Is Taiwan Urbanization Rate Growing Urban Rural Areas

Definition of Urbanization The term urbanization can be looked at from diverse perspectives. First, urbanization can be explained to be the convergence of populations. Secondly, urbanization can be described as the process in which the movement of people into a given city translates into an urban way of living. Thirdly, it is the diffusion of the urban living to agricultural oriented regions.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Is Taiwan Urbanization Rate Growing? Urban Rural Areas specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Fourthly, urbanization is the progression in which the magnitude of people residing in urban places multiplies (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Due to its quantitative nature, the last definition is the mostly applicable. Urbanization can therefore be generally defined as the process in which the magnitude of people residing in urban places increases with the growth in economy (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Urbanizat ion in light of Taiwan In Taiwan, cities with at least 50000 people are considered as urban centers. Administratively, Taiwan is partitioned into central municipalities, provincial cities and prefectures that are two five and sixteen in number respectively (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Each prefecture encompasses at least one central city, a number of towns and several rural districts. Whereas both central municipalities and provincial cities are bigger in size, prefectures are of standard sizes, each with their central cities acting as their respective administrative centers. On the other hand, prefectural rural towns comprise of rural regions and mid-urban townships. Furthermore, Taiwan has been partitioned into four main parts: the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Central parts for planning purposes (Yeung and Lo, 1996). The ratio of the urban population to the total population determines the degree of Taiwanian urbanization. Statistically, the level of urbanization in Taiwan has escalate d over time, that is, from 24.1% in 1950 to over 74.1% in the twenty first century (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Statistics also indicate that the gap between annual population growth rate and the urbanization growth rates has narrowed over time, since 1950 to most recently. This shows that the movement of people from the agricultural regions to urban cities had started to ease. Primarily, industrialization was the main cause of the high urban growth rate (Yeung and Lo, 1996).Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Apart from industrialization, a high birth rate emanating from mass flow of youth to the urban areas is also another determinant of high growth experienced in urban centers. Administratively, cities in Taiwan are in four groups: â€Å"Central municipalities, provincial cities, prefectural cities and towns plus rural areas† (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Statistics show that between 1961 and 1989, the yearly average growth rate of the central municipalities was more than the annual growth of Taiwan itself. Prefectural cities had the fastest growth, towns and rural areas had the lowest rate of growth compared to the natural population growth rate. This shows that there has been much out migration. Most of the intermediary prefectural cities are located close to the metropolis, and in this way, they contribute towards metropolitan development (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Statistics also indicate that the rate at which small and medium sized cities are expanding is higher than that of the bigger ones. After 1980, majority of the Island’s (Taiwan’s) major cities have been located mainly in the central, southern and northern regions. This can be attributed to the accompanying spontaneous rate of development in these regions. The Eastern part has lagged behind in development mainly due to its mountainous nature that renders both transportation and communication cumbersome. Since 1960, the spatial distribution of cities has been inclined towards the north and south. Although there is a metropolitan area in each region, the Eastern part is devoid of any. Taiwan’s urban system â€Å"An urban system is defined in terms of size, function, and service area (or area of influence), and by differences in the social, economic, and cultural activities of cities within a specific region. Spatially speaking, a hierarchical relationship is formed. Cities higher in the hierarchy are larger and have a higher functional level. They also have a more expanded sphere of influence and complex social, economic, and cultural characteristics. Cities within the hierarchy perform functions according to a division of labour. These close ties create an orderly relationship within the system† (Yeung and Lo, 1996).Taiwan can be classified into five hierarchical levels. The first level is agricultural villages that are found after about ever y 2-5 kilometers and have an estimated population of 4000 people. General towns are in the second level with a minimum and maximum population of 10000 and 50000 respectively. They are found between like every 10 kilometers. Local centers are found in the third level. They are independent towns, with majority being located in metropolitan regions. Their population can range between 100000-500000 people.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Is Taiwan Urbanization Rate Growing? Urban Rural Areas specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They are interspersed between 15-40 intervals within a sphere of influence of between 2000000-800000 persons. The third level is occupied by the regional centers, which are mostly located in metropolitan areas, although some like Taitung and Hualien, are independent towns with a population of up to and exceeding two million people. They are located about 80 kilometers apart. Level five comprises of the political, cultural and economic center of Taiwan – Taipei. It has an area of influence covering about 5 million people. The whole Taipei metropolitan region is Taipei’s sphere of influence. The time required to travel between the northern and southern regions has been greatly reduced over the last four decades. This has been enhanced by not only the installation of the railway electrification, but also by completion of the Sun Yatsen Freeway (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Population and employment in Taiwan The population of Taiwan exponentially skyrocketed between 1950 and 1990. This one of the world’s biggest growth in population was determined mainly by high birth rate since there was no international in-migration by then. However, with time, the birth rate has been reducing to an increase in the level of education and introduction of population policy that requires fewer children per family. Population in Taiwan has been classified into three: the y outh, working class, and the elderly (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Over time, the working class