Critical Evaluation of Current Integrated Marketing Communications Essay - 2

Critical Evaluation of Current Integrated Marketing Communications Practice - Essay Example d sales promotions as well as the people with intention to have a major positive effect on the people decision and perception when they are combined together. IMC is also referred to as â€Å"a strategic marketing process specifically designed to ensure that all messaging and communication strategies are unified across all channels and are centered on the customer† (JIMC, 2011). It is done in a way that allows one medium’s weakness to be offset by the strength of another medium it is used together with. This process according to the journal of integrated marketing process emphasizes that customer prospects should be identified and assessed so that messages are tailored towards such customers in a way that is profitable and can allow for evaluation of its success to minimize waste. This, they propose can be done in five steps beginning with customer identification from behavioral data, evaluation of customer prospects, creating and delivering messages and incentives, estimating returns on customer investment and finally to budgeting, allocation, evaluation and recycling. The process is cyclic. This paper is going to look into how Ford motor vehicle manufacturer has been if true been using IMC to do its marketing while reflecting on the impact of this marketing tool to the overall strategic goals of the company. It is also going to look into the company’s success story from the use of this marketing strategy. Ford’s business strategy is based on its plan which was adopted in 2007 and has guided the company since then (Ford, 2014). It is indeed true that Ford motor company is adopting the use of integrated marketing communication as a strategy of winning more customers and increasing their market presence and revenue in overall. According to the definitions of the integrated marketing and communications discussed above, it is possible for a company to succeed in it by creating their strategy from the basis of their business while centering on the customer

Julio Cortazar Casa Tomada Analysis

Julio Cortazar Casa Tomada Analysis Analyse the treatment of the â€Å"outsider† or â€Å"outsiders† in one of the texts studied on the course. What role does this tension play in the socio-political vision of the author? Julio Cortazar was one of most influential Argentine writers of all time. He was one of the great masters of short stories and was compared to the likes of Jorge Luis Borges. Cortazars literature is closely linked to social and cultural realities of Latin America and in particular Argentina. This essay will begin with the history of Julio Cortazar including his background influences and the style of his texts with focus on the short story ‘La Casa Tomada. Then this shall lead on to the analysis of the treatment of characters that are considered as â€Å"outsiders† in the story focusing on the different interpretations of the main characters and the unknown invaders that take over the house. Furthermore, the role of these â€Å"outsiders† will be discussed relating to the socio-political vision of Cortazar and the influence of politics on his writing, incorporating the socio-political situation in Buenos Aires, Argentina at that time. In 1914, Julio Cortazar was born in Brussels, Belgium of Argentine parents, after World War 1 his family returned to Buenos Aires, Argentina. This was where he grew up and became educated, then later moved to Paris in 1951, after obtaining a French scholarship, where he died in 1984 at the age of 70. Prior to becoming a writer, he worked as a teacher and then as a translator. (Prego Cortazar, 1997) Cortazar is known as one of the Latin American writers of the â€Å"boom† that exploded onto the world literary scene. The literary boom was during the middle of the 20th century when Latin American writers work became published in Europe and the rest of the world. The stories were known to associate with magical realism which is where ‘unreal things are treated as if realistic and mundane, and mundane things as if unreal. The plots of these stories usually combined real and fantastic elements in a way that makes them difficult to separate. (www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Latin-American-Boom) Stories that have been written by Julio Cortazar normally mix fantasy with Latin American reality. The story being focused on, ‘La Casa Tomada by Julio Cortazar, was initially published in the 1946 review ‘Los Anales de Buenos Aires which was directed by Jorge Luis Borges. It then appeared his in his first volume of short stories ‘Bestario in 1951. (www.juliocortazar.com.ar/hislife.htm) In the story, a middle-aged brother and sister live together in an old large family house, situated in the North district of Buenos Aires. They spend their days doing routine tasks with little variation. The sister, Irene, knits and the brother reads and collects stamps. They both clean the house and cook meals together. One day they hear mysterious noises within the house, but they do not worry. Without much explication, they abandon parts of the house because of this invading noise. When eventually the unknown noises take over the whole house, they leave the house with nothing and throw the key away. It is written in the first person with the narrator being the protagonist in the story. This means the protagonist is the centre of attention and this allows the reader to participate in all the events. The reader can see all the thoughts and ideas of the protagonist so they can easily identify with the protagonist. This adds realism to the story in contrast with the ‘unknown characters that bring an element of the surrealism that ‘boom writers are known for. The northern district of Buenos Aires where the protagonist and his sister live is the rich and privileged area and from the start of the story, it sets out to the reader that the siblings are from privileged backgrounds. â€Å"Nos gustaba la casa porque aparte de espaciosa y antigua (hoy que las casas antiguas sucumben a la mas ventajosa liquidacià ³n de sus materiales) [†¦]† (Cortazar, page 1). The house has eight bedrooms so previously their family would have occupied all the rooms and they would have had maids to work for them. The large house was previously owned by their ancestors and they are the last of a long line of family. â€Å"[†¦] guardaba los recuerdos de nuestros bisabuelos, el abuelo paterno, nuestros padres y toda la infancia.† (Cortazar, page 1). It seems they can afford to live without working.Instead they spend their days doing little more than cleaning, reading and knitting with rare communication with the outside world. From this, the theme of â€Å"outsiders† comes into play, which plays a strong role throughout the story. From analyzing the story, the unknown invaders are immediately seen as the â€Å"outsiders† that come in and take over. However, the siblings could also be â€Å"outsiders† giving that they are so cut off from the rest of society. Cortazar portrays the siblings as very unusual and lonely characters that do little to prevent themselves from being outsiders in society. The siblings seem to be obsessed by routine and keeping the house clean. We find out little about the narrator except that he like French literature. He portrays the sister Irene as a very passive female who is happy to just spend her time knitting. They share the cleaning and cooking chores between themselves. The narrator says how they never use the back part of the house except entering to clean. Therefore, there is already a barrier created between them and the â€Å"outsiders† with the large oak door. There is a reference to how much dust collects on the furniture. â€Å"Buenos Aires sera una ciudad limpia, pero eso se lo debe a sus habitantes y no a otra cosa.† The narrator seems to imply that the middle-class citizens keep the city clean. He also says â€Å"Hay demasiada tierra en el aire† which is ironic seeing as the city is called â€Å"Buenos Aires†. (Holmes:2004, pg254) There is an incestuous aspect between the brother and sister as they have reached middle age and the only time they spend is with each other, uninterested in others outside the house. â€Å"Simple y silencioso matrimonio de hermanos[†¦]† (Cortazar) This shows they had no plans to marry anybody else and have children to pass on the house to. This incestuous theme is something Cortazar said may have been related to his own life; â€Å"Yo empecà © a pensar y a descubrir que efectivamentea traves de mis sereà ±os yo tengo una problema incestuoso con una hermana mia† (Cortazar por Cortazar, pg 43) The brother and sister can be seen as outsiders at the end of the story aswell because they are the ones that end up on the outside of the house with nowhere to go. They have numerous possessions at the start of their story and bit by bit, it is taken away from them until they are left outside with nothing. â€Å" ¿Tuviste tiempo de traer alguna cosa? le preguntà © inà ºtilmente. No, nada.† The other â€Å"outsiders† are the invaders that are seen as unknown enemies. They are referred to as plural during the story for example when they take over the first part of the house; â€Å"-Tuve que cerrar la puerta del pasillo. Han tomado parte del fondo.† (Cortazar) so the reader automatically presumes it is more than one unknown character. The unknown outsiders are treated as very unwelcome and they can be seen as threatening. Throughout the story, Cortazar leaves no clues to whom or what these noises are and it seems as if the brother and sister are not necessarily that scared or shocked by them. An example is after the part where the brother says to Irene that they had taken over the back part: â€Å"Dejà ³ caer el tejido y me mirà ³ con sus graves ojos cansados. - ¿Estas seguro? Asenti. -Entonces -dijo recogiendo las agujas- tendremos que vivir en este lado.† She does not show any fear and just carries on knitting. They seem to have knowledge of whom or what has invaded the house and act alone in defending themselves against this invasion. At the end of the story, the outsiders are still left as unidentifiable and mysterious characters to the reader and leaves them guessing. It is up to the reader to come to their own conclusion about whom or what they think these strange noises are. The beginning of the story starts as very realistic with a description of their lives then once the outsiders that invade take over the first part of the house, it becomes surreal. Cortazar puts a lot of emphasis on the description of the house; the house seems unwelcoming as it lacks the comfort and security of a home. The characters feel unsafe in their home and ready to flee at any point and it loses any feeling of safety when the others take over. Cortazar explores the connection between identity and the home. The house shows everything about the siblings such as their wealth, their background and their hobbies and once they no longer have the house, they lose their identity. The house is personified in the story; â€Å"a veces llegamos a pensar que era ella que no nos dejà ³ casar.† This shows it has some sort of control over the brother and sister living within and creates a barrier between them and the real world. The only time that the brother visits outside is when he goes to get his French literature or wool for Irene to knit and Irene never leaves the house. Also, note that the street name Rodriguez Peà ±a was the name of Cortazars street when he lived in Buenos Aires. (Maquiera: 2004, pg.10) Therefore, this shows how the story relates to his own personal experience. It seems the treatment of these outsiders seems to play a strong role in the vision of Cortazar as the story is related to his life. There are numerous interpretations for the meaning behind La Casa Tomada but the one that stands out seems to be that Cortazar uses the relation between the characters, the outsiders and the home as a way to respond to social and political tensions that were occurring in Buenos Aires during that time. Cortazar wrote the story post-war when Juan Pà ©ron had recently come into power over Argentina. Initially Pà ©ron had worked his way up by taking a position that nobody else was interested in as the head of the Labour department. From there he appealed to the workers. Pà ©ron aimed for an independent Argentina, free from foreign economical influence. Pà ©ron promised a â€Å"New Argentina† founded on â€Å"social justice, political sovereignty, and economic independence†. He showed support for the workers that he called the â€Å"masas descamisadas† by increasing wage earners income and building a large number of low cost homes. (Rock: 1987 pg.262-263) Cortazar was anti-peronist and demonstrated against his regime. He saw Pà ©ron as a dictator and felt threatened by the control. â€Å"Si bien Cortazar no comulgaba aun con el socialismo, su postura hacia la politica del nuevo gobierno era abiertamente critica† (Maquiera: 2004, pg.19.) Pà ©ron aimed to integrate the population and bring about social reforms. Many, including Cortazar saw him and his wife Evita as a political and economical threat and â€Å"a threat to good taste†. They saw him â€Å"encouraging the invasion of Buenos Aires by riffraff from the provinces†. The racist term â€Å"cabecitas negras† was used against the immigrant workers. (Standish: 2001 pg.4) For the opponents of Pà ©ron his promises were myths and had caused a divided society with a bankrupt economy and a nation controlled by a dictatorship. â€Å"El Peronismo significà ³ la llega a la capital de la clase obrera del interior del pais y la entrada de esa poblacià ³n en la vida social y cultural de la ciudad† (Maquiera: 2004, pg. 20). Although Cortazar does not link them directly, the ‘outsiders in the story can be seen as a satire in showing the socio-political vision of Cortazar against Pà ©ronism and the arrival of the working class during that period. The story could be portrayed as showing the anxieties of the upper and middle classes of Buenos Aires during the nine-year administration of Juan Pà ©ron. By showing how they felt marginalised because of the increasing number of rural immigrants that were coming into the city for work. Just like the protagonists in the story, their way of life had changed and these invaders into the house may symbolise the workers coming into the city. Therefore, the role of these outsiders could be an allegory of the migrant workers that moved into Buenos Aires and took over a lot of the jobs and the brother and sister could symbolise the Argentineans that felt like these migrants invaded them. â€Å"Bien podria representar todos mis miedos, o quiza, todas mis aversiones; en ese caso la interpretacià ³n antiperonista me parece bastante posible, emergiendo incluso inconscientemente†. Julio Cortazar (www.abretelibro.com) The story is most commonly seen as an anti-peronist allegory and expresses the fear that Cortazar may have felt about outsiders in Argentina. The feeling of fear felt that was caused by Perons military government and by the invasion of industrialisation. However, the story has also been seen as similar to that of Adam and Eve; they are expelled from their small and closed paradise into an unknown world. html.rincondelvago.com/casa-tomada_julio-cortazar_2.html When asked, Cortazar says that ‘La Casa Tomada was inspired from a nightmare that he had and that when he woke from this nightmare he immediately started writing the story. The house described in the story is the same as in his nightmare. â€Å"La à ºnica diferencia entre lo soà ±ado y el cuento es que en la pesadilla yo estaba solo.† (Prego: 1990, pg79) When he woke up, he immediately started writing the story. Therefore, he says that it is his dream that should be analyzed not the story. â€Å"Es un cuento que para mi no tiene absolutamente ningà ºn contexto de ninguna naturaleza salvo la pesadilla.† (Garfield:1978 pg 89) The architecture of the house plays an important role in the link between the present and the past in Buenos Aires. The house symbolizes the citys aristocratic past, after Independence, Buenos Aires chose European instead of colonial architecture. Architects were brought over by the Government from Europe to design buildings. (Holmes: 2003 pg254) Again, this shows the fear that the characters have of change from the past, as they prefer their traditional style European house. During the time, that a large amount of immigrants from overseas and migrants from the countryside came there was a demand for more housing. So new housing projects were created for the middle-class resulting in higher value for houses like theirs as the narrator points out at the beginning of the story (Holmes: 2004), â€Å"las casas antiguas sucumben a la mas ventajosa liquidacià ³n de sus materiales† (Cortazar). The brother and sister prefer the European style spacious house and enclose themselves in what represents the urban past. They seclude themselves from the city and in turn make themselves outsiders from the modern Argentina. Therefore, the invaders could be the city making them leave their home. Throughout the text there are numerous historical references such as the French literature which the brother enjoys reading. This seems to be one of the few ‘outside things that are accepted into the house. He also finds that â€Å"Desde 1939 no llegaba  nada valioso a la Argentina† which refers to the lack of European culture in Argentina because of the war. The brother only seems to find value in French literature and has to re-read what French literature he has. Once again, this also shows the link with their fear of change. The relationship between the characters and the house shows their lack of interest in modernity and change. They seem to want to stay within a routine and show little interest towards changes outside of their house in Argentina. This story may represent Peronist Buenos Aires but can also represent the role of Europe in post-colonial space. It seems that Cortazar rejects how Argentina has become post-European influence. The story may also portray the modern Buenos Aires conflicting with the past city. After looking in depth at the story and the history related to the story, I can conclude that the different â€Å"outsiders† in the story play a strong role in the socio-political vision of Julio Cortazar. La Casa Tomada has numerous interpretations about its hidden meaning. Although when questioned, he does not specifically relate it to a particular opinion but to a nightmare he had. This showed his underlying preoccupations with the events in Buenos Aires during that time. The theme of outsiders is continued throughout the story and each character shows an aspect of being an outsider. The invaders that take over the house from the siblings are seen both as the workers that moved into Buenos Aires invading the space of the middle-class or as the city making the protagonists leave their safe past and as face the changing Buenos Aires. The protagonists show a stereotype example of the middle-class people of Argentina during that time that feared any sort of change, though in the original nightmare it is Cortazar himself. It is Cortazar that it seems had this fear of invasion from â€Å"outsiders† and was concerned about the changes occurring. The role of the outsiders is very effective in demonstrating his feelings about Pà ©ron and the changes within Argentina.

