Monday, September 30, 2019

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 13-17

CHAPTER 13 For several seconds, Langdon stared in wonder at the photograph of Sauniere's postscript. P. S. Find Robert Langdon.He felt as if the floor were tilting beneath his feet. Sauniere left a postscript with my name on it? In his wildest dreams, Langdon could not fathom why. â€Å"Now do you understand,† Sophie said, her eyes urgent,† why Fache ordered you here tonight, and why you are his primary suspect?† The only thing Langdon understood at the moment was why Fache had looked so smug when Langdon suggested Sauniere would have accused his killer by name. Find Robert Langdon. â€Å"Why would Sauniere write this?† Langdon demanded, his confusion now giving way to anger. â€Å"Why would I want to kill Jacques Sauniere?† â€Å"Fache has yet to uncover a motive, but he has been recording his entire conversation with you tonight in hopes you might reveal one.† Langdon opened his mouth, but still no words came. â€Å"He's fitted with a miniature microphone,† Sophie explained. â€Å"It's connected to a transmitter in his pocket that radios the signal back to the command post.† â€Å"This is impossible,† Langdon stammered. â€Å"I have an alibi. I went directly back to my hotel after my lecture. You can ask the hotel desk.† â€Å"Fache already did. His report shows you retrieving your room key from the concierge at about ten- thirty. Unfortunately, the time of the murder was closer to eleven. You easily could have left your hotel room unseen.† â€Å"This is insanity! Fache has no evidence!† Sophie's eyes widened as if to say: No evidence?† Mr. Langdon, your name is written on the floor beside the body, and Sauniere's date book says you were with him at approximately the time of the murder.† She paused. â€Å"Fache has more than enough evidence to take you into custody for questioning.† Langdon suddenly sensed that he needed a lawyer. â€Å"I didn't do this.† Sophie sighed. â€Å"This is not American television, Mr. Langdon. In France, the laws protect the police, not criminals. Unfortunately, in this case, there is also the media consideration. Jacques Sauniere was a very prominent and well-loved figure in Paris, and his murder will be news in the morning. Fache will be under immediate pressure to make a statement, and he looks a lot better having a suspect in custody already. Whether or not you are guilty, you most certainly will be held by DCPJ until they can figure out what really happened.† Langdon felt like a caged animal. â€Å"Why are you telling me all this?† â€Å"Because, Mr. Langdon, I believe you are innocent.† Sophie looked away for a moment and then back into his eyes. â€Å"And also because it is partially my fault that you're in trouble.† â€Å"I'm sorry? It's your fault Sauniere is trying to frame me?† â€Å"Sauniere wasn't trying to frame you. It was a mistake. That message on the floor was meant for me.† Langdon needed a minute to process that one. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"That message wasn't for the police. He wrote it for me.I think he was forced to do everything in such a hurry that he just didn't realize how it would look to the police.† She paused. â€Å"The numbered code is meaningless. Sauniere wrote it to make sure the investigation included cryptographers, ensuring that I would know as soon as possible what had happened to him.† Langdon felt himself losing touch fast. Whether or not Sophie Neveu had lost her mind was at this point up for grabs, but at least Langdon now understood why she was trying to help him. P. S.Find Robert Langdon.She apparently believed the curator had left her a cryptic postscript telling her to find Langdon. â€Å"But why do you think his message was for you?† â€Å"The Vitruvian Man,†she said flatly. â€Å"That particular sketch has always been my favorite Da Vinci work. Tonight he used it to catch my attention.† â€Å"Hold on. You're saying the curator knew your favorite piece of art?† She nodded. â€Å"I'm sorry. This is all coming out of order. Jacques Sauniere and I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sophie's voice caught, and Langdon heard a sudden melancholy there, a painful past, simmering just below the surface. Sophie and Jacques Sauniere apparently had some kind of special relationship. Langdon studied the beautiful young woman before him, well aware that aging men in France often took young mistresses. Even so, Sophie Neveu as a† kept woman† somehow didn't seem to fit. â€Å"We had a falling-out ten years ago,† Sophie said, her voice a whisper now. â€Å"We've barely spoken since. Tonight, when Crypto got the call that he had been murdered, and I saw the images of his body and text on the floor, I realized he was trying to send me a message.† â€Å"Because of The Vitruvian Man?† â€Å"Yes. And the letters P. S.† â€Å"Post Script?† She shook her head. â€Å"P. S. are my initials.† â€Å"But your name is Sophie Neveu.† She looked away. â€Å"P. S. is the nickname he called me when I lived with him.† She blushed. â€Å"It stood for Princesse Sophie† Langdon had no response. â€Å"Silly, I know,† she said. â€Å"But it was years ago. When I was a little girl.† â€Å"You knew him when you were a little girl?† â€Å"Quite well,† she said, her eyes welling now with emotion. â€Å"Jacques Sauniere was my grandfather.† CHAPTER 14 â€Å"Where's Langdon?† Fache demanded, exhaling the last of a cigarette as he paced back into the command post. â€Å"Still in the men's room, sir.† Lieutenant Collet had been expecting the question. Fache grumbled,† Taking his time, I see.† The captain eyed the GPS dot over Collet's shoulder, and Collet could almost hear the wheels turning. Fache was fighting the urge to go check on Langdon. Ideally, the subject of an observation was allowed the most time and freedom possible, lulling him into a false sense of security. Langdon needed to return of his own volition. Still, it had been almost ten minutes. Too long. â€Å"Any chance Langdon is onto us?† Fache asked. Collet shook his head. â€Å"We're still seeing small movements inside the men's room, so the GPS dot is obviously still on him. Perhaps he feels ill? If he had found the dot, he would have removed it and tried to run.† Fache checked his watch. â€Å"Fine.† Still Fache seemed preoccupied. All evening, Collet had sensed an atypical intensity in his captain. Usually detached and cool under pressure, Fache tonight seemed emotionally engaged, as if this were somehow a personal matter for him. Not surprising, Collet thought. Fache needs this arrest desperately.Recently the Board of Ministers and the media had become more openly critical of Fache's aggressive tactics, his clashes with powerful foreign embassies, and his gross over budgeting on new technologies. Tonight, a high-tech, high-profile arrest of an American would go a long way to silence Fache's critics, helping him secure the job a few more years until he could retire with the lucrative pension. God knows he needs the pension, Collet thought. Fache's zeal for technology had hurt him both professionally and personally. Fache was rumored to have invested his entire savings in the technology craze a few years back and lost his shirt. And Fache is a man who wears only the finest shirts. Tonight, there was still plenty of time. Sophie Neveu's odd interruption, though unfortunate, had been only a minor wrinkle. She was gone now, and Fache still had cards to play. He had yet to inform Langdon that his name had been scrawled on the floor by the victim. P. S.Find Robert Langdon.The American's reaction to that little bit of evidence would be telling indeed. â€Å"Captain?† one of the DCPJ agents now called from across the office. â€Å"I think you better take this call.† He was holding out a telephone receiver, looking concerned. â€Å"Who is it?† Fache said. The agent frowned. â€Å"It's the director of our Cryptology Department.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"It's about Sophie Neveu, sir. Something is not quite right.† CHAPTER 15 It was time. Silas felt strong as he stepped from the black Audi, the nighttime breeze rustling his loose-fitting robe. The winds of change are in the air.He knew the task before him would require more finesse than force, and he left his handgun in the car. The thirteen-round Heckler Koch USP 40 had been provided by the Teacher. A weapon of death has no place in a house of God. The plaza before the great church was deserted at this hour, the only visible souls on the far side of Place Saint-Sulpice a couple of teenage hookers showing their wares to the late night tourist traffic. Their nubile bodies sent a familiar longing to Silas's loins. His thigh flexed instinctively, causing the barbed cilice belt to cut painfully into his flesh. The lust evaporated instantly. For ten years now, Silas had faithfully denied himself all sexual indulgence, even self-administered. It was The Way.He knew he had sacrificed much to follow Opus Dei, but he had received much more in return. A vow of celibacy and the relinquishment of all personal assets hardly seemed a sacrifice. Considering the poverty from which he had come and the sexual horrors he had endured in prison, celibacy was a welcome change. Now, having returned to France for the first time since being arrested and shipped to prison in Andorra, Silas could feel his homeland testing him, dragging violent memories from his redeemed soul. You have been reborn, he reminded himself. His service to God today had required the sin of murder, and it was a sacrifice Silas knew he would have to hold silently in his heart for all eternity. The measure of your faith is the measure of the pain you can endure, the Teacher had told him. Silas was no stranger to pain and felt eager to prove himself to the Teacher, the one who had assured him his actions were ordained by a higher power. â€Å"Hago la obra de Dios,†Silas whispered, moving now toward the church entrance. Pausing in the shadow of the massive doorway, he took a deep breath. It was not until this instant that he truly realized what he was about to do, and what awaited him inside. The keystone. It will lead us to our final goal. He raised his ghost-white fist and banged three times on the door. Moments later, the bolts of the enormous wooden portal began to move. CHAPTER 16 Sophie wondered how long it would take Fache to figure out she had not left the building. Seeing that Langdon was clearly overwhelmed, Sophie questioned whether she had done the right thing by cornering him here in the men's room. What else was I supposed to do? She pictured her grandfather's body, naked and spread-eagle on the floor. There was a time when he had meant the world to her, yet tonight, Sophie was surprised to feel almost no sadness for the man. Jacques Sauniere was a stranger to her now. Their relationship had evaporated in a single instant one March night when she was twenty-two. Ten years ago.Sophie had come home a few days early from graduate university in England and mistakenly witnessed her grandfather engaged in something Sophie was obviously not supposed to see. It was an image she barely could believe to this day. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes†¦ Too ashamed and stunned to endure her grandfather's pained attempts to explain, Sophie immediately moved out on her own, taking money she had saved, and getting a small flat with some roommates. She vowed never to speak to anyone about what she had seen. Her grandfather tried desperately to reach her, sending cards and letters, begging Sophie to meet him so he could explain. Explain how!? Sophie never responded except once – to forbid him ever to call her or try to meet her in public. She was afraid his explanation would be more terrifying than the incident itself. Incredibly, Sauniere had never given up on her, and Sophie now possessed a decade's worth of correspondence unopened in a dresser drawer. To her grandfather's credit, he had never once disobeyed her request and phoned her. Until this afternoon. â€Å"Sophie?† His voice had sounded startlingly old on her answering machine. â€Å"I have abided by your wishes for so long†¦ and it pains me to call, but I must speak to you. Something terrible has happened.† Standing in the kitchen of her Paris flat, Sophie felt a chill to hear him again after all these years. His gentle voice brought back a flood of fond childhood memories. â€Å"Sophie, please listen.† He was speaking English to her, as he always did when she was a little girl. Practice French at school.Practice English at home. â€Å"You cannot be mad forever. Have you not read the letters that I've sent all these years? Do you not yet understand?† He paused. â€Å"We must speak at once. Please grant your grandfather this one wish. Call me at the Louvre. Right away. I believe you and I are in grave danger.† Sophie stared at the answering machine. Danger? What was he talking about? â€Å"Princess†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her grandfather's voice cracked with an emotion Sophie could not place. â€Å"I know I've kept things from you, and I know it has cost me your love. But it was for your own safety. Now you must know the truth. Please, I must tell you the truth about your family.