The Reality of Chinas Growth

The Reality of Chinas Growth China’s continuous double digit economic growth may not be sustainable in the long term. The Chinese economy has consistently posted high growth figures even as the rest of the major world economy giants undergo recession. Though probable, such a trend is unlikely to last long and will likely stall in the near future.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Reality of China’s Growth specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the reasons postulated for the eventual decline in the Chinese economic growth is that the Chinese economy is highly dependent on foreign demand. Although many Chinese officials try to downplay this interconnectedness with other world economies, the evidence is clear (Breslin 1180). Chinese officials go as far as to manipulate international trade figures in order to downplay the emerging fact that, the projected growth may be partly a function of manipulated figures. At the beginning of t his year (2011), analysts and critics reported that some Chinese officials had the figures in copper trade altered in order to inflate the import numbers. Furthermore, as the European and American economies struggle with the mounting debt and perpetual economic crises, China, on the other hand, as the biggest foreign exchange holder of American and European debt, is bound to be drawn into the arising economic uncertainties. Another reason that analysts believe that the sustained growth of the Chinese economy is impossible is because it defies basic economic growth cycle patterns. Cycles of economic boom and recession are inevitable in any economy. The reason why the Chinese people have been able to experience the continuous and sustained growth is that, the Chinese government intervenes to cushion its markets from recession. The heavy presence of government in nearly all spheres of the economy also paints a negative picture of the Chinese economy and its long-term prognosis. The Chinese economy is also heavily industrial and manufacture oriented, pointing to an unwieldy economy that needs to adapt and be nimble in order to survive an uncertain future.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Furthermore, although the Chinese are famed for their entrepreneurial spirit, the policies of the Chinese government sometimes stifle the enterprising pursuits of the Chinese. Many dynamic businesses and firms that mushroom are sometimes quickly ‘swallowed’ or muscled out of business by the major firms that may enjoy the support of the state. Such practices tend to erode the spirit of entrepreneurship in the long term. China also has a huge labor force that sometimes poses a challenge to the government (Shuanglin and Song 2254). Ingeniously, the Chinese government absorbs the mass labor force into the huge and expanding Chinese service industry, w ith many hotels employing as many workers as possible. Many of these laborers are usually workers from other sectors of the economy that may have collapsed previously. Therefore, in conclusion, the continued high growth rate of the Chinese thriftiness is unsustainable in the end. The sustained growth, as has been discussed, is more a function of government policy and interference than a result of exclusive market dynamics at play. Inevitably, the Chinese economy will soon experience recession that is common to all economies. To what extent the government can cushion its citizens when this happens is an open question. However, in the end, the Chinese are better of preparing for such an eventuality than denying it. The economic stability of China is tied to its political stability, and when the markets eventually experience a recession, many analysts believe that political instability may ensue, and such an occurrence would unnecessarily erode the decades of political and economic p rogress. Breslin, Shaun. The politics of Chinese trade and the Asian financial crises: questioning the wisdom of export-led growth. Third World Quarterly 20.6 (1999): 1179-1199.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Reality of China’s Growth specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Shuanglin, Lin, and Shunfeng Song. Urban Economic Growth in China: Theory and Evidence. Urban Studies 39.12 (2002): 2251-2266.

