Profile of Pakistans ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence)

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is the largest of the countrys five intelligence services. It is a controversial, sometimes rogue organization that Benazir Bhutto, the late Pakistani prime minister, once termed a â€Å"state within a state.† Its tendency to operate outside of the Pakistani government’s control is often at odds with American anti-terror policy in South Asia. The International Business Times ranked the ISI as the top intelligence agency in the world in 2011. How the ISI Became so Powerful The ISI became that â€Å"state within a state† only after 1979, largely thanks to billions of dollars in American and Saudi aid and armament. Covertly channeled exclusively through the ISI to the mujahideen of Afghanistan, such funds aided the fight against Soviet occupation there in the 1980s. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq, Pakistans military dictator from 1977 to 1988 and the countrys first Islamist leader, positioned himself as the indispensable ally of American interests against Soviet expansion in South Asia. Zia promoted ISI as the indispensable clearinghouse through which all aid and armament would flow. Zia, not the CIA, decided which insurgent groups received financial support. The arrangement had far-reaching implications that the CIA didnt foresee, making Zia and the ISI the unlikely (and disastrous, in retrospect) hinge of U.S. policy in South Asia. The ISI’s Complicity With the Taliban For their part, Pakistan’s leaders—Zia, Bhutto, and Pervez Musharraf among them—often used the ISI’s double-dealing skills to their advantage. That’s especially true regarding Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban, which the ISI helped create in the mid-1990s and subsequently financed, armed, and kept in business to counter India’s influence in Afghanistan. Either directly or indirectly, the ISI never stopped supporting the Taliban even after 2001, when Pakistan ostensibly became an ally of the U.S. in the war on al-Qaeda and the Taliban. British-Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid writes in his analysis of the failed American mission in South Asia between 2001 and 2008: even as some ISI officers were helping U.S. officers locate Taliban targets for U.S. bombers [in 2002], other ISI officers were pumping in fresh armaments to the Taliban. On the Afghan side of the border, [Northern Alliance] intelligence operatives compiled lists of the arriving ISI trucks and handed them to the CIA. Similar patterns continue to this day, especially on the Afghan-Pakistani border. Here, Taliban militants are likely warned by ISI operatives of impending American military action. A Call for the ISI’s Dismantling According to a report by the Defense Academy, a British Ministry of Defense think tank, â€Å"Indirectly, Pakistan [through the ISI] has been supporting terrorism and extremism—whether in London on 7/7 or in Afghanistan or Iraq.† The report called for the dismantling of the ISI. In July 2008, the Pakistani government attempted to bring the ISI under civilian rule. The decision was reversed within hours, thus underscoring the power of the ISI and the weakness of the civilian government. On paper (according to the Pakistani Constitution), the ISI is answerable to the prime minister. In reality, the ISI is officially and effectively a branch of the Pakistani military, itself a semi-autonomous institution that has either overthrown Pakistan’s civilian leadership or ruled over the country for most of its independence since 1947. Located in Islamabad, the ISI boasts a staff of tens of thousands, much of it army officers and enlisted men, but its reach is much more vast. It exercises that reach through retired ISI agents, plus militants under its influence or patronage. These include the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan and several extremist groups in Kashmir, a province Pakistan and India have been disputing for decades. The ISI’s Complicity With al-Qaeda As described in Steve Colls history of the CIA and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan since 1979: By the fall of 1998, CIA and other American intelligence reporting had documented many links between ISI, the Taliban, bin Laden and other Islamic militants operating from Afghanistan. Classified American reporting showed that Pakistani intelligence maintained about eight stations inside Afghanistan, staffed by active ISI officers or retired officers on contract. CIA reporting showed that Pakistani intelligence officers at about the colonel level met with bin Laden or his representatives to coordinate access to training camps for volunteer fighters headed for Kashmir. Pakistan’s Overriding Interests in South Asia This pattern reflects Pakistan’s late-90s agenda⠁  Ã¢â‚¬â€which has changed little since⠁  Ã¢â‚¬â€to bleed India in Kashmir and ensure Pakistani influence in Afghanistan, where Iran and India also compete for clout, power, and authority. These controlling factors explain Pakistan’s shifty relationship with the Taliban, bombing in one place while propping it up in another. Should U.S. and NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan (just as American aid ended after the Soviet withdrawal from that country in 1988), Pakistan wants a controlling hand there. Supporting the Taliban is Pakistan’s insurance policy against repeating the situation left behind after American withdrawal at the end of the cold war. As told by Bhutto in 2007, during one of her last interviews: Today, its not just the intelligence services, who were previously called a state within a state. Today its the militants who are becoming yet another little state within the state, and this is leading some people to say that Pakistan is on the slippery slope of being called a failed state. But this is a crisis for Pakistan, that unless we deal with the extremists and the terrorists, our entire state could founder. Pakistan’s successive governments, in large part through the ISI, created the now seemingly out-of-control conditions that prevail in Pakistan and enable the Taliban, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), and other militant groups to call the northwestern part of the country their sanctuary. Resources and Further Reading Coll, Steve. Ghost Wars: the Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001. Penguin, 2005.Hussain, Yasir. The Assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Epitome, 2008.â€Å"Key Quotes from the Document.† Newsnight, BBC, 28 Sept. 2006.Rashid, Ahmed. Descent into Chaos: The U.S. and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. Penguin, 2009.

