Differences in the Myths of the Toad, the Snake, and the Medicine

The Limba people of Africa live in different villages, and each village puts its own spin on the myths that are passed down from generation to generation. One of these myths focuses on the god Kanu making medicine to immortalize the Limba, and the destruction of that medicine by the toad. There are three versions of the myth of the destruction of the medicine, but they vary in several ways. The first myth, â€Å"The Toad Did Not Love Us,† suggests that the toad dropped the medicine Kanu gave him on purpose.Although most Biblical tales paint the snake as a dangerous creature, in this myth the snake loved the people. This myth implies that Kanu finds it strange that the people kill the snake, but not the toad, considering that the snake loved them. This myth is also different because it mentions the â€Å"white people,† so the reader can be fairly sure that this myth was either thought up after European colonization, or it was modified to add them. The second myth,  "The Toad and the Snake,† tells that Kanu wanted to save both animals and people.Again, the toad insisted on carrying the human portion, and again he spilled it, but not out of ill will. The snake carried his portion, and arrived with it safely. While this myth is still about why the people die, it also points out that snakes live forever because of their medicine. Perhaps this idea came from seeing molted snake skins. The skin might come off, but the snake lived forever. The last myth, â€Å"The Toad and Death,† is a short version of the same myth, but it only concentrates on how the snake and toad feel about each other.They are enemies because they perpetually argue about who should have carried the medicine. This is not because one loved the people more than the other. It is simply a rivalry that goes on for eternity. This myth serves more as an explanation of why snakes and toads do not get along rather than why people die. These three short myths show how stories c hange as they are passed around and told by different people with different influences. It is intriguing to see how one tribe could have such varied views on the same tale.

A. Philip Randolph

As Phillip Randolph was not only an enormously Influential mover and shaker In the Civil Rights Movement In America from the sass's throughout the sass's. His influence went way beyond this period and affected millions within in his lifetime. He was born to Reverend James Williams Randolph who instilled in him the reality that a person's deeds and actions, instead of their race, were what made a man who he was. His mother was a seamstress who taught him that education and self- defense, If necessary were the most important aspects a growing upstanding young an should focus on.In 1907, he graduated from the Conman Institute in East Jacksonville as Valedictorian of his class. W. E. B. Dubbing's persuasive book The Souls of Black Folk became instrumental in directing his life's course. It inspired Randolph to move to New York in 1911, making racial equality amongst all men his most important task to tackle in his lifetime. And he did a mighty fine Job at that. He was married in 1914 to a widow by the name of Mrs.. Lucille Green, a Howard university Graduate and entrepreneur, who shared his political views and earned enough money on her own to support them both.That left much time for him to fight the good fight. They married and joined the Socialist Party where Randolph began amassing large crowds at Harem's Soapbox Corner, speaking about Socialism and the importance of environmental conscientiousness surrounding all races during those times. In 1917, Randolph met a man by the name of Chandler Owen. Other than the meeting of his wife, this was probably the most important cosmic collision of forces amongst two beings during this time period of union university in 1913. He then moved to NYC in 1915.That's where this striking attach-up began, between Randolph and Chandler. They were both Socialists and in August 1917, they established the journal the â€Å"Messenger together. It was a mixture of trade union news, political commentary, biographies of the leading radi cals of the time and literary criticisms. The messenger closed In 1928, At that time Owen moved to Chicago and even though he was still a member of the socialist party he became much more conservative with age. But he continued his support of Randolph in his efforts to organize black workers.In 1929, Randolph became president of the Brotherhood of he Sleeping Car Porters (BPCS), which he victoriously built into the first successful black-trade union. The friendship between Owen and Randolph was a profound and ground-breaking one that continued until the end of their lives. In 1925, a group of Pullman Porters approached Randolph and asked him to lead their new organization called the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BPCS). His primary qualification, as well as his reputation for incorruptibility and the fact that he wasn't an employee who meant the company could not fire him or scare him off.He led them for the next ten years, organizing them to the point, which resulted in the c ertification of the (BPCS) as the exclusive bargaining agent of the Porters in 1935. Randolph called this exclusive bargaining agent deal â€Å"the first victory of Negro workers over a great Insularly corporation†. He Decade ten most widely Known spokesperson for black working class interests in the country. Six years later, President Franklin Roosevelt refused to issue an executive order banning discrimination against black workers in the defense industry.So Randolph allied for â€Å"10,000 loyal Negro American citizens† to march on Washington D. C. In protest of this. Support grew so quickly that soon he was began calling for 100,000 marchers to converge on the capital. Pressed by Randolph actions, President Roosevelt issued an executive order on June 25, 1941 – six days before the march was to occur declaring â€Å"there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color or national orig in. † Roosevelt also set up the Fair Employment Practices Commission to oversee the order.Six years later there was the passage of the Selective Service Act of 1947, Randolph demanded that the government integrate the armed forces Randolph founded The League of Non-violent Civil Obedience Military Segregation and urged young men of all races to â€Å"refuse to cooperate with a Jim Crow conscription service. † Threatened with widespread civil unrest, disobedience, and needing the black vote in his 1948 re-election campaign. Because of this President Harry Truman on July 26, 1948 ordered an end to military discrimination â€Å"as quickly as possible†.

Intel Capital

Intel Capital: The Berkeley Network Investment Berkeley Networks’ goal of creating an open architecture aligned with Intel’s strategic goal. Although each party did its homework to understand generally what it would give and get, the relationship seemed to carry some dissonance. Berkeley Networks desired a controlled relationship keeping Intel far from its strategic motives; Intel, on the other hand, wanted to be more involved with BN and develop a closer relationship. Intel wanted to integrate technology on the processor, and Berkeley Networks needed to retain its value and develop a relationship with Microsoft through its ties with Intel. Furthermore, Berkeley Networks provided Intel great introduction into new markets with new customers and the potential to develop a new market segment much quicker than Intel could develop on its own. At this point in the relationship between Berkeley Networks and Intel, Intel has not learned enough about Berkeley’s switch to call the investment successful. If the relationship continued, it is highly likely that Intelwould fulfill its goal of using Berkeley’s switch to promote its own products in networking equipment. Thus far, Intel has invested aggressively and been very successful with its investments. Furthermore, Intel has only invested a minimal amount in Berkeley Networks. I recommend Larson seriously consider blocking the potential There are a few other optionsI would recommend for Larson if Intel does not want to block the buyer. If the potential BN buyer would allow the relationship between BN and Intel to continue after the buyout, then Larson should simply continue with BN and reap the benefits. If Intel has a change of interest and simply wants financial rewards from Berkeley Networks, then it could buy shares of BN. Since Intel wants to further its relationship with BN, I think the best option is to pay to keep BN and maintain and grow Intel’sposition in the market.

Eco Fashion, fashionable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Eco Fashion, fashionable - Essay Example The essay "Eco Fashion, fashionable?" discusses whether eco fashion is fashionable. It is proved that, in general, these brands follow similar marketing practices, a fact that increases the need for differentiation within eco fashion. The promotion of eco fashion has been related to certain problems: a) the awareness of people in regard to the principles and rules of eco fashion is limited ; in fact, there are just few people who are able to distinguish the eco friendly clothes, compared to conventional clothes ; b) a high percentage of clothes that are presented to the public as eco friendly does not fully meet the relevant requirements and c) the cost of eco friendly clothes and accessories can vary ; there are eco friendly clothes and accessories that are rather cheap and others the cost of which can be quite high, depending on the material used . The promotion of eco fashion worldwide is based on specific practices. In the study of Gogerly (2013) reference is made to one of these practices: the label greenwashing is often put on clothes in order to give the impression that the particular product is eco friendly . Most often, the credibility of such label can be doubted due to the following reasons: a) there are firms that put such labels on their products/ clothes and accessories even if the materials of these products are not eco friendly ; b) there are many items/ clothes that are characterized as eco-friendly because certain of their materials are eco-friendly ; the non-eco friendly materials.

Beethoven Interpretations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Beethoven Interpretations - Research Paper Example Beethoven was showing signs of romanticism in his middle period. Beethoven left the sonata form but the freedom he gave each movement is typically Romantic. The Piano Sonata N ° 27 is a beautiful piece of music which has been interpreted in many different ways. The Sonata has three movements: adagio sostenuto, allegretto and presto. It can take anywhere from 12 minutes to 15 minutes to perform depending on the interpretation. Beethoven composed it in 1801. He personally put the title as Quasia una fantasia or almost a fantasy. This means that it can be played as the artist sees fit. In listening to the difference of performance, it can be said that Beethoven's title is more accurate than Moonlight Sonata. A fantasy gives more freedom to perform the music as the performer wants. The name "Moonlight Sonata" was given as a publishing trick. Some say it was given after Beethoven's death. Others say Beethoven gave it as a tribute to his student, Guicciardi. Beethoven had fallen in love with her, a countess. He knew he could never marry someone of that social class. It is unlike him to have been so open as to name a sonata after someone who was paying the bills. This sonata was composed in his middle period. He was not composing romantic music. The title was misplaced (5). His music was steadily leaving the classical form (Waltz). In this Sonata, you see a difference between each performer, which is contrasting. Beethoven would have been heavy in his interpretation. He was already affected by his deafness. The loud pounding of the keys in the last movement enabled Beethoven to hear the vibrations. I listened to many different interpretations in order to get the right feeling for the Sonata. In my research, I saw that the Moonlight Sonata was one of his most famous sonatas. I was surprised at seeing that it could be played so differently by such artist. I chose two artists to explain the three movements (the whole Sonata) in order to have a comprehensive feeling of the dynamics and tempo: Bareboim and Gould. Their interpretation is so different. Then I chose two other artists in order to compare their first movement: Horowitz and Brendel in addition to Bareboim and Gould. I think my favorite of them all was Gould because I felt he was the closest to how Beethoven would have liked the Sonata to be played. In terms of the first movement, I felt it was a classic to hear Horowitz. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpOb5NxtG-w   Baremboim played the first movement with emotion and slowly. He was sad or pensive. His expression was sad. The dynamics were softly played piano. There was, too, much of a difference with the two hands. The bass continued to have the same level of sound during the whole movement and the treble would have crescendos and be too loud. He used a little bit of the rubatto effect. The timing of the first movement was 6.55. Only towards the end did the two hands converse with each other. The end was slow. There was too much confli ct between the three note motif and the left hand. His left hand dominated the right only one time during the movement. Towards the end of the movement, he increased in volume and there was a slight crescendo of the left hand which tapered off in the final measure. His bass and treble were blended and not articulate. The Allegretto of the 2nd movement was still slow. It was happy.  

