Important lessons about West African history Essay

In light of current events – the resurgence of racism in the U. S. , the political and social upheavals in Africa, and other sad legacies of 300 years of slave trade and colonialism – it is easy to forget that in many ways, Africans brought these evils upon themselves. In the historical novel Segu by Afro-French Caribbean scholar Maryse Conde, we are presented with a vivid portrait of the political struggles and infighting, as well as social and cultural conflicts that put enough stress on traditional African societies so as to allow their exploitation by European powers as well as Arabs and Ottoman Turks. These sweeping events are presented in miniature through the story of Dousika Traore, advisor to the King of Bambara in the city of Segu (located in present-day Mali on the Niger River). His four sons represent the major forces that were tearing at the fabric of traditional African society during the late eighteenth century; Islam, Christianity, the slave trade and Western-style capitalism. Tiekoro, the eldest turns his back on tradition and embraces Islam, a rigidly patriarchal faith with harsh, ascetic demands. It requires that he turn his back on the ancestors, â€Å"protectors of his clan,† (Conde, 35), and required that a man give up many pleasures: â€Å"Monzon, even though he made use of the services of Muslim marabouts, had feelings of the greatest repugnance against Islam, which castrated men, reduced the number of wives they might have, and forbade dolo [an alcoholic beverage] . Could a man live without dolo? Without it, where was he to find the strength to face each succeeding day? † (131). Tiekoro soon learns some hard facts, however, especially in Part I, Chapter 8, as his natural physical drives come between him and his desire to become a devout Muslim. Naba, the youngest, is captured and sold into slavery. While the popular TV mini-series, Roots depicted this sort of kidnapping as perpetrated by white â€Å"slave-catchers,† the reality is this was rarely done. Most often – as depicted in Segu – this happened as the result of kidnapping or capture by other black Africans (typically of a rival nation or clan) or Muslim traders. In fact, it is noteworthy that Conde depicts the aristocracy of the kingdom as more than willing to finance their traditionally hedonistic lifestyles by means of the slave trade. Malobali embraces Christianity, another influence of white Europeans. In part, he appears to be driven to this, being pressured by his elder brother Tiekoro, who thinks what is good for him is good for the others (165). Eventually, he embraces Christianity (252), which involves losing his name and his language as he is renamed â€Å"Samuel† and taught the French language. Yet cultural and family issues (251-292) come between him and his full acceptance of what, like Islam, is a patriarchal and restrictive faith at odds with the cultural values with which he is raised. Siga is the son who attempts to hold on to the traditions of his father. Dousika’s death fairly early in the novel (135) is symbolic of a culture and a society that is dying all around him. As a younger son, Siga is not in a position of power, yet resists Tiekoro’s authority and attempts to force the family to accept Islam. Nonetheless, the forces tearing apart traditional society and culture are too powerful for him; ultimately, Siga adopts the life and occupation of a merchant of wares, enabling him to live in some degree of comfort, but stripping him of what status he might have enjoyed as Dousika’s son. In Segu, the reader has an excellent opportunity to see the slave trade and the exploitive colonization of Africa from the African perspective, gaining a greater understanding of the fact that no people in history have even been conquered without inside help. Work Cited Conde, Maryse. Segu. English ed. (New York: Penguin Books, 1987)Ã'Ž

Designing Activity Systems Research Essay

The greatest challenge facing an Activity-Theory-based approached to researching interconnected networks and activity systems is the tension between the necessarily holistic view of â€Å"better contextuality† suggested by Kuuti, and the need for an appropriate level of analytic abstraction and â€Å"generalizable† research results required for the research to have utility across disciplines (as cited in Nardi, 1996, p. 22; Nardi, 1996, p. 70). This tension can be partially mitigated by focusing simultaneously on object/motive-oriented research of individuals and on community-object-oriented research of larger subject communities. Thus in a research setting, the object, activity, and operation levels of each individual subject would be documented, both as subjectively articulated in interviews, and as prescribed in that individual’s task description. The overarching community object, activity, and operation levels of the various interacting subject communities would also be documented, in terms of a written prospectus of the group’s initial goals and any obtainable data regarding any sub-group’s particular objects, either explicitly or implicitly stated. Because of the magnitude of data likely resulting from such research techniques, trends from the collected data are probably best analyzed through statistics-based computer modeling. Any truly contextual understanding of activity systems requires researchers to pay close attention in particular to what Kuuti calls action-operation dynamics, noting when and how, for individual subjects, the orientation phase of a given action has passed and the action has been internalized as operation (as cited in Nardi, 1996, p. 31). This phenomenon could be identified in a number of ways. For instance, when individuals begin to elide unnecessary orientation-phase-steps in a process, or when they have re-articulated their objects to indicate a broadening of scope, it is likely because they have moved beyond the orientation phase for a given action and internalized it as operation. Research into interrelated activity systems and networks also requires a nuanced understanding of how community subjects interact, both which each other and with individual subjects. Documenting these interactions through research would require a thorough enumeration of how both formal and informal subject groups affect one another, and the specific â€Å"contradictions† that they exhibit through their objects (Kutti as cited in Nardi, 1996, p. 34). For example, to fully define and therefore research the activity of a software company working on a new database platform, researchers would need to understand the myriad goals of each sub-group and engineer within the company, as well as the company’s larger goals, and the intentions of competing companies. This would require ongoing observation and interview data, and given the vast amounts of data likely to be mined in this process, a computer-based, statistical approach would likely be most effective. Situated Action vs. Activity Theory Because Situated Action Models explicitly reject an intention or goal-based definition of action, they do not lend themselves well to analytical abstraction. Each model being â€Å"inextricably embedded in a particular situation,† no two models are likely to offer enough commonality to allow comparison across situations, let alone across disciplines (Nardi, 1996, p. 1). Activity Theory, by contrast, offers its fundamental tenet as its organizing schema: consciousness and intent are the defining the elements of all activity (Nardi, 1996, p. 11). This perspective has several benefits. First, since Situated Action refuses to consider a subject’s intent in its analysis, â€Å"the activity can only be known as it plays out in situ† (Nardi, 1996, p. 82). This means that Situated Action researchers must posit their own interpretation of a subject’s actions, and ignore the subject’s stated intention. Such â€Å"constructed rationalizations† are more the province of speculative psychology than observational science (Nardi, 1996, p. 82). This view appears even more absurd in light of the fact that Situated Action offers no explanation as to why, despite its guiding premise, human subjects invariably do explain their actions through their intentions, and often â€Å"demand or believe† such explanations from others (Nardi, 1996, p. 81). Second, Activity Theory, by starting from the premise that intention and consciousness are fundamental elements in the definition of action, immediately offers a means of demarcating and understanding activity that Situated Action Models lack (Nardi, 1996, p. 83). As Nardi points out, two subjects in identical environments may display disparate actions that can only be parsed in light of each subject’s intent or object (Nardi, 1996, p. 83). Using the â€Å"object† as the organizing rinciple further allows Activity Theory to maintain a consistent analytical schema across disciplines and at varying levels of generality. For instance, both individual subjects and subject communities can be parsed according to the subject/object and object/action/operation paradigm. Lastly, Activity Theory allows research to continue over a â€Å"longer time horizon† because, while the situations examined in Situated Action Models tend to be quite ephemeral, the objects of Activity Theory may persist for months or years (Nardi, 1996, p. 3). This allows research of a given subject to proceed cumulatively, and not be wasted as soon as a given situation expires. It further allows researchers to focus on a higher level of abstraction, recurrence, and commonality than Situated Action Models, and to avoid the â€Å"claustrophobic thicket of descriptive detail† that becomes necessary when disregarding intentionality (Nardi, 1996, p. 92).

Computer and Securiy Era Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer and Securiy Era - Research Paper Example 2). This urged the computer professional to think about computer security and a need to create system protecting mechanisms and installing layers of security between the computers of different users. During this time, the concept of protection ring was evolved which is a hierarchical protection domain, that mainly uses hardware resources with some CPU architectures to add security within any system. During 1970s, the computer security field was formally taken for research. Two famous research reports were published in this era (Gollmann, 2011, p. 3). The first one was produced by Willis Ware, who talked about the technical foundations of computer security and also included analysis of the policy requirements of applications. Another report was published by Anderson, which focused on the design of secure computer systems for protecting classified information, such as US defense sector. Thus, the decade of 1970 can be called one of the most important decades in the history of computer security (Gollmann, 2011, p. 6). This was a time when new technologies were being heavily introduced in form of different kinds of applications and hardware resources. These new technologies were creating real issue regarding computer security. For the protection of public and defense data, implementing encryption was seen by government a comprehensive solution for securing computer memory and on backup media. The US Federal Bureau of Standards asked IBM for a data encryption standard, in response of which, the company came up with an algorithm, calling it â€Å"Data Encryption Standard†. The algorithm processes and encryption was then widely discussed in public forums. The birth of cryptography took place. The encryption processes and algorithms were improved by time. The encryption also gives the basic concept and idea of HTTP, HTML and XML, which are extremely important components of the internet (Gollmann, 2011, p. 8). After the introduction of Personal Computers, the

