Thursday, November 28, 2019

Oregon V Elstad Essays - Miranda Warning, Fellers V. United States

Oregon V Elstad OREGON v ELSTAD 470 U.S. 298, 105 S. Ct. 1285, 84 L.Ed. 2d 222 (1985) MERITS: Officers Burke and McAllister of the Polk County, Oregon Sheriff's office, on the basis of a witness' statement, obtained an arrest warrant for Michael Elstad, who was suspected of burglary. The officers went to Elstad's home and were escorted to his room by his mother. After instructing the respondent to dress and accompany them to the living room, Officer McAllister took Elstad's mother into the kitchen while Officer Burke stayed with the respondent. Without advising Elstad of his Miranda rights, Officer Burke asked him whether he was aware of the officer's reason for wanting to talk with him, and whether he knew Mr. and Mrs. Gross (the victims). Elstad stated that he knew the Grosses, and that he'd heard they'd been burglarized. Burke replied that he thought Elstad was involved in the burglary, and the respondent admitted, Yes, I was there. He was then taken to the Sheriff's office and was subsequently advised of his Miranda rights. Elstad stated that he understood his rights and that he would give a statement, which he did in detail. His confession was read back to him and read by him. Elstad initialed and signed the statement and also added a sentence (After leaving the house Robby and I went back to [the] van and Robby handed me a small bag of grass) to it. Elstad maintained that at no time did the officers make threats or promises to him. He was charged with first degree burglary and opted against a jury trial. Defense immediately moved to suppress both Elstad's initial verbal statement and the signed confession, contending that the initial statement he made at his house to Officer Burke let the cat out of the bag, causing his ensuing written confession to be tainted as fruit of the poisonous tree. The judge excluded the initial statement due to Elstad's not having been informed of his Miranda rights prior to that statement. Elstad's written confession was not excluded, as the judge did not agree that it was in any way tainted. Elstad was found guilty of first-degree burglary. APPELLATE: Oregon State Court of Appeals: Conviction reversed. The State contended that although the initial statement made by the respondent (prior to having been advised of his rights) should be inadmissible, his written confession should be allowed. The Court of Appeals, however, saw both statements as inadmissible, as there was little time between the two statements, and that was not enough time to insulate the latter statement from the effect of what went before ? the cat was sufficiently out of the bag to exert a coercive impact on [respondent's] later admissions. The Oregon Supreme Court declined the State's petition for review. The State then petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court, and certiorari was granted. ISSUE: The question in this case was whether the Self-Incrimination Clause of the Fifth Amendment requires that a confession made by a defendant, after having been advised of his Miranda rights and having waived those rights, should be excluded because of another admission made to officers by that defendant before he had been advised of his rights. ARGUMENT: Reasoning: The Court cited the following cases to illustrate and establish precedence for its reasoning: Wong Sun v. United States: Where it was established that evidence and witnesses discovered as the result of search in violation of the Fourth Amendment is considered fruit of the poisonous tree, and must be excluded. The fruit doctrine also applies to confessions. However, Wong Sun also illustrates that precise and proper advisement of Miranda rights serves to cure the condition that rendered the unwarned statement inadmissible: The warning conveys the relevant information and thereafter the suspect's choice whether to exercise his privilege to remain silent should ordinarily be viewed as an act of free will. (371 U.S. at 486) Brown v Illinois: Illustrates that a procedural Miranda violation differs from Fourth Amendment violation, as the purpose of the Fourth Amendment exclusionary rule is to curb unreasonable search. Harris v New York: The Harris Court rejected the premise that a defendant's inadmissible confession entitles that defendant to ?deny every fact disclosed or discovered as 'fruit' of his confession, free from confrontation with his prior statements. (401

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment essay

Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment essay Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment essay Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment essayIn what ways can an understanding of the stages of adulthood be helpful? Do you think that knowing about these stages beforehand can make experiencing the stages any easier or more enjoyable? Why or why not?The understanding of the stages of adulthood may be helpful in terms of understanding profound transformations that take place in the life of individuals. This understanding will facilitate overcoming possible problems and difficulties that individuals may experienced, for instance, in the middle adulthood.What are some of the developmental challenges and risks that accompany the transition from high school to college? What are the key markers in the United States that signal when an individual enters adulthood?The major developmental challenges and risks associated with the transition from high school to college are the transition to the independent life in the college compared to the high school life, when individuals remain within their families. The independent life of individuals and their ability to earn for living are the major markers when individuals enter adulthood.Research has shown that many risky behaviors, such as binge drinking and casual sex, increase during early adulthood. At the same time, individuals are becoming more cognitively advanced. Why is there such a discrepancy between increased cognitive ability and poor decision-making that occurs during this developmental period?Increased cognitive ability is the result of the completion of basic skills and abilities as well as the formation of the basic system of values. However, they may have poor decision-making because of the lack of experience of taking important decisions and the system of values that may be changing in the course of life.Men and women have very different approaches to relationships and intimacy. How can we overcome these differences to have healthy, happy relationships?Men and women can overcome differences i n their relationships and intimacy through learning those differences that will help them to understand them better.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Phenomenology of Death Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Phenomenology of Death - Thesis Example The paper "Phenomenology of Death" analyzes the relationship between the ‘self’ and ‘temporality’ as it explains the notion of Heidegger. The general approach of this paper is to present ‘temporality’ in terms of ‘finitude’ and to define and examine the ‘authentic’ and ‘inauthentic’ modes of selfhood. Heidegger argues that ‘das man’ is ‘being towards death’ and is inauthentic as a result. Those who do not ‘act’ like ‘das man’ are in some sense authentic? This latter point will be taken up in the later half of the following analysis, and it is going to be argued that ‘determining what qualifies as ‘everydayness’ is a very seriously ambiguous notion. This paper will begin with the general discussion of ‘being’ and its opposite, namely, non-being, proceed to a discussion of ‘finitude’ in relation to inauthenticity, and discuss the relationship between an authentic and inauthentic self in relation to the temporality. According to Heidegger, the external world of ‘extension’ or as he states the world of the â€Å"senses† is largely understood as â€Å"quantitative modifications of the modes of extensio itself†. By contrast, the world can be characterized in qualitative rather than quantitative terms. By quantitative, he is implying the basic units of scientific measurement. However, these discrete units of measurement and the application of these as a means of both understanding extension along with distinguishing it from the subject are forms of abstraction.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Strategic Management of SABMiller brewery Case Study

