The Ministry of Defense of Belarus and Russia

This paper is a comparative treatment of two ministries of defense of substantial strategic importance to the world, that of Russia and Belarus. Both countries have had strained relationships with the United States and the western world and have been actively pursuing activities with those countries hostile to western imperialism such as China and Venezuela.This paper will, first, summarize the basic structure and relations of the two ministries, and then compare and contrast them. A conclusion will attempt to bring these insights together. The Ministry of Defense of Belarus:Interestingly, the Defense Ministry of Belarus has its roots in the reaction to the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. This disaster is one of the main reasons the two republics it affected, Ukraine and Belarus (as the city is on their border) declared independence from the USSR several years later. In fact, the very first piece of legislation establishing this ministry (in 1992) was explicitly titled the â€Å"Reactio n against the Affects of Chernobyl† and acted as a form of public mobilization against the tremendous health risks of the airborne radiation (â€Å"Legislative Basis,† 2009).But in the era of 1991-1992, historic in that it was the era of the fall of the USSR and the independence of the Warsaw Pact nations and the former Soviet Republics, saw the Belorussian state declare independence from the defunct USSR and develop its own institutions, chief among them was the ministry of defense. Several issues presented themselves: first, about half of the Belarusian republican army was of Russian descent, and second, that thousands of Belarusian troops were serving the former USSR in countries abroad.The newly formed independent Belarusian government then implemented programs that re-Belarussianized the armed forces and brought those expatriated soldiers home (Global Security, 2008). The structure of the Defense ministry is not civilian, and in fact, a major issue in Belarusian po litical culture is the means by which the purely military aspects of the Ministry and its civilian contacts could be regularized. But at the moment, the entire staff of the Ministry are uniformed officers. Currently, the Minister of Defense is Col. Gen.Leonid Maltsyev (appointed 2001), and he is supported by a general staff that includes the following offices: the chief of staff of the armed forces of the republic, the deputy minister, a ministry dedicated to armaments and acquisitions, then Logistics, army command and lastly, the air command and the air defense. As Belarus is landlocked, there is no naval force. The structure of the Ministry in terms of a chain of command is that the Defense Ministry is a part of the Council of Ministers, itself directly under the President of the Republic, currently the wildly popular Alexander Luksahenko.The General staff serves directly under the Defense Minister, and under him stand the land, air and support staffs in a position of equality. Fi nally, under the land forces stand logistics. Hence, the doctrine here is that Logistics and strategy stand under the land army, while the air corps follows orders. Hence, the equality between land and air forces is theoretical only. The tradition of the ministry is that land forces should predominate, and air forces act as an auxiliary to them. The mentality and culture of the Ministry follows a very specific doctrine. Its main points are the following:a) that the ministry is dedicated to a â€Å"balanced† cooperation among states. There is to be strict neutrality in terms of â€Å"power blocs,† and cooperation will not follow and specific â€Å"ideological† bent, but what serves the mission of the ministry in terms of the defense of the republic. b) that this ministry will never seek to acquire nuclear weapons. c) that it operates in accordance with a strict equity with other states (â€Å"Military Doctrine,† 2009). In addition, the â€Å"Military Doct rine† of the Republic is an important source for the basic functioning of the Ministry.The most interesting elements of this more or less bureaucratic document are the conditions that must prevail for the military services of the republic to respond if the republic is threatened. The document itself calls this the â€Å"political-military† situations that permit the usage of armed force in general, but are obviously applied to Belarus specifically. Hence it is a sort of a moral blueprint where force can be used, though it does not specify the amount of force in each case. These are: a) the lack of effective political mechanisms to solve political problems.b) economic imperialism , that is, the desire for advanced countries to use their economic and political clout to exploit smaller and weaker states; c) the domination of a few major powers over the resources of the globe d) the development of new technologies that threaten the typical military balance in the world e) t he use of propaganda to overthrow states (in other words, the use of a controlled media to manipulate public opinion over and above normal democratic channels) f) the manipulation of ethnic groups in order to create a volatile situation (â€Å"Bases,† 2009).Needless to say, this official doctrine of the defense ministry makes perfect sense given the small size and vulnerability of the republic. Belarus is a part of the non-aligned movement, which brings the Ministry of Defense, Foreign Affairs and the Presidency into regular co-operation. Since Belarus has regular treaties with Venezuela, Russia, Vietnam and China, the policy here is to co-operate fully with the president and the foreign ministry in developing a â€Å"non-aligned† movement that seeks to alter the current â€Å"uni-polar† nature of global power.Hence, the Defense Ministry is following directives placed by the presidency and the Foreign Ministry in developing a place in the world for smaller, weak er powers who seek to create a power balance with the west rather than have the west dominate them. Hence, the Defense Ministry has adopted a defense policy that is completely in line with that of the presidency, the council of ministers, the foreign ministry and the nature of being in charge of the defense of a small country. Lastly, since Belarus economically is one of the most dynamic countries in the world, the funding of the military forces has never been an issue (IMF, 2009).The fall of the USSR meant that many of the Russian forces in the Warsaw Pact countries were backed right into Belarus, leading to a situation where Belarus was one of the most militarized countries in the world. President Lukashenko sought to reduce the number of forces, end conscription, and hence, reduce the strain of the armed forces on the budget. Today, the armed forces are a fraction of what they cost in 1992, leading to a smooth relationship with the finance ministry and the presidency. Thus, in co nclusion, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus is a model for the developing world.It seeks no political power, since it already is directly represented in the council of ministers and the ministry itself is run by uniformed officers appointed by the President. It cooperates fully with the foreign ministry in developing a military doctrine in line with the â€Å"non-aligned† movement. It seeks a balanced co-operation with the world and a reduction in the number of both nuclear and conventional weapons systems in world politics. It has been steadily reducing its cost to the ministry of finance, leading to–to say the least–a smooth working relationship. The Defense Ministry of RussiaThe structure of the Russian Ministry of Defense is largely civilian. The Minister himself is Anatoly Serdyuvkov, who, significantly, was a former tax official under Putin. However, immediately under him is a uniformed officer, Gen. Nikolai Makarov, who was the former com mander of the Siberian military district. This is significant for one major reason, it is the post that places the Russian armed forces in direct connection and communication with the Asian powers, especially China. Under the Minister and General Makarov, there is a First Deputy Minister and a States Secretary for Defense.Under him is a woman, Lyubov Kudelina, who is in charge of the relationships between Finance and Defense. While the Minister himself is a former tax official, Mrs. Kudelina also worked at Finance and was deeply involved with tax collection. It would be noted that at the fall of the USSR between 1990 and 1993, tax collection almost completely bottomed out. The money and institutions for collection no longer functioned, and taxes were reduced to protection money from the local criminal gangs. Vladimir Putin, financed by oil money, reversed this trend.Hence, there should be no surprise that two major figures in the defense ministry have little military experience, but were both close to the financial and taxing apparatus (â€Å"Senior Officials,† 2009). Under the Defense Ministry’s Finance representative lies, not surprisingly, the chief of armaments, the chief of Logistics and another deputy minister. Since logistics and armaments procurement are costly productions, their subordination to the finance representative is no surprise. This structure seems eminently rational. It builds in inter-agency cooperation within the Defense Ministry itself especially within the all-important financial end.What is more important, however, is how the agency views itself, its mission and its role in the government. Like in the Belarussian case, the Russian Defense Ministry, in cooperation with the presidency and the ministry of finance, has developed a comprehensive understanding of itself in the world and in the Russian, and post-Soviet world. First and foremost, before any other consideration, the Ministry of Defense makes it clear that its numb er one priory in the defense of Russia is to maintain a high level of deterrence. It seeks to defend Russia by making any attack on it of painfully high cost.After this, combat readiness is the next priority, and within this priority is the concept of high mobility. Speed and the efficient use of resources is a major part of the Russian defense strategy. It is cheaper and more efficient to maintain small numbers of infantry, but backed by the highest in technology in terms of missile defense, the air corps and intelligence (â€Å"Development,† 2009). After this, three elements come into play: first, the