† Sophie suddenly could hear her own heart. My family? Sophie's parents had died when she was only four. Their car went off a bridge into fast-moving water. Her grandmother and younger brother had also been in the car, and Sophie's entire family had been erased in an instant. She had a box of newspaper clippings to confirm it. His words had sent an unexpected surge of longing through her bones. My family! In that fleeting instant, Sophie saw images from the dream that had awoken her countless times when she was a little girl: My family is alive! They are coming home! But, as in her dream, the pictures evaporated into oblivion. Your family is dead, Sophie. They are not coming home. â€Å"Sophie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  her grandfather said on the machine. â€Å"I have been waiting for years to tell you. Waiting for the right moment, but now time has run out. Call me at the Louvre. As soon as you get this. I'll wait here all night. I fear we both may be in danger. There's so much you need to know.† The message ended. In the silence, Sophie stood trembling for what felt like minutes. As she considered her grandfather's message, only one possibility made sense, and his true intent dawned. It was bait. Obviously, her grandfather wanted desperately to see her. He was trying anything. Her disgust for the man deepened. Sophie wondered if maybe he had fallen terminally ill and had decided to attempt any ploy he could think of to get Sophie to visit him one last time. If so, he had chosen wisely. My family. Now, standing in the darkness of the Louvre men's room, Sophie could hear the echoes of this afternoon's phone message. Sophie, we both may be in danger.Call me. She had not called him. Nor had she planned to. Now, however, her skepticism had been deeply challenged. Her grandfather lay murdered inside his own museum. And he had written a code on the floor. A code for her.Of this, she was certain. Despite not understanding the meaning of his message, Sophie was certain its cryptic nature was additional proof that the words were intended for her. Sophie's passion and aptitude for cryptography were a product of growing up with Jacques Sauniere – a fanatic himself for codes, word games, and puzzles. How many Sundays did we spend doing the cryptograms and crosswords in the newspaper? At the age of twelve, Sophie could finish the Le Monde crossword without any help, and her grandfather graduated her to crosswords in English, mathematical puzzles, and substitution ciphers. Sophie devoured them all. Eventually she turned her passion into a profession by becoming a code breaker for the Judicial Police. Tonight, the cryptographer in Sophie was forced to respect the efficiency with which her grandfather had used a simple code to unite two total strangers – Sophie Neveu and Robert Langdon. The question was why? Unfortunately, from the bewildered look in Langdon's eyes, Sophie sensed the American had no more idea than she did why her grandfather had thrown them together. She pressed again. â€Å"You and my grandfather had planned to meet tonight. What about?† Langdon looked truly perplexed. â€Å"His secretary set the meeting and didn't offer any specific reason, and I didn't ask. I assumed he'd heard I would be lecturing on the pagan iconography of French cathedrals, was interested in the topic, and thought it would be fun to meet for drinks after the talk.† Sophie didn't buy it. The connection was flimsy. Her grandfather knew more about pagan iconography than anyone else on earth. Moreover, he an exceptionally private man, not someone prone to chatting with random American professors unless there were an important reason. Sophie took a deep breath and probed further. â€Å"My grandfather called me this afternoon and told me he and I were in grave danger. Does that mean anything to you?† Langdon's blue eyes now clouded with concern. â€Å"No, but considering what just happened†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sophie nodded. Considering tonight's events, she would be a fool not to be frightened. Feeling drained, she walked to the small plate-glass window at the far end of the bathroom and gazed out in silence through the mesh of alarm tape embedded in the glass. They were high up – forty feet at least. Sighing, she raised her eyes and gazed out at Paris's dazzling landscape. On her left, across the Seine, the illuminated Eiffel Tower. Straight ahead, the Arc de Triomphe. And to the right, high atop the sloping rise of Montmartre, the graceful arabesque dome of Sacre-Coeur, its polished stone glowing white like a resplendent sanctuary. Here at the westernmost tip of the Denon Wing, the north-south thoroughfare of Place du Carrousel ran almost flush with the building with only a narrow sidewalk separating it from the Louvre's outer wall. Far below, the usual caravan of the city's nighttime delivery trucks sat idling, waiting for the signals to change, their running lights seeming to twinkle mockingly up at Sophie. â€Å"I don't know what to say,† Langdon said, coming up behind her. â€Å"Your grandfather is obviously trying to tell us something. I'm sorry I'm so little help.† Sophie turned from the window, sensing a sincere regret in Langdon's deep voice. Even with all the trouble around him, he obviously wanted to help her. The teacher in him, she thought, having read DCPJ's workup on their suspect. This was an academic who clearly despised not understanding. We have that in common, she thought. As a code breaker, Sophie made her living extracting meaning from seemingly senseless data. Tonight, her best guess was that Robert Langdon, whether he knew it or not, possessed information that she desperately needed. Princesse Sophie, Find Robert Langdon.How much clearer could her grandfather's message be? Sophie needed more time with Langdon. Time to think. Time to sort out this mystery together. Unfortunately, time was running out. Gazing up at Langdon, Sophie made the only play she could think of. â€Å"Bezu Fache will be taking you into custody at any minute. I can get you out of this museum. But we need to act now.† Langdon's eyes went wide. â€Å"You want me to run?† â€Å"It's the smartest thing you could do. If you let Fache take you into custody now, you'll spend weeks in a French jail while DCPJ and the U. S. Embassy fight over which courts try your case. But if we get you out of here, and make it to your embassy, then your government will protect your rights while you and I prove you had nothing to do with this murder.† Langdon looked not even vaguely convinced. â€Å"Forget it! Fache has armed guards on every single exit! Even if we escape without being shot, running away only makes me look guilty. You need to tell Fache that the message on the floor was for you, and that my name is not there as an accusation.† â€Å"I will do that,† Sophie said, speaking hurriedly,† but after you're safely inside the U. S. Embassy. It's only about a mile from here, and my car is parked just outside the museum. Dealing with Fache from here is too much of a gamble. Don't you see? Fache has made it his mission tonight to prove you are guilty. The only reason he postponed your arrest was to run this observance in hopes you did something that made his case stronger.† â€Å"Exactly. Like running!† The cell phone in Sophie's sweater pocket suddenly began ringing. Fache probably.She reached in her sweater and turned off the phone. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† she said hurriedly,† I need to ask you one last question.† And your entire future may depend on it. â€Å"The writing on the floor is obviously not proof of your guilt, and yet Fache told our team he is certain you are his man. Can you think of any other reason he might be convinced you're guilty?† Langdon was silent for several seconds. â€Å"None whatsoever.† Sophie sighed. Which means Fache is lying.Why, Sophie could not begin to imagine, but that was hardly the issue at this point. The fact remained that Bezu Fache was determined to put Robert Langdon behind bars tonight, at any cost. Sophie needed Langdon for herself, and it was this dilemma that left Sophie only one logical conclusion. I need to get Langdon to the U. S. Embassy. Turning toward the window, Sophie gazed through the alarm mesh embedded in the plate glass, down the dizzying forty feet to the pavement below. A leap from this height would leave Langdon with a couple of broken legs. At best. Nonetheless, Sophie made her decision. Robert Langdon was about to escape the Louvre, whether he wanted to or not. CHAPTER 17 â€Å"What do you mean she's not answering?† Fache looked incredulous. â€Å"You're calling her cell phone, right? I know she's carrying it.† Collet had been trying to reach Sophie now for several minutes. â€Å"Maybe her batteries are dead. Or her ringer's off.† Fache had looked distressed ever since talking to the director of Cryptology on the phone. After hanging up, he had marched over to Collet and demanded he get Agent Neveu on the line. Now Collet had failed, and Fache was pacing like a caged lion. â€Å"Why did Crypto call?† Collet now ventured. Fache turned. â€Å"To tell us they found no references to Draconian devils and lame saints.† â€Å"That's all?† â€Å"No, also to tell us that they had just identified the numerics as Fibonacci numbers, but they suspected the series was meaningless.† Collet was confused. â€Å"But they already sent Agent Neveu to tell us that.† Fache shook his head. â€Å"They didn't send Neveu.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"According to the director, at my orders he paged his entire team to look at the images I'd wired him. When Agent Neveu arrived, she took one look at the photos of Sauniere and the code and left the office without a word. The director said he didn't question her behavior because she was understandably upset by the photos.† â€Å"Upset? She's never seen a picture of a dead body?† Fache was silent a moment. â€Å"I was not aware of this, and it seems neither was the director until a coworker informed him, but apparently Sophie Neveu is Jacques Sauniere's granddaughter.† Collet was speechless. â€Å"The director said she never once mentioned Sauniere to him, and he assumed it was because she probably didn't want preferential treatment for having a famous grandfather.† No wonder she was upset by the pictures.Collet could barely conceive of the unfortunate coincidence that called in a young woman to decipher a code written by a dead family member. Still, her actions made no sense. â€Å"But she obviously recognized the numbers as Fibonacci numbers because she came here and told us. I don't understand why she would leave the office without telling anyone she had figured it out.† Collet could think of only one scenario to explain the troubling developments: Sauniere had written a numeric code on the floor in hopes Fache would involve cryptographers in the investigation, and therefore involve his own granddaughter. As for the rest of the message, was Saunie recommunicating in some way with his granddaughter? If so, what did the message tell her? And how did Langdon fit in? Before Collet could ponder it any further, the silence of the deserted museum was shattered by an alarm. The bell sounded like it was coming from inside the Grand Gallery. â€Å"Alarme!† one of the agents yelled, eyeing his feed from the Louvre security center. â€Å"GrandeGalerie! Toilettes Messieurs!† Fache wheeled to Collet. â€Å"Where's Langdon?† â€Å"Still in the men's room!† Collet pointed to the blinking red dot on his laptop schematic. â€Å"He must have broken the window!† Collet knew Langdon wouldn't get far. Although Paris fire codes required windows above fifteen meters in public buildings be breakable in case of fire, exiting a Louvre second-story window without the help of a hook and ladder would be suicide. Furthermore, there were no trees or grass on the western end of the Denon Wing to cushion a fall. Directly beneath that rest room window, the two-lane Place du Carrousel ran within a few feet of the outer wall. â€Å"My God,† Collet exclaimed, eyeing the screen. â€Å"Langdon's moving to the window ledge!† But Fache was already in motion. Yanking his Manurhin MR-93 revolver from his shoulder holster, the captain dashed out of the office. Collet watched the screen in bewilderment as the blinking dot arrived at the window ledge and then did something utterly unexpected. The dot moved outside the perimeter of the building. What's going on? he wondered. Is Langdon out on a ledge or – â€Å"Jesu!† Collet jumped to his feet as the dot shot farther outside the wall. The signal seemed to shudder for a moment, and then the blinking dot came to an abrupt stop about ten yards outside the perimeter of the building. Fumbling with the controls, Collet called up a Paris street map and recalibrated the GPS. Zooming in, he could now see the exact location of the signal. It was no longer moving. It lay at a dead stop in the middle of Place du Carrousel. Langdon had jumped.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Mao Zedong: Man, Not God

