Free Trade, Reasons for and Against Essay Example

Free Trade, Reasons for and Against Essay Example Free Trade, Reasons for and Against Essay Free Trade, Reasons for and Against Essay To Henry Clay â€Å"free trade† was pure fantasy. Clay thought â€Å"free trade† was an oxymoron. In 1832, he cried: â€Å"Free trade, free trade It never existed It never will. † Drawing on the theories of international trade to support your arguments, critically evaluate the case for and against free trade. â€Å"Free trade is the pattern of imports and exports that occurs in the absence of trade barriers. † (Wild et al. 2010) Free Trade zones have emerged on the scene as a planning tool to help boost economic development. They have their advantages but their policy pitfalls too. Free Trade as with most political and economic topics is very subjective and discussions can become heated. This is because opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of free trade depend largely on a person’s experience, personal beliefs and their knowledge about the issue. Some negative feelings come from misunderstandings of the subject of international trade. International trade is opening doors to new entrepreneurial opportunity across the world. It is also providing countries with a greater choice of goods and services while being an important engine for creating jobs in many countries. Trade theories are constantly being reviewed to try and improve the economy; however there will never be a method that will satisfy everyone and help those opposed to free trade see the benefits. Some of the key reasons why groups are opposed to globalistaion and international trade are because they blame it for eroding standards of living and ruining ways of life. However on the other hand supporters of international trade say it improves standards of living and makes possible new ways of life. Trade between many different groups of people has occurred for many thousands of years. : But it wasn’t until the 15th Century that people began to explain why trade occurs and how it can benefit both parties. Efforts to refine existing trade theories and to develop new ones still continue. Below is a timeline of when the main international trade theories were proposed. Trade Theory Timeline (Wild et al. 2010) The trade theory of mercantilism was developed in Europe in the 16th century. One of the main principles of mercantilism was that it was in a countries best interest to maintain a trade surplus by encouraging exports and discouraging imports. This was in order to accumulate financial wealth in the form of gold. A disadvantage of the mercantilist trade theory was that a nation’s well-being such as living standards or human developments was irrelevant to them and financial wealth was all that mattered. Government intervention and colonialism were another two key elements in implementing mercantilism. Governments actively intervened in trade to help maintain trade surplus, the governments of mercantilist nations did this by either banning certain imports or imposing various restrictions such as tariffs or quotas. Mercantilist nations also acquired territories around the world to serve as a source of inexpensive raw materials which they would ship back to their home nation and sell them as finished goods to the colonies. The trading between mercantilist countries and their colonies was a huge source of profit, which allowed them to build armies and navies to control their colonial empires and protect them against attack from other nations. Europe followed this economic way of life from the 1500’s to the late 1700s. The main mercantilist nations were Britain, France, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Despite mercantilism being an advantage for any nation in relation to profit, implementing it was naturally flawed. Mercantilist nations believed that the world wealth was limited and therefore they could increase their wealth at the expense of its neighbors, called a zero-sum game. This causes arguments against international trade, if all nations blocked their markets from imports and force their exports onto other nations, international trade would become severely restricted and possibly cease to exist. In addition, charging nations little for their exports and charging them high prices for imports damages their economic development and therefore is unfair to developing countries especially. These negative aspects of mercantilism were made evident by the Absolute Advantage trade theory developed in the late 1700s. Adam Smith was the first to put forward the trade theory of absolute advantage in 1776. â€Å"An absolute advantage is the ability of a nation to produce goods more efficiently than any other nation. Therefore a nation with an absolute advantage can produce a greater output of a good/service than other nations using the same amount or fewer resources. † (Wild et al. 2010). Adam Smiths great contribution to human progress was that he recognized that the fewer impediments to trade there were, the richer everyone would become. He blasted them all royal charters, tariffs, cartels, monopolies. His opposition to restraints on trade made Smith free trades progenitor. (www. elegant-technology. com. 993) He believed international trade should not be banned or restricted and that it should be allowed to flow as dictated by market forces. The benefit of using absolute advantage trade theory allows countries to produce goods according to their ability and produce items in which they have absolute advantage and in return trade with other countries to obtain the goods it needs. Therefore each nation can increase its wealth according to market forces and as a result have a positive-sum ga me. Unlike the mercantilist trade theory absolute advantage measures a nation’s wealth by the living standards of its people and not by how much silver or gold it has accumulated. However, there is one potential problem with the absolute advantage theory, what happens if a country does not hold an absolute advantage with any product, will there be any benefits of trade or will it be able to continue? David Richardo an English economist expanded on Adam Smith’s free-trade idea by developing the theory of comparative advantage in 1817. He said that a country has comparative advantage when it is unable to produce a good more efficiently than other nations, but produces that good more efficiently than it can produce any other goods. For example, â€Å"The rapid increase in Australia-China bilateral trade stems not only from the fact that the two countries have both been experiencing rapid economic growth recently and reaping the benefit of trade liberalisation undertaken by both countries as part of the Asia-Pacific regional economic cooperation, but also from complementarity in the production and trading structure of the two economies. As an agriculture- and resource- based country, Australia exports its comparative advantage in agricultural and mineral goods, such as wheat, milk and animal product, textile fibres, iron ores and energy products to China, which provides China with low-priced raw materials for her industrial production. As a rapidly industrialising country, China absorbs raw materials from Australia and exports its comparative advantage in labour-intensive manufacturing goods, such as textiles and clothing, electronic products, and some general machinery to Australia, which in turn provides Australia with cheaper goods for consumption. Thus, Australia-China bilateral trade has been driven mainly by the two countries underlying comparative advantages, which forms a special pattern of international specialisation between the two countries. Such specialisation plays a key role in each countrys overall trade with the rest of the world. † (www. goliath. ecnext. com, 2008). The above example shows that when nations have comparative advantage and are allowed to trade freely then it benefits all nations in the long run by increasing their wealth and efficiency. Some economist say that by removing all the remaining barriers to trade would be a great advantage for countries as it would boost global income and greatly benefit developing nations. The theories of absolute and comparative advantage have some limitations in real-world application for example we assume countries are only driven by production and consumption, which is not always the case, we presume only two countries engage in production and consumption and obviously this cannot be the situation as there are more than 180 countries in the world and numerous products being produced, traded and consumed worldwide. Transport costs and other resources of production other than labour are not taken into account. Economic researchers continue to develop and test new hypothesis to explain international trade theories. In the early 1900’s Eli Heckscher and Bertil Ohlin took the theory of competitive advantage and redeveloped it. Their theory known as the Factor proportions theory focused its attention on the proportion of resources in a nation. They said that a country specializes in producing and exporting goods using factors of production that are most plentiful and those which are cheapest, not the goods in which it is most productive in. The next theory in the evolution of trade is the International product life cycle theory. Raymond Vernon put forward the theory for manufactured goods in the mid 1960’s. It suggests that a company will begin by exporting its product and later undertake foreign direct investment as the product moves through its life cycle. The theory also states that a country’s exports eventually will become its imports. This theory was developed for the US but it can be generalised and be applied to any developed and creative market. His international Product Life Cycle described an internationalisation process wherein a local manufacturer in an advanced country, which Vernon viewed to be the United States, begins selling a new, technologically advanced product to high income consumers in its home market. Production capabilities build locally to stay in close contact with its customers and to minimize risk and uncertainty. As demand from consumers in other markets rises, production increasingly shifts abroad enabling the firm to maximise economies of scale and to bypass trade barriers. The international product life cycle follows three stages, the new product stage where it may need protection, then into the maturing product and finally standardized product. â€Å"As the product matures and becomes more of a commodity, the number of competitors increases. In the end, the innovator from the advanced nation becomes challenged in its own home market making the advanced nation a net importer of the product. This product is produced either by competitors in lesser developed countries or, if the innovator has developed into a multinational manufacturer, by its foreign based production facilities. ( www. provenmodels. com, 2005) Following on from the International Product Life Cycle theory, another theory emerged during the 1970’s and 1980’s to explain trade patterns. This was called the New Trade Theory. According to (Wild et al, 2010) this theory states three things; that there are gains to be made from specialisation and increasing economies of scale, th e companies with first mover advantage in the market can create barriers to entry and finally government may play a role in assisting its home companies because the theory emphasizes productivity rather than a countries resources. This theory is in line with the theory of comparative advantage and but is at odds with factor proportions theory. However there are implications of the new trade theory, as productive efficiency may not be the result of factor endowments or specific national qualities, instead it may be the result of the first mover advantage. New theory factor doesn’t contradict competitive advantage, rather it identifies an element of it; the ability to move first and it has an extension of this in that it states that governments should consider strategic trade policies. In return these policies could nurture and protect firms where first mover advantage and economies of scale are likely to be important, as some may end up as global winners. The final theory to be developed was put forth by Michael Porter in 1990 and this theory was to explain why certain countries are leaders in the production of certain products. Porters National Competitive Advantage theory states that a nations competitiveness in an industry depends on the ability to be innovative and upgrade. Porter’s theory developed upon existing theories whilst also making new discoveries in regards to trade. Below is the Porter Diamond diagram which he used to demonstrate four elements that vary in nations and that form the basis of national competitiveness. (Porter and Martin, 2001) Firms are likely to succeed when all the factors of the diamond are present. There are two things that can influence the diamond and they are chance, major innovations and technology and secondly the governments can have a huge influence in regards to the introduction of new regulations, investments’ and developing an infrastructure. Nokia is an example of Porters Diamond working effectively, all elements for Nokia were in place for it to be successful in Finland and then it was able to go global. It is understandable why people are against globalisation especially when local firms are closing down and moving to areas where labour and materials are cheaper and people in the local economy struggle to find employment and pay mortgages and other daily bills. A local example of this was the closure of Seagate’s Limavady plant in 2007 which was a massive blow to the town, the Ulster economy and the ambitious plans to grow Northern Irelands knowledge ndustry. It had a workforce of around 2,100 in the province and it spent almost ? 