The successfulness of using a mental disorder as a criminal defense Term Paper

The successfulness of using a mental disorder as a criminal defense - Term Paper Example This might have been due to the recent opinions on the ban of the death penalty for juveniles which might justify the barring of the execution of persons with various mental disabilities. Atkins v. Virginia The Atkins v. Virginia (00-8452) 536 U.S. 304 (2002) 260 Va. 375, 534 S.  E. 2d 312 case, is an example of cases that addresses the issue of death penalty, as a cruel and abnormal punishment and a violation of the Eighth amendment imposed upon a mentally retarded individual. Daryl Renard Atkins was convicted of abducting, robbing, and murdering Eric Nesbitt. During the hearing of Atkins’ sentence, the presented evidence was that Atkins was mentally retarded. The jury gave Atkins a death sentence. The Virginia Supreme Court ordered the second hearing, but Atkins was again given a death penalty; which the Virginia Supreme Court affirmed. The U.S Supreme Court granted certiorari to review the case (Carmen, Ritter, & Witt, 2008). The petitioner, Daryl Renard Atkins argued tha t procedures allowing the infliction of the death penalty on the mentally retarded individuals notwithstanding their diminished accountability violated the Eighth amendment. Atkins further argued that by executing a mentally retarded individual, the decency standards were offended. ... Justification for the death penalty, revenge and preclusion was appropriate for mentally retarded persons. It was risky to impose the death penalty, since the mentally retarded persons are expected to be poor witnesses and unable to support their counsel. Justice Stevens rendered the death penalty as inappropriate. Chief justice Rehnquist, Justice Scalia, and Thomas, agreed to the court’s reliance on the foreign laws, which prohibited the death penalty of mentally retarded persons. Rehnquist found out that when sentencing, jury information was considerable in determining contemporary values. The information and State legislations should be the major factor to determine the contemporary values (Carmen, Ritter, & Witt, 2008). Justice Scalia, Justice Rehnquist, and Thomas disagreed on the sentence after realizing that the court had agreed and followed personal feelings in deciding the case. Scalia noted that the information presented showed that there was a consensus, and that St ate legislation prohibiting execution of mentally retarded persons was not yet developed. Scalia further stated that, it is possible for one to fake the symptoms of mental retardation. Finally, Scalia pointed out that mentally retarded individuals are vulnerable to the death penalty. However, in sentencing, their background could be considered as a mitigating factor (Carmen, Ritter, & Witt, 2008). States that allowed the execution of the mentally retarded persons were forced to modify their statutes with regard to the decision made in the Atkins case. Moreover, it was noted that as a means of avoiding death penalty, more â€Å"mental retardation† claims were expected. The Atkins case is

Identify and critically review some key debates related to Essay

Identify and critically review some key debates related to inequalities and health - Essay Example lities in health between the most and least socially advantaged populations in the UK have been reported in every major report on public health (Black et al. 1980). Presence of huge health inequalities not only within but also between countries is the convincing evidence that socio-economic status seriously influences public health. Thus, life expectancy at birth in wealthier Japan is more than 80 years while in incomparably poorer Sierra Leone it is only 34 years – a difference which is shocking to say the least (Marmot 2005). However, growing inequalities in health in the UK and other developed and developing countries, coupled with the increasing disparities in wealth and income, have forced many researchers to rethink the traditional narrow approach to exploring the contributors to such situation. Social and economic circumstances have been associated though not as heavily as these days, with health inequalities for many decades. Socio-economic status strongly influences people’s physical and mental health, their use of health care, and mortality rates. Many recently published works on socio-economic determinants of health inequalities clearly demonstrate that these exist in the UK and elsewhere in the world, even in the richest societies (Krieger et al. 1997). However, none of the existing definitions or even groups of definitions comprehensively reflects the essence of the highly complex and multilateral concept which is health. Probably the most common and widely adopted definition of health is the one suggested by the World Health Organization: â€Å"health is positive concept that emphasises social and personal resources, as well as physical capabilities. It involves the capacity of individuals – and their perceptions of their ability – to function and to cope with their social and physical environment, as well as with specific illnesses and with life in general† (WHO, 1984). Evidently, this definition seeks to emphasize the complexity and

MRI Gradient Coils Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MRI Gradient Coils - Essay Example researcher defined the gradients in line 10 of the last page. It could have been better if it was placed in the Introduction rather than in the last page since definitions were intended to introduce the reader to the significant terms used in the writing. The researcher wrote in the second paragraph of the abstract, â€Å"Human research magnets of 7T and 8T are operation in several site worldwide.† However, it is quite disturbing why these types of magnets were mentioned in the abstract but nothing in the research paper discussed these things. Said sentence therefore appears to be irrelevant. Thus, the researcher must either discuss these types of magnets in the body of the paper or better yet, totally delete the above-quoted sentence. In addition, the author mentioned in the introduction that he/she will elaborate on the different gradient types and designs thereof. However, perusal of the body of the research paper would show that only the three (3) main ingredients, to wit, z, y and x, were discussed as part of the MR system. In the last paragraph of the summary, the author stated, â€Å"the distinct advantages over normal radiographs and CT examinations, is that it does without the delivery of ionizing radiation to the patient†. I respect the author’s view; however, I cannot agree on this as MRI gives precise contrast differences between soft tissues that significantly help in diagnosing abnormalities than other normal radiographs and CT examinations.

Film Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film Analysis - Essay Example The film has assumed its rightful place in the pantheon of American film for its sweeping depiction of the events surrounding the Civil War. Still, it’s clear that in keeping with Hollywood trends the film bends and shapes history to meet its narrative ends. This essay considers Gone With the Wind’s depiction of historical events and examines the effect they have on the film’s overall ideological message. One of the major areas in which Gone With the Wind demonstrates various degrees of historical accuracies is the articulation of African-Americans and the 19th century African-American throughout the film. When viewing Gone With the Wind the audience will become aware of the limited reference to the Ku Klux Klan and to the incendiary word ‘nigger’. Even as the original novel and screenplay contained references to these objects, they were removed by producer David Selznick after receiving the first copy of the draft. While one might not believe that t his indicates a significant historical inaccuracy as they represent instances of withholding information rather than articulating it in a wrong way, upon further inspection it’s clear that neglecting this material constituted a significant gap in the actual depiction of 19th-century Southern existence. After the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated a significant presence in the Southern states. In response to screenwriter Howard, Selznick indicated, â€Å"A group of men can go out to 'get' the perpetrators of an attempted rape without having long white sheets over them and without having their membership in a society as a motive" (Leff). In these regards, it appears that the primary concern in implementing the Ku Klux Klan was it being referred to as an organization; one can surmise the fear was that references could be used as a motivation tool for existing Ku Klux Klan organizations. While these concerns held reasonable points, it seems clear that as they do hold this incendiary power, they also represent a significant historical inaccuracy. As civil rights concerns sought to conceal this aspect of American history, they may have actually contributed to understandings of 19th-century existence as not being as oppressive and organizationally challenging as in reality they were. In addition to Selznick’s deletion of reference to the Ku Klux Klan, the deletion was made to the word nigger. There were a variety of reasons behind this deletion and it wasn’t as clear-cut as many might imagine. After speaking with a broad array of black leaders Selznick determined that the use of the word would not be appropriate in the current social climate. One interesting side-note is that the film censorship board reviewed these concerns as well. In these regards, â€Å"The movie industry's censors had ruled only that "nigger" "should not be put in the mouth of white people† (Leff). One notes that the contemporary acceptable social incarnation o f the word nigger in media outputs also is divided along these race lines, indicating the power the film industry plays in shaping socially acceptable views and interactions regarding race. Still, similar to the deletion of the Ku Klux Klan, one must consider the extent that the deletion actually contributes to civil rights, or whitewashes a particularly troubling period in American history.

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

African American - Research Paper Example In response to that issue, a number of things were done such as the enactment of laws that prohibited the exclusion of African Americans from a number of important things. The constitution was amended to prohibit the state and national government from denying the United States citizens their right of voting on the account of color, race or earlier situations of servitude (Cross 6). This period is referred to as the progressive reforms. The spirit of reform got strength in the late 1800s and progressed in the early 1900s. The reformers also called progressives had confidence in their capability to enhance the quality of life and the government. In unit 2, the African Americans faced discrimination both in the South and North. Although they were officially free, the African Americans were out rightly deprived of their basic rights and they were restricted to citizenship of the order second class. The period also witnessed the rebirth of Ku Klux Klan in Georgia in 1915; Ku Klux Klan terrorized the African Americans during the Reconstruction. The new Klan wanted to reinstate the white Protestant America (Adams 630). In response to discrimination, the African Americans started fighting for equal opportunities. They were joined by other minorities who assisted the African Americans to battle for their own opportunities and justice. The African Americans had the quest to achieve equality and thus rose to the challenge of accomplishing it (Adams 631). The outcome of the fight was the development of a number of associations and organizations and success in a number of professional fields (Adams 632). In unit 3, the African Americans lived free of oppression and the period is referred to as the Great Migration. The social challenge at that time was the racial discrimination. Majority of the African Americans lived in the South and a bigger percentage of them worked in agriculture. In the

Latinos as into the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Latinos as into the United States - Essay Example Factors driving Mexican migration to the United States in 1848-1945 Mexican revolution in 1910 was the push factor that sparked a large exodus of Mexican laborers to the southwest though this push coincided with a pull force in United State of economic development (Ornelas, 1999). Economic development mainly in California, Arizona and Texas contributed by extensive irrigation system, elaborate transport system and the demand induced by World War 1 (Ornelas, 1999). Social and economic instability in home land caused Mexican laborers to be attracted in United State where unskilled laborers in southwestern industries were paid even five times better compared to similar industries in the home country (Ornelas, 1999), thus higher wage was the attractive pull force to Mexican. According to Ornelas department of labor in 1914 reported that about 8000 aliens mainly of Mexican had entered United State at Eagle pass, Significant northward movement by Mexican laborer began with construction of Mexican railroad connecting United State border towns with Mexico city and greatly increased with completion of construction of rail road in 1980’s (Ornelas,1999) this is because rail road provided the most common mode of transport for Mexican migrant.aso automobile transport provided another means of transport to United State (Ornelas,1999). Due to intensified military operation after the assassination of President Francisco Madero, many people were panic stricken and this lead to expanded dimension of movement across the border and many Mexican ended up in United State (Ornelas, 1999).

