Explain the ways in which Wilfred Owen evokes feelings of pity and horror in “Disabled”

Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War. Many of his poems have been praised for their bleak realism and it is also the case that his poem, â€Å"Disabled†, is observational and written in the third person from his own direct observation and experience. â€Å"Disabled† is about war, violence and mutilation as well as society’s reaction to this. It was written around 1917 showing the horror of war and evoking feelings of pity towards the soldiers.In â€Å"Disabled†, Owen uses the analogy of playing sports and being a soldier in war, to inform his readers about how war is not glamorous, but rather life-threatening and gruesome. He also portrays the main character’s past and state of mind. Owen's use of the word â€Å"He†, leaving the soldier unnamed implies that he is referring to one of many young soldiers affected by the war. Through the soldier, who is also the main character, Owen tells his audience of the contrast between the glories of military spectacle at first look, and the realistic horrors of the battles in war, which are grotesque and horrible.Wilfred Owen also used the technique of contrast to show the reality of the society’s thoughts on war at the time. The first stanza starts with a depressing description of a lone man â€Å"sat in a wheeled chair, waiting for dark† in a â€Å"ghastly suit of grey, Legless, sewn short at elbow†. This is Owen’s first use of description in the poem to portray the truth of war. By exposing the impact of the war on the soldiers, Owen has immediately grabbed the reader’s attention and sympathy for the soldiers in war.The psychological harm on the soldiers as a result of the war is also revealed in the first stanza by Owen when he mentions that even the â€Å"Voices of boys rang saddening like a hymn, Voices of play and pleasure†. Wilfred Owen's use of adjectives such as à ¢â‚¬Å"dark†, â€Å"grey† and â€Å"shivered† in his opening stanza shows the isolation and loneliness of the soldier. It also shows his sad emotion and psychological scars as mentioned before. His disability is also strongly portrayed within the first stanza with the use of alliteration, â€Å"suit†¦sewn short†. It also includes a strong contrast to the soldier's life by using the technique of repetition.Repeating â€Å"Voices of†, emphasises the sounds of boys playing in contrast with his loneliness. Knowing that the soldier could not even appreciate innocent voices, the audience projects a great amount of sympathy towards the soldier. The social attitudes of people before and after the war are cited by Owen. The soldier states that â€Å"About this time Town used to swing so gay†.â€Å"In the old times, before he threw away his knees†, he was able to live his life like a carefree youth. However after facing the reality of war at a young age, he was unable to â€Å"feel again how slim Girls' waists are, or how warm their subtle hands. All of them touch him like some queer disease. † This huge inevitable turn in the young soldier’s life evokes a great amount of sympathy from the readers as they have become aware of the physical and emotional harm attached to war. â€Å"Disabled† holds many phrases that give out strong messages.The expressions â€Å"glow-lamps† and â€Å"girls glanced† are linked together with the use of alliteration in the second stanza and they contrast with the soldier's life that he had before he joined the war. Owen also mentions the soldier remembering his old life, â€Å"About this time Town used to swing so gay When glow-lamps budded in the light blue trees† while he went out for evening parties â€Å"before he threw away his knees†. This is depicted as a useless loss and sacrifice to the soldier as he compares his past and present life .The contrast of the soldier's life in this stanza evokes a great amount of pity from the readers. Apart from the physical harm enforced on the young soldier, he was also internally scarred. Owen first gives his audience a glimpse of the soldier’s depressed state of mind when he indicates his â€Å"ghastly suit of grey† in the first stanza. The audience feels sympathy for the soldier as his entire youth had been taken away from him. Owen conveys this message in the third stanza, â€Å"There was [once] an artist silly for his face, For it was younger than his youth, last year.Now, he is old; †¦ And half his lifetime lapsed in the hot race†. This third stanza gives a deeper insight into the soldier’s interior harm briefly mentioned in the first stanza. In the third stanza Owen uses a great deal of vivid imagery to describe what soldiers go through at war which evokes a large amount of horror from the audience in response to war. Owen mentions that the soldier â€Å"lost his colour very far from here, [and] Poured it down shell-holes† which shows that he has lost a significant part of his life because of the bombing.Owen uses irony and the concept of reversal effectively in his next stanza when he mentions that once the soldier was proud of a â€Å"blood-smear down his leg† obtained during a football match. This is one of Owen's uses of the analogy of playing sports compared to being a soldier. The analogy is again used in the sixth stanza when Owen compares the reaction from society after a football game and after the end of the war, â€Å"Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal.†The ways of the society shocks the audience of â€Å"Disabled† and brings out a large amount of repulsion on the young and wounded soldiers of the war. The soldier's life had been ruined by the war because although the soldier had faced many difficulties as a result of the war, it is mostly the fact that his life h as come to an end, or close to the end, on account of his eagerness to join the war in his youth. The readers know of the soldier's young age because of the statement that Owen had mentioned, in his fourth stanza, which acknowledges that the army happily wrote â€Å"his lie: aged nineteen years†.This shows the audience that the soldier was barely an adult when he joined the war and this brings out the most pity from the audience for the soldier. Near the end, in the sixth stanza, Owen gives an insight into society's cruel reaction to war; the people didn’t care. â€Å"Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal. Only a solemn man †¦ Thanked him†. The thought that people appreciated a football goal more than a wounded soldier that had gone out to fight for them and serve their country makes the readers pity and sympathise with the disabled soldier.It makes them able to see the horror of the war and society. Many of these feelings of pity for the sold ier are to an extent repelled, due to his selfishness and is contradicted by his pride and wrong intentions such as â€Å"to please the giddy jilts, He [had] asked to join† the army. This creates a huge feeling of horror towards society’s thoughts and influence on young people. It makes them believe that instead of joining for the right reasons, the society and propaganda has made young children think of joining the war for the wrong reasons. In the soldier’s case, â€Å"It was after football, when he'd drunk a peg†¦Someone had said he'd look a god in kilts†. Owen has mentioned all of the influences of the society during the time of the war in his fifth stanza, some of which include: â€Å"jewelled hills For daggers in plaid socks; of smart salutes; And care of arms; and leave; and pay arrears; Esprit de corps†. The phrase â€Å"How cold and late it is! † describes how the soldier is all alone without anyone to keep him company. This se ction shows that he can't do anything meaningful in life again. The exclamation mark emphasises the strength of the soldier's feelings within his new and ruined life because of the war.The young soldier has been transformed into a dependent and helpless young man, highlighted by Owen's use of repetition â€Å"Why don't they come†¦ Why don't they come? † By revealing the great change in life for the soldier as a consequence of going to war brings out a feeling of extreme horror towards the war from the audience. Owen ends the poem leaving the audience with a clear idea of the soldier's future emphasising his now lack of freedom and his wait alone in bed until death comes to take him away from his pain and misery.â€Å"Now, he will spend a few sick years in institutes, And do what things the rules consider wise, And take whatever pity they may dole†. â€Å"[The soldier] noticed how the women's eyes Passed from him to the strong men that were whole†. They all â€Å"touch him like some queer disease. † Ultimately, Wilfred Owen mainly uses phrases and metaphors to convey the reality and horror of war and to evoke feelings of pity from his audience with the help of alliteration and lots of vivid imagery. Explain the ways in which Wilfred Owen evokes feelings of pity and horror in â€Å"Disabled† Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War. Many of his poems have been praised for their bleak realism and it is also the case that his poem, â€Å"Disabled†, is observational and written in the third person from his own direct observation and experience. â€Å"Disabled† is about war, violence and mutilation as well as society’s reaction to this. It was written around 1917 showing the horror of war and evoking feelings of pity towards the soldiers.In â€Å"Disabled†, Owen uses the analogy of playing sports and being a soldier in war, to inform his readers about how war is not glamorous, but rather life-threatening and gruesome. He also portrays the main character’s past and state of mind. Owen's use of the word â€Å"He†, leaving the soldier unnamed implies that he is referring to one of many young soldiers affected by the war. Through the soldier, who is also the main character, Owen tells his audience of the contrast between the glories of military spectacle at first look, and the realistic horrors of the battles in war, which are grotesque and horrible.Wilfred Owen also used the technique of contrast to show the reality of the society’s thoughts on war at the time. The first stanza starts with a depressing description of a lone man â€Å"sat in a wheeled chair, waiting for dark† in a â€Å"ghastly suit of grey, Legless, sewn short at elbow†. This is Owen’s first use of description in the poem to portray the truth of war. By exposing the impact of the war on the soldiers, Owen has immediately grabbed the reader’s attention and sympathy for the soldiers in war.The psychological harm on the soldiers as a result of the war is also revealed in the first stanza by Owen when he mentions that even the â€Å"Voices of boys rang saddening like a hymn, Voices of play and pleasure†. Wilfred Owen's use of adjectives such as à ¢â‚¬Å"dark†, â€Å"grey† and â€Å"shivered† in his opening stanza shows the isolation and loneliness of the soldier. It also shows his sad emotion and psychological scars as mentioned before. His disability is also strongly portrayed within the first stanza with the use of alliteration, â€Å"suit†¦sewn short†.It also includes a strong contrast to the soldier's life by using the technique of repetition. Repeating â€Å"Voices of†, emphasises the sounds of boys playing in contrast with his loneliness. Knowing that the soldier could not even appreciate innocent voices, the audience projects a great amount of sympathy towards the soldier. The social attitudes of people before and after the war are cited by Owen. The soldier states that â€Å"About this time Town used to swing so gay†.â€Å"In the old times, before he threw away his knees†, he was able to live his life like a carefree youth. However after facing the reality of war at a young age, he was unable to â€Å"feel again how slim Girls' waists are, or how warm their subtle hands. All of them touch him like some queer disease. † This huge inevitable turn in the young soldier’s life evokes a great amount of sympathy from the readers as they have become aware of the physical and emotional harm attached to war. â€Å"Disabled† holds many phrases that give out strong messages.The expressions â€Å"glow-lamps† and â€Å"girls glanced† are linked together with the use of alliteration in the second stanza and they contrast with the soldier's life that he had before he joined the war. Owen also mentions the soldier remembering his old life, â€Å"About this time Town used to swing so gay When glow-lamps budded in the light blue trees† while he went out for evening parties â€Å"before he threw away his knees†. This is depicted as a useless loss and sacrifice to the soldier as he compares his past and present life .The contrast of the soldier's life in this stanza evokes a great amount of pity from the readers. Apart from the physical harm enforced on the young soldier, he was also internally scarred. Owen first gives his audience a glimpse of the soldier’s depressed state of mind when he indicates his â€Å"ghastly suit of grey† in the first stanza. The audience feels sympathy for the soldier as his entire youth had been taken away from him. Owen conveys this message in the third stanza, â€Å"There was [once] an artist silly for his face, For it was younger than his youth, last year.Now, he is old; †¦ And half his lifetime lapsed in the hot race†. This third stanza gives a deeper insight into the soldier’s interior harm briefly mentioned in the first stanza. In the third stanza Owen uses a great deal of vivid imagery to describe what soldiers go through at war which evokes a large amount of horror from the audience in response to war. Owen mentions that the soldier â€Å"lost his colour very far from here, [and] Poured it down shell-holes† which shows that he has lost a significant part of his life because of the bombing.Owen uses irony and the concept of reversal effectively in his next stanza when he mentions that once the soldier was proud of a â€Å"blood-smear down his leg† obtained during a football match. This is one of Owen's uses of the analogy of playing sports compared to being a soldier. The analogy is again used in the sixth stanza when Owen compares the reaction from society after a football game and after the end of the war, â€Å"Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal.†The ways of the society shocks the audience of â€Å"Disabled† and brings out a large amount of repulsion on the young and wounded soldiers of the war. The soldier's life had been ruined by the war because although the soldier had faced many difficulties as a result of the war, it is mostly the fact that his life h as come to an end, or close to the end, on account of his eagerness to join the war in his youth. The readers know of the soldier's young age because of the statement that Owen had mentioned, in his fourth stanza, which acknowledges that the army happily wrote â€Å"his lie: aged nineteen years†.This shows the audience that the soldier was barely an adult when he joined the war and this brings out the most pity from the audience for the soldier. Near the end, in the sixth stanza, Owen gives an insight into society's cruel reaction to war; the people didn’t care. â€Å"Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal. Only a solemn man †¦ Thanked him†. The thought that people appreciated a football goal more than a wounded soldier that had gone out to fight for them and serve their country makes the readers pity and sympathise with the disabled soldier.It makes them able to see the horror of the war and society. Many of these feelings of pity for the sold ier are to an extent repelled, due to his selfishness and is contradicted by his pride and wrong intentions such as â€Å"to please the giddy jilts, He [had] asked to join† the army. This creates a huge feeling of horror towards society’s thoughts and influence on young people. It makes them believe that instead of joining for the right reasons, the society and propaganda has made young children think of joining the war for the wrong reasons. In the soldier’s case, â€Å"It was after football, when he'd drunk a peg†¦Someone had said he'd look a god in kilts†. Owen has mentioned all of the influences of the society during the time of the war in his fifth stanza, some of which include: â€Å"jewelled hills For daggers in plaid socks; of smart salutes; And care of arms; and leave; and pay arrears; Esprit de corps†. The phrase â€Å"How cold and late it is! † describes how the soldier is all alone without anyone to keep him company. This se ction shows that he can't do anything meaningful in life again. The exclamation mark emphasises the strength of the soldier's feelings within his new and ruined life because of the war.The young soldier has been transformed into a dependent and helpless young man, highlighted by Owen's use of repetition â€Å"Why don't they come†¦ Why don't they come? † By revealing the great change in life for the soldier as a consequence of going to war brings out a feeling of extreme horror towards the war from the audience. Owen ends the poem leaving the audience with a clear idea of the soldier's future emphasising his now lack of freedom and his wait alone in bed until death comes to take him away from his pain and misery.â€Å"Now, he will spend a few sick years in institutes, And do what things the rules consider wise, And take whatever pity they may dole†. â€Å"[The soldier] noticed how the women's eyes Passed from him to the strong men that were whole†. They all â€Å"touch him like some queer disease. † Ultimately, Wilfred Owen mainly uses phrases and metaphors to convey the reality and horror of war and to evoke feelings of pity from his audience with the help of alliteration and lots of vivid imagery.