â€Å"Mao Zedong: Man, not God† by Quan Yanchi was first published in 1992, book is translated to English from Chinese by Wang Wenjiong and edited by Gale Hadfield. The book is based on the recollections of Li Yinqiao, Mao's bodyguard for many years. Highlighting the book are photographs of Mao with his relatives and Li, published for the first time. This book can help anyone who is new to China or know just a little about this country to get more familiar with who Mao for Chinese is. They love him so much, and the main aim of author of the book is to show to reader hidden situations of his life.The book is divided into 20 chapters by their theme. It ranges from Mao's relationship with different people to things that made him cry. Author was worried that not all of his questions will be answered by Li, despite Li is his friend. He thought some questions may embarrass Li, as they were about Mao's likes and dislikes, his fears. But to his fortune Li did his best trying to rememb er everything in details. Mao is well-known around the world as the greatest man China produced in this century. The author supports this impression and also tries to show that Mao was not like a robot,but ordinary human feelings are not alien to him.He had some habits which characterize him as a person who doesn't really like changes. As he choose Li to be his bodyguard's commander, they spent about 15 years together and after Li left Mao didn't have any new bodyguard commander. There are lots of situations while Mao afield. During the war he shows himself as a good commander and great strategist. He is very principled, sometimes it almost costed him a life. There were only few occasions when he refused his words and changed the order of things. But in some cases we should have thanked Li that Mao stayed alive.He was so dogged, he didn't worry about his own safe, he was just following his desire or whim like as he said so he would do so no matter how it would finish. For me persona lly was very interesting chapter about things that make Mao cry. I didn't even expect that such a thing as Beijing Opera could make him cry so much. One of his favorite plays was â€Å"The Story of the White Snake†. This tragic story never failed to move Mao to tears. This episode shows Mao not as Chairman or army leader,but more humane, as a small vulnerable child which starts to cry from emotions when he sees something perfect in its kind.Tragedy took Mao inside the play, he was losing connection to the real world, he became a part of play, he didn't care about other people's opinion. Another episode is also very emotional. Mao used to have one bodyguard from each province, so about twice a year he was sending them back home for family reunion, but also they had to bring Mao information about what was going on in the country, especially in distant parts. He didn't want them to be spy or guerrilla, he wanted to know the situation. He was not indifferent to destiny of people in China.Author keeps very detailed, he describes everything so vivid that reader gets an impression that he is sitting next to Mao, can hear his breathe, and feel the same disgust when Mao throws away a butt. Sometimes it can make you bored, but at all I find it necessary. Without all this details the text would be just retelling of history, only dry facts and would make you asleep within a minute. As the text is divided into chapters, Quan Yanchi starts each chapter with statement and after gives an example which supports the statement given in the beginning.As there can be some confirmations he goes from one to another, doesn't mix them up, so even if you stop reading for sometime and then come back to book you will easily get back to the event described. Book leaves its sign on you, it is impossible that you will not change your opinion about Mao. He presented from very different point of view than we, foreigners, used to think about him. Mao is God for Chinese, but he totally d eserve it. During his life he did lots of good to China and now its time for China pay him back.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Psychology - Essay Example Aggressive behavior takes up a violent pattern, where aggression becomes a part of the person’s conscious and subconscious behavior. From smaller issues to bigger issues, aggression becomes a normal act. The literal meaning of covert and overt is secretive and obvious, respectively. Hence, the meanings give an outlook about the terms. Covert behaviors are the one which can’t be easily determined by someone. Overt behaviors are traits that are easily recognizable by anyone observing the person. Cognitive behaviors include thoughts, perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs. Much of this behavior is described as â€Å"self-talk,† the things that people say to themselves (or â€Å"think†) in response to antecedent and consequent stimuli (â€Å"Behavior Change in Human Services† Pg12). These can be secret actions carried out by a person as well, for example; stealing, lying, and deceiving. Overt responses are often loud and visible; some common examples are, screaming, yelling out in public and public displays of affection. 4. Sherry had throat surgery and could not talk for days. She worked with a speech therapist to increase her voice loudness. The therapist used an instrument to measure increases in the loudness of her voice. What dimension of behavior was the physical therapist recording? The instances or recordings are recorded and counted in order to establish how many times the behavior occurs, the rate at which she (Sherry) could maintain that level and finally the therapist used this dimension in order to record and examine how her performance varies over time. As it always said, â€Å"excess of everything is bad†, so does it is proved in the case of behavioral excess. Behavioral excess is the state where the intensity of the action has to be reduced to a desirable amount or range. For Example: A basic and quite explanatory example of behavioral excess is that of chain smokers. Their behavior to smoke rapidly is not only bad for

Friday, September 27, 2019

Critically consider to what extent this offers a mutual gains approach Essay

Critically consider to what extent this offers a mutual gains approach to people management - Essay Example The flexibility of approach and perspectives to change become high point that hugely helps to meet the challenges of time. The innovative measures and incentive driven tools that are linked to the performance are increasingly being used as vital elements of business strategy. Scholars assert that performance management is strategic tool or process that motivates workforce for optimal performance (Bloisi, 2007; Armstrong and Baron, 2005). Apart from incentives, commitment to work and loyalty towards employers is considerably increased when the employees are provided scope of enhancing their professional skills and competencies through in-house training and development. Financial and emotional security, job satisfaction etc are factors that promote trust building and induce high performance and retention of employees. Hence, HPWP not only benefits employees but also the employers as they are able to retain high performing human capital that significantly influences the revenues. Most importantly, they are able to maintain their competitive advantage through hard times as HPWP provides organization with fl exible approach and innovative performance related measures to meet contemporary challenges for optimal performance. (words:

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Chemistry of hazardous materials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Chemistry of hazardous materials - Essay Example Although oxygen by itself is not flammable, it enhances burning processes. When liquid oxygen comes into contact with organic materials, it can easily trigger fires and explosions; this is the reason why spillage of liquid oxygen on asphalt pavement is potentially hazardous (Beeson & Smith, 2007). Asphalt is an organic material and liquid oxygen is highly concentrated. Spilled liquid oxygen is absorbed by the asphalt material, making the pavement potentially prone to fire and/or explosion. The ongoing activities on the asphalt pavement at the time of liquid oxygen spillage can raise or reduce the underlying hazards. Fumes of concentrated oxygen could be absorbed by the clothes passersby are wearing and any kind of spark or glowing material (burning cigarette) could trigger fire. On the same note, vehicle impacts on asphalt soaked in liquid oxygen could result in massive explosions, thereby destroying lives and properties (Beeson & Smith, 2007). Area of spillage should be avoided until safety is

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Basic Summary of Elliot Aronson's 'Social Animal' Essay

Basic Summary of Elliot Aronson's 'Social Animal' - Essay Example Aronson has fundamentally asserted that people tend to move along with the mob in general because if they do not, they are offered social resistance. They may change their personal opinion in favor of the majority either to escape a punishment, seek a reward or else, because of lack of confidence in their personal judgment. Conformity is essentially compliance if the objective is reward/punishment centered. It is identification if the individual’s intention is to develop affiliation, and it is internalization, if the individual conforms if he/she actually thinks it is rational. Aronson has also discussed some personality variables like self esteem, courage and experience that determine the level of conformity in an individual’s attitude. Then Aronson discussed obedience in context of conformity, and finally, the role of an uninvolved bystander as that of a conformist, because he/she overlooks the tragedy because everybody else does the same. Overall, the article is a ve ry comprehensive and though provoking demonstration of

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Human Resource Management & Organisational analysis MSc Personal Statement

Human Resource Management & Organisational analysis MSc - Personal Statement Example My goal is to practice the best Human Resource in the organizations I will work for. I am a graduate from Hult International Business School in London where I studied Bachelor of International Business Administration and specialized in Management. I have worked in the bank of Respublika as an accounting specialist and I enjoyed my role as I got to interact with customers and making transactions for them. I have also worked for Look magazine in the UK and I was glad to share ideas on how to redo their Website and journal to make accessibility for customers easy as well as sharing ideas on how to increase profits. I trust that my decision to purse the course in King’s College is one of best decisions I have made in my life. This is because of professional lecturers, state of art equipments, the conducive learning environment, and the good reputation of the institution. I am confident that as I undertake the course in King’s College, I will accomplish my goals and I will be in a better position to face the Human Resource practices in any organization. I intend to work hard and in the end achieve the best results and be marketable

