Research Report on Ecotourism in Mauritius

Prologue to Tourism in Mauritius Tourism is viewed as one of the most significant remote trade workers in Mauritius. The IMF (2012) reports that travel industry is somewhat more than 8 percent of the country’s GDP, making it a significant part of the island’s economy. The development in the travel industry segment in the course of recent decades has added to the general development of the Mauritian economy.Advertising We will compose a custom examination paper test on Research Report on Ecotourism in Mauritius explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More The IMF (2012) uncovers that travel industry has filled in as a huge motor of employment creation in the nation. The exhibition of Mauritius’s the travel industry division has been great with the nation encountering a wonderful increment from having about 18,000 guests every year in 1970 to somewhere in the range of 400,000 guests in 1994 and a noteworthy 960,000 guests to the island in 2012. The travel industry division in Mauritius is generally homegrown. There are various significant lavish inn networks claimed and worked by Mauritian business people. Likewise, the Mauritius business network has reinvested part of the returns from the segment into the Mauritius economy in this way cultivating the country’s economy. Profile of Mauritian Tourists Mauritius is advertised as a high-class goal and focused at up-showcase sightseers. As a costly visitor goal, the island is far off for the standard traveler. Bulcke and Verbeke (2009) uncover that the expanded airfares are a significant factor in making the goal difficult to reach. Graham and Forsyth (2012) see that over 90% of the all out number of guests to Mauritius go to the nation for relaxation purposes. The national transporter, Air Mauritius, appreciates very nearly an imposing business model as the fundamental traveler bearer to the island. A key quality of the carrier is that it charges significant expenses, which help to maintain the high-class goal picture that the island has and keeps on anticipating. The restricted rivalry looked via Air Mauritius permits the aircraft to execute value segregation dependent on nationality and the beginning of the movement. This segregation guarantees that outsiders are charged fundamentally more than the Mauritius occupants are. Since contracted flights are not permitted into the nation, arriving at Mauritius at an ideal rate ends up being outlandish for some. European high-spenders make up by far most of Mauritius’ outside voyagers. The biggest number of voyagers to Mauritius is from France and the French island of Reunion situated in the Indian Ocean. These two nations joined record for about 41% of the complete number of remote travelers visiting the nation annually.Advertising Looking for research paper on correspondences media? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The prominence of Mauritius amo ng the French explorers can be ascribed to the island’s long history with France. The island was held as a French state from 1905 to 1810 when it was lost to the British after the Napoleonic wars. There is accordingly profound history among France and the island with numerous social and language likenesses between the two nations (Graham Forsyth, 2012). The other head vacationer creating nations incorporate South Africa, United Kingdom, India, Germany, and Italy. Significant Attractions The essential fascination offered by Mauritius is the perfect regular setting of the nation. Geologically, the Island has a broad white sandy sea shore that stretches out for in excess of 140 kilometers. Notwithstanding the noteworthy sandy sea shores encompassing the island, the nation has excellent coral reefs that ensure numerous normal tidal ponds found inside the encompassing waters. The turquoise ocean encompassing Mauritius is a prime vacation spot. The mix of the awesome sea shores, gr eat atmosphere, and noteworthy ocean life has prompted Mauritius being introduced as a tropical heaven for voyagers. To guarantee that all sightseers can appreciate the country’s physical resources, all traveler lodgings in Mauritius have been based on or close to the wide sea shores or the secured tidal ponds allowing guests a chance to relish the common excellence of the island. As a little island, Mauritius can advertise itself as a progressively alluring and extraordinary goal for voyagers. Scheyvens and Momsen (2008) battle that little islands like Mauritius can get an a lot higher than normal universal appearances development rate since voyagers making a trip to this goal can have a great time the way that â€Å"their† island isn't imparted to some other the travel industry administrators. This intriguing nature of Mauritius makes it a prime vacationer goal for very good quality tourists.Advertising We will compose a custom examination paper test on Research Repo rt on Ecotourism in Mauritius explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Major Activities Mauritius has confronted expanding rivalry in its primary traveler creating nations from other moderate goal. The island has in this way needed to broaden its travel industry items so as to keep up its customer base and even pull in additional. The expansion in relaxation chances to guests was additionally incited by the decrease in normal length of remain by voyagers in Mauritius. Graham and Forsyth (2012) clarify that the legislature executed an approach planned for expanding the use every day and rising the normal term of remain for every vacationer. The island offers a wide scope of water-related games to its guests. Regular water sports incorporate ocean kayaking and kite surfing. Mauritius has various social and chronicled destinations that travelers can visit. Port Louis offers the guest an open investigate the frontier past of the island. There is a sculpture of the seventee nth century French maritime official Mahe de Labourdonnais and Queen Victoria (Mountain Proust, 2002). The two sculptures pay tribute to the two powers that colonized Mauritius. The National History Museum has numerous ancient rarities that expand on the country’s history and its rich culture. Also, the exhibition hall has a wide scope of stuffed Mauritian winged creatures offering the guest a brief look into the sweeping feathered creature populace of the nation. Shopping is another action that travelers in Mauritius can take part in while visiting the nation. The island has various top of the line shops that offer extravagance items from everywhere throughout the world. There are likewise obligation free merchandise that voyagers can buy and obligation applied to some extravagance items has been decreased so as to advance buying by vacationers. The island has various popular bars and cafés that intrigue to the carefree sightseers. The island offers a large group of nightli fe exercises remembering moving and parties for its lively clubs (Mountain Proust, 2002). For additional diversion, the nation has various world-class gambling clubs that cook principally for visitors. Travelers are thusly ready to visit these offices and take part in betting similarly as they would do while at world celebrated gamblingAdvertising Searching for research paper on interchanges media? We should check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Find out More References Bulcke, D. Verbeke, A. (2009). Handbook on Small Nations in the Global Economy: The Contributions of Multinational Enterprises to National Economic Success. London: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009 Epler, M.W. (2002). Ecotourism: Principles, Practices and Policies for Sustainability. Nairobi, UNEP. Graham, A., Forsyth, P. (2012). Avionics and Tourism: Implications for Leisure Travel. Boston: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. IMF (2012). Mauritius: 2012 Article IV Consultation †Staff Report; Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Mauritius. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. Mountain, A. Proust, A. (2002). This is Mauritius. Pretoria: Struik. This exploration paper on Research Report on Ecotourism in Mauritius was composed and put together by client Julissa C. to help you with your own examinations. You are allowed to utilize it for exploration and reference purposes so as to compose your own paper; be that as it may, you should refer to it in like manner. You can give your paper here.

Lord Of The Flies Essays (1893 words) - English-language Films

Ruler Of The Flies The Lord of the Flies Emblematic criticalness and an inside and out look in the characters of this story Ryan Farrelly DUE Monday May 24, 1999 Mrs. Ferrelli English 8 Honors In review the parts of the island society, the creator William Golding's Lord of the Flies as an emblematic microcosm of society. He decides to set the youngsters alone in a solo world, leaving them to learn ? the types of behavior that most people will accept as normal' in a characteristic setting direct. A wide range of points of view can likewise be thought of. Golding's island of marooned youths turns into a microcosm. The island speaks to the individual human and the different characters speak to the components of the human mind. In My readings I discovered that there were profound physiological images which drove me to explore into various brain science and human science books. I understood that Golding's universe of youngsters' ethics and activities at that point turns into an overview of the human condition, both independently and on the whole. Practically course reading in their depiction, the essential characters Jack, Ralph and Piggy are then best deciphered by Freud's ideas of id, sense of self and the superego, separately Conventional psychoanalytic hypothesis expresses that every individual are brought into the world with instinctual drives that are continually dynamic despite the fact that an individual is normally not aware of in this way being driven. Two drives known for sexual delight, called moxie, the other called animosity In finding the adventure of the chase, Jack's pleasure drive is stressed. In one point in he book Jack said to Ralph ? ?you ought to have been there with us Ralph. We made some crushing memories This announcement was made just after Jack had viciously had murdered a gutted a mother pig. This accentuates the way that the young men are dismissing reality floating further and further down the waterway of dreams. Ralph then again is still in contact with the rash, common piece of his character addressing Jack about how he let the fire go out when that was there just salvage. Freud saw this satisfaction to be one of the fundamental human needs. Similarly, Golding depicted the ch ase as an assault with the young men insatiably hopping on the pig and brutalizing it. This insinuates Freud's clarification of the delight drive, he called the moxie. The term fills in as a double plan in its psychodynamic and genuinely sexual sense. Jack's reluctance to recognize the conch as the wellspring of centrality on the island and Ralph as the seat of intensity is reliable with the depiction of his grandiosity. Jack's absence of sympathy for nature, for other people, and at last for himself is confirm in his unnecessary chasing. This is demonstrated by his job in the ruthless homicides of Simon and Piggy, lastly in his consuming of the whole island, even at the expense of his claims life. Similarly, Piggy's mien and very character joins him to the superego, the still, small voice factor in Freud's model of the mind. Golding marks Piggy with the qualification of being more mentally develop than the others, marking him with an association with a more significant position authority: At the earliest reference point of the story Piggy comments to Ralph ? aren't there any grown-ups whatsoever this shows his anxiety being in a circumstance without anybody to direct or look out for the activities of the ? kids.' the outside world. It is on the grounds that the superego is reliant on outside help that Piggy charges the most exceedingly awful out of the three significant characters because of the separation of the island. Piggy is portrayed as being all the more socially good with grown-ups, and holds himself with a feeling of basis and reason that frequently fills in as Ralph's ethical compass in emergency; in spite of the fact that Ralph at first uses the conch to call the others, it is Piggy who has the information to blow it as a sign regardless of his powerlessness to do so on account of his awful ?a ss-damage.'. Piggy is the objective one who attempts to help yet is rarely valued. At a certain point he proposes building a clock to maintain some sort of control. The reactions he gets show the gatherings lack of engagement in time and request. Piggy says ?...We could have a sundial each. At that point we should realize what time it

