Legacy of British colonialism in the Caribbean Essay

Legacy of British colonialism in the Caribbean - Essay Example Britain’s imperial possessions in the Caribbean were collectively called the British West Indies. These were comprised by Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The West Indies also included the sub-grouping called the Caribbean Anglophones composed of the now independent states such as Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. Prior to the British and European occupation, the Caribbean is home to some ancient agricultural civilizations. The oldest settlement, which was considered to be those of archaic age, dates back to around 7000 years. At the time of the European colonization, settlers are comprised of three Amerindian ethnic groups, namely: the Tainos, Carib and the Ciboney. The importance of the Caribbean among its European rulers is mainly due to the sugar industry, which has prospe red in the islands. "Sugar was the foundation of the Golden Age of West Indian prosperity during the eighteenth century" (Tomich 14)

Modern World Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Modern World Cinema - Essay Example In the past two and a half decades movie industry in Nigeria was in bad shape, most films produced then were of very poor Quality, just a few exceptions like those produced by Late Actors and producers, by name Chief Hubert Ogunde and Moses Olaiya a.k.a Baba Sala.These two actors took Nigeria movie across the Globe and they were largely applauded for their immense contribution to the Nigerian movie Industry. The films produced by Hubert Ogunde include Aiye and Jaiyesimi, all these films were masterpieces of their own time, and today these films are still available at special occasions in cinemas all over the country. Chief Hubert Ogunde single-handedly built a film village in Musan, Ogun State in Nigeria. The film village is equipped with state of the art African artifacts required to give Nigerian films the necessary African background and other required parafinaliars, the Structure is still there today for use.

Work Teams Essay Example for Free

Work Teams Essay One of the most important things to keep in mind when assembling work teams is team efficacy. Team efficacy is basically where effective teams have confidence in them and each other in the ability to succeed. Everyone that will be a part of this developmental team will have to come together and agree on what is best for the subject at hand. You will have to come in agreement with one another to work effectively as a team. Working as a team will create positive synergy that will allow an increase in performance. Having the correct work team established will also allow an easier and more organized work environment. When members know their role and what is expected of them, their job becomes easier. To create an effective team, you will need to be able to function and work together while displaying certain characteristics. Those characteristics are as follows: Adequate resources – must have adequate amounts of resources outside of the group to sustain it. You must have support on a variety of levels. In this case your support would be from the different jobs each of you holds in your development group. Those of you from the school system can provide classrooms, teachers and first hand encounters with students. Those of you with NCPIE can provide outside eyes looking in. Diversity, racial, ethnic, gender and disability issues are your main concerns. Lastly, those with The Woodson Foundation can provide logistical support, program development and measurement of the staff. The next characteristic you must show would be leadership and structure. You must be able to agree on who can perform what duties to the best of their abilities. Your team’s performance depends on the knowledge and skills of its members. From the list of possible candidates, those I feel that would be able to adapt to the thoughts and ideas of others with the outcome being that of a successful program are listed in no particular order. I would appoint Victoria Adams (Superintendent of Washington, DC schools) as part of the team. Miss Adams made the initial contact with The Woodson Foundation. She knows that the school system, communities and families should be involved, but believes that the school system should be playing the largest role. Being the superintendent of all area schools can also provide adequate esources in classrooms and with the teaching staff. I would also appoint Community Organizer Mason Dupree. Having so much contact with the community would provide the outside voices a way in. Communities are an important part of a successful school system, so you will need someone the community trusts and is comfortable with. Lastly, from The Woodson Foundation, I would select Meredith Watson to the team. Miss Watson has both experiences working as a teacher and with the foundation. She will be able to relate to both sides as well as providing the resources the Foundation has to offer. I would also consider having Victor Martinez from The Woodson Foundation as well. Mr. Martinez seems to have an open mind frame and welcome change when and if needed. He could serve as a possible mediator for the team. For the other candidates that were not chosen, I would say to open up to all sides of the equation. If you are deadest on your ways and have no room for change, the chances are your way will not work. You have to be willing to give a little as well as lose a little. Having a mind frame of only things that you agree and believe in will only satisfy you. To finish up characteristics, you will also need a climate of trust among team members. If you can’t trust those you are