Society, Science and Technology course (STS101) Research Paper

Society, Science and Technology course (STS101) - Research Paper Example The internet has changed the way of life of Saudi nationals with the launching of social networking sites like face book, twitter, and blogs Today media is all around, but the profound impact which the computer and internet have on Saudi population is astounding. Information technology can be seen as corner stone of current world and it has revolutionized the communicating method of Saudi nationals. Technology has reached new heights and Saudi population’s indulgence with it has given ways to explore themselves and others. In her book (Turkle 1) writes that â€Å"Technology is seductive when what it offers meets our human vulnerabilities. As it turns out we are very vulnerable indeed†. The internet has made Saudi communities to be more interactive socially culturally and economically. Today internet makes it presence in homes, workplace, and schools which enhances its usability and potentiality as a social media platform. The social networking medium of internet like face book, twitter, and blogs has not only influenced adults but also enormously changed the way of life of youngsters. Face book, being the most popular networking site has given the population of Saudi a golden opportunity to interact with the outside world without encountering any taboos. As per (Social bakers) â€Å" Our social networking statistics show that Facebook penetration in Saudi Arabia is 22.95% compared to the countrys population and 52.48% in relation to number of Internet users. The total number of FB users in Saudi Arabia is reaching 5906220 and grew by more than 399720 in the last 6 months†. The people of Saudi have achieved a global platform to discuss their ideas and thoughts regionally and internationally. Twitter is one social networking site which has managed to hugely awaken the spirits of Saudi Arabians. In the same manner, blogs and other opportunity to present article have made the Saudi nationals more

European Union Law - Article 101(1) Treaty on the Functioning of the Assignment - 1

European Union Law - Article 101(1) Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union - Assignment Example It also increases the part played by national completion authorities (NCA) and national courts in enforcing EU competition law therefore warranting an effective and even application (Cavicchiolli 1991). The main EU competition rules are encompassed in article 101(treaty on the functioning of the European Union TFEU) which covers anti-competitive agreements. The new rules came into force as from June 1, 2010 and will expire in May 2022.A paramount aim of the founding fathers of the European community was creation of a single market. To accomplish this, a compatible, fair and transparent regulatory framework had to be established. The first major decision under article 101 was taken by the commission in 1964 (Kimmer 2011). There is debate surrounding the purpose of the law of competition while some assert that it serves as elimination for substandard firms that are non-competitive. It is argued that the law stands in the way of free flow of goods and services. The general court says that the law is to protect the final consumer whereas Stephen (2010) states its purpose in protection of member states as a whole. The overall bargain however is to maintain a balance between undertakings and the consumer. Article 101 is construed widely. It includes formal and informal agreements, concerted practices where businesses tend to increase or decrease prices simultaneously without physically consenting to do that. Coincidental price increase or reduction will not itself uphold as a concerted activity hence there should be proof that the parties involved were knowledgeable of the fact that their actions may destabilize the normalcy of competition operation within the internal market. In the light of agreements, sheer anti-competitive influence is ample to make it unlawful despite parties being unaware of it or having no intent to spur the effect to occurrence (Okeoghene, 2006). In

Working With the UA Recycling Club Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Working With the UA Recycling Club - Essay Example In that bid, waste bins shall be placed in the University and they shall be clearly marked so as to distinguish the kind of waste that goes in. As such, there will be a single waste bin that only collects waste paper only. When the waste bins are full, the waste paper shall be collected in a bigger waste paper container. From there, it shall be taken to the recycling plant so as to be recycled to new re-usable paper. This project may take as long as it can since paper is a commodity that is used day in day out in the University. As such, waste paper is a product that shall be collected on a daily basis from the strategically placed waste paper bins.  The costs to be incurred shall mostly be on the purchase of waste paper bins which shall indeed be different from the other waste bins. The funding shall most probably come from the University as this is a school based initiative.  The recycling of paper ensures and guarantees a sustainable environment. This is due to the reason that trees would not be cut down so as to produce products such as paper. In that sense, the environment that we live in will be safer from: The emissions of Green House Gases (GHG) such as Carbon dioxide and Methane that pollute the air; Climate changes that lead to extreme floods, extreme winds and extreme sun rays.  This project proposal seeks to create awareness on the importance of recycling paper to the students i nstead of throwing it away as trash.  

Fashion Buying and Merchandising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fashion Buying and Merchandising - Essay Example The paper "Fashion Buying and Merchandising" discovers the Merchandising and the process of the Fashion Buying. In the fashion industry the fashion retail buyers play an important role. There are many important factors like supplier’s selection and product decision. The most important fact to be noticed is the shift of the retailers from the purely operational background to more strategic background. According to Douglas (2009) the merchandising is the fundamental factor for all of those commercial activities which have distribution attached with it. The fashion wears for the kids have become a new trend in the market. According to the Key Note Childrenswear market report (2009) the UK children’s wear market was valued at 5.29 billion pound in 2008. The primary responsibilities of the buying and merchandising team are identifying the vendor, evaluating the best vendor, negotiation, and placing the order. In the retail industry the fashion and merchandising go parallel. According to Packard et al (1983) the primary role of the buyer’s team is the proper selection of the merchandise to ensure the availability of the new stocks in the store. According to Jackson T, and Shaw D. (2006) the merchandising and the buying team should identify the main responsibilities to add some values to the shop and the main responsibilities are one: pre-selecting and editing product range, two: negotiating value for money price, three: breaking down bulk orders, four: holding stock, five: providing product support.

