Different Theoretical Approaches Essay

Examine how the different theoretical approaches have explained the changes that the family has historically gone through. The family is a universal institution present in every society throughout the world. For many, the family seems a familiar and comfortable institution, but this can appear in many different forms. A particular type of family is the ‘nuclear’ family; this consists of parents and children living together in the same household. The ‘conventional nuclear’ family comprises of a married man and woman with their biological children living together, this type of family is often dubbed ‘the cereal packet family’ where the male is the breadwinner and the female a homemaker. Another family type is the ‘extended’ family which includes all kin beyond the nuclear family e.g. Grandparents, Aunts or Uncles etc. Other family types include; Patriarchal families, Reconstituted or (step) families and Loan Parent Families, all of wh ich are alternatives to the traditional nuclear family. The family has been the focus of study for many different sociologists, all of which can be criticized in some form.Throughout this essay I am going to examine how the different theoretical approaches explain how family structures and the roles of individuals within them have changed in relation to each of the historical stages that Western society is said to have developed through. There is an underlying assumption amongst sociologists that ‘hunter-gatherer’ bands were the first forms of society. Although these were large communal groups the structure of the ‘nuclear’ family was seen to be present within them. In order to survive the need for team work was essential and therefore separate conjugal roles were necessary. Female mobility was limited due to the impact of child birth and child rearing so they were responsible for gathering nuts and berries from the land whilst the male role was go and hunt for food. Anthropologists studying ‘hunter-gathere r’ societies still in existence today such as The Hadza from Tanzania support this view and speculate this was once the way of life in every society. Functionalist Gary Lees believed the nuclear family unit was optimal within ‘hunter-gatherer’ societies as they needed to be mobile in order to move around and search for food. Marxist sociologist Friedrich Engels argued that because the means of production was owned communally then the family as such did not exist. He refers to this an era of ‘primitive  communism’ characterised by promiscuity. There were no rules limiting the number of sexual relationships so therefore society was in effect ‘the family’. (Holborn, 2004) Feminist sociologists tended to agree with the Marxist view but saw the roots of traditional conjugal roles such as childbirth and child-rearing as a disadvantage to women. The next stage in the development of society is referred to as the ‘pre-industrial’ stage. This stage of history saw a shift towards agricultural based societies. William Goode (1963) believed that the extended family was only appropriate with in this type of society due to the amount of Labour intensive work needed to be carried out. Functionalist Talcott Parsons agreed with this because the extended family system had more people available to carry out the wide variety of functions required. (Owens, n.d.) A study entitled ‘Family and community in Ireland’ (1968) Arensberg and Kimball found that kinship ties were still extremely strong but the basic unit was that of the extended family. They believe that the traditional Irish farming family is a ‘patriarchal extended family, due to considerable authority of the male head; the family is patrilineal because property is passed down the male family line. This has been criticised by Peter Laslett who examined parish records which provided evidence to indicate that in fact only 10% of pre-industrial families included kin beyond the nuclear family. (Owens, n.d.). Michael Young and Peter Wilmott conducted a study attempting to trace the development of the family from pre-industrial England to the 1970s. They suggest the family develops through four stages, they described the first stage family as one that works together as a unit of production; husband, wife and unmarried children work together as team. Materialist feminist Sylvia Walby believed that economic relations and inheritance of property were a major source of female disadvantage. The period of industrialisation is associated with urbanisation and the growth of factory based industry. Talcott Parsons argued that the family is ‘structurally isolated’ because relationships with other kin are a matter of choice and as the nuclear family contained the basic roles of mother, father and children needed to carry out the essential functions then the extended family of pre-industrial times was no longer required. He believed the family had emerged due to a process structural differentiation society had gone through and due to development of more specialised institutions there are fewer functions  needing to be perform ed by the family and therefore the family ceases to become an economic unit of production. (Holborn, 2004) However other sociologists such as Michael Anderson (1971) believed that industrialisation actually increased the need for extended family because as people moved into towns they moved in with relatives in order to find comfort and security. Community studies of working class neighbourhoods in the twentieth century such as Dennis et al’s study of a Yorkshire mining village (1956) and Jeremy Tunstall’s study of Hull trawler men (1962) all featured similar conclusions of extended family life and support. (Owens, n.d.) Wilmott and Young referred to this as their Stage two families which began with the industrial revolution. In this stage families cease to be a unit of production and become employed as individual wage earners. They believe due to low wages and high unemployment families extended their nuclear networks to include extended family networks, this provided them financial security against hardship. They believed this was the tie between mother and married daughter they used as a defence due to the conjugal bond within the nuclear family being so weak, due to the males in the relationship choosing to spend more time away from the family unit. Some people have argued that as industrialisation and modernisation proceeded, kinship-based society and the extended family broke up and the nuclear family emerged as the dominant form. This family has often been referred to as ‘the cereal packet family’. The role of father also saw a shift towards a more family based role and the conjugal bond was strong. Post-industrial times have seen a decline in factory based industry and a rise in people choosing to work within the service sector. The big question now is whether or not the ‘family is in decline?’ Patterns of family life have changed dramatically over recent years. One reason for this is the rise in divorce rates as changes to laws have meant that it is much easier for people to get divorced than it was in the past, also a change in attitude has meant that there is no longer the social stigma around attached with divorce. The development of the state and a rise in women workers means that women no longer have to rely on a male for financial support. Feminist Germaine Greer sees divorce has been good for women as they no longer have to accept living in an unhappy marriage. In conclusion I believe that there has been a widespread change in family structures over time, but I believe this is due more due to cultural changes  and a more widespread knowledge and acceptance of the different types of family that exists. Bibliography Holborn, H. a., 2004. Sociology themes and perspectives. 6th ed. s.l.:Harpercollins. Owens, R., n.d. Families and Households -Changing Structure. Sociology factsheet.

Communications Essay

1. What is an implication, in general, and what are specific implications of the presence of the U.S. flag, Constitution, and Bill Of Rights in all the classrooms at the University of Arizona? a. A general definition of an implication is an assumption that can be inferred from a given scenario that is not obviously specified. The US flag, Constitution, and Bill of Rights are all important symbols of freedom in the United States. The Bill of Rights contains the first ten amendments to the Constitution that preserve the liberties and freedoms prevalent in the United States. The Constitution sets forth the structure of the government we created after rebelling against the British monarchy. The US flag contains a representation of the original 13 colonies that rebelled against the British monarchy as the stripes and the current 50 states as the stars, this representation holds a strong symbol of Americanism. A specific implication of having the U.S. flag, Constitution and Bill of Rights in all University of Arizona classrooms is to help remind students of the freedoms that are available to them in the United States. These symbols of personal freedom promote one’s ability to be an outspoken individual, go against the grain in everything they do, and maintain an individual spirit. 2. Problems in business, government, and relationships are frequently blamed on a lack of communication or a failure to communicate properly. Use the Tubbs communication model on page 9 of your Human Communication textbook to diagnose a communication problem and suggest a recommendation for fixing the problem. a. Tubbs’ communication model involves two communicators and contains three main components of communication: the messages, interference, and the channel. Communication problems can exist across all three components of Tubbs’ communication model. Messages can be intentional and unintentional, when we send an unintentional message we give a message that we didn’t intend to and will usually not find out about the error until we receive feedback from the receiver. Communication problems in channels can occur when sending a message through the wrong channel, each channel serves a primary purpose and sending the wrong message through a channel can lead to a breakdown in communication. Interference is what causes a sent message to become misunderstood or missed completely, usually due to a distortion in the message or the receiver becoming distracted. A fairly common problem that has become more prominent in communication since the rise in popularity of electronic messaging is the inability to relate sarcasm, irony, or other emotions effectively. Usually when someone says something sarcastic it can be taken as a serious statement and the receiver can view the sender as ignorant or senseless. To fix this the person either has to relate the message through a more emotionally efficient channel, such as a telephone call, or include a signifier that allows the person to realize the text should be taken as sarcasm, such as including the tag /sarcasm afterwards. 3. What subject matter is at the heart of the field of communication? To answer this question, imagine that a friend or family member asked you what ‘communication’ as an academic subject was about. How would you respond to that person so that they had a clear understanding? a. Communication has changed a great deal over the last 2400 years but has always maintained a primary center to its study while adding more and more elements. In ancient Greece, Socrates and Plato used communication (then called Rhetoric) as a means to discover the truth and draw it out of their students. Aristotle took Plato’s view and expanded onto it that truth is not always absolute and humans must therefore ascertain the â€Å"probable† truth. These early understandings still hold relevant today and create a framework for the contemporary study of human communication. At the heart of communication is the need for understanding, the need for people to be able to help others understand what they’re saying and understand what others are saying. With this need for understanding Plato stated that rhetoric would be used to promote falsehood over truth while Aristotle saw that either falsehood or truth could be promoted and it is the duty of the citizen to use rhetoric to defend the truth. Communication covers the central topic of providing information to other people through multiple channels in an efficient and effective manner. As communication progresses it will continue to hold its central subject matter while adding more and more relevant areas of interpretation. 4. How was the ancient Greek city-state of Athens involved in the history of communication? What connections exist between communication in ancient Athens and communication in the world today? a. Athens was home to the three scholars who created the two primary views to what we currently know as communication. Socrates, Aristotle and Plato provided a strong foundation for the study of communication while coming from two different views of rhetoric. Socrates and Plato were credited to creating the view of â€Å"Divine Truth† which sought to use reasoning and dialogue to â€Å"draw out† knowledge and understanding. Where as, Aristotle viewed that truth is all around in the environment and must be taken in through the senses. Much of what Socrates, Aristotle and Plato put into communication (rhetoric) is still valid today; Aristotle stated communication is â€Å"purposive† and can be evaluated on whether they accomplish their purpose. Socrates demonstrated a strong relationship between communication that would result in the discovery and appreciation of truth and beauty; this gave a precedent to the value of ethics in communication. Each view puts value into a different way of viewing the truth that surrounds us every day; one sees that there is truth in everything and it’s up to the individual to find that truth while the other views that truth is dependent on the person and can change depending on a persons view. These two views from ancient Athens will continue to lead the study of communication and help shape the continued understanding of the field.

