How Climate Change Are Getting Worse, Is It Better For The...

Lessons 1 and 3 (750 words): Using both the Smith et al. (2009) article from Lesson 1 and the Repetto (2008) article from Lesson 3, answer the following question: if the impacts of climate change are getting worse, is it better for the United States to rely on reactive adaptation or on anticipatory adaptation? In your discussion, you must define both reactive and anticipatory adaptation. Support your answer with examples from course content, the readings, or other non-course scholarly sources. †¨ â€Å"Adaptation is defined by the IPCC as the adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects that moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. Various types of adaptation can be distinguished, including anticipatory and reactive adaptation, private and public adaptation, and autonomous and planned adaptation. † Reactive adaptation refers to adaptation that take place after impacts of climate change are observed. It is the immediate response to climate change. This type of adaptation is often used in recovery. Reactive adaptation is needed in disaster recovery, emergency respond and so on. Sometimes it is not the best response when the past knowledge doesn t match current environmental and socio-economic situations. However, people noticed that only reactive adaption is not efficient enough to deal with climate change, especially for irreversible damages such as ecosystems that cannot be recovered and extinctionShow MoreRelatedClimate Change Is The Biggest Human Induced Threat On The Environment784 Words   |  4 PagesClimate change is the biggest human induced threat on the environment; it threatens animal and human life, as well as the economy. After climate change was discovered in the early 1800’s, scientist immediately started research on ways global warming could be solved. 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The first main factor behind this issue is that theRead MoreThe Problem Of Global Warming1430 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal Warming in the United Stated Global warming is no longer just a prediction it is actually happening. It is undisputed that the average temperature at the surface of Earth has increased over the past century by 1 degree Fahrenheit, with both the air and the oceans warming. Since 1880, when people in many locations first began to keep temperature records, the 25 warmest years have all occurred within the last 28 years. The problem is that if we keep on hurting our own environment and ecosystemsRead MoreGlobal Warming: Fact or Fiction? Essay867 Words   |  4 Pageswarming does not exist. There is proven facts about global warning. â€Å"The major scientific agencies of the United States — including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — agree that climate change is occurring and that humans are contributing to it. In 2010, the National Research Council concluded that Climate change is occurring, is very likely caused by human activities, and poses significant risks for a broad rangeRead MorePolitics Is Blame For A Changing Climate1168 Words   |  5 PagesChanging Climate In the 1980’s, scientists discovered three important pieces of information that would shape American politics and the environment for years to come. The Earth was getting warmer, the warming was caused by human pollution to the air and sea, and future generations would suffer (Hansen). Few believed these environmentalists at first, but as science progressed, the signs that climate change was a real threat became more and more apparent. Today, the debate on climate change is a popularRead MoreGlobal Climate Change And Global Warming1054 Words   |  5 Pagesglobal climate change is happening. From the melting of the polar ice caps, to record severe temperatures, rise in natural disasters, rise in pollution, greater number of vector-borne and water borne illnesses, and much more. Unless there is something done to change the current technology being used to provide energy to the human population global climate change will only continue to get worse. Climate change is the bigges t global health threat of the 21st century and we must act and change the useRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects1416 Words   |  6 Pages Global Warming The earth is getting warmer, animals and their habitats are declining, human health is at risk and the cause of all this terror is Global Warming. Global warming will cause many parts of the world to change. In the next 50 years climate change could be the cause of more than a million terrestrial species becoming extinct. Sea levels will raise which means more flooding and is not good for the plants. With too much water the plants will die and herbivores will lose theirRead MoreClimate Change : How It Affects People And The Environment Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesClimate change PART ONE – Describe the nature of the geographic issue Describe the issue: what it is, where it is happening, why it is happening, who it involves, how it effects people and the environment. You must include a map showing the location of the issue (you may find one on the internet or construct it yourself). You may include any other visuals such as photos, diagrams. Nowadays human activities like driving cars, burning coal and cutting down forests and farming produce greenhouse gasesRead MoreUnity And Low Lying Regions1412 Words   |  6 Pagesgovernment involvement, creating alternative energy sources, and controlling greenhouse gases. Climate change is altering the earth, and will ultimately destroy it in the end. Global warming is caused by carbon dioxide pollution in the atmosphere from emissions like cars, electricity, factories, and other machines causing a chain reaction of dramatic climate change from one extreme to another. Climate change is the cause of polar melting, glacier melting, and sea level rise, and could lead to the exhaustionRead MoreClimate Change : How It Affects People And The Environment1646 Words   |  7 PagesClimate change PART ONE – Describe the nature of the geographic issue Describe the issue: what it is, where it is happening, why it is happening, who it involves, how it effects people and the environment. You must include a map showing the location of the issue (you may find one on the internet or construct it yourself). You may include any other visuals such as photos, diagrams. Nowadays human activities like driving cars, burning coal and cutting down forests and farming produce greenhouse gases

Food Deserts What Is The Solution - 853 Words

Medicare has a thin line when it comes to covering obesity, but it seems to become harder to receive coverage. According to an overview entitled â€Å"Obesity†, it â€Å"Is a condition where the body of a mammal has stored so much energy that the fatty tissues are stored and expanding to create a significant health risk, with an increased rate of mortality to the body† (Gale Encyclopedia of Science 2014). After years of living with obesity, it can eventually be fatal, or develop more health hazards such as diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, and osteoarthritis. Mildly obese begins after becoming 20% above ideal weight. With the use of Medicare and government fundings, we can prevent food deserts, support programs needed for the people, and include psychological coverage. Consuming copious amounts of unhealthy foods is believed to be the main cause of obesity. This statement is true because of the existence of food deserts. In the article â€Å"Food Deserts: What is the problem? What is the solution?† by The Science Letter, it is determined that food deserts are when â€Å"Poor people eat poor diets in part because fresh, healthy food is not accessible in areas where they tend to live† (Science Letter 2016). These poor diets come from abuse of fast food locations that are closer to home, in comparison to supermarkets that are distant and require preparation time for cooking at home. It is often seen as an easy way out, but an easy way to slothful living. This lifestyle of constant intake ofShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Food Deserts774 Words   |  4 Pagesfruit. Why? Because there are food deserts EVERYWHERE in America. Specifically, in Georgia, nearly two million people live in one. And to be more specific, the metro Atlanta are a has more food deserts than any other city in Georgia. But the excuse that they have for eating what they eat is plain out a terrible excuse: â€Å"they can not help the fact that they are not near a store, so they have to work with what they have†. They do not actually try to better themselves or what they eat, so they end up takingRead MoreSupply Of Viable Grocery Store Options1253 Words   |  6 Pagesrestaurants and food options; however, many of these food options are not the healthiest. As stated by the Food Empowerment Project, a food desert is typically â€Å"Described as geographic areas where residents’ access to affordable, healthy food options [...] is restricted or nonexistent due to the absence of grocery stores within convenient travelling distance.† Moreover, the people who live in these food deserts are low income families and minorities. These food deserts are the leading cause of food insecurityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Huffington Post, By Jo urnalist Kristy Blackwood1336 Words   |  6 Pagesnecessities to prosper. If so, why are American who live in the lower income areas has a shortage of healthy foods at their disposal? Kristy Blackwood and Iris Mansour acknowledge the clear fact to why a called a first-world country has millions of people struggle with not having the access to the suitable food to help combat the issue of obesity in the nation. In â€Å"Transforming Food Deserts and Swamps to Fight Obesity† an article that appeared in The Huffington Post, by journalist Kristy BlackwoodRead MoreThe Food Of A Food Desert Essay1632 Words   |  7 Pagesthe deadliest places when left stranded without proper supplies are deserts. The most popular ones are the Sahara, Arabian, Mojave, and Food. Food? Yes, as much as people say that’s nonsense, a food desert is an occurring anomaly that impacts many people around the world, and in the United States. A food desert is a place where people do not have access t o natural healthy food, however they do have access to cheap unhealthy food. Those areas today tend to be densely populated urban communities thatRead MoreFood Areas Of The United States1251 Words   |  6 Pageshungry due to limited access to nutritional food on a regular basis. There is a vast disparity in those with access to food based on a number of factors, such as race, access to private transportation, and income. These factors all stem from one overarching idea, geography. Those without access to nutritional food originate from low-income areas that are miles away from a supermarket and they must depend on local convenience stores. The issue of food deserts therefore arise as particular areas in theRead MoreFood Deserts in Chicago1741 Words   |  7 Pagesto produce healthy foods. The increasing amount of food deserts and lack of family income contributes to African-American obesity rates, and lack of healthy choices. Ironically, these food desserts reside in communities plagued by poverty. These income restrictions also add to the problems that are part of being in a food desert. Literature Review Mari Gallagher(2006). Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago Food deserts are places where healthy foods are not produced norRead MoreHow Does America Solve Food Deserts? Essay1034 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica Solve Food Deserts? In Eric Holt-Gimenez’s article, â€Å"The Fight over Food Deserts: Corporate America Smacks Its Way Down†, the author provides answers the food desert epidemic facing the United States today. A food desert is an area in which fresh and nutritious food is not readily available to the masses. Whether it be because of economic or geographic reasons, the fresh ingredients are often scarce and expensive. Gimenez first addresses the corporate aspect of food desert problem and howRead MoreThe Current Food Of Food707 Words   |  3 PagesThe current food system is highly market oriented and has many flawes that impact people in negative ways. The system contains problems starting form the production stage (farm labor issues) to the distribution ( food insecurities ). The current food system is primary driven by commodity rather than what people in communities want or need. In other words, because of globalization the food system provides customers with goods without asking the needs and want of the people. For instance, many citiesRead MorePhysical Consequences of Impoverished Families1480 Words   |  6 Pagesstruggled with it. Many people who have studied the issue of obesity and improper nutrition have credited the issue to laziness and unhealthy eating styles. The solution to this problem is not as easy as it might seem. One might think that being more active and eating healthier is an easy fix to the problem of obesity; however, the solution is much more complicated. People tend to blame obesity on people making wrong lifestyle choices. For example, eating a Big Mac from McDonalds instead of eatingRead MoreFood Deserts : Problems Associated With Developing Nations1417 Words   |  6 PagesFood Deserts Issues of hunger and malnutrition are commonly associated with developing nations and are often overlooked in wealthy countries. However, there is growing areas forming across the United States called food deserts. Food deserts are a big recognized problem in our country. Food deserts are a problem today that we need to address.we need to find a resolution for this issue. America has more fast food stores on every corner then they have food markets. this must be fixed. america needs

