The Girl with the White Flag

High is the author of the book The Girl With the White Flag. The book depicts the realities of war through the eyes of the protagonist, who is a little girl known as Tomtit. Tomtit lives on the island of Okinawa and resides with her family. When the war of Okinawa starts, she is separated from her family and struggles to survive. She has to forage for food, shelter, and her lost sisters.She delves within to find the strength and courage to survive. In this narrative, the author uses literary devices to reject the travails of the refugees in the Battle of Okinawa. The narrative is in a first- person mode using implicit and explicit quotes which allows the reader to empathic with Tomtit's thoughts and emotions. Through the use of implicit and explicit quotes, Tomtit High is able to uncover the harsh realities of life such as facing death and is able represent the transformation of a young timid girl into a mature and fearless person.In the beginning of the story, Tomtit is depicted as a naive girl who is sheltered by her family. In her book, Tomtit High projects her father as a strict caparisoning, determined to ensure that his children learn the lessons needed for life. This is reflected in the quote, â€Å"It must have hurt. But you've got to learn that seeds are next in importance to life. If you eat them up, you won't have any beans next year. And not only you, but Hooks and Hatfuls and Choosy. None of you will have any beans to eat. Do you understand! You mustn't ever eat seeds again† (High, P. 31).This quote is explicit as it directly states that Tomtit Fibular 2 should not eat the beans, so the reader doesn't have to make any inferences about what is happening in the story. Also, this quote shows the strictness of her father. In life, fathers always have to look after their kids and create rules for them to follow. A girl's father is a significant person in her life. A father guides and protects her by all means. Afterwards, Tomtit portrays her fath er as a very brave and courageous man who fulfills his responsibilities towards his family, which is depicted in this quote, â€Å"Now I want you all to listen carefully.There's going to be fighting here in Okinawa very soon. Life's not going to be peaceful for us any more. You must be prepared, so hat when the time comes, you'll be able to keep your head and know what to do† (High, p. 36). This quote is also explicit as in the quote Tomtit voices that her father is guiding his children for their survival. In war, there is isolation, and no one knows whether the family is alive or dead. Family is important to us as they help provide the support and comfort needed to prepare for life.When Tomtit lived with her family, she was protected, and she was sheltered by her family. The war transformed her into a brave and courageous person. When the war started, she had to face many tough obstacles. However, these hurdles eloped her grow as an individual. She had to cope with her broth er's death, see many Japanese soldiers commit suicide, and witness the deaths of many innocent civilians from the destruction of war. Also, she was separated from her family and had to survive on her own. Tomtit grew as a person from these hardships.She reflects this change through the following lines, â€Å"Poor man, I thought as I started to walk past him, he must have been pulled by one of those bullets. By that time, I had seen so many dead bodies here and there that I had become quite used to the site and was not frightened† (High, P. 55). This quote is explicit as it expresses that Tomtit doesn't have Fibular 3 to feel uncomfortable when near the sight of dead bodies. This quote depicts the transition of a fearful girl to a courageous person.If Tomtit would have experienced this earlier in the narrative, she would have not been able to cope with the dreadful sight of dead soldiers. Afterwards, Tomtit comes across an experience that displays one of the toughest memories in her life, which is Illustrated by the quote, â€Å"l said to myself as I walked along, resigned to my fate, staring at the round hole from which I expected a bullet to come toward me any minute† (High, P. 1 10). This quote is implicit as the reader doesn't know if Tomtit is going to live or die.It helps her grow and learn how to take life as it comes. This quote is strong as it reflects the statement that Tomtit has no problem accepting her fate of life and death. This is very courageous as our society is shown to not have the will power to make a choice that big. Tomtit is able to then enlighten the reader on the realities of life presenting that Tomtit doesn't have a problem of facing death. After living through these experiences, Tomtit was transformed into a fearless and confident person, who no longer depends on others to take care of herself.In this story, Tomtit reflects to the reader about the outcome of her experiences by citing, † I resolved then and there to write about my experiences in the hope that such suffering might never be repeated† (High, P. 127). This quote is explicit as Tomtit is exhibiting to the reader that she had resolved her experiences about war. This also explains that the suffering of war is so harsh, that a person does not want it to happen to them again. War can have an effect on a person's mental health which can cause a definite increase in the incidence and prevalence of mental disorders.War also impacts women more then men emotionally. In the end, Tomtit was transformed from a sheltered girl to a woman capable of living on her own. Fibular 4 After the war ended, Tomtit writes that she must move on with her life and forget the cruel memories of the war. She presents this to the reader by citing , â€Å"It was a scene straight out of hell. There is no other way to describe it. And sad and painful though it was, we could not afford to linger, and so we set off again trekking south† (High, P. 48). T his quote is implicit as we don't know what scene Tomtit is offering to in the book.Some readers may believe that it may be describing only one specific scene in the book, others may think that it is talking about Tomtit's experience of war as a whole. I believe that this quote in the book reflects Tomtit's experience of combat as a whole. This quotation also uncovers the truth that Tomtit is determined to move on. She expresses to the reader that having written about her experiences of war is a catharsis, and she is going to have to move on. In this story, Tomtit is able to depict in her writing that through the brutal experience of battle an innocent, timid girl can become a dauntless and gallant individual.From this story, Tomtit is able to represent the truth of a female utilizing her experience of war to turn herself into a valiant and risk taking individual that will do anything to survive in life. Like Tomtit, if we confront our tough times with courage, we will be able to fa ce our obstacles with bravery. It can also transform us and helps us evolve. I feel life as like a roller coaster, if we don't take risks and keep going on the same pattern then we would not be able to ascend in our character. Fibular 5

