entirely to take place at all and in some cases, CFTR protein does produce and get its way into the cell membrane but cannot operate properly. One way of treatment method is to supply a different class of chloride channel to compensate for the loss of the CFTR chloride channel. Gene therapy could be a better solution in future in which a normal copy of the CFTR gene to the cells is delivered. In this way, direct synthesis of the normal CFTR protein will be possible to treat the biochemical abnormality leading to cystic fibrosis. Introducing healthy gene will take over all functions of the CFTR protein that are necessary including those which are yet not known. And the best way of gene therapy is to exploit the ability of viruses bringing their DNA to enter into cells. Adenoviruses are suitable for this purpose due to their natural tendency to infect human

Graphic Design and its Influence on Popular Culture and Consumerism Outline

Graphic Design and its Influence on Popular Culture and Consumerism - Outline Example It links the topic to available information and research on graphic design and influence on popular culture and consumerism. Literature review serves to show the extent to which the topic has been covered and the availability of information on the topic of discussion. Research questions are questions that are geared to find the cause and effect relationship or the influence of graphic design on popular culture and consumerism. It will show the scope of coverage of the topic in terms of information capture ability. The methodology section of the paper should build on the description of methods outlined in the proposal. This will be the description of the participants and subjects who took part in the study. It will also describe the tests and other measurement procedures used in the study. The results section of the paper will summarize the data collected and the details of the statistical treatment of that data. After a short assertion of the results or findings of the study, the data will be reported in satisfactory detail that will justify the summaries. Tables and illustrations (if any) will be used to report data because these methods are essential in presenting the data in a more clear and economical manner. All tables and illustrations used will be mentioned in the text with appropriate titles and explanations that will help make them easy to understand. In the discussion section, the results will be summarized, evaluated, and interpreted with respect to the original research questions and hypotheses that will be indicated in the paper. In this section, it will be necessary to examine, interpret, and qualify the results, as well as to draw inferences from them. Theoretical and practical consequences of the results and the validity of conclusions will be suitably discussed in this section. The limitations of the study and suggestions for future work will also be included.

Biochemistry - Cystic Fibrosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biochemistry - Cystic Fibrosis - Essay Example In some cases, the CFTR protein is prevented entirely to take place at all and in some cases, CFTR protein does produce and get its way into the cell membrane but cannot operate properly. One way of treatment method is to supply a different class of chloride channel to compensate for the loss of the CFTR chloride channel. Gene therapy could be a better solution in future in which a normal copy of the CFTR gene to the cells is delivered. In this way, direct synthesis of the normal CFTR protein will be possible to treat the biochemical abnormality leading to cystic fibrosis. Introducing healthy gene will take over all functions of the CFTR protein that are necessary including those which are yet not known. And the best way of gene therapy is to exploit the ability of viruses bringing their DNA to enter into cells. Adenoviruses are suitable for this purpose due to their natural tendency to infect human

LOVE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

LOVE - Essay Example According to More’s work, love influences the duties assigned to individuals in different fields in life. In support of this assertion, More expounds on how love make men accept women to be assigned light duties (Barnet and Bedau 464). It is out of love that women are spared from things that can affect them in life. In connection with this, More also claims that Stewards ensure people work to earn a living but do not wear them out by keeping them at work for long hours. That is, the practice of humanity as a result of love make people save other people from problems since charity begins from home (Barnet and Bedau 468). In his work, More also argued that it is bad to deprive other people pleasure so that you can enjoy it yourself. According to him, depriving oneself pleasure for other person’s enjoyment portrays one’s humanity (Barnet and Bedau 468). In addition to this, More asserts that taking care of patients and providing them with what they need for recovery is a product of love (Barnet and Bedau 473). In tandem with More’s argument, the poem â€Å"Love is Sickness† presents love in a unique way. The metaphor â€Å"love is a sickness† shows that the modern society compares love to the sickness that affects the patient (a person in love). From the claim, it is apparent that love has symptoms, and it can be diagnosed. The poem also claims that love is full of uncontrollable woes.

