Breach as a Motif in China Mieville's The City and The City Essay

Breach as a Motif in China Mieville's The City and The City - Essay Example Mieville invokes that breach at various points in the novel as a motif that represents the all-pervasive state of the East European states of the Soviet era. These breaches are investigated by a body that itself seems to be a motif that combines in itself the effects of all the motifs of breaches that govern the lives of the people in the novel’s fictional cities of Beszel and Ul Qoma. The journey of Tayodu Borlu, the protagonist of the novel and the detective who seeks to solve the mystery of a murder that serves to frame the story and provide it its thrust, is one that reveals many aspects of modern day life. These range from the lack of freedom that is experienced by people in nation states to the place of man in a universe that may or may not offer explanations. This universe, however, continues to punish its inhabitants for offences the causes of which they may not even know. The lack of knowledge that is shared by the people of Beszel and Ul Qoma is what unites them and gives them a common destiny. The notion of breach refers to an understanding of this unity in ignorance. In this sense, it seems as though the novel points to ignorance as the greatest weapon that is employed by the modern state to express its power and exercise its control over its people. To place them in a state of complete ignorance as to their own condition, accompanied by a fear of the breach makes Mieville’s work closer to a work like V for Vendetta rather than something like The Matrix. Like both these works, the people in the two cities suffer from the fact that their existence is a complex web of lies that is spun by an overarching network of authority. This authority is embodied by the Breach that is able to make a person vanish from the sight of other people. In the context of people who choose to overlook several aspects of life, the notion of a vanished person may refer to somebody who is merely overlooked, much in the same way that Ralph Ellison’s protag onist is, in the book, The Invisible Man. The reasons for the marginality of both are equally absurd and difficult to understand. This is one of the greatest strengths of Mieville’s novel- the fact that it is able to draw allusions to many other major works of fiction that talk of oppressive regimes. His ability to connect his subaltern perspective to other versions of it makes The City and the City a very complex work of fiction. The breach represents a lack of unity. While critiquing the authoritarian regimes that were a part of East European nation states during the Cold War Era, Mieville strikes at the very heart of the philosophy of these nations- the unity of their people in a classless society. He points to the disunity that states sought to perpetrate during this era and the effects that it had on people who had hitherto lived in communities that exchanged ideas and beliefs in a freer society. The lack of freedom that Borlu has in investigating the case owes itself to the lack of unity between the people of the two cities. This can be seen in the attitudes that are expressed initially by his counterpart in Ul Qom, who is cold and condescending towards him. There are, thus, many structures that the state creates for the purpose of perpetuating its own

Schizophrenia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Schizophrenia - Research Paper Example People suffering from this disorder tend to hear voices, which cannot be heard by people around them. If fact, these people believe that any other person around them is controlling their thoughts, plotting harm against them and more importantly, they are reading their minds. Additionally, people with Schizophrenia rarely make sense when they are talking; sometimes they can sit for a particular period without talking or moving. Patients with this disorder are mostly recognized by talking to them since they appear ordinary people until they start talking (National institute of Mental Health). Schizophrenia is caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Individuals with a family history of this illness have a high rate of being diagnosed with this disorder. Researchers argue that there it is considerably challenging to separate environmental and genetic factors. Therefore, there is a significant variation in estimating hereditary causes and environmental causes. According to a recent research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, the risk of developing Schizophrenia is considerably high in first-degree relatives. According to the research data, the risk an individual being diagnosed with Schizophrenia and they have been first-degree relative is approximately 6.5 percent higher than the 40 percent of the monozygotic twins who may have been affected. Additionally, if one of the parents is suffering from the illness, the risk of these offspring being affected can be as high as 13 percent. On the other hand if both parents are affected, the offspring have a 50 percent chance of being affected (National Institute of Mental Health). Also to genetic causes, environmental factors have a significant role in causing this disorder. Some of the common environmental factors include; usage of drugs, prenatal stressors, living environment among other environmental factors. A recent study showed that living