Micro Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Micro Economics - Essay Example ducts as good ones, buyers would take the quality to be uncertain and accordingly base their decisions on the average quality of the products leading to a decline on the average willingness to pay. As a result the products which were actually of good quality would not receive their deserved prices and would thus be driven out of the market and the market would be filled up with the worse quality products or â€Å"lemons†. Akerlof demonstrated his point by using the example of the market of used cars. Suppose there are both good quality used cars as well as bad or defective ones, i.e, the lemons, on offer in the market and the consumer is not able to infer before hand which type is being offered to him by any particular seller. He therefore assumes it to be of average quality and is prepared to pay equal to the price of the average quality used cars. The owner of a good quality car therefore will not get the deserved high price for it as the customer has no way of knowing that it is in quality higher than the average. Therefore this good quality car shall be withdrawn from the market and so will be all other good quality cars, leading to a fall in the average quality of cars in the market. As a result of this downward revision of average quality, moderately good cars shall also fail to earn sufficiently high prices and will thus be withdrawn. Recurrence of this mechanism finally leads to a situation w here only lemons are on offer in the market. To assess the validity of this proposition Bond (1982) attempted to empirically test it. In particular, the paper attempted to test the proposition that good products are driven out by bad products in the market for used pickup trucks. The amount of maintenance required on a particular truck was taken to be the measure of quality with the â€Å"lemons† being identified as used trucks that require significantly greater maintenance compared to the average. If the Akerlof argument is valid, then in this set up the result should

Transaction and Traselation Exposure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Transaction and Traselation Exposure - Essay Example s made by both the Indian and Australian subsidiary gave back less dollars on the combined income statement i.e., translation exposure, even with no earnings remitted back to the parent company (Homaifar, 2004). Jeeves (UK) plc’s combined earnings will be reduced by the translation effect brought as a result of depreciation of the British pound against the other international currencies. Because of the fact that foreign earnings are normally translated at the standard exchange rate over the financial year would eventually mean low value of foreign currencies yielding low level of combined income (Homaifar, 2004). Existence of purchasing power parity (PPP) means higher US inflation than that of Britain. Demand for Jeeves (UK) plc products may not be affected due to price inflation from US, Canada and other euro zones aimed at offsetting the British consumer capability to obtain cheaper dollars. The British consumers’ purchasing ability on Jeeves items of trade versus other country products are not affected by rise and fall in the pound value. The economic exposure of Jeeves, a heavy exporter to the euro zone would decline since no need currency exchange is vital. Likewise, translational exposure of Jeeves would decline since Britain’s economic statements will no longer need translation. (Homaifar, 2004). Multinational companies have the obligation of ensuring that they are capable of reducing risks associated with foreign exchange. This can be attributed to the undisputable fact that their earnings are reliant on the foreign exchange rates. Because foreign exchange rates can fluctuate either up or down which would mean a constructive or destructive effect on the Company’s real profit. This calls for knowledge on minimizing risks associated with the exchange rates if they are to maximize on their profits and increase company’s equity (Homaifar, 2004). Certain strategies employed by a company to minimize foreign exchange risks include, but not restricted

Health promotion smoking during pregnancy Essay

Health promotion smoking during pregnancy - Essay Example When the pregnant mother inhales chemicals such as nicotine and carbon monoxide, they pass into the placenta. The placenta connects the mother to the baby and carries oxygen and nutrients to the baby. Therefore when the mother smokes the poisons, she prevents the unborn baby from getting nutrients and oxygen which are essential to ensure proper growth of the baby. Smoking during pregnancy has been associated with poverty, low education, psychological illness and poor support from those around the pregnant mother (Lumley, Chamberlain and Downswell 2009). A mother who smokes cigarettes increases the carbon monoxide that is in the bloodstream. This reduces the oxygen that is being availed to the baby. According to the American Lung Association, it estimates that 20% of low-birth weight babies, 10% of infant deaths and 14% of premature deliveries are caused by smoking by the mothers during pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy leads to placenta complications where by the placenta moves and covers the cervix. This prevents the cervix from opening and hence delivery of the baby. This condition is known as placenta Previa. Mothers who smoke have a high risk of developing this complication during their pregnancy period. This condition leads to abnormal fetal growth (Harper, Odibo and MacOnes 2010). Great Britain is one of the countries in the United Kingdom which has recorded a high number of cigarette smokers. According to a report by Tobacco Advisory Group in Royal college, in 1948 the percentage of women smokers in Great Britain was 41%.This rose to 45% in the 1960’s.Statistics in England showed that in the year 2006, 32% of all expectant mothers smoked just before or during pregnancy. Women who are socially disadvantaged are likely to smoke during pregnancy. Pregnant women who smoke pose a threat to the health of their children. In United Kingdom maternal smoking has led to high rate of infant mortality. It has also led to

Business - building trust in the e-business Essay

Business - building trust in the e-business - Essay Example 3. Customer care: a presence of an organized customer care plan is necessary; providing services to customers efficiently related to information about produced, transaction and even about what Edward Entrepreneur is about. 4. Why to trust us- Trust in literature: a well defined but brief reasons of trust have to be mention in the website, including reasons why to trust the company. And an overlook of tutorial of the software in the website will also attract customers trust and interest both. As in ecommerce the main objective for the literature is persuade and satisfy the customer which will bring trust. (PROquest, 2011) With the objective to understand how trust is formed in commercial relational exchanges that take place within electronic environments, our review of the literature identified a number of works that provided the necessary theoretical background to aid our endeavors towards filling this gap 5. Quality of product: when a brief overlook of the tutorial will be provided on the site the customers will be able see the basic features of the software. And this will also lead people to trust the product. 6. Privacy Policy : the another prior reason over which people become reluctant in trusting e commerce sites is the reason that they are not comfortable to give there private information on internet. So to make a strong privacy policy the following points are needed to be added: b. Verified by visa: use verified by visa statement for a proof that the company is verified by visa banks and the information which customers will provide will not be missed used but will only be used for transaction of money. d. SSL certificate: Secure socket layer is an authorized protocol built specially for ecommerce. This assures and protects personal data of the customers used in transactions. A certificate of SSL will completely assure the customers to rely over the site. (TechGenix Ltd., 2011) The site with SSL certificate will ensure the customers that their

Reformation on the modern world Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reformation on the modern world - Research Paper Example The Reformation age can be also considered as fruition into the age of reason cutting down the legacy of unnecessary theological illusion (Kobe). The paper will be discussing about the impact of the reformation into the modern with the recognition that it was a revolution along with special reference to science, field of art and music and religion. 2. An abridgment of the impacts on the modern world Before moving in to in depth discussion, a brief insight of the impact on the modern world can be elucidated. Firstly, the reformation era splits Christendom into Catholic and Protestant with the destruction of the religious unity of Europe and weakening the authority of church (Holt, 133). The concept of modern secular and centralized state is an attribute of reformation, boosting power to the monarchs at the expense of the church bodies. In this respect it can be stated that the immediate aftermath was the establishment of absolute monarchy and the Protestantism through religious justif ications indirectly contributed to the development of the political liberty which is a predominant feature of the modern west. The notion of equality can be also seen as an evolution of the reformation era the fruits of which are enjoyed in the modern world. ... onscience in the reformation era may be regarded as a precursor of the development of the capitalist spirit and that of the underlying mechanism of the modern economic life (Weber, 42-45). 3. Science and Reformation period The modern science can be regarded as the germinating seed of the reformation period. The doctrine of creation and rationality can be said to be the indispensable part of the reformation period. The herald of scientific explanation in the reformation started from the study and direct observation of the nature. The names of the proponents like Martin Luther, Copernicus holds special reference as they can be regarded as the pioneers in introducing the scientific way of thinking (Kobe). 3.1 Medieval view The medieval world view believed that the nature was an everlasting process and that it kept going from moment to moment by miracle which was new and renewed forever. The presumption was that god; the Almighty was the one who ordered the universe with the help of the miracles. The process was also executed with the human being’s absolute faith in God (Kobe). 3.1 Rationalistic view- An exodus from the medieval view The above stated medieval view was protested in and around the fifteenth century by some intellectuals who wanted to explore the reasons of the miracles which demarcated the rationalistic view of science. The rationalistic view of nature implied that the mind of man is able to forecast the possibilities and impossibilities in the nature with proper justifications. Luther, Copernicus, other reformists and later on Marx also criticized the medieval and superstitious beliefs of the Church (Wuthnow, 492). 3.2 Luther and Copernicus Martin Luther was called the ‘Copernicus of theology’ and Copernicus was called the ‘Luther of astronomy’.

