Cross Cultural Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cross Cultural Management - Assignment Example It has been observed that Aboriginal people who live away from their remote areas may adapt some cultures in order to survive. However, they occasionally get some time to practice their cultural practices such as hunting and gathering. For example, those Aboriginals living in urban areas can adapt European lifestyles, but their cultural craft skills and tribal knowledge remain paramount. Thinking and perception of life by the Aboriginal people is based on religious and spiritual beliefs. This means that aboriginal people respected spirits and supernatural powers hence deriving their thoughts from religious beliefs (Marshall 2004, p.87). They use spiritual aspects to unite their people and respect life, as well. However, Aboriginal cultural practices may at times get into conflict with the Anglo-European culture. This means that proper lines have to be drawn between different cultures to ensure that they exist without

Special Education Essay Example for Free

Special Education Essay To effectively talk about the effect of ID’s in the classroom I thought who better to talk to than a teacher that has a classroom full of ID students. Ms. Tornetta Clark, she is an Intervention Specialist in a SED room for grades 1-4 depending upon age. We began our conversation with what lead her to become an Intervention Specialist? Ms. Clark stated that she had always wanted to be a teacher even as a child, so when she went to college she decided to become a teacher she started as an elementary teacher and later decided to get into special education. As time went on she learned that she enjoyed these children even more than the others, it was more gratifying. So now that we have broken the ice so to speak can you tell me what some of the problems associated with assessing the children with ID may be? Tornetta asked me which group of children would I like to discuss, the culturally diverse, gender specific, the psychological these are all type of ID children and different types of assessments, so where would you like to begin? I thought that it would be best for her to tell me about the most difficult one and she choose culturally diverse students. Ms. Clark states that when dealing with the minorities there are additional layers of complexity to consider especially if the child is of another ethnicity than the person that is doing the assessment. Ms. Clark also states that she prefers to do the majority of her assessments on her own simply because she has been doing this for a long time and that she has worked with several different ethnicities. Having worked with the different ethnicities I have the upper hand and a child can feel when they are understood or when someone is placating them. In my many years of teaching I have also realized that children can feel when someone really understands them and cares. In my classroom we start the morning off by saying good morning to everyone by name and then we each can stay one thing that happened last night or over  the weekend or just something that they may want to share each child gets two minutes and we have a timer to ensure everyone get quality time. This is also something that works well on their social skills. Now as far as the assessment on the psychological side most of these test and assessments are done in the clinic or with the therapist, now there have been an occasion or two where I have sat in and I have even administered the assessment. However the same problems still exist these test need to be tailored to each child and they are not they are standard which in my opinion is ridiculous each child is different so each child should be tested differently. Now I asked about gender specific testing but I have only ran across that twice in my many years of teaching, however it does exist and as educators we need to be able to deal with it and continue to tech and maintain our classes. There are or at least it used to be several teachers that were homophobic and thought that school is no place for a child’s sexual preference to come out or even to be discussed. Now in the schools we see it everyday boys holding hands with other boys and girls doing the same so therefore it has to be addressed, it cannot be slid under the carpet anymore. This is something that as educators we also need to be able to deal with especially in our SED classes, these child need more open discussions so that they do feel that they are being included. Our children have a tendency to get picked on and then they end up feeling as if no one understands them and they begin to contemplate suicide, as educators it is our job to do our best to deter those types of feelings and to encourage a child to be true to who they think they are and to not judge others for being different. We attempted to get back to the interview with on last question and that was, what are the characteristics of the teacher’s students with ID that result in eligibility for special education? Ms. Clark informed that the majority of the students that go through some sort of testing do not get into a special education program. However there are reasons for that in some cases it is because the parents do not push and keep up with the appointments as well as follow through with what they need to do as far as information that may be needed to get a child into a program and doctors’ appointments, the letter’s from the doctor’s. There are all sorts of reasons and then there are specific programs that some parents would like to see their child in, but there is a waiting list or there is another program that is comparable but  the parent is reluctant. Also some parent’s may not want their child labeled as a special education student so they are in denial. And last but not lest then there are the neighborhood schools that are full and there are no exceptions to be made so that the child can stay with their siblings, this also goes into the transportation realm of the problems as well, some districts offer transportation to children but if there are siblings they cannot receive transportation so parents do not want their children separated and that is undrstandbale in most cases. Clark tells me that she feels that if one child attends the school in the special education program then the siblings should attend that school as well and they should receive transportation as well. This would probably keep down some of the confusion on the buses anyway, especially if there is an older sibling that can watch out for the younger ones. This is how we were raised the oldest always looked out for the younger ones and made sure that everyone was home safe when mom and dad got in from work. I think that we need to get back to the motto that it takes a village to raise a child and if we did then the school system and the communities would be a better place. After talking with Ms. Clark I thought about how I raised my children and she was correct when she said that it takes a village to raise a child, I was a single parent for several years and I had six children two were in the special education program at the neighborhood school. I took them to school and my mother picked them up from school. The neighbor watched them as they would enter the house and have snack a start their homework until I got home from work. I did the same for her on the weekends when she worked and she also had a child that was special needs and we made it work if the school called and I was unable to go she would go and vice versa. The point is that as parents and educators we need to work together to let our youth know that they are loved and that they are going to be taken care of not just in the schools but at home as well. References Clark, Tornetta: Intervention Specialist. 2013 Personal conversation. June 20.

Cyber-Communism: The New Threat in the New Millennium :: social issues

Cyber-Communism: The New Threat in the New Millennium My expedition into cyber-communism began when I read Brock Meeks' "Hackers Stumble Toward Legitimacy"[1]. The article addressed a recent hackers' convention. Interestingly, the keynote speaker was Eric Boucher[2] (alias Jello Biafra[3]), a rock star with no technical background. Numerous questions ensue. Who is Eric Boucher (alias Jello Biafra)? What does he believe? More importantly, why schedule someone with no technical background to speak at a hackers' convention? Addressing his beliefs, his proposed Green Party platform[4] is not inconsistent with the "Manifesto of Libertarian Communism"[5]. This answer produces a more troubling question. Was his speech against corporate America mere socialist babbling or was his speech part of something more sinister, a subversive cyber-communist movement? I am not the first to see possible communist subversion of the digerati[6]. Corey Winesett's "Are Linux Users Really Communists?"[7] questions the nature of the relationship, if any, between open source and communism. Scott Billings' "Heresy and Communism"[8] ponders that the Linux community's knee-jerk reaction to negative opinions about Linux could be the result of being "under the [communists'] spell." Before I can evaluate cyber-communism's merits, I must define communism's true nature and communism's real threat to America. Communism Revisited Theoretical communism and practical communism have long been held as different political sociologies. Despite Marx's call for the working class to revolt, the communist revolution's leaders always ascend from the intelligentsia. John Stormer's "None Dare Call It Treason" supports this fact saying: "Fidel Castro was a product, not of the cane fields of Cuba, but of the halls of Havana University." "Joseph Stalin was not a simple peasant rebelling at the oppression of the Czar. He became a communist while studying for the priesthood in a Russian Orthodox seminary." "The membership of the first Communist spy ring uncovered in the U.S. Government was not spawned in the sweat shops of New York's lower east side or the tenant farms of the South. [The conspirators] came to high government posts from Harvard Law School." Communism's fallacy is the belief in everyone's benevolence; yet, human nature proves otherwise. Communism cannot create a perfect society with imperfect people. Hence, to direct Utopia, communism produces a totalitarian government over the less-perfect people, ruled by the perfect people - communists. Thus, communism's true nature creates a controlling government in the name of a better world. Not every supporter needs be a knowing conspirator.

How to manage the SMART targets in your career plan. Essay

To complete Business course with DDD by the end of the year. I will do this by attending classes, doing tutorials, turning up to one to ones and studying the course work book at home. I will also aim to hand everything in on time and meet all my deadlines in order to stay on top of the work. In order to get a DDD by the end of the year I must get Merits in all my subjects, if I get a one pass for a unit then I must get a distinction in another unit in order to level it out. Select an appropriate course at a reputable University. I will do this by going to open days and logging on to the universities individual websites where there are usually options to do a virtual tour. In order to go to a university that will offer me good teaching in the area of graphic design I will have to look at a graphic design university leader board in order to see who offers the best learning. I must also speak to graphic design students at different universities to see their opinion on what the teaching is like and how good the facilities are. Apply for university before December. I will apply to university before December by making sure I have written up my first draft of my personal statement early to give my tutor enough time to give back amendments and for me to improve it. I will also look on the internet to find good examples of personal statements and guides on how to write them. Find cheap student accommodation. I will find cheap student accommodation by first selecting the university that I wish to study at and then asking at their help desk for some leaflets about the surrounding places I can live at as a student. I could also check the university’s website for links to student accommodation or details on the site about living in the halls of university. I will try to get the cheapest deal I can whilst not compromising on quality by looking through a lot of student apartments. Complete university course with 2:1 by 2014. I will attempt to complete my university course with 2:1 by purchasing the correct equipment before going to university. This will be a laptop that can stand high end applications and will help me be more efficient in completing assignments because my computer can cope with the programs needed for graphic design. I will also purchase books that will prepare me well for the course; these will be details about HTML coding and guides on how to use Adobe products that will be used in university. I will study hard by attending as many lectures as possible and taking notes on the subject, I will then take this theory into practice into the workshops provided by the university. I will keep on top of the assignments from day one in order to keep on top of my work and in control.

Trader Joe’s Methodology

Methodology The objective of this assignment is to answer the question: Should Trader Joe’s go into the Danish Market? To help answer this problem formulation we have made 6-sub question that research different condition whish must be in place before considering entrance of a new market and the different problem that can occurs. To begin with we have gone through a process of gathering secondary data through Desk-research about The company trader Joe’s, its concept and products. We did the same thing with the Danish grocery market and its consumer segments.Through our secondary research we came across different issues that Trader Joe’s might face when breaking into Denmark (Copenhagen). First of all, we will need to find a matching target group for Trader Joe’s? (Sub question 1). Having found that, we want to study their buying behavior and see what is important for them when buying groceries? (Sub question 2). Up next we will like to see what determine Tr ader Joe’s success in Denmark? (Sub question 3). Besides that we will like to see if its success depends on adaptation and should Trader Joe’s adapt and change (sub question 4).Finally Do they have a chance to compete with the already existing supermarkets in Copenhagen (sub question 5) and what are the difficulties in entering the Danish market (sub question 6) With the secondary information in hand, we also beginning to build up an image of Trader Joe’s as possible target group and of how we can reach to them. (Our assumption of Trader Joe’s possible target group is a young person of both genres between 20-30 of age who is very aware of what he/she eats, want something out of the original and can easily mix grocery shopping and entertaining together. This is just an assumption and we willing to accept otherwise so we set up to examine the truth by conduction research that can give us true primary data. The assignment is based on interviews we did with t o experts whish lay foundation for qualitative interviews with 10 grocery shoppers whish then lad to a quantitative survey research with 110 grocery shoppers, for further study. Each step of the interviews and survey were customized to answer our 6-sub questions whish is going to help us answer our problem formulation.