Comparison of Child Characters in Salingers Teddy and A Perfect Day for Bananafish free essay sample

J. D. Salinger’s Nine Stories there are many tales centered on children, who are often depicted as a symbol of hope and connected with the values that stand in contrast to the ones typical of the adults corrupted by materialism. In my essay, I would like to concentrate on the portrayal of children in â€Å"A Perfect Day for Bananafish† and â€Å"Teddy†. Even though the way these characters are depicted is similar, a child protagonist in each of the stories is representative of different things. While Sibyl can be seen as a prototype of a childlike innocence, purity and simplicity, Teddy can hardly be considered a prototypical innocent child. Despite the simplicity of Sibyl’s thinking, her presence and behavior help the reader draw many complex conclusions about the main adult in the story â€Å"A Perfect Day For Bananafish†, Seymour Glass. Having many abilities and experiences but still being a child at the same time, Teddy also provides us with an in depth understanding of the adult world. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison of Child Characters in Salingers Teddy and A Perfect Day for Bananafish or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In my essay, I would therefore like to contrast and compare the things the children stand for and represent, and the way they provide us with the illumination of the motives and values of the adult world. The fact that Sibyl Carpenter can be seen as a representative of a pure innocence has a profound impact on the development of â€Å"A Perfect Day for Bananafish†. The certainty that Sibyl is a pure child character is encouraged by the use of the color blue in several parts of the story that is, next to the color white, known to represent innocence and purity. When Seymour first sees Sybil, he says: â€Å"That’s a fine bathing suit you have on. If there is one thing I like, it’s a blue bathing suit. (Salinger 12) Even though in reality it is not blue but yellow, through this single reference, the innocence of a child seems to be pointed out by Seymour. Almost as soon as Sybil is introduced, it is made obvious that she is characterized by the simplicity typical of children of her age. She seems to ingeniously believe basically everything that is told to her and this is the reason why she accepts the existence of a Bananafish without a doubt when Seymour Glass tell s her about it: â€Å"Sybil, I’ll tell you what we’ll do. We’ll see if we can catch a Bananafish† (Salinger 13). Towards the end of the interaction between Seymour and Sibyl, Seymour â€Å"picked up one of Sybil’s wet feet, which were drooping over the end of the float, and kissed the arch† (Salinger 17). She responded with a sharp â€Å"hey! †, but other than that, she did not react at all. In the sample of a few lines, it is shown that Sybil still has the traits of personality typically found in children. When they are offended, they generally do not stay upset for a long time, much the same as how Sybil immediately forgives Seymour. In spite of being one of the main characters of the story, it is clear that she is still a little girl, with all the traits that come with that age. Teddy, the main character in J. D. Salinger’s short story of the same name, is very different from Sybil Carpenter in that he can hardly be considered child like. One can say that he stands somewhere between a child and an adult. Being ten years old, he has obviously retained some of the youthful innocence but because of his abilities, experiences and experience, he cannot be seen as fully innocent. Teddy is a child prodigy, he can predict the future, and remembers instances from his previous lives believing in reincarnation. While he can be considered blessed to possess all of these abilities, it is also a curse to be ten years old and have to suffer through this. At one point, Teddy says: â€Å"It will either happen today or February 14th 1958, when I am 16. † (Salinger 182) He is most likely referring to the day that he will die, being capable of knowing this information because of the abilities that set him apart from the world. Moreover, he has intelligence that puts him in the same class or even higher as most adults, so he cannot be expected to have all of the innocence that comes with his youthful nature. Therefore, it can be said that Teddy has only half of his innocence, while the other half has disappeared due to his abilities and experiences that also led to the loss of simplicity that can be found in Sibyl, who comes across as a simple, naive child. The one trait of personality that Teddy and Sibyl share is the kindness. The kindness is evidence in both, Sibyl’s treatment of Seymour and Teddy’s behavior. When Teddys sister tells the young boy that he â€Å"is the stupidest person [she] ever met† (176), Teddy kindly defends and reassures the young boy. In his journal it is discovered that all Teddy writes about are small kind acts that he wishes to do for other people: he wants to find and wear his father’s dog tags because he thinks it will â€Å"please him;† he wants to write a condolence letter to someone who is ill, and he wishes to be â€Å"nicer to [the] librarian† (180-1). Sybil’s presence and behavior lea ds one to many conclusions about the main adult in the story, Seymour Glass. Seymour’s motives and values are clearly and concisely revealed through interaction with Sybil. Again, the color blue is used to show innocence. When Seymour takes off his robe to go in the water, it is discovered that â€Å"his shoulders were white and narrow, and his trunks were royal blue† (Saliger 13). Even by his name (Seymour – see more), it is suggested that he is much closer to the nature of a child than to the materialistic adult world, he sees in life much more than they do. In addition to the royal blue swim trunks, interaction between these Sybil and Seymour leads to a further illumination of Seymour’s nature. It is suggested in the story that Seymour is probably suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, yet one would never know that based off of his experience with Sybil. In the interaction with her, he simply seems to be a kind man willing to make the child happy: â€Å"Seymour only treats Sybil with kindness and attention. His interaction with Sybil offers insight into the end of the story. Seymour longs for something that is pure and innocent after his traumatic war experience. He does not fit in the current society, and remains separated from those his own age, including his own wife. (McCoppin 4) When Sybil asks him if he has read Little Black Sambo, he responds by saying â€Å"It’s very funny you ask me that, it so happens I just finished reading it last night. What did you think of it? † (Salinger 14) Seymour seems naturally talented in his dealings with children, which can, in fact, be considered as a sign of innocence, as in order to be able to relate to the i nnocence and purity of a child, it is a must that that person has at least a little innocence of their own. Again, this trait of his personality is only shown through his interactions with Sybil. Through Teddy’s interactions with adults, J. D. Salinger also effectively depicts the motives and values of the adult world. The professor to whom Teddy tells his story is, like in a case of â€Å"Perfect Day For Bananafish†, depicted in contrast to other materialistic adults including Teddy’s parents. He listens intently to Teddy and wishes to learn from him. Through their conversation, we learn that Teddy is a genius who can see into his past lives and into the future. He criticizes the adult world claiming that the adults think that they have all the knowledge and that they are everything, but in reality they are not. To exemplify this point, Teddy uses the example of the elephant, through the method of emptying out the mind: â€Å"I’d try to show [the children] how to find out who they are, not just what their names are and things like that†¦I guess even before that, I’d get them to empty out everything that their parents and everybody ever told them. I mean even if their parents just told them that an elephant’s big, I’d make them empty that out. An elephant is only big when it is next to something else- a dog or a lady, for example. I wouldn’t even tell them that an elephant had a trunk. I might show them an elephant, if I had one handy, but I’d let them just walk up to the elephant not knowing anything more about it than the elephant knew about them. † (Salinger 195) Teddy is basically calling the adult world’s knowledge false, as he seems to be of the opinion that they do not really know anything at all, they just believe things to be true. When somebody first learns about elephants, they are just told that the elephant is big, and that person blindly accepts it, which Teddy considers a huge problem in the society because nobody is actually learning anything as they just believe what people tell them. The proper way to learn is to experience, Teddy has those experiences because he remembers his past lives but the adults of the world do not have that ability. Therefore, Teddy’s abilities and experiences shape the reader’s understanding of the adult world’s lack of knowledge. Along with proving Seymour’s innocence, Sybil’s presence and behavior also shows the reader what Seymour thinks about material possession and greed. When Sybil asks what a Bananafish is, she prompts Seymour to respond by saying: â€Å"Well, [the Bananafish] swim into a hole were there’s a lot of bananas. They’re very ordinary looking fish when they swim in. But once they get in, they behave like pigs. Why, I’ve known some Bananafish to swim into a banana hole and eat as many as 78 bananas. Naturally, after that they’re so fat that they can’t get out of the hole again. † (Salinger 16) This conversation with Sybil is concealing what Seymour thinks about the world of material want: He believes that the world is filled with greedy people who never have enough and always want more. A literary critic J. F. Cotter claims that Seymour relates the tale about the Bananafish to Sybil as a lesson, possibly even a warning: â€Å"Sybil is a receptive child, [she] has yet to taste the avarice that fills most grown-up lives, she†¦can turn away from the spoon held out to her. † (Cotter 88) The characters in the story that are clearly depicted as dwelling too much on material needs involve Seymour’s girlfriend Muriel, Muriels mother, and Sibyl’s mother Mrs. Carpenter with their shallow talk of clothes and fashion. Just like bananafish gorge on bananas, they â€Å"gorge† on material things. Having returned from war, Seymour struggles to get involved in this society that is dominated by materialism and greed. In his friends Seymour he only meets apathy and ignorance. He most likely carries some complicated emotions in him and in this society, he can find neither the way to express them, nor someone to share the emotions with. Therefore, Seymour can identify with Sibyl, the pure and innocent child that is not yet burdened with the materialism and consumerism. Though the world of adults within this story is portrayed as either trite or fearful, Sybil’s world is light and innocent. † (McCoppin 3) However, by Seymour’s account, it is suggested that greed and gluttony will always come back to them, and almost always lead to a downfall. Once the bananafish eat too many bananas, they cannot get out of the hole and end up dying there. Again, Seymour’s view of the societ y is only known because of his relationship with Sybil and her youthfulness. â€Å"Salinger’s depiction of children serves to illuminate the tainted adult world Seymour cannot reenter. (McCoppin 3) The story ends tragically with Seymour’s suicide â€Å"that leaves a lasting message for the reader with its contradiction of a simple, pleasant moment with a child, and Seymour’s fatal belief that he is too damaged to ever reenter this life of innocence again. †The metaphor of the fish eating the bananas in â€Å"A Perfect Day For Bananafish† is equivalent to mankind eating the apple of knowledge. While the bananafish are unable to leave the hole, mankind is unable to eliminate the preconcieved notions that it obtained from the apple. Teddy believes that the only way to change and fix it is to completely empty out one’s mind claiming that this is the only path to enlightenment: â€Å"You know the apple that Adam ate in the Garden of Eden, referred to in the Bible? You know what was in that apple? Logic. Logic and intellectual stuff. That was all that was in it. So- this is my point- what you have to do is vomit it up if you want to see things as they really are. † (Salinger 191) When Teddy says one has to â€Å"vomit it up†, he is referring to getting rid of all the previously held notions, and essentially starting over. He believes that this is the only way to the possibility of living a true life without succumbing to the materialistic pressures that society already places on us. It may be painful and uncomfortable, much like vomiting, but it is the only way life can be better. However, concerning the ending of â€Å"Teddy†, â€Å"the question remains if readers should take Teddy’s teachings as Salinger’s genuine message to help the people of the modern era to find meaning in life, or if Teddy’s tragic end represents Salinger’s acknowledgement that Teddy’s vision of life cannot and perhaps should not exist in present reality. (McCoppin 7) It is interesting how Salinger phrases â€Å"Teddy† because it is the last story in Nine Stories, and it focuses on emptying out, but in the first story, â€Å"A Perfect Day for Bananafish†, Salinger focuses on filling up. Both stories are a commentary on the materialism of the adult world, but â€Å"Teddyà ¢â‚¬  seems to be different in the aspect that it actually tells how one can fix this materialism, rather than just telling what it will do to people, like in â€Å"A Perfect Day for Bananafish†. However, one has to take into consideration the tragic ending of â€Å"Teddy† discussed above. The reader would not know any of the aspects depicted above had it not been for the interactions between children and adults that characterize these two stories. Even though Sybil Carpenter and Teddy McArdle are each innocent in their own way, they are similar in that Salinger uses them, and their youthfulness and innocence, to seamlessly build the stories off of each other and illuminate the motives and values of the adult world. WORKS CITED: Cotter, J. F. â€Å"A Source for Seymour’s Suicide: Rilke’s Voices and Salinger’s Nine Storiesâ€Å". Papers on Language and Literature, Vol. 25, No. 1(1989): 83-98. McCoppin, Rachel Season: War, Children and Altruism in J. D. Salinger’s Nine Stories. Akademeia, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2011). lt;http://www. akademeia. ca/index. php/main/article/viewArticle/ea0102/18gt; Salinger, J. D. Nine Stories. Toronto : Bantam, 1986.

Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar Essay Example

Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar Paper What were the reasons for the rise and fall of Julius Caesar? Changes within the structure of the Roman army set the early stage of the rise of Julius Caesar to power within the Roman Empire. The republican army of the early days was founded on the â€Å"Servian† constitution. The army was the army of the state; citizens served in it according to their wealth and were called to arms when needed. In the third century this began to change as campaigns increased in duration and moved farther and farther from the boundaries of Rome itself. Further there was a growing resistance of wealthy citizens to take part in military service. In 107 BC Marius instituted reforms lowering the requirements of military service to include members of the lower classes. This voluntary service helped to augment the compulsory service required of more wealthy citizens. Volunteers flocked to the army due in part to the troubled economic situation within the republic that had plagued the lower class for many years. Army service provided payment for service, a share of booty, and an allocation of land upon completion of service. These reforms led to the creation of a professional army with soldiers who served many years, often in the same unit, led by the same commander. This in turn created a great deal of loyalty between the Legions and their respective commanders, loyalty that superseded that between the republic and her citizens. Political infighting was also instrumental in the rise of Caesar. Marius had been embroiled in an ongoing political struggle with forces allied with Sulla. We will write a custom essay sample on Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer While Marius was engaged in a military campaign in Asia against the king of Pontus in 88 BC, Sulla who had been stripped of his authority in Asia by senatorial decree marched on Rome with his legions. Sulla forced the senate to banish Marius, who had managed to escape to Campania. Marius was captured at Minturnae but managed to escape again finally reaching Africa, where his old soldiers had been allocated lands due to Marius’s influence. Marius eventually returned to Rome, Sulla was absent in Asia facing the Mithridates allowing Marius’s supporters to gain power in the senate. Marius marched his forces into Rome and assaulted the city forcing the senate to lift his banishment and declare Sulla a public enemy. On January 1, 86, Cinna and Marius took the consulship by the 17th Marius was dead of pleurisy. Sulla regained power after the death of Marius and the republic was plunged once again into civil war. Attempting to regain control of Rome, Sulla and his forces faced a senatorial army at Brindisi in 83. Fighting lasted through the summer and fall of 82 at a cost of 50-70 thousand dead in the two armies and another 3000 prisoners executed by Sulla. Sulla further carried out a purge of Rome’s ruling elites. The forced removal and often execution of political rivals in the senate allowed Sulla to refill those positions with his own men. Sulla used this to begin the process of establishing a dictatorship without time limits. Beyond the power of dictator Sulla had himself presented as â€Å"Felix†, the leader blessed by the gods. This was the first use in Roman history of a divinity used for the personal ambition of an imperator. Sulla abdicated his position in 80 and died by the year 78 at the age of sixty. The actions of Sulla set the stage for the creation of a powerful dictator who would wield almost unlimited power of the Roman state. In the year 60, Gaius Julius Caesar returned from a successful governorship in the Spanish province, Caesar was anxious to hold both a triumph and the consulship of 59. The senate refused his request to stand in absentia, to declare his candidature. At the same time Pompey and Crassus were being shut out of senatorial proceedings as well. The three men Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus put their differences aside and formed a political alliance known as the First Triumvirate. It was a private and at first secret alliance later secured by the marriage of Pompey to Caesars daughter, Julia. They enlisted the tribune Publis Clodius in 58 to act as their agent in the senate. With his assistance they were able to push through a number of laws, including some that provided free grain to the citizens of Rome and forced their rival Cicero from Rome by outlawing anyone who had executed a Roman citizen without benefit of a trial. The year 58 also marked the year Caesar left Rome to take the governorship of Transalpine Gaul. Soon after Pompey was politically attacked by enemies in the senate and was forced to take refuge in his home for several months. By 56 the Triumvirate seemed to be falling apart, the three met at Luca in April of 56 and managed to patch up their differences, agreeing that Pompey and Crassus would be consuls in 55. The alliance dissolved not long after with the death of Julia and then Crassus being killed in battle in Mesopotamia. By 53 violence and disorder ruled the streets of Rome, things were so bad that the consular elections that year were postponed. In 52 the Senate-house was burned to the ground and Pompey was declared sole consul. Relations between the former allies became increasingly strained and both began to gird for war. In late 50 Caesar’s agent at Rome, tribune Marcus Scribonius Curio, forced the senate to a vote requiring both he and Pompey to disarm, only 22 senators opposed but they were able to secure a tribune’s veto. In January of 49 one of the tribunes, Marcus Antonius, forced the consuls to read a letter from Caesar agreeing to the earlier disarmament proposal. The consuls, with the support of Pompey refused to allow a vote, but proposed that Caesar be named a public enemy; the measure passed but was vetoed by Antonius. On January 7th, Antonius was warned to leave the senate, which then issued its ultimate decree (naming Caesar an enemy of the state). Caesar instead of running marched his army from Ravenna south to Ariminum, in doing so he crossed the Rubicon River, the boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and Italy. It was an open act of war. Caesar began his overthrow of the Roman republic by decisively attacking Pompey’s forces and forcing him to retreat to Greece. Having no fleet, Caesar moved his forces into Spain were he defeated the forces loyal to Pompey in three months. Moving into Greece Caesar defeated Pompey at Pharsalus in 48. Pompey fled to Egypt where he was executed on the orders of King Ptolemy. Caesar followed into Egypt and was captivated by the daughter of the king Cleopatra. In October 48 unbeknownst to Caesar, he was appointed in Rome as dictator for a year. In early 46 Caesar pushed into North Africa where the last remnants of Pompey’s forces were located. During the siege of Thapsus, Pompey’s army was annihilated. News of his latest victory was relayed to Rome and the senate appointed him dictator for ten years. Caesar installed Cleopatra in his house on the Janiculum, together with her infant son Caesarion rumored to be Caesars child. His campaigns finally brought him back to Spain where he finally defeated the last remnants of Pompey’s army under the command of Pompey’s sons. Caesar then returned to Rome where he spent the remainder of his life. From 48-44 BC Caesar enacted many reforms that were intended to relieve debts and reign in the extravagances practiced many of the patrician members of the government. He greatly increased the size of the senate and the number of magistrates; he also began a publics program that included a new forum, a basilica, and public library. Caesar also planned the creation of no fewer than 20 new colonies mostly in Spain and North Africa. New methods of taxation were established in the provinces, the new system assessed a fixed land tax replacing the older exactions of the publicans. Caesar further encouraged Roman colonization of the provinces and opened up citizenship to provincials. In 44 preparations were being implemented to strengthen Rome’s north-eastern frontier by attacking the Dacian king Burebistas, this action was to be a preliminary actions toward ultimately invading Parthia itself. Caesar expected to be away from Rome for three years during this action. A few days prior to his departure on the Ides of March, 44 he was cut down in front of the senate-house, at the foot of Pompey’s statue. Caesar had become too powerful and threatened the wealth and might of Rome’s political elite. His authority ultimately rested on the devotion of his soldiers who showed greater fealty to Caesar than to Rome. Many feared he was working toward being crowned king, and were frightened by his being venerated as a god by some. One can only guess at Caesars ultimate ambitions. A man of noble birth he rose from relative obscurity to the pinnacle of power within the Roman republic only to be the master of its destruction. Caesar’s legacy spawned the Imperial era of Roman history, many who would follow in Caesar’s footstep would take the title of Caesar as their own. Works cited: Marcel Le Glay, et. al. , A History of Rome (Malden: Blackwell, 2005. ) pg. 133-139

