The Funerals of Sclyd and Beowulf Essay Example for Free

The Funerals of Sclyd and Beowulf Essay The opening of the Beowulf is the funeral of Sclyd, his clan is preparing him for his funeral and sending his body to God, As they prepare him for his voyage, I use this as an important word because as we continue to read of the grief of his clan we find out that they instead of a funeral pyre as was common in some cultures of the time that his clan filled the ship with the bounty from as it said far and wide. Setting him out to sea upon a ship or barge as it is also referred to in this passage. It is interesting that this is the way the clan set their beloved Lord to his final rest because the Historic funeral show that the Scandinavians practice of setting them out to sea with one twist, they generally set the barge or ship carrying the deceased on fire in the passage where they send Sclyd off to his final rest they do not set him on fire but fill the ship with many riches. There were a couple of reasons for burning the body at that time, one was to keep the spirit of the deceased from coming back to harm the living, it was also for the purpose of â€Å"Freeing the Spirit† so that it could enter the afterlife with the Gods. One interesting point in the passage of Scyld’s death is the part where they fill the ship with the riches of far and wide. This was not a normal Scandinavian practice in this practice originated with the ancient Egyptian practices of burying the possessions of the Pharaohs with them in their crypts. It is a curious cross of cultures. They loaded the ship with weapons, shields and upon his chest his breast plate and helmet were laid. In the death of Beowulf we see a far different funeral scene. The difference between the two is telling, while Scyld’s body is cast to the sea on a ship carrying with him his riches. Beowulf, however, was buried in a different manor all together he was placed upon a funeral pyre, following the proper burial of the times. There were no riches to surround him although before his death he did request to see the treasures guarded by the dragon that he fought and lost his life too. There is an interesting contrast between the two of these men while Sclyd was considered a lord and given a burial that his clan felt was befitting his status, Beowulf was a prince of his people and yet his burial was in the traditions of the Nordic clans of the time, they believed that setting the soul free was the best way to honor their fallen hero. In the funeral there is the sorrow of his queen, as she sings her pain for all to hear. As they mourned him they set him on fire and the blaze burned all that was upon his pyre. What was most interesting is what they did after they built as he requested a mound that over looked the sea so that sailors would see it as they sailed by, they then built a wall where they put his ashes behind the wall and placed the treasures from his last battle with him. Then the warriors the same who had failed to aide him when he needed them rode in a circle and told of their grief and sorrow. They left the great warrior among the kings that he had gone to join. The contrast between the two cultures is evident in the passages as you read seeing how the people dealt with the death of each man, while Beowulf’s men grieved him they carried out his final wishes and built the great mound that he asked them to do. While Sclyd was laid to rest an old man with his many riches there was no great out cry of mourning it was simply they mourned their honored lord. References Historic Funeral Practices-Roger D. Sellers- http://www. sellersfuneralhome. com Beowulf- By Dr. David Breeden-http://www. lnstar. com/literature/beowulf/index. html http://links. jstor. org/sici? sici=0015-587X(195012)61%3A4%3C169%3ATHOTDA%3E2. 0. CO%3B2-I

Criminology Delinquency and crime the general strain theory

Criminology Delinquency and crime the general strain theory General Strain Theory (GST), introduced by sociologist Robert Agnew in 1992 (Cernkovich, Giordano, Rudolph, 2000), focuses on the individual effects of strain, and how it is that that strain then leads a person towards delinquency and crime. This essay looks at the background of strain theory, its explanation of crime and deviance, evaluates the theory and ends with the writers opinion of general strain theory. General Strain Theory is more individualised than the first Anomie and Strain theory that was introduced by Emile Durkheim and Robert Merton. Agnew, Brezina, Wright, Cullen (2002) suggest that it is personality traits within the individual that result in their reaction to strain, and it is then these certain traits that end up in the individual turning towards delinquency and crime as a way to relieve the tension that the strain has brought into their life. The major traits associated with individual strain are those traits of constraint and negative emotionality (Agnew et al., 2002), which when provoked by strain, lead the individual to such emotions as anger and to delinquency and crime to relieve this anger. Also known as negative affect states (Seigel, 2003), these adverse emotions of anger and frustration can be controlled by many individuals, but coupled with those traits of low constraint and high negative emotionality in an individual, other individuals have trouble with con trolling these negative affect states and delinquency is often the result when strain is added to their lives. General strain theory does do the good deed per se of explaining both crime and deviance as a theory, as most individuals who react negatively to strain do so mainly in a delinquent way, but not always in a criminal way. If the reaction is in a criminal way though, it is only to the extent of income-generating criminality, and rarely results in crimes of a hurtful nature (Cernkovich, et al., 2000). Many researchers have found that the main type of strain that results in crime occurring is the strain of an individuals economic situation (Cernkovich et al., 2000), and thus most crime and delinquency to relieve this strain tension is ways in which income can be obtained. While some individuals only go as far as delinquency (such as acting out against someone) to relieve their tension from strain pressures, others do go the extra distance and commit a crime, such as robbing another individual. The difference between committing a delinquent act and committing a criminal act is explained b y general strain theory as a direct result of the level of constraint and negative emotionality that individual possesses (Agnew et al., 2002). In support of general strain theory, Agnew et al. (2002) looked at 2300 children between the ages of 7 and 11 in 1976, and again five years later in 1981, measuring their individual strains (both at home and at school), and comparing it with their level of constraint and negative emotionality. Teacher and parental survey reports for each child were also used at each time period. Agnew et al. (2002) believed that it was mainly juveniles who reacted negatively to strain, and thus the researchers wanted to test whether the children with low constraint and high negative emotionality in 1976 were more likely in 1981 to act criminally and/or delinquently, if their levels of constraint and negative emotionality were the same or worse as previous. In response to their surveys, Agnew et al. did find that those juveniles with low constraint and high negative emotionality in 1981 were more likely to act in a delinquent or criminal manner as a reaction to parental and educational strain that occ urred in their lives. Cernkovich et al.