Women In Umofia free essay sample

The book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, is about an African man named Okonkwo, who lives in Umuofia, a village in Nigeria. Okonkwo was, to his people, a great man. He had proved himself many a time to be the successful man that everyone expected him to be. However, Okonkwo gets himself exiled by killing a clansman, who happened to be Obguefi Ezeudus son. Ezeudu was a great elder, very famous in the village and was also very powerful. The vile act of killing a fellow clansman just furthered the conflict that arose in the story, the arrival and takeover of the missionaries, and complicated the story. Okonkwo fled to his mothers land for seven years, away from the European missionaries spreading Christianity and taking over the land. We all read about the men and their titles, but what about the women? What about their importance to the village? I noticed that the women arent trusted as much as the men are. We will write a custom essay sample on Women In Umofia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They are often questioned about imaginary sexual relations and adultery. Whereas the men get off with a slap on the wrist if they cheat on any of their wives. As a matter of fact, the men dont even get the slap on their wrist. One example of this distrust is the isa-ifi ceremony, on page 132, where a woman, if away for a long period of time, is questioned about whether she was unfaithful to her husband during her long leave. Her husbands sister questions the bride about her sexual relations after the man asked for her hand in marriage. In doing this ceremony, they blatantly show their distrust of the women of their village. The gwomen are treated like untrustworthy creatures, who are not even trusted enough to go out for a few days without people breathing down their necks, as shown in both the aforementioned ceremony and the weddings that take place in the book. This brings me to another point: the women are sold off like bags of flour if one man has enough money. Their parents, m ainly the father, line up suitors and wait to see who could offer enough money to buy their daughter. I believe that is unfair and sexist toward women in general. There is this one part in the book, on page 117, where a girl, Akueke I believe, is being married off. Her father says, We are giving you our daughter today. She will be a good wife to you. She will bear you nine sons like the mother of our town. The sexist nature of the men in the village is shown clearly through that statement; the men refer the women of the village as child merely bearers, rather than the human beings they are. Another point is really more about the book in general. Achebe makes the women seem frightened and scared half of the time. Like when the egwugwu, which are people who masquerade as the ancestral spirits of the village, jumped into the crowd, the women, who were standing in a circle, jumped away, shrieking and screaming. Also, they are too frightened to go into Agbalas shrine for fear of being ki lled. They are portrayed as frightened creatures that cant fend for themselves. It seems, wherever the author is from, they taught him to think that women are always scared, which is biased because he only knows the women in his life and not the women around the world. So, in conclusion, the village of Umuofia is extremely sexist and Achebe didnt portray the importance of women enough in his piece of work, in my opinion. Women are basically what keep the society together. Women bear children, they care for said children when they are but babes, and they, being the patient creatures they are, teach the children what they need to know in order to become successful in the world. Most everyone relies on men to teach their own children, but the women, if my above statements are correct, are more capable of said task. The women are more mature than men also. They do not feel the need to compete with each other and waste time on superfluous activities; including gambling and such. Imagine a world with only men, it would be chaos; sexually and mentally frustrated men who eventually go crazy and kill one another, further endangering the human species; since men cannot bear children, and there would be no women to accomplish said task. See? Women are the foundation of our society. So, I ask you, what about the women? Where will the world be in a few years if females continue to be treated this way?