The Firehose

The Firehose This video is very appropriate this morning. Since about five oclock last night, with some breaks for sleeping and eating, I have spent most of my time immersed in the intricacies of addition reactions to alkenes and alkynes in preparation for my upcoming midterms in 5.12 (organic chemistry), not to mention the peculiarities of second-order ordinary differential systems for 18.03 (differential equations). Yes, I have two midterms on the same day. Yes, Im not very happy about that fact, but it happens. Ive been studying hydrogenation, hydroboration, and hydrohalogenation; epoxidation, oxidation, oxymercuration, and hydroxylation; halohydration, osmylation, reduction, alkylation, and (of course) ozonoloysis. Ive plumbed the details of syn addition, Markovnikovs rule, carbocation stability, radicals, hyperconjugation, and all sorts of stereochemistry and regiochemistry. Ive investigated the phenomenon of damping, the principle of superposition, the concept of linearity, the exponential shift law, and more. Yes, I know thats a lot of chemistry and math talk right there. Yes, that was the point. Not because Im trying to show off I read most of those terms off my notes; I dont know all them off the top of my head (mainly because the technical names of those chemical reactions actually dont matter very much in the long run) but rather because if you come to MIT, you too will suddenly become exposed to vastly more technical and scientific knowledge than you may have ever realized existed. For most of you, I imagine this will be a welcome change. Othersmay be a little more skeptical about that prospect. Goodness knows, I probably would have been. But Ive been here nearly a semester and a half now, and I feel thats enough time for me to assure each and every one of you, right now, of this one crucial fact: as daunting as the material, the courses, and MIT in general may seem now you can and will find yourselves equal to it. Sometimes, that may take more effort than others. But you can do it. In every single one of the classes I have taken so far at MIT whether its organic chemistry, classical mechanics, differential equations, or anything else I have been consistently confronted with problems more challenging than anything I ever dreamed of encountering in high school. But that, I cant help but feel, is one of the purposes of MIT. If college didnt push the boundaries of what you know well, whats the point? There is a reason an MIT education has been compared to taking a drink from a firehose, but that reason is not to overwhelm you with knowledge and make you want to shout IHTFP! from my (I mean, your) dorm room window. Its to show you exactly what youre capable of. Which is so much more than you might otherwise think.

Mandarin Vocabulary - Answering Questions

Mandarin does not have specific words for saying â€Å"yes† and â€Å"no.† Instead, the verb which is used in the Mandarin question is used to make a positive or negative reply. For example, if the question was: Do you like rice? The answer could be: I like.orI don’t like. Answering Mandarin Questions Mandarin questions can be answered with the question verb. This verb can be either positive (to answer â€Å"yes†) or negative (to answer â€Å"no†). The positive form of the verb is simply the verb repeated: Q: NÇ  xÇ huan fà  n ma?Do you like rice?ä ½  Ã¥â€"Å"æ ­ ¡Ã© £ ¯Ã¥â€"Ž?A: XÇ huan.(I) like.Ã¥â€"Å"æ ­ ¡ If you want to say you don’t like rice, you would say bà ¹ xÇ huan. The Mandarin No To answer â€Å"no† to a question, the negative form of the question verb is formed using the particle ä ¸  (bà ¹). The only â€Å"irregular† verb is æÅ"‰ (yÇ’u - to have), which uses æ ²â€™ (mà ©i) for its negative form. Mà ©i is also used for negating Functive Verbs (action verbs) when talking about past actions. In this situation, mà ©i is a short form for mà ©i yÇ’u and either form can be used. Mandarin Questions and Answers Q: NÇ  yÇ’u bÇ  ma?Do you have a pen?ä ½  Ã¦Å"‰ç ­â€ Ã¥â€"Ž?A: Mà ©i yÇ’u.No (don’t have).æ ²â€™Ã¦Å"‰Q: NÇ  yà  o bà º yà  o mÇŽi?Do you want to buy (it)?ä ½  Ã¨ ¦ Ã¤ ¸ Ã¨ ¦ Ã¨ ² ·?A: Yà  o.Yes (want).è ¦ Q: JÄ «ntiÄ n shà ¬ xÄ «ng qÄ « yÄ « ma?Is today Monday?ä »Å Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¦ËœÅ¸Ã¦Å"Ÿä ¸â‚¬Ã¥â€"Ž?A: Shà ¬.Yes (is).æ˜ ¯

The Essence Of Racial Profiling Essay - 1608 Words

The Essence of Racial Profiling Grown up in a traditional family, I have been deeply influenced by the Confucianism since I was a child. Confucianism was created by Confucius, who devoted his life in delivering his concepts of filial piety, equality, harmony, and progress. When I was a kid, I was taught to follow the Confucianism. I learned that everyone in the world is equal; building a mutual respect and harmonious relationship with others is vital to human beings and the development of society. At that time, these values profoundly motivated me to strive for freedom and equality. After going to the U.S., I have opportunities to study the history of ethnicity, which broadened my horizon and made me have a further understanding of the issue of race in the U.S. Moreover, thanks to the global technology revolution, the Internet has become a new medium of the mass media, allowing me to learn diverse perspectives on racial profiling. Information from the media enriched my knowledge of the political realities of minori ty groups in the U.S. More specifically, numerous attacks on black lives, such as Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, and Jordan Davis, and the subsequent acquittals of the perpetrators led many to question the integrity of the legal system, which the left wing argued confirmed a system against black lives while the right rebuked. What I learned about race in school and obtained from the media made me believe that people should objectively figure out the facts andShow MoreRelatedProfling Vs Racial Profiling848 Words   |  4 PagesRecently there have been many issues concerning wrongful searches and police brutality in the criminal justice system. Cries for racial equality and social justice have been heard from across the nation. Profiling and stereotyping are generally seen as almost the same concept, but this is not the case. Specifically, criminal profiling is defined as â€Å"the act or process of extrapolating information about a person based on known traits or tendencies,† according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary. In contrastRead MorePersuasive Essay On Racial Profiling1486 Words   |  6 Pages Racial Profiling is an act of automatically defining or identifying someone based on their ethnicity. This act was most recognized during the late 1800’s in the U.S. under the Jim Crow law. It was passed in order to segregate whites and the colored in America. It fundamentally made whites superior to all. Though, in 1964 the Civil Rights Act passed stating that anybody of any ethnicity or religion are to be equal and united. However, today this law has never been truly accepted when seeing the statisticsRead MoreShould The Color Of One’S Skin Subject Them To A Higher1684 Words   |  7 Pagessaying that this practice has helped catch many criminals and that people would not have to worry if they are not doing anything wrong. Others deny it all together and say that racial profiling simply does not exist and police officers are just trying to do their job. These arguments are both wrong. Not only does racial profiling exist, but it is wrong and only serves to create fear where there should be a sense of safety. This gross practice still persists today throughout all levels of encounters fromRead MoreAnalysis Of Sb 1070 : Making Our Neighborhoods Safe1271 Words   |  6 Pagesinsurance coverage. Ultimately, when they get sick or injured they will go to the hospital and the American tax payers are the ones who are stuck paying the bills. Illegal immigrants are undocumented and therefore don’t pay taxes of any kind. In essence, they receive goods and services for free that American tax payers do not. In Arizona, the net yearly monetary assessment of illicit migration every year is 2.4 billion (Kobach, Kris). The greatest cost comes from K-12 education whereRead MoreRacial Profiling And The Civil War On Drugs Essay1584 Words   |  7 Pagescommunities, as they are now profiling people due to the color of the skin. This is why the phrase â€Å"driving while black† draws parallels to the term â€Å"driving while intoxicated† because this is a practice that has become very common by our law enforcement officials. â€Å"As we use the term, ‘racial profiling’ occurs when a law enforcement officer questions, stops, arrests, searches, or otherwise investigates a person because the officer believes that members of that person s racial or ethnic group are moreRead MoreJust Take Away Their Guns819 Words   |  4 Pagesdeceptive reasoning; in addition, many of Wilson’s arguments lack the elaboration he needs to avoid making hasty assertions. Wilson argues in his essay that not allowing people to buy guns will have no effect on the illegal use of guns, which in essence, is the sole reasoning for wanting to eliminate guns in the first place. He makes the claim that about two-hundred million American citizens own a gun. These guns, though, are not the ones that are generally used for unlawful acts, but rather thoseRead MoreRacism Without Racists, By Jordan Peele797 Words   |  4 Pagesnew racism. Keep in mind, it is not my intention to summarize the entire film. I will only analyze four distinct scenes that depict black stereotypes and racial prejudice white liberals hold towards African Americans. Next, I will argue that the media is partly responsible for the bad perceptions of African Americans in modern America. In essence, Get Out is the result, but the media is a cause. After theatrical release, reviewers praised Get Out for its originality and approach to racism in contemporaryRead MoreRacial Profiling People of Middle Eastern Descent Essay1549 Words   |  7 Pagesone that has been with our country for years. It became an issue again with the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. It is known that people of Arab decent were behind the attack. Because of that, a huge issue of racial profiling has come up as people look at all people of that decent as evil terrorists. Most of these people have been living in the United States all their lives, and have done nothing to warrant the accusations. The question then becomes, should we letRead MoreRacism And The United States1178 Words   |  5 Pagesthat makes us a well-functioning society. Although, these American principles elude to a liberating, symbolic, and personal appeal, it is internally flawed by governments beyond the beltway. Corruption is the root of all political evil that it in essence is perpetuated intercontinentally. It is therefore the use of powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Over a third of the American population is made up of ethnic minorities and thus has the right to be a citizen of equal rightsRead MoreFlight Patterns By Sherman Alexie1527 Words   |  7 Pagesdescribes how the protagonist, William, a Spokane Indian, struggles every day to escape the all too common stereotypes society places him under. This story takes place in Washington D.C. during the year after 9/11, which most likely justifies why racial profiling and stereotyping was extremely commonplace in the story around this time. It can be seen that Americans were brought closer together by this tragedy because they were banded by a common enemy who was not in fact American or even part of their

