What is the American Dream and is it still alive today Essay

What is the American Dream and is it still alive today - Essay Example What is the American dream and is it still alive today essay examines the American dream with a focus on whether people have abandoned the dream to pursue their personal self-interests. If the American dream is still present and alive, does it still hold for all Americans? This is the question that ardent followers of the American philosophy want conclusive answers. Currently, the question that lingers in the minds of most American citizens is whether they are still able to achieve this dream. Due to the American dream essay, America is a country that prides in economic mobility where chances for equal opportunities for success are possible, but, whether every single individual can succeed remains an unsolved puzzle. The hurting reality is that inasmuch as statistics show that 84% of people out-earn their parents and that the poorest Americans are better off than they used to, it’s still not easy to move from one social class to another. The rich people do all they can to consolidate their riches while the poor remains in their class. Class mobility is not very much easy in America compared to its neighbor Canada and another country like Britain. It is projected that an increase in one’s income may not necessarily prompt a shift in class since the gap between the rich and the poor is too wide. Even though movement across one class seems hard, there is one solution that has been seen to enable people move up their social class.

The Reign Of Charlemagne

The Reign Of Charlemagne Why Was The Reign Of Charlemagne So Important In The Development Of The Early Medieval Monarchy? Charlemagne or Charles the Great was born on the 2 April 748 AD, the son of Pippin; the King of the Franks. At the time of his accession, the Frankish kingdom was already the most important power in Europe. However, that power and prestige was increased greatly by Charlemagne during his reign, in which he came to rule the vast majority of Western Europe. Charlemagnes power and prestige culminated on Christmas Day 800, when he was crowned Imperial Emperor by Pope Leo III. This act was incredibly significant as it founded the empire that would be known as the Holy Roman Empire, an empire that lasted for over a thousand years. As a result of the immense power Charlemagne had, he has been often been referred to as the ‘father of Europe. Ultimately, Charlemagne was the founding father of the French and German monarchies, a key player in the spread of Christianity throughout Western Europe, and ruled over an empire, the likes of which had not been seen since the Roman era. Charlemagne instigated various administrative reforms throughout his empire that were key in the development of the early medieval monarchy. One of Charlemagnes foremost concerns was maintaining unity within his empire. In 802, two years after his imperial coronation, Charlemagne required the entire population of the realm to swear an oath of loyalty; all people were expected to keep Gods commandments, to respect all the emperors possessions, to acknowledge his protection over the churches and the weak, especially widows and orphans, and finally to obey imperial commands. He Charlemagnes demands of loyalty were a way of exerting a manner of control and authority over a vast empire. Furthermore, the same year as Charlemagne introduced the oath of loyalty, he also set about bringing in new legislative reforms, which are seen as being key in the development of the early medieval monarchy. For the first time in history a king wrote down the laws of his kingdom. Charlemagne recorded the laws of the Frankish, Frisian, Saxon and Thuringian people. He also corrected the ‘defective laws of his people, rewriting and removing laws he deemed to be vicious and useless, and adding to them where it was needed. Certainly this was a key reform, as it enabled law to have a more central authority, and aided the spread of the knowledge of law within the empire, fundamentally, what was right and wrong. To a certain extent, he allowed for differences on law, within the provinces of his empire. However, Frankish law certainly had its influence throughout the region. Furthermore Charlemagne required that all leading members of society within each province hear their laws read al oud in their own language. Thus, aiding the implementation of law enforcement throughout the Frankish empire. Charlemagne sought a more civilised empire, founded on Christian values, and one of his key concerns was not only lowering rates of crime but also a move away from the more personalised ‘taking the law into their own hands way of dealing with criminals that had existed for hundreds of years, to a more structured system of law enforcement and criminal punishment. Charlemagne introduced legal cases and a judicial system within each district that consisted of a count passing judgement and delivering sentences. This movement was a key component of the development of early medieval monarchy, as both the French and German monarchies, after the collapse of the Frankish empire, followed this more structured judicial system, and it could be argued that Charlemagne founded the beginnings of a judicial system, the likes of which are in existence in western civilisation today. Furthermore; Charlemagne established the office of the so called reprimandary witnesses who were required to bring crimes to the attention of the court if the victims did not do so themselves Thus, Charlemagne took it upon himself to enforce justice within his empire, and by establishing these offices his aim was to see the criminal members of society reap the rewards of their actions, even if victims themselves did not desire to carry the criminals actions forwards. However, such matters are not as black and white as Charlemagne imagined them to be, and it is debatable as to what extent Charlemagne was able to fulfil his goal. Nonetheless Charlemagnes judiciary reforms were key in the development of early medieval monarchy as many monarchs sought inspiration from Charlemagnes founding judicial system basis, and they also encouraged a more civilised society in the early medieval ages. Charlemagne certainly sought to improve the administration of the empire as a whole, reforming various aspects of administration. One of his reforms related to his persistent aim of exerting a greater level of control over his empire. He established middle authorities in each region, to oversee local officials. Thus, in a sense Charlemagne inaugurated a form of local government. However, he amended this system over the years, he grew distrustful of those he had sent to oversee, as he believed them to be open to bribery. Hence, he instead chose archbishops, dukes, and abbots; generally members of high nobility, whom he did not believe to be open to bribery. It can be said that a key theme of Charlemagnes reign was justice. Charlemagne wanted it not only for himself but also for every loyal subject of his empire, as exhibited through his judiciary reforms and distaste for subjects whom used their positions for their own selfish benefits. In Einhards Vita Karoli Magni or Life of Charlemagne, Einhard states how Charlemagne also made reforms relating to the language of the Franks; ‘He began a grammar of his native language and the history of his people; ‘he had the old rude songs that celebrate the deeds and wars of the ancient kings written out for transmission to posterity. Thus Charlemagne was keen to preserve the history of the ancient kings. Furthermore; Charlemagne had an important role in determining the immediate economic future of Europe. He got rid of the gold currency and implemented a new silver currency. Additionally, Charlemagne standardised currency throughout most of Europe, abolishing many of the local currencies in existence. This monetary standard remained the basis for the currency for a long time. Hence, Charlemagne instigated economic reforms that were key to the development of the early medieval monarchy as he standardised currency throughout Europe, and implemented changes that remained in place in Europe for a very long time. The Carolingian renaissance is also believed to be a requisite to the development of the early medieval monarchy. Similar to the renaissance that occurred in the early modern period, it was characterised by the re discovery of ancient roman works, the flourishing of art and literature. Charlemagne was a very keen advocate of education, even returning to education himself, although he never learnt to write. He did however study grammar, logic and astronomy. Furthermore, some of the earliest manuscripts still in survival today are from the Carolingian era.Charlemagne also introduced the use of the classical Latin language as the language of scholarly study ‘Thus, the West saw the development of a pure language, which was used almost exclusively by the learned, and from which the romance languages grew increasingly distinct Hence, he increased the availability of education within his realm, increasing monastic schools. Therefore, Charlemagnes keenness for education was important t o the development of the early medieval monarchy as it lead to a period of greater emphasis on education, a pattern that following monarchs were keen to emulate, and ultimately led to a greater number of educated persons within western civilisation. Charlemagnes reforms influenced nearly every corner of society, including the Church. Charlemagne was an extremely pious man and sought to be the ideal embodiment of both a Christian man and King. Charlemagne asked the Pope to send him texts on church law. This Dionysio-Hadriana was used enthusiastically in the Frankish kingdom. By doing this Charlemagne encouraged future monarchs to take a more scholarly than blind approach to the Church. Charlemagne was also very interested in Church music and encouraged the spread of proper church liturgies throughout his empire, taking a personal interest in papal music, and banning melodies such as those found in Milan. Charlemagne also introduced changes to the organisation of the military service. Obligation to military service of the empire was based upon personal wealth and Charlemagne instigated reforms that would make it fair for those obliged to join the military, based on the individuals wealth. Charlemagne ordered that every tenant with three to five so-called hides (homesteads), as well as the holders of fiefs, were required to serve against the enemy. Many monarchs followed these reforms in the early medieval period. In conclusion, Charlemagne was certainly a founding father of Europe. He strove to implement justice in his empire and he instigated reforms in almost every important aspect of early medieval society. Charlemagnes reign was a period of change for Western Civilisation. However, it is foolish to assume that all these reforms were greatly successful, as not all were, for example Charlemagnes judicial reforms. However, early medieval monarchs followed Charlemagnes reforms, as they were eager to reach the level of power and prestige, which Charlemagne had possessed, Charlemagnes reign saw the emergence of Western civilisation, a civilisation that moved away in terms of religion, currency and thought from the East. Furthermore, Charlemagne made it easier for other early medieval monarchs to govern and handle their kingdoms, for example his judicial reforms made law enforcement an easier task for future monarchs, as he had recorded laws in a written form and implemented a sort of court syst em throughout his empire. Ultimately Charlemagnes reign was not only very important in the development of early medieval monarchy, but also important in the development and advancement of western civilisation. His reign has no doubt affected the world in which we live today. Bibliography Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003) Einhard, The Life of Charlemagne, translated by Samuel Epes Turner, (New York, 1880) ‘Charlemagne, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003) p. 19 Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003) p. 99 Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003) p.100 Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003) p.105 Einhard, The Life of Charlemagne, translated by Samuel Epes Turner, (New York, 1880) p.11 Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003 p.106 Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003 p.106 Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003 p.108 Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003 p.108 Einhard, The Life of Charlemagne, translated by Samuel Epes Turner, (New York, 1880) p.11 Einhard, The Life of Charlemagne, translated by Samuel Epes Turner, (New York, 1880) p.11 ‘Charlemagne, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne [accessed 31 August 2009] Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003 p. 112 ‘Charlemagne, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne [accessed 31 August 2009] Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003 p.116 Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003 p.115 Matthias Becher, Charlemagne (London 2nd Ed, 2003 p.113

