Analysis of Bao-yu’s dream in Cao Xueqin’s ‘Story of the Stone’ Essay

The Story of the Stone by Cao Xueqin is an animated, lively account of life in a large Chinese household in the mid-18th century Qing dynasty. It remains a fascinating novel for modern readers with its vivid and detailed descriptions of the minutiae of daily life – from clothing, food and interior design to education, marriage and death. For all its realism however, The Story of the Stone is not set entirely in reality. The very premise of the whole tale, that of a single rock left out of the goddess Nu-wa’s repairing of the sky, is one based on a magico-religious dream world. The rock is found by a Buddhist and a Taoist who take it down to the mortal world where it lives out a human life, that of Jia Bao-yu, before attaining Nirvana. Once a rock again, a Taoist copies the inscription on its surface †from beginning to end and took it back with him to look for a publisher†. Cao Xueqin’s emphasis on dreams can be seen in the alternative titles for his m asterpiece. A Dream of Red Mansions is the title by which the book is perhaps most commonly known. Twelve Young Ladies of Jinling is also a title suggested in chapter one. Both of these titles refer to the same dream. As David Hawkes explains, ‘hong lou’, red mansion, has the more specialised meaning of the residences of the daughters of rich men and thus, the young ladies themselves. The dream alluded to in these appellations occurs in the fifth chapter of volume one, The Golden Days. Cousin Zhen’s wife, You-shi, has invited the women of the Rong-guo house, accompanied by Bao-yu, round for a flower viewing party. Needless to say, Bao-yu soon tires and asks to take a nap. Rather than going back to the Rong mansion, the wife of his nephew, Jia Rong, leads him to her chamber to sleep. Bao-yu immediately drops off into a vivid dream world. He meets the fairy of Disenchantment who shows him to the Land of Illusion and into the Department of the Ill-Fated Fair. Within this department is housed the ‘Jinling, Twelve Beauties of, Main Register’, a record of the twelve most notable females in Bau-yu’s own province of Jinling. The fairy of Disenchantment allows Bao-yu to read the fates of the twelve girls as recorded in the form of four-line verses. Bao-yu can make little sense of what he reads. Later, the quatrains are expanded into a series of twelve songs entitled A Dream of Golden Days. While the words are sung by a troupe of entertainers, Bao- yu reads along with the manuscript. He still does not understand. Indeed, both the verses in the register and in the song-cycle contain allusions and metaphors not immediately obvious and not easily deciphered. Yet at a most basic level, they provide an outline of the fate of twelve principle female characters in The Story of the Stone. Their fate unfolds throughout the course of the five volume novel. The Golden Days therefore, is only the beginning. But, by the end of the first volume, to what extent have the women already prepared the way for their future course? The first verse in the Main Register is a joint record of Lin Dai-yu and Xue Bao-chai. These two young girls share the affection of Bao-yu and Grandmother Jia. In their own individual ways, they are both paragons. It seems odd therefore that they share only one verse between them. Hawkes puts forward the argument that Dai-yu and Bao-chai †represent two complementary aspects of a single ideal woman†. Evidence for this interpretation lies in the first two lines of their quatrain: One was a pattern of female virtue, One a wit who made other wits seem slow. The combination of wit, or intelligence, and virtue were ideal traits in a Qing woman of the upper class. Arguably it was Dai-yu who held the upper hand in wit while Bao-chai, with her †generous and accommodating disposition†, was the more virtuous. Although in the song-cycle there are two songs for Dai-yu and Bao-chai, it is not the case that one is dedicated to Dai-yu and one to Bao-chai. Albeit the second so ng is solely about Dai-yu, but there are references to both characters in the first song. The character ‘lin’ in Lin Dai-yu is made up of two tree radicals and has the meaning ‘forest’. ‘Xue’ in Xue Bao-chai sounds the same as the Chinese word for ‘snow’ while ‘bao chai’ can be translated as ‘precious’ or ‘gold hairpin’. Thus, the references come in the form of gold, flowers, snow and trees. Bao-yu is alluded to using jade or stone as he was born with a jade stone in his mouth. The first song, The Mistaken Marriage, refers to †the marriage rites of gold and jade†. This foreshadows the marriage of Bao-chai (gold) and Bao-yu (jade). The speaker however, still remembers the relationship between ‘stone and flower’. There is indeed, a special bond between Bao-yu and Dai-yu. Although Bao-yu, †a child†¦whom nature had endowed with the eccentric obtuseness of a simpleton†, fails to recognise it, Dai-yu is an intensely jealous character and resents any time he spends with Bao-chai and not her. Bao-yu struggles to understand the cause of Dai-yu’s mainly irrational sulks, yet always attempts to comfort her: Take kinship first: you are my cousin on Father’s side; cousin Bao is only a mother-cousin. That makes you much the closer kin. And as for length of acquaintance: it was you who came here first. You and I have practicaly grown up together†¦Why should I ever be any less close to you because of her? There is a profound love between Bao-yu and Dai-yu that seems to grow with the progression of the first volume. They share an understanding †so intense that it was almost as if they had grown into a single person.† The speaker suggests however, that later on Dai-yu (†that fairy wood†) dies. Thus, even a wife †so courteous and so kind† as Bao-chai is no substitute for the wife that Dai-yu could have been. Their marriage, even though †others all commend it†, is a mistake. This is succeeded by Hope Betrayed which deals specifically with the close relationship between Dai-yu (†a flower from paradise†) and Bao-yu (†a pure jade without spot or stain†). They are clearly meant for each other but the poem augurs future disaster. The pain heartache that stems from such an ardent love will all be in vain. In one sense these two poems pose an insurrmountable contradiction. Fate, the belief in which provides the premise for this entire dream scene, will have them be together but they are not. They are meant to be but cannot and this inability is portrayed as some kind of mistake, a going against the natural order. Is there then, even such a thing as fate? This question aside, it can be seen that, in the case of Dai-yu and Bao-chai, their journey has barely begun by the end of The Golden Days. Their relationship with Bao-yu is entirely platonic (physically at least) and, although it is perhaps assumed that one of them, most likely Dai-yu, will be be Bao-yu’s future bride, this is only hinted at in jest among the maids and is a source of great embarassement to Dai-yu. The second quatrain and the third poem can be interpretted as Yuan-chun’s fate. Yuan-chun, daughter of Lady Wang and Jia Zheng, is Bao-yu’s elder sister. The first two lines describe her, age twenty, leaving her family to live in the emperor’s palace as a royal concubine. As can be seen by the subsequent effort put into a lavish garden compund in honour fo her visit, this was a posi tion held in great esteem. Although out of modesty, Yuan-chun later changes the name, the setting for her reunion with her family within Prospect Garden initially bears the inscription ‘Precinct of the Celsetial Visitant’. Hence perhaps, the use of the phrase †pomegranate-time†. Hawkes stresses the †redness’ of the original Chinese text, the colour red being a symbol of good-fortune and prosperity. Although much of this sense has inevitably been lost in translation, the red skin of the pomegranate could perhaps be taken as emphasising the great advantages such a position could bestow on both concubine and family. The second half of the quatrain however, does not bode so well for the future. Although Yuan-chun is superior if not in beauty and intelligence then in success to her half-sister Tan-chun and her cousins, Ying-chun and Xi-chun (the †three springs†), her charmed life will come to an end †when hare meets tiger†. Hare and tiger refer to Chinese years. Thus, this prophecy specifies that the date of Yuan-chun’s death will fall at the end of a tiger year and at the beginning of a rabbit year. The third song, Mutability, again prophesises Yuan-chun’s departure from the Rong-guo household to the emperor’s palace. It goes on to describe her appearing before her parents in a dream to pay her †final duty†, forewarning again of her death. By the end of The Golden Days Yuan-chun has indeed left home to become a royal concubine. Although the location of the Jia clan in The Story of the Stone is questionable, it is clear that Yuan-chun and he r family feel cut off from each other in spirit if not by physical distance. Their reunion in chapter eighteen is an emotional one and although the emperor allows visits in the palace once a month, special permission must be granted for a once-yearly return to the family home. It is for this reason, †so far the road back home did seem†, that Yuan-chun will be forced to pay her final filial duties in a dream. (Hawkes points out that this dream sequence never in fact took place. He suggests that Xueqin used the material for this episode in chapter thirteen instead, when Qin-shi appears before Xi-feng in a dream.) Tan-chun, half-sister to Yuan-chun, one of the †three springs† referred to above and daughter of Jia Zheng and a concubine, is the subject of the fourth quatraine in the Main Register. She is †by far the most gifted of the three springs† as well as possessing a kind, generous nature. The first line, †Blessed with a shrewd mind and a noble heart†, is countered however, by the second, †Yet born in time of twilight and decay†. Although The golden Days is essentially a story set in the happy, carefree years of childhood, the bigger picture reveals a time of political and social upheaval, a sense of which permeates many aspects of the novel. Tan-chun’s prophesised marriage in the final two lines will thus perhaps be related to economic considerations. The marriage will clearly not be a happy one. The very title of the fourth song, From Dear Ones Parted, suggests the insuperable distance between Tan-chun and her home and her intense homsickness. The song has Tan-chun referring to †our rising, falling†, meaning the rise and fall of the Jia family. As a result of this, †each in another land must be, each for himself must fend as best he may†, again suggesting that the marriage will be one of economic convenience. Apa rt from allusions to her wit and good character, we learn little about Tan-chun in the first volume of The Story of the Stone. There are however, hints to be found as to her fate. In chapter 22, she attends Grandmother Jia’s riddle party. Asked to compose a riddle, the answer to Tan-chun’s is ‘a kite’. This image of a kite as associated with Tan-chun symbolizes her departure †a thousand miles† away, her flight from the nest. Her riddle also foreshadows her unhappiness once in the marriage: My strength all goes when once the bond is parted, And on the wind I drift off broken hearted. This description of drifting off in the wind ties in with the suggestion in the song that she will be taken to her new husband by boat †through rain and wind†. Like Tan-chun, relatively little reference is made to Shi Xiang-yun, the subject of the fourth quatrain and fifth song. She is the daughter of Grandmother Jia’s brother’s son. Orphaned as a young girl, she first lived with Grandmother Jia before moving in with her uncle, Shi Ding, and his wife. It seems from both the register and the song, that Xiang-yun is destined to find the man of her dreams, †a perfect, gentle husband†. But happiness will be fleeting: Soon you must mourn your bright sunâ€⠄¢s early setting. The Xiang flows and the Chu clouds sail away. The Xiang was a river flowing through the ancient kingdom of Chu. This was believed to be home to a goddess of lovers. But soon †the clouds of Gao-tang faded, the waters of the Xiang ran dry.† This suggests another calamity, perhaps the sudden death of her husband. There is no intimation of Xiang-yun’s fate in The Golden Days. The main scene involving her is one of comic relief as Dai-yu teases her about her lisp and Xiang-yun responds good-humouredly. The impression created is of a happy-go-lucky, lively young girl, quite a contrast from the rather intense and moody Dai-yu. This is best illustrated in Xueqin’s description of them asleep: Dai-yu was tightly cocooned in a quilt of apricot-coloured damask, the picture of tranquil repose. Xiang-yun, by contrast, lay with her hank of jet black hair tumbled untidily beside the pillow, a white arm with its two gold bracelets thown carelessly outside the bedding and two white shoulders exposed above the peach-pink coverlet, which barely reached her armpits. ‘A tomboy, even in her sleep!’ Bao-yu muttered†¦ The sixth woman included in the register is the only one of the twelve who is not a member of the Jia family. Adamantina nevertheless lives among them in Prospect Garden after Yuan-chun issues an edict stating that the garden is not to be closed up. She is a nun and this is reflected in the descriptions of her †otherworldliness† and her †grace and wit to match the gods† that set her †with the rest at odds. Nauseous to [her] the world’s rank diet.â⠂¬  Her final destination however, is clearly one of disrepute. In both the quatrain and the song, she ends up in the mud, impure and shameful. The fact that down here, †only wealthy rakes might bless their luck† suggests that Adamantina will end her days as perhaps a prostitute. By the end of The Golden Days however, she is still a nun who †looks down on common flesh and blood† The seventh of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling is Ying-chun, the eldest of the three springs. She is Jia She’s daughter by a concubine. With the arrival of Dai-yu and Bao-chai, the three springs are relugated to a secondary position in Grandmother Jia’s affections. Ying-chun is thus a rather underdeveloped character in The Golden Days. The sixth entry in the register and the seventh poem both suggest that she will be married off to a violent, unfaithful and cruel bully. There is no hint of this fate in the first volume of the novel. The Golden Days gives away equally little about the subject of the next quatrain and song, Xi-chun. Sister of Cousin Zhen and the youngest of the three springs, seems destined to seek release †from youth’s extravagance† and †to win chaste quietness and heavenly peace† by becoming a Buddhist nun. Wang Xi-feng on the other hand, wife of Jia Lian and cousin to Bao-yu, plays a far more prominent role in The Golden Days. She is a very strong character, a feminist role-model. She has all the qualities of the ideal wife with her managerial prowess and defere nce to her elders, and yet she always manages to be on top. This combination of cunning and virtue can best be seen in the chapters dealing with Qin-shi’s funeral. Having been relegated posthumously to the status of a Noble Dame, the funeral is a grand affair. The sheer cost and man-power involved is staggering and Xi-feng is put in charge of it all. Nevertheless, she manages it with †the decisiveness of a little general†. On the night of the wake, her maturity and superior social skills are further demonstrated when it is left entirely to her to do the honours. Xi-feng’s vivacious charm and social assurance stood out in striking contrast†¦She was in her element, and if she took any notice of her humbler sisters it was only to throw out an occassional order or to bend them in some other way to her imperious will. This can be juxtaposed with the episode in the next chapter when, after the funeral, Xi-feng, Bao-yu and Qin-zhong spend the night in the Water-moon Priory. The prioress Euergesia, catching Xi-feng alone, tells her the story of a benefactor of the priory called Zhang. He is desperate to call off his daughter’s engagement to the son of a captain in the Chang-an garrison. The captain however, is being thoroughly unreasonable and refusing to take back the betrothal-gifts. Euergesia beseeches Xi-feng to use her unfluence to get Jia Zheng to write a letter to General Yun asking h im to †have a word with† the captain because †It is hardly likely that he would refuse to obey his commading officer.† Xi-feng coyly turns her down until Euergesia questions Xi-feng’s ability. Xi-feng ‘relents’ and agrees to take part for the the not so small sum of three thousand taels of silver. Xi-feng is clearly fiscally-minded and savvy, never one to let an opportunity for profit slip by. The hush-hush manner in which this matter of the captain is broached also suggests that it is rather shady business. Yet, any qualms Xi-feng feigns to have about getting involved seem to be easily forgotten. Xi-feng is indeed, as the ninth song states, †too shrewd by half†. She is too focused on self-advancement but with the fall of the Jia family later in The Story of the Stone, Xi-feng’s plotting and manouevering will all come to nothing: Like a great building’s tottering crash, Like flickering lampwick burned to ash†¦ Although the exact nature of Xi-feng’s future is not specified, it is clear that it is not a bright one. She will, as the title of the ninth song says, be †caught by her own cunning†. Although we see none of her decline in The Golden Days, there are hints of a fall to come. When Qin-shi appears to her in a dream, she warn s Xi-feng of the future fall of the Jai family as a whole. She quotes a proverb: †The higher the climb, the harder the fall.† Could this be referring equally to Xi-feng as to the family? Is there a reason why Qin-shi appears before Xi-feng specifically? The tenth Beautiy of Jinling, interestingly enough, does not even appear in the first volume. Qiao-jie, daughter of Xi-feng, nevertheless has some sort of trouble ahead of her. It seems that no one will be spared pain and grief as the Jia family declines. The penultimate Beauty included on the Main Register is Li Wan, mother of Jia Lan. Li Wan was married to Jia Zhu, brother of Bao-yu. Jia Zhu died before the start of the novel as implied by the third line in the eleventh song, †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the pleasures of the bridal bed† soon fled. The quatrain suggests that their son, Jia Lan, †her Orchid†, will be successful. The song goes further to describe the †awesome sight† of †the head with cap and bands of office on, and gleaming bright upon his breast the gold insignia†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jia Lan will later pass the civil service exam and become a high official. It is perhaps slightly far-fetched but one of the few mentions of Jia Lan comes in chapter nine, set in the Jia clan school house. As for Li Wan, there is no hint that †the black night of death’s dark frontier lay close at hand.† It would seem that she tragically dies after her son’s appointment. Finally, there is Qin-shi, the twelfth Beauty of Jinling. She is the young wife of Jia Rong but dies of a mysterious unidentified disease half way through The Gol den Days. Of all the women, Qin-shi is the only one whose whole fate is played out in the course of the first volume. It does not, however, run according to plan. Both the quatrain and the song, The Good Things Have an End, explicitly express that she will hang herself. The most likely reason for her suicide is the family’s discovery of her incestuous affair with her father-in-law, cousin Zhen: Say not our troubles all from Rong’s side came; For their beginning Ning must take the blame. Indeed, there are indications of such intrigue. A drunken servant lets slip, in a fit of rage, †Father-in-law pokes in the ashes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The reader is clearly meant to take note of this comment, as Bao-yu subsequently questions Xi-feng as to it’s meaning. Xi-feng is quick in quashing any ideas Bao-yu may have on the subject and †terrified by her vehemence, Bao-yu implored her forgiveness.† There is obviously something to hide. Cousin Zhen’s hysterical reaction after her death is also a sign that their relationship was not as it seemed. He is inconsolable, proclaiming: †Now that she has been taken from us it’s plain to see that this senior branch of the family is doomed to extinction!† The poem accordingly, states that her death, †the ruin of a mighty house protended.† Qin-shi’s suicide does not however, take place and she instead dies of natural causes. A reason for this discrepancy is put foward by Hawkes. While Xueqin did originally have Qin-shi hanging herself †from painted beams†, a notation by one of the commentators on the original manuscript states that her †ordered† Xueqin to remove the scene. Xueqin reluctantly did so but, unenthusiastic about the change, failed to make the necessary alterations to the rest of the text. Having examined the fates of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling as expressed in the Main Register of the Department of the Ill Fated Fair and in the fairy of Disenchantment’s song cycle, it becomes immediately obvious that tradgedy lies ahead. With the decline of the Jia family will come a decline in the fortunes of each of the women. It is also clear that by the end of the first volume of The Story of the Stone the story has, in fact, barely begun. The Jia household is still powerful and rich, the child heros are still young and and insouciant, these are still the golden days.

