Hamlet Study Guide

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is one of William Shakespeare’s best-known works and one of the most widely-read plays in the English language. Estimated to have been written between 1599 and 1602, Hamlet was one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays at the time of its release, and has remained hugely influential since its creation. Fast Facts: Hamlet Full Title: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkAuthor: William ShakespeareYear Published: Between 1599 and 1602Genre: TragedyType of Work: PlayOriginal Language: EnglishThemes: Appearance vs. Reality; Revenge and Action vs. Inaction; Death, Guilt, and the AfterlifeMajor Characters: Hamlet, Claudius, Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes, Gertrude, Fortinbras, Horatio, The Ghost, Rosencrantz GuildensternFun Fact: Shakespeare’s son, who died at age 11, was named Hamnet; he may have been an inspiration for the tragic character Hamlet. Plot Summary Hamlet is the story of the events that take place after the king of Denmark is found dead. His son, Hamlet, is visited by the kings ghost, who tells him that Hamlet’s uncle Claudius was the murderer. Hamlet resolves to kill Claudius and avenge his fathers death, but he struggles with the morality of his decision and finds himself unable to act. To fool Claudius into thinking he knows nothing about the murder, Hamlet pretends to be insane; however, Hamlet’s actual mental state becomes less and less certain throughout the play. Meanwhile, when Claudius begins to realize Hamlet knows more than he lets on, he plots to kill him. Hamlet, though, is smart; much of the play depicts his brilliant wordplay and cunning outmaneuvers of the king’s courtiers—until, of course, the play’s tragic ending, which sees most of the royal family killed. Major Characters Hamlet. The protagonist of the story, Hamlet is the prince of Denmark and the son of the murdered king. Possessing a melancholy and depressive disposition, he struggles throughout the play with his inability to act on his desire for revenge. Claudius. The current king of Denmark and the brother of the king, Hamlets late father. Claudius murdered the former king and married his wife Gertrude, stealing Hamlet’s right to succeed his father. Polonius. The father of Ophelia and Laertes and advisor to the king. Obsequious, pedantic, and scheming, Polonius is killed by Hamlet. Ophelia. Hamlet’s love interest and Polonius’s daughter. She aims to please her father and is deeply troubled by Hamlet’s madness, but goes mad herself by the end of the play. Laertes. Polonius’s son. He is a man of action, in direct contrast to Hamlet, and is ready to take his revenge as soon as he discovers Hamlet’s hand in the destruction of his father and sister. Gertrude. The queen of Denmark, Hamlet’s mother, and Claudius’s wife. She was married to the old king, but was unfaithful to him with Claudius. Fortinbras. The prince of Norway, who eventually becomes king of Denmark after Hamlets death. Horatio. Hamlet’s best friend from university, who serves as a foil to Hamlet. The Ghost. Hamlet’s dead father, the former king of Denmark. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Hamlet’s childhood friends, whom Hamlet outwits at every turn. Major Themes Appearance vs. Reality. Is the ghost really Hamlet’s dead father? Is Claudius lying? Hamlet must continually grapple with his inability to trust his own interpretation of events, which keeps him in a state of inaction. Death, Guilt, and the Afterlife. Hamlet frequently wonders about the mystery of death. Tied to these thoughts is always the question of guilt, and whether or not his soul—or the soul of another, like Claudius—will wind up in heaven or hell. Revenge and Action vs. Inaction. Although the play is about revenge, Hamlet continually delays the act. Connected to this theme is the question of the afterlife, doubts about which seem to stay Hamlet’s hand. Literary Style Hamlet has had remarkable literary significance from its first performance, which is estimated to have taken place between 1599 and 1602, influencing writers as varied as John Milton, Johann Wilhelm von Goethe, George Eliot, and David Foster Wallace.  It is a tragedy, a genre with roots in classical Greek theatre; however, Shakespeare ignores Aristotle’s injunction for a play to focus primarily on action, not character. Instead, the play follows the twists and turns of Hamlet’s moral struggle much more through soliloquies than plot. The play was written during the reign of Elizabeth I. There are numerous early versions of the play still in existence; each, however, has different lines, so it is the job of the editor to decide which version to publish, and accounts for the many explanatory notes in editions of Shakespeare. About the Author William Shakespeare is arguably the highest-regarded writer in the English language. Although his exact date of birth is unknown, he was baptized in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1564 and married Anne Hathaway at age 18. Sometime between the ages of 20 and 30, Shakespeare moved to London to start his career in theatre. He worked as an actor and a writer, as well as a part-time owner of the theatre troupe the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later known as the King’s Men. Since little information about commoners was retained at the time, not much is known about Shakespeare, leading to ongoing questions about his life, his inspiration, and the authorship of his plays.

William Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet - 1243 Words

Should one of Shakespeare s most famous plays, Romeo, and Juliet, be removed from the freshman English curriculum? Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare and is a tragic play about two star-crossed lovers. Romeo and Juliet, the two main character, deny their family’s feud and choose to fall in love, but the choices they let others and themselves make lead to their untimely death. The classic play was written in mostly sonnets, a form of poetry and contains most of the English literature devices like figurative language, foreshadowing, imagery, etc... Also, Romeo and Juliet has part of the English curriculum for decades. Romeo and Juliet should still be part of Niles West learning curriculum since it’s still relevant because†¦show more content†¦Lady Capulet enters Juliet s room and thinks that she’s still crying over Tybalt’s death, but Juliet tries to explain that she’s actually grieving over Romeo’s exile in contradict ory words. Juliet says, â€Å"Indeed, I never shall be satisfied With Romeo, till I behold him—dead— Is my poor heart for a kinsman vexed. Madam, if you could find out but a man To bear a poison, I would temper it, That Romeo should, upon receipt thereof, Soon sleep in quiet. Oh, how my heart abhors hearing him named, and cannot come to him. To wreak the love I bore my cousin Upon his body that slaughtered him!† (III.v.93-102). In the quote, Juliet says one thing while her mother hears another showing even parents and children sometimes don t understand each other. Romeo is in Friar Lawrence’s cell after the prince had banished him. He draws his sword to kill himself thinking he had cause Juliet grief but Friar stops him and says, â€Å"Hast thou slain Tybalt? wilt thou slay thyself? And slay thy lady, too that lives in thee, By doing damnà ¨d hate upon thyself† (III.iii.17-18). From Romeo s viewpoint the Friar is unable to understand his grief a nd for the Friar, Romeo is being away to overdramatic. All of the evidence shows the difficult relationships between parents and children. Romeo and Juliet should still be taught since it’s relevant because there still are rebellious teenagers. Juliet thinking that she

Life Imprisonment vs Death Penalty free essay sample

Death Penalty versus Life Imprisonment In the United States, if one is found guilty of a crime of the highest degree, then one faces one of two consequences of utmost severity, the death penalty or life imprisonment. Either way, a life is taken away, literally or figuratively speaking. Through sentencing of the death penalty, life will come to an end by lethal injection, electrocution, the gas chamber, hanging, or firing squad. Through sentencing of life imprisonment, life will come to an end and mere solitary existence within the walls of a prison will replace it until death eventually comes.The magnitude of these two punishments for crimes committed is without question, as are the similarities and differences that exist between the two practices. Capital punishment, also called the death penalty, is the pre-meditated and planned taking of a human life by the government in response to a crime committed by the convicted person. We will write a custom essay sample on Life Imprisonment vs Death Penalty or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The United States has limited use of the death penalty to cases of aggravated murder and on rare occasion to felony murder.On the other hand, life imprisonment can be the sentence for crimes involving not only murder but also high treason, severe or violent cases of drug dealing or human trafficking, or aggravated cases of burglary or robbery resulting in death or grievous bodily harm. Once convicted, an individual serving life imprisonment will remain in jail for the rest of his or her life until his or her death. Prosecutors state that imposing the death penalty is a crime deterrent. Prosecutors are also in support for the death penalty because it gives them a bargaining tool in the plea bargain process.Even if one believes that the defendant deserves life in prison, without the threat of a death sentence, there may be no way of getting him or her to plead guilty. Law enforcement agencies reject the notion of the death penalty being a crime deterrent. They advocate that its cost far outweighs its benefit and consider it to be one of the least efficient uses of taxpayers’ money. Instead, they feel that life imprisonment is among the best ways to reduce violent crime, and if there is no life imprisonment, then crime would become uncontrollable.The death penalty is undoubtedly a permanent solution to stopping a single person from committing any further crime. The death penalty gives closure to the victim’s families and loved ones. Losing a loved one is hard for anyone and for most it is not enough to simply have the perpetrator locked away for life. Family members and loved ones want and need closure in order to move on in their lives. Life in prison is often thought to be a more humane sentence than the death penalty. Death is the end, period. Life in prison may still offer a person chances at reconciliation for their actions, while providing them time to mature and change.This is a part of the problem†¦when a person is kept in prison for life; the person who is sentenced is not the person that’s in prison 20, 30, or even 40 years later. People change, regardless of where they are. Some individuals believe in the old saying, â€Å"Eye for an eye. † It is often said that the punishment should fit the crime and the death penalty is a clear illustration of that belief especially in regards to murder. However, some individuals believe that the death penalty is nothing but an act of revenge that has nothing to do with justice. For them, the assertion is that life imprisonment offers the best resolution for the crime itself, the person responsible for of the crime, and the victims of the crime. Reported costs of the death penalty and life imprisonment differ depending on the source. Some estimates claim that each execution of the death penalty costs about 2 million dollars to that state’s taxpayers. The assumption is that life in prison is more expensive than the death penalty. If a person is dead, then there’s no charge to feed them, house them, or to deal with their medical problems.Their account is closed and they’re no longer a burden on the system. The most alarming difference between the death penalty and life imprisonment emerges in the cases of failure to convict the right person for the crime. In a variety of capital crimes in the United States, it’s been seen that people have been unjustly imprisoned for years. This being said, the fact that some people may be unjustly charged with the death penalty is not far fetched. Only with the recent advance of technology has evidence been uncovered that proves these people didn’t commit the crimes they were going to be sent to prison or put to death for.So this is really the crux of the question of the death penalty versus life in prison question. Are we as a people ready to admit that our system will be sending at least some innocent people to death? Or would we be willing to shoulder the financial burden of caring for prisoners, some of whom may still be innocent of any wrong doing, for their entire lives? Is there a way to fix the system so that this uncertainty can be eliminated from the equation? These are questions that people should be asking, as well as whether or not either of these two options is serving th e goals of both punishment and fairness.

