Justice and Gender in the Oresteia free essay sample

Justice and Gender in the Oresteia Justice and gender are put into relation with each other in Aeschylus’ Oresteia. In this trilogy, Greek society is characterized as a patriarch, where the oldest male assumes the highest role of the oikos (household). The household consists of a twofold where the father is the head, and the wife and children are the extended family. The head of the oikos is the only one who possesses the authority to seek justice. This is because the father acquires the authority through the inheritance law or male lineage.On the contrary, Greek society seems to transform to a matriarch when Clytemnestra solely murders Agamemnon because she, like primitive males, exercises destructive justice and enters the cycle of violence. Conversely, Athena implements a new and productive structure of justice known as litigation. This suggests that Clytemnestra functions as a catalyst in the transformation from oikos (aristocratic) to polis (democratic) which reflects upon society’s progress towards cleansing. We will write a custom essay sample on Justice and Gender in the Oresteia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, Athena replaces Clytemnestra as the dominant female figure because she employs a new and more productive justice referred to as the rational Athenian judgment, and therefore establishes a just society that will produce and not destruct. In order to completely grasp Clytemnestra and Athena’s role in Oresteia, one must first acknowledge that a change in government is characterized by the societal change in justice from old to new. Then, the chorus outlines two forms of justice: destructive and productive.It is important to acknowledge that destructive justice was the prevalent type utilized by men since the earliest epochs of Greek culture. Aeschylus writes, â€Å"And Justice tilts the scales to ensure suffering is the only teacher. As for the Future, you will only learn it when it comes† (Agamemnon 53:287-290). In this passage, the chorus assists in defining that destructive justice insofar as it expounds on the notion that honesty is restored only through entering the continuous cycle of violence.It also suggests that suffering is an unending cycle of blood for blood because â€Å"it is law: that each and every drop of blood spilled on the ground calls out for more blood spilled† (121: 456-8). Aeschylus suggests that blood for blood is a highly revered belief in Greek culture because it is part of the male’s inheritance law. One might argue that the inheritance law strictly pertains to productive and wealthy heritage. However, every head of the household is subjugated by â€Å"the first mayhem, that ancestral sin, as one by one each spits on a brother’s bed that brought destruction to its defiler† (85:1364).This excerpt concludes that the cycle of violence is inescapable because it is inherited through lineage. The concept that suffering is only justified through more suffering is socially accepted, and therefore individuals that are born into this destructive structure embody an instinct inclination towards justice through violence. In knowing that males link their suffering to the sins of their ancestors, one might question that because Clytemnestra is a female, she cannot also link suffering to the sins of her lineage.Clytemnestra becomes a male in a sense that her nature is primitive and inclined to be destructive or violent. The suffering that Clytemnestra endures from death of her da ughter Iphigenia is astronomical, and therefore she can link her suffering to Agamemnon. However, one might dispute that Agamemnon is considered ancestry, and therefore Clytemnestra should not have pursued a violent vengeance. Although, Agamemnon is not considered â€Å"through streams of kindered blood,† it is important to note that as Clytemnestra assumes the head of the oikos, she also becomes affected by the ancestral sins (97:1735).Like all primitive Greek males, Clytemnestra instinctively relieves her suffering she endures, from the death of Iphigenia, by entering the cycle of violence. This further elucidates why a man, whom kills another, only acknowledges his own position in the circle of unjust acts at the very point he, in turn, becomes affected by it (murdered). Clytemnestra makes no implications of violence until she deceitfully welcomes Agamemnon, â€Å"For while the root still lives, the leaves bring cool shade to the house again.So coming back to hearth and home, you bring a summer’s warmth to us in wintertime,† (77: 1108-1112). This quote serves as the prelude to Clytemnestra finally utilizing destructive justice, and thus breaking the circle of violence. Clytemnestra destructiveness is intrinsic in the scene where she welcome home Agamemnon, who accompanied by Cassandra. Aeschylus writes, â€Å"You go inside now. I’m talking to you, Cassandra. Zeus, not unkindly, has determined you should share the lustral water of our house, standing where all our slaves crowd the altar of god who guards the house’s wealth† (79:1173-78).In this excerpt, Clytemnestra shows that she is the head of her household because she can determine who is rightfully welcome. One might argue that Clytemnestra is not revealing destructive justice because of her calmness and generosity in this scene. However, the passage suggests that she is the head and Cassandra is the extended family, and therefore Clytemnestra shows a hint of her destructiveness as she enslaves Cassandra. Clytemnestra mercilessly tells Cassandra that it is â€Å"Here with us you’ll be treated as custom warrants (1189).Destructive justice is first seen when Clytemnestra says, â€Å"My aim was so exact—I won’t deny it—that he could not outrun death, or fend it off once I ensnared him in a deadly wealth of robes, escapeless as a