Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse

The topic I chose for this project was the link between domestic violence and substance abuse. From the research that I did, there is a definite link between domestic abuse and substance abuse. According to the National Coalition against domestic violence, â€Å"Regular alcohol abuse is one of the leading factors for intimate partner violence. † Approximately 61% of domestic violence offenders also have substance abuse problems. Domestic violence is the use of intentional emotional, psychological, sexual, or physical force by one family member or partner to control another.These acts can include, verbal abuse, threats, physical abuse, sexual abuse, destroying the victim's possessions, slapping, punching, kicking, burning, stabbing, shooting, or killing the victim's. A woman is beaten every 15 SECONDS in the United States, 30% of female trauma patients have been the victim of domestic violence. The medical costs for women who have been injured by their partners total to more th an 44 million annually. Researchers have found that one-fourth to one half of men who commit acts of domestic violence also have substance abuse issues.A study conducted by the â€Å"Department of Justice† of murders in families found that more than one half of defendants accused of murdering their spouses, as well as almost half of the victim's, had been drinking alcohol at the time of the incident. Alcohol and drugs may be used to cope with the physical, emotional, and/or psychological pain of family violence. â€Å"Regular alcohol abuse is one of the leading factors for intimate partner violence, also men who batter frequently use alcohol abuse as an excuse for their violence.They attempt to rid themselves of responsibility for their violence by blaming it on the effects of alcohol. † (NCADV) The effects on children of substance abusing parents is also great, â€Å"Children of substance abusing parents are more likely to experience physical, sexual, or emotional ab use than children in non-substance abusing households† (NCADV) In fact 80% of child abuse cases are linked with the use of alcohol and other drugs. These children are also at a greater risk of not only developing domestic violence issues of their own, but also substance abuse issues. An estimated 3 million children witness acts of violence against their mothers every year, and many believe that violent behavior is an acceptable way to express anger, frustration, or a will to control. † (Recovery Network) Common myths about domestic violence are as follows: domestic violence is caused by substance abuse, this is not true, domestic violence and substance abuse are two separate problems and must be treated separately.Two, substance abusers cannot control their violent behavior, contrary to that belief, it had been proven that batterers know how to hide the violence they inflict, even under the influence of alcohol or drugs. And three, treating the substance abuse issues wil l end the domestic violence, this is also a myth because there is no guarantee that successful treatment for substance abuse will stop the domestic violence. The evidence between the link in domestic violence and substance abuse is great.In fact, â€Å"About 40% of children from violent homes believe that their fathers had a drinking problem and that they were more abusive when drinking. † (Recovery Network) Also, when a child is subjected to physical abuse, they are more like to develop drug abuse later in life. Another interesting fact is that â€Å"teachers have reported a need for protective services three times more often for children who are being raised by someone with an addiction than for other children† (Recovery Network)Other connections I learned about while doing my research are that many times alcohol and other drug abuse may be used to cope with the physical. Emotional, and/or psychological pain of family violence. Often times the behavior is learned, be cause we learn in our families and social groups that certain events or behaviors are connected and expected. Denial often is a major factor in domestic violence too, because an abusive individual excuses their violent behavior and, are often excused by their partners and other family members because they were drunk and â€Å"not in control. Also, â€Å"Research supports the connection between substance abuse and domestic violence. Members of families in which one or both parents abuse substances are considered to be at high risk for physically abusing and neglecting their children. † (Recovery Network) The National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse found that as many as 80% of child abuse cases are associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs, and the link between child abuse and others forms of domestic violence is well established.As far as treatment, the treatment for domestic violence and substance abuse needs to be approached separately. Because, in most cases sub stance abuse treatment does not address the anger management problems that are associated with domestic violence. â€Å"Effective treatment for domestic violence offenders includes cognitive therapy, which helps the offender develop alternate ways of reacting to anger, and skill development, which helps the offender learn how to establish loving relationships that are free from violence. (Sober living by the sea) I learned a lot from doing this paper. As a woman who has been through domestic violence myself, it was intriguing to learn about the links between domestic violence and substance abuse. When I was married to my ex-husband, we both did marijuana, he had a lot of mood swings and violent tendencies. Now that I look back and now that I know what I know about the connection of domestic violence and substance abuse, I can see where he maybe would have thought his actions were â€Å"justified. Also, knowing what I know now, I think it would be a tai assessment that although he received treatment with his substance abuse issues and has been sober for about 7 years, he never received treatment for the anger issues and I can still see those types of behaviors in him today. Living with someone for that long ,you get to know aha their moods are, and I still know to this day when I can and when I cannot approach him about something, basically, I know what kind of mood he is in as soon as I see him.His anger is written all over his face, it is days like that when I realize that I am happy I was able to walk away from the relationship. The fear of never knowing how someone is going to react and always having to walk â€Å"on eggshells† is a heavy burden to live with everyday. Also being a recovering addict, I know that a lot of my own anger came from my guilt, resentments, and self-loathing, working on those issues and learning to love me for me and also working with the counselors at the Shock program and in treatment, helped me to be able to control my a nger and take a â€Å"timeout† if I need to.Now that myself and my ex-husband are sober, I can only hope that we will have broken the cycle of addiction and domestic abuse so that our children do not have to experience the same thing. Domestic violence and substance abuse are two huge problems that, I think, is becoming more and more of a problem in the world today. Being able to recognize the link between these two, I hope that I as a counselor, will be able to help more of my clients who are experiencing the same kind of situation.

