Free Essays on Caged Bird Essay

The anguish of imprisonment is indeed a hard thing to take. Especially when others are free to make it’s own choices, free to do what they wishes and to go where they will. â€Å"Caged Bird,† written by Maya Angelou, depicts the carefree life of a free bird and the incredible desire for freedom of the caged bird. The caged bird desperately wants to be let free but is denied, and the only option is to sing, laments for its lost freedom. The birds are personified in the lives of humans in emotions, physical imprisonment, and moral attachments. Freedom is the only way for the caged bird to achieve true happiness. The free bird does not need to speak at all. It is content; it has all it wants and all it needs. The free bird looks forward to the small things in life because it regrets and desire nothing, â€Å"The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn,† All it wants is more wind to fly on and food to live, that’s all it needs. The world is filled with obstacle unseen dangers, but the caged bird is willing to endure them because it has its freedom. The caged bird is safe and well taken care of; it does not need to worry about food, predators, or the bitter elements. However, it is willing to give up that protection in return for freedom. Because life is a series of experiences, to do nothing day in and day out it to not live. It would rather take the chance of living in the dangerous world than being cooped up in a caged, â€Å"his wings are clipped and his feet are tied,† it ca n not go anywhere. â€Å"The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings for freedom,† the caged bird sings tirelessly for freedom. It is the only thing it desires, its only want, and its only hope. It wishes to be able to do what the free bird can. The cages bird is almost like ... Free Essays on Caged Bird Essay Free Essays on Caged Bird Essay The anguish of imprisonment is indeed a hard thing to take. Especially when others are free to make it’s own choices, free to do what they wishes and to go where they will. â€Å"Caged Bird,† written by Maya Angelou, depicts the carefree life of a free bird and the incredible desire for freedom of the caged bird. The caged bird desperately wants to be let free but is denied, and the only option is to sing, laments for its lost freedom. The birds are personified in the lives of humans in emotions, physical imprisonment, and moral attachments. Freedom is the only way for the caged bird to achieve true happiness. The free bird does not need to speak at all. It is content; it has all it wants and all it needs. The free bird looks forward to the small things in life because it regrets and desire nothing, â€Å"The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn,† All it wants is more wind to fly on and food to live, that’s all it needs. The world is filled with obstacle unseen dangers, but the caged bird is willing to endure them because it has its freedom. The caged bird is safe and well taken care of; it does not need to worry about food, predators, or the bitter elements. However, it is willing to give up that protection in return for freedom. Because life is a series of experiences, to do nothing day in and day out it to not live. It would rather take the chance of living in the dangerous world than being cooped up in a caged, â€Å"his wings are clipped and his feet are tied,† it ca n not go anywhere. â€Å"The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings for freedom,† the caged bird sings tirelessly for freedom. It is the only thing it desires, its only want, and its only hope. It wishes to be able to do what the free bird can. The cages bird is almost like ...

