The Vietnam war Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Vietnam war - Research Paper Example Communist rebels from the north started invading the south. These rebels were trained and armed by the northern Vietnamese government, and they came to be known as the Vietcong. It is the attack on South Vietnam that drew America to Vietnam. The American government through it’s president had promised to support all the nations that faced threats from communism. It is the sole purpose of this paper to identify the superpowers that got assisted by the Vietnam War and how the Vietnam War influenced Cold War. In the period of the Cold War, the American government fought communism in multiple places worldwide. At that time, Southern Vietnam was an area under great threat by the communist Vietcong. The American’s believed that by allowing Communists to take over the Southern part of Vietnam, other countries within that region would follow suite and become communist countries (Domino Theory) (Salem State University, 2009). Faced with this threat, President Kennedy, J.F sent mi litary advisers to assist the army of South Vietnam. It is Kennedy’s successor who started sending military ground troops to Vietnam. But as it later unfolded, the unrest and continued activism against the Vietnam War by the American Citizens saw the government withdraw American troops from Vietnam in the year 1973. Consequently, the Russians won the battle and acquired control of the South. Vietnam was later unified and become a single communist nation. The Vietnam War had an influence over the Cold War. The cold war started in the year 1962 and ended in the late 1970’s. Earlier, in the year 1949, the US had defined all the governments that were communists as being â€Å"the enemy.† After the defeat of the French in 1954, the US replaced them in Vietnam. The war became a struggle between the US, against a nation-state that was emerging (Suffolk State University, 2011). It is the Cold War that saw the US commit itself to assisting all the countries that were und er threat of communism. The Vietnam War was basically a war in which a weaker south Vietnam fought against the north Vietnam. The north Vietnamese were being assisted by China and Russia. The American’s saw this war (Vietnam War) as being a war between communists and Nationalists. The north Vietnamese were communists and the south nationalists. Therefore, the involvement of the U.S in Vietnam War was a direct outcome of the Cold War. At the end of World War Two, the Korean Peninsula was divided between the US forces that were in the south and the Soviet forces that were in the north. Each of these super powers had the intention of unifying Korea under their auspices. The Chinese joined in the war and the war between China and the United States lasted for three years. This war resulted in the growing and intensification of tensions in the Cold War. This growing tension in the Cold War forced the U.S to change its policy towards Vietnam. Russia was keen on facilitating the spre ad of communism in Asia. Together with China, Russia supplied arms to northern Vietnam. The arms were delivered to a group of rebels who later attacked South Vietnam. The United States moved in to support the South fight against the communist north. This scenario overtly shows that the Vietnam War was a war of superpowers. The super powers were fighting a cold war that was due to their different ideologies. Each of the super powers had the intention of introducing her ideologies to other countries. For example, Vietnam was divided into two and each super power

Reasearch Methods r Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reasearch Methods r - Essay Example For questionnaires to result in the collection of accurate, large volumes of data, planning and developing an effective questionnaire is very essential. The survey carried out for the research project in hand may turn out to be useless if sufficient time and thought are not spent in questionnaire construction. Mistakes such as irrelevant questions, wrong wording of questions, bad format, biased questions etc. can destroy the purpose to be accomplished. Therefore, whenever we are using questionnaires as a method to collect data for our research projects, we must ensure that we have developed an effective questionnaire that meets all the needs of our project and would ultimately result in the gathering of all intended information we seek to obtain. Only then can we proceed ahead with the distribution of the questionnaires and finally the tabulation and reporting of results. Developing a good questionnaire is not an easy task and requires significant skills. A specific procedure is to be followed when developing one. Before you start with anything, you first need to determine exactly what problem or need you are trying to address through this research project and how it will be done using the information obtained from the questionnaires This will help you develop relevant questions that in turn help you to obtain accurate information. Then you need to determine your audience, i.e., from whom you need to obtain the required data and also How If your