The Hotel And Tourism Tourism Law Tourism Essay

The Hotel And Tourism Tourism Law Tourism Essay In problems with the Environmental Issues or Laws, with the cooperation of our tourism they develop awareness, concern and knowledge of the environment and its different importance and other things. Those are different laws that have rule in Philippine tourism, including or even the different government office is involved too. It will also provide current situation that have in the tourism, travel and making hospitality which may be analyzed, interpreted and doing what can do on laws that have. The Environment laws protect our natural resources by controlling businesses that have the possible cause to them. Due to the matter of these laws, the Environmental Protection was formed whose main duty that must have done is to control and decrease pollution in finding out some materials that could cause harm, to see that companies that may cause environmental injury, they sets right of practice to lessen environmental effect and to carried punishments for those who did not follow environmen tal rules. Therefore, for any industry or in the hotel and tourism, it is helpful to be well known with the matter that given by our environmental laws, and responsible for law that government given, and the kinds of different way and some business through which those environmental laws are need to implement. Tourism or the Hotel Management can have different effects on a given area such as economical, social, environmental etc.The most important  economic  effect that tourism has is that it provides more  employment  for the people in that area and hence in a way increases their  standard  of living. In fact certain economies primarily run on tourism.As a result it also helps the region as a whole to develop and as a result the governing bodies can utilize the funds to promote the  destination  and make it more attractive for tourists. Tourism is now one of the worlds largest industries and one of its fastest that is develop in our country. For many countries tourism is seen as a main used for wide development, as it alert to the new different economic performance or activities that have in the government. Tourism may have a positive economic effect on the balance of payments, on employment, on gross income and production, but it may also have negative effects, particularly on the environment. Unexpected things in developing tourism can result in such a worse of the environment that tourist growth can be demanded. Being the major source of tourist product of the government, therefore it should be protected in order to have something development of tourism and doing good for the country in following years. In additional of business activities worldwide and as a result of more high knowedge , there has been increasing learn to everyone and concern with the injury to human health and environmental damage that cause by the different business activities .These problems is need for business and industry to be controls at all levels, and for the main that could be hardly sustain development to be established in international and national environmental laws to make sure that foreign investment and other business activities lead to development that is sustainable in environment . In this way, the Hotel and Tourism Management play an important role in development . If the government takes the recommended actions for development and promotion it will establish market targets that specify the number and types of tourists that the country will be able to attract. To make sure that national and local tourism development agreements stress a policy of sustainable tourism development. Incentives that given by the government can encourage many corporations involved in the tourism business to do more their activities to have more recently having a large countries. Thinking of environmental problems it will assist the manager in helping such individual responsibility for and liability to environmental damage, in integrating environmental affairs with operations, and in developing policies and professionals to manage environmental issues. Tour operators have a great deal of influence on the destinations, activities and overall experience of tourists. Therefore its hard that they have understand the idea of ecotourism and the conservation requirements of protected areas that have rules to follow. They need to be fully aware that the ecotourism product they are trying to promote is easily broken and must be carefully preserved. The tourism industry is also an important partner since it is a vital source of information about need trends, promotion and marketing. It would bring attention to the present and future environmental issues facing the health of our planet and the people it supports. And our responsibility to protect the health and well-being of that ecosystem start to beginning of a day on the number of aware that surrounds in the world. Philippine laws rule the rights and obligations of which support in the hospitality and tourism industry. It provides for their rights, liabilities and even benefits as order by law. It affects the globalization of the tourism industry, also in opportunity to begun addition or widely into the international market or in target grow internationally. Realize the level of technology and technological capabilities within the host country in order to assess the advantages or disadvantages the hotel may face. Human activities are sources of environmental impacts. Since a sustainable environment must be achieved, individuals should make efforts towards developing and protecting the environment in learning of good methods, techniques, and policies. Human activities are sources of environmental impacts. Since a sustainable environment must be achieved, every person should make efforts towards developing and protecting the environment by learning or doing of good methods, techniques, and policies. Support different developing countries efforts to implement different things that could have in development the practices and protect the global environment. To make sure that the goal is in full support of environmental laws. Overall, consideration of the environment and stick to environmental laws and regulations have become important in the day-to-day behavior of business or in the Hotel and Tourism Management all in the Philippines or throughout the world. Working together by the businesses, workers, environmentalists, and government officials is to find economically into our environment. In helping of our government rules as well our tourism department, we can do better for the everyones life. Inspite of rising the demands of needs of everyone, of everyone come to show full support to the strong campaign for the different environmental laws or regulations, with the biggest role of our tourism in advocating and promote or not violating any rules to anyone who is responsible, we should have all the confident to win this one..    With the skills or knowledge of all in the tourism management and see how that connects and from there start volunteering for programs and tell people about it. But before that first learn how blessed we are and how rich our natural resources are, you would be inspired and motivated to take better care of it. From there, you start with yourself not only our government who pay attention on it. Sources http://www.egerton.ac.ke/index.php/bsc-ecoahos.html http://bio427.blogspot.com/2010/10/environmental-laws-of-philippines.html-. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_Philippine_tourism_laws#ixzz2718t1XVm