Is college worth it? Essay

In the article, â€Å"Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission? † by Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, the authors did research on several colleges around the country to see whether our investment on higher education is really worth the money that we pay for it. The authors believe that universities are the ones responsible for the doubling of tuition costs compared to what they used to be , and not fulfilling the most important objective to student’s which is: â€Å"to challenge the minds of young people† (180). In the article, Hacker and Dreifus outline some things they think would help improve  some of the problems in the college system and a few universities that they like, and tell us why these schools have won their favor. Being an incoming freshman at Grambling State University, I’ve been able to see some of the issues universities can have from budget cuts, to problems with the G- men football team. The main problem I’ve had here were with professors who’ve gotten ahead or above themselves because of their level and tenure. I do agree, however, with Hacker and Dreifus when they said some professors â€Å"have no reasons to improve their teaching† (181). Some of my professors at  Grambling State University are wonderful, were some aren’t as wonderful. Some professors come to class when they get ready, look in their book and write some on the board and talk the whole class time without really teaching us anything. I believe all teachers, no matter what their tenure level is have to remember their main role as a teacher. I agree that it is frustrating if you’re attending a college that expects you to pay a tuition that the college isn’t worth. Hacker and Dreifus reinforce that college is suppose to be a fun journey were you live, get new ideas, and information. In the article â€Å"The New Liberal Arts†, Sanford J. Ungar thinks that a liberal education is what Americans should try to get, not deny. Ungar made 7 points addressing the 7 misconceptions made in his article. The first misconception â€Å"A liberal arts degree is a luxury that most families can no longer afford. â€Å"Career education â€Å"is what we now must focus on† (190). Ungar argues with that misconception by saying jobs are actually looking for people who are educated in liberal arts instead of on specific subject because it produces better broader thinking. The second misconception says  students are having a hard time finding a job because â€Å"who wants to hire somebody with an irrelevant major like Philosophy or French? (191). Ungar quickly argues that not only are liberal art students are having a hard time finding jobs, but everyone else is also because of the failing economy. The third misconception says liberal arts are irrelevant for low-income and first-generation college students. Ungar says,† Its ignorant to think just because a student is first generation don’t mean they can’t receive the same education. † The fourth misconception says that a student should focus on the stem fields because â€Å"that’s where all  the action is† (192). Ungar argues this by saying that sometime the liberal arts take part in the broadcast parts of sciences and mathematics. The fifth misconception says it’s the liberal democrats, who got this country into trouble in recent years. Ungar argues that liberal education really doesn’t have anything to do with politics. The sixth misconception says America is the only country in the world that clings on to old form of post secondary education. Ungar argues this misconception by saying people from other countries are coming to the United States to admire our education like China. Finally the seventh misconception  says that the â€Å"cost of American higher education is spiraling out of control, and liberal-arts colleges are becoming irrelevant because they are unable to register gains in productivity†. Ungar argues this by saying if you choose a small liberal arts school you’ll get more one on one with professors which will lead to more thinking from students. So why does any of this matter? We as college students are putting a lot of money, time, and effort into our education. We should get our money’s worth, and enjoy the experience of it all while we can whether we chose liberal arts major or an S. T. E. M major program. Were not all individuals attending these colleges, but a 1 / 2 generation who all want to make it and be successful in life so it matters! Work Cited: Dreifus, Claudia and Hacker, Andrew. â€Å"Are Colleges worth the Price of Admission? † They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. 2nd ed. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. New York. W. W. Northon, 2012 179-188. Print Sanford J. Ungar. â€Å"The New Liberal Arts† They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. 2nd ed. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. New York. W. W. Northon, 2012 190-196. Print POWERED BY TCPDF (WWW. TCPDF. ORG).

