The Public Relations Practitioner as Cultural Intermediary Essay Example

The Public Relations Practitioner as Cultural Intermediary Essay Example The Public Relations Practitioner as Cultural Intermediary Essay The Public Relations Practitioner as Cultural Intermediary Essay symbolic interactionism, and ethnomethodology. Babbie and Mouton (2001:33) conclude that regardless of the related metatheory, the primary aim of interpretivism stays directed towards understanding: â€Å"understanding of individuals in terms of their own interpretations of reality and understanding of society in terms of the meanings which people ascribe to the social practices in that society†. Following will be a discussion of hermeneutics as a related metatheory to interpretivism. 3. 2. 1. 1 Hermeneutics as a metatheory The term â€Å"hermeneutics† is defined as â€Å"the science and methodology of interpreting texts† by the Encarta Dictionary (S. a. ). De Vos, Schultze and Patel (2005:6) states only hermeneutics as a related metatheory to interpretive social science, but Babbie and Mouton (2001:30) lists several related metatheories such as hermeneutics, symbolic interactionism, and ethnomethodology. In the process of understanding the nature of human inquiry, Dilthey used the term â€Å"hermeneutics† increasingly. â€Å"In the same way that we understand the meaning of texts through interpretation, we should aim to interpret the ideas, purposes and other mental states expressed in the world of human action† (Babbie and Mouton, 2001:31). De Vos, Schultze and Patel (2005:7) agree that â€Å"true meaning is rarely simple or obvious on the surface; one reaches it only through a detailed study of the text, contemplating its many messages and seeking the connections among its parts†. Babbie and Mouton (2001:33) further states that in an idealist epistemology, data collection should not be confined to observable behaviour, but should also include descriptions of people’s intentions, meanings, and reasons. Culture in this instance will substitute â€Å"people† in Babbie and Mouton’s definition. The emphasis thus is on interpretive understanding of the culture. Concluded from the information stated above, an interpretive approach would be most suitable to research the role of the public relations manager as cultural intermediary. . Postmodernism, globalization and culture in communication: a brief discussion 4. 1 Postmodern communication At approximately the same time that South Africa proceeded to become a democracy, a new movement, postmodernism, emerged. Postmodernism embodies a complicated term, which has only emerged as an area of academic study since the mid-1980’s and is a general, wide-ranging term which is applied to literature, art, philosophy, architecture, fiction, cultural and literary criticism, and communication. Postmodernism is largely a reaction to the assumed certainty of scientific (objective) efforts to explain reality. In essence, it stems from a recognition that reality is not simply mirrored in human understanding of it, but rather, is constructed as the mind tries to understand its own particular and personal reality. For this reason, postmodernism is highly sceptical of explanations which claim to be valid for all groups, cultures, traditions, or races, and instead focuses on the relative truths of each person. Postmodernism relies on concrete experience over abstract principles, knowing always that the outcome of ones own experience will necessarily be fallible and relative, rather than certain and universal. According to Steyn (2002:25), the postmodernism approach to society (and the individual’s place in it) comprises many different elements of which the most prominent aspect is the fragmented nature of society. Postmodernism is, to a large extent, a rejection of modernism. Whilst modernism is optimistic about the future and embraces progress and humanist value, postmodernism take a cynical approach towards these â€Å"values†. In addition, De Vos, Schultze and Patel (2005:8) emphasize that modernism has confidence in technology and science whilst postmodernism attacks this faith in science â€Å"by questioning its capacity to generate truth, in part because, like all human communications, it is dependent on language, which is socially constructed, and, as such, distorts reality†. Considering the above and the questions posed in the introduction of this assignment, it could be argued that the disarray in the contemporary corporate society is largely due to the postmodern reflection on society and not as such due to any hierarchal incompetence. For the past three decades, postmodernism dominated the cultural and intellectual scene in many fields throughout the world. The postmodern assault produced new social and political theories, as well as theoretical attempts to define the multifaceted aspects of the postmodern phenomenon itself, which in turn, seems aptly applicable to the current multi-cultural experience in South Africa. 4. 2 Globalization and communication Globalization refers to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole (www. sociology. emory. du). In thought and action, it makes the world a single place. What it means to live in this place, and how it must be ordered, become universal questions. These questions receive different answers from individuals and societies that define their position in relation to both a system of societies and the shared properties of humankind from very different perspectives. Globalization broadly refers to the expansion of global linkages, the organization of social life on a global scale, and the growth of a global consciousness, hence to the consolidation of a world society. In concept, globalization is, contrary to contemporary belief, not a new one. The modern world-system originated around 1500. In parts of Western Europe, a long-term crisis of feudalism gave way to technological innovation and the rise of market institutions. Advances in production and incentives for long-distance trade stimulated Europeans to reach other parts of the globe. Superior military strength and means of transportation enabled them to establish economic ties with other regions that favoured the accumulation of wealth in the European core. While the Europeans started with only small advantages, they exploited these to reshape the world in their capitalist image. The world as a whole is now devoted to endless accumulation and profit seeking on the basis of exchange in a market that treats goods and labour alike as commodities. (www. sociology. emory. edu). The magnitude and the impact of globalization on world trade is illustrated by Friedman (2005:181-182) who developed and interesting perspective that, due to globalization, the world has become â€Å"flat†. In the last decade of the twentieth century, several parts of the world were making the transition from a closed economy to a free market system, such as China, India, Russia, and Eastern Europe. By 2000, the â€Å"global economic world,† the amount of the world’s population participating in global trade, reached six billion people, compared to 2. 5 billion in 1985. As it happened, this coincided with the digital revolution that was â€Å"flat tening† the world, thus not only leveling the playing field, but also bringing that field directly to these new players†. Philosophers such as Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980) predicted, if not recognized, globalization in the way society is experiencing it today, as early as the 1960’s. It was during this time period when McLuhan both announced the existence of a â€Å"global village†, and predicted the intensification of the world community to its present expression. â€Å"If the work of the city is the remaking or translating of man into a more suitable form than his nomadic ancestors achieved, then might not our current translation of our entire lives into the spiritual form of information seem to make of the entire globe, and of the human family, a single consciousness? (McLuhan, as quoted by Kappelman, www. leaderu. com). All of this was supposed at a time when television was still in its infancy, and the personal computer was almost twenty years into the future. Globalization in its current status is largely due to interconnectedness via satellite and cable connection. The majority of mass- and interpersonal communication today is transmitted through the effective use of information technology. The result, according to Hannerz (2001:62) is that a great many kinds of actors now operate, if not literally globally, then at least transnational. There are more â€Å"ethnic diasporas† than ever before, dispersed membership groups, multinational business corporations and transnational occupational communities, each one engaged in â€Å"its own particular way in the management of some part of contemporary culture†. Hannerz’ view underlines the importance of a public relations practitioner acting as a cultural intermediary within a globalized society. 4. 3 Multi-cultural communication Ramphele (2008:112-113) states that â€Å"all South Africans are newcomers to democracy. We (South Africans) must acknowledge our authoritarian political heritage. It will not simply go away in the face of a democratic national constitution. Building a participatory, inclusive democratic culture is a long term process of cultural change. Schools, homes, communities and the workplace have distinctive and mutually supportive roles to play in this†. Ramphele’s statement addresses the topic of this assignment in more than one aspect. Not only is South Africa as a democratic union in its infancy in comparison to global democratic practices, but is the way in which we approach, and are approached by the international community, a new-fangled experience. South Africans as a whole have to deal with its own internal multi-cultural aspects, as well as the exposure to international cultures simultaneously, which is more apparent as to why a public relations manager should be able to act as a cultural intermediary. George (2003:Online) highlight this aspect, stating that by â€Å"understanding the cultural uniqueness of a country enables a public relations practitioner to identify the most effective message, format, channel of communication, and spokesperson to deliver that message. It is noticeable from the above that, in order to communicate effectively to its publics, the public relations practitioner must be able to understand and interpret multicultural identities. 4. 3. 1 Culture and cultural identities Samovar, Porter and McDaniel (2007:123-125) argues that cultural identity is a focal element in intercultural communication. An individual’s culture shapes his or her understanding and expectations as to which is the correct communication practices for various social settings – some which may be appropriate to one culture, may be inappropriate in another. Issues of identity can be expected to remain – and perhaps become more – complex as multiculturalism increasingly characterizes contemporary society. It is clear, however, that the old understanding of a fixed cultural identity or ethnicity is outdated, and identity is rapidly becoming more of and â€Å"articulated negotiation between what you call yourself and what other people are willing to call you†. But regardless of what form they may take or how they are achieved, your identities will remain a consequence of culture. Cultural differences appear in many ways and in many forms along a set of key dimensions. Nolan (1999:5-6) list six variables on which cultural differences can be distinguished: Perceptions: People from different cultures do not necessarily see the same things, even when everyone is looking in the same di rection. Interpretations: People do not select, interpret, or remember what they see in the same way, even when they see the same thing. Facts: Because people from different cultures have different definitions of the situation, they use different pieces of information in their thinking. Goals: People from different cultures may have quite different purposes or destinations in mind. Methods: Even when destinations are the same, people may have different ways of getting there. Values: People from different cultures apply very different standards in their evaluations of individuals, situations, behaviors and outcomes. Although Nolan’s variables appear to be overtly simplified, these variables could be a good starting point when approaching multi-cultural studies. However, the most popular advance to cultural studies stems from the work of anthropologist, Edward T. Hall who did pioneering work in multi-cultural research such as proxemics, a study of perception and the use of space between gender and culture. For example: there are important cultural rules and boundaries between the sexes, which mean we cannot move about as we would wish to think we can. Different cultures have differing