Transcendentalism and Transcendental Meditation :: essays research papers fc

Introspective philosophy and Transcendental Meditation      â€Å"The Transcendentalist receives the entire association of otherworldly convention. He puts stock in supernatural occurrence, in the ceaseless receptiveness of the human brain to new flood of light and force; he trusts in motivation, and in ecstasy.†(Emerson 196). These two lines composed by Ralph Waldo Emerson embody the entire development of visionary essayists and what they had confidence in. Despite the fact that to the essayists, introspective philosophy was a battle for a conviction, obscure to them they could have been battling for the improvement of human wellbeing. The visionary compositions of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson have legitimately influenced the strength of present day society through the possibility of supernatural reflection. Through current science, researchers have connected increments in wellbeing among people using supernatural reflection.      â€Å"The term supernatural originated from the German Romantic thinker Immanuel Kant. The term alludes to the possibility that issues of extreme reality, God, the universe, oneself rise above, or go past, human experience.†(www.geocities.com). Supernatural later formed into Transcendentalism, which is The rising above, or going past, observation, and learning the essential standards of human information. Kant (1724-1804) was conceived and instructed in East Prussia. He established basic way of thinking and Transcendental Logic. â€Å"Kant made critical modifications to pretty much every part of philosophy.† (www.philosophy.ucdavis.edu). In the Critique of Pure Reason (1781) Kant demonstrated the extraordinary issues of power: the presence of God, opportunity, and everlasting status and how they are insoluble by logical idea. Kant’s works impacted Emerson and Thoreau during the hour of Transcendentalism and â€Å"still have an effect on current way of thinking to the present day.† (www.ilt.columbia.edu).      Emerson pulls out to Immanuel Kant in his talk The Transcendentalist by expressing â€Å"It is notable to the majority of my crowd, that the Idealism of the current day gained the name of Transcendental, from the utilization of that term by Immanuel Kant, of Konigs berg.† (Emerson 199). Most visionary were optimist that had faith in the perfectibility of man, and they were frequently occupied with ventures planned to make this perfect a reality. On of which was a self-overseeing, trial network that met in Emerson’s house. This people group for the most part had confidence in a monistic universe, or one in which God is innate in nature, which implies that God is for all time and straightforwardly present no matter what. One of the individuals from the network and a dear companion of Emerson was Henry Thoreau.      On July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau was conceived.

Antoine Busnois Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Antoine Busnois - Essay Example With respect to a reality, one of his most popular work Lhomme Arme 'is as yet perceived and even utilized in a few melodic and dramatic introductions today. Lhomme Arme', like different works of Busnois is a song of showed workmanship that identifies with the spirit of anybody hearing it. Thus, numerous performers saw the chance of utilizing this specific psalm in making mass music henceforth recommending that utilization of the said psalm never goes without a doubt exhausting in any event, when it is more than once applied in various tunes. As a song, Lhomme Arme' is a melodic factor that upgrades different psalms that when it is joined with other melodic game plans, it turns out to be all the more speaking to the ear and warming to the heart. Antoine Busnois fundamentally amassed in creating music that is musical and straightforward. Individuals during his time were noted to legitimately react to his music. Without a doubt, the brightness of his psalm enriches the way that the French workmanship depicts both effortlessness and intricacy in such a significant number of terms. The courses of action might be unpredictable sooner or later yet the effortlessness of the sound delivered by such an intricate game plan warms the spirit of anybody hearing it. Sound has been a common idea in the general public influencing and impacting humankind from numerous points of view known to man. Due to the compelling idea of music, this medium is seen to a powerful instrument for society in various viewpoint. Each component of the general idea of sound turns into a huge one specifically the voice, music, audio effects, feel and even quiet. Every one of these components brings an alternate noteworthiness for the most part accentuating the outflow of the general topic of a specific task. The utilization of voice can fundamentally impact the comprehension of the communicated thought of the specific open or crowd being pointed at. The inflection of the voice of the speaker can assign the feeling of the individual and their clamor or non-abrasiveness will delineate the character, authority and character of the speaker. The utilization of ambient sounds, audio cues either through repeating or persistent mean can heighten nature's feeling which can later add to the character of the speaker as well as character and can energize the interest and eagerness of the crowd. Likewise, these components can altogether add to the importance and power of the idea being communicated by the specific task in this way helping its exposition and comprehension by people in general. Moreover, the work of the impacts of quietness as a foundation can likewise add to the statement of the general subject as it can set phases of energy in this manner advancing the crowd's advantage (Altman, 1992 ). In this way, the work of sound through the use of every one of its components can essentially add to the general topic of a specific undertaking as it advances a superior correspondence approach between the primary idea and its crowd. The utilization of sound can encourages the exposition and comprehension of the open in this way helping the adequacy of the undertaking of imparting a specific idea and its noteworthiness to the general public. With respect to Antoine Busnois' essential sytheses, he utilizes the sound of his music to send

Cant Visit Campus Were Coming to You!

Cant Visit Campus Were Coming to You! I hope your school year is off to a fantastic start! Whether you’re in your junior or senior year, you most likely have a busy, exciting year ahead of you. During the fall semester, you may see your counselors advertising different colleges that are coming to visit your high school. Why, you may ask? We’re here to help however we can! You may not have the chance to visit every college that you’re interested in, but it’s still important to learn as much as you can about those schools to make the best decision for you. While we do hope you can come visit our campus, if you can’t, make sure you take advantage of the college representatives coming to your school! So how best can you prepare for these visits? Do your research.   Take a look at the schools admissions website and get a general idea about the school coming to visit. See if they have the program youre interested in studying. Research where the school is located, what the campus is like, or what opportunities you might have as a student. Ultimately, its best to come experience campus first hand on your visit, but if you cant, were there to help answer any questions that you may have. Review (or begin!) the application.   Applying for college can be confusing. Each college has their own platform, different essays, different requirements, and so on. We get that, and were here to help guide you through the process. Looking at the application in advance can be a huge help in guiding the conversations we have. Draft a list of questions. The more questions, the better! Im always happy to help answer any questions that you may have regarding the application, campus, the majors we offer, or anything else you may be thinking about! Get excited!   Were excited to meet you! We hope we can chat with you about Illinois and the opportunities youll have as a student when we come to visit your high school. If you have other questions before or after, were always happy to help answer your questions over the phone or via email as well. See you soon! Hannah Admissions Counselor I grew up just 30 minutes north of Champaign-Urbana and am a recent graduate of Illinois. As a former Pathway student, I understand the challenges of adapting to life at both a community college as well as a four-year institution. Whatever you're wondering about, I'll help you out!

Personal And Career Development Program - 1144 Words

Over the past 24 weeks, the Personal and Career Development program and the internship helped me learn a lot about myself. The professional path helps me gained more confidence and experience and has given me a substantial opportunity to discover my practical and management skills. As a result, I learned about my thinking approach, decision-making ability, capacity, and time management skills. I become more confident in communicating with others, how to discuss and make effective decisions while working with a team. I am able to gain professional experience and developed leadership quality. With the help of this course and the internship, I found a lot of changes in my behavior, feeling, and thinking. I always use to think that knowledge and academic skills were sufficient to do any task. Now I discovered that in addition to practical skills, you also require a proper solid plan and process to make any assumptions, along with understanding the importance of collaboration and working with a team. The Personal and Career Development program helped me in successfully implement strategy that helped me in learning how to explain, evaluate, and learn from our experiences. This program helped me understand how to differentiate between conclusions, assumptions, and actual data based on the description. Further, it assisted me in discovering multiple ways to represent data and helps in making decision about actions, which are appropriate. During the Personal and Career DevelopmentShow MoreRelatedEmployee Training and Career Development Essay1296 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Training and development are important factors to the success of any organization. Each employee is a valuable asset that can either add to the success a company or contribute to its failure. Training supports and makes possible the development of new skills and knowledge. Offering training for employees at various levels within an organization assist employees develop the necessary skills and proficiency to be successful in their careers as well as prepare for new responsibilitiesRead MoreProviding Quality Career Development And Leadership Programs1524 Words   |  7 PagesProviding Quality Career Development within Youth Development and Leadership Programs Introduction â€Å"What do you want to do for a living?† This is a question dreaded by many young people. The question assumes that youth have had opportunities that are to make an informed decision about their future. As a youth service professional or someone volunteering his or her time with youth, you might be wondering how you can support youth to think about their futures, and provide them with concrete informationRead MoreCareer Development : A Graduate Program860 Words   |  4 PagesCareer Development Due to the increasing competitive nature of the employment market, graduate coursework remains an important aspect of an individual who desires to achieve professional and career development. The entry programs offered help to provide learners with an intensive study about related subjects, a factor that helps them prepare for the careers they desire to pursue in life. Working students can also undertake the graduate programs to help improve their skills and expertise as well asRead MoreTransitions Of Career Development And Transition Programs836 Words   |  4 Pagesacademic, career and college, and social and personal development, school counselors are in key positions to provide students with opportunities, equity, and access to programs that support smooth transitions and college and career readiness (Erford, 2015). Career development and transition programs are important because they support they can provide students with access and information to programs or careers that they may otherwise not have known about. In addition, transition programs can reduceRead MoreThe Importance of ASCA National Model Crosswalking Tools in Guidance Curriculums1373 Words   |  6 Pagesguidance program. The ASCA National Model Crosswalking Tools can be used to develop the appropriate scope and sequence for a guidance curriculum.When implementing this tool correctly in a school system, there are major influences that can be utilized in helping students. In the paragraphs below I will describe key points of how it will improve student learning, foster student development of career awareness, and students will acquire self knowledge to enhance their personal and social development. ThisRead MoreCareer Fields Of Interest Using Free Online Tools1288 Words   |  6 Pagesexploration skills, and research career fields of interest using free online tools like Get My Future and My Next Move. Both tools enable youth to self-assess their interests and learn about various industries as well as how to write a resume, get work experience/ job training and other assistance.. Postsecondary credentials and work-based learning are important aspects of youth career development. Once your organization is aware of the youth’s potential career interests, you can invite professionalsRead MoreEssay about Personal Career Development: Course Review1012 Words   |  5 Pagesevents and available information to create a picture of where to go next. The purpose of this paper is to review the personal information from the career assessments taken in HS 585 Career Counseling at Bellevue University. The review will focus on this author’s personal results. This paper will combine the assessments with the author’s personal history to provide a context for future career goals. Assessment Summary The primary assessment performed and examined within the HS 585 course was the StrongRead MoreAcademic Motivation And Career Development1358 Words   |  6 Pagesskills: As they explore their career interests and options, youth increase their understanding of the value and relevance of formal education to pursuing their career goals. This increases their academic motivation and engagement which leads to increased academic skills. †¢ Leadership skills: Youth develop leadership by taking the lead in their personal career development process. †¢ Social skills and positive relationships: By working with their family, school or youth program staff, counselors, mentorsRead MoreCareer Aspirations1515 Words   |  7 PagesWhat are your career aspirations and how will the internship module help you to achieve them? Introduction My name is Praveen Divakaran B.Tech Degree in Electrical Electronics form Saintgits College of Engineering (2009). PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Two years of work experience as a Sales Engineer for Gulf Services and Industrial Supplies Co.LLC in Water Equipment’s Division – Oman. Employer Profile: Gulf Services and Industrial Supplies Co. LLC is a part of Arabi WLL Group, one ofRead MoreDevelopment Plan For The Professional And The Academic Field1521 Words   |  7 PagesDevelopment Needs Analysis Introduction Why a development planning is important to a learner who wants to succeed in the professional and the academic field? A development plan is defined as a structured and supported process commenced by learners to consider their own learning, performance and achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. In another words, a development plan is an inclusive process, which is opened to all learners, in all higher education provision