(2000) took a different approach in testing general strain theory, instead looking at race and the so-called American Dream and the effect that these factors had on certain individuals. Two samples were used in the design: the first a sample of individuals living in private households, and the second a sample of previously institutionalised offenders. As in the previous study by Agnew et al. (2002), the samples were interviewed as adolescents in 1982 and then again in 1992 (household sample) and 1995 (institutionalised sample) (Cernkovich et al., 2000). When conceptualised in career and materialistic terms, the African-American commitment to the American dream was strong, although high levels of unemployment and low incomes were still common occurrences. While lacking access to money and materialistic objects, the importance of the American dream to many African-Americans was still quite high, resulting in the occurrence of delinquency and criminality in an effort to improve their chances of achieving the American dream (Cernkovich et al., 2000). Thus it would seem that racial factors do play a role in general strain theory, in addition to those trait factors of low constraint and high negative emotionality. Either way it is looked at, general strain theory explains how it is that delinquency and criminality can both occur. In one case it is because of the extent of traits within an individual, in another case it is based on the importance one race holds towards materialism and status quo. Evaluation While it is true that general strain theory does do the job of explaining both crime and deviance, at the same time general strain theory does include some shortcomings as a criminology theory overall. General strain theory has done a job of explaining why it is that those races other than Caucasian (or White) do commit crime and delinquent acts, but then why is it that Caucasians commit many of the delinquent and criminal acts in the world? General strain theory has no real explanation for this, other than the fact that they might possess the traits of low constraint and negative emotionality. But what about those people who commit crimes and delinquent acts and do not possess these traits? Why is it then that they are doing what they are doing? General strain theory has no explanation for this occurrence. Agnew et al. (2002) stated that it was mainly juveniles who possessed the traits of low constraint and negative emotionality, and thus were the ones to react negatively to strain, but what about those who are not juveniles? Obviously these individuals must possess these traits as well, but what if they do not? What is it then that has made them commit the act that they did? Seig el (2003) writes that negative affective states such as anger and frustration result in criminal and delinquent acts, but what about those psychopaths and sociopaths who do not have these feelings at the time of their crime, or those individuals who commit crime just because and not as a result of a negative state? General strain theory, while on the micro level, may be too much on the micro level, for it is not only those individual issues, but the larger macro societal issues as well that interact for an individual to commit a delinquent or criminal act. Another issue that general strain theory does not take into account, when explaining crime and deviance, is the crimes committed by those who have already achieved the American Dream. With their economic situation already high, why is it that some people choose to risk it all for a few more dollars? General strain theory does not explain why many of the so-called white-collar crimes occur. And in keeping with the American dream, what about those individuals who do not adhere to the American dream? Why is it that people in little villages halfway around the world commit crimes? They have no reason to adhere to the American dream of the Western world, so what is their reason for committing crime? It can not be a racial issue, for they are the only race that is around in their part of the world, wherever that may be. And low constraint and high negative emotionality are not issues to them as traits, so why is it then that they have committed their crime? General strain theory has no exp lanation. According to general strain theory, those who commit crime should be non-white, poor, with low constraint and high negative emotionality. So why it is that poorer people are not committing crime? What about those who are okay being poor? Should they not be adhering to the American dream? What about trying to strike it rich by any means possible? General strain theory states that juveniles commit crimes and delinquent acts because they do not have the means by which to properly deal with their low constraint and high negative emotionality (Agnew et al., 2002). This explains why desistance occurs later in life for these juveniles, but what about for those who do not desist from crime as they get older? They have the means now of coping with their educational and parental strains, or those strains have gone away, so why are they still committing criminal and delinquent acts? And what about those individuals who do not commit these such acts as juveniles but begin to do so later on in life? Why is it that with the means to cope with life strains some people choose to ignore their coping mechanisms and instead turn to a delinquent and criminal life? A general strain theorist would argue that the individual has the coping mechanisms to deal with life strains that they did not possess as juveniles and so should be able to desist fr om crime and delinquency, but what if they do not? General strain theory has no reason as to why this occurs. It is a statement of fact that crime does occur in the slum areas, and this coincides with the views expressed in general strains