nature of high-technology weapons, the war on terror and the protection of the environment.This latter even has its own office, under a General trained in economy, General Alevtin Yuruk in a rater unique arrangement where his office interfaces with the rest of the Russian government to loosen up funds and manpower to repair any environmental damage caused by the action of the armed forces, and most importantly, the safe keeping of the nuclear stockpile. After Chernobyl, the environment is more than just a saccharine slogan, it is a matter of life and death (â€Å"Environmental Protection,† 2009). But apart from the above strategic considerations, there is another, moral, sense of Russia’s defense ministry and its place in the world.The fall of the USSR made it clear that the Russian Federation was to recreate its mission, its identity and its interaction with the outside world. Hence, the ministry has, in communication with the past three presidents of the post USSR world, created a moral sense of itself, one based on the following ideas: a) the creation of a democratic international order where a few major powers do not control the world’s resources; b) force can be used only with the express permission of the UN c) forces worldwide should be decreased to a minimum and used solely for defense d) to create the infrastructure for Russ ia’s new mission as a major powere) international cooperation necessary for the war on terror, drugs and mafia activities f) co-operation, not confrontation wit the USA g) Asia is the future, and hence, building strong ties with China and Vietnam become of paramount importance (â€Å"Global Cooperation,† 2009). Several conclusions can be drawn from this. First, Russia clearly sees its defense role as a great power, not as a second tier force. Second, it seeks to create an international order based on equity, around the security council of the UN and its decisions where Russia has a veto. It sees China as central to its future security.And, lastly, it sees China, or more specifically the Russia-China Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a means of balancing its relations with the US, NATO and the EU. Hence, balance and cooperation over confrontation seems to be the theoretical grounding (â€Å"Global Cooperation† 2009). The mission of the Defense Department in Russia is mirrored by the two other agencies (other than finance, which are intertwined deliberately), the Presidency and the Foreign Ministry. In a speech dated January 18, 2009, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov laid out the foreign policy goals of Russia, and these consist in the following ideas:a) the rebuilding of the financial system fo the globe on a more democratic basis. The Russian government has made clear that it is the â€Å"imbalance† of the system that caused the meltdown,. Too much mon3y in too few hands, both in terms of stats and individuals is the cause of the meltdown. The post-World War II system needs to be dismantled and rebuilt on an equitable basis. b) The unilateral recognition of the â€Å"independence† of Kosovo and the US/Israeli support of Georgian aggression against the Ossetians prove the need for a real democratic world order, not one controlled by the US and its few allies.Russian intervention to repel the Georgian invasion of Ossetia (who voted for independence and union with Russia) was meant to help create the infrastructure for a new international order, since Georgia would not have invaded had the US guaranteed diplomatic support. c) Lavrov states â€Å"the era of national egoism is over. † d) he seeks what he calls a â€Å"polycentric world order. † e) and, as seen above, cooperation with the EU is as important as cooperation with China. China is not mentioned in Lavrov’s speech, which is significant (Lavarov, 2008).On the other hand, the foreign policy concept of the Russian Presidency stresses China far more than the EU. Medvedev makes the claim that China is a major, if not the major, priority of Russian foreign policy. Polycentrism is again stressed, and again, that the imbalance of the world financial system–too much money in too few hands–is the cause of the recent meltdown. Lastly, the foreign policy ideas of the new president seek to establish strong environmental standards, energy security and a price structure that is fair and steady and that all economic growth be environmentally sustainable (Medvedev, 2008).Several things derive from this comparison: there may be a coalition of defense and Presidency against the foreign ministry over the issue of China. While it remains that President Medvedev and the Defense Ministry treat China as the number one priority (and several recent summits between Peking and Moscow over military matters reflects this), Lavarov seems to think that the EU should have this role. However, these agencies seem to have more in common than anything else, and these commonalities should be taken as basic ministerial policy: Russia as a great power, polycentricity, economic democracy and basic international equality.Conclusion: Comparison of Belarus and Russia in Defense Policy It does not take a genius to figure out that both Belarus and Russia are responding to American pressure and military adventurism. Both countries are threatened by American expansionism in both the economic and military spheres. Hence, their defense ministries reflect this. And of course, since Russia and Belarus are politically and ethnically connected, as well as vulnerable to American pressure, their defense policies will overlap in several areas.However, the size differences of Russia and Belarus will also be the cause of some differences in policy, especially since Belarus makes no claim to great power status, but in fact, would like to see the concept of â€Å"great powers† disappear. The main similarities of the two defense departments are their stress on international equity and polycentricity. The world order should reflect diversity in nations and interests, not the domination of the US and its allies in world politics and finance. Both ministries would like to see drastic reductions in the arms of the world, and arms to be used solely for defense, not for offense.Both ministries see a balanced foreign polic y as central: that Asia should be used to balance Europe and Europe to balance the US. Both Belarus and Russian military brass are visiting China and Venezuela on a regular basis, and both countries have signed arms deals with Peking and Caracas. Needless to say, this is a means of balancing US hegemony and the US involvement in Iraq, Africa and the Balkans. It might be surmised that the Belarusian ministry is purely military because Belarus is small and very vulnerable. Hence, the military forces must have direct access to state power in order to act quickly.This was made especially important when threats of invasion came from the McCain presidential camp. The Russians, less vulnerable to assault and attack, can afford some space between civilian and military personnel, though the second in command of the ministry in Russia is the chief of staff. It is curious that the Minister of Defense for Russia has little military experience, but much financial experience. This suggests that t he ministry really is designed to interface with the rest of the government to create an integral policy, while actual military decisions are in the hands of the second in command, General Makarov.This sort of interfacing is certainly a good beginning for further research in this field. References: This paper used mostly primary sources in its construction. The most important were: On Belarus: (www. mod. mil. by) Ministry of Defense. â€Å"Administrative Board. † Belarusian Defense Ministry Portal. 2009 Ministry of Defense. â€Å"Legislative Basis. † Belarusian Defense Ministry Portal. 2009 Ministry of Defense. â€Å"Military Doctrine of the Republic of Belarus. † Belarusian Defense Ministry Portal. 2009 Ministry of Defense. â€Å"The Bases of the Military Policy of the Republic of Belarus. † Belarusian Defense Ministry Portal.2009 International Monetary Fund. â€Å"The Republic of Belarus and the IMF. † Executive Board Consultation, 2009 One Secon dary Source: Global Security. â€Å"Ministry of Defense [of Belarus]. † In Defense Policy and Programs, 2008. (Globalsecurity. org) On Russia: Ministry of Defense. â€Å"Development. † In Military Insight. Published by the Russian Ministry of Defense, 2009 Ministry of Defense. â€Å"War on Terrorism. † In Military Insight. Published by the Russian Ministry of Defense, 2009 Ministry of Defense. â€Å"Global Cooperation† In Military Insight. Published by the Russian Ministry of Defense, 2009 Ministry of Defense.â€Å"Environmental Protection† In Military Insight. Published by the Russian Ministry of Defense, 2009 Medvedev, Dimitri. â€Å"Strengthening Dynamic Partnership with the Asia-Pacific Region. † In Articles of the President of Russia. (Kremlin. ru), 2008 Lavarov, Sergei. â€Å"Transcript of Remarks and Response to Questions by Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov at Press Conference on 2008 Foreign Policy Outcomes. † MFA, January 16, 2009 Ministry of Defense. â€Å"Deputy Minister of Defense for Financial and economic Issues† In Senior Officials. Published by the Russian Ministry of Defense, 2009

Cocacola Marketing Strategy Essay

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The Way of The Musical In Turbulent Times - Essay Example There are many times in the history of the United States where turbulent times brought a need for ways to refocus the attention of the people towards something more pleasant. One way that has worked throughout time is musical theatre. Generally, each era of turbulence has shown a variety of musicals that dealt with the issues of that time. Some were done for the "feel good" quality to help audiences escape from the turmoil of the world's problems for awhile. In other eras the musicals were more political and dealt with issues of protest using parody and sarcasm to get people to look at the political issues of the time. Within the last several years, as the country deals with a global economic crisis that is uncertain, musicals have become popular again as a vehicle of escape. This research will explore musical theatre and movies from 1920 to the present time. It will explore specific musicals and periods of history that produced a significant turbulent time and how these times effect ed and influenced the audiences.