has been the leading in number, Due to the presence of a metropolis (Taipei), the northern region has attracted majority of the population. Being the first city on the island to be globalized, Taipei has employed many people than any other city. The population in the Central, Eastern, and Southern parts has on the other hand been declining over time (Yeung and Lo, 1996). The secondary industry has been the main leading in providing employment to Taiwan people. The primary industry, though responsible for provision of employment through agriculture, forestry, and fishery, has declined. Tertiary employment has been rising gradually (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Expanding urbanization in the urban areas to minimize water pollution Taiwan like other Low Economically Developed Countries, experiences three main challenges. These are high population growth rate, reduced income levels, ineffective planning, and administrative mechanisms to handle the high population (Boult, 1999). The northern region is loaded with many industries that contribute to both water and air pollution.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is raw sewage from the households, increased application of fertilizers and pesticides, and contamination of clean water sources resulting to water pollution (Shambaugh, 1998. p.190). Besides industrial fumes, the use of automobiles such as buses, cars, and motorbikes has contributed to air pollution in Taiwan for decades (Shambaugh, 1998. p.192). There are also cases of soil pollution due to use of heavy metals and pesticides (Shambaugh, 1998. p.191). Taiwan is therefore faced with the hurdles of containing the impacts of economic growth and ensuring there is a sustainable dependency of its citizens on the Island’s economic resources (Elliot, 1999). To minimize pollution, Taiwan ought to initiate some legal requirements and fines. For example, companies found to be disposing wastes illegally should be fined, enlightening citizens on environmental aspects, directing all new vehicles to be fitted with catalytic chambers, among other restrictions (Boult, 1999). Strategies that can be implemented to help minimize rural-urban migration include creating job opportunities in the rural, introducing better educational and social services, and developing good transport network to encourage people to commute and live out of the city (Boult, 1999). Expanding urbanization to solve congestion and overpopulation As stated earlier, urbanization entails two key aspects. These are proportion of people residing in urban areas and growth in economy. In Taiwan, even though there is overpopulation within its urban centers, the growth in economy has not yet reached the level of sustaining the already increased population. Taiwan’s concentration of cities within the northern region has led to an increase in the rural urban migration. Just like other developing countries like China, Mexico, and Brazil among others, Taiwan is still a hub of overpopulation and poverty. This is due to the fact that, many people migrate from the rural districts to the urban areas in s uch for employment and better standards of living. Given that not all of them can be absorbed in employment, there are cases of congestion strain on available resources and anonymity that eventually leads to a reduction in the value system. Vices like crime and other conflicting social values set in. Generally, effects of overpopulation include: unemployment, overcrowding leading to depletion of resources, reduced living standards that curtail economic development, land fragmentation that impedes agriculture, and slum development resulting to air and water pollution, inability of the affected city to offer equitable and quality education and medical care to all and poverty, misuse of free land and deforestation (Boult, 1999). Given that Taiwan’s urban areas are more populated than its rural districts, expanding urbanization in the rural areas demands that the Taiwan government comes up with mechanisms to de-congest the urban centers. This may include investing in the health i ndustry, limiting car use, introducing lead-free fuel and putting up self-contained residences to help elevate people’s quality of life (Boult, 1999). As it has been the case in Los Angeles, railway transport can be spread to the agricultural areas to help development of such regions (Thisdell, 1993). The success of the development of new towns and industries in the southern region will be enhanced by efficient transport network between the rural parts and the metropolitan regions (Chaffey, 1994). There has been a decline in the agricultural (primary) industry and this could be one of the ways to revive it. To encourage employment, the informal sector should be established (Boult, 1999). Like other cities like Los Angeles, Taiwan ought to undertake some measures in the transport sector to minimize traffic congestion. For instance, creating an integrated underground route for passage of trains and other vehicles (Thisdell, 1993) or minimizing dependency on automobiles by devel oping a transport means that is pedestrian/cycle oriented, like has been done by other cities around the world (Newman, 1999). Conclusion Taiwan like other developing nations is experiencing industrialization and urbanization. This has led to a rise in rural – urban migration resulting to overpopulation, congestion, and pollution, which are a threat to sustainable development (Adams, 1999). These effects have in turn hampered economic growth, which is a vital ingredient in true urbanization. To disentangle itself from this problem, Taiwan should expand urbanization by spreading its industries to rural areas and technologically contain the situation in its northern region. This will help decongest the northern region. Investing more in education and health sectors and restructuring the transport system like other cities in the world have tackled it will help Taiwan stand the challenge of urbanization. This is the only way to ensure that there is sustainable development on this island. References Adams, W. N. (1999). Introducing Human Geographies: Sustainability. London: Arnold pub. (Attached material). Boult, B. et al. (1999). People, places and themes. Oxford: Heinemann. (Attached material). Chaffey, J. (1994). Core Geography: The challenge of urbanization. London: Longman publishers. (Attached material). Elliot, J. A. (1999). An introduction to sustainable development. London: Routledge. (Attached material). Newman, P. (1999). Transport: Reducing automobile dependence (p. 67-92). London: Earthscan publications. (Attached material). Shambaugh, D. (1998). Contemporary Taiwan. New York: Oxford University Press. Web. Thisdell, D. (1993). Can L.A kick the car habit? New Scientist. (Attached material). Yeung, Y. and Lo, F. (1996). Emerging world cities in Pacific Asia. Tokyo: United Nations University Press. Web. This research paper on Is Taiwan Urbanization Rate Growing? Urban Rural Areas was written and submitted by user Santiago Jacobson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Winnemucca Essays

