Power and Knowledge Essay Example for Free

Power and Knowledge Essay Poststructuralism as one of the contemporary political philosophy gain its popularity because of its radical assumptions that veered away from the traditional structuralist thinking. The project of the renaissance scholars to control everything including nature through the used of knowledge particularly scientific knowledge did not gain much fame in this late century. Structuralism although it offers much in looking how institutions served as parts of a social system tend to believe that society could control the individual with the aid of science. However, the ideas of Jean Lyotard, Michel Foucault and Jean-Luc Nancy proved otherwise. The dream of grand theorists to integrate knowledge and create a unified social system is the very idea that most contemporary theorists avoid. Prior to the development of poststructuralism, discussion on power and knowledge is always a feature seen within the structures and not something that emanates from the individual, this structure-agency pendulum continues to fascinate theorists. Structural functionalists believed that social structures such as religion, culture, and government have strong hold over the individual particularly in their socialization process. Talcott Parsons (1951) for instance, look society as the social system divided by subsystems that have specific functions. Each part of society functions and creates mutual interdependence thus maintaining the dynamism of whole social system(Parsons: 1951). The Contemporary political philosophy opens a lot of venues in analyzing society with proposing meta narratives. Much of the themes of contemporary thinkers would be on the consequences of modernity, globalization among others. Topics on power and knowledge are just two of the basic issues that philosophers continuously are gaining interest. It provides a picture on how the development of knowledge transformed power relations in contemporary society. Contemporary political philosophy as it is advanced by the writings of three philosophers mentioned in the previous paragraph, look at power and knowledge in a different light. Before, the scholars would think that the development of knowledge is in a continuum and that power is exerted by institutions to the individual as if power has a center or a fixed point. In Contemporary political philosophy one can view that the source of power comes from various agencies,and the struggling character of power is in every discourse. Power is not only evident on political apparatus, on the religious order or on the intellectual community but power is seen on all arrays of everyday existence. Our day to day social relations are power relations. One of the contemporary thinkers who would employ much time in discussing power is Foucault. Some thinkers considered him as a poststrcuturalist or a postmodern thinker, because of the fluidity of his ideas. Moreover, there are critics who accused him of relativism because of his theory favors, intersubjectivity, the discursive method, discourse among others. Foucault (2002) did not suggests a central power or a solid one that one can see for instance in an authoritarian society, rather in looking at society, one could see ‘pockets’ of power or a decentralized one coming from various discourses. On the other hand, in his theory of knowledge one can see its deviation from Descartes Cogito. Reason as the underlying principle of the enlightenment period, did not escaped the gaze of Foucault. In his Madness and Civilization (1965) he examined that through history, madness became an invention that would serve as the opposite of reason. With the definition on madness as â€Å"non-rational† or irrational, it justifies the power of reason during the enlightenment period. Only through its binary opposition which is madness can reason hold its power. The control of the patient with the development of psychiatry in Madness and Civilization (1965) also served as a critique that looks at how modern society manifests the same features as that one can find in the discipline of psychiatry. There are various means by which society controls the individual. Foucault discussed that in the modern era, exercising power need not necessarily be brute and obvious. One example is his idea of punishment as a result of deviating from the norm. Foucault in Discipline an Punish (1977), discussed in what way torture as a form of punishment in the 18th century was transformed by discipline. With the birth of the prison, instead of attacking the physical body the institution inculcate discipline as a form of punishment. This feature of the prison, and even the birth of the clinic shows how slowly modern society is becoming more authoritarian and all of these are possible because of the different knowledge that people believe as true and moral during their times. Foucault in his Archeology of Knowledge (2002) look at historical development not in a continuum because he did not believed in a unified discourse as proposed by grand narratives such as that of the Parsonian theory. What one can see through history are various realities, are what he called discontinuities. Much of his theory of power and knowledge could also be seen in the History of Sexuality (1990) wherein he is not interested in sexuality per se, but in looking at the underlying struggle within the discourse of sexuality. While in the earlier periods, society repress one’s sexuality, this kind of discourse even propagates it. The more that society for instance repressed homosexuality, the more that people become interested in exploring the topic. In the History of Sexuality (1990)), he sees the reciprocal relation of power and knowledge. One example is the different meanings that society give on sexual relations such as relations out of marriage and the one allowed by the community. These definitions creates divisions in society, thus exercising power over the individual through social norms. By propagating a certain kind of knowledge, this could lead to a power relation between groups. The one who is in control of knowledge will therefore exercise power to the other group. However, it must be clear that the reciprocal relation of power and knowledge is not fixed rather it transform through every discourse. Apart from Foucault, Jean Lyotard also contributes to the debate on the relationship of power and knowledge. In his book, the Postmodern Condition (1979) Lyotard mentioned that the transformation of society into industrialized and complex system leads into the redefinition of the nature of knowledge. In Modern societies, the power of the capitalists to open the market leads to the question that, what kind of knowledge is acceptable or is legitimate provided that there are a lot of choices. Lyotard(1979) sees the complexities in modern times because when one looks at it, it is in no longer a question of simple legitimacy of knowledge but a question of who has the power to decide what is acceptable or legitimate. In addressing the uncertainties of knowledge, Lyotard suggests that one should employ the value of speaking the same language game. How can people speak the same language provided that there are various ways of learning things? Lyotard believes that