Baba and Nyonya Culture

HISTORY OF BABA & NYONYA Peranakan and Baba Nyonya in chinese ( / baba niang re) are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese  immigrants to the Nusantara region during the Colonial era. In both  Malay and  Indonesian, ‘Peranakan’ is defined as ‘descendant’ with no connotation of the ethnicity of descent unless followed by a subsequent qualifying noun, such as for example  Cina  (Chinese),  Belanda(Dutch) or  Jepang/Jepun  (Japanese). Baba  is a Persian loan-word borrowed by  Malaysian as an honorific solely for grandparents; it was used to refer to the Straits-Chinese males.Female Straits-Chinese descendants were either called or styled themselves  Nyonyas. The word  nyonya  (also commonly misspelled  nonya) is a  Javanese  loan honorific word from Italian  Nona  (grandma) meaning: foreign married Madam. Language The language of the Peranakans,  Baba Malay (Bahasa Melayu Baba), is a  creole dialect of the  Malay language (Bahasa Melayu), which contains many  Hokkien words. It is a dying language, and its contemporary use is mainly limited to members of the older generation. Culture 1. ClothingThe Nyonya’s clothing was identical to that of the native Malay’s: baju panjang (long dress), batik sarung (batik wrap-around skirt) and kerongsang (brooch). Beaded slippers called  Kasut Manek  were a hand-made made with much skill and patience: strung, beaded and sewn onto canvas with tiny faceted glass beads from  Bohemia (present-day  Czech Republic). 2. Religion Baba Nyonya subscribed to Chinese beliefs: Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism, celebrated the  Lunar New Year and the  Lantern Festival, while adopting the customs of the land they settled in, as well as those of their colonial rulers.There are traces of Portuguese, Dutch, British, Malay and Indonesian influences in Baba culture. A certain number of Baba Nonya families were and st ill are, Catholic. 3. Food From the Malay influence a unique  Ã¢â‚¬ Nyonya† cuisine has developed using typical Malay spices. Examples are Chicken Kapitan, a dry chicken  curry, and Inchi Kabin, a Nyonya version of fried chicken.. Swikee Purwodadi is a peranakan dish from  Purwodadi, it is a frog soup dish. INTRODUCTION TO BABA & NYONYA WEDDING The wedding ceremony of the Peranakan is largely based on Chinese tradition, and is one of the most colourful wedding ceremonies in Malaysia and Singapore.The traditional Peranakan wedding is a 12-day affair which is usually carried out in the bride's house, where ceremonies like the Lap Chai (exchange of gifts) and Cheo Thau (coming of age) are carried out. The Cheo Thau ceremony is one of the most important ceremonies and marks the first occasion when the bride and bridegroom will wear their authentic wedding robes. The actual wedding ceremony will only take place before noon that day, after the Cheo Thau ceremony. Next, follow s the Chim Pang ceremony which marks the first meeting between the couple where the bride would lead the groom into the bridal chamber where he would unveil her.Together they would be served tea and a bowl of kueh ee – small white and red dumplings in a sweet broth. The third ceremony takes place in the bridal chamber. This is called Chia Sia. This ceremony is amusing and unique because friends and guests of the bridegroom would gather in the room and tease the bride with the hope of inducing laughter from the bride. The finale of the wedding ceremony, would be the â€Å"dua belas hari† or Twelfth Day ceremony, where the marriage would be confirmed and approved by proof of the bride's virginity.Firstly, the bride's parents would invite the bridegroom's mother to inspect a handkerchief (known as aBim Poh) collected from the wedding bed. The handkerchief will be placed on a tray and presented to the bridegroom's mother for inspection, where she would be invited to perfor m a test by squeezing lime juice on the handkerchief in hope of ascertaining the authencity of the stain. Exchanging of gifts between both the family. Gorgeous hand embroidered beaded shoes (kasut manik)

Media Influence

Media influence or media effects are terms used in media studies, psychology, communication theory and sociology to refer to the theories about the ways the mass media affect how their audiences think and behave. Mass media plays a crucial role in forming and reflecting public opinion, connecting the world to individuals and reproducing the self-image of society. Critiques in the early-to-mid twentieth century suggested that media weaken or delimit the individual's capacity to act autonomously — sometimes being ascribed an influence reminiscent of the telescreens of the dystopian novel 1984. Mid 20th-century empirical studies, however, suggested more moderate effects of the media. Current scholarship presents a more complex interaction between the media and society, with the media on generating information from a network of relations and influences and with the individual interpretations and evaluations of the information provided, as well as generating information outside of media contexts. The consequences and ramifications of the mass media relate not merely to the way newsworthy events are perceived (and which are reported at all), but also to a multitude of cultural influences that operate through the media. The media has a strong social and cultural impact upon society. This is predicated upon their ability to reach a wide audience with a strong and influential message. Marshall McLuhan uses the phrase â€Å"the medium is the message† as a means of explaining how the distribution of a message can often be more important than content of the message itself. [1] It is through the persuasiveness of media such as television, radio and print media that messages reach their target audiences. These have been influential media as they have been largely responsible for structuring people's daily lives and routines. 2] Television broadcasting has a large amount of control over the content society watches and the times in which it is viewed. This is a distinguishing feature of traditional media which New media have challenged by altering the participation habits of the public. The internet creates a space for more diverse political opinions, social and cultural viewpoints and a heightened le vel of consumer participation. There have been suggestions that allowing consumers to produce information through the internet will lead to an overload of information. Media Influence Media influence or media effects are terms used in media studies, psychology, communication theory and sociology to refer to the theories about the ways the mass media affect how their audiences think and behave. Mass media plays a crucial role in forming and reflecting public opinion, connecting the world to individuals and reproducing the self-image of society. Critiques in the early-to-mid twentieth century suggested that media weaken or delimit the individual's capacity to act autonomously — sometimes being ascribed an influence reminiscent of the telescreens of the dystopian novel 1984. Mid 20th-century empirical studies, however, suggested more moderate effects of the media. Current scholarship presents a more complex interaction between the media and society, with the media on generating information from a network of relations and influences and with the individual interpretations and evaluations of the information provided, as well as generating information outside of media contexts. The consequences and ramifications of the mass media relate not merely to the way newsworthy events are perceived (and which are reported at all), but also to a multitude of cultural influences that operate through the media. The media has a strong social and cultural impact upon society. This is predicated upon their ability to reach a wide audience with a strong and influential message. Marshall McLuhan uses the phrase â€Å"the medium is the message† as a means of explaining how the distribution of a message can often be more important than content of the message itself. [1] It is through the persuasiveness of media such as television, radio and print media that messages reach their target audiences. These have been influential media as they have been largely responsible for structuring people's daily lives and routines. 2] Television broadcasting has a large amount of control over the content society watches and the times in which it is viewed. This is a distinguishing feature of traditional media which New media have challenged by altering the participation habits of the public. The internet creates a space for more diverse political opinions, social and cultural viewpoints and a heightened le vel of consumer participation. There have been suggestions that allowing consumers to produce information through the internet will lead to an overload of information.

Public Law Course Work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Public Law Course Work - Assignment Example Question How, if at all, can Estelle and Gary use the Human Rights Act 1998 to challenge conditions 4 and 5 of the Council letter? Discuss what legal arguments can they make under the Human Rights Act 1998 and what remedy or remedies the members could seek. The Human Rights Act 1998 received royal assent on November 9, 1998 and came into force on October 2, 2000. The objective of said Act was to harmonize the domestic law of the United Kingdom with the European Convention on Human Rights. To reaffirm the commitment of the UK to human rights and civil liberties, it is now possible under the said Act to file a claim for violation of the ECHR without going to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Says Weinstein (2000): This ability to transcend national law, and to compel revision of such law to comport with rights guaranteed by the European Convention in a broad range of areas, most often within the exclusive purview of national and local courts, is of historic note. Generally, nation states have been the final arbiters of most issues affecting their citizenry and within their borders. By treaty, the signatory nations of Europe have granted the ECHR binding authority to decide cases affecting their citizenry and other persons subject to their authority. In instances where state law is found inconsistent with an ECHR judgment, the nation at issue is obliged to amend its national law to comport with the ECHR decision.

Organization Behavior and Learning Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organization Behavior and Learning - Term Paper Example The researcher states that the origin of empowerment as a form of theory was traced back to the Brazilian humanitarian and educator, Freire. He suggested a model for liberating the oppressed people of the world through education. Parpart, Rai, & Staudt, are of the view that empowerment is an alternative approach to social development in local, grassroots community-based initiatives. Lincoln, Travers, Ackers, & Wilkinson, observes that empowerment has been used across a broad variety of disciplines like community psychology, management, political theory, social work, education, women studies, and sociology. The concept of empowerment is conceived as the idea of power ie. either gaining, expending, diminishing, and losing power. The traditional concept of power was an isolated one, where it was held or used at the expense of other people. Empowerment has brought a new dimention of power. In recent times its has been shown that power can be strenthened through sharing with others. In th is sense, power sharing is multidimentional and helps people be incharge of their lives. A review of literature, that was conducted by the researcher shows little discontent in the application of empowerment in the workplace. For its benefits, it is assumed that empowerment is a universal solution appropriate to all organisations in all circumstances. Section 2 of this paper explores key terms, concepts, and theories of empowerment. Section 3 concludes with a discussion of the key concepts established in the paper.