The Psychological Effects of Divorce on Children Essays

The Psychological Effects of Divorce on Children Essays The Psychological Effects of Divorce on Children Essay The Psychological Effects of Divorce on Children Essay The Psychological Effects of Divorce on Children Dee Whitworth Angelina College Abstract Divorce can have many psychological effects on a child. When a marriage ends in divorce, a child of the marriage may view the divorce the same as if a parent has died. During the period following a parental separation a child may have feelings of denial, anxiety, abandonment, anger, guilt, depression and conflicts of loyalty. Because of the pain and emotional damage the child is sure to suffer, many parents stay in a dysfunctional marriage believing it is the best thing for their child. There are some cases where staying together for the sake of the child can actually be detrimental to the child. A parent can diminish the negative effects of a divorce by supporting and reassuring their children, before, during and after the separation. A parent can rebuild the child’s sense of security by reestablishing stability. If parents do not take the time to address the emotional needs of the child during the process of a divorce, parents can damage their relationship with their child and the emotional development of the child. Keywords: Divorce, Psychological effects, Children Divorce is a stressful time for every member of a family. The psychological effects of a child during this stressful time depend in part on the age of the child and the parents’ ability to control their emotions and to work together to sooth and reassure the child. Hetherington and Stanley-Hagan (1999) believe children in this age group are too young to understand what is happening. Even though these children may not understand what is happening between their parents, they may sense the distress their parents are feeling, and react negatively. According to Cohen (2002), â€Å"Infants and children younger than 3 years may reflect their caregivers’ distress, grief, and preoccupation; they often show irritability, increased crying, fearfulness, separation anxiety, sleep and gastrointestinal problems, aggression, and developmental regression† (p. 1019). The parents of a child in this age group need to work together to foster feelings of security in their child. According to Henning and Oldham (1977), Parents of pre-school hildren that establish consistent routines and reassure their children that they will not be abandoned are able to reestablish a child’s sense of security. Children that are four and five years of age sometimes feel that they are to blame for their parent’s divorce. They feel that if they had not been bad their parents would not be getting divorced. Additionally, children in this age group tend to believe that they can make their parents reconcile by being a good child. According to Henning and Oldham (1977), â€Å"Young children and pre-school children have an incomplete and confused understanding of what has caused such a radical change in the family routine† (p. 55). Cohen (2002) states that â€Å"At 4 to 5 years of age, children often blame themselves for the breakup and parental unhappiness, become more clingy, show externalizing behavior (acting out), misperceive the events of the divorce situation, fear that they will be abandoned, and have more nightmares and fantasies† (p. 1019). It has been implied that boys in this age group have a harder time adjusting to the divorce than young girls. According to Max (1970), the effects of an absent father are felt the most by boys aged four to six. Hetherington and Stanley-Hagen (1999) found that â€Å"Fathers involvement has been found to be greater with sons following divorce and to be more important for the development of boys than of girls† (p. 132). You could argue that the reason for this is because sons get their gender identify from their father, so the loss of a father affects a boy more than it does a girl. Parents can alleviate some of the anxiety of the child by allowing the father access to the child. If it is not possible for the father to maintain a close relationship with the child, due to violence or sexual abuse, the mother should take steps to find a suitable male role model to help her children, like a coach or scout leader (Sugar, 1970, p. 592). Gardner (1977) tells us that children often use a male teacher as a surrogate father figure. Adolescents and teenagers are more likely to openly show their anger toward their parents and become depressed during a divorce. They are more likely to act out by stealing, lying and becoming sexually promiscuous. These behaviors can lead the child to become pregnant or associate with other children who are also displaying delinquent behavior (Hetherington and Stanley-Hagan, 1999, p. 131). Cohen (2002) has stated that â€Å"School-aged children may be moody or preoccupied; show more aggression, temper, and acting out behavior; seem uncomfortable with gender identity; and feel rejected and deceived by the absent parent. School performance may decrease, and they may agonize about their divided loyalties and feel that they should be punished† (p. 1019). Adolescents and teenagers are often torn between their parents and show an alliance to one parent over the other parent. This alliance makes it difficult for the child to talk to one parent without feeling as if they are betraying their loyalty to the other parent. The alliance may also be utilized by the child to manipulate their parent (Henning @ Oldham, 1977, p. 56). Some children in this age group deal with their negative feelings by pulling away from their parents and becoming more independent. Hetherington and Stanley-Hagan (1999) found that â€Å"Some girls actually seem to be enhanced by dealing with the responsibilities, independence, and challenges associated with divorce in a supportive environment† (p. 132). Although some girls do seem to thrive after a divorce, they often grow into young women who set exceptionally high expectations for themselves, but still feel inadequate no matter how much they may accomplish. Although divorce has been found to enhancement some girls, it is rarely found that divorce has enhanced boys (Hetherington @ Stanley-Hagan, 1999, p. 132). Some parents maintain their unhappy marriage because they fear a divorce would negatively affect their child. In some cases, maintaining a turbulent marriage may be more detrimental to a child than an actual divorce (Rosen, 1977, p. 26). Additionally, â€Å"children adjust better in a harmonious single parent household that in an acrimonious two-parent household† (Hetherington @ Stanley-Hagan, 1999, p. 37). This confirms that a child can be negatively affected when parents try to stay together for the sake of the child. Rhona Rosen, M. A. , interviewed 92 children of divorce and found that â€Å"73 children stated in the strongest terms that they would not have chosen to have their parents stay together in conflict† (Rosen, 1977, p. 24). Parents who maintain a combative relationship for the sake of the child are actua lly hurting the child’s psychological development more than if they divorced. Hetherington and Stanley-Hagan (1999) believe â€Å"Children whose parents will later divorce is already showing problems in adjustment many years before the divorce† (p. 133). Children who are well adjusted before divorce are better able to adapt and navigate through the stressful time of divorce. Children who were poorly adjusted before a divorce continue having problems after a divorce and are at greater risk for adjustment problems in later life (Hetherington, 1999, p. 133). A lack of parental communication and guidance causes great distress to a child during a pending divorce. The paramount problem of children during the divorce process is that the adults involved in marital strife are not looking for ways in which to help their children adjust to the transition, but are searching for ways to implement their own personal life readjustment† (Henning @ Oldham, 1977, p. 56). Parents neglect to talk to their child the divorce because they fear giving too much informatio n would be detrimental to the child. This lack of information causes the child to blame themselves for the divorce or to come up with their own explanations for their parent’s divorce, which could be worse than the actual reasons for the divorce. According to Gardner (1977), â€Å"To deprive the children of information regarding the major issues that brought about the divorce can only produce distrust of the parents at a time when they are most in need of a trusting relationship† (p. 4). Couples that have friendly, cooperative relationships do not usually get divorced. When a relationship deteriorates and a couple decides to divorce, and there is a child involved, they need to put aside their hostilities and focus on the needs of the child. A child who is a product of divorce who has loving, supportive, communicative parents is more likely to be happy and social well adjusted. Alternatively, a child who is a product of divorce and has parents who remain combative and hostile is more likely to suffer depression and have dysfunctional relationships throughout their life. References Cohen, G. (2002). Helping Children and Families Deal With Divorce and Separation. American Academy of Pediatrics, 110(6), 1019-1023. Gardner, R. (1977). CHILDREN OF DIVORCE-SOME LEGAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 6(2), 3-6. Henning, J. , Oldham, J. (1977). CHILDREN OF DIVORCE: LEGAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CRISES. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 6(2), 55-58. Hetherington, E. , Stanley-Hagan, M. (1999). The Adjustment of Children with Divorced Parents: A Risk and Resiliency Perspective. Journal of Child Psychology Psychiatry Allied Disciplines, 40(1), 129-140. Rosen, R. (1977). CHILDREN OF DIVORCE: WHAT THEY FEEL ABOUT ACCESS AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE DIVORCE EXPERIENCE. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 6(2), 24-26. Sugar, M. (1970). CHILDREN OF DIVORCE. Pediatrics, 46(4), 588-595.

Intercultural Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Intercultural - Essay Example Interviewee: There are a lot of festivals in Russia but let me single out Maslenitsa. This is the pure Russian holiday which refers you back to the times of pagan. It is celebratory pre-Lenten tradition of Russia and habitually referred to as the pancake week. Every day of pancake week has a customary activity. Kids make themselves busy by playing games while the elders cook huge stacks of pancakes. The festival also consists of snowball fights, riding on swings, masquerades, sledding, and sleigh rides. In the festival, image of Maslenitsa is also burnt to usher in spring and return of the sun. Interviewee: Yes, I do enjoy life in America a lot. Things are just wonderful here. The most attractive part is that America has many diverse groups of people who live happily with one another and they have the right to condemn what is going wrong in government. Interviewee: Americans prefer more personal space as opposed to Russians. Russians like "close talkers" and they cannot move away when you are conversing, you can close in on Russians. Repeating "Im sorry" can make you appear untrusted in Russian culture. Just apologize once and then let actions show you mean it. This is not the case in