Introduction to East Asian Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Introduction to East Asian Cinema - Essay Example The movie had a well structured thematic direction and representation of Chinese culture that it gained government’s approval. Despite application of modern settings within the film, it possesses some close similarities with ‘Journey to the West’, which was released in February 2013 by Chinese Huayi Brother’s film company. Yoo (2012) says that with respect to the moral story behind Jia’s film, one can develop an understanding that the director strives to create a contrast between two different cultures. In this regard, one can say that Jai’s film, ‘The World’, portrays a theme of clash of civilization witnessed in modern globalized societies. ‘Journey to the West’ resembles ‘The World’ in key elements constituting its thematic structure. The movie features the struggle between Chu, and Huen in an effort to retrieve lost treasures stolen by a western insurgent group. This film employs a traditional Chinese setting in its physical portrayal of scenery background. The film’s director develops a fantasy-action film creating a contrast between western extremists and traditional Chinese fighters. Ciecko (2010) says that unlike Jia’s film, ‘Journey to the West’ incorporates significant use of imagery and classical dialog in enhancing development of an fantasy filled movie, with typical crew members representing traditional Chinese art. On the contrary, Jia adopts local actors to play defined roles in showing interactions between Western world and Chinese cultures. Therefore, there is a pronounced similarity between thematic construction of ‘The World’ and that of ‘Journey to the West’. ... ‘Journey to the West’ entails depiction of Chu demonstrating his martial art skills in elaborately traditional Chinese stages. In this movie, cultural designs remain conspicuous in the attire and infrastructural development of Kung-fu stages used in fights. In addition, Huen demonstrates his exceptional ability to blend tragedy and comedy into the movie. In this context, ‘Journey to the West’ film contains some similarities with one of the East Asian movie watched in class. The movie, ‘The World’, captures most of its key scenes within Beijing’s World Park. This park lies squarely inside China’s mainland. Despite this fact, infrastructure development inside the park seeks to create an environment different from that of actual Chinese environment. The main aim of the unique constructions inside the park is meant to create an environment, where tourists would be able to view representation of the world inside a single tourist attract ion site. Ciecko (2010) says that the park’s entrance bares structures resembling typical Roman castles and Gothic sculptures. In addition, gardens inside the left side of the main entrance depict symbolic Italian landscape in terms of terrain and the grand staircase. Apart from these features at the entrance, the world’s perception in enhanced by presence of typical landmark features located in different nations around the globe. Within the movie, ‘Journey to the West’, one main actor named Xuan Zang seems to develop significant interest in the structural and physical appearances of infrastructure within the extremists warehouse facility. Commander Steward, the leader of the extremist group runs into Xuan admiring the city view from

My Vision for holistic nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My Vision for holistic nutrition - Essay Example While holistic nutrition does not make any claims that a certain food, or a vitamin or mineral contained therein, will cure any degenerative disease, for instance cancer, adequately giving the body what it needs will help the body to heal itself. In holistic nutrition every person is viewed as an individual with different nutritional needs. The Holistic community believes that many variables play a role in establishing what may be a normal nutritional requirement, resulting in a â€Å"tailored† nutritional chart for individuals based on their needs. In contrast, Allopathic medicine looks at the population as a whole; it determines the norm based on an average requirement and applies that calculation to the individual, regardless of biochemical, environmental and physical differences. Holistic nutrition, as mentioned earlier, looks at the person as a whole, keeping the differences in body systems (neurological, structural, immune, reproductive, etc.) in view, and helps deal with the various challenges facing the body for optimal nutritional functionality. For example, instead of approaching depression, skeletal pain, and fatigue as three separate issues, thus calling for three separate prescriptions, a holistic nutriti onist will look at these three different weaknesses on the whole: what do they have in common and what systemic condition could be causing it. Such an approach treats the systems of the body as being interconnected and seeks to improve the health of the person on the whole. Holistic nutrition teaches that food is the best medicine. Dietary intake and supplements are important considerations when seeking to prevent illnesses or to strengthen a body already in crisis. Prescriptions medication may quiet or silence the symptoms of illness, but may not be able to identify and correct the root cause of the illness, which, in turn, will continue to weaken the body. A holistic

Causes and Consequences of Reduced Biodiversity Essay Example for Free

Causes and Consequences of Reduced Biodiversity Essay Causes and consequences of reduced biodiversity in tropical rain forests In many tropical countries, the majority of deforestation results from the actions of poor subsistence cultivators. However, in Brazil only about one-third of recent deforestation can be linked to cultivators. A large portion of deforestation in Brazil can be attributed to land clearing for pastureland by commercial and speculative interests, misguided government policies, inappropriate World Bank projects, and commercial exploitation of forest resources. For effective action it is imperative that these issues be addressed. Focusing solely on the promotion of sustainable use by local people would neglect the most important forces behind deforestation in Brazil. Brazilian deforestation is strongly correlated to the economic health of the country the decline in deforestation from 1988-1991 nicely matched the economic slowdown during the same period, while the rocketing rate of deforestation from 1993-1998 paralleled Brazils period of rapid economic growth. During lean times, ranchers and developers do not have the cash to rapidly expand their pasturelands and operations, while the government lacks funds to sponsor highways and colonization programs and grant tax breaks and subsidies to forest exploiters. Clearing for Cattle Pasture Cattle ranching are the leading cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. This has been the case since at least the 1970s: government figures attributed 38 percent of deforestation from 1966-1975 to large-scale cattle ranching. However, today the situation may be even worse. According to the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), between 1990 and 2001 the percentage of Europes processed meat imports that came from Brazil rose from 40 to 74 percent and by 2003 for the first time ever, the growth in Brazilian cattle production 80 percent of which was in the Amazon was largely export driven. Factors * CURRENCY DEVALUATION—The devaluation of the Brazilian real against the dollar effectively doubled the price of beef in reals and created an incentive for ranchers to expand their pasture areas at the expense of the rainforest. The weakness of the real also made Brazilian beef more competitive on the world market [CIFOR]. * CONTROL OVER FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE—The eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in much of Brazil has increased price and demand for Brazilian beef. * INFRASTRUCTURE—Road construction gives developers and ranchers access to previously inaccessible forest lands in the Amazon. Infrastructure improvements can reduce the costs of shipping and packing beef. * INTEREST RATES—Rainforest lands are often used for land speculation purposes. When real pasture land prices exceed real forest land prices, land clearing is a good hedge against inflation. At times of high inflation, the appreciation of cattle prices and the stream of services (milk) they provide may outpace the interest rate earned on money left in the bank. * LAND TENURE LAWS—In Brazil, colonists and developers can gain title to Amazon lands by simply clearing forest and placing a few head of cattle on the land. As an additional benefit, cattle are a low-risk investment relative to cash crops which are subject to wild price swings and pest infestations. Essentially cattle are a vehicle for land ownership in the Amazon. Colonization and subsequent subsistence agriculture A significant amount of deforestation is caused by the subsistence activities of poor farmers who are encouraged to settle on forest lands by government land policies. In Brazil, each squatter acquires the right (known as a usufruct right) to continue using a piece of land by living on a plot of unclaimed public land (no matter how marginal the land) and using it for at least one year and a day. After five years the squatter acquires ownership and hence the right to sell the land. Up until at least the mid-1990s this system was worsened by the government policy that allowed each claimant to gain title for an amount of land up to three times the amount of forest cleared. Poor farmers use fire for clearing land and every year satellite images pick up tens of thousands of fires burning across the Amazon. Typically understory shrubbery is cleared and then forest trees are cut. The area is left to dry for a few months and then burned. The land is planted with crops like bananas, palms, manioc, maize, or rice. After a year or two, the productivity of the soil declines and the transient farmers press a little deeper and clear new forest for more short-term agricultural land. The old, now infertile fields are used for small-scale cattle grazing or left for waste. Infrastructure Improvements Road construction in the Amazon leads to deforestation. Roads provide access to logging and mining sites while opening forest frontier land to exploitation by poor landless farmers. Brazils Trans-Amazonian Highway was one of the most economic development programs ever devised, and one of the most spectacular failures. In the 1970s, Brazil planned a 2,000 mile highway that would bisect the massive Amazon forest, opening rainforest lands to settlement by poor farmers from the crowded, drought-plagued north and development of timber and mineral resources. Colonists would be granted a 250-acre lot, six-months salary, and easy access to agricultural loans in exchange for settling along the highway and converting the surrounding rainforest into agricultural land. The plan would grow to cost Brazil US$65,000 1980 dollars to settle each family, an amazing amount for Brazil, a developing country at the time. Commercial agriculture Recently, soybeans have become one of the most important contributors to deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Thanks to a new variety of soybean developed by Brazilian scientists to flourish in rainforest climate, Brazil is on the verge of supplanting the United States as the worlds leading exporter of soybeans. High soybean prices have also served as an impetus to expanding soybean cultivation. Logging In theory, logging in the Amazon is controlled by strict licensing which allows timber to be harvested only in designated areas. However, there is significant evidence that illegal logging is quite widespread in Brazil. In recent years, Ibama Brazils environmental enforcement agency has made several large seizures of illegally harvested timber including one in September 2003 when 17 people were arrested for allegedly cutting 10,000 hectares worth of timber. Logging in the Amazon is closely linked with road building. Studies by the Environmental Defense Fund show that areas that have been selectively logged are eight times more likely to be settled and cleared by shifting cultivators than untouched rainforests because of access granted by logging roads. Logging roads give colonists access to rainforest, which they exploit for fuel wood, game, building material, and temporary agricultural lands. Fires Virtually all forest clearing, by small farmer and plantation owner alike, is done by fire. Though these fires are intended to burn only limited areas, they frequently escape agricultural plots and pastures and char pristine rainforest, especially in dry years like 2005. Many of the fires set for clearing forest for these purposes are set during the three-month burning season and the smoke produced creates widespread problems across the region, including airport closings and hospitalizations from smoke inhalation. These fires cover a vast area of forest. In 1987 during a four-month period, about 19,300 square miles of Brazilian Amazon were burned. The burning produced carbon dioxide containing more than 500 million tons of carbon, 44 million tons of carbon monoxide, and millions of tons of other particles and nitrogen oxides. An estimated 20 percent of fires that burn between June and October cause new deforestation, while another 10 percent is the burning of ground cover in virgin forest Mining Mining in the Brazilian Amazon presently results in limited deforestation due to crackdowns on informal miners known as garimpeiros. The pig iron industry may have the largest role in mining-driven deforestation by consuming wood to produce charcoal to fuel steel production.

