Dracula s Power The Weaknesses Of The East During Great...

Dracula’s overwhelming supernatural power is first introduced by Jonathan Harker as he witnesses the â€Å"swept [of] his long arms, as though brushing aside some impalpable obstacle, the wolves fell back and back further still† (20). Knowing that Dracula can command wolves at his will, will send chills down anyone’s spine if they have to make Dracula their enemy. Bram Stoker created a monster that possesses a wide range of powers like: commanding wolves and rats, transformation into animal forms and mist, immense strength, restoring youthfulness by drinking human blood, turning victims into vampires, and being able to control the minds of his victims. With all that being said, Dracula’s power does have its limitations like not knowing his†¦show more content†¦Jonathan concludes that, â€Å"[Dracula] a man who never in the country; and who did not evidently do much in the way of business, his knowledge and acumen were wonderful† (37). F or Jonathan, Dracula seems like a brilliant man and he is, but to readers Dracula is simply testing the waters to make sure it is safe to enter. Dracula has been living at his castle in Transylvania for a long time, and barely makes any contact with the rapidly growing outside world. This is very similar to the far East, because they have a long history, but chooses to keep to themselves until the Europeans start to invade their land. The East started to modernize after the West was far ahead in development of new technology and science. The East starts to fall behind, and their slow response to catch up to the West made them susceptible to invasion. Dracula also made himself vulnerable when he carelessly reveals his hideout in the castle to Jonathan. Jonathan makes several trips to Dracula’s room, and one time he discovers â€Å"in one of the great boxes [. . .] lay the Count!† (50). This initial encounter with Dracula during his sleep strikes fear in Jonathan, and he quickly withdrew from the room. Dracula has no intention of changing his hideout, which gave Jonathan another chance to stumble upon his sleeping body. This time Jonathan picks up a shovel and strikes â€Å"the hateful face† of Dracula (54). If Jonathan knows the proper way to

Mental Illness And Its Effects - 1761 Words

Mental illness is a condition that is described by aggravations in idea, feelings, or behaviour. Emotional instability refers to a wide collection of disorders, running from those that cause mellow misery to those that debilitate a man s capacity to work in every day life. Numerous attempts to make sense of the purposes behind emotional instabilities. These reasons have been taken a gander at and considered for a large number of years. The natural viewpoint sees emotional instability as a substantial procedure. Where as the mental points of view think the part of a man s childhood and environment are reasons for emotional instabilities. Emotional instabilities are a critical issue throughout today s reality (Pierre, 2012). In setting of Australia, mental illness and suicide is higher, particularly with ATSI groups. Therefore, in this exposition will investigate why individual ATSI is encountering higher rate of emotional instability with suicide in a few groups. Some truth and figure will likewise give with respect to psychological wellness sickness in ATSI. It will also investigate social variable connected with higher rates of emotional condition and suicide. Moreover, it will similarly talk about the cultural variable related with it. Besides, One proof based procedure to address it will be recognizes and discussions about in this exposition. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups are known as Indigenous. Indigenous rate as among the most distraught peoplesShow MoreRelatedMental Illness And Its Effects1052 Words   |  5 Pagesforgiving: mental illness. Mental illness is something that I, and millions of others, live with daily. While it can and often does prove to be an obstacle in life, it can also be a valuable learning experience. Because it affects so many people, I believe that mental illness should no longer be something that is swept under a rug. Instead, I think mental illness should be something that is respected and talked about with the tenacity that any physical illness is. Those with mental illness are not peopleRead MoreMental Illness And Its Effects901 Words   |  4 Pagessister Kristin. My sister Kristin suffers from a cognitive disability due to an accident that occurred when she was a child. While completing this genogram, I noticed the prevalence of mental illness within my family. Within this analysis, I chose to focus on mental illness and its effects within my family. Mental illness has been a struggle for the women in my family dating back to my great-grandmother. According to my mother, my great-grandmother suffered for depression and schizophrenia. BecauseRead MoreMental Illness And Its Effects1776 Words   |  8 PagesMental illness has always been present, but the views and treatments have drastically changed through the centuries. In past decades, particularly in and after the 1930s, advances in helping the mentally ill have increased in this field because of the growth of government funding and medical breakthroughs. Additionally, society has become more knowledgeable and accepting of the struggles the mentally ill face; programs and non-life-threatening treatments have been created since society has becomeRead MoreMental Illness And Its Effects1717 Words   |  7 Pages Involuntary psychiatric commitment has been like a pendulum, sometimes in favor as a government policy to treat mental illness, and other times not. Mental illness treatment has been evolving throughout history. Society once believed that mental illness was due to a reversed to an animalistic level of consciousness, possession of demons, a sinful soul, or a chemical imbalance. The medical journal Nature and Genetics, recently reported that, a defect in chromosome number six which has been identifiedRead MoreMental Illness And Its Effects1095 Words   |  5 Pagesaffected by mental illness are violent or unpredictable. Now, this opinion is not entirely erroneous, but it does create an extremely one-sided and unfair outlook for those suffering from a mental illness. Those who negatively stigmatize mental illness cause an immense harm. Stigma is a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. If people today would talk about mental illness more, that communication could lead those suffering from mental illness to feel as ifRead MoreMental Illness And Its Effects On Mental Health2155 Words   |  9 PagesThe term mental illness is used to describe a disorder that causes a person to express themselves differently, this may be through their behaviour or thinking (WHO, 2016). According to the BBC website at least 1 in 4 people will be affected by a mental illness, and this could be triggered by an event or some trauma in their life (BBC, 2016). Mental health problems can trigger a mental illness, for most people the signs of mental health deterioration do not develop into a full mental illness, this isRead MoreMental Illness And Its Effects On The Media Essay1324 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Mental illness is often wrongly portrayed in the United States’ media creating stigmatization and misrepresentation. Mental illness â€Å"refers to a wide range of mental disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior† (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). Examples of disorders include anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Any â€Å"negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are called stigma† (Wilson et al., 2016, p. 2) and stigma can contributeRead MoreMental Illness And Its Effects On Society1461 Words   |  6 Pages Mental illness affects millions of people in the United States and in other countries. Disabling mental illness is seen in and out of local hospitals and other skilled nursing facilities daily. Timby and Smith (2011) define schizophrenia as a thought disorder characterized by deterioration in mental functioning, disturbances in sensory perception, and changes in affect. Schizophrenia effects about one percent of the population and shows no regard to ethnicity, culture, or environmentRead MoreThe Effects Of Abnormality And Mental Illness1284 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout my life, I have had a fair amount of exposure to abnormality, and mental illness. I was exposed early on to abnormality. My father, who spent 20 years of his life in the U.S. Navy, was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Disorder in 1995, following the riots in the camps of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 1994. This is not my only experience with mental illness, although it was the most persistent experience I have had with abnormality. My mother went through severe depression when she turned 40. MyRead MoreSchizophrenia And Its Effects On Mental Illness1538 Words   |  7 PagesSchizophrenia is a mental illness that is in a very small amount of the population, 1 in 100 people (1% of the population). Symptoms of schizophrenia include, delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and behavior, not much emotion if any is present, as well as speech and socializations issues. Ways to t reat schizophrenia are very limited to antipsychotic drugs and therapy. Although there is not one cause to this illness found, there are many factors that explain the cause or result in having