audience is very large, it is better to first give out the questionnaires to a smaller randomly selected group to ensure that the questionnaire is achieving the purpose for which it is developed. Next, you need to decide on the format of your questionnaire. Would you use a free format or a fixed format questionnaire These types are discussed in the later section. Usually, a combination of these two is used. H aving decided upon the format, the next task is to write the questions. As you write them, check them for any construction errors. Also ensure that they are properly worded and do not result in any misinterpretations on the respondents part. The questions should also be free of any personal bias. It is also important to identify yourself at the beginning. Moreover, questions framed should arouse the respondents' interest. Care should also be taken to ensure that you slowly move from general to more specific questions. Specific questions should not be asked directly. If any mistakes are found, edit the questions. Types of Questionnaires: Questionnaires can broadly be classified into fixed format and free format questionnaires. A fixed format questionnaire is one that contains questions that require the respondent to only select from the choices already provided. In other words, it provides little freedom to the respondent and uses closed ended questions. In contrast, a free format questionnaire provides a lot of latitude to the respondent by allowing the respondent to write the answer in his own words rather than merely selecting it. It makes use of open ended questions. Types of Questions: As mentioned above, there are two main types of questions: closed ended or open ended.2 Closed ended questions are those that restrict the user by providing him with options to choose from. Example: Do you smoke Yes No In contrast, open ended questi

The Role of Government in Policy †Making Essay Example for Free

The Role of Government in Policy – Making Essay The public policy making process often takes place in a policy environment that is broad and comprises of both official and non-official players. Civil society groups that are organized comprise the membership of non-official players. Such groups include women’s lobbies, business associations, labor unions and church organizations.   On the other hand, positions of the formal state are often occupied by the official players.   These positions derive their guidance and means of exercising their authority from the constitution that exist in the country. In addition; it is the political community that describes the formal state positions. A steady transformation which most of the time has been unnoticed has been taking place in the American government and debates have marginalized the previous institutions and processes and public policy has recently been centralized on the new processes especially the non-governmental ones.   By performing the desired work for the people, responsibility has mostly been shared by the American government as well as non-profit organizations, various levels of government and the private companies (Kettl, 2000). The process of policy making often starts with unexpected occurrences and mechanisms that are triggering and this leads to disturbance of the daily routines that take place in the environment.   This process is the responsibility of policy makers who occupy the pivotal positions as concerns power.   These people (policy makers) are often under pressure as they are faced with a variety of competing interests in their quest to come up with informed decisions concerning policies so as to improve the existing conditions and their tasks may become difficult especially in societies where there exist open public expression of opinions and conflicts, for instance the United States (Kettl, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The shaping of public policy takes place under various institutions and levels of government such as the judiciary, legislature, bureaucracy, President among others.   The legislative plays various roles and tasks in shaping public policy.   Ã‚  The legislature plays the task of formulating policy proposals so that various existing problems can be solved.   Policy formulation consists of factual, the theoretical and value premises.   In an organizational setting, policy formulation lies with the administration of such organizations that are charged with the responsibility of coming up with rational, goal-oriented and responsible policies that could be useful in solving various organizational problems. As a result, these policies when applied by organization result in efficiency in these institutions.   In addition, organizations can then be said to posses drives, values and skills in decision making processes, problem formulation, evaluation and agenda setting.   The legislature’s other role is making of the laws that affect the entire nation positively and at the same time ensure that the interests of their constituencies are met through their representation with the objective of improving the existing quality of life for citizens (Long, 1996). The judiciary on the other hand has actively been active in the process of policy making in United States.   