Critical Complexity :: Writing Personal Narrative Papers

Critical Complexity When I heard Mr. Sabol announce the topic for W131’s latest assignment, an exploratory essay, I was furious. Of a world of scintillating and fascinating topics, he picked â€Å"writing† as the subject of the class’s papers. Writing, of course, was not my favorite theme; I felt the topic had been so overused over the course of the semester that writing any more about it would be futile and destructive to any shred of creativity the class had left. Furthermore, I had expected to be allowed to explore the topics that interested me the most outside of class[d1] . Regardless of my expectations, I had been stuck with an assignment I didn’t want to do. I kept asking myself why on earth I should write about writing[d2] . For that matter, I didn’t understand what purpose it would serve. At first I just viewed the topic as a way to give W131 students more homework. Perhaps it was a way of cruel fate driving me over the edge of sanity. Maybe it was just a matter of giving Mr. Sabol what he wanted to hear from our exploratory papers, not a matter of free thinking and the true exploration of our external and internal worlds. However, a notion began nagging at the back of my mind – there had to be a better answer than the ones I had come up with before. They were answers to the problem that were born of frustration and impatience, not of careful thought and consideration. I decided then that, as simple and perhaps insignificant as my personal problems with the topic were, I needed to address them in some way. Addressing my problems with the assignment would make me take time to think critically about my dilemma and find the answers that could help me become more motivated with the topic[d3] . I felt it was the only way I could even begin my exploratory essay without pulling all my hair out. Of course I didn’t have the answer to my initial question yet – What’s the purpose behind writing about writing? As I could not find the answer in a textbook or get a straight answer about it from Mr. Critical Complexity :: Writing Personal Narrative Papers Critical Complexity When I heard Mr. Sabol announce the topic for W131’s latest assignment, an exploratory essay, I was furious. Of a world of scintillating and fascinating topics, he picked â€Å"writing† as the subject of the class’s papers. Writing, of course, was not my favorite theme; I felt the topic had been so overused over the course of the semester that writing any more about it would be futile and destructive to any shred of creativity the class had left. Furthermore, I had expected to be allowed to explore the topics that interested me the most outside of class[d1] . Regardless of my expectations, I had been stuck with an assignment I didn’t want to do. I kept asking myself why on earth I should write about writing[d2] . For that matter, I didn’t understand what purpose it would serve. At first I just viewed the topic as a way to give W131 students more homework. Perhaps it was a way of cruel fate driving me over the edge of sanity. Maybe it was just a matter of giving Mr. Sabol what he wanted to hear from our exploratory papers, not a matter of free thinking and the true exploration of our external and internal worlds. However, a notion began nagging at the back of my mind – there had to be a better answer than the ones I had come up with before. They were answers to the problem that were born of frustration and impatience, not of careful thought and consideration. I decided then that, as simple and perhaps insignificant as my personal problems with the topic were, I needed to address them in some way. Addressing my problems with the assignment would make me take time to think critically about my dilemma and find the answers that could help me become more motivated with the topic[d3] . I felt it was the only way I could even begin my exploratory essay without pulling all my hair out. Of course I didn’t have the answer to my initial question yet – What’s the purpose behind writing about writing? As I could not find the answer in a textbook or get a straight answer about it from Mr.