Hubspot Case Essay Example for Free

Hubspot Case Essay The problem in this case is that Hubspot needed to make a transition from its initial start-up structure (organizational structure, target customers and pricing strategy) in order grow, and the dilemma was how to best approach this change. Hubspot faced three main issues for this: a) identify target customers, b) modify their pricing model and c) how to develop the growth strategy. Hubspot was good at building a community, e.g. over 300000 unique visitor in 2008, and thousands of freeware subscriptions in 2009. Nonetheless they had a diverse universe of customers, from small business owners (Ollies) to marketing professionals (Marys), different type of business ranging B2B or B2C, and size (over or under 25 employees). Table C shows there was a potential market evenly distributed among B2B and B2C. For Hubsport, the decision to identify a target customer was difficult. This is seen when contrasting exhibits 6 where 73% of customers were Ollies and exhibit 5 which indicated that Marys accounted for 68% of new customers from Sep-Dec 2008. Although the B2B customers were important for Ollies and Marys, there was an interesting growth of Marys in B2C. Thus a segmentation of customer was required to better assess their different needs. At the end of 2008, Hubspots’s products responded to the main two customers (Ollies and Marys), still its pricing model was similar for both, where Marys paid a slightly higher monthly amount as its software package included more features (exhibit 7). This was something Hubspot needed to analyze as Ollie and Marys had various pros and cons as customers. Ollies represented a lower cost to acquire ($1000) and where quick to sign in, but cancel subscription early, while Marys cost more to acquire ($5000) and took longer to sign in, by stayed for longer using the product. Assuming no churn rate an Ollie had to maintain subscription for 2 months and Marys had to maintain subscription for 9 months, to pay off their acquiring cost. The previous  scenario meant that HubSpot’s 2008 projections including the 100 paying customers from 2007 made the current pricing model not viable to support the high cost of Marys (see appendix 1). Another issued faced was the Hubsport was still a small company, seen in that it only had few engineers to build the software therefore it was hard to catch up with the sales team. Thus the product vs customer vs pricing situation presented an optimization and planning issue to keep the company growing. The previous two points require a growth strategy. At the same time it made the owners question their vision, i.e. to inbound or outbound. The strategy for growth had to clarify which customer to target, how to roll-out the respective products, whether to keep it a SaaS, and the transition into a new pricing structure to maintain current customer and capture more value from new ones. The objective of our proposed solutions is to keep Hubspot as the software-to-have for inbound marketing and grow financially from a start-up to an established business. For this we set out the following actions: Hubspot’s culture and vision should be maintained. Web 2.0 is continuing evolving as more businesses are using the various channels and HubSpot can differentiate itself as the inbound marketing which weighs more than outbound marketing (inbound represents 37% marketing budget while outbound 30%). HubSpot has the expertise to create traffic and analyze and qualify leads filling the respective demand of Ollies and Marys. At the same time we differentiate from our two main competitors by proving a lower price (Eloqua is more expensive) and focusing on inbound marketing (Marketo is a mix of inbound and outbound). Our conclusions are founded by overlaying HubSpot’s competitive field (exhibit 3) with customers’ needs a) traffic creation and b) leads analysis and qualifications, in line with HubSpot’s main strengths, as seen in appendix 2. Thus the company should not consider outbound as an alternative. As showed in appendix 4, our two segmented customers have showed different needs in terms of product features and consumption behavior. Based on the current churn out rate, we can estimate consumer lifetime value of Ollies is $4,750 and Marys $10,500 (see calculation in appendix 3). Therefore, according to our segmentation strategy, we propose following product bundles by differentiating product price and product features: 1) Product pricing: As Ollies have a shorter customer life and less marketing budget, we suggest keeping current up-front fee and a lower monthly fee. As suggestion, up-front $500 and monthly fee in the range of $150 to $250. As Marys have a longer customer life and lower price sensitivity we suggest increasing both up-front and monthly fee. As suggestion up-front $600 and monthly fee in the range of $600 to $750. Meanwhile, Marys are interested in deeper analytics, we suggest additional fee for each service of deeper analytics. As CMS system helps lower churn rate, we suggest initial fee of $300 covering 6 hours consulting to encourage both of them to use such service. 2) Product features: As Ollies prefer quick and simple solutions, we suggest tailor-made product focusing on generating leads. As Marys have a high demand of analytics, we suggest tailor-made product with more sophisticated tools to meet the needs of deeper analytics. As frequent log-in helps lower churn rate, we suggest to provide service update on a regular basis to encourage a continuous use of our service. After clearly identifying the segmentation of consumer and differentiation of products, we need ensure market-centered organizations that are capable of translating strategy into actions: 1) Engineering: To invest on product development and innovation to continuously provide with relevant service to enhance our competitive advantage of generating leads as well as analytics . 2) Sales force: To divide sales force to separately serve Maryer Ollies by providing Maryer with long-term, more sophisticated support, providing Ollies with quick simple service. 3) Marketing: To continue make a buzz for inbound marketing to create inbound marketing community rather than a simple business Finally the strategy has to be sensitive to our current customers, Appendix 5 indicates a tentative layout of the plan. Starting with the internal reorganization, then gradually change the product offering for consumers.

