A Reception Analysis High School Students

Nowadays, Korean culture and Its cultural products have been Influencing every nation, invading Asia and the rest of the world. This trend is popularly known as the Korean wave or Halley, which greatly influenced the way people live today. Korean invasion started first in television dramas which got a lot of fans globally despite of the language barrier. And these television dramas made their viewers love Korean characters and their culture as well, which signaled the birth of Korean wave.Today, Korea is still developing more products that they can introduce to the whole world ND it means more products for the fans who love to watch every single episode of their favorite Korean drama or who go crazy for their Korean Idols. In the Philippines, Just like the Mexican tealeaves that were popular back In the days, Korean television dramas or Cornflakes became a big hit to the taste of Filipino audience, especially the teenagers. Filipino youth in this generation are now changing slowly an d are catching up with what Is the new trend today.Cornflakes and other Korean products have Influenced the Filipino youth and changed their preferences in music, fashion, food, and etc. This study is about the media consumption of Filipino youth in watching Cornflakes and what keeps them watching this kind of television program. The youth have psychological or sociological needs that they want to satisfy by watching programs that are introduced by media. And most of the needs of these young people can be gratified by the Cornflakes that they watch. Their needs serve as their driving force in consuming foreign products. . RATIONALE In these modern times, the youth are creating their new world where they can express their creativity and passion through popular culture. The spread of Korean pop culture or Halley all over the world had influenced the way teenagers live, especially the Filipino youth. This phenomenon changed their taste for music, clothes, hairstyle, food, gadgets, and many more. The youth have their own needs that can be satisfied by Korean cultural products, particularly television dramas, which media has introduced to them.Korean television dramas, or popularly known in the Philippines as â€Å"Cornflakes†, have won the hearts of the Filipino audience, especially the young people. And with that simple appreciation from the viewers, Korean pop culture has been slowly entering In the ivies of many. Some people started as an avid fan of a particular Korean star from the television drama that they watch, and then eventually they imitate everything that ‘OFF media in watching Korean television dramas, the more they are influenced by this kind of media content. Understanding the needs of these young people might lead us to know the reasons of their consumption.This study can give us an opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the views of young Cornflake fanatics. With this, the side of Cornflake enthusiasts and the side of non-Shoppers can achieve mutual understanding and respect. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE l. Korean Wave or Halley South Korea has been emerging as a source of power for the production of transnational pop culture which spread first to neighboring Asian countries, later to the Middle East and North Africa, and more recently to Europe and the Americas (Park & Change, p. 2).This phenomenon is introduced as â€Å"Korean wave† which refers to the significantly increased popularity of South Korean culture around the world; it is also referred to as Halley, in the Korean language. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing Journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China (Lee, 2011, p. 86). The first wave of Halley in China was the invasion of television dramas. Initially, it seemed that the boom in Korean entertainment in China was accidental rather than deliberate (Steinberg, 2010, p. 53). Later, the rave for Korean drama expanded to in clude not only music, dance, and film, but also literature, fashion, and even Korean cuisine and became the driving force in Koreans tourism. The Korean government picked up on this phenomenon fairly quickly and went on a nationalistic campaign to promote Halley in different ways (Park & Change, p. ). The Korean wave portrays an unprecedented frame of Korean popular culture by the Korean media alongside the line with commercial nationalism.As a result, the Korean wave is manifested as a regional cultural trend signifying a triumph of Korean culture (Lee, 2011, p. 85). Korean cultural products have become a catalyst for curiosity about Korean culture and Korea itself. Korean dramas in particular have served as an important bridge for the different countries to encounter Korean culture. The Korean wave has had a marked impact in various ways regarding transaction with other countries. Local sentiment towards Korea has not been respectable in the past, but the Korean wave has fundament ally changed the national image of Korea in a positive way.The Korean wave ultimately improved Koreans image in foreign countries, which in turn created a ripple effect that has extended much farther than Just the Korean economy or peninsula (Lee, 2011, p. 86). Korean Television Dramas Korean television dramas (K-dramas) have enjoyed immense popularity all over the world. It is part of the phenomenon known as Halley or Korean Wave, in which all things Korean from television dramas to popular music to fashion are consumed by audiences all over the world. K-dramas ushered the Wave, beginning in China in the late sass through hit TV shows such as â€Å"What is Love? Which aired in China Central Television (CATV) in 1997 (chorea, p. 1). Which view Asian â€Å"family-friendly' values as the main reason for the success of the shows. As many Korean television dramas have won the hearts of fans in China, Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia, and overseas Asian communities worldwide, prominent cu ltural scholars like Chichi Buckish and Chug Been Heat began to analyze the penetration of Korean television dramas into Asian markets and defined he process as newly â€Å"emerging intra-Asian popular cultural flows under globalization forces† Nouns, 2009, p. 9). Many fans of Korean television dramas talk about the physical attractiveness of the Korean actors and actresses and their modern and glamorous fashion, make-up and hairstyles. They also point to the lavish productions, including their skillful editing, beautiful cinematography, good acting, captivating storyline, and accessibility. Thanks to recent IT and digital-media developments, versions of these dramas are available for little or no cost with various subtitle options, includingEnglish, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, Turkish, Spanish, and several Chinese dialects (Jung, 2009, p. 72). Viewers from various countries and backgrounds are drawn to Korean dramas of various reasons. For Americans, these dramas are â€Å" relaxing and cheerful† while for Europeans, the appeal rests on â€Å"uncomplicated and romantic† plots. Middle East an Muslim audiences, meanwhile, are drawn to the â€Å"subtle repression of emotions and intense romantic passion without overt sexuality' (Chorea, p. L).For Asians, the appeal of Korean television dramas rests on its so-called emotional power† which comes from the â€Å"interwoven themes of family, romance, friendship, martial arts, war, and business† as well as the way the characters face issues on love in a â€Å"tender, meaningful and emotional than sensual† manner. The Asian sensibilities of proportioning family and of expressing emotions in a subtle manner also appeal to Asian viewers across generations (Chorea, p. 1). II. Korean Wave in the Philippines Even before the Korean wave, Filipinos were long fans of imported dramas.Soap operas and drama series have become a staple for daytime and primetimes viewing I the Philippines. I n the sass, Mexican tealeaves became the mania, with huge hits like â€Å"Roseland† and â€Å"Marimba† attracting ratings above 50 percent. Asian dramas, including Korean, have become hits in the sass (Hiccup, 2009). In the Philippines, Korean dramas are fondly called â€Å"Cornflakes†, a term coined by Philippine television channel GAMMA 7 as a marketing buzzword for the growing popularity of K-dramas, following the past successes of the Mexican â€Å"tealeaves†, Taiwanese â€Å"chi-novella† and Japanese J-drama trends.Since Bright Girl, the first Korean drama shown in the Philippines through GAMMA 7 in 2003, K-dramas have bee deadly gaining popularity among Filipinos. But Korean drama's popularity picked u its pace when Endless Love: Autumn in My Heart was shown in the same year in the same channel (Chorea, p. 1). Rival network ABS-CB was quick to latch on to the trend and aired its own set of Korean television dramas. In fact, in 2005, the Phili ppines was counted among major importing countries of Korean dramas in Asia, with Japan leading at 60. Percent, China at 9. 9 percent, Philippines at 3. 7 percent, and Taiwan at 1. 4 percent. The dramas. Often, these dramas are dubbed in the Filipino language. Characters are also given names that are familiar sounding to Filipinos, such as Vivian for the lead female character and Carlo for the male lead character in Lovers in Paris. Soundtracks and background music are given a Filipino touch through the inclusion of local music artists, an example being Kitchen Naiad's Wag an Wag Mongo Scabbing, also in Lovers in Paris (Chorea, p. ). Filipinos love Cornflakes because they can relate to the stories. The Korean dramas are quite escapist and moving. Aside from the touching pipelines, the production is really a visual experience of places that most of the Filipinos are not accustomed to seeing. Filipino people are very easy to please and so the theme of the Korean drama has touched thei r hearts easily. They can relate with the story and at the same time looking and familiarizing on the tangible cultural manifestation of that country.This is a form of metasyntactic translation/dubbing. This method, a technical aspect of understanding a foreign drama is the tool or bridge of Korean drama that the Filipino understands. It makes them interested on a drama that offers something new and at the same time something informative which are all pleasing to their consciousness (Rexes, p. 4). Indeed, in the past several years, Filipino viewer tastes for dramas have evolved. They are no longer content with Filipino-made drama series, but welcome Essentials, including Korean drama series.As long as they appeal to the taste of TV audiences, Cornflakes will continue to warm the hearts of Filipinos (Hiccup, 2009). Ill. Korean Wave influencing youth culture According to the paper entitled â€Å"The Impact of K-pop to the Filipino Youth† by students from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, the K-pop fever or Halley can be easily spotted in the country in terms of Filipinos' clothing nowadays, music, behavior, attendances and even in television industry. Here are some examples that they stated with regards on how the Koreans are affecting the country, most especially the Filipino youth: A.Restaurants & Food Several Korean and Korean-inspired restaurants have popped up like mushrooms all over Metro Manila, from those serving traditional banana (assorted sidedness) and bulldog (grilled marinated meat) to those specializing in â€Å"double-fried† chicken. Because a lot of Korean has moved here in our country they tend to bring their own set of food like those mentioned from above. One of the most liked aspect of Halley is their Korean Dramas, when a teenager see or learn that his or her idol's favorite dish is Chime he/she will search for this food Just to learn why his/her idol love this particular dish.Another reason is that for them to connec t with their idols in simple ways in this instance they want to connect in terms of the food they eat. B. Music Korean shows a great way to introduce Filipinos to the country's mainstream music, which is collectively called K-pop. After listening to intros, ending songs and official sound tracks of their favorite series, these Cornflake Junkies begin to search about different k-pop artists and bands, with most popular of them in Junior, which has held two Jam-packed concerts in Manila.Of course, Filipinos also have a soft spot for the four-member NINE , which includes former ABS-CB talent Sandra Park. And after making the whole world do his hilarious horse dance, it is safe to say that Psych of â€Å"Kananga Style† fame is included in every Filipinos K-Pop play list. Nowadays a lot of teenage groups of boys and girls are popping up like mushrooms after the rain. The manner of their performance and even the way they Reese is obviously influenced by the Korean pop stars. A lot of teenagers play list is mostly composed of different Korean songs from their favorite series or their favorite K-Pop bands.Thus it is safe to say that the youth of today is greatly influenced by the K-Pop fever. C. Beauty and Fashion Nowadays, Korean hairstyle is very popular in the Philippines. Along with the fascination for Korean Stars is to achieve their unique hairstyles and flawless complexions, thus the sudden popularity of Korean salons and other beauty and fashion items. Every Filipinos cut their hair Just to feel them comfortable and infinite, and the Korean hairstyle is now at the top of young Filipino hairstyle choices. Sometimes they risk school by violating the school policy on proper haircut but this does not matter.Again, what matters is they look like Koreans. The youth in the Philippines tend to immortality their idols, to think that their idol is perfect thus their will to imitate them based on their clothing, hairstyles, and whatnot. Most of the youth today is using their idealization for these Korean Pop stars as a way to live, or as their coping mechanism if they have family problems or arsenal issues. By living for their idols they have a purpose and excuse to be someone else. The Filipino fans not only developed an interest in the Cornflakes or KOP music but also the likeness towards the Korean Fashion.This Korean fashion trend exploded among the students who love to be hip and chic and â€Å"In† with the new. Even sometimes they may look weird, as long as they tried to imitate the Korean hair, clothing style and shoes, to them the idea that they copied the Koreans perfectly is what matters. Indeed, the Korean fashion is now trending in the Philippines and it is big influence to the Filipinos who are very obsessed to the fashion because with the fashion, they learn how to mix and match dresses with different styles and colors.One factor that may lead to this influence is not the television but the Korean presence in the country since a big number of them are studying in the Philippines. In their presence, they have influenced their Filipino classmates and friends to dress and look like them. Because of this, some Filipinos have lost their originality for trying to imitate everything from the Korean culture (Rexes, p. 5). Apparently, Filipinos have been disgusted by their own brand of fashion. The flashy and overly stylish Korean fashion has now affected not only the look but the way of life of the Filipinos. D.Gadgets and Appliances The Philippines has been home to several Korean made gadgets even before the age of Halley in the Philippines. One of the biggest brands here and globally as well is Samsung, which sells anything from appliances to mobile phones. LEG is also a perfect example, which is endorsed by Lee Min Ho. Here in the Philippines teenagers can easily acquire these said gadgets because of their allowance. In the world of robbery the youth will buy this brand or line. Solely because it is end orsed by their idol, not considering if the said product is really functional wise or if they really need it in some case.