Gwangju Massacre in South Korea

Gwangju Massacre in South Korea Tens of thousands of students and other protestors poured into the streets of Gwangju (Kwangju), a city in southwestern South Korea in the spring of 1980. They were protesting the state of martial law that had been in force since a coup that previous year, which had brought down the dictator Park Chung-hee and replaced him with military strongman General Chun Doo-hwan. As the protests spread to other cities, and the protestors raided army depots for weapons, the new president expanded his earlier declaration of martial law. Universities and newspaper offices were shuttered, and political activity was banned. In response, the protestors seized control of Gwangju. On May 17, President Chun sent additional army troops to Gwangju, armed with riot gear and live ammunition. Background to the Gwangju Massacre The portraits of former president Park Chung-hee and his wife Yuk Young-soo. Yuk Young-soo was killed in 1974 during an attempted assassination of Park Chung-hee. Woohae Cho​/Getty Images  Ã‚   On October 26, 1979, South Korean President Park Chung-hee was assassinated while visiting a gisaeng house (Korean geisha house) in Seoul. General Park had seized power in a 1961 military coup and ruled as a dictator until Kim Jae-kyu, the Director of Central Intelligence, killed him. Kim claimed that he assassinated the president because of the increasingly harsh crackdown on student protests over the countrys increasing economic woes, brought about in part by skyrocketing world oil prices. The following morning, martial law was declared, the National Assembly (Parliament) was disbanded, and all public meetings of more than three people were banned, with an exception only for funerals. Political speech and gatherings of all kinds were prohibited. Nonetheless, many Korean citizens were optimistic about the change, since they now had a civilian acting president, Choi Kyu-hah, who promised among other things to halt the torture of political prisoners. The moment of sunshine faded quickly, however. On December 12, 1979, Army Security Commander General Chun Doo-Hwan, who was in charge of investigating President Parks assassination, accused the army chief of staff with conspiring to kill the president. General Chun ordered troops down from the DMZ and invaded the Department of Defense building in Seoul, arresting thirty of his fellow generals and accusing them all of complicity in the assassination. With this stroke, General Chun effectively seized power in South Korea, although President Choi remained as a figurehead. In the days that followed, Chun made it clear that dissent would not be tolerated. He extended martial law to the entire country  and sent police squads to the homes of pro-democracy leaders and student organizers to intimidate potential opponents. Among the targets of these intimidation tactics were the student leaders at Chonnam University in Gwangju... In March 1980, a new semester began, and university students and professors who had been banned from campus for political activities were allowed to return. Their calls for reform - including freedom of the press, and an end to martial law, and free and fair elections - grew louder as the semester progressed. On May 15, 1980, approximately 100,000 students marched on Seoul Station demanding reform. Two days later, General Chun promulgated even harsher restrictions, closing down universities and newspapers once more, arresting hundreds of student leaders, and also arresting twenty-six political opponents, including Kim Dae-jung of Gwangju. May 18, 1980 Outraged by the crackdown, about 200 students went to the front gate of Chonnam University in Gyungju early on the morning of May 18. There they met thirty paratroopers, who had been sent to keep them off the campus. The paratroopers charged the students with clubs, and the students responded by throwing rocks. The students then marched downtown, attracting more supporters as they went. By early afternoon, local police were overwhelmed by 2,000 protestors, so the military sent about 700 paratroopers into the fray. The paratroopers charged into the crowd, bludgeoning the students and passersby. A deaf 29-year-old, Kim Gyeong-cheol, became the first fatality; he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the soldiers beat him to death. May 19-20 Throughout the day on May 19, more and more furious residents of Gwangju joined the students in the streets, as reports of increasing violence filtered through the city. Businessmen, housewives, taxi drivers - people of all walks of life marched out to defend the youth of Gwangju. Demonstrators hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at the soldiers. By the morning of May 20, there were more than 10,000 people protesting downtown. That day, the army sent in an additional 3,000 paratroopers. The special forces beat people with clubs, stabbed and mutilated them with bayonets, and threw at least twenty to their deaths from high buildings. The soldiers used tear gas and live ammunition indiscriminately, shooting into the crowds. Troops shot dead twenty girls at Gwangjus Central High School. Ambulance and cab drivers who tried to take the wounded to hospitals were shot. One hundred students who sheltered in the Catholic Center were slaughtered. Captured high school and university students had their hands tied behind them with barbed wire; many were then summarily executed. May 21 On May 21, the violence in Gwangju escalated to its height. As the soldiers fired round after round into the crowds, protesters broke into police stations and armories, taking rifles, carbines and even two machine guns. Students mounted one of the machine guns on the roof of the universitys medical school. The local police refused further aid to the army; troops beat some police officers unconscious for attempting to help the injured. It was all-out urban warfare. By 5:30 that evening, the army was forced to retreat from downtown Gwangju in the face of the furious citizens. The Army Leaves Gwangju By the morning of May 22, the army had pulled out entirely from Gwangju, establishing a cordon around the city. A bus full of civilians attempted to escape the blockade on May 23; the army opened fire, killing 17 of the 18 people aboard. That same day, army troops accidentally opened fire on one another, killing 13 in a friendly-fire incident in the Songam-dong neighborhood. Meanwhile, inside Gwangju, teams of professionals and students formed committees to provide medical care for the wounded, funerals for the dead, and compensation for the families of victims. Influenced by Marxist ideals, some of the students arranged to cook communal meals for the people of the city. For five days, the people ruled Gwangju. As word of the massacre spread throughout the province, anti-government protests broke out in nearby cities including Mokpo, Gangjin, Hwasun, and Yeongam. The army fired on protestors in Haenam, as well. The Army Retakes the City On May 27, at 4:00 in the morning, five divisions of paratroopers moved into Gwangjus downtown. Students and citizens tried to block their way by lying in the streets, while the armed citizen militias prepared for a renewed firefight. After an hour and a half of desperate fighting, the army seized control of the city once more. Casualties in the Gwangju Massacre The Chun Doo-hwan government issued a report stating that 144 civilians, 22 troops, and four police officers had been killed in the Gwangju Uprising. Anyone who disputed their death toll could be arrested. However, census figures reveal that almost 2,000 citizens of Gwangju disappeared during this time period. A small number of the student victims, mostly those who died on May 24, are buried in Mangwol-dong Cemetery near Gwangju. However, eyewitnesses tell of seeing hundreds of bodies dumped in several mass graves on the outskirts of the city. The Aftermath In the aftermath of the horrific Gwangju Massacre, the administration of General Chun lost most of its legitimacy in the eyes of the Korean people. Pro-democracy demonstrations throughout the 1980s cited the Gwangju Massacre  and demanded that the perpetrators face punishment. General Chun held on as president until 1988, when under intense pressure, he allowed democratic elections. Kim Dae-jung, the 15th term President of South Korea from 1998 to 2003, and the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, speaks on telephone at his home in Seoul, South Korea on June 25, 1987. Nathan Benn​/Getty Images   Kim Dae-Jung, the politician from Gwangju who had been sentenced to death on charges of fomenting the rebellion, received a pardon and ran for president. He did not win, but would later serve as president from 1998 to 2003, and went on to receive a Nobel Peace Prize in 2000. Former President Chun himself was sentenced to death in 1996 for corruption and for his role in the Gwangju Massacre. With the tables turned, President Kim Dae-jung commuted his sentence when he assumed office in 1998. In a very real way, the Gwangju Massacre marked a turning point in the long struggle for democracy in South Korea. Although it took almost a decade, this horrifying event paved the way for free and fair elections  and more transparent civil society. Further Reading on the Gwangju Massacre Flashback: The Kwangju Massacre, BBC News, May 17, 2000. Deirdre Griswold, S. Korean Survivors Tell of 1980 Gwangju Massacre, Workers World, May 19, 2006. Gwangju Massacre Video, Youtube, uploaded May 8, 2007. Jeong Dae-ha, Gwangju Massacre Still Echoes for Loved Ones, The Hankyoreh, May 12, 2012. Shin Gi-Wook and Hwang Kyung Moon. Contentious Kwangju: The May 18 Uprising in Koreas Past and Present, Lanham, Maryland: Rowman Littlefield, 2003. Winchester, Simon. Korea: A Walk Through the Land of Miracles, New York: Harper Perennial, 2005.