Winnemucca Essays Winnemucca Essay Winnemucca Essay The interesting thing about this paper is the amount of information that the writer manages to include in a relatively short paper. I like the use of the native Paiute and the introduction to Sarah Winnemucca as perhaps she would have seen herself. Especially nice is Sarah’s view of her father and the idea that it contradicts accepted history of the time period. This leads me to the question of whether this was simply a daughter’s perception that her father was more important than he was or if it is simply that some historians have not accurately understood the loose confederation of tribes of the Paiute. I also appreciated that this story was told in the first person and with great reverence to her father and grandfather as would have been appropriate for a member of her tribe. She also expresses great sorrow over the loss of the man that taught her English. It is also interesting that Sarah managed to keep her humor about her in spite of the way her people were treated by the American government and that she spent her entire life fighting for better rights for her people. I am impressed that she led such a short life and accomplished so very much.

How to Use Multiple Intelligences to Study for a Test

How to Use Multiple Intelligences to Study for a Test Are you one of those people who have a difficult time sitting down to study for a test? Perhaps you get distracted and lose focus easily, or maybe you are just not the type of person who likes learning new information from a book, a lecture, or a presentation. Maybe the reason you dislike studying the way youve been taught to study- sitting in a chair with an open book, reviewing your notes- is because your predominant intelligence has nothing to do with words. The theory of multiple intelligences may just be your best friend when you go to study for a test if traditional study methods arent quite suiting you.   The Theory of Multiple Intelligences The theory of multiple intelligences was developed by Dr. Howard Gardner in 1983. He was a professor of education at Harvard University, and believed that traditional intelligence, where a persons I.Q. or intelligence quotient, did not account for the many brilliant ways in which people are smart. Albert Einstein once said, â€Å"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.†Ã‚   Instead of a the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to intelligence, Dr. Gardner stated that he believed there were eight different intelligences that covered the scope of the brilliance possible in men, women, and children. He believed that people have different intellectual abilities and are more adept in some areas than others. In general, people are able to process information in different ways, using different methods for different things. Here are the eight multiple intelligences according to his theory: Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence:  Word Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to analyze information and produce work that involves spoken and written language like speeches, books, and emails.  Logical-Mathematical Intelligence:  Number Reasoning Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  develop equations and proofs, make calculations, and solve abstract problems that may or may not be related to numbers.Visual-Spatial Intelligence: Picture Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to understand maps and other types of graphical information like charts, tables, diagrams, and pictures.  Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence: Body Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  use his or her own body to solve problems, find solutions or create products.Musical Intelligence: Music Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  create and make meaning of different types of sound.Interpersonal Intelligence: People Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  recognize and understand other peoples moods, desires, motivations, and intentions. Intrapersonal Intelligence: Self Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  recognize and understand their own moods, desires, motivations, and intentions.Naturalistic  Intelligence: Nature Smart This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to identify and distinguish among different types of plants, animals, and weather formations found in the natural world. lt is important to note that you do not have one specific type of intelligence. Everyone has all eight types of intelligences although some types may show up stronger than others. For example, some people approach numbers warily, while others relish the idea of solving complex mathematical problems. Or, one person may quickly and easily learn lyrics and musical notes, but does not excel visually or spatially. Our aptitudes at each of the multiple intelligences can vary widely, but they are all present in each of us. Its important not to label ourselves, or students, as one type of learner with one predominant intelligence because  everyone  can benefit from learning in various ways.   Using the Theory of Multiple Intelligences to Study   When you prepare to study, whether that be for a midterm, a final exam, a chapter test or a standardized test like the ACT, SAT, GRE or even the MCAT, its important to tap into your  many  different intelligences as you take out your notes, study guide or test prep book. Why? Using a variety of methods to take information from the page to your brain can help you remember the info better and longer. Here are a few ways to use several of your multiple intelligences to do just that Tap Into Your Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence With These Study Tricks Write a letter to another person, explaining the mathematical theory youve just learned.Read your notes aloud while studying for your science chapter test.Ask someone to quiz you after youve read through the study guide for your English literature quiz.Quiz via text: text a question to your study partner and read his or her response.Download a SAT app that quizzes you daily.  Record yourself reading your Spanish notes and then listen to your recording in the car on the way to school.   Tap Into Your Logical-Mathematical Intelligence With These Study Tricks Reorganize your notes from Calculus class using an outline method like the Cornell note-taking system.  Compare and contrast different ideas (North vs.South in the Civil War) with one another.  List information into particular categories as you read through your notes. For instance, if youre studying grammar, all parts of speech go in one category while all punctuation rules go in another.  Predict outcomes that could have happened based on the material youve learned. (What would have happened had Hitler never risen to power?)Figure out what was happening in a different part of the world at the same time as what youre studying. (What was happening in Europe during the rise of Genghis Khan?)Prove or disprove a theory based on information youve learned throughout the chapter or semester. Tap Into Your Visual-Spatial Intelligence With These  Study Tricks Break down information from the text into tables, charts, or graphs.Draw a small picture next to each item in a list you need to remember. This is helpful when you have to remember lists of names, because you can  draw a likeness next to each person.Use highlighters or special symbols related to similar ideas in the text. For instance, anything related to Plains Native Americans gets highlighted yellow, and anything related to Northeast Woodlands Native Americans gets highlighted blue, etc.Rewrite your notes using an app that allows you to add pictures.  Ask your teacher if you can take pictures of the science experiment as you go so you remember what happened.   Tap Into Your Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence With These  Study Tricks Act out a scene from a play or do the extra science experiment in the back of the chapter.Rewrite your  lecture notes with pencil instead of typing them out. The physical act of writing will help you remember more.As you study, do a physical activity. Shoot hoops while someone quizzes you. Or, jump rope.  Use manipulatives to solve math problems whenever possible.  Build or craft models of items you need to remember or visit physical spaces to cement the idea in your head. Youll remember the bones of the body much better if you touch each part of your body as you learn them, for instance.   Tap Into Your Musical Intelligence With These  Study Tricks Set a long list or chart to a favorite tune. For example, if you have to learn the periodic table of elements, try setting the names of the elements to The Wheels on the Bus or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.If you have particularly tough words to remember, try saying their names with different pitches and volumes.  Have a long list of poets to remember? Assign a noise (a clap, a wrinkled paper, a stomp) to each.  Play lyric-free music when you study so the lyrics dont compete for brain space.   Multiple Intelligences Vs. Learning Style The theory that you have many ways of being intelligent is different from Neil Flemings VAK theory of learning styles. Fleming states that there were three (or four, depending on which theory is used) dominant learning styles: Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic. Check out this learning styles quiz to see which one of those learning styles you tend to use most!