Education is a means of brainwashing a society Essay

This can also be observed in our present Western world, where higher education can be gained with capitalist power, meaning money. If we regard this issue from the global point of view, on can see how our Western world exhaust the 3rd world, and keep it down in order to profit from their cheap working forces. This withholding of knowledge gives the Western states a position of enforcing its imperialistic politics on other populations. Moreover the knowledge is also essential to express criticism, which is not being in given in these backward countries. In the Iraq for example, a whole population is being oppressed by a corrupt and oppressive regime; however, instead of opposing the regime on the streets or express a sense of resistance, the whole population is fascinated by the leader and adores him. This would truly not have been possible with a decent amount of education. On the other hand one has to say that in a country such as Iraq, objective reporting are overshadowed by the highly subjective, the regime supporting propaganda reporting; due to the lack of education the brought masses are very accessible for such kind of information. What it basically makes clear is that without an objective education, criticism is impossible and prejudice is indoctrinated. Without education, a human being cannot differentiate if something is right or wrong; thus it just accepts its situation and becomes vulnerable to leaders or regimes, which can then impose their ideology upon the individual. We find a similar situation in Bernd Shaw’s play ‘Pygmalion’, where the lower Strata (in this case symbolized by Eliza) is not able to express any criticism due to her lack of knowledge; in a nai ve, non-critical way she accepts everything that is being told her. The quote of Higgins â€Å"Oh that’ll be all right. I’ve taught her to speak properly; and she has strict orders as to her behaviour. She’s to keep to two subjects: the weather and everybody’s health- (†¦ )† demonstrates how Elizabeth is being reduced to a common object in a experiment comparable to a rat in a laboratory. This inability to express critics on the way she is being treated emerges from her lack of knowledge how to speak properly and so lack of education. Taking this idea one step further, lack of education can consequently result in the transforming of a human being in a mindless machine; a human being’s is character and personality is defined through its experience on various areas of knowledge, which is gained by education. If this intellectualism is being suppressed, a society becomes vulnerable towards underhand manipulation by an intellectually more advanced minority that dazzles the people with the utopian idea of salvation and an improvement of their live conditions. Again we can observe this at out present society, thus in another way. Christian values are the basics of our society; laws like â€Å"You shall not kill† make a social living-together possible. These basics are being taught virtually from birth on. So we here have the example of how education is a pillar of our society, upon everything is based. Summing everything up, in conclusion it can be stated that education is essential for any individual; if there is none, no right/wrong discussion can emerge and so no criticism. This circumstance can be used by regimes to use education as a powerful and highly effective tool to manipulate a population. Doubtlessly education enforces prejudice; however to what extend this is objectively assessed or just imposed on an individual, that has nothing else to believe in, depends on the governing regime. In communism for example people are brainwashed and subjective beliefs are institutionalised upon them; however, to gain the ability to express criticism or an opinion and so prevent oppression, education is essential. The insidious increase of ignorant stupidity, caused by the malign influence of individuals/groups is the disease infiltrating a society and can only be fought with objective education.