African Americans Essay

African Americans have a unique history as well as culture. Their history in the United States is greatly influenced and shaped by the events in the last three centuries. A period that would shape their destiny, their interactions as well as their orientation to most important events in life. The United States census figures put the number of African Americans at over thirty-eight millions in 2005. Of this population, over 55% of them reside in the metropolitan areas with cities like Chicago and New York being the homes to a huge majority of African Americans A close look at the African Americans in relation to the rest of their white counterparts reveals that they are disadvantaged in various aspects. This can only be understood by focusing at the underlying causes of this, key being the century’s discrimination and oppression meted out against the blacks by the successive regimes up to the period that the civil rights movement stepped up its calls for equality and political rights. African Americans had been for long subjected to slavery especially in the southern states. The end of slavery brought forth systemic discrimination where they were treated as second class citizens especially after the introduction of the Jim Crow laws that institutionalized racism. This is what is seen to be the cause behind the impoverished lot amongst the African Americans with 24. 7% of this population living in abject poverty. The group also remains disadvantaged in the education sector, health, housing as well as having the highest crime rates in the United States. Since the enactment of civil rights legislation, the African Americans population has made considerable steps towards improving their economic status largely narrowing the huge discrepancies that exist. This has been marked by the expansion of the African American middle class. Unlike in other ethnic groups like the white; there is parity across the gender amongst the blacks. Income levels in America are tilted to the disfavor of African Americans. This is largely seen as being linked to the inability to access other vital resources such as education and jobs. Speculative figures have it that over three quarter of African Americans aged above the age of 25 have not gone to college and hence do not possess college diplomas. By the turn of the century, over a third of the African American population living in the big cities was without employment compared to their white counterparts; this figure has not changed much (Brandon S, 1984). Life expectancy of the African American group compares unfavorably with that of the whites a fact exacerbated by the lack of medical and proper provision of health facilities. With a significant proportion of African Americans lacking medical care and proper provision of health facilities; with a significant proportion of African American having a low level of income and being unemployed, and with the united states lacking a universal health care system , African Americans are badly placed in terms of health facilities access. They are also at a higher risk of succumbing to chronic diseases as well as pandemics such as HIV aids. Statistics have it that of all people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS between 2001 and 2005, over half of them were African Americans. Cities that contain large populations of African Americans such as Washington DC contain the highest rates of HIV infections. African Americans have maintained a deep sense of religiosity this has been passed on from the days of slavery. Known as black churches, they have played a pivotal role in the struggle for blacks to acquire and consolidate civil and political rights. Majority of the evangelists have ended up as political figures playing a crucial role in the American civil rights movement.

