Tuesday, November 26, 2019
The Useful Generic List in VB.NET
The Useful Generic List in VB.NET Generics extend the power and flexibility of VB.NET in a lot of areas, but you get a bigger performance benefit and more programming options in the generic List object [List(Of T)] than with any other. To use List(Of T), you have to understand how to implement the many methods that the .NET Framework provides. Below are three examples using ForEach, FindAll, and Sort, that demonstrates how the generic List class works. The very first step is to create a generic List. You can get the data in a lot of ways, but the simplest is to just Add it. The code below shows how to classify my beer and wine collection! Starting Code There first needs to be an object that will represent a bottle from the collection. In a Windows Forms application, the Form class has to first be in a file or the Visual Studio designer wont work correctly, so put this at the end: Public Class Bottle Public Brand As String Public Name As String Public Category As String Public Size As Decimal Public Sub New( _ ByVal m_Brand As String, _ ByVal m_Name As String, _ ByVal m_Category As String, _ ByVal m_Size As Decimal) Brand m_Brand Name m_Name Category m_Category Size m_Size End Sub End Class To build the collection, Add the items. This is whats in the Form Load event: Dim Cabinet As List(Of Bottle) _ New List(Of Bottle) Cabinet.Add(New Bottle( _ Castle Creek, _ Uintah Blanc, _ Wine, 750)) Cabinet.Add(New Bottle( _ Zion Canyon Brewing Company, _ Springdale Amber Ale, _ Beer, 355)) Cabinet.Add(New Bottle( _ Spanish Valley Vineyards, _ Syrah, _ Wine, 750)) Cabinet.Add(New Bottle( _ Wasatch Beers, _ Polygamy Porter, _ Beer, 355)) Cabinet.Add(New Bottle( _ Squatters Beer, _ Provo Girl Pilsner, _ Beer, 355)) All of the above code is standard code in VB.NET 1.0. However, note that by defining your own Bottle object, you get the benefits of multiple types in the same collection (in this case, both String and Decimal) and efficient, type safe late binding. ForEach Example The fun starts when we use the methods. To begin, lets implement the familiar ForEach method. The Microsoft documentation includes this usage syntax definition: Dim instance As List Dim action As Action(Of T) instance.ForEach(action) Microsoft further defines action as delegate to a method that performs an action on the object passed to it. The elements of the current List(T) are individually passed to the Action(T) delegate. Tip: For more on delegates, read Using Delegates in Visual Basic .NET for Runtime Flexibility. The first thing you need to code is the method that will be delegated. Misunderstanding this one key point is the source of most of the confusion of VB.NET students. This function, or subroutine, is where all of the customized coding for the Of type objects is done. When performed correctly, youre essentially done. Its really simple in this first example. An entire instance of the Bottle is passed and the subroutine selects anything needed out of it. Coding the ForEach itself is simple too. Just fill in the address of the delegate using the AddressOf method. Sub displayBottle(ByVal b As Bottle) ResultList.Items.Add( _ b.Brand ) ResultList.Items.Add(-) Cabinet.ForEach(AddressOf displayBottle) End Sub FindAll Example FindAll is a little more complicated. The Microsoft documentation for FindAll looks like this: Dim instance As List Dim match As Predicate(Of T) Dim returnValue As List(Of T) returnValue instance.FindAll(match) This syntax includes a new element, Predicate(Of T). According to Microsoft, this will represent the method that defines a set of criteria and determines whether the specified object meets those criteria. In other words, you can create any code that will find something in the list. I coded my Predicate(Of T) to find anything in the Beer Category. Instead of calling the delegate code for each item in the list, FindAll returns an entire List(T) containing only the matches that result from your Predicate(Of T). Its up to your code to both define this second List(T) and do something with it. My code just adds the items to a ListBox. Private Sub FindAllButton_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles FindAllButton.Click ResultList.Items.Clear() ResultList.Items.Add(FindAll Example) ResultList.Items.Add(-) Dim sublist As List(Of Bottle) sublist Cabinet.FindAll(AddressOf findBeer) For Each r As Bottle In sublist ResultList.Items.Add( _ r.Brand - _ r.Name - _ r.Category - _ r.Size) Next End Sub Function findBeer(ByVal b As Bottle) _ As Boolean If (b.Category Beer) Then Return True Else Return False End If End Function Sort Example The final method this article examines is Sort. Again, Microsoft uses some terminology you might not be familiar with. There are actually four different overloads of the Sort method: Sort()Sort(IComparer(T))Sort(Comparison(T))Sort(Int32, Int32, IComparer(T)) This lets you use sort methods defined in the .NET Framework for the list, code your own, use a system