Role of National Security in Pakistan

Role of National Security in Pakistan Pakistan had its first ever created national security policy from the day of its independence. At this stage it is important that Pakistan formed a comprehensive plan for the government for next five years to over come the difficulties of terrorism and low economic condition. Also the increasing terrorism in Pakistan has some severe issues on its national security. Much of the loss Pakistan faced in the previous some decades was due to the terrorism which is increasing day by day. This security policy is very significant in formulation because it shows a great effort to over come the situation of terrorism and we need a strategy plan to eliminate the security issues existing in our country. That internal policy made into soft component and hard component are comprehensive responsive plan (CRP) and composite deterrence plan(CDP) , respectively. These are set to combat against the threats to internal security. It is also criticize on some occasions but as a whole it is significant that the NSP is essential for this situation in Pakistan. What Is National Security? After the world war 2 , the different countries wants to be stable condidition in their countries. While their internal and external relations are not well.they are not advocated properly and need some kind of security measures to improve the condition of their relations with others. So in view of these instability America made its first policy which ensures their security measures at best level. Thus they made a council to take some serious steps in terms of their security making institutions.[1] In this way it is become the important factor to formulize the internal as well as external security policy for a better long term relations with others. What’s Included In National Security Policy? The national security policy (NSP) is not limited to the extent of security measures of a state. Thus it is now a wider term comprises of: economic , social , political and military strategy was well as the foreign policy. The secret agencies work under the government to uphold the situation of peace in the country and save it from the internal and external threats. As for a progress of a country it is essential for it that it hold a strong command over its economy and also its political structure be in democratic way transerfer from one to other in a fair manner. As terrorism is a fact who mostly mostly affected many of the countries and especially of the countries in which we live. The danger to our country lies in the policy making of our country and also the alliencies to which we are sided and on what basis we support them. Thus the national security policy determine our future and had a significant role in a countrys progress. Why Is There Any Need Of National Security Policy? One may asked that what so important in national security policy that’s it is essential for our country. The answer is very simple that from the day of independence Pakistan face issue of its existence. As in those days india is not ready to accept independence of Pakistan that’s why Pakistan has always a threat form india over its existence. Also india behavour over the neccession of states and war of 1948 , Pakistan has always a defensive position and had serious threats from some aliens force that’s why its impact on pakistans policy always remains. The Kashmir issue and Afghanistan role in 50s over independence of pakhtonistan become the hurdles in pakistans security threats and for that reason Pakistan has always remain in a defensive position. Also the increasing terrorism in Pakistan has some severe issues on its national security. Much of the loss Pakistan faced in the previous some decades was due to the terrorism which is increasing day by day. Due to instability of politics of Pakistan the democracy didn’t perform well and thus major decision were made by the dictators in Pakistan,for which Pakistan still faces crisis in every field due to improper planning. [2] The military intervention in Pakistans politics proves so fatal that its consequences are still observed in multiple forms. Thus due to these factors the national security didn’t operate well or didn’t made it to the required level. And Pakistan always faced crisis over Kashmir issue and in afghanistans issue. Emergence Of National Security Policy In Pakistan The concept of NSP arose in the regime of general yahaya khan who recommendation of the admiral ahsan formed a national security council (NSC). A NSC is formed to update the president and prime minister directly. Its main function os to provide the basic information on internal security. This NSC is dissolved by zulfiqar ali Bhutto and defense committee of cabinet (DCC) was created in its place. Then it is reconstructed by general zia ul haq. After this is remain in active for a long time as it is dissolved by DCC again by Benazir Bhutto. After that it is made active by general pervaiz musharraf in 2004 in which he made tariq aziz a civil bureucreat the secretary of NSC council. It worked for a long time unless in 2008 when ppp convert it into DCC agsin. The reason for not working properly this NSC was that it is always involved in the politics and help military to take over the civilian governments due to the members of its which are mostly from the retired military officers and bureucreats. That’s the reason it is become unfavourite for The civilian government and they always against this because they take care of the politics and not concern in making national security policy. Re-Construction Of NSC In Nawaz Regime 2013 As the nawaz sharif won the election of 2013 by majority seats of national assembly and formed a government in the center he thus made the sartaj aziz secretetary of national security council on june 2013. They greatly emphazised by the interior minister to formulat the national security policy in order to come over the terrorism situation in Pakistan. The interior minister ch. Nisar greatly contribute in the formulation of national security policy whose efforts are came up with the NISP of Pakistan and then presented to the NA of Pakistan to passed it but was delayed due to some improvements in it. This security policy is very significant in formulation because it shows a great effort to over come the situation of terrorism and we need a stretagy plan to eliminate the security issues existing in our country. Draft of national security policy for 2013-14 in Pakistan: The policy introduced by government of Pakistan comprises over three parts i,e Strategic Operational Secret There is some problem with this type of division because it is difficult to understand as it is comprises over some secret information which is not shareable with the public but it is appreciated that it is on such issues which are key factor for this policy.[3] It includes sovereignty of Pakistan and according to it the peace talk to stakeholder can be only one condition that the isolation of extremist from alien agencies funding. The NISP is formed due to the global terrorism in the whole of world and also the issue of Afghanistan and its effects to the pakistans security. Also focuses on the elimination of extremism, sectarianism , terrorism and militancy from our country and an adequate planning on it. The NISP also includes the internal security especially , but also focus on external security and strategy to come over such threats. This will remain included in the ministry of defense jurisdiction. The focus on other issues such as social , economic , environmental and political issues also included in the draft. Civil liberty emphasis in National security policy and ensure their safety. The threat perception as Pakistan face some serious extremism on its social and economic level. Also to break the shadow linkage of these organizations. Also to maintain writ of state. Ensures fundamental rights of people. As said earlier that internal policy made into soft component and hard component are comprehensive responsive plan (CRP) and composite deterrence plan(CDP) , respectively.these are set to combat against the threats to internal security. The first component of CRP comprise on peace talks and also the rehabilitation of the victims of terrorism. The programme of reconstruction of those institutions affected by the terrorism are monitor by NACTA. NACTA will develop de-radicalisation with help of NISP. NACTA will also started a reconciliation with consultation of various groups for peace building process in Pakistan. The re-integration process provides people to improve their economic condition by applying Youth Engagement Strategy (YES). It also improves the educational madrassas system by supporting them in their finance and administration system. The NISP will also focus to come up with certain legal reforms in our legal system to improve the judicial system as well as ensures fundamental rights of people by courts. NACTA represents the reports on how to improve the prosecution , judiciary and police etc. Composite deterrene plan (CDP) will allow many national internal security apparatus to work properly and provides them full technique help on all issues. The NISP also improves the national internal security institutions. An awareness to people is given to stop the extremism , sectarianism and terrorism through media , civil society. The implementation on the de-radicalization also included so that the rehabilitation may acquire upto a desire level. A proper gateway to monitor madrassas and religious institutions at federal and provincial level. Improve the situation of socially and economic of terrorism affected areas at federal and provincial level. The rehabilitation of children , women and minorities must be ensured. The places of national heritage must be preserved under a specific policy. Steps should be taken to de-ammunize the cities. Steps should be taken to evoke the misuse of media , social media and reforms on issuance of new mobile sim. The cybercrimes prohibited and take measures against it.[4] Improve national database system so that the identification of people and evaluaton on their assets be ensured. The measurement on the problem of afghan refugees and control their movement under the law. Steps taken to stop the smuggling in country and improvement in border line security. An agency of directorate of internal security (DIS) is made which will work under NACTA. This agency had 33 members which are from civilians as well as from military men who works together to conduct intelligence on internal security. This will eliminate terrorism from country and also ensures public safety. There should be a federal rapid response force (FRRF) with counter terrorism department (CTD) which works in Capital Terroritery , FATA , Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan with their unique coordination and command. Beside this there should be a provincial rapid response force (PRRF) with CTD also exist at provincial level. Also taken measure for the destruction of biological weapons and its use is prohibited. The international cooperation is required to control global terrorism and also their coordination. All agencies report issues to NACTA within 30 days limit. The information is also provided to ministry of defense under which they work and provide them with full information where required . Also the information from public required and suggestions are invited through intelligence and media. These suggestion are improved NISP by NACTA. Implementation Of The National Security Policy The implementation of the NSP is ensured by the counter terrorism department CTD with the help of police and other institutions of the type because the coordination and proper cooperation it is not implement. The police will help the DIS to gather information and present it to the national internal security operation center (NISOC) for further improvement in NSP. The police shall establish a specialized counter terrorism department for their help and maintenance and establishment of weapons and machinery exist according to NSP.[5] The facility of air flight emergency shall provided to these institutions. Good Intentions In National Security Policy The NACTA is an important step by the government as this NACTA (National Counter Terrorism Authority) is linkage between federal and provincial level and also between the security agencies because the lack of coordination can result in very drastic condition of security issues and face crises after this lack of coordination. Reforms in madrassas also appreciable. Cooperation between civil and military institutions Issue of afghan refugees Cooperation between federal and provincial level Action against cybercrimes Formulation of RRF(rapid responsive force ) Fundamental Rights of people Process of rehabilitation , reconciliation and reconstruction of terrorism affected areas Isolation of terrorist Criticism On National Security Policy Some of the issues are criticize in the national security policy of Pakistan and also some suggestions are given to government on this draft which are as follows: As the policy divides into three parts that is strategic , operational and secret so the classification or justification of issues become so confused that one may not defined them in proper category. The draft as said the extremism , sectarianism , terrorism and militancy division but the document need some explanation on their difference so that people should aware properly in this respect. As civil liberties are ensured but there is not a comprehensive legal regime in this respect and need a committee of jurist to overview the legal system. Also the disputes are peacefully solve under the rule of law but the extremist didn’t admit rule of law of state so what will the basis for the talks with the stakeholders are need to be improve. There are also some protection on comprehensive response plan CRP and combined deterrence plan CDP and need some justification on such issues. The cooperation between the federal responsive force RRF and provincial responsive force exist but what if they are not agreed on the cooperation. Instead of making the counter terrorism department the reforms shall be introduced in the police and made CTD under the police so that the security issues can be made better.[6] Also the security institutions need some men with brains not with guns and officials should be involved in the field of communication , forensic , lawyers , and financial experts etc. In short there may be some flaws in the national security but its significance can not be denied at all and it’s a good step taken by government. Nowadays as there are concept of global terrorism and without a strict cooperation between institutions the peace situation can never be achieved. So for a peaceful environment these steps should be taken at all cost. This NSP hope best prove for our country and we achieved a situation of law and order in our Pakistan. It is also criticize on some occasions but as a whole it is significant that the NSP is essential for this situation in Pakistan. Bibliography http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/05-03-2014(Wednesday) (accessed 5 05, 2014). http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/national_security_strategy (accessed 5 6, 14). †¢ http://www.fas.org/man/docs/nssr-98 (accessed 5 7, 14). http://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/NR/rdonlyres/9EE78C07-C971-440B-B297- (accessed 5 7, 14). PILDAT. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.pildat.org/Publications/publication/CMR/NationalInternalSecurtiyPolicy_AnAnalysis (accessed 04 05, 2014). the nation. http://www.nation.com.pk/islamabad/06-Mar-2014/mnas-for-joint-session-to-debate-nisp (accessed 5 5, 2014). WN.COM. http://article.wn.com/view/2014/03/02/Internal_Security_Policy_aims_for_deradicalisation_in_Pakist/ (accessed 5 5, 2014). alarabiya. http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/world/2014/03/04/Imperatives-of-Pakistan-National-Security-Policy.html (accessed 5 6, 14). haider, ejaz. (accessed 5 6http://newsweekpakistan.com/national-internal-security-policy-and-the-road-ahead/, 14). the hindu.com. http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/internal-security-policy-aims-for-deradicalisation-in-pakistan/article5743530.ece (accessed 5 6, 14). [1] http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/05-03-2014(Wednesday) (accessed 5 05, 2014). [2] PILDAT. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.pildat.org/Publications/publication/CMR/NationalInternalSecurtiyPolicy_AnAnalysis (accessed 04 05, 2014). [3] http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/05-03-2014(Wednesday) (accessed 5 05, 2014). [4] http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/05-03-2014(Wednesday) (accessed 5 05, 2014). [5] the nation. http://www.nation.com.pk/islamabad/06-Mar-2014/mnas-for-joint-session-to-debate-nisp (accessed 5 5, 2014). [6] http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/national_security_strategy (accessed 5 6, 14).