Monday, September 23, 2019

Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Political Science - Essay Example When a particular state is composed of a single nation or people with common identity, we call it a nation-state† (Viotti 464). However, the dynamics of nationalism may be a little complex and tricky where more than one groups, may be on the basis of religion, race etc, exist and interacts to formulate the national interest of the state. This may result in sort of interest clashes if not dealt tactfully at state level. Ethnic and racial groups are conservative and traditionalist in their loyalty and allegiance towards their religion and race. These groups possess their own specific and rigid identities and like to maintain themselves as unit while sticking firm to these identities. The unity on the basis of religious or racial grouping gives birth to the problem of contentious autonomy within the state. The intricacies are purely the subject of politics and have to be address with political will while safeguarding the interest of state. The unity and identity on the basis of religion and race is a challenging issue for the state level unity and identity as a nation-state. People tend to retain their religious and racial identity while â€Å"Nationality involves a significant degree of self-definition and refers to a people with sense of common identity, if not destiny† (Viotti 464). Nationality demands subjugation of religious and ethnic interests by the sovereignty, integrity and solidarity of the state. If the group level identities and interests are dominated and governed by the state interests, the concept of nation-state persists and flourishes otherwise it spoils and destroys. Nationalism manifest itself in several different colors and shapes but one major attribute of the nationalism is its conformity to the history and myth. Every state despite existence of multicultural religious and racial groups and unities share some common exhibits of historical and mythical events which promote nationalism. Among these

Sunday, September 22, 2019

DQ Week 7 (Managing Professionals) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DQ Week 7 (Managing Professionals) - Essay Example Of the four key traits that the Traits Model of Leadership identifies as being present in a successful leader, which have you seen in your favorite manager or supervisor? How were these traits demonstrated? The key traits I have seen in my favorite supervisor are personality and values. These traits are demonstrated every time she interacts with us. She is a soft-spoken, but formidable woman who does not let anything stress her out. If she does get stressed, she does not show her team members. She also comes to work early, and always makes sure protocol is followed when needed. I would choose a Theory Y manager because I would like my opinions to matter. I know I am the type of worker who takes pride in doing my job. As such, I would appreciate a manager who recognizes my effort and the work I put in. Two advantages come to mind in this situation. One would be getting work done because workers are motivated with the reward that comes after production. Another advantage is getting immediate feedback (punishment or reward) and thus knowing what areas need improvement so as to get better at one’s

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Their Eyes Were Watching God - Rebirth of Transcendentalism Essay Example for Free

Their Eyes Were Watching God Rebirth of Transcendentalism Essay A century elapsed between the period of transcendentalism and the publication of Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. During this time, the philosophies of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau faded as the post-war era of social realism began to dominate American culture and American literature. Thus, Their Eyes, published in 1937, was scorned and criticized by many for not being â€Å"political or serious† enough. It was not until twenty years after Hurston’s death that people began to appreciate Hurston’s works, especially Their Eyes, as important literatures in the African American and the American feminist movements. With further analysis, although Their Eyes is a modern novel, it actually takes the readers back to the period of Thoreau and Emerson; Their Eyes Were Watching God possesses elements of transcendentalism – self-reliance, nonconformity, and the over-soul – as supported by the essays of transcendentalist thinkers. To begin, a fundamental idea of transcendentalism is self-reliance, which stresses a person’s own judgment and intuition. Janie, the protagonist of Their Eyes, shows self-reliance when she uses her own judgments for the struggles she faces. For example, as she realizes that her marriage with Jody is tumbling down, â€Å"she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. Just something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over. [†¦] She had an inside and an outside now and suddenly she knew how not to mix them† (Hurston, 72). Janie knows her goals and desires, both are which shattered by Jody, so she must now distinguish the difference between the lies and the truth of her dream. Together with courage, her intuition gives her the strength to speak up to Jody on his death bed. Moreover, when she finally finds the love of her life, she feels â€Å"a self-crushing love, [allowing] her soul [to] crawl from its hiding place† (Hurston, 128). She doesn’t hide her feelings but goes to pursue her lover, Tea Cake. She is strong-will and has control over her feelings and thoughts. Even Tea Cake encourages Janie to use her own mind, â€Å"‘Nobody else on earth kin hold uh candle tuh you, baby. You got de keys to de kingdom’† (Hurston, 109). As Emerson would say that Janie possesses transcendentalist ideals because, â€Å"[She has the] integrity of [her] own mind [†¦] What [she] must do is all that concerns [her], not what the people think† (Emerson, 80). Her past experiences and her present judgments lead Janie to maker her own path in the future. Only when Janie relies on herself and holds her â€Å"keys to de kingdom† does she find her happiness and reach her dream. Furthermore, another element of transcendentalism is nonconformity, or individualism, which stresses the importance of finding one’s identity instead of giving in to society. Emerson explains nonconformity as â€Å"the great man who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude (Emerson 80). Janie shows exactly this on the day she arrives back in Eatonville. Dressed in her blue satin dress, she confidently walks past the women and men, ignoring their hurtful gossips and leaving them in awe. Despite her solitude due to Tea Cake’s death, Janie welcomes her independence; she is perfectly at ease with herself. Moreover, Thoreau also writes about nonconformity; he writes, â€Å"The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right [†¦] They only can force me who obey a higher law than I† (Thoreau, 104). Janie shares Thoreau’s attitude when she stands up to both of her late husbands and declares what she believes is right. Logan tells her that she doesn’t belong anywhere but â€Å"‘It’s wherever Ah need yuh’† (Hurston, 31). This is probably the worst thing he can say to his newlywed; it’s hurtful, disparaging, and disrespectful. However, unlike all the other women, such as Nanny, during the time, Janie stands up for herself by yelling back at his wrongs so she can gain back her independence and dignity. As for Jody – a husband who makes her tie her hair back, denies her of speech and social interaction, and abuses her – Janie finally takes up the courage to tell the truth at his deathbed. â€Å"‘All dis bowin’ down, all dis obedience under yo’ voice—dat ain’t whut Ah rushed off down de road tuh find out about you’† (Hurston, 86). Jody has crushed her hopes and dreams and her image of love, and she’s not about to let him forget that. She would not obey; she has no obligation to obey. After Jody’s death, Janie is finally free. Even more, she feels no remorse and she doesn’t mourn because the lost of her husband gives her back her individuality. Last but not least, the over-soul is another focal point of transcendentalism; it connects God, Nature, and Man. Emerson writes in his essay, Over-soul, â€Å"We live in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related; the eternal One† (Emerson, Over-soul). This over-soul connects the broken pieces of the universe together. Hurston’s Their Eyes contains many details that support the over-soul. For instance, in the beginning Janie â€Å"saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree form root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight† (Hurston, 11). This imagery of the bee and the flower symbolizes Janie’s dream. The bee and the flower coexisted in harmony, just like what Janie hopes her marriage will be. This is Janie’s innocent soul as depicted by nature. Later on however, as she’s forced into marrying a man she doesn’t love, she begins to know â€Å"the words of the trees and the wind. She often spoke to falling seeds and said, ‘Ah hope you fall on soft ground’ [†¦] Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman† (Hurston 25). As she begins to mature more, she also begins to understand the sound of nature. Nature and Janie’s souls appear to be one, united and growing together. She talks to the seeds, warning them, sympathizing with them of a world that can be disappointing and unfair. Finally, after she shoots her beloved Tea Cake in order to protect herself, Hurston writes that Janie â€Å"pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see† (Hurston, 193). Although it was a tragic and sudden death, Janie is in peace. The love of Tea Cake will not be forgotten because he will always be with her. Janie now understands the mysteries of nature and her world; she is ready for whatever that may come. Janie has learned and grown, most importantly, she has found her soul. All in all, a century later, Their Eyes Were Watching God leads to the rebirth of transcendentalist ideas, including but not limited to self-reliance, nonconformity, and the over-soul. Throughout her journey, Janie begins to identify herself as a self-reliant individual with a soul, all of which are transcendental characteristics. In the mid 1900s, because of the on going civil rights movements, an African American woman is the least expected person to posses all these traits. Even so, Janie Crawford becomes a prominent literature figure that gives people hopes and dreams, while fulfilling those of Emerson and Thoreau. Bibliography Emerson, Ralph Waldo. From Self-Reliance. The InterActive Reader Plus. Illinoise: McDougal Littell, 2003. 78-83. Print. Ferguson, Craig. Ralph Waldo Emerson – Within Man Is the Soul of the Whole; the Wise Silence; the Universal Beauty Transcendental MeditationBlog. N. p. , 27 Mar. 2010. Web. 05 Aug. 2013. . Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God: A Novel. New York: Perennial Library, 1990. Print. Thoreau, Hentry David. From Civil Disobedience. The InterActive Reader Plus. Illinoise: McDougal Littell, 2003. 90-105. Print.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Malaysian constitution

