Just off main street †summary Essay

In â€Å"Just Off Main Street† creator Elmaz Abinader portrays the physical and social hindrance among Americans and hyphenated Americans, for example, Arab-Americans who live in double affectability confronting character emergency, bigotry and different issues living in America. In the initial segment of the story â€Å"Crossing The Threshold† we learn of youthful Abinader, her family, their traditions and how they are isolated from the remainder of the families in their town. In the second piece of the story â€Å"Making A Writerâ€Å"Abinader clarifies how entering school changes her view on her character that lead to the individual she is today. Abinader experienced childhood in a little Pennsylvanian town, her dad and uncle ran three organizations through which they served the area. From the store entryway Abinader saw no distinction between her dad and the individuals in the city. This thought before long changed when she met the two Barbie like young ladies in school, she understood there was nothing in like manner among her and different children. Despite the fact that they didn’t know how her way of life was, they ridiculed her. After she arrives at home she comprehends her life and that of her companions are isolated by the â€Å"magic door†. Since it’s a Wednesday Abinader’s mother arranged Arab indulgences which have â€Å"hypnotic† impact on her. The three young men and three young ladies of the Abinader family had after school obligations, dedication to God, compliance to guardians, and great school grades overwhelmed the family. They gave little significance to associations that occurred outside the house. On siestas, family members visited, they ate together, moved and appreciated however Abinader realized that her life inside and outside the â€Å"magic entryway â€Å"would consistently conflict, she could never be acknowledged by her friend and felt like an outsider. Abinader went to college of Pittsburgh when she grew up. That had nationality study halls which spoke to various societies. The Syrian-Lebanese room, one she needed to see was bolted and expected consent to get to. At the point when she at last got into it, the regal outfitting and intrigue of the room caused her to feel pleased. Before long she expounded on her legacy culture however she understood the Americans â€Å"exoticized† her. Concentrated on her composition, she expounded on her family and their history that was smothered inside. Her composing was still inside the door.Outside the entryway she felt unwelcomed. Abinader didn’t surrender and kept expounding on the issues on character, culture, and so forth. She partook in activism as a U.S resident, walked, dissented and made boards. Her composing caused her to feel like a dissident as it passed on her message all the more straightforwardly.

Strategic Management Analysis of Woolworths- myassignmenthelp

Question: Talk about theStrategic Management Analysis of Woolworths for HomeShop. Answer: Presentation Woolworths is an association of Australian starting point which works in the business of grocery stores. The chain of general stores is possessed by Woolworths Limited and it was established in the year 1924. The association for the most part represents considerable authority in the selling of food supplies, magazines, magnificence and wellbeing items, family unit items, infant items and pet items. Woolworths works around 1000 stores all over Australia and 19 extra comfort stores too. The association has had the option to gain around 80% of the whole market of Australia. Woolworths has additionally begun its online activities which is likewise known by the name of HomeShop (Woolworths.com.au 2018). The three significant key execution pointers or needs of Woolworths are, The positive culture in the stores of Woolworths and the giving elevated levels of client care. The consumer loyalty levels are a piece of the motivating force designs that are given to representatives. The organization intends to create the force of deals in the food related area. Woolworths is likewise intending to bring down the costs of its items with the goal that they can pull in more clients. The steady promoting foundation of Woolworths has helped the organization in expanding its incomes. The procedure of human capital administration is live in the stores of Woolworths. The improvement of start to finish process has additionally improved the exhibition of Woolworths (Albrecht, Holland Peters, 2016). Interior condition investigation The assets, center abilities and capacities of Woolworths Assets The significant assets of Woolworths for the most part incorporate the representatives of the association who are liable for giving the most significant levels of fulfillment to the clients. The stock that is controlled by the organization and the appropriation related abilities of Woolworths will additionally go about as the most significant asset for Woolworths (Chatzoglou et al., 2017). Center skills The center capabilities of Woolworths incorporate the world-class flexibly chain of the association and ways by which it diminishes the hour of creation. The brand esteem and the market position of Woolworths has helped the association in increasing a practical situation in the market. The advancement related capacities of Woolworths has additionally been useful in making a serious situation in the market. The deals and showcasing related capacities of Woolworths are additionally a piece of the center skills of the association (Cosic, Shanks Maynard, 2015). Abilities The capacities of an association are fundamentally identified with the coordination of assets by placing them into utilization. Woolworths has been maintaining its business activities effectively since the hour of its initiation in the year 1924. This portrays Woolworths has the abilities to utilize the assets in a compelling and productive way (Gereffi Lee, 2016). VRIO Analysis VRIO examination is a systematic instrument which is utilized to assess the inner assets that are controlled by an association. The instrument mostly examinations the capacities of the association and the upper hand or the shortcomings of the organization in the business. The different kinds of assets that are broke down with the assistance of VRIO system are money related assets, material assets, HR and non-material assets. VRIO is the shortening that is utilized for four specific factor of examination which are, esteem, rareness, imitability and association (Knott, 2015). Worth Woolworths has high an incentive in the retail market and it has a solid worldwide nearness too. The worldwide nearness and brand estimation of the organization is viewed as one of its most significant resources. This has helped the association in expanding its size, piece of the pie and deals in the business. Woolworths has been working in the Australian market for a long time which has empowered the association to increase a situation in the business and make its own worth (Lin Tsai, 2016). Uncommon Woolworths is mostly known in the Australian market for the creation and flexibly of new food things. Manty different associations in the market additionally guarantee to give these items, anyway Woolworths has had the option to increase a trust in the brains of Australian residents with respect to the nature of its items. Numerous items that are offered by Woolworths in the market are uncommon in nature and are not effortlessly found in the stores of different associations. The wide scope of items that are offered by Woolworths are a significant favorable position that is picked up by the organization in the business (Lin Wu, 2014). Imitability The incomes that are created by Woolworths and the position that the association hold in the market has been remarkable in nature. The contenders of the organization in the Australian retail showcase like. Coles, Distributors and Aldi have not been effective in copying the organization in the entirety of its angles and increase a serious situation in the market. This has given Woolworths a shield from getting completely imitated by different organizations in the market. Association Woolworths has been exploiting the capacities and the center skills that it has. The organization has in excess of 300 stores in whole Australia and New Zealand and utilizes in excess of 1,00,000 individuals in the entirety of its branches, stores and offices. The development related abilities of the organization have additionally been useful in making a solid picture of its image (Los, Timmer Vries, 2015). Worth chain investigation of Woolworths Woolworths has had the option to make a significant situation in the market with the assistance of its different worth chain related exercises that are talked about further, Inbound coordinations The providers of Woolworths are spread in a great many organizations on a worldwide stage. The association is intensely reliant on its providers to pick up the best items that can be provided to the clients. The administration costs of the items are simpler for Walmart as it buys items in mass from the providers. The organization can apply pressure on the providers dependent on the monetary situation of the business in the business (Schroeder Kotlarsky, 2015). Tasks Woolworths has its activities in the retail segment and this industry has been developing consistently for a long time. Woolworths has additionally had the option to grow its tasks and incomes with the assistance of its broad activities in all the business sectors. Outbound coordinations The center of the stock administration related strategy of Woolworths is identified with the fruitful administration of its flexibly chain related exercises. The items are conveyed by the providers to the stores in such a way along these lines, that the costs identified with these exercises are low. The items are recharged on a quick way with the goal that the clients don't need to sit tight for quite a while (Taglioni Winkler, 2016). Deals and showcasing The valuing procedure of Woolworths is viewed as the key component identified with the achievement of its advertising exercises. The organization has been putting a ton in the advertising exercises and advances its brands with the assistance of a wide range of showcasing channels. Innovation Woolworths has utilized innovation to improve the disconnected or store deals related procedures. The online procedures have additionally been improved by building up the site of the organization and including more highlights (Xu et al., 2016). Human asset the board Woolworths has been effective in making a worker base which comprises of the best of individuals. The enlistment procedure of the organization is straightforward in nature and the up-and-comers are treated in a reasonable way. Acquisition The acquirement and gracefully chain related exercises of Woolworths have proficient in nature. The organization has acquainted a world-class approach with deal with the flexibly chain exercises and offer the items to the clients in time. Foundation Woolworths has a tremendous framework which incorporates the different offices like, HR, gracefully chain and some more. The administration of representatives of Woolworths is additionally acted in a productive and effective way (Schroeder Kotlarsky, 2015). Authoritative culture The authoritative culture of Woolworths comprises of two central point which are trustworthiness and difficult work. The organization follows a sensible culture in which the workers praise the estimations of the association which are family-accommodating in nature. The business tasks are for the most part driven by the clients and their needs and requests. The clients are consistently at the core of the choices that are made by the organization (Woolworths.com.au, 2018). Vital issues in Woolworths The major vital issue that was looked by Woolworths in the ongoing years was identified with the significant expenses of the items when contrasted with its rivals. The organization had been demonstrating moderate development because of the costs that had been chosen for its items in the market. The organization has changed its technique of focussing on momentary benefits and have had the option to forfeit these benefits for long haul benefit development. The alcohol and food business of the organization has not indicated development in the ongoing occasions which has additionally prompted changes in the initiative and the executives (Schroeder Kotlarsky, 2015). End The report can be finished up by expressing that Woolworths has been effective in the retail market of Australia and New Zealand. The inward assets of the association have been examined dependent on VRIO and Value chain system. The examination has delineated that Woolworths has tremendous abilities and assets to develop in the retail market and increment its global nearness also. The organization has anyway confronted some key issues that the administration has attempted to fathom to expand the incomes in the market. References Albrecht, C., Holland, D., Peters, M. (2016). Vital income analysis.Strategic Direction,32(7)

