Diversity Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Diversity Education - Assignment Example of differing cultures and sub-cultures, and encouraging responsibility for social justice is an improvement because it encourages social cooperation across cultural and sub-cultural divides, and it presents the equivalent viability of all cultural orientations (Gurin, Nagda, & Lopez, The benefits of diversity in education for democratic citizenship, 2004). This is the definitive category that contextualizes a preferred approach to diversity education. It is a more holistic approach, in that teachers must first understand personal biases, resolve them, be willing to learn from student experience and feedback, and suspend any ethnocentricity they feel (Washington State University , 2012). They must also be consistent about releasing personal power privilege, so that an environment of shared power can be sustained, so that honesty and authenticity can prevail (Gurin, Dey, Hurtado, & Gurin, 2002). Research confirms this approach as being the most effective. It is best for healthy identit y formation and cognition because it presents necessary relational discontinuities (Gurin, Dey, Hurtado, & Gurin, 2002). It supports academic success (Gurin, Dey, Hurtado, & Gurin, 2002). It shapes culturally competent people who are best positioned to join the global community’s workforce (Cocchiara, 2009), respond to cultural others, and make decisions that will prove effective and widely applicable (Washington State University , 2012). Research has found that diversity education strongly instills democratic sentiments, and pro-democracy skills, such as taking on other perspectives, being comfortable in conflict situations and thus able to resolve conflict in a mutually satisfying manner (Gurin, Nagda, & Lopez, The benefits of diversity in education for democratic citizenship, 2004).... This paper approves that the research shows that diversity education emphasizing cultural relativity, integration, mutuality and social justice actually increases respect for difference, as well as commonality. This is a counter influence against marginalization. It follows, then, that a diversity-educated person will pose a substantially reduced threat. According to the paper it is a fact that society is now global. It is not possible to participate fully without diversity fluency. With widespread immigration, globalization, refugee distribution, the Internet, and global issues dominating the news, it is imperative that everyone at least knows how to fit in effectively and has the skills to be productive. With war and terrorism being ubiquitous and globally threatening, skills for fostering mutual cooperation are essential to survival. This need not impinge on religious and lifestyle choices, if mutual respect is the bottom line for everyone. This essay says that democracy can be interpreted as being best done within a pre-approved religious framework. An examination of differences can be threatening and used to justify exclusion, while a search for commonalities may be seen as requiring sacrificial dilution of treasured differences, religious truths and values. There are always multiple sides to an issue, however, and this one is no exception. Justification for the stance claimed as most excellent, in this paper, rests on certain assumptions. One of those assumptions is that the best choice is one supported by research.

The History of Efforts Towards Islam Ecumenism Essay Example for Free

The History of Efforts Towards Islam Ecumenism Essay The discord between the Shia and Sunni has a long and bloody history. The split between these sects was a product of a political conflict which was exaggerated, if not baseless. It allowed the proliferation of wrongful assumptions which have been exploited and taken out of context. For example, the Shiites believe that Sunnis are enemies of the Ahl-e Bayt,the family of the prophet (Mazhari). On the other hand, the Sunnis believe that the Shiites regard the present day Quran has been tampered with (Mazhari) and that they abuse the companions of the prophet. While is true that there are Shiites who openly abuse the companions of the prophets, there number is relatively small. Also, Sunni scholars quote arguments from a long forgotten Shia groups which were known to uphold un-Islamic views (Mazhari). The issues could’ve been easily resolved through a dialog between the leaders of these two sects and yet, over the centuries, no serious efforts were made to address these differences. The situation has worsened and the conflict between Shia-Sunni extremist forces has become so severe that many ordinary Muslims have expressed anger and consternation against suicide bombers and terrorist acts. In a paper (Rahim) written after the November 18, 2005 bombing of mosques in Eastern Iraq, an imam was quoted speaking these words: I have said this before and I say it again, the imam said, his voice trembling with anger. The suicide bombers and their planners are murderers, not martyrs. They are the real enemies of Islam. We must confront and defeat them, wherever they may lurk. The quarrel between Sunnism and Shiism is more than just a debate on what is â€Å"true Islam†. In several countries such as Iran and Iraq, it has become a jihad, a holy war destroying the lives and futures of the very population they are part of. At present, there is now a resounding call for intrafaith harmony – a dialogue between the Shiites and Sunnis so as to allow better understanding between these two sects and ensure respect and peaceful coexistence. The beginning of efforts to resolve Sunni-Shia antagonism While the idea of Islam ecumenism is a new one, there were already efforts to resolve the Sunni-Shiite conflict in the past, though these were not widespread. A highlight in Islamic history is the victory of the Shah Ismail in Tabriz in 1501. With the ascension of the Safavids to power, Shiism became the official sect in a largely Sunni country. For Iran, this was the first time that Shiite leaders could organize without repression from their Sunni counterparts. Because of this move, Shiite leaders developed into an educated class and have accepted the â€Å"use of reason in the process of evaluating the traditions and in jurisprudence† (R. Brunner 28). The Shiite clergy began to consider their political interests when confronting with representatives of both Shiism and Sunnism. The first attempt at formal dialogue between Sunni and Shiite leaders happened in fourth and fifth decades in the 18th century, following the defeat of the Safavids to Afghan invaders (R. Brunner 28). In the meeting convened by Nadir Shah and culminated on December 1743 (R. Brunner 31), it was reported that a considerable number of scholars from both sects were present. Some of the topics discussed involved the legitimacy of the rule of the first caliphs, and the issues surrounding the prophet’s companions and temporary marriage. The meeting produced a written accord which obliged the Shiite scholars from performing activities which the Sunnis may find offensive. Unfortunately, scholars from both sects were not yet mentally ready to maintain peace and the accord failed to fulfill its function after Nadir Shah’s death in 1747. Repeated clashes and outbreaks of violence between the Sunnis and Shiites soon commenced. While the first official agreement for Islam ecumenism was a failure, this was not an indication that there is no hope for peace between the warring sects. The re-emergence of pan-Islamic tendencies happened in the later part of the 19th century, after the spreading European colonialism (R. Brunner 34). During this time, activists of Islamic descent called on the Muslim community to unite and forge against a common enemy. In order to overcome the dominance of European culture and assert the uniqueness of the Islamic world, activists such as Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and Muhammad Abduh called on â€Å"Muslims†¦to reflect on the virtues of unity and cooperation†¦the most powerful pillars of Muhammadan denomination† (R. Brunner 35). Unfortunately at this time, ecumenical dialogue was still non-existent, and there was no mention of rapprochement between the Sunnis and Shiites. As a matter of fact, there was no mention â€Å"of the two denominations by name [since activists preferred to] stress their common opposition to British politics† (R. Brunner 35). One scholar who is notable for making leading the first efforts towards dialogue and Islam ecumenism is the Sunni Muhammad Rashid Rida (R. Brunner 40). He called for the revival of â€Å"true Islam† through the adaptation of Islamic law to modern needs and its reinterpretation for Islamic jurisprudence. Unlike al-Afghani and Abduh, Rida recognized that the mutual aversion and distance between the two sects were a mistake. He called for a unified language and the creation of an Islamic society in Mecca which consisted of both Shiites and Sunnis. The recognition of the Azhar University as highest Islamic institution in Egypt also helped spread the move towards Islam ecumenism. It served both a a Sunni and Shiite authority in Egypt when it created the Council Supreme ulama which was â€Å"commissioned by law to oversee the religious standards of all other Egyptian ulama and [use] disciplinary means to enforce their decisions† (R. Brunner 48). With the success of the Azhar in Egypt came the call for the revision of the educational system in Iran. Alim Asad Allah Mamaqani and Muhsin Shahara believed that by adapting the reforms made by Azhar in training young theologians Najaf can also â€Å"master the prevailing chaos† (R. Brunner 49) in the country. If there was one scholar who created the greatest impact to Islam ecumenism, then it would be Muhammad Rashid Rida. From his philosophy came a need for greater understanding of Islam and a move towards modernization. As a matter of fact, a secret society headed by Mirza Mohammad Baqer Bawanati was setup to promote â€Å"rapprochement among Islam, Christianity and Judaism† (R. Brunner 38). As early as 1986, leaders of different religions in the world were already meeting with the Pope John Paul II, with the Catholic pope being the spokesman and central figure in these gatherings (Veith). These meetings hosted by the Pope showed the world that peace among religions is not impossible, and that peace between the Shia and Sunni sects of Islam is still within reach. Main Institutions and Personalities and their Contribution to Islamic Ecumenism It was in the Safavid Empire when openings for dialogue took place. It was when Ismail Safavi made a religious edict to make Shiism as official state religion amidst a dominantly Sunni population. By force and violence, Sunnis were compelled to convert until the Sunnis turned from majority to minority by the end of the 18th century. Although there was an element of repression involved, the discourse on Sunni and Shiite theology was pursued with the intention of converting Sunnis by giving little concessions here and there (Brunner, 2004). A major contributor to Islamic unity in history is Sharaf al-din. He is a Shiite whose correspondence with Shaykh Salim al-Bishri, who is the chief of al-Azhar Mosque which was eventually published in a book Murajaat provided the foundations of Muslim Unity. Sharaf al-din also published works for uniting the Ummah where he tackled the various issues that prevent Shi’is and Sunnis from uniting. Perhaps one of his major moves in the direction of unity is on coordinating the 12th of Rabi al-Awal to commemorate Muhammad’s birthday rather than the 17th so that it can be celebrated together with Sunni Muslims (Brunner, 2004). The Taqrib Movement from 1947 to 1960 which literally means â€Å"to bring together† is also instrumental in paving the way towards the institutionalization of the ecumenical dialogue. This coincided with the effort from different countries to form an International Muslim Brotherhood. Eventually pan Islamic associations and other scholars joined the effort culminating into the Muslim World Congress in 1949 (Brunner, 2004). A pivotal moment in Islamic solidarity happened during the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini. For one, he was able to neutralize the historical enmity between the Sunnis and Shi’ites by focusing on a single enemy which was the United States. Khomeini also bridged the division between Shiites and Sunnis by permitting Twelvers to pray behind Sunni imams while at the same time forbidding the criticism against the Caliphs who ruled before ‘Ali (Khan). There are other prominent figures in the ecumenical movement such as Muhammad Jawad Mughniyya who advocated for Arab and Muslim unity and supported the Islamic revolution. Together with Khomeini, they were able to merge religious and political emancipation in a single movement (Mallat, 2003). Notable also is the contribution of Shaykh Ma? mud Shaltut (1893-1963) in the history and contribution of Al-Azhar. He can be credited as a major influence to Al-Azhar’s openness, liberalism and ecumenical spirit. He is one of the first to teach Shi’a teaching in a Sunni institution teaching the Twelver of Shia Islam alongside four Sunni madhhabs (traditions of jurisprudence) (Brunner, 2004). Perhaps one the most influential institution that is paving the way for greater ecumenical dialogue and Islamic unity is Cairo’s Al-Azhar University. Considered as the most credible center of Sunni Scholarship, it is now propagating a reconciliatory stance that is aimed at mutual respect and understanding. The Al-Azhar Verdict (fatwa) on the Shia is considered to be a landmark position. To wit: 1) Islam does not require a Muslim to follow a particular Madh’hab (school of thought). Rather, we say: every Muslim has the right to follow one of the schools of thought which has been correctly narrated and its verdicts have been compiled in its books. And, everyone who is following such Madhahib [schools of thought] can transfer to another school, and there shall be no crime on him for doing so. 2) The Ja’fari school of thought, which is also known as â€Å"al-Shia al- Imamiyyah al-Ithna Ashariyyah† (i. e. , The Twelver Imami Shi’ites) is a school of thought that is religiously correct to follow in worship as are other Sunni schools of thought. (Al-Azhar) This position that recognizes the validity of Shia doctrine is a radical position that can really ease the historical tensions between the two denominations. The International Islamic Conference in Ammam (Landau) also issued the same position convening 200 Islamic scholars who all unanimously voted to recognize all 8 schools of Islam as having their own validity. Moreover they prohibited all Muslims from different denominations to call each other heretics or apostates while exposing what they see as ignorant edicts issues falsely in the name of Islam. On December 2005, the Amman Conference Statement was adopted by the Organization of Islamic Conference Summit in Mecca providing a clear legitimacy and thrust towards Muslim Solidarity. Eventually six other international Islamic scholarly assemblies adopted this position making a clear and distinct position for Muslim pluralism (Statement of the International Islamic Conference in Amman). Abdul Malik Mujahid is a modern day figure in Islamic ecumenism who is calling on all the Muslim world to unite and giving concrete and workable steps towards unity. He argues the principle of â€Å"no compulsion in matters of faith† (Quran 2:256) as well as he gives persuasive points in history as well as in actual practice (Mujahid).