Is America a country that is in a constant state of flux as it is in a Essay

Is America a country that is in a constant state of flux as it is in a constant state of flux as it relates to identity or is it - Essay Example Therefore, it is only appropriate that debate regarding the character of the nation, one which is shaped by political convictions and cultural factors should be pushed towards a decisive conclusion. It is only through the resolution of such debate can there be a better appreciation of national and social traits be achieved, which would consequently lead to solutions for other problems in society. In presenting the arguments involved in the said debates, two articles may help. These are Who and What is American: the Things We Continue to Hold in Common by Lewis Lapham and Dinosaur Dreams: Reading the Bone’s of America’s Psychic Mascot by Jack Hitt. Both articles are attempts at understanding the American psyche, especially in relation to identity. Lapham’s article is more direct in presenting his arguments that Americans have the tendency to constantly make changes in there perspectives, stand, or tastes, many aspects, from the most important to the most trivial. On the other hand, Hitt insists that Americans are to use old symbols in order to represent their resilience and their proclivity to stabilize everything. Although both may have differences, it is obvious though these articles ultimately reach an agreement that the American mode of thinking is actually open to changes. Therefore, it is clear that the country itself cannot avoid being a state of flux always. Just like all other societies in different parts of the globe, America continues to evolve. Naturally, this means that changes are still occurring in whatever aspect, whether it is political, cultural, and economic. Even if the country is actually centuries old, its development never ceases because of the simple fact that its people are never contented about what they already have. This is not a bad thing though. In fact, the reason why innovations are made, ones that improve industry, make lifestyles more convenient, and cultures more advance is that Americans are always trying to discover something new. As American society continues to evolve, it can only be in a state of flux, largely triggered by its response to challenges of existing situations. One proof of this continuous instability is in the field of politics. It is quite clear that a huge majority of Americans voted for President Obama in the 2008 elections. However, now that he is in power, it did not take long for many to shift sides in politics. Lapham explains that â€Å"democratic politics trades in only two markets – the market in expectation and the market in blame.† (January 1992) This means that when Americans feel that their expectations are not met, they automatically lay the blame on the on the person which they previously believed could solve problems of society. Because of this attitude, there will always be the impression that Americans are rarely contented with what they have; hence, the inclination towards flux. There is, however, a counter-argument to Lapham’ s theory. This articulated by Hitt as he tries to explain the Americans’ penchant for dinosaur, particularly the T-rex. Hitt points out that they tend to hold on to old symbols or extinct objects such as the dinosaur. He explains that the dinosaur’s â€Å"periodic rebirth in pop culture neatly signals deep tectonic shifts in our sense of ourself as a country.†

Honesty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Honesty - Research Paper Example In developing the concept of honesty, one finds that by going from the initial definition of the word honest to the cultural differences expressed in one different language, the true concept, of honesty requires the existence of human relations. The purpose of this paper is to prove the thesis that Honesty in the dictionary sense is not the best policy. The online dictionary definition of honesty implies "fairness and straightforwardness of conduct". The second definition is keeping to the facts: sincere. (Merriam-Webster) Fairness and sincerity are a contradiction. If an older child beat up his brother because his brother broke one of his games, the parent would admonish the violent reaction of the older brother over the younger brother's breaking the toy. Our society does not adhere to violence. The broken toy could have been an accident or a deliberate act. If his parents were sincere, they would ascertain as to why he broke the toy. If both boys were at fault, fairness would dictate that both would be punished. It is rarely the case as the punishment is different for each child and culturally given to the older of the twoIn reality, honesty is governed by a set of rules which go beyond our comprehension of the word. Most of us think that honesty exist. It exist if the rules are followed. In the second source, Mr Dougherty analys es Cringe comedians. He entitles his article Honesty is the best policy. (Dougherty ) People no longer want to spend time thinking through the significance of thought provoking jokes. We are in the "now" society. If it is not attained within 30 seconds, it is not worth it. Cringe comedians come up with one line jokes attacking the truths of life. They twitter their way thru the commentary of life's problems. Life can be split into two twits: alleviating the fears of life by throwing freezing water to chill the problem. A comedian who basis all his one line cringes on self deprecation makes at least one person in the audience feel that there is one person who is better off than the comedian . or the comedian has mastered the art of persona and gives members of the audience what they want to hear as each one has a different concept of honesty. The first comedian uses self deprecation to alleviate fear and the second comedian uses self deprecation to share honest aspects of the "person a". There are people in the audience who can relate to both sorts of tweets. The word tweet is used in a derogatory fashion to show the rapidity in which cringe comedians respond to humor. The concept of honesty is used as the dictionary describes as "straightforwardness" . This limits the point that there is a set of rules to the concept of honesty. As the previous source is somewhat weak, the following source is from a journal. The concept of honesty can be broken down into mathematical equations. A fundamental principal of man is that all human relations are based on the concept of honesty. As this is a rather grandiose principal, the writer has broken it down into equations. The concept of Honesty:

Social media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Social media - Essay Example However, fashion brands also have to be aware of the difficulties that they raise by adopting the digital approach. In recent years, social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter have developed a platform for people to connect and create a community for mutual interests. Social media not only allows consumers to interact and build relationships, it also helps to stimulate discussions on key ideas, thoughts and interests. Since social media has become widely used for communication and businesses have kept up with fast pace of the change in technology and incorporated this emerging, innovative platform into their marketing strategies. Social media marketing has become a significant element for digital marketing as it allows businesses to learn about customers and provide support in order to improve the consumer perception towards the company. (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick, 2012) (P.535) Even though social media is identified as a low-cost media platform that allows businesses to communicate brand activities, the adoption of social media by fashion houses was a little slower as they fear that their well-developed brand images would be damaged by the transparency and openness of the brand information. While traditional advertising channels have more control on the output and minimize the risk of their messages being misinterpreted, such an approach invariably has its costs. (Meadows, 2012)(P.163) The brand was founded in Toronto, Canada in 1985 and acquired as a subsidiary of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation in 1999. As such, it is a popular fashion and lifestyle brand among international shoppers and is distributed in more than 115 stockists ; spanning from the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Seoul, Singapore and a litany of others. By using the brand’s highly acclaimed blog, Culture Club is the highlight of its social media marketing strategy and develops alongside other social media platforms to distribute the

Art Music of Caribbean Latin America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art Music of Caribbean Latin America - Essay Example Folklore too was used as subject matter for the songs, by musicians like Juan Francisco Garcia, for instance. There were classical influences too, like that of Claude Debussy on Marchena’s music. Jose Dolores is famous for adding the bells and bass to band music in the army. Jazz was incorporated too, by Luis Alberti, and others. Rafael Ignacio is famous for popularizing dance music. Classical music was very influential in Cuba. Ernesto Lecuona, Amadeo Roldà ¡n and Julian Orbon are again three notable pioneers of this country. Musical forms like the Salsa, had their roots in the Son, which first began in the 1570s. The influx of African slaves as well as the Spanish colonization had lasting impact on the development of music. The Rumba, Danzon, Chachacha and other dance forms became very popular and influential also. In Puerto Rico, Felipe Gutià ©rrez Espinosa was one of the best-known 19th century composers of religious music and operas. Manuel Gregorio Tavarez became the nation’s first Romantic composer, while Juan Morel Campos is known for taking the danza form to its peak. Music in Latin America has progressed more or less similarly; although, comparatively, the Dominican Republic appears to have several more well-known exponents of music. Influence of the Spanish colonization and the immigration of African slaves were responsible for a lot of the music development. This vast and varied repertoire of music was influenced, to a great degree, by the Spanish colonization. The elementary instrument of the guitar itself was introduced by the Spanish, without which a lot of the later musical forms would not have been conceived. The coming of the African slaves too made a profound impact, as they brought their traditional music along with them. The high-pitched nasal quality of singing, for instance, was introduced in this way. The political state too had a role to play.

Write a management report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Write a management report - Essay Example The memo therefore proposes that management should consider identifying the cost drivers and monitor its activities to control their costs. In assessing whether to accept special orders, management needs to accurately compute contribution margin by only considering the variable costs. Fixed costs should only help in determining the break-even point for special orders. Performance evaluation should as well focus on factors that are within employees control rather than incorporating non-controllable costs elements to evaluate the employees working in the SMU2 sector. The major concern of the SMU2 department is the use of inappropriate cost allocation model for the MP product where material costs, labour costs and variable costs are allocated to the product based on estimates. The allocation of material and labour costs to the MP product is acceptable since these are direct costs incurred in the product manufacturing. Allocation of factor overheads especially remaining factory costs should however be reviewed. These overheads should not be allocated to MP on a fixed percentage basis since MP special order sales only accounts for 2% of the revenue. Allocating the overheads on a fixed proportion therefore inflates the costs and reduces the contribution margin. In addition, allocation of media and promotion costs for SMU1 and SMU2 further fails to consider the cost drivers of the activities. Marketing costs should not be allocated depending on the weight of the products but the revenue derived from the effectiveness of such advertisement. This was, management will have to identify the increase in sales resulting from the incremental costs on advertisement. Allocation of management costs to the various products and departments has also failed to take into account the volume allocation and the level of activities performed by such shared staff on the various products. Activity based costing should be used to monitor the activities of the management to the

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

History - Essay Example The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHC)v is based upon these four freedoms, and this essay will examine which articles correspond to these four freedoms. This essay will also examine Barack Obama’s speech, which also corresponds to the four freedoms as well. Many of the articles correspond to the freedom from fear. This might be because the declarations of human rights are protection documents for people’s lives, so the the UDHC would be focused upon this. Many of the articles seem to deal with issues such as slavery, torture and other atrocities that might happen in a dictatorship or during wartime. For instance, Article 5 states that â€Å"no one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.† This would definitely be aligned with the freedom from fear – if a person is subjected to some kind of torture, and this is known to the person, then this would definitely induce fear in this person. FDR might have me ant freedom from fear in a broader sense, in that citizens need to be free from other country’s threatening their borders with war, but torture would be in line with this freedom as well. Further, another article that is aligned with the freedom from fear is Article 14 – and this article states that everybody has the right to seek and enjoy asylum in other countries if they are being persecuted. This, too, is based upon the freedom from fear, in that, if individuals are being persecuted, which often happens in countries where there is some kind of ethnic cleansing or the country is under siege from war. Therefore, they have a right, if they are living in fear, to seek asylum from another country where they wouldn’t be living in this fear. Another freedom is the freedom from want. This is somewhat associated with the previous freedom, the freedom from fear, in that want and fear often happen in the same conditions. There is an article that corresponds to this fre edom, as well, and that is Article 17, which is the freedom to own property and also states that nobody shall arbitrarily deprive another person of this property. This corresponds to the freedom from want, in that, if a person owns property, then this is a measure of prosperity and wealth. This also means that the person is less likely to want – if the person does fall on hard times, then the owning of the property can sustain him or her. Owning property is not a guarantee against poverty, but it makes it less likely that poverty would happen to that particular individual. Another article which corresponds to this freedom is Article 23, which states that everybody has a right to work and free choice of employment, without discrimination and with favourable remuneration, which ensures that the person’s family has dignity and respect, as well as means of social protection. This is more related to the freedom from want, because, as with owning property, having a job would ensure some type of economic security. It might be minimal, as, in different countries, wages are known to be quite low, but, even if the pay is minimal, it still is better than nothing. And, no matter how minimal the wage is, the money would still go towards providing the basic necessities of the people of the country, and this would correspond from the freedom from want. Freedom of religion is another important freedom, and some of the articles