Research on Meth Addiction Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On Meth Addiction - Research Paper Example There were efforts to control them through regulation through the Food and Drug Administration as well as by law enforcement. However, these illicit drugs are still a part of our society, often having comorbidity with other aspects of crime, which disrupts our society. Methamphetamine is an extremely powerful narcotic. It has multiple ways of being ingested into the body. Sometimes, it is injected through the use of hypodermic needles, while other times it is snorted or smoked. Typically, snorting will have the quickest effect on the body due to the fact that methamphetamine is lipid soluble, which means it can interact past the blood brain barrier faster than any other route of administration. It was and still is the cause of many problems in relation to drug abuse in our society. It enslaves the user through powerful chemical drug dependence. This works because it changes the brain on a fundamental level. Freud was one of the first psychologists to say that humans operate on a plea sure principle. This rewarding pathway in the brain is known as the dopaminergenic reward pathway. Dopamine is one of the primary rewarding neurotransmitters in the brain and is responsible for regulating many actions such as hunger, sex, etc. Methamphetamine affects this system by causing a large increase in the amount of dopamine. This is why drug users feel such a high euphoric effect. The withdrawal effects of methamphetamine are also extremely unpleasant. Therefore, drug users self-administer more of the drug in order to not â€Å"crash†. As a result, they become chemically addicted. This occurs due to the fact that the brain rewires itself and does not secrete dopamine in the normal amounts of a person who does not use methamphetamine. Methamphetamine users comment that while they are not using the drug that there is a lack of feeling and everything seems grey. This is a primary motivator in encouraging the user to continue using the drug as a result of physiological re sponse. This physiological response is what drives the psychological and behavioral response. It works in both ways of classical and operant conditioning. Drug users learn that with the drug they will experience a state of euphoria. As a result, they develop not only the physiological dependence to the drug, but they also develop a psychological addiction. This in turn fuels other aspects of crime. Methamphetamine is common in all social classes, however it affects the lower classes the most. Often, many of these lower class citizens do not have a surplus income in order to fuel their drug addiction. Thus, they turn to other criminal activities in order to supply the income required to fuel their habit. This exposure to the drug often also causes problems among families. Methamphetamine can tear families apart and often leaves children with parents behind bars. Prostitution is also common for drug users in that they can take methamphetamine as collateral for sexual favors. The side effects of the use of methamphetamine are wide and varied. The fact that methamphetamine is a stimulant means that it promote a wide variety of anxiety and â€Å"twitchy† behavior. It also can lead to attentiveness problems as well as deficits in cognitive function and memory. As discussed previously, the dopaminergic reward system is highly stimulated when methamphetamine is in the system and that long-term use can lead to dopamine deficit. This puts high, chronic methamphetamine use

Curriculum Planning-Alignment Assignment Research Paper

Curriculum Planning-Alignment Assignment - Research Paper Example Mathematics presents low records in successive tests for the 9th, 10th and 11th. For instance, the subject recorded the lowest scores of 3% and 17% in the Grade 9 and 10 respectively (USA, 2012). As such, this plan observes that in terms of subjects, improvement strategies should target Mathematics. In terms of grades, the 11th grade presented the best performance followed by the 10th grade and the 9th grade comes last with the lowest performance. This states that the 9th grade demand improvements; thus, the action plan should focus on such a group. According to the TAKS statistics, the performance increases up the grade levels. An objective that seems not to be met includes the need for students to comprehend the functional relationships. This means that students may get the answer but fail to highlight the procedures, which were instrumental in obtaining such answers. The objective 10 equally seems not to have been met since students show lessening knowledge in understanding and ut ilization of mathematical tools and processes. Students’ Problems on TAKS A major problem associated with the TAKS is the requirement that demands students to show how they arrived at each answer; thus, meeting the objective of comprehending functional relationships. Most students find this challenging since putting such an explanation on the paper is strenuous. As such, a student who obtains an answer but fails to justify his procedure scores poorly. According to Perna & Davis (2007), most TAKS tests provide vague questions with authentic answers not provided as one of the alternative of the multiple answers. Interestingly, students who fail such tests cannot proceed to the next grade level. Such questions come as a surprise and disappointment to most students who fail to comprehend the context of the test (Parkay, Anctil & Hass, 2006). Indeed, the test does not have an effective way of measuring students’ ability; hence, students who have sufficient knowledge may fai l the test. Notably, most students find the broad curriculum provided by the TAKS quite challenging since they fail to comprehend the objective of the subject clearly. This indicates that objective 10, which necessitates persons to utilize tools and methodologies, has not been addressed. In fact, the program outlines numerous objectives, which confuse the students in the end (Perna & Davis, 2007). Subpopulation that has poor performance According to Statistics, the subpopulation of males performs poorly in Social Studies, and the subpopulation performance varies with subjects. The performance of males in the social studies subject may be attributable to the attitude of the group. Perna & Davis (2007) observes that most males have low interests on the subject. Indeed, males’ interest tends to decline towards science subjects. Importantly, the female subpopulation presents considerable interest on social subjects hence grasp social concepts easily. In fact, this position is sup ported by the high performances realized in mathematics and science subjects by the male subpopulations (USA, 2012). An Action Plan for improving student scores Addressing objective 1: Improving the understanding of functional relationships Initially, the structure should entail examination of the lesson plans and program

Capital Market Union: Do We Need One?