Analysis of the Human Rights Act, 1998

Analysis of the Human Rights Act, 1998 Human Rights Law ‘Despite the Human Rights Act 1998, the courts have failed appropriately to limit the scope for the exercise of breach of the peace powers.’ The Human Rights Act 1998 received royal assent on November 9, 1998 and came into force on October 2, 2000. The objective of said Act was to harmonize the domestic law of the United Kingdom with the European Convention on Human Rights. To reaffirm the commitment of the UK to human rights and civil liberties, it is now possible under the said Act to file a claim for violation of the ECHR without going to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Says Weinstein: This ability to transcend national law, and to compel revision of such law to comport with rights guaranteed by the European Convention in a broad range of areas, most often within the exclusive purview of national and local courts, is of historic note. Generally, nation states have been the final arbiters of most issues affecting their citizenry and within their borders. By treaty, the signatory nations of Europe have granted the ECHR binding authority to decide cases affecting their citizenry and other persons subject to their authority. In instances where state law is found inconsistent with an ECHR judgment, the nation at issue is obliged to amend its national law to comport with the ECHR decision. These cases illustrate the concept of what is increasingly being referred to as an evolving European supranational identity. The ECHR grants jurisdiction to any individual, non-governmental organization, or group claiming be a victim of a violation of the European Convention by a ECHR signatory nation, and to bring cases before it, as does, in applicable cases, the European Court of Justice (the â€Å"ECJ†), the court of the European Union, based in Luxembourg. Equally important, it prohibits any public body from behaving in a manner that is incompatible with any of the rights guaranteed under the ECHR. The Human Rights Act has gone a long way in limiting arbitrary actions from public bodies, in particular, police officers. It cannot be denied, however, that the laws on â€Å"breach of the peace† grant have historically been so vast in scope that in some occasions, human rights violations arise. The definition of â€Å"breach of the peace† (also known as breach of the Queen’s peace) has been discussed in the Court of Appeal decision of Howell, where it was stated as follows: We are emboldened to say that there is a breach of the peace whenever harm is actually done or is likely to be done to a person or in his presence his property or a person is in fear of being so harmed through an assault, an affray, a riot, unlawful assembly or other disturbance. It used to be that the prospect of violence alone would not be enough to be considered a â€Å"breach of the peace†, as in the comment of Farqhuarson LJ that â€Å"The act which puts someone in fear of violence taking place entitles a police officer†¦to detain the actor but it is not a breach of the peace, for the violence has not yet occurred.† There has been scant support for this view, such that in the present time, â€Å"breach of the peace† also embraces â€Å"behaviour likely to cause a violent reaction†, even if such behaviour is not of itself violent.