Chamique Holdsclaw :: essays research papers

Chamique Holdsclaw is a star on the rise. And considering the height she has already achieved, that's saying something. In her debut collegiate season, Holdsclaw's play sent ripples through the basketball community. Three years later, the ripples have turned into tsunami-sized waves. As a Tennessee freshman, Holdsclaw opened eyes when she scored a team-high 16 points against the 1995-96 USA Women's National Team on Nov. 22, 1995, then helped the Lady Vols to the 1996 NCAA crown. Making it a perfect three-for-three after winning it all again in 1997 and 1998, Holdsclaw earned 1997 and 1998 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors for her stellar play. Holdsclaw, as a college junior to be, tried out for and was selected for USA Basketball's 1997 World Championship Qualifying team. Despite being surrounded by 11 professionals during the summer of 97, and despite her lack of international experience, it was Holdsclaw's first trip out of the country, she more then proved herself to USA head coach Nell Fortner and the veteran players like Edna Campbell, Teresa Edwards, and Katie Smith. Finishing as the team's leading scorer and rebounder, Holdsclaw numbers sparkled - 19.0 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. Helping the U.S. to 12-1 pre-competition record then the silver medal and a berth in the 98 World Championships, she had left her mark. While in Brazil at the qualifying tournament, Holdsclaw celebrated her 20th birthday by giving USA coach Fortner a memorable gift. Scoring 32 points (12-14 FGs, 8-8 FTs) and adding seven rebounds, she led the USA to a hard-fought 94-90 victory over Cuba in the semifinals. Throughout the summer, Holdsclaw learned from four-time Olympian Edwards, perhaps one of the best players ever to play for USA Basketball. During the squad's pre-competition tour of Canada, Germany and Slovakia, Holdsclaw and Edwards were roommates, but about halfway through the tour, rooming assignments were to be switched around. Upon hearing that the rooming assignments were going to change, she asked Fortner to let Edwards and her continue to room together. How could Fortner deny her leading scorer? "Last summer, Chamique was surrounded by great players like Teresa Edwards. I think they were really good for each other, the grand dame' and the rookie. She brought some excitement to Teresa, who in turn gave some wisdom to Chamique. She played all over the world, leading the team in scoring and rebounding the whole time. Chamique Holdsclaw :: essays research papers Chamique Holdsclaw is a star on the rise. And considering the height she has already achieved, that's saying something. In her debut collegiate season, Holdsclaw's play sent ripples through the basketball community. Three years later, the ripples have turned into tsunami-sized waves. As a Tennessee freshman, Holdsclaw opened eyes when she scored a team-high 16 points against the 1995-96 USA Women's National Team on Nov. 22, 1995, then helped the Lady Vols to the 1996 NCAA crown. Making it a perfect three-for-three after winning it all again in 1997 and 1998, Holdsclaw earned 1997 and 1998 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors for her stellar play. Holdsclaw, as a college junior to be, tried out for and was selected for USA Basketball's 1997 World Championship Qualifying team. Despite being surrounded by 11 professionals during the summer of 97, and despite her lack of international experience, it was Holdsclaw's first trip out of the country, she more then proved herself to USA head coach Nell Fortner and the veteran players like Edna Campbell, Teresa Edwards, and Katie Smith. Finishing as the team's leading scorer and rebounder, Holdsclaw numbers sparkled - 19.0 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. Helping the U.S. to 12-1 pre-competition record then the silver medal and a berth in the 98 World Championships, she had left her mark. While in Brazil at the qualifying tournament, Holdsclaw celebrated her 20th birthday by giving USA coach Fortner a memorable gift. Scoring 32 points (12-14 FGs, 8-8 FTs) and adding seven rebounds, she led the USA to a hard-fought 94-90 victory over Cuba in the semifinals. Throughout the summer, Holdsclaw learned from four-time Olympian Edwards, perhaps one of the best players ever to play for USA Basketball. During the squad's pre-competition tour of Canada, Germany and Slovakia, Holdsclaw and Edwards were roommates, but about halfway through the tour, rooming assignments were to be switched around. Upon hearing that the rooming assignments were going to change, she asked Fortner to let Edwards and her continue to room together. How could Fortner deny her leading scorer? "Last summer, Chamique was surrounded by great players like Teresa Edwards. I think they were really good for each other, the grand dame' and the rookie. She brought some excitement to Teresa, who in turn gave some wisdom to Chamique. She played all over the world, leading the team in scoring and rebounding the whole time.