Pre Listening Stage English Listening Teaching

Pre Listening Stage English Listening Teaching Language can be recognized as a media of communication, rather than the simple complex of sound, vocabulary and grammar. English language teaching (ELT), therefore, has long been conducted through reading, listening as receptive skills and speaking, writing as productive skills in communication. Among all the factors, listening is an essential section of language competence and it indicates the comprehending of spoken language. During the process, listening input is usually accompanied with other sounds and sometimes with visual input (Lynch Mendelsohn, 2002). In making sense of the listening contents, the context of the communication happens in and listeners relevant prior knowledge is vital (ibid). However, as many linguists reviewed, listening has long been neglected until the early 1970s (Morley, 2001; Brown, 1987; Rivers, 1966). It is only since then that listening attracts more interests from linguists and researchers. Therefore, as it is far less studied than other fundamental skills, listening needs more research and is worth to be emphasized in ELT. II. An Overview of a Listening Lesson In the contemporary English language teaching and research, listening is becoming more and more important. Some researchers advocate and encourage teachers to apply listening strategies in classroom teaching and guide students to listen (Mendelsohn, 1994; Field, 1998). Listening approaches are also suggested and experienced. Harmer (1987) reviewed some basic principles of receptive skills and stated that, learners read and listen to language with purpose, desire and expectations. He further pointed out that, a lead-in stage can create expectations and arouse the students motivation in the following listening contents. Field (1998) proposed a diagnostic approach which involves pre-listening, listening and post-listening in a listening class. He asserts that the approach can check and adjust students listening skills through short micro-listening exercises. According to the introduction given by Hedge (2000), the process of listening class can be divided into three stages, pre-listenin g stage, while-listening stage and post-listening stage. 1. Pre-listening Stage It is commonly recognized that pre-listening is a preparation of the listening class. In this stage, teachers tend to arouse learners expectation and interest of the language text they are going to listen. They can also motivate learners by providing background knowledge of the text; organizing learners to discuss a picture or a related topic which involves in the text; asking some related questions to the text, and etc. In general, pre-listening plays a role of warming-up and the main aim of this stage is to make learners focus their attention on the following while-listening stage and decrease the difficulties of the text. It is more important in its relating to and being of help to many other aspects which will be represented later. 2. While-listening Stage While-listening is the main procedure of listening information input. In this stage, learners are given some audio materials for listening. Learners may be requested to deal with some questions with the listening materials, such as Yes/No questions, Cloze, True/False questions and etc. Usually learners need to answer the questions simultaneously or take note of some main points of the listening materials. Teachers, as a guide during this process take control of the speed of the materials, start or pause of the machine and raise some questions for discussions or give necessary explanations to help the learner comprehend the materials. Depending on the learners language level and the difficulty level of the materials, teachers can decide the times of presenting the listening materials. The purpose of while-listening is to provide the learners with audio material input with exercises and therefore promote the learners listening competence. 3. Post-listening Stage Post-listening is also an important stage as it reviews and checks the listening efficiency and result. During this stage, teachers are not only supposed to check the answers, they also need to lead the learners to consolidate the comprehension of the listening input. They can organize further discussions on the listening text, explain some new terms and phrases, summing up appeared language rules and designing some related exercise for the learners to strengthen their impression about the knowledge. In addition, giving a dictation on a summary of the text may check all the different language points and learners mastery of knowledge. Via the first two stages, learners have received many comprehensible input, thus, the purpose of post-listening is to transfer these input into intake. In another word, the stage of post-listening can be considered as a transformation of language knowledge to language competence in listening teaching section. III. The Essentiality of Pre-listening in a Listening Class Pre-listening, as the first stage of listening teaching, is long argued by linguists and teachers on its contexts and role in the listening teaching. For example, some researchers (Buck, 1991; Cohen, 1984) suggested arrange a question preview in pre-listening stage with the reason that it may guide the students attention in the right direction. On the contrary, others (Ur, 1984; Weir, 1993) argued that the question preview process may distract the learners from attending to the actual input. Hence, it is worthwhile to clarify the status of pre-listening in classroom teaching of listening. Before analyzing the role of pre-listening in the process of a listening class, it is useful to overview the difficulties in listening teaching initially so that the role of pre-listening stage can be further discussed. 