Nature verses nurture Essay Example for Free

Nature verses nurture Essay The nature versus nurture debate is an argument over whether nature plays a primary role in the development of an individual (heredity), or the environment (nurture). Nature, as understood by Psychologists, refers to physical characteristics that are biologically inherited, such as the color of skin, eye or texture of hair. Nurture on the other hand, refers to environmental influences after conception, such as our experiences (McLeod 2011). The debate has been controversial and ongoing for decades; Psychologists have tried to determine whether a person’s development is predisposed by DNA or his environment. So the questions exists, is it inherited gene or is it the driving force such as upbringing and nurturing from parents and caregivers that influences a child to grow up to become a lawyer, doctor, or a professional athlete. Both theories are essentially at opposite ends of the spectrum. Those who adopt an extreme hereditary approach (nativists) are of the belief that the characteristics or the human specie are a product of evolution and that our individual differences are due to the unique genetic makeup of the individual. At the opposite end of the spectrum, are environmentalists (empiricists) who believe that at birth the human mind is a blank slate that during development is gradually filled with our experiences (McLeod, 2007). In this paper we will look to two studies exploring the controversial nature versus nurture debate, make comparisons between them and discuss the conclusion of each study. John Bowlby (1907-1990) was a psychoanalyst who believed that mental health and behavioral problems could be attributed to early childhood. In his evolutionary Theory of Attachment developed after World War II, he suggests that children come into the world biologically pre-programmed to form attachments with others, as this is a means of survival. According to his original theory, infants have a universal need to seek close proximity with their caregiver. He observed that children experience intense distress when separated from their mothers and this shaped his belief that there is a fundamental link between early infant separations with the mother and later maladjustment (McLeod, 2009). Many subsequent theories have developed in support of this theory; Rudolph Schaffer and Peggy Emerson in 1964, studied 60 babies at monthly intervals for the first 18 months of life. The children were all studied in their own home and involved visiting the babies monthly for approximately one year. During this time, the caregivers were interviewed and all interactions with the babies were observed (McLeod, 2009). In contrast, Albert Bandura developed the Social Learning Theory in support of the nurture debate. He believed that people learn from each other through the process of observation, imitation and modeling. In 1961 he conducted an experiment called the â€Å"Bobo Doll Experiment,† to investigate if social behaviors can be acquired by imitation. The methodology of his study involved testing 36 boys and girls from the Stanford University Nursery School between the ages of three and six years. One male and female adult role model was chosen to demonstrate aggressive behavior. 24 boys and girls were allowed to watch a role model behaving aggressively towards a toy called a â€Å"Bobo doll. † The adults were told to attack the doll in destructive way, using hands, feet, weapons, or abusive language. Another 24 children were exposed to a non-aggressive model and the final 24 children were used as a controlled group and not exposed to any model or aggressive behavior at all. All the children were tested individually through three stages; modeling, aggression arousal and delayed imitation (McLeod, 2011). When the two studies are compared, many differences can be identified, but only a few similarities. In both studies, the subjects used were children. The researchers used an observational approach to undertake their study, the results of which support each theory. During both studies, the subjects were observed during normal activities and their behaviors evaluated through a series of stages. The first identifiable difference between studies was the type of study undertaken. A longitudinal study was undertaken in The Attachment Theory. It was conducted over a period of 18 months; while the Social Learning Theory was an experiment conducted over one day using matched pairs design. The second difference between studies was where they took place: the Attachment Theory studied infants in their own homes, while the Social Learning Theory conducted the experiment in a play nursery. Children at different ages were used in both studies: from birth to 18 months in the Attachment Theory, and from three to six years in the Social Learning Theory. In the Social Learning Theory experiment, all the children were pre-tested for aggression before the behavior was introduced to one group. No behavior was introduced in the Attachment Theory study, infants were observed in their normal routine and daily interactions. One final observable difference between the studies was that a controlled group was used in the â€Å"Bobo Doll Experiment† of The Social Learning Theory, while no controlled group was used in the Attachment Theory study (McLeod 2009, 2011). The Attachment Theory study results indicate that babies develop attachment in the following sequence: (1) up to three months of age where the baby responds equally to any caregiver, (2) after four months where there is a preference for certain people, (3) after seven months where there is a special preference for a single attachment figure, (4) and after nine months where they develop multiple attachments. The conclusion of the study proved babies look to particular people for security, comfort and protection. Fear and unhappiness is shown when separated from that special person. According to the study the most important thing in forming attachment is not who feeds and changes the child, but who plays and communicates with him or her (McLeod, 2009). In the second study, the â€Å"Bobo Doll Experiment† findings supported Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. Children learn social behavior such as aggression through the process of observation learning, i.e. watching the behavior of another person. During the experiment the children exposed to the violent model tended to imitate the exact behavior they had observed when the adult left the room. The children in the non-aggressive group behave less aggressively than those in the control group, and boys behaved more aggressively than girls. The study also showed that boys who observed an adult male behaving violently were more influenced than those who had observed a female model aggressive behavior. Boys were more likely to imitate physical acts of violence, while girls were more likely to imitate verbal aggression (McLeod, 2011). Many experts believe today, that behavior and development are influenced by both nature and nurture; one does not exist without the other. Some psychologists believe that learning continues even through adulthood. While few people take the extreme inherited or extreme environmental approach, researchers and experts are now consumed with the degree to which biology and environment influence behavior. References McLeod, S. A. (2011). Albert Bandura/ Social learning theory- Simply psychology. Retrieved 10/01/2013 from http://www. simplypsychology. org/baddura. html McLeod, S. A. (2009). Attachment Theory Simply psychology. Retrieved 10/04/2013 from http://www. simplypsychology. org/attachment. html McLeod, S. A. (2011). Bobo Doll Experiment- Simply psychology. Retrieved 10/03/2013 from http://www. simplypsychology. org/bobo-doll. html McLeod, S. A. (2011). Nature Nurture in Psychology- Simply psychology. Retrieved 10/05/2013 from http://www. simplypsychology. org/naturevsnurture. html.

Different Cultures And Clothing Cultural Studies Essay

Different Cultures And Clothing Cultural Studies Essay The Peranakan retained most of their ethnic and religious origins (such as ancestor worship), but assimilated the language and culture of the Malays. The Nyonyas clothing, Baju Panjang (Long Dress) was adapted from the native Malays Baju Kurung. It is worn with a batik sarong (batik wrap-around skirt) and 3 kerosang (brooches). Beaded slippers called  Kasot Manek  were a hand-made made with much skill and patience: strung, beaded and sewn onto canvas with tiny faceted glass beads from  Bohemia(present-day  Czech Republic). In modern times, glass beads from  Japan  are preferred. Traditional  kasot manek  design often have European floral subjects, with colors influenced by Peranakan porcelain and batik sarongs. They were made onto flats or bedroom slippers. But from the 1930s, modern shapes became popular and heels were added. In Indonesia, the Peranakans develop their own Kebaya, most notably kebaya encim, and developed their own batik patterns, which incorporate symbols from China.for the Baba they will wear baju lokchuan(which is the Chinese men full costume)but the younger generation they will wear just the top of it which is the long sleeved silk jacket with chinese collar or the batik shirt. Malay See also:  Malaysian Malay Traditional Malay attire is the baju melayu, a loose tunic which is worn over trousers and usually accompanied with a sampin, which is a sarong which is wrapped around a mans hips.[1]  It is also often accompanied with a  songkok  or cap, on their head. Traditional clothing for men in Malaysia consists of a silk or cotton skirt and shirt with a scarf like piece of cloth tied around his waist. This scarf is sewn together at the ends and is traditionally called a sarong or a  kain. Most of the clothing is made up of bright and bold colors. The man also wears a religious hat. Malay women wear the  baju kurung, a knee-length blouse worn over a long skirt. Usually a scarf of shawl is worn with this. Prior to the wide embrace of Islam, Malay women wore kemban, which were sarongs which were tied just above the chest.[1] Chinese See also:  Malaysian Chinese The classical everyday clothing for men in Malaysia is a short sleeved shirt worn outside the trousers, light-weight trousers and informally, sandals for comfort. The Chinese women wear the  cheongsam, a one-piece dress with a high collar, diagonally closed with small clips or toggles (fabric clasps). It sometimes can have slits at the side, as is made with a soft fabric such as  silk.[1]  The cheongsam is especially popular around the time of the Chinese New Year and other formal gatherings (the fourth and fifth women from the right in the picture above). Older well-respected women wear a  samfoo, which looks like pajamas with a separate loose fitting top fastened by toggles and ankle length, or above the ankle, pants. Indian See also:  Malaysian Indian Indians in Malaysia as with elsewhere in the world wear  sarees, a cloth of 5-6 yards which is usually worn with a  petticoat  of a similar shade. It is wrapped around the body so that the embroidered end hangs over the shoulder, while the petticoat is worn above the bellybutton to support the saree, which can be made from a wide variety of materials. The Punjabi  Salwar kameez  is popular with women from northern India, and is a long tunic worn over trousers with a matching shawl.[1]  The fabric imported from India, made of the best quality silk is used in making saris. There are two layers to a sari: a long bright colored dress decorated with colorful beads sewn on it to make it look more attractive, and a wrap, a piece of straight fabric draped around one shoulder which ties across the body around the waist area. Women with a high standing will have their clothing made from gold and silver thread with elaborate beading. In formal occasions indian men wear the kurta, a knee-length shirt usually made from cotton or linen.[1]  The Indian men wear Sherwani, Lungi, Dhoti and Kurta-Pajama.The Sherwani: a coat like garment fitted close to the body, of knee-length or longer and opening in front with button-fastenings. Below the men wear a garment for the lower part of the body, baggy and wide at the top tied with a string at the waist , and tight around the legs and ankles. elhi. The Lungi: The traditional lungi originated in the south and today it is worn by men and women alike. It is simply a short length of material worn around the thighs rather like a sarong. The Dhoti: The most ancient recorded Indian drape is a dhoti. They require a piece of cloth which seems longer and larger than what was worn in the past, but their pleating is often simpler, and they are not adorned with belts anymore. All dhotis begin with the same basic closing. It is the only drape that doesnt start from one pallav but from the centre of the upper border. The middle of the cloth is tied around the hips. Each end of the cloth is then draped around the leg on its side. The Kurta-Pyjama: The Kurta or the top is a knee length colarless shirt which is adorned inmostly white or pastel colors. But today you will find Kurtas made out of the most wonderful and colorful of fabrics. Pyjama-are like loose trousers with a string tie at the waist. Traditionally white in color. Orang Asal See also:  Orang Asal Before the creation of ancient kingdoms, most aboriginal people wore bark costumes decorated with beads. In the times of early kingdoms hand-crafted textiles were used, and trade from other areas brought other outfits such as  silk  costumes,  pulicats  and  sarongs, and  jubbahs. The  Orang Asli  still wear clothing of natural materials, often out of treebark and skirt. Leaf fronds are sometimes crafted into headbands or other ornaments.[1] In  East Malaysia  similar clothes are worn. The  Orang Ulu  wear hand-loomed cloths as well as tree bark fabrics. Beads and feathers are used for decoration. The  Iban  are known for their woven pua kumbu. Another well known clothing item is the songket of the Sarawak Malay. In Sabah the clothing of different tribes differs with different amounts, with tribes in close proximity having similar clothing. Notable ones are the  Kadazan-Dusun  straw hats for ladies, the dastar of the  Bajau. Men from the Lotud tribe wear a headdress which has a number of fold points equal to the number of his wives.[1] Others Old chinese immigrants who married Malays and adopted some of their culture are known as the  Baba Nyonya. They wear kebaya, which are hard-made lace-word clothing, often with intricate embroidery.[1] Those descended from the Portuguese often wear Portuguese-style outfits. Men often wear jackets and trousers with waist sashes, while women wear broad front-layered skirts. The dominant colours are black and red.[1] Glossary Baju Kurung Kedah   worn only by Malay women as a daily dress for married women. it is a shorter dress with three-quarter sleeves, so the wearer can move around easily. Baju Batik   worn by men and women on a formal occasion. Usually colorful cotton printed in the  batik  or wax resist method of dyeing. Baju Melayu   worn by Malay men, it does not have any buttons but has a special kind of button called a butang. The fabric used to make a baju melayu is made from either nylon, satin, or silk. Along with this is a  songkok  or  kopiah, worn on the head. Songkok are generally a dark natural color, and the kopiah is a white color and represents purity. Baju Kurung   a baju kurung is worn by women for occasions such as school (as a uniform) or to a wedding. It too is brightly colored and can come in a variety of different printed designs. It is a knee length dress with a full length sleeves. Baju Kebarung   is a combination of the baju kebaya and the baju kurung. It is loose and almost reaches the ankles; it is not one of the traditional clothes of the Malay, but an adaptation.