Psychophysiological Aspects of Stress Essay

Stress seems to be an unpleasant, but essential part of human life. Adverse events happen in life, and hardly anyone is an exception. However, the same negative life events may result in different outcomes depending on the individual who faces them. To paraphrase the common words, â€Å"what doesn’t kill you (just) makes you stronger†. The question of what inner resources help one cope with stressful â€Å"lemons† in one’s life, and perhaps, â€Å"make lemonade† out of them has long attracted attention of philosophers, writers, moviemakers, and at some point every person who has experienced negative life events. It is not surprising that the issue of individual differences in response to stress has been extensively explored in psychology. Individual differences may vary from situational resources, such as social support, to personal resources, such as certain personality traits (e. g. , hardiness, explanatory style, optimism, self-esteem, psychological control, etc. ) These psychosocial resources strongly influence both psychological and physiological outcomes of stress. The Alameda County Study showed that those people who had more ties to their community and social network lived longer (Berkman & Syme, 1979). Receiving social support helped women with ovarian cancer cope with their illness better (Costanzo et al. , 2005), whereas social isolation strongly increased the likelihood of stroke recurrence in patients with stroke (Boden-Albala, 2005). Lack of social support strongly predicted elevated levels of anxiety and depressed mood (Godin, 2004). Personality resources may also help people cope with stressful life events. For example, optimistic explanatory style was associated with significantly fewer physical complaints in college students (Carver & Scheier, 1999), whereas pessimistic explanatory style increased symptoms of depression (Bennett & Vanderbilt, 2002). Perceived control also appears to mitigate the effects of stressful life events (Frazier, 2004). Finally, almost 3 decades of research on the moderating effect of hardiness has linked this personality resource to physical and mental health (Maddi, 1999). Specifically, hardiness is associated with fewer symptoms of depression (Oman, 2003) and burnout (Cilliers, 2003), and it physical strain as well (Beasley, 2003). The list of personal and situational resources moderating the effect of adverse life events is far from being complete; in fact, it may be quite extensive. Given the strong moderating effect of psychosocial resources on mental and physical health established by the previous research, the questions that arise, such as how exactly do these resources affect health? Are there any physiological differences in the way those individuals who have more psychosocial resources, and those individuals who have fewer resources, react to stress? The present study aims to answer this question with regard to the effect of personality hardiness on physical outcomes of stress. Research has shown that hardy individuals appear to thrive on stressful life events (Maddi, 1999). Hardy individuals are committed to their work and family, they perceive control over their life circumstances, and they perceive stressful life events as an opportunity for growth and development, rather than a threat (Maddi, 2002). Hardiness is an important moderator of stress response, yet little research has investigated the differences in the physiology of stress responses in high hardy versus low-hardy individuals. Previous research found that increased physiological reactivity to stress (for example, in terms of blood pressure) is associated with detrimental health outcomes, such as hypertension. However, hardiness has been strongly linked to better health outcomes of stress (Beasley, 2003; Cilliers, 2003; Maddi, 2002, Oman, 2003). Previous research has also shown that identical blood pressure increases can be produced by different hemodynamic mechanisms, with negative or neutral implications for health (Sherwood et al. , 1999). The goal of the present study is to clarify how hardiness takes its effect on health in terms of the psychophysiology of human stress responding. The Biopsychosocial Model of Challenge and Threat In this paper, the physiological response to stress is conceptualized within the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat paradigm developed by Blascovich, Mendes, Tomaka, and colleagues (Blascovich, Mendes, Tomaka, Salomon, & Seery, 2003; Seery, Blascovich, Weisbuch, & Vick, 2004). In a series of studies, Blascovich, Tomaka, and colleagues demonstrated that threat and challenge appraisals are associated with distinctive patterns of cardiovascular response during a goal-relevant, motivated-performance task (Blascovich et al. , 1999). In Obrist’s terms (1983), this type of task involves active coping. In order to evoke both challenge and threat reactivity, the task should be engaging and psychologically involving, such as taking a test, making a good impression, giving a speech, and engaging in athletic competition (Seery et al. , 2004). Challenge appraisals are associated with positive affectivity, greater engagement in the situation, and are mediated by the myocardial response; whereas threat appraisals are associated with negative affectivity and blood pressure responses that are mediated by the vascular resistance. Challenge and threat are distinguished by changes in total peripheral resistance (TPR; the index of net constriction of the blood vessels) and cardiac output (CO; the amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute). In relative terms, greater CO and lesser TPR reflect greater challenge/lesser threat response profile. According to biopsychosocial model, threat reactivity is associated with detrimental health outcomes of stress. Blascovich and colleagues tied Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) transactional model of stress and coping to physiological response to stress in terms of myocardial and vascular hemodynamic profiles. According to Lazarus and Folkman (1984), when the individual confronts new or changing environment, he/she tries to determine the meaning of the event (â€Å"primary appraisal†). Primary appraisal is concerned with whether the event is likely to be neutral, positive, or negative in its consequences. Negative events may be appraised in terms of future damage potentially produced by the event (â€Å"threat†), or as damage that has already been made by the event (â€Å"harm†), or in terms of one’s potential to overcome the event and perhaps even benefit from it (â€Å"challenge†). Secondary appraisal is concerned with the evaluation of whether one’s resources are sufficient to meet the threat, harm, or challenge. The balance between the primary and secondary appraisal determines one’s experience of stress. Blascovich and colleagues (Blascovich et al. , 2003) conceptualized threat/challenge essentially in terms of the ratio between the primary appraisal and secondary appraisal. In addition, in their approach, primary appraisal involves estimations of danger, uncertainty, and required effort. Danger, uncertainty, and effort define how demanding the situation is. The subjective experience of stress then depends on the ratio between the demand and one’s coping resources. If the demand is high, and the resources are low, the individual feels threat. If the demand is high, but at the same time the coping resources are sufficient to meet it, the individual feels challenge. Threat appraisal implies the aversive experience in that the individual anticipates damage from the situation, and presumably experiences negative affectivity, such as fear, anxiety and anger. In contrast, challenge appraisals are considered less aversive, with a primary focus on the potential for growth or gain that can come from the situation, although damage is also possible. Challenge appraisals are therefore theoretically associated with increased motivation and positive affectivity, such eagerness, excitement, and exhilaration. To reiterate, it is the threat appraisal that primarily accounts for perceived stress (Tomaka & Palacios-Esquivel, 1999). Blascovich and colleagues conceptualize threat and challenge as two opposite points on the single appraisal continuum. This is also different from Lazarus and Folkman’s conceptualization of threat and challenge as not mutually exclusive appraisals. Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) concept of appraisal has come under considerable criticism (Zajonc, 2000). Zajonc believes that cognitive appraisal and affective experience are â€Å"distinct, conceptually separable processes† (Zajonc, 2000, p. 31). The appraisal theories of emotion were considered too â€Å"cognitive†, conscious, and slow, as appraisal often occurs unconsciously and quickly. The proponents of appraisal theories respond that appraisal does not need to be conscious as it often occurs unconsciously, automatically, and very quickly, and appraisal may be accompanied by subcortical as well as cortical processing (Ellsworth, Scherer, & Forgas, 2003). That’s why, according to appraisal theorists, although stressful experience is defined as a combination of appraisals, it is not experienced as such (Ellsworth, Scherer, & Forgas, 2003). However, this makes appraisal difficult to study. Self-reports might not adequately reflect one’s appraisal, and because appraisal is assessed a posteriori, a wide variety of confounding variables may interfere with accurate measurement. Within the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat, appraisal is conceptualized as a process involving both unconscious and conscious processes; and therefore the best way to investigate appraisal would be to manipulate the task in the experiment, whereas subjective evaluations are considered much less reliable (Blascovich et al. , 2003). The biopsychosocial model is based on Dienstbier’s (1989) research. Dienstbier (1989) argued that there are two axes of stress response, sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA), both of which serve to mobilize energy reserves. However, SAM activation involves the release of catecholamines, including epinephrine and norepinephrine, which have a half-life in the body for only a few minutes, whereas HPA activation involves the release of cortisol, which has a half-life in the body for approximately 90 minutes. Thus, SAM allows for rapid energy mobilization, whereas HPA involves long-term mobilization of energy resources. Dienstbier’s (1989) argued that fast large SAM response to the acute stressors coupled with low HPA response is indicative of the organism’s physiological toughness and adaptive pattern of stress responding. According to Frankenhauser (1983), SAM activation is associated with greater coping effort, whereas HPA activation reflects greater negative affect. Both Frankenhauser (1983) and Dienstbier (1989) believed that the stressors involving joint activation of the SAM and HPA have the most detrimental effect on health. For example, individuals with hypertension were found to have both higher diastolic blood pressure reactivity and higher cortisol reactivity to stress (Nyklicek, Bosch, & Amerongen, 2005). Thus, joint SAM axis and HPA axis activation is observed in hypertensive individuals, i. e. , the group that has traditionally been found to be especially vulnerable to the effect of stressful life events. Blascovich et al. (2003) argued that challenge reflects primarily SAM axis of stress response, whereas threat reflects joint activation of the SAM and HPA axes of stress response. Blascovich and colleagues did not empirically test this assumption. This conceptualization of the treat and challenge profiles as reflections of sympathetic/HP A reactivity has come under considerable criticism in the recent literature. Wright and Kirby (2003) argued that this conceptualization may not reflect the true activation of the stress response system, and it needs to be tested empirically before one can rely on the assumption. The Effect of Individual Differences on Hemodynamic Response to Stress Individual differences in hardiness may have impact on one’s response to stress. To understand the influence of individual differences on the physiological response to stress, it is important to establish if the hemodynamic profile is a characteristic if the individual, or a function of the situation. Would a specific situation elicit the same hemodynamic response in all individuals? Or, is the hemodynamic response a stable individual trait? To answer this question, one should consider the research on the consistency of hemodynamic profiles across diverse tasks and over time. Previous research suggested that hemodynamic responses are to some extent situation-specific. The myocardial hemodynamic profile is evoked by the tasks that require active coping (Obrist, 1983) or fight or flight response; whereas vascular hemodynamic response is evoked by the tasks that require passive endurance and offer little control, such as cold stressor tasks. Blascovich and colleagues (Mendes, Blascovich, Lickel, et al. , 2002) used a speech delivery task to validate their theory. The participants were instructed to deliver a speech in the presence of either a same-group partner (challenge) or an out-group partner (threat). As expected, the TPR response was higher in the threat condition, whereas CO response was higher in the challenge condition. Maier, Waldstein, and Synowski (2003) used a computerized mental arithmetic task to find that challenge appraisal was related to greater positive affect and task engagement, whereas threat appraisal was related to greater negative affect and perceived stress. Prkachin, Mills, and Husted (2001) found that anger-inducing interview led to the vascular response, whereas mental arithmetic led to the myocardial response. Hartley, Ginsburg, and Heffner (1999) showed their participants a previously recorded videotape, in which they were disclosing personal information about themselves. The participants in the active condition were allowed to mark the segments of the tape, which they wanted to re-shoot before the tape was â€Å"evaluated by the reviewer†; whereas the participants in the passive condition were not allowed to mark the segments of the tape. Both conditions produced similar elevation in blood pressure; however, in the active condition, blood pressure elevation was elicited through myocardial mechanism, whereas in the passive condition, blood pressure elevation was elicited through the vascular mechanism. Gregg, James, Matyas, and Thornsteinsson (1999) found that mental arithmetic task elicited myocardial response, and cold pressor task elicited vascular response. Quigley, Barrett, and Weinstein (2002) did a within-subject analysis of cardiovascular reactivity to the different tasks, and found that greater CO was associated with greater challenge implied by the task (serial subtraction); however, there was no difference in TPR. Although Quigley and colleagues (2002) investigated the differences in physiological reactions produced by different tasks within the individuals, they did not investigate the consistency of these reactions within the individuals themselves, i. e. , how stable was the hemodynamic response within a given person across different tasks. Previous research has established that at least some