Compassion and Media Representations of Suffering Essay

Compassion and Media Representations of Suffering - Essay Example Compassion Cultivation The decision on how these images are going to be used and how a story is going to be told are left to the decision of the journalists and the editors. These decisions are influenced by different factors which include cultural standards of the primary audience and the expectations of advertisers. The end product is almost always geared towards what will be warranted as interesting by more people in order to attract more advertisers. Media produce materials that evoke compassion because compassion is what calls audience attention. Media positions the audience from a spectator’s point of view, a passive audience that is powerless when it comes to the doing something against the sufferings of victims of natural disasters and manmade crimes. To establish a more intimate relationship between the news content and the audience, media use personal stories that are highly focused on the civilians. Their losses are highlighted, their tears take the places of actual body count and political analysis. By putting feeding the audience the suffering of people who are supposed to be innocence and the fact that audience are unable to do anything to mediate the suffering, the media creates distant suffering. The audience are being conditioned to take into consideration the condition of strangers thousands of miles away. This framework of distant suffering has been so powerful that it has connected politics, audience, and non-profit organizations towards one cause. The growth of technology has afforded more news organizations and even ordinary citizens to access and distribute news and other information. The internet has also stretched the rules on the extent of suffering one may show. More importantly, this continuous flow of information on suffering has heightened the audience’s compassion because of the reinforcement of the fact that they are ultimately powerless to change to anything and even with the privilege of knowing and watching, they cannot do anything. The audience is not anymore allowed to detach themselves from the fate of other people or take refuge in ignorance because they are never safe from the information. Compassion Fatigue Moeller (1999) believes that this formula is also the cause of compassion fatigue. The continuous drive to heighten emotion and ignite interest from the audience is compromising the very essence of journalism. Journalism is supposed to uphold truths and facts without favouring any side. Journalism is about information dissemination. All of these take an inferior place over profitability. As media companies fight for audience, they continue to raise the stakes on how they present their stories without crossing the legal bounds. As a result, the media companies resort to sensationalism. The result is the ever growing concern on the accuracy of information that the audience obtains and the proper emotion that news is supposed to evoke. Chouliaraki (2006) discussed how adventure news e mbodies this situation. She mentioned three critical current events: shootings in Indonesia, a boat accident in India and ‘biblical floods’ in Bangladesh. All of these were given no more than one minute of air time. Important information was also not mentioned in the ‘breaking news’ portion and was not presented in the proper context of the event. This treatment results to a lack of framework for the audience to understand the weight of the event. Th

