the fifties and sixties essays

the fifties and sixties essays The Unliberated Female the lives of women in the Menzies years, women in the workforce, women in the home The days when women in Australia were the property of their husbands or fathers, were not allowed to vote or work outside the home and were treated as inferior to men are gone. So is the rule of thumb which legally entitled a husband to beat his wife with a stick as long as it was no thicker than his thumb. Even though that the belief in equality for men and women is now part of our law it wasnt till in the fifties, sixties and even seventies till attitudes towards the role of women began to change on a large scale. Until the end of WWI most people thought a womens place was in the home. It was expected that they would take care of their husband and children. While the men were the breadwinners of the family. It was also thought that women were the property of their husband or father. They werent allowed to vote or work outside the house and were thought to be inferior to men. Women were thought to be child-rearers and home makers. The home was the womans domain, where she would work for hours doing boring routine jobs but this was bound to change due to a host of new appliances and gadgets being invented since 1920 to help ease the strain household chores. In the laundry the copper boilers and hand cranked wringers were replaced by washing machines. Electric vacuum cleaners and polishers, pressure cookers, electric irons, kettles and sewing machines were all common items. These appliances made women feel as if there was not enough to do at home to fill up the whole day. However during this period women did a lot of unpaid work to help the men overseas. After the war only a handful of women kept their jobs during the depression but were paid less than men. WWII was a turning point in women paid work, as there was a shortage of labourers because of the men at war. Women worke...

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Essay Example

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Essay Example Drug and Alcohol Abuse Paper Drug and Alcohol Abuse Paper Essay Topic: 8th Grade Drug and alcohol abuse is indeed a serious problem among many young people nowadays. This may be proven by statistical information and examples including the ones below. In spite of all the researches conducted on the effects of alcohol on teenagers, as well as, reasons stated why alcohol should be avoided by teenagers, it still cannot be denied that there are countless teenagers engaged in binge drinking (Sound.. n. p. ). Allow me to share with you the following extremely alarming statistical information: Forty percent of teenagers drink to address their being upset; twenty five percent, on the other hand, do so because they are alone; and another twenty five percent drink to manage being bored (Sound.. n. p. ). Furthermore, every teenager spends approximately spends $500 on alcoholic beverages (Sound.. n. p. ). Also, according to researchers, there are eight teenagers who die of alcohol-related accidents each day and that more than 300,000 teenagers will eventually die of alcohol-related occurrences (Sound.. n. p. ). Moreover, sixty percent of teenagers were discovered to be drunk when they were diagnosed to also have a sexually transmitted disease (Sound.. n. p. ). In addition, almost forty percent of teenagers who died because of drowning were drunk at the time of accident (Sound.. n. p. ). Plus, almost thirty two percent of teenagers who were arrested for unlawful behavior were under the influence of alcohol (Sound.. n. p. ). Last but not least, eighty six billion dollars go to waste each year because of consumption of alcohol, health care costs, accident costs, etc (Sound.. n. p. ). Aside from statistical information, there are also a few examples that may prove that alcohol abuse is indeed a problem among the youth nowadays. There were countless alcohol-related risk behaviors among the youth, especially college students and this include: 1) the high percentage of students who rode 1 or more times in a vehicle driven by a drunk driver; 2) the high percentage of students who drove a vehicle 1 or more times under the influence of alcohol; 3) the high percentage of students who had their first drink even before they entered college; 4) the extremely high percentage of students who had five or more drinks of alcohol in a row (National.. n. p. ). The aforementioned only show that alcohol is really a problem among the youth (National.. n. p. ). Meanwhile, the same is true with drug abuse as well. It is a problem as well. Let’s see why as we read and absorb the following examples: First, almost 26 % of high school seniors are engaged in drug abuse according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (Office.. n. p. ). Second, approximately 15% of 8th graders and almost 23% of 10th graders are into drugs (Office.. n. p. ). Third, in 2001, it has reported that even 12-year old young individuals at least use marijuana once a month (Office.. n. p. ). Fourth, admission rates for treatment of marijuana abuse actually increased in almost all the states except for about nine (Office.. n. p. ). Of the total admissions, approximately, 91 % are young individuals aged 12 to 18 (Office.. n. p. ). Fifth, in 1998, there were more than two thousand six hundred deaths resulting from metamphetamine abuse and there were approximately fifty deaths because of abuse of ketamine (Office.. n. p. ). Sixth, young people who are heavy cigarette users and serious alcohol drinkers are most likely to be involved in drug abuse as well (Office.. n. p. ). Last but not least, fifty seven percent of the youth claim that obtaining marijuana is very easy, in fact they claim that can get that without even leaving their neighborhood (Office.. , n. p. ). References National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol-Related Risk Behaviors Among Youth. 2003. n. a. 09 June 2007 niaaa. nih. gov/Resources/DatabaseResources/QuickFacts/Youth/default. htm Office of National Drug Control Policy. Drug Use Trends. n. d. n. a. 09 June 2007. whitehousedrugpolicy. gov/publications/factsht/druguse/ Sound Vision Foundation, Inc. Statistics on Teens. 2007. n. a. 09 June 2007 soundvision. com/Info/teens/stat. asp