The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Essay Example

The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Essay Example The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Essay The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Essay To start off this essay, try painting a picture about a certain neighborhood. This neighborhood does not have any overarching governing body, nor is there a single overarching security force. In short, this neighborhood’s residents are left to fend for themselves. Assuming that there has been an unfortunate event in the neighborhood, whereby one house was broken into by some thieves, what could possibly be the reaction of the residents in that community? Will they seek to protect their own homes and not bother to care about their neighbors? Will they protect their homes and be malicious of their neighbors, thinking they could have been conspirators to the crime? Or will they work together and cooperate in one collective effort to solve the case and to protect themselves? This is an analogous picture of what the international realm may look like for scholars and the questions posted are classic questions that theories of International Relations seek to shed light into. In an international world that is ruled by anarchy, it has been a classic notion that states are left to fend for themselves. In this scenario, security of states is of great importance, if not the outright priority. As international events unfold, different scholars seek to explain the various international phenomena by choosing a theoretical framework that will best explain and account for the phenomenon they choose to account for Be that as it may, what this paper will aim to discuss is the recent development is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as an association of states, by using the pertinent theoretical frameworks in the discipline of International Relations.   The first part will discuss a brief introduction of the Shanghai Cooperation and what are the recent developments pertaining to it, while the second part of the paper will discuss briefly what theories in International Relations exist that may be of use to the discussion of the recent events in SCO. Using the chosen theories, this paper will discuss how the core tenets of such theories can possibly explain the recent developments in the SCO for example, using a certain theory, why would a certain actor in the SCO story act this way and what were the interests of that actor etcetera. A lot of international organizations exist in status quo. The reasons for their establishment may vary from one case to another. And for scholars, it is interesting to take a look at this phenomenon in the context of the emerging new world order. With the end of the Cold War, it is interesting to observe how states and other emerging world players will configure themselves. In line with recent developments, the formation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is worthy of scholarly attention. Upon its formation on June 15 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has six permanent members: the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Russian Federation (Brummer, 2007). It is an international organization through its founding members that cover about three fifths of Eurasia (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). This organization or association of states, though fairly young compared to other international organizations has turned out to be an influential political, economic and security international player (Brummer, 2007). The SCO had a predecessor and it was called, the Shanghai Five mechanism, which came from the five of the, now, six members’ (except the Republic of Uzbekistan) effort to further disarmament in the border regions and to strengthen confidence-building (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). Upon the signing of the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions and the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions by these five member states, what started off as an annual meeting of their leaders ended up to be a regular practice (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). The coverage of their agenda soon expanded to talk about cooperation in various areas like politics, security, diplomacy and economics, and then later on extended the membership to Uzbekistan (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). When asked in why Uzbekistan wanted to join the organization, the reply of President Karimov indicated that the primary reason was to protect the country from any possible aggressive move by the SCO (Nich ol, 2005). The Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization gave birth to the organization as it is known now (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). Recently, however, there have been some developments in the SCO and some issues have risen from these developments. Firstly, the inclusion of other states to the membership of the SCO has caught the attention of a lot of scholars and players in the international field, not so much as a reaction to its expansion but to the profile of the members that wish to be included.   Iran, as a very controversial country in terms of its relationship with the rest of the world visvis the United States of America, has been subjected to a series of deliberation (Brummer, 2007). The question of whether it will be granted membership in the SCO is something that has interested the keen observers of international relations. The main concern was what would be implications of Iran’s inclusion to the six-member association and consequently, how would the United States of America react to this inclusion. Secondly, post 9/11, the evaluation of the policies and reaction of the Shanghai Cooperation O rganization towards perceived (or otherwise) terrorist threats in their region, is something that the United States of America has concerned itself with (Nichol, 2005). The next section of this paper will juxtapose these recent events with the literature in International Relations- focusing on pertinent theories in the discipline that can explain the milestones in the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and using a comparative approach in discussing them. While it is not true that international phenomenon may only be explained by either realism or idealism, it is interesting to juxtapose discussions of different international events using the two because of the contrasts in their basic assumptions and tenets. Before this paper further discusses the developments in the SCO, it would first help to have a quick overview of the premises of each of these two theories, as these will be the tools to help understand and hopefully explain what transpired in these milestones and why they were so. Realism, as espoused by scholars like E.H. Carr, asserts that states are the main actors in world politics and that their interests lie in the pursuit of power at the expense of others (Mearsheimer, 2005). In a way, it more or less follows the logic of a zero-sum game, whereby one player’s gain is another player’s loss. The implication of this in policymaking is that decision-makers will most likely base their decisions on power calculations, as opposed to that of Idealism which focuses on the moral dimension and on liberal ideas for decision-making considerations (Mearsheimer, 2005). One of the canons of idealism, and most often cited by other scholars, is that of Immanuel Kant’s Perpetual Peace, whereby he asserts how states should act towards each other to achieve peace and prevent war (Kant, 1975). Writers, like Herz, argue that idealists believe that it is an imperative to change the world and champion the realization of a world turning into a secure global community- that would entail states abiding by international law and observing respect and recognition of each other (Hacke and Puglierin, 2007). The inception of the SCO may be seen as an idealist characterization of what international cooperation can do, whereby states seek to cooperate with each other to achieve a common goal. As stated earlier, when the SCO was established, the initial intent was to push the disarmament of the states in the border areas and to strengthen confidence-building. These reasons are liberal in nature- disarmament is antithetical to the realist push that states should be wary of other states and should protect themselves at any cost, and confidence-building is founded on trust and cooperation among partner states. While its inception is liberal in intent, as the time progresses, the developments in the SCO soon lend to realist assumptions. When it expanded membership, the intention of the new member (and even those seeking membership in status quo) may be contended to have realist bearings. As stated above, when Uzbekistan sought membership, it was not for cooperation nor was it based on trust on other states but, instead, it was to ensure its own safety by establishing ties with China and the other states in the SCO. But the annexation of Uzbekistan is not the only development that lends to realist assumptions. Lately, Iran sought membership to the SCO as well, although it was not granted, there stands a chance that it can happen (Brummer, 2007). From a geopolitical perspective, Iran’s inclusion would have been a political statement saying that between the West and Iran, China and Russia would have taken the side of Iran (Brummer, 2007). This scenario can lend to realist assumptions by focusing on the intention of Iran to gain allies, against a perceived threat and clearly this puts security above all other concerns. It can also lend to liberal assumptions by focusing on the fact that Iran has chosen to be part of a collective effort in dealing with adversaries, as opposed to a unilateral aggressive approach that will more probably lead to war and heightened conflict . The intention of China on forwarding the SCO agenda can also be explained using realism. There have been writings that talk about China’s effort to gain influence in its regional area and the intention behind the formation of the SCO may well be subsumed under this. In fact, there have been assertions that China has had the intention of challenging the unipolar order by taking on the leadership position of a anti-hegemonic coalition against the United States of America (Foot, 2006). Foot further stresses that China may well be building up its military and economic capabilities to challenge the USA (Foot, 2006). Taken from this angle, this obviously lends to realist assumptions of China using a formation of an international institution to forward its own interest- that is, to secure itself and to gain power by challenging the strength of the leading international player. But it can also be explained in a realist point of view, by showing how this is China’s way to achiev e a level of security for itself, but at the same time, it may also be a form of cooperating with the international community. Terrorism being a global problem has also been addressed by the SCO by having its members hold anti-terrorist exercises to promote common security and to gain economic benefits as well (Foot, 2006). Taken from this context, it is logical to say that the SCO has acted in favor of liberal ideas of forwarding collective cooperation. China being one of the torchbearers of the SCO has also coursed cooperation through economic ties with the United States (Langlois and Langlois, 1996). Fighting against terrorism by joining forces with other states lends to liberal ideas of aiming for peace and preventing war, even if it sounds moralistic, and forwarding causes for global security through collective action. But just as the previous discussions, the actions of China towards terrorism may also lend to realist assumptions. One particular example is in reference to the efforts of the United States of America in its fight against terrorism. Post-September 11, the members of the Shanghai Cooperati on Organization did not have a collective response to the proposal of the United States, but instead its members acted individually (Nichol, 2005). This proves the realist argument that states, despite the existence of international institutions, will still act selfishly and in favor of its own national interests. It is obvious that China did not want to lend a hand to this specific United States policy, although it was willing to cooperate with its members in dealing with terrorism in their regional area. China’s definition of its national interests, in this context, was to ensure that terrorism does not thrive in its region, and yet not give the United States the leverage to dictate or influence its policies toward security. This shows how there can be an interplay in the way realism and idealism explains a certain international phenomenon. The next question is, how does this make sense and does this not mean that one of the two theories may lose its ability to explain things if the other can explain it the same phenomenon with equal validity? In seeking to explain political phenomenon, one can use theories as tools to help account for such events. In doing so, scholars may fall to the trap of focusing too much on dichotomies the North and South, Realism and Liberalism. While mutual exclusivity increases the validity of a theory (or a school of thought, for that matter) to distinguish it from other existing theories, this does not necessarily mean that the truth of the other is the shadow of the doubt for the other. In fact, if theories are made to help us explain political phenomenon, then perhaps it pays to have a more comprehensive picture by using the lens of various theories to account for an event. Does realism and liberalism really have to be categorized as contrasts or is it possible that they can complement each other? Lucian Ashworth even asserts that the debate between these two schools of thought may have never existed, as the liberals’ (often called â€Å"idealists† by later realist writers call them) writings were not really addressed properly by realists (Ashworth, 2006). This is not to point out that liberalism has lost its capacity to explain, but what Ashworth is pointing out, is the fact that the line establishing this dichotomy is not absolute, and hence, may be blurred. There have been points raised by writers like Joseph Nye Jr.,that lend to the idea that perhaps the two can complement each other. He argues that in cases when mutual interests or a possibility in the future may suggest that there are plenty of benefits to be had for cooperating, states may actually adopt new strategies in their quest to forward their interests (Nye, 1988). This point may be used to explain why the members of the SCO chose to cooperate in their fight against terrorism in their own region, but chose not to cooperate as a group with the United States of America. This is so, because states and the associations they form can define their interests differently and their interests can also change (Nye, 1988). In this example, what happened was what the other theory cannot account for; the other can shed light to. Realism cannot fully explain how states define their interests and how these interests change, but liberalism can answer that by pushing forward the concept of co llective security, albeit this term needs more discussion as to how it can be operationalized (Nye, 1988). To be blunt about it, the true value of theories being able to explain political phenomenon rests not solely on the exclusivity of their explanations, but on the comprehensiveness of its account. Following Hacke and Puglierin’s   point, the realism in its absolute form can only offer a naked struggle for power, and hence any sound political thought must have elements of both utopia and reality (Hacke and Puglierin, 2007). To have a more comprehensive account of why members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization behaved in certain ways, in certain points in time, one must go beyond the dichotomy of what is considered realist and idealist. Instead, it pays to keep in mind that using relevant aspects of theories (as tools) can help paint a more comprehensive picture that will help account for the explanation of a political phenomenon. REFERENCES Ashworth, Lucian M. â€Å"Where are the idealists in interwar International Relations?† Review of International Studies Vol.32, No. 2 (2006): 291-308. Brummer, Matthew. â€Å"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization.† Journal of International Affairs 60 (2007): 185-199. Foot, Rosemary. â€Å"Chinese strategies in a US-hegemonic global order: accommodating and hedging.† International Affairs Vol.82,   No.1 (2006): 77-94. GlobalSecurity. â€Å"Shanghai Cooperation Organization.† Military. 2007. 15 Oct. 2007 globalsecurity.org/military/world/int/sco.htm . Hacke Christian and Jana Puglierin. â€Å"John H. Herz: Balancing Utopia and Reality.† International Relations Vol.21, No.3 (2007): 367–382. Kant, Immanuel. â€Å"Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch 1975†. 2007. 15 Oct 2007 mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/kant/kant1.htm Langlois, Catherine and Jean-Pierre P. Langlois. â€Å"Rationality in International Relations: A Game-Theoretic and Empirical Study of the US-China Case.† World Politics Vol.48 (1996): 358–90. Mearsheimer, John J. â€Å"E.H. Carr vs. Idealism: The Battle Rages On.† International Relations   Vol.19, No.2 (2005): 139-152. Nichol, Jim. â€Å"Central Asia’s Security: Issues and Implications for U.S. interests.† CRS Report for Congress. (2005): 1-49. Nye, Joseph S. Jr. â€Å"Review: Neorealism and Neoliberalism.† World Politics Vol. 40, No. 2. (1988): 235-251.