1. The Difficulties in Teaching Listening Comparing to other language competence, such as reading and writing, listening has some specific features which could bring learners pressure and difficulty in dealing with it. They are concluded as follows (Lynch Mendelsohn, 2002; Thomson, 2005): High frequency in communication. Based on the investigation of Rivers and Temperley (1978), listening takes approximately 45% of the place in communication of an individuals daily life. Passivity. Apparently, listening is considered as a totally passive action in communication, though it is further regarded as an active process rather than its original passive role (Lynch Mendelsohn, 2002). Speediness and repeatlessness. Differ from reading, listening normally needs to process the information instantly and usually just once. It is not as flexible as in reading that readers can refer to the contents as many times as they like. Other widely-concerned aspects of natural characteristics. In the process of listening, many other aspects of language of knowledge are needed such as phonetic, vocabulary, grammar. Due to above features of listening, teaching listening was involved in an amount of difficulties. According to the introduction of Cherry (1957), in second and foreign language listening, most of the difficulties are caused by uncertainty which could present in the area of speech sounds and patterns, language and syntax, recognition of content and other influence of environment. The difficulties could show different representations in classroom teaching of listening: Learners could be anxious about a long text for the reason of lacking time to process information. Unfamiliar context and background could scare the learners and make them lose interests and patience. Learners may be influenced by new vocabularies, phonetic phenomenon, grammar structure and these affections could decrease their comprehension about the text. By giving a long audio material, learners could have difficulties to concentrate on the important information. There are also some other elements in the process of listening which could confuse the learners such as different accent, background noise and assimilation, etc. 2. The Functions of Pre-listening in a Listening Class As discussed above, pre-listening can be recognized as a stage of preparation and warming up of the whole process of listening. As some researchers (Rees,2002; Peachey,2002)review, there are a few of aims and types of pre-listening tasks that enable the learners deal with the following listening text smoothly and strategically, such as to generate interest, build up confidence and facilitate comprehension. Following is the detailed discussions on the functions of pre-listening. (1) Motivating learners People believe Interest is the best teacher. To arouse students interests is one of the most important conditions for a teaching process. Only when the students are interested in the contents of teaching can the efficiency of teaching and learning be guaranteed. Therefore, the first role of pre-listening is motivating learners. Underwood (1989) summarizes a variety of ways of pre-listening work can be carried out during the classroom teaching. Some of them are suitable in motivating students: The teacher gives background information. Organizing the students to have a discussion about the topic or situation in the upcoming text. Showing a picture which is related to the content of the text. To make the listening task interesting, the teacher also can tell the beginning part of the text and provide with some questions as a guideline for the students to guess the end or take some keywords for brainstorming. (2) Activating current world knowledge and acquiring new knowledge The main purpose of listening is to teach the knowledge of language and help the learners to be competent in listening. Design some activities that can activate learners world knowledge will facilitate them behave better in the listening. Moreover, pre-listening can also play a role to input some new language knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary and meaningful to introduce or review the language knowledge in pre-listening session. There could be a number of ways to make this part meaningful, depends on the content of the text, the teacher can: List the new vocabularies and make sure the students know the meaning and the pronunciation of each one. Introduce some phonetics knowledge which could impact on comprehension, such as jointed sounds, lost sounds and etc. Review the complex grammar rules and introduce new sentence patterns if any. Introduce some language discourse knowledge briefly. (3) Setting context and predicting content Rees (2002) emphasized the importance of setting context for listeners in pre-listening session because even in exams learners have the chance to know a general idea of the listening materials. It will greatly help them to predict what they are going to learn. It will help learners to form expectancy of what they will listen and this is an important listening strategy for their future study. Listening is a difficult and complex section in language learning. Especially in foreign language teaching which has no language environment for practising, listening competence seems even harder to be developed. Thus, before presenting a long and horrible text, acquiring some listening techniques (for instance, concentrating on the stressed words, predicting the information, etc.) could be helpful for the students to deal with the task. (4) Checking the listening task To check with the learners if they have full understanding of the task is important in pre-listening. In this procedure, the teacher is recommended to set some tasks according to the content of the text for the students. They can also directly make sure with them in case misunderstanding happens and it may demotivate them. In the specific classroom activity, the task could be one or two simple questions which relate to the final or important point of the text. For example, if the main content of the text is concerned about competing for a job, the task could be Who got the job in the end, if it is about a process of making a manufactory, the task could be designed as How many procedures are needed to make xxx. IV. The Appropriate Length of Pre-listening By analyzing the role and functions of pre-listening, the essentiality of pre-listening stage is undoubted and it seems that it is worthwhile to spend much time and energy on this stage. However, the main process of listening class must be a fluent work. It does not make sense to spend too much time on pre-listening. The fundamental aim of pre-listening is to prepare learners behave better in while-listening. Actually, the length of pre-listening is not fixed in every listening class. As Rees (ibid) argues, pre-listening should take a fair proportion of a lesson but it usually depends on the teachers aim and the learners language level to decide how long it should take. Also, based on the different backgrounds of the texts (length, difficulty, genre, etc.) and the level of the learners (beginning, intermediate, advanced, etc.), the type and length of pre-listening can be various. For