Jack in ‘Lord of the Flies’ and Heathcliff in ‘Wuthering Heights’ Essay

A comparative study of jack in ‘Lord of the Flies’ and Heathcliff in ‘Wuthering Heights’ and the conflict they represent between ‘civilised’ and ‘savage’ behaviour. In this essay I will be focusing on the two different novels, ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding and ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Brà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nte. I will concentrate on Jack in ‘Lord of the Flies’ and his constant conflict over leadership on the island, and Heathcliff in ‘Wuthering Heights’ and his conflict with Edgar Linton regarding Catherine Earnshaw. I will show how the two authors use different procedures to express the emotional and behavioural differences between savage and civilised behaviour. The two novels are very different in the way in which narration, viewpoint, language and the detail of the description is used. Much of ‘Wuthering Heights’ is a long flash back told by Nellie Dean, the former housekeeper to Mr Lockwood a tenant at Thrushcross grange. The text is extremely descriptive but also consists of Nellie Dean’s opinions and memories along with a few extracts form Catherine Earnshaw’s diary. The novel contains more traditional language ‘They both promised†¦ to grow up rude as savages, the young master being entirely negligent how they behaved and what they did so they kept clear of him. ‘ Throughout the novel there is little speech used. When speech is used it consists of a variety of dialects, Standard English is used in conversations/comments by most of the characters. With Joseph being the acception and speaking Scottish, ‘Maister, coom Hither! Miss Cathy’s riven Th’ back off Th’ Helmeth uh Salvation un’ Heathcliff’s pawsed his fit intuh t’ first part uh T’ Broadway to destruction!’ This adds a bit of variety to the novel as it shows how different people from different parts of the country react to events. ‘Lord of the Flies’ uses more modern English ‘Piggy said nothing but nodded, solemnly. They continued to sit, gazing with impaired sight at the chief’s seat and the glittering lagoon.’ The story is narrated using an omniscient narrator, meaning we can see into the characters minds and so giving us a more detailed read. The characters are described more in depth and the surroundings i.e. the island. More adjectives are used in the description and this gives the reader more of a feeling of being there. The island is almost seen as a character rather than just a setting because of the amount of description used; ‘the sandy edge of the pool loomed up like a hillside. The water was warmer than his blood.’ Heathcliff is one of the main characters in ‘Wuthering Heights.’ On his arrival all apart from Mr Earnshaw, who had brought him back home with him, instantly disliked him. Cathy and Hindley refused for him to sleep in their room and when they learned that their presents, which their father had brought back for them, were broken and lost Cathy responded by ‘Grinning and spitting at the stupid little thing.’ Mrs Earnshaw wasn’t impressed either and scolded her husband and enquired ‘How he could fashion to bring that gipsy brat into the house and if he were mad?’ When he was first shown to the household he was described as ‘dirty, ragged and had black hair, he was big enough to both walk and talk.’ When he spoke for the first time he ‘repeated over and over some gibberish that nobody could understand.’ All this suggests that maybe he was from a foreign land. Nobody knows his origin as he was picked from the streets but his description suggests he is foreign; ‘you’re a prince in disguise. Who knows but your father was emperor of China and your mother an Indian Queen.’ This is a comment made by Nellie Dean later in the story. However a few days after his arrival Heathcliff and Cathy become ‘very thick’ and eventually Nellie Dean warmed to him. Hatred between Hindley and Heathcliff remained, this was mainly due to Hindley’s jealousness of the way in which his father treated Heathcliff i.e. much better than how Hindley was treated. Jack is one of the main characters in ‘Lord of the Flies.’ His background is unknown but is most probably similar to the other boys from the island, meaning he lived with his parents, he may have been sent away to school. First impressions of Jack were that ‘He was tall, thin and bony: and his hair was red beneath the black gap. His face was crumpled and freckled, and ugly without silliness. Out of his face stared two light blue eyes’ he was bossy and in charge of the choir ‘He shouted at them â€Å"choir! Stand still.†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ He makes himself appear confident; ‘Merridew turned to Ralph, â€Å"Aren’t there any grown-ups?† â€Å"No† Merridew sat down on a trunk and looked round the circle. â€Å"Then we’ll have to look after ourselves.†Ã¢â‚¬  Jack also proved himself to be arrogant by responding ‘I ought to be chief’ when a decision was made that a chief was required to decide things. Instantly he and Ralph didn’t get on, this was mainly jealousy on Jack’s behalf as Ralph was chosen as chief. Those surrounding them almost immediately dislike both Heathcliff and Jack. They also both gain an enemy, which they have, constant conflicts with throughout the novel. This being Jack and Ralph; Heathcliff and Hindley, and they both have unknown backgrounds; however Jack’s is slightly more certain. So in many respects the boys are similar. However there are differences between the two, the main one being appearance and initially Heathcliff appears not to be bossy, later in the novel though he becomes sly and blackmails to get what he wants. Heathcliff’s appearance deteriorates as his behaviour becomes more rebellious and wild. His looks become less civilised and turn more ‘savage’ and unkempt ‘You wash your dirty face and brush your hair.’ This is reflected in his behaviour which has become much more raw ‘took my dingy volume by the scroop, and hurled it into the dog kennel vowing I hated a good book, Heathcliff kicked his to the same place.’ This shows how the savage behaviour of Catherine and Heathcliff has changed the surroundings by pulling other civilised things; such as the bible to be more like them. Heathcliff’s attitude towards Hindley becomes increasingly more rebellious. He encourages Hindley to throw things and be nasty to him so that he can use previously received beatings against him and get Hindley into trouble with Mr Earnshaw; ‘† Off, dog!† cried Hindley, threatening him with an iron weight used for weighing potatoes and hay. â€Å"Throw it† he replied, standing still, â€Å"and then I shall tell how you boasted that you would turn me out of doors as soon as he died and see whether he will not turn you out directly.† This shows Heathcliff’s sly side and hatred, so much hatred he feels that he needs Hindley to be gone completely from his life, this emphasises his savage uncivilised behaviour. As Jack’s behaviour becomes more savage his appearance changes his hair becomes longer ‘His sandy hair, considerably longer than it had been when they dropped in, was lighter now,’ and he uses war paints; ‘Jack planned his new face. He made one cheek and one eye socket white, then he rubbed red over the other half of his face and slashed a black bar of charcoal across from right ear to left jaw.’ He uses these war paints to become ‘masked’ in evil and malice, he creates a new world and cuts out responsibilities. Like this he is able to cut himself off from the civilised world and transform to show his true personality, unruly and ‘savage’. The conch in the book is something that is respected by all and represents law and order. To Jack the conch is like an adult and has the power that he wants, he wants to be in charge and be respected by all. Due to this there is great disruptions on the island. Both Jack and Heathcliff’s appearance deteriorates as their behaviour becomes more savage, again showing a similarity between the two. Heathcliff’s nature becomes increasingly more violent. The violence he uses is not physical, its verbal i.e. he makes threats and suggestive comments ‘it is some devil that urges me to thwart my own schemes by killing him.’ This suggests that Hindley is testing Heathcliff’s violent physical behaviour boundary and he may in fact of pushed him so far that it gets broken. This is not the only time in which we see a different side to Heathcliff, it is in fact one of many but the above may be the most severe. During Heathcliff and Hindley’s argument about the colts another side of Heathcliff is seen. He blackmails Hindley by threatening to tell Mr Earnshaw of the beatings he has received from him; ‘I shall tell your father of the three thrashings you’ve given me this week.’ This is a very devious manipulative move because he knows that Mr Earnshaw prefers him to Hindley and so therefore is likely to defend his ‘gift of god’ Heathcliff. Jack’s nature is violent, and the amount of violence increases as you proceed through the book. He shows how he is angry and short tempered especially at the start and specifically towards piggy; he uses harsh words towards him ‘shut up, fatty’, which are unnecessary. He continues to behave violently towards piggy ‘†Here – let me go!† His voice rose to a shriek of terror as Jack snatched the glasses off his face.’ Jack quite simply didn’t ask piggy for the use of his glasses and instead showed rudeness, ill mannered and violent behaviour by snatching them. It is also shown how Jack’s physical violence is initially kept pent up inside him but eventually releases itself onto piggy ‘This from piggy and wails of agreement from some of the hunters drove Jack to violence. The bolting look came into his blue eyes. He took a step and able at last to hit someone stuck his fist into piggy’s stomach.’ This again shows his dislike for piggy and shows how uncivilised and savage he in fact is. Both Jack and Heathcliff act violently but they release their aggression differently, Heathcliff tends to be clever with the way in which he acts and bribes, although he suggests that he could indeed handle releasing his aggression physically he doesn’t he sticks to what he knows best and shows a more mature attitude towards it. Jack on the other hand shows a more immature way of handling it; he uses both physical and verbal violence. The way in which he uses his words to try and harm others is different, and entails no maturity at all, he uses more childish thoughtless words, he may well use physical violence because he realises that his immature way of handling words is not making much of an effect. Heathcliff’s aggression becomes focused on Edgar Linton; this is because Heathcliff is jealous of the relationship Edgar has with Catherine. To show Heathcliff’s wildness and to develop the civilisation versus savagery theme Brà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nte uses a different kind of language, a more intense harsh range of vocabulary. She uses words such as ‘with frightful vehemence’ to prove that Heathcliff feels really deeply and means what he says, she shows him to be impatient, agitated and angry; ‘stamping his foot and groaning in a sudden paroxysm.’ This is another example of Heathcliff’s aggression being focused on Edgar Linton; ‘†Cathy, this lamb of yours threatens like a bull!† he said. â€Å"It is in danger of splitting its skull against my knuckles. By god, Mr Linton, I’m mortally sorry that you are not worth knocking down!’ it shows his wildness and tells how Edgar is in for a beating. It all shows his savage behaviour and focused hatred on Edgar. Later in ‘Lord of the Flies’ Jack’s aggression becomes focussed on Ralph. This is a change as originally Jack’s violent, savage behaviour was directed at piggy. Their conflict over leadership and the type of society they should have on the island has great effects on the group as a whole and the boys take sides. Originally Jack was jealous of Ralph as he became leader and this was what Jack wanted to be, he was ‘mortified’ when Ralph was chosen as chief and this proved he was respected more and more popular than Jack. However, constant disagreements between the two meant that the group split and more sided with Jack meaning that he was now in charge. Jack was insecure and thought all would return to Ralph, whilst he controlled all he showed the most savage behaviour and made his ‘tribe’ hunt Ralph down and kill him. ‘†Heave! Heave! Heave!† a shrill prolonged cheer. Something boomed up on the red rock, and then the earth jumped and began to shake steadily while the noise as steadily increased. Ralph was shot into the air, thrown down, and dashed against branches. At his right hand and only a few feet away, the whole thicket bent and the roots screamed as they came out of the earth together.’ This was Jack’s attempt at killing Ralph, it emphasises his savage, uncivilised behaviour. Golding’s description of the roots is also a description of what would of happened to Ralph had he been in the way. Both boys show jealousy and the pent up aggression they receive from this they then focus on one person in particular. This is the person, which they feel most in ‘danger’ of, which threatens them the most. Again showing how similar the boys are. Heathcliff’s nature proves to be evil. This is shown by his bribery over the colts with Hindley; ‘You must exchange horses with me; I don’t like mine and if you wont I shall tell your father of the three thrashings you’ve given me this week, and show him my arm which is black to the shoulder.’ This shows just how far he would go to get his own way. He is constantly evil and constantly thinks like this, and when he throws the hot apple sauce at Edgar Linton this just emphasises the fact; ‘He seized a tureen of hot apple sauce, the first thing that came under his grip and dashed it full against the speakers face and neck.’ Brà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nte suggests that Heathcliff could be from the devil by selecting words such as ‘imp of Satan’ to emphasise this. This is backed up by the fact that his background is unknown. His innate evil is being brought out because of his surroundings. Jack leads the hunters. On one hunt jack found himself unable to kill the pig they had captured. This is why he was so excited when the group caught another pig and managed this time to kill it; ‘†Look! We’ve killed a pig – we stole upon them – we got in a circle.† Voices broke from the hunters. â€Å"We got in a circle†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We crept up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"The pig squealed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jack then puts the pig’s head on a stick – the Lord of the Flies. By doing this he shows savage, evil and uncivilised behaviour. This is because in making the pigs head the Lord of the Flies he is making an idol of it; this is against one of the Ten Commandments. Christianity is seen as civilisation and so he is in fact going against it and therefore being uncivilised. He shows evil because by idolising the pig he is showing that he is proud of the fact that he has killed another living thing. Golding is saying that children do in fact have evil instincts inside which are brought out when they are in groups; this may be because they are trying to impress others. Both boys show evil behaviour, although Heathcliff’s you seem to be able to understand more as he has a reason and is more of a reaction to probing from others than anything else. Jack’s is a much deeper evil and he idolises the ‘darker side’ of life. Heathcliff’s relationship with the natural world is very strong. His look is that of rugged and dirty ‘If you wash your face and brush your hair it will be all right. But you are so dirty!’ and therefore fits in with nature because that too is rugged and dirty. At the start when he firsts arrives at the family home he speaks gibberish; ‘when it was set on its feet, it only stared round, and repeated over and over again some gibberish that nobody could understand.’ This emphasises the fact that he is not civilised, the same as nature isn’t and therefore implying again that Heathcliff fits in with and is part of nature. Catherine Earnshaw describes him as ‘a bleak, hilly, coal country.’ This emphasises how close to nature he is as this is how his closest friends describe him. The ‘bleak, hilly’ description also suggests that maybe he has little going for him and that his future is not a lot to look forward to. Whenever Heathcliff runs away he runs to the moors suggesting that this is where he feels most comfortable and sees nature as a friend to himself. After Heathcliff has runaway after hearing how Catherine plans to marry Edgar there is a storm. During the storm a tree is split; ‘split a tree off’ this tree symbolises Heathcliff and shows him splitting with Catherine and civilisation. It again shows how he is close to nature because natural things are being used to describe him. His name ‘Heathcliff’ is a natural name and is an oxymoron. It shows a contrast; ‘heath describes a wide-open space where as ‘cliff’ describes a cut off vertical edge. Golding connects jack to the natural world. He uses words such as ‘the forest and he were very still’ to emphasise the fact that the two are very similar. However the connection is more of a link than a relationship. Jack uses the natural world for exploring and hunting and it appears that he knows much about it and is very much in tune with it; ‘Jack seemed to know the way’ suggesting that he has hunted and explored a lot before. This may be because it is with the natural world that he feels comfortable and safe and the fact that when he is annoyed he walks off when Ralph is chosen as chief emphasises this. ‘If I blow the conch and they don’t come back; then we’ve had it.’ It shows that Jack feels capable enough to lead the hunters away from the large group and still be safe. Both Heathcliff and Jack are very close to nature but Jack uses his more to help him where as Heathcliff uses his connection as a friend and to help him to calm down and forget his troubles. Heathcliff inspires very strong emotions in people of love and hate. This gives positive and negative sides to his character. His feelings tend to lead to insecurity, jealousy, savage and uncivilised behaviour. Hindley and Edgar Linton epically feel hate towards Heathcliff. This is sparked off by the fact that they cant except him into their civilised world because he’s from a different background. As well as the fact that Mr Earnshaw brought back Heathcliff as another son and so Hindley saw him as an intruder, and was extremely jealous of the way in which his father treated him. Heathcliff was brought into extremely unfortunate circumstances. However he does have positive sides; the fact that he cares for others so much that he would change for them, and the fact that when he is angry he does not always release it on others but in fact will runaway to the moors to calm down; ‘he had listened till he heard Catherine say it would degrade her to marry him, and then he stayed no farther.’ Catherine, Nelly and Mr Earnshaw all loved Heathcliff greatly and this also suggests that in fact he must have good sides to him or else’s they would not have loved him so, much. Jack also inspires strong emotions, however they are different from those of Heathcliff. Jack inspires fear and admiration. Admiration must be one of the biggest as Ralph admires him and they normally fight, argue and show constant dislike towards each other. Golding allows jack to apologise to piggy after stealing his glasses this raises admiration form the reader as well as other characters in the book. Jack is intimidating, this makes him feel like he has power over others which is what he wants; however this makes people dislike him, but they continue to follow him because they fear him; ‘†who wants Jack for chief?† with dreary obedience the choir raised their hands.’ ‘Dreary’ emphasises the fact that the choir dislike Jack and don’t want to vote for him but do so because they fear him. Both boys shower others with strong emotions. Jack creates mainly negative feelings, or gains positive feedback from others after having previously doing something negative and then correcting it. Heathcliff creates equal positive and negative feelings. In writing this essay I have noticed many similarities in Heathcliff and Jack despite the very different context of the novels. I prefer Golding’s style of writing as it gives a better description of the characters and the surroundings and more in sight into the story. However as the characters I prefer Heathcliff to Jack as the way in which he acts and responds to events are more understandable whereas Jack is full of evil.