The Inseparable Link of Nursing and Caring

Caring is a human instinct. Especially with people that are close to our hearts, people would not hesitate to care for their general well-being. More so, people whose duty is in the service sector, they are more enjoined to care for their customers. This is why â€Å"caring† is both a duty and a responsibility to people involved in the health care profession. As defined by Mosby's Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary (2002), caring means the actions characteristic of concern for the well-being, such as sensitivity, comforting, attentive listening, and honesty for the patient.One of the frequent reminders offered to health care professionals is that â€Å"patients are people†. This is not because health care professionals do not know this or, worse, do not care about the status of their patients. It is simply that in the cut and thrust of decision making in relation to the clinical management of a patient’s condition, the human side of health care can be overshadowed by its technical aspects.No doubt, to become a successful nurse, one must not only learn to deal with their patients as clients, caring for them is important to assure their recovery from any maladies. Since the days of Florence Nightingale, there has been a direct link between nursing and service to others (Kearney, 2001). When a child is asked why they want to become a doctor or a nurse, they often respond, â€Å"To help other people†.   This response partially defines caring because caring cannot occur if others are not involved. Caring requires a recipient.Several theorists have developed conceptual models based on caring. One of them is Dorthea Orem, who developed the Self-Care Deficit Model (1995). Orem believed that all individuals desire to care for and meet their personal care needs and that each person has varied abilities to participate in meeting his personal self-care needs.The nurse attempts to meet the client's self-care needs in an effort to red uce the client's self-care deficits. On the other hand, Watson (1999) believed that caring is a moral ideal and that nursing is a caring art and science. The client is the center of human caring. Finally, Leininger (2001) purported that nursing is a learned art focused on caring in accord with an individual’s culture. To these theorists, caring definitely is a vital component of nursing.Moreover, Bertero (1999) deemed that caring includes â€Å"all aspects of delivering nursing care to patients† (p. 414). Thus, caring is the essence and the unifying core of nursing. In her book, Leininger proposed that caring is the trademark of nursing practice: â€Å"Care is the essence and the central unifying and dominant domain to characterize nursing. Care has also been postulated to be an essential human need for the full development, health maintenance, and survival of human beings in all world cultures† (1988, p. 3). These statements imply that caring is both the duty a nd responsibility of all nurses as members of the health care profession..Indeed, the central aim of both nursing and medicine is to act in the best interests of the patient. This is such an obvious statement that it is hardly worth setting down on the page. However, the old adage ‘easier said than done’ springs readily to mind once we begin to think out the practicalities of acting in the patient’s best interests. Most difficult, perhaps, is the question of how we know what the patient would say these are.The place of advance directives is relevant here as they present a very clear example of situations where the patient’s interests are known, yet they still lead to complex discussions about the validity of the patient’s view on their situation. The problem is that nurses have to be sure that the circumstances they face are the ones anticipated by the patient when the advance directive was made.With all the stress and challenges of being a nurse, c oupled with the management of extended workloads and staff shortages within already restricted finances, it is not surprising that the focus of nursing and caring gets lost within the biomedical emphasis. The advent of clinical supervision focused on reflective practice has promoted a refocusing of the emphasis towards patient-centered care and caring as central to nursing. It provides a structure within which any nurse can develop both personally and professionally, maximizing their therapeutic potential to improve patient care while balancing all challenges with caring for their patients.Although some nurses see their profession as a stepping stone for financial reward, others see nursing profession as a vocation   that provides self-satisfaction or self-fulfillment. Whatever intentions they might have in mind, nursing defines who they are. Nursing, to a professional, is a career plan, a central part of his core being; and caring is the behavioral outcome.The concepts of essenti al relationships and self-reward may comprise care of others and care of self. â€Å"Components of this service ideal include a profound sense of purpose, a true sense of capability, and a deep concern for others demonstrated as caring† (Hood & Leddy, 2003, p. 32). Service to others provides a meaningful life purpose. Service gives the individual feelings of competence in the ability to perform a task. Service is the link between concern for others and action in response to concern.Definitely, nurses would be able to meet a client's needs when provide services with care and concern. Caring is a commitment by the nurse to become involved, and its character is relational. Fact is that nurses entered into this relationship with their whole being as they chose to venture in this kind of profession (Bertero, 1999, p. 415). To realize that caring is more than a physical presence, nurses should promote a relational concern for the patient’s well-being. It is essential that th ere is an active commitment for both the process of healing for the patient and to the furtherance of our nursing knowledge. Thus, there should be a union of caring and competence and the link should be seen as the ultimate goal of the nursing practice.ReferencesBertero, C. (1999). Caring For and About Cancer Patients: Identifying the Meaning of the Phenomenon â€Å"Caring† through Narratives. Cancer Nursing, 22(6): 414–420.Hood, L. and Leddy, S. (2003). Leddy and Pepper's Conceptual Bases of Professional Nursing (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott .Kearney, R. (2001). Advancing Your Career: Concepts of Professional Nursing. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company Leininger, M. (1988). Care: The Essence of Nursing and Health. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.Leininger, M. (2001). Culture Care Diversity and Universality: A Theory of Nursing. Boston: Jones and Bartlett.Mosby's Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary. (2002). Caring. Retrieved 27 October 2006, fro m xreferplus.Orem, D. (1995). Nursing: Concepts of Practice (5th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby.Watson, J. (1999). Nursing: Human Science and Human Care (3rd ed.). Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts. The Inseparable Link of Nursing and Caring Caring is a human instinct. Especially with people that are close to our hearts, people would not hesitate to care for their general well-being. More so, people whose duty is in the service sector, they are more enjoined to care for their customers. This is why â€Å"caring† is both a duty and a responsibility to people involved in the health care profession. As defined by Mosby's Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary (2002), caring means the actions characteristic of concern for the well-being, such as sensitivity, comforting, attentive listening, and honesty for the patient.One of the frequent reminders offered to health care professionals is that â€Å"patients are people†. This is not because health care professionals do not know this or, worse, do not care about the status of their patients. It is simply that in the cut and thrust of decision making in relation to the clinical management of a patient’s condition, the human side of health care can be overshadowed by its technical aspects.No doubt, to become a successful nurse, one must not only learn to deal with their patients as clients, caring for them is important to assure their recovery from any maladies. Since the days of Florence Nightingale, there has been a direct link between nursing and service to others (Kearney, 2001). When a child is asked why they want to become a doctor or a nurse, they often respond, â€Å"To help other people†.   This response partially defines caring because caring cannot occur if others are not involved. Caring requires a recipient.Several theorists have developed conceptual models based on caring. One of them is Dorthea Orem, who developed the Self-Care Deficit Model (1995). Orem believed that all individuals desire to care for and meet their personal care needs and that each person has varied abilities to participate in meeting his personal self-care needs. The nurse attempts to meet the client's self-care needs in an effort to re duce the client's self-care deficits. On the other hand, Watson (1999) believed that caring is a moral ideal and that nursing is a caring art and science. The client is the center of human caring. Finally, Leininger (2001) purported that nursing is a learned art focused on caring in accord with an individual’s culture. To these theorists, caring definitely is a vital component of nursing.Moreover, Bertero (1999) deemed that caring includes â€Å"all aspects of delivering nursing care to patients† (p. 414). Thus, caring is the essence and the unifying core of nursing. In her book, Leininger proposed that caring is the trademark of nursing practice: â€Å"Care is the essence and the central unifying and dominant domain to characterize nursing. Care has also been postulated to be an essential human need for the full development, health maintenance, and survival of human beings in all world cultures† (1988, p. 3). These statements imply that caring is both the duty and responsibility of all nurses as members of the health care profession..Indeed, the central aim of both nursing and medicine is to act in the best interests of the patient. This is such an obvious statement that it is hardly worth setting down on the page. However, the old adage ‘easier said than done’ springs readily to mind once we begin to think out the practicalities of acting in the patient’s best interests. Most difficult, perhaps, is the question of how we know what the patient would say these are. The place of advance directives is relevant here as they present a very clear example of situations where the patient’s interests are known, yet they still lead to complex discussions about the validity of the patient’s view on their situation. The problem is that nurses have to be sure that the circumstances they face are the ones anticipated by the patient when the advance directive was made.With all the stress and challenges of being a nurse, coupled with the management of extended workloads and staff shortages within already restricted finances, it is not surprising that the focus of nursing and caring gets lost within the biomedical emphasis. The advent of clinical supervision focused on reflective practice has promoted a refocusing of the emphasis towards patient-centered care and caring as central to nursing. It provides a structure within which any nurse can develop both personally and professionally, maximizing their therapeutic potential to improve patient care while balancing all challenges with caring for their patients.Although some nurses see their profession as a stepping stone for financial reward, others see nursing profession as a vocation   that provides self-satisfaction or self-fulfillment. Whatever intentions they might have in mind, nursing defines who they are. Nursing, to a professional, is a career plan, a central part of his core being; and caring is the behavioral outcome.   The concepts of essential relationships and self-reward may comprise care of others and care of self. â€Å"Components of this service ideal include a profound sense of purpose, a true sense of capability, and a deep concern for others demonstrated as caring† (Hood & Leddy, 2003, p. 32). Service to others provides a meaningful life purpose. Service gives the individual feelings of competence in the ability to perform a task. Service is the link between concern for others and action in response to concern.Definitely, nurses would be able to meet a client's needs when provide services with care and concern. Caring is a commitment by the nurse to become involved, and its character is relational. Fact is that nurses entered into this relationship with their whole being as they chose to venture in this kind of profession (Bertero, 1999, p. 415). To realize that caring is more than a physical presence, nurses should promote a relational concern for the patient’s well-being. It is essential that there is an active commitment for both the process of healing for the patient and to the furtherance of our nursing knowledge. Thus, there should be a union of caring and competence and the link should be seen as the ultimate goal of the nursing practice.ReferencesBertero, C. (1999). Caring For and About Cancer Patients: Identifying the Meaning of the Phenomenon â€Å"Caring† through Narratives. Cancer Nursing, 22(6): 414–420.Hood, L. and Leddy, S. (2003). Leddy and Pepper's Conceptual Bases of Professional Nursing (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott .Kearney, R. (2001). Advancing Your Career: Concepts of Professional Nursing. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company .Leininger, M. (1988). Care: The Essence of Nursing and Health. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.Leininger, M. (2001). Culture Care Diversity and Universality: A Theory of Nursing. Boston: Jones and Bartlett.Mosby's Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary. (2002). Caring. Retrieved 27 October 2 006, from xreferplus. http://www.xreferplus.com/entry/3031342Orem, D. (1995). Nursing: Concepts of Practice (5th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby.Watson, J. (1999). Nursing: Human Science and Human Care (3rd ed.). Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Death and Plots Essay

Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"Happy Endings† is sly, sophisticated, and delightful. With a coy ease that feels so natural, she threads her story along, revealing her characters, drawing the audience into something that isn’t at all what it appears. Slowly yet intensely, she reveals the principal of plot development that she is trying to deliver to her audience. Atwood begins with just fifteen puzzling words. She breaks the rules of conventional writing by using only three sentences for the paragraph, and addresses the reader directly â€Å"If you want a happy ending, try A.† Atwood’s â€Å"A.† comes off sounding like it should be so fulfilling and charming, yet there are persistent hints of boredom and dullness. â€Å"Worthwhile and remunerative,† â€Å"stimulating and challenging,† Atwood’s choice for words is so descriptive, and yet they sound so dull. John and Mary, the main characters, fall in love at first. There is no men tion of them loving each other ecstatically throughout their lives together, or of them loving each other with abandon, or even dying in each other’s loving arms. They fall in love, yet a â€Å"challenging sex life† is not something most people would associate with being in love; an exciting or satisfying sex life would be more like it. There is very little character exposition or plot development in choice â€Å"A.† It feels as though a trap is being set, yet the purpose or when it will spring closed remains unknown. The very first sentence of Atwood’s â€Å"B.†Ã‚  smacks the audience in the face: â€Å"Mary falls in love with John but John doesn’t fall in love with Mary.† This sentence brings a grimace along with it. Uh oh, here it comes, all the ugliness associated with loving someone who doesn’t love in return. John is selfish, lukewarm in manner, uses Mary for as much as he can get out of her, with as little cost to himself as possible, and it certainly doesn’t cost him very much. Meanwhile, Mary is putting forth as much effort as John will let her, yet all her efforts don’t produce the relationship she desires. Choice â€Å"B.† is full of exposition, revealing so much so fast about the reasons John and Mary do what they do makes the characters disg usting and disappointing. Atwood makes the implied predictability of humdrum choice â€Å"A.† seem so appealing in retrospect, that she returns the main characters to it. Only it isn’t John and Mary that live happy ever after in â€Å"B,† it is John and Madge in this scenario. In â€Å"C.† Atwood writes that John is older and married to Madge. Mary is younger, and this time Mary is the one who isn’t in love with John. Mary is in love with another man (James) who is her own age. John gets his heart broken this time, and purchases a weapon. Atwood informs her audience in a very matter-of-fact manner â€Å"this is the thin part of the plot, but it can be dealt with later.† John kills Mary, James, and himself. Again the plot winds up back at choice â€Å"A.† when Madge marries Fred and time marches on. Atwood is spreading the trap open even wider now in choice â€Å"D.† She changes the operating names of the protagonists to â€Å"Fred and Madge.† The language is becoming very matter-of-fact, with simple sentences stating what happened, not why it happened, and what the end result is. Of course, the end result remains choice â€Å"A.† In an almost badgering manner, Atwood continues killing her characters. In choice â€Å"E.† Fred dies first, tragically, but not emotionally, and then Mary dies, after she completes the story line of choice â€Å"A.† of course. Atwood addresses the audience directly again, making some suggestions as to how else the story could end, if so chosen. Atwood springs her carefully built trap closed. She throws sentences and ideas directly to her audience with abandon. â€Å"If you think this is all to bourgeois†¦Ã¢â‚¬  condescendingly communicating that no matter where the audience wants the story to go, or how many stops it makes on the way, every â€Å"authentic† story ends the same way. Atwood’s pace is fast, almost as if she’s literally standing in front of an audience, ranting the words out of  her own mouth. â€Å"You’ll have to face it†¦Don’t be deluded by any other endings, they’re all fake, deliberately fake†¦the only authentic ending is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  death. What a let down, what a disappointment, how anti-climatic is that? What is the point to the exercise Atwood just performed? But Atwood isn’t finished yet. The last two sentences of Atwood’s â€Å"Happy Endings† feel as though they were written especially for aspiring writers studying the elements of fiction. She takes all of the lessons, all of the rules, all of the structure, and simplifies it all down to two sentences. I couldn’t think of a better ending to an essay about plot if I tried. Atwood’s final two sentences to â€Å"Happy Endings† go like this: â€Å"That’s about all that can be said for plots, which anyway are just one thing after another, a what and a what and a what. Now try How and Why.† Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. â€Å"Happy endings.† Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Writing (1983): 485-491. Morgan E. Collier Professor Melinda Hernandez ENGL1302.20150120.428724 January 30th, 2015 Outline for Short Story Essay Essay Topic: Margaret Atwood’s application of the literary device â€Å"plot† I. Introduction Possible ideas for the introduction: Describe the author’s style of writing Set the stage for the reveal at the end Thesis Statement: Atwood reveals the principal of plot development that she is trying to deliver to her audience. II. Body A. Main Point: Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"Happy Endings† is an excellent example of successful plot formation. B. Examples: 1. Atwood’s sub-section titled â€Å"A.† is gives a foundation for the rest of the story 2. Sub-section’s â€Å"B.† and â€Å"C.† are full of character exposition, conflict, and rising action, leading to the climax at the end of â€Å"C.† 3. Sub-section â€Å"D.† and â€Å"E.† are falling action following the climax in â€Å"C.† 4. Sub-section â€Å"F.† contains Atwood’s resolution III. Conclusion Reworded Thesis: She takes all of the lessons, all of the rules, all of the structure, and simplifies it all down to two sentences†¦ â€Å"That’s about all that can be said for plots, which anyway are just one thing after another, a what and a what and a what. Now try How and Why.† Other Ideas to Conclude: None. Clincher Ideas: Quote from Atwood’s â€Å"Happy Endings:† â€Å"†¦Now try How and Why.†

Theories of the text- academic summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Theories of the text- academic summary - Essay Example The purpose of stilwell’s chapter on the importance of sound in cinematography and film is not to suggest that audio is more important than the visuals, but to explore why sound plays such an important part in the making of the film and to argue that more attention should be paid to the study of audio. Stilwell begins the analysis of sound by illustrating that sound is very different from light in many respects, although there is a temptation to separate sound (not just in film, but through life) into components like dialogue, effect and music. Stilwell argues that this may not be wise, as these are all intersecting aspects of the same audial landscape. Additionally, the dialogue may often overshadow interpretation of the music and effects, which can be taken on by specialists or often ignored altogether. Stilwell also argues that music and effects often play a more subliminal part for the audience than dialogue, but are integral to the experience of the film and thus should n ot be ignored academically. Stilwell then elaborates into the focus of the chapter: how subjectivity and gender are both part of the interpretation of the audio landscape. ... This idea is backed up by the nature of cinema, including the ‘ego-gratifying identification with the male hero and the libidinal spectacularisation of the female body’ (stilwell, 2005). Stilwell then goes on to argue about the types of sound that can be experienced in the cinematic landscape and how these have semi-formal relationships with gender. In freudian analyses, the male voice is dominant and the female voice is submissive. In this sense, the male voice can be equated to important dialogue (as expressed before, the most noticeable part of the soundscape) and the female voice can be equated to music or effects. The link can be moved further: sound is the ignored feminine and visuals are the dominant masculine part of the film (Stillwell 2005). This aspects makes subjectivity be viewed as a complex concept. The author points out that subjectivity has overlapping meanings. Subjectivity varies according to meanings and can be understood the associated cultural codin g. While female voice in films is associated subjectivity the females are expected to be submissive in many cultures including the western cultures. The author tries to point out that sound, especially hearing, is associated with irrational and emotional aspects. Sound is magnified by its subject, which is music. Music, emotions, and irrationality are highly associated with feminine inherent in culture. The alliance of music, irrationality, and emotion is woven into the psychoanalytic theory (Stillwell 2005). The same alliance has both positive and negative implications, specifically for the female subjectivity. These implications are further extended to

Deal Gases Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Deal Gases - Coursework Example There are different gas laws that exist and are summarized by the equation of state (Meyer, 2011). These gas laws include Boyle’s law, Charles law, Gay – Lussac’s law and other gas law. The Boyle’s law was derived, finalized and published in 1662. The law states that when gas is at constant temperature, the product obtained from the volume, and the pressure of a certain mass of gas that is confined in a closed system is always a constant. The pressure gauge can be used to verify this statement together with a variable container capacity. The law can also be derived from the kinetic theory of ideal gases. For instance, if a gas container has a fixed number of molecules in it and its volume is reduced more molecules will collide per unit time per given area. This aspect results in a higher pressure in the container (Wang, 2013). 2. Select the light species of the box on the right-hand corner. You can notice that the pump turns red. At that time, the pump is given a press. Again, wait for the values to stabilize and observe the results. When the pump is pressed it some while to come to the stable state. When the pump gives a substantial push the volume of the gas reduced. For this experiment volume in an independent variable, since it does depend on the other parameter to change. The pressure is the dependent variable as it depends on the volume change for it to vary. The graph was plotted for the values of the pressure, and the volume showed that the pressure of the gas varies inversely proportionally to the volume of the gas. The relationship between the pressure and the volume of gas under constant temperature is summarized by the Boyles Law. This law states the under constant conditions of temperature, gas will have its pressure vary inversely proportional to the volume. Charles’ Law is also referred to as the law of