Cyber Security: Threats, Response and Improvement

Cyberspace, or the Internet as an interchangeable reference, is the electronic medium of computer networks and systems in which online communication and enterprise takes place. Originally, the Internet served to interconnect laboratories engaged in government research. However, since 1994, the decentralized Internet has expanded to serve millions of users and a multitude of purposes in all parts of the world. With this shift from government tool to general tool, the Internet has become a collective result of ideas, beliefs and initiatives. Many aspects of our day-to-day lives can be traced along the Internet through some form of electronic function. In addition to its wide reaching powers with regards to the spread of information, the Internet has also become the most democratic and universal form of mass media ever known, since no one entity has a monopoly over the information available, thus making control close to impossible. Clearly, Internet usage in today’s world is no longer viewed as a nonessential luxury. Usage and content has exponentially risen to a level of unprecedented proportion that requires its own area of precautions and supervision. The distal range of context that Cyberspace commands is the basis for a host of security issues and challenges that anyone that utilizes the Internet is made aware of daily. There is a growing awareness in today’s globalized world of the imminent dangers that may befell anyone that isn’t careful of their Internet usage. Cybercrimes such as theft, fraud and identify theft, to name a few, pose as ominous threats to the security of any individual or enterprise that engages the Internet at any given time. Read this  Chapter 2 – Why Security is Needed Not only are these threats that individuals are subjected to, but also threats that the US government has been forced to acknowledge as it becomes increasingly dependent on the internet as a way of life. Based on the combination of the new widespread use of the internet, as well as governments and world’s dependence on the internet for daily life, cyber security has become the new face to American foreign policy, national security, military and defense strategies and economic stability. As President Obama explained, the growing number of attacks on our cyber networks has become â€Å"one of the most serious economic and national security threats our nation faces. † This increased threat explains the increase in the cyber security field, task force work, watchdog groups and government agencies over the past decade. â€Å"Cyber security,† as the field has been coined, is varied and ranges from the local, state and federal levels, all with the purpose of regulating and policing the ill effects of Cyberspace usage. Responding to Threats. The increase of security threats has forced the United States government to meet these new challenges and implement strategies towards the safeguarding and integrity of its critical infrastructures, as well as against an extensive gamut of state and non-state actors that do not adhere to physical borders. The United States government is responsible for the supervisory control and data acquisitions (SCADA) of the entire nation. SCADA has seen a growing dependence of critical infrastructures and industrial automation on interconnected physical and cyber based control systems. There has been a growing and previously unforeseen cyber security threat to these systems, which include industrial control systems, computer systems that monitor and control industrial, infrastructure, or facility-based processes. These critical infrastructures include areas such as water treatment and distribution plants, wastewater collection and treatment plants, oil and gas pipelines, electrical power transmission and distribution generators, wind farms, civil defense siren systems and large communication systems. Although most critical infrastructures are in the private sector, governments at various levels perform many key functions with regard to these infrastructures. Among those key functions are national defense, homeland security, emergency response, taxation, remittances to citizens, central bank activities, criminal justice, and public health. These functions and others now depend upon information networks and systems. Thus, it is the duty of the government by law to secure their information systems in order to provide essential services that is critical to the continuity of government. Government’s role in cyber security is warranted in cases where high transaction costs or legal barriers lead to significant coordination problems; cases in which governments operate in the absence of private sector forces; resolution of incentive problems that lead to under provisioning of critical shared resources; and raising awareness. †7 Policy Review Current cyber security policy has been adjusted to reflect the clear and present danger associated with cyber warfare. The Obama Administration has identified several areas in which cyber security will be greatly impacted. Its near term strategy, which in effect is the Administration’s immediate focus, is the most vigorous strategy, and includes the listing and identification of the designation of a cyber security directorate, establishes cyber security as a management priority, proposes a cyber security action plan that develops a framework for research and development strategies that focus on game-changing technologies that have the potential to enhance the security, reliability, resilience, and trustworthiness of digital infrastructure. The strategy also strives to provide the research community access to event data to facilitate developing tools, testing theories, and identifying workable solutions. 7 Cyber security and its safeguarding of critical infrastructure as we know it today came to pass The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P. L. 107-296), which transferred and integrated several federal entities that play a role in cyber-security of control systems into the Department of Homeland Security. These entities include the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office, the National Infrastructure Protection Center, the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center, and parts of the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Assurance. Additionally, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 created a new class of information, critical infrastructure information, which can be withheld from the public by the federal government. In spite of the clandestine measures in place to ensure the integrity of privileged information, the cornerstone of America’s cyberspace security strategy is and will remain a public-private partnership. The government, working with key stakeholders, should design an effective mechanism to achieve a true common operating picture that integrates information from the government and the private sector and serves as the basis for informed and prioritized vulnerability mitigation efforts and incident response decisions. From a federal government perspective, the proper and most efficient approach to ensuring the safety and integrity of its cyber security is through rigorous and cost-effective risk assessments. Industry Initiatives Since the field of cyber-security is a relatively new one, it will continue to experience its share of technical difficulties along the way. Initiatives that address the vulnerability of industrial control systems may be reduced and enhanced in a ‘less is more’ approach through a range of federal actions. Development standards by either a voluntary or mandatory process for cyber-security of control systems; identifying and addressing critical infrastructure interdependencies; developing encryption methods for control systems; identifying and establishing technologies to address existing vulnerabilities; funding long-term research into secure SCADA systems; providing for free exchange of risk information between the federal government, private industry, and other critical infrastructure sectors; and assessing federal activities in this area are all possibilities for negotiation. Due to the severity of importance surrounding SCADA systems, federal actions may also create a more uniform process that would include â€Å"the functionality necessary to protect industrial control systems, while providing for more secure operation. † Preparedness and Resources America’s increasing dependence on information technology has given way towards a greater protection of digital networks and infrastructures, however confidence in its current form is as delicate as ever despite renewed calls for better understanding, awareness and preparedness of critical infrastructures. â€Å"Confidence in preparedness is variable. Nearly a third of IT executives surveyed said their own sector was either â€Å"not at all prepared† or â€Å"not very prepared† to deal with attacks or infiltration by high-level adversaries. Among those who had actually experience such attacks, the lack of confidence rises to 41 percent. † It is a generally held view by the cyber security community that the resources in place to secure networks are in adequate measure to respond to at-large threats. Overall, cost was most frequently cited as â€Å"the biggest obstacle to ensuring the security of critical networks,† followed by â€Å"lack of awareness of the extent of the risk. Such a daunting task of safeguarding these important resources can only be handled at the federal level, particularly in the military’s domain, yet even the federal government isn’t impervious to data breaches, nor is the military. The man currently responsible for overseeing US cyber security strategy is Deputy Defen se Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn of US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM). Secretary Lynn cites the biggest threat to American cyberspace stems from the â€Å"exploitation, disruption and destruction of our networks. In 2008, the US was the victim of a cyber attack that penetrated top-secret classified files. The breach occurred when a foreign intelligence agent used a malicious flash drive to steal information from laptops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lynn cites this unprecedented event as â€Å"the most significant breach of U. S. military computers ever. †13 More recently in May of 2010, the US Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) was breached by PFC Bradley Manning, which led to the highly publicized Wiki Leaks controversy. USCYBERCOM will play the leading role in helping to integrate cyber operations into operational and contingency planning as outlined by the 2010 Cyberspace Policy Review and the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). According to the Cyberspace Policy Review, â€Å"[t] he nation’s approach to cyber security over the past 15 years has failed to keep pace with the threat. † The QDR acknowledges that: There is no exaggerating our dependence on DoD’s information networks for command and control of our forces, the intelligence and logistics on which they depend, and the weapons technologies we develop and field. In the 21st century, modern armed forces simply cannot conduct high-tempo, effective operations without resilient, reliable information and communication networks and assured access to cyberspace. It is therefore not surprising that DoD’s information networks have become targets for adversaries who seek to blunt U. S. military operations. Indeed, these networks are infiltrated daily by a myriad of sources, ranging from small groups of individuals to some of the largest countries in the world. The reality facing governments and private enterprise today with relation to yber attacks is to maintain a steadfast and cautious plan whose efficacy enables them to respond to the incessant attacks by hostile governments and non-state actors alike. Undoubtedly, these measures are costly, but a solid investment in the safeguarding of critical infrastructure and data. The alternative lies in damage control once an attack has been initiated, which when compared to an attack, is exponentially less than the warranted protection in aggregate. The average estimated cost of 24 hours of down time from a major cyber attack was U. S. $6. 3 million in 2010. 6 According to a study prepared by the Poneman Institute, a research center dedicated to privacy, data protection and information security policy, the smaller the gap between compliance and non-compliance costs, the lower the occurrence of compromised records for an organization. 17 According to Undersecretary of Defense Lynn, â€Å"cyber attacks on our military networks have not cost any lives, not yet. But in a six month period, the Defense Department spent more than $100 million defending its networks †¦ and we spend billions annually in a proactive effort to defend our network s. †18 Future Action Plans The interdependence of cyberspace means system networks are heavily dependent on varying infrastructures in order to function at optimum capacity. The US Department of Defense has acknowledged that in order to meet the demands of today’s cyber security threats, they must collaborate with private enterprise in order to coordinate responses to cyber attacks. The Cyber Policy Review states that, â€Å"implementation of this framework will require developing reporting thresholds, adaptable response and recovery plans, and the necessary coordination, information sharing, and incident reporting mechanisms needed for those plans to succeed. Moreover, the QDR supports the Cyber Policy Review by stating that, â€Å"this mutual assistance includes information sharing, support for law enforcement, defense support to civil authorities, and homeland defense. In particular, DoD will strengthen its cooperation with DHS, which leads the national effort to protect federal information systems. †19 Collaborative Effort and Hierarchy While cyber security is currently evolving and become a growing trend in the digital age with relation to national, military and economic security, overnment-sponsored cyber security cooperation varies widely among owners and operators of critical infrastructure in their respective arenas. 20 The advent of globalization has spawned a new age of interdependence and the integration of markets, nation-states and technologies. 21 While there is no question as to the federal government’s responsibility in pooling its resources together for its own security, the question remains insofar as to ho w the US’ allies and partners will collaborate in areas of mutual interest with relation to cyber security. As with any other venture that requires circumspection, the tendency for information sharing not only at the federal level, but international level as well may very well be a one-way street; from bottom, up. While U. S. cyber security policy aims at having a partnership with private enterprise, resistance from the private sector arises from an impending gamut of legislation and regulation. Three areas in particular are a concern for IT professionals: * Lack of faith in the understanding officials have about the way a sector works. Clumsy regulation may â€Å"level-down† security in very diverse sectors. * The risk that mandatory disclosure of security incidents—for example the compromise of personal data—can drive policy and resources in counter-productive directions. 22 These concerns are well founded and derive from the legislative branch’s inability to often time analyze, understand and process information in a timely fashion. Improving Cyber Space It w ill remain an arduous task for anyone and everyone who utilizes cyberspace as a medium for information and data sharing to maintain a relative form of security comfort. Cyberspace in its current form is unregulated by most countries around the world. China is an exception; due to their system of government, the Chinese see it as a strategic interest to hide certain areas of public internet usage. While there are steps in place to promote a healthy relationship in cyberspace from the government on down to private individuals, cyberspace and its capabilities are its infancy in terms of technology, systems and infrastructure. The ceiling is limitless with relation to advancements in all three of these phases. In the short-term, information placed in cyberspace must be carefully weighed for its content value and varying degree of sensitivity. There is a growing demand and shift towards internet usage that has secured access. For example, most websites that handle financial transactions and safeguard personal information have moved towards the â€Å"https://† coding for secure connectivity. Firewalls are an important component as well in handling any would-be hacker or virus from penetrating encrypted data. Such measures are an important step towards maintaining a harmonized cyberspace. The need and demand for privacy is another area of interest in maintaining a safe environment within cyberspace. There’s a profound difference between the location of a terrorist cell on a network server in the Pentagon and an individual’s latest update on a social media site. While both are important for differing reasons, privacy and security are of the utmost importance to maintaining the Internet and its users as safe as possible. Many cyber vulnerabilities exist because of a lack of cyber security awareness on the part of computer users, systems administrators, and technology developers, Such awareness-based vulnerabilities present serious risks to critical infrastructures. 23 Safety and improvements to cyberspace is everyone’s responsibility. With no single governing body in charge of securing and improving cyberspace, it becomes increasingly more important for all users to heed the caveat lectors of their own due diligence and to point out potential trouble areas and vulnerabilities.