The Creation of Britain’s Welfare State

The Creation of Britain’s Welfare State Before World War 2, Britains welfare - such as payments to support the sick - was overwhelmingly provided by private, volunteer institutions. But a change in outlook during the war allowed Britain to construct a Welfare State after the war: a country where the government provided a comprehensive welfare system to support everyone in their time of need. It remains largely in place today. Welfare Before the Twentieth Century In the twentieth century, Britain put into effect the modern Welfare State. However, the history of social welfare in Britain did not begin in this era, as people had spent centuries reforming how to deal with the sick, the poor, the unemployed and other people struggling with poverty. Churches and parishes had emerged from the medieval period with the leading role in caring for the disadvantaged, and Elizabethan poor laws clarified and reinforced the role of the parish. As the industrial revolution transformed Britain - as populations grew, gathered in expanding urban areas, and took up new jobs in ever increasing numbers - so the system to support people also evolved, sometimes with government laws once again clarifying efforts, setting contribution levels and providing care, but frequently thanks to charities and independently run bodies. Despite reformers trying to explain the reality of the situation, easy and mistaken judgments of the disadvantaged continued to be widespread, with poverty often being attributed to idleness or poor behavior rather than socio-economic factors, and there was no over-riding belief that the state should run its own system of universal welfare. People who wanted to help, or needed help, thus had to turn to the volunteer sector. These created a vast voluntary network, with mutual societies and friendly societies providing insurance and support. This has been called a mixed welfare economy, as it was a mixture of state and private initiatives. Some parts of this system included the workhouses, places where people would find work and shelter, but at a level so basic they would be encouraged to seek outside work to better themselves. On the other end of the modern compassion scale, you had bodies set up by professions such as miners, into which they paid insurance and which protected them from accident or illness. 20th Century Welfare Before Beveridge The origins of the modern Welfare State in Britain are often dated to 1906, when Herbert Asquith and the Liberal party gained a landslide victory and entered government. They would go on to introduce welfare reforms, but they did not campaign on a platform of doing so; in fact, they avoided the issue. But soon their politicians were making changes to Britain because there was pressure building to act. Britain was a rich, world leading nation, but if you looked you could easily find people who were not just poor, but actually living below the poverty line. The pressure to act and unify Britain into one mass of secure people and counter the feared division of Britain into two opposed halves (some people felt this had already happened), was summed up by Will Crooks, a Labour MP who said in 1908 Here in a country rich beyond description there are people poor beyond description. The early twentieth century reforms included a means-tested pension, non-contributory, pension for people over seventy (the Old Age Pensions Act), as well as the National Insurance Act of 1911 which provided health insurance. Under this system, the friendly societies and other bodies continued to run the healthcare institutions, but the government organized the payments in and out. Insurance was the key idea behind this, as there was reluctance among the Liberals over raising income taxes to pay for the system. (Its worth noting that German Chancellor Bismarck took a similar insurance over direct tax route in Germany.) The Liberals faced opposition, but Lloyd George managed to persuade the nation. Other reforms followed in the inter-war period, such as the Widows, Orphans, and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act of 1925. But these were making changes to the old system, tacking on new parts, and as unemployment and then depression strained the welfare apparatus, people began to look for other, far larger scale, measures, which would ditch the idea of the deserving and undeserving poor completely. The Beveridge Report In 1941, with World War 2 raging and no victory in sight, Churchill still felt able to order a commission to investigate how to rebuild the nation after the war. This included a committee which would span multiple government departments and would investigate the nations welfare systems and recommend improvements. Economist, Liberal politician and employment expert William Beveridge was made the chairman of this commission. Beveridge was an ambitious man, and he came back on December 1st, 1942 with The Beveridge Report (or Social Insurance and Allied Services as it was officially known). His involvement had been so great his fellows had decided to sign it with just his signature. In terms of Britains social fabric, this is arguably the most important document of the twentieth century. Published just after the first major Allied victories, and tapping into this hope, Beveridge made a raft of recommendations for transforming British society and ending want. He wanted cradle to the grave security (while he did not invent this term, it was perfect), and although the ideas were rarely new, more a synthesis, they were published and accepted so widely by an interested British public as to make them an intrinsic part of what the British were fighting for: win the war, reform the nation. Beveridges Welfare State was the first officially proposed, fully integrated system of welfare (although the name was by then a decade old). This reform was to be targeted. Beveridge identified five giants on the road to reconstruction that would have to be beaten: poverty, disease, ignorance, squalor, and idleness. He argued these could be solved with a state-run insurance system, and in contrast to the schemes of previous centuries, a minimum level of life would be established that was not extreme or punishing the sick for not being able to work. The solution was a welfare state with social security, a national health service, free education for all children, council-built and run housing, and full employment. The key idea was that everyone who worked would pay a sum to the government for as long as they worked, and in return would have access to government aid for the unemployed, ill, retired or widowed, and extra payments to aid those pushed to the limit by children. The use of universal insurance removed the means test from the welfare system, a disliked - some may prefer hated - pre-war way of determining who should receive relief. In fact, Beveridge didnt expect government expenditure to rise, because of the insurance payments coming in, and he expected people to still save money and do the best for themselves, very much in the thinking of the British liberal tradition. The individual remained, but the State provided the returns on your insurance. Beveridge envisaged this in a capitalist system: this was not communism. The Modern Welfare State In the dying days of World War 2, Britain voted for a new government, and the campaigning of the Labour government brought them into power (Beveridge wasnt elected.) All the main parties were in favor of the reforms, as Labour had campaigned for them and promoted them as a just reward for the war effort, they commenced, and a series of acts and laws were passed. These included the National Insurance Act in 1945, creating compulsory contributions from employees and relief for unemployment, death, sickness, and retirement; the Family Allowances Act providing payments for large families; the Industrial Injuries Act of 1946 providing a boost for people harmed at work; Aneurin Bevans 1948 National Health Act, which created a universal, free for all social healthcare system; the 1948 National Assistance Act to help all in need. The 1944 Education act covered the teaching of children, more acts provided Council Housing, and reconstruction began to eat into unemployment. The vast network of volunteer welfare services merged into the new government system. As the acts of 1948 are seen as key, this year is often called the start of Britains modern Welfare State. Evolution The Welfare State was not forced; in fact, it was widely welcomed by a nation which had largely demanded it after the war. Once the Welfare State was created it continued to evolve over time, partly due to the changing economic circumstances in Britain, but partly due to the political ideology of the parties which moved in and out of power. The general consensus of the forties, fifties, and sixties began to change in the late seventies, when Margaret Thatcher and the Conservatives began a series of reforms regarding the size of the government. They wanted fewer taxes, less spending, and so a change in welfare, but equally were faced with a welfare system that was starting to become unsustainable and top heavy. There were thus cuts and changes and private initiatives began to grow in importance, starting a debate over the role of the state in welfare which continued through to the election of the Tories under David Cameron in 2010, when a Big Society with a return to a mixed welfare e conomy was touted.

Amniocentesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Amniocentesis - Essay Example This sampling allows the doctors to look for any genetic abnormalities in the chromosomes, infections, or any other possible factors which could impact the fetal development. For example, defects in chromosome 21 such as trisomy-21, can be detected and can help later on should Down syndrome develop. One of the most common things that the process can pick up is the Rh factor. This is where the blood type of the baby does not match the blood type of the mother. In this case an immunosuppressant, Rh immunoglobin, has to be given to the mother in order to keep the mother’s immune system from attacking the fetus. This procedure is usually conducted between fourteen and twenty weeks; however it has been known to be performed as early as eleven weeks. The procedure itself takes around forty five minutes to complete and results can be handed back between a few days and a few weeks (American Pregnancy Association, 2006). There are, however, potential risks associated with the use of am niocentesis which should be taken into account for. The primary risk associated with amniocentesis is miscarriage. The most obvious, but rare complication, is that the needle actually hits the developing fetus and damages them. This is closely controlled through the use of sonogram technology.

One-Child Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

One-Child Policy - Essay Example From the research "One-Child Policy" it is clear that the Policy contributed to increased saving by individuals and provided better support to children’s higher education. It also helped to provide better healthcare services to women and reduced pregnancy-related risks. The policy proved hugely beneficial in terms of increased employment, reduced burden on natural resources and rate of exploitation. The overhead cost of social service and social maintenance and problems associated with overpopulation like poverty, epidemics, law enforcement etc were considerably reduced. This helped the government to focus on economic growth. The policy has come under flak for myriad reasons. While forced abortion and infanticide are cited as major human right violations, many social problems have also emerged with the single child. It has resulted in abnormal sex ratio and it is expected that there would be 30 million more men than women by 2020! It is also believed that spacing birth would h ave yielded the same result as the policy. Most importantly, the dependency of the elderly population on young generation has significantly increased which could ultimately impact their overall welfare. The one child policy was an important initiative to control burgeoning population which was already under huge pressure from many spheres of the public good. The overpopulation not only increases dependency on the state and increases overhead costs, it also adversely impacts social policies like employment, environment considerations and economic growth. The policy proved quite effective in controlling population dynamics and promoted higher economic growth and employment. Environment efforts also got the boost as large volumes of waste were significantly reduced. It was also important element of the national saving as it motivated individuals towards higher saving and investment for