Strategic Management of SABMiller brewery - Case Study Example It is also present in markets like USA and Europe. These markets however are matured markets and do not offer much growth opportunities for SABMiller. It has a diversified brand portfolio which includes brands like Castle, Miller Lite, Miller Genuine Draft, Snow, Peroni Nastro Azzuro and Pilsner Urquel. In this report we will analyze the strategic positioning of SABMiller in different markets. We will analyze the positioning in various markets with respect to the core competencies of SABMiller and will also analyze the acquisitions and compromise in its strategy that it had to undertake to meet the stakeholder's expectations. Corporate Strategy refers to the general direction of business that a firm is following. It is the philosophy which guides a firm's growth and actions. It answers the questions of how the firm needs to operate, the values it should follow and which core competencies should be developed by the firm to fuel further growth. (David, 1989).It is the sum total of the goals that a company has, the objectives it needs to achieve and the plan for achieving these objectives. (R, 2008). South African markets have been the traditional strength and monopoly of SABMiller. (SABMiller, 2009).Lately the market has been moving towards maturity which limits the number of new customers that the company can acquire. However the company is making the customers move towards premium brands which will increase the profitability of the firm .HIV/AIDS is a huge threat to SABMiller in South Africa as it not only limits the availability if work force but it also reduces the disposable income available with the people which will have a direct impact on the sales generated by the company.. Africa(exclusing South Africa) Apart from South Africa , the rest of African continent is a growing market and presents huge opportunity for the company.The company has a good distribution network in these countries along

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Discuss the implications of the increasing length of annual reports Coursework

Discuss the implications of the increasing length of annual reports - Coursework Example Information on market prices is used as a reflection of publicly available knowledge concerning a company. Financial reporting of market prices enhances efficiency through provision of more disclosure despite some anomalies that occur in the process of reporting. Experimental literature supports the fact on displaying financial information such as comprehensive income, which have influence on investor’s decisions. Consequently, financial statistics provide useful facts such as earnings and financial ratios that at times prove more costly to extract since they are never revealed by market prices. However, demand for financial information arises from the requirements posed by pending decision task. Such demand requires some level of information processing capacity that is determined by simplicity in presentation and information load (Deloitte, 2010). According to Hall (2009) sheer volumes of disclosures within International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has substantially increased the length of annual reports (Morunga and Bradbury, 2012). There are adequate results showing the impact of information overload on processing strategies and outcome of annual reports. The increase in length is further attributed to increase in the size of financial section of the entire report. There is substantial increase in the notes explaining the accounts and accounting policies. Information on IFRS reconciliations and accounting policies on transition accounts for nearly over 5% of annual reports despite the items not necessarily required on a continuing basis. Elimination of such transition items still gives space for accounting policies as well as note disclosures under IFRS which consumes close to 20% of total space. Therefore, there is significant proof that different components of accounting policy such as general, IFRS transition, f inancial instruments as well as