defined comparison for the type, or sort part of the collection using a starting position and count parameter. In this example, since I use the following syntax to actually perform the sort, Im using the third overload. x.Name.x.Name.CompareTo(y.Name)(y.Name) Ive coded another delegate to my own comparer. Since I want to sort by my Name, I pull just that value out of each instance of the Bottle object that is passed and use the Sort(Comparison(Of (T))). The Sort method actually rearranges the original List(T). Thats what is processed after the method is executed. Private Sub SortButton_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles SortButton.Click ResultList.Items.Clear() ResultList.Items.Add(Sort Example) ResultList.Items.Add(-) Cabinet.Sort(AddressOf sortCabinet) For Each r As Bottle In Cabinet ResultList.Items.Add( _ r.Name - _ r.Brand - _ r.Category - _ r.Size) Next End Sub Private Shared Function sortCabinet( _ ByVal x As Bottle, ByVal y As Bottle) As Integer Return x.Name.CompareTo(y.Name) End Function These methods were selected to demonstrate the major ways that the Framework methods in List(T) are actually coded. Theres a whole raft of other methods, however. Thats what makes List(T) so useful!
Saturday, November 23, 2019
History of the Oven From Cast Iron to Electric
History of the Oven From Cast Iron to Electric Ancient people first began cooking on open fires. The cooking fires were placed on the ground and later simple masonry construction was used to hold the wood and/or food. Simple ovens were used by the ancient Greeks for making bread and other baked goods. By the middle ages, taller brick mortar hearths, often with chimneys were being built. The food to be cooked was often placed in metal cauldrons that were hung above the fire. The first written historical record of an oven being built refers to an oven built in 1490 in Alsace, France. This oven was made entirely of brick and tile, including the flue. Improvements to Wood Burning Ovens Inventors began making improvements to wood burning stoves primarily to contain the bothersome smoke that was being produced. Fire chambers were invented that contained the wood fire, and holes were built into the top of these chambers so that cooking pots with flat bottoms could be placed directly upon replacing the cauldron. One masonry design of note was the 1735 Castrol stove (aka stew stove). This was invented by French architect Franà §ois Cuvillià ©s. It was able to completely contain the fire and had several openings covered by iron plates with holes. Iron Stoves Around 1728, cast iron ovens really began to be made in high quantities. These first ovens of German design were called Five-plate or Jamb stoves. Around 1800, Count Rumford (aka Benjamin Thompson) invented a working iron kitchen stove called the Rumford stove that was designed for very large working kitchens. The Rumford had one fire source that could heat several cooking pots.à The heating level for each pot could also be regulated individually. However, the Rumford stove was too large for the average kitchen and inventors had to continue to improve their designs. One successful and compact cast iron design was Stewarts Oberlin iron stove, patented in 1834. Cast iron stoves continued to evolve, with iron gratings added to the cooking holes, and added chimneys and connecting flue pipes. Coal and Kerosene Frans Wilhelm Lindqvist designed the first sootless kerosene oven. Jordan Mott invented the first practical coal oven in 1833. Motts oven was called the baseburner. The oven had ventilation to burn the coal efficiently. The coal oven was cylindrical and was made of heavy cast iron with a hole in the top, which was then enclosed by an iron ring. Gas British inventorà James Sharp patented a gas oven in 1826, the first semi-successful gas oven to appear on the market. Gas ovens were found in most households by the 1920s with top burners and interior ovens. The evolution of gas stoves was delayed until gas lines that could furnish gas to households became common. During the 1910s, gas stoves appeared with enamel coatings that made the stoves easier to clean. One important gas design of note was the AGA cooker invented in 1922 by Swedish Nobel prize winner Gustaf Dalà ©n. Electricity It was not until the late 1920s and early 1930s that electric ovens began to compete with gas ovens.