Knowledge management approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Knowledge management approach - Essay Example Knowledge management implies any activity regarding the capture and the diffusion of knowledge within the organization. A key component of KM is to provide access to stored knowledge components in order to improve decision-making and facilitate knowledge acquisition by the user. The present essay is an attempt to introduce this innovative capital of modern organisations in a simple and lucid style. In the essay, the writer first, tries to distinguish the related concepts in the area of knowledge such as data, information etc, which are often misunderstood (used interchangeably with) as knowledge. In addition, an attempt is made to introduce the two approaches to knowledge management that capture and utilize knowledge. The essay prepared to examine the different of these two approaches. Specifically, it attempts to narrate the definition of these approaches and portrays both advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches. Finally, rather most importantly the report demonstrates how to apply theoretical concepts of knowledge management to NASA's JPL case study. One of the essentials of an effective knowledge management system is that the system must be able to distinguish knowledge from data and information so that information overload can be reduced/eliminated and its efficiency can be improved. An efficient knowledge management system accepts only those data that are relevant, timely, reliable and accurate. In the words of Liew (2002) data means the collection of facts or events and it is comprised of the basic, unrefined and unfiltered information, which are mostly useless. But, information is more refined data that is useful and meaningful for an analysis and decision making. In contrast, knowledge resides in the human brain and it happens when human experience is applied to data and information, therefore, knowledge is internalized which absorbed and understood by the human mind. In the modern business context, knowledge management can have a lot to perform to attain a competitive edge and thereby create value to the organisation. Knowledge management There are many interpretations as to what exactly knowledge management is all about. The definition put forward by Quintas P., Lefrere P. and Jones is worth notable in this context. They define knowledge management as "a continuously process of managing knowledge in order to ensure that knowledge is available when and where needed and can be acquired both from external sources and internal sources" (Quintas et al, 1997). It is worthwhile here to mention the definition developed by NASA for knowledge management. NASA defines "knowledge management as getting the right information to the right people at the right time and helping people create knowledge and share and act upon information in ways that will measurably improve the performance of an organization and its partners" (NASA, 2009). The procedures by which the objectives of KM can be accomplished include the following: As far as possible, everyone connected with knowledge management system should disclose what he/she knows and thereby facilitates knowledge sharing and its reuse. This will allow others to know when and where knowledge is available. Knowledge is made available at the time of decision making and it is the duty of the concerned personnel in an organisation that knowledge is

The CCPI, ICCS, FutureGen Project and FutureGen 2.0 Project Essay - 233

The CCPI, ICCS, FutureGen Project and FutureGen 2.0 Project - Essay Example It was established to retrofit an existing Illinois coal plant and ensure carbon dioxide emission reduction by 90 percent. The project aimed at massively reducing carbon emission by utilizing safe pipeline technology to ship carbon dioxide and permanently store it underground in a designated storage site located near Ashland (Folger, 2012). FutureGen projects were viewed as the solution to ensuring clean future while using dirty fossil-fuel plants, thus received enormous backing from potential private investors to boost the clean technology. However, numerous challenges rocked the project and would never let it reach its maturity stage and deliver the much-anticipated results of reducing the emission of carbon dioxide by 90 percent. According to Folger (2012), one of the challenges that led to the failure of the FutureGen projects is increasing production costs. The existing technologies for capturing carbon dioxide did not cost cost-effective in the dimension of giant power plants ( Folger, 2012). Another challenge that led to the failure of FutureGen projects was development issues surrounding the project and inadequate incentives for private investors to venture into the projects. The sluggish development in the projects, both new and old, can be attributed to the laxity on part of the private investors to inject their finances into the project. This is because private investors were risk averse, especially because of the uncertainty surrounding the future of the projects and high project costs (Folger, 2012). According to Marxa et al. (2007), uncertainty makes people wary of the future. It was a huge challenge to secure funding from the private sector to meet the increasing cost of the project. Time constraint was also a major challenge for successful implementation of the project that was proving to be over the budget and competition from other countries made the project appear less feasible.

