Joymoti konwari free essay sample

Joymoti konwari Joymati Konwari is one of the most reckoned name among the Assamese people. She was the wife of the Ahom king Gadapani and is known to have given her life for the sake of her husband’s survival. There is hardly any Assamese who is not familiar with Joymati’s story. The 13th day of Assamese month of Chout is observed as ‘Joymoti Divas’. The legend of Joymoti has found place in many poems, plays, stories, articles, etc. However debates still continue whether the character named Joymoti is historical or a folkloric character. Various Historical evidences prove that Joymoti is a mostly a folkloric character. The name ‘Joymoti’ first appeared in the magazine ‘Junaki’ in the first year of its publication in an article entitled Maharaj Rudrasinghar Dinot Asom by Hemchandra Goswami. On the other hand the legend of Joymoti was 1st published in 1891 in the same magazine in Ratneswar mahanta’s article Joymoti kunwari . We will write a custom essay sample on Joymoti konwari or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page People consider Joymoti as a historical figure but other than the modern histories, none of the ancient ‘Sanchipatia’ history book mention the name of Joymoti. The first of these histories is Tunkhungia Buranji by Srinath Borua, edited by Surjyakumar Bhuyan. Joymoti has been a source of inspiration to Assamese literature from the Junaki Jug to the present time. Ratneshwar Mahanta’s Joymoti Kunwari published in the Junaki was the first modern Assamese writing based on the Ahom princess. Initially it was through scholarly articles that Joymoti Kunwari found expression in literature, but gradually the story of Joymoti was expressed through various plays, poems, songs, novels, etc. In fact, the first Assamese feature film Joymoti was based on the story of Joymoti Kunwari.

Government of Verdania essays

Government of Verdania essays The government of Verdania is a combination of a Democracy and a Theocracy. This is because it is tied in very closely with the Grasshopper religion, and unlike in a democracy, you have to be a member of the religion to have a say in the government. A leader is elected every year, as the people live by the seasons of the weather, and after each rainy season a new leader is chosen, or the old one can be re-elected for as long as the people want him. The leader is called the Great Grasshopper, after the mythical insect that gave the people their rules to live by. He wears a headdress at ceremonies that looks like the head of a grasshopper. The next page shows their flag, which has one of these masks on it. The leader of the people right now claims to be a descendant of Marcus, one of the two prophets of the religion, so the religion has a lot to do with how the government is run. The leader rules by several sources of power. Economic is one, in that survival is very hard sometimes on the grasslands so everyone has to pitch in to make things work. It is also based on ideology, because almost everyone in Verdania is a member of the religion, so they believe in what their leader tells them. The governement is mostly decentralized. Each village has a Shaman who is pretty much in charge and who goes to meetings with the Great Grasshopper at the beginning of each season. This is to make sure that everyone will have enough to eat, if one village has extra, they can share that with the others. One of the philosophers that we know of that most relates to the Verdanian society would be Thoreau, who wrote about the relationship of man to nature and the importance of being in balance with it in a book called Walden Pond. The Verdanian government sets very high standards for the ecology and nothing may be done which creates pollution as this would ruin things for everyone. Each citizen, even if he is not a member of the religion is e...

6 Tips for Writing Good Website Copy Blog

6 Tips for Writing Good Website Copy Blog 6 Tips for Writing Good Website Copy The internet is a big place, with a lot of websites competing for attention. How, then, can you make sure that your website stands out from the crowd? 1. Get to the Point! People have busy lives. If they’re looking for information online, they want it quickly. As such, each page on your site should clearly state what it is about. If you are writing copy for a pizza restaurant, for example, you would want to say what kind of food it sells and where the restaurant is first, as these are the most important details. An appetizing image will go a long way, too! Should you have more to say, you can save it for further down the page! 2. Keep It Short Short paragraphs are much easier to read, especially on screen. And since you’re not limited by page size with website copy, there is no reason to pack a lot of text into a small space. The ideal length of a paragraph on paper is typically around 100-200 words. But even this is too long for online copy, where paragraphs shouldn’t be more than two or three sentences long. You can even use single-sentence paragraphs, like this one! 3. Use Simple Language There is a place for long, fancy words on the internet (especially in online Scrabble). But your website copy needs to be easy to read and you should keep your writing simple. This may include: Using clear, concise sentences Avoiding jargon and technical language Using the active voice Using shorter words where possible For example, if you were selling lawnmowers, you could boast of offering â€Å"contraptions for the accelerated and efficacious reduction of Poa pratensis.† But it would be much better for everyone involved if you simply said â€Å"machines for fast and effective lawn care† instead. 4. Format for Skimmers How you format your copy is almost as important as what you write. In particular, you need to format your writing to catch the attention of skim readers. This means using: Subheadings to break up the text Bold fonts or other emphasis to highlight key words Bullet points and numbered lists Images and/or videos alongside the text If your reader can spot key information thanks to formatting, this will keep them on the site. 5. Think SEO When writing website copy, you’re not just writing for human readers. You’re also writing for search engines, as this is one way that people will find your site. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. We won’t go into any depth about SEO here, as it is a complicated subject. But the basic idea involves: Identifying key words for each page on the site (i.e. what people will search for to find it) Working these naturally into your website copy If you do not have key words yet, do a little research online to find the right ones for your site. 6. Proofread Everything The internet is a Wild West for writing, with the rules of grammar, spelling, and punctuation often ignored. But typos on your website will look unprofessional. And if you don’t care about your website copy, people might think you don’t care about your business either! As such, getting your website copy proofread before it goes online is essential.