Marrimark case(FIFO_LIFO) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marrimark case(FIFO_LIFO) - Coursework Example The ever strengthening value of the Chinese currency which is denominated in Yuan or Renminbi against the US Dollar became another adverse factor for the company as this compounded and further elevated the increase in costs incurred by Merrimack. The flexibility in the exchange rate by Chinese authorities against US Dollar decreased from a CNY: USD ratio of 8.3:1 until mid-2005 to below 7.0:1 by early 2008. Oil prices increase further deteriorated the situation for Merrimack as this elevated shipping costs of transporting finished mowers to the United States by almost 200% with the cost of shipping a 40-foot container from Shanghai to US rising from $3,000 in 2000 to almost $9,000 by 2008. The above critical factors changed the advantage of outsourcing for Merrimack into a soul disadvantage as these cost increments did not affect Merrimack’s competitors such as The Toro Company who has its material manufacturing setup in the United States. This rival was comparatively less aff ected by the increase in manufacturing costs in Asia and indeed benefitted from the weakening dollar in export markets in which it played and competed. All these aspects shrank Merrimack’s sales margins for tractors and mowers and the projected bottom-line or net income of 2008 was lower than that of yielded in 2007 and earlier years. This was not acceptable to the stakeholders of the company and the outside directors pressurized the company’s CEO to keep growing earnings and profits otherwise which will lead to a professional manager to replace him who was not a family member of the Martinos. All these factors were taken into account but the idea of re-development and re-establishing of manufacturing operations in Nashua were dismissed by the company. Searching for another off-shore supplier was a possibility to carry out but that too not before 2009 to sustain the current trends of net income and growth of the company. These plans were not ought to be good and execut able plans until the company controller or the CFO, James Colburn, thought of varying the inventory valuation methods for tractors, mowers and parts, to boost up Merrimack’s bottom-line and satisfy its stakeholders. The CFO had an idea to change the company’s current inventory valuation method (LIFO) into FIFO which will ultimately elevate earnings but will come together with an increase in the tax payables. This was a plan which the CEO had to clearly conceive in order for it to be executed or rejected. The CEO’s concern is to enhance the earnings position of the company and satisfy its stakeholders. After hearing the CFO’s idea about changing inventory valuation method, the CEO ordered the CFO to prepare a memo and a pro-forma income statement for the year 2008 to depict the changes in the bottom-line. The CEO is studying on the drastic impact which a simple change in accounting methods can bring for a company. Effect of CFO’s suggestion on Merri mack’s financial statements The change of the inventory valuation method from LIFO to FIFO which the CFO is suggesting would have a number of effects on the company’

Advertising Shapes Social Trends Research Paper

Advertising Shapes Social Trends - Research Paper Example The trends and the case studies on advertising and promotion showed that if the advertisement of a product or service has big impact, it generates more sales. Advertising is basically a communication process, which influences a person or a group of people to take decision on purchasing a product or service. Media Awareness Network states that the typical US citizen on average will see 3000 ads per day (Media Awareness, 2010). With such a high level of advertising around consumers every day, is it most likely that advertising shapes society. Since the number is high in terms of viewing the advertisements, now the question arises whether the advertising industry shapes and creates social trends or it just mirrors the pre-existing social trends. When one delves deep into the topic, it is witnessed that majority of the advertisements – whether it is print or digital – modern day advertisement shapes and creates social trends and not just follows the pre-existing social tren ds. It is important for the advertisement industry to play a big role in the well-being of the society when one debates whether advertisements shape the social trends in modern days. The messages and behaviours that the advertisers are trying to achieve also should revolve around the ethical issues of the society. Advertising is the vehicle through which the brand, product or service reach the target audience or consumers, sometimes by creating the demand of the product in the society (Edwards, Li & Lee, 2002). Some of the advertisements have certain self-benefits as well. II. Role of Advertising in Shaping Trends in the US a) Print Advertising It is a well-known fact that with the process of advertising, the companies create equity of brands and also in turn generates sale (Butters, 1977). The ultimate result of this is generating wealth. According to the data from the Fortune magazine, as per the World Bank in the year 2005, out of 150 largest economic entities in the world, only 55 are countries and 95 are large corporations. It is seen from the trends that the big corporations are always ready to spend billions of dollars in print advertising in order to bring behavioural change in the society – and they are doing that as well (Ambrus & Resinger, 2006). The intention of creating this behavioural change in the society through advertisement is to increase the market share of the product in the society. In other words, it can be said that print advertising makes more and more people to use their product or service. These advertisements offer the organizations the potential to alter the market. In some aspects, the advertisements also have the potential to alter various social norms and perceptions (Anderson, 2006). Though most of the western countries have banned the advertisement of tobacco, it is not necessary that there is complete shutdown in advertising tobacco products. In the modern day advertising, most of the cigarette companies spend a big am ount of their budget in advertising, which focuses on the exposure of the brand unconsciously to the broader audience (Bhat, Bevans & Sengupta, 2002). The Marlboro Man campaign was conceived by Leo Burnett and was run from 1954 on print media and as hoardings. The use of rugged cowboys to promote filtered cigarettes and replace the earlier feminine tagline of ‘Mild as May’ was an instant hit in the US. The trend of smoking increased manifold and people started smoking at a younger age. The Marlboro Man advertisements were a true trendsetter, which catapulted cigarette sales in the US and made Marlboro the number one cigarette brand by 1972 (Moellinger & Craig, 2001). The impact the print ad