Friday, November 15, 2019

Advantages and Disadvantages of Adopting the Euro

Advantages and Disadvantages of Adopting the Euro A Study of the Benefits and Costs which Might Result for UK-based Firms Should the UK Adopt the Euro Name: Louise Tibagalika Introduction The euro is the single currency established in 1999, currently shared by 18 countries of the European Union’s Member States (Ec.europa.eu, 2014). Due to the number of advantages such as the stimulation of trade and disadvantages such as economic instability, the decision for the UK to adopt the euro is a big economic and political debate at present which will affect businesses and the public in many ways. The following report will look at the advantages and disadvantages for businesses and answer the question as to whether the UK government should proceed with the decision. Objectives Assess the benefits of the UK adopting the EURO Assess the drawbacks associated with the UK adopting the EURO How businesses can utilise these benefits and survive in the international market Look at the political, economic, social and environmental factors Provide workplace and personal experience Methodology In order to achieve the goals identified above, a variety of different sources have to be explored. The core text; International business by Wall, S., Minocha, S. and Rees, B. and Macroeconomics By Edward Gamber and David C Colander are good places to start as they give a good background on international business and the different factors that effect businesses looking to expand on an international level. To fully assess and answer the posed question the following sources will be useful; Adopting the Euro in Central Europe, Challenges of the Next Step in European Integration: Occasional Paper. 234 (IMFs Occasional Papers) by Susan Schadler; Britain and the European Union Frequently Asked Questions By Stuart Notholt; Britain, the Euro and Beyond by Baimbridge and Whyman European Economic and Monetary Integration, and the Optimum Currency Area Theory by Mongelli, F. P. These sources give good background on the problem and also give different opinions as to the pros and cons associated with adopting the euro. They also provide links to various other sources and explain why this has been an on-going debate for the UK since the European Union formed. As the debate about the UK adopting the euro is consistently in the news and is a much talked about issue due to the economic and political implications, there will be a number of web based sources that will be explored such as; Ec.europa.eu 2014; The euro European Commission S-cool.co.uk. 2014: A-level Economics The Euro Revision Should the UK Join the Single Currency? News.bbc.co.uk. 1997: BBC News | Single currency | Pros and Cons. Wei, L. 2009: Your portal to the world: Pro Cons For UK When Adopting Euro. European Commission Europa. 2011. How the euro benefit us all. Econ.economicshelp.org. 2007. Economics Essays: Why the UK will never join the EURO These amongst other online sources will also give different opinions on the question asked and will be useful as a source before further reading or research is carried out. With the various forums online and the above sources, there will be a large amount of information Main Body Advantages of the Euro The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) was established to allow the European economy to function well bringing more jobs and greater prosperity for Europeans (European Commission Europa, 2011). There are many benefits to adopting the euro for the UK and for businesses alike which include eliminating risks and cutting costs. The main benefit for businesses is that due to the single currency there will be no costs in exchanging currencies with EU countries which will result in the uncertainty for businesses being reduced. This will help to improve economic welfare and also remove the risk of unforeseen exchange rate revaluations or devaluations (Historylearningsite.co.uk, 2013; Irons and Colander, 2002). Due to the fluctuating exchange rates, businesses would have to take into consideration either export prices being higher or companies being discouraged from exporting within a single market. Therefore by adopting the euro the UK will have more opportunities for cross-border trade (Ec.europa.eu, 2013; CenuÃ…Å ¸e and Drigă, 2010). This would be more beneficial to medium sized UK businesses as they cannot currently take advantage of operating in the euro-zone and gaining profit like Shell and Vodafone and other larger companies. The interest rate of the Bank of England and other central banks is known to be volatile. With a single currency the European Central Bank will focus on economic conditions across the board helping to lower the interest rate. This will be beneficial for investment and growth as the strength of the currency will improve (Ec.europa.eu, 2013). By keeping the interest rate low or stable, this can improve profitability of exports and more businesses will want to invest in UK firms. Also less volatile interest rates will allow businesses to borrow at cheaper rates and also invest more confidently in the long term (Ec.europa.eu, 2013; Irons and Colander, 2002). For this reason the Japanese company Mitsubishi Corporation is keen for the switch and the By joining the EU, UK businesses will be open to price transparency and reduction of information costs. The single currency will also allow consumers and businesses to compare prices which will help reduce the costs of raw materials and further make their customers happy with lower prices (Baimbridge and Whyman, 2008; Ec.europa.eu, 2013). For example new cars in Europe cost less than new cars in the UK, a single currency will remove this price differential. Also the euro will allow better access as investors will no longer be limited to a local market and investors can move capital to areas where it will be used more effectively (Baimbridge and Whyman, 2008; Ec.europa.eu, 2013). The UK is also known to have a very successful labour market and within a single currency this would be highly beneficial not only in that the inflation rate will go down but also as competitiveness will be sustained (Mongelli, 2008). This could also be very useful for SMEs as well as large organisations due to prices going down and hopefully competitiveness will promote more business. Arguments against adopting the Euro Although the arguments for adopting the euro seem strong, some of the positives can be changed into points to support the UK keeping the sterling. By adopting the euro, the UK may be open to instability, lower growth, higher unemployment and economic decline due to not being able to set their own interest rates based on the national economy (Kern, 2002). Although devaluations can be detrimental in some cases, it has been demonstrated in the past that well-chosen devaluations can help an economy out of difficulties. For example during the economic downturn in 2008, many economies of countries within the euro, such as Spain, could not stimulate their own economy by devaluing their currency and therefore increasing exports, this saw their businesses and economies failing and finding it difficult to recover (Historylearningsite.co.uk, 2013; Baimbridge and Whyman, 2008). The physical conversion from sterling to euros will have many costs for banks and retailers which the UK Government is unlikely to cover, such as training staff, changing computer software, creating open euro bank accounts and educating customers. The British Retailing Consortium estimates that British retailers will have to pay between  £1.7 billion and  £3.5 billion to make the changes necessary (Baimbridge and Whyman, 2008). This will affect SMEs, which will not benefit directly from the adoption of the euro and they could potentially force marginal firms out of business and give countries that are not in the euro a competitive advantage. According to the KPMG report, an estimated 3,000 à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rms face total costs of up to â‚ ¬56.5 million ( £35.8 million) (Baimbridge and Whyman, 2008). UK Businesses may also have to drive down prices due to the combination of improved availability of information and price transparency. This will be especially troublesome for products that are accessible to cross border trade and will be reinforced by internet shopping (Baimbridge and Whyman, 2008). Inefficient firms will suffer mostly from this and profits will be reduced due to higher levels of competition. Joining the euro would mean that the UK would have to adhere to new labour rules which in some cases govern how employees are hired and fired (Baimbridge and Whyman, 2008; Econ.economicshelp.org, 2007)). As the labour market is more flexible in the UK than it is in others in the euro and UK firms have more independence with employment, joining would be detrimental for the firms as the cost of production would increase and unions would have more power (S-cool.co.uk, 2014; Brugesgroup.com, 2014). Results and Conclusions Based on the findings above the general benefits for the UK businesses adopting the euro are as follows; Lower transaction costs Reducing the uncertainty affecting the profitability of international transactions Lower cost of capital Improved allocation of capital Better use of the common monetary reserves Reducing losses due to different rates of inflation within EMU member countries Improving macroeconomic management and cooperation Improving macroeconomic stabilisation within EU Member States The costs for UK businesses on the other hand are as follows; Deflation and economic instability Costs of change Loss of income resulting from issuing currency Increase of costs necessary to make shock adjustments; Lower economic growth rates Less flexible labour market Comparing the two lists, it would seem that it wold be best for the UK to adopt euro as businesses would benefit from the lower transaction costs, lower cost of capital and better price transparency which could lower invoices and costs of raw materials. This as discussed would benefit customers and could help to boost business. So ultimately it seems that the higher capital costs and an overvalued exchange rate are the results of not joining the euro as well as receiving fewer European visitors (Rickard, S 2002). The costs of the UK adopting the euro seem short term, such as the costs of change and the loss of income due to issuing the new currency. However the less flexible labour market, deflation and the lower economic growth seem to be major factors that have caused the UK to delay the decision to adopt the euro. Those who support the single currency must consider that loss of control over monetary and exchange rate policy may weaken national economic management which, looking at previously strong economies like Germany will have a large impact on trade and business (CenuÃ…Å ¸e, M, Drigă, 2010; Baimbridge and Whyman, 2008) Ultimately there are many factors that need to be considered should the UK decide to adopt the euro or stick with the sterling. The fact that there are political and economic arguments makes it harder to come to a simple decision, and although it appears that the benefits are great, the costs need to be carefully considered as businesses need a strong economy to survive and flourish. Baimbridge and Whyman (2008) quote Healey (2000: 19–20) who states that ‘while the beneà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ts are signià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ cant, cumulative over time and reasonably uncontroversial, the costs are much more uncertain, widely exaggerated and almost certain to diminish with the passage of time’ Bibliography Baimbridge, M. and Whyman, P. 2008. Britain, the Euro and beyond. Aldershot, England: Ashgate. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost [Viewed 9 February 2014]. Brugesgroup.com. 2014. From Single Market to Single Currency: Evaluating Europes EconomicExperiment. [online] Available at: http://www.brugesgroup.com/mediacentre/index.live?article=74 [Accessed: 10 Feb 2014]. CenuÃ…Å ¸e, M, Drigă, 2010, Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Euro, Annals Of The University Of Petrosani Economics, 10, 3, pp. 61-68, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, [Viewed 9 February 2014]. Currencysolutions.co.uk. 2011. The Unpredictable Character of British Pound And The Euro Exchange Rate. [online] Available at: http://www.currencysolutions.co.uk/euro/the-unpredictable-character-of-british-pound-and-the-euro-exchange-rate [Accessed: 9 Feb 2014]. Ec.europa.eu. 2013. Business benefits European Commission. [online] Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/why/business/index_en.htm [Accessed: 8 Feb 2014]. Ec.europa.eu. 2014. The euro European Commission. [online] Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/ [Accessed: 9 Feb 2014]. Econ.economicshelp.org. 2007. Economics Essays: Why the UK will never join the EURO.. [online] Available at: http://econ.economicshelp.org/2007/03/why-uk-will-never-join-euro.html [Accessed: 9 Feb 2014]. European Commission Europa. 2011. How the euro benefit us all. [online] Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/general/pdf/how_the_euro_benefits_us_all_en.pdf [Accessed: 8 Feb 2014]. Historylearningsite.co.uk. 2013. What are the arguments for and against joining the Euro. [online] Available at: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/euro.htm [Accessed: 8 Feb 2014]. Irons, J. S. and Colander, D. C. 2002. Study guide [for] Macroeconomics [by] David C. Colander, Edward N. Gamber. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Kern, D. 2002. British Chamber of Commerce Economic Briefing, paper presented at British Chamber of Commerce Economic Briefing, London, 17 February. London: British Chamber of Commerce. Mongelli, F. P. 2008. European economic and monetary integration, and the optimum currency area theory. Brussels: Office for Infrastructures and Logistics. News.bbc.co.uk. 1997. BBC News | Single currency | Pros and cons. [online] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/single_currency/25081.stm [Accessed: 8 Feb 2014]. Rickard, S 2002, E-Day: the Impact of the Euro on UK Business, Credit Control, 23, 1, p. 14, MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost, [Viewed 9 February 2014]. S-cool.co.uk. 2014. A-level Economics The Euro Revision Should the UK Join the Single Currency? | S-cool, the revision website. [online] Available at: http://www.s-cool.co.uk/a-level/economics/the-euro/revise-it/should-the-uk-join-the-single-currency [Accessed: 10 Feb 2014]. Wall, S., Minocha, S. and Rees, B. 2010. International business. Harlow, England: Pearson/ Financial Times Prentice Hall. Wei, L. 2009. Your portal to the world: Pro Cons For UK When Adopting Euro. [online] Available at: http://econsguide.blogspot.co.uk/2009/02/why-is-uk-considered-wise-to-choose.html [Accessed: 9 Feb 2014].