The administration of education, penal, environmental protection, welfare and mental health policies has mainly taken place as a result of the participation of the courts in their formulation.   Courts also play the role of perceiving crimes that have been committed and judges have the responsibility of monitoring the various activities that are conducted by institutions.   In certain circumstances, courts have also attempted to carry out restructuring process in these institutions so that change in their policies as well as processes is implemented (Kettl, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Salvation Army is a religious based organization, registered in the United States of America, with different goals and objectives.   Although the principle objective of the organization is to spread Christianity, the organizational policies and governance is firmly embedded in the US constitution.   Therefore, the organization is obliged to obey all statutes under the US constitution (Ellickson, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For instance, the Salvation Army is required to operate under the associations act whereby elections for some posts in the organization, are supposed to be conducted as provided for in the law.   In addition, the organization operates with a fiscal budget which is subject to auditing as provided for in the law.   Therefore, the Salvation Army strives to meet all government legislations making it a law abiding organization.   By doing that, the Salvation Army upholds basic tenets which ensure that every citizen enjoys their fundamental rights as provided for in the constitution (Ellickson, 1996).   Additionally,   the organization participates in promoting good governance, especially through its corporate social responsibility arm which extends assistance not only to Americans who are needy but also the organization has been in the fore front in promoting bilateral relations through bilateral aid to developing countries. In conclusion, it is evident from the discussion above that the legal process and especially the judiciary in United States of America, plays a significant role in governance.   For an organization like the Salvation Army, the legal process offers the necessary benchmark against which such an organization lays its policies.   Finally,   for law and order to be realized every organization, irrespective of its ideological leaning must uphold the constitution. Reference    Ellickson, R. C. (1996). Controlling Chronic Misconduct in City Spaces: Of Panhandlers, Skid Rows, and Public-Space Zoning. Yale Law Journal, 105(5), 1165-1248. Retrieved August 11, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5000328549 Kettl, D. F. (2000). The Transformation of Governance: Globalization, Devolution, and the Role of Government. Public Administration Review, 60(6), 488. Retrieved August 11, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5001131131 Long, N. E. (1996). Public Policy and Administration: The Goals of Rationality and Responsibility. Public Administration Review, 56(2), 149-4. Retrieved August 11, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5000345114

Black Power Movement Essay

Black Power Movement Essay ZAHRAA JAINODIEN INTRODUCTION The failures of the Civil Rights Movement resulted in the Black Power Movement. Members of the party felt that passive resistance was unrealistic and that for real change to occur, violent direct action would need to happen. Leaders like Malcolm X felt that passive resistance was not effective. Not only did Black Power promote black beauty is also unified African Americans. Why did the BPM come into existence? The Civil Rights Movement achieved many great things, their powerful protests created an immense amount of awareness for the oppression of black people in America. Protests like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, The sit-ins in 1960, the March on Lincoln Memorial, the Birmingham Campaign in 1963, Freedom summer of 1964, and the Selma-Montgomery marches, attained: the passing of the Civil Rights Act by the American Congress in 1964. This outlawed discrimination based on racial, ethnic, national, religious and gender identity, and the passing of the Voting Rights Act by the American Congress in 1965. In addition to these acts being passed black people gained a new self-confidence as the result of The CRM. Black people also gained a new sympathy for the things that they had lost during the CRM from their fellow white citizens of America. Despite the achievements of the CRM by 1965 the general economic conditions of African Americans were poor. They lived in ghettos which were crowded and diseases would often arise due to the lack of facilities, the ghettos were often in bad conditions and most of the time unkempt[1]. Apart from the living conditions, most of these people were unemployed or paid very low wages as job opportunities were lacking. This resulted in poverty and crime and to many the achievements of the CRM were in vain, they had lost all hope. Although they had achieved civil rights they were still subject to