working with then how are those you are working to support going to trust you. With all this being said, it will be a long bumpy ride. With twists and turns and bumps along the way conflicts are sure to arise. Conflicts that may occur might not all be necessarily bad. Task conflicts happen often within teams. Many only wish to be able to form a team and agree instantly on everything, but in reality there will be a lot of conflicts and disagreements along the way. When these conflicts do arise, and they will, the best thing to do will be to talk the issue out. Debate it if you have to, discuss the pros and cons, and get outside opinions as well as the opinions of those involved. Do not get angry or irritated which in the end will only make the problem worse. Using interactive negotiating strategies will also benefit the team. Throwing out a variety of ideas is a perfect start. Once you have a set of ideas, you can start to determine ones with the perfect fit. Being able to successfully demonstrate and following through with negotiations shows you are willing to come to an agreement for the issues at hand. You must be able to find within your group those that excel in certain areas and appoint them that category. When you begin making decisions as a team, you will see how easy it is to work together for the best. Program Team: To be a good leader, you must be able to understand and work with those on all levels of the project. You have to be open to change as well as being able to handle a diverse group of people. The school district, NCPIE and The Woodson Foundation all revolve around different varieties of people. You must be willing to step in the shoes of others to fully understand the issues at hand. All groups must show certain characteristics of organizational culture such as: innovation and risk taking, attention to detail, outcome orientation, people orientation, team orientation, aggressiveness and stability. All three groups have their own organizational culture, but they all are looking for job satisfaction. Culture creates distinctions between organizations. To get all members to agree despite their different organizational cultures, members must come together as one. Setting aside difference will lead to productivity, commitment and overall better expected outcomes. In order for you as leaders to succeed with the parents and employees, you much be willing to incorporate their ideas and opinions into your own. You have to think about the team as a whole. Including members in your work team as well as the audience surrounding you (the parents). Making sure you are the best fit as a leader as well will determine the success of the situation. Leaders should earn the trust of the students and parents as well as the teachers, if you can’t earn trust you won’t be able to fully succeed. Once you have established trust you will want to provide chances for interaction. You will also want to establish a vision. Leaders should work towards capturing individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, and inspirational motivation and idealized influence. Working towards the satisfaction of all involved should be of main concern. If problems do happen to arise, thing about the conflicts and use communication to work them out accordingly.

Christian-Only Hiring Policy Essay Example for Free

Christian-Only Hiring Policy Essay Case Study: Matthew is planning to open a manufacturing facility. He is considering a â€Å"Christian-only† hiring policy whereby he would determine to hire only professing, evangelical Christians to work in the facility. He asks you for your advice on the following questions: 1. Would such a policy be legal? If so, under what terms and what might the restrictions be? 2. From a Great Commission perspective, would this policy be advisable? 3. How would your answers change, if at all, if they planned to open a Christian school rather than a manufacturing facility? Matthew is planning to open a manufacturing facility and is considering a â€Å"Christian-only† hiring policy. The only way that this policy would be legal is if the manufacturing facility was considered to be a non-profit organization. A non-profit organization is an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals rather than distributing them as profit or dividends. The extent to which a non-profit organization can generate surplus revenues may be constrained or use of surplus revenues may be restricted. If this manufacturing facility was deemed to be a non-profit organization, then the organization would be exempt from the Civil Rights Act and would be able to implement their â€Å"Christian-only† hiring policy without facing charges down the road of discrimination. Due to the fact that a manufacturing facility would be unable to be classified as a non-profit organization because their purpose is usually to distribute its products for profit, then my advice would be that this policy would not be advisable for Matthew to use a â€Å"Christian-only† hiring policy. Using this policy would cause people to be discriminated against due to religious preference, and this is clearly illegal in the United States. If Matthew was planning to open a Christian school rather than a manufacturing facility, my answer would still be that it is illegal to discriminate in a for-profit organization. There are times when a faith-based humanitarian organization has prevailed over the lawsuits brought against them for discrimination due to religious preference, however, I do not advise toying with the gray area of the laws. I would advise Matthew that if he intends to open his manufacturing facility, it is not legal and not advisable to implement his â€Å"Christian-only† hiring policy.