Native American Land Rights Essay Example for Free

Native American Land Rights Essay As the Native population continues to grow and create an abundance of resources such as casinos, the White Man has found ways to take the land needed to sustain such growth away. The Native American population always has inhabited the land we now live on and we the Americans have come on to that land pushing them into reservations and controlled situations. With the growing flow of residents the American government has forced the American Indians to uproot themselves repeatedly causing the loss of several lives, as well as the loss of land that they had possessed for centuries. Over the years this tribulation caused friction between the American Indians and the American government to the extent that one tribe, the Sioux Indians hosted the invasion of Wounded Knee. Over the years the White Man has come onto Native lands and gradually pushed them out, using the land for whatever they have need to. In the 1800’s the White Man has taken several rights from the American Indians and tried to keep them under control under the guise of creating harmony, and putting them on reservations as an act of control. With the creation of the Dawes Act American Indians the American government gave land to the Indians on the reservations and noted it as creating harmony, but without the knowledge of Native Americans. In the mid-1900’s with the growing populations and the continuing need the American government came into reservations and took youth off the reservations and placed them in homes to educate and intergraded them into the civilized world creating less on the reservations to be responsible for. With the idea of work and a new life away from the hardships of life on the reservations the government offered to help integrate them into city life by giving them housing and education as well as the opportunity to work. When the Indians who chose to accept this offer arrived in the big cities they were surprised to find that they would be placed with several others in rundown motel rooms. They would be treated like the foreigners who had come from other countries, and they would have just as much luck as well. As a result of all the hardships caused by the American government and the control enforced by them, the American Indians grew increasingly upset and chose to rise up against the government to take back lands originally belonging to them. After years of being mistreated the Sioux Indians made the decision to take back Wounded Knee site of the last American and Native war resulting in the Siege at Wounded Knee in 1973. In the early 1800s and during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, Americas policy had been to allow Native Americans to remain east of the Mississippi as long as they became assimilated or civilized. [ (Remini, 2001) ] The native peoples who chose not to be assimilated were forced to move into camps and to prepare to make the journey to the western side of the Mississippi. Congress came up with an idea to trade lands with the Indians from the east to the west, and then the ones who chose not to transition into the â€Å"civilized† way would be moved. Those who chose not to conform were taken from their homes and moved to camps, to begin a journey to a new and different land. This Journey would be later deemed the Trail of Tears, for the thousands upon thousands of lives that would be uprooted from their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs. During the journey More than two thousand lives would be lost as a result of illness and disease. When the journey was over land was allotted to the tribes, this was called the Dawes Act of 1887. As part of this act Families would get 160 acres, individual adult males would get 80 acres, and single minors would get 40 acres each. At this point Native women were ineligible to receive land. By 1891 the Dawes act was amended to dole out the land equally to all adults, but in doing so the amount was cut in half. Nearly a hundred years later after dealing with the Five Civilized Tribes and ongoing problems on the reservations the American government came up with the Indian relocation Act of the 1950s and 60s. This time the government came on to the reservations promising a college education and work for anyone willing to leave the reservation and come to the big cities and make their lives there. Several of these Natives agreed to leave, and were put on busses and taken places such as New York and Boston. When they arrived they were placed in run down motels with several others after the same thing. What these people were not tell was that they would have just as much chance of getting a job as any other foreigner coming from other continents. The gradual takeover of the native youth led to the Incident at Wounded Knee, witch began on February 27, 1973. â€Å"Founded in 1968, the American Indian Movement (AIM) is an organization dedicated to the Native American civil rights movement. Its main objectives are the sovereignty of Native American lands and peoples; preservation of their culture and traditions; and enforcement of all treaties with the United States. (Free Online Law Dictionary) The battle of Wounded Knee was in its self a part of the American Indian Movement in witch several tribal peoples banded together with one thing in mind. The take over at historical Wounded Knee began as a peaceful takeover, and ended in a 71 day full-on occupation of the area. The Sioux Indians were fighting for the return of land that they belived belonged to them. The take over was intended to raise awareness, and made the news and brought on a full scandal. Tribes from all over came to Wounded Knee to aid in the support of the tribes plea to get their land back. The siege was carried out much like that of the days of old with guns, and individuals riding around patrolling the borders on horse back. The incident began in February 1973, and represented the longest civil disorder in the history of the Marshals Service [ (United States Marshals Service) ]. The end result would be a long difficult process with the loss of two lives and several wounded on both sides, all this going on at the same time as the Watergate Scandal. The American government has been taking back the land of the Native peoples for years, some temporarily in deals with local tribes, others permanently. As stated in Wikipedia’s article on the Indian reservations,† With the establishment of reservations, tribal territories diminished to a fraction of original areas and indigenous customary practices of land tenure sustained only for a time, and not in every instance. Instead, the federal government established regulations that subordinated tribes to the authority, first, of the military, and then of the Bureau (Office) of Indian Affairs. † So then Not only has the government told Indians were they could and could not live they have also taken over the ownership of law on these reservations allowing for tribal laws to fall second to the American government. Are Native Americans, currently living in the same way? In research done by Edward Blakemore of the University of Dayton School of Law, he researches the use of land taken back from the Native American inhabitants. He states in part of his research this, â€Å"What little portion of land theyve been permitted to inhabit by the US government is being reacquired for use as toxic waste sites†(Blakemore, 1998). What Blakemore is trying to say is that the land that the government is taking back from the Native peoples is going towards sites that have a negative effect on the land, and that by doing so we are taking the land that they need and essentially throwing it away. Further research with this topic states that the government has looked at the Native American communities as synonymous with poverty, and yet we need to be helping the natives Americans in their long going quest for self-determination and sovereignty. Though America struggles to find room for its expanding population the Native American population seems to grow and yet the land they have seems to be decreasing. Why is it that some Americans have become so negative towards the native communities around them when they are the ones who lived here long before us. Through history the Native American population ahs fought with the white mand in an effort to remain as a equal party in the rights regarding land occupation. Through many wars and protests the people have shown that Native Pride is strong and that they will never give in, these are a people with a strong cultural tie to the land that we the white man now occupy, and call our own. Is it right what we have, and continue to do with the land we now reside on? Maybe, maybe not that is a question for each and every individual on there own, no one man can say. Blakemore, Edward, Native Americans, and Land 1998, http://academic. udaton. edu His90 History Channel, Indian Relocation Act of 1890, http://www. history. com Remini, Robert V. Indian Removal Act, 2001, http://www. freebase. com United States Marshals Service, The siege at Wounded Knee, 9/17/05, http://www. usmarshals. gov American Indian Movement Legal definition, Free online Law Dictionary, a href=http://legal-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/American+Indian+MovementAmerican Indian Movement/a.