IDEAS Advanced Programmability essays

IDEAS Advanced Programmability essays DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS ENGINEERING I-DEAS ADVANCED PROGRAMMABILITY FEATURE: Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing Utilizing the advanced programmability features of the I-DEAS software package, it is possible to create a macro to run within the I-DEAS modeling environment that would automatically generate commonly used parts or geometries to supplement and speed up the modeling process. To define a macro within I-DEAS a user may simply capture the commands through a Program File -> Create option, create the program file directly through any text editor or use a combination of the two methods. Currently I-DEAS allows the user to retrieve various primitives from the Parts Catalog to aid and speed up the modeling process, but this does not account for more complex geometries that maybe repeated quite often in various modeling applications. Quite often these geometries, although commonly used for one particular company are in actuality company specific and do not warrant their inclusion in the mainstream I-DEAS Parts Catalog. Since creating the geometry from scratch would prove to be too time consuming and including company specific geometries within the Parts Catalog is not feasible, I-DEAS has created two options for defining parameterized complex geometries: (1) define a macro (which I-DEAS calls program files) to prompt the user for parametric information from the command-line interface and generate the geometry using predefined commands programmed within the macro or (2) create the part geometry manually and use the parameterized parts option to store the par ...

Factors affecting Osmosis in Potato Tissue Essays

Factors affecting Osmosis in Potato Tissue Essays Factors affecting Osmosis in Potato Tissue Paper Factors affecting Osmosis in Potato Tissue Paper We will connect the calibrated gas syringe to the side armed flask. We will place the strip of magnesium ribbon into the side armed flask at the same time as putting in the bung and starting the stop clock. We will time how long the reaction takes until it is stopped and record the results. The only things we are changing are we are making is to make the magnesium ribbon a zig zag shape because when we had it straight we found that it didnt totally fit in the side armed flask so that it was all covered in hydrochloric acid. This meant that only one half of the magnesium was reacting. We couldnt fold the ribbon in half because then the insides of the magnesium could not react. The other thing we have changed is the length of the magnesium ribbon, so instead of being 4cms, it is 8cms. Fair test: There are several factors that we have to consider to make the experiments a fair test. These are: 1. Concentration of the hydrochloric acid 2. Temperature 3. Volume of the acid 4. Length, width, depth of the magnesium 5. Presence of a catalyst 6. Curled or straight magnesium The things that we must keep the same or change: 1. The concentration of the hydrochloric acid is the only thing that we change. 2. Temperature stays the same. 3. The volume of the acid stays the same. 4. The length and width and depth will all be the same, because we can measure the length and the width and depth will be the same because all our magnesium will be taken from the same roll of magnesium ribbon. 5. There will be no catalyst present. 6. We will have straight magnesium ribbon. Observations: We have drawn up the tables of the results we got from the experiments. We have also done graphs. The tables show the time against the volume of hydrogen, and the graphs show the same thing, with a best fit curve. We can see that when the curve on the graph goes up, the volume of the hydrogen is increasing, but the rate of reaction is decreasing. Results: Results table 1 (3 molar) Time (s) Volume of hydrogen (cm )1 2 3 average 2 Analysis: We did the experiment and we have made tables showing the time taken for the reaction, and the volume of hydrogen collected at each of these times. We also drew graphs showing the same thing and with a best fit curve. With the graphs it is possible to find the volume of hydrogen collected at any time, not just at the times which we measured. We can do this by going up to the curve at the time we want to find the volume of hydrogen for (e. g. 7 seconds) and then going across to find the volume of hydrogen at that time. We found the rate of reaction using the graphs. We drew a tangent to the graph right at the beginning as it is the initial rate that we are interested in. Then we joined the lines to make a triangle. Then using rise over run, we found the gradient, which tells us the rate of reaction. E. g. : Experiment 1: Rate of reaction = rise = 46. 5 = 1. 86 run 25 Concentration (molar) Rate of reaction 1 1. 86 1. 5 5. 38 2 7. 88 2. 5 15. 0 3 35. 6 I then drew another graph on which I plotted the concentrations against the rate of reaction. I drew a best fit curve which went through all the point, except two of them. At 1. 5 the point was just above the graph and at 2. 5 the point was below the curve. I put this down to experimental error. Points read off the graph: Rate number Point read of on the x axis (concentration of acid) Point read off on the y axis (rate of reaction) R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 My prediction was that if we doubled the concentration of the hydrochloric acid then the reaction rate would double. We are going to use a range of 3 to 1 molar so we have two doubles which are 1 and 2 and 1. 5 and 3. This means that our results will be directly proportional. From looking at our results, and the table of concentration and rate of reaction, we can see that the rate of reaction did not double when the concentration doubled. This is because the formula for this experiment is: Mg + 2Hcl MgCl + H There is one magnesium particle reacting with two hydrochloric acid particles. It is not possible for three particles to react at the same time, so the magnesium reacts with the first hydrochloric acid particle and that rate of reaction is doubled. Then the ones which have just reacted, reacts with the second hydrochloric acid particle, and that rate of reaction is also double, so it makes it quadruple. We can see that in my results the first doubled concentration (one and two) quadrupled. This means that my prediction is partially correct because I said that the results would be directly proportional, and they are. The second doubled concentration (1. 5 and 3) have not doubled, or quadrupled so they do not agree with what my prediction says. This means that there must be some experimental errors in these experiments, as the first one did partially agree with my prediction. I will talk about these experimental errors in my evaluation. Evaluation: We got these results by doing each experiment three times. We did each one three times because it is a lot more accurate to repeat each one, that to just do one experiment. This is because if we had only done one experiment and we had made a mistake which we didnt know about, then the results would have been wrong. By repeating the experiments three times we can check to see that all three sets of results are relatively similar, as well as taking an average to plot the points on a graph. It would have been more accurate however, to repeat each experiments more times for example we could have repeated each one five times instead of three. There is some experimental error. There are some reasons for this. We used an 100cm measuring cylinder, and the error of this is always plus or minus 1cm . To make this more accurate we could have used a burette. This is more accurate and the error is only plus or minus 0. 1cm . We can see from the five graphs that we have drawn, that there are some anomalous results. We do not have very many anomalies which mean that the experiments were quite accurate. In graph 2 there is an anomaly at 9 seconds. It is just below the curve so it could have occurred because there was just slightly too little hydrochloric acid to make up the right concentration, in one of our three repeats of this experiment. This would mean that it brought the average down for this time. There is another anomaly in graph 3 which probably occurred for the same reason. There are however other reason why these anomalies may have occurred. The magnesium ribbon, although always the same length, may not be the same width and also may not have weighed the same. There are also two anomalies on the graph on which I plotted rate of reaction against concentration, at 1. 5 molar and 2. 5 molar on the x axis. These are dues to some sort of experimental error. Another reason is that possibly the concentration of the hydrochloric acid was slightly different each of the three times we repeated each experiment. With the highest concentrations of hydrochloric acid, the reaction was over very fast, and the initial rate, which is what we are most interested in, was so fast that it was hard to measure the volume of hydrogen collected at exactly regular intervals. We might have been a fraction of a second out and that would have made a lot of difference to each individual result. I think that it altogether the procedure used to carry out the investigation is quite accurate and suitable. There are thing which could have been done to improve it. There are many limitations to this experiment because it is difficult to be exact with such limited apparatus. It is difficult to put the magnesium into the hydrochloric acid at the same time as putting the bung in and starting the stop clock. This means that some of the magnesium may already have reacted with the hydrochloric acid before it was possible to put the bung into the side armed flask. To find out more relevant information, we could have used a wider range of concentrations as then we could have seen more proof of our prediction being partially correct. I think that altogether the results are quite good and accurate because I have so few anomalies, and this is proof that it is quite accurate, because we can see where the inaccuracies are (where there are anomalies) and there arent many. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Patterns of Behaviour section.

