Saturday, August 31, 2019
Was government and economy of Tsarist Russia transformed in the years between 1881 and 1914?
There were many changes made to the government and economy of Tsarist Russia between 1881 and 1914, however fundamentally I do not think either were completely transformed as the country was still under almost complete control of the Tsar and the majority of people had a very limited political voice, and also the economy remained a major issue with few problems solved. Considering that in 1881 Russia was incredibly underdeveloped and mainly based on agriculture, there were many changes made.The first finance minister of Alexander’s reign was Nikolai Bunge and he introduced laws which reduced the tax burden on peasants in 1882, and also established the Peasant Land Bank offering loans to peasants to help increase their holdings and increase productivity. The â€Å"Great Spurt†under Witte between 1892 and 1903 was a period of great economic transformation. Much emphasis was placed on the production of capital goods like iron and steel, coal and machinery. Also, much inve stment was made from abroad mainly France, Britain and Belgium: within Russia the peasantry was also further taxed to pay for this.The result of this was incredibly dramatic. Over half of the industrial workforce was employed in factories with more than a thousand workers by 1900 as industrial growth was concentrated in industrial areas like Moscow and Ukraine. The population also rose dramatically due to this rapid industrialization for example the population of St Petersburg doubled between 1890 and 1940 from 1 to 2 million. The completion of the Trans-Siberian also meant that influence in the East was increased and the economic potential of Siberia was opened up.In some respects Stolypin was an economic reformer, as he wanted to create a prosperous peasant class to be loyal to the Tsar. In November 1906 he passed a law that freed peasants from the commune and later redemption payments were abolished. This had been a huge weight on the peasants since 1861 and could be argued to be a transformation in the countryside. Agriculture production rose from 45. 9 million tonnes in 1906 to 7 million in 1913. The October Manifesto is arguably a huge political transformation because reforms were promised like an elected national Parliament, freedom of speech, religion and civil rights.The Dumas that came out of the October Manifesto had some successes for example: the replacement of Land Captains by justices of the peace, making the judicial system fairer. It could also be argued that there was political transformation because by 1914 political parties had been established legally and the Duma allowed political debate of elected representative. Now, due to a relaxation of censorship, radicals had the opportunity to influence public opinion: something that had previously been much harder.However, the leaders of the country themselves were incredibly against political transformation: Alexander III was repressive and incredibly against political reform, partly due to his father’s assassination by the radical group the People’s Will, and also due to his own conservative views. This meant that he made sure to do as little as possible to transform the government politically during his reign. When coming to power Alexander almost immediately published his manifesto declaring absolute political power to the Tsar and to create the Statute of State Security to try government opponents without the need for a jury.These courts stayed in existence up until 1917. Press freedom at this point was also severely restricted and fourteen major newspapers were banned between 1882 and 1889 for displaying â€Å"liberal†tendencies. Foreign books and newspapers were also censored by the secret police (the Okhrana) to prevent ideas like democracy and parliamentary government from reaching the Russian people. Land captains were also introduced in 1890 to undermine the Zemstvas created by the more liberal Tsar before Alexander, and in order to increase the political power of the landed classes doctors and schoolteachers for example could not be part of the Zemstva.These repressive policies had huge long term effects and the secret police remained for the entirety of Alexander III’s reign. It also clearly shows Alexander’s conservative mentality and his attempt to undermine any transformation politically Nicholas II who succeeded Alexander III was also incredibly conservative and saw the plea of the zemstva for greater political responsibility as â€Å"senseless dreams†. We can also say that obviously not enough was done to transform Russia politically as radicals overthrew Nicholas in 1917. The 1905 revolution could be argued as showing very little change because of theunrest caused by the lack of political reformation and political voice of the people. The country still had no democratically elected national assembly of any kind. It could also be argued that little had changed in 1905 because the amred force s did remain loyal to the Tsar and were incredibly important in the dispersion of the rebels. The October Manifesto, despite seeming like a huge political transformation, the Fundamental Law of 1906 which became the constitution of the Russian epire actually gabe the right o the Tsar to gvern by decree and ignore the new elected body.He also retained the right to select his own government and so he retained much of his political power Also, the Tsar could dissolve the new parliaments at any time, and the first was dissolved after only 73 days showing that despite their existence, the Dumas hadn’t changed much because the Tsar still had political control. The first Duma passed only two resolutions despite making 391 requests against what it saw as illegal government action: the Tsar had ensured no definitive action would be taken against him.The only Duma lasting its full term only did so because it was weighted so heavily in favor the Tsar that demand for reform was low and t he Duma was unrepresentative of the population, so that though it lasted a long time it didn’t transform the country politically. Stolypin is another example where politically there was no transformation, even after the 1905 revolution. He used traditional and ruthless methods, distributing 1144 death sentences between October 1906 and May 1907. Six hundred trade unions and a thousand newspapers were also forced to close.This directly goes against promises made in the October Manifesto showing the lack of transformation caused by it. Economically, despite attempts at reform throughout this time period, Russia remained backward and inefficient. Agriculture remained backward, despite attempts at reform by Vyshnegradsky, the demand for land stayed high and lead to the catastrophic famine of 1891, showing that not enough was done to prevent it; there had been no great transformation. Also, by 1914 90% of peasants were still strip farming and only 1/5 of of the peasants had even l eft the Mir, showing the failure to move peasants out and increase productivity.Russia was also still behind the other great powers of Europe (UK, USA, Germany). In conclusion, I think that there were many reforms made to both the economy and the government, and that both were definitely somewhat transformed because industry was modernized and Russia did have a kind of national elected body for the first time in its history. However, these were not huge transformations because these reforms did not fundamentally change Russia at all: the Tsar still had supreme authority over ruling, and Russia was still a backward economy based mainly on agriculture.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Health Care Decisions of the Mentally Ill
The mentally ill are an extremely vulnerable group when it comes to receiving adequate health care as well as being â€Å"allowed†to make those critical decisions that affect their lives. Although the perception exists that as a whole the mentally ill are ill equipped if not downright incapable of making those decisions, the reality is not so carved in stone. The stereotypes of the mentally ill both lessen their ability to â€Å"participate in the management of their illness and achieve desired treatment outcomes,†and â€Å"encourages pessimistic and non-therapeutic attitudes and behaviors among clinicians making them receptive to the requests of their mentally ill patients.†(National 2006 p. 80). The perception is that the mentally ill pose a danger to both themselves and society, therefore need to have all â€Å"important†decisions made for them, just as a child would. The mentally ill are often coerced into making decisions that are neither true to their wishes, or good for their lives. In reality, the majority of the mentally ill are quite capable of making their own health care decisions, and only rarely does their illness affect those decisions, requiring a family member or friend to step forward. Research has shown that the mental health population has â€Å"elevated rates of some disease and health complications from psychiatric medication,†and, in fact tend to die at significantly younger ages than the general population. (Mental 2006 p. 1). There are, of course, circumstances where intervention by another party becomes a necessity. In the more severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or severe bi-polar disease, the ability to make rational decisions can become severely impaired, requiring a guardian ad-litem to make decisions that are in the best interest of the patient. Our current system of HMO’s also put the mentally ill patient at a further disadvantage because â€Å"psychiatric disorders leave people ill-equipped to handle the bureaucratic roadblocks inherent in managed care.†(Perina 2002 p. 1). Because there are no concrete routine blood tests or CAT scans that definitively say that a person is ill, the science is much more subjective, therefore more fraught with stumbling blocks. As stated, in most cases, the mentally ill are still quite able to make their own health care decisions and should be allowed to do so without the stereotypes and hardships to make those decisions more difficult. Works Cited: Mental Health Articles (March 15, 2006). Creative Strategies Improve Medical Care for Mentally Ill. Retrieved May 31, 2006 from: http://www.emaxhealth.com/7/4939.html National Academics Press (2000). Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance Abuse Patients. Retrieved May 30, 2006 Perina, Kaja. (Mar/April 2002). Battling for Benefits. Retrieved May 31, 2006   Â
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Analyze Macro Environment of Australian
