Habeas Corpus and the War on Terror Essay

The law of Habeas Corpus was created to permit the guilty to present their case in court and to be tried fairly. In today’s war on terror, the amount of such enemy combatants who were detained indefinitely without any trial has raised. The courts are split up on following the law by the letter or to practically change it according to the situation’s needs. I feel it’s necessary to follow these laws in the same context in which they were written, and the pragmatic approach leaves room for reckless changes. To deny an enemy combatant his or her day in court cannot be justified as taking the pragmatic approach in dealing with war criminals. This paper is an attempt to present the state of law today towards war criminals and the implications of denying the basic right of Habeas Corpus to suspected terrorists. Ever since the onset of civilization, arguments have routinely erupted between various members, families, factions, and groups within civilizations and between civilizations. In ancient times, arguments would be resolved by crude means, means not limited to the powerful person using brute force to show he was in the right. The stronger person would always have, say for example, the first right to food, to agricultural produce, cattle and to wealth etc. The weak wouldn’t dare pick an argument over the stronger person in fear for their life. But as civilizations grew and advanced over time, a code of ethics and laws began to form. Societies began to incorporate and adapt these laws in their daily functioning. Drawing inspiration from religion, past civilization practices and their mistakes, it was only natural that basic human rights were thought about and codified. The rights were guaranteed to all human beings, irrespective of who was physically stronger. The American Revolution has beyond doubt shaped the basic structure of human rights for the entire world to follow. Among many undeniable rights to citizens, the writ of Habeas Corpus was identified and established very early on in the Revolution. In Europe, the writ of Habeas Corpus was first traced to be used around the 12th and 13th centuries during the medieval period. Habeas Corpus translates from Latin to mean â€Å"you may have the body† or you may examine the body. It is essentially a writ that requires any person detained by law enforcers to be tried in a court of law and have his detention validated (Bbc. com, 2005). The writ doesn’t decide whether the accused is guilty or not, it merely stipulates that the accused be tried and detained if only found guilty of the crime being accused for. The US inherited this law from the English and codified it in the constitution in Article 1, section 9. The UN later incorporated it in their international human rights in 1952. The point of contention with the habeas corpus right is to whom it applies. The law stipulates that this right be never be suspended or denied except in cases of rebellion, invasion or when perceived as a threat to public safety. Surprisingly, this writ has been previously suspended twice in the past for seemingly similar reasons. President Lincoln suspended the writ in 1861 to prosecute the war prisoners captured during the American Civil war. His argument was that the confederates were a threat to the union and hence issued the order (Dueholm, 2008). This law was later restored after the war ended in 1866. President Bush in 2006 issued a similar suspension of the habeas corpus writ to detain enemy combatants captured in the global war against terror. It deemed these accused terrorists as a threat to national security and denied them the right to be presented and tried in court. This paper will focus on the consequences faced by the accused and the validity of enforcing such a suspension. Just suspending the writ wouldn’t seem very harmful when looked at by itself. But consider for a moment who the government arrests. American policy makers routinely count any military age males as enemy combatants. Drone strikes assume anyone in the vicinity of a drone strike of military age to be a enemy combatant first and then when sufficient intelligence is available to the contrary, they are posthumously declared civilians (Balko, 2012). In a likewise fashion, arrests were also made based on the very broad physical description of an age group, or depending on where they are and who they interact with, were picked up after being accused of terrorism. Next, consider the location of their detention. Accused terrorists were detained at prison, run by US military personnel backed by US administration; set up in a foreign land i. . Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The single reason for maintaining such an institution away from US soil was to escape the jurisdiction of laws that govern detainees which would apply if held on US soil. Laws of detention stipulate not only the kind of treatment but also the punishment meted out to convicted terrorists. The captors were free to torture their captives in any way they saw fit to gather any amount of relevant information, regardless of whether the person accused is an actual terrorist holding any real information to share. Terms such as enhanced interrogation techniques had to be invented to pass them as legal and humane methods in congress. Add to this polarized scenario, the suspension of the one single law that could serve as the difference between life and death of an innocent civilian – the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. The suspension took away with it the only chance an innocent civilian had to prove his innocence. In short, simply standing at the wrong place at the wrong time can get you to serve a lifetime of torture with not even a hint of a fair trial. Naturally, concern about the handling of such detainees grew and petitions filed by family and friends of detainees finally began to reach the courts. The Supreme Court finally in a landmark case of Boumediene v. Bush ruled against the suspension of habeas corpus for the detainees with a 5-4 majority. It declared that the suspension of the writ was indeed unconstitutional. Justice Kennedy who ruled with the majority supported his stand with examples from the history of the writ back in the 12th century and its recent applicability in territories outside the border of US but still falling in its control, such as Chanel Islands. His summary also compared the legality of this writ in Scotland, which is a sovereign nation and yet still under English laws. Once US jurisdiction was proved, Justice Scoter, Ginsburg and Bryer pointed out that it would have to be one that was based on the constitution or no jurisdiction at all. Justice Scalia argued that the habeas corpus law was in fact protected by the Detainee Treatment Act, and refuted the entire judicial intervention. He was supported by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Alito and Thomas. The Justices did a fine job of evaluating the suspension of the writ. From establishing jurisdiction and what kind of jurisdiction, to an alternate mechanism to protect the habeas corpus in spirit, all avenues were thoroughly investigated. The courts also recognized the extremely difficult nature of assessing an individual in a warzone to be a combatant or a civilian in a foreign location. And yet, the writ cannot be suspended out of fear of failure in acquiring adequate proof against the detainee. Personally, I feel strongly that the writ of habeas corpus is a right so basic that it cannot be suspended in any scenario. The very least an accuser can do is to offer a fair trial to the accused. I feel that the President was wrong to remove the last ray of hope of an innocent civilian that might have been unfairly detained. The case also established the judicial soundness of our nation even at times of war, and the entire exercise in judiciary coming in between the functioning of Congress was an example to the world. Denying such a basic right makes us no different than the terrorists who accuse and punish others that broadly fit their own enemy description. Living as a part of a civilized nation for over 200 years, we owe it to ourselves to act in a dignified manner, even with our captives.

Endangered language

At present, both individuals and governments are concerned about language diversity as an increasing number of reports have demonstrated a considerable decrease In the number of languages during the last few centuries (Romaine, 2007). Additionally, the future of many languages Is also dismal. As a consequence, whether or not to protect endangered languages Is a quite controversial Issue at present. This essay will discuss both advantages and disadvantages of preserving languages, which are quite essential for governments and other organizations.One argument put forward is that humanity should care about languages because it may promote the development of cultural diversity. Just like biology, a language is not only related to an individual nation's value or right, but also connects to the culture system all over the world (Crystal, 2000). From this perspective, the damage to any factor in the system will cause unpredictable results in this system as a whole (ibid). In addition, the d iversity may promote the development of culture.That means languages often lay an important role In our society through diversity, regardless of its population. Nevertheless, It Is advised that some linguists' claims for the protection of language may neglect Its essence and true function: that Is communication. In other words, If a language Is spoken only by a few people, It Is not a true language (Mali, 2000). Certainly, It Is beneficial to other languages and cultures. However, the benefit Is not because of the uniqueness of different languages, but due to removing barriers and making connections across them (ibid).Therefore, a language becomes extinct because it has lost the function of communication instead of other reasons. Additionally, protectionism seems to cause a negative impact on economy and society, especially in some multicultural society. Take Indonesia as an example, the government impose an ethics test in the local language on foreign lawyers (Krieger, 2013). As a result, not only do the local lawyers have a few opportunities to communicate with their foreign colleagues, but It also harmed the economy. In conclusion, the disadvantages of protectionism outweigh the advantages.Language and Linguistics Compass, 1(1-2), 115-132 endangered language By crusader 1230 decrease in the number of languages during the last few centuries (Romaine, 2007). Additionally, the future of many languages is also dismal. As a consequence, whether or not to protect endangered languages is a quite controversial issue at present. This play an important role in our society through diversity, regardless of its population. Nevertheless, it is advised that some linguists' claims for the protection of language ay neglect its essence and true function: that is communication.In other words, if a language is spoken only by a few people, it is not a true language (Mali, 2000). Certainly, it is beneficial to other languages and cultures. However, the benefit is not communicate with their foreign colleagues, but it also harmed the economy. In conclusion, the disadvantages of protectionism outweigh the advantages. Thus, it is Crystal, D. (2000), Why should we care? Language Death, Cambridge University Press snakelike. Com Retrieved March 21, 2014, from http://www. Snakelike. Com/essay/