Terrorism in Political Protest

Terrorism can be defined as a premeditated, politically motivated violence directed against noncombatant targets, by sub-national groups to achieve political, economic or religious ends.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Terrorism in Political Protest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More International terrorism can be considered as the one which involves citizens or a territory of more than one country (Cottle 34). In many instances, the aims of terrorists are similar to those of political groups whose views have to be dominant over those of their opponents. Terrorism is used to achieve progress within a short time than the pace in their current political atmosphere. It can also be said that terrorism is a more advanced stage of failed political process that starts with inequities and injustice. It moves from frustrated attempts of reform that breeds fear and temper, to confrontations related to politics that erupts in violence. They can be used to rationalize the use of any type of violence against any target (Sanders 95). Flashpoint (para.3) states that there are several forms of terrorism in existence. In urbanized countries, the traditional guerrilla warfare is mostly not appropriate. The reason behind is that rebels when attacked by superior forces cannot achieve and get hold of control over territory. In addition, they can not manage employing hit and run attacks effectively without having large losses. This resulted to formation of a new doctrine known as the urban guerrilla warfare which used terrorist tactics. In the 1990s a new form of international terrorism was formed. The group appeared to be less rational, not focused, deadly, and more international. This form of terrorism was known as Islamist Terrorism (Flashpoint para.4). An example of a recent terrorism attack is the one that happened in Southeast Asia in the year 2005. Since September 2001, the Australian prime minister had dra wn significant political progress. The political progress was a result of well-worn clichà © that changed the world on that tragic day (Club De Madrid para4). Force was needed to do away with the growing frustrations in politics, existential temper, and logistic ability for the hijackers to plan and implement the plots that had been evident for long. This was growing incrementally to anyone who was prepared to listen to the voices ignored from official avenues of political authority. The modern international politics took very little attention on the marginal voices (Club De Madrid para.8).Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Australia’s commitment to Southeast Asia rose up to governmental level since 1970s. Even after the rise, contacts were only confined to the elites. Out of fearing antagonizing authoritarian regimes, Australian governments and diplomats cut their rela tionships with groups and individuals who were not from their regional political establishments (Club De Madrid, para.9). Taking advantage from the observations, a wider set of affairs which constituted formal and informal voices from the opposition reduced the distress which was as a result of attacks by terrorist in Bali after 11th September 2001. Club De Madrid asserts that the of effects of the attacks on September 11, and attacks at Bali which left many people dead was the beginning of a deep feeling of insecurity within Australian society (para.12). The conservative government of Howard preyed on public confusion that was caused by attacks on September 11 and the attacks at Bali. Their intention was to demonize seekers of asylums who came to Australia from Muslim countries (Club De Madrid, para.13). Works Cited Club De Madrid. Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Australia as part of the problem. 22nd Feb 2005. Web.13th Mar 2011. Cottle, Sarah. Reporting demonstrations and protest: pu blic spheres, public screens, in: mediatized conflict: developments in media and conflict studies. Berkishire: Open University Press, 2006. Print. Flashpoints. ‘Terrorism political violence: Guide to world conflicts. N. d. Web.13th Feb 2011.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Terrorism in Political Protest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sanders, Karen. communication in opposition, protest and violence, in: communicating politics in the twenty-first century. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 2009. Print. This essay on Terrorism in Political Protest was written and submitted by user Angelica Wilkerson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Italian For Travelers - Common Phrases and Expressions

Italian For Travelers - Common Phrases and Expressions Taking a trip to Italy and want to learn Italian? If you want to have an incredible experience (not like all of those typical tourists) with the language tour to Tuscany you booked or the relatives in southern Italy you’re visiting, learning to speak basic Italian is a must. Its not enough to fare la valigia (pack your suitcase) and watch Italian language movies before you arrive. Whether youre sightseeing in world-famous cities like Florence, Rome, and Venice, on a business trip in Milan, or reuniting with family, there are a multitude of ways to improve your Italian before traveling to Italy. Â   Italian Survival Phrases Your first objective should be to learn Italian survival phrases. Greetings and farewells will earn you goodwill, and ones related to train travel and your hotel will help you solve problems quickly. Plus, remembering a few phrases related to dining out can make the difference between a good meal and a memorable one. After all, if you dont know the difference between a pesca (peach) and pesce (fish), you might go hungry. Â   The Basics If youre pressed for time, focus on the fundamentals. Study the Italian ABCs and Italian numbers, learn how to pronounce Italian words and ask questions in Italian, and brush up on the euro (after all, youll have to reach into your portafoglio- wallet- eventually). Â   How Tos Dont want to miss the next train to Venice? Have tickets to La Scala for 20:00 and arent sure when that is? Here are quick, step-by-step instructions on how to tell time in Italian that will help you avoid missing curtain call. Michelangelos is around the corner. Or so you thought the sign said. Avoid missing the highlights of Italy with simple instructions on how to ask for directions in Italian. Travelers to Italy might also want to know , how to pronounce Italian words, and how to conjugate Italian verbs like a native. Â   Its All in the Hands When all else fails- your is buried deep in your suitcase and you can’t even begin to think in Italian- try to speak Italian with your hands. Its not just pointing and grunting when ordering your favorite , either. Italian hand gestures are a way to convey emotions and passions that Italians will understand implicitly. What might seem at first to be physical theater or a scene in an Italian comedy will actually be a way to connect that will be much appreciated. Â   Buon Appetito! One of the primary reasons for traveling to Italy (besides the magnificent art, the incredible history, the amazing archeological sites) is la cucina italiana. One challenge is since dishes are usually served on separate plates in a specific order. include the autogrill, or roadside snack bar; the osteria, an informal place; the trattoria, which is a medium-priced, often family-run eating establishment; and the paninoteca, a place where sandwiches and salads are often available. Travelers are often puzzled about tipping in restaurants in Italy, and for good reason. Il coperto (cover charge for bread and water)- but not the service charge- is usually included in il conto (the bill). Italians tend to tip minimally. Â   Divertiti - Have fun! One of the best ways to pass time like an Italian is to spend a day (or a month) at the beach. Here are phrases to help you do that. You’re going to see incredible sights, so you’ll want to have suitable vocabulary to express how incredible whatever you’re seeing is. Plus, you’ll find some of the best shopping in the world in Italy. You better be prepared for it. If you’re interested in learning Italian and becoming fluent, read this. And if you’re feeling really brave, you can visit these places that aren’t on the typical tourist’s itinerary. Buon viaggio!

Work and Adolescence in the Middle Ages

Work and Adolescence in the Middle Ages Few medieval teenagers enjoyed a formal education as it was rare in the Middle Ages. As a result, not all adolescents went to school, and even those who did were not wholly consumed by learning. Many teens worked, and just about all of them played.   Working at Home Teens in peasant families were most likely to work instead of attending school. Offspring could be an integral part of a peasant familys income as productive workers contributing to the farming operation. As a paid servant in another household, frequently in another town, an adolescent could either contribute to the total income or simply cease using the family resources, thereby increasing the overall economic standing of those he left behind. In the peasant household, children provided valuable assistance to the family as early as age five or six. This assistance took the form of simple chores and did not take up a great deal of the childs time. Such chores included fetching water, herding geese, sheep or goats, gathering fruit, nuts, or firewood, walking and watering horses, and fishing. Older children were often enlisted to care for or at least watch over their younger siblings. At the house, girls would help their mothers with tending a vegetable or herb garden, making or mending clothes, churning butter, brewing beer and performing simple tasks to help with the cooking. In the fields, a boy no younger than 9-years-old and usually 12 years or older, might assist his father by goading the ox while his father handled the plow. As children reached their teens, they might continue to perform these chores unless younger siblings were there to do them, and they would most definitely increase their workloads with more demanding tasks. Yet the most difficult of tasks were reserved for those with the most experience; handling a scythe, for example, was something that took great skill and care, and it was unlikely for an adolescent to be given the responsibility of using it during the most pressing times of harvest. Work for teenagers was not limited to within the family; rather, it was fairly common for a teen to find work as a servant in another household. Service Work In all but the poorest medieval households, it would not be surprising to find a servant of one variety or another. Service could mean part-time work, day labor, or working and living under the roof of an employer. The type of work that occupied a servants time was no less variable: there were shop servants, craft assistants, laborers in agriculture and manufacturing, and, of course, household servants of every stripe. Although some individuals took on the role of servant for life, service was frequently a temporary stage in the life of an adolescent. These years of  labor- often spent in another familys home- gave teenagers the chance to save up some money, acquire skills, make social and business connections, and absorb a general understanding of the way society conducted itself, all in preparation for entry into that society as an adult. A child might possibly enter service as young as age seven,  but most employers sought older children to hire for their advanced skills and responsibility. It was far more common for children to take up positions as servants at age ten or twelve. The amount of work carried out by younger servants was necessarily limited; pre-adolescents are rarely if ever suited to heavy lifting or to tasks that require fine manual dexterity. An employer who took on a seven-year-old servant would expect the child to take some time learning his tasks, and he would probably start with very simple chores. Common Occupations Employed in a household, boys might become grooms, valets, or porters, girls could be housemaids, nurses, or scullery maids, and children of either gender could work in the kitchens. With a little training young men and women might assist at skilled trades, including  silk making, weaving, metalworking, brewing, or winemaking. In  villages,  they could acquire skills involving clothmaking, milling,  baking, and blacksmithing as well as help in the fields or household. By far, the majority of servants in town and countryside came from poorer families. The same network of friends, family and business associates that provided apprentices also yielded workers. And, much like apprentices, servants sometimes had to post bonds so that prospective employers might take them on, assuring their new bosses they would not leave before the agreed-upon term of service was up. Hierarchies and Relationships There were also servants of nobler origins, particularly those who served as valets, ladies maids, and other confidential assistants in illustrious households. Such individuals might be temporary adolescent employees from the same class as their employers or long-term servants from the gentry or urban middle class. They might even have been educated at a University before taking up their posts. By the 15th century, several advice manuals for such esteemed servants were in circulation in London and other large towns,  and not only noblemen but high city officials and wealthy merchants would seek to hire individuals who could perform delicate duties with tact and finesse. It was not unusual for a servants brothers and sisters to find work in the same household. When an older sibling moved on from service, his younger sibling might take his place, or perhaps theyd be employed simultaneously at different jobs. It was also not uncommon for servants to work for family members: for example, a childless man of prosperity in a town or city might employ his country-dwelling brothers or cousins children. This might seem exploitative or high-handed, but it was also a way for a man to give his relatives economic assistance and a good start in life while still allowing them to keep their dignity and pride in accomplishment. Terms of Employment It was  common  procedure to draw up a service contract that would outline the terms of service, including payment,  length  of service, and living arrangements. Some servants saw little legal recourse if they encountered difficulty with their masters, and it was more common for them to suffer their lot or run away rather than turn to the courts for redress. Yet court records show this was not always the case: masters and servants both brought their conflicts to legal authorities for resolution on a regular basis. Household servants almost always lived with their employers, and to deny housing after having promised it was considered a disgrace. Living together in such close quarters could result in terrible abuse or close bonds of loyalty. In fact, masters and servants of close rank and age were known to form lifelong bonds of friendship during the term of service. On the other hand, it was not unknown for masters to take advantage of their servants, particularly teenage girls in their employ. The relationship of most teenage servants to their masters fell somewhere in between fear and adulation. They did the work that was asked of them, were fed, clothed, sheltered and paid, and during their free time sought out ways to relax and have fun. Recreation A common misconception about the Middle Ages is that life was dreary and dull, and none but the nobility ever enjoyed any leisure or recreational activities. And, of course, life was indeed hard compared to our comfortable modern existence. But all was not darkness and drudgery. From peasants to  townsfolk  to gentry, people of the Middle Ages knew how to have fun, and teens were certainly no exception. A teenager might spend a large part of each day working or studying but, in most cases, he would still have a little time for recreation in the evenings. Hed have still more free time on holidays such as Saints Days, which were fairly frequent. Such liberty might be spent alone, but it was more likely to be an opportunity for him to socialize with coworkers, fellow students, fellow apprentices, family or friends. For some teenagers, childhood games that occupied the younger years such as marbles and shuttlecocks evolved into more sophisticated or strenuous pastimes like bowls and tennis. Adolescents engaged in more dangerous wrestling matches than the playful contests theyd attempted as children, and they played some very rough sports like football- variations that were precursors to todays rugby and soccer. Horseracing was fairly popular on the outskirts of London, and younger teens and pre-teens were frequently jockeys due to their lighter weight. Mock battles among the lower classes were frowned upon by authorities, for fighting rightfully belonged to the nobility, and violence and misconduct could ensue if youths learned how to use swords.  However,  archery  was encouraged in England due to its significant role in what has come to be called the  Hundred Years War. Recreation such as falconry and hunting were usually limited to the upper classes, primarily due to the cost of such pastimes. Furthermore,  forests, where sporting game might be found, were almost exclusively the province of the nobility, and peasants found hunting there- which they usually did for food rather than sport- would be fined. Games of Strategy and Gambling Archaeologists have discovered among castle remains intricately carved sets of chess and tables (a precursor to backgammon),  hinting at some popularity of board games among the noble classes. There is no doubt that peasants would be unlikely at best to acquire such costly trifles. While it is possible that less expensive or home-made versions could have been enjoyed by the middle and lower classes, none have yet been found to support such a theory; and the leisure time required to master such skills would have been prohibited by the lifestyles of all but the wealthiest folk. However, other games such as  merrills, which required only three pieces per player and a rough three-by-three board, could easily have been enjoyed by anyone willing to spend a few moments collecting stones and roughing out a crude gaming area. One pastime that was definitely enjoyed by city teens was dicing. Long before the Middle Ages, carved cube dice had evolved to replace the original game of rolling bones, but bones were occasionally still used. Rules varied from era to era, region to region and even from game to game, but as a game of pure chance (when honestly played), dicing was a popular basis for gambling. This prompted some cities and towns to pass legislation against the activity. Teens who engaged in gambling were likely to indulge in other unsavory activities that could result in violence, and riots were far from unknown. In hopes of heading off such incidents, city fathers, recognizing the need of adolescents to find release for their youthful exuberance, declared certain saints  days  occasions for great festivals. The celebrations that ensued were opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy public spectacles ranging from morality plays to bear-baiting as well as contests of skill,  feasting, and processions. Sources: Hanawalt, Barbara,  Growing Up in Medieval London  (Oxford University Press, 1993).Reeves, Compton,  Pleasures  Ã‚  (Oxford University Press, 1995).and Pastimes in Medieval England