The Wright Brothers Make the First Flight

The Wright Brothers Make the First Flight At 10:35 a.m. on December 17, 1903, Orville Wright flew the Flyer for 12 seconds over 120 feet of the ground. This flight, conducted on Kill Devil Hill just outside of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, was the very first flight by a manned, controlled, heavier-than-air aircraft that flew under its own power. In other words, it was the first flight of an airplane. Who Were the Wright Brothers? Wilbur Wright (1867-1912) and Orville Wright (1871-1948) were brothers who ran both a printing shop and a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. The skills they learned from working on printing presses and bicycles were invaluable in trying to design and build a working airplane. Although the brothers interest in flight had stemmed from a small helicopter toy from their childhood, they didnt begin experimenting with aeronautics until 1899, when Wilbur was 32 and Orville was 28. Wilbur and Orville began by studying aeronautical books, then talked with civil engineers. Next, they built kites. Wing Warping Wilbur and Orville Wright studied the designs and accomplishments of other experimenters but soon realized that no one had yet found a way to control aircraft while in the air. By studiously observing birds in flight, the Wright brothers came up with the concept of wing warping.​ Wing warping allowed the pilot to control the roll of the plane (horizontal movement) by raising or lowering flaps located along the planes wingtips. For instance, by raising up one flap and lowering the other, the plane would then begin to bank (turn). The Wright brothers tested their ideas using kites and then, in 1900, built their first glider. Testing at Kitty Hawk Needing a place that had regular winds, hills, and sand (to provide a soft landing), the Wright brothers selected Kitty Hawk in North Carolina to conduct their tests. Wilbur and Orville Wright took their glider into the Kill Devil Hills, located just south of Kitty Hawk, and flew it. However, the glider did not do as well as they had hoped. In 1901, they built another glider and tested it, but it too did not work well. Realizing that the problem was in the experimental data they had used from others, they decided to conduct their own experiments. To do so, they went back to Dayton, Ohio and built a small wind tunnel. With the information gained from their own experiments in the wind tunnel, Wilbur and Orville built another glider in 1902. This one, when tested, did exactly what the Wrights expected. Wilbur and Orville Wright had successfully solved the problem of control in flight. Next, they needed to build an aircraft that had both control and motorized power. The Wright Brothers Build the Flyer The Wrights needed an engine that would be powerful enough to lift a plane from the ground, but not weigh it down significantly. After contacting a number of engine manufacturers and not finding any engines light enough for their task, the Wrights realized that in order to get an engine with the specifications they needed, they must design and build their own. While the Wilbur and Orville Wright designed the engine, it was the clever and able Charlie Taylor, a machinist who worked with the Wright brothers in their bicycle shop, who built it carefully crafting each individual, unique piece. With little experience working with engines, the three men managed to put together a 4-cylinder, 8 horsepower, gasoline engine that weighed 152 pounds in just six weeks. However, after some testing, the engine block cracked. It took another two months to make a new one, but this time, the engine had a whopping 12 horsepower. Another engineering struggle was determining the shape and size of the propellers. Orville and Wilbur would constantly discuss the intricacies of their engineering problems. Although they hoped to find solutions in nautical engineering books, they ultimately discovered their own answers through trial, error, and lots of discussion. When the engine was completed and the two propellers created, Wilbur and Orville placed these into their newly built, 21-foot long, spruce-and-ash framed Flyer. With the finished product weighing 605 pounds, the Wright brothers hoped that the motor would be strong enough to lift the plane. It was time to test their new, controlled, motorized aircraft. The December 14, 1903 Test Wilbur and Orville Wright traveled to Kitty Hawk in September 1903. Technical difficulties and weather problems delayed the first test until December 14, 1903. Wilbur and Orville flipped a coin to see who would get to make the first test flight and Wilbur won. However, there wasnt enough wind that day, so the Wright brothers took the Flyer up to a hill and flew it. Although it did take flight, it crashed at the end and needed a couple days to repair. Nothing definitive was gained from this flight since the Flyer had taken off from a hill. The First Flight at Kitty Hawk On December 17, 1903, the Flyer was fixed and ready to go. The weather was cold and windy, with winds reported around 20 to 27 miles per hour. The brothers tried to wait until the weather improved but by 10 a.m. it had not, so they decided to try a flight anyway. The two brothers, plus several helpers, set up the 60-foot monorail track that helped keep the Flyer in line for lift-off. Since Wilbur had won the coin toss on December 14,  it was Orvilles turn to pilot. Orville  clambered onto the Flyer, laying flat on his tummy on the middle of the bottom wing. The biplane, which had a 40-foot 4-inch wingspan, was ready to go. At 10:35 a.m. the Flyer started off with Orville as pilot and Wilbur running along the right side, holding onto the lower wing to help stabilize the plane. Around 40 feet along the track, the Flyer took flight, staying in the air for 12 seconds and traveling 120 feet from liftoff. They had done it. They had made the very first flight with a manned, controlled, powered, heavier-than-air aircraft. Three More Flights That Day The men were excited about their triumph but they were not done for the day. They went back inside to warm up by a fire and then went back outside for three more flights. The fourth and final flight proved their best. During that last flight, Wilbur piloted the Flyer for 59 seconds over 852 feet. After the fourth test flight, a strong gust of wind blew the Flyer over, making it tumble and breaking it so severely that it would never be flown again.   After Kitty Hawk Over the next several years, the Wright Brothers would continue perfecting their airplane designs but would suffer a major setback in 1908 when they were involved in the first fatal airplane crash. In this crash, Orville Wright was severely injured but  passenger Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge died. Four years later, having recently returned from a six-month trip to Europe for business, Wilbur Wright became ill with typhoid fever. Wilbur never recovered, passing away on May 30, 1912, at the age of 45. Orville Wright continued to fly for the next six years, making daring stunts and setting speed records, stopping only when aches left over from his 1908 crash would no longer let him fly. Over the next three decades, Orville kept busy continuing scientific research, making public appearances, and battling lawsuits. He lived long enough to witness the historic flights of great aviators such as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart as well as recognize the  important roles that planes played in World War I and World War II. On January 30, 1948, Orville Wright died at age 77 of a massive heart attack.