Orphans in 19th Century Victorian England :: Victorian Era

Orphans in 19th Century Victorian England The Victorian Era was a time of social evolution as well as technological and economic advance. A distinct, unique middle class was formed alongside the traditional working class and wealthy aristocracy. However, there were certain individuals that fell outside this model of Victorian society. The â€Å"abandoned child† was society’s scapegoat- a person without a past, without connections, without status. They could appear in any class, at any time. The upper and middle classes often had a somewhat romantic perception of them, due to their prevalence in Victorian literature. Novels like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights made heroines/heroes out of orphans, portraying them as respectable yet troubled (Cunningham,â€Å"Orphan Texts†). However, orphans were also often treated with disdain and distrust, due to their reputation as â€Å"criminally prone† individuals. They were a victim of classic â€Å"Victorian contradictions† that characterized most aspe cts of Victorian society. Victorian Definition of â€Å"Orphan† When we hear the word â€Å"orphan† we imagine a child whose parents have both died tragic deaths. Indeed, there were plenty of these pitiable creatures in Victorian society – the living and working conditions of the poor were so unsanitary and crowded that diseases such as typhus and tuberculosis often spread unchecked, sending many of their victims to the grave (Czarnik, â€Å"Living Conditions†). However, children were often considered â€Å"orphans† if they had one surviving parent, had been abandoned by their family, or were forced out into the world because of overcrowding at home (Cunningham, â€Å"Orphan Texts†). In 1861, it is estimated that 11% of children had lost a father by the age of 10, 11% a mother, and 1% had lost both parents (Czarnik). Adoption A very common fate of orphans was adoption. They were often taken in by relatives or neighbors, and even, on occasion, strangers wishing to raise them as their own children. In England, there were no laws concerning adoption until the 1920s, so most adoption was informal. Children who were adopted by their own social class were usually treated fairly and equally†¦ however, if they were adopted by a family whose status was above and beyond their original class, they were frequently mistreated and neglected. Children of different social classes were not encouraged to fraternize, so if an orphan was taken into a household where higher class children lived, they could be forbidden to even speak to them (Czarnik). Education Orphans sometimes met another fate†¦ being placed in an educational institution. Many philanthropists donated money to these â€Å"schools† for the express purpose of boarding and educating orphans.

Great Expectations, Little Dorrit Essay -- Great Expectations Essays

Charles Dickens used his own personal experiences and views to create the setting in his novels, as it is seen in Great Expectations, Little Dorrit, and Bleak House. The role of the setting in each book is to create the mood and support the characters. (Davis 350) In Dickens’ novels the setting helps the reader better understand the time period and the problems the people of London faced with the political and social structure in place at the time. It also gives insight into the lives of the people through the intricate detail. Many times in Dickens novels, the setting becomes a character itself and without it the story would be incomplete. Dickens attention to detail is part of what makes his novels so unique and original. In order to see the influence Dickens’ experiences had in his books, first one must know a little of his history. Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 to John and Elizabeth Dickens. (Kaplan 18) During most of his childhood they lived in London and this is where most of his settings come from. John Dickens had a hard time living within his means and when Charles was 12 his father was sent to the debtors’ prison, known as the Marshalsea. (Kaplan 39) While John was in prison Elizabeth and their other children lived at the Marshalsea with him, but Charles was sent to work in a factory to help support the family and pay off his father’s debt. (Kaplan 41) This time in Charles’ life would always be a haunting memory for him and it influenced many of his stories. After a year John’s mother died, leaving him enough money to pay off his debts and he was released from the Marshalsea. Even after his father’s release from prison, Dickens mother made him continue to work at the factory. This time caused him to be b... ...d distinct. Many of the settings in Great Expectations and Little Dorrit come from Dickens’ childhood experiences, such as the dock yard, the Marshalsea and working in the factory. He paints vivid pictures with words to show the reader exactly how he saw things. Bleak House shows his strong beliefs and views about the political system of England during this time. He uses the story to show exactly how unorganized and corrupt the political system was at the time. These novels are great examples of how the setting plays a role in the story, by creating the mood and helping the reader better see into the lives of the people living during that time. The major role the setting plays in these stories is the insight into the beliefs of the author and the experiences he had growing up in and around London in the nineteenth century, as it is portrayed by him in his works. Great Expectations, Little Dorrit Essay -- Great Expectations Essays Charles Dickens used his own personal experiences and views to create the setting in his novels, as it is seen in Great Expectations, Little Dorrit, and Bleak House. The role of the setting in each book is to create the mood and support the characters. (Davis 350) In Dickens’ novels the setting helps the reader better understand the time period and the problems the people of London faced with the political and social structure in place at the time. It also gives insight into the lives of the people through the intricate detail. Many times in Dickens novels, the setting becomes a character itself and without it the story would be incomplete. Dickens attention to detail is part of what makes his novels so unique and original. In order to see the influence Dickens’ experiences had in his books, first one must know a little of his history. Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 to John and Elizabeth Dickens. (Kaplan 18) During most of his childhood they lived in London and this is where most of his settings come from. John Dickens had a hard time living within his means and when Charles was 12 his father was sent to the debtors’ prison, known as the Marshalsea. (Kaplan 39) While John was in prison Elizabeth and their other children lived at the Marshalsea with him, but Charles was sent to work in a factory to help support the family and pay off his father’s debt. (Kaplan 41) This time in Charles’ life would always be a haunting memory for him and it influenced many of his stories. After a year John’s mother died, leaving him enough money to pay off his debts and he was released from the Marshalsea. Even after his father’s release from prison, Dickens mother made him continue to work at the factory. This time caused him to be b... ...d distinct. Many of the settings in Great Expectations and Little Dorrit come from Dickens’ childhood experiences, such as the dock yard, the Marshalsea and working in the factory. He paints vivid pictures with words to show the reader exactly how he saw things. Bleak House shows his strong beliefs and views about the political system of England during this time. He uses the story to show exactly how unorganized and corrupt the political system was at the time. These novels are great examples of how the setting plays a role in the story, by creating the mood and helping the reader better see into the lives of the people living during that time. The major role the setting plays in these stories is the insight into the beliefs of the author and the experiences he had growing up in and around London in the nineteenth century, as it is portrayed by him in his works.