The Archetype of women portray in movies throught the decades Movie Review

The Archetype of women portray in movies throught the decades - Movie Review Example The changes in the damsel in distress archetype can be easily traced through the various versions of the Cinderella story as presented by what would become Paramount Pictures but in 1914 was the Famous Players Film Company, that produced by Walt Disney in 1950 and the more modern version of â€Å"Ever After† starring Drew Barrymore. By comparing and contrasting key elements of each story, a picture begins to emerge of the differing ideologies of each time period as well as differences regarding intended audience. In the earliest film, Cinderella is seen to be living with her stepmother and two older step-sisters without any true mention of the missing natural parents. Following the traditional story, Cinderella spends her days cleaning up after her vain and spoiled sisters and step-mother and her evenings sitting in with the cinders to keep warm. She earns the fairy godmother’s help with her kindness to an old, crippled woman who shows up at her door in spite of the cru el treatment the woman gets from the step-mother and step-sisters. A tangential concern here is how this expectation for young women to be kind to the destitute compares with Snow White’s treatment (another Damsel in Distress archetypal figure) in which the young woman is poisoned for her pains. Cinderella, though, earns a chance to meet the prince while she is out gathering wood for the fire and the two fall in love immediately. The story sticks pretty close to the storyline that would be made popular by Walt Disney 40 years later with the exception that Cinderella must also complete tasks given her by the godmother before she can be dressed for the ball. These are easy tasks, including gathering the pumpkin, the mice and the rats to serve respectively as coach, horses and servants, but they are something Cinderella actually has to go and accomplish before she can receive the godmother’s gift. In keeping with the times, it was not unusual for people to find animals su ch as mice and rats living in close proximity to their homes, and it is not surprising that inside the house is where Cinderella finds and captures the mice and the rats she will need. Cinderella is a true working girl, too, not squeamish about dealing with these animals and accustomed to the hard labor of a housemaid in an age without automatic machines available to make the work easier. This is a much harder story than that told by Walt Disney in 1950. Here the step-sisters have become as unfortunate in appearance as they are in spirit. They are both obviously mean and spiteful even to each other. Cinderella’s role here is the same, to struggle as housemaid under these sisters and an even more demanding step-mother, but the house is much grander and Cinderella’s accommodations are more comfortable although still poor. While she is still expected to do all of the work, her animated clothes don’t look nearly as poor as that of her earlier live-action counterpart and the animals that live in her house are friends rather than vermin. This is made clear as the birds, dog, horse and mice all exist apparently to serve her desires because they are all, to some degree, in love with her as well. In keeping with the mood of the times in which new inventions were being made that made women’s housework much less of a chore, Cinderella is rarely seen

Business management and a career path in marketing Essay

Business management and a career path in marketing - Essay Example There is a range of intended career paths that are available to students who undertake a degree in business management. Business management has a vast scope and graduates in the subject can choose amongst various career including event management, operations management, chartered management account, marketing consultancy, business consultancy, logistics management amongst various other options. It is essential to mention here that as business management students are taught the art of mastering business throughout their education; most students are seen taking a little industry experience by working with companies. For the purpose of this essay, our focus will remain towards the area of marketing as we discuss the skills and essentials required for a person to succeed in this field. There are many skills and areas of knowledge that need to be mastered if one wants to ace in the field of marketing. These areas include, but are not limited to business analytics, social media knowledge, in-depth knowledge of data visualization, technical skills, teamwork, soft skills, and finally newsjacking. We will now look at each of these areas in detail and look at the ways of developing knowledge and skills in said areas. Business analytics refers to trends and behaviors. A study of business analytics is highly essential for a healthy marketing career as analytics looks at purchase history of customers, looks for patterns in their search behaviors etc. to connect leads to the company.

Global conflicts and contexts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global conflicts and contexts - Essay Example This paper discusses the foreign relationships that UK can possibly have with Somalia to lessen this problem of high sea piracy. A very disturbing picture is painted by Lennox (2008: 1) about the Somalia piracy where he says, â€Å"There were 115 reported pirate attacks  off the coast of Somalia in 2008. Of those attacks, 46 resulted in the seizure of a commercial vessel by Somali pirates. The average ransom for the release of hijacked vessels increased from $1 million US dollars in July of 2008, to $1.5 million by December. At the time of writing 12 vessels are being held along with approximately 400 crewmembers in pirate towns along Somalia’s unlawful coasts†. Therefore, we can see that this problem has taken a magnitude of epic proportions and is threatening to completely block off the trade route via the Gulf of Aden. This the place which sees almost 20000 ships passing each year, has also the maximum number of attacks recorded, forcing the vessels to take a longer but safer alternative route. As Biegon (2009) tells us, â€Å"The increased threat of maritime piracy has heightened the ship ping industrys financial concerns in the context of the global economic recession. Over 6.8 billion tons of goods are moved by sea annually in a global trade cycle worth $7.4 trillion, with up to 90% of international trade traveling by ship at some point. The wave of pirate attacks off the eastern coast of Africa has already had a major impact on global shipping patterns. Following the hijacking of the Sirius Star, for example, AP Moller-Maersk, Europes largest shipping company,  diverted  its fleet of 50 oil tankers away from the Suez Canal towards the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope.† This article looks at the piracy that is spelling doom for the trading vessels and Somalia alike, and tries to define the term maritime piracy and reexamine from a

Discrimination Legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discrimination Legislation - Essay Example linguistically, as in a school, most individuals spoke different languages so, for better understanding of the lessons, these students had to be separated, and taught the same language, or example English before they joined again to form a set of class understanding the same language, this is just but an example of a positive gesture of an affirmative action. On the same note, employees got divided and taught the same rules, before being joined up again. At that time, affirmative action proved rather indispensable, considering the fact that, people had to be taught, the same language, in order to understand their roles, and duties in the particular organization, though, recently a research conducted by a PhD student at the university of Purdue showed that, some human resource managers have taken advantage of this, to embezzle themselves funds, so how do they do this? Well, one might be wondering the thing is after shuffling workers in a particular work station, the restriction they put is that, for any promotion to be awarded. Although the perpetual dislike for affirmative action, has been established in most countries, some countries more so the developing once, have emulated the idea, and are working out pertinent ways to have it

Norwalk Agreement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Norwalk Agreement - Essay Example The FASB sets the accounting standards in the US, while the IASB performs a parallel function on an international level. Subsequently, the FASB and the IASB met on several occasions to reaffirm their commitment to the earlier agreement. This they did so in April and October of 2005 and on February 27, 2006 reconvened for the purpose of drafting a blueprint of convergence between the FASB’s GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and the IASB’s IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), to be implemented between 2006 and 2008 (Gibson 65). Short-term topics were laid out on the table subject to examination by both or individually by either of the parties as well as major topics. In July 2007, performance reporting was tackled where a proposal to change the layout of the face of financial statements was made. Recent events, such SEC’s announcement of acceptance of IFRS in lieu of GAAP and an agreement signed by Bush allowing use of IFRS instead of G AAP, show a likelihood of adoption of a substantially modified IFRS and the elimination of the US GAAP (Gibson 65; Fletcher 1-4). References: (2002) The Norwalk Agreement. Fletcher, Leslie. Update on the Norwalk Agreement: Progress Towards IFRS?GAAP Harmonization. 29 October 2009.

Business law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Business law - Assignment Example The feeling or ignorance pertaining what is happening makes the practice appear ambiguous. The practice worked in the sense that the rich folks controlled the market. Therefore, they had power that determined the flow of income within the market. This increased the mobility of physical cash leading to difficult economic situations arising within the economy. However, the situations did not affect those who pioneered them. Instead, they affected the poor persons within the communities. The parties involved include Hank Paulson, who is a treasury secretary. Initially, he headed Goldman and was the secretary during the time of crisis. On the other hand, Tim Geithner was an appointee tasked with overseeing the effectiveness of the system, and managed to be among those that facilitated the downfall of that system. Most people in the movie have different moral philosophies that justify their actions. They do actions that only serve their personal interests without considering what others may be going through at any one moment in time. Therefore, the principles that the people exhibit have a relationship with what they perform. For instance, Dick Fuld lost his job because he facilitated the downfall of one company. Thus, this showcases him as having some of the worst management principles that lack quality leadership. In addition to causing the downfall, he made away with huge lump sums of money making other people lose their valuables such as money and jobs (Ferrell et al. 160). The parties in question could have experienced different situations had they used different moral philosophies. Such philosophies include applied ethics, which potentially takes a person’s problems and tries to find out the right and wrong concerning the situation. The other philosophy is normative ethics that only makes an assessment of those factors enabling people

Financial report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Financial report - Essay Example The process of determining the viable option entailed the application of mathematical techniques and models such as the regression analysis, the LM test and the decision rule to arrive at the most promising and viable investment option. Therefore, 50 countries were used to apply these tests, while using variables such as the GDP per capita, the inflation rates, the consumer price index and the secondary schools to modify the mathematical models and reach at a conclusive decision on the most promising investment opportunity that could be adopted. After the application of the mathematical models and the modification of these models with the above mentioned variable, a decision was reached that investing the 2 billion in secondary school education was more promising than investing the same in the banking sector, where the money could have been used to bail out the banks. Financial decisions are among the most difficult decisions to reach. This because, while making a financial decision, varied considerations should d be made, which call for a greater level of accuracy and precise estimations (Ingersoll, 1987 p47). Additionally, financial decisions are not hundred percent dependable, owing to the large number of factors that affect financial investments and savings. Most significant is the fact that the complexity of making financial decisions is added to, by the nature of the risks involved in the financial sector, where a slight mistake either in prediction or estimation could mean the success or failure of the investments made (Batyrshin, 2007 p23). Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that financial decisions are reached with the highest degree of precision possible, while at the same time putting into consideration all the factors that determine the viability of the decisions. This financial report presents the considerations that were

Stakeholder mapping Stakeholder analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Stakeholder mapping Stakeholder analysis - Essay Example The stakeholders can very well be found beyond the formal structure of the company. Therefore in order to find out all the stakeholders, the company is also required to have a look at informal and indirect relationships as well. The company management has to make a balancing assessment and evaluate all such external forces in order to take them along with company’s objectives. Two major elements for stakeholder management are Stakeholder mapping and Stakeholder analysis. By managing the interest of stakeholders an organisation can enhance the wealth in such a manner that economic benefits can be generated by positive relationships between the organisation and its stakeholders (Preston and Donaldson, 1999). This necessitates that the service values as perceived by stakeholders are determined in an objective manner. This includes determination of elements like information and knowledge sharing about the functioning of the company, joint ventures, acquisitions and mergers, comple mentary resources and capabilities. In fact, at times, the operational direction of the company is set by the manner in which the stakeholders perceive the company, its missions and objectives. Key stakeholders like shareholders, employees, financers etc. often make use of influencing strategies to guide the organisation or to set the priorities for the company (Frooman, 1999). Therefore while taking crucial corporate decisions, it is necessary to know about the expectations of different stakeholders and to determine the extent to which they could and would exert their influence. Mitchell et al (1997) contend that an influential model of how stakeholders influence organisations is based on attributes of power, legitimacy and urgency. Johnson & Scholes (1999) define stakeholder as, â€Å"Stakeholders are groups or individuals who have a stake in, or expectation of, the organization’s performance.† Besides the owners