parameters of cardiovascular reactivity may be stable characteristic, such as blood pressure reactivity. In other words, the individuals with higher blood pressure reactivity would consistently exhibit this response pattern in different circumstances. Sherwood et al. (1999) argued that hemodynamic profiles also represent a trait, as individuals have a tendency to exhibit a certain type of response across diverse tasks. However, this is a very â€Å"relative† tendency as it is determined by comparison with other individuals. So instead of always responding in a fixed way to all situations, a particular individual would just show more/less myocardial/vascular response comparing to other individuals in the context of a given task. In addition, Sherwood et al. (1999) argued that the individual’s tendency to exhibit a particular hemodynamic response profile is stable over time. For example, middle-aged Type A men exhibited significant correlations over a 3-month interval on a competitive reaction time task (Sherwood et al. , 1999). Kamarck et al. (2000) identified myocardial and vascular responders in the initial testing session, and this tendency was stable after a 4-week interval. Thus, there is evidence that hemodynamic profiles may be relatively stable across tasks and across time, i. e. , some individuals may respond in a relatively more myocardial/vascular way to diverse tasks, and this response may tend to be stable over time. What are the factors that may influence one’s hemodynamic response pattern? Previous research indicated that ethnicity may be one of these factors as African American individuals typically have a tendency to respond in a vascular way; in addition, there are significant gender differences (Allen, Stoney, Owens, & Matthews, 1999). However, there is little research on the personality factors that might affect hemodynamic pattern of responding. Cooper and Waldstein (2004) found that hostility was associated with greater TPR. Cacioppo and colleagues (2002) and Hawkey, Burleson, Berntson, & Cacioppo (2003) found that in young adults, loneliness was associated with higher TPR and lower CO, whereas non-lonely young adults had higher CO. Tomaka and colleagues (Tomaka et al. , 1999) found that approach motivation was associated with higher CO. However, these two studies looked at the state variables, such as loneliness and approach/avoidance motivation. It might be of interest to investigate the effect of stable personality traits as well. Previous research has documented the health-enhancing and health compromising effect of a number of personality variables, such as optimism (Carver & Scheier, 2001), Type A, and hardiness (Maddi, 1999) in terms of blood pressure and future risk for hypertension and CVD development. Yet, there has been little research investigating the effect of personality variables on the hemodynamic mechanisms underlying BP reactivity. Blascovich and colleagues (2003) emphasized the need for research clarifying the effect of social and emotional factors on the patterns of physiological response associated with challenge and threat appraisals. HPA Reactivity in Response to Stress Situations Evoking HPA Activation HPA response is elicited by the situations implying significant threat to the individual, such as physical survival (Sapolsky et al. , 2000) and threat to one’s important goals (Carver & Scheier, 1999). Cortisol helps the organism manage short-term metabolic demands of the situation. Although cortisol response may be elicited by a variety of situations, it is the threat to one’s important goals that triggers this response. Dickerson and Kemeny (2004) conducted meta-analysis of 208 studies on cortisol reactivity. The effect size found in these studies varied from small (d=. 20) to fairly large (d=. 87) depending on the experimental task. The largest effect sizes were produced by tasks that involved uncontrollable threat to social self, such as public speaking, coupled with harassment, false feedback, perceived inability to complete the task, etc. (d = . 92). Thus, it appears that cortisol response to an acute laboratory stressor is most likely to be elicited by the uncontrollable social-evaluative tasks. These two features of uncontrollability and social evaluation have consistently been found to produce intense distress. Uncontrollability is one of the classical characteristics defining stressful situations. In a classical study, Glass and Singer (1973) showed that stress is associated with the situations involving uncontrollability and unpredictability. Social evaluation and self-presentation are common features of everyday life. In the experience of daily stress, interpersonal events play a central role, self-presentation is concerned with (1) one’s need to define one’s social self, and make one’s social self as close as possible to one’s ideal self; and (2) one’s need to please the audience (Baumeister, 1982). This need to make a favorable impression is very important for most people, and when they doubt that they succeed, people experience social anxiety marked by feelings of apprehension, self-consciousness, and distress. Social anxiety may be a dominant factor in modern life. Thus, an uncontrollable social-evaluative threat may produce intense experience of distress marked by significant cortisol elevation. The Relationship between Joint SAM and HPA axes Activation and Personality The research investigating joint HPA and SAM axes activation in response to stress indicated that a single manipulation of the experimental task may elicit different patterns of SAM and HP A response. For example, Earle, Linden, and Weinberg (1999) compared participants performing mental arithmetic task in front of an audience in harassment and no-harassment conditions. Harassment consisted of the scripted statements by same-gender experimenters. Both conditions produced sympathetic activation in terms of DBP (in men) and HR (in women), but it was the harassment condition only that produced significant cortisol elevation. The research on the relationship between joint HPA and SAM axes activation and personality dispositions during a single exposure to stress found a link between personality and SAM reactivity, but not between personality and HPA reactivity. This finding pertains to the studies involving single exposure to an acute laboratory stressor. For example, Taylor et al. (2003) found that high self-enhancers had lower sympathetic responses (SBP and HR), but authors did not find a significant difference in eortisol response to stress between the high and low self-enhancers. Gregg et al. (1999) did not find any meaningful correlations between eortisol and hemodynamic measures in the participants performing mental arithmetic task and cold pressor task. Schommer, Kudielka, Hellhammer, and Kirschbaum (1999) found no relationship between eortisol response to an acute laboratory stressor and the personality traits of Extraversion, Neuroticism, or Psychoticism measured with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised. However, the research evidence with regard to the effect of exposure to repeated psychosocial stress did find a significant effect of personality on cortisol reactivity. Pruessner, Gaab, Hellhammer, Lintz, Schumer, and Kirschbaum (1999) exposed the participants to psychosocial stressor (public speaking) over a period of 5 consecutive days. Although during the first day, there was no significant relationship between personality factors (locus of control) and cortisol response, there was a significant relationship between locus of control and cortisol response later, from day two to day five. Pruessner et al. (1999) found that the combination of data obtained over the five consecutive days was necessary to detect the significant effect of personality traits, such as locus of control, on cortisol reactivity. In another study, Kirschbaum, Prussner, Stone, Federenko, Gaab, Lintz, Schommer, and Hellhammer (1999) investigated cortisol response to the repeated psychosocial stressor consisting of public speaking and mental arithmetic in a group of healthy young adults. The participants had been exposed to the stressor for 5 days. Kirschbaum and colleagues (1999) observed quick habituation of the HPA axis in some participants. These â€Å"low cortisol responders† exhibited large cortisol responses during the first day, and then this response subsided during the 5-day interval. However, in some participants, the HPA axis did not habituate to the stressor. These â€Å"high responders† kept producing large cortisol reactions throughout the entire 5-day period. The tendency to exhibit persistent high cortisol responses to repeated psychological stress was strongly associated with a number of personality variables, such as having lower self-esteem, viewing oneself as less attractive than others, and being more often in depressed mood, and lower extraversion. Cortisol high responders also reported significantly more symptoms of distress than cortisol low responders. In another study, Schommer, Hellhammer, and Kirschbaum (2003) also found a group of individuals with persistent cortisol response to psychosocial stress. In addition, high cortisol responders had significantly higher plasma ACTH levels. This study also looked at the sympathetic activation. The results suggested that SAM axis does not habituate to the repeated stress, as rapidly as the HPA axis does, because the levels of catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) were consistently elevated in both high and low cortisol responders. Pruessner et al. (1999) suggested that during the first exposure to stress, the effect of personality on HPA reactivity is masked by the novelty of the situation. Novelty, which is one of the classical features defining a stressful situation, has a profound effect on HPA reactivity masking moderating effect of personality. However, during the second and subsequent exposures to stress, the novelty is lessened, so the influence of personality dispositions may be investigated. Discussion and Conclusion According to the biopsychosocial model, challenge and threat response are evoked only by the situations involving â€Å"motivated performance† (Seery at al. , 2004). Engagement in the task is essential in eliciting both challenge and threat reactivity. The task should be â€Å"goal-relevant† (e. g. , it should be important for the participant). Hardiness, especially its commitment and control components, can be significantly correlated with conscientiousness, and both dispositions are associated with greater TPR increase in response to stress and little or no change in CO. Higher conscientiousness, commitment to the task and need to control the situation might lead to the greater engagement in the task and higher expectations for the quality of one’s performance. This might have resulted in greater negative affectivity about the task and about one’s performance. In contrast, the low-hardy participants can be probably disengaged, and, therefore, showed less reactivity. Due to the greater commitment to the task, high-hardy individuals showed a response profile that exaggerated the response typically evoked by the task. Thus, in a socially evaluative situation known to evoke a strong threat hemodynamic response profile, greater hardiness may be associated with greater threat response. This tendency may be due to the greater commitment to the task and greater need to control the situation. To fully understand the effect of hardiness on psychophysiology of human stress responding, the HPA reactivity should be evaluated (Seery et al. , 2004). Hardiness can be associated with a tendency towards exaggerated cardiovascular response to the psychosocial stressor. The general pattern of reactivity evoked by the TSST is consistent with the threat profile. It would be interesting to investigate reactivity to the stressor that evokes primarily challenge hemodynamic response profile. According to the biopsychosocial model, challenge and threat are defined by the ratio of the demand posed by the situation and perceived resources to cope with it (Blascovich et al. , 2003). Thus, in the challenging situation, the individuals would perceive more resources to cope with the demand. Due to the greater commitment to the task and greater conscientiousness, high-hardy individuals may potentially show greater challenge reactivity. However, it may also be possible that high-hardy individuals will still have greater concerns about their performance, which may be associated with greater distress reflected in a threat response profile. To sum up, it appears that in some individuals, the HPA axis cannot adapt quickly to the repeated stressful situation, so these individuals keep responding with high cortisol elevations consistently. There is link between personality dispositions (locus of control, self-esteem, and extraversion) and this persistent high cortisol response. In conclusion, the research suggests that although a single exposure to stress may provide information about the relationship between personality and SAM reactivity, the HPA activation will not be tapped. In order to obtain a true picture of joint SAM and HPA activation, it is necessary to consider the effect of repeated exposure to psychosocial stress. References Allen, M. T. , Stoney, C. M. , Owens, J. F. , & Matthews, K. A. (1993). Hemodynamic adjustments to laboratory stress: the influence of gender and personality. Psychosomatic Medicine, 55 (6), 505-17. Baumeister, R. F. (1982). A self-presentational view of social phenomena. Psychological Bulletin, 91(1), 3-26 Beasley, M. , Thompson, T. , Davidson, J. (2003) Resilience in response to life stress: The effects of coping style and cognitive hardiness. Personality and Individual Differences, 34 (1), 77-95. Berkman, L. F. & Syme, S. L. (1979). Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents. American Journal of Epidemiology, 109 (2), 186-204. Blascovich, J. , Mendes, W. B. , Hunter, S. B. & Salomon, K. (1999). Social ‘Facilitation’ as Challenge and Threat. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(1), 68-77. Blascovich, J. , Mendes, W. B. , Tomaka, J. , Salomon, K. , & Seery, M. (2003). The robust nature of biopsychosocial model challenge and threat: A reply to Wright and Kirby. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 7 (3), 234-243. Boden-Albala, B, Litwak, E, Elkind, M. S. , Rundek, T. , & Sacco, R. L. (2005) Social isolation and outcomes post stroke. Neurology, 64(11), 1888-92. Cacioppo, J. T. , Hawkley, L. C. , Crawford, L. E. , Ernst, J. M. , Burleson, M. H. , Kowalewski, R. B. , Malarkey, W. B. , Van Cauter, E. , & Berntson, G. G. (2002). Loneliness and health: potential mechanisms. Psychosomatic Medicine, 64 (3), 407-17. Carver, C. S. , & Scheier, M. F. (2001). Optimism, pessimism, and self-regulation. In E. C. Chang (Ed. ), Optimism and pessimism: Implications for theory, research, and practice (pp. 31-51). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Cooper, D. C. , & Waldstein, S. R. (2004). Hostility differentially predicts cardiovascular risk factors in African American and White young adults. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57 (5), 491-9. Costanzo ES, Lutgendorf SK, Sood AK, Anderson B, Sorosky J, Lubaroff DM. Psychosocial factors and interleukin-6 among women with advanced ovarian cancer. Cancer 2005;104:305-13.