norms and attitudes towards personal space and how closely people stand to each other when communicating. More intimate communications have different norms. If someone breaks the norm in any given situation it might be interpreted as threatening or unfriendly. Hall also found that different cultures have different norms to do with time, friendship, business, written and oral agreements. Spatial zones are different for women and men. Women initially approach more closely, prefer side-by-side conversations, allow other women to be closer than men, whilst men have more face-to-face conversations, and tend to stand closer to women than women feel comfortable with. ( onepine. info/mcult2. tm) More appropriate to this assignment though, is Hall’s conceptualization of high and low context cultural factors. In essence, in a high-context culture, there are many contextual elements that help people to understand the rules. As a result, much is taken for granted. This can be very confusing for a person who does not understand the unwritten rules of the specific culture. In a low-context culture, very little is taken for granted. Whilst this means that more explanation is needed, it also means there is less chance of misunderstanding, particularly when visitors are present. The application of Hall’s high- and low-context cultures is explained in table 2: Table 2: Hall’s high and low context culture Factor High-context culture Low-context culture Overtness of messagesMany covert and implicit messages, with use of metaphor and reading between the linesMany overt and explicit messages that is simple and clear Locus of control and attribution for failureInner locus of control and personal acceptance for failure Outer locus of control and blame of others for failure Use of non-verbal ommunicationMuch nonverbal communicationMore focus on verbal communication than body language Expression of reactionReserved, inward reactionsVisible, external, outward reaction Cohesion and separation of groupsStrong distinction between in-group and out-group Strong sense of familyFlexible and open grouping patterns, changing as needed People bonds Strong people bonds with affiliation to family and communityFragile bonds between people with little sense of loyalty Level of commitment to relationshipsHigh commitment to long-term relationships Relationship more important than taskLow commitment to relationship Task more important than relationships Flexibility of time Time is open and flexible Process is more important than productTime is highly organized Product is more important than process (http://changingminds. org/explanations/culture/hall_culture. htm) Applying the preceding two concepts as is to South Africa’s multi-cultural community would be rather complicated. The diverse compilation of cultures in South Africa simply does not allow for a â€Å"yes or no† answer. It would be required to analyze each of the eleven cultures in the country, including the free inflow of neighboring nationalities, in order to devise a suitable paradigm from which an applicable variable could be devised. This seems a rather daunting challenge. How then, to proceed to an acceptable, predictable, and definable course? Hannerz (2001:58) suggest that â€Å"we need a counter-image to that of the cultural mosaic, one that does not take for granted the boundedness of cultures and their simple relationship to populations and territories, but allows as a point of departure a more open, interconnected world. † To achieve that, and to move above the constraints of a multi-cultural collective, the student consulted Lull’s concept of a â€Å"superculture† (see fig. 1). According to Lull (2001:132-163), contemporary cultural conditions â€Å"appear to only exacerbate the confusion, isolation, and existential despair. The historically unparalleled development of communications technology and the sweep of globalization that surrounds us today are changing the very nature and meaning of culture. A superculture refers to a cultural mode that is above other modes, has a higher rank, quality and abundance than is reflected in other conceptions of culture. † It certainly exceeds the norms which typify and limit traditional ways of thinking about culture. Supercultures are composed in part of symbolic content that is made available by super media. The question immediately rises as to how cultural identities, for instance those officially recognized within South Africa’s geographical borders, fit into the concept of a superculture? The answer can be derived to from Lull’s explanation: â€Å"The super culture is the cultural matrix that individuals create for themselves in a world where access to ‘distant’ cultural resources has expanded enormously. At the same time, however, the superculture embodies traditional or ‘close’ cultural resources too – the values and social practices characteristic of ‘local’ cultures as they are learned and reproduced by individuals and group. The essence of the supercultures resides in the dynamic interfaces that link and mediates the available cultural spheres. † (Lull, 2001:132) Figure 1: Major components of Lull’s superculture (Lull, 2001: 139-157) To conclude the section on culture: in order to appropriately apply communication between multi-cultural identities, which in this instance signify the public relation practitioner and his or her publics, the student propose the implementation of Grunig’s two-way symmetrical model which â€Å"use communication to negotiate with publics, resolve conflict, and promote mutual understanding and respect between the organization and its public(s). † (http://iml. jou. ufl. edu). 5. Conclusion Friedman (2005:324-325) noted that â€Å"to reduce a country’s economic performance to culture alone is ridiculous, but to analyze a country’s economic performance without reference to culture, is equally ridiculous. As the world goes flat (globalize) , and more and more of the tools of collaboration get distributed and commoditized, the gap between cultures that have the will, the way and the focus to quickly adopt these new tools and apply them, and those that do not, will matter more. The differences between the two will become more amplified. Cultures that is open and willing to change, have huge advantage in this world. † Not only is Friedman’s statement applicable to a global economy, but is it also applicable to the global interaction of public relations practitioners. In addition, Jansoozi and Koper (2006:219-225) states that â€Å"public relations communication techniques have been forced to change as a result of globalization. The biggest challenge for public relations practitioners will be crossing language and cultural barriers. Often the subtleties of cultural difference are overlooked in the multinational’s own home country. Business organizations are realizing the importance of intercultural communication, even within the same national boundaries. Immigration and guest workers have altered the homogeneity of many countries and cultures. † It is within this framework (and with the support of quotations from authoritive source quoted in this assignment) that the student concludes: a purely western form of public relations practices no longer exists. As a result of globalization and the multi-national exposure that accompanies globalization, the public relations practitioner has inevitably become, amongst other, a cultural intermediary. The contemporary public relations practitioner’s communication is no longer restrained to the geographical, economic and cultural boundaries of his or her own country. Not only is the public relations practitioner able to communicate instantaneously on a global magnitude, but it is required of the practitioner to understand and interpret the culture of the publics which he or she communicates with. Global interaction demands that the public relations practitioner be aware of and implement trans-national customs and practices in the communication process. 6. Recommendation Exploring a topic such as culture and the effects it has on the process of communication globally, opens to a vast field of research. There are several factors that need to be explored in such a research project. For instance, the dynamics of a post-modern society, a globalized economic structure and the multi-cultural identities that accompanies such an economic structure, which all cannot possibly come to its fulfilment in a ten-page assignment. As Ihator (2000:44) clearly states: â€Å"The recognition of the cultural patterns of the world may be one positive stem in the understanding of the global publics. It behooves, therefore, international PR practitioners and researchers to use knowledge gained from various academic disciplines to adequately and effectively communicate with global constituencies†. Bibliography (Author unknown). S. a. Dictionary results – Hermeneutics [Online]. Available from: http://encarta. msn. com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults. [Accessed: 05/04/2007]. (Author unknown). S. a. Edward T. Hall – The silent language [Online]. Available from: onepine. info/mcult2. htm. [Accessed: 10/04/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Globalization issues [Online]. Available from: sociology. emory. edu/globalization/issues01. html. [Accessed: 10/04/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Globalization theories [Online]. Available from: sociology. emory. edu/globalization/theories01. html. [Accessed: 10/04/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Three Major Perspectives in Sociology [Online]. Available from: cliffsnotes. com/WileyCDA/CliffsReviewTopic/Three-Major-Perspectives-in-Sociology. topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26837. html. [Accessed: 05/06/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Science Quotes [Online]. Available from: quotelady. com/subjects/science. html. [Accessed: 05/06/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Sir William Lawrence Bragg [Online]. Available from: britannica. com. [Accessed: 26/04/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. The Importance of the Four Models of Public Relations [Online]. Available from: http://iml. jou. ufl. edu/projects/Fall99/Westbrook/models. htm. [Accessed: 07/03/2008]. BABBIE, E. MOUTON, J. 2001. The practice of social research. South African ed. Cape Town: Oxford University Press. DE VOS, A. S. , SCHULZE, S. PATEL, L. 2005. The sciences and the professions. In: De Vos, A. S. (ed. ) Research at grass roots: for the social sciences and human service professions. 3rd ed. Pretoria: Van Schaik:3-26. FRIEDMAN, T. L. 2005. The world is flat a brief history of the twenty-first century. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. GEORGE, A. M. 2003. Teaching culture: The challenges and opportunities of international public relations. Business communication quarterly, 66[Online]. Available from: www. questia. com. [Accessed: 01/06/08]. GUDYKUNST, W. B. 1993. Toward a theory of effective interpersonal and intergroup communication. International and intercultural communication annual, 17:33-71. HANNERZ, U. 2001. Thinking about culture in a global ecumene. In: LULL, J. (ed. ) Culture in the communication age. London: Routledge:54-71. IHATOR, A. 2000. Understanding the cultural patterns of the world – an imperative in implementing strategic international PR programs. Public Relations Quaterly, Winter:38-44. (Class handout: Public Relations Management IV, 24/05/2008). JANOOZI, J. KOPER, E. 2006. Implications of globalization for the public relations practice. Comunicacao e Sociedade, 8, 2005:219-225 [Online]. Available from: revcom2. portcom. intercom. org. br/index. php/cs_um/ article/ viewFile/4734/4448. [Accessed: 05/06/2008]. KAPPELMAN, T. 2001. Marshall McLuhan: â€Å"The Medium is the Message [Online]. Available from: leaderu. com/orgs/probe/docs/mcluhan. html#text2. [Accessed: 06/08/2007]. LEARY, M. R. MILLER, R. S. 2000. Self-presentational perspectives on personal relationships. In: Ickes, W. Duck, W. (eds. ) The social psychology of personal relationships. New York: Wiley:129-155. LULL, J. 2001. Superculture for the communication age. In: Lull, J. (ed. ) Culture in the communication age. London: Routledge: 132-163. McCLELLAND, K. 2000. Introduction to theories [Online]. Available from: http://web. grinnell. edu/courses/soc/s00/soc111-01/IntroTheories. html. [Accessed: 01/06/2008]. NOLAN, R. W. 1999. Communicating and Adapting across Cultures: Living and Working in the Global Village [Online]. Available from: www. questia. com. Accessed: 20/06/2008. PAPASTEFANOU, N. 2008. Assignment 2: the public relations practitioner as cultural intermediary. Tshwane University of Technology: Pretoria. PAPASTEFANOU, N. 2007. Module 1: communication research and theory (CSC400T). Pretoria: Tshwane University of Technology. PAPASTEFANOU, N. 2008. Module 2: culture and related issues. Tshwane