Which Has Exerted a Bigger Effect on War: the End of the Cold War, or Globalization?

Back in human history, there could be found more than 14, 400 records of wars that have occurred in the past, by taking the lives of billions and affecting the social and political order worldwide. Wars in the contemporary world have gradually been changing in form, mainly due to globalization, by overlapping in different spheres of brutal conflicts and small but extremely dangerous organizations like terrorism and insurgencies. Nevertheless, their true nature and intentions have managed to preserve through ages, as a general norm of social behavior, involving extreme violence, desire for power and manipulation, as well as conflicts established on the basis of religious or ethnic issues. In addition, the end of the cold war had a great impact on the global socio-political picture by establishing a completely new image of international relations, forms of external associations and a strong push for a military affair progress.Could Cold War Have Been Avoided? To understand the nature of war, its influence on current affairs, as well as the impact of globalization on war matters, I would first provide a general definition of â€Å"war†, by presenting some theoretical approaches. Eventually I would concentrate on the impact of the post-cold period and finally, conclude with the affect of globalization. War and theoretical approaches: Scholars have always provided quite contradictory definitions for a â€Å"war†. Indeed defining â€Å"war† could be a complicated task. This is due to the fact that even if the nature of a war remains constant, it always reflects the particular time and place in which it occurs. In other words, the current time, situation, the initial core of the problem, as well as, the level of violence and particular actors would greatly influence and define the type of conflict. Thus, establishing a general idea of a ‘war’ might end to be quite inaccurate. Nevertheless, I would try to present the main general definitions, based on different theoretical approaches. Quincy Wright, for xample, describes war as a â€Å"conflict among political groups, especially sovereign states, carried on by armed forces of considerable magnitude, for a considerable period of time†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 213) Judging by his statement, we could conclude that it’s a realist approach, emphasizing on the power of the state and the highest level of sovereignty that possesses. Another approach of defining war is the definition of Hedly Bulls claiming that war is an â€Å"organized violence, carried by political units against each other†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 14) This definition could be accepted as inappropriate because not every single action of violence is defined as a war. In addition, war could involve and other internal actors except political ones like citizens for example (religious, racial conflicts). A third approach by Clausewitz explains war as â€Å"an act of force intended to compel our opponents to fulfill our will†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 214) This definition is more liberal based as it stresses more on the power and affect of globalization than on the state sovereignty. Even though all of these definitions seem to differ in terms of theory, we could generalize some common characteristics between them, which are organized violence, state or non-state actors, as well as military force and manipulation. To get a better understanding on the definitions, the change of warfare, as well as the impact of globalization and post-cold war period, I would like to summarize and stress on two well known theories: Realism and Liberalism. Realism, first of all, stresses on the power of the state and its sovereignty, representing it as the main actor on the world stage. It also expresses world politics as a ‘self-help system’ and a ‘struggle for power’ between states (Baylis, 2008, p. 5), trying to dominate and maximize their national interests. In addition, globalization is not important and does not affect political world. Liberalism, on the contrary, emphasizes on the effectiveness of democracy, underlying that states are not the only main actors. Transnational actors, international corporations and organizations (like terrorism) are also playing a key role in defining warfare and its evolving. Also, liberalists admit the importance of globalization, economic and environmental issues. Considering the current international affairs, as well as the decline power of state actors, we could assume that the Liberal theory quite successfully matches with the recent socio-political events. Thus, I would further analyze the change of warfare from the perspectives of the Liberal approach. Post-cold war period: The fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, resulting in the end of the Cold War, put a new evolution in the structure of the international relations and the international system. That indeed brought some influential domestic attributes like democracy system in some post-communist states. In addition, the number of wars sharply declined but not and their crucial brutality. A lot of ex-Soviet Union members, as well as some eastern European countries like former Yugoslavia experienced tremendous crisis. Many states disintegrated, which led to bloody civil wars and insurgencies. Another great factor was the new system of democracy that former communist states had to accept. Some states indeed benefited from that but for others that turned out to be a vast and sudden change resulting in more economic crisis and chaos in the population. In addition, this led to the active participation of world organizations like the United Nations, as well as NATO and EU in preserving the peace and avoiding any brutal conflicts that could follow. Such intervention and anti-conflict actions influenced not only the warfare but human morals, as well. People’s understanding of politics, economics became more globally based, not just state-isolated. A state problem eventually turned out to be a global problem, like the war in former Yugoslavia, 9/11 and the current affairs in Egypt. The post-cold war period gave the first strong push of a massive globalization. Indeed, globalization has always existed in human history and has always been an inevitable process; nevertheless no one has particularly mentioned it before the end of the Cold War. Another great change that affected the warfare was the absolute hegemony power that the USA gained. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the international system changed from a phase of ‘bipolarity’ into a phase of ‘unipolarity’. Thus, USA’s global influence speeded up even more the going on process of globalization, turning it in to â€Å"Americanization†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 13)USA was surely outstanding in terms of military power and technical innovations; nevertheless it did nothing to prevent the up-coming events of organized violence and particularly terrorism. A good example is the 9/11 event and the Iraq War in 2003. Even though USA had a magnificent superiority in terms of weaponry, technical and communication technology, the responding asymmetric attacks that followed, as well as the terroristic actions in London and Madrid proved the dramatic changes that have occurred in terms of warfare. Globalization: The revolution in military affairs that followed in the 1991, right after Gulf War, built a new image and form of the contemporary warfare. With the vast development of technology, communication, Internet and media, war was eventually converted into a new form of a war conflict, unfamiliar for the old Westphalian Order ideas. The primary Westphalian characteristics of a territoriality, fixed boarders, self-determination and states as only key-actors completely contradict with the contemporary current global affairs. And indeed, Globalization is more than just interconnectedness. It involves much more than cooperation and international relations between states. It eventually dissolves the state boarders, turning the world into a â€Å"shared social space†, (Baylis, 2008, p. 18) as well as, placing the economical and political activities into a completely new transnational global scale. Another important factor of globalization is the â€Å"time-space compression†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 18) Nowadays, any power or military actions could be exercised from a distance and fulfilled for a relatively short period of time. Globalization has broken any possible barriers involving distance, space or time with the help of Internet, communication and media. These factors have resulted in an entire new generation of warfare. In such a new era of innovation and high technology, new non-state actors have managed to transform both cyber place and media into a real battlefield. From one hand, this has led to the creation of highly effective and complex weaponry machinery, ensuring better protection and momentum responds to military actions. On the contrary though, that also leads to terrorism, organized crimes, violence as well as, weapons of mass destruction. With the ability of producing and exporting such powerful technology, the safety of humans and the brutality of contemporary warfare are surely not on the way of declining. Another negative consequence of globalization results in the different economical level of the world countries and the continuous growing gap between them. Indeed globalization is useful and helpful for powers like Japan, USA and Russia but other countries like Sierra Leone or Eritrea definitely lack the benefits of globalization. This creates poverty, eventually crisis, which could lead to civil wars and more bloody violence. In the past decade, 95% of the armed conflicts have occurred within states rather than between them. Such new wars take place in states where the economy is extremely poor or even collapsing. Conclusion: Many of the characteristics of warfare mentioned above are not new features of war conflicts. They have been existing for a long time since early human history. That includes religious or ethnic confrontations, or any other kind of conflicts performed with extreme brutality. What really empowered the contemporary warfare and made it so massively destructive is globalization. It is the human ability and necessity to protect or manipulate, to defend themselves or just to apply control over a state of civilians. It is hard yet to predict what other crucial impacts globalization would have on humanity and eventually on warfare. Whatever the reason though, wars would never stop to exist and they would be always a human norm of a social behavior, that would adopt according to the current environment and current period of time. References: Baylis, John, Smith, Steve and Owens, Patricia (eds.) (2008). The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, Oxford: Oxford University Press (4th ed.) Boyer, P. (2001). The Oxford Companion to United States History. Post–Cold War Era. Retrieved January 29, 2011 from: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O119-PostColdWarEra.html Encyclopedia of the new American Nation. Cultural Relations and Policies – Globalization and the cold war. Retrieved January 29, 2011 from:

