Kurt Cobain - 1130 Words

Was Kurt Cobain bipolar? Thousands of people still research information about his death and what could have caused it. Kurt Cobain became a rock legend when his band Nirvana formed in 1990s. He grew up in a small town, Cobain showed a big interest in art and music as well as drawing. After his song Lithium was a big hit, â€Å"Many people believe he was manic depressive was over the song Lithium†(Bipolar Disorder, 2012, p. 1). However, Cobain wrote that song years before his band Nirvana became huge rock stars. Cobain was already diagnosed with bipolar at that time. Throughout this report the author will go over the symptoms, causes, and course of illness and treatment of the Bipolar Disorder of, Kurt Cobain. Lead singer of Nirvana, Kurt†¦show more content†¦2). After the divorce he went to live with his dad and would visit his mother and sister on weekends. In his teen years, he experimented with marijuana and heroin and started pushing himself away from his father. Then soon left his father s place and stayed with different relatives. Cobain also spent time living with friends when he could and sleeping in apartment building hallways and a hospital waiting room when he did not have any other place to crash for the night. But, long after trying heroin he became addicted to it. Cobain eventually went to drug rehab but his sobriety didn’t last long. He survived a relapses on a heroin overdose a few months later. But he did not seek more treatment for his drug addiction nor his bipolar disorder. Avoiding treatment is the worst thing you can do with bipolar disorder because it tends to get worse if it s not treated. To improve your prognosis Kurt needed go see a doctor and have him prescribed a treatment. By the looks of it, Cobain was very depressed to the point where he did not want to live anymore. With that being said the author believes that is probably why he did not seek any treatment for his disorder. The way Cobain handled his disorder was using into his music to express himself. As well to reach out to the kids in that time frame who were just like him. The use of his drugs was to escape and get relief from his stomach disorder. â€Å"One treatment for people with manic depression is to go throughShow MoreRelatedEssay on Kurt Cobain1664 Words   |  7 Pagesonly because it seems so easy for people to get along that have empathy. Kurt Cobain, in his suicide note, found next to his corpse on Friday, April 8th 1994, stated his hatred towards human society. Dead at 27, he remains among one of the most monumental and controversial lyrists in history. In spite of his tempestuous marriage with drug addict, Courtney Love, reckless drug abuse, and a childhood drained of emotion, Cobain escalated to become the epitome of a rockstar - an alluring misfit who spentRead MoreEssay on Kurt Cobain1034 Words   |  5 Pages Kurt Cobain A look Into the Life and Career of a Legend; A Proposal nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Kurt Donald Cobain was the lead singer/songwriter of the band Nirvana, until April 5 1994 when he committed suicide. Troubled by depression, chronic stomach problems, and an addiction to heroin, his ailments in his personal life showed through in his music. His music evolved from the hard quot;punkquot; sound of their first album, to the intelligent quot;tell allquot; tales of his fourth andRead MoreNirvana, By Kurt Cobain1348 Words   |  6 PagesIf the words â€Å"alternative† and â€Å"rock† are uttered together, chances are, Nirvana immediately comes to mind. Nirvana, lead by Kurt Cobain, intend to push messages that oppose the mainstream through their music and image. Even though, at the height of their popularity they could certainly be considered rock stars, in an interview with MTV in 1993 Kurt famously says â€Å"we’re not rock stars†, he truly doesn t wish to be categorized as one. Nirvana made a conscious effort to be seen in a completely differentRead MoreKurt Cobain ( 1967-1994 ) Essay1194 Words   |  5 PagesKurt Cobain (1967-1994) was one of the most inventive and ingenious musicians not only in the 1990s—but in all of the twentieth century. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the grunge rock band Nirvana from 1987 to his death in 1994. Along with bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl (who was the band’s third and final drummer) changed the concepts of hard rock, punk, and heavy metal: and brought it to mainstream media. Before his rise to fame, Cobain had a rough childhood from his parents’Read More Kurt Donald Cobain Essay examples1076 Words   |  5 PagesKurt Donald Cobain The subject of this writing, is on a man who changed music; a man on the level of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison. This individual is Kurt Donald Cobain from the revolutionary grunge/rock band, Nirvana. While some people would never consider Cobain to hold a major role in the shaping of our music and culture today, they haven’t taken the time to look around. Many people overlook the fact that music played a huge role in the lives of Americans during the 90’sRead MoreKurt Cobain And The Punk Rock Scene1998 Words   |  8 Pagesrather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.† Kurt Cobain was widely known as being the lead singer and guitarist of the world famous punk band Nirvana. Not only was his band remarkably successful in their musical endeavors but they were also a big innovator in the punk rock scene. Kurt had early ambitions of becoming a huge success but personally did not expect to become so widely known, so when they quickly bl ew up Kurt didn’t know how to handle all of the attention(Montage of Heck)Read More Aberdeens Influence on Kurt Cobain Essay2021 Words   |  9 PagesAberdeens Influence on Kurt Cobain The towns of Hoquiam and Aberdeen are located on the eastern edge of Grays Harbor in western Washington state. If you are a fan of the band Nirvana, you have probably heard of these names. If not, you are about to read how a town affected a person who in turn affected many peoples lives. Kurt Cobain was the singer and guitarist for Nirvana. He was born in Hoquiam (population 9,000) and after six months of life moved to Aberdeen (pop. 16,500), an old lumberRead MoreEssay on Kurt Cobain: a Psychoanalytic Perspective of Personality1761 Words   |  8 PagesKurt Cobain was the lead singer of the Seattle based grunge rock band Nirvana. As Nirvanas lead songwriter, guitarist, and singer, Cobain took the music industry by surprise and is considered the godfather of the grunge rock movement. Cobain and his band had a prevalent influence on young teenagers of the 1990s and were considered idols by numerous individuals. Nirvana took the popular music industry by storm when they were able to revamp the genre of grunge rock and cause a dramatic shift in musicRead MoreKurt Cobain s Suicide Like It Was Yesterday1750 Words   |  7 PagesKaren McKay recalls the day of Kurt Cobain s suicide like it was yesterday. McKay remembers Kurt Cobain as an inspiring and loved artist. Kurt C obain was an accomplished lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana, known for his appearance, stage presence, and deeply personal lyrics. At the height of his career, Cobain had ended his life not being able to handle all of the fame and glory that was bestowed upon him. He was greatly admired and a great inspiration for many of the world sRead MoreEssay Nirvana a Rock Band Formed by Kurt Cobain 922 Words   |  4 Pagesinfluential, effective and remarkable rock bands of the century. This trio from Seattle appeared in the public consciousness in 1991 with their single â€Å"Smells Like Teen Spirit† full with pure, raw emotions which was new that time. Nirvana was formed by Kurt Cobain singer/guitarist and Krist Novoselic bassist in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987. During their career, they had six drummers. Dave Grohl, who joined the band in 1990, was the longest-lasting. They released their first album Bleach in 1989; thereby they

The Development Of Rock And Pop Music Festivals - 1501 Words

There has been a constant rise in the division of outdoor music festivals over the past 10 years with about 71 per cent rise between 2003 and 2007 (Anderton 2009, pp.39-40). Mintel reports that there has been a persistent extension in the live music spectators stimulated by an evolution of supply sector in terms of greater number of events, sites and innovation over the past decade. These are accompanied by a large number of boutique festivals which are designed to meet specific consumer demands and excellency in customer experience. Even though new events have been organised, there are a part of them which were called off over the 3 year span from 2003 to 2006 due to various factors like weather, sales and marketing sector, licencing and finances, altering policies, security and absence of sponsorships (Getz, 2002; Anderton, 2009). The development on rock and pop music festivals emerged in the late 1960s from the open-air festivals in the late 1960s and early 1960s which hence, gave birth to the National Jazz Federation in 1961. The late 1960s saw an evolution of underground or hippie counterculture which was propped up commercially by the booming fashion business and by an international student and youth movement which provided a ready audience ( Clarke, 1982, p.25). Dressing up, however became an essential aspect of the music festivals as it attracted greater audience over the years. By the end of 1960s, the outdoor festivals had been on an uprise where the US WoodstockShow MoreRelated1.1summarise the Development of the Uk Popular Music Recording Industry from the 1950’s to the Present Day.4611 Words   |  19 Pages1.1Summarise the development of the UK popular music recording industry from the 1950’s to the present day. 50’s The 1950’s represent the beginning of the development of the music industry, as it is known today. It is from here on that the genre of ‘popular music’ existed and began to dominate the charts. Of course, there were acts that existed before the 50’s, and made a good name for them selves, acts like Bing Crosby, but it was in the 50’s that certain artists became household names, andRead More Music During the Vietnam War Essay1291 Words   |  6 PagesMusic During the Vietnam War Throughout time, music has been an influential part of society. As a form of entertainment and expression, its impact has always been felt both economically and emotionally. During the Vietnam war, music evolved into more a form of expression rather than pure entertainment. Emotionally charged songs became a method to oppose the war, and vent frustrations. While many songs opposed the war, numerous others focused on peace and happiness. They provided a positiveRead MoreIndian Music4009 Words   |  17 PagesIndia The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music andRB. Indias classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as sources of spiritual inspiration, cultural expression and pure entertainment. India is made up of several dozen ethnic groups, speaking their ownlanguages and dialects, having distinct cultural traditionsRead MoreThe Taj Mahal or The Golden Temple820 Words   |  3 PagesChristian Art 1 Buddhist Art 2 Islamic Art 2 Architectural Art 2 Taj Mahal 2 The Golden Temple 2 Humayun’s Tomb 2 Festivals 3 Dance 3 Theater 3 Music 3 India has some of the world’s greatest arts. For example the Taj Mahal, the Golden Temple, and Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. In India, art is expressed in many different forms. India has one of the world’s largest collections of songs, music, dance, theatre, folk traditions, performing arts, rites and rituals, paintings and writings. PAINTED ART HistoryRead MoreHow the Music Industry Utilized Film to Help Create the Image of Rock Star Icons1083 Words   |  5 Pagesrebellion and counterculture. The Folk music of the sixties was giving way to the new Rock revolution and with this came the iconic Rock Rebel. The Rock Rebel is a romanticized existential figure who revolts against social conventions in a quest to find value or a sense of freedom beyond the pre-existing conforms of society. (Camus; 1967) Through analysing, in a sociological context, the way the music industry utilized film to help create or reinvent star image of Rock icons The Beatles and The RollingRead MorePittsburgh Music History1449 Words   |  6 Pagesacclaimed musicians and music organizations that have created music that has been enjoyed across America. Pittsburgh is a city of music with a history in Jazz, Classical, Pop, Doo-Wop, Rock, and most currently Rap. Many of Pittsburgh’s old musicians are award winning performers and song writers who have sold millions of records. Their music can now be heard on movies, TV, and even Broadway shows. These famous artists would be nothing without their teachers, producers, music promoters, managers, andRead MoreAmerican Rock Band Paramore As A Case Study2319 Words   |  10 PagesWith the fast rising technology and the closer world community, the music industry has changed dramatically in this modern world. In this case, I will choose an American rock band Paramore as a case study. I will first start with an overview and a brief history of the band, afterwards I will focus on the main four music business areas, which are Artist Management, Record Companies, Music Publishing and Live Performance, examining how they operate in the industry and their relationship between eachRead MoreThe Underground Music Scene Reflect The Socio Political Situation Of Contemporary Iran?1493 Words   |  6 Pages ‘To what extent does the underground music scene reflect the socio-political situation of contemporary Iran?’ A review of literature A reoccurring observation made in literature focused on music in contemporary Iran, is the challenge music has faced since the Islamic revolution of 1979 and the subsequent establishment of a theocratic state . Ghazizadeh (2011) argued that music is one of the most controversial issues in Islam and so after the victory of the Islamic revolution, which promisedRead MoreThe Music during the Hippie Movement1133 Words   |  4 PagesThe Music during the Hippie Movement Background The hippie movements of the sixties were driven by a plethora of factors. There were many new technologies that were being introduced in this period, a war against Communism around the globe, internal struggles against several types of injustices, a growing drug culture, and several other important developments. To say the least, it was a volatile period in American history and many sub-cultures were actively seeking to carve out new paths thatRead MoreEssay about Music throughout Society961 Words   |  4 PagesMusic throughout Society Weve been talking a lot about social rituals. Well, just what exactly is a social ritual? Social rituals are, basically, traditions or customs that a society has followed for many years. For example, in America, most people follow the custom of dating. In Israel, they tend to follow the tradition of arranged marriages. Yet, in some countries, they use courtship. Even though all three of these approaches to finding a mate are different, they all are very similar because