Treatise on Happiness by St. Thomas Aquinas Essay -- Treatise on Happi

In the history of the western world, few men have made a greater impact on humanity’s learning that Thomas of Aquino. Having written dozens of different publications, including his famous Summa Theologià ¦, on subjects varying from the angels to philosophy; from law to theology, Thomas has secured himself a permanent place in academic history. Although never writing directly on the subject, Thomas also influenced the field of ethics, especially through his â€Å"Treatise on Happiness,† which are found within his Summa. In these treatises, Thomas details the nature of happiness, and how happiness is obtained. In the field of ethics, this work is important because it embraces the Aristotelian ideal how a happy person is just, or ethical. Thomas embraces the ideas of Aristotle throughout his work, and goes on to comment on, and Christianize many of Aristotle’s original ideas, including how happiness affects our senses and faculties. One of the most interesting dev elopments in the â€Å"Treatises on Happiness† is the combination of the concepts of Aristotelian happiness, found in Nicomachean Ethics, and Augustinian idea that happiness is not available in this life. In this essay, I will highlight the importance of Thomas’ â€Å"Treatise on Happiness,† and recognize its importance in the context of philosophers who preceded Thomas, namely Aristotle. Before proceeding, it is important to recognize how Thomas defines happiness, and how this is contrasted with those philosophers who predated him. Aristotle wrote extensively on happiness in his Nicomachean Ethics, and argued that: â€Å"happiness is an exercise of the vital faculties in accordance with perfect virtue or excellence,† . In this, Aristotle means that happiness is the use of man’s reason, will... ... be used to practically move towards happiness. Works Cited Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics, Translated by F.H. Peters, M.A. 5th ed. London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Truebner & Co., 1893. Accessed November 22, 2014. http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/903. Challoner, Richard., ed. The Douay-Rheims Bible. Douay: Kellah, 1750. Accessed November 22, 2014. http://www.drbo.org/ DeYoung, Rebecca Konyndyk, Colleen McCluskey, and Christian Van Dyke. Aquinas’s Ethics. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2009. Plato. The Republic, Translated by B. Jowett, M.A. 3rd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1888. Accessed November 22, 2014. http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/598. Thomas. Summa Theologià ¦, Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province. New York: Benziger Bros., 1947. Accessed November 22, 2014. http://dhspriory.org/thomas/summa/index.html.

Horror Of War

This story speaks the truth about the w AR rather than romanticizes it and emphasizing on the idea Of the honor, patriotic duty, DVD endure, and glory. All Quiet on the Western Front displays the war how it really was. Using images of fear and meaningless to replace the romantic visions of heroism. This novel focuses m such on the physical ND psychological damage that war brings.In the end, almost every major chaw racier is dead. This shows war's horrible and devastating outcome on the young generation of m en who were recruited and forced to fight. One of the worst things about war is the images shown to man. Men killed by the millions in terrifying ways. Bodies blown to pieces, limbs broken, and flesh me Tied from the bones. Along with the deaths, there are many injuries that often outnumber d dead men. As Paul Beamer witnessed his friend, Franz Chimer's, death in the hospital, the NJWere terrifying and often lead to death. Chimer's death was the first sign of the meaningless of li fe and death in the war. The turmoil was expressed in the lines, â€Å"Day after day goes by with pain and fear, groans and death gurgles. Even the death room I no use anymore; it is too small. † (Armature 19) Ryan 2 In the novel and in war the men have no where to hide from bombs and bubble TTS. Paul and his friends must reside in dirt trenches where death surrounds them. â€Å"We lie under the network Of arching shells and live in a suspense Of uncertain ant.If a shot moms, we can duck, that is all; we neither know nor can determine where it w ill fall. † (Armature 101) They sleep holding their bread so no rats steal it. The dirt surrounding them t urns dark as it absorbs the blood of the fallen. The worst part of the war is that both sides fighting live through the same con editions. Paul realizes this when he guards the Russian prison camp. Paul sympathizes with the soldiers poor shape and he knows that he shares the same role as them in the war. W hen Paul kills t he man who dies in his shell hole he feels remorseful.But now, for the first time, I see you are a man like me. I thought of your Han grenades, of your bayonet, of your rifle; now I see your wife and your face and our fellows hip. Forgive me, comrade. We always see it too late. Why do they never tell us that you are pop or devils like us, that your mothers are just as anxious as ours, and that we have the same fear Of death, and the same dying and the same generative me, comrade; how could you be my e enemy? † (Armature 223) This is when he decides that he must live with the fact that all the men have ski Lied others that were just like them.In the end of the novel, Paul is the last of his friends to die. As he falls to dead h his face shows a sense of calmness. Ryan 3 â€Å"He had fallen forward and lay on the earth as though sleeping. Turning him o ever on saw that he could not have suffered long; his face had an expression of calm, as though al most glad the end had come. † (Armature 296) Paul was happier in death than life because of the horrors of war. Paul was ha pier that he didn't have to lead a life of war any longer.