à Electric ovens were available as early as the 1890s. However, at that time, the technology and distribution of the electricity needed to power these early electric appliances still needed improvements. Some historians credità Canadian Thomas Ahearn with inventing the first electric oven in 1882. Thomas Ahearn and his business partner Warren Y. Soper owned the Chaudiere Electric Light and Power Company of Ottawa. However, the Ahearn oven was only put into service in 1892, in the Windsor Hotel in Ottawa. The Carpenter Electric Heating Manufacturing Company invented an electric oven in 1891. An electric stove was exhibited at the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893. On June 30, 1896, William Hadaway was issued the first patent for an electric oven. In 1910, William Hadaway went on to design the first toaster made by Westinghouse, a horizontal combination toaster-cooker. One major improvement in electric ovens was the invention of resistor heating coils, a familiar design in ovens also seen in hotplates. Microwaves The microwave oven was a by-product of another technology. It was during a radar-related research project around 1946 that Dr. Percy Spencer, an engineer with the Raytheon Corporation, noticed something very unusual when he was standing in front of an active combat radar. The candy bar in his pocket melted. He began to investigate and soon enough, the microwave oven was invented.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Discuss How Benedict's Work Developed Boas Vision of Anthropology And Essay
Discuss How Benedict's Work Developed Boas Vision of Anthropology And Whether It Also Represented a New Direction In American Anthropology - Essay Example This anthropological method is still considered to be highly effective today, as it reduces bias in analysis (Young, 2005). The idea of cultural relativism is also much championed in the work of Boas. Like Benedict after him, Boas held the belief that each cultural system only has meaning when studied as a whole, apart from other cultural systems. The moral compass of that particular culture should not be judged against our own moral compass, because they have to be seen relatively (Herskovits, 1973). Additionally, both Boas and Benedict understood that culture and cultural systems change over time, which means that there is an element of historical relativism found in both their works (Herskovits, 1973). This means that an anthropologist should look at a culture as an entity in both time and space to fully understand the rituals and symbols found within it (Herskovits, 1973). It is interesting to see how Benedict took these original ideas about cultural anthropology from Boas and de veloped them with her own fieldwork and evidence. For example, some of Benedictââ¬â¢s early fieldwork was a continuation of Boasââ¬â¢, working with the Kwakiutl Native American group. Benedict began gathering evidence that, whilst the customs of the Kwakiutl may seem strange, they are intelligible when considered as a part of the whole. This thought was followed on with her own fieldwork on the Pueblo group, found in New Mexico. Again, many of the customs and symbols found in Pueblo culture may seem alien to those reading ââ¬Å"Patterns of Cultureâ⬠, but Benedict (like Boas before her) encouraged the reader to think outside of their own culture to aid... This paper approves that the cultural relativism which was so promoted by Boas and developed by Benedict has come to be a cornerstone of most academic anthropology. Many academic textbooks promote the idea that a degree of neutrality is needed for true anthropological research. It is easy to assume that all cultures share the same moral and ethical values as our own, but many do not. Many make the mistake of assuming that other cultures are somehow ââ¬Ëwrongââ¬â¢ for not adhering to ââ¬Ëourââ¬â¢ values, which ruins empirical fieldwork. In this sense, Boas and Benedict had a huge impact on American anthropology and how it has developed into the scientific field that it is today. Thisreport makes a conclusion that Benedict built on these strong foundations to develop her idea of cultural identity and national personalities, including some of Boasââ¬â¢ fieldwork in her own research. Overall, the work of Boas and Benedict have been highly influential in the field, having been incorporated into the work of important anthropologists such as Margaret Mead. Particularly important are the emphasis that Boas put onto cultural relativism, suggesting that anthropologists need to be careful when examining other cultures to take the culture as a whole without judgement using personal morals and ethics. Additionally, Boas was highly critical of racism within the field, something which is generally championed by anthropologists working in the field today.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Interrelation with exports in business Research Paper