The Rise and Fall of Solyndra Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Rise and Fall of Solyndra - Research Paper Example A firm uses its particular strengths to compete in the marketplace while seeking to minimize the effect of its weaknesses. The case of Solyndra, the solar panel manufacturer, is unique because it was the only company in the solar panel manufacturing industry of the USA that relied on silicon based technology. The Formation of Solyndra Solyndra was founded in 2005 by Dr. Christian Gronet and had its headquarters in Fremont, California. The company manufactured cylindrical panels of CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-diselenide) based thin film solar cells which, as it was believed, represented a superior technology having certain advantages over conventionally produced solar cells. Thus, the company hoped to have created its own niche within the industry. The sales revenues for 2009 and 2010 were $100 million and $140 million respectively, before a peculiar set of circumstances forced the company to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in 2011. The company claimed to have set up 1000 systems all around the world (The Solyndra Website, 2011). The Emergence of Legal and Other Issues Solyndra has been a company that was touted to be a success story exemplifying the usefulness of the Obama Administration’s green energy plan for the nation. The founder of the company was replaced by Bernie Harrison, an Intel veteran as CEO in September 2009. The company resorted to lobbying and had contributed a sizeable sum to the Obama campaign. Small wonder then- that out of 143 companies applying for a Federal loan, Solyndra was the first to receive a sum of $527 million from the Federal Financing Bank, under conditional guarantee from the US Department of Energy. By that time, it had already spent about $1.8 million lobbying for this cause. Further investigations have revealed that due to Chinese solar panels flooding the US markets, the company had been unable to compete effectively and had been forced to sell many of its products at below the cost of production. Moreover, as t he cost of silicon plummeted in the world market, it became more and more difficult to make a profit. It appeared that the company had chosen the wrong silicon based technology to make its products and was now bearing the brunt of this mistake. Controversies Surrounding the Company Ethical considerations notwithstanding, one might have expected that the loan from the Obama Administration would be used to correct an already worsening situation and that the company would try to claw its way of the abyss it had fallen into. Sadly, this was never the case. Investigations by the FBI and newspaper reports by the Washington Post and others have revealed that company executives and top management went on a spending spree following the approval of the loan. However, weakening demand in the light of competition from Chinese firms such as Yingli and Suntech was cited as a worry. Solyndra’s new plant was built from the proceeds of the loan and another $198 million from private investors. At the time of taking the loan, the company had promised to create at least 3000 jobs in the construction and solar manufacturing industries, of which 1000 would be US based. But it all came to nothing and Solyndra was forced to file for bankruptcy

World Travel Services Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World Travel Services - Assignment Example It guides the employers internally as well as helps raise capitals from external audiences. Debelak (2000) claims that marketing plan is a significant part of a business plan. It includes information about services, prices, and products. One needs to know how the main competitors are fairing because they constantly keep coming up with new strategies to attract customers. One should also consider key government policies that can affect the operational of a business when coming up with a marketing plan. Information Source of data Time Measurable information, like how to increase customers. observation Period of one year. Accessible, for example, distributing your products or services to other regions web search Within a period of 2 years. Distinguishable information, like looking at key competitors strong and weak points Internal data Within a period of I year Relevant, information in terms of developing marketing mix for each segment chosen. Surveys and questionnaires Within a period of 6 months Feasible, approaches for each segment with specific marketing program. Surveys and questionnaires Within in a period of one year Debelak (2000) claims that, market analysis comes in handy after coming up with a market plan. For example, it outlines business objectives, like increasing customers from 5 percent to 10 percent during the year. When it comes to market analysis, the world travel services may decide to distribute their services in additional states in coming years. Westwood & Institute Of Directors (2002) asserts that before a company implements expansion plans, it should first of all determine the size of each market as well as money spent on the available services, which will help forecast profits and sales in those businesses. One should also write down business key competitors, in addition to, their weaknesses and strengths. This will help World Water services have an opportunity to match their own strong and weak points. Service and product planning are a cornerstone of any business. World water services should therefore, decide if it should introduce new services, and features in the coming year or after five years. However, before introducing the service in the market, the company should test the new services through customer surveys and focus groups. For example, in such a case, World Water services can conduct a phone survey in order to determine how many customers will be willing to test their new services and how they are going to distribute it. This will help identify key advantages of one’s services and products over competitive products (McDonald, 2011). Promotional plans in such a case become an important factor that World Water services can consider. For example, it should outline various effective promotional plans that it will use in order to reach its customers. For example, for a tour company, it can consider using coupons as one of the advertising medium that will help allocate a large portion of the advertisin g budget in the marketing plan. Coupons magazines for example, can be predominant advertising medium for world water services (Westwood & Institute Of Directors, 2002). When World Water Services include market analysis, service and promotional plan, it will definitely be successful. This is because it will have all the relevant information that it needs in the future. Additionally, it will be easy to follow the above-explained steps and focus on the direction and market planning process. For example, by identifying its market competitors, it will be able to determine and realize its weak and strong points, and as a result, come up with new strategies of offering their services (Debelak, 2000). Some of the three approaches that are used to develop a sales

ROLE OF THE NURSE IN SUBSTANCE MISUSE Literature review

ROLE OF THE NURSE IN SUBSTANCE MISUSE - Literature review Example While education and health response should constantly be designed individually to suit the unique needs of patients, this is particularly vital to those who are experiencing substance misuse problems. This paper discusses the role of nurses in substance misuses and reflects on how this role can benefit clients/patients and can meet the demands of best practice guidelines and legislation challenges. Self-reported substance misuse in the UK indicates that roughly ten percent of adolescents and older adults use drugs yearly, and more than ninety percent drink consume alcohol (Straussner 2004). A few of these people experience working with primary care nurses. Individuals with substance misuse problems encounter a broad array of social care and health practitioners. Expectedly, several practitioners have recognised inadequacies in the education and training for treating substance misuse (Cann & De Belleroche 2002). All these issues are discussed here. Corresponding to the widespread enla rged demand for nursing services for patients with substance misuse issues, the role of the nurse has expanded remarkably in the recent decade. Nurses working with substance misusers work in diverse contexts with substance misusers, and have varied health care perceptions and strategies. According to Joel and Kelly (2002), their tasks involve assessing the needs of substance misusers, determining best possible treatment, counselling, and performing required treatment methods. Nursing Substance Misusers Several empirical findings show that the role of the nurse working with substance misusers can be especially nerve-racking and challenging (Wagner & Waldron 2001). This is primarily because of the growing demand for expert skills and knowledge in areas like counselling, assessment, promoting the participation of patients in the decision-making process, communication, organisational aspects like lack of support, education and training for staff, loss of financial assistance, and modifi cations in services (Sullivan 1995). The roles of the substance misuse nurse, as stated by Mike Bell (as cited in Newell 1998): (1) nurses interact personally with substance misusers; (2) nurses evaluate the patient’s needs and develop their strong points; (3) nurses operate within specific areas; (4) nurses are responsible for their own decisions and actions; and (5) nurses collaborate with one another to provide the best services to substance misusers. Florence Nightingale (1912) expressed the importance of the nurse’s role in his statement: I solemnly declare that I have seen or known of fatal accidents, such as suicides in delirium tremens, bleedings to death, dying patients dragged out of bed by drunken medical staff corps men and many other things less patent and striking, which would not have happened in London Civil Hospitals nursed by women (Nightingale 1912, 28). It is probable that there are differences in the expectations and role of substance misuse nurses all over the UK, relying on context and setting. For instance, health organisations may follow different guidelines; different groups in primary care may also differ in the extent of decision making entrusted to drug specialist nurses, concerning recommendation and treatment (Shaw 2002). The following sections discuss the professional and personal skills needed by substance misuse nurses to adequately fulfil their challenging roles and satisfy best practice

Apples pricing strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Apples pricing strategy - Essay Example However, after carefully analyzing this issue, it is safe to say that Apple should continue to price its products at a very high level for numerous reasons. One of the key reasons why Apple should continue to price its products high is due to the fact that Apple’s technology is ten years ahead of the technological curve. That enables Apple to not to avoid the pressure of competing with other firms when it comes to price since consumers are willing to allocate their funds to buy Apple products. For instance, the IPAD 2, should be priced at $500. Although other similar types of tablets that are produced by Dell or the Android are available at a lower price, it does not diminish the fact that the IPAD 2 obliterates the market with its functionality. No product in the market currently possessed two cameras, a dual-core chip, and is light-weight like the IPAD 2. Another reason why Apple should continue to price its products and services high is because of price elasticity. Price el asticity is defined as the response by the product when the price of the product is modified. If Apple was to drop the price of its new Iphone 4 from $599.99 to $399, it would be detrimental to the company itself since the demand will not drastically change, but Apple’s profit margin would be lower [1].

