The Fall Of Communism In Russia Essays - Perestroika, Eastern Bloc

The Fall Of Communism In Russia Essays - Perestroika, Eastern Bloc The Fall of Communism in Russia The Reasons for the fall of Socialism/Communism and the Troubles of Starting the New Democratic System in the Russian Federation "Let's not talk about Communism. Communism was just an idea, just pie in the sky." Boris Yeltsin (b. 1931), Russian politician, president. Remark during a visit to the U.S. Quoted in: Independent (London, 13 Sept. 1989). The fall of the Communist regime in the Soviet Union was more than a political event. The powerful bond between economics and politics that was the integral characteristic of the state socialist system created a situation that was unique for the successor states of the Soviet Union. The Communist regime was so ingrain in every aspect of Soviet life that the Russian people were left with little democratic tradition. Russia faces the seemingly impracticable task of economic liberalization and democratization. This is combined with the fact that the new administration must address human rights issues, such as living conditions and the supply of staple goods in this new form of administration makes the prospect of a full democratic switch seemingly impossible. To fully underezd the scope of the transference of governing power in the Russian Federation, one must first look at the old Socialist/Communist regime, to see the circumezces under which it fell gives a good view of why this transference is almost impossible. In the beginning Communism seemed to the people of Russia as a utopian ideal. The promise of the elimination of classes, of guaranteed employment , "The creation of a comprehensive social security and welfare system for all citizens that would end the misery of workers once and for all." Lenin's own interpretation of the Marxian critique was that to achieve Communism there would first have to be a socialist dictatorship to first suppress any dissent or protest. Through coercive tactics this new government seized power and in 1917 Lenin came to power. Under his "rule" the Soviet Union underwent radical changes in it's economic doctrines adopting a mixed economy which was termed the New Economic Policy also referred to as NEP, this economy called for some private ownership of the means of production, but the majority of industry was made property of the people, which meant the majority of the means of production was controlled by the government. Lenin's government made many achievements. It ended a long civil war against the remnants of the old Czarist military system and established institutions in government. During this period, and in fact throughout the majority of the Communist rule, censorship and the subordination of interest groups such as trade unions was imposed to stop dissension and increase conformity to the new governments policies. Lenin died in 1924, and was quickly followed by Joseph Stalin as head of the Soviet Communist Party, the oppressive reforms started by Lenin were continued and at length became completely totalitarian. Stalin became the most powerful man in Russia. He controlled to bulk of all the political power and with that he started a ruthless campaign of removing all opposition to the Communist rule. During this period called the "Great Purge" Stalin systemically executed anyone who stood in his path. Millions of people were arrested and either harassed or killed. The economic status of the Soviet Union was yet again changed and the entire system became controlled by the government. All private ownership ended. A mass program of industrialization was commenced, and the strength of the Soviet Military was subeztially increased. The citizens during this period endured great hardship. Agricultural production output diminished resulting in food shortages, these shortages were enha! nce by the mass exportation of food, this was done to pay for industrial imports. Stalin also put the production of what he called production goods such as manufacturing machinery over basic consumer goods such as clothes and other staples. During this period the Second World War broke out and drained most of what was left of the already impoverished state. Yet after the war national unity was strengthened as well is the Soviet military machine. The Soviet Union became a super power, the U.S. being the only country more powerful than it. After the death of Stalin in 1953 Nikita Khrushchev became First Secretary of

Introduction to the French Present Tense

Introduction to the French Present Tense The French present tense, called le prà ©sent or le prà ©sent de lindicatif, is quite similar in usage to the English present tense. In French, the present tense is used to express all of the following: I. Current actions and situations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Je suis fatiguà ©.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am tired.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nous allons au marchà ©.  Ã‚  Ã‚  We are going to the market. II. Habitual actions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Il va là ©cole tous les jours.  Ã‚  Ã‚  He goes to school every day.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je visite des musà ©es le samedi.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I visit museums on Saturdays. III. Absolute and general truths   Ã‚  Ã‚  La terre est ronde.  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earth is round.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Là ©ducation est importante.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education is important. IV. Actions which will occur immediately   Ã‚  Ã‚  Jarrive  !  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ill be right there!  Ã‚  Ã‚  Il part tout de suite.  Ã‚  Ã‚  He is leaving right away. V. Conditions, such as in si clauses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Si je peux, jirai avec toi.  Ã‚  Ã‚  If I can, I will go with you.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Si vous voulez.  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you like. Note: The present tense is not used after certain constructions that indicate an action that will occur in the future, such as aprà ¨s que (after) and aussità ´t que (as soon as). Instead, the future is used in French. The French present tense has three different English equivalents, because the English helping verbs to be and to do are not translated into French. For example, je mange can mean all of the following: I eat.I am eating.I do eat. If you want to emphasize the fact that something is happening right now, you can use the conjugated verb à ªtre en train de infinitive. So to say I am eating (right now), you would literally say I am in the process of eating: Je suis en train de manger. To learn how to conjugate French verbs in the present tense and then test yourself, please see these related lessons: Regular Verbs   -ER verbs -IR verbs  -RE verbs