Interrelation with exports in business - Research Paper Example Interrelation with exports in business This process then motivates increased purchasing by international vendors and consumers. This process has a varying impact on United States businesses. While one would assume that such processes would have a beneficial impact, this is not always the case. One concern is the impact of import costs. While one would assume that such processes would have a beneficial impact, this is not always the case. One concern is the impact of import costs. Oftentimes there are goods that are necessary for product that can only be purchased internationally (Rosenbush, 2012). The increase of prices for these products would negatively impact United States businesses. Another consideration is in terms of larger macroeconomic elements. While in the short-term a falling dollar can beneficially impact United States businesses, if the United States currency continues to depreciate over extended periods then this rising inflation can potentially result in rising unemployment rates (Hagerty, 2012). This unemployment would then have a negative impact on United States businesses for a variety of reasons. Still another consideration is that the falling United States dollar could potentially result in a situation where foreign and even domestic investors grow wary of investing in the United States (Hagert y, 2012). This lack of foreign investment or domestic spending would then result in economic stagnation within the United States, ultimately having a negative impact on business.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
The Chimney Sweeper Timed Write Essay Example for Free
The Chimney Sweeper Timed Write Essay These poems have many similarities, but also have some differences. Diction, poetic techniques, and the tones of each poem are some of the similarities and differences. The authorââ¬â¢s purpose for writing both these poems is to show how things change from innocence to experience over time, and to show how it affects the people involved. These poems are similar in the way that the author uses meter, figurative language, and poetic technique. Irony is also a big part of the way the poems can be seen as similar. In the first poem the author writes, ââ¬Å"So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm.â⬠This is ironic because if the kids do carry their duties out, they will actually be harmed, and will not be safe as the quote implies. Similarly the author uses irony in the next poem, which shows more experience rather than innocence like the first, when he writes, ââ¬Å"Who make up a heaven of our misery.â⬠This is ironic because heaven is always thought to be a happy wonderful place, where no one is sad or in pain or anything else of that nature. Another way these poems are similar is the way the author uses symbols. In both poems the colors white and black are used. In the first poem ââ¬Å"white hairâ⬠shows the innocence, while in the second poem, ââ¬Å"A little black thingâ⬠is showing the experience and how it has been stained. Other symbols in the poems include lambs, snow, and soot. These represent innocence, purity, and the stain of experience on the innocence of the children. Lastly the meters are the same in each poem, both are anapestic. These poems have many similarities to show the connection between the two different poems and how innocence will change to experience. Although these poems have many similarities, the author uses differences in each poem to show how things change, and when they change from innocence to experience things are very different. In the first poem you can almost hear a childlike playful tone, it seems as though the kids do not know what they are getting into and are kind of excited about a new adventure. While in the second poem, songs of experience, the tone is darker, the kids are not excited about the adventure; they are scared and know how dangerous it is. It talks more about death and criticizes monarchy and religion, as though they are blaming them for their misery and pain. Both of these tones are best described in, ââ¬Å"Thoââ¬â¢ the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm;â⬠This is from the first poem, they are still happy although they know they are in a danger. From the second poem, ââ¬Å"They clothed me in clothes of death,â⬠this is a very somber line and shows how the child now knows the dangers and has experienced tragedy. The author uses these differences to show us the way that, as life goes on sometimes perspectives change, and sometimes it is for the worse.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Poverty and Sociology Essay -- Sociology Essays
In 2010, about 46.2 million people were considered poor. The nationââ¬â¢s poverty rate rose to 15.1 percent, whereas in 2009, 14.3 percent of people in America were living in poverty (Censky, 2011). That is an increase of 2.6 million people in 2010. In the United States, the federal poverty line ââ¬â an absolute measure of annual income ââ¬â is frequently used to determine who is categorized as poor (Ferris & Stein, 2008, 2010). Currently the government defines the poverty line as an income of $11,139 for an individual and $22,314 for a family of four (Censky, 2011). In sociology, poverty can be defined using two terms ââ¬â relative deprivation and absolute deprivation. Relative deprivation is a comparison between people and social class. With relative deprivation, people are considered poor if their standard of living is less than that of other members of society (Ferris & Stein, 2008, 2010). Absolute deprivation is an objective measure of poverty, whereby people are considered poor because he or she is incapable to meet minimal fundamentals such as