The Most Common Loan Words in Japanese

The Most Common Loan Words in Japanese The Japanese language has borrowed many words from foreign countries, firstly from China as early as the Nara Period (710-794). Gairaigo (Ã¥ ¤â€"æ  ¥Ã¨ ªÅ¾) is the Japanese word for loan word or borrowed word. Many Chinese words were mixed into Japanese to the extent that they are no longer considered loan words. Most Chinese loan words are written in kanji and carry the Chinese reading (on-reading). Around the 17th century, the Japanese language began to borrow from many western languages. For example, from Portuguese, Dutch, German (especially from the field of medicine), French and Italian (not surprisingly many are from the fields of art, music, and food), and most of all, English. Today, English is the origin of most modern loan words.​ The Japanese use English words to express concepts for which they have no equivalents. However, some people simply prefer to use English expressions for practically or because it is fashionable. In fact, many loan words have existing synonyms in Japanese. For example, the Japanese word for business is shoubai 商å £ ², but the loan word bijinesu ãÆ'“ã‚ ¸Ã£Æ' Ã£â€š ¹ is also used. Another example is gyuunyuu 牛ä ¹ ³(Japanese word) and miruku ãÆ'ŸãÆ' «Ã£â€š ¯(loan word) for milk. Loan words are generally written in katakana, except the ones of Chinese origin. They are pronounced using Japanese pronunciation rules and Japanese syllables. Therefore, they end up quite different from the original pronunciation. This makes it hard to recognize the original foreign word. Many loan words are often abbreviated in ways they wouldnt get abbreviated in their original language. Examples of Loan Words Maiku ãÆ'žã‚ ¤Ã£â€š ¯ microphoneSuupaa ã‚ ¹Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£Æ'‘ãÆ' ¼ supermarketDepaato ãÆ'‡ãÆ'‘ãÆ' ¼Ã£Æ'ˆ - department storeBiru ãÆ'“ãÆ' « buildingIrasuto ã‚ ¤Ã£Æ' ©Ã£â€š ¹Ã£Æ'ˆ illustrationMeeku ãÆ' ¡Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£â€š ¯ make-upDaiya ãÆ'€ã‚ ¤Ã£Æ' ¤ diamond Multiple words are also shortened, often to four syllables. Pasokon ãÆ'‘ã‚ ½Ã£â€š ³Ã£Æ' ³ personal computerWaapuro ãÆ' ¯Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£Æ'â€"ãÆ' ­ word processorAmefuto ã‚ ¢Ã£Æ' ¡Ã£Æ'•ãÆ'ˆ American footballPuroresu ãÆ'â€"ãÆ' ­Ã£Æ' ¬Ã£â€š ¹ professional wrestlingKonbini ã‚ ³Ã£Æ' ³Ã£Æ'“ãÆ'‹ convenience storeEakon ã‚ ¨Ã£â€š ¢Ã£â€š ³Ã£Æ' ³ air conditioningMasukomi ãÆ'žã‚ ¹Ã£â€š ³Ã£Æ'Ÿ mass media (from mass communication) A loan word can be generative. It may be combined with Japanese or other loanwords. Here are some examples. Shouene çÅ" Ã£â€š ¨Ã£Æ'  energy savingShokupan é £Å¸Ã£Æ'‘ãÆ' ³ loaf of breadKeitora è » ½Ã£Æ'ˆãÆ' © light commercial truckNatsumero 㠁 ªÃ£  ¤Ã£Æ' ¡Ã£Æ' ­ a once-popular song Loan words are often combined into Japanese as nouns. When they are combined with suru, it changes the word into a verb. The verb suru (to do) has many extended uses. Doraibu suru ãÆ'‰ãÆ' ©Ã£â€š ¤Ã£Æ'â€"㠁™ã‚‹ to driveKisu suru ã‚ ­Ã£â€š ¹Ã£ â„¢Ã£â€šâ€¹ to kissNokku suru ãÆ'ŽãÆ'Æ'ã‚ ¯Ã£ â„¢Ã£â€šâ€¹ to knockTaipu suru ã‚ ¿Ã£â€š ¤Ã£Æ'â€"㠁™ã‚‹ to type There are also loan words that are actually made in Japan. For example, sarariiman ã‚ µÃ£Æ' ©Ã£Æ' ªÃ£Æ' ¼Ã£Æ'žãÆ' ³(salary man) refers to someone whose income is salary base, generally the people work for corporations. Another example, naitaa ãÆ'Šã‚ ¤Ã£â€š ¿Ã£Æ' ¼, comes from the English word night followed by ~er, means baseball games played at night. Common Loan Words Arubaito ã‚ ¢Ã£Æ' «Ã£Æ' Ã£â€š ¤Ã£Æ'ˆ part-time job (from German arbeit)Enjin ã‚ ¨Ã£Æ' ³Ã£â€š ¸Ã£Æ' ³ engineGamu ã‚ ¬Ã£Æ'   chewing gumKamera ã‚ «Ã£Æ' ¡Ã£Æ' © cameraGarasu ã‚ ¬Ã£Æ' ©Ã£â€š ¹ glassKarendaa ã‚ «Ã£Æ' ¬Ã£Æ' ³Ã£Æ'ۋÆ' ¼ calendarTerebi ãÆ'†ãÆ' ¬Ã£Æ'“ televisionHoteru ãÆ'݋Æ'†ãÆ' « hotelResutoran ãÆ' ¬Ã£â€š ¹Ã£Æ'ˆãÆ' ©Ã£Æ' ³ restaurantTonneru ãÆ'ˆãÆ' ³Ã£Æ' Ã£Æ' « tunnelMacchi ãÆ'žãÆ'Æ'ãÆ'  matchMishin ãÆ'Ÿã‚ ·Ã£Æ' ³ sewing machineRuuru ãÆ' «Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£Æ' « ruleReji ãÆ' ¬Ã£â€š ¸ cash registerWaishatsu ãÆ' ¯Ã£â€š ¤Ã£â€š ·Ã£Æ' £Ã£Æ'„ solid colored dress shirt (from white shirt)Baa ãÆ' Ã£Æ' ¼ barSutairu ã‚ ¹Ã£â€š ¿Ã£â€š ¤Ã£Æ' « styleSutoorii ã‚ ¹Ã£Æ'ˆãÆ' ¼Ã£Æ' ªÃ£Æ' ¼ storySumaato ã‚ ¹Ã£Æ'žãÆ' ¼Ã£Æ'ˆ smartAidoru ã‚ ¢Ã£â€š ¤Ã£Æ'‰ãÆ' « idol, pop starAisukuriimu ã‚ ¢Ã£â€š ¤Ã£â€š ¹Ã£â€š ¯Ã£Æ' ªÃ£Æ' ¼Ã£Æ'   ice creamAnime ã‚ ¢Ã£Æ'‹ãÆ' ¡ animationAnkeeto ã‚ ¢Ã£Æ' ³Ã£â€š ±Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£Æ'ˆ questionnaire, survey (from French enquete)Baagen ãÆ' Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£â€š ²Ã£Æ' ³ a sale at store (from bargain)Bataa ãÆ' Ã£â€š ¿Ã£Æ' ¼ butterBiiru ãÆ'“ãÆ' ¼Ã£Æ' « beer (from Dutch bier)Booru pen ãÆ'Å"ãÆ' ¼Ã£Æ' «Ã£Æ'šãÆ' ³ ballpoint penDorama ãÆ'‰ãÆ' ©Ã£Æ'ž TV dramaErebeetaa ã‚ ¨Ã£Æ' ¬Ã£Æ'™ãÆ' ¼Ã£â€š ¿Ã£Æ' ¼ elevatorFurai ãÆ'•ãÆ' ©Ã£â€š ¤ deep fryingFuronto ãÆ'•ãÆ' ­Ã£Æ' ³Ã£Æ'ˆ the reception deskGomu ã‚ ´Ã£Æ'   rubber band (from Dutch gom)Handoru ãÆ' Ã£Æ' ³Ã£Æ'‰ãÆ' « handleHankachi ãÆ' Ã£Æ' ³Ã£â€š «Ã£Æ'  handkerchief Imeeji ã‚ ¤Ã£Æ' ¡Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£â€š ¸ imagejuusu ã‚ ¸Ã£Æ' ¥Ã£Æ' ¼Ã£â€š ¹ juicekokku ã‚ ³Ã£Æ'Æ'ã‚ ¯ cook (from Dutch kok) Nationality is expressed by adding jin ä º º, which literally means person, after the country name. Amerika-jin ã‚ ¢Ã£Æ' ¡Ã£Æ' ªÃ£â€š «Ã¤ º º AmericanItaria-jin ã‚ ¤Ã£â€š ¿Ã£Æ' ªÃ£â€š ¢Ã¤ º º ItalianOranda-jin ã‚ ªÃ£Æ' ©Ã£Æ' ³Ã£Æ'ۊ º º DutchKanada-jin ã‚ «Ã£Æ'ŠãÆ'ۊ º º- CanadianSupein-jin ã‚ ¹Ã£Æ'šã‚ ¤Ã£Æ' ³Ã¤ º º SpanishDoitsu-jin ãÆ'‰ã‚ ¤Ã£Æ'„ä º º GermanyFuransu-jin ãÆ'•ãÆ' ©Ã£Æ' ³Ã£â€š ¹Ã¤ º º French

Major project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Major project - Assignment Example as they are bound to provide tips to the employees on ways to excel within the organization, how to communicate properly with management and ensure positive results as well as how to overcome challenges within the organization and improve performance as well. The function is to be held in a location that is easily accessible by the employees as well as the invited guests. It should be in an intimate location away from the workplace which may provide an intense atmosphere hence hindering positive results from the function. Employees who are the main participants of the function should feel comfortable enough to ask questions that will enable them advance their career and improve their performance and communication. The location should be strategic so that people do not have to worry about traffic hence hurrying up the event. After the location has been identified, the next step is to secure the location for the function and start preparation of mapping of the area. Mapping in this case means partitioning of the location into different places according to the goals of the function. An area for the booths should be mapped. The area should not be open to minimize interruptions during sessions with employees and guests. Also on the map should be refreshment locations placed strategically all over the location for easy access. A place for the podium for the debriefing and addressing the beginning of the meeting should be mapped as well as the areas for tables and chairs. Team leaders and managers have a big role in the career development function and hence should be briefed about the progress and preparations. The briefing is important so that they can start making preparations about the people who need to participate in the function. They know the team members and employees under them and hence who will benefit more (Dahlstrom, 2009). The role of managers is to clear schedules for that particular day for these employees as well as ensure they have representatives

Project Planning in Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Project Planning in Teams - Essay Example This also allows the formation of work breakdown structure and defining the dependencies and relationships. Using the same, network activity diagram can be formulated which assists in identification of critical activities and paths and time for completion of projects i.e. minimum and maximum. (Thayer, 2000). Following up with the same, the essential cost and time factors can be allocated to each activity allowing the final estimate to be calculated for the project on the whole. Once the plan is in its final shape, it is referred to as the baseline of the project that eventually serves as a benchmark for comparison of each activity's completion. Such comparison lead to creation of experience and knowledge which betters the future planning by individuals involved in the process (Fleming, 2005). A specification document is mainly a written foundation that specifies the major set of requirements of a project. These set of specifications are generally vague in nature. Later an agreement is reached between the customer and the vendor that is a refined form of specifications document and has a legal value and it contains in finalized format what actually a customer needs (Pinto, Jun 2006). Structuring a project is rather an essentiality to proceed with the work. Based on the set of requirements agreed upon by the customer, the project manager formulates a structure according to which resources are allocated (Pinto, Jun 2006). Work Breakdown Structure Work Breakdown Structure or WBS is an important tool in structuring a project that mainly requires breaking a requirement in small bits and pieces that would be later compiled to form the whole of a project. WBS is extremely useful because it defines precisely the requirements of each bit of a project, and secondly, it also assists in formulation of milestones in the project, alongside the ease of having parallel running activities (Pinto, Jun 2006). Task Allocation One the WBS is formed; tasks are allocated to individuals and in

Effective communication in organization Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Effective communication in organization - Article Example ional) communication is important to enhance good working relations in the organization which in turn translate to the achievement of the goals and objectives set. Organization capabilities are only achieved in an environment where healthy communication and relationship between individuals is enhanced. In the articles, the SMCR model is emphasized. The SMCR means that there should be a good channel (C) for the message (M) to move from the source (S) to the receiver (R). In an organization therefore, there will be all forms of communication which range from formal to informal. In formal communication, the leaders in the organization design/develop strategies to be used in achieving the objectives. They then construct relevant messages and then using correct channels, they relay it to the members in the organization. Communication will therefore play a significant role in this process. Employees on the other hand mainly communicate informally with each other enhancing their ties in the organization. Both forms are equally important. The evolution of communication is also highlighted in the article especially with the developments in technology playing a significant role in the progress. Organizational communication is significant in developing its culture which plays a major role in achievement of goals