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull Essay

After reading on Jonathan Livingstone seagull, write down reflective value and believe about the meaning and purpose of life. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is about a very independent bird, who dared to question what was being taught and told to him by the elders. He didn’t just want to spend his days searching for food and hanging out doing what was expected of him. He was different, and dared to dream. He spent his days learning to fly faster and better than any other gull in the flock. He learned from all of his searching and trying that he could do anything, if he wanted it badly enough and just went for it, even to the point of becoming an outcast. At one point in time, in so learning and perfecting his craft, he crash landed and died, going onto a higher lever of his awareness, to learn more lessons from his guide, Fletcher. He continues through the story, becoming more and more proficient in his endeavours and in turn becomes a teacher/guide to others, becoming a kind and loving soul along the way. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a bird who wants nothing more than to fly. Raised in a group of gulls that saw flying as only a means to an end, Jonathan challenged their way of life by believing that flying could be about more than transportation or getting food†¦ it could be about joy and happiness and freedom. When told he was irresponsible for trying exceed his expectations Jonathan replied: â€Å"Who is more responsible than a gull who finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life? For a thousand years we have scrabbled after fish heads — and now we have a reason to live — to learn, to discover, to be free! † An outcast from his flock, Jonathan took his exile with a grain of salt, finding joy in his love for flight and his constant desperate desire to grow and to learn. He pushes himself to the breaking point and is never satisfied enough with his knowledge and never tires of the quest to obtain more. Bach gives us a character that stands alone with his ideas and beliefs and is rewarded for his patience and courage. The second half of the book shows Jonathan learning so much that he transcends his earthly form into a higher plane of being. Here, Jonathan is met with other gulls who like him, strive for excellence and do not see flying as a means to an end, but simply love to fly for the sake of loving it. This part begins to reflect a bit of the Buddhist mindset about heaven and a universal knowledge which can seem a bit confusing at first. Jonathan finally returns to his flock on Earth to try for better or worse to show that there is more to life than what they are striving for. This is a fable about the importance of making the most of our lives, even if our goals run contrary to the norms of our flock, tribe or neighbourhood. Through the metaphor of flight,Jonathan’s story shows us that, if we follow our dreams, we too can soar. Amazing inspiring story of seagulls. It tells us nothing is impossible in this world. You just have to have the desire to achieve it.

Week 3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week 3 - Research Paper Example Managers can distinguish motivational problem from other factors by measuring the level of employee motivation and commitment. Managers can measure employee motivation and commitment only by analyzing employees’ productivity. If the current graph of employees’ productivity is low as compared to earlier graphs, it means that employees are less motivated than before. In such situations, managers need to investigate the reasons that affected the graph of employee motivation. Upon knowing the reasons, managers can work towards resolving such issues that caused a downturn in the employee motivation graph. Some of the main reasons that affect employee motivation include poor service structure, no incentive program, ineffective leadership, less influence of managers, and less chances of job promotion. All of the above-mentioned reasons have a close association with employee motivation. Neglecting any of those factors adversely affects overall employee performance. For example, if a company does not offer an attractive incentive plan to its employees, employees of that company become less enthusiastic with the passage of time and eventually drop their level of performance. Similarly, in such companies where managers have less influence on employees or where leaders are not able to inject passion and enthusiasm in employees, managers often observe poor job performances because there is no one there to motivate and encourage employees for the achievement of goals. Summing it up, we can say that managers can distinguish motivational problems from other factors that affect an individual’s performance by measuring the level of employee motivation and commitment. Managers need to investigate all such issues that have a direct association with employee motivation in order to improve employee motivation and employees’ performances. Role of managers and clinical leaders is critical in improving

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

English - Essay Example The major divide that Reid draws is that between the conformist and adventurous outlooks. The curiosity of the cats and the laid-back disposition of the dogs are what serve as the general imagery of the poem through which the poet tries to demonstrate how an adventurous spirit could make a lot of difference while one is alive. The poet executes a cynical tone towards the conventional ideas of people towards the business of living. This serves the purpose of striking the point hard with crude persuasive power. The first couple of lines, â€Å"Curiosity may have killed the cat; more likely/ the cat was just unlucky†¦Ã¢â‚¬  are in fact indicative of the poet’s attempt to question the conventions. Reid explores the many possibilities that would take off from disapproval of a set belief. The moral tales that dissuade young minds from exploring the possibilities of life away from the much-trodden paths would make their lives boring and devoid of any essence, as the poet reveals. Reid compares the lives of the adventurous cats and the incriminating dogs and observes irreverently that the dogs are restricted to â€Å"†¦doggy circles/ where well-smelt baskets, suitable wives, good lunches/ are the order of things, and where prevails/ much wagging of incurious heads and tails†. The cynicis m and sarcasm that define the poem are best revealed here. The imagery of the poem is vivid. It makes use of the metaphorical lives of cats and dogs as the general image, but also explores the small details from everyday life to talk in both descriptive and figurative terms. The most striking image is that of â€Å"the other side of the hill†. Though this can remain an abstract image, the idea of adventure in a cat’s life, thereby our lives too, is best represented through this pictorial reference. The life on the other side of the hill could either be an â€Å"idyll† or â€Å"hell†, but one could find it out for sure only by being there. Whatever be the result of one’s

Research Brief for HR Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Brief for HR Development - Essay Example Training employees on team building will improve their skills, knowledge and attitudes in the workplace especially for a certain task. It will also make the employees open to each other thus increasing the confidence at work place. â€Å"The make versus Buy† decisions are the best available resources that HRD will use in the program. These includes resources that will be use to assist with conducting needs assessment, guiding the employees in implementing the program, provision of supplemental training materials and selecting a trainer who will train the employees (Lee & Bruvold, 2003). Therefore, in the selection of a trainer it is important for HRD to outsource because most of the time the organizations do not have the expertise of designing the programs in-house. The trainer may be outsourced from a consulting firm and selecting in terms of credentials, experience, cost, and philosophy. Objectives must be set in order to show the performance in which the HRD wants its employees to achieve and exhibit before they consider them as competent. The trainer should have knowledge and varied skills that are designed and implemented in the program. When the trainer prepares an advanced level of expertise, the train will be an effective one. It is good to use different training methods and techniques. The trainer translates the objectives of the program in an executable training session and a training guide in order for the team-building program to success (Lee & Bruvold, 2003). In summary, activities that are involved in the implementation processes of an HRD program such as team building include assessing the needs of employees and areas that need development to better serve the needs. The second phase is that HRD is to design the intended benefits of the program, which include performance improvement and behaviour change of the employees (Vinaya, Mahatab & Kumar, 2013). The final activity is to

Strategic Change Heriot-Watt University Analysis Essay

Strategic Change Heriot-Watt University Analysis - Essay Example This model encompasses seven different factors that include â€Å"shared values, strategy, structure, systems, style, staff, and skills† which all are necessary to be included to ensure that a model of positive change occurs. It is defined as a holistic model of change that is collectivist in its many segments, thus requiring the university staff and its external partners to work together to ensure that the change efforts occur smoothly and all vision and mission goals are met successfully. The first part of the model looks toward establishing a vision so that shared values can be expressed and developed within the organizational staff and the students. The vision for the change is â€Å"to become a world-leading university that will produce the next generation of global leaders in business and technology – committed to growth and investment in staff and infrastructure†. The tool is to develop a new urgency in high-quality education and learning materials, by pro viding supporting technological know-how and the tools needed to make sure that the technologies needed are used appropriately and meet goals. Centralized services are also being strengthened so that courses offered to students are consistent toward the world-class business and technology goals in areas of environment, climate, business, and technology.It is ongoing professional development for educators to ensure they have the skills and knowledge available to provide excellence in training and education provision for academic students.... Essentially, it is ongoing professional development for educators to ensure they have the skills and knowledge available to provide excellence in training and education provision for academic students. These efforts also take into consideration and provide a foundational structure for systems, skills and staff development that are part of the McKinsey 7-S model of change. Externally, the university students and the educators will be consulting with knowledge leaders in all key areas of the Focus on the Future campaign in order to assist in developing a world-class curriculum for tomorrow’s business and technology leaders. One example is a partnership with business leaders at the Institute of Petroleum Engineering to assist in areas of clean energy provision so that students have real-world knowledge about processes and future strategies related to energy. 3. Driving and restraining forces â€Å"For change to be possible, driving forces must (ultimately) overcome the restraini ng forces that have been identified† (SkyMark, 2011, p.2). The university must brainstorm ideas and concepts that will be directly related to whether or not it can meet its long-term strategic goals of ensuring better education and better educator knowledge about real-time events in the business world as it relates to tomorrow’s industries. The following is a force field analysis showing the likely driving and restraining forces associated with the Focus on the Future campaign: Driving forces are those forces that make up the foundation of the entire change effort, such as external business needs related to more qualified and knowledgeable students. This

What makes china an attractive location for inward direct investment Essay - 1

What makes china an attractive location for inward direct investment by multinational enterprises - Essay Example The country went ahead to announce increased merger and acquisition deals to over one hundred and thirty mergers in 2009. Outer merger and acquisitions in 2008 exceeded US $27billion. China’s strength in the international investment lies its economy’s consistency through downturns (Qu et al 2010). Foreign outflow and inflows in China have been notably stable despite persistent downturns on the global threshold. Most studies attribute development of the Chinese economy and its financial stability to foreign investments. More than fifty per cent of Chinese exports come from foreign connections are located within the country. Out of five hundred of the world’s largest companies, three hundred have extended their productivity schemes to China. These foreign firms alone employed approximately twenty four million workers within China (Green et al 2010). The data taken shows that over three quarters of Western, Japanese and other Asian multinational organizations move to China for the domestic market (Urata et al 2006) Investors are especially attracted to China by the low costs of labor and land. The Chinese labor force is among the largest in the world. It consists of over one hundred and four million in the productive sector. This number alone doubles the labor forces of Germany, US, Italy, Canada and Britain all put together. The Chinese market is also characterized by offer deficit besides the favorable costs of land and available labor. China is endowed with resources such as minerals for example, aluminum, bauxite and oil that are useful in the investment process. Its investment is influenced by money supply and recent account balances. Countries seeking to attract foreign investment use such methods as these. The methods involve creation of incentives in reduced taxation on export of goods to China, tough recommendations on technology and favorable loaning processes along with good infrastructure