food, shelter, health care and material objects. Is it difficult to participate in society for those who live in an impoverished life? Many would say that people living in poverty are behind in our cultural movement; that he or she lack the essentials to be on an equal level with the rest of society. Many theories have been applied to the issue of poverty with controversy over how and if the poverty problem should be addressed. Inequality, homelessness, and the idea of the American dream also has an influence on poverty. A theory of poverty promoted in 1959 by Oscar Lewis is the idea of a culture of poverty theory. The culture of poverty theory is an entrenched attitude that can develop am... ...does not match reality since it is more of an ideology. The American Dream is nothing more than a belief that explains and justifies some sort of social arrangement, in this case Americaââ¬â¢s social class hierarchy (Ferris & Stein, 2008, 2010). A problem with the achievement of the American Dream is inequality. Inequality rooted in race, social class and ethnicity suggests that the American Dream is not attainable at all. Sociologists found that no matter how hard an individual works or seeks out a good education, the majority will make little movement up the social class ladder at all. The American Dream does the opposite of what it is sought out to be; it encourages consumerism and valorizes material wealth which ultimately leaves Americans in debt. With Americans going more and more into debt, there is an increasingly unlikely escape from their position of poverty.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Employees in management Essay
Any employee can acquire or possess characteristics that may make him deserve a managerial level position. In addition to that, this is a part of the civil rights and so equality should also be upheld by giving everyone equal opportunities to a managerial level position. This paper intends to prove that indeed, ââ¬Å"Yes, businesses should grant all employees the opportunity to move into management level positionsâ⬠(Sugarman n. . ). Explaining the first reason further, any employee can learn to become a good ââ¬Å"managerâ⬠provided that he or she perseveres, learns from all his or her past experiences, and possesses the qualities of a person that can hold and run a management level position successfully (Sugarman n. p. ). Examples include the following: there are employees who are dedicate and serve for a cause instead of just carrying out what the job asks them to; there are employees who gets inspired by advancement, the work itself, personal growth, and responsibility, instead of just recognition, achievement, affiliation, and power; there are employees who have the capacity to innovate instead of just administer; there are employees who can do the right things instead of just doing things right; there are employees who are brilliant and can develop instead of just maintain; there are employees who can keep and think of a longer-term perspective; there are employees who can challenge instead of just accept the status quo; there are employees who can keep their concern for those who belong to ranks lower than them; there are employees who can originate instead of just imitate; there are employees who can walk in someone elseââ¬â¢s shoes instead of just listening to how their subordinates say thin gs (Sugarman n. p. ) In addition to that, for the sake of equality and to uphold the civil rights, yes everyone should be granted the chance to be promoted to management level positions. For instance, back then, women were not allowed to be in the top level position at least until the implementation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which gave the women entry to employment and good positions eventually as well (Lindsey 27). On a final note, ââ¬Å"Businesses should grant all employees the opportunity to move into management level positionsâ⬠(Sugarman n. p. ). This is because equality should always exist and because all employees have the capacity to hold and run a management level position.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Nick’s Story
A. Which symptoms that Nick has described so far are relevant to the nervous system? Are his symptoms sensory, motor, or both? Nick has complained of burning and prickly pain in feet, clumsiness, dizziness when sitting or standing, and vision problems. These are symptoms of both sensory and motor nerve damage. B. Do you think the symptoms Nick describes are likely caused by peripheral nerve damage? Could they be caused by damage to the central nervous system? I believe there has been peripheral nerve damage because of the symptoms that he exhibits.It seems that his receptors are not effectively communicating back to the central nervous system; in addition he is losing his somatic reflexes in his feet, both indicating damage to his somatic nervous system. I guess there could be damage to the central nervous system, but I would expect that the symptoms would