Tina Turner

Tina Turner (conceived Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American vocalist and entertainer whose profession has traversed over 50 years. She has won various honors and her accomplishments in the exciting music kind have earned her the title The Queen of Rock ‘n' Roll.[1][2][3] Turner began her music vocation with spouse Ike Turner as an individual from the Ike and Tina Turner Revue.[4] Success followed with a series of hits including â€Å"River Deep, Mountain High† and the 1971 hit â€Å"Proud Mary†. With the distribution of her collection of memoirs I, Tina (1986), Turner uncovered extreme occasions of spousal maltreatment against her by Ike Turner before their 1976 split and ensuing 1978 separation. After basically vanishing from the music scene for quite a while following her separation from Ike Turner, she modified her profession, propelling a series of hits starting in 1983 with the single â€Å"Let's Stay Together† and the 1984 arrival of her fifth independent collection Private Dancer. Her melodic vocation prompted film jobs, starting with a noticeable job as The Acid Queen in the 1975 film Tommy, and an appearance in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. She featured inverse Mel Gibson as Aunty Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome for which she got the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, and her adaptation of the film's topic, â€Å"We Don't Need Another Hero†, was a hit single. She showed up in the 1993 film Last Action Hero. One of the world's most famous performers, Turner has been known as the best female stone artist[5] and was named â€Å"one of the best artists of all time† by Rolling Stone.[6] Her collections and singles have sold about 180 million duplicates worldwide.[7][8] She has sold more show passes than some other independent music entertainer in history.[9][10] She is known for her lively stage presence,[2] amazing vocals, vocation longevity,[9] and across the board appeal.[11] In 2008, Turner left semi-retirement to set out on her Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour.[12][13] Turner's visit got one of the most noteworthy selling tagged shows of 2008-2009.[8] Turner was brought into the world a Baptist, however changed over to Buddhism and credits the profound serenades with invigorating her the that she expected to get past the harsh times.[14]

Business Ethics Within Today Free Essays

Business Ethics inside Today’s Business See Yang University of Phoenix Business Ethics inside Today’s Business Ethics are critical to all businessmen. However, many disregard morals as a significant part that plays a significant effect upon a person’s accomplishment as a pioneer or guide. Moral predicaments are confronted ordinarily in the general public. We will compose a custom article test on Business Ethics Within Today or on the other hand any comparable subject just for you Request Now Which in today’s business world moral issues like provocation, irreconcilable circumstance, and client certainty issues does influences the network and association. Business morals isn't something that normally happens inside an association. It’s a culture that upper administration and workers need to develop from the beginning, causes the organization to handle moral issues going up against the business. In this manner, business morals looks at moral standards and good or moral issue that emerge in a business situation, which applies to all part of business direct and are applicable to the lead of people and business associations all together (Trevino Nelson, 2007). Nonetheless, business morals makes proficient mentalities and practices all through the association and the general condition. In today’s business world, badgering isn't trifled with. Badgering or lewd behavior is sexual conduct toward someone else with undesirable contact with the other individual. Badgering isn't when two individuals meet up and kiss yet when somebody is offering inconsiderate remarks or attempting to have sexual contact with someone else without consent. Since provocation is a type of separation badgering is a moral issue that prevents laborers from playing out their obligations because of miss treatment and shamefulness (Trevino Nelson, 2007). Another moral issue is irreconcilable situations. Irreconcilable situation incorporates issues as pay-offs, impact and special data. For instance, if an individual was working for a retail organization and was additionally utilized by another retail organization simultaneously would be think about an irreconcilable situation. Because of important data the individual holds about the organization, accordingly the organization would anticipate that the individual should stop or search for another activity. Irreconcilable situation can likewise happen by holding an individual relationship with another associate and dispersing unpredictable limits to different merchants when the markdown is implied only for the specialist. As an organization, evading irreconcilable situation is the most ideal approach. Clashes could cause loss of business and partnership or law and government charges. Client certainty issues are another moral issue. It incorporates subjects, for example, classification and truth in promoting. Secrecy is fundamentally the security of the client. The security ensures the customer’s individual data on deals and money. As a worker, truth in publicizing assumes a tremendous job in client assistance. On the off chance that a representative is advancing something and isn't advancing the best possible data, the organization could lose a significant measure of cash contingent upon the circumstance. Just as losing clients and business. Client certainty has a truism, â€Å"the client is consistently right† (Trevino Nelson, 2007). Most organizations utilize the adage to forestall pressure between the partnership and the client and give consumer loyalty. Provocation, irreconcilable circumstance, and client certainty issues are a portion of the business moral issues, which are regular in ordinary business. An individual can settle on a solitary choice that can have a negative or constructive outcome around their environmental factors. Organizations settle on the decisions through being straightforward or lying. In any case, it will figure out what destiny the business would fall in. A business who esteems hard working attitudes would be a business esteemed by the clients. Reference Trevino, L. K. , Nelson, K. A. (2007). Overseeing businessethics: Straight discussion about how to do it right (fourth ed). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Recovered January 3, 2010,from ecampus. phoenix. edu Step by step instructions to refer to Business Ethics Within Today, Papers

What Do Librarians Read

What Do Librarians Read Gloria Steinem celebrated librarians with some big words last  week. “I think your profession is the greatest profession on earth, she told librarians at the 2015 ALA Annual Conference. I really do want to emphasize, in case you’re feeling unappreciated, how important your role is. I’m here to make you not humble. You democratize knowledge. Nothing on earth is more important.” In honor of this noble profession, I’m reviving my “What Do Librarians Read?” series, asking librarians around the country about their personal reading lists. Gloria Steinem, take noteâ€"and get ready for your TBR pile to grow two sizes. Gwen Glazer | New York Public Library What Im reading now: Missoula by Jon Krakauer (devastating), Placebo Junkies by J.C. Carleson (creative YA), and The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison (great essays, best consumed in small bites). Whats on my to-be-read list: 500+ books! The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli; An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears; The Martian by Andy Weir, as soon as I get it off the holds list; the original Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin, which Ive been meaning to read for ages. How I choose my next book: I ask other librarians, of course! (Heres my shameless plug for our new Twitter feed, @NYPLRecommendsâ€"tons of staff picks and personalized recommendations!) Im also obsessed with Goodreads; I frequently fall down rabbit holes there and emerge with a dozen new books on my list. I love book-related podcasts, like Literary Disco and Pop Culture Happy Hour, and I read lots of reviews and author interviews online. Favorite book to recommend: It depends so much on the person asking the question, but for people who like dystopian fiction and/or character-driven stories, I like to recommend Arcadia by Lauren Groff. Its about a boy growing up in a commune that was supposed to be a utopia, and its an interesting contrast to the apocalyptic books many of us are drawn to right now. â€" Alyson Pope | Barbour Library at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary What Im reading now: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Whats on my to-be-read list: Up next I want to read Case Histories by Kate Atkinson. I am coming off of a Tana French inspired detective novel kick, and I have been recommended Atkinson by several fellow crime novel readers. How I choose my next book: I usually pick my next books through a mishmash of trusted recommendations, internet reviews, and authors I already know I like. And gifts from my momâ€"she buys me a lot of books. Favorite book to recommend: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I know its been recommended to death, but it deserves it. Ive recommended it to everyone from a teenage neighbor girl to my 70-year-old father and theyve all finished it in a matter of days and been completely fired up by the ending. â€" Rachel Kitzmann | Los Angeles Public Library, Los Feliz Branch What I’m reading now: Currently, Im reading a few things: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, and Sylvia and Aki by Winifred Conkling. Ive taken to reading something I call an all year read as part of my New Years resolutions, which is what Les Mis is. Im reading Sylvia and Aki for an award committee called FOCAL, which stands for Friends of Children and Literature, an organization that supports the Childrens Literature Department at the Richard J. Riordan Central Library. I like reading multiple booksâ€"it allows me to engage different parts of my imagination! What’s on my to-be-read list: Like most librarians, my to-be-read list is pretty expansive. According to Goodreads, my list is at 187. I also use LAPL Readsâ€"the book recommendation/book list side of the LAPL website. Its fun to see what my colleagues recommend, and the booklists are phenomenal! I usually alternate between an adult book and a kids’ book. When I finish Sylvia and Aki, Im going to pick up The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. I have a fondness for fantasy-historical fiction! How I choose my next book: Whim, mostly. I have lists and lists of books to read, but then I go to LAPL Reads, or something catches my eye. I really should be more methodical, but theres just so many wonderful books out there! Favorite book to recommend: All of them? To paraphrase something often said in the library world, the goal is always the right book at the right time for the right person. Sometimes that means a heavy duty Freud biography or the latest Jennifer Crusie. However, when I get adults who are new to the area and it is their first time in the library, I generally recommend anything by Raymond Chandler. A surprising number of people have never read him, and since so many of his books are set in Los Angeles, chances are people will recognize streets and locations. Its really fun when someone comes back and tells me they live on one of the streets mentioned in The Big Sleep or Farewell My Lovely.