one must contextualize, and in this part he adopts Wittgensteins’ language game. ’ By contextualizing, the person should be aware of the rules before making considerable actions. Lyotard believes that to be able to analyze knowledge in contemporary society, one must consider what kind of society it is situated. The split between Parsonian theory and that of Marxism will definitely help in looking at the problem of knowledge. Initially one will decide whether to maintain the status quo or radically change it. Because of the ability of language to bind society through communication, Lyotard favors this framework in addressing the issue of knowledge in the postmodern era. Greatly influenced by Heidegger on the other hand, Jean -Luc Nancy (1991) believed that we are thrown into the world therefore we should not rely on God for our existence. Contemporary society according to him is becoming more chaotic in the sense that the harmonious relation in traditional society is transformed into a complex society where there are a lot of uncertainties. Uncertainties are brought by the unintended consequences of modernity. With the advent of globalization, the closed and neatly tied community is transformed into a complex one. While some thinkers consider the development of society into industrialized one as beneficial, still there are paradoxes to this rationality. Nancy in his concept of community critique the grand project of some societies to create a well-planned system such in the case of the socialist state where it only leads to violence. Much of the discussions of contemporary political philosophy dwells on how you can locate the discourse on power as a consequence of the accumulation of knowledge. The Unintended consequences of man’s search for knowledge and the transformation of knowledge into its many forms leads to different power relations. These power relations are seen on every realm of life, on every discourse in society. It is crucial to note that in the analysis of power, power lies to those who have control over knowledge, and in this age of information technology where there is an easy access to all forms of knowledge, it is only logical to think that power is distributed therefore decentralized. While the contemporary era provide a lot of alternatives,undeniably there are consequences that not even scientific knowledge can calculate. Yet the quest for further knowledge continues because beneath those ideas there you can always find power. Various forms of power operates on every realm of life. These are the fascinations of philosophers of the twentieth century.

Overview of Strawman Theory

Overview of Strawman Theory Strawman theory traces its origins to the ancient Roman legal practice of capitis deminutio (decrease of head), a term used in Roman trials for the extinguishment of a persons former legal capacity. Capitis deminutio minima meant a person ceased to belong to a particular family, without loss of liberty or citizenship. Capitis deminutio media involved loss of citizenship and family, but not liberty. Capitis deminutio maxima involved loss of family, citizenship and liberty (e.g. being made a slave or a prisoner of war).[4] The term was later revived in the US by the tax protestor and sovereign citizen movements and combined with a misreading of the definition of person from Blacks law dictionary (an American law dictionary). Strawman theory takes the term capitis deminutio, misspells it (commonly as Capitis Diminutio) and claims that capitis diminutio maxima was represented by an individuals name being written entirely in capital letters (even though Latin only had capitals back then). This led to the idea that individuals had a separate legal personality now called a strawman, represented in capitals. (rationalwiki, 2015) Strawman theory holds that an individual has two personas. One of them is a physical, tangible human being, and the other as their legal person, personality or strawman, often referred to as a legal fiction. (The term legal fiction is used by woos as if it were synonymous with intangible, rather than using its correct meaning.) The main use of strawman theory is in escaping and denying debts, liabilities and legal responsibility. Tax protestors, commercial redemption and get out of debt free scams claim that ones debts and taxes are the responsibility of the strawman and not of the real person, freeing the real person from the need to pay them. Sovereign citizens movements and freemen on the land also extend this concept to law and legal responsibilities by claiming that it is only their strawman that is required to adhere to statutory laws such as paying taxes, having licences and obeying traffic laws. They also claim that all legal proceedings in courts are taken against your strawman rather than you as a person and that when one appears in court they appear not as themselves but as representing their strawman. The justification for this is their false notion that governments cannot force anybody to do anything against their will. They therefore create a strawman which being their own creation they are free to boss about at will. Woos believe that by separating oneself from their strawman or refusing to be identified as their strawman they can escape their various liabilities and responsibilities such as paying their debts or obeying laws they dont like. This is typically done by denying they are a person and the same thing as their strawman or by writing their name in various bizarre ways such as the following: John of the family Smith John of Smith John:Smith John (commonly known as) By doing this they are refusing to represent the strawman. In addition to capitals, the use of titles such as Mr and Mrs are claimed to indicate a reference to a persons strawman. Surnames are also typically referred to as part of the legal fiction and advocates will often insist that they dont have a surname but rather a family name. Some woos believe that the strawman is created by the government when a birth certificate is filed. Woos sometimes then try and present their birth certificate when their strawmans name is called for, such as in court. [edit] Debunking It should be noted that there is a legal principle known as Idem sonans (Latin for sounding the same) which states that similar sounding names are just as valid in referring to a person. The relevant UK precedent is R v Davis 1851. If two names spelt differently necessarily sound alike, the court may, as matter of law, pronounce them to be idem sonantia; but if they do not necessarily sound alike, the question whether they are idem sonantia is a question of fact for the jury. The strawman belief seems to stem from a misunderstanding of the concept of legal person-hood. In actual legal theory there is a difference between what is known as a natural person (which is a human being, i.e., not a legal fiction) and that of a corporate person (a legal fiction known as corporate personhood, which applies to business, charities, governments and any recognised organisation). Courts recognise human beings as persons, not as a legal fiction joined to a flesh and blood human being but as one and the same (though in the past not everyone was recognised as a person before the law). They have never recognised a right to distance oneself from ones person, or the ability to opt out of personhood. Where this defence has been tried in court, judges have rejected it. It is impossible to dodge the law by insisting that you are different from your person. If a court can establish your identity, regardless of your consent or cooperation, then it is free to engage in proceedings and sanctions against you. The use of block capitals to fill in forms is often used as evidence for the existence of strawmen. The idea is that the form is asking for your strawmans identity. In reality this is done for ease of reading by humans and computers alike; it is not evidence of some legal conspiracy. (rationalwiki, 2015) rationalwiki. (2015). Retrieved from rationalwiki.org: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Strawman_theory

