In 1959, A Rebel, Fidel Castro, Overthrew The Reign Of Fulgencia Batis

In 1959, a rebel, Fidel Castro, overthrew the reign of Fulgencia Batista in Cuba; a small island 90 miles off the Florida coast. There have been many coups and changes of government in the world since then. Few if any have had the effect on Americans and American foreign policy as this one. In 1952, Sergeant Fulgencia Batista staged a successful bloodless coup in Cuba. Batista never really had any cooperation and rarely garnered much support. His reign was marked by continual dissension. After waiting to see if Batista would be seriously opposed, Washington recognized his government. Batista had already broken ties with the Soviet Union and became an ally to the U.S. throughout the cold war. He was continually friendly and helpful to American business interest. However, he failed to bring democracy to Cuba or secure the broad popular support that might have legitimized his rape of the 1940 Constitution. As the people of Cuba grew increasingly dissatisfied with his gangster style poli tics, the tiny rebellions that had sprouted began to grow. Meanwhile the U.S. government was aware of and shared the distaste for a regime increasingly nauseating to most public opinion. It became clear that Batista regime was an odious type of government. It killed its own citizens, it stifled dissent. (1) At this time Fidel Castro appeared as leader of the growing rebellion. Educated in America he was a proponent of the Marxist-Leninist philosophy. He conducted a brilliant guerilla campaign from the hills of Cuba against Batista. On January 1959, he prevailed and overthrew the Batista government. Castro promised to restore democracy in Cuba, a feat Batista had failed to accomplish. This promise was looked upon benevolently but watchfully by ashington. Castro was believed to be too much in the hands of the people to stretch the rules of politics very far. The U.S. government supported Castro's coup. It professed to not know about Castro's Communist leanings. Perhaps this was due to the ramifications of Senator Joe McCarty's discredited anti-Communist diatribes. It seemed as if the reciprocal economic interests of the U.S. and Cuba would exert a stabilizing effect on Cuban politics. Cuba had been economically bound to find a market for its #1 crop, sugar. The U.S. had been buying it at prices much higher than market price. For this, it received a guaranteed flow of sugar. (2) Early on, however developments clouded the hope for peaceful relations. According to American Ambassador to Cuba, Phillip Bonsal, From the very beginning of his rule Castro and his sycophants bitterly and sweepingly attacked the relations of the United States government with Batista and his regime. (3) He accused us of supplying arms to Batista to help overthrow Castro's revolution and of harboring war criminals for a resurgence effort against him. For the most part these were not true: the U.S. put a trade embargo on Batista in 1957 stopping the U.S. shipment of arms to Cuba. (4) However , his last accusation seems to have been prescient. With the advent of Castro, the history of U.S.- Cuban relations was subjected to a revision of an intensity and cynicism, which left earlier efforts in the shade. This downfall took two roads in the eyes of Washington: Castro's incessant campaign of slander against the U.S. and Castro's wholesale nationalization of American properties. These actions and the U.S. reaction to them set the stage for what was to become the Bay of Pigs fiasco and the end of U.S.- Cuban relations. Castro promised the Cuban people that he would bring land reform to Cuba. When he took power, the bulk of the nation wealth and land was in the hands of a small minority. The huge plots of land were to be taken from the monopolistic owners and distributed evenly among the people. Compensation was to be paid to the former owners. According to Phillip Bonsal, Nothing Castro said, nothing stated in the agrarian reform statute Castro signed in 1958, and nothing in the law that was promulgated in the Official Gazzette of June 3, 1959, warranted the belief that in two years a wholesale conversion of Cuban agricultural land to state ownership would take place. (5) Such a notion then would have