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Agree or Disagree with ISLAM - Research Paper Example This paper will examine closely one of them, namely Islam, examining its main beliefs and practices as well as present the opinion of the author about this religion. One should point out that there is a peculiar concept of Five Pillars of Islam: a set of principles and practices that define the identity of a Muslim. Thus, the first pillar which will be explored is called Shahada. To put it simple, this is a concise message that all true believers repeat, acknowledging their faith in one God and his only messenger Muhammad (Cornell 9). One would make no mistake pointing out that this has become one of the most famous phrases that are used to recognize Islam. The latter is a monotheistic religion so proclamation that God is one is the key thesis of it. In addition to that shahada also argues that there is no other source of wisdom that the one which was presented by Muhammad, namely the Quran. The next pillar which is essential for the understanding of the religion is question is called salat. Originally, this word means prayer or more closely – the practice of praying. Indeed, the Muslims are known to pray much more than the representatives of the other religions, five times a day. There are five prayers which true believers of Islam should perform: the one at daybreak, noon, midafternoon, sunset and in the evening. As one can easily see, they are separated among the day at almost equal intervals so that people are able to pray and to achieve their personal goals as well. In addition to that it allows a person to concentrate one’s mind on the devotion to God. The third pillar which is able to contribute to a correct understanding of Islam as a system is called zakat. As some of the researchers put it, â€Å"zakat is a good demonstration of Islam’s commitment to social justice† (Rane 23). Indeed, this pillar stands for a certain amount of money that all the Muslims are required to pay so that the money will be directed to the

Supply chain strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Supply chain strategies - Essay Example Especially in the recession stricken economic situation of today, new innovative ways of managing supply chains have to be devised. What follows are five such prominent strategies. Strategy 1: Adopting a demand-driven approach to production based on inputs from real-time demand data. This strategy quite useful both when applied to pre-production and post-production supply chain processes. A key aspect of SCM is the ability to accurately predict likely future demands. But it is equally important to be able to fall back on contingency plans that could mitigate the effects of natural disasters, political instabilities and suppliers going out of business, etc. By planning for these, â€Å"companies then can adjust pricing and promotions strategies to shape demand, move additional product quickly, drive revenue growth, or further expand margins for a high-demand product with limited market supply. The key is to have the foresight to leverage opportunities and mitigate challenging events so that your business not only survives, but succeeds.† (Muzumdar, 2010) Strategy 2 is Optimization of product designs for supply, manufacturing and sustainability so that innovative processes could be applied. In the highly competitive business environment of today, innovation can make the difference between survival and bankruptcy.

The author of the Withered Arm Essay Example for Free

The author of the Withered Arm Essay In this assignment, I am going to discuss how Thomas Hardy makes the incredible events appear credible. To do this I will be examining: the historical contents of the story, with the language used, together with the way the story was structured and by the way that the characters relate to each other. I will also be examining the moral attitudes of when the story was written. Which will enable me to show how it was possible for Hardy to make the advents appear credible. The Withered Arm is an example of prose. Prose is speech or writing without rhyme or metre (Collins Dictionary), as opposed to verse, which is stanza or short subdivision of poem or the Bible, (Collins Dictionary). The story was written in 1888, and set around the 1820s within a rural community. Hardy refers to this period in time by writing the Enclosure Acts had not taken effect (p19), which occurred in 1836 and when he refers to a boy due to be hung, he writes only just turned eighteen, and only present by chance when the rick was fired (p21). This again indicates the date was around this period as the gradual reforms of the Penal Codes came into effect by 1861, which meant that only serious crimes such as treason and murder carried the death penalty (mastering econ social history). Hardy adds realism to the story in several ways. He uses his vast knowledge of the mass changes within the rural areas during this period, for example: Egdon was much less fragmentary in character than now and farmers wives rode on horseback then more than they do now (p19). With what appears to be direct speech from a third party narrator, he also adds factual event such as tis sold by the inch afterwards (p19) as this is where the expression of money for old rope stems from and dates back to when the hangman would sells inch long souvenirs after the execution (www. rootsweb). This not only adds to the authenticity of the story, but also leads the reader into believing it is a factual account rather than a fictional story. Hardy also adds to the possibility of the story being credible by establishing the history and preconceived ideas of the characters through the milkmaids. This is done by the milkmaids talking not only in slang but also using local dialect such as pinking and milchers (p2) which would only be relevant within the countryside, they also refer to the farmer as he (p1), which would indicate that the farmer has social standing. This is then confirmed when we are introduced to Rhoda and learn that her isolation from the rest of the milkmaids was due to her having a child out of wedlock with the farmer. This is illustrated within the text by: milked somewhat apart from the rest and their course lay apart from that of the others, to a lonely spot high above the water-meads (p2). Although the milkmaids seem to have some compassion for Rhodas plight, the following conversation: Tis hard for she and He hant spoke to Rhoda Brook for years (p2) seems to have been contrived to show that due to the differences in class, Rhoda has been forced to solely take the burden of the affair which was a typical Victorian attitude towards the morals of unmarried mothers. In addition to this, by the use of dramatic irony as well as the complex relationship between Farmer Lodge and Rhoda, Hardy is able to strengthen any sympathies the reader may feel for Gertrude. This is established when, the Farmer refuses to acknowledge the boy in town and we can see by the conversation that he has with his new wife, that he has no intension of divulging his secret: one of the neighbourhood. I think he lives with his mother a mile or two off (p4). Again giving credence to Gertrudes vulnerable nature at being the only person who does not know about the affair. Hardy also uses the descriptions of the two women to support the incredible elements of the story. Rhoda and Gertrude are not only given contrasting personalities but psychical appearances as well, whereas Gertrude is described as: Her face too was fresh in colour, but it was of a totally different quality soft and evanescent, like the light under a heap of rose-petals (p4). The contrast of Rhodas description is: pale cheek, and made her dark eyes, that had once been handsome (p3). Gertrude is seen to be quintessential, which is reinforced with in the text by not only using adjectives such as youthful, but also by being referred to colour and light (p2). However, the adjectives that are used to descript Rhoda are dull, fading and she is always referred to in declining light (pg 4-5). As Rhoda, is depicted as having many undesirable qualities, this makes it easier for the reader to assume the side of Gertrude. Believing that due to Rhodas jealousy, she would be able and indeed want too afflict some harm to the new bride: This innocent young thing should have her blessing and not her curse (p8). Again by using the prejudices of this era Hardy, is able to add further credibility to the story. He does this by showing Rhodas own sense of guilty at the deterioration of Gertrude arm: the sense of having been guilty of an act of malignity increase, affect as she might to ridicule the superstition (p10). However, it appears that Rhodas guilty stems from the time that she fell pregnant with her son and the change in attitudes towards her from the villagers: she knew that she had been slyly called a witch since her fall (p9) and that there must exist a sarcastic feeling among the work-folk that a sorceress would know the whereabouts of the exorcist. They suspected her, then. (p11). Through the structure of the story, Hardy is able to continue to infuse the incredible ideas of Witchcraft and curses with realty. With references such as: the surgeon had not seemed to understand the afflicted limb at all (p10). This could have been an indication of the lack of medical knowledge at the time. However, the reader is mislead into believing it is due to it being cursed. This is also reinforced by Farmer Lodges reaction: as if some witch, or the devil himself, had taken hold of me there, and blasted the flesh (p10). By the clever use of literate devices, such as last desperate effort at deliverance and turn the blood (p16); along with the limited information given to the reader in each of the chapters and suggestive headings such as A Vision (6), Hardy is able to increase not only the tension within the story but also ensure that the reader only focuses on the supernatural aspects. Additionally, the use of linear writing allows Hardy to create real life validity, for the characters. When the reader rejoins the Lodges it is evident that they have both under gone huge personal and psychical changes: married experience sank into prosiness, and worse (p14). Farmer Lodge has become: gloomy and silent (p14). He attributes the decline in his married as judgement from heaven upon him (p15), for the affair he had with Rhoda. This again would be another indication of