Nature versus nurture Essay Example for Free

Nature versus nurture Essay Every person in this world has their own distinctive personality and behavior. People may wonder why an individual may act the way they do. Thus psychologists had put this into a study of whether an individual’s behaviors are caused by hereditary or the environment. This study is known as the nature-nurture debate. This essay will discuss the difference between nature vs nurture, which one applies to me, and how it influenced me in my life. This controversial debate has existed since 1869, when the phrase Nature Versus Nurture was coined by the English polymath, Francis Galton. Throughout different time periods, this controversy continued with two contrasting scientists leading the debate. During the Greek Classical period, Plato, who favored nature meaning the genetic influence on the individual’s behavior that relies mostly on traits that you inherit. While Aristotle, who favored nurture meaning the effect the environment has on that individual which relies mostly on time spent improving a skill set, for example influence of parents or friends. The purpose of the nature-nurture debate is to explain the effect of genetic influence and the environment on the development of human trait and behavior. As far as nature goes there are many traits that I have inherited naturally through genetics from my mom and dad. From my dad I can tell I have inherited his height as well as his eating habits. I can tell that my work ethic has been inherited from my dad because he is a very hard worker and can never sit still, I also strive to achieve my personal best. My dad is also a very controlling and demanding person in which I see myself doing also. While from my mom I have inherited her good looks, sensitivity, and concerned for other people’s feelings. I have also inherited my mom’s super mathematical skills and my dad’s artistic abilities. I can also tell that I have inherited a good sense of wellbeing from my mom. Alongside that came nurture that are behaviors that I have developed from the environment I grew up in. I have learned to respect all people from being influenced at school and in the home. I have also learned to be responsible of things such as going to school or work on a daily basis, and doing the right thing. I learned that if I am not responsible and do not do my work, then I must pay the consequences. I have also learned from experiences that if I do what I am supposed to do, I may be rewarded greatly for it. I have been influenced to do something that will benefit myself and be rewarded for good things done. My environment has influenced me in many ways to act upon certain things automatically. Things like looking both ways before crossing the street, or other things that appear to be common sense are learned from nurture. When I say which one of these phrases â€Å"nature vs nurture† has more influence on me in my life, I would have to say nurture, because my past experiences is what made me the woman I am today. In most instances, the aspect of nurture tends to apply to children who live with their parents. The way I was brought up affected me now that I am an adult. This is because nurture is a product of a person’s childhood upbringing. There tends to be various external influences relating to nurture that affected my behavioral as a person. These include environmental factors such as the parental upbringing, the peer groups, the socioeconomic status, and other factors in the outside world.

Experiment on Size, Shape and Structures of Aggregates

Experiment on Size, Shape and Structures of Aggregates Introduction Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) have made considerable attention because of their unique features for conversion of free, unlimited solar energy into electricity by utilizing environmental friendly, inexpensive raw materials for low production cost1,2. DSSC composed of nanostructured, mesoporous semiconductors with wide-bandgap materials, to which the dye molecules (sensitizers) are adsorbed, a counter electrode and an electrolyte. In DSSC the dye molecule absorb visible light, and inject electron from photo-excited state of dye molecule to conduction band of semiconductor1,3 The performance of a dye-sensitized solar cell is mainly based on the structure of the visible light absorbing dye/ sensitizer. Applications of several natural carotenoid dyes with higher absorption coefficient in the visible region of the solar spectrum with higher conversion efficiency, is under investigations1,4. Carotenoids are C40 tertraterpenoid hydrocarbons consist of eight-C5 isoprene units5. The major characteristic feature of Car molecule is it comprises of extensive conjugated system of delocalized Ï€-electrons which makes them highly hydrophobic molecules. Therefore when these carotenoid molecules are dissolved in hydrated solvents they tend to form aggregates since the molecule is hydrophobic in nature. The surface arrangements and the aggregation behavior of the sensitizers (carotenoids) on semiconductor nanoparticles is greatly influenced the performance of carotenoid based artificial photosystems such as DSSC. It was stated (Wang et al.2006) that formation of dye aggregates suppresses the performance of DSSC6 since the device performance is influencing the nanoscale morphology of the aggregates. Therefore several researchers have focussed on the nanoscale organization of molecular aggregation in solutions of these conjugated molecules at atomic level resolution. Interchain agg regation behavior of a conjugated polymer (DP10-PPV) which used in opto-electronic applications such as pohotovoltaics, dissolved in two solvents having different qualities at different concentrations were studied by (Chen et al. 2009) using Small angle neutron scattering (SANS), revealed that the internal conformational structure of these network aggregates were differ in different solvents. A similar study was also carried out by Chen and coworkers for another semirigid conjugated polymer (DP6-PPV) in solutions7,8. Moreover it has been reported that, when carotenoid molecules are deposited on the surface of semiconductor often it forms H-shape aggregates5. Aggregation phenomena of natural and artificially modified carotenoids were proved that J- and H-aggregates are the possible geometries9. Apart from the formation of self-assembled aggregates in hydrated solvents of these carotenoid molecules, there is strong relationship between the structural conformation and the composition o f molecules in the solution with the ability of aggregation5. Polar carotenoids consist of –OH (hydroxyl groups) in the carotenoid structure promotes the formation of aggregates compared to the molecules without any functional groups, (Simonyi et al. 2003). Furthermore the position of the functional group may also significantly affect the type of aggregates form10. It was observed experimentally for the first time (Cheng et al. 2009), the crossover from swollen coils in semidilute regime to unperturbed coil at high concentrations11 with the variation of polymer radius of Gyration (Rg) of poly(methyl methacrylate) in chloroform as a function of polymer concentration (à Ã¢â‚¬ ¢). Perahia et al. used SANS data12to investigate how molecular solutions of poly(2,5-dinonylparaphenylene ethynylene)s (PPE) aggregates into large flat clusters. Ratnaweera et al. 2012 and Lodge and coworkers were studied self-assembly modes of several block copolymers in selective solvents using SANS13 -15. Therefore the studies of dye aggregates are really essential for future developments of carotenoid based electrochemical devices for solar energy conversion. Spectroscopic studies on carotenoids in hydrated solvents revealed that the aggregation behavior of carotenoids is significantly affecting the S0 →S2 electronic transition16 of neutral carotenoids. Therefore the solvent quality is one of the major factors for carotenoid solutions which govern the size of the aggregate. When the carotenoid molecules are uniformly dissolved in a good solvent at low concentrations to form a homogeneous mixture, carotenoids are exist as isolated molecules that are very far from each other17. Therefore the interactions between monomers are very weaker than the monomer-solvent interactions and polymer tends to swells and its size is larger than the ideal size13,18. Cheng coworkers stated11 that in the good solvent domain (T > ÃŽ ¸), the repulsions of excluded volume is greater which results Rg of the aggregates enhanced beyond its unperturbed size. Further this expansion effect is greater in dilute solutions since the volume fraction of polymer is very low compared to its overlapping concentration. When the concentration of the solution is increased, the attraction between monomers are stronger and the aggregates tried to collapses into globules wit h solvents inside it corresponds to a poor solvent. The size of the structural conformation of collapsed globule is smaller than the ideal chain17. For a polymer solution (NA = N and NB = 1) to be favorable for mixing or aggregation is depends on the Flory-Huggins equation which consist of two terms, the entropy and energy terms17. The energy change of binary mixing which depends on composition of the mixture is the main factor, for a polymer to be dissolved in a good solvent to make an equilibrium state of a homogeneous mixture of polymer solution. Entropy of mixing is small for polymer solutions and always positive hence promotes mixing, but the energy of mixing is either positive or negative which measures the attractive or repulsive interactions between species. The net attraction between species in the solution is important because it measure the value and the sign of the Flory interaction parameter (χ) and hence to know whether the given mixture consist of single-phase or separated into phases. In this research the small angle neutron scattering (SANS) data was used to investigate the quantitative experimental information on size, shape and structures of aggregates. Two carotenoid molecules, bixin and norbixin were selected in this study to characterize their structural information of monomeric and aggregated forms. The natural dyes, bixin and norbixin are belongs to the group of apo-carotenoids, extracted from annatto seeds of the Bixa orellana tree1. The chemical structures of cis-bixin (C25H30O4) and cis-norbixin (C24H28O4) is shown in fig. 1. (1) Gà ³mez-Ortà ­z, N. M.; Và ¡zquez-Maldonado, I. A.; Pà ©rez-Espadas, A. R.; Mena-Rejà ³n, G. J.; Azamar-Barrios, J. A.; Oskam, G. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 2010, 94, 40. (2) Zhou, H.; Wu, L.; Gao, Y.; Ma, T. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 2011, 219, 188. (3) Xu, H.; Tao, X.; Wang, D.-T.; Zheng, Y.-Z.; Chen, J.-F. Electrochimica Acta 2010, 55, 2280. (4) Yamazaki, E.; Murayama, M.; Nishikawa, N.; Hashimoto, N.; Shoyama, M.; Kurita, O. Solar Energy 2007, 81, 512. (5) Landrum, J. T. Carotenoids : physical, chemical, and biological functions and properties; CRC Press: Boca Raton, 2010. (6) Wang, X.-F.; Koyama, Y.; Nagae, H.; Yamano, Y.; Ito, M.; Wada, Y. Chemical Physics Letters 2006, 420, 309. (7) Li, Y.-C.; Chen, K.-B.; Chen, H.-L.; Hsu, C.-S.; Tsao, C.-S.; Chen, J.-H.; Chen, S.-A. Langmuir 2006, 22, 11009. (8) Li, Y.-C.; Chen, C.-Y.; Chang, Y.-X.; Chuang, P.-Y.; Chen, J.-H.; Chen, H.-L.; Hsu, C.-S.; Ivanov, V. A.; Khalatur, P. G.; Chen, S.-A. Langmuir 2009, 25, 4668. (9) Auweter, H.; Benade, J.; Betterman, H.; Beutner, S.; Kà ¶psel, C.; Là ¼ddecke, E.; Martin, H.; Mayer, B. Pigments in food technology. Sevilla: Dep Legal 1999, 197. (10) Simonyi, M.; Bikadi, Z.; Zsila, F.; Deli, J. Chirality 2003, 15, 680. (11) Cheng, G.; Graessley, W. W.; Melnichenko, Y. B. Physical Review Letters 2009, 102, 157801. (12) Perahia, D.; Traiphol, R.; Bunz, U. H. F. The Journal of Chemical Physics 2002, 117, 1827. (13) Ratnaweera, D. R.; Shrestha, U. M.; Osti, N.; Kuo, C.-M.; Clarson, S.; Littrell, K.; Perahia, D. Soft Matter 2012, 8, 2176. (14) Lodge, T. P.; Hamersky, M. W.; Hanley, K. J.; Huang, C.-I. Macromolecules 1997, 30, 6139. (15) Lodge, T. P.; Bang, J.; Park, M. J.; Char, K. Physical Review Letters 2004, 92, 145501. (16) Alwis, D. D. D. H.; Chandrika, U. G.; Jayaweera, P. M. Journal of Luminescence 2015, 158, 60. (17) Rubinstein, M.; Colby, R. Polymers Physics; Oxford, 2003. (18) Halperin, A. Journal de Physique 1988, 49, 547.