Is free trade good or bad for the American economy Essay

Is free trade good or bad for the American economy - Essay Example (Odell, 27) Because it is generally agreed upon that free trade improves aggregate wealth, opponents tend to be those who would personally suffer, such as business owners whose businesses would be unable to compete with foreign rivals. (Lars, 209) Ideally, under a free trade model, every person and every country would produce what they are best at producing and then use the money from the sale of their products to buy those products they are not skilled at making. Many detractors focus on the harmful effects that free trade has on the environment, since free trade agreements allow companies in countries with lax environmental regulations and little financial incentive to reduce emissions or control waste to compete with American companies, which have to expend a great deal of money to meet environmental regulations. (Shaikh, 136) The result, critics say, is that foreign companies have an economic advantage over American companies, or that American companies will move their operations overseas to avoid compliance with U.S. regulations. (Odell, 34) A similar argument claims that trade with countries that have poor conditions for workers reinforces the legitimacy of those conditions. Supporters of free trade, however, claim that free trade is beneficial for the environment, since products are more likely to be produced in places where production is easier, and thus less harmful to the environment. Proponents of free trade claim it is the most equitable trading practice, since foreign companies can compete on equal footing with domestic companies. Free trade allows companies to sell their products to consumers willing to pay the highest price, and allows consumers to buy from the company selling the highest quality product at the lowest price. (Graham, 68) Free trade advocates claim that the taxes and tariffs imposed on imported goods makes it doubly hard for foreign producers to compete: because of the cost of

Sovereignty is much spoken of in international relation but it is an Essay

Sovereignty is much spoken of in international relation but it is an increasingly meaningless concept in reality.do you agree discuss - Essay Example This uncertainty appears from at least two reasons, These two issues raise interrogations about the fixity of the concept of sovereignty often implicit by international relations intellectuals. A more classy view of sovereignty now visualize states and no state actors as affianced in a continual process of renegotiating the nature of sovereignty. de facto sovereignty is the ability in fact to do so (which becomes of special concern upon the failure of the usual expectation that de jure and de facto sovereignty exist at the place and time of concern, and rest in the same organization). Foreign governments recognize the sovereignty of a state over a territory, or refuse to do so." Externally, sovereignty can be considered as the "entry ticket" into the society of states. Recognition on the part of other states helps to ensure territorial integrity and reliability and is the reception into participating in diplomacy and international organizations on an equal grip with other states. To have sovereignty, a state must have an enduring population, it must have a distinct territory, it must have a supervision, and it must have the capacity to enter into political relations. No other unit could be regarded as a sovereign state, whatever its actual power. Yet, this definition is progressively more meaningless. As t As the concept of state sovereignty weakens in relevance, so notions of ethnic sovereignty have full-fledged. Yet, sovereign states have adhered stubbornly to their rights, rights which have become more valuable as they become rarer. The notions of sovereignty are not easily clear or elucidated. To a large degree this is because they are chiefly political concepts, rather than simply legal doctrine. With the growth in the international agreements, accords, rules and codes, national autonomy is becoming less relevant. This inclination is becoming more obvious in the modern viable settings, and especially the internet Now a days self-rule-self rule, self-generation and total independence from outside sources which we call sovereignity is meaningless in reality. . Without this quality in its genuine form, no one either the nation or individual has been able to achieve the happiness, health and peace which they are looking for. Generally a factual, cognizant state of sovereignty is absolutely grave for authentic, lasting satisfaction during the Earth experience. If we are not completely obvious as to the nature of this state, it's not astonishing. In premeditated harmony with

Intervention & Evaluation Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Intervention & Evaluation Plan - Research Paper Example These are the issues behind the necessity of the program, which are always measurable, observable, and specific in their nature. Basing on domains as illustrated by Bloom (1956), the program outlines tactics of handling patients suffering from bloodstream diseases. The main objective of this intervention program is educating the elderly people on the various ways of managing and preventing CLABSI at home. This program will provide the various ways and techniques by which the elderly can prevent CLABSI at home. In addition, it provides a chance for the care unit to exercise their physical skills in line with preventing the diseases and curbing the same in case of already existing patients (psychomotor). Through the implementation of the above objectives, the project will create a suitable environment of preventing the rate of spread of central line associated bloodstream diseases among the elderly group among family members. Similarly, it will encourage those who are suffering from the disease from losing hope at a very early stage. Therefore, it will reduce the rate at which the target group contracts the infection. This refers to methods and technologies that an intervention plan provides in line with the aims and objectives. During my stay in the community health IV infusion field program, I discovered that there has been a plan that has not been effective. I conducted several questionnaires to about two responsible people in every family among the 10 I chose. I realized that the current plan was brief on the strategies that may efficiently comply with the objectives of a good intervention plan. In fact, its objectives could not be achieved in the shortest period possible. From the research findings, areas that required more attention than others were determined. Therefore, this formed the necessity for this proposed intervention. This plan has been structured to replace the ineffective programs that are in place. It offers

Cell Components Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cell Components - Essay Example In many ways, plant cells are similar to other eukaryotic cells. They have (usually just) one nucleus, organelles, a plasma membrane, and (almost all of them) share connections to adjacent cells. Cell walls and chloroplasts are the major plant cell distinctive features (Bowes, 1996). Protein synthesis occurs at tiny organelles called ribosomes. Ribosomes are composed of a large subunit and a small subunit. Ribosomes can be found alone in the cytoplasm, in groups called polyribosomes, or attached to the endoplasmic reticulum (Bowes, 1996). The cytoplasm is a jellylike substance. It contains the nucleus and other cell structures (organelles). The cytoplasm contains enzymes, and most of the chemical reactions take place there. Cytoplasm operates as a "molecular soup" that binds together all of the cell's organelles, and separates the organelles within the cell. Cytoplasm is believed to be the origin of cytoskeleton. The cytoskeleton supports movement of the cell as well as its anatomy through the cytoplasmic streaming. This occurs when the cytoskeleton moves to press the cell membrane it is then when the cytoplasm moves and occupies the empty space (Francis, 1996). Work Cited Bowes, Bryan.G. (1996). A Color Atlas of Plant Structure. London, UK: Manson Publishing. Francis, Dennis. (2001). The Plant Cell Cycle and Its Interfaces. London, UK: CRC

My Firms Acquisition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

My Firms Acquisition - Essay Example Large enterprises acquire smaller firms to eliminate competition and to fetch a larger market share in the industry. However, still there are many challenges in implementation of acquisition process, which seemed to be as bleak as ever. This report is an effort to look into the acquisition process to answer certain questions. The Bidding and the Target Firms As a CEO, you are trying to acquire a foreign firm. The size of your firm will double, and it will become the largest in your industry.   What does your firm do and what does the foreign firm you are trying to acquire do?   Where are the firms based? Both of the bidding and target firms are based in United Kingdom. The bidding firm is an established retail outlet and looking forward to an expansion in Asia. The firm deals in consumer durable goods including food and beverage as well as other products like technology products. The company has its maximum share in food and beverage section. The company wants to explore the Asia n market. The bidding firm has taken a calculated approach while choosing both the target market and the company in there. China has been decided to be the destination country. This was because of China’s attractive economic growth and this can be used as a base to expand the company’s business in other Asian countries. The target company is a well known local retail firm in China with a large local customer base. The target firms also deals in consumer goods like food, beverage, technology products and other such household products. However, it is expected that the acquisition will not be a smooth process. It would also require the cooperation from all the employees, the management, investors and others stakeholders of the company. It will require a strong yet flexible strategy framework to make the process proceed and at the end to make it a success. Proceeding to the Acquisition You are very enthusiastic about the opportunity to be a leading captain of industry and the associated power, prestige, and income.   (You expect your salary, bonus, and stock option to double next year).   However, you are troubled by the fact that 70% of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) reportedly fail.   How would you proceed?  Ã‚   It has been reported that since many years a considerable number of merger and acquisition efforts had failed. The success or failure of the process was due to several reasons including implementation chaos, inadequate planning, cultural difference and insufficient attention paid to the soft issues such as human resource. The bidding firm would surely follow a proper acquisition framework, fit to address most of the above issues. The following image displays the various stages in the acquisition process. Figure: Acquiring Process  ­Ã‚ ­ (Source: Hubbard, 2001, p.4) In the acquisition process, planning, communication and implementation would be dealt in full with a focus on the human issues (Pande & Krishnan, n.d., p.1-3). In the following image, the entire process has been divided in five stages. It is very much important that the bidding firm must be clear about its objectives to acquire any firm. Once decided about the objectives, the

Video Game Popularity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Video Game Popularity - Essay Example Massive amounts of games are produced every year for, literally, hundreds of thousands of excited fans! Interestingly, in Japan the fastest growing market segment is the elderly citizen, something that is very uncommon here in America due to social attitudes from this group. In Japanese markets, older citizens have a much better status in the family structure and have closer ties with youths in the household. This gives them much more exposure to gaming and lets them explore their personal creativity through technology. The senior citizens in Japan, this being people over the age of 60, seek games with content that involves improving brain power to help keep their mental function sharp and accurate. Games that include different puzzles, mind-teasers, and mathematics are in high demand and make a considerable profit margin for gaming manufacturers.Conclusion  The profit potential is always there for the gaming industry because of the widespread cultural adopting of gaming as a lifes tyle activity. It is big money! At the global level, sales of gaming will only continue to rise because they represent a little something for everyone in terms of content. With the development of new technologies will come new video game inspirations using a variety of different console and online formats. Gaming provides countless hours of personal recreation, the ability to sharpen mental focus, and explore their aggressions in a non-physical way by identifying with on-screen characters.   