The Malaysian constitution The Malaysia constitution is a measureable collective and guidelines to regulating the administration of a country. The guideline for Constitution is mainly on the basis for making laws, to rule the government in the country for fairly and efficiently. Besides that, the outline of the constitution is also to provide basis freedom, rights, responsibilities for the parties in the government, citizenship, finance, judiciary, general election and the power and responsibilities to distribute to the parties between the government and the state government. Background of Malayan Constitution The Malaysian Constitution is the basis and beginning of the Federation of Malaya Constitution it is towards for Independent Malaya that formed on 16 September 1963. From the background of the Constitution 1948 of the Federation of Malaya Constitution is replaced by the Reid Commission 1956, which is formulated to the new constitution to dissolution from the Malayan Union. Let us look in to the changes for the steps to the evolution of the Malaysian Constitution. 1945 Back to few years before the independent there are some changes that leading the forming of the supreme legal resources to apply for the independent democratic country from the defeat of the Japanese Second World War ended and surrendered from the year 1945. From the period of the Japanese surrender and so as the British return to Malaya and gave the opportunity to Malayan Communist Party (MCP) to government in Malaya. The MCP only gets to control the Malayan for 14 days because the chaos and the trouble were created by the member. On the September 1945, the British return to Malaya and help to restore the peace by established the British Military Administration ( BMA ) to ruled the chaos military but they realized is failed, the British have decided the proposed, Another new system of administrative of Malayan Union. The British Parliament has presented the white paper the created of the new system of administration in Malaya, on 10 October 1945 that called as Malayan Union. In the proposal of Malayan Union is included the states of Federated, such as Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Pahang, and so as the Unfederated stated such as Penang Island, Malacca Kelantan, Kedah, Terrengganu, Johor and Perlis. (www.sejarahmalaysia.pnm.my) The main reason for this Malayan Union is to protect the economics for the British to Malaya is under one ruling system to standardize the administration. This ruling system is to cut down the administrative cost for the Malay states. Thru this system, is showing that the British officer is hatred by the Malayan Union and had against the Malays for support during the Japanese for their Occupation in Malaya. So they felt is grateful to MPAJA that had opposed the Japanese. The listed is the following of the Malayan Union features, Is had formed up the nine states of Malay states, and so as Penang and Malacca. Kuala Lumpur is the centre of the British Government that was a British Government which assisted to Governor for Executive Council and Legislative Council. The Governor is only advised by the Malay rulers, the sovereignty is a ruler of their own states is wiped off and the main issues is only to authority the Islam issues and as the Head Malay council of Advisors. It is also to maintain the purpose of the State Council to manage the local government, but still under control by the central government. Singapore is not under the Malayan Union because is still under the British colonial territory by the ruled of British Governor General thats above the of Malayan Union The principle of jus soli is based on the citizenship. From this principle, the citizenship was obtained by (a) at the age of 18 years old or above of the foreigner, have to resided in Malay thru 10 out of 15years period before 15 February 1942 and (b) a person who born in after under forming Malayan Union. The citizenship have a rights that regardless from the race or origin, that have can entry into the government services to vote in the general election. 1946 Harold MacMicheal, have been assigned for a task to gather the Malay state rulers for approval for the Malayan Union. In 1 April 1946, the Malayan Union is officially proclaimed and Edward Gent is the first Governor and the Malays in the country were against the Union. There are some parties opposed have been setting up to opposition of the Malayan Union. This parties is for the individual to voices out their opposition by mass media thru the newspapers Majlis and Utusan Melayu and is regarding the matters of power and sovereignty of the Malay rulers thru the have right for the foreigner on the principle of jus soli. In 1-4 March 1946, of the Selangor Malay Union by Dato Onn Jaafar total 107 representations and 56 observers from 41 Malay Union is attended. As the result, of the Congress was formed the United Malay National Organization (UMNO) by Dato Onn Jaafar as a president. The slogan of Long live the Malays is coming out from the Dato Onn Jaafar and Malays Leaders thats have trav elled around the country to get the Malays to defend the position and their rights. There are some reason for the Malays to opposed the Malayan Union is, The granting of the citizenship to the non-Malays. On the 1947, the Malays population is only at 47.46%, therefore is have great effect on the economic and political at that time because the non-Malays is over took the population of the Malays. Erosion of Malays rulers power and sovereignty. The rulers of it is for the Malays to become the supreme head to have more power. In this point, if the rulers is lost is as a result the lost of the Malays power as well. MacMicheals treats in getting the rulers to sign the agreement. The forces and threatened the Malays rulers to sign the agreement to form Malayan Union and the Malays has become angry. Meanwhile, the opposition is came by the former British officer from Malaya, Frank Swettehem, R.O. Winstedt, George Maxwell and Cecil Clementi Smith. From this British officer , the British is to abolished the Malayan Union and since then the non-Malays is not interested in the Malayan Union by saying the is being colonial and undemocratic. The British have decided to postpone the right of the enforcement of the right for the citizenship. From this implementation of the Malayan Union as a result to leading to failure as according some matter, Strong opposition from the Malays. The strong sense of nationalism from the Malays towards the Malayan Union. No strong support from the non-Malays. Due to excluding of Singapore the non-malay is lost of interested in the Malayan Union. Wrong timing. The result from the Japanese occupation is still remaining the feeling of enemy still exist between the Malays and the Chinese and the condition of it, is still not yet peaceful. Due to the economic and the social is still a problem and have a strong gut the Malayan Union is only for the Malays and not to favoring the non-malays, the strong loyalty from the Malays as well at that moment. Wrong introduction. In London, the blackmail to get the agreement to sign by the rulers is still a strong objection by the Malaya people Opposition from former British administrators in Malaya. The former British is protected the special right for the Malays. 1948 Federation of the Malaya ( Persekutuan Tanah Melayu PTM ) was formed on 1, February 1948 the decision of the British Government. On 25 July, 1948, have a new constitution to replace the Malayan Union. The members of the committee is by 6 British officer, 4 representatives Malays rulers and 2 UMNO representatives is different from the Malayan Union, including the following matter, Is giving protection to the Malay rulers of power and soverrignty A constricted condition for the non-malays citizen and special right for the Malays. However, from this pressure of the Malays and the British Government, is not fully accepted by the other group from the non-malays and the Malays community. The non-Malays have formed All-Malaya Council of Joint Action ( AMCJA) and so as the Pusat Tenaga Rakyat ( PUTERA ) for the Malays, these two forces have joint together as AMCJA-PUTERA because they have different view of the UMNO. Its have become same objective to fight for the independence of the country. The formation of the Federation of Malaya is fixed by the British Government on 1, February 1948 for it to established and the British High Commissioner is the head, for the Legislative Council and Federal Executive Council, and for the nine Malays states include of Penang and Malacca, will have they right over their own states. The state government is responsibility for the local government, land matter, health, education and agriculture. The Malacca and Penang Island, the administration have comes under the Resident Commissioner. The aim from the British is to establish Federation of Malaya to independence. For the non-Malays that born in Malaya, can grant their citizenship. From this challenge the British have decided to divide the rule and policy according to the place of residence and occupation. According to the Barnes Report in school, the English is at secondary level and the primary is at Malay. For the Chinese school from the Fen-Wu report is remains unchanged. The British Government had set up the Inter-Ethnic Relations Committee to have an open discussion for racial problems. On this Committer is to gives the Malay to involve themselves in business and industry, the non-Malays is on politics. The General election is introduced to give peace and prosperity to the nation. The Member System is introduce in the Federal Legislative Council to gives local people to involve in administrative system. The purpose of this Member System is to give the local people is to appoint as representative in the central government position and to created the spirit of cooperation and compromise between the people to the administrative. In 1951, the politics parties become strong to wants to achieve the independence. Dato Onn Jaafar is the head of UMNO, have joint the parties with MIC and MCA to Alliance, to created a strong union with Malays, Chinese and Indian, that gives strong strength and support to the communities in the country. However, there are also some party that wanted to achieve the independence thru that combines from PUTERA and combine from the Malays and Indonesian by created Melayu Raya. There are also some other parties such as MCP, thats involved in revolution in China and Russia and so as other parties like Islamic wanted to set up an Islamic government. UMNO have change the slogan Long Live the Malays to Merdeka in 1951. In February 1952, the UMNO and MCA have won 9 seat out of 12 seat, and from this, the UMNO willing to sacrifice and share the power with other committee for unity to have a wide support from the Alliance. In April 1953, Dato Onn Jaafar have organize a national conference in Kuala Lumpur to discuss for the independence of Malaya. The first election has been request in 1956. 1955 But the decision of the Dato Onn Jaafar followers is on 1955 and the British government is demand on the Alliance party more. In 1954, the British have turn down the Alliance representative in London for the independence of the country. In return, the UMNO and MCA members have resign from the post of government and thats lead to the British to agree the election in 1955. On 27,July 1955, the first general election was held, in Malaya. The party thats involve is Alliance, ( UMNO, MCA, MIC), Islamic Party of Malaya (PAS), National Party ( Parti Negara) , Labour Party ( Parti Buruh ) and Peoples Progressive Party ( Parti Progresif Rakyat). From this election the Alliance party won 51 seats out of 52 seats. 1956 In February 1956,Tunku Abdul Rahman, as a Chief Minister leading the team to London to negotiate for Malayas the independence. The 4 representatives of Datuk Panglima Gantang, Datos Ahamd Kamil, Abdul Aziz Majid and Datos Mohd Seth, representatives of Alliance : Tunku Abdul Rahman, Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, Datos Abdul Razak Hussien and Colonel H.S Lee and the British representative in Malaya. Is lasted for three week , from 18 January to 8 February 1956, that the Lord Lennox Boyd, Secretary of British Colonial Territories the negotiation have a condition to drawn up the Malayas new Constitution. 1957 On 31, August 1957, have declare that the independence for Malaya and announced the date of independence at Padang Bandar Hilir Malacca after return from London. The set up of Reid Commission thats headed by Lord Reid is to draw up the constitution for the independence of Malaya. The Commission has amended few times from June to October 1956. Out of 131 written ones, is drawing up of the Constitution framework, Malay rulers and the Alliance. The Federal Legislative Council had accepted and approve by the Constitution on 15, August 1957 and effects on 27, August 1957. There is some following based on the 1957 Malayan Constitution for the concept of monarchy and democracy as fundamental principles:- The head is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and for the respective state is a ruler from each states Son of the soil for the Malays is recognize and the guaranteed the special rights as well The national language is the Malay, where else English is still can be use in the 10years after the independence in the Legislative Council The Malayan citizen is for those who born in Malaya and same goes too, after the Independence For the Federation of Malaya, Islam is the official religion and for the non-Malay is freedom to worship their own. The Selangor Club Green ( Dataran Merdeka) is the symbolized the Malayan Independence day at the first second when the clock reaches after midnight on 31, August 1957. The changes of the Union Jack ( British flag) to the Malaya independence flag Jalur Gemilang was flown on the same day. Tunku Abdul Rahman was appointed to become the first Prime Minister that chosen by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of the Federation of Malaya. 1962 After the Independence for six years Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined Malaya and become a new nation of members, Malaysia. The Cobbold Commission is setting up on April, 1962 while Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tan Siew Sin at London. Is to survey for the opinions for Sabah and Sarawak citizen by February to April 1962. From the survey is shown that 70% people in the country are favor in joining Malaysia and so the task of the new constitution is begin. On July 1962, Malaysia to have a Pre-agreement consultation in London, and to resolve the differences between the Cobbold Commission and the Malayan reports. As a result, the agreement has been amended and the acceptance of the Malayas proposal. The primary draft for the Inter-Government Committee is known as Landsdowne Committee, as a new constitution. For Singapore referendum, Lee Kuan Yew is support the merge with Malaya and the population from Singapore , 70% is agreed on the merge. Singapore is retain in the interest in Malaya, to have urge to merge, Tunku Abdul Rahman had made proposal in 1961. United Peoples Party is against the formation of Malaysia because the parties have a different direction of ideology. Brunei is keen on the merge at first, Sultan Ali Saifuddin was preferred to be independence and changed his mind when the Parti Rakyat, Ahmad M. Azahari is a leader of this strong opposition party to revolt the merge of Brunei. For Sabah and Sarawak, the people population aware that will be different in the structure after the merging with Malaya. The citizen is fearful of losing their rights due to Malayan domination and especially the non-Malay so as the concern of the religion and language. The Chinese is having fearful to the Chinese Singaporean due to the competition of economic. 1963 Tunku Abdul Rahman has solved a problem between the Singapore Referendum and United Nations Investigation, that resulting for the local political changes and others interferences. The United Nation mission is to have a certain answer from the Sabah or Sarawak citizen. However, the Philippines and Indonesia was continue to opposed because Sabah is claimed under the Sulu Sulatanate that belongs to Philippines, there are 2/3 people supported it. Meanwhile, Indonesia wanted to merge to Indonesia Raya at the same timing to have Malaya to become North Borneo Federation of Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei. (www.scribd.com) On 8 July, 1963, in London, all the party have agreed and sign the agreement of the Malaysian Agreement from the report of Inter-Government Committee that have become the foundation by all members The Federation of Malaya Parliament had approved to the Malaysia Act of amend Article (1) and (2) 1957, had effect on 16, September 1963 the day that proclaim to Malaysia, Queen of England has decide to let Sarawak, North Borneo and Sabah to combine to become independence with the Malaysian Federation The Rukun Negara is a principle of the supremacy of the Constitution thats comes in third after the principle on God and the country. The citizen can have a security, wealth and special rights to protect in the Constitution as a respect to the countrys regulation under the Malaysian Constitution. The main features of the Malaysian Constitution are as following:- Is a federation Is a constitutional monarchy The country that practices parliamentary democracy The freedom of Islam as an official religion in Malaysia To rule the law and the supremacy of the Constitution The separation of the power in the legislative, the judiciary and the government with freedom to have different function with no conflict The power if the Judiciary is validity and transparency that within the provision of Constitution Sabah and Sarawak has the native tribes (son of the soil) and so as the national language, citizenship and the special rights. Based on Article 153, is base on the Malaysian ethnic background is due to benefit the Bumiputera, for the Islam that is Malay race that born in Malaysia, and is also apply to the Sabah and Sarawak orang asli to have this privileges. (www.statemaster.com) Under the Federal Section, the head of chief is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the chosen by the Malays ruler to rotate for five years. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is also as a symbol to the nation. His Majesty is the countrys head and the Parliament as well. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is also the commander of the armed forces and can appoint the task to the Courts judges to carry out the justice on behalf in the conflict laws. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is an official government action and executive in the countrys regulation. All His Majesty acts are also by the advice of the Prime Minister. However, the Malaysian Constitution can be amending thru the Parliament process in the Article 159 and 161E. The use of Malaysian Constitution is based on the multi-racial Malaysian society. The people can give their opinions in the public view and suggestion thru the Constitution. Within the year of 48 years the amended has been done for 42 times according to Shad Saleem Farugi, for this amendment to be done, its need a 2/3rds of the majority agreed is required by the Houses of Parliament. (www.statemaster.com) Is formed by 1 Federal Constitution, Kuala Lumpur, and 13 states Constitution, Terenganu, Sarawak, Sabah, Selangor, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Kedah, Pahang, Johore and Malacca. The power of the Parliament is giving to make the Federal laws (Acts) and other law such as Islamic laws and DUN and the states laws. The power of the separation to at the federal, state concurrent list as follow: The Federal List is regards to external affair, defense, internal security, civil and criminal law, citizenship, finance, commerce and industry, health, labour, fishery and tourism. State list is Muslim law, land, agriculture and forestry, local government, riverine fishing, library, museums and local government. Concurrent list is scholarship, protection of wildlife, town and country planning, drainage and venery, housing, culture and sport. There are five important elements in the Malaysian Constitution such as the religion, the national language, and the special rights for the Bumiputera, the special rights and the citizenship. This element is important because its the most relevant to the multi-racial society and so as to the constitutional monarchy for the practices of the Parliamentary democracy. The citizenship is the special status for the people in the country to have their rights. This status did provide benefits; rights and other facilities that are include the responsibility as a citizen. The special rights are as following, The citizen will have a right to vote in the election by the age of 21 years old on the qualify date. The citizen have their right to participate themselves to take part in politics in the country thats include the seat for contestant in the election. The citizen can be also joining the political talk at the age of 18 years old. Its means the citizen can also be the prime minister thru the election by the vote from the citizen. All position in the government is filled up only by the citizen of the country itself such as the Legislative, Judiciary and the Executive. The citizen will also entitle or free to have their own land property and will be consider thru the special conditions that related in the property development. For instance, the Bumiputera will get 5% on the property and for the non-Bumiputera is not entitle for the discount. The citizen are entitle to have the benefit and facilities in the country such as welfare benefits, education, public library, medical from the government hospital or Health clinic from every district area and others that provided by the country. The petroleum subsidy had been supported for the citizen as well. The citizen will have the freedom to move around the country such as from the north (Penang) to travel to south (Johor). The citizen will not be exiled by the country. The citizen will also have some responsibility and his role to the country in return to have this protection and the special rights. As following below matter, the citizen will need to, Joining the national service if he is required to by the country. To follows the laws and helps to support the country system. If the country need a contributions for the country regardless to the economy crisis, because the support from the citizen is the progress for the nation of well-being of societys. The citizen needs to participate to support the national programmes and events, for instance the Independence Day The domicile for the citizen is important to have citizenship laws to protect the status and rights for the each of the citizen in the country. The citizenship laws is to different for the citizen and the non-citizens and its to separate by the country from the official regulation. From this laws, its to give the citizen special rights and for the non-citizen is also protected by the laws thats wont violates in the international regulation. In 1948, Malaysia already beginning made the citizenship laws. Meanwhile, when the time the British who rule, there is no law(s) yet for the citizen or the foreigner, the British practices open door policy so that to welcome the foreigner to come freely to the country. In 1948, the Federation of Malaya Agreement has embodied the citizenship laws. The improvements have been done by 1952, it was carried or passes to the Malaya states and to the rulers and for those that becomes citizen of the Federation of Malaya. The status of citizen is given based on the resident period in the Malaya. Based on the Article 14 to Article 15, the Federal Constitution has set up more detail for the citizenship laws after the Independence Day. Loss of citizenship status There are two ways the citizen can lose their citizenship such as he or she can reject the citizenship based on personal reason and if the citizen has abuse or violated the laws, can be in the prohibited period. There is also some of the reason such as: The citizen have become other country citizen, for instance, if the citizen in Austria have become a citizen of the Austria. He or she cannot have more than one citizenships The citizen can have the rights to enjoy other country facilities, such as the rights is only for that country citizen, for instance, he or she can use both passport to go to other country and so as to participate the election as well For the women such as she married to a man from other country, therefore the citizenship will be in concerned If the citizen betrays or acts negatively, thats show that he or she is not loyal to Malaysia. The citizen having business or ties with enemy or hostile country The citizen that have been sentence within 5 year period during the staying in the country, its apply to the jail sentence as well if less than 12month or will fined not less than RM 5000.00 that within the Federation. The citizen that provide of gives service that without permission from the country The Malaysian citizen that lives in other foreigner country more than five years, can be exceptional if on with the service on behalf of Malaysian Government. The false influence of the citizenship The citizenship status for a foreigner women through marriage, if she divorce by the husband can be excepted for such cases of divorce if the husband is passed away From all the above statement is clearly show that the citizenship is special status, because the application or the inherited can be withdrawn due to certain offences. Therefore, every of the citizen should be appreciate the citizenship and responsible to ourselves as a citizen and so to the country. The fundamental liberties is define as the some certain fundamental individual rights or human civilization, thats apply to the lowest level as well to have the right for some condition and so as to the democratic way for the societys References: www.sejarahmalaysia.pnm.my www.scribd.com www.statemaster.com