How Life Has Changed For African Americans History Essay

How Life Has Changed For African Americans History Essay Life has changed dramatically for African Americans in the last 145 years. African Americans have seen changes to their culture, role in politics, and the economy. African Americans have chosen to progress and change their fate in the past 145 years rather than sit back and simply accept the way that they are treated by others. They prove that a lot can change in a matter of just a few years. President Lincoln ended slavery during the Civil War in 1862. This was called the Emancipation Proclamation. Even though it freed the slaves, some of the slaves stayed with their Masters. They had a comfort level with them and really had no where else to go. Most others were happy to be free and go make a life for themselves elsewhere. Charleston, South Carolina acted as a magnet for many thousands of freed slaves who migrated to the city seeking work after the end of the war, reversing a short-term decline in the citys black population evident in the 1850s (Lockley). African Americans felt that the best way for them to take care of themselves is to own land and till it by their own labor (McGraw-Hill pg478). However, not many owned land after the war as it was hard to come by if you were of color. Just because the laws changed, doesnt mean that opinions changed. White Americans still wanted to control the land and did not want African Americans to have it because that gave more control. Since they were not able to own much of the land, they had to work for the white land owner a lot of the time. Sharecropping became popular during this time. African Americans would live in cabins in distant parts of the white owners land and would farm separate plots of a white owners land. At the end of the year, they split the profit of the crops (McGraw-Hill pg483). African Americans did not have many in political office during this time. Only those in top levels of their own society held any type of office. Most of them were free before the war. The very few that were in office were more conservative than the majority of African Americans and they did not show any interest in the issue of Blacks owning land (McGraw-Hill pg 479). It was important that African Americans had the right to vote. In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment gave African American males the right to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment does not allow the denial of the right to vote based on race, color or previous conditions of servitude. Blacks were more apt to vote Republican due to the Democratic party being more for the whites (McGraw-Hill pg 481 and 487). While trying to keep the family together was difficult during slavery, it definitely got better after slavery. African American males were proud people and they were the head of the house. They would not allow their wives to work in fields as they did during slavery, but they were sure to have their children in the fields. Next to owning land, education was an important aspect of their lives. It was their hope for bettering themselves. African Americans were able to attend school, worship in churches and own land by the end of 1876. In 1900, Black Americans as a whole increased their wealth holdings from $230,000,000 in 1900 to $500,000,000 in 1910 (Parker). If African Americans were not tilling the land, they had to find work somewhere. They were discriminated against just as women were during this time. Either they were not given the job or they were paid less wages than the white American male (McGraw-Hill pg559). They had a long way to go in the rode to equal rights. After the turn of the century though, black owned businesses started to thrive. Segregation was big during this time. While blacks were able to own businesses, they owned their own business and only blacks shopped there. They worshipped in churches with only their own color and the same with schools. Whites and blacks did not do anything social together. During the 1880s, Redeemers wanted to formalize segregation. Redeemers were Democratic politicians that wanted to overrule any power that the Republicans had with regard to black Americans. The fourteenth amendment gave equal rights to all and the Redeemers were not successful. However, with segregation being an actual law, this allowed for blacks and whites to be totally separate, making blacks second class citizens. Blacks did not dare cross the line of segregation or they were sure to be lynched or whipped (McGraw-Hill pg 505 and 506). In 1905, W.E.B. DuBois, founded the Niagara Movement and by 1909, it was renamed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (McGraw-Hill pg 644 and 645). This organization fights for equal rights for everyone. This was a milestone in the progression for blacks in this country. This organization leads the way to help assist those fighting for their rights even today. W. E. B. Du Bois concept of upbuilding, defined as the social and economic development of black communities after slavery, . . . the literal and figurative construction of the structures African Americans used to climb out of slavery African Americans upbuilt their families, political and social institutions, and businesses in the face of homegrown oppression and terrorism. Within decades, African Americans transformed Durham into the capital of the black middle class.(Adams) In the 1920s, most white Americans understood race as biology: blacks were genetically, irreversibly, inferior in intelligence, emotional maturity, governing capacity, and depth of finer feelings (Hochschild). During the timeframe of 1921-1945, African Americans continued to face prejudice. The Ku Klux Klan was an organization that was violent towards any black person. They would burn crosses on front lawns, rape black women, whip and lynch any black person. This came from such hatred, but they say they are God-fearing. If they are so proud of what they do, why do they wear white hoods hiding their faces? Since segregation was still in place, blacks and whites were not able to be on the same sports teams. In 1920, they formed their own Baseball League called the The National Negro Baseball League. By the end of 1920 and on to the end of 1929, something special came out of Harlem, New York. The music, art, theater, and literature of African-Americans came alive. 