MGMT402 U 5 DB2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGMT402 U 5 DB2 - Research Paper Example When a person uses this information to judge an individual based on the analysis of the group’s information, then it can be called statistical discrimination. Unconscious bias takes place when an employer takes perceived notions about a specific group of people and makes use of the notions to influence decisions. These two sorts of discrimination show similarity in that they are both involuntary means of discrimination. Statistical information is presumed to be factual, but they should not be used as determinants of hiring practices. The information used in unconscious bias in the society is in the form of societal influences and personal experiences (Delahaunty, &Foote, 2011). Both theories do not support the need for antidiscrimination laws and policies. This is because they are based on assumptions that discrimination is a function of psychological processes. The support of antidiscrimination laws and policies requires the defense of the principles that are normative and which justify the application of the laws to the forms of discrimination. The law has raised standards aimed at the elimination of discrimination at work (Delahaunty, &Foote, 2011). This has created an impact towards reduction of discrimination determined by psychological processes. New antidiscrimination laws have provided an attitude in the minds of both employers and employees. The distance in power at the workplace instills fear of the minority groups who fear losing their jobs, hence do not report any form of discrimination. Antidiscrimination laws based on religious beliefs are not relevant to the current times. The laws provide that certain members should not attend work on certain days for them to worship. Most of the employees take advantage of their employers, in that, they neither attend work nor attend worship meetings. Most of the employees use their time to unwind. Current exemptions for such employees based on religion are arbitrary and outdated. Nobody

Upholding Peace in the International Community Essay Example for Free

Upholding Peace in the International Community Essay For many years, the United Nations have been the main international organization which is responsible for most of the conflicts and issues which had been present in the international community. From the year 1945, the United Nations is the foremost organization which is capable of uniting all nations in concerns with regards to attaining peace and security for all nations. In the international community, many nations have experienced conflicts and problems due to many different types of matters such as wars, terrorism, and etc. Thus, there is a need to have a mediating actor for the issue to be resolved. In the past, many nations had been representing as a mediator/s in order to resolve issues however, the World Wars had been an evidently one situation in which the world needed one institution that would be able to apply the best interest of every nation. The United Nations is the only entity that is run by the whole global community in order to handle all types of threats that may diminish peace and security among nations (United Nations, 2008). The duties of the United Nations to uphold the international law and maintain neutrality through protecting every nation is also an obligation which the organization is striving to attain. Therefore, the United Nations is responsible in the mediation of nations in terms of conflicts and misunderstandings which is usual occurrence in the international community due to reasons of territory, terrorism, religion, politics, human right violations and the likes. Thus, the United Nations is upholding the international law through keeping the traditional ways of prevailing peace. In accordance to the abilities and responsibilities of the United Nations. , for many decades the organization had been active in peace keeping. Many nations have and are participating in this kind of activity for they believe in the ability of military forces to resolve variety of conflicts. The peacekeeping missions of the United Nations had been present in different parts of the world such as Africa, Middle East, Asia, Latin America and the likes. During conflicts such as civil wars, wars and terrorism the United Nations are often the first international organization to be brought in the war zone. Some of their duties are to provide the medical needs of the people most especially those that are weak due to sicknesses and the hostile activities done with in the parameters of war. In refugee camps, the United Nations peace keeping teams together with other international organizations such as the Red Cross are present in maintaining sanitations in the location to lessen the possibilities of having an epidemic in the place. In addition to these, the United Nations peace keeping (United Nations Peacekeeping, 2009) is also responsible in rebuilding the devastated placed which had been tremendously hit by the war. There are times in which the United Nations peace keeping teams are assigned to different tasks such as rebuilding nations through construct buildings and facilities, feed children and people who are devastated by the war, fight the groups that sustain atrocities towards civilians and the likes. Hence, the United Nations peacekeeping is immersed in the task of helping nations and its people in times of need. It is not only with mediating and creating policies must be the organization present its active participation with maintain the peacefulness of the international community but also in creating vivid actions that will create a difference most especially for the people who are facing such difficult times. Reflecting on the events which had happened for the past decades, it is evident that the United Nation has been the most active in promoting peace and security. Reflecting on the wars which had been participated by the United Nations, it is evident that the troops being brought to most of the war zones creates a difference through bringing peace in the state. In the movie Hotel Rwanda, the civil war conflict has arisen during the 1990’s. The government did not have control with the people or the government offices, the militants were the ones that have the power amongst all the control which must be given to the government leaders. Thus, the whole Rwanda was already uncontrollable. Thus, there was a need for an international intervention which could only be done by the United Nations and countries that are related to the country of Rwanda. Due to the huge impact of the civil war many people were devastated and needed to move outside of their homes which then make them refugees of the war. In such situations, the United Nations is also responsible in creating a list and saving these people in being displaced. These refugees are given temporary homes providing camps which could provide all their needs such as medication, food and security from the grave dangers of the wars and the militants. Until this very day, the United Nations is still the foremost institution that holds the power in promoting peace and security through the help of the international law. Although there is a great need for the international law to be updated, and revised (United Nations, 2009). in order to fit the modern times, it is still the United Nations that has the capability to hold and attract the whole global community to maintain peace and security. Through similar goals of attaining peace and security for the whole world, every nation will attain its desire to have harmony with all nations. In the end, the United Nations will still be the main organization to uphold the peace and security in the world. Through the active participation of different members states and the perseverance to follow all the policies and the written laws, declarations, and agendas, the harmonious relationship will all nations will be attained. If only every state is able to know the importance of having one goal and unity amongst states, then the world will not need any type of mitigating factors to stop all the hostilities. However, in the current state of the world it is seemingly impossible to attain this kind of situation. It is only through cooperation that peace is attained. Thus, all nations must amass and address the problem through the United Nations and its means. References United Nations. (2009). â€Å"Reform at the United Nations. † Retrieved April 10, 2009 from http://www. un. org/reform/. United Nations. (2008). â€Å"UN Action to Counterterrorism. † Retrieved April 10, 2009 from http://www. un. org/terrorism/. United Nations. (2009). â€Å"United Nations Peacekeeping. † Retrieved April 10, 2009 from http://www. un. org/Depts/dpko/dpko/.