fishing net† (93:1573-6). This quote describes the heartless and evil deed of murdering her husband. The â€Å"escapeless fishing net† is mentioned earlier in the Oresteia when the chorus states that, â€Å"the smothering mesh, seamless, so that in no way could the old or young slip free of the enslaving wide net of all-conquering destruction† (57: 411-414).This excerpt defines the net as being analogous to destruction, in that it smothers man deceivingly. It also reiterates on the notion, relevant in other Greek cultural texts such as The History and Iliad, that ancestral sin makes fate inescapable. A net captur es you before you see it coming. This idea parallels to both the fate and fashion that Clytemnestra determines Agamemnon’s fate. Clytemnestra, the head of the oikos, disrupts the cycle of violence when she solely murders Agamemnon as she â€Å"struck him (Agamemnon) twice, and while he cried two cries, his legs gave way† (93:1576).It is important that it was Aegisthus who planned the murder only to make â€Å"the entrapment, the woman’s role† (102:1897). Aegisthus causes Clytemnestra to become the catalyst towards cleansing as suggested when the chorus calls Aegisthus â€Å"a coward to the life,† and even asks, â€Å"why didn’t you kill this man yourself instead of leaving it to† (102:1898-1903). Clytemnestra becomes the catalyst because she enters the circle of violence unrightfully, and therefore disrupts it. It is a male’s duty, according to the household’s rights, to seek destructive violence.The system becomes impure when an unnatural individual, s uch as a female, and therefore disrupts. When the stripped of its destructive nature, man forgets how to seek justice until a new one is implemented. In Eumenides, the third play of the trilogy, we see a new justice that conflicts with the old. After the primitive cycle of unjust acts is disrupted by Clytemnestra, Athena employs a form of justice where no suffering is necessary in order to restore honor. The fewer people killed constitutes the society’s progress towards cleansing in Oresteia.Productive justice is something unheard of before in ancient Greek culture. It is not until Athena applies a rational and legal judgment that we see a sufficient alternative to entering the continuous cycle of violence. Rational judgment is considered productive because instead of the Erinyes avenging Clytemnestra, by killing Orestes, his crime is justified in court, and therefore his life is spared. Hence, no man will ever have to avenge Orestes’ death because the cycle of pointless violence was disrupted and replaced, and therefore should not be pursued.Athena partakes in the judgment by becoming a contestant in the conflict. The Athenian judgment is equally compromising and advantageous for Orestes, Apollo, and the Erinyes. It also causes Athena to litigate in regards to the interest of Athens. When her judgment releases Orestes, he promises that if they (his descendants) keep an upright course, and give enduring honor to the city of Pallas with their loyal spears, will I remain a blessing to them (Eumenides 178: 895-898).Athena judges favorably for Apollo and Orestes so that she can ensure in the future that Athens will also, in turn, be treated favorably. Likewise, Athena employs the power of the Erinyes so that they can work to protect her Athens. Athena enlightens the Erinyes with the concept that it is your choice now to take what I am holding out to you: to do well and, well honored, have your own share of this land and gods well (Eumenides 181:1009-1012). This passage underlines the correlation of justice reaching an equilibrium to society becoming cleansed, and on its way to becoming productive.This is because Athena’s rational judgment, which stems from Clytemnestra’s disruption of the cycle of justice, serves as the sufficient alternative insofar as it prevents further destruction, or the deaths of Orestes, Apollo, the Erinyes, and the citizens of Athens. Clytemnestra functions as a catalyst because as she assumes the head of the oikos, her gender disrupts the prevalent nature of the household. The cycle of violence was a law followed strictly by males, and because Clytemnestra (female gender) positions herself in the role of Agesthis (male gender) she is considered an unnatural force.The society is last seen in its aristocratic structure right before Clytemnestra murders Agamemnon. Hence, the cycle of violence ceases and leaves society inclined to search for a new justice with a productive configuration. Athena carries out what Clytemnestra initiated by creating a productive alternative to seeking justice through litigation. This contrasts the ancient Greek nature insofar as individuals were originally inclined to seek vengeance. Athenian judgment transforms society from aristocratic to democratic.The litigation of unbiased intermediaries correlates to how a polis or democratic nation functions. Instead of solely deciding among one another what is just or unjust, rational judgment serves as the sufficient alternative. This is because litigation rightfully determines which actions are characterized as socially accepted by the citizens as a whole. Clytemnestra’s pursuit of destructive justice causes the household to diminish, and through Athena, a polis, or city-state surfaces. A polis allows the once extended family (wife and children), to become equal because instead of the father determining the rights of each household, the city-state as a whole establishes what is socially accepted. This is characterized as rational judgment, and it serves as the only solution because it determines one’s fate through reasoning, and not by the consequences of man’s ancestry. Thus, Clytemnestra and Athena are female agents of justice whom have helped create a structure that future societies acquire as their own.