the morals of the era. Gertrude is now described as: the once blithe-hearted and enlightened Gertrude was changing into an irritable, superstitious woman (p15). With many references to her desperate attempts to cure her affliction: She named to him some of the hundred medicaments and counterspells which she had adopted from time to time (p16). Once again Hardy gives the reader the sense of unjustness that has be felled Gertrude, by allowing them to know that it was Rhoda Brooks who had blighted the Lodges married life by inflicting this curse on her: for the indistinct form he had raised in the glass had undoubtedly resembled the only woman in the world who as she now knew, though not then could have a reason for hearing her ill-will (p15). By using the deterioration of their relationship, Hardy again adds to the credibility of the story, so when Conjuror Trendle tells Gertrude that: you must touch with the limb the neck of a man whos been hanged and It will turn the blood (p16). Although this appears incredible to the reader, we can see that Gertrude is now a desperate superstitious women, who is willing to try anything to rid herself of her affliction and win back her husbands affections: And then she thought of the apparent cause If I could only again be as I was when he first saw me (p15). Credibility is also added by way of the climax of the story. Hardy begins to limit the readers focus, as the tension is built. By Hardy now only writing of Gertrude, he is able to concentrate on her actions and behaviours: Turn her head she would not and her knees trembling so that she could scarcely walk (p23). Thus ensuring that the reader has no or indeed very little thought of the other main characters. Hardy again is able to add credibility to the story in the way he describes the execution: the execution was over; but the crowd still waited to see the body taken down (p23). This suspends the reader with the thoughts will she, wont she? and not a thought for the young boy. However, by concluding the story the way he does: Immediately Brook had loosened her hold the fragile young Gertrude slid down against the feet of her husband (p23) she never reach home alive (p24), Hardy leaves the reader with the sense of pity at Gertrudes troubled life and not that she had in fact become the epitome of Rhodas dream: This is the meaning of what Satan showed me in the vision! You are like her at last! (p23). Hardy centres the story on the incredible events of the dream; he is able to add credibility to this by using powerful imagery such as: eyes peered cruelly into her face and the incubus, still regarding her, withdrew to the foot of the bed (p7). Also by choosing words like phantom, ghastly, spectre and vision, this adds to the connotations that it involves the supernatural. This is validated by the fact that Rhoda can still feel the affects of the dream the next day: her hand had not calmed even yet, and still retained the feel of the arm (p7). In addition to this, Hardy adds the coincidences of the boy hearing the disturbance and Gertrudes sudden affliction which all occurred simultaneously. This reference by: she had named the night and the hour of Rhodas spectral encounter, and Brook felt like a guilty thing. The artless disclosure startled her she did not reason on the freaks of coincidence and all the scenery of that ghastly night returned with double vividness to her mind (p9). Which leads the reader into believing that this was more than a dream. To conclude, I believe that Hardy was able to make the incredible appear credible, by setting the story sixty years before it was written. This was a time of great social and economic changes and until Darwins theory of Evolution, which was published in 1859. (The Origin of Species). It was commonly thought that God had the divine right of birth. The church played an important part in the lives of both the rich and the poor, sermons would preach evil and Satan, giving people superstitions and the belief in witches and the supernatural. Hardy was also able to play the ignorances of peoples knowledge of the countryside to add authenticity. Even today the reader can believe in its credibility, as there is still a fascination with the supernatural and the unknown. Bibliography Collins, Shorter Dictionary and Thesaurus, Published 1999, St Helens Darwin, Charles, The Origin of Species in 1859, 11/09/03 http://www. nettlesworth. durham. sch. uk/time/victorian/vpeople. html, Some Important People of Victorian Times. Hardy, Thomas, A Withered Arm. 25/02/02, http://www. adrianfox. demon. co. uk/lit/wither/wither. htm Taylor, David, Mastering social and economic History, Macmillan Master Series, Published 1988 Whats the Meaning of this? , 10/18/02, http://www. rootsweb. com/~genepool/meanings. htm.

The Impact Of Globalisation On Chile

The Impact Of Globalisation On Chile Chiles economy is ranked as an upper middle income developing economy by the World Bank, and is one of South Americas most stable and successful nations, leading Latin American nations in human development, income per capita, competitiveness, economic freedom, globalisation, and low perception of corruption (ranked 21 CPI). However, it has high economic inequality, as measured by the Gini index. Chile has a population of approximately 17.1 million people and has a total land area of 756,950km2(38th). Chile has high living standards (ranking 39th in the world) and a solid foundation for growth, despite employment shortages, with a Gross National Income per capita of $US 9,470 in 2010 (in purchasing parity terms, which accounts for exchange rate effects). Chile has been one of the fastest growing economies since the mid-1980s. During the past 20 years -the period following the return of democracy in 1990- the economy has averaged almost 4.1% annual per capita growth, raising per capita income for the 17 million Chileans to more than $7,000, making them among the most well-off people in South America, and creating a flourishing middle class. Per capita income has doubled in real terms and the comparative income gap between Chile and high-income OECD countries has decreased substantially. Today, only 18.7% of the population lives below the poverty line, compared, for example, with 38.7% in Brazil and 62.4% in Bolivia. At this pace, Chile will become Latin Americas most prosperous nation. The government of Chile is a structure of a democratic republic, where the President of Chile is both head of state and head of government. Chiles legal system is civil law based. Chiles current Constitution was approved in a national referendum in September 1980, under the military government of Dictator Augusto Pinochet. For the duration of the Pinochet government, Chile moved out of economic statism to adopt a free market economy, which encouraged an increase in foreign and domestic investment. Following Pinochets power in the 1988, the country was ready to continue with a referendum; and as a result the Constitution was amended to ease requirements for future amendments to the Constitution. From the time of the return of democracy in 1990, Chile has been committed to proceeding economic reforms, a transparent public administration, proactive social investments, and a stable, consensus-based government. In March 2010, Coalition for Change candidate HE Mr Sebastian Pià ±era was elected president, putting an ending to twenty years of rule by the Consertacià ³n political movement. The current president attained office after the worst tidal wave and earthquake in Chiles history. In response to the emergency, the governments plan prioritised reconstruction during the first part of Pià ±eras term. Chiles economy is based on the export of minerals, which account for more than one-fourth of GDP, with commodities making up approximately three-quarters of total exports. Copper is the nations most valuable resource providing alone one-third of government revenue. Chile is the worlds largest producer of copper. The major mining company based in Chile is BHP-Billiton, holding a 57.5 per cent stake of the worlds largest copper mine, Escondida, located in northern Chile. Additionally agriculture is the main employment industry of about 15% of the population; accounting for about 6% of Chiles national wealth, and producing less than half of household wants. The Coastal valleys of Chile are the countrys primary agricultural area; its vineyards are the basis of Chiles wine industry *(Chile is the worlds fifth largest exporter of wine and the eighth largest producer). Grapes, apples, pears, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, onions, beans, and asparagus are the most grown and harvested crops. Livestock production includes poultry and beef. Sheep farming is the leading pastoral occupation, providing meat and wool for domestic use and for export. Lumbering and fishing are also important economic activities. Chiles industries largely process its raw materials and manufacture a range of consumer goods. The main products are copper and other minerals, iron and steel, fish, processed food, transportation equipment, textiles, and wood and wood products. The dependence of the Chilean economy on copper prices and the production of an adequate food supply are two of Chiles major economic problems. Chiles main imports are petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas, and electrical and telecommunications equipment. The primary trading partners of Chile are the United States, China, Brazil, Argentina, and South Korea. Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and TradeSource: Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and TradeAustralian Government: Department of foreign affairs and trade: Chile Country brief 2011 Factors that may inhibit ongoing development in Chile While Chilean salmon and cabernet (red wine grapes) have achieved global success, copper alone still accounts for 46% of all exports; and this is one main challenge Chile faces, there is a need to diversify its copper-dependent economy, for commodities have never been able to absorb the entire workforce, and service industries have not developed satisfactorily to make up the gap. As a result, Chile, the worlds leading producer of copper, felt the impact of the global economic crisis as export markets contracted. Low external demand had weakened industrial production, raising unemployment and reducing investment. It is evident, even with growth of 6% to 6.5% GDP in 2011, due to the vast demand from China for Chilean copper, unemployment is wedged at 8.6%. Amongst people under the age of 24, the rate is virtually three times higher, in part because of firm labour laws that make part-time jobs scarce. But employers also mention a skills deficit. Spending on education, at 4.2% of gross domestic product, lags behind the 8.1% Malaysia spends, for example, or the 6.4% Finland budgets. Currently, the level of education of Chiles labour force is consistent with the countrys level of income. However, there is evidence that the quality of education is not as good as the countrys high enrolment rates would suggest. Furthermore the curriculum also must be modernized to include more science, math and reasoning skills (speaking English) needed in the workplace. In the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook, compiled by the International Institute for Management Development, Chile ranked low at 41st among 60 nations on the quality of its science education. In summary, it is clear that the quality of education in Chile is low, but this may be the result either of inefficient education expenditure, or of high income inequality, or both. More research needs to be done to separate these effects. Estimates suggest that increasing the quality of education can offer quite a large boost to economic growth. Lastly, it is important to point out that the payoffs of improving quality of education take time to deliver significant results. The children that today could receive good education will be a large proportion of the labour force in about 20 more years. For this reason is important to also look for improving abilities of people already in the labour force through training programs. However, despite these lags on the effects of education, improving its quality is a powerful tool for equalizing opportunities, and for integrating poor families to the benefits of economic progress. Although Chile has keenly invested in social protection programs, middle- and low-income households remain susceptible to crises. Despite the significant improvement recorded over the past 20 years, public services and infrastructure are still out of reach for many Chileans. Furthermore, Inequality remains high in Chile. Despite considerable improvements in living standards in 2009, 15.1 percent of Chileans live below the poverty line while many millions survive unsteadily just above it. The annual income for the most of Chileans remains low. Income distribution is one of the most uneven in the world and there are few favourable circumstances for growing social mobility. Also little progress has been made in ensuring the equal distribution of wealth and the closure of income gaps. Despite strong economic growth and specific policies such as Chile solidarity, the income ratio among the highest and lowest incomes remained mostly unchanged between 1990 and 2009. The 20/20 ratio shows that the average income of the wealthiest 20 percent of Chileans was 12 times larger than that of the poorest 20 percent in 2009. The Gini Coefficient continued to be persistently high in 2009, at approximately 0.53, where the 10 percent of households with the highest income re ceived 46 percent of total income while the 20 percent with the lowest income received just 3.7 percent. Over all, although Chile does have a high level of inequality, Chile has largely avoided the distortions that often hamper growth in countries with similar levels of inequality. However, other understanding shows that the trade-off between efficiency and inequality is ever-present in public policy and cannot be avoided. An example is the minimum wage. Finally, growth itself helps in the implementation of good policies. Inequality is only one aspect of a countrys living conditions, and in a country with a fairly unchanged income distribution from 1998 to 2008, a period of doubling income per capita is also a period of doubling of the incomes of the poor. Indeed, the poverty rate in Chile declined over this period, from 45 percent of the population to 19 percent. This has allowed public policy to focus on easing poverty without creating significant distortions in economic growth. Although a countrys income distribution changes slowly, and no recipe for dramatic change in the distribution is available, growth can reduce the distortions that inequality imposes on policies and institutions. Additionally Chile must also redouble efforts to acquire foreign investment, which lately has been floating around $3 billion a year. The current governments efforts to lure cutting-edge industries, such as biotechnology and software, have tumbled, somewhat because the government refuses to offer the types of generous tax incentives that lured Intel Corporation (INTC ) to Argentina and Costa Rica. Chile has had more success with companies such as Eastman Kodak (EK ), Delta Air Lines (DAL ), and Unilever, which have established regional back-office operations and call centres in Santiago, tapping its modern, low-cost telecommunications infrastructure. More over for inspiration and ideas, Chile is looking to the efficient economies of New Zealand, Finland, Ireland, and Malaysia. Chiles congress recently permitted a special tax on mining profits earned as a result of current record-high prices and will feed the proceeds (around $US175 million) to researchers and companies developing and innovating technologies or processes that will diversify exports and boost productivity and efficiency. A public-private committee will select only projects that could be commercially profitable. The problem being that Chile has always had a low level of RD expenditure, and the increase since 2001 has been small compared with the East Asian countries, and even compared with the world average. The most recent data from the OECD show that Chile, with RD expenditure of 0.6 percent of GDP, spends less on RD than the average of a sample of developing countries (0.7 percent of GDP). Also the composition of RD in Chile is very different from what one typically finds in the rest of the world, which raises the question of whether that composition is efficient. In 2005 about 55 percent of Chilean RD expenditure was in basic science, as opposed to applied research. In the industrialized countries and in the East Asian countries, this share is generally between 10 and 20 percent. Nevertheless, Chile should try to increase its RD expenditure, and the additional spending should be devoted mainly to applied RD. Increased spending on RD would surely help the country grow faster. Finally the first trading partners a country should have are its neighbours. Distance, language, and culture should be the basis for integration into the world economy. Even when neighbouring Economies have similar structures; intra-industry trade can help to increase the basis for trade. Unfortunately, intraregional trade in Chile and Latin America is low and although it has increased in recent years, it remains comparatively low. Recent trade disputes such as the problems over natural gas with Argentina and Bolivia, have affected the Chilean economy. http://www.algor.com/news_pub/cust_app/marco/Truck%2021.jpghttp://www.flavourofwines.com/Grapes.jpghttp://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/326047/326047,1232551720,5/stock-photo-specific-architecture-where-poor-people-live-in-th-chile-mountains-in-valparaiso-23672302.jpg Q 3 Examine the impact and responses of this Economy undertaken by the government or specific industries to the challengers and/or opportunities presented by globalisation https://worldgeopost07.wikispaces.com/file/view/chile2.gif/31650489/chile2.gif Describe Provide characteristics and features Analyse Identify components and the relationship between them; draw out and relate implications Examine Inquire into http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:nLiQ3vcW5CgJ:web.worldbank.org http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/chile.html#ixzz1KOclJ2In Chile: Economy Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0857288.html#ixzz1JwAjQkzx

Festivals and Holidays in Bolivia

Festivals and Holidays in Bolivia A festival is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival. Among many religions, a feast is a set of celebrations in honour of God or gods. A feast and a festival are historically interchangeable. However, the term feast has also entered common secular parlance as a synonym for any large or elaborate meal. When used as in the meaning of a festival, most often refers to a religious festival rather than a film or art festival. In the Christian liturgical calendar there are two principal feasts, properly known as the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas) and the Feast of the Resurrection, (Easter). In the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican liturgical calendars there are a great number of lesser feasts throughout the year commemorating saints, sacred events, doctrines, etc. For a list of festivals in the USA, please see List of festivals in the United States. Bolivia The annual tradition of Alasitas involves buying tiny replicas of the things you want the coming year, and offering them to the Ekeko, who carries them (literally, the things are supposed to be sown or somehow attached to him) during the year. In Bolivia, Ekeko is a character associated with abundance and prosperity, and he is the central figure in the Festival of Alasitas. This event is based in the city of La Paz, but can also be seen in other cities of Bolivia. Juan Apaza writes about some of the scenes from Alasitas in El Alto Hoy [es]. Alasitas Alasitas is a 3-week long fair that, in La Paz, takes place beginning on the 24th of January and in Santa Cruz takes place in September. Everything is in miniature! This festival originally took place in September throughout the country when its spring time in Bolivia and farmers prayed for a good crop so their harvest would be bountiful. Alasitas is an Aymara festival Bolivia celebrates in reverence of the indigenous god of bounty or abundance called the Ekkekko. Therefore, Alasitas has been called the Festival of Abundance. It takes place at the Parque Urbano in La Paz and the 5th Ring between Tres Pasos al Frente and Cumavi in Santa Cruz. As it grows each year, its location is sometimes moved. Tradition that has spread to other parts of Bolivia as immigrants move around; however, in the Andean regions of the country the date was switched to January to