Borderline Personality Disorder Free Essays

string(150) " this depressant are realized within a period of three months in treating mood disorders and a period of six weeks if it is made to treat depression\." Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a type of a mental disease characterized by prolonged personality function failure, variability and disturbance of moods. Ultimately, it leads one to unstable and chaotic interpersonal relationships, behavior, identity, and self image. The proceeding results are periods of dissociation and isolation. We will write a custom essay sample on Borderline Personality Disorder or any similar topic only for you Order Now When one is disturbed this way, he or she may develop pervasive negativity within the facets of life psychologically. Difficult in developing and maintaining work, social settings and home relationships are experienced. When the victims are not given the effective therapy and proper care, complete or attempted suicides are possible outcomes (Kantor, 1993, pp. 135). Current research on this disorder has revealed the specific symptoms that can help one establish early signs of the disease. The first recognitive experience of this disease is a turmoil relationship that takes a hate-love track as time goes by. After perceived slight misunderstandings, victims of this disorder furiously and immediately drop their friends. The victims have a general difficult in agreeing on gray areas with the other people they interact with (Lachkar, 2004, pp. 23). Current research from Britain encyclopedia has come up with a wide range of the factors that may lead to this disorder. The causes are said to be complex and diverse. They include child sexual abuse or childhood trauma, brain abnormalities, environmental factors, neurobiological factors and genetic predisposition. The disease itself is mental but the repercussions mostly rest and affect social behavior of the concerned. The affected spends most of the time mentally alternating between extremes of devaluation and idealization. The perceived identity disturbance is generated because of the psychological unrest in evaluating ones sense of self and self image. In the process of finding a solution to these encounters, impulsive thought that are far much self damaging come in mind. They may include reckless driving, substance abuse, binge eating, eating disorders, promiscuous and unprotected sex (Lubbe, 2000, pp. 450). At individual level, suicidal threats, gestures and behavior are experienced. This may also be coupled with behaviors that are self mutilating including excoriation or interfering with body scars that may be healing, cutting or picking at oneself. Due to affective instability, moods can be marked by high reactivity such as irritability, dysphoria, and intense episodic or sometimes high anxiety. Chronic feelings such as worthlessness and emptiness, frequent displays of recurrent physical fights, constant anger and temper, dissociate symptoms, delusions, paranoid ideation and transient stress are symptoms that indicate prevalence of Borderline Personality Disorder (Lachkar, 2004, pp. 24). The Chinese society of psychiatry has carried out an extensive study on the diagnostic paths in handling this mental illness. The diagnosisitnvolves the so called mood swings. Mood swings describes reactivity of mood and marked liability which can be defined as emotional dysregulation. It is a reaction of the victim to external intrapsychic and psychosocial stressors which is believed to subside or arise with time. The above medical research body has come up with several areas of concentration in the attempts to curb the prevalence of the disease globally (Muller, 1994, pp. 87). The approach in treating the disorder has ranged from socialization programs to medication programs. The medical section has given a prior attention to hospitalization, medications and psychotherapy interventions. After carrying out the research, the core treatment of the disorder is psychotherapy. The two mainly used and effective disorders are Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It is an approach that applies high skills in teaching the regulation techniques of ones relationships, emotions and tolerating distress. It can be a face to face or phone counseling which can be done at individual level or through a group consultation. The second type of psychotherapy is the Transference Focused Psychotherapy (TFP). This kind of approach concentrates on the relationship between the victim of emotions and the therapist. It helps in understanding the challenges that may come along with social interactions and how to deal with the difficulties. These researchers have identified that medications can not adequately cure this disorder. They can only treat the problems that are associated with the disorder. It can approach and counter situations like anxiety, impulsitivity and depression. These medications include anti anxiety medications, antipsychotic and antidepressant. The hospitalization program is usually designed to keep the victim safe from self injury. Consultation of mental health providers gives the directions and precautions to undertake in containing the disease (Muller, 1994. pp. 87). The world health organization has also involved itself in the search for contingency measures in handling of the above disorder. It has proposed and enhanced group based psychological services. These programs motivate people to engage, participate and encourage group and solitary activities. It has thus developed therapeutic communities in Europe, that have led the campaigns towards treatment or lowering of the severity associated with this personality disorder. These communities focus on future prevention of the disease, handle