Sleeping Pill Ambien Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sleeping Pill Ambien - Essay Example The jobs, relationships, productivity, health and safety are all put at risk. And lack of sleep due to sleep loss or sleep disorders is taking a serious toll globally. There are many who experience problems with sleep and often depend on sleeping pills. Sleeping pills belong to a larger group of substances known as the sedative-hypnotics, which slow down or "sedate" the central nervous system that includes the brain, and spinal cord. This affects thinking, feeling, and body movement and function (AADAC, 2003). Sleeping pills are not a new concept. Herbal potions and the opiate laudanum were used centuries ago to induce sleep. Barbiturates were introduced by the early 1900s. Later in 60s benzodiazepines were introduced. And in 90s a safer class of drugs for sleeplessness known as nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics came into the market (Mayo clinic staff 2007). Sleeping pills act by binding with protein molecules called GABA receptors on the surface of nerve cells. The same protein receptor molecules bind at the same time with a neurotransmitter chemical called GABA. Barbiturates and other sleeping pills accentuate the action of GABA which causes the receptor molecule to allow the negatively charged chloride ions to enter the nerve cells. The chloride ions then make the inside the nerve cell more negatively polarized, which in turn, makes the nerve cells less active. In the 1970's, a new group of sleeping pills became popular, molecules which chemically are named benzodiazepines. The main advantage of benzodiazepines is that they are less likely to produce acute overdose deaths than barbiturates (Kripke 2006). Chemical Structure of Zolpidem (Ambien) Source: Wikipedia Zolpidem (Ambien): Mechanism of action Zolpidem (Ambien) is used for the short-term treatment of insomnia. Zolpidem is a prescription short-acting nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic that potentiates gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter, by binding to benzodiazepine type 1 (BZ1) receptors. However, zolpidem binds more exclusively to some of the several kinds of benzodiazepine receptors, and as a result it causes less anti-anxiety effect, less muscle weakness and less anti-epileptic effect than most benzodiazepines. It has been claimed that zolpidem distorts EEG sleep patterns less than other hypnotics and that it produces

Petition to waive the university mathematics requirement Essay

Petition to waive the university mathematics requirement - Essay Example he intends and to finish taking up law in the soonest possible time to help his community without having lost anything on his part and on the part of the institution. The basic questions that he proposed to answer in the article are, â€Å"Why do I need college algebra (MAT-117)? Is college algebra necessary for studying American Indian law? Will I use college algebra in my chosen field? What will the University gain or lose, from my taking college algebra or not?† (Adams par.6). The answer in all these questions is no. College Algebra is not necessary in American Indian law and in the practice of law in general. This was affirmed by a practicing lawyer. â€Å"In this netherworld, algebra and justice exist independently of one another† (par. 13). He further affirms that â€Å"I assure this committee that despite not having a formal accreditation in algebra, I will prove to be nothing less than an asset to this University and its Indian community† (par.15). If he be allowed to graduate, he will be able to help out his own community and other Native Americans as he intends and his practical experiences in life has proven that he is competent in his chosen path with or without the required Algebra subjects. On the other hand, permitting him not to finish the math courses will prevent him from having a well-rounded college experience and will not place him in equal footing with all of the other students of the University. The ASU catalog contains that the basic math requirements are necessary â€Å"(1) for a minimum level of math competency in my chosen field, and (2) to satisfy the university math requirement in order to graduate† (par. 7). All other students are required to take the subjects and Adams is not the only one who is in his advanced age enrolled in the... There is a main action expected in the end of the essay. This would be alllowing Gordon Adams to forego taking the Algebra subjects, which would enable him to graduate as he intends and to finish taking up law in the soonest possible time to help his community without having lost anything on his part and on the part of the institution. Another available option arises in the essay. On the other hand, permitting him not to finish the math courses will prevent him from having a well-rounded college experience and will not place him in equal footing with all of the other students of the University. Another point that an essay focuses on is equality. All other students are required to take the subjects and Adams is not the only one who is in his advanced age enrolled in the university. Everyone must be in equal footing since they are all within the same institution. Letting him bypass university rules will give an unwarranted precedence wherein other students may think they could apply fo r the same privilege on lesser grounds. The goals of the university are enshrined in the courses that they have set for every student and in this case it includes completing basic math requirements. In the conclusion of the essay, we see that despite these arguments, Gordon Adams must be allowed to waive the two math subjects required by the university only because he has showed evidence that he is a competent student and that the skills that the subjects aim to hone are those which he already possesses.

Who is the stronger feminist Essay Example for Free

Who is the stronger feminist Essay What is feminism? Does it still exist? Who do you think will be the winner of this title? Lady Macbeth, the psychotic, patronising, devil woman of the Shakespearean era? Or will it be the modern woman, Susan B Anthony the courageous woman who voted for the president election illegally and who is the hero of women’s rights. Who wins in this tournament? In Elizabethan England women were known as sweet, innocent, modest, polite, charming, obedient, and respectful and the inferior sex. Although in today society it is quite the opposite, ideal women in today’s society are known for confidence, outgoing, smart, beautiful, humorous and fun to be around with. Are these the quality of the two women, Lady Macbeth and Susan B Anthony, we are contrasting today? Feminism means to me the representation of women in society. Do you think feminism should exist? Yes, I believe it should exist because every person on this planet should have equal rights. If there were no feminists and feminism who are we as women? Would we still be able to vote? Will we still be trapped in between those walls cooking and cleaning? Both feminists have strong ambitions, however Lady Macbeth’s ambitions are purely selfish and desires power and position, on the other hand Susan B Anthony’s ambition were not selfish but was driven to fight for women’s rights. Announcer: from Shakespeare’s play the evil and ruthless Lady†¦.. Macbeth! And from the opposite corner Susan B Anthony the fierce woman who changed history! Round One: Ding! Ding! When we first see Lady Macbeth, she is plotting her evil scheme to Duncan’s murder. We quickly realise Lady Macbeth’s personality is portrayed as frightening and murderous. This is seen in the play when Lady Macbeth says ‘that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan’. In this quote Lady Macbeth uses allusion to murder this allusion to murder is recognised by the word â€Å"croak† referring to a crow which is a symbol of death. Lady Macbeth says this because she is thinking of how she will kill Duncan. Susan B Anthony was a woman who fought for women’s equal rights. She was a strong and fearless woman who believed in equality in society this is shown in the quote â€Å"Women, we might as well be dog baying the moon as petitioners without the right to vote! In this quote Susan B Anthony uses personification to compare if women are not allowed to vote they would be useful as dogs looking at the moon. Announcer: This round goes to Susan B Anthony. Round two: Ding! Ding! In 1872 Susan B Anthony was arrested for voting in a president election, she was fined $100 but never paid it. Announcer: Ouch! What a cunning strike from Anthony. Ho w will Lady Macbeth recover? Lady Macbeth shows masculinity and determination with questions towards her husband when he hesitates to murder. Lady Macbeth uses the quote ‘I have given suck, and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I sworn as you have done this’ Lady Macbeth uses violent language to persuade and show Macbeth how important to her a promise is. Announcer: A quick and hard upper cut from Macbeth, she wins the round! Announcer: Macbeth and Anthony are strong and determined women, they don’t give up until they achieve what they set to achieve. Round three: ding! Ding! Lady Macbeth is persistent and achieves her goal into becoming queen. Lady Macbeth uses this quote to describe her â€Å"†¦nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark to cry â€Å"Hold, hold! † Lady Macbeth uses the theme of good/light to contrast on her evil deed and let nothing good/heavenly stop her from what she is doing. Many men and women disliked and despised Susan B Anthony and said that she was outspoken on her views in politics and society because Anthony illegally voted in politics as a woman. In this quote ‘The only chance women have for justice in this country is to violate the law, as I have done, and as I shall continue to do’ Susan B Anthony shows dominance and authority for what she is fighting for. Announcer: it was a close round but the winner of this round is Susan B Anthony. Round 4: Ding! Ding! Lady Macbeth is like the devil burning with evil intentions we can see this in her quote ‘Shall sun that morrow see! ’ is her intentions for Duncan. Lady Macbeth uses allusion to murder to show that Duncan will die tonight. Susan B Anthony is the opposite this is shown in the quote ‘it was we, the people, not we, the white male citizens, nor yet we, the male citizens, but we, the whole people, who formed the union’ repetition is used in this quote to remind and make them realise what she is saying. Susan B Anthony is trying to get across her audience. Announcer: These two women never give up don’t they? Round 4 goes to Lady Macbeth by her intentions. Announcer: Both women are held down by society Round 5: ding! Ding! Even though Lady Macbeth seems strong and dominating in the relationship she works through by her husband shown in the quote ‘‘Look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’ Lady Macbeth uses simile and metaphor to manipulate her husband to do what she wants opposed to Susan B Anthony who is standing for herself as seen in the quote ‘I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand’ Susan B Anthony explains that women do not need a man to guide a woman because women are strong with or without a man. Emotive language is used to move her audience. Announcer: Lady Macbeth too slow and Susan B Anthony swings a superman. Announcer: Ladies especially and gentlemen our winner of this tournament is Susan B Anthony. She wins the golden belt and the name and crown of THE SRONGER FEMMINIST tournament. This leaves us to the conclusion ladies and gentlemen. As we can see feminism still exists and the fact that a long time ago the relationship between the sexes is both unequal and oppressive to women. Lady Macbeth is a feminist because she was against her society and that in her quote ‘Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here; and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty! ’ Lady Macbeth is asking the spirits to remove her gender and her female characteristics and be equal to a male. Susan B Anthony is the ultimate feminist because she stood up for women and their rights and tried to change society’s views on women by illegally voting to encourage women, around the country to give speeches and give faith to people for women’s rights. Thank you folks! And I will see you next time.