Reduplicatives †Double Delight

Reduplicatives – Double Delight Reduplicatives Double Delight Reduplicatives Double Delight By Sharon Reduplicatives never travel alone. In fact, they always come in pairs and sometimes sound rather silly. These are the words formed through reduplication, when you repeat a word to form a new one, or slightly change the vowel or consonant. These are inventive and musical words and there are hundreds of them in English. Also called echo words, there are three basic types of reduplicatives. Some repeat the word exactly, some of them use rhyme for formation while the others use vowel or consonant shift to come up with the other half of the pair. Most of them are two syllable words (four, if you count both halves of the pair), though there are some with three syllables. This type of word formation seems to come naturally to us. Shakespeare was responsible for hurly-burly , which is still in use, as well as other reduplicatives that are rarely seen outside the plays. Recent additions to the genre include the chick-flick, a film geared towards women. Here are some common reduplicatives. Repeating the same word: ack-ackaye-ayebang-bangberiberibonbonboo-boobye-byecha-chachoo-choochop chopfroufrougoody goodyha-hahush hushmuumuunight-nightno-nopapapawpaw Rhyming: airy-fairyargy-bargyartsy-fartsyboo hooboogie-woogiebow-wow easy-peasyfuddy-duddyhanky-pankyheebie-jeebieshelter-skelter higgledy-piggledyhocus-pocushodge-podgehoity-toity itsy-bitsyjeepers creepersmumbo-jumbonamby-pamby nitty grittyokey-dokeysuper-duperwilly-nilly Vowel changes: chit-chatclip clopcriss-crossdilly-dallyding-dongflim-flamflip-flophip-hopknick-knackmish-mashping pongpitter-patterriff-raffriprapsee-sawshilly-shallytick tocktittle-tattle zigzag Feel free to add your own in the comments. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Useful Stock Phrases for Your Business Emails34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better WriterList of Prefixes and Suffixes and their Meanings

Global Leadership and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Factors Contributing to the Growth of Enterprise and Small Business Essay Example for Free

Factors Contributing to the Growth of Enterprise and Small Business Essay For example: In USA small businesses represents 99. 7% of all employers, it represents 26% of America’s exports and they create 80% new jobs each year. Growth and success of a business can be measured on many different variables which also includes annual turnover, profit and employment growth. As in other businesses small businesses have been helped by factors which had contributed to its growth. Growth in small businesses has been aided by policy measures by the government which has supported these small businesses, the macro-economic factors, industry factors and firm-specific factors. Having the intention, the ability to setup and grow, getting the right opportunity, easy access to finance, favorable rules and regulations and market conditions which are aimed at small businesses have also led to the growth of these businesses. People are motivated to start their own business where they have greater control of the business, can stay independent , can manage the business in their own way, the financial freedom, the potential income they can earn as their aims are to reach the top of the table, the amount of financial gains they achieve and the joy of winning which is driving factors for the entrepreneurs as it helps satisfy their achievement instincts. Everybody wants to be their own boss and this is also one of the factors for starting up your own business. Lucy Martin, author of â€Å"Make it your Business† said â€Å"Whatever your situation, there is likely to be a combination of ‘push’ factors (propelling you out of current jobs and situations) and ‘pull’ factors (which attract you to self employment)†. Countries with low income or in developing countries more small businesses are being setup because of the push factor as there is a high number of unemployment and people are forced to start-up their own business. In high income countries or developed countries small businesses are increasing due to the pull factor as more and ore people are interested in setting up their own business go become independent. [pic] Sometimes businesses fail or people get frustrated and it is at this time that they need to remind themselves what motivated them to start their own business and this motivation and dedication has led to their growth and success. According to Schumpeter entrepreneur is an innovator as h e/she brings about a change and introduces new technological processes or products and brings in new ideas which are necessary for a business to grow. He also said that only certain people have the ability to become an entrepreneur and to perform extraordinary tasks. Small businesses are the ones that tend to grow faster than large businesses. They indicate higher number of employment growth. Small businesses accounts for more than 50% of the employers in European Economies. France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Germany and UK are the leading economies of the European Union where small Businesses have been thriving for the past two decades and where small businesses accounts for more than 50% of the total employment. In Greece small businesses accounts for as much as 86% of the number of people employed. In 1998, a charter for small business was adopted by European Council which has helped in the huge number of growth in small businesses. Banks are the main source of lending for small businesses and they depend a lot on them for support and cooperation. HSBC was one of the banks which started recognizing small businesses as one of main force in the economy. In UK small business employ about 12 million people so as to recognize and reward these small businesses HSBC launched an award in 1997 Known as â€Å"HSBC small business of the year Award†. HSBC started a new loan program called â€Å"SMALL BUSINESS LOAN† which was quick and easy to arrange loan facility for long term use and had many key benefits. Customers can choose to make their first repayment either one month after taking the borrowing or defer the first repayment until three months after drawing down the loan, Customers had the flexibility to choose the repayment period which was between 12 months and 10 years, the interest rate and repayments will be fixed for the life of the loan. HSBC recently launched a $5 billion working capital fund to ensure small businesses had access to credit during the current economic crisis. In 2008 alone more than 32,000 small businesses have switched to HSBC because of higher lending fees and banks reluctant to extend loans. Growth of small businesses depends on the type of business they are doing, location of the business (a retail shop should be better placed in the residential area) and most importantly the ownership of the business. Governments in some countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia) have gone as far as allocating lands to small business owners; small businesses are encouraged to setup as the government provides 5 years of tax free operation to businesses with potential growth and they provide financial assistance with low interest rates as well as assign a team to monitor the growth of the businesses. Rental and electricity charges are lower for small firms and the government is also getting small construction businesses to get involved in the construction industry by giving them subcontracts for some of the projects. In UK the government started a programme called â€Å"The Business Support Simplification Programme (BSSP)† which aims to make it easier for small companies and entrepreneurs to understand and access government funded grants, subsidies and advice with which to start and grow their businesses. Small Businesses were given incentives and taxes were lowered so as to help them setup. Setting up of this programme had a huge influence on the growth of small Businesses. In March 2008 the Government launched the Enterprise Strategy. The Strategy’s vision is to make the UK the most enterprising economy in the world and the best place to start and grow a business. It was designed to unbolt the entrepreneurship talents in UK, provide a boost to enterprise knowledge and skills, support new and existing small business getting access to funding for start-up and growth and decrease the burden of regulations in place particularly for small firms. The government wants a culture of enterprise and business innovation which will have a great effect on the economic growth. This new strategy has strengthened the Government upport to small businesses and has allowed SME’s to set up more easily and with a proper regulatory body monitoring the growth. Small Businesses are flexible, more focused, specialized and creative and these are some of the reasons why there is an increase in the number of small businesses . Flexibility is what drives some people to start their own business. For example: (if a person is exper t in any subject, field or have some extraordinary skills he/she can work as a consultant where the work timings are set by him/her self and the amount of time spent also). Growth in business demands creativity. It is what will separate you from the competition. A business had to be different as this is the best way to create awareness. Being different and greater creativity are also the factors which has influenced the growth of small businesses. Being innovative and inventing new things is also a factor which drives people to start their own business. People would have some different business idea of doing something in a different way and this leads to creativity and innovation. Small businesses are easy to setup as the cost of starting up is not very high. Government supports the setup of small business because they want to break the monopoly in the market and there will be a decrease in the number of unemployed as more and more people will become self-employed. Lower opportunity cost also attracts people towards entrepreneurship. Economies with high unemployment can be pushed towards entrepreneurship. Examples are Brazil and India. Some people would like to pursue a particular desire or hobby so they enter in to entrepreneurship, it can be leisure driven and it gives flexibility to the owner as there can be work-life balance. More and more specialized people are starting their own business in the field they specialize as they can deliver better services and products. Specializing in a particular product or service gives you the upper hand in the market you are in as you will have the skills and knowledge of the product you are manufacturing or selling. Specialization has also led professional people or extra ordinary skilled people in to starting up their own business. Gaining inspiration from famous entrepreneurs have also led to the factor that people are ready to start up their own business thinking one day they might be like Donald Trump, Hugh Heffner or Richard Branson. Becoming famous and wanting to be recognized in the world is also a strong feeling which had pulled people towards entrepreneurship as there is a strong desire attached with it to pursue their perceived goals. Gaining fame and recognition is one of the strong factors which have led people to start their own business. In general, I conclude by saying that small businesses have been growing because they thrive for independence and the owners usually have a feel good factor while running their own business. It gives them a chance to show the level of creativity in them as they won’t be able to do so while working in other companies. Small Businesses are the key to innovation and without their support the economy would fail drastically. Growth of Small Businesses can be affected due to the current economic crisis but government and banks should support and back small businesses to survive this crisis. Banks like HSBC are already committed to supporting small businesses in this economic crisis and as more and more people getting unemployed governments should give incentives and grants and promote the setup of new businesses and provide assistance and advice on main issues surrounding the small businesses. Small Businesses are not always successful but having proper business idea and creative mind plus knowledge of market will help the entrepreneurs in getting their business on the right track. As SCHUMPTER proposed that it was the exceptional creative drive of independent entrepreneurs that led to the introduction of radical new products and the creation of new industries. This radical drive to invent, innovate and create something which is new to everyone has been one of the major factors in the growth of Small and medium sized businesses (SME’s).