Signficance of Good Service Backup In Technical Industry

Signficance of Good Service Backup In Technical Industry Free Online Research Papers Signficance of Good Service Backup In Technical Industry 1.Povzetek slovenskega besedila v angleÃ… ¡?ini + naslov Business success depends on elasticity, preparedness to respond to changes in environment, readiness to learn etc. But all these things are not enough if a company doesnt have a good service backup. Industrial companies are not flexible enough, rely on technological aspect and they often forget about consumers contentment with the product which leads to unsuccess. Successful companies offer good service backup – before and after sale – which is important for making a good bussiness, for consumers readiness to buy the product and for consumers contentment after buying it. Backup service after sale demands long-term activities such as qualifying workmen and researching consumers responses. Most expanded and also important service backup is qualifying consumer to use the product wich leads to good marketing. Other important service backups are also guarantee, security, overcoming language obstacles etc. Service backup is exceedingly important for proper and safety use of the product, and it can also remind the consumer of advantages of the product, such as uniqueness and quality control. 2.Povzetek besedila v enem stavku Though many industrial companies forget about consumers contentment, the most important thing (beside development etc.) is service backup which leads to good business and consumers satisfaction. 3.Prevod ozna?enega besedila While industrial companies try to assure competitive position, they rely upon technological aspect of the product and overlook their service component. They are not aware that service component means effective strategic tool with which they can gain, in most cases even without greater expences, decisive competitive position and they can overcome their competitors. Research Papers on Signficance of Good Service Backup In Technical IndustryMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductOpen Architechture a white paperNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementTwilight of the UAWPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New Employees

Review of The Ryan Boot Company Financical Statement Essay

Review of The Ryan Boot Company Financical Statement - Essay Example This ratio is to be analyzed in comparison with the profit margin. Since Ryan is putting more assets for generating lesser profit margin this ratio is very less as compared to that of the industry. Ryan would be able to increase the profit margin by lowering the total assets or increasing the profit margin. This area needs immediate attention. It is observed that this ratio is slightly higher than that of the industry. When the ROE is higher and ROA is lower, it implies that the company is trading mainly on debt funds. This implies that the debt ratio for the company is high. This is observed from the balance sheet of the company. It is seen from the balance sheet that while the long term debt of the company stands at 2,500,000 the current liabilities are 2,750,000. Although there is no harm in carrying larger current liabilities since they are non-interest bearing, it is important that the company maintains proper short term liquidity position to meet these liabilities as and when they become due. On one side although this is an advantageous position for the company from another angle this points towards a weakness for the company. This ratio is lower than that of the industry and shows a weakness for the company. This implies that either the company is too liberal in its credit policies to augment its credit sales or the company is following inefficient collection policies. If Ryan is in the habit of offering higher credit periods to its customers the company has to have a close look into the products as to the necessity for offering such higher credit terms. On the other hand if the collection policies of the company are inefficient and weak they need to be tightened so that this ratio improves. Otherwise the company will incur losses on account of more bad debts. This ratio is found to be lower than that of the industry and therefore represents a weakness for the company. It is for the company to reduce its total assets base

Fiber Optic cables Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Fiber Optic cables - Essay Example The phenomenon of guiding light through bent glass has been early given by Leonardo DaVinci in one of his notebooks. But, he has not been able to verify this assertion. What is known for certain is that total internal reflection of light in a beam of water, basically guided light, and was given by the physicist John Tyndall in either 1854 or 1870, depending upon which reference you consult. Tyndall showed that light could be bent around a corner while it traveled through a jet of pouring water. Using light for communications came after this. . In 1934 the first patent on guided optical communications over glass was obtained by AT &T. unfortunately, no materials were available at that time to fabricate a glass (or other type of transparent material) fiber optic cable with sufficiently low attenuation to make guided optical communications possible. Between 1968 and 1970, experts who were working at a number of different academic, industrial and government laboratories dropped the attenuation of glass fiber optic cable from over 1000 dB/km to less than 20 dB/km. Corning patented its fabrication process for the cable. In the late 1980's and 1990's this progress increased with the even lower cost plastic fiber optic cable and Plastic Clad Silica (PCS). In last few years a number of oceanic fiber optic cables have been fabricated. One cable was fabricated in 1990. That was relatively non-controversial. However, as additional cables were introduced, the coastal fishing industry became increasingly concerned about the loss of fishing ground resulting from cable placement, and their liability should they come into contact with a cable. Another cable was fabricated in 1998. To represent their interests a number of coastal fishers formed a committee. After discussion on numerous issues, the fishers and the cable owner reached on a conc lusion that has served as the basis for later agreements' between these two groups in Oregon. Two concentric layers termed the core and the cladding are the basic composition of a fiber optic cable. These layers are shown in the following figure. Fiber Optic Cable, 3 dimensional view and its basic cross section Both core and cladding have different refraction indexes with the core having R1 and the cladding R2. Light is piped through the core. In Fiber optic cable an additional coating termed as jacket is also provided around the cladding. Core, cladding and jacket are all shown in the three dimensional view on the left side of above Figure. The jacket is usually made up of one or more layers of polymer. This jacket protects the core and cladding from shocks that might affect their optical or physical properties. It acts like a shock absorber. The jacket also provides protection from abrasions, solvents, Small oil

Incident Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Incident - Essay Example In this experience the poet smiles at another boy when their eyes meet. In response the boy insults the poet and regards him as nigger. The author states that out of all his memories of Baltimore, this incident always remained in his memory. The poem is one of the best poems that I have come across regarding the issue of racism in United States. This poem reinstates the idea that racism is deeply embedded amongst every individual. This is because all individuals are brought up to be racist. This poem helps in identifying the main cause of racism which is the values that a child receives from his/her parents. The poem titled as Incident has been authored by Countee Cullen and in this poem the poet focuses on an event of racism that he experienced in the region of Baltimore. The poet states that one of the main causes of racism in America is the values that are transferred by parents to their children and children become racist at a very tender