Essay on The Philosophy of Education - 650 Words

In order for a society to function, individuals must be productive members of that society. This is accomplished through education. The philosophy of education is determined by society. As society changes so does the concept of education. Education is needed for individuals to function in society. Without the proper tools, people would be a burden instead of an asset. To become an asset, individuals need to be exposed to those elements which would enrich their lives through knowledge. Knowledge in our society is basically learned through education. The basic knowledge each person should receive from an education is the three R’s; reading writing, and arithmetic. These mediums will enable a person to survive in today’s society.†¦show more content†¦Education can bring these individual talents to the surface. Having these talents developed by the way of the educational system, a person is more likely to become a productive member of society. Without these gifts and talents of individuals, answers in the medical, environmental, and social fields could remain mute and unexplored. Education has the responsibilities to bring out the best in each individual. The needs of society are continually changi ng. Therefore, education must also continue to change in order to productive responsible members of society. Education a hundred years ago is far different from the education today. Each generation is exposed to more and more information. This information needs to be processed and delivered to individuals. Education is the vehicle to do this. Reading, Writing and arithmetic will always be the backbone to education. However, education must also look at society and determine what more is needed to do. In our society today, computer and AIMS testing are the main focal point. Over ten years ago, high school students were being exposed to the use of the computer. Today in the 21st Century, children in kindergarten are receiving the necessary information to become computer literate. Without education keeping its eyes on what is happening in society, the next generation will be left behind. Education is the eyes and ears for society. The young people in schools are receivingShow MoreRelatedPhilosophy : Philosophy Of Education1328 Words   |  6 Pages Philosophy of Education Jihyae Choe Liberty University TESL 419 â€Æ' Philosophy of Education A good educator decides the direction of teaching based on a resolute educational philosophy. A firm and resolute philosophy does not equate with a fixed perspective, instead it is a strong foundation that can stabilize the life long educational career. In order to establish a firm philosophical basis, passion toward education should accompany proper understanding. Successful educators who establishedRead MorePhilosophy And Philosophy Of Education828 Words   |  4 PagesPhilosophy of Education Teachers, especially those in the early years of school, have the extraordinary task of instilling a life-long love of learning in their students. We are there to cultivate their young minds in an arena where children feel safe and secure while expanding and exploring their knowledge of the world around them. We are to create responsible, productive and model citizens of the world. We are given an incredible task to carry out! With that in mind, however education needsRead MorePhilosophy And Philosophy Of Education1866 Words   |  8 PagesPhilosophy of Education An educational philosophy gives teachers and all educators’ ways to use problem solving in schools. For a lot of practitioners, actual teaching has been reduced to action lacking of a rationale or justification. According to Alan Sadovick, the author of our textbook, a philosophy of education is â€Å"firmly rooted in practice, whereas philosophy, as a discipline, stands on its own with no specific end in mind† (Sadovnik, 2013, pg. 179). All teachers and prospective teachers haveRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Education And Education1175 Words   |  5 Pagesbeliefs is called a philosophy of education. â€Å"A philosophy of education represents answers to questions about the purpose of schooling, a teacher s role, and what should be taught and by what methods† (Philosophy of Education). Educational philosophies differ among all individuals in education. With individual educators, some choose a teacher-centered philosophy and others choose a student-centered philosop hy. It appears that both realms of philosophy play an important role in education inside the typicalRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Education And Education Essay1545 Words   |  7 PagesThe philosophy of education is not a topic that can be fully taught and understood by reading and studying a textbook, or a few textbooks for that matter. I believe that the philosophy of education is somewhat subjective, rather than objective, and that there exists numerous answers to what is the â€Å"philosophy of education†. I feel that one’s answers can not be expressed with a single word nor a sentence; and that one has to â€Å"experience† rather than just read to find the answer. Yes, a huge part ofRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Education And Education1201 Words   |  5 PagesThe philosophy of education seeks to study the process and discipline of education in order to understand how it works, improve its methods and perfect its purposes in today’s society. How this is done is determined by how well the learner internalizes the concepts of the discipline taught by the educator. Educators have a tremendous responsibility not only to prepare students for their lives ahead, but also to contribute to the evolution of knowledge for future generations. Each generation notRead MorePhilosophy Of Education And Education928 Words   |  4 PagesPhilosophy of Education I believe philosophy of education is defined with learning in many ways. In order to reach a certain level of learning there’s recourse along the way that defines the person and goal. John Dewey said â€Å"educational philosophy centers pragmatism and the method of learning by doing.† Purpose of Schooling A hundred years ago the definition and purpose of schooling changed tremendously. There was a point in time where education was very mediocre and a diploma was not requiredRead MorePhilosophy of Education985 Words   |  4 PagesMy Personal Philosophy of Special Education Christina L. Richardson Grand Canyon University: SPE-529N November 18, 2012 My Personal Philosophy of Special Education As educators, we need a foundation for why we want to teach, where students with different disabilities fit in that foundation, a rationale for how we teach, and a principle that keeps us striving to be the best educators we can be. The purpose of this essay is to point out what I believe the foundation, student location, rationaleRead MoreMy Philosophy On The Philosophy Of Education844 Words   |  4 PagesIn mathematics, as in life, everything must be brought to the simplest of terms. I base my teaching philosophy on the foundation that every student is capable of learning mathematics. I will strive, as a teacher, to ensure that my students are able to have a strong foundation of mathematical skills when they leave my classroom. Some students believe that they are not mathematically gifted; therefore, incapable of learning mathematics. I believe to the contrary, all students with motivation, sustainedRead MorePhilosophy : The Liberalistic Philosophy Of Education807 Words   |  4 Pages Philosophy of Education 2 Perspective: The Liberalistic Philosophy of Education The empowerment of individuals within a community appeared to be nonexistent in Greek philosopher Plato s, Allegory of the Cave. Preferentially, it was simply not within the range of one s knowledge, experience, or understanding; strange; therefore, unfamiliar. Greek philosopher Plato, an astute student of Socrates, his focal point - an advocate

Review Of Oedipus The King - 1933 Words

Summer Reading Assignment: Oedipus the King Name: Arnav Chawla Bellevue School District Interlake High School/Gifted English 9 By carefully reading the summer reading drama and completing this packet over the summer, which you need to bring to class on the first day of school, you will be prepared to discuss the play in the fall, to take a summer reading quiz and begin literary discussion using your book and packet as the basis for your responses. As you read the play, Oedipus the King, in preparation for the unit, you will first need to understand some of the basic elements of the play. THIS SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT MUST BE WORD-PROCESSED. To be clear: The summer reading assignment is only Oedipus the King, NOT the two†¦show more content†¦Sophocles also shows nobility in Oedipus, how he continued to pursue the truth to help his people even though it caused him suffering. Instructions: Summarize the story of Oedipus and the Sphinx. The city of Thebes was under threat by the Sphinx, a winged lion with the face of a human. The sphinx would only leave the city alone if someone could solve her riddle. If the riddle was answered incorrectly, then the guesser would be killed. The riddle was â€Å"What is it that walks on four feet, three feet and two feet†¦ and is most feeble when it walks on four?† Oedipus correctly answered the riddle with â€Å"man† and the Sphinx threw herself to death on the rocks and due to death of Laius and other circumstances Oedipus became the new king of Thebes. SECTION 3: Dramatic Plot: In ten sentences, summarize the drama’s basic plot. 1. Oedipus arrives in Thebes and unknowingly kills the king and his father (Laius). 2. Oedipus correctly answered the riddle of the sphinx and becomes the ruler of Thebes. 3. Oedipus learns that Laius was murdered and recruited Creon to further investigate. 4. Oedipus announces that severe consequences will be imposed on the murder of Laius or anyone who is hiding information. 5.Oedipus speaks with the future seer, Tiresias, during their conversation Tiresias makes wild accusations 6. Oedipus calls out Creon for â€Å"making† Tiresias make wild and falseShow MoreRelatedReview Of Oedipus The King 1394 Words   |  6 PagesMotif in Oedipus the King Sophocles’ writing style in the play, Oedipus the King, offers incredible insight into the ways that authors utilize recurring symbols to create motif in their plays and writings. This particular play uses a blend of irony, wit, and metaphor to create a literary motif. Sophocles explores the literal aspects of sight and blindness, in the form of knowledge and oblivion. Through recurring symbols of sight and blindness, both literal and metaphorical, Sophocles creates a motifRead MoreCharacter Analysis : Creon s Oedipus The King 1180 Words   |  5 PagesCollege Character Analysis: Creon In Oedipus the King by Sophocles, a fatal curse is put upon the town of Thebes. Creon, current king and brother of Jocasta, gives the throne to Oedipus because he freed the city from the Sphinx. Creon is asked to seek help from Apollo, the son of Zeus and Leto, and twin brother of Artemis by Oedipus, his brother in law. Creon reveals to Oedipus that the only way to dismantle the curse is to discover who killed Laius, the former king of Thebes, and then to prosecuteRead More Character Analysis: The Personality of Oedipus Essay1630 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom the play â€Å"Oedipus the King† by Sophocles is used for both of these reasons. Sophocles wished to show that one cannot escape fate, yet did not want to cloud this issue with a possible coupe against his main character Oedipus. He also showed how, at times one character can act completely irrational, while one remains calm in the face of serious accusations. Creon is the brother of Iocaste, the Queen of Thebes, and was the brother-in-law to both King Laios and King Oedipus. When King Laios was regentRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus The King 1127 Words   |  5 Pages For A Life Of Regrets Oedipus the King is a play written by Sophocles. Oedipus is the main figure and legend of Sophocles play. After Oedipus birth into the world, his father King Laius of Thebes heard from a prophet that his own child was destined to kill him. Sophocles play begins from past to present and starts to unravel the journeys Oedipus goes through. Oedipus isn t an evil character as one would think while reading the story. He neverRead More Free Will in Oedipus the King Essay1474 Words   |  6 PagesFree Will in Oedipus the King Oedipus the King by Sophocles is the story of a man who was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. The story continues in the tradition of classic Greek plays, which were based upon the Greeks’ beliefs at the time. The ancient Greeks believed that their gods decided what would ultimately happen to each and every person. Since those gods destined Oedipus to kill his father and marry his mother, Oedipus’ life was definitely fated. However, the gods onlyRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1637 Words   |  7 PagesThe play Oedipus Tyrannus, written by Sophocles, is one of the greatest renowned Greek drama tragedies. Have you ever heard the saying if you do not know your past, then it can come back to haunt you? This theme is played upon heavily though out the story to where it also becomes somewhat about self-discovery along the way. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, based some of his book Poetics on Oedipus. According to Aristotle the definition of a tragic hero is a character that due to the wrongs of theirRead More Sigmund Freud’s Interpretation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus1369 Words   |  6 PagesSigmund Freud’s Interpretation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus Throughout the years, there have been many interpretations of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus. However, one of the most interesting interpretations of the play would have to be one that uses the theories of Sigmund Freud to analyze the actions of the characters. The use of various aspects of Freudian theory such as the id, ego, superego, and the Oedipus Complex reveals Oedipus and his behaviors throughout the course of the play. InRead More Marxist Theory and Oedipus the King Essay1339 Words   |  6 PagesMarxist Theory and Oedipus the King      Ã‚  Ã‚   The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles (Marx and Engels 2). This excerpt, taken from Karl Marxs and Friedrich Engels The Communist Manifesto, explains the two primary classes found throughout most of Europe during the era of the Industrial Revolution. These classes were the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The former were known as the exploiters and the latter as the exploited. The wealth, power,Read MoreOedipus Key Passage Analysis1366 Words   |  6 PagesName: Simran Bhatia Key Passage Outline Title of the work: Oedipus Author: Sophocles Chapter: Scene 2 (Creon’s long part) Page number: 1000 Revelation of Theme Character Both State the theme: Creon is very power hungry, yet very intelligent. Why is this a key passage? I believe this was a key passage as it is revealed to the readers just how cunning Creon really is, taking advantageRead MoreOedipus, A Tragic Hero1648 Words   |  7 Pages Oedipus, a Tragic Hero Bob Livingston Liberty University â€Æ' Sophocles presented the world with Oedipus around 2500 years ago. Never-the-less, the story remains among the most riveting of all time. He was, in fact, a man that was driven by a very high internal moral standard. It was that internal moral standard that ultimately entwined him in a sequence of events and circumstances that placed him in the spousal relationship with his mother. Oedipus, in fact, can truly be regarded as a tragic

