Gullivers Travels - Satire In Lilliput Essays - Gullivers Travels

Gulliver's Travels - Satire in Lilliput Gulliver's Travels - Satire in Lilliput Generations of schoolchildren raised on the first Book of "Gulliver's Travels" have loved it as a delightful visit to a fantasy kingdom full of creatures they can relate to-little creatures, like themselves. Few casual readers look deeply enough to recognize the satire just below the surface. But Jonathan Swift was one of the great satirists of his or any other age, and "Gulliver's Travels" is surely the apex of his art. "Gulliver's Travels" tells the story of Lemuel Gulliver, a ship's surgeon who has a number of rather extraordinary adventures, comprising four sections or "Books." In Book I, his ship is blown off course and Gulliver is shipwrecked. He wakes up flat on his back on the shore, and discovers that he cannot move; he has been bound to the earth by thousands of tiny crisscrossing threads. He soon discovers that his captors are tiny men about six inches high, natives of the land of Lilliput. He is released from his prone position only to be confined in a ruined temple by ninety-one tiny but unbreakable chains. In spite of his predicament, Gulliver is at first impressed by the intelligence and organizational abilities of the Lilliputians. In this section, Swift introduces us to the essential conflict of Book I: the naive, ordinary, but compassionate "Everyman" at the mercy of an army of people with "small minds". Because they are technologically adept, Gulliver does not yet see how small-minded the Lilliputians are. In Chapter II, the Emperor of Lilliput arrives to take a look at the "giant", and Gulliver is equally impressed by the Emperor and his courtiers. They are handsome and richly dressed, and the Emperor attempts to speak to Gulliver civilly (although they are unable to understand one another). The Emperor decrees that every morning Gulliver is to be delivered "six beeves, forty sheep, and other victuals," along with as much bread and wine as he needs, his basic needs are to be attended to, and six scholars are to teach Gulliver the language of his new compatriots. Again, in this chapter, Gulliver is won over by the fact that the Lilliputians are well-dressed and articulate (despite the fact that they speak a language he cannot understand). He is still held captive by these people, both metaphorically, as in being entranced by them, and literally. It is in this chapter that Gulliver first asks to be freed and is refused. As Chapter III opens, Gulliver and his captors have become great friends. Much in the style of a travelogue, Gulliver describes for the reader some of the unusual forms of entertainment practiced by the Lilliputians. For instance, anyone desiring a high position at court is required to jump up and down on a tightrope stretched six inches above the floor (and remember, Lilliputians are only six inches high). Only those who are able to do it win the office, and anyone wishing to remain in office may be asked to do it again. If he fails, he's out the door, and a successful rope-dancer takes his place. Gulliver remarks that it would seem that noble birth or a fine educational background would seem to be better predictors of one's ability to govern than dancing on a rope, but the Lilliputians find no sense in that. A similar "trial" requires office-seekers to jump over or crawl under a stick, sort of a combination vault and limbo exercise. The Emperor, who holds the stick, raises or lowers the stick suddenly and without warning, so the performer is obliged to change tactics midstream. Winners receive a snippet of colored thread, which they wear on their clothing with great pride. Gulliver delights the Emperor by inventing some new forms of entertainment, also; one involves making the calvary perform military maneuvers on the drum-taut surface of his handkerchief, stretched above the ground, but when a rider is thrown, Gulliver stops the game. At the end of this chapter, Gulliver is freed after agreeing to nine silly conditions. Chapter III is where it really gets interesting. Look at the types of entertainment the Lilliputians engage in, and why they do so. Swift makes a point of telling us that the only people who perform the rope dance are people seeking to acquire or maintain a high position at court, so this is actually not a form of "entertainment" at all; it's a form of political selection. And, Swift implies, it makes as much sense as the way many political appointments in his day were made-which is to say it makes no sense at

buy custom Archaic Homo Sapiens essay

buy custom Archaic Homo Sapiens essay The authors explore the cultural and social life of earlier members of the genus Homo, which include the archaic Homo sapiens. According to the authors, the archaic Homo sapiens were more environmentally adapted than their predecessors were. This is because they were able to make tools for use in various activities, which ranged from hunting, fishing, to self-defense. Tools found by archeologists that belonged to the archaic Homo sapiens indicate that they were advanced than those tools used by their predecessors. The authors explain that many of the tools that belonged to the archaic Homo sapiens resembled a lot with tools that were used in earlier industries by the current Homo sapiens. These tools date between 40,000 and 125, 000 years ago. Some of these tools include borer, hand axe, scraper, and knives, among others. Each tool had a