Human Resource Management Roles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resource Management Roles - Essay Example It should be noted that the needs of the diverse workforce are often contrasting in nature and hence HRM has a major role to play in managing such diverse workforce in healthcare industry. This paper briefly analyses the role of HRM in healthcare industry. The importance of communication between employees in healthcare industry is more than that in any other industry. Since healthcare professionals are dealing with human life, any error or mistake in communication may cost valuable lives. HR managers are responsible for providing ample training to the diverse workforce for the enhancement of communication. â€Å"A properly trained and competent workforce is essential to any successful health care system† (Kabene et al., 2006). â€Å"It is essential to maintain an appropriate mix between the different types of health promoters and caregivers to ensure the systems success† (Kabene et al., 2006). HR is responsible for maintaining sound relationships between different health promoters and care givers. For example, videoconferencing techniques are widely used in healthcare sector while doctors conduct complex surgeries. This modern technique helps doctors to get expert advice from distant parts at the time of conducting surgery. HR is responsible for coordinating such things. â€Å"Better use of the spectrum of health care providers and better coordination of patient services through interdisciplinary teamwork have been recommended as part of health sector reform† (Kabene et al., 2006). HR is responsible for implementing reforms in a healthcare organization. It should be noted that the needs of patient in one locality may not be the same in another locality. HR is responsible for identifying the needs of both the patients and that of the healthcare professionals and take necessary actions to satisfy both. â€Å"A healthcare manager must be familiar with different federal and state laws

General Safety and Security Essay Example for Free

General Safety and Security Essay * Investment in surveillance camera systems by school districts ensures parents and guardians that the general safety and security of children are being addressed during schools hours and at all after-school extracurricular activities and programs. 2. Crime Deterrent * The presence of highly visible surveillance cameras at strategic locations in buildings and public areas/premises of a school property prevents theft, vandalism and acts as a deterrent to thieves and criminals from indulging in illegal activities. 3. Sexual Predators * One of the biggest threats that school children face is the threat of sexual predators and pedophiles hanging around unobtrusively on school campuses or in parking lots. Camera systems footage is very useful in tracking down predators or helping inform police about threatening situations in real time. 4. Prevent Bullying * New-generation surveillance camera systems have audio, voice and sound capturing capabilities. Teenagers bullying or harassing other students can be disciplined based on video and audio footage records. 5. Emergency Evacuation * School security personnel manning surveillance camera systems in real-time can take quick action about evacuating children, faculty and staff in case of emergencies related to fire or other potentially dangerous situations. Prevent Theft and Illegal Activities * The primary purpose of installing surveillance cameras is to act as deterrence to robbers, criminals, petty thieves and unscrupulous elements from indulging in theft, illicit and criminal activities. Security cameras are installed in bungalows, townhouses, apartment buildings, condominiums, schools, university campuses, offices, stores, malls and other public areas. These cameras monitor suspicious activities; stop theft, vandalism and shoplifting; and alert stationed security officers about real-time thefts. Staff monitoring cameras and centrally manned systems in large businesses can also inform county and state law enforcement officials about developing dangerous situations.

Politics and the American People Essay Example for Free

Politics and the American People Essay Being able to marry your most beloved one is the happiest and luckiest thing in this world. However, not everyone can do this because of the Defense of Marriage Act which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. Same-sex couples have to suffer a lot in order to fight for their rights and their happiness.Theyare denied equal access to all the benefits, rights, and privileges provided by federal law to married couples.If we think of it from a humanity standpoint, everyone has the right to pursue happiness. Therefore, same-sex marriage should be legal. The reason for making gay marriage legal is equality in citizenship. Despite their sexual attraction, homosexual individuals must be treated in the same way as everyone. They should not only have the same rights in housing, jobs, social benefits but also in marriage. Lately, a Republican Senate, Mark Kirk, has become the second Republican senator to endorse same sex marriage. â€Å"Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most,† Kirk said. â€Å"Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back– government has no place in the middle.† President Obama is also a supporter of gay marriage. Not only is it right and fair, but also consistent with our Constitution, he said. It is very important for us to remember were a nation in which everybodys supposed to be equal before the law. President’s statement is the hope for LGBT, Les Gay Bisexual Transgender community, to be treated equally by the law. Legalizing gay marriage is the way to show support and sympathy to homosexual individuals. Most Americans who think same-sex relations are wrong believe being gay or lesbian is a choice. Those who do not think same-sex relations are wrong think being gay or lesbian is something people cannot change. Senator Rob Portman, from Ohio, a co-sponsor of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, now supports same-sex marriage after learning his son was gay. I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldnt deny them the opportunity to get married, he said. His son, Will, told his parents that being gay was not a choice, but the part of who he is, , and thats who hed been that way for as long as he could remember. Most of the homosexual individuals feel unconfident in front of the publicity due to the sexual attraction, and they feel lonely because of the isolation. Publicity should give them confidence for being who they are to lead on a bright life. Moreover, having a feeling for someone isn’t a sin. Hence, gender doesn’t matter in a relationship, gay couples also need support from the others. Generally, there’re a lot of people who oppose gay marriage because they think it’s weird and immoral. It’s rare, but doesn’t mean weird and unhappy. Homosexual individuals are just a small amount of us, but they are nothing different from us but their love to the same sex. They also take care of their partner well, love each other and live an ordinary life. How people can use immorality as an excuse to prevent the others seeking for their happiness?Let’s take Elton John and David Furnish as an example. John is the well-known musician who is used to addict to alcohol and drugs, but his partner, David, helped him to get rid of those dangerous addictions and live a better life. They formalized their relationship in December 2005, and they also adapted a boy in 2010. It’s the obvious proof that homosexual individuals can live a normal life as same-sex marriage legalized. In spite of one’s gender and sex’s attraction, everyone should be respected and treated equally in marriage. So, they can live a normal life and be happy with their beloved one. More and more Senate Democratand Republican support same-sex marriage. The battles over same-sex couples marrying still continues, and the number of Americans who support same-sex marriage is increasing. From what I see, if there’s any reason for fighting for gay marriage, they must be love, equal, sympathy and because we’re human.