Intelligence oversight Essay

Introduction: MEK Overview The Mujahadeen-e-Khalq (MEK) is also known as the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI). MEK has been sporadically active in attempting to overthrow the Iranian government since the early 1960s, and its members have used a variety of tactics to achieve their political ends including political campaigning, subversion, and violent attacks targeting civilians. Due in part to their targeting of American civilians living in Iran during the 1970s and their support of Saddam Hussein, the United States State Department has listed MEK as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. In October 2012, the U.S. State Department will decide whether to remove MEK from the FTO list based on MEK’s denouncing terrorist tactics and devotion to diplomatic means to gain power versus violent attacks (Masters 2012). Origins, Ideology and Goals MEK was born out of a student-group resistance to Shah Pahlavi in 1965. The founding members of MEK in Tehran regarded the Shah as a U.S. puppet, and they felt that his westernization of Iran went against Iran’s traditional Islamic values. They believed in a violent overthrow of the Shah to return Iran to Islamic rule. In 1979, the group aligned itself with Ayatollah Khomeini in hopes that it could run for office after Shah Pahlavi’s exile, but Ayatollah Khomeini succeeded in overthrowing the Shah and he crushed any opposition to his new government. Since 1979, MEK has been trying to gain the opportunity to run for office in Iran’s government by shifting alliances and violently attacking the forces, which have prevented its political ambitions (Goulka 2009). In 2003, the group publically denounced violence in an attempt to foster global political support, but its place on the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list is blocking it from achieving its desired glob al support. According to MEK, it has â€Å"strived for freedom and human rights, first against the despotic reign of Shah, and now the theocratic tyranny of the ayatollahs† (MEK n.d.). It is â€Å"an anti-fundamentalist Muslim  organization which believes in a democratic, progressive, and tolerant interpretation of Islam, according to which elections and public suffrage are the sole indicators of political legitimacy. The PMOI endeavors for a secular, democratic, and non-nuclear republic, and is committed to free elections, gender equality, and abolition of all discrimination against national and religious minorities† (MEK n.d.) â€Å"Non-nuclear† is a key consideration for the United States and other western powers. Iran has increasingly taunted the world with its nuclear program and refuses to deescalate military tensions. In bold statements of aggression, in 2012 alone, Iran has announced two new missiles, an air defense site, and a fleet of ultra-fast gun boats designe d to zip into battle against larger western fleets. In a twist of fate, MEK’s future may lie in the hands of the United States. The United States has until October 1, 2012 to decide if it will delist MEK from the FTO. If MEK is delisted it will enjoy much more freedom of movement around the world and it will be able to legally receive funds from U.S. based sympathizers. It is not unreasonable to think that the U.S. will delist MEK in an effort to undermine the Iranian Government, much like Saddam Hussein offered MEK a home in 1986 to undermine Iran during the Iran Iraq war. Leadership, Funding and Capabilities Most of MEK’s original leadership was arrested and executed in 1971, but Massoud Rajavi escaped death and remains a leader of MEK. Though he has not been seen publicly since 2003, his wife, Maryam Rajavi, â€Å"is the public face of the MEK in her role as president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran† (Jones 2012). In the past four decades the group has used several methods to raise funds for its campaign. Some methods have made the group infamous and add to the list of reasons that the U.S. and several other nations have classified it as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. MEK has long been skilled in deception and has used that skill to affect its fund raising efforts. For example, its solicitation of funds for Iranian refugees, child welfare, and children’s medical services proven to be fraudulent (FBI n.d.). Until 2003, MEK had a substantial armory due to its previous relationship  with Saddam Hussein. Its inventory often included artillery, tanks, aircraft, rocket launchers, rifles, mortars, shells, rockets, land mines, and bullets (FBI n.d.). In 2003, the United States bombed MEK camps and bunkers based on their relationship to Saddam Hussein and the idea that they posed a significant threat with their armaments. MEK members no longer have easy access to such large stockpiles of arms. MEK is now facing deportation from its Iraqi camp Ashraf and remains disarmed. Operating Bases, Support Bases, Strengths MEK has moved its headquarters over the years as a necessary part of survival. Originally founded in Tehran, it moved to Paris after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The group had allied with the Ayatollah Khomeini, but Khomeini forced the group out in fear of opposition. In 1986 Saddam Hussein invited the group to relocate to camp Ashraf. Iraq was at war with Iran, and relocating the group from Paris to Iraq was Hussein’s method of undermining Iran. At the start of the U.S. led war in Iraq under Operation Iraqi Freedom, the group was classified as enemy combatants and subsequently confined to Camp Ashraf, where approximately 3,000 MEK now live (Carter 2011). The new government of Iraq has declared that all members of MEK must leave the country, and the U.N. is currently working to resettle the group elsewhere. For the moment MEK enjoys limited support from sympathizers around the world, but it is stateless which is both a strength and a weakness. The U.N., citing international law, will not allow the Iraqi government to force members to leave Iraq or force repatriation until members have a suitable place to live. This predicament brings MEK some publicity and sympathy for their cause, but Iraq’s determination to expel MEK could not have occurred at a worse time. With June 2013 elections nearing, increasing tension with western military powers, and an imminent Israeli preemptive strike against Iranian nuclear targets, MEK leadership must act swiftly to ensure its place in the 2013 elections. PART II – RED TEAM ANALYSIS Why Use Red Team Analysis? Given the complex dynamics of the Iranian situation, analysts should use  the Red Team Analysis technique in order to best predict what course(s) of action MEK leadership will take to assume control of the government. By empathizing with the MEK leadership analysts can gain better insight to most likely courses of action. The end state of this analytic technique is to provide Congress and the President with an accurate forecast of MEK’s courses of action so that the United States may apply the appropriate short and long term foreign policy in the Middle East. Since MEK desires a peaceful, tolerant Iran that can only be legitimized via free elections and public suffrage, it cannot take control of the nation by force. Therefore, MEK’s options are limited and it must patiently await the 2013 elections regardless of the growing concern of military action and economic sanctions. As President Ahmadinejad continues to escalate military tension with western nations and Israel, through missile, nuclear, and naval programs (Torbati 2012). MEK leadership must carefully calculate how to win popular Iranian support, world support, and financial backing – all without ever appearing to be influenced by western powers as previous Iranian leaders had. Restate Current MEK Goals Red Team Analysis must begin with placing oneself in the shoes of MEK leadership. The key to determining any viable course of action is to outline clear goals or milestones. With clear goals, analysts can categorize what actions and strategies are available and likely. According to MEK’s official website, its current goals, rather, solution to the western-Iranian strife is to â€Å"rid the region and the world of the nightmare of the Islamic fundamentalists armed with nuclear weapons [by] democratic change in Iran by the people and the Resistance† (Rajavi 2010). This stated goal remains largely unchanged from its 1970s goal. The main difference now is that MEK is more tolerant of western aid, albeit, so long as they do not become overly influenced by it. Key Assumptions Check Paramount to the analytic process is a key assumptions check. This step allows analysts to clearly document the start point of their cognitive map as well as allowing time to consider information that challenges cognitive  biases. The key assumptions must be listed in such a way that analysts feel like MEK leaders would if trying to decide how to realize their stated goal of taking control of the Iranian government. Below is a list of key assumptions in this Red Team Analysis. Previous Failures. All previous attempts to control government have failed beginning with the overthrow of the Shah in 1979. This assumption is critical because the MEK believed the Ayatollah Khomeini was their ally. They were betrayed. They banded together only to be exiled within two years and many members were arrested and executed while Khomeini consolidated power. The experience likely taught MEK to distrust any potential allies within the current regime. History of Violence. During the 1960s the Shah used force and violence against government opposition. Uprisings in the 1970s culminated in the exile of the Shah, but into the 1980s MEK fought the new Iranian government. During the Iraq-Iran war that began in the early 1980s, MEK settled just north of Baghdad and fought a cross border war with the clerical regime for twenty more years. Only at the turn of the century did MEK publicly denounce violence and terrorist tactics. The significance is that, while MEK members are accepting of risk and violence, they have matured and realize that they do not operate in a vacuum. MEK understands the need for global acceptance. HUMINT Value. MEK can offer HUMINT to the U.S. No other organization with detailed knowledge of Iran and its military and political system is willing to provide such information to western powers. The U.S. has had extremely limited success installing or recruiting agents in Iran because of extreme scrutiny that outsiders face, and CIA informants are usually discovered due to poor tradecraft (Hosenball 2011). MEK however, has family, friends, sympathizers and safe houses inside Iran. As well, since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 MEK has received training, equipment and funds to carry out attacks inside Iran and to collaborate with U.S. and Israeli intelligence services (Joshi 2012). MEK’s HUMINT value is possibly the most important aspect for western powers. MEK leadership understands the power they hold and must leverage it wisely. Knowledge of U.S. Tactics Techniques and Procedures. MEK leaders are aware of U.S. TTPs at the small unit tactics level up through executive branch policymaking. They will play on the American and Israeli fears of a nuclear armed Iran while leveraging their HUMINT and political value to affect their delisting from the FTO. Once  delisted they will be able to receive more funding from international sources, thus requiring less U.S. support and will become less responsive to U.S. demands. Western Support: Critical For Financing, Opposite of Ideology Being listed on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization list impedes MEK’s financing efforts. In order to gain power they must be delisted – decade long endeavor thus far. Its members have cooperated with Israeli and U.S. intelligence services since 2003 in an effort to gain support and take over the political regime in Iran, but its original ideology was very much opposed to any western influence. MEK must exercise extreme caution to ensure that the group does not appear to be another puppet regime of the U.S and especially not in collaboration with Israel. If threatened with defeat, the current regime will likely try to depict MEK as a puppet regime, and if the U.S. loses influence it may also try to publicize MEK’s cooperation in an effort to decrease its credibility among Iranians. Enormity of the Situation. MEK is currently stateless. Though the U.N. has petitioned several governments to accept MEK members, most have declined to accept them. With nowhere to go MEK is desperate to gain power in Iran because it belongs to no other state. If they fail the Iranian regime will likely execute them, despite President Ahmadinejad’s amnesty offer. Data Collection Options Of the many collection options the United States has at its disposal, a handful stand out as being the most practical. HUMINT may be the best collection option because it offers an inside look at MEK and the status of the Iranian nuclear and defense programs as well as the mentality and plans of regime leaders. For example, an undercover agent, code named Wally, joined the Revolutionary Guard in the 1980s and gave the CIA plans, ideology, weaponry etc, and he was able to recruit several more members of the Revolutionary Guard to turn informer for the CIA (Zucchino 2012). OSINT is another extremely useful collection option, which can provide detailed atmospherics and help depict the support, or lack thereof, of the general public to the current and possible successor regimes. OSINT can also offer information on Iran’s defensive and offensive capabilities as depicted  in the recent revelation that Iran has cloned a fleet of ultra-fast gun boats. Originally produced in England, the Bradstone Challenger (Bladerunner) is a speedboat with a revolutionary hull design that affords it great stability at high speeds. Iran illicitly purchased a Bladerunner in 2009, reverse engineered the design, and manufactured its own fleet which the Navy modified to launch torpedoes and missiles at full speed. The Bladerunner fleet, combined with â€Å"an array of heavily armed small craft, including unmanned high-speed Ya Mahdi vessels, Bavar 2 flying boats, Seraj-1 high-speed patrol boats and Zolfaghar fast attack craft† (Stock 2012) poses a significant thr eat to the Strait of Hormuz and western naval forces with much larger and slower vessels. SIGINT and MASINT will likely have to wait until military confrontation begins in order to be relevant. MEK’s equipment inventory is very limited, so SIGINT and MASINT should not be a top priority. GEOINT is relevant in that it depicts the correlation of key terrain to strategic targets and political issues. For example, GEOINT can depict which routes MEK would likely take in order to transit to Tehran or flee Iraq in other ways. It also helps answer contingency operation questions such as, â€Å"what if MEK takes control of the military and attempts to hold the Strait of Hormuz ransom?† In a more tactical situation GEOINT can provide detailed dimensions of hideouts and buildings for the U.S. to plan an attack should the need arise. Use of the Intelligence Community The CIA is the best is the best agency to use to handle collection on MEK. The agency has more than half a century of experience in working with sources and is best trained in managing counterintelligence and misinformation techniques. Already, the CIA has worked with MEK members since 2002 when MEK publicized Iran’s underground Uranium enrichment program. Training MEK members in tradecraft techniques and supporting their cross-border subversion tactics allows the CIA to wage a proxy war with Iran while strengthening its relationship and gaining more human intelligence on both MEK and Iran. No other agency within the United States has the resources to foster this type of relationship with MEK. Most Effective Intelligence Analysis Strategies The effective intelligence strategy to use for evaluating MEK and forecasting its actions is to begin with Analysis of Competing Hypotheses and follow those results with the Devil’s Advocacy method. Analysis of Competing Hypotheses. ACH is ideal for evaluating MEK because there are diverse dynamics involved in forecasting MEK actions. Considering that the U.S. must decide to keep or delist MEK from the FTO on October 1, 2012, ACH would provide decision makers with a documented line of reasoning to support an Intelligence Forecast. Devil’s Advocacy. The prevailing consensus in Washington is that MEK has morphed from a militant group to a political group in the past decade and will be a more western friendly regime if it comes to power. But what if MEK is playing the west to gain power now, while secretly planning to spread its 1979 revolutionary ideology across the Middle East and North Africa in an attempt to reestablish Persian dominance? It seems that the west is focu sed first on countering a nuclear threat and second on countering any blocking of the Hormuz Strait. No additional talking points regarding Iran or MEK have received much publicity since 1979. Conclusion MEK is a wild card in the Iran standoff. The United States and other western powers, as well as Israel, must carefully consider how to proceed with MEK relationships. The organization has shown a history of changing allies in order to advance its goals, making it predictable in the sense that they can be counted on to do whatever it takes to survive and take control of the Iranian government. To brush MEK aside may mean dealing with a nuclear armed Iran later, and to support MEK may mean dealing with a provoked Iran now. No matter the decision, each carries its own implications for U.S. foreign policy. Washington must ultimately decide between the lesser of two evils. Bibliography Carter, Chelsea. â€Å"U.N., Iraq agree to temporary relocation of Iranian exiles.† CNN, December 26, 2011. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-12-26/middleeast/world_meast_iraq-camp-ashraf-re location_1_camp-ashraf-ashraf-residents-mek/2?_s=PM:MIDDLEEAST (accessed July 28, 2012). FBI. â€Å"Seven Plead Guilty to Providing Material Support to Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.† FBI. http://www.fbi.gov/losangeles/press-releases/2009/la042809a.htm (accessed July 29, 2012). Goulka, Jeremiah, et al. â€Å"The Mujahedin-e Khalq in Iraq: A Policy Conundrum.† RAND Corporation: Santa Monica, 2009. Hosenball, Mark. â€Å"Hezbollah, Iran uncover CIA informants.† Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/21/us-cia-hezbollah-idUSTRE7AK2MQ20111121 (accessed August 23, 2012). Jones, Owen Bennet. â€Å"An Iranian mystery: Just who are the MEK?†BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17615065 (accessed July 30, 2012). Joshi, Shashank. â€Å"Iran and the Mujahedin e Khalq (MEK).† Harvard University Department of Government. http://shashankjoshi.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/iran-and-the-mujahedin-e-khalq-mek/ (accessed August 24, 2012). Masters, Jonathan. † Mujahadeen-e-Khalq (MEK) (aka People’s Mujahedin of Iran or PMOI).† Council on Foreign Relations, July 18, 2012. http://www.cfr.org/iran/mujahadeen-e-khalq-mek-aka-peoples-mujahedin-iran-pmoi/p9158 (accessed July 24, 2012). MEK. â€Å"Camp Ashraf: About Us.† MEK. http://www.campashraf.org/about/camp-ashraf/ (accessed July 30, 2012). Rajavi, Maryam. â€Å"Comprehensive sanctions is the essential first step, regime change is the final solution.† People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran. http://www.mojahedin.org/pagesen/detailsNews.aspx?newsid=9551 (accessed August 22, 2012).