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Importance of Social Class Exposed in The Canterbury Tales Essay

Social class was the foundation of everyday life during the Middle Ages. Social class played a significant role in the lives of medieval people. The aristocracy class and the immoral lower class were often viewed by society as practically different races. In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer shows the wide variance among the classes in every aspect of their daily lives. The zeitgeist of the Middle Ages can be seen through his illustration of differences between classes in moral behavior, economic power, the autonomy and education of women during the Middle Ages. In today’s society the differences in morals between the rich and the poorer classes are virtually non-existent, but during Medieval times â€Å"morals and, above all, the virtues at its center, played an important role not only for distinguishing between good and bad, but, more importantly, even for the structuring of society† (Virtus 1). The aristocracy class and the immoral poor class had morals but how they demonstrated them varied; the aristocratic class used chivalry as the basis of their morals, while the immoral poor class did not. Chivalry was not only a code of conduct for those who followed it; chivalry was a way of life. ‘Chivalry first arose in Europe during the Crusades. Chivalry dealt with loyalty honor, and service to women on and off the battle field’ (â€Å"The Medieval Period: 1066-1485† 76). The Knight in The Canterbury Tales is the perfect example of someone who follows the code of chivalry. Chaucer describes him with much admi ration as â€Å"a most distinguishable man, who from the day on which he first began to ride abroad had followed chivalry, truth, honor generousness and courtesy† (Chaucer, "The Prologue." 117). While Chaucer praises the knight for ... ... the class system. Works Cited Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Trans. R. M. Lumiansky. New York: Washington Square Press, 1971. Print. Chaucer, Geoffrey. â€Å"The Prologue.† The Canterbury Tales. Trans. Nevill Coghill. Literature: The British Tradition. Ed. Roger Babusci et al. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1994. 115-136. Print. â€Å"The Medieval Period: 1066-1485.† Literature: The British Tradition. Ed. Roger Babusci etal. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1994. 69-79. Print. "The Middle Ages: Feudal Life." Learner.org. Annenberg Foundation, 2012. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. Virtus: Moral Limitations of the Political Sphere in the Middle Ages. Thesis. Bielefeld Universit. Silke Schwandt: Bielefeld University. Print. Wheelock, Stephanie. Advanced English 12: Humanities. Eden Prairie High School. Eden Prairie. March 2012. Class discussion.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Neuromancer :: Short Stories China Japan Neurosurgery Essays