The Horrific Ending to Poes The Cask of Amontillado :: Cask Amontillado Essays

The Horrific Ending to Poe's The Cask of Amontillado End of the story is horrifying and shocking: Montresor traps and entombs living Fortunato behind the brick wall. The victim cries to the executioner: "For the love of God"(Poe, 214) but the only respond is ironical repeat of his own words. The story contains very strong and drastic images. Live burial practice is beyond any critic and "was once a practiced form of capital punishment. The historical context of this practice may indicate that Fortuanto wounded profoundly his friend. This wound must have been remembered and reconsidered since the end of the story reveals narrator's very strong emotions: hidden hatred, and cold anger. "Montresor implies that his rival, a member of the Freemasons, is responsible for his loss of status, happiness, love, and respect: "You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was"(Platinzky, par 3). But this is a very vague explanation because the author doesn't give and specific details. When he completes his revenge plan he seems to be satisfied with his deed, and words "In pace requiescat" (Poe, 244) sarcastically emphasize his feelings and thoughts. It is difficult to determine what is more drastic: Fortunato's death, atmosphere of something unexpected, horrible, mysterious, and insincerity, false words, and betrayal, sarcasm, ironic, and pretended politeness, cold, calculated hatred. All of these images reveal the sophisticated cruelty of the protagonist. On the other side did Fortunato really do what he was accused of? Did Montresor was really right in his claims? If so, why Fortuanto was naive enough to accompany his enemy in the trip to vaults, to drink wine? Wine is a symbol of joy, consent, friendship, and companionship, but in this story is a very painful sign of betrayal. Maybe Montresor enlarged in his imagination Fortunato's real (or imagined) faults? Perhaps this entire story cover indirectly difficult problem of false, because both protagonists were ve ry insincere persons. In this context the end of the story shows that both dishonest protagonists failed, even Montresor, who achieved his goal. The end of the story is truly scary, and the most noticeable impression is the strength of hatred, negative emotions and feelings towards Fortuanto. I think that this kind of emotion is very destructive for a person who experiences it.