Margaret Fuller, Writer, Editor, and Early Feminist

Margaret Fuller, Writer, Editor, and Early Feminist The American author, editor, and reformer Margaret Fuller holds a uniquely important place in 19th century history. Often remembered as a colleague and confidante of Ralph Waldo Emerson and others of the New England Transcendentalist movement, Fuller was also a feminist at a time when the role of women in society was severely limited. Fuller published several books, edited a magazine, and was a correspondent for the New York Tribune before dying tragically at the age of 40. Early Life of Margaret Fuller Margaret Fuller was born in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, on May 23, 1810. Her full name was Sarah Margaret Fuller, but in her professional life she dropped her first name. Fuller’s father, a lawyer who eventually served in Congress, educated young Margaret, following a classical curriculum. At that time, such an education was generally only received by boys. As an adult, Margaret Fuller worked as a teacher, and felt the need to give public lectures. As there were local laws against women giving public addresses, she billed her lectures as â€Å"Conversations,† and in 1839, at the age of 29, began offering them at a bookshop in Boston. Margaret Fuller and the Transcendentalists Fuller became friendly with Ralph Waldo Emerson, the leading advocate of transcendentalism, and moved to Concord, Massachusetts and lived with Emerson and his family. While in Concord, Fuller also became friendly with Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Scholars have noted that both Emerson and Hawthorne, though married men, had unrequited affections for Fuller, who was often described as being both brilliant and beautiful. For two years in the early 1840s Fuller was the editor of The Dial, the magazine of the transcendentalists. It was in the pages of The Dial that she published one of her significant early feminist works, â€Å"The Great Lawsuit: Man vs. Men, Woman vs. Women.† The title was a reference to individuals and society-imposed gender roles. She would later rework the essay and expand it into a book, Woman in the Nineteenth Century. Margaret Fuller and the New York Tribune In 1844 Fuller caught the attention of Horace Greeley, the editor of the New York Tribune, whose wife had attended some of Fuller’s â€Å"Conversations† in Boston years earlier. Greeley, impressed with Fuller’s writing talent and personality, offered her a job as a book reviewer and correspondent for his newspaper. Fuller was at first skeptical, as she held a low opinion of daily  journalism. But Greeley convinced her that he wanted his newspaper to be a mix of news for the common people as well as an outlet for intellectual writing. Fuller took the job in New York City, and lived with Greeley’s family in Manhattan. She worked for the Tribune from 1844 to 1846, often writing about reformist ideas such as improving conditions in prisons. In 1846 she was invited to join some friends on an extended trip to Europe. Fuller Reports from Europe She left New York, promising Greeley dispatches from London and elsewhere. While in Britain she conducted interviews with notable figures, including the writer Thomas Carlyle. In early 1847 Fuller and her friends traveled to Italy, and she settled in Rome. Ralph Waldo Emerson traveled to Britain in 1847, and sent a message to Fuller, asking her to return to America and live with him (and presumably his family) again at Concord. Fuller, enjoying the freedom she had found in Europe, declined the invitation. In the spring of 1847 Fuller had met a younger man, a 26-year-old Italian nobleman, the Marchese Giovanni Ossoli. They fell in love and Fuller became pregnant with their child. While still mailing dispatches off to Horace Greeley at the New York Tribune, she moved to the Italian countryside and delivered a baby boy in September 1848. Throughout 1848, Italy was in the throes of revolution, and Fuller’s news dispatches described the upheaval. She took pride in the fact that the revolutionaries in Italy drew inspiration from the American Revolution and what they regarded as the democratic ideals of the United States. Margaret Fullers Ill-Fated Return to America In 1849 the rebellion was suppressed, and Fuller, Ossoli, and their son left Rome for Florence. Fuller and Ossoli married and decided to relocate to the United States. In the late spring of 1850 the Ossoli family, not having the money to travel on a newer steamship, booked passage on a sailing ship bound for New York City. The ship, which was carrying a very heavy cargo of Italian marble in its hold, had hard luck from the outset of the voyage. The ships captain became ill, apparently with smallpox, died, and was buried at sea. The first mate took command of the ship, The Elizabeth, in mid-Atlantic, and managed to reach the east coast of America. However, the acting captain became disoriented in a heavy storm, and the ship ran aground on a sandbar off Long Island in the early morning hours of July 19, 1850. With its hold full of marble, the ship couldnt be freed. Though grounded within sight of the shoreline, enormous waves prevented those on board from reaching safety. Margaret Fuller’s baby son was given to a crew member, who tied him to his chest and tried to swim to shore. Both of them drowned. Fuller and her husband also drowned when the ship was eventually swamped by waves. Hearing the news in Concord, Ralph Waldo Emerson was devastated. He dispatched Henry David Thoreau to the shipwreck site on Long Island in hopes of retrieving Margaret Fuller’s body. Thoreau was deeply shaken by what he witnessed. Wreckage and bodies kept washing ashore, but the bodies of Fuller and her husband were never located. Legacy of Margaret Fuller In the years after her death, Greeley, Emerson, and others edited collections of Fullers writings. Literary scholars contend that Nathanial Hawthorne used her as a model for strong women in his writings. Had Fuller lived past the age of 40, there’s no telling what role she might have played during the critical decade of the 1850s. As it is, her writings and the conduct of her life served as an inspiration to later advocates for women’s rights.

Interpretations of Confucianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Interpretations of Confucianism - Essay Example The next broad issue which was brought up in the context of a discussion of Confucianism is ecological sustainability. It was rather surprising for me to learn that this aspect of the world is engaged in the consideration of abstract ethical values. However, I agree that the current state of affairs and the way the humanity treats the nature stands for lack of correct understanding of one’s role in the world. In other words, the ongoing process of climate change, as well as negative effects that industrial production has on the environment, shows the mankind is not able to organize its activity properly. This means that the above-mentioned situations should be seen as a sign that the humanity advanced in the wrong direction.While Confucianism does not hold specific advice with regard to ecological improvement, some of its provisions may be interpreted in a way that would help to save the world. Indeed, one can hardly argue that the harmony which is brought by this teaching int o the society might also be extended towards the relationship between people and nature. As a result, the global climatic problems that are currently witness might be seen as conflicts between the two parties.Another issue that was brought up in the discussion is the economic problems that the global community is currently facing. It is quite understandable that issuing more money will not defeat global poverty. In addition to that, economic development of one part of the world will not lead to any improvements in a different one.

Report on the book Great Leaders Grow by Ken Blanchard Essay

Report on the book Great Leaders Grow by Ken Blanchard - Essay Example Choosing the book was on the basis of past experiences where the authors have written other books pertaining leadership styles while sessions with the media caused their awareness. According to the book’s title, I expect to learn more ways of becoming a great leader and the different leadership styles present in the business sectors. I also expect to gain knowledge that will help me clarify the debate that argues whether a leader is born or made. The book has portrayed several objectives through character evaluation. The main purpose of the book according Blanchard is to create awareness on the strategies and procedures of becoming a great leader (Blanchard and Miller 3). It is evident through how the authors have defined the acronym GROW. It includes the four steps that should be followed by potential leaders towards growth and become great leaders. The meanings have been allocated to different chapters in the book. The letter "G" represents ‘Gaining Knowledge to help the leaders develop their skills. There are different ways that are illustrated in the book on how to help an individual obtain information at workplaces and organizations. Primarily, is to understand an individual’s personal strengths and weaknesses (Blanchard and Miller 33). The character Blake has been used to share his personal weaknesses with Debbie to help him get a job and become a leader. Once they are highlighted, the leader should seek solutions for their weaknesses to ensure there are no setbacks in the leadership process. After a personal exploration, the individual should try to understand other people in lower levels of the business (Blanchard and Miller 44). It will help in gathering knowledge on tastes and preferences of the followers in case the person is appointed as a leader. A great leader should also be open to change and at all time be a leadership student. Leadership is a continuous process and a leader should be ready to get new ideas