Ritzers Macdonaldization Essay Example for Free

Ritzers Macdonaldization Essay In this essay, I aim to explore the term ‘McDonaldization’ dubbed by esteemed Sociologist and University of Maryland Professor, George Ritzer, to correlate his findings with those of the English Sociologist Les Back and then ultimately examine the effect both Globally and Locally. Ritzer’s concepts are fundamentally built around the theories of Max Weber, a German Sociologist who first established the idea of ‘Rationalization’. More specifically, four headings were used to define this shift in the organizational structure of society: Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability and Control of new technologies increasing the productivity of the modern world. I will explore the relevance of these headings later in this essay. Weber maintained it was bureaucratization that contributes to this advance in achieving the â€Å"optimum means to ends† (Ritzer, 2008, 25). The bureaucracy as Weber defines it seems to be the prototype for flawless corporate functionality. â€Å"A bureaucracy is a large-scale organization composed of a hierarchy of offices. In these offices, people have certain responsibilities and must act in accordance with rules, written regulations, and means of compulsion exercised by those who occupy higher-level positions† With an operating structure as tightly knit as described above, it is no surprise that the paradigm of formal rationality according to Ritzer, McDonalds, is one of the most envied business models in the world. 50 million customers a day will find restaurants in 118 nations (Ritzer, 2008, 3). Thousands of businesses strive to emulate their successful rational framework yet fail to conquer, such as the fast-food giants, MacDonald’s. Franchising at an unbelievable rate, McDonalds profits are being maximized year after year as it expands worldwide. A British author Martin Plimmer captures the mastery of their expansion â€Å"There are McDonalds everywhere. There’s one near you, and there’s one being built right now even nearer to you† (Ritzer, 2008, 2). It is on the basis of this exorable power and infectious growth that Ritzer lays his ‘McDonaldization’ theory. â€Å"The process by which the principals of the fast food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world†. Ritzer, 2008, 1). Another aspect to this notable commercial structure is McDonaldization’s propensity to de-humanize. Teamed with bureaucratization, McDonaldization has the leverage to spread to modern society on a whole. Fears that people will be consumed by such a heavy emphasis on the rational and technical benefits of practicality and efficiency, destroying the human spirit and reducing them to nothing more then â€Å"a small cog in a ceaselessly moving mechanism† (Macionis and Plummer, 2005:143) as rational globalization expands. Sociologist Les Back puts forward the positive and negative influences of the flourishing technological network on globalisation in his monograph ‘Local/Global’. The concept of a global village; the idea that through new technologies and new converging forms of economy and political state that the world is shrinking and diminishing the importance of peoples differences (Back, 1998, 77) is one that can be both greatly agreed upon or just as easily denied, in my opinion. Firstly, It cannot be argued that one of McDonald’s keys to it’s worldly success was it’s overt American-style image, which many people outside the United States Of America hankered after. The book ‘Golden Arches East’ by James L. Watson describes vividly McDonalds highly anticipated entry into East Asia â€Å"Prior to McDonalds opening in Beijing, the company’s name was already popular among trendy consumers and it was only natural that, when the first restaurant was opened in Beijing in April 1994, thousands lined up for the experience. † (Watson, 1997, 48). Not only did this fascination generate billions of capital for McDonalds (and other fast-food diners such as KFC, Pizza hut etc. ) steering revenue away from Asia’s own food industries but sociologically speaking, the influx of American-Style escapism in which the people of Asia were immersing themselves in spawned a question of multinationals refusal to localize. Are Hamburgers on the Champs-Elysees or Chicken Nuggets by the Grand Canyon really necessary or is it just corporate extremism exercising their capability to the nth degree? Somehow I’m not convinced it is a case that McDonalds cuisine is so delicious that we physically need to have it within reach at all times, particularly in such countries such as France, Italy or Spain, where gastronomy is paramount to their local culture. Back’s theory on this type of globalisation seems a lot more simplistic. He argues that â€Å"globalization can go hand in hand with the commercialization of exotic local cultures† (Back, 1998, 74) but I ask to what extent is this local commercialization succeeding? Chiefly global multinationals are apparent in the rapidly developing worldwide industries, leaving little to zero space for contained business ventures to gain momentum. Although Back does recognize an effective uses of localization in advertising imagery to which these trans-national companies happily comply. â€Å"Advertisers are willing to integrate all kind of notions of difference as long as they serve their purpose† (Back, 1998, 73). A fantastic example is that of the recent McDonald’s advertising campaign, which was specifically intended for a distinctly Irish audience. Johnny Logan, a well-known Irish performer appearing to many different characters with strong colloquial Irish accents, pulls in on regional interest. Vernacular phrases such as â€Å" ye plank.. † â€Å".. sound.. †and â€Å".. free gaff.. † are used, unmistakably local and familiar to McDonalds’s Irish consumers. Back relates the decreasing size of global margins to advances in technologies, which of course is impossible to deny. Although communication overseas and intercontinental conveyance is almost taken for granted at this stage, Back reiterates the speed at which this occurs and the inter-dependence this signifies. â€Å"International flows of technology and media hardware strengthen the dependency relationship between the West and the former colonial peripheries and promote a form of cultural homogenization† `(Back, 1997, 72) In spite of the fact that many of Ritzer’s examples are American the concept of this uniformity is at the heart of his writing and falls under the four heading’s of McDonadization aforementioned. Predictability is one of the devices multinational corporations have taken under their wing in the development of a McDonaldized framework of business. Globally, these giant organizations do not start at the bottom when it comes to extending their trade name abroad and casting their image over seas. â€Å"Wal-Mart bought out 120 stores in Canada in 1994 when it purchased the Wertkauf GmbH hypermarket chain in Germany in 1997, Similarly, when Starbucks moved into the U. K. n 1998, it acquiresd the already existing Seattle Coffee Company and refitted it’s 82 stores as Starbucks outlets†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Klein, 2005, 139) Specifically many coffee shops have undergone ‘Starbucksization’ to the point where any coffee shop in the western world could fail to posses a hint of originality. Insomnia, Costa Coffee and increasingly McDonalds contribution to the market McCafe, are but a few of the cafe chains that are adapting to the modern competition. In our local environment a comprehensible instance of McDonaldization would be the excessive franchising of Spar shops in Ireland, eplacing another family corner shop as it unfurls over the country. As consumers we’ve experienced the components of Weber’s ‘Rationalization’ and Ritzer’s McDonaldization in its plainest form. The efficiency of these stores is unrivalled, often containing Juice Bars, Off Licences, Delicatessens and Coffee shops, a conglomerate of effectiveness under one roof. Calculability by the selection of staff who work at each counter, pricing, weighing and recommending items for purchase. Chiefly the predictability of a Spar shop would almost be similar to what one would expect of a handful of McDonalds’, the flooring, the lighting and the layout are all but slightly in difference nationwide. Finally, these environments are controlled not only by the presence of Security guards at the entrance to many branches but they are hi-tech and forward thinking in technologies in contrast with many of there older competitors, featuring Automatic doors and self check-out services. In conclusion, both George Ritzer and Les Back have some shared views and some conflicting one’s on the matter of globalization and how it affects us directly and indirectly. Ritzer’s theory of McDonaldization worked alongside many of Back’s viewpoints on technologies, in particular as regards the dimension of control. Finally, the concepts of Global and Local, I believe will be disputed not only by both Ritzer and Back as the relationship worldwide decreases in size with the introduction of further connectivity when does the benefits of this begin and cease.

The Oppression of Women by Society in The Yellow Wallpaper

The Oppression of Women by Society in The Yellow Wallpaper "The Yellow Wallpaper" is about a creative woman whose talents are suppressed by her dominant husband. His efforts to oppress her in order to keep her within society's norms of what a wife is supposed to act like, only lead to her mental destruction. He is more concerned with societal norms than the mental health of his wife. In trying to become independent and overcome her own suppressed thoughts, and her husbands false diagnosis of her; she loses her sanity. One way the story illustrates his dominance is by the way he, a well-know and established doctor who should know better than to diagnose a family member, diagnoses her as having a temporary nervousness condition and what he prescribes for her illness, which is bed rest. Without asking her, he takes her to their summer home to recover from an illness that he doesn't believe she has. He tells her there is "no reason" why she feels the way she does; she should get rid of those "silly fantasies." In saying this to her, he is treati ng her like a child who doesn't really know how she feels, thus making her doubt herself. When she tries to tell him what she needs, she is completely shut out and ignored. "I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus-but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad." This statement has a two-fold meaning, in the first part of the sentence he reveals part of his insecurity problem. He is not interested in getting her help because he doesn'... ...environment she was placed in, and to not look for outside influences to help strengthen her, which was an indication of his insecurity. She accepted the environment that she was placed in but begin to slowly change it into what she wanted. Even though her husband really believed that he was helping her, he was actually hurting her. He was stuck in society's thinking that woman wanted to be taken care of and thought that, that's what he was doing. He could not understand why she began to react violently and angrily to the environment in which she was placed. Only by confronting her fears of what society and her husband would think about her, did she allow herself to become free. Once she achieved her independence, she realized that she didn't need to rely on anyone else but herself for her survival. By refusing to be submissive, she traded her sanity for independence.