The Role of Oxidative Stress in Diabetic Retinopath Dissertation

The Role of Oxidative Stress in Diabetic Retinopath - Dissertation Example Insulin is an important component in the regulation of the glucose pathway in humans as well as some other animals. Because of this, the inability to effectively create or use insulin results in significant health problems, and also has the potential to create diabetic complications as the disease progresses (Hartnett et al. 2000). Diabetes dramatically increases the chance of obtaining either a vascular or a microvascular condition (Pennathur and Heinecke 2004). The first form of diabetes is type I, where individuals are unable to produce insulin. People with this form of diabetes make up approximately five to ten percent of the diabetic population. They are also known as insulin-dependent (IDDM), and the two terms can be used interchangeably. In contrast, the remainder of diabetes patients are able to produce insulin but do not have the correct cellular response to the hormone. This is known as type II diabetes. Individuals with this form of the disease are non-insulin-dependent (N IDDM). As diabetes progresses, a number of different complications can develop, including diabetic retinopathy, which results in permanent loss of vision due to tissue damage (Hartnett et al. 2000). ... Because this occurs, the oxidative species are able to significantly damage the tissues of the body (Evans et al. 2003). It is argued that this is strongly related to the development of hyperglycemia (Cvetkovic et al. 2009). The development of complications has significant impact for people suffering from diabetes, resulting in significant decreases in quality of life, among other effects. One particularly strong effect of diabetic retinopathy is that at the current time it is incurable, meaning that people with this complication must life with its effects for the rest of their lives. Currently, diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications that occurs as the result of diabetes, and the majority or all suffers will end up with the complication after having diabetes for between 15 and 20 years (Bucolo et al. 2012). Because of the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and its significant effects, it is crucial to understand the way that this complication develops, and wheth er these mechanisms are able to be used in the development of preventative or curative treatments for the disorder. As with other diabetic complications, oxidative stress is believed to play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of diabetic retinopathy. The aim of this paper is to examine recent research in the field of oxidative stress in diabetic retinopathy, and consider the strengths and weaknesses of current knowledge. It is hoped that the conclusions of this paper will help to inform future research and determine the gaps present in the research on this area. 2. Oxidative Stress in Diabetes Oxidative stress is the underlying factor in most mechanisms of diabetes (Neri

Geography of water and energy resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Geography of water and energy resources - Essay Example In effect, Kuwait has a per capita income of approximately $60,541, which is higher than the per capita income in all G7 countries. Qatar has a per capita income that is over $93,000 because it has a low population and a very high GDP (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.). In a summary, the Middle East OPEC members with low per capita income are the nations with a large population of Iran and Iraq. Despite the fact the G7 countries register high GDP that are above the $1 trillion mark, the Middle East OPEC members rival them on the distribution of wealth due to their small population and large revenue from oil. In most cases, Middle East OPEC members are viewed a struggling nations with no power to rival to the G7 countries. The reality is that citizens of small countries like Kuwait, Qatar, and UAE enjoy higher per capita income more than most G7 members. The only OPEC member that is considered poor is Iraq. It has per capita income that is lower than ten thousand dollars, which is the most inferior in all Middle East OPEC

Advantages of Human Genetic Engineering Essay Example for Free

Advantages of Human Genetic Engineering Essay Genetic engineering in its present form has been around for approximately twenty five years. The dictionary defines human genetic engineering as the alteration of an individuals genotype with the aim of choosing the phenotype of a newborn or changing the existing phenotype of a child or adult. There are many social consequences that are associated with genetic engineering which has caused much debate from its beginning in 1970s. The benefits of human genetic engineering are endless, the most predominant advantages include curing genetic diseases, increasing human immunity, and the production of more effective pharmaceuticals. The most promising benefit of human genetic engineering is gene therapy. Gene therapy is the medical treatment of a disease by repairing or replacing defective genes or introducing therapeutic genes to fight the disease. Over the past ten years, certain autoimmune diseases diseases resulting from a disordered immune system reaction and heart disease have been treated with gene therapy. Many diseases, such as Huntingtons disease, Lou Gehrigs disease, or. ALS, and cystic fibrosis are caused by a defective gene. The hope is that soon, through genetic engineering, a cure can be found for these diseases by either inserting a corrected gene, modifying the defective gene, or even performing genetic surgery. Eventually the hope is to completely eliminate certain genetic diseases as well as treat non-genetic diseases with an appropriate gene therapy. Gene therapy researchers are also studying ways to improve a patients immune response to cancer. In this approach, the treatment is used to stimulate the bodys natural ability to attack cancer cells. In one method, researchers take a small blood sample from a patient and insert genes that will cause each cell to produce a protein called a T-cell receptor, or TCR, which is responsible for recognizing antigens and disease fighting antibodies. The genes are transferred into the patients white blood cells and are then given back to the patient. In the body the TCRs then recognize and attach to certain molecules found on the surface of the tumor cells. Finally, the TCRs activate the white blood cells to attack and kill the tumor cells. Scientists are also investigating the insertion of genes into cancer cells to make them more sensitive to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other treatments. In other studies, researchers remove healthy blood-forming stem cells from the body, insert a gene that makes these cells more resistant to the side effects of high doses of anticancer drugs, and then inject the cells back into the patient. Human genetic engineering can also be used as a disease preventative by increasing ones immunity. People infected with a serious illness may not show symptoms of the disease for long periods of time. These latent, or inactive, infections can develop into an active disease without warning and also can be passed on to others. This new approach focuses on controlling or stimulating the immune system to cure latent infections and prevent them from causing disease. This research in immunity has the potential to significantly reduce illness, death, and disease transmission. An example of this preventative application is the improvement in the treatment of HIV. The AIDS/HIV disease is a viral infection that destroys immune responses. The disease can be treated with drugs, however these drugs do not eliminate the virus from the body. Currently a patient must remain on these drugs for the remainder of their life. The purpose of genetic engineerings pre-clinical studies is to advance towards clinical trials with a cell-based method of enhancing the patients own immune response against the virus. This approach involves identifying anti-HIV receptors that will be introduced into the patients own blood-forming stem cells. This approach has the potential to provide long-term immune control of virus replication, and may require only one or a few administrations. Another benefit from the study of human gene altering is with the creation of new drugs. Pharmaceutical advances in genetic engineering have made it possible to use plants as factories for protein production. Plant-made pharmaceuticals are made by inserting a segment of DNA that encodes the protein of choice into plant cells. The plants or plant cells are essentially factories used to produce the desired proteins and are only grown for the purpose of human pharmaceuticals. An example of this pharmaceutical application is gene splicing, one of the earliest uses of genetic engineering. Gene splicing was first used to manufacture large amounts of insulin, which was made using cells of E. coli bacteria. Interferon, which is used to eliminate certain viruses and kill cancer cells, is also a product of genetic engineering. Another byproduct is a type of human growth hormone; its used to treat dwarfism and is produced through genetically engineered bacteria and yeasts. Today, research in the field of human genetic engineering continues to be used in the production of a variety of drugs and hormones for medical advantages. Human genetic engineering the application of scientific methods, procedures, and technologies that allow manipulation of genetic material in order to alter the hereditary traits is a topic that had been debated about for many years. The field of human genetic engineering is growing and changing at a tremendous pace. Future advance in genetic engineering could possibly eliminate diseases, deformities, prolong life, and overall improve human life.