How does Steinbeck Present Slim from the Extract

Slim, on his first appearance, is described as moving with a â€Å"majesty only achieved by royalty or master craftsmen†. With this descriptive phrase, Steinbeck immediately establishes Slim as someone who is confident in himself that is admired by others. To move like majesty, it requires one to move with graceful fluency without seeming effort. This is a man who is comfortable in his own persona. Continuing with the comparison to royalty, Steinbeck describes Slim as â€Å"the prince of the ranch†. Slim has such an authority on the ranch that his word was golden.If Slim said that something was to be done, everyone on the ranch went along with it and no one rebelled against it. This is not because the other characters on the ranch are scared of him by rather the fact that he is portrayed to the Readers as the being very respected. Slim is the voice for justice within the novel. This shows that he is wise and all the other ranch workers looked up to him as a role model s ince he is like a father figure to all the ranch men with his words of wisdom being the words they live by.Steinbeck describes his manner as having â€Å"gravity† and â€Å"a quiet so profound that his word was taken on any subject. † Slim was not someone who had to raise his voice to be authoritative. His presence spoke for itself. Slim serves as an annoyance to the character of Curley, since he really should be the â€Å"prince of the ranch† as the boss’s son. The use of this metaphor implies that Slim has a higher social status than the other ranch workers. Additionally it is important to understand that he has t assigned himself with the label as curly no doubt wouldHe is described as having a â€Å"hatchet face† which goes along with the name of Slim. Together the name and the description of his face give the reader the sense of someone who is very lean. Along with this, he is described as being actually being between the ages of 35-50 but sug gested as an ageless character. Also when talking about his appearance he is described with â€Å"His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer. † In this simile the word ‘large’ suggest that they are masculine and strong but the phrase ‘temple dancers’ implies they are skilful and tender.Similarly at the beginning of the extract his strength is mentioned – saying he is ‘capable of driving ten, sixteen and even twenty mules', which also expresses his strength and importance on the ranch as he is able to carry out jobs, which was of great value during the Great Depression. Another key descriptive phrase for Slim is that â€Å"His ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought. †. With this descriptive phrase Steinbeck artfully portrays that Slim is able to read into people and what they say.He is not someone who tak es things people say at face value. He also understands that there is often more to the story. The word ‘beyond’ suggests that he is omniscient which again depicts the connotations of Slim being like God and king of the ranch. This also is what leads to Slim’s word being gospel on the ranch. Everyone knows that he gives everything a fair hearing. Slim renders a decision much like a judge would do. This links to Slim natures as Judges are well-respected ad distinguished as is he.Right away when Slim began to talk to George about working on the ranch, he used a tone which was friendly, encouraged confidence without demanding. It is this friendly tone that allows George to develop a similar friendship with Slim and allows him later to confide in Slim about Lennie. Steinbeck portrays that despite being thought higher by everyone he doesn’t let this get to his head since he has a lot of general decency. While Slim is certainly modelled as a friend and upstandin g character, as one can see from this extract he is one of the characters who plays a pivotal role in the plot in Of Mice and Men.

Free Essays on Ancestors Of The Modern Computer

Ancestors of the Modern Computer Today’s computers are used to do thousands of different tasks. They control and guide so many things that are important in current society. Computers make difficult tasks simpler, time consuming jobs shorter, and life in general easier. Man has always looked for some way to make their work quicker and easier. Probably, the first thing that ever started us in the direction conceiving the idea for the computer was the need for printing text and solving complicated mathematical calculations. Man’s first solution to making math simpler was the abacus, which is still used in some parts of the world today. Later inventions were machines with gears and wheels that could add and subtract, and ones that used punch cards to give the machine information. These instruments were not used widely, nor have any kind of an impact on their society. While they could have been put to good use, they were just little too ahead of their time. Printing and writing is another tedious task that computers simplify. Originally people had to copy entire books by hand so they could be circulated. This method would take up tremendous amounts of time. Later the idea for a printing press came about. Little letters would be etched into small wood or metal blocks. Ink would be put on the blocks and then transferred onto the paper. Even though this took less time it still took too much. First-Generation computers were first created in 1945. These machines were very large and used vacuum tubes which made the computer heat up quickly.... Free Essays on Ancestors Of The Modern Computer Free Essays on Ancestors Of The Modern Computer Ancestors of the Modern Computer Today’s computers are used to do thousands of different tasks. They control and guide so many things that are important in current society. Computers make difficult tasks simpler, time consuming jobs shorter, and life in general easier. Man has always looked for some way to make their work quicker and easier. Probably, the first thing that ever started us in the direction conceiving the idea for the computer was the need for printing text and solving complicated mathematical calculations. Man’s first solution to making math simpler was the abacus, which is still used in some parts of the world today. Later inventions were machines with gears and wheels that could add and subtract, and ones that used punch cards to give the machine information. These instruments were not used widely, nor have any kind of an impact on their society. While they could have been put to good use, they were just little too ahead of their time. Printing and writing is another tedious task that computers simplify. Originally people had to copy entire books by hand so they could be circulated. This method would take up tremendous amounts of time. Later the idea for a printing press came about. Little letters would be etched into small wood or metal blocks. Ink would be put on the blocks and then transferred onto the paper. Even though this took less time it still took too much. First-Generation computers were first created in 1945. These machines were very large and used vacuum tubes which made the computer heat up quickly....

The Parthians as Intermediaries in the Silk Trade

The Parthians as Intermediaries in the Silk Trade The ancient Chinese invented sericulture- the production of silk fabric. They opened the silkworm cocoon to extract silk filaments, twisted the threads, and dyed the fabric they produced. Silk fabric has long been prized, and correspondingly expensive, so it was a valuable source of revenue for the Chinese, so long as they could monopolize production. Other luxury-loving people were eager to prise their secret, but the Chinese guarded it carefully, under pain of execution. Until they learned the secret, the Romans found another way to share in the profit. They manufactured silken products. The Parthians found a way to profit, too by serving as middlemen. The Chinese Monopoly on Silk Production In The Silk Trade between China and the Roman Empire at Its Height, Circa A. D. 90-130, J. Thorley argues that the Parthians (c. 200 B.C. - c. A.D. 200), serving as trading intermediaries between China and the Roman Empire, sold fancy Chinese brocades to Rome and then, using some deceit about silkworm cocoons in the Roman Empire, sold re-weavings of gauzy silk back to the Chinese. The Chinese, admittedly, lacked the technology for the weaving, but they might have been scandalized to realize they had provided the raw material. The Silk Road Prospered Although Julius Caesar may have had silk curtains made from Chinese silk, silk was in very limited supply in Rome until the time of peace and prosperity under Augustus. From the late first century to early in the second, the whole of the silk route was at peace and trade prospered as it never had before and never would again until the Mongol Empire. In Roman Imperial history, the barbarians kept pushing at the borders and clamoring to be let in. These would-be Romans had been displaced by other tribes further out. This is part of a complicated stream of events that led to the invasions of the Roman Empire by Vandals and Visigoths, nicely treated in Michael Kulikowskis The Gothic Wars. The Barbarians at the Gates Thorley says that a stream of similar border-pushing events led to the efficiently functioning silk route of the period. Nomadic tribes called the Hsiung Nu harassed the Chin dynasty (255-206 B.C.) into building the Great Wall for protection (like Hadrians Wall and the Antonine Wall in Britain were supposed to keep out the Picts). Emperor Wu Ti forced out the Hsiung Nu, so they tried to get into Turkestan. The Chinese sent forces to Turkestan and took possession of it. Once in control of Turkestan, they built trade route outposts from North China to the Tarim Basin in Chinese hands. Thwarted, the Hsiung Nu turned to their neighbors to the south and west, the Yueh-chi, driving them to the Aral Sea, where they, in turn, drove out the Scythians. The Scythians migrated to Iran and India. The Yueh-chi later followed, arriving in Sogdiana and Bactria. In the first century A.D., they migrated into Kashmir where their dynasty became known as the Kushan. Iran, to the west of the Kushan empire , came into Parthian hands after the Parthians wrested control from the Seleucids who ran the area after the death of Alexander the Great. This meant that going from west to east in about A.D. 90, the kingdoms controlling the silk route were only 4: the Romans, the Parthians, the Kushan, and the Chinese. The Parthians Become the Middlemen The Parthians persuaded the Chinese, who traveled from China, through the Kushan area of India (where they presumably paid a fee to allow them to travel through), and into Parthia, not to take their merchandise further west, making the Parthians middlemen. Thorley provides an unusual-looking list of exports from the Roman Empire that they sold to the Chinese. This is the list that contains the locally acquired silk: [G]old, silver [probably from Spain], and rare precious stones, especially the jewel that shines at night, the moonshine pearl, the chicken- frightening rhinoceros stone, corals, amber, glass, lang-kan (a kind of coral), chu-tan (cinnabar?), green jadestone, gold-embroidered rugs, and thin silk- cloth of various colours. They make gold-coloured cloth and asbestos cloth. They further have fine cloth, also called down of the water- sheep; it is made from the cocoons of wild silk-worms. They collect all kinds of fragrant substances, the juice of which they boil into storas. It wasnt until the Byzantine era that Romans really had their own silkworms. SourceThe Silk Trade between China and the Roman Empire at Its Height, Circa A. D. 90-130, by J. Thorley. Greece Rome, 2nd Ser., Vol. 18, No. 1. (Apr. 1971), pp. 71-80.