Physical Activity Recommendations for the Elderly

Physical Activity Recommendations for the Elderly Introduction Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO, 1946). There are many factors which have an impact on health and quality of life, including lifestyle choices of each individual. Diets high in fruits and vegetables and participation in regular physical activity are associated with a lower risk for several chronic diseases and conditions (US department of health and human services, 2005). Physical inactivity is very common globally with 31% of adults over 15 years old being insufficiently active. Insufficient physical inactivity results in about 3.2 million deaths per year (WHO, 2008). Elder adults are generally more vulnerable to malnutrition. This is because both lean body mass and basal metabolic rate decrease with increasing age. It has been found that many diseases suffered by the older people are diet- related. Other factors contributing to malnutrition include dietary, psychosocial, physiological and economic changes (DiMaria-Ghalili, R. A., Amella, E., 2005). Global Recommendations on physical activity for 65 years and above according to the WHO Older adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes duration. For additional health benefits, older adults should increase their moderate intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or engage in 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, or an equivalent combination of moderate-and vigorous-intensity activity. Older adults, with poor mobility, should perform physical activity to enhance balance and prevent falls on 3 or more days per week. Muscle-strengthening activities, involving major muscle groups, should be done on 2 or more days a week. When older adults cannot do the recommended amounts of physical activity due to health conditions, they should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow. Inactive people should start with small amounts of physical activity and gradually increase duration, frequency and intensity over time. Inactive adults and those with disease limitations will have added health benefits when they become more active. (WHO, 2011) Physical activity and bone loss Exercise plays an important role in building and maintaining bone and muscle strength. Physical activity positively influences most structural components of the musculoskeletal system that are related to functional capabilities and the risk of degenerative diseases. Physical activity also has the potential to postpone or prevent prevalent musculoskeletal disorders, such as mechanical low back pain, neck and shoulder pain, and osteoporosis and related fractures. Exercise can contribute to the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders and recovery from orthopedic surgery. Muscles and bones respond and strengthen when they are stressed. This can be achieved by weight bearing or impact exercises which make the bones denser. Physical activity helps prevent weak bones and falls in the elderly. One-third of people over 65 have a fall each year and the risk of falling increases as age rises. People who have suffered fractures can benefit from special exercises and training (under medical supervision) to improve muscle strength and muscle function for greater mobility and improved quality of life. Balance training and Tai chi have been shown to decrease falls by 47% and reduce the risk of hip fracture by approximately 25%. Physical activity and hypertension Hypertension is defined as the constant pumping of blood through blood vessels with excessive force (WHO, 2011). Hypertension prevalence increases with advancing age and is higher in men than in women until the age of 55 years, but is slightly higher in postmenopausal women (Kannel WB, 2003). According to the 2009 NCD report, 38.1% of Mauritian people aged 65 and older were considered as hypertensive but were not on medications. 45.5% were being treated for hypertension. Hypertension is the major risk factor for stroke, heart failure, and coronary artery disease in older adults, while all of these disorders are important contributors to mortality and functional disability. Primary hypertension is the result of multiple conditions, such as genetic, nutritional, psychosocial, and life style factors. One of the life style factors leading to hypertension is obesity, which is usually related to a sedentary life style and inadequate physical activity. Since most elderly people have an inactive routine, they are at a much higher risk of developing high blood pressure. Therapeutic lifestyle changes, such as reduced dietary sodium intake, weight loss, regular aerobic activity, and moderation of alcohol consumption, have been shown to benefit elderly patients with hypertension. Regular aerobic exercise, consisting of a minimum of 30 min of interval training on a treadmill done three times a week, has been shown to be well tolerated and beneficial (Westhoff TH et al., 2007). The physiological effects of exercise on hypertension are complex and not fully understood. Specific mechanisms have been found to be relevant. An immediate (acute) reduction in BP following exercise has been termed ‘post-exercise hypotension’ and is agreed to be caused by reductions in vascular resistance. (Hamer, 2006). The chronic benefits can be partially explained by a decreased systemic vascular resistance in which the autonomic nervous system and renin-angiotensin system are most likely the underlying regulatory mechanisms (Cornelissen and Fagard, 2005). Another factor contributing to this decrease in vascular resistance is the increase of nitric oxide production (from different sites in the body) causing a vasodilation in response to regular aerobic exercise. Physical exercise and diabetes Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia). Diabetes is classified in three main categories: Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin-dependent) Type 2 diabetes (also called non-insulin-dependent) Gestational diabetes 347 million people worldwide have diabetes (Danaei G et al., 2011). The prevalence of diabetes in adults aged 20-74 years was 21.3%: 21.9% in men and 20.6% in women (NCD report, 2009). Physical activity plays an important role in the management of type 2 diabetes, particularly glycemic control (Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee, 2003., Zinman B, et al., 2004., Boule NG et al., 2001., Ronnemaa T et al., 1986) and improvements in cardiovascular risk profile such as decreased hyperinsulinemia, increased insulin sensitivity, reduced body fat, decreased blood pressure and better lipid profiles (Lehmann R et al.,1997., Schneider SH et al.,1992). Regular moderate physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness are also associated with reductions in mortality of approximately 45 to 70% in type 2 diabetes populations (Wei M, Gibbons, et al., 2000) Moreover, regular moderate physical activity can decrease glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) to a level associated with reduced risk of diabetic complications (Boule NG et al., 2001) and is therefore favorably delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes in high-risk groups (Knowler WC et al., 2002., Lindstrom AM et al., 2003). The decline in insulin sensitivity with aging is relatively due to a lack of physical activity. It is likely that maintaining better levels of fitness in the older population will lead to less chronic vascular disease and an improved quality of life (ADA, 2004). Physical activity and obesity Obesity is defined as an unhealthy excess accumulation of fat in the body, which increases the risk if medical illness and premature mortality. It is due to an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Physical activity contributes to the creation of an energy deficit by increasing total energy expenditure, and this can promote weight loss. Aging is associated with a decrease in all major components of total energy expenditure (TEE) including resting metabolic rate (RMR; which accounts for ≈70% of TEE), thermic effect of food (which accounts for ≈10% of TEE), and physical activity (which accounts for ≈20% of TEE). Physical activity decreases with increasing age, and it has been estimated that decreased physical activity accounts for about one-half of the decrease in TEE that occurs with aging (Elia M, Ritz P, Stubbs RJ., 2000). Hormonal changes such as reduced responsiveness to thyroid hormone, decreased secretion of growth hormone, decrease in serum testosterone and resistance to leptin that occur during aging can also enhance the accumulation of fat ( American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005). Obesity is associated with a number of complications as decreased survival metabolic abnormalities high blood pressure insulin resistance dyslipidemia pulmonary abnormalities arthritis urinary incontinence cataracts cancer Moderate weight loss in conjunction with physical activity improves physical function and health-related quality of life in obese older persons. Physical activity and cardiovascular health A higher rate of cardiovascular events and a higher death rate have been observed in those individuals with low levels of physical fitness (Pate RR et al., 1995., US Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, 1996). Even midlife increases in physical activity, through change in occupation or recreational activities, are associated with a decrease in mortality (Paffenbarger RS et al., 1993). Despite this evidence, however, the vast majority of adults remain effectively inactive. According to AHA, a sedentary lifestyle is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Evidence from many scientific studies shows that regular exercise decreases the chance of having a heart attack or experiencing another cardiac event, such as a stroke, and reduces the possibility of needing a coronary revascularization procedure (bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty). Benefits of regular exercise on cardiovascular risk factors include: Increase in exercise tolerance Reduction in body weight Reduction in blood pressure Reduction in bad (LDL and total) cholesterol Increase in good (HDL) cholesterol Increase in insulin sensitivity In addition, exercise training positively impacts the above risk factors even in patients older than 75 years (American Family Physician, 2005). There is also evidence that exercise training improves the capacity of the blood vessels to dilate in response to exercise or hormones, consistent with better vascular wall function and an improved ability to provide oxygen to the muscles during exercise. As one’s ability to transport and use oxygen improves, regular daily activities can be performed with less fatigue. This is particularly important for patients with cardiovascular disease, whose exercise capacity is typically lower than that of healthy individuals. Patients with newly diagnosed heart disease who participate in an exercise program report a more positive outlook in terms of quality of life, such as more self-confidence, lower stress, and less anxiety. Importantly, researchers have found that for heart attack patients who participated in a formal exercise program, the death rate is reduced by 20% to 25%. This is strong evidence in support of physical activity for patients with heart disease (Circulation, 2003). Physical activity and cancer The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that 25% of cancer cases worldwide are caused by obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. These factors may increase cancer risk by several mechanisms such as increased estrogens and testosterone, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, increased inflammation, and depressed immune function. Several studies have shown that physical activity and diet changes can alter biomarkers of cancer risk (Journal of Nutrition, 2007). There is strong epidemiologic evidence for reduced risk of some cancers with increasing physical activity. The strongest evidence exists for colorectal and postmenopausal breast cancer, with possible associations for prostate, endometrial, and lung cancer (Friedenreich CM, Orenstein MR., 2002). Types of physical activities There are 4 main types of physical activities namely aerobic, muscle strengthening, bone strengthening, and stretching and balance activities. (Dairy Council of California, 2014) (National heart, blood and lung institute, 2011). Aerobic activities also called cardiovascular exercises help improve the condition of lungs and heart, increase stamina, improve blood circulation and burn body fat. Such activities might include walking, jogging, bicycling, climbing stairs, walking on a treadmill, dancing, swimming or jumping rope. These types of activities help to raise your heart rate and increase your breathing for an extended period of time as well as decrease the blood pressure. Muscle strengthening increases the body metabolism by burning more calories after having stopped exercising. This is achieved by an increase in muscle mass. Muscle-strengthening activities improve the strength, power, and endurance of muscles. Doing pushups and sit-ups, lifting weights, climbing stairs, and digging in the garden are some examples. Strength training helps make bones stronger, improves balance and increases muscle strength. All of this helps prevent osteoporosis and lowers the risk of hip fractures from falls. Strength training has also been shown to lessen arthritis pain. Stretching helps to ease movement, improve flexibility and prevent muscle strain and injury. Stretching also helps to warm up the body and prepare for exercise. Balance activities help you maintain posture and balance to keep from falling. This is particularly important for the elderly who are at risk for bone fractures. Levels of physical activities by intensities Intensity refers to the rate at which the activity is being performed or the magnitude of the effort required to perform an activity or exercise (WHO, 2014). The levels of intensities of physical activities are usually expressed in METs, Metabolic Equivalents. MET is the ratio of a persons working metabolic rate relative to their resting metabolic rate. One MET is defined as the energy cost of sitting quietly and is equivalent to a caloric consumption of 1kcal/kg/hour. It is estimated that compared with sitting quietly, a persons caloric consumption is three to six times higher when being moderately active (3-6 METs) and more than six times higher when being vigorously active (>6 METs). One limitation to this way of measuring exercise intensity is that it does not consider the fact that some people have a higher level of fitness than others. Thus, walking at 3 to 4 miles-per-hour is considered to require 4 METs and to be a moderate-intensity activity, regardless of who is doing the activity whether a young marathon runner or a 90-year-old adult. Light-intensity activities require the least amount of effort, compared to moderate and vigorous activities. Light intensity activity is related to energy expenditure of less than 3 METs. It does not increase the heart rate. Moderate-intensity physical activity raises the heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature. During such type of activity, one can talk but not sing. The caloric consumption is from 3 to 6 METS. Vigorous intensity physical activity causes the greatest amount of oxygen consumption. It burns more than 6 METS. A person cannot utter more than a few words without gasping for breath. Examples of physical activities based on intensity Light Activity less than 3.0 METS* (less than 3.5 calories per minute) Moderate Activity less 3.0-6.0 METS* (3.5 – 7 calories per minute) Vigorous Activity greater than 6.0 METS* (more than 7 calories per minute) Casual Walking Bicycling less than 5 mph Stretching Sitting Light weight training Dancing slowly Leisurely sports (table tennis, playing catch) Floating Boating Fishing Golf—using cart Light yard/house work Occupations requiring extended periods of sitting Brisk walking (3 4.5 mph) Walking uphill Hiking Roller skating at leisurely pace Bicycling 5-9 mph Low impact aerobics Aqua aerobics Light calisthenics Yoga Gymnastics Jumping on a trampoline Weight training Moderate dancing Boxing—punching bag Most aerobic machines (e.g., stair climber, elliptical, stationary bike)—moderate pace Competitive tennis, volleyball, badminton, diving Recreational swimming Canoeing Horseback riding Golf—carrying clubs Housework that involves intense scrubbing/cleaning Shoveling snow Carrying a child weighing more than 50 pounds Occupations that require an extended amount of time standing or walking Race walking (more than 4.5 mph) Jogging/Running Wheeling a wheelchair Mountain climbing Backpacking Fast pace in-line skating Bicycling more than 10 mph High impact aerobics Step aerobics Vigorous calisthenics Karate, judo, tae kwon do, jujitsu Jumping rope, jumping jacks Circuit weight training Vigorous dancing Boxing—sparring Most aerobic machines (e.g., stair climber, elliptical, stationary bike)—vigorous pace Competitive basketball, soccer, football, rugby, kickball, hockey, lacrosse Swimming laps or synchronized swimming Treading water Water jogging Water polo Downhill or cross country skiing Pushing non-motorized lawnmower Occupations that require heavy lifting or rapid movement Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1999). Promoting physical activity. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

How does Chaucer present love in The Miller’s Tale Essay -- English Li

How does Chaucer present love in The Miller’s Tale In ‘The Miller’s Tale’ there are three different types of ‘love’ that Chaucer presents, and he also presents them in different ways, but manages to convey the emotions had by the character whilst entertaining the reader adding to the fabliau essence of the tale. The relationship between John and Alison is presented in an interesting way. The ‘love’ that one has for the other is very different; John cares deeply for her and is very much in love with this young girl and this is shown in his intense jealousy ‘Jalous he was, and heeled hire narwe in cage’ whilst Alison’s feelings for John seem to be less dedicated. This is conveyed in her adultery, and during the first confrontation between Alison and Nicholas she does not withstand Nicholas for a very long time nor does she declare her love for John and use it as a reason for her not to commit adultery. Why she is not as committed to him is left very much up to the reader, whether it is simply because she likes Nicholas or she does not love John or a combination o...

Gender Inequality in the Song of Songs Essay -- Womens Studies

Gender Inequality in the Song of Songs INTRODUCTION Postcolonial Feminist Theory has taught us to look beyond the confines of narrow cultural lenses as we seek to understand the diversity of gendered experience. I believe it is even more empowering to go one step further and to look not only cross-culturally but also cross-temporally. In America, when the general population tries to articulate what traditional female gender roles were, it seems they often describe those prescriptions for being lady-like from the Victorian Era, 1950s post-war America, or maybe limited snapshots of the Middle Ages, like chivalry codes and chastity belts. Accordingly women were, supposedly and stereotypically, traditionally passive and acquiescent. Proper women spoke when spoken to, and then played merely a support role in conversation. They were to express virtue through chastity until marriage, and sexual reserve even within marriage. They were not supposed to ask for the date, lest they seem too forward. They found true fulfillment only in motherhood. They were physically delicate and timid. They were sexual objects instead of active subjects. They were more often written about than authors. They were defined in opposition to men. Places such as the ancient Near East, for example, provide a wealth of information about gendered experience that blatantly contradicts the stereotypical gender-associated behaviors that we in the contemporary West tend to call traditional. Much of it is written by women themselves, such as Egyptian love poetry and Sumerian temple priestesses' administrative records. Because many arguments about the nature of the feminine versus the socialization of femininity look only to relatively recent stereotypes to ass... ...D Falk, Marcia. Love Lyrics from the Bible: A Translation and Literary Study of the Song of Songs. Sheffield: The Almond Press, 1982. ---. The Song of Songs: Love Lyrics from the Bible, A New Translation. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. Freeman, Rebecca and Bonnie McElhinny. "Language and Gender." Sociolinguisitcs and Language Teaching. Eds. McKay, Sandra L. and Nancy H. Hornberger. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Fox, Michael V. The Song of Sons and the Ancient Egyptian Love Songs. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1985. Gordis, Robert. The Song of Songs. New York: The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1961. Sweeney, Deborah. Women and Language in the Ramesside Period. The Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology, Tel Aviv Univeristy. http://www.tau.ac.il/~archpubs/projects/women_language_ramesside.html

War and Heroism in Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse Five Essay examples -