Capital Market Union: Do We Need One? Introduction Capital market integration is not a new topic in the EU. It became however pressing again after the international financial crisis, that exposed the limits of European firms overreliance on banks. The Juncker Commission made CMU one of its flagships initiatives, aiming at reducing national fragmentation and barriers in order to create a better environment for firms financing. While such a decision can be easily understood from a single-market perspective of analysis, the proposed and implemented reforms in order to establish such a unified market do not tackle deep structural differences at the national level, while also avoiding the strengthening of a central supervisor, undermining the efforts of harmonisation. What is CMU? The idea of a European Capital Market Union (thereafter CMU) was presented on 15 July 2014 by the soon to be President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker addressing the European Parliament[1], subsequently inserted in the Commissions priorities through the establishment of a new Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Market Union[2]. As repeatedly stressed by Juncker, the top priority of his presidency is to strengthen Europes economy and stimulate investment to create jobs, favouring a deepening of capital market integration and a reduction of the current fragmentation between national borders. In the words of former Commissioner Hill, the CMU is about linking savings to growth in Europe, Capital market union is not a novelty in the integration debate: the free flow of capital is indeed one of the fundamental principles (the so-called four freedoms) on which European integration is based since the treaty of Rome (art. 63 TFUE). In the 1980s a first wave of integration dealt with harmonisation of public offering and listing particulars. In 1993 the Investment Service Directive (ISD)[3] was agreed. In the wake of the EMU a new wave of harmonising measures was proposed under the aegis of the Financial Services Action Plan (FSAP), with the ambition to increase growth and reduce funding costs. The centrepiece was the 2004 Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID)[4], but it also contained measures regulating disclosure and market manipulation. Notwithstanding years of harmonising regulation and a common currency for most EU member states, capital market is still fragmented, integration often rests on a vertical base, few EU-wide structures have emerged in the last decade and the most powerful intermediaries are often of US parentage. Europe has struggled for decades to create a decent capital market, heavily relying on bank financing, and the financial crisis has retrenched and re-fragmented the landscape. A capital market channels money provided by investors and banks to borrowers through a variety of instruments, called securities. A central problem in the development of such a market is the information asymmetry between issuers and investors. As noted in Black (2000), both governmental bodies and self-regulatory organizations and reputational intermediaries play a role in guaranteeing the enforcement of transparency of information and correct price formation. Formal rules are only the beginning: the real challenge is the direct and indirect enforcement of new legislation. Rationale for CMU The proposal for CMU can be analysed through different lenses, justifying its rationale.First and foremost, the allocation of resources in the actual structure of the EU is over-relying on bank loans. While retail banks have a better knowledge of local situation, often providing more information to investors and borrowers, bank funding is not always the most efficient way for dynamic and highly growing enterprise to fund themselves. Moreover, due to the increased capital requirement for banks after the financial crisis and the difficulties encountered by some banks regarding their balance-sheets and the bias over sovereign bonds of their home country, financing opportunities have decreased. National fragmentation and the bias for national portfolios reduce the opportunities for cross-border funding, complicating the way investors and borrowers can meet their needs. Finally especially valuable for the Eurozone enhanced financial integration act as a private risk-sharing mechanism, spreading the risk inherent in investment on a cross-national field, thus reducing the risk of asymmetric shocks in the area and fostering the resilience of the block. This consideration is even more important considering the lack of political will to establish a public shock absorption mechanism as for instance proposed in the Five President Report (Juncker, Tusk, Dijsselbloem, Draghi, Schulz, 2015). Moreover, numerous forms of financing and better allocation of resources within the Eurozone foster the transmission channel of monetary policy, enhancing the ability of the ECB to meet its targets (ECB 2012). European and US capital markets The natural benchmark for capital markets is the US. Comparisons can be made at the EU level, but once we consider the country specificity we have an even more complex landscape. In fact big differences remain between national markets, mostly of a structural nature. When the CMU action plan was presented, although US and EU economies have roughly the same size, US venture capital market is five times EUs one and US equity markets are twice the EU ones in term of capitalization. Europe has a universal banking landscape with large banks covering commercial and investment activities. While in the US 80% of corporate debt financing depends on capital markets, in the EU 90% depends on bank financing[5]. Such dependence made the European economy vulnerable when banking conditions tightened in a number of member States during and following the international financial crisis. Moreover, the financial crisis had a considerable negative impact on securitization issuance in Europe, dropping from 594 billion euro at the end of 2007 to 216 billion in 2014 (on the rise since 2011). Finally, international capital requirement and EU banking regulation changes during the crisis impacted bank lending. Variation within Europe Other than having a different system to the one of the US on aggregate, within the EU there is also great variation on the depth and development of capital markets nationally.   Ã‚   Only 9 Member states have non-banking financial intermediation above 50% of GDP. Divergence can be seen also in the stock market capitalization of different member states as a percentage of GDP. Moreover, also the access to firms and individuals differ considerably among member states. Non-financial company reliance on equity issuance exceeded reliance on bank credit in only the UK and Denmark. Reliance on both equity and debt issuance exceeded reliance on bank credit in external company finance in only UK, Denmark, Finland, France, and Germany (European Commission, 2015a). Obstacles and barriers in the European Union landscape In the EU there are actually 28 different codes of tax, company and insolvency law that transnational investors have to deal with, blocking the smooth flow of capital between member states. Taking the example of bankruptcy law, different traditions and level of protections for investors are in place in member states. As Jey Westbrook, emeritus director of the International Insolvency Institute highlighted, The Brits have always had a more sympathetic idea to saving a debtor in trouble, Westbrook said. The Germans have had a much stricter view: There remains a big bias in favour of the idea that the management of this company screwed up, theyre losers, they probably did something fraudulent, the company should be bankrupt and pay the creditors as best they can, and the management should go join a monastery, so to speak. And then you have French law, which is somewhere in between but has much more emphasis on protecting employees and protecting jobs.[6]. The creation of truly European-wide securities moreover runs into the quest for harmonisation. Creating a security for home-mortgages, for example, requires that repossession laws in member states is to a certain degree homogeneous, same as the length of time spent in court to enforce a contract. Data from the World Bank doing Business indicators[7] show that litigation in court in countries like Italy and Greece can take up to three times the time spent in court in the Netherlands or Sweden. Banks normally bundle securities together into homogeneous groups (in our case Dutch mortgages packed together and Greek ones in a different securities). Moving to a single market for capital would require further harmonisation in national law in order to overcome national bias. Juncker CMU action plan After the publication of a Green paper in February 2015 and a public consultation to gather expert opinions, on 30 September 2015, the Commission adopted an action plan setting out a list of key measures to achieve a true single market for capital in Europe. It is supposed to be fully in place by 2019. As the plan reads there is no single measure that will deliver a Capital Market Union, meaning that a set of initiatives will be undertook in the short to medium run to facilitate the flow of capital, with the aim of reducing barriers between national borders. The process will take years, so it has not to be seen as a cyclical patch for relaunching growth in a stagnating post-crisis EU, but as a structural reform on the way credit is allocated throughout the continent. As outlined in the Green Paper the Commission supports market driven solutions when they are likely to be effective, and regulatory changes only where necessary (European Commission 2015a). Other than the action plan on CMU the commission also presented two directives on securitization: the first building blocks of CMU. The concrete outcome consists mainly of few technical proposals and amendments. First, changes to the prospectus Directive are proposed in order to facilitate SME financing, limiting the burden that these companies have to take in order to enter capital markets. Secondly, it recognizes the need to facilitate infrastructure financing and securitization through changes in the solvency II Directive and the capital requirement Regulation. SME financing is a focal point of the plan given the importance of those enterprises in creating jobs in Europe. The Commission plan aims at: Financing for innovation, start-ups and non-listed companies Making it easier for companies to enter and raise capital on public markets Investing for long-term, infrastructure and sustainable investment Fostering retail and institutional investment Leveraging banking capacity to support the wider economy Facilitating cross-border investing These broad goals are not fully operationalised and from the text there seems to be some inconsistencies. While the proposed approach is bottom-up, removing barriers when encountered, the Commission action aims at harmonising practices while possibly (as stated in the 5 Presidents Report) central supervision. What has been done until now In December 2016 the Council has agreed on the revision of EuVECA and EuSEF[8] making it easier for investors to diversify funding sources. Prospectus directive has been amended in December 2016 and now awaits implementation (capital rising up to 1 million euro will not need a prospectus; EU prospectus only required for risings over 8 million; new EU growth prospectus for facilitating cross-border money rising; ESMA will maintain a European online prospectus database; prospectus will be shorter and less costly to produce). Amendments to Solvency II legislation regarding infrastructure projects took effects in April 2016, concerning the calculation of regulatory capital requirements for several categories of assets held by insurance and reinsurance undertakings. No legislative steps yet. Proposal on simple, transparent and standardised (STS) securitisations and revision of the capital calibrations for banks. Structural Reform Support Programme within the Commission to spread best-practice and suggest reforms to member states. No other legislative procedures already enacted. Critical analysis While aiming at promoting investments in Europe, Giovannini et al. (2015) argue that it is not clear what are the causes of low investments in Europe, whether it depends on fragmented financial systems or if it is due to a low demand for capital. This means that the presumed effect of the CMU cannot be yet fully quantified. In order to strengthen cross-border transaction one of the most pressing issue is to improve the quality of information flow in order to establish market mechanism. This would require actions to increase the quality and harmonization of company data across Europe, including accounting standards, credit information and ownership. Considering the legislative outcomes so far, the CMU project has relied mainly on technical adjustments on existing legislation, creating new layers in order to arrive at a European-wide rulebook. The reformed prospectus directive, combined with the agreement of banks all over the continent to give feedbacks to firms in the case funds are not granted is a positive step forward. SMEs, having feedbacks on the best way to raise money will now be able to more easily access capital market due to the more limited fixed costs related to it. The STS securitization regulation includes a list of 55 criteria that a securitization should comply with in order to qualify for the STS label. These criteria aim at mitigating the risks arising from the process of securitization itself, allowing the investors to focus their assessment on the credit of the underlying assets. A major critical point however is that such a regulation without a proper enforcement mechanism is deemed to be at best suboptimal. National supervisors will be tasked to control the respect of these standards and sanction non-compliance, undermining the role of these assets in being really European, and creating possible conflicts due to different applications of standards between national regulators. Conclusion and final remarks The CMU action plan do not promise to eliminate the deep structural barriers that stands in the way of fully integrated capital markets. Moreover, much of the CMUs success depends on whether financing instruments represent free choices by SMEs or whether they are mainly dependent on the domestic market structure. In the latter case reform of the regulatory framework without harmonisation of national legislation will not guarantee enhanced financing opportunities for enterprises, jeopardizing the success of CMU itself. If the deep structural barriers that prevent cross-border integration of capital markets are not tackled, financial centres that are already at a competitive advantage will be in a good position to increase their market share. On a side note, the effect of Brexit has a huge weight in the future of CMU, being London the most important financial hub in the continent. Brexit offers however also the opportunity to revise the governance system of the CMU, proposing the stepping up of ESMA competencies in supervising European instruments. The UK was against further centralisation of competencies at the EU level, but now such a possibility should be taken into consideration, in order to strengthen the common supervision same as happened within the framework of the Banking union. Reference: Black, B. S. (2000) The Core Institutions that Support Strong Securities Markets. Business Lawyer, 55, 1565-1607. Commain, S., (2016) The securitisation regulation: missing the target?. CEPOB, 16/16 Demary, M., Hornik, J., Watfe, G. (2016) SME financing in the EU: moving beyond the one-size-fits-all. Bruges European Economic Policy Briefings, 40/2016. ECB (European Central Bank) (2012) Financial Integration Report (Frankfurt: ECB). European Commission (2015a) Green Paper: Building a Capital Markets Union, COM(2015) 63 à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ nal. European Commission (2015b) Action Plan on Building a Capital Market Union, COM(2015) 468 final. Giovannini, A., Mayer, C., Micossi, S., Di Noia, C., Onado, M., Pagano, M., Polo, A. (2015) Restarting European Long-Term Investment Finance, CEPR Press. Quaglia, L., Howarth, D., Liebe, M. (2016) The Political Economy of European Capital Markets Union. Journal of Common Market Studies, 54, 185-203. [1] A New Start for Europe: My Agenda for Jobs, Growth, Fairness and Democratic Change, http://ec.europa.eu/about/juncker-commission/docs/pg_en.pdf [2] Chaired by the British Johnathan Hill and lately by Dombrovsksis after the Brexit vote. [3] Council Directive 93/22/EEC of 10 May 1993 on investment services in the securities field. [4] Markets in Financial Instruments Directive 2004/39/EC [5] Historically in the USA from 1933 with the Glass-Steagall Act commercial and investment banking were separated until 1991, fostering a deepening of capital market financing in the country. [6] http://www.politico.eu/article/moving-money-a-capital-markets-union-primer/ [7] http://www.doingbusiness.org/data [8] Regulation (EU) No 345/2013 on European venture capital funds and Regulation (EU) No 346/2013 on European social entrepreneurship funds.