Applied Psychological Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Applied Psychological Perspectives - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that many employees develop a certain amount of fear that people are staring at them and are less open to the level of criticism they are probable to face at their work at any point of time. Apparently, various assessments conducted help in assisting individuals according to their area of struggle providing regular feedbacks. These strategies enhance their ability to develop their communication skills and even enhance capabilities to express at the different stages of their work environment. Furthermore, this even helps the employees to meet with the requirements of their high level of anxiety or discomfort that they face during communication or developing interpersonal conversation among peers. The observation of developing the interpersonal communication significantly assists and individual to outline their strength and weakness. Developing the context of interpersonal communication will significantly allow effective communication amid individuals even w hen they belong from different cultural or ethnic background.

Write if you agree or disagree and why Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Write if you agree or disagree and why - Essay Example It may seem that companies are reluctant to raise wages because they are trying to protect their interests. However, when one looks at the matter critically, one will discover that an increase in the minimum wage has adverse impacts on the workers. Employers will increase the wages of their workers through increasing the prices of the goods they sell. For example, a retail shop will increase the prices of their goods, which are necessities, to cater for the government’s requirement. The changes in the consumer goods will fall hard on the individuals living below the poverty level because they will have to pay more for such goods (Macurdy n.pag). The government will have increased their purchasing power but also caused them to spend more on their consumptions. They do not benefit because the extra money they have earned goes straight to the profits of their employers. They might have to spend more because the minimal wage bill affects various sphere of the economy. Companies do not only hike prices to meet their profit objectives. They may also lay off workers. The low earners will be forced to look for jobs elsewhere (Macurdy n.pag). This increases in the burden of social workers who have to provide benefits for the unemployed. The law will increase the rate of unemployment, a state that brings with its problems. Employees will have to lose the salary that has helped them survive in the severe economy. The workers who will be retained will be forced to do a lot more for a marginal increase in their salaries. The retrenched workers will have left a gap that can only be filled with the remaining workers. They will be willing to take up the extra work because they will be too grateful to have retained their jobs. However, they will be under strenuous conditions that will reduce their job satisfaction. An increase in salaries will cause the low-income earner lose out on social benefits such as food stamps and subsidised housing charges. A

Financial Distress Paper Essay Example for Free

Financial Distress Paper Essay The current global economic crisis has seriously affected the financial activities of my academic institution. One of the major donors for our business school, a bank, has pulled out and is currently facing charges of breaking federal banking regulatory laws. All indications are that the bank will go under and will have to file for protection under chapter 11. With this conduit of funds no longer there, the business school will have to restructure. There are five programs currently in place at the business school, three of which are involved in teaching and research. They have been in existence for the last thirty years. As the head of faculty for the business school, I will recommend to the long range planning committee that the restructuring be directed at the other two programs. These are recently introduced graduate management courses, whose students, totaling fifty in number, can be gradually absorbed within the other graduate business courses. The cuts will therefore have to be effected within the faculty staff of the two programs being phased out. All tenured and non-tenured faculty staff will receive a one year termination notice with full severance benefits. Since their total combined yearly compensations is about as much as lost donor funding, the scaled down business school will be able to survive until other avenues are found to fund new programs. These recommendations will be made based on the need to retain teaching and research as a priority. Students who are currently enrolled in all programs will not suffer as they will be retained to continue learning within the existing programs. Additionally, the retrenchment will not be abrupt, but will be implemented over the course of one year, giving affected faculty staff ample time to appeal or seek positions elsewhere. Distress Paper 2 References Senate of Michigan Technological University (1985, May). UNIVERSITY RETRENCHMENT POLICY. Retrieved August 1, 2009 from http://www. sas. it. mtu. edu/usenate/propose/80-89/7-85. htm