Die Antwoord by Die Antwoord free essay sample

Die Antwoord is The Answer It is trash, it is meaningless, it is corrupt, it is noise. According to older generations, spiteful teenagers, and sometimes, even guiltily myself, that is what the music of today is considered. Artists and bands today use synthetic sounds and recycled lyrics and in the scene of mainstream music it is hard to tell anything apart. But every once in a while, beneath the wreckage of â€Å"pointless† noise, a gem is discovered. A gem so radical and farfetched, it encompasses everything about music today but brings it to a whole new level, and challenges how far society will go to accept something different. Die Antwoord, a South African rap-rave group composed of rappers Ninja, Yo-landi Vi$$er, and the mysterious DJ Hi-Tek, is this gem. Together the trio takes a society programmed to always look towards the future, and moves their music in the same direction. We will write a custom essay sample on Die Antwoord by Die Antwoord or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I first listened to Die Antwoord after scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed and discovering a link to one of their songs, â€Å"Fatty Boom Boom,† that somebody posted. The video is colorful in South African spirit and the story it tells is bizarre. The group’s lyrics comprise of English blended in with Afrikaans, and except for the profanity that comes across very clearly, the rest of the words are nearly indecipherable. For all 5 minutes and 43 seconds the video lasted, I stared at my screen in complete awe, jaw dropped, not knowing whether to show disdain, be offended or both. Now, I’m not one to throw things aside right away, so I decided to give Die Antwoord a second chance. I played back the video and watched it again. This time, I noticed the energy of the music and its infinite array of sounds, and the way the song stayed consistently loud and upbeat all the way through; the entire song was a climax. I noticed the unorthodox dance moves Yo-landi Vi$$er performed in her obscene costumes, and the way she seemed almost tribal, moving her body in the way she felt and giving herself over to the music completely. The energy of the music was undeniable, and by the end of the song again I found myself moving to the rhythm, my eyes dancing over the rainbow scene, and attempting to sing along to the Afrikaans lyrics. After my second round of â€Å"Fatty Boom Boom,† I was hooked on Die Antwoord. I explored their other songs and each one broke down a barrier towards the future. It might even take something extraordinary for me to find another song weird again; Die Antwoord’s music has made me feel comfortable with the unconventional and free from the expanding mainstream. The group is a fascinating force that makes you want to rethink your definition of music and what it really means. Because here is what Die Antwoord has taught me. They have taught me that music isn’t about lyrical content or synthetic notes, music is about moving towards the future, taking what the world has given you and infusing yourself and your culture in it to make it an ever expanding art. I’d say that right now, Die Antwoord is on the obscure and misunderstood edge of the universe, waiting for something else to go beyond its limits.

MY IDEAL SCHOOL Essays - Necktie, Neckwear, Blouse, Uniforms

If you ask me, my ideal school should be a large school, equipped with the latest technologies. The teachers in the school must be friendly, funny, kind and smart. There must not be any exams at all, not even homework but, a lot of competition and weekly quiz. The co-curricular activities must be during school hours, so that all the students can take part. The activities must be fun and interesting. The uniform for normal girls should be long sleeve light blue blouses, long black skirts and dark blue neckties. The uniforms for boys should be long sleeve light blue shirts, black trousers and dark blue neckties. As for the librarians, the blouses should be light yellow, green neckties and black skirts for the girls. For the boys, the shirts must be light yellow, green neckties and black trousers. As for the prefects, the top should be light blue blouses, dark blue neckties and black skirts, for the girls. For the boys, the top should be light blue shirts, dark blue neckties and black trousers. The food and drinks in the canteen ought to be tasty and healthy. There must be many types of food like the Malay, Indian and western food. There must also be a bookshop that sells stationary like rulers, pencils and erasers. Light snacks like sweets, candies and chocolates can also be included there. The field must be large enough to accommodate all types of games, equipped with the weather usage with an electronic control cover in the case of rain. There must also be a hall, big enough for indoor games too. I hope that my ideal school will come true and you too are welcome to be there.

Oedipus Rex Essays - Greek Mythology, Literature, Vocal Music

Oedipus Rex Essays - Greek Mythology, Literature, Vocal Music Oedipus Rex The great tragedy Oedipus Rex by Greek tragedian Sophocles centers on the protagonist Oedipus, king of Thebes, and his quest t o save the town from the plague that is crippling the city. The oracle from the gods states that the town is suffering because the murderer of the previous king, Laiis has not been punished for his crime, and in order for the town to enjoy peace again the murderer must be killed. King Oedipus who is unaware of his role in the murder of Laiis begins a relentless campaign to find the killer and bring him to justice. From his argument with Tiresias at the end of scene one to his conversations with Jocasta in scene two, Oedipus's approach changes from one that is confrontational to one that is doubtful. Towards the end of Act one Oedipus suspects that his brother-in-law Creon, who was also the brother-in-law to the former king killed Laiis out of greed and jealous y and becomes angry. Filled with feelings of betrayal he confronts Creon. Oe dipus is convinced that Creon will not stop his quest for power at Laiis rather he has "plotted to steal [Oedipus] throne" as well. Oedipus fears that his power and life are at stake because of Creon. At this moment Oedipus' feeling of paranoia begin to become visible and is directly accusing Creon for the murder of King Laiis. Additionally, Oedipus sees Creon as a threat that must be permanently disposed of. While Oedipus considered exile for the punishment of Creon, he realizes that his punishment will "not [be] exile. It is your death I want." Creon was once Oedipus' closest companions, but now may face the maximum punishment, death. The feelings of betrayal Oedipus is experiencing forces the king to act out of rage and raw emotion toward his brother-in-law, rather than contemplate and investigate the accusations. In scene two, Oedipus' demeanor goes through a major shift, his forceful and angry attitude seen in scene one, is replaced with one of doubt and confusion. When Oedipus shares his concerns with his wife Jocasta who is also the widow of Laiis, he is told the story of Laiis' murder in greater depth. After hearing Jocasta's recount of Laiis' death Oedipus begins to see possible connections between the murder he committed before coming to Thebes and the murder of the King. Oedipus now begins to question his innocence and believes than he "must be accurst/by my own ignorant edict." Oedipus no longer blames Creon for the crime that has brought upon the plague; rather he blames Thebes' suffering on his own foolishness. As more details regarding Laiis' life surface, Oedipus' doubts are only solidified. "Think of it: I have touched you with the same hands, / these hands that killed you husband. What defilement!" Once Oedipus is properly briefed on the facts of the crime he begi ns to understand the truth, that he is in fact not only the sun of Laiis, but also his murderer. In his writings Sophocles meant to imitate the real behaviors and tendencies of humans. The play Oedipus Rex address several the most prominent being, human arrogance; had Oedipus been able to control his anger and not act to preserve his ego, King Laiis may have not been killed. However, in the eyes of Sophocles most men act similar to Oedipus and allow their own pride to cloud their judgment. Similarly had the people of Thebes investigated the murder of their King, the gods would not have sent the plague, and ju stice would have been delivered long before.

Free Essays Online

Free Essays Online Free Essays Online Free Essays Online Free essays online are abundant but you should be very careful not to copy a single line. Teachers as well as students are fully aware of the splendor of essays posted online. Therefore, do not play games with your academic career - use free essays online as samples only.   If you need help with essay writing, we offer customized assistance with all types of essays. You may either place an order or contact us for further clarification. is open 24/7! Free essay online sample - health At the personal level, risk-benefit decisions often involve the question of whether to avoid substances that may be harmful to health. Is the flavor of a steak well marbled with fat worth a possibly increased probability of dying of a heart attack? Is the relaxation, pleasure, and possible ease of weight control that accompanies smoking a sufficient benefit to counterbalance the substantially increased possibilities of dying young of lung cancer or circulatory disease? Do the benefits of using aerosol underarm deodorants or hair sprays compensate for possible health effects, which are certainly small (and may be zero), of inhaling them? People informally weigh such risks all the time, always in the face of uncertainty and often even without access to the basic information about the risks that society possesses. Even when considerable information is available, and the power to act is in your hands, decisions may not be easy. Suppose it were announced that your town's drinking water contained that chemical that gives you a one in 10 million chance of dying of liver cancer if you drink that water for the rest of your life. Would you spend $10 a year on a filter to remove the material? $100 a year? $1,000? Your answer would obviously depend on many things, including your age and financial situation. Consider a more familiar example. There are undeniable benefits to driving a private automobile's convenience being paramount among them. But when everybody is driving a private automobile and commuters spend hours daily in near gridlock, the convenience factor is reduced and the direct (accident) and indirect (air pollution) risks escalate. Even now the benefits of driving are difficult to balance against the escalating risks. How does one calculate into the conveniences and inconveniences of automobile commuting the risks of additional exposure to airborne carcinogens and heart-threatening carbon monoxide or the contribution that the automobile makes toward global warming? Is the residual convenience worth a month-shorter life expectancy? A year? Two years? Is it worth a 1-percent chance of subjecting your grandchildren to food shortages by contributing to future crop failures caused by global warming? A 2 percent chance? A 5-percent chance? Custom Writing The above sample is posted here for free. Thus, it is open for all visitors of the site. If you have found this page, your teacher may find it as well.  Thus, it is recommended to use customized writing help, service offered by professional writers. Your customized essay will be written from scratch and never resold to other customers.   Finally, it will not be posted anywhere online. Prices are very affordable.