Socialist Critique of Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Socialist Critique of Capitalism - Essay Example Furthermore, socialism argues for the collective ownership of the means of production as this prioritizes the common good against individualistic advantage (A Brief Introduction to Socialism from a Non-Marxist, Democratic Libertarian Perspective, n.d.). One can easily recognize that the socialist argument subordinates individual advantage to collective good as this, it is assumed, will overshadow the inherent selfishness of man. Marx was triumphant in his critique against capitalism (Manifesto of the Communist Party, 1847) which was strongly manifested after the 1950s; nations of the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and Eastern Europe were aptly persuaded to overthrow their existing mode of production and replace it with Marx's communism/socialism that promises a classless society which was rather Utopian at the time and until now. Marx fittingly made use of theories of human nature to cogently deliver his denigration against capitalism. However, Marx did not directly use the term "human nature" but instead applied another concept which was "species-being" or "species-essence". This conception of Marx in relation to human nature was borrowed from the philosophy of Ludwig Feuerbach which submits to both specific human nature and the entire humanity. Marx translated this philosophy as a treatise that declares humans as conscious actors in the unfolding of history and nature itself. In the year 1845, Marx inscribed to the world his belief that the human essence cannot be found in a particular individual but in his association with the larger social relations which he belongs. Logically, this statement points to the insight that the human essence is a fluid concept which is hardwired on the total structure of social relations borne out from a society. He then goes on to assert that the fundamental essence of humans as individuals enmeshed in a particular mode of production is their labor. One of the primary arguments of Marx was that humans are distinguished through their behavior toward production and that this economic activity is their soul. Yet, he did not entirely described "labor" as a perfectly embedded human essence but one that is also the source of oppression, alienation, and private property. He ardently argued that in communism "labor" is an unnecessary human activity and an abhorrent fraction of the material state of societies; whereas in capitalism labor represents the material ex igencies of the few owners of production and the workers themselves were merely caricatures of torment, suffering, and hard work. Moreover, Marx alleged that productive activities which are vital to human nature are only gratifying if executed freely. Under the pretext of capitalism, labor is nothing but a tool of dehumanization and isolation for the providers of the valuable labor. Furthermore, labor performed in capitalism invariably produces alienation of the workers from their own produce. Marx (1932), in his article on historical materialism, used the allegory of a carpenter working on a chair. A carpenter who successfully accomplished an entire chair is more self-fulfilled than the carpenter who only took fractions of work to complete an entire chair. Marx related labor with self-identity thus claiming that in capitalism which is characterized by

Dangerous Driving Habits Essay Example for Free

Dangerous Driving Habits Essay Driving a car is a lot of fun and the danger is often overlooked by many. With the dangers rarely being taken into consideration the effects are noticed and felt on a daily basis in our society. People fail to realize that driving requires all five senses. Many people are too confident, some preoccupied, and the most dangerous of all is not being in the right state of mind. Many of today’s drivers have dangerous habits some good and some bad in the end they are all dangerous habits that affect us all. Many of us begin driving very cautiously and soon feel invulnerable on the street. People tend to feel as if they know it all and take their luck for granted while endangering the lives of others. Cars now a day can go much faster than the law permits us to go. For example my father has a Chevrolet Corvette with a heavy foot, he says â€Å"I am the kind of the road† and feels a sense of enjoyment when he is going faster than everyone else. His excuse is never being in a car accident. My sister on the other uses her knee while driving in the city and on the highway! Let’s just say for a second a tire blows and while driving with her knee she does not have enough time to grab the wheel causing her to lose control ending in a major car accident. Maybe the worst of all is convincing yourself a seat belt is not necessary simply because you are too good of a driver. I felt as if I knew it all and there was no need for a seat belt needless to say it saved my life. Everyday distractions take away a lot from a driver and his/her ability to drive well. Cell phones are yet another horrible habit while driving from talking to text messaging. For instance I was on my way to school when the car in front of me slammed on his/her brakes as did I and when looking into my rearview mirror hoping to see if the car behind was going to be able to stop in time all I saw was a girl with both hands on her phone text messaging someone, I know this because she later confessed it to me. Another women putting on makeup while driving, take my mother for example her philosophy is why do my makeup in the house when it can be done in the car to save time. What she doesn’t realize is every time she looks in the mirror to see how her lipstick is coming out she is putting herself in a very dangerous situation. Yet another is music. Just about everyone listens to the radio as loud as can be while driving. Take for instance and young man ready to change lanes with a car in his blind spot and with his new stereo full blast he doesn’t hear the horn from the car he just cut off causing a potentially fatal accident. From cell phones, makeup, and a radio full blast a driver can never be in the fully focused on the road. Yet worst of all a person getting behind the wheel when he/she is not capable of driving. Drinking and driving is by far the worst habit a person can have while driving. Drunk drivers are a menace at every hour of the day, but at night their visibility is cut in half making the situation much worse than it already is. Imagine a young man on his way home from a club in the early morning hours while there is a car broken down unable to pull over, because he is impaired he will not be able to react quick enough to avoid the disabled vehicle. Another horrible habit is getting behind the wheel when you are not rested. Some people do not have a choice as their schedule does not allow them time to sleep enough. Take my father for example on his way home one day with stop and go traffic he dosed off for a second and rear ended the person in front of him. He had no choice to drive but there are things he could have done to wake himself up such as drinking a cup of coffee or eating something before commuting. Driving is dangerous enough and to top it off we all make it worse with our dangerous driving habits. We all need to make better decisions as when to drive, how to drive and when not to drive. It takes a lot of effort to change our driving habits on the road and it will not happen without plenty of discipline and dedication. I have only listed a few yet important habits developed by drivers. If we are driving then we are old enough to know right from wrong and need to make smarter decisions while driving.

Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity Essay Example for Free

Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity Essay The Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases (KMT) is an explanation and description of the motion and behavior of molecules. It looks into the kinematics of molecules, wherein focus on the forces exists between molecules and the energy generated by the motion of these molecules (Poseidon Software and Invention, 1997). Etymologically, the KMT comes from â€Å"kinetic† which means moving, and â€Å"molecular† which comes from the root word molecule, classically the smallest unit of particle. The KMT includes several postulates which describe how the molecules of gases behave. The following are characteristics of how gas molecules behave: (1) Gases are composed of very small particles called molecules; (2) the molecules are very large in number; (3) they are perfectly spherical in shape and elastic in nature; (4) their volume is negligible which implies that they can move freely (Dogra, 1984); (4) the average distance between molecules is relatively large as compared to their size (Kotz, et al. , 2008); (5) they behave in a state of constant, random motion following Newton’s Laws (Selvaratnam, 1998); (6) they move in a straight line until they â€Å"collide with another [particle or with] the walls of the container† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). (7) the collisions of the gas molecules with other particles or with the walls of the container are perfectly elastic such that the total kinetic energy after the collision is equal to the total kinetic energy before the collision; (8) there are no attractive or repulsive forces between the molecules, and only during collisions do the particles exert forces on each other (Wulfsberg, 2000); (9) there is no energy lost during the collisions; energy is conserved; and (10) the average kinetic energy of the particles depends on the temperature of the system. These postulates can be further illustrated in terms of the interpretation of the temperature and pressure of a gas. Temperature, being a macroscopic characteristic of matter, is â€Å"interpreted in terms of the kinetic energy of the molecules† (Selvaratnam, 1998, p. 183). There is a directly proportional relationship between the temperature and the kinetic energy of the molecules of a gas. This means that an increase in temperature causes a similar increase in the kinetic energy or rapid movement of the molecules. â€Å"The hotter the gas is, the faster its particles move† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). Pressure, on the other hand, is â€Å"due to the incessant bombardment of the walls of the container vessel by the billions and billions of molecules present† (Selvaratnam, 1998, p. 183). This only means that if more collisions occur, the pressure is higher. The individual gas laws could be put into perspective in relation to the KMT. According to Boyle’s Law, â€Å"at constant number of moles and temperature, pressure and volume are inversely proportional† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). Charle’s Law, on the other hand, states that â€Å"at constant number of moles and pressure, the volume and the temperature are directly proportional† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). A third Gas Law consists of the theory that â€Å"at constant number of moles and pressure, the volume and the temperature are directly proportional† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). These individual gas laws, if combined, would produce an â€Å"ideal† gas. In relation to the motion of the molecules, the molecular activities in the three states of matter differ in several aspects. In the solid state, the particles are packed in a more closely manner. They are held closely to one another by their attractive forces (Poseidon Software and Invention, 1997). These strong, attractive forces between the particles cause them not to move freely and instead, vibrate. This feature results in a definite shape and volume of solids. In the liquid state, the intermolecular forces only permit the particles to flow or glide over one another. As compared to solid, the motion of the molecules is more random. The shape and volume of a liquid is dependent on its container. The intermolecular forces are also essential in understanding the dissolution of things. In the dissolving process, the molecules of the solute are surrounded by the molecules of the solvent. Here, â€Å"molecular bonds between molecules of solute have to be broken and molecular bonds of the solvent also have to be disrupted† (Educating Online, 2007, n. p. ). References Blauch, D. N. (2001). Kinetic Molecular Theory. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from http://www. chm. davidson. edu/chemistryapplets/kineticmoleculartheory/BasicConcepts. html. Dogra, S. (1984). Physical Chemistry through Problems. India: New Age International. Educating Online. (2007). Solubility of things. Retrieved March 6, 2009 fromhttp://www. solubilityofthings. com/basics/why_things_dissolve. php Kotz, J. C. , Treichel, P. Weaver. (2008). Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity. U. S. : Cengage Learning EMEA Poseidon Software and Invention. (1997, November 16). Kinetic Molecular Theory. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from http://www.psinvention. com/kinetic. htm. Selvaratnam, M. (1998). A Guided Approach to Learning Chemistry. South Africa: Juta and Company Limited. The Kinetic Molecular Theory. (2009). Bodner Research Web. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from http://chemed. chem. purdue. edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch4/kinetic4. html. Whitley, K. (2005, May 13). Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from http://www. chemprofessor. com/kmt. htm. Wulfsberg, G. (2000). Inorganic Chemistry. U. S. :University Science Books.