Donating Blood

Imagine that your father had just suffered a heart attack, and has to go through open-heart surgery in order to repair the damage that happened to his heart. Imagine your little nephew or niece was born with a rare heart defect and had to have a daily transfusion of blood in order to have a chance to wake up the next day. Imagine that your best friend went to the doctor and had just been diagnosed with leukemia, a disease requiring regular platelet transfusions. These aren't very nice things to imagine about, are they?It is very sad and unfortunate, but these things happen all the time, you or someone you know may have experienced something like that already. People experience something like this every day. Most people would probably just expect that the hospital would have enough types of blood to give to the people who need it so that they can get better. But that is not the case. In these sad cases most people would feel or want to do anything that they can to help. There is one w ay everyone can help and that is by donating blood.Red blood cells, platelets, and plasma are some of the things people can donate and they are also very important to a person who needs them. These can help the person return to good health. Some of the types of people who would need a blood transfusion are patients that have gone through surgery, burn victims, accident victims, anemics, hemophiliacs, babies that are very sick, and people suffering from leukemia, cancer, kidney disease, and liver disease. Some really interesting facts about the blood donations and the need for blood is that about every three seconds there is someone in the world who needs blood.That’s more than forty thousand people who need blood every day. The demand for blood is constantly rising and sometimes a certain type of blood can be in short supply which can put lots of peoples lives in danger. Even if you just donate once, that will be enough to save several people. I myself have gone to a blood do nation clinic, but unfortunately I couldn't donate any blood because my temperature was too high, but I won't let that discourage me from re-scheduling another appointment at the American Red Cross blood.The set up that they had there was not what I had expected it to be. There have been a few blood drives at my school but I never donated blood. American red cross came about two times each school year around the middle of every semester. Everything was set up inside the gym with around a couple dozen of beds, where they make you lie down while they take your blood, spread around the basketball court. Sometimes they even brought the little camping trailers where you can go inside of it and they'll take your blood.The day before I had made my appointment online at 4:00 PM to donate platelets. When I walked in the American Red Cross clinic I thought it was going to be much bigger like the ones that were at my school gym but instead there were only about a dozen beds in a little area to the left of the entrance. I Started walking towards the area where everyone was donating at, but then I was stopped. A short Latino man with black hair around his forties came up to me and asked â€Å"Can I help you? †.Since it was my first time going somewhere to donate blood, I didn't know what to do. I thought that since I made an appointment at four that I would just be able to walk in, confirm that I was the one that had made the appointment, lie down on the bed, and they will take my blood, but I was gravely mistaken. As I was just standing there not knowing what to do I said to the man â€Å"Ummm yeah. I made an appointment online to donate platelets. † He asked me if I had a donors card and i replied no.Then after explaining to him that i have never given blood before so this was all new to me, he gave me a look like he finally understood why I was so clueless. Now that we were finally on the same page, the man asked for my drivers license so that I could prov e I am who I say I am. When i gave him my drivers license he went somewhere to another room. While he went to go do his thing, I was instructed to sit down and read a binder that looked at least 6 inches thick.I grabbed the binder from the table and just sat there looking at the front cover thinking to myself â€Å"They expect me to read everything thats in this huge binder? †. But when I opened it up, I was relieved to see only a few pages. As I finished reading about donating blood and the requirements, the man came back with my drivers license attached to a folder with a paper clip. I was asked if I was ready and I said yes. I was taken to this really small square room that almost made me feel closterfobic and then I was told to sit down.I took a seat and then he also sat down in a small desk in the corner of the room next to me. I was asked a few questions like my social security number, where I lived, do I have any diseases, my age, a whole bunch of questions. It felt li ke I was being interrogated. As he finally got done asking me all those questions, he told me that he needed to poke a little needle in my finger and get a small blood sample. As I was sitting there with my finger sticking out I saw him grab what looked like a small clicking pen.Then he started to put the end on the top of my finger. Suddenly he just clicked the pen, and I felt a little poke and my finger started bleeding. He wiped my finger with a small cotton ball and then grabbed a little square piece of glass and put in on my finger to get a small blood sample. After he told me I had enough iron in my blood to donate, now he had to take my temperature. I had to put a thermometer under my tongue for a few seconds until he grabbed it. One of the requirements for donating blood is you cannot donate if your temperature is over 99.5 F. When my temperature was taken I was only 2 percent away from meeting the requirements, which means my temperature was 99. 7 F. I was told I couldn't d onate which made me a little disappointed. I told him I would reschedule again some other time. In my one day that I went to the American red cross building I learned a lot of new things and how I can help save peoples lives. I will definitely be making another appointment soon and ill keep making an appointment as much as I can.

Religious Sexuality essays

Religious Sexuality essays This paper reviews the practice of female circumcision and its number of cultural reasons why it occurs, most importantly how does this religious ritual affect womens sexuality, and how female bodies are controlled by a male-dominated social order and the health impacts surrounding the psychology of female sexuality and the functioning of female sex organs. "When girls of my age were looking after the lambs, they would talk among themselves about their circumcision experiences. Every time the other girls talked about their infibulated genitals, I would feel ashamed I was not yet circumcised. Whenever I touched infibulated girls, they would tell me not to touch them since I was [still] "unclean."... One day I could not stand it anymore. I took a razor blade and went to an isolated place. I tied my clitoris with a thread, and while pulling at the thread with one hand I tried to cut part of my clitoris. When I felt the pain and saw the blood coming from the cut I stopped.... I was seven years old." (Abusharaf, 1998). The above account describes an overwhelming urge to conform to socially constructed symbols. Social labels in countries where circumcision is practiced are strong enough to cause a seven- year old to mutilate her-self. Where it is practiced, female circumcision is strongly promoted and closely safeguarded; it is regarded as an essential coming-of-age ritual that symbolizes virginity, cleanliness, fertility, and enhances the beauty of a woman's body. These are all symbols girls are taught to associate with circumcision at a very young age. Through interviews of various women found in articles, I hope to show how female circumcision is said to be symbolic as a rite of passage to womanhood, and in other cases a destruction of womens well being. The examples will reinforce the positive meanings associated with circumcision- purity, fertility, and womanhood. On the other hand showing how the consequences of not u...

Human Freedom as the Basis of Morality

Human Freedom as the Basis of Morality According to Kant, feeling of obligation is a moral feeling, a respect for the moral law. It has no external source and it is not imposed. The notion of obligation comes from us as rational, free beings. Human reason and freedom can only be source of moral law that is universal and binds everybody. Feeling of obligation cannot come from our knowledge-oriented experience because principles that directs the will in our relationships with objects are subjective ones and therefore a universal moral law cannot come form them. Second, it cannot come from basic principles such as cogito because these ideas stay above human reason and cannot be known and represented. Thirdly, because moral law can only come form us as rational, free human beings, we decide what we ought to do and we are not imposed what we must do.Feeling of obligation cannot be derived from our experiences with objects because in our relationships with objects we use our subjective maxims and it cannot be raised to a moral universal law.source: Samuel Orgelbrand's Universal Encyclopedia...

Average ACT Score for 2018, 2017, 2016, and Earlier Years

Average ACT Score for 2018, 2017, 2016, and Earlier Years SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In recent years, more and more students have been taking the ACT than ever before. But what does this change in participation rate mean for the average ACT score? As you'll learn in this article, while ACT scores have been fairly stable in the last few years, there have been some dips and peaks in scores in the last 25 years. Let’s take a look at what’s happening. Average ACT Scores for Past Years Let's look at some charts for average ACT scores over the past couple of decades. These will show us some trends in the ACT world that have led to recent changes in the test. Average ACT Scores 1992-1996 Year # of Test Takers English Math Reading Science Composite 1992-1993 875,603 20.3 20.1 21.2 20.8 20.7 1994 891,714 20.3 20.2 21.2 20.9 20.8 1995 945,369 20.3 20.2 21.3 21 20.8 1996 924,663 20.3 20.2 21.3 21.1 20.9 Source: NCES Average ACT Scores 1970-1998 In the 1992-1996 ACT scores, there was a general increase in Math, Reading, and Science scores. Average ACT Scores 1997-2001 Year # of Test Takers English Math Reading Science Composite 1997 959,301 20.3 20.6 21.3 21.1 21 1998 995,039 20.4 20.8 21.4 21.1 21 1999 1,019,053 20.5 20.7 21.4 21 21 2000 1,065,138 20.5 20.7 21.4 21 21 2001 1,069,772 20.5 20.7 21.3 21 21 Source: NCES Average ACT Scores 1970-2001 In the 1997-2001 ACT scores, there was an increase in English and Math and a decline in Science and Reading. Also, in 1999, theACT broke the one million test-taker ceiling for the first time. Average ACT Scores 2002-2005 Year # of Test Takers English Math Reading Science Composite 2002 1,6,082 20.2 20.6 21.1 20.8 20.8 2003 1,175,059 20.3 20.6 21.2 20.8 20.8 2004 1,171,460 20.4 20.6 21.3 20.9 20.9 2005 1,186,251 20.4 20.7 21.3 20.9 20.9 Source: NCES Average ACT Scores 1995-2010 From 2002 to 2005, we see a slight but steady rise in all scores across the board. Average ACT Scores 2006-20 Year # of Test Takers English Math Reading Science Writing Composite 2006 1,206,455 20.6 20.7 21.4 20.9 7.7 21.1 2007 1,300,599 20.7 20.8 21.5 21 7.6 21.2 2008 1,421,941 20.6 21 21.4 20.8 7.3 21.1 2009 1,480,469 20.6 21 21.4 20.9 7.2 21.1 2010 1,568,835 20.5 21 21.3 20.9 7.1 21 20 1,623,2 20.6 21 21.3 20.9 7.1 21.1 Source: NCES Average ACT Scores 1995-2010, 20 Profile Report As you can see, ACT scores kept increasing until 2007, when there was an all-time composite score high of 21.2. After that, however, all subscores except English and Science consistently declined. Average ACT Scores 2012-2018 Year # of Test Takers English Math Reading Science Writing Composite 2012 1,666,017 20.5 21.1 21.3 20.9 7.1 21.1 2013 1,799,243 20.2 20.9 21.1 20.7 7 20.9 2014 1,845,787 20.3 20.9 21.3 20.8 7.1 21.0 2015 1,924,436 20.4 20.8 21.4 20.9 6.9 21.0 2016 2,090,342 20.1 20.6 21.3 20.8 19.3* 20.8 2017 2,030,038 20.3 20.7 21.4 21.0 6.5 21.0 2018 1,914,817 20.2 20.5 21.3 20.8 - ** 20.8 Sources: 2012 Profile Report, 2013 Profile Report, 2014 Profile Report, 2015 Profile Report, 2016 Profile Report,2017 Profile Report, 2018 Profile Report*2016 Writing results are based on ACT Writing from September 2015 to August 2016, when the test was scored on a scale of 1-36. **As of 2018 ACT seems to have opted to no longer provide information about Writing score averages (except indirectly through ELA scores). After 2007's peak, there is a general decline in scores across the board for nearly a decade. In 2013, ACT, Inc. instituted changes to the ACT to better reflect national curricula, which is possibly reflected in the general stability of composites and subscores from 2013 onwards (with the exception of Math, which has steadily decreased since then). Average ACT Score Trends: What Do the Numbers Mean? As the charts above indicate, there wasa moderate and gradual increase in average ACT scores until they peaked in 2007. After,average scores began to decline until 2014 when they increased slightly before settling to the same level they are at as of 2018. There has been discussion that the downward trend in average ACT scores could be a result of the No Child Left Behind Act and the test-based teaching style in US schools. This slight increase in ACT scores in 2014 could be attributed to the changes ACT, Inc. made to the ACT so that it could better align with high school curricula.Overall, though, average ACT scores have remained relatively stable. For a long while it was predominantly students in the Midwest that took the ACT, but lately the test has begun to spread to the rest of the US as more and more states are requiring students to take it. Consequently, more students have been taking the ACT each year over the past decade. Even with more students taking the ACT, however, the data shows that students generally do better on the ACT than they do on the SAT- for which there has been a steady, stronger decline in scores. (However, the long-term results of the 2016 SAT redesign aren't yet known.) One thing to note, though, is that just like with the SAT, the ACT shows a disparity in scores based on ethnicity and, very likely, income level. The following chart clarifies these differences between average ACT scores based on ethnicity from 1997 to 2018: 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2016 2017 2018 Black or African American 17.9 16.9 17 16.9 17 17 17.1 16.9 American Indian or Alaska Native 20.4 18.8 18.7 18.9 18 17.7 17.5 17.3 White 22.8 21.8 21.9 22.2 22.1 22.2 22.4 22.2 Hispanic or Latinx 19.9 18.5 18.4 18.7 18.8 18.7 18.9 18.8 Asian 22.5* 21.7 22.1 23.2 23.6 24 24.3 24.5 Pacific Islander - - - - 19.4 18.6 18.4** 18.2 Two or More Races - - - - 21.1 21 21.2 21.1 No Responses - - - - 20.8 20.1 20.3 19.8 Sources: NCES Average ACT Scores 1995-2014, 2016 Profile Report, 2017 Profile Report, 2018 Profile Report *Averages for Asian and Pacific Islander students were combined until 20**Averages for Native Hawaiian students folded into averages for Pacific Islander students starting 2017 Overall, the white, Asian, and two or more races subgroups have the highest ACT score averages,with Asian scores consistently increasing. By contrast, African American and Native American subgroups have the lowest ACT averages, likely because they are typically the most disenfranchised groups. What’s Next? Now that you know about the average ACT scores, it's time to figure out what a good ACT score is for you specifically. If you're definitely decided on the ACT,read our in-depth guides to prepping for the ACT. If you don't have a lot of time left, use ourlast-minute ACT cramming tips. Got time? Then learnhow to come up with your own ACT study schedule. Not sure whether you should take the ACT or SAT?Take a look at our article onthe differences between the ACT and SAT to help you determine which test is right for you. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Improving Family Planning Services in a Developing Country The Case Essay