Impact of Foreign Aid on Nigeria Development

Impact of Foreign Aid on Nigeria Development CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION 5.1 Summary This study examined the extent to which Foreign aid; particularly the debt relief initiative has contributed to human development in Nigeria. It particularly sought to examine the relationship between Foreign aid and development considering the underlying political-economic conditions and the effectiveness of aid on human development. This work also sought to analyze how the World Bank’s Debt Relief initiative has enabled human development in form of better living standards and access to essential facilities in Nigeria. Finally, this research sought to evaluate the political-economic conditions particularly underlying the effectiveness of the World Bank’s Debt Relief initiative to Nigeria. Chapter one introduced the study introducing a general background to the study; the statement of problem; the research questions; objectives of the study; research proposition; significance of the study; scope and limitations of the study. Chapter two focused on the review of scholarly literature on the subject matter. The chapter illustrated the historical background to Foreign aid in the International system and its contributions to development in general. The chapter also included a theoretical framework examining the theory used for study review as well as the current trends regarding the subject. Chapter three in the other hand was devoted to the historical perspective of foreign aid in Nigeria. Chapter four attempts a critical discourse of the subject matter of debt relief and human development. The chapter reviewed and evaluated the debates on the effectiveness of the Debt Relief Initiative to Nigeria. It particularly sought to examine the impact and effect of the debt relief initiative on Human development in Nigeria. It started off examining the debt relief initiative, followed by the debates on its effectiveness and management in recipient states and concluded with a critical analysis of the effectiveness of the debt relief initiative on human development in Nigeria so as to determine if foreign aid in form of debt relief has contributed to human development in Nigeria. This chapter being the fifth summarizes the research and all findings carried out. It also includes recommendations and suggestions for further studies. 5.2 Recommendations One of the significant conclusions of the aid-effectiveness literature has been that aid is more effective when the recipient country’s policy and institutional environment satisfies some minimal criteria, and that aid should thus be allocated selectively on the basis of the quality (established policies and initiatives) of prospective recipients’ economic and social policies (World Bank, 1998). To buttress this assertion, Thomas (2001) points out that some Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) had no policy responses to poverty, HIV/Aids or corruption until they were required to do so as conditions for debt relief under the HIPC Initiative. He concluded by suggesting that unless debt relief is effectively conditioned on the proper use of funds and the pursuit of structural reforms, it is unlikely to help the poor. This has been the Aid efficiency-conditionality debate –surrounding the subject matter. It is rather quite unfortunate that the afore mentioned assertion or debate was somewhat verified in Nigeria with the establishment of the Debt Management Office and the Virtual Poverty Fund – initiatives that were as a result of a desperate need for a debt relief. What is more reliving though is that the DMO is actually still in place and very much efficient in managing the Nation’s external and internal debt, and have shown certain level of accountability and transparency. This is seen with the up-to-the-minute information available on the Debt Management Office (DMO) website for Nigerians to familiarize themselves with the office and all that has been done to get a debt relief and all that there is to managing further debt both on the state level and the federal level. This research further recommends that revenues from oil be utilized appropriately to make resources available to finance investment that would in turn lead to growth. No doubt, there is the individual approach to office administration and policy initiation. But because the nature of Public administration allows for continuity even after the presiding officer or chair steps down, it is therefore appropriate to recommend that the established Debt Management Office and the Virtual Trust Fund (VPF) that was internationally commendable suggest that the Nigerian Government is competent enough to initiate functional approaches to challenges in the state and manage such initiatives effectively. It would be worthwhile therefore, to have our leaders put that same zeal and drive to initiating solutions to several other challenges facing the state and run it efficiently as the DMO was viciously run to get debt relief. Apart from debt relief being a form of aid; in Nigeria, the aid fund goes directly to the ministries, department or agency (MDA) that uses the fund. This is contrary to what happened in other Sub Sahara African Countries such as Kenya and Ghana in which foreign aid is treated as part of the budget. The Senate in Nigeria has warned against the disbursement of foreign aid coming into the country without National Assemblys involvement. The lawmakers are now insisting that such funds must henceforth be captured in the nation’s budget process for the purpose of tracking its flow and disbursement into Nigeria’s critical sectors (The Will, 2011). The idea is that by-passing budget will result in timely release of the aid to the critical sectors of the economy. Also, by-passing budget would ensure that aid money is not diverted to non-aided projects in the country. It is possible that there is the fear of embezzlement and mismanagement. And so I would recommend that the ministr ies, department or agency (MDA) that receive and utilize aid fund continue to do so but with a report to the National Assembly on a detailed account of aid fund. To effectively assess the effectiveness of the VPF or any aid fund for that matter, it is important for recorded projects to include the names or complete detail of projects so as to allow for complete evaluation. One may question if poor policy performance is a cause or a consequence of external debt or debt over hang for that matter. The debt overhang theory and the more general concerns of debt distorting incentives of the borrowing countries to reform imply that poor policy performance could be an outcome caused by external debt, at least in some of the HIPC countries, especially in the short run, as governments have much less incentive to absorb reform costs if they primarily produce income for foreign creditors. This should not be the case for Nigeria with the surplus revenue from oil does. It does not allow for the conclusion that poor policy performance could be an outcome caused by external debt. Rather, gross mismanagement of public fund, looting and perpetuated greed has caused poor policy performance. The civil society could have suppressed mismanagement to some extent but that is not really the case because what is seen is a state where there is minimal horizontal accountability and almost an invisible vertical accountability. In fact, the Nigerian citizens are negligent of the existence of the state and tend to survive with or without its input. This should not be the case. For Nigerian leaders to be accountable, citizens must actively participate in the politics of the state and make demands without fear. As many other reviews have recommended, this research would also recommend that Nigeria should diversify her economy to have multiple income streams. It is true that no state can be self-sufficient but the manner in which aid is given to Nigeria is very appalling and not needed. Least to say the food imported to Nigeria on a daily basis. If any state cannot feed itself and grow itself and its capacity, such state is bound to be underdeveloped of which Nigeria is not fit to be termed underdeveloped due to her vast riches in natural resources, man power, intellectual and industrial capacity, market and population. This research would therefore recommend a shift from a â€Å"Rentier mentality† to a self-reliant economy and state. 5.3 Conclusion In other research, the overall impact of debt relief continues to be unclear. Whereas there is little in the way of complete analysis or country case studies to compare the Nigeria case with. Chauvin and Kraay (2005) however, argue that debt relief has had no perceptible impact on the composition or effectiveness of public spending. Some skeptics, including Easterly (2002) and Jain (2007) have argued that debt relief, or the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries process can make public policy worse. On the other hand, Arslanalp and Henry (2005) argue â€Å"both borrowers and lenders can benefit from debt relief when the borrower suffers from debt overhang†, whilst World Bank (2006) paints a broadly positive tone as to the policy course of post completion point countries of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. Against this mixed picture, the Nigerian analysis as summarized in the preceding chapter, suggests a success story. More so, it is important to note that debt relief is only a drop in the ocean of reform that is needed in Nigeria. Besides, debt relief was labeled as ‘special money’ that had political support, high visibility, and accountability processes surrounding it especially so as to gain credit from international donors (at the initial stages). Every other money is wasted, mismanaged or syphoned, as it has been the norm within public administrations. And because debt fund alone cannot lead to development in a state (even if well accounted for), development challenges still persist coupled with lack of devoted leaders to change. Such attitude keeps a state in a continuous spin within the dependency circle. So yes, political conditions do have effects on the effectiveness of foreign aid and much more, on the development of a state. 5.4 Suggestion for Further Research The decay in social services such as the education sector was not only because of inadequate financial allocation but also as a result of corrupt practices. What this work couldn’t cover adequately was to find out how possible it is that relief funds were not diverted, yet, the NAPEP estimated impact on human development is not all that visible. This is because diversion in funds impedes development. Or could it be that the infinitesimal growth experienced from the debt relief fund was all that there was and funds were not diverted, mismanaged or wasted? In other words, why didn’t the debt relief plan aid NEPAP in eradicate poverty before 2010?