Impact of Volcanic Eruptions on Iceland

Impact of Volcanic Eruptions on Iceland Massimo Fanara Describe the three different types of volcanic eruptions that have given rise to rise to Iceland’s volcanic landforms. There are three different types of volcanic eruptions based on the lava texture. These are; Effusive: eruptions in which lava with low viscosity and settles on the side of the volcano forming gentle slopes. In this type of eruption, gases escape easily and thus there is no explosions due to the build-up of pressure (The Geological Society, 2014). Explosive: occur when gas pressure builds up in the volcano until it is released catastrophically. The highlyviscousmagma magma is trapped in the volcano by a blockage, which prevents gases from escaping. As the magma rises towards the surface, pressure increases until a weak point in the blocked crater is found. At this point all the pressure is released in a massive explosion of pyroclastics, volcanic gases and lava (The Geological Society,2014). Mixed: Eruptions involving explosions and magma flows Describe the characteristics of a thuya. How does this acquire its distinctive shape? Tuyas are eruptions occurring underneath ice sheets resulting in a layer-cake structure with a flat-top and steep-sidedvolcano. This steep sided layer-cake shape results from the rapid cooling of lava which does not travel far from the vent and thus piles up into a steep-sided mount. When the eruption is long enough that melts all the ice, a flat cap of basaltic rock on top of the hill is formed. Definethe term jà ¶kulhlaup and explain its significance to Iceland. Jà ¶kulhlaups: refers to an outburst flood event of glacial origin. Jà ¶kulhlaups erode, deposit, and re-work sediment simultaneously; they usually cause significant glaciological and sedimentological impacts creating large canyons and transport sediment and icebergs over vast outwash plains and sandur deltas (Russell, Roberts, et al., 2005). Another important aspect of jokulhlaups is the significant heat exchange between the magma and glacier, which result in subglacial eruprions and formation of hyaloclastite ridges and tuyas (Bjà ¶rnsson, 2010). What are the origins of Icelandic river waters? Describe the relevant main characteristics. Most of the Icelandic river waters originate from abundant glacier melting. This result in distinctive characteristics including; Huge amount of debris High turbidity Usually yellowish-brown in colour. The maximum discharge usually occurs in July or early August. Most of the rivers are unnavigable. Explain  the following terms: (i) tephrachronology, (ii) crytotephra,and (iii) isopachs. Tephrochronology: is a method for relating and dating geological, palaeoecological, palaeoclimatic, or archaeological sequences or events (Lowe, 2011). Crytotephra: It involves the use of volcanic ash which travelled long distances and which may have formed distinct but invisible layers within a sites stratigraphy (Lane, Cullen, et al., 2014). Isopachs: Isopachs are line drawn on a map connecting all points of equal thickness of a particular geologic formation. These allow the user to create isopach mapsillustrating variations in thickness within a layer orstratum. Isopach maps are used are utilized inhydrographic survey,stratigraphy,sedimentology,structuralgeology,petroleum geologyandvolcanology. One measure used totackle the problem ofsoil erosion is re-seeding with appropriate floral species. What characteristics of a plant would make it suitable for such a purpose? Roots are important structures not only for the plant but also for the underlying terrain. Plant roots; Describe one method that could be used to measure the profile of a beach. Beach profiling can be carried out by the use of a clinometer. This method consist of first, finding two points to use as reference points which define the line to follow when measuring a beach profile. The instruments needed are a clinometer, a compass, GPS (for the starting point coordinates), a measuring tape and a piece of wood (to place the clinometer on it when taking the readings). Measurements of the beach surface are taken by the use of a clinometer which measures the angle of the slope. This is done at different intervals between the two reference points until the sea is reached. Explain the following: (i) lateral moraine, (ii) kettle lake, and (iii) outwash plain. Lateral moraine: Unconsolidated material deposited on the sides of an alpine glacier. Most of the material deposited results from the freeze-thaw weathering of alpine valley walls (Lemke, 2010). Kettle lake: Kettles arefluvioglacial landforms created when depressions left behind by the melting of partially-buried ice blocks are filled with water (Schaetzl, n.d.). Outwash plain: Outwash plains areplainsformed fromglacialsediments such as gravel, sand and claydeposited by meltwater outwash at the terminus of aglacier (The Geography Site, 2006). Explain the presence of wave-cut platforms in areas ofIceland presently distant from the coast. Studies were carried out on the lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy in the northern coast of Iceland in the attempt of reconstructing deglaciations relative sea level changes. According to these studies sea level felt by approximately 45m between 11300 and 9100 BP. This corresponds to an isostatic rebound of 77m. Therefore, this change in sea level explains the presence of wave-cut platforms distant from the coast (Rundgren, Ingolfsson, 1997) Distinguish between mafic and felsic lava. Mafic lava: is less viscous than felsic lava due to lower silica content. This causes non-violent eruptions where lava moves slower. Mafic lava tends to be associated more with interplate volcanism and mid-ocean ridges and produces basaltic type rock. Felsic lava: found mainly at convergent zones. This type of lava has a high silica and water content, causing the lava to be highly viscous and causes very violent eruptions. This lava produces rhyolite and andesitic rocks. What is the nominal fix accuracy of a GPS? Why can a DGPS improve this nominal accuracy? Nominal fix accuracy of a GPS is how accurate a GPS can be. There are several factors affecting the accuracy such as atmospheric effects, sky blockage, and receiver quality. A higher accuracy is attained when using GPS in combination with augmentation system. These enable real-time positioning to within a few centimeters (National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing, 2014). A Differential Global Positioning System(DGPS) is an enhancement toGlobal Positioning Systemthat provides improved location accuracy, from the 15-meter nominal GPS accuracy to about 10 cm in case of the best implementations. The DGPS is a combination of local land stations connected with satellites for more accurate data. In cartographic terms, explain why the datum used by a GPS navigation set must be the same as for the reference chart being used. A datum is any numerical or geometrical quantity serving as a reference point from which to measure other quantities. With regard to chart datums, these are also used in plotting GPS positions or transferring positions from one chart to another. When plotting and transferring points from one chart to another GPS positions must be on the same datum as the chart being used in order to prevent any inconvenience regarding with hazards and safe distances. References Bjà ¶rnsson, H. (2010). Jà ¶kulhlaups in Iceland: Sources, release and drainage [Abstract]. CRITSITE. (2014). Root structure characteristics. Retrieved, 2014, Retrieved from http://www.critsite.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.rootStructures/index.htm Hofmann-Wellenhof, B., Lichtenegger, H., Wasle, E. (2007). GNSS–global navigation satellite systems: GPS, GLONASS, galileo, and more Springer. Lemke. (2010). Lateral moraine. Retrieved, 2014, Retrieved from http://www4.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/lemke/alpine_glacial_glossary/landforms/lateralmoraine.html Lane, C. S., Cullen, V., White, D., Bramham-Law, C., Smith, V. (2014). Cryptotephra as a dating and correlation tool in archaeology. Journal of Archaeological Science, 42, 42-50. Lowe, D. J. (2011). Tephrochronology and its application: A review. Quaternary Geochronology, 6(2), 107-153. National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing. (2014). GPS accuracy. Retrieved, 2014, Retrieved from http://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/ Schaetzl. (n.d.). Kettle lakes. Retrieved, 2014, Retrieved from http://web2.geo.msu.edu/geogmich/kettle_lakes.html RUNDGREN, M., INGÓLFSSON, Ó., BJÃâ€"RCK, S., Jiang, H., Haflidason, H. (1997). Dynamic seaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ level change during the last deglaciation of northern Iceland. Boreas, 26(3), 201-215. Russell AJ, Roberts MJ, Fay H, Marren PM, Cassidy NJ, Tweed FS, Harris T. (2005). Icelandic jà ¶kulhlaup impacts: Implications for ice-sheet hydrology, sediment transfer and geomorphology. Geomorphology, 75(12), 33-36. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2005.05.018 The Geography Site. (2006). Outwash plains. Retrieved, 2014, Retrieved from http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/physical/glaciers/outw.html The Geological Society. (2014). Effusive explosive eruptions. Retrieved, 2014, Retrieved from http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/ks3/gsl/education/resources/rockcycle/page3599.html

The Silk Road Essays -- Chinese History

Long before there were trains, ships and airplanes to transport goods from one place to another, there was the Silk Road. Beginning in the sixth century, this route was formed and thus began the first major trade system. Although the term â€Å"Silk Road† would lead one that it was on road, this term actually refers to a number of different routes that covered a vast amount of land and were traveled by many different people. Along with silk, large varieties of goods were traded and traveled along this route both going to and from China. Material goods were not the only thing that passed along this path, but many religions were brought into China via the Silk Road. These topics will be discussed in detail in this paper. From Babylon in the west to Chang’an in the east and from Jada Gate in the north to Patna in the south, the Silk Road stretched over a wide space of the Asian and Middle Eastern countries. There was not one road or one direct route between the many stops between these destinations. The caravans that traveled the Silk Road mainly skirted the Taklimakan desert, also called the â€Å"Land of the Dead† by the people in that area. Nomadic tribes traveled from oasis to oasis, often with little or no protection from bandits. These bandits were accustomed to engaging in raids on the merchants that used this route to trade with other countries, attacking and stealing from the merchants and later selling what they acquired in this nefarious manner. It is important to note that while the deserts were a challenge to navigate, the highest mountain ranges also made travel difficult. Many of the people who used this trade route never traveled far, but instead traded goods many times between merchants. It is because of these ... ...hina as well. Along the Silk Road, Buddhism, Christianity, and Manichaeism also migrated towards the east. The Silk Road supported trade of goods and services and the spread of ideas and religions, beginning the shrinking of the world to the relatively small place it has become in our time. Works Cited Wild, Oliver. Department of Earth System Science; University of California Irvine, "The Silk Road." Last modified 1992. Accessed March 31, 2012. http://ess.uci.edu/~oliver/silk.html. Lendering, Jona. LIVIUS Articles on Ancient History, "Silk road." Last modified 03/30/2012. Accessed March 31, 2012. http://livius.org/sh-si/silk_road/silk_road.html. Major, John. Asia Society, "Silk Road: Spreading Ideas and Inovations." Last modified 2012. Accessed March 31, 2012. http://asiasociety.org/countries/trade-exchange/silk-road-spreading-ideas-and-innovations.