An integrative review on, The Early Signs and Symptoms of Necrotizing Research Paper

An integrative review on, The Early Signs and Symptoms of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in the neonate - Research Paper Example Integrative review is considered as the most appropriate for the research undertaken because it can present a holistic and encompassing view of the disease. Discussion. Through the integrative review conducted, different issues related to the signs and symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis came into focus. Parameters in the different articles such as the gestational age of the neonate, the feeding start, the onset of signs and symptoms of NEC, the interventions and the management method for the condition, and the outcome of the neonate were given attention. In addition, the strengths and limitations of each research process had also been identified. Early Signs and Symptoms of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Neonate Introduction Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is defined as a disease that can be acquired by preterm or sick neonates described to have mucosal or even deeper intestinal necrosis (Merck, 2007). The condition is considered as the most common cause of gastro intestinal medical or surgical emergency in neonates affecting approximately 10 percent of the infants with the weight of less than 1500 g. The vague etiology of the disease is related to the rate of mortality which is 50 percent mortality depending on the severity of the case (Springer and Rosenkrantz, 2011). Background of the Study Based on empirical evidences, NEC affects 2 to 5 percent of the total preterm infants. Majority of the cases occurs in less than 36 weeks of the gestational age. In addition, there are different risk factors that are related to the disease based on records such as history of hypoxia, asphyxia and the introduction of enteral feeding. Another condition which can increase the risk of NEC based on different studies is cyanotic heart disease (Puri and Hollwarth, 2009, p.435). In addition to the said risk factors, the presence of the 3 intestinal factors such as preceding ischemic insult, bacterial colonization, and intraluminal substrate can also contribute to the prevalence of NEC (Merck, 2007). For the purpose of the study, such risk factors and related parameters were considered as the focal points of the study undertaken. The said factors were considered as early indications of the possible onset of the disease. Other factors such as geographical origin, ethnicity or gender have no proven effects on the prevalence and occurrence of NEC (Puri and Hollwarth, 2009, p.435). Determining, presenting, and discussing the early onset of NEC is important for possible prevention of the fatal effects of the disease. The study was able to achieve its objectives based on chosen empirical and primary researches focused on the early signs and symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis. The determination of the onset of the disease can be considered as the most important method to lessen mortality and to resolve the problem on the lack of effective treatment to NEC. Study Design and Data Sources The primary phase in the integrative review of the early signs and symptoms of NEC is the search for data sources which will be included in the study. Different databases such as CINAHL, EBSCOHost and PubMed were used to find five journal articles that explored NEC in different perspectives and with a focus on the diagnosis and clinical signs and symptoms of the disease. In the search for the data sources, there are factors considered for inclusion and exclusion of journal

Importance of the writings of John F Kennedy Essay

Importance of the writings of John F Kennedy - Essay Example This book consists of more than 100 speeches which were made during Kennedy's political life. This book is not the collection of quotations only, but also his public career which is completely portrayed in statements and speeches. The pages of the book are the reminder of John Kennedy as lofty ideal, parochial politician and clever person. It was mentioned that "much of the value in this book lies not in what it tells of Kennedy, but what it tells about the country in which he lived". (Unique Day of Hope 18) So it is necessary to discuss four main speeches made by Kennedy in order to get clear idea about his vision of America. All these statements are given in his book. (Goldzwig 189) The most famous Kennedy's speech was connected with Inaugural Address. This speech provides with several wit lines, the most notable of which are the words: "Ask not what your country can do for you,-ask what you can do for your country".( Unique Day of Hope 18) During reading this speech it became clear that there were no words about social security, poverty, educational problems, health care problems, civil rights and domestic problems which were the central point of all political debates. This speech deals completely with problems and development of foreign policy. (Goldzwig 189) The second speech which is also worthy of paying attention is Kennedy's address to Houston Ministerial Alliance.

Disadvantages of science Essay Example for Free

Disadvantages of science Essay How Science and Technology Affects Humans Life Science and technology are two things related to each other. Science is a systematic knowledge base, where a series of steps is followed in order to reliably predict the type of outcome. It is all about theories and focused on analysis. Science is the key by which man go anywhere at any time in the space. It has brought about several outstanding advantages to mankind. Technology, on the other hand, is more of an applied science. It is where tools and knowledge are used for the study of a particular science. It is all about process. What is life without science and technology? Nowadays, people can’t imagine their lives without technology. Anywhere they go and whatever they do, there are many things related to science. These are humans inventions and innovations or various technologies surround them that provide their needs. Even in their daily activities or simple tasks, they are already using those technologies. Refrigerators, microwaves, televisions, cellular phones, laptops, digital cameras, cars, computers and lights are some technologies that human uses in their daily lives. These technologies really provide them many advantages. It is easy to think about the advantages however, for your information technology has also disadvantages. Science and Technology helps human beings make their lives easier in such a way that it helps them in every sector. Like in transportation, through cars, airplanes or trains, they can travel faster to their desired places. From inventions and innovations of great minds, robots and machines are made to help people make lesser mistakes. Because of technology, man can save his time, efforts and give him a quality to his works. Moreover, technology increases production. People can create multiple materials in a short period of time because of modern machines. Most of all, one of the most important advantages of technology is through the field of medical science or human health. Because of the inventions of technology for surgical operations and discoveries of many medicines, human’s life span will be lengthened and will save innocent lives. Science and Technology also changed human’s way of communicating. From telephones to cellular phones, then came the computers and Internets which gave them information. Through these, now they can do video conferences to their love ones at abroad or chatting their friends. Satellite communication is another important dimension of technology. Satellite TV s and satellite radios have eased the broadcasting of events across the globe. Computers can store, organize and manage huge amounts of data. They can process large amounts of information. Computers have given rise to the software industry, one of the most progressive industries of the world. Gadgets can give entertainment not only to teenagers but to everyone. In addition technology also gives assurance or for emergency use. On the other hand, with the advancement in the field of latest technology, people face many disadvantages out of the benefit of modern technology. It can harm our environment. New transportation technology causes pollution by the smoke or gas from factories and cars. Most people lost their job because companies took up automatic machines to improve their production with accuracy. Yet, the answers or discoveries that technology gave may not be always correct. These machines look inexpensive and its good to use but once there are technical problems occur in machines, it took much time to fix it and also it can be more expensive. There are also side effects of technology in our health. This can cause growth of eye disease, increase of body weight and can cause cancer because of radiation of specific technology. Science and Technology can cause peoples communication poor. According to Lauren Nelson, when communicating face to face, nonverbal behaviors provide context clues for the words we use. Unfortunately, the Wall Street Journal found that technologies like email, texting and instant messaging remove these important context clues, and can lead to misunderstandings. Sarcasm and jokes without nonverbal context cues can cause frustration. Though smiley faces with different expressions called emoticons are sometimes used to substitute traditional nonverbal cues, they fall far short of what face-to-face communication can provide. He also states that as more students buy cell phones, iPods, and gaming systems, technologys impact on effective communication is becoming more pronounced. As the District Chronicles reports, teachers attempting to convey messages about lessons and textbooks find students are texting, playing, or listening to music. Not only does this mitigate the teachers ability to communicate lessons, but it hurts future communicative interaction between the teacher and student because of the lack of respect it conveys. The youth has also been very much addicted to gadgets that they get to spend too much time with it and creates their own world. Technology can make people lazy. Many people are already dependent and embrace this technology. Like students playing computer games instead of going to school or study. Technology also brings us privacy issues. From cell phone signal interceptions to email hacking, people are now worried about their once private information becoming public knowledge and making profit out of video scandals. Advanced technology has also created thousands of cases of cyber crimes, cheating and fraud. And most of all because of the new technology, the world may be facing terrorists threat and all of us are afraid of nuclear war. If people of the world use these inventions and innovations in a right way, we are all going to be benefited out of these but if the motive of a human being is not positive, surely they will face the technologys disadvantages.