Employee Privacy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Employee Privacy - Research Paper Example It is also reasonable from an employer’s perspective to keep track of their employees if there is lack in quality of work. This research paper focuses on the current issues related to off-duty conduct and its effects on the privacy of employees. Employers have the technological means to find out, what workers do in their own time. However, the right to monitor employees’ personal conduct is limited based on the employees’ rights under law and specific rules. Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), an employer is not supposed to conduct any kind of surveillance on employees during any gatherings off-duty1. If employees discuss about their workspace and their job related issues in union activities, it should not be made public by employers. Instead employers should keep away from social activities of employees if it is out of their interest. According to law, if an employer sends a supervisor to overhear on group discussions or private meetings then he is violating the rules set up by the NLRA. Similarly, the guidelines set by NLRA also states that Drug Testing should only be performed if any suspicious activity is recorded during working hours. NLRA states that drug testing has the potential to reveal an employee’s use of drug outside the office so it has been subjected to private litigation. The employers may face challenges on this stand because there are many employees who do-not perform their work properly. There may be several reasons behind it, including consumption of drugs before working hours. The employees may not react or let employers know that they are biased by drugs and employers many have to accept the low quality performance of employees. The Drug Testing in most of the organizations is conducted before joining of an employee or during any suspicious cases. For Example, if an applicant failed to pass the drug test in