copious amounts of discrimination often racial abuse and violent attacks with this the police provided little protection and sometimes were guilty of these brutal attacks. The African Americans had no solution to this problem as they were taught by previous leaders like Martin Luther King that passive resistance and civil disobedience were commendable ways of disapproving authority but many felt that this ideology was inadequate and so they turned to more forceful ways of resistance[2]. Black power promoted black interests and this appealed to many frustrated African Americans. Black power grew out of black dissatisfaction of the CRM. Although the achievements of the CRM were praiseworthy it was not good enough. A Ghetto during the 1960s What Influence did Malcolm X have on the development of the BPM? Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister and a human rights activist. Malcom X joined the Nation of Islam, which believed that blacks were superior to whites. They also believed in black self-reliance and that African Americans should return to where they originated from, Africa, as they believed that they would never be abundantly accepted in American society. Malcolm X became one of their best outspoken speakers. After his time as part of the Nation of Islam his relationship with the leader of the movement Elijah Muhammad grew hostile [3] and he decided to leave the movement. Malcolm X believed that blacks had the right to defend themselves violently in the face of a violent attack if necessary to achieve their freedom and equality. He did not believe in integration between blacks and whites making him an early proponent of Black Nationalism. Thus he didn’t believe in Martin Luther King’s ideology of passive resistance, their lack of power was the foundation of Malcolm X’s duty to encourage that protests be more assertive.[4] Although he was a firm believer of the promotion of black interests, black self-esteem, black self-pride and black self-defence against racial oppression his views began to change after his pilgrimage to mecca. He discovered that Muslims preach equality of the races. After returning to America he remained convinced that racism ruined the spirit of America and that only black people could free themselves. Malcom X What were the main beliefs and aims of the BPM? The Black Power Movement was interpreted in various ways and had many beliefs but ultimately a common objective, Black Nationalism. Black power promoted black interests, self-sufficient black economy, Black self-pride and self-esteem. They believed that black people and white people should not be integrated therefore they fostered a distinctive black culture. [5] These ideas caused friction with leaders of the Civil Rights Movement as the CRM worked towards social equality whereas Black Power believed in black separation. Not all parties were in favour of Black Nationalism, The Black Panther party believed in Self-defence against racial oppression. They also believed that the structure of power in America was imbalanced [6] and that majority of the people in power in America were white thus making it unfair, they believed that people of colour were economically exploited and that it needed to be rectified. Black power believed in black control of their communities, they didn’t believe in nonviolent protests as they believed that direct action was more effective. Supporters of the Black Power Movement began adopting distinctive ways of dressing, especially women who then decided that their wardrobe would be more uniformed inspired than European. They coined a term â€Å"Black is Beautiful†[7] and this became their mantra, men and women were asked to stop straightening their hair and bleaching their skin, as in American culture it was believed that certain black characteristics were undesirable, thus men and women donned an afro hairstyle to display their new found confidence in being black. They believed that time was not to be wasted on proving to the white people that they were equal but rather that, that time to be spent on educating the black community of black power , building institutions and providing protection to fellow black citizens. What methods did the BPM employ? There were various methods that were employed by the members of the BPM. During the Civil Rights Movement, an organisation called the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was a non-violent committee that would participate in sit-ins and freedom rides, protesting against the inequality between white and black people. It started out non-violently but later on in the 60s it fell under the leadership of a passionate Stokely Carmichael and this organisation became a predecessor of the BPM. The Black Panther Party carried out most of the procedures when it came to educating the black people of black power. The Black Panther Party was initially formed to protect black people from police brutality but under the leadership of Stokely Carmichael the Black Panther Party adopted Black Nationalism. Many of the members of the party carried firearms with them; this was thought to protect the black people from the police but also made them look very intimidating displaying their clear contrary to the Civil Rights Movement. Majority of the black people were illiterate and this created a problem for the party as leaflets could not be made therefore it was pointless if no one could read them, so the leaders made decisions to incorporate awareness in less literal way. â€Å"They could have leafleted the community and they could have written books, but the people would not respond. They had to act and the people could see and hear about it and therefore become educated on how to respond to oppression.