Internaional Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Internaional Accounting - Essay Example Russia borders on the Arctic Ocean, the North Pacific Ocean, and Europe. The neighbouring countries are China, North Korea, Finland, Georgia, etc. (Russia: Introduction n.pag.). It is an independent economy having a budget expenditure of around $372 billion and the unemployment rate being 6.6% (Russia: Statistics n.pag.). In the year of 1990, the economy changed itself from being a centrally planned to that of a free market economy (Russia: Economy n.pag.). FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT IN RUSSIA\ According to Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Russia has been ranked among the top five economies for alluring foreign direct investment (FDI) (Doing Business in Russia n.pag.). The country has shown a good figure in terms of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 2011 where the Government debt was around 10% of GDP and the inflation rate being 6%. The Government is also planning to invest around $1.5 trillion for developing the country’s economy for the upcoming three years. However, the figure of FDI has not grown substantially as it is just accounting to an amount nearly $40 billion coming to the third year. And that means there are not many multinationals or foreign companies investing in the country (Doing Business in Russia n.pag.). BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT For doing business in Russia, there are certain accounting principles that one needs to follow. Each and every registered company or firm is required to prepare individual RAS financial statements for each financial year ending on the 31st of December. The framing of the financial statements are prescribed by the Ministry of Finance, and it includes a two-year’ comparative balance sheet, profit and loss accounts, a statement for equity changes, and a one-year’s comparative cash-flow statement. Supplementary notes are also required (Financial Reporting Framework in Russia n.pag.). Various international organizations like the World Bank and IMF are giving their supporting hand to the Russian Federation in order to improve the GDP rate. According to a study by the World Bank, the following data has been figured out (World Bank n.pag.). Figure one. Graph showing the growth of GDP over the years in comparison with Europe & Central Asia: Source: World Bank Here we can see that in Russia, the growth of GDP was very low in 2003 and gradually became somewhat consistent over the years of 2006 and 2007. There were no production in 2009, but it came to a considerable position in 2010 and 2011. According to IMF, this has also been found that Russia has been the largest borrower. Hence IMF is examining what Russia, in return, has produced or improved before sanctioning any more funds (Russia: The IMF’s biggest failure n.pag.). LEGAL ENVIRONMENT Taking the legal environment into consideration, if a person gets engaged into a tax or commercials dispute in Russia, according to the Court of Law, he/she will have to approach the arbitrazh courts. The procedure starts with filling in a form, and the whole procedure, in original, takes around 9 to 12 months to get completed. There are also some business regulations that are practiced in Russia which are the competition policy and the policy of price controlling (Business Environment in Russia n.pag.). Russia adopted the Civil Law for its jurisdiction in order to compete with the Western-European nation states by strengthening political and economic power (The Common Law and Civil Law Traditions n.pag.). Investor protection and

Trouble in Paradise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trouble in Paradise - Essay Example This is one of Lubitsch’s best and the most favorite film and had chosen the main character because he liked to ‘rehabilitate obscure European plays’. It was a great box office success and had won critical appreciations from the critics. The popular genre of screwball comedy of the 1930s in Hollywood was given a new dimension by Lubitsch in this film. While the normal screwball films were racy slapstick romantic comedies that just hinted subtly at sex and united the lovers only at the end, ‘Trouble in Paradise’ reveled in sexual innuendoes and larceny. The two main characters of the film were lovers as well as partners in crime whose dedication for their work was equaled only by their passion for each other. Throughout the film, with suggestive dialogues delivered with orchestrated grace and finesse, Lubitsch has not only expanded the idea of thievery into a glamorized activity, he has also shown that sexual exploits can also become intrinsic part of the overall plot. All the works of Lubitsch have his special signature ‘Lubitsch touch’ that never fails to keep his audience very firmly to the ground realities. This film too has its share. In fact, at the start of the film itself, the romantic gondola of Venice is shown as a carrier of garbage! Indeed, the juxtaposition of the extreme is the highlight of Lubitsch films which he carries with aplomb. The film is representative of the artifice that a man is forced to portray in order to accomplish his nefarious intentions. Posing as aristocratic Baron, made it easier for Gaston to fool his intended victim, Madame Mariette Colet and steal her riches. He was an honest thief because he had accepted the fact unlike ‘Giron’, accountant of Colet, who had been ripping his boss for years and yet always pretended to be her well wisher. He even wanted to report Gaston to the police for the same crime that he had been committing for years! The film