Features of Service Operations Management Essay

Features of Service Operations Management - Essay Example Businesses can opt to stay in current markets, move on to new domestic markets or venture out to new foreign markets. Depending upon the markets and strategic tie-ups, the enterprises then have to decide whether to continue with existing products or develop new ones. Organizations prepare strategies for long term survival and consistent growth. Operational management encompasses the contribution of all concerned stakeholders in order to achieve the objectives. Now organizations are supposed to have multiple objectives, monetary as well as non-monetary. They are supposed to have flexibility to meet changing external and internal demands. This paper is an effort to study the role of operational management, how the operational strategies keep changing as the organisation grows and how operational management strategies can addresses the speed to market of new products and services and the responsiveness to the demands of customers. The operations system of an organisation is essentially the part that produces the organisations' products. In some organisations the product happen to be physical goods (like TV refrigerator, soft-drinks etc), while in others it is service (insurance, health care, travel, tourism, hotel etc.). The products and services belong to various categories and fields, but all such diverse organisations have one thing in common within their operations systems, that is, the conversion process (Everett E Adam et al, 1995). There are some inputs into the process and after the conversion process, there are some outputs. The quality of these outputs depends upon the how the organisation manages its operations. Traditionally, a conversion process that includes manufacturing (or production) yields a tangible output, while a conversion process that includes service yields an intangible output. But in today's business there is no such dividing line, because the horizon of 'services' has been widened. At times, both of them are interdependent and appear to be overlapping in nature. Manufacturing organisation requires the services like transportation, communication, promotion etc. to procure the supply of materials, manager the supply and distribution channels, be in touch with the customers and suppliers, plan marketing communication strategies, manage the financial accounts of the company etc. Similarly many services organisations depend upon the manufacturing sector for the business. Services too are undergoing a transformation from the traditional concept of a service transaction to one of an experience (A. Fitzsimmons, Mona J. Fitzsimmons, 2005). For the operations management the general goal is to create some kind of value-added product or service, so that the outputs are worth more to consumers than just the sum of the individual inputs. Services oriented businesses now try to do the value addition by way of providing a valuable experience while dealing with them. For exam ple the retail showrooms like Tesco, Asda, Woolworth, Wal-Mart etc. all take pride in the fact that they provide their customers a big operating space, whole range of products and a wonderful shopping experience. From a humble beginning these stores have grown up owing to sound strategic moves and operational management. It was in the year 1919 that Jack Cohen founded Tesco, when he began to sell surplus groceries from a stall in the East End of London (Tesco, 2006). In those days his

Traveling Through the Dark Essay Example for Free

Traveling Through the Dark Essay Summary: A man finds a gunned down deer at the side of the road while traveling through a jungle. He further becomes depressed to find the deer pregnant. As he has to move forward on his way, so he pushes the deer into the river. Paraphrase: I came across a deer on the side of Wilson River Road while I was passing through the shadowy jungle. Due to the shine of back light, I jumped out of car and found a mound of a deer that was killed recently. Â  She was almost dead as her body was hardened. While pulling her aside, I realized that she was pregnant. While touching her side with my fingers, I came to know the reason for her large abdomen. Her side was warm and her fetus was lying alive in her belly but never to take birth. I was reluctant to move on further on this rocky road. Car intended to move forward as it dimmed it parking lights and solid engine buzzed under the bonnet. I positioned myself by the beams of engine’s warm exhaust fan that was turning hot. I was able to take notice of the backwoods eavesdrop on my group. I tried to concentrate on this for all of my group members but only I was swinging over. Then I pressed on the deer on the brink and rammed it into the river.

Crime and Punishment: Avoiding Punishment is Futile Essay -- Crime and

Avoiding punishment is futile. Whether in the form of proper trials or through guilt, every person will come face to face with the consequences of their actions. Avoiding suffering only causes it to intensify. This is mainly demonstrated through Svidrigailov and Raskolnikov in the end of Crime and Punishment. Both men had been eluding their various torments and they realize the vanity of their avoidance after receiving crushing mental blows. Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov realize that the time has come to recognize suffering and responsibility for previous actions. Raskolnikov’s inability to hide his guilt shines through in his actions. When trying to defend his innocence against Porfiry he utters childish defenses. His suffering has consumed him and â€Å"he ran out of breath, nearly choking† (541) as the conversation traversed into uncomfortable matters. The connotation here of â€Å"choking† reveals how deeply Raskolnikov’s inner pain has bore into him and the effect of it weighing down his lungs. Furthermore, his refusal of this opportunity given by Porfiry to take his punishment clearly demonstrates how Raskolnikov’s every action is now affected directly by his airflow. Logically he should realize his game is up, yet his pride and brain’s suffocation are so high he cannot comprehend sensibly. He sputters out his sentences, pausing, and gasping. On a deeper level his brain function is also affected by the oxygen flow. This is clearly conveyed by his callous behavior and lack of thought to his future endeavors. His desire to avoid discipline is dimming as he realizes his time to receive punishment is approaching. Preceding his nerve-rattling last conversation with Porfiry, Raskolnikov seems to be lost and disoriented. Ter... ...s well. However this journey does not involve physical death. It involves going to the police bureau he once feared and confessing his crime. Although he lacks breath and feels faint he is at last able to recount the details in entirety and his self-inflicted suffering ends to be followed by formal punishment, or â€Å"a clearly defined air†. Coming to terms with past mistakes and accepting their consequences is an agonizing process. Admitting fault for former missteps can seem titanic. Prideful characters such as Svidrigailov or Raskolnikov find this burdensome. However, in the end, choosing to embark on the journey of acceptance becomes necessary if one chooses to commit wickedness, an act that man must succumb to at some point. In Crime and Punishment this journey also allows the character’s suffocating mask to fall allowing them to breathe once more.