The Implications For An Economy Of A Rising Exchange Rate Essay

The Implications For An Economy Of A Rising Exchange Rate - Essay Example The performance of a specific currency is determined by the demand for the currency and the investments on the economy. An increased exchange rate of a country’s currency in relation to world currencies such as the dollar influences negatively on the export of the country’s products. On the other hand, the cost of imports is decreased by a strengthening currency and therefore more goods and services are imported. However, a strong currency discourages foreign investment and as a result, central banks use various strategies to ensure that currencies are regulated. This acts to protect the manufacturing industries from business failure due to reduced exportation of goods and competition. This paper gives a critical analysis on the impact of the rising exchange rate on world economies such as Australia, China, and Switzerland. The Australia’s steel export industry was impacted negatively by the rising exchange rate in July 2011 when the Australian dollar hit the highest point ever recorded in thirty years. This means that the value of the Australian dollar in relation to other currencies increased steadily. The demonstration for the negative impact of the rising exchange rate of the Australian dollar on the economy is seen in the increases in the cost of the raw materials for the industry in addition to the decreasing prices of steel . 1. Moreover, the strength of the Australian dollar led to the reduction of the export of goods and services from the agricultural, retail, tourism, and manufacturing sectors of the country’s economy. Foreign countries reduced their import of agricultural products from Australia due to the strength of its currency. The importance of agriculture and manufacturing industry in Australia shows the extent to which reduced exports of goods from these sectors affected the economy. Figure 1 Foreign Exchange Rate Australia/US Because of a rising exchange rate, the manufacturing industry of countries incurs big losses. For example, the Australian steel industry incurred a net loss of about US$1.1bn as a result of the appreciation of the Australian dollar2. The loss was due to asset write downs and reduction of the export activities. The impact of a rising exchange rate leads to the involvement of governments in an attempt to revive the failing economies. For example, the Australian government channeled funds to the steel industry to enable it to recover from the losses incurred due to the reduction of the country’s steel exports. The impact of the government involvement on the economy is twofold: the funds channeled to the industries for their recovery would lead to the improvement of the economy or reduce economic performance due to inappropriate prioritization of funds. The government involvement in the improving its manufacturing industrie s should therefore consider other sectors of the economy so that realistic distribution of funds is made possible. The exportation of a country’s products reduces when the currency strengthens because the prize of the exports and the costs associated with the shipments of the exports rise when the currency becomes strong. As a result, foreign importers from a country with a strong currency may reduce or terminate their imports from that country. As a result, the sectors of the economy, which export goods, are impacted negatively3. A rising exchange rate also affects the job market4. Because of the loss of revenue, which results from reduction of exports, a company is likely to reduce its workforce as a way of minimizing expenses. Blue scope, which is the largest producer of steel in Australia, for example reduced its work force by retrenchment following the reduction of its exports.

Mass Spectrometry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mass Spectrometry - Essay Example The first step involves production of ions of the compound by electron ionization. Each product ion is generated from the molecular ion. The result results are then displayed in a plot of a graph of ion abundance against mass to charge proportion. The ions give information concerning the structure and nature of their original molecule. However, the spectrum of a molecular ion appears at a greater value, which gives the total molecular mass of the substance. Mass spectrometry instrument consist of various components, the detector system that detects ions and record relative abundance of every compound, ion source, which produce gaseous ions and analyser, which resolve ions into their respective mass components. In addition, a computer is also required to monitor and control the instrument, get and manipulate data then use it to compare spectra. With the help of these components, a mass spectrometer can perform various processes. This includes, separating ions in accordance to the ratio of their mass to charge, producing ions from the compound, which is done in the ionization source, fragmenting and analysing ions, processing signals from detector, which are then transmitted to computer system and control the instrument via feedback and detect the ions from the last analyser and measure their abundance. This can be done using the detector, which converts the ions to electrical signals. Mass spectrometry has several advantages compared to the other analytical techniques used. It is highly accurate, can be coupled with liquid chromatography to separate samples further, and has a large mass range, fast, auto runs with sampler or direct injection. On the other hand, it has some drawbacks like it is complicated spectra, salts drown signal which takes more time to filter from the machine, a high intensity peak can eclipse smaller intensity peaks, fine tuning work. In conclusion, although Mass

Trace the role of the presidency from about 1865 to about 1940. Did it Essay

Trace the role of the presidency from about 1865 to about 1940. Did it serve the purpose that the framers of the Constitution expected it to serve - Essay Example The Constitution sets forth the president’s roles as the following: After careful consideration of the president’s roles and functions set forth in the Constitution and the history record during 1865 to 1940 I conclude yes. I believe the role of the presidency was fulfilled as the forefathers of the Constitution intended for the following reasons encompassed in the discussion. Scarcely had Washington been inaugurated when an extra constitutional attribute of the presidency became apparent. (Ayers, Gould, Oshinsky and Soderlund. 2004) Essentially, the presidency is dual in character and that must be taken into consideration when considering the time periods of the presidency that are being discussed. is another important point that needs to be considered. The reason is that it sets the background and establishes the attitudes of the framers of the Constitution. This significant point is that through centuries of constitutional turmoil and struggle between the crown and Parliament, England had divided the two offices. When they did this they separated the power as well. They gave the prime minister the role of running the government and leaving the formal and ceremonial responsibilities of leadership to the monarch. This is significant to the discussion for several reasons. After this took place in history the mindset of Americans was one where they admired and even worshipped Washington as a president. This is important because this attitude towards Washington, although during a time prior to that encompassed in our discussion, set the standard for future attitudes and conceptions of the presidency. Washington performed his role cleverly. He fulfilled his role as president striking a balance between â€Å"too free an intercourse and too much familiarity,† which would reduce the dignity of the office, and â€Å"an ostentatious show† of

Post Psrtum Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Post Psrtum Depression - Essay Example When the intimate partner is violent, especially during the period after childbirth, during which the women’s body is naturally undergoing several hormonal changes, women are more prone to feeling depressed and this in turn will have a negative impact on the growth and development of the child. In such cases it is necessary to offer counseling services both to the women and their spouses in order to ease their relationship and enable them to bring up their children in a healthy atmosphere. In the recent years the pediatric community has introduced screening of women with post-partum depression for any incidence of violence in the household. These sessions are to enable women to openly voice their problems and receive counseling from their doctors. An example of such a study is included in the article in which African American mothers were the major participant. The study revealed that one in 14 mothers who were suffering from post-partum depression were in a violent relationsh ip. It also found that those who were in a violent relationship were at a higher risk of developing depression. Children are exposed to violence right from a young age are more likely to suffer from health and developmental problems compared to children brought up in a healthy and normal household. In addition to their health, the emotional well-being of the child is also affected which could have serious consequences during their later growing years. How can these mothers be helped through post-partum depression and be relieved of its symptoms? As a possible solution the study has identified the need for psychiatric services that could be provided to the parents concerned as well as their families as it is vital to provide maximum comfort to the mother especially for the sake of the infant and other siblings. Several pediatric clinics are offering these services in the recent past. Proper counseling provided to both parents at the right

Week 5 posts 6330 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 5 posts 6330 - Assignment Example Thanks for such a short and precise post on developing successful evaluation strategies on the course issues and trends in nursing. I agree that it is important to develop a rubric, which is very important in grading as it acts a reference point to check whether all the required documentation has been included. In the post, you have mentioned â€Å"Widespread use of technology makes it extremely easy to lose sight of the myriad individual pieces of a syllabus† (Habanek, 2005). However, you have not specified your take towards incorporating technology in the evaluation process. On my part, I think technology is an essential part in carrying out evaluation especially when you anticipate having a long and detailed syllabus. The central part is to ensure that you enforce a system that can easily be monitored and adjusted when need arises. I would agree with you that having active learning strategies is necessary to prepare students such that they are in a position to apply what they learn from a classroom setting into real life situation. Therefore, it is necessary for the faculty to have a clear and precise curriculum that will help them achieve these conditions. Similar to what Billings and Halstead (2012) explain in their text â€Å"rely on goals, objectives, and outcomes to guide program, course, or lesson development† (p. 423). Besides that, I would like you to clarify one area that I did not quite understand. You mentioned â€Å"the students will complete a concept map and case study in preparation for the teaching plan they create and present† kindly elaborate more on this part. Thanks for such an informative post on developing a curriculum that will incorporate cardiac disorders as one of the main courses. Cardiac disorders such as heart failure have become a common problem in the current medical field. Therefore, need to have professionals that are well educated in the field and

