Communication Science vs. Semiotics :: Communication Science

Communication Science vs. Semiotics Marcel Danesi says that "communication theorists generally focus more on the study of message-making as a process, whereas semioticians center their attention more on what a message means and on how it creates meaning" (Messages and Meanings: An Introduction to Semiotics, 1994). He implies that both communication science and semiotics are systematic studies of signs. Interestingly, Danesi comments that semiotics studies signification first and communication second. Danesi's definitions and distinctions about communication science and semiotics captured my interest because of the way he draws the line between to areas of study that are very closely related. In this paper I will try to elaborate on those differences. I have to admit that until now I am not completely convinced about the way to distinguish among semiotics and communication science. However, I believe that it is worth the effort. Reflection about these topics will help me and possibly the reader to understand them better. We are in broad information age. The handling of information is definitely the main commercial activity of our days. We are all consumers of information at different levels. Most of us also have to either manage, process, market, deliver or sell information as a way of living. Information is wrapped in all kinds of packages, or better said it is delivered through all kinds of media. All kinds of messages are delivered to all kinds of audiences. Information is the core element of communication science and probably of semiotics as well. I consider information to be the raw material for message construction and the creation of meaning. Signs are a collection of bits and pieces of information. Information is what we decipher from signs. Notice that decoding has to be performed because some sort of coding is always a part of the "creation" of a sign. Even iconic signs which are "a direct representation of a referent" as defined by Danesi, have to be encoded in order to make them deliverable through any given medium. Let us take for example a flower as a referent. An iconic representation of a flower could be a hand drawing, a painting or a color picture. From the least iconic (the drawing) to the most iconic (the color picture) representation coding of information (i.e. shape, texture, color) is necessary to create a sign. A perfume that smells "like" a flower is also an iconic representation of the real object.

The Three Most Important Things I Learned in Economics Class :: Class Reflection

The three most important things I learned in Economics Class The first important concept I learned was the ‘goals of monetary policy’. The primary goal of a central bank is price stability (low and stable inflation). Some of the Feds (short for the Federal Reserve Bank) other concerns are: †¢ high employment †¢ economic growth †¢ stability of financial markets †¢ interest rate stability †¢ stability in foreign exchange markets The Fed desires to maintain high employment because the condition of high unemployment, the alternative, creates idle workers and idle resources. This leads to closed factories, unused equipment and materials, ultimately decreasing our GDP. Now, let me further explain that the goal for high unemployment is not an unemployment level of zero, rather a level above zero where labor demand equals labor supply. This is known as the ‘natural rate of unemployment’. Economic growth focuses on encouraging firms to invest or encouraging people to save, which in turn creates funds for firms to invest. It runs hand-in-hand with the goal of high employment because in order for firms to be comfortable investing in assets such as plants and equipment, unemployment must be low. Hereby, the people and resources will be available to spur economic growth. If financial markets are instable, it will lead to sharp contraction of economic activity. For example, in this most recent financial crisis, a deterioration in financial institutions’ balance sheets, along with asset price decline and interest rate hikes increased market uncertainty thus, worsening what is called ‘adverse selection and moral hazard’. This is a serious dilemma created before business transactions occur which information is misleading and promotes doing business with the ‘most undesirable’ clients by a financial institution. In turn, these ‘most undesirable’ clients later engage in undesirable behavior. All of this leads to a decline in economic activity, more adverse selection and moral hazards, a banking crisis and further declining in economic activity. Ultimately, the banking crisis came and unanticipated price level increases and even further declines in economic activity. Interest-rate stability is very important for the Fed to control because otherwise consumers, like you and I, will be reluctant to buy things like houses due to the fluctuation which will make it harder to plan for the future. The value of the US dollar relevant to other currencies is a major consideration for the Federal Reserve. If they prevent large changes in the value of the dollar, firms and individuals can comfortably plan ahead to purchase or sell goods abroad.

Great Gatsby Essay -- essays research papers fc

F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' / Gatsby's Desire for Daisy exploring why Gatsby had such an obsessive desire for Daisy. The writer purports that Gatsby began by pursuing an ideal, not the real woman. In fact, he could not recognize the type of person she had become since they last saw each other. Gatsby lives in a dream world and Daisy is part of that dream. As the novel progresses, however, Gatsby's feelings change. Bibliography lists Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby : The Role of Nick Carraway as a Character in the Novel In 5 pages, the author discusses F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby,' and the role that Nick Carraway played as a character in the novel. When determining the role of Nick Carraway as he was used in this book, one must consider that he is a contrast to Gatsby. One is dark and the other is light. One is rich and materialistic. The other is representative of America's traditional moral codes. Nick Carraway is the novel's main catalyst, for not only telling the story, but also for showing the differences in society. Without Nick Carraway's influence, 'The Great Gatsby' would not have nearly the same effect. No additional sources are cited. Filename: Pcfsfnc.doc F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'Great Gatsby' / Corrupt Vision Of The American Dream This 5 page report discusses F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel 'The Great Gatsby' and explains the ways in which Gatsby presents a twisted and corrupted version of the 'great American...