commemorate an indigenous uprising that took place in 1781, let by Tupac Katari. The Aymara have a god called the Ekkekko (meaning midget or dwarf). Hes the god of abundance. They purchase a statue of the Ekkekko which usually has a poncho made of aguayo fabric. The aguayo is the colorful handloomed lambswool or alpaca wool fabric that Aymara women use to carry produce or their children on their backs. During Alasitas, which takes place just prior to Carnaval, everything you can possibly think of is sold in miniature. You can find miniature houses, cars, grocery store products, university diplomas, little tools and kitchen utensils, clothing, even passports and visas. The Aymara purchase in miniature everything they hope the Ekkekko will grant them during the coming year. They then pin these things to his poncho and leave them there as a sort of altar in their homes throughout the year, in the hopes that he will help them acquire these things during that time. When they first pin the miniature things to his poncho they put a cigarrette in his mouth and light it. They then pray to him as he smokes. Sometimes they drink alcohol and toss him a little drop or drop some onto the floor in front of the Ekkekko before drinking from the glass themselves. This, Im told, is because you must always give to the Earth before taking for yourself. Alasitas is a great place to visit as a tourist. Its incredibly interesting. But because it has also become very touristic, you can now purchase just about anything you want at Alasitas in the form of handcrafts and art pieces for tourists. In fact, it has become so popular that artisans come all the way from Peru, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and other places to sell their handcrafts too. You can also find things that are not in miniature like great ceramics and leather goods. Definitely visit this month-long fair if youre in La Paz in February or in Santa Cruz in September. You can sample all kinds of great baked goods and dried fruits. I suggest trying the anticuchos. Anticuchos are like shish-kabobs. Theyre little pieces of meat and potatoes stuck on to a thin metal stick and roasted on an open grill. Prior to handing the anticucho to you, the griller will slather a spicy sauce over it. The sauce is absolutely delicious and is made from peanuts and hot peppers. (Oh! And did I mention the meat is beef heart? Yum.) Alasitas has become one of the best and largest venues for people to sell their goods and handcrafts each year. They sell so well that theyve completely broken with tradition and now sell all kinds of things just for tourists. In addition, what used to be a 10-day fair has been extended to 30 days and they now move to Santa Cruz every year in September and stay a whole month there too. Its rather amusing, really, since most of the people who sell at Alasitas claim to be staunchly anti-capitalist. During the Alasitas Fair devotees buy miniatures of items they would like to own and offer them to Ekeko, the God of Plenty, while the Virgin of La Paz is also honoured. Alasitas is Bolivias festival of small wishes, yearly held in different towns at different times. The largest fair is held yearly in the capital of La Paz, on January 24, when Bolivians buy miniatures representing the material goods they aspire to own and offer them to Ekeko, the God of Abundance. The History of the Festival of Alasitas in Bolivia There is not one conclusive theory about how and where the festival started. In the Aymarà ¡ language, alasitas means buy from me and in pre-colonial times Alasitas was celebrated in September [Bolivian springtime], to ensure a good crop. It is said that the Spanish changed the date to January 24 in commemoration of an indigenous uprising in 1781: the siege of La Paz by Tupac Katari. During the colonisation the Spanish tried to force Catholicism on the indigenous people. They partly succeeded, many Bolivians became Catholics, but in fact the Bolivian religion became a mix of Catholicism and traditional Andean beliefs and rituals. Ads by Google Having Doubts About the LDS Church? Mentoring by former Mormons www.irr.org You Can Make a Difference God wants to work through you. Transformation soul winning helps harvestevan.org/bookstore.html Who Celebrates the Alasitas Fair? Alasitas has become a potpourri where Catholicism is mixed with centuries-old Andes traditions. The main divinity is Ekeko, but Catholic priests give their blessing to the newly acquired miniature goods as well, while simultaneously the Virgin of La Paz is honoured. Whereas the Franciscans focus on the Virgin, the yatiris the local wizards focus on Ekeko; the average Bolivian cares about both. Alasitas is a festival for everybody and celebrated by Bolivians from all levels of society. It is celebrated by the inhabitants of villages, cities and countryside, by the highlanders and the lowlanders, by the indigenous and the criollos, as well as by western orientated entrepreneurs. Who is Ekeko, Bolivias God of Plenty? Ekeko [dwarf in Aymarà ¡] is the household god and it is not unusual for Bolivians to have a representation of this short and chubby, happy-looking fellow in their home. To ensure good luck the statue should be received as a gift and not be personally bought. Ekeko brings wealth into the family and keeps misfortune at bay. To obtain the favour of fortune, Bolivians like to present Ekeko with miniatures mostly made of a sugary substance of products they would like to own. These can be a house, a car, furniture, clothes, an airplane but also food. A miniature passport may be bought if one has the wish to travel, a university diploma in case one wants to study or when graduation is near. Read on   La Paz, Bolivia Forms of Public Transportation The Archaeological Museum in La Paz, Bolivia Three Good Reasons to Travel to La Paz, Bolivia Perfectly copied miniature dollar and euro notes are favoured over local bolivianos in case one wants wealth. Ekeko loves smoking, his statue has a special hole in the mouth to offer him a cigarette. Where in La Paz is La Fiesta de las Alasitas Celebrated? Calle Sagà ¡rnaga is the commercial centre of the indigenous handicraft of miniatures. This is the heart of the tourist centre where thousands of tourists stroll down the alleys in search of souvenirs and to admire the local curiosities of miniatures and other products that bring good fortune. The Bolivians especially come for the latter during Alasitas, and the streets are crammed with locals who need to buy their miniatures replicas in time the blessings will take place around noon and they should be prepared by then. The location of the ritual of blessings may change yearly. It is best to ask at a Tourist Information, or another tourist location such as a hotel, restaurant or museum where the main activities will be held. The Alasitas Festival in La Paz, Bolivia Alasitas is one of La Paz important festivals. On January 24 Bolivians buy miniatures of products they would like to own and offer them to their God of Abundance, Ekeko. This festival gives tourists an insight into the typical Bolivian mixture of Catholicism and local beliefs. Holidays and Festivals in Bolivia Alasitas This is a colourful, happy event tinged with poignancy. At the end of January the streets in the centre of La Paz fill with people from the city and the countryside, many of them in traditional dress, eagerly buying finely-crafted miniatures from street stalls and vendors. The figures represent material goods that the people aspire to own. It might be a tiny automobile or a bag of cement to represent a new home. A miniature passport or postage stamp might secure a dream of travel and tiny banknotes might bring wealth. One of the most popular figurine is Ekeko, The God of Abundance, a popular, generous and all encompassing divinity. At the end of frenzied buying and selling there is a procession to visit the Yatiri, a wizard who blesses all the objects. Virgen de la Candelaria The festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria, in many images, is celebrated on February 2 in various Hispanic Catholic countries, including Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Venezuela and Uruguay. The celebrations in Peru and Bolivia are centered around Lake Titicaca, in Puno and the small village of Copacabana. In Bolivia, the Virgen is also known as the Dark Virgin of the Lake, and the Patroness Of Bolivia. She is revered for a series of miracles, recounted in Nuestra Seà ±ora de Copacabana and has another festival on August 5. Normally, Copacabana is a quiet, rural village with fishing and agriculture the mainstays. However, the week before and the day of the fiesta, the village changes. There are parades, colorful costumes, music and a lot of drinking and celebrating. New vehicles are brought in from all over Bolivia to be blessed with beer. People gather for days ahead to pray and to celebrate in a mixture of Catholic and native religions. Bolivian celebrants believe the Virgen prefers to stay inside the Basilica erected in her honor. When taken outside, there is a risk of storm or other calamity. Carnaval de Oruro and Diablada Festival Say Carnaval and what images come to mind? Fantastically and scantily garbed dancers, pounding samba rhythms, parades, incessant revelry? Carnaval de Oruro, Bolivia? In Bolivia, Oruro, Santa Cruz, Tarija and La Paz hold carnavals but the carnaval in Oruro,is the most famous. It takes place for the eight days preceeding Ash Wednesday. Unlike carnaval in Rio where the escolas de samba choose a new theme each year, carnaval in Oruro always begins with the diablada or devil dance. The diablada is a centuries-old ritual surviving unchanged from colonial days. Next are hundreds of devils in monstrous costumes. The heavy masks have horns bulging eyes fangs long hair and in contrast to the frightening masks the devils wear sparkling breastplates silk embroidered shawls and golden spurs. Between the devils groups of dancers dressed as monkeys pumas and insects caper to the music from brass bands, or pipers or drummers. The noise is loud and frenzied. Out of the devil dancers comes China Supay, the Devils wife, who dances a seductive dance to entice the Archangel Michael. Around her dance the members of local workers unions, each carrying a small symbol of their union such as pickaxes or shovels. Dancers dressed as Incas with condor headdresses and suns and moons on their chests dance along with dancers dressed