The Element Iron :: Chemistry Essay

Iron comes from the Latin word ferrum. From ferrum its symbol became Fe. The atomic number of iron is 26, and its atomic weight is 55.845. Iron is a magnetic, bendable, shiny white metallic element. Pure iron has a hardness that ranges from 4 to 5. It is soft and ductile. Iron can be easily magnetized at ordinary temperatures and at 790Â °C the magnetic property disappears. Pure iron melts at about 1535Â °C, boils at 2750Â °C, and has a specific gravity of 7.86. Chemically, iron is an active metal. When exposed to humid air, iron forms a reddish-brown, flaky, decay known as rust. Iron is the fourth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. Because it is so common, iron has been used by human society for thousands of years. Iron was known and used for weapons in prehistoric ages, the earliest example still in existence; a group of rusty iron beads found in Egypt, dates from about 4000BC. This period in history was given the name Iron Age because it was the time when people found ways to get iron and to use it for building tools and weapons. The beginnings of modern processing of iron can be traced back to central Europe in the mid-14th century BC. Pure iron has limited use in today’s world. Commercial iron always contains small amounts of carbon and other impurities that change its physical properties, which are much improved by the further addition of carbon and other alloying elements. This helps to prevent oxidation, also known as rust. Iron is an essential part of a healthy diet. Iron compounds are employed for medicinal purposes in the treatment of anemia, when the amount of hemoglobin or the number of red blood corpuscles in the blood is lowered.