Essay on the Difference Between Chiefdoms and Tribes

Essay on the Difference Between Chiefdoms and Tribes Introduction The Swazi of Southern Africa and the Mayogo of Northern Democratic Republic of Congo represent two different chiefdoms that live in Africa. The two chiefdoms share more with states than with tribes, a reason which explains its existence within the boundary of many states in Africa. The Swazi chiefdom is situated in the southern Africa in a landlocked country that was rule according to the chiefdom rules even with the coming of the white man and obtaining independence 1968. The chiefdom share many aspects with the state, a reason which explains the absence of conflict that inflicts the two institutions in comparison with the state and the tribe. The research paper will analyze the two chiefdoms of Mayogo and Swazi through the use of comparison with the state and the tribe by focusing on such points as kinship, marriage, citizenship. The Mayogo The Mayogo are people who live in the Northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo, they used to live independently as chiefdom until the 19th century when the country was invaded by the Mangbetu who formed the state under which the Mayogo were governed. However, the internal affairs of the chiefdom were in control by the chiefs. The Mayogo speak a language that belongs to the same family of Swazi which is Bantu, most of them have converted from animism to Christianity mainly Catholicism. The areas in which the Mayogo live have certain autonomy as the people pay allegiance to the Chiefdom. Although the flag was apparent in the documentary but no allegiance is paid to the national anthem. One of the reason, why the state of Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly known as Zaire is not bother by the presence of the chiefdom of Mayogo in its territory is because it is not menaced by it in addition to the fact that the chiefdom provides protection to its population which the state cannot afford to due to the vast surface of the territory and its vicinity to war zones exemplified by the refuges that live in the country in addition to a civil war that it is undergoing. The Swazi The Swazi took their name from their king, Mswati, Swaziland is a chiefdom that is organized into dual monarchy with the king and the queen at its head, the king is refereed to by the Swazi as Ngwenyama (Lion) while the queen is known as Ndlovukazi (Lady Elephant).[1] The chiefdom is based on common ancestry and fictive kinship, like the state the chiefdom is based on a social contract between the population of Swaziland who accept top pay allegiance to the king by obeying his orders, providing goods and services, and paying taxes in return for protection from outsiders mainly Zulu and Shaka. For instance, King Sobhuza maintained the loyalty of his population by protecting them from Shaka to the extent that he sent his daughters to be married by Shaka knowing that they will be killed once they are pregnant.[2] The successor of king Sobhuza, Mswati, was left with a strong Kingdom, respected and feared by neighboring tribes, with a centralized political system controlling several thous ands of people scattered over areas reaching far beyond the boundaries of modern Swaziland.[3] The interest of Europeans to colonize the area came from two parties the Dutch Boers and the British, in 1865 the two parties are going to find an excuse to enter the country which to provide peace and end civil war. The year coincided with the death of King Mswati which entered the country into a civil war due the rivalry of who is going to become the new king. Eventually Mdandzeni was the king and even during his reign instability was present.[4] A Comparison between Chiefdom and Tribe The tribe and chiefdom have a similar aspect in terms of their value of raiding while the Swazi during the reign of king Mswati acquired a reputation of terror and fear many of their warriors were indulging in raids with neighboring chiefdoms and the looting was distributed by the King.[5] Likewise, the Famous tribe chief Auda abu Tayi the leader of the Howeitat tribe who said that he is like a river to his people meaning that all what he obtain from raids is going to be redistribute to his tribe.[6] Moreover, Hospitality is another characteristic that shared between tribes and chiefdom. Regarding chiefdom, the headman is expected to be magnanimous.[7] Kinship is an important factor that distinguishes chiefdom from the state and put on equal footing with the tribe, it used to define who is going to be married from a particular person and other issue as it is stated by Hilda Kuper kinship by descent and ties by marriage influence behavior in a great number of situations; they determine where and with whom a person lives, his range of friends and enemies, whom he may or may not marry, the positions to which he is entitled.[8] Regarding tribes the preference is being given to first cousins but instances of incest are not absent though rare, both among Tribes Swazi, especially the king who is allowed as he is the only man permitted to marry a clan sister.[9] This network of kinship was kept even when the British administration was in the country, it was only a current move to incorporate the dual monarchy as a single government for the whole country of Swaziland.[10] The importance given to law seems to be a feature shared by both the tribe and chiefdom as the tribe regulates its problems according to its tribal law while the Swazi have a highly developed legal system and a graded hierarchy of courts that coincide roughly with the political structure. In case of the Swazi seems to be working with the introduction of the state while it is the opposite for tribes as in some instances revenge requires killing a person as compensation. While the Swazi differentiate between private matters such as theft and cases that require death penalty such as murder. In The former the guilty party pays compensation directly to the ill-treated person while on the latter the compensation is given to the king as he the representative of the state.[11] Hilda Kuper mentioned an example that would illustrate this dichotomy of law among the chiefdom. It involves the case of a woman called Velepi Hlatshwako who deserted her husband, Alpheus shongwe, after 20 years of mar riage because of his bad treatment of her and eloped with her lover, Isauk Mabuzo. In order for the lover to marry the Velepi he has to pay lobola (bride price) to her family which it refused. The matter is going to exacerbates when Velepi had a daughter and Alpheus asked for both of them as a he paid lobola. This time the two couple became convert to Wesleyan church therefore the matter was taken to different court and in the end the court stated that Velepi soiled the law.[12] The state and chiefdom law tend to overlap and contradict each other, however the likelihood of going against the states is less than the tribe where state rule is absent. For instance, the Swazi people who work in the administration or white-controlled bureaucracy[13] but their loyalty falls under their chiefdom. One of the major difference between chiefdom and tribe lies on the fact that the way the tribal chief chosen has nothing to do with his noble heritage or family instead what matter is his reputation for hospitability, honor and experience while for the Swazi as well as the Mayogo of Northern Democratic Republic of Congo the chief is hereditary position which is banqueted only by inheritance. Therefore, competition and rivalry is major aspect of chiefdom and this best seen during the death of Kind Mswati, that resulted in a civil war between his sons whereas tribal people tend to elect a chief of their tribe based on reputation, which means that once the chief is being seen as corrupt the tribal people outstrip of his leadership automatically by not listening to him. And even the way the tribe vie their chief is different from chiefdom whereby the Swazi regard their king as a father and not a dictator.[14] Marriage is an important institution upon which a the follower of the king is taken, polygamy is abundant among kings and in order to avoid conflict between kings` sons it is the child of the senor wife that is entitled to the throne however, seniority is not always decided by age but by other factors as it is pointed out by Hilda Kuper Among the Swazi aristocracy the first wife is never the main wife. Seniority in marriage brings certain advantages during the headman`s lifetime, but upon his death other factors are considered. The most important is pedigree, and the daughter of a king or leading chief generally takes precedence over all other wives.[15] The Swazi developed a sophisticated system of succession to protect the future king from the rivalry of his brothers to the extent that the first son of king is never going to take his place, Seniority and pedigree play an important role in selecting the future king.[16] Regarding tribal law, it is very different from state law and d oes not tend to be mixed as is the case with both Swazi and Mayogo as knowledge of the chiefdom law and court procedure are part of the daily life of chiefdom people.[17] A Comparison between the Chiefdom and the State Just like the state, the country of Swaziland is divided into different districts. The queen shares power with the king, however her realm is situated in the area of household and rituals. Unlike Western countries, religion in Swaziland is an important aspect of the country that is governed by the queen; it is one of the characteristics that differentiate an outsider from a Swazi. The Swaziland chiefdom maintains its political system and insures its survival by following a system of military fear based on executions so that any enemy would think twice before trying to invade the country. The second way is upgrading lineage through marriage, whereby women play a major role in succession mainly the queen mother, as the children of a senior wife are supervised and shunned from going outside to protect them from magic spills. In other words, the king rules outside while the queen rules inside the household. Even though the country is big, the king insure that it stays in order by dividin g into district and letting local chiefs (sikhulu) reign them and in cases of district that the king does not trust he appoints his brother or his half brother to rule them, a practice used during the reign of King Mswati, when the Kingdom of Swaziland rule over a large territory and have a reputation. According to Hilda Kuper power moves down through a chain of British-appointed officials on the one side and the traditional hierarchy on the other, with conflict centered in a few leading personalities. Educated Swazi, including some of the traditional system for reaching rapid and major decisions, but they are seeking to build on certain accepted foundations and do not want an imitation of constitutional techniques developed in alien context.[18] In a chiefdom both power can be shared with states with small incidents of conflicts compared to tribes, and most of the time when the chiefdom laws came to contradict laws of the states it is usually driven by personal interest. For instance, the reason for changing the Westminster constitution that the British brought to Swaziland has to do with the failure of a Prince Mfanasibili in elections against Ngwenya, therefore to get rid of his rival he found the loophole that since he is a South African he was deported to the border in may 25 1972 and because the conistution was in favour of Ngwenya regarding his deportation, it was also changed.[19] The independence of Swaziland brought the problem of who is entitled toser ve in an office with such factors as loyalty and family playing a major role in appointment the educated Swazi who are not from a royal kinship posed a problem to the royal group and raised their concern over education as a means to secure their positions. The opposite is apparent in the Mayogo of Northern Democratic Republic of Congo. Unlike the British colonies where education was emphasize, the French colonies relied on military people to rule on their colonies Citizenship is an important aspect of defining who is Swazi and who is not, in practice all those people entitled to be Swazi have the privileges of security, that is protection from enemies, they can acquire land; and most importantly they can have the national mark in order to wear Swazi consume which is a slit in the lobes of the ears.[20] The chiefdom shares with the state the concept of citizen and who is entitled to be a citizen? Such a question is going to raise problems in Swaziland due to its diversified population and the changing concept of allegiance, as it system by which Swazi express their loyalty to their king. However, the influx of many non-Swazi who were brought by the white settlers brought the issue of loyalty to the fore as they plead their allegiance to their employers instead of the king, in addition to their different traditions and culture which makes the Swazi feel threatened about their status to the extent of putting the blame on crime on the non-Swazi po pulation.[21] According the Swaziland law Citizenship was a privilege, not a right; a commitment, not a label,[22] which means that factors such as language, history, race and religion come to define who is a Swazi and who is not, therefore citizenship is exclusive and not inclusive. Another problem that is brought the issue of citizenship is the fact that South Africa is home to 700, 000 Swazi people which indicates the problem of the king to grant them citizenship without land support and most importantly the problem of dual citizenship as they are both citizens of South Africa and also entitled to the citizenship of Swaziland, while the non-Swazi who live in Swaziland are not regarded as citizens as they lack the features of a Swazi. Land is an important accepts in Swaziland in addition to pastorals rooted in its cattle complex[23] due to the importance of lobola which is usually expressed in cattles. The land posed to be a problem in 1907 as 45% of the land in Swaziland was owned by non-Swazi owing to the Land Proclamation of 1907.[24] Unlike, its neighboring country Zimbabwe, the Swaziland government response to reform the land by taking into consideration the local Swazi without alienating the white community A major component of the state in addition to sovereignty and territory is monopoly over the use of violence. The distinction between police and soldier does not exit in Swazi chiefdom it was only brought by the British. The Swazi rely on emabutfo to provide protection; they are a mix of soldier and police. However by the coming of the British they introduced police force which was viewed as a rival by Emabutfo.[25] However the role of Emabutfo is going to be underscored due to the regional incidents that occurred in Ethiopia where Haile Selassie was deposed and Mozambique where the socialist Samora Machel was recognized as the leader of the country. These events prompted Swaziland to develop an army by relying on emabutfo. [26] Conclusion To conclude, the chiefdom share many point with tribes and states. however, the fact it has many point to share with the state that the tribe make it adaptable to survive even within the boundary of the state because it does not threat the establishment of the state. It shares with the state the social contract under which the population pays loyalty through obedience and taxes in return for protection. And unlike the tribe the chiefdom does not have the problem of minority group. Because even in their meeting not everybody in the chiefdom is invited in the secret meetings save the elders, whereas in a tribal society every person who is an adult has a saying that the chief has to take into consideration as he has the power to influence decision making but to the extent of making an order. Bibliography Chief Anga Ganga Kangolo Lost Kingdoms. Discovery Channel, 1988. Kuper, Hilda. The Swazi: a South African Kingdom. Mason, Ohio: Cenage Learning, 2002. Lawrence of Arabia, DVD, Directed by David Lean. 1962.