See attachment as well as attachment Coursework

See attachment as well as attachment - Coursework Example (Schaefer 2010) Mexican Americans have been living in American a since very long time and have adjusted and adapted themselves to the requirements of the culture and societal norms of the country. According to survey in 2006 it came into light that 14 percent of the registered immigrants in the United States belonged to Mexico. Mexican Americans are very diverse in their spoken language. Around 26 percent of Mexican Americans can converse in both English and Spanish. Due to the language differences with the mainstream, the Mexican Americans have been overlooked and disregarded in the political field similar to other Hispanic groups that have been ignored. However they have established voting rights and they can vote without any quandary. Moreover, as they form a large percentage of the population, their voting power is very essential for the leaders who approach them for their votes. As a result of their importance for forming an important voting force they have political strength. However, they st ill counter injustice and prejudices in terms of reforms for immigrants, education, etc. They practice Catholic religion. Their economic conditions however differ as compared to those of the born Americans. When compared to the Native Americans unemployment and poverty is higher among the immigrant population. (Schaefer 2010; Keedle 2010) Another prominent group of Hispanics in America are the Puerto Ricans. These Americans have been a vital part of American History and they have been more diverted towards English language. This group has still not been successful in accepting the American identity completely and is known to be undergoing the phenomenon of Neo Colonialism. Their economic status is not as healthy as the whites because they also fall victim to high unemployment rates. They do not have availability of stable jobs in

Quality of life and functioning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Quality of life and functioning - Essay Example A holistic nursing plan is vital when caring for patients as in the case of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. Among other things, the nurse as a care giver should work together with health facilities and community members in the promotion and maintenance of health, illness care and rehabilitation of patients. Quality of Life and Functioning Good health is desirable for all people whether they are reasonable or not. However, in some instances, human beings end up being affected by chronic diseases, such as cancer, that have grievous implications on the life of an individual. Chronic diseases like cancer can lead a person to experience grave depression as he/she tries to deal with the effects of the disease. Individuals with chronic diseases often experience challenges in their social life as they are not able to enjoy life as expected (Aldwin & Gilmer, 2004). It is important to note that persons with chronic diseases need to be given adequate care. They should be assisted to meet their personal ne eds, such as bathing, toileting and dressing. In addition, they should be given the necessary assistance in performing their daily tasks like shopping, paying bills, using telephone, as well as navigating physical and social environments. Health promotion services should be able to optimize health and healthy behavior of individuals suffering from chronic diseases. ... Dangerous diseases, such as breast cancer affecting Mrs. Thomas, have serious effects in life. They can interfere with quite a lot of everyday activities of an individual. The disease may affect the senses making it difficult for the patient to see or hear, thereby affecting personal mobility. The disease also has diverse effects on the social life of the individual. Such patients should be assisted to achieve their normal body functioning as suggested by Aldwin and Gilmer (2004). Health care is extremely necessary since it enables the improvement of patients’ lives. Caregivers should consider nutrition, dental care, exercise and physical activity when attending to patients. Care givers should also ensure that patients suffering from cancer stop smoking cigarette. The main aspects that must be addressed in the life of the patient that should be managed effectively include the physical, psychological, and social components. Health promotion and quality of life practices are ver y important in ensuring that patients suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer get necessary support from their care givers. Without health promotion tips, the patient risks suffering from depression; they may even succumb to the disease easily (Aldwin & Gilmer, 2004). Personal perceptions affect Mrs. and Mr. Thomas in several ways. The two see their heath status to bee too serious that they will eventually succumb. Patients who have personal perceptions that they can never get well are very difficult to treat. The nurse can provide the best possible care but without change in perception, there can never be change. Personal perceptions lead to more depression. Secondly, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas believe that friends have