Y2K Bug :: essays research papers fc

Computers have become the backbone of the world today. Is there a time bomb slowly ticking down inside of the computers that run everything from your laundry machine to Wall Street? "The year 2000 bug is a flaw in the programming of embedded chips in most electronic devices"(Outsmarting 2). These chips only calculate the date in the ending 2 digits of the year. For instance, the date 1-1-1999 in the computer comes out 1-1-99. "When the year 2000 comes around, the computers will think that it is the year 1900"(2). Any program or system that relies on dates to perform certain functions, such as calculating ages, time periods, or payrolls is at risk of crashing on the stroke of midnight. Programmers in the 1970's were saving a lot of space in programming by only using the last 2 digits of the year. They had no insight into the problem they were creating by cutting this programming corner. The justification for cutting this corner was two fold. First, think of all of the coding and coding time they saved if the date is calculated over 1 million times in a single computation. Second, in those early years, disk storage space was at a premium and severely limited by today's standards. It was important to make the best available use of storage space. For this reason that they entered only the last 2 digits of the year in the old programming. Because only date sensitive programming is at risk, however if or when the Y2K bug hits, the damage will be minimal at most. For those people who plan to move to the country and sell all of their possessions in order to get away from the effect, do not leave just yet. The year 2000 bug will not be the end of the world. Many think that they will start a rural community and it will be their little Garden of Eden. If the year 2000 bug strikes, it will strike everything everywhere, even in rural Montana. The problems will be universal. People believe that they can rely on insurance to cover their assets are facing another problem created by the year 2000 bug. Insurance companies are calling all of their current clients informing them that their coverage does not include losses due to the year 2000 bug. However, lawyers and law firms are gearing up for what they believe will be a windfall, based on millennium bug claims

The benefits of learning english

Many people see the ability to communicate and talk with others as one of the major benefits of learning English. Even outside of a professional environment, people often Ilke to be able to talk to individuals from around the world. Many people find great social and cultural benefits in having pen pals from other countries, and the Internet makes such communication fast and easy. Knowing English can broaden the types of people you can speak to, whether Its via email or on an online discussion forum.A tremendous number of websites are available primarily In English, and anyone who oes not understand the language may have difficulty using them. For anyone Interested In traveling to countries In which English Is the primary or common language, It Is often essential to understand and speak It. Throughout the LJK, US, and Canada, traveling and shopping are often made easier by speaking the language since many individuals may not speak any other language. ne of the most important benefits of learning English is the ability to explore these regions and more easily communicate with locals to learn about places and events that might otherwise remain unknown. Many people in European countries learn English in school, so nowing it can also be of benefit when traveling in locations even where it's not the native tongue. Learning a language can also be a great way to meet people, even if you never plan on leaving home.A class at a local community center or college can introduce you to a wide variety of people who are also interested in English, and give you the opportunity to interact with them in a controlled setting. Language courses often encourage students to carry on conversations with each other in the language being learned, and this can be a great way to break the ice with new people. Immigrants to English-speaking countries who do not speak the language are often at a serious disadvantage economically.It's much more difficult to get and hold a job, find a place to live, and even do everyday tasks like grocery shopping if you don't understand the language. Learning English not only benefits immigrants themselves, it also helps families by allowing parents to be involved more fully in their children's lives and education. In addition, these children dont have to translate for their parents, allowing them to be kids instead of interpreters. A huge amount of popular ntertainment comes out of Hollywood, and nearly all of It Is produced In English.American movies and TV programs are distributed all over the world, and are often subtitled for people who don't speak the language. Knowing English can allow you to better understand the subtleties of dialog that subtitles frequently miss. It can be a challenge to translate concepts and terms that don't match one-for-one between languages, and nuances of meaning can be lost. Language is an inherently cultural construct. How people speak, the words they cnoose, ana tne toplcs unaer Olscusslon are deeply t lea Into tne culture 0T a place.By learning English or any other language, you are putting yourself into the mindset of a native speaker and are introduced to many of the concepts that he finds important. Gaining a better understanding of other cultures can help you to enrich your own understanding of the world and how others see it. Many of the most prominent and well known publications throughout the world are written and printed in English. Scholars interested in doing research at an academic level, or working on new scientific developments, should consider the benefits of learning English to read these periodicals and publish their own work.Publication in peer-reviewed Journals is often required for someone who wishes to remain in academia, and the ability to read and write in English may be necessary to maintain such a position. Even learning about current events often requires an understanding of the language, since so many global publications and news websites use it. Because English is a first language for many countries, many other nations teach it as a requirement in schools. It is estimated that over a billion people in the world speak English on at least a basic level.For many people, the benefits of learning English involve the new pportunities that become available to someone who understands it. Anyone interested in attending a university in the US, for example, needs to speak it or be able to pass a test proving that he or she is fluent. People who do decide to learn English may need to consider what type of English is best for them to know. The two most common forms are British English and American English, and they can be quite different in some respects.The fundamental underlying language is the same, and people who learn one are likely to still be easily understandable by someone who peaks the other, but there will be instances in which words are phrases don't mean the same thing. Much of the decision about which type of English to learn wil l depend on where a student is learning it and what his or her ultimate goals are. To understand the language generally, any type of class will be of help. Many people dont have a wide variety of options to choose from, and a local college may only teach British English, for example.Someone who lives in Europe is more likely to be taught this form simply because he or she is closer geographically to the United Kingdom. Individuals who are learning English for a Job, however, might want to seek out a class that is specifically tailored to business language or to the form spoken in the country they will be doing business with. A person who will be regularly working with an American company, for example, may better understand the nuances of her coworkers if she is familiar with the terminology and idioms of that country.