Issues in Family business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Issues in Family business - Essay Example A family business is different from a traditional business because the business stakeholders are related to each other unlike the conventional business where stakeholders are individuals and not related by blood. Secondly, in a family business there are three primary roles and they are family, ownership and business. The family means relationships, i.e. mom, dad, son etc, ownership means who owns the business (who are the primary stockholders) and business means people who work at the business. Since, the business is tied together with more than just professional attitudes the day to day functioning of the business is not as easy as it seems. Conflicts occur more in family businesses as compared to the traditional business and these conflicts are extremely hard to resolve especially if there are close blood relations (Family Business Conflict Resolution). With emotions playing a vital role in decision making, not everything is simple as it may seem. While traditional business success can be judged by a lot factors which include use of technology, level and capability of resources, growth opportunities, using electronic commerce for business, customer satisfaction, customer retention and the company’s market share (Top 7 critical Business Success Factors 2000). Family business can only be judged using special factors that take into consideration the dynamics of the family business. One of the most important factors in accessing the success of a family business is to determine whether work boundaries are specified or not. For the smooth running of a business it is necessary that the roles of individuals are well defined and communicated (Essentials for Family Business Success). In a family business it is easy that roles may often be neglected or might not even be defined. In such situations a single person gets overburdened with work while the others simply remain absent from work.