Star Clusters

Star Clusters Star clusters are just what the name says they are: groupings of stars that can include anywhere from a few dozen to hundreds of thousands or even millions of stars! There are two general types of clusters: open and globular.   Open Clusters The open clusters, such as the Beehive in the constellation of Cancer and the Pleiades that grace the sky in Taurus, are groups born in the same area of space but are only  loosely  gravitationally bound together. Eventually, as they travel through the galaxy, these stars  wander apart from each other. Open clusters usually have up to  a thousand or so members, and their  stars are  not more than 10 billion years old. These clusters  are much more likely to be found in the disks of spiral and in irregular galaxies, which contain more star-forming material than older, more evolved elliptical galaxies. The Sun was born in an open cluster that formed about 4.5 billion years ago. As it moved through our rotating galaxy, it left its siblings behind long ago. Globular Clusters Globular clusters are the mega-clusters of the cosmos. They orbit the central core of our galaxy, and their thousands and thousands of  stars are held together by a strong mutual gravity  that creates a sphere or globe of stars. Generally speaking, stars in globulars are among the oldest  in the universe, and they formed early in a galaxy’s history. For example, there are stars in globulars orbiting our galaxys core that were born when the universe (and our galaxy) was quite young.   Why Are Clusters Important to Study? Most stars are born in these big batches within large stellar nurseries.Observing and measuring stars in clusters gives astronomers great insight into the environments in which they formed. Stars born recently often are more metal-rich than those that formed much earlier in history.  Metal-rich means that they contain more elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, such as carbon and oxygen.  If their birth clouds were rich in certain kinds of elements, then those stars will contain higher amounts of those materials. If the cloud was metal-poor (that is, if had a lot of hydrogen and helium, but very few other elements), then the stars it formed will be metal-poor. Stars in some globular clusters in the Milky Way are quite metal-poor, which indicates they formed when the universe was very young and there hadnt been time to form enough of the heavier elements.   When you look at a star cluster, youre seeing the the basic building blocks of galaxies. Open clusters provide the stellar population of a galaxys disk while the globulars hark back to a time when their galaxies were forming through collisions and interactions. Both stellar populations are clues to the ongoing evolution of their galaxies and of the universe. For stargazers, clusters can be fantastic observation targets. A few well-known open clusters are naked-eye objects.  The Hyades is another choice target, also in Taurus. Other targets include the Double Cluster (an pair of open clusters in Perseus), the Southern Pleiades (near Crux in the Southern Hemisphere), the globular cluster 47 Tucanae (a  fabulous sight in Southern Hemisphere constellation Tucana), and the globular cluster M13 in Hercules (easy to spot with binoculars or a small telescope).

