The Elizabethan Age And The Victorian Age - 1611 Words

‘To revisit the Renaissance of England, wherein the literature and the arts are at height, where Shakespeare was starting to be well-known for his works, or to explore the Victorian Age which lasted for nearly sixty-four years, wherein the British Empire reached the height of its wealth and power?’ The indecision of choosing either Age, both important in the history of Britain, led to weighing the more informative of the two in the fields of the country’s military, government, economy, social hierarchy, and roles of men and women during the rule of Queen Elizabeth I or Queen Victoria; the Elizabethan Age and the Victorian Age named after them respectively. With time spent, the idea of venturing across untested waters caught my fancy; for†¦show more content†¦This caused the government to be run completely by the prime minister and the cabinet. In the mid-Victorian prosperity, Britain was the â€Å"Workshop of the World†. The economy flourished and was at its height. Although, when Victoria ascended the throne, it was in the early phase of the world s first industrial revolution. Industrialization brought with it new markets, a consumer boom and greater prosperity for most of the propertied classes. With it came the rapid, also chaotic change as towns and cities expanded at a pace which precluded orderly growth. According to research, life expectancy at birth - in the high 30s in 1837 - had crept up to 48 by 1901. One of the great scourges of the age - tuberculosis - remained unconquered, claiming between 60,000 and 70,000 lives in each decade of Victoria s reign. Desperately poor housing conditions, long working hours, the ravages of infectious disease and premature death were the inevitable consequence. Taming, and then improving, Britain s teeming cities presented a huge challenge. Mortality data revealed that, in the poorer quarters of Britain s larger cities, almost one child in five born alive in the 1830s and 1840s had died by the age of five. Polluted water and damp housing were the main causes. Death rates in Britain as a whole remained obstinately above 20 per thousand until the 1880s and only dropped to 17 by the end ofShow MoreRelatedGender Roles Of Female Characters1479 Words   |  6 Pagesgender roles of female characters. The Elizabethan era, which lasted from 1558 to 1603, is often referred to as the golden age by historians where many transitions in English society regarding marriage and gender took place (Ivic 110). It was a time in which wives were viewed as the property of their husbands (Ivic 110). However, every woman was expected to marry and be dependent on her husband or male relatives throughout her life (Ivic 98). Conversely, the Victorian era, which lasted from 1837 to 1901Read MoreGender Roles In Virginia Woolfs Orlando859 Words   |  4 PagesVirginia Woolf’s Orlando speaks for both the time period in the novel but also for the time period in which Virginia Woolf grew up. The novel takes place in England during the Elizabethan era through the Victorian era (covering a 400 year span)- time is very fluid through the story. Virginia Woolf grew up in the later Victorian era and wrote the novel between the World Wars. At the beginning of the book, Orlando is a noble gentleman until one day he wakes up and finds himself to be a 30-year -old womanRead MoreEssay on Analyzing Poetry2868 Words   |  12 Pagesenhance its theme. In the Elizabethan period, Lullaby, by Richard Rowlands; in the Romantic period, Samuel Taylor Coleridges Youth and Age; in the Victorian period, A Childs Laughter, by Algernon Charles Swinburne; and in the Modern period, Jessica Hagedorns Sorcery, the reader will come to the conclusion that they have minor similarities as well as significant differences in the areas of structure, style, theme and imagery. The Romantic poem called Youth and Age, by Samuel T. ColeridgeRead MoreThe Era Of The Victorian Era771 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the reign of Queen Victoria, people learned how to control themselves and get along with one another; this is called the Victorian Era. The Victorian Era is known for being a time of peace and serenity, but also a time that transformed a culture. Although our own generation has come a long way culturally, we still use some of the same ideas from the Victorian Era. During this time period especially, people’s social status defined who they were and their capabilities. For instance,Read MoreCritical Appreciation Of T. S. Eliot s The Metaphysical Poets1382 Words   |  6 Pagessudden contrast. Here, he quotes from Donne’s poetry to illustrate the device. However, these characteristics are not found only in Donne or Cowley’s poetry. It also characterises Elizabethan dramatists like Shakespeare, Webster, Middleton, and Tourneur. This implies that Donne, Cowley, and other poets belonged to the Elizabethan Tradition rather than a new formed tradition.   Eliot then talks about Dr. Johnson’s famous definition of metaphysical poetry. According to Dr. Johnson, metaphysical poetry isRead MorePre –1914 Poetry Comparison on Love Essay1409 Words   |  6 PagesLast Duchess’ were written in the infamous Victorian Era whereas the two Shakespearean Sonnets were written in the Elizabethan Era. The styles of the poems differ in accordance to the difference of the time in which they were written. Pre-Romantic Era poems moved away from the idealistic concept of love towards a more realistic consideration of it, taking into account the social crisis of the time. The sonnets written by Shakespeare in the Elizabethan era were written to challenge the unrealisticRead MoreGender Inequality In Othello And Shelleys Frankenstein1294 Words   |  6 Pageswomen are not treated as a human, but rather an object to men whether it is a husband or even a father. As a woman in both Elizabethan and Victorian eras, not only do they face being a man’s property, but it is also evident that they are only necessary in order to benefit a man’s social standing. Women in Othello, such as Desdemona, are praised for being the ideal Elizabethan women, beautiful, fair and reticent. Which is why Othello, a man of colour, one that many do not consider part of society quicklyRead MoreLiterary Group in British Poetry5631 Words   |  23 PagesAnglo-Norman period and the Later Middle Ages 3 The Renaissance in England 3.1 Early Renaissance poetry 3.2 The Elizabethans 3.2.1 Elizabethan Song 3.2.2 Courtly poetry 3.2.3 Classicism 3.3 Jacobean and Caroline poetry 3.3.1 The Metaphysical poets 3.3.2 The Cavalier poets 4 The Restoration and 18th century 4.1 Satire 4.2 18th century classicism 4.3 Women poets in the 18th century 4.4 The late 18th century 5 The Romantic movement 6 Victorian poetry 6.1 High Victorian poetry 6.2 Pre-Raphaelites, arts andRead MoreEssay on Morality in the Elizabethan Era1101 Words   |  5 PagesMorality in the Elizabethan Era Values and morals of the Victorian era are quite different than those that our society upholds today. The satirical plays, A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, and Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw, examine the problems with certain beliefs held by the people, both men and women, of the Victorian age. Furthermore, the people in general didnt not just hold certain morals, but the different classes in the Victorian society also held their own beliefs on moral codeRead MoreA Brief History of English Literature1782 Words   |  8 PagesOctober 13, 2010 from Encyclopedia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/426926/Anglo-Saxon-literature;http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Exeter_Book.aspx;http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-HusbandsMessageThe.html. 2. Elizabethan poetry and prose. English poetry and prose burst into sudden glory in the late 1570s. A decisive shift toward a fluent artistry self-consciously displaying its own grace and sophistication was announced in the works of Spenser and Sidney. It was

Dwelling in Possibilities Analysis Essay - 1217 Words

Rhetorical Analysis Is our youth doomed? Mark Edmundson begs this question in his essay, â€Å"Dwelling in Possibilities.† His essay explains how the lives of young people have changed drastically over the years. Edmundson, professor at the University of Virginia, says his students are constantly â€Å"going† and that they never stop; they never settle in fear of missing something great. In lieu of this, Edmundson says that they are, â€Å"victims of their own hunger for speed† (Edmundson2). He also adds that his students, and young people in general, use today’s technology to be â€Å"everywhere at once† (watching a movie, instant messaging, talking on the phone, and glancing at a textbook) and are therefore, â€Å"not anywhere in particular† (Edmundson†¦show more content†¦But, again, that is debatable and an author can never go wrong by proposing a solution when writing to persuade. Besides omitting a solution, Edmundson does a n excellent job persuading his readers, especially with the use of references. Most writers, when writing to persuade, include facts and statistics to support their viewpoint. Edmundson, however, refers to authors, and very famous ones at that. This is a very successful method because his whole argument has to do with the lack of culture, art, and writing, in today’s youth. Referencing these authors really helps the reader to sense where he is coming from and helps them to sense his passion for literature. Some of the authors referenced include: Thoreau, Immanuel Kant, Gertrude Stein, Nietzche, Lord Byron, Wordsworth, and Emerson. One reference, in particular, serves as an excellent example of how Edmundson’s references are successful in getting his point across. He compares youth to the contrasting Byron and Wordsworth, Byron to how his students are today, and Wordsworth to how it ought to be. He states that Byron â€Å"wished to never be bored,† as does today’s youth (Edmundson 11). Edmundson also mentions, â€Å"students now are Romantics- of a Byronic sort,† and that, â€Å"he would have adored their world of fast travel, fast communication, and fast relationships† (Edmundson 11). In contrast to Byron and today’s youth, Edmundson says thatShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Dwelling In Possibilities By Mark Edmundson887 Words   |  4 PagesMark Edmundsons’ â€Å"Dwelling In Possibilities† is propounding his thoughts on the next generation, chiefly on students that are attending his classes, millennials. After observing a few of his classes Edmundson has interpreted that the new technology of the time has made student better equipped and even eager to learn, however after seeing student on YouTube and Email accounts Edmundson begins to question If his initial thoughts were true, he then begins on his complex trail of thought, taking theRead MoreImplementing Green Roof For Small Dwellings : Ca se Of Residential Units, Auckland, New Zealand1305 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"VERIFYING THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING GREEN ROOF FOR SMALL DWELLINGS: CASE OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.† NAGARJUNA REDDY MATLURU(B.E) ID:15883245 INTRODUCTION: Novel ecosystems such as Green Roof are increasingly becoming one of the most sustainable elements of a building. Research and design of green roof is largely encouraged by most of the countries, Taking big step towards sustainable developmentRead MoreImportance of Redevelopment1142 Words   |  5 Pagesthe 1995 Green Paper â€Å"the government wished to see 50% of all new homes to be built on brownfield land† (Department of the Environment, Our Future Homes, 1995). In 1997 with the election of a new labour government Gummer increased his proposal of dwellings been built on brownfield land from 50% to 60%, he also claimed that the government should approach the problem with a more ‘radical’ system which forces more redevelopment to achieve a previously developed land turnover of 75%. However this fellRead MoreNo Plagiarism Detected : Section A Water System Essay1329 Words   |  6 Pages No plagiarism detected Section A. Water Systems Taking my own house as a basis for water system analysis in the dwellings, I have identified several purposes of water systems: firstly, drinking; secondly, domestic use. Washing basins, showers, baths, WCs, washing machines etc. Then there is firefighting use: fire systems, sprinklers, hose reels etc. And finally there is the water supply for the mechanical systems: for example, my house has a large green area, which must be supported by water systemRead MoreEssay1208 Words   |  5 Pageshydrologic data sets, biological databases, soil databases, and any other geographical information. The reason those are so important to do first is to ensure that there is going to be the possibility of finding something and to not disturb the land for nothing. In many early cities, pottery, figures, tools, dwellings, and the bones of both humans and animals are common discoveries. Much of the pottery had to be reconstructed, however pottery does give background to many women and artisan men’s livesRead MoreWilliam Craft House And Slave Dwelling3134 Words   |  13 Pagesthus far from the Hugh Craft house and slave dwelling site and compare the findings to analysis of slave diets throughout the south up until 1860 to determine if the Hugh Craft family and their nine slaves shared food or food patterns. Background Hugh Craft travelled from Georgia to Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1839. In 1851, Craft rebuilt the main house, but kept the original slave dwelling structure that dates to the early 19th century The slave dwelling, still standing, was used as a detached kitchenRead MoreThe Fourth Amendment Of The United States Constitution1747 Words   |  7 Pagesestablished via probable cause. Arrest warrants are issued with a sworn declaration by a police officer, victim, or district attorney. Police are only required to obtain an arrest warrant when the arrest is to take place in a private dwelling. Under the Fourth Amendment, dwellings include temporary residences, hotel rooms, houses, etc. Police do not need a warrant to make an arrest in public, or when the person to be arrested is standing in their yard, front porch, or even in their doorway. This is dueRead MoreCase Study : Human Resource Management1723 Words   |  7 Pagesof staff is high. Sarah needs to investigate the causes of C atapult’s issues, and implement strategies to fix them. This report will look at human resource management (HRM), strategic management, competitive advantage, analysis using SWOT and PEST, and Porter’s five forces analysis and generic strategies in the context of Catapult and the surrounding ISP industry in New Zealand. Human Resource Management As explained by Macky and Johnson, the aim of human resource management is to â€Å"attract and selectRead MoreSustainable Cities : A Sustainable City760 Words   |  4 Pagesclass divisions between people. Also, city streets would be walkable, with businesses and services located at close proximity to promote a healthier lifestyle and serve as an alternative to using cars for transportation. The writers differ in their analysis when examining the approaches to improving sustainability in cities. This section will analyze four important ideas on how cities can become more sustainable. Campbell (1996), argues that it is necessary to focus on three major points, being theRead MoreTranquility Is A Long Lasting State Of Mind1430 Words   |  6 Pagesstand by what he or she believes in while evaluating the situation and making the most appropriate decision. This sense of control is called invulnerability, according to Shun, and the benefit of such empowerment is the ability to conduct meticulous analysis from an external outlook, as if he or she is an outsider. Tranquility is a reflective stance, in which one reflects upon one’s life arrangement. In other words, the individual is looking at his or herself from a third person perspective and evaluate