Soil Erosion and Public Health in Nigeria Essay Example for Free

Soil Erosion and Public Health in Nigeria Essay Soil Erosion and Public Health in Nigeria Introduction            Soil erosion and environmental degradation are some of the mainly severe public health and environmental problems affecting or facing human kind /society. Statics show that, human beings obtain 99.7 percent of their food from the land and the rest is obtained aquatic bodies such as oceans and other water ecosystems. However, each year more than 10 million hectares of crop land are lost through soil erosion and in turn this reduces the cropland that is available for human kind to produce his food. This loss of cropland has turned to be a serious problem as according to the world health organization, more than 3.6 billion human beings are affected by malnourishment globally (Showers, 2005). Generally, soil is being lost from land areas 10 to 40 times faster than the rate of soil renewal imperiling future human food security and environmental quality. This paper critically examines the impact of soil erosion towards public health in developing countries specifically Nigeria (Showers, 2005). Soil erosion is one of the key environmental degradation problems in the developing world. Despite the enormous existence of literature on causes, and impacts of soil erosion a concrete understanding of this complex problem is lacking in the developing countries. The analysis discusses the negative impacts of soil erosion towards the public health care (Cornell University, 2006).            Loss of soil from the land surfaces through the process of soil erosion is spreading globally and negatively affects the production of almost all natural ecosystems as well as agricultural. Together with the escalating human population worldwide, soil erosion, energy and water availability, and loss of biodiversity are ranked as the prime environmental problems all over the world (Beinart, 2008). The change that is inflicted on the soil through human induced erosion over the years is significant and has in turn resulted in valuable land becoming unproductive and eventually it is abandoned. Soil erosion reduces soil quality and hence reducing soil productivity as well that of natural, agricultural and other elated ecosystems. Public health can be summarized as the art and science of avoiding disease as well prolonging and promoting life and health respectively. Soil erosion has been one of the major threats to public globally as its effects have threatened the healt h system in communities (African Development Foundation, 1994).            Public Healthcare in NigeriaThe country’s national government is and has been responsible for the provision of effective health care upon its people. The Nigerian government is the one responsible for providing adequate health care to its people. Health care provision in Nigeria is a simultaneous duty done by the three tiers of administration in the country (Vanlauwe et al, 2005). Its structure is such in a way that, the Federal governments role is limited to coordinating the dealings of the University Teaching Hospitals, Federal Medical Centers. On the other hand, the state management focuses its responsibility for managing various general hospitals, while the local government focuses on dispensaries. In addition, private providers of health care significantly contribute to health care delivery. Even though the spending on health in Nigeria has risen from Naira’s 12.48 million in 1970 to 120.98 million in 2010, health care structure remains ineffecti ve and plays a key role in the poverty status of the country. Over the last two decades, Nigerias public health care system has deteriorated in large partly because of a lack of resources and a brain drain† syndrome of Nigerian doctors as well as skilled health workers to other countries. This as well has been accelerated by the industrial processes which have seen the vast usage of the land, in addition to increased farming practices to cater for the food demand. This, however, has along with natural disasters such as soil erosion brought along a hitch in provision of effective public health care (Orisakwe et al, 2004). Soil erosion            This is a natural process that involves dislodgement and removal of soil particles from one place to the other. There are different factors that contribute to susceptibility of soil to erosion as well as the rate at which it occurs. There are different types of soil erosion such as water and wind erosion. In other terms, Soil erosion entails breaking down, detaching, transporting, and redistributing of soil constituents. This can be through numerous forces such as water, wind, or gravity. Globally soil erosion has been a thing of concern and interest, especially its impact on cropland. This is because of its impacts on crop productivity and soil quality as well as its off-site effects on water quality and quantity, air quality, and biological activity. Cropland includes cultivated and non-cultivated cropland.            Soil Erosion in NigeriaNigeria is one of the African countries with high population, which is around over 170 million people with more than 400 ethnic groups. More than 80 % of Nigeria’s population rely entirely on farming for their upkeep and economic gains. Since the early 20th century, soil erosion in Nigeria has been earmarked as a key problem in the country, not only a threat to the agricultural sector, but as well as a threat to the public health through the process of environmental degradation. One of the major negative points to note is that, the current rate of soil erosion is higher than the rate of production. This has in turn threatened the current practices in agriculture. The high rate of soil erosion suggests that, agricultural practices are unsustainable under prevailing geological conditions. The process of accepting and managing these processes has significant long term repercussion for cropland sustainability, natural resource state and he alth, not forgetting the environmental quality (Berkhout et al, 2011).            Soil erosion is a major problem which is confronting health and land resources in Nigeria. Previous researches in the country have indicated that, more than 70% of the country’s surface has been affected by different types of soil erosion and of different intensities. Despite the process being a natural process, human activities such as overgrazing and clearing of vegetation accelerates it. Degradation of land is the loss of topsoil and in turn reducing its productivity. Moreover, it leads to sedimentation of water bodies which increases suspended sediment concentration in streams, with consequent effects on ecosystem health (Iwegbue et al, 2012).            Fig. 1.0 Gully Erosion Site at Urualla Imo State, Nigeria (Agbenin, 2002)            Impact of soil erosion on public health in NigeriaOne of the major concerns about soil erosion in SA is the pollution effects caused by the soil erosion. Soil erosion has greatly led to the loss of vegetation, leaving the land bare. This leads to accumulation of dust in the air. This in turn impacts air quality in the country and mostly the greatly affected regions such as Camperdown and Greytown districts. Soil erosion has been one of the catalysts of the deforestation process in Nigeria. Deforestation is the loss of trees which are essential in the support of human activity as well as protecting the environment. Deforestation makes people’s life harder as it destroys the habitats of numerous creatures and contributes to desertification. Poor air quality poses a public health to the Nigerian community as it leads to asthmatic problems as well as other airborne diseases. In summary, soil erosion leads to an increase the amount of dust carried by wind. Does t his not only at as an air pollutant and an abrasive, but also carries along about more than 20 human infectious disease organisms such as tuberculosis and anthrax (Agbenin, 2002).            Soil erosion leads to numerous soil contamination which also impacts on human health. Over the time, there has been a significant pollutant in the air as well as water, which contributes to poor health among the citizens. Through the process of soil erosion, the pollutants in the air and on the earth’s surface are washed into the water bodies through soil erosion. Industrialization on the other hand, has resulted in soil pollution with heavy metals which have posed a health problem to the Nigerian communities. Some of the harmful elements washed into water bodies include mercury, lead, arsenic, fluoride, Asbestos, cadmium, benzene and hazardous pesticides which all of them are chemicals of public concern. These ‘heavy metals’ are frequently washed into water bodies and in turn contaminating the fresh water consumed by people in Nigeria. Metals such as arsenic are termed as carcinogenic as well as causing bone marrow and blood diseases when taken for a long period of time. Asbestos on the other hand causes lung carcinoma, liver and kidney damage. Many of these elements have negatively impacted the provision of effective public health services (Salami et al, 2003).            Mining has been one of the economic activities in Nigeria, however, this has not been for the benefit of the farming and environment protections as it had been a health risk to the community. When water erosion (which is the prominent agent of erosion in Nigeria) sweeps across the mining fields much of the minerals are swept into the water bodies. Some of the elements are toxic and a risk to human health. In addition, the gases released from the mining areas are carried as dust through wind erosion and in turn posing a health problem to the Nigerians especially the community living near the mining areas. For example, sulphur dioxide causes damage of the respiratory system. In addition, the sulphur compounds also affect visibility, reduction of sunlight, unpleasant smells, irritation and smarting in the eyes, nose and throat which is a health concern to the community around the mining areas (Salami et al, 2003).            Acidity in the soil and water bodies has been a public health to the Nigerian community. Soil erosion leads to the accumulation of solid waste in water bodies. This has become a serious environmental problem facing Nigeria. The consequence of these solid wastes is pollution of water, land and air not forgetting to mention is hazardous to women’s health as well as their social well being. With the increased urbanization in the country as well as high population, the amount of solid waste being generated has greatly increased. At the moment, virtually all the major cities in Nigeria are faced with the menace of solid waste management. The wastes are in one way or another swept into rivers and other water bodies. Due to their daily involvement with farming and house chores, women are exposed to numerous communicable diseases such as typhoid, dysentery, cholera, yaw; malaria, yellow fever, and relapsing fever that affect women are associated with improper dispos al of wastes (Oladapo et al, 2009).            Soil erosion has drastically reduced land productivity, especially the southern parts of Nigeria. In addition, soil erosion has also led to essential nutrient depletion as a form of land degradation. This has brought along severe economic impact in Nigeria. Reduced land production has severely affected food production in the country. The result of this is a shortage of food in the communities. Reduced food production in the community has increased the impact of drought to the residents. With reduced food production, the community cannot be able to sustain their people and in turn when the dry season comes along, the communities are largely hit by drought. Over the last 30 years, soil erosion in Nigeria has rendered more that 32% of arable land unproductive, this has in turn led to severe food shortage as well as food related diseases such as kwashiorkor among the children in Nigerian farming communities (Sotona Adesodun, 2014).            Soil erosion on the other hand has contributed to flooding occurs throughout Nigeria in three main forms which are urban, river and coastal flooding. For example, urban flooding such as the Ogunpa disaster which claimed over 200 lives and damaged property worth millions of Naira in Ibadan, are common occurrences. Flooding and accumulation of waste product has as well posed a public health concern to the Nigerians, especially the communities living along rivers and coastal lines. About 60 % of the soil that is swept away by the erosion process ends up in rivers, lakes and streams. This makes waterways more prone to flooding as well as contamination from soil, pesticides and fertilizers which are harmful to human health not only in Nigeria but also globally. Soil erosion is believed to have severe and adverse effect on the developing countries economic stability. Nigeria is termed as a developing country and it has suffered economically as a result of soil erosion. L arge sums of funds have been deployed in the fight against the menace and it’s especially the impact to the country’s health care system (Ehigiator Anyata, 2011).            The stubborn persistence of soil erosion in Nigeria as well as its threat to public health has raised numerous ethical questions recent times. Freeing humanity from health menace caused by soil erosion is a moral obligation that weighs on the Nigerian government more heavily as the capabilities and technology advance continues to be experienced. The world and Nigeria in particular, undoubtedly has the productive capacity to produce adequate quality health care and facilities not to mention their ability to control or prevent soil erosion and in turn eradicate health risks to the people. In recent years, rapid technology advances have led to better environmental management, however soil erosion management or prevention in Nigeria has not been fully achieved and in turn hindering good public health (Edosomwan, 2013).            The value of enhancing the well being of the Nigerians, today almost all the nations recognizes the need to enhance the well being of its people. While charity necessary might be necessary to respond to pressing issues in the community, it can not, however, provide for long-term solutions such as the case of soil erosion menace. Long term reversal of such cases can only be achieved through providing the Nigerians with skills, capital, employment, education and opportunities. In addition, for sustainable agriculture and rural development to flourish, as well as a valuable rural infrastructure must be in place as well as policy that will promote effective farming methods as well as soil erosion prevention measures (Adedipe, 1992). Measures to reduce negative effects of soil erosion in Nigeria            The Nigerian government together with World Health Organization has embarked on education, strategy for the farmers on how to improve their farming practices as well as how to prevent soil erosion in their farms. Effective farming practices within the communities are estimated to reduce the extent of soil erosion by 40 %. This would in turn reduce the amount of harmful elements being swept through soil erosion into water bodies. Moreover, farmers are encouraged to plant trees to reduce the desertification process as well as arrest the deforestation process. For example, the World Bank has financed the rehabilitation of land in Enugu, a region with massive gullies caused by erosion in order to prevent loss of life and property (Adeniyi, 1986).            The government has also embarked on landscaping and building of dykes in order to reduce the problem of flooding. The issue of uncontrolled floods from regions such as Osina and Akokwa has raised the concern of flood control. Residents of the Urualla community, for example, had themselves committed towards finding a lasting solution to the problem especially their financial contribution to the cost of the engineering design for the site and urged them to sustain the momentum. Through the arrest of soil erosion, the government has managed to somewhat control the menace of soil erosion and especially its negative effect to the health sector. The fight against the malaria epidemic in African countries has been a success which is one of diseases caused by flooding as a result of soil erosion. Lastly, the government and NGOs have embarked on educating the community members on healthy living such as ways to avoid water borne diseases. As well as providing adequate medica l attention when needed (Ananda Herath, 2003). Conclusions            Nigeria is subject to soil erosion, due to deprived farming practices, together with erodible soils. When considered across all land-use types, it is clear that soil degradation is perceived as more of a problem in Agulu-Nanka (Plate 1), Obioma, Nsuka, and less of a problem in Borno, Kaduna, Kano and Sokoto. This has in turn turned to be a massive public health menace to the community not only in Nigeria but globally as well. It is clear that the process of soil erosion has brought along complicated health problems. The measure has been implemented to reduce the menace of soil erosion and in turn minimize the negative impact on public health.            Despite the dedicated collaborative efforts of both the concerned parties such as the Nigerian government, NGOs, donor agencies provide an effective and efficient health care delivery in the county, confronting problems renders these efforts much less than desired. Some of the problems include poor farming practices, poor waste disposal, deforestation, which is believed to be a catalyst to soil erosion, re-emergence of HIV/AIDS pandemic, poor quality care as well as irrational appointments of health workers has not done the sector any good. Lack of information on prevention of soil erosion as well as the weight of these problems, is further compounded by insufficient budget allocation, lack of strategic plan and prepare for epidemics/pandemics. References Adedipe, N.O. (1992) â€Å"The African Environment: A changing and Scary Scenario† Adeniyi E.O. (1986) â€Å"Environmental Management and Development in Nigeria† A paper presented at the proceedings of a National Conference on Development and the Environment, Rosprint Industrial Press Ltd. African Development Foundation (U.S.). (1994).  Participatory development: ADF, funded projects, 1993. Washington, DC (1400 Eye St., NW, Washington 20005: The Foundation. Agbenin, J. (2002). The impact of long-term cultivation and management history on the status and dynamics of cobalt in a savanna Alfisol in Nigeria.  European Journal Of Soil Science,  53(2), 169-174. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2389.2002.00433.x Ananda, J., Herath, G. (2003). Soil erosion in developing countries: a socio-economic appraisal.  Journal Of Environmental Management,  68(4), 343. doi:10.1016/S0301- Berkhout, E. D., Schipper, R. A., Van Keulen, H. H., Coulibaly, O. O. (2011). Heterogeneity in farmers’ production decisions and its impact on soil nutrient use: Results and implications from northern Nigeria.  Agricultural Systems,  104(1), 63-74. doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2010.09.006 Beinart, W. (2008).  The rise of conservation in Nigeria: Settlers, livestock, and the environment, 1770-1950. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cornell University. (2006, March 23). Soil Erosion Threatens Environment and Human Health, Study Reports. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 26, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060322141021.htmEdosomwan, N. L., Obazuaye, E. E., Edosomwan, E. U. (2013). Impacts Of Dam On Characteristics Of Tropical Rainforest Soils And Sediments In South Central Nigeria.  Indian Journal Of Agricultural Research,  47(1), 73-77.4797(03)00082-3 Ehigiator, O. A., Anyata, B. U. (2011). Effects of land clearing techniques and tillage systems on runoff and soil erosion in a tropical rain forest in Nigeria.  Journal Of Environmental Management,  92(11), 2875-2880. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2011.06.015 Iwegbue, C. A., Nwajei, G. E., Eguavoen, O. I. (2012). Impact of Land-Use Patterns on Chemical Properties of Trace Elements in Soils of Rural, Semi-Urban, and Urban Zones of the Niger Delta, Nigeria.  Soil Sediment Contamination,  21(1), 19-30. doi:10.1080/15320383.2012.636772 Oladapo, O. T., Adetoro, O. O., Fakeye, O., Ekele, B. A., Fawole, A. O., Abasiattai, A., Dada, O. A. (2009). National data system on near miss and maternal death: shifting from maternal risk to public health impact in Nigeria.  Reproductive Health,  68-18. Orisakwe, O., Asomugha, R., Afonne, O., Anisi, C. N., Obi, E., Dioka, C. (2004). Impact of Effluents from a Car Battery Manufacturing Plant in Nigeria on Water, Soil, and Food Qualities.  Archives Of Environmental Health,  59(1), 31-36. Pretty, J. N. (1995).  Regenerating agriculture: Policies and practice for sustainability and self-reliance. Washington, D.C: Joseph Henry Press. Salami, A., Jimoh, M. A., Muoghalu, J. I. (2003). Impact Of Gold, Mining On Vegetation And Soil In Southwestern Nigeria.  International Journal Of Environmental Studies,  60(4), 343-352. Showers, K. B. (2005).  Imperial gullies: Soil erosion and conservation in Lesotho. Athens (Ohio: Ohio University Press.Smil, V. (2001).  Feeding the world: A challenge for the twenty-first century. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Pres Sotona, T., Salako, F., Adesodun, J. (2014). Soil physical properties of selected soil series in relation to compaction and erosion on farmers’ fields at Abeokuta, southwestern Nigeria.  Archives Of Agronomy Soil Science,  60(6), 841-857. doi:10.1080/03650340.2013.844334 Vanlauwe, B. B., Diels, J. J., Sanginga, N. N., Merckx, R. R. (2005). Long-term integrated soil fertility management in South-western Nigeria: Crop performance and impact on the soil fertility status.  Plant Soil,  273(1/2), 337-354. doi:10.1007/s11104-005-0194-2 Source document