Competitive analysis of the Nigerian telecoms industry

Competitive analysis of the Nigerian telecoms industry I shall discuss the Nigerian Telecoms industry with particular reference to mobile telephony and data transmission via handhelds. My emphasis would be on the period post liberalization of the industry from the monopoly of the state owned carrier , Nitel. I focus on the structure, the key players in it and the competitive forces at play in the industry, leading to a discussion on how best a new entrant can come into this industry and a summary of recommendations. Structure of the Market Since the mid 80s, M-Tel, a subsidiary of Nitel the national carrier has enjoyed a monopoly of the Nigeria Mobile telephony industry, providing just 40,000 connected lines to subscribers nationwide (Doyle McShane, 2001, p. 10). The establishment of the sectors independent regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in 1999 (Corporate Nigeria, 2010, p. 152)and the award in January 2001, via an auction, of three GSM spectrum licenses to MTN, CIL ( aka GLO) and Econet Wireless Nigeria Ltd liberalized the market. Today the market is made of primarily the five GSM companies, GLO, M-Tel, MTN, Airtel ( formerly Zain), Etisalat and 4 key CDMA companies, Visafone, Starcomms, Multilinks and Zoom. Last week, Visafone announced the takeover of Multilinks and have commenced their post-merger integration exercise. There are indications that further consolidation especially within the fringe CDMA companies is imminent. Fig 1 below highlights the relative market share within the key pl ayers. PESTLE Analysis of the Market; Political: Nigeria is in the middle of an election that has attracted so much interest (Mordi Versi, 2011, p. 24) initial signs indicate the process will be fairest in the history of the country (Asante, 2011)and could lead to emergence of a more stable, progressive democracy (Obayiuwana, 2011). An active and free media continues to challenge the politicians to higher standards of governance. Economic The local currency the naira has held steady against the dollar at N150 to USD 1, curbing inflationary tendencies (Corporate Nigeria, 2010, p. 34). However, inflation continue to be in double digits. GDP is estimated at $357.2 billion PPP , no. 32 in the Global table of PPP. Listed on Goldman Sachs Next Eleven world economies in 21st Century, Nigeria is a country with huge growth potentials. (Corporate Nigeria, 2010). Debt relieve through the Paris Club significantly increases the countries ability to invest in much needed infrastructure e.g power, roads, education and health (BMI, Q1-2011, p. 9) Socio-Cultural At 923,000 sq km of land, 250 ethnic groups, 521 languages, approximately 150million people (Corporate Nigeria, 2010, p. 12), Nigeria is huge and diversed and this diversity comes with its challenges with ethnic violence and sectional unrest. The country is also struggling with a poor reputation with corruption and internet fraud. The country has taken steps towards laundering her image with the set up of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which has arraigned 18 fraud syndicates, shut down 800 fraudulent websites, and over 5000 emails working in collaboration with Microsoft. (Corporate Nigeria, 2010) . With over 80% of the population below 40 years and 40% below 15 years, Nigeria is a young market. However, official unemployment rate is quoted as 19.7% , arguably, the real unemployment figures are much higher. Technology; With the arrival in Nigeria of MainOne, and Glo 1, two submarine fiber-optic high bandwidth cables linking Nigeria to Europe, complimenting the already existent SAT-1, data transmission becomes more affordable and easily accessible (BMI, Q1-2011, p. 23). The recent issue of four WiMAX licenses by NCC and existing 2.5G, 3G, CDMA2000, GPRS and UMTS technologies, wireless access will grow dramatically in the next 2-3 years. (Hosn, 2011) Legal and Regulatory The main law governing the Nigerian telecoms industry is the Nigerian Communications Act of July 2003 amending the Act of 1992 (Hosn, 2011, p. 7), this act ended the monopoly enjoyed by Nitel, created the regulatory body National Communications Commission ( NCC) and enabled the entry of more players into the market, leading to increased competition and a downward pressure on prices for mobile telephony services (Hosn, 2011, p. 17) Respect for Intellectual property (IP) rights is low and Legal protection is weak (BMI, Q1-2011, p. 10) Porter 5 Forces Model Analysis : The barriers to entry into this market are medium, with the key consideration being the liscense fees to be paid and potential investment in buildout of the network , depending on the model the entrant adopts, The Buyer Power is high, as intense competition and the choices now available to the customers lowers prices. The Regulators very aggressive drive to drive these prices even lower gives the customer more power. There are very few substitutes to mobile telephony in Nigeria, as the fixed lines are few and not widely adopted. Supplier power is as potential buyers of their goods is few and most of the telcos already have their prefered suppliers and its hard to unseat an incumbent. Competitive Intensity: The SIM Registration regulation passed by Nigerian perliament and the number portability planned for later in the years will significantly increase competition and increase churn, as it eases customers flight to quality service without the inconvinience of lossing your number (BMI, Q1-2011, p. 61) The table above highlights the fact that the Telecoms market in Nigeria is quite concentrated with HH Index of 2904.90 and a Concentration Ration of the top four player (CR4 )exceeding 90% which suggest that industry is susceptible to collusion and price fixing. In reality, this is not the case as the competition is intense and in fact there is an ongoing tarrif war in the Nigeria Telecoms market (Adebayo, 2011, p. 36) (Daniels, 2011, p. 64) however this predominately in the voice services (Ammar, 2011, p. 38). This competitive intensity has resulted in significant drop in cost of services and a corresponding drop in Average Revenue Per User ( ARPU), a key indicator of market profitability even as the customer base has grown dramatically as indicated in Figure 4. below. However, the downward trend of ARPU matches the upwards trend of growth in subscriber base for both voice and data services as shown in Figure 5 below. Although the penetration fo the voice service is very high, data service penetration is still in its infancy and growing much faster than voice services as evidenced by the growth of 3G phone and internet subscriptions. This trend is collaborated by Figure 5 in the trending up of data ARPS. Figure 6 also highlights the trending up of churn, which is likely to continue with the implementation of number portability planned for 2012 by the regulator. Number portability will significantly increase both incidental churn e.g. due financial contingencies, location or life style changes and deliberate churn e.g due pricing, poor customer service or network problems (Jahanzeb Jabeen, 2007, p. 122). Strengths and Weaknesses typically characterize internal situations of a business, but I shall discuss them from an industry structure perspective here. Strengths The mobile telecoms industry has continued to grow even with the introduction of compulsory SIM registration. By liberalizing the licensing scheme, NCC has made it easy for new fixed-wireless operators to enter the market even as it continues to keenly invest to achieve widespread connectivity in rural areas. An active and fairly free media is playing a key role in the transition to democracy, contributing to the ongoing peaceful election which has also been adjudged as the freest and fairest so far in the history of the country. With the country virtually debt free having benefited from the Paris Club debt relief initiative, there is real hope that with the right leadership, the countries infrastructure challenges will be addressed. A large, young population means a huge telecoms market and an abundant supply of cheap (albeit unskilled) labour, Weaknesses Poor state of infrastructure in the country increases the cost of building out networks and achieving optimum spread with resultant poor network quality and negative impact on customer growth and service usage, thus rural communities are poorly served. Price wars from intense competition have put downward pressure on ARPU rates. Country image is negative and corruption levels are high as Nigeria is placed at 134th out of 180 countries worldwide. Respect for Intellectual property rights is also low. Couple with this is the recent physical security risk to foreign workers in some regions of the country. Opportunities With no heavy debt servicing costs, Nigeria has the capacity to invest heavily in crucial infrastructure which will significantly lower the cost of doing business and eventually lower the cost of goods produced in country. A free and fair election and dividends from the ongoing efforts to tackle fraud and corruption will gradually improve the attractiveness of the Nigerian market and attract foreign investments even as the major operators continue to invest in developing the quality and reach of their network infrastructures, thus addressing service quality problems. The landing of several new submarine cables will make international bandwidth much cheaper enabling lower priced broadband services. New WiMAX licences and other technologies will make it easier to access the rural communities and unlock that market. Despite stepped up investment, the broadband penetration level is low. Mobile Telephony penetration at 50% still leaves significant growth potentials available to new entrants. The launch of mobile number portability will ease the ability of customers to change their service provider. Threats The introduction of compulsory mobile SIM registration for new customers in October 2010 will slow the growth experienced today in the sector. Probable removal of tax breaks for cellular operators will remove the incentives enjoyed by early-movers. Competition and regulatory measures are bringing down prices even as institutional invest continue to invest in the Nigerian market (e.g. South-Africas MTN, Indias Bharti Airtel and Etisalat of the UAE.) High levels of unemployment of a very young population presents a high risk of civil unrest which could be triggers by the current tension in the country as a result of the political wrangling and electioneering going on even as industrial action remains commonplace, and can disrupt normal business activity. Recommendations to potential new entrants Take a long term view Entrant into the Nigerian telecoms market at this time is a late-mover and would be exposed to a more informed and stronger regulator, tough competition from the early-movers and other late-movers, and a high cost of entry into the market (Ramamurti, 2000, p. 168) and as such should be cautious and not tempted to be too optimistic by the huge returns the early-movers made in Nigeria. Seek Alliances and Coopetition Opportunities. An entry strategy that seeks to create asset-light-virtual-operators (Turner, 2009, p. 449) by reducing significant investment in passive infrastructure e.g. towers, air-conditioning, generators and instead focuses on sharing these infrastructure with competition and shifts differentiation to quality of service and reach has been proven by Bharti Airtel (Prahalad Mashelkar, 2010, p. 136)to be quite a unique business model for developing economies, enabling cheaper cost of services and thus greater reach. Intensity of competition in the voice services will significantly reduce ARPU, however, the ongoing conversations around infrastructure sharing, the new licenses for the WiMAX technologies , the landing of MainOne and Glo1 submarine cables (BMI, Q1-2011, p. 49) all point to data, mobile broadband and value-added services being the next frontier of high growth in this market. MTN and Western Union have joined forces to introduce international remittances services to 21 countries in Africa excluding Nigeria (African Business, 2010, p. 6). The importance of this service in developing Africa is emphasized by Prof. Ophelia Mascarenhas et al quoted in (African Business, 2011, p. 6)as saying mobile phone firms should take a more serious approach to mobile banking servicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there is great potential for banking the unbankedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is of no use to the poor if the remittance of cash cannot be made because the services is still not available in both the urban and rural areas . The Central Bank of Nigeria is also churning out several policies and regulations to steer Nigerian banks towards inclusion of the unbanked population through electronic payment system. (Chima, 2011) Differentiate and Price Creatively Mobile applications with potential for social economic growth e.g. social networking applications, mobile banking, m-healthcare, m-education, m-policing, can help operators diversify their product base, generate extra revenue, attract new subscribers and lower churn rates (Kechiche, 2010). NCCs wire Nigeria (WiN) and State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI) when completed will high bandwith broadband network throughout Nigeria, accelerating growth and ease of deployment of these mobile applications (Corporate Nigeria, 2010, p. 39). Value added services via mobile phones, e.g traffic policing in india (The Economist, 2009, p. 73)remain a huge opportunity in Nigeria (Nkanga, 2011) Prices will not fall as quickly with additional entry if customers value the differences enough to pay more to the firm that more closely serves their particular needs (Greenstein Mazzeo, 2006, p. 327) Make Pricing flexible and Price according to zones in Nigeria and ability to pay, offering combination of services and better matching prices and goods to the needs of the customers (Greenstein Mazzeo, 2006, p. 328). Look for opportunity to partner with equipment manufacturers to offer after sale services on user-end equipments, provide packages solutions that is viewed as a value added service and differentiates you from competition (Lal Strachan, 2007, p. 23) and possibly rental of infrastructure for transmission. Competing on price alone is not sustainable, there is often scope for differentiation based on quality of service, brand and support services and the inevitable flight to quality creates opportunity for premium pricing (Turner, 2009, p. 442). These are all benefits that come directly from a concentrated focus and deep understanding of a target market and response to their needs. Focus and Innovate Technology is one of the major determinants of change in the telecoms industry, along with the iterative liberalization in emerging markets that fuels aggressive competition, there is a need for key players in the industry to continual review their strategy for market and customer relevance (Lal Strachan, 2007, p. 22). This strategic adaptation is crucial in an emerging market characterized by environmental discontinuities, rapid changes and unpredictability. (Eunni, Post, Berger, 2005, p. 88) (Ramamurti, 2000) Late movers may quickly use newly available advanced technologies to their advantage (Kam, 2006, p. 502), not having the burden of sunk cost in built up network infrastructure, however the pace of changes in technologies in the telecom industry emphasizes the fact that these sort of advantages are short term and that enduring advantage would truly come from differentiation on quality of service.