different shape and size. Moreover, each tool had a specific purpose. For instance, the archaic Homo sapiens used knives to skin animals after hunti ng them, while the hand axe was used to break complex pieces of meat and bones from animals. Many of their tools were made of stones. However, the authors indicate that some tools were made of bones from animals. The resource is very useful in understanding more about the tools used by the archaic Homo sapiens because the authors provide some images of these tools. These images enable the reader to understand more about the different shapes, sizes, and forms of tools used by the predecessor of the modern human. In fact, to enable the reader understand the link between archaic Homo sapiens and the modern humans, the authors compare some of the tools belonging to the archaic Homo sapiens and those used by early surgeons. Just like the early Homo sapiens, the early surgeons used scalpels and blades made of stones from naturally occurring volcanic. They also used wood to make handles for their surgical tools and pine resin to join the handles to the tools. The authors also provide image s comparing the early surgeons tools with those used by the archaic Homo sapiens. The book is very insightful not only in providing a description of the features present in tools used by the archaic Homo sapiens, but also by providing images of some of the tools, with a clear view of the features present in these tools. In this book, the authors start by giving an account of cultural practices of the Homo sapiens. Just like Haviland et. al (2010), the authors in this resource acknowledge that the different types of archaic Homo sapiens were superior than their predecessors in terms of adaptation to the environment. The authors state that the Neanderthal man and the Homo sapiens sapiens were some of the different forms of archaic Homo sapiens. They state that these two categories of archaic Homo sapiens made and used tools of much greater efficiency and sophistication than all other prior species. For instance, the Neaderthals could make blades measuring around 40 inches from stones. The Homo sapiens sapiens could make blades measuring between 10 and 40 inches from stones as well. The authors of this resource agree with the previous authors that the archaic Homo sapiens made and used various tools for different purposes. Some of the tools mentioned by these authors include stone blades, scrapers, chi sel-like tools, arrows, and needles. Some of the uses of these tools as indicated by the authors include hunting, skinning animals, scraping and smoothing animal skins, and digging. Another similarity of these authors work and that of the previous authors is that the archaic Homo sapiens tools resembled a lot with tools used in early industries. These similarities include using wooden handles and the use of animal bones to make sharp-edged tools. In this book, the authors explore the Mousterian tradition of the archaic Homo sapiens. The authors use the word Mousterian to refer to the tool-making behavior of the archaic Homo sapiens. Similar to Serena Warms (2010) observation, the Neanderthal man belonged to one of the forms of archaic Homo sapiens. They state that tools made by the Neanderthal man were lighter and smaller than those made by earlier human species were. The authors also indicate that the Neanderthals also used advanced technology to make their tools. Unlike their predecessors who would make two or three flakes from an entire stone, the Neanderthals would make several smaller flakes from one stone. In addition, their flakes were sharper and smoother than those made their ancestors. This resource provides more information about the tool-making behavior of the archaic Homo sapiens. This is because the authors introduce new information, which is not present in the previous sources. The authors state that the Neand erthals had a wider variety of tools in their tool kit. These included flakes, hand axes, borers, and spears. They could use flakes to shave wood, which they would then use to make shafts for attaching to spears and other hand-held tools. The authors also point out that this variety of tools facilitated more effective use of food resources and enhanced the quality of clothing and shelter. This information enlightens us that the archaic Homo sapiens used tools to make cloths and shelter. The author of this resource focuses on the evolution of the early man, whose origin was traced in African countries. The author states that around 150,000 years ago, a major climate change took place in the world. During this period, the early Homo sapiens who lived in African regions were forced to migrate to other place of the world. Some headed towards Europe while others headed towards Asia. As they migrated, they had to close open water and Arctic regions. Due to exposure to different climatic conditions, they had to develop new techniques of making theiir tools. Their tool-making technique was improved compared to that of their ancestors back in the African regions. The author states that the archaic Homo sapiens were the first inventors of the blade. The blade was later adapted across Europe and Asia by the early ancestors of the modern human. Similar to other authors, the author of this resource points that the blades used by the archaic Homo sapiens were lighter, smaller, an d sharper than those used by prior species were. In addition, the author refers to the tool-making tradition of the