Human resource development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human resource development - Essay Example ACC, a Danish company, experimented with a new type of training that was designed to create adult learning associated with the production of a learning organization Initially, the attitudes about the project were quite favourable, however upon launch, participants chosen for the activity found it to be without much merit. This was due to poor communication about the nature of the project, less autonomy and shared decision-making, and the fact that the organisation remained static and would not be changing. This project recommends that there be a new system of training for creating a positive attitude for a learning organisation that include better preliminary communications and also with margin for organisational flexibility. Article overview The article selected for review, â€Å"The learning organization: an undelivered promise†, highlights the activities associated with a year-long training seminar targeting professional employees at a Danish organisation known as Administr ative Case Consideration (ACC). The purpose of the study was to identify the different training methods used to foster a new collaborative learning organisation in which managers could develop new skills as knowledge managers dedicated to promoting learning across the entire staff. The goal was to change employees whilst the organisation, itself, as well as its internal policies and processes, remained static and unchanging. The study’s methodology consisted of professionals being grouped into four work teams, with each portion of training for each team carried out over a three month period. Teams rotated throughout the entire year until the entire organisation had been through the programme. Direct observation by the researcher occurred, therefore validating results significantly as the researcher was able to both participate and interview those involved in the training sessions. Pre- and post-interviews were delivered to the training members to identify whether their attitu des about the training has changed after their three month session was completed. There were four models used in the training, including quality, communications, and generic principles associated with total quality management. The article informs the reader by identifying that such structures are oftentimes socially driven with frustrations caused by limited new skills development. It shows that adult learning is sometimes complex with radical social structures guiding its development and effectiveness, even when social dimensions are not the goal of creating a learning organisation. The advantages of this training were closer interpersonal relationships with colleagues, more so than embracing of the learning organisation concepts. Andragogic approach This study was andragogic in design as it facilitated learning with adult participants. In many ways, it was self-directing, oriented to provide meaningful insight surrounding current problems and tasks associated with ACC, and based o n trust and collaboration. These are necessary to facilitate andragogic learning effectively (Guldem 2009). Since the study did not involve youths, it was not pedagogic in nature and the basis of learning was geared around the elements of adult management and leadership necessary to achieve the goal of promoting a learning organisation. The learning was supposed to be intrinsically motivated, as the preliminary interviews had identified that the majority of participants were initially excited and interested about joining the training structure. However, considerable frustrations occurred in this andragogic effort that will be identified. The model of training used The model used was unique to the environment and activities associated with ACC, however were loosely based on John Dewey’s theory of learning. In this theory, the professionals â€Å"require a preparation to enable them to sense uncertain situations and act upon them by way of inquiry†

Urban Clothing Retail Store Business Plan Essay

Urban Clothing Retail Store Business Plan - Essay Example Converse Texas currently maintains a total population of 18,110 individuals, which is a 54 percent increase from 2000 (city-data.com, 2012). This represents a substantially growing market that continues to improve in population density, thereby attracting a variety of new potential customers, due to improvements in job infrastructure and job availability. To the advantage of Urban Clothing, the median income per household is considerably above the national average at $49,396 per year (city-data.com). Of the total population, Converse Texas maintains 31 percent under the age of 18 and 33.9 percent between 25 and 44. Thus, this represents a significant portion of the total population in the city that could be recruited through inventive marketing concepts for urban-inspired clothing fitting of the youth profile. Additionally, 44.6 percent of total Converse, Texas households maintain a child under the age of 18 (another considerable market opportunity through relationship development in marketing). Globally, clothing retail has witnessed considerable growths since 2009. Clothing retail, as a global whole, grew by three percent since 2005 with volume sales at 8 percent growth (gaapirfrs.com, 2011). Of these sales, women’s outerwear grew 60 percent of the total value sales after 2006, suggesting that Urban Clothing should provide considerably more women’s fashions than men in order to appeal to this diverse group of buyers. In Europe and the United States, clothing retail witnessed the most foot traffic on Mondays and Wednesdays (Goodman, 2011). Therefore, the business will focus on attracting buyers during the weekends, something important for youth buyers who attend school or...This business must be hip, trendy and cater to the lifestyles of younger consumers looking for innovative fashions and this can be done through marketing creativity and by following successful business models for companies that have been able to build lasting relationships wit h young buyers. The organization relies heavily on a high mark-up based on the costs of procurement overseas (supply chain) however much of this cost is offset by the chosen method of supply in foreign low-wage countries. Net income is estimated at $75,000 in the first year of operation after considering all costs of operations. In order to make Urban Clothing work effectively, the sole proprietor will have to ensure that the organization meets all standards of quality, service, and relationship management through marketing and direct sales tactics. Thus, there must be a system of education and training in place so that all members of the sales staff understand the goals and mission of Urban Clothing. Therefore, the burden of training and human resources will have to fall on the owner and be a part of the team-working and sales tactics models. This will require considerable investment on the sole proprietor in order to find total marketing success.

Human resource development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human resource development - Essay Example ACC, a Danish company, experimented with a new type of training that was designed to create adult learning associated with the production of a learning organization Initially, the attitudes about the project were quite favourable, however upon launch, participants chosen for the activity found it to be without much merit. This was due to poor communication about the nature of the project, less autonomy and shared decision-making, and the fact that the organisation remained static and would not be changing. This project recommends that there be a new system of training for creating a positive attitude for a learning organisation that include better preliminary communications and also with margin for organisational flexibility. Article overview The article selected for review, â€Å"The learning organization: an undelivered promise†, highlights the activities associated with a year-long training seminar targeting professional employees at a Danish organisation known as Administr ative Case Consideration (ACC). The purpose of the study was to identify the different training methods used to foster a new collaborative learning organisation in which managers could develop new skills as knowledge managers dedicated to promoting learning across the entire staff. The goal was to change employees whilst the organisation, itself, as well as its internal policies and processes, remained static and unchanging. The study’s methodology consisted of professionals being grouped into four work teams, with each portion of training for each team carried out over a three month period. Teams rotated throughout the entire year until the entire organisation had been through the programme. Direct observation by the researcher occurred, therefore validating results significantly as the researcher was able to both participate and interview those involved in the training sessions. Pre- and post-interviews were delivered to the training members to identify whether their attitu des about the training has changed after their three month session was completed. There were four models used in the training, including quality, communications, and generic principles associated with total quality management. The article informs the reader by identifying that such structures are oftentimes socially driven with frustrations caused by limited new skills development. It shows that adult learning is sometimes complex with radical social structures guiding its development and effectiveness, even when social dimensions are not the goal of creating a learning organisation. The advantages of this training were closer interpersonal relationships with colleagues, more so than embracing of the learning organisation concepts. Andragogic approach This study was andragogic in design as it facilitated learning with adult participants. In many ways, it was self-directing, oriented to provide meaningful insight surrounding current problems and tasks associated with ACC, and based o n trust and collaboration. These are necessary to facilitate andragogic learning effectively (Guldem 2009). Since the study did not involve youths, it was not pedagogic in nature and the basis of learning was geared around the elements of adult management and leadership necessary to achieve the goal of promoting a learning organisation. The learning was supposed to be intrinsically motivated, as the preliminary interviews had identified that the majority of participants were initially excited and interested about joining the training structure. However, considerable frustrations occurred in this andragogic effort that will be identified. The model of training used The model used was unique to the environment and activities associated with ACC, however were loosely based on John Dewey’s theory of learning. In this theory, the professionals â€Å"require a preparation to enable them to sense uncertain situations and act upon them by way of inquiry†

Chinese-American Immigrants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinese-American Immigrants - Essay Example The sourness of living where dignity is flushed and third and fourth degree works(which in America they do not accept to deal with and leave to women to do) was the only was to find a means of living to survive. Thus the laundry business ran by Maxine's father when he was kicked out of the business of gambling. As children from Chinese immigrants, Maxine did not understand the relation between myth and reality and talk-stories were a way to sense the factuelles and weave a mentality that could help her understand America and become American yet not forgetting her heritage of Chinese background. A journey of sufferings does not stop at the point where problems concerning finance stops but extends to the beloved ones who suffer in silence besides the person and try to find a way out of it. Being a man responsible for a family, Maxine's father was in the place of a woman when dealing with the American society(now he has to obey the father when yet unmarried(illegal immigrants),obey the husband when married(the legal laws and registration of legal papers),obedience to the sons when widowed(the happiness of father when he planted his plants in the garden a steady and slow into the future of the family ,remembering the suffering he was suffering when out of a job.).Yet the ethics of a woman in a male society where immigrants were not seen as unwelcomed beings drove the family to work in the 'third-grade' industries -the laundry. The work being hard and tiring, the father was experiencing the problem of facing reality through a woman's eyes (whether he saw or did not see or reali ze this). China men is a story about growing up in a Chinese background in American reality with a family to support, from the point of view of Maxine who had no access Chinese realities but what she sees in reality as a child surrounding the family and working on. As seen for sure, the reality was harsh and the fact that women were unpreferable to men made Maxine want to prove herself and thus conflicted inside her with herself as to the fact if she would ever become a pride in the family and to it when ever growing up in America with her strict and unbent mother from Chinese heritage. Brave Orchid was the motive for Maxine to grow up into a strong character and she recited the story from the point of view of her male relatives and especially her father's because she understood that understanding someone from a different gender and being in their shoes made her understand the factuality and beliefs she carried on in life. China Men is in fact a biography of the father and an autobiography of Maxine's feelings and point of view of life through her father's stories from his living reality. Life was harsh and getting legal registration of documents and facing racism in America for Chinese people who came poor from their countries doing their best to be better in the land of the golden mountains of gold made he see what reality is truly like from someone who is far away from home, estranged and widowed having nobody to support them. Yet their happy times did not fade away as they were able to recollect their shattering