The Chinese Culture A Chinese-American Family Reunion Free Essays

My wife is originally from the southern part of China, so her family is a mixture of descendants of China and the Americans who have married into the family. A few years ago her family had a reunion to gather together and visit with one another, and I was invited to attend. While I had experienced some of the Chinese culture prior to the event, the reunion was the first time that I really got to observe the traditional culture in real life. We will write a custom essay sample on The Chinese Culture: A Chinese-American Family Reunion or any similar topic only for you Order Now The event was a very elegant occasion, more like a banquet than the typical American family reunion. There was tons of food, most of which was Chinese, and even Chinese decorations. There were red lanterns strung around the room, all lit as the evening approached. They were very beautiful, but as it turns out they are not used for beauty. The lanterns symbolize good luck and hope. They are used every year in China at the Lantern Festival, when they line the streets to symbolize this same meaning. The color red also has significance in the Chinese culture. It is believed to be the color of luck. Some of the older family members spoke the Chinese language, which was interesting to witness, but most everyone spoke English. I am an American with family roots in Germany, so the two cultures are vastly different. The biggest difference I noticed was how much more reserved the Chinese people seemed to typical American families. Even the children, who were laughing and playing, seemed to be more respectful than American children. This aspect of the culture impacted me the most. I realized how different people are from different parts of the world, and especially those who live in America, but have been raised with traditional Chinese values. It amazes me how different cultures can vary so greatly. I enjoyed this learning experience with my wife’s family and I look forward to many more Chinese events in the future. References: Chinatown Connection, â€Å"Lantern Festival.† Chinatown Connection. n.d.. Chinatown Connection. 5 May 2008 http://www.chinatownconnection.com/lantern-festival.htm. Lee, Danile. â€Å"Chinese People Lifestyle.† Chinatown Connection. n.d.. Chinatown Connection. 5 May 2008 http://www.chinatownconnection.com/chinese-people-lifestyle.htm. How to cite The Chinese Culture: A Chinese-American Family Reunion, Essay examples

Navratri Essay Example

Navratri Essay The Hindu Festival, Navratri, Nava meaning nine, and Ratri meaning nights, is typically observed in the fall between the months of September and October, although specific dates are determined in accordance to the lunar calendar and can vary each year. In some parts of India, a Navaratri festival is celebrated in the spring as well as the fall (Fuller) and is a nine night, ten day festival, in which the Mother Goddess and her various forms are celebrated each day (HEB). During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshipped, [and are said to] signify various traits that the goddess influences us with† (Navratri). This festival is observed in most parts of India, particularly in northern India, eastern and western India, although the nine Devis worshipped during this time period depend on the tradition of the region in which the festival is being celebrated (Navratri). Consequently, within each region various styles of the Navratri Festival are practiced and ritualized (Sivananda). However, the central, unifying goal of this observance is to â€Å"propitiate Shakti, the Goddess in Her aspect as Power, to bestow upon man all wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, knowledge, †¦ and all other potent powers† (Sivananda). Navaratri celebrates the defeat of the buffalo-demon Mahisasura/Mahishasura by the Great Goddess, Devi or Shakti. In this myth, Mahisasura had preformed severe penances in order to win the favor of the deity Brahma. In doing so, he was granted the blessing of invincibility against all males (HEB). Viewing women as a non-threat, Mahisasura saw himself as immortal and so began to wreak havoc in the heavens and on earth (HEB). â€Å"Mahisasura soon ousted the gods from the heavens and [had begun] to destroy the order of the universe† (Fuller). After humiliating defeats by Mahisasura, the supreme gods, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, decided to pool their powers together to create a being powerful enough to stop Mahisasura, the goddess Durga. Armed with the powers of the three Gods, weapons from for each of her ten arms, as well as a lion to ride upon into battle, Durga was able to slain Mahisasura (Mahishasura). We will write a custom essay sample on Navratri specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Navratri specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Navratri specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer At the end of a tremendous struggle in which the demon’s army was defeatd, the goddess was able to spear Mahisasura with her trident and cut off his head (Fuller), restoring the cosmic order. During the nine days of celebration, the repeated recitation of mantras are said to be of great benefit to the devotee (Clothey). â€Å"These prayers are offered for the protection of health and prosperity, Navratri is traditionally an auspicious and religious time for starting new ventures† (Navratri). In north India, Navratri is celebrated by fasting for all nine days, while worshiping all nine forms Durga (Navratri). In the state of West Bengal in east India, the last four days of the autumnal Navratri take on a particularly dramatic form with the delicately crafted and decorated creations of life-size clay idols of the deity Durga slaying Mahisasura. In the state of Gujarat, located in east India, Navratri is celebrated with the famous Garba/Garbha dance (Navratri). Garbha is performed mainly by women, who in cadence to pulsating rhythm of music and clapping, â€Å"[exhibit stunning performances] around a traditionally decorated terracotta pot called the Garbi. This centerpiece has a small Diya (lamp) burning within, signifying knowledge, or the light meant to dissipate the ignorance, or darkness, within† (Navratri Festival). Customarily, in the Garbha dance form, the leader begins to dance in rhythm with the first line of the song. Dancers who were once swaying gracefully with their arms to the metrical beating and clapping then begin to follow and commence dancing. (Navratri Festival). However, not all deeply rooted customs and myths are able to maintain their traditional counterparts. Today, dances like the Garba are highly commercialized to the point that the original, customary dance is being substituted with much less traditional rhythms and sounds. Throughout India, in all locations, Navratri is divided into sets of three days in order to adore the three different aspects of the supreme god or goddess. (Navratri) On the first of the three days, the goddess of valor, Durga is recognized. (Navratri Festival). During this time Durga, also know as Kali, is invoked to destroy all of one’s impurities (Navratri). During the next three days, Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth, is then called upon to bestow her gifts upon her devotees. The final three days are held in celebration of Saraswati, Goddess of Wisdom, to bestow all around success upon her worshipers. (Navratri) During each of the nine days of worship in the Navratri Festival, specific proceedings and ceremonies must be performed in the Temple to properly display and pay homage to Durga in her defeat of the immensely powerful demon Mahisasura. In the article, â€Å"The Navaratri Festival in Madurai,† the authors, Fuller and Logan, illustrate the many celebratory rituals, their meanings, and the timing of the customs preformed by the temple priests of Madurai. The in-depth detail provided concerning the daily rituals within Madurai’s temples and that of the home, (Fuller) represent the complexity and varied practices among not only across the far reaches of India, but even within same city blocks. Superficially, the nine-day celebration of Navratri in worship of Devi is one of triumph and elation in the victorious struggle to defeat Mahishasura and his army and restore order to the universe. However, according to the author Sivananda, Navratri is more than the celebration of a myth, but is also a representation of a practical truth. â€Å"In its cosmic aspect, it epitomizes the stages of the evolution of man into God, from Jivahood (the state of individualization) to Shivahood (the state of Self-realization)†¦ it shows the course that his spiritual practice should take† (Sivananda). The author then parallels the groupings of days and the goddesses they represent to demonstrate the significance of the Navratri Festival as a guide for its Hindu followers to recognize and achieve their eternal identity with the Supreme Spirit. Firstly, they must pray to the deity Durga, adored as a supreme power and force, to destroy all of one’s impurities and provide the ability to persevere in the struggle to root out any evil tendencies one might have. Secondly, in conjunction with Lakshmi, one can now acquire a wealth of positive attributes in place of the eliminated negative qualities. Finally the aspirant wishing to recognize their eternal identity can now be open to attain the light of true wisdom with the help of the goddess Saraswati, giving full knowledge of the self. This breakdown and analysis of the various events by the author, Sivananda, allows for greater understanding and meaning of the significance of Navratri. Sirananda provides an analysis of the festival that would be relevant to the common Hindu worshiper. Sirananda’s descriptions compliment the popular press’s coverage of Navratri and demonstrate that there is religious backing to the popular celebrations undertaken during the festival. These groupings parallel the idea that spiritual evolution is not made simply and quickly, and that it is a process of purification and acquisition. With each evil quality that is purged, a virtuous opposite must be the replacement, at which point, when all of one’s impurities are no longer present and supreme wisdom has befallen the seeker, only then can he or she achieve stability in an ever-changing and cyclical world.