New Student Photo Series 2010 Entry #5 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

New Student Photo Series 2010 â€" Entry #5 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog Submissions continue to roll in for our new student photo series.   If you are an incoming student we encourage you to review this entry for details on how to submit your own photos to display on the blog. The first set of photos was submitted by Jiaming Ju, an incoming MPA student focusing on Economic and Political Development. __________________________ The first photo was taken in Ghana, I was working as a photographer and correspondent in Accra at the time. My colleagues and I spent a relaxing day on the beach one day and I saw those two local boys playing football, they were truly enjoying it. The second photo was taken in Seoul, South Korea.   I took this shot near Hongdae University by accident when there happened to be a B-boy ( break dancing boys) dancing competition going on. It was truly impressive. The third photo was taken in Dandong, Liaoning,China. I have been a head teacher for RootsShoots(an educational project engaging youth in environmental issues) in school here. This is a photo of my students from Class2, Grade 2, No.17 middle school. _____________________ The second set of photos comes from Laura Agosta, an incoming MPA student from Argentina. _____________________ The first picture is a typical postcard from Buenos Aires. I took it in a very nice park and they are three couples dancing tango in a very professional way. I certainly don’t dance it this way!!! The second and the third picture are the ones that I’ve taken in San Telmo, one of the nicest “porteño” towns in the city. Every Sunday people gather in Defensa Street and they buy different handcrafts and clothing from sellers that show their stuff there.   The first picture below is a very strange garbage can that I’ve found in the street. Apparently, I was not the only one who was interested in taking a picture of it! The third one is a guy playing a strange instrument. What I love about this picture is that he is very focused on his music, while everyone around him don’t seem to notice his presence.

The Mind-Body Problem Essay - 1204 Words

With the number of brain injury cases observed and the continuous advances in neuroscience, this has proven to be strong evidence in supporting materialism. By defining what Cartesian dualists and materialists mean by the ‘brain’, ‘mind’, ‘body’ and ‘soul’, an argument on behalf of Cartesians dualists will be reached, that responds to evidence concerning brain injuries with the claims that the brain is only ‘an instrument of the soul’. This will lead to the conclusion that there is stronger contemporary support for materialism due to neuroscience and that the Cartesian dualism argument as it is, may be wrong. However future neuroscience discoveries could continue to claim significant parts of both theories as wrong, meaning materialism as†¦show more content†¦Looking throughout history, the brain has not always been associated with thought; even today we may associate such feelings as pain from the part of our body in which we were hurt, not as a mental state inside our brain. However when scientists observed brain injury patients they realised that thinking could take place in the brain. One famous example is Gage’s Case ; the calm railroad worker after a freak accident, that damaged the frontal lobes of his brain, turned into an aggressive person who became unrecognisable to his friends and family. Neuroscientists have now discovered with more cases similar to Gage’s that damage to specific regions of the brain can severely affect a person’s mental abilities or personality. Due to these discoveries, many have now considered this as strong evidence for the opposing theory to dualism – materialism which believes that â€Å"mental states are brain states†. Materialists accept the notion that the brain is only a lump of neutrons and that our dreams, beliefs and desires can be reduced to the â€Å"firing of c-fibres†. Paul Churchland, an advocate for the brain injury argument for materialism writes: â€Å"[I]n sum, the neuroscientist can tell us a great deal about the brain about its constitution and the physical laws that govern it; he can already explain much of our behaviour in terms of the physical, chemical and electrical properties of the brain...† Modern-day Cartesian dualists can respond to the materialist’sShow MoreRelatedThe Mind And Body Problem1046 Words   |  5 PagesPatel December 13, 2014 PHILO 1100-091 The Mind and Body Problem The issue of the origins of consciousness has been a problem that has philosophers and scientists alike, puzzled for years. Is it a matter of science? Can it be explained through neurobiological processes or is it just something that simply cannot be reduced to words? Rene Descartes had struggled to explain this problem through his idea of substance dualism. This idea states that the mind and body are of two separate worlds, the physicalRead MoreIs The Mind Body Problem?1219 Words   |  5 Pagesworld around us, all of which have had their own single beliefs. One of their main issues faced in philosophy is the mind-body problem, and philosophers are still trying to solve this predicament to this day. The mind-brain problem is trying better to understand whether a person’s mental processes are the same as their physical processes. As of today, philosophy has broken the problem into two fundamental parts that has been split down into separate subparts. Personally, I find it eas ier to believeRead MoreThe Mind And Body Problem1443 Words   |  6 Pagesbrain. Body: It is reasonable to think that the patient has the usual range of mental states because she is behaviourally indistinguishable from a normal human. Behaviours make mental states more evidentially obvious than knowing the brain state of a patient or if they have a Cartesian soul or not. Doctor 4 provides the argument that since the patient is behaviourally indistinguishable from a normal human, she has the usual range of mental states. Gilbert Ryle’s view on the mind and body problem stemsRead MoreThe Mind And Body Problem1412 Words   |  6 PagesThe mind and body problem studies the relationship between the mind and the body, particularly the consciousness and the brain. The problem is traced to Descartes, who questioned how the immaterial mind could affect the material body. In his view, the mind is a thinking thing while the body is an extended thing, where the mind and the body are two separate substances, and held that there are two way causal reactions between the two. The problem arises when we question how an immaterial object affectRead MoreThe Mind And Body Problem1844 Words   |  8 PagesWhen considering this question, the essay will discuss what the mind and body problem is and also who brought the mind and body problem to light. This will be done by looking at various philosophers’ beliefs and how the debate of this problem has changed over time, due to psychologists coming to light in the modern world. This essay will also cover three main areas of belief, these being dualism which states the mind and the body (brain) work separately from one another, materialism that states thatRead MorePsychology : Mind Body Problem898 Words   |  4 PagesTopic 1 Mind body problem tries to explain the states of the minds, occurrence of events, and action of processes. For instance, thinking is related to other processes and events of the mind. The fact that the mind is not physical in nature and the body is physical attests to this explanation. Mind body problem relate to some of the scientific concepts in different kind of ways. The relationship between the mind body problem and the concepts of neurophysiology, psychophysics and theory of evolutionRead MoreDualism And The Mind Body Problem Essay1223 Words   |  5 PagesDualism and the Mind-Body Problem The mind is perhaps the most fascinating part of the human body due to its complexity and ability to rationalize. In essence, the mind-body problem studies the relation of the mind to the body, and states that each human being seems to embody two unique and somewhat contradictory natures. Each human contains both a nature of matter and physicality, just like any other object that contains atoms in the universe. However, mankind also is constituted of something beyondRead MoreThe Mind Body Problem Arises Essay1034 Words   |  5 PagesThesis: The mind-body problem arises because of the lack of evidence when looking for a specific explanation of the interaction of mental and physical states, and the origin and even existence of them. Summary: The problem of the soul continues as Descartes suggested that the human is composed of two completely different substances; a physical body which Descartes compares with a machine, and a non-physical mind, related to the soul, that allows humans to think and feel even if it has no â€Å"measurableRead MoreThe Mind-Body Problem Essay957 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mind-Body Problem The mind-body problem, which is still debated even today, raises the question about the relationship between the mind and the body. Theorists, such as Renà © Descartes and Thomas Nagel, have written extensively on the problem but they have many dissenting beliefs. Descartes, a dualist, contends that the mind and body are two different substances that can exist separately. Conversely, Nagel, a dual aspect theorist, contends that the mind and body are not substances but differentRead MoreWhy The Mind Body Problem1200 Words   |  5 Pagesworld, there is a battle going on that most of us are completely unaware of, and it is all comes down to the mind-body problem. The mind-body problem is how the mind and the body interact with each other. The mind is the mental side of things; thoughts, imagination, and most importantly consciousness, whereas the body is the physical side; the make up of your brain neurons and your body. On one side of this argument we have the Materialists, and according to the Oxford Dictionary, materialism