The abolitionist Essay Example for Free

The abolitionist Essay â€Å"My free life began on the third of September, 1838. On the morning of the 4th of that month, after an anxious and most perilous but safe journey, I found myself in the big city of New York, a free man, one more added to the mighty throng which, like the confused waves of the troubled sea, surged to and fro between the lofty walls of Broadway. † (Douglass, 1962) Frederick Douglass, indeed, was well prepared to enter the abolitionist crusade in August 1841 as a lecturer for the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. Concerned with any publicity that could expose him to discovery and arrest by his master, In August 1841, after delivering his first speeches before a predominantly white abolitionist audience at Nantuckets Atheneum Hall, Douglass was invited to become a lecturer for the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. Douglass at first declined the invitation, but John A. Collins, general agent of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, refused to take no for an answer, and Douglass reluctantly accepted his request. â€Å"His preparation began during his twenty-year enslavement, and by the time he escaped from slavery in 1838, he had gained valuable experiences that contributed to his understanding of rhetoric and his identity as an orator. † (Lampe, 1998, pg 1) Frederick Douglass It is no surprise, then, that people began to question whether Douglass had ever been a slave. How, they wondered, could anyone who had been a slave and deprived of a formal education speak so eloquently and conduct himself with so much dignity and grace on the platform? During all these activities Douglass demonstrated his deep and abiding  commitment to the antislavery movement. He weathered unfriendly audi ¬ences, health problems, inclement weather, and assaults on the abolition ¬ist cause. The conventional view of Douglass at this stage of his career is that he confined his remarks to a simple narrative of his slave experiences, that he was very much under the wing of Garrison and the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, and that he adhered strictly to Garrisonian doctrine. Everywhere he went; he attracted large and enthusiastic audiences and infused excitement into the crusade against slavery. Douglass stated he was always ready to speak on slavery,  and added, in reply to some one who desired to have his name and that of the preceding speaker announced, and that he was afraid we cared too much to know who it is that speaks, instead of weighing well what was said. Douglass traveled extensively throughout the Bay State delivering his antislavery message. His rhetorical activities included impressive speaking performances at county, state, regional, and national antislavery meetings, as well as a solo lecture tour of Massachusetts. In addition, he played a crucial role in a lecture tour of Cape Cod, in which he traveled with William Lloyd Garrison, Henry C. Wright, and George Bradburn. In all of these activities, Douglass strengthened his standing as a powerful voice in the struggle for immediate abolition. A number of historians, recognizing the insufficiency and shortcomings of the white missionary effort, have emphasized instead the role of black preachers in spreading Christianity. There is, of course, considerable truth in one Southern clergymans observation that the colored people will, in spite of all our efforts, have more confidence in the views of leading colored members. At the same time, however, evidence suggests that black preachers intent on spreading the gospel to the unconverted faced considerable barriers, as Fanny Kemble witnessed in Georgia in 1839: There were a short time ago two free black preachers in this neighborhood, but they have lately been ejected from the place. I could not clearly learn, but one may possibly imagine, upon what grounds. (Rael, 1997) Frederick Douglass, who spoke after Garnet at the Convention, denounced the idea of a violent rebellion. Douglass, an eloquent ex-slave from Maryland, was the leading African American spokesperson of the time. Although he had been Garrisons protege and friend, they eventually had a public and dramatic falling out over differing interpretations of the Constitution. Whereas Garrison regarded the Constitution as a pro-slavery document, even going so far as to publicly burn it, Douglass took the wording of the Constitution to imply federal authority to either restrict or destroy slavery. (PBS Africans). 1843 was to be the year of the Hundred Conventions—a hundred antislavery meetings planned by the American Anti slavery Society. The goal of a hundred was never actually reached, but Douglass himself spoke at nearly that many meetings in 1843 as he traveled across New England, upstate New York, Ohio and Indiana, and back through Pennsylvania, gaining an increasingly strong and independent voice. While preaching against slavery as it existed in the South, he made constant references to what he was facing now in the North—a North that would not accord him equality. He believed fervently that the ending of slavery would mean the beginning of full manhood for his brothers and himself. With its end, they and he would be paid attention to, would be respected. Somehow, it was slavery that had bred the poison of racism. In the company of devoted proponents of universal reform, he did not waver in his belief that slavery was the one overriding evil that had to be gotten rid of before any other goals, however desirable, should be sought.

The Brownfield Problem Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Brownfield Problem Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial sites where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real, or perceived environmental contamination that can add cost, time, and uncertainty to the redevelopment process. Throughout the country there are an estimated 450,000 brownfields. These vacant properties exist mostly in cities, serving no practical purpose, and act as both eyesores and environmental as well as economic pitfalls. The inner cities, where most brownfields exist, were once the only choice developers had in deciding where to build industry. However, since the birth of environmental laws and regulation, the redevelopment of these properties has become a complicated and often very costly procedure. This procedure causes many businesses and corporations to look outside of the inner cities and urban areas for locations to grow and develop. This trend not only leaves the inner cities vacant and economically useless, but also leads to urba n sprawl, a phenomenon that leads to the development of greenfields, or the pristine, undeveloped land outside the confines of massive urban areas. Many sites across the country that were once used for industrial, and/or, commercial use have been abandoned by the companies who used them. Some of these sites are contaminated; however, some of them are merely perceived as being contaminated. In those cases, the sites have been linked to big industry, or nearby sites. In the past, any such site has been avoided or ignored as a possibility for redevelopment. This situation is caused largely by federal and state environmental laws and court decisions that impose or imply potentially serious liability. The circumstances surrounding this uncertain liability has encouraged businesses to build in previously undeveloped and non-urban areas, that are referred to as greenfields, where they are confident that no previous industry has been active. A report from the General Accounting Office finds that: "As states and localities attempt to redevelop their abandoned industrial sites, they have faced a number of obstacles, including th e possibility of contamination and the associated liability for cleanup." This situation has lead to a number of far-reaching problems including social, economic, and enviro... ...ization to determine the extent of environmental contamination and the cost of removal or remediation. Then, funds should be set aside either from the Superfund Trust Fund or general revenues to provide resources to local governments to develop brownfield site inventories, site assessments, and brownfield redevelopment strategies, the main goal of which would be to attract private investment. EPA should expand their Brownfields Initiative to include funds for preparation and implementation of brownfield redevelopment strategies. Federal funds should be made available for the creation and capitalization of local revolving loan funds for local governments or the private sector to perform activities such as removal, remediation, and small business development at brownfield sites. HUD should provide resources to accelerate actual development, through leveraging private sector investment and other means, to move beyond cleanup and remediation. All agencies need to find ways to assist by providing resources that will aid in the redevelopment of brownfield sites. Bibliography: EPA Homepage Brownfields Inc. Homepage Chicago Tribune; 3,1:2, May 30, 1996. Urban Land; Vol. 55, #6, pg 43.