John Locke and Immanuel Kant Essay

We are here concerned with the relationship between the human mind, somatic-sensory perceptions, objects of perception, and claims of knowledge arising from their interaction, through the philosophies of John Locke and Immanuel Kant. Confounding the ability to find solid epistemological ground, philosophers have, generally speaking, debated whether ‘what’ we know is prima facie determined by the objective, as-they-are, characteristics of the external world 1(epistemological realism) or if the mind determines, as-it-is, the nature of objects through its own experiential deductions (epistemological idealism). The purpose of this paper is to use the synthetical approach of Immanuel Kant, who utilizes a logical schematization of cognition along with experience (transcendental idealism), in the attaining of knowledge, to criticize Locke’s claims against innate ideas, and subsequently, origin and attainment of knowledge. In the first part of this paper, I will explain the major differences which distinguish epistemological realism and idealism. This disambiguation of philosophical jargon is to allow the reader to understand why the debate exists, how it impacts what human’s claims as ‘knowledge’, and whether or not the debate has any contemporary philosophical importance. This last feature is a relevant aspect of the debate since ‘knowledge’ applies to a great many areas of human life, including, but not limited to, the sciences, morality and ethics, and aesthetics. In the second part of this paper, I will outline Kant’s idealism, otherwise known as, transcendental idealism. This section will lay out the terminology in Kant’s epistemology which will act as a backdrop for comparing and contrasting the theory of Locke. This section will also describe the foundation of Kant’s epistemological claims. As mentioned in the introduction, the mind, the somatic-sensory perceptions, and objects of perception are to be accounted for in the debate between idealism and realism. Thus, the second part of the paper will conclude with an understanding of how knowledge arises under the rubric of Kant’s transcendental idealism. The third part of this paper is then dedicated to providing an account of Lockean innate knowledge and its place in our epistemological enquiry. It is presumed that several deficiencies, to be discussed, are apparent in Locke’s epistemological realism without the use of innate ‘ideas’. These deficiencies, however, are percolated only in light of the Kantian juxtaposition for which this section serves the purpose. In the final part of this paper, I will conclude that while Locke’s epistemological theories h ave had a great influence on the progress of epistemology, especially as a critique against rationalism, the idea of no innate ideas impressed upon the mind prior to experience ultimately leads Lockean realism to base claims that all knowledge arises solely from experience as inexhaustively question-begging without Kant’s transcendentalism. Dealing with the problems of realism and idealism can be seen in humans as young as three years old. Although it may not be so apparent to parents at the time, when a child asks, â€Å"How do you know that? † they are challenging the method in which a person uses to ‘know’ what they know. However, children, like philosophers, might not be satisfied with the first answer and continue with a meta-inquiry: â€Å"How do you know that? † While this interrogative approach to understanding the world can be frustrating it does illuminate a particular problem in reasoning, generally. That is, at some point we are forced to answer, vacuously, â€Å"I know, because I know. † However, the persistent child philosopher can rebut with, â€Å"How do you know that you know? The problems intrinsic to the line of questioning above demonstrate a broad epistemological problem. To solve the problem philosophers have sought out ways in order to make ‘what we know’ or explaining ‘how we know’ a bit more reliable or certain. That is, to provide an answer to our inquisitive three year old that breaks the meta-inquiry of knowable certitude. Knowledge, however, is a little tricky because there is an identity problem between the world and the ideas, or tho ughts, in our minds. In making claims of knowledge we must presume certain things are true. To say that you know something assumes that you (1) believe the world represented in your mind is exactly as it is whether you perceive it or not and what we have to say about the world must correspond to the way the world is perceived, (2) the world gives us information about objects, which can be accurate, but our minds are the final decision makers about the nature of those objects which can lead to skepticism, or (3) there is nothing stable about the appearances of the world as presented to our minds, and what we know is solely the product of collective reflection, otherwise known as easoning. In the context of my thesis, it could be argued that if a set of instructions were provided, such as innate ideas in the mind, these three broad, epistemological viewpoints would be narrowed down to one. The first assumption, (1), is the philosophical position known, broadly, as epistemological realism. The second assumption, (2), is more of a dualism in that it is believed there is enough perceived objectivity in the world to have some certain knowledge of it, but it is still subjected to our experiential bias (intuition plays a more integral role in this doctrine). This is a kind of realism in that certain properties about the objects we perceive are unalterable or indisputable since they would retain those characteristics whether or not they are observed. The third position is epistemological idealism. This position holds, generally, that knowledge is not a product of the nature of objects, but instead, derived from the nature of the mind. In other words, the certainty of knowledge is granted through the nature of the mind found within the species deliberating over certain claims. As mentioned, the debate between idealism and realism does have, beyond satisfying the curiosity of toddlers, implications in other areas of philosophy. It is not the focus of this paper, but an example that illustrates potential problems is that of ethics and morality. In epistemological realism, it may be the case that certain acts produce pain in humans, but there is nothing, it is alleged, which a person can point to in the world that would verify this (kind of) pain as bad, good, rightly, wrongly imposed. In other words, epistemological realism holds that we can know facts about the way the world is because our mind is receptive and capable of reproducing them accurately in our minds, but it is another thing to try to extrapolate from these facts/experiences a particular value/meaning to attach to prescriptive claims. In the extreme case, an epistemological realist might claim that all rules of morality are completely made up and merely appeal to our feelings about facts, but we cannot know for certain. As for idealism, morality appears as a less problematic discourse since the very proprietor of knowledge is that which is arbitrating over moral disputes. However, the kind of facts and/or values which moral claims arise, for idealists, are of a strictly theoretical nature and can be said to carry as much empirical or logical certainty as those doubted in the case of realism. At best they are egocentric and/or egotistic. Even in contemporary debates, which diverge subtly from the philosophies this paper examines, the entailment of moral truths from realist or idealist doctrines remains unsolved. In some cases, such as Marxist philosophy, there can be a real confusion about which doctrine actually prevails. The Communist rule of Stalin and Mao is arguably a perversion of epistemological realism for what was actually and indiscernibly expressed as an idealist project. It was in the Critique of Pure Reason that the philosopher Immanuel Kant attempted to settle the problem of epistemological certainty and skepticism. Recalling the relationship between the mind, objects of the world, our perceptive apparatuses, and knowledge, Kant opens up the Critique of Pure Reason with two allusive statements[1]: (1) â€Å"†¦no knowledge our ours is antecedent to experience, but begins with it. † (2) â€Å"†¦though all of our knowledge begins with experience, it by no means follows that all arises out of experience. † Situating these two phrases within the context of realism and idealism requires parsing out the some key phrases within these statements. The first key phrase or term is â€Å"begins. † Kant tells us that â€Å"knowledge begins with experience. † That is, in order to say â€Å"I know,† one must first have an object which makes some kind of sensory impression on the mind. [2]â€Å"For how is it possible,† Kant asks, â€Å"that the faculty of cognition should be awakened into exercise otherwise by means of objects which affect our senses†¦so to convert the raw material of our sensuous impressions into a knowledge of objects? It is, therefore, objects in the world that first supply us with the â€Å"raw material† for ‘beginning’ the process of attaining knowledge; the term ‘process’ is important here, because the two statements above allude to two different kinds of knowledge. It is not the case, claims Kant, all knowledge is a direct derivative of compounding impressions of raw data. For Kant, and this point lays the foundation of idealism, the mind plays a much more integral role in determining how those impressions are arranged in pre-conscious faculties. This difference plays an important role in the realism/idealism debate since the relationship between the minds’ functioning and knowledge claims depends upon disassociating two different kinds of demonstrations: (1) a method of proving what is known, (2) the acquisition of knowledge. More specifically, the debate between realism and idealism must in some ways reconcile itself with knowledge claims that are a priori and/or a posteriori. The former refers to rationalized knowledge which is universal, necessary and independent of experience (though this last condition, as we will see, is not so clear in Kant’s idealism). The latter is empirical knowledge which is acquired directly through our sensory perception and is validated by the relationship between what is stated and the way the world appears to be. For example, the claim that ‘snow is cold’ is a posteriori since the concept of ‘cold’ is not directly related to ‘snow’ independent of human experience. What is a priori knowledge is the fundamental subject of Kant’s transcendental idealism. According to Kant, a priori knowledge is not just about a method of proof, but also about how we attain a priori knowledge. As mentioned above, Kant is concerned with not only the knowledge that comes from experience, but also knowledge that arises from experience. That is, Kant seeks to settle how a priori knowledge, knowledge that lends epistemological certitude regarding to certain claims, is attained and verified without relying on facts about an external world. It is here that we see explicitly how a priori knowledge and epistemological idealism are integral and linked to the realism/idealism discussion; a priori knowledge is attained through a logical rationalization of concepts about objects that does not require a direct experience of them. In other words, a priori knowledge is knowledge which, according to Kant, begins with experience, but does not necessarily arise from that experience. To unpack this influx of these epistemological connections, it will be instructive to begin with what Kant calls the Transcendental Aesthetic. There is, states Kant, an arrangement to the mind which makes experience possible. This arrangement, or what Kant calls ‘schematism’ not only makes experience possible, but it also limits the scope of possible experiences. To refocus, Kant’s position is that space and time are the two most fundamental conditions for having an experience. All objects which are presented to the mind are done so, necessarily, in time and in space. It is important to recall that objects of perception/experience make impressions on the mind which is done through any or all of the five senses. This means that space and time, in order to be objects of the external world, must possess the property of being sensible. But if space is the condition for which objects are experienced, then space can only exist because space exists (this kind of paradox is addressed in the Antinomies). The same applies to time. Kant, therefore, purports that space and time are mere formal conditionings of objects via the minds operation providing, at the same time, the possibility of experience and experiential limitations. The upshot for Kant is that he loses nothing with this claim. The reality of space and time, as external objects, would lend no more validity to knowledge claims since the properties of space and time are necessary conditions for experience. Thus, making knowledge claims do not change whether space and time are properties of realist or idealist doctrines. In addition, Kant avoids the paradoxes which arise from claiming space and as objects of external reality by placing them as antecedent conditions for experience, as is needed, in the mind. This leads us to what Kant calls ‘synthetical’ claims a priori. By placing objects in space and in time there are going to be properties pertaining to the relations of objects to other objects and properties of objects that will follow the logic of being so represented. When Kant says that knowledge can arise from experience he is referring to the synthetical claims a priori which are determined by the logic of space and time as formal conditions for experiential representations. This is how Kant is able to famously answer how ‘every change has cause’ is necessary without realist fact. Kant admits that change is something that must be experienced, but change is an experience in space and in time. Since time is represented as a succession or the proceeding of an object through/from time t1 to time t2, and change is a relation of cause and effect, and since a cause cannot be its effect (see the paradox of space and time being the conditions of their own existence above), then once we are able to experience an event as ‘change’ in relation to an object (in time and space), we can, and with no further experience, strictly use the concepts of ‘cause’, ‘event’, and ‘change’, to make the a priori claim that ‘every change has a cause’; note, not just a change, or some changes, but every change has a cause. In other words, because of Kant’s transcendental idealism, we are logically justified in attaching certain knowledge of properties and relations in and between objects beyond what is provided by what we know a posteriori.