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Capital Punishment for Women that Have Abortions :: abortion argumentative persuasive argument

Capital Punishment for Women that Have Abortions    Abortion is the worst thing a woman can do against human dignity. It is a crime against life. No woman has the right to kill a new living being. Many countries ban abortion and many institutions fight against it. Abortion is immoral and it should not be legalized.    Abortion is also a threat to the mother's health. A woman can suffer an infection or internal bleeding. She could also become sterilized, the permanent inhability to bear a child. Abortion not only kills the baby but may kill the mother too. During an abortion, despite the use of local anesthesia, 97% of the women report severe pain, and if a more powerful drug is used she could suffer dangerous side effects. Many complications are common after an abortion, like inflammation of the reproductive organs. As well, there is strong evidence that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer. Women that abort increase their chances of getting breast cancer by 50%, and teenagers with no previous pregnancies that abort after the 8th week increase their probability by 800%. Unicef states that 250,000 women die every year because of legal and illegal abortions: 75,000 of them die of self-inflicted abortions; 75,000 die of convulsions; and the other 100,000 die of blood poisoning caused by an infection of the uterus.   Therefore, if abortion is legalized there will be not only more fetal murders but also more mothers will die.    None of the methods women use to abort are completly safe. One of the most common methods used is Suction Aspiration. The doctor uses a special tool to suck the baby into a collection bottle. Great care must be taken to prevent the uterus from being damaged, which would cause hemorrhage. A woman with hemorrhage will need a blood transfusion that could cause her AIDS. Also infection may easily occur if fetal tissue is left behind in the uterus. Another method used for babies as old as twenty four weeks, is the Dilation and Evacuation. Sharp jaws are used to grasp different parts of the unborn baby which are then torn away. The skull of the baby must be crushed to facilitate the procedure. Another technique used by a lot of pregnant women is the RU486.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The Yoshida Doctrine