example, if the content of the text is easy to understand, teachers do not need to spend too much time on basic language knowledge teaching any more; if the students are advanced learners, it is unnecessary to spend much time on pre-listening part for the reason that they have already have enough language basis and may be confident in what they are going to listen. On the contrary, if the learners are at beginning level, the pre-listening part is supposed to be longer. In addition, a very short listening task can be prepared by simply presenting several sentences to clarify the situation of the listening or the necessary information in which the length of pre-listening can be very short. Therefore, pre-listening is rather flexible and the length can be based on the specific aim and situation. Via analyzing the role of pre-listening in a listening lesson and its relationship with the other two stages, it shows that well-arranged pre-listening activities are essential for listening comprehension. V. Conclusion Listening is an essential competence in language teaching and learning. On account of the features of listening teaching and the role of pre-listening stage, it is vital to design and arrange appropriate pre-listening activities in a listening lesson. A well-planned pre-listening activity could prepare the students to deal with the listening text smoothly. It is also helpful to build up students confidence and motivate them to listen. During the pre-listening process, teachers can take the opportunity to introduce world knowledge and related language knowledge related to the text. Moreover, it devotes to fulfill the whole process of a listening lesson in making the work more effective and efficient. However, even though pre-listening plays a significant role in the whole listening process, it does not mean that it needs to occupy too much time in the classroom teaching. The length of pre-listening part could be flexible in different circumstance. Based on the analysis of the features and aim of listening teaching and the role of pre-listening, while-listening and post-listening stage in a listening lesson respectively, a successful listening class is recommended to include following elements: The audio materials are appropriate for the learners in length, speed and difficulty. The students are well motivated before listening to the text. The aim and forms of the listening task is clarified to students. The length of each stage are well arranged and closely connected with each other. The old saying goes, Well begun is half done. As the warming-up of formal listening process, pre-listening should be well-organized and emphasized to play its role of stimulating students motivation and expectations for the text. Hence, more investigation should be focused on designing optimizing pre-listening activities in order to facilitate the listening teaching in ELT.

The Lady of Shalott Essay -- essays research papers

1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Introduction This paper will try to analyze the growth of consciousness of the Lady of Shalott. Ranging from her state of mind in total isolation, her 'childhood', to her changing 'adolescence' and eventually reaching 'adulthood' and death, all in a sort of quick-motion. It will further deal with the development of tension throughout the poem. By making a distinction between tension through formal aspects, such as rhyme scheme, and tension through content it will try to show the interconnection between both of them. Additionally, the paper will deal with the possible effect of tension on the reader and how the poem might be perceived by him/her. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growth of Consciousness and Development of Tension 2.1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Initial Isolation Lord Alfred Tennyson's poem starts out with the total seclusion of the beautiful, young Lady of Shalott surrounded by '…four grey walls, and four grey towers…';. (Tennyson, line 15). She is largely unaware of the world outside and of her own existence as a woman, only being able to see shadows of reality, which are reflected by her magic (?) crystal mirror and worked into her web. At this point of time it is unknown to the reader whether the Lady of Shalott is forced to be in this situation or chose to live this life of isolation. Reasons for a self inflicted seclusion might be homophobia, the fear of rejection by the exterior world, or simply a lack of interest for it. However, the Lady of Shalott is quite content with what she has and what she does. Her life of art in front of the loom and the crystal mirror is all she needs singing her ';…song that echoes cheerly…'; (30) throughout the land. She is as innocent as a careless child giving little thought about her future. The Lady of Shalott has no urge to leave her own interior world because she is not aware of any other options. Little is known about her outside '…many-towered Camelot.'; (5) and apparently she intends to keep it that way: But who hath seen her wave her hand ? Or at the casement seen her stand ? Or is she known in all the land, The Lady of Shalott ? (24-27) By now the reader might ask him-/herself why the Lady of Shalott is stuck in such a dreadful situation and why she does not attempt to do anything about it. There is a cons... ...martyrdom and so the story ends, leaving the reader in anger about the carelessly spoken words of Lancelot. 3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  'The Lady of Shalott'; was and is subject for countless interpretation by readers and artists, especially pictorial. Although, or maybe because the whole setting is quite vague and shadowy there have been many attempts to explain why the Lady of Shalott was cursed. Maybe she was not cursed al all. What was this whisper she heard ? Was she schizophrenic, hearing voices inside her head ? Another question is why she had to die in the end. Is it possible she eventually commit suicide, because she had realized that her love for Sir Lancelot was futile ? These are some questions that stay in the back of your head after reading Tennyson's poem. Even today you can feel the infinite struggle the Lady of Shalott had to undergo. Tennyson impressively shows the development of a young woman who is faced with one of the most difficult times in life- growing up in a world full of restrictions and rules and becoming a woman. His subtle description of a girls problems at his time is, slightly altered, even valid today.