Improving Family Planning Services in a Developing Country The Case Analysis of Nigeria - Essay Example The clinic has no counselling services, poor diagnostic services, no pharmacy and laboratory. Figure 1 below shows the major problems with the operation of the clinic. Figure 1: UNTH Family Planning Clinic and its Problems Clearly, there is a problem with the collection of data from patients for the hospital (See Appendix 1). The lack of a laboratory and pharmaceutical facilities makes it difficult to take care of patients (See Appendices 2 and 3). Most of the people in charge of sensitive positions are not appropriately skilled. This is demonstrated in Figure 2 below. Figure 2: Healthcare Failure Mode and Effects There are different pointers that provide important linkages for the reason why this system has failed and needs to be improved. These are discussed into detail in Appendices 1, 2 and 3. Action Justification University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital remains a leading institution in Nigeria. Aside training the next generation of Nigeria's medical professionals, the institution is a centre for intense research and studies. Since the Nigerian government has shown interest in cutting down on the population, there is the need for the family planning clinic to be upgraded to a level whereby it can be used as a point for mobilising and treating patients accurately. There is therefore the need to change the current position and improve systems to be devoid of the various issues and limitations in communication, facilities and services. Objectives The main end is to provide the following objectives which would mark the success of the project: 1. An improved system of communication that enables patient diagnosis to be of a high standard and also link up to the healthcare... This essay stresses that University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital remains a leading institution in Nigeria. Aside training the next generation of Nigeria's medical professionals, the institution is a centre for intense research and studies. Since the Nigerian government has shown interest in cutting down on the population, there is the need for the family planning clinic to be upgraded to a level whereby it can be used as a point for mobilising and treating patients accurately. This paper makes a conclusion that Option 2 scores the maximum points in all categories. It shows that the refurbishment of a new unit of UNTH as part of the wider organization is the best option for the creation of a family planning clinic with a structured counselling services, pharmacy and laboratory services. There are major cost savings as well as efficient systems of operations to meet targets. This makes it preferred ahead of the two other services. In spite of this choice, it is more important to promote and enhance the offering by conducting consultation sessions with the other stakeholders like the board of the UNTH to ascertain the final and most significant ways of attaining the objectives of this project. The following model identified in Appendices 3 and 4 can be used as the proposed service model and internal systems respectively. This would give an idea of how work could be done and completed and provide the blueprints as specified by Part A of this paper.

Strategic Information Systems Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Information Systems - Case Study Example the investment and brand-building phase and have yet to show a profit. However, as e-businesses shift their focus (Hoffman, D.L. and Novak, T 2000) from building a customer base to increasing revenue growth and profitability, they should re-evaluate their current business strategies, if any, and develop strategies that provide a clear path to profitability. Networking and Internet technology have been successfully implemented at REI to create a very strong value chain. In the mind of the consumer, all three REI entities (seventy stores, two Web stores, and an adventure-theme travel service) can be viewed as one. E-commerce is fundamentally changing the economy and the way business is conducted. E-commerce forces companies to find new ways to expand the markets in which they compete, to attract and retain customers by tailoring products and services to their needs, and to restructure their business processes to deliver products and services more efficiently and effectively. However, despite rapid and sustained development of e-commerce, many companies doing e-business are still in the investment and brand-building phase and have yet to make a profit (Zwass 1998). ... tailoring products and services to their needs, and to restructure their business processes to deliver products and services more efficiently and effectively. However, despite rapid and sustained development of e-commerce, many companies doing e-business are still in the investment and brand-building phase and have yet to make a profit (Zwass 1998). Many e-businesses (or Internet companies) have focused on the visual attractiveness and ease of use of their Web sites as the primary method of increasing their customer base. However, as e-businesses shift their focus from building a customer base to increasing revenue growth and profitability, they should re-evaluate their current business strategies, if any, and develop strategies that provide a clear path to profitability. This study uses McCarthy's According to McCarthy (1960) and Perreault and McCarthy (1999), a firm develops its marketing strategies by first identifying the target market for its products or services. It then develops a marketing mix-a particular combination of product, price, promotion, and place (i.e., distribution and delivery functions in the supply chain) designed to enhance sales to the target market. A unique mix of these elements in a given industry allows firms to compete more effectively, thus ensuring profitability and sustainability. For example, by coordinating various product offerings and associated price discriminations with sales promotions and effective logistics, a firm can increase its sales and profit. Since the Internet has a significant impact on the makeup of this marketing mix, Internet companies should develop strategies that take the unique nature of online marketing into account.

Moore's Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moore's Law - Research Paper Example This is basically the same definition as the initial one, but using the phrase ‘more transistors’ is being more specific in the definition (Sami 23-29). As a self-fulfilling foresight and a target for industry Even though this rule was primarily created in the form of prophesy and observation, it became popular more widely, as it served as more as an objective for the whole industry. This forced both the departments of engineering and marketing of the manufacturers of semiconductors to put their attention on massive energy that aim for the specific rise in the power of processing that it was considered one or even more of their rivals would soon achieve. In this regard, we find that it can be perceived as a self-fulfilling foresight. The second law of Moore As the costs of the power of computer drops on the side of the consumers, the costs on the side of the manufacturers in fulfilling the rule of Moore goes in an opposite trend; production and costs of tests have gone u p considerably with each new invention of chips. The increasing costs of manufacturing are a critical consideration for the sustenance of the Moore’s rule. This had resulted in the establishment of the second law or Moore, known as the Rock’s law (Myslewski 2013). The law states that the semiconductor’s cost also rises significantly with time. ... Main facilitating factors and the future trends Several innovations by numerous engineers together with scientists have been considerable factors in the law of Moore’s sustenance since the start of the period of integrated circuit. While assembling a comprehensive list of such imperative contributions would be as interesting and attractive as it would be tough. The roadmaps of the industry of computer technology projects that the rule will continue being there for many chip generations to come. After the time of doubling that is used in the calculations, we find that this could imply that there will be up to about hundredfold rise in the count of transistor per chip in a decade. Nonetheless, the technology roadman of the industry of semiconductor uses a time of doubling of about three years for the microprocessors, resulting to a tenfold rise during the following decade. For instance, Intel, in 2005, was reported as claiming that the silicon chips’ downsizing with prope r economics would continue being there in the following decade, and also in the year 2008 as projecting the pattern all through to the year 2029. The law’s ultimate limit Gordon Moore, In April 2005, asserted that the rule cannot continue existing forever. He argued that the exponentials’ nature is that they are pushed out and a disaster eventually occurs. Moreover, he claimed that the transistors would ultimately attain the heights of minimization at the levels of atoms. When we look at the size of the transistors, we find that they are reaching that of which is a serious blockade, even though it will be two or even three generation chips before it reaches that far (Crothers 2013). However, that is as far as it has been able to be seen. Moore further stated that there are still

Just answer some easy guiding questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Just answer some easy guiding questions - Essay Example Bioregionalism is thus seen to bring a host of challenges among them environmental degradation and psychological dissatisfaction in what life has to offer. The reason, why human being focuses more on developing new things is because of this psychological dissatisfaction. Frenkel further states that a lot has changed in terms of the relationship that the human being have with the natural environment. However, there is a little or no time to correct some of the damages that have already been done as a result of this detachment. Environmental determinism is defined as the collection of implicit theories that show the relationship between culture and the environment. In most of these theories, the environment has an overall impact on socio-economic developments that occur in day to day life. An example given to this relationship is climatic conditions. Nature or the environment is seen to play a great role in influencing the climatic conditions of a particular place. However, most geographers rejected the environmental determinism theory due to inadequate evidence and scientific shortcomings regarding how the climate and culture and related. Despite this rejection, environmental determinism has played a major role in the development of alternative theories such as possibilism and probabilism. The concept of bioregionalism and environmental determinism share a common ideology regarding the relationship between human culture and the environment. Frenkle cites an argument by previous scholars that the environment affects among other things; religion, literature, and thoughts. This implies that the environment of human beings affects how they do things and how they do it. The concept of the bioregion is also deep-rooted in the integrity of the natural order. Under this argument, it is humans who are trying to change how things are done. However, it is the environment that is supposed to dictate how humans behave or operate. Both environmental

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 63

Discussion - Assignment Example Spreadsheet is also very easy to be configured for personal and professional usage (Protiviti, â€Å"Spreadsheet Risk Management†; Rost 1-5). Spreadsheet is an important application for financial as well as operational reporting procedure in organizations. In this context, spreadsheet is applied for different purposes that include account settlement, transaction conclusions and making the business models (Protiviti, â€Å"Spreadsheet Risk Management†). Additionally, it assists in managing the payroll and other related business operations in an effective manner. In the current complex business scenario, spreadsheet is used for managing compliance, risk as well as governance (Rost 1-5). Spreadsheet is also identified to possess certain limitation that can affect the performance of an organization largely. Spreadsheet is unreliable, as unauthorized users can access financial information without an approval, which raises security risk. Error in formulas of the spreadsheet can raise disputes for computing financial information (Rost 1-5). In this context, there should be software related to risk management, which will provide the embedded information with an expert solution. The ‘risk management software’ would manage the risk level associated with spreadsheet. In this respect, spreadsheet with the integration of risk management software would be effective in managing data with better integrity as well as reliability (Rost