Roles Reversed in A Tale of Two Cities

â€Å"A Tale of Two Cities† by Charles Dicken's is a novel that is steep in great mystery. Dickens writes his characters not as solely good or bad. Each character is fleshed out as a real individual with faults. The doubling of the characters Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay is a central technique used by Dickens. In this case he not only pairs together opposites in values but makes them look exactly alike. Many people claim that Carton is the â€Å"bad† one who has a great transformation and Darnay is the good one.However, after examining the text of â€Å"A Tale of Two Cities† it is clear that Darney is full of contradictions and Carton who is morally stable. Carton is a regular drinker and makes no claim otherwise. He is often seen drinking in the text or talking about drinking with a friend. He recounts stories and misadventures from bars. The narrator explains that he is always out late, he has been seen coming home in the early morning hours and he works fo r Stryver. The reader see Carton has someone how has many bad habits that have been going on for years and years.Carton is also seen as not competitive or professional at all. Carton saves up all his energy and time to do the one task he has been destined to do – die a hero's death. He makes the decision to pretend like he is Darnay and take the death punishment for him. In comparison Darnay who is initially thought of as being the good guy is not what he seems to be. Darnay comes form a family who has a long history of being cruel to the French people. They have wrong people again and again for years. He wants to renounce his family name not out of good will but because it absolves him of any responsibility.He pretends to be someone else when he married Lucie and deceives her for his own gain. Darnay chooses not to stay in Paris and fight for the people his family has wrong. He goes away and hides in London where he is safe from harm. Even at the end of the novel when Darnay should be put to death, he hides from his responsibility. He lets Carton be killed instead of him. Darnay and Carton act as foils to each other in Dickens' â€Å"A Tale of Two Cities†. While Darnay is seen as heroic and Carton is seen as the exact opposite- nothing can be further from the truth.Is Darnay that is ideal, irresponsible, and immature. Carton is created to be a stark contrast o Darnay. Carton grows into a man who in the end gives his life for the greater good of his family, friends, and society. This is something Darnay has never and will never be able to do. I agree with this criticism because I feel that they are many instances within the novel which support idea that Darnay and Carton are not who they originally seem to be. For example Darnay says â€Å"If it ever becomes mine, it shall be put into some hands better qualified to free it slowly [†¦] so that the miserable people who cannot leave it and who have been long wrung to the last point past endura nce, may, in another generation, suffer less† (130). Darnay really does not want his family name. He wants to hide from the past and make it disappear. That is why he chooses to be someone he is not. I believe that the text shows that Darnay is idle and continue to do the same things over and over again. â€Å"the events of this week annihilated the immature plans of last week, and the events of the week following made all new again [†¦] he had watched the times for a time of action, and that they had shifted and struggled until the time had gone by† (251). Unlike Carton who seems in the beginning to be idle and is â€Å"rumoured to be seen at broad day, going home stealthily to his lodgings, like a dissipated cat† (90). However, in the end it is Carton who dies for what he believes to be right and states â€Å"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known. † (374) .

Why, according to Lee Kuan Yew, are Western democratic systems unsuited to East Asia?