Victors and Vanquished

The Spanish conquest of Mexico is an epic story that is understudied. The historical documents recounting the events are either written through the memory of the conquerors or the conquered, and as a result there is a great disparity in the facts, those facts changing depending on which side produced the documents. We will take a look at several of the documents published in Victors and Vanquished from both the Spanish and Nahua perspectives, analyzing them for bias, lessons learned, as well as the different contrasts between different perspectives. In addition I think it is important to look at the overall motivation behind the Spanish conquest. In Bernal Diaz second writing in the book he speaks of the Spanish movement from Santa Maria de la Victoria to San Juan de Ulua. When The Spaniards arrive they have their first meeting with representatives from Moctezuma. According to Diaz, Cortez treats the ambassadors very well, and it seems that Cortez is quite intended on making a good impression with Montezuma as well as the locals, confessing that they are there to simply trade with the Indians. When Montezuma’s ambassadors return from delivering Cortez’ message to their king, they bring back a good amount of treasures with them. The ambassadors also tell Cortez that Montezumadoes not think an interview is necessary. This is an interesting statement and something that I believe may have shown the hidden motivations behind Montezuma’s thinking. I have to wonder if Montezuma was hoping that if he sent an acceptable amount of gold and some kind words the Spaniards would accept it graciously and be on their way. When a person in power says something along the lines of, â€Å"an interview is not necessary (pp 90),† it is a nice way of saying, â€Å"I do not want to be interviewed. † Political correctness is not something that is new to modern times. Unfortunately for Montezuma, by sending all that gold, his plan backfired as the Spaniards noted that with the helmet filled with fine grains of gold it, â€Å"showed us that there were good mines there. † (pp 89-90) Shortly after this, Cortez informs Montezumaof his strong intentions on meeting him. Another interesting fact is that Cortez seems very focused on imparting the idea that he is there with peaceful intentions, despite the eight hundred Indians he had left dead in Tabasco. I can understand Cortez’ desire to trade and explore a new country with new people, but the bottom line is that he had more on his mind than trading and exploration. He and his men had received a less than warm welcome in Tabasco, and rather than find another route or turn back (which of course they couldn’t do) they opted instead to kill around eight hundred of the indigenous peoples. When Montezuma sent that helmet filled with gold to Cortez I believe he sealed his fate. Cortez’ acts of kindness from that point forward were a means to an end, a necessary deposit on what he hoped to be a big payoff. The next few writings I’d like to look at deal with the Chalula massacre. In Adres de Tapia’s account of the incident the Cholulans put up a very friendly front, but are however plotting to kill the conquistadors all along. The Plot is uncovered through Dona Marina (Cortez translator and mother to his son) once the conquistadors are informed of the plot they confront the Chalulan warriors (who were at the time under the guise of slaves). They end up locking the warriors in a courtyard and then according to de Tapia, â€Å"he ordered most of the lords to be killed. † (pp 118) Then the Spaniards and Indians (Tlaxcalans) went throughout the city, â€Å"killing warriors and burning houses. † (pp 118) De Tapia makes it sound as if the Spaniards were simply executing those guilty of treason and lies. However I think one has to question if the destruction of the entire city was necessary. Along with this, the Tlaxcalans were cited to have made off, â€Å"with a great amount of plunder. † (pp 118) It is hard for me to believe that while the Tlaxcalans were making off with all that plunder, the conquistadors were standing by not indulging themselves. In my opinion, the Tlaxcalans provide a good scapegoat for the conquistadors. The other side of this story written by Sahagun offers some key differences (as expected). Sahagun’s story is much simpler than de Tapia’s with the conquistadors arriving in Cholula and having been previously warned by the Tlaxcalans that, â€Å"the Cholulans are very evil; they are our enemies. † (pp 121) They simply issue a general summons for the higher ranking officials and warriors to assemble in the courtyard and slaughter them followed by the city. According to Sahugun the Chalulans were not even armed. Sahagun goes on to describe the conquistadors as a war machine. Mentioning all the iron incorporated with their weapons and armor, and making it sound like they steamrolled through Chalula which was a small bump on their way to Mexico. One interesting fact is that in this account there is no mention of the plunder that Diaz had mentioned. Given the Nahua’s obvious spite for the conquistadors it seems likely that they would take every opportunity to mention all the negative aspects of the Spanish conquest. This leads you to believe they either did not know about it, or it didn’t happen (most likely the former. They do make mention of the conquistadors greed when shortly after Montezuma sent them gold gifts and, â€Å"Like monkeys the grabbed the gold. It was as though their hearts were put to rest. † (pp 122) The Spaniards entry into Tenochtitlan was initially surprisingly peaceful. With each leader feeling out the other, Montezuma especially seems to be very cordial toward the Spaniards treating them as teules (gods). This sh aky peace ends abruptly with a bloodbath during the fiesta of Huitzilopochtli. There are three documents dealing with this massacre that I’d think are important to look over. All the documents are fairly short in length, but there are a lot of things to consider. The first document written by Francisco Lopez de Gomara (whom Bernal Diaz often mentions with disdain) discusses the fiesta covering some of the rituals and dances, then quickly progresses to the Indian murders. The only motivation Gomara offers as to why the Spanish so abruptly decided to abandon peace was that, â€Å"they coveted their gold and jewels. (pp 162) Thus the Spaniards locked the doors to the temple and murdered all that were inside taking from them their treasures. Given the conquistadors track record up to this point it is not unbelievable that this could happen, but I find myself wondering if there wasn’t something more persuading them. The Florentine Codex and the Codex Aubin which both cover the massacre from a Nahua perspective are very similar to that of Gomaraâ€℠¢s with no real outstanding differences. This begs the question, was the treasure present at the ceremony reason enough to attack? I think that question is answered in another source. Bernal Diaz while describing the initial entry of the Spaniards into Tenochtitlan seems to be fairly peaceful as mentioned before. There is, however a turning point is his writings. The Spaniards find a cemented door near there quarters in the city and end up breaking into it, only to discover a large storehouse of treasure. The description of the vast quantities of gold was like a dream. Immediately after this discovery the Spaniards start to feel like they are wearing out their welcome, and that the Aztecs are becoming more hostile toward them. This should not be surprising given that they had broken into the Aztecs treasure vault, of sorts. However the conquistadors discovery of the chamber seems to be the major turning point in the relations between the Aztecs and the Spaniards and is what I believe led to the massacre and ventual conquer of the empire. In my opinion the Spaniards greed was ultimately one of the biggest driving forces behind the destruction of the Aztec empire. When analyzing historical documents it is very difficult to try and read between the lines and separate fact from fiction. Undoubtedly emotions and time cloud people’s memories. However with so many various sources I think you begin to realize the truth stereotypically resides somewhere close to the middle.