Every foreign relation that a Nation-State enters is always self-serving. A country enters into an agreement with another for the purpose of achieving its national goals, and preserving its national security. When a country is in need of aid, whether in the economic or defense facet, the first option that that country would take is to enter into relations with other nations, and the first country on their list would be the United States. The United States has been the World Superpower since time immemorial, dominating the world in almost all aspects. Consequently, when countries are in need of aid, the US is their first option in mind to turn to. When Japan was grappled by the crippling effects of the Second World War, their intuition dictated for them to enter into foreign relations with the US – Thus, the Yoshida Doctrine was born. The doctrine was named after Yoshida Shigeru, a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1946 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1954, during the critical transition period after World War II (http://www. newworldencyclopedia. rg/entry/Yoshida_Shigeru). This paper aims to give an overview on the foreign relations of Japan on a global level focusing on the present time period. Times are changing in unimaginable ways. There have been great changes which can be viewed as positive or negative depending on whom the observer is; in this case, the relations between Japan and the US. What was once an acceptable agreement in the past may now be of little or no importance when applied to the present. Often times we hear the quote: â€Å"the only thing constant in the world is change. With this in mind, everything that a country would enter must be done with utmost clarity, and must take into consideration the circumstances of every case which may be applicable to it. The circumstances which may have warranted the application of the Yoshida Doctrine in the past may not anymore be applicable at present; thus, there would be a need to abolish or amend certain provisions of the aforementioned agreement for the proper application thereto. The Yoshida Doctrine was the product of an agreement between then Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida with the United States. The agreement was made to help Japan recover economically from the effects of the World War II. To be able to achieve this, Japan heavily relied on the United States for its military protection. This was the tactic seen by then Prime Minister Yoshida to alleviate the effects of the war and to help it recover as a nation economically. It can be said that the Yoshida Doctrine that Japan entered with the US was bilateral and asymmetrical. The doctrine was bilateral mainly because it was an agreement only between the US and Japan. Also, the doctrine was asymmetrical for the reason that the agreement was leaning more on the US’ benefit. At first glance, the doctrine truly is beneficial for Japan; however, in the long run, this benefit would be at the expense of Japanese national dignity. At the time of the Cold War, the doctrine dictates that the US will leave economic matters to the Japanese government. On the other hand, defense issues will be handled by the US. This would mean that the US would act in behalf of the Japanese military in handling Japanese defense. The military is an instrument of a state that holds the monopoly of the legitimate use of violence. The military is tasked to defend the nation-states’ people from internal and external threats, and to maintain peace and order. These are the traditional roles of the military. A state’s hold on its military is essential to its survival, and for the assurance of its sovereignty. If one is to be nuance about the situation concerning the Yoshida Doctrine that the US would handle matters on Japanese military on external defense, then this would mean that positions in the United Nations most especially the seats in the United Nations Security Council, the United States would as well hold. It is of utmost importance to point out that although I would like to prove that Japan could defend itself and stand on its own, it is still important for it to become a member of the United Nations Security Council. Being a member of the United Nations is crucial, since this international organization plays a huge role in fostering unity amongst the member countries. Japan is already a member of this prestigious organization and it should build on improving its relations with it. The United Nations was established in order to foster peace and unity among those countries who are parties to it. The United Nations does not seek to trample on the manner by which a country runs its government but aims for each of its country members to abide by its generally acceptable principles such as peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, and the like. As such, the members of the United Nations are in agreement that it is important to respect the rights of the different sovereignty that are part of it. This is important because it would give a sense of peace of mind to governments of the various member Nation-States since it knows that it has the freedom to govern its people without any outside influence, while at the same time knowing that it has alliances from other countries which would be of help when the need arises. There is no direct evidence that the United States benefited from the Yoshida Doctrine. But, a closer look into the agreement would reveal that the United States was able to influence Japan to a formidable extent. The United States has been touted as the most powerful country at present; consequently, every country would aspire to establish a relation with it, in one way or another. The presence of the United States military force in Japan gave the former the chance to control the latter by the mere presence that it has in their country. The Yoshida Doctrine has already served its purpose, and its dictate on the Japanese government at the present is no longer applicable. The doctrine’s purpose of giving Japan economic aid in exchange for handling the Japanese military has long since been able to establish itself. On the economic aspect, Japan is considered as one of the top countries in terms of economic growth. A country as rich as Japan has sufficient amount of resources needed to sustain its military workforce. At present,, It would be a very crucial decision to stray away from the Yoshida Doctrine since this may result to having a strained relation with the United States. However, it is still possible to enter into peaceful negotiations with countries to maintain their diplomacy with each other. At the present, Japan can now stand on its own both financially and on the level of security. This country has mastered economic policies with proofs from its domestic growth in colossal amounts.. Every government must have sufficient amount of income in order to support its needs such as education, livelihood, military, infrastructure and other relevant projects. The economic growth being enjoyed by Japan signals stability for their government. A crucial decision to remain free from the influence and dependence of the United States is a very difficult decision for Japan. However, these are risks that a government must be willing to take. The security force of any government should be taken seriously. The military is akin to the commander in chief of any organization. The military should pledge its loyalty to only one government otherwise, various problems and conflicts may arise. If the United States would continue to extend its aid to Japan pursuant to the Yoshida Doctrine, then I believe that the presence of the former in the latter country is there for the wrong reasons. This is where the argument becomes significant that an amendment of the doctrine is in order. The initial understanding of Japan and the United States is that the latter would extend its military service to the former to help it recover economically. I believe that this concern is no longer of issue at this day and age. The agreement should be rendered moot and academic. If Japan would still want to have the United States military force to be present in their country then a new agreement is in order, so that it would correspond to the present need thereof. As history would tell us, it is safe to say that too much alliance with a particular country affects the independence of that country. Whether the party concerned likes it or not, there will be decisions that it has to make in consideration of the country with whom it has an agreement with. This could adversely affect the foreign policy of that particular country to the prejudice of its constituents. It would be best for Japan to keep its alliance with the United States to a minimum and focus instead on its relations with, not only the United Nations, but more so, with all the other countries as well. It is better to maintain a good and harmonious relationship with the United Nations which is composed of several countries than to focus on enhancing its relations with a single country. The relationship of Japan and the United States could be eventually criticized to the prejudice of both countries. If Japan would continue its close relations on this intimate level with the United States it could be regarded as a country which would do everything and agree on anything that the latter agrees on. It is very important for any country to have independence and liberty free from any form of outside influence. I believe it would be best for Japan to nurture is relationship with other countries than to focus on the United States. For instance, Japan can improve its relations with countries with whom its relationship is not as strong as with the United States. Japan has a good head start, it is already a member of the United Nations and of the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors or more commonly known as G-20. The G-20 is composed of 19 countries and of the European Union whose aim is to address global economic issues. The group is composed of, United Kingdom, China, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, these countries among others. The point of the matter is that Japan should improve its relations with these countries instead of merely being complacent with its relationship with the United States. Japan should nurture its relations with France, China, Mexico and other countries comprising G-20 as this would be of great and beneficial advantage for their country. Japan has already proven its loyalty to the United States, thus, it is now time for it to move on to other countries. Japan may instead work on enhancing its relations with its neighboring countries in order to work on more policies for their benefit. Every country needs to maintain diplomatic relations with every possible government in order to better achieve its goal. Further, it can also be argued that the resources of Japan should be shared not only with the United States but with all other countries that are desperately in need of it and vice versa. The United States should not only favor those countries with whom it is able to receive something but it should also strive to allocate its resources even to those with whom it is unable to gain in return. It may sound ideal; however, it only means being civil. It only means living under agreements where profit is not the main reason for living. On a political aspect, the Yoshida Doctrine was made during the time of then Prime Minister Yoshida. The factors by which Then Prime Minister Yoshida was surrounded with may no longer be applicable at this present time of Prime Minister Taro Aso. The situation of Japan during the post World War II period is entirely different than today. Through several years, Japan has evolved politically. When Japan was still on the verge of recovery from the effects of World War II, it needed to have an ally to be able to rise up again. As such, then Prime Minister Yoshida, entered into an agreement which was to be known as the Yoshida Doctrine with the United States. In 2009, many years after World War II, Japan is regarded as the third largest economy. Japan has gained this status after years of hard work. Japan is considered as technologically advanced and has been accepting more and more investments, making it economically self sufficient. Statistics show that it has 0% population below poverty line. The relation of its economic growth with its political aspect is important. A government that has a flourishing economy is self-sufficient, thus, its government is capable of standing on its own. Thus, the Yoshida Doctrine would no longer be applicable at this time. Although it can be argued that it would be very difficult to just suddenly nullify the Yoshida Doctrine since there is a risk of misinterpretation on the part of the United States. Such act would consequently invite questions regarding Japanese intentions or its loyalty, still, a thorough study of this matter is proper for the best interests of Japan. Prime Minister Aso is faced with different challenges that his leadership and term has to face. The leaders of any government should view every agreement on a long term basis. Any crucial agreements being made should be examined in the light of all factors such as economic, military, or political aspects. A leader must always bear in mind that he is merely the representative of the country that he represent, he does not occupy the position to establish personal or beneficial interests for his own agenda. Instead, the thinking should always be two steps ahead. There should be a projection of circumstances with a thorough analysis of every possible conflict that may arise as a result of any agreement or treaty. Any agreement that a country seeks to enter must not be for the benefit of the reigning political party or person occupying the highest position of the land. The underlying reasons for entering into any agreement must transcend the political interests of a particular party. With this, it can be said that a revision of the Yoshida Doctrine is in order so that it would be made to adapt to the present situation facing Japan. The Yoshida Doctrine affected Japan’s foreign policy post World War II to a great extent. Japan surrendered its military force to the United States since it wanted to rehabilitate its economy which was destroyed by the war. As a result, the United States was tasked to take control of the military defense of Japan. Up to this day, Japan has maintained strong ties with the United States. Japan took the risk of allowing the United States to take control of their security while it was busy with gathering resources for its economic recovery. This set-up has its consequences that are being felt even to this day. When Japan agreed to enter into an agreement with the United States it did not look far into the future since it was merely concerned with the situation, post World War II. There was lack of foresight in analyzing the future. The criticism that could be raised today is that, as a result of the Yoshida Doctrine, Japan now finds it hard to gain â€Å"independence† from the United States and to gain a representing seat at the United Nations Security Council. If the Yoshida Doctrine be not amended, Japan will forever bear the stigma of being an ally of the United States. Japan has surrendered a very powerful weapon to the United States that is their military force. It can be said, that this would also result to giving up a big chunk of their sovereignty and independence as a country. Japan must re-examine its position and its resources. It must look at the bigger picture and determine whether or not it is still profitable for it to maintain close ties on this level with the United States. Japan must have given itself options and widened its horizons by thinking twice when it surrendered its military force in favor of another country, in this case, the United States. If the situation would be taken from a bigger perspective, avoiding any myopic view of the matter, a problem could be detected. One aspect that we can see is that the Yoshida Doctrine does not support the resort to war as a means to resolve conflicts. On the other hand, the United States is known to be active in supporting its military workforce by engaging in war with other nations to eliminate terrorists. There seems to be a conflict of principles undertaken by these two countries who aim to work as one. When the need arises for Japan to follow United States orders on the military aspect, Japan would have no voice and would have to abide by the agreement that it has entered with the United States. Japan is therefore left with no voice, no autonomy and no independence to protect its own country through ways that it believes in. The amendment of the Yoshida Doctrine would not totally cut the ties of Japan from the United States. It merely seeks to place Japan on its proper place. The leaders of Japan should take this matter seriously if it does not want to be forever bound to the doctrine that should have long been amended. Too much of everything is bad. A middle ground should be established between the ties that bind Japan and the United States. There should be room left for the government officials of Japan to exercise its decision making when it comes to defending the security of their country. Japan may use the experiences that it has acquired from the United States during those times when the latter has extended its aid to the former. From here, Japan could form its own strategy, its own plan, a defense system that it can call its own, free from any influence by the United States. In this way, Japan would gain more respect from other countries and could set a good example for other nations, giving the idea that a strong nation can do anything on its own with a little help from others. If, after a thorough analysis of the situation, Japan believes that it is not ready to go on an all out independence from the United States, then it may enter into an agreement with the latter that would still give them enough freedom to decide on their own. The United States in this regard would merely be there to guide Japan, instead of totally taking away the military sovereignty and independence of the latter. I am of the opinion that the Yoshida Doctrine should be reshaped to be made more applicable at this present time. Japan has long been able to stand on its own and has since recovered from the crisis that it was faced with in the past which necessitated surrender of the military to the United States. Independence of any country, free from any external influence should be the guiding principles of any nation since it must learn how to stand on its own. It would not however hurt to seek help from another country but this does not mean that one should have total reliance thereto. Japan should begin to reexamine and delve deeper into its motive for its close alliance with the United States. The United States has its own concerns and issues to address independent of Japan. This means that the United States always has to look out for its country first and foremost without having to consider the stake that other allies have over it. Throughout the years from the 1970’ up to the present, many things have transpired. Japan has flourished economically, the United States became involved with defending its country by resorting to war, terrorism has become the major problem of the United States and so on. Japan should begin to take a different course from its overdependence with the United States, it should start taking the path that would give it more independence from the latter. To end my article, let me share with you a line that deserves to be pondered on: â€Å"Freedom is the emancipation from the arbitrary rule of other men. † This quote that was once uttered by Mortimer Adler fully encompasses the relationship that Japan has with the United States. If Japan puts its national sovereignty on its lists of priorities, then Japan must rethink its relationship with the United States, and think more than twice on their future transactions.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Whitmans Masculinity and Femininity in Song of Myself Essays