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Marketing Strategy Of A Brand Community - 1800 Words

With the advancement of consumer society , the marketers in industries from packaged goods to industrial equipment are busy trying to build communities around their own brands.Brand community is a marketing strategy which serves a brand. Brand community is the term social scientists use to describe likeminded consumers who identify with a particular brand and share significant traits. HarleyDavidson’s turnaround success was the strategic decision to become the one motorcycle company that truly represented the Brotherhood. A company that went out into the riding community to understand the needs of real bikers and the lifestyles they lived. According to Cohen brand communities operate very much as symbolic Constructions which is†¦show more content†¦The brand community is like a social category consisting of consumers who feel united by a common affiliation to brands. On the other hand consumer tribes are like the action sets where specific groupbased interactions take place, including those that take place within brand communities (e.g. forums and club meets). There is a difference between brand followers (or enthusiasts) and a brand community. The difference lies between affiliation with a brand (i.e. the brand enthusiast) and affiliation with a community of fellow brand enthusiasts (i.e. the brand community). Muniz and O’Guinn define a brand community as ‘‘a specialized, nongeographically bound community based on a structured set of social relations among admirers of a brand’’. The definition given by Cova and Pace states that brand communities are not necessarily about social relations or even feelings of community, but a sense of collective affiliation and ownership over shared cultural elements, regardless of whether communal interactions are enacted or collectivity imagined. Attempts are also made by the analysts to identify the unique properties of brand communities so as to separate them from other types of social figurations. According to Muniz and O’Guinn. the first characteristic is acceptance of mainstream ideology. E.g. Harley Davidson enthusiasts. Second characteristic is resistance to the mainstream. The third characteristic is the way in which members exhibit self awareness and awareness of their

Organizational Behavior Discussion Questions free essay sample

How much of Trader Joes’ success can be attributed to the fact that most larger chain grocery stores do not sell the type of food available at Trader Joe’s? This can partially be attributed to their success. The case study focused more on the staff of Trader Joes and their positive work environment adding to the overall customer service experience that has become as strong element of Trader Joe’s success. The opening of the case study even suggests that most customers can’t complete their shopping list at Trader Joes but still leave the store â€Å"satisfied. † 2. Is pay enough of an incentive to continue at a job you do not enjoy? No, pay is not enough incentive to continue at a job you do not enjoy. Pay is only one factor that works in conjunction with many other factors to determine whether or not a person is motivated enough to continue on at a job that they do not enjoy, or even at a job that they do enjoy. We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Behavior Discussion Questions or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Motivation is a key element in job satisfaction. Without the motivating stimulus of hygiene factors other than salary, or a combination of other motivators there would be very little incentive to continue on at a job a person does not enjoy. . Trader Joe’s promotes entirely from within the organization. This means that if you are a good, dedicated worker, you can rise up within the company. Do you feel employees would be as dedicated to the company if this were not the case? Would high pay be enough to keep employees? What if the company only promoted from within but pay were not as good? Internal promotion is definitely a motivating factor within any business. The potential for advancement is a key motivating factor. Working for a company that exclusively promotes from within creates dedication and loyalty among workers at every level within the organization. No, I do not think that high pay would be enough to keep employees. Without promotion and increased responsibilities the tendency for employees to become bored and disenfranchised with a job position increases. If the company only promoted from within but the pay were not as good, there would be less motivation but as long as the promotions came with increased pay the motivation/dedication/loyalty would still be there but at a much less significant level.

Forensics Psychology Essays - Pseudoscience, Polygraph, Polygraphy

Forensics Psychology Polygraph The validity of a polygraph test's have always been controversial due to many uncounted factors involved with the test. I believe that this test should be used in the court because it is helpful but, this test should not be the only factor used to determined if one is innocent or guilty. The polygraph measures one's blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity all these factors can be shaped. When one lies one tends to get nervous, anxious, scared sweaty and their heart races. So the test can show all of those and how they react to certain questions.This test might not be effective on some people due to their own qualities. Some people have learned to not get anxious or remain calm when telling a lie so the test might not work on them. Research shows that some people can even convince themselves a lie is true to the point when they take the test it comes up as true also. Some people are also super nervous to begin with and get nervous from the very start. Feeling li ke even telling the truth the can be nervous and uneased. This is where the controversy begins and it's understandable as to why this test should not be in court rooms. The psychological portion of this is where the polygraph is not connected to one's brain hence not knowing if one is truly lying. The polygraph is not detecting ones lies but detecting one's physiological responses. The military even has banned the polygraph test due to many false accusations. Determining whether one is guilty or not cannot be based upon the polygraph test. There have been several countermeasures on how to pass the polygraph test. Aldrich Ames committed espionage against the U.S. for the soviet union. He explains how he passed the lie detector test "Get a good night's sleep, and rest, and go into the test rested and relaxed. Be nice to the polygraph examiner, develop a rapport, and be cooperative and try to maintain your calm There's no special magic....Confidence is what does it. Confidence and a fr iendly relationship with the examiner...rapport, where you smile and you make him think that you like him". He passed the test, this shows how simple it was for him to pass the test. This test can be faked very simply with practice and training. In court there is a lot of preparation on what to say and how to say things in front of the judge. So there may also be training in how to pass the polygraph exam. So the validity of this test is not always accurate and cannot be the determination if one is innocent or guilty.