Higher Education and Vocational Degree Free Essays

Murray’s Essay On Education: What’s Wrong With Vocational School â€Å"What’s Wrong With Vocational School,† by Charles Murray is an Article that states Vocational schooling would be better off than a four year College degree. In Murray’s opinion, college should only be with those with a high IQ rate of 115 or higher and able to handle rigorous and challenging courses. If you are at an IQ below 110 it becomes an issue and you would be more successful in a Vocational program. We will write a custom essay sample on Higher Education and Vocational Degree or any similar topic only for you Order Now This article calmly and rationally presents the notion that the population would be better served by the reintroduction of more training for careers in trade occupations becoming more prominent, therefore creating more job opportunities for people graduating with a vocational degree. Many students that graduate from a four year University do not learn what is needed to go into the working field. Murray states â€Å"For a few occupations, a college degree still certifies a qualification. This brings up the question, why do we pressure everyone to get a four year degree? In our society the college you go to means more than your actual qualification or talent you might have. Employers tend to pick a student that graduated from a university over that of a vocational school student just because of the name of the school not the talent the individual has. The degree itself also does not automatically qualify the student for the job and there are much faster and better ways such as a vocational degree for young people to provide credentials to employers. These credentials are needed in the job market for students with vocational degrees. As Murray says, â€Å"Finding a good lawyer or physician is easy but finding a good carpenter, painter, or electrician is becoming difficult. † The jobs needed such as an electrician or painters are those with vocational degrees. We often overlook some of the great jobs that don’t require a degree and are still very rewarding. A vocational degree can bring just as much income sometimes even more than a four year college degree in half the time. We have a mindset that a four year degree is much more valuable than a vocational degree. As Murray conveys this is not true he used an example of a craftsman bringing intrinsic rewards with high income. Vocational degrees are becoming more susceptible in our community. A college degree is no more important than any other high tech occupation such as an NBA player or a cabinet maker. Many of our most high income people do not have a college degree and do not care because they are living happily without it. Murray states the social cachet of a college degree still remains but will erode over time when large numbers of high income people do not have college degrees. † Many employers are looking more at the evidence you are good at something without the benefit of a college degree and will increase more overtime. If this does continue our false outlook of a college degree will diminish. As a society we look at the only way of becoming successful is going to a four university and look over vocational degree programs. Through Murray’s argument we learned tha How to cite Higher Education and Vocational Degree, Papers

School uniforms shouldnt be banned Essay Example For Students

School uniforms shouldnt be banned Essay We all remember that first morning when we are up before the alarm goes off jumping out of bed filled with so much excitement with your eyes focused on the most significant part of moving into a new and bigger year. After finishing the quickest breakfast youve ever had, rushing upstairs to embrace a completely new garment: skirt or trousers, a sparkling new shirts, tights and lastly the most exciting part of putting the new tie and a glazing blazer which all makes you feel like you finally belong. The first day at school is very important. A lot of pressure is put on you the way you look but the pressure gets lighter when you walk down those stairs to take pieces of advice from parents and older siblings. The long-lasting memorable photographs being taken which makes the day and being in that uniform with the new look on your face which just makes your parents happy and proud. We wear uniforms for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, uniforms help us to create a strong sense of community, everyone wants feel like they belong to a certain community, we would never want to be by ourselves would we? Whenever you watch public events that involves two or more people or a group of people that represent a team, there is always something that makes them standout from other groups or the people around them. And thats uniform. For example, we would always recognise police officers, nurses or doctors immediately we see them simply because of their uniform and how unique it is because of the way it represents them. Secondly, uniforms also create a high sense of belonging, it also helps build a sense of pride and identity with all these senses being brought together, we all turn to feel like we fit in with people around us and we also become more comfortable. Without uniforms, the school community will be ruined and the people who are part of it will become fragile. A school without uniform is equivalent to an unsafe and environment and an environment of low self-esteem. Having no one to go to in case of an accident because you cant recognise anyone and you dont feel like you belong. Who would you go to in need emotional or mental support? Uniforms helps us to understand our roles within a society, but sometimes, we all appear differently. Uniforms help us to stand our position in the world helping to better the world. Uniforms help eradicate problems hinted on before. Despite the issues stated earlier which could occur if a school had no uniforms, uniforms help dissolve certain issues such as bullying, which is mostly caused by looks and social status. Probably the cry of most teenagers on a non-school uniform day is I have nothing to wear especially in times like this where we live in a community where teenagers feel like our ridiculous expensive trainers now seem old fashioned, our favourite t-shirts are what weve become tired of and our jeans are no longer expensive enough. All these problems are solved when we wear uniforms, instead of being isolated and judged by what we wear or how we look. We are brought together by having a common appearance like pride of lions, we support and protect those whom we work together with in order to travel the long distance towards the success which lay ahead in future. The sense of driving towards success, a community where success is no accident. Uniforms create a sense of focus which will be missing without it most of you may argue and try to compare to other school that dont wear uniforms but its fascinating how unaware you are of the fact that they look up to you and try to amend their torn shirts which is mean to be uniform just to look as elegant as you do. .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e , .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e .postImageUrl , .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e , .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e:hover , .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e:visited , .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e:active { border:0!important; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e:active , .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue2cc7848a69bf7dda73cac3ac9e3271e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Tale Of Two Cities LA EssayOur uniforms help create a sense of focus on our learning more than dress sense and outward appearance, they help us focus on future comings and not present situations, they help us focus on whats important not irrelevant. Therefore, in the future when you walk elegantly down the stairs with your familys eyes soaked with tears of joy and pride, be it a new suit for a dominant job, or a t-shirt with a national logo imprinted on it or your new school uniform. It should make you feel like you represent a symbol of pride, success and a standard quantity of your achievement. Thank you for listening!

Admission College Essay Help

Admission College Essay Help Admission College Essay Help Admission essay writing is a difficult task for inexperienced writer, moreover from it depends on your future life. This fact shoves on the thought that the entrance essays writing must be perfect. Writing college admission essaysis not a work of one day. If you really decided to enter a definite college do your best to get the perfect essay. How can you do this, if you do not know all the peculiarities of the academic essays writing? You may find an academic essay guideline and study it, but perhaps it takes even more time than admission essays writing itself. Still knowing all peculiarities does not mean to write attractive essays.Nevertheless, even when this situation is not blind alley you can always order custom admission college essay help:http://.com/blog/admission-college-essay-help Admission College Essay Help: Our Priorities Our company offers only professional college admissions assistance. To be sure in our professionalism let us set aside eloquence and together examine the following custom admission essay sample. Swimming with Dolphins (an excerpt) My first love has always been a science. As I grew older, my growing interests focused on a narrower scientific range. I have always felt a certain connection between myself and the animal world. Having pets in the family and the constant viewing of National Geographic specials managed to keep my mind always occupied with different thoughts. Several years ago, I experienced the most amazing occurrence of my life, something that very few people can boast about. While visiting relatives in Aruba, I had the privilege to swim with wild spotted dolphins. It was at the moment, when I knew, what I was meant to do. I wanted to become a veterinarian and eventually specialize in the care of marine animals So, what do we have? The entire application essay is strong, but this section will be always standing out in the admission officer mind over the years. Why so? Because it is a good written, well constructed and moreover this fact separates essay applicant from the pack: he mentions the animal world, shows the intensity of where he is at, and then BLOWS everybody away with his swim with wild spotted dolphins. How many students could relate such a story? After reading such an essay, each admission officer will say to himself, Admit, admit, admit! Moreover, of course, the admission people will say the same thing. We Can Help You To Write Admission College Essay! We are able to find in your life the most interesting facts and cases, from which our highly skilled essays writers make masterpiece! Contact us and be sure of the immediate success! Read more: Writing a Research Proposal Research Paper Ideas Psychology Research Papers Argumentative Research Paper Topics Research Paper Proposal