Whitmans Masculinity and Femininity in Song of Myself Essays Whitmans Masculinity and Femininity in Song of Myself Paper Whitmans Masculinity and Femininity in Song of Myself Paper Essay Topic: Leaves Of Grass Poetry The Poetry of Dh Lawrence All Whitmans poems, not merely the Children of Adam poems and the Calamus poems, are love poems of blatant sexuality and amativeness, which was frightening to some of those who read and liked him and was a real bugbear to those who charged him with writing filthi without bothering to read them. However, sex, this rejuvenation or rebirth or new life is taken by Whitman as a proof of the affirmative and ascending nature of Gods world and of humanity itself. Sex is not something debasing or something to be whispered about behind the hand, but deserving the highest celebration. In Song of Myself, masculinity and femininity, the two components of sex, are chanted by Whitman; and whats further, Whitman brings together these two seemingly polar opposites and synthesizes them to form a new wholeness at a higher level where he unlocks his own inner reality and truth. As a start, it is essential to list some of the apparently opposite concepts that are such an integral part of all the poetry of Whitman. Group 1: arrogant, activity, day, sun, life, body and adhesiveness; group 2: docility, passivity, night, moon, death, soul and amativeness. All of the words in group 1 relate to masculinity and those in group 2 to femininity. Strangely, the words in the two groups are not opposite at all in Whitmans poetry, as they would be with most poets; instead, they are dual aspects of a new cosmic self. Whitman is attracted to energy-drawn by its glorious, magnetic charge, which is evidenced in all his poetry. Since reproduction is the prime energizing force in the universe, it would be impossible for Whitman to neglect its power. In Song of Myself, masculinity is explicitly depicted: it was the sweating, muscular laborers, not the pale bank clerk that hold Whitmans attention and love. He sings for the carpenter, the pilot, the blacksmith; sings for their strong arms, grimy and heavy chest and their sexual bodies. As well, masculine heroism can find its great expression in Song of Myself: Whitman imagines himself as a mashed fireman, exhausted but not so unhappy; as old artillerist against the attacking cannons, mortars, and howitzers. And further research will reveal that, all these masculine and aggressive elements within Whitmans descriptions relate to Whitmans own image. It was Whitman himself in his unsigned review of Leaves of Grass who depicted its author as one of the roughs, large, proud, affectionate, eating, drinking, and breeding. Clearly, in all these masculinities, there was always a bit of dandy in Whitman and a rather formidable streak of Narcissismiii. Actually, Whitman was in love with the masculine image of himself; and it is the feminine elements of his being, at the very core of his making-up, hold this love. Moreover, penetrating into these masculine physique and vitality, it exposes that Whitmans inner nature is primarily passive and feminine, which might explain why he becomes ecstatic when he describes the masculinity of energetic men, typically, in Section 12 of Song of Myself where the poet is describing the blacksmiths: The lithe sheer of their waists plays even with their massive arms. Besides the firm masculinity and heroism, there are also many instances in Song of Myself where Whitman tends to view himself as Christ. In section 10, the poet is sheltering a run-away slave and showing his democratic (Christ like) brotherly love: Though the swung half-door of the kitchen I saw him limps and weak,/And went where he sat on a log, and led him in and assured him,/ And brought water and filled a tub for his sweated body and bruised feet /I had him sit next to me at table-my firelock leaned in his corner. In section 48, he declares, In the faces of men and women, I see God, and in my own face in the glass. Whereas Christ was masculine in his courage, in his rebellion against the established order, and in his stoical attitude at his crucifixion, Whitman is also feminine in his passive humility, in his tender compassion and love for others and in his ability to calm and to take care of others. A third expression of masculinity is his boastful tone and his masculine outflo w of his innermost feeling. When Whitman speaks in Song of Myself as the cosmic I, as distinct from the personal I, he seldom writes, I said or I think or I state. Like Emerson, he does not qualify and hedge in his statements. He asserts. Few poets who have written in the English language have used the active, concrete verbs with such boldness and artistic excellence. The assertions of Whitman are far too grandiose to be contained by the standard verse forms of his day or to be restrained by rhyme or regular meter. And because Whitman is a spontaneous me rather than an intellectualized me, he must sing, or chant, or carol, as he rises and falls from peaks of ecstasy. His message is not intellectual; it is anti-intellectual; it is not moral; it flows beyond and beneath morality into a beautiful and loving amorality. It springs from a feeling, a fusion, and an accompanying certitude that is at the very core of his being. It is made possible because he is the reconciler of apparent opposites (masculinity and femininity), which are, when properly understood, not opposite at all. iv Therefore, in this stage, it is safe to conclude that, behind all the masculinities he chants in his muscularly assertive tone, Whitmans inner nature is primarily passive and feminine. Because He is an absorber, who receives and accepts all into himself. He is a Cosmic Eye who searches out and seizes all, a Cosmic Sponge who absorbs and contains all. v And after the process of absorption, the poet becomes a translator, I wish I could translate the hints about the dead young men and women. What occurs in Whitmans translation is that he accepts the peculiar and concrete as symbolic or representative-a gigantic beauty of a stallion-and then quickly fuses the particular into a cosmic view where it is elevated and submerged in deeper meanings far beyond its own limitations. vi While the masculine elements Whitman extols, explores and glorifies in Song of Myself is in a variety of its implications-firm muscularity, heroism, and the democratic (Christ like) concept of brotherly love, femininity in this poem is of a very special kind. Women of the ultra feminine, dainty and charming type are totally absent in Whitmans verse. Instead, women in Whitmans poetry are glorified for their masculine strength rather than their feminine delicacy; they are mostly down-trodden and among the laboring classes: females he sings for in Song of Myself are the prostitute draggling her shawl, her bonnet bobs on her tipsy and pimpled neck. and the clean-haired Yankee girl working with her sewing-machine, or in the factory or mill. Another female image in Whitmans poetry is mothers and mothers of mothers. Whitman obviously has an enduring and tremendous respect and praise for them. His deification of motherhood is apparently in section 21 of Song of Myself, And I say there is nothing greater than the mother of men. This veneration for motherhood is understandable, because Whitman owns warm feelings for his own mother and motherhood is the visible evidence of procreation-the force that is vital to life and to his poetry. Such unordinary femininity, for one reason, may be a result of Whitmans widely known homosexuality: as is deduced from his relationships with Sergeant Thomas P. Sawyer and Peter Doyle, Whitman was homosexual and played a passive and dependent role in his unusual instances. Thus, torn apart by these deeply felt emotional attachments, Whitman always appreciates the masculinity of women and is naturally afraid of these very feminine women, because they are rivals for his subconscious love objects. However, a further examination within a wider social background will show Whitmans homosexuality is only a superficial reason for this particular femininity. The decades of the 1850s was the most creative period in Whitmans life and it was also the highlights of the national movement of womens rights. Whitman felt great sympathy, affection, and admiration for the feminists, such as Chilton and Menken; he encouraged them to struggle for womens equal rights to men. Thus, it can be understood that, by depicting women in such a masculine image, Whitman, does not mean to represent them as D. W. Lawrence commented on Leaves of Grasses: muscles and wombs, they need not have had face at all; rather, it is a cosmic or leveling effect Whitman achieves by not making distinction; the masculine image of women actually is a reference which holds the women just as great as the men; and the mother the melodious character of the earth, the finish beyond which philosophy cannot go and does not wish to go. vii To sum up, in Song of Myself, Whitman deals with both the active masculinity and passive femininity and unites them to unveil his cosmic self. The reason that this fusion, the wellspring of his poetry is so complete, so candid, and so persistently exciting is that both the passive (feminine) and the active (masculine) components were blended and united within Whitman. It was his total acceptance and emotional extension of his own identity, with his joyous pride in its inclusiveness that gave America the miraculous volume. In addition to the joining together of body and soul, it was a synthesis of the masculine and feminine within Whitman, which caused the mystical vision and inspired his poetry. viii His poetry can be viewed as a child of this blending; therefore, its rhythms are necessarily sexual, since the fusion itself is emotional, subjective, and sensual rather than logical. Therefore, only by accepting the fact that all things, while still retaining individual identity and dignity, are in a deeper sense symbolic representatives of the same things, and that all things contains not only themselves but their apparent op posites, can the reader lose and then find himself in full freedom of Whitmans cosmic version. Only when we realize that Whitman is not a conscious and deliberate rebel, nor a mere chauvinist, nor a naive optimist, nor a discursive egotist-only when we grasp the wholeness of man and his love and vision-can we finally learn to feel him aright. For Whitmans poetry ranges beyond all studies and analyses; it is to be read aloud, to be sensed, to be absorbed, to be fused with-just as the poet fused the diverse elements of life and the contending elements of his own personality, accepting them in such a way as to create the most remarkable volume of poetry in 19th century in America. Finally it is necessary to be clearly aware that there is really no duality of paradox or ambiguity or opposites in the representation of the various masculine and feminine elements in Whitmans poetry, which has been demonstrated in Song of Myself. Day-man-life is not really separated from night-woman-death. x They all merge to become a whole; all are of equal value; and all lead to new birth and a higher level of a Cosmic self. xi As Whitman himself affirms, Out of the dimness opposite equals advance, always substance and increase, always sex. Or again, the ultimate affirmation: All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Crime in the U.S. essays