What is war? Is war a place to kill? Or is it a place where something more than just killing happens? War, as defined by the Merriam Webster is â€Å"a state or period of usually open and declared fighting between states or nations.† War, can also be viewed with romantic ideals where heroes and legends are born. Even the most intelligent of us hold some rather naà ¯ve notions of war. Upon reading Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five, intelligent readers have been divested of any romantic notions regarding war they may have harboured. In Slaughterhouse Five the reader is encouraged to show contempt for war and to abandon all hopes of thinking war as a place where deeds of heroism are and bravery are performed. A character in the novel, Roland Weary, seems to think the very opposite of what Vonnegut is trying to communicate in the novel. He sees war as an adventure, a time for exploration, not as a time where horrible atrocities are committed and where massacres take place. Even army personnel turn on each other. Billy Pilgrim who is being beaten by Roland Weary is saved from death, ironically, when a German patrol finds him. Another bunch of characters that seem to ‘mistake’ war as something fun is the English officers at the POW camp. In the words of Vonnegut, â€Å"they made war look stylish, reasonable and fun.† Another interesting thing that Vonnegut does is that he frequently uses the phrase â€Å"So it goes,† after every death or mention of dying in the novel. He uses the phrase very often, and after a certain amount of time, it begins to remind the reader that the reader is powerless to stop all the killing that is going on. Vonnegut uses irony very often to strengthen the readers’ contempt for war. Edgar Derby, the well-liked high sc... ...me soldiers refuse to fire a shot due to the great personal conflict within them to kill another human being. Normal human beings cannot kill in cold blood. Normal human beings usually can’t even think about killing somebody. To not feel remorse after killing a fellow human being would be inhuman. Slaughterhouse Five is not a book that should be glanced over and discarded away like a dirty rag. Slaughterhouse Five is a book that should be carefully analyzed and be seen as an inspiration to further improve the well-being of mankind. Vonnegut makes it clear that an easy way to improve mankind is to see war not as a place where legends are born, but rather, an event to be avoided. Intelligent readers and critics alike should recognize Vonnegut’s work and see to it that they make an effort to understand the complexities behind the human condition that lead us to war.