Worldbuilding the Master Guide (with Template)

Worldbuilding the Master Guide (with Template) Worldbuilding: the Master Guide (with Template) â€Å"Worldbuilding† is a term you’ll hear from a lot of writers - especially when you’re talking about the science fiction and fantasy genres. Great authors can create a living, breathing environment for their stories, invite readers into another world, and make us homesick for a place we’ve never been.But for new (or not so new) authors, the challenge that worldbuilding presents might be overwhelming. So we turned to an expert for tips: Reedsy professional Michael Rowley was the UK editor for The Martian, Andy Weir’s bestselling novel. In this post, he shares his best advice on how to worldbuild a believable and convincing universe.Michael recently hosted a live chat on the very topic of worldbuilding. You can re-watch his video below, skip to a summary on the following topics, or jump straight to download our free 20-page worldbuilding guide. Planning your worldThere are two basic types of authors when it comes to worldbuilding: those who plan and those who make it up as they go along. Planners sit down and work all the details out beforehand, determining the geography and history of their world before starting the first draft. The other kind of writer is often described as a â€Å"pantser† who â€Å"flies by the seat of their pants.†Naturally, each approach has its advantages and pitfalls.Over-planning Makes sure you read quality books and try to venture outside your genre whenever you can - you never know where you’ll find inspiration for a new character or a fantastic narrative device. For more specific resources on worldbuilding, give these a read:Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction by Jeff VandermeerWriting Fantasy Science Fiction by Lisa TuttleThe Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne JonesAlso, remember to check out writing blogs by excellent authors like Chuck Wendig, Holly Lisle, and Brandon Sanderson, and to read as many fantasy and science fiction books as you can! Here are some good lists to get you started:The 100 Best Fantasy Series EverThe 100 Best Sci-Fi Books of All TimeThe 12 Best Epic Fantasy Books like Game of Thrones20 Addictive Urban Fantasy BooksThe 10 Best H.P. Lovecraft Books for Beginners15 Chilling Cosmic Horror Titles to Start You OffWhat is your approach to worldbuilding? Do you plan ahead, or do you prefer to m ake it up as you go? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Hm3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hm3 - Essay Example The pillar of Islam very relevant in context of the present global scenario is Zakat. The significance and relevance of the aforementioned verse is the cartoon controversy in which French cartoonists are making cartoon images of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.). In Quran, Allah has revealed that Muslims will hear abuse from some non-Muslims and the best course of action for the Muslims in response is to be patient and fear Allah. The significance and relevance of the aforementioned Hadith is because nowadays, ISIS is gaining strength in Iraq and Syria and it is killing many Muslims. Every few days, ISIS releases videos of brutal murders and killings of the Muslims. The aforementioned Hadith prohibits Muslims from engaging in such acts by defining a Muslim in a particular manner. Zakat is quite significant and relevant today because of the growing poverty globally. If every able person gave Zakat as per the defined manner in Islam, the poverty would have been totally eradicated from the world. These verse, Hadith, and pillar of Islam portray the concept of brotherhood, peace, and harmony by encouraging people to be patient, noble in character, and contributing to the development of society. Verily, the Quran, Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.), and pillars of Islam are all directed at making the world a better and peaceful place for

Personal assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Personal assessment - Essay Example Though he sometimes fails to identify a problem, he has always more than 1 solution for it. He goes step by step when faced with a problem. When faced with a complex or a difficult problem that does not have an easy solution When trying to foster more creativity and innovation among those with whom he works, he is very supportive and appreciates ideas coming out of people. He knows how to motivate people to get the best out of them. Therefore I agree with his abilities in this respect. In a situation where it is important to obtain more power , my colleague keeps himself involved in events and activities. He tries to improve himself and tries to think out of the box in order in order to generate creative ideas. He refuses to come under anyone’s influence and does not agree to other people’s terms. When someone needs to be motivated, he does not believe in rewarding people, though he is always there to help them out. He takes charge of the situation when productivity is insufficient. He does compliment those who deserve it. When he sees someone doing something that needs correcting, he is not one of those who sit back after giving their views. He is always encouraging people to challenge his perspective and ask him questions. I slightly disagree with the fact that he cannot take the criticism into account in situations when someone complains about something he has done. In fact, he asks the other person to adjust his behavior. With respect to situation in which he desires to make my team perform well, regardless of whether he is a leader or member, I disagree slightly with his competence in doing so. He does not encourage his team enough to make some serious innovation and achieve the best possible results. With regard to his ability to lead change, I disagree with his abilities, because when he is leading change he does not keep any track of things that go wrong. It would be a lot better if he was more

Ethical Problems In Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Problems In Statistics - Essay Example As users of statistical data, we ought to be on the lookout for falsehoods in statistical reports. We should look for the conscious or unconscious influence that has a tendency to distort the numbers and information. Figures may be filtered for controlling factors and thereby leading to the production of curious results. We should be aware of and look for indicators of an influenced sample. These include small samples size and biased samples. Users should try to figure out if any information is missing. The absence of supporting information that directly relates to the source is enough to suspect unreliability. It comes in the form of a correlation that does not present measures of reliability like probable error and standard deviation. Also, it can be in the form of a mentioned percentage that is not backed by its numeric base materials. We should look for the possible trends present in the totals or conclusions. These trends will usually tend to give information of one case in comp arison another whereas the cases may be not similar. For all claims made based on unproven assumption, the user should always analyze whether they make sense. Though the current trends may be established using facts, the future trends can only predict successfully using a reasonable hypothesis. Another issue of ethics is, genuine data though full virtues can be manipulated, exaggerated, and oversimplified by experts and accepted by people. This compounded by the fact that people have a tendency to trust experts.