archaic Homo sapiens as Mousterian tradition. This is similar to the previous resource by Castro et al. (1997). The author also provides images of various tools as well as images demonstrating the various techniques used by the Mousterian toolmakers to make refined blades. These images help the reader to understand the various tool-making technologies used by the archaic Homo sapiens. The author introduces a different tool, which is said to have been used by the archaic Homo sapiens during the Upper Paleolithic period. This is the spear-thrower (atlatl). The spear-thrower was a wooden device, between 1 and 2 feet long, with a hook at one edge, a stone at the middle, and a handle at the other edge. Hunter used the spear-thrower to through spears to wild animals from a distant location. This resource forms a good basis of the research because it enables the researcher to understand the various forms of technologies used by the archaic Homo sapiens and introduces new tools, which have not been mentioned in previous resources. In this resource, the author states that around 100,000 years ago, the human population spread into separate regions due to the disruption by the climatic changes that were taking place. There was a lot of volcanic eruption, which took place in many parts of Africa, which was the dominant habitant of the early human. The volcanic activities did not provide favorable survival environment to the early humans. Thus, they started moving to other parts of the world. Since they were separated from each other, they had to develop better methods of survival. This is when the archaic Homo sapiens are said to have developed new technology for making tools. Findings from this resource are similar to those of Castro et al. (1997) concerning development of advanced technology of manufacturing tools to develop cloths and shelter. The author states that the early humans from the archaic Homo sapiens generation, used scrapers to smoothen animal skins, which they used to cover themselves since they w ere exposed to cold climatic condition in their new habitants in Europe and Asia. In addition, they used hand axes to cut pieces of wood, which they used to make shelter. Therefore, this resource is important in providing more information concerning the archaic Homo sapienss tool-making behavior, and its connection with improving survival techniques of the archaic Homo sapiens. Buy custom Archaic Homo Sapiens essay

Problematic Media Use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Problematic Media Use - Essay Example Alongside this dynamic shift with regards to how society currently operates, a unique issue has been determined and has been labeled by research as problematic Internet usage e (PIU). As a result of researching this particular exhibition to a more profound degree, the following analysis will consider the article entitled, â€Å"An Evaluation of Two Characterizations of the Relationships Between Problematic Internet Use, Time Spent Using the Internet, and Psychosocial Problems†. It is the hope of this author that such analysis will help to shed a degree of light not only with regards the particular article in question, but also with respect to justifying it with some of the other readings that of engaged during the course of this week. One aspect of PIU that the article does not cover in enough depth is with regards to whether or not PIU is entirely dependent upon the exhibition of psychosocial issues. Although it can be appreciated that PIU is an issue that affects a broader a nd broader subset of current society, the fact of the matter is that determining whether or not this is an issue that should concern broader society is ultimately rooted in what the outcomes and side effects of PIU portend (Tokunaga & Rains, 2010). If it is true that PIU is mutually exclusive and cannot exist without the prevalence of psychosocial issues, then the research itself stands solidly upon the framework of delineating a codependent relationship between these. However, if it is the case that PIU can exist to varying degrees without clear and determinate impacts upon psychosocial interaction, the entire rubric and theses of this particular research is undone. Another shortcoming that is evidenced with regards to the research is whether or not correlation equals causation. Although the researchers lay out a definitively well researched piece with regards to whether or not anxiety, depression, and a litany of other psychosocial ills can result from Internet dependency, the rea der/researcher automatically questions whether or not the weekend exhibition of these could merely be exacerbated by the withdrawal from society and increased usage of the Internet as a means of escapism. Naturally, this particular review and analysis piece is neither the time nor the place to discuss whether or not such an alternative theory is indeed more applicable; however, it is worthwhile to note that accepting the theoretical model put forward by the authors of the research piece lens one to categorically accept several inherent weaknesses of the research. This naturally relates to many of the other topics that have thus far been read during the week’s assigned readings. Specifically, an issue of measurement is brought to light with Gibbs et al in their article, â€Å"First Come love, then comes Google: An investigation of uncertainty reduction strategies and self-disclosure in online dating†. The importance of tackling the measurement issues first are of the ut most importance as they lay the groundwork for any possibility of drawing further inference with regards to the research topic at hand. Ultimately, the issue of self-disclosure, as with any psychosocial issue is of a paramount importance. Other articles that helped to discuss the differing nuances of how technological addiction is playing into the lives of the average