as the black slaves imported by the Spaniards to work in the silver mines. Family members led by the matriarchs in yellow dresses appear in order: first the husbands dressed in red, next come the daughters in green, followed by the sons in blue. The families dance their way to the football stadium where the next part of the celebrations takes place. Two plays begun, as medieval mystery plays, are enacted. The first portrays the Conquest by the Spanish conquistadores. The second is the triumph of the Archangel Michael as he defeats the devils and the Seven Deadly Sins with his flaming sword. The results of the battle are announced the Patron Saint of the Miners the Virgen del Socavon and the dancers sing a Quecha hymn. Although the references to the Spanish conquest and the downtrodden state of the Bolivian peasants are very clear, this festival is based on the pre-Colonial ceremony of giving thanks to the earth-mother Pachamama. It commemorates the struggles of good and evil and the early Catholic priests allowed it to continue with a Christian overlay in an effort to pacify the local natives. The celebration of carnaval continues for days as the diablada dancers break into smaller groups and continue dancing around huge bonfires. Onlookers join the procession at any point and with the consumption of strong Bolivian beer and the very potent chicha made from fermented cereals and corn they get rowdy. Many sleep in doorways or where they fall until they awake and continue celebrating. If you plan to be in Oruro or any of the towns celebrating carnaval, follow the basic safety precautions: Dress comfortably Allow yourself time to get acclimated to the altitude Watch what you drink chicha hangovers are awful! Leave your valuables behind Carnaval de Santa Cruz Refleja el espà ­ritu alegre del pueblo cruceà ±o. Comienza un mes antes con las fiestas precarnavalerasen las que participan todas las comparsas juveniles encabezadas por su Reina. Una semana antes del carnaval se lleva a cabo el minicorso en el cual se realiza la proclamacià ³n de la soberana anual del Carnaval . A partir del atardecer del sà ¡bado y hasta el amanecer del domingo de carnaval tiene lugar el deslumbrante Corso en el que saltanalrededor de 300 comparsas. Las mismas recorren las calles de la ciudad al ritmo de bandas y tamborita. En el recorrido el visitante podrà ¡ admirar un marco desbordante de lujo y colorido en hermosas fantasà ­as, impresionantes carros alegà ³ricos que transportan a las reinas, tambià ©n percibirà ¡ el intento por rescatar los motivos regionales y el respeto al medio ambiente. El espectà ¡culo adquiere su mà ¡xima fastuosidad cuando ingresa la reina del carnaval cruceà ±o con toda su corte constituida por los integrantes de la comparsa coronadora. En estas fiestas la mujer es la principal protagonista pues, al estar completamente disfrazada, hace de las suyas escogiendo pareja, coqueteando e invitando a bailar a los varones que asisten a dichas fiestas. El pà ºblico podrà ¡ apreciar que la entrada de los grupos està ¡ dividida en tres bloques folklà ³ricos: regional, nacional e internacional. Tambià ©n participan de esta fiesta conjuntos tà ­picos, entre los que destacan los de la Chiquitanà ­a que entran acompaà ±ados de tamboristas al son de chovenas (ritmo oriental). El frenesà ­ continua el domingo, lunes y martes , dà ­as en que la poblacià ³n baila y se divierte en las calles cà ©ntricas de la ciudad jugando con agua, pintura y espumas, viviendo momentos de total alegrà ­a. Pujllay or Phujllay in Tarabuco, Sucre The Pujllay or Game begins with a Catholic mass in Quechua language it stops then to continue with the party and the rejoicing for the victory of the Battle of Jumbata in a parade of nonpareil coloring, the peasants move to the place where the Pucara is and they dance in circles to its surroundings to the they are of the Tokoros, Pinquillos, Spurs, Bells and Drummers. The Pucara that consists on a support or stairway covered with great variety of agricultural products, besides drinks, breads and others taken place by the peasants of the region. Labor Day or May Day If you are traveling in Latin America on the first day of May, you can expect to find banks, government offices, stores, post offices and businesses closed for the day as people celebrate the Dà ­a Internacional Del Trabajo with parades, demonstrations and other symbols of solidarity with the worker. Bolivia celebrated Dà ­a Internacional del Trabajo for the first time on May 1, 1936. Day of the Worker, or May Day, had already been established in Europe, and would shortly sweep across the Latin American countries. The communist and socialist countries embraced the day, and over time, May Day became associated with those political systems in many non-English speaking countries. In Paris in 1889 the International Working Mens Association (the First International) declared May 1st an international working class holiday in commemoration of the Haymarket Martyrs. The red flag became the symbol of the blood of working class martyrs in their battle for workers rights. The Origins And Traditions Of Mayday Who were the Haymarket Martyrs? They are all but ignored in the history of the United States, who moved the May Day labor celebrations to September. May Day: what happened to the radical workersholiday? The first Monday in September is now the Labor Day holiday, but it has very little to do with the reason for a working mans holiday. This history is detailed in May Day the Real Labor Day. Long before May Day, The WorkersDay, born in the struggle for the eight-hour day came to be, the first of May was a traditional day of feasting, celebrating spring, fertility, romance and more. The Pagan Origins of May Day asks Why did the Labour Movement choose May Day as International Labour Day? Its more that May Day chose the Labour Movement. Unlike Easter, Whitsun or Christmas, May Day is the one festival of the year for which there is no significant church service. Because of this it has always been a strong secular festival, particularly among working people who in previous centuries would take the day off to celebrate it as a holiday, often clandestinely without the support of their employer. It was a popular custom, in the proper sense of the word a peoples day so it was naturally identified with the Labour and socialist movements and by the twentieth century it was firmly rooted as part of the socialist calendar. So now you know why everything shuts down on May 1. Its a good idea to play it safe that day and stay away from parades and rallies that might prove explosive. Gran Poder The merging of pre-Columbian religions and the Roman Catholic faith created a number of religious observations, including the Fiesta del Gran Poder celebrated primarily in La Paz, Bolivia. The event began in the late 1930s with a small number of dancers and is today a huge event. The festival centers around the devotion to Christ as the second person in the Holy Trinity based on an anonymous painting of the Trinity dating from the early XVII century. The three entities were painted withIndian or mestizo features. Though the Catholic church had forbidden human representations of the Holy Trinity, a young novice named Genoveva Carrià ³n took it with her when she entered the Monasterio de la Purà ­sima Concepcià ³n. When the religious order downsized, the painting found its way into different lay hands, finally ending up with Plà ¡cido Là ³pez who lived in the barrio Chijini in la Paz. A small chapel was built to honor the Holy Trinity and then Bishop Augsto Scheifert direct two not-quite-expert artists to paint over the two side figures. They did so, but one, wanting to retouch the eyes, came back one night. When the remaining figure moved its head, the artist fled, but many favors or miracles were attributed to the Christ figure. Devotion grew and in 1939 the chapel was officially named Iglesia Parroquial del Gran Poder. In the years since, the festival of El Gran Poder has grown into an international celebration. Parades and processions with the dark figure of the Christ (see photo), music and costumed dancers honoring cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Of these, La Morenada is the most famous. Held annually at the beginning of June, the Fiesta del Gran Poder is La Pazs biggest street party. Copious amount of local beers and food are consumed. Visitors wanting a place to stay during the celebrations make advance reservations. Columbus Day October 12 (or the nearest Monday to it) is traditionally celebrated throughout the Americas as the day Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. In English speaking countries, the day is celebrated as Columbus Day or Native American Day. In Spanish speaking countries and communities, is is known as Dà ­a de la Raza, the Day of the Race. Dà ­a de la Raza is the celebration of the Hispanic heritage of Latin America and brings into it all the ethnic and cultural influences making it distinctive. It is celebrated on October 12 in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela, Not anymore in Bolivia, because the strong feelings about the real situation of native americans on Spaniards Rule. A few historical facts behind the holiday: Cristà ³bal Colà ³n, born Cristoforo Colombo, following the newly accepted theory that the world was round and not flat, sailed west from Spain to find a new route to China or the East Indies. He wanted also to prove his calculations of the earths circumference. He was off on his calculations and he didnt find a new spice route. Instead, on October 12, 1492, he and his small fleet of three ships, the Nià ±a, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, landed on one of the islands now known as the Bahamas. The exact island is a matter of debate and conjecture, but from there, he went on to Cuba and Hispaniola, now the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and went back to Spain to recount his adventures. With royal approval and funding, he set forth in 1493 with a fleet of 17 ships and retraced his earlier voyage. This time he explored Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands, founded a colony on Hispaniola. He did not find any spices, nor gold in great quantities, but returned again to Spain. He made his third journey to the New World in 1498, where he explored the coast of Venezuela and was awed by the sweet water of the Orinoco where it flowed into the Atlantic. For his