Transcontinental railroad Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Transcontinental railroad - Term Paper Example Such policies are implemented by regulatory authorities through budgets and other rules and regulations. However, there are some factors that affect the economy on the very basic level. One of those factors is infrastructure of a country. Infrastructure of a country can play an important role in the strengthening of the economy of a country. This paper analyses one such example of the effects of infrastructure on the economy. The example is that of the First Transcontinental Railroad. This railroad is said to be the first communication revolution of America. The railroad reduced the time of travel between east and west costs from six months to one week and it was indeed a huge achievement. This paper examines the problems faced by the entities engaged in the construction of the railroad and the effects of the railroad on the economy of the country (Heintz, 2009). Infrastructure can enhance the growth of the economy of a country at a very fast pace, specifically in case of developing countries. Developing companies usually have weak economic environment because of lack of sufficient infrastructure. Infrastructure can boost trade in a country which results in accelerated economic activities in the country. This scenario can best be explained with the example of the First Transcontinental Railroad that was constructed between the years 1863 and 1869 in the United States of America. The railroad was built by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and Union Pacific Railroad. These two entities were chartered by the Pacific Railway Act, 1862. This railroad connected the already developed railway network of the Eastern cost with California that was in its developing stages. The railroad was completed in May, 1869 when it changed the economic scenario of the American West for good. The railroad initiated a new series of trade and communication that triggered the economic growth in the USA. Planning for Construction of the Transcontinental Railroad In the year 1862, it was determined that the companies that would carry out the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad would be Central Pacific Railroad and Union Pacific Railroad. The companies started construction from their respective points. Central Pacific started building the railroad eastward from Sacramento, California and Union Pacific started building the railroad westward from Council Bluffs, Iowa. Although the companies had been assigned the task and they had started constructing the railroad, the point where both the railroads would meet was not determined. There were a number of problems that hindered the construction of the railroad resulting from the lack of adequate planning. The construction also slowed down due to the Civil War between the years 1861 and 1865. This factor also added to the problems already present due to the lack of planning. However, a point in the Mormon territory of Utah was determined to the Promontory Point where the railroads being constructed by the two companies would meet. The construction completed on 10 May, 1869 when the two railroads met at the Promontory Point. Problems Faced in Construction A railroad connecting the east and west cost of the USA had always been a dream but it was shaped into reality by the President Abraham Lincoln. However, the railroad was completed after four years of his death. The construction of the railroad was not independent of any problems. There were a num

White Privileges and the role they play in American Society Essay Example for Free

White Privileges and the role they play in American Society Essay Our daily lives are affected by race whether we know it or not. We all see the world through a racial lens that colors our world, African American, Caucasian, Asian, Mexican, or other. I came across an article online entitled â€Å"Black Sons, White Privilege, Ferguson, and the Gospel† which is written by Caucasian Pastor Jeremy Haskins. Haskins has three sons, two of whom are African American. He talks about a time, he went into a children’s recreational dwelling, taking his sons with him, he took his African American son in and tried to sign him in, but he was denied admission because of the color of his skin (even though that was his adopted son it didn’t matter). However a short while later, one of the Pastor’s Caucasian sons walked in (he wasn’t on the party list), without being asked to sign in, not even a second glance. The Pastor and his wife do not want to believe that white privilege still exists but, unfortunately after those conditions and the current situation going on in Ferguson, MO, they may have too. As the father of two African American sons, Pastor Haskins, has (unfortunately) witnessed firsthand how differently his boys are treated because of the color of their skin. He and his family unlike many have to live everyday of their lives wondering why we still live in such a racially divided nation. Also different from most Pastor Haskins, has not only previously experienced racial tension but he’s articulated it and made a practice of blaming it on his childhood. But somehow he manages to overcome this, and make peace with his social injustices. He continues to go and discuss how the shooting in Ferguson has infuriated him in more ways than just the fact that a young unarmed African American boy was killed, but because of the response that African Americans and Caucasians alike are having. Instead of retreating to the church and acknowledging their antagonism towards one another and working to resolve the racial difficulties we are having here in the U. S, they have turned to looting, rioting, and protesting. The fact the Ferguson Police Dept.has used the media to repeatedly misinform the public with false information is not only severely angering, Pastor Haskins, but it has caused him to weep for his two African American sons. But what’s really pissed him off is that the Evangelicals say things like â€Å"Michael Brown was a thug, he was drunk, etc†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and these are supposed to people of the church. Speaking on angering, Pastor Haskins, the one thing that has completely and utterly frustrated him is that the Evangelicals are â€Å"offended† that the people say white privilege still exists. They do not think that they are receiving any special privileges, they honestly think that everyone is treated the same way. That response has led to the, Pastor believing that the Evangelicals will agree to anything racial or not to avoid the thought of even having to side with African American males and females alike. The Pastor goes on to say that, it is rather easy to deny the privileges and go with the flow, if you are a Caucasian American yourself and enjoying the privileges. Not many people will understand what is like to be at the receiving end of the pole when it comes to racism and white privilege. I can relate to Pastor Haskins, growing up as a biracial child, with an African American father and a Caucasian mother, I got looks, I was talked about, I wasn’t allowed to do things that other kids got to do. There was even a time in Kindergarten (I remember this because I am reminded of it every single day), I was sent to the end of the line in my class, because â€Å"the Caucasian kids had priority over me, the other African Americans, and minorities in my class†. It’s sad to see that it has been over 50 years since the Civil Rights Movement, and here we are today in 2014, and Caucasians still have their â€Å"White Privilege†.