Introduction To Law And Legislation Social Work Essay

Introduction To Law And Legislation Social Work Essay Referring to case study 2: Helen, a 78 year lady, a Section. 2 and a Section. 5 of The Community Care Delayed Discharges Act 2003 have been issued and Social Services have 72 hours before they are cross charged. This Act penalises local authorities who cannot provide for discharged hospital patients, as it ensures NHS patients receive adequate care when being discharged from hospital. It sets out timescales which Social Services have to comply with and if there is a delay in discharge whereby Social Services are to blame they will be cross charged  £100.00 per day under s.6 of the Liability to make Delayed Discharge payments. This is the main provision of this Act along with on-site multi-disciplinary working. However, if the delay in service provision is down to the NHS then reimbursement does not apply and if during this process there is a dispute then this is under s.9, Dispute Resolutions of the CC(DD)A 2003. The law states that if a s.2 and a s.5 of CC(DD)A 2003 have been issued together then the process is as follows: This section applies where a section 2 notice has been given. Subsection (2) ensures that the NHS body responsible for issuing the section 2 notice to the social services authority, and any other NHS body which may need to provide services to the patient upon discharge, must consult the social services authority before deciding which services it will make available upon discharge. This is to ensure that a complete package of care can be put in place smoothly and without duplication or omission of any particular service. The responsible NHS body will in the first instance normally be a hospital but the majority of NHS services upon discharge are likely to be provided by the patients Primary Care Trust. The social services authority must be consulted about all NHS services that are to be provided The first step in the case of Helen would be to have a statutory meeting with the social services manager to discuss Helens situation and to establish the legal framework and service delivery to be applied. The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 (NHSCCA) was enacted as a result of unfair treatment of older people, as it gave them the right to an assessment to services. The main principle and rational of the NHSCCA 1990 is to provide people with relevant services to enable them to live independently in their own homes, rather than moving them into a residential setting. Although this piece of legislation is considered to be complex it has a number of powers and duties imposed on local authorities. The primary role of local authorities with community care responsibilities is to ensure that: Adult social care is delivered effectively Services users wishes are taken into account, and Services are delivered safely (Brayne Carr, 2010:508). The main statutory duty for social workers of the NHSCCA 1990 is Section 47. Under s.47 (1) as social workers we have a duty to do a needs lead assessment and this is a must in the case of Helen. The National Service Framework for Older People provides a framework for health and care services for older people, and this is an important development whereby social work assessments are integrated with health care assessments. As the duty social worker when doing an assessment there are two aspects that should be considered. First, there is the assessment of Helens needs not wants; second, bearing in mind the outcome of that assessment, the decision to provide (or not) particular services. However, during the NHSCCA 1990 s.47(1) needs lead assessment, if Helen is identified as being disabled, she has additional rights as set out in s.47(2). During this assessment the local authority must, under s.47(3)of the NHSCCA 1990, inform the Health or Housing authorities if it appears Helen may req uire services which they could provide (Braye Preston-Shoot, 2010). The roots of social care and social work lie in the National Assistance Act 1948 (NAA). Section 29, Part 3 refers to specific groups such as older people and to qualify for services under this Section the law states: A local authority may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, and to such extent as he may direct in relation to persons ordinarily resident in the area of the local authority shall make arrangements for promoting the welfare of persons to whom this section applies, that is to say persons aged eighteen or over who are blind, deaf or dumb, or who suffer from mental disorder of any description and other persons aged eighteen or over who are substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury, or congenital deformity or such other disabilities as may be prescribed by the Minister (www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/11-12/29/section/29). It is clear that where there is a legal statutory duty, you have to consider the implications of accountability within the social work profession and this in turn can cause tensions between legal framework and the General Social Care Councils codes of practice. For example, it is difficult to reconcile the values of anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice with some of the terminology utilised in the National Assistance Act 1948, such as deaf or dumb. However, as Helens needs meet this definition, as she is considered to be a s.29 service user and any provisions for Helen will be made under The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 s.2. This places a duty on local Authorities to assess the individual needs of everyone who falls within Section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948 (Brammer, 2010:402). In addition older people can be offered residential care under the National Assistance Act 1948 s.21 and home care and laundry services under the National Health Service Act 2006 Schedule 20(3). Under s.2 of the CSDPA 1970 the provision of welfare services, local authorities are required to provide services such as an occupational therapist (OP). The OP can do functional assessment to establish the provisions required and to aid in the transition from hospital to the home. The main provisions do not include personal care but assesses how the service users function, for example get dressed, and get out of bed in hospital or at home. The fundamental rational is to power and enable the service user to get back to their former ability. The Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudication Act 1982 s.17, provides local authorities the power to make reasonable charges for non-residential services. Under this legislation the first six weeks of intermediate care is free, NHS is free at delivery social services is not. Intermediate care or reablement is a term used to represent a range of integrated health and/or social care services that as part of an agreed care plan aim to: Promote faster recovery from illness Prevent unnecessary admission to hospital Support timely discharge following an acute hospital admission Prevent premature admission to long-term residential care Maximize your chances of living independently (www.ageuk.org.uk ). It was introduced to bridge the gap for people who were medically fit for discharge but were unable to return to independent living. Reablement typically it lasts for no more than six weeks and is provided without charge to the service user. Helen will receive the reablement service for six weeks and if further support is required, then Adult Social Care services may be chargeable. Research evidence confirms that reablement schemes are well placed both to meet the preferred outcomes of service users and to achieve cost effectiveness in service delivery, when compared with alternatives such as longer term care (Braye et al., 2004: 113). Once a community care assessment is carried out, we need to make decisions about what support will be provided for Helen. Helen would be required have a financial assessment by a Financial Assessment Benefits Advisor (FABA). The FABA will carry out an assessment on Helens financial situation and ensure she is claiming any state benefits she may be entitled to. They will need to see proof of her income and, savings and will ask for details about her expenses. This assessment is straightforward and the officers will try to make it as pleasant as possible. National guidelines published by the Department of Health called Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) provides Social Services with an eligibility framework for Adult Social Care to identify whether or not the duty to provide services under this framework. The national FACS policy states that local authorities may take account of the resources available to them in deciding which needs to meet. FACS divides need into four categories: critical, substantial, moderate or low. Thus the concept of need is determined by factors such as the availability of resources and this in turn causes tensions between policy, practice and law. Essex local authorities are just meeting critical needs at present and although having rights which are legally enforceable do not necessarily imply the need will be met due to funding within Social Services. to ensure that older people are treated as individuals and they receive appropriate and timely packages of care which meet their needs as individuals, regardless of health and social services boundaries (Department of Health, 2001a, Standard 2). Social Services are required by law to provide equipment for the home free of charge if the service user does not have any liquid assets. However, Helen does have an owner occupied property but does not have any savings, so therefore community care services will be provided by Social Services free of charge. Local authorities have the power, and in some cases a duty, to charge for certain community care services, under the National Assistance Act 1948 and the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983 (White et al, 2007). Community equipment includes aids such as raised seats, walking sticks; grab rails and shower mats, commodes and minor adaptations that assist daily living to promote independence in the home. If Helen wishes to have help managing her affairs, then provided she has mental capacity she can appoint someone else to make decisions on her behalf. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) makes it possible to produce a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to continue beyond any future loss of capacity by Helen. The LPA can cover property and financial affairs, or personal welfare (including health care and treatment) or both. However, this must be registered with the Public Guardian before it can be used. (www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Mentalcapacityandthelaw/Makingarrangementsincaseyoulosementalcapacity/DG_185921) The more capable older people are mentally the less likely it is that others will intervene in the choices which they make. However, for relatives these decisions may provoke anxiety and quilt. In such situations the capacity of the service user becomes an important factor in the decision process. Everyone has capacity unless stated otherwise and under the Human Rights Act 1998, Article 5(1) grants a general Right to liberty and security of person. This Article covers rights to liberty, which has self-evident relevance to the detention of people with mental health problems. Under Article 5(1)(e) three conditions must be met, except in the case of an emergency: A true mental disorder must be established before a competent authority on the basis of objective medical expertise; The mental disorder must be of a kind or degree warranting compulsory confinement; The validity of continued confinement depends on the persistence of such a mental disorder (Johns, 2010:32). With regards to the allegations that Helen has dementia we must have reasonable belief before making judgements on Helens mental capacity. However, it is necessary for Social services to investigate, for example look at her medical records to see if this has been confirmed by a medical professional, such as her General Practitioner. However, there is the issue of confidentiality to be considered and as such we would require Helens consent in obtaining this kind of information. The Data Protection Act 1998 is concerned with the protection of Human Rights in relation to personal data. The aim of the Act is to ensure that personal data is used fairly and lawfully and where necessary, the privacy of individuals are respected. It sates: An Act to make new provision for the regulation of the processing of information relating to individuals, including the obtaining, holding, use or disclosure of such information (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/introduction). It is important to note that the Human Rights Act 1998, encompasses every single act within the United Kingdoms legal system. For health and social care it enables the legal framework to meet the requirements of service delivery. Due to allegations and concerns made by Stephanie, Helens daughter, it is necessary to undertake a formal documented assessment under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) Section.1. This assessment is known as the MCA model and has to be conducted by two professionals of different agencies in order to confirm Helens mental capacity. The MCA 2005 codes of practice sets out five statutory principles and these are: A person must be assumed to have capacity unless it is established that they lack capacity. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision unless all practical steps to help him to do so have been taken without success. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision merely because he makes an unwise choice. An act done or decision made, under this Act for or on behalf of a person who lacks capacity must be done, or made, in his best interests. Before this act is done, or the decision made, regard must be had to whether the purpose for which it is needed can be as effectively achieved in a way that is less restrictive of the persons rights and freedom of action (www3.hants.gov.uk/adult-services/health-wellbeing/adultmh/mental-capacity-act/mca-principles.htm). Case law refers to cases which have changed legislation and the story of an autistic man detained in Bournewood hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983, changed the rights for people who lack capacity. His carers successfully challenged his unlawful detainment and deprivation of liberty, by taking the case to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). In 2004 the European Court judgment of the appeal of R v. Bournewood Community and Mental Health Trust, ex parte L [1998] 3 ALL ER 458, was forced to change and the Bournewood ruling and now provides extra protection for the human rights of people who lack capacity and find themselves deprived of their liberty (Brammer, 2010). There are two statues to consider when looking Helens case, the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) (both amended by the Mental Health Act 2007 (MHA 2007)), which provide different kinds of powers and duties for Social Services with regards to Helens mental capacity. Fennell (2007) indicates that both acts provide safeguarding against arbitrary deprivation of liberty which would contravene Articles 5 and 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998. Helen may be medically fit but mentally not ready to go home and if this were to happen this can delay discharge as this would require waiting for assessments to be completed and therefore, the NHS would now be responsible for the delay. As the service user/patients circumstances would have changed, the NHS would have to withdraw the existing notice and re-notify social services under s.2 of the Community Care (Delayed Discharges) Act 2003. Re-notification of this kind cancels the previous notice and restarts the process, meaning that social services must reassess the patient and, after consulting the NHS body, decide when the patient will be ready to be discharged. Social care services, which are provided by public authorities, provide support for individuals, families, carers, groups and communities. In most cases, whenever you need healthcare, medical treatment or social care, you have the right not to be discriminated against because of your age, race, gender, gender identity,  disability, religion or sexual orientation. On the 1st October 2010, the Equality Act became statute. It provides anti-discriminatory law and has replaced the Disabilities Discrimination Act 1995 and the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. provides a new cross-cutting legislative framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all; to update, simplify and strengthen the previous legislation; and to deliver a simple, modern and accessible framework of discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society (http://www.equalities.gov.uk/equality_act_2010.aspx). In summary when Helen is medically fit to leave hospital, social workers are responsible for ensuring the transition from hospital, back home is managed in a sensitive way. Helen is currently receiving meal on wheels and although additional support may be needed it is clear she will require continuing care. This is the name given to the care needed by an adult who requires help over an extended period of time to assist in their daily life. This package of care involves services and funding from both the NHS and Adult Social Care. There are many aspects to consider when working within legal frameworks in Adult Social Care, such as statutory duties, service users rights and tensions which can occur when working a multi-disciplinary setting. In order to determine a sufficient and accurate care plan, the legal statutory duties and the codes of practice laid out by the General Social Care Council should guide practice but ultimately the needs of the services user should be at the fore.

Comparing and Contrasting the Role of Women in Things Fall Apart and He

Role of Women in Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness       Women were once little more than slaves to their male "betters." Some women might have been respected, but their places were limited to roles as wives and mothers. They might rule a home, but were not believed intelligent enough for any other role. This chauvinistic attitude is well reflected in the novels Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, and Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad.    In Things Fall Apart, women are praised in their capacities as wives and mothers, almost revered really. In many instances, Achebe paints glowing pictures of them in these roles. "Anasi was a middle aged woman, tall and strongly built. There was authority in her bearing and she looked every inch the ruler of the womenfolk in a large and prosperous family" (Achebe 20). Anasi's role as Nwakibie's first wife is obviously one of great respect and she is regarded nearly as a queen. She presides over the other wives of her husband and keeps them under control and peaceful. Because she does a good job, she is highly regarded as a woman. Also, "Ani played a greater part in the life of the people than any other deity. She was the ultimate judge of morality and conduct" (Achebe 36). This quote may be surprising to the reader at first that men might worship a female goddess, but it fits with feminine roles in the Ibo society. Women are often entrusted with instilling morality in their children and governing their conduct. A female goddess will remind men to uphold their morals and mind their conduct, much the way a mother would her child. Again, there is the valued role of a mother for a woman. She will be admired and cherished for that, but little else. Outside the roles of mother and w... ...orld, this is a sad attitude. Worldwide, women have it even worse. In Africa and parts of Asia today women are still as they were in Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart. They hold little power, are married to produce children, and are no much better than slaves. Achebe and Conrad, though indriectly, have painted a pitiful picture of the role of women in certain societies. In both novels, societies run by men eventually turn evil and fall apart. The admired war-like men come to destroy their lives and that of those around them. Well, perhaps it is time to give the women, the guardians of morality and conduct, a chance to run things. Maybe then there will be some peace on earth.    Works Cited: Achebe, Chinua.   Things Fall Apart.   Greenwich: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1959. Conrad, Joseph.   Heart of Darkness.   London: Penguin Books, 1989.      