Fight Club’s Cult: Manipulation and Thought Reform

Andrew Epstein Professor Powell English 1A: 3:15 TR 18 February 2010 Fight Club’s Cult: Manipulation & Thought Reform Dr. Margaret Thaler Singer asks the question, â€Å"How many more Jonestowns and Wacos will have to occur before we realize how vulnerable all humans are to influence? †(3) With this, Singer– a clinical therapist who specialized in brainwashing and coercive persuasion, considered a giant in the field of cult behavior– brings the normallytaboo topic of cults in our society to the forefront of discussion. People must be informed and understand what a cult is, and how cults use thought-reform as a means to manipulate and control the masses. If people are left uneducated, senseless acts of self and social destruction will continue to be carried out by followers of proclaimed prophets. Shoko Asahara’s cult_ _â€Å"Aum Shinrikyo,† which translates to â€Å"teaching of the supreme truth† (Wessinger 121), an organized and violent group, has correlating similarities to Tyler Durden’s following. Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club_ _is a book about a man that creates a following in the form of a modern day cult, in which he uses its members to carry out acts of social terrorism, violence, and self-destruction by means of manipulation and thought reform. In order to understand cult behavior in Fight Club, one needs to understand the characteristics of a cult and how they are defined. â€Å"Cults are not a unique species of human group; they are the endpoints on a continuum† (Andres 1-7). A common misconception of cults is all cults are religious. Although many are, religious beliefs alone do not dictate the qualification of what a cult is. Singer describes that â€Å"cultic relationships† better define the parameters of what qualifies a cult, and that a cult can usually be identified by three factors despite its belief system (7). Of those factors, â€Å"Origin of the group and roles of the leader,† insists that most of the time there is one person in charge and in control of the decision making process for the cult and its members (Singer 8). Although cults range from a wide variety of categories and beliefs, cult leaders usually have uniform characteristics: â€Å"Cult leaders are self-appointed, persuasive persons who claim to have a special mission in life or to have special knowledge. Cult leaders tend to be determined and domineering and are often described as charismatic. Cult leaders center veneration on themselves† (Singer 8). Tyler was a party of one who had the charisma and ideology that appealed to the impressionable minds of people looking for something more. The followers of Fight Club looked at Tyler and saw everything they wanted but could not be themselves. â€Å"I love everything about Tyler Durden, his courage and his smarts. His nerve. Tyler is funny and charming and forceful and independent, and men look up to him and expect him to change their world. Tyler is capable and free, and I am not† (174). Tyler Durden is a leader, he has the ability to shape the minds of his followers through his power of persuasion. Whether it be the Fight Club, Project Mayhem, or one of Project Mayhem’s subdivisions, Tyler’s members abided by core beliefs and rules given by himself, and were eager to progress in Tyler’s self destructive behavior. Tyler believed that in order to gain enlightenment, to know who we really are, â€Å"First you must hit bottom† (76). Tyler’s followers want to be him, to think, and act as he acts. There was no questioning Tyler’s logic, his follower’s followed. â€Å"The structure or relationship between leader and followers,† states that; â€Å"Cults are authoritarian in structure. Cults appear to be innovative and exclusive. Cults tend to have a double set of ethics† (Singer 9). Even though a leader may appoint people to act in higher positions of authority to guide other members, the leader’s authority supersedes all. The cult leader offers its members something unique, something that can only be found through membership, and that in becoming one of the following makes that person â€Å"special† (Singer 9). It is normal that there are a strict set of rules, or a code of conduct between members that is not held to non-members. Whereas deceiving an outsider is completely acceptable, doing the same to a fellow member would not (Singer 9). The defining relationship of Tyler Durden in Fight Club is, without a doubt,leader to his followers. Tyler doesn’t refer to himself as a prophet or god; however, he does interpret with accuracy how his followers perceive him. â€Å"Tonight, I go to the Armory Bar and the crowds part zipper style when I walk in. To everybody there, I am Tyler Durden the Great and Powerful. God and father† (199). In order to further the development of Fight Clubs and Project Mayhem, Tyler appointed chapter leaders to instill the rules and beliefs he created. The chapter leaders obediently did as they were taught to do because in Fight Club, â€Å"You don’t ask questions,† and â€Å"you have to trust Tyler† (122,125). Interfere with Tyler’s goals, and Tyler will kill or castrate the opposition. â€Å"The coordinated program of persuasion,† is the â€Å"crucial factor in the definition of cults† (Singer 10). Cults tend to be totalistic, or all-encompassing, in controlling their members’ behavior and also ideologically totalistic, exhibiting zealotry and extremism in the worldview. Cults tend to require members to undergo a major disruption or change in life-style† (Singer 10). Cults may start similar to what could be compared to a part time job, in wh ich a member or in our example, an employee takes part in an activity or event for some sort of end result, whether it be self satisfaction or in the case of an employee, money. At some point the goal of the cult is to have its members completely invested, or a full time employee. This includes a life that can be compared to military