1994 Economic Crisis in Mexico Free Essays

Abstract This is a critical analysis essay discussing one of historical financial crisis, with a major focus on its effects, causes, and lessons learnt. Selected historical financial crisis is ‘1994 Economic Crisis in Mexico.’ Introduction handles the genesis and description of the crisis with the main body discusses causes, effects and lesson learnt. We will write a custom essay sample on 1994 Economic Crisis in Mexico or any similar topic only for you Order Now The conclusion summarizes the findings of the research. Introduction The â€Å"1994 Economic Crisis in Mexico† is referred to as â€Å"The December Mistake† (el error de Diciembre) in Spanish, a term that was derived by the then president Carlos Salinas de Gortari in indication of his successor Ernesto Zedillo’s abrupt turnaround of the earlier government’s policy of stiff money controls (Horowitz Ho, 2001). While many analysts concur that devaluation was essential for economic purposes, Salinas followers pointed out that the procedure was mismanaged at the political stage. The crisis broadly known as the Tequila crisis or the Mexican peso crisis was rooted by the abrupt devaluation of the Mexican peso in late 1994. According to Whitt (1996), in the early 1990s the Mexican financial organization appeared stable. It was increasing following the 1980s’â€Å"lost decade† (Whitt 1996). Furthermore, inflation was being abridged significantly, international investors were venturing capital into the nation, and billions of dollars had been accumulated by the central bank in reserves. Agreement to cap favorable trade condition with US (Mexico’s largest trade partner) was reached through NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). However, in less than a year after NAFTA took effect, Mexico experienced economic calamity (Krooth, 1995). In December 1994, the Mexican administration devalued the peso. The economic crisis that ensued cut the peso’s worth by half, boosted inflation dilapidation rate, and initiated a harsh depression in Mexico. Causes of the crisis The basic causes of Economic Crisis in Mexico in 1994 are normally ascribed to Salinas de Gortari’s strategy decisions while in presidency, which eventually stressed the nation’s economies. As in the previous election sequences, a pre-election outlook to motivate the financial system, momentarily and untenably, ensuing a post-election financial instability. The causes of the crisis involved over-valuation of exchange rate and the then account deficit in the Mexican financial system (Purcell, 1998). With these predicaments, numerous additional issues assisted to trigger the crisis: a) elections were conventionally linked to devaluation, b) the increase in American interest rates, c) lack of investor assurance due to politically associated assassinations, d) slack monetary regulations in reaction to the decrease in foreign money flows, e) extension of quasi-fiscal costs via development financial institutions credits, and f) changing fiscal borrowing to temporary, dollar-o riented instruments (Purcell, 1998). Garber Lall (1996) notes that several diverse issues could be given as causes of the crisis, but in broad it is the consequence of an unmitigated era of over speculation, concerning both local and international investors. It is evident that during 1994, there were numerous indicators signifying a peso collapse was forthcoming. Most noteworthy was the decrease of foreign exchange reserves, falling from $26B in early 1994, down to a perilously low $2B just prior the American bailout. Subsequently, approximately 80% of the $85B ventured in the country from 1991 to mid-1994 was in the shape of portfolio venture, making just 20% in the type of straight investment. Lastly was the extremely obvious and apparent change from the administration bonds oriented in pesos (the cetes) to those oriented in dollars (tesobonos) for several months. The figure below displays the decline trend. Fig 1. 1994 Reserves, Cetes and Tesobonos in Mexico Effects of the crisis Even though mainstream economists are sensitive to the idea; there is no refuting that Mexico underwent dejection in 1995, as apparent in the fall of GDP of 6.9%. This was at least compared with a decline of 8.6% of GDP per capita (Fig. 2: below). From the eruption of the peso disaster in 1994 December up to February 1995 the worth of the Mexican money had dropped by over fifty percent and inflation had risen to 52% in 1995 from 7% in 1994 (Edwards Mishkin, 1995). The financial crisis brought about the fall of Mexico’s domestic market, compelling consumption to decrease considerably. As pointed out by Baddeley (2010), there was also a harsh shortage of credit as internal financial institutions struggled with bad loans and wanted to establish reserves following their near collapse in 1994. This meant a virtual loss of credit for SMEs. Although it had started in 1993, this auxiliary enforced the barzonista campaign which was an association of debtors, a lot of whom were farmers, necessitating renegotiation of their amount overdue (Edwards Mishkin, 1995). The official joblessness rate rose to a peak of almost 8% in the third quarter of 1995 after being approximately 3% in December 1994 and hanging approximately 6% through much of the dejection period. Although the bureaucrat rate more than two folded in the first half of 1995, it was rather unfair and not an efficient measure. Fig. 2: GDP and GDP per capita Lessons Learnt The first lesson learnt from the 1994 Economic Crisis in Mexico is how hazardous a pegged exchange rate government can be for the up-and-coming market nations. It is obvious that in up-and-coming market nations, a speculative approach on the exchange term that consequence in devaluation can have distressing results on the financial system by destabilizing information flows in economic markets (Diamond, 1984). The second lesson that can be derived from the experience of the Tequila Crisis involves supervision of banking systems. Strong prudential administration of the banking structure is vital to the fitness of up-and-coming market economies and the avoidance of economic crises. Evidently, good prudential monitoring is significant to developed countries (Diamond, 1984). However, since the outcomes of poor prudential monitoring are so catastrophic in up-and-coming market countries, good prudential monitoring is even more significant in these industrialized countries. The last lesson is that conventional measures employed in industrialized nations to extirpate themselves from economic crises may be retro progressive in rising market countries. In developed nations, the standard recommendation for emerging from an economic predicament is for the central bank to be a loaner of final resort and to seek expansionary financial policy. Conclusion The crisis is broadly known as the Tequila crisis or the Mexican peso crisis and was caused by the abrupt devaluation. The causes of the crisis involved over-valuation of exchange rate and the then account deficit in the Mexican financial system. There are three lessons that can be learnt from the crisis: a pegged exchange rate government is dangerous; Strong prudential administration of the banking structure is vital to the fitness for developing economies; and traditional measures used in industrialized countries may not fit emerging markets countries. REFERENCES: Baddeley, A. (2010). International financial crisis. Recent advances in learning and motivation (Vol. 8, pp. 47-90). New York: Academic Press Diamond, D. (1984). Financial intermediation and delegated monitoring. Review of Economic Studies 51,393-414. Edwards, F. Mishkin, F.S. (1995). The decline of traditional banking: Implications for financial stability and regulatory policy. Federal Reserve Bank of New York Economic Policy Review 1(3), 27-45 Garber, P.M. Lall, S. (1996). The role and operation of derivative markets in foreign exchange crises. Brown University, Department of Economics, Providence, RI. Horowitz, S., Ho, U. (2001). The political economy of international financial crisis: interest groups, ideologies and institutions. Singapore, ISEAS. Krooth, R. (1995). Mexico, NAFTA and the Hardships of Progress, McFarland, North Carolina. Purcell, S. K. (1998). Mexico under Zedillo. Boulder [u.a.], Lynne Rienner. Whitt, Jr. A. J. (1996). The Mexican Peso Crisis. Economic Review. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Oxford University Press. Appendix How to cite 1994 Economic Crisis in Mexico, Essay examples

The Tempest free essay sample

The Tempest: The Interplay between Time, Power, and Supernatural In The Tempest, William Shakespeare portrays multiple themes that are highlighted as the play progresses. He includes the recurring themes of time, struggle for power, and the supernatural. Prospero, and his servant, Ariel, magically conduct a tremendous storm, which forces the shipmates to land on his island. Prospero, the characters on the shipwreck, and Caliban, and Ariel spend most of the play reacting to this event. Caliban’s character represents a struggle to regain his power, while Ariel has a particular influence on the subsequent plot that relates to the themes of time and the supernatural. A consistent theme throughout The Tempest, is Ariel’s significant role of carrying out Prospero’s powerful mission. Ariel’s presence provides a drama that is calming and mystical. When Ariel is first introduced in beginning of the play he says to Prospero: All hail, great master! Grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure. Be’t to fly, To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride On the curled clouds to thy strong bidding task Ariel and all his quality (The Tempest 1. 2. 224-228). Ariel’s courageous character introduces the concept of magic and supernatural to the play. His presence creates a major storm on King Alonsos boat. Ariel says, â€Å"I boarded the King’s ship; now on the beak, / Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin, /I flamed amazement† (1. 2. 232-234). By generating this storm, Ariel powerfully influences Alonso’s journey and the ultimate arrival of Ferdinand. The storm was conjured up in such a magical way that not a soul was harmed, and â€Å"Not a hair perished† (1. 2. 258). In addition, the shipmates clothing remained fresh, even after the chaotic storm. Throughout the play, as Ariel puts Prospero’s magic into action, he appears in different forms and can even make himself invisible to the public eye. In act three, during the banquet, Ariel even presents himself in the form of a harpy, a loathsome creature with wings. Ariel also displays the use of magic when Caliban complains to Stephano about how he is tormented by Prospero. During this scene, Ariel, in his invisible state, calls Caliban a liar, tricking Caliban, and Stephano that Trinculo is the man behind the insults. As the play develops, Ariel enlightens and impacts the characters with his melodious songs. Towards the end of the play, Alonso makes note and comments that the background music is so powerful that it is almost a form of communication. Ariel uses the power of music to guide the characters in the direction towards fulfilling Prospero’s goal. In act three, scene two, Ariel’s music causes Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo to be distracted from their conversation and leads them to follow after the music. By exhibiting Prospero’s magical commands to perfection, Ariel serves a supernatural role in The Tempest. One of the major themes of The Tempest is the importance of timing. Prospero conducts his scheme in a very systematic manner. Likewise, Ariel displays an aptitude for time in that he is in charge of maintaining Prospero’s schedule. It is manifested early on that Prospero pays close attention, and displays a consciousness towards time. For example, Prospero asks Ariel, â€Å"What is the time o’th’ day? † and Ariel replies, â€Å"past the mid season† (1. 2. 283-284). Prospero then explains to Ariel that the task needs to be completed within a specific timeframe. Prospero says, â€Å"The time ‘twixt six and now/ Must by us both be spent most preciously†. Ariel repeatedly scouts the island, making sure Prospero’s magical plan occurs on schedule and reports back to him. It is striking that Ariel seems to always be present at critical times. In the middle of the play, when Antonio and Sebastian are planning to kill Gonzolo and Alonso, Ariel’s timely presence prevents their plan from following through. He puts Alonso, and Gonzolo to sleep and magically wakes Gonzolo right on time when his and king Alonso’s lives are at risk. Ariel whispers to Gonzolo in the form of song, â€Å"†¦If of life you keep a care, /Shake off slumber and beware. Ariel alarms Gonzolo to immediately wake up, and ultimately saves his and the king’s lives. Prospero and Ariel regard the essential aspect of time to complete their overall mission as planned. A significant theme of The Tempest is Caliban’s constant struggle for power. Caliban, Prospero’s slave, is a dangerous, unique, monster- like creature. He spends much time in the beginning of the play longing for how the island used to be, when his mother, Sycorax, used to control the island. When Prospero initially resides on the island, he takes over and torments Caliban  with slave work. Caliban demonstrates this desire to be in charge of the island when he says, â€Å"This island’s mine by Sycorax, my mother,/ Which thou tak’st from me. † (1. 2. 396-397). Caliban bemoans the loss of his power on the island and wishes to regain his status. Calibans influence on the plot is to directly undermine Prospero. In act four, when Caliban meets Stephono and Trinculo, he becomes drunk and instantly plots to put an end to Prospero’s life. This is illustrated in Caliban’s speech to Stephano and Trinculo when he encourages them to kill Prospero. This is the mouth o’ th’ cell. No noise, and enter. / Do that good mischief which may make this island/ Thine own forever, and I, thy Caliban,†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (4. 1. 241-243). His regret of his lost power leads him to try to regain it in a vicious manner. As Stephen Corry states regarding Caliban’s plan, â€Å"He’s desperate to get his new clownish mates to kill Prospero by knifing, battering, impaling, braining, or more imaginatively, knocking a nail into his head† (â€Å"The Olympics – Shakespeare†). Luckily for Prospero, Ariel distracts the fools with a glistening clothing line and stops Calibans plans before they are carried out. In fact, Ariel’s use of timing is the very thing that undermines Caliban’s quest for power. It is in this part of The Tempest that one can witness how the themes of time and power connect. In summary, the themes of time, supernatural, and Caliban’s struggle for power, play an essential role to The Tempest. As the play unfolds, Shakespeare introduces us to the concept of the mystery in life. So often we think we are in control of our lives; however, this is not always the case. Time after time, there may be forces that we are unaware of that heavily impact the course of our lives and ultimate fate.