Flattery Holds The Key :: essays research papers

It's a Saturday night and you want to go out for the evening. To do this you need the car, what do you do? Flattery is the way to go: " Mom, did you lose weight? You look amazing! Is that a new hair color? New outfit? " Your mom is so flattered that when you ask for the car she doesn't need to think twice before she hands you the keys. From that point on, you know that whenever you want something all you have to do is put on the charm, flash that big smile and tell a few white lies. After this your wish is their command. Why is this? Well, as you can see flattery will get you everywhere. Even Shakespeare knew the powers of flattery. He portrays in flattery in the play King Lear by the characters Regan and Goneril. It is clear that flattery makes every goal attainable whether it be wealth, power and even the most sacred emotion love. It is unimaginable that a father would divide his wealth among his children according to their skills in flattery. All parents are supposed to love their children at an equal level, no matter how much their child flatters them. Which parent would think to ask their children to outdo each other in a battle of words to win their money and material goods. This is the case in Shakespeare's King Lear. Even in the first scene Lear is asking his daughters which one of them loves him more. " Which of you shall we say doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend" (I,i, 52-53). With this demand of knowing who loves him more, Lear offers a reward, all his land. This reward is key to the show of emotion each daughter displays to please her father. His two older daughters jump at the opportunity to compliment and flatter their father, but their words are empty promises and lies. These two daughter are only kind to Lear when he has money: The wise fool tells Lear that only wh en there is a reward will he be treated kindly by his children. "Fathers that wear rags/ Do make their children blind;/ But fathers that bear bags/ Shall see their children kind" (II,iv,48-51). Regan and Goneril feed their father pretty words on a silver platter and Lear swallows every lie.

Legalizing Drugs Essay -- Illegal Drugs Narcotics

Legalizing Drugs Drug legalization is an enduring question that presently faces our scholars. This issue embraces two positions: drugs should not be legalized and drugs should be legalized. These two positions contain an array of angles that supports each issue. This brief of the issues enables one to consider the strengths and weakness of each argument, become aware of the grounds of disagreement and agreement and ultimately form an opinion based upon the positions stated within the articles. In the article â€Å"Against the Legalization of Drugs†, by James Q. Wilson, the current status of drugs is supported. Wilson believes if a drug such as heroin were legalized there would be no financial or medical reason to avoid heroin usage; therefore, anybody could afford it (367). Wilson stated that during 1960’s, British physicians were allowed to prescribe heroin to addicts until the number of addicts increased fivefold. He argued that cocaine is not a â€Å"victimless crime.† Addicts victimize children by neglect and spouses by not providing (370). Wilson upholds that illegality of drugs increases crime because users need to pay for their habit (372). He believes the benefit of illegal drugs is it forces patients who enter under legal compulsion to complete their treatment due to the pressure and drug-education programs in the schools (374). Wilson is convinced the difference between nicotine and cocaine is that while tobacco shortens one’s life, cocaine debase it and destroys the addicts humanity (375). Wilson’s argument is strong because he demonstrates his knowledge of the subject and supports it with many clear, scientific facts and historical examples of drug usage. He interprets facts differently by seeing â€Å"logical fallacy and factual error† (371) in what other perceive as being a true. He also acknowledges his opposition by addressing how the advocates of legalization respond to his position. Wilson recognizes that that he may b e wrong about his conclusions of drug legalization. Yet he states if he is wrong, money will be saved, while if he is right, and the legalizers prevail, then millions of people, thousands of infants and hundreds of neighborhoods will live a life of disease (377-8). In the article â€Å"Drug Policy and the Intellectuals,† by William J. Bennentt, drug legalization was not supported. Bennett wants to address the â€Å"root causes† of drugs by means of... ...ons of this issue provide were fully supported. I concluded that the anti-legalist hold a stronger argument than the legalist. Still, Drug legalization is an enduring question that presently faces our scholars. Works Cited Bennett, William J. â€Å"Drug Policy and the Intellectuals.† Drug Policy 1989-90, A Guide. Ed. Arnold S Trebach and Kevin B. Zeese. Rpt. In Current Issues and Enduring Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 1996. 358-64. Schmoke, Kurt, â€Å"A War for the Surgeon General, Not the Attorney General.† New Perspectives. Rpt. in Current Issues and Enduring Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 1996. 379-84. Tooley Michael, â€Å" Our Current Drug Legalization: Grounds for Reconsideration,† Newsletter of the Center for Values and Social Policy, vol8, no. 1, Spring 1994. Rpt.in Current Issues and Enduring Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 1996. 385-89. Wilson, James Q, â€Å"Against the legalization of Drugs,† Commentary, Feburary 1990. Rpt.in Current Issues and Enduring Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 1996. 365-78.