Neuromancer The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel. "It's not like I'm using," Case heard someone say, as he shouldered his way through the crowd around the door of the Chat. "It's like my body's developed this massive drug defi- ciency." It was a Sprawl voice and a Sprawl joke. The Chatsubo was a bar for professional expatriates; you could drink there for a week and never hear two words in Japanese. Ratz was tending bar, his prosthetic arm jerking monoto- nously as he filled a tray of glasses with draft Kirin. He saw Case and smiled, his teeth a web work of East European steel and brown decay. Case found a place at the bar, between the unlikely tan on one of Lonny Zone's whores and the crisp naval uniform of a tall African whose cheekbones were ridged with precise rows of tribal scars. "Wage was in here early, with two Joe boys," Ratz said, shoving a draft across the bar with his good hand. "Maybe some business with you, Case?" Case shrugged. The girl to his right giggled and nudged him. The bartender's smile widened. His ugliness was the stuff of legend. In an age of affordable beauty, there was something heraldic about his lack of it. The antique arm whined as he reached for another mug. It was a Russian military prosthesis, a seven-function force-feedback manipulator, cased in grubby pink plastic. "You are too much the artiste, Herr Case." Ratz grunted; the sound served him as laughter. He scratched his overhang of white-shirted belly with the pink claw. "You are the artiste of the slightly funny deal." "Sure," Case said, and sipped his beer. "Somebody's gotta be funny around here. Sure the fuck isn't you." The whore's giggle went up an octave. "Isn't you either, sister. So you vanish, okay? Zone, he's a close personal friend of mine." She looked Case in the eye and made the softest possible spitting sound, her lips barely moving. But she left. "Jesus," Case said, "what kind a creep joint you running here? Man can't have a drink." "Ha," Ratz said, swabbing the scarred wood with a rag, "Zone shows a percentage. You I let work here for entertain- ment value." As Case was picking up his beer, one of those strange instants of silence descended, as though a hundred unrelated conversations had simultaneously arrived at the same pause. Then the whore's giggle rang out, tinged with a certain hysteria. Ratz grunted. "An angel passed." "The Chinese," bellowed a drunken Australian, "Chinese bloody invented nerve-splicing. Give me the mainland for a nerve job any day. Fix you right, mate.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Bismarckian Alliance :: essays papers

Bismarckian Alliance The relations between the Great Powers in Europe changed a lot with the accession to the throne of Wilhelm the II in 1888, his dismissal of Chancellor Otto van Bismarck two year later and therefore the breakdown of the Bismarckian Alliance System. The unification of Germany, and the political greatness of Prussia and the empire, are ascribed to the statesmanship of Bismarck. Bismarck was the father of the German nation, he created it and he also masterminded a plan to keep Germany safe from the enemy nations around her. After the humiliation of the loss of Alcase and Lorraine, France was bound to not pass away an opportunity to take revenge from Germany, so to prevent this happening Bismarck constructed an elaborate network of alliances. One of the most important alliances of the many that were made was, the Dreikaiserbund or the League of the the Three Emperors singed in 1872 between Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary. The most important of the articles in the treaty was that ^in case on of the High Contracting Parties should find itself at war with a fourth Great Power, the two other shall maintain towards it a benevolent neutrality and shall devote their efforts to the localisation of the conflict^. But Russia and Austria-Hungary drew suspicious of each other over conflicts in the Balkans in 1887 and the League fell apart. So to replace that lose Bismarck drew up the secret Dual Alliance with Austria in 1879, it was a defensive alliance against Russian in case she attacks Austria. In 1882, Italy joined the Dual Alliance which created the Triple Alliance. By 1887 Bismarck succeeded to bind Russian in a separate alliance which was called the Reinsurance Treaty. Also Germany kept friendly acquaintances with Britain so that such a powerful nation with not be against Germany. This way, Bismarck^s plan succeeded and now France was truly friendless, powerless and isolated. Kaiser Wilhelm the II had a plan called ^Weltpolitik^ for Germany which meant that he wanted Germany to be a world power with a large colonial empire, strong and unbeatable in every possible way. Bismarck saw this as a threat to the country^s peace he has aintained for twenty years and his idea was that Germany should remain a land-based, peace-loving European power as she has always been. The clash of ideas and values between the thirty one year old, young Kaiser and the seventy five year old chancellor led to Bismarck being forced to resign by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1890. Then the Kaiser appointed Count Georg Leo Caprivi Bismarckian Alliance :: essays papers Bismarckian Alliance The relations between the Great Powers in Europe changed a lot with the accession to the throne of Wilhelm the II in 1888, his dismissal of Chancellor Otto van Bismarck two year later and therefore the breakdown of the Bismarckian Alliance System. The unification of Germany, and the political greatness of Prussia and the empire, are ascribed to the statesmanship of Bismarck. Bismarck was the father of the German nation, he created it and he also masterminded a plan to keep Germany safe from the enemy nations around her. After the humiliation of the loss of Alcase and Lorraine, France was bound to not pass away an opportunity to take revenge from Germany, so to prevent this happening Bismarck constructed an elaborate network of alliances. One of the most important alliances of the many that were made was, the Dreikaiserbund or the League of the the Three Emperors singed in 1872 between Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary. The most important of the articles in the treaty was that ^in case on of the High Contracting Parties should find itself at war with a fourth Great Power, the two other shall maintain towards it a benevolent neutrality and shall devote their efforts to the localisation of the conflict^. But Russia and Austria-Hungary drew suspicious of each other over conflicts in the Balkans in 1887 and the League fell apart. So to replace that lose Bismarck drew up the secret Dual Alliance with Austria in 1879, it was a defensive alliance against Russian in case she attacks Austria. In 1882, Italy joined the Dual Alliance which created the Triple Alliance. By 1887 Bismarck succeeded to bind Russian in a separate alliance which was called the Reinsurance Treaty. Also Germany kept friendly acquaintances with Britain so that such a powerful nation with not be against Germany. This way, Bismarck^s plan succeeded and now France was truly friendless, powerless and isolated. Kaiser Wilhelm the II had a plan called ^Weltpolitik^ for Germany which meant that he wanted Germany to be a world power with a large colonial empire, strong and unbeatable in every possible way. Bismarck saw this as a threat to the country^s peace he has aintained for twenty years and his idea was that Germany should remain a land-based, peace-loving European power as she has always been. The clash of ideas and values between the thirty one year old, young Kaiser and the seventy five year old chancellor led to Bismarck being forced to resign by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1890. Then the Kaiser appointed Count Georg Leo Caprivi