How to Founding Fathers Developed Democracy

How to Founding Fathers Developed Democracy How the Founding Fathers of the United States designed political institutions that embody the values of democracy and liberty while preventing the rise of tyranny over time? American democracy is often perceived as a true model for democratic institutions around the world. The United States presidential system has often been copied by many states in Africa, Asia and Latin America (Llanos 55). Despite their best efforts, few nations have achieved similar success in creating stable democratic regimes that respect and protect individual rights for long periods of time. In this modern era of democratization, an insightful analysis of American institutions will help us understand what types of institutions are likely to help democratic regimes survive and thrive over time. The following essay argues the founding fathers of the United States designed a unique formula of democratic institutions that was specifically designed to guarantee the survival of democratic values and liberty while preventing the rise of tyranny. In order to support this claim we shall analyze the three cornerstones of American democracy: an â€Å"evolving† written constitution, a federal system that constitutionally divides power between the national and subnational level and a presidential system which separates power into different branches. An evolving written constitution The founding fathers of the United States were largely inspired by important political philosophers just as Montesquieu and Locke when designing the American Political system (Pole 152). As a result of their theories and beliefs, the founding fathers realized efficient democracy requires the recognition of a powerful written constitution as the supreme law of the land (Caraley 384). By recognizing the law as supreme, it was possible to clearly distribute power and to guarantee the protection of individual rights and freedoms. The American Constitution is one the most influential documents ever written as it recognizes the importance of natural rights but also the need for a government to have the democratic consent of its people . The American Constitution is unique as it is often perceived as a â€Å"living† document that evolves along society needs and values (Barnett 10). The United States is a nation born out of revolution that fought with reason and action against the opp ressive actions of a tyrant. The modern origins of the constitutionalism can be traced back to the American Declaration of Independence issued on July 4th, 1776 (Alibrandi 22). This document officially affirmed the right of the thirteen colonies for self-determination and cut ties with British Crown due to the abuses inflicted by British authorities (Bradley 92). In 1787 Philadelphia Convention, the American Patriot James Wilson claimed that freedom would be guaranteed under common law and the charter of the individual colonies (Alibrandi 23). As a result of this rebellious attitude, British forces invaded the colonies in an attempt to regain control of the territory. However, the American patriots endured and managed to defeat British troops with the support of France (Alibrandi 21). In 1783, British authorities signed the Treaty of Paris that officially recognized the United States as independent state (Alibrandi 21). The fear and despise of any type of tyranny is an important cha racteristic of the American people that constantly shapes their political debates and beliefs. It was the very same fear of tyranny that pushed the Continental Congress to adopt the Articles of Confederation as way to redistribute power. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States became a confederacy where individual states retained a great deal of power and independence (Bradley 92). This system established a legislative branch of government and weak central government that would be responsible for the foreign affairs and protection of the territory (Bradley 92). However, as a result of ineffective central authority, the new nation faced many issues such as free-riding, inter-state tensions and poor commerce due the different currencies in circulation. In 1786, the Continental Congress which was the executive body of the confederation authorized the state legislature to appoint delegation to meet in Philadelphia to strengthen the Articles (Pole 150). At first, delegates proposed the Virginia Plan which aimed to create a strong national government where power would be separated in three branches and the executive would be appointed by popular vote (Pole 150). This initiative was rejected and the delegations moved to analyze the New Jersey Plan which was a less radical version of the Virginia plan that aimed to preserve the key outlines of the confederation (Pole 150). However, this proposal was also rejected as many delegates deemed necessary the creation of a strong national government to guarantee the prosperity and security of the young nation. The last plan was known as the Connecticut Compromise aimed to approve the American Constitution and set in place a strong national government where the executive would be appointed through the creation and us of the Electoral College (Morlon 345). Federalism as a principle The found fathers realized that in order for democracy to survive in the United States, the thirteen colonies needed to adopt a true federal system to ensure that interest of both large and small states were respected. One of the major reasons behind the downfall of the relationship between the American colonies and the British Crown lies on fact that British authorities had refused to accommodate the growing interests for more equitable representation of these states (Hulchinson 5). Following the Declaration of Independence of 1776, the Americans colonies renounced British sovereignty and established themselves as a unity of independent states (Alibrandi 22). Following the recognition of independence in 1783, the United States became a confederacy. The Articles of Confederation embodied the basic fear of strong government and highlighted the importance of individual states (Bradley 92). The United States described itself as a confederacy by which several states had voluntarily agree d to join a firm league of friendship for common defence. However, the states were committed to retain freedom, sovereignty and independence. Under the system, limited powers were vested in the legislature that had no way ratifying treaties, changing finances or defend the national territory without the complete approval of all its members (Bradley 92). In addition, there was no mention for the creation of an executive branch as many administrative duties were left in the hands of committees appointed by Congress. This first experiment of American Federalism was hardly operational and was marked by its inefficiency that deeply affected the people’s confidence in any government (Bradley 93). Shays’ rebellion seriously tested the power of the new nation as it became clear that the United States required a new way to divide institutions that power between the national level and the states in order to prosper and thrive (Bradley 93). Many Americans believed federalism was a major compromise where a strong government could be implemented but ensure that government would not be strong enough to impose tyranny as there were different jurisdictions of power among the states (Bradley 93). The concept of federalism is associated with the constitutional division of powers between national and subnational levels of government. In a true federal state, the national and subnational governments are required to cooperate and treat each other as partners in order to find consensus. In the 1780’s, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington had decided to come up with a constitutional plan to divide power between the national governments and the states that would become the basis of American Federalism (Alibrandi 23). The adoption of American Constitution led to an open debate between two major groups of Americans. The first group was the Federalists, who often referred to themselves as Plubius (Pole 151). They advocated for a strong national government based on separation of powers that included a set of checks and balances. Among the most prominent Federalists figures we find the likes of James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Jay (Pole 151). These eloquent and intelligent individuals managed through a series of published documents to convince Americans to support the creation a strong national government to ensure the protection of their liberties and rights (Pole 151). By acknowledging that men were ambitious and rapacious, the federalists proposed to design a system of government that would make ambition counteract ambition (Pole 152). By investing a great amount of power and authority in Congress, they hoped to reconcile the interest of the people and the elites as both of chambers required majoritarily support to pass legislation (Llanos60). On the other hand, the Anti-Federalist fiercely opposed this new set of institutions. On a series of published letters, this group attacked the proposed Constitution as they believed that an excessively powerful government would put in jeopardy the individual rights and freedoms that they had fought so hard to obtain from Britain (Alibrandi 27). In the end, the federalists were successful in convincing the American people in creating a strong government to reinforce legislation but also worked arduously to limit its power in a manner so that the state could not legally threaten individual rights. On September 17, 1787, the majority of the states ratified the American Constitution which officially put an end to the American Confederation and set the foundations of the more stable federal democracy (Alibrandi 23). In 1791, the American Congress adopted ten amendments to the American Constitution known as the Bill of rights (Salt 491). This set of liberties and fundamental rights cannot be violated by the government and should be protected by the government by all means. The evolving nature of the American Constitution is largely propelled by the ability of Congress to pass new amendments to expand the protection of rights and freedoms as American society changes over time. Americans display profound respect for this text and the supremacy of law is one of the predominant factors that make their nation a strong democracy. Separation of power with check and balances The American Constitution separates power into three different branches referred as the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government (Caraley 379). Each branch has a specific area of jurisdiction and powers that are meant to provide effective government. This approach was justified by the ideas of Montesquieu and Locke who claimed that the consolidation of power ultimately leads to tyranny (Pole 152). The American presidential system is a living remainder of the struggle against tyranny. Under a presidential system, institutions are designed in such a way to provide limited government that functions on the premise of separation of power. Since no individual can hold more than one position at the same time within these branches of government, power remains unfocused and more difficult to obtain. It is important to note, the founding fathers of the United States had a profound distrust on the ability of men to govern themselves democratically ( Morlon 341). For this reaso n, they believed in the creation of a system of government with limited popular control to prevent the majority to oppress others through the use direct democracy known as â€Å"mob rule† (Morlon 343). The solution envisioned to by the founding father was the creation of a system of checks and balances to regulate the separation of powers. Checks and balances provide the ability for one branch, under very specific circumstances, to deny or block the action of another branch whose actions are deemed unconstitutional and vice versa (Fontana 1141). This is a representation of James Madison’s ideals found in his works Federalist 10 and Federalist 51 that advocated for the creation of a system of government where ambition would counter-act ambition. The idea of competition between the three branches of government was central to the constitutional design in order to prevent a potential tyrant from consolidating its power (Fontana 1141). However, it is important to note the American Constitution does not perfectly separate the power of the legislative, executive and judicial branches but rather fragments these powers so that branches can check each other’s authority (Bulman Ponzen465). This lack of precision was used in more than one occasion by presidents to take significant action in order to protect the rights and freedoms of American people (Marchisio 220). In addition, since no branch of government can unilaterally declare that they represent the popular will, this thick form of accountability is necessary to give legitimacy to the government. Ever since the adoption the American Constitution, the role and power of the executive branch has been under close scrutiny. Initially, the founding father envisioned a system where Congress would be the most powerful branch of government (Morlon 342). However, historic events and major crisis have often led to an increase in power of the president. In the majority of time, presidents such as Reagan, Lincoln and Roosevelt had made an extraordinary use of the presidential power to take decisive action (Young 328). The American president and its Cabinet are responsible for reinforcing and implementing the law. It is important to note, that the American Constitution perceives the American President as the supreme leader of the armed forces and the representatives of the American people at the international stage (Young 328). While the president yields great power, his actions are largely confined to the limits prescribed in the American Constitution. In addition, the American president is constraint by a fixed term in office which prevents from clinging to power for too long. The fact that there is an open window for change in power every four years makes political competition far more intense as candidates have to engage in efficient and concise policy-making to attract a high number of votes. A major factor that contributes to the stability of the American democracy is free regular elections that allow the people to express their political preferences by casting ballots (Caraley 379). The founders believed that the only way to prevent the rise of tyrannical figure was to hold free elections periodically so that people in positions of power would have to act according the interests and needs of their constituents. It is important to note that for a long period of time, the right of vote was only given to white male property owners (Salt 486). The exclusion of women and African-Americans of voting rights put in doubt the legitimacy of the elections as many members of society were unfairly excluded from exercising their basic rights (Salt 486). Free elections and voting rights were not the only feature established by the founding fathers when designing effective democratic institutions. In terms of legislative power, the Constitution adopted bicameral chamber known as Congress to create and pass legislation. Congress is composed by two chambers: the House of Representatives and Senate (Morlon 342). The House of Representatives is known as the lower chamber where candidates are elected through direct popular vote. Since it was taken for granted that the legislative would function on a majority rule, it was important to create a devise to prevent direct democracy (Morlon 342). A solution to this problem was found in the creation of the American Senate. Initially members of the Senate were appointed by their states legislature and were meant to represent the interest of their particular states (Morlon 342). In addition, members of the Senate are given equal voting power and equal number of representatives at the upper house re gardless of population disparities (Morlon 342). Today, Senators are elected to serve six year terms With regards to the judicial branch of government, the American Constitution grants the Supreme Court the power of judicial review which allows it to override decisions made by lower courts or legislation that is deemed unconstitutional (Harriger 201). The judicial court has played an important part in shaping American democracy as it keeps a close eye on the actions of the legislative and executive. Most Americans revere the constitution, in particular libertarians, which praise the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution (Barnett 9). The majority of provisions found in the Bill of rights were designed to place certain citizens beyond the reach of majorities and officials that might want to oppress them (Harriger 201). The Bill of Rights provided the necessary legal protection to ensure one’s right to life, liberty, property, freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of worship and assembly as well as other fundamental right that could not be submitted to vote (Ca raley 386). The written nature of the constitution performs a restraining function because of its semantic meaning that is independent of the desires who decide to interpret it (Caraley 387). The Supreme Court has played a fundamental role in protecting people’s rights and advancing the struggle for equality of minorities. The Supreme Court ensures a stable democratic government by interpreting the law and the Constitution in a manner that is fair an equal for people. Conclusion To conclude, the political success of American democracy can be largely attributed to the herculean effort displayed by the founding fathers when designing American institutions. The incorporation of democratic ideals into an effective set of institutions guaranteed the survival and success of American democracy through time and change. American democracy is built on three cornerstones that prevent the rise of tyranny. The first one is the recognition of the American constitution as supreme law of the land which guarantees the protection of individual rights and freedoms. The second was the adoption of a federal system that demonstrated a compromise to include the needs and interests of large and small states. The third cornerstone is the adoption of a separation of powers to prevent individual from consolidating absolute power. James Madison played a fundamental role in creating a double protection system provided by federalism and the separation of power among the three branches of power which protects to this day the quality of American democracy.