Tsotsi vs The Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

Tsotsi vs The Kite Runner Essay In the novel, The Kite Runner written by Khaled Hosseini and the film Tsotsi written by Athol Furgard, many similarities can be found. Both stories include the inner battle that people face throughout their life, the meaning of bravery and what brotherhood truly represents. In todays society, people find it difficult to perceive their values and what they believe in. The inner battle isnt the only concept that the novel and the movie share, but many more parallel ideas will be revealed through themes. Very few would believe that the pureness of flying kites and the criminality associated with gangs could somehow be so similar. Although these stories were written nearly a decade ago, they are still able to accurately depict what life in Afghanistan and South Africa are like today. Bravery, Brotherhood, and Redemption are all themes in which one or more characters from The Kite Runner and Tsotsi undergo at least once throughout their stories. Redemption is the act of sacrifice and getting rid of sins. Redemption just means you just make a change in your life and you try to do right, versus what you were doing, which was wrong. Ice T. Bravery is courageous behavior or character. I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Nelson Mandela. Finally, Brotherhood is the relationship between brothers or a close group of friends. I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I dont believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesnt want to practice it with me. Brotherhood is a two-way street. Some might ask, what is the true meaning of bravery? There is no correct answer to this question as everyone has their own interpretations on bravery. Bravery can take many forms, and not just in situations where there is combat. Any time that someone has to overcome fear and take action can be classified as bravery. An example of bravery in The Kite Runner would be when the main character, Amir returns to Afghanistan to save his brothers  son, Sohrab. After discovering that Sohrab is in an orphanage in Afghanistan, Amir decides to bring him back to America, as a way of ridding himself of his past sins. While searching Afghanistan for Sohrab, Amir discovers that his childhood enemy, Assef is the Taliban leader who has Sohrab captive. He must overcome his fears and face the bully of his past, to redeem himself and free Sohrab. Amir defeats Assef in a fight, and successfully takes Sohrab back to America. This is a true act of bravery as Amir was willing to sacrifice his life to insure Sohrabs safety. If he had lost or been caught, Assef, being a member of the Taliban, wouldve had Amir killed instantly. In the movie Tsotsi, there are two specific examples of bravery. While returning to the house for the second time, Tsotsi and his gang hold John hostage while searching for valuable items. The real reason for Tsotsis return was to find things that would help him take care of the baby such as baby formula and a bottle. John sets off the house alarm while no one is watching him and Tsotsi and his friends begin to panic. Butcher proceeds to aim his gun at John, for setting off the alarm. As he is about to pull the trigger, Tsotsi shoots Butcher in the back of the head. This requires true bravery as Butcher was his good friend, but he had to sacrifice his friend to ensure that the babys father stayed alive and out of harm. Redemption, the act of sacrifice in order to forgive ones self. His father had once said to Rahim Khan A boy who wont stand up for himself becomes a man who cant stand up to anything (Page 23). Amirs guilt lies in the fact that his mother had died giving birth to him and he feels that he is responsible for his mothers death. At one point in the story, Amir begins to believe that his father blames him for her death, due to an unhealthy father-son relationship. It is at this point where we realize that Amir has been trying to redeem himself in his fathers eyes and meet his fathers standards for his entire life. But his guilt does not end there. Amir has a strong desire to win Babas love and for that he believes that he must win the kite flying competition and ultimately sacrifice anything, including Hassan. Although he does not say it, he shows it in the rape scene that occurs later on, when he watches his best friend getting raped and does  absolutely nothing about it. It is ironic because Amir thinks he can redeem himself in the eyes of his father by bringing him the losing kite and make him proud. In the movie Tsotsi, there is one prime example of redemption that occurs. Throughout the entire movie, the main character, Tsotsi can be seen wearing black clothing at all times. It represents his impurity and his evil intentions. While wearing black, he kills a man, threatens a woman with a gun, and bullies an old man. In the last scene of the movie, Tsotsi wears white, symbolizing his purity and his good intentions. He accepts his mistakes, goes to return the baby and to seek forgiveness for his sins. This change in clothing may not seem big, but it shows the audience the change that Tsotsi has gone through, the purity in his heart, and also shows that he wants to be a better person. Brotherhood, the relationship between brothers or close group of friends. In The Kite Runner, the major example of brotherhood is the relationship between Hassan and Amir. Throughout the book, there are events that show off this brotherhood. When Ali and Hassan decide to leave, Baba, a man who is seen as the toughest man in Kabul, starts to break down in tears due to the fact that his best friend is leaving him. Hassan and Amir share a special bond as they have known each other since childhood and have been each others best friend. One example of their brotherhood would be, Amir and Hassan, The Sultans of Kabul., which was engraved onto the tree. This symbolizes that they will always be friends and Rulers of Kabul. Another example of their brotherhood would be that Amir returns to Afghanistan to help Hassans son and bring him back to America. In the movie Tsotsi, a key example of brotherhood is between Tsotsi and Boston. Tsotsi first finds Boston on the street, outside of the bar, throwing up and lying in his own vomit. Tsotsi takes him in, cleans him up, and accepts him as part of the gang. They are together for a total of six months before getting into an argument which leads to Tsotsi punching Boston in the face multiple times. Once Boston becomes conscious again, Tsotsi brings him back to his home, apologizes and they start over again. Tsotsi  tells Boston that he is going to get him money, so that he can continue his education and fulfill his dreams of becoming a teacher. Although these stories seemed to be complete opposites at first, upon further analysis we can conclude that they are actually very similar. They share multiple themes with one another including redemption, brotherhood and bravery.

Macbeth, King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing :: English Literature Essays