Mechatronics Basic Pneumatics History Of Compressed Air Engineering Essay

Pneumatic devices are assorted tools and instruments that generate and utilize compressed air. The construct behind pneumatic tools has its beginnings in ancient times, but it was non until the last 500 old ages that it genuinely came to fruition.BeginningsThe first compressors were likely bellows like devices developed sometime prior to 3000 B.C. They were used to supply little whiffs of air to assistance in fire starting. These evolved into larger, but non significantly more sophisticated, units used in basic metal smelting about 1500 B.C. The manus bellows used by early smelters and blacksmiths for working Fe and metals was a simple type of air compressor and the first pneumatic tool. Grecian mathematician Hero of Alexandria ( c. 10 to 70 AD ) is reputed to hold thought of the field that gave birth to pneumatic tools ( pneumatics ) in the first century A.D. There is grounds of some of his innovations powered by steam and air current.Air Pump/CompressorGerman physicist and applied scientist Otto von Guericke ( 1602 to 1686 ) is credited with holding invented the air pump or compressor in 1650. The device sucked out air or gas from whatever vas it was attached to. He experimented with Cu enclosures called hemispheres, showing that he could utilize the pump to draw apart the two halves. It could bring forth a partial vacuity and Guericke used it to analyze the phenomenon of vacuity and the function of air in burning and respiration. Two centuries after Guericke, pneumatic tools were developing beyond being mere exciting wonders ; they were now going practical. Development of pneumatics remained comparatively inactive until late in the eighteenth century when mechanical compressors achieved the capableness of bring forthing force per unit areas every bit high as 15 pounds per square inch. It was non until the 1800 ‘s that compressed air was earnestly considered as an industrial energy transportation medium. Once compressed air was commercially available, pneumatic devices were everyplace. The tight air was used to power little air-powered electrical generators in eating houses, infirmaries, and theatres. Engineers of the clip proclaimed tight air was the hereafter in energy transmittal and another emerging engineering, electricity, had far excessively many proficient defects to of all time be successful. During the late 1800 ‘s, the usage of tight air and electricity expanded and each found its topographic point ; electricity being the most convenient signifier for large-scale energy transmittal and pneumatics for specific industrial applications including power and procedure service and control maps. In 1829, the first phase or compound air compressor was patented. A compound air compressor compresses air in consecutive cylinders. By 1872, compressor efficiency was improved by holding the cylinders cooled by H2O jets, which led to the innovation of water-jacketed cylinders. Pneumaticss in the nineteenth century was dominated by the pneumatic tubing, which was popularized by people in Victorian England utilizing grapevines to convey wires from one telegraph station to another. Besides, John Wanamaker ( 1838 to 1922 ) , an American merchandiser, introduced tube systems to the United States Post Office ( when he was postmaster general ) and section shops for transit of mail points and money, severally.Pneumatic Tubes:The best known pneumatic device is of class the pneumatic tubing. A pneumatic tubing is a method of transporting objects utilizing tight air. In the yesteryear, pneumatic tubings were frequently used in big office edifices to transport messages and objects from office to office. The first documented echt pneumatic tubing in the United States is officially listed in a 1940 patent issued to Samuel Clegg and Jacob Selvan. This was a vehicle with wheels, on a path, positioned within a tubing. The most luxuriant application of pneumatic tubings, nevertheless, was when Alfred Beach ( 1826 to 1896 ) built a pneumatic train metro in New York City based on his 1865 patent. The metro ran briefly in 1870 for one block West of City Hall. It was America ‘s first metro. Alfred Beach practically invented the pneumatic metro line by showing that a pipe was able to transport riders. The Beach tunnel was constructed in merely 58 yearss, get downing under Warren Street and Broadway, straight across from City Hall. The station was under the south pavement of Warren Street merely west of the Broadway corner. The individual path tunnel ran east into Broadway, curved south, and ran down the center of Broadway to Murray Street, a distance of one block, about 300 pess in all. The metro opened to the populace on February 26, 1870. Operated as a presentation from 1870 to 1873, the short tunnel had merely the one station and train auto. hypertext transfer protocol: //t3.gstatic.com/images? q=tbn: U-mntn_iJyitlM: hypertext transfer protocol: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Beach_Pneumatic_Transit_01.jpgbeach-map Tunnel portal Tunnel schematic The â€Å" hard currency bearer † innovation sent money in small tubes travelling by air compaction from location to location in section shop so that alteration could be made. The first mechanical bearers used for shop service was patented ( # 165,473 ) by D. Brown on July 13, 1875. However, it was non until 1882 when an discoverer called Martin patented betterments in the system that the innovation became widespread. Martin ‘s patents were numbered 255,525 issued March 28, 1882, 276,441 issued April 24, 1883, and 284,456 issued on September 4, 1883. The Chicago postal pneumatic tubing service began between the station office and the Winslow rail route station on August 24, 1904. The service used stat mis of tubing rented from the Chicago Pneumatic Tube Company. Samuel Ingersoll invented the pneumatic drill in 1871. Charles Brady King of Detroit invented the pneumatic cock in 1890, and patented on January 28, 1894. Charles King exhibited two of his innovations at the 1893 Worlds Columbia Exposition ; a pneumatic cock for concentrating and calking and a steel brake beam for railway route autos. During the twentieth century, usage of tight air and of compressed-air devices increased. Jet engines use centrifugal and axial-flow compressors. Automatic machinery, labor-saving devices, and automatic-control systems all use pneumatics. Mass production on assembly lines as a standard industrial procedure increased the demand and application possibilities of tight air. Today, the list of industrial applications is really long.We use tight air for:Air Brakesair-blockAir Cylindersair-cylinders-for-pneumatic-system-tsc — tsu-73Air Motorsindustrial_air_motors_1Buffetingcp869p_1ChipingPneumatic-Chipping-HammerReamingMULTISPINDLE BARREL REAMING MACHINEreamer_offScrew Drivinghypertext transfer protocol: //www.pneumatictoolsonline.com/images/Screwdrivers/Screwdrivers-All-Models.jpgConveyingPneumatic-Conveying-SystemDrilling1142360549631_0306_spotlightproducts_18Promoting133073_062020076883_ExhibitPicFormingpaper-plate-machineCrunching41gFbya-SNLConcentratingpneumatic_riveting_toolTransferingiz2201Hoisting2854_1Blendingrx2k_daPaint SprayingDP6316-asturo-spray-gunPile Drivingpneumatic-pile-driverSuperchargingLow_boost_ideal_interceptProcedure ControlpneumaticStaplingCLX050108_028_1_2-de Blowguns – Using their lungs, early huntsmans could develop 1 to 3 pounds per square inchs with a capacity of about 6000 copper. in/min. Pneumatic stone drills – Early on in the nineteenth century, compressors had been developed which were capable of bring forthing 90 pounds per square inch. A tunnel undertaking was begun in Mt. Cenis, in the Alps, which was estimated to take 30 old ages to finish utilizing manual boring methods to cover 8 A? stat mis. Using pneumatic stone drills, runing from over 4 stat mis of air lines, the tunnel was successfully completed in 14 old ages. It was unfastened to traffic in 1871. This successful application attracted international involvement taking many metropolis authoritiess to speak of edifice cardinal compressor Stationss for citywide power. Compressed air used in Paris – Paris, the metropolis of visible radiations, was really the City of Air. In 1888, Paris installed a 65 HP compressor feeding 4 stat mis of brinies with 30 stat mis of subdivisions ( a converted cloaca system ) , presenting 90 pounds per square inch. By 1891, the capacity was increased to 25,000 HP Compressed air has been applied to command circuitry, dental drills, surgery, and many other industrial procedures necessitating high forces or impact blows. Light weight, lasting and safe pneumatic tools such as pneumatic stapling machines and pneumatically powered impact twists are common.Pneumatic constituentsThere are a broad assortment of pneumatic constituents available today.TubingTubing today comes in a broad assortment of sizes and can be made to the consumer ‘s demands. Air-TubeValvesvalves_1cActuatorspneumatic_automation-lAdvantagesComponents have long on the job life ensuing in thirster system dependability. Safe to utilize Merely Semi-skilled work force required for operation and care Best for usage in inflammable country. Far less traveling parts inside, therefore lower care demand. Light in weight, yet sturdy in design. Cheaper & A ; lower engineering options for control of velocity. Even sing investings on compressor, the pneumatic actuators are far more cost effectual in footings of cost of ownership and return on investing. If there is a power cut, pneumatic equipment will still work until the stored air in the compressor has been depleted. As there are no fluids involved they can be used in a cleanroom environment. Because air systems operate at comparatively low force per unit area, the constituents can be made of comparatively cheap stuffs.DisadvantagesCompressors and uninterrupted compaction can be expensive. Air intervention is required to take any oils, particulate and H2O vapor from the system. The constituents are non dependable at slow velocity. Very low efficiency, less than 50 % of input power is available at the work country.