terrorism Essay -- essays research papers fc

Terrorism Imagine a clear blue, sunlit morning; the most beautiful day you can recall. Imagine waking up from an amazing dream of a clear horizon. Imagine putting on your new fresh suit, to start your new job. Imagine having that extra hop in your step as you leave your front door, your mind anxiously awaiting the adventure of a new beginning to an amazing day. Then, imagine not getting to where you needed to be. Not because you fell victim to a traffic jam or missed the bus, but because you were a victim of a terrorist act - an innocent victim, whose life was cut short by terrorism. Shattered dreams and lives are just some of the many effects that terrorism can bring about. Just how different is each human than another? Anatomically there are slight variations, but we are all part of the same world. To lash out on other innocent people due to the fact of different beliefs, is almost inhuman. Lack of composure and intelligence is one of the many flaws’ terrorists have built within thems elves. Throughout history, there have been many unprecedented terrorist attacks. Each attack is worse than the next. These attacks have been thought about since 431 B.C. when a Greek historian wrote the effectiveness on psychological warfare (â€Å"Terrorism†). Most terrorists share the belief that killing, kidnapping, extorting, robbing, and wreaking havoc to terrorize people are legitimate forms of political action. Terrorists are never one-person, a single political regime, nor a particular religion but terrorist attacks can be targeted to such groups (â€Å"Terrorism†). The most common attack in the act of terrorism is the suicide attack. The outcome of the war now under way between the Israelis and Palestinians is very important to the security of every American. Palestinians are testing out a whole new form of warfare, using suicide bombers to achieve their political aims. Israelis are terrified. And Palestinians feel a rising sense of empowerment. Palestinians have long had a tactical alternative to suicide: nonviolent resistance (Friedman A6). Palestinians have adopted suicide bombing as a strategic choice, not out of desperation. Two influential U.S. senators expressed their fear that the kind of suicide bombings we've seen in Israel might indeed spread to the United States. They both agree that if these suicide bombings in Israel don't stop soon,... ...rorism and its affects on a nation. Each person seems to have there own idea on how to stop such things from ever happening again. There are those who are anti-war, who think if we just talk about things peace can be achieved. Then, there are those who think if we as a nation scare everyone with our military power the problem will be resolved. Both groups are far from the truth in my opinion. Terrorist acts are derived and acted upon by pure hatred and brainwashing. The only time terrorism will ever truly disappear is when we as a human race disappear. Works Cited Blitzer, Wolf. "Suicide bombings in the United States?" CNN. 9 Apr. 2002. Friedman, Thomas L. "Suicidal Lies – On Suicide Bombers." New York Times 31 March 2002: A6. â€Å"Info War†. 2002. The Terrorism Research Center, Inc. 5 Oct. 2003. 18 Apr. 2004 . Parkinson, John. â€Å"The Consequences of Terrorism.† CIO Insight Jan. 2003: 43-46. Sowell, Thomas. "The Median and Purpose of Terror." New York Times 19 Nov. 2001: A10. â€Å"Terrorism.† The Encyclopedia Britannica. 2003 ed. The War on Terrorism. 2003. Central Intelligence Agency. 25 March 2004