†[8] They decided that crime and poverty in the ghettos could be decreased if they employed people who were interested in conveying radical change. Apart from being responsible for various criminal activities the BBP formed armed groups for self-defence against the police, this was their strategy to protect themselves and idea of Black Nationalism. Under this party the main focus was that black people would be free from white people completely, and that they only relied on themselves and other people falling under the black nation. Members of the BBP How successful was the BPM? It is suggested that Black Power made positive, lasting contributions to the African American lifestyle.[9] It created greater racial pride amongst the black people in America. Black people became more accepting of their American heritage, they noted that they would be stronger as country than as segregated races. African Americans were now taken care of, ghettos decreased as well as crime and poverty. Black voters were endowed to support their black candidates[10]. The Black Power Movement also formed a path; black students were now given the opportunity to study at university without any racial oppression or discrimination. Although we like to believe that racial discrimination no longer existed in America, it did and it still does. The Black Power Movement also created a strong black culture for African Americans, this was something that they could relate to, and this culture consisted of soulful music, eccentric fashion and heartfelt literature. The BPM also formed a platform for cultural tolerance in America, as different cultures were now accepted amongst people of the country. What is the legacy of the BPM today? The Black Power Movement set down a fundamental platform for the advancement of African Americans. Black Power was not the only contributing factor, but the Civil Rights Movement also played a big role in achieving equality for African Americans. Under the Civil Rights Movement, Civil Rights Acts were passed, race discrimination became illegal and this gave African Americans a new kind of self-esteem and self-confidence in who they were as Americans. Although the Black Power Movement â€Å"ended† the spirit today still does exist, not only in America but in all parts of the world. If we look at America today, there are many successful African Americans in the country. The dream of many African Americans was achieved in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected as America’s first black president. This could not be made possible if black power did not exist. It was the strength and power of the many activists in the 1960s and 1970s that fashioned an important part in history today. â€Å"Black powers impact thus remains powerfully resonant — however fraught and contentious — as a generation of black politicians, artists, and intellectuals have channelled the new black identity it first articulated in diverse and varied ways†[11] with this said the writer makes a very crucial point, that Black Power was the basis of the accomplishments of African Americans today and that it should remain as a token that A frican Americans should remember of the struggle. Conclusion It is suggested that the failures of the Civil Rights Movement subsequently lead to the rise of Black Power. The methods used during the Civil Rights Movement like passive resistance and civil disobedience felt inadequate to the black people therefore it appeared that was a need for alternative methods to achieve equality. Timeline of the BP 1952 Malcolm X joins The Nation of Islam 1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott 1960 The first Sit-in occurred in Greensboro, North Carolina 1963 The March on Washington (Lincoln Memorial) 1963 Birmingham Campaign 1964 Freedom Summer Campaign 1964 Civil Rights Act was signed 1964 Malcolm X breaks with the Nation Of Islam 1965 Voting Rights Act was signed 1966 The Black Panther Party was founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale 1966 Stokeley Carmichael becomes ‘Honorary Prime Minister’ of the BBP 1967 Stokeley Carmichael is removed From BBP 1972 National Black Political Convention was held 1980 BBP started to dissipate 1983 Martin Luther King Jr Day was created Illustrations A protest of Asians showing their support of Black Power, they’re protesting for the release of Huey Newton who was imprisoned for murdering a policeman in 1967. A Black panthers poster with their mantra â€Å"Move on over or we’ll move on over you† which basically meant that they were not afraid for fighting for their rights. Bibliography Revolutionaries to Race Leaders: Black Power and the Making of African American Politics written by Cederic Johnson Black theology and black power written by James H. Cone http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080312215601AA8bRSr http://prasadokurian.blogspot.com/2011/10/paradox-of-passive-resistance.