Lee Kuan Yew, prime minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and now Senior Minister of his country, commands much respect and influence in both the East and the West. This respect and influence reaches to the highest echelons of world leaders, to the vast multitude of academics, commentators and development strategists, and to the millions of people who live in East Asia. Regardless of whether or not this esteem is justified and deserved, ti is real, and therefore must be analysed, interpreted, criticised or praised while not forgetting the importance and effect his beliefs and proclamations have had, and will have. Any discussion of world politics, especially in East Asia, cannot ignore the hows, whys and wherefores of the current situation and the influence that current ideas and thought may have on the future. Lee's views have undoubtedly shaped his own country, certainly have influenced other governments in the region, and will definitely bear their markon the short- to mid-term future of East Asian politics. This explains the reasons why this essay solely deals with him. The essay is divided into three main sections. Firstly, I will discuss Lee's ideas and policies, and why he believes in an ‘Asian values' view of the politics of the region. Secondly, I will explore some of the responses that have been made in opposition to his views, and thirdly, I will present some observations and conclusions of my own. These observations will draw on some other problems and inconsistencies with Lee's ideas. Let us turn then to the man and his ideas. The central theme running through any study or discussion of his political ideas and actions is the importance that culture has on shaping the society and its structures. The shared history, traditions, make-up, worldview and social relationships are the key factors that determine how a state should be organised and governed. Thus, if the culture is different between two sets of peoples, then the resulting state structure and government type will also be different. Culture is the driver, the basis of society and the legitimacy used by those in power to decree what is best for their people. This viewpoint is often referred to as the ‘Asian values' system (Ng, 1997, Theodore de Bary, 1999, Hague & Harrop, 2001) and is summed up succinctly by the title of a famous interview with Lee which appeared in a 1994 edition of Foreign Affairs – ‘Culture is Destiny' (Zakiria, 1994). The importance that Lee places on the cultural aspect of a society does not mean that what is right for his country is also right for other countries. Whilst consistently dismissing Western-, and in particular, US-style democratic systems as valid models for Singapore, he does not suggest that the US-style system is neccessarily wrong for the US. It is not my business to tell people what's wrong with their system. It is my business to tell people not to foist their system indiscrimately on societies in which it will not work (Zakiria quoting Lee, 1994, p. 110). This can be seen as a statement recognising the particularity of political systems depending on the society / culture in question. Whilst Lee has been described as being authoritarian, semi-, or soft-authoritarian, he certainly doesn't make claims for the world to be based on an Asian values system. It appears that his position is more concerned about keeping hold of power in Singapore rather than exporting it around the world. The main, fundamental as Lee calls it, cultural reason why Western democratic systems are unsuited to East Asia is the difference between the place and status of the individual in those societies. The fundamental difference between Western concepts of society and government and East Asian concepts†¦ is that Eastern societies believe that the individual exists in the context of his family. He is not pristine and separate. The family is part of the extended family, and the friends and the wider society. The ruler or government does not try to provide for a person what the family best provides (Zakiria quoting Lee, 1994, p. 113). This focus on the moral and virtuous notion of society is stongly linked to Confucianism, so often portrayed as being fundamentally East Asian and always compared with Western systems. Lee's manifestation of this doctrine is used by him to legitimate and promote an East Asian society based on strong hierarchical structures to bring about social and political stability. In the East the main object is to have a well-ordered society so that everybody can have maximum enjoyment of his freedoms. This freedom can only exist in an ordered state and not in a natural state of contention and anarchy (Zakiria quoting Le, 1994, p. 111). These three main features of Lee's take on East Asia's political and social climate – culture, the place in society of the individual, and a well-ordered society – are admittedly affected and influenced by the West over time, and are not seen as developing without the impact of colonial rule and imperialism. †¦ ur Confucianism has been attenuated by 120 years of British rule and education in British and other English-speaking universities (IHT, 2001). But, despite this impact Lee steadfastly denies any further infusion of Western democracy into East Asia, especially Singapore. †¦ this doesn't mean we are going to be like a Western society. The values are different (de Borch, 2001). Lee is not the torch-h older for everyone though. Whilst he receives praise from his counterparts around the world, there are many in the academic and development strategist world that strongly disagree with him. Of course, it is not just a simple case of disagreeing over a matter of opinion, there are many valid and strong arguments against Lee's ideas. From this myriad of arguments, I have identified three main strands of contestation – historical arguments against Lee's ‘Asian values', the theoretical arguments concerning discussions of what democracy should be and how it should be followed in East Asia, and the problems and criticisms of the actually existing governing style of Lee. First then, arguments against Lee taken from history. There are two key aspects to this – the relevance of Confucianism to East Asia today, and evidence of a democratic tradition throughout East Asia's past. Famously, Max Weber theorised about the particular contribution to advanced capitalism of the ‘Protestant ethic'. This, in turn, explained how other cultures, including Confucian cultures, were not suited to advanced capitalism. Clearly this can now be questionned, especially if, as many commentators have said, that East Asia is economically dynamic. If Confucianism explains the economic boom in East Asia today, does it not also explain that region's stagnation for four centuries? Zakiria, 1994, p. 125). Kin Dae Jung, writing in response to the ‘Culture is Destiny' interview, identifies a strong tradition and history of democratic ideals and institutions in East Asia's past. This suggests that an argument could be made for ‘Asian values' actually referring to a much more democratic system than the Confucian-based one that Lee propagates. A thorough anaylsis makes it clear that Asia has a rich heritage of democracy-oriented philosophies and traditions. Asia has already made great strides toward democratisation and possesses the necessary conditions to develop democracy even beyond the level of the West (Jung, 1994, p. 91). The second major criticism of Lee comes from studies of the theoretical nature of democracy and what it means, shuold mean, or can mean to East Asia. The basic premise is that why should democracy only be relevant to particular cultures and why should particular cultures have to follow other political paths? This highlights the argument for democracy's universality. There is nothing special about torturing the Asian way†¦ human rights are human rights (Vatikiotis cited by Hague & Harrop, 2001, p. 29). The rejection of Western-style democracy by East Asian leaders is also seen by some as merely an excuse for not moving beyond ‘soft-authoritarianism' and into democracy. This is strongly tied up with the observation that this is simply the most effective way for leaders such as Lee to rule their countries. The biggest obstacle is not its cultural heritage but the resistance of authoritarian rulers and their apologists (Jung, 1994, p. 194). The third area of opposition to Lee's ideas that can be identified is that of problems with the actually exisitng state and society structures and institutions. For some, just observing Lee's form of rule is enough to reject his notions of what is the correct way to govern. These doubts stem chiefly from the Singapore government's undeniably harsh treatment of the opposition, as evidenced in its most recent elections (Ng, 1997, p. 21) Also, there appears to be two threats to the whole ‘Asian values' theory. Firstly, we have on the one hand Lee purporting to leave the individual's private matters to the individual, whilst on the other it can be observed that his government is actually intruding into the private sphere more than ever (Jung, 1994, p. 90). Secondly, an external threat is apparent from the global spread of modernisation. †¦ as an inevitable consequence of industrialisation, the family-centred East Asian societies are also rapidly moving toward self-centred individualism. Nothing in human history is permanent (Jun, 1994, p. 21). In conclusion it must be said that Lee's position in East Asia, and his reverance amongst Western opinion-formers should not distract us from dissecting and criticising his ideas. It is not good enough to assume that cultural traits should determine, worse still, justify the actions of governments, particularly Lee's. There should be certain aspects to a government and society that are unacceptable no matter what setting. Lee makes much of the need for a ‘well-ordered' society. The heavy-handed way this society is brought about blatantly contradicts Lee's notions of freedom. He talks of East Asians being able to have â€Å"maximum enjoyment of his freedoms† but Lee's notion of what is behaving and what is misbehaving sets a Singaporean's realm of freedom for him. This is certainly not the freedom that John Stuart Mill wrote about. It could be argued that it is better to have a society that is not so ‘well-ordered' but democratic, than it is to live in a society such as one that Lee envisages; faith must be placed with society to check its members' activities rather than have all aspects of life limited by an all-seeing government. Lee's ways may also only be suited to a small state such as Singapore. Even he admits that, within that small population, total control is practically impossible. This for me leads to the heart of the importance placed by Lee on ‘Asian values' and why Western ideas of democracy are unsuited to East Asia. It is very hard to escape the conclusion that the justification of ‘Asian values' is solely a political smokescreen to maintain power. It is even harder to escape this conclusion when the man himself proclaims: So when Americans tell me: you ought to govern in this way, I say thank you very much, I have listened to you very carefully, if I don't think we are ready for that, I have to do it my way (IHT, 2001, my emphasis).