Crime in the U.S. essays Since the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, we have become more fearful of crime than ever before. The groups that are more fearful of crime are typically not the groups that are the most victimized. Our nation, as a whole, needs to implement more ways to reduce the fear of crime that we have. These ways can begin as close as our own homes. According to the 2002 Department of Justice summary findings of victim characteristics, the people most likely to become victims of violent crime are single low income African-Americans and Hispanics, ages 12 to 24 that are living in urban areas. The people most likely to become victims of property crimes are also low income African-American and Hispanics living in low-income urban areas. But the difference is that the age group jumps from 12 to 24 and moves to the elderly. People with the greatest fear of crime in our nation are, for the most part, the same as the actual victims. This group is comprised of mostly females, African-Americans and Hispanics, those over 30, low income, and living in urban areas. The correlation between the two groups is that they are made up of mostly African-Americans and Hispanics living in low income, urban areas. There are many ways to reduce our fear of crime. Most of them can be done right in our own backyard. Teaching good values to our children at a young age may be able to stop crime before it even starts. We can also utilize the school and church programs to help instill good values in our children and help to keep them off of the streets. As a community, there are various programs that can be taken advantage of to help reduce our fear of crime and can actually reduce crime. One program is the neighborhood watch. This program helps neighbors get acquainted with each other, which may help recognize things that may be suspicious. One more way that has proven very effective is the neighborhood revitalization program. This program gets the co...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Choose any company and describe its multinational business aspects Essay