Minoan Civilization Overview

The island of Crete, which lies in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, has been heavily contested by differing civilizations over the past three-thousand years. But before first conquests for the island began, a civilization developed on the island to such an advanced degree that it would become Greek legend. These first civilized inhabitants of Crete have become known as the Minoans, named after King Minis. In the two-thousand years of the Minoan people, they rose from simple farmers to a great civilization that came to a tragic end. The island of Crete provides a unique environment that is well suited for unman civilization.Its location in the Mediterranean provides its inhabitants with a central location for trade and military operations between Greece, tally, Egypt, and the Middle East. The sea itself is rich in resources, the lands of the Cretan plains are fertile, and the southern coastal areas, with their massive cliffs, provided a natural barrier against invasion. The island 's climate is very mild, much like the coastal areas that surround the Mediterranean. Although the island has no major rivers and experiences long periods of dry weather, springs are overly abundant.These springs, which have decreased in umber, were a reliable source of fresh water for inhabitants of Crete. Another major advantage of living on the island was the large forests that used to cover the landscape. The first people of Crete came to the island during Neolithic times. These settlers may have brought crops and domesticated animals with them to Crete. It is unknown where these settlers originated from but archeological evidence suggests areas near Turkey or Syria. The first inhabitants spread quickly across the island, living in natural caves carved from the limestone rock that made up the island or in villages atop small hills.These Neolithic inhabitants developed many of the tools that other people living near the Mediterranean used, such as stone axes, obsidian and cheer b lades, sickles, bows and arrows, and stone maces. They also developed techniques for weaving wool into cloth using looms. As the Neolithic people of Crete began to move into villages on the plains and coastal areas by the middle Neolithic era, caves took on the role of burial sites for everyone from village leaders, to children, to the common resident.As the Neolithic age came to a close and the Bronze Age began, Crete experienced a period of turmoil that seems to indicate an invasion that triggered technological and cultural developments, such as bronze working, advancements in pottery and tombs. Evidence from Greek myths suggests that these invaders were refugees from lands in the north of the rising Egyptian Empire. It is possible that King Manner, the man who united Egypt, is the reason these people fled north into the sea. The period following invasion is thought of as the beginning of the Minoan Age, around BBC.During this period, the Minoan people began to form large cities w hich typically acted as independent city-states. Competition and inflict between these cities is not heavily evidenced, but it is known that during this Early Minoan age many immigrants from the mainland areas surrounding the Mediterranean came to Crete to seek refuge, much like the original invaders. This period lasted until approximately 2200 BC, after which the culture of the people of Crete shifted away from the independent nature of the city states to a more centralized society with power collecting in a few major cities that were spread across the island.During the Middle Minoan Age, kingdoms began to develop and the first Minoan palaces were constructed in cities such as Knossos and Patios. Minoans began to develop colonies on nearby islands, some of which are well recorded in Greek legends. These colonies may be a sign of over-population on the island of Crete, which was a consequence of the Minoan civilization's rapid decent down the slippery slope of farming.It is through these colonies that the Minoan culture would begin to show signs of influence as far away as mainland Greece and possibly Egypt In the later portions of the Middle Minoan Age, the Minoan civilization began to reach its peak. It is also at this point in time that seismic activity on and near Crete begins to show its tangentially dangerous nature to the Minoans. Several times during the Middle Minoan Age, palaces Were destroyed by the earthquakes or fire that may have been caused by earthquakes. It was around this period of destruction in BBC that the Greek's began to settle on Crete, but their presence was minimal at best.The Minoans would recover from these natural disasters and the civilization would continue to flourish until the Late Minoan Age, which began around 1550 BC. Around BBC, the volcanic island of There, only seventy miles north of Crete, exploded immediately following a series of earthquakes. The Minoan colonies on the island were buried under thick layers of volcanic rock and tsunamis caused major damage to coastal areas on the north of Crete and caused extensive crop damage on the eastern portion of the island due to ash. The inhabitants of Crete recovered, but the kingdoms were left in a weakened state.More earthquakes would strike the island potentially changing the landscape of the coastal areas. Some Minoan coastal cities on the eastern and northern parts of Crete lie below several feet of water, and in the Western parts of the island the coastal landscape actually appears to be much higher than it was in early Minoan times. The earthquakes may have also disrupted the supply of fresh water to Minoan cities. Wells, springs, and underground clay pipes all suffered damage due to the severe seismic activity. Knossos would grow to become the only major power on the island while other cities fell into decline.By BBC, the great city of Knossos, the last Minoan seat of power, was ravaged by war and conquered by the Greeks, ending the Minoan civiliz ation. During the nearly 2000 years of the Minoan civilization, their culture grew to influence other people in Greece, Egypt, and the Near East. There are several aspects of this culture and the most influential and historically important Of these are Minoan religion, architecture, gender's role in society, and crafts. The Minoan government was theocratic, with both the king and queen having prominent parts in religious and political affairs.The gods of the Minoan people, the most important of which were solar gods, would only communicate their will through the royal couple, who acted as the high priests and carried out religious ceremonies and political events. The kings and queens were also rated as divine beings following their deaths since they were considered to be the adopted children of the gods. It was also common for commoner and lower priests to experience a euphoric event by coming into contact with a sacred object such as a tree or a rock.Through these euphoric experien ces, they would simply see the face of their gods or see messages that were delivered in natural form by animals or plants. The architecture of early Minoan cities consisted of simple earth, mud bricks, stone, clay, and wooden buildings, with religious, political, or elite building being of generally higher laity. The home of a commoner was usually a small, rectangular room with a fire-pit in the center and a raised stone platform for sleeping in a corner. As time passed, these homes became larger and some had multiple rooms that could have acted as storage or private quarters.As for royal palaces, they Were typically constructed from stone and wood with the quality of workmanship varying from site to site. Whenever a palace was destroyed (typically by natural disaster) the new palace would be built directly atop the ruins of the destroyed structure. Dcord inside these complexes included culture of religious icons, murals, frescoes, and furniture that was designed to show the divine nature of royalty. These palaces also served as temples for the gods, which is evidenced by the close association between the king and queen and their patron gods.Almost all building would be covered in a limestone-based plaster and some would then be painted with a red compound. An aspect of Minoan culture that breaks the norm for other civilizations at the time is the importance of women in society. In almost all of the Minoan art work recovered from the ruins, women are shown in important political and religious roles. Many other cultures from this time period simply depict women as being responsible for raising children. This difference in views can probably be attributed to the significance of the female solar gods in Minoan society.It is also thought that the common Minoan woman shared equal social status as her male counterparts, which was quite different from other Mediterranean cultures, who placed most social importance on the men. When the Greeks wrote of the ancient civ ilization of Atlantis falling below the sea after a devastating earthquake, it is entirely possible that they were actually talking about the Minoans. The genealogy, complex social structure, and wondrous cities that the Minoans developed could easily be the source of inspiration for the tale of Atlantis, which was written 600 years after the collapse of the Minoan civilization on Crete.

Hiroshima essays

Hiroshima essays Hiroshima is a story of six people who lived through the greatest single man made disaster in history. In this story each of the six people relive their own story on August 6, 1945, at exactly fifteen minutes past eight in the morning Japanese time. Each persons view of the first ever war to use an atomic bomb is a devastating sight. Through their eyes, the reality of the magnitude this bomb brought is reasonably understood by the graphical details that are given. Through reading this book and these peoples accounts of this great disaster I have come to realize what a nuclear war could result into if precautions are not taken not only by the civilians but also more importantly by the head of our country. Miss Toshiko Sasaki, a twenty- year old clerk, had just sat down in her office when the atomic bomb had hit Hiroshima. She had just finished putting some things away in her drawers and shifting through some papers. As she turned her head to say something to a girl, the room was filled with a blinding light. Being paralyzed by fear and still fixed in her chair for a long moment, everything fell and Miss Sasaki lost consciousness. The ceiling had dropped and the floor above had collapsed heaving the people above down with the roof. All of the bookcases behind her swooped forward and threw her down twisting her left leg while pinning it down as well as her body up to her breasts. Miss Sasaki ended up living through this finally being released from the hospital over a year later with a crippled leg. Dr. Masakazu Fujii had just sat down cross-legged about to read the Osaka Asahi on the porch of his private hospital overhanging one of the seven rivers in Hiroshima. Then he recalls a bright yellow flash. He jumped to his feet and at that moment, the hospital leaned behind his rising and, with a terrible ripping noise toppled into the river. The doctor was thrown forward and around and over losing track where he w...