India Tradition Of Joint Family System Sociology Essay

India Tradition Of Joint Family System Sociology Essay Indians are known for family-oriented culture. The family values play a very important role in their social life. A very important responsibility of family is the transmission of beliefs, traditions and core values. India has a strong tradition of joint family system, in which members of multiple patrilineal related generations stay together and may or may not linked with possession of joint family property (Ghosh Basu, 2008). Married women usually live with their husbands families, with retaining bonds with their natal families. They live under same roof, working, worshiping, eating, and cooperating together in social and economic activities. Under this structure, there are clear lines of hierarchy and authority. And great respects should be shown to the members who are at higher position in the hierarchy. In general, elders rank above juniors, and among people of similar age; males outrank females. And traditionally, the oldest male member, which is usually the grandfather in the family, is the head in this family unit. And he has the authority over the whole family, especially in terms of big decision making and discipline creation. However, in some cases, grandmother also has certain authority over the younger females in the family (Essay on the concept of joint family system in India, n.d.). With the economy development and urbanization, traditional large families face difficulties to adapt to modern rapid and flexible life style. More and more traditional joint families have split into nuclear families, in which a couple live with their unmarried children, as a reaction to a variety of conditions, including the requirement for some members to move from village to city, or from one city to another to obtain the advantage of employment opportunities. And this trend has been increasing under the impact of westernization and secularization. However, the relative ties are still strongly connected to each other within kinships and loyalty to family is still a deeply imbibed principle from family members. When facing with crucial decision and emergencies, seeking family agreement and support are still their first consideration. Numerous prominent Indian families, such as the Tatas, Birlas, and Sarabhais, retain joint family arrangements even today and they work together to control some of the country`s largest financial empires (Indian family structure, indian society, n.d.). Indian Family Structure Indian families Some family types bear special mention because of their unique qualities. In the sub-Himalayan region of Uttar Pradesh, polygyny is commonly practiced. There, among Hindus, a simple polygynous family is composed of a man, his two wives, and their unmarried children. Various other family types occur there, including the supplemented subpolygynous householda woman whose husband lives elsewhere (perhaps with his other wife), her children, plus other adult relatives. Polygyny is also practiced in other parts of India by a tiny minority of the population, especially in families in which the first wife has not been able to bear children.Among the Buddhist people of the mountainous Ladakh District of Jammu and Kashmir, who have cultural ties to Tibet, fraternal polyandry is practiced, and a household may include a set of brothers with their common wife or wives. This family type, in which brothers also share land, is almost certainly linked to the extreme scarcity of cultivable land in the Himalayan region, because it discourages fragmentation of holdings. The peoples of the northeastern hill areas are known for their matriliny, tracing descent and inheritance in the female line rather than the male line. One of the largest of these groups, the Khasisan ethnic or tribal people in the state of Meghalayaare divided into matrilineal clans; the youngest daughter receives almost all of the inheritance including the house. A Khasi husband goes to live in his wifes house. Khasis, many of whom have become Christian, have the highest literacy rate in India, and Khasi women maintain notable authority in the family and community. Perhaps the best known of Indias unusual family types is the traditional Nayar taravad , or great house. The Nayars are a cluster of castes in Kerala. High-ranking and prosperous, the Nayars maintained matrilineal households in which sisters and brothers and their children were the permanent residents. After an official pre-puberty marriage, each woman received a series of visiting husbands in her room in the taravad at night. Her children were all legitimate members of the taravad . Property, matrilineally inherited, was managed by the eldest brother of the senior woman. This system, the focus of much anthropological interest, has been disintegrating in the twentieth century, and in the 1990s probably fewer than 5 percent of the Nayars live in matrilineal taravads . Like the Khasis, Nayar women are known for being well-educated and powerful within the family. Malabar rite Christians, an ancient community in Kerala, adopted many practices of their powerful Nayar neighbors, including naming their sons for matrilineal forebears. Their kinship system, however, is patrilineal. Kerala Christians have a very high literacy rate, as do most Indian Christian groups. end (need to simplify into 5 sentences) Family-building strategies in urban India: converging demographic trends in two culturally distinct communities Contemporary South Asia Vol. 17, No. 2, June 2009, 141-158 Since the early 1950s, Indias population is characterized by a persistent trend of a masculine sex ratio4. In recent census enumerations, this trend has been especially noticeable in sex ratios at birth and in the child population (0-6 years