efforts, Columbus was made admiral and Governor General of the new colonies until he was sent back to Spain in disgrace in 1500. He overcame that humiliation sufficiently to make a fourth and final voyage in 1502, landing in Costa Rica. When he died in 1506, Columbus was dishonored and all but forgotten. Whether he should be celebrated as the man who opened Central and South America to exploration and colonization, or excoriated for the same thing is a continuing debate. Christopher Columbus and Columbus Day are reviled in places because he is blamed for bringing the evils of slavery, the encomienda system and the diseases of Europe to Latin America. He was avaricious, cruel and paved the way for the conquista. Now, 500 plus years later, we recall his deeds and celebrate not Columbus the man, but the actions and influences of all the people who came after him, who melded their European culture with the indigenous cultures and, with difficulty, blood and years of battle, misunderstandings and treachery, have created the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society we now celebrate with the Dà ­a de la Raza. Note: It was up to others to name the places where he had landed or to discover the route to China. Amerigo Vespucci named Venezuela afer his native Venice, and Vasco da Gama sailed round the Cape of Good Hope and the Indian Ocean to the Far East, opening the Spice Route for Portugal. All Saints Day November 1 is celebrated throughout the Catholic world as Dà ­a de Todos Santos, or All Saints Day, to honor all the saints, known and unknown, of the Catholic faithful. Every day of the year has its own saint or saints, but there are more saints than calendar days, and this one major holy day honors them all, including those who had died in a state of grace but had not been canonized. And, to keep things fair, November 2 is celebrated as the Day of All Souls. Dà ­a de Todos Santosis also known as Dà ­a de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Like many other Catholic celebrations, in the New World it was grafted onto existing indigenous festivities to meld the newCatholicism with the oldpagan beliefs. In countries where the Europeans eventually reduced the indigenous populations, by one means or another, the celebrations gradually lost their native meaning and became more of a traditional Catholic event. In Latin American countries where the indigenous culture is still strong, such as in Guatemala and Mexico in Central America, and in Bolivia in South America, Dà ­a de Todos Santosis an important meld of many influences. In Central America, the dead are honored by visits to the their gravesites, often with food, flowers and all family members. In Bolivia, the dead are expected to return to their homes and villages. The Andean emphasis is agricultural, since November 1 is in spring south of the Equator. It is the time of returning rains and the reflowering of the earth. The souls of the dead also return to reaffirm life. During this time, the doors are opened to guests, who enter with clean hands and share in the traditional dishes, particularly the favorites of the deceased. Tables are bedecked with bread figurines called tantawawas, sugarcane, chicha, candies and decorated pastries. At the cemeteries, the souls are greeted with more food, music, and prayers. Rather than a sad occasion, the Dà ­a de Todos Santos is a joyous event. In Peru, November 1 is celebrated nationally, but in Cuzco its known as Dà ­a de todos los Santos Vivos, or Day of the Living Saints and celebrated with food, particularly the famed suckling pig and tamales. November 2 is considered the Dà ­a de los Santos Difuntosor Day of the Deceased Saints and is honored with visits to cemeteries. Wherever you are in Latin America on the first and second of November, enjoy the local holidays! Virgen de Copacabana A religios festival for the virgin of the snow. Mass, folkloric dancing and processions. 5th 6th Virgen de Copacabana Copacabana (La Paz). Celebration for the Virgin of Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Dancing, processions, folkloric displays. Virgen de Urcupià ±a or Virgen de Urqupià ±a Festival in Quillacollo (Cochabamba). One of the most important religious festivals in Cochabamba. It is a colorful religious festival with a large mass, folkloric dancing, processions, typical food and the sale of miniature handicrafts. Chutillos The Chutillos festival in Potosi is definitely worth it. Especially the first day with the authentic dances and costumes is marvelous. Virgen de Guadalupe Festivals celebrated in Viacha (La Paz), Sucre (Chuquisaca) and Valle Grande (Santa Cruz), but by far in Sucre is the biggest. A religious festival in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Folkloric dances, bull fights, music, dancing and typical food and drink. San Roque Festival in Tarija, (Although the fiesta day of San Roque is officially on the 16th of August). An 8-day long celebration for the patron saint of dogs, San Roque. Unique costumes, processions, music and dancing. The biggest party and typical of the Tarija region with its unique music style. Each year on January 24 a large marketplace in La Paz, Bolivia, is full of merchants who traditionally call out, Alasitas, an Aymara word meaning buy from me, to potential buyers of their miniature wares. Shoppers can find tiny replicas of just about every kind of object-cars, houses, foods, furniture, clothes, tools, household goods, and, especially, money-and seek those which represent items they would like to have in the coming year. After purchasing the miniature object of ones desire, the next step is to take it to church to have it blessed. Presiding over all this downsized commerce is Ekeko, an Aymara god of material wealth, fertility, and good luck. Ekeko is represented as a portly little man who wears a backpack full of goods and whose arms are stretched out, as if in an attitude of acquisition. Many people keep ceramic figures of Ekeko in their homes for good luck. Maldives The Maldives will hold a Hay festival starting October 14 with the intention of celebrating ideas, conversations and fun. The festival will bring together international and local experts in literature, art, science, drama, music and poetry, according to a statement from the Presidents Office. Maldivian writers including Ogaru Ibrahim Waheed and Fathmath Nahula will join historian and biographer Jung Chang (author of Wild Swans and Mao), novelist Ian McEwan (author of Atonement) and environmental campaigners Montagu Don, Tim Smit, Mark Lynas and Chris Gorell-Barnes. Mauritian-born, electronic fusion artist Ravin will perform and local bands will include Fasy Live. Lectures will also be delivered online by prominent artists, scientists and historians. The Maldives has been a multi-party democracy for only two years and this new freedom has opened up a host of new opportunities both culturally and politically, the statement said. Some events will be held on the Presidential Retreat on Aarah, allowing rare public access to the island. The Hay Festival began in the Welsh book town of Hay-on-Wye in Brecon Beacons National Park in the UK, and has fostered the exchange of ideas for more than twenty years. Hay Festival Maldives will commission a series of lectures to be delivered online by prominent artists, scientists and historians. These will debate environments that are facing transformation over the next one hundred years and what this means for the people living there. Speakers include historian and biographer Jung Chang, author of Wild Swans and Mao, the novelist Ian McEwan, author of Atonement, and environmental writers and campaigners Montagu Don, Mark Lynas and Tim Smit. They will appear alongside Maldivian writers including Ogaru Ibrahim Waheed and Fathmath Nahula. Mauritian-born, electronic fusion artist Ravin provides musical enchantment, and local bands performing include Fasy Live. As well as the live events, Hay Festival Maldives

How the Internet Changed Business :: essays research papers

How the Internet has Changed Small Business Forever Ten years ago, the Internet as we know it hit screens. It was 1995 when Explorer and Netscape emerged as the leading browsers for Internet users. Of course, a lot has changed since the days when it took several minutes to load one Web page. Today, URLs are as common as phone numbers for most businesses. During the last decade, we’ve been to the top of the world—during the dot-com boom of the late 1990s—and back down again, when it all fell apart a few years later. But with the bad came the good: The Web forever changed the business world. The following small-business owners are shining examples of how Web-based technologies can be a businessperson’s best friend. 1. E-mail Because it changed the way we communicate in business Phoenix-based PMP Tools ( http://www.pmptools.com ) provides test materials for project managers studying for professional certification exams. Test takers can find prep courses, review books and study tools on the site, which employs 11 people. Brent Knapp, the site’s founder, started publicizing PMP Tools by posting information in Yahoo Groups chat forums and by buying lists from Hoovers and Forbes for marketing mailings. His results were decent, but not perfect. He got a 3 percent response from what was then a $3,000 monthly project that took three days to complete. â€Å"We spent time designing the mailing and printing it. And then we all sat around stuffing envelopes and calling companies to get the right contact person to mail it out to,† he says. Last year, Knapp decided e-mail might be a better option. At the very least, he would save $2,950 per month and three days of manpower; the template and automation tools he uses take all the legwork out of creating a newsletter. He saw results almost immediately. Now Knapp sends a daily newsletter to about 12,000 people, a number that has climbed 10 percent each month. The newsletter contains a project management review, crossword puzzle and product promotion. Sales have gone through the roof since it launched, topping $1 million last year. The company also benefits from e-mail in another way: employee contact and customer service. â€Å"We literally have no incoming calls—ever,† says Knapp. â€Å"Everything—99 percent of what we do—is handled via e-mail. People don’t want to call in. People don’t want to wait on hold. We have a one-hour e-mail policy, so our customers get an immediate response.