Deception in Sophocles Philoctetes and Hesiods Theogony :: Deception Sophocles Hesiod Essays

Deception in Sophocles' Philoctetes and Hesiod's Theogony For many centuries, the art of deception has been a powerful tool for achieving goals, and it has spawned the ancient debate of the ends justifying the means. In the tragedy Philoctetes by Sophocles and in Hesiod's Theogony, there are many instances of deception, particularly on the part of men in the texts. For each of them, the deceit is justified as a means of building and maintaining a reputation or obtaining power. Ultimately, however, the use of deception results in putting the men in positions of further vulnerability. In Philoctetes, the character of Odysseus is portrayed as well accustomed to using deceit for personal gain without much consideration for morality or human compassion. He not only deceives Philoctetes himself, but he has the audacity to con Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, into doing the same. Odysseus's first deception of Philoctetes happens before his second arrival on Lemnos with Neoptolemus. Odysseus and his crew maroon the injured Philoctetes on the island with no one to help him by sneaking away while he is asleep. Odysseus explains their reasons for abandoning him: We had no peace with him: at the holy festivals, we dared not touch the wine and meat; he screamed and groaned so, and those terrible cries of his brought ill luck on our celebrations (Phil. lines 6-9). No one is able to heal Philoctetes because his disease was inflicted on him by divine power. Nor does he have the self-control to keep quiet, even during religious ceremonies, and his lack of self-discipline reflects poorly on the group as a whole. Philoctetes's unrestrained howling during solemn occasions jeopardizes their dignity and their reputations as serious and powerful men. Odysseus returns to Lemnos only because he realizes that, in order to sack Troy, he must have the bow of Heracles which is in Philoctetes's possession.