the current victims and extend their material assistance to these individuals. The mission of these research organizations is to provide improved psychiatric rehabilitation services. The rehabilitation is achieved through encouraging engagement in meaningful activities and avoiding of social exclusion and stigmatic endeavors. The world organization also provides mutual support and promotes co-counseling groups all over the world to prevent unexpected and harmful spread of the disorder. The victim can get involved in alternative medicinal techniques. Doing exercises and ensuring physical fitness can be improved by including team sports and occupational therapy techniques. Engaging in a sort of employment encourages the spirit of self efficacy, competence and having a social role and obligation to perform in the society. This in turn promotes self esteem (McCallum, 2001, pp. 234). This body has also provided antidepressants called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor that has been presented in randomized and controlled trials around the world. It has been reported to improve attendant symptoms related to depression, anxiety, hostility and anger. A higher dose of the above depressant is required in the treatment of mood disorders in comparison with depression. The benefits of this depressant are realized within a period of three months in treating mood disorders and a period of six weeks if it is made to treat depression. You read "Borderline Personality Disorder" in category "Papers" Mentalization based treatments assumes that victims of this disorder experience attachment disturbance because of parent child relations in the early childhood stages. Lack of enough early child attunement and mirroring by parents can result to the child’s mentalization deficiency. This lowers the capacity of such child to attach some kind of correlation between the mental state and the potential causing action. Under normal conditions, there must exist some kind of relatedness between the driving force towards an action and the state of the mind. Studies have attached the perceived mental failure in this disorder to problematic impulse control and instability in moods (Acocella, 1999, pp. 108). Mentalization oriented treatments highly and frequently employ psycho dynamically informed multimodal treatment criterion in the process of ensuring a sustained capacity of self regulation of the patient. This criterion goes ahead to incorporate both individual psychotherapy and group psychotherapy in an outpatient context, partial hospitalization or therapeutic community. Combination of these medical and non medical elements helps to reduce the emotional states which are closely associated with Borderline Personality Disorder. The categories of the disorders include feelings of victimization, feeling of lack of identity or fragmentation, feeling of self destructiveness and extreme need for isolation. When these people are completely attacked by the disorder they become hyper alert to signals of rejection, less or no valuation, insecurity, ambivalence, avoidance and demonstration of fearful preoccupation in relationship patterns. All these issues are encountered in the process of novelty seeking or intimacy seeking of the patients (Livesley, 2003, pp. 90). Cultural, age and gender considerations of the disorder Several studies upon the relatedness of this disorder to gender aspects or differences have been done. It is an area that has raised a lot of controversies and critics in the attempt of justifying the perspective that this disorder dominates in female gender as compared to the males. It has thus received a very high feministic criticism. A group of scholars believe that patients of this disorder have a history of abuse in lines to do with sex during their early childhood. This ideology argues that girls are more exposed to the danger of sexual abuse compared to boys, definitely and inevitably justifying that the disease is common among ladies. On the other hand, women who have survived childhood sexual abuse perceive traumatization when interacting with abusive mental health services. This happens because of the fact that Borderline Personality Disorder is a diagnosis full of traumatization and thus it evokes negative or abusive responses and answers from mental health providers. To acknowledge the abuse of sex inflicted on these women, several feminist thinkers have suggested that it is better to use diagnosis of post traumatic disorder for this class of women. This medication is however made to medicalize the disorder but it does not handle the root cause of the problem within the society (Acocella, 1999, pp. 180). Clinical officers respond differently to similar complains or symptoms, depending on whether it originates from a woman or a man. For example if both sexes report cases of angriness and other promiscuous behaviors a man is likely to be diagnosed by use of Antisocial Personality Disorder whereas a woman will be diagnosed with Borderline Personal Disorder. If a woman portrays manhood characteristics such as hostility, success or sexual activity, she is entitled to a diagnosis of personality disorder. If on the other hand the woman shows psychiatric symptoms that conform not to the sick role considered traditionally passive, she is likely to be labeled and considered as a difficult patient. This situation leads to the patient receiving the stigmatizing diagnosis of the borderline personality disorder. Borderline Personality Disorder seemingly is associated with urban settings and low economic and social status. Diagnosis of this disease may at times be applied to the wrong group of persons or individuals. In some areas engagement in some behaviors is perceived as a protective approach or a presumed