Is Advertising Harmful? Essay

For many years when it started, advertising was a divine gift to the mass media. It embodied the epitome of information superhighway during the time when it was starting as it allowed consumers to get information about products and services at the comfort of their homes, while reading the newspaper for instance, or perhaps while watching the television or listening to the radio. Advertisers, however, were not content on how they can reach consumers and thus initiated ways in ensuring that every centavo they spend in advertising will pay off and entice consumers to buy. Competition also grew as time passed by and today there are too many options for consumers to choose from. This put pressure in the advertisers. The need to sell pushed them to find ways to sell. Oftentimes, the advertising is the best medium to do so given the wide reach and reception that it has. This all led to the harmful effects that many scholars and researchers claim that advertising has. The harms of advertising can be found in its effects in the media, economy, in children and families, and human behavior in general. For one, the media has become advertiser-driven. While before the media’s thrust is to entertain and inform its audiences, it has now become a repository of information of advertisers, their products, and their services. Many shows, in fact, have now been created for the benefit of advertisers and to increase their selling points. There are television programs as well that are created entirely to market a single product, which creates monopoly against products who do not have the capacity such as finances to produce such advertising shows. Economically, this subtle monopoly has lead many small businesses to close down and further empower the primacy of the larger competitors. (Harms and Kellner, n. d. ) These harmful effects are further ratified by the intrusion and repetitiveness of advertisements. From the time one wakes up, eats, rides to work or school, and goes back home to sleep, he is bombarded with advertiser information. Even going to the public restroom is not an exception ever since loo ads became a global trend. (Harms and Kellner, n. d. ) Even the telephone has become an avenue for advertisers. Not only one among many have been caught by telemarketers during dinner, or even during Sunday lunch. The good thing about this is that employment increased, despite the turnover, in telemarketing. The bad thing is that this type of advertising is intrusive and unethical. Even private email addresses are testimonies to the intrusion that advertisers will waive for the sake of trying to sell. Children are also among the most affected by the harms of advertising. According to Dittman (2004), an average child is exposed to 40,000 advertising materials annually. This figure includes all television commercials alone. There are other advertisements aired over the radio, in printed materials, and in fact wherever one looks. Even the schools have welcomed advertisers in campuses, though many institutions stay watchful on the advertisers and advertisements that they allow. Furthermore, studies show that just one exposure to an advertisement, especially in children, can make a register in the brain and even entice buying. This can influence children and adults as well to shop impulsively which has greatly affected consumerism and private lives across the globe. For many instances, children will also nag their parents into buying them things that they saw in advertisements, or for money to buy these things. Even habits can be altered. Studies show that a child’s eating behavior can change drastically when exposed to junk food ads. Exposure to junk food ads alongside healthy food ads is not a solution as well, for children will remember junk food ads more. (Dittman, 2004) In an effort to combat these effects, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, and Kaiser Family Foundation has lead many organizations who are after stricter regulations in advertising. The proponents enjoin groups with the similar vision and mission to create and propose ways to protect the society, highlighting on children, against the harmful effects of advertising. Stricter laws, proper monitoring, regulating bodies, and proper education are among the things viewed to solve the dilemma. (Dittman, 2004) Adult supervision is another thing to appeal for. Today, with kids having private access to the internet, television, radio, and reading materials in their bedrooms or schools, away from the eyes of their parents, they are put into a situation where they are not guided. In such cases, they receive information as facts and even if there is a chance for them to weigh between right and wrong, between positive and negative, there is more probability that the influence that is imprinted on them will affect them. If the advertisement is negative, then the effect will equally be negative. (Dittman, 2004) Yet not all advertisements are intrusive and harmful. (Harms and Keller, n. d. ) There are advertisements that show good behavior and influence people towards the positive. If at all always harmful, many advertisers downplay the bad knowing that audiences will not buy products which have negative impressions on them. (Harmful effects of advertising can be indirect, delayed, and cumulative, n. d. ) This care that advertisers take helps them increase their sales more profoundly. However, it is still a fact that advertising affects the human behavior in general and radiates these effects to their families and to the society ultimately. Advertising is a big leap for the mass media, and it is wrong to eliminate advertising at this point, even if it is torn between the good and the bad. The right thing to do would be to subdue these advertisements and keep the information positive and varied. A good look at psychology, economics, and communication industries will also help. In the end, good advertisers win the game. References Dittman M. 2004. Protecting children from advertising http://www. apa. org/monitor/jun04/protecting. html Harmful effects of advertising can be indirect, delayed, and cumulative. n. d. http://www. uta. edu/huma/illuminations/kell6. htm Harms, J. and Kellner, D. n. d. Toward a critical theory of advertising. http://webserve. govst. edu/pa/Advertising/ABCs/harmful. htm.