The Japanese Entertainment Industry Essay -- Japan Animation Anime Art

The Japanese Entertainment Industry Thirty-five years ago, Japan’s entertainment industry found an answer to its problems. Still developing in the aftermath of defeat in World War II, and the subsequent restructuring plan instituted by the United States, Japan was without surplus resources. There was no money for the production of films. American films soon began invading the Japanese entertainment industry. Yet the Japanese people longed for entertainment which would reflect their own culture. And so â€Å"animation...developed in Japan to fill the void of high-budget film-making† (Marin, 69). In the years that followed, animation would take a pop-cultural foothold in Japan that has grown and transformed, and yet exists today. Even with the onset of increasing economic fortitude, animation continued to flourish within Japan’s entertainment industry. The creative possibilities of animation’s unparalleled visual story-telling capacities had been discovered by Japanese filmmakers, and would co ntinue to be exploited into the present age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Japanese animation, more commonly referred to as anime, or Japanimation, has somewhat different origins than western animation. Where animation developed to entertain European and American children through comedic exploits, anime was created to entertain wider audience groups. Indeed, one might find difficulty in characterizing all anime together; the Japanese have viewed animation as a medium of creation rather a form of entertainment limited in audience and expression. Anime is included in a group from which the United States has traditionally banned animation; specifically, anime is considered a form of creative expression, much as are literature, modern art, live-action films, and other arts. A man by the name of Osamu Tezuka first envisioned animation’s possibilities in Japan in the 1960s (Ledoux, 1). Tezuka realized the power animation could lend to story-telling, and produced a myriad of animated films and television programs from which modern-day anime has made its genesis. At first heavily influenced by Disney’s animation, Tezuka’s animation soon transcended the confines within which American animation had placed itself. Tezuka can be credited today with being the first to produce animation for a sophisticated audience. Osamu Tezuka adapted comics, the most popular form of entertainment in Japan, to his animatio... ...on’s superiority over American animation. In fact, most do not even consider the two comparable. Japanimation has proven its quality on various levels, and certainly deserves the respect it is beginning to receive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Japanese animation is superior to American animation in form and content. Fans prefer anime’s audiovisual presentation. Fans thrill to Japanimation’s action, and become enthralled in its story lines. Japanese animation has proven itself superior not only to American animation, but also to animation the world over, and today anime is starting a revolution in the idea of animation as a hobby. A multitude of fresh, exciting adventures that have until present remained unexperienced in the United States wait overseas. If Japanese animation is given a warm enough reception in the years to come it could provide entertainment for many walks of American society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trish Ledoux’s sentiment regarding anime is perhaps most significant in the comparison of Japanese animation to American animation: In technique, style, and above all, maturity...[sic] - Japanese animators have long since gone where no American animators have gone before. They’ve gone beyond. [Ledoux, 14]

Bibliography of Martin Luther King, Jr Essay

Martin Luther King, Jr. is s renowned civil right activities in the history of the United States.   He was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta Georgia[1].   Martin was born son to the famous Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and his mother was Alberta Williams King.   Initially he was named Michael King, Jr. but when the family visited Europe in 1934 which took them to Germany, his father decided to change their names to Martin in order to honor Martin Luther who was a German Protestant. King had an older sister Willie christen born in 1927 and also a younger brother Alfred Daniel born in 1930. His family was a Christian family and therefore in his early life, King was very active in the church affair.  Ã‚   He sang in the church choir at the 1939 premiere which was produced with the movie Gone with the wind. He joined Morehouse College by the time he was fifteen years but he skipped the ninth and the twelfth high school grades which means he left the school without formal graduation.   However he had a vision in education and he continued in the same school where he graduated from the Morehouse with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1948. He then enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary where he graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity in 1951. He immediately began his doctoral studies specializing in Systematic theology in Boston University where he received a Doctor of Philosophy in 1955. Although a 1980s inquiry into his work found out that some of portions of his work were plagiarized, King’s dissertation is still considered as a one of the most important work in his academic scholarship. It still makes an intelligent contribution to the scholarly world.   In 1953 he married Coretta Scott on her mother’s house lawn and was blessed with four children including Yolanda Denise King, Martin Luther III, Dexter Scott, and Bernice Albertine. At the age of 25 he became a pastor in 1954 in Montgomery, Alabama. He became the youngest pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist church. Before he died, martin Luther king is credited with having made a historical mark in the life of American people. He helped to organize the Southern Christian Leadership Conferences in 1957 and the Montgomery Bus boycott of 1955. He is also famed to this â€Å"I have a Dream† speech which was delivered on     the match on Washington. He has been established as one of the greatest orator in the history of the US. He was assassinated on 1968 when he had visited Memphis in Tennessee where he had gone to show solidarity with the Black sanitary public works employees who were on strike.   After delivering as speech on â€Å"I have been to the mountaintop†, he was shot in his room on April 4 1968 while standing on a balcony[2]. He was honored with a noble prize posthumously in 2004. Analysis of historical contribution of Martin Luther King Jr Martin Luther made a history contribution in his life.   As a Baptist he became involved in civil right movements during his early days in his pastoral career. He became the youngest person to receive the Noble Peace Prize owing to his work on segregation and racial discrimination by articulating for civil disobedience and the use of other non-violent means.   He took a religious stance in his approach to many issues affecting the American people. At the time of his death he had vowed to focus his efforts on eliminating poverty and opposition to the Vietnam War where he took a religious approach to the issues. King was influenced to civil rights activism by many people including Thurman who was a civil rights leader and a theologian, Gandhi and Rustin who advocated for civil rights through non-violent means, and many others. One of his greatest achievements was the Montgomery Bus Boycott which took place in 1955-56. This was a boycott that was aimed at eliminating racial segregation after a black woman Rosa Parks was arrested when she refused to comply with Jim Crow Law which required her to give her seat to a white man. King led the boycott which lasted for about 385 days and which saw the end of racial segregation on the Montgomery public bus. King was also very instrumental in founding the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957[3]. This group was created in order to harness the moral authority of the church which led to organizing of the power of black churches and conducted non-violent protests calling for civil rights reforms. King was the leader of the organization till he died.   King was an adherent of civil disobedience through the use of non-violent means. He organized several protests that called for equal rights among the blacks and ht white. His efforts convinced the whole America that civil right movement was the right vehicle that could bring  Ã‚   equity among all races in the great nation. Not even the efforts of the FBI to thwart his effort on  Ã‚   accusation of being used by communists deterred his work.   The marches organized by King eventually led to the recognition of the right of blacks with the passage of the Civil Right Act of 1964 and the Voting Right Acts of 1965. He is credited with having organized a successful march on Washington in 1963 which was aimed at expressing the job and freedom conditions of the black in the South.   It is during this match that he delivered his famous speech â€Å"I have a Dream† which gave hope to the black community of a good future life.   Throughout his life, King made great contribution to the cause of humanity. Bibliography Kirk, J. (2005). Martin Luther King Jr. London; Pearson Longman Nick, K. (2005). Judgment days: Lyndon Baines Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr and the laws that changed America.   Houghton Mifflin Book William, P. (2003). An act of state: The execution of Martin Luther King. Mercer University Press [1] Kirk, J. (2005). Martin Luther King Jr. London; Pearson Longman [2] William, P. (2003). An act of state: The execution of Martin Luther King. Mercer University Press [3] Nick, K. (2005). Judgment days: Lyndon Baines Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr and the laws that changed America.   Houghton Mifflin Book