The Government of Athens and Sparthans

The country of Greece in 400-500 B.C. was led to greatness by two great city-states. These city-states were Athens and Sparta. These two states were as different as night and day. They were rivals and very diverse. As you read you will find out their differences between their form of culture and government. The city-state of Athens adopted a form of government which is now called democracy. Democracy is when the government is ruled by the people. This government consisted of an assembly , a jury , and there was a council of 500 men over 30 . The council decided such matters as to declare war or to spend money. The council was used to make decisions for the Athenian government. All men that were citizens were able to participate in an assembly , hold office , vote , and serve on a jury. Slaves could not do any of these things because they were not counted as citizens . The Athenian government was as similar as the American government today (Meigas 32). Unlike the government of Athens the government of Sparta flourished as an aristocracy . This type of government is when a place is ruled by a small number of people from the upper class . There was a Council of Elders , an assembly , and the five ephors. The Council of Elders was made up of two kings and 28 men over the age of 60. This council decided on making laws. The assembly was made out of all male citizens over 30. The assembly did many things. It elected government workers and voted on laws that were introduced by the Council of Elders. The ephors were selected by the assembly. The ephors were overseers. They controlled slaves , conducted business with foreign countries , and negotiated with the kings (Hornblower 35). The men of ancient Athens were very educated. From their childhood until the ages of six or seven the men were taught home by their mother or a male slave. After the age of seven they attended a normal day school. At school they learned drama, public speaking, reading, writing, and mathematics . When they reached the age of fourteen they attended a higher school for four more years. At the higher school they learned more math , more science , and things about the government. When the men reached the age of 18 the were required to attend military school for 2 more years. The Athenian men were skilled architects , poets , and artists. From them is where we get great works known as The Odyssey and The Iliad by the writer known as Homer (Meigas 123). The men of ancient Sparta were very cunning , slick , and strong. During their childhood the Spartan men were taken away from their parents. Being taken away at the age of seven , they were sent to military school. If a child was not strong , he/she was left on a cliff to die of exposure. In the military school they lived in barracks. They were taught survival skills , the endurance of pain , discipline , and toughness at the school. They were given little food and were encouraged to steal. If they were caught stealing they would get a beating. They were also beaten up by older children in fights , so they could become tough and strong. At the age of 20 the Spartan men finally became soldiers. Once they got married , they were only allowed to live in their own homes with their family at the age of 30. At this age they were considered equals. The military service for the Spartan men ended at the age of 60 (Connolly 230). The Athenian women were very literate and educated. The women were not counted as citizens and they were not allowed to hold property. The women received the same education as the Athenian men did. Although the education was the same, the women were not allowed to leave the household. They did not go shopping or to run errands. Their husband did most of these things. The main job of the women was to run the household. She managed the family†s money , the children , and the slaves. She also spun wool and created artistic pottery (Hornblower 145). In Sparta the lives of women were unlike the lives of any other Greek polis. The Spartan state didn't take the academic education of a female seriously. The physical education that the women had was very tough and grueling. They learned gymnastics and aerobics. They also had more freedom then women of other city-states. They were able to move from place to place , do the shopping , and control the house. They also had a lot of freedom from their husbands because their husbands lived in barracks. Most of the time the Spartan women worked on fields and were medics to the injured Spartan soldiers. They were considered as mothers to all Spartan soldiers (Connolly 260). This is how the culture and the government of the Greek city-states of Sparta and Athens was different. Each state had a different type of education and a different momentum of how the government wanted their polis to be. These city-states again were very diverse and different. In my writing you saw how different they were.