Autobiography of Lacocca Free Essays

Lee Iacocca grew up in Allentown Pennsylvania, very close to my hometown of Boyertown Pa. My geographic connection with Iacocca is one of the reasons I chose to read his autobiography. We are both very interested in automobiles and automotive history, which connected me even further with Iacocca . We will write a custom essay sample on Autobiography of Lacocca or any similar topic only for you Order Now Iacocca believes that you can become and achieve anything in life as long as you have strong determination and motivation. I too share this belief. Lee Iacocca did not focus his life on goals that others set for him; he followed his heart and his dreams, which someday is something I hope to be able to say about myself. Iacocca, the son of Italian immigrants grew up in an upper middle class family. His father started out with nothing and over many years, he managed to build a successful chain of hotdog restaurants in Pennsylvania. Because of his father’s success and strong beliefs in the value of education, Iacocca grew up attending private schools and eventually found his way into Lehigh University. While attending, Lehigh Iacocca earned a degree in Mechanical engineering. Upon his graduation, he landed a very prestigious job with Ford Motor Company. In August 1946, Iacocca began his work in the engineering department of Ford. After a year of engineering Iacocca discovered that it was not what he wanted to do with his life, he wanted to be in sales. Ford agreed, which was the start of a very successful venture for Iacocca and the Ford Motor Company. Through many years of hard work, Iacocca was promoted to top management. This is where he found himself living his dream. He never wanted to leave work at the end of the day and could not wait to go back the next morning. Although Iacocca was doing very well and could not be happier, the Ford Motor Company was going through hard times. General Motors was really hurting Ford in sales and in innovations. In the late 50’s and early 60’s Ford produced cars that were just not selling and were real failures in the industry. Iacacco knew something had to be done, and he convinced president and CEO Henry Ford Jr. that he was the man to do it. Through many months of close arduous work with Ford’s design team, Iaccoca came up with the Idea of the Mustang. Ford Jr. as not at all excited about the idea, but at this point he figured he had nothing to lose. He decided to give Iacocca’s â€Å"Mustang† a shot. This shot in the dark not only turned out to be the Ford Motor Companies’ biggest success, but also the biggest automotive success in the world. In the first quarter of 1964, Mustang sales marked the highest level of automotive sales in history. In one year 418,812 â€Å"Stangs† were sold to American car buyers. No matter what anyone said, Iacocca was convinced that his Mustang would be a success. Actually, it ended up single handedly saving the Ford Motor Company from bankruptcy. At this point, Iacocca was known as a powerful and knowledgeable force in the automotive industry. However, this success and power came at a price. Henry Ford Jr. saw the success and praise Iacocca was receiving. He became scared that Iacocca was working toward eventually taking over Henry Ford’s position as president and CEO of Ford Motor Company. The only solution Henry Ford saw to this problem was to fire Iacocca before he had the chance to take over his position at the top. Being fired after over 30 years of successful work at Ford left Iacocca scared and bitter towards Ford forever. At the age of fifty-four Iacocca felt too young to retire but too old to start working in a new kind of business. It turned out that he would not even have time to think about that dilemma. Chrysler was a failing company who needed the expertise and knowledge of Iacocca. Meetings between Iacocca and Chrysler were kept secret as to not involve the media. Iacocca wanted to be his own man; he was tired of working under someone else. He would not take a job with Chrysler unless he could be CEO and president. Chrysler accepted these terms and Iacocca began the challenging but rewarding job of building up a fallen company his own way. Chrysler became a success as the third biggest automotive company in just over two years with Iacocca as president and CEO. Iacocca went on to create many innovations and top selling models such as the Minnie van and many others. He will always be remembered as a huge achiever in the automotive industry and a man that became successful by following his heart and never giving up on his goals and dreams. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in becoming successful under their own terms and doing something, which they love. I learned through reading this autobiography that life is full of twists and turns but it is up to us to make them a positive force rather than a negative one. This book will inspire anyone who as a strong desire to achieve their dreams in life and it might even light a fire inside you to go out and make those dreams a reality. How to cite Autobiography of Lacocca, Essay examples

Assertive Behavior free essay sample

Many people think of someone adamantly standing their ground, pushing for his or her own way, refusing to give an inch. Others think of someone who is generally pleasant but stubborn on certain issues. Assertive behavior is a natural style that is nothing more than direct, honest and respectful while interacting with others. Assertiveness is the most desirable human behavior. It is the behavior required for â€Å"win-win† outcomes in negotiation, conflict resolution, family life and normal business dealings. We humans use assertive and nonassertive behavior and aggressive behaviors. These styles create many problems in relationship, business dealings and social interactions. All of us use all three behavior styles through our lives. They are: ? Non-assertive ? Aggressive ? Assertive Non-assertive: Non-Assertive behavior is that type of interpersonal behavior, which enables the person’s rights to be violated by another. This can occur in two ways: first, you fail to assert yourself when another person deliberately attempts to infringe upon your rights. Second, the other person does not want to encroach upon your rights, but your failure to express your needs of feelings results in an inadvertent violation. A non-assertive person inhibits her/his honest, spontaneous reactions and typically feels hurt, anxious and sometimes angry as a result of being non-assertive in a situation. Often, this person relives the situation in their minds pretending how they would do things differently if it happened again. Aggressive Behavior: Aggressive behavior is that type of interpersonal behavior in which a person stands up for their own rights in such a way that the rights of others are also violated. Aggressive behavior humiliates, dominates, or puts the person down rather than simply expressing one’s own emotions or thoughts. It is an attack on the person rather than on the person’s behavior. Aggressive behavior is quite frequently a hostile over-reaction or outburst, which results from past pent-up anger. Assertive behavior : Assertive behavior is that type of interpersonal behavior in which a person stands up for their legitimate rights in such a way that the rights of others are not violated. It communicates respect for that person’s behavior. Eye contact:Looking directly at another person when you are speaking to them is one way of declaring that you’ re sincere about what you are saying, and that it is directed to them. Body Posture:the â€Å"weight† of your messages to others can increase if you face the person, stand or sit appropriately close to them, lean toward them, hold your head erect. Gestures:A message accented with appropriate gestures takes on an added emphasis (over-enthusiastic gesturing can be a distraction). Facial Ever see someone trying to express anger while smiling or laughing? It just doesn’t’ come across. Effective Expressions:assertions require an expression that agrees with the message. Voice Tone,A whispered monotone will seldom convince another person that you mean business, while a shouted epithet Inflection,will bring their defenses into the path of communication. A level, well-modulated conversational statement is Volume:convincing without intimidating. Timing:Spontaneous expression will generally be your goal since hesitation may diminish the effect of an assertion. Judgment is necessary, however, to select an appropriate occasion. For example, such as speaking to your boss in the privacy of the office, rather than in front of a group of subordinates, where the boss may need to respond defensively. Content:Content as a dimension of assertiveness is saved for last to emphasize that, although what we say is clearly important, it is often less important than most people generally believe. Fundamental honesty in interpersonal communication is encouraged. It is important to express your own feelings-and to accept responsibility for them. It is not necessary to put the other person down in order to express yourself, honestly and spontaneously, in a manner that is right for you. Assertiveness and four types of communication: Those of us who grew up in dysfunctional families  may have never learned to communicate effectively in relationships. We may be passive and not advocate for ourselves, aggressive and attempt to run roughshod over others, or passive-aggressive and smile while sabotaging others behind their backs. No wonder we have so many problematic relationships and feel so isolated! In order to build healthy relationships, we must learn to be assertive that is, to be clear, direct, and respectful in how we communicate. †¢ Assertive Communication: The most effective and healthiest form of communication is the assertive style. Its how we naturally express ourselves when our self-esteem is intact, giving us the confidence to communicate without games and manipulation. When we are being assertive, we work hard to create mutually satisfying solutions. We communicate our needs clearly and forthrightly. We care about the relationship and strive for a win/win situation. We know our limits and refuse to be pushed beyond them just because someone else wants or needs something from us. Surprisingly, assertive is the style most people use least. †¢ Aggressive Communication Aggressive communication always involves manipulation. We may attempt to make people do what we want by inducing guilt (hurt) or by using intimidation and control tactics (anger). Covert or overt, we simply want our needs met and right now! Although there are a few arenas where aggressive behavior is called for (i. e. , sports or war), it will never work in a relationship. Ironically, the more aggressive sports rely heavily on team members and rational coaching strategies. Even war might be avoided if we could learn to be more assertive and negotiate to solve our problems. †¢ Passive Communication: Passive communication is based on compliance and hopes to avoid confrontation at all costs. In this mode we dont talk much, question even less, and actually do very little. We just dont want to rock the boat. Passives have learned that it is safer not to react and better to disappear than to stand up and be noticed. †¢ Passive-Aggressive Communication A combination of styles, passive-aggressive avoids direct confrontation (passive), but attempts to get even through manipulation (aggressive). If youve ever thought about making that certain someone who needs to be taught a thing or two suffer (even just a teeny bit), youve stepped pretty close to (if not on into) the devious and sneaky world of the passive-aggressive. This style of communication often leads to office politics and rumour-mongering. Four steps to assertive communication: There are four parts to effective  assertive  communication.