1984 Summary

'1984' Summary There are few novels as influential as George Orwell’s 1984, which permeated pop culture with concepts like Big Brother and doublethink, while exploring the bleak future Orwell saw in totalitarianism. Part One 1984 begins with Winston Smith coming home to his small, run-down flat. At 39, Winston is old beyond his years and takes his time walking up the stairs, greeted at each landing by a poster stating BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. In his small flat he can dim the wall-sized telescreen and lower the volume but cannot turn it off. He keeps his back to it because it is a two-way screen. Winston lives in what is known as Airstrip One, formerly Britain, a province of a large nation-state known as Oceania. He looks out his window at the Ministry of Truth where he works revising historical records to conform with the new versions of history the government is always producing. Winston works hard to appear a dutiful and fervent member of the Party, but privately despises it and the world he lives in. He knows this makes him what is known as a thoughtcriminal and assumes he will inevitably be exposed and punished. Winston has purchased a diary from a shop in a proletariat (the lower class of people referred to as proles) neighborhood, and has discovered that the placement of the telescreen in his apartment allows for a small area where he cannot be observed. He skips lunch at the canteen in order to come home and write his forbidden thoughts in this diary out of the telescreen’s range. It is a small act of rebellion. Winston admits to a sexual attraction to a woman at the Ministry of Truth, Julia. He has not acted on his attraction because he thinks she might be spying on him, and suspects she would inform on him. He is also paranoid about his superior, a man named O’Brien whom he suspects is part of the Brotherhood, a resistance movement led by the famous terrorist Emmanuel Goldstein. Part Two When Winston goes to work the next day, he sees Julia with her arm in a sling. When she stumbles, he helps her, and she passes him a note that reads I Love You. He and Julia begin a sexual affair, which is forbidden by the Party; Julia is even a member of the Anti-Sex League. Their first encounter is in a rural area. Later they begin renting a room above the shop where Winston purchased his diary. It becomes clear to Winston that Julia despises the Party as much as he does. The affair sparks memories in Winston of the civil war and his ex-wife, Katharine. At work, Winston meets a colleague named Syme who tells him about the dictionary he is working on for the new official language, Newspeak. Syme tells Winston that Newspeak is designed to make it more difficult for people to think in complex ways. Winston expects that this sentiment will cause Syme to disappear, and a few days later Syme is gone. Winston and Julia create a private sanctuary in the rented room, and tell each other that they are already dead. They believe that the Party will discover their crimes and execute them, but that it cannot take away their feelings for each other. O’Brien contacts Winston, confirms his involvement with the Brotherhood, and invites him to be a part of the resistance. Winston and Julia go to O’Brien’s large, well-appointed home and take an oath to join the Brotherhood. O’Brien gives Winston a copy of Emmanuel Goldstein’s book. Winston and Julia spend their time together reading it, learning the truth behind how the Party maintains its hold on society. They also learn about the use of a technique called doublethink, which allows Party members to believe contradictory concepts with ease, and how history has been changed to support perpetual warfare, which is used to keep a permanent state of emergency in place for crowd control purposes. Goldstein also argues that a revolution would be possible if the proles rose up en masse to oppose the government. While in their rented room, Winston and Julia are denounced by the shop owner, a member of the Thought Police, and arrested. Part Three Winston and Julia are taken to the Ministry of Love for punishment, and learn that O’Brien is actually a loyal party member who poses as a supporter of The Brotherhood in order to expose the disloyal. O’Brien begins torturing Winston. O’Brien is very open about the Party’s desire for power, and tells Winston openly that once he is broken and forced to change his thoughts in support of the Party, he will be placed back into the world for a time as an example, and then killed when his usefulness in that capacity is exhausted. Winston endures horrific pain and psychological stress as he is forced to adopt obviously untrue positions, such as stating that 2 2 5. The goal of the torture is to force Winston to abandon logic in favor of absorbing and repeating whatever the Party tells him. Winston confesses to a lengthy list of imaginary crimes. Winston breaks, but O’Brien is not satisfied, as Winston defiantly tells him that he still loves Julia and O’Brien cannot take that away from him. O’Brien tells him he will betray Julia in Room 101. Winston is taken there, and O’Brien reveals that they know everything there is to know about Winston- including his greatest irrational fear, rats. A wire cage is fitted over his face, and rats are placed in the cage. O’Brien tells Winston that the rats will gouge out his eyes and Winston loses the last bits of his sanity in terror, and just as the rats are coming for him he tells O’Brien to substitute Julia. Having betrayed Julia completely, Winston is truly broken. He is re-educated and released. He spends his days drinking heavily at a cafe. A few days later he meets Julia in a park, and they discuss their torture. Julia admits that she broke as well, and betrayed him. They both realize that their love for one another has been destroyed. They no longer care for each other as they once did. Winston goes to a cafe and sits there alone as the telescreens report an important victory for Oceania in the war against Eurasia. Winston is happy and has no more thoughts of rebellion, thinking that he loves Big Brother, and cannot wait to finally be executed.

The story of DDT and Malaria (History Essay) Essay - 1

The story of DDT and Malaria (History ) - Essay Example At the end of World War II the technological advancements that were a product of the war began to filter into the commercial economy. The growing demand for food brought about the need for chemicals to grow, preserve, and package food products as agriculture moved from the family farm and into large-scale operations. This era witnessed the introduction of DDT at a time when its long-term effects were unknown, and in 1950 the US House of Representatives opened hearings to investigate the use of chemicals and additives to food products.3 In 1962 Rachel Carson wrote her landmark book Silent Spring, which brought about public scrutiny in regards to the safety of the fertilizer, insecticide, and pesticide programs that were being used in domestic agriculture. Since that time the US has escalated their drive to monitor the use of chemicals in the food chain and have maintained a policy of the evaluation and licensing the use of hazardous chemicals with the goal of creating safer consumer p roducts. While this policy has brought thousands of products under the scrutiny of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), DDT was one of the first and most visible victims of this program. During the 1950s the World Health Organization (WHO) pursued a policy of widespread use of DDT in Asia, Latin America, and Africa in an effort to eliminate the mosquitoes that transmitted the deadly disease of malaria. By 1971 the WHO estimated that as many as 1 billion people had been freed from the risk on contracting malaria.4 However, there were dangers lurking in the shadows of this success. Because there was a chance of the insects building up a resistance to DDT over time, it was necessary to spray the infected areas on a regular and diligent schedule. In addition, the WHO failed to account for several variables that worked against the program. Local bureaucratic governments failed to spray regularly, infected individuals imported the disease,

Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Gender - Essay Example From this paper, it is clear that interpretations are irrefutable since improving men and women’s status has been a pledge by the lawmakers and supported by governments as a beginning of tasks on gender. It is evident that women have suffered considerable biases since gender issues are concerned, through policies, media, literature, folk songs, and customs. However, religious teachings and mythology have played an essential role in promoting gender awareness and equity. Favoritism, double standards, and attitudes in the society are the regular reminders of inequalities experienced in the modern world (Marshall, 2000).Gender as social phenomena aroused by the differences in our biological makeup has taken by storm the public domain on major issues politicized (Hobson,2002). Nevertheless, citizens of upright religious practices consider gender as not being critical since they cherish their differences. Contrary to my opinion, gender issue has become a concern, since my childhood girls were treated more respectively compared to boys Gender has been taken lightly to some extent whereas in other cases exaggerated. Documentation of male and female in records such as the birth certificates should not be a cause for any alarm for the sake of peace. Our dressing and genetic makeup always been a problem in that ladies have always been perceived as putting on attire that is meant for men, thus a form of disrespect.To some societies like ancient Greece and Rome, cross-dressing was rampant as the norm. There is a slight difference on perceiving gender through expressing ourselves. Despite our biological differences as human beings, we have similarities that profits all (Marshall, 2000). Normally our bodies’ change as we grow towards maturity is when the difference is noticed clearly. Civilization has brought with it complications in the freedom of choice whereby people are altering their gender (Fenster & Lees, 2002). This practice has received mixed reactions from both parties involved.

Qualitative Assesment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qualitative Assesment - Assignment Example Themes represent patterned responses from the data in relation to the research topic and mostly occur severally in the data set (Guest, 2012). This study aims at conducting a thematic analysis of qualitative data from in-depth interviews of passengers view on airport security of an international airline company and presents it for information generation and decision making by the management. All the passengers interviewed believed that the heightened security at the airports have increased delays at the airport. Passengers feel that the heightened measures aimed at augmenting security hamper their plans of boarding planes on time. This is despite three of the passengers blaming it on the security personnel and security measures done by the airports while one passenger blaming the passengers who lack cooperation and understanding of the security system at the airport for the delays experienced at the airports. It is evident that the main concern for all the passengers in relation to security measures at the airport is delays. Four of the five interviewees believe that there is excess security at the airports hindering and hampering the access to personal freedom rights and infringing on the passengers personal space. They feel that there is a need of the security personnel to reduce the chances of search of passengers luggage without permission and if his has to be done to be done in a humanly manner to ensure the passengers understand that the heightened security is for their personal good owing to high security concerns at the airport. Some of them believe that the full body scans could have excess radiation that may have a negative impact o their health raising the feeling of excessive security at airports. Three of the five passengers interviewed feel that there is an increase in the safety of the passengers due to the heightened security

Wireless communications networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wireless communications networks - Essay Example In formal settings, the explosive growth of wireless networks arrived along with the proliferation of laptops and tablets, which proposes a promising future for wireless communication networks. The following paper discusses the use of wireless communications networks in formal settings such as offices. First, wireless communications networks are economic to install in offices today (Zhu and Li, 2013). Advanced wireless communication networks have undergone numerous changes because of investments in research, competition, and recurred obsolescence. Unlike wired communications, wireless communications networks only need transmission, serving, and routing ports and stations. Wired networks need costly wires, labor for installing these cables through tight channels, buying identical socket faceplates, buying gear and physical solutions for cable maintenance or troubleshooting. With wired communications, offices have cable clutter connecting servers and desktops from cubical to cubical or from maintenance rooms to the roof of the building. Clutter can be dangerous for employees within a formal setting because it can trip a person or wear away and shock a user touching it with naked hands. Secondly, wireless communications are safe. Wired communications networks that employ incredible 1,024-bit encodes will require an entire human generation to recover data that was destroyed. On the other hand, wireless communications employ 802.11x networking, which is a sufficient solution for an ordinary formal setting (Zhu and Li, 2013). Such networking rates today can replace wired communications networks in offices. As wireless communications continue to advance in terms of speed and coverage, wired communications networks will become obsolete soon. The function and architecture of wireless technologies involved in wireless communications determines the most suitable formal setting. For instance, an

Financial Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Financial Decision Making - Essay Example The company can also increase or improve on its sales so that however much the payments are, the receipts will still be more in order to for the company to meet its current liabilities. In case of surplus, the company can plough back the surplus into investment and in order to increase future sales hence better future receipts. Net Present Value is the difference between the present value of the cash inflows and the present value of the net outflows. Project cash flows are discounted using an appropriate rate which is the minimum rate of return required by the investor. In the case of these two projects; Alpha and Beta projects, the discounting rate is 10% which is used to calculate the discounting factors with the formula 1/(1 + r)n where r is the discounting rate and n is the number of years. The appropriate cash flows are the after tax cash flows, therefore the net cash flows should be estimated on the after tax basis. However, in these projects, there was no tax involved and no p roject had a residual value after the completion period of 5 years. Computation of cash flows requires a special treatment of non-cash expenses such as depreciation though in these projects, there is no depreciation considered. However, in case of depreciation, it has an indirect effect on the cash flow since it is a tax deduction expense. The general criteria for Net Present Value is that the project with a negative net present value should be undertaken since it increases the wealth of the shareholders and a project.