Marketing environment refers to the forces, which impact the ability of an industry towards building and maintaining its success (Broberg, Umans and Gerlofstig 2013). This study will be based on the scenario, where a large company wishes to invest in the retail book industry of Australia. In this context, the study will analyze the macro environment of the industry through PESTLE and Porter’s Five Force Analysis. Apart from that, the study will also analyze the segmenting variables of the industry. The purpose of the study is to explore the opportunity and threats of the industry, which will ultimately impact the new company. The study will also suggest some segmenting variables for the new company. PESTLE Analysis of Australian Retail Book Industry  ·Ã‚        Free trade agreement imposed by Australian Government assists smooth business operation of Australian retail book industry  ·Ã‚        As per Australian copyright act, Australian booksellers are obligated to purchase bulk orders from Australian rights holder. They are restricted to purchase orders from overseas suppliers (Booksandpublishing.com.au 2017). It is ultimately pushing up the price of local book sold in retail shops and increasing the overall revenues of the industry.  ·Ã‚        Reduced tax rate on retail book industry has ultimately increased its profit potential.  ·Ã‚        Strong economic condition of Australia has enhanced the business potential of book retailers  ·Ã‚        Fluctuation in inflation rate sometimes hamper book retailing industry.  ·Ã‚        Currency fluctuation rate also impact on the profit level of the industry  ·Ã‚        Increasing social activity among the people towards sharing interest through book reading has increases the sales potential in the industry  ·Ã‚        Increasing purchasing power of the consumer has enhanced the sales potential of this industry (Parsons and Descatoires 2016)  ·Ã‚        Increasing numbers of retirees in this country has increased the demand for books  ·Ã‚        Advanced technology helps the industry to keep constant relation with the customers  ·Ã‚        Technological advancement can help in building strong relationship with the book suppliers (Efendioglu 2015)  ·Ã‚        The industry comply with all the legal standards of consumer law  ·Ã‚        The industry also comply with all the Australian labor law  ·Ã‚        Book retail industry of Australia is highly concerned about protecting the environment  ·Ã‚        It uses environment friendly packaging technique for all its products Table 1: PESTLE Analysis of Retail Book Industry in Australia The retail book industry of Australia faces low barriers from the localized small entrants. However, it faces significant barriers from the international entrants. Their established competition has created negative growth of the industry (Wehner et al. 2017). Moreover, the percentage of trade book sales was quite low in Australian till 2015 (Referred to Appendix 1). However, the industry has used price cutting strategy for beating the treats of new entrants and started to regain the sales volume. Retail book industry of Australia faces high level of threats from the media and entertainment industry. Recently, consumers spend more time on watching TV and chatting in social media. It has reduced the demand of books, which is ultimately impacting the retail book industry (Pons et al. 2016). The total value of boo sales has been demonstrated in Appendix 2. The retail book industry of Australian faces tough competition from the online retailers like Amazon and The Book Depository. It forced the industry to set cheaper prices for all of their books, which has increased its market share. However, the sales of the industry have been declined by 2.2% by the year 2016 (Ibisworld.com.au 2017). On the other hand, the recent revenue of the industry demonstrated an amount of 4 billion, which is a moderate amount (Ibisworld.com.au 2017). The sales channels of the Australian book have been demonstrated in Appendix 3. In the local market, the industry faces tough competition from Booktopia and Dymocks. Retail book industry faces high bargaining power of buyers. Moreover, the online bookselling companies are more likely to offer discounts on the books, which they sell to the customers through online channels (Barnard 2016). Hence, customers have more power to switch in those online booksellers. It can ultimately reduce the sales potential of the industry. The copyright act of Australian Government has restricted the bookselling companies to buy bulk amount of book only from local book publishers. They are not allowed to get supply of the book from any foreign suppliers. It has ultimately increased the bargaining power of suppliers over the retail bookselling industry (Gray 2013). However, share of trade and educational books have increased the overall market share of the industry (Referred to Appendix 4). Figure 1: Porter’s Five Force Analysis of Australian Retail Book Industry (Source: Stephens and McGowan 2015) Segmenting Variables in Australian Retail Book Industry Age: 6 year to Above: Almost all age groups having reading habits are targeted by this industry. Gender: Both Male and Female: Readings are not restricted to any gender in today’s market. Hence, both male and female customers are selected. Marital Status: Both Single and Married: Single customers will be segmented to offer action and adventure books, science fiction, horror and mystery books. On the other hand, married customers are segmented to offer romance, diaries, religious and history books. Education: Mostly educated person: Books are valued to only educated customers. Students are offered by the book within their syllabus and others by different types of books. Occupation: Can be any type and even the retired persons: All types of professional are segmented by the industry. Income: Moderate income level: Books are kind of luxury goods. Hence, the customers having moderate income are selected. Attitude: Positive attitude towards life: Customers having fantasy and positive attitude towards life are selected by the industry.  ·Ã‚        Customers having strong personality  ·Ã‚        Customers having hobbies of book reading Customers seeking high level of benefits are segmented by the industry  ·Ã‚        Occupation: Business persons, school students, college students, job holders and even unemployed  ·Ã‚        Customers having moderate income  ·Ã‚        Customers having positive attitude over life  ·Ã‚        Wide collection of books in the bookstores  ·Ã‚        Various types of books including education, trade, entertainment and others  ·Ã‚        Moderate price range attracts the readers  ·Ã‚        Convenient stores of the book stores Table 2: Segmenting Variables of Australian Book Retail While concluding the study, it can be said that Australian book retail industry gets huge support from the government. On the other hand, the increasing reading habits of the customers have also enhanced the sales potential of the industry. The recent revenue of the industry is 1 billion, which is quite moderate. However, the industry is facing tough completion from the online book selling companies both from domestic market as well as international market. Hence, the industry has become forced to cut the price range of the books. It has ultimately declined the profit level of the industry. However, with the increasing popularity of trade and educational books, there is still hope in this industry. The new retail book company should target adult groups for selling their books. Recommendation on Segmentation and Target of Book Retail Company Age: 18-Above: All the adults customers will be segmented by this company, as they are mostly associated with the hobbies of reading Income: Moderate Income Group: The company will sell books having high prices like popular novels, Fictions, Non-fictions and many more. Hence, it will segment customers having stable income Occupation: College Students will be segmented, as they needs various types of books included in their syllabus. Business persons will be selected for selling trade books. On the other hand, retired persons will also be a significant segment of this company, as they mostly need book readings for spending their time. Marital Status: Both single and married customers will be segmented for their differing needs of books Education: All educated persons will be selected by the company. Even the educated household will be the customers of the company, as they may need books on getting ideas of cooking and foods. Attitude: Both having positive and negative attitude towards life. People having negative attitude can also buy books for overcoming their pain in life.  ·Ã‚        Customers having both positive personality in life will be selected  ·Ã‚        Customers having hobbies of reading and entertainment will be selected Customers seeking extra benefits over their purchase will be selected  ·Ã‚        Customers between the age of 18-above will be selected  ·Ã‚        Education: All types of educated Customers  ·Ã‚        Occupation: Businesspersons, college students, media professionals and others  ·Ã‚        Customers having moderate income  ·Ã‚        Customers having both positive and negative attitude towards life Wide variety of books will attract different types of customers Affordable prices of the books will attract huge range of customers Discounts offered to the customers will attract them a lot Convenient store location will enhance numbers of customers Table 3: Recommendation on Segmentation of New Book Retail Company Barnard, S., 2016. Retail or e-tail? Brick or click? Is e-tailing the ideal solution for all industries?: opinion. The Retail and Marketing Review, 12(1), pp.89-91. Booksandpublishing.com.au. 2017. The market down under | Books+Publishing. [online] Available at: https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2016/09/30/74713/the-market-down-under/ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2017]. Broberg, P., Umans, T. and Gerlofstig, C., 2013. Balance between auditing and marketing: An explorative study. Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, 22(1), pp.57-70. Efendioglu, A.M., 2015. State of information technology in small retail and service businesses: an exploratory study. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 8(2), pp.13-24. Gray, D., 2013. Out of the Box and into the Bookstore: Non-Traditional Use of the Bookstore. Against the Grain, 15(3), p.10. Gump, S.E., 2014. Everyday Book Marketing: Promotion Ideas to Fit Your Regularly Scheduled Life by Midge Raymond (review). Journal of Scholarly Publishing, 45(4), pp.409-413. Ibisworld.com.au. 2017. Book Stores in Australia Market Research | IBISWorld. [online] Available at: https://www.ibisworld.com.au/industry-trends/specialised-market-research-reports/consumer-goods-services/book-stores.html [Accessed 7 Apr. 2017]. Ibisworld.com.au. 2017. Newspaper and Book Retailing in Australia Market Research | IBISWorld. [online] Available at: https://www.ibisworld.com.au/industry-trends/market-research-reports/retail-trade/other-store-based-retailing/newspaper-book-retailing.html [Accessed 7 Apr. 2017]. Parsons, A.G. and Descatoires, E., 2016. Retail marketing: A novel research agenda. Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), 24(2), pp.102-107. Pons, F., Giroux, M., Mourali, M. and Zins, M., 2016. The relationship between density perceptions and satisfaction in the retail setting: Mediation and moderation effects. Journal of Business Research, 69(2), pp.1000-1007. Stephens, P. and McGowan, M., 2015. Service Convenience: On-Line versus Brick and Mortar Bookstores. International Journal of Information Systems in the Service Sector (IJISSS), 7(3), pp.1-14. Wehner, C., Wehner, C., Wehner, C., Wehner, C. and Wehner, C. 2017. Bookselling Industry Analysis for Australia - Porter's Five Forces & PEST. [online] bluetrain. Available at: https://bluetrainenterprises.com.au/blog/2016/11/18/industry-analysis-australian-print-bookselling/ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2017].