Analysis Of Unilateralism Under George W Bush Politics Essay

Analysis Of Unilateralism Under George W Bush Politics Essay Prior to 1945, the dominant trend in the policy of the United States was isolationist, which was isolation from global affairs. America was ambivalent about multilateral engagements and as much as possible remained separated from the European balance of power. In the same vein, the U.S. congress disapproved U.S. participation in the League of Nations reflecting the traditional ambivalence of America towards multilateral engagements. However, after the 2nd World War, there was a significant change in the U.S. foreign policy. The American isolationist approach collapsed completely, and the United States foreign policy was principally committed to multilateralism, as the defining post war strategy adopted by both Democrats and Republicans (Skidmore, 2005). The United States adopted a strategy of global engagement from its hitherto selective engagement. A multilateral approach became the crucial instrument in Americas attempt to conduct the cold war and rebuild international order. The onset of the cold war was the major source of change which by 1947 convinced U.S. policy makers that removal of the soviet threat was the proper strategy and in light of the communist challenge, the containment of the Soviet threat had to be global to have any effect (Jentleson, 2008). The United States became committed to multilateral cooperation and international institutions following World War 2, it promoted the Bretton Woods System multilateralism while supporting institutions such as the UN, IMF, NATO, and the World Bank among others. During this period according to Skidmore (2005), multilateralism attained prominence in the foreign policy of the United States both in practice and in rhetoric, and as the U.S. became internationally powerful, multilateralism was integrated as a norm in international society. However, the American foreign policy has since taken a sharp unilateralist turn especially with the Bush administration; it turned its back on the world and was principally committed to unilateralism and this has been consequential for the U.S. policy and the reputation of the United States internationally. This essay seeks to explore how the United States under the Bush administration rejected multilateralism and adopted a more unilateralist approach to global issues than its predecessors. It is pertinent to note that multilateralism for the United States was not always a principled commitment, but more of a policy preference; American policy makers approached multilateralism pragmatically as it was adopted insofar as it serves U.S. interest and was willingly overlooked when it did not work. It is important to acknowledge that despite the fact that President Bushs administration embraced a more unilateral approach to international issues, not all of presidents Bushs predecessors adopted a multilateral approach to foreign policy as the United States always favoured whatever worked. The Reagan administration in the 1982 Siberian gas pipeline conflict rejected the NATO consensus and enforced unilateral sanctions against European companies for cooperating economically with the Soviet Union (Ikenberry, 2003). The Bush senior administration in the bid to promote free trade approached international economic policy unilaterally; its use of Super 301 trade negotiating authority allowed the U.S. to act as judge, jury and prosecutor simultaneously as it determines what countries should be threatened with punitive sanctions. According to Ikenberry (2003), U.S. officials argue consistently that although multilateralism was preferred, they were always ready to use bilateral talks or even unilateral actions when necessary to achieve what they want. Under the Clinton administration, the NATO allies of the United States tried to convince the Clinton government for several years to intervene in the Bosnian Civil war through a multilateral approach. After the United States finally agreed in 1995, it practically dictated the terms of military intervention supporting the Dayton agreement (Stewart and Shepard, 2002). Also, the Clinton administration intervened under the auspices of military institutions in Somalia in 1992-1993, but withdrew its troops unilaterally after American soldiers became casualties in Somalia. Furthermore, despite international pressure, the United States sat back and practically did little or nothing while atrocities such as the genocide in Rwanda took place. In the same vein, the Clinton administration in Kosovo resisted the UN Security Council by rejecting an intervention and instead worked through NATO, a different multilateral institution. Similarly, the Clinton administration in 1998 refused to be limited on its ability to employ U.S.military power and bypassed the UN Security Council by undertaking Operation Desert Fox, a major four-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets. Clintons National Security Adviser Anthony Lake, is of the opinion that only one overriding factor can determine whether the United States should act multilaterally or unilaterally, and that is Americas interests. We should act multilaterally where doing so advances our interests, and we should act unilaterally when that will serve our purpose. The simple question in each case is this: What works best? Anthony Lake (1993: 663) However, the United States under the Bush administration embraced a more unilateralist approach to global issues than its predecessors. Unilateral elements of the Bush Doctrine were apparent in the first months of the Bush administration as America withdrew from international agreements, retreating into a unilateralist stance. President Bushs unilateralism became evident in the first few weeks after he took office. After he preached during his election campaign that the U.S. should learn humility in their conduct with other nations, in March 2001, President Bush rather arrogantly withdrew the United States from the Kyoto Global Warming negotiations, a protocol the Americans had signed but was yet to be ratified. Jacobson, (2002) echoed that The U.S did not want its capability to trade for emission rights with other nations to be limited. Following the U.S. withdrawal from the Kyoto protocol, European critics indicated that the United States in 2002 emitted about one-third of greenhouse gases globally (Dumbrell, 2002). Furthermore, in mid 2001, projections made pointed out that by 2010, U.S. emissions would increase by 23 percent. The U.S. refusal to support emission reduction limits confirmed the unilateralist position of the Bush administration to foreign policy (Dumbrell, 2002). The Bush administration repudiated to support series of international agreements. The convention on the prohibition of the production, stockpiling, the transfer and use of antipersonnel mines was signed on the 18th of September 1997 in Ottawa (Prestowitz, 2003). The treaty was signed by every country in the Western Hemisphere except the United States and Cuba and every other member of NATO are signatories to the treaty except the United States and Turkey. The United States demanded an exemption for the removal of mines along the borders of the demilitarized zones in South Korea and an exemption permitting as part of a mixed system the deployment of U.S. antipersonnel mines including antitank mines (Edwards and King, 2007). Other parties to the negotiation rejected both demands made by U.S. military officials and this prompted the U.S. to decline the final agreement. Although President Clinton during his administration promised that the United States would sign the Ottawa convention b y 2006, the Bush administration since entering into office had rejected the treaty and abandoned Clintons earlier pledge. The United States followed self-proclaimed unilateralist action by refusing to ratify the International Criminal Court. The ICC, establish to try war crimes was voted to be established on July 17, 1997 by 120 nations although 7 nations voted against the court while 21 nations abstained (Nolte, 2003). Although President Clinton ultimately signed the ICC treaty as one of his final actions in office on December 31, 2000 overruling objections from many senate Republics and the pentagon, the Bush administration rejected the ICC and withdrew all U.S. support of the court thereby rendering the earlier signature of Clinton null and void (Brown, 2002).The Bush administration campaigned to make sure that other states would not bring charges to the ICC against U.S. troops, According to Nolte (2003), under U.S. pressure the governments of more than sixty states signed bilateral agreements pledging not to submit charges to the ICC against U S. troops. Under the Bush administration, the unilateralist trend of America refusing to live by the rules and yet expecting the rest of the world to comply was dramatically accelerated. President Bush abrogated the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty on December 13, 2001 in pursuance of a national missile defense as the Bush administration had blamed the national missile defense lack of advancement on the ABM Treaty (Hirsh, 2002). This step undertaken by the Bush Administration was opposed by China, Russia and most U.S. allies but President Bush was determined to go-it-alone by backing out of a Treaty that had been a vital part of arms control for close to 30 years. During the Clinton and Bush Senior administration, the power of the United States was not flaunted by domineering less powerful states, although the Clinton administration acted unilaterally on some occasions, at least it appeared to consult and take the views of others before taking action. The Bush administration on the other hand does not even pretend to listen to its allies; rather they inform allies of what is expected to be done. Bushs unilateralist approach could be referred to as in your face or without apology as his unilateral practise is not taken only as a necessary last resort. The 9/11 terrorist attacks on Washington D.C. and New York shocked the international community to cooperate unprecedentedly as friends and foes of the U.S declared jointly a global war on terrorism. However, after the Taliban regime in Afghanistan alongside its Al Qaeda terrorist allies had been toppled, the Bush administration returned to assertive unilateralism (Hayden et al, 2003). The Bush administration disregarded the uproar of international opposition, without an explicit authorization of the Security Council to the use of force and proceeded with the Iraq war almost alone. In the wake of the terrorist attacks, the U.S policy under President Bush continued to be characterised by unilateralism. On the 29th January 2002, President Bush in his State of the Union Address characterized Iraq, Iran and North Korea as an axis of evil, governments threatening world peace, accused of seeking weapons of mass destruction and assisting terrorist (Owens and Dumbrell, 2008). Ignoring criticisms internationally, President Bush went ahead to destroy the Saddam Hussein government, belittling the International Atomic Energy Agency and the united nations as being ineffective. The U.S led coalition to invade Iraq was joined by only Britain. The U.S. led invasion of Iraq under the Bush administration symbolised the implementation of a new national security policy known as the Bush doctrine. This doctrine basically changed the way U.S. acted towards the rest of the world and indicated a radical shift from past national security strategies. This doctrine stressed the concept of preventive or pre-emptive war and a willingness by the United States to act unilaterally if cooperation through a multilateral approach cannot be attained. According to Owens and Dumbrell (2008), President Bush indicated that the new policy was imperative to forestall the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction among terrorist groups and rogue states, while maintaining that the policy of deterrence was no longer adequate to prevent the use of chemical, nuclear and biological weapons among terrorist organisations or rogue states. The Bush doctrine prompts the United States to behave arrogantly and act unilaterally since the invasion of Iraq. Also, the doctrine would jeopardize the international cooperation necessary to track down terrorist groups as the U.S tends to alienate world opinion. Furthermore, the concept of pre-emptive war is prone to encourage the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction rather than discourage it and could increase the risk of regional conflicts if embraced by other nations. The use of force unilaterally would not resolve the resolve the problems of the world. President Bush senior told his son that if a war in Iraq was not backed up by international cooperation, hopes of peace in the Middle East would be farfetched. Bushs Unilateralism and pre-emptive action to deal with weapons of mass destruction has incited popular criticism and ambivalence throughout the Middle East, East and Southeast Asia among others (Edwards and king, 2007). His unilateral approach to global affairs has backfired as it created friction between the mainstream international community and the United States. The heart of President Bush was in the right place as he wanted to make the world secure from terrorism and WMD for which he should be applauded, however, his might makes right and America first approaches have intensified animosities, shaken alliances and increased the risk of global terrorism. When it comes to addressing the problems of the world , multilateral international cooperation is more appropriate than President Bushs unilateral actions. The United States has the greatest influence in international affairs as it possesses the largest military and economy in the world. No nation has had as much cultural, economic and military power as the United States since the Roman Empire. However, Nye (2002) is of the opinion that it became evident through the nuclear threat posed by Iraq and the attacks of September 11 that in solving global problems, power is just not enough. Global issues such as environmental degradation, terrorism, financial instability, infectious diseases, drugs and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction requires involving the cooperation of other nations to be tackled. Unilateralism harms the credibility and international standing of the United States, weakens global environmental initiatives, damaged treaties and cripples the ability of the U.S to negotiate effectively in the future. There are global problems that simply cannot be solved by one country alone irrespective of how powerful, the U.S needs global cooperation to combat international terrorism, sanction effectively law-breaking states, hinder the proliferation of WMD and missile technology, to invest in foreign nations and to curtail illegal immigrants across international borders amongst others (Haass, 2008). Nye (2002), stressed that the United States cannot go it alone as unilateralism is not a viable option; it threatens to undermine its soft power and triggers the forming of coalition against the U.S. which could finally limit its hard power. However, Nye is not saying that the United States should not strike out on its own when deemed necessary or as a last resort because the interest of the U.S. may not always correspond with the ambitions of other nations. Nevertheless, the United States should strive to cooperate with the international community as much as possible because if the U.S. is bound to lead, it is also bound to cooperate (Nye, 2002). In conclusion, the United states under the bush administration adopted a more unilateralist approach to global issues than its predecessors as his administration embraced a go it alone strategy to address international issues in the aftermath of 9/11 and constantly repudiated international norms, treaties and negotiating forums. However, on Saturday 22 May 2010 at the West Point U.S Military Academy, President Obama while addressing graduating cadets declared that the U.S cannot act alone in the world as he outlined a foreign policy agenda that rejected the go-it-alone approach adopted by his predecessor, George W. Bush (BBC News, May 23, 2010). President Obama announced that in contrast to the Bush era, the white house would no longer ignore the international community; explaining that the United States performed best when it operated within alliances for example during the Second World War or during its tensions with the Soviet Union.

Imports in Agriculture Essay -- essays research papers

How many of you remember what you ate for lunch How many of you know exactly which country your lunch came from Over one-third of the food we eat is shipped from over seas and nearly another 1/3 comes for Canada, Mexico, and South America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is the reality; if you don’t raise your food yourself, you don’t know where it came from, or how it was handled. Chemicals such as DDT and Guthion are still used every day in less developed countries that the US buys food from. Toilets and sinks in the field are not even considered in these countries. It seems that if the USDA prohibited DDT and set up sanitation laws in the United States to protect the food we eat, then counties we buy food from should have the same laws. Friends, the best traditions of our National life are in trouble, the cornerstone of the US is giving way. Agriculture, is suffering. You might think, so what! Ag is down right now, but so is every other major industry in the United States. This is not just a sign of the times. The problem is deeper. An economic issue comes into play with imported foods. Domestic food is more expensive because of labor costs, chemical costs, and laws surrounding agriculture that don’t apply in most other countries. It is important to us as Americans have clean food and a clean environment. If we continue to eat contaminated, imported food what good will we be getting out of these laws The bottom line, here in America, is what seems to matter so...

Reflection on Ethnicity Essays -- Reflection Essay

Our increased mobility has given us greater access to the world and the diverse people that inhabit it. With that mobility comes the shared responsibility to negotiate with people who may initially seem unfamiliar and learn to express the experience. The word â€Å"ethnicity† is used to describe a specific population’s characteristics of fundamental aspects that all humans share. When applied loosely, ethnicity becomes a blanket term to define large populations, undermining the worth and the diversity within that group and emphasizing the differences between cultures. Yet those differences come down to matters of preference and socialization within each culture. The dominant themes that rule human nature persist in every society – wondering where we came from and why we exist, social mores to guide how we relate to people or situations, and primal motivations such as hunger, fear, and a need to be loved and accepted. People communicate with language, have a sense of family structure, practice culinary habits, beliefs, and social values that evolved concurrent with the compounded revisions of a group’s public space and collective perception of reality. Over time, ethnic groups have interacted and negotiated public realms similar to the method each separate population underwent to develop into its present framework. We continue to co-mingle cultures, borrowing tastes that suit our own self-definition and determination. The definition of what is â€Å"right† and what is valued varies fr...

Tea Party Movement Essay -- What is the Tea Party Movement

Due to the weak state our of economy over the past several years, many organizations and movements have surfaced in order to attempt to make a change to better our country. One of those organizations is the Tea Party and their movement. The Tea Party movement is an effective political force in our society because it is respectable, organized, and focused on common issues. According to the official website for the Tea Party movement, it was formed randomly in 2009 from â€Å"the reaction of the American people fiscally irresponsible actions of the federal government, misguided ‘stimulus’ spending, bailouts, and takeovers of private industry.† In an article for PBS from 2010, Dante Chinni writes that there were about 67,000 members of the movement at that time. Since the article is roughly two years old, it can be estimated that the total number of members has grown significantly, especially with the recent downfall of the economy and other political forces. Chinni goes on to state that much of the movement’s population is concentrated either in boom towns, which are towns that went through rapid population growth during the housing crash of the early 2000’s, rural and agricultural counties, or counties located near armed forces bases. As far as member backgrounds, most Tea Party movement members tend to fall into the same category. In a New York Times article by Kate Zernike and Megan Thee-Brenan, they write that those who identify themselves as apart of the Tea Party are â€Å"wealthier and more well-educated than the general public.† Zernike and Thee-Brenan also state that according to a poll conducted by the Times and CBS News, most supporters of the movement are white males who are married and over the age of forty-fi... ...bers of Congress a Well-heeled Lot." Los Angeles Times, 05 Jan 2012. Web. 20 Mar 2015. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/05/news/la-pn-tea-party-members-of-congress-a-wellheeled-lot-20120105. Walsh, Kenneth. "Tea Party Presidential Candidates Flash and Fade." U.S. News and World Report, 28 Sep 2011. Web. 20 Mar 2015. http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/Ken-Walshs-Washington/2011/09/28/tea-party-presidential-candidates-flash-and-fade. Wing, Nick. "Rudy Giuliani: Tea Party 'Respectable', But Some Members, 'A Little Crazy’." Huffington Post, 25 Jan 2011. Web. 20 Mar 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/25/rudy-giuliani-tea-party-crazy_n_813571.html. Zernike, Kate, and Megan Thee-Brenan. "Poll Finds Tea Party Backers Wealthier and More Educated." The New York Times, 14 Apr 2010. Web. 20 Mar 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/us/politics/15poll.html.