old). Several studies on inter-regional variation in the overall sex ratio and child sex ratio report stronger masculine sex ratios in the northIndian states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh than in the southIndian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu 5. The widely discussed divide between north and south also relates to gender relations, status of women, and the kinship systems. Traditionally, the south Indian kinship system has been described as bilateral, with women having some rights ofinheritance and flexibility of residence after marriage. This is in stark contrast to the patrilineal, patrilocal, and exogamous kinship system in the north (Dyson and Moore 1983; Kishor 1993). Some studies suggest that desire for a small family size in India is associated with a decline in preference for sons and in balancing of the sex ratio among children in the family (Bhat and Zavier 2003; Saluja 2005). A recent analysis of the National Family Health Survey II data suggests that a majority of married couples in Kerala and Punjab want a sex-balanced family and that a decline in the desired family size is associated with a weakened preference for sons in India. end The nuclear family The extended family Dynamics of the family Parental roles For Indian women, giving birth to a child is a socio-religious obligation, adding accomplishment and fulfillment to their social roles. And after 30 years old is considered old to give birth to the first child. Besides of breast-feeding their children, traditionally, the mothers usually put great effort on taking care of the food and eating aspect of their children. With female literacy growing to 54% in the 2001 census, more and more women are taking part in work force (need reference). Marriage and courtship http://www.chillibreeze.com/articles/tips-for-the-visitor.asp It is amazing to see how often well-educated, independent professionals have to consult their parents before accepting a job offer or traveling abroad. At the core of Indian culture lies an innate respect for parents and other elders in the family, and usually no major decision is taken without consulting them. Parents often live with their married children, typically with a son. There is really no concept of a grown-up son or daughter moving out of the house unless it is the result of circumstances like a job in a different city. The arranged marriage is another practice that illustrates the importance Indians place on the family. A majority of marriages in India are arranged by families and several people are involved in the decision-making process. As popular belief goes, a marriage tied with many knots will not come undone. This is in complete contrast to the American culture where only two people tie the knot and experience has indeed shown us that it can be undone more easily. The divorce rate in America is much higher than in India. American culture can sometimes appear to be too rebellious and independent, with children growing apart from their parents as they grow older. At other times Indian culture can seem too dependent on other peoples opinions and subject to unnecessary involvement from relatives, near and far. There are positives and negatives in both cultures. However it is important for foreign businessmen visiting India, especially those who are new, to remember that in general, important decisions are not made individually but as a family. This may not be apparent on a daily basis but will surface in critical situations. end Female/male roles (changing or static?) http://www.indianchild.com/culture%20_1.htm Certain families observe a matriarchal concept i.e. the groom resides in the house of the bride or also follows a tradition as per the brides ancestors. Generally India is patriarchal in the sense the children get the surname of the father and the wife changes her surname to follow that of the husbands. It is also a tradition in certain families that the wife changes her maiden name but again this concept is also changing. Indian families are very accommodating and willing to accept change. It is a concept to observe the karva chauth or the raksha bandhan with great aplomb. There is an occasion for gifting and seeking the blessings of elders. It is important to respect and hold certain family traditions which are unique in terms of cooking, rituals and beliefs. Families give a lot of importance to lighting the diya in the evening and also each person in family has a habit of doing the puja in his own way. end Education http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+in0044%29 Education is divided into preprimary, primary, middle (or intermediate), secondary (or high school), and higher levels. Primary school includes children of ages six to eleven, organized into classes one through five. Middle school pupils aged eleven through fourteen are organized into classes six through eight, and high school students ages fourteen through seventeen are enrolled in classes nine through twelve. Higher education includes technical schools, colleges, and universities. end Summarized from (Cheney, Ruzzi, Muralidharan, 2005) Historically, Hindu education was tailored to the needs of Brahmin boys. Together with the colonial rule under British from 1700s until 1947, the education system was geared to preserve the position of the more privileged classes, permitting an avenue of upward mobility only to those with resources. Even today, the vast majority of students with high school education come from high-level castes and middle-to-upper class families in urban area. Due to the historical barrier and previous education focus on tertiary education, more than 1/3 Indian citizens (42% of adults) is illiterate, with 25% males and 46% females, according to 2001 Census (need original data