Willy Loman as Tragic Hero of Death of a Salesman Essay -- Death Sales

Willy Loman as Tragic Hero of Death of a Salesman       Willy Loman, the title character of the play, Death of Salesman, exhibits all the characteristics of a modern tragic hero. This essay will support this thesis by drawing on examples from Medea by Euripedes, Poetics by Aristotle, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, while comments by Moss, Gordon, and Nourse reinforce the thesis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Death of Salesman, by Arthur Miller, fits the characteristics of classic tragedy. ?.... this is, first of all, a play about a man's death. And tragedy has from the beginning dealt with this awesome experience, regarding it as significant and moving.? (Nourse).   The first defining point of a tragedy is the hero. The traits for a tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle in Poetics, are social rank, hamartia, ability to arouse pity, peripeteia, hubris, and anagnorisis. Will Loman's classification as a tragic hero has been debated because he lacks the high social rank and nobility to be considered so. Arthur Miller chose to argue this, however, by stating that Willy Loman was ?a very brave spirit who cannot settle for but must pursue his dream of himself to the end,? (Moss, 27) reasserting the character of a modern hero as noble, not in position ... ... Twayne Publishers, 1967. Nourse, Joan T. Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman' and 'All My Sons.' New York, 1965. Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Elements of Literature. Ed. Edwina McMahon et al. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1997. Sophocles. "Oedipus Rex." Elements of Literature. Ed. Robert Scholes, Nancy Comley, Carl H. Klaus, and David Staines. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1990. 714-757. Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1991. Clinton W. Trowbridge, "Arthur Miller: Between Pathos and Tragedy," Arthur Miller, ed. Harold Bloom (New York: Chelsea House, 1987) Willy Loman as Tragic Hero of Death of a Salesman Essay -- Death Sales Willy Loman as Tragic Hero of Death of a Salesman       Willy Loman, the title character of the play, Death of Salesman, exhibits all the characteristics of a modern tragic hero. This essay will support this thesis by drawing on examples from Medea by Euripedes, Poetics by Aristotle, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, while comments by Moss, Gordon, and Nourse reinforce the thesis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Death of Salesman, by Arthur Miller, fits the characteristics of classic tragedy. ?.... this is, first of all, a play about a man's death. And tragedy has from the beginning dealt with this awesome experience, regarding it as significant and moving.? (Nourse).   The first defining point of a tragedy is the hero. The traits for a tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle in Poetics, are social rank, hamartia, ability to arouse pity, peripeteia, hubris, and anagnorisis. Will Loman's classification as a tragic hero has been debated because he lacks the high social rank and nobility to be considered so. Arthur Miller chose to argue this, however, by stating that Willy Loman was ?a very brave spirit who cannot settle for but must pursue his dream of himself to the end,? (Moss, 27) reasserting the character of a modern hero as noble, not in position ... ... Twayne Publishers, 1967. Nourse, Joan T. Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman' and 'All My Sons.' New York, 1965. Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Elements of Literature. Ed. Edwina McMahon et al. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1997. Sophocles. "Oedipus Rex." Elements of Literature. Ed. Robert Scholes, Nancy Comley, Carl H. Klaus, and David Staines. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1990. 714-757. Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1991. Clinton W. Trowbridge, "Arthur Miller: Between Pathos and Tragedy," Arthur Miller, ed. Harold Bloom (New York: Chelsea House, 1987)

Truss Design Project Essay -- Engineering

Summary We have designed a truss to support a point load, placed at 190mm from the edge of a 450mm gap. The vertical face of the trusses is modelled on the already established ‘K’ truss design, but the overall shape of the structure is our own. There are three ‘K’ units on each truss. The two vertical faces are held together at the top by another truss-like design. We modelled this on the ‘N’ truss. The truss is constructed from hot-dog sticks, glue and bolts. Introduction The task was to construct a truss out of 48 hot-dog sticks and 30 bolts to support as large a point load as possible. It was to span a gap of 450mm and to support a load placed at 190mm from the end. The truss may have a maximum depth beneath the supports of 130mm, and the loading rod placed not more than 110mm beneath the supports. Member ends must be bolted and the forces within the members calculable. Project Objectives †¢ Maximise the load capacity of the truss †¢ Achieve an even distribution of force to each member †¢ Construct the truss carefully for maximum quality †¢ Design a truss which did not fail from flexural-torsional buckling. Development of the Model We began by researching established truss designs, such as the Bailey bridge, Baltimore bridge and the N truss. We realised that although each type of truss was useful for its own purpose, none of the bridges was intended for supporting a point load. However, we compared the designs by calculating the distribution of forces in the members. This gave some guidance to the development of the model. We researched the ‘K’ truss, which is composed of many repeated ‘K’ units, in either direction. This design gives the most even distribution of force to the members, which satisfies o... ... to the members; reinforcing material glued to compression members; holes drilled towards the middle of tension members to give extra support; the rounded shape of the top and bottom of the trusses for improved weight distribution; and the ‘N’ truss design on the top and bottom to prevent flexural-torsional buckling. Drawings are over the page Conclusions †¢ The K-truss is the most effective means of distributing a point load amongst members, under determinate conditions. †¢ Increasing the concavity/ angle of the outer members of the truss lessens the forces in the members. †¢ Reversing the direction of the K’s at the position of the point load helps to lessen the force in the corresponding vertical members. †¢ It is desirable to have as many K’s in the truss as possible. The solution is maximised so that all 30 bolts are used, giving a good amount of K joints.

Marketing of the white supremists groups

Before the American Civil War, white supremacy was born. White supremacy is basically the exploitation and oppression of the people and communities by the white people; for the given purpose of establishing, maintaining and defending the wealth, power and privilege. This white supremacy has established a culture that justifies and binds together the white people. White people are referred to as white American people and some nations also use the term for â€Å"Englishmen,† â€Å"Irishmen† or â€Å"Christians.† Between 1960s and 1970s, there was a depression in the nation’s history.The United States of America’s government was guilty of injustice and discrimination against their fellow Americans. Biased people get off the street and filled the area through out the country their purpose of committing this collective behavior is to emphasize the evils of the Blacks, Jews, the homosexuals, and the handicapped. Up to now, the considered â€Å"evils† of the society still suffers from verbal and physical abuse. At that time, the Americans were under siege of hateful demonstrations.White supremacy back then preaches hatred of the blacks and Jews, homosexuals and other minorities. Then hate crimes have sprouted everywhere. According to Summer in the text â€Å"anti-defamation†, there was an instance that occurred on the 10th of August 1999, O’Neal Furrow Jr. threatened a Filipino-American mailman by saying, †mail the letter before I shoot you!!† and it only happened after he tried to shoot kindergarten students with their teacher who are believed to be Jews.After what he had done, he was taken to custody and his justification for his action was that he wanted his actions to be a wake-up call for the American people to kill and eradicate the existence of the Jews. Though the act was wicked and sick, the accused was not charged of anything since the officer-in-charge is white. From this, it is assumed tha t white supremacy in a violation of human rights and only those you have experienced it are the only ones who can testify. There is no room for cases like this since you do not belong to the predominant group which is the white people. White supremacy entails the discrimination against the blacks thought they do not do anything back being black is already a sin. This mentality made â€Å"the blacks† the inferior race than â€Å"the whites†.White supremacy ideologically manipulates the United States politics and affects other institutions of the American society. There are criteria to classify racial categories such as economic status, social status and political status.   All of this is related with power acquisition.   The European model of supremacy does not actually teach to hate based on color and social stratification hence they just want to contaminate the nations to affirm the dominance of the whites.The white supremacy sprouted from the identity crisis of t he European nationalism. White Supremacy is said to be and ideological, structural, historical stratification process intentionally transmitted by Europe: to other races to promote advantages of the â€Å"whites†; to make the top-to-bottom mechanics work; and especially to make Europeans dominant based on color, gender, social status, ethnicity and religion.They want to be the dominant race because of the power relations accompanied by being dominant. Privileges of power are the most important thing since it involves the allocation of resources and making decisions. The process of White Supremacy is to plague the minds of other races to emulate the fear and inferiority based upon the qualities that they have. Well in fact, there is no material evidence to say that â€Å"whites† are the supreme beings.These are some of the evidence that there are methods used by the White Supremacy adherents to spread the bad word. First, they used religion as a tool. It is believed tha t the racists asked God for permission to hate other religions that do not worship God. Second, they use the media to spread their propaganda. A credible person would talk in a radio show fueled by a â€Å"hate-motivated† speech to assert what has to be done in the said to inferior races. Another form that they use is the use of the written-word, the newspaper.There are tabloids that they used to promote hate and discord with the other races and religions. In religion, they sent out pamphlets that tell how God has given them the power to kill and eradicate religion that has not been rooted for the white people. Another is through music, though most of them are banned now since they want to promote a harmonious relationship with blacks as they say. They used the music industry to spread hate by creating songs that are related with blacks and being racists is a good thing, that sort of themes.For the blacks, they have countered it with the hip-hop scene but they do not promote hate for white people, they express themselves by showing how kind they are and how passionate they are with music. Blacks never claimed that they are better it is just that whites are insisting to rub them to be inferior. Third, is that they used videogames to give the virtual reality a taste for those who crave to kill and abuse the inferior race.Videogames are not screened or monitored if they are created to have discriminatory them hence it is tolerated since it sells more. And also it has extreme access with the youth and the upcoming youth is the market for new white supremacy adherents. In a simple game of chess, one may might ask, â€Å"why the player with white pieces will make a move first?† This is very controversial since chess has been a long time game hence it spurred discrimination. It was said that the white pieces are the aristocrats and the black are the slaves. Hence, it was not provided that there is hierarchy between them. It is just that the white pieces are made to have distinction with the black pieces and being the first to move was never intended to be absorbed as its discourse.The White horde or the areas where white people is in abundance have shown evidence to exercise white supremacy. The rise in the migration trend on these countries have implied that there will be also a rise in the white supremist groups hence it was unintentional. Due to that, the justice system has improved their prevention and surveillance against these groups. If such group was established, it can be punishable by the law. White supremacy is a negative ideology to adhere with and its attacks are non-rational. We are rational beings. We should act in accordance to what the people act upon.If they are good, we must be good. If they are bad, rationalize the situation first before retaliation. We cannot be discriminatory based on color. Being black is not being aliens. Being non-Christian is being evil. This is not what we have wanted for our society to become. We label this deviant thinking and idea to for the wrong reasons. With this, we are creating a barrier between other races.This is bad for the hopes of the world to be harmonious. There is nothing we could do change are colors and our beliefs hence we should not make any prejudices and stereotypes against other races since it will promote vengefulness and discord among them. White supremacy should be thrashed as well the black supremacy. Black supremacy was in reaction to white supremacy and still the whites did not realize the implications and effects of they did.Overall white supremacy is a racist ideology. It promotes hate among groups and races that are not white in culture and in practice. The White Supremacy adherents are blinded by the false consciousness instilled by them. I think no one would claim who started this racist ideology because he must be ashamed of what he did. The use of other institutions even religion is a very sick mentality.With this, as our awarene ss, we should eradicate white supremacy at all costs. We must launch an effort against this. Racism and discrimination are not corruptors of society. We must not entertain any of these wrong ideas. Differences must not lead to discrimination. We are blinded by the differences that we have. We are being disillusioned by the fact that whites are made to be superior yet they just imposed it on us. There is no superior or inferior race, it just depends on the perception of how we understand things and conditions and act or react with accordance to these things. Differences are things that must bind us together thus it must not lead to human extinction. Human extinction will occur if these events continue to plague our minds.ReferencesAnti-Defamation League. (1999) A season of hate. Retrieved on October 20, 2007 from http://archive.adl.org/1999_audit/summer_1999.htmlShepard, M.S.(2001) Funeral for gay hate-crime victim brutally murdered. Retrieved on October 20, 2007 from https://smallbu siness.yahoo.com/Brown, A. (2000) White Supremacy. The Guardian, UK. Retrieved on October 20, 2007 f  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   rom https://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/