Hitchcocks Rear Window Dream Analysis

Among the outstanding filmmakers of the twentieth century, Alfred Hitchcock stands out for his exceptional talent for creating an unprecedented atmosphere of suspense and developing the plot through a range of complicated psychological turns. Hitchcock’s interest in psychoanalytical ideas brought forward by Sigmund Freud finds its reflection in the film Rear Window (1954). At first sight, the action unfolds through the eyes of Jeff, a photographer who watches various courtyard scenes of daily human life. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Hitchcock’s Rear Window: Dream Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, from the point of view of psychoanalysis, the film can be considered as a representation of the photographer’s dreams revealing his inner impulses and fears. The interpretation of Jeff’s dreams according to Freudian theory of dream symbolism discloses the photographer†™s fear of marriage based on the primary castration anxiety. Jeff’s unwillingness to marry his girlfriend Lisa reveals itself both explicitly and latently. The open and unambiguous explication of Jeff’s negative attitude to marriage is stated at the very beginning of the film when the photographer is talking to his employer: â€Å"If you don’t pull me out of this swamp of boredom, I’ll do something drastic. [†¦] I’ll get married† (Rear Window). And after this statement, a whole range of symbols unfolds in support of Jeff’s negation of marriage and his emphasized commitment to his masculinity. On the one hand, Jeff’s leg is broken: a broken bone, according to Freud’s interpretation of dreams, symbolizes a broken marriage vow and suggests the photographer’s initial inclination towards infidelity in marriage (Freud 256). On the other hand, Jeff constantly employs the main instrument of his work, his photo ca mera with an enormously long lens. In Freud’s dream symbolism this lengthy object stands among the male member representations and becomes a necessary support for Jeff in assertion of his masculinity (Freud 230). Other symbols are scattered through various scenarios of courtyard life representing the possible developments Jeff envisages for his relationship with Lisa. The first and the main scenario that unfolds in the courtyard is the situation with a married couple, where the husband gets so much tired of the wife’s constant complaints and demands for attention that he decides to kill her. Since the very beginning, Jeff shares the husband’s aversion towards female fragility. In his talk to his employer he refers to a wife as â€Å"nagging†, and his mental image of a nagging wife is immediately reflected in a visual perception of a scene in the opposite window (Rear Window). Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus is created the link between imaginary and existing, dreams and reality. The events that take place further on illustrate Jeff’s fantasies on what might have happened and what might have been the solution of the situation when the husband is plagued with his bothersome wife. The two key symbols of Jeff’s dream over the wife’s murder become the knife and the handbag. According to Freudian theory, the knife, as a sharp and elongated weapon, serves as a representation of a male member (Freud 230). Assaulting the wife with the knife symbolizes the victory and the triumph of the male dominance over femininity. On the other hand, the purse, as any container, is symbolic of female organs (Freud 230). Thus, it is no mere coincidence that the murdered wife’s purse attracts so much attention both from the murderous husband and from the people trying to solve the mystery of the murder. The significance of a purse to a woman is paralleled in the handbag belonging to Jeff’s girlfriend. Lisa not only carries everything she needs in her handbag but also lectures Jeff on the meaning and role of a purse for a woman. By stating that a woman would never part with her favorite handbag, not to mention leaving it anywhere on her husband’s territory, Lisa outlines the essential border between men and women (Rear Window). And therefore, capturing the wife’s handbag symbolizes the full and final victory of the husband over the female who bothered him so much. By showing the supposed murder as happening in a family other from Jeff’s and at the same time making Jeff so interested and involved in the situation, Hitchcock hints that this murderous situation is in fact a projection of Jeff’s secret dreams. The only secure way of getting rid of the bothersome relationship is destroying the object causing this conflict. However, Jeff himself would not break the nor ms by committing murder and therefore merely plays it over in his mind. The idea of terminating the undesired relations becomes an obsession, and in order to secure himself against the murderous tendencies, the self-reproachful Jeff employs a mechanism of substituting real people with imaginary characters (Freud 283). Apparently, the only activity Jeff involves with while his leg is broken is looking out of the window and literally spying on the private life of the others. In psychoanalysis, this enjoyment at watching the others and identifying oneself with them is termed as â€Å"scopophilia† and signifies the desire to see the forbidden (Lemire  60). Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Hitchcock’s Rear Window: Dream Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Too afraid to involve in a normal relationship himself, Jeff projects his fears and fantasies in his dreams, each developing a different cours e of disappointing spousal life. The seemingly happy newlywed couple appears only to involve in intercourse which is nothing more than tiring for the spouse. Their initial dream of happiness turns out to shatter against the ugly truth of the reality when the wife finds out that the husband is jobless (Rear Window). The elderly couple has no children, and their only joy is the small dog, a symbol of little children according to Freudian theory (Freud 231). The killing of the dog by the murderous husband signifies the impossibility of having children within a disagreeing couple and realizes another marital fear of Jeff’s, the fear of being childless. The other participants of various scenarios reflect Jeff’s fears that are associated not with marriage but rather with single life. The songwriter who attracts Lisa with his melodies appears to give big parties but he is still lonely. Even in the biggest and merriest singing crowd he stands alone smoking his cigar (another symbol of male organ). The lonely woman reflects the double-sidedness of human attitude to maintaining relations. On the one hand, she dreams of having a partner and designs a whole imaginary candle dinner. On the other hand, she rejects any attempts of physical closeness from her one-evening suitor, defending her female honor. By showing the man out, the woman demonstrates aversion for the assaultive nature of male power and dominance. Last but not least, the female dancer who makes a daily show of her morning exercise in a bikini top, symbolizes female attractiveness and sexuality that are parallel to those of Lisa. All those separate scenarios reflect different sides of human relationships in married and single life. Despite their variety, they all blend together to produce a multifaceted impression, as the multiple experiences and events of human life merge in the entity of the dream (Freud 121). This successful blending of scenarios is made possible by the symbolic setting of the action: according to Freud’s theory, rooms are representative of female organ, and ladders symbolize a sexual act (Freud 230). Jeff’s excited scopophilia is first aimed at rejecting and terminating the female origins from his life. But gradually his girlfriend becomes more and more involved in the process of tracing the events and solving the mystery, and finally she climbs the ladder up to the crime scene. Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More By crossing this barrier, Lisa puts her into position of trespasser and victim of the inevitable punishment, and thus repositions Jeff towards her. Now she is seen by Jeff through the lens of sadistic scopophilia and therefore his castration anxiety is gone, giving place to attraction to the weak female (Lemire  63). The intricate imagery and symbolism of Hitchcock’s Rear Window provide opportunities for viewing the film from the point of Freudian psychoanalysis as a story that illustrates male castration anxiety. The separate dream scenarios are saturated with symbolical representation of relationships between men and women and blend into a single entity representing the fears and desires of the main character. The initial aversion of the male to the female is gradually transformed by involvement of the woman in the male sphere and by her trespassing the traditional borders and assuming a subordinate role of a victim. Works Cited Freud, Sigmund. The Interpretation of Drea ms. New York, NY: Macmillan, 1933. Print. Lemire, Elisa. â€Å"Voyeurism and the Postwar Criticism of Masculinity in Rear Window.† Alfred Hitchcock’s â€Å"Rear Window†. Ed. John Belton. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2000. 57–90. Print. Rear Window. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock. Paramount Pictures, 1954. Film. This essay on Hitchcock’s Rear Window: Dream Analysis was written and submitted by user Ezequiel Colon to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Quotes That Show Macbeths Intentions

Quotes That Show Macbeth's Intentions The motor that drives the tragedy of Shakespeares  Macbeth  is the lead character’s ambition. It is his primary character flaw and the trait that causes this brave soldier to murder his way to power. Early on in the famous play,  King Duncan hears of Macbeth’s heroics at war and bestows the title Thane of Cawdor on him. The current Thane of Cawdor has been deemed a traitor and the king orders him to be killed.  When Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor, he believes that the kingship is not far off in his future. He writes a letter to his wife announcing the  prophecies, and it is actually Lady Macbeth who fans the flames of ambition as the play progresses. The two conspire to kill King Duncan so that Macbeth can ascend to the throne. Despite his initial reservations about the plan, Macbeth agrees, and, sure enough, he is named king after Duncans death. Everything that follows is simply the repercussion of Macbeths unbridled ambition. Both he and Lady Macbeth are plagued by visions of their wicked deeds, which eventually drive them insane. Brave Macbeth When  Macbeth  first appears at the start of the play, he is brave, honorable, and moral- qualities that he sheds as the play develops. He comes on the scene soon after a  battle, where an injured soldier reports Macbeth’s heroic deeds and famously labels him â€Å"brave Macbeth†: For brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name- Disdaining Fortune, with his brandishd steel,Which smoked with bloody execution,Like valours minion carved out his passageTill he faced the slave.(Act 1, Scene 2) Macbeth is presented as a man of action who steps up when he is needed, and a man of kindness and love when he is away from the battlefield. His wife, Lady Macbeth, adores him for his loving nature: Yet do I fear thy nature;It is too full o th milk of human kindnessTo catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,Art not without ambition, but withoutThe illness should attend it.(Act 1, Scene 5) Vaulting Ambition An encounter with the three witches changes everything. Their premonition that Macbeth â€Å"shalt be king hereafter† triggers his ambition- and leads to murderous consequences. Macbeth makes clear that ambition drives his actions, stating as early as Act 1 that his sense of ambition is â€Å"vaulting†: I have no spurTo prick the sides onlyVaulting ambition, which oerleaps itselfAnd falls on the other.(Act 1, Scene 7) When Macbeth makes plans to murder King Duncan, his moral code is still evident- but it is beginning to be corrupted by his ambition. In this quote, the reader can see Macbeth struggling with the evil he is about to commit: My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,Shakes so my single state of man that functionIs smotherd in surmise.(Act 1, Scene 3) Later in the same scene, he says: Why do I yield to that suggestionWhose horrid image doth unfix my hair,And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,Against the use of nature?(Act 1, Scene 3) But, as was made apparent at the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a man of action, and this vice supersedes his moral conscience. It is this trait that enables his ambitious desires. As his character develops throughout the play, action eclipses Macbeths morals. With each murder, his moral conscience is suppressed, and he never struggles with subsequent murders as much as he does with killing Duncan. By the end of the play, Macbeth kills Lady Macduff and her children without hesitation. Macbeth’s Guilt Shakespeare does not let Macbeth get off too lightly. Before long, he is plagued with guilt: Macbeth starts hallucinating;  he sees the ghost of murdered Banquo, and he hears voices: Methought I heard a voice cry Sleep no more!Macbeth does murder sleep.(Act 2, Scene 1) This quote reflects the fact that Macbeth murdered Duncan in his sleep. The voices are nothing more than Macbeth’s moral conscience seeping through, no longer able to be suppressed. Macbeth also hallucinates the murder weapons, creating one of the play’s most famous quotes: Is this a dagger which I see before me,The handle toward my hand?(Act 2, Scene 1) In the same act, Ross, Macduffs cousin, sees right through Macbeths unbridled ambition and predicts where it will lead: to Macbeth becoming  king. Gainst nature still!Thriftless ambition, that will ravin upThine own lives means! Then tis most likeThe sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.(Act 2, Scene 4) Macbeths Fall Near the end of the play, the audience catches a glimpse of the brave soldier who appeared at the beginning. In one of Shakespeare’s most beautiful speeches, Macbeth admits that he is short on time. The armies have amassed outside the castle and there is no way he can win, but he does what any man of action would do: fight. In this speech, Macbeth realizes that time ticks on regardless and that his actions will be lost to time: Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrowCreeps in this petty pace from day to dayTo the last syllable of recorded timeAnd all our yesterdays have lighted foolsThe way to dusty death.(Act 5, Scene 5) Macbeth seems to realize in this speech the cost of his unchecked ambition. But it is too late: There is no reversing the consequences of his evil opportunism.