theory, but what about those crimes that are not committed in the slum areas? Why are these crimes occurring? General strain theory would say that it is because that person has low constraint and high negative emotionality, but what if the individual is not a juvenile? Should they not have grown out of these traits by now? Another issue not explained by general strain theory is why hate crimes occur. Why is it that gays, lesbians, transvestites, transsexuals are discriminated against? Why does discrimination occur at all? Why is it that terrorism occurs? Why is it that wars occur? General strain theory has no real solid explanation for any of these occurrences of crime. It can be explained why those who are discriminated against would feel strain and commit a crime or a delinquent act, but why is it exactly that they were discriminated against in the first place? In many instances those people who are non-white are not further ahead in the American dream than are whites, and discriminating against someone does not further an individuals chances of achieving the American dream, so why is it that discrimination occurs at all? Another shortcoming of general strain theory is in concordance with achieving the American dream. General strain theorists state that crimes are committed to improve an individuals economic situation. What about the crime that is violent and non-monetary? Why does it occur? Yes, it is true that it could be a result of negative affective states, but once monetary gain is achieved, then the negative affective state that an individual is in is supposed to dissipate without the occurrence of violence. But what if this does not occur? General strain theory also does not explain why it is that females commit crimes. Agnew et al. (2002) found that more males than females were prone to having the traits of low constraint and high negative emotionality, and Cernkovich et al. (2000) found the same to be true in their looking at race and adherence to the American dream, so why is it that some females still do commit crime? According to general strain theory, females are highly unlikely to possess high negative emotionality and low constraint, and do not put much importance on the American dream, so why do some not conform to these factors? What is it that makes some people commit delinquent and criminal acts under the same circumstances that others will not? General strain theory has no answer to these questions. Overall, general strain theory does have its shortcomings, and only further research in more diversified areas such as those mentioned above will be able to improve on the shortcomings of the theory, as is the case with any theory that has inadequacies. Once these many questions have answers backed by research, then and only then will general strain theory be able to adequately explain all areas of crime and deviance as they occur in society. Opinion I believe that general strain theory does a fairly adequate job of explaining crime and deviance. While mentioned in the previous few pages that general strain theory does have a few shortcomings in explaining crime and deviance, I believe these shortcomings to be minor in the overall picture of things. General strain theory does what many other theories have trouble doing, and that is explaining both crime and deviance. Many theories only explain one or the other, but general strain theory does the job of explaining both. Depending on the level of constraint and negative emotionality an individual possesses, coupled with the amount of strain that individual then faces, will result in whether or not their way of relieving that strain is criminal or delinquent. Another thing that general strain theory does do is that it explains why both instrumental crimes and expressive crimes occur. One is for monetary reasons, and has the achieving of the American dream to back it; the other is for lack of coping mechanisms to deal otherwise, and has low constraint and negative emotionality as reasoning behind it. General strain theory explains why some classes and races are more likely to commit crimes and delinquent acts than are other classes and races, even if it does not completely explain why it is that white collar crime occurs, or why some people of the lower class do not commit crime. Maybe they have stronger coping mechanisms than other people, maybe other factors are involved. This issue of other factors is where I think many theories go wrong, and why it is that I think general strain theory does an adequate job of explaining crime and deviance. No criminology theory ever really takes into account those outside factors that may change things on a day-to-day basis. Extenuating factors and circumstances are hard to control for when testing if a theory really works or not, and in accordance with this, allowances must be made for all theories when deciding if they really do their job or not. It is for the above-mentioned reason that I think general strain theory does do what a theory is supposed to do: it offers an explanation as to why something is occurring or happening. General strain theory can be applied to crime and deviance, and most crimes are found to be the result of strain or monetary issues, and it is for these reasons that I think general strain theory does an adequate job of explaining crime and deviance. With the use of emotions and money as the background on which general strain theory is based, the occurrence of crime and/or deviance in todays society is fully explained. The occurrence of terrorism and hate crimes are definite reasons as to why general strain theory does not do its job of explaining crime and deviance, but again allowances must be made. No theory completely explains everything that is supposed to; everything cannot be completely explained. General strain theory does its best and integrates a number of things into explaining why it is that one thing (crime) occurs in the world. It does not just deal with one issue as an explanation, as some theories are prone to do, but focuses on a few different things instead. Overall, general strain theory is found to be a fairly sufficient theory when used to explain why it is that crime and deviance occur in todays society, and in the societies of the past. Money makes the world go round and it is because of this that many crimes in the world do occur. General strain theory just takes this into account with emotions added to the equation to state why it is exactly that some people commit criminal and delinquent acts while others do not. While it is true that the theory has its faults and shortcomings, this can be found to be true of any theory; no theory is perfect, and that is something to be taken into account.