Cultural change essays

Cultural change essays For nations to form, the people living in them had to become unified. This was difficult to accomplish as long as large groups of people lived virtually isolated from the cities of their country. Peasants in Western countries lived a life of bare subsistence at the beginning of the 19th century, often with a simple shelter, no furniture, and no change of clothes. Every stick of wood and stone placed around a fire was a precious commodity, and they could not survive except looking at issues in a very concrete and practical way. It did not matter what a government official in a city many miles away the peasant would never see thought the peasant should be doing. The peasant had to do what was most likely to keep him and his family alive. They were self-sufficient, and any suggestion that implied living in some other way must have seemed reckless For the entire country to pull together with a sense of nationalism required that they have a sense that they were all part of the same thing. This perception gradually grew during the last third of the 19th century in France as improved transportation brought urban concepts to previously isolated people. Until then, France was a country divided by regions in a very basic sense. France's unity was a governmental one, not a cultural Poverty as experienced by peasants was relative. If a person didn't know he "should" have a bed, he didn't feel impoverished by his pile of leaves. As the perceptions of what one needed spread from the French cities and towns to the wild countryside, perceptions about need changed. As economics improved for the French peasants, they began to acquire thing that used to be available only to the urban middle class, such s furniture and changes of clothes. The desire for these items demonstrated an increased shared culture among all the citizens. Cultural traditions and perceived needs are more im...