Macbeth, King Lear and Much Ado About No Shakespeare writes his plays to teach a moral story, of behavior and love. The three plays, King Lear, Much Ado About nothing, and Macbeth, the parents are very stubborn and their views are very narrow toward their children. The children know that they are treated poorly but love their parents although they have many faults in trust and love. Each play ends with a loving relationship because thoughts about one another is cleared up and they live happily ever after. King Lear, has many valuable points. Shakespeare emphasizes the importance of love between family members by showing how much harm disloyal or unloving family members can cause. King Lear cruelly abuses his most loving daughter, Cordelia, simply because she admits that her love for her father is limited: "Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty/ According to my bond, no more nor less." This truthful declaration by Cordelia leads to her disinheritance. However, despite this rejection, Cordelia continues to stand by her father's side and defend him in his time of need against Regan and Goneril. Now that they have their land and power, these disloyal sisters won't care for or even support their father. In fact, the two are now so greedy and disloyal that they wish to have Lear murdered. In effect, Lear, Goneril and Regan are very much alike: their failure to love family members causes great pain, first for themselves and then for others. Lear treats Cordelia poorly because he does not realize that he has mistrusted his only true daughter. This mistrust comes from the fact that Lear believed Regan and Goneril when both professed their love for him. However, neither is honest. Toward the end of the play, Lear realizes that he has been very unfair to Cordelia, and that the other two sisters have misled him. Cordelia, however, remains true to Lear, as she respects the relationship between them although he does not. Shakespeare expects family members to be true to one another and have a solid trust in each other. Lear doesn't do what Shakespeare expects: he no longer loves Cordelia after she confesses she loves him only to the extent a daughter should. All of his love is for Regan and Goneril because both of them tell their father what he wants to hear: that they love him more than anyone in the world. Macbeth, King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing :: English Literature Essays Macbeth, King Lear and Much Ado About No Shakespeare writes his plays to teach a moral story, of behavior and love. The three plays, King Lear, Much Ado About nothing, and Macbeth, the parents are very stubborn and their views are very narrow toward their children. The children know that they are treated poorly but love their parents although they have many faults in trust and love. Each play ends with a loving relationship because thoughts about one another is cleared up and they live happily ever after. King Lear, has many valuable points. Shakespeare emphasizes the importance of love between family members by showing how much harm disloyal or unloving family members can cause. King Lear cruelly abuses his most loving daughter, Cordelia, simply because she admits that her love for her father is limited: "Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty/ According to my bond, no more nor less." This truthful declaration by Cordelia leads to her disinheritance. However, despite this rejection, Cordelia continues to stand by her father's side and defend him in his time of need against Regan and Goneril. Now that they have their land and power, these disloyal sisters won't care for or even support their father. In fact, the two are now so greedy and disloyal that they wish to have Lear murdered. In effect, Lear, Goneril and Regan are very much alike: their failure to love family members causes great pain, first for themselves and then for others. Lear treats Cordelia poorly because he does not realize that he has mistrusted his only true daughter. This mistrust comes from the fact that Lear believed Regan and Goneril when both professed their love for him. However, neither is honest. Toward the end of the play, Lear realizes that he has been very unfair to Cordelia, and that the other two sisters have misled him. Cordelia, however, remains true to Lear, as she respects the relationship between them although he does not. Shakespeare expects family members to be true to one another and have a solid trust in each other. Lear doesn't do what Shakespeare expects: he no longer loves Cordelia after she confesses she loves him only to the extent a daughter should. All of his love is for Regan and Goneril because both of them tell their father what he wants to hear: that they love him more than anyone in the world.