search). Summarized from (Cheney, Ruzzi, Muralidharan, 2005) From: A Profile of the Indian Education system (in education folder) cited in above text as (Cheney, Ruzzi, Muralidharan, 2005) National center on education and the Economy, 2006 India has the second largest education system in the world (after China). Experts estimate that 32% of its current population is under the age of 15. Males in India complete just 2.9 years of schooling on average, females just 1.8 years. The quality of instruction varies widely, depending on the region of the country and whether one is enrolled in a State-supported public school or a fee-based private school. Despite the highly inefficient delivery of public services, high levels of tesacher absenteeism and non-teaching activity, many Indian students remain motivated to succeed on the college entrance exams. The high level of competition for entry into the Indian Institutes of Technology, the Indian Institutes of Management and other top institutions is enough to spur millions of students to achieve at remarkably high levels, particularly in the areas of science and mathematics. Only 10% of the age cohort is actually enrolled in higher education. But in a country with sucha a large population, it amounts to 9 million students, resulting in 2.5 million new college graduates a year. end 1. The role of education in society a. Primary education (quality, levels of development, etc.) Summarized from (Cheney, Ruzzi, Muralidharan, 2005) The Indian school system follows the British structure. Primary school consists of grades 1-5 (ages 6-11) and middle school consists of grades 6-8 (ages 11-14). Primary school and middle school are compulsory. However, researchers estimate that an average of 70% percent of children between the ages of 6 and 14 actually attend school (need to search source, Karthik Mualidharans work). Quality of state-run schools ranges from top-notch to abysmal. Private schools are, on the whole, better, but are charging high fees and are competitive to get admission. Mostly, they are choices of middle and higher class families. A recent phenomenon is the rising of low-cost private schools in both rural and urban India. Facilities and infrastructure are poorer, but they can offer smaller classes and greater teaching activity due to the lower salaries paid to the teachers and more teachers hired. 2 out of 5 first-grade students will not complete the primary cycles of 4 to 5 years (depending on the State) (need source, world bank). Primary Stage (5 years) The curriculum includes: Grade 1 and 2 One language- the mother tongue/the regional language Mathematics Art of Healthy and Productive living Grade 3 to 5 One language the mother tongue/the regional language Mathematics Environmental studies Art of Healthy and productive living Upper Primary/Middle stage (3 years) Grade 6-8 Three languages the mother tongue/the regional language, Hindi and English Mathematics Science and Technology Social Sciences Work Education Art Education (fine arts: visual and performing) Health and Physical education The issue is not a lack of demand, but the quality of supply. The main reason for students to drop out is because their public school experiences are often so poor that students can learn very little. Girls get less chance to be supported in education. It is estimated that for every 100 girls that enroll in school in rural India, only one will make it to grade 12. Parents perceive returns to investment in educations of boys higher than that of girls. The PROBE study revealed that 98% of parents surveyed felt education was necessary for boys, and 89% of them felt it necessary for girls. Secondary education India has more than 100,000 secondary and senior secondary schools serving 30 million students, with the average teacher to student ratio of 1:34. The education in government schools continues to be free for grades 9 and above. But the majority of enrollment is in private schools whose fees vary considerably. Secondary stage grades 9 and 10 (2 years) Curriculum includes: Three languages mother tongue/regional language, Hindi, English (some schools offer as electives other languages such as Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese, etc.) Mathematics Science and technology Social sciences Work education or pre-vocational education Art education (fine art: visual and performing) Physical and health education -Summarized from (Cheney, Ruzzi, Muralidharan, 2005) b. Secondary education (quality, levels of development, etc.) c. Higher education (quality, levels of development, etc.) 2. Literacy rates Languages: With 15 main languages and hundreds of other languages and dialects, India has more languages than any other country. With 30% primary tongue, Hindi is the national language. English is ubiquitous language, because of the historical colonization by British. Other main languages include Bengali, Gujarati, Paunjabi, Tamil and Telegu and Urdu. In 1980s, about 4 to 5 % of the population were estimated to use English. In 1997, 1/3 of population in India had the ability to carry on a conversation in English. And its estimated that there are 350 million English-speaking Indians in 2005 a8 (need data 2012). Referrence: Essay on the concept of joint family system in India, n.d. Retrieved Sep 19, 2012 from http://www.preservearticles.com/201106027427/essay-on-the-concept-of-joint-family-system-in-india.html Ghosh, A Basu, D. 2008. Evolution of joint family structure in India and the role of legislative inroads. West Bengal. Indian family structure, indian society. n.d. Retrieved Sep 19, 2012 from http://www.indianetzone.com/38/indian_family_structure.htm a8 David Crystal (honorary professor of linguistics at the Unileversity of Wales, Bangor) sub continent raises its voice. Yale global online. Nov 30, 2004. Political system Political structure http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Indianpoliticalsystem.html the Indian political system is a much more recent construct dating from Indias independence from Britain in 1947. The current constitution came into force on 26 November 1950 and advocates the trinity of justice, liberty and equality for all citizens. Indias lower house, the Lok Sabha, is modelled on the British House of Commons, but its federal system of government borrows from the experience of the United States, Canada and Australia. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH The head of state in India is the President. As members of an electoral college, around 4,500 members of the national parliament and state legislators are eligible to vote in the election of the President. for the first time a woman now occupies the role of Presidency: Pratibha Patil who was formerly governor of the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. Vice-President is elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of both houses of parliament. The Vice-President chairs the the upper house called the Rajya Sabh. The head of the government is the Prime Minister who is appointed by the President on the nomination of the majority party in the lower house or Lok Sabha. Currently the Prime Minister is Manmohan Singh of the ruling United Progressive Alliance Ministers are then appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and these ministers collectively comprise the Council of Ministers. pause THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH http://loksabha.nic.in/ Lok Sabha is composed of representatives of the people chosen by direct election on the basis of the adult suffrage. The maximum strength of the House envisaged by the Constitution is 552, which is made up by election of upto 530 members to represent the States, upto 20 members to represent the Union Territories and not more than two members of the Anglo-Indian Community to be nominated by the Honble President, if,   in his/her opinion, that community is not adequately represented in the House. The total elective membership is distributed among the States in such a way that the ratio between the number of seats allotted to each State and the population of the State is, so far as practicable, the same for all States. end end pause Currently the size of the house is 545 made up of 530 elected from the states, 13 elected from the territories, and two nominated from the Anglo-Indian community. By far the largest state representation is that of Uttar Pradesh with 80 members. Each Lok Sabha is formed for a five year term, after which it is automatically dissolved, unless extended by a Proclamation of Emergency which may extend the term in one year increments. The upper house in the Indian political system is the Rajya Sabha or Council of States. pause http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/council_state/council_state.asp Article 80 of the Constitution lays down the maximum strength of Rajya Sabha as 250, out of which 12 members are nominated by the President and 238 are representatives of the States and of the two Union Territories. The present strength of Rajya Sabha, however, is 245, out of which 233 are representatives of the States and Union territories of Delhi and Puducherry and 12 are nominated by the President. The members nominated by the President are persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as literature, science, art and social service. end end pause end Political parties http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Indianpoliticalsystem.html In India, political parties are either a National Party or a State Party. To be considered a National Party, a political party has to be recognised in four or more states and to be either the ruling party or in the opposition in those states. The original Congress Party espoused moderate socialism and a planned, mixed economy. However, its spin-off and successor, Congress (I) I in honour of Indira Gandhi now supports deregulation, privatisation and foreign investment. Over the years, India has evolved from a highly centralised state dominated by one political party to an increasingly fragmented nation, more and more influenced by regional parties and more and more governed locally by unstable multi-party alliances. The Indian Congress Party is the leading party in the Centre-Left political coalition called the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) which embraces a total of 16 parties. The other major, but more recently-established, political party in India is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Created in 1980, it represents itself as a champion of the socio-religious cultural values of the countrys Hindu majority and advocates conservative social policies and strong national defence. The BJP, in alliance with several other parties, led the government between 1998-2004. The Bharatiya Janata Party is the leading party in the Right-wing political coalition called the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). When it was originally founded in 1998, there were 13 parties in the coalition but currently there are eight. -end http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+in0147%29 At the beginning of the 1990s, political domination by the Congress (I) branch of the Indian National Congress (see Glossary) came to an end with the partys defeat in the 1989 general elections, and India began a period of intense multiparty political competition. The Congress (I) political leadership had lost the mantle of moral integrity inherited from the Indian National Congresss role in the independence movement, and it was widely viewed as corrupt. The main alternative to the Congress (I), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJPIndian Peoples Party), embarked on a campaign to reorganize the Indian electorate in an effort to create a Hindu nationalist majority coalition. Simultaneously, such parties as the Janata Dal (Peoples Party), the Samajwadi Party (Socialist Party), and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSPParty of Societys Majority) attempted to ascend to power on the crest of an alliance of interests uniting Dalits (see Glossary), Backward Classes (see Glossary), Scheduled Tribes (see Glossary), and religious minorities. The structure of Indias federalor unionsystem not only creates a strong central government with centralization of power. end 3. Stability of government 4. Special taxes 5. Role of local government D. Legal system 1. Organization of the judiciary system 2. Code, common, socialist, or Islamic-law country? 