Smile Too Much Essays - Concept Albums, Facial Expressions, Laughter

Smile Too Much Essays - Concept Albums, Facial Expressions, Laughter Smile Too Much Smile Too Much? Over the years women have always smiled and you never know why. Women smiling is and everyday occurrence but unlike men they don?t smile as much. Men are more of the type who likes to look big, bad and brave so they think that smiling isn?t for men. When men and women smile around other people it makes them feel more comfortable to be around them. I have experienced being very nervous about being around people who don?t smile and it?s kind of uncomfortable to be around them, because you never know if they?re in a good mood or a bad mood. Most adults these days especially men don?t smile as much because of the economy and how it?s going downhill. For instance they might not be smiling because they just went to get gas and it was over three bucks a gallon and they thought that was absolutely outrageous. Smiling is important to a lot of people so they know how to feel around one person. Amy Cunningham had a very good perspective of smiling between women and men. Her husband stated ?Your smiling face and unthreatening demeanor make people like you in a fuzzy way, but that doesn?t seem to be what you?re after these days.? Smiling is important in women?s lives because we smile constantly. Men smile sometimes but it?s not as common as women do. Guys sometimes judge girls/women on their smile because your smile shows some of your personality. Take me for example I?m usually always smiling when I walk into a classroom or say hi to people I pass in the hallways. Some girls would just not smile at all or be one of the girls who live in their own little world and not smile at anything. Men on the other hand try to avoid smiling because they want to look like a man and men don?t smile, they hide it so people can?t see their emotions. In my opinion some guys smile are great and I don?t know why they would want to hide it front of people. When it comes to Smiling between men an d women it works in a bunch of different ways. In other countries smiling can be used as showing them how they hide their feelings like pain or sadness. People expect women to smile no matter how they feel. Like ?let?s take the example of the woman walking down the street, A car full of guy are driving and see a lady walking down the street and yell ? hey baby, smile! Life?s not that bad is it If women don?t smile everybody thinks something is wrong with her. ?Women weren?t expected to seem animated and responsive; in fact, immoderate laughter was once considered one of the more conspicuous vices a woman could have, and mirth was downright sinful.? See in the earlier days it was said it was bad for women to smile or laugh. But when men don?t smile everyone thinks is a natural thing that guys shouldn?t smile or be made to smile. A weakness I thought that stood out the most would have to be that Cunningham didn?t mention about guys smiling, yes I know this article I read was about women smiling, but, they need to at least put some input into men smiling as well. Also it doesn?t mention a lot about if women never smiled or wouldn?t smile. Women smile a lot but when they don?t there is a reason for that and some people don?t take that into consideration that there are reasons why we don?t smile and that we don?t always have to tell people what is wrong. Some of the time women smile so people don?t notice they are hurting inside because they don?t want to be bothered by all the questions of why you aren?t happy. Women don?t have to smile but they were expected to back in the days when women had to smile. But honestly I think that was unfair because women had to be the one who looked happy all the time even if they didn?t want to. Unlike men they got to chosen when they wanted to smile. In these days in

Data Definition and Examples of Data in Argument

Data Definition and Examples of Data in Argument In the Toulmin model of argument, data is the evidence or specific information that supports a claim. The Toulmin model was introduced by British philosopher Stephen Toulmin in his book The Uses of Argument (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1958). What Toulmin calls data is sometimes referred to as evidence, reasons, or grounds. Examples and Observations: Challenged to defend our claim by a questioner who asks, What have you got to go on?, we appeal to the relevant facts at our disposal, which Toulmin calls our data (D). It may turn out to be necessary to establish the correctness of these facts in a preliminary argument. But their acceptance by the challenger, whether immediate or indirect, does not necessarily end the defense.(David Hitchcock and Bart Verheij, Introduction to Arguing on the Toulmin Model: New Essays in Argument Analysis and Evaluation. Springer, 2006) Three Types of Data In an argumentative analysis, a distinction is often made between three data types: data of the first, second and third order. First-order data are the convictions of the receiver; second-order data are claims by the source, and third-order data are the opinions of others as cited by the source. First-order data offer the best possibilities for convincing argumentation: the receiver is, after all, convinced of the data. Second-order data are dangerous when the credibility of the source is low; in that case, third-order data must be resorted to.  (Jan Renkema, Introduction to Discourse Studies. John Benjamins, 2004) The Three Elements in an Argument Toulmin suggested that every argument (if it deserves to be called an argument) must consist of three elements: data, warrant, and claim.The claim answers the question What are you trying to get me to believe?it is the ending belief. Consider the following unit of proof: Uninsured Americans are going without needed medical care because they are unable to afford it. Because access to health care is a basic human right, the United States should establish a system of national health insurance. The claim in this argument is that the United States should establish a system of national health insurance.Data (also sometimes called evidence) answers the question What have we got to go on?it is the beginning belief. In the foregoing example of a unit of proof, the data is the statement that uninsured Americans are going without needed medical care because they are unable to afford it. In the context of a debate round, a debater would be expected to offer statistics or an authoritative quotati on to establish the trustworthiness of this data. Warrant answers the question How does the data lead to the claim?it is the connector between the beginning belief and the ending belief. In the unit of proof about health care, the warrant is the statement that access to health care is a basic human right. A debater would be expected to offer some support for this warrant.  (R. E. Edwards, Competitive Debate: The Official Guide. Penguin, 2008) Data would be counted as premises under the standard analysis.  (J. B. Freeman, Dialectics and the Macrostructure of Arguments. Walter de Gruyter, 1991) Pronunciation: DAY-tuh or DAH-tuh Also Known As: grounds

Marketing Mix for U.S.A car market Chery Cars China Essay - 9

Marketing Mix for U.S.A car market Chery Cars China - Essay Example s home Chinese market along with global operations, it has been found that with the help of knowledgeable and skilled workforce, the company has maintained a unique presence amid its well-known rivals globally. Chery has used its marketing practices with the intention of gaining decisive competitive advantages. Correspondingly, it is recommended that Chery will have to largely focus on standardisation along with adaptation of a few factors regarding marketing activities depending upon the situation and circumstances to ensure its successful operations in the US. Chery Automobile Company Limited is one of the renowned automotive manufacturing companies in global market. It had started operations in China in 1997 and within a short span of time it has extended its business globally. In terms of recent observations, Chery has introduced more than 20 models of cars which are available in the market. Certainly, the management of Chery is interested in entering the substantial market of the United States car market, probably with a joint new brand marque with the Jaguar Land Rover (Chery, 2013). According to the given scenario it has been observed Jaguar Land Rover seals the deal with Chinese company for an investment of $1.1 billion (Telegraph Media Group Limited, 2014). The automotive market of the US has been the second largest market in the world. Over the years, many automotive companies have extended their business in the US primarily because it is one of the foremost markets of SUVs, sports cars, and luxury cars in the world in terms of size and buying power of the US consumers (Bloomberg, 2010). During the last decade, it has been observed that the necessity of cars in the US market has been enormous even after the high fuel prices and the world petroleum crisis. It is expected that US automobile will continue to grow in the near future. According to the analysis in has been observed that, cars are preferred by the U.S. consumer according to the location and

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Questions - Assignment Example It has also made researchers lazy to go to the field and get first-hand research results. The audience accessing education has drastically increased hence much knowledge and skills are being acquired. On the other hand, false information is also found on the internet hence may be misleading to people who are learning. It has been easy for teachers to use the internet to elaborate their point in class and motivate their students. I second the statement to focus technology on e-learning delivery methods in public school districts. E learning is one of the flexible ways for students to participate in learning. In addition, it reduces congestion in schools and the need for the teacher to concentrate too much on the subject matter. With e learning, it is possible to have ready notes right in seconds and attend to assignments and researches. E learning holds the importance of educational opportunities across the globe for vast audiences of learners. Most students in higher learning institutions are proficient in computer uses and skilled at internet navigation. It is a method of acquiring knowledge whose performance is influenced by various factors such as student’s perception regarding ability to do tasks ad achieve goals, motivation to explore, and knowledge desire. Internet has been a source of motivation to learners since it is flexible, diverse and broad (Chang et. al, 2014). The positive aspects of these effects is that learning is interesting and learners are not pushed to engage in learning activities but on the other hand it has brought so much laziness amongst the students and reliance on information that is not true. Constructivism is a significant dominant pedagogy that applies in the e-learning process. It encourages students to build their own knowledge base regarding individual experience. It is considered the ideal aspect of e learning.

Gender Roles in Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare Essay

Throughout Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, there is an overlaying presence of the typical roles that men and women were supposed to play. During Elizabethan times there was a major difference between the way men and women were supposed to act. Men typically were supposed to be masculine and powerful, and defend the honor. Women, on the other hand, were supposed to be subservient to their men in their lives and do as ever they wished. In Romeo and Juliet the typical gender roles that men and women were supposed to play had an influence on the fate of their lives. The beginning of Act one opens with a brawl in the street between the servants of the Capulets and the Montagues. The origin of the fight introduces the important theme of masculine honor. Sampson, one of Capulets servants, shows this masculinity by saying, â€Å"Draw, if you be men.† (I.i.64). Later on in the play in Act II, scene i. the display of honor and masculinity comes up again during the fight between Mercutio and Tybault. As Mercutio lay slain Romeo says to him, â€Å"Courage, man. The hurt cannot be much.† (III.i.96). Even as his friend is dying the two men try and act masculine because they did not want to show their fears. But on the other side of this masculinity is love. For Elizabethan society believed that a man who loved too much lost his masculinity. Romeo clearly subscribes to that belief when he states that his love for Juliet made him â€Å"effeminate.† During Elizabethan times wo...