Barriers to Effective Communication Essay

The importance of communication in all professions is often under-estimated. In the criminal justice field there is no excuse for misconception and one mistake could affect multiple parties. This paper will outline the barriers in effective communication, how they affect the criminal justice field and more importantly how to overcome such barriers. We will explore the process of communication, it’s components, informal and formal forms of communication and then the difference between listening and hearing. Communication Process  Communication often times involves two people; a sender and a receiver. With law enforcement this can involve interpersonal communication between a citizen and an officer or between a detective and an officer; or it can be group communication in which parties of three of more are involved in communicating amongst each other. The communication process involves five of the following steps: Transmitting an idea, sending the idea through a medium, the receiver acquiring the message and decoding it, Understanding the message through decoding and then the last step providing feedback to the sender. However many parties are present, communication exists of three main components: Verbal, Paraverbal and nonverbal messages. (Wallace, 2009) With the use of the communication process and the following three components we can clearly begin to understand the message of the sender. Verbal communication is the act of speaking or writing and the select word choice we use to get a message to the receiver. The general message one intends to get across such as a simple order from a higher level officer will reach the receiver and they begin to decode the message. Depending on the word choice, it can either lead to misconception or be fully understood for its intentions. For example the sender may say something equivalent to â€Å"Did you not read the crime report this morning? † and the sender may decode this as the officer saying he failed to do his job simply due to the use of the word not. Now this may have been what the officer was saying but maybe it was not, perhaps he was saying it in a joking matter, that’s why we must look into more components. Paraverbal communication is the choice of words we choose mixed with the way in which we decide to use them or using them within a message. Literally two people could say the same exact sentence and each can add tone or infliction of the voice and it mean two different things. Going back to the original statement above, if the officer puts more tone around the word â€Å"not† than he is emphasizing the word and he is most likely using some sort of sarcasm. Next we can look at this sentence mixed with the last component: Nonverbal communication, in which no words are used but instead body language to express the idea or message. If the officer is indeed trying to be sarcastic with the above message he may use a simple hand gesture or raise his eyebrows or even draw a smirk upon his face. These are all signs that the officer is being rude or sarcastic toward the other officer. However that simple sentence when evaluating or changing the different components can be decoded differently. That’s why we must evaluate each component then apply it to the message when we are the decoder. Taking all this in and understanding the components will help lead to a more professional decoding of messages. Informal Vs. Formal Weather communication is oral or written there are two basic communication channels: Formal and Informal. Formal communication is usually one in which an organization follows a chain of command such as formal orders, directives and written memorandums. (Wallace, 2009) While formal communication is crucial to the flow of communication within a police organization it also has disadvantages. While it often times supports nurturing of the authority within an organization it can also lead to a larger amount of misconception. This misconception is due to the fact that because formal communication can tend to be more time consuming and usually requires a written record of things said; this alone hinders the free flow of communication. The free flow of communication as a missing element makes it harder for effective communication as many will refuse to give a personal opinions or beliefs on certain matters. With formal communication there is a lot of change and often times change doesn’t necessarily means everyone will agree. Within a police organization laws are constantly changing and many officers may not agree with these laws but must abide by them. This is where formal communication has the advantage of uniformity so that it makes it easier to stop crime and protect citizens when all officers are on the same page despite any personal opinions or beliefs. This helps get the message across clear and concise between officers, sergeants and even citizens. Informal communication is more free flowing and arises outside of channels in the formal channels often known as the grape vine or even departmental gossip. According to the Wallace Authors of Written and interpersonal communication: Methods for law enforcement (2009), informal communication arises due to the personal needs of members of an organization and can be good for divisions. While in the criminal justice field the accuracy of information is important it is still helpful to find information about crime through informal channels. One example that supports this idea is a scenario involving a missing person, and in a small town people may know or provide information about the whereabouts of an individual when last seen that could help with the investigation. An officer may walk into a coffee shop and be approached by a citizen who tells him a unique fact about the person or a relationship they had with another person within the town. While there opinions may be just that, an opinion, it may also be valuable information within the event of the crime. As you can see information flows within an organization either formally or informally. It can flow upward, downward, lateral or diagonal. Meaning it can move up a chain from citizen to officer to Sherriff to sergeant or down ward in the reverse order. It can even be lateral as it may be distributed to all sheriffs within a state then downward to officers within the cities and towns. The flow of communication can easily get misinterpreted as it moves through different channels within the criminal justice system. There are many more parties involved and when relaying information about a high profile criminal investigation and the facts surrounding the investigation important information can get shortened or left out. Listening Vs. Hearing: Barriers in Communication  Barriers in communication include emotional barriers, physical barriers, semantic barriers and ineffective listening. Let’s look into a common mistake we all make while communicating: Emotional Involvement. Whether you are the sender or the receiver in a conversation many people encode messages and relate them to emotional experiences. (Wallace, 2009) Often times if an officer has low self-esteem due to past issues with communication, and he may hold back valuable information or postpone great ideas that he could bring forth to the department to help solve a crime. The best way to overcome this is through peer support, often times there is a greater picture beyond just safety for pairing up police officers. If you work for a long time with the same partner you begin to break out of a shell and confide more to that officer which may enhance the way you communicate with everyone. â€Å"The need to preserve our self-esteem is universal† (Wallace, 2009) Physical barriers are common in the new world of technology this could easily be a computer crashing and no way to receive emails that are important. The easiest fix for this is keeping software up to date and also having an IT department handy, as well as a backup for these malfunctions for when they do happen. Semantic barriers are a little more difficult because it relates back to how no two people have a universal agreement on the meaning of specific terms or words. One officer might say something to the effect of â€Å"I’ve had enough! † and the word enough can easily be interpreted many ways as many of us fill in information that is not given. In these circumstances it’s better to challenge the sender and ask â€Å"What do you mean you’ve had enough. This will force the sender to clearly state what they are feeling so you can better interpret where the conversation is heading. One of the largest barriers in effective communication is the lack of understanding the difference between listening and hearing. This barrier of ineffective listening can easily be explained by the simple fact that as humans our thought speed is much greater than our speaking speed. When someone else is talking we can easily ignore the true message or day dream while not paying attention. Yes, you are hearing but you are not listening or absorbing the person’s valuable information which means you’re more prone to misinterpretation. According to Network World, a site created to improve management skills, â€Å"When it comes to the similarities between listening and hearing, the only one is you use your ears for both. After that, they’re very different. † (Shaw, 2003) If a citizen has a complaint about another officer and if all the officer is doing is writing in a notepad, providing little input, the citizen will be able to sense this bad vibe and more than likely feel offended. While maybe the officer is able to hear them they are not listening to the concern in there voice or even finding a way to make up to the citizen for the problem they had with one of their co-workers. In the police world there are already plenty of reasons citizens don’t confide in policemen and women, some even resenting them, we cannot add another reason to that list. In this situation one must listen to the concern and resolve and reassure the citizen to help build up the trust we may have lost. To improve your listening skills it is suggested to repeat back what the citizen may have said that way they know you are attentive and are taking into consideration what they said. (Shaw, 2003) Also giving yourself time to work through and decode a citizen’s information in these scenarios will be help for you to make the most appropriate response making the flow of conversation a more successful one for both parties. Summary While the list of communication barriers is much longer, there is no improvement that doesn’t help the matter. Communication is a learned process which also means it can be a changed process. Whether it is learning the difference between informal and formal channels and the way we should respond in each channel to fighting emotional, physical, or semantic barriers, there is a solution to overcome these issues. As state above on the difference between listening and hearing time management is the largest improvement anyone could make in communication. Not rushing communication but instead taking time to analyze and assess the situation to get a better understand is the main ingredient in success to effective communication. We must all slow our thought process, and do as we’ve been told many times before: Think before you speak!

Us on International Fishing essays

Us on International Fishing essays US action on International Fishing Disputes While the United Nations has passed several resolutions and treaties regarding fisheries, the United States has typically refused to ratify such measurers. UNCLOS III, the most comprehensive attempt at a unified body of maritime law, has yet to be given the consent of the Senate. The sticking provisions of this treaty primarily deal with provisions for deep-sea mineral rights. Many US companies have already begun exploration in deep-sea minerals and the UN convention calls for deep-sea minerals to be the common heritage of mankind. This, along with provisions for the required transfer of marine technology, have prompted Senator Helms (Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee) to oppose this treaty and effectively kill it. While the US may reject certain provisions of UNCLOS III, they did rush to utilize the provisions of the 200 mile EEZ before the treaty was officially adopted. In 1976 Congress adopted a bill known as the Magnuson Act. This piece of legislation made full use of the concept of exclusive economic zones extending 200 miles to sea. The intent of the law was to bring fisheries within that area back into the exclusive domain of US fishermen. This piece of legislation has been the hinge-pin in most US fisheries regulations since 76, and was most recently renewed in 1996. If the United States is often the driving force behind the proposal of many treaties such as UNCLOS III, why does the US fail to ratify them? In short, there is not a single area to lay blame. Procedural rules, American ideology, and the relatively increasing autonomy of US legislators all contribute to making passage of comprehensive treaties extremely difficult. There is a significant procedural and political disconnect between the executive branch which negotiates treaties, and the Senate which ratifies them. The executive branch, here primar ...

What made him write An Inspector Calls and why set it before World War One Essay Example