Inside The League by Scott Anderson, and Jon Lee Anderson :: Inside The League Scott Anderson

Inside The League by Scott Anderson, and Jon Lee Anderson   Ã‚  Ã‚   For over ten years progressive researchers in this country and in Europe have been uncovering evidence linking certain American conservatives and rightists to racist and fascist movements around the globe through a shadowy organization called the World Anti-Communist League. Now the book "Inside the League" exposes the hidden nature of the League and documents in devastating detail a parade of League-affiliated authoritarian ideologues marching from the death camps of Nazi Germany into the parlors of Reagan's White House. The idea for the book came when Jon Lee Anderson was researching a series of columns on Latin American death squads for Jack Anderson, (Jon Lee's employer but not his relative). Enlisting the aid of his brother Scott, the two first began tracing the connections between the death squads but soon were unravelling networks and alliances that involved terrorists, Nazi collaborators, racists, assassins, anti-Jewish bigots, and right- wing anti-communist American politicians. The one factor all had in common was their involvement with the World Anti-Communist League.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Latin American death squads, for instance, were found to be linked through an umbrella group of Central and South American rightists called the Latin American Anti-Communist Confederation (CAL). CAL in turn was affiliated with the World Anti-Communist League (WACL), lead by a retired U.S. Major General, John Singlaub.   Singlaub boasts WACL is the coordinating body for raising private aid for the Contras, a task support ed explicitly by the Reagan White House which has sent government officials and glowing letters of support to WACL meetings in recent years.   Ã‚  Ã‚   WACL also serves as an umbrella for several Eastern European emigre groups founded and lead by Nazi collaborators, and there is far more. As the Anderson brothers write:   Ã‚  Ã‚   "We have examined the World Anti-Communist League...because it is the one organization in which representatives of virtually every right-wing extremist movement that has practiced unconventional warfare are to be found. The League is the one constant in this netherworld; whether looking at Croation terrorists, Norwegian neo-Nazis, Japanese war criminals, or American ultra-rightists...." (p. x, Author's Note).   Ã‚  Ã‚   WACL is more than a club for aging facists and their modern- day