survival strategy. In making diagnosis analysis, it is of great importance for the clinician involved to consider the economic and social context in which the perceived emotional difficult occurred. Diagnosis of this disorder should not be performed before the age of eighteen years. This is because some observations made at early ages are associated with childhood. After this age, any symptoms can be diagnosed because every sense of maturity s assumed upon an individual (McCallum, 2001, pp. 234). Many sample based studies in the world have shown that the prevalence of this disorder in males is 1% and 3% in females. The origin of the individuals used in the sample has also contributed to variations in the study’s results, depending on the surrounding social and economic scenarios. Urban settings have indicated a percentage of 30% prevalence compared to 3% found in rural areas. This state has prevailed in many nations because urban settings are subjected to many social evils and crimes that highly contribute to emotional reactions. Substance abuses are believed to be highest in towns and cities. This disorder does not have a well defined course in ones life. It is however believed through experimentations and research activities that it disappears as one gets older and older. It has been observed to disappear in the fourth decade of life cycle. The remission of this disorder is not however automatic but depends on the frequency of engaging in criminal activities or activities that can interfere negatively with ones psychological and emotional state. There is a natural impact that forces one to reduce the spectrum of behaviors such as substance abuse (McCallum, 2001, pp. 234). Future considerations of the disorder The future diagnosis of this disorder requires an improvement and a further consideration of emotional difficulties to avoid misconceptions. This is because many reports have been produced where this disorder is persistently misdiagnosed. If this problem is not properly handled, it may lead to marked distress. This also promotes impairment in occupational, role functional and social obligations of the patients. When diagnostic results are released, the patient simply believes in the results without any doubt. Any diagnosis whether true or not is very much impactive on the emotional state of the patient. The patient will therefore adapt the living styles of fellow partners who are suffering from the disorder. Any further research on this work should be in position to offer updated synthesis which concretely incorporates rational clinical attention and current scientific knowledge. It should comprehensively reconstruct the minds of patients for it to serve as a vital caveat utilizing the treatment recommendations with appreciations and not view them as limiting to their ambitions in life. The nature of supportive advance should determine the treatment recommendations. These recommendations should be keyed with respect to confidence level provided by coded evidence (Acocella, 1999, pp. 108). In the future, researchers should not only concentrate on the medication issues but also pay attention to the socialization programs that can be adopted to prevent and at the same time help to cure who are suffering from the disorder. Emotional complications can not occur when the social atmosphere is not disturbed. Borderline disorder is sensitive to the environmental state. It is just a psychological response or reaction towards an emotional embarrassment from a certain source. If sexual abuse among children at early childhood is minimized or stopped, the rate at which the disorder is spreading can be cut down to lower ends. Therefore, programs should be launched to encourage the public through sensitization programs to take a personal initiative, aimed at a collective goal, a counter reaction towards Borderline Personality Disorder (Livesley, 2003, pp. 90). Reference: Acocella Joan, 1999. Creating Hysteria: Women and Multiple Personality Disorder. London, Jossey-Bass publishers, pp. 108. Kantor Martin, 1993. A Guide to Avoidance and Avoidant Personality Disorder. Mahwah, NJ, Praeger publishers, pp. 135. Lachkar Joan, 2004. The Narcissistic/ Borderline Couple: New Approaches to Marital Therapy. London, Brunner-Routledge, pp. 23, 25. Livesley John, 2003. Practical Management of Personality Disorder. London, Guilford Press, pp. 90. Lubbe Trevor, 2000. The Borderline Psychotic Child: A Selective Integration. London, Routledge, pp. 450. McCallum David, 2001. Personality and Dangerousness: Genealogies of Antisocial Personality Disorder. Cambridge University Press, pp. 234. Muller Ryse, 1994. Anatomy of a Splitting Borderline: Description and Analysis of a case History, Mahwah, NJ, pp. 87. How to cite Borderline Personality Disorder, Papers

Out of This Furnace free essay sample

The Characters of Out of This Furnace Thomas Bells novel Out of This Furnace tells the story of four working class immigrants, and how they fight adversity. Throughout the novel it becomes apparent that the characters have an interesting relationship that plays off of one another. Over the course of Out of This Furnace, what the characters Kracha, Mike, Mary, and Dobie have in common is that they live by the same ideals and are overtly effected by their environments, which in turn creates difference between them. The protagonists beliefs make them alike. They hold the values of family highly, and rely on each other. The fate of their loved ones means the world to them, and for this reason they persevere through whatever comes at them, though they have already sacrificed so much. Mike, though capable of achieving much more than what he does, works in a mill so that Mary and his children can live better right up until his death. We will