What made him write An Inspector Calls and why set it before World War One Essay Example What made him write An Inspector Calls and why set it before World War One Essay What made him write An Inspector Calls and why set it before World War One Essay Essay Topic: Literature If men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. This is an extremely powerful quotation that the Inspector leaves us with. Without a doubt these words are very true. In 1914 World War One began and all this fire, blood and anguish became reality. Britain had entered a four-year war that would have an unimaginable effect on her people. Thousands of towns, cities, homes and businesses were destroyed. Millions of people, men the majority, died horrific deaths. Limbs blown off in explosions, bodies burnt alive in scorching heat, shells blasting, bombs lighting up the dark night, poison gas smothering trenches trapping screaming victims below its green deadly surface. One can only imagine the pain, agony and shear devastation and lost of human life. The war ended in 1918 and much of Europe including England was left destroyed. For people like Mr. Birling it was time to rethink. Is it every man for himself? Is community nonsense? This could be one function of the Inspector; to get the Birlings, especially Mr. Birling, to care for others and accept responsibility before it is too late. Only twenty-one years later in 1939 another war broke out in Europe. World War Two lasted for six years, an extra two years of fighting the enemy. In 1945 the war ended. In that same year An Inspector Calls, the play that I will be analysing was written. John Boynton Priestley the author set his play in 1912, before these terrifying events. This is very significant in order for his play to work effectively, as the themes included in the play are one way or another, directly related to this time and the years and events that will follow. An Inspector Calls covers very clearly a variety of different themes and ideas that Priestley is concerned about in society. He uses the Inspector as the main character, or one could say a tool, to express these themes and ideas to the audience. The sort of ideas Priestley is concerned about in society and is trying to show are the aspects of: responsibility, community, lies and truth, honesty and self-deception, equality, social snobbery and double standards. I will be covering these aspects and indeed many more as I progress through this assignment. What inspired Priestley? What made him write An Inspector Calls and why set it before World War One? The answer lies in his life before the year of 1945. To answer these questions we must first establish and be aware of the following background information. The Edwardian times seemed to be a very exciting and secure time for Britain and many of her people. She was quickly advancing in industry and technology. Her armed forces were also growing and obviously she was extremely wealthy. For the people living in the upper class society times were good however millions were not having such a good time. For the millions struggling there seemed to be no hope, there was no legislation to save workers from exploitation which of course was occurring in factories all over the country and no Welfare State to support these living such a poor life if times were very bad. The Inspector (Priestley in one sense) could see that this is not the right sort of society and that it had to change otherwise severe consequences would follow. The play is based around this Edwardian society and the Inspector tries his best to cover these important issues and express them to the Birlings in order to make them see what it is like for the other people, not just their breed. Priestley was born into a middle class family and did not suffer like the lower classes, however, this doesnt necessarily mean he did not know what was going on or how these people felt. Priestley as a young man spent four years on the battlefield fighting against the Nazi enemy in World War One. During this war Priestley on numerous occasions, narrowly escaped death, this period in his life allowed him to look at life differently and without a doubt he was directly influenced by these experiences. These four years were the platform which he could build upon. Now with his ideas Priestley needed a suitable date to set his play, the most appropriate date was the year 1912. By specifically choosing to write An Inspector Calls after World War Two and by including the material he has done and indeed the Inspector, Priestley could very effectively attract and hold his audience, as many of them felt the way he did and had lived through the wars and shared his experiences. As a result of the wars everyone was brought together. Everyone united as one country and worked together to defeat the Nazis. The children were brought together by evacuations, the women working in factories to produce uniforms and war goods for their men were brought together and of course the men on the battlefields fighting together managed to build a strong relationship among themselves. As a direct result everyone learnt to look after one another and to care for each other, reflecting the fact that; We are all members of one body. as the Inspector would say. The audience now more aware could look at certain characters i. e. Birling and see how wrong he actually is. How does the Inspector represent and present Priestleys central themes or ideas could one say? First I shall establish what Priestleys central themes actually are. His central ideas are the aspects of: responsibilities the responsibilities people can and cannot accept, personally and socially; community the environment people are living in and how it affects them; lies and truth can certain people tell lies and get away with them easily and how some people can tell constant lies whilst some cannot even tell one; honesty and self-deception can people be honest or indeed cannot, if so how can they without being affected in any way, how can they deceive themselves; equality and social snobbery why do some people believe they are superior to others and party; double standards how and why do the men act differently and have different rights than the women and why are they considered less affected by bad news. Mr. Birling believes that a man should make his own way in life, stands on his own two feet and should only look after himself and his family. He says; a man has to make his own way has to look after himself and his family too, of course community and all that nonsense a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own-. This quotation clearly expresses Birlings feelings about community, he believes its nonsense, and he doesnt seem to care for others, only blood relatives and his wife. The audience now looking back to this attitude may well have thought like that before the war but probably have a totally different view after. The Inspector arrives and talks about community, he somehow manages to predict (hence his name Goole supernatural quality) the future and so his view on community is just like the audiences only that he is in the year 1912 whilst the audience are in the year 1945. This is an example of forward thinking and because many members of the audience felt like Priestley he could try to persuade them to take his point of view. This is a very good example of a deliberate attempt made by Priestley to get the audience thinking about this attitude of Birlings and the past, maybe even Priestley himself thought like this before the experiences of the wars. Priestly enables the audience to use their hindsight to reject Birlings opinions because Priestley has made Birling say the Titanic would not sink; the titanic and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable, and there would not be a war Nobody wants war theres too much at stake these days nothing to gain by war, and we as the audience know he is wrong on this, we therefore also reject his other views and thus accept the Inspectors point of view as a result. Mrs. Birling is another example of someone who will not admit personal responsibilities. She clearly does not want to accept any responsibility for the death of Eva Smith. A quote that shows this; father of the child, its his responsibility. We can clearly see that Mrs. Birling is trying to blame the death onto someone else and we begin to gather an image of this woman in our imagination. Another quote that backs up this view is; I accept no blame for it at all. Again Mrs. Birling is refusing responsibility. The audience know that everyone is responsible for one another because they have been shown this through the Inspectors comments. The Inspector talks about social responsibilities. Although Eric and Sheila do show signs of this the Inspector is the one who stands out the most. He says just before he leaves; One Eva Smith is gone but there are millions more Eva Smiths and John Smiths all intertwined with our lives We are all members of one body what we do affects others. This quotation is very important. The Inspector says these words because he is very aware of the fact that war will occur in the future which will cause the people no matter what position in society or class to come together, everyone will be responsible for one other, there will be no superior individuals. The audience will most certainly agree with the comment as they too just like Priestly have lived through the wars and are very much aware of the changes that are going to happen. The upper class community at the time was very formal. There were successful businessmen and their very snobby wives who were totally dependent on their husbands business. There were frequent dinner parties where these upper class people met, and obviously their conversations were dominated by business. The Inspector enters on the stage during one of these parties. The upper class people were very shocked to find out if someone in their community misbehaved; it was more likely to be a lower class person who did so. Mrs. Birling shows this when she discovers that someone she thought was a respectful citizen actually frequently abuses young women, she says; (staggered) well, really! Alderman Meggarty I must say, we are learning something tonight. This quotation with the direction staggered shows that Mrs. Birling is clearly shocked and amazed that this man is carrying out these activities on young women and also she is ignorant of the activities that are happening in the upper class society. Imagine the Inspector being a sharp object i. e. a pin and the Birlings are being protected by an invisible shield i. e. a bubble that only contains ignorance and what ever they want it to contain, the Inspector pops this bubble and the truth about the world rushes in. The Birlings are pretty much so protected from the terrible world and the Inspector is pouring these terrible facts onto them, exposing them. This could be another function; to present the facts to the Birlings, to make them see the truth about the real world and so learn from what they are doing. The Inspector manages to expose some of the characters double standards, Mrs. Birling being a good example. She says to her daughter Sheila; Girls of that class in response to an opinion of Sheilas, one which shows signs of sympathy towards Eva. Mrs. Birling also says; .. As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money! in response to one of the questions the Inspector asks, showing that Mrs. Birling is an upper class snob who could not possibly have feelings or consideration for other classes of people. She believes she is so much better and more superior to others, she is totally stuck up, mocking others from her over hanging, protective bubble. When the war ended especially the First World War everyone including people like Mrs. Birling, were refreshed i. e. reminded that humans are one species and there is no reason why some of them should feel or believe that they are more superior to others. The war if you like was a warning or indication of some sort from somebody and was a deliberate event to make society realise what it has become. Another function of the Inspector is to try to warn the Birlings that if society will not change then war will follow. Priestley himself is using the Inspector as a tool to do this. Each character in the play has an individual personality and of course their personal view on different matters will be very different from others, in one sense each of the Birlings can represent each member of an upper class society. Some characters tell lies whilst others admit the truth straight away. In my view Eric and Sheila are very alike and are the sort of people who would admit to the truth straight away with no hesitation although Sheila is more honest. Gerald and Mr. and Mrs. Birling seem to me to be a little more difficult to get the truth out of. The Inspector very cunningly manages to get a confession or something with significance out of all the characters one way or another, for example he leaves Sheila and Gerald to talk alone whilst he is listening to the conversation and waiting for that key confession. Sheila and Mr. Birling say their part in the role of Eva Smiths death with little persuasion, although Mr. Birling needs to be convinced occasionally. Quotes that show the characters lying, telling the truth, being honest or being deceiving are (Gerald lying); And I have already told you I was awfully busy at the works all that time. We later discover that Gerald was actually having an affair not working at his works. Gerald clearly is feeling nothing when he says this even though he is lying to his fiance and deceiving himself. Sheila shows honesty and responsibility when she confesses that she got Eva Smith sacked from Milwards. She does not hesitate and takes responsibility for her role in the death of Eva Smith. The quotes that show her honesty is when she says; (miserably) so I am really responsible? this quotation is showing that Sheila is felling guilt for her participation in the death of Eva Smith. Also; Im trying to tell the truth. This quotation is showing that Sheila is someone who is honest, kind and caring unlike her mother. The Inspector has in one way done a good thing by introducing this news, he has made the Birlings, Sheila in particular, realise that things terrible do happen, for example the suicide of Eva Smith, and if you have been responsible somehow then you should accept the consequences that await. Sheila explains what happened freely, and throughout she shows signs of guilt. Sheila is an honest person unlike her fiance Gerald who needs persuasion to admit his role in the death. Mr. Birling being a businessman like Gerald has similar opinions (these two characters represent all upper class businessmen) and so when the Inspector and Eric try to make Mr. Birling feel responsible he obviously tries to blame it onto the girl and Gerald backs him up. The quote that shows this is when he says; Rubbish! If you dont come down on some of this people they will soon be asking for the earth. Gerald replies I should think so! These quotations show that Mr Birlings honest opinion is to be tough and harsh to the employees if they ask for more so that you do not show weakness. It also shows that he feels strongly about this as he has used said this view in a loud manor (exclamation mark shows this). Is this view wrong? Should he be saying this? Priestley is trying to get the audience thinking about these aspects he is concerned about and he uses the Inspector or numerous occasions very effectively to get these views out of the characters. Mrs. Birling as I mentioned before doesnt want to accept responsibility for Eva Smiths death. When the Inspector asks her questions, she could be considered a liar as she says; Ive done nothing wrong and you know it. Mrs. Birling has done something wrong however she cannot admit it this quotation is showing that she is in fact lying. The Inspector is using what the characters have done in the past to question against them and to see how much they can tolerate, he in one way winds them up by going against what they think is right. There are frequent examples throughout this play that show that the men are more able to accept bad news. Mr. Birling and his wife try to protect their young daughter from the suicide on numerous occasions one such occasion is when Mr. Birling says to the Inspector; (angrily) there is not the slightest reason why my daughter should be brought into this unpleasant business. Mr. Birling does not want his daughter to be exposed to the horrible truth of life, at least not at the moment. Again there are examples throughout the play that show that the men are more likely to have a sexual relationship before marriage and it is considered natural, unlike for the upper class women who are not allowed or presumed not too. Priestley doesnt believe that women should be protected we can tell this because he uses the Inspector who says in affect that there is no reason why Sheila should not hear the truth. He says to Sheila when Mr. Birling tells her to run along; No, wait a minute Miss Birling, in other words he wants Sheila to be involved in the conversation.

Types of Conflict 101 Definition and Must-Know Tips (With Examples!)