The Myth of the Melting Pot Essays

The Myth of the Melting Pot Essays The Myth of the Melting Pot Paper The Myth of the Melting Pot Paper Allison Bergonia English 100 20 september 2013 Myths of the Melting Pot Modern America is considered to be a melting pot, in which a variety of races, cultures, or individuals gather into a unified whole. The ideas of being a new American for people who have migrated from their homeland to America are to leave behind all their past cultures and practices and embrace their new American ways. Is that what really happens? If it was, would there be still racism in America? The number of people immigrating to America has risen over the years, but so has the number of active hate groups. The idea of unity in the melting pot of America is a yth because of racism, stereotypes, prejudice, and cultural segregation of its people. Most people would say that racism is the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race. Its more than that. Its the belief that those characteristics of each race determine whether or not the race is superior or inferior to the other races. Racism has dated back to hundreds of years in the past. Even former president Thomas Jefferson said, l advance it, therefore, as a suspicion only, that the blacks, whether originally a distinct race, or made distinct by ime and circumstances, are inferior to the whites in the endowments both of body and mind Oefferson, 502). To Thomas Jefferson emancipated slaves as well as the owned slaves and their physical and mental characteristics were not up to par with their white owners. Not Just because of their status as slaves, but because what race they were. Only because they were a bit different from the white people that owned the land at the time. One of the most interesting, yet unsettling facts was that many of Americas founding fathers practiced the principle of ethnocentrism and did not eem to consider this an act of racism. Ethnocentrism has been defined as a generalized rejection of all out groups on the basis of an in group focus (Parrillo, 505). An example would be how some races have been identified as dirty, violent, or law breaking. This grew even more in the United States after the terrorist attacks of September 1 1 . It is very important to understand that prejudice is rejection of a person or people based on the group or race in which they share similarities. That is not to say that either of these should be acceptable if the intent is to improve the social condition. Another barrier to improving racial and ethnic relations is created by how the media presents situations that have occurred involving people of race and ethnic background. For example, during the aftermath of hurricane Katrina many of the pictures portrayed people of different ethnicities finding food from a grocery store. However from the two pictures the white couple were considered survivalists while the single black male was considered a looter, People complained that the captions accompanying the images were racially suggestive: black people loot and white people find (Harris and Carbado, 525). Its not very fair to say one is looting and the other as having found their supplies by looking at their race, but this is how to do with the reinforcement of prejudice and self-worth by presenting stereotypes that clarify class standings often portraying race and ethnic diversity in a negative way. This is a form where self-justification serves as a source of prejudice is the dominant groups assumption of an attitude of superiority over other groups. In this respect, establishing a prestige hierarchy ranking the status of various ethnic groups results in differential association (Parrillo, 508). This also clarifies how the myth of difference and hierarchy is established since the weaker group will submit to the stronger group and thereby establishing a so called pecking order. Sometimes the pecking order is very subtle, such as the idea that an Africa-America could become president gave hope to the idea that racial and ethnic relations could improve. Many people of all races and ethnic diversity considered this a turning poi nt in history. That hope crashed quickly after the smoke cleared and the illusion faded in the knowledge that the president did not have the power to make this happen. Erin Kaplan makes this very clear when she wrote, Its a schizophrenic attitude: we are encouraged by the black persons potential enough to give him a Job, but are we ever wary of giving him power. This is why as soon as Obama stepped into the White House, he had to be punished. Whites are used to controlling black opportunity, to giving and taking it as they see fit. President Obama in that way was never president-in-waiting, he was an opportunity the bright and capable intern who deserved a shot. But being in charge was not part of the deal (Kaplan, 545). America is known as the land of equal opportunity. Sure there are opportunity in Jobs for all races and even education. The myth of unity is truly the fantasy about this amazing land of opportunity that so many immigrants wanted and expected once they arrived in America. Instead, the citizens and the life style established in local communities rejected them. The cognitive level of prejudice encompasses a persons beliefs and perceptions of a group as threatening or nonthreatening, inferior or equal, seclusive or intrusive, impulse gratifying, acquisitive, or possessing other positive or negative characteristics (Parrillo, 505). We focus on most of the negative racial stereotypes about people that we drive them away from our communities and force them into places like the ghetto or less fortunate places because we dont give them the opportunity that they dream of and that they really deserve. Racial segregation even takes place in schools. Kids found it easier to get along with their own race. When I was in high school kids were first separated into little cliques of the average high school, like football players, band kids, kids who went to certain clubs, and leadership, etc. Then there were the sub-cliques which were by race. All the white cheerleaders would hang out separately from the others, the ghetto football players would hang out together, and Asians in drama would stay together. Even though my high school was known for its diversity, everyone was still segregated. The kids would make stereotypical comments about one another. As one of the Asian kids in high school I had a lot of Asian friends. There was even a place in my high school where all of the Asian kids would hang out after school called Asian avenue. People would always ask me if I was good at math or say that I only get good grades because I was Asian, since the stereotype is that Asians are uper smart. Social norms the norms of ones culture form the generally shared automatically accepting the prevailing prejudices, an individual is simply conforming to those forms (Parrillo, 515). I gave into this social norm of how Asians were smart and got good grades. In conclusion, America is considered a land of opportunity, but for some that was true, while others were Judged by the way they looked and cultural differences. There have been barely any attempts to stop the hate crimes in the media and on the street. With a new president in term people hoped for a change, however many were disappointed by the outcome. The land of equality is a lie to many who are looked down upon Just because of the color of their skin. Each time change might occur the hierarchy manipulates it into submission and causes tension to rise. Harris, Cheryl l. and Devon W. Carbado. Loot or Find: Fact or Frame? Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. By Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. 524-538. Print. Jefferson, Thomas. From Notes on the State of Virginia. Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. By Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. 497-502. Print. Kaplan, Erin Aubry. Barack Obama: Miles Traveled, Miles to Go. Rereading America:Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. By Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. 540-552. Print. Parrillo, Vincent. Causes of Prejudice. Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and B onnie Lisle. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2013. 504-516. print.

Healthy eating in young people 13 to 19, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Healthy eating in young people 13 to 19, - Essay Example Actually unhealthy eating patterns are associated with the leading causes of death due to coronary heart disease (CHD), cancer, stroke, and type-2 diabetes. Nutritional factors also are linked to osteoporosis, and are the major fundamental cause of bone fractures in postmenopausal women and elderly people. Various nutritional factors are included in correlation between nutrition and health. The main concern is that consumption of more saturated fat and less consumption of vegetables, fruits, and grain products that are high in vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, that are significant to good health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000). Healthy eating add to an overall sense of well-being, and is the basis in the prevention of various conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, and asthma. Particularly for children and young people, healthy eating is important for the prevention of the above degenerative diseases, healthy growth and cognitive development. Eating habits cultivated during this period are likely to be continued into adulthood, emphasize the importance of encouraging healthy eating practice. It is recommend consumption of at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, reduced intakes of saturated fat and salt and increased consumption of complex carbohydrates. However, the average consumption of fruit and vegetables in the UK is only about three portions a day. Recent studies show that an alarming numbers of obese and overweight children and young people are on the rise. To tackle the ‘epidemic’ of obesity an effective health promotion policy is essential (Shepherd, et al. 2005). The food with nutritional value is one of the key factors influencing health. If people eat healthily, they can stay away from many preventable diseases and can live long. Many countries have started to promote healthier eating, and are concerned about the fast-food

Joint Venture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Joint Venture - Assignment Example In doing so, it provides an insight into trade between UK and China, with a focus on joint ventures. The importance of trade between UK and China cannot be underestimated as Dr Kegang Wu, (director of Chinalink, an arm of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce which offers expert help to companies across UK looking to trade with China and Chinese companies seeking an entry into UK), points out : There are still only around 300 UK companies doing business with China. In Cologne in Germany there are already more than 1,000. The numbers in France and Spain are also in the thousands. ....Relationships between Europe and China are being forged across many sectors. ....It is also estimated that in a few years China will control a 25% share of the worldwide textiles market. At the moment the focus is very much on British firms doing business over there but that will change rapidly as more and more Chinese companies look to expand into Europe. (MC Donough, 2005) Joint ventures have been used as entry vehicles as well as modes of sustaining operations in China. To understand the benefits and losses of a joint venture between Tots bots and V-Baby, one needs a basic understanding of the definition of a joint venture, at least a brief acquaintance with the background of each company, and an idea of what other modes are available for a foreign investor like Tots bots to gain a foothold in the Chinese market. 1.1 Company backgrounds Established in 1991, V-Baby is a hundred per cent export-oriented enterprise located in Ningbo, very close to Shanghai. It is a brand owned by V-Baby LLC, an American company located in New York, and is a limited company. It deals in babywear from 0-24 months. All its styles are designed by designers in New York, while the sales and production are carried on by the Ningbo V-Baby. It employs between 100 to 500 people for its sales and production and 40 to 50 people for its research and development, and operates from well established production premises. It has an online presence, and its products can be purchased over the internet. It emphasises on quality, protection of children, and is environment-friendly. It seeks to make sales worldwide by adding to its current client base, increase its present revenue, and build a stable brand reputation. On the other hand, Tots bots was born in 2000 in Glasgow, and is the brainchild of a Scottish mother who decided to provide an effective, easy, environment-friendly and cost-saving alternative to disposable nappies. With a staff of merely 20 people and counting, this company has recorded phenomenal growth in sales, and a great brand reputation in UK and other European countries. Its products are also available for sale online, and it caters to the 0-24 months segment of babies, just like V-Baby and it similarly prioritises baby welfare by using chemical-free soft terry fabric for its nappies, perfect for better baby health. It is a nascent company with great growth potential that currently seeks to lower the cost of raw materials and manufacture without compromising on quality and possibly enter different markets as well as further segments of baby products. 1.3. What exactly is a joint venture and why this is the best option for both companies Joint ventures can be defined as legally and economically

Benefits of Mentoring Programs in Schools Research Paper

Benefits of Mentoring Programs in Schools - Research Paper Example This has an overall effect of simplifying the staff’s duty of establishing and monitoring relationships among children in elementary schools (Rose 1). Moreover, mentoring programs in the elementary schools allows mentors to advocate on the children’s behalf since they understand them (Rhodes 1). Mentoring programs influence the status of the children by deriving an understanding on the mentee and enhancing social standing (Rhodes 1). These programs also foster academic focus by presenting academic issues to the forefront and offer a natural context for mentors to address school and learning issues (Rhodes 2). Moreover, most mentors in the mentoring programs in the elementary schools cannot volunteer their services outside the school context. As such, these programs attract mentors who cannot offer their services in community-based programs hence maximizing this exclusive potential (Rhodes 2). Such mentors are minority volunteers who have considerable knowledge and skills on mentorship. This benefits the children and the administration of the elementary schools since they benefit from this potential. Furthermore, it is clear that sourcing and screening mentors for school-based programs is much easier than sourcing mentors for community-based programs (Rhodes 2). As such, the se programs allow for the spreading of mentorship wealth in elementary schools. The mentoring programs in the elementary schools are equally flexible since they accommodate cross-gender matches (Rhodes 2). Indeed, these programs have more mentors coming from all genders where both males and females render their services to children. Indeed, these programs reach more children than the community-based programs thus helping children who cannot access community-based mentorship program, which depicts their ability to reach higher-risk children and families (Rhodes 2). At the same time, mentoring programs in the elementary schools attract more

Reflection on the Character of Luke Skywalker Essay Example for Free

Reflection on the Character of Luke Skywalker Essay Luke Skywalkers character is a classic example of mans constant battle of good and evil—not to be simply put as the battle of the good versus the evil—but the choice to be good or evil. He outwardly struggles to find his place and role in the society even as he struggles inwardly to understand his own nature. As Yoda and Obi-Wan explained to him, Luke must confront and go beyond the dark side to be a Jedi. He is confronted with facing Darth Vader, who he has just learned to be Anakin Skywalker—his father, and in whom Luke believes still has good in him and who he says he could not kill. He was also confronted with troubles that has shaped him into the peson he chose to be. Vader has been a Jedi once, turned to the dark side of the Force because he could not accept the death of his loved ones—first of his mother, then of his intuition that had foretold the death of his wife, Amidala. During their fight, he tried to convince his son that turning to the dark side was the only way Luke could save his friends. Luke was like his father, reckless in his actions and impatient in his youth. But as he matured, he learned the true path of the Force, with the guidance of Yoda and Obi-Wan. Like his father before him, he, too, was troubled with death and suffering. Yoda, sensing death coming to him, explains to Luke: â€Å"Strong am I with the Force, but not that strong. Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall. That is the way of things, the way of the Force.† Inevitably at Endor, Luke has come to confront his father, not with the intention of fighting him as before, but to convince him to turn back to the good side. His attempts turns out to be futile. He further exhibits his maturity from being reckless and impatient by restraining himself when given the chance to strike at the Emperor. However, the Emperor seduces Lukes hatred and anger to attack him. Luke is tormented but still restrains himself until finally his rage erupted and attacked the Emperor. Darth Vader responded in defense of his master and Luke ends up fighting with his father. Luke realized that the Emperor was using his rage to turn him to the dark side of the Force. He has defeated Vader, not out of some personal, revenge-driven desire, but in order to protect someone he loves—Vader has treathened Lukes newly found twin sister Leia. As he looked down on his father with pity and understanding, he realized that he, too, has the potential to turn to the dark side. He threw away his lightsaber in his firm belief that he could still save his fathers soul and save himself from the path of the dark side by not killing Vader. By doing so, he has rejected evil in himself and submits himself to the will of the Force. As Yoda explained to him: â€Å"A jedis strenght flows from the Force. But beware. Anger, fear, agression, the dark side are they. Once you start down the dark path forever will it dominate your destiny.† He has faced his own fears and defeated them, evidenced by his reply to the Emperors offer to take his fathers place at his side: â€Å"Never. Ill never turn to the dark side I am a Jedi, like my father before me.† He has set an example that evil does not come naturally from the troubles that we are faced with, and that being good or evil is a matter of choice.