Diversity in Your Company or Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Diversity in Your Company or Organization - Essay Example My organization is one of the many beginning to actively promote diversity education and awareness in the workplace. Ideally, every person should be treated equally when it comes to getting a job, advancing in their career, and being treated fairly in the workplace. Realistically, this is often not the case (Workplace Diversity for African, Hispanic (Latino), and Asian Americans, 2004). According to Gingrich, many times the "talents and skills of [diverse] persons often go unrecognized" (2000, p. 14). My organization makes it a point to recognize everyones abilities and talents across a variety of orientations and to give credit where it is due. We hire and promote people of all different races, cultures, backgrounds, sexual orientations, and people with special needs, as well as others who can contribute specific skills and talents to the organization. My company is proof that "diversity contributes to the bottom line by making it easier to retain good employees, lowering costs by d eveloping skills in-house, and developing a reputation that helps attract new employees" (Corporate Culture and Diversity, 2004). It is a privilege to be a part of a company that comes very close to truly defining the phrase melting pot, a locality in which a blending of races, peoples or cultures takes place (Random House Websters Dictionary, 1998). Although it is admirable that we, as an organization, are so aware of diversity in the workplace and continue promoting it, diversity is not always easy for every individual in the organization to appreciate. Yes, our employees do value and embrace the differences of those around them. However, it has become apparent to me in this organization that diversity can also have an adverse affect within an organization. I am finding that although we are a diverse group of people, we also tend to segregate

A discussion by Lanston Hughes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A discussion by Lanston Hughes - Essay Example families and kids now of their own but it is amplified by the awkwardness of their chance meeting in the busy park in early autumn after years of no communication, each hurrying on the way home before dark. The autumn season signifies the progression towards a time of darkness and coldness, the season of winter. This also somehow conveys the message of being in the sunset or twilight of their lives already, in middle age and soon into retirement age. The exuberance of their youth had been gone and each of them is now weighed down by their respective marital and familial responsibilities. Their sense of loss is further emphasized by the loss of time, if only they could turn back the clock and go back to their younger days when they were the best of lovers. Both of them are now a bit old, although Mary is older than Bill, since she is the elder of the two. The setting of the story is unfailingly very depressing, shown by the metaphors of fallen autumn leaves from the trees, â€Å"fell without wind.† The time of day was â€Å"autumn dusk† which is â€Å"nearly sunset† already; a few more minutes and it would be dark as night sets in. It was â€Å"cold.† Figures of speech used, such as metaphors and euphemisms symbolize the regrets of not having pursued their dreams; both are now in the autumn of their lives (Hughes, 2002, p.

Technological Applications within Human resource Essay Example for Free

Technological Applications within Human resource Essay Human resource department is moving from the traditional way of doing things that is remote and inefficient to a more modern way through computerization that comes with great benefits and surpasses the traditional methods. A computerized system can be termed as eHR which simply means the use of predictable, web and voice innovations to enhance firm’s dealings, organization and process performance. It is therefore prudent for the CEO of the company to embrace such a modern system for efficiency in the firm in order to enhance the human resource services, in order to reduce operational costs, to improve the relationship between the management and the entire staff, to meet customer demands and to offer quality services to its customers and the staff. Technological applications within HR department have various benefits that include the following: with computerized systems the human resource department can develop a viable information strategy that will lead to increase in accessing the relevant information. Another benefit is that of achieving consistent and streamlined processes. This leads to a good and organized system that ensures that the laid down procedures are harmonized to be applicable to all and without confusion. The other benefits come up through the acquisition of the right information for those who need it to make correct decisions thus avoiding risks and losses that come up from guesswork. Also with technological application the management has the opportunity to achieve and maintain a superior internal profile for human resource that leads to achieving the goals and objective of the organization as stipulated by the mission and the vision of the company. (Hal and Dianna, 2005) However, such technological innovations have their own drawbacks and therefore needing the CEO’s attention; such problems include lack of understanding of the system developed using advanced technologies. There is need for the organization to incur extra funds to manage the advancement and also train those working to be better and efficient in utilizing the new technology. Another problem comes up due to inadequate coding of information that is arrived at when there is poor setting of the structures used to code. The middle level managers and supervisors may also bring a problem by holding and maintaining information that may help both the workers and the company at large. This comes when the managers do not have easy access to the system and a lot of manual that holds them . Lack of clarity of responsibilities for getting information on how the system can be used can also cause a great harm thus needing responsibilities to be well specified to correct the problem Research has shown that there is need to come up with a good computerized system for efficiency in the HR department to ensure that there is ease of managing the human resource. Such systems will include: holding personal details about the individuals workers that will include skills, qualification, career history, leave and absence records. Another system will include the production of reports which summarize diverse aspects of this information. It will also hold particulars about employees’ jobs which include things like their job grades, job description, role classification and pay and their benefits. It will also be of value to the company if the CEO ensures that there is information on recruitment and training administration. The computerized system in the company should also be able to provide information by recording and analyzing absence, labour turnover and attendance that helps management to make decisions on individual workers. It should be able to do job evaluation of the workers. For reward management and human resource planning, it will need a sophisticated system that will be in a position to support strategic decision making. (James, 2002) Provision of linkages to the internet is also a part of computerized system which will ease the function of the management of the company and can be of help in instances where the companies do recruitments and other things through the internet. There will be pitfalls that will automatically come from computerization that will not be received well by the affected in general. This are for instance the need for all the personal details about individuals can be tricky to workers since the management can base it in making decisions about them that may be of negative impact. Those being retrenched for instance will be sorted according to the information on qualification academically rather than experience In the event where the accessibility of workers information is not well protected, it can find way to people who can use it against persons who are the bearers of the said information and it becomes very dangerous to the workers. The personal details that must be handled with privacy include: medical history and discipline, employees qualifications, absence, special skills and competence e. t. c must be kept very private. Some top managers may take advantage and misuse the available information to mistreat those that are vulnerable and result to even others deciding to leave the organization while others will be affected psychologically and lead to reduced labour turnover. Some workers inaccessibility and familiarity with technology will make them feel inferior and will not take into account their various responsibilities and needs thus affecting them in the way they perform their duties. (Hal and Dianna, 2005) Best plan for the CEO The CEO must adopt the modern computerized technology to be in a position to be efficient and more organized for the success of the company. The CEO must establish the current need and also the future needs of the business and also analyze everything that results from information system that will be designed. It will require the company to ensure that the systems developed will be well customized to better serve the company and the whole population at large and it can be in a position to hold all the information of workers and avoid information overload so as to be integrated and also give maximum output for the benefit of the company. There is a need to come up with a good statement of all the requirements to make the computerization a success. Taking into consideration the business requirements, the CEO must identify the best options to tackle the problem while at the same time being strategic to realize the business goals set by the company. The CEO must support it by giving financial support after evaluation and analysis and then go ahead to buy the needed facilities. (James, 2002) The system should be in a position to get direct input at source to be able to get the data that is vital for the basis of decision making. It should solve the problems that were experienced there before and help the line managers by giving them information in an easy understandable manner. The system designed must not only help deal with the management information system but should also handle the administrative processes well. The CEO must ensure that they acquire the best technical infrastructure to support the program well. They will include the following; Application Service Provider (ASP) It will help the administration to do its administrative role well through a proper. Smaller or medium sized organizations rely on ASP in outsourcing the burden of running the system. ASP will help the company very much since the number of workers is around 200 HR/corporate intranet It is an electronic system that is networked therefore enabling all the available information to be communicated to departments and the centers that require the information within the organization. The available information that can be relayed comprises HR policies’, links that can be of help to the management to interface with other workers directly with HR applications and make changes or enquiries that can give assistance when required. B2E portal The organization can utilize this system that can help the human resource department by providing it with a single intranet screen that can make the company to collect information on the workers and give the workers and the people ready access to it. Human resource information system It is very important for the CEO to have a human resource information system that helping managing the HR processes and include important data that include, payroll systems, reward and performance management, recruitment e. t. c (Hal and Dianna, 2005) Conclusion It has been proved globally that modern organizations can only succeed when they are equipped with modern computerized system that can help the management of human resource for the growth and success of firms. The CEO has no choice but embrace the modern way that is easily manageable and less costly in the long run. With a number that is between 180 to 200 workers ‘keeping the file system to store information for the whole population can be quite hectic and also expensive since it will require a good number of workers to work in the human resource department to serve the company and the workers. Information required from files takes a very long time to be accessed unlike in the computerized system that is fast and efficient and can be made to perform multi-tasks and handle I perfectly unlike the use of workers who can only give attention to only one chore at a time. The company will now be in a position to assist give crucial information for better management and also handle issues related to their payments and also administer pay reviews, job evaluation e. t. c for the success of the company. (James, 2002)

My Pet :: essays papers

My Pet Would you like to live a happy and productive life? Then get pets! I must admit it is hard to believe that domesticated animals can promote mental and physical health, but many studies have shown that they can. On the other hand, you must find a pet that is compatible with you or with your life style. Maintaining good mental health is crucial for living a "normal" life. Many psychiatrists have found that patients with anger management problems can be calmer with a pet around the house. Sometimes, just the feel of a pet in the house can do wonders on the nerves and eliminate certain aggravation. I have found that having multiple pets around can be difficult, but with the hard work comes satisfaction and happiness. Personally, I own two turtles, one dog and one fish; my two turtles are in one tank, so they have company! In my fish tank, there is a predatory fish, which would endanger any other fish if I put more in the tank. Separating animals that could do harm to each other is a good method for ensuring their safety. In addition, you must remember to spend an equal amount of time with your pets†¦ even your fish, so one pet does not get jealous of the other. Many give their beloved companions names such as people Stanley, Buddy, and Mikey. By giving pets human names people feel more connected and comfortable around their animal friends. My dog’s name is Bishop, my two turtles names are Squirmy and Mojo and my fish’s name is Mr. Fish. My roommate named the dog and I named the fish because of the way they are Mojo because he’s the bigger one and Squirmy because he can never stay still longer than a few seconds. I named my fish Mr. Fish because I couldn’t really think of a good name for him. People some times are extremely attached to their pets; many cater to their every whim. Some people even bring their dogs and cats to pet manicurists and stylists to pamper their pets. This "obsession" with their pets can lead to deep seeded pain and anguish when a pet passes on. I can defenatly agree with that even if its not death and it’s a disappearance of an animal.