Argumentative Essay World Civ

Argumentative Essay on Olaudah Equiano Upon doing further research, Olaudah Equiano was absolutely born in Africa! He was kidnapped and sold into slavery when he was just a young boy. His vivid accounts, as he was sold from trader to trader, are so moving and heartfelt. No one could express such deep sympathy for the multitude of other black slaves had he not been there during the experience. The following few paragraphs will explain just how he came to be sold into slavery and some of the things that he saw while he was being traded and shipped from place to place.Olaudah Equiano was born in 1745 in what is now eastern Nigeria. Life in his village was typical of the times. Families worked together to cultivate corn, cotton, yams, and beans. Men herded cattle and goats. Women spun and wove cotton. Equiano’s father was a distinguished clan elder and judge in the community. It was a position that Equiano was in line to inherit one day. That never happened. Equiano, when a boy, w as kidnapped and sold into slavery. Sold from trader to trader, he did not meet Europeans until he reached the coast.Years later, he described his impressions: â€Å"The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast was the sea, and a slave ship which was then riding at anchor and waiting for its cargo. These filled me with astonishment, which was soon converted into terror when I was carried on board. I was immediately handled and tossed up to see if I were sound by some of the crew, and I was now persuaded that I had gotten into a world of bad spirits and that they were going to kill me. Looking about him, Equiano saw â€Å"a multitude of black people of every description chained together, every one of their countenances expressing dejection and sorrow. † Overwhelmed, he fainted. Fellow Africans revived him and tried to comfort him. Equiano says: â€Å"I asked them if we were not to be eaten by those white men. † Equiano was shipped to Barbados, the n to Virginia, and later to England. Purchased by a ship’s captain, he traveled widely. He learned to read and write, eventually bought his freedom, and played a leading role in the movement to abolish slavery in Britain.In 1789 he published the story of his life, one of the few accounts (and possibly the best) written about the slave trade by an African victim of it. Millions of other Africans were not so fortunate. Torn from their homes and families, they were shipped across the Atlantic in conditions of great cruelty. They, along with the children they bore, were bought and sold like cattle and forced to toil without pay to increase the wealth of strangers. Most had no rights and could be punished, abused, or even killed at the whim of their owners. For most of those oppressed, the only deliverance from slavery was death.