Global Warming Essay examples - 1773 Words

Global Warming: â€Å"It’s gettin’ hot in here, so take off all your clothes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The famous words of RB star, Nelly, are truer than one might think. It really is getting hot in here. The world’s average temperature is rising every year and is expected to be 5 to 10 degrees higher by the end of the century, which is faster than they have increased in the last ten millennia, according to the National Resource Defense Council’s website. But why is this epidemic happening? As the Defense Council states, global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and other types of heat trapping pollution that are collecting like a blanket in the atmosphere, trapping heat from the earth as it tries to radiate back into space. As a result, the planet†¦show more content†¦This trend will even be noticeable the next few decades. It is essential to following generations comfort that this trend stops now because, according to author Kathryn Schulz, Chicago will start to fee l a lot like southern Missouri in this lifetime. For instance, the Qori Kalis glacier in Peru is shrinking at a rate of 200 meters per year, 40 times faster that in 1978. Ice is disappearing from the Arctic Ocean and Greenland, spring is starting sooner in 200 other countries, and animals are moving to cooler areas (Carey Shapiro, 2004). Ecologist Christopher Field of the Carnegie Institution states, â€Å"†¦Even the most modest warming today is having large effects on ecosystems. The most compelling impact is the 10% decreasing yield of corn in the Midwest per degree of warming,† (Carey and Shapiro, 2004). Moreover, robins, traditional indications of spring, have been showing up earlier and earlier at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado. The bird’s change in arrival time relates with increasingly warm spring temperatures in the area. In addition, many of the woody plants of Boston’s Arnold Arboretum are blooming earlier every few years. In a study conducted at the Arboretum, from 1980-2002 plants flowered eight days earlier than they did from 1900 to 1920. â€Å"What the study is showing is that plants are very responsive to global warming,† says biologist Richard Primack. â€Å"And the global warming we areShow MoreRelatedGlobal Warming And The Warming1544 Words   |  7 PagesGlobal warming has become a well conversed topic among scientists and peoples in the world today. There are extremists who do everything possible to stop contributing to the warming, but the average person does little to alleviate the issue and in many cases refuses to ack nowledge that there is a problem at all. Dating back to millions of years ago, even before humanity was born, the world has always experienced one form or another of warming; so the warming seen today is not as bizarre as many mayRead MoreGlobal Warming And The Warming1353 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal Warming With it being the presidential election season the talk of global warming, also known as climate change has come up in conversation more. But should it be associated with whether you are republican or democrat? Global warming should not be rather you â€Å"believe† in because it is a stated fact. The definition by Oxford Dictionary declares that global warming is a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect causedRead MoreThe Warming And Global Warming1442 Words   |  6 PagesThe Warming World Around Us The world is warming and we cannot deny it, the longer we deny the larger the problem it will become. Global warming is affecting the world economy, the overall health of the population, and most importantly the environment that surrounds us. Ignoring this problem will not just make it suddenly disappear; the world has to make an effort to stop it while it can still be maintained. Accepting the fact that it is happening is just the first step, the next step is takingRead MoreGlobal Warming1677 Words   |  7 PagesThrough the eyes of most scientists, global warming is seen as a very serious and severe threat. The actions taken by humans, such as industry and consumption of fossil fuels plus the increase in population and agriculture have played a big part in global warming. If something is not done soon the results could be very bad. By the middle of the twenty first century, there is evidence that the Earth will be warmer than it has been at any time in human history, and quite possibly since theRead MoreGlobal Warming1410 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal warming was first mentioned by ‘Svante August Arrhenius in 1896’, but in ‘1753, Joseph Black discovered carbon dioxide’ and in ‘1827, Jean-Batiste Fourier suggested that atmospheric effect kept the earth warmer than it would otherwise be’, (Direct.gov. n.d. A history of climate change). Since this time, reports, and study have be done with graphs to show the impact of global warming and what could happen to our planet. In 1979, the first conference was held this was called ‘International climateRead MoreGlobal Warming1245 Words   |  5 PagesGlobal Warming The major threat of today’s world is global warming. Due to various reasons global warming turns out to be a serious issue in the last few years. Today people believe in global warming while this concept was not so much believed and people interpreted in some other meanings what was happening in the past. Global warming is amplification in the temperature of earth because of industrial pollution, fossil fuels, and agricultural practices caused by human being, other and natural gasRead MoreGlobal Warming1316 Words   |  6 PagesControversy over Global Warming One of the largest argued topics in our world today is over global warming. People argue that is real, and others argue that it is fake. The effects of global warming create a growing danger for the ecosystem we live in by damaging glaciers and weather patterns. Humans contribute to global warming yet non-believers will think otherwise. Global warming is the greatest challenge facing our planet. According to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change) mostRead Moreglobal warming1539 Words   |  7 Pagesof global climate over long periods of time. Climate model projections made by the US Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) show that, recently, global temperature has increased. This increase in temperature is referred to as global warming. One of the main causes of global warming is greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are gases in the atmosphere that absorb solar radiation to keep the planet warm. These gases have increased, so more solar radiation is trapped ins ide raising global temperaturesRead MoreGlobal Warming1050 Words   |  5 PagesTake a position: Global warming is a real problem. 1000 word Essay. Using persuasive technique Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth’s surface. Since the late 1800’s, the global average temperature has increased about 0.7 to 1.4 degrees F (0.4 to 0.8degree C). Climate change is happening and its effects are real. However, the larger the change in climate, the more negative the consequences will become. Global warming will make life harder for mostRead MoreGlobal Warming1192 Words   |  5 PagesGlobal Warming Essay Global warming is an important issue for humans to consider and science to figure out. Personally I don’t care very much about global warming and have never been active in green movements. The evidence presented in this class is very informative and useful when taking into account the numerous known and unknown causes and cures for global warming. However, my attitude towards global warming is unchanged. According to the Common Attitudes Toward Global Warming handout I think