Australian Standard 3.2.3 for Food Premises and Equipment Essay

In Australia, premises where restaurants, bars etc are to be established have to adhere some standards. These standards have been developed by the Australia New Zealand Food Authority [ANZFA] in collaboration and consultation with both the State and Territory health authorities, the other interested institutions, the food industry and general public. For establishing a restaurant cum bar, one has to follow the rules and regulations set out in the standard 3. 2. 3 Food Premises and Equipment. It is to be noted that new standards mirror international best practice on designing and establishing a restaurant cum bar. These standards have become mandatory with effect from February 2001 in Australia. The main objective of the standard 3. 2. 3 is mainly to make sure that the layout of the premises lessens the chances for food contamination. It is the duty of the food business to make sure that the food premises ,fittings ,fixtures , transport vehicles , equipment are designed in such a way that it is constructed to be cleaned and , wherever essential , sanitised. Further, food business must make sure that the premises are offered with the required services of waste disposal, water, ventilation, light, cleaning and personal hygiene facilities, storage space and free access to toilets. The design and construction of food premises should consist the following: ? It should be suitable for the activities for which the building or premise is employed. ? It should contain enough space for the activities to be carried out on the food premises and for the equipment, furniture and fittings employed for the food activities. ? The food premises should be kept clean and if essential , it should be sanitized; and ? It should try to avoid the following : ? Should avoid dust, dirty, smoke, fumes and other contaminants. ? Not to allow the entry of pests; and ? Not to act as breeding grounds for pests. It is to be noted that if a food business operate without licence or without an accredited food safety program, then it will be liable to fined for 1000 units wherein a penalty unit equal to Australian $ 75. The following assumptions have been made for this research essay. a) The toilet facilities comply with the relevant building and plumbing legislation and the position of the facilities is located as detailed in the plans. b) There is a common bulk waste and recyclables storage area in the on the ground floor of a multi-level shopping complex where the proposed restaurant cum bar is to be located. c) The proposed premise meets all town planning requirements and that an application is not required under the Integrated Planning Act 1997. Steps to be perused before making an application for the approval of design and plan; It should be noted that applicant should prior to undertake any commencement of work on his proposed food premises; he should first take approval from the Council’s health services. The application should include two copies of plan and design for the proposed restaurant cum bar. The plans must adhere to a scale of not less than 1:100 and must include the following:- o Particulars of the proposed layout of the restaurant cum bar exhibiting the position of all benches, equipment, appliances, fixtures and counters. o Details of specification which should list all material to be employed , finishes to floors , ceiling ,walls ,work benches ,cupboards and descriptions /details of all equipments to be employed including the model number and the manufacturer’s name wherever applicable. o Details regarding the types of food involved the specifications if work to be carried out in each area and the total number of proposed employees. o Particulars of capacity of the hot water service which includes the service rating. o Where mechanical ventilation is demanded , additional plans must be forwarded which include: †¢ A full dimensional drawing exhibiting front and end elevation. †¢ Details relating to the filter capacity, rated motor power and provision for make up air. 2. ASSESSING THE APPLICATION AND PLANS; ? It is to be noted that all construction techniques and methods are to be in compliance with the building code of Australia 2005/2006 VOL 1, and should adhere all Australian standards and council building guidelines. ? The walls should be of an approved smooth flat impervious material and finished in light coloured washable glass paint. ? Ceiling to be of an approved smooth non-absorbant imperious material and finished in light coloured glass paint. ? Floors, ceilings and walls should be free from any cracks or crevaces. ? All fittings fixed to the walls shall be sealed with an approved sealant. ? Bench tops should be 1. 2 mm s/s bonded to 18mm waterproof ply backing and painted underside with white glass enamel. ? All ducts ,pipes , electrical wirings and like fittings not concealed in walls shall be mounted on brackets with a minimum 25 millimetres clearance from walls and 150 millimetres clearance from the floor. ? If no approval for a mechanical ventilation system is given separately, then food premises should have only equipment not requiring a mechanical exhaust ventilation system which complies with AS1668. 2:1991, which is permitted within the food premises. ? The food premises should have adequate artificial or natural lighting, Light fittings shall be recessed or flush mounted and fitted with a cover or diffuser and constructed to prevent contamination of food with dust, dirt or other falling matter. ? The food premises should have coving with a minimum radius of 25 millimetres and continued up all fixtures, walls and plinths for not less than 70millimetres. The coving shall be an integral part of the floor surface. ? The food premises should have wheels or castors on all heavy equipment over 16 kilograms to permit easy movement for cleaning of the floor area ? Premises should have impervious barrier, at least 300mm in height in between the double bowl sink and hand washbasin provided within the front area. ? Food premises should be effectively offer pest proof. The following table will help to analyse the significant factors that have to be considered while assessing the application and plans in the case of a new restaurant cum bar.

War Poetry

Modern History Sourcebook: World War I Poetry: Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967):†How to Die† Link to Collected Poems [At Columbia] Wilfred Owen (1893-1918):†Anthem for a Doomed Youth† Link to Collected Poems [At Toronto] Wilfred Owen: â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† Herbert Read (1893-1968): â€Å"The Happy Warrior† W. N. Hodgson (1893-1916): â€Å"Before Action† Wilfred Gibson (1878-1962) â€Å"Back† Link to Collected Poems [At Columbia] Philip Larkin (1922-1985): â€Å"MCMXIV† Link to Poems [At Hooked. net] Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967) â€Å"How to Die† Dark clouds are smouldering into red While down the craters morning burns.The dying soldier shifts his head To watch the glory that returns; He lifts his fingers toward the skies Where holy brightness breaks in flame; Radiance reflected in his eyes, And on his lips a whispered name. You'd think, to hear some people talk, That lads go West with sobs and curses, And sullen fa ces white as chalk, Hankering for wreaths and tombs and hearses. But they've been taught the way to do it Like Christian soldiers; not with haste And shuddering groans; but passing through it With due regard for decent taste. Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) â€Å"Anthem for a Doomed Youth† What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? -Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries for them from prayers or bells, Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,- The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of silent minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds. Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est â€Å"Bent double, like old beggars u nder sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs And towards our distant rest began to trudge. Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind. Gas! GAS! Quick, boys! — An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . . Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,As under I green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. If in some smothering dreams you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corr upted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, — My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old lie: Dulce et decorum estPro patria mori. Herbert Read (1893-1968) â€Å"The Happy Warrior† His wild heart beats with painful sobs, His strin'd hands clench an ice-cold rifle, His aching jaws grip a hot parch'd tongue, His wide eyes search unconsciously. He cannot shriek. Bloody saliva Dribbles down his shapeless jacket. I saw him stab And stab again A well-killed Boche. This is the happy warrior, This is he†¦ W. N. Hodgson (1893-1916) â€Å"Before Action† By all the glories of the day And the cool evening's benison, By that last sunset touch that lay Upon the hills where day was done, By beauty lavisghly outpoured And blessings carelessly received,By all the days that I have lived Make me a solider, Lord. By all of man's hopes and fears, And all the wonders p oets sing, The laughter of unclouded years, And every sad and lovely thing; By the romantic ages stored With high endeavor that was his, By all his mad catastrophes Make me a man, O Lord. I, that on my familiar hill Saw with uncomprehending eyes A hundred of Thy sunsets spill Their fresh and sanguine sacrifice, Ere the sun swings his noonday sword Must say goodbye to all of this;– By all delights that I shall miss, Help me to die, O Lord. Wilfred Gibson (1878-1962) â€Å"Back†They ask me where I've been, And what I've done and seen. But what can I reply Who know it wasn't I, But someone just like me, Who went across the sea And with my head and hands Killed men in foreign lands†¦ Though I must bear the blame, Because he bore my name. Philip Larkin (1922-1985) â€Å"MCMXIV† Those long uneven lines Standing as patiently As if they were stretched outside The Oval or Villa Park, The crowns of hats, the sun On moustached archaic faces Grinning as if it were all An August Bank Holiday lark; And the shut shops, the bleached Established names on the sunblinds, The farthings and sovereigns,And dark-clothed children at play Called after kings and queens, The tin advertisements For cocoa and twist, and the pubs Wide open all day; And the countryside not caring The place-names all hazed over With flowering grasses, and fields Shadowing Domesday lines Under wheats' restless silence; The differently-dressed servants With tiny rooms in huge houses, The dust behind limousines; Never such innocence, Never before or since, As changed itself to past Without a word–the men Leaving the gardens tidy, The thousands of marriages Lasting a little while longer: Never such innocence again.