Long Term Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Long Term Investment - Essay Example But for this expansion the selected company has to make some capital budgeting decisions. Merger is not an easy to do activity and involves incorporation of two big organizations. A company could decide for merge because of many reasons, like provide capacity utilization, to gain economies of scale, to gain access to new suppliers, distributors, customers, products etc. although merger is not always helpful to the society (Kaplan, 2006). Merger sometimes reduces competition and the most cited fact known by all is that consumers are always hard to attract in competitive environment (Saari, 2007). Mergers can often result in a great number of social benefits. They also can produce economies that can reduce cost, improve quality, and increase output. 1. Explain why government regulation is or is not needed, citing the major reasons for government involvement in a market economy. Provide support for your explanation. The Samsung Company is trying to expand and gain dominance, but there a re certain regulations that the company has to follow so as to ensure zero breach of law against the regulations settled by the government. The rules and regulations set by the government for merger policy are strict enough to ensure that the merger proves beneficial for the society. The regulations are set by the government on the basis that the merging companies eliminate the competition between them (Saari, 2007). Merger can be for the competitive reasons or for an attempt by the large firms to create enough activity and exercise higher power in the industry (Chatterji & Kuenzi, 2001). To determine the industry sensitivity government actually encourages mergers. The role of government in market economy is very important. The current economic situation did not come out thin air, rather, it is because of the growth of incorrect policies and most of the time because of lack of effective policies by the main entities that mainly empower manages of the economy. If the government fails to perform its functions than negative consequences might be expected. Major reasons for government involvement in a market economy: The following are some of the major reasons for government involvement in a market economy system. Provide economy with legal structure: This is one of the most important functions a government needs practice. In order to perform this function, the government needs to furnish economy with regulations, legislation and mean that ensure product quality. Maintaining competition: Government involvement is another important requirement in order to maintain competition. Government needs to fight monopoly power and non-competitive behavior. Thus anti-monopoly laws are designed to regulate business behavior and promote completion. Redistribution of income: The government needs to design relief programs for poor, handicapped and unemployed lot. This could be a good support for poor people and this program can help in transferring income from high income groups to these limited income people. Stipulation of public goods: When all the market fails to promote the basis and the needed goods the government fills in the space. Promoting growth and stability: The government should promote macroeconomic growth and stability through changes in fiscal and monetary policies. 2. Justify the rationale for the intervention of government in the market process in the U.S.

ECO-FRIENDLY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ECO-FRIENDLY - Essay Example 75% and remaining 25% remains unutilized. Because, the testing facility is not fully utilized, therefore, the fitting machine time can be increased, to produce more of higher power bulbs as it would lead to more profit, without increasing any other resource. Linear programming was used to model the problem. The decision variables x1 and x2 i.e. number of two kinds of light bulbs was used to formulate the profit function as well as the constraints of production for the two kinds of eco-friendly industrial light bulbs. The profit function was solved for maximum profit under the constraints of the production. It was found out that for maximum profit the company should manufacture 900 bulbs of very low energy and 600 bulbs with higher energy. This resulted in a total profit of 8700p, which is the maximum profit that can be produced from the given resources by their optimum utilization. This optimum solution of the problem, consumes all of the shells supplied as well as the entire assembly time. However, the testing time was utilized only up to 75% of its capacity. This is simply because; testing takes less time than assembly. Thus, there is unutilized testing facility. To utilize it fully, the fitting machines availability should be increas ed to produce more of higher energy bulbs as it would lead to more profit, without any additional resource other than increasing fitting machines availability. There are some options the company can look forward for increasing resources. One option can be to increase the availability of the fitting machine as well as that of the testing machine by 25% i.e. twelve and a half hour per day. In this case the company can produce as many as 1500 higher energy bulbs and increase the profit to as high as 10500 p. This amounts to ~22.1% increase in profit over what can be achieved by the present resources. But this will depend upon how costly it is to increase