Types of Conflict 101 Definition and Musts!) What are the Six Types of Conflict in Literature? (with Examples) Ah, conflict. Can’t live with it. Can’t live without it. Kurt Vonnegut once said that every story is about a character who gets into trouble and then tries to get out of it. That’s because who and what we entangle with isn’t just the stuffing for embarrassing Thanksgiving-dinner stories: it’s the types of conflict that drives every narrative forward.It goes without saying that your conflict will affect not only your plot, but also almost every other important element of your story: your characters, theme, tone, and setting. In that sense, figuring out your central conflict is one of the most important things you’ll do as a writer.In this post, we'll study the different types of external conflict and internal conflict - and figure out what they're going to mean for your own story.What is conflict in literature?Simply put, the conflict of a book is a struggle between two opposing forces. It starts when something stands in the way of a characte r and their goals. In other words:CHARACTER + WANT + OBSTACLE = CONFLICTThis might sound overly simple, but almost all of the great stories in the world are born from this formula: a protagonist desperately wants something, but can't get it. Simply take a look at these famous external and internal conflict examples for proof:Pip yearns to be a gentleman but the British upper class frowns on social mobility in Great Expectations.  Michael Corleone wants to stay out of the family business in  The Godfather  but cannot resist the gravity of filial obligation.Fitzwilliam Darcy discovers that he's in love with Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, but for one tiny obstacle: Miss Bennett despises the sight of him. It's uncertain who would emerge victorious in a New York City versus Zeus matchup.Further external conflict examples: Humanity vs. ghosts in Ghostbusters, Humanity vs. aliens in War of the Worlds.With those external factors out of the way, let's look a final type of conflict.Type 6. Character versus selfIt was writer Maxwell Anderson who said: â€Å"The story must be a conflict, and specifically, a conflict between the forces of good and evil within a single person.† Though that might be an oversimplification, it is true that every interesting story will involve a character’s inner conflict at some point. That’s because, as James N. Frey points out in How To Write A Damn Good Novel, a reader experiences the most empathy for a character when that character is in the middle of some intense inner conflict.Internal conflict  will stem from a debate that occurs within a character. It might originate from any combination of the character’s expectations, desire , duties, and fears. In Hunger Games, for instance, Katniss Everdeen must reconcile her reluctance to kill another human being with the need to survive in the battle arena. Gripping inner tension is often morally complex or universal, and that’s what will ultimately resonate with your readers.Further internal conflict examples: Pretty much every book! For more specific examples, though, see: Mrs Dalloway vs. self in Mrs Dalloway, Hamlet vs. self in Hamlet, Humbert Humbert vs. self in Lolita, Holden vs. self in The Catcher In The Rye, Pip vs. self in Great Expectations.The difference between internal conflict versus external conflictWhen it’s done right, the interplay between internal conflict and external conflict raises the quality of the story altogether. A character’s internal conflict adds complexity to the external conflict while the external conflict drives inner change. Otherwise, your character will simply be one-dimensional.Perhaps the best way to think about this is to look in the nearest mirror. What kind of internal conflict do you go through yourself? Doesn't it influence the struggles that you face externally?To use an example from literature we all probably know, let's briefly visit Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs. There's her internal conflict: she wants advancement in the FBI - but most desperately of all, she wants to silence the screaming of the lambs in her dreams. This internal conflict is then teased out and used to fuel the external conflicts between Clarice and Hannibal, and Clarice and Chilton. Both are intrinsically tied to the other in Clarice's character arc, and should be written as such.How can I practice writing these types of conflict?If you’re struggling to come up with a good central conflict, try going back to the basics and thinking about it through the below two methods.The Character-Based PracticeIt never hurts to remember one of fiction’s #1 guidelines: it always comes down to character in the end. So one thing you can do to brainstorm is to return to your cast of characters. Start by re-evaluating the things that make them tick. Ask yourself:What are their fears and core values? (This is vital if you want to create a strong internal conflict.)What are their (conscious or unconscious) desires?Which one of those desires would get the character upending everything to achieve? Could that form a central conflict that’d provide the basis for a satisfying story?To brainstorm internal conflict, John Vorhaus suggests putting â€Å"but† into an equation with opposing forces, such as: I love my younger sister, but I’m a danger to her because of my ice powers, or I want Daisy Buchanan, but I’m a poor boy from the Midwest. Try it for your characters!Here's a free character profile template to get you started. And if you need specific character development exercises for inspiration? Check out this post.The Theme-Based PracticeGenerally, the central conflict teases out - or makes clear - the theme of the book. In Romeo and Juliet, for instance, the conflict between the two noble families of the Montagues and the Capulets is the perfect backdrop for the Love versus Hate theme that pervades the play.If you’ve already got a sense of what you want your theme to be, think about ways that the central struggle could best complement it. Will it raise the questions that you want readers to consider? Will the resolution of the external and internal conflict convey the message that you want  to  deliver? If you remember that conflict is just one part of the whole, you’ll experience a much easier time creating the package deal.Which of the six types of conflict are you writing? How do you approach writing conflict? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Importance of Quality Development to Supply Chain Term Paper

Importance of Quality Development to Supply Chain - Term Paper Example EliteClean’s supply chain aligns with the business strategy where the basis of competition takes the order of the process. This is enhanced through development of high quality goods to create competitive advantage. In addition, the firm has an overall market-winning criterion since the supply chain aligns to needs of the customers. The supply chain of this firm enables bundling of purchasing volume with other segments other than creating different lines of products. Consequently, this results into developed distribution channels that assure the firm of its global presence as well as strong relationship with key customers. It is also undisputable to note that supply chain within EliteClean is adaptive thereby enhancing the relationship between various departments and regions through regional distributional channels. Despite the many strengths enjoyed by EliteClean within its supply chain, the process suffers the weakness of not incorporating technology. Contemporary world is changing rapidly due to advancements and improvements in technology. So far, EliteClean’s supply chain does not incorporate technology. What’s more, this supply chain of the firm does not explicitly revise its strategies in respect to power positioning as well as new competitors. Since the firm produces different products, it would be more effective through enhancement of segmentation of customers. The retailers may demand a reduction in price an action that may reduce the company’s revel of income in their moneybag. These may occur because of the retailer claiming that the market demand of the product has gone down. Moreover, they may also insist that they are incurring many expenses in their running hence leading to reduced profitability. The company may increase its services by employing various measures that include selling of its cleaning products directly to the consumer. Consequently, there will be improved sales volume hence earning more income and profitability. EliteClean may also increase its services by conducting a market research directly to the consumers.

Leadership and Change Case 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership and Change Case 3 - Essay Example Marissa Mayer is one such charismatic leader, as demonstrated by her leadership approach at Yahoo. During the first year of her tenure as the CEO of the corporation, she got rid of all BlackBerrys and replaced them with iPhones and Androids. She also started providing free food to employees just like every other Valley corporation did to its workers. She also put in place the process to allow the members of staff to complain about bureaucracy. The F.Y.I meetings held on Friday afternoons gave the staff an opportunity to ask whatever questions they felt like asking her or other executives (McLean, 2014). All these are efforts to make her subjects feel loved and important as workers of the corporation. This in turn becomes the driving force for their desire to work for the institution since their leader values and loves them. For instance, providing them with free food takes care of their physiological needs whereas allowing them to complain freely about the bureaucracy takes care of their psychological needs. Allowing them to ask questions freely during the Friday meetings gives them a sense of security and belonging. The charismatic leader may not embrace change of things, but work to maintain the status quo. This is exactly what Mayer did in her first year, as some critics like Michelle Quinn assert that her impact had not been felt at Yahoo during the first 18 months of her tenure (Quinn, 2014). On the other hand, Marissa Mayer can be perceived as a transformational leader. A transformational leadership is the form of leadership whereby the leader and his subjects raise one another to higher levels morally and motivationally (Grint, 2010). Their primary focus is on transfiguring the organization and their followers using their charisma. Mayer can be described as the charismatic leader but her basic focus was transforming the corporation that had experienced a lot of turmoil.

Planner R US Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Planner R US - Case Study Example This leisurely event is created for the entertainment of the targeted audience which includes the music fans of the region, local residents and students. A meeting was made with the officials of city and the school for planning and organization of the event and the activities about the administration, operations, marketing and risk management of the project were discussed in length. The framework provided by EMBOK which is quite close to the Event Management International Competency Standard is given in Appendix 1. (Silvers, 2003) To manage this project there are four very important facets which are expected to be well understood. The first aspect is the Phases which highlight the significance of time for the sequential nature of managing event. The Phases aspect begins with the initiation of the project, followed by its planning. Once the plan is finalized, the Implementation phase begins which ultimately leads to the event. The last phase for the management is the closure of the ev ent. The rate and rhythm of the work is determined by the time as illustrated in Figure 1. (Silvers, 2003) Figure 1: Phases The second important aspect is the Processes which are required for the success of the event. These processes are sequential as well as iterative and are applied according to the progress and occurrence of changes. First process is that of assessment followed by selection. It includes people, materials and many other resources needed for implementation of the project. Once selection is made the third process is that of monitoring the plan whether it is followed according to the specifications prescribed. The fourth process is that of communication amongst the workers, audience and the market. The last of the process is documentation. All these widely-accepted five process systems begin with Communication, iterate through Assessment, Selection and Monitoring and ends up with the Documentation as illustrated in Figure 2 (Silvers, 2003) Figure 2: Processes The thi rd important aspect is the Core Values which are the rules that must be followed in each and every decision making and infused in all the phases and processes. As illustrated in Figure 3, aim for continuous improvement, creativity in the work, understanding and practising ethics, unity of work through integration amongst all the sections and thinking strategically are fundamental values for the management of the event. All these values are equally important. (Silvers, 2003) Figure 3: Core Values The fourth important aspect is the Domain which defines the region and scope of required functions and activities for managing the event. It also describes the responsibilities and organizational structure needed to manage the project. Administration is one of the domains, designing is another domain. Marketing of the event, its operations and the potential hazards or risk are the other three domains. All the five domains as illustrated in Figure 4 are equally important and none of them have any implied hierarchy. Figure 4: Domains Section II – Work Breakdown Structure There are twelve activities that were drafted out from the meeting with the school and city officials. The work breakdown for each one of these activities is produced below:- A. Contract Negotiation with selected music group 1. Defining of event goals and objectives to the music group 2. Finalizing pricing structure of hiring music group 3. Finalizing benefits like accommodation, transport and travel

Environment analysis of Germany and Expansion of BYD Co., Ltd 03013 Essay - 1

Environment analysis of Germany and Expansion of BYD Co., Ltd 03013 - Essay Example The Third section is based on the recommendations of market entry strategy, and Section four includes marketing mix. The last section is based on the conclusion. Environmental factors have a huge impact on businesses; therefore, organization before taking start conducts the environmental analysis. Firm that are involved in systematic environmental assessment is more effective than those that do not conduct or analyze the environment. Environmental analysis is the study of factors that make impact on business and helps in identifying the opportunities for the organization and guide organizations to take actions that are appropriate in order to have the full advantage of opportunity (Jain, Trehan and Trehan 2009).Environment analysis can be divided into two segments macro and micro. The best common tool that is used to conduct the macro environmental analysis is PESTLE analysis (Bensoussan and Fleisehr 2012). 1) In Germany political conditions are in favor of the automobile industry, the government has policy to support the car industry through funding. In 2013, according to the estimates, the government made $1303 funding on per vehicle produced (The Conservation 2013). 2) The Country has policy to give a political response to the industry in case of crisis. For example, in response to 2008 crisis, a significant downturn in the European market by 11% was encountered; in response to the downturn, Germany introduced several scraping schemes that helped in increasing the demand of cars (OECD 2009). 3)The Governmenthad significant policies to encourage the electro-mobility initiatives and had introduced a â€Å"national electro-mobility development program† with more than 500 million euro investment (Germany Trade & Invest 2013). 4) The Government has policies to invest in new technologies and committed to spending EUR 70 billion on research and development on annual basis. Germany is the