Pestel Analysis Of Japan Economics Essay

Pestel Analysis Of Japan Economics Essay Any person wishing to import goods must declare them to the Director-General of Customs and obtain an import permit after necessary examination of the goods concerned. The formalities start with the lodging of an import declaration and end with issuance of an import permit after the necessary examination and payment of Customs duty and excise tax. The government announced an issue of a record JPY53.5 trillion in new government bonds in FY09 which made government-debt-to-GDP ratio reach 200%. More assertive diplomacy in the political arena participation in UN peace-keeping operations seeking permanent membership of the UN Security Council. A policy deadlock is blocking necessary reforms, suffocating Japans productive firms, producing ever more public debt and putting Japans flexible governance model and strong social partnership at risk. The result is that Japans major companies are actively seeking a new future in businesses abroad. The first major wave of deregulation during the late 1980s was initiated out of necessity, to open up capital markets to international investment and to help finance the growing social security burden with the aid of a more flexible financial system. The second attempt at major structural reforms came in 2002, after Japans economy had become even more dependent on finance from public financial institutions and public works. By 2001, public financial institutions had become responsible for most financial transactions and fully one-third of overall credit allocation. Bureaucracy is widely regarded as exceptionally powerful and reaches into many areas of life. Japan has often been tagged the only functioning so International Policy Analysis on earth. But the government is not large in terms of numbers or consumption ECONOMIC Analysis Public debt 201% of GDP. Revenue $614 trillion FDI stock $205.4 billion 09. The yen (sign: Â ¥; code: JPY) is the currency of Japan. It is the third most-traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the Euro and the United States dollar. Japan in Figures 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Real GDP Growth1, % 1.9 2 2.4 -0.68 -8.8 Yearly CPI Inflation2, % -0.3 0.2 0.6 0.4 -0.1 Fiscal Balance3, % GDP -7.1 6.2 -5.4 -4.9 -6.5 Unemployment4, % 4.4 4.3 7.4 3 4.4 Current Account Balancre 3.6 3.9 4.8 3.2 2.7 Unemployment rate 5.6% in 2010. GDP growth 0.9%. Industries: Manufacturing, construction, distribution, real estate, services, and communication are Japans major industries today. Agriculture makes up only about two percent of the GNP. Most important agricultural product is rice. Resources of raw materials are very limited and the mining industry rather small. Exports: Japans main export goods are cars, electronic devices and computers. Most important trade partners are China and the USA, followed by South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Germany. Imports: Japan has a surplus in its export/import balance. The most important import goods are raw materials such as oil, foodstuffs and wood. Major supplier is China, followed by the USA, Australia, Saudia Arabia, South Korea, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. The CPI fell to -2.4% yoy mainly due to price slashing campaigns like Jpy 690 jeans and Jpy280 beef-rice bowls. Japan has achieved tremendous economic development by taking advantage of their maritime location and resources. Japan is characterized by small farms labor intensive technologies, great use of fertilizers, and the dominance of rice. Only about 25% of the land area is suitable for agriculture .The remainder consists of forest covered mountains. Generally, Japan is resource poor. Therefore, Japans economic successes depended on imported raw materials SOCIAL ANALYSIS Japan is situated in northeastern Asia between the North Pacific and the Sea of Japan. The area of Japan is 377,873 square kilometers, nearly equivalent to Germany and Switzerland combined or slightly smaller than California. There is only one official language spoken in Japan, which is of course Japanese. However, many Japanese are able to understand English to a certain extent since English is the foreign language that everyone must learn as part of compulsory education. Food Rice is the staple of the Japanese diet. They also eat seafood, beef, pork, chicken, dairy, vegetables and fruits. They have Japanese-style noodles, as well as spaghetti and bread. Japans population is over 126 million. Most Japanese reside in densely populated urban areas. Japans capital city is Tokyo. The population of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area including the city, some of its suburbs and the surrounding area is approximately 12 million. Major cities of Japan and their approximate populations City Population Tokyo 12,059,000 Yokohama 3,426,000 Osaka 2,598,000 Nagoya 2,171,000 Sapporo 1,822,000 Kobe 1,493,000 Fukuoka 1,290,000 Sendai 1,008,000 5. Human development index Japan ranks 11 among the 174 countries when talking of Human development index. There were more than 100 deaths and many school trips cancelled due to H1n1 epidemics. 6, In Clothing most people ordinarily wear western-style clothes. Some schools have uniforms. The traditional clothing, called kimono (kee-mo-no) is worn only on special occasions, such as New Years Day, graduations, and tea ceremonies. Housing the traditional Japanese homes are wooden buildings with tiled roofs. However, most of the contemporary houses and apartments are western style and made of concrete. Tourism count and Nationalities Tourism in Japan comprises both a vibrant domestic sector and over eight million entries each year by foreigners. Religions its share from population Name of religion Estimated Population Its share from population Shinto 106,000,000 49.30% Buddhism 96,000,000 44.65% Christianity 2,000,000 0.93% Islam 125,000 0.06% Theravada 1,500 0.001% Buddhism Judaism 600 0.0003% Others 10,872,900 5.06% TOTAL 215,000,000 100% Technological Analysis Japan reached a level equivalent to or beyond that of the U.S. By 1987, the U.S. Department of Defense found that Japan held the lead in twelve of 24 major categories of semiconductor technology, with a 50% share of the world market, up from 30% a decade earlier. As of 2005, one half of energy in Japan is produced from petroleum, a fifth from coal, and 14% from natural gas. Nuclear power in Japan makes a quarter of electricity production and Japan would like to double it in the next decades. In 2008, Japan ranked third in the world in electricity production, after the United States and China, with 1.25Â ·10 GWh produced during that year. Japan was the worlds second largest producer of photovoltaic electricity until overtaken by Germany in 2005, a year in which it had 38% of the world supply compared to Germanys 39%.. Japan leads the world in robotics, possessing more than half (402,200 of 742,500) of the worlds industrial robots used for manufacturing. It has developed a series of rockets, the latest and the most powerful of which is H-IIB. H-IIA/B rockets which have the capability of carrying 8-ton payload to the GTO at maximum are now managed by the private-own company Mitsubishi Heavy Industry Makoto Kobayashi, Toshihide Masukawa, and Yoichiro Nambu who is an American citizen when awarded, shared the physics prize and Osamu Shimomura also won the chemistry prize in 2008. LEGAL FACTORS Japan is a constitutional monarchy where the power of the Emperor is very limited. Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected members of the Diet, while sovereignty is vested in the Japanese people. The Emperor acts as the head of state on diplomatic occasions Japans legislative organ is the National Diet, a bicameral parliament. The Diet consists of a House of Representatives with 480 seats The Prime Minister of Japan is the head of government. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Emperor after being designated by the Diet from among its members. 19th century, the judicial system has been largely based on the civil law of Europe, notably Germany Civil unsecured debt collection remedies, if a debtor has defaulted in payment of its debt, a creditor may file a motion against the debtor with a competent local court to obtain a judgment ordering the payment. The law regarding composition proceedings has been repealed, and the law regarding corporate arrangement proceedings, while still in effect, is rarely utilized. Since the collapse of the so-called bubble economy in Japan in Japan, insolvency cases have increased dramatically, and new laws were enacted to address the changed circumstances facing Japan. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Japanese city and prefectural authorities have focused on the reduction of solid waste going to landfill. This of course is in response to the lack of affordable space available for landfill sites. Their approach relies heavily on four major factors: 1) technological advancements in incineration 2) technological advancements in plastics recycling 3) Comprehensive production-side recycle stream package labeling and 4) wide consumer-side/household participation in recycling and waste material separation (bunbetsu). The Cool Biz campaign introduced under former Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi was targeted at reducing energy use through the reduction of air conditioning use in government. Japanese government started its whaling for research purposes the following year. This whaling program has been criticized by environmental protection groups and anti-whaling countries, who say that the program is not for scientific research. The environmental problems related to Japans construction industry, and the industrys lobbying power preventing the introduction of stricter zoning laws and other environmental protection efforts. Japan has been treating the waste of electronic materials differently than other materials.The utilization of electronic waste resources is around 50% currently and is growing Porters Diamond Potential sources of competitive advantage Firm Strategy and Rivalry Japan is very competitive in electronic goods in fact Japans main export goods are cars, electronic devices and computers. Japan has a surplus in its export/import balance. It has developed a series of rockets, the latest and the most powerful of which is H-IIB. H-IIA/B rockets which have the capability of carrying 8-ton payload Japan leads the world in robotics, possessing more than half (402,200 of 742,500) of the worlds industrial robots used for manufacturing. In 2008, Japan ranked third in the world in electricity production, after the United States and China, with 1.25Â ·10 GWh produced during that year Factor Conditions Tourism count and Nationalities Tourism in Japan comprises both a vibrant domestic sector and over eight million entries each year by foreigners. Only about 25% of the land area is suitable for agriculture .The remainder consists of forest covered mountains. Japans economic successes depended on imported raw materials. Demand Conditions The demand is very stable which can be assumed by the fact of interest rates which are zero so that as much as possible money gets infused in the economy. The limited population is another factor which again makes Japan dependent on exports for its produce. The current crisis shows how unbalanced and vulnerable Japans economy still is. When overseas demand subsided in 2008, Japans economy almost imploded. The third factor is off course the incentive for suppliers which is certainly not there as currently the economy is in deflation. Related and supported industries Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is planning to develop a scheme to support Japanese companies involved in overseas smart community business projects. Fuji Heavy Industries Japans largest transport to financial support for the automotive industry Summary containing key facts Trade International trade has been a force for economic development for centuries. The CDI measures trade barriers in rich countries against exports from developing countries. Japan ranks 20 Low agricultural subsidies (equivalent to a tariff worth 3.2% of the value of imports; rank Investment Provides insurance against political risk for both domestic and foreign firms Employs foreign tax credits to prevent double taxation of corporate profits earned abroad Technology High tax subsidy rate to businesses for RD (rank: 10) No attempt to incorporate into bilateral free trade agreements TRIPS Defence No arms exports to poor and undemocratic governments (rank by share of GDP: 1) Migration Large share of foreign students from developing countries Environment Low fishing subsidies OTHER WEAKNESSES Negligent in identifying bribery and corrupt practices on the part of home country firms abroad High barriers against apparel (9.0% of the value of imports; rank: 17) Greenhouse gas emissions grew almost as fast as GDP in 1998-2008 (average annual growth rate/GDP, -1.4%; rank: 17) Small financial or personnel contributions to internationally sanctioned peacekeeping and humanitarian interventions over last decade (rank by share of GDP: 21) Refrences http://www.cgdev.org/section/initiatives/_active/cdi/_country/japan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Japan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Japan Research paper Legal issues in Japan By Nagashima Ohno Tsunematsu

Success Essay -- essays research papers