lifestyle, in which members are often dehumanized, told when to eat, drink, sleep, and what to wear. This often results in abandoning their non-cult life completely in order to further â€Å"become immersed in the group’s major purpose† (Singer 10). Fight Club’s members transition from part time to full time, consisted of belonging to Project Mayhem or one of its several subdivisions. Tyler’s mission was to free the people from whom he thought were slaves to society. Tyler wanted to change the world, destroy the old and create a new world of a more basic need. â€Å"It's Project Mayhem that's going to save the world. A cultural ice age. A prematurely induced dark age. Project Mayhem will force humanity to go dormant or into remission long enough for the Earth to recover. † â€Å"This was the goal of Project Mayhem,† Tyler said, â€Å"the complete and right away destruction of civilization† (125). Project Mayhem’s group dubbed â€Å"space monkeys† (12) was stripped of all possessions except that which was required by Tyler. Dehumanized and stripped of their previous life identities the space monkey’s goal was to serve Tyler and membership required giving total control to the cause. â€Å"Only in death will we have our own names since only in death are we no longer part of the effort. In death we become heroes† (178). Fight Club’s members were manipulated to the point of partaking in acts of violence for recognition, and finding death for the cause to be heroic. Tyler’s control of his members is absolute and unquestioned. To begin understanding the complete and total control cults tend to have over its members, one must understand the thought-reform process. Brainwashing is the technique used by cults to strip its members of their freewill and carry out the cult leader’s ideals that define his or her cult. This includes, but are not limited to, organized acts of violence including; social terrorism, murder, and self destruction (Singer 82). The word â€Å"brainwashing,† or thought reform, was birthed in the 1950s during the Korean War when captive United States troops returned home appearing to be â€Å"converted Communists† (Taylor 3). Even when free from captivity and having no contact with any Communist interaction, theses soldiers denounced loyalty to their own country, and praised of the Communist way of life. Edward Hunter, CIA operative who investigated the reasoning behind the apparent odd behaviors for returning troops, was the first to â€Å"publicly christened† the term brainwashing said, â€Å"The intent is to change a mind radically so that its owner becomes a living puppet—a human robot—without the atrocity being visible from the outside. The aim is to create a mechanism in flesh and blood, with new beliefs and new thought processes inserted into a captive body. What that amounts to is the search for a slave race that, unlike the slaves of olden times, can be trusted never to revolt, always be amenable to orders, like an insect to its instinct† (Taylor 3). While technological advances and modernization of growing societies have changed the way thought reform is implemented, the core foundation and overall goal still has the same purpose of control. Harmful effects on cult members thought processes tend to come from the techniques of control implemented from within the cult. Utilization of these techniques is used to socialize members into the cultural environment of the cult can produce â€Å"feelings of guilt, dependency, low self-esteem, worthlessness, anxiety and hopelessness in vulnerable individuals† (Walsh). Robert Lifton was one of the early psychologists to study brainwashing and mind control. He called the method used thought reform_ _(Walsh). He identified eight processes used to alter the minds of subjects. While all of the processes have some direct content relating to Fight Club, there are three that fit best. Lifton describes â€Å" milieu control,† as â€Å" control of human communication†(Walsh). This is how the individual communicates with the outside world and how the outside world communicates to the individual, meaning like Tyler’s space monkey’s, who practices and recited Tyler’s rhetoric, these individual’s are cut off from worldly means of communication, entertainment, and normal social interaction because they are seen as corrupt. These individuals receive and transmit information through a filter of cult ideology. Lifton suggests, â€Å"Mystical manipulation is the use of an extensive personal manipulation to provoke specific patterns of behavior in a seemingly spontaneous way,† and that, â€Å"they suggest that there is an induction of dependency by manipulative and exploitive techniques of persuasion and control† (Walsh). This is best depicted in Fight Club by the way Tyler uses his charismatic personalities to influence his members that Fight Club is what they need in order be awakened from their boring lives of slavery in the corrupt consumerist world. Lifton’s Doctrine over person states, â€Å"A situation in which the doctrine of the group shapes the reality of which the member must exist† (Walsh). This makes their pre-cult lifestyle unappealing, and progresses their â€Å"new identity based on the new ideology† (Walsh). Tyler uses this idea in Fight Club to convince members that life outside of Fight Club is nothing more than a role being played to mask their true identity, eventually resulting in full recruitment in to one of Fight Clubs subdivision’s, and abandonment of their previous lifestyle completely. These methods of thought reform are commonly found in cult’s who practice radical religious beliefs and/or acts of violence in the name of its cause. Aum Shinrikyo, or â€Å"The Aum† was a cult which began operations in Japan, tried to bring world change through â€Å"techniques of guerrilla warfare† (Walsh 119-128). The Aum became a â€Å"legally registered religion in 1989† starting with approximately 4,000 members (Wessinger 130). By the mid-90s its