Notions of class, status and caste and significant throughout Asia

Asia is synonymous to one word: exotic. With its temperate climate, architectural wonders, tropical greenery, thriving urban communities, rich history, and a melting pot of ethnic groups, it truly is a gem. There is also one thing that makes Asia stand out- its culture and tradition. The Far East, as Asia is sometimes called, had been colonized by Western powers, such as Americans, Portuguese, British, Spanish, Dutch, and French.   This gave rise to a diverse array of cultures, with influences brought by the outsiders interspersing with those of its local inhabitants. One interesting aspect of Asian culture is the caste system/society or social stratification. Caste is a social classification system bestowed hereditarily (Bogard, et al, 1997). The word traces its roots from the Portuguese word casta, a feminine form of casto, derived from the Latin castus, which means pure (The American Heritage, 2000). India, for instance, is known for its caste society (McNeill, 1990). Dowling (2005) noted that the Aryans, warriors from Central Asia, were responsible for bringing caste system into India. After defeating the Dravidians of Central India in 15000 BC, the Aryans created some from of social structure (2005). However, McNeill (1990) argued that caste system started â€Å"long ago† (p.126). He stated, â€Å"About 300 BC, a Greek ambassador to the court of Magadha, named Megasthenes, wrote a book about India in which he described seven hereditary classes into which, he said, Indian society was divided† (p. 126).   The caste system, he remarked, was probably created for members of any group to do things without any hindrance coming from other groups. Caste system allowed group members to â€Å"keep most off their own ways and inner values, and preserve private family customs, while still spending their lives in close daily contact with all sorts of people† (1990). Aryans divided the caste system into four- Brahmin, composed of priests, teachers and judges, Kshatriya or the warriors, Vaisya, consisted of merchants and farmers, and Sudras, or laborers (Dowling, 2005).   Below the Sudras were the untouchables or outcastes (2005).The untouchables had the lowest position in the caste system. They were not allowed to enter temples and schools. They were even not allowed to get water from wells were higher castes obtained theirs (2005).   Some untouchables converted to other religious denomination such as Islam and Christianity to avoid the plague of being outcastes (2005). The foundation of the caste system was based on two things- samsara or reincarnation and karma or quality of action (Bogard, et al., 1997). The Brahmins believed that an infant inhabits the soul of another human being or an animal (McNeill, 1990). He explained: Souls that in former lives had gathered a heavy load of karma, then were born into babies of the lowest castes. Those who in former lives had accumulated only a little karma earned the right to be born as Brahmans; and those in between caste status. Persons who lived well in whatever caste they had been born to could hope for rebirth higher on the scale. ( p.126) Compliance with the rules may result to reincarnation into higher caste (Bogard, et al., 1997). Women, however, may â€Å"have the privilege of coming back as an animal if they are good enough† (1997). Other details on the creation of the Indian caste system, however, were not clear. McNeill (1990) noted that the Indian caste system was not just made up of four classes. The Brahmanas did not provide details of establishment of the caste system. As McNeill noticed, â€Å"In other words, we have here a theory rather than a description of what really existed† (p. 126). However the case may be, India’s caste system has been deemed â€Å"illegal† (Dowling, 2005, para.5). It was officially abolished in 1947 (McNeill, 1990). But it is integral to Indian society and has molded India into what it is now (1990). McNeill added that the caste system â€Å"allowed very primitive ideas and magical practices to survive indefinitely† (p.128). But even with its abolition, caste system still exists in some Indian communities, especially in rural ones (1990). Several measures have been taken up to reduce its effect on people and communities. The Indian government has introduced government privileges to the untouchables, now known as Harijan (2005). However, the Harijan still receive less opportunities, educational and employment-wise. Another Asian country that has stratified society is Indonesia, specifically the Balinese (Frederick and Worden, 1993). The Balinese reside in the islands of Bali and Lombok and some parts of Sumbawa (1993). The caste system dates back to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the time when Javanese princes flew to Bali to avoid the â€Å"advances of Islam† (1993).   The Balinese has had, since then, mingled with the locals and asserted an anti-Islamic political perspective (1993). The Balinese caste system was based on the Indian caste system (â€Å"Social System,†1998). The three classes were the Brahman, Ksatriya, and Wesya. The three made up the Triwangsa, which means â€Å"three peoples† (1998, para.9). The Triwangsa was the â€Å"highest three societal stratification† (1998, para.9). The classes comprised 10 % of the populace and lived in puri (1998, para.9) According to a Hindu myth (â€Å"Social System,† 1998), Brahman or god, was separated. His mouth developed into the Brahman, his arms became the Ksatriya, his thighs were the Wesya class, and out of his feet borne the Sudra class. The classes are akin to the human being, different parts have different purposes but all need to work together to survive. Brahman comprised priests, scholars and teachers (â€Å"Social System,†1998). They also had special privileges in burial rights and were entitled to a â€Å"high level of ritual communication† (1998, para.12). The Ksatriya was represented by warriors, rajas or princes whereas merchants fell into the Wesya caste (1998). The majority of Balinese, however, belonged to the Shudra class (Frederick and Worden, 1993). The Shudra or Sudra class consisted of the commoners (â€Å"Social System,†1998). Unlike their Indian counterpart, the Sudra caste was not considered untouchables (1998). The Sudra served as laborers for the three classes (1998).   Since they did not know how to read or write, they depended on the upper classes to â€Å"interpret religious texts and prayers† (1998, para.16). Caste was based on birth (â€Å"Social System,† 1998). Each caste followed certain rules. Caste rules were strictly observed. One rule involved addressing Triwangsa caste properly (1998). Another one was the responsibility of each caste member to offer assistance to other castes when needed (1998).Compared to the Indian caste system, the Balinese caste was not that rigid. Frederick and Worden (1993) pointed out that the Balinese caste system â€Å"involves no occupational specializations or ideas about ritual contaminations between ranks† (1993). Marriage between ranks was not forbidden. Today, the Balinese are caught between adhering to tradition and adapting to change (Frederick and Worden, 1993).They are starting to question the traditions and are caught in the middle of obeying years-old rules or completely junking them in favor of modernization. If the Balinese are torn between tradition and urbanization, the Philippines have managed to phase out its own version of caste system. The Spaniards’ colonization of the Philippines gave birth to the concept of barangay (Cunanan, 1986).   The barangay was considered the â€Å"basic political unit† (1986). It consisted of thirty to fifty families. A chief datu, who came from the aristocrat clan called maharlika, led a barangay (1986). The maharlika had servants called â€Å"aliping namamahay or aliping sagigilid† (1986). The aliping namamahay were responsible for building houses, tending the farms of the datus, among other things. On the other hand, the aliping sagigilid were house-bound (1986).   They were either taken into forced custody or served as payments for debts (1986). The barangays were soon integrated into a bigger unit called encomiendas (Cunanan, 1986). An encomienda was â€Å"awarded to the conguistadores and religious orders for their meritorious services in the conquest of the native people† (1986). By 17th century, the encomiendas were completely wiped out in favor of creating provinces (1986). At present, the Philippines have a modern version of the caste system: the superior-servant or household help type. In Western countries, it is interesting to note that only the rich and privileged have acquired household help. In the Philippines, household help is common, especially in urban communities. These people are employed in houses to fend for the inhabitants’ need such as cooking their meals, doing laundry and cleaning the house. Household help are usually those that did not finish school or came from poor families. Majority of them live with the families they tend to, with some slowly being recognized as family members. For a country known for its homogeneity, Japan, surprisingly, had a caste system (Reischauer, 1988). The outcast group was called burakumin or hamlet people (1988). The burakumin roots backs to the feudal era. They were known by different names but were popularly known as burakumin, an abbreviation from a form which means â€Å"people of special hamlets† (1988). They were no different from other Japanese but what set them apart was their occupation. Reischauer (1988) described them: This group, which accounts for less than 2 percent of the population, probably originated from various sources, such as the vanquished in wars or those whose work was considered particularly demeaning. Clearly they included people engaged in leather work or butchery, since the Buddhist prejudice against the taking of all animal life made others look down of such persons, thought, it should be noted, not on the butchers of human life in the feudal society dominated by a military elite. (p. 35). Since 1871, the burakumin received legal equality but prejudice is still felt. Some Japanese are said to be â€Å"reluctant to have contact with them and are careful to check family records to ensure that they avoid intermarriage† (p. 35).   Nowadays, the burakumin are becoming â€Å"less recognizable† (p. 35.) Asia is truly a mix of both worlds. The importance given to class, status or society stratification is a direct reflection of its history and people. While some may say that social classes cause inequality in society, it has defined rules on how a society or system would work. Bringing discipline and order into a society was important in a caste system. It has also fostered unity among class members. Positive and negative effects are embedded into any social stratification system. But the very same diverse ideas and counterculture are the ones that helped shape Asia into what it is now- a wonderful hodgepodge that is deeply textured. References Bogard, M., Gilbert, L., Jones, M., Nida, B., Swanson, A., & Young, S. (1997). History of the caste system. Cunanan, J.P. (1986). Evolution of labour legislation in Asia. Hong Kong: DAGA CCA-URM. Dowling, M (2005). The caste system of ancient India at mrdowling.com. Retrieved 30 April 2007 from http://www.mrdowling.com/612-caste.html Frederick, W.H. & Worden, R.L. (Eds.). (1993). Indonesia: a country study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress. McNeill, W.H. (1990). A history of the human community (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Reischauer, E.O. (1988). The Japanese today. Massachusetts: Belnap Press of Harvard University Press. Social System. (1998). Retrieved 30 April 2007 from http://www.balivision.com/Article_Resources/SocialSystem.asp The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.) (2000). USA: Houghton Mifflin Company.         