The Complexity Of Culture Cultural Studies Essay

The Complexity Of Culture Cultural Studies Essay So why is culture so complex? According to the popular writer Raymond Williams, culture is one of the most complicated words in the English language. The study of culture is far too complex to be studied only from the viewpoint of one specific scientific discipline, or to be based on one specific model. In a world as complex as ours, each of us is shaped by many factors, and culture is one of the powerful forces that acts on us. Culture is not a set of objects and behaviors, but a context, specific to a particular time and place, in which meaning is made (Geertz 1973) (Schall). Cultural contexts include important patterns, attitudes, and values such as language use and communication patterns, religious beliefs and rituals, the tools and artifacts of daily life, familiar relationships, gender roles, and many other characteristics. Because of the complex, multifaceted nature of culture, understanding a specific group, whether ones own or that of others, requires study from several dive rse perspectives. Although each perspective will shed light on the systems of meaning within that group, the different perspectives will not necessarily fit together into a neat, unified cultural portrait (Rosaldo 1989) (Schall). In order for a researcher to make sense of the complexity of cultural concepts, relevant prior knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of cultural variation is a prerequisite to effectively comprehending cross-cultural studies. According to Joe Novak, the creator of concept mapping, when concept maps are used, the material to be learned must be conceptually clear and presented with language and examples relatable to the learners prior knowledge. Concept maps can be helpful to meet this condition, both by identifying large general concepts held by the learner prior to instruction on more specific concepts, and by assisting in the sequencing of learning tasks though progressively more explicit knowledge that can be anchored into developing conceptual frameworks (Novak). In the following sections I offer up a series of approaches designed to aid a researcher in unraveling the complex nature of cultural variation and ways of simplifying cultural understanding. Gaining sufficient knowledge and understanding of culture can become a complex task in itself making it necessary for one to develop specific strategies and approaches to the problem. Any approach should encompass key terms, essential cultural concepts and principles, as well as multifaceted foundational theories. This should provide the knowledge necessary to understand and simplify complex models and studies designed for the purpose of illustrating culture differences across an array of situations. So where should one begin in developing their cross-cultural knowledge? Establishing a glossary of terms that define some of the significant concepts in one or more topics that lend themselves to research investigation using cross-cultural data is necessary. For the purpose of cross-cultural communication, cultural literacy should begin with the basic terms such as culture and communication. Culture can be defined as, a system of symbolic resources shared by a group of people. In every cross-cultural situation, groups of people with different systems of symbolic resources come in to contact by communicating with one another. Communication can be defined as, the practice of creating and exchanging meanings or symbolic resources. It is clear that culture and communication are interrelated, therefore, cross-cultural communication can be defined as a process of interaction between two groups of people with different systems of symbolic resources. ( Klyukanov) Understanding these terms wi ll enable one to see how and why people identify with each other and form cultures through the process of cultural identification. Cultural identification simply allows us to define our own cultural selves. Before embarking upon the quest for understanding of other cultures, it is necessary to break down and understand ones own culture. Anthropologists Kevin Avruch and Peter Black explain the importance of culture this way: Ones own culture provides the lens through which we view the world; the logic by which we order it; the grammar by which it makes sense. Everyone has a culture. No one can ever fully separate themselves from their own culture. While it is true that anyone can grow to understand and value a range of different cultures and communicate effectively in more than one, one can never overcome his own, or any other culture, to achieve an all encompassing perspective on culture. As was mentioned previously, it is necessary and important for one to gain knowledge in the study of cross-cultural communication. The nature of knowledge is very complex; however the complexity of the cross-cultural world can be exposed by combining two complimentary approaches: the objective (scientific) approach and the subjective approach. In the objective approach, knowledge is viewed as an object, the world consists of concrete variables and people behave in patterned and predictable ways. From an objective standpoint, all observers of a culture would see the same thing, knowledge is external to all people and the watchful observer captures this knowledge and characterizes it in meaningful fashion. The subjective approach represents the other side of the knowledge gaining process. This approach aims to interpret and understand interactions and cultural meanings that are internal to people. The combined implementation of these approaches highlights the methodical, relational, an d opposing nature of cross-cultural communication which includes an array of cross-cultural knowledge. Edward T. Hall, a respected anthropologist and cross-cultural researcher, identified Ten Primary Message Systems which he classified as Interaction, Association, Subsistence, Bisexuality, Territoriality, Temporality, Learning, Play, Defense, and Exploitation. From his ten primary message systems, Hall devised an interrelated Map of Culture. Halls map makes it easier for researchers to pinpoint complexities in understanding target cultures. The process of constructing a system of meanings known as cultural mapping explains how every culture develops ideas about the world and its place in it. The