Paris is Burning Essay Example for Free

Paris is Burning Essay Paris is Burning by Jennnie Livingston deals with the culture of drag in New York in the 1980s, which was shown in the Ball competitions wherein men who impersonate, or better yet try to live as women walks and are judged based on their dancing ability, the beauty of their dresses and the authenticity of their impersonation. Each contestant represents a specific house and whenever they win; their respective houses gain a legendary status. The film was presented by showing alternate footages between the ball competition and interviews with the contestants. Although a very notable film, Paris is Burning is also highly criticized especially by feminists. In watching the film, you will see how the contestants try to portray how women look like basing on â€Å"stereotypical† identities or those greatly based on what men would like in a woman physically, making her the subject of desire. It failed to show the other characteristics and essence of women such as their social roles, the drags just focused on the aspects that perpetuate men’s hierarchy. It further undermines women by interpreting that being a woman makes one powerless which manifested in one of the interviews wherein one of the drags say that he will never become a woman because having the female genitalia does not necessarily mean that life would be great. Thus, many saw that this film as a mocking or women. On the other hand, the film succeeded in the presentation of yet another marginalized culture which is that of the gay. It was able to put their character at the centre of the film and elaborated on their culture. It was able to shed light on the often misunderstood â€Å"third’ gender and was able to present their side of the story. Then again, as was said earlier, it was done so by challenging the essence of women, which would make us think if it was able to resolve any issues at all. Thus we ask, was the film really an exposure of the drag culture or a celebration of the patriarchal society?