60m a year in the Ulster economy, it transferred its plant to Malaysia in South East Asia. (www. belfasttelegraph. co. uk , 2008) Those against the globalisation of trade say that it eliminates jobs in developed nations especially manufacturing jobs, they criticise good-paying manufact uring jobs abroad to developing countries where wages are a fraction of the cost for international firms. However they admit importing products from china and other countries and lower consumer prices for goods such as televisions and sporting goods is a little consolation for workers who lose their jobs. Companies constantly are pursuing low-cost goods, and they force suppliers to move to china and other low-wage nations. Lower wages and the exploitation of workers in developing nations are another two major concerns for those against globalization. They say it causes decreased employee morale, loyalty and job security and it causes fear in home nations of any additional lowering of trade barrier. The arguments for and against globalisation also cover the arguments that can be presented against free trade. However there are numerous other influences to reinforce the pros and con’s of free trade. There are many key arguments against free trade; the first is the ‘infant industry argument’ it entailed that if developing countries have industries that are relatively new, the infant industry argument suggests that an industry may be developed under the umbrella of the government’s temporary protection as it may struggle against international competition. It’s thought by some economists that the best way to tackle the matter is by limiting importation of similar goods into the country, and this is usually addressed by a government that imposes  tariffs or limits, that make imported goods less attractive or available to consumers in the less industrialized countries. However if they invested in the industry then in the future the infant industry may be able to gain competitive advantage. This shows that competitive advantage can change over time and therefore protection would allow them to progress and gain experience to enable them to compete in the future with international industries. The second arguments I have found against free trade is the ‘Senile industry argument’, this argument says that if industries are declining and inefficient they may require large investment to make them efficient again. Protection for these firms would encourage them to invest and reinvent themselves. However protectionism could also be an excuse for protecting inefficient firms. Countries than have to rely on agricultural products have several disadvantages as the price of their primary products in which they have competitive advantage can fluctuate due to environmental factors and goods have a low income elasticity of demand, therefore with economic growth demand will only increase a little. It is argued that free trade can harm the environment because less developed countries may use up natural reserves of raw materials to export. Also countries with strict pollution controls may find consumer import the good from other countries where legislation is lenient and pollution allowed. However, supporters of free trade would argue that it is up to the individual countries to create environmental legislation. According to the (BBC, 2003) free trade is an advantage to the environments as it enables production to occur in places where it is most environmentally appropriate. For example, most aluminum is produced in places where there is plentiful hydroelectric power, which is less resource intensive than gas or coal. Therefore the gains from trade are environmental as well as economic. Free trade is blamed for many problems in the world, rightly or wrongly, it’s a matter of opinion. Nevertheless a lot of the arguments against free trade encourage the argument for those who seek to carry on controlled trade. As well as being seen as good for the environment free trade is a benefit for poorer producers also. Most trade barriers, whether they are tariffs, quotas or subsidies hurt producers in poor countries most. A tariff has two effects; it reduces the amount of the products sold and also the amount that is received by the people making the product. By reducing trade barriers it will increase consumption. The comparative advantage by countries specializing in the production of goods is an advantage of free trade as nations continue to have a lower opportunity cost and therefore increase in economic welfare for all countries. Having comparative advantage also means that countries can benefit from economies of scale and lower average costs; the ultimate benefit of economies of scale is for the consumers as prices will be lower. Free trade provides an engine for economic growth and promotes a healthy economic climate, it allows firms to become more competitive internationally nd this also benefits the consumer as it prevents domestic monopolies from charging too much. The final argument of free trade depending on people’s personal opinion can be seen as an argument both for and against. The use of surplus raw materials in countries in areas such as the Middle east are very rich in oil reserves and without trade there would be no benefit for them having so much oil. As well as this Japan has very few raw materials and without trade it would be very poor. Despite the advantages and disadvantage of open and free trade among nations, governments have long intervened in the trade of goods and services. The do this for reasons that are political, economic or cultural, sometimes it can be a combination of all three. In tough economic times businesses and their workers often lobby their government for protection from imports that are eliminating jobs in the domestic market. Trade can be restricted by introducing quotas, tariffs and currency controls. In the past there had been many attempts to develop a global trading system. There was the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which was a treaty initially designed to promote free trade by reducing both tariff and non-tariff barriers to international trade. The ground rules of the GATT resulted in many ‘rounds’ of negotiations among its members. In the early years they were short and straight forward but later grew to be long and complex. The Uruguay round of negotiations developed the existence of the World Trade Organisations and this would be the international organisation that would regulate trade between nations. The three main goals of the WTO were to help free flow of trade, help in negotiations for further opening markets and to settle disputes between its members. The WTO is still the international organisation that regulates trade and they still continue to help in negotiations. Conclusion Is free trade only a theory? In the economic history of the world there has never been completely free trade, barriers to trade between countries has always existed in an attempt to provide advantages for domestic providers. But the world has moved towards more open markets which I think is good if barriers can be reduced. Taking into consideration the advantages that free trade provides for all nations in increasing their economic welfare and standards of living. It is an engine for economic growth and promotes a healthy economic climate, it allows firms to become more competitive internationally and this benefits the consumer as it prevents domestic monopolies from charging too much. â€Å"The debate over open markets has changed markedly in tone and substance. Support for liberalisation has eroded in some segments of civil society in recent years because of concerns about jobs, wages, the environment and national sovereignty. Waning support points to a deficit in communications and in policy. The communications deficit can be remedied if the proponents of open markets explain clearly what trade and investment can and cannot do and what liberalisation is and is not responsible for. But it is not sufficient to point to incontrovertible evidence that liberalisation creates wealth or to the social and economic costs of failure to adjust to changing conditions. It is also necessary to confront the worries of citizens who are adversely affected by change. The challenge for policy-makers is thus to design policies to help citizens and communities take advantage of the ongoing, unprecedented, technology driven structural transformation of national economies, a transformation in which trade and investment play a part, but only a part. † ( www. oecd. org, 1999 ) Reference List. Wild, J. J. AND Wild, K. L. AND Han, J. C. Y. , (2010) Page 198 International Business: The Challenges of Globalization. 5th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. Wild, J. J. AND Wild, K. L. AND Han, J. C. Y. , (2010) Page 179 International Business: The Challenges of Globalization. th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. Wild, J. J. AND Wild, K. L. AND Han, J. C. Y. , (2010) Page 180 International Business: The Challenges of Globalization. 5th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. Larson, J. , (1993) The History of Free Trade [online]. Minnesota. Available from: elegant-technology. com/TVAfretr. html [Accessed 2nd November 2010]. (2008) Comparative advantage and Australia-China bilateral trade [online]. The Gale Group. Available from: http://goliath. ecnext. com/coms2/gi_0199-7627281/Comparative-advantage-and-Australia-China. tml [Accessed on 27th October 2010]. (2005) International Product Life Cycle [online]. Available from: provenmodels. com/583 [Accessed 5t h November]. Wild, J. J. AND Wild, K. L. AND Han, J. C. Y. , (2010) Page 188 International Business: The Challenges of Globalization. 5th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. Martin, R. L, AND Porter, M. (2001) Canadian Competitiveness: 9 years in Canada [online]. Available from: rotman. utoronto. ca/research/competitive. htm [Accessed 6th November 2010]. McDaid, B. , (2008) ‘Seagate closes factory gates’. Belfast Telegraph, 25th September. Available from: belfasttelegraph. co. uk/business/business-news/seagate-closes-factory-gates-13984890. html [Accessed 5th November 2010] BBC, Business. , (2003) The argument for free trade [online]. Available from: http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/business/533208. stm [Accessed 3rd November 2010]. Public affairs Division, (1999) The Benefits of Trade and liberalisation of Investment [online]. OECD. Available from: oecd. org/dataoecd/18/51/1948792. pdf [Accessed 20th October 2010]. Word Count