The Flag of the United States of Mexico

The Flag of the United States of Mexico There have been a few looks for the flag of Mexico since its independence from Spanish rule in 1821, but its overall look has remained the same: green, white and red and a coat of arms in the center that is a nod to the Aztec Empires capital of Tenochtitlan, formerly based in Mexico City in 1325. The flag colors are the same colors of the national liberation army in Mexico. Visual Description The Mexican flag is a rectangle with three vertical stripes: green, white and red from left to right. The stripes are of equal width. In the center of the flag is a design of an eagle, perched on a cactus, eating a snake. The cactus in on an island in a lake, and beneath is a garland of green leaves and a red, white and green ribbon. Without the coat of arms, the Mexican flag looks like the Italian flag, with the same colors in the same order, although the Mexican flag is longer and the colors are a darker shade. History of the Flag The national liberation army, known as the Army of the Three Guarantees, officially formed after the struggle for independence. Their flag was white, green and red with three yellow stars. The first flag of the new Mexican republic was modified from the armys flag. The first Mexican flag is very similar to the one used today, but the eagle is not shown with a snake, instead, it is wearing a crown. In 1823, the design was modified to include the snake, although the eagle was in a different pose, facing the other direction. It underwent minor changes in 1916 and 1934 before the current version was officially adopted in 1968. Flag of the Second Empire Since independence, only on one occasion has the Mexican flag undergone a drastic revision. In 1864, for three years, Mexico was ruled by Maximilian of Austria, a European nobleman imposed as the emperor of Mexico by France. He redesigned the flag. The colors stayed the same, but golden royal eagles were put in each corner, and the coat of arms was framed by two golden griffins and included the phrase Equidad en la Justicia, meaning   Equity in Justice.† When Maximilian was deposed and killed in 1867, the old flag was restored. Symbolism of the Colors When the flag was first adopted, the green symbolically stood for independence from Spain, the white for Catholicism and the red for unity. During the secular presidency of Benito Juarez, the meanings were changed to mean green for hope, white for unity and red for the spilled blood of fallen national heroes. These meanings are known by tradition, nowhere in Mexican law or in the documentation does it clearly state the official symbolism of the colors. Symbolism of the Coat of Arms The eagle, snake, and cactus refer back to an old Aztec legend. The Aztecs were a nomadic tribe in northern Mexico who followed a prophecy that they should make their home where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus while eating a snake. They wandered until they came to a lake, formerly Lake Texcoco, in central Mexico, where they saw the eagle and founded what would become the mighty city of Tenochtitln, now Mexico City. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, Lake Texcoco was drained by the Spanish in an effort to control continuous lake flooding. Flag Protocol February 24 is Flag Day in Mexico, celebrating the day in 1821 when different rebel armies joined together to secure independence from Spain. When the national anthem is played, Mexicans must salute the flag by holding their right hand, palm down, over their heart. Like other national flags, it may be flown at half-staff in official mourning upon the death of someone important. Importance of the Flag Like people from other nations, Mexicans are very proud of their flag and like to show it off. Many private individuals or companies will fly them proudly. In 1999, President Ernesto Zedillo commissioned giant flags for several important historical sites. These banderas monumentales or â€Å"monumental banners† can be seen for miles and were so popular that several state and local governments made their own. In 2007, Paulina Rubio, famous Mexican singer, actress, TV hostess, and model, appeared in a magazine photo shoot wearing only a Mexican flag. It created quite the controversy, although she later said that she meant no offense and apologized if her actions were viewed as a sign of disrespect of the flag.