Consumer Preferences In The Indian Banking Industry Marketing Essay

Consumer Preferences In The Indian Banking Industry Marketing Essay The Indian banking industry has witnessed a robust growth during the last decade. There are various public, private and multi-national players operating in the industry. Though the importance of better customer service quality is understood in the sector, there exist various other factors that customers consider while evaluating banks. In this paper, the customer preferences in the Indian banking industry are studied using conjoint analysis as a statistical tool. The three product attributes that are analyzed are bank timings, ATM network and customer service reputation. The results show that customers pay a lot of attention to the customer service reputation of the bank. The facilities of the bank regarding branch timings are also looked up by the customers. Adequate recommendations towards gaining competitive advantage are presented at the end of the paper. Key words: Conjoint Analysis, Indian Banks, Consumer Service Introduction Product selection is a complex decision making process involving resolving various trade-offs. For example, a basic trade-off might involve striking balance between better product features and right price. Since an ideal product consisting of the best possible product features is not always feasible, it is important to learn the customer preference for various product attributes. This information can be used by organizations in an industry during product design and improvements in the current product offering. Conjoint analysis is an advanced marketing research tool that finds applications in developing an effective product design. It helps the researcher narrow down the product attributes that matter to the customer and quantify the importance attached to various product attributes. Hence, we can answer which attributes are the most important and which are the least important, as discussed in IBM SPSS (2012). The analysis requires the development of an appropriate questionnaire where in a respondent is required to highlight their preference towards various product attributes combinations. Recently, the technique found applications in various industries to assist product developers and established players towards effective product design. For illustration, Conjoint Analysis is used in Measuring Consumer Preferences for Sales Promotion Schemes in FMCG Sector in Vyas (2005). Hence, any study that contributes in understanding customer preference in an industry is critical towards the development of detailed customer profiles and effective product design. In this paper, we explore the application of Conjoint Analysis in understanding the customer preferences in Indian banking industry. The application of Conjoint Analysis in the banking industry can help us better understand the industry in the following ways: Understanding product attributes relevant to customer- the study helps us understand the attributes that are at top of the priority list of the customers. By analyzing the weights attached to various product attributes, organizations can design their finance products in a better way. Actionable recommendations- The recommendations of the analysis are actionable. For example, issues like interest rate and basic loan terms that are not under the control of bank are not included as a part of actionable and feasible recommendations. However, banks can work towards improving customer service location, attractive location of ATM and comfortable timings of the branches. Applications- The applications of the study could be used in benchmarking Indian customers against their global counterparts in understanding and predicting the next evolution in the Indian banking industry. The results could be used together with Multidimensional Scaling for organizations seeking entrance in the industry or for existing players in understanding brand positioning. Hence, the aim of this analysis is to study the Indian banking customers and find out the utilities of all the product attribute levels and their relative importance. This is done by applying Conjoint Analysis. Due to paucity of time, the study is limited to the bank customers based out of Delhi region. The respondent set is the FMS MBA students. The study aims to find the customer preferences that are important to the customers while evaluating banks. This study is an exploratory research that can be used for future larger studies. Section 1 of the study provides a short introduction of the subject matter along with a brief background. Section 2 delves into the existing literature in the area, which has focused on the same subject matter. Section 3 describes the methodology adopted for the study, including the data collection and analysis. Section 4 discusses the results and findings of the analysis. Literature Review There have been various studies in the past that explore customer preference attributes in various sectors, in India and abroad. We discuss those studies where Conjoint Analysis has been used. ÃÆ'Ã…â€Å"lengi (1998) explored the customer preference in the Turkish Banking industry. They concluded that among other factors, facilities like extended loyalty programs, off-site ATMs, maximum 5-minutes waiting time in the branches are most preferred by the customers. With respect to higher order decision constructs, they also concluded that delivery channels and customer relations have the strongest influence on the respondentà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s preferences. Another study in this domain by Trchrome (2008) also explored the customer preferences in the banking industry. They concluded that customers give importance to type of bank, minimum balance requirements, online banking facilities, customer service quality, and ATM network while evaluating bank options. Of these options, customers give highest importance to balance/fees requirement at the bank (34 %), online banking facilities (24 %) and the type of bank (11 %). In line with this publication, Auruskeviciene, Salciuviene and Virvilaite (2005) explored the banking industry to quantify the marketing image of financial services. There results were as following: service quality (41%), prices of services (26%), convenience and availability (17%), variety of services (13%) as well as bank exterior and interior (3%). As we observe from these studies, customers see a lot of factors while evaluating banks. Of these, branch timings, customer service quality and ATM positioning were explored in the present study. There have been other studies in the sub-segments of the banking industry. Cai and June (2001) analyzed the Internet banking industry to study the change in customer preferences in this sub-segment of the industry. They found out that customer service reputation, banking service products and online systems quality matter the most to the customers in online banking. Kubica (2011) used conjoint analysis to segment young clients in the banking industry. They concluded that profiling young customers is a complex process. Png (2003) explored the specific problem of the amount that could be charged to customers for waiting time. While it can be seen that conjoint analysis has been applied in the global banking industry, its applications in the Indian context is limited. Conjoint analysis application in Indian sectors such as tourism, private label brands (apparel), air freshener and automobile sectors is present. There have been a few studies that explore the consumer preferences in the Indian banking sector. Ananth, Ramesh and Prabaharan (2011) analyze the service quality gap analysis (structured questionnaire) for Indian private banks. They conclude that there are some dimensions in the service quality that are lacking (empathy and accessibility). Komal and Rani (2012) also explore the customer preferences in the domain. The key results are that ATM service quality, internet banking services, credit cards portfolio are important factors considered while evaluating banks. Ananth and Arulraj (2011) measure the banking service quality in Tamil Nadu. They concluded that credit facility (interest rate), Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and deposit schemes are the most appealing to the Indian consumer. As we see, there is no significant study in the application of conjoint analysis in the Indian banking sector. Hence, the motivation behind this study to explore the consumer preferences in the Indian banking industry through Conjoint Analysis. We intend to understand the product attributes that a prospective bank customer considers while evaluating an Indian bank. Methodology This is an exploratory study. Hence, no hypothesis is formulated. After the results of the analysis are obtained, hypothesis can be developed. Convenience sampling is used for the study. The sample size for the study is 51 respondents. The respondents are from the Full Time and Part Time course of the MBA program at FMS Delhi. The respondents were provided with the questionnaire that requires them to rate the various product-attribute combinations on a scale of 0 to 10. The average age of the respondent set is 29.9 years (standard deviation: 6.98 years) and the average work experience of the respondents is 6.53 years. After carefully reviewing the contemporary literature, the following factors were found relevant to our study: Branch Hours: The time duration for which the branch is open ATM Network: The location of the ATM network with respect to positioning near the branch or at other places Customer Service Reputation: The customer perception of the quality of services offered to customers. The level of these product attributes are as following: Factor Description Levels 1 Branch Hours Weekdays 9-4 The branch timings are from 9 AM to 4 PM Weekdays 9-7 The branch timings are from 9 AM to 7 PM Weekends also The branch is open on weekdays as well as weekends 2 ATM Network At branches The ATM is available only at branches At branches others The ATM is available at branches as well as at other locations 3 Consumer Service Reputation Good The consumer perception of the consumer services is good Average The consumer perception of the consumer services is average Poor The consumer perception of the consumer services is poor Table 1: Product Attributes and Levels As we observe, there are 18 possible combinations out of these product attributes and levels. The 18 combinations or profiles are presented to the respondents in a survey. Beside the responses, other information like respondentà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s age, work experience, sex and absence/presence of a bank account is also collected. Based on the collected responses, conjoint analysis is applied to find out the part worth estimates of the various product attributes. Since the number of attributes is 3, traditional full-profile methodology of conjoint analysis is used. Based on the responses, dummy variable regression is used to find the respective part-worth functions for each respondent. These results are then aggregated to find an overall result. Findings The data from the 51 respondents is analyzed to find out individual, unique part worth functions. The utilities of the various product attributes are as follows: Attribute Level Aggregate Utility Standard Deviation Branch Hours Weekdays 9-4 -1.01 1.18 Weekdays 9-7 0.96 1.02 Weekends also 0.05 0.53 ATM Network At branches -0.38 0.44 At branches others 0.75 0.88 Consumer Service Reputation Good 1.59 0.86 Average -1.62 1.10 Poor 0.03 0.65 Table 2: Aggregate Utilities of Product Attributes and Levels As we observe, the utilities have comparable standard deviations to the aggregate value. The importance of the various product attributes are as follows: Product Attribute Part Worth (%) Branch Hours 34.2 ATM Network 17.1 Customer Service Reputation 48.7 Table 3: Part Worth of Product Attributes As we observe, the customer service reputation (48.7 %) is the most important product attribute among the three product attributes. This reinforces the pre-existing perception that customer service reputation is a key factor that is evaluated by the prospective customers. Second, branch hours (34.2 %) as a product attribute is another important attribute that is evaluated by the customers. Positioning of ATMs is the third parameter that is used during customer evaluation (17.1 %). These results highlight the importance of customer service reputation in the Indian banking industry. Indian banks must attempt to improve the customer perception to gain a competitive advantage. An improved service reputation assists the bank in improving the competitive position of the brand. For a new player that is seeking entry in the industry, investments must be directed to improving the customer experience and customer perception about the same. Next important parameter is the timings of the branches. As seen, usual timings from 9-4 PM are the least preferred. Customers look forward to some sort of facility in this regard. It can either be related to longer branch timings like 9-7 PM or branches being open on weekends. Since the respondent set had people with and without work experience, option of branch hours extending after the usual 4 PM is useful to the working professional. Finally, the positioning of ATM is another important parameter evaluated by the customers. ATM location at the branches and at other places is an attractive preposition. Since it is an exploratory study, there is a further need for a study with a bigger respondent set and product attributes that would throw deeper insights into the importance of other product attributes to the Indian consumers.