Descriptive and Prescriptive Schools of Thought Assignment

Descriptive and Prescriptive Schools of Thought - Assignment Example Henry Mintzberg is the major focus of this particular study and his works on the same topic will be put into the account. Â  The first to describe is the descriptive school of the process of strategy making and then the study will move to the prescriptive. The various schools under the descriptive school are going to be put into the vivid observation of the study. The work of Henry Mintzberg is to be the main contributor to this. To this front Cognitive school, which falls under the descriptive school of formation of the strategy focuses on the things happening in the head of a human being which helps him/her manage a strategy. The entrepreneurial school portrays the process of making of strategy as visionary and that calls for a leader who is strong. The power school has its concentration on the exploitation of power and conflict alike. Learning school seeks a strategy to get into a process of learning in a collective manner. The environmental school has an opinion that the formation of strategy happens as a passive reaction to forces emanating from external sources. Lastly, the cultural school puts i nto consideration the cooperative and collective view of the process of strategy making. (Mintzberg, 1994 pp3, 4) Â  There are about nine thought schools for strategic management and which do not agree in their tackling of this topic. This is according to Mintzberg, Henry. They approach the whole issue differently. The presumptions of all of these schools are worlds apart. For example, the prescriptive school’s design school is the sole school to identify with when it comes to the SWOT analysis developing.

Ronald Reagan's Presidency Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ronald Reagan's Presidency - Research Paper Example He changed his political views from  liberal  to being a  conservative  spokesperson as a television host, touring the entire country (Reagan, Kiron, Annelise, and Martin 18). He  was elected  the Californian Governor by a one million-vote margin. He  was later re-elected  in 1970. In 1980, Ronald Reagan won the Presidential nomination for Republican and opted for  previous  Texas congressional representative and the current  ambassador  for United Nations George Bush, as his running mate. Troubled by the running inflation and the  incarceration  of Americans in Iran for a year, the Americans voted in the Republican in to the presidency by a whopping 489 votes to President Jimmy Carter’s 49. On 20 January 1981, Reagan  was sworn  into office. After just 69 days, he  was caught  by an assassin’s bullet; nevertheless, he recovered  fast  and returned to perform his duties. His popularity soared during the period of the tragic  inc idence  due to his  wit  and grace. During his tenure as the 40th president of the United States, Reagan accomplished many achievements that  will be remembered  forever in the American History books and the world at large. In 1988 during Reagan’s last year in office, the rate of inflation dropped to 4.4% as compared to 12.5% during Jimmy Carter’s last year in power in 1980. In addition, the rate of unemployment drastically dropped during Reagan’s administration from 7.5% to 5.4%, with the  rate  reaching highs of 10.8% and 10.4% in 1982 and 1983 respectively (Schaller 36). Reagan oversaw the implementation of policies based on the economics of supply-  side  and called for a free-market and liberal-classical philosophy. These policies aimed to reduce the  large  tax cuts across the various sectors of the economy. During his regime, Reagan was also for the idea of taking  back  the U.S. to the era of the gold standard. Reagan’s

Miss Representation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Miss Representation - Essay Example In addition to this, only 16% are writers, directors, producers, cinematographers and editors. Patriarchy has played a big role about women representation. This paper is going to analyze the power of the media. The paper further analyzes the effects of the negative identity created by the media on the female fraternity hence affecting their roles in the society. The media has been used to portray a negative effect about women and this has further influenced their roles and positions in the world. This is because you can’t be what you can’t see. ‘The media is the message and the messenger’ these were the opening remarks in this documentary by Pat Mitchell who is the president and CEO of Paley Center for Media. The author of The Macho Paradox Jackson Katz argues that people learn a lot from the media that in any other source. On the other hand Jim Steyer the CEO of Common sense Media argues that the media is delivering the content that is shaping our society. Even though women make 51% of the total US population the number that makes it to elite positions in the US is very minimal. The media is to blame for this. The media makes and delivers the news and for this reason most of the things we watch and see is as a result of the trends liked by the media. The media has portrayed the males as dominant over the females. Patriarchy is evident and the female identity has been blurred. Nude pictures are used all over as a way of attraction. The director of this film reveals that despite the 51% female population only 1 7 comprises the congress. To prove that patriarchy is evident the first woman made it in the congress during the 2010 mid-term elections since 1979. Most of the youths are spending most of their times in the media especially through the social sites and they learn a lot from the media which shapes their lives. More especially, the girls are getting the message from a tender age just by watching

Book Analysis on Undercover Essay Example for Free

Book Analysis on Undercover Essay As the days grow shorter, Elisa worries that the increasingly urgent letters she sends her father wont bring him home. Like the undercover agent she feels she has become, Elisa retreats to a pond in the woods, where her talent for ice-skating gives her the confidence to come out from under cover and take centre stage. But when Lila becomes jealous of Theos friendship with Elisa, her revenge nearly destroys Elisas ice-skating dreams and her plan to reunite her family. A. Book 1. Author Beth Kephart was nominated for the National Book Award for her book A SLANT OF SUN. In 2000, she received a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and she also won Pew Fellowships in Arts grant in 2005. At the age of nine, Beth Kephart began to skate on a pond in Boston, where she taught herself the every moves Elisa teaches herself in this story. Beth won her first competitive freestyle competition at a Wilmington, Delaware, rink. Today she ballroom dances and is an avid gardener. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family. 2. Title The main character in the story fits the title under cover, the fact that the main character hides her skill of skiing to her friends and family. B. Characters Protagonist: Elisa Cantor- she is a father’s daughter and doesn’t really relate well with her mother and sister. Antagonist: Lisa- Theo’s girlfriend; known for her beauty and popularity. Supporting Characters: Tina Cantor- Elisa and Jilly’s Mother. Jilly- Elisa’s Sister, she is a very fashionable teenager like her mother. Mr. Cantor- Elisa’s Father, he understands Elisa. Theo- Elisa’s classmate in Honors English, a special friend and one of the boys who ask love notes from Elisa. Margie- Elisa’s past best friend in eighth grade and classmate in Honors English. Dr. Charmin- an Honors English teacher and believed and supports Elisa’s talent in writing. Mr. Marcoroon- a strict Math teacher. Mrs. Garland- a friend of Tina. Stuart little- a client of Mr. Cantor in San Francisco. Sarah- an Honour English student. II. Plot A. Exposition 1. Setting The story takes place in a pond in the woods where she always find herself at ease and thinking she could be herself there alone while skating. B. Complication When her father has to go away for work it makes their life complicated. To make it even more complicated, Elisa starts to fall on a boy who she is providing with poetry to woo another girl. C. Climax Lila tore the dress of Elisa before the start of the skating competition. D. Denouement Elisa never let herself be defeated by wearing the torn dress made by the antagonist, Lila, while skating gracefully. E. Resolution Yes it’s a happy ending because finally her family was once again reunited and everyone accepted the real her. III. Analysis 1. Did you admire the author for writing this book? Why? Yes. A teenager who reads this book would really understand the feelings and thinking’s of the main character of the story. Many teenagers can relate of how it feels to be a loner or to be bullied. 2. Tell something about the cover, did it spark your interest? Does it fit the story? It did spark my interest because it makes me wonder what story it will give me. Yes it does fit in the story because the covers do tell the story. 3. Who is your most favourite character? Why? My favourite character in the story is Elisa Cantor. For being brave enough to uncover her great skill to everybody even when she herself has no confidence that everyone would accept her and gain their respect. 4. Who is your least favourite character? Why? My least favourite character in the story is Lisa, because of her jealousy of Theo’s friendship with Elisa; her revenge nearly destroys Elisa’s ice-skating dreams and her plan to reunite her family. . What is your favourite part of the story? Why? My favourite part of the story is when Elisa got sick during the last days of Christmas season, which was the time that her sister and mother took care of her and after her sickness they finally become close to each other. 6. What is your least favourite part of the story? Why? My lea st favourite part of the story is when Lisa and her friends destroyed Elisa’s dress that was made by her mother and sister for the ice-skating competition. 7. Discuss your favourite quote from the story. â€Å"You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on. Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain Are moving across the landscape, Over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, Are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, The world offers itself to your imagination, Calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting Over and over announcing your place in the family of things. † It tells about a person who doesn’t have to be perfect just to meet their expectations. Being yourself is a lot more happy and easy than pretending or trying to be someone you are not. 8. What is your realization about life after reading the novel? After reading the story I realize in life that you shouldn’t hide yourself from others, don’t be scared of letting them know your true self and don’t give up on something that you haven’t tried yet.