Biography of Maj. John Andre, Who Aided Benedict Arnold

Biography of Maj. John Andre, Who Aided Benedict Arnold Major John Andre (May 2, 1750–Oct. 2, 1780) was a British intelligence officer during the American Revolution. In 1779, he assumed oversight of secret intelligence for the British army and opened contact with American traitor Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold. Andre was later captured, convicted, and hanged as a spy. Fast Facts: Major John Andre ï » ¿Known For: Handler for infamous American traitor Major General Benedict ArnoldBorn: May 2, 1750 in London, EnglandParents: Antione Andre, Marie Louise GirardotDied: Oct. 2, 1780 in Tappan, New YorkNotable Quote: As I suffer in the defense of my country, I must consider this hour as the most glorious of my life. Early Life and Education John Andre was born May 2, 1750, in London, England, the son of Huguenot parents. His father Antione was a Swiss-born merchant, while his mother Marie Louise hailed from Paris. Though initially educated in Britain, he was later sent to Geneva for schooling. A strong student, he was known for his charisma, skill at languages, and artistic ability. Returning to England in 1767, he was intrigued by the military but lacked the means to purchase a commission in the army. Two years later, he had to enter business following his fathers death. During this period, Andre met Honora Sneyd through his friend Anna Seward. They became engaged but delayed a wedding until he had built his fortune. Over time, their feelings cooled and the engagement was terminated. Having accumulated some money, Andre revisited his desire for an army career. In 1771, he purchased a lieutenants commission and was sent to the University of Gà ¶ttingen in Germany to study military engineering. After two years, he was ordered to join the 23rd Regiment of Foot (Welsh Regiment of Fusiliers). American Revolution Andre reached Philadelphia and moved north via Boston to his unit in Canada. With the April 1775 outbreak of the American Revolution, Andres regiment moved south to occupy Fort Saint-Jean in Quebec province. In September, the fort was attacked by American forces under Brig. Gen. Richard Montgomery. After a 45-day siege, the garrison surrendered. Andre was captured and sent south to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he lived with the family of Caleb Cope in a loose house arrest until freed in a prisoner exchange in late 1776. Rapid Rise During his time with the Copes, he gave art lessons and compiled a memoir regarding his experiences in the Colonies. Upon his release, he presented this memoir to  Gen. Sir William Howe, commander of British forces in North America. Impressed by the young officer, Howe promoted him to captain on Jan. 18, 1777, and recommended him as an aide to Maj. Gen. Charles Grey. He saw service with Grey at the Battle of Brandywine, Paoli Massacre, and Battle of Germantown. That winter, as the American army endured hardships at Valley Forge, Andre enjoyed the British occupation of Philadelphia. Living in Benjamin Franklins house, which he later looted, he was a favorite of the citys Loyalist families and entertained numerous ladies, including Peggy Shippen. In May 1778, he planned an elaborate party for Howe before his return to Britain. That summer, the new commander, Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, abandoned Philadelphia and returned to New York. Moving with the army, Andre participated in the Battle of Monmouth on June 28. New Role After raids in New Jersey and Massachusetts later that year, Grey returned to Britain. Because of his conduct, Andre was promoted to major and made adjutant-general of the British Army in America, reporting to Clinton. In April 1779, his portfolio was expanded to include overseeing the British intelligence network in North America. A month later, Andre received word from American Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold that he wished to defect. Arnold had married Shippen, who used her prior relationship with Andre to open communication. A secret correspondence ensued in which Arnold asked for equal rank and pay in the British Army in exchange for his loyalty. While he negotiated with Andre and Clinton regarding compensation, Arnold provided a variety of intelligence. That fall, communications broke off when the British balked at Arnolds demands. Sailing south with Clinton late that year, Andre took part in the operations against Charleston, South Carolina, in early 1780. Returning to New York that spring, Andre resumed contact with Arnold, who was to take command of the fortress at West Point in August. They began corresponding regarding a price for Arnolds defection and the surrender of West Point to the British. On Sept. 20, Andre sailed up the Hudson River aboard HMS Vulture to meet with Arnold. Concerned about his aides safety, Clinton instructed Andre to remain vigilant and in uniform at all times. Reaching the rendezvous point, Andre slipped ashore on the night of Sept. 21 and met Arnold in the woods near Stony Point, New York.  Arnold took Andre to the house of Joshua Hett Smith to complete the deal. Talking through the night, Arnold agreed to sell his loyalty and West Point for 20,000 pounds. Trapped Dawn arrived before the deal was completed and American troops fired on the Vulture, forcing it to retreat down the river. Trapped behind American lines, Andre had to return to New York by land.  He expressed concern about taking this route to Arnold, who provided Andre with civilian clothes and a pass for getting through American lines. He also gave Andre papers detailing West Points defenses. Smith was to accompany him for most of the journey. Using the name John Anderson, Andre rode south with Smith. They encountered little difficulty through the day, though Andre decided that wearing his British uniform was dangerous and donned the civilian clothes.   Captured That evening, Andre and Smith encountered a detachment of New York militia, who implored the two to spend the evening with them.  Though Andre wanted to press on, Smith felt it prudent to accept the offer.  Continuing their ride the next morning, Smith left Andre at the Croton River. Entering neutral territory between the two armies, Andre felt comfortable until around 9 a.m., when he was stopped near Tarrytown, New York, by three American militiamen. Questioned by John Paulding, Isaac Van Wart, and David Williams, Andre was tricked into revealing that he was a British officer. After being arrested, he denied the charge and offered Arnolds pass. But the militiamen searched him and found in his stocking the West Point papers. Attempts to bribe the men failed. He was taken to North Castle, New York, where he was presented to Lt. Col. John Jameson. Failing to grasp the situation, Jameson reported Andres capture to Arnold. Jameson was blocked from sending Andre north by American intelligence chief Maj. Benjamin Tallmadge, who ordered him held and forwarded the captured documents to Gen. George Washington, who was en route to West Point from Connecticut. Taken to American headquarters at Tappan, New York, Andre was imprisoned in a local tavern. The arrival of Jamesons letter tipped Arnold that he had been compromised and allowed him to escape capture shortly before Washingtons arrival and join the British. Trial and Death Having been captured behind the lines under a false name wearing civilian clothes, Andre was immediately considered a spy. Tallmadge, a friend of executed American spy Nathan Hale, informed Andre that he expected he would hang. Held in Tappan, Andre was exceptionally polite and charmed many Continental officers including the Marquis de Lafayette and Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton. Though the rules of war would have allowed for Andres immediate execution, Washington moved deliberately as he investigated the scope of Arnolds betrayal. To try Andre, he convened a board of officers headed by Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene with notables such as Lafayette, Lord Stirling, Brig. Gen. Henry Knox, Baron Friedrich von Steuben, and Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair. At trial, Andre claimed that he had been unwillingly trapped behind American lines and as a prisoner of war was entitled to attempt escape in civilian clothes. These arguments were dismissed. On Sept. 29, he was found guilty of being a spy behind American lines under a feigned name and in a disguised habit and sentenced to hang. Though he wished to save his favorite aide, Clinton was unwilling to meet Washingtons demand to release Arnold in exchange. Andre was hanged on Oct. 2, 1780. His body, initially buried under the gallows, was re-interred in 1821 in Londons Westminster Abbey at the Duke of Yorks behest. Legacy For many, even on the American side, Andre left a legacy of honor. Although his request for execution by firing squad considered a more honorable death than hanging, was rejected, according to lore he placed the noose around his own neck. Americans were taken by his charm and intellect. Washington referred to him as being more unfortunate than criminal, an accomplished man, and a gallant officer. Hamilton wrote, â€Å"Never perhaps did any man suffer death with more justice, or deserve it less. Across the Atlantic, Andres monument in Westminster Abby bears a mourning figure of Britannia that is inscribed, in part, to a man universally Beloved and esteemed by the Army in which he served and lamented even by his FOES.