WTO Agreement on Agriculture India

WTO Agreement on Agriculture India Abstract: The possible welfare gains and likely beneficiaries for the facilitation of agricultural world trade formulated by the Agreement on Agriculture remains a matter of debate and concerns. Therefore the impact of the Agreement on Agriculture on production, price structure and trade in agricultural sector needs proper introspection and evaluation from Indian perspectives. The paper attempts to evaluate and analysed the impact of the agricultural reforms brought about by the Agreement on Agriculture on the Indian agricultural economy and its position in world trade. What is Agreement on Agriculture (AOA): The Agreement on Agriculture was formed on April 1994 at Marrakesh, Morocco as a part of the final Act of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations which came into force on 1st Jan. 1995. This was a result of the long drawn talks on General agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) aimed at opening up of International markets and also to reform world trade which was highly distorted. A major reason for the formation of the Agreement on Agriculture was the need to reduce excessive surplus production in agricultural sector in the global commodity markets during the 1980`s and early 1990`s. This was caused by the rising levels of support and protection in a number of developed countries as some of the largest agricultural exporters competed on the basis of their government`s ability to subsidised production and exports of agriculture while limiting access to their markets to keep out foreign agricultural products from their domestic markets. Therefore the core objective of AOA wa s to establish a fair and market oriented trading system which was to be implemented for a period of 6 years in developed countries and 9 years in developing countries. With this, agriculture was brought under the new rules of world trading system for the first time. There are 3 main features of the Agreement: Market Access Domestic support. Export subsidy. The market access required that tariffs for agricultural product fixed by individual countries be reduce to equivalent tariff in order to allow free trade and encourage liberalisation in world trade. Under this, the AOA required the conversion of all non tariff barriers into tariff barriers. This process was known as Tariffication. This was to be implemented for a period of 6 years for the developed countries and 10 years for the developing countries, least developed countries were exempted from undertaking such reductions. Domestic support was targeted to reduce the subsidies given by governments within their country for agricultural production and related activities. The total domestic support should be below the level of de minimis within a maximum period of 3 years for developed countries and 5 years for developing countries. This was to reduce price distortion and unfair competition in agricultural world trade. Export subsidy aims to reduce subsidies of export related to agricultural products and to ban the introduction of new subsidies. This aimed to protect small and marginal farmers in home countries especially in developing countries. Another highlight of the Agreement was the provision of special and differential treatment for the protection of the interest of the developing countries. In addition, there are provisions of Special Products and Sensitive Products, which are to be exempted from stringent discipline of the above provisions of tariffication process. Provision of Special Products designates a certain number of products of the developing countries that would be exempt from tariff reduction requirements and other disciplines in order to protect and promote food production, livelihood security and rural development worldwide. The idea was to protect the developing countries and least developed countries from unfair competition in world market and to create a world trading system where each individual country can come together and trade on equal footing without any discrimination and distortion by the more advantageous countries of the world. However, the possible welfare gains and likely beneficiaries for the facilitation of agricultural world trade formulated by the Agreement remains a matter of debate and concerns. Therefore the impact of the AOA on production, price structure and trade needs proper introspection and evaluation from Indian perspectives. The structure of the Agreement on Agriculture as it exists today seems to be slightly imbalanced, since it enables countries subsidising the agriculture sector heavily to retain a substantial portion of their subsidies up to the end of the implementation period while those countries which were not using these measures earlier are prohibited to use these measures in future beyond the de-minimis  [1]  limit. Therefore, ways to bring about more equity into the structure of the Agreement has to be sought. Indian Agricultural Economic scenario: Until the liberalisation of 1991, India was largely and intentionally isolated from the world markets, to protect its economy and to achieve self reliance. India`s foreign trade was subjected to import tariffs, export taxes and quantitative restrictions. So far it had followed an inward looking economic policy until the attempts to liberalise its economy. The Green revolution which was introduced in 1990`s further brought about reforms in agricultural sector and increase its production. This in a way opened the gate for participation in the world economy through the production of excess agricultural goods. Thus, India`s economy shifted from subsistence economy to production for exports in the world market. At present, Indian agriculture contributes to 24% of GDP, however agriculture exports accounts for less than 1% of world trade in agricultural commodities while a major share of the world`s exports are supplied by developed countries which accounts for around 64%. Impact of AOA on India: Indian agriculture is characterised by an overwhelming majority of small and marginal farmers holding less than two hectares of land, less than 35.7% of the land, is under any assured irrigation system. Farmers, therefore, require support in terms of development of infrastructure as well as extension of improved technologies and provisions of requisite inputs at reasonable cost. There is no doubt that during the last 30 years, Indian agriculture has grown at a reasonable pace, but with stagnant and declining net cropped area it is indeed going to be a difficult task to maintain the growth in agricultural production. The implications of the Agreement would thus have to be examined in the light of the food demand and supply situation. The size of the country, the level of overall development, balance of payments position, realistic future outlook for agricultural development, structure of land holdings etc. are the other relevant factors that would have a bearing on Indias trade policy in agriculture. Implications of the Agreement on Agriculture for India should thus be evaluated from the impact it will have on the following: i) Whether the Agreement has opened up markets and facilitated exports of products; and ii) Whether India would be able to continue with its domestic policy aimed at improving infrastructure and provision of inputs at subsidised prices for achieving increased agricultural production  [2]  . With India being under balance of payments, it has not undertaken any commitments under the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture (AOA) which constrain it from following its developmental policy with regard to agriculture or which entail any action immediately. The only commitment India has undertaken is to bind its tariffs on primary agricultural products at 100%; processed foods at 150%; and edible oils at 300%  [3]  . However, it is needed to study the implications of removal of quantitative restrictions on market access, subsidy to farmers and tariffs on imports. One of the major impacts of the Agreement was that India has been maintaining Quantitative restrictions (QRs) on certain agricultural import products. Under the provision of the market access, such QRs will have to be eliminated latest by April 1st 2001. Immediate outcome was increased import of cheap and highly subsidized agricultural products which resulted in decline of domestic agricultural prices in India since 1999-2000. This adversely affected small and marginal farmers who resorted to selling off their agricultural lands to corporate and MNC`s at a very nominal prices. This further distorts domestic agriculture and rural structure of the economy that are mostly dependent on agriculture for survival. For example in Andhra Pradesh farmers were then hit by a crash in international prices, low rates of tariff applied on imports of commodities like edible oils, sugar, etc. and the removal of quantitative restrictions. Therefore a separate WTO cell was set up as these states felt that the central government were not doing enough to protect the interest of such states from the adverse impact of the Agreement. It aims to adapt state government policies to changing events and to influence future government negotiating positions. This clearly suggests that the AOA was more beneficial for the developed countries as it furthers opened up new market opportunities for them to exploit with their chea p agricultural products. However, It is also argued that with the opening up of world markets under the provision of Market access and the lifting of QRs on imports of certain agricultural products, prospects on exports have increased which lead to an increase in price of domestic agricultural commodities, this would mean that farmers would get benefits which in turn would encourage investment in the resource scarce agricultural sector. Also, with the decrease in production subsidies as well as export subsidies, the international prices of agricultural commodities will rise and this will help in making India`s exports more competitive in world market. Given the agro diversity of India, it has the potential to increase agro exports in a big way. A.V Ganesan  [4]  , suggested the idea of using the price incentive as a driving force to increase productivity as farmers are introduced to world markets there will be growing pressure from the farmers to gain higher prices for their produce and to narrow the gap between the domestic and external prices. Both the pattern of production and price expectations will increasingly be influenced by the demands and trends in world markets. Therefore, the price incentive could be used to give a strong boost to investment in agriculture as well as adoption of modern technologies and thereby to the raising of agricultural production and productivity. Furthermore, freedom to export agricultural products without restrictions will also need shedding the long-nurtured inhibition against their imports. Thus the Agreement on Agriculture is believed to provide a link between domestic reforms and international reforms by providing constraints that channel domestic policy change in the right direct ion. India had a history of food price inflation which makes it difficult to export agriculture processed products. The food price inflation was at the level of 11% during 1991-98, though the level has come down to 4.5% during 1998-2006  [5]  . Therefore, if increase in cheap imports further reduces the food price, it will not improve the condition of the farmers but instead their condition will deteriorate unless substantial gains are made through food based manufacturing export-enhancing strategies. However, with agriculture subsidies and export promotions, developed countries still continue to dominate the world agriculture market. More than 67 per cent of world food exports during 2001-03 originated from the high-income countries, while countries such as India where more than 65 per cent people survive on agriculture, contributed only 1.1 per cent of food exports. For example, In India, the dairy sector has been hit hard by subsidized exports from the EU. In 1999-2000 India import ed over 130,000 tonnes of EU skim milk powder. This was the result of EUR 5 million export subsidies that were provided to EU producers. EU subsidies to butter exports are also extortionately high. Consequently, butter oil import into India has grown at an average rate of 7.7% annually. This has had a dampening effect on prices of ghee in the domestic market. Ironically, India is the biggest producer of milk in the world. What is more worrying for India is that there are now signs of declining productivity growth for many agricultural products in India which will have severe implications for the majority of the population  [6]  . To ensure the welfare of our farmers from the affect of the lifting of Quantitative Restrictions, high import tariffs of commodities has to be maintained. The Agreement does not in any way constrained the ability to restrict the import of commodities since India has already reserved the right to impose high levels of import duties of 100%, 150% and 300% on primary products, processed products and edible oils respectively. Also due to India`s balance of payments (BOP) reasons certain products are allowed to remain under the QR`s category. With appropriate tariffication process, the adverse impact of such QRs can be rectified. In earlier years, a number of agricultural and horticultural products placed on the free list of imports have been brought to the peak rate to ensure adequate protection to Indian farmers. India has a negative total aggregate measure  [7]  (below 10%) of domestic support which implies that there is no compulsion to reduce tariff. India