Reimbursement and Pay for Service Essay

Introduction In this paper we will discuss what pay for performance is and explain what the reimbursement affect is. In this paper it will show how the system figures out cost reduction and the impact of the quality care patients receive. How does reimbursement and pay for performance affect the physicians? Does this affect us now and will it in the future? Health care has been changing dramatically because of history, political and social along with economical reasons. Reimbursement and pay for performance can and may even change the quality of care. Pay-for-performance because our current payment system we are using is not emphasizing preventive care for patients or consumers. Pay-for-Performance is payment used in the health care it is and has been based off of clinical information. The idea is to help tie the payment to what and how well providers help the cost of health care drop. The intent is for preventive care medicine to helping decrease and help with the management of chronic illness. (Pay-for-Performance Incentive Programs in Health Care ( N.D.) With in several months studies have shown that the studies show that the pay for performance works and others that say it does not work. Effect of Pay-for-Performa nce on Reimbursement Here are some examples of pay for performance is Bridges of Excellent, which is a nonprofit health care plan. Its major factor is patients with diabetes. They feel like over 60% of patients with diabetes don’t get the proper treatment and care. The American Diabetes Association has standards and the Bridges to excellent plan gives annual bonuses to physicians in specific areas such as Boston, Louisville and Cincinnati these cities could and have meet the requirements of this health care plan. On this plan Diabetic care calls for the patient being compliant with care and medications. In this plan the blood sugar test and kidney function and retinal exams would have  to be done on a consistent bases. In this plan compensation is up to and over $100.00 per patient for the providers that stick to the rules. Another plan is Anthem Indianapolis this plan started in 1999 that employed over 25 OBGYN providers in Ohio. This is the oldest plan within the US. This plan is done on and by patient satisfaction. Providers push generic drugs instead of name brand ones. Pay For Performance Pay for performance is a movement in health care field. Providers under this arrangement are rewarded for meeting pre-established target dates for specific health care services or procedures. This is also known as â€Å"P4P† or â€Å"value-based purchasing,† this rewards physicians, clinics, and rehabilitation centers, Surgical clinics, hospitals, medical groups, and other healthcare providers. They are rewarded for meeting certain performance measures, as well as quality and efficiency. (Wachter, Bob; (2012) Pay for performance does things such as eliminating payments for negative consequences of care. Which can be medical errors from all health care providers. Errors have increased costs. With increase of seasoned senior citizens and disability patients the high rising cost of health care has brought the P4P to the front of the line. Brought P4P to the forefront of health policy discussions. There have been some studies done by several large healthcare systems. With this it has shown improvements with specific outcomes. A little efficiency has taken effect, but at no cost savings. How much are they really saving because the cost of administrative services is still required. Explains how reimbursement is affected by the pay-for- performance approach. Within the last decade or years the economy has had many people becoming unemployed and finding jobs at a lower pay rate as to where they cannot afford insurance because they are to high. With being done more people are applying for Medicaid and with all the seasoned senior citizens retiring and receiving Medicare these two insurances are already participating in this service. Majority of health care systems are participating. Many believe  that for- profit and non-for-profit health care facilities believe in lower cost for providers that meet the standards of quality care. Care field. There is a perception that cost is driving up health care treatment. Cost reductions lowers cost of visits, emergence room visits, and urgent care visits. It also helps providers to promote preventive care to their patients. Making sure that all hospitals and providers are on the same scale of service. Preventive care helps prevent insurance premiums from rising at cost to the company and consumer. Effect of Pay-for-Performance health care Providers and their Patients This plan has the support of providers, hospitals and even patients. With this pay for providers must have and use good judgment for treatment and medication and test that maybe ran. The health care cannot be rated by race, ethnic background, or the patient’s social status. This plan should not judge by a patient’s location. This plan is and should be a relationship between patient and provider. The provider needs to understand the patients beliefs and it may help them to treat them and respond to certain myths and recommendations that the provider may suggest. Hospitala and providers and helat care workers are being encouraged to buy into the P4P by different agencies and tahe government. Individual health plans area chiming in also. It has pros and cons such as weakness that may or may not improve health care. It is suppose to help lower or slow down ER visits and physicians visits. Now if the providers give quality and efficent care they would and could get financial rewards if patient care improves. P4P measures performance and policy set up for putting this service in action. Discusses the effects pay-for-performance will have on the future of health care The P4P effects that will be seen in the future