Undercover Angel Follow Your Angel in Disguise

Krangle, Jodi. A Muse’s Interview with Songwriter, Alan O’Day. The Muse’s Muse, n.d. There is nothing like learning the facts about a certain work of art from the author, and the given source offers the pleasure in ample amount. In the interview, O’Day answers a number of questions concerning both his life and sources of inspiration; briefly mentioning Undercover Angel, the artist explains what stands behind the song.Advertising We will write a custom annotated bibliography sample on Undercover Angel: Follow Your Angel in Disguise specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More O’Day, Alan. Alan O’Day. Utopia Artists, n.d. As a rule, biographies are written log after the author’s death and by the least concerned people; thankfully, this is not the case with the source mentioned above. Written by Alan himself, the biography of the artist surely does not cover the entire life track, yet touches upon a number of peculiar aspects that would have definitely slipped the attention of a typical biography writer. O’Day, Alan. Personal Thoughts Pics. Alan O’Day, n.d. Sharing his memories, ideas, and a couple of family pictures, the author allows the audience to see behind his stage image and understand the way he creates songs. Though leaving â€Å"Undercover Angel† out of the frame and focusing rather on the process of songs creation, â€Å"Personal Thoughts Pics† makes it possible to peek into the world ay lives in and see what makes him create. Seida, Linda. Alan O’Day. Biography. All Music, 2012. A more detailed description of Day’s life, the biography written by Seida helps to take a more detailed look at the life of the artist and understand what events could have led him to writing â€Å"Undercover Angel† as well as dive deeper into the meaning the song is meant to convey. It is important that Seida, unlike the rest of the auth ors, focuses on such aspect as the relationships of O’Day and the recording company. Leaving the family and personal life issues aside, Seida offers what is really essential for evaluating O’Day’s work, i.e., the factual information. Undercover Angel – Alan O’Day. Top One Hit Wonders, 2010. The last, but definitely to the least, this short story is crucial to the given paper, because it sheds the light on the song itself. Unlike the rest of the sources, which describe mostly the author, leaving readers to guess what made him write the song and what its context is, the given source describes Undercover Angel in details, which helps to analyze the song. Works Cited Krangle, Jodi.  Ã‚  A Muse’s Interview with Songwriter, Alan O’Day. The Muse’s Muse, n.d., http://www.musesmuse.com/int-alanoday.html. O’Day, Alan. Alan O’Day. Utopia Artists, n.d., https://utopiaartists.com/.Advertising Looking for annotated bibli ography on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More O’Day, Alan. Personal Thoughts Pics. Alan O’Day, n.d., http://www.alanoday.com/. Seida, Linda.  Alan O’Day. Biography. All Music, 2012, https://www.allmusic.com/artist/alan-oday-mn0000508449. Undercover Angel – Alan O’Day.   Top One Hit Wonders, 2010. Web. This annotated bibliography on Undercover Angel: Follow Your Angel in Disguise was written and submitted by user Joslyn Carver to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Historian and the Search for Truth Essays

The Historian and the Search for Truth Essays The Historian and the Search for Truth Essay The Historian and the Search for Truth Essay 1913), pp. 692-709 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the American Historical Association [ 10 ]. Have a Historical Question? Ask a Historian! Dr. Karen Jolly http://www2. hawaii. edu/ [ 11 ]. Microsoft  ® Encarta  ® 2009.  © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.

Maternal & infant health (for Australia's Indigenous Peoples) Essay

Maternal & infant health (for Australia's Indigenous Peoples) - Essay Example The richness and the complexity of the original culture of these people was poorly understood by the colonisers and their current descendants, leading to legislations and polices that worked against them. Thus, the indigenous Australians suffered from social exclusion, colonisation and economic marginalisation (Thackrah and Scott, 2007). As a consequence, the Indigenous people not only lost their spiritual well being, they also suffered from other aspects like racism, poverty, poor economy and poor health. One of the significant consequences and current day problem is poor health (Thackrah and Scott, 2007). Poor health has affected all age groups and both sexes among the Indigenous community (Thackrah and Scott, 2007). Of significant interest is poor maternal health. In this essay, the influence of various government policies and legislation on maternal health of Indigenous Australian population will be discussed. The original inhabitants of the continent of Australia and the nearby islands are known as the Indigenous Australians. They are either Torres Strait Islanders or Aboriginal Islanders and they make up more than 2.5 percent of the population of Australia. While the former are indigenous to the Islands of Torres Strait located in the Northern part of Queensland near Papua New Guinea, the latter are indigenous to the mainland Australia, Tasmania and some adjacent islands. The Indigenous communities are diverse and are a mixture of various customers, cultures and languages (Thackrah and Scott, 2007). Prior to colonisation, Indigenous people were active and hunter gatherers. They ate food that was low in fat, sugar, salt and high in fibre. They expended energy to obtain food and water. Thus they maintained good health. However, following colonisation, the change in dietary and lifestyle habits led to development of chronic degenerative diseases like hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. They subsequently became exposed to various commu nicable diseases that rapidly spread among their communities (Anderson and Grossman, 2003). They were forced to be influenced by the Western ideas of health and wellness which basically were different in the Indigenous communities. For example, while according to the WHO (1946) "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity", according to the Aboriginal people, health is a multi-dimensional concept that embraces all aspects of living. According to the National Aboriginal and Island Health Organisation, "health is not just the physical well being of the individual but the social emotional and cultural well-being of the whole community. This is a whole-of-life view and it also includes the cyclical concept of life.† (Eckermann et al 1992). Thus, health of the Indigenous people declined because of not only physical contact with the European settlers, but also because of destruction of their culture and dev elopment of mental pain. Principals and beliefs about health were incompatible between the Western practitioners and Aboriginal people. For example, the Indigenous people are resistant to hospital attendance because they think that it is a place to die. They rely more on community

Civil engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Civil engineering - Essay Example The main goal of site assessment is to conduct preliminary a evaluation of the potential development and provide screening analysis. Here the construction company develops a site feasibility checklist in order to provide basic information required to determine if a site meets basic requirements and to provide basic economic analysis. This process also identifies strength and weakness of the retail project and to determine whether or not to pass to the next stage of retail development. (Plummer, F. 2007) There are stages followed in site assessment in the construction of a retail project and they include planning for site assessment, Data collection, data analysis and finally plan development and project layout. Planning for Site Assessment is important stage before designing and laying out the retail project. This will be vital for the Plan Engineer in making informative decisions about the project. Data collection about the site is the next important stage in site assessment. This stage involves a collection of resourceful information pertaining to the site. This information can be obtained from maps, existing publications and other resources. Going to the site to have a visual appreciation of the site and site features is valuable. Important information collected includes vegetative cover, soil information, topographical information, hydrological information and evaluation of adjacent properties and their land use. Analysis of the collected information on the parameters listed above to identify various needs and modification the site may require .Evaluation of the impact of that parameter may help to reduce the negative economic burden and environmental impact of the project. As data analysis takes place the Civil Engineer should be to determine the permits required for the retail project. (Plummer, F.

Tillman v. Commercial Credit Loans, Inc Case Study

Tillman v. Commercial Credit Loans, Inc - Case Study Example This is because sub-loan crisis affected the American housing industry through high interest rates. Contractual unconscionability has both the positive side and a negative side. The negative aspect results from the dictatorial nature of the contract. This is because an individual has limited abilities to challenge the contract. On the other hand, unconscionable contracts create equality that protects the majority or matters of national interest. According to the case study, unconscionable contracts are vital. This is because a country or a state needs to have some basic standards or rules that cannot be challenged by individual interests. Unconscionable contracts eliminate potential challenges to contracts of national interests such as contracts made between financial lenders and individual borrowers. Such contracts also maintain vital industries such mortgage providers and players in the insurance industry. Unconscionable contracts are therefore vital and individuals should learn to accept their existence and