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Macroeconomics - Essay Example atus as a quality manufacturer, but also need to make way for the financing of individual initiatives taken by small time entrepreneurs (Cohen & Beranek 4). Manufacturing has always constituted the real backbone of the American economy. Manufacturing particularly had a percolating impact on the American economy, which means that creation of one manufacturing job led to the creation of multiple associated jobs in the economy. There is no dearth of skilled and semi-skilled workers in the nation who are competent enough and willing to support a thriving indigenous manufacturing sector. However, the shift in the dynamics of American economy in the past few decades, turning America from a manufacturing centric to consumption centric economy, thereby allowing the firms to shift their manufacturing operations to low wage hubs like China and India, has really negatively impacted the health of the American economy (Moore 113). American manufacturing is not mainly about big manufacturing hubs, but rather a network of large manufacturing units, supported by a web of smaller ancillary units. Hence, no wonder a shifting of the thrust of manufacturin g operations to low wage Asian and Latin American countries, has weakened the overall framework of the American economy. As a beginning, President Obama should withdraw the tax and policy benefits to the corporations locating their manufacturing operations to low wage nations. When it comes to manufacturing, the restoration efforts not only need to be focused on the large manufacturing units, but rather also include the small manufacturers and businesses, which create jobs and sustain communities, while bolstering the overall fabric of the economy. The other thing is that since many large corporations have shifted their manufacturing operations overseas, this has created the opportunity and scope for many small time manufacturers that compensate for the dearth for resources by imbuing their products with the attention to detail and

Police corruption relating to money laundering Essay

Police corruption relating to money laundering - Essay Example This nexus of police and politicians often leads to disastrous consequences for the country's prosperity. Political leaders have often been found to be involved in the cases of money laundering in many countries around the world. In such cases, money laundering happens to be the next stage of money laundering. Political leaders generate billions of dollars of funds from different corrupt practices. They cannot deposit this money in country's banks, which then requires to be deposited elsewhere using the money laundering route. International bodies like UN have also raised the issue from time to time, and called upon respective governments to put in place proper rules and regulations which help in controlling the menace of corruption. The 'UN Convention Against Corruption' (UNCAC) is one such international understanding which came into force in 2003 and calls upon member countries to establish criminal offence cases against people indulging in corrupt practices. Despite much persuasio n and resolutions adopted by different countries from time to time, the menace of corruption appears all the more strong all these years. Corruption as such has been defined as the 'abuse of a position of trust to gain an unfair advantage' (Chaikin, 2008). When the extent of unfair advantage gains huge proportions, things appear to go out of hand. Such practices not only prove to be a big drain on the development and resources of the country, but it also adversely impacts the morale of the citizens. Many politicians have often been implicated in money laundering cases. For example, French politicians Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres and Francois Leotard were found to guilty and convicted for money laundering in the political party of the President Chirac (BBC, 2004). In general the money laundering takes places in such a manner that money earned through corrupt means is stashed away in banks abroad, which then finds way back home using false invoices, loans etc. This money is then used by the concerned person to make luxurious purchases or further promote the businesses (Fig). Once the money launderer is able to firm up the chain, then it becomes extremely difficult for the law of the land to trap it, more so because the chain is established with fullest support from the police establishment. Corruption and money laundering often go hand in hand, with the presence of one strengthening the other. While concealing such money, the police administration needs to be paid bribes. Chaikin (2008) defines money laundering as 'a process in which the ownership or control of assets and income are obscured or concealed from tax authorities, law-enforcement agencies or private parties, who have a legitimate interest in discovering the true beneficial owner or controller of such assets/income'. Police administration is the key law enforcement agencies entrusted with taking action against such corrupt practices. Chaikin (2008) further states that money laundering has two inter-related processes, namely; Anyone hiding the money for improper or illegal reasons is involved in money laundering. Money is "cleaned" or sanitised whenever its true nature, source or use is concealed. In some countries this process is called conversion of black money into white money. There were allegations that Iraq was receiving arms and ammunition from international arms dealers even during the period of

Cultural Considerations in Conveying Bad News Essay Example for Free

Cultural Considerations in Conveying Bad News Essay Abstract I am researching what are the cultural considerations needed, to convey bad news to people of different cultures. Cultural Considerations in Conveying Bad News Bad news is inevitable, but how we convey them is very important. Technology and globalization has made the world much smaller, and we are interacting and doing business with people from different cultures more frequently than we did in past years. Because of this, we also need to very much aware of how we deliver negative messages. The following are some suggestions to delivering bad news across different cultures: â€Å"North Americans prefer to present bad news indirectly, to minimize disappointment. In Asian countries, people try to avoid disrupting the harmony with bad news. To avoid saying ‘no’ Japanese communicators may change the subject or may respond with counter question or with silence. Brazilians as well prefer high-context communication. Maybe or I will try is understood as No in Brazilian culture. But German communicators tend to present bad news directly. Directness is an important aspect in business for Germans. British communicators also utilize the direct approach when it comes to bad news. In Latin countries, however, the question is whether to present bad news, because reporting bad news to superiors is impolite and disrespectful.† From the above examples, we can see that cultural differences must be considered before the message can be sent, if we want the message to be received, and understood by the receivers. References: Sandeep (March 19, 2011) http://presentingbadnews.blogspot.com/ [Designed for Word 97.]

Rap :: essays research papers

Tha Century / 100 Bars Deep Now This's Gonna Be Sticky.... I shapeshift monotonous mockeries into a metamorphisis of melodic monogamy... Im more morbid audibly, smear your extremities with catatonic embalment fluid.. Smoke you for the toxin release! My words constrict airholes until all oxygen is ceased... Kids is tryin to elevate they point of views by studying topography?! Ha! You god-awful emcees.... Watch true suns set across the horizon of your premises... I shadowbox with the reflection of an extra-terrestrial nemesis, to sharpen my depth perception! Intense ressurections of mental sections, to ascend beyond eleven tenths of perfection... I was born when the clock was confused and twelve fell into thirteen... From dusk to dawn my embryo's vitality radiated a pulsing kinetic energy... I disperse beams! 360 degrees of devastation, and six degrees of seperation.. Equals 60 emcees thats gon die from each gamma ray salivation... I still see 20/20 with a cycloptic chromosome, so all mimes manipulated by psionic overtones.. Are overthrown from the underworld overture, over your vocal tone... Undulation, running flows over oval opal stones! Spitting sinister cyclones! If your real or not, its your plot, life behind a twisted doorlock...Amongst wizardous warlocks! Wither in sweltering weather... Swelling cerebellums in cellars, swirling in pools of clorox! Potions pour from my incisors, and inject adrenalin inside words.. In sin curves and blind blurs, reminders of pioneers and rectangularly erected pine boards... The riddle was solved whence it was exposed for its awfulness... I dreamed of an eon long apocolypse, only to wake up and find i was revolving in it... Once i shed my body, its residue will vaporize into cumulonimbus stormclouds... While i study obelist physics, and calculate diabolical arithmetics... Im sicker then cancer victims spittin up tumorous appendiges, then lighting a cigarette.. My aesthetics are acrobatic, the accepted eclectic with savage epileptic habits.. I feed your asses mass laxatives, as to extract gastric acids when the gas passes... Flash flasks of the nastiest wrath, worse then moldy thermoses of birth water contaminate.. Splash that in your eyes and laugh as your sinus collapse, and the virus attacks rampant.. Half of yall are clowns, spiritually vacation bound.. Likely contestants for the neighborhood talent show consolation round.. I put headphones in penetentiaries the way i spit these bars.. Battle? im the head blitzkrieg czar.. I diss emcees hard, thats why bitches be sparse... I slaughter in psychotic spasms like a vicious retard... Visually unscarred... Everytime i kill a victim my ammunition is re-charged... Im rippin seams apart... You couldnt find a rhythm in your weak heart.. OMNI hoe, we reach stars... I was born with my ambillical attached to the sun, and energy has granted me a tongue.. I turn tornadoes twisting 180 degrees from their regular rotation.