membership had more than doubled at an estimated 10,000 members in Japan, and having expanded its reach including about 30,000 members in Russia (Wessinger 131). Aum Shinrikyo is an aggressive, highly organized, educated, extremely violent, and has the wealth to make serious impacts on society. Like Tyler’s Fight Club, â€Å"Aum Shinrikyo offered an alternative to lifetime employment in unfulfilling work† (Wessinger 131). Many of Aum Shinrikyo’s members hold positions of power, are highly educated, and have specialized skills. They include; scientists, military personnel, police officers, and political officials that contribute to the organization (Wessinger 135). Tyler’s Fight Club is similar in construction to Aum Shinrikyo, in that its members are well distributed throughout the societies in which it is established, giving the organization the power to infiltrate and execute acts of social terrorism. Shoko Asahara said, â€Å"Aum is a mighty obstacle to the evil that rules this world† (Wessinger 120). Similar to Tyler Durden, Shoko Asahara conducted the business of his following with violent measured attacks on society and anyone who was a threat to his organization or its ideals. Aum Shinrikyo’s violence began internally, beatings of members in order to become closer to â€Å"clairvoyance† expanded to attacks on enemies and society (Wessinger 123). Although different in beliefs, Aum’s pattern of progression follows a very similar structure to that of Fight Club. Similar to Fight Club’s subdivisions such as Project Mayhem, Aum Shinrikyo uses specialized member’s devoted to carrying out acts of violence towards enemies. Threats to hinder or expose any criminal aspects, or cult activities of both organizations were counteracted with acts of violence and brutality. Aum Shinrikyo assassinated defecting members, journalist, prosecutors, judges, and anyone else who opposed their endeavors (Wessinger 133). Extreme acts of violence in able to progress forward in cult behavior and goals is what directly link Aum Shirikyo and Fight Club together. In understanding the inner workings of cult behavior, it is evident to what Tyler’s following_ _is, what it does, and how it gains control of members. One can see how Fight Club’s cult behavior show uniform similarities to the characteristics that define a cult. In addition, understanding how a cult controls its members by means of manipulation and thought reform, in order to implement core beliefs, participate in acts of violence, and recruit members; one can grasp how powerful the control cults can have over their members. In looking at Aum Shinrikyo, a violent and socially destructive organization, we are able to see the consistency between Shoko Asahara’s and Tyler Durden’s following. Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club depicts the story of a man who build’s himself a clearly definable cult, in which he uses its members to carry out acts of social terrorism, violence, and self-destruction by means of manipulation and thought-reform. Works Cited Andres, Rachel, and James R. Lane. Cults & Consequences: The Definitive Handbook. Los Angeles: Jewish Federation Council, 1988. Print Palahniuk, Chuck. Fight Club. New York: Norton, 1996. Print. Singer, Margaret Thaler. Cults in Our Midst: The Hidden Menace in Our Everyday Lives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996. Print Taylor, Kathleen. Brainwashing: The Science of Thought Control. Oxford: Oxford University, Print. Walsh, Yvonne. â€Å"Deconstructing ‘Brainwashing’ Within Cults as an Aid to Counselling Psychologists† Counselling Psychology Quarterly_ _June 2001: 119-128. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 March 2010 Wessinger, Catherine. How the Millennium Comes Violently: From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate. New York: Steven Bridges, 2000. Print. _ _

Merced County Health Status Essay

A community’s health can be established through a myriad of differing factors. Three specific factors that will help to determine the health of the county in which I live are community safety, disaster preparedness, as well as an analysis of the population. The community under review, Merced, is located in central California and made up of seventeen cities and communities whose individual populations do not exceed more than 75,000 and covers an area of approximately 1,972 square miles (United States Census Bureau, 2010) with a total population of approximately 255,793 people in 2010 (Merced County California, 2012). The first area of importance is community safety. It is important to beginning discussion with the one of the most basic of health indicators; the air we breathe. The air quality index in Merced County is 48, a median value that takes into account only the most hazardous air pollutants (Air Now, 2012). This value is only slightly lower than the air quality index of California, but is approximatly 30% higher than the national average (Air Now, 2012). Another important area that must be addressed is the water we drink. In Merced County most of our drinking water comes from groundwater sources which are collected by two public water systems. Most all areas in Merced County are affected by three different pollutants: Nitrates, Ethylene Dibromide (EDB), and Dibromochloropropane (DBCP) (Air Now, 2012). Although all three of the pollutants fall below the water standard or eliminated through the public water systems, these pollutants will continue to be an issue because EDB and DBCP were used by farmers for many years to fumigate crops. Another area of concern in community safety is the safety hazards within the sociocultural environment. The ability to work, shop, or simply ride your bike and feel protected within the area in which you live are important features in determining the health of a community. With 1. 2 police officers and 4. 