Lysistrata: A Comedy of Stereotypes Essays -- essays research papers

LYSISTRATA, a comedy of stereotypes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The playwright Aristophanes wrote about an ancient Greece, Athens in particular, during a time of constant warfare. His play â€Å"Lysistrata† is an attempt to amuse while putting across an anti-war message. In fact even the naming of the play is an anti-war message of sorts. The word â€Å"lysistrata† means, â€Å"disband the army† (Jacobus 162). Aristophanes was a crafty writer; he creates a work of art that causes his audience to think about the current state of affairs in their city. He points out that there is a major threat to Athens when all the good, young fighters are sent off to war. Aristophanes acheives this aim by using stereotypical characterizations of women to show how utterly defenseless Athens is without their young men at home. His message is a bit subliminal in nature but still a heady one. Aristophanes realized that audiences don’t come to plays to be preached at but to be entertained. To this end, he uses comedy an d comical characterizations to delight the spectators/readers. The principal form of comical characterization he depended on was stereotyping. As the main theme of the play, the female stereotype of woman’s only power base being sex was strongly employed. The main character Lysistrata and all the women in Greece band together to essentially take over the city states to end the Peloponnesian war. They do this by exploiting their stereotypical power source, sexuality. This â€Å"power source† would...

Death Row and Women :: Feminism Law Culture Essays

Death Row and Women In Hamurabi Law, if someone is accused of murder they must take a leap into the closest river. If the accused drowns, the accuser shall take possession of his house. If the accused emerges unhurt, then the accuser is put to death and his house is given as compensation to the accused. While the system of capital punishment in the United States is not quite as random, it has its own problems that can oftentimes cross the fine line between arbitrary and absurd. The discrepancy between white and colored male inmates is often the subject of debate regarding this issue, and while that subject certainly does deserve notice, little attention is paid to women as a group on death row. It is interesting to explore how society represents and identifies with women on death row in a completely different manner than men or even other minority groups, even though they face similar discriminations in other facets of life. Why is it that we are able to see females not as killers, but first as women o r mothers? Our preconceived conceptions of â€Å"motherhood† and â€Å"womanhood† make a great difference in how we perceive female criminals, and in certain cases can be the difference between life and death. According to statistics from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, of the 455 criminals on death row in the state only 7 of them are women . This should tip us off to the manner in which we treat female criminals, even in the most pro-death penalty state in the country. Overall, women account for one in eight of people arrested for murder in America, but this ratio sinks to only one in seventy people currently on death row . This discrepancy must be a direct result of something, and is most probably attributed to society’s perception of women that place these female criminals as women first, killers second. â€Å"It’s a reflection of society’s view that women are less prone to evil than men are†, claims Jenni Gainsborough of the ACLU National Prison Project. We also seem to feel sorrier for women than we do men, and assume that if a woman has committed a crime it is because she has faced abuse in the past (usually inflicted by a man). This is true to s ome extent as it is claimed that 95% of women in prison were victims of abuse , but the point is that we generally stress the importance of female abuse while oftentimes neglecting abuse endured by their male counterparts.