Native American Tribes in Virginia and Powhatan the Powhatan

The Powhatan (also spelled Powatan and Powhaten), is the name of a Virginia Indian[1] tribe. It is also the name of a powerful group of tribes which they dominated. It is estimated that there were about 14,000-21,000 of these native Powhatan people in eastern Virginia when the English settled Jamestown in 1607. [2] They were also known as Virginia Algonquians, as they spoke an eastern-Algonquian language known as Powhatan.In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a mamanatowick (paramount chief)[3] named Wahunsunacawh created a powerful organization by affiliating 30 tributary peoples, whose territory was much of eastern Virginia, called Tsenacommacah (â€Å"densely-inhabited Land†),[4] Wahunsunacawh came to be known by the English as â€Å"Chief Powhatan. † Each of the tribes within this organization had its own weroance (chief), but all paid tribute to Chief Powhatan. [5] After Chief Powhatan's death in 1618, hostilities with colonists escalated under the chiefdom of his brother, Opechancanough, who sought in vain to drive off the encroaching English.His large-scale attacks in 1622 and 1644 met strong reprisals by the English, resulting in the near elimination of the tribe. By 1646 what is called the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom by modern historians had been largely destroyed. In addition to the ongoing conflicts with the ever-expanding English settlements and their inhabitants, the Powhatan suffered a high death rate due to infectious diseases, maladies introducted to North America by the Europeans to which the Native Americans of the United States had developed no natural immunities.By this time, the leaders of the colony were desperate for labor to develop the land. Almost half of the English and European immigrants arrived as indentured servants. As colonial expansion continued, the colonists imported growing numbers of enslaved Africans for labor. By 1700 the colonies had about 6,000 black slaves, one-twelfth of the population. It was commo n for black slaves to escape and join the surrounding Powhatan; white servants were also noted to have joined the Indians.Africans and whites worked and lived together; some natives also intermarried with them. After Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, the colony enslaved Indians for control. In 1691 the House of Burgesses abolished Indian slavery; however, many Powhatan were held in servitude well into the 18th century. [6] In the 21st century, eight Indian tribes are recognized by the state as having ties with the original Powhatan complex chiefdom. [7] The Pamunkey and Mattaponi are the only two peoples who have retained reservation lands from the 17th century. 5] The competing cultures of the Powhatan and English settlers were united temporarily through the marriage of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. Their son Thomas Rolfe was the ancestor of many Virginians; thus, many of the First Families of Virginia have both English and Virginia Indian[1] ancestry. History [edit] Naming and terminology T he name â€Å"Powhatan† is believed to have originated as the name of the village or town that Wahunsunacawh came from. The official title Chief Powhatan used by the English is believed to have been derived from the name of this location.Although the specific situs of his home village is unknown, in modern times, the Powhatan Hill neighborhood in the East End portion of the modern-day city of Richmond, Virginia is thought by many to be in the general vicinity of the original village. Tree Hill Farm, which is situated in nearby Henrico County a short distance to the east, is also considered as the possible site. â€Å"Powhatan† was also the name used by the natives to refer to the river where the town sat at the head of navigation. The English colonists chose to name it instead for their own leader, King James I.Many features in the early years of the Virginia Colony were named in honor of the king, as well as his three children, Elizabeth, Henry, and Charles. Although portions of Virginia's longest river upstream from Columbia were much later named for Queen Anne of Great Britain, in modern times, it is called the James River. It extends from Hampton Roads westerly to the confluence of the Jackson River and Cowpasture River near the town of Clifton Forge. (The Rivanna River, a tributary of the James River, and Fluvanna County, each survive as named in legacy to Queen Anne).However, the only water body in Virginia to retain a name which honors the Powhatan peoples is Powhatan Creek, located in James City County near Williamsburg. Powhatan County and its county seat at Powhatan, Virginia were honorific names established years later, in locations west of the area populated by the Powhatan peoples. The county was formed in may, 1777. [edit] Complex chiefdom Likewise, perhaps more significant misnomers are the terms â€Å"Powhatan Confederacy† and â€Å"Powhatan Confederation. This grouping of tribes is clearly not best-defined in modern terms as a confederacy. That word is generally thought of as a grouping of entities each with greater individual power than the group when united. In many uses, a confederacy is distinctly different in structure from a centralized greater power than the parts, such as the current federal structure of the United States. Many historians attribute to a minor level the failure of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War in part to the weakness of the central government in comparison to the Union. It is important for a reader to note that most historians do not consider this difference as one of the major weaknesses leading to the Southern loss. However, the term Confederacy has become associated with the principal of states' rights versus the central U. S. government). Using the word â€Å"confederacy† to define the Powhatan tribes extant in 1607 can therefore, be misleading when seeking to understand these people, their governments and their culture. It is true that the various tribes each held some individual powers locally.Each had a chief known as a weroance (male) or, more rarely, a weroansqua (female), meaning â€Å"commander,† [8]. As of 2010, we do not know to what degree most of the various tribes belonged to the group by choice or perhaps by coercion or even greater force. As early as the era of John Smith of Virginia, the individual tribes of this grouping were clearly recognized by the English as falling under the greater authority of the centralized power (whatever it is labeled) led by the chiefdom of Chief Powhatan (c. June 17, 1545 – c. 1618), whose proper name was Wahunsenacawh or (in 17th century English spelling) Wahunsunacock. 9]. At the time of the 1607 English Settlement at Jamestown, he ruled primarily from Werowocomoco, which was located on northern shore of the York River. This location of Werowocomoco, itself only rediscovered in the early 21st century, was very central to locations of the various tr ibes. The improvements discovered during archaeological research at Werowocomoco have reinforced the paramount chiefdom of Chief Powhatan over the other tribes in the power hierarchy. Such issues in other cultures and the definitions are covered at some length by author Robert L.Carneiro in his 1981 work on anthropology, The Chiefdom: Precursor of the State. The Transition to Statehood in the New World. The center of power held by Chief Powhatan (and his several successors) is much more concisely defined as a â€Å"complex chiefdom. † [10] To refer to this complex chiefdom, the term â€Å"Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom† has become favored. Over time, this and other revisions to the knowledge and information available about the Powhatan peoples native to Virginia will undoubtedly be made as research work at Werowocomoco and elsewhere continues in the 21st century. See also: Werowocomoco edit] Chief Powhatan builds his chiefdom Wahunsunacawh had inherited control over just six tribes, but dominated more than thirty by the time the English settlers established their Virginia Colony at Jamestown in 1607. The original six constituent tribes in Wahunsunacock's group were: the Powhatan (proper), the Arrohateck, the Appamattuck, the Pamunkey, the Mattaponi, and the Chiskiack. He added the Kecoughtan to his fold by 1598. Some other affiliated groups included the Youghtanund, Rappahannocks, Moraughtacund, Weyanoak, Paspahegh, Quiyoughcohannock, Warraskoyack, and Nansemond.Yet another closely related tribe in the midst of these others, all speaking the same language, was the Chickahominy, who managed to preserve their autonomy from the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom. In his famous work Notes on the State of Virginia (1781–82), Thomas Jefferson estimated that the Powhatan Confederacy occupied about 8,000 square miles (20,000 km2) of territory, with a population of about 8,000 people, of whom 2400 were warriors. [11] Later scholars estimated the population o f the paramountcy[clarification needed] as 15,000. [edit] The English settlers in the land of the Powhatan John Smith taking the King of Pamunkey prisoner', a fanciful image of Opechancanough from Smith's General History of Virginia (1624). The image of Opechancanough is based on a 1585 painting of another native warrior by John White[1] The Powhatan Confederacy were the Indians among whom the English made their first permanent settlement in North America. This contributed to their downfall. Conflicts began immediately; the English colonists fired shots as soon as they arrived (due to a bad experience they had with the Spanish prior to their arrival). Within two weeks of the English arrival atJamestown, deaths had occurred. The settlers had hoped for friendly relations and had planned to trade with the Virginia Indians for food. Captain Christopher Newport led the first English exploration party up the James River in 1607, when he met Parahunt, weroance of the Powhatan proper. The E nglish initially mistook him for the paramount Powhatan (mamanatowick), who was in fact his father, Wahunsunacawh. On a hunting and trade mission on the Chickahominy River in December 1607, Captain John Smith, later president of the colony, was captured by Opechancanough, the younger brother of Wahunsunacawh.Smith became the first Englishman to meet the paramount chief, Powhatan. According to Smith's account, Pocahontas, Wahunsunacawh's daughter, prevented her father from executing Smith. Some researchers have asserted that a mock execution was a ritual intended to adopt Smith into the tribe, but other modern writers dispute this interpretation. They point out that nothing is known of 17th-century Powhatan adoption ceremonies. They note that an execution ritual is different from known rites of passage.Other historians, such as Helen Rountree, have questioned whether there was any risk of execution. They note that Smith failed to mention it in his 1608 and 1612 accounts, and only add ed it to his 1624 memoir, after Pocahontas had become famous. In 1608, Captain Newport realized that Powhatan's friendship was crucial to the survival of the small Jamestown colony. In the summer of that year, he tried to â€Å"crown† the paramount Chief, with a ceremonial crown, to make him an English â€Å"vassal. [12] They also gave Powhatan many European gifts, such as a pitcher, feather mattress, bed frame, and clothes. The coronation went badly because they asked Powhatan to kneel to receive the crown, which he refused to do. As a powerful leader, Powhatan followed two rules: â€Å"he who keeps his head higher than others ranks higher,† and â€Å"he who puts other people in a vulnerable position, without