Comparing and contrasting Not My Best Side and Warning Not my Best and

Comparing and contrasting Not My Best Side and Warning Not my Best and Warning are about stereotypes and how these poems go against that. In not my best side the stereotype is that the three characters are meant to go with their roles, good the knight... Comparing and contrasting Not My Best Side and Warning Not my Best and Warning are about stereotypes and how these poems go against that. In not my best side the stereotype is that the three characters are meant to go with their roles, good the knight, bad the dragon and helpless the princess but don’t. In Warning the old woman is going to go against society by wearing clothes, which do not go, and buying items, which are useless. Not my best side is about Uccellos painting of St George and the Dragon the poet tried to put words to the people in it. The narrative of this poem is it goes through all the people in the poem starting with the dragon then the princess then the knight. First the Dragon says how the artist did not let him pose properly and how he could not draw anything apart from triangles as if he were mocking the artist. Then he starts to mock his conqueror and his horse by saying it has a deformed neck and square hoofs. Then starts to insult his victim by Saying she is â€Å"Unattractive as to be inedible† which means he would never eat something that ugly. After that he is a bit sarcastic by saying â€Å"I would have liked more blood to show they where taking me seriously† this means that he would have took more damage than that do kill him. The princess is saying she is not sure if she wants to be rescued. She had grown to like the dragon and even found him sexy. She says â€Å"He was so nicely physical, with his claws and lovely green skin, a... ...to be old and the poet is warning people that this is going to happen, so you better get used to it. It’s also about what society expects her. The form of the two poems is they have no rhyme scene and no metre. This is because the two poems are going against society so they are emphasising this. The question you should ask is do I want what society expects? Most of the time the answer will be yes but these poems have gone against that. Not my best side and warning are in 1st person talking about him or her. Also warning has varying line length, irregular, unstructured and varying line length. It has all these thing because again it is going against society. Not my best side and Warning both are about stereotypes and facing reality of life that everyone will grow old, or the reality of facing life alone. They all try and help prevent this from happening.

A Rebuttal to E. R. Dodds On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex Essay

A Rebuttal to E. R. Dodds' On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex In "On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex," E. R. Dodds takes issue with three different opinions on Oedipus Rex. I consider the first two opinions, which Dodds gleaned from student papers, to be defensible from a close reading of the text. The first of these opinions is that Oedipus was a bad man, and was therefore punished by the gods; Dodds counters that Sophocles intended for us to regard him as good, noble, and selfless. But the play would seem to indicate that Oedipus, while a clever man, is not a good one -- this can be shown through Dodds' own source of argument, the attitude of the chorus, as well as through Oedipus' own actions onstage. Oedipus does not, as Dodds asserts, unselfishly seek out the truth even though he knows it will be painful for him; rather, he has no idea what the outcome of his search will be, denies the truth at every turn, and threatens those who speak it. The second conclusion drawn by students -- that Oedipus' actions are entirely determined by the gods , who control him completely -- Dodds pooh-poohs on the grounds that Oedipus is a free agent, acting on his own initiative. In fact, Dodds states, the idea of free will vs. determinism is a Hellenistic thought and would not have even occured to an audience of Sophocles' time. I believe that, as all of Oedipus' actions, including those over the course of the play, were determined before his birth, and he cannot avoid them although it is his will to do so, those actions cannot be construed as real choice. This play contains many post-Sophoclean ideas, such as denial, that (while not yet named by Greek society) still were understood by the audience. In his rebuttal of the first opi... ... look at it as Greeks would, isn't this the same as saying that the play is meaningless to today's readers? One of the wonders of classic texts is that every generation will find something new in them. This should not be looked upon as a sign of students' ignorance, but rather of their ingenuity. Works Cited and Consulted Dodds, E. R. "On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex." Twentieth Century Interpretations of Oedipus Rex: A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Michael J. O'Brien. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1968. 17-29. Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York: Penguin Books, 1940. Knox, Bernard M. W. The Heroic Temper: Studies in Sophoclean Tragedy. Berkeley: U of California Press, 1964. Sophocles. "Oedipus Rex." An Introduction to Literature, 11th ed. Eds. Sylvan Barnet, et al. New York: Longman, 1997. 800-836.

The Day I Almost Lost My Father :: Personal Narrative Writing

The Day I Almost Lost My Father One day in the midst of summer, my friend Mike and I got off from a hard day of work and were on our way to the mall. While at work we had planned to meet a few people there. I was going to be seeing my friend Jessica who I had not talked to in years. Before leaving, we stopped off at our houses, took showers, and got ready. As I anxiously waited on the stairs for his car to roll into the driveway, my mom said, â€Å"Be careful and do not drive like an idiot.† I obviously said alright and she was on her way. Minutes later I see my friend Mike pull into the driveway. I slipped my feet into my shoes and got in his car. We were almost to the mall when his phone rang. He picked it up and said, â€Å"Hello?† It was my mom and she wanted to speak to me. Upon putting the phone to my ear she told me that I had to come home right away. She said that my dad had just gotten into a car crash and that I had to come home and watch my sister. I did not know how to break the news to Mi ke, that what we were anticipating all day would not happen. He was upset, but he understood what was going on. I came home thinking it was the same old same old; he had gotten hit by a drunk driver, the car got totaled, and he was fine. This time was different. Normally when I ask what happened she says, â€Å"You know your father,† or something to that nature. This time was different; she would not talk to me or tell me what happened. I later found out that my dad had shattered his hip and pelvis. This event greatly affected me, both emotionally and physically. My dad was in the hospital in a lot of pain because he shattered the two most painful bones to break and I could not go see him because of my work schedule and because I had to watch my sister. Finally, after four long days I saw him. Even though he is my dad, I must say he was a mess. He could not move at all, and when he tried to he was in a lot of pain.

Prewriting Exercise Essay

STEP 2) Describe two controversies surrounding this topic The first controversy is with regard to the idea of a universal health care system for the United States as a solution to its current health care situation of having an increasing rate of uninsurance among its working populace. While there is considerable current literature that argue that government should be able to provide adequate health care for all of its citizens, the questions of prioritization and proper allocation of funding comes into play. Specific research would have to be found to quantify as well as qualify the problem of uninsurance so as to evaluate just how much government action ought to be necessary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second controversy is whether or not current government action in terms of federal funding for Medicare and Medicaid is sufficient to address the needs of Americans. This issue examines what both of the programs currently provide and how much each has actually helped the American public in facing health service issues. Again, factual research need to be complied in order to present a clear picture of how much these programs are helping so that a sound conclusion regarding whether they are helping enough can be reached. STEP 3) Describe which side of the argument you feel is right and why I believe that given the current health care needs of the American public, serious consideration of establishing a universal health are system should be deeply considered. I also believe that current measures are not enough. Of course, these are assertions that I’ve initially made based on personal experiences in my interactions with individuals seeking health care support from the government. Therefore, I would need to gather more solid, factual information to support my claims. I will need to explore the concept of a universal health care system better in terms of its application to other countries so that I can have a deeper perspective on what needs to be done. STEP 4) Formulate a working thesis sentence The development of a universal health care system is a positive step towards the solution of the American uninsurance problem.