Modern Terrorism Essay Example for Free

Modern Terrorism Essay 1. What major measures can the international community take to prevent terrorism? The fight against terrorist organizations and terrorism is not just a fight that the United States must face alone. This is evident from the Madrid train bombings, the bombings in London, and the terrorist attacks that Israel seems to face everyday from Hizballah. Terrorism is, in effect, international. All nations have a responsibility to combat terrorism to protect them and to protect other nations as well. One of the security measures that can be undertaken is that of securing aircraft and airports. Enders and Sandler cite in their book that between 1973 and 2002, there was an average of ten skyjackings per year (Enders, W. . Sandler, T., 2012). This was a number that is surprising due to the fact that it seems like most werent reported or very little coverage was given to the incidences. There are new technologies being developed all the time to aid in securing of air travel. There is new technology in the area of explosive detection devices. One such technology is called micro-tagging. During this process, tiny chips of micro-taggants are blended into explosive substances and color-coded to identify the manufacturer and batch of explosives (IME, 2005). This system would also be beneficial in the reconstruction of bomb scenes and used to gain knowledge and prepare for future terrorist acts. Another innovative technology is called dielectric analysis. Dielectric analysis is a powerful non-destructive tool for characterizing materials; it can provide accurate, repeatable results unavailable by other electrical means. This, in essence, gives the explosive agents a â€Å"fingerprint† and could provide immediate identification of explosive substances at airports (DHS, 2012). Along with technological advanced in air security, people can often make the biggest impact. In this area, Federal Air Marshals play an important role. This is not something that all countries partake in but more and more countries are adding these individuals to their flights. The airline association estimates that 10 or 20 out of some 115 airlines that fly into the United States already use air marshals (Lichtblau, 2003). Israel, for instance, has used marshals on El Al flights for years, and as stated, some other countries have followed suit more recently, as Australia announced in 2003 that Qantas Airways would begin placing armed marshals on flights to Singapore. Mexico has stated that they would start to use their own air marshals on flights that are going to the United States. However, not all countries and airlines are signed on to the idea. Air France does not use air marshals and the British Air Line Pilots Association said it does not believe that arms belong on aircraft, and British Airways, the countrys biggest airline, said it reserves the right not to fly if it is forced to add air marshals (Lichtblau, 2003). Although there is a general feeling among passengers that they would feel safer on a flight if there were an air marshal on board, not everyone believes the passengers would necessarily be safer. There are those that cite that an armed conflict on a plane would become more dangerous to the passengers as opposed to just letting the terrorist state their demands and work with them for the release of passengers. Sound, actionable, intelligence is another area that countries can utilize for overall protection. Political intelligence is an important factor to combating terrorism. This can be used to identify where the groups are garnering the most support for their cause. When this has been determined, pressure from other nations can be placed on these states to not support the terrorists. The gathering and use of military intelligence is vital in any operation. The intelligence gathered by our forces can assist in finding out how many are in a particular group, what kinds of weapons they have, and where they are located. 2. Do you think the U.S. should follow Israel’s example of fighting terrorism? Explain fully. Israel has been fighting terrorism for many years, even before they became a nation in 1948. They are surrounded by Muslim nations, which historically do not get along with Israelis. This is particularly true of Palestinians. Since Israel is surrounded by so many that wish to do them harm, they have had to take more drastic steps in order to protect themselves. They had become one of the first countries to articulate a deliberate and official policy of retaliation against terrorism. Most nations understand that a nation must fight back in order to protect itself and its interests. Israel on the other hand seems to retaliate in a much more aggressive manner. Such a case was their retaliation against an Arab village in Qibiya, Jordan in 1953. On October 13, 1953, Jordanian terrorists infiltrated the Israeli border and threw a grenade into a house, killing a mother and two children in Tiryat Yehuda. In an effort to prevent further attacks and protect its borders, Israel launched a reprisal raid on Qibiya, a Jordanian town across the border from Tiryat Yehuda. Unit 101, led by then Colonel Ariel Sharon, destroyed 50 homes, killing 69 Jordanian civilians who were hidden inside and had gone unnoticed (Oreck, A. 2007). Sharon had stated that he was not aware that civilians were involved but that did not help in the embarrassment that Israel suffer ed due to the incident. The Israelis have pioneered the area of preemptive strikes against terrorism. This policy is a bit more difficult to convince the international community for its justification. It is one thing to fight back against an attack on your country it is another to strike first to prevent such an attack. But in many cases is necessary to do so. Should we follow Israel’s example? If that question had been posed ten or fifteen years ago, I may have said no. Today, my answer would be yes, with a caveat. Though it may be difficult, I think we would need other countries to publicly back us to carry out certain missions. In the case of a preemptive strike, our allies must be informed of such action so they are not taken by surprise of the situation. As far as targeted killings, we had better have support in this undertaking or else we are going to look like the aggressors or worse, assassins. A prime example is our current situation in the Middle East. Although the United States has a policy against taking out heads of state, which President Ford imposed by executive order in 1976, there is nothing to say that we cannot take out leaders of terrorist groups as in the case of Osama bin Laden. In the climate we live in today, we had better have all of our options open and on the table if we want to defend ourselves and help prevent future attacks. 3. Identify and explain at least three international conventions organized to suppress terrorism. I.The International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 9, 1999, and signed on behalf of the United States of America on January 10, 2000. The Convention is aimed at cutting off the funding that terrorist groups need to operate. This Convention provides an obligation that States Parties criminalize such conduct and establishes an international legal framework for cooperation among States Parties directed toward prevention of such financing and ensuring the prosecution and punishment of offenders, wherever found. II.The International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombing was adopted in 1997. At this convention, The United Nations (1997) states: Created a regime of universal jurisdiction over the unlawful and intentional use of explosives and other lethal devices in, into, or against various defined public places with intent to kill or cause serious bodily injury, or with intent to cause extensive destruction of the public place. (article 2) It is similar to other conventions in that it requires parties to extradite or submit for prosecution person’s accused of committing or aiding in the commission of such offenses. III.The Convention on the Making of Plastic Explosives for the purpose of Detection was ratified by the United Nations in 1991. The members of the U.N. were concerned that plastic explosives had been used for such terrorist acts in the past and could be again in the future and wanted to do something about it. This Convention was aimed at deterring such unlawful acts of the use of plastic explosives because they felt there was a need for an international mandate for States to adopt appropriate measures to ensure that plastic explosives are marked. 4. Briefly evaluate the provision of the U.S. Patriot Act. The U.S. Patriot Act has ten different provisions that outline the United States governments war on terrorism. These provisions impact the war on terrorism in different ways. Some of the provisions deal with rights and responsibilities; others provide areas in which terrorism can be fought. The first title is for the enhancement of domestic security and provides for funding and information gathering. It also prohibits the discrimination against Muslim Americans. Title II is probably the most controversial of all the provisions. It is here where the perceived infringement on civil liberties takes place. This provision reshapes the way the federal government can collect information. The FBI can seize materials from private citizens when it believes national security is at stake and then get permission from courts to do so afterwards. Title III involves the area of money laundering and the financing of terrorist organizations. Title IV increases border patrols and mandates the detention of suspected terrorists. Title V deals with removing obstacles in the investigation of terrorism and addresses the capture and prosecution of terrorists. Title VI provides aid to the families of Public Safety Officers who were injured or killed in terrorist attacks, and amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984. Title VII supports the sharing of information by federal law enforcement agencies. Title VIII strengthens criminal laws against terrorism, defines domestic terrorism, and expands biological weapons statutes. Title IX provides guidance on intelligence information sharing from foreign agencies. The information derived from electronic surveillance or physical searches is disseminated for efficient and effective foreign intelligence purposes. The last title is kind of a catchall and is listed as miscellaneous. It contains 16 sections that do not fall under other titles in the act. 5. Briefly discuss the impact of emergency powers on defeating terrorism. Many nations have forms of so called, â€Å"Emergency Powers†. Some countries call it â€Å"State of Exception†, â€Å"Special Powers†, or â€Å"Terrorist Affected†. No matter what a country may call their emergency powers, extreme circumstances may exist in which the security of the country in needed and these powers allow for authorities to stop, search, question and detain individuals suspected of terrorist involvement. There have been emergency powers used even before the United States was formed. Between 1775 and 1781, the Continental Congress passed a series of acts and resolves which count as the first expressions of emergency authority. These instruments dealt almost exclusively with the prosecution of the Revolutionary War (Relyea, 2006). The President of the United States has available certain powers that may be exercised in the event that the nation is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances (other than natural disasters, war, or near-war situations). Part Two: What changes has the F.B.I. made since 9/11? How have these changes improved the F.B.I.’s ability to respond to terrorism? Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Robert S. Muller, III said the following in a 2008 Washington Times article: Before 9/11, we were an agency that focused primarily on investigating crimes after the fact, he told The Washington Times in an e-mail interview this week. Today we are actively preventing and disrupting destructive and illegal acts before they occur. (para. 3) A few examples of how the F.B.I. is accomplishing this are how they recruit and train their special agents. Mr. Muller instituted a five-year move up or get out plan for its leadership, calling it critical to the success of the future success of the F.B.I. The budget for 2012 was $8.1 billion including $119.2 million in program increases to enhance counterterrorism, computer intrusions, and other programs (The FBI, 2012). They have also made great efforts to increase information sharing with other intelligence agencies which makes efforts to prevent terrorists activities a greater success as in the thwarting of the attempted bombing of downtown Manhattan financial district just a few short months ago. Since the institution of Director Muller’s initiatives and the FBI’s new focus on counterterrorism rather than just being a reactive agency, the FBI is better trained and equipped to not only respond but to go on the offensive when needed. With the help of the Patriot Act and the expanded powers it allows law enforcement to react more decisively and with greater effectiveness. Part Three: What were the policies of Germany and Japan before 9/11? What measures have been taken by these two countries in order to combat terrorism? Prior to 9/11, the German government had a typical laissez faire approach to international terrorists and their organizations. After 9/11 this changed. In a CRS report, Miko, F.T. (2004), stated the following: The German response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States was immediate and unprecedented in scope for that country. Setting aside its post-World War II prohibition against deploying forces outside of Europe and overcoming pacifist leanings of some in the governing coalition, Germany quickly offered military and other assistance to the United States. In his initial reaction to the attacks of 9/11, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder declared Germany’s â€Å"unlimited solidarity† with the United States. On September 12, 2001, the German government, along with other U.S. allies, invoked NATO’s Article V, paving the way for military assistance to the United States. The Chancellor gained approval from the German Parliament to deploy troops to Afghanistan with a call for a vote of confidence in his own government. Since then, German efforts in the fight against terrorism have expanded across a wide spectrum. Germany has instituted significant policy, legislative, and organizational reforms. Bilateral cooperation with the United States has been extensive, despite differences stemming from the distinct approaches and constraints in each country and frictions resulting from sharp disagreement over Iraq policy. (p. 1) Since the end of WWII and Japan’s defeat, their policy has been one of maintaining a Ground Self Defense Force (GSDF) aimed at protecting the homeland only. While Japan remains a loyal supporter of the United States, the public is very reluctant to view military intervention outside the country as favorable. However, they did send a small force to Iraq in a relatively peaceful operating environment in the town of Samawah. While there they neither caused nor received any casualties, which was popular with the Japanese public. Although Japanese opinion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq suggests a willingness to recognize the utility of military power for territorial defense, but not for offensive uses of force, unless these are directly related to national defense, they remain a strong supporter of U.S. policies against terrorists. Part Four: Summarize the salient points of the National Strategy For Combating Terrorism. The salient points of the National Strategy For Combating Terrorism can be summed up as follows: âž ¢Defeat Terrorists and Their Organizations âž ¢Deny Sponsorship, Support, and Sanctuary to Terrorists âž ¢Diminish the Underlying Conditions that Terrorists Seek to Exploit âž ¢Defend U.S. Citizens and Interests at Home and Abroad The list above serves as the Goals and Objectives of the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism as of 2007. These same goals still hold true today. Part Five: Summarize the salient points of the National Strategy To Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction. This was first issued by then President, George W. Bush in December 2002. A description of strategy is as follows: The Weapons of Mass Destruction strategy presents a national strategy to combat weapons of mass destruction (WMD) through three major efforts: (1) nonproliferation, (2) counter-proliferation, and (3) consequence management in WMD incidents (The White House, 2003). The plan addresses the production and proliferation of WMD among nations, as well as the potential threat of terrorists using WMD agents. I leave you with a final quote from President George W. Bush. â€Å"The gravest danger our Nation faces lies at the crossroads of radicalism and technology. Our enemies have openly declared that they are seeking weapons of mass destruction, and evidence indicates that they are doing so with determination. The United States will not allow these efforts to succeed. History will judge harshly those who saw this coming danger but failed to act. In the new world we have entered, the only path to peace and security is the path of action.† President Bush The National Security Strategy of the United States of America September 17, 2002 References: (2005). Taggant History and Background. IME. Retrieved January 8, 2013 from http://www.ime.org/dynamic.php?page_id=66 (2012). Electromagnetic Studies of Explosives Laboratories. 1-2. Department of Homeland Security: http://www.orau.gov/DHS-TSLvisSciProg/labs/TSL_EMX LAB.pdf. (2012). Quick Facts. The FBI. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/quick-facts Conery, B., Mueller praises FBI’s changes since 9/11. The Washington Times. [Editors Picks]. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/25/mu eller-praises-fbis-changes-since-911/?page=all Enders, W. . Sandler, T. (2012). The Political Economy of Terrorism. (2nd ed., pp. 86-90). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Lichtblau, E. (2003). U.S. says it will force countries to arm flights. San Francisco Chronicle, A/1. Retrieved January 8, 2013, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/12/30/MNGJD40F651.DTLtype=printable. Miko, F.T. (2004). Germanys Role in Fighting Terrorism: Implications for U.S. Policy. (RL32710). 1. United States Congress. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RL32710.pdf Oreck, A. (2007). Qibya. Jewish Virtual Library, The Library. Retrieved January 8, 2013, from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Qibiya.html. Relyea, H. C. (2006). National Emergency Powers. In CRS Report for Congress. Congress. Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/98-505.pdf. The White House. (2003). National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction. Arms Control Today. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2003_01-02/document _janfeb03 United Nations. (1997). Conventions Against Terrorism. Retrieved January 9, 2013, from United Nations: http://www.un.org/law/cod/terroris.htm