altering his own stance, ranks higher. † To finish the â€Å"coronation†, several English had to lean on Powhatan's shoulders to get him low enough to place the crown on his head, as he was a tall man.Afterwards, the English might have thought that Powhatan had submitted to King James, whereas Powhatan likely thought nothing of the sort. [13] In fact, only by being warned beforehand by a sympathizing servant, was an assassination plot led by braves averted (the British also refused to let the natives take their muskets for â€Å"safekeeping†). [citation needed] After John Smith became president of the colony, he sent a force under Captain Martin to occupy an island in Nansemond territory and drive the inhabitants away. At the same time, he sent another force with Francis West to build a fort at the James River falls.He purchased the nearby fortified Powhatan village (present site of Richmond, Virginia) from Parahunt for some copper and an English servant named Henry Spelman, who wrote a rare firsthand account of the Powhatan ways of life. Smith then renamed the village â€Å"Nonsuch†, and tried to get West's men to live in it. Both these attempts at settling beyond Jamestown soon failed, due to Powhatan resistan ce. Smith left Virginia for England in October 1609, never to return, because of an injury sustained in a gunpowder accident.Soon afterward, the English established a second fort, Fort Algernon, in Kecoughtan territory. The Coronation of Powhatan, oil on canvas, John Gadsby Chapman, 1835 In November 1609, Captain John Ratcliffe was invited to Orapakes, Powhatan's new capital. After he had sailed up the Pamunkey River to trade there, a fight broke out between the colonists and the Powhatan. All of the English ashore were killed, including Ratcliffe, who was tortured by the women of the tribe. Those aboard the pinnace escaped and told the tale at Jamestown. During that next year, the tribe attacked and killed many Jamestown residents.The residents fought back, but only killed twenty. However, arrival at Jamestown of a new Governor, Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, (Lord Delaware) in June of 1610 signalled the beginning of the First Anglo-Powhatan War. A brief period of peace came on ly after the capture of Pocahontas, her baptism, and her marriage to tobacco planter John Rolfe in 1614. Within a few years both Powhatan and Pocahontas were dead. The Chief died in Virginia, but Pocahontas died while in England. Meanwhile, the English settlers continued to encroach on Powhatan territory.After Wahunsunacawh's death, his younger brother, Opitchapam, briefly became chief, followed by their younger brother Opechancanough. In 1622 and 1644 he attacked the English to force them from Powhatan territories. Both these attempts were met with strong reprisals from the English, ultimately resulting in the near destruction of the tribe. The Second Anglo–Powhatan War that followed the 1644 incident ended in 1646, after Royal Governor of Virginia William Berkeley's forces captured Opechancanough, thought to be between 90 and 100 years old.While a prisoner, Opechancanough was killed, shot in the back by a soldier assigned to guard him. He was succeeded as Weroance by Necoto wance, and later by Totopotomoi and by his daughter Cockacoeske. The Treaty of 1646 marked the effective dissolution of the united confederacy, as white colonists were granted an exclusive enclave between the York and Blackwater Rivers. This physically separated the Nansemonds, Weyanokes and Appomattox, who retreated southward, from the other Powhatan tribes then occupying the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck.While the southern frontier demarcated in 1646 was respected for the remainder of the 17th century, the House of Burgesses lifted the northern one on September 1, 1649. Waves of new immigrants quickly flooded the peninsular region, then known as Chickacoan, and restricted the dwindling tribes to lesser tracts of land that became some of the earliest Indian reservations. In 1665, the House of Burgesses passed stringent laws requiring the Powhatan to accept chiefs appointed by the governor. After the Treaty of Albany in 1684, the Powhatan Confederacy all but vanished.Red line s hows boundary between the Virginia Colony and Tributary Indian tribes, as established by the Treaty of 1646. Red dot on river shows Jamestown, capital of Virginia Colony. [edit] Capitals of the Powhatan people The capital village of â€Å"Powhatan† was believed to be in the present-day Powhatan Hill section of the eastern part of Richmond, Virginia, or perhaps nearby in a location which became part of Tree Hill Farm. Another major center of the confederacy about 75 miles (121 km) to the east was called Werowocomoco. It was located near the north bank of the York River in present-day Gloucester County.Werowocomoco was described by the English colonists as only 15 miles (24 km) as the crow flies from Jamestown, but also described as 25 miles (40 km) downstream from present-day West Point, measurements which conflict with each other. In 2003 archaeologists initiated excavations at a site in Gloucester County that have revealed an extensive indigenous settlement from about 1200 ( the late Woodland period) through the early Contact period. Work since then has added to their belief that this is the location of Werowocomoco. The site is on a farm bordering n Purtain Bay of the York River, about 12 nautical miles (22 km) from Jamestown. The more than 50 acres (200,000 m2) residential settlement extends up to 1,000 feet (300 m) back from the river. In 2004, researchers excavated two curving ditches of 200 feet (60 m) at the far edge, which were constructed about 1400 CE. In addition to extensive artifacts from hundreds of years of indigenous settlement, researchers have found a variety of trade goods related to the brief interaction of Native Americans and English in the early years of Jamestown.Around 1609, Wahunsunacock shifted his capital from Werowocomoco to Orapakes, located in a swamp at the head of the Chickahominy River, near the modern-day interchange of Interstate 64 and Interstate 295. Sometime between 1611 and 1614, he moved further north to Matchut, in present-day King William County on the north bank of the Pamunkey River, not far from where his brother Opechancanough ruled one of the member tribes at Youghtanund. [edit] Characteristics The Powhatan lived east of the fall line in Tidewater Virginia.They built their houses, called yehakins, by bending saplings and placing woven mats or bark over top of the saplings. They supported themselves primarily by growing crops, especially maize, but they also fished and hunted in the great forest in their area. Villages consisted of a number of related families organized in tribes led by a chief (weroance/werowance or weroansqua if female). They paid tribute to the paramount chief (mamanatowick), Powhatan. [3] According to research by the National Park Service, Powhatan â€Å"men were warriors and hunters, while women were gardeners and gatherers.The English described the men, who ran and walked extensively through the woods in pursuit of enemies or game, as tall and lean and possessed of handsome physiques. The women were shorter, and were strong because of the hours they spent tending crops, pounding corn into meal, gathering nuts, and performing other domestic chores. When the men undertook extended hunts, the women went ahead of them to construct hunting camps. The Powhatan domestic economy depended on the labor of both sexes. † [14] All of Virginia's natives practiced agriculture. They periodically moved their villages from site to site.Villagers cleared the fields by felling, girdling, or firing trees at the base and then using fire to reduce the slash and stumps. A village became unusable as soil productivity gradually declined and local fish and game were depleted. The inhabitants then moved on. With every change in location, the people used fire to clear new land. They left more cleared land behind. The natives also used fire to maintain extensive areas of open game habitat throughout the East, later called â€Å"barrens† by European colonis ts. The Powhatan also had rich fishing grounds.Bison had migrated to this area by the early 15th century. [15] [edit] The Powhatan people today [edit] State and federal recognition As of 2010, the state of Virginia has recognized eight Powhatan Indian-descended tribes in Virginia. Collectively, the tribes currently have 3,000-3,500 enrolled as tribal members. [16] It is estimated, however, that 3 to 4 times that number are eligible for tribal membership. [12] Two of these tribes, the Mattaponi and Pamunkey, still retain their reservations from the 17th century and are located in King William County, Virginia.Since the 1990s, the Powhatan Indian tribes which have state recognition, along with the other Virginia Indian tribe which has state recognition, have been seeking federal recognition. It has been a difficult process. They have been hampered by the lack of official records verifying heritage and by the historical misclassification of family members in the 1930s and 1940s, largel y a result of Virginia's state policy of race classification on official documents.After Virginia passed stringent segregation laws in the early 20th century and ultimately the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 which mandated every person who had any African heritage be deemed black, Walter Plecker, the head of Vital Statistics office, directed all state and local registration offices to use only the terms â€Å"white† or â€Å"colored† to denote race on official documents and thereby eliminated all traceable records of Virginia Indians. All state documents, including birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, tax forms and land deeds, thus bear no record of Virginia Indians.Plecker oversaw the Vital Statistics office in the state for several decades, beginning in the early 20th century, and took a personal interest in eliminating traces of Virginia Indians. As a follower of the eugenics movement and, by modern day standards, a white supremacist, Plecker fal sely surmised that there were no true Virginia Indians remaining as years of intermarriage has diluted the race. Over his years of service, he conducted a campaign to reclassify all bi-racial and multi-racial individuals as black, believing such persons were fraudulently attempting to claim their race to be Indian or white.The effect of his reclassification has been described by tribal members as â€Å"paper genocide†. Initially, the Virginia tribes' efforts to gain federal recognition encountered resistance due to federal legislators' concerns over whether gambling would be established on their lands if recognition were granted, as it would raise federal tax concerns and also casinos are illegal in Virginia. In March 2009, five of the state-recognized Powhatan Indian tribes and the one other state-recognized Virginia Indian tribe introduced a bill to gain federal recognition through an act of Congress. The bill, â€Å"The Thomasina E.Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act†, included a section forbidding the tribes from opening casinos, even if casinos became legal in Virginia. The House Committee on Natural Resources recommended the bill be considered by the US House of Representatives at the end of April, the House approved the bill on June 3, 2009. The bill was then sent to the Senate's Committee on Indian Affairs, who recommended it be heard by the Senate as a whole in October. On December 23, 2009, the bill was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under general orders, which is where the bill is currently.