Material Culture in Education Essay

Material Culture in Education Essay This study explores the role of material culture in arts and design class at colleges in Singapore. Normally, students in a contemporary graphic design class face many difficulties particularly in interactive creation of arts and design. Basically, this study tends to identify and analyze the advantages of using material culture in a contemporary graphic design class. Furthermore, this paper also attempts to design an effective curriculum that will satisfy the needs of using material culture in a contemporary graphic design class. Concurrently, graphic design schools today face ever-increasing demands in their attempts to guarantee that students are well equipped to enter the workforce and navigate a complex world. Research indicates that material culture can help support learning concerning culture and past histories, and that it is especially useful in developing the higher-order skills of critical thinking, analysis, and scientific inquiry. But the mere presence of material culture in the classroom does not ensure their effective use when it comes in adding validity and substance to graphic design study. This study explores the various ways material culture can be used to improve how and what student learn in the classroom particularly in creative design and arts. Moreover, this paper pointed out the use of material culture as an effective learning tool in studying past history and culture is more likely to take place when embedded in a broader education reform movement that includes improvements in teacher training, curriculum, student assessment, and a schools capacity for change. In this study, the researcher investigated several variables that may influence the development and progress of students in different contemporary graphic design classes at colleges of Singapore. These included perceptions of problem difficulty, creative designing, value of art, and quality of work. The researcher believes that enabling the students to use material culture aided by the procedure in graphic design will result in effective learning and understanding in creative design and provides quality design and art. This research will analyze and investigate the role of material culture and personal perception of the students in Singapore. This shall include a discussion on the positive and negative variables related to material culture and contemporary graphic design, an analysis of performance of the students in school in relation to material culture was also conducted. Particularly, the research will focus on examining the role of material culture in contemporary graphic design provided by the school instructors/administrators. Basically, the results of the study will lead the researcher to the development and devise an effective curriculum in arts and design with respect to material culture in graphic design. Problem Statement This researcher finds the necessity for a study that specifically tackles the effects of material culture in contemporary graphic design at Colleges in Singapore. Specifically, this study intends to explore the significant impact of this material to the Colleges in Singapore that are related in contemporary graphic design. It will present the performance of the students by identifying weaknesses and inefficiencies and recommending solutions. Basically, the problem of this study is about conventional methodology in teaching which used a dry lecturer is really dull and takes a lot of time to finish a modular or syllabus of each topic depending on lecturer capabilities, skills, availability, mood and student indulgent of what their thought. That is not effective for students to get an effective way to learn, there is a need to get a new and effective approach since material culture may now touch the cultural and historical value of a certain art or design. The purpose of using material culture in a contemporary graphic design class is to develop a better learning than conventional method in colleges but through the early resistance, it emphasized their ability to appreciate art and learn it cultural and historical value perform the complex tasks needed in contemporary graphic design. Through material culture student can develop a bond and understanding of ones traditional cultures that motivate visual communication students to create strong cultural identity graphic design. Moreover, this study will try to answer the following queries: Can understanding of ones traditional cultures motivate visual communication students to create strong cultural identity graphic design? Can material culture add validity and substance to graphic design study? Purpose This study seeks to understand fully how students awareness of their traditional cultures might be the factor that motivate them to research and explore their cultures as a graphic design topic. Hypotheses This paper will work on the following hypothesis: Material culture in graphic design class in colleges plays significant effect to the students awareness of their traditional cultures. Material culture in graphic design class in colleges has significant effect to the memory retention of the students when it comes in studying traditional culture. Since it is exciting, challenging and fun to use, then it encourages students to study the material culture again and again. Material culture has significant effect to the learning improvement of the students since it attaches to ones traditional culture. Definition of Key Terms Graphic Design- Graphic Design is the process and art of combining text and graphics and communicating an effective message in the design of logos, graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and any other type of visual communication (http://www.geemultimedia.com.au/glossary.asp). Material Culture- Material Culture is a term often used by archaeologists as a non-specific way to refer to the artifacts or other concrete things left by past cultures. An archaeologist thus can be described as a person who studies the material culture of a past society (www.encyclopedia.com). Art- Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, sculpture, and paintings (www.encyclopedia.com). Education- Education encompasses the teaching of specific skills, and also something less tangible but more profound: the imparting of knowledge, good judgment and wisdom. One of the fundamental goals of education is to impart culture across the generations socialization. (www.encyclopedia.com) Knowledge- Knowledge includes, but is not limited to, those descriptions, hypotheses, concepts, theories, principles and procedures which to a reasonable degree of certainty are either true or useful. (www.encyclopedia.com) School-A school is a type of educational institution. The range of institutions covered by the term varies from country to country. (www.encyclopedia.com) Review of Literature World history has witnessed the birth, development, and achievements of the most talented people. These people have their distinct gifts and area of mastery literature, politics, arts, science, and so forth. Still, much of their success can be traced back to the kind of life and personality they had. Childhood experiences, support from people around them, environmental influences and personal motivations often determine how a gifted person makes use of his innate abilities to become an important figure in his chosen field of expertise. The world of arts is one of the most interesting topics of study. This field usually includes some of the most peculiar people who can express their personalities through unique paintings, sculptures, and drawings. Art education is culturally identified as a subject area that enables students to use their imagination and creativity to produce pieces of artwork from a wide variety of materials. This identification may also include the study of famous artists and their well-known artwork (Oliver, 2010). On the other hand, the cultural identity is constructed through various signs and symbols that the culture attribute to art education.   Symbols include art making materials (The Culture of Education in the Visual Arts, 1999). These materials that are attached to ones culture were known as â€Å"material culture†.   Material cultures are becoming known to the teachers in contemporary graphic design because of its motivational effect to their students in studying culture and art. In graphic design class, art symbol with respect to materials are crucial. An example of art education symbols are the variety of medias- both two and three dimensional that are used to illustrate subject matter. In addition to more practical symbols of art education are the humanitarian symbols which may include connecting with artists and their work, both contemporary and historical (The Culture of Education in the Visual Arts, 1999).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The art and crafts around communities, in stores and on posters will always be a symbol of a reflection of art education (The Culture of Education in the Visual Arts, 1999). Another facet of creating a cultural identity is to reflect on the cultural rituals that are often associated with art education. The most apparent rituals include the various processes that are employed to make art.   It is important to remember that such rituals/processes are influenced by the geographical location of the school district (Oliver, 2010). Another cultural ritual attributed to art education is the physical demonstration that the art teacher must provide for students in order to teach them specific techniques. This demonstration often includes safety precautions as rituals that the students will then strictly employ to create art without hurting themselves with the tools in the making (Oliver, 2010). Other ritual distinctive to art education is the practice of critiquing students art work, often done by the whole class in order to provide constructive feedback and criticism of the finished piece of art.  Ã‚   One final ritual that should be imperative to an art education program is class field trips to museums, galleries, and artists studios that connect the learning of art in the school to actually viewing art in the community (The Culture of Education in the Visual Arts, 1999). It is important to connect these cultural rituals and symbols of art education to not only show how they produce a cultural identity, but also form a sense of social solidarity among students, teachers, and communities (Oliver, 2010). The visual arts or the graphic designs are arts that we see. It has its own language-the language of feelings, emotions and ideas without words. We could discover the world outside and inside us through visual arts. The visual artist through unspoken can communicate with us when he creates visual work of arts like painting. Paintings and works of art in general are meant to move us, especially in ways that words often cant. Graphic designs inspired by material culture play a major role not only in academic purposes but also in health and medicare related aspect and in the community as well. It develops the intelligence and the overall personality of the students. Moreover, graphic designs inspired by material culture also provide meaningful self-expression of all students. It is used in therapy procedures for aiding child development. It assists in educating disabled children, especially those who are blind and have hearing problems. And finally, visual arts also help in building communities and mural projects. In studying graphic designs inspired by material culture, it shows that visual arts and cultural identity are related. The cultural identity is constructed through various signs and symbols that the culture attribute to art education.   Methodology This section of the research proposal discusses the methods to be used.   This illustrates the method of research that identifies its applicability. Likewise, the section illustrates how the research was to be implemented and how to come up with relevant findings. Moreover, this methodology part of the research underwent into several stages. In the research design, the researcher collected data from students and teachers in some Colleges in Singapore that are using material culture in their graphic design class. At the time of data collection, the researcher gathered and sum upped the data acquired from these resources. Study Setting In accordance to the goal of this study i.e. to investigate the role of material culture in contemporary graphic design, the researcher decided to conduct the investigation in 10 Colleges in Singapore. Basically, in these 10 chosen schools in Singapore, a random sample of 10 students each will be chosen. The students to be included should be familiar to graphic design and material culture. Research Design Generally speaking, there are two research positions, often call paradigms, which researchers can choose from. The first is the quantitative paradigm in which researcher attempts to understand causal relationship of existing phenomena or attempts to discern the validity of the theory in a particular social context (Creswell, 1994). And since one of the purposes of this study determine the role of material culture in contemporary graphic design, the quantitative research position is taken here because it is appropriate for the research purpose. Aside from this, the second approach, called the qualitative paradigm, is not chosen. Actually, as indicated in the paper of Daymon Holloway (2002), the qualitative design the researcher assumes this position and attempts to understand a particular social phenomenon by using the actors frame of reference. In addition, data are presented not in numerical form but in actual words which is in contrast to the aim of this research. There are few research strategies that often used for conducting research such as survey, case study, action research, Ethnography etc. According to Yin (2003), there are three conditions to be considered for choosing an appropriate research strategy i.e. : The type of research question The extent of control an investigator has over actual behavioural events. The degree of focus on contemporary as opposed to historical events From the paper of Saunders, et al. (2007), survey approach often uses questionnaires to collect a large amount of data from a sizeable population in a highly economical way. Therefore, the survey approach is usually able to apply a more representative sample among a massive population for the study, trying to achieve generalisibility of the results. The case study, however, according to Denscombe (1998), is an investigation that focuses on detailed, in-depth descriptions and analysis of one or a few organisations. This approach is normally use to explore the phenomenon by in-depth data gained in the research context. This implies that the research results gained by case study cannot be generalized to a larger population due to that the investigation range is limited. By considering this limitation of case study approach, the researcher opted to choose the survey method. Population and Sampling Plan The sample size consists of students, who are the logical key informant related closely to the issue under investigation, as well as the teachers numbering to 10 subjects.   There is no reason to believe that 10 teachers is not a large enough sample size because ultimately it is this individual who works directly with the issue and teachers has the most intimate knowledge of the subject. Basically, the survey respondents are asked regarding their perception towards material culture and graphic designing and students performance. In essence, Guilford Fruchter (1973) argued that in choosing sample sizes, the Slovins formula should be considered. Therefore, in selecting the sample size (100 students) in this paper was identified by Slovins formula. The Slovin (1960) formula is given as: Where: e= needed error margin (percent requirement for non-precision due to the use of the sample as an alternative of the population). N= size of population n = size of sample Data Collection Procedures Yin (2004) provides six different sources of data collection that is commonly used in case study methodology, which include documentation, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant observation and physical artifacts. The data collection method uses survey and interview that is to take place with the students and teachers, as these are the closest people working with the subject under scrutiny here Material culture and should serve as the key informant. In addition, students are also surveyed to understand how they feel about the use of material culture in their graphic design class since the teacher may provide biased information, however accessing the students is subject to the permission of the teacher who acts as the gatekeeper. If surveying the students is possible the survey that students will fill out will be left on the teachers desk where they can fill it out and return it to a drop box in a closed envelope without a name or other identifying information. The questions for the employees are created after a thorough review of literature. For documentation that refers to secondary information about the material culture and graphic designing, such considerations have been taken to reduce concerns as they would otherwise pertain to bias or the reliability and validity of the findings. Relying on documentation are used even if the students do participate since it strengthens the findings further (Yin, 2003). Documentation specifically includes performance reports and records, or books and journal articles discussing material culture and graphic design. Accessing of the teacher is going to take place by first, sending the school an outline of the study and ethical content forms and arrange meeting, through the telephone or MSN given geographical constraints, to explain what it is the research wishes to do and how it will benefit the organization. Ultimately, what the researcher wants to do is discern how training is able to increase students performance and the mechanisms that school in Singapore has in place to assure this. Executing the above step is useful since the gatekeepers are going to want to protect the interests of their students and the organization (Holloway Walker, 1999). Overall, the approach above is based on negotiation, which as researchers note, â€Å"Access is negotiated and re-negotiated throughout the research process† (Gubrium, Holstein, 2001, p. 301). The teacher was also assured that confidentiality by not releasing information that they do not want to be released and anonymity by using pseudonym s for students, participants and settings will be secured (Daymon Holloway, 2002). It is not unreasonable for the teacher to participate in the study given the steps executed above which are suggested by research methodology practitioners. Finally, research questions are based from the literature as is suggested by research methodology practitioners. Data Analysis To determine the perceptions of the student respondents pertaining to material culture and graphic design, the researcher a set of guide questions for the interview and prepared a questionnaire. A non-threatening questionnaire in nature that can be completed within 30 minutes are considered. The respondents graded each statement in the survey-questionnaire using a Likert scale with a five-response scale wherein respondents are given five response choices. The equivalent weights for the answers are: When the entire information consumer responses have been collected, the researcher used statistics to analyse it; and was assisted by the SPSS in coming up with the statistical analysis for this study. For the details gathered from journals, an evaluation was drawn in order to identify the role of material culture to contemporary graphic design. Moreover, this research will utilise the several statistics in order to determine the differences between their perceptions towards the impact of material culture on students performance and art appreciation. As stated above, the researcher was aided by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) in the making and creation of the statistical analysis for this study. SPSS is one of the mainly and extensively accessible and potent statistical software packages that has a extensive range of statistical practices, which permits a researcher to sum up information (e.g. calculate standard deviations and means), identify whether there are major differences between groups (e.g., ANOVA t-tests), observe relationships among variables (e.g. multiple regression correlation) and graph output (e.g. line graphs, bar charts, pie chart, etc.) (Sauders, Lewis Thornhill 2007).   Concluding Remarks Significance This study will be a significant endeavour in promoting culture awareness among graphic design students. This study will be beneficial to future leaders. By understanding the needs of the students and the benefits of quality education, these practitioners will be assured of a larger progress performance. Moreover, this research will provide recommendations on how to value students as they are taking a large part in the overall performance of the school quality education. This study would also be of help to those school and market scientists who are interested in finding out the social implications of the boom and the bust phases of the school industry. Moreover, educators can gain from this study, as they find the connection between how they have designed their curriculum and what are the actual needs of the citizens.   In that way, they would be able to make immediate changes, if necessary, or continued improvement of their programs, through further studies. Furthermore, it is hoped that this study would help the students to improve learning and appreciation skill through Material culture in Art and Design at colleges in Singapore because Material culture has many advantages/effectiveness such as retention and motivational factors in accordance to the leaning behavior of student. Thus, student can go deeply into each topic areas they need to learn without lecturer involvement because material culture is related to the history of the arts they are perceiving. Moreover, this paper introduced important changes in our educational system and gives a huge influence to the way we communicate information with students. It would make them as an active participant in their own learning process, instead of just being passive learners of the educational content.   Apparently, this research also hoped can provides an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the factors that impact on the students experiences of material culture in learning pr ocess. Finally, this study would benefit future researchers in the field of the, education, arts and design management, business and the social sciences since it depicts the future of the school industry and its varying effects to many sectors of society. Limitations This study will only cover material culture as part of studying contemporary graphic design in arts and design for the college students in some colleges in Singapore. Basically, this paper will only cover students selected from semester 1, conducted from some colleges in Singapore. As there are numerous issues surrounding the school, this research will primarily examine program development and performance progress. The outcome of this study will be limited only to the data gathered from books and journals and from the primary data gathered from the result of the questionnaire survey and interview that will be conducted by the researcher. As the research was completed in a relatively short period of time other factors and variables are not considered. This might have an impact on the results of the study.   Basically this research study will enable the researcher to design a quality curriculum that will satisfy the needs of the students. References: (1999). The Culture of Education in the Visual Arts. Retrieved March 24, 2010, from www.orgsites.com Creswell, J.W. (1994). Research design. Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage. Daymon, C. Holloway, I. (2002). Qualitative research methods in public relations and marketing communications. Routledge. Denscombe, M. (1998), The Good Research Guide, Buckingham, Open University Press. Guilford, J.P. Fruchter B. (1973). Fundamental Statistics in Psychology and Education, 5th Edition. New York: Mc Graw-Hill. Holloway, I. Walker, J. (1999). Getting a PhD in health and social care. Wiley. Oliver, S. (2010). The Importance of Visual Arts in Schools. A Free Article. Retrieved March 24, 2010, from www.afreearticle.com Sauders M., Lewis, P. Thornhill, A.(2007). Research method for business students, FT Prentice Hall, Harlow. Yin, R.K. (2003). Case Study Research Design and Method (2nd ed), Sage, Thousand Oaks.