2009 DBQ AP World

For years after the Berlin Conference, various European powers raced to occupy and colonize land in Africa. It was a time of growth for Europe, but what was it for Africa? Africa’s fate was being decided for it by the European invaders. Not all AFricans just stood by and watcher, however. There was a wide range of actions and reactions to the Scramble for Africa from the Africans themselves, from giving in peacefully to attempting to fighting back with all of their might.Many Africans were afraid of European power, so they just gave in to the Scramble without a fight. In 1886, the British government commissioned the Royal Niger Company to administer and develop the Niger River delta. Many African rulers just signed their land away [doc. 1]. This document is official and provides no personal repost, so it is possible that the rulers did not give in entirely peacefully, all we know is that they gave in. A personal record of the Niger River delta dealing would help immensely to t ell how easily the rulers signed.Ashanti leader Prempeh turned down a British offer of protectorate status, but he said that the Ashanti would always remain friendly with all white men [doc. 2]. Ndansi Kumalo, an African veteran of the Ndebele Rebellion tells how at first his people surrendered to the British and tried to continue living their lives as they always had [doc. 4]. Samuel Maharero, a Herero leader, wrote to another African leader about how the Herero people were trying to be obedient and patient with the Germans [doc. 7].Many people in Africa just gave i to the changes occurring all around them. Not everywhere the Europeans went did they encounter this obedience and complacency. Many places people fought the invaders. The emperor of Ethiopia, Menelik II, wrote a letter to Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia in 1891 telling them he would not just sit by and watch if they continues parcelling off Africa [doc. 3]. Ndansi Kumalo tells how, after trying to live normally, his people could not stand the Europeans any more and they took up arms against the Europeans and rebelled [doc. ]. An Ethiopian painting of the Battle of Adowa shows the Ethiopians greatly overpowering the Italians and clearly winning the battle while suffering a very few casualties [doc. 5].This is an Ethiopian painting so the artist probably depicted the battle to make the Ethiopians look as good as possible. A document from the Italians about this battle would make it easier to pass judgement on it. The Ashanti queen mother, Yaa Asantena spoke to the Ashanti chiefs in 1900 telling them that if they would not fight the Europeans the Ashanti women would [doc. 6].Samuel Maherero said in his letter to another African leader that they should fight the Germans as it is better to die fighting for freedom than to die from maltreatment, imprisonment, or something similar [doc. 7]. A German military officer said about the 1905 Maji Maji REbellion that the chiefs told their peop le that they had a medicine thst would make them invincible so they could fight the Europeans for as long as necessary [doc 8].An African chief, Mojimba, described a battle in 1899 on the Congo River, saying that the battle just kept going and going that many, many Africans were killer [doc. ]. He also said that white men are very wicked. As an African who fought the Europeans and saw them kill many of his kin, Mojimba naturally thinks that the Europeans are wicker. This account of the battle was also given 30 years after the battle so it might not be entirely accurate. A European account would help to see this battle more clearly. The Scramble for Africa was a difficult time for Africans, some Africans fought for a chance at their freedom and others accepted their fate and peacefully gave into the Europeans ways.