History of Nationalism in Israel

History of Nationalism in Israel Promised Land, Crusader State: The Rise, Fall and Return of the Covenant Nation A dissertation submitted by 58126 to the Department of Government, the London School of Economics and Political Science, in part completion of the requirements for the MSc in Comparative Politics (Conflict Studies) September 1st, 2008 Word Count: ABSTRACT Several prominent comparativists claim that Israel is an outlier case a unique case study that generally defies most conventional forms of categorization. Such an allegation naturally assumes Israel to be exceptional and its behavior inexplicable. The assumption of Israels uniqueness was born during the marked epistemological shift from behavioral crossnational inquiries to more contextually and historically-derived theories, and has undermined Israels place in comparative politics. This dissertation seeks to place Israel and its behavior squarely back into the mix and up against much of the same scrutiny faced by other nation-states. By shifting again from a contextually and historically-derived theory of nationalism towards a more cognitive and tradition-based approach, centered on the ethno-symbolic approach professed by Anthony D. Smith and John Hutchinson, elements of Israels nationalism and national identity are analyzed as contributing to its existence as a zone of conflict a nd to its violent behavior. An analysis of the Covenant Nation as a new comparative category that presupposes the idea of; (i) a chosen people, in (ii) a Promised Land, that uses (iii) blood sacrifice in order to fulfill a redemptive destiny and a commitment to worldly salvation, is highlighted. Limited comparisons to other covenant nations are drawn where applicable. Introduction: Since 1948, Israel has been regarded by some as an occupying force in the Middle East. That Israel, and Jews in general, could be a conquering and occupying people given their fate in the first half of the twentieth century as a nation without a home, victims of anti-Semitism and persecution is confusing to many. For reasons such as this, Israel has long been considered an outlier case by political scientists (Barnett 1996, ch.1). To the point of emphasis, it is argued that Israel defies most categorization, which has become the methodology employed by comparativists in order to understand states and state behavior. Categorizing usually requires classifying a case study under dichotic, or opposite, adjectives; Israel being neither East nor West, developed nor underdeveloped, capitalist nor socialist, Third World nor First World therefore, becomes difficult to study (Barnett 1996, 7). Furthermore, Israel has routinely been excluded from geographically specific studies or regional studies, since it is often considered an alien entity in the Middle East. However, despite Israels historical particularity, Israel is not an alien entity in the Middle East and its behavior is not inexplicable. While differences certainly exist categorically between Israel and other states, they both nevertheless share many of the same traits and concerns characteristics that might have similar origins. It will be argued that in order to understand Israel, both as a nation-state and as it behaves, one needs to understand Israeli nationalist sentiments. Nationalism in itself is a difficult thing to define. Where does it come from? What does it entail? How deeply is it entrenched? The answers to these questions, and many like them, could explain why a nation-state behaves in the way that it does. There are two major competing schools of thought when it comes to understanding nationalism, (a) the modernists, and (b) the primordialists. The modernists would date nationalism to industrialism, the development of capitalism, or to the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. The primordialists, on the other hand, see nationalism as dating back much farther possibly to even before history was recorded. Under this train of thought, Israel might date its nationalism back to the Hebrew Bible. Essentially, it all depends on where in history one chooses to draw the line. This paper will primarily argue that in order to understand Israel as an inherently violent and conflict-laden nation-state it is necessary to move away from the established contextually-derived theories of nationalism and move to one that is more cognitively based. In so doing, this paper will show that Israel is in fact a state like all others. It is not an anomaly, nor methodologically suspect its behavior not inexplicable. Regardless of its ancient historic roots, and despite its recent induction as a state among the family of nations, Israels nationalism should not be analyzed according to the dates of its borders, citizens, infrastructure, or institutions. In a more cognitive approach, Israels nationalism should be understood by the borders, beliefs and people themselves. As such, it will be shown that Israel is the archetypical Covenant Nation a category that exists free from both time and space. Such a theory of nationalism can thus draw on elements from either modern or pr e-modern periods/approaches and need not be based on regional developments or similarities. Israel, like all covenant nations, is inherently conflict-laden. As will be laid out in much greater detail, covenant nations have a strategic culture born of three identifying features/beliefs that make them violent and militaristic in nature. Covenant nations are under a seemingly contractual obligation to defend and secure the idea of; (i) a chosen people, in (ii) a Promised Land, using (iii) blood sacrifice. When the covenant nation theory is highlighted as the root cause of violence, it becomes clear that a solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict becomes much more difficult to ascertain. Conflict becomes unrelated to geopolitical realities or existing/imagined security dilemmas, but to an embedded sense of national superiority, a contractual obligation to fulfill the prophecy of the covenant and, derivatively, a commitment to worldly salvation. Thus, while many scholars claim Israel is an outlier case like no other, they are wrong from the outset by trying to assign Israel to conventional and contextual comparativist categories. Israel and its behavior can and should be understood much the same as other states as reactive to its nationalist sentiments, wherever derived. As will be shown, Israel has always been a conquering and occupying nation. It was true of Israels ancient past, it is true of its present and unless a drastic change occurs deep within the embedded (and sacred) structure of Zionism, it will be true of its distant future. The Nation General Definitions and Theories Quest ce-quune nation? Renans question still echoes after more than a century. In recent decades throughout the historical milieu referred to as the post-colonial era a copious amount of interest and attention has been dedicated to the study of nationalism. While no singular definition is agreed on by scholars, for the purpose of this paper a nation will be defined generally as a group that defines itself or is defined by others as sharing common descent and culture [] that also has political consciousness, claiming collective political rights in a given territory (Mann 2005, 11). A nation-state can thus be defined as an entity wherein a nation has its own sovereign state, situated within enunciated and politically defined territorial borders be they universally recognized or not. Scholars of various disciplines have attempted to provide an explanation for the rise, meaning and development of nationalism in human history and societies. The phenomenon of the constitution of nations and national identities, the emergence of national sentiments, the construction of nationhood and nationalist ideologies, appear to all be interrelated constituents of a single phenomenon. Nevertheless, competing theories of nationalism exist the major schism existing between modernists and primordialists. Modernists, such as Gellner and Anderson, assume that the origins of nations and nationalism lie in the structural changes that affected economic and social systems during the industrial revolution at the end of the eighteenth century (Gellner 2006, 48-49), implicitly denying cultural factors. In the opinion of the modernists, the introduction of new means of production and the division of labor caused a restructuring of social relations and the polarization of class interests. Nationalism emerged as a means to promote and direct change through the creation of a popular solidarity as well as a means to protect and promote class interests (Anderson 1991, 113-114). The prevalence of one intention over another brings about the constitution of different political organizations depending on the nature the political system. So to speak, nationalism is identified by the modernists with the process of nation-building a nation being a mere artificial construction fuelled by class interests. The primordialist notion of nationalism contrasts with that proposed by the modernists. Scholars such as Hastings, Smith and Geertz, believe that nations are natural givens (Hastings 1997, 5). Consequently, it is possible to find traces of nationalism and nationhood in ancient times. The feeling of belonging, the acknowledgement among a group of people sharing common cultural, racial, linguistic traits, a common ancestry, history or religion, is a documented fact in history (Smith 1994, 40). Groups tended to bind together by these ties. The proclivity to coalesce around these shared traits, or focal points, brought about the rise of politically and socially organized nations claiming sovereignty over a territory. In fact, it is Anthony D. Smiths many contributions to the theory of ethnosymbolism in particular that figure most prominently in a discussion of Israeli nationalism, and upon which I have based my initial observations and thesis. Ethnosymbolism is founded on the historical origins of nations particularly to their roots in premodern times and focuses its attention on perceptions, beliefs, symbols, rituals, and shared myths and memories. Although the ethnosymbolic approach focuses on subjective cultural and symbolic rudiments, their long term patterning produces a structure of relations and processes [] which can provide a framework for the socialization of successive generations of ethnic and national members (Smith 1999, 14). In more basic terms, the origin and descent of the community are recollected and transmitted to new members of the group by memory as interpreted by earlier generations. This subjective version of a nations origins is understood through ethnohistory rather t han any official historians lens (Coughlan 2001, 160). Before turning to the difference between history and historical traditions on Israeli national identity and behavior in the following section, allow me to first part ways with Anthony D. Smith and highlight our major difference. In War and Ethnicity: the Role of Warfare in the Formation, Self-Images and Cohesion of Ethnic Identities, Smith argues in sum that war has been a powerful factor in shaping certain crucial aspects of ethnic communities and nationhood. He points to Georg Simmels cohesion thesis, which asserts that external armed conflict or the imminent threat thereof produces all internal group solidarity (Smith 1981, XX). In so doing, Smith turns war and its variations into an independent variable that moulds the ethnic community, and invariably the nation. Though I do agree that war and conflict certainly have the ability to accentuate and exacerbate group identity and cohesion, I contend to the contrary that group cohesion is the primary cause of war and conflict. As su ch, war is the dependent variable that finds its existence and explanation in the more common group aggression theory. Thus, it is not war that creates a sense of belonging and community, but a sense of community and belonging that leads to war and conflict and the sense of belonging and community within the Covenant Nation typifies that. The Rise of the Nation-State: Context vs. Cognition To suggest that Israel is in fact an inherently violent nation-state on account of the Covenant, it is necessary to first dispel the myth that all nation-states are violent, and to trace Israels legacy back beyond its establishment. A long-standing assumption among several prominent political theorists suggests that all nation-states are inherently violent because they are forged in warfare. Richard Bean, in War and the Nation State, argues that beginning in the fourteenth century changes in the art of war inextricably led to the rise of centralized states for the purpose of raising taxes (Bean 1973, 220). It is possible, however, that the nation-state by general concept, if not by definition predates medieval changes in the art of war, and certainly Westphalia. Greek city-states, like Sparta, can be seen as examples of very homogeneous societies with developed political structures, taxation, and mutual obligations between government and citizens. Regardless, ancient historical cas es such as these would likely only serve to highlight the linkage between warfare and the birth of the nation-state. On the other end of the spectrum, what can be said about nation-states that have emerged contemporarily? Taking Israel as an example, a state that came into being by means of a vote in the United Nations, it is easy to suggest that the Arab-Israeli wars following its establishment have played a prominent role in the shaping of modern-day Israel. However, shaping by definition is not synonymous with forging. In the first instance, it is my intention to show that nation-states are not forged explicitly in warfare, but on traditions of warfare wherever derived. The purpose is to rephrase the hypothesis that nation-states are forged in warfare into one more universally applicable. For this, it is necessary to first presume that the nation, with its sense of community and belonging, existed prior. It will be shown that; from (i) a nations strategic culture, come (ii) traditions of warfare, which (iii) lead to a greater sense of national identity, on which (iv) nation-states have been forged. In so doing, I move the discourse away from a contextually derived theory of nationalism to a more cognitive-based approach, in which Anthony D. Smiths contributions to ethnosymbolism (as outlined above) figure prominently. A nation-states strategic culture is the obvious place to look for evidence of a war-born society. Strategic culture is defined by Alistair Iain Johnston as an ideational milieu which limits behavior choices. This milieu consists of shared assumption and decision rules that impose a degree of order on individual and group conceptions of their relationship to their social, organizational or political environment (Johnston 1995, 34). Essentially, it all comes down to security. A strategic culture is shaped from a shared sense of self-perception and threat perception of a specific group of people. It is necessary to assume that if a national group has a strong historical sense of war, aggressiveness, victimization, and/or persecution, that these sentiments would play out in their strategic culture, and would limit behavior choice and influence decision-making. Once forged into nation-states these strategic cultures continue to exist, and therefore become good indicators of how groups vi ew warfare and how their states came into being. In order to analyze a nation-states strategic culture properly, it is important to consider that the study of strategic culture itself has two distinct epistemological approaches context and cognition. Those that believe a strategic culture is based in context would claim that the historical record of the nation, even before its conception as a nation-state, is important