3. Participation in patents, trademarks, and other conventions 4. Marketing Laws

The Beatles :: Essay on The Beatles

The The English ROCK MUSIC group The Beatles gave the 1960s its characteristic musical flavor and had a profound influence on the course of popular music, equaled by few performers. The guitarists John Winston Lennon, b. Oct. 9, 1940; James Paul McCartney, b. June 18, 1942; and George Harrison, b. Feb. 25, 1943; and the drummer Ringo Starr, b. Richard Starkey, July 7, 1940, were all born and raised in Liverpool. Lennon and McCartney had played together in a group called The Quarrymen. With Harrison, they formed their own group, The Silver Beatles, in 1959, and Starr joined them in 1962. As The Beatles, they developed a local following in Liverpool clubs, and their first recordings, "Love Me Do" (1962) and "Please Please Me" (1963), quickly made them Britain's top rock group. Their early music was influenced by the American rock singers Chuck BERRY and Elvis PRESLEY, but they infused a hackneyed musical form with freshness, vitality, and wit. The release of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in 1964 marked the beginning of the phenomenon known as "Beatlemania" in the United States. The Beatles' first U.S. tour aroused a universal mob adulation. Their concerts were scenes of mass worship, and their records sold in the millions. Their first film, the innovative A Hard Day's Night (1964), was received enthusiastically by a wide audience that included many who had never before listened to rock music. Composing their own material (Lennon and McCartney were the major creative forces), The Beatles established the precedent for other rock groups to play their own music. Experimenting with new musical forms, they produced an extraordinary variety of songs: the childishly simple "Yellow Submarine"; the bitter social commentary of "Eleanor Rigby"; parodies of earlier pop styles; new electronic sounds; and compositions that were scored for cellos, violins, trumpets, and sitars, as well as for conventional guitars and drums. Some enthusiasts cite the albums Rubber Soul (1965) and Revolver (1966) as the apex of Beatle art, although Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), perhaps the first rock album designed thematically as a single musical entity, is more generally considered their triumph. The group disbanded in 1970, after the release of their final album, Let It Be, and during the 1970s pursued individual careers. On Dec. 8, 1980, John Lennon was fatally shot outside his Manhattan apartment by Mark Chapman, a 25-year-old former mental patient who, earlier that same day, had asked Lennon for his autograph. Lennon's murder was universally mourned with an intensity of feeling usually inspired only by political and spiritual leaders. Bibliography: The Beatles Complete, 2

Death of a Salesman :: essays research papers

My Father’s Dream and My Reality The bond between a boy and his father is one that should sustain the test of time. I have looked up to my father for the majority of my life and he’s beliefs of life have influenced the way I grew up to be the man I am today. However in the end, a true man will follow his own dreams and make his own future. My dream was working with my hands in the outdoors. It has taken many years but I now knew that was what I wanted to do with my life. My father, Willy Loman, I believe shared this same passion, however, he suppressed his dreams as it did not fit in with is predetermined mould for a beloved salesman. So, it then became my father’s dream to work in sales and be well-liked. This is what my father had implanted into me from a young age. Now returning home after fourteen years of trying to ‘find myself’, we still had money to pay off on the refrigerator and the mortgage on the house still needed to be paid. These pending debts, like daggers ripping through my dreams, forced me suppress my own dreams and now seek the stable career of a salesman. I had once worked as a salesman for Bill Oliver so I decided to go to him in order to find a job. Bill Oliver’s office was finely furnished and had a wafting smell of cologne. The waiting room walls seemed to tower down upon me somehow mocking me. As with each hour that went by the walls seem to become larger and I become smaller. Sitting in that room waiting hour after hour for Bill Oliver made me think about why I was there and what I was doing. After much deliberation I concluded; I was never a salesman for him, I was just a shipping clerk. I had talked my self up so much that I had turned my dishonesty to what I believed to be true. I had blurred the line between illusion and reality foolishly thinking everyone else would follow. I questioned myself why this was so. The answer to my question lied somewhere in the foundations of my past. Throughout my life I have been filled with great ideas and aspirations but nothing has ever become of them. I am a failure.