of health care is that the health care field will see it expand. Pay-for-Performance-defined a reimbursement service that will have links to payments for quality care, which will be an incentive to help improve health care quality of patients by physicians, and hospitals. In improving health care it is suppose to reduce the cost of It was expected that hospitals and providers would respond to P4P incentives. For future health care will based on quality health care and it will become a contract for reimbursement. Patients should feel like they have gotten the  value of their money. One effect of future health care is those physicians and hospitals that don’t participate will be at less to receive patients. Patients that have this health care plan will be more apt to seek physicians that participate. (Goldberg, L; (2006) Conclusion People in the health care field are getting interested in the pay for performance because the health care guidelines and regulations are changing in Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance. More hospitals and clinics and specialty facilities and rehab centers are loving receiving incentives for their participation and in the process they are saving cost to patients and insurance companies. P4P is working with insurance companies and providers for the quality of care for patients to be improved. Now managed care is now looking at pay for performance. Reimbursement being linked to pay for performance is like being paid to shop for the best bargain or the most person to fit your needs.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist Impressions

After reading for a few pages, it seemed almost as if the main character of the book, Changez, implicates the reader (us) as the person who he is talking to, and I thought that was a unique aspect of this book, unlike many other books. The American man that Changez is actually speaking to, I thought it was very strange how he was wearing a full suit, especially in a place like Lahore where the weather is extremely humid and hot. Throughout the reading, I found it even stranger how the American is so jumpy and cautious, sticking his hand into his coat pocket as if he is going to pull out a gun, when approached by the waiter and server of the place him and Changez are at. Though the American man is very suspicious when reaching his hand into his pocket, I believe Changez is playing dumb by saying things like â€Å"there is no need to pay the waiter before the meal,† and I think that Changez can read the American like a book. It is very obvious that the American has some sort of gun under his coat, and I know that Changez realizes that as well. When Changez began recounting his experiences with his interview with Underwood Samson, I thought right away that Changez would not get the job as he lost his temper when the interviewer Jim started probing into his economic status and life back in Pakistan. Instead, I was surprised when Jim was actually impressed with Changez’s temper, and revealed that he also was a Princeton alumnus and the first person in his family to attend college as well. Nearing the end of the interview, I was surprised once again how Changez could predict the value and profits right on the spot of the imaginary company that Jim told him to value. After reading about Erica, I would have found it extremely awkward if I were Changez, learning that Erica’s first true love was now deceased. For some reason, I am not surprised after reading that Changez had ranked first in his Class. I was impressed that Jim’s house reminded Changez of The Great Gatsby, because in my opinion, from what I pictured after reading The Great Gatsby, the house must had been amazing. Pages 51-100) I understand that Changez is attracted to Erica and would most likely not mind â€Å"getting with her,† but I still find it awkward when reading (I know for a fact that I would feel awkward if I was attracted to a woman that loved a man who had recently died of lung cancer). If I was Changez, I would have felt very out of place when Erica explained that the detaile d sketch of the island within an island picture, was a picture her late boyfriend, Chris, had drawn. I found it amusing when Changez went against Muslim traditions and accepted wine from Erica’s father at dinner, and when the American asserts that drinking is a sin according to Islam, I found it funny when Changez replied with â€Å"so, for that matter, is coveting thy neighbor’s wife. † I was impressed when Changez held his own after Erica’s father â€Å"bashed† Pakistan about it’s crumbling economy, tyrannical government, how the elites had â€Å"raped that place well and good,† and about it’s religious fundamentalists. I would have snapped if someone disrespected my country like that. At this point, I look forward to what Changez says when the American reaches his hand into his coat. If I was the American, I would have noticed by now that Changez is not dumb enough not to realize that there is a gun under the coat, but I suppose he is also playing along as well. When Changez reminisces about â€Å"flying foxes,† I couldn’t picture myself in a pleasant state at all. I’ve seen what flying foxes look like, and they are extremely large for a â€Å"bat. † They average at about 3-4 feet tall, and have heads that resemble foxes. If I were to see a flying fox in person, I would immediately faint†¦ or run for my life. I found it very strange after I read how Changez smiled at the site of the World Trade Center towers collapsing. I understood why the American got angry of course, but when found it someone peculiar that Changez was happy and took pleasure in seeing the American military bombing Iraq. I felt a bit sad for Changez when he had to be stripped searched at the airport, and how the other passengers on the plane were unsettled at the sight of him sitting on the plane with them. After reading how Changez and Erica probably