China Export Strategy Free Essays

string(34) " between the center and province\." China’s Export Strategy: What Can We Learn From It? Arvind Panagariya As much as by luck as by design, China stumbled onto an export and foreign investment strategy that has proved remarkably successful, helping the economy move quickly to a market-based system. experience serve as a model for other countries? But can the Chinese After three decades of inward-oriented trade and foreign investment policies, in 1979, China switched course and launched an â€Å"open-door† policy. During the 15 years that have elapsed since then, the country has ersistently, albeit gradually, liberalized its trade and foreign investment regime. We will write a custom essay sample on China Export Strategy or any similar topic only for you Order Now This has been accompanied by a spectacular growth in GDP and During 1980-90, GDP grew annually at an impressive rate of Over the same period, exports grew at an annual rate of 11 foreign trade. 9. 5 percent. percent–more than twice as fast as world trade–and imports 9. 8 percent. More recently, in 1992 and 1993, GDP has shown annual growth rates exceeding 13 percent. The annual growth in exports and imports during these two years has been 13 percent and 27 percent, respectively. What are the key trade and foreign investment policies that have led to this dramatic growth in China’s foreign trade and GDP? And what lessons can we derive from China’s experience for other economies in transition? (see box)? In the following, we examine the nature of reforms and why they worked well or poorly in particular cases. Though this study focuses on external economic policies, it is important to remember that the promotion of non-state enterprises has closely complemented China’s outward-oriented – 2 strategy. These enterprises, owned collectively by local authorities in urban areas, townships or villages, enjoy a high degree of autonomy in their operations. Consequently, they have been most successful in taking advantage of the outward-oriented strategy. Promoting an â€Å"export culture† On the external front, three factors combined to give rise to China’s success: adoption of an aggressive pro-export strategy by central authorities, active participation of local authorities and the presence of Hong Kong and Taiwanese investors looking for a source of cheap labor. With he beginning of the open-door policy, the central authorities began sending clear signals in favor of an export-oriented trade regime. A variety of instruments were employed to promote what may be called an â€Å"export culture†: geographical targeting, sectoral targeting, a liberal foreign investment regime, and liberal provision of export financing. Geographical targeting. China set up the so-called Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Open Cities within which economic activities– manufacturing, banking, exporting and importing, and foreign investment-took place in a more liberal environment than is available in the rest of the economy. These zones helped to serve as focal points for investment from both domestic and foreign sources and to allow China to develop links with the world market, brought in part, by Hong Kong and Taiwanese entrepreneurs. Originally there were only a handful of such zones, all in Guangdong and Fujian provinces. Over time, many features of SEZs were extended to other cities. Two features of SEZs distinguish them from the rest of the country. First, the SEZs enjoy considerable administrative autonomy in the – 3 areas of investment, pricing, taxation, housing, and labor and land management policies. require virtually no Most foreign investments can be approved locally and central clearance. Second, the SEZs offer many The economic incentives to investors not available in the inland provinces. corporate income tax, normally 33 percent for foreign funded enterprises and 55 percent for state owned enterprises, is 15 percent for all enterprises in the SEZs. All imported inputs used in exports or sold within the Zones are In addition, tax holidays free of import duty and other indirect taxes. available to foreign funded enterprises are more generous in the SEZs than those available under the national tax legislation. Depending on the amount of investment, nature of the technology, and duration of the project, tax holidays of up to five years are available. The SEZs and open cities exhibited spectacular economic performance. In 1979, the three SEZs in Guangdong were small fishing villages with virtually no industrial activity. transformed into modern cities. By the end of 1980s, they had been In 1990, the SEZs and open cities accounted for 52% of total realized investment and more than half of total exports. During 1985-90, industrial output in Guangdong and Fujian grew at annual rates of 16% and 14. % compared with 6. 9% in the rest of the economy. Sectoral targeting. Side by side with geographical targeting, China has also engaged in sectoral targeting for exports. Targeted sectors, chosen at a broad level, have included light industrial products, textiles, and machinery and electronic goods. The most important instruments of targeting were production networks for exports (PNEs) and higher excha nge retention rights to targeted sectors. – 4 The Seventh Five Year Plan (1986-90) provided for the creation of PNEs. The idea was to bring the leading factories within the targeted ector into a network and support them through subsidies for technological upgrading, guaranteed supplies of raw materials and power, preferential access to transportation, attractive purchase prices for their goods, and higher exchange-retention rights than other enterprises in the same industry. The aim of the networks was to expand both the quailty and quantity of exports of the participating factories. The first industry group to benefit from this scheme was machinery and electronic goods. PNEs have also been created in light industrial products and textiles, and farm and sideline products. Rights to foreign exchange generated by exports are shared between the central and provincial governments. For targeted sectors, the allocation of retention rights was more favorable to the province and the foreign trade corporations (FTCs), which procure and export more than 80 percent of China’s exports. In the case of light industries, arts craft, and knitwear, foreign exchange was divided in the ratio of 20:80 between the center and province. You read "China Export Strategy" in category "Papers" Similarly, in machinery and electronic goods, for within-quota exports, the split between the center and provinces was 35:65. Though the retention rights have been revised recently, the bias in favor of FTCs has been retained. From the available data, it is difficult to judge the impact of sectoral targeting primarily because it was broad based. textiles and light industrial products in total exports The share of did expand significantly after 1985. But the effect on machinery sector is less clear. – 5 Overall, one thing which is clear, however, is that the export share of labor intensive sector has gone up in the latter half of 1980s. export shares of heavy and light industries were 47. % In 1982, 37. 6%, and respectively, in 1982. 52. 9%. By 1989, these shares had changed to 31. 9% and Liberal foreign investment regime. China’s striking export performance is related to the size of foreign direct investment flows into the country (see table). Foreign investors have been lured to the Chinese market for three reasons. First, both policies and procedures have been designed to facilitate foreign investment. A 25 percent foreign investment gives an enterprise the At status of a joint venture and qualifies it for various tax incentives. he same time, foreign equity investment can rise all the way up to 100 percent. Restrictions on the choice of sectors are minimal; any preferences, sectoral or otherwise, take the form of extra incentives. As a result, joint ventures have been established in sectors ranging from hightechnology to consumer goods, services, and raw materials. lower or upper limit on the amount of foreign investment. There is no In large open cities such as Shanghai, foreign investment projects up to $30 million can be approved by local authorities. The limit in smaller open cities is $10 This autonomy has illion while that in unopened cities is $3 million. greatly simplified the approval procedures. Second, employment, wage and pricing policies for joint ventures are flexible. contractual Joint ventures are free to employ any required personnel on a basis. Emplo yees are subject to warnings, wage cuts and – 6 dismissal. Except for a few product categories for which prices are set by the state, joint ventures are free to set their prices both domestically and abroad. Products or services for which prices are fixed are of two types. In the first category, prices are completely fixed (e. . , products such as grain, oil, and fuel; and services such as electricity and rent). In the second category, prices are allowed to fluctuate within prespecified bands usually ranging from 10 to 30 percent (e. g. , steel, cement, timber, coal and other major capital goods). Finally, China has given extra incentives to joint ventures. As already discussed, these incentives are particularly generous in the SEZs and open cities. Since 1986, additional preferential treatment has been The available to export-oriented or technologically advanced projects. ncentives include: o Exemption from state subsidies paid to employees to cover the benefits provided by the government of China; o Priority in obtaining Bank of China loans; o Tax exemption on profits remitted abroad; o Longer tax holidays from corporate income tax; o Extra tax benefits on profits reinvested in export-oriented or technologically advanced projects; and o Further reduced land-use fees, priority in obtaining utilities, transport, and communication facilities. Duty exemptions. China has also instituted an elaborate system of Under these schemes, uty exemptions on imported inputs used in exports. the concessional share of imports was 35 percent in 1988 and rose to 50 – 7 percent in 1991. played an The schemes, introduced in 1984 or later, seem to have role in expanding China’s exports. Total exports important associated with concessional import arrangements account for 64 percent of China’s manufactured exports. These exports doubled between 1988 and 1991. The domestic value added of these exports is, of course, lower than of other exports. Export fina ncing. Ready access to export credits is believed to ontribute favorably to export performance. The Bank of China, which is the primary bank dealing in foreign exchange, provides trade credits. Credit, offered in domestic currency, is available for working capital as well as fixed investment for the production of exports and import substitutes. main beneficiaries of these credits are FTCs. of total trade credits in 1991. The They accounted for 85 percent The Bank of China also offers loans in terms of foreign exchange, primarily to enterprises in which foreigners have invested, for working capital and fixed investment. Though contributing favorably to exports, the liberal credit policy has led to a rapid expansion of outstanding loans. The total volume of outstanding trade loans at the end of 1991 was more than three time that at the end of 1985. In part, this expansion was due to the growth of exports. But perhaps it also reflects a rising ratio of export credit to total exports. According to one calculation, this ratio was 150 percent in 1988. The Hong Kong connection A key element in China’s success in the world markets so-called â€Å"Hong Kong connection†. as been the In the mid-1980s, Hong Kong entrepreneurs began shifting manufacturing facilities to China, attracted by lower labor – 8 costs as wages rose rapidly at home. This link with Hong Kong has not only brought much needed capital to China but also supplied new technology, modern management practices and critical links to the world market. Today more than half of China’s exports to the rest of the world are h andled by Hong Kong. Of the $45 billion in cumulative foreign investment commitments to China through 1992, 70 percent came from Hong Kong. This investment went mainly to export-oriented joint ventures. A large proportion of Guangdong’s export production is supervised under contract by firms in Hong Kong. Processing activity for exports in Guangdong is also carried out largely in collaboration with