The Broken Spears

The Broken Spears The city of Aztec emerged in history as a result of a long cultural transformation in the pre Christian era. As per the historians the land of Mexico underwent a great cultural transition around second millennium B.C. The foundations of the sacred cities of Mayas-Tikal, Copan etc. were laid at the beginning of the Christian era.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Broken Spears specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The pyramids, palaces, various inscriptions and representations of gods became the source to Aztec art and culture in the Conquest period. The downfall of Roman Empire and the emergence of Spaniards as major power in the New World highlight of this period (Portillo, 1992). The Origin of Toltec Empire The eighth and ninth centuries witnessed the decline of Teotihuacan and Mayan cultures. However, a new state originated in central Mexico from the blend of these cultures, and it was called Toltec Empire. The main populace of this empire was people who migrated from the north. They brought with them their language of Nahuatl which in due course became the language of the Aztecs. Quetzalcoatl was their Teotihuacan cultural hero during this period. However, Quetzalcoatl left them promising his return to the land sometime in the future (Portillo, 1992). The Aztecs or Mexicas entered the Valley of Mexico from the north while new city states sprouted on its shores. In 1325 they founded their city on an isolated island and within a span of ten decades they were successful in amalgamating their old cultural traditions. They were independent, and finding themselves stable, started conquering the nearby states. This was followed by their expedition to the far and establishing their rule up to Pacific and Guatemala regions. Gradually, they became the most powerful and richer than any other city states (Portillo, 1992). The Aztec Empire, a panoramic view Don Hernando Cortes, the Spaniard and his band of six hundred soldiers landed on the coast of Aztec Empire at Veracruz on 22nd April 1519. It changed the destiny of the Empire. The city of Aztec surrendered to this unscrupulous man within 2 years. When he subdued the land the population was around a quarter of a million.Advertising Looking for essay on ancient history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Festivals, sacrifices and several rituals to please the gods were practiced all over. There were frequent communion of teachers and students at the pre-Hispanic education centers. The busy streets and the merchant navigation were all impressive and the soldiers thronged to the city with their military exercises. Governors and Ambassadors from distant regions visited the city either to offer tributes or to seek Aztec alliance. Gold, silver, slaves and other merchandise filled the streets, causeways and shores. People worked very hard and were devoted to their gods. The celebrations and cultural activities added to the beauty of the city (Portillo, 1992). Contributions of Tlacaelel and Itzcoatl to making of Aztec Empire It was Itzcoatl who laid the firm foundation of the empire with his immaculate vision. He ruled the empire between 1428 and 1440. The wealth and the military strength of Tenochtitlan were the result of his accomplishments. His diplomatic alliance or confederation known as ‘triple alliance’ saw the union of Nezahualcoyotl of Tezcoco (to defeat Azcapotzalco), and befriending Tenochtitlan, Tezcoco and the city of Tlacopan. The royal counselor of the King was Tlacaelel who was a shrewd statesman. He introduced significant reforms in the overall political, religious, social and economic fields of the country which brought in phenomenal improvements in the society as a whole. The historians have remarked that if the Spaniards were to come to Aztec during his period, the fate of the Empire would have been different. Tlacaelel was such a visionary ‘King Maker’ who never longed for the throne, even though it was extended to him several times. It was he who persuaded the Aztec Kings to extend the realms of Huitzilopochtli stressing upon the necessity to capture men belonging to other clans for the sacrifice. He also reformed judiciary, military, trade and commerce which were the foundation stones of Aztec mighty empire. The triple alliance conceived by him propelled the neighboring states to concede, and forced them to sign treaties. The farsighted action brought more revenue to the state in the form of tributes. During his period the Aztec boundaries were extended to the south (Portillo, 1992). Social life of the Aztecs By 1510 the empire was responsible for over several million people. The empire was extended from Pacific to Gulf coast and up to Guatemala. The speedy growth of the empire brought about corresponding changes in the outlook and way of living of the people. Their socio-political structure was so rigid that they enthralled the Spaniards with its complex nature. The social set up of the citizens reflected the social stratification which was based on the nature and class of their work. Education wasAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Broken Spears specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More also given great importance. The people practiced worshipping only one god namely, the Lord of Duality, though they considered it in the form of individual deities (Portillo, 1992). Warfare of Aztecs War became the cultural institution of the Aztec life as it was their means to please the god. The warriors knew that their prime duty was to find the captives for sacrifice. This was the main reason for the expansion of Aztec Empire. However, it frightened the Spaniards too. They could have destroyed the conquering Spaniards, but the destiny wanted it in another way, for superstition, black magic and fear overpowered th e last emperor Motecuhzoma’s will, and this mistake caused the ruin of a great Empire. The dissident tribal chiefs and the prevailing enmity with the neighboring states also aggravated the situation (Portillo, 1992). The Downfall of Aztec Empire On going through the various documents available today it could be seen that the downfall of the Aztec Empire was not because of the bravery of the Spaniards but because of the unwanted fear of Motecuhzoma. Possessed with the evils of black magic and belief in omens, he paved the way for the Spaniards to conquer him and left his people at their mercy. By misunderstanding the signs and losing courage to fight, the King withdrew from imparting his duty of defending his empire. The fear of losing his throne forced him to sent messengers to the voyaging Don Hernando Cortes with gifts, and begging him. With that he warranted disgrace and sabotaged the will of the people. Instead of confronting the situation with valor and self esteem he op ted for the humiliation of great men and their traditions to utter shame and peril (Portillo, 1992). Conclusion In short, the whole episode of conquest and the ‘Night of Sorrow’ are the result of the Indians alone. The Spaniards could not be blamed on this. When the messengers gave their reports on their encounter with the Spaniards, King Motecuhzoma was terrified and he was drenched in despair to invite his doom. God will stand only with the valiant and not with the weak. The downfall of Aztec Empire illustrates this. It is relevant to quote the following lines of a Nahua poet named Natalio Hernindez Xocoyotzin: (Portillo, 1992). â€Å"Sometimes I feel that we, the Indians, are waiting for the arrival of a ManAdvertising Looking for essay on ancient history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More who can achieve all, knows everything, is ready to help us, will answer our problems. But, this Man who can achieve all, knows everything, will never arrive because he is in ourselves, walks along with us. He has been asleep, but now he is awakening. (Portillo, 1992) Reference Portillo, M.L. (1992). The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico. Beacon Press, Universalist Association of Congregations. Web.