Why You Cant Market A Book Youre Not 100% Proud Of An Interview

Why You Cant Market A Book Youre Not 100% Proud Of An Interview "You can’t market a book that you’re not 100% proud of" - An Interview with ex-SS editor Kiele Raymond As the Reedsy marketplace keeps growing and welcoming exceptional designers and editors, we wanted to interview one of our early â€Å"stars†, as her story is one that many East Coast editors can refer to.After five years honing her editorial skills at Simon Schuster and contributing to multiple New York Times bestsellers, Kiele Raymond eventually left traditional publishing to focus on what really matters: great content. As an editorial consultant on the beautiful New Hampshire seacoast, she helps authors fine tune their voice with detailed and constructive criticism, and especially loves working on suspense, historical and contemporary fiction, and memoir with an ethnographic twist.We’ll discuss editing careers, what â€Å"developmental editing† actually means, as well as give advice to starting authors or your editors out there.Hi Kiele, good to have you here. I really like your story because I think it’s one that many of our editors on Reedsy can rela te to: you previously worked in-house for Simon and Schuster and are now freelance and focusing on developmental editing (or editorial assessments). Did you find that this is what you were most skilled at during your time at SS?I’ll always be grateful that my publishing career started at SS because they’ve built such a strong and collaborative community of editors. From the very beginning, I was able to study the craft under the very best in the business. It’s true that the editorial department shoulders a lot of responsibility in traditional publishing. On top of acquiring impactful content and making sure each final manuscript is the best version of itself, they’re constantly advocating for their list when it comes to marketing, publicity, cover design, back cover copy, and sales placement. In fact, most actual editorial work (reading, content and line edits) happens at night or over the weekend. It’s a 24/7 kind of job – some of my very b est friends are still hustling down there in NYC and I could not admire them more.But yes, I think most book editors enter the fray because they are first and foremost passionate about developing great writing. It was certainly always my primary goal to cultivate a keen editorial eye and help authors maximize their potential. Luckily, in my new role as editorial consultant, that’s exactly where my focus lies.Do you think that developmental editing or content editing has surged in prominence since self-publishing has become more popular?Yes – I do think that self-published authors are more and more cognizant of the innumerable benefits of involving a professional. It’s also helpful that it’s getting so much easier to find us. Just a few years ago, first-time authors were hard pressed to find someone who had been in the trenches of traditional publishing. Now there are multiple avenues.I’ve seen several authors in your testimonials mention that your work was almost â€Å"intuitive†. How big is the role of intuition in an editorial consultant’s job, in your opinion? And how could starting editors develop their content editing skills?Well, I do think that a huge part of editing is the ability to listen very carefully to the author’s voice. At the end of the day, it’s their story. If something’s not working, I don’t immediately go for the cut. I figure out what they’re trying to say in that moment and work with them to make sure it has the effect they intended. It’s a little like acting – you need to inhabit the character but also bring your own experience to the table. This is especially important to me when I’m working on memoirs.Advice for future editors? Read voraciously. You can’t become fluent in storytelling if you’re not constantly studying a wide range of material. Like many of my colleagues, I majored in English Literature. It was a great introduction to the literary canon, but by the time I graduated I was woefully behind in all things contemporary. I spent many sleepless nights catching up. Like any industry, if you want to do well in the marketplace you have to know what you’re up against.Are there any differences in working with an independent/hybrid author? Does the absence of a traditional publishing structure change the way you communicate with the author?When it comes to developmental editing, my job remains largely the same. I do everything I can to make the book better. Some manuscripts do need more grunt work than others, but I’ve found that it varies just as much outside of traditional publishing as it does inside. I’ve also been lucky to consistently work with authors that are extremely open to constructive criticism. It’s always gratifying – and often surprising – to see how they incorporate my notes into the next draft.Do you still have contact with agents sin ce you left Simon   Schuster? What do you think the role of agents can be for indie authors?Yes – I also still have very close friends on the agenting side. There’s always a strong bond formed between junior agents and editors as they climb the ladder together. I do know a few agents who make it their business to seek new talent in the self-publishing community. For instance, Sempre is a book I edited at Gallery that was originally an indie bestseller before an agent snapped it up and brought it to us. I think some indie authors still harbor ambitions to see their book sold nationally in print. Agents can help them make that happen.Are there any books in your portfolio that you especially enjoyed working on?An impossible question! I will say there are a few â€Å"firsts† that hold a special place in my heart. Bruce by Peter Ames Carlin and The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan were the first books I worked on that became New York Times bestsellers. It doe sn’t hurt that both authors are great talents and great humans.I also have to give a shout out to my first acquisition – Behind the Gates of Gomorrah by Steve Seager. It’s an unbelievable story. Here’s a feature in the New York Times.In an increasingly competitive publishing landscape, what might your recommendation be for authors deciding on how to divide their budgets between editorial work and marketing?I actually got my start at SS as an intern in the marketing department in 2009 and I still write reading group guides for their book club outreach campaigns. I think both editorial and marketing professionals can wholeheartedly agree that you can’t market a book that you’re not 100% proud of. Luckily, editorial budgets can be fixed. Find an editor you trust, listen to them, and do the hard work. When you’re done, be very honest with yourself about your ideal reader and target those markets. If your book has legs, your audience will do the work for you.When I work on a book, I don’t just improve the writing until it reaches a certain standard of professionalism. I impart any and all knowledge (marketing and other) that will help the author feel equipped to send their book into the world.You are a Reedsy editor:  how important do you think it is for quality freelancers to regroup in curated communities? What is your personal goal in joining them?I think it’s vitally important for authors to have access to professionals they can trust without having to rely on the big five. Organizations like Reedsy and NY Book Editors are doing the work to make those connections by recruiting tried and true editors that are excited to offer support to authors outside the relatively insulated New York network. In turn, I’m able to work with clients that I know are as invested as I am in creating great books.Finally, if you had one word of advice for authors (mainstream, indie, hybrid) in 2015, what would it be?Listen to your editor, but trust yourself. I’ve seen the most elegant solutions come from authors who took my note and then made it their own.Learn more about the differences between  developmental editing,  copy editing and  editorial assessments through these links.What’s been your personal experience with developmental editors? Do you think regrouping in curated communities is important for freelance publishing professionals? Is editing more important than marketing? Do leave us your insights in the comments below!

Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Assignment 2 - Essay Example In addition, as the world’s demand continues to rise, a lot still has to be done on mismanagement of some resources. People often take for granted free energy resources like wind, water and solar energy. If they increase utilizing this forms of energy that are renewable, then they would not have a bigger problem in the future. There is a possibility of the world meeting its rising demand for energy if it only used its resources wisely. Furthermore, this speaker adds that part of the world’s energy problem could be solved by having good world governance. By having a good world governance, the world would be avoiding an energy crisis in the future by avoiding some countries from taking all of the available resources for themselves. In relation to Tom Burke in video 1, the planet cannot have shortage of energy and is able to provide energy for its current population and even supply the future population. This can be achieved by using the necessary resources to utilize energy resources that had not been utilized fully, for example, water, wind and solar energy. The world is able to cope with its energy supply only if it would avail the necessary capital, political and technology know how towards increasing its energy production. In accordance to Malcolm Wicks in video 1, in as much as population growth in the western world is decreasing, still energy demand is increasing. As the population becomes more affluent and more educated, there energy demand tends to increase. Therefore, this speaker implies that population increase might be a direct factor on energy demand in some cases. In relation to video 2, Professor Al Bartlett discusses about energy use in relation to population. The video starts with a question posed to him if energy is the world’s number one problem. The speaker on answering twists the question and supports the notion that population is indeed the world’s greatest challenge. He emphasizes that population plays a

Is China a 'rule maker' or a 'rule taker' in the international system Essay

Is China a 'rule maker' or a 'rule taker' in the international system - Essay Example Such a multi-stakeholder system is classified by an increasingly liberal multilateral order and increasingly flexible attitude toward the sovereignty of the state. The perception that China has served as a rule-taker for a long time but is now undergoing a radical transformation to become a rule-maker that is making new game rules in favor of its national interests, is commonly help by both realists and neoliberals. â€Å"A more powerful China, the thinking goes, is likely to promote a statist and more hierarchical brand of international governance that is inconsistent with the open, multilateral governance architecture that has emerged and developed since the end of World War II under American and European guidance† (Kennedy and Cheng, 2012, p. 9). Transformation in China’s foreign policy since the mid-20th century In the Mao Era between 1949 and 1978, there was a fundamental opposition of China to the global architecture that was derided as the capitalist West’ s puppet. However, since the early 1980s, integration of China into the different regimes of the international system improved rapidly. ... enge the traditional regimes, though as soon as China gets in a more powerful position, it would inevitably reshape the international institutions and norms to suit its own preferences. Therefore, the engagement and compliance presently shown by China toward the international order cannot be thought of as long-lasting. â€Å"Since the 1990s China sought to improve relations with as many of its neighbors as possible, including settling leftover border disputes with the former Soviet Union† (Lanteigne, 2013, p. 3). The longevity of China’s global engagement There is a lot of subjectivity about goals and course in the recent foreign policy of China (Sutter, 2012, p. 3). The global engagement of China is not as temporal as it is perceived to be by some, and there are numerous reasons for that; firstly, in spite of the fact that the current international system was not invented by China, it is consistent with the interests of China in different ways. China has increased its military and economic power substantially within the current order’s context. Secondly, people and institutions that have more political and economic strength in China have taken advantage of the engagement of China in the present international system. China would continue favoring the status quo till the time these institutions are in power in China and the ruling elite favors them. Thirdly, over the passage of time, China has become so deeply grounded in the international order that outright opposition or disengagement is very difficult to achieve. A lot of Chinese companies have started to integrate into the networks of production on a global scale, and depend upon growing such linkages in order to survive and expand. The government of China has made a formal pledge to comply with numerous treaties