Disorder Analysis

â€Å"Me Myself and Irene† is a movie about a Rhode Island State Police trooper named Charlie Baileygates who has a mental disorder. The disorder that can be evidently seen in the movie almost creates the whole essence of the story. Charley Baileygates' (Jim Carrey) is found to have a Dissociative Identity Disorder or more commonly known as multiple personality. In the movie, Jim Carrey's character changes from Charley to Hank, who is the other personality, that somehow is the complete opposite of Charlie.During the course of the movie, this Dissociative Identity Disorder of Charley terrorizes his condition and his interaction with other people, especially with Irene (Renà © Zellweger). As the movie assessed Charlie's condition, it showed that this disorder was caused by the anger that has been kept inside for years due to other people who took advantage of him. Raising three African-American kids that are sons of his wife and a black dwarf limo driver, who eventually stole h is bride, Charlie accepted it but has kept this unconscious anger deep inside him.This eventually led to Hank, who is the other personality inside his brain. Hank is the rude, violent and cocky persona that is completely the opposite of Charlie.DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDERAs defined by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), â€Å"Dissociative Identity Disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a condition in which a single person displays multiple distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment.†(American Psychiatric Association, 2000).The requirements of the diagnosis suggests at least two personalities consequently gaining control with regards to a person's demeanor and actions. With regards to its possible causes, epidemiology, appearance across cultures, and existence, this disorder is controversial. Interaction of several factors are c auses that lead to Dissociative Identity Disorder. Possible symptoms that suggests a demonstration of Dissociative Identity Disorder ranges with wide variations during the course of time.Symptoms that can be included are distortion or loss of subjective time, depersonalization, depression, amnesia, headaches and other body pains. People with this condition may even suffer auditory hallucinations with regards to the two personalities' discussions and might even result to misdiagnoses that may falsely conclude a psychotic issue. People with DID often display an array of indications that can match those of other mental health disorders and many physical disorders as well. Chronic and potentially disabling or fatal, patients with Dissociative Identity Disorder are prone to harming themselves.There are various treatment methods to cure this disorder such as Psychotherapy, medications and behavioral treatments. A psychiatrist or psychologist may use specially designed interviews such as t he SCID-D and personality assessment methods to evaluate an individual with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Integrating the personalities into a single personality is the main goal of treatments. Drug therapy can alleviate some particular symptoms but does not heal the disorder itself. Psychotherapy on the other hand is emotionally painful and difficult.In general , two or more psychotherapy meetings a week for at least 3 to 6 years are essential. Helpful also may be Hypnosis.CONCLUSIONAs seen in the movie, this condition is not actually a psychotic disorder. But despite this, there is danger among people with this condition, as seen in Charlie and Frank's battles, if not properly treated. Integrating the personalities might be hard, but keeping them in tune and coexisting might help. Psychotherapy is the best option for treatment of DID.

3 Types of Intermolecular Forces

3 Types of Intermolecular Forces Intermolecular forces or IMFs are physical forces between molecules. In contrast, intramolecular forces are forces between atoms within a single molecule. Intermolecular forces are weaker than intramolecular forces. The interaction between intermolecular  forces may be used to describe  how molecules interact with each other. The strength or weakness of intermolecular forces determines the state of matter of a substance (e.g., solid, liquid, gas) and some of the chemical properties (e.g., melting point, structure). There are three major types of intermolecular forces: London dispersion force, dipole-dipole interaction, and ion-dipole interaction. Key Takeaways: Intermolecular Forces Intermolecular forces act between molecules. In contrast, intramolecular forces act within molecules.Intermolecular forces are weaker than intramolecular forces.Examples of intermolecular forces include the London dispersion force, dipole-dipole interation, ion-dipole interaction, and van der Waals forces. Heres a closer look at these 3 intermolecular forces, with examples of each type. London Dispersion Force The London dispersion force is also known as LDF,  London forces, dispersion forces, instantaneous dipole forces, induced dipole forces, or the induced dipole-induced dipole force The London dispersion force is the weakest of the intermolecular forces.This is the force between two nonpolar molecules. The electrons of one molecule are attracted to the nucleus of the other molecule, while repelled by the other molecules electrons. A dipole is induced when the electron clouds of the molecules are distorted by the attractive and repulsive electrostatic forces. Example:  An example of London dispersion force is the interaction between two methyl (-CH3) groups. Example: Another example is the interaction between nitrogen gas (N2) and oxygen gas (O2) molecules. The electrons of the atoms are not only attracted to their own atomic nucleus, but also to the protons in the nucleus of the other atoms. Dipole-Dipole Interaction Dipole-dipole interaction occurs whenever two polar molecules get near each other. The positively charged portion of one molecule is attracted to the negatively charged portion of another molecule. Since many molecules are polar, this is a common intermolecular force. Example:  An example of dipole-dipole interaction is the interaction between two sulfur dioxide (SO2) molecules, where the sulfur atom of one molecule is attracted to the oxygen atoms of the other molecule. Example: H​ydrogen bonding is considered a specific example of a dipole-dipole interaction always involving hydrogen. A hydrogen atom of one molecule is attracted to an electronegative atom of another molecule, such as an oxygen atom in water. Ion-Dipole Interaction Ion-dipole interaction occurs when an ion encounters a polar molecule. In this case, the charge of the ion determines which part of the molecule attracts and which repels. A cation or positive ion would be attracted to the negative part of a molecule and repelled by the positive part. An anion or negative ion would be attracted to the positive part of a molecule and repelled by the negative part. Example:  An example of the ion-dipole interaction is the interaction between a Na ion and water (H2O) where the sodium ion and oxygen atom are attracted to each other, while the sodium and hydrogen are repelled by each other. Van der Waals Forces Van der Waals forces are the interaction between uncharged atoms or molecules. The forces are used to explain the universal attraction between bodies, the physical adsorption of gases, and the cohesion of condensed phases. The van der Waals forces include Keesom interaction, the Debye force, and the London dispersion force. So, van der Waals forces include intermolecular forces and also some intramolecular forces. Sources Ege, Seyhan (2003). Organic Chemistry: Structure and Reactivity. Houghton Mifflin College. ISBN 0618318097. pp. 30–33, 67.Majer, V. and Svoboda, V. (1985). Enthalpies of Vaporization of Organic Compounds. Blackwell Scientific Publications. Oxford. ISBN 0632015292.Margenau, H. and Kestner, N. (1969). Theory of Inter-molecular Forces. International Series of Monographs in Natural Philosophy. Pergamon Press, ISBN 1483119289.