The most important thing in life is thought to be happiness. In order to achieve success you must adjust to every situation with ease. When we use the term successful it does not mean the same as the conventional definition. The definition we are referring to is to be able to overcome hardships, nothing relating to business. Today the world is something of a giant melting pot of people. Communities everywhere are interblended with people from different places and of different backgrounds. Inside these communities there are also many different mental/physical/physiological disorders and/or many people with family problems and work problems. Needless to say today’s society is one that requires a great many different and specialized doctors and therapists to help with the variety of problems which people face.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We are not going to go into every problem facing people today, however we will discuss some of the major problems that are faced by the many instead of disorders that affect the few. The first problem that affects everyone at times is stress. Many people do not know that there is good and bad kinds of stress. Good stress is referred to eustress. A very good example of this is when you get a promotion at work. You are happy that you got the better job, however with the job comes new stress, because of the new duties you have to fulfill for that position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The type of stress, which is bad stress, is referred to as distress. People experience this more often then they experience eustress. A good example of distress is when someone you love passes dies. The stress, which you experience, is bad for you. Stress causes many unhealthy effects on the body, such as high blood pressure, increased likelihood of stroke and/or a heart attack.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Everyday stress is a big problem for many. Most people believe that a little bit of stress daily would be better then a lot of stress all at once. They are very wrong. Little bits of stress everyday build up and end up hurting people much worse than people who experience a lot of stress at once. The only way to describe this would be to use an analogy. If someone was to leave their laundry outside during a storm for one day it would probably be ok when they went back to get it, but if they left their laundry outside more then two weeks the w... ...n this situation will most likely never tell anyone about their plan to do away with themselves. The one’s that are seriously going to commit suicide wont tell anyone for fear that their plan will be foiled and they will still be trapped in their own personal world of hell. It’s an unfortunate thing but you cannot know what another person is thinking if you could you would be able to save many lives but since you cannot you have to look for warning signs. Once you are aware of the warning signs you will be able to adjust to the situation and deal with it rationally. When people are able to improve their coping skills and learn what resources are available to help them feel better emotional and physically depending on the problem. People need to realize that good mental health is a necessity for a person to be successful at other aspects of their lives. There are many disorders that affect people, which prevent them from doing normal things. It would be necessary for some people to see a professional to help them to overcome their disorder and lead them on their way to better mental health and it will help them to be successful throughout their lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

William Blakes The Chimney Sweeper Essay -- William Blake Chimney Sw

William Blake’s The Chimney Sweeper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Blake’s â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper† was mainly about the possibilities of both hope and faith. Although the poem’s connotation is that of a very dark and depressed nature, the religious imagery Blake uses indicates that the sweeps will have a brighter future in eternity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In lines 4 – 8 when Blake writes, â€Å"There’s little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head, That curled like a lamb’s back, was shaved: so I said ‘Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when your head’s bare You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair.’ These lines symbolize faith in the biblical sense. Young Tom’s is like that of the sacrificial lamb of God and when the narrator tells Tom to stop crying because he knows that the soot can not longer spoil his white hair he, is saying to Tom, once he makes this sacrifice nothing else can hurt him. Blake is saying that if the children make the sacrifice of living out their lives here on Earth, no matter how dark and dismal their lives may seem at the time, they will be rewarded in heaven as long as they know the glory of God and trust in him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is in lines 10 – 24 that the poem becomes one of hope. For when Blake writes â€Å"As Tom was a-sleeping, he had such a sight! That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, and Jack, Were all of them locked up in coffins of black. And by came an Angel who had a bright key, And he opened the coffins and set them all free;† Blake’s words ring true of hope for the sw... William Blake's The Chimney Sweeper Essay -- William Blake Chimney Sw William Blake’s The Chimney Sweeper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Blake’s â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper† was mainly about the possibilities of both hope and faith. Although the poem’s connotation is that of a very dark and depressed nature, the religious imagery Blake uses indicates that the sweeps will have a brighter future in eternity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In lines 4 – 8 when Blake writes, â€Å"There’s little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head, That curled like a lamb’s back, was shaved: so I said ‘Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when your head’s bare You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair.’ These lines symbolize faith in the biblical sense. Young Tom’s is like that of the sacrificial lamb of God and when the narrator tells Tom to stop crying because he knows that the soot can not longer spoil his white hair he, is saying to Tom, once he makes this sacrifice nothing else can hurt him. Blake is saying that if the children make the sacrifice of living out their lives here on Earth, no matter how dark and dismal their lives may seem at the time, they will be rewarded in heaven as long as they know the glory of God and trust in him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is in lines 10 – 24 that the poem becomes one of hope. For when Blake writes â€Å"As Tom was a-sleeping, he had such a sight! That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, and Jack, Were all of them locked up in coffins of black. And by came an Angel who had a bright key, And he opened the coffins and set them all free;† Blake’s words ring true of hope for the sw...