Relationships Between Language And Culture English Language Essay

Relationships Between Language And Culture English Language Essay The relationships between language, thought and culture have been one of the myths of language for centuries. This paper will assess the power of language and the mutual influence between language and culture by observing cognition of different language speakers. The aim of this essay is to find out the influence they have on each other, and to evaluate the relationship between language and culture. The mutual influence between language and culture will be the major focus of this essay. The main argument would be discussing whether language really influences culture or it just reflects culture. One of the definitions for language was established by Harcourt (2005): communication of thoughts and feelings through a system of arbitrary signals, such as voice sounds, gestures, or written symbols. Such a system includes its rules for combining its components, such as words. Such a system as used by a nation, people, or other distinct community; often contrasted with dialect (p. 633) Thinking is often understood as an intra-mental activity inside an individual mind. In the process of thinking, language is used as a tool with inner speech representing vocalized thinking. Language is therefore possible to be a variable influencing thought. The grammar, syntax, limitations and traits of a language may shape the thinking style of the language speakers. Anthropology theories/concepts (200-250 words) In this thesis, ethnolinguistics, the study of the relationships between language and culture, and how they mutually influence and inform each other (Haviland, 1999), will be the main focus. Two anthropological theories, linguistic relativity and historical particularism (historicism), will be discussed as the first is the main theory of this study and the second one will function as a backup. Linguistic relativity The main theory, linguistic relativity, is the idea that distinctions encoded in one language are unique to that language (Haviland, 1999). Under the theory of linguistic relativity, users of markedly different grammars are pointed by their grammars toward different types of observations and different evaluations of externally similar acts of observation, and hence are not equivalent as observers but must arrive at somewhat different views of the world (Whorf and Caroll, 1956). In other words, people speak in different languages would have different thinking styles and cognition of the world. Furthermore, the schools of thought can be represented by two extremes, linguistic determinism and universalism. There are two forms of linguistic relativity according to their interpretation of the power of language, linguistic determinism and linguistic relativism, while universalism is an opposite idea to linguistic relativity. These concepts will lead to the main argument of this thesis. Determinism is the strongest form of linguistic relativity. It suggests that language can affect thinking, linguistic relativity holds that speakers of different languages think differently. Relativism is the modest form of linguistic relativity. Its idea is that, language can affect thinking, linguistic relativity holds that speakers of different languages think differently (Wolff and Holmes, 2010). In contrast, universalism is an opposite concept. In the idea of universalism, cultures, or at least languages, vary in innumerable ways; but there are patterns of variation that reflect universal properties that we might call the nature of language (Croft, 2010). Apart from linguistic relativity, the theory of historical particularism will be used as a backup theory in this thesis. Historical particularism Historical particularism is a school of anthropology prominent in the first part of the twentieth century that insisted on the collection of ethnographic data (through direct fieldwork) prior to making cross-cultural generalizations (Ferraro and Andreatta, 2011). It emphasizes that each culture is a unique result of its distinctive past, which makes cross-cultural generalizations questionable (Bailey, G. A. and Peoples, J., 2010). Culture influences language According to historical particularism, each culture has its own shape and is partially composed of traits diffused from other cultures since each society has their own past and they are a representation of that unique past. Since that culture and history are interrelated, and language is a tool to record and carry forward the history of a society. There is an often-cited example of linguistic relativism, Eskimo words for snow. It is a claim saying that Eskimos have an unusually large number of words for snow in their language. In English, we add adjective, participles or preposition phrases to modify the word snow, like falling snow, snow on the ground, snow packed hard like ice, slushy snow, wind-driven flying snow, etc. However, the word snow is too inclusive to an Eskimo, they use different words for different kinds of snow instead. From the Eskimo words for snow claim, it was discovered that some languages may rich in words and expressions describing a specific thing. And the vocabulary of a language can be a peephole for us to look into that culture. The concept of jade in Chinese literature In literary Chinese culture, jade has some metaphorical meanings. The concept of jade vastly appears in various contexts of Chinese poetry and idioms. Even among most of the common vehicles of Chinese metaphors, jade deserves special attention. The literary concept and image Chinese attached to the word jade (à §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °) reflect Chinese jade culture in their tradition. The concept of jade has appeared in the content of various types of Chinese literature, such as poetry and idiom. In Chinese language, there are many idioms linked with jade. The use of jade in those idioms usually is to symbolize beautiful and fine things. The followings are some examples: Idioms à ¨Ã‚ ±Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ §Ã‚ ®Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯ à ©Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ºÃ‚ «Ãƒ §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ »Ã… ¸ à ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ §Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ…“à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ã‚ ·Ãƒ §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ ° à ¥Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ °Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬  à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ §Ã‚ £Ã… ¡Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ ° Implications of jade luxury beauty talent stainlessness valuable contributions Additionally, there are hundreds jade-related characters take jade (à §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °) radical, despite jade (à §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °) itself. Most of those characters have descriptive meanings of some specific kind of jade ¼Ã‹â€ Ãƒ §Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ ¾Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à §Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ…“ ¼Ã…’à §Ã‚ Ã‚ ¦Ã‚ ¼Ã…’etc. ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °, knocking sound of, the color of or even the stains on a jade ¼Ã‹â€ Ãƒ §Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ ½Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à §Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à §Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ ¢ respectively ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °. Jade-related characters à §Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ…“ à §Ã‚ Ã‚  à §Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ ¤ à §Ã… ½Ã‚ ¦ à §Ã… ½Ã‚ ² à §Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ… ¾ meanings fine jade joint jade precious jade panannular jade ring tinkling of pieces of jade jade used as tally From the above examples of the literary use of jade, we can notice that the concept of jade is attached with numerours good features and enjoys a high position (as Chinese people created a lot of jade-related characters) in Chinese culture. It is said in the Book of Rites, one of the Chinese Five Classics of the Confucian canon, that since ancient time, all gentlemen wear pendants of jade-stones, and that they should never be without them unless there is sufficient reason (à §Ã‚ ¦Ã‚ ®Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¨Ã‹Å" ·Ãƒ §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ ¨- »). Jade has played a very important role in traditional Chinese culture. (Yang, 2011) The above example about literary concept of jade in Chinese literature shows cultures influence on language. It evidences that language is a reflection of culture. Japanese terms for rain Similar with the Eskimo words for snow claim, there is another word myth in Japanese. There are unusually many different terms which can be used to express different types of rain in Japanese. These terms categorize the rain into different types, by intensity, season, duration and even characteristics. Here are some expressions of rain or related to rain in Japanese. Types of rain in Japanese Pronunciation in Japanese Meanings à §Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ hakuu rain shower à ¤Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ niwakaame rain shower à ¥Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ±Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ jakuu weak rain à ¥Ã‚ °Ã‚ Ãƒ ©Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã‚ Ãƒ £Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã…   koburi light rain à ¥Ã‚ °Ã‚ Ãƒ §Ã‚ ³Ã‚  Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ konukaame fine rain à §Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ enu misty rain à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ °Ã‚ · uhyou freezing rain à ¦Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã‚ ´Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¾Ã…’à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ harenochiame clear then rain à ¦Ã‚ °Ã‚ ·Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ hisame very cold rain or hail à ¥Ã‚ ¤Ã…“à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ yau night rain à ¦Ã‚ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨Ãƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ Ãƒ §Ã‚ ·Ã… ¡ baiuzensen seasonal rain à ¦Ã‹Å" ¥Ãƒ ©Ã…“- shun rin spring rain à §Ã‚ ·Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ ryokuu early-summer rain à ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ juuu refreshing rain once in ten days à ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ µÃƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ keiu welcome rain à ¥Ã‚ ¤Ã‚ ©Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ³Ã‚ £ tenkyuu rain from a cloudless sky à ¦Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã‚ ´Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ °Ã‚ Ãƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ hareichijikosame brief light rain à ©Ã…“- nagame long rain à ©Ã…“-à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¨ rinu long rain à ©Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã‚ °Ãƒ ©Ã…“- inrin long rain à ¥Ã‚ ¤Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ §Ã‚ «Ã¢â‚¬ ¹ yuudachi sudden evening rain The above expressions for rain in Japanese reflect the rain culture in Japan. Japanese society and culture are affected by the climate there. Frequent rain is a prominent feature of Japans climate. Japan has a high precipitation. The average rainfall in Tokyo is around 1,800 mm, nearly double the global average of 1,000 mm. The intensity of rain is also strong and varies from season to season. It rains a great deal in Japan, therefore the society, culture and even language of Japan are affected by rain. According to the theory of linguistic relativity, phenomena and things that play important roles in a given society and culture are often subdivided into various types and described using a wide variety of specialized terms. By the examples of jade in Chinese literature and rain in Japanese language, the idea that culture influences language is evidenced. Considering culture to be a product of human thought, we can deduce that language is influenced by human thought, but not unilaterally influencing culture (linguistic determinism). The theory of linguistic relativism is basically proved, but how about language influences culture? Does language only reflect culture? In the following paragraphs, the idea that language influences culture will be discussed to find out whether language and culture really have mutual influence on each other (linguistic relativism) or language does not do much in culture. Language influences culture The idea that the way we view and feel the world is, to a certain extent, dependent on the language we use. Each language contains a peculiar and unique world view, which causes speakers of that language to see and think in a characteristic way, different from the speakers of other languages. This has become known as the principle of language relativity. In this part, different cognitions of different language speakers will be shown as examples of languages influence on culture (language shapes thought) Perception of eye-witness memory and blame There is a study conducted by Caitlin Fausey at Stanford. In that study, Fausey found that eye-witness memory differ depending on the language one speaks. The way that a person records events is depending on the language who speaks. The grammatical structure of a language affects our thinking pattern and even our eye-witness memory. In that paper, a cross-linguistic difference in how English and Spanish speakers describe the same events is identified, a corresponding cross-linguistic difference in eye-witness memory is also found. For speakers of an agentive language like English, if they see someone accidentally brush against a flower vase and the vase ends up in pieces on the floor, they can easily remember who broke it. When asked about what happened, they might say, Someone (the agent) broke the vase. They can easily notice the agent of an action. In agentive languages, descriptions like this are typical and appropriate for clearly accidental events. By contrast, non-agentive language speakers description of the same event/action often sounds evasive. Even if they see the same event, when asked about what happened, they might not remember who did it, and just answer The vase is broken Furthermore, the influence of language is not only on eye-witness memory, but even on blame. A canonical non-agentive description (e.g., the vase is broken) is intransitive and does not place the person as the subject for the change-of-state event. People are sensitive to this distinction between agentive and non-agentive frames. Linguistic framing influences ones judgment about blame and punishment. In financial liability, agentive descriptions will lead to 30%-50% more in requested financial damages than non-agentive descriptions do. Judgments and blame can be affected by linguistic frame. Tetraphobia in Southeast Asian countries. Tetraphobia refers to the fear of four. It is a common superstition throughout Southeast Asian countries, for examples, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. The fear of the number 4 is simply come from its pronunciation in Southeast Asian language. In Mandarin, its pronunciation of 4 is very close to that of the word for death, as both of them are pronounced as shi. And in Japanese and Korean, the two words are even perfectly homophonous. The superstition of tetraphobia has permeated all aspects of society in these countries, from architecture to communication norms. Here are some examples of tetraphobias impact: Many building in Hong Kong are typically built without 4-related floors, including offices, hospitals, hotels, apartments and skyscrapers. One famous example is the Vision City in Hong Kong, which is missing floors 40 through 49 The Chinese avoid phone numbers and addresses with fours, especially when theyre combined with another number that changes the meaning. Example: 94 could be interpreted as being dead for a long time. The number four was banned from license plates and can only be used once in ID numbers in Taiwan. The official sound of 4 in Japanese language is shi, but Japanese people usually use the alternate pronunciation, yon, that far away from its official sound, when talking about phone numbers and dates. The names of military aircraft and vehicles in China often start with the number 5. And South Korean and Taiwanese navies also avoid 4 when naming their ships. Table 4 is often eliminated at engagements, weddings, birthdays and other celebrations. People in society in this culture always avoid using 4 in verbal speech during holidays and when a loved one is sick or dying. From the above examples, the theory of linguistic relativism is further evidenced. The power of language is significant for sure. The language a person uses can shape whose thought. The thought of a group people forms culture. The language of a place is reflective to the culture of that place, at the same time, language promotes the culture of there. Conclusion (400-500 words) Form this study, it is clear that linguistic relativism is an evidenced theory. The relationships between language and culture are bilateral. Language is created to fulfill humans need. Therefore different society created there languages in different ways. The traits of a language are shaped by the culture of a society that created the language. The communication styles, vocabulary, grammar of a language, are all able to reflect a unique culture of a place. Language can be the epitome of a culture, and even a society. Language is a tool to express human thought and spread culture. The traits and limitations of a language affects the thinking style and cognitions of its speakers. When time goes by, it can shape the culture of a single place. Language shapes human thought and brings culture to society while it is also attached with cultures influence.