Cultural Globalisation Through Japanese Culture

Cultural globalization is the rapid traversing of ideas, foreign influences, technologies, spread of language, markets and values across national borders. It not only increases freedom of choice, but also revitalizes cultures and cultural artifacts through interconnectedness and interaction between peoples of diverse cultures and ways of life. In the article â€Å"Japanese Popular Culture† by Nissim Otmazgin explores the dissemination of Japanese culture products throughout East and Southeast Asia by various modes and analyses the expansion of popular culture through Steger readings. Does globalization make people around the world sameness or differences in global culture? One effect is that it promotes greater cultural homogeneity. Sometimes common demands, common consumer preferences, and large bodies of common information can lead to the blending of cultures and the erosion of cultural differences. It is a myth that globalization involves the imposition of cultural uniformity, rather than an explosion of cultural exchange. But, cross-cultural exchange can spread greater diversity as well as greater similarity. People everywhere have more choice, but they often choose similar things. For instance, Amazonian Indians wearing Nike shoes, denizens of Southern Sahara purchase Yankees baseball caps, Palestinian youths displays Chicago Bulls sweatshirts in Ramallah and eating fast-foods at Mc Donald’s ( Steger, 73) shows thriving of American products in a large scale. These worries cultural pessimists as well as optimistic hyperglobalizers that â€Å"the rise of an increasingly homogenized popular culture under Western culture industry† ( Steger, 72). It seems that local cultures and national identities are dissolving into a crass of American consumerism. That cultural imperialism is said to impose American values as well as products, promote the commercial at the expense of business profits, and substitute superficial pleasure for deeper satisfaction. People’s culture in the sense of their shared ideas, beliefs, knowledge, inherited traditions and art may hardly be eroded by mere commercial artifacts. The profound cultural changes have little to do with Western ideas. Sociologist Roland Robertson points out that â€Å"global cultural flows reinvigorate local cultural niches† (Steger, 77) resulting ‘cultural hybridity’ increases diversity within societies – but at the expense of making them more alike. It is noted from the article that the introduction of Japanese culture in East and Southeast Asia in an unprecedented scale is due to â€Å"Asian fragrance† which resonates with the local consumers (Otmazgin, 2). For example, Japanese television dramas and animations – Hello Kitty, Ampan Man and Poke’ mon are seen everywhere in the Asian city. In this way, Japanese popular culture is gradually adapted and incorporated into local popular culture through translation. Iwao Sumiko concludes that â€Å"Japanese popular culture products represent ‘modern’ ideas that consumers strategically choose† (Otmazgin, 3). This believes that globalization is not â€Å"globalizing† western culture and western cultural icons. Therefore, Asian people no longer consume â€Å"the West†, but rather a Japanese–indigenized or hybridized product (Otmazgin, 3); reinforcing the concept of local as mediated of ‘global culture’ and foreign influences as mediator to ‘global culture’. Does globalization make national identity in global culture extinct? It’s hardly. Individual choice is fragmenting the imposed uniformity of national cultures. New hybrid cultures are emerging, and regional ones re-emerging. National identity is not disappearing, but the bonds of nationality are loosening and â€Å"they continually shape and reshape cultural scenes and lifestyles† (Otmazgin, 8). By and large, people choose the new ways because they are more relevant to their needs and new opportunities. Let’s consider an example of interpenetration of cultures from music, television and language products. In television, MTV in Asia promotes Thai pop stars and play rock music of various artists and bands from different countries that are sung in Mandarin. â€Å"The television and music production favors localizing content and broadcasting in Asian languages, creating new cultural genres and introducing local as well as international pop music to its audiences† (Otmazgin, 10). Countries like Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai watch Japanese, Korean and Chinese dramas, read cosmic books and animation series that are translated or in the original language. If these individual people choose to watch different cultural products that doesn’t mean they lose their collective national identity. These cultural forces can rapidly become domesticated, changing national and socio cultural styles, but not destroying it. Another example around the globe: English language. Language is often at the heart of national culture and a common global language would certainly be a big plus. English is considered as â€Å"internationalization† comp atible with diverse languages. Since not all languages use the same alphabet, one goal is to get a standard based. Because of English, many other languages are becoming extinct is not true. Nowadays, the internet has given all its users the ability to speak and write to people from vastly different cultures and languages. Therefore, globalization promotes true ‘global community’ that supersedes the concept of state or country, and language become ‘glocalized’ as well as more diversified so as to cater to different tastes. Likewise, the growth of a music industry, under exposure to foreign influences, has not led to the extinction of regional music, for instance the lyrics are in Japanese and the music follows Western pop/rock standards. The upshot of all this change is that national cultures are fragmenting into a kaleidoscope of different ones. New hybrid cultures are emerging. Regional cultures are reviving. Individuals are forming new communities, linked by shared interests and passions that cut across national borders emphasis on universal homogenization.