main types of meanings which form a culture map include: beliefs, attitudes, values, norms, mores, laws, and world view. It is important to understand that all of these ideas are interconnected. Culture maps provide structure and give rationality to universal knowledge established about people and the social world, providing expectations about typical patterns of behavior and the range of like ly variation between types of people and their characteristic actions and attributes. Understanding and applying these concepts can aid researchers in breaking down the complexities of cross-cultural variation. Another set of means that are typically presented are global cultural dimensions. These variables are very wide in scope, are related to all cultures, and can be used for the purpose of assessing cultures. Global cultural dimensions vary from researcher to researcher, this section attempts to identify and provide the most commonly discussed dimensions which include: Individualism/Collectivism, Power Distance, Masculinity/Femininity, Uncertainty Avoidance, and High-Context/Low Context Communication. Researching several ethnographies and studying the approaches presented by anthropologists, philosophers, and writers whose work has laid the foundations for the field of cultural studies will provide further depth and understanding. Below are a few examples of theà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. According to Hans Gullestrup the complexity of cross-cultural studies, as well as cultural studies, are especially related to the following observations or facts: 1. The relativity of each culture the cultural hierarchy 2. The co-incidence of the cultures the cultural categories 3. The changeability of each culture the cultural dynamic 4. The ethical problems related to cross-cultural studies A researcher will base his or her work on different paradigms and a differing understanding of culture depending on the situation and the purpose (Hans Gullestrup). For these reasons, Gullestrup argues that theoretical and analytical models are needed for cultural and cross-cultural studies formulated as frame models, or as a kind of framework, where each researcher or cultural actor can relate to one other with his own data, observations, and experiences when trying to create an understanding of a particular cross-cultural situation, according to his or her needs, as well as to the four factors mentioned above. As mentioned previously, anthropologist Edward T. Hall When we approach another culture, a tendency exists to generalize, placing experiences in wide-ranging categories or types. The best we can do is to make sure generalizations are as accurate as possible and avoid overgeneralizations, especially those beginning with All. When attempting to describe a certain culture, we must be careful and ensure that the culture we classify is the one that was observed. If we come across another culture and fail to notice obvious differences then the all we have done is stereotyped and our interaction with that culture has become extremely unreliable. To avoid stereotyping, it is necessary to test generalizations against the actual behavior and values of those being encountered in the observed culture. Cross-cultural communication is successful when our observations and reflections of people from other cultures are accurate. Two useful approaches for counteracting mistakes of oversimplification and generalization of a culture are Culture-General and Culture-Specific approaches. Concentrating on cultures broad characteristics, is macro and global in scope and defined as Culture-General. With over 200 national societies throughout the globe, over 5,000 languages, and endless subgroups interrelated by ethnicity, race, religion, common history, politics, and culture, it becomes virtually unfeasible to thoroughly sort out the full range of cultural practices found in each society. Culture-General ideas and frameworks are useful and provide researchers tools necessary to understand principles, categories of behavior and world views, ideas and values, how to learn another culture, and how to successfully and effectively navigate cultural boundaries. Culture-general approaches to interaction describe general contrasts that are applicable in many cross-cultural situations. For example, Edward T. Halls classificat ion of high-context low and low-context cultures is a culture-general comparison that implies a source of miscommunication between many diverse societies. This approach is based on more conceptual categories and generalizable skills, and represents the etic form of cultural knowledge. Etic knowledge is essential for cross-cultural comparison because such comparison essentially requires standard units and categories (Lett). General cultural characterizations can be narrowed by using a Culture-Specific approach, based on ethnographies, is an intercultural form of emic cultural analysis. Emic knowledge is essential for an intuitive and empathic understanding of a culture (Lett). Culture- Specific refers to the distinctive qualities of a particular culture. It can also be a means of studying cross-cultural communication when the culture characteristics of a particular culture are examined and used to explore the broad, general characteristics of the structure of cultures. At the culture specific level, differences between two particular cultures are assessed for their likely impact on communication between people of those cultures. Cultural observers must always be ready to modify existing conceptualizations when new experiences do not fit into the original universal category. Simply, one-size fits all conceptualizations are not effective in cross-cultural communications. Clifford Geertz, in his book The Interpretation of Cultures, attempts to simply cultural variation by saying, The concept of culture I espouse, and whose utility the essays below attempt to demonstrate, is essentially a semiotic one. Believing, with Max Weber, that man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun, I take culture to be those webs, and the analysis of it to be therefore not an experimental science in search of law but an interpretive one in search of meaning. It is explication I am after, construing social expressions on their surface enigmatical. But this pronouncement, a doctrine in a clause, demands itself some explication.

