Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Why is China Called the Sleeping Giant?

Why is China Called the Sleeping Giant? China is a huge nation that has been experiencing unprecedented growth over the past few decades an average annual GDP of well over 10 percent. While Chinas actual per capita income is still classified in the lower-middle category in global statistics, at about $3,200, it is still the third largest economy in the world after the United States and Japan with a nominal DFP of $4.3 trillion (Chinese Government, 2010). Contemporary China now participates in the global private sector. Her companies play a major role in the global economy, and companies in the developed world take Chinese manufacturing trends quite serious. Chinas view of her economy is Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, which is defined variantaely by scholars. Over 1/3 of the economy is state owned and controlled, and there is significant new foreign investment in the country. Key government industries are utilities, heavy industry and energy resources. China is the worlds largest producer of rice, and is among the top producers of cotton, corn, tobacco, soybeans, and peanuts. Industrially, it is also a world producer in cotton products, coal, crude oil, and its mineral resources are among the richest in the world, albeit only partially developed. All this developed has resulted in Chinas populace seeing a gradual improvement in their living standard, even in the rural areas, but it is the cities in which the most vital and burgeoning growth occurs. Like any developing country, though, China has growing pains. It remains more concerned with State economic development that per capita improvement. Chinas growth may not, in fact, remain sustainable unless there is a dramatic change in the infrastructure and a redevelopment of natural resources that matches the needs of the global environment (e.g. human rights, pollution control, trade imbalances, etc.). Even with the new face, china still has severe corruption issues in the government, huge environmental issues, and a rapidly aging population w ith limited capital resources to sustain an older, non-working, population (CIA Factbook, 2010; National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2010). One very telling example is the way China has merged the political with global economic independence, and its ability to negotiate environmental issues. For the past fifty years, the country has spent considerable resource modernizing, coalescing power, investing in other countries, and changing the way it utilizes its greatest resource its population. Indeed, much of Chinas current strategic and tactical foreign policy surrounds its rapid growth over the last several decades and the way it has extended itself in so many directions. China is still dependent upon Middle Eastern oil importing up to 8 million barrels a day. The vulnerability also extends past oil dependence into fears of an energy insecurity peak. The emerging trends in China are that its energy needs are going to continue to exponentially increase, while if something is not done, there will not be the rate worker base to handle this segment of the market. And, to top it off, such rapid development coupled with global warming and pollution issues threatens to damage Chinas agricultural markets some areas must pollinate their trees and fields by hand (Shirk, 2007). Indeed, what seems to be happening with China is understandable the Developed World had their Industrial Revolutions and decades of pollution without control. Now the developing world is trying for rapid industrialization but has the added conundrum of restrictions, issues with global warming, pollution, and world opinion. Citing both qualitative and quantitative governmental data, authors Chung, Fryxell and Lo (2006) maintain that while China is overtly committed to promote programs that have environmental conservation as part of their template, the stark reality is that the country falls quite short of even its own basic standards. This revelation is based on the number of permits authorized for construction versus the number of ISO 14001-4 permits and requirements met (473-6). We must also take into consideration both the vastness of Chinas geography and the complexity of their bureaucracy. Governmental regulations are not always translated into actualities at the local level, largely due to enforcement and logistical issues, all politically based. Chinas Path Towards Modernization China did not experience an Industrial Revolution and modernization in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries as did many European countries and even Japan, to some extent. Instead, throughout even the 19th century, China remained largely rural and controlled by a series of warlord governments. In fact, it was a series of civil wars, internal bureaucratic corruption, and imperialism that damaged the country and economy to the point that China was ripe for dramatic social and political change (China Country Profile, 2010). Once Japan had been defeated in 1945 another civil war erupted, this