write a custom essay sample on Out of This Furnace or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As a family, it is inherent that they hold the same morals, but the similarities go beyond that. They are all forced to adapt and react to their circumstances. As all immigrants did at that time period, they come in search of bettering their lives, to start anew in a place full of hopes and opportunity, but quickly realize that it is an uphill battle against seemingly insurmountable odds. Without other options, they find themselves scrambling to make ends meet however they can, facing terrible living conditions, deal with social discrimination, and face tragedy, yet continued to press on. Even with her husbands death, Mary tries as best she can to support her family in his absence. And when she herself dies, Dobie has no option but to become self reliant and keep going. With little to lose and everything to gain, the protagonists, as well as thousands of immigrants like them, relentlessly struggle to be recognized as American and to adapt to the world around them. On the other end of the spectrum, its the same circumstance that creates distinction between the protagonists. As everything around the characters changes, the characters may react differently. For instance, Kracha came to the United States with optimism and anticipation, however when he arrives the life of a working class immigrant proves to be hardly better than the life he left behind. He becomes disconnected and pessimistic, much unlike his original demeanor. To a separate effect, disaster befalls Dobie but by the time the book has ended things are going well for him. The hardships of life has forced Dobie to become a strong willed man. With the success of the Labor unions, Dobie has sees what he has always yearned for; social equality for workers and immigrants. The protagonists of Out of This Furnace are plagued by misfortune, poverty, and social injustice. Their lives are intertwined and greatly effected by each others actions, and similarities can be found between them such as their ethical makeup, correspondence to the events around them, as well as their differences in how to deal with these events. Out of This Furnace free essay sample Out of this Furnace, by Thomas Bell, tells the story of a multigenerational family of Slovakian immigrants. This family of five generations came to American in the late nineteenth century in search of a better life. One of the first to arrive, Djuro Kracha, arrived in the New World in the middle of the 1880s. The novel starts off telling of his voyage from the â€Å"old country† and the labor he performed to accumulate enough money for his walk to Pennsylvania. He ventured on his journey to Pennsylvania in the search for a job in the steel mills. The story also tells of his rejection by the mainstream community as a â€Å"hunkey,† and the lives of his daughter and grandson. Soon enough though, the family becomes somewhat acculturate and even â€Å"Americanized,† and they soon become to resent the treatments they suffer. Their slow rise to business ownership was quickly ended by a series of events; a summer of Djuro’s drinking habit, Djuro’s return to his work in the steel mills, Mary’s marriage to a worker in the mills, and Djuro’s grandson’s disagreements with unfair labor prices. We will write a custom essay sample on Out of This Furnace or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These events eventually intertwine with America’s transformation of the 1880’s to the 1940’s. During the 1880’s to the 1940’s, a wave of Eastern European immigrants grew in America, triggered by growing industries and advancing technology. This soon led to the establishment of steel mills, other factories, and plants which reshaped the American labor force. The experiences of Djuro and Mike, Mary’s husband, reflect a level of hostility towards Europeans from â€Å"mainstream† Americans and earlier. Without a doubt, the Kracha’s were negatively affected by stereotypes and attributions. However, the men and women who desired citizenship in the New World, Bell suggested only desired it to improve their lives and the futures of their families. Bell does not portray any immigrants who fail to accept the necessity of hard work. Therefore, Djuro’s minor episode of drunkenness shouldn’t take away from the years of efficient and effective work he completed to achieve his â€Å"American dream. † Another point Bell seemed to make clear was that Mike’s idealism was a consequence of his own desire to participant in that dream. The novel is set at a time when most people believed that the diverse ethnic groups entering the United States actually had a damaging effect on culture. Dobie Dobrejcak wanted to improve working conditions, treatments, economic prospects, and the lives of working men. His beliefs of possible social transformation actually confirmed the American Dream and the willingness of people to chase their dreams, even against great odds. The majority of immigrant groups that traveled to America went in search of freedom and economic opportunity. These immigrants, in all actuality, made huge contributions to the growth of the country. Westward expansion was made possible for workers, even today; immigrants work jobs that might have otherwise gone begging. Thomas Bell even argues that the Jews, Catholics, the Irish and the Slavs were the ones that made America’s achievements and progresses possible. Bell uses Mike and Mary’s lives to reference the Americans’ want and demand for immigrants during expansion, and to express how out of favor immigrants were during America’s recessions. As the 1920s came around, recession and depression made immigrant workers unpopular and unnecessary. This novel tremendously expresses the