Church Teamwork Essay

Teamwork is work performed by a team towards a common goal. It involves working confidently within a group, contributing your own ideas effectively, and taking a share of the responsibility. Church teamwork: A group of Christian working together as one towards achieving a common goal. It also involves believing in one another’s idea. The Bible gives references to the benefits of sharing responsibilities with others. Biblical teamwork and the sharing of responsibilities can be seen as far back as the creation of Adam and Eve when God said, â€Å"It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him. † (Gen. 2:18) This scripture applies to much more than Adam’s need for a helper or a teammate. From the beginning God intended that man would live, play, and work with help. The Old Testament and the New Testament both support teamwork. The notion of someone being isolated in God’s creative order is not the plan of the Creator. Biblical examples of teamwork Four Friend TeamMark 2 Team sharing in the first churchAct 4 Team leaders in the early Church: Overseer & DeaconsI Tim 3 A boy, five loaves, two fishes and the disciple teamJohn 6 How team function †¢Selection of team leaders (Exodus 18: 15-27). Who is willing to be trained? †¢Placing people in the right place: Begin with a core group †¢Before nominations of leaders are made, there must be vision Habk 2:2 Benefits of team work †¢Team development will facilitate numerical growth. †¢Greater synergy (the use of all gifts) will be experienced †¢More innovation will take place I NEED YOU TO SURVIVE I need you, you need me We’re all a part of God’s body Stand with me, agree with me We’re all a part of God’s body Repeat verse 1 It is His will that every need be supplied You are important to me I need you to survive Repeat verse 2 (Repeat verse 1&2) I pray for you, you pray for me I love you, I need you to survive I won’t harm you with words from my mouth I love you I need you to survive Repeat verse 3 (3x) It is His will that every need be supplied You are important to me I need you to survive Repeat verse 4

Babies Having Babies

My life as a teenager would soon be coming to an end and my life as mommy would be coming up faster then expected. It all started June 10th 2012, my family and I had just finished eating our dinner celebrating my achievement of getting my GED. I had received cards, gifts, and even some money from my family members for finally receiving this GED after being out of school for my senior year. Everybody was so happy for me even my dad, which was not a very common emotion for him to express towards me. Unfortunately their happiness would soon be long gone.For it was the night before this that I had five different tests all of which said the same thing in different ways, I was pregnant. I was not ready for this kind of responsibility. I was not ready physically, emotionally, and financially to take care of even myself yet now I had to find a way to provide all of those things for a child. I was only seventeen, turning eighteen in July; I was still a child myself. To many people I would be viewed as a delinquent because of getting pregnant. On the other hand, others might have seen this coming since my mom also had me at a young age.Many also believe all teens who get pregnant will fail. Although these beliefs and views from others were in my head at the time, I knew I needed to tell my family I was pregnant, find out how far along I was, and make a life changing decision. When I decided to tell my mom and stepdad I was terrified. I was so scared they would shun me and tell me they didn’t want me to live with them and they wouldn’t be supportive. I was also afraid my mother would be disappointed in me for following in her footsteps.To my surprise, their reaction was actually the opposite of that. They didn’t judge me at all. In fact they both hugged me and reassured me that everything would be okay and we would all get through this together, like family should. After telling my mom and stepdad I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders because I knew I had the support I needed. My dad on the other hand was not as supportive. He judged me right away and told me I was just trying to be like the people on the shows Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant.He also told me he was disappointed and pretty much shunned me from his life just as he had did to my mom when she was pregnant with me. I was so upset he automatically assumed I was pregnant because of shows on the T. V. However I was even more upset he treated me the same way he treated my mom. My own father, along with many other people, believed I was influenced by people and things around me to become pregnant. Although my dad and other people viewed me as a disgrace and a copy cat, I didn’t let that affect me because I had other things to worry about. One of which was how far along I was.My mom already was way ahead of me for this situation and already called for an appointment with Mayo Clinic to find out how far along I was and to meet my doctor. When we finally went to the ex am room, after countless minutes in the waiting room, the nurse revealed to me that I was eight weeks pregnant. After she went through about forty questions asking about my health she began telling me about services that would help me. Such as: social workers, the WIC program, public health nurses, and counseling groups for young mothers. She also had me do a number of tests to see if I was on drugs or under the influence of some sort.My mom was a little skeptical of this because when she was pregnant with my younger sisters, at a far older age than me, the doctors and nurses did not offer her all these programs nor did they make her take as many drug tests. So the fact that I was a teenager who was pregnant the medical professionals needed to offer these sorts of programs and do those tests. They believed out of most pregnant women that teens will need the most help so they do not fail. I was a teenager and was going to become a teenage mother. The thought of that still gives me sh ivers to this day.Maybe I did need the extra help to lower the chances of failing. Even though these thoughts of failing were present I wanted to look into the other options I had. For the first option adoption, I knew this would be a perfect opportunity to find a family that was more than capable of raising my child and giving it a better life than I could. This option would also give me the opportunity to better my life by going through school without having to worry about a crying baby. However I knew people who have done adoption and they seemed so sad and depressed that their child called some other woman their mom.This made me reconsider the option because I was afraid of just that; seeing my child calling another family theirs. For the second option abortion, I knew that this would be an easy way out. This would be the best way to forget about the whole situation but it was also wrong and a cruel thing to do. If I were to get an abortion I would not only throw myself into the wagon of ‘bad people’ and ‘killers’ but I would get judged by every person who knew of my pregnancy. Since adoption and abortion were both a no go, I only had one option left; to raise the baby myself.This idea frightened me, and I even went back and tried to convince myself that adoption would be a better option. Raising a baby would be stressful and very difficult but the outcome would be worth it. So maybe I could be able to raise a child, I had the support of my family, had a job, and also had enough programs to help me through it all. All of which would lower the chances of me failing. Now all i needed was the little voice in my head to say â€Å"you can do it†. To this day that little voice is screaming those four words louder than ever.Even though others view me as a misfit, disgrace, or a follower to those around me; I know I will do the best I can possibly do to not fail, and to also provide my son with the chance of a good life. By getting the support from at least some of my family members, finding out how far along I was, and choosing the right option to take; I know I can make it through this. I was going to be a teenage mother but I am enrolled in fall courses at RCTC, working food service at Mayo Clinic, and basically growing up for the sake of my child’s future: therefore I could in fact do it, I could raise a child on my own.