Processing of Pre-MicroRNA to MicroRNA Research Paper

Processing of Pre-MicroRNA to MicroRNA - Research Paper Example Thus, the paper will also discuss the five activities of the processing of pre-MicroRNA into MicroRNA (Grosshans & Slack, 2002, pp.17-19). In the study involving photogenic elements, scientists normally use samples from animals before testing their results on human beings. In most biochemical laborites, one would find mice especially the Drosophila, Arabidopsis, and elegans type. These animals provide some useful biochemical samples, which scientists study to inform on certain biological and biochemical issues. Just like human beings, mice also have microRNA. Through cloning and sequencing, scientists extract microRNA for study purposes. Various studies have shown that both human beings and mice have over two hundred to three hundred inimitable microRNA genes. The studies also explain that in organisms, human beings and mice included, microRNAs are homologous in nature. Consequently, this is a clear indication that microRNAs play significant roles by representing comparatively old and essential regulatory pathways (Gallo et al., 2006, pp.6156-6159). As seen above, the genome hosts pre-MicroRNA and other photogenic elements. Within the genome, sequence encoding of microRNA takes place. However, since there are mechanisms that control microRNA expression, the encoding of microRNA will involve only known genes. In most cases, these genes occur in various flimsy locations within the human chromosomes, and one of the chief characteristic about them their independently transcription shape. It is imperative to note that the primary microRNA transcripts (pre-microRNA) are the ones that encode strands of microRNA. In general, such encoding produces the microRNAs that have the same orientation as pre-microRNA. Clearly, this is an indication that there is a microRNA promoter, which is responsible for such transcriptions. In most cases, the genome stores microRNA genes, and here, these genes appear in form of cluster.

Theater Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Theater - Research Paper Example It portrays the writer as one who lived in the small estate outside Moscow and loved travelling while those he created slug in the rural parts of Russia. The play entails a lot of ironies and off stages performances that requires an acute sense of listening and sight to connect. The Seagull is the pioneer among the Chekhov’s four plays, his work are praised for the projection of melodrama intertwined with conventional dramatic topics and techniques that transcends Chekhov’s styles. The Seagull introduces the technique of â€Å"indirect action† a situation in which violent or intensive events in the play are not presented on the stage. Such events occur in the intervals of play as viewed by the audience and involve the inaugurated major changes in both the writing and execution of the play on the stage which is a persistent evolution in the present day play writing (Jae, 2012). Chekhov’s main plays capture little of traditional plot with primary activities of quotidian performed by characters with conversations of illusions of the unseen events which are intermingled with issues of daily affairs and discussions from random observations. Chekhov’s plays are characterized by momentous events which are depicted from the characters’ actions and scripts seen in their effects to each other. These plays often seem to focus more on the characters’ reactions to events than on the main events themselves. His plays are able to analysis and convey the effects of crucial events in the character’s lives more precisely than in other plays. These characteristics and techniques are clearly portrayed in the play The Seagull where highly charged events of drama are traditionally displayed though is not portrayed on the stage. We only see the effects of usual life in the lives of characters and no crises are clearly shown in the usual sense. This is only presented by the precipitating events and the effects of their consequences in