End of Poverty Guide Essay

Sachs throws out the normal ways of thinking about the causes of poverty in countries, for instance that people are lazy or stupid, or the countries are not democratic, and that corruption is wide-spread. Fifty percent of the world’s population exists on less than one dollar per day. He believes that much of the problem is structural, which can only be dealt with through the help of the rich countries. Sachs believes, first of all, that all current debt owed by the poor countries should be cancelled. Secondly, if the rich countries would increase their development aid from .2% to .7% there would be enough money available to increase the economic growth so that all countries would no longer be extremely poor. If MAI is to become known as an agency which teaches a new way of dealing with poverty, then we need to become aware of this book and Sachs understanding and approach to poverty. Chapter Twelve really speaks to CHE. I have tried to review what has appeared to me to be the most salient points, chapter by chapter. All chapters are not treated equally. I primarily do this exercise for myself to help me understand the key points from the book. If they are of any help to others, then that is a plus. I have gone into more detail in the other synopsis I have done because of the possible guidance this book can give us for a new paradigm for dealing with poverty individually, locally, nationally and globally (which in reality we are already on the road in doing). Some things are both structural and governmental issues and I am not suggesting that we get involved in these, but change must begin at the village level and then we can scale up our strengths from there. Chapter One–A Global Family Portrait Sachs sets the stage for his thesis and book using examples of Malawi, Bangladesh, India, and China to show different levels of poverty. He talks abut the ascending ladder of economic development for countries. †¢ Lowest are those who are too ill, hungry, or destitute to get even a foot on the bottom rung of the development ladder. They make up the bottom 1/6 of the world’s population, or one billion people. They are the poorest of the poor and live on less than $1 a day. †¢ A few rungs up the ladder at the upper end of the low-income countries are another 1.5 billion people. They live just above the subsistence level. These two groups make up 40% of the world’s population. CHE targets both of these groups, and especially with the first group. †¢ Another 2.5 billion include the IT workers of India. Most of them live in the cities and are moderately poor. †¢ One billion or one-sixth of the world come from the rich developed countries. Sachs says the greatest tragedy of our time is that one-sixth of the world’s population is not even on the first rung of the ladder. A large number of the extremely poor in level one are caught in the poverty trap and cannot escape it. They are trapped by disease, physical isolation, climate stress, environmental degradation, and extreme poverty itself. He breaks poverty into three levels: †¢ Extreme poverty means households cannot meet basic needs for survival. This only occurs in developing countries. World Bank says their income is less than $1 a day. †¢ Moderate poverty is where needs are generally just barely met. World Bank says this represents countries where their income falls between $1 and $2 per day. †¢ Relative poverty generally describes household income level at being below a given percentage of the average national income. You find this in developed countries. He then presents the Challenge of our Generation which includes: †¢ Helping the poorest of the poor escape the misery of extreme poverty and help them begin their climb up the ladder of economic development. †¢ Ensuring all who are the world’s poor, including moderately poor, have a chance to climb higher in economic development. He believes that the following can be done: †¢ Meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. †¢ End extreme poverty by 2025. †¢ To ensure well before 2025, that all of the world’s poor countries can make reliable progress up the ladder of economic development. †¢ To accomplish this with modest financial help from the riches countries, which will be more than is now provided per capita. Chapter Two–The Spread of Economic Prosperity Sachs uses several graphs in this chapter. I will not go into detail on these, but I will point out some salient points: †¢ All regions of the world were poor in 1820. †¢ All regions experienced economic progress, though some much more than others. †¢ Today’s richest regions experienced by far the greatest economic progress. As an example, Africa has only grown at .7% a year while the USA at 1.7%. This may not seem much, but when compounded year-by-year, it results in the great differences between the two. †¢ The key fact today is not the transfer of income from one region to another, but rather that the overall increase in the world’s income is happening at different rates in different regions. Until the 1700’s, the world was remarkably poor by today’s standards. A major change was the industrial revolution coming to certain regions and not to others. The steam engine was a decisive turning point because it mobilized the vast store of primary energy which unlocked the mass production of goods and services. Modern energy fueled every aspect of the economic takeoff. As coal fueled industry, industry fueled political power. Britain’s industrial breakthrough created a huge military and financial advantage. But Britain also had existing individual initiative and social mobility than most other countries of the world. They also had a strengthening of institution and liberty. Britain also had a major geographical advantage–one of isolation and protection of the sea, in addition to access to the oceans for worldwide transportation for their goods and importation of other countries’ goods. Sachs then goes on to outline what has fostered major economic growth: †¢ Modern economic growth is accompanied by people moving to the cities, or urbanization. This means fewer and fewer people produce the food that is required for the country. Hopefully, food price per farmer decreases as larger plots are farmed more productively. This also means sparsely populated land makes good sense when many farms are needed to grow the crops, but sparse land makes little sense when more and more people are engaged in manufacturing in the cities. †¢ Modern economic growth fostered a revolution in social mobility which affected social ranking of people. A fixed social order depends on status quo and agrarian population. †¢ There is a change in gender roles with economic development. This affects living conditions as well as family structure. The desired number of children decreases. †¢ The division of labor increases. By specializing in one activity instead of many, producti vity increases. The diffusion of economic growth occurred in three main forms: †¢ From Britain to its colonies in North America, Australia and New Zealand. (It was therefore relatively straight-forth to transfer British technologies, food crops and even legal institutions.) †¢ A second diffusion took place within Europe that ran from Western Europe to Eastern Europe, and from Northern Europe to Southern Europe. †¢ The third wave of diffusion was from Europe to Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Sachs believes that the single most important reason for prosperity spread is the transmission of technology and the ideas underlying it. The technological advances came at different times. †¢ The first wave revolved around the invention of the steam engine which led to factory-producing goods. †¢ The second wave in the 19th century was led by the introduction of the rail and telegraph. It also included the introduction of steam ships instead of sailing ones, and the construction of the Suez Canal. †¢ The third wave was initiated by electrification of industry and urban society. Along with this came the development of the internal combustion engine. †¢ The fourth wave came in the 20th century with the globalization of the world due to new methods of communication starting in Europe. †¢ There came a time of a great rupture which took place with the start of World War I, and sidetracked economic development for awhile. This led to the Great Depression which led to World War II. †¢ A fifth wave took place right after World War II, and in 1991. It began with the massive efforts of reconstruction of Europe and Japan right after World War II. Trade barriers began to come down. There were three worlds: the first was the developed West, the second was comprised of Socialist countries, and the third was made up of undeveloped countries (which were made up of the old colony countries). The world therefore progressed on three tracks. The problem was that the second and third worlds did not share in economic growth and actually went backward. By closing their economies, they closed themselves off from economic development. So what did this mean to the poorest of the poor countries? †¢ They did not begin their economic growth until decades later. †¢ They faced geographical barriers of being land-locked †¢ They faced the brutal exploitation of the colonial powers. †¢ They made disastrously bad choices in their national policies. Chapter Three–Why Some Countries Fail In this chapter, Sachs looks at the cause of poverty and possible solutions. He first deals with, how a family’s per-capita income might increase: †¢ The first way is through savings– either in cash or similar assets like animals, etc. †¢ The second way is shifting to crops that bring a higher yield per hectare, and then adding value to the crop (which is what we teach in our PAD training). †¢ The third way is adopting new technology, which improves their productivity. †¢ The fourth way is resource boom, which means to move to a much larger and more fertile farm. The flip side of increasing their economic growth is by decreasing their per capita income which is more than just the opposite of the above factors: †¢ Lack of savings is of course one way to reduce per capita income. †¢ Lack of trade, meaning that a household hears of the new crop but cannot take advantage of it and stays with what they have. †¢ Technological reversal is when something like HIV hits an area and children lose their parents etc. †¢ Natural resource decline is where the land becomes less and less fertile producing less and less crops. †¢ Adverse Productivity Shock is where a natural disaster hits like a drought, tsunami, earthquake, typhoon, etc. †¢ Population growth lessens per capita income where the father has two hectares of land and it is divided among his five sons at his death. Now Sachs begins to get into the true heart of poverty on a country level: †¢ The poverty trap itself is where poverty is so extreme that the poor do not have the ability by themselves to get out of the mess. †¢ Physical geography plays a major role where countries are land-locked with poor or no roads, a lack of navigable rivers, or situated in mountain ranges or deserts with an extremely high transportation cost. The low productivity of the land is another factor in the geography. †¢ The fiscal trap is where the government lacks the resources to pay for the necessary infrastructure on which economic growth depends. †¢ Government failure happens when the government is not concentrating on high priority infrastructure and social service projects. †¢ Cultural or religious barriers especially as it relates to gender inequality play a significant role in dampening economic growth. †¢ Geopolitics such as trade barriers can impede economic growth. †¢ Lac k of innovation and technology plays a role if people cannot try new things because they cannot risk failure, or because they do not have funds to do so. Sachs believes that over the span of two centuries, the lack of using new technology is why the richest and poorest countries have diverged. †¢ He shows a scatter-gram graph showing there is a demographic trap as well. The higher the fertility rate, the lower rate of economic growth there is in a country. When they have too many children, they cannot invest in education, nutrition, or health, except maybe for the oldest male. One of the best ways to lower the number of children per family is through the education of the girls. Sachs then goes into detail in putting countries into different classes. He points out that none of the rich countries in North American, Western Europe or East Asia have failed to grow economically. All the problems lie in the developing world where 45 of these countries had a fall in GDP. Not all of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. He also points out that the oil-exporting and ex-Soviet