Middle East Democracy

The idea of installing a full scale democratic government in Iran is something that has undoubtedly crossed the mind of many prominent American politicians, but it has yet to come to fruition because of a number of reasons. For the most part, the promotion of democracy in the Middle East has been a well tried, but failed venture. While many nations in other parts of the world have been especially quick to pick up democracy, those people in Iran and other parts of the Middle East have not been so willing to embrace the idea yet. This has occurred because of the fundamental problems that seem to get lost in translation when western nations try to impose a government on the people in the Middle East. In order for democracy to ever work in Iran or elsewhere in that area of the world, these basic, fundamental differences must be addressed appropriately and ultimately be bridged, so that a common accord can be reached in the best interests of the Iranian people. The primary obstacles to democratic reform in Iran are many and they are tall obstacles. In short, these are basic problems that the people of Iran have with western governments and they are the sort of problems that will keep democracy from coming to Iran at this point. The main thing standing in the way is a difference in religious theory. Though democracy itself purports to support all religions and in effort to promote religious freedom, it is built upon Christian principles and has been a primarily Christian outfit since its inception. When the founding fathers designed the documents that started the nation, they opened up their Bibles for consultation. This is not a fact that is lost on the Iranian people, nor is it lost on the Iranian government. According to NationMaster.com, the statistics on religion in Iran are staggering. According to that website, 98% of the people in Iran are practicing Muslims (NationMaster.com). This in itself is something that creates major issues with democracy and stands as a barrier in the way of every having an active democracy in that country. Of that 98% clip, more than 89% of the Muslims are Shi’a, which creates an added problem. That sect of Islam has been particularly harsh in regards to American policy and democracy. In addition to the problem surrounding religion, there is a problem that exists over control of the country. The controlling party in Iran worked very hard to gain control of the country and they now have a system in place that rewards those who support them and cracks down on those that oppose them. This is done because the country is set up to allow this theocracy to have full and complete control over just about every aspect of the country, including the economy. Since their control is so widespread, there is lots of vested interest in keeping the controlling party in office. If they were to be booted out of office in favor of some new leaders, lots of angry people would be missing out on the benefits that they were used to receiving. According to MapsoftheWorld.com, â€Å"The chief of the state is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khomeini. The head of the Iran government is President Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad. The Cabinet consists of Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval† (MapsoftheWorld.com). This alone shows the near complete control that the leader of the government has over the country. Though the head of the government is an elected official, there is little to suggest that any elections are conducted in a fair manner. Though the government in Iran is technically considered a democracy because of the fact that they hold elections, one would be hard pressed to find anyone that would consider their system a clear representation of the people’s rights. A former American government official has even said in the last month that the democracy effort in Iran is one that will be tough to come by given the current state in the country and America’s current relationship with the leaders of that country. In a New York Sun article by Eli Lake, a former presidential assistant is quoted as saying, â€Å"There is not the expertise, there is not the energy for it. The Iran office is worried about the bilateral policy. I think they are not committed to this anymore† (Lake). If that quote is any indication, then the democracy effort in Iran has a tough future ahead of it. Overcoming the barriers to democracy will not be easy in Iran, but they are doable with the right policy. One thing to consider is that the religious preferences of the Iranian people are longstanding and they are not likely to change any time in the near future. As such, Western nations must understand that they are going to be dealing with an Islamic nation and they must make allowances for that. Though pure democracy in an American sense will never come off as being an Islamic idea, the proponents of such an Iranian democracy movement must make sure to bridge the gap that exists within perception between the two nations. They must paint democracy in its most positive light to the people of Iran, to make them understand that it is not something to be feared, but rather something to be embraced. If the basic differences in religious preference are going to be conquered, then democracy must appear to them as something that can be incorporated with their Islamic values. Having them adopt Judeo-Christian values is not an option, so if democracy is going to head to Iran, then it must be taken closer to their preferences. As far as power is concerned, this looks like a problem that might not have a solution. Given the fact that the controlling party is not likely to give up any of their stake in the nation regardless of what the American government has to say, a new democratic creation must take this into account. Though there is no way to truly overcome this obstacle, some progress can be made by insuring that the people in control right now understand that they will not be thrown to the dogs in a new democracy program. They will still have the chance to be in power if they are elected fairly by the people of their country. This will not likely be enough to pacify those in power, but that might not be possible in the long run. The primary supporters of democratic reform in Iran are mostly from Western nations and their interest is two fold. For American leaders, the establishment of democracy in Iran helps promote that sort of movement all over the world, and it helps to protect American interests abroad as much as possible. The hope of such a government would ultimately be to get rid of the tyrannical leader that runs that government. When tyrants are eliminated from office, the entire world is better off for it, according to American policy. According to a 2005 New York Times article, the American government is taking great measures to help this happen. They are being helped by leaders in other democratic governments. In an article by Steven R. Weisman, it is stated, â€Å"The Bush administration is expanding efforts to influence Iran's internal politics with aid for opposition and pro-democracy groups abroad and longer broadcasts criticizing the Iranian government, administration officials say† (Weisman). This widespread support from the American government has been continued, although it has been reformed since to meet its goals more effectively. The main opponents of democratic reform in Iran are fairly predictable, given the current set of circumstances in that country. The controlling party that runs the government has no interest in changing their ways, as it was the old system that allowed them to gain power and influence. They are the most powerful and influential group standing in the way. Almost as important in this stance against democracy are the religious leaders in Iran. They have a huge measure of control over the population since it is their job to give clarity on religious matters. Under the current theocracy, which is run with a great deal of religious emphasis, they have lots of control and economic swing in the country. This group is probably more important to influence, since it is their interpretation of the Islamic gospel that helps create the prevailing thought of the Iranian people. Given the fact that the deep rooted Christian values in democracy are no secret, it is highly unlikely that the Islamic leaders of Iran are going to relent on their position. In order to influence these political leaders in Iran, there is only one real solution that the American government can use. Since economic sanctions and threats of war do not seem to be working, the U.S. government has to take the initiative to establish some rewards for the leaders if they were to go along with democracy. Economic rewards are very powerful bargaining tools, because the Iranian leaders can get rich if they play their cards right. If the Western governments made it clear that they would provide clear support to any democratic reform, it may influence the Iranian leaders to make some changes to their current working system. Though the basic premise of democracy would indicate that any group should be allowed to jockey for position atop the government, Iran has to be handled somewhat differently. Given the previously mentioned statistics on religion in the country, it would be extremely unwise to allow any anti-Islamic groups to push for control of the nation. It would be unwise for a couple of different reasons. On one hand, they would have no chance of gaining control of the country and would therefore just be stirring the pot. This leads to the second conclusion, which indicates that such pot stirring would only have a negative impact on the reception of democracy. Since democracy has to be brought to Iran in conjunction with Islam, this is a recipe for disaster. One thing that must be considered when a person thinks about American influence in Iran is what kind of broad impact it will have on a number of different people. If America and other western nations were to make a push for democracy in Iran, it might endanger those people in the country that are there in order to do other good in the country. According to an article in the Washington Post by Karl Vick and Daniel Finkel, â€Å"Prominent activists inside Iran say President Bush's plan to spend tens of millions of dollars to promote democracy here is the kind of help they don't need, warning that mere announcement of the U.S. program endangers human rights advocates by tainting them as American agents† (Vick, Finkel). This means that the mere announcement of any such effort would immediately put people in danger within Iran. This is not important on the basis that it would endanger a few human rights workers. It is important on the basis that if such widespread distaste for America exists among the people, then there is virtually no chance of American-led policy to stick in the country. Other factors must be considered, though. If America wants to keep Iran from becoming the next big Middle Eastern super power, then something must be a done. While the foreign policy of the United States should not include the right and prompting to go to war on a whim, it should help protect American interests. The United States has spent countless dollars and thousands of lives in establishing a semblance of normalcy in Iraq. According to some people, any action in Iran would destroy the work already done in its neighboring country. A United Press International article by Claude Salhani reads, â€Å"However, any attack on Iran would reverse any gains made in Iraq. This point was repeated to the U.S. secretary of defense by various Gulf officials† (Salhani). The government of the United States has to be very careful in this case, as they are playing with fire, to an extent. The only way that the American government should put dollars and effort forward in an attempt to reform Iran is if they have a clear idea of how to get things done. Any plan that is devoid of such a clear objective would fail miserably. The objectives must be to help end tyranny in Iran and to protect American interests on a security level. They must be handled diplomatically, as a military conflict in Iran at this time would be a recipe for disaster, given the nuclear implications that exist. A Steven Erlanger article in the New York Times indicates the thinking of Israel on the matter of nuclear weapons in Iran. In his article, Erlanger writes, â€Å"Israel thinks that an American National Intelligence Estimate about Iran's nuclear weapons program, published in an unclassified version last week, is unduly optimistic and focuses too narrowly on the last stage of weapons development – the fashioning of a bomb out of highly enriched uranium† (Erlanger). This means that some uncertainty exists over whether or not the country has any real, threatening weapons. If they were to possess advanced nuclear capability, then America and other nations must make sure to tread very lightly in enemy territory. Works Cited Erlanger, Steven. New York Times. Israelis Brief top U.S. Commander on Iran’s Nuclear Activities. 11 December 2007. http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2007/12/11/israelis_brief_us_commander_on_irans_nuclear_activities/ Lake, Eli. The New York Sun. ‘This Pretty Much Kills the Iran Democracy Program’. 8 November 2007. < http://www.nysun.com/article/66065> Maps of the World. Iran Government. http://www.mapsofworld.com/iran/about-iran/government.html Nation Master. Iran: Religion. < http://www.nationmaster.com/country/ir-iran/rel-religion> Salhani, Claude. United Press International. Analysis: Iran is Still a Threat for U.S. 10 December 2007. < http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Emerging_Threats/Analysis/2007/12/10/analysis_iran_is_still_a_threat_for_us/3136/> Vick, Karl, & Finkel, David. Washington Post. U.S. Push for Democracy Could Backfire in Iran. 14 March 2006. < http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/13/AR2006031301761.html> Weisman, Steven. The New York Times. U.S. Expands Aid to Iran’s Democracy Advocates Abroad. 29 May 2005. < http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/29/international/middleeast/29iran.html>