Choose any company and describe its multinational business aspects - Essay Example However, multinational companies face critics of polluting the environment and paying local labor poorly. At the same time, they face critics of exploiting the resources of resident countries and sending the profits to their parent countries. Multinational companies operate on the concepts of multinational business including global context and company strategy. Indeed, globalization plays a major role in the success of a multinational company. The complexity of operating a multinational company is very clear where only about 1% of all American companies had branches outside US by 2004. The strategy of a multinational company may involve merging with parent companies who have established distribution network and customer base. In case of a merger, it becomes hard to balance the two national interests and the interests of the investors. Nevertheless, the aspect of globalization is not ideal in that most companies are more rooted in their parent countries where their customers, investors, suppliers, and employees reside. As such, for them to remain afloat, they adopt a cosmopolitan approach that mandates them to adapt to the different market dynamics in variant countries. This affects the company strategy that reverts to ad aptation than growth. It also affects the organization of the company that has to reduce the external differences and manage the organizational distance (Ghemawat 92-99). They will equally have to pass the cosmopolitan approach to their customers and shareholders. Microsoft, Sony, Starbucks, and Coca cola are successful multinational companies. Microsoft Corporation is the worlds largest software multinational corporation based in Redmond, Washington, United States. Microsoft deals with computing products where it is the largest computer manufacturer, developer, and licensor. The company uses the aspect of globalization in business where it operates in more than more than 135 different

Friday, November 1, 2019

Researched argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Researched argument - Essay Example uch individuals has been depicted in several literary books and articles with a view of informing the entire nation and the world, at large, about the unlucky population in the United States. One of these books is Ehrenreich’s â€Å"Nicket and Dimed†. The book has its settings in Florida, Maine and Minnesota (Ehrenreich 38). People normally work to get money and make their lives better. However, what most of the workers in Florida experience is opposite, or contrary to what a reasonable person would think of. Most of the people in this area work hard but poverty still remain the greatest challenge to their existence and lives. Most of the workers strive to do their best but they do not achieve their target of affording a good lifestyle. The same is experienced by workers in Twin Cities in Minnesota and Maine. Another contradicting issue on the poverty life among people in these regions is that the demand for labor in most industries and companies is high, but the wages are very low and there are no increments. This is against the normal law of economics whereby an increase in demand naturally leads to an increase in the price of the product, or labor in this case. In addition to the above, the workers work tirelessly under these low wage rates. It is uncommon to find people commit themselves working on a peanut pay. Ehrenreich says that she grew with a belief that the secret of success was hard work and nothing else (E-notes.com). What she experiences in the mentioned areas makes her doubts her beliefs and the childhood teachings. ‘Hard work’ was the secret of success: ‘Work hard and you’ll get ahead’ or ‘It’s hard work that got us where we are (Chazelle & Chainani)†. She remembers this, through flashback, and believes that it is only t hrough hard work that she will achieve her life dreams and consequentially succeed in his plans. The reality that unveils the low-wage workplace is like a mockery to her (E-notes.com). She does not believe it