Shakespeare - Definition Of Love :: essays research papers

Shakespeare’s definitions of Love and Lust When there are women and an omnipotent force to procreate there will be a number of resources that a man will use in order to attract the opposite sex. Often with the use of the notorious whistle/mating call, the perpetual use of lies about income, the stench of musk cologne, or the ever-popular use of the love poem, men strive to appeal to women with the intent to see his way to her heart. William Shakespeare, a man who, based on his works, was full of passion for the opposite sex – whether it had been honest love or perverse lust. Nonetheless, Shakespeare, like most men, wished to charm women. With this having been so, Shakespeare’s weapon of choice to be inwrought to a woman’s heart was the powerful love poem. He understood love and how to attain love and demonstrated this in his often praised sonnets. Writing about the joys and tragedies while also writing about the trials and tribulations of love was Shakespeare’s objective in select sonnets †“ Sonnet 116 and Sonnet 129. His views on what is love put into prose enables all that read his sonnets to interpret Shakespeare’s definitions of love and lust. Throughout his sonnets, Shakespeare discusses the conflicts that men have with time, such as time vs. the body and time vs. the mind. Although time withers the body and eventually the mind, Shakespeare writes that time has no effect, however, on love. Love prevails throughout time and is forever young when it is shared by two hearts that have become one. Love is a substance of the hearts united and calls for two individuals to commit to each other – commitment being marriage. Having committed one’s self through marriage both individuals now turn a blind eye to the other’s faults. To Shakespeare, this means that if one of the mates in the relationship cheats, the other should understand, forget, or forgive since adultery was the fault of one of the mate’s and love cannot see faults. This is best exemplified in Sonnet 116 when Shakespeare writes: Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: (1-4) Love is not only forgiving of faults but is also invincible in the eye of any storm. Whether it is hostility in the marriage or the death of one of the individuals in the marriage, love will continue to persevere between the two involved.

On the Beach: Sexism and Tourism Essay

Since the 1800’s, tourism has played a major role in the world economy. It has helped improve suffering economies that are unable to rely solely on their exports, and provided poorer nations with foreign currency and foreign investment, which can help to improve the economy of the poorer nation. Tourism has also encouraged development of modern skills as well as new technologies. (Enloe 233) In conclusion, tourism has become one of the most valued sources of income for many countries around the world. However, while tourism has played an important role in the economic standing of underdeveloped nations, it has also encouraged many gender stereotypes, and as not provided to be an equal or a non-discriminatory industry. Two of the major areas in the tourism industry where there are obvious gender differences are in advertisement and employment. When it comes to the issue of tourism and advertisement, the way men and women are depicted in tourist advertisements are based upon peo ple’s presumptions about masculinity and femininity. Because of history depiction of males as the one’s whore are more likely to travel, and women who travel as being improper, (Enloe 208) the majority of tourist advertisements are directed at men. This is apparent through the use of sex appeal. An example of an advertisement that uses this device is the advertisement for Singapore Airlines, which is mentioned in the text On the Beach: Sexism and Tourism. In this advertisement, there is nothing more but a ethnic woman holding a lily while standing in a misty setting. No information about the airline and its rates are given. (Enloe 222) This clearly demonstrates how women are used for there femininity is tourism advertisements. This obvious use of sex appeal is used to entice men to use Singapore Airlines. When deciding what airline to use, they’re more likely to remember the one that had the attractive woman in its advertisement. Furthermore, it is possible for them to hold a subconscious belief that they will meet a woma n similar to the one depicted in the advertisement if they use that airline. Even in the advertisements that do show males, the differences between masculinity and femininity are apparent. The men will often be shown in police or military uniforms to give an image of safeness and security. On the other hand, women are usually depicted in colorful peasant dress, to give the illusion of them being welcoming and, more importantly to the male viewers, available. (Enloe 222) The way the most ethnic women are depicted in these advertisements  gives the illusion that they are wilder and easily attainable, much more so than women back home. Men seeing these women depicted in the advertisements as they are, are more inclined to view them as something to experience and enjoy. (Enloe 216) The gender stereotypes in tourist industries are reinforced by the choice of employees, as the majority of them are women. For example, in the Caribbean, during the 1980’s over 75 per cent of tourist employees were women. The reason for this high percentage is due to the fact that most of the jobs that relate to tourist industries are viewed as women’s work. The most common tourist industry jobs involve cleaning, washing, cooking, and serving. On of the reasons the female employment rate for the tourist industry is so high is because in society a man who took part in women’s work was seen as losing is masculinity, whereas these jobs were not seen reducing femininity for women. As well, studies have shown that women tourists prefer, and feel more comfortable when other women wait them on. (Enloe 223) Furthermore, because women are usually passed a lower salary than men, by hiring more women employees, tourist companies are able to cut cost by paying the women employees far less than they would the males. (Enloe 224) The use of gender stereotypes in the tourist industry, as outlined in the text On the Beach: Sexism and Tourism are predominantly used for improving sales, and cutting financial costs. Tourist companies are aware that the depiction of women as exotic and welcoming will appeal to males, and hiring more women employees that men is financially beneficial. As a result, it is likely that these gender stereotypes will remain unless they become the cause of a decrease in profits.

Military Rule

Many third world countries have been under military rule from time to time, for many years. The reasons behind this are many, and are complicated and interconnected. A military dictatorship gets established when political power rests with the military. Developing countries are so called because they are still in the process of development. These areas of development include economy, financial planning and budgeting, setting up of a working administrative machinery, a working constitution, a functional system of government, a system of institutions of education, a system of health, so on and so forth. Altogether, developing countries lack a lot of basic tools needed for proper functioning of a country. Civilians in general are disillusioned with life. There is widespread poverty and illiteracy. Flaws in the working of the system ultimately result in major problems for the common man. Neither is the health system strong, nor the education. The government usually does not provide for even the basic needs. People generally have large families, with no regular source of income. Since literacy is low, most people have confounded and obscure views, and do not understand the working of the system. People get frustrated, and blame the government for not providing for them. As public support begins to crumble, the administration gets weakened. In developing countries, politics is frequently a monopoly, handled by the rich few. Laws and rules can be bended and twisted as desired. And so this ‘feudal’ system of government results in economic and social collapse. Crime rates go on increasing, along with a host of other illegal activities. In the absence proper jobs, ordinary people turn to illicit ways of obtaining money. These are just some of the main problems. In case of a threat from another country, or a natural disaster, or food shortage, matters get worse. Often governments succumb to ill advised measures. And so goes on the cycle. Military rule comes in the absence of a strong government. There are many inter-related factors behind the prevalence of military rule, especially in third world countries. A weak civilian government can be disbanded easily, without much force. Historic examples of military rule include the Greek ‘Sparta [7]’ The ideology behind military rule is one based on discipline – the one thing a developing country lacks. Militarism is generally the belief of the far-right [7]. Under military rule, everything is under strict control of the army, and civilians are subservient to it, whether they like it or not. Civilian rule on the contrary advocates complete freedom, along with organized plans for social and economic development and establishment of diplomatic relations with other countries [7]. Militarism can also mean Martial Law [7]. When a normal judicial system is replaced by military rule, it is called martial law [7]. It is used mostly by authoritarian governments [7]. Earlier, it was imposed in times of war, or territorial occupation, to deal with trials of prisoners and soldiers [7]. It was also used by those countries with expansionist and imperialist policies [7]. Today, in developing countries, it is the easiest tool to bring a distraught and a disorganized society under control. Martial law trials are short, and usually severe when compared to normal court trials [7]. Many counties have now shifted to another system, in which a country is said to be in a ‘state of emergency,’ in place of martial law [7]. Martial law also gives the government the liberty of detaining anyone it thinks is a threat to national interest or security, even without adequate proof.   Media and press freedom is also under strict control. The few leading the hegemony can make decisions without hindrance, keeping the public and its opinions at bay. Under military rule, a country’s population has no say in any matter whatsoever. Without a parliament, all decisions are directly made by the autocrat and his collaborators, without the approval or disapproval of ministers. Think a little deeper, and it seems as if a country comes to an economic and social standstill if under military rule. This is exactly what most developing countries go through. One coup after another and the country lags behind even in the basic amenities of life. Egypt, for example, has been under martial law on and off from 1952 [7]. Gamal Abdel Nasser was the president of Egypt from 1956 until his death, in 1970 [7]. Algeria spent three decades under military rule (1965-1994) [7]. Mohammad Al-Gaddafi has been the de facto head of Libya since 1969. Nigeria has also been caught up in a tangle of coups. Adebowale, in his work criticizes the way military coups took to power, squandering money on lavish cars and houses, and turning into multi-billionaires overnight [10]. He also goes on to say that â€Å"Nigerians are mute because they are terror-stricken and know no other state [10].† He also states that â€Å"Several human rights activists continue to be unjustly detained [10].† Countries like Somalia, Sudan, Liberia, Philippines, Thailand, Ghana, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Gambia have also been under military control often. Maureen Aung-Thwin criticized the undemocratic manner in which politics was run in Burma [9]. Uganda spent a decade under the rule of one man – Idi Amin [1]. As opposed to this, almost no first world country has been under military rule since almost 20 years. Military governments also justify themselves by claiming that it is important for political stability [7]. Military regimes tend to portray themselves as neutral and unbiased [7]. Though not always, military rule tends to have little respect for human rights, and often use force to silence their political opponents [7]. Another key factor is the convenience of having a military leadership, as opposed to the effort required for an elected one. Public choice can be conveniently ignored and new laws can be easily imposed. The general public is weak, with little or no voice of its own. With widespread illiteracy, public opinion can be suppressed, bribed, or even forced. The general public in developed countries, on the contrary is much stronger and aware of their due rights. Hunger for power and money make the entire system corrupt and fraudulent, with innumerable loopholes. With an influential background, anyone can come to power. High posts like those of governors and chief ministers are based on favoritism rather than open merit. Countries currently under military rule include Thailand, Myanmar, Egypt, Libya, Pakistan and Fiji [7]. If loosely stated, the three key factors behind prevalence of military rule in developing countries are the hunger for power and money, a large but weak civilian population, and convenience for the army. With just one man to make decisions, it gets very convenient for military personnel to run the country. In the end, it is the normal civilian population which suffers. In hopes of better prospects, people look forward to young and dynamic leaders, but in reality, the nation continues to live under a rigid and a totalitarian leadership. It is a widely believed notion that civilian rule is always better, long lasting, and makes a country prosperous. With free and fair democratic elections, the people themselves choose their leader, and so, everything falls in place, and the country can look forward to a brighter future.    Works Cited: Prince Adebowale, Samuel Abiodun, Nigeria: The Nation under Siege by Power Drunk and Ruthless Military Dictatorship,   1997 Aung-Thwin, Maureen, Burma: Political Economy Under Military Rule, (edited by Robert H. Taylor), 2001, New York: Palgrave (Global Publishing at St. Martin's Press), ISBN 0-312-23568-2. Birkhimer, William E, Military Government and Martial Law (third edition, revised), 1914, Kansas City: Missouri, Franklin Hudson Publishing Co. Chris, Alli M. The Federal Republic of Nigerian Army: The Siege of a Nation, 2002, Nigeria Malthouse, 9780231277 Fidel, Kenneth, 1975, Militarism in developing countries, Transaction Publishers ISBN 0878555854 Fink, Christina, Living Silence: Burma under military rule (politics in contemporary Asia), 2001, Zed Books Ltd. â€Å"Libya – History,† (2006, July 14), US Department of State's Background Notes, (Nov. 2005). Militarism, wikipedia, retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militarism Olukotun, Ayo, Repressive Stat e and Resurgent Media under Nigeria’s Military Dictatorship, 1988-98, Nordic Africa Institute, (2004)      

Modernization and Dependency essays

Modernization and Dependency essays Dependency is a process associated with the economies of many Third World countries that is formatted in terms of external factors. Dependency exists when a country relies on a single (or a limited few) exports that are sold to more industrialized countries, manufactured and then resold to the country of origin for a higher price. This means that a country's income from exports is continually insufficient to meet the cost of The nature of dependency theory categorizes countries into one of two types: dominant and dependent. Many formally colonized countries (such as India) were organized along this type of economic structure. The primary state was automatically the imperialist overseer and the dependent state was the colony. Single export economies were also common within the colonial network (consider coffee from Brazil or sugar from the Caribbean). Dependent states tend toward a low per capita GNP as direct result of their dependency. "The dependent states supply cheap minerals, agricultural commodities, and cheap labor, and also serve as the repositories of surplus capital, obsolescent technologies, and manufactured goods. These functions orient the economies of the dependent states toward the outside: money, goods, and services do flow into dependent states, but the allocation of these resources are determined by the economic interests of the dominant states, and not by the economic interests of the dependent Economic dependency is a result of direct intervention and manipulation of the economic structure in poorer countries. Industrialization is limited as a result of outside control and domination. These are countries that are exploited for the purpose of providing specific export products and, or, cheap labor to the detriment of the native population and the benefit of the dominant state. Politically, ...