4 sheriff officers per 100,000 people and an average response time of 3 minutes (Merced County Office of Economic Development, 2012); most people can be fairly confident that they and their property are protected. However, crime rates have risen in the past few years. In 2009, Merced County experienced 1,658 violent crimes; the majority of which involved aggrivated assult but also included 26 murders, 78 forcible rapes, and 276 robberies (United States Department of Justice, 2012). There were also 4,390 property crimes and 90 cases of arson (United States Department of Justice, 2012). Rate of offenses per 100,000 are as follows: violent 568. 3, property 567. 3, drug 512. 9, sex 37. 9, other 489. 1, and totaling 2,175. 5 per 100,000 (United States Department of Justice, 2012). Considering there are only 5. law enforcement officers per 100,000 people, it would appear as though crime will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. These numbers are especially troublesome considering budget cuts that will surely affect all public safety departments (Layoff Watch, 2011). There are a couple of ethnic groups within Merced County that feel especially vulnerable, the Hispanic community and the Asian community. The Hispanic community nearly makes-up 50 percent of the population and is congrigated in the poorest of neighborhoods. Yet another concern involving public safety is the ability to obtain medical services. Within Merced County there are only two hospitals that offer emergency medical service, Memorial hospital of Los Banos and Dignity Health of Merced. Memorial hospital of Los Banos is a relatively small hospital with the ability to admit a total of 46 patients (Memorial Hospital Los Banos, 2008). The emergency room has the ability to care for a total of 6 patient’s requiring immediate emergency care, but has the capability to fly patients out to other facilities if required. Dignity Health of Merced is the larger of the two facilities and cares for the majority of the population of Merced County. Dignity Health has a total of 194 beds available. Dignity Health has approximately 10,900 admissions per year and total emergency room visits equaling around 66,000 per year. On a typical weekend the emergency room will see about 250 patients between the hours of 7 a. m. and7 p. m. (M. Parker RN, personal communication, June 8, 2012). Also serving the community are 8 primary clinics. The majority of these clinics are located within the city limits of Merced and Los Banos. Those located outside of these locations will have to drive upto 30 minutes to obtain medical services. Merced County also has five psychiatric facilities, only 2 of which are capable of admitting patients. Country Villa Merced Behavioral Health Center has 96 beds available for the community and has the ability to care for long-term patients between the ages of 18 to 65 years of age (Country Villa Merced Behavioral Health Center, 2012). Marie Green Psychiatric Center is a smaller facility that has the ability to admit upto 20 patients between the ages of 18 to 65 years of age, but this is a short term facility that can only care for patients for up to 90 days. Currently, in the Merced County area there are no psychiatric facilities that have the capability to care for psychiatric patients under the age of 18 or over the age of 65. Emergency preparedness within Merced County is primarily controlled by the Department of Public Health. Merced County’s emergency preparedness was last updated in 2003 and in general addresses â€Å"preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities† (City of Merced California, 2012). In the preparedness phase, activities are concentrated in advance of a disaster. Actions are focused on â€Å"implementing hazard mitigation projects, developing hazard analyses, developing and maintaining emergency plans and procedures, conducting general and specialized training, conducting exercises, developing mutual aid agreements, and improving emergency public education and warning systems† (Merced County California, 2003). In the response phase an emergency situation is imminent or likely to occur. During this stage the county initiates actions to increase its readiness. In the recovery phase the focus is to return public services to Merced county residents and return any area affected by the emergency to its previous condition. The mitigation phase occurs before and after emergencies. After a disaster or emergency, mitigation or alleviation, includes â€Å"reducing the impact of hazards that exist within Merced County† (Merced County California, 2003). Although Merced County Public Health Department concerns itself with the county as a whole, it must also make provisions for areas more susceptable to emergencies or areas where there is an increased difficulty to disseminate information. Within these areas there are disproportionate ethnic minorities. The two primary ethnic groups, hispanic and asian americans, are particularily at risk because of transportational and housing issues as well as dysfunctional attitudes toward disaster planning or preparedness. Within Merced County the Hispanic community makes up nearly 50% of the population and constitutes the majority of those living below poverty level. This translates into the majority of the population within the economically depressed areas having inadequate housing or malfunctioning transportation. When a disaster does occur, this group will be the hardest hit as they will not have the financial means to recover what they have lost. This group also has the highest potential for harm due to the inability to relocate to an area that is safe due to transportational issue. What places this group at highest risk are their attitudes toward disaster planning or preparedness. After speaking with six different families from a depressed area, all but one family put any thought into a potential emergency, and none of these families had money set aside for such a disaster (personal communication, June 1, 2012).