Indirect Realism: A Plausible Theory Of Perception?

Indirect Realism: A Plausible Theory Of Perception? In this essay I am going to be examining some of the main claims made by indirect realism as well as looking at some of the fundamental problems these claims cause for the theory, such as the epistemological problem, the ontological problem, and the fact that the theory inevitably leads to solipsism. Indirect realism first arose in an attempt to resolve some of the problems faced by common sense realism, where it became apparent that the assumption that our senses almost always give us true information about the nature of the external world is implausible. Indirect realism therefore modifies the ideas presented by common sense realism, by suggesting that what we perceive directly and are immediately aware of is not the world or the objects within it, but sense data. Indirect realists are far from denying the existence of the physical world, but simply claim that the physical objects in the world cause our sense data, and that the sense data we experience represents the external world, to an extent. For example, when I see a horse, I do not perceive it directly, as common sense realism would suggest. I have no sensory contact with the horse, and what I am aware of is only a mental representation, sort of like an inner picture, of the horse. My visual experience is not directly of the horse; however indirect realism claims that it is caused by the horse. What I am aware of is the representation of the horse, which my senses produce. As Dancy explains, Indirect Realism argues that in perception people are indirectly aware of the physical worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in virtue of a direct awareness of internal, non physical objects.  [1]  This means that although someones idea of an object may resemble the object itself, a person can only ever be aware of their idea and never the object itself. Indirect realism also seems to provide a response to the objections to common sense realism, raised but the Illusion Argument. In the instance of colour, for example, one jacket can look completely different colours when viewed in different lights. If we were to then examine the fibres of the jacket material in more detail, we would probably find them to be a variety of different colours. The way it is perceived also depends on the viewer, for example, someone who is colour-blind may see the jacket differently to someone with full colour vision. In view of this, it doesnt seem to make sense to say that the jacket is really yellow, or that its yellowness is independent of the perceiver. In an attempt to explain this kind of phenomenon, indirect realism introduces the notion of primary and secondary qualities. Primary properties resemble the real properties of the object. John Locke, describes them as being utterly inseparable from the body  [2]  and necessary for conception of it. Primary qualities exist both in the world and in sense experiences, and can be experienced by more than one sense. They are measured by physics and are qualities which the object actually has, regardless of the conditions in which it is being perceived or whether it is being perceived at all. Primary qualities include shape, size, position solidity, extension, motion and rest, and number. Locke argues that secondary qualities are nothing in the objects themselves but powers to produce various sensations in us,  [3]  and conceptually inessential. These qualities exist only in sense experiences and can only be experienced by one sense, but objects in the physical world have the power to produce these experiences in us. It may seem as though these properties are really in the objects we perceive, for example, that the yellowness is somehow part of the yellow jacket, however the yellowness that we experience is simply the objects power to produce yellow images in a normal viewer, under normal conditions. The ideas we have of secondary qualities dont resemble the actual objects but are simply a product of the kind of sensory system that we have. Secondary properties include colour, temperature, smell, taste and sound. One major objection to indirect realism is that it seems to make the real world unknowable. It only makes sense for us to say that A resembles B, if it is possible for us to be directly aware of both A and B, in order for us to compare the two. This creates a rather fundamental epistemological problem for indirect realism because the theory states that our sense experiences of the primary qualities of objects resemble the actual qualities of objects in the external world, however, it also states that we can never be directly aware of the external world, so we therefore have no way of checking whether our sense experiences do in fact resemble the external world at all. For example, if my sense experience of a ball is round, I have no way to check that this corresponds with the actual shape of the ball in the external world. We are entirely limited to the evidence of our senses, and since these work by means of mental representations, it seems as though we can never gain any direct inf ormation about the actual properties of the ball, or any other object in the external world. Indirect realism has also led to a problem related to what is known as the veil of perception, which refers to things that are seen indirectly, and not as they are in themselves. This is because there is a veil that we cannot penetrate, because the things that are being perceived (in this case, objects in the external world) exist independent of sensation. This creates a rather fundamental ontological problem for indirect realism, because it only seems to make sense to say that A is caused by B if it is possible for us to know what B is, however the veil of perception seems to prevent us from doing this. Since we are unable to directly access any physical objects in the external world, it is possible that our sense experience could be caused by something entirely different, for example, Descartes evil demon, God, a mad scientist, the matrix, or ourselves. We have no way of getting outside of our own perception to find out what is causing our sense experiences, if there is in fact anything causing them at all. This is another serious problem for indirect realism; it can lead to solipsism, which is the belief that nothing exists beyond oneself and ones immediate experiences. It suggests that since we cannot know the external world and other minds directly, they may well not exist at all. Solipsism is argued to be philosophically absurd for two reasons; the first being the phenomenological reason, which claims that if we were the only beings that existed, we would not feel emotions such as shame, embarrassment and guilt, which require the existence of another person or being in order to have any effect. The second reason is that logically, solipsism just doesnt seem to make sense, and therefore any theory that leads to or allows for this view point, the way indirect realism does, is also argued to be absurd. In conclusion, it seems that although indirect realism does manage to overcome many of the problems faced by common sense realism, it also seems to create many more serious problems of its own. Although the theory at first seems quite plausible, the fact that it allows for solipsism makes it pretty much irredeemable. Indirect realism also fails to account for the causal relation between the external world and our sense experiences, and as we have seen through the veil of perception objection, we have no real reason to believe that our sense experience bare any resemblance to the external world at all. I think indirect realism would be much more plausible if it could offer some form of explanation of the interaction between our sense experiences and the external world. Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 Nano-material: Hydrothermal Synthesis Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 Nano-material: Hydrothermal Synthesis Title: Hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic application of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano-material for degradation of Reactive Blue H5R dye In the proposed research work Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano material will be synthesized using hydrothermal technique for the degradation of reactive blue H5R dye. The chlorides of manganese, iron and zinc will be used for the synthesis of the Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano material. Then synthesized material will be used in water treatment for the degradation of reactive blue H5R dye through photocatalysis using visible light. The examination of the size of the particles and structural properties of the synthesized material will be carried out by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique and the morphology of material will be evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Particle or grain size of prepared samples of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano material will be computed using the Scherer’s formula. The photo-catalytic behavior of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano material will be investigated by measuring the photo degradation rate of the dye. The stability of the nano-photo catalytic material will also be investi gated by the repeated use of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4. INTRODUCTION Synthetic dyes and different chemicals used in textile industries play significant role in environmental pollution. Some of these industrial chemicals and synthetic dyes decompose aerobically and anaerobically resulting in the formation of carcinogenic compounds (Neill et al., 1999). In the past few decades, there has been huge attention between scientists in increasing semiconductor photo-catalysts with great prospective for environmental protection applications like water disinfection (Ullah et al., 2012; Shahid et al., 2013). Most of the ferrite materials are known to show exciting photocatalytic capabilities for hydrogen or oxygen generation from water upon irradiation with visible light. Such visible light absorption properties, and their proper band edge positions with respect to redox levels essential for water splitting, are desirable for a water splitting photocatalyst to work under sunlight (Dom et al., 2014). Ferrite materials technology has now extended to a very progressive stage, in which the properties to a large extent are designed and controlled by engineers, to garb the particular function of the device. Because of their outstanding magneto-transport properties the mixed valence ferrites have involved huge scientific attention in the recent years (Ahmed and Bishay 2005). In the beginning works the ferrites were attained by soft chemistry and mechano-synthesis (Millotet al., 2007). Hydrothermal strategy is a promising synthetic method because of the low process temperature and very easy to manage the particle size. The hydrothermal procedure has several benefits over other growth methods such as the use of simple devices, catalyst-free growth, low cost, large area uniform production, environmental friendliness and less harmful (Aneesh et al., 2007). Moreover, no post-heat behavior is needed for the created nanoparticles, which makes this method extremely suitable as heat treatment might result in particle collection. (Haw et al., 2002) OBJECTIVE The objective of present research work is to produce Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano-sized particles by hydrothermal technique specifically for catalysis of reactive blue H5R dye. The structural properties of synthesized nano-photocatalyst will be studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Photo-catalytic behavior of the Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles will be investigated by determining the photo degradation rate of the reactive blue H5R dye under visible light irradiation. Review of Literature Rath et al. (1999) synthesized Mn0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4 particles in nanosize (9–12nm) using metal chlorides via hydrothermal precipitation. The characterization was done with TEM, XRD, and VSM. The concentration of chloride ion and pH of precipitate played a vital role in retaining the preliminary stoichiometry of the solution of the nano-material. Whereas at low pH, incomplete precipitation of Mn was observed. Zn loss in the nano-particles at higher pH of precipitation was noted. Bujoreanu et al. (2000) investigated the structure of manganese ferrite in powder form which was prepared by co-precipitation method using MnO2 and FeSO4.7H2O. The powder material then was co-precipitated and aged at temperatures ranging from 55 to 59 oC, then washed and dried in the air at room temperature. By the addition 15% sodium hydroxide solution in the 2N cation solution the stoichiometric amounts of MnO2, FeSO4.7H2O and H2SO4 were precipitated Kosak et al. (2004) prepared nanocrystalline MnZn-ferrite with different morphology through single water-in-oil micro-emulsion comprising of n-hexanol, surfactant CTAB and an mixed metal sulfates solution. The mixture was precipitate with sodium hydroxide solution and oxidized with hydrogen peroxide. The prepared nano materials were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET surface analyzer, magnetometry and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Abdollahi et al. (2004) synthesized various compositions of manganese Mn doped ZnO. using precipitation method. XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX, BET techniques were used for characterization. The band gap measurement was done with UV-visible reflectance. XRD pattern showed no impurity peaks, indicating Mn-related secondary phases. The EDX showed the slightly lower amount of Mn doped on ZnO than the theoretical value and SEM showed that 1% Mn-doped ZnO well ordered morphology, homogeneous distribution of slightly lower particle size and low aggregation. Vaidyanathan et al. (2004) compared Mn0.9Zn0.1Fe2O4 synhesized through double sintering method and chemical co precipitation method in order to find the magnetic properties. The precipitated ferrites showed altered magnetic properties like magnetization (Ms), coercive field (Hc) and Curie temperature (Tc). The particles were reduced in size as compared to co-precipitated nano-sized particles. Arulmurugan et al. (2006) prepared by Mn1−xZnxFe2O4 used for ferro-fluid preparation.TG-DTA, XRD, TEM, VSM and Mossbauer spectroscopy was used for description. The ultimate approximated cation contents decided with the initial degree of substitution. The particle size and curie temperature (Tc) reduced with the rise in zinc substitution. The particles with greater zinc concentration, showed ferrimagnetic and super paramagnetic behavior at room temperature. Yimin et al. (2007) synthesized Mn1-xZnxFe2O4 using metal sulfate in aqueous ammonia. The TEM, XRPD, VSM and TGA were appled to demonstrate the material properties. The classification of the nanoparticles was evaluated and discussed. The effects of the reacting components and preparation methods on the Curie temperature, the magnetization and the size distribution of Mn Zn ferrite nanoparticles. Hejase et al. (2012) produced hyperthermia inducing agents manganese zinc iron magnetic nanoparticles. The structure was recongnized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and a superconducting quantum interference device. The curie temperature, saturation magnetization, remnant magnetization, coercive field, and hysteresis were analyzed which showed that adapting the Mn contributed to the modification of properties of the magnetic complex. Shahid et al. (2013) synthesized high effective ZrFe2O5 nanoparticles using co-precipitation method. By (EDX) the chemical composition of nano-materials were analyzed. (FE-SEM) was used to study the morphology. The structural properties of the produced material were appraised by XRD technique. By evaluating the degradation rate of TBO dye in aqueous solution the photo-catalytic action of ZrFe2O5nano-particles was examined under visible light irradiation in the presence of ZrFe2O5nano-particles. By increasing time of exposure under visible light irradiation a steady decrease in absorption peak was noticed. As after 140 min of contact to visible light the 92% degradation effectiveness was detected. Besides, ZrFe2O5nano-photocatalyst could be recaptured and reprocessed purely. The rate of TOC elimination and TBO was decreased by only 10% and 5% respectively, afterward seven cycles of use, representing the more photo-stability of the synthesized nano-photo-catalyst material.