A Transcultural

As the world’s multi-cultural population increases, the significance of transcultural nursing in healthcare is strongly evident. Health care professionals are challenged by the need to understand the various cultural factors that influence a person’s response to health and illness and must develop attitudes and skills that will help them behave in culturally appropriate ways (Walsh DeJoseph, 2003). Transcultural nursing works as a formal education that equips nurses and other healthcare providers the knowledge regarding beliefs, values, and practices of different cultures in the society with the goal to produce a culturally competent practitioner, therefore, achieving patient satisfaction and positive outcomes (Leininger, 1999). The foundations for transcultural nursing had started with the purpose of compensating the complexities of healthcare needs of people belonging to different culture (Glittenberg, 2004; Tortumluoglu, 2006). Hence, knowing the unique behavioural patterns and lifestyles of a specific culture enables the provider to perform culturally congruent, holistic and appropriate healthcare service (Streltzer, 2008). Campinha-Bacote’s framework of cultural competence (2002) provides a thorough and comprehensible process for healthcare professional to become culturally competent. It guides healthcare practitioners in achieving the ability to effectively work within the context of the service users from a diverse cultural- ethnic background through keying out five essential components namely, cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skills, cultural encounter and cultural desire (Campinha-Bacote, 2011). Ryan, Carlton and Ali (2000) pointed out that the five constructs are functionally interdependent and must be covered. Entailing that one will be ineffective without the others, and similarly absence of one component gets unsatisfactory consequences. Imagine a six-stringed acoustic guitar, if one string is not in tune with the others, once you play it the resulting notes and chords are out of tune making a nuisance instead of music. When an individual is aware that people are different from one another in terms of personality, attitude and behaviour, partially because of their cultural beliefs or backgrounds, that person is culturally aware (Rew, Becker, Cookston, Khosropour Martinez, 2003). Moreover, The University of Michigan School of Nursing (2000) added that awareness and examination of one’s own beliefs is also an important component of this concept to avoid prejudices and biases when working with service users. However, ethnocentrism, which is defined in Oxford English Dictionary (2003) as  a  character which assumes that ones own group or belief is superior from the others, may weaken this construct. Awareness of this attitude would help health care provider in avoiding unjust service. Say, a Christian nurse was assigned to care for a dying atheist patient. She believes that death means going to heaven or hell, while her patient may believe that death simply means ceasing to exist. Despite of these differences of beliefs, her job to provide excellent care for the patient and ensuring that his needs are met were not faltered (pricklypear, personal communication, April 08, 2006). Though, somehow findings from studies conducted by Rew et al (2003) point that conscious awareness of cultural diversity does not guarantee cultural competence. Nurses and other health care providers need a solid knowledge about a variety of populations, culture- specific phenomena (e. . , social support), and human responses to diversity to better understand their client (Meleis, 1996). In acquiring this knowledge, healthcare practitioners must concentrate on three specific issues: health-related beliefs, practices and cultural values; disease incidence and prevalence (Lavizzo-Mourey, 1996). Getting cultural knowledge about the patient’s health-related be liefs and values involves understanding their worldview which justifies how he interprets his illness and how it guides his thinking, doing, and being (Campinha- Bacote, 2002). A concrete example is of an old Filipino faith healer who never consulted any clinician to diagnose the pain sensation he feels during urination. He believed that, it was spiritual opposition who inflicted the pain. Knowledge relating to the field of bio cultural ecology is also important when addressing disease incidence and prevalence among ethnic groups, This involves having accurate epidemiological data to guide decisions about treatment and treatment programs, health education, and screening in order to attain positive health care outcomes (Campinha-Bacote, 2002). Therefore, a promising cultural competent nurse must be updated of current research studies conducted, and likewise initiating some research work himself. In incurring cultural knowledge, one should always remember that every individual is a unique blend of the variety found within each culture, an incomparable collection of life experiences, and the product of acculturation to other cultures (Capinha-Bacote, 2002). Thus, it is very vital that every health care provider develops the skill to culturally assess every client that will come to their care. This requires sensitivity and more in-depth studying of cultures and sub-cultures (Meleis, 1996). The third component of Campinha-Bacote’s model of cultural competence (2002) is cultural skill. It is the capability to carry on a cultural assessment by gathering cultural data relevant to the patient’s presenting problem, at the same time conducting a culturally-based physical assessment accurately (Tortumluoglu, 2006 Campinha-Bacote, 2011). According to the author, this construct plays a substantial part in planning nursing care for an individual. Data gathered during assessment, especially in initial screening interview serves as the basis or guide in establishing a plan of care for the client. During this crucial process the health care provider should be aware how a client’s physical, biological, and physiological changes affect his/her ability to conduct an accurate and appropriate physical evaluation. Particularly, differences in body structure, skin colour, and visible physical characteristics, (Capinha-Bacote, 2002). For instance, a well known man from a wealthy family came to an Out-Patient service, the nurse who is doing the screening was aware of the patient’s elite background, might get intimidated and may cause inaccurate assessment. Next, is cultural encounter; the process which encourages the health care provider to immerse himself to various cultural interactions with clients from culturally diverse backgrounds (Tortumluoglu, 2006). Cultural encounter may be experienced on real situation and through simulation or role playing (Shearer Davidhizar, 2003; Walsh DeJoseph, 2003). Both, aid in modifying existing beliefs about a cultural group and prevent possible stereotyping. However, the author identified one obstacle that may encounter in this process specifically during assessment stage, which involves the language barrier between the care provider and the service user. This is especially possible if both came from different country of origin. The use of formally trained interpreter is strongly recommended if this situation occurs to avoid faulty data collection (Campinha-Bacote, 2002). Finally, the fifth component of this model is cultural desire. This is the most crucial construct, since without desire, cultural awareness, knowledge, skills and encounters will not be gladly experienced. Cultural desire is a genuine passion and a commitment to become culturally competent health care provider ( Campinha-Bacote, 2003). Therefore, it is safe to say that every health care provider must be driven by cultural desire for this is the heart and soul of cultural competence. In fact, the author strongly believes that this passion and unaltered commitment must be the fundamental construct of all the transcultural nursing models. Campinha-Bacotes model embraces the experiential-phenomenological perspective. It supports the client as teacher of his culture and the clinician as learner. Furthermore, it recognises that culture is dynamic and always changing and there is more variation within a culture than among different cultures (Brathwaite, 2003). Although Campinha-Bacote’s Cultural Competent model may  have a strong track record of effectiveness (Carol, 2007; Rew et al; Tortumluoglu, 2006),   yet it is encouraged to spend time in research and evaluate the various models of transcultural nursing to determine which one is best for a particular client, organization or situation. Cultural competence recognizes the broad scope of the dimensions that influence an Individual’s personal identity. Within the behavioural health system (which addresses mental illnesses), cultural competence must be a guiding principle, so that services are culturally sensitive and culturally appropriate prevention, outreach, assessment and intervention are provided (Stanhope, Solomon, Pernell-Arnold, Sands Bourjolly, 2005) . This will be indicated in the following case. A 37 years old Irish, male, single, and a traveller from Northern Ireland was admitted for schizophrenia with retrograde amnesia in the nursing home. The client was referred by a social worker and was assessed by one of the nurses on duty. The nurse noted that patient’s posture was quite slouch and has a good bearing. He wore clean and neat clothing appropriate for the weather. He was groomed plain and simple. His hair well combed. However, his nails were untrimmed both on hands and feet. The nurse noted the lesions and skin rashes on the client’s right foot and observed that he moved slowly during ambulation. Further, there were times that he looks straight in the eyes when questioned and when he answered, he glanced on the other people around him. The client was monosyllabic in communicating and was unable to recall long term memories. He also looked disturbed and preoccupied at all times. During his first week in the institution, the client was noted to be unsociable. He preferred to stay inside his room and would just go out during meal time to join the other clients in the dining area. On one occasion, the carer had attempted to engage in a conversation with him. She found out that the client can’t recall anything from his past including his childhood, his family or where he lived before. He can’t even recall the number of the family members and the person he was in contact with prior to his admission in the institution. Though he stated that his birthday falls on January 13, he can’t remember the exact year. Surprisingly, he was able to recall what he had for breakfast and lunch. It was also noticed that the patient has slight awareness of being sick and needing but denting it at the same time. He is aware that he is sick but he’s trying to blame it to others. Like when asked why he is in the institution on one interaction, he answered that his friends sent him there because of misconceptions. According to him he’s not guilty of any wrong doing and denied all the accusations on him. In addition, it was noted that the patient has some problems on impulse control. At times he showed hostile, aggressive and sexual tendencies towards the staff and to the other clients. In view of the above circumstance, The â€Å"Cultural Competence† model of Campinha-Bacote(2002), offers the nursing staff the framework for rendering culturally relevant care to the culturally and behaviourally diverse psychiatric client. Initially, upon the client’s admission, general data of the client such as general appearance, ethnicity, gender, age, hobbies or work, disability, orientation and memory impairment was gathered. The cultural challenge seen at this stage was first the different cultural background the client represents. Accurate knowledge concerning language, clothing and patient’s cultural, religious, or spiritual beliefs or practices that influence care must be obtained in order to perform culturally appropriate service (Streltzer, 2008). Tseng and Streltzer (2004) stressed that language is one tool through which culture expressed. Through language, a person communicates underlying conceptions, values, and attitudes that can be very different among different cultural systems. Comprehending another person’s culture through his language can be therefore quite challenging, particularly when that language is very different from one’s own but with genuine interest and remaining nonjudgmental, probability of gathering relevant information will be assured. Another challenge noted was the diagnosed condition of the patient. Lack of understanding about Schizophrenia may pose a great problem to the nursing staff in this case. This disorder is identified with complex characteristics according to type. Basically, people with schizophrenia have an altered perception of reality, often a significant loss  of contact with reality. They may see or hear things that don’t exist, speak in strange or confusing ways, believe that others are trying to harm them, or feel like they’re being constantly watched (Smith Segal, 2011). Obtaining cultural awareness pertained to this disorder must be consolidated among the management and staff. Like what Campinha-Bacote, (2002b) emphasized that cultural skill involves the ability to collect relevant cultural information about the patient’s history and presenting problems. Legally accessing patient’s records of past health, social, and environmental history is positively beneficial. Finally, the greatest challenge identified in this case is the client’s unusual behaviour and psychomotor activity. People with schizophrenia tend to have unpredictable or inappropriate emotional responses. They may exhibit behaviours that appear bizarre and purposeless. Sometimes they lack of inhibition and impulse control which may pose danger to themselves, and to people around them. Moreover, apparent social withdrawal which usually manifests through inexpressive face, including a flat voice, lack of eye contact, and blank or restricted facial expressions is common (Campinha-Bacote, 2002b). Cultural encounters may be difficult and uncomfortable at times, especially encounters with abnormal behaviours due to fear and diffidence. Good intentions and the nonverbal communication style of a psychiatric nurse can sometimes be interpreted as offensive and insulting to a specific cultural group. The psychiatric nurse must become more sensitive to the meaning of a culture’s nonverbal communication, such as eye contact, facial expressions, and use of touch, body language, and distancing practices when engaging in cross-cultural encounters (Current Nursing, 2011 Peterson, 2004). She must identify feelings that lead to patient’s poor social interaction. If client is unable to respond verbally or in a coherent manner, spending frequent short periods with client might be good start. Structuring times each day for brief interactions and activities with client on one-on-one basis is likewise helpful. These activities should work at the client’s pace and ability. Examples are looking through family pictures, watching TV, drawing or painting and other recreational activities that would enhance client’s attention and engagement (Tseng and Streltzer, 2004). To sum it up, this culturally-related aspects of care in the client and there accompanying challenges won’t be addressed and overcome respectively, if cultural competency is not learned and demonstrated. A cultural desire must be developed and surged in each health care provider to effectively furnish the unmet, culturally-related needs of the client. Cultural desire is the motivation of the psychiatric nurse to â€Å"want to† engage in this uncomfortable situation. Carrying out all the planned care with the passion and humility to accept and respect differences, and be willing to learn from different world (Campinha-Bacote, 2002). With the increase in diversity in an ever-changing society and the escalating need for nurses to be educated and skilled in transcultural nursing, every opportunity that would contribute to development of cultural competence should be seized. In conclusion, transcultural nursing was designed to equip and empower every carer, nurse, and any health care provider to embrace the challenges and hindrances that diverse cultures bear. Campinha-Bacote’s cultural competence model is one of the few effective tools suggested to utilize in whatever situation a service provider is in, may it be in clinical or mental health setting.