time between the Nationalists and the Communists. In 1949, the Communist regime, with the assistance of the Soviet Union, garnered victory and established The Peoples Republic of China on the mainland, with the Chinese Nationalist Party relegated to the island of Taiwan. Soviet influence was heavy, as it was in the conflict over the Korean peninsula in the early 1950s. Chinese leadership counted on Soviet aid for, even with a huge population they were in the midst of a serious economic decline. The Soviet political leadership had a vested interest in supporting the Maoist revolutionary group, not simply to export world communism, but to establish a communist state in Asia (Garver, 1988, 1-34). What followed were a series of rather disruptive socioeconomic movements designed to rapidly industrialize, collectivize, and change the landscape of China called The Great Leap Forward. Like the Soviet Union, peasant resistence and economic ineptitude resulted in an estimated 30-36 million deaths (Smil, 1999). Once the so-called old guard of the Communist Revolution died, though, it was time to rethink economic and political progress. By 1978 there was some relaxation of control, but the PRC still had iron-clad control over politics and society. Economic reforms were politicized and put into effect by Den Xiaoping decollectivization of the countryside, some political decentralization of control in the industrial sector and an amazing public pronouncement that the past few decades had been an appalling catastropheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the most severe setback to the socialist cause since 1949 (Poon, 2006). Politically, it was important to quickly develop the consumer and export sectors of the economy, and create and buttress an urban middle class, increase living standards, and deal with such issues as literacy, life expectancy, personal rights, and most especially, agricultural output. Knowing that things move slow politically and socially in China, we can now trace an important step in opening up China to the West both politically and economically. In 1972, while Mao was still alive but Deng controlling most of the upper echelons of political power, U.S. President Richard Nixon visited China, The results of the week long visit, most of it orchestrated by Henry Kissinger, were vast: a political agreement that there was only one China and an agreement to settle the Taiwanese situation; to open trade and commerce between China and the West; and to reduce tensions between the two countries. Nixon himself commented, This was the week that changed the world, as what we have said in that Communiquà © is not nearly as important as what we will do in the years ahead to build a bridge across 16,000 miles and 22 years of hostilities which have divided us in the past. And what we have said today is that we shall build that bridge (1972 in Review, 1973). The Way of the Sleeping Giant- Unlike the West, which had 150-200 years to accomplish the technological and social revolution of transforming from rural to urbanized-industrial economies, China has had less than 50 years. However, a combination of traditional Chinese Values, the Maoist push, and post-Maoist political expertise has positioned the country to become the next global superpower. Since 1949, there have been 3-4 major shifts in overall philosophy within the elite; as globalism continues to develop, China wishes to be part of the global economic push with import/export and fiscal rewards, so small concessions have been made over the past decade to allow greater autonomy in business ownership and purchasing decisions. There is high political, economic, societal, and military cohesion since all are central controlled and there is no evidence of a lapse in the power base. Most recently, China has been under international pressure for its continued censorship program (television, motion pictures, and the Internet) (World Bank, 2010). This paradigm shift can best be understood by looking at a Chinese tradition dating back centuries. However, to understand modern China, we must also understand the basis for Chinese culture Confucianism. It was Confucianism, though, that dominated ancient Chinese history as a socio-religious philosophy. The trend towards philosophical underpinnings, too, was part of Ancient Chinas view of law, order, and state control. Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system based on the teachings of Confucius. It is a system that focuses on social, moral, political, and philosophical through, and stresses the important of education and the actualization of the individual. In combination, individuals then are able to govern the state by morality and virtue, rather than extreme coercion or violence (Sprunger). Unlike many religions, Confucianism expects to be part of the political/legal process and governance is part of the expectations of service by the populace. A basic sense of duty, honor, and bureaucratic hierarchy is part of the philosophy, as was a general view that people were generally good, wanted to exist within an orderly society, and only needed structure to remind them of the way of being good: This legalistic tradition is actually more of a political mindset that has been part of the way of Chinese politics for centuries. If we look at basic Maoism, we see that there are indeed some similarities, albeit with a Marxist bias. Maoism of course emphasizes the revolutionary struggle of the masses against exploiters, or a Peoples War. However, Maoism departs from Marxism because it is based on reforming an agrarian economy as opposed to an urban, industrialized state. The new communist leaders abandoned most Maoist practices by 1978, calling the new China which is a combination of ancient legalism, Maoism, and socialism, as Socialism with Chinese characteristics (Chung-Yueh Hsu, 1990, 168-72). Thus, the character and flavor of Chinese politics is shaped by a number of rubrics, all of which now combine to produce a country that may appear contradictory, but is in fact completely within character. This is illuminated given an overview of Chinas recent national goals and issues as they relate to both internal political stability and growth, and Chinas emerging position within the overall geopolitical landscape of the 21st century. These goals are broken down into three major parts; political, social, and economic, all interrelated to a political culture based on the past and moving forward. Political Harness nationalism in moderate and appropriate ways to retain control over divergent and large population. Political/Military Increase military spending and size of military structure -eventual goal is to field the most sophisticated Army in the world Political Cannot provide enough of its own energy needs, must use geopolitics to ensure development continues Political/Vulnerability Avoid, at all costs, a hostile world in which China is boxed in by USA/Japan/India/South Korea and Australia. Ensure Russian neutrality or support. Social Continue to support large domestic market and rising foreign investment. Social Manage rapid aging issues (32 years median age in 2010 to 45 in 2040) they will have the social burden of a rich country and the income of a poor country. Economic Manage Chinas vulnerability in production of goods to West in line with current economic crisis (e.g. smaller than needed orders for Holidays, etc.) Economic Diversify industry and become more self-sufficient in high-tech and other needed technological and industrial segments Economic/Political Improve infrastructure to ensure safety of population (e.g. earthquake proof buildings, higher building standards, etc.) Economic China shows no sign of slowing, and its overall strategic objectives were clearly stated in the Three Step Development Strategy of 1978: Step 1 -To double the 1980 SNP and ensure that the people had enough food and clothing to meet basic needs (attained prior to 1989). Step 2 To quadruple the 1980 GNP by the end of the 20th century (attained by 1995) Step 3 To increase per-capita GNP to the level of the medium developed countries by 2050, at which time modernization goals will be met (Mengin, 2002; Dahlman and Aubert, 2001). The trend that emerges, then, is a new China with clear ties to the old. With the aggressive nature of China in the global environment, many scholars, in fact, believe it will be China that dominates the 21st century the power base shifting from West to East. With 20 percent of all humanity, and a civilization with thousands of years of history and tradition, the new China is clearly poised to be the next global super-power (Jacques, 2009).

Monday, January 20, 2020

Control in Crewss Body and Cheevers Five-Forty-Eight Essay -- Crews

Control in Crews's Body and Cheever's Five-Forty-Eight Harry Crews's Body and John Cheever's "Five-Forty-Eight" offer characters whose lives lack control. Although Crews's Bateman is a perfecting, attractive, and popular body builder, his life does not satisfy him. However, from the outside Bateman appears happy and content. On the other hand, Cheever's Ms. Dent is skinny, shy, emotional, and disheveld. Her description reflects the unsteadiness and the insecurity in her life. Although Bateman's personality contrast with Ms. Dent's, they have a similar need for control. Bateman and Ms. Dent search for control in the form of love objects. Bateman finds Earline Turnipseed an obese, virginal, simple and complacent "redneck." Ms. Dent finds Blake an unpopular, self-centered, abusive, and chauvinistic womanizer. Both character finds control; however, only Bateman does so through his love object. Bill Bateman and Ms. Dent feel a lack of control and completion evident in their illnesses. Bateman suffers form bulimia: "[he] could not hold to the rigid diet of a champion, never had been able to, but he was a secret and accomplished puker"(105). His rigid diet does not contribute to his bulimia; rather, his intense obsession with control leads to his sickness. Displaying his own neurosis, Bateman uncontrollably fears failure. By punishing his body through weight lifting, bingeing, and purging he artificially feels successful and in control. Although Ms. Dent does not directly define his illness, she