Scene Analysis: Sexuality in Blue Angel

In Josef von Sternberg’s film Blue Angel, female sexuality is defined through the character Lola Lola. The lead female character is captured using select subject-camera distances that seem to make her appear powerful and in control. The medium shots of Professor Rath and the full shots of Lola Lola during the first â€Å"falling in love again† performance are used to compare the emotional male character to the empowered female character, and therefore illustrate the evolving sexual identity of women.The scene begins with a full shot of Lola Lola performing in front of a large audience. Her posture and attire are fully captured by the camera as she sings to the crowd. With her hands on her hip, she performs confidently in an outfit that emphasizes her figure. The camera suddenly shifts to another full shot following Professor Rath to his reserved seat. Because the beautiful singer mesmerizes him, he must be ushered to his seat above the crowd. Again, a full shot captures the performer before she is interrupted for a formal introduction of Professor Rath.The first medium shot in this scene shows the Professor wildly looking below at the crowd. A scanning full shot of the crowd is quickly given before returning to a seemingly happy Rath. Once again Lola strolls around the stage with her hands on her hips; the camera follows her as she sits down and sings to the delighted professor. Although the camera zooms in slightly for a three-quarter shot, the viewer is able to see her streamline body, while she enchants the main character.Rath is filmed from the waist up once more and is visibly consumed by his emotions, while the singer w is captured fully in a slightly seductive position. The camera shifts to a peculiar three-quarter shot of the clown and a musician. From this view, the camera follows the clowns upward gaze as he looks upward at Professor Rath. The camera is slightly distanced from the sitting professor, so the viewer may see a tall sculpture portraying the female body. The Professor becomes visibly uncomfortable by the artwork and awkwardly shifts in his chair until his eyes fall back onto Lola Lola.The camera then switches back and forth between full shots of the alluring singer and medium shots of the entranced man; she appears to be seducing him confidently from the stage as he bashfully watches from afar. The scene closes with a medium shot of the enthralled professor who has truly been captivated by the brazen performer. Throughout the scene, the female character is distanced more than the performer since she is not as emotionally vulnerable as the male lead. Lola remains in control throughout the entire performance, and she effortlessly evokes a response from the man watching her.Professor Rath visibly struggles with the decency of the club. Although the woman singing to professor excites him, the man is slightly uncomfortable with certain aspects of Blue Angel. The subject-camera distances used in Lola’s first performance of â€Å"Falling in Love Again† adds to the movies theme of female sexuality during the Weimer Republic. Full shots capture Lola’s ability to seduce the old professor, while medium shots emphasize his reactions and emotional response. This scene

Long Story Short

Long Story Short I’ve often heard writers of nonfiction complain that they’re the Rodney Dangerfields of the literary world. Not that they don’t sell a lot of books and articles (because they do) or that they don’t make money from their writing (because they do). Their complaint is that they aren’t recognized as â€Å"real† writers until they’ve published fiction. The same might be said of short-story writers. Some feel they aren’t truly fiction writers unless and until they’ve sold a novel. Many people who are not themselves writers have asked me, â€Å"Why waste your time writing short stories?† Well, I’ve written three novels- two are out with an agent and the other is sitting here at home aging like tobacco leaves, or (as I prefer to think) fine wine. But mostly I write short. One reason, honestly, is that since I’ve sold so many short stories and have never sold a novel, I just feel more comfortable with the short stuff. It’s safe ground for me, and I’m as reluctant as the next soldier to venture far from my foxhole unless someone orders me to. Does that mean I’m not a real fiction writer? Maybe so. But it’s not a question that bothers me much. Having said all that, what possible advantages could there be to writing short stories instead of novels? Well, here are a few: (1) They can be resold. I’ve had some of my shorts published half a dozen times each, in different markets. If you’ve not signed away â€Å"all rights,† you can sell reprints over and over again. (2) They give you a sense of completion. Finishing a story and writing THE END is a great feeling, to me. I can write a short story in a matter of days, and then turn around and write something else, something completely different. (3) There’s less time invested. A novel takes months or even years to write, and if it doesn’t sell, you’ve spent an enormous chunk of time with those characters and that plot. (4) They can help build a rà ©sumà ©. Story credits in quality magazines and anthologies can make you more marketable to agents and publishers of longer works. (5) They’re good practice. Crafting publishable short stories teaches you how to write â€Å"tight.† Novels might be long, but the best novels are still focused and compact, with few wasted words. Writing short also gives you experience in creating the story arc that is so necessary in novels, screenplays, etc. (6) You don’t need an agent. I had a wonderful agent for several years who represented my short fiction (he passed away in 1999), but few agents now will take on short-story authors, and the truth is, you can probably do as well without them. (7) It’s fun. I think the process of putting together a good plot and believable characters in only a few thousand words is a thrill as well as a challenge. A final note. Some writers don’t write short because they don’t think they can. Several novelist friends (one a New York Times bestseller) have told me they think short stories are extremely difficult to write. Lawrence Block once agreed, saying: â€Å"Novels aren’t harder; they’re just longer.† And Faulkner said he tried writing short stories when he found he couldn’t write poetry, and then turned to writing novels when he found he couldn’t write short stories. I’ve also heard that writing a good novel requires a better storyteller, while writing a good short story requires a better craftsman. Is that true? Beats me. It doesn’t matter anyway. There’ll always be room for both.