Finding a Place to Belong Professor Ramos Blog

Finding a Place to Belong Emma Hurtado ENG-261 20 May 2019 Finding A Place To Belong American Identity is something that is almost impossible to define in one word or sentence. Most people would refer to the United States of America as a â€Å"melting pot†, which means everyone would have to assimilate to certain standards and culture. However, it should be seen as a mosaic. Our country and how we identify is comprised of all kinds of cultures and differences, and it is important to acknowledge and appreciate those differences. However, because of these cultural differences, not everyone gets the opportunity at a simple life here in the United States. In the study, â€Å"The Roles of Racial Discrimination, Cultural Mistrust, and Gender in Latina/o Youths School Attitudes and Academic Achievement†, Adina Cooper and Bernadette Sanchez address the racial discrimination problems that are prevalent today. These problems are most common amongst Latino/a students and affect a vast majority of male minorities. Their study addresses the kinds of problems that La tino/a students endure during their educations. These obstacles vary by age, race, and gender. Not only do Latino/a students endure racial issues at school, but they also experience different kinds of hardships in their upbringings at home depending on whether or not they are male or female which is depicted it Junot Diaz’s â€Å"Drown† and Sandra Cisnero’s â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek†. â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek† by Sandra Cisneros depicts what life is like for most Latina women and girls. Despite the fact that the story mostly revolves around Cleofilas, we catch a glimpse of the men in her life and the how their upbringing is toxic to not only themselves, but to the women in their lives. Cisneros addresses the difference in gender roles in a Latino community and how women were expected to be obedient and seen as overdramatic and emotion while men were expected to develop a thin skin and repress their emotions. This kind of behavior is detrimental to men’s mental health and usually harmful to women as well. One example of the way that men were raised differently was when Cleofilas was with her husband and his friends and they were drinking and making violent jokes. The men wanted â€Å"to tell each other what they want to tell themselves† and it showed how they were incapable of expressing any kind of emotion due to the fact that they were rai sed to hide all of that (Cisneros). It shows a lack of communication in the Latino/Chicano community and some of the unhealthy coping mechanisms that are taught to men from a young age. This lack of communication is something that can be seen in other similar stories involving Chicano and Latino youth/communities, such as Junot Diaz’s â€Å"Drown†. The outcome of raising children without teaching them how to communicate can have an effect on the way they value their education and friends, as well as the way they view themselves. â€Å"Drown† by Junot Diaz tells the story of Yunior, a Chicano male who seems to be struggling with his identity and transitioning into adulthood. This story is another example of how boys were raised differently and how male minorities were seen and treated differently than others. As a young boy, Yunior and his friends would get into trouble, especially when they would shoplift from other stores. Yunior’s biggest fear was him and his friend getting caught because of the fact that their parents, especially their fathers would get upset. But this was different for his friend Beto because his father had arthritis and Beto knew he wouldn’t have to experience any kind of violence, whereas Yunior did. Because of this, Yunior expected all men to be violent rather than communicating. Aside from this, in high school Yunior and his classmates were told by a teacher that â€Å"the majority of you are just going to burn out.† (Diaz). Because of this negative motiva tion from their teacher, the narrator described himself as â€Å"going nowhere I could already see myself losing altitude, fading, the earth spread out beneath me, hard and bright.† (Diaz). At this point in the story, people can see how easily he was discouraged which is understandable given the fact that an educator would dishearten them. We only get this small glimpse of Yunior in school, so we don’t get a chance to see if there were any similar incidents in the past, but it can be inferred that the idea of a higher education is a sensitive topic to Yunior. In the study that I read, it was mentioned that â€Å"reports of greater perceived racial discrimination among males may have a negative influence on the way they perceive and/or value education† (Cooper and Sanchez). After being done with high school, the only kind of education that is brought up is when the narrator’s mother brings up his old friend Beto’s academic accomplishments, to which Yunior immediately shuts down. It seems that because of the lack of communication and the negative attitude towards education after his own experiences in school. Cooper and Sanchez’s study mentions that â€Å"because ethnic minority male youth are more likely to experience racism and/or respond to racism differently than female students, they may be more likely to mistrust members of other racial groups and ethnic groups† (Cooper Sanchez). After the moment his teacher told his class that most of them would not succeed, Yunior’s perspective and attitudes towards men of other racial groups immediately changed. When he was approached by an army recruiter, he views the man as a joke, â€Å"He’s a southerner, red-haired, his drawl so out of place that the people around here laugh just hearing him† (Diaz). When he brings up that other people laugh at him, it shows how the vast majority of people in his community hold the same kind of attitude which seems to be an outcome of the discrimination they experienced in education or by anyone else who was of a different racial group. Having to define American Identity is difficult because each individual is unique in their own way, especially because of their cultural differences and the obstacles that they experience growing up. Although academic discrimination is a problem that is prevalent amongst all races, it can seen mostly among Latino/a students. Latino/a youth not only have to struggle with their identity, but they also have to fight against the discrimination they face in school. Just like Yunior in Junot Diaz’s â€Å"Drown†, most Latino/as are kind of stuck in limbo between adolescence to adulthood and trying to figure out where they belong. Cooper, Adina C., and Bernadette Snchez. â€Å"The Roles of Racial Discrimination, Cultural Mistrust, and Gender in Latina/o Youth’s School Attitudes and Academic Achievement.† Journal of Research on Adolescence (Wiley-Blackwell), vol. 26, no. 4, Dec. 2016, pp. 1036–1047. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/jora.12263.