The 50 Most Common Irish Surnames

The 50 Most Common Irish Surnames Ireland was one of the first countries to adopt hereditary surnames. Many of these names were devised during the reign of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland who fell defending Ireland from the Vikings at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 AD. 50 Common Irish Surnames Many of these early Irish surnames began as patronyms to identify a son separately from his father or a grandson from his grandfather. This is why it is very common to see prefixes attached to Irish surnames. Mac, sometimes written Mc, is the Gaelic word for son and was attached to the fathers name or trade. O is a word all by itself, signifying grandson when attached to a grandfathers name or trade. The apostrophe that usually follows the O actually comes from a misunderstanding by English-speaking clerks in Elizabethan time, who interpreted it as a form of the word of. Another common Irish prefix, Fitz, derives from the French word fils, also meaning son. Brennan This Irish family was very widespread, settling in Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, and Westmeath. The Brennan surname in Ireland is now mostly found in County Sligo and the province of Leinster. Brown or Browne Common in both England and Ireland, the Irish Brown families are most commonly found in the province of Connacht (specifically Galway and Mayo), as well as Kerry. Boyle The O Boyles were chieftains in Donegal, ruling west Ulster with the O Donnells and the O Doughertys. Boyle descendants can also be found in Kildare and Offaly. Burke The Norman last name Burke originated from the borough of Caen in Normandy (de burg means of the borough). The Burkes have been in Ireland since the 12th century, settling mainly in the province of Connacht. Byrne The O Byrne (Ó Broin) family originally came from Kildare, until the Anglo-Normans arrived and they were driven south to the Wicklow mountains. The Byrne surname is still very common in Wicklow, as well as Dublin and Louth. Callaghan The Callaghans were a powerful family in the province of Munster. Individuals with the Irish surname Callaghan (also spelled Callahan) are most numerous in Clare and Cork. Campbell Campbell families are very prevalent in Donegal (most are descended from Scottish mercenary soldiers), as well as in Cavan. Campbell is a descriptive surname meaning crooked mouth. Carroll The Carroll surname  (and variants such as OCarroll) can be found throughout Ireland, including Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Kerry, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan, and Offaly. There is also a MacCarroll family (anglicized to MacCarvill) from the province of Ulster. Clarke One of the oldest surnames in Ireland, the O Clery surname (anglicized to Clarke) is most prevalent in Cavan. Collins The common Irish surname Collins originated in Limerick, though after the Norman invasion they fled to Cork. There are also Collin families from the province of Ulster, most of whom were probably English. Connell Three distinct O Connell clans, located in the provinces of Connacht, Ulster, and Munster, are the originators of many of the Connell families in Clare, Galway, Kerry. Connolly Originally an Irish clan from Galway, the Connolly families settled in Cork, Meath, and Monaghan. Connor In Irish Ó Conchobhair or Ó Conchà ºir, the Connor last name means hero or champion. The O Connor family was one of three royal Irish families; they are from Clare, Derry, Galway, Kerry, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and the province of Ulster. Daly The Irish Ó Dlaigh comes from dil, meaning a place of assembly. Individuals with the Daly surname hail primarily from Clare, Cork, Galway, and Westmeath. Doherty The name in Irish (Ó Dochartaigh) means obstructive or hurtful. In the 4th century, the Dohertys settled around the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal, where theyve primarily stayed. The Doherty surname is the most common in Derry. Also spelled Dougherty and Daugherty. Doyle The Doyle last name comes from dubh ghall, the dark foreigner, and is thought to be Norse in origin. In the province of Ulster, they were known as Mac Dubghaill (MacDowell and MacDuggall). The greatest concentration of Doyles is in Leinster, Roscommon, Wexford, and Wicklow. Duffy Ó Dubhthaigh, anglicized to Duffy, comes from an Irish name meaning black or swarthy. Their original homeland was Monaghan, where their surname is still the most common. They are also from Donegal and Roscommon. Dunne From the Irish for brown (donn), the original Irish name Ó Duinn has by now lost the O prefix. In the province of Ulster, the final e is omitted. Dunne is the most common surname in Laois, where the family originated. Also occasionally spelled Donne. Farrell The O Farrell chieftains were lords of Annaly near Longford and Westmeath. Farrell is a surname generally meaning valiant warrior. Fitzgerald A Norman family who came to Ireland in 1170, the Fitzgeralds (spelled Mac Gearailt in parts of Ireland) claimed vast holdings in Cork, Kerry, Kildare, and Limerick. The surname Fitzgerald translates directly as son of Gerald. Flynn The Irish surname Ó Floinn is prevalent in the province of Ulster. However, the F is no longer pronounced and the name is now Loinn or Lynn. The Flynn surname can also be found in Clare, Cork, Kerry, and Roscommon. Gallagher The Gallagher clan has been in County Donegal since the 4th century and Gallagher  is the most common surname in this area. Healy The Healy surname is most commonly found in Cork and Sligo. Hughes The Hughes surname, both Welsh and Irish in origin, is most numerous in three provinces Connacht, Leinster, and Ulster. Johnston Johnston is the most common name in the Irish province of Ulster. Kelly Kelly families of Irish origin come primarily from Derry, Galway, Kildare, Leitrim, Leix, Meath, Offaly, Roscommon, and Wicklow. Kennedy The Kennedy surname, both Irish and Scottish in origin, hails from Clare, Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Wexford. Lynch The Lynch families (Ó Loingsigh in Irish) were originally settled in Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Sligo, and Westmeath, where the Lynch surname is most common. MacCarthy The MacCarthy surname originated primarily from Cork, Kerry, and Tipperary. Also spelled McCarthy. Maguire The Maguire surname is the most common in Fermanagh. Also spelled McGuire. Mahony Munster was the territory of the Mahoney clan, with Mahonys (or Mahoneys) being most numerous in Cork. Martin The Martin surname, common in both England and Ireland, can be found primarily in Galway, Tyrone, and Westmeath. Moore The ancient Irish Moores settled in Kildare, while most Moores are from Antrim and Dublin. Murphy The most common of all Irish names, the Murphy surname can be found in all four provinces. Murphys are primarily from Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Roscommon, Sligo, Tyrone, and Wexford, however. Murray The Murray surname is especially prolific in Donegal. Nolan Nolan families have always been very numerous in Carlow, and can also be found in Fermanagh, Longford, Mayo, and Roscommon. OBrien One of Irelands leading aristocratic families, the O Briens are primarily from Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford. ODonnell The O Donnell clans originally settled in Clare and Galway, but today they are most numerous in County Donegal. Sometimes modified to ODonnelly. ONeill One of three royal Irish families, the O Neills are from Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Clare, Cork, Down, Tipperary, Tyrone, and Waterford. Quinn From Ceann, the Irish word for head, the name Ó Cuinn means intelligent. In general, Catholics spell the name with two ns, while Protestants spell it with one. The Quinns are primarily from Antrim, Clare, Longford, and Tyrone, where their surname is the most common. Reilly Descendants of the O Conor kings of Connacht, the Reillys are primarily from Cavan, Cork, Longford, and Meath. Ryan The Ó Riain and Ryan families of Ireland are primarily from Carlow and Tipperary, where Ryan is the most common surname. They can also be found in Limerick. Shea Originally the Shea family was from Kerry, though they later branched out to Tipperary during the 12th century and Kilkenny by the 15th century. Sometimes modified to Shay. Smith The Smiths, both English and Irish, are primarily from Antrim, Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, and Sligo. Smith is actually the most common surname in Antrim. Sullivan Originally settled in County Tipperary, the Sullivan family spread into Kerry and Cork, where they are now most numerous and their surname is the most common. Sweeney Sweeney families are found primarily in Cork, Donegal, and Kerry. Thompson This English name is the second most common non-Irish name found in Ireland, especially in Ulster. The Thomson surname, without the p, is Scottish. Thomson is most common in Down. Walsh The name came into use to describe the Welsh people who came to Ireland during the Anglo-Norman invasions. Walsh families were very numerous throughout all four provinces of Ireland. Walsh is the most common surname in Mayo. White Spelled de Faoite or Mac Faoitigh in Ireland, this common name stems mainly from the le Whytes who came to Ireland with the Anglo-Normans. White families can be found in Ireland throughout Down, Limerick, Sligo, and Wexford.