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Analysis and Recommendations for the Resolution of Operational Essay - 2
Analysis and Recommendations for the Resolution of Operational Problems at EMPLOI - Essay Example EMPLOI or Employment Opportunities, Inc. is a staffing service provider established 13 years ago. Upon inception, it specialized in providing temporary staff for office related positions such as office clerks, data encoders, and administrative personnel. Three years ago, the company was sold to its new owners. Although EMPLOI has been operating with sufficient profits to sustain operations for the last 3 years, the new owners have not yet been able to recover their initial investment when they acquired the company. The current CEO believes that strategic actions need to be undertaken to solve operational problems in order to increase revenues thereby increasing profits from operations so that the owner’s initial investments can slowly be recovered. Moreover, aside from deployment of office staff, the CEO believes that diversifying into the blue collar worker market is an opportunity that EMPLOI should explore as there is the huge demand for this type of workers. This paper tak es a look at the operations of EMPLOI, identifies problems and recommends solutions to those problems. Because of her Marketing background, the Admin & Operations Manager is also the Marketing Section Head. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of EMPLOI as well as prospecting for new clients together with the Business Development Officer. The HR & Admin Section Head is responsible for recruitment of personnel for the company’s manpower pool as well as for deployment to client companies. She is also responsible for internal HR & administrative functions for the EMPLOI office. The Accounting Section Head is responsible for payroll for all deployed personnel as well as the company’s business accounting requirements.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
How did Procter & Gamble Globalize Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words
How did Procter & Gamble Globalize - Essay Example In the early 1990s the company changed its marketing strategy, by introducing products worldwide early in their product development. Today P&G manages a world roll-out within 18 months (Ball et al, 2005, p. 479). Since 1980 P&G has increased four times the number of consumers the company serves to five million people around the world. P&G today has operations in more than 80 countries employing 110,000 people; its products are sold in over 140 countries, transforming P&G into one of the biggest consumer goods companies (Ball et al, 2005, p. 9). With global headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, P&G has manufacturing facilities in 114 plants in 42 countries worldwide (Graph 1) (Sustainability Report 2004). It manufactures and markets nearly 300 products and is one of the world's most successful brand creation companies (Graph 5). P&G has one of the strongest portfolios of quality brands, including Pampers, Tide, Ariel, Always, Whisper and many others (Datamonitor, 2004). Most of the company's products are produced and assembled by P&G-owned facilities; approximately 10 percent of products are outsourced to third parties (Graph 2). P&G purchase annually more than $25 billion materials and services to manufacture and market their products. In company-owned plants P&G purchases the majority of raw materials within the regions where products are manufactured (P&G Sustainability Report, 2004). P&G's globalization strategy is straightforward. The company is focused on its core businesses and leading brands, countries and customers. The global company structure has established regional organizations for seven world regions - North America; Latin America; Western Europe; China; ASEAN, Australasia and India; North Asia; and Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (Graph 3) (P&G Sustainability Report, 2004). The company's majority of sales come from the mature markets of USA and Western Europe (Graph 4, 6). A balanced future growth has drawn investment in developing countries and low-income markets that represent majority of world population (P&G Annual Report 2005). As a result, sales in those segments are growing, and China has become P&G's sixth largest market (Ball et al, 2005, p. 479). 2. "Why" Market access Procter & Gamble's globalization strategy is focused on customer similarities worldwide. In this aspect market access has been the major driver for P&G's global expansion, whereby relatively standardized products have been produced in similar manufacturing facilities around the world and then sold under the same brand names globally (Ball et al, 2005, p. 9). This "brand internationalization" (Enke et al, n.d.) has increased P&G's competitiveness. Sustained further market expansion requires P&G to look to other consumer segments. P&G's sales have been focused on premium-priced branded products in relatively affluent Western consumers. Still, according to P&G CEO A G Lafley the company has "a tremendous opportunity to serve lower income and value-conscious consumers around the world" (cited by Mitchell, 2005). The rationale behind this strategy is simple. Mature markets, where P&G is present face intense competition and slow growth in demand. This impedes organic growth and forces P&G to look for alternative markets, like the developing countr
Monday, August 26, 2019
Analysing the industrial relations pressure in an industry or Research Paper
Analysing the industrial relations pressure in an industry or organisation in Australia - Research Paper Example The paper tells that the latter half of the twentieth century saw a progression of elite sports in Australia from the amateur and weekend pursuits towards the full time multi-million dollar enterprises. Along with the increasing professionalism in this industry the labour and industrial relations too has begun to resemble the traditional industries in various sectors. The sector has faced constant pressure to provide high wages to these elite players as they have taken up a more serious attitude towards negotiating and bargaining industrial relations issues. Sports are regarded as a lucrative business in which the players’ lifestyles can be determinant of the financial contracts that they can negotiate. Development of the enterprise bargaining (EB) in Australian sports bears relevance to bargaining in Australia. Negotiation occurring between the different parties occurs at the individual as well as the enterprise levels. However, the position of players’ associations as well as the sporting leagues in the bargaining process remains week and demands attention. The professional sporting players associations or unions have a chequered history. Out of thirty three attempts to form the players associations in the professional sports team in Australia only six remain in existence till date. Another important issue in the professional sports sector in Australia is that it is found to be very oppressive in terms of the employees’ labour rights. It is seen that players belonging to the major professional team sports remain strictly restricted by the league mandated labour regulations or industrial relations regulations.... Mobilising of members actually provides unions with the power to use their voice collectively to influence their employers and actions of institutions to benefit the cause of employees (Brooks, Callen, Singh, Felman & Thimann). The players associations particularly use such industrial actions in the same way and have successfully strengthened their positions in the industry which poses threat to this sector. Literature reveals that these associations capacity to engage in such industrial actions actually determines their success in the industry in terms of wages and salaries. These have yielded positive gains for these players in terms of their wages and other conditions of employments (Hanley & Rogers, 2004, p.4). There has been the generation of organizational conflicts in this industry. Common causes of conflicts identified are in terms of revenue sharing, refusal to compromise, welfare of players, and administrative incompetence. The failure to arrive at common objectives by the negotiating parties for the IR processes coupled with the reluctance of such parties to compromise on self interests are identified as two of the major reasons for organizational conflicts in this industry (Hanley & Rogers, 2004, p.5). Industry/ organisation The Australian sports industry has proceeded a long way since the last fifteen years. There are great entry of funds via such avenues as coaching, facility development, sports sciences, national sporting schemes, institute establishments, sport management and talent identification program. Being a relatively new industry in the market, this sector is quite unregulated and is yet to define its boundaries completely. Lack of minimum salary structures, dispute resolution procedures or
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Low risk 1 his civi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Low risk 1 his civi - Essay Example Limit to immediate as well as ordinary jurisdiction by the pope. In this law, the pope has power accorded to him by virtue of the office that he holds. In this regard, due to the virtue of his office, the pope has some powers to forgive sins and mistakes as per his judgment of the nature of the sins (Spielvogel, 5). Despite having massive powers bestowed upon him, the pope is not above God. God is the supreme creator and controller of the earth who everyone ought to worship (Ratzinger, 12). Therefore, pope is just but a servant who leads his flock or people to the direction that pleases him. In case the faithful and the pope goes astray, he humbles them. This case limits the powers of the pope to the interpretation of the natural law. Therefore, all powers of determining that is lawful in the family and society rests with the pope (Newadvent, 1). The pope thereby, interprets the manner and way by which the faithful are supposed to live on earth since they are living things. The pope has a limit to the legislative power where he has powers to alter, abrogate, and alter the laws he has established or those crafted by the predecessors. The pope is the only person who can free people from canonical rules, thus releasing them and forgiving the sins that they had committed (Ratzinger, 18). The canonical rules are issues of great moment and thus, require the intervention of the pope who provides direction and resolves the technical issues or cases. Moreover, the pope can dispense the faithful from committing to pure canonical or ecclesiastical laws as well as grant exemptions and privileges as per their
A paper about a short story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
A paper about a short story - Essay Example the story where he points out that Matman happens to be a voodoo practitioner, he then described some of the rituals that she sometimes performs that cause her to sometimes fall down to the ground and start rolling about under the glowing moon (DeSanto 2013). After conducting these bizarre ritual, Matman would then proceed to walk back to the house to eat. An analysis of this incidence seems to suggest to the reader that to Matman and her family, that the occurrence of such an event is a normal everyday event, this is despite of the fact that such actions would generally be regarded by the larger society as being quite bizarre. DeSanto also undertakes to try and normalize some gruesome incidents in the story and describes how after Lord Invader had attacked and bit the ear of one of the neighborhood boys while he was busy playing a game of basketball, Dà ©dà © had proceeded to beat him out there in the street before leading the dog home. When the boy’s father had turned up at the house, he had insisted on having the dog killed and on his threatening the Dà ©dà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s family, Dà ©dà © had agreed to kill the dog. Dà ©dà © had then slit the dog’s throat during a brief ceremony that had begun with Matman whispering a Haitian death song that quickly turned into howls. After slitting the dog’s throat Dà ©dà © had proceeded to give it a brief eulogy by whispering â€Å"Lawd Invadar. I lahved you†(DeSanto 2012). By the delivery of the rather ordinary eulogy after Dà ©dà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s character had conducted a bizarre ceremony in which he killed his dog, DeSanto is seen to engage in an attempt where he tries to normalize a gruesome event in which a dog is butchered in a bizarre ceremony. The normalization of the bizarre is also seen to be used by DeSanto in his narration of how John took off all his clothes and ran around the neighborhood while only wearing a bone necklace and then proceeded to dig up the remain of Lord Invader in the rain (DeSanto 2012). The humming of a normal tune is
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Government's help to troubled homeowners Research Paper
Government's help to troubled homeowners - Research Paper Example The other criteria that needs to be met is in terms of the fact that the displaced person would have lost public assistance if she has dependent children or income from other member of family The argument in favor of the Act is that it is timely help for unemployed or underemployed women whose chances of gaining employment are slim. Besides, it could also be used in lieu of other income assistance that would not be forthcoming. The counterarguments against this Act are that this would first and foremost act as a disincentive to work and people will tend to depend on such assistance instead of working to earn their bread. Besides, this act has been mainly for women and not for men who may also be underemployed or seeking productive work. Therefore, the element of gender discrimination or bias is also quite evident in this Act. While definitely seeking to grant succor to troubled and struggling families, this Act was also intended to offer a new stimulus to women who could not gain any benefits under Social Security or was under the process of losing social security benefits.