Wireless communications networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wireless communications networks - Essay Example In formal settings, the explosive growth of wireless networks arrived along with the proliferation of laptops and tablets, which proposes a promising future for wireless communication networks. The following paper discusses the use of wireless communications networks in formal settings such as offices. First, wireless communications networks are economic to install in offices today (Zhu and Li, 2013). Advanced wireless communication networks have undergone numerous changes because of investments in research, competition, and recurred obsolescence. Unlike wired communications, wireless communications networks only need transmission, serving, and routing ports and stations. Wired networks need costly wires, labor for installing these cables through tight channels, buying identical socket faceplates, buying gear and physical solutions for cable maintenance or troubleshooting. With wired communications, offices have cable clutter connecting servers and desktops from cubical to cubical or from maintenance rooms to the roof of the building. Clutter can be dangerous for employees within a formal setting because it can trip a person or wear away and shock a user touching it with naked hands. Secondly, wireless communications are safe. Wired communications networks that employ incredible 1,024-bit encodes will require an entire human generation to recover data that was destroyed. On the other hand, wireless communications employ 802.11x networking, which is a sufficient solution for an ordinary formal setting (Zhu and Li, 2013). Such networking rates today can replace wired communications networks in offices. As wireless communications continue to advance in terms of speed and coverage, wired communications networks will become obsolete soon. The function and architecture of wireless technologies involved in wireless communications determines the most suitable formal setting. For instance, an

Leadership in Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership in Management - Essay Example Though nowadays, even this statement can be proved false. I say this because the world, in which we are living, has become so advanced that we can even say that leaders can be made. But we will focus our study on a born leader. He is also known as a synonym for Apple Inc. He is Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs was born in 24th February 1955 in San Francisco. He stayed with his adopted parents since he was born because his own parents never accepted him. So since child hood he had a feeling of abundance, which created the fire within him to become a famous leader one day. Jobs co-founded Apple in his parent’s garage in the year 1976. Though he lost the tussle with the board of director in Apple and had to leave, he did not give up (Northouse, 2009, p. 2-4). He decided to start NeXT computers in 1985, which was acquired by Apple Inc. He had a unique quality from childhood to fight with his situations. So in this case also he never sat back to repent on the bitter experiences that he had i n his life. One of the most important qualities of a leader is to face defeat with a smile on face. Apple computer was in a very difficult position when Steve Jobs joined apple as the interim CEO. In the mean while he also bought Pixar, a computer graphics company in1986. Later Walt Disney bought it from him and Jobs became the highest individual shareholder and one of the board members of Walt Disney. This shows that he was a visionary. He was very well aware of the steps that he took and the results of his decisions. He had an excellent team of employees who gave shape to his dreams. He was a very harsh with his words. At many times he spoke harshly with his employees. But they never left him to go for another job. The employees of Apple Inc. would be welcomed at any big company. But the aura of Jobs was such that 80% of his harsh words were accepted to be true. He was considered to be a charismatic leader (New Charter University, 2012). Steve Jobs introduced a series of new produ cts like the Mac OS X, iTunes, iPod, iPads, and iPhone. He was a perfectionist and he was very clear with his product ideas and their performances in the market. So he always wanted that the best technology offered to the world market should a product from Apple. A true leader not only wants to stay ahead of his group but also ahead of everyone. He has earned a lot of recognition, awards and for his achievements. But the more important fact than this is that he has great leadership qualities which made him stand out from the rest. He entered Apple computers when it was on the verge of closure. He not only revived the company but made it a market leader. A far sighted leader can only perform such miracle. Background Leadership means influencing people. It signifies creating a change in the society and in the minds of people and directs them towards achieving a goal. The person possessing these qualities is considered a leader. A good leader is one who follows his followers as followe rs are those who appreciates the quality of a person and considers him their leader. Leaders do not accept the norms of the society as they are they go against the flow, to set their own path. A leader has certain important leadership traits such integrity, self-confidence, intelligence and determination. Steve Jobs possessed all these qualities. Not only did he possessed them but also utilized them to integrate others too. He was always confident about his innovations, determined that they would do well in the market and he was intelligent enough to shape them also in products. Moreover, he always followed an ethical style. I say this because

SWOT Analysis Essay Example for Free

SWOT Analysis Essay The strength of the company mainly lay on its popularity and its wide range of network. Blockbuster had realized these strengths and has taken advantage of them to the full extent. Advertising and in-house promotion have been performed quite successfully in maintaining the image and popularity of Blockbuster, particularly in the eyes of US consumers. Today, the company has also developed a popular presence on the internet and it has help to increase Blockbuster’s competitive advantage against its competitors (Lieberman, 2004). Blockbuster’s weaknesses include its high cost of operations and maintenance, limited stocks of popular movies and insensitiveness toward recent developments in the industry. Financially, the company needs to reduce operational costs of its stores, because it decreases operating profit into minimum profit or even losses. Strategically, blockbuster needs to maintain awareness of what competitors are doing and develop new programs to attract customers. Within the stagnant market, the company could not afford to miss-out on new development in video rental marketing and sales. Opportunities Opportunities for blockbuster come in several packages. The first is in foreign investments. The company which already has a significant presence and popularity in United States could easily gain market share in Europe or even developing countries that crave American products. Another opportunity is increasing customer service by recording customer preferences in corporate data. †¢ Threats One of the apparent problems in the video-rental industry is related to copyright issues and legal aspect of the business. Players within the industry are threatened by the presence of many illegal download centers on the internet. Sales have already been reported decreasing due to the prevalent of illegal downloading activities. On the other hand, video rentals have the obligation to pay legal fees for every title it possess which prevent them from competing with the decreasing costs of downloading movies through the internet. II. Conclusions This paper has elaborated the performance of Blockbuster Inc by using the environmental and SWOT analysis. From the financial perspectives, the company shows the declining performance due to cost of rental revenue was recorded to increase while sales were decreasing. The companies also experience the hardest force from industry that faces several technology alternatives for seeing movies. The situation causes the company to experience declining revenue into $5. 7 billion in 2006. In terms of sales, 2006 actually revealed a declining performance, but it is still much better compare to 2002. Vertical analysis on the other hand, described a tendency of financial development. Blockbuster records more than $5 billion in 2006. In terms of sales, 2006 actually revealed a declining performance, but it is still much better compare to 2002 sales (Blockbuster Inc, 2006). The undulating Blockbuster performance has caused the undulating performance as well. Furthermore, from the environmental analysis, we find that movie rental industry has a stagnant market condition since the substitutes of products are vastly available from the video download via iPod and the free sample of video at www. youtube. com, for instances. Although the company faces threat for their future business, still, they have the strong brand when expanding into foreign market especially the Europe. III. Recommendations Following professional guidance along with taking advantage of the internal and external analysis previously performed, we will then formulate several of the foreseeable solutions and suggestions. These general suggestions to increase Blockbuster’s operational efficiency are ones that might already exist within the corporate strategy, but requires further attention and development: †¢ Providing Employee with Access to Required Information Employers always suggested that employees should do their best to satisfy customers and generate a rebuy or revisit. Ironically, some employers are doing this without equipping their employees with the proper tools to provide customers with satisfactory services. Those tools could be sufficient training, guidance in the workplace or access to sufficient information. Block buster should pay attention particularly to the latter tool. By developing a customer preference list, employees could help customer pick-out movies that they would like. This would not only increase customer retention but increase employee working satisfaction.   Improve Employee Satisfaction and retention People that have the best knowledge on how to enhance the operational efficiency of a rental operation are the employees. Employers should spend time and effort ensuring that employees are performing their functions with sufficient motivation to recognize efficiency opportunities if they see one. Most workplaces are trapped with poor efficiency performance because they never let employees provide them with suggestions and insights. Develop Long-term Technology Plan. One of the recorded mistakes of Blockbuster is not to create their presence in the internet when they should have. An untimely entrance to an extremely competitive market could well mean no entrance at all. To prevent similar occurrences, Blockbuster should develop a long term technology plans where managers of the company formulate long term objectives of the company and then revise a technological plan based on the formulated goals. †¢ Reducing Rental Centers For a more radical solution, the company could simply reduce the amount of retail locations to reduce operational cost. Instead of building and maintaining stores every 5 blocks, the company could otherwise increase the technology investments in remaining stores and provide customers with state of the art customer services. †¢ Rent-out Spaces Furthermore, in locations which are not contributing sufficient profit, Blockbuster could rent the space for external businesses. This has been a normal practice for many gas stations or other business settings when they have unproductive space within their facilities. Other opportunities could be gained from partnering with other video-rent retailers. Partnering with other Retailers Instead of building new stores and increasing operational costs, Blockbuster could otherwise try to create alliances with other existing resources retailers. An example of those retailers could be the grocery chains. Blockbuster could sign a leasing agreement with the grocery store and perform operations within the grocery store. There are two main advantages of this plan, first, Blockbuster will only need to pay for the lease instead of building and maintaining another building, and second, Blockbuster could benefit from gaining access to customers of the grocery store. If the first implementation of this strategy is successful, Blockbuster should begin to consider the benefits of moving all of Blockbuster’s retail locations into grocery stores. Bibliography About Blockbuster. com. 2006. 08 Mar. 2006 http://www. blockbuster. com BBI: Profile for BLOCKBUSTER INC. 2006. Retrived February 20, 2008 from http://www. finance. yahoo. com/q/pr? s=BBI Blockbuster Inc; Investor Relations – Various Press Releases; 2005-2006 http://www. blockbuster. com Brem, Lisa and Narayanan, V. G.2002; That’s a Wrap: The Dynamics of the Video Rental Industry; Harvard Business School Case 9-102-051. Lieberman, David. 2004. â€Å" Blockbuster jabs back at rivals†. USA Today. â€Å"Videotape Rental. † 2004. Encyclopedia of American Industries. U of Florida Business Lib. , Gainesville, 20 July 2004 http://www. galenet. galegroup. com/servlet/BCRC. Wagner, Holly J. â€Å"2003: a breakout year for previously viewed: top previously viewed retailers. † Business Company Resource Center (2004). U of Florida Business Lib. , Gainesville, 20 July 2004 http://galenet. galegroup. com/servlet/BCRC.