countries, all high income countries, did not increase their economic growth evenly, primarily because of their authoritarian political structure. He also points out that the most important factor is agriculture. Those countries that used high yield cereals per hectare and that used high levels of fertilizers are the poor countries that tended to experience economic growth. In Africa, the land is much less densely populated but they use neither high yield cereals nor fertilizers and they had falling food production per capita. But they also have far less roads for transporting extra crops to markets and they depend on rainfall which is generally more erratic than high-producing agricultural countries. He also goes on to point out the following: †¢ Economic growth is rarely uniformly distributed across a country. †¢ Governments also fail in their role in allowing growth that might enrich the rich households, while the poorest living in the same area seldom seem to benefit. †¢ Another detriment to growth can be culture especially as it relates to women inequality. Chapter Four–Clinical Economics (CE) Sachs compares clinical economics to clinical medicine. He lays out five parameters for Clinical Economics: †¢ CE is made up of complex systems. The failure in one system can lead to cascades of failures in other parts of the economy. You therefore need to deal with very broad and multiple issues. †¢ CE practitioners need to learn the art of clinical diagnosis. The CE practitioner must hone-in on the key underlying causes of economic distress and prescribe appropriate remedies that are tailor-made to each country’s condition. †¢ Treatment needs to be viewed in family terms, not individual terms. The entire world is part of each country’s family. If countries work together they can have far more impact than working in isolation. †¢ Good CE practice requires monitoring and evaluation. More than just asking if the goals are being achieved, but also asking â€Å"why?† and â€Å"why not?† †¢ The development community lacks the requisite ethical and professional standards. Economic development does not take its work with the sense of responsibility that the task requires. It demands that honest advice be given. He points out where economic development practice has gone wrong: †¢ The rich countries say, â€Å"Poverty is your own fault. Be like us, have a free market, be entrepreneurial, fiscally responsible and your problems will be gone†. †¢ The IMF period of structural adjustment which supposedly dealt with the four maladies of poor governance, excessive government intervention in the markets, excessive government spending, and too much state ownership were not solved by the IMF prescription of belt tightening, privatization, liberalization, and good governance. †¢ The responsibility for poverty reduction was assumed to lie entirely with poor countries themselves. He then lays out his differential diagnosis for poverty reduction. He believes the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) goes a long way in reducing poverty. Once the diagnosis is completed, a proper treatment regime must be carried out. In doing differential diagnosis, questions must be asked in each one of the following areas: †¢ Identify and map the extent of extreme poverty– from the household level all the way up through the community to the country to the state– in all areas of life. †¢ The second set of questions deals with the economic policy framework. †¢ The third set deals with the fiscal framework. †¢ Fourth deals with physical geography and human ecology. †¢ Fifth, the questions deal with the patterns of governance. History has shown that democracy is not a prerequisite for economic development. †¢ Sixth are questions which deal with cultural barriers that hinder economic development. †¢ The last are questions that are related to geopolitics which involves a country’s security and relationship with the rest of the world. The next six chapters, five through ten, deal with specific countries that have gone through this process, and their results. His results are quite impressive. I will not deal much with each country, but an individual chapter might be of interest to the RC involved if he is interested in such things. Chapter Five–Bolivia’s High Rate of Inflation Problem: A hyperinflation rate of 3000% (30 times) between July 1984 and July 1985 with a longer term hyperinflation rate of 24,000%. Lessons Learned: †¢ Stabilization is a complex process. Ending a large budget deficit may be the first step but controlling the underlying forces that cause the budget deficit is much more complex. †¢ Macroeconomics tools are limited in their power. †¢ Successful change requires a combination of technocratic knowledge, bold political leadership, and broad social participation. †¢ Success requires not only bold reforms at home, but also financial help from abroad. †¢ Poor countries must demand their due. Chapter Six–Poland’s Return to Europe Problem: By the end of 1989, Poland had partially suspended its international debt payments. The economy was suffering from high rate of rising inflation and there was a deepening political crisis. Sachs’ approach in Poland, as in other countries, was built on five pillars: †¢ Stabilization–ending the high rate of inflation, establishing stability and convertible currency. †¢ Liberalization–allowing markets to function by legalizing private economic activity (ending price controls and establishing necessary laws). †¢ Privatization– identifying private owners for assets currently held by the state. †¢ Social net–pensions and other benefits for the elderly and poor were established. †¢ Institutional Harmonization–adopting, step-by-step, the economic laws, procedures, and institutions. Lessons Learned: †¢ He learned how a country’s fate is crucially determined by its specific linkages to the rest of the world. †¢ Again the importance of the basic guidance concept for broad-based economic transformation, not to stand alone with separate solutions. †¢ Saw again the practical possibilities of large-scale thinking †¢ He learned not to take â€Å"no† for an answer, press on with your guidance. †¢ By the time a country has fallen into deep crisis, it requires some external help to get back on track. †¢ This help may be in the form of getting the basics right which includes debt cancellation and help to bolster confidence in the reforms. Chapter Seven–Russia’s Struggle for Normalcy Problem: The Soviet Union relied almost entirely on its oil and gas exports to earn foreign exchange, and on its use of oil and gas to run its industrial economy. In the mid- 1980’s, the price of oil and gas plummeted and the Soviet Union’s oil production began to fall. Sachs suggested three actions of the West (but generally they were ignored by the West): †¢ A stabilization fund for the ruble. †¢ Immediate suspension of debt repayment followed by cancellation of their debts. †¢ A new aid program for transformation focusing on the most vulnerable sectors of the Russian economy. Lesson Learned: †¢ Despite much turmoil and rejection much went right so that eventually Russia became a lopsided market economy, still focused on oil and gas. †¢ Russia has a gigantic land mass which causes it to have few linkages with other nations of the world. †¢ Their population densities are low and agrarian and food production per hectare remains low. Over history, 90% of the population has been rural, with cities few and far between. This hinders economic growth. †¢ Without adequate aid, the political consensus around the reforms was deeply undermined, thereby compromising the reform process. Chapter Eight–China Catching Up after a Half Millennium Being Isolated Problem: China lost its economic and cultural lead that it had in its early history. Sachs points out five dates which caused this: †¢ 1434 China had been the technological superpower. This year Emperor Ming closed China to the rest of the world and stopped their advanced ship fleets from going out to the world. †¢ 1839 China finally ended its economic isolation. †¢ 1898 Several young reformers tried to gain power and were stopped. †¢ 1911 Ching Dynasty collapsed and by 1916 China was falling into civil unrest. Their military took control of the empire. †¢ 1949 the rise of the Maoist Movement. He then compares China to Russia: †¢ The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe had massive foreign debt while China did not. †¢ China has a large coastline that supported its export growth, while Russia and Eastern Europe do not. †¢ China had the benefit of large off-shore Chinese business communities which acted as foreign investors, while Russia and Eastern Europe did not. †¢ The Soviet was experiencing a drastic decline on their main export product, oil and gas. †¢ The Soviet Union had gone further down the industrialization road than China. Chapter Nine–India Market Reform Which Was the Triumph of Hope Over Fear Problem: India was controlled by a business, British East India Company, which was driven by greed, and it did everything to maximize profit for the company at the expense of the country. Though India’s population throughout history has been Hindu, vast numbers of Muslims and Christians lived in and sometimes dominated the land. India had poor political and social structures because the land was broken into many small kingdoms governed by many different leaders. In addition, India has the caste-system of stratification of peoples. With independence from the British in 1947, Nehru looked for a path to self- sufficiency and democratic socialism. The Green Revolution had a major impact on the country as high yield crops were introduced. By 1994, India now faced four major challenges: †¢ Reforms needed to be extended especially in liberalization and the development of new and better systems. †¢ India needed to invest heavily in infrastructure †¢ India needed to invest more in health and education of its people, especially the lower castes. †¢ India needed to figure out how to pay for the needed infrastructure. Lessons Learned: †¢ The 21st century is likely to be the era when this poor country’s economic development is substantially reversed. †¢ The country has announced electricity for all as well as essential health services and drinking water for everyone. These are achievable goals and the basis for much-needed investment. †¢ The Hindus did not stifle growth. The Green Revolution and then market reforms overrode the rigidness of the caste-system and the slow growth of the 1950’s and 1960’s. †¢ India has become increasingly urbanized, thereby further weakening the caste-system. †¢ Democracy is wearing away age-old social hierarchies. †¢ India has grabbed the potential of the internet and IT and is leading the way for developing nations in this regard. †¢ India’s varied geography and its miles and miles of shoreline fosters its market position for the manufacture of products. Chapter Ten–Africa and the Dying Problem: Three centuries of slave trade were followed by a century of colonial rule which left Africa bereft of educated citizens and leaders, basic infrastructure, and public health facilities. The borders followed arbitrary lines, not historic tribal lines which now divided former empires, ethnic groups, ecosystems, watersheds, and resource deposits. The West was not willing to invest in African economic development. Corruption was not the central cause for their economic failure as he showed. In the 1980’s, HIV became the worse killer of mankind. In 2001, life expectancy stood at 47 years, while East Asia stood at 69 years, and developed countries at 78 years. Sachs spends time looking at the major diseases of malaria, TB, diarrhea, and HIV. He says poverty causes disease and disease causes poverty. Lessons Learned: †¢ Good governance and market reform alone are not sufficient to generate growth if a country is in a poverty trap. †¢ Geography has conspired with economics to give Africa a particularly weak hand. Africa lacks navigable rivers with access to the ocean for easy transport and trade. †¢ Africa lacks irrigation and depends on rainfall for their crops. †¢ Farmers lack access roads, markets, and fertilizers, while soils have been long depleted of their nutrients. Chapter Eleven–The Millennium, 9/11, and the United Nations. The beginning part of this chapter deals with the Millennium Development Goals. Sachs says that the goals and commitment to reach them by 2015 convey the hope that extreme poverty, disease, and environmental degradation could be alleviated with the wealth, the new technologies, and global awareness with which we entered the 21st century. He says the first seven goals call for sharp cuts in poverty, disease, and environmental degradation, while the eighth goal is essentially a commitment to global partnership. Because you have all seen them, I am not including them here. Regarding 9/11, he says we need to keep it in perspective. On 9/11, 3000 people died for once and for all, but 10,000 people die each day from diseases that are preventable. He believes we need to address the deeper roots of terrorism of which extreme poverty is an important element. The rich world needs to turn its efforts to a much greater extent from military strategies to economic development. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke of freedoms we were fighting for in WWII and for which we still should be attempting to accomplish: †¢ Freedom of speech and expression everywhere in the world. †¢ Freedom for every person to worship God in his own way everywhere in the world. †¢ Freedom from want which translates into economic development. †¢ Freedom from fear which translates into a worldwide reduction in armament, a reduction to such a point that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor. One major thing he is suggesting is that the rich countries elevate their giving to .7% of their GNP from the average of .2% it is today. The rest of the chapter is about President Bush and the USA policies and actions. Chapter Twelve–On-The-Ground Solutions for Ending Poverty This chapter is really talking about CHE, but Sachs does not realize it. He says that the world’s challenge is not to overcome laziness and corruption but rather to take on geographic isolation, disease, vulnerability to climate shocks, etc. with new systems of political responsibility that can get the job done. He talks about a village of less than 1,000 in western Kenya, in a Sauri sub-location (in Siaya district in Nyanza province) that he visited, which opened his eyes. He found what we find place after place– that they are impoverished, but they are capable and resourceful. Though struggling to survive, presently they are not dispirited but determined to improve their situation. He then goes on to describe the needs of a rural African community, the same type of community that we deal with every day, as shown in the abundance of applications we receive for CHE. A major problem, he feels, is that the farmers do not have the money to buy fertilizer that would impact their crop productivity drastically. Also they have no school or clinic. He then begins to calculate what it would cost per person to bring a school and teachers, simple clinic and staff, medicines, agriculture inputs such as seed and fertilizer, safe drinking water and simple sanitation, and power transport and communication services. The total cost for Sauri is about $350,000 a year, which converts to $70 a person per year, which could revolutionize the community. If he did CHE, the total cost and per person cost would be greatly reduced. He then goes ahead and extrapolates this up for the country of Kenya to $1.5 billion. At the same time he points out that Kenya’s debt service is $600 million a year and that it needs to be cancelled. But one problem that donors talk about is corruption needing to be eliminated. If countries do not eliminate corruption, they would not be eligible for relief. Also, a budget and management system need to be designed that will reach the villages and be monitorable, governable, and scalable–a set of interventions to ensure good governance on such a historic project. The key to this is to empower village-based community organizations to oversee village services. Most of what he says in this chapter sounds like CHE to me, but we can do it at even a lower cost and we have the experience to implement it. That is why I said earlier that we need to talk to Sachs about CHE. He then goes on with this theme but changes the venue from rural to urban in Mumbai, India in a slum community built smack up against the railroad tracks, one-house deep. He points out the outstanding needs are not latrines, running water, nor safety from trains, but empowerment so they can negotiate with the government. He then mentions that several groups have been found and empowered to do this in this community. Again sounds like CHE for urban poor. Sachs says what this community needs is investments in the individual and basic infra-structure that can empower people to be healthier, better educated, and more productive in the work force. CHE deals with the individual side of the equation. He ends this chapter by discussing the problem of scale. He says everything must start with the basic village. The key is connecting these basic units together into a global network that reaches from impoverished communities to the very centers of power and back again. This, too, is what we are talking about when we describe scaling-up and creating a movement and then forming it into councils and collaborative groups. He believes the rich world would readily provide the missing finances but they will wonder how to ensure that the money made available would really reach the poor and that there would be results. He says we need a strategy for scaling up the investments that will end poverty, including governance that empowers the poor while holding them accountable. I believe CHE fits his prescription. Chapter Thirteen–Making the Investments Needed to End Poverty Sachs says the extreme poor lack six kinds of capital: †¢ Human Capital: health, nutrition, and skills needed for each person to be productive. †¢ Business Capital: the machinery, facilities, and motorized transport used in agriculture, industry and services. †¢ Infrastructure Capital: water and sanitation, airports and sea ports, and telecommunications systems that are critical inputs for business productivity. †¢ Natural Capital: arable land, healthy soils, biodiversity, and well- functioning ecosystems that provide the environmental services need by human society. †¢ Public Institutional Capital: commercial law, judicial systems, government services, and policing, that underpin the peaceful and prosperous division of labor. †¢ Knowledge Capital: the scientific and technological know-how that raises productivity in business output and the promotion of physical and natural capital. He spends several pages on charts showing income flow. He also uses the example of child survival and how it applies to the six kinds of capital. He makes the point that even in the poorest societies, primary education alone is no longer sufficient. He says all youth should have a minimum of 9 years of education. He says technical capacity must be in the whole of society from the bottom up. He talks about trained community health workers and the role they can play. Villages around the world should be helped in adult education involving life and death issues such as HIV. The main challenges now is NOT to show what works in small villages or districts but rather to scale up what works to encompass a whole country, even the world. Again sounds like CHE and where we are going. He goes through several examples where major diseases are being dealt with such as malaria, river blindness, and polio, as well as spread of family planning. He also briefly talks about the cell phone revolution by the poor in Bangladesh and how East Asia has established Export Processing Zones, all of which are improving the life of the poorest of poor nations. Chapter Fourteen–A Global Compact to End Poverty He says the poorest countries themselves must take seriously the problem of ending poverty and need to devote a greater share of their national resources to accomplish this. Many poor countries pretend to reform while rich countries pretend to help them. The chronic lack of donor financing robs the poor countries of their poverty-fighting zeal. We are stuck in a show play that is not real. There are two sides in a compact. In this compact, there should be the commitment in the rich countries to help all poor countries where the collective will to be responsible partners in the endeavor is present. For the other poor countries where authoritarian or corrupt regimes hold sway, the consequences for the population are likely to be tragic but the rich countries have their limits also. He spends time looking at several countries that have Poverty Reduction Strategies where some are working and some not. Ghana is a star in his book. He says a true MDG-based poverty reduction strategy would have five parts: †¢ A Differential Diagnosis which includes identifying policies and investments that the country needs to achieve the MDGs. †¢ An Investment Plan which shows the size, timing and costs of the required investments. †¢ A Financial Plan to fund the Investment Plan, including the calculation of the MDG financing gap, the portion of the financial needs that donors will have to fill. †¢ A Donor Plan which gives multi-year commitments from donors for meeting the MDGs. †¢ A Public Management Plan that outlines the mechanisms of governance and public administration that will help implement the expanded public investment plan. During the 1980’s and 1990’s, the IMF forced Structural Readjustment on the poor countries which did not work. The poor were asked to pay all the expenses for new services. They then moved to a compromise called Social Marketing where the poor were asked to pay a portion of the expense. But neither plan worked because the poor did not have enough even to eat, much less pay for electricity. He says a sound management plan should include the following: †¢ Decentralize. Investments are needed in all the villages and the details for what is needed needs to be established at the village level through local committees, not the national capitol or Washington DC. †¢ Training. The public sector lacks the talent to oversee the scaling up process. Training programs for capacity building should be part of the strategy. †¢ Information Technology. The use of information technology–computers, e-mail and mobile phones– needs to increase drastically because of the dramatic increase of knowledge that needs to be transmitted. †¢ Measurable Benchmarks. Every MDG based poverty reduction strategy should be supported by quantitative benchmarks tailored to national conditions, needs, and data availability. †¢ Audits. No country should receive greater funding unless the money can be audited. †¢ Monitoring and Evaluation. Each country must prepare to have investments monitored and evaluated. He then goes through the following Global Policies for Poverty Reduction: †¢ The Debt Crisis. The poorest countries are unable to repay their debt, let alone carry the interest. Therefore, for each country that agrees to the guidelines noted previously, their debt must be cancelled if there is to be true poverty reduction. †¢ Global trade Policy. Poor countries need to increase their exports to the rich countries and thereby earn foreign exchange in order to import capital goods from the rich countries. Yet trade is not enough. The policy must include both aid and trade. The end of agriculture subsidies is not enough for this to happen. †¢ Science for Development. The poor are likely to be ignored by the international scientific community unless special effort is made to include things that help the poor. It is more critical to identify the priority needs for scientific research in relation to the poor than to mobilize the donor community to spur that research forward. That would include research in tropical agriculture, energy systems, climate forecasting, water management, and sustainable management of ecosystems. †¢ Environmental stewardship. The poorest of poor nations are generally innocent victims of major long-term ecosystem degradation. The rich countries must live up to the ecology agreements they have signed. The rich countries will have to give added financial assistance to the poor countries to enable them to deal with the ecosystem problems. The rich countries will have to invest more in climate research. Chapter Fifteen–Can The Rich Afford to Help the Poor? He asks the question â€Å"Can the rich countries help the poor?†, and his answer is â€Å"Can they afford not to do so?