Edinburghs Urban Structure

Edinburghs Urban Structure Edinburgh and its urban structure: About 8% of Scotland’s population resides in its capital city Edinburgh. In the recent years, Edinburgh has been seen to be a flourishing city with a perky labor and housing markets and a stable economic growth.[1] For working adults, it has an employment rate that is near the UK average of 74.7%.[2] The financial sector of Edinburgh is exceedingly developed and this has proven to be beneficial to its economy. Another factor that has given benefit to its economy is the fact that the government administration is concentrated in the city and recently the Scottish Parliament was established there. Moreover the Edinburgh Festival, in particular, attracts tourists from around the world. Despite these facts, there are some areas in the city which are poverty stricken that are condensed in council housing estates. However, comparatively this is on a small scale. An additional downside is that manual workers are facing declining opportunities. Important Statistics: The population of Edinburgh rose considerably by 7.1% to 444,624 between 1991 till 2001 and this growth rate is more than any other city in Scotland. It has a high proportion of young adults who are working (47%) and a low percentage of children that are dependent (16%).In 1991 a survey was conducted regarding the population which showed that 97.6% of the population was White which later decreased to 95.9%. Before this census it was noted that one sixth of households moved in Edinburgh and more than half of the population lived in flats or tenements. Out of three only one household had a single adult. In 2001 the economic activity rate was 67% and Glasgow was at 60% while then unemployment was at 4.3%. The jobs in Edinburgh are seen to move away from the manufacturing sector and in 2001 only 7.5% of the workforce was in the manufacturing sector. The professionals form about more than one sixth of the total working population and it was observed that about 12% of the working age popul ation was involved in full time studies. 12.3% of the people have no central heating in the houses and about 40% do not possess a car. The health problem is great with 39.8% informing that they have a long term illness. However this is still lower than Scotland and Lothian as a whole at 57.4% and 49.3% respectively[3] The Council’s Housing Needs Assessment 2000 showed that there is an overall similarity between Edinburgh and Scotland. The housing market has divided the population between areas. Pensioners are concentrated in the South West, North West and South East areas whereas lone parent households are mostly in the South East area only. The Central area houses a high proportion of single adult households (50%) and 54% of the population is between the age group 18 to 34 years. Younger adults are found to be in the Outer Central where 38% belongs to the age group of 18 to 34 years. The Waterfront area has a similar high proportion of people that belong to this age group. The city average of non-White people in Central area is at 6.1% as compared to 3.3%[4] The Edinburgh Economy Population According to the population estimate that has been conducted recently (2002), it is known that Edinburgh’s population has reached 448,000 and this has put Edinburgh up at second in the largest and fastest growing cities of Scotland. This increase of population was a rise by 3% since 1991 i.e. there was an increase of 12,000 residents in contrast to the total decline in the population of Scotland by 0.4%. This increase in growth in the population of Edinburgh was part of a growth trend there. Recent statistics (2003) show that 311,000 people are employed in different organizations and businesses. This figure represents the 14% of all employment in Scotland. Knowing the fact that Edinburgh accounts for a minor part of the whole population of Scotland at 8%, the city provides employment to people beyond its boundaries. Employment rate has been increasing in Edinburgh and especially in areas like Midlothian and West Lothian. Although the number of jobs increased in Midlothian and West Lothian was greater than in Edinburgh as a whole, the jobs at Edinburgh increased approximately by 30,000. In the last 20 years, Edinburgh has emerged out to become one of the most flourishing cities in the United Kingdom. It was observed in 2001 that the GDP in Edinburgh was over a third greater than the GDP of entire Scotland[5] . The same holds true for the average gross weekly earnings of employees working full-time. That figure is greater for the people in Edinburgh as compared to Scotland as a whole. According to an analysis made in April 2002, this was 112.6% of the Scottish rate thus being at  £480.60. Unemployment rates are low in Edinburgh being at 2.2% in 2002 (6,737 people), which was the lowest level and was greatly lower that the Scottish average[6]. Thus Edinburgh has high employment rates as compared to Scotland as a whole and in 2001 it was observed that the service sector gave most of the employment opportunities at 87.6% [7] of all the jobs in Edinburgh. Table 1 explains in detail the employment structure in the city as well as the region by the Industrial sector. Finance and business service sectors are of vital importance to local employment and this is seen to be evident as it has been acting like pillars of strength of the economy of the city and have been potentially growing within the national economy. Table 1 Employment structure, 2003 Edinburgh City Region Scotland Primary Production and construction 8% 12% 16% Distribution, hotels catering 22% 23% 24% Transport and communications 4% 5% 5% Business and finance 343% 28% 18% Public and other services 32% 32% 35% All Sectors 100% 100% 100% Employee jobs (000s) 312 433 2,299 Source: Annual Business Inquiry  ©crown copyright (NOMIS) The increase in the population of Edinburgh is not due to excess birthrates, although the number of births has been known to exceed the death rate, but the increase is mainly because of people migrating to the city. This shows the strength of the economy of the city. The study of the demographic trends in the housing market in Edinburgh is of significant importance. West Lothian and Midlothian have undergone a population increase while East Lothian and West Lothian have also been exposed to a high in-migration. Thus the population of the entire city has been increasing due to both the factors i.e. natural increase and in-migration. Recently conducted estimates (mid-2002) regarding the number of households in the city of Edinburgh show that there are 207,080 households. The period from 1991 till 2002 has witnessed and increase in the number of households that is three times greater than the actual increase in the population of Edinburgh. This holds to evidence as to the social and eco nomic changes that have caused in the formation of smaller households. Projected Population and Household Change, 2002-2016 Analysts have come to a conclusion that these trends would continue in the future. It is estimated that the population of Edinburgh will increase at a rate of 0.4% per year i.e. an increase of 54,700 residents. On the other hand, Scotland as a whole would experience a decline by 0.1% per annum. There are only 11 local authorities in Scotland that are expected an increase in population and Edinburgh is one of them. It is also estimated that the period stretching till 2016 will witness an increase in individual households in Edinburgh would be greater as compared to the population as a whole. Table 2 Population change, 1991-2002 1991 2002 change %change City of Edinburgh 436,320 448,080 11,760 3% East Lothian 84,440 90,750 6,310 7% Midlothian 79,530 80,500 970 1% West Lothian 145,040 159,960 14,920 10% City Region 745,330 779,290 33,960 5% Scotland 5,083,330 5,054,800 -28,530 -1% Source: GROS mid year estimates Table 3 Employment change by industry, 1998-2003 Edinburgh City Region Scotland Production and construction -33% -29% -22% Distribution, hotels catering 22% 27% 7% Transport and communications -7% 5% 7% Business and finance 34% 32% 24% Public and other services 8% 14% 19% All Sectors 11% 12% 6% Source: Annual business inquiry  ©crown copyright (NOMIS) Employment forecasts, 2003-2007 In Table 3 the rate of change in employment by sector in Edinburgh and its region is compared to Scotland. Finance and business services have been the fastest growing sector at the national level. This sector has been growing at a higher rate as compared to other areas in Scotland. The pattern as observed reflects the degree to which Edinburgh is a center for high level functions. The employment rate has increased greatly in the headquarters as compared to the branches spread out. Due to an increase in tourism spending and leisure, Edinburgh has greatly benefited from the increase in employments in Catering, Hotels and Distribution. However, in the ‘employment shedding’ manufacturing sectors, the city has relatively few jobs. There is an expected rise in the employment in Edinburgh by 4% over a period stretching from 2003 to 2007. This shows an increase of 13,000 jobs. Similar steady rates are expected in West Lothian and Midlothian. The pattern of growth however is expe cted to change from the recent past and the increase would mainly be in Distribution, Hotels, Catering and public services. Employment in business services and finance is forecasted to grow but at a relatively lower rate than what was observed in the past. Table 4 gives the data on average earning in Edinburgh. The data is recorded in terms of place of residence as well as place of work of the people in the survey. In 2003 the average earning of people in the city region was  £453 per week i.e.  £23,500 approximately in a year. Comparing this to Scotland, it was found that the average earning of the people in the city region was slightly greater. People who lived in Edinburgh city earned  £481 per week. This was at an increase of about 10% to the Scottish average. An important point to note is that these earnings are given at an average and ground realities show a great variation in the earnings of the residents of Edinburgh. For example, in 2003 it was observed that 10% of all the residents of Edinburgh earned  £220 or less per week as compared to the top 10% who earned more than  £828 per week. People whose workplaces were within Edinburgh were rated to be the second highest average earning in all of Scotland in 2003. These figures make it an obvious point to note that the higher paid jobs were filled in by the people who lived in Edinburgh while the lower ones were occupied by those outside the city commuting to work. The Census data exhibit that (in 2001) the net inflow of people commuting to work in Edinburgh from outside was around 60,000. Table 4 Average gross weekly earnings, 2003  £/week % of Scotland Work-basedresidence-based Work-based residence-based Edinburgh  £467  £481 107% 110% City Region  £454  £453 104% 104% Scotland  £437  £437 100% 100% Source: New Earnings Survey Unemployment rates in Edinburgh are lower as compared to the Scottish average. In 2004 it was recorded that the proportion of the population that were of the working age and were receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance was 2.2% as compared to the Scottish average of 2.7%. If a wider measure is adopted to study this deeply then striking differences are noted. Table 5 exhibits that the proportion of the working age population dependant or receiving state benefits of Edinburgh was much lower as compared to the rest of Scotland. However it is also interesting to note that the proportion of working age population in employment in Edinburgh was lower than the rest of Scotland. This difference is because of the large female population that are of working age but are neither working not claiming any benefits from the state. Table 5 Economic Activity and Benefits Edinburgh Scotland % of working age population unemployed, on Compulsory New Deal or 9.8 13.8 in receipt of incapacity/Disablement Benefits (2002) % of adults and children living in households in receipt of key income 11.8 15.0 benefits/credits (2002) % of working age adults in employment (2003) 66.7 76.6 Source: Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, 2004 An inclusive set of indicators of deprivation in small areas throughout Scotland is brought together in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 (SIMD04). Various dimensions of factors such as economic and social deprivation, including incomes, health, housing, accessibility, employment and health are included in the index. Information for each data zone in Scotland is collected and each area according to its level of deprivation is ranked. It is seen that Edinburgh has areas of high deprivation however the proportion of the population in these areas is much lower than the Scottish average. 20% of Edinburgh’s population would be living in data zones which would rank in the most deprived 20% in Scotland if Edinburgh had been under similar conditions as the rest of Scotland. As this is not so, only 13% of Edinburgh’s population is found to live in these areas that fall in the most deprived 20% in Scotland. Summary Edinburgh has been experiencing a growth in its population due to the growth in its economic sector. It is also seen that the incomes in Edinburgh are higher as compared to the rest of Scotland. The unemployment rate is lower and the percentage of people dependant on benefits from the state is also low in this city. This city has people traveling into it for work from other regions and thus can be considered as an employment center. Although the business and finance sectors would grow in the future, their rate of growth would be less. However increasing growth will be observed in distribution, hotels and catering due to increased tourism. The economy as a whole seems to be stable and will in the future generate more employment opportunities. Housing Supply and Demand Edinburgh’s housing system differs from the rest of Scotland and has some distinctive features to it. Private rending and owner occupation is high as compared to the Scottish average with a small rented sector. There are a higher proportion of flats as compared to the proportion of houses which is relatively low. Housing issues are complex in Edinburgh due to the fact that while the city is prosperous, there are areas of deprivation. Limited affordable housing with a high demand in housing, coupled with deprivation give rise to complex housing issues. Owner occupation It is seen that 69% of the homes are occupied by the owners out of which 40% are bought with a mortgage and 27% are owned outright. Moreover it is observed that owner occupation as a whole and houses that are owned outright are higher as compared to Scotland. The reason for the high percentage of outright ownership would be accounted for the in-migration of relatively wealthy people as compared to the in-migration in other cities of Scotland. Moreover the presence of people earning high income who would prefer not to purchase through mortgage could also account for this fact. Regardless of the existence of flats and small houses, the prices are high as compared to the rest of Scotland. The average price of a house in Edinburgh in the first half of 2004 was  £165,000. At  £354,000 were the prices for newly built properties in the Rural West part of Edinburgh. This was seen to be the highest mean price. Health needs It is important to use a variety of information to study and analyze the social issues and health needs in a city. High level ‘administrative’ data like that of the Census shows the operation of city partners within. Differences found in health amongst the various groups in a society are known as health inequalities. There are many inequalities in Scotland and JHIP aims to address these issues and eliminate inequalities which are caused by reasons that â€Å"are complex and interacting†[8]. Some of these factors include the physical factors like exposure to poor housing, socio-economic factors, behavioral factors (smoking or drinking) and psychological factors which would include exposure to adverse life events. These aspects are expressed clearly in the data on health provided in the Vision For Edinburgh monitoring reports, ‘Measuring Edinburgh’s Performance’ July 2002 and 2003[9]. One such factor is the low birth weight which is related to ma ny immediate and long-term health risks. In Edinburgh’s community planning process, this is regarded as the key health indicator. This factor is prevalent in areas of social disadvantages rather than in Edinburgh as a whole. In a period ranging from 1991 to 2000, it was seen that the number of teenage pregnancies, who gave birth to a child rather than aborting it, has been four times greater in the Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) areas than in Edinburgh as a whole. Socio-economic factors, life circumstances, genetic factors, lifestyles and factors of place are some of the important factors which affect the death rate. In the same period from 1991 to 2000 the death rate for under 65’s in the SIP areas was higher as compared to the city as a whole. This gap widened more in the period ranging from 1997 to 2000. In 2001 the figures saw a reversal in the trend as there was a reduction in the death rate for under 65’s in SIP areas but the gap still exists. Self-harm and self-poisoning have also been at a high and in the period of 1991 to 2000, this occurred at a higher rate in the SIP areas as compared to Edinburgh as a whole. It should be noted that the occurrence of such events and the gap between the SIP areas and Edinburgh as a whole has been decreasing. The credit for this would be given to the establishment of the assessment unit at the Royal Infirmary which dedicates itself to reduce the number of repeat incidents of self-harm. I t should also be noted that health inequality is not solely linked to the existence of social disadvantage and poverty and it was seen that the flatted accommodation in Edinburgh adversely affected those with reduced mobility.[10] Homelessness applications in Scotland come from all the cities and Edinburgh ranks second in it. However this is about less than a third of the presentations recorded in Glasgow (Scottish Executive, 1999). Voluntary agencies are providing a range of services including hostels, and other facilities for the young people who are homeless and comparatively this is less extensive than the one present in Glasgow and the largest hostel in Edinburgh is Council with 70 bed spaces. The RSI has funded a ‘single access point’ for the homeless people but there is still a shortfall in hostel accommodation, emergency accommodation in particular. A change will come about though after the projects of RSI become functional fully. A ‘Homelessness Liaison Officer’ has been appointed by Lothian and Borders Police for Edinburgh. There was street culture in Edinburgh to a certain extent as well. However, homelessness services in Edinburgh have been enhanced significantly and impro vements are expected in the future. Conclusion: Edinburgh is a thoroughly urban city with all the usual urban problems including unemployment, homelessness and health inequalities. However concrete steps have been taken to counter these problems especially the problem of homelessness that has been afflicting the city’s economic resources. Serious steps need to be taken on city as well as regional level to introduce better housing facilities and to absorb more jobless people into city’s various business sectors. References Bailey, N., Turok, I. and Docherty, I. (1999) Edinburgh and Glasgow: Contrasts in Competitiveness and Cohesion. Glasgow: Department of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow Office for National Statistics (1999) Labour Force Survey Quarterly Supplement, November 1999. London: Office for National Statistics. A. OSullivan. (2002) Urban Economics. McGraw-Hill UK. Footnotes [1] Bailey et al, 1999 [2] ONS, 1999 [3] www.edinburgh.gov.uk -census 2001 information [4] Housing Needs Assessment 2000, The City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Homes, 2002. [5] Source Capital Review, issue 1 summer 2002 [6] Source Capital Review, issue 1 summer 2002 [7] Capital Review, issue 1 summer 2002. [8] McIntyre in â€Å"Social Justice – a Scotland Where Everyone Matters. Annual Report 2001†: Scottish Executive 2001 [9] â€Å"Measuring Edinburgh’s Performance†: Edinburgh Partnership, 2002 and 2003 [10] Figures reported in CEC Housing Needs Assessment 2000.