1921 saw the renewal of interest in the productive, creative talents of African-Americans. This historical stage was called the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Globetrotters were created in 1927. A lot of entertaining and fun came out of this era. African Americans were finding their way in society, but still separated by the hatred and thought that they were second class citizens. During the Battle of the Bulge, blacks fought side by side for the first time with white soldiers. This may have been the start of some very valuable friendships that started to teach whites that blacks really werent second class citizens. Money was scarce because of the Depression for everyone especially black Americans. By 1932, unemployment hit 50% for African Americans. In 1931, Elijah Muhammad established the Black Muslims. They blended faith and Black Nationalism. He wanted African Americans to celebrate their heritage and have self-discipline. He wanted to strive for a separate black nation. During the timeframe of 1946-1976 a lot of changes took place for African Americans. The NAACP started a more accelerated fight against segregation and discrimination in America. 1953 marked the start of a campaign called the Fight for Freedom. On December 1, 1955, Mrs. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated Montgomery, Alabama bus and was arrested. The NAACP wanted to end the unfair treatment of African-Americans as American citizens by the year of 1963 The 100th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. I remember my dad telling me about the time that he lived in Jacksonville, FL in the 1950s and blacks were not allowed to walk on the same side of the sidewalk as whites did. He was surprised by this because he lived in Richmond, IN before moving there and this was a different way of living for him. But, this is how it was in the south. He even befriended a black person and his parents frowned on it. I can remember my mother frowning on me having black friends even in the early 1980s. The 60s brought about the high hope of change for African Americans. Martin Luther King gave everyone hope for peace and equal rights for all. He was able to assist in the Civil Rights act in 1964 and the Voting Rights act in 1965. King spread his message with non-violence. He saw many African Americans fighting for justice through violence and he still tried to get his message across with non-violence. He would let young African Americans know that they did not win anything if people were dying. King was assassinated by James Earl Ray in 1968 (McGraw-Hill). Riots broke out among many. People seemed to forget what Kings message was really about. King wanted change without violence. He wanted change for all poor races, not just African Americans. Many Americans today remember King not as a firebrand radical but as a godly preacher who sought brotherhood and sisterhood among all (Simpson). African Americans have faced many challenges in life. One of the most frustrating would be housing. Over the past 100 years, city planners have used neighborhood planning to address a variety of issues. The formula used has discriminated against blacks and poor families. The thought being that they did not belong in all white middle class neighborhoods. Over a 25-year life of a program designed to renew urban neighborhoods, Congress made various alterations in response to criticisms and concerns, so that the urban renewal program of 1973 was very different than the one originally passed in 1949. Its transformation began with the Housing Act of 1954, in which Congress responded to early criticism of the program by authorizing the use of federal funds for the rehabilitation of housing and neighborhoods rather than just their clearance, and providing a special allocation of public housing units for families displaced by urban renewal projects. The same law was also the first to allow pr ojects that involved commercial development and redevelopment (Rohe). Neighbors, realtors, banks, and mortgage companies play a role in the qualitative immersion into case materials offering important insight on relevant processes pertaining to victimization and status, and how discriminatory actions themselves occur (Roscigno). By the time 1990 came, things were well on their way to improving for African Americans. Oprah Winfrey was the highest paid woman in America and she is also African American. Colin Powell was looked at to possibly be the next president. But, when Rodney King was beaten by Los Angeles police and the police were not found at fault, there was a major set back. Riots filled the streets, people were angry (McGraw-Hill pgs973 and 974). It was like the riots from before. In 1991, economic success ensued. Once declared a slum, people rebuilt old neighborhoods and made them worth several hundred more dollars than before. This was a step forward for African Americans. But, they were leary of the statistics. After going through so much, could it be true? Could things be getting better? The twenty-first century showed the final success for African Americans. It finally happened, a black president. Barack Obama was voted the 44th President of the United States. He was the first African American President. How joyous this occasion was for many. I remember going to McDonalds that day and the air was different in there. Everyone was talking to everyone, white, black, it didnt matter. They just wanted to soak in the moment. It gave us all hope that finally, people would be judged on their actions rather than the color of their skin. The economy in the twenty-first century is horrible for all. The difference between now and 100 years ago is that it doesnt matter if someone is black or white. Black people make the same wages as whites do, black people live in the same neighborhood as white people do. They go to the same schools, worship at the same churches and eat at the same restaurants. Freedom is a beautiful thing for us all. Acceptance is even better. Of course, things are not perfect, I dont know if they ever will be. I see so many homicides on the news. It seems that is mostly African Americans shooting each other for one reason or another. I would say this is our biggest challenge today with regard to the culture of African Americans. How horrifying for families to face this no matter what color or race they are. It would seem that they are still angry about something. Why else would they feel that violence is the answer? There is much success that can show young African Americans that they can succeed. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Colin Powell, Oprah Winfrey, Whoopee Goldberg, Barack Obama, Sean Combs, just to name ones that come to my mind. They can be doctors, lawyers, basketball players, singers, etc. Never has it been easier to accomplish any goal that they set out to do. But, they still fight each other? I dont understand it and wish I did. Life has changed dramatically for African Americans in the last 145 years. African Americans have seen changes to their culture, role in politics, and the economy. African Americans have chosen to progress and change their fate in the past 145 years rather than sit back and simply accept the way that they are treated by others. They prove that a lot can change in a matter of just a few years.