Biological Conservation And Its Importance Environmental Sciences Essay

Biological Conservation And Its Importance Environmental Sciences Essay The irreversible loss of the earths diverse biological resources is given major importance today. The living resources are primarily threatened by habitat degradation and loss, habitat fragmentation, overexploitation, and species invasions (Groom Carroll, 2006; Mittermeier Bowles, 1993) which most experts believed we are now confronting the sixth major extinction in history. The different natural resources or biodiversity, as defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity, is the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems (CBD, 1992). The planets biological diversity basically gives value to our social and economic life. We use the living world as a resource for food supply, an energy source, a source for recreation, a major source of raw materials for medicines, and a natural resource for industrial products. It is a source of many of our current medicines (e.g., 25% of all pharmaceutical prescriptions in the US contain active ingredients from plants and 3000 antibiotics such as penicillin are derived from microorganisms, (WRI/IUCN/UNEP, 1992). Furthermore, people are looking to the natural world as an escape and as a means of maintaining their sanity, especially in the industrialized nations. All of this translates into good economics as well, as the growing industry of ecotourism and other nature-based forms of recreation (e.g., fishing, hunting, hiking) becoming ever more popular. Worldwide, nature tourism generates some $12 billion annually (Lindberg, 1991) and it is likely to grow even more rapidly in the tr opical countries, where it is already a major foreign exchange earner for several countries. Moreover, Pearce et al. (2007) categorized the economic values or benefits of biodiversity into four general components: First, its contribution to ecosystem functions which include watershed regulation, nutrient cycling and microclimate mediation, the provision of global services such as climate regulation and carbon sequestration, and evolutionary processes. Second, the commercial and use values which involve the harvesting use and marketing of particular biodiversity commodities, such as timber, bush meat and medicinal plants. Third, non-use values which reflect the peoples willingness to pay for biodiversity conservation regardless of the uses made of biodiversity. Motivations for non-use value vary some notion of stewardship, some notion of Natures right to exist, a concern to leave an asset for future generations, aesthetics, and so on. Fourth, its contribution to ecosystem resilience derived from aggregated diversity i.e. from the aggregated value of genetic diversity within species, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. The diversity of nature not only offers us a vast power of choice for our current needs and desires. It also enhances the role of nature as a source of solutions for the future needs and challenges of mankind. The earths genes, species, and ecosystems are the products of over 3 billions of evolution, and are the basis for our survival. Humans depend on other organisms for food, medicines, and raw materials. Our survival is tied to the health of the ecosystems we live in. The diversity of life ensures that living things will be able to adapt to a future, which is certain to be full of change. In very basic terms, in order to adapt to a changing environment, the raw materials of nature as well as humanity itself require genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Daly Cobb (1989) emphasized this point when he said that the diversity of nature increases the likelihood that at least some species will survive and give rise to new lineages that will replenish the earths biodiversity. Living things also have an intrinsic value and a beauty that is considerable and without which our life would be poorer. All these things make the maintenance of biological diversity vitally important to humankind, coming from the opportunities it provides humanity to adapt to local and global change. Biological resources now face serious repercussions due to pervasive human activities. Species are becoming extinct, ecosystems and ecosystem types are lost and the remaining populations and species are losing their diversity. Thus, everyone is convinced about the importance of biological conservation. Conservation of natural resources is the major focus of Conservation Biology the scientific study of the nature and status of earths biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystem from excessive rates of extinction. To date, some 1.7 million known species exist but the great majority of species alive today, possibly as much as 90 per cent, are not known (Gunter, 2004). IUCN (1980) defined conservation as the management of human use of the biosphere so that it yields benefits to present generations while maintaining its potential to meet the needs of future generations. The scope of IUCNs concept of conservation is further expounded by the objectives of living resource conservation, and that is (1) to maintain essential ecological processes; (2) to preserve genetic diversity: and (3) to ensure the sustainable utilization of species and ecosystems. The key aim of biological conservation is to maintain the diversity of living organisms, their habitats and the interrelationships between organisms and their environment (Spellerberg Hardes, 1992). Furthermore, as claimed by Siipi (2004), biological conservation can be carried out in various ways but generally, it revolves around the standard methods of ecosystem preservation, ecosystem restoration, and ecosystem engineering. There are several studies conducted on assessing attitudes towards environmental issues. Major themes of study commonly focused on the attitudes of the people towards environmental conservation (Badola, 1998; Fiallo Jacobson, 1995; Newmark et al, 1993; Infield, 1988; Walpole Goodwin, 2001). Other studies directed their attention on the attitudes towards wildlife conservation (Morgan Gramann, 1989; Kellert, 1994; Sekhar Udaya, 2003; Gadd, 2005). Attitudinal surveys were also conducted to students pertaining to environmental awareness, knowledge and attitudes. Chan (1996) and Tikka et al (2000) reported that female students showed more positive environmental attitudes than male students. However, Arcury et al.(1986) showed that males are more aware and sensitive to environmental issues than females. While Thang Kumarasamy (2006) and Caro et al. (2003) reported that gender had limited or no bearing on students perceptions of the environment. Previous researchers like Deng et al (2006) and Larijani and Yeshodhara (2008) also found out that environmental attitudes differ among race, cultures and societies. Academic major is said to be a contributing factor also which affects environmental attitudes (Karanth et al., 2008; Ozden, 2008) and as well as the type of conservation knowledge imparted to students strongly influenced their commitment towards conservation initiatives (Barraza and Walford, 2002). Results of different studie s also showed different manners for several factors like school type, age, income, and residence (Korhonen Lappalainen, 2004; Tuncer et al., 2005). What are ENGOs? Definition of an NGO There have been a lot of labels that apply for NGOs such as, peoples organization, peoples movement, trade union, cooperative, community organization, coalition, network, federation, alliance and united front. These names are still current but are now captured by a new catch-all category civil society organizations (CSOs). The concept of civil society is complex, vague and elusive, however, as it is difficult to deploy a single definition to cover a range of organisations broad enough to include the church, tribal structures, major international agencies, single issue campaign groups, semi-independent public sector agencies, business fora, and small local/national NGOs, while still retaining operational usefulness (Haley Clayton, 2003). . Moreover, civil society is sometimes referred to as the third sector, indicating its distinct status from the public and private sectors (McArthur, 2008). Thus, CSOs refer to different types of non-corporate private voluntary institutions promoting a variety of public causes. NGO is only one form of CSO, though often the two are taken to mean the same thing. However, it can be argued that all NGOs can be regarded as civil society organizations though not all civil society organizations are NGOs. NGOs take different forms and play different roles in different continents, with the NGO sector being most developed in Latin America and parts of Asia. The roots of NGOs are different according to the geographical and historical context. As stated by Schiavo-Campo Sundaram (2001), NGOs are not-for-profit organizations and can be recognized as such if they are privately set up and sufficiently autonomous in its activity, that is independent of direct governmental control. Secondly, an NGO should clearly define its voluntary character. Thirdly, it cannot be considered a political party with an aim of attaining political power. And lastly, an NGO should support development which demonstrates its public interest character. Furthermore, the non-governmental aspect of NGO, as stated by White (1994), places it conventionally outside the state in civil society, i.e. intermediate associational realm between state and family populated by organizations which are separate from the state, enjoy autonomy in relation to the state and are formed voluntarily by members of society to protect or extend their interests or values. Although there is contestation of the definition of an NGO, it is widely accepted that these are organizations which pursue activities to relieve the suffering, promote interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, and undertake community development (Cleary, 1997). While Turner and Hulme (1997) stated that NGOs are generally registered organizations, community groups, professional associations, trade unions, cooperate charity organizations whose aim is to improve the well being of their members and of those areas in which they exists. The World Bank, on the other hand, sees NGOs as private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, and/or undertake community development. The concept of NGO came into use in 1945 following the establishment of the United Nations Organizations which recognized the need to give a consultative role to organizations which were not classified as neither government nor member states (Willett, 2002). There are certain features which differentiate NGOs from government agencies, even when they are performing similar roles. NGOs have the capacity to experiment and learn from experience, linking processes to outcomes and are also able to enlist the energies and commitment of intended beneficiaries. Fowler (1988) has identified two key distinctive characteristics of NGOs. Firstly, the relationship of the NGO with intended beneficiaries is based upon principles of voluntarism rather than those of control which is typical of government. This means that intended beneficiaries are involved in program design and management. Secondly, it is argued that NGOs have a task oriented approach that permits them to achieve appropriate organizat ional development, which encourages change and diversity rather than control and uniformity, which may hamper progress. Environmental NGOs (ENGOs) One of the stakeholders involved in biological conservation is the so-called Environmental NGOs (ENGOS). These interest groups hope to save the worlds biological resources from rapid extinctions and aspire to awaken a sleeping public to the tragic loss of biological resources that is unfolding today. ENGOs exist at local, national and international levels (e.g. Friends of the Earth, WorldWide Fund for Nature, Greenpeace, etc.). Many ENGOs operate under the explicit purpose of preserving endangered species and ecosystems, and thus make biological conservation the core principle under which they operate. Others focus more broadly on sustainable development and within this framework, they also contribute to biological conservation. As stated by Trzyna (2008), not all conservation organizations have kept their traditional focus but they have become part of the broader environmental movement. There is an increasing number of organizations that started either as conservation or conventiona l environmental groups but now define themselves as part of the new movement for sustainability. Most of the largest NGOs working on biological conservation are either based in the United States (e.g. Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy) or Europe (World Conservation Monitoring Center, Birdlife International). In the opinion of Astbury (1998), an ENGO has a mission statement and/or set of guiding principles emphasizing environmental concerns, e.g. biological conservation. They play an increasingly prominent and important role in representing environmental interest. Environmental NGOs are distinct from environmental movements in a way that there is a formal organization exists in ENGOs. For example, the famous Chipko movement in India, involving village people who hugged trees when loggers arrived to cut trees down, was not an NGO because although there were leaders and followers, there was no formal organization (Potter Taylor, 1996). These organizations are not really new but have been existing over the years. For instance, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was founded in 1886; the Sierra club in 1892; the Audubon Society for Protection of Birds in 1886; the Wildlife conservation Society (as the New York Zoological Society) in 1895; and fauna and flora International (as the Society for the preservation of the Fauna of the Empire) in 1903. Some of the largest organizations were founded more recently, but with a specific focus on international conservation, including the World Wide fund for Nature (founded as, with some of its constituent organizations still operating as, the world Wildlife Fund) in 1961, and Conservation International in 1987 (Cobb et al., 2007). ENGOs may have existed for a century or more but it is only in recent decades, and particularly since the success of NGOs in shaping the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) or the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, that their numbers have multiplied. Participating civil society organizations officially recognized by the United Nations (UN) in this particular international conference were grouped into major groups such as women, children and youth, indigenous peoples and communities, NGOs, Workers and Trade, Scientific and Technological Community, Business and Industry and farmers. ENGOs are one of the key actors in shaping the creation of Agenda 21 and the Conventions on Biodiversity which saw a heightening of global consciousness about the needs of biodiversity conservation. These are international agreements signed by majority of the countries to guide the world in its actions for development and the environment in the 21st century. Over 20,000 participants of 9,000 organizations in 171 countries were present, and over 1,000 meetings were held between NGO representatives in a forum parallel to official intergovernmental discussions (Fisher 1993). Thus, this event culminated the increasing attention paid to biological conservation by NGOs. Since then, ENGOs expanded their conservation efforts on the ground, especially in tropical countries. For instance, the international conservation programmes of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have grown from just over $3 million in the late 1980s, to nearly $50 million in 2005, nearly half of WCSs overall operating budget (MacDonald Service, 2007). Although the WCS has programmes in North America, all but $5 million of these funds are sent overseas in developing countries. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), founded in 1951 primarily focus on USA conservation issues, is probably the largest conservation organization in the world, with one million members, and an annual budget of over $800 million (The Nature conservancy, 2004). Conservation International (CI), with a focus on biodiversity hotspots and tropical wilderness areas, was founded in 1987 and has grown to an organization with an annual budget of over $100 million. Roles ENGOs Play ENGOs involved in biological conservation are highly diverse, including local, national, regional, and international groups with various missions dedicated to environmental protection, sustainable development, poverty alleviation, animal welfare, and other issues. A key area in which ENGOs have made an imprint is in assisting the global community to establish global priorities. Such approaches included from those that look at representation of species and habitat types, those that focus on species diversity and levels of threats, those that focus on areas of higher or lower human impact as a surrogate for scaling threat and those that focus on levels of endemism and evolutionary uniqueness in a particular taxon (Cobb et al., 2007). ENGOs importance lies as well in their expertise (Esty, 1998; Charnovitz, 1996). They conduct scientific research and disseminate the results to policy-makers and public (Mohd Ahmad, 2005; Jasanoff 1997; Madon 1999). The degree to which NGOs pursue expert knowledge for complex scientific predicaments makes them critical international players. They translate this knowledge into action. As added by Hempel (1988), international environmental NGOs are usually better prepared than governments to implement studies of environmental protection. NGOs often have much better analytical and technical skills and capacity to respond more quickly than government officials. NGOs can also mobilize and influence individuals or group of individuals to address a problem through awareness campaigns and outreach (Bauer, 2006; Gunter, 2004) and express that issue interest to government agencies. ENGOs raise awareness through media stunts. Through TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines, ENGOS bring this envi ronmental abuse into peoples everyday lives and enable people to act bear witness (Wapner, 1995). Additionally, ENGOS stimulate public pressure aimed at changing governmental policy or directly lobbying state officials. They facilitate in defining an issue area, convince policymakers and publics that the problems thus defined are soluble, prescribe solutions, and monitor their implementation (Keck and Sikkink 1998). ENGOs also aid in empowering local communities to increase capacity and capability in carrying out biological conservation projects; they organize and conduct seminars, environmental education programmes and expeditions to natural; and target private actors in their campaigning efforts (Raustiala, 1997; Themudo, 2000; Chitra, 2003; Jepson, 2005). Indeed, ENGOs have been major contributors to biological conservation by providing funds and expertise, building public support, promoting action, and advocating conservation interests. As argued Gunter (2004), ENGOs are the most appropriate medium for protecting biological resources because of their unique ability to see both small and big and their unique positions above and below the state. NGOs operate at both the micro and macro levels, working on the ground in local villages as well as participating in international negotiations. Moreover, Gunter argued that states are paradoxically both too big and too small when it comes to resolving transnational threats like loss of biodiversity or climate change. ENGOs generally obtain most of their funds from national governments, government agencies, bilateral and multilateral banks, large foundations, transnational corporations, and international foreign aid agencies like UNDP, UNEP and the Global environmental facility (GEF) (Dowie, 2009; Bebbington Riddell, 1995). The GEF which is a multilateral funding mechanism prepared to reduce the burden from Southern countries for environmental protection has become a pilot program to a permanent financial mechanism in 1994 and is supporting the growth of ENGOS. GEF is under the stewardship of the World Bank and the United Nations. The World Bank manages a significant portion of GEF biodiversity funding and also makes additional grants and loans in the biodiversity and protected area domains. ENGOS engage in various activities meant to influence public support. Smith and Connelly (1999) identify ten (10) types of ENGO activity: informal, discreet lobbying; formal lobbying; collecting and sending letters or petitions from the public; producing scientific research and reports; taking legal action; organizing demonstrations and marches; staging media stunts; promoting consumer boycotts; engaging in non-violent direct action; and, engaging in violent direct action. To this list, one might also add giving campaign contributions or endorsements to environmentally-friendly candidates (Grossman and Helpman, 1994, 1999). This activity mostly directly political support and can change the weight given to ENGOS in the political calculus (Binder, S and E. Neumayer, 2005) On the other hand, Gunter (2004) summarized the common strategies used by ENGOs. The two main categories of different approaches are mainstream strategies which include lobbying, litigation, scientific/technical research, property acquisition/maintenance, and monitoring and participatory strategies like grassroots networking and community education. Very few studies are conducted on how people perceive ENGO as one of the crucial players in biological conservation. Researchers like Hyseni (2008), Wong (2003) and Ivy et al. (1998) assessed the attitudes of local people and students towards these organizations but the main focus of their studies were not directed to the roles of ENGOS in general. As Jasanoff (1997) contends, the systematic assessment of the role that ENGOS play in environmental decision making remains noticeably absent in the studies to date. Philippine ENGOs Teehankee (1993) reported that environmental NGOs in the Philippines emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. During the martial law in the early 1970s, social movements appeared provoked by the dictatorship. Militant organizations pressured for political structural and ideological changes. Social movements and other civil society groups started to register as legal entities to be formally recognized by government. This was to avoid being tagged as illegal rabble rousers. In 1986, the EDSA I or the People Power Revolution replaced the totalitarian martial law by the democratic force of the people. Accordingly, two streams from which present-day environmental NGOs originated were identified. The first stream is composed of nature lovers such as conservationist societies and hobby groups which alter expanded their concerns to socio-political issues related to environment and government policies. The other stream is said to consist of field-based activist groups concerned with human r ight issues of tribal communities and poor settlers being displaced by environmentally-destructive projects of the martial law regime. The Philippine Federation for Environmental Concerns (PFEC) was established and this commemorated the first effort at coordination and networking among environmental NGOs. Two more national federations emerged since then the Philippine Environmental Action Network (PEAN) and the Lingkod Tao Kalikasan (LTK). Numerous groups mushroomed then like Haribon Foundation, World Ecologists, Green Forum, and Earth Savers. Aside from the diversification of environmental NGO activities into community resource endeavours, the post-Marcos period was also characterized by the decision of prominent development NGOs, like the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), to integrate environmental concerns into their strategic programs (Magno, 1999). . Environmental NGOs were very few before the 1960s. There were sporadic efforts at conservation. Up to about 1970, influenced by the spirit of the time, most development NGOs didnt consider the environment as part of the development framework. Environmental concerns were isolated from social development. Carrying capacity of the environment was not given importance due to the abundance of what nature can provide then. Environmentalists, on the other hand dedicated their work on protection and conservation of genus and species for its authenticity and aesthetic value with no qualms about poverty and human development. Most of the conservationists then came from philanthropists and rich individuals Philippine ENGOs have done and still do fund raising, modelling and implementing viable methods and strategies in the protection and conservation of the environment toward sustainable development. They play multiple roles in influencing policy reform and formulation. The most common role would be that of a lobbyist, using social pressure and the media. Furthermore, many NGOs also play the role of community organizers, educators/trainors, researchers, media practitioners, negotiators, advocates, and catalysts. Taiwan ENGOs Taiwans environmental awareness was not awakened until the 1970s and then was limited to small group of people, mainly from the intellectual class. Not until the late 1980s did the general publics concern over the environmental issues bloom. During this time, environmental problems had reached crisis proportions. The countrys economic miracle was achieved at the cost of environmental deterioration. Reported serious pollution incidents like the one caused by Du Pont in 1986 and the Lee Chang rong Chemical factory in 1982 drew public attention (McBeath Leng, 2006). These events showed that local residents finally had gained environmental consciousness due to unbearable pollution and environmental damage. At this stage, environmental protests led by opposition politicians reflected NIMBYism (not in my backyard)- complaints about local environmental pollution. As reported by Hsiao (1999), there are three streams of environmental movements in Taiwan. These are the anti-pollution, nature conservation, and anti-nuclear movements. In the nature conservation movement, people become more concerned with destruction of Taiwans natural resources. Hence, ENGOs emerged and perceived as key actors in this particular campaign. After the lifting of martial law and as democratization programs were launched in the late 1980s, the environmental movement also gained momentum and developed a national instead of a local focus. During this period, ENGOs accumulated social capital and public trust in Taiwanese society. ENGOs helped to create a plural society through the enlargement of channels of social participation and communication. ENGOs were said to be champions and advocates of Taiwans democratization at early stage, and laid a foundation for democratic consolidation after the md-1990s. The general public gradually learned to think beyond local instances of environmental abuse and paid greater attention to ensuring balance in national policy among economic development, environmental protection, and social justice. Nation-wide ENGOs emerged then from the early to mid-1990s. Hsiao (1999) estimated that there are over 232 environmental NGOs in Taiwan. Most recognizable groups are The Society of Wildlife and Natu re, Bird Society, Taiwan Greenpeace Association, Ecological Conservation Alliance, Life Conservationist Association, Homemakers Union and Foundation, Green Consumers Foundation, Wetlands Taiwan and The Nature Conservation Union. International environmental organizations are not regular participants in domestic environmental protection. Taiwans diplomatic isolation constrains its participation in major international organizations, and international lending institutions such as the World bank and Asian development Bank are not actively involved in its environmental policies. However, occasionally, ENGOs have built close relationships with major international NGOs. In the past, domestic ENGOs exposed cases of trafficking in illegal wildlife and ecological degradation to the international mass media and invited international NGOs to monitor Taiwans mitigation record. McBeath and Leng (2006) outlined the common roles that ENGOS play in Taiwan and these are organizing grassroots demonstrations, promoting public policy making, setting the agenda of public issues, educating the public on environmental issues, monitoring government policies and publicising environmental issues.