Book Review of Jody Azzounis Tracking Reason Essay -- Azzouni

Jody Azzouni, Tracking Reason In many ways, Tracking Reason resembles Jody Azzouni’s previous book, Deflating Existential Consequence. The subject matter of each lies at the interface of metaphysics, logic, philosophy of mathematics, and philosophy of language. The style is both entertaining and clear. The positions argued for are so controversial as to sound almost insane. And yet the arguments provided are illuminating, and manage to make the positions seem almost like common sense. Both books are worth reading both for specialists and those interested in a clarifying (if idiosyncratic) take on these issues. In the previous book, Azzouni argued for a type of fictionalism about mathematics. But rather than following Hartry Field in denying the indispensability of mathematics, he simply argues that the indispensability of a form of discourse (and even the truth of existentially quantified sentences!) is not a sign of ontological commitment. This position helps motivate some of the positions in the current book, but I think it isn’t necessary. Tracking Reason advances several separate, but related positions in its three parts. However, for some reason the subtitle has them in the wrong order - Part I argues for a special deflationary account of truth (and deals at length with the semantics and regimentation of natural language); Part II argues that the role of mathematical proof is to â€Å"indicate† a derivation in some mechanical deduction system; and Part III argues that these two positions are (despite appearances) compatible with a non-syntactic view of consequence as a type of truth-preservation. Parts I and II are relatively independent, and I think can profitably be read on their own. Part III depends mo... ...f semantics (topological and Kripke) that are sound and complete for S4 modal logic. The fact that we only know of one semantics for propositional logic has misled us into thinking that its models are more significant than they really are. As I mentioned earlier, this book is modular enough that it may be worth reading parts of this book independently of the whole thing. Although Azzouni says that much of the material of the nine chapters of this book derives from ten 3 papers (cited in the introduction to each of the three parts), they seem to have been edited and unified enough that a reader interested in just one topic may prefer to read the relevant Part (I or II) of this book rather than the separate papers that it is based on. But for anyone interested in the relationships between truth, proof, and consequence, I recommend reading the entire thing.

Contrasting Silkos Yellow Woman and Chopins Story of an Hour :: comparison compare contrast essays

Contrasting Silko's Yellow Woman and Chopin's Story of an Hour On the surface, the protagonists of Silko's "Yellow Woman" and Chopin's "Story of an Hour" seem to have little in common. Yet upon closer inspection, both stories relate tales of women who are repressed by the social tenets that define their roles as wives. From the viewpoint of Western society, the narrator of "Yellow Woman" might be considered immoral for her willing sexual encounter with a stranger. However, the stories related by her grandfather of the Yellow Woman demonstrate within her culture a more accepting attitude of her brief interlude: "Yellow Woman went away with the spirit from the north and lived with him and his relatives. She was gone a long time, but then one day she came back and brought twin boys."(188) Her grandfather certainly liked telling the stories and seems to have admired the Yellow Woman on some level. Other societies do not share the Western idea of moral sexual behavior. The Egyptian ruling class, for example, sometimes married brother to sister, and other cultures have incorporated fertility rites into their belief systems. Even within our own society, marriages to cousins, which are considered wrong today, were not uncommon in past centuries. Given that her attitude regarding sex and marriage might diff er from the Western norm, the central conflict of the story seems to be the narrator's desire for freedom to choose her own destiny versus her more Westernized view of her role as wife and mother, a role that is traditionally subservient to the husband in Western society. There is the sense that she finds her daily life dull, though perhaps not unhappy, and when a chance encounter turned sexual, she again takes on a subservient role to a male. Her inability to make sense of her conflicting feelings causes her to appear weak and lacking in character and portrays her in a negative light. By contrast, Louise Mallard, the protagonist in Chopin's "Story of an Hour", is a moral woman and loving wife, at least by Western standards. Her life is defined by the accepted social ideal of a husband's will as final. She is so inured to this concept that only upon hearing the news of his death does her true feeling of something "too subtle and elusive to name" (199) come forth. What she acknowledges to herself is that her marriage is not happy for her and she often resents her subservient role and "a kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime".