Positivity in Your Job Search Will Get You Farther Than You Think

Positivity in Your Job Search Will Get You Farther Than You Think Perhaps you’ll identify with me when I say I can’t stand hearing anyone complain- except for myself. That said, even my tolerance for my own complaints has plummeted in the last few years. As soon as I start complaining in a conversation, I know I’ve made a big mistake. I leave the interaction feeling horrible, sure the person I was talking to will never want to talk to me again. Last week, while reading AJ Jacobs’ The Guinea Pig Diaries, I learned something new about the impact of my complaining or criticizing. I was shocked to discover a phenomenon that makes people really and truly think poorly of me when I speak poorly of others. You Are What You Speak It turns out that not only are complainers seen as negative, but that the characteristics they attribute to others are automatically attributed to them by their listener. So if I call someone racist, the person listening to me will unconsciously dub me a racist. If I call someone stupid or incompetent, I will be seen as stupid and incompetent. In contrast, if I talk about how nice, helpful, talented, and all-around awesome people are, listeners will associate all those positive characteristics with me. Since learning about this mind mechanism, I’ve become much more conscious of my speech. I now understand that by using negative language, I’m risking not only that people will have a generally negative feeling about me, but also that they will make specific negative judgments that I certainly don’t want attached to me. By using more positive words, I can consciously shape the way people think of me. I recently had a conversation with one of my executive clients, who had been given the runaround, then turned away by another resume writing company, because they don’t work with â€Å"Muslim terrorists.† I can assure you this man is one of the most generous and kind people you would ever want to meet. He did not have anything negative to say about that company, and he chose not to report them to the BBB or even tell LinkedIn to investigate their profiles. He figured he could stay positive, and let them dig their own graves. If they are putting out that negativity into the world, they themselves will be seen as negative. Positive Language in Your Job Search Also last week, I saw a resume that spoke of bringing together often â€Å"fractious† staff. The word â€Å"fractious† appeared twice in one resume! Guess what anyone reading that resume will think of the applicant? Yep†¦ that he himself is the fractious one. His final resume will not include that word if I have anything to say about it. Instead, he will say that he fostered teamwork in a diverse, multi-cultural environment. That sounds much better doesn’t it? While it’s important in many cases to provide a â€Å"before and after† picture to highlight your accomplishments, putting people down will never serve you. You can talk about bringing negative profits to positive ones, but don’t let the negative adjectives spill over onto people.  (Learn more about creating compelling accomplishment bullets with my DIY resume books. Sign up here to get a free excerpt!) In job interviews as well, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of staying positive. I still remember an interview I gave when I was a manager in a legal department. The interviewee had an impressive background, but in her interview, almost every word out of her mouth was about the negative aspects of her prior employment. Needless to say, she didn’t get hired. If she had been more positive, we would have considered her. In Business Insider’s 29 Words You Should Never Say in a Job Interview, here’s what author Jacquelyn Smith says about some clearly damaging words you must avoid: Terrible, horrible, awful, hate, etc. You shouldnt use negative language during your interview - especially when youre talking about your current or previous boss or employer. Even if the interviewer invites you to,  dont, Hoover says. Its not classy, and it  will make you sound bitter and petty. It also shows that you could bad-mouth any boss or company in the future - and it could even be a test to see if you will say anything disparaging. That’s great advice, and now I understand that if you use words like these, you will actually be perceived as terrible, horrible, awful, hating person. While Ms. Smith doesnt suggest positive words to emphasize, I would offer â€Å"exciting,† â€Å"growthful,† â€Å"positive,† â€Å"amazing,† â€Å"collaborative,† â€Å"talented,† â€Å"friendly,† â€Å"smart,† â€Å"brilliant,† â€Å"creative,† â€Å"innovative,† and other adjectives that paint others – and, by default, you – in a favorable light. The Challenge, If You Choose to Accept It Eliminating negative language is not as easy as it sounds. I caught myself today talking to a very helpful man at the airport about how unhelpful a customer service person had been because she gave me directions to the hotel shuttle that didn’t help. â€Å"Wow,† I thought, â€Å"I’m addicted to complaining!† There was clearly no useful purpose in sharing that information with him, and now he probably thinks I’m negative and unhelpful. I sure have a lot more work to do on this positivity project! I’m grateful to have people like my client and others who inspire me to live and work â€Å"above the line.† They keep me honest and, well, I think they’re fantastic and awesome! Are you ready to start being more aware of your language so you can be perceived in a positive light yourself, in life, in business, and in your job search? Please share your thoughts and stories below.

Care of primigravida in labour reqiring an Epidural at 4cm Essay

Care of primigravida in labour reqiring an Epidural at 4cm - Essay Example The third stage involves an evaluation of the positive and negative points of the experience. The fourth stage is an analysis of the components of the experience. The fifth stage includes making a conclusion based on the facts gathered about the experience. Lastly, an action plan is devised based on the results of the experience. Baird and Winter (2005) identified reasons as to why reflection is important in professional practice such as enhancement of capacity to critique habitual practices, generate practice knowledge, develop ability to adapt to new situations, and to resolve conflicts and contradictions in theory and in professional practice. Reflection, according to Baird and Winter (2005), also aims to improve one’s self-esteem and satisfaction, and that the overall goal of reflection is to value, develop and professionalise the practice. Siviter (2008) supports the use of reflective practice in that it provides an avenue for a person to contemplate the reasons behind decision making and one’s own actions. As a person gains experience, his or her own skills and intuition will be developed subconsciously. A person usually relies on this skills and intuition but there are situations wherein one has to be certain in doing the right things for the right reasons. In addition, reflection helps a person avoid professional entropy, which pertains to a condition wherein a person loses his or her proficiency on a certain skill due to lack of practice. This applies even to the most basic and fundamental skills. This part of the reflection provides an account of the event that took place. I am a band 5 midwife working on supervised practice at a UK hospital. A patient was admitted showing signs of second stage of labour. The patient’s name is Ellen, who is 30 years old and has a body mass index (BMI) of 29. Immediate care was given Ellen, with epidural analgesia administered

50 Cent-The Controversial Rapper Research Paper

50 Cent-The Controversial Rapper - Research Paper Example This paper discusses the theory that 50 Cent is more famous because of controversies rather than his music. Further, this paper will point out how harsh, negative lyrics of his songs have been the reason for him being criticized in the music circle but becoming famous among the people. The overall goal is to show that rather than being a talented artist 50 Cent is a clever artist who survives through all the controversies he’s involved in. 50 Cent has been known as the one straight out of streets. His biography and all the details about him are splashed with details about his difficult past and the way he had grown up in a family where his mother was a hustler. His mother died when he was young and soon his father died. He was left to be taken care of by his grandmother according to whom he’s a sweet child, much against the views of others. Having such a difficult past and having faced all the difficulties that do explain partly the way he is and the way he behaves. The refore, I think reading a person’s biography before reading other articles about him is essential in understanding the kind of person. In her article, Zonda Hughes (2003) describes the life of 50 Cent, a.k.a Curtis Jackson, explaining that his life can be summarized as being a compilation of 9 lives. Even though the article does not criticize the rapper artist as such but does provide a brief overview of the life of the artist. Right from being the son of the notorious drug trafficker to entering the same profession as his mother and being jailed to shooting to stardom with his hard hitting lyrics. Hughes mentions it all. 50 Cent has created an image of his that shows him as being the tough guy who has seen it all and it is this image that is the reason for his popularity. It is difficult to deny that his popularity is not based on his hard image as he himself has always proclaimed himself to be the one who has seen the toughest things and has gone through some of the most di fficult situations, surviving being shot 9 times is certainly a difficult situation. Whether making controversial statements like not being ashamed of being a drug trafficker or whether his own destiny that leads him to controversial situations, he definitely seems like controversies’ favourite child. He has been accused of starting the trend of gangsta rap again and is hated because he might have started the trend of gangster fights in the industry again that saw the death of many famous rappers. He has brought the era back when hip-hop industry saw hatred amongst each other. However, he does not seem perturbed about those accusations and instead glorifies his gangster image. Even though the rapper claims that his life was not his choice but he definitely loves being the bad boy and earning the popularity for being a bad boy. As both he and Hughes (2003) acknowledges, bad boys are famous with both women and men, with women because they seem more attractive and with men becau se they establish a sense of style. He is referred to as hip-hop entrepreneur in his biography and it is true that he is a clever entrepreneur who knows how to stay in the business by making shocking statements. Even though his hard work can not be ignored but his urge to become famous and rich means that he chooses to do so no matter what the means. He has been described in his biography as one having a viciously funny personality who will get rich or die trying. Adam Bernanrd (2003) notes how full