Rates of Epidemic Infection Drops :: Spanish Influenza Journalism Media Essays

Rates of Epidemic Infection Drops Breaking news today as the New York Times reports a drop in the rate of infection of what is now being called Spanish Influenza. More than 900 fewer cases in the past 24 hrs were reported by the New York Times today, with a total decrease in 91 deaths. This 20 percent drop resulted in only 3,362 reported cases of influenza as of October 21. As New Yorkers breathe a quick sigh of relief, the rest of the nation shudders on what has become an epidemic spread of the grippe, normally common this time of year but never before so deadly. However, medical officials warn that these numbers may not be necessarily accurate, as there are many cases of influenza that go unreported. In spite of the medical official's warnings, the drop in the number of those killed by Spanish influenza is positive, as those can be accurately measured and accounted for. News of the decrease in cases reported was met with a push for more vigilance in preventing the spread of this malady. A list of twelve rules to the public in the aim of safeguarding against the spread of respitory disease has been released by the Surgeon General of the Army, one of which being the three C's--a clean mouth, clean skin and clean clothes. The question of how this epidemic attacked the United States at this time of War against democracy is one that plagues every patriot's mind. A mere month ago Health Officials were meeting to discuss the prevention of the spread of the disease from the ports. Only limited cases had been reported, with quarantines being enforced in New York City. Now as it has spread to all states, with only three having stationary reports of its spread, Americans are searching for more preventative action. From its appearance, this Grippe-like influenza has spread rapidly. New York prepared itself for an outbreak when the first three city-based cases of influenza appeared on September 19. Commissioner Dr. Royal S. Copeland in speaking of the outbreak confirmed everyone's worst fears, "It looks very much as [if] we were in for our influenza siege." The quick spread of the disease was marked by the crowding of hospitals. On October 20, only a month after the initial impact of the illness was made apparent, the New York Chapter of the Red Cross has made all of their facilities at the immediate disposal of all city and governmental officials.

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When it come to be publicly acknowledged that the United States government planned on using atomic bombs to fight the war against Japan, a group of scientists who had worked on the atomic bomb for many years, felt the need to protest the idea. Leo Szilard who was a head of the group of scientists came up with a petition for the president for his associated scientists to look over. In his petition he asked the President â€Å"to rule that the United States shall not, in the present phase of the war, resort to the use of atomic bombs† (Szilard, par. 1). Szilard’s thoughts mentioned in the petition sought the strength and persuasion needed to sway the President that the use of the atomic bomb was uncalled for because of the shortage of facts presented, their poor reasoning found in the writing, and the failure to communicate the significance that their arguments held in the decision. In the petition Leo Szilard uses pathos over and over to try and sway the President’s view of using an atomic bomb to fight against Japan. While the argument is persuasive, he used the advantage of the alre...