Tennesse Williams The Glass Menagerie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tennesse Williams The Glass Menagerie - Essay Example In Act One, Scene One, the stage setting is described as having a ‘dark, grim rear wall of the Wingfield tenement’. There are stage directions where the actors and actresses enter and exit the stage using the props like stairs and this is difficult or impossible to accomplish using an arena stage. (Williams 12).An arena stage is a central stage that has surrounding seats and this gives no leeway except to ascend or descend from the stage. Then the actor or actress has to sit down at the level of the audience, or walk all the way to the nearest dressing room. An arena stage is similar to a theater in the round, which has the audience seated on all sides of the performance stage. A thrust stage is most suited for this play because it allows the actors and actresses entrance and exit routes and help to make the play a realistic drama. In Act One, Scene One, the stage directions say that; ‘The scene is memory and is therefore non-realistic.’ (Williams 12). Amanda and Laura are seated at the dinner table behind the scrim to symbolize their need for privacy since they are eating. Williams highlights the unrealistic nature of the play by stating that; ‘Eating is done by gestures without food or utensils.’ (Williams 15). This play is also unusual in having a character, Tom, in the play, assume the multiple roles of being the narrator and stage director too. This makes the play realistic because the play is Tom’s testimony. Some characters are unrealistic in the play. In Act One, Scene Two, Amanda discovers that Laura has been skipping her typing class and deliberately deceiving her. Laura is an unrealistic dreamer. She fails to understand the importance of earning her stripes with a formal education and getting a relevant job to be self-supportive, if not contributing to the family household income. Tom is rooted in realism although his responses to the pressure are human and hints of escapism. Amanda

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 63

Discussion - Assignment Example Spreadsheet is also very easy to be configured for personal and professional usage (Protiviti, â€Å"Spreadsheet Risk Management†; Rost 1-5). Spreadsheet is an important application for financial as well as operational reporting procedure in organizations. In this context, spreadsheet is applied for different purposes that include account settlement, transaction conclusions and making the business models (Protiviti, â€Å"Spreadsheet Risk Management†). Additionally, it assists in managing the payroll and other related business operations in an effective manner. In the current complex business scenario, spreadsheet is used for managing compliance, risk as well as governance (Rost 1-5). Spreadsheet is also identified to possess certain limitation that can affect the performance of an organization largely. Spreadsheet is unreliable, as unauthorized users can access financial information without an approval, which raises security risk. Error in formulas of the spreadsheet can raise disputes for computing financial information (Rost 1-5). In this context, there should be software related to risk management, which will provide the embedded information with an expert solution. The ‘risk management software’ would manage the risk level associated with spreadsheet. In this respect, spreadsheet with the integration of risk management software would be effective in managing data with better integrity as well as reliability (Rost

Personal Development self -managemnt and reflection Assignment

Personal Development self -managemnt and reflection - Assignment Example Section 1 There is a number of skills that one need to posses in order to successfully go through the Higher Education system. One of the most important personal skills that one should have is organizational skills, this skill is very important because it assist an individual to plan wisely and manage time well and bit any deadlines set .Having organization skills illustrates that one has a high level of intellectual ability and thus in a position to undertake a higher education course in any field. Determination is yet another skill that a student pursuing higher education should posses, determination is the zeal to keep on working hard until one achieves his/her goals ,.Determination will enable student to focus on achieving his career goals . Communication skills are needed to promote teamwork and collaboration, leadership skills and research skills ,without communication skills a student may not be in a position to smoothly carry out their business around the university .In moder n world the use of information technology and knowledge in numeracy is a must for any student pursuing higher education more over, a student should have problem solving skills, be in a to improve own learning and performance and should practice self discipline. Individually, I understand that I have some weaknesses in some of the skills mentioned; in particular I have gaps in organizational skills, zeal to improve my own learning and performance and I also have poor communication skills. Section 2 Action Plan for Academic skills needed to be attained Skill Target Action Timescale Success Criteria Recourses Organisational skills Excellent organizational skills Have a workable time table in place Become committed to my school work Time management Practice free and effective communication Listen to others Exercise leadership skills 6 months Neatness and clarity in my work Beating of deadlines Excellent grades Fellow students Lecturers Reading material Improving my own Learning and Perf ormance Excellent all round performance Consultation Teamwork Hard work Commitment Motivation 6 months Improved performance Involvement in most activities Reading material Fellow students Family Lecturers Communication Skills Excellent communication skills Stay focused Listen carefully See the point in other people messages Ask for assistance if needed Practice clarity 4 months Improved teamwork Excellent listening skills Excellent organisational skills Improved performance Reading material Fellow students Lecturers Action plan for the four subjects to be covered during the program Subject Target Action Time Frame Success Criteria Recourses Subject one to four Perform exemplarily in the respective subjects Get the core units Understand the topics Visit libraries and other resource centers Carry out in depth research on the subjects Submit all assignment on time Practice teamwork with class mates and lecturers During the course duration Good performance Good communication skills Libr aries, the internet , Fellow students Lecturers Section 3 Topic 1 Understanding this topic was easy for me, this is due to the exciting lecturer we had, and the lecturer was amusing besides being very knowledgeable. I ensured that I would not miss nay lecturer ,personally ,this topic has assisted me to develop my communication and interpersonal skill due to the high level of involvement