Moldova’s Relations with European Union

In 1538, the principality became a tributary to the Ottoman Empire, but it retained internal and partial external autonomy. In 1600, inhabitants of the Romanian provinces saw for the first time their dream of reunification as reality. Michael the Brave leaded simultaneously the Romanian principalities of Wallachia, Moldova and Transilvania for one year. In 1812, despite numerous protests by Moldavan nobles on behalf of their autonomous status, the Ottoman Empire ceded to the Russian Empire the eastern half of the territory of the Principality of Moldavia along with Hotin and Budgeac.The next 106 years, Romanians from Basarabia were under continues Russification and Romanian language was gradually removed from official and religious use. Basarabia proclaimed independence from Russia on February 6, 1918, and on April 9, 1918 united with the Kingdom of Romania. In August 1939, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and its secret additional protocol were signed, by which Nazi Germany recognized Ba sarabia as being within the Soviet sphere of influence, which led the latter to actively revive its claim to the region.On June 28, 1940, the Soviet Union, with the acknowledgement of the Nazi Germany, issued an ultimatum to Romania requesting the cession of Basarabia and northern Bucovina, with which Romania complied the following day. The Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic was established and Moldova became a tiny part of the â€Å"Evil Empire†. During the Soviet period, deportations of locals to the northern Urals, to Siberia, and northern Kazakhstan occurred regularly. Other forms of Soviet persecution of the population included 32,433 political arrests, followed by Gulag (in 8,360 cases) or execution and collectivization.In 1944-53, there were several anti-Soviet resistance groups in Moldova; however the NKVD and later MGB managed to eventually arrest, execute or deport their members. Official Soviet policy asserted that the language spoken by Moldovans was distinct from the Romanian language (â€Å"Moldovenism†). To distinguish the two, during the Soviet period, Moldovan was written in the Cyrillic alphabet, in contrast with Romanian, which was written in the Latin alphabet.On August 27, 1989, the Popular Front of Moldova organized a mass demonstration in Chisinau, that became known as the Grand National Assembly, which pressured the authorities of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic to adopt a language law on August 31, 1989 that proclaimed the Moldovan language written in the Latin script to be the state language. Its identity with the Romanian language was also established. 2. From RSSM to Republic of Moldova The third richest colony of Soviet Union, Moldova, obtained its independence in 1991 and in just 20 years managed to become the poorest country in Europe.After the breakup of Soviet Union in 1991, Moldova found itself in a new reality. In 1990, 5 Moldovan districts with less than 1 million inhabitants, located on the left side o f river Nistru, declared their independence. Tensions between the Moldovan government and the breakaway Transnistria Republic escalated into a military conflict that started in March 1992 and was concluded by a ceasefire in July 1992. Transnistria's sovereignty is not recognized by any member of the United Nations and it has no official diplomatic relations with any of those states.Nevertheless, Russia is great supporter of Transnistria and other self-declared independent territories of the former Soviet Union countries (Abhazia, South Osetia). Transnistria accounts for 40% of Moldovan GDP, the main part of the Moldovan industry is located on the left side of the Nistru, and therefore it is a strategic region for Moldova. Transnistria is still under the control of Russian 14th Army, which constitutes a serious violation of International Public Law and of the 1999 Istanbul Agreements.On July 8, 2004, the European Court of Human Rights stated in a ruling that the Russian army â€Å"s tationed in Moldovan territory [is] in breach of the undertakings to withdraw them completely given by Russia at the OSCE summits in 1999 and 2001. † Even with domestic conflicts and tensions, Moldova had to establish its state institutions and undertake a complex process of social and economic reforms. Moldova established its diplomatic relations with other countries and organizations, including European Union (EU). Despite the relative short period of cooperation between Moldova and EU, these relations were marked by striking â€Å"ups and downs†. . Moldova’s relations with EU For the purpose of this paper, I would like to distinguish between following stages of Moldova- EU relations: 1. 1991-1998 – â€Å"wait and see† period 2. 1998-2008 – â€Å"two steps forward and one back†, 3. 2009-2010 – â€Å"twitter revolution†- turning point in Moldova – EU relations 4. November, 28th 2010 in Moldova will be held the Par liamentary elections which are crucial for Moldova’s European future. 3. 1. 1991-1998 – â€Å"wait and see† period The first framework for EU-Moldova relations was provided by TACIS (Technical Assistance for Commonwealth of Independent States).TACIS was established in 1991 and provided grant-financed technical assistance to 12 former USSR countries, except Baltic countries, to help in their transition to democratic, market-oriented economies. TACIS was not a bilateral agreement between Moldova and EU, it was drawn by EU as a common tool for 12 former USSR colonies aimed at enhancing the transition process. In 1994 Moldova and EU signed first bilateral Agreement, the so-called Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which entered into force in 1998. While this ramework agreement was passing through a cumbersome ratification procedure by the EU member states, Moldovan President P. Lucinschi expressed, by successive official letters addressed to the President of European Commission and to all EU heads of states and governments, the aspiration of Moldova to become an associate member of the EU. Though no formal answer followed, through different channels it was suggested that before passing to the associate stage a full implementation of the EU-Moldova PCA was necessary. 3. 2. 1998-2008 – â€Å"two steps forward and one back†During this period Moldova-EU relations gained more consistency, but the relations were marked by changing of the power in Chisinau. The communist Party won the Parliamentary elections in 2001 with 50, 07 % and in 2005 with 45, 98 %. From 2001 to 2008 the Communist Government promoted the so-called ‘facade Europeanization’. Moldova had double standard messages for Brussels and Moscow, the promotion of European values and democracy were done just to gain more voters. No wonder all the actions which aimed to bring Moldova closer to EU were undertaken at the end of the first Communist mandate ( 2005).In March, 2003 – EU and USA introduced a visa ban against self-declared Transnistria leaders. After the Eastern enlargement of EU in 2004, EU launched the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). The objective of the ENP is to share the benefits of the EU enlargement with neighboring countries. ENP was intended to offer a privileged relationship to EU’s neighbors, which will build on mutual commitment the common values principally within the fields of the rule of law, the respect for human rights, the principles of market economy and sustainable development.ENP was intended to be an incentive for Europe’s neighbors to pursue reforms and to import the EU’s values and practice as the candidates states do. In February, 2005, in the framework of ENP, Moldova and EU signed the Action Plan, which initially was intended to be for 3 years, but eventually it was extended by one year more. Among the objectives of the Action Plan, I would like to mention: the stren gthen of the institutions guaranteeing democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights, promoting economic reform, improving living conditions, etc.The Action Plan supported efforts to achieve a lasting resolution of the Transnistria problem. In October 2005, the EU has been invited to join the mediation process as observers in the so-called 5+2 format. Moldova, Transnistria, OSCE, Russia and Ukraine are mediators, while USA and EU are observers. In my opinion this format is not functional and needs to be changed. There is a big question mark whether all of the mediators are engaged in a fair process of mediation and can ensure a resolution of Transnistria conflict and in the same time the territorial integrity of Moldova.The format 5+2 is not balanced, because Russia and Ukraine (officially and/or non-officially) support Transnistria, OSCE is mainly controlled by Russia, EU and US having the status of observers, cannot intervene in the mediation process and at the end of the da y, Moldova does not have the necessary levers to sustain its points during the mediation. This question was recently raised by Kalman Mizsei, the European Union Special Representative for Moldova at the OSCE Summit in Vienna on 16-18 October, 2010.Helping Moldova to ensure full control over its borders and customs territory, the EU has deployed since December 2005 an EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) on the Moldova – Ukraine state border (including the Transnistria sector). Other priorities of EU-Moldova relations include reforming the judiciary system, ensuring respect for freedom of expression and media, cooperating on issues such as migration, fight against trafficking, organized crime, corruption and money laundering, thereby contributing to the long-term objective of sustainable development.Even if the Action Plan provided certain actions that should be fulfilled by Moldovan Government, it did not have a particular and lasting approach from Moldovan side. Governmentâ €™s actions often achieve good results at project level, but have less impact at sector and national policy level partly due to a lack of continuity and coherent long-term sector planning. In spite of all the advantages and benefits of ENP, the 2006 spring (when Russia established embargo for the Moldovan wines) pointed out that ENP cannot be compared with political and economic pressure of Russia in Moldova.In the ENP framework, EU offers immediate and limited benefits and cannot cancel the effects of Russian economic blockade. This is one of reason why EU decided to double financial assistance in Moldova for the period 2007-2010, thus Moldova became the second beneficiary per capita of the EU assistance, after the Palestinian Authority. EU has provided about 210 million euro of assistance to Moldova through European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument. The ENP and Action Plan brought new dynamics in the relations etween Moldova and EU; extended their cooperation opportunit ies; specified and detailed co-operation process between parties; updated the areas of dialogue [†¦] However, this is not say that everything went smooth in the implementation process of EU-Moldova Action Plan. While performing quite well on the economic dimensions of the document, Moldovan authorities proved an obvious lack of administrative capacities and unwillingness to promote fully-fledged reforms in crucial areas, such as respect of human rights, freedom of the media, the rule of law, fight against corruption and business environment. . 3. 2009-2010 – â€Å"twitter revolution†- turning point in Moldova – EU relations The next period of Moldova-EU relations is directly linked to the events of April 2009 and the so-called â€Å"twitter revolution†. On April 5th, 2010 in Moldova were held the Parliamentary elections. For the 3rd time in a row the Communist Party won the elections with 49, 48 %. The opposition parties and civil society organizatio n accused the Communist Party that they rigged the elections.On 6th and 7th of April, 2009, around 30000 people went into streets to protest against the results of the elections, the number quickly increased due in large part to new technologies and social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Odnoklasniki, etc. A large group of protesters stormed the Parliament and the Presidential Palace vandalizing both buildings and leaving the Parliament in flame.The Government reaction to the storms was severe, thousands of students were arrested and there were credible reports about mistreatment and torture of detainees, three fatalities were reported in connections with demonstrations and detentions. However, the Communist Party lacked one vote to elect the President and in July 2009 new Parliamentary elections were held. A new government formed by a fragile alliance of liberals and centrist was established after the elections. There was no coincidence in naming the coalition the Alliance for Eur opean Integration.These events brought Moldova back on the EU agenda; the new government started a diplomatic offensive to charm EU capitals and created high expectation in Moldova, especially for the educated, young electorate which tends to see the EU as an opportunity to bypass isolation and poverty. The events in Moldova coincided with the launching of EU Eastern Partnership – an institutionalized forum for discussing visa agreements, free trade deals and strategic partnership agreements with the EU's Eastern neighbors, while avoiding the controversial topic of accession to EU.Among the main provisions of the Eastern Partnership: new association agreements including deep and comprehensive free trade agreements, for those willing and ready to take on the far-reaching commitments with the EU that these entail; a conclusion of â€Å"mobility and security pacts†, allowing for easier legitimate travel to the EU while at the same time stepping up efforts to combat corrup tion, organized crime and illegal migration. These pacts would also cover the upgrading asylum systems to EU standards and the establishment of integrated border management structures, etc.The ultimate long term goal would be full visa liberalization, on a case by case basis, provided that conditions for well-managed and secure mobility are in place; the Commission will study possibilities for labor mobility with aim of further opening of the EU labor market; enhanced energy security in the partner countries themselves and with the European Union, including through support to investment in infrastructure, better regulation, energy efficiency and more efficient early warning systems to prevent disruption of supply; enhanced cooperation on environment and climate issues, etc.The new Government quickly engaged the country on the pro-European way. The Government gathered support for a new and very ambitious project, called â€Å"Rethink Moldova†. The EU, USA, IMF, WB and various EU member states took part in this action and in total $ 2,6 billion are scheduled to help Moldova for 2011-2013. In 2010, the financial assistance from the international organization increased 4 times. The table below describes the EU member’s states position versus Moldova: Table 1: EU Member states position versus Moldova Category| Member states| Description|Unconditional and active supporter | Romania | Romania traditionally supported a membership perspective, even when Bucharest had cold relations with former Moldovan Communist Government. Bilateral agreement were signed for agriculture, environment, education, in which Romania will offer assistance to fulfill EU criteria | Supporters | Poland, Sweden, Hungary, Baltic States, Bulgaria | Countries that offer support for Moldova’s EU ambitions, although fully aware that this is not a short-term option | Reluctant supporters | Czech Republic, UK | Open for discussing for EU embership if some other MSs would put the i ssue on the table. Both reluctant on visa. | Good willing skeptics| Germany | High level contact between Chisinau and Berlin brought encouragements, but Germany expects substantial reforms before any discussion on membership | Indifferent skeptics | France, Spain, Italy, Netherland | No clear position on Moldova. It seems not to be on their agenda. Italy is positive on visas. Netherland seems to focus on human rights and minorities treatment | Indifferent but visa skeptics | Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg | No position on membership, opposing visa liberalization |The unconditional supporter of Moldova â€Å"Europeanization† is Romania. On November 13th, 2009, Moldova signed the Agreement on Small-Scale border traffic with Romania, which went into effect on February, 25th, 2010. The Agreement permits people who have been residents in the border area of either country for at least a year, to travel in the neighboring state’s border zone without a visa, for 3 months. Anothe r achievement of the pro-European Government from Chisinau is the beginning of negotiations for the Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Trade Agreement with EU.There were four rounds of negotiations in 2010. Currently, Moldova and EU negotiations focus on four working groups addressing issues that relate to foreign policy, security, justice and economic cooperation. Regarding the â€Å"economic cooperation† were closed already 18 of the 22 chapters which have been negotiated. After the last negotiations held in October 2010, Gunnar Wiegand, the head of EU delegation, Director for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia, mentioned that:†This year [2010] has been enormous progress in EU-Moldova relations†.The European official said that after the conclusion of the fourth round of negotiations, the EU will provide some key recommendations for Moldova, concerning the creation of free trade area. After Russia imposed the second embargo on Moldovan wine i n 2010, which had catastrophically consequences for Moldovan wine industry (which constitutes 25 % of Moldovan GDP), EU doubled the quota for Moldovan wine. In March, 2010 Moldova joined European Energy Community, which will contribute to the diversification of the energy sources in Moldova.In just one year, Moldova became a champion in negotiations with EU. Since November 2009 to November 2010 there have been 5 EU Commissioner Visits in Moldova (from 1991 to 2008 just 4 visits). During September – October 2010 Moldova hosted 16 high EU missions. 3. 4. November, 28th 2010 in Moldova will be held the Parliamentary elections. These elections are crucial for Moldova’s future. Moldovans have to choose between continuing the course toward European economic integration or live with the past and the shadow of Soviet Union. 4. Current issues of Moldova – EU relations Watch out, Moldova joins EU through the back door†. During the summer of 2010, many Europeans news papers as Der Spiegel, The Daily Telegraph, Daily Express, Il Giornale, Le Figaro expressed their concerns about Romania giving â€Å"too many† citizenships to Moldova’s inhabitants. I would like to address this issue from Moldovan perspective. In 1940, when USSR by force occupied Moldova, they changed the nationality of the Moldova’s inhabitants from Romanian to â€Å"Moldovan† and none of them were asked if they wanted to become Soviet Moldovans.The political decision of Moscow to create a new identity – â€Å"Moldovan†, a new language with Cyrillic alphabet – †Moldovan† was a continuation of the process of Russification that was started in 1812. But what Soviet Union did not take into account is that, they could not erase a memory of a nation. After the 1991 independence, a lot of Moldovans refused the â€Å"Moldovan† identity (written in their ID) as their nationality and sued the Moldovan Government for admitti ng of the false information in the documents.All in all, the Romanian citizenship offered by Romania comes as a rehabilitation of historical injustice made to Romanians from Moldova. The process is named re-gain of the citizenship, which means that once, because of the historical circumstances the citizenship was lost but without their will. More than 70 % of the Moldova’s inhabitants could be eligible for Romanian citizenship. There is no statistical data, but unofficially around 300 000 Moldovans have double citizenship: Romanian and Moldovan and there are around other 1 million applications for Romanian citizenship.The procedure of re-gaining the Romanian citizenship is tough and time consuming (more than 4 years), there is a list of around 20 documents that the applicant has to provide, including certificate of birth of grand-parents, certificate of marriage, criminal records from Moldova and Romania, etc. The applicant has to prove that his grand-parents were born Romani ans and he is their descendent.Moreover, Soviet Union Rusificated the Moldovan’s name by adding the Russian endings like† –va† and â€Å"- vici† to the Romanian names and in order to be eligible for Romanian citizenship, the applicant should embrace a bureaucratic and costly process of correcting his name and his parents’ name. A lot of concerns were raised to the number of Romanian citizenships offered to Moldovans, but as we can see in the following table, Romania offers much less citizenships than other EU member states: Table 2: Citizenships offered by selected countries of the EU in 2008:Another key issue in Moldova – EU negotiations is liberalization of visa regime with EU. I would like to point out that Moldova almost fulfilled the technical requirements for liberalization of visa regime without being asked to (Ukraine did it in 3 years). There were a lot of fears concerning the liberalization of EU-Moldova visa regime, most of t hem related to illegal immigration. But, a logic exercise of the Moldova reality would show that these fears are not realistic. Moldova has around 4 million inhabitants (including Transnistria).According to migration studies, the potential migrants are between 20 to 49 years old. In 2009, in Moldova there were 1,677,616 inhabitants between 20 to 49 years old. Therefore, if there was free visa regime between Moldova and EU 1,677,616 of Moldovans would become potential immigrants. Taking into account that around 30 % of Moldovans (~1 mln) already left the country for EU, US, Russia, etc. , the fears of illegal immigration disappear. Moldovans are already in EU, a big majority of them working for 2, 5 and even 8 years without getting a chance to visit their families.An interesting fact is that just 14 % of Moldovan immigrants plan to settle abroad. The free visa regime between Moldova and EU will improve and legalize the situation of Moldovans who work in EU and also would decrease the illegal immigration (some Moldovans pay 4000 Euro to get to EU). 5. Which way further? An actual question is which way further will Moldova go? Will it stick to its past or it will try to build a European future? It is certainly a question which answer we will found after November elections.One issue is obvious, the changing of the power in Chisinau brought Moldova back on EU agenda and the international circumstances are very favorable for solving the Transnistria conflict. On 4-5 June, Russia and Germany signed the Meseberg Memorandum. The document proposes creating an EU-Russia Political and Security Policy Committee, to be chaired by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy Catherine Ashton and Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov, for high-level consultations and decisions.The committee’s mandate would include â€Å"setting ground rules for joint civilian and military crisis management operations by the EU and NATO,† as well as â⠂¬Å"working out recommendations on various conflicts and crisis situations, to the resolution of which the European Union and Russia may contribute within appropriate multilateral forums. † On these definitions, the EU-Russia Committee would be vested with greater powers than those of the NATO-Russia Council. It would also institute an EU-Russia policy coordination mechanism, such as the EU does not have with the United States or with NATO.The German government has identified the conflict in Moldova’s Transnistria region as the issue most likely to demonstrate that the EU can work one-on-one with Russia on European security. In Berlin’s view, Russia should ultimately withdraw its troops from Moldova’s territory and allow Moldova to reunify with Transnistria. In return for cooperating to settle this conflict, Russia could receive a major role in European security affairs, with access to EU decision-making processes via the proposed committee. The German ini tiative can generate a positive dynamic in the negotiations on Transnistria.It can also help raise this conflict high on the EU-Russia agenda. After the French-Russian-German summit in Deauville on 18-21 October, 2010, the Russian President, Dmitri Medvedev, for the first time in last 20 years, talked about including Romania in Transnistria negotiation process. Some analysts would argue that this propose is related to the invitation of Romania to participate in South Stream project, instead of Nabucco project. On October 21, 2010, the EU Parliament adopted a Resolution concerning EU-Moldova relations.The resolution stresses the substantial progress in EU-Moldova relations over the last year and calls on the Commission to swiftly adopt a visa liberalization plan for Moldovan citizens. Parliament also approved the recent initiative launched by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dimitri Medvedev to create an EU-Russia Security Committee to discuss regional issues suc h as a settlement of the Transnistria conflict. In addition to German support, Moldova also received positive signals from Central East European countries and Baltic countries, as Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Estonia, etc.In September 2010, Moldovan Prime-Minister had a bilateral meeting in Budapest with Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban. The next month, the Hungarian Prime-Minister visited Moldova and reiterated the Hungarian support for Moldova’s cause. At the beginning of November, the Polish economist Leszek Balcerowicz, famous for his â€Å"Shock Therapy† (a method for rapidly transitioning from a communist economy, based on state ownership and central planning, to a capitalist market economy), visited Moldova at the invitation of Moldovan Prime-Minister and expressed his will to share with Moldova Poland’s experience concerning economic transformations.In conclusion, one issue is evident, the so-called Moldova twitter revolution had changed the Eu ropean agenda concerning Moldova. Not so long ago, Moldova was seen as a lost country, â€Å"black hole of Europe†, â€Å"the poorest European country†, â€Å"a grey zone under Russian influence† and no one expected the quick change that would bring Moldova in the headlines. The change came from inside the country, from young Moldovans and students, from the so called â€Å"twitter generation†, who does not accept a totalitarian regime and wish for a better country to live in.