Causes of the Fall of the Roman Republic

Causes of the Fall of the Roman Republic This paper discusses the statement, â€Å"The Roman Republic was brought down not by luxury or corruption but by fundamental flaws in the structure of its political system†. As will be argued, a statement such as this can only be discussed in relative, not absolute, terms, as no one cause for the demise of the Roman Republic can ever, realistically, be said to have been the factor that caused it’s fall. Under this framework, then, the first section of the paper discusses the various theories that have been posited to explain the fall of the Roman Republic, with the second section looking, in detail, at the political structure of the Roman Republic and how this could potentially have contributed to its ultimate demise. Gibbon’s great tome The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire essentially concludes that the Roman Empire was brought down through moral decadence. Other authors have argued for different reasons behind the fall of the Roman Republic, with recent scholars (for example Hunt et al., 2001) arguing that the Republic did not fall, rather that it was subject to a highly complex transformation, with additional confusion amongst scholars as to when the Republic actually fell: some argue that the Republic fell in 476 with the deposition of Romulus Augustus; others argue that the Republic continued until as late as 1453, and that it fell only when Constantinople was lost. This next section will present some of the most prevalent theories about the fall of the Roman Republic. Ferrill (1998) has argued that the Roman Republic fell due to it’s barbarization, that the influx of German mercenaries in to the Roman military led to lack of loyalty and complacency amongst the Roman ranks, leading to a surge in decadence amongst the Roman soldiers and citizenry. This somewhat supports Gibbon’s (1983) assertion that decadence was responsible for the fall of the Roman Republic. Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire essentially concludes that the Roman Empire was brought down through moral decadence, as he argues, through the loss of what he terms ‘the loss of civic virtue’. The influx of barbarian mercenaries, coupled with the rising popularity of Christianity, Gibbon argues, led the Roman populace to come to believe more in the afterlife, leading to the loss of social structures, and, ultimately, leading to the fall of the Roman Republic. Other historians contradict this theory of Gibbons (1983) and Ferrill (1998), arguing that the Roman Republic continued to be strong right up until the Muslim conquests in the seventh century, at which point these conquests, amongst other things, disrupted trade routes, leading to a general economic downturn in Western Europe. It is argued that this economic downturn led, ultimately, to the disbandment of the Roman way of life, leading to the ultimate fall of the Roman Republic. This theory has, however, been recently rebutted by a number of historians who have argued that trade routes would not have been so badly affected, that trade must have entered Western Europe by some other route as the discovery, and therefore existence, of Islamic currency in Roman areas is suggestive of a two-way trade. Economic explanation for the fall of the Roman Republic are popular, however, and will be looked at in further detail later in the paper. Bury’s 1923 History of the Later Roman Empire presents in-depth research in to the issue of the fall of the Roman Republic and concludes with a complex theory to explain it’s fall. Essentially, Bury (1923) argues that the Roman Republic fell due to many simultaneously occurring factors, such as a general economic decline in the region, the influence of German (Barbarian) troops on Roman soldiers, and the dependence of Roman military leaders on Barbarian manpower, the depopulation of Italy[1], various murders and treasons that occurred within the top ranks of Roman politics, and the absence of any convincing leader following the murder of Aetius. As Bury clearly states in his concluding sections, Roman power gradually collapsed, and â€Å"†¦.was the consequence of a series of contingent events.†. As he argues, no general causes can be assigned, and nothing suggested to him, through his research, that the fall of the Roman republic was by any means inevitable. Bark (1958) argues that it was the massive effort that was involved in keeping the Roman Republic together that, ultimately, led to its fall. Around this time, feudalism was developing, yet the Roman ruling classes were not well organized in terms of having a system in place to collect taxes from their people, such that it became the responsibility of the middle classes to undertake the massive task of collecting grain taxes. As such, only a small proportion of these taxes actually arrived back to the Imperial government, leading to massive losses in revenues for the Roman rulers, having massive side-effects, such as decreased investment in the Roman military, for example. In addition, currency inflation, through a reduced supply of gold in to the Republic (see Jones, 1974) led to the government leaking money, with their stock of cash being reduced, leading, ultimately, to massive cash flow problems for the Republic, with obvious implications, in terms of funding the military and fun ding public building projects, for example. These two factors, occurring in conjunction, argues Bark (1958) led to the ultimate demise of the Roman Republic. Toynbee (1939) preceded Bark’s (1958) logic that the Roman Republic was an economically poor force, with his detailed research showing that Roman leaders had no budgeting system in place, leading to obvious problems with controlling cash flow, leading, ultimately, to a dwindling of whatever cash resources were available and to a lack of cash availability for providing for military expenditure, or public works, for example. This method of budgeting had proved successful as long as the Romans continued to expand into other areas, from which they could loot existing resources, but as soon as the Roman Republic stopped expanding, this source of revenue also stopped. At this point, the Romans, without an adequate budgeting system, coupled with loss of tax money through an inadequate collection system, coupled with currency inflation (see, also, Jones, 1974), faced massive economic problems, causing, it is argued, the ultimate demise of the Roman Republic (Toynbee, 1939). Building on this theory, Tainter (1990) argues that the fall of the Republic was due to marginal returns on investments, again contributing to cash flow problems for the Republic as a whole, ultimately contributing to its decline; unlike many authors who study the collapse of the Roman Republic, Tainter (1990) argues strongly that the fall of the Roman Republic may have been a good thing for many Roman subjects, in terms of benefits arising from not having to invest in maintaining such a complex society (i.e., no taxes to pay etc.) and indeed, archeological evidence, through studies of human bones pre- and immediately post- the fall of the Roman Republic, post-fall, humans were better nourished. Rostovtzeff (1957) also subscribes to this economic theory of the fall of the Roman Republic, arguing that the free trade market economy developed by the Roman Republic worked up until the debasement of the currency in the third century, at which point inflation began to hurt citizens, who then began to move away from urban areas, to move to the country in order to undertake subsistence farming as a way of surviving i.e., they could grow their own crops for food, and in this way not have to rely on failing monetary sources to keep them alive. Bartlett (1994) continues the work of Toynbee (1939) arguing that by the third century monetary taxation had been replaced with direct requisitioning, where food and cattle, instead of money, were collected directly from farmers. This pathway, argues Bartlett (1994) led directly to the development of feudalism, with estates formed around the cultivation of crops and cattle, and not, as such, dependent on any form of trade whatsoever. This, on a grand scale, Republic-wide, is then argued to have led to a massive downturn in the economic fortune of the Republic, and to a decrease in its military capability, for example, with, again, obvious consequences for maintaining control over the entire Roman territory. The research of Heather (2005) leads to conclusions about the fall of the Roman Republic which differ from previous theories: he argues that the emergence of the Persian Empire led to the Roman Republic stripping tax collection from its Eastern edge, leading to a decline in economic revenues, a decline in governance in these areas, and a mass influx of peoples to the empire, for example, by the Barbarians, leading to massive levels of immigration to the Roman Republic, leading to obvious social problems. Through his exhaustive research, Heather explicitly rejects Gibbon’s ‘moral decadence’ theory for the decline of the Roman Republic. Neither does he see any validity in the arguments of those who support political infighting as the major reason for the fall of the Roman Republic. Heather supports the arguments of Bury (1923) who argues that the fall of the Roman Republic was not inevitable but that it occurred as a result of a series of events which, unfortunately , came together at the same time, and which, ultimately, led to the fall of the Republic. Heather’s viewpoint is argued against by Ward-Perkins in his 2005 book The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilisation which argues, in a similar manner to previous historians assessments of the situation, that the fall of the Republic occurred as a result of political instability, foreign invasions and economic instability due to reduced tax revenues. The massive, and sustained, immigrations of foreigners, such as the barbarians, Ward-Perkins (2005) argues, led to a weakening of the tax base, leading to an inability to equip the Roman army, with obvious deleterious consequences. Ward-Perkins, ultimately, however, argues, as do Bury (1923) and Heather (2005) that the fall of the Roman Republic was due to a complex mixture of processes and events which came together at the same time to lead to a definite fall in the Roman Republic. Levick (1982) looks at the morals and political system of the Roman Republic, and their relation to its fall. She argues that ‘ambitio’ – ambition – led to major political difficulties during the last century of the Roman Republic, with a thirst for ultimate power leading to in-fighting and political problems. As Levick (1982) argues, however, it is difficult to infer the Roman political structure from contemporary documentation, as much is contradictory, but it can be inferred that the Roman constitution and community was a self-regulating device, kept in perpetuity and in check by a series of checks and balances that prevented disintegration from within and also made the community better able to cope with threats from outside. To Romans, however, as Levick (1982) argues, this political system was seen explicitly as a moral obligation, with anything that upset the political balances being seen as something undesirable and immoral. Levick argues that, ultim ately, the political system had a built-in tension between the group and the individual, and that, ultimately it was this in-built tension that led to the death of the Roman Republic, through squabbles for individual power which led to the breakdown of Roman society. As we have seen in this paper, therefore, there are many different explanations for the fall of the Roman Republic, with the main theories being economic demise, immigration and overtaking by Barbarians and other groups, and political infighting which, it is argued, led to the ultimate demise of the Roman Republic through a disintergration of the moral fibre of Roman society. As to which theory of the fall of the Roman Republic one subscribes to, this depends on the literature that has been studied, and the quality of the sources used within that literature. Heather (2005) and Gibbons (1983), for example, both use quality primary sources, and yet arrive at different conclusions for the reasons behind the fall of the Roman Republic. It is perhaps most prudent, at this stage, therefore, to argue that a statement such as â€Å"The Roman Republic was brought down not by luxury or corruption but by fundamental flaws in the structure of its political system† can only be discussed in relative, not absolute, terms, as no one cause for the demise of the Roman Republic can ever, realistically, be said to have been the factor that caused it’s fall. The present paper has thus presented the various theories for the fall of the Roman Republic in this framework, in terms of offering a holistic view of the situation on the ground around the time of the fall; fundamental flaws in the Roman political system were, as we have seen, just one part of a complex situation which, together, led to the fall of the Roman Republic. References Bark, W.C., 1958. Origins of the Medieval World. Bartlett, B., 1994. How Excessive Government Killed Ancient Rome. The Cato Journal 14(2), pp. Available online from http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cjv14n2-7.html. Accessed on 23rd April 2007. Bury, J.B., 1923. History of the Later Roman Empire from the Death of Theodesius I to the Death of Justinian. Ferrill, A., 1998. The Fall of the Roman Empire: The Military Explanation. Gibbon, E., 1983 (Reprint edition). The decline and fall of the Roman Empire. London: Penguin Classics. Gunderson, G., 1976. Economic Change and the demise of the Roman Empire. Explorations in Economic History 13(1), pp.43-68. Heather, P.J., 2005. The Fall of the Roman Empire. Hunt, L. et al., 2001. The Making of the West, Peoples and Cultures, Volume A: To 1500. Bedford: St. Martins Press. Jones, A.H.M., 1974. Inflation under the Roman Empire. Economic History Review 5(3), pp.293-318. Kagan, D., 1992. The End of the Roman Empire: Decline or Transformation? (Problems in European Civilisation). Houghton Mifflin. Levick, B., 1982. Morals, politics and the fall of the Roman Republic. Greece Rome 29(1), pp.53-62. Rostovtzeff, M., 1957. The social and economic history of the Roman empire. London: Oxford University Press. McNeill, W.H., 1976. Plagues and Peoples. Millar, F., 1984. The political character of the Classical Roman Republic. The Journal of Roman Studies 74, pp.1-19. Tainter, J.A., 1990. The collapse of complex societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Toynbee, A.J., 1939. A study of history: Volume IV. The breakdown of civilisations. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ward-Perkins, B., 2005. The Fall of Rome: and the End of Civilisation. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Footnotes [1] McNeill (1976) argued in his book Plagues and Peoples that a plague swept through the Roman Republic, leading to a massive population decline in Western Europe.