Was Trade the Most Important Factor of British Empire Essay Example for Free

Was Trade the Most Important Factor of British Empire Essay At the Cutty Sark I learned that the ship traded tea from China. It was able to carry 10,335 tea chests. It left from London with mining gear, beer, coal and household goods. This shows that trade was quite an important factor for the Empire because people were able to use items and foods that they did not get in their own country and it also increases colonisation because some people from the UK would stay in China gathering all of the cargo onto the ship and would stay there to make sure trade was always going on. The ship would of shipped off a lot of cargo and the living conditions would have been very bad. The men on board would of had to do many jobs. This shows that being on board a ship was not always a pleasant experience. The ship had many sales so that it could travel faster. The Cutty Sark would export cargo from the United Kingdom such as items like mining gear, beer, coal, household goods, some weaponry and especially wool. In Australia from 1869-1892 there ended up being 100,000,000 sheep in Australia. There were not that many men on board. There were 30 men on board at the most and almost half of them were apprentices. Most of the crew on board the ship would abandon it when they got to Australia. This increased colonization in another part of the world. At the National Maritime Museum I learnt more about the East India Company. The Europeans began to trade with Asia by sea around the 1500s. The first European to sail from Europe to Asia was Vasco da Gama. Many different European countries traded with sailed to Southern India for things like spices and pepper. This is exactly what the Dutch did. Robert Knox sailed from Great Britain to Southern India because of the East India Company. Many of the things that were traded helped the UK. Pepper which came from India protected people against the Plague. The Navy was the most important thing with trading because it allowed you to get to different countries. Trade caused a lot of conflict like at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 where Clive defeated the Nawab(prince) Siraj ud-Daula. This was a turning point because the British ended up capturing India. This is also a turning point because they would have more land and begin to colonise in India. It also would have ade their rivals such as the Dutch angry because they would now be trading with the British. The East India Company was very efficient during trade because it was able to give people more jobs, more goods and also more allies. At the Painted Hall there was not much to learn about trade or colonisation etc.. Instead of those things we saw a whole room that was painted with different Gods, Kings, Queens, Seasons, Ships and these were all merged together to make as if it was telling small stories. The hall was painted by a man called James Thornhill and he wanted to make this so that he could get more money. I think that the hall was made like that for National Pride because when an apprentice would walk into a room like that they would be proud of their country and would be motivated to make his country proud. The men and women who made the British Empire would have been motivated because of factors such as national pride, wealth, fame, making allies, agriculture, weaponry. These all show that the British were trying to make their country known. It does not really surprise me because if you look at any country, they all want to spread their culture and gain power but some countries know how to do it better than others. I think that trade was the most important factor of the British Empire because it was the most powerful trading nation in the world, they arrived in the country to trade in the first place, many products were brought to Britain some of which we still have today and if trade never began then we would not have things like tea, coffee, exotic fruits, spices etc.. The other factors are important because Britain created allies, spread religion quickly and beat their rivals in war. These are all good factors but none of it would have happened if trade did not really begin. From 1603-1677 7million pounds more pepper was exported from India to the UK. This helped them in war because they were able to gain allies. Even though there was conflict like at the Battle of Plassey there was somebody in India to help the East India Company. The increase of tea exports from China between 1701 to 1801 was 31,500,000 pounds. During trade with different countries it also increased the amount of money in the UK. Trade is also important because of the slave trade and how many workers they were able to work for them. It also allowed them to get goods from the Caribbean and also gain allies from Africa. There are negatives to the slave trade on how they treated the workers and how much they made them work in such terrible conditions. The middle passage was the worst because the slaves would get whipped and the conditions below deck would be so bad because it wold be very cramped. They hardly got any food and they were made to work unwillingly with no pay. If they were punished they were either marked or in a really bad incident then they would be killed to set an example to the other slaves. Young children and old people would do minor jobs like picking up litter and extra grains to throw away. People who were quite strong such as young men would work on the plantations and women would work in the slavers houses doing the cooking and cleaning in the houses. The white people would not do that much other than collect the money. The living conditions were also really bad because they would hardly have any space and it would be very cramped. That all changed when slaves became Christian and people began to feel as if they should not make their fellow Christians work with no pay. Religion was increased because of the slaves and colonisation in different countries but they would have had to trade to make this happen. To beat their rivals Great Britain would have also used trade to gain allies and generate a larger army. They would have also gained more weapons. Trade was also a very big factor for the British Empire because it gained fame and wealth for the UK. It helped make their country known and to spread their culture. Even though it took quite a long time to get to each location that they needed to get to it was all worth it in the end because they ended up bringing back a lot of cargo which could last the UK for quite a long time. It helped that the navy were good because it meant that trade would be a lot easier because they would be able to get to each place quicker and would be able to navigate themselves well. Even though there were many important factors of the British Empire I personally think that trade was the most important because it increased the United Kingdoms economy, agriculture, fame, wealth, culture and goods exported from other countries. That is why trade in my opinion is the most important factor of the growth of the British Empire.