Mexican American Essay

This week we learned how Mexicans are stereotyped negatively in the media, they are Stereotyped as being only portrayed as having very low paying jobs and as criminals. Furthermore even in the Latin media in telenovelas the actresses are mainly white with blonde hair. Seeing Mexicans portrayed as heroes is a rarity because according to the society Mexicans are minorities. Another stereotype is that almost all Mexicans are illegal’s. Discrimination was also a big issue in the 20th century, Mexicans-Americans were lynched in the years of 1848 and 1928. Furthermore, even in restaurants Mexicans were discriminated against in the same manner as African Americans before they had their civil rights. The debate that we were discussing was how wrong it was for Mexicans to be discriminated against in this way. In addition, statistics show that only 7 percent of Mexican-Americans graduate from college, meaning that an education isn’t really a top priority for Mexican Americans. In children’s cartoons it is rare to find a latino or latina character with a positive Influence, for example speedy Gonzalez was invented because of an affair that the wife of the creator of the cartoon had with a Mexican, in my opinion this is simply ridiculous and it simply made Mexicans look bad morally. Another example that as a class we looked at were Disney princesses, the first Disney princess to be made in face does not look â€Å"latina†. Typical Latinas have tan skin and brown eyes yet the new princess is fair skinned with green eyes. This only shows that according to American creators a princess cannot be brown or she is considered â€Å"ugly†. In my opinion this is simply racist and it only makes latina girls who have brown skin feel inferior to fair skinned girls. According to statistics a small amount of Americans view Mexicans as violent, dirty and as drunkards simply because of how the media has portrayed them In the media. These media portrayals and in my opinion they should show how Mexicans really are by that i mean the honest hardworking men and women that have helped this country become such a great country.

Hamlet Essay

What have you come to understand about the intense human relationships of Hamlet? How has this understanding been affected by the perspectives of others? In you response you should focus on 3 scenes in the play and a range of perspectives. The intense human relationships of Hamlet have been viewed through numerous perspectives yet all have reached the same conclusions. With the exception of just one, the friendship of Hamlet and Horatio, all the relationships are dishonourable, dysfunctional and destined to fail. Being a revenge tragedy it is immediately clear this play is filled with lies, deceit and treachery. The exact time of Hamlet’s composition is unknown, however it is assumed to be between 1599 and 1602. This was a dark, melancholy time in Shakespeare’s life with the death of his father in 1601 and the death of his only son, Hamnet aged 11, in 1596. It is believed that these events had a significant impact on the writing of Hamlet as the play is heavy with death and has a great similarity with this son’s name. Some perspectives that have been adopted to view and understand the intense human relationships of Hamlet are a religious, psychoanalytic and feminist perspective. When Shakespeare first wrote Hamlet he lived in a strongly religious society where people could be fined for not attending church. Therefore, at this time in history many people had a religious attitude and perspective on the play. The psychoanalytical perspective focuses on the unconscious mind and how it dictates behaviour. This perspective became popular when Sigmund Freud, a well-known psychologist, began developing his psychoanalytic theory, The Oedipus Complex, in 1897. The feminist perspective is often centred around strong women and became particularly popular in the 1950’s being a post world war 2 period. Women were involved in many aspects of the war and made ground in their equality with men. However, when the war ended, women were encouraged to return to their household duties and this sparked much controversy. The family relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude is one of the most intense in the entire play. Their relationship reaches a climax in act 3 scene 4 when Hamlet confronts his mother about her relationship with Claudius and her involvement in the murder of King Hamlet, â€Å"mother, you have my father much offended†. Hamlet sees Gertrude as an adulteress for marrying her husband’s brother two months after his death and believes she is aware that Claudius killed King Hamlet, â€Å"Almost as bad, good mother, As kill a king and marry with his brother†. When exploring this scene from a feminist perspective it can be seen that Gertrude cares deeply for her son yet he scorns her for her recent actions, â€Å"You go not till I set you up a glass where you may see the inmost part of you†. Despite there being no evidence that Gertrude is aware of Claudius’s deed, Hamlet does not trust his mother and this consequently results in his inability to trust other women. The Oedipus Complex comes to the fore when the relationship of these two characters is examined with a psychoanalytical perspective. Freud’s complex suggests that every boy from the age of 3-4 years begins to have unconscious sexual desires for his mother and regards his father as his rival. Through studying this scene from a psychoanalytical perspective it is prominent that Hamlet has an obsession with his mothers sexual relationship with Claudius. He claims that she lives â€Å"In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed†. The scene takes place in Gertrude’s bedroom, which is important as its privacy and intimacy allows Hamlet to express himself fully to his mother and being a place where sexual activity occurs, suggests Hamlets repressed sexual desires. The scene ends with Hamlet possessively demanding her â€Å"but go not to my uncle’s bed† and uses multiple sexual references when he tells her to not let Claudius â€Å"Pinch wanton on your cheek, call you his mouse†. Relating this to the Oedipus complex, Hamlet appears to be more like a jealous lover than a concerned son. Examining act 3 scene 4 from different perspectives gives varied insights into Gertrude and Hamlet’s relationship, yet each perspective deduces that it is a dishonourable relationship with no mutual trust or respect. Another dishonourable family relationship in Hamlet is that between Ophelia and her father Polonius. Polonius manipulates Ophelia for his own benefit, treating her like a tool rather than a person. Their relationships becomes pitiful when she receives orders from her father and responds with â€Å"I shall bey, my lord†, implying that she is at the service of her father. Through the analysis of act 4 scene 5 a deeper understanding can be reached about Ophelia’s relationship with her late father. Following the death of Polonius, Ophelia’s mind becomes unhinged as she drifts into insanity, speaking in songs and rhymes. Considering this scene from a feminists perspective it can be thought that Ophelia went mad with guilt having her desire for Hamlet to kill her father so that they can be together fulfilled. This theory strongly supports the idea that the relationship between Ophelia and Polonius was dysfunctional as she felt she’d never be free to make her own choices until her father was dead. The friendship between Hamlet and Horatio is the only admirable one. Horatio is the one character that Hamlet speaks to openly and confides in. He remains loyal and swears himself to secrecy about the ghost and the pretence of Hamlets madness. He conspires with Hamlet to prove Claudius killed King Hamlet and he stands by him through Ophelia’s death. It is the final scene of the play when the true extent of their friendship is confirmed. Act 5 scene 2 begins with Hamlet confiding in Horatio and reciting the fate of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to him. This further validates their friendship and Hamlets trust in his loyal friend. The scene draws to a close with Horatio wishing to join Hamlet in death. This selfless declaration and his final words to Hamlet before he dies â€Å"good night sweet Prince, and flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest† convey his everlasting faithfulness to Hamlet. Through examining the friendship of Hamlet and Horatio from the beginning of the play to the end, it is clear that, unlike all the other relationships, there is never a doubt about the sincerity of their friendship. Through the close and critical analysis of Hamlet, you can come to the understanding that all but one of the intense human relationships within the play are dishonourable, dysfunctional and destined to fail. Considering this interpretation in the light of other perspectives the same conclusion can be drawn about the relationships.