Monday, September 16, 2019

Eth 125 Syllabus Course

College of Humanities ETH/125 Version 6 Cultural Diversity Copyright  © 2010, 2009, 2007 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course is designed to educate students about issues of race and ethnicity by presenting historical and modern perspectives on diversity in the United States, and by providing tools necessary to promote a respectful and inclusive society. Students will complete several activities that allow them to examine their own values in relation to the values of various other racial and ethnic communities. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: †¢University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. †¢Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Schaefer, R, T. 2006). Racial and ethnic groups (10th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Associate Level Writing Style Handbook, available online at https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/CWE/pdfs/Associate_level_writing_style_handbook. pdf All electronic materials are available on the student website. Week One: Race and Ethnicity: Key Conce pts Details Due Points Objectives 1. Recognize key terms and sociological concepts related to race and ethnicity. 2. Describe subordinate group creation and consequences. Course Preparation Read the course description and objectives. Read the instructor’s biography and post your own. Reading Read Appendix A. Reading Read Ch. 1 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. CheckPoint Defining Race and Ethnicity Write a 200- to 300-word summary that answers the following questions: †¢What do the terms race and ethnicity mean to you? †¢Why are these concepts important to United States society? Tuesday 15 CheckPoint The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity Resource: Ch. 1 of Racial and Ethnic Groups Utilize Appendix B to match key terms with their correct descriptions. Post the completed Appendix B as an attachment. Thursday 15 Assignment Journal Entry of a Subordinate Group Member Resources: Ch. 1 of Racial and Ethnic Groups and the U. S. Census Bureau American Fact Finder website athttp://factfinder. census. gov Select one of the following subordinate groups from Ch. 1 of the text. Because the chapter does not list all subordinate groups, you may select any other group that has a documented history in the United States. †¢Subordinate Groups: Native Americans, African Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, Arab Americans, Filipino Americans, Korean Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Asian Indians, Hawaiians, Irish Americans, Polish Americans, Norwegian Americans, Jewish Americans, Cuban Americans, Mexican Americans, and Puerto Ricans. Identify and describe which, if any, of the following creation and consequence situations the group has faced: †¢Creation: migration, annexation, or colonization †¢Consequences: extermination, expulsion, secession, segregation, fusion, or assimilation Write a fictional, first-person account of the creation and consequence situations of a subordinate group in the United States in the form of a 700- to 1,050-word journal entry. Describe, as if you were a member of that subordinate group, where the group originated, how it came to the United States, and one or two locations in the United States where members of your group live. Be creative in your fictional descriptions, and accurate with your facts. Research your text, the Internet, or the University Library for information about your chosen group. Of particular usefulness is the People section of the U. S. Census Bureau American Fact Finder website athttp://factfinder. census. gov Cite your sources consistent with APA guidelines. Post your journal entry as an attachment. Sunday 100 Week Two: Recognizing and Overcoming Prejudice Details Due Points Objectives 1. Recognize how people are impacted by stereotypes. 2. Prescribe methods for strengthening modern efforts to reduce prejudice. 3. Recognize difficulties in analyzing prejudice. Reading Read Ch. 2 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Reading Read Ch. 3 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Reading Read Ch. 4 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Participation Participate in class discussion. 4 days/wk 10 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions. Tue/Thur 10 CheckPoint Implicit Association Test Complete the Harvard-Hosted Implicit Association Test (IAT) using the following instructions. The test should take about 10 minutes to complete. †¢Navigate to the Project Implicit ® home page at https://implicit. harvard. edu/implicit/ and clickDemonstration. At the IAT home page, click on the Go to the Demonstration Tests link. †¢At the Measure Your Attitudes page, find and click on the I wish to proceed link. †¢You will be prompted to select a test. Take one of the following IAT tests: ?Race IAT ?Arab-Muslim IAT ?Native IAT ?Asian IAT ?Skin-tone IAT Post a 200- to 300-word summary that answers all of the follow ing questions: †¢What was the result of your IAT? Do you think that the test produced valid results in your case? †¢In your opinion, is it difficult to accurately measure prejudice? Why or why not? †¢Describe other measurements sociologists utilize to calculate prejudice. Friday 30 Week Three: Countering Discrimination, Immigration in the United States Details Due Points Objectives 1. Recognize sources of discrimination in your environment. 2. Describe your personal cultural background. 3. Associate being an immigrant to the United States with its inherent challenges. CheckPoint Modern Challenges in Immigration Resources: Ch. 4 of Racial and Ethnic Groups and the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website atwww. uscis. gov Browse through the USCIS website, paying special attention to immigration forms, fees, fingerprinting, services, and benefits. Select an immigrant group from Ch. 4 of the text. Imagine yourself as a current member of your selected group, and consider the following question: Would I want to immigrate to the United States, and why? Think about what opinion you would have of the immigration process, including naturalization, the costs, fingerprinting, and so forth. Consider whether the process would seem easy or difficult for you as an immigrant. After you have thought about your answers, proceed to the next step of this CheckPoint. Post a 200- to 300-word summary that answers all of the following questions: Should United States government policy favor certain kinds of immigrants? †¢Should citizenship preference be given to the neediest applicants? The most talented? The most oppressed? The richest? †¢Should applications from certain countries be given priority? (Feltey, 2006, p. 11) Thursday 30 Assignment Ethnic Groups and Discrimination Resources: Racial and Ethnic Groups, the Internet, and the Univ ersity Library Select an ethnic group to which you belong. If you identify with more than one group, choose the group with which you most identify or about which you would like to learn more. Write a 700- to 1,050-word essay in which you answer the following questions: †¢Conduct research to determine if the group colonized or if it immigrated to the United States. Did the group face prejudice, segregation, racism, or any combination of the three? If so, how and why? Include your research findings in your essay. You may search through chapters of the text as part of your research. †¢Was this group affected by any of the following forms of discrimination, or did it participate in any of the following forms of discrimination? If so, describe: ?Dual labor market Environmental justice issues ?Affirmative action ?Redlining ?Double jeopardy ?Institutional discrimination ?Reverse discrimination ?Glass ceiling, glass walls, or glass escalator †¢Do you culturally identify more with the ethnic group you examined, with United States mainstream culture, or with both equally? Format your essay consistent with APA guidelines. Post your paper as an attachment. Sunday 100 W eek Four: African American Group Progress, Modern African American Dynamics Details Due Points Objectives 1. Describe the effects of slavery on modern America. . Associate African American leaders and groups with their successes of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. 3. Weigh persisting social inequities endured by African Americans. Reading Read Ch. 7 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Reading Read Ch. 8 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Reading Read Ch. 11 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Participation Participate in class discussion. 4 days/wk 10 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions. Tue/Thur 10 CheckPoint Leaders and Legislation of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements Research Ch. of the text and Appendix C to identify events and leaders of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements and their contributions to their respective causes. Complete both Parts I and II of Appendix C. Post the completed Appendix C as an attachment. Friday 30 Week Five: Muslim and A rab Americans Details Due Points Objectives 1. Describe the impact of Orientalism on Muslim and Arab Americans. 2. Identify causes of prejudice and discrimination against Muslim and Arab Americans. 3. Compare and contrast United States-centric views of Muslim and Arab Americans with United States-centric views of Christian Americans. CheckPoint Characteristics of Orientalism, Prejudice, and Discrimination Resource: Appendix D Post a 200- to 300-word response in which you complete the following: †¢Explain the difference between Muslims and Arabs. †¢According to research and news reports within the past 2 years, what are some of the changes the United States has made to policies concerning the treatment of Muslim and Arabic members of society? †¢List two to three characteristics of Orientalism. How may Orientalism and prejudice contribute to hate crimes against these groups? †¢What may individuals do to promote tolerance and reduce prejudice in their towns and cities? For ideas, visit the Teaching Tolerance website at http://www. tolerance. org, and the Southern Poverty Law Center website at http://www. splcenter. org. Thursday 30 Assignment United States-Centric Views Comparison Provide a copy of Appendix D to a friend or family member and ask that person to complete the table contained therein. In doing so, your chosen participant will consider what he or she thinks are the common United States-centric viewpoints on Muslim and Arab American and Christian American groups. Ask your participant to return their completed appendix at least 1 day before this assignment is due. Complete a duplicate copy of Appendix D, following the same directions as your participant. Write a 350- to 500-word summary in which you compare and contrast your participant’s answers with your own answers, and address the following questions: †¢How are your table answers similar? How are they different? †¢Do either tables list descriptors in the Both Groups category? Describe. †¢From either or both tables, name one or two descriptors that you think represent true facts about each group and one or two descriptors that you think are false. †¢How do you think an average American’s perceptions of each group are created? Post your summary and both completed copies of Appendix D as Microsoft ® Word attachments in your Assignments Section. Sunday 100 Week Six: Native American Cultures Details Due Points Objectives 1. Evaluate the overall effectiveness of Native American organizations in the advancement of their people’s needs. 2. Recognize how key policies shape the relationship between tribal Native Americans and the federal government. 3. Differentiate among causes of tribal poverty and prosperity. 4. Describe levels of Native American assimilation within mainstream society. Reading Read Ch. 6 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Reading Read Ch. 9 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Reading Read Ch. 10 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Participation Participate in class discussion. 4 days/wk 10 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions. Tue/Thur 10 CheckPoint Legislation Legacy Resources: National Congress of American Indians websitehttp://www. ncai. org and the Indian Country Today website athttp://www. indiancountry. com Post a 200- to 300-word summary of a current issue between Native Americans and the federal government. Identify the legislation that you think is linked to the issue, and explain why you think there is a connection. Consult the National Congress of American Indians website, the Indian Country Today newspaper, or another online source for examples of pertinent issues. Friday 30 Week Seven: Hispanic American Diversity Details Due Points Objectives 1. Describe cultural interests important to modern Hispanic Americans. 2. Give examples of diversity among Hispanic American groups. CheckPoint The Official Language Movement Resources: Racial and Ethnic Groups, the Internet, and the University Library Investigate the official language movement, which is an important Hispanic American cultural interest, described on pp. 243–244 of the text by researching bilingualism in education and politics in the United States. Find four to six credible websites or articles that support, oppose, or present information about bilingualism in education or politics. Most sources will focus exclusively on either topic of education or politics; therefore, try to find at least two sources per topic. Write one paragraph about each source, summarizing the main points presented. Provide APA-formatted reference citations. Submit all of your summaries in a 200- to 300-word post. Thursday 30 Assignment Hispanic American Diversity Resources: Racial and Ethnic Groups, the University Library, and the Internet Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word research paper in which you identify the linguistic, political, social, economic, religious, and familial conventions or statuses of four Hispanic groups living in the United States. Your paper must address Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and two groups of your choice from Ch. 9 of the text. Dedicate an equal portion of your paper to each Hispanic group. Conclude your essay by summarizing major differences and commonalties apparent among the groups. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Post your paper as an attachment. Sunday 100 Week Eight: Asian American Relations Details Due Points Objectives 1. Recognize the cultural makeup of Asian American and Asian Pacific Islander minority groups present in United States society. 2. Compare and contrast the cultural experiences of Chinese and Japanese Americans. Reading Read Ch. 12 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Reading Read Ch. 13 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Participation Participate in class discussion. 4 days/wk 10 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions. Tue/Thur 10 CheckPoint Asian Americans According to the U. S. Census Bureau Complete the matrix in Appendix E using information from the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month press release located under the Materials tab on the student website. Post the completed Appendix E as an attachment. Friday 30 Week Nine: Core Concept Application Details Due Points Objectives 1. Describe the effects of the expansion of race and ethnicity on United States society. Capstone CheckPoint Write a 200- to 300-word summary that answers all of the following questions: †¢What information about race and ethnicity in the United States has helped you better understand or relate to specific minority groups? †¢Have you learned something new about your own cultural history? †¢Trends in immigration will continue to shape the face of the United States. What will this face look like in the year 2050? †¢How might the country best prepare for the changing race and ethnicity of its current and future citizens? Thurs. 30 Final Project Race and Your Community Resource: Appendix A. Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word autobiographical research paper that analyzes the influences of race as it relates to your community. In your paper, write your first-person account of how human interactions in your community have been racialized. For the community, you may consider relations within your neighborhood, local government, service groups, clubs, schools, workplace, or any environment of which you are a part. Answer the following questions and provide examples: †¢Do members of your community look like you? In what ways do they look the same or different? How do leaders within your community treat people who are like you? How do they treat people who are different? †¢How do other members of your community treat people who are like you? How do they treat people who are different? †¢Do your texts or work manuals contain information by or about people like you? †¢Do the local media represent people like you? If so, in what ways? †¢What are some similariti es and differences between you and the people who are in leadership positions in your community? Do you think minority group interests are represented within your community? If you could resolve any inequities within your community, what would you change? How and why? †¢Which main concepts from the text relate to race? Apply some of these concepts to your project. Include the following elements in your paper: †¢The thesis addresses racial issues in your local community. †¢The content is comprehensive and accurate. †¢The paper itself draws on your personal experiences with and opinions about cultural diversity in your community. †¢Three sources are used, and one source is a community member, leader, or representative from a local community organization. The paper is written in first-person point of view, with an autobiographical approach. †¢Text concepts are applied to your observations. †¢Assignment questions are answered. †¢The paper includes perspectives from supporting sources. †¢The conclusion is logical, flows from the body of the paper, and reviews the major points. †¢Paragraph transitions are present. †¢The tone is appropriate. †¢Sentences are well-constructed. †¢The paper, title page, and references follow APA guidelines. †¢Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed. †¢Spelling is correct. Post your completed research as an attachment. Sunday 250 Copyright University of Phoenix ® is a registered trademark of Apollo Group, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft ®, Windows ®, and Windows NT ® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Use of these marks is not intended to imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. Edited in accordance with University of Phoenix ® editorial standards and practices.