lives of immigrants like the Kracha’s and Dobrejcak’s and explains their want to achieve parity and equality. In the book, however, the term â€Å"American† did not change. The thing that truly changed was the determination to work against forces trying to prevent the family from entering the mainstream society. To truly understand the â€Å"American Experience† an immigrant had to realize that it was not a classical experience. It is known that early colonists and new immigrants coming to the United States had the same dreams and values. To them, the New World represented land opportunity, freedom of religion, the ability to overcome an aristocratic Old World, and the freedom to develop one’s own wishes. The topic of immigration in America has always sparked massive controversy. Some people believed anyone had the right to move from country to country as they pleased. Others thought the immigrant population actually benefitted the country by facilitating economic growth, development, and prosperity. The Americans against immigration mainly focused on the differences of new cultural groups. Mostly though, the Native American party argued that the country was about to receive a threat due to the massive increase in the body of residents of foreign birth, imbued with foreign feelings, and of ignorant and immoral character who receive the elective franchise and the right of eligibility to political offices. Others thought that new immigrants hurt American society because of their lack of education, their impoverishment, lack of skill and their Catholic and Jewish religions. Early opposition to specific immigrants was focused on any groups perceived as inferior to the Anglo-Saxon stock. Disagreements on immigration focused mainly on the immigrant’s lack of adaptability based on different ethnic groups. The views of non-immigrants were that; foreigners lower the intelligence, efficiency, and orderliness plane, they increased alcoholism, crime, and immorality, the barriers of speech, education, and religious faith cause divisions, and that immigrants add to the number of poor people, tend to be illiterate, and cause overpopulation. Early settlers of the United States were a mixture of whites, Anglo- Saxons, and immigrants. Every ethnic group that has come into the United States has helped shape the American dream and shared that experience, rather happily or not. A major shaping of our economic system resulted from the influence of immigration that helped bring dramatic changes in our population census. The United States of America can mean a variety of different things to several different people. The core of the â€Å"American dream† is without a doubt, freedom and equality. However, this nation was founded on republican principles of justice for all, friendship with all nations, and alliances with none. Since then, these principles have undergone several changes. For example, today the United States has many â€Å"alliances† that influence its domestic and foreign policies. Nevertheless, â€Å"justice for all† remains intact and continuously attracts new immigrants each year, while trying to determine what really constitutes â€Å"justice and equality. †

When To Use Accents and Diacritical Marks in Spanish

When To Use Accents and Diacritical Marks in Spanish The most immediately obvious difference between written Spanish and written English is Spanishs use of written accents, and occasionally of diereses (also known as umlauts). Both of these features are known as diacritical marks. Beginning Spanish students usually learn right away that the main use of the accent is to help with pronunciation, and specifically in telling the speaker which syllable of a word should be stressed. However, accents also have other uses, such as distinguishing between certain homonyms, parts of speech, and indicating a question. The only use of the dieresis is to assist in pronunciation. Here are the basic rules for using the written accent and the dieresis: Stress The rules for determining which syllable should be stressed are quite simple in Spanish. Accents are used to indicate exceptions to the rules. Here are the basic rules: If a word ends in a vowel, the letter s, or the letter n, the stress is on the next to last syllable.In other words without an accent, the stress is on the last syllable. Simply put, if the stress is on a syllable other than that indicated above, an accent is used to indicate where the stress is placed. Following are a few examples, with the approximate pronunciation in phonetic English. Note that a vowel may either gain or lose an accent when a word is put into plural or singular form. See the rules on pluralization for other examples. examen (egg-SAH-men)exmenes (eggs-SAH-men-ess)muà ±Ãƒ ³n (moon-YOHN)muà ±ones (moon-YOHN-ness)cancià ³n (kahn-SEEOHN)canciones (kahn-SEEOHN-ess) Distinguishing Homonyms Homonym pairs are separate words that have different meanings even though they sound alike. Here are some of the most common ones: de, of, from; dà © first- and third-person singular subjunctive form of dar, to give)el, the; à ©l, hemas, but; ms, moremi, my; mà ­, me;se, a reflexive and indirect object pronoun used in various ways; sà ©, I knowsi, if; sà ­, yessolo, only (adjective), single, alone; sà ³lo, only (adverb), solelyte, you (as an object); tà ©, teatu, your; tà º, you Demonstrative Pronouns Although the spelling reform of 2010 means they arent strictly necessary except to avoid confusion, accents also are traditionally used in Spanish on demonstrative pronouns to distinguish them from demonstrative adjectives. Talk about demonstrative parts of speech might sound like a mouthful, so its probably best to remember that in English were simply talking about the words this, that, these and those. In