Major General Gideon J. Pillow in the Civil War

Major General Gideon J. Pillow in the Civil War Gideon Pillow - Early Life Career: Born June 8, 1806 in Williamson Country, TN, Gideon Johnson Pillow was the son of Gideon and Ann Pillow.   A member of a well off and politically-connected family, Pillow received a classical education in local schools before enrolling at the University of Nashville.   Graduating in 1827, he read law and entered the bar three years later.   Befriending future president James K. Polk, Pillow married Mary E. Martin on May 24, 1831.   Later that year, Tennessee Governor William Carroll appointed him a district attorney general.   Possessing an interest in military affairs, Pillow commenced service in the state militia with the rank of brigadier general in 1833.   Increasingly wealthy, he expanded his land holdings to include plantations in Arkansas and Mississippi.   In 1844, Pillow used his influence to aid Polk in obtaining the 1844 Democratic nomination for president. Gideon Pillow - Mexican-American War: With the beginning of the Mexican-American War in May 1846, Pillow sought a volunteer commission from his friend Polk.   This was granted on July 1, 1846 when he received an appointment as a brigadier general.   Initially leading a brigade in Major General Robert Pattersons division, Pillow saw service under Major General Zachary Taylor in northern Mexico.   Transferred to Major General Winfield Scotts army in early 1847, he took part in the siege of Veracruz that March.   As the army moved inland, Pillow demonstrated personal bravery at the Battle of Cerro Gordo but his leadership proved weak.   Despite this, he received a promotion to major general in April and ascended to division command.   As Scotts army neared Mexico City, Pillows performance improved and he contributed to the victories at Contreras and Churubusco.   That September, his division played a key role in the Battle of Chapultepec and he suffered a severe wound in his left ankle. Following Contreras and Churubusco, Pillow clashed with Scott when the latter directed him to correct official reports that overemphasized the role he played in the victories.   Refusing, he worsened the situation by submitting a letter to New Orleans Delta under the name Leonidas which claimed that the American triumphs were solely the result of Pillows actions.   When Pillows machinations were exposed following the campaign, Scott had him arrested on charges of insubordination and violating regulations.   Pillow then accused Scott of being part of bribery scheme to bring an early end to the war.   As Pillows case moved towards court-martial, Polk became involved and ensured that he was exonerated.   Leaving the service on July 20, 1848, Pillow returned to Tennessee.   Writing of Pillow in his memoirs, Scott stated that he was only person I have ever known who was wholly indifferent in the choice between truth and falsehood, honesty and dishonesty and willing to commit a total sacrifice of moral character to attain his desired end. Gideon Pillow - The Civil War Approaches:            Through the 1850s Pillow worked to enhance his political power.   This saw him unsuccessfully attempt to secure the Democratic nomination for vice president in both 1852 and 1856.   In 1857, Pillow was outmaneuvered by his rivals when he sought to gain a seat in the US Senate.   During this period, he befriended Isham G. Harris who was elected Governor of Tennessee in 1857.   As sectional tensions worsened, Pillow actively supported Senator Stephen A. Douglas in the election of 1860 with the goal of preserving the Union.   Following Abraham Lincolns victory, he initially resisted secession but came to support it as it was the will of the people of Tennessee. Through his connection to Harris, Pillow was appointed the senior major general in the Tennessee militia and made commander of the states provisional army on May 9, 1861.   Taking time to mobilize and train this force, he was transferred to the Confederate Army in July with the lower rank of brigadier general.   Though angered by this slight, Pillow accepted a posting to serve under Major General Leonidas Polk in western Tennessee.   That September, on Polks orders, he advanced north into neutral Kentucky and occupied Columbus on the Mississippi River.   This incursion effectively swung Kentucky into the Union camp for the duration of the conflict. Gideon Pillow - In the Field: In early November, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant began moving against the Confederate garrison at Belmont, MO across the river from Columbus.   Learning of this, Polk dispatched Pillow to Belmont with reinforcements.   In the resulting Battle of Belmont, Grant succeeded in driving back the Confederates and burning their camp, but narrowly escaped when the enemy attempted to cut his line of retreat.   Though largely inconclusive, the Confederates claimed the engagement as a victory and Pillow received the thanks of the Confederate Congress.   As in Mexico, he proved difficult to work with and soon was engaged in a dispute with Polk.   Abruptly leaving the army in late December, Pillow recognized he had made a mistake and was able to have his resignation cancelled by President Jefferson Davis. Gideon Pillow - Fort Donelson: Assigned to a new post at Clarksville, TN with General Albert S. Johnston as his superior, Pillow began forwarding men and supplies to Fort Donelson.   A key post on the Cumberland River, the fort had been targeted by Grant for capture.   Briefly commanding at Fort Donelson, Pillow was superseded by Brigadier General John B. Floyd who had served as Secretary of War under President James Buchanan.   Effectively surrounded by Grants army by February 14, Pillow proposed a plan for the garrison to break out and escape.   Approved by Floyd, Pillow assumed command of the left wing of the army.   Attacking the next day, the Confederates succeeded in opening a line of escape.   Having accomplished this, Pillow shockingly ordered his men back to their trenches to resupply before departing.   This pause allowed Grants men to reclaim the ground lost earlier.       Irate at Pillow for his actions, Floyd saw no alternative but to surrender.   Wanted for graft in the North and seeking to avoid capture and possible trial for treason, he turned command over to Pillow.   Having similar fears, Pillow devolved command to Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner.   That night, he departed Fort Donelson by boat leaving Buckner to surrender the garrison the next day.   Informed of Pillows escape by Buckner, Grant commented if I had got him, Id let him go again. He will do us more good commanding you fellows.        Ã‚   Gideon Pillow - Later Posts: Though directed to assume command of a division in the Army of Central Kentucky, Pillow was suspended by Davis on April 16 for his actions at Fort Donelson.   Placed on the sidelines, he resigned on October 21 but had this rescinded when Davis returned him to duty on December 10.   Given command of brigade in Major General John C. Breckinridges division of General Braxton Braggs Army of Tennessee, Pillow took part in the Battle of Stones River at the end of the month.   On January 2, during an assault on the Union line, an enraged Breckinridge found Pillow hiding behind a tree rather than leading his men forward.   Though Pillow attempted to curry favor with Bragg following the battle, he was reassigned on January 16, 1863 to oversee the armys volunteer and conscription bureau.   Ã‚   A capable administrator, Pillow performed well in this new role and aided in keeping the Army of Tennessees ranks filled.   In June 1864, he briefly resumed field command to mount an attack against Major General William T. Shermans lines of communication at Lafayette, GA.   A stunning failure, Pillow was returned to recruiting duties after this effort.   Made Commissary General of Prisoners for the Confederacy in February 1865, he remained in administrative roles until his capture by Union forces on April 20.    Gideon Pillow - Final Years: Effectively bankrupted by the war, Pillow returned to practicing law.   Opening a firm in Memphis with Harris, he later sought civil service posts from Grant but to no avail.   Continuing to work as a lawyer, Pillow died of yellow fever on October 8, 1878 while in Helena, AR.   Initially buried there, his remains were later returned to Memphis and interred at Elmwood Cemetery.      Selected Sources Civil War Trust: Gideon PillowLatin Library: Gideon PillowTEHC: Gideon Pillow