too suffers from a neurosis, plus clinical depression. Struggling with her illness, Ms. Dent "had been in the hospital for eight months"(81). While her obsession with Blake, her paranoia, her stalking, her uncontrollable emot... ...on in Earline's far from perfect body. Perhaps now that his life satisfies, he will not feel so out of control, thus eliminating his need to binge and purge. Blake does in fact help Ms. Dent take control of her life, just not as she intended. Instead of gaining control through his life, she achieves control by tearing his life down. Ms. Dent tells Blake, "Oh, I'm better than you, I'm better than you, and I shouldn't waste my time or spoil my life like this. Put your face in the dirt"(89)! She finally realizes her own self-worth, and by literally lowering Blake beneath her in the dirt she cures herself. She realizes she may not have friends, family, love, and money, but she has dreams ;therefore, a reason to live. Through their love objects, whether a correct match or not, Bateman and Ms. Dent overcome the obstacles that are impeding their happiness.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Non-Verbal Communication Essay

A number of people pay more attention on what they want to say,however,how to say it means more important. â€Å"In fact, studies suggest that during face-to-face communication, only 7% of meaning comes from the verbal content of the message —38% comes from tone of voice and 55% comes from body language. † Obviously, non-verbal communication refers to the process of the communication by means of receiving and sending the messages which are wordless. As an important tool of communication, non-verbal communication plays an important part in job interviews, medical care and social interactions. The process of a job interview is full of communication, including both verbal and nonverbal communications; however, nonverbal communication is more important than verbal communication in some ways. When people do the interview, it is critical for people to send the right messages and receive the good responses as well as maintaining eye contact, using facial expressions and making proper postures. Eye contact is essential when people are talking to the interviewer. The sustained eye contact could be respectful which show your confidence and trust. Also, this makes sure that you are listening and understanding about what you are communicating with each other. However, it’s not good to stare at interviewers constantly, which make them uncomfortable. The best way is to maintain the eye contact for several seconds, and then change your vision away from the interviewers briefly, finally put the eye contact on the interviewers. Meanwhile, facial expression is a necessary component in a job interview. Commonly, smile is a powerful communication tool, which is able to deliver the friendliness, happiness and interests. It helps people relieve nervous tension in order to make a good performance in the front of the interviewers. Also, it’s better to add a smile with your eyes so that you can show a real smile in your face, which makes your interview more successful. Additionally, making good postures can affect the quality of the job interview. The way of standing, sitting or talking shows the level of our attitude and manners, particularly in a job interview. For example, first, sit on the edge of the chair is a signal of nervousness and express you’re uncomfortable. Second, stand in the space belonging to the others and cross the arm, which can be hostile. In order to make your job interview extremely successfully, you’d better prepare eye contact, facial expressions and right postures. Furthermore, nonverbal communication is related to the development of medical care. Usually, most people are getting involved with each other through verbal communication. However, when people are getting older, they are lacking the functions of social network and body function degradation so that they need to depend on nurses’ care— nonverbal behavior,which establish the relationship between nurses and patients, such as, smiling, body positioning and touch. Smiling may be one of the most important characteristics of a nurse who wishes to establish good rapport with patients (Schabracq 1987; Heintzman et al. 1993). Smiling is positively judged by other people and is considered as a sign of good humour, warmth and immediacy (Mehrabian 1972, Reece & Whitman 1962). † The body positioning points out whether the person is caring and listening. In the process of nonverbal behavior, the forward leaning indicates that nurse pay attention and care about the condition of the patients. In earlier research Reece & Whitman (1962) showed that leaning forward conveys warmth and friendliness. Forward leaning combined with smiling, eye contact and verbal attentiveness (‘hm-hm’) communicates an attitude of involvement. † Additionally, touch is an essential part in the medical care, which is a significant connection between nurses and patients. Touch can deliver the feeling of comfort, identification and encouragement in order to give patients a strong response to be