Comparison of The Judges House versus The Signalman :: essays research papers

I think that mystery stories are so popular with people today, and with the last couple of generations because they are so intriguing. The author tries to give the story an element of surprise and also put twists in the tails to keep the reader guessing. Rather than just watching a film it allows the reader to build up their own imagination and interpret the story in their own way. The author will also try to integrate a ghost or spirit into the story, whether it be physically there or just psychologically, this gives the sense of mystery and usually results in the protagonist of the story dying. During the Victorian era mystery stories were especially popular, this was due to television and cinema not being in existence, so people had enliven themselves in other ways, in this case with books. In Victorian times religion was cogent and people believed in God more than people today, this meant that people thought what happen in mystery stories was very plausible. However with the adva ncement of science, people regard mystery stories as fully fictional, conversely some individuals and groups do still believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits. The two stories, ?The Judges House? and ?The Signalman? have atmosphere built up through the setting of the story as well as other things including the characters and also the dialogue. First of all, the judge?s house has a very weird sort of setting. It is set in a large, old house with high windows and tall walls, basically a very stereotypical sort of house for a mystery story. However this decrepit house is situated in the middle of a community, with a wide array of people and vehicles there. This sort of area you would expect to be safe, however this could have given Malcolm Malcolmson, the protagonist, a false sense of security as the house has high walls isolating it from the rest of the community. The author describes the house as ?a fortified house than an ordinary dwelling? this suggests that it was not just a few fences around the house, rather iron bars on windows and large iron gates, these are the things you would stereotypically relate to this type of story. ?The Signalman? is not the kind of setting you would expect for a story of this nature, it is set on a railway cutting which is far from stereotypical however a railway cutting could be seen as an industrial area which can be associated with gloominess, fog and smoke. Comparison of The Judges House versus The Signalman :: essays research papers I think that mystery stories are so popular with people today, and with the last couple of generations because they are so intriguing. The author tries to give the story an element of surprise and also put twists in the tails to keep the reader guessing. Rather than just watching a film it allows the reader to build up their own imagination and interpret the story in their own way. The author will also try to integrate a ghost or spirit into the story, whether it be physically there or just psychologically, this gives the sense of mystery and usually results in the protagonist of the story dying. During the Victorian era mystery stories were especially popular, this was due to television and cinema not being in existence, so people had enliven themselves in other ways, in this case with books. In Victorian times religion was cogent and people believed in God more than people today, this meant that people thought what happen in mystery stories was very plausible. However with the adva ncement of science, people regard mystery stories as fully fictional, conversely some individuals and groups do still believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits. The two stories, ?The Judges House? and ?The Signalman? have atmosphere built up through the setting of the story as well as other things including the characters and also the dialogue. First of all, the judge?s house has a very weird sort of setting. It is set in a large, old house with high windows and tall walls, basically a very stereotypical sort of house for a mystery story. However this decrepit house is situated in the middle of a community, with a wide array of people and vehicles there. This sort of area you would expect to be safe, however this could have given Malcolm Malcolmson, the protagonist, a false sense of security as the house has high walls isolating it from the rest of the community. The author describes the house as ?a fortified house than an ordinary dwelling? this suggests that it was not just a few fences around the house, rather iron bars on windows and large iron gates, these are the things you would stereotypically relate to this type of story. ?The Signalman? is not the kind of setting you would expect for a story of this nature, it is set on a railway cutting which is far from stereotypical however a railway cutting could be seen as an industrial area which can be associated with gloominess, fog and smoke.

Looking Into the Past in Vonneguts Slaughter House-Five Essay

Looking Into the Past in Vonnegut's Slaughter House-Five In the spring of 1945, near the end of World War II, American and British bombers rained a hail of fire upon the city of Dresden, Germany. With an estimated 135,000 dead, Dresden is known as one of the deadliest attacks in History, nearly twice as many deaths than the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Kurt Vonnegut was among the few who lived through the firestorm; he wrote a book about it in fact. Slaughter House-Five (1969) is a fictional recount of his experience of the war. Many of the events (at least the parts set in WWII) are real experiences of Kurt. The people in the war are, for the most part, real; Vonnegut just changes all the names. The main character, however does not seem to have been a real person, and has a very unusual war experience. The story begins with Billy Pilgrim becoming "unstuck in time." Throughout the novel, Billy time travels to different times in his life. He's never sure where he'll go next, but he always returns to WWII, which is the main plot line. After Billy's life summary, which actually summarizes many of the events of the novel, the story jumps to when Billy first became "unstuck in time": 1944. Billy is a chaplain's assistant in the army during WWII, and is called oversees after the death of a chaplain's assistant in Europe. He is sent to his regiment during their involvement in the Battle of the Bulge; they do not win. Not being much of a military man, Billy Pilgrim wanders behind German lines until he meets three other American soldiers. After many near deaths, Billy is captured by the Germans and taken to a prisoner camp. While on his way to the camp Billy travels to 1967, the year he is abducted by a flying saucer from Tralfam... ...azy from a lack of water. "When Billy saw the condition of [the horses], he burst into tears. He hadn't cried about anything else in the war" (197). Even during other parts of his life "Billy cried very little, though he often saw things worth crying about" (197). People seem to lose their sense of compassion for life. We often treat animals as inferior emotionless creatures, and in war, we kill other humans for things that really require no killing. By reading Vonnegut's look into the past, hopefully we can learn from our mistakes. I could never find a good reason for killing 135,000 people, most of them civilians. To try for world peace is a nearly impossible task. However, we may be able to look into history and find better ways to deal with our disagreements than killing. Work Cited Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughter House-Five. New York: Dell Publishing, 1991.

The Distributive Justice Of The Market :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites (1) Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive total system of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of liberty for all. (2) Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both: (a) to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged, consistent with the just savings principle, and (b) attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity. " (John Rawls, "A Theory of Justice", 1971, p.302) Resources are scarce. This is the basic, dismal truth of the dismal science. The second truth is that people consume resources. A basic existential anxiety makes them want more resources than they can consume (the "just in case" principle). This raises the question of fairness, a.k.a. "distributive justice". How should resources be allocated in a manner which will conform to one or more just principles ? This apparently simple question raises a host of more complex ones : what constitutes a resource ? what is meant by allocation ? Who should allocate these resources or should this better be left to some Adam Smithean "invisible hand" ? Such an invisible hand (working through the price mechanism) - should its mode of operation be guided by differences in power, in intelligence, in knowledge, in heritage ? In other words : what should be the entitlement principle, how can it be determined who is entitled to what ? Everything constitutes a resource : income, opportunities, knowledge, brute power, wealth. Everything, therefore, is subject to distribution to individuals (natural persons), groups of people, certain classes. There are many bases for distribution, but the issue is HOW JUST these bases are and how can we ensure that we are distributing resources using a just distribution base. We all face opportunities to acquire resources. In a just society, everyone is granted the same access to these opportunities. Access does not translate into ability to make use of it. Idiosyncrasies and differences between accessees will determine the latter, i.e. the outcome of such access. The ability to use is the bridge between the access and the accumulated resources. Given access and the capacity to utilize it - resources (material goods, knowledge, etc.) will accrue to the user. There is a hidden assumption in all this : that all men are born equal and deserve equal respect and, therefore equal treatment.

Comparison of Islamic Banking and Conventional Banking Essay

The foundation of Islamic bank is based on the Islamic faith and must stay within the limits of Islamic Law or the Shariah in all of its actions and deeds. The original meaning of the Arabic word Shariah is ‘the way to the source of life’ and is now used to refer to legal system in keeping with the code of behaviour called for by the Holly Qur’an (Koran). Amongst the governing principles of an Islamic bank are : * The absence of interest-based (riba) transactions; * The avoidance of economic activities involving oppression (zulm) * The avoidance of economic activities involving speculation (gharar); * The introduction of an Islamic tax, zakat; * The discouragement of the production of goods and services which contradict the Islamic value (haram) On the other hand, conventional banking is essentially based on the debtor-creditor relationship between the depositors and the bank on one hand, and between the borrowers and the bank on the other. Interest is considered to be the price of credit, reflecting the opportunity cost of money. Islamic law considers a loan to be given or taken, free of charge, to meet any contingency. Thus in Islamic Banking, the creditor should not take advantage of the borrower. When money is lent out on the basis of interest, more often that it leads to some kind of injustice. The first Islamic principle underlying for such kind of transactions is â€Å"deal not unjustly, and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly† [2:279] which explain why commercial banking in an Islamic framework is not based on the debtor-creditor relationship. The other principle pertaining to financial transactions in Islam is that there should not be any reward without taking a risk. This principle is applicable to both labor and capital. As no payment is allowed for labor, unless it is applied to work, there is no reward for capital unless it is exposed to business risk. Thus, financial intermediation in an Islamic framework has been developed on the basis of the above-mentioned principles. Consequently financial relationships in Islam have been participatory in nature.