Qualitative and Quantitative social/behavioral inquiry

The fundamental reason for doing research is discovery. The ancient development of faculties and scientists getting-together under the patronage of peer evaluation bodies of the Renaissance enhanced what we observe today as genuine scientific exploration through quantitative methods (Golafshani, 2003). Afterward, questions springing from difficult human relations as well as the failure of statistically precise models would catalyze legitimacy for other research methods, counting qualitative observation and discovery as well.Even though scholars have in the past dragged their feet in recognizing the equal validity and reliability of qualitative as well as mixed method research methods, social science studies partaken in the subject of organizational behavior, leadership, and ethics have effectively used all three approaches for a number of decades (Davis & Sandifer2006). Qualitative research Qualitative research goes right through disciplines as well as subject matters.The main purpos e of qualitative research is to achieve a well-rooted understanding of human behavior as well as explanations as to what regulates human behaviour. Thus, qualitative research is based on various aspects of behaviour explanations. To be more specific the research design finds out the why and how of decision-making as opposed to what, where and where. It calls for smaller and well-directed (focused) samples rather than large random samples that classify information into patterns as the chief basis for organizing and reporting results (McLeod, 2000).History of Quantitative Research Design This research design was the first to be employed in social studies, however with quantitative science gaining popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, its usefulness declined only to resuscitate in the 1970s. Qualitative research was construed as only relevant as far as anthropology and sociology were concerned. By then it was referred to as ethnography, fieldwork, participant observation or Chicago school (Heath, 1997).It was not until the 1970s and 1980s that qualitative research started to be utilized in other disciplines, significantly its use increasing in fields such s educational studies, social work studies, women’s studies, disability studies, information, management, nursing, human services, psychology communication among others. 1980s and 1990s saw the evolvement of novel methods of qualitative research aimed to cure the probable problems with reliability as well as inaccurate methods of data analysis.Although qualitative research is largely exploratory it can be argued that it is not definitively conclusive than the quantitative research. It is crucial to note that unlike quantitative research, qualitative research (data) cannot be expressed graphically or exposed in mathematical terms. While undertaking qualitative study one can use a number of approaches including, grounded theory practice, narratology, storytelling, classical ethnography or shadowing among other s (Golafshani, 2003). Qualitative and Quantitative social/behavioral inquiry The fundamental reason for doing research is discovery. The ancient development of faculties and scientists getting-together under the patronage of peer evaluation bodies of the Renaissance enhanced what we observe today as genuine scientific exploration through quantitative methods (Golafshani, 2003). Afterward, questions springing from difficult human relations as well as the failure of statistically precise models would catalyze legitimacy for other research methods, counting qualitative observation and discovery as well.Even though scholars have in the past dragged their feet in recognizing the equal validity and reliability of qualitative as well as mixed method research methods, social science studies partaken in the subject of organizational behavior, leadership, and ethics have effectively used all three approaches for a number of decades (Davis & Sandifer2006). Qualitative research Qualitative research goes right through disciplines as well as subject matters. The main purpo se of qualitative research is to achieve a well-rooted understanding of human behavior as well as explanations as to what regulates human behaviour.Thus, qualitative research is based on various aspects of behaviour explanations. To be more specific the research design finds out the why and how of decision-making as opposed to what, where and where. It calls for smaller and well-directed (focused) samples rather than large random samples that classify information into patterns as the chief basis for organizing and reporting results (McLeod, 2000). History of Quantitative Research Design This research design was the first to be employed in social studies, however with quantitative science gaining popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, its usefulness declined only to resuscitate in the 1970s.Qualitative research was construed as only relevant as far as anthropology and sociology were concerned. By then it was referred to as ethnography, fieldwork, participant observation or Chicago school (Heath, 1997). It was not until the 1970s and 1980s that qualitative research started to be utilized in other disciplines, significantly its use increasing in fields such s educational studies, social work studies, women’s studies, disability studies, information, management, nursing, human services, psychology communication among others.1980s and 1990s saw the evolvement of novel methods of qualitative research aimed to cure the probable problems with reliability as well as inaccurate methods of data analysis. Although qualitative research is largely exploratory it can be argued that it is not definitively conclusive than the quantitative research. It is crucial to note that unlike quantitative research, qualitative research (data) cannot be expressed graphically or exposed in mathematical terms.While undertaking qualitative study one can use a number of approaches including, grounded theory practice, narratology, storytelling, classical ethnography or shadowing among other s (Golafshani, 2003). Qualitative research can summarily be said to be concerned with the properties, state, as well as character of phenomena. The word qualitative entails an inflection on practices and meanings that are vigorously observed but is not meted in terms of quantity amount or frequency. Qualitative methods naturally afford a rich exhaustive data about a smaller number of samples.Qualitative data offers rooted and exhaustive data through direct quotation as well as careful explanation of circumstances, events association in addition to observed behaviours conventional quantitative methods such randomized controlled trials are the suitable methods of studying the effect of an intervention or treatment. However, a qualitative exploration of beliefs as well as perception is probable in establishing why some (people) for example patients opt to stick on prescribed treatment. In such instances, the two approaches should be construed to compliment one another rather than to co mpete (McLeod, 2000).Knowledge in qualitative study is for that reason more of the same kind as knowledge gained from an art as opposed to science. This does not imply that the knowledge is inferior. Nevertheless, it does not imply that it is dissimilar since it needs active participation of the reader to identify with the circumstances and associate the findings to his/her own situation. Qualitative Research methods Qualitative methods normally consist of three types of data collection viz. in-dept open-ended interviews; direct observation in addition to written materials comprising such sources an open-ended written item a questionnaires and personal articles.The information from open-ended interview comprises express extracts from people concerning their experiences, opinions, feelings and knowledge. The data from observations comprise of comprehensive depictions of partakers’ behaviours, staff action as well as the full range of human associations. On the other hand, docu ment analysis avails excerpts, quotation, or entire passages from recent correspondence, official reports as well as open-ended surveys (Heath, 1997). Qualitative Evaluation Procedure Qualitative data starts as raw, evocative information concerning programmes and people in programmes.The assessor upon visiting the program, he/she is able to make first hand observation of the activities taking place within the program. In some occasions, the accessory can take part personally in those activities as participant observer. He can actively talk to the participants as well as staff in relation to their experiences as well as views, in addition to examining records and documents. Information collected from these interviews, observations and documents is then structured into major themes, classes as well as case examples via content analysis.Qualitative evaluation information can be offered alone or in conjunction with quantitative data. To a large extent, the validity and reliability of qu alitative data is dictated by the methodological expertise, sensitivity as well as evaluator’s level of training. Orderly and careful observation comprises for more than just being present and looking around skilful interviewing does not comprise only asking questions, while content analysis calls for considerable reading to see what is there.For an evaluator to be able to generate positive and realistic qualitative evaluation data through observation, interviewing and content analysis he is required to be disciplined, knowledgeable, trained, practical as well as determined (Heath, 1997). Reliability in Qualitative Analysis. While quantitative research methods are chiefly projected to test theory as the experiments works deductively and is inclined to oriented outcome, qualitative researchers are occupied with the meaning of the phenomena in addition to lived experiences, which is not voluntarily observable process.Attention is directed towards social perspective in which eve nts happen and have meaning in as well as stressing on understanding the social world from the point of perception of the participants in it. Quantitative research reliabilities projected on identifying as well as documenting recurrent, accurate and consistent or inconsistent features as patterns, themes, and worldviews in addition to any other phenomena being examined in similar or different human context (McLeod, 2000).