On the Meaning of Life †John Cottingham Essay

What is our relationship with the universe – who are we and how did we come to be seems to be the ultimate question of the meaning of life. This question has always sparked powerful debates between the views of the religious and modern science. Many believe this topic is a one-sided issue where these views cannot co-exist with one another, either one’s a theist, believing in God as the soul creator and ruler of the universe or an atheist, disbelieving of a supreme being or beings. But in actuality, modern science does not count against the nature of a divine creator behind the universe. So as modern science offers an account of how things happened, religious beliefs account for a certain aspect of â€Å"why,† aiming towards finding significance and value. In On The Meaning of Life, John Cottingham argues in order to have meaning, you must not eliminate one theory from the other; modern science and religion must co-exist together. First, what’s the meaning of modern science, and why does it contribute to the meaning of life? Philosopher Rene Descartes believed in mechanism, a theory holding that organisms are machines in the sense that they are material systems, therefore explains biological processes, within the framework of science. In order to discover a fundamental set of principles that is â€Å"based ultimately on the universal laws of mathematical physics that governed the behavior of all natural phenomena, celestial and terrestrial alike,† (6) Descartes banish teleology (any system attempting to explain a series of events in terms of ends, goals, or purposes) from science. He believed in order to conceive this unified theory there was no room for purposiveness, and since this universal law was made of mathematical physics, â€Å"there was no attainable answer to the question why† (6). But Cottingham thinks if we were to achieve and complete a [super-theory linking gravity and quantum physics] together to answer the ultimate question, we still would [fall short of explaining why there should be a universe at all]. Cottingham’s belief is acceptable because if this super-theory was completed, that included all observable phenomena in the universe, this theory still would not answer the question to â€Å"why is it so. † This is where science has reached its limits. Religion takes off of where science can no longer be held accountable to the meaning of life. Why should there be a universe there to explain? Unlike the language of science, religious language â€Å"grapples with the task of addressing what cannot be fully captured by even the most complete scientific account of the phenomenal world† (8). Instead of finding significance in terms of physical quantities and mechanical interactions, religious language reflects on the universes power, beauty, rhythm, and harmony. Therefore, religious discourse pushes the limits of the observable, towards uncovering something beyond the phenomenal world, in hopes of giving meaning to the universe and to our human lives. Cottingham believes religion â€Å"adds a framework within which that nature is revealed as more than just a set of characteristics†¦ encourages us with the hope that the pursuit of virtue†¦ contributes to the establishment of moral order that the cosmos was created to realize† (72). In other words, the religious perspective offers a possibility for human purposeness by providing a powerful focus on moral goodness. Religious discourse is important because since science accounts for how the universe and humans were made. We feel that we are thrown into this world where nothing ultimately matters, but religion offers hope, value and significance towards life. After examining the different aspects modern science and religion brings to the ultimate question, Cottingham urges to combine the language of science and religion together in order to have meaning. Cottingham states â€Å"in strict logic there is nothing to prevent such a purely mechanical system (of efficient causality) coexisting with a purposive system (of final causality)† (48). Therefore we must not eliminate the possibility of the two systems (modern science and religion) existing together. Philosopher Leibniz’s envisioned a world of spiritual purposes functioning in harmony with the world of physical mechanisms. This is also known as blind mechanical systems, â€Å"whose outputs, at the same time, constitute the purpose planning and doings of conscious agents† (48). Believing mechanisms and purposes could together provide an instance in support of the ultimate question of the universe. In addition, Spinoza had a parallel vision to Leibniz. He believed the universe of physical mechanisms (under the attribute of extension) exactly corresponds to spiritual ideas linking meaning and purpose to a willed creator (under the attribute of thought). Thus, we are dealing with [one and the same thing but expressed in two ways]. This showed Cottingham that since there has been no evidence to favor modern science of being the explanation of a divine nature, it does not logically eliminate the possibility of a divine creator of its meaning. So where science accounts for our human nature and origin, saying we have no ultimate significance, spirituality offers human life a sense of value. Darwin’s theory of natural selection opposes the possibility of linking modern science and religion together in one system. In order to get a sense of what threatens the framework of religion, this is the standard account of our human nature and origin: About fourteen billion years ago, the cosmos†¦including matter, radiation, space and time somehow began, exploding from a tiny concentration of matter-space energy†¦gravitational effects caused matter to clump into hydrogen masses†¦fusing into helium. Explosions caused new heavier elements, which formed into plants. On at least one planet, a self-replicating molecule arose†¦evolved into living organisms, which diversified into all kinds of plants, animals, microbes etc. , all solely as a result of natural selection. After millions of years one such species became intelligent. Man is a product of these blind forces. The main conclusion from this theory is that the universe and everything in it is a result of natural selection, including humans therefore Nottingham presumes â€Å"there is no ultimate significance to the universe or to human life,† (42) throwing out the idea of any religious significance. Darwin believed that human origin came from a purely accidental chain of blind natural forces. His view gave no choice or purposiveness in the divine nature, because everything was an entirely impersonal process. But Cottingham argues although this discovery has been scientifically accounted for, it is based on interwoven interpretation, an â€Å"interpretation that goes far beyond the truths and hypotheses that pertain strictly to the natural science† (43). And that viewing religious thought as something able to be replaced by modern science is strictly a metathesis â€Å"-a claim that operates at one remove from the claims of science itself† (43). As a result, Darwin’s theory cannot be taken very seriously because the standard account of human nature and origin is dependent on interwoven interpretation that has exceeded far from the fundamental principles of science. In essence, in order to account for the meaning of life, one must not choose modern science over religion or religion over modern science. Having one theory over the other does not manifest to the ultimate question of the meaning of life. Instead, we must link the two frameworks, divine nature and creator into a unified system. In Cottinghams words, we â€Å"must leave the door open for the theist as indeed it does for the atheist. † For where modern science can be longer contribute its findings to the meaning of life, religious language ascends from it bringing significance and value to human life. Beckie Chung Dreaming of the Earth 4 November, 2007 Cottingham, John. On The Meaning of Life. New Fetter Lane: Routledge, 2003.

Adulthood and aging

In this paper, adulthood and aging are shown from different sides: first, the major values for the elderly such as relationships, spirituality and quality of life are discussed; second, the cultural views towards aging in the United States and Asia are given.The cultural differences in views towards elderly in Asia are shown on example of Japan, as one of the most developed and civilized countries of Asia. The importance of the subject is emphasized by the overview of recent studies on various aspects of aging published in psychological journals. The aged population has been long in focus of different researches: psychological, social, economic et cetera.The fact that aging population has been steadily increasing is widely recognized and proved by statistic researches. Hence, the interest towards aging and its problems.Aging takes different shapes in different countries. Therefore, many studies are particularly interested in aging in different regions of the world. Cross-cultural asp ects of aging present interest for multinational societies, such as American society. This paper discusses many of these issues. Adulthood and AgingLater life is viewed as occurring from about age 70 to 75 years and upwards; further distinctions are sometimes made between the ‘young old’ and the ‘old-old’ i.e., adults in the age period of about 70–84 and adults aged about 85 years and over. Chronological age is an important social and personal marker of identity, behavior, expectations, experiences, and preferences.Adults in their seventies, for example, often score lower than their younger counterparts on measures of negative affect including worry and anxiety (Gems, 2003); older adults can also score more highly than younger adults on measures of agreeableness and consciousness (Thane, 2003).Similarly, adults in mid- and later life are more likely to be generative than their younger counterparts; in fact although younger people can be altruistic th ey cannot be generative as it is only with experience and time that this vital role of teaching, guiding and supporting others can occur.Older adults are not necessarily a unique group of adults qualitatively different from other age groups; this is because many of the issues often associated with later life are issues pertinent at any age throughout the life-course, for example, the need to maintain a balance between autonomy and dependence, and the need for secure, warm and accepting relationships with others.Furthermore, although old age is noted as a time for increasing losses and constraints on development, losses and challenges occur throughout the life-course and not just in later life. (Thane, 2003)As social beings, most adults need to be in close relationships with other people, for enjoyment, for meaning and purpose in life, and also as a means of learning more about ourselves and the world within which we live. Warm and close relationships with other people have also been described as being a healthy necessity from ‘the cradle to the grave’ (Blundo R. & Deborah E. Bowen, 2005).Relationships, are very important for our health and well-being particularly reciprocal relationships, which also serve a protective function such as relationships with a spouse or equivalent figure. In addition, it is often within close relationships that we offer and receive support, particularly at times when the risk of threat to the actual or representational self is higher, for example when taking on new projects or goals.Relationships with close others can also be a significant source of pleasure, enjoyment, and meaning for adults.Most older adults need and enjoy relationships with younger generations; so too do communities need relationships with older adults. This point is made strongly by Jackson J. (2002) who draws on ethnographic, cross-cultural, and anthropological data to argue that as a consequence of maturation and experience older adults have thei r own unique strengths and talents that can and should be used in the social context, and particularly in helping, supporting, and teaching the next generation.Jackson takes this perspective, particularly in light of the ‘parental emergency’ (p. 825), in other words, the difficulties and problems involved in raising emotionally healthy children without the support of the extended family and friends.In later life, however, relationships with other people can be lost, constrained or the quality of relationships impaired. In later life, for example, adult children may divorce and separate so that older people may lose generative links with younger family members. Similarly, into the latter half of the life cycle adults are more likely to experience the loss of parents, spouses, and/or the loss of other close attachment relationships through bereavements.Also, personal work roles that the individual had and enjoyed may no longer be salient or relevant such as when children are grown up and leave home. Furthermore, given compulsory retirement, the friends and acquaintances that one had through the work role may have to be surrendered.Although adults can experience significant losses and constraints in their relationships with others, these can be a consequence of the interactions and expectations of others, rather than being intrinsic to the aging process. Society may not always be supportive of the needs of its older members.For example, society can impose constraints on relationships into later life in terms of expectations for relinquishing the work role or even about the aptness of certain sexual relationships.This is particularly the case given the potential for ageism within which older adults can be disadvantaged with subsequent loss of health or even loss of life itself, for example, when older adults are denied health treatment or counseling because of the negative views health professionals can have of older people.Evidence examining the ways in which older adults are viewed by society is mixed. Some researchers have found that many older people are viewed in very negative ways (Steuerle, 2001).In contrast, other researchers have found that the results of studies on attitudes to older adults are influenced by the specific attributes being assessed. Dooley E. (2003) for example asked a group of undergraduates (aged 17–24) to rate their attitudes towards young, mid-life, and older adults across cognitive (intellectual abilities or information processing), personal-expressive (personality or interpersonal attributes), and physical attributes relating to physical health, behavior, or movement.Results indicated that attitudes towards the physical attributes of older adults were more negative by comparison with young and mid-life adults. In contrast, no significant difference was found for personal-expressive attributes, but there was a main effect for age on cognitive attributes.A post hoc test indicated that the atti tudes of participants towards midlife adults were significantly more positive than were those for younger adults (mean −0.48) or for older adults (mean −.027). Although these insights are useful, this study was carried out using undergraduate students as participants, thus making generalisability difficult. Researchers in this field should attempt to replicate the above study with other participant groups.Some social losses and threats that assume crises in mid- and later life (e.g., ‘empty nest syndrome’) have little empirical evidence to support them (Feldstein B. & Jeffrey B. Liebman, 2003). A contrasting view is that there are challenges associated with each age period around which adults must adapt. This contrasting view does not remove the reality of social stressors, but instead, recognizes that these occur throughout the life course, and not just old age.Studies have shown that the quality of social networks of older people have many similarities to those of younger age groups, but that the number of contacts within the networks are fewer for the old. Socioemotional selectivity theory (Feldstein B. & Jeffrey B. Liebman, 2003) attempts to describe the functional declines in social contact throughout adulthood.This theory describes the practical aspects of social interactions to include information acquisition, identity maintenance, and emotion regulation. The essential premise of the theory is that the relative important of those goals changes as a function of perceived time, and that these goals influence and explain declines in social contact across adulthood.When time is perceived as being largely open-ended, future-orientated goals such an information acquisition are of paramount importance. However, when time is perceived as being limited, present-orientated goals such as emotional goals, are rated as being most important. Consequently, adults into later years are seen as actively preferring certain types of social contact (e.g., emotionally satisfying contact) over others such as information gathering.There are substantial differences in adults’ preferences for social activities and social contacts, however, and some of these differences can be explained by gender, ethnicity, and physical health. It is well known that women typically have more social contact than do men, especially more intimate friends or confidants.Confidants are typically women, in part given the difference in mean ages between the sexes. Age differences between the sexes in western countries is around five years, but in some countries the difference is larger, such as Finland, where the difference is eight years.This means that older women often live alone, whereas older men are married. It also means that women are more likely to be caregivers by comparison with their male counterparts. Health is another significant factor explaining reductions in social activity in later years.The patterns of not initiating new contacts with non-familial persons is clearly visible in nursing homes and other institutions. There can be a significant risk involved in contact seeking in old age; conversations can become difficult for example if others have sensory difficulties, particularly hearing loss.To summarize, relationships in later years can be an intense source of both pleasure and distress. Relationships with others can be a significant source of enjoyment and meaning in life. Relationships with others are also crucial not only for the well-being of individuals but also of whole communities given that society is often dependent on the experience and expertise that older adults develop over many decades of life.However, in later life as throughout life, the relationships and social roles that adults have with others can be compromised, constrained, or even lost. These losses can arise through bereavement or because society does not always provide its older members with adequate support and resources.Understand ing the ways adults evaluate and regulate changes in relationships is likely to be crucial if health professionals are to help facilitate better health and well-being for more people for longer into the latter part of the life cycle.Future research in this area should be carried out to refine and clarify the nature of relationships across adulthood, and the impact that social motives and other factors might play in influencing the quality and nature of relationships. Future research is also needed to explore and examine the positive qualities within close family relationships, particularly between parents and their adult children, and siblings who have shared experiences over many decades of life.Japan is much more densely populated than the United States but not much more so than Great Britain. Japan is clearly one of the most industrialized nations in the world with a higher proportion of its gross national product from manufacturing than the United States, Great Britain, or Denma rk.Its total gross national product is second only to the United States; its per capita income, however, is lower than the three comparison countries. It has a higher rate of natural increase and a lower percentage aged 65 and over than the comparison countries, but recent decreases in birth and death rates are expected to rapidly increase the percentage aged 65 and over. (Bernier, 2003)The Japanese are relatively homogeneous racially and ethnically which may facilitate the integration of the aged. Some social-psychological traits relevant to this analysis are: strong national pride, concern with politeness and deference toward superiors, a dominant aesthetic sense, and a more casual attitude toward time.Transportation is less of a problem for the aged in Japan because of the many neighborhood shops and the elaborate system of public transportation.The tradition of respect for the aged has strong roots both in the vertical social system and in the unconditional duty of filial piety, which derives from the fundamental Japanese religion, ancestor worship.Thus, the ecology and economic system of Japan are similar to that of western industrialized nations, but her social system and culture have distinctive elements that have helped maintain the relatively high status and integration of older Japanese.The health status of Japanese elders has been improving with better nutrition, sanitation, and medical care so that they are now about as healthy as the aged in other modern countries.The Japanese elders are much more integrated in their families as shown by their living arrangements and functions in the household. Furthermore, there has been little decline in proportions living with their children so that over two-thirds will probably continue to live with their children during the foreseeable future.The employment status of the elders is much higher than in other industrialized countries: over half the older men continue to be employed. Most of those who stop work, do so for voluntary and health reasons rather than being forced to stop by compulsory retirement or other discrimination against the aged.The trends indicate little decline in employment status. Those who are not employed do tend to have relatively low independent incomes, but pensions and retirement benefits are rapidly improving, and the system of family support usually assures at least the minimum necessities of life. (Katsumata, 2001)The main explanation for their relatively high status and integration is the tradition of respect for elders that has its roots in the vertical society and in religious doctrines of filial piety.Respect and affection for the elders are shown on a daily basis by honorific language; bowing; priority for the elders in seating, serving, bathing, and going through doors. It is also reflected in popular sayings, special celebrations of the sixty-first birthday, the national observance of Respect for Elders Day, and the National Law for Welfare of the Aged .We therefore conclude that the theory of marked decline in the status of the aged as a necessary result of industrialization is false. On the contrary, Japan shows that a tradition of respect for the aged can maintain their relatively high status and integration despite industrialization.In Western countries, including the USA, the attitude towards elderly is far less respectful and the connection with younger generations is often lost. However, high income, pensions and a highly developed social care system help American elderly to live their later life with comfort. Japanese elderly often depend on their younger generation in economic terms. The conclusion we make is that both financial matters and social relationship factors are important for aging people.