Article Critique Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Article Critique - Assignment Example and research shows that while many adjust appropriately, other face difficulties trying to adjust.The adjustment difficulties in sibling have been associated with poor parent functioning and problem solving technique, weak family cohesion, and family conflicts. The method in which information is obtained has received mixed emotions and critics view that previous research were conducted in an appropriate manner in that sibling adjustment was studied without including the whole family perspective. This is to say that most children who exhibit difficulties in coping, are actually influenced by the family relationship as a whole. For instance, the level of stress parents have because of the coping problem tend to translate to other siblings and they show inability to adjust with their other brothers and sisters. Stress may arise from other sectors of the family life and may not always be related to the challenged child. Having redesigned the technique for research, the present study was aimed at examining the relationship between sibling adjustments, family stress and coping problems. The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation was employed to point out various strength-based family factors associated with appropriate adjustment outcomes for those families with stressful situations. The role of family communication was a significant factor in influencing sibling adjustment as well as relating sibling adjustment and factors including socio-demographic, parent characteristics and disability were of a particular interest. The nature of sibling experience within the family was of importance and a central part of the study. It was also aimed at analyzing the relationship between the adjustment of siblings and how they view daily hassles and uplifts especially related to the disabled child. It is good to note that the coping technique that sibling employ in coping with their disabled brother or sister, determines to a large extent their psychological

Environment analysis of Germany and Expansion of BYD Co., Ltd 03013 Essay - 1

Environment analysis of Germany and Expansion of BYD Co., Ltd 03013 - Essay Example The Third section is based on the recommendations of market entry strategy, and Section four includes marketing mix. The last section is based on the conclusion. Environmental factors have a huge impact on businesses; therefore, organization before taking start conducts the environmental analysis. Firm that are involved in systematic environmental assessment is more effective than those that do not conduct or analyze the environment. Environmental analysis is the study of factors that make impact on business and helps in identifying the opportunities for the organization and guide organizations to take actions that are appropriate in order to have the full advantage of opportunity (Jain, Trehan and Trehan 2009).Environment analysis can be divided into two segments macro and micro. The best common tool that is used to conduct the macro environmental analysis is PESTLE analysis (Bensoussan and Fleisehr 2012). 1) In Germany political conditions are in favor of the automobile industry, the government has policy to support the car industry through funding. In 2013, according to the estimates, the government made $1303 funding on per vehicle produced (The Conservation 2013). 2) The Country has policy to give a political response to the industry in case of crisis. For example, in response to 2008 crisis, a significant downturn in the European market by 11% was encountered; in response to the downturn, Germany introduced several scraping schemes that helped in increasing the demand of cars (OECD 2009). 3)The Governmenthad significant policies to encourage the electro-mobility initiatives and had introduced a â€Å"national electro-mobility development program† with more than 500 million euro investment (Germany Trade & Invest 2013). 4) The Government has policies to invest in new technologies and committed to spending EUR 70 billion on research and development on annual basis. Germany is the

THE FIELD OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

THE FIELD OF CIVIL ENGINEERING - Term Paper Example In this respect, some of the main constructions that civil engineers deal with include buildings, dams, roads, bridges, shipping canals and airport runways just to mention a few. History and Major Civil Engineering Projects The history of civil engineering and its close relative, architecture, can be traced to the construction of the Egyptian pyramids between 2700 and 2500 BC. Other ancient constructions include the Parthenon, the Appian Way, and China’s great wall. Mordern day contributions of the discipline include the world’s tallest building (Burj Khalifa), the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Dynamic Tower and Empire State Building in the US. Training and Qualification Civil engineers normally go through intensive training in order to be equipped with valuable skills and practical knowledge of how to accomplish various tasks and solve specific problems. Training of civil engineers involves learning of English (language), mathematics, social studies, history, physics, chemistry and drawing and design. There are different alternative routes that one may follow to achieve formal recognition as a civil engineer. An individual may take a diploma in the course and later proceed to get a degree. Alternatively, one may study for a degree in the field directly.

Lifestyle and Sustainability Essay Example for Free

Lifestyle and Sustainability Essay Lifestyle and Sustainability are two different concepts combined together to describe how people should live nowadays. With the matters like the advancement of modern technology, environmental degradation, and pollution, we now consider the best ways to live our lives without jeopardizing our environment and the future generations. Now, we’re concerned not only about living in comfort and ease, but also about the sustainability of the world we live in, of our environment and our resources. Lifestyle is defined as a way of life, the manner by which a person lives. It involves various behaviors and practices regarding one’s social relations, consumption, entertainment, and fashion. These behaviors and practices are composed of various habits, conventional modes of action, and reasoned actions. Simply put, lifestyle is one’s style of living: it is very personal and depends on the person who lives it. In relation to lifestyle, we come across the concept of sustainability, which literally means to sustain or the ability to maintain certain processes or state. Nowadays, sustainability is often connected to how we human beings live. Concerns about the environment, pollution, and shortage of resources have driven us to apply sustainability in every aspect of our lives (Sustainability Reporting Program, 2004). We think of sustainable ways to build our homes, use our natural resources, dress up, and grow our food. Somehow, we have connected sustainability with how we live, and it is now considered as a lifestyle. One important aspect of a sustainable lifestyle is food consumption, and in relation to that, we come across the concern of sustainable means of growing our foods. An important issue is brought up when we talk about sustainable means of growing food, and that is the use of pesticides. We are all familiar about pesticides, because it is the conventional means of eradicating the pests in our homes, properties, plants and crops. However, the use of certain pesticides is deemed as un-sustainable because of the health risks they carry with them (EurActiv, 2008). It can also affect other organisms in the environment aside from the pests that they kill. To better understand pesticides, we need to know more about them, including the history, benefits, types, and other aspects as well. Pesticides have been used several thousand years ago, being utilized by humans to protect their crops and plants from pests (Medline Plus, 2009). One of the first known pesticides used was sulfur dusting in Sumeria. In later centuries, mad used toxic chemicals like arsenic, mercury and lead to kill pests. Natural pesticides were also used, like nicotine sulfate extracts from tobacco leaves, pyrethrum from chrysanthemums, and rotenone from the roots of tropical vegetables. These pesticides benefited man in several ways. The first, and possibly the most common reason for pesticide use are for the protection of crops. Pesticides contain potent chemical ingredients which kill or deter insects and other pests that consume and destroy man’s crops. Another application of pesticides is disease control, regulating or controlling the organisms which are considered harmful to health. A good example is the use of pesticides to kill mosquitoes which are known carriers of deadly diseases like dengue fever, west Nile virus, and malaria. Insecticides are also used in killing parasites like fleas and ticks in bigger animals like horses and cattle. It is also used to kill termites that can cause structural damage to our homes and dwellings. Overall, pesticides are used in variety of ways, all for the benefit of humans. We can classify pesticides into two major types, chemical or synthetically prepared pesticide, and biological or biochemical pesticide. We are more familiar with chemical pesticides because they’re the conventional pesticides. These are made from various chemical components, like the ones mentioned earlier. This type of pesticide is easier to produce because of the abundance of their chemical components, and is more potent and is more effective when it comes to killing the pests. The downside of this type however, is that it has harmful implications to the environment and to human health. The other type of pesticide is the biological or biochemical pesticide. This type is produced from plant extracts which can deter or kill insects. The biological pesticides use the natural enemies of certain plant pests. Other insects and spiders are used because they prey on these pests, regulating their population naturally. References: EurActiv. (2008). Pesticides: Tough negotiations ahead as MEPs back bans Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://www. euractiv. com/en/sustainability/pesticides-tough-negotiations-ahead-meps-back-bans/article-176936 Medline Plus. (2009). Pesticides Retrieved April 4, 2009, from http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/pesticides. html Sustainability Reporting Program. (2004). Pollutants, Sustainability, Health, and Environment. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://www. sustreport. org/issues/health_env_pollut. html