Strategy Management and Health Information Technology Essay

Strategy Management and Health Information Technology - Essay Example As will be discussed in the preceding sections, this level of organic growth was most heavily impacted with regards to the acquisition of several key firms that offered software and logistics solutions with regards to the application of EMR (Goodwin et al, 2013). Finally, the current business seeking to broaden upon the way in which the Canadian health system integrates with and understands/utilizes electronic medical records. This is of course something of a gamble as it cannot be definitively determined which direction the health and governmental organizations that control the system might develop. Nonetheless, this is a gamble that Telus Health has been willing to take. Telus Business Strategy: As with any firm, Telus Health is most supremely interested in maximizing profits. Likewise, in order to affect such an end, it is necessary for the firm to grow into new markets, integrate with new products, and gain a higher level of customers/sales. Although there are many means to affec t such an end, the particular business strategy that Telus Health has chosen to engage with can most definitively be described as one of acquisition. An acquisition strategy is a strategy that many firms/organizations would doubtless love to be able to pursue. However, there is a costly requirement in order to pursue such an end. Generally, firms that pursue an acquisition strategy have excess capital in reserve. In order to do this, it is necessary for the firm to of experienced a large degree of success in the past or to have assets that it is willing to leverage in order to affect such a strategy. A small company with extra capital may use an acquisition strategy to gain a competitive advantage. An acquisition strategy entails purchasing another company, or one or more product lines of that company. For example, a small grocery retailer on the east coast may purchase a comparable grocery chain in the Midwest to expand its operations. As the reader can see, the acquisition of KinL ogix, MD Practice Software LP, and Wolf EMR have all served to underscore the level and extent to which the firm is leveraging the strategy of acquisition in order to boost profits. Explanation of Telus Health broader objectives In order to gain a larger share of profitability, firms generally seek to make gambles with regards to what direction they believe the industry is moving towards (Business Policy and Strategy, 2010). Accordingly, many times such gambles pay off. Conversely, many firms see their profits and viability wither and died based upon incorrect calculations of future markets in the direction to which current trends are pointing. Likewise, Telus Health has made a significant gamble with regards to the current market and prospects of the way in which the Canadian healthcare system will integrate with EMR. As such, the reader can see that Telus Health has come to the understanding that EMR will dominate the Canadian healthcare system in the near future. Accordingly, Tel us Health desperately wants to be part of the transformation by acquiring as many EMR firms that coalesce with its mission and desired future mission as possible. This is done as

Development of Modernity from Enlightenment

Development of Modernity from Enlightenment Dare-to-know is the motto that Kant gave to the Enlightenment. In this essay I am going to demonstrate how this motto relates to modernity. My starting point will be the definition of the Middle-Ages and description of events that characterized it, because it is where evolution to modernity initiated. Immediately after the Middle Ages follows the Renaissance, which I will also be explicating, and it is also followed by Enlightenment or the Modern Age. These three time periods are also inter-linked by historical events that marked them. They have a cause-and-effect relationship, meaning the existence of one is the effect of the existence of another. The Enlightenment was wholly based on reason, and its effect was the historical landmarks such as the French Revolution and the American Revolution. These landmarks, particularly the French Revolution, ensured the society’s exit from medieval tutelage and made a radical transition to the Modern-Age. Based on the Weber’s ideal type bureaucracy, I will also be demonstrating how they have influenced the modern institutions and how they operate, particularly the state, which is the biggest idea or effect of Enlightenment. Freedom also emerged after the establishment of the state, and strive to separate religion from the state, or secularism, was undertaken. Therefore, this rationalization led to the various forms of the modern state being devised. The â€Å"Middle Ages† is the phrase used to describe western countries after the fall of the Roman Empire and the dawn of the Renaissance in the 14th century. It is often called the medieval period. During this period the person’s identity was determined by God. (Dreyfus Kelly, 2011). Everything was determined and created by God. Therefore people never dared to question the phenomena or what made sense to them. Everything was taken for granted. Even kings and queens ruled by divine right in the Great Chain of Being. By divine right it meant they were chosen by God to rule and lead the society. The Great Chain of Being is a divine order or what can be called a social structure in the modern society. It consisted of God at the top, then kings above noblemen and other people in general, and the animals would be ranked below all the people. In the wake of the fall of the Roman Empire, there was a need for an alternative form of rule, the structure, or the government that would unite all the people of Europe. This duty was assumed by the Catholic Church which became a very powerful rule of the Middle-Ages. It also became a source of power for medieval kings and queens as a result of their alliance with it. The church also afforded protection to these monarchs. Rural life was based on feudalism. In this form of existence, the king would give land, or fiefs to noblemen. The peasants, or serfs would work on the land in exchange for protection and to live on the land. However, technological innovations in agriculture resulted in significant evolution in feudalism. Heavy plough and three-field crop rotation efficiently increased production, as well as the supply of food. As a result, less human resource was needed to work on farms. Ultimately, more people flocked to towns and cities. It was by virtue of these cities’ dynamism that gave rise to the Renaissance period in the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries. The word Renaissance is French and means rebirth. It is the period in which the society started moving away from the medieval values and norms, from God as the determinant of everything, and thus significantly reducing the power and rule of the church, the Catholic Church. Most importantly it was the time that was marked by a massive change in economy and intellect, particularly in art, literature, science and philosophy. New ideas were created and disseminated across all spheres of life. Artistic work became more accurate and had a viewpoint, literature focused more on the characteristics and behaviors of the people, and printing eased access to information and education by society. In science great improvements were made in various fields, particularly in astronomy and physics. This is evident in Galileo’s successful invention of the telesc ope. Philosophy changed the way people thought about themselves and the universe. It focused on humanism. Humanism is broadly understood as involving a positive approach to human existence and an appreciation of human endeavor. The broad influence of Renaissance humanism in turn filtered back to philosophical and political thought, where various ideas of human reason became the main focus of theoretical speculation. John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, had an optimistic notion of human nature, believing that rationality was a key feature in the way in which human beings organized themselves, with or without state intervention. Locke promoted the idea that unjustly treated subjects had a â€Å"right to rebel† if their reason was being insulted. (Bevir, 2010). These philosophical changes culminated in another change in human thought. This was the dawn of the Modern Age which came to be famously known as The Enlightenment. The Enlightenment is largely defined and popularly known as the age of reason, mainly for its commitment to the use of reason for the promotion of happiness via the amelioration and improvement of the practical conditions of human life (Bevir, 2010). The German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, was also keen to stress the importance of rational critique to the Enlightenment, calling on his readers to dispense with â€Å"immaturity† and take up the challenge daring to know for oneself. (Bevier, 2010). He defined the Enlightenment as the man’s exit from his self-incurred minority (Wood, 2001). He described minority as being unable to use intelligence without guidance, and it is self-incurred if it caused by lack of determination and courage to use intelligence without guidance. Therefore, he called Sapere Aude, meaning having the courage to use one’s intelligence, the motto of the Enlightenment (Wood, 2001). This was an attitude towards modernity because it was founded o n the principle rationalism. Rationalism is the belief that the world has a rational structure, and that this can be disclosed through the exercise of human reason and critical enquiry. As a philosophical theory, rationalism is the belief that knowledge flows from reason rather than experience, and thus contrasts with empiricism. As a general principle, however, rationalism places a heavy emphasis on the capacity of human beings to understand and explain their world, and to find solutions to problems. It is associated with an emphasis on principle and reason-governed behavior, as opposed to reliance on custom or tradition, or non-rational drives and impulses. (Heywood, 1992). It was the successful revolution in science of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that gave birth to the Enlightenment. Science undermined the ancient geocentric conception of the cosmos, and the constraining presuppositions that guided philosophical inquiry. It is the period that was marked by dramatic revolutions in science, philosophy, society and politics. The Enlightenment thought also culminated in the historical French and American Revolution, in which the traditional ancient hierarchical political and social orders (the French monarchy, the privileges of the French nobility, the political power and authority of the Catholic Church) were violently destroyed and replaced by a political and social order informed by the Enlightenment ideals of freedom and equality for all, founded, ostensibly, upon principles of human reason (Bristow, 2011). These revolutions served as a society’s transit from the medieval perspective to a modern world-view. In politics, the Enlighten ment make present again a course of action to encourage values characteristic of liberal modernity, which are freedom, progress, opulence, and humanitarianism. More specifically, political theorists have found in the Enlightenment the origins of several institutions that define our political landscape today, from liberal individualism and global capitalism to constitutional democracy, value pluralism, human rights recognition, and religious toleration (Bevir, 2010). The starting point in analyzing these modern institutions and political landscape is Weber’s bureaucracy. According to Marsh, et al., (1996) bureaucratic organizational structure seems to be fixed and permanent, and indispensable feature of the modern society. Most important is the nature of these bureaucracies. They are impersonal with clearly defined rules that also separate work and private life. Their form of reporting is hierarchical and break job into smaller task for increased quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and economies of scale. Candidates are also appointed based on their qualifications and experience. Therefore, Weber’s bureaucracy serves as a guideline in forming a modern organization, and played a crucial role in the development of the modern state. The biggest idea that grew out of the Enlightenment is that of the modern state. The proximate sources of the modern state were absolutism and the interstate it initiated (Held, 1992). It came as a response to absolutism. A state is that human community which (successfully) lays claim to the monopoly of legitimate physical violence within a certain territory, this territory being another of the defining features of the state (Weber, 1994). This means that all modern states are nation-states, political apparatuses, distinct from both ruler and ruled, with supreme jurisdiction over a demarcated territorial area, backed by a claim to a monopoly of coercive power, and enjoying a minimum level of support or loyalty from their citizens (Held, 1992). Therefore, the modern state is fixed within exact territorial borders, control the means of violence by the army and police, it is sovereign, and it is the only form of rule that regards its people as citizens. Governments come and go but the s tate remains. Therefore, the control of state machinery is contested and won by a political party in elections, which makes it democratic and legitimate because it reflect and/or represent the needs of its citizens. The state also uses a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one of its institutions, which are the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary, exerts or exercise too much power over another. Out of the idea of the modern state other concepts and/or ideas emerged, too. Liberalism emerged as the product of two intertwined developments in early modern Europe. The first was the creation of modern states with the concomitant emergence of semi-autonomous civil societies. The second and roughly contemporaneous development was the invention and spread of a set of values and priorities that broke with the religious traditions that had prevailed in feudal and clerical practice in medieval Europe (Bevir, 2010). Liberalism comes from the word liberty, meaning freedom. In politics, the term is recognized as a unique set of ideas or ideology. The central theme of liberal ideology is a commitment to the individual and the desire to construct a society in which people can satisfy their interests and achieve fulfillment (Heywood, 1992). Liberals believe that human beings are, first and foremost, individuals, endowed with reason (Heywood, 1992). This implies that each individual should enjoy the maximum possible freedom consistent with a like freedom for all (Heywo od, 1992). However, although individuals are entitled to equal legal and political rights, they should be rewarded in line with their talents and willingness to work (Heywood, 1992). Secularism is one of the sub-concepts of liberalism, meaning the next step after individual liberties have been achieved is to strive for the separation of religion from the state. The philosophes’ opposition to traditional religious authority stressed the need for secular knowledge free of religious orthodoxies (Hamilton, 1992). It is an ethic that is perceived as the most radical anti-clerical movement. The aim of the early modern political thought is to establish a secular political order capable of settling the wars of religion, stopping the persecution of religious minorities and heretics, and guaranteeing the natural rights and liberties of every man and citizen (Bevir, 2010). Liberalism also influenced the varying forms of the modern state. Constitutionalism or the constitutional state is the form of state in which political or state decision-making is procedurally or substantively limited. This limits can be either implicit or explicit. Here the practice of the state is restricted and constrained for the maximization of freedom of all citizens. In the liberal state private affairs are separated from public affairs by a concern. This is the form of state in which civil society is freed from unnecessary political intervention and the authority of the state is delimited. Representative democracy is a form of rule in which officers are elected by the citizens themselves to represent their interests within the rule of law. Decisions about social issues are not taken by the society itself, but by the elected officers, the representatives. Lastly, there is also a form of a modern state called a one-party state. Its definition is in its name, a state in which there is only one legitimate political party. Here voters have the o pportunity to affirm the party’s choice of candidate, or occasionally to choose from among different party candidates (although some may doubt whether this constitutes an opportunity for the exercise of choice at all) (Held, 1992). In conclusion, in the Middle-Ages everything was determined by God and existed in the Great Chain of Being. The fall of the Roman Empire ushered in the Renaissance. It was marked by great revolutions in science, philosophy, and astronomy, which then led to the Enlightenment or the Age of reason. This age of reason culminates in the overthrowing of the French monarchy and leads to the establishment the modern democratic state. It also makes Sapere Aude an attitude of modernity, because dare-to-know simply means have courage to find reason. That reason was found and it liberated the society from the shackles of the Middle-Ages. It is also because of that reason the modern state, its various forms and institutions were found. Rationalism thus freed mankind from the self-incurred minority. 1