buy custom Social Perceptions Impact on Managing Diversity essay

buy custom Social Perceptions Impact on Managing Diversity essay Every individual has a degree of socializing with the rest. The social attitudes, however, are important as they influence most of the activities that we engage in. These are very important in the determination of managing diversity as discussed in the next paragraphs (Gardenswartz Rowe, 1998). The first social perception that well discuss is the stereotypes. These are beliefs about a particular group or characters. They categorize individuals according to various criteria while associating them with given traits which may be incorrect. They are not necessarily negative but may not be accurate. They can lead to poor decisions, undermine job satisfactions and create barriers for a particular group of individuals. Social impacts also give a limitation as to what information an individual o group takes. One may filter important information considering it not fit for what one believes is best. Some information cannot be archived from its sources if the concerned individual is unwilling to give out the information. The social perceptions will influence the kind of judgments delivered. A group or management can dismiss a great idea basing their arguments on their naivety. This will discourage innovations and diversity. In conjunction to this, poor hiring decisions are likely to be made. The decisions thus limit the new ideas from getting their way into an organization. The customer needs may not be satisfied when a company is used to a particular group. A company that produces goods and services for a particular gender is limited to it and will never (unless changes are introduced) know what others love. There are many cases of workplace vulnerability reported. These are as a result of social differences. The later is that a particular group has a negative perception of the later. They limit diversity. Some social styles such as sexual harassment among others make potential pioneers afraid of getting into a particular career. They fear the worst and take what they think are safety measures. Social attitudes lead to poor career planning. This makes most individuals lack the capability to handle some important job requirement leading to poor employment and non-diverse employees. The social lifestyles of individuals affect their relationships at every level and finally rest upon a negative impact on diversity. Individual should learn to have flexible lifestyles in order to encourage innovations and diversity. Buy custom Social Perceptions Impact on Managing Diversity essay

How and When to Apply for Social Security Benefits

How and When to Apply for Social Security Benefits Applying for Social Security benefits is the easy part. You can apply online, by telephone or by walking into your local Social Security office. The hard part is deciding when to apply for your Social Security retirement benefits and rounding up all the documents youll need when you do. Are You Eligible? Becoming eligible to get Social Security retirement requires both reaching a certain age and earning enough Social Security credits. You earn credits by working and paying Social Security taxes. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits (10 years of work) to qualify. If you stop working, you stop earning credits until you return to work. No matter what your age is, you cannot get Social Security retirement benefits until you have earned 40 credits.​ How Much Can You Expect to Get? Your Social Security retirement benefit payment is based on how much you made during your working years. The more you earned, the more youll get when you retire. Your Social Security retirement benefit payment is also affected by the age at which you decide to retire. You can retire as early as age 62, but if you retire before your full retirement age, your benefits will be permanently reduced, based on your age. For example, if you retire at age 62, your benefit would be about 25 percent lower than what it would be if you waited until you reach full retirement age. You also need to remember that monthly premiums for ​Medicare Part B are usually deducted from monthly Social Security benefits. Retirement is a great time to look into the pros and cons of a private Medicare Advantage plan.   According to the Social Security Administration, the average monthly benefit paid to retired workers in May 2017 was $1,367.58.   When Should You Retire? Deciding when to retire is totally up to you and your family. Just keep in mind that Social Security replaces only about 40 percent of the average workers pre-retirement income. If you can live comfortably on 40 percent of what youre making at work, problem solved, but financial experts estimate that most people will need 70-80 percent of their pre-retirement income to have a comfortable retirement. To draw full retirement benefits, the following Social Security Administration age rules apply: Born in 1937 or earlier - Full retirement can be drawn at age 65Born in 1938 - Full retirement can be drawn at age 65 years and 2 monthsBorn in 1939 Full retirement can be drawn at age 65 years and 4 monthsBorn in 1940 Full retirement can be drawn at age 65 years and 6 monthsBorn in 1941 Full retirement can be drawn at age 65 years and 8 monthsBorn in 1942 Full retirement can be drawn at age 65 years and 10 monthsBorn in 1943-1954 Full retirement can be drawn at age 66Born in 1955 - Full retirement can be drawn at age 66 and 2 monthsBorn in 1956 Full retirement can be drawn at age 66 and 4 monthsBorn in 1957 Full retirement can be drawn at age 66 and 6 monthsBorn in 1958 Full retirement can be drawn at age 66 and 8 monthsBorn in 1959 Full retirement can be drawn at age 66 and 10 monthsBorn in 1960 or later Full retirement can be drawn at age 67 Remember that while you can begin drawing Social Security retirement benefits at age 62, your benefits will be 25 percent less than what they will be if you wait until your full retirement age as shown above. Also keep in mind that no matter when you start drawing Social Security benefits, you must be 65 to be eligible for Medicare. For example, people who retired at their full retirement age of 67 in 2017 could get a maximum monthly benefit of $2,687, depending on their work and income history. However, the maximum benefit for persons retiring at age 62 in 2017 was only $2,153.   Delayed Retirement: On the other hand, if you wait to retire beyond your full retirement age, your Social Security benefit will automatically increase by a percentage based on your year of birth. For example, if you were born in 1943 or later, Social Security will add 8 percent per year to your benefit for each year that you delay signing up for Social Security beyond your full retirement age. For example, people who waited until age 70 to retire in 2017 could get a maximum benefit of $3,538. Despite getting smaller monthly benefit payments, people who start claiming Social Security retirement benefits at age 62 often have good reasons for doing. Be sure to consider the pros and cons of applying for Social Security benefits at age 62 before doing so. If You Work While Getting Social Security Yes, you can work full or part-time while also getting Social Security retirement benefits. However, if you have not yet reached your full retirement age, and if your net income from working is higher than the annual earnings limit, your annual benefits will be reduced. Beginning in the month you reach full retirement age, Social Security will stop reducing your benefits no matter how much you earn. During any full calendar year in which you are under full retirement age, Social Security deducts $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual net income limit. The income limit changes every year. In 2017, the income limit was $16,920.   If Health Problems Force You to Retire Early Sometimes health problems force people to retire early. If you cannot work because of health problems, you should consider applying for Social Security disability benefits. The amount of the disability benefit is the same as a full, unreduced retirement benefit. If you are receiving Social Security disability benefits when you reach full retirement age, those benefits will be converted to retirement benefits. Documents You Will Need Whether you apply online or in person, you will need the following information when you apply for your Social Security benefits: Your Social Security numberYour birth certificate, or proof of U.S. citizenshipYour W-2 forms or self-employment tax return (or both) for the last year you workedYour military discharge papers if you served in any branch of the military If you choose to have your benefits paid through direct deposit, you will also need your banks name, your account number and your banks routing number as shown on the bottom of your checks.​ Working While Collecting Social Security Retirement Many people choose or need, to keep working after claiming Social Security retirement benefits. However, if you continue work after claiming early retirement benefits your Social Security benefits may be reduced until you reach your full retirement age. If you retire at age 62, Social Security will deduct money from your retirement check if you exceed a certain amount of earned income for the calendar year. For example, the income limit in 2018 was $17,040 or $1,420 per month. The income limit increases annually. Until you reach your full retirement age, Security will reduce your benefit by $1 for every $2 you earn over the income limit. Once you reach your full retirement age, you will receive your full Social Security retirement benefit with no limitation on how much income you earn from working. The worse news is that Social Security does not apply the early retirement work penalty by simply deducting a small amount from each monthly benefit check. Instead, the agency may withhold several months’ entire checks until the total reduction is paid off. This means your annual budget will have to account for a certain number of months without a benefit check. Complete details on this decidedly complicated process can be found in Social Security’s pamphlet on â€Å"How Work Affects Your Benefits.† You can also use Social Security’s earnings test calculator to see how much your reduction will be and when your checks will be withheld. Also note that if lose your job, you may still qualify for unemployment benefits even though you are also collecting Social Security retirement benefits.