The National Development Policies Of Ethiopia Economics Essay

The National Development Policies Of Ethiopia Economics Essay The main purpose of this paper is to review the national agricultural development policies of Ethiopia during the reign of the Imperial, Derg and EPRDF led government and the predominant trends of international field of development thinking pursued (similarities and differences among) in the period of post 1974 to 2004. Ethiopia is one of the poorest nations on earth. From its 77 million people over 80 percent depend on subsistence agriculture and more than 40% live below the absolute poverty line, (CSA, 2007). The country has remained to be one of the tragic places where the worst cases of famine and drought and man made problems such as extended civil war and degradations of natural resources have been observed (EC project proposal 1998). However, the country has a good resource potential for economic development. In response to these socio- economic situations, various development policies and strategies have been brought in to practice by the successive governments that ruled the country which had in most of the cases ended up with bare minimum impacts in reversing the prevailed development bottlenecks of the country. Thus a good part of the poor performance is explained by policy failures of the past regimes generally and the derg regime in particular (EEA, 1999/2000) as sited by (Alemayehu, G.2007). Thus, after the collapse of the military regime in May 1991, the EPRDF led government adopted various development policy reforms and structural adjustments that included liberalization of markets, decentralization of central government authorities to regions, woredas and designed agriculture development led industrialization strategies. Similarly, at the later stages of the period (2002), the government pinpointed poverty reduction as its crucial development objective which is in consonance wit h international directions and commitments. In what follows this paper tries to review development policies of the up to the current regime in Ethiopia.2. Trends and Development Policy Environment Before and after 1991Â  [1]Â   2.1 Development Policies up to 1974 The imperial government of Haileselasie, was the first government to exercise different development policies as Ethiopia is first African state to attempt economic development planning (Georgi. G. 1981). But the plans determined only general trends and likely development rates as they gave an extremely generalized allocation to particular sectors of the economy as of 1960s (Haile H., 1995). During this time three five-year plans were prepared for the development of the economy with different targets and area of priorities. They were: The first five year plan (1957-62) The second five year plan (1963-67) The Third five year plan (1968-73) 2.1.1. First five year plan (1957-62)Â  [2]Â   This plan had some targets on the agricultural sector. According to the evaluations of the plan targets that was made in the second five year plan, its impact on the agricultural sector was negligible since emphasis during this plan period was on infrastructure and social transformation (raising the level of education and the training of technical personnel) for the implementation of the five year program. No need to bring about fundamental changes in present methods of (peasant) production and stuck to the kind of tools now used(Dejene (IEG 1957),pg 45 Donors policy of this period was biased in favour of urbanization vis-Ã  -vis rural development. the world bank for example, by far the largest single source of development assistance to Ethiopia in recent years, allocated 85% of its total loans to modern roads during the 1950-59 period, and nothing to the agricultural sector(world Bank 1985). 2.1.2. Second five-year plan (1963-67)Â  [3]Â   Mainly the priority focus was given to industry (manufacturing), minerals and electric power development, but, unlike the first five year plan, some attention was given to agriculture. In this plan, quantitative targets for the production of agricultural marketable products like cereals, cotton, cattle, and coffee; and for the rate of growth of agriculture were set. To achieve the production targets set in the plan three main approaches were outlined: Execution of land reform, introduction of tools implements and machinery as well as elementary training of the producers so as to raise productivity, per capita income and consumption so as to transform the subsistence economy into a monetized economy. The organization of farmers cooperatives The organization of commercial farms based on mechanization IEG (1962). However, in the second five-year plan agriculture was anticipated to grow at a rate of 2.4 percent, but it was said to have grown at a rate of 1.9 only, It was only 42.2 percent of the investment target that was actually full filled because of which much of the development programs were not achieved, The land reform policy was completely ignored, a fact which basically accounted for the failure and above all, there was lack of progress in policy measures and organizational programs, which were essential for the success of the plan. Because of all these, the agricultural sector could not develop as much as it was anticipated in the plan. 2.1.3. The third five-year plan (1968 -73)Â  [4]Â   This time exhibited a marked departure from the previous plans. It recognized the importance of the agricultural sector and charted out a relatively clear and well articulated agricultural development strategy. The plan argued that modernization of peasant subsistence agriculture in all areas of the country simultaneously is hardly possible, but no time should be lost in making a start in strategically selected areas in which good results can soon be seen. This being the strategy, two main approaches for the development of Ethiopia agriculture were indicated in the third five-year plan. These were the package program and the development of large-scale commercial farms: The Package Program The package program followed the policy of concentrating development efforts in a given area so as to bring the required changes in agriculture. The practice was to be limited to specific areas since the modernization of peasant subsistence farms in all areas of the country simultaneously was assumed that it would lead to the dilution of efforts and scarce resources. In accordance with this, the implementation of the program was started in strategically selected areas where good results were expected in a relatively short period of time. At first the package program took the form of a Comprehensive Package Program (CPP), and later the Minimum Package Program followed. The CPP aimed at achieving maximum result by focusing on specific high potential areas such as Chilalo, Wollaita, Ada District, Tahtay Adyabo, Hadegti and Humera and established agricultural development units for each of them. This program had the following objectives (Tesfai 1975:41) To increase the income of low income small holder farmers and tenants and narrow the prevailing income disparities in the rural areas; To achieve economic and social development; To enhance local participation in development; To increase employment opportunities; and To stress on research, training, and transferability. The objectives were supposed to be achieved through The provision of extension services; i.e., spreading innovations and organizing demonstration fields to farmers; The establishment of marketing organizations aiming at selling production fairly in comparison to the cost of production; Sale of inputs through marketing organizations which would make high yielding seeds and fertilizers available to the farmers; The provision of credit facilities at a reasonable rate of interest so that the farmers could be able to purchase the new supplies; and Promoting improved water supply system and expansion of education. Health and nutritional studies were to be established In general, the CPP has resulted in the increase of incomes of peasants and tenants in the project areas. The increases in incomes were, however, directly related to the size of the land holdings and thus it resulted in growing differentiation among the peasantry. This and its huge resource requirements led to the reevaluation of it adoption of what is known as the minimum package program. The Minimum Package Program (MPP) The comprehensive package projects were found too costly to be duplicated in other parts of the country. It was thus decided to launch a scheme which was thought to be less costly per farmer. Thus, in 1972 the minimum package program (MPP) involving only those minimum services considered critical for rural development (mainly fertilizer and credit) started to be implemented along all-weather roads. The MPP was envisaged to reduce the cost of developing the agricultural sector that in comparison to the CPP a much wider coverage could be attained. Tentative programs were made for the establishment of about ten projects in selected high response areas each year for thirteen year. According to the program; By 1985 it was estimated that one million families or about 20 percent of the total would be reached The MPP was designed to cover 440 woredas out of the 550 woredas of the country and this was to cover about 70 pre cent of the agricultural population For the implementation of MPP, the Extension and Project Implementation Department (EPID) was established To achieve the objectives, the diffusion of a few proved methods and innovations including improved seeds, fertilizers and farm implements as widely as possible was envisaged to reach the small farmers in various parts of the country. However, due to shortages of manpower, improved seeds and fertilizers, the MPP was not able to achieve its objective of coverage of wider areas and the cost of the MPP was not as low as it was envisaged. landless and semi-landless rural population. As a result of these, agricultural production did not increase as much as anticipated was not increased and the standard of living of the majority did not improve. In fact the programs demonstrated that rural development policy based on feudal land holding arrangements would tend to worsen the conditions of the low-income target population. The Development of Large Scale Commercial Farms The objectives in establishing large-scale commercial farms were to achieve rapid gains in output both to domestic consumption and the availability of surpluses for investment, to get an increase in agricultural exports or substitution for imports, to create new employment opportunities this is because of the fact that such farms require big investment which was not available from internal sources, the implementation of the strategy necessitated a heavy dependence on foreign capital. To attract foreign investment a number of incentives were provided including: Exemption from income tax (tax holiday) for five years for investments of Br. 200,000 and above; Exemption from customs duty; and Remittance of profits and salaries in hard currency. As a result, a number of large-scale commercial farms, mainly owned by foreigners, such as the Wonji Sugar Enterprise, the Setit Humera Plantation, and the Tendaho Plantation were quickly established. But due to misguided incentives, capital dependent operations and outflow capital the large farms did not live up to the expectations of the country. At the end of the second five years plan the industry First argument of the 1950s was being challenged theoretically as post independent Africas aspiration for a rapid industrialization process become increasingly frustrated (Johnston,M et.al 1961) and the major donors made a significant shift in their aid policies in favor of rural development vis-Ã  -vis urbanization and construction of infrastructure. In an attempt to realize this change of policy, donors subjected to Ethiopian government to strong pressure foreign assistance agencies, particularly the World Bank (IBRD) and American organizations, advised Ethiopia to give high priority to the agricultural sector and recommended the package approach concentrating on the more promising regions. This idea also supported by FAO (Nekby 1971:9) The third five-year plan largely followed and coincided with the strategy of what has been known as the Green Revolution (1960s-70s) and which had its own success story in raising agricultural production tremendously in (e.g., India, Pakistan, and other Asian countries).However, it could not minimize the income gap (in fact it is believed to have increased it) and benefits were not fairly distributed (many areas were not included in the program). 2.2 Development Policies during the Derg Regime (1974-1991) It is generally acknowledged that the pre-1975 land tenure system in Ethiopia was one of the most complex in the world and had not been thoroughly studied (Cohen and Weintraub, 1975; Gilkes, 1975; Dessalegn, 1984; Dejene, 1999) as sited by (FAO, 2003). After the 1975 land reform by the Derge has been considered by many as a radical measure that has abolished tenant landlord relationships in Ethiopia. In order to implement the Proclamation, peasant associations were established at various levels. Following the land reform proclamation, another decree that was knows as Peasant Associations Organization and Consolidation Proclamation No. 71/1975 was made. This was followed by the All Ethiopia peasant Association Proclamation No 130/1977. University and high school students were dispatched to rural areas to help the implementation of the land reform. 