Leadership Essay -- essays research papers

A leader can be a manager, but a manager is not necessarily a leader. The leader of the work group may emerge informally as the choice of the group. If a manager is able to influence people to achieve the goals of the organization, without using his or her formal authority to do so, then the manager is demonstrating leadership (Allen, 1998). Great organizations are managed by people who have the necessary skills and attributes which allow them to connect with the organization and the people involved in the company. Managers must meet the many demands of performing their functions; managers assume multiple roles which include being a figurehead, leader, liaison, monitor, disseminator, spokesperson, entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, and negotiator. Managers set and achieve the organizations goals by planning, organizing, controlling and leading. A manger can assume or delegate portions of authority to lead employees and achieve goals. Being a leader is not the same as managing an organization. Leader’s posses the interpersonal skills needed to influence others to achieve a goal willingly. Leading is a major part of a manager’s job. Leaders do not need to be a manager to lead people, but managers must know how to lead as well as manage. Leaders also have the ability to inspire, motivate, change attitudes and influence others to achieve goals. Managers have the ability to fire employees if they do not accomplish what needs to be done. The authority given t...

Hospitality Management Essay

Introduction The tourism industry is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing and successful industries, with revenue of recorded 693 million international tourist arrivals in 2001, reported by World Tourism Organization (WTO), nevertheless its definition cannot be agreed on. Youell (1998; pg.9) presents a definition given by WTO in 1993 defining tourism as â€Å"activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure and other purposes.† During the nineteen century, there was a surge of mass tourism due to the advancement of all types of transportation as well as the development of seaside resorts. Society had greater income and more time for leisure (Urry, 2002; pg 16). Although tourism industry continued to grow, there was a shift in the tourism behaviour, WTO justifies this behaviour stating that society had become more aware of the environment and developed the sudden interest in different activiti es and opportunities involving local culture. Fennel describes alternative tourism as â€Å"small scale†; â€Å"locally-oriented†, tourists became more aware of local communities and with the environment. This theory is supported by WTO adding that consumers are now looking for â€Å"special, high quality, unforgettable experiences in which they can be active participants†. Furthermore it is added that special interest tourism is an extra motivation to tourist interest in engaging in more specific activities. Focusing solely on this topic, the author is to write a report on the grounds of special interest tourism. In order to achieve this, the author has chosen to analyze the surroundings of ecotourism in Amazon, Brazil. Therefore the report should offer the reader, provided with a justification, a sight full reportage based on one only special interest tourism, highlighting its history, size of market, market segmentation and examples of products available for the chosen special interest tourism. A review of models of motivation and tourism motivation enabling a study of different characteristics of the participants in the chosen special interest tourism should be included on the second section the report. The third section provides the reader an evaluation and profile of ecotourism identifying key organizations, agencies, communities, and businesses involved in the development of ecotourism in Brazil. Finally the last section incorporates an appropriate conclusion and recommendation which should include approaches that could provide a greater opportunity for the development and promotion of the ecotourism in the Amazon. Descriptive profile of the Special Interest Tourism activity The author had a chance to consider all options of research and carefully chosen to undertake a research and write a report concerning ecotourism in the Amazon. This topic was chosen as this is a new concept of special interest tourism and is in constant growth. Also this gives the author a chance to inform herself about ecotourism and its significance to the environment. As for the destination, Amazon was chosen because of its size, as it is the biggest tropical rainforest in the world and biggest biodiversity. Ecotourism activities have had a significant growth over the years due to â€Å"consumer concern about the environment† (WTO, 2002). United Nations decided to make 2002 the International Year of Ecotourism, focusing their reason to â€Å"bring together governments, international agencies, NGOs, tourism enterprises, representatives of local and indigenous communities and identify some agreed principles and priorities for the future development and management of ecotour ism† (Butcher, 2007, cited in CNEP/ WTO 2002a:7). Although 2002 was awarded as the International Year of Ecotourism by the United Nations, there is a general uncertainty concerning its history and meaning. Fennel (1995, pg. 25) defines ecotourism relating to nature, stating it is â€Å" a sustainable form of natural, resource-base tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning about nature† connoting that such activity should occur in natural areas, contributing to the preservation of this. Opposing to this, WTO gives an alternative meaning to ecotourism, also based on the grounds of nature as â€Å"form of tourism in which the main motivation of the tourists is the observation and appreciation of nature† (WTO, 2002) Further to this, WTO views ecotourism as a form of tourism with 5 characteristics: 1. Tourists’ motivation should be nature-based involving observation and appreciation of nature as well as  preserving it. 2. It should contain educational features. 3. It should be organized by specialized tour operators for small groups. 4. It should minimize the negative impacts of the environment. 5. It should support the maintenance of natural areas by generating beneficial income to local communities, organisations and authorities responsible for the conservation of ecotourism areas. In contrast to the above definitions, based on nature, the International Ecotourism Society (ITES) offers a more profound meaning relating nature to local communities, â€Å"is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well being of local people† (ITES). It is agreed that both organisations have the same principles regarding the maintenance of ecotourism areas, where tourists should respect the environment, provide financial benefits and empowerment to local communities. Although there is a general disagreement on the exact meaning of ecotourism, all researchers agree that involves the environment and local communities; however it appears that there is an uncertainty about its origin. Research shows that ecotourism can be traced back to the late 1970s, this supported by Fennel (1999.pg 18) who presents reasonable arguments from studies demonstrating the origin of ecotourism. He describes how ecotourism emerged through tourists searching for environmental travelling surrounding nature and wildlife. In accordance with WTO (2002) ecotourism is a small niche market with a big potential for growth and economic advancement, one that if well managed can be used in conservation and preservation of nature and of the environment. Following their research based on the most popular countries for ecotourism, WTO has identified the market segmentation for ecotourists, which shows that: †¢ The majority is aged between 30 and 50 years old †¢ Mostly women †¢ Preferred activities were wildlife viewing, being in wilderness areas followed by seeing rare species. †¢ The top five preferred destinations for ecotourists were United kingdom, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America Estimated as the biggest and richest ecosystems in the world, the state of Amazon in Brazil comprises of nine countries in South America all together, occupying almost half of the whole country. The state of Amazon is approximately 5million square kilometres, home to 200 mammal species, 950 bird species, 2,500 fish species and 300 reptiles’ species, making the Amazon the largest tropical rainforest in the world. In addition, the Amazon River, which cuts right through the state, is the second biggest river in the world after the Nile. Boats and ships are the best way of transportation as the Amazon is covered in forest. Amazon got its name after the Portuguese explorers started expeditions along the river for a lost city known as ‘Eldorado’ in the hope of uncovering a city made of gold, before the British, French and Spanish explorers found it. Eldorado could never be found, but the name remained the same. Amazon is not only the habitat of thousands of species but also home to indigenous tribes who live off the land just like their ancestors did depending on the ecosystem for their food, shelter and livelihoods. Although ecotourism is a new concept, it is rapidly becoming a fast growing economic factor in the Amazon as it attracts major tourists for its attractions. On the other hand, it is also in danger due to deforestation, logging and forest cleaning, which presents a threat to the Amazon (www.amazon-rainforest.org). As a form of special interest tourism, it is important to have products available for this, which represents the nature preserving its natural habitat. With this in mind, there are many activities disposable for tourism as ecotourism is growing in the Amazon (www.embratur.gov.br). With the growth of ecotourism in the Amazon, many ecological crosswalks activities are provided to tourists wanting contact with the largest biodiversity of the world. The National Park of Pico da Neblina and the national Park of Jaà º are two of the most popular locations for crosswalks in the Amazon (www.embratur.gov.br). Another popular product available to tourists is cave tourism otherwise known as espeleotourism, consisting of exploring the inside of caves and studying their formations. Within the Amazon, Mato Grosso is the most visited cave  (www.embratur.gov.br). Floatation is an additional form of ecotourism activity, consisting of light diving with the use of a snorkel and a mask allowing the diver to be enchanted by the beauty underneath the water. Mato Grosso is the most popular and sought after location for this in the State of Amazon. Fauna watching is popular for those mostly interested in wildlife. National Parks in the Amazon grants visitors with thousands of different species, experiencing nature at its best. Bird watching has become reasonably popular to numerous tourists who travel specifically to Amazon for its biodiversity in search of all types of endangered species. Considered as the most sophisticated city on the planet and an important location for ecological tourism, Manaus the capital of Amazon forest is home to almost 1.5 million inhabitants. The city attracts tourists for its natural beauty, ecological parks and a diverse of over 15 attractions (www.embratur.gov.br). These include: âž ¢ Paricatuba Waterfall located in the bank of Negro river formed by sediment and surrounded by vegetation. âž ¢ Love cascade situated at Guedes bayou and filled with cold and crystal clear water. âž ¢ Parque do Mindà º, one of the last resorts housing endangered species. âž ¢ Grove of the National Research Institute of Amazonia (INPA) âž ¢ Zoo of the Forest War Instruction Center (CIGS) which house 300 species of animals, among monkeys, jaguars, ariranhas (Brazilian otters), snakes, alligators, macaws, tapirs and land turtles. âž ¢ Tupà © Beach whose only access is by riverboat It is clear that tourists travel to Brazil for its raw beauty, especially to Amazon which is rich in biodiversity. Ecobrasil has published statistics on international ecotourism to which shows that 39% of tourists visit Brazil for its natural beauty, this being their main motivation for doing so, while 7% visit Amazon as their main source for ecotourism (www.ecobrasil.org.br). Ecobrasil has also demonstrated results carried by Embratur Domestic market study carried in 2005/2006 in which shows that 6% of tourists view ecotourism as a motivation for travel, confirming that only four million tourists are interested in ecotourism. Profile of the evidence of the motivation and satisfaction of SIT Above the author mentioned the statistics for tourists that visit Brazil and their motivation for such. However some researchers have identified other motives for motivation which explain reasons to choose a specific ecotourism location. Maslow generated a hierarchy of needs based on what motivates individuals when deciding where to go on holidays and what activities to pursue. This hierarchy of needs is based on a series of levels, starting on the lowest level and terminating on the upper level once all levels of achievement are satisfied. The hierarchy of needs is displayed as a pyramid and at the lowest level, this for physiological needs, where individuals have the needs to satisfy their most basic needs such as eating and clothing. Once this need is achieved, Maslow identifies the individuals desire to carry on achieving the remaining needs until all levels of the pyramid are satisfied (Mullins, 2007, p.258). On the contrary to this view, Ryan (1997) has argued that the tourist behaviour is behind the motivation of the traveller leading to a certain type of holidays, focusing on the social motivation rather than needs. He identifies how two tourists from different backgrounds can have different attitudes to holidays but have similar motivation for such stating â€Å"both sets of behaviour arise from the need to be with others†. Ryan also recognizes theoretical models of motivation by classifying theories and their researchers. One of these the concept identified by Pearce who argued travel motivation through the concept of travel career ladder, this corresponding to â€Å"learning through tourist experience† (Ryan, 1997, p.37). The travel career ladder is characterised by different forms of motivations, with relaxation at