Influence And Power Of Political Dynasties Politics Essay

Influence And Power Of Political Dynasties Politics Essay The political dynasty undoubtedly plays an influential role in Philippine society. Families of political dynasties are sitting side by side to deliberate on important legislations that will affect the future of more than 80 million Filipinos both young and old for generations to come (PHILIPPINEPOLITICS.NET., 2000). It has been often contended that political dynasties go against the values upheld by democracy since it does not provide an equal opportunity for people to hold offices of power and service. With the set-up of the political dynasty, it seems as if positions of power are exclusively dominated by a particular clan or family. Arguably, the political dynasty is said to monopolize the system of governance since it limits the chances of other common Filipinos to serve the people. It creates a brain drain in the sense that the new and capable leader who could possibly perform better than those currently in office, would not be given an opportunity when running against someone wi th a name. Former Mayor, and now DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo of Naga City, who has firmly stood against political dynasties, he believes, The right to serve does not belong to one family alone. Ordinary people who deserve to be empowered should be given the opportunity to serve the community,  [1]  (Medel, 2007).It is undeniable that there are candidates who are voted into office simply because of their name and fame. Sons, siblings and even wives of politicians people who have no knowledge whatsoever of how to lead and serve, are voted into office simply because of their connection to previous leaders. Electoral votes are not so much based on the capability of one to serve, but rather on the name carried by one who is running. It is quite obvious that the family name of an elected official or a potential candidate plays a big role in the success of one who falls under the category of being part of a political family. It can be identified that power can be seen not only in exe rcises of excess but also in tangible things such as a candidates family name. This symbolic power could be seen as a perpetuation of the power system that runs through a political dynasty since it plays a big role in a dynastys continued existence and evolution. The validity of the political dynasty has always remained a highly debatable matter. Why do traditional political clans that which do not ground their resources based on their economic stance, still exist in the Philippine political arena despite some rejections by others that it does not provide equal opportunities for other candidates to run for public office? What key elements existing in these political dynasties make them dominant in the political arena up until today? Does the existence of the political dynasty really help the Filipino people, or is it just making the political maturity of the nation stagnant? (PHILIPPINEPOLITICS.NET., 2000). Despite the negative connotation brought about by political dynasties and its detrimental effects throughout Philippine history, political dynasties are not entirely negative and can bring certain positive effects. The solution to stop the negative effects linked to political dynasties is not to ban political dynasties in general, but inst ead, to educate people to vote more responsibly in choosing a leader. In this paper, I intend to find the factors that make political dynasties relevant today in the face of a democratic Philippine society by taking into consideration Michel Foucaults theory on power and Vladimir Lenins theory on organization. In line with what Michel Foucault mentioned in his work, Discipline and Punish, political dynasties in the Philippines are unique in a way that they possess dynamic qualities that keep them surviving up until today. He stressed in his work that power is exercised in ways that it can be excessive to maintain order and discipline in society. The example would be that of Francois Damiens  [2]  , who was publicly tortured and executed for his attempt to assassinate the sovereign. As Foucault recounts the event, one can see the display of the excessive use of power to punish Damiens for his actions, as seen in his recount wherein à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Damiens, who cried out profusely, though without swearing, raised his head and looked at himself; the same executioner dipped an iron spoon, in the pot containing boiling potion, which he poured liberally over each wound  [3]  (Focault, 1977). Here we can see the sovereigns excessive use of power to punish a subject who attempted to challen ge his sovereignty by attempting to take his life. Francois Damiens public torture and execution was made as an example to others that contesting the kings sovereignty would be subject to the same level of punishment or worse. What Michel Foucault was reiterating in his account of Damiens torture is that power is primarily being exercised on the body as a means of strategizing the deployments of power rather than to punish the violator by causing physical pain. The crime committed by Damiens was against the body of the king; therefore, the punishment that was given to the violator was also against his body, through the form of torture. The pain caused to the body was clearly not intended only for the body alone but rather reached out to those who have witnessed or heard about the execution. The gravity of such an event still touches on modernity in a way that whoever reads or hears about such an event could still feel the gravity of the excessive use of power. During the early 18th century, there was a display of excessive torture on the body according to Michel Foucault. In a span of a few decades, the process of torture became a process of organized disciplinary action in the form of a penal justice system. This evolution of torture saw the disappearance of punishment on the body and a loosening of the hold of the sovereign over the body. In the disappearance of punishment, it enters into the abstract consciousness of society rather than of perceptions. Moreover, there is a focus on the effectivity of punishment rather than of spectacles, wherein it focuses only on visibility or intensity of punishment such as that of Foucaults account of Damiens torture. On the loosening of hold of the sovereign on the body, one can see that punishment no longer touched the body but rather as Foucault would state, The body now serves as an instrument or intermediary: if one intervenes upon it to imprison it, or to make it work, it is in order to deprive the individual of a liberty that is regarded both as a right and as property  [4]  (Focault, 1977). In the spectacle of scaffolds, executioners served as the kings hand in punishing offenders. As time passed, doctors, psychiatrists, guidance counselors, judges and jail wardens now took over the executioners role of administering punishment. As Foucault aptly put it, To sum up, ever since the new penal system that defined by the great codes of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries has been in operation, a general process has led judges to judge something other than crimes; they have been led in their sentences to do something other than judge; and the power of judging has been transferred in part, to other authorities than the judges of the offence.   The whole penal operation has taken on extra-juridical elements and personnel.  [5]  (Focault, 1977). Negative Sides to Political Dynasties The very excess of the violence employed is one of the elements of glory: the fact that the guilty man should moan and cry out under the blows is not a shameful side effect, it is the very ceremonial of justice being expressed in all its force. Hence no doubt those tortures that take place even after death: corpses burnt, ashes thrown to the winds, bodies dragged on hurdles and exhibited at the roadside. Justice pursues the body beyond all possible pain  [6]  (Focault, 1977) Similar to what Foucault had studied about power relations, this paper, uses the same theory but relates it to the phenomenon of political dynasties in the Philippines. Throughout Philippine history, the political dynasty has taken on a negative connotation. Often linked to problems like graft, corruption, and abuse of power, it has taken on a detrimental role to society. Perhaps the most infamous of all would be the political dynasty of the Marcos family. Alleged to have embezzled between US$5 billion and US$10 billion from the Philippines, Transparency International  [7]  has ranked Ferdinand Marcos at second on a list of the worlds most corrupt political leaders of the past two decades; surpassed only by former Indonesian President Suharto (Ferdinand Marcos: Killer File, 2000). Names like the Estradas/Ejercitos and the Singson families have also linked the image of the political dynasty to allegations of graft and corruption. Luis Chavit Singson, governor of the province of Il ocos Sur, alleged that he had personally given Estrada the sum of 400 million pesos as payoff from illegal gambling profits such as jueteng, as well as 180 million pesos from the government price subsidy for the tobacco farmers marketing cooperative. Singsons allegation caused an uproar across the nation, which culminated in Estradas impeachment trial by the House of Representatives in November 13, 2000. A more recent example, would be that of the Ampatuans, whose name has been thrust to the limelight after the event of the Maguindanao Massacre  [8]  where 58 individuals consisting of their family rivals, the Mangudadatus, relatives and some journalists were shot and killed preventing them from filing their patrons certificate of candidacy. Families linked to political dynasties flood the news with allegations of all sorts of crime ranging from corruption, theft, murder and even rape. Regardless of whether these are proven or unproven, it all translates into the tarnished and dirty image that the political dynasty holds in todays society. This is exactly what Michel Foucault talks about in the spectacle of the scaffold wherein there is a display of an excessive use of power through torture. As Foucault mentions, there are three criterions where punishment must follow in order to fall under the category of torture. The first being, that it must manifest pain on a certain degree, that could be seen in the example of Francois Damiens torture. The second being that such pain is regulated in a way that suffering is maximized rather than imposing death immediately because this suffering would insure a more effective notice of change on the offenders part. Last but not least, perhaps the most important would be that torture ma rks the individual and that it should serve as a spectacle. Torture marking the individual means that there is a reclaiming of the sovereign by the ruler and that the making of the execution as a spectacle would serve as a public display of the rulers sovereignty. Such a public execution seeks to reach out to the whole of the society by letting the thought of punishment run through their consciousness making them aware of the total power of the sovereign, them serving as his subjects. The context of the logic of torture is that there is contempt for body, wherein the body serves a possession of the sovereign. There is a political need for the sovereign to display his power which will serve as a recognition of his dominance over his subjects. In addition, this display of power actually runs through an internal organization of politicization and serves as a disciplining factor towards order. As Foucault mentions how the Enlightenment period called torture as an atrocity, atrocity is one of those that best designates the economy of public torture in the old penal practice.  [9]  (Focault, 1977) Further, he states that insofar as being the crime before everyones eyes in all its severity, the punishment must take responsibility for this atrocity: it must bring to light by confessions, statements, inscription that make it public, it must reproduce it in ceremonies that apply it to the body of the guilty person in the form of humiliation and pain. Atrocity is that pa rt of the crime that the punishment turns back as torture in order to display it in the full light of day  [10]  (Focault, 1977) In light of Michel Foucaults study of power, he shows how the display of excessive power can serve as a negative connotation towards disciplining society. In relation to the existence of political dynasties, their display of excessive power by means of running private armies or reliance on coercion in order to establish and maintain their power, could very well serve as a detriment to public order as well as to their own existence. This is where Vladimir Lenins theory on organization can come into play because power alone in a democratic society, especially excessive power, can clash with the values of democracy while power coupled with proper organization could compromise with the said values. Organization, furthermore, would tweak how power is distributed, dispersed and used on the sovereigns subjects. In the case of political dynasties where power is seen to be a tool used for political domination, power alongside organization can produce an effective dynasty, which operates on be half of and for the public rather than for itself and its interests. Good Sides to Political Dynasties In his book, What is to be done?, Vladimir Lenin talks about the importance of organization to serve as a focusing of all efforts towards a certain goal. An organized exercise of power would mean that there is a proper system that is undergone where it is both regulated and directed towards achieving a goal rather than just a spectacle. In the case of political dynasties, despite the weaknesses that they are prone to, it also has its strengths. Political dynasties provide continuity and political stability which is particularly obvious in provinces such as those held by the Josons of Nueva Ecija, Ortegas of La Union, and Dys of Isabela. There is minimal political risk and this plays a huge role when it comes to investments. With the continuity offered by political dynasties, investors can be assured that laws do not change mid-stream of an investors project and that business agreements made in the past would still be upheld in the succeeding generations. This sparks an interest in t erms of foreign corporations doing business in third world countries since it takes out premium on political instability insurance (PHILIPPINEPOLITICS.NET., 2000). Furthermore, this continuity assures that the desired goal is achieved overtime and will be implemented throughout a long-term establishment made by these dynasties. In addition, their continued existence help promote continued progress and development, so long as the succeeding leader is actually capable and not just voted for his namesake. For example, a son who is to take the place of his fathers position in office, would be able to benefit from the experience and guidance of his father. Assuming that the succeeding leader has been trained from early on by the example of good leaders who have also lead from his dynasty, he would be able to emulate the good qualities and learn from mistakes made in the past as well as assure the constant upholding of the good qualities taught by his predecessors. By this process of lear ning from the example of the previous generations, they would have a huge advantage in terms of leadership and experience. An example of a prosperous region, which has been ruled under a political dynasty for over a century, is La Union. The family of Ortegas have occupied elective and appointed positions in the province since the 20th century. In 1901, Joaquin Ortega was appointed governor by the US colonial administration. In 2006, ten Ortegas were holding various elective posts in La Union  [11]  (Medel, 2007). The prosperity of the region speaks clearly, of how well the dynasty has managed. Boasting a 97% literacy rate and a 94.77% employment rate, La Union is classified as a first class province (La Union, 2007). The City of San Fernando is now the seat of national government agencies in Region I and center of trade, commerce, financial and educational institutions, among others. From a deep rooted potential of stable community governance, to international shipping, an airport with viable capacity to accommodate international air traffic, natural terrain conducive to tourism development and a pe ople endowed with cultural and virtuous heritage of industry, spirituality, nationalism and aspiration for growth, peace and prosperity, the City of San Fernando has emerged as the booming Metropolis of the North. (San Fernando City). In response to issues raised regarding the continued existence of a political dynasty in the region, Mayor Mary Jane C. Ortega replies, It is not an issue. Why punish people who deliver? Like in Frankfurt, they have a Mayor for 25 years and she keeps delivering. Look how developed Frankfurt is. It is not an issue if you are in power for a long time. It is not actually the length of service. It is the quality of service that you give. If the leader delivers, why punish him/ her? On the other hand, if you have a term limitation, three years is too long kung hindi naman nagdedeliver,  [12]  (Medel, 2007). Another respectable leader belonging to families with a background in political dynasties include Senator Mar Roxas, son of the illustrious Senator Gerry Roxas, and the grandson of the venerable President Manuel Roxas whose public service careers have greatly benefited the country. Mars public service life began in the House of Representatives in 1993. After his congressional stint, he was appointed as Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry; and then in 2004, he was elected to the Senate with a staggering 20 million votes the largest ever obtained by a candidate in any Philippine election. Mars stint in the House is most noted for his principal authorship of RA 7880, also known as the Roxas Law, which ensures fair distribution of the education capital budget among all the provinces. This gave life to his advocacy for fair and equitable access to education, free from regional bias and political patronage considerations. Owing to his record of accomplishments as a public se rvant and political leader, the international community described Mar as one of the young leaders in politics and business who will bring Asia and the Pacific to the forefront of world affairs. (Senator Mar A. Roxas) At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mar was named as one of the Global Leaders of Tomorrow who is expected to shape the future. (Senator Mar A. Roxas) Recently, the Singapore Government has awarded him as the 16th Lee Kuan Yew Fellow (Senator Mar A. Roxas). Another example of a leader who has chosen to stick by his principles despite the temptations offered by that of a political dynasty is Governor Barbers. Governor Robert Lyndon S. Barbers is the eldest son of Senator Robert Bobby Z. Barbers and Vergie Smith of Makati City. The family has a deep-rooted background in politics. His brother was second district Rep. of Surigao del Norte and was succeeded by other family members who ran for governor in the province. Despite his familys involvement in a political dynasty, Lyndon Barbers has made a clear stand against nepotism; relatives are banned from benefiting from any project on account of his position as Governor. This has been proven on several instances. A relative of his was once caught operating a sand-gravel quarrying business without a license or permit and was brought to court. In another instance, a cousin of his was arrested for illegal gambling operations  [13]  (Medel, 2007). In addition, there are many other families be longing to political dynasties that have also contributed a great deal into building the nation and serving its people. Families like the Magsaysays, Osmenas, Biazons, Cayetanos, Villars, Duavits, Escuderos, Espinas, Gordons, Madrigals, Mitras Plazas, and Rectos have done a good job of keeping a clean image. These are the leaders who prove that the political dynasty can be beneficial to society so long as it does not abuse its power. It cannot be discounted that one will not practice the use of power, although, there can be ways wherein this power can be diverted into good reasons to achieve societal order and development. This is what Vladimir Lenin is stresses when he mentions in his work that, Such workers, average people of the masses, are capable of displaying enormous energy and self-sacrifice in strikes and in street, battles with the police and the troops, and are capable (in fact, are alone capable) of determining the outcome of our entire movement but the struggle against the political police requires special qualities; it requires professional revolutionaries  [14]  (Lenin, 1902). In this quotation, Lenin stresses that organizing a mass of people requires a strategic use of power as opposed to a fueling of the mobs emotions. A possible historical example would be that of the American Revolution in contrast to the French revolution. The French revolution had failed to recognize their freedom becaus e they failed to organize their efforts of systemizing their revolution. The leaders of the French revolution relied solely on power and doing so led to the abuse and struggle of power. In the end, the French revolution served as a spectacle of disorganization, wherein towards the end, Napoleon Bonapartes emergence to take hold of power was recognized. This emergence of Napoleon from this disorganization is an opposite to that of an organized succession and transfer of power seen in the American Revolution. The American Revolution, through proper organization, gave birth to freedom, liberty and equality among the states. The transfer and succession of power from one president to another required organization as well as a regulation of their, being the presidents, powers. The political dynasty has its own share of pros and cons. There are examples of good political dynasties as well as bad ones. However, it is usually the faults of the political dynasty that are highlighted and scrutinized. More often than not, the news is filled with reports about charges of theft, plunder and whatnot. As a result of which, many have turned to the solution of trying to ban political dynasties completely. Laws Regarding Political Dynasties In terms of the legality of political dynasties, Art. II, Sec. 26 of the Constitution says, The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. However, there is no clear definition of political dynasties and therefore the provision is none self-executing. It is the most ignored policy by Congress due to certain reasons. The framers left it to the congress to define political dynasties which it has not done (Cruz, 2007). This loophole in the law has allowed the political dynasty to continue up to the present day even if it is technically not allowed. The only law being actively enforced to prevent the abuse of power is the term limits on elective positions. However, providing a term limit for elective officials is easily countered by having families pass on their power. To retain political hold on his constituents, a forcibly retired official arranges to have his wife, a mistress, one of his children, his own siblings, or a parent to occupy his position for one term. After which, he will be qualified again to run for office (Cruz, 2007). In an effort to ban political dynasties, there was an anti-dynasty bill that was filled by Majority Floor Leader Arthur Defensor of Iloilo. Section Five of House Bill 783, which reads, Any person who has a political dynasty relationship with an incumbent elective official is disqualified from running for any elective public office within the same city and/or province where the elective public official is running. This bill will only be proactive. It will not affect those who are already currently holding positions. The bill also limits the definition of a political dynasty relationship as existing only among relatives up to the second degree of affinity or consanguinity. Thus, only the spouse, children, siblings or parents of the incumbent are deemed disqualified and similar in-law relationship. The bill disallows a relative of an incumbent from running for a position like governor, vice governor, mayor, vice mayor, as these positions are vested executive power. Another distinct feat ure of this bill is that it allows relatives of the incumbent to run for posts such as board member or councilor where power is shared owing to the collegial nature of the office. The idea of the bill is to bar relatives from holding positions where power is concentrated in an individual, but not from positions where decision-making is made through deliberation and consensus (Bordadora, 2007). Solution to Problems Regarding Political Dynasties Although this new bill seems like a good and effective idea for countering the negative effects of the existence political dynasties, it has yet to have been decided by legislators whether this will be fully implemented or not. It is up to the Congress to decide whether this bill will be passed and it seems highly unlikely that they will do so. This is partly due to the fact that political dynasties have become so much a part of the current system of governance that it is almost impossible to change. I dont think it has much of a chance under the present Congress, stated Defensor regarding his opinion on possibility of the bill being passed (Bordadora, 2007). Like it or not, the emergence of political dynasties in the Philippines still operate well within the framework of so-called democracy (PHILIPPINEPOLITICS.NET., 2000). No matter how much effort is put against the political dynasty, it is here to stay. It is simply futile to hope for any change regarding the current laws on political dynasties. Instead of looking at something that is simply out of reach, people should realize that there lies a much simpler solution. It would be impossible to ban all political dynasties in general; however, it is possible to put an end to the bad political dynasties. People should realize that they are the ones who elect their leaders into office. No matter how strong a political dynasty may be, sovereignty is held by the people. At the end of the day, it will be the people to decide whether or not a dynasty will be succeeded. Absolute power is when you have a dictatorship. We still have to go through an election. The electorate will be the ones to dic tate who are the ones who will lead. The people have the power, not the officials  [15]  (Medel, 2007). All this talk about outlawing political dynasties and its bad effects would not even be necessary if people were to vote more responsibly. What is happening in todays society is that the people are the ones choosing to make themselves powerless. They are quick to find faults in the system and demand for change, yet they do nothing to actually work for change. People need to realize that as much as the bad political dynasties are to blame, they are also responsible for allowing these dynasties to remain in power. Ultimately, people have the power to put a stop to political dynasties if the need arises. If they see that a certain dynasty abuses their power, they possess the power and responsibility to vote towards a change in leadership. On the other hand, if a dynasty is doing a good job, then they have the option to allow the dynasty to continue in the succeeding generations. According to then Representative of Tarlac and now President Benigno Aquino, the issue of whether a member of a political family should continue in office or not is a matter of public choice. At the end of the day, people deserve the government they get, he said (Cusi, 2004). That being said, these traditional political dynasties, that which do not ground their resources based on their economic stance, are still existing up to this day because they dont just merely exercise power on behalf of their families but rather they direct this power towards an ordered use to improve the publics welfare which is the way its supposed to be in a democratic society. While progress continues to be delivered by these political clans to their constituents, then their dominance and relevance in the Philippine political arena and society will be here to stay. On the other hand, if one lacks or exceeds in either their organization or exercise of power, then that dynasty is bound to fail. All in all, it is difficult to make a generalization whether the political dynasty is in fact good or bad since this would differ on a case-to-case basis. It can be detrimental to Philippine society on some instances, yet beneficial on other cases. There are both good political dynasties and bad ones. Each political dynasty has its own strengths and weaknesses and it is the duty of the people to be the judge. The political dynasty, like any other system of leadership, is prone to error. After all, no system of government is truly perfect; problems will always arise. What are needed are the unified efforts of each and every individual to continually strive in building the nation into a better place.