Great Divergence primary themes and main arguments by Timothy Noah Essay

Great Divergence: primary themes and main arguments by Timothy Noah Introduction            The most striking change in American society in the past generation roughly since Ronald Reagan was elected President has been the increase in the inequality of income and wealth. Timothy Noah’s â€Å"The Great Divergence: America’s Growing Inequality Crisis and What We Can Do About It†, a good general guide to the subject, tells us that in 1979 members of the much discussed â€Å"one per cent† got nine per cent of all personal income. Now they get a quarter of it. The gains have increased the farther up you go. The top tenth of one per cent get about ten per cent of income, and the top hundredth of one per cent about five per cent. While the Great Recession was felt most severely by those at the bottom, the recovery has hardly benefitted them. In 2010, ninety-three per cent of the year’s gains went to the top one per cent.            Since rich people are poorer in votes than they are in dollars, you’d think that, in an election year, the ninety-nine per cent would look to politics to get back some of what they’ve lost, and that inequality would be a big issue. So far, it hasn’t been. Occupy Wall Street and its companion movements briefly spurred President Obama to become more populist in his rhetoric, but there’s no sign that Occupy is going to turn into the kind of political force that the Tea Party movement has been. There was a period during the Republican primary campaign when Romney rivals like Newt Gingrich tried to take votes from the front-runner by bashing Wall Street and private equity, but that didn’t last long, either. Politics does feel sour and contentious in ways that seem to flow from the country’s economic distress. Yet much of the ambient discontent is directed toward government the government that kept the recession from turning into a depression. Why isn’t politics about what you’d expect it to be about?            Traditionally, class figured less in politics in America than in most other Western countries, supposedly because the United States, though more economically unequal, and rougher in tone, was more socially equal, more diverse, more democratic, and better at giving ordinary people the opportunity to rise. That’s what Alexis de Tocqueville found in the eighteen-thirties, and the argument has had staying power. It has also been wearing thin. During the five decades from 1930 to 1980, economic inequality decreased significantly, without imperiling â€Å"American exceptionalism.† So it’s especially hard to put a good face on the way inequality has soared in the decades since. Even if you think that all a good society requires is according to the debatable conservative mantra equal opportunity for every citizen, you ought to be a little shaken right now. Opportunity is increasingly tied to education, and educational performance is tied to income and wealth, when it comes to social mobility between generations, the United States ranks near the bottom of developed nations.            Noah writes from what might be called a neo-progressive standpoint. Like the original progressives, he seeks to blend an emotional and moral commitment to the causes of the left with the intellectual rigor of the best available economic and social science research. As in the case of the original progressives, the result is a powerful, if sometimes flawed, perspective that is likely to influence the course of American debates on issues of economic policy and justice. Noah’s central contention is that government policy can and should do more to reverse the trend toward greater income inequality that has developed in the United States since 1979. Some of his policy prescriptions, such as substituting carbon taxes and value-added taxes for the deeply regressive payroll tax, could win bipartisan support; others would have to await much larger Democratic majorities than currently exist in Congress. Still, although the analysis in this relatively short and very acc essible book is necessarily incomplete, and some of its contentions are more powerfully stated than convincingly argued, The Great Divergence is an excellent guide to the emerging center-left economic policy consensus likely to inform Democratic Party thinking and policymaking for some time to come.            In â€Å"The Great Divergence,† the journalist Timothy Noah gives us as fair and comprehensive a summary as we are likely to get of what economists have learned about our growing inequality. Noah is concerned about why inequality has widened so markedly over the last three to four decades, what it means for American society and what the country can and, he argues, urgently should do about it. As he makes clear, what has mostly grown is the gap between those at the top and those in the middle. The principal influences on inequality that Noah examines include the failure of America’s schools to keep pace with the step-up in skills that advancing technology demands from our labor force; America’s skewed immigration policy, which inadvertently brings in more unskilled than skilled immigrants and thereby subjects already lower-income workers to greater competition for jobs; rising competition with China, India and other low-wage countries, as changi ng technology enables Americans to buy ever more goods and even services produced overseas; the failure of the federally mandated minimum wage to keep up with inflation; the decline of labor unions, especially among employees of private-sector firms; and what he sees as an anti-worker and anti-poor attitude among American politicians in general and Republicans in particular. Along the way, he enlivens what might otherwise be a dry recounting of research findings with fast-paced historical vignettes featuring colorful characters like the novelist Horatio Alger, the labor leader Walter Reuther and the business lobbyist Bryce Harlow.            What’s to blame, then, for America’s widening inequality? Leaving aside the politicians, Noah reviews economic research supporting the familiar hypotheses. Indeed, each of them is probably part of the explanation. But the goal of research in a policy-oriented inquiry like this one is quantitative establishing just how much of the explanation to assign to separate influences one by one, even if all of them contribute to the story. We want not merely to portion out the blame but to know what to do, and different explanations call for different remedies. It would make little sense, for example, to invest huge sums in reforming K-12 education and reducing the cost of college if the mismatch between graduates’ skills and what the economy requires accounts for only a small part of the problem. By contrast, if my Harvard colleagues Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz are right that education is the core of the issue (Noah draws extensively on their recen t research, especially their aptly titled book â€Å"The Race Between Education and Technology†), then what and how we teach young Americans should be at the top of the agenda.            It is not Noah’s fault that economic research has yet to reach consensus on how much of the blame for inequality to place on which explanation, and it is to his credit that he does not try to portray a consensus that is not there. His summary of what we know from the relevant research is faithful to what the researchers have found. Part of the problem here, which â€Å"The Great Divergence† also accurately conveys, is the tension inherent in concentrating on the American facet of a worldwide phenomenon. As Noah makes clear, inequality is increasing almost everywhere in the industrialized and postindustrial world, even if the increase has been much greater in the United States. We need to know how much weight to give to America-centric explanations like the shortcomings of our schools or our immigration system or the demise of unions. But to understand a global trend, we would like a more universal explanation.            Noah’s own explanation is, in effect, â€Å"all of the above,† and his policy recommendation is therefore to take action on all fronts. His chief concern is the fear that ever widening inequality will undermine our democracy: â€Å"Americans believe fervently in the value of social equality, and social equality is at risk when incomes become too dramatically unequal growing income inequality makes it especially difficult to maintain any spirit of e pluribus unum.† He rightly emphasizes that while the potential for individuals to move up is essential to what makes inequality acceptable, at least to most Americans, economic mobility in the United States is now more limited than it appears to have been in earlier times and contrary to the popular image more limited than in many other countries. (It also matters that in America today incomes are becoming more unequal at the same time that most families’ incomes have been stagnant for more th an a decade after allowing for inflation a point that Noah notes but does not emphasize.)            How much inequality can the Republic stand before the social and political fabric frays? Noah does not answer the question, in part because he doesn’t know, but mostly because he feels he doesn’t need to. â€Å"You’d have to be blind,† he writes, â€Å"not to see that we are headed in the wrong direction, and we’ve been heading that way for too long. The worst thing we could do to the Great Divergence is get used to it.† What economics terms â€Å"the Great Divergence† has until now been treated as little more than a talking point, a club to be wielded in ideological battles. But it may be the most important change in this country during our lifetimes-a sharp, fundamental shift in the character of American society, and not at all for the better.            The income gap has been blamed on everything from computers to immigration, but its causes and consequences call for a patient, non-partisan exploration. In The Great Divergence, Timothy Noah delivers this urgently needed inquiry, ignoring political rhetoric and drawing on the best work of contemporary researchers to peer beyond conventional wisdom. Noah explains not only how the Great Divergence has come about, but why it threatens American democracy-and most important, how we can begin to reverse it.            Fortunately, however, we might comfort ourselves by knowing that the United States remains a land rich in opportunity much as it was in the past, unique among nations in its lack of a rigid class structure and its social mobility. But we’d be deceiving ourselves. In The Great Divergence, Timothy Noah of The New Republic posits that, since 1979, there has been a â€Å"particularly extreme† divergence in income inequality in the United States. Noah synthesizes the work of economists, political scientists, and sociologists to argue that income inequality has increased, and that this is not good for American society. In the book’s final chapter, he advocates specific actions and policies that he believes would help reverse this trend. His suggestions are largely politically progressive proposals, including increasing taxes on the super-rich, bolstering the federal workforce, and breaking up the too-large-to-fail banks. While there are likely some c onservative-libertarian policy wonks that would be amenable to his proposal to break up the large banks, few would likely support Noah’s proposal to revive organized labor.            The author takes the title of the work comes from a phrase used by Paul Krugman, an outspoken advocate for Keynesian stimulus, in his 2007 book, The Conscience of a Liberal. Noah defines the Great Divergence as a socio-economic phenomenon as one not primarily involving the poor. Rather, it â€Å"is about the difference between how people lived during the half century preceding 1979 and how they lived during the three decades after 1979.† The story he tells, however, is not just about income inequality; it is about diminishing access to the top. According to Noah, over the past several decades, opportunities for upward social mobility have not increased.            Unlike some pundits who rehash talking points, Noah commendably cites ample scholarship to support his claim. In The Great Divergence, the reader learns that the United States now offers its citizens less intergenerational economic mobility than northern and western European nations. (I would venture, however, that the United States still allows for greater social mobility for children of first-generation immigrants than do Scandinavian and other western European countries.) Noah also highlights an intriguing sociological finding which indicates that Americans tend to overestimate the degree to which American society fosters upward socio-economic mobility.            Notable within the pages of The Great Divergence then is the fact that Noah challenges Paul Ryan for an October 2011 speech in which the Wisconsin Congressman contrasted what he perceived to be American social mobility with a rigid European welfare state class structure. Ryan, according to Noah, â€Å"had it exactly backward.† In truth, European countries now offer more social mobility than the United States. While Noah penned his study of income inequality prior to Mitt Romney’s choosing Ryan as his running mate, The Great Divergence takes on a more salient political implication in this new found context.            So what caused the Great Divergence? According to Noah, the Great Divergence did not result from prejudice against African-Americans or women. The failure of the American educational system to meet the demand for higher skilled workers is part of the story, as is trade with low-wage nations such as China and the increase of business lobbying in Washington. The decline of organized labor also played a role. Noah also refers to the rise of extremely wealthy (â€Å"stinking rich,† in his parlance) as a â€Å"separate and distinct phenomenon† that can be thought of as â€Å"the Great Divergence, Part 2.† The last several decades have been witness to the emergence of what are, in essence, new social classes within the top 1%, namely the top 0.1% and the top 0.01%. Wall Street, according to Noah, played a substantial role in the emergence of these extremely wealthy individuals. Top income shares are rising faster in the United States than in other de veloped countries.            Overall, Noah may succeed in persuading the reader in that income inequality not only is on the rise and that it is problematic for society. He is less convincing in his policy proposals to remedy the situation. To be fair, he does rightly acknowledge that many of his proposals, many of which are further to the left than President Obama, are not â€Å"politically salable today.† Noah could have bolstered his work, and perhaps the reception to it, had he offered a list of concrete and specific policies that would both reverse income inequality and be palatable to a large slice of the American electorate. The work also suffers from the fact that it is largely a summary of other scholars’ work, much of it very technical; making it less accessible to a general audience that it deserves to be.            In conclusion, one can think of The Great Divergence as a plea to the American public to recognize that income inequality is a problem. It is also to acknowledge that social mobility is no longer operating the way in which it used to. I would contend that the frustration that many Americans feel with Washington in many ways reflects the fact that the system is not producing the same results as it did for people’s parents and grandparents. Income inequality currently is a topic of concern among the country’s economists, political activists, and pundits. Whether it will be a broadly discussed national concern remains to be seen. It would be heartening to see at least one moderator in the upcoming presidential debates ask each of the candidates where they stood on the topic of income inequality. References Noah, Timothy. The great divergence: America’s growing inequality crisis and what we can do about it. New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2012. Print. Bottom of Form Source document