Fluid mechanical Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fluid mechanical - Coursework Example Looking at those pipes, you might notice that they have different diameters creating an illusion (Kezerashvili & Sapozhnikov 2000, 1). This causes an imbalance when water is put in the thick end, and no water in the thinner opening of the pipe. The construction made in the pipe make the liquid not to come to equilibrium; as a result, the water in the thick end exert weight pushing the water down the thick pipe. The kilogram of water that was situated at the most elevated point on one end moves in the opposite direction to the following side, precisely as a pendulum would when swigged (Kezerashvili & Sapozhnikov 2000, 1). The overbalancing mass of water getaways from the slight end because the channel is so short, it is impractical hold 1 kg of water. On the peculiarity, you comprehend that the surge is redirected to the thick end of the channel, where it extends the measure of time required for the liquid to accomplish concordance while encountering the tight end. The structure will accomplish amicability in the unmistakable measure of time that it takes for the water to pass through the restricted tube. Note: This charm Fountain examination will certainly for two reasons: at first, it relies on upon pneumatic power, which runs out once the first holder gets filled.  Furthermore, the fundamental thing that goes to the second compartment is vaporous pressure and not water. In this manner, it moves the water in the second compartment to the third, yet nothing refills the second holder! No water ever moves into that holder. Munson, B., & Okiishi, T. (2009).Fundamentals of fluid mechanics  (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: J. Wiley & Sons. Kezerashvili, R., & Sapozhnikov, A. (2000). Magic Fountain. Retrieved November 13, 2014, from

Physical Activity and the Wider Environment Essay

Physical Activity and the Wider Environment - Essay Example This paper is being carried out in order to guide health professionals as well as policy-makers on the changes which have to be made in order to secure environments which are conducive to physical activity, and eventually, to weight management. As the report declares the right balance of calories and activity will ensure that the body can function efficiently. Where there are excess calories ingested and unused by the body, these are stored as fat, often adding to the person’s body weight. Health professionals indicate that there is a certain amount of body fat which the body can safely carry without compromising normal functions. The Body-Mass Index is used as the standard measure for acceptable body weight. A computed BMI of more than 25 indicates overweight; and higher than 30 indicates obesity. There are different ways by which physical activity can be secured by most individuals. For most individuals consciously seeking to lose or maintain weight, they would likely motivate themselves to set time apart for physical activity by jogging for an hour each morning or in the afternoon, or by briskly walking around a park, walking or running with their dog, going to the gym, running on a treadmill, taking dance classes , or participating in other forms of physical activity. In general, these activities have to be purposely sought by individuals. However, there are also other ways of securing physical activity and such ways involve the management of the wider environment.

Educational Philosophy Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Educational Philosophy Statement - Essay Example That is why the diversity of learners should be understood so as to allow uniform learning to occur. Knud Illeris’ learning theory understands the various internal as well as external factors that impact learning including cultural, societal interaction and the inherent development of illustration as contributing to learning (Illeris 2009). Since every learner goes through different experiences and may belong to diverse backgrounds it is important to bring them along the same level considering these differences. My efforts as a teacher, therefore, should remain to understand these differences and to create a learning atmosphere where the learner feels motivated to learn rather than lacking any relation with the material. Another useful theory is that of situated learning theory which is quite effective is that of Experiential Learning and it is widely being used in universities to enhance the learning process of students. According to Kolb, experiential learning is a process t hat occurs in stages (McGill & Beaty 1995). People learn well through experience. This is quite natural and this can be demonstrated by the example of an aged individual who possesses far more knowledge than a young and naive individual only because the older individual has greater experience. This theory suggests that learning also takes place from observance and reflection. This is why university students are often given assignments and projects for which they have to go outside the class and explore the situation so that the knowledge learnt is relevant and applicable in real situations. This has shown better learning outcomes. Effective Learning Environment Teachers play an important role in creating an effective learning environment. The teaching practices should involve methods that are helpful to student-centered learning. Thoughtful questions asked by students help in piquing curiosity which is significant for purposeful interaction with the learning material. Good questions motivate thought regarding the subject and are good for the learning process. Such questions should be valued through appreciation or any other form of credit (TeachThought 2012). My aim as a teacher would therefore be to acknowledge students’ efforts so that they get motivated and have a drive to excel even further. A variety of instruction mediums can be used including direct instruction, assignment based learning, peer to peer learning and so on. However good class rooms are very diverse and not every medium of instruction may suit the diversity. A variety of criteria should be used by the teacher in order to personalize learning based on interest, willingness, and other criteria. Gradually this would enable a teacher to know what is required by the student. Assessment should be constant and original and feedback about performance should be provided quickly (TeachThought 2012). Rather than a wholly grade-centered assessment, the focus should be on the understanding of con cepts. I feel that student-specific assessments can prove to be helpful as students may have different learning speeds and capacities. Taking them to be on the same level would be an unfair assumption. These will create an environment that encourages progressive learning thereby enabling students to learn more effectively. Professional Growth The learning theories indeed assist in the application in educational frameworks. These principles of learning can be taken into consideration for effective learning

Death In Christianity And Hinduism Religion Essay

Death In Christianity And Hinduism Religion Essay No matter what an individuals religion, everyone wants their deceased loved ones to pass on safely to the next life, whatever they may believe that to be. Every religion has a different view of the afterlife. That is what makes different religions different and unique. Hindus and Christians seem to have a pretty different view of death, funerals, how to dispose of bodies, and the afterlife. Even though cremation was frowned upon in the early Christian church, more and more people are considering it acceptable. But, for the most part, when someone of the Christian faith dies they are buried. The reason cremation was not acceptable is because Christians believe the body is a temple, and is therefore sacred. Some also believe that upon Jesus Christs second returning, they dead will rise up out of their graves to join him in Heaven. These Christians believe that the dead are merely resting until their gods second return. Others believe that at the moment of death, a soul is either present with the Lord in Heaven or in hell and when Jesus Christ does return again, they will have new, glorified bodies. At a Hindu funeral ceremony, it is expected that the attendees wear white and dress rather casually. White is associated with spirituality, truth, and purity. Friend visit the family at the home of the deceased and can sent flowers along with their condolences, but bringing food to the family is not one of their customs. There is usually an open casket (obviously, the ceremony takes place before the cremation). The people conducting the ceremony would be the Hindu priest and the senior family members. Ten days after the funeral, another ceremony is held to liberate the soul for its ascent to Heaven. Guests are expected to bring fruit. On the other end of the spectrum, Christians would normally wear dark, somber colors to a funeral. This is simply to show sadness and that a person would be in a period of mourning. This practice isnt quite as common as it used to be. More and more people are beginning to wear brighter colors to a funeral. Most of the time, the service would be held either at a funeral home or a church. The service is generally conducted by a Christian priest/preacher and sometimes friends or family members of the deceased are encouraged to say a few good words about the person. Bringing food and flowers to the grieving family are both Christian customs. Unless the person died in an unfortunate manner, the casket would be open. After the funeral service, attendees are encouraged to attend the family at the cemetery, unless it has been announced that the graveside service is privately for the family only. As stated before, Hindus believe that the soul has no beginning and no end. They believe that after a person dies, their soul lives on and becomes someone or something else. This all depends on the individuals karma, which are the effects of a persons actions that determine his or her destiny in the next incarnation. Christians believe that right after death, a person has no second chances. If they have accepted Christ and have lived the way they should, then they will reside in Heaven with God. If not, they will be sent to hell to suffer eternally. Hindus and Christians have very different views of death. All the things mentioned here dont even make a dent in all the customs and rituals each religion has. No matter the faith, every religion has some customs that deal with death and everyone wonders about the afterlife, but no matter how hard they try to explain how it will be, no one will really know until it is their time.