† He gives five reasons that show that the current effort is so modest. †¢ The numbers of extremely poor have declined close to 50% two generations ago to 33% a generation ago to 20% today. †¢ The goal is to end extreme poverty, not all poverty, and to close the gap between the rich and the poor. †¢ Success in ending the poverty trap will be much easier than it appears. Too little has been done to identify specific, proven, low-cost interventions that can make a difference in living standards and economic growth (CHE does this). †¢ The rich world is vastly rich. What seemed out of reach a generation or two ago is now such a small fraction of the vastly expanded income of the rich world. †¢ Our tools are more powerful than ever, including computers, internet, mobile phones, etc. He then spends time in doing calculations to show how this can be accomplished. First he starts with the World Bank. They estimate that meeting basic needs requires $1.08 per person per day. Currently, the average income of the extremely poor is 77 cents per day, creating a shortfall of 31 cents per day or $113 per person per year. He then shows that this represents only .6% of a nation’s GNP. The MDG target which many countries have agreed to is .7% of their GNP. Later on, he shows that the USA is only spending .15% for aid to the world. Sachs then spends time on a six-step process to do a needs assessment to come up with the real number needed: †¢ Identify the package of basic needs. †¢ Identify for each country the current unmet needs of the population. †¢ Calculate the costs of meeting the unmet needs through investments, taking into account future population growth. †¢ Calculate the part of the investments that can’t be financed by the country itself. †¢ Calculate the MDG financing gap that must be covered by donors. †¢ Assess the size of the donor contribution relative to donor income. He proposes that interventions are required to meet the following basic needs: †¢ Primary education for all children with a designated target ratio of pupils to teachers. †¢ Nutrition program for all vulnerable populations. †¢ Universal access to anti-malarial bed nets for all households in regions of malaria transmission. †¢ Access to safe drinking water and sanitation. †¢ One-half kilometer of paved roads for every thousand population. †¢ Access to modern cooking fuels and improved cooking stoves to decrease indoor air pollution. He states extreme poverty (a lack of access to basic needs) is very different from relative poverty (occupying a place at the bottom of the ladder of income distribution) within rich countries, and goes through a more detailed approach of implementing the six steps. He points out that not all donor assistance is for development. Much is used for emergency relief, care for resettlement of refugees, geopolitical support of particular governments, and help for middle-income countries that have largely ended extreme poverty in their country. Also, only a small portion of development aid actually helps to finance the intervention package. Much of it goes for technical assistance which is not part of the MDG numbers. He spends time on the question, â€Å"Can the USA afford the .7% of their GNP?† He responds with a deafening â€Å"Yes!† He does this in multiple ways, one of which is to show that the increase is only .55%, which would be hardly noticed in the US’s average 1.9% increase year-by-year of its GNP. Chapter Sixteen–Myths and Magic Bullets This is an interesting chapter because Sachs shoots down commonly held beliefs concerning the causes and solutions for poverty. He uses Africa as his case to do so:. †¢ Contrary to popular conception, Africa has not received great amounts of aid. They receive $30 per person per year but only $12 of that actually went to be used in development in Africa. $5 went to consultants of donor countries, $3 went to food and emergency relief, $4 for servicing Africa’s debt and $5 for debt relief. In reality, in 2002, only six cents per person went to development. †¢ Corruption is the problem which leads to poor governance. By any standard of measure Africa’s governance is low, but not due to corruption. African countries’ governance is no different than other poor countries in the rest of the world. Governance improves as the people become more literate and more affluent. Secondly, a more affluent country can afford to invest more in governance. †¢ There is a democracy deficit. This is also not true. In 2003, 11 countries in Africa were considered free, with 20 more partially free, and 16 not free. This is the same as is found in other regions of the world. Democracy does not translate into faster economic growth. †¢ Lack of modern values. Again, this is also false. Virtually every society that was once poor has been castigated for being unworthy until its citizens became rich and then their new wealth was explained by their industriousness. He traces this trend in multiple countries. One major factor that does cause change is the change in women’s position in society as their economic situation improves, which accelerates the growth. †¢ The need for economic freedom is not fully true. Generally market societies out perform centrally planned economies. This leads to the thought that all is needed is that the people must have the will to liberalize and privatize which is too simplistic. He shows that there is no correlation between the Economic Freedom Index and annual growth rate of GDP. †¢ The single idea of Mystery of Capital put forth by Hernando de Soto which relates to the security of private property including the ability to borrow against it is also incorrect. Most poor hold their assets such as housing and land. †¢ There is a shortfall of morals which is thought to be the main cause of HIV in Africa. A study shows that Africa men are no different in the average number of sexual partners they have than any other part of the world. †¢ Saving children only to become hungry adults leads to population explosion. Actually it has been shown that the best way to reduce the fertility rate is to increase the economic status. In all parts of the world (except the Middle East) where the fertility rate is over 5 children, those countries are the poorest ones. As children survive, the parents feel less of a need to have more children which is a result of improved economic conditions. †¢ A rising tide lifts all boats. This means extreme poverty will take care of itself because economic development will pull all countries along to improvement. A rising improvement does not reach the hinder lands or mountain tops. †¢ Nature red in tooth and claw means that economic improvement is based on survival of the fittest and those who cannot compete fall behind. This is a Darwin thought which seems to still prevail throughout the world. Competition and struggle are but one side o f the coin which has the other side of trust, cooperation, and collective action. He rejects the doomsayers who saying that ending poverty is impossible. He believes he has identified specific interventions that are needed as well as found ways to plan and implement them at an affordable rate. Chapter Seventeen–Why We Should Do It There are several fallacies which affect the USA’s giving: †¢ The American public greatly overestimates the amount of federal funds spent on foreign aid. The US public believes that the government is providing massive amounts of aid. A 2001 survey by the University of Maryland showed that people felt that US aid accounted for 20% of the federal budget versus the actual of .15%. That is 24 times smaller than the actual figure. †¢ The American public believes that the US military can achieve security for Americans in the absence of a stable world. This has been proven untrue especially with 9/11. †¢ There is a fallacy in belief that there is a war of cultures. For many, this relates to Biblical prophesy of Armageddon and end times. The problem in the US is not opposition to increased foreign aid but a lack of political leadership to inform the public how little the US does supply, and then asking the US public to supply more. Hard evidence has established a strong linkage between extreme poverty abroad and threats to national security. As a general proposition, economic failure (an economy stuck in a poverty trap, banking crisis, debt default or hyper-inflation) often leads to a state failure. A CIA Task force looked at state failures between 1954 and 1994 and found that the following three factors were most significant in state failure: †¢ Very high infant mortality rate suggested that overall low levels of material well-being are a significant factor in state failure. †¢ Openness of the economy showed the more economic linkages a country had with the rest of the world, the lower chance of state failure. †¢ Democratic countries showed fewer propensities to state failure than authoritarian regimes. He then reviews what the US government has committed to since 9/11: †¢ Provide resources to aid countries that have met national reform. †¢ Improve effectiveness of the World Bank and other development banks in raising living standards. †¢ Insist on measurable results to ensure that development assistance is actually making a difference in the lives of the world’s poor. †¢ Increase the amount of development assistance that is provided in the form of grants, not loans. †¢ Since trade and investment are the real engines of economic growth, open societies to commerce and investment. †¢ Secure public health. †¢ Emphasize education. †¢ Continue to aid agricultural development. In reality, little progress has been done by the US to the accomplishment of these goals. But he does spend time discussing where plans were established and that funds were flowing where massive amounts of aid were provided by the USA: †¢ End of World War II with the Marshall Plan which revitalized Europe and Japan. †¢ Jubilee 2000 Drop the Debt Campaign started slow but ended up with large amount of national debt being cancelled in the poorest of countries. †¢ The Emergency Plan for HIV is providing $15 billion to fight this pandemic. The bottom line of this chapter is, â€Å"OK, USA and other rich countries, you are saying good things, now step-up to the plate and do what you have agreed to do.† Chapter Eighteen–Our Generation’s Challenge Our generation is heir to two and a half centuries of economic progress. We can realistically envision a world without extreme poverty by the year 2025 because of technological progress which enables us to meet basic needs on a global scale. We can also achieve a margin above basic needs unprecedented in history. Until the Industrial Revolution, humanity had known only unending struggles against famine, pandemic disease, and extreme poverty–all compounded by cycles of war, and political despotism. At the same time, Enlightenment thinkers began to envision the possibility of sustained social progress in which science and technology could be harnessed to achieve sustained improvements in the organization of social, political, and economic life. He proposes four thinkers which led this movement: †¢ Thomas Jefferson and other founders of the American Republic led the thought that political institutions could be fashioned consciously to meet the needs of society through a human-made political system. †¢ Adam Smith believed that the economic system could similarly be shaped to meet human need and his economic design runs parallel to Jefferson’s political designs. †¢ Immanuel Kant called for an appropriate global system of governance to end the age-old scourge of war. †¢ Science and technology, fueled by human reason can be a sustained force for social improvement and human betterment led by Francis Bacon and Marie-Jean-Antoine Condorcet. Condorcet put much emphasis on public education to accomplish the goals. One of the most abiding commitments of the Enlightenment was the idea that social progress should be universal and not restricted to a corner of Western Europe. He said now it is our generation’s turn to help foster the following: †¢ Political systems that promote human well-being †¢ Economic systems that spread the benefits of science, technology, and division of labor to all parts of the world. †¢ International cooperation in order to secure a perpetual peace. †¢ Science and technology, grounded in human rationality, to fuel the continued prospects for improving the human condition. He then spends three or four pages discussing the good and bad points of the Anti-globalization Movement which is taking place. He also spends time discussing three movements which made these kind of changes in the world in their time: †¢ The end of Slavery †¢ The end of Colonization †¢ The Civil Rights and Anti-Apartheid Movement He closes with discussing the next steps which are: †¢ Commit to ending poverty †¢ Adopt a plan of action built around the Millennium Development Goals †¢ Raise the voice of the poor †¢ Redeem the role of the United States in the world †¢ Rescue the IMF and World Bank †¢ Strengthen the United Nations †¢ Harness global science †¢ Promote sustainable development †¢ Make a personal commitment to become involved Summary This is an interesting book with new perspectives for me, and which is beginning to be taken seriously by the world. I believe, as stated earlier, that MAI’s role is on-the-ground solutions for ending poverty through CHE which is spelled out in Chapter 12. But, as also noted, we can do it at a far lower cost than he estimates because of our commitment to empowering people to do things on their own and primarily with their own funds.