optimistic through the medical process. In the medical way, touch can be divided into two parts; one is â€Å"instrumental touch†, another is â€Å"expressive† touch. Instrumental touch refers to the physical touch, such as bind up a wound. Expressive touch is more emotionally and spontaneous. Hence, touch is a key tool in the medical care; it makes patients more positive to face the medical treatment. What’s more, social interactions are a significant form of nonverbal communication. Symbolic stands for religious and status. On one hand, status can be a symbol of social level with person through his uniform, the brand of the car, and the size of the house. On the other hand, religious belief is equal to the culture, which makes certain people have unique communication. However, comparing to the difference between cultures, it’s pretty obviously that we can see the difference in the nonverbal communication. For example, physical space is a main difference. The acceptable physical distance in Latin America and Middle East is much shorter than it in America and Europe. Commonly, that’s why people often leave enough space for each other when they are standing online to buy the food. Besides, in terms of physical postures, the common example is the habit of many Americans who prefer to have a rest with their feet on the desk, but in Asia, Europe, and Middle East is unrespectable behavior. Additionally, hand and arm gestures means different between cultures. In some cases, for instance the â€Å"OK† sign, commonly it means everything is all right perfect. However, it means worthless in France and is money in Japan. Also, it even means rude in Germany. Another gesture â€Å"thumbs up†, usually it indicated all things are OK. But, in Nigeria, it means very offensive, while in Turkey, it means political rightist party. To sum up, nonverbal communication affects the way of people’s daily life, which tends to add more value to our communication. It makes our job review perfectly, promotes the development of the medical care, and enhances the progress of social interactions. As a result, nonverbal communication, as an essential communication skill, is getting more important and brings people the powerful communication with each other in different areas.

Friday, January 3, 2020

The Human Brain Essay - 1341 Words

Our brains weigh about three pounds and are divided into two similar looking but functionally different hemisphere, the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere. Both of which are connected by a large bundle of nerves called the corpus collosum. In some people with severe seizure disorders such as epilepsy, it was found that if this bundle of nerves was severed their seizure would either cease or a the very least be better controlled. From this surgical procedure it was discovered that the two hemispheres had different methods of processing information, as well as controlling parts of the body. The left hemisphere controls the right have of the body and the right hemisphere controls the left side. While we rely on both hemispheres to†¦show more content†¦Interestingly enough, the centers for speech interpretation and production are located in the left hemisphere. If the patient is blindfolded and a familiar object, such as a toothbrush, is placed in his left hand he appears to know what it is; for example by make the gesture of brushing his teeth. If asked by the experimenter to name the object he can not. When asked what he is doing with the object, gesturing a brushing motion, he has know idea. If the left hand gives the toothbrush to the right hand, the patient will immediately say quot;toothbrush.quot; Cutting apart the two hemispheres of the human brain is a drastic step, and is one of the most controversial operations ever performed. Controversy stems not from the risk to life the procedure involves. It stems from a Jekyll and Hyde aura surrounding the side effects-thequot;Split-Brainquot; syndrome. They orchestrate into a single personality if-and only if-the cerebral hemispheres communicate. Thus, many neurosurgeons have been reluctant to try the split-brain operation for fear of severing all vital communications. However, there may now be a way to avoid the Jekyll-Hyde effect. A new form of the surgery devised by P.J. Vogel called anterior cerebral commissurotomy eliminates the Jekyll-Hyde effect. The procedure involves; opening the skull, laying back the brains coverings, then using a tool called a cerebral retractor to expose the corpus callosum. The front three-fourths of the corpus callosum areShow MoreRelatedHuman Brain And Human Brains1477 Words   |  6 PagesWe, the human species are unique. This is a phrase we all have heard at some point in our lives. We are unique compared to other animals in our language, movements, and emotions. We have our own language which the majority of animals do not, we stand on two legs while the majority of the animals are on four legs, and we are much more sensitive to our emotional reactions, making us complex animals. Now, where does all these differences come from? 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