be even more severe. C. Diabetic neuropathies damage peripheral nerves. Which component of the reflex arc is most likely to be da maged in Nickââ¬â¢s situation? I think a lot of Nicks reflex arc damage would begin at the sensory neuron.Stimuli are still triggering the receptor, but the information isnââ¬â¢t traveling along the damaged sensory neuron to continue the arc to the integrating centers, motor neurons, and effectors, though the damage could be further along in the reflex arc providing basically the same symptoms. D. Which division of the autonomic nervous system would be affected and would be causing Nickââ¬â¢s GI tract symptoms? Because his digestion is suppressed I would say the sympathetic division is mainly active, inhibiting the gastrointestinal tract.So the parasympathetic division of his nervous system, which allows motility of the gastrointestinal tract, is primarily affected. E. Nickââ¬â¢s light-headedness is caused by a condition known as orthostatic hypotension, a rapid drop in blood pressure upon standing up. Based on what you have learned so far, how does the autonomic nervous system control blood pressure? The hypothalamus connects the parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions of the ANS by neurons in the brain and spinal cord and relay information.The posterior and lateral parts of the hypothalamus control the sympathetic division which constrict blood vessels and raise blood pressure. The anterior and medial parts of the hypothalamus control the parasympathetic division which lowers blood pressure. F. After becoming comatose, Nick was sweating profusely, and had rapid heart and respiratory rates and elevated blood pressure. Which area of the brain interacts with the autonomous nervous system during physical stress to initiate these responses? The hypothalamus . G. Nick has digestive symptoms indicating reduced gastrointestinal mobility.What autonomic receptors regulate closing of sphincters and relaxation of organ walls? Pelvic splanchnic nerves. H. Why would the term polyneuropathy be appropriate for the symptoms that Nick was experiencing? Because h is symptoms indicate that several different nerves and neural pathways were damaged. I. What symptoms noted by Nicks primary care physician indicated a polyneuropathy? Knowing that Nick was struggling to manage his diabetes definitely sent a red flag, additionally vision problems, feet problems, and balance issues indicated polyneuropathy. J.Why are Nicks generalized symptoms more indicative of a peripheral polyneuropathy than a central nervous system lesion to the brain or spinal cord? Because certain individual signals arenââ¬â¢t being interpreted and responded to effectively. K. Which of Nickââ¬â¢s systems were related to somatic reflexes? Which were related to autonomic reflexes? Somatic reflex issues were indicated by the lack of response in reflex and when nick wasnââ¬â¢t able to resist much to pressure against his foot. Autonomic reflexes were suppressed when Nick was unable to digest food, and increased when his blood pressure went up.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
survival essays
survival essays 1. DEFINITIONS 2 Survival Survival is emerging from natural or manmade disaster in a better position than the average person. Preparedness Preparedness is making preparations before disaster or disasters strike to improve your chances of survival. Shelters are made to stay out of the wind, rain, and sun. Shelters are also used to live in and get plenty of rest. There are many types of shelters. The shelters are classified in to two categories, natural and man made. Natural shelters are shelters that you can find naturally made or not man made. There are many natural shelters. Here are some examples of natural shelters, caves, rocky overhangs, thickets, and many more. You can also find some other types of natural shelters. Man made shelters are shelter that you make. You may be lucky and find an abandoned building or some type of shelter. There are many types of man made shelters like lean-tos, igloos, brick shelters and many more. Here are some examples below that you can make. You can also create and make your very own shelter for your specific needs. Lean -To shelters are shelters that you lean branches or some item onto another. You just need branches or trees, leaves and ferns. Ferns will help waterproof the roof and any other areas that you want waterproofed. Mud brick shelters are sturdier but may take longer to build. You cut the turf in to the size of bricks you want. Then you can build the walls for the shelter. Next you need to build a roof (ferns would work well). Igloos can be made if there is snow. You need a snow pile. First put a backpack or some object in snow at top. Then, dig out an entrance that is big enough for you to get in and out. Next, dig until you find backpack or object, then pull it out carefully. Finally, excavate or shape the inside. Here are some ideas of shelter that you may be able to build. ...