buy custom Ernest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises essay

buy custom Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises essay Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises (1926) portrays sadness, lost love and devastation. The book based on Hemingways friends. This did not go well with many of his peers. The book had a theme of detachment and alienation that represented the attitudes experienced at the time of its writing. It was written in a period at which the war had ended. Hemingway discusses the lost generation and the post war generation. The post war generation, experienced after the world war one, portrayed escapism, lack of religion, inability to act and discrimination. All these happened because the people were affected in many different ways. Hemingway was a reporter who after his job intending joined the United States army. He joined the army against his family wishes, so that he would experience first hand action of the World War one. He, however, did not succeed in joining the army due to his health issues and instead joined the American Field Service Ambulance Corps, which sent him to Italy. In Italy, he joined the allied forces. The allied forces put him in the battlefront in Italy. He witnessed first hand effects of war on his first day of duty, when he witnessed an explosion on an ammunition factory near Milan. There were many brutalities in this explosion. Hemingway had to collect many human remains of women who had worked in the company (French connections 23). This was his first experience of human death, and it was barely a day after he joined the allied forces. The ordeal left him stunned and shaken. Later in July 1918, Hemingways carrier as an ambulance driver ended after he obtained injuries delivering the s upplies to soldiers. This experience convalesced Hemingway to an American run Red Cross hospital in Milan. There, he met a nurse who later inspired the work of his first novel. The nurse named Sister Agnes Von Kurowsky. In the 1920s term, the Lost Generation started gaining popularity. The term coined by a lady from France known as Gertrude Stein who heard, by her mechanic, reefing to her workers as having poor mechanic skills. She later took this phrase and used it to describe people who rejected the post war values in the 1920s. Ernest Hemingway is amongst two other writers, known to be of the lost generation. The two other writers in this group were F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Dos Passos. Ernest Hemingway, who was at the time a leading literary figure, used Steins phrase as an epigraph for The Sun Also Rises, his first novel. The fame and popularity of the novel rose the term, the lost generation, to represent with writers of the post war 1920s (Blanton 98). The term The Lost Generation signifies a sense of aimlessness or moral loss unique to writers during the 1920s. The First World War destroyed the idea of righteous things happening after virtuous action. Literary figures of this time affected by the fact that many men died in the war. These deaths occurred, despite the outstanding health and behavior of the men at the time of war. Many more men were mentally tormented and physically wounded. The faith men had to the moral guidepost that gave them hope was invalid and they lost it. The literary figures of that time also criticized fictional stories created in the American culture. The fictional stories criticized had themes of care free living, self exile and spiritual alienation. Fitzgerald, a lost generation novelist, portrayed the youth of the 1920s covering up their depression in the forced exuberance of jazz music. The young generation of the 1920s dabbed this the jazz age. This was portrayed in the book This Side Paradise. In an other book Th Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald hides the sad loneliness of the main character by the illusion of happiness and joy. Ernest Hemingway's novels pioneered a unique writing style envied and copied by many generations to follow him. He utilized action based on clear prose in place of the florid prose of the Victorian era. This florid prose was mainly used in the 19th century. He also used the emission to strengthen the plot of his novels. Omission was characterized by a technique of leaving out the essential material of the novel. The novels of the 1920s lost generation based insights on lifestyles lead in the decade. Many future generations were influenced by these types of writing due to their innovation in their literary work and writing styles (Hemingway, 12). Hemingway family moved to Paris, France. This was in the year 1921. The got a miserable apartment which had a closet for a bathroom and no running water. Hemmingways wife had grown up in the relative splendor. Hemingway tried to reduce the level of primitiveness of his living quarters presented to his wife in order to make her feel more comfortable. His wife, despite the fact that she was from a well-off family, endured the quarters as she carried away by her husbands bohemian lifestyle enthusiasm. They had an annual income, Hadleys trust and Hemingways job, that was large enough to rent a decent flat in Europe. Hemingway decided that he would rather stay and write in peace in that environment than a modern one. During Hemingways first few years in Paris, he met and forged quick friendships with artists and writers. This made possible by from Sherwood Anderson that introduced him to the French society. Amongst his many friends were famous writers, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, James Joyce, Sylvia Beach, Wyndahm Lewis, Lincoln Steffens and Max Eastman. He also met with renowned painters Picasso and Miro. This friendship was key to his carrier, as his friends developed his writing and artistic skills over the time. His first two years in Paris as a journalist saw him cover Paris extensively. He covered gravest stories like the Geneva Conference 1922, the Ruhr post war convention, the Conference of Luasanne and The Greco-Turkish War all in 1923. Hemingway was also a lifestyle writer. He wrote pieces on social life in Europe that included bobsledding, skiing, bullfighting and fishing. Hemingway moved from Paris to the United States of America after realizing his wife was pregnant. The need to move was because there were better medical facilities for his wifes delivery in the United States. Hemingway ignored the fact that his carrier as a fledging fiction writer and reporter was on the rise. He also ignored the fact that the social lives were on the right stride in Europe. The only thing in his mind was his wife and the unborn childs safety. He moved to Toronto in 1923 where he wrote articles for Toronto Daily as he waited for the birth of his child. His sons birth date is October 10th, 1923. John Hadley Nicanor Hemingway, his son, joined the rest of the family on a ship back to Paris four months after birth. Back in Paris, Hemingway got a job editing the fledging literary magazine of Maddox Ford, the Transatlantic Review. He got this job with recommendations from Ezra Pound, showing his acquaintances finally were worthwhile. Ezra Pound recommended Hemingway as an experienced journalist who obtained the finest prose writing in the world. He also said that Hemingway had exceptionally significant verse (Kirui 56). Ford praised the young writeer and published some of his earlier works. The magazine lasted only one and a half years. Ford did not give up on Hemingway as he allowed him to work on his artistic theories for publication in respectable journals. Hemingway produced his greatest works in the 20th century fiction in the years between 1925 and 1929. He wrote a landmark short story in 1925 called In Time, which had the immense two-hearted river. In 1926, he came up with his first true novel, The Sun Also Rises. He followed this with other novel Men Without Women in 1927. In 1929, he published the finest novel out of the world war one. This novel was called A Farewell To Arms. His novel, The Sun Also Rises, introduced the world to the lost generation. This novel became a critical financial success in Hemingways life. The book was set in Paris and Spain; it was a story of love in the backdrop of bullfighting and bars. Hemingways life started crumbling, despite his rise in writing fame. He left his first wife remarried and moved to a life of relaxation in Florida for twelve years. His father committed suicide, due to his diabetic condition (Bloom 87). Ernest Hemingways writings had vast influence on American literature. His influence was considerable at that time and continues to influence American literalists today. His influence was vast and widespread that it may be deemed most contemporary fiction. It is based on Hemingways inspiration in his writing or the life he led. Writers consciously emulated Hemingways work in his time. These were modernists in the literary circle. Writers like James Joyce crime fiction owe a strong debt for using Hemingway as a model and his style. Ernest Hemingways terse prose style is said to have inspired many American short story writers in the beat generation. These include Jack Kerouac, J.D. Salinger and many others. He also influenced writers in the Generation X that included Douglas Coupland, Chuck Palahniuk and Bret Easton Ellis and many others. Many of these writers wanted to be in the same vein as Ernest Hemingway (Farley 67). In conclusion, many revered figures in the classic American literature hail Hemingway as a Nobel winner. He gained his notoriety in his works of the years between 1920 and 1950. His work was so captivating, inspiring and influential that led him to win the Nobel Prize in 1954. This was the Nobel Prize in Literature. Hemingway continues to be known for compelling and authentic character creation. People knew him for his understating writing styles. Hemingway gained the immense compassion in his role as a Red Cross officer in the World War I. He also gained the significant exposure in his role as a Red Cross officer as it took him to Italy and Paris among other places in the frontline of the battlefield. The numbers of people who have engaged in war and lived to tell the story the way Hemingway portrayed it were few to none. His experiences along with his return to Paris shaped him to be an immaculate writer. His return shaped him as they introduced him to many other greats who assiste d him in his journey of art and writing. He searched for inspiration in humble settings. This was seen when he moved to a worn out flat in Paris for writing peace and inspiration. This made the writing acceptable to all. Ernest Hemingways life of intrigue and adventure fascinated many and inspired many more in the past and present generations. He passed away in 1961 after surviving numerous accidents and plane crashes. His survival gave hope to many. The world will remember Hemingway as one of the greatest writers of all times. Buy custom Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises" essay