Psychology- Prejudice Essay

1. Evaluate Tajfel’s core study in terms of streotypes and weakness [10] Prejudice and Discrimination have been always controversial and it has become one of the crucial topics in the world of Social Psychology. Henry Tajfel was a British social psychology who is well known for his SIT or Social Identity Theory; ‘Intergroup Discrimination’ (1970). This theory has been useful to identify the social causes of prejudice and as well as explaining individual differences. First of all, this study is aimed to show or demonstrate that merely putting or diving people into groups could cause them to discriminate the other group. Tajfel’s procedure of the experiment involved two laboratory experiments. The subjects of the first experiment contained 64 boys, 14 and 15 year-old from a school in Bristol. The boys from each group knew each other well, since they were actually in the same houses at the school. The second experiment was similar to the first one, since 48 students also already knew each other. In terms of stereotypes and his study, Tajfel proposed that Stereotyping or putting people into groups is based on a normal cognitive; we tend to group or categories things. By the statement, he meant that we see the people in our group are just the ‘same’ with us because there are certain similarities that makes us parallel with them and there’ll be a tendency of us calling the ‘same’ people â€Å"us† and those who are different or out-group â€Å"them†. This study also has its weaknesses and strengths. One of the strengths; Laboratory experiment method, which makes him to able controlling the environment in terms of what the subjects had experienced during the test, therefore he can ensure that there are no influences that would change their behaviour later on. Manipulation of the environment also makes him able to obtain replication due to its standardness in procedures. However, since all of the participants were all male, similar age and came from the same country. In terms of experiment, this study has become biased. It is difficult to decide whether it is good enough to be generalised, due to its gender, age and geographical limitations. The ecological validity is doubtful, considering the experiments were lab studies, where we can jump to an argument that this involved unusual task is held in artificial environment. In other words, the participants acted in the way they thought was demanded of them; Demand Characteristic. This experiment deals with a disruptive and anti-social, very general commons of society in explaining and understanding the causes of prejudice and discrimination. Moreover, this piece of research could be beneficial or helpful to our daily life. Nevertheless, the applications are still limited, regard to ecological validity and the gender, race and cultures.