Executive Summaries of Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Executive Summaries of Article - Essay Example Items that have to be shown in investing activity are shown as operating activity. Moreover, when such items are rectified for classification, the re-statement of the figures is not done (Daniel, Susan, & Dana, 2007). Controls should be so efficient that they are capturing the correct classification of the items each year. Such misclassifications mislead the users of the statement of cash flows. Secondly, when classifications are done, they should be re-stated as per the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Since, this re-statement is not being done, the ratio of current years and that of comparatives are also being distorted. Such inconsistency in the ratios affects the decision making of the investors. 1. Untrained Staff: There is untrained staff, which is not capable of preparing Ha cash flow. The staff is not technically sound due to lack of knowledge and training. Many a times the staff is not even capable of adjusting the profit for non-cash items. Qualified and experienced staff should be hired to remove these errors. 2. Lack of Adequate Review: It is observed that the senior management does not appropriately review the statement of cash flows. There are some complex items in the cash flow, which come in the form of balancing figures such as taxes paid. These figures are difficult to be calculated. Junior staff may manipulate such figures to balance the cash flow statement. Such manipulation could be rectified at initial stage if reviews are done in detail. 3. Misclassification of Balance Sheet items: It is observed that the balance sheet items are not classified appropriately. The items of short-term investments such as securities, which are highly liquid in nature, are classified as a cash equivalent. Such misclassification eradicates the item from investing items in the cash flow. 4. Consolidation weaknesses: The consolidation process is a complex process that