English, those words can be either adjectives or pronouns. In I like this book, this is an adjective; in I like this, this is a pronoun, since it stands for a noun. Here are the same sentences in Spanish: Me gusta este libro, I like this book. Me gusta à ©ste, translated as either I like this or I like this one. Note that when used as a pronoun, à ©ste traditionally has a written accent. In Spanish the demonstrative pronouns in the singular masculine form are à ©ste, à ©se, and aquà ©l, and the corresponding adjectives are este, ese, and aquel. Although distinguishing the meanings of these pronouns goes beyond the scope of this lesson, suffice it to say here that este/à ©ste corresponds roughly to this, while both ese/à ©se and aquel/aquà ©l can be translated as that. Items with which aquel/aquà ©l are used are farther from the speaker. Quiero aquel libro could be translated as I want the book thats over there. The following chart shows the various forms of the demonstrative pronouns (with the traditional accents) and adjectives, including the feminine and plural forms: Quiero este libro, I want this book. Quiero à ©ste, I want this one. Quiero estos libros, I want these books. Quiero à ©stos, I want these ones. Quiero esta camisa, I want this shirt. Quiero à ©sta, I want this one. Quiero estas camisas, I want these shirts. Quiero à ©stas, I want these ones.Quiero ese libro, I want that book. Quiero à ©se, I want that one. Quiero esos libros, I want those books. Quiero à ©sos, I want those ones. Quiero esa camisa, I want that shirt. Quiero à ©sa, I want that one. Quiero esas camisas, I want those shirts. Quiero à ©sas, I want those ones.Quiero aquel libro, I want that book over there. Quiero aquà ©l, I want that one over there. Quiero aquellos libros, I want those books over there. Quiero aquà ©llos, I want those ones over there. Quiero aquellas camisas, I want those shirts over there. Quiero aquà ©llas, I want those ones over there. There are also neuter variations of these pronouns (eso, esto, and aquello), and they are not accented because there are no corresponding neuter adjective forms. Interrogatives: A number of words are accented when they are used in a question (including an indirect question) or exclamation, but they arent otherwise accented. Such words are listed below:  ¿Adà ³nde? Where (to)? ¿Adà ³nde vas? Where are you going? ¿Cà ³mo? How? ¿Cà ³mo ests? How are you? ¿Cul?  ¿Cules? Which one? Which ones? ¿Cul es ms caro? Which one is more expensive? ¿Cundo? When?  ¿Cundo sales? When are you leaving? ¿Cunto?  ¿Cunta?  ¿Cuntos?  ¿Cuntas? How much? How many?  ¿Cuntos pesos cuesta el libro? How many pesos does the book cost? ¿Dà ³nde? Where?  ¿De dà ³nde es usted? Where are you from? ¿Por quà ©? Why?  ¿Por quà © vas? Why are you going? ¿Quà ©? What? Which?  ¿Quà © libro prefieres? What book do you prefer? ¿Quià ©n?  ¿Quienes? Who? Whom?  ¿Quià ©nes quieren mi libro? Who wants my book? Diereses: The dieresis (or umlaut) is used above the u when the u is sounded in the combinations of gà ¼i or gà ¼e. Without the umlaut, known as la dià ©resis or la crema in Spanish, the u would be silent, serving only to indicate that the g is pronounced as a hard g rather than similar to the j. (For example, guey with no umlaut would sound something like gay.) Among the words with umlauts are vergà ¼enza, shame; cigà ¼eà ±a, stork or crank; pingà ¼ino, penguin; and agà ¼ero, prediction.

French Phrases Related to Mardi Gras

French Phrases Related to Mardi Gras Mardi Gras is an annual celebration called le mardi gras (literally, Fat Tuesday) or le carnaval in French. It is celebrated all around the world. Les Dates de Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras Dates) Mardi Gras takes place 46 days before Easter (le Pà ¢ques) - that is, sometime between February 3 and March 9. Mardi Gras is the day before Lent (le carà ªme), which begins on Ash Wednesday (le mercredi des Cendres). The most famous Mardi Gras celebration is held in New Orleans (la Nouvelle-Orlà ©ans), but many cities in Europe and the Americas also put on spectacular events. Les Couleurs de Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras Colors) Mardi Gras has three official colors:le violet  Ã‚  Ã‚  purple (justice)lor  Ã‚  Ã‚  gold (power)le vert  Ã‚  Ã‚  green (faith) Les Traditions de Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras Traditions) Mardi Gras is traditionally celebrated with a parade led by a captain, during which trinkets, or throws, are tossed to the crowd. The parade is followed by a costume ball presided over by a king and queen. Le Vocabulaire de Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras Vocabulary) une babiole  Ã‚  Ã‚  trinketun bal masquà ©Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  costume ballun bijou  Ã‚  Ã‚  jewelle capitaine  Ã‚  Ã‚  captainun char  Ã‚  Ã‚  floatun collier  Ã‚  Ã‚  necklaceun costume  Ã‚  Ã‚  costumele courir  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mardi gras runune couronne  Ã‚  Ã‚  crownun dà ©filà ©Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  paradeun dà ©guisement  Ã‚  Ã‚  disguiseun doublon  Ã‚  Ã‚  doubloonune effigie  Ã‚  Ã‚  effigyun feu de joie  Ã‚  Ã‚  bonfireun flambeau  Ã‚  Ã‚  torchla foule  Ã‚  Ã‚  crowdun krewe  Ã‚  Ã‚  krewe (Mardi gras organizer)un mardi gras  Ã‚  Ã‚  a person who really gets into celebrating Mardi grasle masque  Ã‚  mask (make a Mardi gras mask)une paillette  Ã‚  Ã‚  sequinune perle  Ã‚  Ã‚  beadla plume  Ã‚  Ã‚  featherla reine  Ã‚  Ã‚  queenle roi  Ã‚  Ã‚  kingFrench expressions with mardi gras Le Slogan de Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras Slogan) Mardi Gras slogan is Let the good times roll, which is translated literally into French as Laissez les bons temps rouler.