2.2.1. Agricultural Development Strategy Proclamation No. 31/1005 was not about agricultural production. It was about radically changing the tenure system that existed in the country. The agricultural development strategy of the Derg period was what was known as socialist transformation of agriculture; that of transforming agriculture along socialist lines. This was to be implemented through the establishment and consolidation of state farms and producers cooperatives. Thus producers cooperatives and state farms became the overwhelming priority of the government and its implementation was supported by various proclamations and decrees. Implementation of this policy resulted in the existence of two main types of economic structures in agriculture; namely, The small peasant sub sector represented by the overwhelmingly large number of small farmers; and The socialist sub sector represented by the producers cooperatives and state farms. The small peasant Farms In countries like Ethiopia peasant farms have a relatively good productivity record. Although they employ traditional technology and hardly use modern inputs, their crop-yields are often comparatively high, as they make more efficient use of productive resources than cooperatives or state farms. However small scale agriculture is often considered an obstacle to long-term industrial development and the creation of more mechanized frames. Faced with the choice between a smallholder strategy and a socialist approach, based on collective ownership, group and state farming and governmental control of the rural economy, the government chose the latter. The peasant farms continued to be dominant in Ethiopia even at the height of collectivization year in 1987 by cultivating 94% of the total farmland in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, government policy towards small farmers was discriminatory in that it favored the socialist sub sector. Government policy pertaining tax, modern inputs, credit, pricing policies, and extension services almost completely ignored the small peasants in favour of cooperatives. Quota have been set for every peasant association to sell a given amount of their produce to the Agricultural Marketing Corporation (AMC) at prices fixed by the AMC which were substantially lower than the open market prices and even lower than the prices fixed for cooperatives and state farms. In situation where peasants could not meet the quota, there were incidences where farmers had to buy from the market at higher prices and sell to the AMC at extremely low prices. In spite of all these, however, the smallholders were more successful at absorbing labour, raising yield and increasing income than producer cooperatives and state farms were. Small farmers were resistant to be collectivized, but the government adamantly pushed forward to strengthen cooperatives unsuccessfully. Apart from other concomitant factors, the disappointing performance of the agricultural sector during the Derg period can be attributed to agricultural policies favoring the socialist strategy as opposed to a smallholder approach. The Socialist Sub Sector Producers Cooperatives The Directive for the establishment of producers cooperatives was issued in June 1979. Accordingly, an agricultural producers cooperative was defined as an economic organization of farmers which is established through the gradual transformation of individually owned means of production in to common ownership based on the will and common interest of the farmers. The Directive for the establishment of cooperatives was based on the following principles: The principle of voluntarism. This principle indicates that cooperatives shall be established on the free will of those to be cooperativezed. The principle of gradualism. According to this, the development of cooperatives shall proceed from the simpler type to the more advanced types of cooperatives. The principle of all round state assistance. The government is expected to provide all embracing assistance to the establishment and consolidation of cooperatives. In practice, the principle of voluntarism was violated. In many cases the establishment of cooperatives was conducted by force as opposed to the principle of voluntary entry. As for the gradualism, the directives provided for a gradual progress of cooperatives from simple to advanced types. Cooperatives would start in the form of malba, a type of cooperative where members pool their land together (except their backyard) but keep their production implements and animals privately; they would then proceed to welba, where land, production implements and animals become communal property and a small plot is kept as a backyard. Weland was a kind of higher cooperative made by a number of malbas and/or welbas. With regard to all round state assistance, the government gave priority to cooperatives at the expense of smallholder peasants. Once they were established, Privileges not offered to peasant cultivators, or even to state farms were given to cooperatives. They paid less per tax head than individual peasants and modern inputs like fertilizer, pesticides, etc. were provided to them at subsidized prices and bank interest rates were comparatively lower. They were also given priority on extension services and had access to additional labor from peasant and youth association members. With all these however, the process of collectivization was still very much at an embryonic stage and in the eve of total collapse. Producers cooperatives were tilling 2 percent of the total farmland in 1987. The marketed surplus of cooperatives and individual farms were also about equal in that the average that both were selling was about 20 percent of their harvest, and the rest was consumed at home (68 per cent) while 12 percent was reserved as next seasons seed. However, the cooperativization drive ended in complete collapse largely because of the lack of farmers willingness. Good evidence is what happened when the government was forced by circumstances to issue the Mixed Economic Policy Reform of March 1990. Although the government intended to reorganize and strengthen them, over 95 percent of the producers cooperatives disintegrated with in three months after the declaration of the policy reform. State Farms State farms are farming enterprise that are owned, managed and undertaken by the government. Most state farms were privately owned commercial operations before 1975. According to the March 1975 land reform proclamation all large-scale farms shall be organized, as state farms, and the government shall administer these farms in any manner found it fit. In addition to these, many state farms were also established during the Derg period. The chief aims of state farms were to help alleviate the countries food problems, Contribute to export earning and employment generation. However their performance had been very disappointing due to the following main reasons. Management inefficiency: Lack of appropriate management in the sate farms resulted in misutilization of resources. Highly centralized management system curtailed the exercise of managerial autonomy at farm levels. Problems of Planning and Implementation: Farms were not given the right of preparing their own plans. Plans were prepared at enterprise or corporation level, and each farm was ordered to implement the plan, which may not reflect the objective conditions in the farm. The establishment of state farms was not conducted on the basis of proper study and analysis. Inadequate Controlling Systems: State farms, as in other public firms, had little managerial freedom to plan and to control. Even the cost-benefit analysis was worked at higher levels and each farm is evaluated base on the grand balance sheet of the enterprise or corporation. Disguised Unemployment: Every farm was over populated. There exist unnecessary labour imposing additional costs to the farms. Unnecessary structures were formulated deliberately to absorb more employees. Resettlement and Villagaization Resettlement Prior to the 1974 revolution, resettlement was started out on a small scale as a result of individual initiatives by local governors and aid agencies with a variety of motives and objectives. By the time of the revolution a mere 7,000 household heads had been established in 20 settlement sites at a cost of 8 million US dollars. Resettlement was seen as a means of addressing a range of issues. From an ecological perspective it reduced population pressure in the highlands; from an economic standpoint it was believed that resettlement could help to increase productivity and make use of under-utilized fertile lands; and from a social point of view resettlement was seen as a way of providing land to those with out it, to settle paternalists, and remove unwanted urban unemployment. Resettlement continued at a small scale in the first decade of the military rule so that in total some 46,000 households, comprising 150,000 people had been resettled on 88 sites in 11 regions. Villagization Villagization is a process by which rural households were moved from scattered dwellings into nucleated villages as part of a governmental attempt to modernize rural life and agricultural production patterns. Villagization in Ethiopia began as a regional operation in Bale during the Ethio-somalia war in 1977/78. One of the main objectives of the program at that time was to guarantee the safety of the local inhabitants from invading Somali troops during the war with Somalia. Six years later in December 1984, the prorgamme was extended to the adjusting region of Hararghe, again chiefly for security reasons. In June 1986, a National Villagization Coordination Committee was set up to undertake villagization work as an economic policy to improve rural life. By mid-1987, the government claimed that 12 million people (about one third of the rural population) were villagized. The highest number of newly established villages were built in Shewa and Hararghe. The objectives of this program were the creation of a conducive situation that would facilitate the dissemination of improved agricultural inputs and services. However, this program, like the other programs, was not successful because it was not done on the basis of the participation of the people to be villagized and they were largely unwilling to be villagized. Moreover, it was poorly planned and implemented. The above development policy reforms of the Dergs Military government was a result of the ties made with the East Socialist states such as Russia and other east European countries that had an ideology of command economy system. 2.3. Policy reform during the early transitional government (1991-1994) The EPRDF overthrew the Derg regime in May 1991 after a 17-year prolonged civil war in all parts of the country, leading to the formation of Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE). The 1991 economic policy document of the TGE declared collectivization and villagization as undesirable and liberalized both agricultural markets. The overriding objective of the government was given as attaining fast broad based economic development. an economic reform program was initated, which took the form of structural adjustment program(SAP) nder the auspices of the world bank and IMF. the reform included the removal of substantial taxation of agriculture, market liberalization and devaluation. The fertilizer market was liberalized, creating a multi channel distribution system. (Alemayehu and Berhanu (1999),pg.52). The TGE which was replaced by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) in August 1995 through public election. Since 1992 the TGE was successful to favor market driven development policy by undergoing important structural adjustments and reforms (European Union, 2002). These included; the abolishment of all price controls to agricultural products, the reduction and harmonization of trade tariffs, privatization of state owned enterprises. The government has also made decentralization of power from the Addis based central government to the autonomous regions and nationalities that were believed to accelerate the policy shift from the previous ones to agricultural development, which was not actually endorsed during this period. But the period TGE was characterized by unstable political environments full of suspicion and mistrust over the EPRDF led ruling (Daniel Ayalew, and et.al, 1999). It can therefore be said that main agenda was the rehabilitation type of development thinking and that the development policy in this period was not just fully materialized for the fact that the government was confronted with complexity of challenges from the internal environments that were discussed above. The external policy environment during this period can be generally regarded as cool in response to the structural and policy adjustments made by the country until the constitution of Ethiopia was fully endorsed in 1994. This was a remarkable condition for the endorsement of the Agricultural Development Led Industrialization (ADLI) strategy. (EPRDF,1995) 2.4. The National Development Policy and the Five-Year Development Plan (1995-1999) In the fiscal year of 1995 the establishment of the first federal government structure in the country, it was then possible to attract the attention of the western developed nations. The development policy was well recognized in this period and it was successful enough to become one of the African nations which were nominated for the Sasakawa Global 2000 Agricultural Extension Intervention. Although this extension model was introduced to the country at a pilot level in late 1993, it was widely adopted in all the regions. Significant production increments were registered as a result of this extension system through the supply of inputs such as improved seed, fertilizer, pesticides etc. The approach was heavily criticized for its blanket approach with out giving due consideration to variability in biophysical conditions such as ecology, soils, moisture condition, fertility, topography, altitude, etc. and socioeconomic conditions such as wealth, labor, social setting, food habit, cultur e, etc. More over it was recognized by some scholars and research institutions that landraces, that have been suitable for erratic and unpredictable areas, were endangered by the replacement of single varieties introduced by the SG2000 extension system (MUC, 1996). The way the development policies during this period relate or differ from the international development thinking can be seen from the discussion made by the odi published Rethinking Rural Development (odi Briefing Paper, 2002). Accordingly the development policies during the TGE remarkably relate to the policy environments in the developed world back to the 1950s, where a model based on small farm development has been dominate. On the other hand the attempt to address rural development policy differs from the then international development context in that the budget priorities given to maintain the balance between productive sectors (agriculture manufacturing, etc) and social sectors (road infrastructure, health, education, etc.) was not compromised. The development policy emphasized the SG2000 extension system through the adoption of new technology including improve seeds and fertilizer. Towards the end of this period the macroeconomic policy of ADLI was supplemented by new policies for the sector development programs (SDP) that include education, health, HIV/AIDS and other important sectors (EU Country Strategy Paper, 2002). The other development strategy adopted with in the context of ADLI by the government of Ethiopia in 1996 was the National Food Security Strategy. Following to the adoption of this strategy the National food security Program was established in 1998 by targeting food insecurity in four regions. The implementation of these programs was interrupted by the boarder conflict that occurred with Eritrea in the same year. 2.5. The Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) and the Second Five Year Development Plan (2000-2004) The overall objective of this strategy was to encourage the external resource/capital inflow and to increase aggregate output level (IPRSP, 2000). It can be said that the Ethiopian government have took an initiative to prepare the IPRSP soon after the end of the Ethio-Eriteria border war look like to the Marshall plan prepared for the period of 1948-1952 as discussed in Singer (singer, 1989). This is meant for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the European countries that were heavily destructed by e World War II. On the other hand the government has adopted poverty reduction as the core objective for development by arguing that economic growth as the principal, but not the only means to the development of Ethiopian economy. This thinking is quite similar to the combination of the Neo-Classical Economic Theory that existed in the 1980s and the New Development Theory (Todaro, 1987) in that it tries to address four important issues: the sources of economic growth and the potential for growth in the future, the mechanisms and conditions by which economic growth translates into poverty reduction, the initial effect of poverty and inequality on the sustained and rapid economic growth, and the links among economic growth, income distribution and pover