Writing about writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Writing about writing - Essay Example In this paper, comparisons will be made between two articles that discuss Walter Isaacson’s retelling of the life of Steve Jobs, one of the most influential men in this century. It is curious to note that although both articles are presented in the same form of media, that is, online newspapers, the piece written by Janet Maslin for the New York Times appears more convincing and appropriate because of the words she used, how she presented her topic and the way she wrote her article. Since Walter Isaacson wrote best-selling biographies of Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, it was not a big surprise that Steve Jobs wanted the Isaacson to write his life story. Nevertheless, because Jobs was as popular as his inventions, Isaacson’s book, which came out only a few weeks after the Apple inventor died, had expectations to meet. In October 2011, two articles came out online from Reuter and New York Times discussing Isaacson’s â€Å"Steve Jobs.† Penned by Fred Schruers and Janet Maslin, respectively, the articles gave contrasting opinions on Isaacson’s most recent best-seller. ... Given the hype surrounding the literary work, it is easy to assume the need for the book review. Steve Jobs was not only well-known because of his Apple creations. His personal life and work ethics are also public knowledge. Readers worldwide would be very interested to read about how the man built one of the most trusted names in the world of technology. The question is would their money be worth it. Would the book be a good buy? Janet Maslin addresses this curiosity when she says, â€Å"His story calls for a book that is clear, elegant and concise enough to qualify as an iBio. Mr. Isaacson’s â€Å"Steve Jobs† does its solid best to hit that target. (Maslin)† In effect, she is telling her audience that the book is as satisfying as the other â€Å"i† products from Apple, namely: the iPad, iTunes and iPhone. Since almost everyone around the world has an iPad and/or an iPhone, wanting to have the iBio would appear to be a given reaction. Maslin repeats her a pproval of the book writing, â€Å"So, â€Å"Steve Jobs†... must reach across time in more ways than one. And it does, in a well-ordered, if not streamline, fashion.† Maslin also makes it easy for the viewers to get an idea of how Steve Jobs is presented in the book by allotting each paragraph of her article to specific topics the book covers. One paragraph describes how the Isaacson tells about the beginnings of each Apple product. Another paragraph mentions Jobs’ rival, Bill Gates. Yet another one talks about how Jobs’, through the book, talks to the past, present and future generations. Employing very familiar words such as iPod, iPad, iMac, NeXT, Pixar and iTunes, Maslin was able to introduce the book to the general public, her

International Business - Multinational Enterprises - Cross Boundary Research Paper

International Business - Multinational Enterprises - Cross Boundary Expansions - Research Paper Example (So & Westward, 2009) By 2007, â€Å"Taobao held 82 percent of the market, according to Analysys International† and eBay sold out of the EachNet venture, maintaining only its www.ebay.cn operations, which were not adopted in a widespread manner for domestic Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) ecommerce transaction in China. (So & Westward, 2009) eBay can also be seen to have failed in the advancement of it PayPal strategy in China, which was surpassed by AliPay in usage by Chinese consumers. What is most striking in these examples is that eBay had the competitive advantages of pre-existing market dominance, brand name recognition, partnership with the dominant ecommerce auction website in China, and still failed in not only maintaining these market positions, but instead became a minority business operator in the Chinese domestic marketplace for online auctions. ... eBay’s failure to respect the local dynamics of Chinese culture and its patterns of internet use, its centralized corporate strategy internationally, as well as its failure to understand the threat of TaoBao to its business model in China all led to the eBay’s cross-boundary expansion strategy internationally being unsuccessful in accomplishing its aims of foreign market establishment, increased company profit, and the creation of long-term shareholder value. eBay – Company History eBay is widely regarded as one of the leading success stories of the Web 1.0 era, or the â€Å"dot-com boom† period in the late 1990’s that saw many internet companies go public with very high amounts of stock market speculation. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and Meg Whitman joined the company in 1998 with prior experience at Hasbro and Harvard Business School. (Gomes-Casseres, 2001) eBay outmaneuvered other web companies such as Yahoo!, Microsoft, and Amazon .com to earn significant revenue from ecommerce sales based on the auction and C2C model. eBay requires listing charges for people to advertise their goods for sale on the site, charges an additional percentage of the sale as a commission, and also receives a service charge from credit card transactions via its PayPal services. The company is the leader in the U.S. online auction market, and went public in 1998. As news sources reported, the company’s stock soared at the time of the IPO, â€Å"shares of eBay went up 163.2 percent† on the first day of trading to close at $47.375 with a market capitalization of $1.9 billion USD. (Kawamoto and Grice, 1998) Today, eBay trades on the NADAQ exchange under the symbol EBAY with a stock

The rest of the play Essay Example for Free

The rest of the play Essay The opening scene of A View from the Bridge contains a lot of clues and preparations for what is to come in the rest of the play. By just reading the title, the reader can tell a lot about what events will occur. The opening stage directions suggest the theme of the play before any characters are introduced, which is very significant. The first few lines of each persons speech hints at the type of character that each person is going to be, and many clues are given away to what is going to happen and why. The set can also give the audience some contextual information- by showing what time period it was in. This hints to what the story may lead to because of the particular things going on at this time in America, and also the idea of the American Dream. The title of the play is very significant. As the first thing you read, you can use it to predict/ sum up what will happen in the play. Obviously, you cannot tell from the title exactly what the plot will be, and what type of characters involved, however you do get an idea of the type of play that it is. The title A View from the Bridge can be interpreted as the idea of somebody watching down on a series of events. As the play is set in America, it is likely that the Bridge is Brooklyn Bridge, so you could see this as Alfieri watching Eddies household from Brooklyn Bridge. This is associated with the theme of Greek Tragedy, in that it gives the idea of someone watching down on what is happening. This shows a definite sense of inevitability and fate- showing that someone can see what is going to happen, but it cannot be avoided because it was meant to happen, suggesting that the characters are isolated and fate will run its course, and those watching from the bridge cannot intercept. Therefore just by looking at the title of the play, you know that it is going to be tragic- usually associated with a death. Another interpretation of the title is that Alfieri is the bridge, in that he is the bridge character between the audience and Eddie and his family, because his character enforces the Greek Tragedy theme, and the general theme of inevitability. His character represents the reality, as he shows the audience what the play is about and prepares them for what is to come. This interpretation also gives a sense of isolation of Eddie, as Alfieri connects to the audience-, which could also show that not only Alfieri, but the whole audience is seeing the View from the Bridge. The opening stage directions are important because this is the first time that the audience will see the set, and will begin to make assumptions or predictions about what is going to happen. They are very long and specific- again showing that everything is in its place, and fate will run its course. The first indication of death in these stage directions is in the second sentence: The front is skeletal entirely- this is very early in the play, straightaway suggesting that the tragedy will be happening soon.