The Piano :: essays research papers fc

A Mail Order Bride â€Å"The strange thing is I don’t think myself silent, that is, because of my piano† (Campion 9). This beloved instrument is central to the plot and plays a major role in the movie The Piano. It is a symbolic instrument that Campion uses to tell a complex tale.. The film is a story of shyness, repression, and loneliness, of a woman who will not speak and a man who cannot listen, and of a willful little girl who causes mischief. Ada’s verbal silence is a complicated issue in the film and contributes to the overall confusion surrounding her gender identity. Since the age of six, Ada voluntarily chose to be mute and expresses herself through her play of her piano. Her piano symbolized not only her body but also more importantly her soul. In the mid-1800’s, Ada arrives on the stormy shores of New Zealand to meet her prearranged husband, Stewart. Ada was referred to as the mail-order bride on the summation of the Blockbuster videocassette. In addition to her luggage filled with dishes and clothes, she brings her eight-year old daughter, and her piano. Despite Ada’s wordless pleadings, Stewart refuses to bring her piano home and it is left on the beach. As Ada, Stewart, and the rest of the crew leave the beach, Ada contemplates the piano sitting on the sand near the water. This scene shows the underlying feelings of Ada; she is unhappy that her prize possession is being left behind. Stewart believes in his ownership of Ada and he demonstrates this by negating her own claim to property. Baines, a local man with Maori ways, makes a deal with Stewart in which he will trade land for music lessons from Ada. Baines offers Ada a deal to get the instrument back, and she is unprepared for the price she must ultimately pay. He recognizes the value that the piano has with Ada, which Stewart fails to do. The first act of compassion from Baines towards Ada is when he has the piano tuned. This event symbolizes that he truly cares what Ada feels and respects her as a women and person. Stewart does not comprehend that affection must be earned through trust, respect, and love. Baines realizes this and he gives the piano back to her saying, â€Å"I want you to care for me† (The Piano). One can feel the sense of frustration with Baines during the play scene.

Proposal for a Fitness Center in TI Essay -- Texas Instruments Health

Proposal for a Fitness Center in TI An on-site fitness center for Texas Instruments will prove to be advantageous to the company as well as its employees. Studies show that employees who exercise regularly are more productive, efficient, and pleasant to work with. Texas Instruments has the capability to increase employee retention, recruitment, and revenues by investing in a fitness center through Health Fitness Corporation. Health Fitness Corporation provides on-site fitness centers for numerous prestigious companies such as Best Buy and Federal Express. The positive relationships and results have more than qualified Health Fitness Corporation to provide Texas Instruments with a unique facility, designed to meet all of their personal needs. Among Health Fitness Corporation’s services are state-of-the-art equipment, the latest healthcare products, a knowledgeable staff, specialty classes, and employee incentive programs. The project will be divided into four phases, each with a certain purpose and timeline to achieve a specific goal. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phase I (Research and Development) - This four month phase will involve evaluating the needs and desires of Texas Instruments’ employees. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phase II (Bidding and Structural Construction) - This five month phase involves choosing the right contractor and building the facility. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phase III (Interior Development) - This two month phase will involve renovating the interior of the facility to meet Texas Instruments’ custom desires. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phase IV (Trial Period) - This one month process involves staffing the facility and providing training on the exercise equipment. Health Fitness Corporation offers two standard packages. Package A is less expensive to implement, but Package B offers greater revenues. After analyzing Texas Instruments, we believe that Package B will be the most beneficial to the company. Not only will this investment improve the financial status of Texas Instruments, but it will also develop stronger employee relationships. For each dollar Texas Instruments invests in this project, they will realize a greater increase in employee productivity. Many forward-thinking corporations are offering on-site fitness centers to their employees. Texas Instruments must join this trend or their company will be left behind in employee recruitment and retention. Health Fitness Corporation can h... ...ly expanded and is becoming much more than mere fitness centers, but major sources of revenue for companies as well. Health Fitness Corporation has assisted many companies in increasing both recruitment and employee retention. In today’s fast-paced, competitive business world, companies who do not innovate are left behind. Texas Instruments cannot allow these other corporations to gain a competitive advantage. Health Fitness Corporation can provide Texas Instruments with a facility that will not only compete with other companies, but will also offer special programs, products, and training that will separate Texas Instruments from the competition. Health Fitness Corporation looks forward to the commencement of this project and a long and rewarding relationship with Texas Instruments. Works Cited British United Providence Association [online]. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/exercise.html [2004, April 22] Georgia State University Exercise and Physical Fitness Page [online]. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.gsu.edu/~wwwfit/benefits.html [2004 April, 24] Hoover’s The Business Information Authority [online]. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.hoovers.com [2004 April, 18]

Book Review Wild Swans Essay