Lives of the Saints Essay -- Lives Saints Essays

Lives of the Saints   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lives of the Saints is a story that examines the complexities and tribulations of everyday life in a small town. Throughout the novel, we discover that even the most trustworthy and caring individuals live secret lives behind closed doors, and that the surface appearance of minor communities can be very deceptive. Some people spend their entire adult-lives trying to knock down these doors and discover the truth, but perhaps they are overlooking the key to the lock†¦ our children. Vittorio Innocente is a young boy who has not always lived up to his name. ‘My attendance at school had not been very regular-it had somehow fallen out that I’d spent much of class time wandering up to the top of Colle di Papa or down to the river with my friend Fabrizio, sharing with him the cigarettes he filched from his father. La Maestra had paid a visit to my mother one afternoon, to advise her of my truancy and vices†¦.’ (9). We find that Vitto is trying to turn around his poor school habits, and has been trying to read through a novel called Principi Matematici, but to no avail. As he sat stranded on page three of his mathematical conquest, he was overcome by a wealth of distractions. The golden sun was shining down on him that day, or so it seemed, for as he was drifting off to sleep the muffled shout of a man shattered what would appear to be his last enjoyable day; at least for a long time. Childhood can be a fragile thing. It is commonly believed that children see the world through different eyes. Everything seems fresh and interesting to them, where we become saturated with the details of our everyday lives. The eyes of Vittorio Innocente act as a safeguard, seemingly protecting him from truth and danger that he cannot see. Since the incident with the snake, Vittorio had noticed that his mother had been keeping to herself, working in the garden. However, he could not understand what was wrong with her, and could not figure out why the household seemed so empty. ‘†¦A veil seemed to have fallen between us, and for a while I had nursed this estrangement like a precious wound I could somehow turn to advantage; but the passing days brought only a growing awkwardness, as if my mother and I had suddenly become strangers, with no words now to bridge the silence between us’ (74). Vittorio’s ‘safety-goggles’ also help him when the gang of b oys inv... ...ctor to tell him of his mother’s pains, he is uninterested. â€Å"My mother wants you to come†, says the young boy. â€Å"Leave me alone†, replies the doctor in a drunken stupor. â€Å"You’re that woman’s son, aren’t you, the pregnant one who thinks she’s a princess† (221). When the doctor is finally convinced to check up on Cristina, he only makes matters worse. Upon his arrival in Vitto’s room, Cristina notices his condition and says: â€Å"You smell-like a liquor factory† (225). He takes no notice of these remarks, showing no concern for the life of the baby or Cristi. Although he manages to deliver the baby, we find that Vittorio’s mother has died during the night due to excessive bleeding. Dr. Cosabene’s ignorance has brought death and pain to a family that has been reduced to two, a young boy and his little sister.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vitto will no longer have a normal life. He has no mother or father. He has no money, and he has nowhere to live. Consequently, he has a newborn child to look after. Where has his childhood gone? It looks as though the doctor has taken it from him, and he will never get it back. One thing remains certain†¦ Vittorio Innocente will never look through the eyes of a child again. Lives of the Saints Essay -- Lives Saints Essays Lives of the Saints   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lives of the Saints is a story that examines the complexities and tribulations of everyday life in a small town. Throughout the novel, we discover that even the most trustworthy and caring individuals live secret lives behind closed doors, and that the surface appearance of minor communities can be very deceptive. Some people spend their entire adult-lives trying to knock down these doors and discover the truth, but perhaps they are overlooking the key to the lock†¦ our children. Vittorio Innocente is a young boy who has not always lived up to his name. ‘My attendance at school had not been very regular-it had somehow fallen out that I’d spent much of class time wandering up to the top of Colle di Papa or down to the river with my friend Fabrizio, sharing with him the cigarettes he filched from his father. La Maestra had paid a visit to my mother one afternoon, to advise her of my truancy and vices†¦.’ (9). We find that Vitto is trying to turn around his poor school habits, and has been trying to read through a novel called Principi Matematici, but to no avail. As he sat stranded on page three of his mathematical conquest, he was overcome by a wealth of distractions. The golden sun was shining down on him that day, or so it seemed, for as he was drifting off to sleep the muffled shout of a man shattered what would appear to be his last enjoyable day; at least for a long time. Childhood can be a fragile thing. It is commonly believed that children see the world through different eyes. Everything seems fresh and interesting to them, where we become saturated with the details of our everyday lives. The eyes of Vittorio Innocente act as a safeguard, seemingly protecting him from truth and danger that he cannot see. Since the incident with the snake, Vittorio had noticed that his mother had been keeping to herself, working in the garden. However, he could not understand what was wrong with her, and could not figure out why the household seemed so empty. ‘†¦A veil seemed to have fallen between us, and for a while I had nursed this estrangement like a precious wound I could somehow turn to advantage; but the passing days brought only a growing awkwardness, as if my mother and I had suddenly become strangers, with no words now to bridge the silence between us’ (74). Vittorio’s ‘safety-goggles’ also help him when the gang of b oys inv... ...ctor to tell him of his mother’s pains, he is uninterested. â€Å"My mother wants you to come†, says the young boy. â€Å"Leave me alone†, replies the doctor in a drunken stupor. â€Å"You’re that woman’s son, aren’t you, the pregnant one who thinks she’s a princess† (221). When the doctor is finally convinced to check up on Cristina, he only makes matters worse. Upon his arrival in Vitto’s room, Cristina notices his condition and says: â€Å"You smell-like a liquor factory† (225). He takes no notice of these remarks, showing no concern for the life of the baby or Cristi. Although he manages to deliver the baby, we find that Vittorio’s mother has died during the night due to excessive bleeding. Dr. Cosabene’s ignorance has brought death and pain to a family that has been reduced to two, a young boy and his little sister.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vitto will no longer have a normal life. He has no mother or father. He has no money, and he has nowhere to live. Consequently, he has a newborn child to look after. Where has his childhood gone? It looks as though the doctor has taken it from him, and he will never get it back. One thing remains certain†¦ Vittorio Innocente will never look through the eyes of a child again.

Existentialist Curriculum on the Humanities

â€Å"I should seek not the way, but my way. † Rather than follow a strict set of rules about what school should or should not be like, the existentialist chooses his or her own vision of education. There is truly no one right way for students to learn or one method of teaching that is universally applicable. Existentialism classrooms therefore offer freedom for both educator and student. The existentialist model also encourages growth and creativity through limitless freedom. As Blaise Pascal said, â€Å"Live today as if you were to die tomorrow. According to this philosophy, the students and teachers would do whatever they felt inspired to do at that moment, and curriculum would be loose. The existentialist teacher eschews structure. The existentialist does not attempt to become a specialist because to do so is too restricting. I agree with the quote, â€Å"Specialization diminishes a man-He is a creature of knowledge, not the master of it. † I also appreciate the existentialist vision of education as a â€Å"conversation between persons in which each person remains a subject for the other, a conversation. With this viewpoint, the teacher is not authoritarian, and does not stand up in front of the class and lecture all day. Finally, the existentialist teacher helps students achieve self-realization. I agree that the purpose of education is more than just to memorize multiplication tables or vocabulary words. There is a reason why students don't like school, and if more teachers incorporated the fundamental philosophies of existentialism in their classrooms, more students would enjoy school. Learning would be more fun. I had an existentialist teacher in high school. The class was social studies, but we did not have a textbook. Rather, the teacher taught to us from Buddhist teachings and encouraged each student in the class to discuss the meaning of life. Instead of memorizing historical data, we learned how to think creatively about our world and about our own selves. The existentialist classroom can focus on any subject. In fact, the true existentialist classroom focuses on as many subjects as possible, and is not restricted to math, English, science, or history. However, when teaching restrictive subjects like math, the teacher uses highly creative methods rather than rote learning. The existentialist teacher brings in various multimedia materials, and welcomes technology as a tool for teaching. The teacher teaches whatever the students appear interested in on that day rather than force them to focus on one specific thing. The students and teacher might sit together in a circle, rather than in typical classroom format. Students are encouraged to tell stories and share jokes. They might perform some creative projects with art or music. Games are also encouraged. The existentialist class is frequently held outside on the lawn on sunny days, or alternatively, goes on a field trip to a park or wherever seems fun that day. If it's raining, the teacher might bring in a movie to teach a unit on cinematography or on a specific theme. The existentialist classroom also incorporates current events as a means to expand the students' awareness of their universe. Furthermore, the teacher imparts knowledge regarding psychological and social coping skills; the existentialist class is not about rote memorization of specific materials but rather on the big picture: the meaning of life and the life purpose behind education. The existentialist views humanity as integral in the perception of reality. Rather than see a physical universe â€Å"out there† that exists independently of the person as a realist would, the existentialist knows that human consciousness alters reality. Human beings are therefore active creators and participants in the universe. In order to better understand the metaphysical underpinnings of the universe we first need to better understand ourselves. The quote â€Å"Man is nothing other than what he makes himself† refers to the power of human consciousness in shaping personal as well as collective reality: we are what we think. Human beings are born with free will; free will is neither good nor an ideal; often free will is a source of our pain and suffering, for when we make mistakes we suffer the consequences. Therefore, free will enables human beings to make painful mistakes in order that we may learn and grow. Because of the absolute nature of free will, each person is ultimately responsible for his or her own actions. Knowledge is highly variable, and not as absolute as some may believe. An individual's knowledge depends on his or her interpretation of the world, and is also highly dependent on his or her personal value systems. Beliefs inform reality. While some knowledge has been codified, the codification of knowledge is not absolute. Human beings are continuously shifting our view of the universe, as our understanding expands and grows. Moreover, people in different cultures and from different backgrounds have different worldviews and therefore have different knowledge. No one form of knowledge is any more or less valuable than another, just different. Specialization is an attempt to own knowledge, to master something completely. However, specialization â€Å"diminishes the man† because specialization is by definition limiting. The existentialist teacher seeks as many different opinions as possible to enrich the conversation. Teaching is a process of conversation and collaboration, a back-and-forth sharing of ideas. All teachers must be aware of their limitations and not attempt to falsely represent themselves as â€Å"experts. † An existentialist curriculum will focus on the humanities because of the openness and creativity inherent in the humanities. Students actively participate; they don't simply sit back and try to absorb material from the teacher.