to study. Basically, the nation-state expresses its national identity based on its national character. Therefore, a states strategic culture is based on its past it is path dependent. On the other hand, cognitivists see strategic culture as an integrated system of symbols (Johnston 1995, 35). Included in this integrated system of symbols are structures, languages, analogies, myths, metaphors, etc. In this approach national identity, as related to strategic culture, is more easily discernable through the study of a nation-states wartime symbols than a nation states wartime history. Carolyn Marvin and David Ingle, in their book Blood Sacrifice and the Nation, also argue that symbols (like a flag) can be very telling indicators that lead one to uncover the nature of nationalism that exists within a state. In Fallen Soldiers, George Mosse looks to nation-states war memorials: cemeteries, songs, poems and commemorations, for clues. Essentially, a nations sentiments regarding warfare might differ from its experience; they might have been shaped or molded. When trying to find the link between the birth of a nation-state and warfare, symbols offer yet another variable to consider. Due to the fact that there are two different ways to approach the study of strategic culture, and by association an element of a nation-states national identity, a clear distinction can be made between proper warfare and traditions of warfare. Traditions, like symbols, need not be based on truth or historical accuracy. There is a tradition of Santa Clause bringing presents to nice children despite there being no assumption of truth behind such a practice and certainly no historical record to legitimize it. Traditions are sometimes developed more because they serve a purpose, than because they truly commemorate something. When considering nation-state formation it is important to properly choose which traditions are worth investigating. Relating to strategic culture, or any issue that shapes a nation-states identity, it is important that a tradition have; (i) solid national support, (ii) outlived the era that gave it birth, (iii) entered the permanent lexicon of national discourse, and (iv) continued to resonate with a portion of public opinion even at a time when it was not directly affecting public policy (McDougall, Ch.1). As will be shown with the case of Israel, traditions of warfare that have passed the scrutiny of the limitations listed above have played a role in developing national identity, and ultimately forging a nation-state. Modern day Israel is a good example of a nation-state forged on traditions of warfare, and not explicitly in warfare. As suggested above the first place to look for evidence of the link between warfare and state formation would be in a nation-states strategic culture. Israels strategic culture has long been dominated by the realist tradition (Dowty 1998, 84). The realist view of security has solid national support in Israel, it has outlived the era that gave it birth, it has entered the permanent lexicon of national discourse, and even during times of relative peace it continues to resonate with a portion of public opinion. Israels strategic culture is not only realist with regards to self-defense, but also in its offense. The leftist scholars who would date Zionism to Theodor Herzls avowedly socialist ideals of establishing a free, humanitarian and egalitarian state in the Jewish homeland to escape the increasing anti-Semitism of late-nineteenth century Europe (Avineri, 1981, 88-89) are shortsighted in their efforts. There is no such thing as nineteenth and twentieth century Zionism it is only Zionism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The bleak and destructive history of the Jews in Europe plays little significance in Israeli mamlachtiyut, or statism. The traditions that have forged the Israeli nation-state and limit its behavior choices can and should be dated back to the Hebrew Bible. For example, one might choose to examine the myth of the Covenant Nation, and how that played out during the Hebrews first experiment with forging a state following Joshuas invasion of Canaan, as evidence. The invasion represents a realist tradition of conquering and occupying. Whether or not the Hebrew Bible represents an accurate historical rendition or whether it has any academic merit at all is outside the scope of discussion. After all, when providing an account for Israels strategic culture, the scriptures can be analyzed as being contextually historical or as a symbol of cognition. Either way fact or fiction they provide a tradition from which to inherit a strategic culture from, and on which to forge a nation-state. Thus, the argument that Richard Bean makes; that nation-states developed out of the need for a strong central authority to levy taxes due to changes in the art of war, is unconvincing. To the point of emphasis, most modern economic-dependent nationalist arguments are limited when one considers ancient examples of national groups coming together to forge polities within defined and enunciated borders. Cases such as these simply highlight the fact that the forging of a nation-state draws more on myths, sentiments and symbols of collective fear, threat, pride, angst, aspiration, victimization, xenophobia and so forth when grouping together to organize politically. The above sentiments combine to form a strategic culture, from which traditions, national identity and greater cohesiveness are born. The nation-state was born as a response to a need for security; the traditions that transmit that feeling be they contextually or cognitively derived are what inevitably forge nation-states an d determine how violently they will behave. Though it may be true that many nation-states are forged explicitly in warfare (and are established using means of warfare), it is not a universal truth. Instead, it should be argued that nation-states are forged on traditions of warfare traditions that once were prescriptive and later become predictive. Covenant Nations As mentioned above, a strategic culture is shaped from a shared sense of self-perception and threat perception of a specific group of people. It is my assertion (to the contrary of international relations theorists) that Israels strategic culture has nothing to do with threat perception; geopolitical realities and security dilemmas are but moot points. Israel has adopted and further developed a strategic culture based solely on a particular tradition of self-perception that of the Covenant Nation. Defining the term Covenant Nation is not as simple as it may appear; its definition is hard to come by because it involves describing a process more than an entity. Simply put, the covenant is a tradition of ethnic election. The process of ethnic election is a multi-staged process requiring; (i) a sense of being singled out or chosen for a special purpose, (ii) a divine promise whether absolute or conditional made to the chosen people, and (iii) a belief that fulfillment of the covenant leads to worldly salvation (Smith 2003, 48-49). In short, the covenant is a tradition of a contractual agreement between God and His people. Simply put, the Covenant Nation, therefore, is the nation that enters and embodies the covenant. As stated above, traditions need not be based on historical truth or reality; in the ethnosymbolic approach traditions, myths and metaphors offer much the same credence to a debate on nationalism and national identity and thus can serve as an explanation for how nation-states behave. Let me begin by acknowledging that although the term Covenant Nation is rife with religious connotation, I do not intentionally seek to obscure the already blurred lines between religion and nationalism. In fact, I seek to avoid entering the scholarly debate about their ambivalent relationship entirely; I steer clear from scholars like Mark Juergensmeyer, whose work albeit fascinating seeks to compare and contrast the two phenomena and chart their historical interplay (Juergensmeyer 2006, 182). Instead, I point to a recent trend in thinking that sees nationalism itself as a form of belief-system or as a new religion of the people (Smith 2003, 42). George Mosse, in Fallen Soldiers: Reshaping the Memory of the World Wars, discusses how during the interwar period in Europe a civic religion of nationalism was born based on the cult of the fallen soldier (Mosse 1990, 104). If in Germany, for example, a civic religion of nationalism was born based on the cult of the fallen soldier, it c an be said that for Israel a civic religion of nationalism is born based on the cult of the chosen people and the cult of the Promised Land. The Covenant has always been the cornerstone of Israels national identity dating back to primordial times. The Hebrew Bible first marks the covenant that God makes with Abram in Genesis 12:2: I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you. It is important to note that this verse not only represents the birth of the covenant, but at the same time the birth of the nation highlighting their interconnectedness. The nation and the covenant are thus co-determining and mutually implicating; the two entities are defined by their internal relationship, such that the two entities derive their meaning through their relationship and have no meaning or basis without the other. No reason is given as to why Abram (later Abraham) is selected to head the nation that will come to be known as the chosen people, but we are told that his progeny shall; (i) inherit the land of Canaan, and (ii) outnumber the dust of the earth (Gen. 12:7 and 13:6) outlining the divine promise. In return the covenant nation is obliged to circumcise their children (Gen. 17:7-10) and post-exodus to keep the laws and commandments that God gives unto his chosen people, the holy nation, at Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:4-6). Such are the terms of the covenantal contract; if the Chosen People follow Yahwehs rules, he will give them virtue, peace and prosperity [in the Promised Land]. If they are his holy servants, the scriptures say, he will bless them (Akenson 1992, 16). Furthermore, not only do Gods chosen people benefit from fulfillment of the covenant the whole world does. By fulfilling the covenant it is believed that Gods plan of salvation is advanced; so to speak, the salvation of all hinge[s] on the conduct of a special few (Smith 2003, 51). Therefore, it is to the conduct of the special few that we now shift our attention. If the renowned modernist scholar on nationalism Elie Kedourie is correct when he asserts that nationalism produces a kind of religious fanaticism that lends to conflict (Kedourie 1971, XX), the same must certainly hold true of covenantal nationalism and likely to an even greater degree. As stated earlier, covenant nations come under a seemingly contractual obligation to defend and secure the idea of; (i) a chosen people, in (ii) a Promised Land, using (iii) regular blood sacrifice. Furthermore, the fulfillment of the covenant sets the chosen people apart from other peoples both ethically and ritually: Ye shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy (Lev. 19:2). If fulfillment of the covenant that is following the laws and commandments within the Promised Land makes one holy and will lead to worldly salvation for all, than any/all efforts to attain that credo become morally indisputable. A self-r ighteous and realist strategic culture develops whereby any actions taken in fulfillment of the covenant become necessary, justified and self-vindicating. The strategic culture associated with the covenant has thus permeated throughout time in much the same way it was born manifested from a belief in choseness, holiness, and obligation. The Jewish nation has always found its grounding in the covenant whether in the times of Elijah or Hezekiah, Josiah or Nehemiah, the Maccabees or the Talmudic Sages [] all of these looked back to the founding charter of the covenant, not just as legitimation but as the grounding for their conception of the community of Israel and the unity of the Jewish people, which they sought to restore or deepen (Smith 2003, 63). It is on this sacred foundation that modern day Israel was also established. Nineteenth century political Zionism can be broken down into three competing schools of thought; (i) the Revisionist Zionists, (ii) the Labor Zionists, and (iii) the Religious Zionists. In many ways revisionist Zionism epitomizes what it means to be a covenant nation. Vladimir Zeev Jabotinsky, the founder of revisionist Zionism, believed that people are naturally born into nations and inherit its cultures and values. So to speak, individuals have very little choice regarding which nationalities they belong to. It was Jabotinskys belief that the Jews represent a particularly strong nation because despite the pressures of the Diaspora they always maintained their originality and distinctness(Dowty, 37). Furthermore, he insisted that the Jewish state be established in Palestine and trans-Jordan because it was the historical legacy of the Jews. On the other hand, Labor Zionism the most influential branch of Zionism at the time considered itself to be totally secular in nature. Aaron David Gordon, founder of Hapoel Hatzair, saw the Jewish life in the Diaspora as dependence and a lack of self-reliance. Building on German-Jewish philosopher Martin Bubers I and Thou, he sought to create a new covenant by reconnecting with the land using the religion of labor (Dowty, 39), and by replacing the old exiled Jew with a new self-reliant Jew. However, under the secular garb of Labor Zionism the language and intent of the original Abrahamic Covenant can be discerned (Smith 2003, 93). Ber Borochov, ideological founder of the Poalei Zion labor movement wrote that class struggles exist within national groups as well as between them, clearly acknowledging a difference between the Jewish nation and other peoples, and advocating an ethnic nationalism, rather than the more open and tolerant civic kind (Howe 2000, 236). For reasons such as th is he sought to establish a Jewish socialist state. It is important to note, however, that not any state would do for Labor Zionists the state was to be established in the Jewish homeland. To the point of emphasis, upon establishment of the state of Israel, David Ben-Gurion, the first Labor Prime Minister of Israel declared the uniqueness of the Hebrew people and the redemptive destiny of Israel on its own soil (Smith 2003, 92-93). In so doing he acknowledged Labor and Religious Zionism to be not only compatible, but complimentary. Religious Zionism was headed by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. While it is the usual view that Zionism is a sin and alien culture, a non-Jewish way of life, and that Jews should only return to the Promised Land after messianic redemption, Kook claimed that enhancing attachment to the land is an obligation (Dowty, 44). Essentially, Kook is advocating preparing the land for redemption and salvation and suggests that the secular Zionists are doing holy work by settling the Promised Land. Clearly in all three branches of Zionism the tradition of the covenant remains critical the four deep seated cultural resources that define the covenant nation, namely; community, territory, history and destiny, permeate all of their raisons dà ªtre. By 1948, the underlying dimensions of the covenant nation return to fruition and again form a unifying and legitimizing tradition like in times past. From this tradition a realist strategic culture was born that has; (i) solid national support, (ii) outlived the era that gave it birth, (iii) entered the permanent lexicon of national discourse, and (iv) continued to resonate with a portion of public opinion even during times of relative peace. Biblically, historically and contemporarily time and again the covenant h