Distinct Characterization in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Essay

William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar works convincingly for audiences today not only because of its truth historically, but because of its truth of character, historically.   As with the rest of the English bard’s canon, it is the character driven aspect of the writing that continually reminds you of the play’s purpose.   Because the characters are so fantastically dissimilar, in behavior and language, the play comes alive.   In Julius Caesar, two aspects come alive most: the world of aristocracy in the Roman Empire, and most especially the distinct characters themselves that populate this play’s vision of that aristocracy. Primarily the world of Roman aristocrats is presented by the representation of the complete world of governance through three aspects.   They complete the triumvirate behind the triumvirate, so to speak.   Shakespeare creates this world by showing us the rulers at the top (after Caesar’s death), the senators who provide or take away power from the rulers in the new post dictator rule, and the conspirators who provide or take away power from all behind the scenes.   Had Shakespeare shown the Roman aristocracy without these three elements, we would have been left with little understanding of how the empire got to where it did at the time of Julius Caesar. This is his awesome creative power.   The playwright didn’t just give lines to players to tell the history, and he didn’t rely upon narrative choruses.   Instead, he created the world for us by putting the whole picture in front of us; all of the power aspects are there on the stage.   Naturally, behind the instruments of power are found powerful characters, each with distinct qualities that bring the story to life.   I will rely upon one character from each area above to examine just how they are treated – what manages to give them memorable traits and believable motives. William Shakespeare utilized language and behavior to motivate his characters.   Julius Caesar works because of this.   Marcus Antonius is a fine example of this.   Shakespeare provided him with the lines and actions to show him to be a manipulative instrument of power.   He is truly a favorite of audiences.   Antonius is ready to say anything and do anything to keep his place in the world, to preserve his power.   When the conspirators realize their plans to kill Caesar, it is Antonius that encourages the accomplices, and convinces them that he is on their side.   In other words, he is saying that ‘I will preserve your power if you preserve mine.’ This is the meaning behind his words to Brutus and accomplices:   â€Å"Friends am I with you all and love you all, upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons why and wherein Caesar was dangerous† (III.i.219) and then, â€Å"That’s all I seek† (227) when he receives an answer which is not exactly satisfactory at all.   The complete vision of this self serving future ruler of Rome is provided only moments later, when Shakespeare reminds us of the duplicity of Antonius when we see he did not act in accord with his heart, but with his advantage seeking.   â€Å"O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, that I am meek and gentle with these butchers!† (255). The next example comes from the senators – Cicero specifically.   How does Shakespeare impart a distinct character in him that sets him apart from both the rulers and the conspirators?   This is perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of how Shakespeare can imbue qualities into characters.   It is also one of the most convincing tools he possesses to bring the audience into participation with this history of his.   The senators are important to Julius Caesar because they represent blind and timid bureaucracy.   They are there merely to maintain the status quo and to enter into the political realm without actually entering into politics.   Shakespeare is in this play explaining that power rests either within the current ruler (such as Caesar or one of the triumvirate), or within the conspirators who would oust the ruler, through any means necessary.   Between the two groups are the people who hold very little power themselves.   They are the rank and file ru ling class; in this case the senators. Notice how Cicero does not even have any lines?   How then does he represent so much to the play?   How can we understand the Roman aristocracy so clearly in him, then?   Of him we have no lines, but an awareness.   He is an orator.   He is skilled in rhetoric.   And yet, what does he actually convey through his words?   Nothing.   He is a rhetorical, political blowhard.   Concerning his speech during Caesar’s triumphant parade, consider this dialogue between Cassius and Casca: Cassius: â€Å"Did Cicero say anything?† Casca: â€Å"Ay, he spoke Greek.† Cassius: â€Å"To what effect?† Casca: â€Å"†¦for mine own part, it was Greek to me.† (I.ii.281-284) In other words, it was just words.   The senators are not to be understood.   Therefore they are not a threat to emperor, conspirators or the common man.   They play the part of the aristocracy that simply stands for aristocracy.   By withholding lines from the most loquacious senator, Shakespeare creates a distinct vision of both Cicero and the part of the Roman aristocracy which he serves. The final character that serves great importance to Julius Caesar, of course, would be Brutus.   He comes from the conspirator caste and is such a powerfully rendered character that he has become a virtual stereotypical vision of bloody revenge and betrayal.   When audience think traitor, they inevitably think Brutus.   