Romeo: Static Character

Throughout the play we see that Romeo’s impulsive decisions land him in onerous situations. His capricious behavior is demonstrated through his rash love when he immediately moves on, without remorse or second thoughts, from Rosaline to Juliet whom he falls in love with instantly after laying eyes on her. Prior to seeing Juliet, Romeo talks about his infatuation with Rosaline, and the torment he suffers when he finds she does not love him back. Upon searching for her at the Capulet’s party, sees Juliet, when he says, â€Å"Did my heart love till now?Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night,† (i. V. 51). His immediate transition between lovers proves that his love for Juliet was impulsive and irrational. When Romeo hears of Juliet’s death, he says to himself, â€Å"Well Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight. Let’s see for means. † (V. i. 34). His first thought is that if Juliet is dead, he must dies too. Without co nsidering any other options or going to Friar Laurence for further details, he acts on a whim and kills himself, when in reality Juliet isn’t actually dead.These actions prove Romeo as a static character because throughout the course of the play, when his love for Juliet ignites, comes to an end, and in other situations, Romeo does not think his decisions through and acts on impulse. Romeo is in love with the idea of being in love. Instead of using his head, Romeo only defines love with his eyes and heart. When it comes to emotions, Romeo is ardent about being in love. Because he unconditionally loves many characters throughout the play, it causes major conflicts.This makes him static because during the play he always lets love, and other emotions, get in the way and never learns from his mistakes. When Tybalt wants a duel Romeo says, â€Å"To such a greeting. Villain am I none,† (III. i. 63) and backs down. After Tybalt starts to insult Romeo, Mercutio gets in between them and is then killed by Tybalt. â€Å"Now, Tybalt, take the ‘villain’ back again that late thou gav’st me; for Mercutio’s soul,† (III. i. 125) Romeo bellows before he stabs Tybalt.Because Romeo loves his friend, he lets his emotions take over and without thinking through his actions, carries them out no matter the consequences. To further prove that this is a static behavior, when Romeo goes to see the Friar and tells him about his love for Juliet the Friar says, â€Å"Women may fall, when there’s no strength in men. † (II. iii. 76) By this the Friar means that *women can be excused for being weak, since mean are not stronger. * This has happened to Romeo many times, and this makes him weak and irresponsible when it comes to love.

Overview of Ancient Greece essays

Overview of Ancient Greece essays For the Greeks, humanity was what mattered, and humans where, in the words of the philosopher Protagoras, the measure of all things. The humanistic world view led the Greeks to create the concept of democracy (rule by the demos, the people) and to make seminal contributions in the fields of art, literature, and science. The Greek exaltation of humanity and honoring of the individual are so completely part of modern Western habits of the mind that most people are scarcely aware that these ideas originated in the minds of the Greeks. Even the gods of the Greeks, in marked contrast to the divinities of the Near East, assumed human forms whose grandeur and nobility were not free from human frailty. Indeed the only difference was that they were immortal. It has been said the Greeks made their gods into humans and their humans into gods. Humans becoming the measure of all things, in turn must represent, if all things in their perfection are beautiful, the unchanging standard of the best. The perfect individual became the Greek ideal. The Greeks, or Hellenes (Hell eenes), as they called themselves, appear to have been a product of the intermingling of Aegean peoples and Indo-European invaders. They never formed a single nation but instead established independent city-states or poleis (singular polis); the Dorians of the North and the Ionians from the West coast of Asia Minor. Political development differed from polis to polis, although a pattern emerged. Rule was first by kings, then by nobles, and then by tyrants who seized power. At last, in Athens, 2500 years ago, the tyrants were overthrown, and democracy was established. In 776 BC, the separate Greek speaking states held their first ceremonial games in common at Olympia. The later Greek states calculated their chronology from these first Olympic Games - the first Olympiad. From then on, despite their differences and rivalries, the Greeks all regard...