Friday, August 23, 2019
Marketing Mix for U.S.A car market Chery Cars China Essay - 2
Marketing Mix for U.S.A car market Chery Cars China - Essay Example The analysis also recommended that Chery cars will have to adopt for a geocentric strategy as well as adaptive marketing mix while launching its brands in the US market. Chery has become seventh largest manufacturer of automobiles in China (Chery, 2014b). The corporation owned by the Chinese government and product portfolio includes passenger cars, minivans and SUVs (Chery, 2014a). The firm’s headquarter is in Anhui and is partnered with Qoros, since 2007. The automobile sector in USA is dominated by established vehicle manufacturers such as Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. Tough road conditions as well as high frequency of long travel among US customers have increased the demand for SUVs, MUVs and other large space vehicles. The USA car market sales were estimated at 15.6 million vehicles in 2013, a 7.6 percent growth over last year (Reuters, 2014). A pie-chart below will show the market share of top car brands in USA. Marketing mix can be described as tactics or actions used by a firm for promoting its product or brand in the market (Economic Times, 2014). The car manufacturer will have to opt for effective marketing mix strategies. A standarized marketing mix involves using similar branding and marketing approaches and selling similar products worldwide. However, adapted marleting mix is adjustments of marketing and selling strategies in different target markets with the objective of larger ROI and market sharee (Williams and Cutis, 2012). While the compnay has been following a majorly standarized approach in its home market as well as develoiped nations, Chery cars will be opting for both standarized and adapted marketing mix for USA market. The passenger cars are sold under the brand name Chery Marque and commercial vehicles are sold under the brand name Karry. At present, the company is not planning on changing the core product. Thus, a global localization strategy will be followed with the
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Black People and Racism Essay Example for Free
Black People and Racism Essay â€Å"There are hundred of races in the world. Unfortunately, for as long as human have existed, we have enslave those weaker, of those we perceived to be weaker than ourselves†(thinkquest). Racism is everywhere, and we often see it on the streets and schools. There are many short stories and poems that are termed as racist. â€Å"On Being Told I Don’t Speak Like a Black Person†by Allison Joseph, â€Å" Sonny’s Blue†by James Baldwin, and â€Å" Blink Your Eyes†by Sekou Sundiata are renaissance works that show the issues of racism that black people had lived and are still living today. In â€Å"On Being Told I Don’t Speak Like a Black Person†by Allison Joseph, the author tells the story about a young Negro whose mother received brutal treatment in her school in England. In the beginning, Allison says: â€Å"Emphasize the â€Å"h†, you hignorant ass†(557). This shows that the â€Å"h†is sarcastic, and the â€Å"tone condescending intensifies racism†(Caroline). They might have used the emphasis of â€Å"h†to humiliate the negro, to make them feel bad about their skin color, and to show the negro that they cannot fit in the white society even if they become educated. Negros have suffered horrible experiences. Allison wrote about the way teachers treated Negro in school. She says: â€Å" †¦teachers slapped her open palm with a ruler in that Jamaican schoolroom†(557). Allison’s mother lived under a white teacher’s pressure, and the teachers showed this negra that she will never learn how to speak like the whites, and they can spank her because she is black, and blacks cannot do anything against the teachers because the whites have the power and the Negro is a submissive servant. In addition, Allison also shows her own life in the United States. Allison is a black person living in the United States, and she sees people discriminating her because she does not act like a black person. Allison writes: â€Å" And I didn’t sound like a Black American, college acquaintance observed, sure they knew that a black person was supposed to sound like. Was I supposed to sound lazy†(557) Allison shows that America’s society judge the black just for their skin color, and most white people see the Negro as lazy, and do not work to bring money home, do not go to school, and do not know how to speak. For example, some restaurant servers prejudice the Negro when they walk into the restaurant by making their own assumption that the table with Negro will not leave any tip. However, in many cases, they are wrong because the table with Negro might leave more tip than a table with white people. Racism is not gone. The Negro is still facing it today, but racism today is expressed differently than it was in the renaissance era. During the renaissance in Harlem, the Negro did not have enough opportunities for their future due to racism. In â€Å"Sonny’s Blue†by James Baldwin, the author tells the story of two black brothers born in Harlem, and the older brother losses communication with his young brother, Sonny. The older brother is the narrator of the short story. Later on, they reconnect due to news the narrator receives about Sonny’s prison. Before the narrator reconnects his life back to his brother, he shows many problems both had because they are Negro. Racism is evident throughout the story. The narrator wrote about Sonny’s friend. â€Å"And now, even though he was a grown-up man, he still hung around that block, still spend hours on the street corners, was always high and raggy†(310). It shows that the Negro do not have opportunities to become successful in life. The Negro has barriers between them and the outside world, which prevent most negro to obtain education or skills, and they are obligated to live on the streets corners asking for money, using drugs and stealing. In addition, the narrator also shows how racism affect the education of a negro which can be describe as Sonny’s choice of life. Sonny choice of life relates to the lack of opportunities black people have during the renaissance in Harlem. After the death of Sonny’s mother, the narrator tries to open Sonny’s mind, and advises him to finish school. In the kitchen talking to Sonny, the narrator writes: â€Å"I want to join the army. Or the navy, I don’t care. If I say I’m old enough, they’ll believe me†(321). Sonny already knows that there aren’t opportunities for him. He is forced to choose among necessities; he sees the army as the only opportunity open for Negro to escape from the streets. On the other hand, the school will give him the degree, but he does not believe that it will help him find a good job. He already knows that there are no doors open for the Negro. However, the narrator disagrees with Sonny. They are still in the kitchen talking about Sonny’s future. â€Å"†¦ But if you don’t finish school now, you’re going to be sorry later that you didn’t†(321). His brother is showing him that he can fight against racism, and he can find opportunities for his life. For example, His brother â€Å"denied†racism, and he gained education and skills to become an algebra teacher, but Sonny does not see it, and he chooses to live on the street like his â€Å"friend†. In addition to the lack of opportunity, black people are more often to be discriminate in traffic than whites. In the poem, â€Å"Blink Your Eyes†by Sekou Sundiata, the author shows the reader a Negro is stopped by the police officer because he is black even though the Negro didn’t do anything wrong. The author writes about the red light. â€Å"But the Law said I was on my way thru a red light red light red light†(582). The following passage, the red light means that this area is not for Negro. It is a neighborhood where white people live, and black people around can be seen as a threat to their place. However, this is not an excuse for the officer to stop this person. Sundiata let the reader know that â€Å"†¦In other words the light was green†(582). The green light is open only for the white society; the Negro does not have chances to go to another level, so the door â€Å"always†will close for them. After the officer stops the negro, Sundiata writes: â€Å" Why did you stop me? Somebody had to stop you I watch the news, you always lose. You’re unreliable, that’s undeniable†(583). The white society do not want to let the negro have opportunities in life, and the negro will be always seen as a threat to the society, and the white society does not need them. The negro does not have the power to stop racism, and it will always be part of their life. However, it is changing. The negro has more voice today than in the past, and they are more recognized. For example, Oscar Grant’s case where a young black guy was murdered by a police officer by â€Å"mistake†. People see it as a â€Å"racism murder†(Jessie). Fortunately, the justice was made for his family. This shows us that Racism is not completely gone. The three stories from the Renaissance show us that black people had suffered racism for many years. From being stereotyped as lazy and uneducated, to not having opportunities to succeed in life and not being accepted by the white society, the Negro has had a difficult journey to improve their situation. Even though today racism is not as prominent as in the Renaissance, we still see some signs of racism that are not completely gone. Works Cited: Sundiata, Sekou. â€Å"Blink Your Eyes†. Approaching Literature. Peter Schakel and Jack Ridl – New York Bedford and Martin’s, 2008. Joseph, Allison. â€Å" On Being Told I Don’t Speak Like a Black Person†. Approaching Literature. Peter Schakel and Jack Ridl – New York Bedford and Martin’s, 2008. Baldwin, James. â€Å" Sonny’s Blue†. Approaching Literature. Peter Schakel and Jack Ridl – New York Bedford and Martin’s, 2008. Jessie. â€Å" Racism The Murder of Oscar Grand III†. Racism Review Blog 17 Jan. 2010 http://www. racismreview. com/blog/2009/01/07/racism-the-murder-of-oscar-grant-iii/ Think Quest. â€Å"Common Prejudice†. http://library. thinkquest. org/C006274/race/intro. html .