America’s Failure at the Bay of Pigs

Cuba was a US-controlled isand since 1898 when it won Cuba from Spain after the Spanish-American war. While itofficially controlled Cuba only until 1902, it established itself on the island with a long-term lease on Guantanamo Bay for a naval base. Up to the time before Castro was seated in power, the US ambassador to Cuba was the second most pwoerful officail after the President. (Lafeber, 19 Aril 1986, p. 537). President Truman inn March 12, 1947 called the Truman Doctrine recomended to Congress to halt the Russian aggression in Europe.â€Å"I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting atempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. † (cited in Ismael, 1965, p. 3212). Regular battles with the threat of communism and in 1948, the Belrin blockade where the Russian tries to starve out the Western sector but the US responded by airlifting a tremendous amount of food and other supplies. The US assistd the Na tionalistas versus the Communista in the civil war in China which the Communists eventually won in 1949.In 1950, the US gladly responed to the call to end the Communists North America aggression towards South Korea by sending troops under Gen. Douglas McArthur. While the Korean war became inetnsely unpopular aong many Americans as casualties were heavy and the Truman administration was blamed for not foreseeing the attack. There was a general agreement nevertheless that the cuommunist leders had to be shown that the US would, if necessary, use force to stop the expansionist plans. In 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president.Anti-cmmunist sentiment was still going strong as McCarthy continued his unproven charges â€Å"that the government payrll included communists†. Through his charges, teh Sneator speread fear and dissension throughout the countyr. In 1954, Cimmunist China threatened the islands held by the Nationalist government. The US announced that it would defen d Taiwan against any atack and pledged itself to aid any fellow Sout East Asian Trety Organizaton member in fighting communist advances. Communist influence in Latin America became more and more apparent especially in Cuba. In 1959, Fidel Castro ended the island’s totalitarian governemnt.Soon, Caro was displaying dictatorial tendencies and strong leanings towards communism. By 1960, it was evident that Cuba was trying to implant communism in other Latin American nations. (Book of Knowledge) Castro first attracted international attention and national history when he led an unsuccessful attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago, Cuba on July 24th 1953 hoping to overthrwo the dictatorship of then President Fulgencio Batista. Castro was pardoned in 1955 and sailed to Mexico but returned in 1956 and instigated a guerila wafare against Batista’s regime.In the early hours of 1st January 1959, Batista and the former Prime Minisster and newly–elected President Dr. Andre s Rivero Aguero fled Cuba (Telzrow, 2006). On Jan. 6th, an official note proclaiming â€Å"the sincere goodwill of the government of the United States towards the new government† was sent to Castro (Welch, 1982, p. 29). Career diplomat Philip Bonsal was then appointed as the new US Ambassador to Havana with the hope that Bonsal will be able develop good raltions with Castro replicating his sucess in Bolivia where he was able to establisg good relationships with the left-leaning incumbent adminsitration.On April 19, 1959 after a 3 ? hour meeting with Vice President Richard Nixon in Washington D. C. , Nixon was convinced that Castro was indeed a communist. Castro was determined to transform Cuba led to radical reforms and other economic changes that brought him closer to the Cuba communist party and put him on a collisison course with the Eisenhower Adminsrtration. When in early 1960, the US tried to strangle Castro with tough economic sanctions, he turned to the Soviet bloc fo r help. (Lafeber) Free lections were suspended, private business was socialized, US property was confiscated, On Oct.12, the Cuban government nationalizes 382 big businesses including manufacturers of sugar, liquor, beer, perfume, soap, textiles and milk products as well as bank. (Blight & Kornbluh, 1999, p. 161). As early as Oct. 1959, programs had been proposed by the Department of State in agreement with the CIA to support elements opposed to the Cuban government while making Castro’s downfall seem to be the result of his own mistakes. In Dec. 1959, J. C. King, the CIA’s head of its Western Hemisphere division outlines a series of covert and propaganda operations to overthrow Castro.On March 17, Preseident Eisenhower approves a CIA policy paper title â€Å"A Program of Covert Action Against the Castro Regime†. (Blight & Kornbluh, 1999, p. 159). In the History of Cuba as compiled and written by J. A. Sierra (2007, par. 14), the plan was siad to have included: 1) the creation of a responsible and unified Cuabn opposition to the Castro regime located outside of Cuba, 2) the development of a means for mass communication to the Cuban people as part of a powerful propaganda offesnive,3) the creations and development of a covert intelligence and action organization within Cuba whioch would respond to the orders and directions o the exile opposition, and 4) the development of a paramilitray force otuside of Cuba for future guerilla action. These goals were to be achieved ‘in sucg a manner as to avoid the appearance of U. S. intervention. ’ In July 1960, Soviet Prime Minister Nikita Khruschev openly declared its support for Castro by speaking of â€Å"figurative rockets that would protect Cuba from teh U. S. † to which Pres.Eisenhower announced that the US would no â€Å"tolrate the establishment of a regime dominated by international communism in the Western hemisphere. (cited in Sierra, 2007, par. 7). On Oct. 28, Amb. Bons al was permanently recalled to Washington. On Jan. 3, 1961, all diplomtic relations were broken off with Cuba. The year 1960 was also the year for the campaign period for the the presidential elections. Vice President Richard Nixon was running against SenatorJohn F. Kennedy. The Kennedy campiagn rode on the American voters anti-Castro sentiment and their restlessness towards the resolution of the Castro issue.On the eve of a candidate’s debate, Kennedy attacked Eisenhower’s Cuba policy. He called for U. S. support for the â€Å"non-Batista anti-Castro forces in exile, and in Cuba itself, who offer eventual hope for overthrowing Castro. † Stated further, â€Å"thus far these fighers for freedom have had no support from our government. † Nixon attacks Kennedy’s position on Cuba as irresponsible and reckless since he knew that CIA Director Allan Dulles himslef briefed Kennedy some months back on intelligence amtters including the training of Cuban exi les for operations against the Castro government.(Blight & Kornbluh, 1999, pp. 160-162). Meanwhile, the program for covert action was being put in place. Radio Swan goes on the air in May 1960. The programs were taped in Miami and routed throught the Swan transmitter, An airport was built in Guatemala, a cuntry whose president was beholden to the CIA-led U. S. support in overthrowing the reformist government in 1954. The Cuban exiled forces called Brigade 2506 who were being trained in Useppa Island off the coast of Florida were transferred to a camp in Guatemala.Eventually, the size of the brigade grew to about 1,500 soldiers and were called Brigade 2506. A few months later, Castro charged â€Å"that the U. S. has taken over Swan Island and has setup a very powerful broadcasting station there, â€Å" during an address to the UN General Assembly which the US refuted claiming that there is a private commercial broadcasting station in Swan Island . Foreigh Minsiter Raul Roa addresse d the UN a month later providing details on the recruitment and training of the Cuban exiles wherein he referred to them as mercenaries and counter-revolutionaries.The CIA recruits were paid USD400 per month to train and an additional USD175. 00 for their wives and more for their children. (Sierra, 2007, par. 19) NOTE: In a historic meeting of the participants of both sides in 2001, Castro himself pointedly referred to them as brigadistas. President Eisenhower approves a budget of USD13 million for the covert antCastro operation as well as the use of the Department of Defense personnel and equipment. However, it was specified that no US military personnel are to be used in combat status. 2ND PLAN The CIA changes the conception of the plan in Nov.8-9, 1960 from a guerilla infiltraion to an amphibious invasion Blight & Kornbluh, 1999, p. 162). Why? – Cuban accustaion of propaganda via Radio Swan – First attempt at droping weapons and supplies to the internal Cuban resist ance was a failure having missed the drop zone by seven miles, lands on a dam, picked up by Castro forces and the gound agent caught and shot – Young officers revolt in Guatemala due to the presence of the Cuba expeditionary force which the US helped to quell – The operation is no longer a secret as it is known all over Latin America and was being discussed in UN circles.The Joint Chief of Staff were consulted for the first time on Jan. 11th 1961. A working committee including representatives from the CIA, Defense and the JCS resulted which the Pentagon code names Operation Bumpy Road. On Jan. 28th, newly-elected President John F. Kennedy receives his first CIA briefing on the Cuban operation. The concept of the plan as outlined in the memorandum prepared by two senior CIA official in charge of the brigade, Jacob Esteline and Jack Hawkins is as follows: The initial mission of the invasion force will be to seize and defend a small area.There will be no attempt to break out of lodgment for further offensive operations unless and until there is a general uprising against the Castro regime or overt military intervention by the US forces has taken place. (Blight & Kornbluh, 1999, p. 164). The landing would be in the vicinity of the old colonial city of Trinida, Cuba in the southern coast of Cuba. This is approximately 400 km. Southeast of Havana at the foothills of Escambray mountains. The Trinidad site provided a number of options that the exile brigade could exploit during the invasion.The popiltaion of Trinidad was generally opposed to Castro and the rugged mountains outside the city provided an area into which the invasion force could retreat and establish a guerilla campaign were the landing to falter. Throughout the 1960, the growing ranks of Briagde 2560 rained throughout for the beach landing and possible mountain retreat (Wikipedia). Richard Bissell, CIA Director of Plans, assessed the plans as having â€Å"a fair chance of success – success meaning ability to survive, hold ground and attarct groing support for Cubans and get a ful-fledged civil war in which the US could then