Reflection Paper on Heard Around the Common -- Education Teacher Essay

Reflection Paper on â€Å"Heard Around the Common† I had a variety of goals for taking â€Å"Designing and Producing Media for Education.† First, I wanted to learn theories of multimedia design, specifically for educational purposes, and then have the opportunity to immediately apply those learnings to a hands-on production process. Second, I wanted the chance to interact with other educational media designers, such as Harvard’s TIE students. While there are many designers and media theorists at MIT, I don’t have as many opportunities to interact with those interested in education. I feel that in addition to â€Å"learning by doing,† it is also beneficial to learn by closely observing others’ production processes and creative development, and receiving feedback from engaged peers. Third, I wanted to sharpen and expand upon my production skills. I have a stronger background in video production and editing and less experience with web technologies like Flash and Dreamweaver. Finally, I was excited to test out one approach for how we can use multimedia to better educate people to become critical thinkers, evaluators, and decision-makers. I am very interested in how we can use media and emerging technologies, such as handhelds or PDAs (personal digital assistants), to enhance and encourage the learning of critical thinking of history. I wanted to experiment with how we can best design a multimedia program for a handheld that encourages the critical thinking of history, specifically, that a) multiple perspectives on history are valid and should be considered and b) each person interprets history from their present position and sociocultural context. I am intrigued by the inclusion of multiple perspectives and diverse interpretations ... ...o develop either instructions or materials that can support reflective activities once the PDA tour is over. This means encouraging the participants to discuss the various perspectives they experienced. I had hoped to build the interactive games and to create the status bar where the participant collects items. Most immediately, I would like to propose my idea and present my prototype to the Lexington Historical Society. Finally, I want to continue to work on my Flash skills and using Flash to make the journey more interactive, creative, engaging, fun, informative, and valuable. I want to accentuate and augment the experience of students with the town of Lexington and its rich history. I see my coursework in â€Å"Designing and Producing Media for Education† as the beginning of a journey, and I hope that I can continue to share my project with you in its various stages. Reflection Paper on Heard Around the Common -- Education Teacher Essay Reflection Paper on â€Å"Heard Around the Common† I had a variety of goals for taking â€Å"Designing and Producing Media for Education.† First, I wanted to learn theories of multimedia design, specifically for educational purposes, and then have the opportunity to immediately apply those learnings to a hands-on production process. Second, I wanted the chance to interact with other educational media designers, such as Harvard’s TIE students. While there are many designers and media theorists at MIT, I don’t have as many opportunities to interact with those interested in education. I feel that in addition to â€Å"learning by doing,† it is also beneficial to learn by closely observing others’ production processes and creative development, and receiving feedback from engaged peers. Third, I wanted to sharpen and expand upon my production skills. I have a stronger background in video production and editing and less experience with web technologies like Flash and Dreamweaver. Finally, I was excited to test out one approach for how we can use multimedia to better educate people to become critical thinkers, evaluators, and decision-makers. I am very interested in how we can use media and emerging technologies, such as handhelds or PDAs (personal digital assistants), to enhance and encourage the learning of critical thinking of history. I wanted to experiment with how we can best design a multimedia program for a handheld that encourages the critical thinking of history, specifically, that a) multiple perspectives on history are valid and should be considered and b) each person interprets history from their present position and sociocultural context. I am intrigued by the inclusion of multiple perspectives and diverse interpretations ... ...o develop either instructions or materials that can support reflective activities once the PDA tour is over. This means encouraging the participants to discuss the various perspectives they experienced. I had hoped to build the interactive games and to create the status bar where the participant collects items. Most immediately, I would like to propose my idea and present my prototype to the Lexington Historical Society. Finally, I want to continue to work on my Flash skills and using Flash to make the journey more interactive, creative, engaging, fun, informative, and valuable. I want to accentuate and augment the experience of students with the town of Lexington and its rich history. I see my coursework in â€Å"Designing and Producing Media for Education† as the beginning of a journey, and I hope that I can continue to share my project with you in its various stages.