Political and Economic System

World Geography and Culture Spain Analysis of the Political and Economic Systems Table of Contents I. Introduction (abstract) II. Political System a. Type of Political System b. Structure of the Government c. Identify a current law/policy law d. Impact on society III. Economic System a. Type of economic system b. Identify a current economic issue c. Government role in address the issue d. Impact on society IV. Compare Contract a. Economic issue country of origin V. Conclusion Abstract In this essay, I had to assume the role of a politician and an economist.The country of Spain has many different political issues that can impact the society based on the structure of the government. The economic issues can impact the society based on how the government decides to deal with it. I also had to compare and contrast the current economic and political issue in my country of origin which is Puerto Rico to Spain’s economic and political issue. Introduction Spain also known as the kingdo m of Spain is a beautiful country with a very appealing geography, history, culture, economy, missionary effort, and state capitol.Spain’s political system is parliamentary monarchy. Spain has many different political and economic issues that can impact the society. Most of these issues can be deal by the government. Sometimes other countries can be compare and contract its political and economic issues to other countries. Political System Spain’s government is parliamentary monarchy. The most important task of the constitution was to devolve power to the regions, which were given their own governments, regional assemblies and supreme legal authorities.The central government retains exclusive responsibility for foreign affairs, external trade, defense, justice, law (criminal, commercial and labour), merchant shipping and civil aviation. Spain has been a member of the United Nations (UN) since 1955, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since 1982 and the Europe an Union (EU) since 1986, and is also a permanent observer member of the Organization of American States (OAS). Spain has three branches of government which includes the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch.The Senate has 259 members, directly elected by a first-past-the-post system. Each province provides four members plus additional members in the Balearic and Canary islands, where extra members represent the various islands, making a total of 208 members. The 17 autonomous regions also elect one senator each and an additional member for every million inhabitants, totaling a further 51 members. The Senate has the power to amend or veto legislation initiated by Congress.Under Spanish law, the official result of a general election is made public five days after the vote, in order to allow sufficient time for recounts and disputed results. After the members have been sworn in, the King of Spain meets with the party leaders and asks one of them to form a go vernment, which must then be ratified by parliament. The leader of the party of government becomes the president of Spain and has his official residence in the Moncloa Palace in Madrid. The role of citizens in Spain is that they have to be born of a Spanish mother or father.A person born in Spain of foreign parents if neither of them has Spanish nationality or if neither of the parents' legislations confer a nationality to their children. Spain has many political issues. One political issue is during the last few years has been corruption among public officials, including illegal financing of political parties, tax avoidance, fraud, bribery, trying to keep a place or someone in the residential institution, nepotism, misappropriation of public funds, illegal patronage, influence-peddling and kickbacks.Spain has been described (in the Spanish press) as the most corrupt society among the original 15 members of the EU and corruption permeates political and public life at every level. Th is problem is affecting the Marbella council on a massive scale, involving tens of millions of euros pocketed by council officials. Economic System Spain’s economy is a well-based way to equally spread money to all of the people. Some of Spain’s natural resources include coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin; hydroelectric power.Spain’s currency is the European Union euro. Spain’s imports include machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semi-finished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments. In 2011, the amount of money that Spain received for imports was $364. 9 billion. Some of Spain’s exports include machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods. In 2011, the amount of money that Spain received for exports was $309. 6 billion. The gross domestic per capita is thirty three thousand six hundred euros a year.In labor force 2. 4 percent goes to agriculture, 24 percent to industry, and 71. 1 percent to services. Spain came out in the number one position because it is a sunny country, because its citizens enjoy shorter working hours and more days holiday, because energy and lifestyle costs are lower, because the government invests into education and healthcare, because the average age at which people die is higher than in most of Europe and because overall, living in Spain ensures you have a better quality of life. Spain has many economic issues.One economic issue is that the Spanish banks' high exposure to the collapsed domestic construction and real estate market also poses a continued risk for the sector. The government oversaw a restructuring of the savings bank sector in 2010, and provided some $15 billion in capital to various institutions. Investors remain concerned that Madrid may need to bail out more troubled banks. The Bank of Spain, however, is seeking to boost confiden ce in the financial sector by pressuring banks to come clean about their losses and consolidate into stronger groups.Puerto Rico doesn’t have political and economic issues similar to Spain. One reason Puerto Rico political issue is not similar to Spain because Puerto Ricans do not have representation in the U. S. Senate and no voting representation in Congress. Instead, the 4 million U. S. Citizens of Puerto Rico only have one â€Å"Resident Commissioner† who cannot even vote on the House floor. Therefore, Puerto Ricans have no say in the making of the laws and statutes that apply to them. Even though the U. S. Supreme Court has absolute jurisdiction over Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans do not have representation in the U.S. Senate to cast an up or down vote on Supreme Court nominees. In the end, Puerto Rico is governed by a Congress in which they are not allowed to participate in, an Executive whom they did not elect, and a Judiciary whose justices they did not confirm. Th e 4 million U. S. Citizens of Puerto Rico are not allowed to fully participate in the democratic process of their nation. One reason Puerto Rico economic issue is not similar to Spain because recently in Puerto Rico the economy has suffered budget cuts from U.S. The Puerto Rican economy has depended heavily on the tax incentives given to U. S. mainland companies and on federal transfers. Conclusion There were many different things that I learned about Spain’s Political and Economic Systems. One thing that I found interesting was that Spain has the ninth largest economy in the world. Another thing that I found interesting was that Spain was originally a constitutional monarchy but over time became a parliamentary monarchy.