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 14

damon Where were they? Elena watched the water anxiously. If anything had happened to Meredith or Stefan, it was Elena's fault. She had convinced Stefan to let Meredith jump the fal s. His objections had been total y reasonable; she could see that now. Meredith had been marked for death. For God's sake, Celia had almost been kil ed simply getting off a train. What had Meredith been thinking, jumping off a cliff into water when she was in the same sort of peril? What had Elena been thinking of to let her? She should have been by Stefan's side, holding Meredith back. And Stefan. She knew he ought to be fine; the rational part of her brain kept reminding her that Stefan was a vampire. He didn't even need to breathe. He could stay underwater for days. He was incredibly strong. But not so long ago, she had thought Stefan was gone forever, stolen by the kitsune. Bad things could happen to him – vampire or not. If she lost him now through her own stupid fault, through her own stubbornness and insistence that everyone pretend that life could be the way it used to be – that they could have some simple fun without doom fol owing them – Elena would lie do wn and die. â€Å"Do you see anything?† Bonnie asked, a tremble in her voice. Her freckles stood out in dark dots against her pale face, and her normal y exuberant red curls were plastered flat and dark against her head. â€Å"No. Not from up here.† Elena shot her a grim look, and before she even consciously made the decision, she dived into the pool. Underwater, Elena's vision was clouded by the froth and sand thrown up by the fal s, and she treaded water for a moment as she tried to peer around. She saw a patch of darkness that looked like it might be human figures off near the middle of the pool and struck out toward it. Thank God, Elena thought fervently. When she got closer, the darkness resolved itself into Meredith and Stefan. They seemed to be struggling against something in the water, Stefan's face near Meredith's legs, Meredith's hands reaching desperately toward the surface. Her face was bluish from lack of oxygen, and her eyes were wide with panic. Just as Elena came close to them, Stefan jerked sharply and Meredith shot upward. As if in slow motion, Elena saw Meredith's arm swing toward her as Meredith rose. A sudden blow sent Elena shooting backward toward the rocks behind the fal s, the fal s pushing her deeper underwater as she passed under them. This is bad, she had just enough time to think, and then her head hit the rocks and everything went black. When Elena awoke, she found herself in her room at home, stil in her bathing suit. Sun shone through the window, but Elena was wet and shivering with cold. Water trickled from her hair and bathing suit, droplets winding down her arms and legs and puddling on the carpet. She was unsurprised to see that Damon was there, looking as sleek and dark and poised as ever. He'd been perusing her bookshelf, as comfortable as if he were in his own home, and he wheeled around to stare at her. â€Å"Damon,† she said weakly, confused but, as always, so happy to see him. â€Å"Elena!† he said, appearing delighted for a moment, and then he frowned. â€Å"No,† he said sharply. â€Å"Elena, wake up.† â€Å"Elena, wake up.† The voice was frightened and desperate, and Elena fought the darkness that seemed to be holding her down and opened her eyes. Damon? she almost said, but bit the word back. Because of course it was Stefan who was gazing worriedly into her eyes, and even sweet, understanding Stefan might object to her cal ing him by his dead brother's name twice in one day. â€Å"Stefan,† she said, remembering. â€Å"Is Meredith al right?† Stefan wrapped her tightly in his arms. â€Å"She wil be. Oh, God, Elena,† he said. â€Å"I thought I was going to lose you. I had to pul you to shore. I didn't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice trailed off, and he hugged her even closer to his chest. Elena did a quick self-inventory. She was sore. Her throat and lungs hurt, probably from breathing in water and coughing it out. There was sand al over her, coating her arms and bathing suit, and it was starting to itch. But she was alive. â€Å"Oh, Stefan,† Elena said, and closed her eyes for a moment, resting her head against him. She was so cold and wet, and Stefan was so warm. She could hear his heart beating beneath her ear. Slower than a human's, but there, steady and reassuring. When she opened her eyes again, Matt was kneeling next to them. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked her. When she nodded, he turned his gaze to Stefan. â€Å"I should have jumped in,† he said guiltily. â€Å"I should have helped you save them. Everything seemed to happen so fast, and by the time I knew something was real y wrong, you were bringing them back out of the water.† She sat up and touched Matt's arm, feeling a warm flood of affection for him. He was so good, and he felt so responsible for al of them. â€Å"Everyone's fine, Matt,† she said. â€Å"That's what matters.† A few feet away, Alaric was inspecting Meredith as Bonnie hovered over them. Celia stood a little farther away, her arms wrapped around herself as she watched Alaric and Meredith. When Alaric shifted away, Meredith caught Elena's eye. Her face was white with pain, but she managed to give her an apologetic smile. â€Å"I didn't mean to hit you,† she said. â€Å"And Stefan, I should have listened to you, or just had more sense and stayed on shore.† She grimaced. â€Å"I think I might have sprained my ankle. Alaric's going to drive me to the hospital so they can tape it up.† â€Å"What I want to know,† Bonnie said, â€Å"is whether this means it's al over. I mean, Celia's name appeared, and she was almost strangled in the train doors. And Meredith's name appeared, and she almost drowned. They both got saved – by Stefan, good job, Stefan – so does that mean they're safe now? We haven't seen any more names.† Elena's heart lightened with hope. But Matt was shaking his head. â€Å"It's not that easy,† he said darkly. â€Å"It's never that easy. Just because Meredith and Celia could be saved one time, it doesn't mean whatever it is isn't stil after them. And even though her name wasn't cal ed, Elena was in danger, too.† Stefan's arms were stil around Elena, but they felt hard and unyielding. When she glanced up at his face, his jaw was set and his green eyes ful of pain. â€Å"I'm afraid it's not the end. Another name has appeared,† he told them. â€Å"Meredith, I don't think you could have seen it, but the plants you were tangled in spel ed it out against your legs.† Everyone gasped. Elena clutched his arm, her stomach dropping. She looked at Matt, at Bonnie, at Stefan himself. They'd never seemed more precious to her. Which one of the people who she loved was in danger? â€Å"Wel , don't keep us in suspense,† Meredith said wryly. Her color was better, Elena noted, and her voice sounded crisp and competent again, although she winced as Alaric touched her ankle gently. â€Å"Whose name was it?† Stefan hesitated. His eyes darted to Elena and then quickly away. He licked his lips in a nervous gesture she'd never seen from him before. Taking a deep breath, he final y said, â€Å"The name the plants spel ed out was Damon.† Bonnie sat down with a thump, as though her legs had given way. â€Å"But Damon's dead,† she said, her brown eyes wide. But for some reason the news didn't shock Elena to the core. Instead, a hard, bright feeling of hope flooded her. It would make sense. She had never believed someone like Damon could just be gone. â€Å"Maybe he's not,† she heard herself say, lost in thought as she recal ed the Damon in her dreams. When she had passed out under the water, she had seen him again, and he had told her to wake up. Was that dreamlike behavior? It could have been her subconscious warning her, she supposed doubtful y, but his name had appeared underwater. Could he be alive? He had died – she had no doubt about that. But he was a vampire; he had died before, and lived again. The Guardians had tried, they said, and they had said there was no way to bring Damon back. Was it a pointless hope? Was the eager beating of her heart at the thought that Damon might be alive just Elena fooling herself? Elena snapped back to the present to find her friends staring at her. There was a moment of complete silence, as if even the birds had stopped singing. â€Å"Elena,† Stefan said gently. â€Å"We saw him die.† Elena gazed into Stefan's green eyes. Surely, if there was any reason to hope, he would feel it the same way she did. But his gaze was steady and sad. Stefan, she saw, had no doubt that Damon was dead. Her heart squeezed painful y. â€Å"Who's Damon?† Celia asked, but no one answered. Alaric was frowning. â€Å"If Damon's definitely dead,† he said, â€Å"if you're sure about that, then whatever is causing these accidents might be playing on your grief, trying to hit you where it hurts. Perhaps there's an emotional danger here that it's trying to create as wel as a physical one.† â€Å"If spel ing out Damon's name is meant to upset us, then it's aiming at Stefan and Elena,† Matt said. â€Å"I mean, it's no secret that Meredith and I didn't like him much.† He crossed his arms defensively. â€Å"I'm sorry, Stefan, but it's true.† â€Å"I respected Damon,† said Meredith, â€Å"especial y after he worked so hard with us in the Dark Dimension, but it's true that his death didn't†¦ affect me the way it did Elena and Stefan. I have to agree with Matt.† Elena glanced at Bonnie and noticed that her jaw was clenched and her eyes glistened with angry tears. As Elena watched, Bonnie's bright eyes dul ed and lost focus, gazing off into the distance. She stiffened and turned her face up toward the top of the cliff. â€Å"She's having a vision,† Elena said, jumping to her feet. Bonnie spoke in a voice flatter and rougher than her own. â€Å"He wants you, Elena,† she said. â€Å"He wants you.† Elena fol owed her gaze toward the cliff. For a wild moment, that hard, bright hope came bursting back into her chest again. She ful y expected to see Damon up there, smirking down at them. It would be just like him, if he'd somehow survived death, to show up suddenly, make a grand entrance, and then pass off the miracle with a shrug and a dry quip. And there was someone standing at the top of the cliff. Celia gave a little scream, and Matt swore loudly. It wasn't Damon, though. Elena could tel that right away. The silhouetted figure was broader than Damon's lithe form. But the sun was so bright she couldn't make out the person's features, and she lifted her hand to shade her eyes. Like a halo, blond curly hair gleamed in the sunlight. Elena frowned. â€Å"I think,† she said, recognition dawning on her, â€Å"that's Caleb Smal wood.†

The Chinese Cultural Revolution

The Cultural Revolution in China was a social movement that took place in 1966 through 1976. This movement involved major changes that took place in the political, economic and social nature of China. These changes were very often for violent and corrupted means. This Cultural Revolution threatened China for 10 years. In the beginning of the revolution. â€Å"Destructive groups such as Red Guards and The Cultural Revolution Authority grasped the power, and China drove into the severe confusion† (http://library. hinkquest. org/26469/cultural-revolution/). Mao Zedong lead these Red Guard units â€Å"which denunciated and persecuted Chinese teachers and intellectuals, engaged in widespread book burnings, facilitated mass relocations, and enforced Mao's cult of personality† (http://www. infoplease. com/ce6/history/A0814235. html). His goal was to prevent the development of a bureaucratized Soviet style of Communism. The Red Guard units turned violent and lead to the group s plitting up into different sides.Agricultural production declined, but the countryside area experienced less disorder than in the cities. â€Å"Production was reduced in the modern nonagricultural sectors in several ways. The most direct cause of production halts was the political activity of students and workers in the mines and factories. A second cause was the extensive disruption of transportation resulting from the requisitioning of trains and trucks to carry Red Guards around the country. Output at many factories suffered from shortages of raw materials and other supplies.A third disruptive influence was that the direction of factories was placed in the hands of revolutionary committees, consisting of representatives from the party, the workers, and the People's Liberation Army, whose members often had little knowledge of either management or the enterprise they were supposed to run. In addition, virtually all engineers, managers, scientists, technicians, and other profession al personnel were â€Å"criticized,† demoted, â€Å"sent down† to the countryside to â€Å"participate in labor,† or even jailed, all of which resulted in their skills and knowledge being lost to the enterprise† (http://countrystudies. s/china/90. htm). The Cultural Revolution also had greater effects on the economy, in which foreign equipment was imported and technological advancement was needed.But the most serious and enduring effect on the economy was the lack of highly educated people do to the closing of the universities. China was unable to develop new technology and work with the imported technology because of its lack of highly educated personal. As political stability was gradually restored, a renewed drive for coordinated, balanced development was set in motion under the leadership of Premier Zhou Enlai† (http://countrystudies. us/china/90. htm). During the mid 1970s, a group known as the Gang of Four attempted to dominate the power center through their network of supporters and, most important, through their control of the media (http://countrystudies. us/china/90. htm). Mao Zedong died, and one month later the Gang of Four was arrested.