partners in Hong Kong who supply materials. Many items, particularly in the toy and clothing sectors, which were previously exported by Hong Kong are now exported by Guangdong. Local policies China’s economic system is highly decentralized now and the implementation of policy is largely under the control of provinces. Hence, in the fast-growing provinces, provincial and local officials have been deeply involved in the development process in general and export promotion in particular. The role of local authorities in facilitating foreign investment has been described earlier. In addition, there are a number of ways in which local authorities promote exports. First, the center gives mandatory targets or export quotas for only a limited number of items or in limited volumes. But in some provinces, for Moreover, example Jiangsu, the export-quota-system is far more elaborate. aking advantage of their monopsony power, FTCs are able to buy goods from enterprises at prices well below the corresponding domestic prices. Though – 9 the economic desirability of â€Å"exports at any cost† has been questioned, the FTCs have certainly been able to operate profitably on account of the monopsony power. Second, operating within the center’s guidelines, provincial authorities have been expanding Direct Export Rights (DERs) to enterprises. Because the criteria for obtaining such rights are stringent, the DERs have not expanded as rapidly as would have been desirable, however. ith DERs account for only 5% of China’s exports. Third, within the State’s guidelines, provincial and city governments decide the allocation of raw materials imported by using locally retained foreign exchange earnings among enterprises, collectives and TVEs and across different sectors. Provinces and cities also provide indirect export Enterprises subsidies through the provision of critical inputs such as electric power to export oriented enterprises. higher bonuses for Further incentives are provided in the form of and employees on the basis of export managers erformance. Within the guidelines laid down by the State, provinces can confer rights to trade directly upon enterprises and enterprise groups. Finally, local authorities establish joint ventures between FTCs and enterprises to pr omote exports. established 160 of these ventures. establish another 200 such ventures. The central lesson Perhaps the most important lesson, also consistent with the experience of other East Asian countries such as Korea, Taiwan Province of China, During the Seventh Plan, Wuxi City alone In the Eighth Plan, the city intended to 10 Singapore and now Thailand, is that the key to high GDP growth rates is export orientation and eventual success in the world market. The success in export expansion, in turn, depends on the policy package, which conveys a message in no uncertain terms that, rather than shelter import competing industries, the country will give priority to export oriented activities. China benefitted greatly from the clarity of signals sent by its policy reforms. Once the reform process began, there was rarely any doubt Despite occasional policy reversals, provincial and about its direction. ity governments, which implemented policies and enterprises, both state and nonstat e, were convinced that the country was headed towards an export oriented regime. geographical In terms of static efficiency, virtually all policies-preferential treatment of foreign investment in targeting, general and in export sectors in particular, and discriminatory exchange retention rights–were highly distortionary. Yet, they combined to give a loud and clear signal that the government was determined to change the economy’s orientation away from import substitution to export promotion. – 11 – Box Can India benefit from China’s experience? Operationally, the Chinese model is not very applicable to the economies of Eastern Europe or the former Soviet Union. These countries have largely rejected the planning model, which has remained an integral part of the Chinese development strategy. The countries in Eastern Europe The have already evolved far closer to the market model than China. countries emerging out of the former Soviet Union, on the other hand, are still struggling with the problem of macroeconomic stabilization. The country for which the Chinese experience is most relevant is India. Both are highly populous and, by developing-country standards, large economies. They began their development process approximately at the same time and stressed self-reliance. Both relied increasingly heavily on import substitution policies and ended up with a highly capital intensive production structure. China changed course in 1979 while India continued (with modest liberalization) on the old course. In 1991, in many ways, India stood where China stood in 1979. China’s in 1979. Import and The trade-to-GDP ratio was the same as controls were rampant and the investment domestic currency was overvalued. Despite these similarities, even in India’s case, lessons from China are limited. In addition to the obvious differences in political systems which lead to very different political-economy processes in the two countries, there are three reasons for this. has been highly interventionist. been in China and elsewhere in First, the Chinese approach This approach can be successful–as it has East Asia–provided the government can – 12 implement â€Å"right† interventions judiciously. India’s experience during the Second, India’s last four decades in this respect has not been encouraging. conomy has already evolved far closer to a market economy than that of China. have For instance, export targets and foreign exchange contracts, which helped create a pro-exports ethos in China are neither arguably desirable nor feasible in India. greater role in India than in China. Similarly, private sector plays a far Finally, India has already carried out For example, in the area of many reforms that China is still contemplating. exchange rate, China has a multiple exchange rate system and its exchange market is not organized along the lines of market economies. India has chieved virtual current account convertibility and its foreign exchange market is organized along modern lines. Of the lessons that have general relevance to India, the following points would seem to be the most pertinent. o First, creating a liberal and flexible economic environment along the lines of SEZs in China would stimulate greater foreign investment. The country can begin with a small number of cities–e. g. , Bombay, Bangalore, Cochin, and Madras–and, as in China, local governments may be given full authority to approve foreign investment up to a certain limit. Most important, rules of entry and exit in the zones can be made more flexible. Because these zones will be introduced in limited areas with a high growth potential, political consensus may be easier, even if this requires new legislation. Eventual success in the open zones may open the way for Currently, India does have export political consensus on a wider scale. processing zones. But the geographical area over which such zones operate – 13 is far too limited to allow for the full play of liberal policies and make them focal points of investment activity. Second, provision of infrastructure facilities through active In participation of local authorities in the reform process is critical. the fast growing provinces in China, local authorities–especially mayors of the cities–have been deeply involved in the process of development. They try to ensure that investors get speedy clearance with respect to land use, supply of electricity, water and other facilities. In India, so far, it seems that the enthusiasm for reforms has not filtered to state governments and the center may well have to take a lead in this regard, offering both carrot and stick. All incentives and reforms at the central level can be rendered ineffective if the state and local authorities, which must provide land, power, communications facilities, and environmental clearance, do not cooperate. There is an urgent need to study caefully how such bottlenecks can be removed. o Third, there is a need for a shift in the production structure towards more labor intensive industries. The share of capital goods imports in total imports is rather small in India when compared with China and other fast-growing countries in East Asia. This, combined with the fact that India’s import-to-GDP ratio is small, suggests that India is far more deeply into the production of capital goods than China and other comparator countries. In late 1970s and early 1980s, China also suffered from this problem and adopted policies to change the structure of production in favor of labor intensive goods. An important part of this strategy was targeting of a few – 14 sectors, especially for exports. this route. For India, it is perhaps unwise to follow Given the country’s generally neutral and rules-based approach to reforms, it is perhaps best to rely on the standard trade policy tools, particularly the structure of tariffs. Recent reduction in tariffs on capital goods should help move the economy towards more labor intensive goods. What is needed is resistance to policies that reverse the impact of this policy change. In particular, there is need for labor-market reforms. The country will not be able to take advantage of low wages of skilled and unskilled labor unless potential investors are sure that they can operate factories around the year without fears of recurrent labor disputes. This fear has been behind the highly capital intensive technologies chosen by investors in recent years. Fourth, duty exemptions for assembly type operations combined with rapid processing of imported inputs and materials by customs authorities made a significant contribution to China’s export growth. In India, duty exemptions for exporters exist but an improvement in their administration and simplification of procedures leading to speedy processing by customs will help boost exports. Also, for small exporters who rely on duty drawbacks, delay in getting the drawback as well as in obtaining inputs from abroad are common. An improvement in this direction is also desirable. Fifth, it is important to note that China was welcoming of foreign investment for both domestic and foreign markets. Most of the incentives– tax holidays, lower fees on land use, flexibility in the employment of labor etc. ,–were available to all foreign investors. ventures, some extra incentives were provided. For export-oriented joint The lesson here is that – 15 fears of tariff-jumping type of foreign investment should not lead to erection of barriers. Instead, if the regime is to be tilted in favor of export-oriented foreign investments, it should be done through positive incentives. Imposition of barriers to foreign investment will only add noise to signals of openness that India has been sending. A final point concerns the importance of a â€Å"Hong Kong† connection. In India’s case, there are no geographic neighbors that are as economically dynamic as Hong Kong or Taiwan, Province of China. But through cultural ties, the most India can do is to attract investments from Indians in Hong Kong and Non Resident Indians (NRIs) elsewhere in the world. While this is obviously worth doing, India has to rely on a more diversified base of foreign investors. It may be argued that to meet the East Asian challenge, investors in the United States and Europe will be increasingly looking for sources of cheap labor. With its vast pool of cheap unskilled to middleMoreover, level skilled labor, India clearly fulfills this requirement. India’s economic and political institutions are also familiar to western investors. What is needed is more open policies, transparency, and infrastructure. If this can be accomplished, India may well become the primary export base for the United States and European Community in the 21st century. Arvind Panagariya an Indian national, was a Principal Economist in the Bank’s Trade Policy Division and is a Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland. He earned his PhD from Princeton. – 16 Direct foreign investment into China (billion dollars) Commitment 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 (first half) Cumulative, end 1991 5. 3 5. 6 6. 6 12. 0 14. 5 48. 9 Actual n. a. 3. 4 3. 5 4. 4 3. 4 20. 3 ——————————————————————- Sources: China Statistics Yearbook 1990, 1991, Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, China. How to cite China Export Strategy, Papers