1. Main Thesis In Wild Swans, Jung Chang describes the life of three generations of woman in her family. Beginning in the year 1909 and ending in present time, it gives an insight into almost eighty years of the cultural history of China. Jung Chang has said in a interview that her intention in writing Wild Swans was to show how the Chinese people, and in particular the women in her family, â€Å"fought tenaciously and courageously against impossible odds.† The book is a testimony to the strength and determination of her grandmother, her mother, and herself and their resourcefulness in recreating themselves during suffering, humiliation and disillusionment. She interweaves personal and historical stories fluently and the stories of these women and their families act as a lens through which you gain insight into the turbulent history of twentieth century China. The most important themes in this book are: love of family, loyalty and self-sacrifice 2. Chapter Summaries The book starts by relating the biography of Chang’s grandmother, Yu-fang. After the birth of Chang’s mother, De-hong, the book moves to her story. After the birth of the Jung Chang, the focus of the book now shifts again to cover Jung’s own autobiography. Chapter 1: The father of Yu-fang, was Yang Ru-shan, born in 1894 as the only son. It was his duty to produce heirs to continue the family name. One a year after he married he got a daughter, Yu-fang. Political unrest caused problems for many in China over the next years. He arranges that a powerful warlord general, Xue Zhi-heng takes Yu-Fang as his concubine at age fifteen. The general stays only a few days after the traditional marriage and then leaves, not returning for six years. During his next brief visit, Yu-Fang becomes pregnant. The general’s household is run by his legal wife and the head concubines. The wife immediately lays claim to Yu-Fang’s daughter, who the general named Bao Qin. Yu-Fang kidnaps her daughter and escapes from the household. She lies, saying that the child died during their trip. When the general dies, Yu-Fang discovers that one of his final actions was to release her from her duties as his concubine. Chapter 2: Soon after, Dr. Xia, a matured doctor of Manchurian ancestry, falls in love with Jung’s grandmother and the feelings could be felt the same from Jung Chang’s grandmother as well. The doctor proposes and grandmother says yes. Although not thrilled with the marriage, Jung Chang’s grandmother’s father agrees to the marriage and sends her daughter off with a traditional wedding. When Dr. Xia’s three sons, their wives, and grandchildren hear about the marriage, they’re extremely angry. The grandmother receives quite a bit of harassment from the family and the eldest son even commits suicide, nevertheless the wedding still continues. He accepts Yu-Fang’s daughter, who he renames â€Å"De-hong†, meaning â€Å"virtue† and â€Å"wild swan†. Chapter 3: China is living under Japanese rule. After moving to a new province of Manchuria, Jung Chang’s grandmother, now living with Dr. Xia, begins to realize how terrible life is under the Japanese. The Japanese rulers are very cruel. The people are only allowed to eat acorn meal and sorghum, as the Second World War drags on, fewer rations and supplies are given to the people in Manchuria as Japan is losing the war. Finally, an American B-52 bomber flies overhead and she realizes that Japan had indeed lost the war. As Japan’s last officers commit suicide or run away, the town is in chaos just like the rest of Manchuria. Chapter 4: The Japanese are replaced by Soviets who were almost as bad. They pillaged and raped, taking what they wanted and dismantling entire factories. However, they soon leave and the Kuomintang arrives in shining uniforms and rifles. The Kuomintang turns out to be oppressive and ineffective at keeping justice and peace. The remaining Japanese are systematically murdered by the Russians and the Kuomintang. After a while the country is in a civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communists. De-hong sees communism becoming increasingly important to many people but has yet to make up her own mind about the situation. She continues to watch those in power, including those over the teaching school where she now resides. When she learns that a favorite teacher and then her best friend, Cousin Hu, had been Communists and had been either chased from the city or executed for their political beliefs, she makes up her mind that she, too, will become a Communist. Chapter 5: De-hong asks to be a part of the communist movement but she’s found too young. A short time later, she begins distributing Communist literature. The economic situation is so bad that the family has no savings and Dr. Xia, now nearly eighty, is worried about what will happen when he dies. Extortion is rampant, food is scarce, and the money that does exist has almost no value. De-hong becomes friendly with a Kuomintang general. Using his military freedom, they travel outside the walled city occasionally and De-hong leaves messages for her Communist counterparts.. The Communists then start regular bombardment of the city, including one dud shell that crashes into the home of De-hong’s family. Chapter 6: De-Hong helps clean up the carnage cause by all the civil war. When the communists take over the town, they do not pillage, rape, or extort as all the other groups of people had done before them. Many are courteous and kind and seem to be the fit kind of soldiers who destroyed the Kuomintang. When De-Hong reports to receive her first assignment for the communists, she instantly falls in love with a dreamy man, named Wang Yu, who was a high ranking communist official. He had been on many dangerous missions with the communists and rose through the ranks by being extremely loyal to the party and its ideals of sever equality. The two and several other teachers and students travel by train to another communist held town for fear that the town may be retaken by the Kuomintang and there, the two fall in love. Wang Yu eventually submits a request to â€Å"talk about marriage† to the party leaders and the two are engaged and finally married. Chapter 7: Chang’s parents join a group of people traveling south. The trip is dangerous as civil war is still raging. The walk is long and hard, walking forty days to reach their destination, Nanjing. Her mother is forced to walk but her father is allowed to ride in a jeep, a privilege he accepts. De-hong is soon