Comparing Lester of American Beauty and Ricci of The Bicycle Thief Essa

Comparing Lester of American Beauty and Ricci of The Bicycle Thief In American Beauty Kevin Spacey who plays Lester lives a typical middle class life with his family. His wife is having an affair, his rebellious daughter doesn’t talk to him and his neighbors are psycho. In contrast The Bicycle Thief portrays a tight family. Riccis wife loves him, his behaved son talks to him and his neighbors are helpful when a crises occurs. In both of these films the main characters, Lester and Ricci, go through a responsibility stage. Both must make a life changing experience, either good or bad, that will have an effect on the people around them. Lester decides to make a few changes in his rut of life, changes that are less mid-life and more adolescence like. While he slowly goes through these changes on film one can see that the more responsibility he gives up the more happy he becomes. What he gives up to make him happy, though, only makes his family more hateful towards him. It isn’t that he gave up his responsibilities to improve his relationship with his daughter or improve it with his wife but to be selfish and gratify himself from what he lost when he was young. He does reckless and foolish things in this movie, but he doesn’t deceive himself, he knows he’s running wild--and chooses to. He let these feelings over power him and he almost let this irresponsibility get the best of him when he found himself alone with his daughters best friend. It’s perfectly natural to have feelings like he has toward her but there came a time with him when he saw what he was going to do was not right. So he refrained and actually gained a friend. (After he has been losing people left and right) His ability to refrain from his action... ...l up Ricci throughout his search encounters indifference to humanity and incivility of others. Ricci fights within himself to be the better person but only ends up in internal conflict with himself. He loses his respect for himself and we are astonished by his indecency toward other people of Riccis same impoverished disposition. On the other hand American Beauty dabbles with the question how uncivil and inhuman can someone lower themselves to over a short period of time. But Lester proves us wrong. His obsession with Angela in the end turns into an act of humanism and civility towards someone who is naive. Both of these main characters traits, at some point in everyone’s life, have delivered or even taught a lesson about refraining from some sort of action that could end up in consequences that are defiant against ones own code of conduct or someone else’s.

Identity Essay -- Identity character literature self

Identity is a state of mind in which someone recognizes/identifies their character traits that leads to finding out who they are and what they do and not that of someone else. In other words it's basically who you are and what you define yourself as being. The theme of identity is often expressed in books/novels or basically any other piece of literature so that the reader can intrigue themselves and relate to the characters and their emotions. It's useful in helping readers understand that a person's state of mind is full of arduous thoughts about who they are and what they want to be. People can try to modify their identity as much as they want but that can never change. The theme of identity is a very strenuous topic to understand but yet very interesting if understood. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez and Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki are two remarkable books that depict the identity theme. They both have to deal with people that have an identit y that they've tried to alter in order to become more at ease in the society they belong to. The families in these books are from a certain country from which they're forced to immigrate into the United States due to certain circumstances. This causes young people in the family trauma and they must try to sometimes change in order to maintain a comfortable life. Both authors: Alvarez and Houston have written their novels Is such an exemplifying matter that identity can be clearly depicted within characters as a way in adjusting to their new lives. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez is a tale of four girls who are forced to leave their country, Dominican Republic. This occurred because their father got into police problems ... ... true American and she has neglected who she really was. Jeanne is a different person but as she grew and became more mature through her experiences she realizes that she can't transform her identity no matter how hard she tried. The theme of identity was clearly stated in How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez and Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki. In both novels families are forced to emigrate from their homeland as an act of protection. As the main characters try to adjust themselves into their new surroundings they undergo extreme pressure into trying to remain comfortable and stable in such a way that their identity (who they are) changes. But once they go back to their homeland and these characteristics are soon acknowledged by them and they then realize that you can't change who you are and your identity well always remain the same.

Juries and their place in society :: essays research papers

The first months of war resounded with the collision of the war plans pored over for decades by the general staffs of Europe. The original German plan for a two-front war, drafted by Helmuth von Moltke the elder, had called for taking the offensive against Russia and standing on the defensive in the rugged Rhineland. The plan showed military prudence and complemented the stabilizing diplomacy of Bismarck. But Alfred, Graf von Schlieffen, presided over the German military in the era of Kaiser William's Weltpolitik and adopted a more ambitious and risky course. His plan, conceived in 1891 and completed by 1905, envisioned a massive offensive in the west to knock out the compact French forces in six weeks, whereupon the army could shift eastward to confront the plodding Russians. But a quick decision could be achieved in France only by a vast enveloping action. The powerful right wing of the German army must descend from the north and pass through the neutral Low Countries. This would virtually ensure British intervention. But Schlieffen expected British aid to be too little and too late. In sum, the Schlieffen Plan represented a pristine militarism: the belief that all factors could be accounted for in advance, that execution could be flawless, that pure force could resolve all political problems including those thrown up by the plan itself. In the event, the Germans realized all of the political costs of the Schlieffen Plan and few of the military benefits.Like the Germans, the French had discarded a more sensible plan in favour of the one implemented. French intelligence had learned of the grand lines of the Schlieffen Plan and its inclusion of reserve troops in the initial assault. General Victor Michel therefore called in 1911 for a blocking action in Belgium in addition to an offensive into Alsace-Lorraine. But this required twice the active troops currently available. France would either have to give up the Belgian screen or the offensive. The new chief of staff, J.-J.-C. Joffre, refused to believe that Germany would deploy reserve corps in immediate combat and gave up the screen. By October 1914 all the plans had unraveled. After the German defeat in the Battle of the Marne, the Western Front stabilized into an uninterrupted line for 466 miles from Nieuwpoort on the Belgian coast south to Bapaume, then southeast past Soissons, Verdun, Nancy, and so to the Swiss frontier.