The Day I Almost Lost My Father :: Personal Narrative Writing

The Day I Almost Lost My Father One day in the midst of summer, my friend Mike and I got off from a hard day of work and were on our way to the mall. While at work we had planned to meet a few people there. I was going to be seeing my friend Jessica who I had not talked to in years. Before leaving, we stopped off at our houses, took showers, and got ready. As I anxiously waited on the stairs for his car to roll into the driveway, my mom said, â€Å"Be careful and do not drive like an idiot.† I obviously said alright and she was on her way. Minutes later I see my friend Mike pull into the driveway. I slipped my feet into my shoes and got in his car. We were almost to the mall when his phone rang. He picked it up and said, â€Å"Hello?† It was my mom and she wanted to speak to me. Upon putting the phone to my ear she told me that I had to come home right away. She said that my dad had just gotten into a car crash and that I had to come home and watch my sister. I did not know how to break the news to Mi ke, that what we were anticipating all day would not happen. He was upset, but he understood what was going on. I came home thinking it was the same old same old; he had gotten hit by a drunk driver, the car got totaled, and he was fine. This time was different. Normally when I ask what happened she says, â€Å"You know your father,† or something to that nature. This time was different; she would not talk to me or tell me what happened. I later found out that my dad had shattered his hip and pelvis. This event greatly affected me, both emotionally and physically. My dad was in the hospital in a lot of pain because he shattered the two most painful bones to break and I could not go see him because of my work schedule and because I had to watch my sister. Finally, after four long days I saw him. Even though he is my dad, I must say he was a mess. He could not move at all, and when he tried to he was in a lot of pain.

Popular music in America: The beat goes on Essay

The electric atmosphere the first time I attended a live concert show makes for fond memories. The Kongos will remain to be my favorite band as they were the main act. I had never attended a live concert before but with the suggestion from my friends for some not to miss chance, I had to give in. From the beckoning Neon lights at the entrance to the long lines of radiant fans dressed in all manner of the Kongos regalia, I could tell I was in for a show of my life . The show took place in an amphitheatre. Inside, the venue was packed and being my first time, I had some mixed reactions on being in such a crowded place. Beer seemed to be the prescribed fluid as almost everyone had a Can and its effect on the crowd could be felt. The deafening boom from the speakers placed all around the venue made communication hard. One had to lean in to their partner and talk loudly in order to be heard. Never had I encountered such levels of noise. The band playing on stage took their bows marking their climax with a frenzied performance that consisted of heavy instrumentals. My ears were ringing by the time the stage lights went off. For me that signaled the end of the concert but I was wrong. I later came to know its called the opening act. The crowd erupted into deafening screams which left me confused as soon as the lights went off and in a fluid motion, the packed audience welcomed the main act in this case the Kongos with their song â€Å"Hey I know† (Campbell, 2013). The Kongos are a South-African alternative Rock Band consisting of four brothers Jesse (percussion, drums and vocals), Johnny (keyboard, accordion and vocals), Dylan (lap slide guitar, vocals and bass guitar) and Daniel Kongos (guitar and vocals). One could tell the chemistry of the brothers at work. By this time I had gotten used to the loud sound at the venue and was enjoying myself. The drums were almost tribal with heavy animation from Jesse and skilled fusion with the slide guitar. â€Å"Sex On the Radio† came next with the heavy drums and the accordion (Campbell, 2013). The performance of â€Å"Kids These Days† had the audience singing along in a slow drunken way marked with cacophony and ending with a pounding finish. The atmosphere was changed with a slow song this time â€Å"Take Me back† which was characterized by harmonized vocals accompanied by an accordion. The â€Å"Escape had to be the best performance for me where Jesse applied expressive vocal. The beat in this case was still prominent but less thumping. At this time, the crowd was in a frenzy and was clapping along. The rapper energetic song â€Å"I’m Only Joking† had to be the song with the most energy than the rest as every member of the band was jumping with the crowd jumping with them(Campbell, 2013). Two Beatles cover songs were well done and a timely surprise. â€Å"Come Together† was marked by speedy raps from Mo Gordon an addition to the set with a percolating tension. â€Å"Get Back† was played with a lot of excitement and energy where the guitars were scrubbing, organ swirling and the drums wailing with more to come. The closing was â€Å"Come With Me Now† where the crowd sang along all through the song and the band played it for all the song is worth. The bassist and singer Dylan whipped his hair all around during the song. The show was great. The band was high energy, the vocals great, a driving rhythm and high skilled musicianship which made for a great first concert evening. I look forward to attending more shows in the future. References Campbell, M. (2013).  Popular music in America: The beat goes on. Source document

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