Critical Thinking in Homeland Security Essay

Critical Thinking in Homeland Security Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Homeland Security is an essential part of the security organs that are very crucial in ensuring the protection of the country’s sovereignty. Just as other nations in the world, United States faces significant threats from the external and internal factors. The US established Homeland Security Department in 2003, in an effort to address the external threats and aggression like the September 11 terrorist attacks (Pruitt, 2003, â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). Therefore, the main objective of the department is to prevent terrorist attacks in the US. Additionally, the department has to minimize the exposure of the nation to terrorism and minimizing the injuries that results from the attacks, if attacks occur.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To achieve its mandate the department applies several skills. These skills are aimed at determining the likelihood of a threat and establishing the credibility of the threat as per the information provided. Among the skills used is the critical thinking. By definition, critical thinking refers to the ability by the department personnel to make clear, rational judgments (Paul & Elder, 2009). This means that the decisions regarding security should be arrived through a well thought out processes (Pruitt, 2003). Critical thinking under homeland security focuses on crucial elements of thought and asking the relevant questions. This means that the department has to evaluate every piece of evidence at their disposal in order to develop appropriate security solutions to the country. The discussion put forward below will aim at establishing what critical thinking method model is appropriate for the decision-making within the structures of homeland security (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). The reason behind this inquiry is highly dependent on the fact that there are different critical thinking models. These models are very useful in the since they help to find the best and effective solution in homeland parameter. However, different models offer different results. Discussion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The September 11 attack brought about unprecedented need for good, efficient and effective security apparatus. With the introduction of the Homeland Security Department, the country was placed at a position to deal with the terrorism threats. The terrorism activities are currently very dynamic and in return there is a need for the solutions that might meet these challenges (Pruitt, 2003). As a consequence, the homeland security personnel is require to meet the ever rising need for increased demand of the security services as well as meeting the high placed accountability standards. To achieve these requirements they have to learn to become highly skilled in their level of thinking, as well as reasoning abilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fundamental reason for the need to improve skills is that the employees have to analyze all the massive information, understand it, identify the problems and offer solution (Paul & Elder, 2009). However, the processing of this massive information comes against the race of time. Homeland security department has to make timely decision that would help to preempt any threats that may arise or control the already existing threats (Pruitt, 2003). Additionally, the strategies employed by the terrorist are changing day in day out, and as well these changes must be encompassed in the decision which the department is undertaking. For instance, before the September 11 attack, the defense apparatus restricted themselves to biological and chemical threats. Moreover, the use of airplane as a tool to carry out terrorism strikes was covered by defense agencies like the Pentagon (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). On the other hand, the threat of airplane strike was not addressed as the security agencies believed this would result to giving the terrorist an additional tool to their disposal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The example about the use of airplane as a tool of terrorism indicates an ineffective manner of using the available information to mitigate the terrorist attacks. In this regard, critical thinking is very essential in manner in which the homeland security handles the information they acquire to handle security issues or threats (Paul & Elder, 2009). This is mainly because critical thinking offers the prediction and diagnosis analysis for security issues. Prediction depends chiefly on the ability of the security organs to be able to think ahead. Thinking ahead, as part of critical thinking, dictates that the security organs are able to establish the likely causes of terrorism and probable outcomes (Kiltz, 2009). Diagnosis means the analysis of previous threats which in turn helps to extrapolate the likely future events. In this regard, security organs are able to identify their past failures and in turn making amendments. Additionally, the organs are able to replicate past successes to the future. Best Critical Thinking Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While understanding the importance of the critical thinking skills, there are several critical thinking models at the disposal of security organs to address any homeland security issues. It is very crucial to put a lot of emphasis on the fact that critical thinking is basic requirement for security decisions facing the country (Paul & Elder, 2009). Therefore, to identify the best critical thinking model it would be prudent to learn the two factors that will play a very major role in determining the best model. Critical thinking in the context of homeland security is fundamentally dependent on the most important factor for good decision-making and the nature of the homeland security context (Browne & Keeley, 2007). 1. Decision making   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Critical thinking is fundamentally aimed at arriving at appropriate decision. Every decision made or arrived at should be able to offer solution in the context of homeland security. In this light, the decision of the security apparatus should be able to effectively prevent the threats that arise as well as minimize the damages is events occur (Kiltz, 2009). Thus, critical thinking plays a pivotal role in decision-making process. On the same note, the best decision-making model is exceedingly reliant on the right questions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The right question are said to be the main factor that enable effective decisions to be made in all the fields of the society, security being inclusive (Kiltz, 2009). Questions are a good guiding factor while looking for the appropriate results. One, right questions create a structure that our thinking relies upon; that is to say, right questions are essential in finding the suitable materials or information that are essential to the decision or solutions. Secondly, right questions play a vital role of determining the course of our thinking. In this regard, the right questions are crucial element of individual thinking (Kiltz, 2009). This indicates that the right questions part of the homeland security parameters, in that they would help the decision makers in this context will arrive the best solutions possible to the various security challenges. 2. The nature of homeland security   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The processes and the activities surrounding decision making in the parameters or the context of the homeland security are substantially complex. The complexity comes in two levels: one, there amount of data or information being processed is extremely large and second, there are a lot of dynamics and variables in homeland security decisions (Paul & Elder, 2009).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore, the decision-making process has a higher requirement of exhaustive scrutiny of all the probable accompanying implications of any decision made. In addition, the scrutiny extends other available options prior or before the enforcing any decision passed. A good example relates to diversion tactics that are highly employed by terrorist (Davis, 2012). This is where a threat is identified in a particular location while in reality the actual threat is in another place. Without appropriate critical thinking capabilities, the security apparatus are expected to put enough emphasis on areas which are reported to have the threat while leaving the other places vulnerable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Understanding the nature of homeland security is pegged on homeland security operations and the past failure. Past failures help to understand what part of the process failed and how efficiently and effectively did homeland rise from their falls. For instance from the example above, if the severity of a homeland security event was increased by the misjudgment stated above, in future homeland security would put all efforts at protecting all places equally while still putting emphasis on any information gathered (Paul & Elder, 2009). That fact encompasses a crucial part of the critical thinking in such a security decision-making process.In effect, the most effective critical thinking model should be all-inclusive. Inclusivity means that all the available alternatives should be taken into account while simultaneously evaluating the possible outcomes associated with each likely action. The module applied is similar to a game theory model (Davi s, 2012). In such a model, the homeland security is supposed to establish every strategy available to them as well as those available to the opponents, the terrorists. This would help to preempt most if not all, of the threats posed by various terrorists groups. Therefore, every strategy has probable action, which in turn will deliver results. It would be the aim of homeland to select the most applicable strategy and take an action that would offer the best-expected outcome (Paul & Elder, 2009).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For example, through information and intelligence gathering, the security organs in the United States had all the necessary, adequate and relevant information to indicate that an attack was eminent. This information was prior to the September 11 attack, which detailed the Al Qaeda plans to attack the US. This shows that the security organs had the available strategies of the opponents. However, the organs failed to select the best strategy and their actions failed to meet the required results (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The time constraints also play a critical part in undertaking any security decision. The reason behind this is that despite the large volumes of information that need to processed, the uncertainty of when a homeland security event is likely to occur needs timely decision-making. Using the September 11 example, it can be observed that the security organs failed to meet the timely decision requirement (Kiltz, 2009). Although all the information processed indicated the likelihood of a terrorism incident in United States, no timely action was taken to preempt the threats due to the argument that the decision process was at its preliminary stage.Additionally, homeland security should be in a position to predict the opponents’ likely cause of action and also putting a lot of effort towards preventing the threats preempting the homeland actions. This is attached to diversion tactics, where the threats mature to events in places other than those indicated in the threats information. This was the strategy that was employed by the Al Qaeda to beat homeland security at their game in September 11 (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). Prior to the attack, the information gathered indicated that the threats were highly in United States departments and agencies that were beyond borders. The fact that overseas parts of homeland security were threatened, the homeland skewed its efforts towards the external offices and agencies. Consequently, the Al Qaeda anticipated the moves of homeland security, and they counteracted by attacking the internal departments (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). Critical thinking should help to homeland security to fill all the available loopholes that may expose their operations, and the country was vast. 3. Right Questions Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As stated earlier, there are several models at the disposal of the homeland security, but among them asking the right questions takes the reign. There are several factors that have heavily tilted the odds towards the right questions model of critical thinking (Browne & Keeley, 2007). First, the model plays a pivotal role in addressing the various loopholes found under the nature of homeland security. For instance the failures that were capitalized by the Al Qaeda in the September 11 attack (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). The right questions model aims at querying all the information available. The inquisitive nature of the model allows the various security issues to be determined as well as determining the necessary conclusions. The conclusions are highly dependent on the reasoning, assumptions, and clarity of words.There are numerous benefits that accompany this essential model of right questions. To begin with the model is hig hly useful in offering a well detailed analysis of the decision made as well as the cause of actions undertaken. When comparing this model with the other models such as the elements of thought thinking model, right questions model outranks them all in enabling homeland to meet its objectives or targets (Browne & Keeley, 2007). Furthermore, it is established that the model has other models easily inbuilt. Mainly, homeland security establishes the positive elements of the other models and encompasses them in the right questions model. As a consequence, the models offer comprehensive and well-contained solutions out of all the available alternatives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition, the said model is highly interactive as it offers an all rounded analysis of the various situations. The analysis is crucial in timely and effective decision-making as well as in actualization of the actions set. Additionally, the model allows homeland to identify the instances of fallacies in reasoning (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). Well thought out decision should not be guided by a belief, myth of misconceptions. This allows homeland security process of verification and validation of evidence to be thorough and unbiased. If some essential information is missed, the model would results to different alternatives. Right questions model bases its success on availability of possible alternatives. Therefore, the model puts a lot emphasis on the available information which helps decision makers to arrive at the best possible alternative. On the other hand, the other models have some constraints in their operations (Bro wne & Keeley, 2007). For instance, the Element of Thought thinking model success is highly dependent on the emphasis given to some four aspects of decision-making. Using the Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Several failures have been seen under the dome of homeland security. These failures are highly attributed as the indirect contributors of past events like the September 11 attacks. The right questions model can easily address these past challenges (Browne & Keeley, 2007). Moreover, the model is the key to providing support to the homeland security decision-making process as well as creating and enhancing the credibility of the actions undertaken by homeland security.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The right questions model is dependent on an extensive spectral analysis. This analysis is the foundation of critical thinking. As a consequence, the right questions model helps to evaluate all the possible alternatives and their accompanying actions; which aim at getting the best possible solution. The model has been extensively used under the homeland security context to eradicate and lessen threats like the September 11 attacks. For example, prior to September 11 attacks the United States intelligence had gathered that there were several threats directed towards the United States institutions outside the country (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). Lack of a wider spectral analysis, the homeland security failed in its job (Browne & Keeley, 2007). In dependence to the information, the homeland security strengthened the security agencies beyond borders and failed to do so with the domestic agencies. As a consequence, the Al Qaeda us ed this loophole to carry out the attacks in the US soil (The 9/11 Commission, 2005). Under right questions model, an in-depth analysis would have taken place prompting homeland security to reinforce all the security agencies across the board. Such analysis would have enabled homeland security to alleviate the September 11 attacks. The alleviation would have been achieved through the fact that the homeland security would have easily identify and eliminated all the security exposures that faced the United states at large without overemphasis on the overseas institutions (Browne & Keeley, 2007). The fallacies of logic resulted to this misguided conclusions. While combating the Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, there was a belief that the US turf was safe from the Al Qaeda actions. This resulted to homeland security ignoring the domestic security need for dealing with terrorism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Additionally, there were not efforts to fill the information gaps that were there before the attacks. There were poor statistics since there were limited activities that were undertaken by security agencies in the United States (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). The model selected put emphasis on identifying the missing information which in turns increases the chances of obtaining the best strategy and the appropriate cause of action to be employed. For instance, the evidence provided that an attack was imminent, but there were no prompt actions that were undertaken to mitigate these threats. Also, despite the availability of evidence that indicated that there were terrorist threats facing the US, no security actions were undertaken in time (Browne & Keeley, 2007). The claims behind the lack of actions were that the decision process was still at preliminary stages, indicating the rigidity of the security operations. The selected mo del offers flexible and dynamic solutions to challenges. Through the right questions model, appropriate decisions would have been arrive at early enough to mitigate the threats. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Critical thinking is crucial for the undertakings of the homeland security department. This is because there are significant complexities of the decisions and accompanying actions. The critical thinking models are several, but one outranks the others; the right questions model is very essential in establishing the right decisions and cause of actions. The model employs a wider spectral analysis strategy with an aim of achieving efficient, effective and timely solutions. Looking at the applicability of the model against the events of September 11 attacks the model would achieve better-desired results (â€Å"The 9/11 Commission,† 2005). References Browne, M., & Keeley, S. (2007). Asking the right questions. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Davis, V. (2012). Use Critical Thinking to Overcome Personal Biases. IN Homeland Security. Retrieved 22 January 2015, from http://inhomelandsecurity.com/use-critical-thinking-to-overcome-personal-biases/ Kiltz, L. (2009). Developing Critical Thinking Skills in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Courses. Journal Of Homeland Security And Emergency Management, 6(1), 1-20. Retrieved from http://www.innovative-analytics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DevelopingCriticalThinking.pdf Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2009). The miniature guide to critical thinking. Dillon Beach, Calif.: Foundation for Critical Thinking. Pruitt, K. (2003). Modeling Homeland Security: A Value Focused Thinking Approach (1st ed., pp. 1-236). Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio: Department of the Air Force, Air University. Retrieved from http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/afit/pruitt_vft_hls.pdf The 9/11 Commission,. (2005). The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (1st ed., pp. 1-400). Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-911REPORT/pdf/GPO-911REPORT.pdf Source document