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/malcolmx/peopleevents/e_noi.html http://marnielangeroodiblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/malcom-x-black-power/ http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/N/bo3633780.html http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/fhamptonspeech.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_is_beautiful http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/fhamptonspeech.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_is_beautiful [1] http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080312215601AA8bRSr [2] http://prasadokurian.blogspot.com/2011/10/paradox-of-passive-resistance.html [3] http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/malcolmx/peopleevents/e_noi.html [4] Adapted from http://marnielangeroodiblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/malcom-x-black-power/ [5] http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/N/bo3633780.html and adapted from New day in Babylon the BPM movement and American culture written by William l. van Deburg, ISBN: 9780226847153 Published November 1993 [6] http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/fhamptonspeech.html [7] Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_is_beautiful [8] Quote by Black Panther leader, Huey Newton 1968 [9] adapted from New Day in Babylon: The Black Power Movement and American Culture, 1965-1975By William L. Van Deburg [10] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act_of_1965 [11] Quote from an article http://www.penielejoseph.com/legacy.html

Solomon Essay -- essays research papers

The biblical account of Solomon’s reign contains criticisms; these criticisms illustrate the date of the narrative. Solomon was looked upon as a ruler of peace and welfare. He inherited his throne at a young age from King David. The land he inherited in 970 BC, Israel, ran all along the Mediterranean in the west, up to the Euphrates River in the north, and down all the way to the desert in the south and east.(George Konig, 68) Solomon did not expand his territory any further; rather he built alliances with surrounding countries and developed trade. The traditional powers of the ancient world, the Egyptians and the Hittites, and the empires yet to appear, Assyria and Babylon, were not aggressive during either David’s or Solomon’s rule.(George Konig, 68) David had expanded Israel’s sphere of influence by war; Solomon was a diplomat, who held what his father had gained. During Solomon’s reign, Israel’s wealth and power diminished. Solomonâ€⠄¢s broad-mindedness weakened Israel’s wealth and power. (Anderson, 241) Solomon wrote thousands of proverbs and songs and he is commonly known for his wisdom. His proverbs and songs were what made him known as man of peace and kindness. He however, soon did not stay true to his own writing, his life became promiscuous and materialistic. "Every part of the book bears the mark of foreign influences ... The close connection between the first part of the Thirty Sayings with Egyptian Wisdom ... is only a special instance."(J.C. Rylaarsdam, 444) The gift Solomon requests is the wisdom to govern well. Yahweh is so pleased that he gives Solomon more than he has asked for: he will receive unparalleled wisdom (v. 12) and, with it, wealth and fame (v. 13). The story of Solomon’s dream has been expanded editorially by the insertion of certain materials lacking in the parallel version of the event in 2 Chron. 1:3-13, which seems to have escaped Deuteronomistic editing. Thus, 1 Kings 3:6 has been elaborated to connect Solomon’s succession to David’s throne with the dynastic promise in 2 Samuel 7; 1 Kings 3:14 has been added to qualify Yahweh’s promise; and v. 15 has been altered to shift the place of sacrifice from Gibeon to Jerusalem. (1988) In Judgment of Solomon the account of the divine gift of wisdom is followed by an example of its practical application. The sagacity with which Solomon arbitra... ...ve much to live on and their ruler was wrapped up in his own life and in making himself happy. It was a time when the monarchy was being weakened by the monarch. Solomon was criticized for not being like his father, a great military King. Work Cited A.S. Herbert. Ruth. Black & Rowley Editors. Peake’s Commentary on the Bible. Routledge Co. Ltd. 1962. B.W. Anderson. Understanding the Old Testament. Fourth Edition. (Upper Saddle River, NJ.)1986. Konig, G. Solomon (King): About Bible Prophecy. 2001-2005. Solomon. 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Kings (books of Bible). 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. The Reign of King Solomon. 2005. http://www.medialdea.net/historyguy80538/kingsolreign.htm

Comparing the Feminine Quest in Surfacing and Song of Solomon Essay