Vanadium Facts (V or Atomic Number 23)

Vanadium Facts (V or Atomic Number 23) Vanadium (atomic number 23 with symbol V) is one of the transition metals. Youve probably never encountered it in pure form, but it is found in some types of steel. Here are essential element facts about vanadium and its atomic data. Fast Facts: Vanadium Element Name: VanadiumElement Symbol: VAtomic Number: 23Group: Group 5 (Transition Metal)Period: Period 4Appearance: Blue-gray metalDiscovery: Andrà ©s Manuel del Rà ­o (1801) Vanadium  Basic Facts Atomic Number: 23 Symbol: V Atomic Weight: 50.9415 Discovery: Depending who you ask: del Rà ­o 1801 or Nils Gabriel Sefstrom 1830 (Sweden) Electron Configuration: [Ar] 4s2 3d3 Word Origin: Vanadis, a Scandinavian goddess. Named after the goddess because of vanadiums beautiful multicolored compounds. Isotopes: There are 20 known isotopes of vanadium ranging from V-23 to V-43. Vanadium has only one stable isotope: V-51. V-50 is nearly stable with a half-life of 1.4 x 1017 years. Natural vanadium is a mostly a mixture of the two isotopes, vanadium-50 (0.24%) and vanadium-51 (99.76%). Properties: Vanadium has a melting point of 1890/-10 °C, boiling point of 3380 °C, specific gravity of 6.11 (18.7 °C), with a valence of 2, 3, 4, or 5. Pure vanadium is a soft, ductile bright white metal. Vanadium has good corrosion resistance to alkalis, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and saltwater, but it oxidizes readily at temperatures exceeding 660 °C. The metal has good structural strength and a low fission neutron cross section. Vanadium and all of its compounds are toxic and should be handled with care. Uses: Vanadium is used in nuclear applications, for producing rust-resistant spring and high-speed tool steels, and as a carbide stabilizer in making steels. Approximately 80% of the vanadium that is produced is used as a steel additive or ferrovanadium. Vanadium foil is used as a bonding agent for cladding steel with titanium. Vanadium pentoxide is used as a catalyst, as a mordant for dyeing and printing fabrics, in the manufacture of aniline black, and in the ceramics industry. Vanadium-gallium tape is used to produce superconducting magnets. Sources: Vanadium occurs in approximately 65 minerals, including vanadinite, carnotite, patronite, and roscoelite. It is also found in certain iron ores and phosphate rock and in some crude oils as organic complexes. Vanadium is found in small percentages in meteorites. High purity ductile vanadium may be obtained by reducing vanadium trichloride with magnesium or a magnesium-sodium mixture. Vanadium metal also may be produced by calcium reduction of V2O5 in a pressure vessel. Vanadium  Physical Data Element Classification: Transition MetalDensity (g/cc): 6.11Electronegativity: 1.63Electron Affinity: 50.6 kJ/molMelting Point (K): 2160Boiling Point (K): 3650Appearance: soft, ductile, silvery-white metalAtomic Radius (pm): 134Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 8.35Covalent Radius (pm): 122Ionic Radius: 59 (5e) 74 (3e)Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.485Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 17.5Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 460Debye Temperature (K): 390.00Pauling Negativity Number: 1.63First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 650.1Oxidation States: 5, 4, 3, 2, 0Lattice Structure: Body-Centered CubicLattice Constant (Ã…): 3.020CAS Registry: 7440-62-2 Vanadium Trivia Vanadium was initially discovered in 1801 by the Spanish-Mexican mineralogist Andres Manuel del Rà ­o. He extracted the new element from a sample of lead ore and found salts formed a multitude of colors. His original name for this colorful element was panchromium, meaning all colors.del Rio renamed his element erythronium (Greek for red) because the crystals of vanadium would turn red upon heating.The French chemist Hippolyte Victor Collet-Descotils claimed del Rà ­os element was actually chromium. del Rà ­o retracted his discovery claim.Swedish chemist Nils Sefstrà ¶m rediscovered the element in 1831 and named the element vanadium after the Scandinavian goddess of beauty Vanadis.Vanadium compounds are all toxic. Toxicity tends to increase with oxidation state.The first commercial use of vanadium steel was the chassis of the Ford Model T.Vanadium is paramagnetic.The abundance of vanadium in the Earths crust is 50 parts per million.The abundance of vanadium in seawater is 0.18 par ts per billion. Vanadium(V) oxide (V2O5) is used as a catalyst in the Contact Process to manufacture sulfuric acid.Vanadium is found in the proteins known as vanabins. Some sea species of sea cucumbers and sea squirts have yellow blood because of the vanabins in their blood. Sources Featherstonhaugh, George William (1831). New Metal, provisionally called Vanadium. The Monthly American Journal of Geology and Natural Science: 69.Marden, J. W.; Rich, M. N. (1927). Vanadium. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. 19 (7): 786–788. doi:10.1021/ie50211a012Sigel, Astrid; Sigel, Helmut, eds. (1995). Vanadium and Its Role in Life. Metal Ions in Biological Systems. 31. CRC. ISBN 978-0-8247-9383-8.Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4.