Raymond Chandlers Writing Style in The Big Sleep Essay -- Chandler Bi

Raymond Chandler's Writing Style in The Big Sleep      Ã‚   Unique writing style is definitely an essential element in any piece of writing, and Raymond Chandler uses his style efficiently in The Big Sleep. Chandler's style is one that seems to come easily to him and it also seems very natural to the reader, perhaps because there is not a lot of high, eloquent language. Rich in description and dialogue, the characters seem more realistic to the reader as a result of such details and natural speech. Chandler includes many descriptive words, similes, metaphors; yet they are not complicated or ambiguous which may lead to misinterpretations. He also tends to focus on a few major aspects of the characters, repeating those characteristics again each time the person appears in the scene. Writing about the characters in this way engages the reader and makes for a more realistic and interesting novel.    When examining each character, it is simple to pick out the key aspects which Chandler wishes the reader to grasp, often using Phillip Marlowe to do so showing how is extremely observant and detail-oriented. He is able to pick up on details right away and describe them perfectly. Introduced first is Carmen Sternwood. Chandler writes a paragraph about what Marlowe first notices about her. Chandler describes her hair, eyes, and body, yet it is her teeth which Chandler focuses on. He writes, "Shecame over near me and smiled with her mouth and she had little sharp predatory teeth, as white as fresh orange pith and as shiny as porcelain" (5). This description is a simple yet effective one because of the images used: images that are not complicated and the reader can relate to. They are common items which most people... ...each for the phone, and wave at the glassed-in shelves (24). These are not simply physical characteristics, they are part of who the blonde is.    The unique writing style of Chandler, especially description, is one that engages the reader to see the characters as more than simple stereotypes. By focusing on particular attributes and assets of each one, they take on a personality all their own. This style of description is one that is simple for the reader to understand and interpret, but does not produce a simple work. Instead, it is a work full of similes, metaphors, metanomies, and description which would probably not be found to be so effortless in any other work than The Big Sleep.    Works Cited Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. New York: Vintage Books, 1996. Kemp, William. The Writing Process: Chandler 202. January 14, 1999   