pregnant though she doesn’t realize it until she’s in the process of miscarrying because of the ordeal. She’s very heartbroken and angry at her husband. After the miscarriage, her parents are separated because of his transfer to Yibin. It takes her four months to recover and then make the trip to him. During that time, her anger has cooled and they are happy to see each other. Chapter 8: When Chang’s parents arrive in Yibin, her father is appointed leader and returns to a form of his former name, Chang Shou-yu. He and her mother live together in a mansion confiscated by the Communists. Chang’s grandmother, Fang-Yu, despite her bound feet and difficulty walking, makes the long trek from Jinzhou to Yibin to see De-hong. De-hong gives birth to her first daughter, Xiao-hong. Chapter 9: This chapter tells of her mom’s life as being in the Public Affairs Department in Yibin. She tells of living with a denouncing of her grandmother, the birth of herself and the strictness of her father. Being part of the Communist was hard and had many of its hardships. Having a husband was harder for her mother than anything else. Chapter 10: Chang’s mother goes under suspicion during the course of this chapter. Being that she had some relations with Kuomintang participants she went under suspicion. But, after all that she had to go through, she was able to be free of any charges. Chapter 11: During this chapter, Mao decides to purge the Communist party again. This time devises that most people are â€Å"rightists† and need to leave the party, which ruin their lives forever. However, he got help this time and made all of his officials get rid of 5 % of their total participants. In the end, Chang’s mother was able to get to this quota after many different approaches of convicting people of being a â€Å"rightist.† Chapter 12: A famine strikes the land of China during this chapter. Many people die and starve from this famine all because Mao decides to make this situation look like their wasn’t a famine at all. Mao wanted to produce steel which led to a drop in production of food which leads to the famine. But, the famine gets cleared after Mao lets others to take charge of the situation. Chapter 13: Chang describes life in a compound during this chapter. Moving into a compound was for Chang and her siblings to go to a very nice and prestigious school. Living in a compound was very contained with its many entertainment locations. There was no need to go outside the compound for any reason. She also tells of how nice her life was as a child, living in a home where she was a good kid and her family noticed that. Chapter 14: This chapter describes the event that occurred with the cult of Mao. Many youths were forced into living like Lei Fang, a man who had a huge fondness for â€Å"Chairman Mao† and living his entire life revolving around him. Education included studying the words of Lei Fang and viewing the beatings of â€Å"class-enemies.† Chapter 15: After hearing about the collapse of Stalin’s Russia, Mao realized that he represented a Stalin figure waiting to be overthrown by his own people. In order to stop this from happening, Mao endorse’s books called â€Å"The Quotations of Chairman Mao†. This book contained his quotes and would be used to strengthen his popularity with the Chinese. In short, Mao’s control over China tightened throughout this chapter. Chapter 16: Not until, chapter 16 did Mao’s rule become apparent. Mao issued the use of Red Guard’s who he said protected and fought for Mao (in other words his own police force). Most of these Red Guards came from the families of high officials and came as teenagers. These Red Guards reinforced Mao’s word and rule and when someone was â€Å"betraying† Mao, he or she would be beaten, raided, tortured, or executed. Chapter 17: Jung Chang’s father starts to question Mao’s actions and asks whether if the actions of the Chinese are justified. Eventually Jung Chang’s father writes a letter to Mao explaining the wrongs of Mao’s actions (which in the words of Mao, was considered â€Å"against Mao† and could face charges such as death). He soon serves time in detention. Also he starts to oppose Mao’s thoughts and expresses them out loud which can lead to very harsh outcomes. Chapter 18: To summarize this chapter, Jung Chang and her friends make a pilgrimage to Peking. The goal of this pilgrimage: to see the Great Chairman Mao. Chapter 19: The control of Mao switches into high gear. Because her parent’s become branded as â€Å"capitalist-roaders† they suffer from many brutal denunciation meetings, beatings, harassment, and embarrassment. They are hurt for their crime of being â€Å"capitalist roaders† and bitterness starts to arise because they were only ever loyal to Mao. Chapter 20: Jung Chang’s father soon serves time in detention (due to sending another letter to Mao) and his wife makes a trip to Peking in order to speak to Premier Zhou Enlai, who she believes could help in their situation. On her way to Peking she meets two lovers Yan and Yong who join her. Finally with the help of Premier Zhou Enlai, Jung Chang’s father no longer served in detention. However, this does not end well. While in detention the guard watching over Jung Chan’s father plays mind games with him and convinces him that his wife created a conspiracy against him. Things got out of hand causing them to sleep in seperate areas and forces Jung Chang’s father’s mental and physical health to deteriorate (which later, his health imporved). Next more denunciation meetings hold misery for the parents. Chapter 21: Chapter 21 discusses some of the events that occured within her family. (her siblings) For example, Xiao-hei’s becomes a member of a gang and Jin-ming’s â€Å"black market† book experience. Along with these events being told, she tells of people drawing lines between their enemies and friends, sometimes causing friends to betray each other. Luckily her friends did not tell on Jung Chang which relates back to the title of the chapter, â€Å"Giving Charcoal in the Snow†, that refers to helping out others when needed. Also in this chapter, Jung Chang experiences her first time in a university. Chapter 22: Within this chapter, Mao institutes the idea of â€Å"thought reform through labor†. The intentions of this quote made Communists all around China to go to the countryside and work alongside the