10 Types of Wordplay

10 Types of Wordplay 10 Types of Wordplay 10 Types of Wordplay By Mark Nichol Humorous works of fiction are easily enlivened when the author resorts to one or more of the following categories of playing with prose: 1. Acronyms: An acronym is an abbreviation consisting of a string of initial letters pronounced as a word. Fictional examples, such as SPECTRE (for â€Å"Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion†), from the James Bond novels and films, and VILE (for â€Å"Villains’ International League of Evil†), from the Carmen Sandiego computer-game series, can be serious or humorous depending on formation and intent. 2. Anagrams: An anagram is simply a word with its letters scrambled in a new order. Many humorous phrases have been derived by scrambling expressions or people’s names, such as forming â€Å"I am a weakish speller† from â€Å"William Shakespeare.† (Anagram generators can be found on the Internet.) 3. Chronograms: A chronogram is a phrase in which constituent letters also express a number, as in â€Å"My Day Closed Is In Immortality,† an epitaph for England’s Queen Elizabeth I in which the first letter of each word corresponds to a Roman numeral; the numerical sequence, MDCIII, is translated as 1603, the date of her death. A weak variant is a habit of filmmakers (or, more accurately, film marketers) of replacing one or more letters in a movie title with a number vaguely resembling the letter or otherwise related, as in the title of the 1995 crime thriller Seven, represented on posters as Se7en. 4. Initialisms: Initialisms are distinguished from acronyms by the fact that the constituent letters are pronounced individually, rather than sequentially sounded as if they were a single word. Many popular social-networking terms such as LOL (â€Å"laugh out loud†) and ROTFL (â€Å"roll on the floor laughing†) are initialisms; so is TEOTWAWKI (â€Å"the end of the world as we know it†). 5. Lipograms: A lipogram is a composition deliberately consisting of words lacking a letter of the alphabet. Such a work is more or less easily accomplished depending on the letter selected for omission; many writers, astonishingly, have written novels produced without recourse to use of a common letter such as e or t. 6. Malapropisms: This type of wordplay refers to misuse of one word for another by those too ignorant to recognize the error. It’s named after Mrs. Malaprop, a character in an eighteenth-century play who is notorious for such unwitting utterances, as exemplified by the character’s line â€Å"She’s as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of Nile.† Shakespeare also employed such humor, most notably in lines by the character Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing such as â€Å"Our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons.† 7. Mondegreens: Misunderstood song lyrics are often referred to as mondegreens; the term itself is based on a mishearing of the phrase â€Å"laid him on the green.† A more recent example is â€Å"Excuse me while I kiss this guy,† rather than â€Å"Excuse me while I kiss the sky,† from the Jimi Hendrix song â€Å"Purple Haze.† 8. Onomatopoeias: Onomatopoeias (the term is from the Greek words for â€Å"make† and â€Å"name†) are words that imitate sounds, such as splash or bump. A notable example of an onomatopoeic proper name is that of the Houyhnhnms, the sentient, civilized horses from Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. 9. Portmanteaus: Portmanteaus, words creating by combining two words and their meanings into one, were named and popularized by Lewis Carroll. He coined several, such as slithy (from lithe and slimy); more recent examples include brunch and smog. (Carroll named the form of wordplay after a word for a suitcase with two separate compartments.) 10. Spoonerisms: The term for expressions in which initial letters, or sometimes entire syllables or words, are transposed is based on the name of a British clergyman supposedly prone to such utterances, though many attributed to him were only inspired by him. Among them is â€Å"a well-boiled icicle† for â€Å"a well-oiled bicycle†; John Lennon is credited with coining a variation on â€Å"Time heals all wounds†: â€Å"Time wounds all heels.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Incorrect Pronunciations That You Should AvoidConfusing "Passed" with "Past"Confusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns

The World of Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The World of Finance - Essay Example Both Amex and NASDAQ are similar since both the companies are based on the stock market. Both handle major clients and many different exchanges. Both also deal with the buying and selling of stocks. Each is widely known and capitalizes on their investors. There are some differences in the operations of two companies. NASDAQ is more of a corporate's corporation. It handles mostly technological clients and uses technology to electronically handle everything. Amex on the other hand, likes to be more personalize and does not handle everything electronically. Amex uses floor exchanged and is thought to be slower in handling things. NASDAQ is extremely competitive and continues to try to find way to better its company. In September 2002, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued five corporate executives (former WorldCom chief executive Bernard Ebbers, Qwest chairman Philip Anschutz, former Qwest CEO Joseph P. Nacchio, Metromedia Fiber chairman Stephen Garofalo and former McLeod CEO Clark McLeod) for repayment of funds garnered through profiteering in Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and phony stock ratings given by Salomon Smith Barney in return for investment banking business. In January 2003, Spitzer reached a "global" settlement with top Wall Street firms. They pledged to pay $1.4 billion to settle federal and state charges. Bernard Ebbers was head of WorldCom. WorldCom had merged with one of the biggest technological companies MCI in April, 2003. This was one of the biggest technological mergers. This merger had broken up monopolies such as AT&T that had dominated the telephone industry. But after the scandal WorldCom was changed. The company filed for bankruptcy. For a time, WorldCom (WCOM) was the United States' second largest long distance phone company. (Liqi, 2006). PART - II Economic Functions of Financial Intermediaries Financial intermediaries are involved in performing very important economic function of channelizing the excess funds that depositors have, towards satisfying the fund requirements of the borrowers. Financial intermediaries aggregate small amounts of funds into big pools, then invest it in a diverse portfolio of primary securities to achieve more efficient diversification of risk than an individual investor. In this way, financial intermediaries are able to use savings that would otherwise not have been available to produce economic activity. Brokers' Roles in Financial Markets Brokers perform very important function in financial markets. They obtain relevant information that is required by the clients to make informed investment decision. This information ranges from market conditions to government regulations. In addition, brokers carry out clients' portfolio investment planning and provide guidance to the clients about most optimal investment decisions. Brokers have high level of control of a financial market. However, the advent of internet has brought about changes in the way businesses are conducted. The financial markets are no exception. NASDAQ makes use of the internet to provide value added information to the clients. The investment