Acknowledgement Examples free essay sample

* * First and foremost, we would like to thank to our supervisor of this project, Miss Shyamala for the valuable guidance and advice. She inspired us greatly to work in this project. Her willingness to motivate us contributed tremendously to our project. We also would like to thank her for showing us some example that related to the topic of our project. We will write a custom essay sample on Acknowledgement Examples or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Besides, we would like to thank the authority of Multimedia University (MMU) for providing us with a good environment and facilities to complete this project.Also, we would like to take this opportunity to thank to the Centre of Affiliated Diploma Programme (CADP) of Multimedia University (MMU) for offering this subject, Computing Project. It gave us an opportunity to participate and learn about the operation of flights ticket reservation. In addition, we would also like to thank Malaysia Airline System (MAS) which provide us valuable information as the guidance of our project. Finally, an honorable mention goes to our families and friends for their understandings and supports on us in completing this project. Without helps of the particular that mentioned above, we would face many difficulties while doing this * Apart from the efforts of myself, the success of any project depends largely on the encouragement and guidelines of many others. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the people who have been instrumental in the successful completion of this project. I would like to show my greatest appreciation to Prof. James Geller. I cant say thank you enough for his tremendous support and help.I feel motivated and encouraged every time I attend his meeting. Without his encouragement and guidance this project would not have materialized. The guidance and support received from all the members who contributed and who are contributing to this project, was vital for the success of the project. I am grateful for their constant support and help. * I would like to gratefully acknowledge the enthusiastic supervision of Dr. Ali Rezazadeh during this work. I thank Prof.Garth Swanson for the technical discussions on the spectral response model and Dr. S. E. Kanellopoulos for the help with optical measurements and relevant discussions. Postgraduates of the Physical Electronics Research Group are thanked for numerous stimulating discussions, help with experimental setup and general advice; in particular I would like to acknowledge the help of Dr. Jim Luck for his support. Sean Wootton, Kevin Smith and Nick Nicola are thanked for their assistance with all types of technical problems at all times.I am grateful to all my friends from International Hall, University of London, for being the surrogate family during the many years I stayed there and for their continued moral support there after. From the staff, Donald Mann and Margaret Wilson are especially thanked for their care and attention. Finally, I am forever indebted to my parents and Anita for their understanding, endless patience and encouragement when it was most required. I am also grateful to Naela and Tanvir for their support.