the bottom of the ladder, followed by stimulation, relationship, self-esteem and development and fulfilment, and it should be by order of travel experience, the more experience they are, more interest they start developing and their motivation to travel start to increase. This meaning that a tourist on their first holiday is looking for relaxation however the more they travel, motivation starts to change as they become more concerned with learning about history and culture, and in time, the tourists will rich the upper level of the ladder, searching to get more involved in the province (Ryan, 1997). Other analyses have emerged with the expectancy of encountering tourists’ motivation for choosing this type of special interest tourism. Thus Hall and Weiler (1992) have identified researchers who have studied motivations for specific special interest tourism. Hall and Weiler (1992) have identified research made by Crompton in which he noted that tourist were in a cultural and educational travel motivations. This can be said it is closed linked to what was later interpreted by Read (1980) in which he admits what motivates tourists is the need for authenticity and uniqueness as well as educational. With this he emerged with the idea of REAL tourism, translating that travelling should be rewarding, enriching, adventuresome and a learning experience for the tourist. Hall and Weiler have created a table identifying tourists motivations associated with the specific special interest tourism and they have concluded that tourists may have various motivators related to the special interest activity. Therefore, it is said that the motivations for the participants in ecotourism are apart from learning is to be in contact with the nature or indigenous civilians. A further argument into the motivations of tourists has emerged, as Page and Dowling (2002) presented two sides of ecotourism: hard and soft tourism. Hard tourism refers when the participant are environmentalist who take sustainability quite serious and is purely interest in the nature and being in contact with the wilderness, taking a prolonged trip in almost undisturbed location, while soft tourism refers to tourists in short term trip, have little contact with nature and are not strongly committed environmentalists. However, motivations are not the only factors tourists take into account when deciding on the special interest tourism. The type of product and expertise by those involved promoting this specific special interest tourism. Hall and Weiler (2002) argue that experienced professionals play an important role on the tourists’ selection of destination. Professionals such as Specialty Travel Index offer a multitude of travel opportunities worldwide (http://www.spectrav.com/index.shtml). Evaluation of the development of a named SIT within an identified destination area Butcher (2007) views community participation as an important step to the development of ecotourism, as decisions made concerning ecotourism affects the community and their lives. Butcher adds that this initiative is also supported by World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) in which they state communities should have a high level of control on the development of ecotourism. Additionally communities should be intensely in all decision-making concerning the growth of the landscape â€Å" tourism should therefore respect and value local knowledge and experience, maximise benefits to communities, and recruit, train and employ local people at all levels (Butcher, p.67). Ecotourism should be beneficent local communities, conservation of the environment and provide financial contribution to the upkeep of a conservation project. In addition local communities’ involvement in the development of ecotourism â€Å"improves the tourist experience† (Page and Dowling, 2002). Alternative Travel Group (ATL) is an example of the above, in which they work effectively with local communities. Founded in 1979 is an organisation based upon sustainability http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/index.php) ATL collaborates with local communities, listening and acting on what was suggested. This allows communities to express their concern about the conservation of their habitat (http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/index.php). Profits go towards construction of infrastructures and conservation projects in the most necessitated areas. They incentive individuals to present their ideas and providing they are sustainable to which they can invest on. Hence they have various projects ongoing worldwide which benefit local communities and preserve the environment (http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/index.php). It is not only local communities that play a vital role in the making and development of ecotourism, many organisations, agencies and small businesses have an important and constant involvement in the successful and promoting of this growing form of special interest tourism. World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) is the largest non-governmental organisation in the world. Based in over fifty-two offices and active in over ninety countries, it has over five million supporters worldwide, many volunteers (Butcher, p. 42). WWF has three main missions that represent their work: safeguarding the natural world, tackling climate change and changing the way residents live. Consequently they have generated a program designed to protect the environment. Amongst other projects, WWF is working in ensuring the ecosystem in the Amazon maintains its environmental and cultural contribution to local people (http://www.wwf.org.uk/). WWF main objectives regarding the Amazon as a whole are: âž ¢ Tackling deforestation âž ¢ Encouraging responsible agriculture and production âž ¢ Helping create protected forest âž ¢ Ensuring free-flowing rivers and forest-friendly roads Moreover WWF has enlisted the help of Sky TV in promoting the safeguarding of rainforest in Amazon. Both work with local communities offering them with economical help to look after millions of hectares of forest, combating illegal logging and forest deforestation (http://www.wwf.org.uk/). Additionally WWF closely works with two UN bodies, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). WWF has written guidelines highlighting a community-based ecotourism in which the organisation directly works with communities in conserving and preserving the environment and provide advice on how to deal with issues surrounding their landscape. One of their project is based in Manaus, capital of Amazon, a community –based initiative, the Silves Association for Environmental and Cultural Preservation, this aims at protecting the fishing lakes at this site. On top pf this, WWF opened an ecolodge in the same region run by local people, 20% of all profits go towards the management of preservation of the site. In addition, WWF has created a programme in Brazil solely based on raising awareness about forms of ecotourism that should be practiced based on its principles (http://www.icrtourism.org/Publications/WWF1eng.pdf). The international ecotourism society (TIES) is a non-governmental organisation funded in 1990 with the objectives of aiding the development of ecotourism, helping communities, organisations to promote and practice the principles of ecotourism. TIES have clear aims concerning ecotourism which consists of bringing together individuals, institutions and tourism industries in the interest of ecotourism, educating tourist and professionals on ecotourism and influencing organisations on practicing all principles regarding ecotourism. Working in partnership with other NGOs such as Planeterra and yourtravelchoice.org, all three organisations provide tourists with opportunities to get involved in ecotourism activities, help local communities, work together in inform tourists on how to conserve the nature. Furthermore, they offer their own input on eco-destinations, allowing individuals to get some relevant information on ecotourism and its issues (www.ecotourism.org) Although Planeterra is more involved with community, they still remain concerned with the environment. This non-governmental organisation organises community based projects worldwide in order to help local people live in a more environmental safe surroundings (http://www.planeterra.org/). The Brazilian Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Trade Association (ABETA) is an association that closely works on the development of ecotourism activities in Brazil. Their goal is to promote the conservation and preservation of Brazil’s cultural and historical heritage (http://www.brazilnature.travel/index.php). ABETA promotes amongst adventure tourism, ecotourism activities such as bird watching, caving, safari and wildlife. Thus in partnership with the Tourism ministry, Brazilian tourism board (Embratur) and BBECO which is administered by ABETA, all have the same common aspiration: promote Brazil as one of the top destinations for ecotourism while keeping it environmentally safe (http://www.brazilnature.travel/index.php). Embratur, a Brazilian Tourism Board is an organisation responsible for providing policies in tourism related activities, including ecotourism activities such as hiking, cave tourism, floatation, bird watching and fauna watching (www.embratur.gov.br) Ecobrasil, a Brazilian ecotourism Association  is a NGO founded in 1993 whose primarily focus is on ecotourism. Whilst incorporate a clear mission in which they want to promote Brazil as a â€Å"reliable destination for ecotourism†, their vision is to â€Å"forward ecotourism and sustainable tourism through building knowledge networks and participate in and/or develop projects that helped advance the knowledge about good ecotourism practices and planning in Brazil†. Hence their objectives is to create a network of data solely on ecotourism, commitment in minimising the impact of tourism on the environment, acknowledge statistics on ecotourism and represent ecotourism on a worldwide level (www.ecobrasil.org.br). Proecotur – Programa de Desenvolvimento do Ecoturismo na Amazà ´nia Legal (programme of ecotourism development at the Legal Amazon) recognises that ecotourism has a huge potential to be converted into the biggest source of income on the Amazon, predicting up to three million ecotourist annually. Therefore they have generated new strategies to guarantee that Amazon becomes the most popular state for ecotourism. They believe the creation of a sustainable environment does not require greater investments, rather intelligent strategies for transportation. With this to attract tourists they agree that there is a need for improvement in the transportation and improvement of the quality of services available to tourists plus there should be a creation of more sustainable products (http://www.faunabrasil.com.br). Conclusion Although tourism is not a new concept, ecotourism is. This emerged with the individuals growing concern with the environment. There is a general disagreement when defining ecotourism but many researchers and organisations agree that is a form of activity in which participants want to be in touch with the nature and with the environment and this should follow principles set by organisations for the safekeeping of the environment and also benefiting local communities. Various researchers have attempted to clarify the motivations for tourist choice of destinations and specials type of interest, and with this it was concluded that none could have a general agreement on these except that  tourist could have common attitude when selecting destinations. They could be educational and cultural; however the idea of tourist wanting new, unique and untouched surroundings gave away to the new concept of Real travel: rewarding, enriching, adventuresome and learning. Ecotourism is a growing and prosperous form of special interest tourism and the activities incorporated for this are increasingly generating income to those involved in promoting ecotourism and to local communities who should be involved in the decision-making concerning the development of ecotourism. The author during the research into organisations involved in the promotion of ecotourism has come across the fact that most organisations are non-governmental organisations that depend on volunteers. Also the majority of these organisations are interrelated having common objectives when it comes to ecotourism: promoting all ecotourism activities, safeguarding the environment and preserving the nature. Recommendations Although organisations are interlinked with one another, it appears that it is not enough, as the market segmentation show, only a certain type of individuals practice ecotourism and ecotourism related activities. Brazil is popular with tourist for its beauty therefore NGOs, agencies and business should do more to promote ecotourism in Brazil, speciality in Amazon, which is a huge area with a lot to offer to all types of tourists. Hence all organisations should work together not only in the safeguarding of the environment but advertise Brazil as the best country for ecotourism, enhancing its beauty and reasons to visit as well as promoting ecotourism activities in a way that appeals to all age groups and gender. Additionally NGOs, agencies and business should stress the need to practice the imposed regulations in protected areas in order to preserve the nature for tomorrow. Another recommendation would be to look how other forms of special interest tourism could be useful in providing aid in the development of ecotourism. An example of this would be religious tourism. For this type of special  interest tourism there is an online religious organisation which incentives spiritualists to include faith in their living. They relate religion and faith with the environment believing that there are simple steps that individuals could do to help recreate the earth preserving the environment, it also emphasises the need to care for nature. Therefore this initiative could be adopted in order to lure tourists into caring and investing more in ecotourism. Words: 4,017 References: †¢ Abeta (2008) Brazil: land of nature and adventure. [Internet], Brazil, Available from:< http://www.brazilnature.travel/index.php> [Accessed 30 November]. †¢ Amazon rain forest (2004) Save the Amazon rainforest [Internet]. 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