Free Essays - Essay on Medea and Antigone :: comparison compare contrast essays

Medea and Antigone are two stories of women fighting back for what they want, or what they feel is right. These stories take place in ancient Greece, around the time of its rise to power. Medea and Antigone are both strong, sometimes-manipulative characters but have different moral settings that control what they do. Medea is often very demanding in getting what it is that she wants; Antigone, will do what she need to do in order to get what she wants. With Antigone she is defies the law of a king to uphold the law of her spiritual belief. In the middle of the night she lives the house and sneaks into a field to bury her dead brother. Medea killed many people, including her own sons and a princess, in order to only spite her unlawful and cheating husband. The two women are like alligators, waiting motionless for the right time to strike. In the case of Medea, swift, violent strikes. And with Antigone, a cool collected precise one. These women are always determined to get what they want.   In classic works being a strong woman seems to run hand in hand with being manipulative. Medea lied and cheated friends to try to acquire time in order to get what she wants. In this case what she wants is revenge agents her ex-husband. She tricks a friend to give her asylum in Athens after she has committed her insane task. Medea even goes so far as to be able to con Kreon, the king himself into giving her an extra day. This unwittingly gives her exactly what she needs. Antigone tries her hand at manipulation but is not as successful as Medea. Antigone tries, with no avail, to persuade her sister, Ismene, to help her give their brother Polyneices a proper burial. In this way they are more like foxes, cunning but not always getting it right. Their deceitful nature is their strength.   While both women do wrong by the law of man, and Medea against the law of the gods, they do it for different reasons.   In the beginning Medea kills many people and monsters with little or no concern of the consequence. When the story deals with modern times Medea kills out of pure revenge and spite for Jason.   She plots for weeks to kill Jason’s new bride and poisons her, and then before she leaves the country she murders her two sons, she had with Jason, before she rides off in her bright white chariot.

Analyse and provide evidence Essay

a) Analyse and provide evidence of the growth of trade on the Internet and its contribution to organisations 40 years ago, Internet was created but not popular. It was only used for science and experiment purposes and there were not many computers at that time: about a thousand PCs or a bit more over the world. The Internet 40 years ago simply was a computer connected to computers to communicate and share information between each other. Computer experts, engineers, scientists, and librarians used the early Internet. There was nothing friendly about it. There were no home or office personal computers in those days, and anyone who used it, whether a computer professional or an engineer or scientist or librarian, had to learn to use a very complex system. After 40 years, we have got hundred millions of computers which are small, faster and more comfortable than before. The first website was also created about at the time as Internet but nowadays we have more than 40 millions websites in all areas. The figures below showing the number of website between 1998 and 2000. Internet is now expanding, developing and extremely involving in our life day to day and society. Following its development many operate such as services, trade and business have been turned from normal life into electronic to meet require of people and make profit. Trade on Internet make a huge profit with many advantages like quick, save time and ease of marketing. E-Trade is growth very fast in few years backward because now a day many people’s are using Internet and Internet now a day has been popular, we have about 934,480 Internet users in 2004 over the world (http://www.c-i-a. com/pr0904. htm) and it is going to over a billion in 2007, the Internet users are increasing then the e-trade will have more sellers and buyers. The E-Banking also apart of growth of E-trade, by using credit or debit cards Internet users can easily by goods online. E-banking helps business online making a quickly transfer and safety payment. Online banking has grown every year; that means shopping and spending money online are more popular. The research reveals that 45 percent European online consumers are expected to buy more products online in the coming years, compared to 41 percent of American consumers and Britain consumers last year which spent about 1 billion pounds on online shopping (http://www. nua. ie/surveys/index. cgi? f=VS&art_id=905358734&rel=true). By using Internet a company can marketing their products at any time and anywhere in the world. Customers can easily find what they want by few clicks, order products and get it in few days. Organisations use e-trade and Internet as a strategy to develop their business. They use Internet recruit an employees or provide a good services to their customers. According to new figures from the Department of Trade and Industry, half of UK firms now order goods and services online. This represents a 52 percent increase on the number of UK companies ordering online last year. The study reveals that 91 percent of businesses now have access to the Internet, while 80 percent have a website. Around 20 percent of firms also reported making payments online; an increase of nearly 20 percent on this time last year. Trading and marketing on the Internet is the most efficient way to develop the organisation that’s why Internet is very necessary and its contributions to organisation are very important. E-trading has obviously grown very fast since last decade until now and will more expand in the future because it has advantages which make enormous profit for business and many important elements support it. With the incredible development of technology in the future, Internet will have more chance to demonstrate its real effect to organisation and social life.