6 Ways to Pay for Private School

6 Ways to Pay for Private School Attending a boarding school isnt cheap, we all know that. And today, many tuitions can cost a family as much as $70,000 a year (now multiply that by four years). Most private schools seem to be topping out around $45,000 to $55,000 a year, but some go well above that amount. Day school tuition typically runs about half that cost, or even less, depending on where you live. Even the primary grades cost a fortune these days. Paying for a private school education requires tremendous sacrifice for most parents. So how do you do it? How do you manage to pay for private school  tuition over the course of your childs education? Here are six ways you can manage those large tuition bills. Earn Cash Back on Tuition Payments Most schools expect payment of fees in two installments: one due in the summer, typically by July 1, and the other due in the late fall, typically by the end of November of the current academic year. Other schools may do their billing by semester or term though, so it varies. But, a little tip that not many families know is that schools will permit payment with a credit card. Simply make your tuition payment twice a year on a credit card with a rewards program, like a cash back card or one that will earn miles,  and then make your regularly scheduled monthly payments on the card. Lump Sum Discounts Schools always hate chasing down families who are late on their bills, which can have some negative results. But if you work with the school and pay your bill upfront, its often met with a discount. If youre able to pay your tuition bill in full by July 1, the school may offer you a  five to ten percent discount on the overall amount. Discount plus earning cash back with credit card payments? That sounds like a deal to me.   Tuition Payment Plans Not everyone can make lump sum payments and use a credit card to do so. For those families, there are still plenty of options. Most schools participate in tuition payment plans which are offered by outside providers, if not the school itself. The way these plans work is that you pay one-tenth of the expenses each month to the payment plan provider, which in turn pays the school on an agreed basis. It can be a real boon to your cash flow by allowing the payments to be spread equally over a number of months. The schools like the fact that they dont have to manage your billing. Its a win-win.   Financial Aid and Scholarships Almost every school offers some form of financial aid. You have to file an application for aid with the school and also file a standardized form, such as the Parents Financial Statement. The amount of aid which you can reasonably expect depends to a great extent on the size of the schools endowment, how much the school really wants to recruit your child, and how the school allots its scholarships. Several schools now offer a virtually free education if your family income is below $60,000 to $75,000 annually. So, if you need financial aid, see what the various schools on your short list can offer. Finally, be sure to ask around in your community. Many civic and religious groups provide scholarships. Loans Just like in college, loans are an option to pay for private school, though these are usually in the parents names, while college loans are often in the students names. Families have the ability to borrow against their assets to pay for private school education. There are also some specialized educational loan programs available, and your private school might offer or contract with a loan program, as well. It is always a good idea to consult your tax adviser and financial planner before making a major financial decision such as this. Company Benefits Many major corporations will pay for tuition and related educational expenses for dependent children of expatriate employees. So if you are posted to Belgium tomorrow, the main issue you will face is getting your children into the local international school. Fortunately for you, the tuition expenses will be paid for you by your company. Ask your Human Resources department for details. Edited by  Stacy Jagodowski

The Boldness Of Courage Essays - Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible

The Boldness Of Courage Essays - Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible The Boldness of Courage ?You?re the Devil?s man!? (118), Mary Warren cried out when she accused John Proctor of working for the devil. Courage is defined as mental or moral strength to face danger without fear. This is supported in Arthur Miller?s The Crucible. Throughout the Salem witch trials in the 1600?s, courage was that good people held in to, even through the toughest times. To illustrate this, an example of someone with courage is John Proctor. Proctor is a farmer with a wife, Elizabeth, and three young boys. He quietly suffers from guilt caused by an affair he had with a young woman named Abigail Williams. He is contrite and solicitous in his wife?s presence, and he yearns to regain her respect. John shows his courage when he has to make a life and death decision to lie and say that he is involved in witchcraft, which will prevent his execution, or to deny being a witch and be hanged. Proctor, after being questioned by Judge Danforth about being involved in witchcraft, stated that he was. Danforth was then having Proctor sign a confession, but he argued with Danforth saying, ? I have confessed myself! Is there no good penitence but it be in public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are!? (142). When Danforth would not give up the argument with Proctor to sign the confession, he asked, ?Then explain to me, Mr. Proctor, why will you not let me have it? ? (143), Proctor answered, ? Because it is my name... Because I lie and sign myself to lies!... I have given you my soul; leave me my name!? (143). Danforth then explained to Proctor, if the confession was a lie, he would not accept it. Proctor, with his breast heaving and his eyes staring, he tore the confession and crumpled it up, while he wept in fury. Danforth then ordered for him to be hung ? high over the town ? (143). John Proctor showed courage for his friends and family and by doing it, helped put an end to the unfair courts of Salem. Another good example of with a good deal of courage is Giles Corey. Giles is a 83-year old landowner who is sturdy, mettlesome, and fiercely independent. He?s unenlightened and pig-headed, but at the same time, warm-hearted and undaunted. He reveals himself to be a great man of awesome courage and will when he would not answer ?aye or nay to his indictment? (135). When Elizabeth Proctor was telling her husband, John, about it, she explained, ? great stones they lay upon his chest until he plead aye or nay. They say he give them two words. ? More weight?, he says. And died. ? (135). Giles Corey?s wife, Martha, and all of his friends, had already been convicted of witchcraft, so he had probably decided that he had nothing to live for. Giles humbly protested the one-sided courts by sacrificing himself as an example to his friends to stay strong and to not give up in what they believed is wrong. John Proctor could have easily used Giles Corey as an example, because Proctor learned of Giles? death before he had to make his decision of confessing or being executed. The next courageous person in The Crucible is Reverend John Hale. Reverend Hale is the church authority on demonology. He is summoned to Salem to find out if Reverend Parris? daughter Betty, who is suffering from an unexplained illness, has been hexed by witchcraft. Reverend Hale is proud of his scholarly expertise, and is glad to come to Salem to give his professional input on the situation. He displayed acts of courage when he got extremely frustrated about how unjust and ridiculous Danforth and the trials were, so he stood up and yelled, ? I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court! ? (120). Reverend Hale then comes back later to help those convicted by trying to persuade them to confess and live, rather than be hanged. By doing this, Reverend Hale shows great moral courage. He gives up everything he has worked for in his demonology career by going against the court, and trying to persuade innocent people to confess because he feels horribly responsible for bringing the hysteria to Salem. Reverend Hale is one of

What do you think of the concept of ungraded writing Essay

What do you think of the concept of ungraded writing - Essay Example According to (Hewitt) â€Å"Your essay’s point of view may be to persuade the reader to share your beliefs on the topic†. I think when I ask my students about the upgraded writing they will respond that this writing is related to pupil with disability in learning. Usually the writing skills of disabled students are of poor quality; hence the students can have the inclination to think upgraded writing as a writing related to disabled student. As per (Zhang)â€Å"Teaching students about writing is an ever present and significant problem. For students with learning disabilities, this problem often presents even greater challenges†. I would convince my students that upgraded writing is a concept applicable to all students. I would explain to them that, all disabled do not have poor skill in writing. I would describe to my pupil that working hard and knowing the writing skills, anyone can practice upgrade writing. According to (Donovan)" It goes without saying that if you don’t ever bother writing, your writing will never get any

A Society full of Smarty Pants Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Society full of Smarty Pants - Term Paper Example It is believed that with the advent of technology people have been able to live a much happier life. When computers were invented, they were made to do fast calculations. Nowadays they have become an integral part of our lives. Computers have been able to make our lives happier and much more comfortable than what they were before. With the advent of the 21st century, computers were made to solve simple mathematical calculations. People realised that there was a requirement for a machine which would work alongside their profession as a means to enhance the productivity. It became important that a machine would be there which would work efficiently to make the calculations simpler and easier. In the lat 1980’s the first computer was launched for the usage of the public. It was invented by Apple, which boasted of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak as the chief architects and designers of machine. (Finn, Chester) Steve Jobs came up with the first computer software which was known as the Macintosh, introduced to the world in 1984. It was the first computer which had the graphical user interface installed as a pre requisite in the computer operating system. Steve Jobs was very intrigued b the way graphical user interface worked, and therefore tried his best to introduce it to the Macintosh. Nowadays, computers have become of an immense importance to the people worldwide. The biggest advancement with the technology of computers happened with the introduction fo the internet. The internet changed the shape of the lives of the people. It developed the whole knowledge base into one source of information and there was literally a parallel world running through the wires of the internet. Through the internet people have been able to be close to each other without having to call or send a post card. This has been developed by the coming of the E- mail system which has allowed people to send and receive mails from anywhere in the world without having to wait for it or to pa y any additional money for it. (Impact of Computers) Webcam has allowed people throughout the world to engage in video conversations without having the need to have a video phone. This has been a remarkable achievement considering the fact that there was a time when people would not see each other for aageas and now if one is away from the family then he can simply call his family on the web using the web cam and that would allows the couple to see each other’s faces without the hassles of the previous days. â€Å"Information is probably the biggest advantage internet is offering. The Internet is a virtual treasure trove of information. Any kind of information on any topic under the sun is available on the Internet. The search engines like Google, yahoo is at your service on the Internet. You can almost find any type of data on almost any kind of subject that you are looking for. There is a huge amount of information available on the internet for just about every subject kno wn to man, ranging from government law and services, trade fairs and conferences, market information, new ideas and technical support, the list is endless.†