Penny in the Dust

Penny in the Dust In the short story â€Å"Penny in the Dust† by Ernest Bucker, we see a father-son relationship. Three points that I will be discussing are: Pete and his qualities, the conflict, and the relationship Pete and his father have. In this story we see a weak father and son relationship in the starting, which becomes better and stronger. First of all, Pete is a 7-year old boy who learns how much his father loves him. Pete is softhearted boy who loves his father more than a 7-year old boy would. Pete is also an inarticulate child who is unable to tell his father his feeling for him.Another quality Pete has is that he is very sensitive person. We see this when he cried after losing the penny. One quote that shows that Pete is inarticulate is when he states, â€Å"Oh thanks† I said. Nothing more. I couldn’t expose any of my eagerness either. † after he receives the penny. This shows Pete wanted to say something, but didn’t know how. Pete is s ofthearted, inarticulate, and sensitive boy who wants to show his love for his dad, but is unable to. In addition, Pete and his father are unable to tell one another how much they love each other.We can see the theme throughout the story; one example is when the father was unable to give the penny to his son. He had to wait till it caught Pete’s attention, and then give it. The conflict affects Pete, because he wants to tell his father everything he imagines, but doesn’t know how. An example of the conflict affecting Pete is when he is unable to tell the whole story about him losing the penny. Also another example is when Pete and his father were farming, he was unable to tell his father his opinions. He couldn’t tell his father if he wanted three rows or four rows, or if he could put him up on the oxen.I think the conflict is believable, because the Father is inarticulate while his son is very imaginative. So it can get awkward when they are talking to each oth er. Both the father and son were affected by the conflict, but in the end they were able to make an emotional connection. Lastly is the theme, which is the relationship between the father and son. The father-son relationship is important, because Pete and his father learn a lot more about each other than before. The relationship starts off weak, but ends up strong. At first Pete was unable to tell his dad how he lost the penny.He said, â€Å"If father hadn’t been there I might have told her the whole story. † In the end when the father finds the penny, Pete is able to tell the whole story to him. Also for the first time, his father had tears in his eyes, and also put his arm around Pete. In fact, the theme can be observed through Pete’s actions. He is always reluctant talking to his dad, and doesn’t really communicate with him. At the outset of the story, Pete doesn’t have much of a relationship with his dad, but upon losing the penny and then look ing for it with his dad, he develops one.Accordingly, he also becomes more open and able to talk to his dad. Finally, Pete discovers that his father does love him. The theme is important for both the father and Pete, because in the beginning they have a weak relationship, but in the end they develop a better one. Now they know each other better and can support one another. Father and son relationships are still important, because if you don’t have a relationship than you will be unable to understand and support one another. Also when you are older you will be able to make a better relationship with you children.In short, the theme and characters are important, because it will impact their life and possibly everyone around them. In conclusion, we should all have a good relationship with our family, so it can benefit us in the future. In this story we see Pete as a softhearted, inarticulate and sensitive boy, he also is timid to sharing his feeling of his dad to him. Also in th e end we see a strong father-son relationship forming. In brief, in the story we see a small relationship between the father and son, but it evolves to become a better and stronger bond. By: Manraj Sangha

Mid-Term Exam Remedial Law

Mid-Term Exam 1. Distinguish Cause of action from action SUGGESTED ANSWER: A CAUSE OF ACTION is an act or omission of one party in violation of the legal right or rights of the other (Maao Sugar Central vs. Barrios, 79 Phil. 606; Sec. 2 of new Rule 2), causing damage to another. An ACTION is an ordinary suit in a court of Justice by which one party prosecutes another for the enforcement or protection of a right, or the prevention or redress of a wrong. (Section 1 of former Rule 2). 2. What is the concept of remedial law? SUGGESTED ANSWER:The concept of Remedial Law lies at the very core of procedural due process, which means a law which hears before it condemns, which proceeds upon inquiry and renders judgment only after trial, and contemplates an opportunity to be heard before judgment is rendered (Albert v. University Publishing, G. R. No. L-19118, January 30, 1965). Remedial Law is that branch of law which prescribes the method of enforcing the rights or obtaining redress for thei r invasion (Bustos v. Lucero, G. R. No. L-2068, October 20, 1948; First Lepanto Ceramics, Inc. v. CA, G. R. No. 110571, March 10, 1994). 3.How shall the Rules of Court be construed? SUGGESTED ANSWER: The Rules of Court should be liberally construed in order to promote their objective of securing a just, speedy and inexpensive disposition of every action and proceeding. (Sec. 6, Rule 1 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure. ) ADDITIONAL ANSWER: However, strict observance of the rules is an imperative necessity when they are considered indispensable to the prevention of needless delays and to the orderly and speedy dispatch of Judicial business. (Alvero vs. Judge de la Rosa, 76 Phil. 428) 4. Distinguish between substantive law and remedial law.SUGGESTED ANSWER: SUBSTANTIVE LAW is that part of the law which creates, defines and regulates rights concerning life, liberty, or property, or the powers of agencies or instrumentalities for the administration of public affairs. This is distinguished f rom REMEDIAL LAW which prescribes the method of enforcing rights or obtaining redress for their invasion (Bustos v. Lucero, G. R. No. L-2068, October 20, 1948). 5. Distinguish jurisdiction from venue? SUGGESTED ANSWER: JURISDICTION treats of the power of the Court to decide a case on the merits, while VENUE refers to the place where the suit may be filed.In criminal actions, however, venue is jurisdictional. Jurisdiction is a matter of substantive law; venue, of procedural law. Jurisdiction may be not be conferred by consent through waiver upon a court, but venue may be waived, except in criminal cases (Nocum et al. v. Tan, G. R. No. 145022, September 23, 2005; Santos III v. Northwest Airlines, G. R. No. 101538, June 23, 1992). 6. Give the effects of the following: 1 Splitting a single cause of action: and 2 Non-joinder of a necessary party. SUGGESTED ANSWER: 1.The effect of splitting a single cause of action is found in the rule as follows: If two or more suits are instituted on th e basis of the same cause of action, the filing of one or a judgment on the merits in any one is available as a ground for the dismissal of the others. (Sec. 4 of Rule 2) 2. The effect of the non-joinder of a necessary party may be stated as follows: The court may order the inclusion of an omitted necessary party if jurisdiction over his person may be obtained. The failure to comply with the order for his inclusion without justifiable cause to a waiver of the claim against such party.The court may proceed with the action but the judgment rendered shall be without prejudice to the rights of each necessary party. (Sec. 9 of Rule 3) 7. Rolando filed a petition for declaration of the nullity of is marriage to Carmela because of the alleged psychological incapacity of the latter. After trial, the court rendered judgment dismissing the petition on the ground that Rolando failed to prove the psychological incapacity of his wife. The judgment having become final, Rolando filed another petit ion, this time on the ground that his marriage to Carmela had been celebrated without a license.Is the second action barred by the judgment in the first? Why? SUGGESTED ANSWER: No, the second action is not barred by the judgment in the first because they are different causes of action. The first is for annulment of marriage on the ground of psychological incapacity under Article 36 of the Family Code, while the second is for declaration of nullity of the marriage in view of the absence of a basic requirement, which is a marriage license. [Arts, 9 & 35(3),Family Code]. They are different causes of action because the evidence required to prove them are not the same. [Pagsisihan v. Court of Appeals, 95 SCRA 540 (1980) and other cases]. . The plaintiff sued the defendant in the RTC for damages allegedly caused by the latter’s encroachment on the plaintiff’s lot. In his answer, the defendant denied the plaintiff’s claim and alleged that it was the plaintiff who in fa ct had encroached on his (defendant’s) land. Accordingly, the defendant counterclaimed against the plaintiff for damages resulting from the alleged encroachment on his lot. The plaintiff filed an ex parte motion for extension of time to answer the defendant’s counterclaim, but the court denied the motion on the ground that it should have been set for hearing.On the defendant’s motion, therefore, the court declared the plaintiff in default on the counterclaim. Was the plaintiff validly declared in default? Why? SUGGESTED ANSWER: No, the plaintiff was not validly declared in default. A motion for extension of time to file an answer may be filed ex parte and need not be set for hearing. [Amante vs. Sunga, 64 SCRA 192 (1975)]. ALTERNATIVE ANSWER: The general rule is that a counterclaim must be answered within ten (10) days from service. (Rule 11, sec. 4). However, a counterclaim that raises issues which are deemed automatically joined by the allegations of the Compl aint need not be answered. Gojo v. Goyala, 35 SCRA 557 (1970)]. In this case, the defendant’s counterclaim is a compulsory counterclaim which arises out or is connected with the transaction and occurrence constituting the subject matter of the plaintiff’s claim. It raises the same issue of who encroached on whose land. Hence, there was no need to answer the counterclaim. 9. The plaintiff sued the defendant in the RTC to collect on a promissory note, the terms of which were stated in the complaint and a photocopy attached to the complaint as an annex.Before answering, the defendant filed a motion for an order directing the plaintiff to produce the original of the note so that the defendant could inspect it and verify his signature and the handwritten entries of the dates and amounts. 1 Should the judge grant the defendant’s motion for production and inspection of the original of the promissory note? Why? 2 Assuming that an order for production and inspection was issued but the plaintiff failed to comply with it, how should the defendant plead to the alleged execution of the note? SUGGESTED ANSWER: 1) Yes, because upon motion of any party showing good cause, the court in which the action is pending may order any party to produce and permit the inspection of designated documents. (Rule 27). The defendant has the right to inspect and verify the original of the promissory note so that he could intelligently prepare his answer. (2) The defendant is not required to deny under oath the genuineness and due execution of the promissory note, because of the non-compliance by the plaintiff with the order for production and inspection of the original thereof. (Rule 8, sec. 8). ALTERNATIVE ANSWER: 2) The defendant may file a motion to dismiss the complaint because of the refusal of the plaintiff to obey the order of the court for the production and inspection of the promissory note. [Rule 29 Sec. 3(c)]. 10. What is forum shopping? SUGGESTED ANSWER: Forum shopping is the act of a party which consists of filing multiple suits, simultaneously or successively, for the purpose of obtaining a favorable judgment (Leyson v. Office of the Ombudsman, G. R. No. 134990, April 27, 2000; Yulienco v. CA, G. R. No. 131692, June 10,1999; Chemphil Export & Import Corp. v. CA, G. R. Nos. 112438-39, December 12, 1995).