back the anti-Castro forces openly.At worst, the invaders should be able to fight their way to the Escabray and go into guerilla action. (Bight & Kornbluh, 1999, p. 164). The military plan for d-day of Macrh 5 is put back until April after examination of all possible alternatives. Why? – State Department point out grave effects on US position in Latin America – No way to disgusie US complicity However, Bissell argued for the invasion on the grounds of â€Å"disposal† problem if the mission is aborted: â€Å"brigade members will be angry, disillusioned and aggressive† (in fact a revolt did occur in late Jan.1961 among the Cuban exiles in Guatemala and almost half of the more than 500 en in camp resigned. ) (Blight & Kornbluh, 1999, p. 164). Bissell concludes that this is the last opportunity for the US to bring do wn Castro without overt US military intervention or a full embargo. National Security Adviser McGeorge Bundy recommended to institute a trade embargo first and let internal oppositon build for several months and then launch â€Å"Bissells’s battalion†. Ther Trinida plan is rejected as the President prepfers a quiet landing, prefereably at night with no basis for American military intervention.CIA presented three alternatives. The first is a modification of the Trinidad plan, the second targets an area on the northeast coast of Cuba and the thrid is an invasion at the Bay of Pigs codenamed â€Å"Opertion Zapata†. The pPresident orders modifcations of the Zapata Plan to mak it appear more like an inside, guerilla-type operation. It was modified to a night landing (instead of a dawn landing) and air drops a t first light. Kennedy questions the necessity of the air strikes, A compromise is agreed upon limited air strikes two days pror to d-day simultanoeus with a di versionary landing of 160 men in Eastern Cuba.These strikes will give the impression of being the action of Cuban pilots defecting from teh Cuban air force and thus supproting the fiction that air support for the invasion force is coming from within Cuba. Bissell also reassures Kennedy that the Cubans on the island will join in an uprising. Sen. William Fulbright, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations describes the venture as ill-considered and predicts that it will be impossible to conceal the US hand. After polling a dozen advisers, all vote in favor of moving ahead ecept for Sec.Of State Dean Rusk who remained noncommittal. Defense Sec. Requested the JCS to reconsider the rules of engagement to ensure that the US would not become oertly engaged with Castro forces. Seven days before d-day, Esterline and Hawkins, two of the leaders of the invasion call on Bissell to tell him that they want to quit. They say that the project is out of control. Bissell asks them to stay and they d o. Three days before the invsion, â€Å"Kennedy rules outm under any condition, an intervention in Cuba by the US Armed Forces.One day before the invasion, the number of plane were reduced from 16 to 6 planes as ordered by Kennedy in order to keep it minimal. On April 16, Kennedy formally approved the landing plan. However, fearing international condemnation, Kennedy cancels the dawn air strikes until the beachhead airfiled is in the hands of the aldning force and completely operational and capale of supporting the raids. Bissel argued that the ships as well as the landings will be seriously endangered without the dawn strikes,In early morning, aboard the Blagar, CIA agent Grayston Lynch receives a message from Washington: â€Å"Castro still has operational aircraft. Expect you to be hit at dawn. Unload all troops and supplies and take ships to sea as soon as possible. † On learning that the invading troops will meet resistance in the landing area, due to failure to destroy all of the Cuban air force, the Blagar moves in close to shore and delivers gunfire support. Brigade troops commence landing at 0100 hours. Later that morning, the Houston comes under air attack and is hit.It goes aground with about 180 men on the west side of the Bay of Pigs—about five miles from the landing beach. At 9:30 AM, the freighter Rio Escondido is sunk by a direct rocket hit from a Sea Fury—with ten day's reserves of ammunition on board, as well as food, hospital equipment, and gasoline. All crew members are rescued and transferred to the Blagar. Fighting rages throughout the day, with the brigade freighters withdrawing 50 miles out to sea. That evening, President Kennedy discusses the deteriorating situation with his advisers.(Blight & Kornbluh, 1999, p. 168). On April 18, the Brigade Commander refused a call for evacuation. While at the UN on the same day, Ambassador Adlai Stevenson continued to deny that the United States had intervened militarily in Cuba . Bissell, in direct violation of Kennedy’s instructions, authorized American pilots to fly combat missions when a number of the Cuban pilots at Pueto Cabezos refused to fly. On April 19, two planes flown by U. S. pilots were shot down and the pilots killed. The invasion force were captured.About 130 were killed and 1,189 were taken prisoners. Cuba’s casualties were about 157. Mass trial were held and each was sentenced to 30 years in prison. After 20 months of negotations, most were released in echange for USD53 million in baby food and medical supplies. (Sierra, 2007). Lymann Kirkpatrick, the CIA Inspector General, issued a report that pointed to Bissell and his aide Tracy Barnes as not having firm plans for the invasion and failed to advise Kennedy that a covert action is not at all possible.Bissell rebutted by issuing a memorandum of his own and putting the blame on Kennedy’s withdrawal of the air strikes. On June 13, 1961, General Taylor, head of the Taylor Commitee composed on Gen. Maxwell taylor, Atty. General Robert Kennedy, Adm. Arleigh Burke and Dir. Gen. Of CIA Allen Dulles to investigate why the operation failed submits their report to President Kennedy: A paramilitary operation of the magnitude of Zapata could not be prepared and conducted in such a way that all U. S.support of it and connection with it could be plausibly disclaimed†¦. By about November 1960, the impossibility of running Zapata as a covert operation under CIA should have been recognized and the situation reviewed. If a reorientation of the operation had not been possible, the project should have been abandoned. (Blight & Kornbluh, 1999, p. 169). Apart from the reports of Kirkpatrick of the CIA and the Taylor Committee, and after more documents relating to the Bay of Pigs invasion surfaced and were declassified, the following can be concluded:– the CIA made decisions on mere assumptions that the people would spontaneously assist in overthrowing Cast ro (Lafeber, 1986). – they failed to see that the exiles and the supporters were the loud minority while the majority were straddling the fence in a wait-and-see attitude inasmuch as Castro’s government was still at its inception and already seemed to have eben serious about its reforms in distributing the wealth concentrated on the few during the previous regime which was openly supported by the U.S. – the United States could have lost sympathy from the locals since from 1898, they have exerted great influence over Cuba’s internal affairs seemingly to the point of meddling in order to favor American businessees and the invasion was undeniably a US-backed operation – the US did not trust its own invading force, not even telling the Cuban exiles the actual day of the invason. One aganet admitted that, â€Å"I don’t trsut any goddamn Cuban.† (Lafeber, 1986) – aside from being trapped by his own campaign statements, the ongoing co ld war forced Kennedy to take immediate if undecisive action in battling Cuba’s Castro and ultimately the USSR’s Nikita Kruschev for the Western hemisphere – there were tactical errors such as mistaking the coral reefs in the Bay of Pigs for seaweed which ran the exile craft aground and made easy targets – the US underestimated the Castro’s security and defenses.In a historic meeting in 2001 between the antagonists and the protagonists in the invasion which was held in Cuba, it was divulged that â€Å"a vast security network had been established and about 20,000 suspected dissidents were rounded up† which effectively squelched US expectations of a mass rebellion. Moreover, the Cuban air forces’ better planes were camouflaged and the ones that were destroyed by teh pre-d-day strike were decoys. (Dinges, 2001, p. 6).– the CIA strategy is rooted on another assumption that no president, Kennedy included despite his statements again st overt operations, will allow the United States to â€Å"go down in ignominous defeat† and will send in the Marines (as related by Whote House adviser Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. In Dinges, 2001). – There were no CIA broadcasts to announce the invasion (Telzrow, 2006). It would seem highly improbable that the world’s greatest superpower would be defeated by a revolutionary government barely over a year in power. However, that is exactly what Cuba did did under Fidel Castro’s leadership.On April 19, 1961 Cuba was able to repulse an invasion led by 1,400 commandos of Brigade 2506 who arrived at Playa Giron (Giron Beach) from Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) Brigade 2506 was US-backed all the way. The planning and training was done by the CIA. They were armed and supplied by the US. It was not a failure of the men of the invasion force who fought valiantly and refused to be evacuated. Given the circumstances surrounding the invasion, it was a â€Å"perfect fai lure† as it has now been dubbed for the spectacular defeat of the US.Overall, this is mainly due to the arrogance displayed by America and has now been immortalized in the Bay of Pigs. ? References Blight, J. G. & Kornbluh, P. (Eds. ) (1999). Politics of illusion: The Bay of Pigs invasion re-examined. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner. Dinges, J. (2001, April 23). Back to the Bay of Pigs. The Nation, 272, 6. Ismael, F. L. (1965). The United States as a world leader. The Book of Knowledge, vol. 9, pp. 3206-3224. New York: Grolier Incorporated. Lafeber, W. (1986, April 19). Lest we forget the Bay of Pigs; the unlearned lessons. The Nation, 242, 537-539. Sierra, J. A. (2007).History of Cuba. Retrieved August 15, 2007, from http://www. historyofcuba. com/cuba/htm. Telzrow, M. E. (2006, August 21). Bay of Pigs betrayal: The batrayal of the Cuba people by the CIA, State Department and staff members of the New York Times ranks as one of the America’s darkest foreign-policy moments. T he New American, 22, 37-39. Welch. R. E. (1985). Response to revolution: The United States and the Cuban revolution, 1959-1961. Chappel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. WIKIPEDIA. 2007. Bay of Pigs invasion. Retrieved August 15, 2007, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion.