Governmental Banning of Human Cloning essays

Governmental Banning of Human Cloning essays A Solution to the Problem: Governmental Banning of Human Cloning Governmental Banning on human and organ cloning is posing a problem on those educated ones in academia. Researcher and scientist Dr. Ian Wilmut has successfully cloned a sheep, and has gathered from this experiment evidence that strongly proves that human and organ cloning could be performed safely and effectively. Unfortunately, our government has almost immediately banned such cloning in this country. Did they realize the benefits of such a discovery? Perhaps they simply believe that it is some sort of unethical, immoral experiment that is not beneficial to our society. Perhaps they should take a closer look at exactly what these researchers have derived from years of experimenting. In this paper, I will propose a possible plan to persuade our government to take another look at human and organ cloning. Many positive benefits could come out of this, and it is our responsibility, for the sake of a healthier future, to push policy makers to change their minds and loosen thei r grips on such a banning. Cloning of various organisms has been going on for years. This concept of cloning was conceived in 1938, but it was not until 1994 that a method using an embryo was used to clone a cow (Business Week). Much to many peoples surprise, the idea of cloning humans is not an aged concept. It is fairly new, but that hardly means that the amount, or rather quality, of research to support safe human and/or organ cloning, is poor. This bioethical issue is quite debatable, and it has caused further debate, especially after the March 4, 1997 banning of the use of federal funds for research leading to human cloning (Time). The government was pressured. Due to time restrictions, they had to make a challenging decision on whether or not to ban human cloning in the United States. Their ruling has left a large number of researchers and curious citizens alike i...

Black Hole Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Black Hole - Essay Example The book discusses the study conducted by a scientist Jim Al-Khalili on the various theories that have presented by Einstein. Black holes are a part of the universe and space and Einstein have presented a number of theories regarding this concept. And the scientist earlier mentioned have studied in detail all these theories and have presented several different new discoveries which he discovered during this study. Universe, time and space are all directly related to the concept of the black hole and have direct relations with the existence and non-existence of black holes. The scientist has presented that certain theories presented by Einstein like the theory of relativity are not completely applicable to the concept of the black hole. On the other hand, scientists like Einstein himself believes that the theories are true and in working condition. The book was a great source of information and provided with great deals of information and the book contained certain information which c ould not be found in other relevant books. Through the studying of the book, it can be concluded that the book is written after the great research and through study. This is a dissertation that has been written purely on the concept of black holes, the controversies that have been presented on the concept of black holes. Many theories have been presented regarding the concept of black holes and as a result, a number of contradictions have been presented on the topic of the black hole. Â  ... On the other hand, scientists like Einstein himself believes that the theories are true and in working condition. The book was a great source of information and provided with great deals of information and the book contained certain information which could not be found in other relevant books. Through the studying of the book it can be concluded that the book is written after great research and through study. Potvin, Geoffrey D, and Amanda . Peet. Singularity Resolution and the Black Hole Information Paradox. , 2006. Print. This is a dissertation that has been written purely on the concept of black holes, the controversies that have been presented on the concept of black holes. Many theories have been presented regarding the concept of black holes and as a result a number of contradictions have been presented on the topic of black hole. This book which is in actual a thesis has discussed in detail these controversies and the paradox that exists regarding the issue of black hole. Blac k hole is such a big controversy in the history of science that no other issue can second it. Many famous scientists have declared that black holes are a part of this universe and they are an unshaken reality while on the other numerous other renowned and eminent scientists have presented theories that there is no such thing as black holes and all the concept behind the black holes that has been presented by scientists who support are totally illogical and baseless. This thesis has discussed these various issues in detail and has presented its own view regarding this issue. The thesis is very interesting piece of writing and very informative. Fabbri, Alessandro, and Jose? Navarro-Salas. Modeling Black Hole Evaporation. London: Imperial College Press, 2005.

Countries in the World that Have Equally Alarming Debt Movie Review

Countries in the World that Have Equally Alarming Debt - Movie Review Example However, it is sometimes worth asking if people really mean they say America has a debt problem. The documentary the Overdraft analyzes the United States’ federal budget records, it is apparent that the insurmountable debt load of the United States has piled up. In fact, the 2008 financial crisis exacerbated the situation; however, there are needs to solve the situation before it becomes a crisis. Therefore, the documentary has provided compiled views of Americans from different professions and social settings on financial and economic effects of the America’s debt load /on America and the rest of the world. Despite these views providing means and ways forward for addressing this issue, some of the views are inappropriate. However, Jay Fishman’s ideas on the future effects of current America’s debt on the citizens is true since unless the debt is paid, it will continue to accumulating thereby passing the burden to the generations to come. Fishman said, â€Å"The inevitable impact of demographic trends in the U.S. will result in additional federal spending of $1 trillion more in 2020 than today's level. Absent action, the cumulative effect of this trend has the ability to compromise America's future significantly (overdraft, 00:26:00.)† However, the sentiments of Herbert Hoover could not be taken seriously for this matter when claimed that the young generation is blessed since they were only to inherit the nation's debt. How can someone be blessed when he or she is actually inheriting a problem? He said, â€Å"Blessed are the young because they will inherit the natio nal debt (overdraft, 00:49:00).† Adding on Fishman contributions, it true that when the problem of debt is addressed in time, the nation that the country will take the country hostage especially when their debts have grown to high or unplayable by the national government. The new lessons learned from the documentary include that idea that the national debts can crow to a level that the national  government can never be able to pay.