Converting Cubic Inches to Liters

Converting Cubic Inches to Liters This example problem demonstrates how to convert cubic inches to liters, using the real-life scenario of engine displacement, which is the combined swept displacement of all of the machines pistons in their cylinders. When someone describes the power of a car, that person might say that it has a 3.3-liter engine or some such example. Problem Many small car engines have an engine displacement of 151 cubic inches. What is this volume in liters? Working the Solution 1 inch 2.54 centimeters First, convert the measurements to cubic measurements. (1 inch)3 (2.54 cm)3 1 in3 16.387 cm3 Second, convert to cubic centimeters. Set up the conversion so that the desired unit will be canceled out. In this case, we want cubic centimeters to be the remaining unit. volume in cm3 (volume in in3) x (16.387 cm3/1 in3) volume in cm3 (151 x 16.387) cm3 volume in cm3 2,474.45 cm3 Third, convert to liters. 1 L 1,000 cm3 Set up the conversion so that the desired unit will be canceled out. In this case, we want liters to be the remaining unit. volume in L (volume in cm3) x (1 L/1,000 cm3) volume in L (2,474.45/1,000) L volume in L 2.474 L Answer A 151–cubic inch engine displaces 2.474 liters of space (or air).

Word Choice Continuous vs. Continual - Proofeds Writing Tips

Word Choice Continuous vs. Continual - Proofeds Writing Tips Word Choice: Continuous vs. Continual Continuous and continual are sometimes used interchangeably, but these words are not actually synonyms. Confusion is understandable, though: both continuous and continual come from the verb continue, and both are adjectives related to duration. There is, however, a subtle difference in their usage. Read on to learn more. Continuous (Without Interruption) The word continuous is an adjective that describes something as ongoing and uninterrupted. It is usually used when referring to a duration of time: The continuous sound of our neighbor’s clog dancing drove us mad. Continuous can also describe an uninterrupted spatial span: The Maginot Line was a continuous stretch of concrete fortifications. Continuous is the more common of the two words were examining, so it is more likely you will need this in most situations. Continual (Repeatedly) The adjective continual means that something happens repeatedly at intervals, rather than as one long, uninterrupted event. It would be used in a sentence like this: Peter hated the continual storms that blighted his childhood on the plains. This sentence refers to storms that occurred frequently and repeatedly, but there wasn’t one continuous, ongoing storm that lasted the entire length of Peter’s childhood. Continuous or Continual? Knowing the difference between these adjectives means that you will be able to use them with confidence in your writing. The basic facts to remember are: Something which is continuous happens without interruption. Something which is continual recurs, but with breaks between occurrences. If you would like some more guidance and advice about academic writing, or would like to have your own work checked through for errors and formatting, get in touch with the professionals at Proofed today!

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Case Study Example Personally, the most appropriate alternative would be to delay the decision and initiate the detailed cost accounting studies. These studies are precisely to determine product profitability in the company. Taking this alternative is informed by a number of factors, all of which address the operational and performance crisis that the company faces. To start with, taking the other two alternatives would drastically affect the overall operations of the company. This would not be a good choice due to the fact that not all operations of the company are affecting its performance. Some of the company’s business aspects are actually doing well in terms of performance. The most appropriate alternative would need an intensive evaluation and assessment of the specific operations or activities in the company that led to the crisis being experienced (Forssell 113). The intended cost accounting studies will have to evaluate the profitability of the company’s products. Doing so will subsequently inform the course of action to be taken. The slow-moving products may not be the problem, and the second production line may pick up in due course, or fail altogether. However, this is a scenario that cannot just be speculated. Delaying the decision would allow adequate time to analyze all company departments and production lines. On the same note, company trends in terms of operations and performance can be assessed within the same period. Therefore, delaying the decision only makes it possible to make an informed and rational decision, as opposed to making a haphazard decision that may end up maintaining the status quo in the firm. The cost accounting studies have a critical role to play in determining the specific company aspect that is in dire need for change in order to address the underlying crisis. Product profitability is arrived at after factoring in all fundamental aspects of the production line in question. This is the outcome of the production