Creatine Supplementation Do The Benefits Outweigh The Risks Biology Essay

Creatine Supplementation Do The Benefits Outweigh The Risks Biology Essay Creatine is a nitrogen based organic compound that is naturally synthesised in the body by the kidney, liver and pancreas. Over the past 2 decades creatine, usually in the form of creatine monohydrate, has become one of the most popular ergogenic aids used by amateur and professional athletes alike. A 2001 study involving over 600 high school students completing who completed surveys regarding the use of creatine. Over 75% of students had knowledge of creatine and its uses, 16% of whom admitted to using creatine as an ergogenic aid to improve athletic performance (Tracy et al,2001). Creatine combines with a phosphate to form phosphocreatine which is a vital way in which cells are able to store energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This is via the reversible creatine kinase reaction, so called as it is catalysed by the enzyme creatine kinase (Sweeney, 1994). Creatine monohydrate supplements are most beneficial in short duration, high intensity exercises lasting less than 30 seconds. The phosphocreatine is broken down to its constituent elements and ATP is resynthesised allowing for improved muscular performance. Taking creatine as a sports supplement is beneficial because it increases the total amount of phosphocreatine stored in resting muscle cells allowing for greater ATP resynthesis in intense activities. As well as being a commonly used sports supplement creatine is a widely researched compound due to its potential benefits in various areas of medicine. Studies have suggested that creatine may provide neuroprotective benefits, often via a similar mechanism, by delaying the onset of motor symptoms and improving survival rates in conditions such as Huntingtons disease and Parkinsons disease (Wyss and Schulze, 2002). Creatine has also proven its benefits in other neuromuscular diseases where muscular dystrophy is common by improving strength of muscular contractions in key muscles used in everyday exercises such as walking and lifting (Kreider, 1 998) . Some research has led scientists to believe that creatine plays a role in atherosclerotic protection against cardiovascular based conditions (Wyss and Schulze, 2002). This might be caused by oral creatine supplementation decreasing levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood plasma. Homocysteine is a commonly known risk factor for atherosclerotic disease so this may be the reason creatine can offer atherosclerotic protection. There are risks associated with using creatine as a supplement which could be as minor as trouble with acne or muscular cramping to renal dysfunction or even failure. This is a controversial area with opinions often split on whether creatine does cause renal disorders as there are many studies done concluding opposing outcomes. Further research needs to be done into this area to fully assess the risk factor for using creatine as many of the studies have been relatively short term in their nature. What is creatine? Creatine is a nitrogen based organic compound that is most commonly associated with sports supplementation. It is believed to have been first identified by a French chemist named Michel Eugene Chevreul in 1835 (Hultman et al,1996). Chevreul was able to identify the presence of creatine in a meat extract. The compound is not generally regarded a protein but is made up of 3 amino acids and consists of 32% nitrogen (Poortmans and Francaux, 1999). The chemical structure of creatine can be seen in Figure 1. Figure 1 Chemical Structure of Creatine The figure shows the chemical structure of creatine. The molecular formula of creatine is C4H9N3O2. The amino acids found in creatine are arginine, glycine and methinione. Over the past twenty years creatine has become one of the most popular ergogenic aids taken in the world of sport . An ergogenic aid is defined as any means of enhancing energy utilisation, including energy production, control and efficiency (Silver,2001). It is now known that increasing the amount of dietary creatine available leads to an increase in total muscle creatine [TCr]. As well as this, there is also evidence that both total intramuscular creatine increases levels rise as well as levels of phosphocreatine [PCr] (Martini,2006). During intense exercise phosphocreatine is broken down to creatine and inorganic phosphate (combines with ADP to form ATP) which is the fastest source for the re-synthesis of ATP molecules during the first 10 seconds of high intensity exercise (Mougois,2006). As intense exercise continues and phosphocreatine stores become depleted, ATP is not resynthesised at the same rate and performance levels drop. This is where evidence suggests that creatine can help to increase performance by delaying the inevitable depletion of phosphocreatine stores. Creatine, as a sports supplement, has only been shown to be beneficial during such short duration exercises. These range from sprinting to power lifting so an array of athletes take advantage of the compound including sprinters, rugby players and weight lifters. Creatine is synthesised naturally in the body but only at a rate of 1 to 2 grams per day (McArdle, 2009). This takes place primarily in the liver, pancreas and kidneys. It is therefore im portant to eat foods rich in creatine as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Such foods include poultry and fish which contain around 5g of creatine per kg of food weight (McArdle, 2006). Approximately half of the creatine used by the body is replaced through the diet with the other half replaced via endogenous synthesis. Approximately 95% of stored creatine is found in skeletal muscle (Spillane et al,2009). As only meat foods contain creatine it is often difficult for vegetarians to obtain ample exogenous creatine via the diet. As a sports supplement, creatine is usually taken in the form of creatine monohydrate (CrH2O). Creatine monohydrate is taken in either capsule or powder form and, nowadays, is readily available online and in high street shops (Kreiber, 1998). When did creatine become popular? Creatine first came into the public eye after the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Linford Christie, who won the Gold medal in the 100m event, admitted to taking creatine monohydrate supplements during his training program. The International Olympic Committee does not consider creatine an illegal substance so athletes are free to take it. 30% of high school athletes admitted to using it with the figure for both professional and college athletes is higher still. In terms of nutritional supplementation net annual sales of creatine are nearly 500 million dollars in the USA alone (Metzl et al, 2001) making it the most popular ergogenic aid used legally. In 2004, a new form of creatine supplementation was introduced to the market called creatine ethyl ester. This is now a very commonly used form of the supplement. It is said to be beneficial due to increased absorption rates compared with standard creatine monohydrate. However, studies have also shown that there is no advantage to be gained from taking creatine ethyl ester (Figure 2) compared with regular creatine monohydrate supplements (Spillane et al,2009). The study focused on claims that using the revolutionary creatine ethyl ester increases the bio-availability of creatine allowing for greater gains in performace. Subjects were randomly assigned in a double blind fashion to either a creatine ethyl ester group, a creatine monohydrate group or a maltodextrose placebo group. During the investigation both the creatine monohydrate subjects and the creatine ethyl ester subjects observed improvements in both muscle strength and muscle power but there was little difference recorded between the two creatine based groups. The authors were able to conclude that despite claims, creatine ethyl ester provides no benefits, as a sports supplement, compared with creatine monohydrate (Spillane et al,2009) Figure 2 Creatine ethyl ester As can clearly be seen from the diagram the chemical structure of creatine ethyl ester is slightly different to that of creatine. The molecular formula is C6H13N3O2. How to take creatine? Creatine monohydrate is widely available and is usually found in powder or capsule form. Unlike many protein supplements creatine is not usually flavoured and is just mixed with water. When starting to take creatine as a supplement the athlete must first undergo the loading phase which usually lasts no more than a week. This is necessary to elevate intramuscular levels of creatine phosphate and involves taking 5 grams of creatine 4 times a day. Taking 20g a day elevates both free creatine and creatine phosphate levels by between 10 and 30% (McArdle,2009). The short term mass gains experienced by users of creatine are likely to be primarily caused by water retention. Users of creatine should limit their caffeine intake because it is now well known that caffeine counteracts the ergogenic benefits that the substance provides. In 1996 a Belgian study concluded caffeine has the ability to completely eliminate the ergogenic benefit of creatine supplementation (Vandenberghe et al, 1996). Th erefore it is vital that athletes who use creatine limit their caffeine intake to a minimum if not exclude caffeine containing drinks from their diet all together to prevent the impact of the supplement being inhibited. It has also been proven that caffeine intake prolongs muscle relaxation time, therefore opposing the action of the creatine which is able to shorten muscular relaxation time (Hespel,2002). Does creatine possess other benefits? As well as the much documented use of creatine as a sports supplement, the compound is the basis of intense, scientific research with regards to its possible benefits in other areas. Among these is the potential use of creatine to protect against both neurological and atherosclerotic disease. It is thought that creatine administration may be beneficial in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by increasing muscle mass (Fuld et al, 2005). Creatine supplementation displayed neuroprotective effects in various animal models of both Huntingtons and Parkinsons disease (Wyss and Schulze, 2002) as well as in McArdles disease (Vorgerd et al,2000). Also in this paper, the authors looked into atherosclerotic protection which may be provided by creatine by lowering the concentration, in the blood, of the amino acid homocysteine. Homocysteine has previously been identified as an atherosclerotic risk factor. A 2002 study focused primarily on the effects creatine had on transgenic animal m odels of Huntingtons disease. Again, this study found creatine to be beneficial in that survival rates increased and delayed the development of motor symptoms associated with the condition (Andreassen et al, 2001). Much research has focused on the possibility of creatine supplementation increasing strength and power in neuromuscular disease patients who often suffer with muscular dystrophy (Tarnospolsky and Martin,1999) . Handgrip and body weight, as well as other measures, were taken and showed significant improvement after the course of supplementation. As well as the potential neuroprotective benefits of creatine, research has also taken place to find other advantages of the creatine compound. Sullivan et al, for example found that creatine can help provide protection against traumatic brain injury (Sullivan et al, 2001). However, this evidence was only gathered using transgenic mice models so further and more extensive studies need to be conducted. Animal models were used during the study and post chronic administration of creatine cortical damage to the mice was reduced by as much as 50%. The potential use of creatine as a form of treatment in Huntingdons disease is revolutionary and vitally important. This is because there is no current effective treatment for the condition so all forms of potential therapy must be explored. A study in 2000 looked into whether, by increasing phosphocreatine levels, creatine could be administered to Hutingdons disease sufferers. Although there has been little research into the matter, there is a possibility that creatine supplementation can influence bone biology (Candow and Chilibeck,2010). Resistance training alone has previously shown to be beneficial, especially to the elderly to help reduce bone loss which in turn decreases the likelihood of bone fractures. Long term creatine supplementation, possibly coupled with resistance training may be a future method in helping to maintain bone structure and reduce the risk of falls and injuries (Candow and Chilbeck,2010). As well as this the aging process is also responsible for sarcopenia which is essentially a reduction in muscle mass resulting in decreased muscle function and muscle weakness (Evans,1995) (Tarnopolsky and Safdar,2008). Creatine supplementation, combined with resistance training may be able to reduce muscle wastage and increase muscular hypertrophy (Dalbo et al,2009). This is believed to be due to the activation of satellite cells. These were first discovered in 1961 during microscopic studies of muscle fibre tissue (Mauro,1961). Since then much information has been obtained as to their function. Satellite cells are believed to function as progenitor cells to the myofibre nuclei which are involved in muscle cell growth (Campion,1984). Muscle fibres are not able to divide, so new muscle fibres are formed through the division of satellite cells. This contributes to the ability of skeletal muscle tissue to repair itself following an injury (Martini,2006). Are there any risks to taking creatine in the long term? Despite the various benefits I have described creatine does have its critics. Numerous studies have focused on the worrying link between its use and renal dysfunction or even complete renal failure. In particular a study by Pritchard and Kalra concluded that creatine had been the underlying factor which led to renal dysfunction in their subject (Pritchard and Kalra,1998) . This was thought to be due largely to the fact that creatine is degraded to creatinine prior to excretion in the urine. This led to further studies on the issue but there is still no definitive answer as to whether the use of creatine as a supplement contributes to renal dysfunction. Another study by Thorsteinsdottir et al in 2006 focused on the alarming case of a healthy 24 year old who was diagnosed with acute renal failure while taking several dietary supplements, including creatine monohydrate. For example, a paper by Poortmans and Francaux (1998) looked into the findings from the Pritchard paper by supplementi ng subjects for as long as 5 years. They found no link whatsoever between the use of creatine and impaired renal function. The same paper also found there to be no impact on blood pressure either. Despite this it is generally accepted that those suffering with renal disorders should refrain from the use of the supplement. While use of creatine as a supplement for a period up to 8 weeks has shown no detrimental health effects, further work must be done to investigate any long term health implications which may arise. Studies focusing on creatine supplementation in endurance athletes have sometimes found that taking the substance could actually inhibit performance. This is thought to be due to the weight gain sometimes attributed to the use of creatine (Balsom et al,1994). There have also been numerous links between creatine supplementation and increases in acne, especially among adolescent athletes which could be another factor in a performer choosing to avoid supplementation. Creati ne use has been linked with outbreaks of acne especially among adolescents. A study by Kaymak in 2008 concluded that between 15-20% of subjects treated had high blood plasma levels of creatine phosphokinase. A clinical report by Landau et al in 2001 also produced similar results with up to 51% of patients being treated with isotretinoin having elevated blood creatine kinase levels. As creatine use became more prominent links began to be forged that the person taking the supplement could be more prone to muscular cramping and spasms, particularly during exercise (Poortmans,2000). However, there is also evidence to the contrary. In 2001 a study was carried out using 26 athletes from various sports (Schilling et al, 2001) . Although the authors focused on the long term clinical markers of creatine use they were able to conclude that there was no increased risk of muscular cramping through use of the supplement. These findings were backed up in 2003 when a paper was published following a 3 year study using elite college athletes (Greenwood et al, 2003). The data was collected between 1998 and 2000 and the authors looked into whether creatine use had any affect over the rate of muscular cramping and injury. Their results showed no significant difference between the placebo group and the creatine taking group allowing them to conclude that creatine had no effect over cramping rate. Similiar conclusions were made in a study by Dalbo et al(2008). Although the majority of evidence gathered suggests that using creatine monohydrate as a nutritional supplement does lead to performance improvements in high intensity, short duration exercise there is some evidence to the contrary. A 1995 study concluded that there is no benefit to using creatine during short term, high intensity bicycle riding (Cooke et al,1995). There was no difference between the power output of the control group compared with the group who had taken the supplement. These findings are interesting due to the large amount of research which concluded that creatine supplementation was advantageous during this manner of exercise. Creatine and endurance events Most of the evidence gathered has suggested that creatine is only beneficial in short, power based activities and has no known advantages with regards to endurance events. This is partly thought to be due to the weight gain attributed to creatine supplementation due to water retention. However in 2004 a novel experiment was conducted which investigated the potential use of creatine to reduce inflammatory and muscle soreness markers during a 30km bicycle race (Santos et al,2004) . The markers the scientists measured were creatine kinase (CK), lacate dehydrogenase (LDH), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor alpha. The subjects used were all experienced road runners whose personal best times for a marathon distance ranged from 2.5 to 3 hours. The subjects undertook the standard creatine loading phase, as well as a small dose of maltodextrin, in the fortnight leading up to the race. Maltodextrin is a commonly used food additive that is used in both the creatine subjects and the placebo subjects so there is no difference in the flavour of the compounds taken. Santos et al found that, in their subject s, the markers of muscle soreness were significantly higher in the control group (who took maltodextrine but not creatine) than in those who had taken creatine. This implies that although creatine has not yet to prove any performance benefits during endurance events it may be beneficial in reducing soreness and improving recovery post exercise by reducing cell damage (Santos, R et al, 2004). In this project I will look into the array of benefits creatine can provide as well as investigating its negative aspects. I then hope to conclude in what situations the benefits outweigh the potential risks as well as where the risk factor may be too high to warrant using the substance. Creatine as a sports supplement As I have already mentioned, it is now known that creatine monohydrate supplements work by increasing the total amount of phosphocreatine available to resting muscle cells. During intense exercise this is broken down to its constituent elements (Phosphate and creatine) and the energy released is used to drive the re-synthesis of ATP, the universal energy currency (Kreider, RB, 1998). As only a very small amount (approximately 2g per day) is synthesised naturally by the liver, pancreas and kidneys extra phosphocreatine in the muscle cells serves to reduce fatigue during high intensity, short duration activities like sprinting. A study by Kerksick et al in 2007 investigated the impact of various different protein sources and creatine on the human body following a 12 weeks high intensity resistance program. 49 subjects were used who regularly attended the gym to carry out weight lifting exercises. Some subjects were administered with a colostrum protein blend, which is formed from the mild delivered by cows in the days following giving birth. Other subjects were given colostrums combined with creatine administration. A protein control group was put in place and Kerksick et al predicted that the inclusion of creatine with the colostrums blend would bring about greater improvements in both body composition and power than those taking colostrum alone. The resistance training program led to mass gains for all subjects but the greatest lean mass gains were achieved by those taking a blend of creatine and colostrums protein. However, there was no significant improvement in subjects one repetition maximum on the be nch press between the protein control group, the c colostrum group or the colostrums/creatine group. Due to the increased availability of phosphocreatine it would have been predicted that the colostrum/creatine group would have achieved the greatest improvements in this exercise over the 12 week study. In some cases as little as one week of supplementation can be enough to produce performance improvements (Volek et al,1997). Volek used 14 active, male subjects in a double blind fashion where 7 where unknowingly the placebo group and 7 were administered with oral creatine monohydrate supplement. Bench press and squat jumps were the chosen exercises to measure the effect of creatine on performance. As well as increases in the weight subjects could bench press, and increases in power output for the squat jumps there was also a noticeable increase in lean body mass among the subjects of up to 2.7 kg, possibly due to the water retention attributed to creatine use. Despite all the evidence which has been gathered implying that creatine does play a role in helping enhance ATP resynthesis during short term, high intensity exercises there is some evidence to the contrary. In particular a paper by Cooke et al in 1995 concluded that their subjects had experienced no benefit whatsoever to using the supplement for their high intensity, intermittent bicycle sprints. The authors focused primarily on the power output the subjects were able to exert as well as fatigue levels experienced. 12 healthy yet untrained male subjects were used for the study, 6 of which were the placebo group with the other 6 making up the supplemented group. The supplemented subjects used the loading phase technique to increase the levels of phosphocreatine in resting muscle cells faster, but the phase only lasted for 5 days. This may have been too short a period of time to load them as most manufacturers suggest a 2 week loading phase. However, as I have mentioned Volek et al, 1 997 found performance improvements could occur in as little as a week. Cooke et al found there to be no significant difference between the power output between the two groups, prior to or after the supplementation period. This led the authors to conclude that use of creatine as an ergogenic aid has no positive effect over a persons ability to exert more power in muscular contraction, which opposes much of the evidence gathered in other studies. Creatine and its neuroprotective effects In some studies creatine has demonstrated neuroprotective effects. In some animal models creatine has provided neurological protection against the onset of symptoms in both Parkinsons and Huntingtons disease (Wyss and Schulze,2002). There are three main steps involved in creatine metabolism with one being creatine transporter. The others are, firstly, AGAT which is L-arginine :glycine amidinotransferase. This forms precursors to the creatine molecule itself. Also, GAMT is involved in the biosynthesis of creatine molecules. Deficiency of either AGAT or GAMT leads to a deficiency in both creatine and phosphocreatine in the brain, which can lead to severe mental retardation (Schutz and Stockler, 2007). In the studies carried out by Wyss and Schulze there was a noticeable improvement in clinical symptoms of both AGAT and GAMT deficiencies but there was no change with the creatine transporter disorders. Dechent et al, 1999 also found that oral creatine monohydrate supplementation also inc reased creatine levels in the brain. Furthermore, in transgenic mouse models of Huntingtons disease, creatine administration has shown to improve survival rates, as well as prevent the inevitable onset of symptoms. (Andreassen et al,2001). This was concluded to be via a similar method to how creatine operates as an ergogenic aid, but by increasing phosphocreatine levels in the brain, rather than in muscle cells. A minimal dietary administration, of just 2% creatine was enough to provide positive results in the study and provide neurological protection. Huntingtons disease is often associated with loss in weight and the creatine presence also helped to minimise weight loss in the animal subjects. In 2002 a revolutionary study was carried out by Jacobs et al into the possibility of using oral creatine monohydrate to assist the recovery of patients with spinal cord injuries at the cervical vertebrae level. Sixteen subjects were used for the study who had suffered injuries between the C5 and C7 vertebrae. Results showed that VO2 max, VCO2 max, and time to fatigue were all greater in the supplemented group compared with the placebo group and Jacobs concluded that there is definite benefit in using creatine to assist with training in the rehabilitation of such severe spinal injuries. This again demonstrates the potential uses that creatine supplementation has in providing neurological protection and rehabilitation. Creatine supplementation may also be beneficial in patients suffering with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Rosenfeld, 2008). This is a neurodegenerative progressive disorder which is characterised by muscular dystrophy and can be fatal. An advantage of this trial was the large sample size, which was over 100 subjects. While creatine did not significantly improve motor or respiratory capacity there was a definitive trend toward increased survival rates among the creatine supplemented subject group. Rosenfeld called for further research to be considered into the increases survival rates that were linked to the use of creatine. Creatine and renal failure It has been predicted that a long term nitrogen rich diet lends itself to cause both structural and functional deformities of the kidney and may eventually cause renal hyperfiltration (Poortmans and Francaux,1999). Due to the high nitrogen content of creatine much research has been done into whether there is a long term danger to using the supplement. In 1998 a rather controversial paper was published by Pritchard and Kalra which researched into the possible links between use of creatine as a sports supplement, following the death of 3 American college wrestlers who were taking the substance. The article was published in the Lancet and became the topic of much debate in years to come. Pritchard and Kalra concluded that there was strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that creatine was responsible for the deterioration in renal function (Pritchard and Kalra,1998). The subject suffered with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis but despite this all markers of renal function were normal, such as creatinine clearance values. However, when the 25 year old subject was studied 8 years later creatinine clearance had decreased considerably. The male admitted to using creatine based supplements during a pre season football training program which Pritchard and Kalra felt was an underlying factor in the deterioration in the mans renal functio ning. This paper was a topic for much debate, due largely to the fact that the patient investigated by Pritchard and Kalra had underlying renal issues prior to the study, which the authors seem to ignore in their conclusions. The size of the study is also questionable due to the fact that there was only a sole participant therefore no a repeat or variety in results taken. There were also just 4 references noted at the end of the article suggesting that Pritchard and Kalra may not have taken into full account all other evidence that had been obtained by other studies. Due to the ever increasing popularity of creatine supplementation, along with its continued link with renal failure there have been a vast number of studies in this area. A study by Edmunds et al in 2000 focused on the progression of renal disease in Han:Sprague-Dawley (SPRD) rat models with cystic kidney disease. The rats undertook the loading phase of supplementation which I described in the introduction. This is the same technique used in humans to increase the amount of free phosphocreatine. Obviously, the intake of creatine was reduced, in comparison with humans, to 2g/kg of diet for the one week loading phase, followed by a 5 week period where the dosage administered was 0.4g/kg of diet to compare. The authors measured the progression of renal disease my taking kidney size records as well as determining cyst scores. The cysts often develop in chronic cases where the cysts grow and inhibit the blood filtering capabilities of the organ (Parker,2007).Edmunds hypothesis stated that due to the relatively short life span of the animals used, any impact that creatine supplementation has on renal function could be more readily detected. The findings supported this hypothesis as the rats that had been administered with creatine suffered greater renal disease progression than the control group. The kidney sizes were as much as 10% larger, in some cases, than the control group which is an indicator of further progression of the condition. The creatine was administered in a creatine/glutamine mixture which supplement manufacturers often do as glutamine is believed to significantly improve absorption of creatine. As expected all other markers of renal function agreed with the hypothesis. Creatinine serum clearance was 23% lower in the supplemented group and cyst scored were 23% greater compared with the control group. At the time of Edmunds paper there had still not been a long term controlled study into the effect creatine supplementation may have on renal function. Although the findings seem conclusive I feel it is important to consider that animal models were used as oppose to humans, although this was partially due to the time restrictions. Also the sample sizes are adequate but by no means large with 14 males and just 12 females making up the creatine supplemented groups. As well as this the length of the study is quite short with the supplementing period lasting 6 weeks in total. Therefore it remains unclear as to the long term risks that can be associated with creatine and renal issues. In spite of this, the paper exacerbates the advice that athletes with any form of renal condition should avoid using creatine as an ergogenic aid. In contrast there numerous studies have taken place which have focused on the potential link between creatine and renal disorders and concluded that there is no health risk to taking the substance. In 1999, Poortmans and Francaux conducted a long term study on the issue. This was important because some of the investigations done around this time were short term and didnt account for the potential long term health risks, if creatine were to be taken over a substantial period of time. Poortmans and Francaux refer to the controversial Lancet publication by Pritchard and Kalra in their introduction and used this to form their hypothesis that short and medium term creatine supplementation in men does not have any detrimental e