Beautyism and Friends

Beautyism and Friends Beautyism and Friends Beautyism and Friends By Maeve Maddox It’s not in my two main dictionaries yet, but beautyism has found a place in the catalogue of English words ending in -ism: Beautyism in the Workplace: Disguised Discrimination Jawahar and Mattsson (2005) investigated sexism and beautyism effects in employment processes using experimental research. The suffix -ism has been a prolific source of English nouns since the Middle Ages, but this newest use, to form words that denote perceived superiority or discrimination, is fairly recent and has produced the following nouns: ageism: Prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a persons age; age discrimination, especially against the elderly. racism: prejudice and antagonism towards people of other races, especially those felt to be a threat to ones cultural or racial integrity or economic well-being. sexism: prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex. beautyism: prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination on the basis of physical attractiveness or lack of it. On the Ngram chart, the word racism begins a dramatic rise in the 1930s. Sexism and ageism begin their rise at the end of the 1960s. Beautyism barely shows in comparison with the others, but is on the graph beginning in 1971. The OED added these additional definitions for the use of the suffix -ism in 2004: a. Forming nouns with the sense ‘belief in the superiority of one [something] over another’; as racism, sexism, speciesism, etc. b. Forming nouns with the sense ‘discrimination or prejudice against on the basis of [something]; as ageism, bodyism, heightism, faceism, lookism, sizeism, weightism, etc. Some other uses of -ism To form nouns that name the process or completed action of a verb in -ize: baptize/baptism criticize/criticism, exorcize/exorcism plagiarize/plagiarism ostracize/ostracism To form nouns that name the action or conduct of a class of persons: hero/heroism patriot/patriotism despot/despotism To form the name of a system of theory or practice, sometimes on the name of the subject or object, and sometimes on the name of its founder: Arianism Buddhism Conservatism Puritanism Platonism Feminism To form a noun denoting a peculiarity or characteristic, especially of language: Americanism Gallicism archaism colloquialism solecism sophism witticism Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:36 Adjectives Describing Light10 Types of TransitionsQuiet or Quite?

Focused Preschool Observation Essays - Child Development, Learning

Focused Preschool Observation Essays - Child Development, Learning Focused Preschool Observation Part 1 Child A lives with both her dad and mom. She is an only child. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. She is very energetic and happy. She is three years old and will be four in October. She does very well in her classroom and seems to mind her teachers for the most part. She carries around one of her moms night gowns for comfort. She eats very well. She ate most of the food on her plate and kept to herself while she was eating. She loves to read to her class and interact with her friends. Part 2 I observed at Parkway Child Care in Sevierville. The daycare is fairly big. There are two teachers present. The main teacher and the assistant teacher are both present. They were great with the children. You could tell they were very patient, passionate, and understanding with the children. They helped aid in the childrens education as well as showing love and nurture. When I walked in the children were sitting in front of the television watching a movie and eating popcorn. It was on a Friday so the children were very anxious and hyper. When their movie went off they went to the gym and played with all of the toys in the gym and ran around. After they played in the gym they went to the bathroom and washed their hands for lunch. Next they went to the lunch room and ate chicken and rice, carrots, and pineapples. Finally they went on back to their classroom to get ready for nap. They read books while their teachers got all of their mats together and laid down and read before nap. The cl assroom was average size with many toys that promote the three domains of development. Part 3 Focused Preschooler Observation Observers Name: Kayla Cardwell Date(s) of Observation: 04-10-15 Name, gender and exact age of Infant: Sydney, Female, 3 years and 6 months Time observation(s) began: 10:30 Time observation(s) ended: 1:30 Setting: Include the following questions/answers in the focused observation report. Attach this sheet and any other notes to the observation. a.1.Describe the gross and fine motor development of the preschooler. What was the preschooler doing to demonstrate this development? What did the teacher do to stimulate movement? The child rolled, threw, and caught a ball. The teacher played with the ball with the child. a.2.Describe the symbolic play (pretend play) in which the child engaged. What objects were used? Were other children involved? The child used her stuffed mouse and used pretend play with the mouse. No other children were involved. a.3.Describe if this child chose to play with same sex children, opposite sex children, or both sexes equally. Did the preschool child engage in non-stereotyped play? Describe completely. The child played with both sexes easily. The child did not seem to mind who she played with. a.4.What behaviors did the preschooler show that demonstrated growing mental (cognitive) development? What did the teacher do to stimulate these behaviors? The child found her paper shoe attached to the floor with her name on it when it was time to exit the classroom. The teacher encouraged the children to find the right shoe. a.5.Describe any teacher actions that support language and literacy development. The teacher pointed out certain things on the movie they were watching and encouraged the children to say what they saw. a.6.What behaviors did the child exhibit that showed their developmental level according to Eriksons stages of development? How did the child show initiative? The child got along with friends and teachers, loves make-believe play, used motor skills, and very ambitious. The child shows initiative by wanting to try new things and activities. Developmental Milestones Checklist Preschool: Three Years Dates of Observation: Age(in years and months): List one example for items checked Yes or Emerging. Physical/Motor Development TaskYesNoEmergingExample Swings arms when walkingX Jumps with both feetX Rides three-wheeled toysX Walks on a balance beam or line (wide low beam or curved or straight line on the floor)XPlastic balance beam in gym Balances or hops on one foot brieflyX Climbs a small slide and slides down without assistanceXClimbs up hill outside then goes down slide Throws a ball or other object overhandX Bounces a ball and catches itX Runs consistently without fallingX Builds and stacks with several small blocks XMostly with legos Pounds pegs with mallet Copies and draws simple shapesX Practices zipping, snapping, fastening, and

A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

A Modest Proposal - Essay Example Jonathan uses numerous techniques complete his writing. This power of satire portrays to the lack of morality and expedience of how Ireland's dealings are managed. The lack of authority held by the Irish people springs from the extensive amount of power the English Protestants held over the Irish, especially the penal laws imposed upon the Irish Catholics. Jonathan uses this truth to exploit his prominent satire and eventually to suggest the consumption of the babies of deprived Irish mothers. The author uses satire severely in his writing. One of the most apparent uses of satire Jonathan uses is when he talks about the likely English response to his suggestion. He claims, "Maybe I could name a nation, which would be happy to consume our whole country." Here, Jonathan is reflecting the degree to which the English had power over the Irish. The basis of his proposal centers in the notion of consuming the newborns, as food, is no mistake.This idea was selected in order to symbolize the collapse of Ireland through the "consuming" power the English had over the Irish. This made the Irish seem as powerless as infants (Smith 138). At one point, while making his suggestion, Jonathan guarantees the politicians who dislike his approach that the deprived people of Ireland would rather surrender their life than experience the everlasting scene of misfortunes. While Jonathan is giving his suggestions to the ruling class, he ironically represents the hardships as being the sole liability of the poor (Smith 140). Jonathan is talking to the politicians who have denied the Irish Catholics some of their rights, but he argues that the Irish are repressing their landlords by not settling their rent on time. The author contradicted himself at this point. The satire, of course, was the immense economic cruelty imposed on the Irish by the English through agricultural protectionism and other things. Jonathan’s use of satire, in his writing, serves to portray, to the English lea ders, the reality of the circumstances that they are subjecting to the people of Ireland. However, despite Swift's obvious dislike for the English, he, at some instances, also partly blames the Irish for the conditions of the country. Specifically, his depiction on the part of the Irish is what appears to trouble Jonathan the most (Smith 140). While a person might assume that Irish Catholics should have united to deal with English, they instead fell victim to forfeited certain liberties and land seizures. Jonathan asserts that his suggestion will greatly reduce the number of papists, who stay, at home, to deliver the empire to the Pretender. It is obvious that Jonathan does not, in fact, believe that the papists are exploiting the Protestants. However, I feel that he is attacking the Irish Catholics for not trying to take back their nation from them. Jonathan argues that the Irish have gladly handed their nation over to the English, and that makes them the most treacherous enemies t o Ireland (Smith 140). Throughout the writing, Jonathan, when talking about the Irish infants, uses terms as if he were describing farm animals. Phrases and words such as pigs, stock, flesh, cattle and carcass, were all present in