Market Analysis and Promotional Issues in South Africa Essay

  South Africa is an ethically diverse country and was under the colonial rule for decades. It has been noted that its Black African ancestry in the whole population consisted of 79.3% while the white population was 9.1%, the colored 9% and the Indian/Asian of 2.6 %. The country’s new constitution which came into effect on 4th February, 1997, has recognized 11 official languages and has further given them all an equal status. Its colonial history was one of subjugation by the white colonial masters and therefore the native African and colored population nursed a growing sense of resentment, doubt and a feeling of revenge for the wrong doings meted out to them by the colonial rulers. The nation that became liberalized by emerging out of the past again realized that the colonial spell of subjugation was not fully over as yet as they still have to remove the feeling of inferiority over the English language left out by the foreign rulers. Thus, conscientious efforts were on by the new government to save the country’s various linguistic cultures. By accepting linguistic globalization, which has adapted the use of English, mother tongue equally need to be used and also developed (Moyo, 2009). In this context and the resulting confusion of attaining a cultural identity the book sales in South Africa saw a significant increase including those of English books. South African Customers The South African Customer for market purpose in consumer products covers a whole range of people from all cultural and linguistic angles. Yet from the point of view of the book publishing the range is limited and this is further narrowed down given to reason that the English reading population is limited only to the white people and the educated lot of the Black African and colored population. Now taking into consideration the market of English fiction of the Janet Evanovich line of books the market gets further segregated according to age. However, it is seen that fiction in general is the easiest genre to sell in the overseas market (O’Reilly, 2010). This is more so keeping in view of the South African government’s recent bilingual education policy where English language is an important official language. Although South Africa has a significantly different political, social and cultural landscape than that of US, it provides an excellent example of bilingual education policy (England, 2009). In spite of the above it is seen that there is some amount of resistance from the culturally distinct group who would like their own mother tongue as their main language. According to the author Mzamane Mbulelo Vizikhungo liberating the African mind from the stronghold of Western cultural imperialism is the unfinished business of the liberation struggle (2009). This shows the nature of resistance which still exists in the Black African and colored population which may take some time to completely erase out. As Vorster states that after a long period of inequalities in the society a new dispensation cannot be effectively established without a deep-rooted transformation process that must redress the imbalance cause by the previous dispensation (2005). Yet this may slowly subside as the whole world moves towards globalization and there will be changes in the attitudes of the consumers. An understanding of the psychological process by which attitudes are changed should provide insight into when and how attitudes guide consumer behavior (Bagozzi, Gurham-Cauli and Priester, 2002). This is true for any fiction and the publishers ought to be aware of this in order to project the book as tailored for the customers. Today’s approach is to accept that there are different demands in the market place and the product needs to be tailored specifically to meet the differing demand if it is stand the best chance of success (Proctor, 2000). In case of Janet Evanovich writing which is incidentally a fast moving, suspense filled, romantic version of contemporary life in America, and the South African public can see reason as to why they too may not change likewise. Customers are more discerning than they used to be in the past where they purchased simply on their whims and impulse (Griffin, 2002). The same could hold true for the modernizing South Africa who might rather than reject accept the fast fiction version of the American life. Defining the Changing South African Market With the advent of globalization it is not possible for any nation to remain cocooned in one’s own narrow beliefs and cultural pretense. Although by and large the global society would undoubtedly become a multicultural and multi-lingual one there is enough evidence that heterogeneity would remain distinctively rooted within a larger homogeneity in existence everywhere. This homogeneity would be defined as the assimilation of all positive sides of human endeavors and linguistic aspects. Therefore, for projecting the Janet Evanovich’s line of books the publishers need to emphasize the point through website and other media that the book is meant for the public simply as a form of entertainment and not to transgress on their cultures and at the same time to inform them of the life style in contemporary America. Marketing is about meeting customer’s needs and developing their trust and loyalty (Doyle, 2000). In order to achieve these publishers would have to wean themselves away from the biasness of their own home country and look at book sale as a specific objective. Many marketers now distinguish a goal as a specific objective, a refinement of an objective and make it desirable (Rogers, 2001). In order to remove whatever friction that may cause by the introduction of the books the publishers may undertake promotions in an appealing way with due consideration given to the cultural aspects of each group. Not only can a celebrity endorsement campaign fit with the launch of Janet Evanovich’s line of books by local artists, but the author can sign a few dozens of the initial published copies. This can make the public more intimate with her style of writing and wouldn’t try to uncover any seemingly hidden motives. Utilizing a charitable outlet for a portion of the profits can enhance the sensitivity of the company’s representation in the community (Hosier, 2010). Further, a special low pricing could be offered so as to entice the potential customers who are usually in the age group within 16 to 60. Or a special discount could be offered for the first hundred copies or the whole of the first published lot in South Africa only. Prices, reflect values, the value seller believes their product possesses and which the buyer too perceives (Bradley, 2003). An intimate relationship is thus established between the consumers and with those who are very sentimental when their cultural values is seen under threat.   Reference List Bradley Frank (2003). Strategic Marketing: In the Customer Driven Organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pricing Strategies and Tactics. 12, 221. Chichester, England. Wiley. Bagozzi P. Richard, Gurham-Cauli and Priester R. Joseph (2002). The Social   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychology of Consumer Behavior. Attitude Change. 5, 102. Philadelphia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Philadelphia Open University Press. Doyle Peter (2000). Value Based Marketing: Marketing Strategies for Corporate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Growth and Shareholder Value. The Marketing Value Driver. 3, 69. New York.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John Wiley & Sons. England W. Travis (2009). Bilingual Education: Lessons from abroad for America’s   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pending Crisis.   A. South Africa. Washington University Law Review. Griffin Jill (2002). Customer Loyalty. A Closer Look at Loyalty. 2, 17, San Francisco.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jossey-Bass. Hosier Bill (2010). Benevolent Marketing-Building Charitable Giving into the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Business Model. Advertising, marketing, public relations community. O’Reilly Gillian (2010). Canadian Books Sell around the World. Fiction. Canadian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Children’s book News. Proctor Tony (2000). Strategic Marketing. Segmentation, Target and Positioning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   10, 188. London. Routledge. Moyo Thamba (2009). Linguistic diversity and development: the language question   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And Social justice in Southern Africa. The Mother Tongue Defined. Forum   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On Public Policy: A Journal of the Oxford Round Table.

Parvovirus B19: A Different Kind of Pathogen

Blood transfusions save lives. There is no other way to put it. There is no other way to stress its importance. Without this service there would be no other way to save those who are victims of gunshot wounds, accidents that resulted in major blood loss, surgeries that require transfusion and many more medical procedures that require the availability of safe blood.As mentioned earlier blood banks have reached a level of sophistication that can assure safe blood processing, sterilisation, storage and finally transfusion. In information found in the 12th International Convocation on Immunology one can see that in the 20th century it is almost impossible to find infected blood such as those having HIV, Hepatitis B and C viruses in blood banks (C.J. van Oss, 1995).Yet, in the same convention, the delegates had to agree that there are still pathogens that could not be eliminated using conventional methods. And one of those pathogens is called Parvovirus B19, which is also known as human p arvovirus. It is therefore important to test for the presence of Parvovirus B19 in donated blood. The importance of which will be seen later as introduction of the virus to at risk patients can be fatal.Parvovirus B19According to Broliden, Tolfvenstam, & Norbeck (2006) â€Å"B19 is thought to exclusively infect humans, and shows a pronounced tropism for erythroid precursors.†Moreover, they added that with regards to infection shows a seasonal variation in temperature climates, â€Å"†¦being more common during the winter and early spring [†¦] B19 is normally transmitted through the respiratory route, but can also be transmitted vertically from the mother to the foetus, through BM and organ tranplantations, and via transfused blood products† (Broliden, Tolfvenstam, & Norbeck, 2006).A more technical description of the virus can be found in Murphy and Pamphilon’s work and the authors made the following remarks concerning the human parvovirus:The parvovirus es are one of the smallest DNA viruses that infect humans. They are very stable non-enveloped viruses that are resistant to many chemical and physical inactivation techniques. Parvovirus B19 is the only definite member of the genus erythrovirus – the virus replicates in erythroid progenitor cells (1995).In the world of Pediatrics, Katie Barnes highlights the following attributes of the virus:1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Parvovirus B19 (human parvovirus) is the causative agent for erythema infectiosum or fifth disease so named because it was the fifth disease to be described with similar rashes like measles, rubella, scarlet fever and roscola.2.  Ã‚  Ã‚      It appears commonly as an erythermatous, macular, papular rash in a patient that otherwise is a febrile and well appearing.3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Due to the ever-present nature of the virus, community outbreaks are common. Infection is possible throughout the year.4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Infection can result in transient aplastic cri sis (TAC) among children with hereditary haemolytic anaemia like sickle cell disease, spherocytosis and thalassaemia or marked immunosuppression.5.  Ã‚  Ã‚   B19 infection among pregnant women has been linked to fetal infection and subsequent pregnancy loss and spontaneous abortion.6.  Ã‚  Ã‚   B19 infection is widespread and occurs worldwide. School-aged children are most frequently affected and highest incidence can be found among children between 5 to 15 years of age (2003).In addition to the above here is another facet of the virus that informs on those who are at high risk when infected with B19:[†¦] it does interfere with red cell production in the marrow; and a recipient with a compensated haemolytic anaemia may have a very abrupt and dangerous fall in haemoglobin when exposed to this virus. An immunologically impaired recipient of the virus may be unable to eliminate the virus, and severe chronic anaemia may result (C.J. van Oss, 1995).DetectionDetecting the presenc e of B19 virus in donated blood would not be an easy task. As described earlier the human parvovirus is one of the smallest DNA viruses ever found (Murphy & Pamphilon, 1995).Peterlana et al (2006) described some of the standard assays that was used for detecting the presence of B19:1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dot Blot Hybridization – this uses cloned viral DNA and was found to be sensitive to 104 viral particles.2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nucleic Acid Amplification Technology2.1 Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCR) – more sensitive than Dot Blot Hybridization assay because it could detect 100 fg viral DNA (gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining and 10 fg viral DNA (hybridization).2.2 nested-PCR – a thousand fold improvement in sensitivity as compared to PCR2.3 real-time PCR – this is a fluorescence-based assay, which combines amplification and detection in a closed system and can produce quantitative results in a very short time. Real-time PCR has been repo rted to be more sensitive than conventional PCR.Schneider et al., (2005) do stand by the result of real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction procedure. This was carried out using a LightCycler – a Parvovirus B19 Quantification Kit from Roche Diagnostics.A similar approach was described by Koppelman and Cuypers that would soon be standard European practice, â€Å"†¦ testing with a quantitative PV-B19 NAT (nucleic acid amplification technology) assay† (2002).