Project Network Design Essay

The best network design to ensure the security of Corporation Techs internal access while retaining public Web site availability consists of several layers of defense in order to protect the corporation’s data and provide accessibility to employees and the public. The private-public network edge is considered particularly vulnerable to intrusions, because the Internet is a publicly accessible network and falls under the management purview of multiple network operators. For these reasons, the Internet is considered an untrusted network. So are wireless LANs, which-without the proper security measures in place-can be hijacked from outside the corporation when radio signals penetrate interior walls and spill outdoors. The network infrastructure is the first line of defense between the Internet and public facing web servers. Firewalls provide the first line of defense in network security infrastructures. They accomplish this by comparing corporate policies about users’ netw ork access rights to the connection information surrounding each access attempt. User policies and connection information must match up, or the firewall does not grant access to network resources; this helps avert break-ins. Network firewalls keep communications between internal network segments in check so that internal employees cannot access network and data resources that corporate policy dictates are off-limits to them. By partitioning the corporate intranet with firewalls, departments within an organization are offered additional defenses against threats originating from other departments. In computer networks, a DMZ (demilitarized zone) is a computer host or small network inserted as a â€Å"neutral zone† between a company’s private network and the outside public network. It prevents outside users from getting direct access to a server that has company data. A DMZ is an optional and more secure approach to a firewall and effectively acts as a proxy server as well. Security is the  heart of internetworking. The world has moved from an Internet of implicit trust to an Internet of pervasive distrust. In network security, no packet can be trusted; all packets must earn that trust through a network device’s ability to inspect and enforce policy. Clear text (unencrypted data) services represent a great weakness in networks. Clear text services transmit all information or packets, including user names and passwords, in unencrypted format. Services such as file transfer protocol (FTP), email, telnet and basic HTTP authentication all transmit communications in clear text. A hacker with a sniffer could easily capture user names and passwords from the network without anyone’s knowledge and gain administrator access to the system. Clear text services should be avoided; instead secure services that encrypt communications, such as Secure Shell (SSH) and Secure Socket Layer (SSL), should be used. The use of routers and switches will allow for network segmentation and help defend against sniffing Corporation Tech may want to have their own web or email server that is accessible to Internet users without having to go to the expense and complexity of building a DMZ or other network for the sole purpose of hosting these services. At the same time they may want to host their own server instead of outsourcing to an ISP (Internet Service Provider) or hosting company. Corporation Tech can use NAT (Network Address Translation) to direct inbound traffic that matches pre-defined protocols to a specific server on the internal or private LAN. This would allow Corporation Tech to have a single fixed public IP address to the Internet and use private IP addresses for the web and email server on the LAN. Network Diagram and Vulnerabilities Network infrastructure using Class C network address 192.168.1.0. The Main Servers using Virtual Machine software was configured with a static IP address of 192.168.50.1. This server controls DHCP, DNS and Active Directory. The Web Server is located outside the network in the DMZ. Internal network is configured on separate VLAN’s to separate department traffic and manage data access. Cisco Internal firewall was installed and configured to manage the internal network on the LAN. The Cisco firewall 2 implemented to manage remote traffic entering the LAN. This provides layered  security to the network. Several ports have been identified as vulnerabilities in the Corporation Techs network that allowed information to be transferred via clear text and as such they have been closed. Additional ports that could be used for gaming, streaming and Peer to Peer have been blocked or closed to reduce unauthorized access to the network. All ports known to be used for malicious purposes have been closed as a matter of best practices. All standard ports that do not have specific applications requiring access have been closed. The ports listed below are standard ports that have been blocked to minimize unauthorized packet transfer of clear text: Port 21 – FTP Port 23 -Telnet Port 110 – POP3 Port 80 – Basic HTTP Hardening Practices Develop a baseline Close all unused Ports Redirect traffic to secure ports example HTTPS (443) or higher Configure Firewall to allow or deny secure traffic Install IDS and IPS Review monitor logs on the network and compare to baseline for any intrusions Policies Develop and Implement network Acceptable User policy (AUP) which must be signed before using the network Assign Permissions and Rights Password Policy must be in place on all devices and enforce End Users must be trained about the different threats faced on the network Back Up must be done weekly and notify users Maintain Bandwidth speed and monitor peak hours Network Security realignment done using Class C network address 192.168.1.0. The Servers was configured on network address 192.168.1.216 static and 192.168.1.218 for simplicity. DHCP, DNS and Active Directory were install and configured on one of the server. The second server was use for the Application. Both PC’s were also configured on the same network address 192.168.1.0 for easy management on the switch. The switch was configured with 192.168.1.200 static IP address. Router network address was changed to  avoid conflicting addresses and easy management. Cisco Internal firewall 1 was installed and configured to manage the internal network on the LAN. The Cisco firewall 2 implemented to manage remote traffic entering the LAN. This provides layered security to the network. References Cisco. (n.d.). (Cicso) Retrieved 10 26, 2014, from Cisco ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/asa-5500-series-next-generation-firewalls/index.html HP Support document – HP Support Center. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2014, from http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/kb/docDisplay/?sp4ts.oid=412144&spf_p.tpst=kbDocDisplay&spf_p.prp_kbDocDisplay=wsrp-navigationalState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c02480766-2%257CdocLocale%253D%257CcalledBy%253D&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken HP Support document – HP Support Center. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2014, from http://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/kb/docDisplay?docId=bps53634&ac.admitted=1413144875821.876444892.199480143 Network Access Control. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 26, 2014, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_Access_Control Pascucci, M. (2013, Au gust 06). Security Management at the Speed of Business. Retrieved October 25, 2014, from algosec.com: http://blog.algosec.com/2013/08/the-ideal-network-security-perimeter-design-part-1-of-3.html Vaughan-Nichols, S. (2013, January 30). How to fix the UPnP security holes | ZDNet. Retrieved from http://www.zdnet.com/how-to-fix-the-upnp-security-holes-7000010584/ Wodrich, M. (2009, November 10). Vulnerability in Web Services on Devices (WSD) API – Security Research & Defense – Site Home – TechNet Blogs. Retrieved from http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2009/11/10/vulnerability-in-web-services-on-devices-wsd-api.aspx

The U.S. Security and identity during the Cold War Research Paper

The U.S. Security and identity during the Cold War - Research Paper Example This is the reason why U.S. presidents at the time of the Cold War era implemented a number of foreign policies in order to maintain that kind of reputation using mainly capitalism as a powerful tool. The United States, furthermore, viewed the Cold War era in a different perspective according to David Campbell. The Cold War era was not in any way a race towards economic supremacy masquerading in the form of capitalism evangelization but an assertion of their identity as American citizens. It is, moreover, an issue of security, not just about physical security but a security of their sacredly-held identities as a nation. Furthermore, this research also solidifies its claims using various literatures that provide a historical representation of the Cold War era. Its origin also has been debated by historians and social scientists, that is why, the researcher tries to present some of the theorized origins of the war in a brief and concise portion of this paper. Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................1 Outline of the Study..........................................................................................3 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.........................................3 Research Question..........................................................................................4 Literature Review.............................................................................................4 The Cold War: Origin............................................................................4 Cold War Theories................................................................................5 The U.S. Foreign Policy during Cold War Period.................................7 Preliminary Research on the Topic.................................................................10 Methodology....................................................................................................11 Research Philosophy...........................................................................11 Research Design and Data Collection Method....................................12 Results............................................................................................................12 Discussion.......................................................................................................13 Conclusion......................................................................................................16 Works Cited....................................................................................................17 The U.S. Foreign Policy during the Cold War Period Outline of the Study This study is all about the identity and security status of the United States during the Cold War period. The first chapter is an introduction of the topic, its objective s, and the research question. The second chapter is a review of literature associated with U.S. foreign policy, issues of identity and security, and Campbell’s reading during the said era. The third chapter presents how the study was done. Lastly, the fourth chapter gives the conclusion, implications and recommendations for future studies. Introduction The United States foreign policy during the early Cold War era was not in any way about forwarding the national interest of the country, but on asserting its identity and secu

Self mediation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Self mediation - Case Study Example My friend, hailing from an Asian country believed that her culture was richer in cultural values than the American, and was thus a better place to bring up a child than the dilute American culture. Contrary to her view, I believed that the American culture, since it was not affiliated to any particular ethnic origin was the best culture to a rare a child. The argument became sour, erupting to a huge verbal fight and emotional eruptions. At one point I asked her why she had decided to seek educational refuge from a country she believed did not portray any cultural values. She accused our country for being an economic colonialist of the rest of the world, an issue that worsened the already awful situation. According to Daniel (2001, p.10), self-mediation is a tool used in conflict resolution where the conflicting individuals personally involved in the conflict engage in a dialogue with one another to resolve the conflict. A conversation conflict normally arises when none of the parties wants to loose in the argument, and thus raisin a heated argument that results into a verbal war. The fight leads to raised voices, and aggressive body behaviour as the parties get emotionally agitated. In the incidence with my friend, the fight was so intense that personal differences were raised during the argument. Most of the parties in the confrontation end up walking away from each other, leading to a stalemate situation. My nasty incidence with my friend resulted in her leaving the scene when the argument got to a stalemate, where neither of us was listening to each other. None of us was willing to give up in the argument, believing we were right in our personal arguments. Daniel (2001, p. 79-85) outlines the principles for solving personal arguments, where finding time to talk about the issue brings the disputing parties into a mutual understanding of the causal reasons that led to the argument. Preventing distractions and interruptions while solving the conflict helps the parties understand one another. A cool environment away from external distractors gives the individuals ample opportunity to involve in constructive and more personal discussions. The use of a dialogue checklist in solving the problem allows the conflicting individuals to address the most important issues that culminated into the disagreement. Lastly, striving for a win-win situation by the parties brings the conflict to a successful conclusion, satisfying both parties. Solving our argument was an incidence that gave me an opportunity to exercise not only the principles of self-mediation conflict solving, but also apply the procedure of self-motivation conflict resolution in real life. After precisely three hours of silence, we met to resolve our dispute at a public longue. The serenity of the longue and its natural feeling provided the best environment to hold personal discussions relating to our conflict. The moment was characterized by emotional deliberations, and full of persona l feelings. At first it was hard to accept the root cause of the problem as nobody was genuine enough to accept sparking up the argument. Maturity of the parties, I realized, played a key role in laying our