The Types Of Inflation Economics Essay

The Types Of Inflation Economics Essay Inflation indicates to a rise in prices that causes the purchasing power of a nation to fall. Inflation is a normal economic development as long as the annual percentage remains low; once the percentage rises over a pre-determined level, it is considered an inflation crisis. The term inflation once referred to increases in the money supply (monetary inflation); however, economic debates about the relationship between money supply and price levels have led to its primary use today in describing price inflation. Inflation can also be described as a decline in the real value of money-a loss of purchasing power in the medium of exchange which is also the monetary unit of account. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. A chief measure of general price-level inflation is the general inflation rate, which is the percentage change in a general price index, normally the Consumer Price Index, over time. Inflation can cause adverse effects on the economy. For example, uncertainty about future inflation may discourage investment and saving. High inflation may lead to shortages of goods if consumers begin hoarding out of concern that prices will increase in the future. Low (as opposed to zero or negative) inflation may reduce the severity of economic recessions by enabling the labor market to adjust more quickly in a downturn, and reducing the risk that a liquidity trap prevents monetary policy from stabilizing the economy. The task of keeping the rate of inflation low and stable is usually given to monetary authorities. Generally, these monetary authorities are the central banks that control the size of the money supply through the setting of interest rates, through open market operations, and through the setting of banking reserve requirements. Types of Inflation Demand-pull The most important inflation is called demand-pull or excess demand inflation. It occurs when the total demand for goods and services in an economy exceeds the supply available, so the prices for such goods and services rise in the economy. Cost-push inflation The name indicates the cause i.e. costs of production rise, for one reason or another, and forces up the prices of finished goods and services. Often a rise in wages in surplus of any gains in labor yield is what raises unit costs of production and thus raises prices. This is less common than demand-pull, but can occur independently as well as in combination with it. Pricing power inflation It occurs whenever businesses in general make a decision to boost their prices to boost their profit margins. This does not occur normally in recessions but when the economy is booming and sales are strong. Causes of Inflation There are many causes for inflation, depending on a number of factors. Excess money printing Inflation can happen when governments print an excess of money to deal with a crisis but dont have resources at backed, usually governments are allowed to print only that amount of currency that is equal to gold available to that country. As a result, prices end up rising at an extremely elevated speed to keep up with the currency surplus. In which prices are forced upwards because of a high demand. High Production Cost Another common cause of inflation is a rise in production costs, which leads to an increase in the price of the final product. For example, if raw materials increase in price, this leads to the cost of production increasing which in turn leads to the company increasing prices to maintain steady profits. Rising labor costs can also lead to inflation. International lending and national debts Inflation can also be caused by international lending and national debts. As nations borrow money, they have to deal with interests, which in the end cause prices to rise as a way of keeping up with their debts. Federal taxes Inflation may be caused by federal taxes put on consumer products such as cigarettes or fuel. As the taxes rise, suppliers often pass on the burden to the consumer; however, once prices have increased, they rarely go back, even if the taxes are later reduced. For example a rise in the rate of excise duty on alcohol and cigarettes, an increase in fuel duties or perhaps a rise in the standard rate of Value Added Tax or an extension to the range of products to which VAT is applied. These taxes are levied on producers (suppliers) who, depending on the price elasticity of demand and supply for their products, can opt to pass on the burden of the tax onto consumers. For example, if the government was to choose to levy a new tax on aviation fuel, then this would contribute to a rise in cost-push inflation. Effects of Inflation Most effects of inflation are negative, and can hurt individuals and companies alike, below is a list of negative and positive effects of inflation. Negative Effects Hoarding People will try to get rid of cash before it is devalued, by hoarding food and other commodities creating shortages of the hoarded objects. Increased risk Higher uncertainties: Uncertainties in business always exist, but with inflation risks are very high, because of the flux of prices. Fixed income recipients will be hurt: Because while inflation increases, their income doesnt increase, and therefore their income will have less value over time. Lowers national saving: When there is a high inflation, saving money would mean watching your cash decrease in value day after day, so people tend to spend the cash on something else. Existing creditors will be hurt: Because the value of the money they will receive from their borrowers later will be lower than the money they gave before. Distortion of relative prices: Usually the prices of goods go higher, especially the prices of commodities. Causes an increase in tax bracket People will be taxed a higher percentage if their income increases following an inflation increase. Causes business life cycles: Many companies will have to go out of business because of the losses they incurred from inflation and its effects). Positive Effects It can benefit the inflators (those responsible for the inflation) It can benefit early and first recipients of the inflated money (because the negative effects of inflation are not there yet). It can benefit the cartels (it benefits big cartels, destroys small sellers, and can cause price control set by the cartels for their own benefits). It might relatively benefit borrowers who will have to pay the same amount of money they borrowed (+ fixed interests), but the inflation could be higher than the interests; therefore they will be paying less money back. (example, you borrowed $1000 in 2008 with a 5% fixed interest rate and you paid it back in full in 2010, lets assume the inflation rate for 2005, 2006 and 2007 has been 13%, and borrower was charged 5% of interests, but in actual borrower earning 8% of interests, because 13% (inflation rate) 5% (interests) = 8% profit, which means you have paid only around 65- 70% of the real value in the 3 years. The first three effects are only positive to a few elite, and therefore might not be considered positive by the general public. Surviving in inflation Be wise when holding cash, whether in your home or in your savings account, if youre earning 5% interest on the money you have in your bank, and inflation rate is 10% then youre in reality losing 5% and not earning anything. Be vigilant when buying bonds, high inflation rates completely destroy the value of long-term bonds. Invest in durable goods or commodities rather than in money. Invest in things that going to be used anyway and will serve for a long time. Invest for long-term capital gains, because short term investments tend to give misleading results or sense of making profits while in reality its resulting in loss. Manage wisely recurring monthly bills such as (phone bills, cable TV), it would help to reduce them or eliminate some of them. Ask yourself, do I really need these things Im spending my money on? Think how much and how often you will need something before buying it. Use the money saving tips such as: you need to reduce your consumption of things that are rising rapidly in price (e.g, gas) without having to reduce your consumption of goods that are rising less rapidly or even falling in price (eg, clothes). Buy only what is need, especially objects that have multi-tasks, and are considered durable goods. Causes of Inflation In Pakistan Several supply and demand factors could be responsible for this surge in inflation. Supply-side shocks If occurs can cause large fluctuations in food and oil prices, which impacts over all inflation, at times, can be so extreme that these cannot be countered through demand management, including monetary policy. Increased domestic demand Increased domestic demand can create an output gap, putting upward pressure on prices. Growth in private consumption on the average remained over 10 % between fiscal year 2004 and 2006, depicting signs of demand side pressures on price level. The relationship between growth and inflation depends on the state of the economy. High growth, without an increase in inflation, is possible if the productive capacity or potential output of the economy is growing enough to keep pace with demand. A prolonged phase of rising inflation in such a case can have severe consequences for the economy. Rising trade deficit The prospect effect is very important since there is a danger that the current high rate of inflation can get locked into expectations of inflation. People expect higher salaries to compensate for intended increase in prices, speculation in asset prices increases, credit meant for manufacturing sector diverts to real estate and stock markets, and hoarders, profit and rent seekers become active in expectation of high price in the future. All this can have devastating effect for the prices. Fiscal policy remained expansionary Fiscal policy has remained expansionary in the last few years. Expansionary fiscal policy fuels domestic demand and puts pressure on the current account deficit. It widens the investment-saving gap, which has to be financed externally. Financing of fiscal deficit through money creation adds to inflationary pressures. Increased government borrowing from central bank can have serious consequences for general price level. Expansionary monetary policy The expansionary monetary policy- high growth in money supply and loose credit policy- was believed to be contributing to high inflation. Although expansion of credit is usual in expanding economies, excessive credit growth can have adverse effects on real variables. Increase in import prices Increasing import prices are also considered an important factor for inflation. Exchange rate, if depreciating can also put upward pressure on price level. Increase in prices of goods, such as petrol, raw material etc makes our imports costlier, impacting on cost of production. Indirect taxes Indirect taxes are also blamed as the main cause of inflation. The indirect taxes, such as sales tax and excise duties raise the prices of consumer goods. This creates inflationary pressure. contarary, direct taxes reduce the take-home income and have anti-inflationary effect. A substantial increase in support price of wheat is estimated to have an inflationary effect on consumer prices, particularly food prices. This effect is due to the fact that wheat and wheat-related products account for 5.1 per cent of the CPI basket. Measuring Inflation Four different price indices are used in Pakistan over the course of fiscal year, namely: the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) and the GDP deflator. The CPI is the main measure of price changes at the retail level. It covers the retail prices of 374 items in 35 major cities and reflects roughly the changes in the cost of living of urban areas. The WPI is designed for those items which are of day to day use on the primary and secondary level; these prices are collected from wholesale markets as well as from manufacturers. The WPI covers the wholesale price of 106 commodities prevailing in 18 major cities of Pakistan. The SPI shows the weekly change of price of 53 selected items of daily use consumed by those households The SPI is based on the prices prevailing in 17+ major cities and is computed for the basket of commodities being consumed by the households belonging to all income groups combined. In Pakistan, the main focus is placed on the CPI as a measure of inflation as it represents more with a wider coverage of more than 374 items in 71 markets of 35 cities around the country. As such, the change in CPI becomes an indicator of the inflation that affects all of us. WPI indicates the change in wholesale prices which affects businesses and industries. And SPI that covers a limited number of essential items of daily use including food and fuel can be termed as the inflation for the poor. CPI Analysis from 2008 to 2012 In March 2012 inflation rate in Pakistan was reported to be 10.8%. From 2003 until 2010, the average inflation rate in Pakistan was 10.15 percent reaching an all time height of 25.33 percent in August of 2008 and a record low of 1.41 percent in July of 2003. Controling Inflation To reduce our Government Luxury Expenses both Federal and Provincial. To reassess the complete system of Direct and Indirect Taxes. To increase the Production of Food, Industry and Service things. Take benefit to public in shape of (Oil Petrol is low than reduce the prices) Reduce Unemployment Increase in Agriculture, industry Monopoly Control System should be work accurately SBP should take major steps to control inflation Conclusion Inflation impacts the multiple sectors of the economy (impact on the distribution of income and wealth, impact on production, impact on the Government, impact on the Balance of Payment, impact on Monetary Policy, impact on Social Sector, impact on Political environment) and different classes of the people (Debtors Creditors, Salaried Class, Wages earners, Fixed income group, Investors and shareholders, Businessmen, Agriculturists). A reasonable rate of inflation of around 3- 6 per cent is often viewed to have positive effects on the national economy as it encourages investment and production and allows growth in wages. When inflation crosses reasonable limits, it has negative effects. It reduces the value of money, resulting in uncertainty of the value of gains and losses of borrowers, lenders, and buyers and sellers. The increasing uncertainty discourages saving and investment. Not only can high inflation grind down the gains from growth, it also makes the poor worse off and widens the gap between the rich and the poor. If much of the inflation comes from increase in food prices, it hurts poor more since over half of family budget of the low wage earners goes for food. Second, it redistributes income from fixed income earners (for instance pensioners) to owners of assets and earners of large and variable income, such as profits. For Pakistans economy, inflation can be bad if it crosses the threshold of six per cent, and can be extremely harmful if it crosses the double digit level. Several supply and demand factors could be responsible for this surge in inflation. Supply-side shocks can cause large fluctuations in food and oil prices, effects of which on overall inflation, at times, can be so excessive that these cannot be countered through demand management.