African-Americans Fighting for Equality Essay

African-Americans have been fighting for equality and freedom every since they were taken from Africa as slaves. They were stolen from their families and separated only to be servants to others as they were belittled, beaten, put down and treated as nothing. Many things have changed over the centuries, but African-Americans still fight everyday for different types of acknowledgements and equality. They have fought hard over the centuries to end segregation, discrimination, and isolation to attain equality and civil rights. Through the Civil Rights Movement African Americans played important roles American history with courage, strength, and struggling to live equal in America. We have learned about important people and events throughout history, but the fight against discrimination, segregation and isolation have not always been focused on. This paper will highlight how some of the well known and unknown people contributed towards the Civil Rights Movement, in which continues to be fought in present time. â€Å"Racial segregation was a system derived from the efforts of white Americans to keep African Americans in a subordinate status by denying them equal access to public facilities and ensuring that blacks lived apart from whites† (Lawson, 2009). Slaves lived in quarters far away from the master houses on the plantations, the only ones that lived in the house were the special chosen. â€Å"By the time the Supreme Court ruled in Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) that African Americans were not U. S. citizens, northern whites had excluded blacks from seats on public transportation and barred their entry, except as servants, from most hotels and restaurants. When allowed into auditoriums and theaters, blacks occupied separate sections; they also attended segregated schools. Most churches, too, were segregated. † (Lawson, 2009). Rosa Parks was famous for her courage to stand for her right to sit where ever she wanted on a bus, but she was not the first or only one to make this choice. There was a fifteen year old girl that was arrested nine months earlier, but she was not attributed to the act because of her status of being a foul mouth tomboy and getting pregnant right after the incident (Young, 2000). Also when Rosa Parks was approached by the bus driver to move there were other African- American people sitting next to her, but because she spoke up first history gives her credit and was noticed by Dr. Martin Luther King. It needs to be known that many people were courageous in their act to fight for equal rights. Basically Parks was at the right place at the right time, â€Å"Parks arrest sparked a chain reaction that started the bus boycott that launched the civil rights movement that transformed the apartheid of America’s southern states from a local idiosyncrasy to an international scandal. It was her individual courage that triggered the collective display of defiance that turned a previously unknown 26-year-old preacher, Martin Luther King, into a household name† (Younge, 2000). Dr. Martin Luther King name goes down in history as the most well known activists through the years. He was known as a non violent activist, in which he adapted the philosophy from Gandhi, which was respected not only by the black race but also by all other races. King’s speech â€Å"I Have a Dream† became what African-American’s live by for centuries to come. Also there was the, â€Å"We Shall Overcome† speech on August 23, 1963. King’s words at the capital that day were a defining moment of the Civil Rights movement† (Bowles, 2011). King fought for civil rights until the day he was killed. There was a protest at Fisk University in Nashville in which three students was disgusted at the fact blacks could not sit at the lunch counters to eat. C. T. Vivian, Diane Nash and Bernard Lafayette protested with others in Nashville on April 19, 1960. â€Å"Nash confronted Mayor Ben West. In what she calls a â€Å"divine inspiration,† she asked the mayor to end racial segregation. He appealed to all not to discriminate. She asked him if he meant that to include lunch counters. He sidestepped. She said, â€Å"Mayor, do you recommend that the lunch counters be desegregated? † West said, â€Å"Yes,† and the battle was won. Within days, integration began† (Weier, 2001). While civil rights activists were fighting on the home front, African American men and women honorably performed their duties in two world wars. They bravely entered a military that was at odds about their presence and the appropriate roles for blacks. While more than 400,000 African American soldiers were going through basic training, receiving their assignments or facing the enemy’s bullets in World War I, riots against black citizens were escalating in the United States. By the time the Second World War ended, over one million black forces returned home to the U. S. equivalent of apartheid. Yet, with the knowledge of conditions at home, black soldiers still distinguished themselves in battles for freedoms, which they were unable to enjoy (Blakely, 1999). Discrimination was popular in the 1900’s and African-Americans stood up to be treated as equal Americans as the whites, especially in the World War II. â€Å"While willing to fight for their country, some also made a stand against discrimination while they