Internet The Prevalence Of On Line Grooming Media Essay

Internet The Prevalence Of On Line Grooming Media Essay The purpose of this short, provocative piece is to purport to the reader that whilst the Internet presents itself as a rich source of information, it also has the propensity to produce various dangers due to the nature of communication and identity construction embedded within the World Wide Web. Following Kapousiss (2010) conception of violence as a tool (Kapousis, 2010), I posit that the Internet is also a tool which deviant individuals are able to exploit through the construction of multiple identities and personas in an attempt to satisfy deviant fantasies whilst retaining their anonymity. My illustrative example of such dangers is the recent proliferation of the sexual on-line grooming of children. THE INTERNET AND THE NETWORK SOCIETY Without question, the Internet is a social phenomenon. The advances in technological systems which have made its emergence possible are the result of social production, and social production is culturally informed (Castells, 2001a: p. 36). The Internet has, in recent years, become the fabric of our lives, (ibid, p. 1) for work, for personal connection, for social networking, for information, for entertainment, for public services, for politics, and for religion (Castells, 2010: p. 64); as a result, it is becoming an integral tool of commerce, communication, and popular culture (Brignall III and Van Valey, 2005). However, despite its universality, a body of literature has emerged criticising the Internet for the de-humanisation of social relationships (Slouka, 1995; Kraut et al., 1998), media reports have linked it with increasing levels of loneliness, depression, and social isolation (McKenna and Bargh, 2000), whilst technopessimists have suggested that the Internet is endowed with t he capability to end civilisations, cultures, interests, and ethics (Berson, 2003: p. 6). Some commentators, however, have adopted a more optimistic standpoint and have defended the Internet arguing that through the performance of roles and construction of on-line identities users create a feeling of community (Rheingold, 1993; Turkle, 1995; also see Young, 2008). For the purposes of this paper, I will present the Internet as neither negative nor positive, but rather, as inanimate, a tool which entails various uses (Brignall III and Van Valey, 2005; Shannon, 2008; see also Kapousis, 2010). This position also mirrors that taken by Castells (2010) who suggests that both consumers and producers utilise the Internet as a tool through producers providing content and shaping the web (op cit, p. 382). The Internet forms part of a much larger, significant social change which has occurred over the past three decades the emergence of the network society (Castells, 2001a, 2009, 2010; van Dijk, 2006 Hardt and Negri, 2000). It is beyond the scope of this short paper to provide a comprehensive, all-embracing analysis of the network society and all of its components, therefore the emphasis will be positioned upon the changes which have occurred in communicatory practices. The network society emphasises the form and organisation of information processing and exchange, in this sense, we may define the network society as a social formation with an infrastructure of social and media networks enabling its prime mode of organisation at all levels (individual, group/organisational and societal) (van Dijk, 2006: p. 20). It is important to note that in Western societies the individual is increasingly becoming the basic unit of the network society, whereas in Eastern societies the basic unit remai ns to be groups such as the family, community, or work team (ibid, 2006). Within this paradigm the Internet can be defined as an integrated network (Castells, 2010; van Dijk, 2006). It is an integration of both data communication and mass communication (van Dijk, 2006), particularly since the emergence of the World Wide Web, which through an explosion of web pages created by organisations, companies, institutions, and user-created content (i.e. blogs, forums, bulletin-board systems (BBS), and non-profit sites such as Wikipedia.org), which has resulted in the mass communicative character of the Internet becoming increasingly visible (ibid, 2006). Consequently, the Internet has become a medium through which communication is mediated on a daily basis. However, the Internet does not replace existing forms of communication but, rather, it supplements them. In this sense, the Internet adds new forms of social capital to traditional ones, these forms may include selecting and contacting complete strangers with particular characteristics, types of online conversat ion, and the initiative to act both on-line and offline (ibid, p. 169). This is evident in a study undertaken by Katz and Rice (2002) which found that more than a tenth of Americans had established on-line friendships. Similarly, they found that over ten per cent initiated offline contact of which a significant majority (85%) described positive experiences (Katz and Rice, 2002). IDENTITY ON THE INTERNET Let me now turn to the issue of identity, particularly identity which is mediated and constructed over the Internet. My suggestion here, is, that the Internet functions as a gateway through which social beings are increasingly enabled to present themselves as they desire (Heyboer, 2007). Thus, any dangers which may result from the construction of anonymous identities which currently exist on the Internet are dependent upon the individuals application of the technology, in this sense, the Internet is a tool (Brignall III and Van Valey, 2005; Shannon, 2008; Kapousis, 2010). The construction of multiple identities, however, is not a new phenomenon. Writing more than half a century ago, Erving Goffman (1990/1959) suggested that individuals create various faces or masks which are applied depending upon the specific social arrangement. The subsequent experiences which the individual encounters help shape their reality and thus forms who they are. As Goffman (1959) suggests: In a sense, and in so far as this mask represents the conception we have formed of ourselves the role we are striving to live up to-this mask is our truer self, the self we would like to be. In the end, our conception of our role becomes second nature and an integral part of our personality. We come into the world as individuals, achieve character, and become persons (p.19) Despite the time period in which Goffman (1959) was writing, and that the identity construction he was theorising primarily occurred in face-to-face interactions, his insights are of high importance in relation to identity construction on the Internet. Of course, a central objection to the notion of self-presentation on the Internet is the importance Goffman places upon the physical setting of interactions, here the setting involves furniture, dà ©cor, physical layout, and other background items which supply the scenery and stage props for the spate of human action played out before, within, or upon it (ibid, pp. 32 33). However, applying the example of social network sites (SNSs) such as Facebook and MySpace, we can posit, albeit hypothetically, that the furniture is replaced by buttons and applications, the dà ©cor replaced by profile pages with varying designs (particularly for MySpace), the physical layout replaced by (in Facebook), communities and so forth, and stage props ma y include the instant chat function or messaging system which are embedded within the wider virtual social environment created by SNSs. Thus, it is possible to suggest that the presentation of self has become virtualised. An example of such virtualisation is present in the about me sections constructed within peoples profile pages. In doing so, users are indulging in a presentation of self whereby they paint a succinct picture of their persona, their self, as they desire; however, it is important to note that such personas may be exaggerated or completely constructed. The following quote, extracted from an about me section on social networking site Vampire Freaks tailored for gothic and industrial culture -, provides an eloquent example of such actions: Im a fucking human bitch! Im an epic nerd. I have no life. Im awesome and Im just that arrogant to admit it. Im also a vegetarian because eating animals is rude, would you go into someones house and slaughter there family because youre hungry? I dont think so. I like cute scene guys who make me smile 🙂 I love to tease my hair and draw my makeup wild. dont like it? I suggest you get off my profile now. I like to get drunk and piss on people, then blame it on the booze 😉 (16-year-old girl from Vancouver) Here, a unique form of self-presentation is present. We learn that the person is vegetarian, heterosexual, and abides to arguably widespread teen culture through the consumption of drugs and alcohol without any form of engagement with the actual person, be it virtual, face-to-face, or otherwise. Two studies have demonstrated the prevalence, amongst children and teens, of identity construction on-line. The first, conducted in 2001, found that 24 per cent of teens (12 17 years-old) who have used IMs (instant messaging) and email or attended chat rooms have constructed a false identity when communicating on-line (Lenhart et al., 2001), this finding was replicated in the second study, undertaken in 2005, which found that 40 per cent of minors (6 17 years-old) indulged in identity play on-line (Livingstone and Bober, 2005). Importantly, a third of teens (33%) reported receiving emails and instant messages off somebody who provided fake information about themselves (Lenhart et al., 2001) and 31 per cent reported receiving unwanted sexual messages (Livingstone and Bober, 2005). The findings which have emerged from these studies suggest that at the core of children and other youths use of the Internet is the formation of a culture in which minors are functioning as active social agents and consciously constructing identities on the Internet. Such actions increase the risk of victimisation considerably, the following section will consider the consequences of identity construction in relation to the on-line grooming of children and minors. WANNA CYBER =P? THE INTERNET AND ONLINE GROOMING Over the past decade, as a result of significant social changes in communicatory practices and the growth in electronic media used to supplement traditional forms of interaction amongst young people, Internet use amongst children and teenagers has grown exponentially. Reports suggest that a considerable number of children and young people (9 17 years-old) now access the Internet (74% at home, 92% at school) on a regular basis (41% daily, 42% weekly) (Livingstone and Bober, 2005), with half of 7 16 year-olds in the United Kingdom having access in their bedrooms (ChildWise, 2010). Meanwhile, in the United States, the number of teens (12 17 years-old) going on-line has now reached 93 per cent (Lenhart et al., 2010). Due to this almost ubiquitous use and increased interaction with the Internet, children are now at a considerably greater risk of deviant individuals who hide behind the electronic cloak of deviance (Di Marco and Di Marco, 2003) the Internet provides through retaining the anonymity of an individuals identity. Such risks are evident in the increasing number of global sex crimes which are committed over the Internet, particularly against children and youths (Leander et al., 2008), with as many as three million crimes reportedly occurring in 2006 (Kierkegaard, 2007). Thus, the purpose of this section is to illuminate the sexual on-line grooming of children, an increasing phenomenon (Shannon, 2008), as an unintended consequence (Merton, 1968 [1938]) of the social changes in our communicatory practices and the influence which technology has imposed upon such changes. The sexual grooming of children is not a new phenomenon, neither is the conceptual use of the term grooming. The term has been in circulation for a considerable period of time, for the most part applied by psychologists in attempts to analyse patterns of deviant sexual behaviour (McAlinden, 2006). However, the area has suffered from a lack of academic inquiry and thus the term grooming has become increasingly ambiguous, particularly in its application (Craven et al., 2006). Nevertheless, the most reliable definition is provided by Gillespie (2002) who defines grooming as the process by which a child is befriended by a would-be abuser in an attempt to gain the childs confidence and trust, enabling them to get the child to acquiesce to abusive activity (Gillespie, 2002: p. 411). Through avoiding the use of the term paedophile, this definition provides a clarity concerning the rationale of grooming and the systematic stages such processes are most likely to take. Traditionally, the process of sexually grooming a child with the intent to abuse them would require assuming a position of trust (such as a teacher, caretaker, or lollypop man). From this, the individual would form a relationship with his/or her victim before attempting to engage in sexual activity Traditionally, the sexual grooming of children usually occurred when an adult would assume a position of trust (such as a teacher, caretaker, or lollypop man) and build a relationship with the intention to ultimately abuse the minor (Finkelhor, 1984). However, the Internet has now offered itself as an application through which like-minded individuals can far easily access such social spaces where children hang and convalesce, such as social network sites or chat rooms. As Shannon (2008) eloquently states, (the Internet) has created a new and for the most part completely unmonitored interface between children and adults (Shannon, 2008: p. 160). As has been noted, research in this area is quite limited (McAlinden, 2006; Shannon, 2008). Nevertheless, a comprehensive study conducted by Wolak et al., (2004) incorporating interviews and data from 2,574 law enforcement agencies and 129 minors (13 to 17 years-old) produced important results concerning the study of the on-line grooming of children. The authors found that whilst offenders were frequently deceptive on-line (52%), only a small proportion falsified their age by claiming to be over 18 (5%) (Wolak et al., 2004). The study also supported Livingstone and Bober (2005) and Lenhart et als (2001) findings with a considerable minority of minors (9%) claiming to be over 18 (ibid, 2004). The findings demonstrate the dangers which the Internet enables through the formation of a culture whereby children and other youths are, in some cases, presenting themselves as adults without the constraints of the physical world, it is also important to note that this may be due to the impositi on of a consumerist culture whereby children are sexualised, for example, through the provision of shirts with quotations such as pornstar, lingerie and padded bras (Hennessey, 2010). As David Cameron suggests, Girls are encouraged to dress like women, wear lingerie and worry about what they look like (Cameron, 2010 cited in ibid: unpaginated). Important findings also relate to the nature of on-line interactions, for example, in a majority of instances sexual topics were raised and discussed with the victim on-line (83%) and a considerable number engaged in cybersex (20%) (ibid, 2004). Furthermore, a majority of on-line interactions transcended into offline meetings (74%), of which a frightening proportion (93%) resulted in sexual activity between the victim and offender, it is important to note, however, that a majority of sexual activity (79%) was consensual (ibid, 2004). Wolak et als (2004) findings raise considerable concerns regarding the on-line interaction mediated by minors. It appears, on the basis of the evidence, that children, whilst technically proficient, are culturally unaware of the wide-reaching, unintended, consequences of their actions on-line through the construction of identities and interactions of a sexual nature with older adults. However, put another way, one might suggest that as half of the adult offenders were deceptive (to some extent) a considerable amount of on-line grooming was conducted through the formation of intimate relationships, a hallmark of grooming practices. Indeed, in the study, 50 per cent of victims reported feeling close or in love with their offenders (ibid, 2004). Such evidence leads one to ask the question Is the Internet dangerous, particularly for children? My response to this is that the application of the technology, by both children and adults, provides the risks of victimisation and dangers for chi ldren. Thus, it is both a social and a public policy issue that is at hand. We must educate our children about the dangers of on-line communication, ensuring that they are aware and take the appropriate steps necessary to avoid victimisation. In fact, lessons in using the Internet safely are to become a compulsory part of the curriculum for primary school children, in the United Kingdom, from September 2011 (Fildes, 2010). In conclusion, the Internet has, without doubt, fundamentally transformed the way human beings communicate on a global scale. As Castells (2010) notes the Internet has posted the fastest rate of penetration of any communication medium in history: in the United States, the radio took 30 years to reach 60 million people; TV reached this level of diffusion in 15 years; the Internet did it in just three years after the development of the World Wide Web (op cit, p. 382). It is important that whilst we view the overall changes as positive, we are also aware of the dangers that the Internet poses, especially for one of the most vulnerable cohorts of wider society our children.