Compare/Contrast of Two and a Half Men

The popular television show, Two and a Half Men, has been on the air for just under a solid ten years. Even after ten years, and a complete main character change, it is still one of the most watched and beloved shows on television today. Most would argue, including myself, that the original version starring Charlie Sheen was much better than the current version, starring Ashton Kutcher.Both are very funny and have attempted to keep to the same â€Å"womanizing† main character, though the original pulled it off with much more success. The show was originally about a â€Å"pleasure-seeking† jingle writer, Charlie Harper, his uptight brother, Alan, and Alan's growing son, Jake. Charlie's laid back life becomes complicated when his brother gets divorced and moves in, along with Jake, to Charlie's beach-front Malibu house.The Harper brothers Charlie and Alan are almost opposites but form a great team for comedy. They have little in common except their dislike for their dull, emotionless, and dominant mother, Evelyn. Alan, a compulsively neat chiropractor and control-freak, is thrown out by his manipulative wife Judith who nevertheless gets him to pay for everything and do most jobs in the house. Charlie is a freelance jingle composer and irresistible bachelor who lives in a luxurious beach-house and rarely gets up before noon.Charlie â€Å"temporarily† allows Alan and his son Jake, a food-obsessed, lazy school kid who constantly moves between his parents, to move in with them after Alan's separation/divorce. The sitcom revolves around their conflicting lifestyles, raising Jake (who has the competent, caring dad while having a ball with his fun-loving uncle who teaches him the fun way to live), and bantering with Evelyn and various other friends and family.Other fairly regular characters include Charlie's cleaning lady Berta, who is the sarcastic and sharp-tongued character who merely does nothing more than insult almost every other character unf ortunate enough to cross her path (while completely ignoring her actual job), and his rich, self-confessed stalker neighbor Rose who often sneaks in to spy on Charlie and induce havoc into his already screwy life. Charlie's love life is a recurring theme in his character. He is an alcoholic womanizer who has engaged in decades of frequent one-night stands, prostitutes, casual sex, and â€Å"relationships† of short duration, in stark contrast to his rother Alan's inability to bring in much female attention. Even though Charlie usually never calls any of his partners again after he had sex with them, there are a few relationships on the show that lasted longer than one night, notably his neighbor Rose, who continues to stalk him after they spent one night together, and Jake's ballet teacher Mia, whom Charlie was actually in love with, and almost married in Las Vegas. He usually dated much younger women. Alan is almost the complete opposite of Charlie. He had been divorced twice over the series, and is notably seen as socially awkward with any woman he comes into contact with.Alan is essentially a leech on Charlie’s life, as he was only supposed to stay with Charlie for a short amount of time, that was ten seasons ago. Recently, though, Alan has managed to keep one person tied down and hold a steady, healthy relationship with. This person is Lyndsey MacElroy, who is actually a mother of one of Jake’s stoner friends. At the end of season eight, Charlie leaves in pursuit of Rose, who he admits he loves, to Paris. At the beginning of season nine, it is revealed that Charlie died in Paris, because he â€Å"fell† in front of a train (it is widely believed that Rose murdered him because he cheated on her, a lot).Enter: Walden Schmidt. Now begins the more recent version of the series. Charlie Harper is dead, and Alan and Berta must now move out of the fabulous beach-house and have no idea where to go. Schmidt is introduced to the series as a billionaire internet entrepreneur who has recently been divorced and is now suicidal. After unsuccessfully attempting suicide, he turns up at Charlie Harper's beach house and decides to buy it from Charlie's brother, Alan, to whom Charlie has left the house in his will, after dying in France. Alan has to put the house up for sale as he is unable to afford the mortgage payments and property tax.While Alan is speaking with Charlie's ashes and trying to decide where to spread them, Walden suddenly appears on the house's back deck, scaring Alan and causing him to drop the ashes on the living room floor. When Alan lets Walden in so he can use the telephone, Walden reveals he has just tried to commit suicide by drowning in the ocean. He tells Alan that he is worth $1. 3 billion, but would give it all up to reconcile with his wife Bridget, from whom he had recently separated. Walden and Alan then proceed to bond at the local bar, where Walden tells Alan that e made his money when Microsoft purchased his website. At the end of the episode Walden tells Alan that he is going to buy the house. This is fantastic news for Alan, as he now no longer has to move, Berta can be rehired, and a surrogate family has now been formed. Walden is a hopeless romantic and has had many failed relationships, ranging from divorce and breakups to rejection of marriage proposals. Walden's ex-wife describes him as â€Å"having the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old†, and she, his housekeeper Berta and his girlfriend Zoey have all described him as needy.However, he drives a Fisker Karma as he cares about the environment, and does not believe in lending money, as it is never repaid and leads to resentment of the person to whom the money is lent; instead he prefers to just give it away. He does not like the taste of alcohol and so does not drink much. When Walden met Alan Harper, the two almost instantly formed a friendship. Walden is very generous, which Alan uses to his advantage, such as when Alan's ex-wife Judith drops off their son Jake, and Alan convinces Walden to allow Jake to stay. Despite events such as this, Alan does demonstrate genuine concern for Walden.When Walden discovers that his imaginary childhood gorilla friend, â€Å"Magilla†, was real, and was part of an experiment being conducted by his mother, he becomes very upset, as he thought of Magilla as a brother. Alan climbs a roof to console him, telling him that he knows what it's like to lose a brother. Walden knows that Alan is poor and has offered him money, but Alan refuses because he wants Walden to see him as a friend, rather than a freeloader. From this point on Alan and Jake have fully moved in and Walden considers them family, refusing to kick Alan out of the beach-house, though knowing that he is quite the leech.While there has been much change to the popular television show over the years, it has managed to sustain a fresh comedy to most viewers and appears as if it could continu e airing for the next ten years also. The show is now very different, since the introduction of Ashton Kutcher replacing Charlie Sheen as the main character. But it continues to maintain the viewers, ratings, and new ideas that make a good show great. Comparatively, the older seasons are better than the newer, but the newer are certainly getting the job done.

Disadvantages of Invasive Species essays

Disadvantages of Invasive Species essays Anything can disrupt and alter ecosystems. Huge benefactors of disrupting ecosystems are invasive species. Invasive species are plants, animals, or other organisms that are introduced to a given area outside their original range and cause harm in their new home (Delach). They are capable of mobbing aggressively and taking over resources of other species, such as sunlight, water, food, and space. They can "displace native plants and animals, disrupt ecological processes, threaten ecosystem stability, and alter both natural and man-made landscapes" ("Invasive Species Control"). Recently, more of these species was found invading and threatening the ecosystem of Arkansas. These species were first introduced to the United States as a benefactor and had spread throughout the country. Although invasive species were first introduced to be beneficial to the enviroment, economy, and public health, they cause more damage and harm in most cases. Invasive species are harmful to other native species and time, and money should be invested to prevent the continuous spread and damage caused. When non-native species from other ecosystems are introduced, they can upset the balance of an already-established ecosystem of plants and animals. Tamarisk was " first brought into the United States in the late 1800s and early 1990s as an ornamental shrub and as a stabilizing plant along streambeds, [however], the plant soon escaped its "boundaries" and spread prolifically" (Pieper). This invasive species has been sucking up more than its fair share of water along the Arkansas River. The plant is said to consume "over 800 billion gallons of water annually nationwide and is especially prevalent in the southwestern United States" (Pieper). Because it is an invasive species, the plant does not have any "natural enemies" to help control its population. Therefore, landowners along the Arkansas River and other connected states have undertaken a project to get rid o...