News and Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

News and Journalism - Essay Example News and Journalism Amidst a whirlpool of contemporary movements like citizen journalism and new grassroots online media initiatives and with the mediascape changing at an incomprehensibly rapid pace, it's no wonder that so many publications are left wondering what the future looks like. Understanding the impact of these shifts and changes, and how an organization can take advantage of them to deliver a certain message and reach out to the audience, will be an important journey. It is not new to say that there is an ethnic bias in the mainstream media in almost all parts of the world and this fact has been proven beyond doubt by innumerable studies. Compounded by protracted ethno-political conflict, exacerbated by ineffective media reforms and coupled with the imperatives of market economics, the mainstream media in continues to perceive ethnicity as immutable and innate thereby neglecting its responsibility to demystify stereotypes and buttress institutions and practices that can ameliorate ethno-political conflict. It is natural for a media to keep its language readership in mind but impartiality and accuracy suffer as a result of this inherent bias. In an ethnically polarized society, ethnic bias in mainstream news media can take multiple forms and these are also reflected in the ownership of media houses. The problem facing journalists all over is how to protect their 'independence' when the world around them asks them to follow strategies and ethics which bind them to a certain ideology and path when no path or method is value neutral. And yet, the imperatives of journalism - accuracy, fairness, impartiality and reliability (Ross,2002) - bolstered by the freedom of expression, speech and information and open government provide the backbone of democratic pluralism. However, the multiplicity of voices in the media should not become a cacophony of half-truths, and must avoid the ills of rabid ethnocentrism and tabloid sensationalism. this could be done by promoting ethnic and gender balance in the newsrooms, regular updating and internal review of editing and style handbooks, in-house workshops and training on conflict sensitive journalism and greater co-operation between personnel and grass-roots level correspondents. Media reform has to have a holistic approach. Inextricably entwined with the impetus for media reform should also be the enabling framework of legislation regarding the right to information, the right to speech and the freedom of expression. A piecemeal approach to media reform, neglecting the wider canvas within which such reform takes place, is short-sighted and will not lead to any noticeable change. There are numerous external factors which influence the nature of the media. The rapid development of telecommunications and media technologies has transformed the very nature of the media by becoming an integral part of all events taking place in space and time. Live coverage in itself is recognized as a new event. Examples of this are the landing of US marines in Somalia and Haiti and the assault on the Beli dom and the Ostankino television station in Moscow. National and state politics have a powerful and crucial influence on the media in non-democratic regimes and unconsolidated democracies. In democratic societies

World hunger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World hunger - Essay Example In most cases, these conflicts at the end of the day would benefit only a few powerful groups of people who belong to the ruling elite in conflict ridden nations. The majority of people suffer in silence since there is no way they can force their governments to stop funding conflicts instead of buying food. Basically, it was estimated that about 805 million people of the 7.3 billion world population suffered from chronic undernourishment in 2012-2014 and the majority of these people belong to developing countries (FAO, 2012). Apparently, the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED, 2013) estimates that conflicts worldwide affected more than 172 million people leading to hunger. According to the statistics presented by CRED, â€Å"Pakistan with 28 million and Nigeria with nearly 19 million had the largest numbers of people affected by conflict.† On the other hand, Libya and Somalia had the highest proportion of people affected by violence which has also led to serious hunger. The other striking thing about the statistics presented above is that the above mentioned countries are solidly behind sponsoring the conflicts in their countries. For instance, the government in Somalia spends a huge chunk of its budget on procuring weapons of war and is constantly engage d in bitter endless conflicts. The majority of people in these countries are hunger stricken and they are undernourished. What is even surprising is that the governments involved in conflicts spend large sums of money buying weapons while the citizens are dying. It appeals to logic that those responsible authorities funding conflicts should prioritize humanitarian needs such as procuring food. In most cases, such conflicts only benefit a few people and they are sponsored using the national budget. Only a few people who are well connected to the ruling elite will immensely benefit from such conflicts often witnessed