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Music Essays- Rave Culture Music
Music Essays- Rave Culture Music Rave Culture Music Since its emergence in the late 1980s, the subculture referred to as â€Å"rave†has become a significant global youth phenomenon. Postmodern scholars tend to treat the rave subculture as one of disappearance and pleasure. The â€Å"armchair†approach of postmodernists is inherently flawed because it fails to acknowledge the meaningful spiritual experiences of those attending raves. Scott R. Hutson’s â€Å"The Rave: Spiritual Healing in Modern Western Subcultures†introduces an opposing theory that raving is a spiritual practice wherein the symbolic processes embedded in culture create appropriate frameworks for healing. Gilbert Rouget’s conceptualization of trance and how it is managed in the ritual context provide the analytical foundations for this spiritual practice. This paper will analyze the role of the DJ as a leader of a possession trance ritual who â€Å"aided by key symbols, guides the ravers on an ecstatic journey to paradise- a pre-soci al state of non-differentiation and communitas†(Hutson 1999:54). Raves have increasingly become the focus of books, movies, and media coverage, and the culture has been the undercurrent behind some of the latest music and fashion trends. Described by Merchant and McDonald as â€Å"the most vibrant, popular and visible cultural expression of young people†(Merchant and McDonald 1994:16), rave culture has had such an enormous impact on the mainstream youth and popular culture that it is now often considered part of the mainstream. The electronic and rhythmically repetitive nature of the music, the long hours of dancing, the semi-legal secret location, and the ingestion of psychoactive substances, differentiate raves from other youth parties. When combined, these features are specifically designed to promote feelings of connectedness, spirituality, and a state of â€Å"ecstasy†among contemporary youth. At the heart of these proceedings one encounters the individual responsible for the success or failure of the event: the Disc-Jockey or DJ. Using equipment to manipulate the rhythm, sound, and lighting, the DJ guides individuals through a psychological journey of what some have described as healing, identity transformation, and spiritual growth. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers A small body of recent publications on raves reflects the growing recognition that the rave scene provides a spiritual outlet for many contemporary youth. The DJ’s position within this culture as a spiritual leader and guide has also been noted. What is uncertain, however, is the specific nature of this role. Poschardt contends that the DJ’s tendency toward â€Å"laconic autism†has made him a difficult object of study that has â€Å"remained untouched by academic study†(Poschardt 1995:17). Similarly, Fikentscher observes that â€Å"his gradual rise in the hierarchy of the music industry has not been accompanied by a corresponding growth in academic literature†(Fikentscher 2000:33). Although similarities have been noted between the function of the DJ in the rave culture, and that of the shaman in traditional cultures, a precise and in-depth academic analysis of the DJ’s work is lacking. It is often assumed that what ravers experience during raves is â€Å"ecstasy,†but a definition or thorough investigation of this state of consciousness is lacking. Similarly, references to â€Å"trance†or hypnotic states are also presented as fact but explanations and interpretations of these states and how they are elicited are usually glossed over. Some authors appear to be completely baffled by the altered states of consciousness (ASC’s) encountered at raves, their position clearly illustrates a poor understanding of ASC phenomena. One author explains that â€Å"ravers move in a hypnotic delirium which has been described as a ‘trance dance.’ It is as if some sort of spell has been cast over them causing the throng to lose themselves in their own thoughts while the pounding of the music remains starkly unobtrusive†(MacDonald et al. 1998:243). Postmodern scholars seem to avoid the subject of ASC’s altogether, while acknowledging the ineffable quality of the experience as grounds for its exclusion from academic inquiry. Additionally, the DJ’s expertise and the symbiotic relationship he develops with the dancers has also been neglected, perhaps due to the embodied, performative, and intuitive elements under which these processes are informed. In an attempt to explain this neglect, Gerard states that â€Å"while the dance music press, insider accounts and testimonials from DJs and dancers suggested a fertile ground for investigation, scholars tended to avoid the dialectical possibilities inherent in performance analyses or phenomenologically inspired investigations by simply treating such interactions as somehow ineffable†(Gerard 2004:170). Another embodied element so central to raving is body movement, that is the dance experience, and as Malbon remarks â€Å"I note the reticence and/or inability of both clubbers and academics to discuss dancing†(Malbon 1999:71). It is probable that this reticence is partially rooted in the limitations of an â€Å"armchair†approach. It is obvious that many scholars of rave and club culture have never physically participated in the contexts they are writing about. This armchair methodology is addressed by Gerard and Sidnell who call for an approach that is instead framed in the â€Å"immediate:†Rather than attempting to extricate symbolic meanings or covert subcultural agendas, future studies of contemporary dance music would be best served from the dance floor and not the armchair. If as a number of authors have suggested, these music and dance spaces can be likened to ritual events, we should approach them as such-not by serving enactment from text, as Bruce Kapferer has cautioned, but by framing analysis in the immediate and locally organized contexts of performance (Gerard and Sidnell 2000:36). This paper is an investigation the precise function of the DJ within the rave culture. This involves an investigation of the DJ’s training, of his techniques of the mechanisms involved in inducing altered states of consciousness (ASC’s) in the rave context, of the experience of the participants with these states, and of the relationship between the DJ and rave participants. Much of the DJ’s elevated status and recent success has to do with the artistic license and technological innovations in music production that afford today’s DJs with seemingly limitless opportunities for creative development. This forces the DJ into a role as a paradoxical artist, a meta-musician whose performance is based on prerecorded music. The profession thus questions the traditional notion of live performance and as Poschardt states, â€Å"questions the traditional concept of the artist, blows it apart and re-establishes it in overhauled form†(Poschardt 1995:15-16). An emblematic figure of the postmodern era, the DJ has been likened to a writer, an editor, and even a weaver of mosaics and tapestries. This is largely due to the techniques of mixing, remixing, and sampling, procedures that make each performance spontaneous, unique, unexpected, and thus â€Å"live†as opposed to prerecorded. Combining two records is referred to as mixing, remixing in volves altering and therefore reinterpreting and existing song, and sampling consists of inserting any sound, musical passage, or rhythm into an existing track at any desired point. This is where the creative element and metaphor of the DJ as writer is relevant: I love the idea of continuous sampling: like remixing everything as you go so writing is like that. Just like you’re probably going to do edits, cuts and splice when you’re editing this tape, I mean you do that with language, even when you’re speaking, you’re always picking and choosing what words you’re using, the way you’re going to describe something so everything is a mix. I’m mainly a writer, DJ’ing to me†¦ every DJ is a writer, you’re using the urban landscape as your book, as your novel, as your text, so everything is writing (‘DJ Spooky’ in Reiss 1999). The ability to create new sounds and sample virtually anything also emphasizes the freedom of the artist. While there are â€Å"DJ schools,†information resources on the internet, and technical manuals available to those entering the DJ profession, most DJs are self-taught and the process of learning and refining skills for oneself seems to be the ultimate rite of passage into the trade. For the most part, DJs seem to frown upon professional schools that offer courses in DJ’ing, feeling that these schools are no more than the product of a recent fad. Most seemed to agree that experience and intuition are the greatest tools for learning available to an amateur, and these cannot be acquired in an academic institution. The notion of being self taught still allows DJs to be influenced by others or to have their careers assisted along the way. Fikentscher characterizes DJ’ing as an oral tradition where knowledge is passed down to new artists from the DJs that come before them (Fikentscher 2000:44). Like raves, DJs on the rise develop a following through word of mouth and the circulation of their music. At clubs and raves, the local and unknown DJs are given the opportunity to spin in the peripheral rooms while the headliner DJs spin in the main room. Through this kind of exposure, a DJ can develop a following and eventually graduate to the central room which houses the best lighting and sound equipment. DJs have also been known to collaborate with other musicians in producing records, and even tour with other DJs thus picking up techniques along the way. A DJ must have an extensive knowledge of music tracks and remember such details as the rhythm, the vocals, and key structure, so that the current song will be complementary to the track that it is being combined or sampled with. Just as many ravers note an alteration in the way they perceive Techno music through continued participation in the subculture, DJs also identified a change in their musical perception that is oriented toward the more technical aspects of the music. Evidence for this kind of neural entertainment is supported by the finding that the analytic left brain tends to dominate musical processing in trained musicians, whereas for the untrained it is the right hemisphere that dominates (Wilkinson 2000:1). While there has been considerable discussion surrounding MDMA or Ecstasy use as a prerequisite for fully understanding and appreciating electronic music, in contrast to the majority of rave-goers who advocate drug use to â€Å"get into†the music, all of the DJs interviewed in a study by Dr. Melanie L. Takahashi disagreed with this view. Although a majority had tried MDMA or other dance related drugs, the sentiment that the music combined with the skill of the DJ in its own right were enough to elicit an ASC appeared to dominate. The DJ’s adeptness for musical perception and producing musical triggers for trance states could explain the incongruity between DJs’ and participants’ views concerning drug use. All subjects interviewed performed their sets without taking drugs, the reason given being that these substances would negatively affect the concentration required to perform a live show. Instrumentalists of possession rituals are reported to not ingest psychoactives or enter into trance during performances for similar reasons. According to Rouget, â€Å"to do so would be incompatible with their function, which is to provide for hours on end and sometimes on several consecutive days, music whose execution must continuously adapt itself to the circumstances†(Rouget 1985:103-104). Rouget argues that these musicians must therefore be external to the cult, such that they are not vulnerable to the music, or they must be experienced adepts who are able to withstand the effects of the music (Rouget 1985:104). As the DJ is given the power to introduce the participants to an experience, it becomes increasingly important for the DJ to sustain the integrity of that experience. In Gerard’s 2004 article â€Å"Selecting Ritual: DJs, Dancers and Liminality in Underground Dance Music,†Gerard describes the importance of flow by framing the dance experience, and the process of mixing, as conduits for â€Å"liminality†as defined by Victor Turner (Turner 2003:176). The DJ employs what Gerard coins as â€Å"techniques of liminality†which create periods of uncertainty for the dancers following the resolution. When the flow is interrupted by poor mixing â€Å"the flash of spontaneous communitas is potentially threatened; dancers are often drawn out of their ecstatic state; they return to an increased awareness of both setting and self, and sometimes abandon the dance floor†(Gerard 2004: 176). In order to avoid losing experiential integrity, DJs function in a manner similar