is under no obligation to reduce its domestic support. Also, India does not provide any export subsidies which requires reduction commitments under the export subsidy commitment. The Agreement on Agriculture lists several types of subsidies to which reduction commitments apply. However, such subsidies are virtually non-existent in India as exporters of agricultural commodities do not get direct subsidy. The Agreement allows unlimited support to activities such as (i) research, pest diseases control, training, extension, and advisory services; (ii) public stock holding for food security purposes; (iii) domestic food aid; and (iv) income insurance and food needs, relief from natural disasters and payments under the environmental assistance programmes. Moreover, investment subsidies given for development of agricultural infrastructure o r any kind of support given to low income and resource poor farmers are exempt from any commitments. Most of our major rural and agricultural development programmes are covered under these provisions. Therefore, the Agreement does not constrain our policies of investments in these areas. It is expected that reduction in domestic support and export subsidy by the developed countries will lead to a decrease in production in their countries and will eventually give scope for expansion of exports from the developing countries which will create a balanced export and import situation in the world trading system. India, with its cheap labor, diverse agro-climatic conditions and large agricultural sector can definitely gain through expansion of international trade in agricultural product. India`s agricultural exports have been growing since 1995and at present it is a net food exporter constituting greater share for exports in agriculture than manufactured exports. Therefore, India is likely to gain if the EU, the US, Japan and other major agriculture subsidisers significantly reduce their farm subsidies. For example, United States spent US$ 4 billion as subsidy to support its 25,000 cotton producers (US$160, 000 per producer) in 2003. It is also argued that in countries such as United States, subsidies are enjoyed by a selected few; mostly producing corn, wheat, cotton, soybean, and rice, while growers of 400 other crops hardly get any such subsidy. It would benefit India if other countries decrease tariffs to its farm exports on products such as cotton, basmati rice, fish or meat etc. However, the share of Indian exports in agriculture is sliding down as compared to manufacturing. These labour-intensive exports are expected to grow much faster and potential areas include textiles and food processing translating into benefits across a large group of farmers and contributing to stabilising their incomes. India has demonstrated comparative advantage in almost all the products it exports, and even in those products it imports. Therefore, India enjoys a large range of products where it could successfully enhance its capacity to export. The rural-urban divide is increasing steadily in India but India cannot resort to other balancing measures such as subsidy like the developed countries are doing. This is due to large population of India as majority of the population is dependent upon agriculture for livelihood. Therefore the solution for solving the rural-urban divide lies in large scale employment generation through industrialization and expansion of agriculture processing and exports. In the short term the Agreement on Agriculture may not affect India much because both its domestic support and export subsidy are negative I,e less than the minimal 10% in product specific domestic support. Moreover, the safeguards provided in the Agreement for the developing countries protect India from any major impact of liberalization of the world trade. However, in the long term, due to advantage of cheap labor that India enjoys, the cost of production are lower than any other countries, therefore in spite of its lower productivity as compared to the developed countries, the prices for agricultural product eg.as in the case of rice, tea, sunflower oil and cotton, will still remain lower than the world price. As a result, import to Indian markets will not be attractive as the domestic market prices in such products remain lower than the international standard. Hence, the impact of large scale imports due to liberalization of the world economy will not be much. Doha Ministerial conference and the deadlock: The Uruguay Round of AOA had a built in provision for review and renewal of its policy to consider not just increased trade but also such objectives as food security, diversified rural development and the reduction of inequalities between developed countries and developing countries and the least developed countries. In general, to assess in-depth the effects of the URAA on trade, on agricultural policy and on protection levels. This was to be decided at the next round of multilateral talk to be held at the fourth WTO ministerial conference in Doha, Nov. 2001 which was targeted to be completed by Jan. 2005. India`s stand at the conference included Non trade concerns which include food security and environmental protection. India is particularly concern with food security which includes not only adequate supply of food but also stability in its supply. India was of the stand that no profound change has been made in subsidy position of the developed countries even after the agreement. When the AoA was introduced in Uruguay there were so many expectations however the results failed to reach the expectations of many countries. In the Doha round, the concerns of the developing countries and the developed countries differed. The developing countries wanted to focus only on the implementation (or non implementations) and review of the Uruguay agreement. Developed countries perspective, however, was for new issues ( eg :Singapore issues), viz, investment, competition, trade facilitation and transparency in government procurement, besides environment and internationally recognised core labour standards. The Doha round clearly shows that India`s interest in the negotiation remain at variance from the interest of the least developed countries as India has a much more favourable agricultural condition than any of these countries. Many of these countries are net importers of food and the subsidy in the exporting countries makes them better off. Moreover, under the Everything But Arms (EBA) initiative of the European Union, the LDCs have quota and duty-free access to the EU market, a facility that was never available to India. Also, India depends highly on its service sector industry; therefore, the situation has become highly tense for India, particularly in view of the fact that the developed countries have managed to link agriculture subsidy with the market access in services and industry. If the European Union needs to do more on agricultural tariffs, and the US needs to do more on reducing agricultural subsidies, then India also needed to do more on industrial tariffs. This is a tr icky situation for India. The Doha Development Round of trade talks was targeted to be concluded by January 2005. However, the progress thereafter has hardly been in the positive direction. There was a deadlock of Doha Ministerial conference and it was left for further work and resulting negotiations. The reason for the failure of the negotiations mostly falls on the role of the United States, which departed from Cairns group and joined EU, the later having too ambitious agenda on including investment and competition. Countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada (of Cairns Group) favour a totally market oriented approach and oppose trade distorting subsidies and protectionist regimes of EU and Japan. While EU remained against fast track approached to liberalization. Developing countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, ASEAN etc highlight significance of role of agriculture in their economies and seek to preserve domestic policy flexibility to guard food security concerns. Overall assessment: In India, more than half of the population is still dependent upon agriculture for subsistence even after governments continued attempt to bring about increase in industrialization and technological advancement. Therefore, agriculture remain a core importance for the sustenance of the population and also constitute a major share in the countrys economy. Agricultural self reliance forms a vital underpinning for the growth of the GDP of any agrarian developing economies since good agricultural production provides purchasing power to a large majority of a population, which in turn spurts industrial growth. Self-sufficiency in food production has, therefore, specific developmental perspective as opposed to a purely commercial perspective. Hence, it is important that the developing countries like India need to be provided with the requisite flexibility within the AOA to pursue their legitimate non-trade concerns of food security. More specifically, developing countries need to be allowed to provide domestic support in the agricultural sector to meet the challenges of food security and to be able to maintain the need of rural employment. Investment in Indian agriculture has been declining for quite some years. In the context of international trade, there is an added urgency to reverse this trend and increase investment in research, integrated market development, storage and ware-housing facilities, road development, creation of facilities for efficient and quicker transport and development of scientific systems of standard setting and grading. Public expenditure on research and technology, infrastructure creation and rural development will raise Indias AMS. More importantly, up-to-date information on domestic and international prices and demand should be made available to farmers through various awareness programmes and training. India also need to raise the quality of agricultural products to internationally accepted standards, i e, those of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (for food additives, veterinary drug and pesticide residues, contaminants, methods of analysis and sampling, and codes and guidelines of hygien ic practice). The AOA is criticised on being insensitive to human development or improving standards of living, and being too insistent on liberalization. The model of agricultural trade liberalization promoted by the AOA also encourages industrialized and export-oriented agricultural production, favouring trans national commodity traders and processors over small-scale farmers thus in spite of all the provisions provided under the Agreement, it is further attacked on not taking into consideration the problems faced by the small and marginal farmers. The success of the agreement to a certain extent also depends on how far the developed countries are willing and committed to the cause of helping the developing countries for development through a process of fair and unrestricted trade in agriculture. It is also argued that the agreement did little to liberalised trade and to improve market access and reduce protection as protection in many countries remain very high and allowable export subsidies st ill threaten the stability of world markets. Conclusion: Global agricultural policies affect many economies in a similar way. Developing countries may be more vulnerable to distortions and changes in global trading policies in the agricultural sector, but they also determine the implications of agricultural trade liberalisation in some countries. Vulnerability of countries arising from global policies and trade liberalisation agenda maybe inherent to their economy such as; Strong dependence on agriculture for income, employment and foreign exchange earnings, heavy dependence on food imports and food aid and relatively high degree of sector openness. These conditions may render a countrys economies vulnerable to trends and instability levels of world agricultural prices, long term changes with respect to access barriers to exports markets and global policies affecting the competitiveness of imports in domestic markets. With liberalisation of agricultural sector much priority is been given for increasing international trade which is no subst itute for inducing a domestically oriented agricultural growth. Indeed most food is produced for local consumption in developing countries and only a small proportion is traded internationally, which means that a solely trade-oriented approach has little relevance for many developing countries. Therefore agricultural reforms in International trading system like the AOA may not have much impact on a countrys economic growth particularly the developing countries if the reforms are implemented without proper analysis of own countrys economic strategic position. Since agriculture constitute the major share of many developing economies, the implementation of such reforms and also the participation in world trade without proper precautionary measures may result in crisis which such developing countries may not afford. Therefore, it is necessary to build up a strong domestic market scenario which is in line with external prices, with appropriate policies to ensure the protection of their e conomies from the unnecessary and unfair competition in world markets. However, if such reforms are disciplined in its implementation and also each country is serious enough to make such commitments for the welfare of the world trading system, it might lead to a balanced and equal world markets. This would in a way solve the problems of poverty, inequalities and lead to increased productivity and improve the standard of living of the world population.