Assignment Unit

Some of the things you can buy through e-commerce are physical goods such as clothing, digital goods such as video r photograph, services such as access to paid web content, entertainment such as buying concert tickets, and holidays and hotels can be booked entirely online. Some commerce is entirely electronic from start to finish such as video tracks, however other things through commerce such as clothing begins with an electronic system but then ends with the physical item In the customers hand.Hardware and Software: Around The Clock will need several hardware and software equipment In order to set up their e-commerce system, these Include the following: Web Server: A web server Is something which supplies a web page. Any type of computer can become a web server, firstly you would have to install server software and then connect the machine to the internet.Once this is complete you can type in any URL to the web browser and it doesn't matter where in the world the web page is locat ed you will still be able to access it because you have a web server and the page is on the web, this is why Around the Clock will need a web server so that they can get a wider range of customers, and therefore more profits. A URL is a formatted sting of text used by web browsers, emails and other software to Identify an internet web age, other text documents, graphics or programs. Browsers: A browser Is a piece of software on the Internet that Is used for retrieving Information resources.The Information that Is Identified by a URL can be anything such as a web page, Image, video, or other piece of content on the Internet. A user can put in a web address such as www. Aeronautically. Co. UK into the browser to easily access the web page they are looking for. Although browsers are usually used on the internet to access any web pages they can also be used to access information y web servers in private networks; so this is a possibility for Around The Clock and could be useful for thei r growing company.Server software: Server software is software that allows web developers to add more web pages to their websites with ease; without the software it would be difficult to try and add another web page to a website already made. The software works through a process called FTP (file transfer protocol) this process uploads web pages directly onto a website without any hassle. Web authoring tools: Web authoring tools Is a type of software that allows the user to change a web site In a desktop publishing format.If a company where to Install this software then they will then be able to change their web page whenever they want to. The software will user designs. E-commerce Networking Ports: Ports connect protocols and IP addresses together. Each computer has several ports for data to pass through, they are virtual so they cannot be seen. Each port has a number to identify it and it can be opened or closed. There are some default ports such as port 35 is usually for email and port 80 is usual for the internet, although these can be changed.For a web server, it Is good practice to close all ports that are not being used otherwise hackers can take advantage of open ports to get into the system. A port is identified for each address and protocol by a 16-bit number, commonly known as the port number. The port number, added to a computer's IP address, completes the destination address for a communications session. TCP/IP Addresses: You need TCP/IP to connect to the Internet. You install TCP/IP to use with the dial To make sure the data reaches the right location on a network, each computer is given a unique number called an IP address.It is a set of four numbers each from O to 255, for example 145. 2. 78. 255 would be an IP address a specific computer on a network. When you connect to the internet using TCP/IP it provides you with all the internet features such as email, web browsers and file transfer. You can also use the various different programs TCP/IP i ncludes to access information on the internet. Protocols: A protocol is an agreed way of networking also known as ‘hand shake'. If computers don't use the same protocol it becomes impossible for them to understand the data reanimated between them.

Retail and auto sales Essay

In terms of the GDP, most of the analysis that goes towards decline is negative, and rise is positive. In some cases, though, a rise is actually negative, such as the fact that a rise in inflation is negative, or a rise in the price of oil is negative, while a rise in the GDP or personal income could be seen as more positive. It is important to understand these basics before an analysis of the indicators can really proceed. If a person does not understand the basics of economic indicators, they are not going to be able to take their knowledge and do anything with it. They will be left with a certificate of knowledge, with no personal knowledge to back it up. The most recent figure of a . 06 GDP represents weakness. Unemployment As the above statistic shows, an overall determination of the status of the current US economy is complicated by issues of declining employment as well, particularly in banking sectors. There are definite signs of a slowdown in some areas, but there are other areas that are more optimistic. Many people see room for optimism within this objectively, while others are more pessimistic or cynical about the future and say that things will have to be worse before they can be better. Actions of the Federal Reserve have helped to shore up some elements of the economy, but underlying problems do remain. As one source notes, â€Å"The Fed has quelled the panic that prevailed in the financial markets until recently. But it still has to nurse an economy weighted down by massive bad debts. That is likely to require a period of easier money†¦ with banks hoarding, consumer confidence in the pits, and housing still in freefall, it may be too early for optimism† (Coy, 2008). Still another source notes that while some elements of the economy may actually benefit from the current situation in terms of job creation, the mass majority of indicators shows a situation in which there are problematic dimensions of unemployment and layoffs such as the ones in the auto industry recently: â€Å"As long as the largest asset on household and bank balance sheets continues to deflate, the credit and consumption hits will keep coming. The worst is not over†¦ commodity prices and gold will go up. The loser? Oh, pretty much the rest of us† (Up, 2008). Of course, this is just one subjective opinion, that seems to be somewhat slanted towards an over-valuation of the housing market’s impact. Retail and auto sales Retail and auto sales have fallen with a fall in consumer confidence, and major US automakers have asked for part of the bailout that is now being sunk into the banking sector. â€Å"Aside from questions about the wisdom of government intervention or putting taxpayer money at risk, bailing out Detroit could put Washington in the position of subsidizing job losses† (Auto, 2008). On the other hand, some argue that a bailout is needed to help this industry. Consumers are spending less on retail than expected, but are still spending. In terms of auto sales, â€Å"The car makers have at least 10 assembly plants more than they need to meet demand, according to Oliver Wyman Consulting. That translates to roughly 30,000 factory jobs plus significant numbers of engineers and other salaried personnel. GM estimates it needs to slash its salaried-employee costs in North America by 30%. † (Auto, 2008). Too many variables can change in the external environment for most prognostications about the future of the US economy to be taken totally literally. What people who do propose to predict the future do, however, is to take the past and present indicators such as those in the auto industry and retail, into account and determine the likelihood of certain scenarios, based on confirmation from past facts and patterns that have held true throughout economic history. In this manner, those who look to the future can say something like, the economy will recover in a certain amount of time, or will fall again, based on many examples of this happening in the past. In the same way, people look to the past of economic improvements and adjustments to see the future economically. Bank and mortgage failures In terms of bank failures, a major factor was the swaps against sub-prime mortgages that pushed the otherwise profitable company to the brink of bankruptcy. As the mortgages ties to the swaps defaulted, companies that have since been bailed out such as giants of the banking industry like Washington Mutual and insurance industry like AIG were forced to raise millions in capital. â€Å"As stockholders got wind of the situation, they sold their shares, making it even more difficult for these companies and banks to cover the swaps. AIG could has more than enough assets to cover the swaps, but couldn’t sell them before the swaps came due† (A profile, 2008). This has led the government to install a bailout in terms of loans to banks and other companies that have put further stress on the global economy. In return, the government often becomes a partial holder or owner of the company, getting such perks as â€Å"veto power over all important decisions, including asset sales and payment of dividends† (A profile, 2008). The original plan to dissolve one company affected by the bailout, AIG, and sell it piecemeal should be revived as soon as the economy will permit. â€Å"The plan was for the Fed to break up AIG and sell off the pieces to repay the loan. However, the stock market plunge in October made that impossible, as potential buyers needed any excess cash for their own balance sheets. Therefore, the Treasury Department will instead purchase $40 billion in preferred shares from its Capital Repurchase Plan† (Profile, 2008). It is the overall conclusion of this report that the economy is currently experiencing a crisis that is, at the current writing, on the very inside edge of a recession, and that since 2007, the government has made efforts to curb the crisis by first raising and then lowering interest rates, and then setting up a semi-nationalized banking system and the so called bailout fund which helped many companies stay alive. Stock market The stock market has always risen and fallen with various demand curves. The demand the consumer had in terms of the demand curve then outdistanced the supply, because of many factors in the external environment. There is also the issue of banks and credit, which affects many consumers directly. â€Å"The Fed’s latest survey of bank loan officers found a further marked tightening of credit, both in terms of charges and more stringent requirements for borrowers. Some 70% of banks had tightened standards for residential mortgages† (Forsyth, 2008). Many banks have also lowered interest garnered in savings and money market accounts. And of course, there is also the issue of Iraq, which is also a political issue. Currently, all of these issues are affecting the stock market. At the present time of writing, the stock market has posted modest gains for the day, after a brief rally and then a fall in the early week. The chart shown below illustrates the state of the stock market at the current writing, and can be interpreted as such in viewing. Consumer confidence Another important theme and issue that affects particularly economic factors in the present is the confidence of the consumer. The future is never set in stone, but present demographic indicators can give commentators some idea of what is going to happen in terms of fiscal policy. GDP refers to Gross Domestic Product, which has slowed down somewhat but is still up in the first quarter. CPI refers to Consumer Price Index, about with the Federal Reserve is involved in terms of predictions about inflation because of interest rates. PPI refers to production price index, and is going up. In terms of how the economy is doing generally regarding some of these indicators, as one source states, â€Å"Consumer spending on goods plunged 2. 6%, but outlays for housing, medical care and other services rose†¦ heading into the second quarter, while overall April payrolls shrunk by 20,000 jobs, services added 90,000†¦ services make up almost 60% of the Gross Domestic Product† (Cooper, 2008). In other words, while some of the indicators are up, others are down, showing a volatile economy in general. REFERENCE Cooper, J (2008). Services: Heavyweight in a hard fight. Businessweek. Coy, P (2008). The Fed may have more cutting to do. Businessweek. Forsyth, R (2008). Corporates boom, tanks tighten. Barron’s. Auto makers force bailout issues (2008). Wall Street Journal. Profile of AIG (2008). http://useconomy. about. com/od/businesses/p/AIG. htm