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Human Rights Violations in North Korea
Human Rights Violations in North Korea After World War II, Japanese-occupied Korea was divided in two: North Korea, a newly Communist government under the supervision of the Soviet Union, and South Korea, under the supervision of the United States. The North Korean Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) was granted independence in 1948à ââ¬â¹and is now one of the few remaining Communist nations. The population of North Korea is approximately 25 million, with an estimated annual per capita income of about US$1,800. The State of Human Rights in North Korea North Korea is in all likelihood the most oppressive regime on Earth. Although human rights monitors are generally banned from the country, as are radio communications between citizens and outsiders, some journalists and human rights monitors have been successful in uncovering details about the secretive governments policies. The government is essentially a dictatorshippreviously operated by Kim Il-sung, then by his son Kim Jong-il, and now by his grandson Kim Jong-un. The Cult of the Supreme Leader Although North Korea is generally described as a Communist government, it could also be characterized as a theocracy. The North Korean government operates 450,000 Revolutionary Research Centers for weekly indoctrination sessions, where attendees are taught that Kim Jong-il was a deity figure whose story began with a miraculous birth atop a legendary Korean mountain (Jong-il was actually born in the former Soviet Union). Kim Jong-un, now known (as his father and grandfather once were) as Dear Leader, is similarly described in these Revolutionary Research Centers as a supreme moral entity with supernatural powers. Loyalty Groups The North Korean government divides its citizens into three castes based on their perceived loyalty to Dear Leader: core (haeksim kyechung), wavering (tongyo kyechung), and hostile (joktae kyechung). Most of the wealth is concentrated among the core, while the hostilea category that includes all members of minority faiths, as well as descendants of perceived enemies of the stateare denied employment and subject to starvation. Enforcing Patriotism The North Korean government enforces loyalty and obedience through its Ministry of Peoples Security, which requires citizens to spy on each another, including family members. Anyone who is overheard saying anything perceived as critical to the government is subject to a reduced loyalty group rating, torture, execution, or imprisonment in one of North Koreas ten brutal concentration camps. Controlling the Flow of Information All radio and television stations, newspapers and magazines, and church sermons are government-controlled and focus on praise of the Dear Leader. Anyone who makes contact with foreigners in any way, or listens to foreign radio stations (some of which are accessible in North Korea), is in danger of any of the penalties described above. Traveling outside of North Korea is also forbidden, and can carry a penalty of death. A Military State Despite its small population and dismal budget, the North Korean government is heavily militarizedclaiming to have an army of 1.3 million soldiers (the fifth-largest in the world), and a thriving military research program that includes the development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. North Korea also maintains rows of massive artillery batteries on the North-South Korea border, designed to inflict heavy casualties on Seoul in the event of international conflict. Mass Famine and Global Blackmail During the 1990s, as many as 3.5 million North Koreans died of starvation. Sanctions are not imposed on North Korea primarily because they would block grain donations, resulting in the deaths of millions more, a possibility that does not appear to concern the Dear Leader. Malnutrition is almost universal except among the ruling class; the average North Korean 7-year-old is eight inches shorter than the average South Korean child of the same age. No Rule of Law The North Korean government maintains ten concentration camps, with a total of between 200,000 and 250,000 prisoners contained therein. Conditions in the camps are terrible, and the annual casualty rate has been estimated as high as 25%. The North Korean government has no due process system, imprisoning, torturing, and executing prisoners at will. Public executions, in particular, are a common sight in North Korea. Prognosis: By most accounts, the North Korean human rights situation cannot presently be solved by international action. The U.N. Human Rights Committee has condemned the North Korean human rights record on three different occasions in recent years, to no avail. Strict sanctions are of limited usefulness because the North Korean government has already demonstrated that it is willing to allow millions of its citizens to starve.Military action is not feasible, primarily because the artillery batteries maintained by the North Korean government along the demilitarized zone could literally result in millions of South Korean casualties. North Korean leaders have promised an annihilating strike in the event of U.S. invasion.North Korea maintains a stockpile of chemical weapons, and may also possess biological weapons.North Korea has augmented this threat with nuclear weapons development.North Korean missiles delivering chemical, biological, or nuclear munitions can reach South Korea, can almost certainly reach Japan, and are presently being tested for potential launch against the U.S. west coast.The North Korean government regularly breaks treaties, reducing the value of diplomacy as a human rights strategy. The best hope for North Korean human rights progress is internaland this is not a futile hope. Many North Korean citizens have gained access to foreign media and foreign radio stations, giving themââ¬â¹ aà reason to question national propaganda.Some North Korean citizens are even distributing revolutionary literature with apparent impunityas the governments loyalty enforcement system, fearsome though it is, is too bloated to function efficiently.The death of Kim Jong-il in 2012 has introduced a new generation of leadership, which may respond to international pressure in a more practical way.