Hackers Essay -- Hacking Computers Technology Security Essays

Hackers It is the weekend you have nothing to do so you decide to play around on your computer . You turn it and than start up , calling people with your modem , conneciting to another world with people. This is all fine but what happens when you start getting into other people’s computer files , then it becomes a crime and who are the criminals. To begin i will start with hacking and hackers. Hacking is the act of breaking into computers and network of other poeple’s with out any permission . Hacking is like drugs or any other substance , its an addiction for the mind and once started it is diffucult to stop . Hacker is a person who enjoy learning details of a programming language or system , who tries to break into computer systems .There is two types of hackers. On is the benign hackers , who likes get into his or her own computer and understand how it works . The malicious hackers is the person who likes getting into other people’s system . Black hat is used to discribe a hacker who break into a computer system or network with malicious intent . Unlike white hat , the black hat takes advantage of the break in perhaps destroying files or stealing data for some future purpose. White hat hackers describes a hacker who identifies a security weakness in a computer system or network but instead of taking malicious advantage of it . They will allow the system‘s owners to fix it before can be taken advantage by others . But U.S law does not see differences between black hat hacker and white hat hacker. Many of the poeple in our society today often think that computer hackers are very smart individuals who have special talents and abilities and enabiling them to crack passwords , send viruses , cancel your cable tv , raid your social security and crash computer systems. Most people in our society do not spend the time to break into computer systems but all studies indicate that hackers are genarlly young and not haave full time jobs or own property kaygusuz2 They have so much time and energy to break into computers. Hackers learn hacking from reading different kind of computer books , they find many available tools on the internet , they spend so much time on the computer to learn the techniques of hacking . Some of the hackers hack for to gain highest pre... ...entality work and their lifestyle and also goverment regulations against these smart indivuduals. à nformation security professions must be more visible in a way that get children before the hackers community gets them . They get together to teach parents and schools and also they must teach children about hacking and hackers before somebody else does. And also goverment takes to find a way to stop hackers. If the goverment does not hurry up they are going to get buried by hackers and when that happens the world will not be a fun places to live in and aslo the cyberspace WORKS CITED Cert Coordination Center Computer Crime in today’s Society Retrieved: November 10, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http:// www.cert.org// Choas Computer Club ( januvary 05 , 1995 ) Hacker Bible The New Hackers Dictionary ( online education ) Retrieved November 10 , 2000 from the Worl Wide Web A non-technical artical from business web zine about Distrbuted Denial Service Attacks: http://www.cert.org/advisories /Ca-99-17-denial-of-service-tools.html Tool from the FBI’s National Infrastructure Protection Center : http://www.nipc.gov/

All The Kings Men :: essays papers

All The Kings Men All The Kings Men by Robert Penn Warren is a novel of how Jack Burden finds himself. It was a long, political road for Jack and it was the letters of an old relative that gave him a new perspective of the world. It confused him at first, but in the passage I chose you can see what Jack’s burden really is. Cass Mastern was an old relative of Jack’s. Jack was doing his history dissertation on his life. During his life he spent time with a couple he was friends with. He slept with his friends wife and when he got word of this he killed himself. Cass Mastern felt terrible for what he had caused and enlisted in the confederate army. He made sure he stayed a private, and would not fight for he had killed his friend and must take punishment for his actions. He later was wounded and died from that wound. Jack was shocked at Cass’s life. This shock was because â€Å"Cass Mastern lived for a few years and in that time he learned the world is all one piece. He learned that the world is like an enormous spider web and if you touch it, however lightly, at any point, the vibration ripples to the remotest perimeter and the drowsy no more but springs out to fling the gossamer coils about you who have touched the web and then inject the black numbing poison under your hide. It does not matter whether or not you meant to brush the web of things. Your happy foot or your gay wing may have brushed it ever so lightly, but what happens always happens and there is the spider, bearded black and with his great faceted eyes glittering like mirrors in the sun, or like God’s eye, and the fangs dripping.† Jack couldn’t accept the truth that your actions effect everyone and everything around you not just yourself. Even when these actions are meant for good, but they may have a bad effect on someone else and things can come back to haunt you. Jack had a very pessimistic view of the world. He would not accept any responsibility for his actions. He left school with out a care, left his wife without a care, and was often very rude when he was back home.