Postponing Motherhood Essay -- Pregnancy Birth Children Short Stories

Postponing Motherhood As a senior in a small high school in Connecticut, Jane Swanson* was attending weekly volleyball team practices, planning for college, studying for tests, and spending time with her friends and her boyfriend. She was a typical teenager until, at 17, she learned that she was pregnant. Stunned by the news and unsure of what to do, she spoke to her friends about her options. She was especially surprised because she was using condoms and practicing safe sex. Sadly, half of the 1.3 million women having abortions each year used some form of contraception when they became pregnant. She quickly realized that with her friends being teens themselves, they couldn’t give the best advice, and decided to call the nearest Planned Parenthood in Connecticut. Planned Parenthood is one of the best-known resources for abortion services. About to celebrate is 75th year, it is well known for promoting sexual and reproductive health through â€Å"clinical services, education and advocacy.† "Caring professionals provide a wide range of services in our modern facilities. Our clients know they can trust us to provide confidential and comprehensive health care at a reasonable cost,† wrote Dianne Luby, President and CEO of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, in her public address published on the clinics’ web site. Swanson spoke to a receptionist who informed her of the different types of abortions, medical and surgical, and also urged her to come into the office as soon as possible. She added, however, that that particular clinic did not perform abortions and she would have to travel a significant distance, to Hartford, for the procedure. The National Abortion Federation, through its 350 member clinics and... ...ake the decision to abort,† said Brown. â€Å"They fear being cut off from their families, their education being interrupted, their finances, that their boyfriends would leave them. They’ve already made up their minds.† A branch of A Woman’s Concern includes â€Å"Healthy Choices,† a five-day program in middle schools and high schools aimed at educating young people on unhealthy behaviors, misconceptions in the media, and lesson in skill building, designed to teach the students that they have a voice. "Healthy Start† has visited eleven or twelve different schools in and around the Boston area so far this year, and has received a positive response. Two years after having an abortion, Swanson, is still confident that she made the right decision. "There is no shame in getting pregnant, or getting help,† Swanson said. â€Å"Looking back, I only wish I had told my mother.†

Ethnicity and Education Essay

Most studies found that overall ethnic minorities tend to do less well than other members of the population when it comes to educational achievement. The government sponsored â€Å"Swann report† found that â€Å"Asians† did almost as well as â€Å"Whites† however not as well, one Asian group in particular the â€Å"Bangladeshi’s† did particularly badly and â€Å"West Indians† preformed considerably worse than â€Å"Whites†. Many factors which occur inside the school are the cause of educational achievement however other factors contribute. The expectations of teachers on ethnic minorities have caused differences in educational achievement. Bernard Coard believes that teachers expect â€Å"Black† children to fail therefore labelling the child as a failure. Interactionalists are concerned with how teachers â€Å"pidgeonhole† students this is the labelling theory, this is where the teacher makes a judgement of the child based on the child’s appearance, behaviour, previous family members and relationships with other students. However most labels are based on stereotypes rather than evidence, the reality is that once a label starts it is difficult to get rid of and this can cause problems for a student’s educational achievement. Teachers will discuss the students label in the staff room and other teachers will attach the same label to the child and this can lead to the child not being allowed to attend school trips. If a student is labelled as a failure by a teacher then the teacher is likely to put the student into a lower tier exam thus the pupil can only achieve a maximum of a grade C and can’t achieve to the best of their ability. When a student is labelled as a failure the student can begin to believe that the label is true and begin to make it part of their part of their identity, become a failure this is known as the self-fulfilling prophecy thus creating ethnic differences in educational achievement within the school system. David Hardgreves argues that anti school sub cultures can be formed as a result of negative labelling. However Maureen Stone and Swann both indicate that those who are labelled may not accept their labels. Institutional Racism within schools can lead to educational achievement and the differences it causes within ethnic minorities. The â€Å"Swann report† found that a small number of teachers are consciously racist however there are a great deal of teachers who are â€Å"unintentionally† racist. Bernard Coard states that the British educational system makes children become educationally subnormal he states that â€Å"West Indian children are told that their language is second rate and unacceptable† he states that within the British educational system the word â€Å"White† is associated with â€Å"good† and the word â€Å"Black† with evil. Coard also states that the attitudes portrayed in the classroom are reinforced by the pupils outside of the classroom. Many sociologists would also argue that the mispronunciation of student’s names and not learning them can be classed as racism within the school system. Cecile Wright found that majority of staff are committed to ideals of equality but despite these ideals there are still considerable amounts of discrimination in the classroom. Asian children were often excluded from discussions and teachers expressed an â€Å"open disapproval of their customs and traditions†, these comments from teachers made Asian children feel more isolated from other pupils. Martin Hammersley found that racist comments in the staffroom did not lead to racism in the classroom. J. Taylor found that â€Å"most teachers are concerned to have a fair policy towards the treatment of black pupils†. Mac an Ghaill studied 25 afro Caribbean and Asian students studying A levels. He found that â€Å"although they disagreed over the extent of racism within education, this did not directly determine their attitude to education and their levels of academic success. The way that students responded to schooling varied and this was influenced by their ethnic group†. This could eventually lead to the formation of anti-school sub cultures. These are pupils who have rejected some or all of the values and rules set down in the school ethos. Peter Woods identified 8 different groups ranging from Ingratiation total conformity to Rebellion outright rejection of school rules and values. This can cause ethnic differences in educational achievement within the school system. The Ethocentric curriculum can cause ethnic differences in educational achievement this is the school being biased towards one particular culture. Many sociologists argue that the curriculum is geared towards white middle class students. The curriculum is set in place for white middle class students and this means that ethnic minorities will not understand the curriculum and will fall behind and not do well thus leading to educational underachievement. Parents from ethnic minorities may not be able to afford or have the right experience to make an informed choice on the best school to suit their children’s needs whereas middle class parents have the money and correct experience to make an informed decision on the best school for their child. Ethnic differences in educational achievement are the result of school factors however other factors have significance. Material Deprivation is the effect poverty has on educational achievement. Poorer parents from ethnic minorities may not be able to provide their children with the educational toys needed such as computers. Cramped housing means less space to study. High rate of illness can lead to missing days of school. Children from poorer backgrounds may need to contribute to the financial running of the home thus getting part time jobs which will affect their studies and will leave school at the earliest opportunity to start work. Harker states that overcrowding causes a negative effect on educational achievement which can cause differences in ethnic minorities which can cause bullying and truancy. Cultural Deprivation is the term used to describe serious inadequacies in the socialisation process and its effects on educational achievement. Poor parenting means children underachieving in education. Many sociologists argue that ethnic minorities tend to be more fatalistic meaning that parents tend to have low aspirations and expectations for their child meaning less emphasis is placed on doing well in education. Whereas â€Å"White† middle classes would have high aspirations and high expectations. Socialisation focuses on the values, expectations and norms transmitted from parents to children. Children from Ethnic tend to focus on immediate gratification where they try to reep their rewards at the earliest opportunity such as leaving school at 16 to earn money. Whereas â€Å"White† middle class children aim for a bright future described as deferred gratification which is putting off short term rewards to gain better rewards in the future. Cultural Deprivation can affect the way parents prepare their children for school. Working class children would sit and watch T. V. whereas middle class parents would take their children to museums. Driver and Ballard state that high achievement in Asian groups may be linked to the fact that they live in close knit families that can help each other. Price highlighted a high rate of single parent families in black Caribbean communities which may explain high underachievement. Linguistic Deprivation is the ability to use appropriate language which is an important factor in educational success. Bernstein came up with two codes of language Restricted and Elaborate codes. The Restricted code is used in casual situations. This is limited vocabulary and Simplistic grammar which can only be understood if you are aware of this topic. The Elaborate code is used in formal situations. This is sophisticated grammar and vocabulary and can be understood if aware of the topic. Bernstein found that White middle class children had the ability to switch between the two codes whereas children from ethnic minorities were limited to using the restricted code. This means they are severely disadvantaged in education where the language is all formal. In conclusion, it is probable that a number of factors work together in producing the lower levels of achievement found in some ethnic groups. The Swann report concluded that racial discrimination inside and outside school along with social deprivation were probably the main factors. Others would add that cultural factors also play some part in explaining the differences.