Autobiography of Peter Rackley

I came into the world on the 15th of October nineteen-eighty nine at Queen Mary's hospital at 9-17 in the evening. I weighed 5lb's and 8 1/2 oz. My name is Peter Rackley and I got my name because of Greek meaning â€Å"Rock† and if you didn't already know I'm half Greek, my Mum is from Cyprus. In my immediately family I obviously have my Mum and Dad and my older brother, who just turned eighteen and my twin sister Natasha, who is four minutes older than me so I'm the youngest in the family. Before I started playschool I used to live in Plumsted, which I can't remember at all and because of me being a twin we moved so we had a four bedroom house in Bexleyheath. Just after we moved I started at Pelham playschool. It was great, all day I would play with train sets and at break play on the tricycles around the playground. Those days were great, how did I know that in a few years time I would actually be working. Then I started St Thomas more primary school, I even remember a bit of the first day which was my Mum saying â€Å"Goodbye† and me getting into a strop about not leaving me but once I got inside I was fine. One of my first memories was shortly after playschool, it was in reception, when I got my first telling off, it's still a bit vague, and all I can remember is writing water on a bit of paper wrong and the teacher started telling me off and the reason is that water was spelt in huge bubble writing on the wall. I used to go through primary school in a dream I wouldn't take anything in so I was dumb. It was only in year five when I started working, that's when we were put into sets, I was bottom for everything so my Mum got me a tutor and she was great, her name was Mrs Driscal and than with the help of her I moved forward into the top groups just into for the SATS which I got all fives in so that was good and I owe a lot of that to Mrs Driscal. My clearest and best memory of Primary school is the year six football team, we were great I think we only lost one game and we won the double (cup and league). We even played the final at my playschool. Since I'm on the subject of football I joined Kingfisher when I was five or six, I can't remember, and have played there for most of my life but it didn't work out, here's what happened I broke my first metatarsal on my right foot playing in a school game and I was out for the season. Then when I came back kingfisher changed to Bromley F.C in the Kent league which is one higher than the one I was playing in(A), it is the highest standard I can be at my age, except for playing for a professional side. But this didn't work for me because it was too quick I couldn't play at that standard yet, I needed to take my time with getting fit again and so I moved to long lane who will be moving to the Kent next year. Before I started boring you with my football history I was talking about completing my SATS and the next step was for me to leave my primary school. Everyone has a leaving party where everyone can Say goodbye but I was already taking in the sun in Spain. Even though I would prefer to be in Spain it was still a night I wanted to go to. Then because my brother went to St Columba's I went too. It was pretty nervous starting a new school but as soon as we started a lesson I liked it. We started with something I was good at, P.E and it was high jump with my most favourite P.E teacher, Mr Coker, shame he left. Secondary school has been good with the exceptions of starting coursework in year nine and studying Shakespeare. He may have been a great man but studying him and some of his plays where boring. And that's my life so far. My future will hopefully go something like this; do extremely well in G.C.S.E's and in 6th form I shall study for A levels especially P.E and get them then I don't know exactly what I want to do but I might go sports collage and get a degree in sports/science and get a job from that, but not a P.E teacher, and it will be a high paid job and I will get married and have kids and that's it, I hope you enjoyed reading this.

International marketing Assignmnet Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International marketing Assignmnet - Assignment Example The paper aims at assessing the scope of international marketing in Indonesia in the context of growth and development of international departmental stores in the country. For conducting an overall assessment, macro environmental analysis has been taken in consideration. The company that has been selected for this analysis is Big W, which is Australian by origin and is planning for expansion in Indonesia. Before getting into in-depth analysis a brief background of the company and its product and services has been provided. In context to overseas expansion, the motive behind such decision has also been discussed in the paper. Following company profile, a brief introduction of Indonesia has been provided along with a detailed study of economic, political, legal and cultural atmosphere of the country. Along with the environmental assessment, advantage and disadvantages associated with the location has also been discussed in the paper so that the company can evaluate the situation in a comprehensive manner before committing any resources. The paper is therefore not limited to mere analysis of Indonesian business environment. Instead, conclusion and recommendations are also provided regarding the same. Big W is one of the well-known discount departmental store chains in Australia. The retail chain is a part of Woolworths Ltd and has more than 100 stores all over Australia. The company aims at selling best quality brands at lowest possible cost. The business of Woolworths ltd is highly diverse and it can be said that the company created the subsidiary variety store for complementing Woolworths’ supermarkets. Big W employs approximately 17000 people all over Australia. The company is focused on delivering best quality at the best price, healthy and safe working environment for its employees and fair degree of return to its stakeholders. The store has a number of delivery systems that suit the consumer needs. Big W has recently diversified in the

What is Gospel Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

What is Gospel - Research Paper Example Gospel to Christians, is described as the saving acts of Jesus on the cross and through his resurrection which acted as a reconciliatory bridge to bring back the initial relationship that existed between God and the people (Dunn 37). The discussion below will try to expound more on what the gospel means, taking into account several publications by various authors and the Bible. It is meant to give an insightful discussion into the topic and will culminate into an argument on the comparisons between the gospel of Jesus and that of Paul. In the discussion, Biblical referencing will largely rotate around the four main books that outline the life of Jesus: Mathew, Luke, Mark and John. Alongside these books will be the authorship works of Paul which will also be considered to bring out the meaning of the topic from Paul’s perspective. Publications from other authors who have already dug into the topic of gospel will also be consulted. At the end of the research, I will also discuss my opinion of why the gospel is good to Christianity and how it has helped to make a difference in my life. Before proceeding to the topic, however, I will provide a brief overview of the lives of both Jesus and Paul as it will help to set the basis of our discussion. According to the lines in (Mathew 2:1), Jesus was born in Jerusalem, Judea during the rule of King Herod. He began his life in Nazareth and only started his gospel ministry after 30 years. (Luke 3:1). The commencement of his ministry followed his baptism by John the Baptist and this set way for his Divine Mission of spreading the good news. He then withdrew into the desert where he took a 40-day fast. After overcoming temptations by the devil, He went back to the neighbourhood of his Baptist’s ministry from where he won his first disciples (Mathew 3:4). It is during this time that Jesus performed his maiden miracle and where prepared wine from water at a nuptial party at Cana,

Steve jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Steve jobs - Essay Example Joanne’s father did not approve the marriage and Steve as placed on adoption. Paul and Clara Jobs adopted young Steve and family lived in Silicon Valley, California. His elementary teachers recognized Steve as a bright and intelligent student and agreed he skip a class. During his high school years, the parents relocated to Cupertino. Steve could his father who was a machinist that tinkered used cars and later sold them. Steve together with his high school friend Wozniac liked to tinker electric circuits. After high school, his parents enrolled him in University of California, Berkeley while he insisted on joining Reed College. His experiences in that college led him to quit after being in that college for six months. As he comments while addressing grandaunts at Stanford University in 2005 he did not see the point of going through college and spending his entire money from his parents. At the Reeds College was a competent college in that it offered the best calligraphy in India. He took calligraphy classes where he learned different typefaces and combinations that enabled him years later to design the first Macintosh computer. After college, he briefly worked at Atari Computer Company. He left for India then back to California. His trip back to America made him experience culture shock. He quipped that Indian people depend on intuition while Americans use their intellect. According to Jobs intuition is powerful than intellect. Zen working relationship with Jobs influenced him faith in simplicity. Jobs collaborated with Wozniack and in 1976; the two classmates founded Apple Computer in Jobs parents’ garage. After the release of Apple II, the firm went public in 1980. Four years later the company launched Macintosh. As the firm grew Jobs vision of the future contradicted with the then CEO John Sculley. That led him to be eliminated from heading the Macintosh team. Jobs resigned from Apple Computer in September 1985. His elimination from Apple led him to

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Distributors Dell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Distributors Dell - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that, due to this illicit practice which violated the contract Dell had signed with these distributors the company had to file lawsuits against their own distributors. Another mistake Dell made was that it did not foster long term relationships with distributors in order to create partnerships. There was a sense of distrust between the distributors and Dell because the distributors believed that Dell at any time would stop using their services and introduce a direct sales model in China. A third mistake the company made was that it did not invest any resources in to enhance functionality of their supply chain function with its distributors. The company could have gotten more involved in the operation of its distributors by providing managerial and technical assistance. If the company would have established a mutual relationship based on respect and high ethical standards the distributors would have seen Dell as a business allied instead of just another com pany with a product to sell. When a company creates close relationship with suppliers and distributors it enables a business to obtain concessions and favors the firm would otherwise not receive. A fourth mistake the company made was delegating market strategy to its distributors. The communication between Dell and its distributors was weak. Due to this fact the distributors moved the merchandise utilizing their own criteria without taking into consideration any strategic input from Dell. The problem with the direct model in China was that the company was entering a market in which the people had different expectations than the US market. First of all a computer purchase to a Chinese person means a lot more than to a customer in the US or Europe because a worker would have to save money for nearly two years before they could make such a purchase.