Acquaintance Rape

Running Head: ACQUAINTANCE RAPE Acquaintance Rape: It Could Happen To Anyone Abstract Anyone can be a victim of acquaintance rape. It does not matter if the victim is male or female, old or young; it can still happen. Just by being at a party full of friends or even going on a date with a significant other, everyone is at risk. It is never the victims fault. There is no possible way to know when or to whom it will happen. Acquaintance Rape: It Could Happen To Anyone We are taught â€Å"don’t get raped†, rather than â€Å"don’t rape. † Rape is defined as an act of sexual intercourse without legal consent (Harrison, 1996, p. ). The word rape is derived from the Latin word rapere, meaning to steal, seize, or carry away (Katz & Mazur, 1979, p. 10). There is more than one type of rape; they are all considered rape, but by different standards. For example, acquaintance rape refers to rape by a person known to the victim. Statutory rape means that one of the part ies involved is under the â€Å"age of consent†, which varies from the ages of 14 all the way up to 20. Rape by deception is getting the victim to agree under false pretenses. Regardless of which type it may be, it is all considered rape.In America, a rape occurs every six minutes (Keller, 1996, p. 312). Rape is rape, whether it is by a complete stranger or by someone known to the victim. There are some common questions people think about when discussing the topic of rape, such as: How can I tell who is a rapist and who is not? What kinds of people get raped? Do the victims know their attackers or are they strangers? Can men get raped? Are women rapists too? Who is to blame, the victim or the attacker? Is it still rape if I am in a relationship with the person? Why are women the weaker or ‘safer’ target?Is rape justifiable? Do they deserve it? How can we eliminate rape? Unfortunately, there is no way to tell who is a rapist and who is not just by looking at the p erson. It could be a boyfriend, a teacher, a friend, a classmate, or even just someone who lives next door. Even though there is no way to physically determine who is a rapist and who is not, there are certain behaviors that they portray that can make it easier to spot them. One of the main goals of the attacker is to increase the victim’s vulnerability. If the victim is vulnerable then she will be easier to control.The attackers use the vulnerability to their advantage; they may manipulate the victim to be alone with them, in which case it would be easier to rape them. Because of her personal relationship with the attacker, however casual, it often takes a woman longer to perceive an action as rape when it involved a man she knows than it does when a stranger assaults her. Acquaintance rape could happen to anyone. There is not a certain type of person that gets raped. Many people believe that women who wear provocative, or revealing, attire or women that are a â€Å"teaseâ €  are more likely to get raped than people who dress and act more modestly.A â€Å"tease†, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, means to tantalize especially by arousing desire or curiosity often without intending to satisfy it. But the truth is, it does not matter what the victim is wearing or the manner in which they are acting it can still happen. When most people hear the word rape, it is believed to be by a big guy in an alley that is going to rape and beat them. Just by going to a friend’s house or going to a party surrounded by peers there is a greater risk of getting raped there than by a random stranger on the street.Most acquaintance rapes happen on college campuses, thirty-eight percent of women who had been raped were between the ages of 14 and 17 at the time of their assaults (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 117). In a survey of 32 college campuses, 1 in 4 women surveyed were victims of rape or attempted rape. Of those raped, eighty-four percent knew their attacker (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 11). Men and women are four times more likely to get raped by someone they know rather than a stranger. Seventy to eighty percent of rape crimes are acquaintance rapes (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 2). Many people do not believe that men can get raped, or that women could be rapists. Usually men are raped by other men, but there are some instances where women do rape men. Women rape children more than grown men. It has been calculated that approximately ten percent of victims going to rape centers are males even though men are far less likely to actually seek help or even admit it was rape (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 98). But men are not immune, sixteen percent of male college students admit to having been forced into rape (Keller, 1996, p. 312).Most of the time when men are raped, it is by people they do not know in order to establish power and masculinity when there is no other way to express power (Hopkins, 1984, p. 46). Ninety-eight point seven percent of all rapists are male, but of those only eighty percent are over the age of 21 (Harrison, 1996). But men can still be raped by people know to them also. Most male rapes are heterosexual rapes. When men rape it is because they are trying to establish dominance. Rape is not the unleashing of male desire; it is rather the articulation of male meaning (Hopkins, 1984, p. 42).In acquaintance rapes, many people believe that since the attacker is known to the victim then is not really considered rape. Many acquaintance rapes happen because of miscommunication. The man may think that the woman was suggesting or hinting at sex with her attire or actions; whereas, the woman may have no idea that the man feels that way. It is not the victim that causes the rape (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 22). Many people believe that the women could have prevented the rape if they knew who the attacker was. The truth is there is no way to determine who is going to get raped; only the attacker knows.Mo st people have a â€Å"gut feeling† when it comes to new people, and many just push it aside until something bad happens, and then the feeling comes back again. If a woman goes on a date or is with friends and they get that â€Å"gut feeling† again, then it could possibly end badly. People do not know what is going to happen to them every second of their lives. There is no way to know who it will happen to or when it will occur and by whom. An evening planned with friends could all go awry without any warning. A victim usually doesn’t think that someone they know would even consider raping them.So the attacker is to blame because they are the ones who planned it. In a relationship, if the significant other says ‘no’ it is still considered rape if the attacker proceeds. Most people don’t think that rapes occur between people in a relationship. Men have been taught that women resist sex to avoid looking â€Å"promiscuous† by indulging in casual and indiscriminate sexual relationships. Men think that women will always say â€Å"no† even if they really mean â€Å"yes†; many women want a strong dominant leader, some men take advantage of this.Sex to men can become an addiction which can cause them to thrive after it. Sex may become a need instead of a pleasure. If a man’s main focus is sex then it is easier to rape and not consider it as so. Many men have resorted to using violence to get what they want, and it may not be with any form of weapon, but men are generally larger and stronger than females. Seventy-one percent of rape victims report the use of a weapon (Harrison, 1996). If women have been in an abusive relationship it may be harder to admit it was rape due to the fear they already have towards their partner.After being in an abusive relationship, the woman may become desensitized. Desensitization means to decrease the abnormal fear in (a person) of a situation or object, by exposing him to it either in reality or in his imagination. Once the woman starts to desensitize, it may become easier for the man to rape her because she may not fight back as much because it is the type of behavior she may be used to from the relationship. If the attacker is a former partner then the man may not consider it rape because he is establishing â€Å"old rights†.If the couple had sex in their relationship and then broke up then the man feels that he should still get sex from her. He may not only want to have sex though, he might want a relationship again and think that having sex will mean that she wants him back. He may just be trying to get back at her if she is the one who ended the relationship in the first place. Most women would not have gone back out with the person if they were able to clearly recognize it was rape in the first place (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 64).Eighty-four percent of men who had committed rape said that what they did was â€Å"definitely not rapeà ¢â‚¬  (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 90). Women are the â€Å"safer† target for attackers because they are less likely to report the rape, especially if the attacker is known to the victim. There are anywhere between five hundred twenty-five thousand to two million additional rapes are believed to go unreported every year (Harrison, 1996). Women are unknowingly taught to be â€Å"safe† targets. Many women are thought of as passive and weak so that is what they believe, so when a situation arises they do not know what to do.Seven main reactions that victims have which classify them as â€Å"safe† victims are denial, dissociation, self-blame, ignoring the â€Å"little voice†, not fighting back, not reporting the attack, and becoming a victim again (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 54-63). In a study done on acquaintance rape victims forty-two percent of women who were raped said they had sex again with the men who assaulted them (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 63). Acquainta nce rape has become more frequent in today’s society. Rapes between men and women who know each other are happening in big cities, small towns, and rural areas.They occur among all ethnic and religious groups, regardless of education or wealth. Many of the rapes are rooted in the social behavior men and women learn (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 35). Society’s attitude is that if a person dresses provocatively or is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, then the victim must endure the consequences of their actions. â€Å"In the majority of rapes, the victim was promiscuous or had a bad reputation (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 45). † When a woman is drinking, even if she is not drunk, some men believe that the rape is justifiable because â€Å"good girls† do not drink.About seventy-five percent of men and at least fifty-five percent of women involved in acquaintance rapes had been drinking or taking drugs just before the attack. Forty-five percent of all reporte d rapes involved drugs and/or alcohol: sixty-six percent for alcohol, fourteen percent for drugs, and fifteen percent for both drugs and alcohol (Harrison, 1996). Alcohol and drugs can alter the senses. While on drugs there may be hallucinations or black outs, and with alcohol the brain cells start to slow down and vision starts to become impaired.Men take advantage of these effects. If a woman’s vision is impaired then she will not be able to fully see the attacker which means she cannot identify him. If the woman is blacked out she has no way of even knowing what is happening to her and cannot identify the attacker because she has no memory of what happened during the black out. At a bar it is easy to drink too much and not remember anything. Being raped is not something to take lightly, but if the victim cannot remember anything then it will be harder to believe their story.Attackers do not want to be considered â€Å"rapists† but if the victim does not defend thems elf or say ‘no’ then the attacker does not see it as actual rape. Women under the influence are easier to take advantage of because they will not fight back as much because they may not even know what is happening. Forty percent of men and eighteen percent of women agree that the degree of a woman’s resistance should be the major factor in determining if the rape has occurred (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 6). But with drugs and alcohol a woman may not even be conscious so she would not be able to resist the attack. Research shows that today’s society will go to many lengths to justify rape. Some of these ways are: if the woman invites the man out on the date, the man pays for the date, she dresses â€Å"suggestively† by wearing revealing attire, they go to his place rather than to a movie, or she drinks alcohol or does drugs (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 43). In a study conducted by Martha R.Burt involving 598 Minnesota adults more than fifty percent agreed that if a woman goes to the home or apartment of a man on the first date, then she is implying that she is willing to have sex (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 45). Research shows that men may feel â€Å"led on† or mislead, whereas the woman may not even know that the actions being portrayed as sexual. In Eugene Kanin’s observation, sexually aggressive college men believed that their aggression was justifiable if the woman was â€Å"a tease† (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 45).In a survey of four hundred undergraduate students, fifty percent male and fifty percent female, conducted by Nona J. Barnett showed that seventeen percent of men and four percent of women agreed that when a woman was raped, she was asking for it; also fifty-nine percent of men and thirty-eight percent of women agree that women provoke rape by their appearance or behavior (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 46). Some women may express with their body language, actions, clothing, or words that they are willing t o have sex but later on they may change their mind.When a woman agrees to kissing or other sexual touching a man may feel that she is also willing to have sex, even if she never actually says that she does. If a woman is willing to do sexual things a man may feel that she is willing to have sex. One minute she might be saying yes and then the next she might be saying no and pushing him away. A man in the moment may not think anything of her actions and proceed. But if it happens before the partners have intercourse then these â€Å"mixed signals† may make the man angry, especially if he has already become aroused.Some men assume that if the person has had sex with them before then they are willing to have sex every time. Men are not mind readers; if a woman does not want to have sex then she needs to verbally let him know because he will not know any other way. Some people hope that improving the woman’s ability to clearly communicate what she wants will naturally lead men to understand how to proceed with their actions. This leads us to the common question of â€Å"How can we eliminate acquaintance rape? There is no way to entirely eliminate acquaintance rape, but by changing society’s view of â€Å"don’t get raped† rather than â€Å"don’t rape†, then more people would become aware of the issue and help to lessen the number of victims because of the newfound knowledge of the subject. Women are indeed the weaker sex, but with knowledge of the subject it would be easier to be more aware of the possibilities. If more people are aware, then more people will take precautions. If society’s attitude changed, then it would be easier for women to defend themselves.Women can defend themselves by taking karate classes, Tai kwon do, carrying a weapon, or taking self-defense classes. If women knew about acquaintance rape in more detail and knew that society was not against them, then more women would confess to it. Most women do not report this kind of rape, especially if their attacker is known to them. Acquaintance is the most prevalent rape crime today. Seventy to eighty percent of all rape crimes are acquaintance rapes (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 12). One in four women has been raped. A large selection of men and women believe that some women â€Å"deserve to get raped†.Sometimes the attacker may feel that the victim â€Å"deserved it† or were â€Å"asking for it†. In an interview with Shelby Bengston when the question was asked, â€Å"Do you think it is wrong for a person to be raped because he or she went into the house or vehicle of a friend or acquaintance? † Her response was â€Å"I don’t think it is right, but I do think they were asking for it. † In a protest walk against sexual harassment at Princeton University, as the 200 marchers passed in front of several all-male eating clubs, they had cups of beer hurled at them along with cries of â₠¬Å"Go get raped! † (Warshaw & Koss, 1988, p. 46).Most people won’t come out and say that people â€Å"deserve† to get raped but if people are getting raped then obviously the attacker feels that the victim â€Å"deserves† it. How do we determine who â€Å"deserves† to be raped? Do we only wish it upon the promiscuous? Or on the people we despise? Who are we to judge if someone should get raped or not. No matter the reason, nobody deserves it. Whether the victim was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or whether they wear provocative attire every person has rights and deserves to be treated with respect. Rape is violence, not seduction. References Bengston, Shelby. Personal interview. 12 Mar. 012 Harrison, M. (1996). The rape reference: A resource for people at risk. San Diego, Calif. : Excellent Books. Hopkins, J. (1984). Perspectives on rape and sexual assault. London: Harper & Row. Katz, S. , & Mazur, M. A. (1979). Understanding the rape vict im: A synthesis of research findings. New York: Wiley. Keller, K. (1996). Date rape: Ultimate issues ed. , p. 312) Student's Life Application Bible. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Warshaw, R. , ; Koss, M. P. (1988). I never called it rape: the Ms. Report on recognizing, fighting, and surviving date and acquaintance rape. New York: Harper ; Row.