'One of the aims of EMU was that only the global balance of payments Essay

'One of the aims of EMU was that only the global balance of payments of the European Union with the rest of the world be of im - Essay Example In the recent economic epoch it is analyzed that the economic structure of different nations in the euro zone is actually separate. The monetary inflexibility of the policies in the EMU is becoming difficult when followed under the current economic operations of different nations. There is a widespread financial crisis in the European states (Kenen, 2000). The rigid policies of EMU prevent the monetary authorities in different countries to undergo the process of deficit financing that would help the nations to pay out its creditors. The EMU aims at evaluating the currencies of its European states and thus improving their Balance of Trade. It facilitates the nations to collect higher tax revenues and achieve a successful growth in their GDP (Visser, 2004). The essay tries to show how the EMU aims at improving the Balance of Payment (BOP) situation of Euro zone states with the rest of the world. The essay will try to analyze the optimal policy that can be adopted by the European Union to improve its balance of payments disequilibria with the rest of the world. Balance of Payment and its Significance The Balance of Payment helps to take an account of the monetary transactions carried out by a nation with the rest of the world (McCombie and Thirlwall, 1994). ... The current account looks into the trading affairs mainly of tangible goods and services; on the other hand the capital account looks into the inflow and outflow of financial assets in an economy. A nation can have either a fixed or a floating exchange rate. If a country has a fixed exchange rate then the central bank of the nation accepts foreign fund inflow exactly at par with the level of fund that the nation has out-flowed. By doing so the state makes the exchange rate of the economy rigid. The BoP surplus or deficit can only be analyzed in that situation by the reserves of foreign exchange with the central bank. On one other hand if the exchange rate of a country is more flexible than the central bank does not intervene in the matters of goods and service trading. In such situation, the country’s currency evaluates if its exports are more than its imports and the currency devaluates if the imports are more than the exports. The essay will throw a light on the BoP situatio ns of the almost all the states as a whole who are included in the Euro Zone. BoP Situations of Euro Zone The countries in the European Union are undergoing severe financial crisis since the latter half of 2009. The nations are not only facing a sovereign debt crisis but also a crisis in their banking affairs. The Euro Zone nations are lagging behind other nations both in terms of competitiveness and growth. In some of the countries the crisis was so severe that to refinance their state debts they had taken assistance from the third parties. The commercial banks in the Euro zone are undercapitalized (Baimbridge and Whyman, 2008). The configuration of the nations of the Euro zone countries as a monetary

Corporate social responsibility (with an example) Research Paper

Corporate social responsibility (with an example) - Research Paper Example It is not right to say that Corporations are excluded from societies; they are part of it and hence have a role to play within in the society circle. It is the society which gives them the name and recognition, and in return there is much to be given back to the society as well (Asongu, 2007). A society could be broad in the spectrum like an oil company whose impacts are there for entire environmental system, similarly a society could be small like for a grocery store whose items are only benefited to the specified group of people. Hence Corporations are part of societies and to survive in business they have to understand the societal norms and responsibilities (Horrigan, 2010). Analysis based Point of Opinion According to scholarly literature, it can be indicated that corporate social responsibility is a modern concept and has been compiled from various definitions. According to modern literature, corporate social responsibility is a business norm that includes all the business comp onents in one domain, like it includes buyers, consumers, share holders, employees, and communities which have to be served in one system (Asongu, 2007). Hence CSR is a broad concept, a concept that reaches out to each component attached to its system (Asongu, 2007). ... In Worlds tropical regions like South Africa and North India, there have been infectious disease spreading, like malaria and leishmaniasis for which there is no cure provided just because of high poverty and fewer paybacks to the pharmaceuticals (Hirsch, 2008). On the other side, there are no cures for chronic diseases (tuberculosis) as pharmaceuticals have forgotten the moral responsibility and have prioritized wealthy attainments than society. The cures are there but the will is not and due to economic reasons and not scientific, pharmaceuticals have stopped to research and develop. It is all because the priority is wealth and money, so the norms of society, virtuousness and morality have got disappeared in the tropical regions (Hirsch, 2008). From the modern perspective, it is not wrong to say that virtue and social responsibility are just matters of the book and scripture and not more than that. According to Lynn Payer (author of Disease-Mongers, 1992) medicine industry has been dominant due to several reasons, one of the main reason is disease mongering, a concept that brutally destroys the notion of corporate social responsibility (Dossey, 2010). In the modern system, medicine industry (pharmaceuticals) generates more than one trillion dollars each year. One of the secrets for such dominating figures on revenues is disease mongering â€Å"expanding diseases and developing the demand† (Dossey, 2010). Out of the trillion, billions are spent on advertisement and marketing campaigns, which is all to bring response and acceptation from the customer. One harsh fact is that patients are customers, customers that bring demand for the industry. Hence it is not harsh to say that the system of 21st century itself is violating the