Ethical Judgements

1. Ethical judgements limit the methods available in the production of knowledge in both the arts and the natural sciences. Discuss.a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? The arts, the natural sciences, ethicsb. What’s the question getting at? The question is asking about the way in which ethical judgements can impinge on the way we both create (rather than interpret) the arts and the natural sciences. Basically, it’s leading students on to an exploration of controversies within the arts and the natural sciences in terms of the subject matter they deal with.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent do ethical considerations constrain the way the arts are created? To what extent do ethical considerations limit natural science experimentation and research? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? We’re interested in examples of where artists and scien tists have been hampered (or encouraged) by ethical judgements. There are many ready-made examples for the natural sciences. For the arts, it is perhaps not so straightforward, but there are still lots of examples of ethically questionable works of art. In terms of counterclaims, it is the arts that are better served by real life situations, with plenty of pieces produced in order to tackle (and produce) ethical judgements.But here, too, you should be able to find scientific knowledge that has been discovered in order to solve ethical problems. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this question? The question is perhaps a little confusingly worded, but it is clear in terms of the areas of knowledge to be tackled. Including personal examples will be trickier in this question than finding outside examples.2. â€Å"When the only tool you have is a hammer, all problems begin to resemble nails† (A braham Maslow). How might this apply to ways of knowing, as tools, in the pursuit of knowledge?a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? The question is a broad one, and allows students to focus on their own choice of WOKs. It also potentially allows students to bring in the AOKs as well – particularly natural/human sciences (the scientific method), history (the historical method), and the arts (creation of art).b. What’s the question getting at? The question asks students to consider the way in which WOKs are used to provide us with knowledge.The quote suggests that if we view WOKs in too narrow and homogenous a way, it could limit the amount and type of knowledge we are able to acquire. The question requires students to consider the nature of each way of knowing, and try to think a little more creatively about each one; in addition, students could also consider how the areas of knowledge can themselves act as ways of knowing – ie, in terms of the scientific or historical method, and in terms of art as a way of knowing rather than an area of knowledge. Given that this is a question for the 2008 curriculum, its focus are the four ways of knowing (emotion, language, reason, sense perception).A quick look at the new curriculum will provide new possibilities for this, and perhaps provide a key to approaching the question (considering the validity of faith, imagination, intuition, memory).c. What are the potential knowledge issues? Are the four ways of knowing the only means of acquiring knowledge? Do we acquire knowledge only through the ways of knowing, or can it be acquired via the areas of knowledge? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide..d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? Given how broad the question potentially is, there is a large range of real life situations that can be drawn on. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the d ifficulties and challenges of this question? The quote is a lovely one, and it could lead on to some interesting knowledge issue discussion. However, the non-specific nature of the question (not only does it not stipulate which WOKs/AOKs, it also does not mention how many should be considered) means that it will be very easy to go astray with this question. Responses have to narrow down specific examples of how the ways of knowing can sometimes impeded our pursuit of knowledge if we do not apply them in an imaginative way.3. â€Å"Knowledge is nothing more than the systematic organisation of facts.† Discuss this statement in relation to two areas of knowledge.a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? This is another broad question, although unlike title no.2, it does state how many WOKs/AOKs should be tackled (two AOKs). Given this, it would make sense to focus on two distinct AOKs, such as ethics and natural sciences, or the arts and history.b. Wha t’s the question getting at? The question asks students to consider the nature of knowledge within their two chosen AOKs. ‘Systematic organization of facts’ suggests quantitative knowledge; students must consider to what extent this is true, and then offer a counter-claim in which they discuss how much qualitative knowledge, and other forms of knowledge the particular AOKs consist of. Students should bear in mind that the title implies a process – ie, ‘organizing facts’, rather than a static type of knowledge – ie, ‘organized facts’; the two possible meanings could lead to different types of essays. A clear definition of ‘facts’ needs to be provided in the introduction, to give responses a firm footing.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent can we build up a thorough understanding of the human/natural sciences by processing purely quantitative knowledge? To what extent does ethical knowledge involve the consideration of factual information? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? Real life situations can be taken easily from personal experiences related to the AOKs chosen, so students can think about the level of the understanding they have built up by dealing with systemized facts. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this question? Given that the essay is clear about its scope, this question is probably easier to approach than question 2. Having said that, it depends on how students tackle this notion of ‘systemized facts’. If they do so in terms of ‘natural science consists of systemized facts’, they may have problems; if they do so in terms of ‘natural science consists of building up systemized facts’, they will be able to tackle the question more easily.4. â€Å"That whic h is accepted as knowledge today is sometimes discarded tomorrow.† Consider knowledge issues raised by this statement in two areas of knowledge.a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? Similar to question 3, this title asks students to consider two AOKs. The question lends itself to AOKs that offer more objective, yet regularly updated, knowledge, such as history, the human sciences, and the natural sciences. Ethics also ties in very well, and could link up very nicely with history.b. What’s the question getting at? The question is referring to the extent to which knowledge is subject to review and revisionism over time. Thus, although we may believe we possess objective facts, from a different perspective gained by progress, such facts become re-interpreted in the light of new evidence, discoveries, technology, or societal trends. In short, the question is asking students the extent to which knowledge is provisional. Note the use of the word ‘sometimes’, though, meaning that you shouldn’t make generalizations about the whole of knowledge.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent does historical knowledge need revision? Are there any theories or laws in the human sciences that have withstood the test of time? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? In terms of the AOKs mentioned above, appropriate real life situations may involve a way of interpreting a past event, a method of studying human behaviour, knowledge about the natural world, or an accepted way of behaving. In terms of personal examples, students can easily apply their own learning of a particular subject (related to one of the AOKs they have selected), and how their understanding of it has been subject to change over time. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this ques tion? This is a more straightforward question to get to grips with, as it focuses on a concept that should be familiar to most students.5. â€Å"The historian’s task is to understand the past; the human scientist, by contrast, is looking to change the future.† To what extent is this true in these areas of knowledge?a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? This question is clearly focused on history and the human sciences. It could require some consideration of the method used by both historians and human scientists, in an attempt to gauge the purpose of each one.b. What’s the question getting at? The question asks students to consider the purpose of both AOKs, and decide to what extent one merely looks back, and one looks forward. Obviously, the title is a rather arbitrary one: there can’t be only one purpose to an AOK, and AOKs overlap hugely anyway (particularly history and the human sciences). So students should use the ques tion for a launching pad into a more wide-ranging discussion of the aim of both AOKs, not, perhaps, sticking quite so rigidly to the assertion implicit in the title.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent is history only focused on past events? To what extent do the  human sciences aim to change the way societies behave? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? The arguments for this essay need to be based on history studies that have been done only in the context of the past, and human science cases that have not drawn on past events. Counterclaims need to contrast those RLSs – which will be much easier to do. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this question? The two AOKs are very similar ones – indeed, outside the world of TOK, history is a human science, so students may find it hard to contr ast the respective methods used, and knowledge that is acquired. Historians often work alongside human scientists, and vice versa, in order to understand past, present, and future societies, so using such an arbitrary and contrived statement will present problems for students. Finally, talking of an overriding ‘purpose’ for AOKs is fraught with difficulties: can we say there is one reason why historians/human scientists do their respective jobs? Having said all that, there’s plenty of scope to attack the question!6. â€Å"A skeptic is one who is willing to question any knowledge claim, asking for clarity in definition, consistency in logic and adequacy of evidence† (adapted from Paul Kurtz, 1994). Evaluate this approach in two areas of knowledge.a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? This is the third title that asks students to consider two non-specific areas of knowledge, and the fifth one that focuses on AOKs rather than WO Ks. For this title, appropriate AOKs are ones that make knowledge claims of which people can ‘question†¦asking for clarity in definition, consistency in logic and adequacy of evidence’. In other words, AOKs that require clear evidence to support the knowledge they deal with. Although this could conceivably work with any AOK, the arts are trickier to use within this title, as is mathematics.b. What’s the question getting at? The question provides a framework (ie the way a skeptic approaches knowledge) that can be applied to the two AOKs. As outlined in ‘e’, what this framework leads us onto is not immediately apparent. Presumably, the essay is supposed to assess how well this approach can be applied to the chosen AOKs, in order to provide us with certain knowledge.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent does the natural sciences/human sciences/history/ethics require logic and evidence in order to acquire knowledge? For more ide as, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? Appropriate RLSs depend on the AOKs chosen, but what is needed here are RLSs that illustrate how the approach can work, and RLSs indicating that such an approach is not always effective. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this question? The difficulties are in working out what the question wants students to do with the skeptics’ approach to knowledge. Does it want students to assess how well this approach works in the two AOKs (ie whether it leads us to certain knowledge)? Does it want students to assess whether such an approach can be used at all? Does it want us to focus on the skeptic, or on the AOK?