to instrumentalists in possession rituals by developing an intimate and symbiotic relationship with the dancers. The dancers’ ability to achieve an â€Å"ecstatic†state is dependent on the DJ’s stage presence, his proficiency in intuitively â€Å"reading†and responding to the crowd, and his ability to form a temporary bond with the dancers. Without these skills, the techniques of trance induction on their own right are generally inadequate for eliciting what participants call an â€Å"ecstatic†state. In ceremonial possession, the notion of performance is a central element to the ritual. Instrumentalists perform for an audience, and irrespective of an individual’s familiarity with the music, the trance state is only induced within the ritual context in the presence of others. Furthermore, additional aspects of raves that are paired with the music (i.e. lighting, psychoactives) are generally absent at home even though they play an important role in trance induction. Also absent outside of the rave context is the interpersonal relationship between the DJ and the participants. Similarly on the subject of possession rituals, Rouget emphasizes the importance of the connection between the instrumentalists and the dancers, stating â€Å"in order to induce trance in a particular person the priests and musicians establish a special relationship with him, make him an object of their ‘solicitude,’ address themselves to him in an exclusive way, and become at the same time very attentive to what he himself is feeling†(Rouget 1985:112). At raves, participants recognize that a DJ must be selfless in order to establish this special bond. Although most DJs have a general idea of the style of music and the songs that they will play, it is accepted that flexibility is more important, and this is particularly relevant for touring DJs who must also adapt to regional differences in music taste: I know the records that are good to start the evening, but I don’t prepare my set in advance. I watch and I react. I try to adapt. Every city is influenced by the people who initially created the scene. You have to adapt and still be true to yourself. In Germany, I play techno. In Belgium and Switzerland, it’s more funky tech house. In Spain, it’s predominantly techno, except in Barcelona and Ibiza where it’s house (‘Jack de Marseille’ in Huegli 2002:69). The active role of the crowd in shaping the mood and atmosphere of the party also favors a more spontaneous approach. It is believed that DJs who prioritize the tastes of the crowd over their own, are humble DJs and that this quality is a precondition to a â€Å"people’s DJ†(Brewster and Broughton 1999:11-12). Cues indicating a DJ’s humbleness that were remarked upon, are gestures suggesting appreciation and gratitude toward the crowd such as bowing, clapping, eye-contact, and smiling. These gestures also play an important role in breaking the artist/spectator barrier and this strengthens, and reifies the connection between the DJ and the dancers. Breaking the barrier between the artist and participant is another reason why DJ booths are centrally located at raves. It is important that the DJ see the dancers so that he can respond to them, and it is equally important for the participants to be in close physical proximity to the DJ, so that his personality and presence are able to come through: I don’t feel like I have to hide and say, â€Å"No one should see me when I DJ. It’s all about the music.†Bullshit! People always need someone they can connect to and they can identify with. I always felt that I could bring the music across in a more convincing way by using my personality. Because I give people an honest feeling. The most important thing is to see people standing happily on the dance floor in the end (Sven Vath in Huegli 2002:18). All of these factors are conducive to breaking the barrier between the DJ and the dancers. The communication that occurs between the two is much more than music, lyrics, and the dance movements, or what Rouget refers to as the â€Å"level of the code†(Rouget 1985:113). In reference to possession rituals, communication is established â€Å"at the personal level, the emotional level of direct person-to-person relationships†(Rouget 1985:113). The active role of the dancers also reinforces the dismantling of the barrier between the performer and audience, and this is where the concept of the feedback loop between the DJ and participants is relevant. As DJ Spooky puts it, â€Å"the DJ/audience relationship is like a symbiosis you know, it’s like a biological structure you know, I mean it’s like you are sending out information and pulses that the crowd in a way then sends back to you, and like you’re like a focal point of the energy of these gathered people†(Reiss 1999). There is also an emotional element involved in this symbiotic relationship which targets the DJ with responsibility for the emotions of the crowd of dancers. The DJ’s emotional state can be transmitted to the crowd through his music and consequently impacts the condition of the dancers. A DJ’s seeming lack of enthusiasm, his failure to make eye-contact, smile, or dance are indicators suggesting that he isn’t having a good time, and this has consequences on the crowd. While the crowd is sensitive to these nonverbal indicators of the DJ’s affective state, the DJ’s mental state can influence his choice of music, and this too will impact the experience of the dancers. While electronic music has been accused by some of being repetitive, bland, and even minimal, there is a strong correlation between the genres of Techno music and affect. For example, Terrorcore, Industrial Hardcore, Jungle, and Drum n’ Bass, are noted for bringing out aggressive and negative emotional states in some individuals. Bold, militant rhythmic patterns, sounds of machinery, people screaming, and vocals with coarse language, are the kinds of sounds attributed to some of these music styles. It is generally felt that the people who are looking to experience negativ e and aggressive states seek out these types of events. In contrast, Trance, House, and Happy Hardcore, are generally characterized by warm melodic styles and positive lyrics that are noted for engendering such feelings as love, a sense of well-being, connectedness, and spirituality among participants. Depending on his mood, the DJ can choose tracks with vocals and melodies that accentuate positive themes, or tracks with sounds and lyrics that concentrate on the darker aspects of life. This is why a participant’s sense of trust in the DJ is so important. It becomes evident that there is a shared feeling of uncertainty arising from the inability to pinpoint the DJ’s intentions: I realized that the DJ had POWER over me. I was basically prostituting for the DJ: I was a slave to what he had (the promise of the climax) and he was flexing his power and tweaking with me to see how much I could stretch myself out for it. It really scared me†¦ I think some DJs definitely hold the power of a cult in their turntables and in their speakers, and it’s really not something that I want to get down on my knees for. Just a thought, I’m not bagging here. I still think rave is one of the best things the 20th century has to offer, but I think that if left unchecked, it could turn on us (cited in Takahashi and Olaveson 2003:86). At raves, the trance state is very much dependent on the individual’s willingness to let go and trust the DJ in allowing him to guide the nature of his or her experience. One DJ regards the dancers as having a responsibility to meet him half way, â€Å"As long as they are open for a while and let themselves go, they have the opportunity to feel things the way I intended them to†(Heiko Laux, in Huegli 2002). Here again, the similarities between possession rituals and raves are apparent. Rouget characterizes the relation of the possessee to the musicians as â€Å"the submission of the former to the latter†(Rouget 1985:112). The following description of the ndop ceremony highlights many of these striking resemblances including the instrumentalist’s ability to observe and respond to the dancers’ movements, and the bond established between the two: In fact, a close interpersonal relationship develops at this point between drummer and possessee. The drummer takes charge of her, so to speak. Keeping very close to her, never leaving her side, concentrating on her slightest movements, incessantly observing her behavior in order to: speed up the tempo, or, on the contrary, relax it; select the necessary types of beat; and adjust the intensity of the stroke. Communicating the rhythm of the dance to her, he holds the possessed woman in his sway and leads her into the ever more violent whirlwind of his music. But if he is able to lead her in this way, and finally guide her where he wishes, it is because he has been able to establish a close understanding with her. It is because he can follow her that he is able to dominate her and impose his will upon her. He is the master of the game, but within a dialogue. He speaks music and she replies dance (Rouget 1985:112). The theme of submission is also apparent in possession ceremonies in relation to the spirit beings that possess cult members. In the case of Haitian Vodou, for example, Bourguignon highlights extreme passivity as one of the prerequisites for trance induction: However, one aspect of submission-dominance seems of importance in relation to possession trance: in person, as we have seen, is said to be â€Å"mounted†by the spirit, to be his â€Å"horse.†The personality of the individual, one of his souls called â€Å"gros bon ange,†is displaced and the body is taken over by the spirit. In other words, there is total subjection to the spirit and total submission to him (or her). The spirit, as a powerful superhuman entity, can do as he pleases, both with the horse he has mounted and with other human beings present. We thus have an expression of extreme passivity in this interpretation of possession trance (Bourguignon 1976:40). At raves, references to the power of music in directing the body are reminiscent of possession’s horse and rider metaphor. According to Sylvan, these accounts of submitting to the music â€Å"suggest a trance state very similar to possession, in which music becomes the rider and the body becomes the horse, but without reference to any specific possessing spirit†(Sylvan 2002:129). In the rave locale, the DJ is equally influenced by the emotions of the crowd, where participant feedback is transmitted at the visceral level. While it is not unusual for participants to demonstrate their admiration for a DJ by whistling or chanting his name, for the most part, crowd feedback is nonverbal. Occurring as sets of coordinated body techniques that all ravers seem to intuitively know and all DJs can follow, these moves are acquired at the corporal level and most ravers seem to be unconscious or unaware of these movements. The responses to the DJ are well coordinated from an observer’s point of view. Fikentscher calls the sum of individual dancing bodies the â€Å"collective performance†wherein the bodies of the dancers can potentially unite to form â€Å"one musical instrument†(Fikentscher 2000:58-59). As McCall suggests, this process is mediated by dancers’ observation of subconscious cues. These cues create a system where â€Å"people are helping each other dance without knowing it, feeding off the collective anticipation for that moment of synergy where it feels like utter madness: cheers, claps, whistles, hands in the air. Suddenly everyone is dancing in unison†(McCall 2001:93). When the dancers are in sync with one another, the boundaries between individuals seem to vanish as the crowd appears to function as one organism (McCall 2001:95). This process of synchronization also encompasses the entry into a collective psychic space. In Music and Trance: A Theory of the Relations Between Music and Possession, Rouget emphasizes that rituals of possession are embedded within rich cultural traditions wherein trance is a learned and culturally patterned process. In these traditions, the musical motifs, instruments, and dance steps are localized to specific gods and myths, and thus the music operates as â€Å"the principal means of socializing trance†(Rouget 1985:323). Rouget argues that it is the possessee’s ability to identify emotionally with the music and dancing as signifiers of cultural knowledge, that enables him to enter the trance state. This is where electronic music departs from possession music. Although raves are emotionally charged events, the music and dance movements are not rooted in a specific cultural tradition other than rave. Nevertheless, there is an inherent power in the music to evoke extraordinary states of consciousness and this is where the universal agents involved in trigger ing trance are paramount. DJs have not only utilized these mechanisms to induce trance among participants, but the