Dependant on question picked from below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Dependant on question picked from below - Essay Example This essay examines masculinity in current society and considers whether it acts as a source of anxiety for men. There are significant differences between the genders in the way that people behave and what is expected of them. For example, it is widely recognised that males and females behave in different ways. Behavioural research has shown that males are more likely to take risks and be competitive than females . Another aspect where behaviour differs is in terms of health beliefs and behaviour that promotes good health. While females respond well to interventions that are designed to improve health, males show strong resistance. These differences are strongly associated with the perception of masculinity . Most considerations of masculinity and femininity begin with the basic assumption that men are one thing and women are something else. They are two opposites, dichotomies, distinct from one another in numerous ways. Traditional perceptions of males and females often consider tha t men are defined as themselves, while women are considered by what they do not have compared to males. Although feminism has made much progression in the area of females being considered inferior, or lacking, there is still an underlying notion that males and females are distinct from one another . How valid is this assumption? Biologically men and women are distinct from one another (with a few exceptions that are the result of chromosomal abnormalities), but does this difference in physical characteristics correspond to distinct sexual identities, one for each gender? The standard formula is for two distinct identities. On average, most men behave in a manner that is considered to be male or masculine. They wear pants, they do not wear makeup, most do not show emotions and a large number exhibit a rugged demeanour where they attempt to be strong. Likewise, women tend to be different. However, there are many people in society for whom these traditional images of males and females do not explain their behaviour patterns. For example, transsexuals are of one distinct physical gender, but behave as if they are the opposite. This is most commonly recognised in males, such as men who dress in female clothing and wear makeup . There are less extreme examples of this also. Some men are highly emotional, while others focus strongly on clothing or skin appearance, in a way that is more strongly associated with females. Therefore, within modern society, there are many different images of gender, from the typical perceptions of male and female, to those that do not conform to the recognised ‘rules’. What is masculinity in this context? Does it still exist, or are gender perceptions so fluid that there is no distinction between male and female gender identities. To understand this, it is important to first consider the concepts of masculinity and femininity and how these are perceived in modern society. Masculinity As a concept, masculinity can be difficult to define, as it means different things to different people, and it is an idea that continues to change and grow. A typical male of the 1960s is very little like the typical male of the modern era. Furthermore, the presence of people who defy gender boundaries

Stereotypes And Realities Of The Japanese Yakuza Criminology Essay

Stereotypes And Realities Of The Japanese Yakuza Criminology Essay Part 1: Yakuza as Criminals First and foremost, the Yakuza is a crime syndicate and hence it is unsurprising that they indulge in all sorts of criminal activities that involve the vices (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. xviii). The more major activities would be gambling, prostitution, extortion and drug dealing (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. xviii). The yakuzas involvement with gambling can be said to date back to a few hundred years ago, back when some of the yakuza were known as the bakuto, also known as the gamblers (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 7). The bakuto is one of the ancestors of the yakuza and another ancestor would be the tekiya (the peddlers) (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 7), but some yakuza do not regard themselves to be the same as the tekiya (Saga, 1991, p. 195). In the 20th century, the yakuzas gambling activities mainly involved running gambling joints in the entertainment district, where attracting and retaining their customers were of paramount significance. Besides the gambling joint being constantly raided by the police (since running gambling joints is illegal in itself), the yakuza were actually professional gamblers that generally do not cheat as it would chase away their customers once they were found out (Saga, 1991). More recently, besides handling betting on various activities such as Sumo Wrestling and horse races, the Yakuza have also incorporated pachinko parlours into their gambling activities which has been very profitable for them since pachinko