What is special about him in Shakespeare’s hand?   It is the absolute single mindedness of this villain (or hero as the case may be).   He does not waver as does Antonius.   He does not shrink back like Cicero.   He is Brutus.   His lines and his actions represent someone who is an ideologue.   He has fiercely held ideals and he has fiercely held ways of acting those out.   Nothing will get in his way.   That is the vision of this aspect of Roman aristocracy.   It is the power outside of the powerful.   This line from Brutus sums up this chief trait of his, and compels us to see it this way. â€Å"We at the height are ready to decline. There is a tide in the affairs of men Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures. (IV.iii.218–224) These may not be the most well known of Brutus.   However, they make the point clear about how Shakespeare imbues the distinctiveness of character into him.   It is this set of lines that speaks the most about his place as a character and about his place within the world of Roman aristocracy.   We can see just how much power the conspirators wield.   They turn out to be much more powerful than the Senate, and perhaps even more powerful than the rulers, whether Caesar or one of the triumvirate.   It is because, Shakespeare says, that Brutus and his companions can afford to be single minded and focused on their ideals and tasks at hand.   It is what makes the success of the plans visible from the outset. The question then of just how William Shakespeare creates the world of Roman aristocracy and gives each player the distinct character that is so important to Julius Caesar is answered by the same fashion.   The two are irrevocably intertwined.   It is a concurrent twofold plan.   First, Shakespeare creates convincing facets of the historical world; in this case the facets are the different aspects of Roman aristocracy as seen through the rulers, the senators and the conspirators.   Next, and simultaneously, he populates these aspects with their stereotypical, archetypical characters.   Because they fully belong to their separate classes, the very descriptions of them seen through their lines and actions fulfill the historical picture and provide every bit of drama that a contemporary audience needs.

India of My Dreams Essay

Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom With these words of Pandit Nehru, on 15th August at the stroke of the midnight hour India declared itself independent from the British rule. As the Union Jack was being brought down and the Indian tricolor flew up the hopes and aspiration of the Indian founding fathers were completed. Sixty years after the birth of this massive and diverse nation though there has been considerable progress, the overall picture of life in the country is depressing. With increasing prices and growing unemployment, the common man remains as poor as he had been. Though education has spread, its standard and quality have received a set – back. Nor is the political scene very encouraging. While the working of democracy is not satisfactory, the forces of religion, provincialism and linguism pose a threat to the unity of the country. Our leaders lack the qualities of idealism, integrity and self – sacrifice, which were abundantly in evidence during the days of the struggle for freedom. In this bleak situation, it is natural for the youth of the country to have a vision of a stronger India. In the same way I have a vision too – a fearless, strong, self reliant India. I visualize my country way ahead of other nations all round the globe in every aspect, whether its development in any field or showing its military might or being a fore-runner in technological advancement, skills and prosperity. I visualize India being a country that will provide equality of opportunity to one and all irrespective of caste, creed, and sex. A place that will provide optimum scope for development of latent skills of an individual and then to use it for the welfare of the nation. I strive for such a country wherein the poorest of the poor feel that this is his country in building which his voice has its due importance. I wish for a constitution, which will release India from all thraldom and patronage, and give her, if needed, the right to sin. I dream of a nation where nobody is illiterate and nobody sleeps hungry, where there is no distinction on the basis of genre, religion or caste, where justice to a common man is neither denied or deleted, where corruption in public life does not exist, where criminals do not occupy ministerial berths nor enter legislative assemblies, where merit counts in every sphere of life, where jobs cannot be purchased, where criminals have to spend the rest of their lives behind the bars and where the intellectuals like Amartya Sen do not have to leave the country’s shore for higher research and recognition. Today India is grappling with divided states, poverty, and population on the one hand and a mà ©lange of languages, traditions, festivals, religions, cultures which poses a problem but my vision for India is a country where the Kirtans from Gurudwaras, and Azan from Mosques, the Bhajans from Temples and chiming of the bells from churches merge and mingle and produce a harmonious, melodious, tune of humanity. I dream of a casteless and a perfect India of which all Indians can be truly proud of. My vision of India may sound like a dreamer’s agenda but the day every Indian citizen realizes his responsibility towards his country my vision would be reality. At last I would like to conclude with the words of Sir Rabindranath Tagore: WHERE the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.