Race and Birdie

â€Å"Lost in Caucasia†: an essay on the novel Caucasia by Danzy SennaAds by GoogleAssociate Nursing Courses www. keiser-education. com Earn A Degree In Nursing From Keiser University. Register Today! Why am I posting this? This is an essay I wrote for a Women's Studies course I took in University. When writing an essay or an assignment for school the hardest part for me was figuring out where to start. I believe that getting a few ideas by seeing examples and reading other peoples essay's always helped me figure out how I would write my own essay and how to get started.That is why I decided to share my essay with all of you. Hope this helps! Caucasia: A Novel by Danzy Senna Pin It Caucasia: A novel by Danzy Senna Introduction Caucasia by Danzy Senna is a narrative of a young bi-racial girl’s journey of coming to race consciousness as she is forced to leave her home in the south end of Boston (a â€Å"racially† mixed area), and disappear into â€Å"Caucasia† (the white nation). One of the main themes in the novel is the issue of â€Å"race†. Senna explores the contradictions between a visible racial identity and a subjective identity, and as a consequence destabilizes the idea of â€Å"race†.The novel Caucasia illustrates the intersectional social constructions of whiteness through Birdie’s struggles with identity, her standpoint, and the structures of difference and race seen through her eyes. Identity Caucasia examines the relationship of identity with the self (body and mind) and how others perceive us in our bodies. Senna shows the reader how identities of gender, race and nationality are intersectionally and socially constructed. In the beginning of the novel Birdie has no name, her identity is shaped and formed by how others see her.The confusion Birdie feels with her identity is not only due to the discord she feels between her body image and her physical body which most adolescent girls deal with, but she also feels confusion regarding the mixed messages she receives from the â€Å"white† and â€Å"black† communities because of her white skin. The characters of Birdie and Cole are both bi-racial, however others (including their own parents) see Birdie as â€Å"white† and Cole as â€Å"black†. During Birdie’s childhood and her time at Nkrumah, Birdie was raised to have a strong â€Å"black† identity.This identity was problematized by her white skin and facial features. At times Birdie felt as if she was valued less then Cole for not fitting the â€Å"black† image: â€Å"Others before had made me see the differences between my sister and myself—the texture of our hair, the tints of our skin, the shapes of our features. But Carmen was the one to make me feel that those things somehow mattered. To make me feel that the differences were deeper than skin† (Senna, 1999, p. 91). Birdie begins her identity quest by attempting to disappear, to become invisible. Birdie recalls a story told to her by Cole about Elemeno.That Elemeno is not only a language, but also a people and a place of safety and inclusion. Cole explained to Birdie that people in Elemeno constantly shift shape and colour in a quest for invisibility in order to survive as a species. The power of the Elemeno people lays in their ability to disappear into any surroundings. In response to Cole’s story, Birdie asks â€Å"What was the point of surviving if you had to disappear? † (Senna, p. 7-8). Ironically the story of the Elemeno’s would foreshadow Birdie’s own disappearance into â€Å"Caucasia† for her own survival.The need for Birdie to â€Å"disappear† or become â€Å"invisible† in order to survive in â€Å"Caucasia† echoes the writings of bell hooks (1992). In speaking of the power and terror of the white gaze historically in the U. S. , hooks explains that there is safety in the  "pretense of invisibility† (hooks, p. 340) and how black people have learned to â€Å"wear the mask† (hooks, p. 341) in an effort to become and remain in that safe haven of invisibility from the terrorizing white gaze. Birdie appears to have been wearing â€Å"the mask† since her time in Nkrumah.The hostility of the other children toward Birdie in particular, at the all â€Å"black† school forces Birdie to â€Å"wear the mask† and put on a racial performance for her schoolmates in Nkrumah and she even begins to learn to speak in slang to better fit in. The character of Birdie resembles that of a chameleon, constantly taking on the colour of those around her in an attempt to become invisible. This racial performance shifts through Birdie’s journey as she attempts to fit in with the â€Å"white† teenagers in New Hampshire.Birdie begins to act, talk, and dress like the New Hampshire teens and as a consequence begins to disappear into â₠¬Å"Caucasia† (the white nation) and her falsified identity of Jesse Goldman. As hooks points out, for white people there is an assumption and fantasy of safety (hooks, p. 340). This can be seen in Sandy Lee’s assumption that she can easily disappear into whiteness, which she takes for granted. Despite Sandy’s rejection of her history of white privilege, she always has the safety in knowing that she has the option of disappearing into the safety of whiteness.For Birdie disappearing into whiteness does not denote â€Å"safety†, it signifies losing herself and her true identity. Birdie must contain and compromise her own true identity in order to have this â€Å"pretense of invisibility†. Eventually, Birdie’s loss of her true identity drives her to flee New Hampshire and remove her â€Å"mask†. â€Å"I wondered†¦ if I too would forever be fleeing in the dark, abandoning parts of myself that I no longer wanted, in search of some part that had escaped me. Killing one girl in order to let the other one free† (Senna, p. 289).Birdie’s disappearances throughout her journey were identity forming processes and important for her search for her sense of self and her identity. Birdies identity quest began by attempting to disappear and become invisible, however, her quest comes full circle as she again finds herself at the end of the novel. Throughout the novel Birdie also struggles with her sexual identity. Senna challenges the categorization of identities through the character of Birdie and suggests that identity is fluid. Birdie does not fit into the rigid categories of â€Å"white† or â€Å"black† or gay or straight, she is in-between.Standpoint Senna also examines whiteness and its social construction from the character Birdie’s standpoint in the novel. Standpoint refers to the location or place within the relationship of domination and subordination, that affects what people see or do not see. Ruth Frankenberg (1993) argues that there is a direct relationship between experience and standpoint. She argues that those who are the oppressed in the systems of domination are more likely to see the structure of domination because they experience it (Frankenberg, p. 5).In Caucasia, Birdie can see whiteness in ways others can not due to the fact that Birdie sits on the boundary of whiteness. In fact, for this same reason Birdie can see blackness in ways that others can not. To the â€Å"black† community Birdie is seen as â€Å"white†, but in comparison to the â€Å"white† community she feels like she is â€Å"black†. She looks on at each end of the spectrum to the structures of whiteness and blackness from in-between both. She becomes aware of the white gaze and the power of the white gaze in ways that others can not.Birdie becomes aware of the power of the white gaze very early on as she experiences the terror it puts in her father when he is questioned by the police and accused for kidnapping â€Å"a little white girl† (Senna, p. 60-61). Structures of Difference and Race The setting of the novel Caucasia plays an important role in its examination of the social construction of whiteness. The novel is set during the 1970’s in the racially tense city of Boston in the mix of the civil rights movement in America.Caucasia made it apparent that the nation was very fractured and built on processes of exclusion (and inclusion) and othering. The history of America as a nation has been built through the violent creation of difference, and as a consequence the violence and wedge of difference continues into the time of this novel. Sandy Lee refers to the nation as â€Å"This war they call America† (Senna, p. 331), illustrating the fractured nationalism that exists within the nation. These inequalities that structure differences are relational (relationship between privileged and oppressed).Frankenberg argue s that â€Å"whiteness† is a racialized identity that is constructed in relation to the racialized â€Å"other† (Frankenberg, p. 13). The foundation of white supremacy is based on the belief that whiteness is a pure category and a dominant â€Å"race† and as such, it must be protected and kept intact. This essentialist view of racism (seeing race as different) is seen in Caucasia in many instances through the reactions to Birdie and Cole from others and how others see them. We can see this in particular through the characters of Carmen and Grandma Logan.The differential treatment of the two sisters by both these characters shows the hidden prejudices that exist within people shaped by the structures of difference and race. In regards to Grandma Logan, Birdie recalls â€Å"she believed that the face was a mirror of the soul. She believed, deep down, that the race my face reflected made me superior. Such a simple, comforting myth to live by† (Senna, p. 366) . Grandma Logan also represents the generational history of whiteness which has placed her in a position of privilege.In hooks examination of whiteness, she explains that white people can safely imagine that they are invisible to black people (hooks, p. 340). This is in part due to the normalization of whiteness by â€Å"white† people in which they view whiteness as â€Å"non-racial† or racially neutral. In Caucasia, Senna constructs whiteness as being the object of critical scrutiny through her character of Birdie. At the beginning of the novel, Birdie describes most people she see’s as having caramel or cinnamon skin without ever identifying them by â€Å"race†.On the other hand, Birdie clearly identifies â€Å"white† people by â€Å"race† with no mention of skin tone. Thus, it becomes evident to the reader that there is a reversal from the usual format in society in which whiteness is seen as the â€Å"norm†. In Birdie’s wor ld it is â€Å"black† people who are the â€Å"norm† and â€Å"white† people who are the exception. Conclusion Through Birdie’s journey in Caucasia, the author illustrates the intersectional social constructions of whiteness and rejects the rigid categories of identity that have been socially constructed.Senna also examines the relationships of power and subordination of whiteness and blackness, through the eyes of Birdie who stands in-between the boundaries of these constructed categories. Finally, through Birdie’s journey of race cognizance we see the structures of difference and how they affect lives. Birdie’s journey illustrates that the citizens of America all live in very different â€Å"America’s† according to their racialized, gendered, and sexualized experiences and how these categories intersect to create greater â€Å"difference† and further fracture the nation.