Berlin Crisis of 1961 from Perspective of Realism Theory Essay

Berlin Crisis of 1961 was the most dangerous moment of the Cold War. This conflict was mainly about the occupational status of Berlin. Berlin Crisis initially emerged in 1958 by the provocation of the Soviet Union. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev threatened to conclude a separate peace treaty with East Germany unless the western powers recognized the Germany Democratic Republic (GDR) (I. W. Trauschweizer, 2006). However, the escalation of tensions began after the Vienna Summit in June 1961, where the USSR again raised the issue of ultimatum, which gave the United States six months for the withdrawal of Western armed forces from West Berlin. Berlin Crisis was not the only crisis during Cold War. Through the whole history of humanity there has always been a question why do wars and conflicts occur? In order to give an answer to this question we should explain some factors which made the war to occur. Crisis and especially Berlin Crisis can be understood from several perspectives, but in this paper it will be explained from realism theory perspective. As a famous representative of realism theory, Waltz asked himself the question why do wars occur? Waltz’s question is as old as war itself, possibly because â€Å"to explain how peace can be more readily achieved requires an understanding of the causes of war† (Waltz, 1959: 2). By the time Waltz posed this question, many answers to it already existed. These answers fell into three categories (or as IR theorists came to define them, were found at the three â€Å"levels of analysis† or in the â€Å"three images†). These three categories/levels/images are: the individual, the state, and the state system† (C.  Weber, 2009, p. 17). These main causes of conflict will be represented in detail in the main body of the paper by the example of Berlin Crisis. Although Waltz’s three categories of the causes of war explained many processes in the Berlin Crisis, there are also important points in the theory of realism, which typically explain Berlin Crisis, one of those points is the issue of bipolarity or multipolarity of the world. Morgenthau, an American academic and journalistic writer, in contrast to Waltz saw the stable world in multipolar rather than in a bipolar system. From his perspective bipolarity was dangerous for the world’s stability, because as we will see next, Berlin Crisis was the result of bipolar system, where two great powers tried to dominate the others, by increasing their power and authority. As Waltz said, each great power sought to survive. Thus, realism theory explained Berlin Crisis from many points of view. In order to better understand Berlin Crisis of 1961 from realism theory perspective, I will present the main points of realism theory. After, I will give a short historical background of Berlin Crisis and to summarize all these, I will illustrate how well realism theory explained the Berlin Crisis. The Realism Theory The most dominant theory throughout the Cold War was realism. Realism had a negative viewpoint concerning to abolishment of conflict and war. It described international relations as a struggle for power. The domination of realism during the Cold War was due to the fact that it gave simple but powerful explanation for war, alliances, imperialism, obstacles to cooperation, and other international phenomena, and of course, the competition was mainly related with the features of the American-Soviet rivalry (S. M. Walt, 1998). However the realist thought developed during the Cold War. †Classical† realists such as Hans Morgenthau considered that states, as human beings, had a wish to dominate others, which brings about a war. Giving advantage to multipolarity, Morgenthau considered that the bipolar rivalry between United States and the Soviet Union was very dangerous (S. M. Walt, 1998). â€Å"In contrast to â€Å"classical† realism, the â€Å"neorealist† theory, advanced by Kenneth Waltz, ignored human nature and focused on the effects of the international system (S. M. Walt, 1998, p. 31)†. He claimed that international system included great powers, which were seeking to stay alive. In contrast to Morgenthau, Waltz considered bipolar system more stable than multipolarity. When there are more than two poles, things get trickier. Balances are harder to strike and therefore risks increase, which brought about the wars (C. Weber, 2009). One of the most important features of realism is a theory of offence-defense. It was developed by Robert Jervis, George Quester and Stephen Van Evera. â€Å"When defense had the advantage and states could distinguish between offensive and defensive weapons, then states could acquire the means to defend themselves, without threatening others† (S. M. Walt, 1998, p. 31). â€Å"Defensive† realists thought that all states were seeking to survive and in this case, by creating alliances and adopting self-protective military position, great owers could solve their security problems. And as an example, Waltz and other neo-realists thought that the United States was protected and secured during the Cold War. Realists and neo-realists agreed that the prime aim of states was to survive and the increase of their power is the only way to guarantee their survival, because states with less power might fear of those with more power and therefore the possibility to attack them was the minimum. Besides, realists and neo-realists agreed that there was no possibility to get out from international anarchy. However there was one thing they disagree about: the issue of human nature. For example, Morgenthau argued that the nature of a man (and he meant the gender exclusive term â€Å"man†; see Tickner, 1992: Chapter 2) was defective and international politics would remain anarchical and conflictual because of the nature of man. Neorealists, of whom Kenneth Waltz was the first, disagreed with this consideration. â€Å"They argue that instead of looking to â€Å"natural† causes of conflict, we need to look to â€Å"social† ones (C. Weber, 2009, p. 16). ’ Waltz thought that the organization of social relations and not the nature of man determined there was a war or not, because states go to war as they are in a bad social organization. So, for realists, international anarchy was just the environment in which sovereign nation-states acted. For neo-realists, international anarchy described the social relations among sovereign nation-states, which explained why wars arise. By the end of the Cold War, realism had moved away from Morgenthau’s gloomy human nature and was taken on a little more positive stage (S.  M. Walt, 1998). Historical Background of Berlin Crisis After World War II Germany was divided– first into four sectors, with American, British, French and Soviet, and then into two, as the three Western sectors coalesced to form the new Federal Republic of Germany, leaving the Soviet sector to turn into the German Democratic Republic (John P. S. Gearson, K. Schake, 2002). And during this period Germany had two major cresses, but the 1961 Berlin crisis was generally perceived to be more dramatic and dangerous than its 1958 predecessor. The Kennedy Administration was more inclined than its predecessor to consider East–West disagreement over the Berlin crisis. President Kennedy gave a speech to the nation about preparing for war and began a $3. 4 billion military build-up in the summer of 1961. Both the US and the Soviet forces had a dramatic confrontation at a military checkpoint in Berlin. â€Å"Initially, The Berlin Crisis began in 1958, when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev threatened to conclude a separate peace treaty with East Germany unless the western powers recognized the Germany Democratic Republic (GDR) † (I.  W. Trauschweizer, 2006, 206). However, the main crisis heated through 1961. It escalated at the Vienna summit between Khrushchev and Kennedy in June 1961, when Khrushchev again raised issue of his ultimatum. Kennedy left Vienna shaken and expected the worst from the Soviet leader. He decided to increase the personal strength of US armed forces in Europe. However, the first step of aggression did the Soviet Union. On 13 August, East German police units closed the border between the Soviet sector and the three western sectors of Berlin. The construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961 was one of the defining moments of the Cold War, and heightened the sense of tension. It was the moment when the crisis was stabilized. Even as it became increasingly apparent that Berlin was unlikely to provide a hot war, it provided the Cold War with its most conspicuous symbol, a regular stop for any visit to the city, a chance to stand and look over into a grey east and compare it with the wealth behind (John P. S. Gearson, K. Schake, 2002). The division of Berlin and building a wall was a shock for the Kennedy administration. Most of the United States government officials were expecting that the crisis would revolve, but there were some in the administration who thought that the East German government would take measures to stop the flow of refugees from East Germany, and they believed that the border closing might reduce tensions rather than lead to escalation. In order to enforce his influence in Western part of Berlin Kennedy decided to appoint Clay, who was a chairman of the Continental Can Company in New York, as his Special Representative in Berlin with the rank of Ambassador. Kennedy considered sending Clay to Berlin for the duration of the crisis in order to boost morale in the city, but also to create conditions that would persuade Soviet leaders to join in serious negotiations (I. W. Trauschweizer, 2006). The stand-off of Soviet and American tanks in the heart of Berlin in October 1961, constituted the most dangerous moment of the Cold War in Europe and it was one of the last major politico-military incidents of Cold War. As per standing orders, both groups of tanks were loaded with live munitions. The lert levels of the US Garrison in West Berlin, then NATO and finally the US Strategic Air Command were raised and both groups of tanks had orders to fire if fired upon. Clay was convinced that using US tanks as bulldozer to knock down parts of the Wall would have ended the Crisis to the greater advantage of the US and its allies without drawing out a Soviet military response. His views, and corresponding evidence that the Soviets may have backed down following this action, supported a more critical assessment of Kennedy’s decisions during the crisis and his willingness to accept the Wall- as the best solution. After, Kennedy and Khrushchev agreed to reduce tensions by withdrawing the tanks. One by one the tanks withdrew and Clay returned to the United States in May 1962. Anyway, there was no doubt that the Berlin Crisis and in general, the Cold War was really over when the Wall came down in November 1989. Berlin Crisis from Realism Theory Perspective As the most dominate theory during the Cold War was the realism we easily can view Berlin crisis from the perspective of this theory, because Berlin crisis was one of the major conflicts during the Cold War. Realism explained many processes of Berlin Crisis, but there were some miscalculations concerning to it. All about these will be represented in this part of the paper. The main competition in the world realism theory saw between the United States and the Soviet Union. Realists claimed that bipolar system of world was very dangerous and gave an advantage to multipolarity. Thus, the bipolar system was very typical during Berlin Crisis, but from the neorealism perspective the bipolar world was more stable. Here neorealists had a miscalculation, because during Berlin Crisis bipolarity dominated in the world and history shows that tensions were more escalated than ever. Thus, from this point of view realists’ thoughts more corresponded to reality, than that of the neorealists. From the perspective of realism theory states must have power in order to survive. United States and Soviet Union tried to do so by strengthening the power in Europe. According to Morgenthau human beings sought to get power and to dominate others. The Berlin Crisis was good example for this idea. Both the United States and the Soviet Union were doing everything to get more power in Europe and to dominate each other. After Vienna’s summit, tensions came obvious and the first reaction of both great powers was how not to lose power over Berlin. The result was the Berlin conflict. The building of Berlin wall can be described by the wish of great powers to survive in this situation and the increase of power was the main guarantee for survival. From the perspective of realism theory fear also made these two great powers to dominate in Berlin. Both the United States and the Soviet Union took actions from fear of losing a power. After Vienna summit Kennedy was shocked and expected everything from Soviet Union. And the fear of not losing a power made Kennedy to turn to drastic actions by increasing the power over Berlin. Berlin Crisis was a result of using force. Here is the good example of Acheson’s report â€Å"The Soviets would provoke a crisis in Berlin to take advantage of US conventional force inadequacies and humiliate the new Administration† (John P. S. Gearson, K. Schake, 2002, p. 31). In the Realism theory there was another important element of aggression during the Cold War. This kind of behavior we can see from the United State’s side. National Security Adviser Mc. George Bundy endorsed the Acheson report, urging the president that â€Å"Berlin is no place for compromise and our general friendliness and eagerness for improvement on many other points really requires strength here in order to be rightly understood† (John P. S. Gearson, K. Schake, 2002, p. 31). The aggressive tone of the Acheson approach and its support in the Administration contrasted with the political compromises President Kennedy wanted to be in Berlin, but Khrushchev’s belligerent behavior at the Vienna summit convinced the president of the Acheson argument. However, whatever the positions of both sides were â€Å"The Berlin crises of 1958 and 1961 suggested that the range of political choice was defined less by military capabilities than by the nature of the political conflict that gave rise to the use of force and by the willingness of adversaries to accept risk in order to achieve their political goals† (John P. S. Gearson, K. Schake, 2002, p. 38). However why did this crisis occur? Waltz asked himself a question like this one: why do wars occur in general? The answers to this question fell into three categories: the individual, the state, and the state system. Waltz argued that the major causes of war could be found at each of these categories and none of them alone could explain why wars do or do not occur. He came to this conclusion by beginning to look at the first category- a man. From the first category Waltz explained the war like this â€Å"the locus of the important causes of war is found in the nature and behavior of man. War results from selfishness, from misdirected aggressive impulses, from stupidity†¦ If these are the primary causes of war, then the elimination of war must come through uplifting and enlightening men or securing their psychic-social readjustment† (Waltz, 1959: 16). This idea is common with the behavior of Kennedy and Khrushchev during Berlin Crisis. In the basis of this conflict a nature and behavior of both Kennedy and Khrushchev can be found. They both had an aggressive behavior. Explanation of war of â€Å"men behaving badly† is very typical for Khrushchev, when in June 1961 Khrushchev again raised the issue of his ultimatum, which claimed an immediate withdrawal of US armed forces from Berlin. â€Å"Man behaves badly because he is bad by nature. He acts unreasonably or he prioritizes selfish goals over communitarian goals, and this is why conflicts and wars occur† (C. Weber, 2009, p. 17). As we already know for Waltz man alone cannot causes wars. He thought that man’s nature was too complex to be the direct and main cause for war. For the Berlin Crisis we can conclude the same. Even the great players of this crisis were the United States and the Soviet Union leading with Kennedy and Khrushchev, only their nature and behavior were not enough to incite conflict. Thus, we can look to social and political institutions to complete our understanding of why wars occur and especially why Berlin crisis occurred. Waltz asked whether the occurrence of wars could be explained by the internal organization of states and societies. Second category theorists argued that there are good and bad states, because of their formal governmental arrangements: for example, democratic vs. autocratic or their less formal social arrangements, who owned the means of production. Second image theories claimed that bad actors (this time states) make war, and good actors preserve the peace. However, there is no common answer which is a bad one and which is good, because some suggested good states would be democratic, others say they should be monarchical, others still say socialist. Waltz suggested, even if second image theorists could agree on what a good state was, there was still no guarantee that a world of â€Å"good states† would be a peaceful world. From this viewpoint realism theory could not explain which kind of state was good or bad, and we cannot say the democratic America or the socialist Soviet Union were the causes of the risis. Waltz concluded that this level of analyses was incomplete. For the third category he gave linkages between anarchy, state actions and conflict. â€Å"In anarchy there is no automatic harmony†¦ A state will use force to attain its goals if, after assessing the prospects for success, it values those goals more than it values the pleasures of peace. Because each state is the final judge of its own cause, any state may at any time use force to implement its policies. Because any state may at any time use force, all states must constantly be ready either to counter force with force or to pay the cost of weakness (Waltz, 1959: 160)† (C. Weber, 2009, p. 18). Waltz called bad social organization international anarchy. International anarchy is the permissive cause of war† (C, Weber, 2009, p. 16). From this viewpoint realism described the social organization of states and the cause why crisis started. Taking into account the ideas of Waltz, that in the world there was international anarchy, we can say that Berlin crisis was the result of it. These can bring about the idea that both United States and Soviet Union were in bad social organization. Waltz concluded that wars occur, because there is nothing to prevent it. So, for Waltz, international anarchy explained both why wars may occur and why there are limits on cooperation among states in the international system. Waltz argued that only international anarchy has the power to explain why wars may occur, if individuals and states have nothing to fear from one another, then they have no cause to fight with one another. This idea can be linked with the fear of Kennedy, when he left Vienna. He was expecting anything from the Soviet Union and the fear made him to strength the military personal of US armed forces in Berlin. He wanted to survive by maximizing power. Waltz believed that we need to look at â€Å"social† causes of conflict rather than on â€Å"natural†. He explained that good men behave badly in bad social organizations, and bad men can be stopped from behaving badly if they are in good social organizations. States go to war, then, because they are in a bad social organization. From the realism perspective the United States also had bad social organization, because the Kennedy Administration did not understand the 1961 crisis in these political terms. They viewed Soviet pressure on Berlin as a military challenge to declining US superiority, and concentrated their efforts on military responses. The Administration began a series of defense improvements and public commentary that exacerbated the instability of the East German regime and raised US–Soviet tensions. They abandoned this confrontational approach in August of 1961 when the Berlin Wall was constructed, opting instead to reduce US–Soviet tensions by supporting the long-term division of Germany (John P. S. Gearson, K. Schake, 2002). â€Å"While it is questionable whether the Kennedy Administration, new to office and without Eisenhower’s war fighting credibility, could have succeeded with the Eisenhower approach to Berlin, the stridency with which the Kennedy Administration approached the crisis exacerbated the problem, both with the Soviet Union and among the Western allies. The US failure to follow through on its hard-line approach when the Berlin Wall was built raised serious questions about the practicality of the Kennedy Administration’s new military strategy and the reliability of the US for its European allies† (John P. S. Gearson, K. Schake, 2002, p. 22). As we can see the main purpose of this conflict was to get power. Morgenthau said that â€Å"The struggle for power is universal in time and space† (Morgenthau 1948: 17) (J. Donnelly, 2004, p. 10). Waltz also shared an opinion concerning to power â€Å"The daily presence of force and recurrent reliance on it mark the affairs of nations† (Waltz 1979: 186) (J.  Donnelly, 2004, p. 10). Structural realists give predominant emphasis to international anarchy. For example, John Herz argued that international anarchy assures the centrality of the struggle for power â€Å"even in the absence of aggression or similar factors† (Herz 1976: 10; compare Waltz 1979: 62–63) (J. Donnelly, 2004, p. 10). The Berlin Crisis was vivied example of sharing the the power between two great powers and the thought of Waltz that states need a power in order to survive is very typical for Berlin Crisis. Conclusion To summarize all above mentioned I would like to say that the realism theory, which was the dominant one during the Cold War, explained many processes of Berlin Crisis. In general it gave important answers about Berlin Crisis. Realism emphasized the constraints on politics imposed by human nature and the absence of international government. Together, they make international relations largely a realm of power and interest (J. Donnelly, 2004, p. 9). All realists emphasize the egoistic passions and self-interest in politics. The realists put emphasis on power and claimed that states need the power in order to survive. In case of Berlin Crisis, United States and Soviet Union maximized their power in order to get a dominant role in Europe. At the same time fear also made them to turn to radical actions. Especially United States increased the US armed forces in Berlin. So the combination of the wish to have more power and a fear to lose a power can be viewed as the causes of conflict. From the realism theory perspective there were also elements of aggression through Cold War, especially during Berlin Crisis. The aggression can be found in both United State’s and Soviet Union’s actions. However, the main reasons why this conflict occurred were described by Waltz. He represented the conflict by three categories. For him the three categories combined can made war to occur, but in general the first and the second categories can explain the Berlin Crisis. The third one, even cannot distinguish which is good state and which one is bad: in the case of Berlin Crisis we cannot say United States was good and Soviet union was bad or vice versa. Anyway, Waltz argued that good men behave badly in bad social organizations, and bad men can be stopped from behaving badly if they are in good social organizations. States go to war, then, because they are in a bad social organization (John P. S. Gearson, K. Schake, 2002). The only thing Waltz had miscalculation about was the multipolar system, because he saw the stabile world within the framework of bipolar system, but in reality, during Berlin Crisis bipolar world was very dangerous. We can conclude that realism theory managed to explain the Berlin Crisis from many points of view. There were some issues during Berlin Crisis, which realism theory could not cover, but the main aspects of it can be easily described from the realism theory perspective. To summarize the thoughts of major thinkers of realism and neorealism theory, which characteristically explained the Berlin Crisis, we can say that for Waltz the state’s interest provides the spring of action and the necessities of policy arise from the unregulated competition of states and calculation based on these necessities can discover the policies that will best serve a state’s interests. For Morgenthau, politics is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature and the main mark that helps political realism to find its way through the landscape of international politics is the concept of interest defined in terms of power. Thus, power and interest are variable in content (J. Donnelly, 2004).