Jesus is a True Hero Essay -- Religion Christian Christiantiy essays p

Over one third of the world's population call themselves Christians, or those who follow the teachings of Jesus. Jesus presence in the souls of humanity is everywhere. Sunday, the day of Christ’s resurrection, is still a day of rest and worship. The calendar still uses the year of his birth as a starting point, with A.D being after death and B.C being before the death of Christ. There are also major Christian holidays that are celebrated by millions each year, Christmas, the day of Christ’s birth, and Easter, the day of Christ’s resurrection. The life of Jesus is told in the new testament of the bible, which is still one of the best selling books of all time and has been translated in 2,000 different languages. The life and the lessons of Jesus are known by all his followers, the compassion he showed towards all people helped change the world. The life of Jesus is told in the New Testament, one of the most sacred and relished books by people all over the world. His mother was Mary, who was a virgin when he was conceived, and Joseph, a poor carpenter. The life of Jesus is contradictory to other messiahs such as Muhammad or Buddha. He was born in a manger as the son of a carpenter. The life he came from was not what was to be expected of a messiah. The Pharisees did not believe that Jesus was a savior because he did not fit the credentials that they thought a savior should have. Surely, a savior would have been born into a rich family and gone to the best schools. Jesus said â€Å"what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul.† Meaning that the riches of the world are not worth having if you have to lie and cheat for them. Also a Man who has no money but is true to his faith and to god is richer than a man ... ...ieve in him. Jesus’ death for all of mankind’s sin was not a small sacrifice. Because of the huge sacrifice Jesus made, He can be considered a hero - a person who is admired for something He has done. In this case, Jesus is admired for taking all of mankind’s sin upon Himself. John 15:13 says, â€Å"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down His life for His friends.† Jesus did just that. He loved every person who ever lived and has yet to live so much that He laid down His life for them. All they have to do is believe with their hearts and minds that what the Bible says He did is true. There are many people who have been harassed, beaten, or even killed for believing this. Every year, it is estimated that 186,000 people are killed for believing in Jesus as their Savior and for refusing to deny their faith in Him. This reveals just how great a hero Jesus is.