available technology in sound and music production has given artists the means to refine these practices into a science of precision. To a certain extent, these technological advancements compensate for the lack of cultural signifiers, as DJs have access to a range of equipment that is clearly absent in ceremonial possession. Electronic music producers are creating works that are intended to elicit specific states in the brain, and advancements in sound and visual effects at raves create the optimal listening environment for these tracks. Even though the sophisticated scripted process of initiation as observed in ceremonial possession is lacking at raves, these features when combined with the DJ’s proficiency in track selection and crowd interaction, and the learning on the part of participants in recognizing and responding to the DJ’s cues, account for the ASC’s that people are reporting at raves. Many DJs as well as experienced rave participants have developed their senses in such a way that they perceive Techno music differently than those who have never been exposed to it. This shift in musical perception is a learned by-product of repeatedly exposing the auditory system to new stimuli, and this transition is a key part of the scripted process as well as a prerequisite to ASC induction. For DJs and their fans, listening entertainment is only a small part of the electronic music scene. Specifically, the tones, frequencies and beats of electronic music are designed by producers and further refined by DJs to target the body in precise ways. Electronic music is intended to be physically experienced and this is evinced by the fact that many veterans of the rave scene describe the music as having a three-dimensional vibrational quality that transcends the traditional way music is perceived. The body-centered quality of the music is deeply intrinsic to electronic music culture and this is the common thread that links the numerous classifications of rave music. Computer technology has provided the DJ with the power to totally control the means of perception at raves. Whereas â€Å"the tonalities and structures of traditional music are limited by the parameters of the instruments on which they are played†electronic music â€Å"sets tonality loose releasing creativity from the discipline-and exclusivity-of musicianship†(Hemment 1997:29). As Gauthier remarks, â€Å"Techno becomes a presence that cannot be ignored-more, it is a shock whose intensity is only matched by the body’s urge to give in to it, an aggression made positive through the festive context†(Gauthier 2004:75). The dominance of the music is also supported by the high volume of the music. According to Fikentscher, this ensures the authority of the DJ as the music establishes â€Å"absolute priority over other acoustic phenomena: conversation, handclapping, foot stomping, yelling, whistling†(Fikentscher 2003:85). Some electronic musicians are even experimenting with sounds that go beyond the human auditory range. Fritz argues that sounds that vibrate through the body without being heard â€Å"may be partly responsible for the powerful emotional response people have when listening to rave music†(Fritz 1999:78). While the majority of DJs are not necessarily versed in the scientific literature on trance states, or use scientific language to describe what they do, there is an underlying intuitive knowledge of what works with the crowd at raves. Rouget observes that an interruption in the music’s flow is used cross-culturally to induce trance. Such catalysts as the acceleration of tempo, the crescendo in volume, the use of polyrhythm, rhythmic changes such as syncopation, and even a brief cessation of the music, are techniques that interrupt the music’s flow, triggering trance (Rouget 1985:80-84). Rouget notes that most possession ceremonies begin slowly, gradually intensifying throughout the evening with the onset of possession being the climax of the event (ibid 1985:80-84). The methods implemented by instrumentalists in interrupting the music’s flow function to intensify the sound and atmosphere of possession rituals. With electronic music, the idea of tension and releas e is a built-in characteristic of all classifications of rave music. Thus while Trance, Jungle, and House may differ with regard to tempo, meter, instrumentation, and use of lyrics, the same techniques of building tension are employed by DJs in all three genres. As Reynolds notes â€Å"rave music has always been structured around the delay of climax†and the anticipation of a â€Å"plateau of bliss that can be neither exceeded nor released†(Reynolds 1994:56). This paper examined the role of the electronic music DJ, and how DJ’ing has evolved into an art-from as well as a science. Technology has played a pivotal role in shaping the development of rave culture. At its core, the music that binds this global culture together is created, exchanged, performed, and experienced through computer-mediated technology. According to Wilson, â€Å"a reverence to and celebration of technology, and an implicit and explicit belief in ‘progress through technology,’†is one of the underlying doctrines of rave culture (Wilson 2003:386). As Gauthier remarks in reference to rave culture, â€Å"technology is synonymous with possibility, and stands as a prerequisite for creation, gathering and effervescence†(Gauthier 2004:71). Raves would be crippled without technology and this reinforces Reynolds’ point that rave music is not about â€Å"what the music ‘means’ but how it works†(Reynolds 1998:9). The DJ is the expert in knowing how electronic music works. His expansive knowledge of repertoire, aptitude for musical memory, technical prowess at the turntable, charismatic presence on stage, and ability to interact with, read, and manipulate the crowd, have awarded him the power to take his dancers on what participants have described as an â€Å"ecstatic†journey.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
The Criminal Justice System And Mental Health Crisis Criminology Essay
The Criminal Justice System And Mental Health Crisis Criminology Essay Mental health care in the United States today is at a crisis point. Nowhere is this crisis more evident than looking into the criminal justice system. Beginning in the 1970s, the Community Mental Health Act deinstitutionalized all inmates of the asylum that were not a clear and present danger to themselves and society (Allen et. al, 2013, p. 390). Since then, the closing of 90% of state and community mental health facilities has had an tremendous effect on another institution: the correctional facilities. The decline in the use of state mental institutions has resulted in the mentally ill being cast into the streets, often resulting in incarceration for minor offenses such as trespassing, theft, indecent behavior or public intoxication. Their mental illness combined with drug abuse which is quite common with street life, can however result in dangerous and destructive behavior. Since most states today do not have the capacity to accommodate the mentally ill in a treatment facility, t hey are sent to prison instead. In prison, they are treated with medication, examined by physicians, psychologists and counselors and recover from their illness to an extent that they are able to be released to live a normal life. The reality is, however, the recidivism rate for the mentally ill is astounding. Within 18-months of their release, nearly two-thirds will find themselves back behind bars. With little to no support system awaiting them in the free world, they often struggle to maintain a supply of their medication, remember to take any medication they have, find housing or a job. They often become homeless and stop taking their medication. . Their inability to assimilate to freedom once again finds them decompensated, off their medication and back into the system to start the cycle over again; being arrested either for minor or violent crimes and their return to incarcerated life the only life that is able to provide them with a routine of proper care. This creates a revolving door of treatment and reha bilitation followed by decompensation and incarceration for many of the mentally ill. The state of Colorado is no exception to this scenario. In 2009, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) gave Colorado an overall grade of C in their care provided to the mentally ill. The state received an F in Health Promotion Measurement, a B in Financing Core Treatment/Recovery Services, a C in Consumer Family Empowerment and a D in Community Integration Social Inclusion. Not surprisingly, the areas in need of the most improvement included workforce development, housing, jail diversion programs, availability of reentry programs, mental illness public education efforts and per capita mental health courts. The state received a grade of zero in many of these categories and fell well below the average U.S. score in others. On the other hand, the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) Mental Health Unit: provides and manages cost effective mental health services to offenders. Services are provided to diminish the risk to public and institutional safety, and maintain or improve offender level of functioning. The DOC provides a wide range of professional psychiatric, psychological, social work, and mental health treatment services to offenders incarcerated in the DOC.  The DOC Mental Health Unit manages the mental health needs of the offender population from intake at the Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center (DRDC), throughout their incarceration, and provides specialized transition services for targeted populations as they leave the facilities to parole, community corrections placements, or discharge. (DOC, 2012) The funds and care appropriated to the criminal justice system as opposed to the Division of Mental Health in Colorado for the care of mental illness is a clear indication of the volume of inmates with mental illness that the correctional facilities receive. The criminalization of persons suffering from mental illness is a critical component of the escalating prison populationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ who at one time would have been treated in mental hospitals, are displaced into correctional facilities (OKeefe Schnell, 2007 p.82). Data gathered by OKeefe and Schnell (2007) indicates that nearly 25% of U.S. inmates incarcerated in state facilities are mentally ill while the approximation of mental illness in the general populous accounts for only 2.6% making it obvious that they are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. In the Unites States today, with mental health care in its current state, it is practically impossible to separate mental health care from the correctional system. An offenders first experience within the correctional sytem, whether mentally ill or not, is usually with an arrest being made and sent to a locally operated jail. Thus, it is essential to provide training and appropriate training to those who serve the communities at the most provincial level to understand mental illness in an offender so that they may be directed to the proper institution for care. Public awareness and increased government recognition in recent years has seen the development of jail diversion programs to increase screening and treatment options at the local level. Additionally, mental health screening and treatment is now required to be provided as a matter of policy so that psychotropic medications are prescribed and counseling is done by trained mental health providers in all Federal prisons and most S tate prisons and jail jurisdictions (Davis, Fallon, Vogel, Teachout, 2008, p.218). This seems to be a step in the right direction, however, while the program requires the availability of the service, access and quality of service or rather the lack of, has rendered such programs to be ineffectiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and incompatible with therapeutic efforts (David et al., 2008, p. 218). One of the most important and difficult challenges faced by the correctional systems is identification of mental illness. Screening for mental health at the time of intake becomes a vital part of the process to determine whether an offender requires psychological treatment or to be places in a mental hospital, at least temporarily, rather than to be incarcerated. Offenders with a mental illness require treatments, medications, and social support needs that significantly differ from other, non-mentally ill offenders in order to assist them with the ability to cope with prison life. OKeefe and Schnells rese arch provided that the strongest contributing factor to the identification of mental disorders is a charted history of mental illness. Offenders with a recorded treatment history saw a 91.7% detection rate of mental illness whereas only 32.5% were detected when treatment