HRM Term Paper on ADA Essays (643 words) - Law, Free Essays

HRM Term Paper on ADA Essays (643 words) - Law, Free Essays HRM Term Paper on ADA Introduction On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law with the intent to make the American workplace more accessible to people with disabilities. It was signed by former president George H.W Bush, who said ?I know there may have been concerns that the ADA may be too vague or too costly, or may lead endlessly to litigation. But I want to reassure you right now that my administration and the United States Congress have carefully crafted this Act. We've all been determined to ensure that it gives flexibility, particularly in terms of the timetable of implementation; and we've been committed to containing the costs that may be incurred.... Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and other characteristics illegal. According to the most recent text of the ADA, which was amended in 2008, the definition of disability is ?a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment? (www.ada.gov). This further protects individuals with disabilities in recruitment, screening, hiring, promotions, layoffs and termination, and any other terms or conditions of employment. Private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions are covered in the act. In addition, the ADA applies to all aspects of participation in society, including employment, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. The ADA prepares employees by providing appropriate information and personnel training on the provisions of the ADA, its relevance to the functioning of the organization as a whole, and the responsibilities of specific personnel. The ADA is also undergoing continuous review and interpreta tion in the courts. Many people have set themselves up as experts on the ADA. They believe that they are experts on how to remove architectural barriers, how to build a ramp or refit a bathroom to comply with ADA standards. Unfortunately in too many cases, the so-called experts do not know about the ADA standards and their errors have been costly to people who relied on their help. There are no certificates or licenses for the ADA and those who claim that they are certified or licensed ADA experts are not telling the truth. The best advice is to consult your local Center for Independent Living and use reputable architects and builders who are familiar with ADA architectural standards and requirements. This is the best way to prevent a costly and lengthy lawsuit. Brief History The ADA is the most comprehensive federal civil rights legislation protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Passed by the United States Congress in 1990, the ADA addresses the barriers and discrimination that people with disabilities have traditionally faced. The legislature covers access to employment, state and local government programs and services, access to places of public accommodations, transportation, non-profits service providers and telecommunications. The ADA has been amended several times since its passage in 1990, with the most recent amendment in 2008, which became effective on January 1st, 2009. Purpose of the ADA The purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act is ?to provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities; to provide clear, strong, consistent, enforceable standards addressing discrimination against individuals with disabilities; to ensure that the Federal Government plays a central role in enforcing the standards established on behalf of individuals with disabilities; and to invoke the sweep of congressional authority, including the power to enforce the fourteenth amendment and to regulate commerce, in order to address the major areas of discrimination faced day-to-day by people with disabilities.? (www.ada.gov/pubs)

Tips to Manage Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom

Tips to Manage Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom Teaching adults is very different from teaching children. If you are new to teaching adults, you have hopefully been provided with training in this area, but if not, take steps to prepare yourself. Start with crucial skills and principles for teachers of adults. Establishing Norms Setting classroom norms is one of the best methods of classroom management. Hang a flip chart or poster, or dedicate a section of the whiteboard, if you have space,  and list expected classroom behaviors for everyone to see. Refer to this list when disruptions occur. Using a flip chart or whiteboard can be especially useful because you can involve students in the construction of the list on the first day. Start with a few of your own expectations and ask the group for additional suggestions. When you all agree on how you want the classroom to be managed, disruptions are minimal. List of Norms Start and end on timeTurn off or silence cell phonesSave texting for breaksRespect the contributions of othersBe open to new ideasResolve differences calmlyStay on topic Saving Questions for Later Its always a good idea to address questions of any kind when they occur because curiosity provides fabulous teaching moments, but sometimes it just isnt appropriate to get off track. Many teachers use a flip chart or whiteboard as a holding place for such questions to ensure theyre not forgotten. Call your holding place something appropriate to your topic. Be creative. When a question being held is eventually answered, mark it off the list. Managing Mild Disruptions Unless youve got a completely obnoxious student in your classroom, chances are good that disruptions, when they do occur, will be fairly mild and call for mild management techniques. These include disruptions like chatting in the back of the room, texting, or someone who is argumentative or disrespectful. Try one, or more of the following tactics: Make eye contact with the disruptive person.Remind the group of the agreed-upon norms.Move toward the disruptive person.Stand directly in front of the person.Be silent and wait for the disruption to end.Acknowledge the input, put it in your parking lot if appropriate, and move on.You may be right.Thanks for your comment.How about if we park that comment and come back to it later?Ask for help from the group.What does everyone else think?Rearrange the seating if you think it will help.Call for a break. Handling Persistent Disruptions For more serious problems, or if the disruption persists, rely on these steps to conflict resolution: Speak with the person privately.Confront the behavior, not the person.Speak for yourself only, not the class.Seek to understand the reason for the disruption.Ask the person to recommend a solution.Review your expectations of classroom behavior, if necessary.Try to get agreement on expected norms.Explain any consequences of continued disruptions. Sharing Challenges Its generally unprofessional to share frustrations about individual students with other teachers who may be influenced toward that person in the future. This doesnt mean you cant consult with others, but you should choose your confidants carefully.

Are the German Banks Riskier than the European Competitors Essay

Are the German Banks Riskier than the European Competitors - Essay Example As the essay highlights there are a number of reasons why the German banks should be so eager to implement risk anti-risk policies. After the unification of East and West Germany, the banks in the united nation needed to win the trust and the faith in the minds of the people, so that they had to undertake some relevant and careful anti-risk policy measures. The policy measures have continued ever since; even a few days back, the Chairman of Deutsche Bank, Joseph Ackerman, had reportedly said that there would be a worldwide availability of German bank shares in order to minimize the risk elements present in the business. According to the report findings since the mean or the average values are irrelevant to the study and rather the standard deviations are the ones that are needed for the same, so further description of the ratios have been omitted. The objective is to find out the relative risk quotient of the variables corresponding to the German and other European banks. The one that is found to display a higher standard deviation of returns is considered to be the riskier one. In order to ensure that the study involves the banks which operate in the market at present, only the active banks or the ones which have been merged with other banks have been taken into account. In order to carry on with the above specified empirical analysis, data has been collected on all banks located within the Euro region. In addition, data for the German banks have been categorized separately, so as to carry on the comparison with that of their European counterparts.

The Image of Women in News Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Image of Women in News - Research Paper Example There are many existing newspapers and studies that portray women and how such portrays perceive or shape them in public in addition to practices and newspapers. This paper seeks to explain the image of women in media, most specifically in Los Angeles Times, Nov 29, 2011 5.40 PST.Retrieved from: http://www.latimes.com/. It is important to audit and review the representation of women in newspaper, as there is still hope of women being represented and encouraged to enter into the business field, and not only to advertisements and show off their bodies like what the media had portrayed them as earlier on. Question B In Los Angeles Times, Nov 29, 2011, The number of women who appears in new picture in four sections is; News( the front section) is 4,in Sports 3,Business, 4, In lifestyle (Calendar, Arts, Home)11.The number of men in news photo is 14, while the total number of people in news photos is 36. Question C Both men and women play a large role in new stories. Rakow and Kranich arti cle Pg 1, reveals that 21 percent in news media are women, while the remaining 79% are women. After 20 years of transition, women are still underrepresented in the media or news content. To add to this, there are only 25% of women who are newsmakers and it will take some more years to achieve gender equivalence in matters to do with newspaper representation and reporting, (Synder, 2005, Pg 12-14). Newspapers are still trying to diversify their general content, from their sources, readers, story ideas, the bottom point being to attempt to include women as much as possible. Women Institute for Freedom of the Press (1997, Pg 21) also writes that newspapers have come up with a strategy of writing articles and ideas which reflect issues of women narrowly. This issue has become an umbrella that is ambiguous under a category of themes and stories which are gathered. Some of the roles men and women play in news stories are, to start with, readers, journalists, advertise, sports and entertai nment news. This can be well explained by Rakow and Kranich article on â€Å"Woman as sign in Television News†. They write that women appears as subjects and sources in news, where they represent them as feminist voices and role that are ritualized in the mainstream which are designees of females that are homogenous. Women as signs Chart Woman signs categories Men in My Research (14) Women in research (22) Private individuals 20% 10% Authorities 22% 8% Celebrities 8% 20% Political activists 30 % 22% Unidentifiable 10% 30% Feminists 10% 10% In category 1, Women are represented in media as relatives or mothers. Ecompanion states that 32% of women and 24% are represented in this category. If a woman speaks in news, she does so as mother, sister, wife, consumer, neighbor, and a housewife. They speak as witnesses and passive reactors instead of participants in public events. This comprises of 30 %. In this category, men are represented by women, because women speak for them as wiv es, as mothers or sisters. Men represent a 10% of this unidentifiable category. In category 2, women as sources will carry on instead of creating meaning of the stories they appear in. They are used to demonstrate the private consequences of public actions and

INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE - Research Paper Example Risk Principle A critical analysis of risk principle illustrates that intervention techniques should employ behavioral and cognitive evaluation of criminal’s susceptibility of recommitting the crime for identifying the risk factors attached to that criminal accordingly. Hence, through behavioral interventions, the justice system can identify high-risk offenders and thus focus on them accordingly. It is important to note that providing similar treatment to the low-risk offenders can increase their chances of reverting back to criminal behavior in a more aggressive manner (Latessa, 2012). The principle and its related interventions tend to be particularly effective because of its focus on the right segment. Since the susceptibility of high-risk offenders to revert back to criminal behavior is relatively high, this principle helps in designing interventions that would focus on this demographic segment of those who were convicted or been in prison earlier (Crow, 2001). With the he lp of this principle, intensive interventions designed with the help of actuarial-based assessments in instruments focused on curtailing criminogenic needs can be particularly helpful. It is important to note that this identification of high-risk in community settings can help in devising specific interventions that would address community-based needs. According to Travis (2003), a simple example of high risk offenders can be identification of prisoners’ susceptibility of recommitting the crime with the help of federal data as months right after release from prison present the highest risk to public safety. Therefore, it is important that community interventions should focus more on prisoners that have just left the prison. Need Principle Another major principle in ‘what works’ movement is need principle. This principle defines what criminogenic needs e.g. antisocial personality, attitudes and peers, to focus on after identifying high-risk offenders (Braucht, 200 9; Bechtel, 2011). This principle illustrates that prisoners and convicts are already subjected to negative behavior and other unpleasant social factors therefore it is important that reinforcement should be mainly positive (Latessa, 2006). In addition to that, every participant’s needs in intervention programs are relatively unique as compared to others. Therefore, it is important that a high-intensity program is introduced that would last for few months to a year depending on the needs of the offender. Furthermore, these services should occupy â€Å"40 to 70 percent of the offender's time during the course of the program (Petersila, 2004, p. 5). The principle is effective in a sense that it addresses individual needs of the offenders however when examined in the light of overall judicial system, it is difficult to follow as there will be need of large number of professionals that would be required to supervise these services along with programs designed for individuals ins tead of groups. Responsivity Principle The third principle in ‘what works movement is responsivity principle. This principle defines how to engage individuals and employ strategies that would change their overall behavior (Braucht, 2009). Responsivity