Morality and Lagoon Literary Essay

The Lagoon is a story about a man who visits an old friend; they had been fighting in a war and became good friends since then. Nevertheless, a long time had passed without knowing much about each other, and these friends have a lot to talk about. The consequences of a selfish decision seem to doom the life of a man who suffers pangs of conscience. A story written by Joseph Conrad, who is considered one of the greatest novelists of the English Literature, shows how vulnerable and unstable the human morality can be. What sort of desire would make a man betray his own brother? The selfish desire of a man who pursued love, happiness and peace with her beloved woman would be one of the answers. â€Å"There is a time when a man should forget loyalty and respect. Might and authority are given to rulers, but to all men is given love and strength and courage†. (Page 8) The strong love he felt for her, made him to go beyond the limits. His beloved brother supported him; he bravely became selflessly involved in his brother ´s love venture for they had always been very loyal to each other since they were children. Therefore, selfishness and cowardice were stronger than brotherhood. Arsat was so focused on escaping with his woman that he seemed to forgot how much he loved his brother, he did not noticed it, he was risking his life and also the others ´. â€Å"There is half a man in you now – the other half is in that woman. I can wait. When you are a whole man again, you will come back with me here to shout defiance. We are sons of the same mother†. (Page 9) But these words seemed to have been ignored by him, because what he seemed to have had in his mind was not love really, but obsession. â€Å"I longed to be with her in a safe place beyond the reach of men’s anger and of women’s spite. My love was so great, that I thought it could guide me to a country where death was unknown, if I could only escape from Inchi Midah’s spite and from our Ruler’s sword†. (Page 9) Thus, his obsessed mind led him to the despicable betrayal of his brother who loved him. When the plan was being executed by the three of them, the situation turns out really bad. His brother was about to be caught by the guards and the weak loyalty he had for his brother in that moment of doubt and fear, was influenced by his selfish obsession which encouraged him to push the canoe and scape without his brother. His brother was left to his fate in spite of the desperate shouts he cried. â€Å"! I am coming! The men were close to him. I looked. Many men. Then I looked at her. Tuan, I pushed the canoe! [†¦]I heard him cry my name twice; I never turned back†. (Page 10) He could bear all those years without thinking on what he had done to his brother because of his woman, but she was about to die and now he seems to be dying too. The day he betrayed his brother, seemed to have doomed the rest of his life and certainly it did. His woman was suffering of a strange disease and died. He desperately tried to recover her but his efforts were useless. And the past comes back to his mind every moment. Although he hopes to find his road to follow, he may not escape from his conscience, a nightmare he will have to face till the day of his death.

North Korea

From an early date Korean political culture is characterised by isolationism and a strong desire to maintain the country's independence (â€Å"Kim Il Sung†, para 2). Relationship with its neighbouring countries are poor and with the countries in the West, are almost equal to zero. Even with such relationships, Korea has been unable to stop the encroachment   of its neighbours. It was made the Japenese protectorate in 1905 and later the number of   Japenese immigrants in Korea have risen so much that the Koreans have become second-class citizens within their own land.Kim Il SungKim Il Sung’s real name was Kim Song Ju. He was born in Pyongyang on 15th April, 1912. At the age of   17 he was jailed for being a part of   a student political group led by the South Manchurian Communist Youth Association. After his release from jail he joined the Anti-Japanese United Army. He emerged as a significant leader in this time period and later changed his name to Kim Il Song, in honor of his uncle who participated in nation-wide protests against the Japenese in 1919.Kim Il Sung as a leaderAfter the Second World War the Korean peninsula was divided into two parts, North and South. North Korea was sponsored by Russia while the South was aided by USA. Kim Il Sung was selected to take charge of the formation of a provisional government for the North. Under his leadership the Korean Workers Party was inaugurated. A number of reforms were introduced to the North, including an eight-hour working day, equality of the sexes, and suppression of religion. Land and wealth formerly belonging to the Japanese or to enemies of the regime was confiscated and redistributed, industry was nationalised, and Soviet-style economic planning was initiated (â€Å"Kim Il Sung†, para 12)His opponents within the party were purged to secure his absolute rule. Kim led the military committee, coordinating action against the South Koreans in 1950. With carefully prepared plans an d without any warning to the South Koreans, his army swarmed into the South. The war continued for three years and during these three years about three million people lost their lives. Between 600,000 and one million North Koreans needlessly starved to death due to the economic legacy of Kim's regime. Kim claimed to have won that war but no peace treaty was ever signed.Kim Il Sung, through land reclamation, gave priority to increased agricultural production. He emphasised on trade, developed the country’s infrastructure, and encouraged people to rely on domestically produced equipment. He discouraged them to even think about foreign aid and taught them that self reliance should be the key goal to everyone’s success. From 1972 onwards, North Korea became poorer because it could not afford to buy advance technology from the West and its industrial production declined. A personality cult had glorified Kim, but by the mid-1990s the rapid economic growth of North Korea's ea rly years had given way first to stagnation and then to hardship, and there was widespread dissatisfaction with the repressive regime (Scalapino & Lee p.175)When he died in 1994, the country lost its venerated founding leader. Just a few years earlier, its powerful alliances had evaporated with the fall of the Soviet bloc and China's move toward a market-based system. The economy was on the rocks and energy and food were in short supply. A series of weather disasters, combined with an inefficient state-run agricultural system, further eroded the food supply, leading to mass starvation (â€Å"Dear Leader or Demon†, para 12)Kim Jong IlKim Il Sung’s successor, Kim Jong Il, was born on 16th June, 1942. Growing up in a time when anti Japanese revolutionary struggle was at its peak, Kim Jong Il cultivated uncommon characteristics and qualities through his experiences of his real life and practical activities. During his training period under his father's tutelage in the 1970 s, he was often referred to as the â€Å"Party Center,† and he launched a number of campaigns to take over the daily operations of the Party.When he came to power on the death of his father in 1997, Kim Jong-Il ruthlessly set about establishing his own authority. His government is said to be extremely secretive and brutal to dissidents. Kim's disastrous agricultural and economic policies have caused his people to suffer under one of the world's longest, deadliest famines. On the domestic front, Kim has given occasional signs that he favors economic reforms similar to those carried out in China by Deng Xiaoping. But at home he has done little or nothing to relax the absolute control of the state and party over all aspects of economic life.He has certainly given no sign of considering the de- collectivization of agriculture, which was the foundation of Deng's reforms (Chong-Il p. 84). With the sort of image Kim Jong Il carries around with him many analysts thought that the comm unist regime would finally come to an end in North Korea, but it is almost a decade since he has been in power and still ruling over North Korea and extending his father’s philosophy of Juche. Kim Il Sung’s style of ruling his country according to Stalinism was submerged into his Juche philosophy and later it subordinated into a more militant theme of Kim Jong Il’s Red Banner Policy.Kim Jong Il has been accused of being involved in two bombings; one in Rangoon in 1983 and another in 1987, which killed all passengers in a South Korean airplane.   No evidence directly links Kim Jong Il to the bombings, however, and some analysts believe his father was still firmly in control of international activities throughout the 1980s, while giving his son more power over domestic affairs. He spends more than 25% of his country’s annual GNP on the military while most of the citizens go hungry. Jong Il has also proved himself to be a movie lover and has directed a cou ple of movies himself and written six operas, while his scientists make nuclear war heads.Kim Il Sung as a CommunistIn the words of Morelly, the author of the influential treatise Le Code de la Nature, published in 1755: †The only vice which I know in the universe is avarice; all the others, whatever name one gives them, are merely forms, degrees of it. . . Analyze vanity, conceit, pride, ambition, deceitfulness, hypocrisy, villainy; break down the majority of our sophisticated virtues themselves, [they] all dissolve in this subtle and pernicious element, the desire to possess.†Such economically determined psychology lies at the root of every socialist and communist doctrine (Pipes 2001). Kim Il Sung was one man who was obsessed with gaining power over not only his own people but he went to extremes and even created his own religion so that the people should start worshipping him. When workers of the Korean Workers Party tried to over throw Kim in 1953, the eleven conspi rators, who failed in their coup, were not only executed but their properties were confiscated as well. He purged his opponents in all possible ways in order to ensure that he stays in power.Kim Il Sung’s personality was a true speciman of a communist. Russia had an influence over the political system of North Korea right from the onset. Kim Il Sung was highly impressed by the communist rule in Russia and he developed a Marxist-Leninist political ideology that emphasises the need for autonomy and patriotic self-reliance. Called ‘Juche', or ‘Kim Il Sung Thought', the ideology demanded total loyalty to the paramount leader and the â€Å"religion of Kim Il Sungism†, and stressed on the benefits of sacrifice, austerity, discipline, dedication, unity, and patriotism. It has been   described as â€Å"encyclopedic thought which provides a complete answer to any question that arises in the struggle for national liberation and class emancipation, in the building of socialism and communism.† The practical effect of Juche was to seal the DPRK off from virtually all foreign trade (â€Å"Kim Il Sung†, para 38).Kim Il Sung’s personality cult was similar to that of   Stalin. In that he was accused of tampering history, tyranny and injustice and self glorification. Kim’s zeal for communsim is evedient from the fact that the North Korean media, which is owned and controlled by the state, promoted Kim’s image as an infallible genius and the driving force behind the resistance to the Japanese and the liberation of the North. Kim had more than 34,000 monuments of himself erected throughout the country. Practice of any other religion except the worship of Kim Il Sung   was outlawed. The official calender started from his birthday and that day was an official holiday too.Kim Il Sung was so obssessed with his ideals that he started to believe in himself in a godly manner. The painters and artists of the country were instucted to paint only his personality in a pompous manner and project it to the rest of the country. All this was believed, by   Kim Il Sung, as not a forceful extension of his one-man show personality to the masses but he had actually started to live in a pseudo-shell of belief   that the citizens of his country actually adored him.  In my point of view the personality of Kim Il Sung was a fragment and extension of Stalin. This is supported by the fact that he not only tried to follow him in the way he ruled North Korea but he also sought his help and looked up to him in various matters of   state. In the Korean War of   1950-1953, while South Korea was supported by USA, North Korea was aided by USSR primarily because it was a communist country. Kim Jong Il has proved himself to be a true replica of his father.He has not only ensured the continuity of his father’s policies and reforms but he has also gone to the extent of further subjugating the agrigarian commun ity by spending more on his military might. He has promoted his father’s personality cult by making it a compulsion for each citizen to visit Kim Il Sung’s moseleum atleast once each year and also by paying tribute to the Senior Kim by wearing lapel badges and all those who dare to offend are sent to concentration camps within the country. Kim Il Sung has become so much part of   a North Korean’s daily life that to reject Kim is more like rejecting his own self.ConclusionWith 1% of the citizens in concentration camps and 25% of GNP being utilized to further the ruler’s military prowess, North Korea is definitely not in pursuit of a prosperous future. While the exiguity of the basic facilties of life and the over all plight of the nation is being blamed on the West in general and the US in particular, nobody dares to question the extravagent life of the dictators of North Korea. North Korea is going through its worst era right now; with its predominent s upport/donor, in the shape of USSR, disintegrated and with the West pressing hard on it on the contentious issue of its nuclear programme.ReferencesClark, Carol. (2001). Kim Jong Il, â€Å"Dear Leader or Demon?† Retrieved 13 May 2006 from http://www.cnn.com/korea/CNN–InDepth Korea at 50 – Leader Profiles Kim Jong II.htmChong-Il, Kim. (1986). Life and literature. Pyongyang, Korea: Foreign Languages Publishing House.Harris, Bruce. (2004). â€Å"Kim Il Sung†. Retrieved 12 May 2006 from http://www.moreorless.au.comPipes, Richard. (2001). Communism: A History. Random House Publishing Group.R. A. Scalapino and C. S. Lee. (1992). Communism in Korea. Seoul: Ilchokak.