America Is in the Heart

America Is In the Heart Summary The plot of America is in the Heart parallels its author's personal experiences. The protagonist, who is also named Carols (though he goes by the nickname ‘Also' when In the Philippines and tells others to call him ‘Carl' while in the united States) Is a young boy working with his father on their farm in the Philippines at the book's opening.After a period of working throughout the island of Luzon Carols immigrates to the united States, where he continues to work as a migrant laborer until he realizes he is capable of writing in English and pledges to bring his family members jack to life through the written word. He also often uses literature to connect with the united States Itself; Carols reads classic American authors like Whitman and Melville in an attempt to discover and understand a side of the united States far removed from the prejudice and pain of the American society he found himself in.On one occasion Carols and some acquaintanc es were attacked by a group of white men for no reason other than their race, only to be greatly aided by the white men and women working in a hospital. Walking down the marble stairway of the hospital, I began to wonder at the paradox of America. Joss ©'s tragedy was brought about by railroad detectives, yet he had done no harm of any consequence to the company. On the highway, again, motorists had refused to take a dying man. And yet in this hospital, among white people– Americans like those who had denied us– we had found refuge and tolerance.Why was America so kind and yet so cruel? Was there no way to simplifying things in this continent so that suffering would be minimized? Was there no common denominator on which we could all meet? I was angry and confused, and wondered if I would ever understand this paradox. (Bulbous 147) The rod â€Å"paradox† perfectly summarizes Carols' experiences in the United States. Like Carols searched for America through the works of great American authors, the reader can look through Bullion's work and glimpse at an early 20th century America in conflict with itself.The 1 united States, which had Just entered the long years of the Great Depression when Carols arrives In Seattle, is revealed In the novel as consisting of two very different halves, and Carols is constantly vexed by the inconsistent nature of the United States. In America Carols experiences both great kindnesses and great realties, often within the same moment, and this strange combination often drives Carols to tears. He experiences no shortage of prejudice in the united States, and the results of these prejudices range from verbal slights to severe physical and sexual abuse.Yet despite the many hardships and prejudices Carols faces, he comes to think of America in a very positive light?the kindnesses he benefits from in the United States combine with a more intangible sense of hope in the potential of America. Within Bullion's work the reader finds tropes that should sound familiar to anyone who has taken elementary school American history classes; there is assurance and a faint tint of pride in the possibilities of America; by the end of the novel Carols has faith that this is a nation where great things can and do happen, and he ends the novel by stating that nothing will ever take this faith from him again.By recognizing the two halves of this paradox and forgiving the united States for its comes to with his various inconsistent childhood and adult perceptions of America. His ability to not only make these understandings but allow them to evolve throughout his time in the United States makes Bulbous a credible and fascinating source of information on the America that he lived within and further complicates the already tangled and wide-ranging opinions of what the word â€Å"American† should mean at all.By allowing his audience to peek into his experiences through his protagonist and namesake, Carols Bulb ous shows how America both defines and is defined by the masses who venture onto its shore in an attempt to find the lives they were meant to live. The Small Key Summary â€Å"The Small Key† is a beautiful account of the feeling of a man, whose first wife died, ND his second wife. As the story opens Lateran describes in a few lines the rural setting of the story. The man and his wife live far from any neighbors. Their house is surrounded by wild bamboo.Her husband is a very hard working prosperous farmer. They are having lunch and the man cannot linger as the fields need plowing. His wife is not feeling well so as he leaves he tells her he will ask Tia Maria, an aunt or a neighbor, to stop by. Once the husband is gone the wife begins to fold his coat. A small key falls to the floor and the woman, in her late twenties, looks almost old. She tries to throw herself into her work on the laundry but her eyes keep going too small trunk in the corner of the room. She knows in that t runk are the clothes of her husband's late first wife.She tries to tell her self what does it matter if her husband keeps the clothes of his first wife, after all she is dead. She begins to wonder why her husband feels he has to carry to key to the chest with him in his coat when he leaves the house. When the husband arrives home happy that the plowing is completed, Tia Maria meets him at the gate and tells him his wife is sick. The Small Key† is a short story by Philippine author Pas Lateran. It is about a woman named Solaced who is married to a man named Pedro Bubby. They live on a farm.One morning Solaced finds herself knowing that the farm will produce plenty but that she still had some inner feeling of discontent. She planned to mend some of her husband's shirts, which were in a locked trunk. Pedro took out from his pocket a string which held two keys, one large and shiny and one small and rusty. He gave Solaced the large key to his trunk and put the small key back in his Jacket pocket. Since it was hot that morning, he removed his coat before leaving to work in the field. When he was gone, Solaced began to fold the Jacket and the small key fell to the floor.It is obvious that Pedro values the small key while Solaced fears it. Solaced knows that the small key is a key to a different trunk. She tries to busy herself so that she will not think about what the smaller trunk contains, but she cannot stop thinking about it and reveals that the small trunk contains clothing that belonged to Padre's first wife. She wonders why it is that he keeps her old clothing and why he seems to eave a special feeling about them. She obviously fears that Pedro still loves his first wife even though she has been dead for many years by now.She reveals that she hates the things in the small trunk and worries that they will destroy the relationship of the small trunk, Solaced opens it. At this point, Pedro returns home to find Solaced in bed supposedly with a fever. It turn s out she does not. The next morning Pedro discovers a pile of ashes and half burnt clothing in the backyard. He realizes what Solaced has done and rushes to look in the trunk to confirm it. Solaced has indeed, earned his first wife's clothing. Pedro is angry and bitter that this has happened and he expects that Soloed will explain things later.He thinks to himself that he will forgive her because he loves her but that even if she did it out of love for him, it will always remain a matter of some resentment toward her for doing it. The Summer Solstice Summary â€Å"Summer Solstice† is a short story that has received recognition both critical and praising. Written by Nick Joaquin, the story takes place in sass Philippines during the festival days of SST. John. There is a pro-woman feel to the story, which has rendered a lot of debate and attention considering the setting is in a time where women must be submissive.In this analysis, learn about the setting, the themes and symbo lism that this short and interesting story incarnates. The Train, or otherwise known as the Tartaric, was a three day festival that celebrated a ritual of fertility. This was done only by women. Many men frowned upon the extravagant dances and plays surrounding the ritual. â€Å"Summer Solstice† is set during the three days of the SST. John's festival. Lupine, a Filipino woman who feels closed to her womanhood, is aired to Paean, who is no doubt loyal to her.They have three small boys and live a somewhat wealthy life as they have a Cambridge driver named Entry and a maid and cook named Mad. Guide is a cousin of Paeans who comes back to the Philippines after studying in Europe. The story starts when the family is enjoying the days of the SST. John's festival until Guide makes suggestive comments to Lupine, and even bending down to kiss her feet. This makes her leave abruptly and have a discussion with her husband the coming night. Lupine secretly found herself intrigued by the attention of Guide; she felt that he was correct in saying that women should be ravished and men should adore them.This causes her to participate in the last night of the festival, which is the Train ritual. Paean goes with her and tries to drag her back once the dancing begun, but she runs from him to the women. He tries to take her back but the women in the crowds beat him out, leaving him helpless. As the two return home, Paean says he must whip his wife because he loves her and feels that she needs to be put in her place. To this, she shouts and says she wants to be adored, not respected and orders him to kiss her feet. America Is In The Heart I. Authors Biography Carlos Bulosan is said to be one of the earliest and most influential of Asian American writers. 1 He was a Filipino born on November 2, 1911 in Pangasinan to a rural and peasant family in the village of Mangusmana located near the town of Binalonan. His family strived to make both ends meet to make a living and send their children to school like many other Filipinos at that time of economic turmoil; brought by the increasing wealth and power possessed by the elite. Carlos, committed to help support his family, went searching for a better life for himself, continued his education, and made the choice to travel to America with high hopes to reach his ambitions.II. Summary American is in the Heart is the autobiography of Carlos Bulosan, who begins his story by narrating his childhood life in his town Mangusmana. He lives alongside his father in a farm where they both work in. On the other hand, his mother lives in the city with one of his brothers and younger siste r. Because of this living arrangement, Carlos has never met some of his older siblings. One of the sons Macario is said to be â€Å"the hope of the family†. They hope that when he graduates he will return home and find a teaching job to help support their family and pay their debts. He attends high school in another village, and because of this their family pawns their land one hectare at a time in order to compensate for his expenses. Unfortunately, things don’t go as the family hopes for and Macario loses the teaching job.Due to the harsh economic conditions at that time, children like Carlos were working and doing what they could to help support their families. Carlos, at five years of age eventually moved to Binalonan to work in the fields. His salary goes to his mother for paying the moneylender, and to Macario’s schooling. When he isn’t working the fields, he is with his mother, assisting her with her barter business that allowed him to travel to  neighboring villages with her. In these villages, Carlos observed the middle class and their way of life, and later on he grows a loathing towards them.Whilst in the Philippines, Amando, Macario, and Carlos were made to believe that America stood for equality and justice, and ultimately they all separately make their journey to America. Upon their arrival in America, they are faced with the brutal reality of the great exploitation that the Filipinos are subjected to by the Whites. Carlos is amazed by ruthlessness and inhuman treatment that the Whites have shown toward Filipinos, and is forced to move place to place due to one misfortunate event after another. Carlos struggles to sustain a job with a close to nothing salary and with unsanitary living conditions, but his job and stay is always immediately cut short when conflict stirs between Filipinos and Whites forcing him to flee to another town. To add to his pitiful state, many times he is beaten and assaulted because of the dis crimination the Americans have toward the Filipinos.Ultimately Carlos and his companions develop a sense of activism, and fought for the Filipinos and their rights in Filipino labor and rights movements. Their effort to assemble the workers brought them right into the conflict involving agricultural interests. Their labor movement ultimately became associated with revolutionary units. In the succeeding events of his life, Carlos is diagnosed with tuberculosis, and was said to been confined in the hospital for a period of two years.Once he was released, he and his friends grew to be greatly involved in the movement for Filipino civil rights. They then assembled a group of Filipinos with the ambition of achieving American citizenship for Filipinos in America. Unfortunately their efforts were not enough and they loose the fight. When the time came that World War II erupted, Carlos and his fellow Filipinos were prohibited from enlisting in the army. Even to the point where the Philippin es was being occupied and seized, they were still disallowed to enlist. Due to this, the Filipinos where forced to start a movement fighting for their desire to join the armed forces, which eventually resulted with the United States president giving a special proclamation that would allow Filipinos to do so.III. Analysis America Is In the Heart being an autobiography novel, it didn’t have that much symbolism. It was a straightforward novel and the author Bulosan, narrated the events of his life clearly and vividly. Throughout the story, you can’t help but feel sorry for him (Buloson) and all the tragedies and struggles he encountered. To rate this novel, I would say that I have nothing too criticizing to comment about it.The plot is very similar to other stories involving the struggles of Filipinos whilst under the power of oppressors. Overall, the novel was a good reminder and eye opener on the reality of discrimination showed toward Filipinos, which is still very muc h relevant today. Also, it reminds us of the strong fighting spirits that Filipinos possess. This novel is certainly a good piece of literature that is purely and truly Filipino.IV. Insights The life story of Carlos Bulosan in â€Å"America In The Heart† is something I can greatly empathize with. I like himself, went to America at a very young age of nine, with a hopeful heart that America was a land of opportunity. In school I was thought that America fought for equality and everyone was given the same opportunities. I thought, I could go see all the places that I saw in movies, and I generally thought my family and I would have a better life. My naà ¯ve nine-year-old heart was shattered after a few months, when I learned that America isn’t all that beautiful, as it seemed, especially for Filipino Migrants.Finding work was hard even with an undergraduate diploma. Filipinos were looked down on because of how â€Å"uncivilized† the Philippines was. And based on observation, some Americans really do tend to show a bias toward Filipinos. At that point, I then missed our comfortable home and lifestyle back in the Philippines. We had time to go out with the family and enjoy the good things in life; while in the States my parents rarely were home at the same time due to work, and the main agenda was paying the bills.Sometimes we Filipinos complain a whole lot about our country. We aspire for  the western life, and what it can give to us. I think a big reason why this is so, is because throughout history we have always been so oppressed by these western nations. We were made to believe that these nations will always be better, but if there’s one thing that I’ve learned it’s that: we Filipinos are hardworking, loyal, and God fearing people, and possessing these attributes bring us far and past the hardships given to us. America is in the Heart This work is the author’s autobiography. Carlos Bulosan was a Filipino, born and raised to his youth in the largely agricultural province of Pangasinan in the Philippines. His family was of peasant background and together, all of them worked to make the fields productive (p. 4-5). They were uneducated, as first they could not afford it and second, they did not see its need in the backbreaking, manual labor of growing corn.However, as the farm gate prices of farm produce remained low and the price of farm inputs continuously increased together with basic necessities, the family was forced to be at the mercy of moneylenders at exorbitant interests. Unable to pay their ballooning debts, they were eventually dispossessed of the land which was their sole means of survival (p. 15-16). Thus, hiring themselves out was the only way to avoid their early demise. The Philippines, from the author’s birth (1913) to the time of his writing, was under U.S. colonization. This a period l asted from 1989 to 1946, the latter coinciding with the work’s first publication. The American governorship did not pursue large-scale industrialization as an economic policy in that country so that the available industries in the urban areas could not absorb the displaced peoples from the countryside. The economic alternative presented by emigration was embraced when all other means of survival in one’s own country have failed.It is a choice that espoused both hopes and despair – hopes for a better financial situation and despair at uprooting one’s self from family, community and country. Emigration is not a purely individual exercise of freedom of choice but has underlying social factors. For a Filipino, American culture is not something unfamiliar. The colonial mentality which pervaded the educated upper and middle classes, sought to emulate the ideals and lifestyles of America (p. 20). What was American was described as superior or any other superlati ve.This view eventually diffused to the poor, working class. However, the author’s experiences in the 1930’s and 40’s were quite contradictory with what he expected. The tenets of democracy, equality and economic progress espoused by the U. S. to the whole world were challenged by the brutality of racial discrimination. The color of one’s skin severely limited the availability of economic opportunities. The author and his brothers who left for America found their dreams shattered with the scarcity of long term jobs. They eventually engaged in the seasonal harvests in the West.The author has written a life story of his bitter, personal struggles in this book, of working in canneries and taking on other odd jobs in between harvests just to be able to live and send some money back home to his family. With no legal or organizational means to advance their collective rights, Carlos Bulosan (a. ka. Allos) and other Filipinos were susceptible to exploitative wor king conditions. As such, Filipinos and other immigrants of color were faced with the immense challenges of establishing a decent living and security in life.This seemed insurmountable as discrimination is not something that depends on personal beliefs but is a practice actually institutionalized in American society. Labor laws and social norms defined the place of people of color in all spheres of life. Personal rage developed from continually being looked down on and referred to such derisive terms as monkeys and law breakers. Being a Filipino at that time who merely speaks to a white woman was taboo. The added pressures of perennial unemployment, hunger and disease has caused immigrants during Allos’ time to engage in excessive drinking and violent acts.This was regarded as the only venue of expressing resistance to such inhuman treatments and as a temporary relief to such a painful situation. Although racial discrimination was rampant during his time, the author overcame his subjective opinion that all Americans were racists. This was because he encountered many Americans who were humanitarian and even advocates of immigrant, labor and racial discrimination issues. Thus, his hopelessness was replaced with a conscious determination to change current situations.He joined a labor union and became active as one of its leaders in the fight for job security, better labor remunerations and benefits and equal treatment of cannery workers. His efforts were made not just for the present or for himself but for all other Filipino-American workers in the cannery. This consciousness shows how, despite his negative experiences, he has come to see himself as part of American society and to contribute to the creation of better living conditions in it.In a sense, this constituted a form of nationalism, of finally identifying one’s self with a country that was originally not your own, and cultivating a love for it despite its flaws. It has also opened to him th e availability of other tools of expression – writing. The book’s title, â€Å"America is in the Heart†, captures the experience of an immigrant becoming a citizen – that race and country of origin does not preclude you to be an American, you only have to develop a heart for it. EvaluationUsing in poetic prose, Carlos Bulosan’s work is a clearly written, direct-to-the-point, tell-it-like-it-is account of the horrors in his immigrant experience. Valid in this case, the author does not claim it to be typical of Filipino-American experience. His eventual reunification with his family also constituted such a â€Å"happy ending† that may not be a commonplace experience during his time because of distance and financial constraints. Although the book conveys the author’s honesty, a downside of it is its lack of complexity.The presence of consistent historical, time and place references could have made it a more useful source for Filipino imm igrant studies. These references enable us to put into proper context such personal experience, contributing to our further understanding of it. Because experience is removed from its social context, we can not judge it to be representative of the immigrant, colored or Filipino experience and much less representative of the sector’s experience during the early to mid 1900’s.Its value is appreciated through a deeper understanding of the Philippine social context, early American laws and norms with regards to immigrants and that period characterized by the Great Depression. It complements existing studies and researches on the plight of Filipino-American immigrants by providing an actual experience to theoretical frameworks. It also serves as a concretization of concepts of race and ethnicity which may be unfamiliar to many Americans.Because of his background as a union organizer, the work as expected, espouses Marxist or Socialist ideas characteristic of the labor movem ent. Still, the strongly worded concretization of an immigrant’s experience serves to remind every American about our disregard, misconceptions or denial of the existence of racial discrimination. It challenges us to search for the causes of our prejudice and to develop our society to conform to our ideals. This work is central to the theme of multi-culturalism and the need for acceptance and tolerance. ConclusionThis book is for those who wish to understand foremost the Filipino-American experience and complements existing knowledge on racial, ethnic, immigrant and labor issues. At a time when anti-immigrant sentiments seem to be on the rise in our society and our economic stability seems uncertain, America is in the Heart an easy read so that we may have an objective view of why this is happening. This we can accomplish without falling into the pit of prejudice ourselves. List of References Bulosan, C. (1974). America is in the Heart. Washington: University of Washington Pr ess.