Martin-Pullin Bicycle Corporation Essay

Martin-Pullin Bicycle Corp. (MPBC), located in Dallas, is a wholesale distributor of bicycles and bicycle parts. Formed in 1981 by cousins Ray Martin and Jim Pullin, the firm’s primary retail outlets are located within a 400-mile radius of the distribution center. These retail outlets receive the order from Martin-Pullin within two days after notifying the distribution center, provided that the stock is available. However, if an order is not fulfilled by the company, no backorder is placed; the retailers arrange to get their shipment from other distributors, and MPBC loses that amount of business. The company distributes a wide variety of bicycles. The most popular model, and the major source of revenue to the company, is the AirWing. MPBC receives all the models from a single manufacturer overseas, and shipment takes as long as four weeks from the time an order is placed. With the cost of communication, paperwork, and customs clearance included, MPBC estimates that each time an order is placed, it incurs a cost of $65. The purchase price paid by MPBC, per bicycle, is roughly 60% of the suggested retail price for all the styles available, and the inventory carrying cost is I % per month (12% per year) of the purchase price paid by MPBC. The retail price (paid by the customers) for the AirWing is $170 per bicycle. MPBC is interested in making an inventory plan for 2011. The firm wants to maintain a 95% service level with its customers to minimize the losses on the lost orders. The data collected for the past two years are summarized in the following table (Table 1). A forecast for AirWing model sales in the upcoming year 2011 has been developed and will be used to make an inventory plan for MPBC. Figure 1. QM output for given data. To keep the total costs as low as possible, the optimal order quantity should be maintained. This means an average inventory of 34.14. The Annual Setup cost and Annual Holding cost would both be $417,89. As a result, the total annual inventory cost is $835.78 (2 x 417.89). Discuss ROPs and total costs To determine the Reorder Point (ROP), the demand and the demand standard  deviation must be known. The demand is determined by dividing the total of the 2011 forecast by the number of months and the standard deviation is determined using Microsoft Excel. Figure 2. QM output for ROP As a result of the sum of the Demand standard deviation and the safety stock, the ROP is 76.89 which the inventory position at which an order should be placed. The total costs can be found in Figure 1. Annual inventory holding cost plus annual setup cost plus purchase cost gives the total cost of $45613.79. How can you address demand that is not at the level of the planning horizon According to the sample date, the determined demand shows there is not a so called level demand over the planning horizon. Therefore, the EOQ for an entire year should not be used due to seasonal sales. A planning horizon to use might be a quarterly planned horizon because this would be more evenly distributed and help make a plan for each segment. Reference Render, B., Stair, R. M., & Hanna, M. E. (2012). Quantitative analysis for management (11th edition). Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Helpful Predators in Agriculture Essay

The effective way of managing insect pests is usually through the execution of multiple methods, these differing tactics are assimilated into a single method to keep the pests at an acceptable level. Execution of multiple methods minimizes the possibility of the pests in adapting to any of the single method. An apt definition of integrated pest management, according to Cornell University’s Biological Control, would be, â€Å"An ecologically based pest control strategy that relies heavily on natural mortality factors and seeks out control tactics that disrupt these factors as little as possible† (Weeden, Shelton, and Hoffmann). These agricultural pests, according to Altieri and Nicholls, such as insects, nematodes, and weeds, are responsible for more than 30% damaged crop production worldwide annually. These losses had been consistent since the 1940’s, when farmers started using chemicals in order to control pests (10). These agrichemicals that have been used have its setbacks; they have proved to be costly to farmers, they are harmful to the environment and, despite its popularity, it had not proven to be 100% effective. As mentioned in Organic Gardening magazine, insect-pests continued to be a problem mainly due to the pests’ resistance and their unusual ability to adapt to a single method control strategy (1992). Many farmers are now looking for a solution that is less dependent on agrichemicals and focused more on copying nature’s way of predatory system, among plants and insects. This method, known as ecological pest management, delegates the entire farm as a complete complex system. This new method aims to keep the insect population at a manageable level with the use of many supporting or interdependent strategies, compared to the old method of aiming for the total eradication of every pest using one method for each pest. The method of ecological pest management uses forces that have been present in the natural world, longer even than the invention of agriculture itself. As plants develop their innate defense mechanism against pests, they were helped by factors within the ecosystem, such as: â€Å"1. Insects that prey on crop insects and mites by eating or sucking their juices. 2. Helpful parasites that appropriate pests for food. 3. Organisms that cause diseases to insects, at times being fatal, and keep them from feeding or reproducing; these organisms also prey on weeds. 4. Helpful fungi and bacteria that stays on roots, thereby retarding advances of disease organisms† (Altieri and Nicholls, 11). Biological control is much like a living insecticide. It is the employment of natural enemies with the purpose of managing pests. It usually involves manipulating an insect into attacking a pest insect. According to a report published by Sustainable Agricultural Network, the natural enemy may be a predator, a parasite, or a disease that will attack pests (78). Helpful predators belong primarily in the families of beetle, dragonfly, wasp, and bugs. Using chemical insecticides have been known to have eliminated these predators in farms. It has been studied that pests like Tetranychid mites, for example, have been plentiful in apple plantations where pesticides have wiped out entire predators’ population (Altieri and Nicholls, 80). Almost all predators prey on a vast variety of insect species and on different life stages, thereby making them very useful in managing insect pests. Some of the most efficient predators are spiders, lady beetles, ground beetles, lacewings, minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs, and syrphid flies (Altieri and Nicholls, 86). Conclusion Agriculture had been changing its ways, it has been steadily returning to nature for the answers it has long sought for. Insecticides and pesticides are gradually being stored in the shelves, resulting in a healthier soil, crops, and a healthier method of farming. Perhaps it is within the grand design, that when human ingenuity falters, we return to commune with nature. Works Cited Altieri, Miguel and Clara Nicholls. Manage Insects on Your Farm, A Guide to Ecological Strategies. Beltsville, MD, Sustainable Agricultural Network, 2005. Meet the Beneficial Insects, Organic Gardening. 09 February 1992. Retrieved 09 April 2009. Weeden, Catherine, Anthony Shelton and Michael Hoffmann. The Integrated Pest Management Strategy, Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America. Cornell University. Retrieved 09 April 2009.