Political Economy in Post-1949 China Essay

Social Science Approach to the Study of Political Economy in Post-1949 China In order to understand the political economy of China in post 1949, The Great Leap Forward, this essay will discuss three key points.   It will start with examining the theories and concepts.   Then it will evaluate the literature and online resources from Western and Chinese (translated) sources.   And lastly, it will look at the problems of research methodology. Theories and Concepts Theories and concepts about the political economy of China after the 1949 revolution revolve around who will take control of the Chinese Government and solve the economic problems of the country.   Chinese leaderships, which is consisted by Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Chen Yun, and Chu Teh, consolidated power quickly moved apparently to gain the confidence of Chinese population.   In order to resolve the economic problems, especially food shortage and high food prices, they need to reestablish the social relationships in the countryside to gain their support and produce larger quantities of agricultural products.   Here enters a new concept – the restructuring of and implementations policies. [1] The Great Leap Forward was a new approach that was believed by the Chinese leaders to concurrently grow modern and traditional sectors – industrialization and agriculture. This new approach did not actually balanced the two sectors rather it only gives both of them the importance. More importance was still given to investment but unlike in Soviet model, the Great Leap Forward did not concentrate on few lines of investment. Making the investment lines for them was pushing the ceiling upward. On the other hand, agriculture was given an added importance. Under the new approach, labor was the idea to substitute capital. Likewise, another idea was to substitute surplus labor to capital formation. These two ideas were conceptually based on labor absorption and employment generating effects of industrialization. Under the Great Leap Forward, the solution imposed by the Chinese leaders was creation of communes. Communes are the state-feudalism form of solution thought by the leaders. According to Gabriel in 1998, the prevalence of the communist fundamental class process is reflected in communes. This happens because of the main reason that institutions are being created in communes. However, communes were not achieved. Collective appropriate and distribution of the surplus product made within the enterprise by the direct producers was .implied in the process. In effect, the workers had no power to control their collective surplus. Another reflection is that unlike in capitalism, workers are paid according to the number of hours and days they give their service. Therefore, capitalist institutions were not communes. Workers from the rural settings worked with obligations. The government was the one made the appointment of the commune management. It was during the later period of the Great Leap Forward when all the management is all from the urban. The government is the institution that controls the surplus from the communes. The feudal relationship reflected in this scenario between the government and the workers was the obligation of the workers to work in communes. The government was reflected as the feudal lord during the approach in the Great Leap Forward. From communism, CPC wanted to transform the country to socialism. Socialism is the social state between communism and capitalism. The exact meaning of Socialism was not understood in China. In fact, its meaning had liberty on different interpretations. For instance, the construction of socialism by the Soviet Union means rapid industrialization and strict centralization. On the other hand, leader Mao Zedong viewed socialism as intellectual foundation of the left-wing of the CPC.   The difference on the vision of Mao Zedong on socialism required the wholesale destruction of pre-revolutionary institutions. According to Mao, feudal lords and social structure had to be removed. For Mao, new political, cultural, and economic order must be created. In addition, Mao’s proposal requires new people’s army.   Accordingly, the proposal also requires the jurisdiction of the people’s court that must at all level. Lastly, the association of peasant must be all the way through the countryside and considering the workers, a well established council in industrial enterprises is also needed. The revolutionary transformation proposed by Mao was followed by their government. Lands from feudal lords were taken possession of, and farmers gained more control on their productive capacity. There was also a better market for economic and social exchange. The communist party officials aimed for every Chinese village to have its cadres. This was part of the agenda of the government to encourage greater cooperation among farmers. The party still feared the intervention of foreign countries. In effect of this approach, the central authorities provided eyes and ears within the countryside. Accordingly, the approach the government gave the rural producers available markets for their products. Those policies of the government were essential in achieving the goal of unifying China under a central authority. The land reform significantly reduced hunger and malnutrition in the countryside of China. This was proved after the implementation of the revolutionary transformation. There were no significant detrimental impacts of feudal lords after the lands were confiscated. Accordingly, rural farmers were able to put better use of their resources and its reproductive potential. Through elimination of feudal lands, the excess/surplus output was allowed to be invested. If they were not invested, they were used to finance the new social institutions and public goods. Consequently, life and work of rural direct producers were made easier. More so, increase in the living standard due to the revolutionary transformation was delivered and reached many rural direct producers and their families.   Incomes of the rural direct producers were improved by the significant improvement of the products they were producing. In general, nourishment, clothing, shelter and health in line with production were achieved by the rural community. In accordance to the revolutionary change, the expansion in the role of women in economic and political life was given importance and improvement. The state recognized both labor coming from males and females. For the state, both labors are valued in the national economy of China. In 1953, Mao proposed the Five-Year Economic Plan or the FYEP via the central plan. Under the plan, production quotas were expected but no quality standards were required. Consequently, the impact on demand was negative. According to Gabriel, â€Å"the motivation system created significant waste of inputs, unhappy consumers, unhappy wage laborers, and unhappy rural direct producers.† [2] In addition, the government bureaucrats were unhappy due to the failure of their plan. During the recognition of the failure of the plan, Mao called for a movement. The liberty in expressing unhappiness of the Chinese public was collectively joined through the â€Å"Hundred Flowers Movement†. The second Five-Year Economic Plan or the SFYEP were then taken advantage of Mao and his fraction. Literature Review Like other literature about China, literature about this theme on political economy of post 1949 China were mostly written by Western people.   Thus, it is more on Western perspective.   And like any historical data, literature about this topic is mostly descriptive. There are few that are analytical in nature and that could be found in the form essays.   And because it is more on descriptions and chronology of the events, it failed to give the deeper overview of the essence of the topic in history. Likewise, there are literatures that are either biased or shortened.   An example is the article about the Chinese Leader Mao Zedong.   Many writers wrote Mao who was accused of â€Å"Famine Death†. One-sided story was delivered and presented in the Chinese public. Only the problems that occurred during 1959 until 1961 were understood by them. The relationship between success and failures were not given. There was improvement in the life of the Chinese public that should be recognized along with socialism. The methodologies of the research conducted in proving Mao’s accusation of famine death were biased and shortened. Deaths due to natural disasters were accountable on what the people and other research claimed to be Mao’s failure on implementation of policy. Policy error during the Mao’s regime was what the common research claimed. According to Ball (2006), â€Å"millions of lives of Chinese people were saved.†[3] More or less 16.5 Million Chinese people were recorded in official Chinese sources. The release was in line with the ideological campaign against the inheriting the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. The problem and issue on validity of the figures presented were questionable. There is anonymity on how the data were gathered. In addition, data and its preservation also seek for validity.   The sources and figures which claimed the statistical count for the death during the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution were released only twenty years after it happened. This figures and sources were obtained from the researches conducted by America, in which, as stated by Joseph Ball in his article, the American researchers increased the figure by 30 million – a combination of Chinese evidence with their own speculations from China’s censuses.’[4] Ball used statistics from China’s census and was able to gather the true figure. He also used other publications like Jung Chang and Jon Halliday’s book. In their book â€Å"Mao: the Unknown Story†, it was reported there that 38 million deaths from the Great Leap Forward was included in the total of 70 million Chinese people who were killed by Mao during his regime. The controversy regarding the origins of Chinese communism has not been completely resolved but nonetheless ended as the government strengthens the revolutionary struggle.   The generation of the specialists who followed and are much more trained as social scientists than historians, faced the challenge of documenting the Chinese communism development which, in many respects, is similar to its Soviet predecessors.[5] Those who are in contemporary Chinese studies field faced another controversy when the event of Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution which came along with communism perspective needed to be explained.   There are renewed interests and disagreements as well which aroused over the continuing importance of indigenous political traditions.  Ã‚   This was debated by the scholars who are trained with the growing field of political science, and attached with the modernization principles. [6] There are materials written guided by a singular theoretical framework to critique the Marxian theory that shapes the political and economic strategies of the Communist Party of China or CPC.   One of the most serious flaws of Chinese literature which attempts to explain the post 1049 China is illiteracy on Marxian theory of most Chinese who study the Chinese civilization, literature and language.  Ã‚   There is a failure in the knowledge of the differences between various forms of Marxian theory that have deployed and contested in China.   And there are materials which are used in the attempt to make up with these flaws.   These materials provide a critique of ‘modernist Marxism’ in the CPC style, and its rationale for maintaining monopoly control over China.   [7] Methodology Problems There is indeed a problem in research about this topic.   This is due to limited resources that are really reliable to contain facts.   And since it is written on descriptive and chronological manner, our analyses are limited to our understanding, our culture and environment. Going back to the example we gave about Mao, the flaws on the research conducted by the Western focused only on the excesses of the policy during Mao’s regime. These excesses on the policy were then exaggerated. In addition, the researchers did not grasp a thorough understanding on how some policies were developed and for what purpose. Therefore, the understanding on how Chinese people were benefitted by those policies was not understood and was not accounted in the research the western made. Evidences from the peasants were entirely different from the claim of the researches presented by the western. The statistics of the deaths during Dao’s regime were supported by the Chinese census. Only a pure and unbiased research can obtain the true figures and conclusion. However, there are scholars who are not Chinese, who take time to study China through observations, living with the Chinese people, interviewing them especially the rural people, and visit different cities and towns.   These ways of research and study are useful, although there is also a problem when it comes to language.   We know that language is a soul of the country’s culture.   There are parts of the language that change in meaning when you translate in other language.   In here, the flaw comes on the real meaning of the context. Moreover, there is a continuing effort in many scholars in changing the approach of writing and discussing about the history in general.   Their attempts hope to instill critical analysis and more explorations in different context of China. Bibliography Ball, Joseph, ‘Did Mao Really Kill Millions in the Great Leap Forward?’   A Monthly Review, 23 September 2006, retrieved 5 November 2007, . Cheng, Chu-Yuan, ‘The Economy of Communist China, 1949-1969: With a Bibliography of Selected Materials on Chinese Economic Development’, Questia Media America Inc., 1971, retrieved 5 November 2007, . Gabriel, Satya J, ‘The Structure of a Post-Revolutionary Economic Transformation:The Chinese Economy from the 1949 Revolution to the Great Leap Forward,’ Satya Gabriel’s Online Papers: China Essay Series,  1998, retrieved 5 Novemebr 2007, . Gabriel, Satya J, ‘Chinese Capitalism and the Modernist Vision,’ China Essay Series, 2007, retrieved 13 November 2007, . Harding, Harry, ‘Organizing China: The Problem of Bureaucracy, 1949-1976,’ Harry Harding; Stanford University Press, 1981, retrieved 5 November 2007, . Joseph, William, ‘A Tragedy of Good Intentions: Post-Mao Views of the Great Leap Forward,’ Modern China, 12; 419. SAGE Journals Online and HighWire Press platforms, 1986, retrieved   5 November 2007, . Lee, Hong Yung, The Politics of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Berekeley: Univ. of California Press (1978). Li, Shaomin, ‘Transforming China: Economic Reform and Its Political Implications,’ China Economic Condition 1949 1976 (2003) 10, retrieved 5 November 2007, . Richman, Barry M, ‘Industrial Society in Communist China: China–Economic Conditions–1949-1976,’ Random House, 1969, retrieved 5 November 2007, . Schram, S, The Thought of Mao Tse-Tung. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1989). The Columbia Encyclopedia, ‘China,’ Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 52323  pgs, 2004, retrieved 5 November 2007, . Perry, Elizabeth J, ‘Introduction: Chinese Political Culture Revisited,’ Popular Protest and Political Culture in Modern China, Second Edition, retrieved 13 November 2007, . [1] Gabriel, Satya J, ‘The Structure of a Post-Revolutionary Economic Transformation:The Chinese Economy from the 1949 Revolution to the Great Leap Forward,’ Satya Gabriel’s Online Papers: China Essay Series,  1998, retrieved 5 Novemebr 2007, . [2] Gabriel, The Structure of a Post-Revolutionary Economic Transformation: The Chinese Economy from the 1949 Revolution to the Great Leap Forward [3] Ball, Joseph, ‘Did Mao Really Kill Millions in the Great Leap Forward?’   A Monthly Review, 23 September 2006, retrieved 5 November 2007, . [4] Ball, Joseph, Did Mao Really Kill Millions in the Great Leap Forward? [5] Perry, Elizabeth J, ‘Introduction: Chinese Political Culture Revisited,’ Popular Protest and Political Culture in Modern China, Second Edition, retrieved 13 November 2007, . [6] Perry, Elizabeth J,   Introduction: Chinese Political Culture Revisited. [7] Gabriel, Satya J, ‘Chinese Capitalism and the Modernist Vision,’ China Essay Series, 2007, retrieved 13 November 2007, .