had the most awkward experience in bed ever in history, I found it even weird how Changez asked Erica to tell him what it was like to make love to Chris†¦ even if it did seem to put her at ease. I would have felt extremely uncomfortable, especially since Erica cried as well. At this point, I began to realize that Changez is in some sort of denial. His newfound lifestyle, â€Å"love,† and work all seem too good to be true in my opinion (except the â€Å"love of course, being Erica). After reading how Changez was panicked at the images of his neighbor country being invaded and attacked, and how he drank himself to sleep, I knew he beginning to â€Å"crack. † (Pages 101-150) When Changez told Erica to pretend that he was Chris, I felt that was probably the strangest, and most awkward thing I have ever read. How Changez felt it to be violent, as if Erica’s vagina was a wound and he kept imagining he smelled blood, all of it was very gross, and I agree with the American that it also disgusted me. After reading this, I lost respect for Changez now. Although he is extremely smart, successful, attends Princeton, etc. , I would feel extremely ashamed and disgraced if I was him. I don’t understand how Changez did not realize that Erica needs space. After Erica’s mother told him â€Å"She doesn’t need a boyfriend. She needs a friend† I thought maybe finally Changez would get the message and leave Erica alone. After reading how Changez was verbally harassed in the parking lot by a man, I somewhat felt his anger/pain. When the man in the parking lot said â€Å"Fucking Arab,† which ironically he is not, I understood what he was going through because I have been through similar experiences in my life. Instead of being called Vietnamese, which is what I am, because I am Asian, I have been called â€Å"Chinese,† â€Å"chink,† etc. , so I know what Changez went though. Though it does not effect my any longer, I understand Changez’s emotions because it is most likely the first time he has experienced ethnic prejudice. When the food arrives and the American asks about the utensils, it made me smile when Changez replied with â€Å"allow me to suggest that the time has now come for us to dirty our hands. We have, after all, spent some hours in each other’s company already; surely you can no longer feel the need to hold back. There is great satisfaction to be in touching one’s prey† I liked the last sentence for some reason. I understand that Changez continued to grow his beard to be different from the other Americans he works with, but that only made him more susceptible to prejudice. Personally if I was him, I would have shaved it off, especially due to the fact that it could impact my job. When Changez goes to visit Erica at the hospital and is greeted by the nurse, I would have felt very unsettled after hearing the nurse tell him that he was what made things harder for Erica by being â€Å"the most real† thing she knew, disturbing her own world of her imagination which she felt was more vibrant and tolerable than the real world. Now, I know for a fact that Changez knows that something will happen soon with the American when he encourages him to â€Å"sugar his tongue before undertaking†¦ the bloodiest of tasks. Also when Changez notices that the American has a bulge in his shirt where an armpit holster would be and assumes that the bulge is a travel wallet, it is obvious that Changez knows what the American is really there for. I know that Changez has a successful job, is making a good salary, but when Juan-Bautista asks him â€Å"Does it trouble you†¦ to make your living by disrupting the lives of others? † It would have made me feel bad about myself. By this point I know that Underwood Samson is not only a company that values other businesses, but also takes then over, causing many to lose their jobs. Personally, I would not feel comfortable working for a company that destroys other’s lives. (Pages 151-End) I was not surprised when Changez left Underwood and Samson, despite his loyalty to Jim, the need for money, and his visa’s dependence on his job. I found it sad that out of all of Changez’s colleagues, only Wainwright said goodbye. I felt a bit sad after reading that Erica had committed suicide. Instead of living through all of her depression, sadness, distraught, I suppose taking her life to â€Å"end it all† was her only solution. I was in someway glad that Changez finally came to terms with the fact that, whatever happened to Erica, â€Å"she had chosen not to be part of his story. † I felt bad for Changez; his only love was not in love with him, and now had committed suicide. Up to this point, I have finally realized that the old Changez, excited about and loving America, is no more. Instead, I feel that Changez is now angry at America, and by teaching/convincing students to disassociate from America and to take part in the movement towards Pakistani international independence, is his way of combating America. As the American and Changez walked faster and faster towards the hotel, I knew that something was about to happen. I thought at first that the other people on the street were going to start firing guns at any moment, but I was wrong. â€Å"It seems an obvious thing to say, but you should not imagine that we Pakistanis are all potential terrorists, just as we should not imagine that you Americans are all undercover assassins. After finishing the book, I believe that that quote somehow relates to the American, because I see the American as an agent sent to murder Changez. Though the end of the story does not say if anyone was killed, I believe that Changez was indeed murdered, and he knew that whole time as he was talking to the American, that he was going to be murdered that night. What I don’t understand is why the American would sit hours upon hours with Changez, listening to his stories and becoming acquainted with him, only to delay himself in his task to murder him.