Fonterra Ltd, a diary company in New Zealand Assignment

Fonterra Ltd, a diary company in New Zealand - Assignment Example The number of employees working for Fonterra is around 16800. The strategies adopted by the company are to make business in the emerging economies like China, Latin America and ASEAN; thus creating a strong presence. Optimizing the business of milk in New Zealand, protect the exports of milk exports in New Zealand by building integrated offshore milk pools, so that the higher value returns gets back to the country; focusing on creating quality product for its customers with special concern for mother and babies (Fonterra Ltd., 2011, pp.2-20). Computer fraud and abuse Accounting information system is a process by which the accounting of the company is done based on the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) by the use of the modern information technology. The Accounting Information System (AIS) of a company is composed of six main elements of the company, namely, people who will operate the system, procedure and instructions based on which the data is retrieved from different sources of the company, the related data which is very essential for the organization’s business practices, the required infrastructure for the information technology of the company so as to smoothly operate the system comprising of both the software and the hardware and lastly the internal controls so as to adopt security measures which will prevent the leakage of the sensitive data. Thus Fonterra can be exposed to the risk of fraud and abuse related to the theft of equipment, inventory or cash of the company. Even the fraud and abuse in the accounting information system of the company may result in false invoicing; payroll fraud arising out of the accounts made for directing the salary to a non-existing employee of the company; e-commerce frauds which have become very common now a days; for high level of outsourcing forgeries takes place on the ground of assets of the company being used for personal uses. If the employee of the company is not loyal then the risk of fraud a nd abuse of the company on the ground of accounting information system may lead to the disclosure of information and the intellectual property of Fonterra. Generally the fraud of a company usually occurs on the ground of poor internal control of the company. Thus Fonterra must take precautionary measures to tighten the internal control system of the company. If the items of the company is highly desirable the chances of forgery increases leading to fraud and abuse. Other reasons behind the occurrence of fraud and abuse of the company may arise from insufficient preventive measures and detection strategies having loop holes. The company should also know how to deal with the detection of the fraud; for example if a person is convicted of committing forgery in the company, just looking at the reputation of the company the concerned person is asked to resign. But in a situation like this civil or criminal action should be taken against the fraudster. Thus the fraud and abuse of the comp any generally arises from lack of strong internal control of the company. Since the AIS department is the heart and soul of the company, on the basis of which the company is able to carry out its operations. So, the personnel being appointed in the department of AIS should go through extensive interview process in order to appoint the most appropriate person for the concerned department. Fraud and abuse are ought to happen with the increase

Marketing Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Marketing Planning - Essay Example The marketing planning is thus required to first inspect the mission and vision objectives in the light of data obtained from changing external scenario through conducting marketing surveys. Use of information technology is also considered as an effective tool to gain potential data about changes in consumer preference patterns. With such data in hand analysis should be made pertaining to the internal strengths and weaknesses of the concern to help counter the external changes. Further the marketing plans for a company are required to encompass several strategic models to analyse the potential of the company in gaining on in changing market opportunities. Similarly the product, pricing, distribution and communication strategies need also be developed to effectively penetrate the consumer sphere. Finally owing to the changes being brought in the strategic marketing sphere the company needs to design an effective budget to help meet the needed changes. The business corporation is also required to render effective controls over the activities and modifications brought about in the managerial implications to render effectiveness in meeting changed objectives (Neves, 2003, p.9-10). An evaluation of Nokia’s capability for future marketing planning (LO 1.2) Nokia to compete in the international gaming market and thereby to counter competitive threat from companies like Sony and Nintendo came out with a product development venture. The product developed was named as N-Gage which penetrated the consumer gaming market through working on high quality gaming software. However the initial product was launched in the market by the company without conduct a pre-test of consumer and market ideologies. N-Gage in the initial stage gained a rapid market acceptance for having highly innovative features that at that time exceeded expectations of the consumers. However of late Nokia started facing criticisms from the consumer sphere in that they wanted a more customised gamin g product that wound render larger number of gaming variants at highly affordable prices. Again, the N-Gage failed to satisfy the communication features of a phone for it required to be held in a lateral position to the face while talking which made the whole process quite cumbersome. Nokia honoured the criticisms from the consumers and thereby focused on designing and modifying the N-Gage into N-Gage QD. This product launched reflected a better battery life with a wide and bright screen. It also reflected better controls over the game by the consumer. However the initial failure of Nokia to gauge the needs and desires of the consumers led the other competitors to design and modify their own products and this led in enhancing the competitiveness of Nokia in the gaming market (Parasuraman, Grewal and Krishnan, 2009, p.6). Details of techniques for organisational auditing and analysis of external factors that may affect marketing planning (LO 1.3) Techniques for Organisational Auditin g Organisational auditing is conducted by an auditor through some specific techniques or