Business Law International Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Law International - Essay Example These measures were very useful in helping these economies to recover from the disastrous effects of the crisis. In dealing with the legal aspects associated with taking tough action against weak and insolvent banks based upon the precedents established during the Asian Financial Crisis, Head (1998) suggests a legal regime four specific measures. Firstly, there should be clear guidelines set out by the central bank in a particular country to identify when a bank is insolvent, for instance when it is unable to maintain adequate liquidity to meet the needs of depositors in a timely manner and/or when its liabilities exceed its assets. Head suggests that setting out rigorous tests for determining potential insolvency is a vial first step. Secondly, there should be a legal provision in existence which clearly sets out that if a bank is found to be insolvent or approaching insolvency, the central bank will appoint an administrator or conservator, that could also be the central bank itself, to take over the control of the bank and carry out an assessment to determine the bank’s prospects.(Head 1998). On the basis of the assessment, the conservator would offer recommendations to (a) restore the bank to health (b) merge it with a stronger bank or (c) liquidate its assets and distribute proceeds among depositors. Thirdly, if the bank is to be restored to a healthy form, the Conservator should be provided the powers under the law to carry out necessary procedures necessary to affect such a restoration. This could include measures such as powers to hire and fire bank staff, since inefficiency in bank operations is often the result of irresponsible or incompetent executives, as well as the power to change or modify the bank’s policies, close branches, change the bank’s charter or other operational measures that may be necessary to restore the financial health of the bank. Fourthly, the law

Obama Health Care Bill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Obama Health Care Bill - Essay Example This paper seeks to prove the constitutionality of the bill, which is that it contravenes the Unite States constitution. In his ruling dated December 13th 2010, Judge Henry E. Hudson of Virginia ruled that this particular bill was unconstitutional. He went on to cite the requirement that seeks to make all Americans get insurance as having exceeded the authority to regulate commerce granted to congress by the commerce clause. In his words, it â€Å"would invite unbridled exercise of federal police powers† (Johnson et al 415). This bill is especially confusing since there is no regulation requiring everybody to possess a car, only that they procure insurance as a condition for owning one. The law requires that one obtains health insurance just because this insurance exists (Johnson et al 415). While the law is without doubt well meaning and popular, with insurers putting forward the argument that healthy people taking out these policies would aid those with expensive conditions, some of the other provisions could be severed legally. As Judge Hudson stated in his ruling, â€Å"Neither the Supreme Court nor any federal circuit of appeals have extended commerce powers, which compel an individual to involuntarily enter the stream of commerce by purchasing a commodity in the private market† (Johnson et al 414). The bill tramples on an individual’s right of choice, that is, whether to participate in the scheme or not. While noting its noble intentions, it is also worth noting that the claim on its un-constitutionality has nothing to do with health care but rather on liberty and a right to choose (Johnson et al 416). Article 1 section 8 clause three of the United States constitution states that â€Å"the congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes, duties and excises †¦for the common defense and general welfare of the

Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman (cited) Essay Example for Free

Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman (cited) Essay Willy and Nora: Tragic Heroes or Home-wreckers? No one has a perfect life. Despite what Aaron Spelling and his friends in the media might project to society today, no ones life is perfect. Everyone has conflicts that they must face sooner or later. The ways in which people deal with these conflicts can be just as varied as the people themselves. Some procrastinate and ignore their problems as long as they can, while others attack problems to get them out of the way as soon as possible. The Lowman and Helmer families have a number of problems that they deal with in different ways, which proves their similarities and differences. Both Willy Loman, the protagonist of Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman and Nora Helmer, protagonist of Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House experience an epiphany where they realize that they were not the person the thought they were: while Willys catharsis brings about his death, Noras brings her to a new life; hers. Both characters flaws bring about their departure from their respective families as well. They are both overly concerned with the appearances they and their families present to society: as a result they both project false images to others. From their appearance, both seem to be involved in stable marriages and appear to be going places. Willys job as a traveling salesman seems stable (although we never know what it is he sells) when he tells his family that he knocked em cold in Providence, slaughtered em in Boston (Miller 1228). It is not until Willys wife, Linda tells us that he drives 700 miles and when he gets there, no one knows him any more, no one welcomes him (Miller 1241). If thats not enough to convince readers of his failure on the job, the fact that he gets fired after working for the same company for 36 years cements his incompetency in the business world to readers. While Nora does not work in the business world, (few woman, if any did over 120 years ago) her failure to take care of her responsibilities becomes quite evident as well. See more: citing an essay When the play opens and Nora enters with a Christmas tree and presents for the children, she gives off the impression of a good mother trying hard to prepare a great Christmas for her family. Upon further analysis we see that Noras duties, in general, are restricted to caring for the children, doing housework, and working on her needlepoint. Nora cannot complete these duties even with the full-time help of Anne Marie, a housekeeper who cleans up after Nora just as much as the children. When Nora and Kristine are having a discussion towards  the start of the play, Nora informs her friend that, Im so happy and relieved [with my marriage]. I must say its lovely to have plenty of money and not have to worry. Isnt it? (Ibsen 1119). The rosy picture she painted of her family and marriage are in stark contrast to the stranger of a man (Ibsen 1168) she refers to her husband as. We realize that she had not been living her life at all; rather the life that her husband wanted her to live. Whi le both Willy and Nora succeed in giving of the appearance of being competent, efficient and helpful family members who contribute to the well being of their respective families, they prove otherwise as the plays progress. While the two plays take place nearly 100 years apart, are set on different continents and each have completely different family members, both engage in lies and deceit that hurt their families; after which each protagonist leaves their family. Not only does Willy lie about his performance on the job, he lies about his faulty car as well. He tells his family that the Studebaker keeps malfunctioning when in reality we find out through Linda that he has been deliberately trying to kill himself. The biggest way in which Loman deceives his family is by cheating on his wife while away for work in Boston. When his eldest son discovers his fathers unfaithfulness, he loses all trust for his father, and Biffs life pretty much goes downhill from there. Willy Lomans lies, deceit, unfaithfulness have resulted in huge problems for his family. Nora also starts trouble in her household through lies and deceit. Noras crime of forgery is not even a crime in her mind; she does not realize that the law does not take into account peoples motivations behind their actions. While she knows that Krogstad has been associated with shady law practices, she does not realize that his crime was on the same level, if not less illegal than the one that she has committed. When Tourvald opens the letter and finds out about her crime, he goes ballistic, and cannot believe that his own wife could be capable of such a crime. This is ultimately the reason / situation that helps Nora realize that she must leave her family in order to begin to live her own life. But Nora even lies about the little things in life such as the eating of macaroons (Ibsen 1126). Her husband forbade her from eating them on account that they will rot her teeth, and when she is seen eating them in her house, she says that they are a gift from Kristine, which is a lie. Both Willy and Noras lies and deceitfulness frustrate their families to the  point where each protagonist much leave their family; although Willys departure is his death, Noras is the start of her real life. Both main characters also use an escape mechanism to leave reality when they realize that their lives are on the wrong path. When Loman starts to realize that his pride and joy in life, Biff, is a lazy bum (Mille r 1218) he begins to talk to himself (Miller 1221). These mental lapses bring Loman to a happier place and time, when his kids were young and innocent and he thought that the best part of his life lay still ahead. This acts almost as a defense mechanism against the pains of reality for Willy. In the final scene, after Biff tells his father that he is a dime a dozen and that the Loman name really doesnt mean much, Willy engages in the ultimate escape mechanism; suicide. Although it may appear on the surface to be a selfish and coldhearted move to spite his family, he actually did it so that his family may live a better life with money he thinks they will receive from his life insurance policy. When faced with the harsh pains of reality, Nora also uses defense / escape mechanisms to ignore the problems at hand first, then to conquer them in the end. She believes that she has done nothing wrong, and that if what she has done is illegal, that her good intentions will nullify the illegality of her forgery. When Krogstad informs her otherwise, tells her the possible repercussions of her act, and ultimately gives her an ultimatum, this is her first touch of reality outside of the dolls house that she lives in. To cope with the harshness outside of this dolls house, she immediate ly retreats back inside and attempts to distract herself with Christmas decorations (Ibsen 1133). She uses the tree and presents to distract her from her problems, and tells the nursemaid Anne Marie that shes too busy to play with her kids who want to see her because she must try to distance her mind from the subject at hand. Here she is only making the problem worse by not dealing with it. When she finally realizes that her main duty [is] to [her]self (Ibsen 1166), and that she has been living life according to what her father and husband have wanted rather than what she has wanted, Noras epiphany is complete. She knows that the only possible solution that can work for her is to leave right away. Willy and Nora both escape their problems first by drifting away with mental distractions, then when they fully realize their problems, they both must physically leave their families. For Willy this means death, for Nora, the  start of (a new) life. Willy and Nora share a fatal flaw: they try to make others happy before making themselves happy. All that Willy ever wanted in life was to be well-liked and for his sons to follow in his footsteps. Their lives focused too much on fulfilling others rather than themselves, and in the end this flaw led to their departure from each of their respective families. When Charley asks Willie when the hell are you ever going to grow up? and Biff declares that we never told the truth in this house for 10 minutes (Miller 1280) we realize that Willy will never grow up and that he must leave his family because he will never grow up and that nearly his whole life has been a farce. Similarly, when Nora tells her husband that the only way he (and her) can only change if Tourvald has his doll taken away (Ibsen 1168) we realize that Noras life too has been a farce and that she must leave in order to begin her own life.