Computer Systems Fundamentals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Computer Systems Fundamentals - Essay Example released their RSA algorithm into the public domain, in advance of the US patent (#4,405,829) expiring on the 20th Sept. of the same year. Following the relaxation of the US government restrictions earlier in the year (Jan. 14) this removed one of the last barriers to the world-wide distribution of much software based on cryptographic systems. It should be noted that the IDEA algorithm is still under patent and also that government restrictions still apply in some places. 11. [Year:2004, Month: Apr 14]nVidia releases GeForce 6800, claiming it is the biggest leap in graphics technology the company ever made. Independent reviews show more than 100% increase in productivity compared with the fastest card on the market. Continuing the tradition, nVidia demonstrates Nalu, a mermaid with extremely realistic hair. A few weeks later nVidia's main rival ATi announces X800 with nearly the same level of performance and feature support. The card is showcased by the Ruby demo, delivering a smooth real-time rendering of what was previously in the exclusive realm of prerendered cinematics. Memory speeds are written in different formats depending on the type of memory technology your computer uses. FPM and EDO speeds are written in nanoseconds (ns). SDRAM, DDR, and DDR2 speeds are written in megahertz (MHz) Here is a rough guide to relative memory speeds: i. Memory Speed Technology Speed Module Bandwidth SDR PC100 0.8 GB/sec SDR PC133 1.0 GB/sec DDR PC1600 1.6 GB/sec DDR PC2100 2.1 GB/sec DDR PC2700 2.7 GB/sec DDR PC3200 3.2 GB/sec DDR PC4000 4.0GB/sec DDR2 PC2-3200 3.2GB/sec DDR2 PC2-4200 4.2GB/sec DDR2 PC2-5300 5.3GB/sec DDR2 PC2-6400 6.4GB/sec Source: See http://www.crucial.com/crucial/pvtcontent /memorytype.aspmodel=&memtype=CHOOSE The costs of the

The Hypocrisy of Civilized Society as a Major Theme in Huckleberry Research Paper

The Hypocrisy of Civilized Society as a Major Theme in Huckleberry Finn - Research Paper Example It's also where he gained a lot of the experience he would need to create The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Although these were essentially children's stories, Twain had a tendency to create stories with a much deeper meaning underneath the charm and the humor. He encouraged his readers to plunge the depths of their understanding and adapt their behavior to a more accurate reflection of their inner beliefs (Railton, 2007). In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain blatantly criticizes the hypocrisy of 'civilized' society as he ridicules religion, satirizes education, criticizes slavery, and exposes aristocratic characters. Twain Ridicules Religion Religion was a particular sore spot with Twain and he expresses his disdain of it through the characters of the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. These poor ladies remain obediently devout through everything, without seeming to realize that their belief structures are almost entirely contradictory. Huck sums it up when he's out thinking i n the woods, "I judged I could see that there was two Providences, and a poor chap would stand considerable show with the widow’s Providence, but if Miss Watson’s got him there warn’t no help for him any more" (23). ... Even though the families sit calmly together in church, the feud begins again the moment they step foot off of church property: "The men took their guns along, so did Buck†¦The Shepherdsons done the same. It was pretty ornery preaching- all about brotherly love, and such-like tiresomeness;† (129), but the families don't hear any of it. Even with the church pleading with them to put aside their fight, it is the feud rather than the church that has the greatest influence on them. â€Å"Worse than the mindless, inherited pattern of the feud, however, is the fact that it serves no purpose, since the original cause of the conflict long has been forgotten.† (Wright 90). This experience has a profound effect on Huck's later decisions. When it comes time for Huck to decide whether to turn in his friend Jim as a runaway slave, Huck decides it would be better to go to hell. â€Å"I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever , betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right, then, I’ll go to hell’- and tore it up† (223). â€Å"Huck's justly celebrated crisis of conscience, which culminates in his resolve to free Jim, even if doing so condemns him to hell† (Smith 8) is made a bit easier by his understanding of how others observed their religion. Twain Satirizes Education It is an indication of his depth of satire that Twain uses Huck, an almost completely uneducated narrator, to point out the depth of society's corruption including its failures within the educational system. He doesn't see much use for it in any of his interactions with others. For example, Tom

The main character Hester Prynne experiences a metamorphosis in Research Paper

The main character Hester Prynne experiences a metamorphosis in Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter due to the act of adultery she - Research Paper Example In the case of The Scarlet Letter, the main protagonist of the story, Hester Prynne, is convicted of adultery and is chastised by the Puritan community. As punishment for her crime, she is forced to where a scarlet â€Å"A† on her chest for everyone to see. In the initial part of the novel, the identity of the father is unknown due to the fact that Hester’s husband is overseas in England; therefore he could not be the father. As a result, she refuses to reveal the identity of the true father, but is convicted of adultery. In this aspect, she is branded so that no one will associate with her due to the fact that she broke the Ten Commandments. It has the â€Å"effect of a spell† or a plague in that it causes the inability for her to associate with anyone in the town. Even travelers who come to visit the town soon learn the truth behind her sins. Because of the mark that she wears, it causes her to become isolated from the rest of the community. Therefore, she does not develop the typical relationships and social connections that would normally be experienced in Puritan society. This is due to the fact that religion is the bond, which ties the entire community together and that connection with Hester was severed when she was convicted of adultery. In this case, she creates her own world for both her and her daughter Pearl. In addition, by closing herself off to the rest of society, it protects the identity and questioning of who is the true father of Pearl. As a result, her â€Å"imprisonment† by society is used in terms as more of a social barrier, than as physical imprisonment. The aspect of her being in prison also transcended other bounds. She was not able to be with the man that she really loved. Chillingsworth tormented her about the whereabouts of her lover, and eventually set out on a vendetta to take revenge on that individual. In spite of all animosity and negative feelings toward her, she is able to maintain and create a saf e environment in which both her and Pearl can live in. Because of the animosity that Hester experiences, there are a great deal of effects of both living and emotion that she has to deal with through the course of the novel. The first main effect on Hester is dealing with Pearl. She is an extremely unruly child that Hester has a hard time controlling. Because the child was conceived out of sin and because of the eccentric and misbehavior, many of the townspeople began to regard the child as a child of hell. In this respect, many of the community attempts to take away Pearl from Hester so that she may be saved and raised in a proper Puritan manner, however the minister of the town, Authur Dimmesdale protests saying that the daughter must remain with the mother. Also, Pearl served as a walking reminder of the sin that Hester committed along with complementing the scarlet â€Å"A† on her chest. Hester lived in this political and social prison for a very long time. Not willing to divulge the other adulterer, she was condemned to living a cursed life. The inability of her to form relations with anyone inside the town as well as raise a child by herself gave her a sense of hopelessness. All of Hester’s struggles and misery is derived from the structure of the Puritan religion. They often did not tolerate those who did not worship

The Hypocrisy of Civilized Society as a Major Theme in Huckleberry Research Paper

The Hypocrisy of Civilized Society as a Major Theme in Huckleberry Finn - Research Paper Example It's also where he gained a lot of the experience he would need to create The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Although these were essentially children's stories, Twain had a tendency to create stories with a much deeper meaning underneath the charm and the humor. He encouraged his readers to plunge the depths of their understanding and adapt their behavior to a more accurate reflection of their inner beliefs (Railton, 2007). In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain blatantly criticizes the hypocrisy of 'civilized' society as he ridicules religion, satirizes education, criticizes slavery, and exposes aristocratic characters. Twain Ridicules Religion Religion was a particular sore spot with Twain and he expresses his disdain of it through the characters of the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. These poor ladies remain obediently devout through everything, without seeming to realize that their belief structures are almost entirely contradictory. Huck sums it up when he's out thinking i n the woods, "I judged I could see that there was two Providences, and a poor chap would stand considerable show with the widow’s Providence, but if Miss Watson’s got him there warn’t no help for him any more" (23). ... Even though the families sit calmly together in church, the feud begins again the moment they step foot off of church property: "The men took their guns along, so did Buck†¦The Shepherdsons done the same. It was pretty ornery preaching- all about brotherly love, and such-like tiresomeness;† (129), but the families don't hear any of it. Even with the church pleading with them to put aside their fight, it is the feud rather than the church that has the greatest influence on them. â€Å"Worse than the mindless, inherited pattern of the feud, however, is the fact that it serves no purpose, since the original cause of the conflict long has been forgotten.† (Wright 90). This experience has a profound effect on Huck's later decisions. When it comes time for Huck to decide whether to turn in his friend Jim as a runaway slave, Huck decides it would be better to go to hell. â€Å"I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever , betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right, then, I’ll go to hell’- and tore it up† (223). â€Å"Huck's justly celebrated crisis of conscience, which culminates in his resolve to free Jim, even if doing so condemns him to hell† (Smith 8) is made a bit easier by his understanding of how others observed their religion. Twain Satirizes Education It is an indication of his depth of satire that Twain uses Huck, an almost completely uneducated narrator, to point out the depth of society's corruption including its failures within the educational system. He doesn't see much use for it in any of his interactions with others. For example, Tom