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Conceptual Framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Conceptual Framework - Essay Example The disruptive innovation theory describes the process by which a product or service takes root initially in the market, in the form of uncomplicated applications, and then moves up the market in a relentless manner. The new product disrupts the entire market and existing value network and as well displaces the earlier technology and competitors. A disruptive innovation allows the whole population access to a whole new product that was initially historically accessible to a specific set of consumer with a lot of money. Business or companies can also be disruptive, and when in this nature the expected characteristics would be that, at least in the initial stages, of smaller target markets, lower gross margin, and products or services that may appear simple and unattractive solutions when compared to the traditional performance metrics (Fannin, 2012). Usually companies tend to innovate faster even than the rate at which their customersââ¬â¢ lives change. In such instances, an organization would end up eventually producing the products and services that are too expensive, good, and inconvenient for most of the customers. Pursuit of sustainable innovation has perpetuated what has helped companies historically to be established in new market such as India and succeed in their production endeavors. Ideally, companies have unwittingly, in most occasions, opened their doors to disruptive innovations and not sustaining innovation which in itself does not lead to the creation of new markets or value networks but, evolve the existing ones with better value. Generally, according to this theory, companies that are well managed and quick to respond to their clientele and have exceptional research and improvement can be impaired by disruptive innovation (Evans, 2002). The relation of this theory to my study is based on the apprehension of the actuality that, in India, new companies have sprang up in the recent past that have introduced new products in
Friday, November 1, 2019
Propaganda Poster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Propaganda Poster - Essay Example The poster ââ¬Å"The Greatest Mother in the Worldâ⬠is aimed at raising funds. The central image depicted on the paper is a woman dressed in the gown of the Red Cross nurse. She points at people depicted in the right corner. There is also a significant object which is located beside the woman: the red cross. At the bottom of the poster there is a red line and inscription in big white letters ââ¬Å"WAR FUND 1943â⬠. At the top of the page there is the following inscription ââ¬Å"The Greatest Mother in the Worldâ⬠. There are also smaller objects which, nevertheless, should be regarded as important details. For instance, there are several aircrafts above the people. It goes without saying that every detail, every object depicted and even the choice of color should be regarded as meaningful points since they help to convey certain idea or ideas. In the first place, it is necessary to point out that white and light blue colors prevail. These colors convey the idea of hope and good. People depicted at the bottom of the picture are rendered in dark colors. These are ordinary people who seek for help since they are in constant danger. The use of red color is used to achieve several goals. First, the Red Cross is a symbol of an institution which helps people in need. On the other hand, red color attracts peopleââ¬â¢s attention, and the most important information is depicted in the red line. People see that the poster ââ¬Å"advertisesâ⬠certain campaign held to raise funds for the Red Cross or, more generally, for those in need. As far as the central image is concerned it is necessary to note that the woman can be regarded as the personification of appeal and compassion. The womanââ¬â¢s facial expressions leaves no doubt that she needs help of each viewer. Interestingly, the woman is beautiful and she has make-up on her face. McEuen (2011) pays much attention to female appearance in the posters and claims that American posters revealed women who could not only take care about others but could be active enough to take care of themselves. The woman points out at the people who are waiting for help. Her posture is very informative as well, she is leaning and this also enhances the idea of appeal. People at the bottom of the poster are not depicted in detail. This is rather a crowd. They hardly have faces because the posterââ¬â¢s designer stresses that there are many people in need. This impersonal depiction of people enhances the idea of quality: there too many people, so only the entire nation can help all those who suffer from the war. As far as the Red Cross is concerned it is depicted to inform people of the way their help will reach those in need. Thus, those who donate can understand that they assist the Red Cross, internationally acknowledged institution. Admittedly, the designer of the poster uses all these visual tools to persuade people to donate in order to help unfortunate people. For instance, the woman dep icted is a kind of an angel who comes from heaven to help people, but still asks for help since there is too much evil. Another informative image does not attract so much of attention, but it creates the necessary atmosphere. Thus, the aircrafts depicted convey the idea of threat over people exposed to the horrors of war. It is necessary to point out that such symbolism is very appealing and the poster reaches its major aims. Sometimes propaganda posters
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