served. For example, on April 12, 1945, the U. S. Army took 101 African American officers into custody because they directly refused an order from a superior officer. This was a serious charge because, if convicted, they would face the death penalty† (Bowles, 2011). They wanted to get acknowledged for their bravery and accomplishments in the war just the white soldiers. America waited decades for the African –American soldiers of the World War II to get the proper acknowledgements they deserve, which was too little too late. â€Å"These men were willing to die for the country; they were not eligible for many of the honors for their service. Though many deserved it, no African American could receive the Medal of Honor, the highest military award for bravery. Bill Clinton corrected this error 50 years later, bestowing the medal on seven men, but just one, Vernon Baker, was still alive (Bowles, 2011). These men were known as the Tuskegee Airmen and most of them died before receiving their honors. There were numerous movements and people, even African-American women whom had a hand in battling for equality. They had to fight not only for equality from racism, but also dealing with being judged by their gender. â€Å"The Women’s Service Section (WSS) investigated federally controlled railroad stations and yards at the end of World War I. Few women worked in car cleaning before the war, and railroad management preferred to block women workers, especially African Americans, from gaining any kind of foothold in railroad work. African American women were the single largest group of railroad car cleaners during this period but they were routinely denied adequate facilities, including toilets, locker rooms, and dining facilities throughout the railroad system. By raising the issues of facilities, workers’ rights, and public health, these women shaped federal policy and widened the agenda of the WSS to include a direct attack on segregated workplaces† Muhammad, (2011). Black women wanted to have the same rights as others for going to school with safety and security. â€Å"In Brown v Board of Education (1954) the Supreme Court reversed its ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson. They held that school segregation was inherently unconstitutional because it violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. This case marked the end of legal segregation in the US†. There were other significant African-American movements that changed history. â€Å"Starting in the 1960s, blacks in Akron began to push for an end to discrimination using various tactics, such as political action, workshops, and employment drives. Opie Evans edited the Akronite and began pushing for changes in his magazine. Protests widened to include sit-ins and other demonstrations† (McClain, 1996). African-Americans such as Martin Luther King Jr . and Malcolm X have become icons of the 1950’s and 1960’s, but the organizational skills and grassroots activism of women such as Ella Baker , Septima Clark , Rosa Parks and Fannie Lou Hamer propelled the movement forward to many successes and inspired a new generation of activists. African-Americans have come a long way fighting for equality and freedom every since the slavery time. They won their freedom and more equality than the ever had along with ending segregation. Many things have changed over the centuries, but African-Americans still fight everyday for different types of acknowledgements. They have fought hard to end segregation, most of discrimination, and isolation to attain equality and civil rights. References Blakely, Gloria. (1999). The 20th Century in CP Time: 1900-1949 — We are a People. Sentinel,p. A8. Retrieved July 16, 2012, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 490544881). http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb? did=490544881&sid=2&Fmt=3&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD Bowles, M. D. (2011). American History 1865- Present, End of Isolation, San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Retrieved on June 11, 2012 from https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUHIS204. 11. 2/sections/sec3. 7 Lawson, S. F. (2009). â€Å"Segregation. † Freedom’s Story, TeacherServe. National Humanities Center. Retrieved on July 16, 2012 from http://nationalhumanitiescenter. org/tserve/freedom/1865-1917/essays/segregation. htm | | Mcclain, S. R. , (1996). The Contributions of Blacks in Akron: 1825-1895, A Doctoral Dissertation, Retrieved on july 17, 2012 from http://www. ci. akron. oh. us/blackhist/timeline/index. htm Muhammad, R. (2011). SEPARATE AND UNSANITARY: African American Women Railroad Car Cleaners and the Women’s Service Section, 1918-1920. Journal of Women’s History, 23(2), 87-111,230. Retrieved July 16, 2012, from Research Library. (Document ID: 2377762701). http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb? did=2377762701&sid=3&Fmt=3&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD Weier, A. (2001). She Socked Segregation Civil Rights Leaders Still Inspires Students, Madison Capital Times. Madison, WI, Retrieved July 27, 2012 from ProQuest. http://search. proquest. com/docview/395202519? accountid=32521 Younge, G. (2000). She Would Not Be Moved. The Guardian. London, UK. , Retrieved July 28, 2012 from ProQuest. http://search. proquest. com/docview/245609939? accountid=32521.