Love hula, love Hawaii Essay

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day That’s the island greeting that we send to you from the land where palm trees sway Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii’s way to say Merry Christmas to you [1] (Robert Alex Anderson) If ask people a question that which place has the most beautiful beach, sunshine and full of enthusiasm, I think most people will have the same answer, Hawaii. As we all know, Hawaii is the most famous holiday resort in the world, people who are from all over the world come here to enjoy the beautiful scenery, watch the hula dance and eat delicious food. However, people should also know the culture, which are the symbols of Hawaii, such as hula, chant and mele. If you’ve ever been to Hawaii or see some shows about it, you have undoubtedly enjoyed the exotic, hip-swaying dance called â€Å"hula.† Beautiful island women and men â€Å"act out† the music through dance steps to tell stories, particularly their graceful arm movements. Hula was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. When Captain Cook arrived in Hawaii in 1779, the Hawaiian people had been dancing hula for centuries. Hula was danced as part of a religious program in the old days. Then, when the missionaries arrived in the 1830’s, they convinced Queen Kaahumanu to prohibit hula because they thought hula was erotic. â€Å"It was described like this – â€Å"The natives would practice in the hot sun for days on end. Drums pounded, gourds rattled, singers chanted, and hundreds of dancers wearing garlands of green leaves and flowers and dog-tooth anklets moved endlessly to and fro in lines, their brown skin glistening with sweat, with no sign of boredom or tiredness,† (Daws, 1968)†[2] And hula was popular after King Kalakaua made it opened in the 1870’s. Today Hawaiian dance has an added political dimension in that knowledge and understanding of this cultural form are valued as an ingredient of ethnic identity (Adrienne Kaeppler 1993:234). â€Å"Dance as part of a political construction, can be an aural and visual statement of distinctiveness – and in some cases divisiveness –and need not be associated with cultural understanding. More ethnic Hawaiians are beginning to appreciate and champion the importance of their heritage. More and more Hawaiians – male and female – are studying hula in order to become part of the ethnic movement.†[3] As I know, native Hawaiians know the importance of hula and treat it as their pride. The government also pays attention on hula and advertises the culture of hula. Mele is perhaps the most important cultural symbol of the Hawaiians. â€Å"It is the way ancient Hawaiians prayed and passed on legends and lore, linking their prehistory with their present life.†[4] I still remember when I first heard the melody of Hawaii song; I can felt the enthusiasm of this island immediately. For example, â€Å"Mele Kalikimaka† is a Hawaiian themed Christmas song written in 1949 by Robert Alex Anderson, when I hear the lively music, I would be relaxed. â€Å"Everything because hula is the unique dance of the Hawaiian people. Everything because despite the homogenizing influence of hula competition, which has brought only a limited range of the vast hula repertoire to the public’s attention over the past thirty-five years, hula encompasses many different styles and types of dances. But it says nothing because hula simply cannot be reduced to Hawaiian folk dance. It carries forward the social and natural history, the religious beliefs, the philosophy, the literature, and the scientific knowledge of the Hawaiian people.† [5] I think hula carries a lot of things, such as the religious beliefs, the social and natural history of Hawaii, the literature and philosophy, and Hawaiians and hula are inextricably fused. In conclusion, hula is an indispensable part of Hawaii and also treated as an important culture of the world. For me, Hawaii is the place I will go someday, I am sure I will love Hawaii and it’s culture while enjoy the beautiful scenery and ebullient show. References: 1. The lyrics of â€Å"Mele Kalikimaka† by Robert Alex Anderson 2. A brief history of hula. Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110077/hulahistory.htm 3. Torgersen, E. H. (June 2010). The social meanings of hula. University of Bergen. Retrieved from http://pacific.uib.no/people/Torgersen/The Social meanings of hula.pdf 4. Fellezs, K. (Spring 2007). Performing hawaiian. New York: Brooklyn College of the City University. Retrieved from http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/isam/NewsletS07/Fellezs.htm 5. Rowe, S. M. (2008). We dance for knowledge. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/drj/summary/v040/40.1.rowe.html

The Impact of Workforce Diversity on Employee Engagement: The Case of Company X

A Brief Synopsis The focus of this research is to determine the impact of workforce diversity on employee engagement, with particular emphasis on Company X. Today’s challenge is not to simply retain employees but to engage them fully; hence, the organisation is tasked to capture the minds and hearts of its diverse workforce at every phase of their work lives. Workforce diversity pertains to employee’s heterogeneity in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, and other characteristics (Saha, 2006). Employee engagement, on the other hand, is the extent of their commitment to a particular thing or person in their organisation, the level of their work, and the length of time of their stay as a result of such commitment (Lockwood, 2007). Employee engagement can be a deciding factor to drive business success in today’s global competitive market, and since workforce diversity is a common scenario in many organisations, there is a corresponding need to allot a fuller attention to this aspect. Further, employee engagement does not only create a significant impact on employee retention, loyalty, and productivity, but it also serves as a key link to customer satisfaction and overall stakeholder value (Lockwood, 2007; Attridge, 2009). Rationale of the Research In this globalised age, an individual’s engagement with and enthusiasm for his/her work is very important. Organisations have grown to provide the resources needed by employees as well as the opportunities to learn new skills in order promote employee engagement within the workplace. It is necessary that employees feel that their work is meaningful and that they have a rewarding interaction with co-workers and supervisors. Companies with high-average levels of engagement are more productive and bring about highly satisfied customers. To manage workforce diversity, organisations introduce equal opportunity programmes and diversity management (Robbins et al., 2009). Moreover, as the global environment becomes increasingly borderless, organisations find it more and more important to attract, engage, develop, and retain talents. The changing relationship between employers and employees drive HR professionals to identify and understand employees’ needs and preferences and ascertain how these needs could be met whilst also leveraging workplace talents thoroughly (Lockwood, 2007). The urgency and need for a research on this topic is clearly brought out by the fact that a diverse workforce is more difficult to manage than a homogenous one (Bilmes and Gould, 2009), and hence, they might encounter barriers in being engaged to their work as a result. This research will identify the impact of such diversity on the levels of engagement that employees tend to have in a diverse workplace. This research is also justified by the fact that the contemporary workplace is commonly focused on raising productivity and competitive advantages, to which an engaged workforce is proved to play an important contribution (Macey and Schneider, 2008). On the other hand, finding out how workforce diversity affects employee engagement, and in turn, productivity and competitive advantages, would be a good avenue to introduce new policies and strategies to address identified barriers. Research Gap Employee engagement has been a broad focus of study in the academic literature. The meaning of employee engagement remains ambiguous amongst practitioners and academic rese ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­archers (Macey and Schneider, 2008). There is a gap between policies and practice in the strategic management of the HR function in some organisations, (Bhatnagar 2007) mentions, which can be filled by a study on employee engagement and workforce diversity like this current one. Additionally, recent research trends indicate a need for more research on workplace diversity to examine the challenges surrounding the diversity concept and how employees can become more engaged in the midst of such diversity (Byrd and Scott, 2014). Research Questions The research questions that this study will address are the following: What is the impact of workforce diversity on employee engagement in Company X How are employee engagement and workforce diversity utilised in Company X in order to gain competitive edge in the increasingly global marketplace? What is the extent of HR efforts in fostering an integration of employee engagement and workforce diversity in Company X Objectives The objectives of the research are outlined below: To review the extant literature on the concept of employee engagement and workforce diversity; To present a case study research on employee engagement amongst a culturally diverse workforce and how the latter influences the former; and To explore the ways in which strategic HR may enable an organisation to benefit from a diverse workforce through employee engagement. Dependent Variable The dependent variable in this study is employee engagement. The dependent variable serves as the status of the outcome, on which the research is focused (Babbie, 2011).Independent VariableThe independent variable is workforce diversity. It is the variable that logically has some impact on the dependent variable described above (e.g. Cargan, 2007). Intervening Variable An intervening variable (also called ‘mediating variable’) serves as a causal chain between dependent and independent variables (Rubin and Babbie, 2011). The intervening variable in this study is competitive advantage. Hypotheses Below are the hypotheses for this study: The impact of workforce diversity on employee engagement is competitive advantage. Well-integrated employee engagement and workforce diversity lead to increased productivity and competitiveness. Strategic HR programmes can enable integration between a diverse workforce and employee engagement. References Attridge, M. (2009) Measuring and Managing Employee Work Engagement: A Review of the Research and Business Literature. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 24 (4), 383-398. Babbie, E. (2011) The Basics of Social Research. Mason, OH: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Bhatnagar, J. (2007) Talent Management Strategy of Employee Engagement in Indian ITES Employees: Key to Retention. Employee Relations, 29 (6), 640-663. Bilmes, L. J. and Gould, W. S. (2009) The People Factor: Strengthening America by Investing in Public Service. Washington DC: The Brookings Institution. Byrd, M. Y. and Scott, C. L. (2014) Diversity in the Workforce: Current Issues and Emerging Trends. New York: Routledge. Cargan, L. (2007) Doing Social Research. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Catwright, S. and Holmes, N. (2006) The Meaning of Work: The Challenge of Regaining Employee Engagement and Reducing Cynicism. Human Resource Management Review, 16 (2), 199-208. Crawford, E. R., LePine, J. A., and Rich, B. L. (2010) Linking Job Demands and Resources to Employee Engagement and Burnout: A Theoretical Extension and Meta-Analytic Test. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95 (5), 834-848. Lockwood, N. R. (2007) Leveraging Employee Engagement for Competitive Advantage: HR’s Strategic Role. Strategic Human Resource Management Research Quarterly. Retrieved on June 23, 2014 from http://www.shrm.org/research/articles/articles/documents/07marresearchquarterly.pdf Macey, W. H. and Schneider, B. (2008) The Meaning of Employee Engagement. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 1 (1), 3-30. Robbins, S. P., Judge, T. A., Odendaal, A., and Roodt, G. (2009) Organisational Behaviour in Southern Africa. Second Edition. Cape Town: Pearson Education South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Saha, J. (2006) Management and Organizational Behaviour. New Delhi: Excel Books. Rubin, A. and Babbie, E. (2011) Research Methods for Social Work. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Shuck, B. and Wollard, K. (2009) Employee Engagement and HRD: A Seminal Review of the Foundations. Human Resource Development Review, 9 (1), 89-110.