Baseline Magazine Website Review

Change is the only constant in our new reality. That’s why any IT professional should continuously update his information and continuously learn to have an idea about new concepts, researches and tools to be able to compete among other professionals. This is what the baseline magazine web site provides for IT professionals in generals and IT leaders and executives in specific.This paper aims at reviewing the baseline magazine website by giving a summary description of its structure and purpose, its overall ‘look and feel’ and adequate audience, useful links and interesting things about the site, and finally it gives a bottom-line evaluation of its value. Summary description of its structure and purpose Baseline magazine website enables IT professional in general and technology executives in specific to have an idea about the recent news and updates in the IT field in all forms whether written articles or videos and podcasts.The magazine -itself- has many sections such as: features, topline, jobsite, baseline 500, techknow, workbook, opinion. While the content of the site is separated into main sections which are: compliance, intelligence, news, IT management, projects, and mid market. Other forms are provided such as podcasts, videos, and slideshows which support and enrich the content. The site provides many added values from other sites within the Ziff Davis network.Within the home page, there are other valuable links such as: most read stories, baseline in depth, blogs/opinions, upcoming eseminars, especially top IT resources, most read white papers and research. Links at the bottom of the site enrich the site with adding more features to the magazine’s content such as careers, esiminars, Developer shed.. etc. of course, the site also provides a lot of sponsored content, obviously, to support the magazine. Its overall ‘look and feel’ and apparent target audience Concerning the magazine pages on the site, the design of the site is elegant and professional but unfortunately still traditional.In another word, the user will feel like it is an online entry for the printed magazine. The main focus of the magazine is on technology leaders and executives and this is what mentioned in the registration welcome message and what is reflected by the level of the content. But it is clear that the website could practically benefit any IT professional in general. What you find useful about this site The main advantage is that baseline magazine belongs to the Ziff Davis Enterprise network so the benefits are not only obtained from the content of the magazine. Stories in general really hit the bottom line of IT management and decision making.And the first thing the user notices is that news and stories are edited or filtered and this is an advantage compared with other sites. The mix of written and multimedia content is interesting and doesn’t make the navigation of the site boring at all. Not to mention th e wealth acquired from the integration of all Ziff Davis network sites. Available blogs’ entries are rich and classified into main sub entries. Other interesting thing is that users can subscribe to the newsletter -which gives updates about all different issues belong to the Ziff Davis network- with one subscription form.Links there that you either did or intend to follow up I liked the ‘projects’ page because it is categorized projects into main thirty-two projects sub categories in main topics in IT (Enterprise planning, SOA, outsourcing†¦) and this way it makes it easy for users to track certain projects concerning certain topics. Once I tried to check the research link for example, the first link was titled â€Å"how Google works† where I found all related articles that answer the question â€Å"how Google works†, so I guess this is an added value for any IT professional. That’s why I intend to follow the whitepapers and researches u p.The career link -in my opinion- deserves to be followed up in the future. Also, online videos, e-seminars and podcasts are real added value that enriches the written content. Above all of those links, I really liked the ‘Developer Shed’ mini site and I do intend to follow this link up in the future; especially, the ‘Tutorialized’ section. Any other things about the site that you find interesting I found that the idea of providing a free service offering such as an online magazine is interesting when it is used effectively to attract advertisers in IT domain to bring a business value.I think the heavy advertising on the site prove that they are succeeding in this. Bottom-line evaluation of its value to you In brief, the site is a valuable resource for IT professionals in general and professional who has something to do with decision making -like leaders and executives- in specific. The power of the site comes from the integration of all sites of Ziff Davis network which enables users to get the information and knowledge he seeks in all form whether written articles, researches and white papers, or multimedia content like videos, podcasts, and esiminars.However, I guess they didn’t get the maximum benefit from their service yet. The site should make an effective integration and evolution to replace the old business model which provides what the company has with the new business model which focuses on the customer. Each entry is separated and this makes confusion to the user because the user expects to see services which focus on his needs not a website that provides only what is available.

The Swimmer By John Cheever English Literature Essay Essays

The Swimmer By John Cheever English Literature Essay Essays The Swimmer By John Cheever English Literature Essay Paper The Swimmer By John Cheever English Literature Essay Paper Cheever provides readers with a elaborate description of the futility of recognizing a end without clear focal point because, when Neddy begins to swim across the pool, there is a storm that compactly indicates that something is incorrect. Despite being in-between aged, Neddy still wants to retain his young person which is evidenced in his attitude. He believes that he is a vivacious person and that following the handiness of several pools in his vicinity, he can swim place. Sooner or subsequently, Cheever describes how Neddy go haunted with swimming in the flush pools until he reaches in a suburb and finds a dry pool ( Cheever 202 ) . Apparently, after waiting for a storm to go through in a porch, Neddy begins experiencing disillusioned and tired with the whole thought of swimming. Obviously, Neddy is determined to travel on but he does non retrieve the exhilaration he had art foremost in Westerhazy. He so becomes disquieted to happen that another pool is dry. By the terminal of th e narrative ; Neddy reaches his place and surprisingly admirations why his house is locked and place deserted. He marvels why his household is non at that place and where they are gone ( Cheever 205 ) . The experiences of John Cheever have been the footing on which his narrative The Swimmer is built. With respect to this, Cheever attended a private academy but could no alumnus due to ejection. He subsequently embarked on a authorship calling where he contributed to a figure of publications that have apparently influenced his attack to composing The Swimmer . Consequently, during this period, he worked as a author with assorted publications and supported himself with other uneven occupations by fundamentally composing outlines for the Metro Goldwyn movie studio, an experience that guides the semblance, world and surrealism that is characterized with his narrative The Swimmer . Later on in life, Cheever served in the ground forces during the World War 1 and it is at this clip that he realized a strong passion for composing. His diversified work experience as a book author basically left him to compose in this absorbing manner of utilizing myths and symbolism in a clear point of position ( Fogelman 465-469 ) . Flatly, Donaldson ( 395-399 ) postulates that The Swimmer was written within a historical context. This was at a clip when center and upper category Americans were sing great prosperity. It is plausible to reason that holding survived the World War 1 every bit good as the Korean War around 1945 and 1950 severally, many Americans particularly of the white descent, enjoyed the richness of the postwar epoch. During this clip, historical literatures underscore that the American suburbs grew quickly ; a factor that Cheever used as the scene for his narrative The Swimmer ( Fogelman 468-470 ) . Consequently, the universe of Neddy as he appears at the beginning of the narrative is characterized to affluence every bit precisely as it was during the station war epoch. The universe of Neddy was in no manner the one in which many American in the suburbs could entree. The civil rights motion was highly active but basic autonomies were still issues of great concern. The Swimmer is based on t he events of the World War 1 and Cheever constructs his secret plan around this historical context. The Swimmer is a representative of Cheever s suburban narratives which explore vividly the luster and sorrow of Americans and other nationalities populating within the jobs of a somewhat American suburban area. He brings about this capturing contrast by including swimming pools and cocktail parties in his narrative to significantly lucubrate the trademark of the relaxing and at leisure universe that his characters inhabit. This component portrays The Swimmer as one of the finest plants of Cheever which he uses to intermix myth and world as evidenced in Neddy s long journey as attempts to swim across the pools of Westchester County. Arguably, Neddy tries to recover his apparent lost vernal life through the physical enterprises ( Donaldson 236-241 ) . The mythic analogue in The Swimmer dignifies and enhances the narrative that may hold otherwise been another societal parable focus oning on the darker side of the American dream. Ultimately, this literary piece contains in a great length the societal pragmatism of the writer as pertains to the American experience. Credibly, one could reason that The Swimmer is a eldritch narrative that transforms a comedy of mode into a fantastical racket every bit good as incubus. Throughout the narrative, the reader is left doubtful of the ambiguity of clip in the plot line because ; an afternoon can apparently go months or old ages and the decision of the narrative presents either the confrontation of Neddy with a glance into the hereafter or still the existent nowadays ( Cheever 206 ) . In The Swimmer , Cheever achieves a religious transcendency by uniting the mundane with the mythic. A comparative expression at The Swimmer with other fables like The Holy Grail or Dante s Inferno, Cheever demonstrates his ability to do the ordinary lives of suburbanites like Neddy to look more religious, fantastical and cosmopolitan ( Fogelman 470-472 ) . These attributes warrants the comparing of The Swimmer with other fables. In so making, Cheever articulates the belief that literature is a coherent and uninterrupted history to be a minute of aspiration, our battle to be celebrated and an chance for a huge pilgrims journey. The darker tone of Cheever s The Swimmer and his more experimental technique has made this short narrative to captivatingly and successfully transform the realistic inside informations, the myths every bit good as the personal experiences of the writer as respects frights of fiscal and emotional ruin into a chef-doeuvre of the 20 first century short nar ratives. To be successful in the modern-day society, it is imperative that one remain focused on their ends but unluckily, clip becomes grim and unforgiving in its forward trudge. In other words, there does non look to be adequate clip for human existences to run into their demands of wining with one individual end. The instance is even true with keeping friendly relationships with households and friends allow entirely all that one cherishes. Therefore, this is the cardinal inquiry that Cheever addresses in the short narrative The Swimmer . Neddy has one mission in life which is to swim. However, the singles in intent comes with a manifold of effects. These are the effects that Cheever adept explores by utilizing Neddy s mission and the annihilating advancement of clip ( Cheever 205 ) . In add-on, The Swimmer is regarded as an fable that is about the aging procedure, the diminution and the overall rhythm of life. Fogelman ( 468-470 ) points out that within the precincts of an fable, The Swimmer appear like a symbolic representation of success and ends through Neddy, events of truth and the generalisation about human being. To compactly suit the categorizations of an fable, The Swimmer has people, topographic points, an events incorporating more than one significance. As such, the narrative focuses on the sociological facet of the futility of the American dream in the wakes of World War 1 and economic reorganization. This allegorical significance is farther construed to make with the inevitableness of clip as evidenced in aging, physical diminution, the lip service of the upper category and the rhythm of life. In visible radiation of the mythic nature of The Swimmer, the extended usage of societal fables every bit good as fabrications, characterizes Cheever s The Swimmer to be a concise fable. The patterned images in The Swimmer are one of the most challenging facets of the literary facet that the writer has used to heighten this short narrative. As a consequence, these patterned conflations of cardinal images such as swimming, the storm and the journey across pools is symbolic to traveling towards a vision through darkness. For case, The Swimmer starts of reasonably with Neddy lounging about the swimming pool at a place of a friend. A thought work stoppages him. He realizes that there are several swimming pools between where he is and his ain place. As he resolves to swim across place, the writer uses this image to expose us to the capricious exercising that subsequently becomes troublesome and calls for tremendous battle to win ( Cheever 206 ) . Furthermore, the rubric of the narrative demonstrates the diverseness of ends and the nostalgic attempts of the swimmer. This image mostly shows the ephemeral accomplishment of Neddy when he manages to swim to his place but the success of life in entirety, as divided by the moral beauty of life is markedly absent in this character because, all his friends, household and other cherish able ownership are all lost. Although there is some confederation between pleasance and societal convention, The Swimmer out justly warns us against excess therefore ordering that the lone sober attack to life is making things in moderatenesss good stipulated by Aristotle. The nature of human experience spells out the cardinal struggle in this narrative. Significantly, the worlds of life are associated with Cheever usage of images of visible radiation and storm. For illustration, when Neddy reaches at Levy s pool, a sudden storm interruptions through with its full furry. Neddy is therefore forced to take screen in Levy s summerhouse as he watches the storm lash the trees. Somehow, when the rain subsides, Neddy notices that the storm had striped of a tree of its yellow and ruddy foliages dispersing them over the grass and H2O ( Cheever 204 ) . Decidedly, Cheever uses the image of storm to convey about the component of interruptions in life. Ideally, we need interruptions from our day-to-day activities. These interruptions are in signifier of vacations or fundamentally holding certain leisure as we relax from our modus operandi. The image of the storm is therefore a system of cheques and balances to avoid human existences from exhaustion or inordinate weariness. To recap, the comprehensiveness of life dictates that we live a balanced life and avoid over indulgence on one individual facet of our mission. From the waiving treatment, it is apparent that Cheever has used The Swimmer excessively critically and aesthetically remarks on the richness, lip service and the relationship between wealth and felicity. Through the usage of symbolism and myth, the compulsion that Cheever high spots is the acquisitive and selfish nature of humanity. Neddy concentrates about swimming and forgets approximately everything as respects life-his household, friends and other ownerships. This acquisitive nature is selfish which is today manifested in the individualistic compulsion for power, wealth and even celebrity. Harmonizing to Cheever, if attention is non taken, this compulsion may take to destruction as evidenced in Neddy s loss of household, friends and hoarded wealth. The quality of this narrative as a short narrative is that it is set in the blend of pra gmatism and surrealism therefore, it is surreal and pathos facets compounded with is thematic geographic expedition of the life rhythm and the suburban America.