histories were unknown (2007, p. 84). The conventional challenges confronted by any incarcerated person with a mental health problem are inflated dramatically when focused on these offenders ability to function in a correctional setting. As stated, research has shown that, many of the mental health needs of offenders often go undetected and/or untreated in correctional settings. This has serious implications for the inmate, the individuals surrounding them in the institution (other inmates and staff alike), and the community at large, when the inmate is eventually returned to society (Olley, Nicholls Brink, 2009). Community based care is vital to the success and rehabilitation of mentally ill inmates that have been released. Many of these former inmates have very little family, friends or community which will provide a support system during their transition from incarceration back into society. Those who are released into the custody of parole or probation often find success for the duration of their stay at a half-way house or while probation officers are available to monitor their progress and ensure they are taking their medications. Those who have completed their sentence and are simply released, or maxed out of the system, fare worse as they usually have no home, job, stability or support awaiting them to ease the transition. Without support incorporated with mental health care, substance abuse, employment, and other services, many people with mental illness end up being homeless, disconnected from community supports, and thus more likely to . . . become involved with the criminal justice system (Davis et al, 2008, p. 219). According to John Suthers, the executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections, only 5% of the prison population was chronically mentally ill. By 1999, the number had doubled and 95% of them would be returning to our communities, where theyll have very little support. Theyll probably stop taking their medication, and many of them become violent without it. Thatll force them back into the criminal justice system (Groom, 1999, p.115). Over the course of a decade beginning in 1995, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has enhanced the continuity-of-care policies and procedures for inmates with mental illness and co-occurring disorders, and developed programsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to assist inmates with reentry into the community (Couturier, 2005, p. 83). The Community Orientation and Reintegration program developed by the Pennsylvania DOC and described in Couturiers article (2005) is a two-phase program designed to enable inmates transition from the prison environment to their home community. The program provides an individualized agenda based on the inmates ability levels and progress level attained within the correctional facility. The first phase of the program as described by Couturier (2005) is completed in the prison during the several weeks prior to discharge and addresses the critical issues of parole responsibilities such as employment preparation, vocational evaluation, personal finances, substance abuse e ducation, Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous meetings, housing, family and parenting, mental health, life skills, antisocial attitudes and community (give back) services (Couturier, 2005, p. 83). The second phase of the program prepares inmates to return to the community over a four- to six-week program individually designed to the best capabilities and interests of the offender. The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and DOC community corrections staff establish a release date for the inmate as to when he is able to leave from the community corrections center based upon his progress. If necessary, program procedures can be modified to meet the needs of an offender with special needs. This kind of program greatly benefits not only the inmate as his transition to the community is monitored and supported; it is also beneficial to the community receiving the former inmate as their chances of assimilating to the community increase their potential threat to the community de creases. The Colorado Department of Corrections opened the San Carlos Correctional Facility in 1995 in response to the increasing number of mentally ill inmates that required special needs. The facility supports a capacity of 255 beds and is ran more as a therapeutic community much like a rehabilitation center for addicts rather than a traditional lock-down prison and is able to provide specialized treatment, care, and programming to mental health special need male offenders in a Level V Correctional Facility.  Prepare offenders for successful community re-entry or successful reintegration into Colorado Department of Corrections Facilities. Promote a positive work culture with innovative management practices in an ethical, professional, and responsible manner by empowering employees and promoting staff development (SCCF, 2012). Programs provided to prisoners at the San Carlos facility in order to aid in transitioning to society include: Adult Basic Education, Work Activity Center wh ere offenders learn basic skills such as sewing, using a time clock and responsible behavior in a work place, Mental Health classes in: Understanding Your Mental Illness, Symptom/Medication Management, Institutional Coping Skills and Addiction Recovery Programs according to their website (SCCF, 2012). Once released, they are sent to a halfway house where the residents continue an after-care program where they learn to live and work in the community (Groom, 1999, p. 119) as well as receive psychiatric care and access to their medications. Although protection of autonomy for those with a mental illness is essential, the rights of the inmates need to be balanced with the necessity of providing care to those whom are not able to understand how the administration of mental healthcare is beneficial to them, the inmate population and to the correctional staff. Some authorities have asserted the benefits of providing mental health services to incompetent prisoners; however, advocating involuntary treatment of individuals who decline to consent should be taken with caution, particularly in such a vulnerable population as inmates. It is advantageous for any civilized society to ensure adequate legal protection of the civil liberties of its marginalized citizens and that any such treatment is provided in compliance with applicable statute. The ethics and human rights requirements require careful monitoring and such treatment must clearly be in the best interests of the inmate (Olley, Nicholls Brink, 2009, p. 829-830). Although there are numerous challenges to providing appropriate mental health services to inmates experiencing mental health problems, the moment of opportunity that is available when an individual with mental health needs is in correctional custody should not be ignored. Many individuals receive their first real, complete mental health evaluation upon entering the correctional system. Their and the attentive care that they receive can offer a therapeutic window which otherwise may not have been available to the offender at any other time in their life. Clinical and research experiences in jails and prisons have found that inmates frequently report that their admissions to corrections is the first time they have been asked about their psychiatric symptoms, their suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and their mental health needs, or had an opportunity to experience the relief brought about by antipsychotic or mood stabilizing medications (Olley, Nicholls Brink, 2009, p. 830). Prison is not an easy place to acclimate to. The function of a prison is to first and foremost provide safety and security to the community it serves; not to provide mental health treatment. Prison life comes with a set of strict rules, regulations, orders and standards that must be maintained by every prisoner regardless of their mental capacity to do so. Despite the provisions of medication, therapy, and other mental health services provided by the correctional system; it is nevertheless true for those with suffering from a mental illness that prison life can aggravate aspects of the illness resulting in behavioral disruptions. Medications relieve many of the manifestations of mental illness that perpetuate behavioral infractions; therefore, disruptive behaviors are most likely to occur when the inmate is not taking their medication. Many mentally ill inmates refuse to take medications, and when this occurs, prison staff typically cannot forcibly administer them without a court ord er. Noncompliance occurs because the inmates want to avoid unpleasant side effects or benefit from selling or bargaining medications for desired amenities (OKeefe Schnell, 2007). Detrimental effects of medication noncompliance are further agitated by environmental variables. The prison environment is comprised of many adverse conditions that negatively affect all prisoners, such as overcrowding, excessive noise and uncomfortable temperatures. Lack of autonomy, physical confinement, and humiliation can evoke fear and stress. The abrasive atmosphere in correctional facilities, when compounded by mental illness, can easily trigger behavioral infractions such as yelling and aggressive behavior toward other inmates and staff, which lead to punitive consequences. OKeefe and Schnell (2007) also site a study conducted in 2006 that further provided evidence of prison adjustment issues where 58% of offenders with a mental illness were charged with rule violations in comparison to only 43% of non-mentally ill offenders. Additionally, the offenders behavioral disturbances can sometimes agitate other inmates and result in aggression towards the individual causing the annoyance. Correspondingly, it was found that mentally ill offenders were twice as likely to sustain a fighting injury as their non-mentally ill counterparts (OKeefe Schnell, 2007 p.87). Noncompliance with the regulations of the facility result in disciplinary action which can extend the sentence of an inmate sometimes far beyond the recommended sentencing guidelines for the crime they committed. Carl McEachron, an inmate at the maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio featured in PBS Frontlines documentary The New Asylum, has been in prison for 16years on a three year sentence for burglary on account of the countless disciplinary actions (Navaski OConnor, 2005).
Monday, August 19, 2019
Comparing the Past in The Ice Palace and The Great Gatsby :: comparison compare contrast essays
The Nature of the Past in The Ice Palace and The Great Gatsby     In "The Ice Palace" and The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the nature of the past. He shows us that we can neither return to nor escape from the past. In "The Ice Palace" he writes about the pasts of two different societies, the North and the South. In The Great Gatsby he writes about Daisy's relationships with two men, Tom and Gatsby. â€Å"In both of these stories some characters want to escape from the past and others want to return to the past†(Pendelton, 37). These characters find that neither of these is possible, that the past and the present have become intertwined.  The first society Fitzgerald deals with in "The Ice Palace" is the North. Here people try to ignore the past. We see this when Harry Bellamy tells us that "Everybody has a father, and about half of us have grandfathers. Back of that we don't go"(Fitzgerald, "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" and Other Stories, 72). They have no interest in what has gone before. Even their buildings are new. An example of this is the library of the Bellamy house. Many of the books haven't been read and the items in it "all looked about fifteen years old"(71). The epitome of Northern buildings is the ice palace, which stands for a winter and then melts away. It is an attempt at a building without a past, built fresh each time. In the Southern graveyard, when Sally Carrol is talking about Margery Lee, Harry Bellamy looks at the grave and says "There's nothing here"(68). To him headstones have no reality beyond the immediate physical one. In the North the snow hides the gravestones, making each "a light sh adow against light shadows"(80). The hiding of the headstones demonstrates the entire Northern attitude toward the past. They feel that it isn't important and should be ignored.  Despite all of these efforts the North is unable to escape the past. The gravestones may be covered with snow, but they are still there. Eventually the snow will melt and everyone will be able to see them. Even the ice palace, the attempt at a building with no past, falls victim to it. The last time an ice palace was built was in 1885, but it is still "peopled by those shades of the eighties"(80).
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