Free Essays on Emilia Cost Lago

Emilia may be considered to be a minor character in Shakespeare’s Othello, she does seem to play a major role in the play. Emilia, the wife of the villainous Iago is a confusing character to follow throughout the play. Not only is she the wife of the villain, but her character is also the mistress of Desdemona. Shakespeare does a good job of incorporating her hot/cold character into the play before her death at the end of the play. Throughout much of the play Emilia’s character takes a backseat role before she makes her presence felt in act three. She is the attendant for Desdemona who had been secretly married to Othello before the start of the play, but is also the wife of Iago. (Her character is finally introduced to the audience in the middle of act two.) By the end of act two it is obvious that she is just a pawn in her husbands scheme. He convinces her to speak to Desdemona on the behalf of Cassio. Iago in his devious scheme never thinks twice about using his wife to set his plan in motion, which proves to be one of his downfalls. This may be because Iago suspects that his wife has slept with Othello, though he has no proof and is unwilling to confront either on the subject. Emilia who appears loyal to Desdemona, before her loyalty suddenly switches to her husband (when she gives him the handkerchief) has now established herself as an unknowing accomplice to her husband. She later betrays Desdem ona again, when she lies of the whereabouts of the handkerchief. As mentioned before Emilia serves more as a pawn in Iago’s scheme, but she begins to become an elusive character as the play continues. Her Jekyll and Hyde actions seem to only confuse the audience and help seal the long-term fate of Othello, Desdemona and herself. Her loyalty towards her husband is bizarre considering he has asked her to steal Othello’s handkerchief as many as a hundred times. Emilia later tries to convince Othello that Desdemona is leading a f... Free Essays on Emilia Cost Lago Free Essays on Emilia Cost Lago Emilia may be considered to be a minor character in Shakespeare’s Othello, she does seem to play a major role in the play. Emilia, the wife of the villainous Iago is a confusing character to follow throughout the play. Not only is she the wife of the villain, but her character is also the mistress of Desdemona. Shakespeare does a good job of incorporating her hot/cold character into the play before her death at the end of the play. Throughout much of the play Emilia’s character takes a backseat role before she makes her presence felt in act three. She is the attendant for Desdemona who had been secretly married to Othello before the start of the play, but is also the wife of Iago. (Her character is finally introduced to the audience in the middle of act two.) By the end of act two it is obvious that she is just a pawn in her husbands scheme. He convinces her to speak to Desdemona on the behalf of Cassio. Iago in his devious scheme never thinks twice about using his wife to set his plan in motion, which proves to be one of his downfalls. This may be because Iago suspects that his wife has slept with Othello, though he has no proof and is unwilling to confront either on the subject. Emilia who appears loyal to Desdemona, before her loyalty suddenly switches to her husband (when she gives him the handkerchief) has now established herself as an unknowing accomplice to her husband. She later betrays Desdem ona again, when she lies of the whereabouts of the handkerchief. As mentioned before Emilia serves more as a pawn in Iago’s scheme, but she begins to become an elusive character as the play continues. Her Jekyll and Hyde actions seem to only confuse the audience and help seal the long-term fate of Othello, Desdemona and herself. Her loyalty towards her husband is bizarre considering he has asked her to steal Othello’s handkerchief as many as a hundred times. Emilia later tries to convince Othello that Desdemona is leading a f...

Work! Study! Party!

Work! Study! Party! This article is all about opening up your mind to the possibility that you can work, study and party all on your own from the comfort of your home, frat house or dilapidated dorm room. In fact, all you really need to take care of the working part is a PC and an internet connection! Just imagine it. You make the money you need for partying and taking care of yourself while building your professional resume all on your own independently! No working in the cafeteria or slaving away as a teacher’s aide so all you can afford is the cheapest beer known to humankind! Welcome to the Future of Work In early August of 2013 oDesk announced that their online workplace reached the 1 billion dollar landmark. Yep, millions of people (not much unlike yourself) working from their own lives and at the speed of their own lifestyles from around the world helped oDesk earn 1 billion smackaroos! That’s nothing. Right now as you read this the estimated online workforce is worth 1 TRILLION. It’s so big and the marketplace has grown so fast it’s hard to really get any concrete numbers on just yet†¦ Here’s a pretty serious nugget though: â€Å"By 2018 online work is projected to be a $5B market.† Think about it. If you owned a big or small corporation right now and saw workforces on the local level shrinking and reeling under the rise of 21st century technology, wouldn’t you turn to hiring people online? 1. Global access to skilled workers 2. 24 hour productivity 3. Super-fast and efficient hiring process Need we go on? Within the year prior to releasing this information 2,389 different marketable skills were added to oDesk workplace. That’s just oDesk. Then there’s Elance and many other startups catering to YOU! Giving you a way to work with a PC from anywhere, at any time, and at any price. Here’s the three steps to getting started. Set up Your Website! Yes, you need a website. It’s no different than needing a toothbrush, smartphone or a car or any other modern technology. A website has become part and parcel to affluent life. Even if you don’t own (host) your own right now, you already probably have websites set up in your name on social media profiles: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Don’t take it too seriously, like what to name it. The point is to just get it started and think professionally. Your website will evolve as you do though. Just because you can post links on your Twitter profile doesn’t mean you’re tech-savvy. Once you set up your own web platform and begin growing it you learn a master’s worth of web-skills inside the first year or two even when you only use it passively. Establish a Service Provider Profile Optimize It What service can you provide via your computer? Name it. Create something new. There are thousands of current skill sets to choose from. There are hundreds upon hundreds of ways to make active and passive income online today. Many more will be created in the next few months from now as you read this. Here’s the trick though: you need to pick just one to three things and focus on them. Don’t try to make money 10 different ways while also chasing down a degree and a social life. It won’t work. It might work for a little while but eventually you’ll crash and burn. Try to pick one skill, for example if you’re an English Major you could write or edit things. If you study math you could offer to balance people’s books for them. Whatever. So, you’ve got your website on the side building and then you set up a service provider profile on oDesk-eLance or any other online work platform where people can hire you directly and you can begin collecting stats: jobs completed, logged hours (virtually), reviews, feedback and testimonials, a portfolio, etc. Optimize around your skills so that the people looking to hire you can find you and do so. Start Building Your Digital Name Right now, everything you do in life is building your name in both the real and virtual worlds. Simply Google your name to see what kind of presence you currently command. After you realize how powerful your online behavior is, you can steer it like a ship and create any virtual persona around your name that you like. It’s going to happen either way, so why not control it? You can begin making money within a few days to a few weeks. That’s the reality. It’s being done on by students on campuses all over the world right now. In fact, there are probably some students around you who are already doing it. They set their own rates, work for who they want, do what they want and work when they want. Get started. Begin actively building your brand, choose a small set of skills or ideally just one to focus on and begin growing in digital value. And, always keep your eye on the future!

Unit 2 discussion board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Unit 2 discussion board - Essay Example The cost of healthcare as it stands, remains one of the largest components of the economy of the United States of America, and the alarming aspect is that it is rising faster than the rate of inflation. Through Medicare and Medicaid the healthcare systems aims to provide relief to certain disadvantaged segments of citizens of the country. This responsibility of the government is only going to increase in a huge manner due to two factors that will have a severe impact on the finances required. The first is that the population in the country is aging, and the number of people above the sixty-five years barrier is increasing, as a result of the increased life expectancy. Coupled with this is the dramatic advances in medical technological and medical treatment procedures, which comes at a high economic cost. Finding the financial resources to meet the rising demand, and escalated costs of medical treatment is going to be challenging for the governments involved. (Ericson, G.) The government has tried to address the issue of finances facing the healthcare system by a two-pronged effort, which has led to its next two challenges. To reduce the financial burden on itself, the government has tried to increase the insurance coverage among the population. Nearly two-thirds of those that have no medical insurance are from low-income families. A large percentage of these are from either minority communities or are young adults. In addition it is seen that employers do not provide medical insurance to many low-income workers. Business enterprises are averse to taking on additional financial burdens in terms of medical insurance for all their employees, as they believe that their competitive edge is blunted by the burden of these extra financial commitments. The challenge that the government faces is to motivate and encourage the private industry to

Outline the key factors influencing viability of desirable development Essay

Outline the key factors influencing viability of desirable development in Croydon, and discuss how they might be effectively mediated by the local planning authority - Essay Example Lastly, are my recommendations of policies to the council and justify them. Urban planning is best defined as a form of state intervention in a development process dominated by the private sector (David, P.2). As David stated, any form of planning including bargaining, negotiation, controlling is in the purpose of producing a better urban environment for people living in the area. It is a means to achieve sustainable development including the use of scarce resources, better social inclusion, long-term economic growth, which ensures better lives for ourselves and a better environment for future generations (NPPF, 2012). Solving the existing physical and social issues by making relevant policies, planning authorities are participating into the market in the role of moderately improving the situation towards a more acceptable position. Croydon Unitary Development Plan was the development plan for the borough until the LDF comes into force in 2012. Croydon, as the largest London borough, has the highest population among all London boroughs. It has a wide variety of residential areas. The residential neighborhoods comprise distinct communities that focus on established centers. Croydon has a significant commercial city center, which is built in the purpose of regional, as well as national importance in the Vision 2020 for Croydon Metropolitan Center. It has a fully developed infrastructure including convenient traffic linking to London and efficient public transportation. UDP (2006) indicates, the development strategy takes the Croydons location, role in the economic activity, and present situation into account. The city needs to grow positively by providing a certain amount of housing to meet the market demand, a series of jobs to meet employment needs, and the implementation of the Vision 2020 for Croydon Metropolitan Centre. Meanwhile, the plan also looks for opportunities for fully development