Word Choice Than vs. Then - Proofeds Writing Tips

Word Choice Than vs. Then - Proofeds Writing Tips Word Choice: Then vs. Than The difference between than and then is so slight that its easy to mix them up by accident. However, with a clear understanding of what each term means, you should be able to avoid mistakes! Herein, we set out the difference. Then (Time and Consequences) The word then is used to refer to time, typically to indicate a particular point in time or within a sequence: First I went shopping, then I went to the cinema. It can also be used to show that something should follow on from something else: We must first deal with the budget deficit, then we can think about building infrastructure. In this case, as well as following on from something else in time (i.e., building infrastructure can only happen at a time after the budget is addressed), using then in the second part of the sentence also shows how an idea can follow another in terms of logical sequence. Other examples of then being used in this way include: If it rains, then the streets will be wet. If you eat too much cake, then you will get fat. Than (Comparisons) The word than is always used to make contrasts and comparisons. For instance, we might say: My father is tougher than yours. Or we could say: It is windier in Oklahoma than California. Another common use of this term is in the phrase rather than, which is most often used to express a preference between alternatives (e.g., Im going to walk rather than take the bus). Than or Then? As you can see, these words have very distinct meanings, despite their similarities. As such you should take special care not to confuse them in your work. Remember: Then = Indicating a point in time Than = Making a comparison However, since its often difficult to proofread your own work, for complete peace of mind you might want to try the professionals.

Do you believe photography of public places is an inherently Essay

Do you believe photography of public places is an inherently suspicious act that police should investigate when observed - Essay Example These raised concerns regarding photography in public places. However, these should not be enough to make the capture of photographs in public places an inherently suspicious act. This is supported by several legitimate arguments. First and foremost, there is the basic photographer’s right. Dannemann (2009) emphasized this when he pointed out that in most free society, the right to take pictures within the public sphere is inviolate and is guaranteed by fundamental laws (p.99). If a photographer cannot take photo in a public space, how could he create the desired composition and exposure of people, things and places if he is barred from doing so on account of being viewed as suspicious? The space is not owned by anyone and shooting pictures is part of a citizen’s freedom to do as he desires, without interference and certainly without prejudice from other people and the authorities. It is also helpful to determine why photography arouses suspicion. According to Mark Meyer (2013) this can be largely attributed to the impact of the what he called as movie plot threats: that we like to anticipate and predict attacks and threats and since we do not have anything to base such predictions from, we are driven by materials read in thriller books or seen in the movies where the bad guy does his photo surveillance. So viewing photography as suspicious is a manifestation of a society that is getting paranoid. People should just as well bury their heads in the sand or live under a rock if they are afraid of being seen in public. And it is not good to live in such environment where people instinctively view others and their actions in a negative way. Besides what could photographers possibly do with an image of an individual in public? Not all people are perverts, criminals or terrorists and the public recognizes this. Each of us must have used a camera in public at some po int in our lives so we understand the logic behind photography in public spaces. If there

Career research paper on nursing Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Career on nursing - Research Paper Example 6). In addition, there are different types of nursing as well. Nursing is ‘infinitely varied’. Although all nurses receive the same amount of education, the work they handle may vary because their placement in hospitals is different. For example, a nurse on duty in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has to know the use of sophisticated machinery. A nurse in charge of patients who are well on their way to recovery has to be skilled in the way he/she talks; the nurse has to be polite, friendly, and exuberant. Therefore, it emphasizes the fact that nursing is a very ‘people’s’ profession (Sacks, pp.5). Nursing is a profession that was started by Florence Nightingale in the mid-nineteenth century and it has undergone radical changes (Sacks, pp.6). There has been a debate over the fact whether nursing is a ‘full profession’ or a semi professional one. Researchers (Timby, pp. 23-25) state that nursing cannot be regarded fully as a profession, becaus e people in it do not possess full characteristics that are required to achieve a full profession status. However, students of the nursing field remain adamant of the fact that most of the required definition of a profession is met by nursing, therefore, qualifying it as a full profession (Hiscott, pp.4). However, nursing as a career provides many opportunities, especially part time. Women who have to manage families can actually become part of this profession.