Ceddo - A synergy of questions essays

Ceddo - A synergy of questions essays At first glance, the film Ceddo by Ousmane Sembene, seems to be simply put; a story of how the Muslim faith has forced an African villages hierarchical system out of order. There is a story behind the scenes however. The setup of the film is quick and to the point. There isnt much emphasis on the existing culture of this village before the Muslim movements began. The hierarchical system is set in place in the first few scenes just to create a sense of the culture already existing in the village. The film is a demonstration of the need for what will later be called the separation of church (religion) and state (politics). It shows how religion is capable of interfering with political rule. It also shows how they work against each other striving to be the supreme deciding factors for the village. The infiltration of the Muslim faith has broken down the honest, disciplined system of King and village people that seemed to carry through many generations of the village. The system still remains living through the elders of the village. In many works, elders seem to take on this wise, all-knowing role. In Ceddo, the elders of the ceddo, or people, also have had a great deal of input in how the village operates prior to the Muslim conversion. The elders speak of the old ways and how the King has become corrupt with the Muslim teachings. The elders accuse the King of being walked over by the Muslims and warn him of their bad intentions. The voice of the ceddo is carried through the one elder who speaks directly to the counsel in the opening scenes. He is the liaison and the expression of all ceddo. The elders are exemplary of the old ways and the determination of the ceddo for getting back to their root culture, which is surrounded in principles. Immediately in the beginning of the film, it is evident that one of those underlying principles is how everything that is spoken is honest. The words are all the ...