The Feminine Quest in Surfacing and Song of Solomon      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Margaret Atwood in her novel Surfacing and Toni Morrison in her novel Song of Solomon require their heroines to pass through a stage of self-interpretation as a prerequisite for re-inventing the self.   This stage in the feminine journey manifests a critical act typically absent in the traditional male journey, and one that places Atwood and Morrison's heroines at odds with the patriarchal community.   If authors of feminine journeys meet the requirements set out by feminist critics like Dana Heller, then we must also provide a method for interpreting the texts that will be palatable for critics from the patriarchy.   Otherwise we perpetuate an hostility between the camps that debilitates everyone.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The typical male hero's task has been to return to his community and share the boon of his journey.   That boon may be treasure badly needed for the culture's economics, it may be new wisdom needed for the proper dispensation of justice and national confidence, it may be the return to fecundity through the defeat of a monster who has been imposing an impotence on the land. Whether the boon is economic or spiritual, under the monomythic model, the stories credit the male's efforts and de-emphasize the heroine's roles in the boon's attainment.      Ã‚   The typical heroine's journey, however, existed at best as a sub-plot to the male's effort. Her role in the quest "is not meant for her active heroism," as Dana Heller says,   "but for her passive submission to a hero" (10).   Thus, if she didn't die along the quest, she married the hero.   As his spouse, she helped him dispense his boon in the typical feminine manner of caregiver, lover or innocent.   Often, the... ... New York:   Ballantine Books, 1972. Brenner, Gerry.   "Song of Solomon:   Rejecting Rank's Monomyth and Feminism," Critical Essays on Toni Morrison.   Reserve Shelf, University of Montana, 1993. Fabre, Genevieve.   "Genealogical Archeology or the Quest for Legacy in Song of   Solomon," Critical Essays on Toni Morrison.   Reserve Shelf, University of Montana, 1993. Heller, Dana.   "The Feminization of Quest Romance."   Reserve Shelf, University of  Ã‚   Montana, 1993. Hoy, David Cousens.   The Critical Circle: Literature, History and Philosophical  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hermeneutics.   Berkeley:   University of California Press, 1978. Morrison, Toni.   Song of Solomon.   New York: Penguin Books, USA, 1978. O'Shaughnessy, Kathleen.   "Life, life, life, life:   the Community of Chorus in Song of  Ã‚   Solomon," Critical Essays on Toni Morrison.   Reserve Shelf, University of Montana, 1993.

Discuss Computers/ Telecom Convergence and Revolution

In a global study conducted by IBM and the Economics Intelligence Unit (IEU), around 80 percent of respondents (telecom executives) affirm the importance of convergence in raking in profits (IBM, 2005). Voice and data convergence is seen as the one that would have the biggest effect, with fixed/ mobile access technology, telecom and media convergence, and IP/IT network convergence lagging behind (2005). ‘Convergence’ has been a buzz word way back in the sixties, something that affects technology, economics, legal/regulatory, and human aspects of a society. In this Information Age, convergence allows us to do more things conveniently.But what but exactly is ‘convergence’? ‘Convergence’ is defined as â€Å"coming together or towards the same point† (Thompson, 1996). The term fits in the telecommunications world for it signifies movement using a single medium. It occurs in four categories- transport, switching, application, and telecommunica tions/information technology (Fowler, 2002, p. 12). See table below. Figure 1. The Four Levels of Convergence (Fowler, 2002, p. 13) The idea behind convergence is that it should not just improve productivity, but also provide a better Return on Investment (Fowler, 2002, p. 15).Convergence, by any means, is aimed to provide make life easier both for the manufacturer (lower cost, easier management, less maintenance) and at the consumer-end (easy to use, new or improved services) In the 1960s, convergence in the transport level began, with the conversion of the telephone system to digitalization, bringing us the first T-carrier services (p. 12). Since it was barely new at that time, the Bell System was able to monopolize these services (p. 12). On the other hand, convergence at the switching level initially went by the term integration (Fowler, 2002, p. 3). Every seven years, an integrated solution is presented. A rundown of these is presented below: 1975: Satellite Business Systemsâ⠂¬â„¢ The One- a digital controller with satellite access for integrated voice, data, and video 1982: Integrated Voice/ data private branch exchange or PBX 1988: Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) 1995: Broadband ISDN or BISDN (p. 13)Some of these so-called ‘integrations’ were huge hits but on the whole, they fizzled out. Sprint, for instance, lost around $ billion when its Integrated-On-Demand (ION) services panned out (Fowler, 2002, p. 4). ION was targeted as a solution