Molecular Equation Definition in Chemistry

Molecular Equation Definition in Chemistry A molecular equation is a balanced chemical equation in which the ionic compounds are expressed as molecules instead of component ions. Examples One example of a molecular formula is: KNOMolecular Versus Ionic Equations For a reaction involving ionic compounds, there are three types of equations that can be written: molecular equations, complete ionic equations, and net ionic equations. All of these equations have their place in chemistry. A molecular equation is valuable because it shows exactly what substances were used in a reaction. A complete ionic equation shows all the ions in a solution, while a net ionic equation shows only the ions that participate in a reaction to form products. For example, in the reaction between sodium chloride (NaCl) and silver nitrate (AgNO3), the molecular equation is: NaCl(aq) AgNOThe complete ionic equation is: NaThe net ionic equation is written by canceling out the species that appear on both sides of the complete ionic equation and thus dont contribute to the reaction. For this example, the net ionic equation is: Ag

Understanding The Great Gatsby First Line and Epigraph

Understanding The Great Gatsby First Line and Epigraph SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There’s a reason why magazines regularly put together lists of the greatest first lines in all of literature: book openings make a huge impression on readers.How a book starts helps us orient in the world that the book is creating. First, it gives us our first idea of the narrator, and the type of narration we’re going to encounter. Will it be a breathy first-person confession? Or a cool and detached third-person observation? Second, it introduces the setting, letting us know where and when the story takes place - which is very important for modulating reader expectations. What we think about two people kissing in prim and proper Victorian England will be very different than what we think about the same couple in modern day Canada. So what does the beginning of The Great Gatsby reveal? Read on for the meaning of this work’s epigraph, its opening line, and its beginning paragraphs. Article Roadmap Analyzing the epigraph ofThe Great Gatsby Exploring the meaning behind The Great Gatsby's first lines Understanding Nick as a narrator from The Great Gatsby's first paragraphs Quick Note on Our Citations Our citation format in this guide is (chapter.paragraph). We're using this system since there are many editions of Gatsby, so using page numbers would only work for students with our copy of the book. To find a quotation we cite via chapter and paragraph in your book, you can either eyeball it (Paragraph 1-50: beginning of chapter; 50-100: middle of chapter; 100-on: end of chapter), or use the search function if you're using an online or eReader version of the text. The Epigraph Poem of The Great Gatsby The novel is prefaced by this four-line poem: Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, Till she cry "Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must have you!" - Thomas Parke D'Invilliers First, let’s analyze the poem, and then we can talk about who this D’Invilliers fellow is. â€Å"Then Wear the Gold Hat† In the most basic sense, the poem is a piece of advice. We know this because the first words, â€Å"then wear,† make it sound like we are hearing the middle of a conversation. Someone has been complaining about his romantic problems with a specific â€Å"she,† and the poem’s speaker is answering with some tips on what to do. The advice the poem is: go out of your way to impress her with your wealth/status (â€Å"gold hat†), and with your derring-do (â€Å"bounce high†). Whatever you can possibly do to attract her attention is worth it if she ends up won over, because then she will be insatiable (â€Å"I must have you†). Of course, this image of a ‘gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover’ is clownish at best and completely absurd at worst. The poemechoesthe novel's plot and characterizations: Gatsby’s approach to winning over Daisy is exactly that of the gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, desperate totry anything - including buying a giant mansion next door and throwing weekly parties in the vague hope that she would show up. The idea of putting on a hat as a way of burnishing your image is exactly what Gatsby has done in adopting his â€Å"Oxford man† persona, and relates to the way he is sometimes described as an actor or charlatan. (Nick calls Gatsby a "turbaned "character" leaking sawdust at every pore" (4.31), while owl-eye glasses party guest compares Gatsby to David Belasco, a famous theater producer in Chapter 3). At the same time, the clear mockery of the image of this lover points to the craziness of Gatsby’s obsession and the absurdity of his monomaniacal quest for Daisy’s heart. There is no dignity in the approach the poem recommends, as there is none in Gatsby’s as well. This idea is further reinforced when we consider that Fitzgerald originally wanted the novel to have a more satiric flavor (check out our article on The Great Gatsby'stitle for more details). The poem also connects with novel through the character of â€Å"she,† who stands in for Daisy. It's important to note that the "she" in the poem is someone to impress and win over, and not someone to learn anything about. Just like Daisy in the novel, the poem's "she" is a prize or an objective rather than a person. Thomas Parke D’Invilliers Guess what? There is no such poet as D’Invilliers! Fitzgerald made him up, and made up this poem as well. In fact, D’Invilliers is a minor character in This Side of Paradise, Fitzgerald’s earlier novel about Princeton. In that book, the main character befriends D’Invilliers, who is a talented poet - but whose poems tend to ignore the problematic or unpleasant aspects of reality. Here, the assumed name and invented persona of this poet also tie into the Gatsby journey, playing into the novel's key theme of the mutability of identity. James Gatz transforms himself into the glamorous Jay Gatsby, andthis poet is a cover identity for Fitzgerald. So,D’Invilliers was based on the Fitzgerald's buddy, poet John Peale Bishop. Couldn’t the real guyhave written something to be Fitzgerald’s epigraph? The Great GatsbyFirst Lines This is how Chapter 1 of this novel begins: In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. â€Å"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,† he told me, â€Å"just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.† (1.1-2) Let’s take the Great Gatsby first lines apart in a variety of ways. What We Learn About the Narrator The first thing we figure out is that the story is going to be told in the first person (meaning it’s narrated by an â€Å"I† voice who is a character in the story and who is present at the events he describes). The second thing we see is that there is at least onetime shift in the narration. Nick is older now, but is looking back on youth and a more â€Å"vulnerable† time. There are several different ways to interpret this vulnerability, especially before we have read further: this narrator may be vulnerable to being hurt by others, to being influenced by bad surroundings/people, or maybe even to taking his dad’s advice at face value. We also get our first clue into Nick’s background: he comes from money, education, and breeding (â€Å"advantages†), which will allow him to fit in reasonably well in the old-money East Coast world that he will encounter in the novel. The Advice Given to Nick by His Father We discover that Nick has had a hard time connecting with his dad’s advice. It’s interesting that he tells us about this difficulty before he actually tells us the advice itself - almost as if he would like us to read this bit of parental wisdom with the same ambivalence and grain of salt that he himself has. Exactly why he has been â€Å"turning it over in his mind† is not spelled out, and again could be for a variety of reasons: Nick may wonder when and where it’s applicable, useful, true, or even whether he can actually stick to it. The â€Å"advice† from his father seems really more like a dig at Nick. The phrase â€Å"whenever you feel like criticizing anyone† makes it sound Nick often judges other people’s behavior and actions without considering context or circumstances. This tells us one of his main weaknesses - and it’s a pretty significant one considering Nick is going to be the eyes through which we see all the other characters! How Nick’s Father’s Advice Shapes How Nick Tells The Story Unlike the novel’s epigraph, which really is advice on what to do, Nick’s father’s words seem more like either a criticism of Nick’s bad habits or even a warning of some kind. In other words, the dad's-advice-framing-narrative makes the novelinto a reverseAesop’s fable, where the moral comes first and is followed by the story that proves the rule. Primarily, this â€Å"advice† puts a big barrier between Nick and â€Å"all the people in this world† because he has had â€Å"advantages† that they haven’t. So what are these advantages? the kind of wealth that classifies Nickas â€Å"old money† (we learn that the Carraways have been a prominent family for several generations) a sense of morality and emotional groundedness that Nick calls "the fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth† (1.3), snobbishly implying that he is ethically above most other people This means that during the rest of the novel, this snobbishness and this tendency to dismiss everyone else as being inferior is something to watch for in Nick’s description of other people and events. Gotta love that Nick’s dad is basically like, â€Å"Maybe check your privilege every once in a while, son.† The Novel’sFirst SixParagraphs Nick spends the first paragraphs of the novel encouraging us to trust him and to believe in his impartiality and good judgment. Instead of launching into the plot of the story he's about to tell, Nick instead spends a significant chunk of time explaining his family background, giving us a quick bio of himself up to the point of the summer of 1922. In other words, the first six paragraphs of The Great Gatsby are devoted to establishing Nick as both an interesting character and a relatively objective narrator. Should we accept everything he says at face value? Nick as a Narrator The main question we have to ask ourselves is: is Nick's first-person narrator reliable or unreliable? On the one hand, Nicksets himself up as an objective outsider. He comes from the Midwest, a place of morality and stability, compared to the wild East that has replaced the Wild West as the siteof moneymaking and excess lawlessness. And he talks about his father’s advice making him â€Å"inclined to reserve all judgments† (1.3), which makes him an ideal confidant (â€Å"I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men† (1.3)). But on the other hand, Nicksaysthat his tolerance and neutrality isn’t infinite (â€Å"After boasting this way of my tolerance, I come to the admission that it has a limit† (1.4)). So which do we believe? Is he a neutral observer? Or a secretly judgmental critic? The fact that even this early on we have two competing descriptions of Nick reveals that he is an unreliable narrator. In other words, his opinions, biases, and agenda will color the way he tells us the story. Our job will be to tease out which parts are â€Å"fact† and which parts are just a â€Å"Nick’s eye view.† Nick as a Character We also learn that writing the novel is Nick’s way of grappling with the meaning of a story in which he played a part – like a form of psychotherapy. The experience he is telling us about has caused Nick to leave the East Coast jaded and disappointed. He comes â€Å"back from the East [feeling]that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart† (1.4). Because we are listening to a story an older and wiser Nick is telling us about this formative summer, the mood is already elegiac (in other words,mournful) and sad. The summer that he is telling us about was formative, and for Nick, the novel is a coming-of-age story. It’s not surprising that Chapter 1 ends with feelings ofregret and yearning for the unreachable, culminating with the crucial image of Gatsby stretching his hands toward the unreachable Daisy. Nick’s self-reflection here is somewhat muddy. The Bottom Line How a book starts cluesus in to the novel's narrator andsetting. The Great Gatsby starts with an epigraph poem advising a disappointed lover to impress a woman until she can no longer resist. This is a mocking short summary of Gatsby’s undignified and increasingly desperate approach to winning over Daisy. The poem’s ostensible author is actually a character from one of Fitzgerald’s other novels. The first lines of The Great Gatsbyshow us afirst-person narrator, and atime shift in the narration. Nick’s father’s advice seems criticizes Nick for beingjudgmental and snobby - something we need to watch out for in Nick’s description of other people and events. The first few paragraphs of the novel set Nick up as a character and a narrator. He is an unreliable narrator: either an objective outsider or an intolerant observer. The story is a coming-of-age narrative for Nick, who is telling us about the summer of 1922as a therapy session to grapple with a formative experience. What’s Next? Explore the rest of Chapter 1: it’s plot, most important quotations, connections to the novel’s larger themes, and the main events for each character. Learn more about Nick Carrawayto see whether he lives up to his promise of objective observation, and what it is that so disappoints him about his time on the East coast. Consider how the unreliable first-person narratoraffects our understanding of the novel’s events, settings, and other characters. Get an overview of the whole novel: its plot, characters, themes, symbols, motifs, and all the other analysis that we have put together to help you make sense of what you’re reading.