Somalia Piracy

Outline Thesis: Modern seaborne piracy off the coast of Somalia can be controlled by making Somalia more safe and stable, improving the infrastructure, and finding individual or private solutions. Introduction I. Making Somalia more safe and stable A. Starting an effective government B. Establishing higher demands of security II. Improving Infrastructures A. Forming a steady and firm framework B. Creating and enforcing treaties III.Finding individual or private solutions A. Hijacking ships back B. Providing private security (undercover) Conclusion Currently, â€Å"[t]he International Maritime Bureau (IMB) considers the Somalia coast to be the most dangerous stretch of water in the world†. (Zijlma 1) Piracy has been an ongoing problem off the coast of Somalia of the Indian Ocean for many years now. The country of Somalia is in the need of a quick and effective change to rapidly decrease and eventually eliminate modern seaborne piracy.Somalia will need several solutions and back -up plans in order to help make a quick and clear stop to this modern seaborne piracy. Modern seaborne piracy off the coast of Somalia can be controlled by making Somalia more safe and stable, improving the infrastructure, and finding individual or private solutions. Any of these solutions can help play a role in fixing and eliminating these unbelievable criminal acts on the sea. The first goal to help solve the problems taking place on the sea is to get Somalia going in the direction of being more safe and stable. â€Å"[N]ow that American crews† have stepped in to help out Somalia, action â€Å"against†¦piracy† will be â€Å"taken by the international community†. To help destroy piracy, a reasonable solution would be making Somalia safer and more stable. To begin this process Somalia will need to get â€Å"an effective government in place (Zijlma 15). The Somali government didn’t use to take action because they were a â€Å"barely functioning gov ernment, and a few years before that there was no government at all†. Zijlma 11) The current Somali government would love to get involved and help out, but they don’t know where to exactly start. The Somali government should start by gaining â€Å"complete control of the capital Mogadishu and regions like Puntland† (Zijlma 11). They will also need to begin taking greater action as a whole in order to decrease the piracy going on in the region. An effective government would consist of taking chances, realizing and accepting it could possibly take more than just a few solutions to totally wash away the pirates, and have multiple plans in case one fails.Throughout this whole process, maintaining patience while gaining control will be the biggest challenge they will most likely face. While putting together an effective government, higher demands of security will need to be put into the equation. The demands of high security is in high needs because â€Å"Somalia is among one of the most important shipping lanes dealing with piracy on these lanes cause lot’s of chaos and commerce† (Arons 2) without the high security ships are now paying â€Å"nearly twice what they would have paid a year ago for ransom insurance†. Arons 2) The security will need to protect the ships on and off the Somali coast of the Indian Ocean and perhaps they might need to attempt to try and take control by maneuvering the speedboats containing pirates. A step to this may deal with hosing them down with fire-hoses and firing back at any given time. However, this is up to the â€Å"captains because the pirates are operating in an area approximately four times the size of Texas, there are slim to no chances to ensure that every ship in this area will obtain a safe passage. (Zijlma 13) The other concern with raising the security and possibly taking action is keeping the captains and crew safe along with the captured crew they may fire at. Once again itâ₠¬â„¢s taking chances and figuring out the most effective way for the government to take action that will lead to great success in resolving piracy. No matter what solution or route the Somali government chooses to take, improving infrastructures will be in the equation at one point or another.To start, we will need a firm and steady framework in order to begin any process and complete any process in the hopes of getting rid of the piracy and keeping it gone and off the seas of Somalia. The first framework should be the government and working to save as many hostages taken by the pirates in a non criminal and least harmful way as possible. â€Å"The assets of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), acting with the support of an Amphibious Ready Group, are perfectly suited for this type of operation. (Lloyd 5) To begin this you will need to improve the framework of how, when, where, and take into consideration how many you will save and how many you may possibly have to let go if the infr astructure is not operating to the fullest potential possible. A way to begin improving infrastructures would be to create a well formatted treaty that can be agreed and signed by both parties.â€Å"The treaty process has evolved over the last 50 years into the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Today, almost every country on the planet has ratified the convention†¦except the United States. (Porter 4) This solution may take several trial and errors to get the treaty that is right and equal full all parties involved. â€Å"The United states needs to show the pirate ringleaders that they will lose life, limb, and property if they continue with their piratical ways. † (Lloyd 11) This is no game to play, improving the infrastructures and finding solutions that work is the best way to change the rules and not give up without a win over piracy. â€Å"Only by changing the rules of the game will the international community succeed in tackling Somali pira cy. (Lloyd 11) Perhaps, just trying to hijack one of the Somalia ships back could be a fresh start to eliminating the violent acts on the seas of Somalia. In order to do this there needs to more negotiators who will be needed to watch out for any ships getting hijacked when they are to be left alone or are already Somali’s. The only problem with attempting to hijack ships back is the worry of losing American fighters and or hostages. â€Å"These activities seem to be overshadowed and will only treat the symptoms rather than the disease itself† (Lehr 3).Hijacking back ships without the knowledge of the pirates will give the Somalia’s a better chance of losing as many men as possible because the pirates will be unprepared and not have a framework in place to take action. â€Å"The legality of different security measures (as well as their effect on insurance claims and premiums), the negotiation process with pirates and, ultimately, how to secure the safety of shi ps, cargoes, and crew, take priority when a ship is at sea and a threat is imminent. †(Lawyer 8) However, this action could possibly cause harm and chaos, that Somalia must be fully ready for and be able to take ction against it. The last and final solution to modern day seaborne piracy would be to put private security around and on the seas of Somalia. These means of security will have no labels and will remain as seldom seen as possible. They will need to partake in a â€Å"list of services which include specialized antipiracy and maritime counter-terrorism operations. † (Lehr 3) The problem is significant, and the approaches to it varied. The best way to defend against the piracy is at their point of attack  Ã¢â‚¬â€ aboard the ships they approach and attempt to board.Well-armed security teams will need to be aboard them and they will need to be able to sink approaching speedboats and other vessels deemed a threat before they can come alongside, and  can kill pir ates as they attempt to board if that fails. Somalia needs to deal with this problem from the beach side, in concert with the ocean side, but we don't have an embassy in Somalia and limited, ineffective intelligence operations. With no government there was no hope chance in trying to make peace among the criminals participating in the violent acts on the sea.On the flip side, now that the Somalia government is back into action and ready to be in full control of the situation, it will make the process of eliminating the pirates go smoother because working together as one can help build and put together an effective government. Together they will be able to help create a safer and more stable reliable boating experience, along with the society supporting and encouraging the actions of the government. The society should be willing to fight for what it takes to help make their seas safer and more enjoyable without the risk of outrageous acts happening right in front of their eyes.After the â€Å"welcoming release of Captain Phillips, President Obama stated his resolve to halt the rise of piracy† in the Somalia region. By taking â€Å"four immediate steps the U. s. international partners to crack down on pirate bases and decrease incentives to engage in Piracy; develop an expanded multinational response; engage with the Somali government and regional leaders in Puntland to take action against pirates operating from bases within their territories; and work with shippers and the insurance industry to address gaps in self-defense measures. (Library 2) With this being said by the United States president, within a couple years there should be a stop to the outrageous and violent acts happening on the seas and Somalia should be in full control with an effective government on its side.Works Cited Arons, Matt. â€Å"Stopping Somali Piracy: Addressing the Hidden Environmental Causes. † afpprinceton. com. 15 Feb. 2010. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. . â€Å"Legal Solutio ns to Illegality on the Seas. † The Lawyer 4 May 2009: 6. Academic OneFile. Gale. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. Lehr, Peter. Violence at Sea: Piracy in the Age of Global Terrorism. New York: Taylor and Francis Routledge, 2007. Print. Library, The National Defense University. â€Å"Piracy Off the Coast of Somalia. † merln. ndu. edu. 23 Jan. 2010. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. . Llyod, James. â€Å"An Expeditionary Solution to Somalia Piracy. † U. S. Naval Institute Proceedings 135. 11 (2009): 8. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 4 Mar. 2010. ;lt; http://merln. ndu. edu/index. cfm? secID=263;pageID=35;type=section;gt;. Porter, Keith. â€Å"Law of the Sea Treaty. † About. com. 4 Sept. 2007. Web. 4 Mar. 2010. . Zijlma, Anouk. â€Å"Somali Pirates: A Guide to Somalia’s Modern Day Pirates. † About. com. 2010. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. .