to those numerous voice and data networks by allowing the users to do voice, data, video, Intranet/Internet and fax applications utilizing a single connection (p. 14). However, the company was able to sign up around 4000 customers only (p. 14). Even its VP of Design has admitted having problems brought on by ION (p. 14). Convergence at the application level pertains to information delivery from various sources, whether data, audio, video or graphics (Fowler, 2002, p. 24). The Internet and the i ntranet are examples of this.In this Information Age, the Internet has become the greatest source of information of practically anything. Users have infiltrated it so much that one click on the Internet could come up with millions of user-generated content. Time Magazine has seen this phenomenon, naming the people or â€Å"you† as its Person of the Year 2006 in its year-ender issue. Even video uploading has crept into the World Wide Web, with over 65,000 new videos uploaded every day (Cloud, 2006, p. 46). Convergence at the telecommunications/IT deals with accessing a single resource to do multiple chores (Fowler, 2003, p. 5).In a way, it is an integration of transport, switching and telecommunication and a wider scale. For example ASP or Application Service Providers are IT-based processing units that divest certain tasks from web sites. ASP is currently losing its own battle with companies taking of ASP-units. The IBM study indicates that the drive towards convergence is br ought on by four things- competition, demand for broadband access, technological innovation, and IP- networks- enabled income growth (IBM, 2005). These set the motion for telecom convergence.In a research conducted by the Deloitte Touche group, it found out that convergence may cause also problems for the industry. The group interviewed telecom executives to assess telecoms predictions. Among its findings is the continuous need to innovate and reinvent. The Internet, for instance, has reached its peak with its explosive growth (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, 2007, p. 4). Demand is high which may lead to a growth in traffic. More so now with the demand of online videos, this may affect the transfer on the Internet’s backbone (p. 4).This very same influx may likewise clog the system, thereby slowing down its service. It is important to note that any Internet viewer wants high-speed access. Any service slowdown, even just in seconds, may case customer satisfaction. This should serve as a precaution to telecom businesses. It may also open a window to new technologies to address these problems. Broadband application is very much in demand now. Companies should take advantage of this. Either they are able to supply the demand or bold enough create other broadband appliances other than the Internet.Broadband appliances could usher in a new era in telecom convergence. Moving on. The mobile sector in the telecom industry has seen applications such as SMS, 3G and mobile television. The public is also starting to experience mobile Internet, with most units now equipped with Wireless LAN network technologies. SMS and mobile downloads make up a major chunk of mobile operators. It is therefore important to capitalize on this without sacrificing content and delivery. The government should work alongside operators to ensure that laws are implemented not just in the mobile sector but in the entire telecom industry.Connectivity plays a vital role in economic progress thus it is important to have policies that are appropriate. The telephone, facsimile, Intranet, and Intranet are involved in communication. It plays a big part in transmitting pertinent information, in spreading decision. Thus, is it is important to have sufficient quality support. To do this, it is imperative to involve all players- the users (buyers), operators and businesses (sellers) and the government (regulatory). The government should not just involve the telecomm operators in drafting laws but also the consumers in order to come up with appropriate and pertinent laws.It is a challenge for all concerned parties to come up with polices that benefit all. Speaking of the government, it should embrace convergence to improve its services. Government agencies web sites are sprouting already but the government needs to come up with additional services. For example, doing a government-related query via videoconferencing may save time and effort both for the citizen and the government employe e. One does not need to line up in an agency to ask something if he can do so in the comfort of his own home. Convergence impacts everybody.With the global market increasingly becoming competitive, it is important to know how to leverage convergence. Innovation and reinvention do not necessarily equate to satisfaction. There should be a strong commitment in the part of the government, telecomm industry and users to share technological benefits worldwide, to discern all realistic implications and come up with practical solutions, to create technological solutions that would be embraced as a way of life. If all can do that, it would be one step in making this world a better place to live in.