Financial Management and Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Financial Management and Policy - Essay Example 6.0 Key Drivers of Change 13 7.0 Conclusion 13 Reference List 15 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: "Realistically, the contested takeover, the proxy contest and institutional shareholder activism may be the only means for forcing ineffective management out and getting better utilisation of corporate resources" - James C. Van Horne (2002). Moreover the ever-present threat of these things may stimulate the existing management to perform better. However no other dramatic or controversial activity can happen in the corporate history than the acquisition of one firm by another or the merger of two firms. There are different opinions and schools of thoughts concerning these important happening in the corporate world, with respect to the definitive advantages and disadvantages that may accrue both to the acquiring firm as well as the firm that is being acquired. This study paper envisages to bring out the details of one of such proposals for a well publicized acquisition deal among two corporate giants, NTL, an American based Telecom and cable services giant and ITV, one of the biggest B ritish television content producer, with specific reference to the strengths and weaknesses of both involved in the deal, the underlying reasons for NTL to take such a strategic move along with the various other factors affecting the proposed acquisition deal and the key factors responsible for such a move and of course a final...This study paper envisages to bring out the details of one of such proposals for a well publicized acquisition deal among two corporate giants, NTL, an American based Telecom and cable services giant and ITV, one of the biggest British television content producer, with specific reference to the strengths and weaknesses of both involved in the deal, the underlying reasons for NTL to take such a strategic move along with the various other factors affecting the proposed acquisition deal and the key factors responsible for such a move and of course a final dialogue on the expected reactions of the individual firms and the corporate world as such over the merger . The market for corporate control can alter dramatically the setting in which business firms compete. In an idealised world this market is a positive thing for the stockholders and the economy as a whole. Assets, people and products may be transferred to more productive uses. With rapid changing technology and product markets what was once a viable corporate strategy may no longer be so.

Individual Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Individual Report - Essay Example The article focuses on the importance of an organization’s workforce in marketing strategy. The author touches on general marketing concepts covered by great authors such as Kotler and Levitt and builds upon them with relation to the human resources of an organization. In the academic context, the article is a practical approach to internal marketing and covers the concept of including the 5th P in the marketing mix. From an industrial context, the theoretical concepts covered stress the implementation of these concepts in the industry. The author reiterates the importance of refraining from platitudes and instilling the value of employees with regards to customer service at all levels of the organization. From a scholarly point of view, the article builds on attempts to include people power by authors such as Parkinson (1988), Gross et al. (1993), Rafiq and Ahmed (2000) and Judd himself in 1987 and 2001. The difference between this article and others is that it focuses on peo ple power as an integral part of the marketing mix over all sectors in an economy whereas other articles focused on its role in specific industries or the importance of employees in internal marketing. An organization needs customers to survive and be profitable and customers are looking for value. Marketing persuades the customer that value is to be found in a specific organization’s product or service thus an organization has two main marketing objectives which are to satisfy customers and to provide customers with a differentiated product that holds value for them. An introduction of marketing mix in the article explains that it is the combination of price, promotion, placement and most importantly product that an organization develops to attract and satisfy customers. The marketing mix elements must provide an offering that holds value for customers and substantially differentiates the offering from competitors. According to Levitt (1986), marketing is basically