A worn path Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A worn path - Essay Example sion, one incident shows the roundness of her character as she picks up the nickel that slides from the Hunter’s pocket, â€Å"God watching me the whole time. I come to stealing† (Welty, 3) This god fearing nature is also typical of her age and racial background who had none but God to trust their fate upon and hence needs to fear them at times. The sole aim of her life is to save her grandson and for that reason she even opts for stealing but her realization that of the commission of her guilt is unmistakable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other characters of the story are also of round type. The hunter, for instance, initially appears to be harsh but when he sees that the old woman does not fear death, softens his tone and admires her courage. The nurse and the attendant though both of them spoke initially with the old woman in a harsh note but finally sympathize with her. These ups and downs are signs of a normal human nature. As these traits have reflected from the approach of all these characters, thus, neither of those can be classified as flat characters. The main aim of literature is to reflect different dimension of life and due to the roundness of characters, the story has become a real depiction of life. The treatment of a poor, racially inferior old woman normally initializes with a poor welcome. The disadvantage of old age, economic backwardness and also racial inferiority has been reflected here. However the author does not forget to bring out the courage, typical of a black woman through the other characters’ behavior after knowing her. All the characters she meets later become kind towards her. However the woman indulges in the act o stealth but earns the readers sympathy when they know her cause.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though is determined to save the life of her grandson yet she remembers her self-dignity. Thus, during the time of picking up the nickel she feels the bite of her conscience. Later on, at the doctor’s chamber in the town, when the attendant offers her to

SPSS Analysis & Methodology Section Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

SPSS Analysis & Methodology Section - Term Paper Example as an Internet marketing tool by the companies. †¢ To examine the evidence about the benefits of using social networking websites as communication tool. Details of the methodological implications will be highlighted in the following sections. 1.2 Research Approach Saunders, Lewis & Thornhil (2007 & 2009) pointed out that researchers should select any one of the research approach from available approaches such as, 1- Correlation Study- understanding the relationship between variables is the key aim in such kind of studies and 2- Causal Study- finding out the reasons behind the variation in the behaviour of variables is the key reason behind such kind of research approach. As the researcher is trying to understand the role of social networking websites such as Facebook and twitter on increasing effectiveness of Internet marketing tool for companies hence the researcher will use correlation approach to find out what is the relationship between effectiveness of Internet marketing to ol and social networking website penetration. ... 1.3 Research Strategy Creswell (2009) stated that there can be three types of research strategy for researchers such as, 1- Quantitative research strategy- gathering primary data by using open ended and preferably close ended questionnaire or secondary data with the help of literature review, case study etc and then analyze the data by using mathematical and statistical operators, 2- Qualitative approach- gathering data from secondary sources or open ended questionnaire based interview, observation, ethnography and then analyzed data in non-numeric manner, 3- Mixed strategy- combination of both qualitative and quantitative research approach. Saunders, Lewis & Thornhil (2007 & 2009) argued that quantitative research strategy works well for establishing new theory or explaining a social phenomenon but the research strategy works poorly for measuring the relationship variables in absolute manner. On the other hand, Bryman & Bell (2003) also found that quantitative research can be used f or finding the relationship between variables in definite manner. As the researcher has also planned to understand the role of social networking websites in digital marketing which is a definite phenomenon hence the researcher will use quantitative research strategy in the study. 2.3 Unit of analysis and Study setting Robson (2011) stated that while conducting quantitative data analysis, researchers need to set the confidence interval high enough to get correct research findings. Saunders, Lewis & Thornhil (2009) suggested that 95% confidence level with significance of 0.05 can be used in case of academic research. Hence, the researcher will also use the 95%