peasants (Jung Chang was sent to Ningnan). Mao said that it would make the Communists closer to China. Sadly, at the end of the chapter, the friend’s of Jung Chang pronounced her grandmother dead. Chapter 23: To summarize this chapter, Jung Chang pursues her career as a â€Å"barefoot doctor†. Mao defined barefoot doctor’s as doctors that could be turned out en masse. However, before she became a barefoot doctor she was relocated to another peasant village, Deyang, where she learns of what happened to China before the Cultural Revolution. Chapter 24: With her entire family on the mission of completing â€Å"thought reform through labor†, Jung Chang decides to visit her parents who can be found in separate locations. Her mother in Buffalo Boy Flatland and her father in a labor camp. While visiting her father, she tries to cheer him up by keeping him company. Eventually other family members come visit which allowed her father to not suffer from suicidal thoughts and whatnot. In the end, Jung Chang’s father apologizes to Jin-ming, her brother, about their current situation and past events. Chapter 25: In this chapter, Jung Chang takes her career in being an electrician. In her factory, she meets Day and eventually they both fall in love. However, it becomes shortlived because of their different social status’. In the end, Jung Chang’s father dies and she enrolls into an english university. Chapter 26: Education in China becomes less stressed, however those who had connections with officials became legible to enter universities, through the process which later became known as using the †back door†. Teachings elements became based on Mao as well as military tactics and defending the country. Chapter 27: This chapter gives rise to the death of Jung Chang’s father. Her father died due to a heart attack which a doctor refused to see immediately. In his honor, an elaborate funeral was held for Jung Chang’s father. After the funeral, Jung Chang’s school decides to go on a field trip to the Chinese port, Zhanjiang, where the students could practice their English with the incoming and outgoing sailors. At the end of the chapter, Jung Chang’s Party secretary announces the death of Chairman Mao. Chapter 28: After the death of Mao, the Chinese become a bit confused on what they should do. The idea of studying in the West became very prominent, as the government handed out scholarships for those wanting to go to the West. The story ends as Jung Chang traveled to the West in search of broadening her horizons and experiencing more freedom.

Kent V. United States

Regarded as the first major juvenile rights case to preface further juvenile court reforms, Kent v. United States established the universal precedents of requiring waiver hearings before juveniles could be transferred to the jurisdiction of a criminal court and juveniles being entitled to consult with counsel prior to and during such hearings. Morris A. Kent, Jr. , first came under the authority of the Juvenile Court of the District of Columbia in 1959. He was then aged 14.He was apprehended as a result of several housebreakings and an attempted purse snatching. He was placed on probation, in the custody of his mother, who had been separated from her husband since Kent was two years old. Juvenile Court officials interviewed Kent from time to time during the probation period, and accumulated a â€Å"Social Service† file. On September 2, 1961, an intruder entered the apartment of a woman in the District of Columbia. He took her wallet. He raped her. The police found in the apart ment latent fingerprints. They were developed and processed.They matched the fingerprints of Morris Kent, taken when he was 14 years old and under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court. At about 3 p. m. on September 5, 1961, Kent was taken into custody by the police. Kent was then 16, and therefore subject to the â€Å"exclusive jurisdiction† of the Juvenile Court. He was still on probation to that court as a result of the 1959 proceedings. Kent was detained on a Receiving Home for one week. During that period, there was no arraignment and no determination by a judicial officer of the probable cause for Kent’s arrest.His attorney filed a motion with the juvenile court opposing the waiver as well as a request to inspect records relating to Kent’s previous offenses. A psychiatric examination of Kent was arranged by his attorney. His attorney argued that because his client was â€Å"a victim of severe psychopathology† it would be in Kent’s best inter est to remain within the juvenile courts jurisdiction where he could receive adequate treatment. The juvenile court judge failed to rule on any of Kent’s attorney’s motions. He also failed to confer with Kent’s attorney and/or parents.Then the juvenile courts judge declared that â€Å"after full investigation, I do hereby waive† jurisdiction of Kent and direct that he be held for trial for the offenses . He offered no findings, nor did he recite any reason for the waiver or make mention of Kent’s attorney’s motions. Kent was later found guilty on six counts of housebreaking by federal jury, although the jury found him â€Å"not guilty by reason of insanity† on the rape charges. Because of DC law, it was mandatory that Kent be sent to a mental institution until such time as his sanity is restored.Kent’s sentence was 5 to 15 years or a total of 30 to 90 years in prison. His mental institution commitment would be counted as time s erved against the 30 to 90 years sentence. Kent’s conviction was reversed by a vote 5-4. This is significant, because it signified a subtle shift in Supreme Court sentiment relating to juvenile rights. It is also significant that the Supreme Court stressed the phrase â€Å"critically important† when referring to the absence of counsel and waiver hearing, respectively.Because of Kent’s decision, waiver hearings are now critical stages. Regarding the effective assistance of counsel, this was also regarded by the court as a â€Å"critically important† decision. They observed that the right to representation by counsel is not a formality. It is not a grudging gesture to a ritualistic requirement. It is of the essence of justice†¦. Appointment of counsel without affording an opportunity of a hearing on a â€Å"Critically important† decision is tantamount to a denial of counsel (383 U. S. at 561)