Happy Birthday Wishes That Make Dreams Come True

Happy Birthday Wishes That Make Dreams Come True Douglas Horton said, If wishes were fishes, wed all be throwing nets. If wishes were horses wed all ride. However, on your birthday, you are entitled to make a wish. It is believed that if you make a silent wish as you blow the candles on your birthday cake, your wish will come true. The History of Birthday Wishes The tradition of putting candles on a birthday cake dates back to early Greek civilization. In ancient times, the Greek lit candles on the cake offered to the Moon Goddess, Artemis. They believed that the smoke emanating from the blown candles carried the prayers to heaven, and these prayers were answered. It was also believed that blowing out candles in one breath brought good luck. The tradition of blowing candles continues even today. The Meaning of Birthday Celebrations But birthday celebrations have become far too elaborate and laborious. Today, it is no longer just about cakes and candles; it is also about exotic party venues, theme birthdays, and expensive goody bags. Let us not forget the significance of birthday celebrations. The presence of your loved ones on your birthday makes you feel cherished. You cannot measure their love with the budget of the birthday party. Even a simple birthday celebration or a heartfelt birthday wish should make you feel blessed. Whether it is your 18th or 60th birthday; whether you have a simple or an elaborate celebration, you are lucky to share this special occasion with your near and dear ones. Birthdays bring families and friends closer and keep you smiling throughout the year. Birthday Wish Quotes Convey warm birthday wishes to your dear ones with these happy birthday wishes. A warm hug, a loving birthday wish, and blessings make birthdays memorable. George HarrisonAll the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much. Pablo PicassoYouth has no age. Tom StoppardAge is a high price to pay for maturity. Franz KafkaYouth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. George SantayanaThere is no cure for birth and death, save to enjoy the interval. William Butler YeatsFrom our birthday, until we die,Is but the winking of an eye. Tom WilsonWisdom doesnt necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself. Anthony PowellGrowing old is like being increasingly penalized for a crime you have not committed. Marie DresslerIt is not how old you are, but how you are old. Gertrude SteinWe are always the same age inside. Chinese ProverbA diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials. Muhammad AliAge is whatever you think it is. You are as old as you think you are. Irish BlessingMay you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live. Chili DavisGrowing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. Anna MagnaniPlease dont retouch my wrinkles. It took me so long to earn them. Leo RosenbergFirst, you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your zipper up, then you forget to pull your zipper down. Jack BennyAge is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you dont mind, it doesnt matter. Robert FrostTime and tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty. Frank Lloyd WrightThe longer I live the more beautiful life becomes. Christina RossettiMy heart is like a singing bird. Because the birthday of my life is come, my love is come to me.

Lit 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lit 11 - Essay Example It gives numerous descriptions about significant personalities. Each piece of biography leads to a world of new information and helps the reader to understand the vital aspects, events in social and political life and the major contribution of a famous person. Supplementary notes and video clips helps the reader to arrive at a more reliable and specific conclusion about the person. Biography.com includes the biographies of great people in different areas such as art, literature, sports, film, music, politics, science and other branches of knowledge. Today’s top searches, video clippings etc are increasing the accuracy and the relevance of information. Christopher Columbus has caught the attention of the historians as a man who introduced America to the world. He was an Italian Spanish navigator born on 1451 (Christopher Columbus Biography, (Christopher Columbus Bibliography). On searching of a rout to Asia, Columbus reached America and it paved the way for great geographical explorations and inventions. The online article titled Christopher Columbus Biography, gives valuable an reliable e information about the relevance of his invention and its social, political and geographical impacts on the world. The article says; â€Å"They led directly to the opening of the western hemisphere to European colonization; to large-scale exchanges of plants, animals, cultures, and ideas between the two worlds; and, on a darker note, to the deaths of millions of indigenous American peoples from war, forced labor, and disease.† Christopher Columbus Biography, (Christopher Columbus Bibliography). Columbus and his invention have caused both negative and positive consequences to the world. The discovery led the formation of European colonies and other social evils such as racial discrimination, slavery and the resultant independence struggles which all led to death and destruction on a mass scale. As a small boy Columbus helped his father in wool processing and selling.

Analysis of Mortgage Crisis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of Mortgage Crisis - Research Paper Example The roots of the current US subprime lending crisis can be traced back to the spiraling housing prices in the first half of this decade. Extremely low lending and borrowing rates increased the demand and supply of existing and new houses. Several institutions started offering subprime mortgages, to borrowers who had an unfavorable credit history, at lower than normal repayment interest levels with little or no down payments. Many investment banks and hedge fund owners began to bet on this new aspect of the US economy. This had allowed investors to avail themselves of loans at low interest rates and invest them in higher yielding avenues. But soon with the US Central Bank (Federal Reserve) initiating a series of interest rate hikes leading to the increase of cost of borrowing to 5.25%, which is the maximum since the last half a decade, and a simultaneous decrease in housing prices, the subprime mortgages were reset at high rates leaving the borrowers to foreclose their accounts and mi ss payments. As an outcome, financial institutions and banks with mortgage securities incurred huge losses and had to trade their assets leading to the subprime lending crisis. Â   Prime debtors are the ones who are considered creditworthy. Subprime debtors are the ones with impaired or no credit history. Subprime lending can be defined simply as lending that involves higher credit risk. While prime loans are typically made to borrowers who have a strong credit history and can demonstrate a capacity to repay their loans, subprime loans are typically made to borrowers who are perceived as deficient on either or both of these grounds. Since this involves the risk of non-payment by the client, it is usually offered at a higher interest rate. The subprime mortgage financial crisis refers to the sharp rise in foreclosures in the subprime mortgage market that started in the US in 2006 and became a global financial crisis in July 2007. The subprime lending storm did not break out overnight. The clouds had been gathering strength for the past few years. Low-interest rates and ample liquidity led to unbridled credit expansion, asset growth and an increase in demand for collateralized debt.