is legal and is Japans national gambling pastime (Stratfor, 2012, Criminal Enterprises section, para. 2). The Yakuza have also invested great efforts into prostitution as it is a highly profitable industry that caters to great demand from Japanese men. This has caused the yakuza to have a hand in pornography and human trafficking as well (Stratfor, 2012, Criminal Enterprises section, para. 3). In the human trafficking aspect, the yakuza exploit young foreign women by luring them from overseas to Japan, then forcing them to work in the sex industry. Sometimes, unwanted female children from China are bought for this purpose as well (Bruno, 2012, chap. 4). As for the pornography aspect, not only do the Yakuza produce and sell pornography that may include underage girls (Stratfor, 2012, Criminal Enterprises section, para. 4), they also smuggle in pornography material from overseas (Bruno, 2012, chap. 4). In the case of extortion by the Yakuza, a phenomenon known as the sokaiya has to be briefly mentioned. By sokaiya, one refers to people who disrupt shareholder meetings by engaging in various acts, be it through violence or other forms of disruption; thus members of the corporation pay these people to prevent them from disturbing the shareholder meetings (Szymkowiak, 2002, p. 5). Often, these sokaiya buy some shares in a company to gain them access to these meetings then dig up ugly secrets of the corporation or its members and threaten to disrupt the impending shareholder meeting and reveal these secrets if they are not paid. Their demands are usually met by members of the corporation for fear of unsightly revelations (Bruno, 2012, chap. 4). Due to the ease in which money could be obtained from the corporations as well as the low risk of such an activity (the corporations were unlikely to report the extortion to the authorities since they were afraid the sokaiya would reveal their s ecrets), the yakuza readily engaged in such a form of extortion and [amassed] large cash payoffs from corporations (Szymkowiak, 2002, p. 76). As for drug dealing, the yakuza mainly deal in amphetamines. These stimulant drugs were legal and rampant during and after World War 2, where they were mainly used by soldiers and civilians respectively. Amphetamine abuse was so severe that the Stimulant Drug Control Law was passed in 1951 to curb the use of amphetamines and this law was effective to some extent (Hill, 2003, p. 99). However, even today, drug abuse still occurs in the form of methamphetamine injections. The yakuza dominate this industry due to their availability of resources and manpower which allows them to be able to handle this illegal industry; some yakuza members are consumers of these drugs as well. Although there is contempt within the yakuza towards those that deal with drugs, many yakuza still turn to drug dealing to sustain their lifestyles (Hill, 2003, p. 100) since drug dealing is a very lucrative industry (Hill, 2003, p. 101). It is so lucrative that about a third of the yakuzas income comes from drug dea ling, especially in methamphetamines (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. xviii). Hence, it seems that the Yakuza engage quite heavily in criminal activities and are indeed criminals. In fact, in the National Police Agency White Paper in 1989 (as cited in Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 131), about 80.3% of the yakuzas income is derived from illegal activities, among which the more significant activities will be stimulant drug trafficking (34.8%) and gambling (16.9%). In this case, the yakuzas criminal activities may have led to them being stereotyped as criminals, which they really are. However, it is doubtful as to whether they are the typical criminals that everyone expects them to be. For example, in movies and novels, the yakuza are always reaching for swords and guns but that is not actually the case as they do not want to catch the attention of the police and cause their businesses to close down (Saga, 1991, p. 194). This is an interesting point that seems to portray the yakuza as businessmen. Also, the yakuza are open about their identities as yakuza despite their criminal activities. It is not uncommon to see them wearing accessories declaring their gang affiliation and they also openly display their gang emblems on their offices. Some of the yakuza leaders have even apologised to the public through press conferences for any inconvenience they might have caused during gang wars (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. xviii). All these actions make them seem different from the typical criminal that is often covert about their criminal identity and this is what distinguishes the Japanese Yakuza from the Mafia. Part 2: Yakuza as chivalrous followers of samurai values Besides being criminals, the yakuza also exhibit chivalry in some instances which could be attributed to the influence of the samurai in many aspects of the yakuza. One such aspect would be the relationship between the bosses and the yakuza members which is known as oyabun-kobun (father role-child role). This relationship is uniquely Japanese as it is derived from the lord and vassal relationship of the samurai which originated in feudal Japan. This relationship entails the loyalty and subservience of the kobun in return for the guidance and protection of the oyabun (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 8). A result of this relationship is yubitsume which is a way for an errant yakuza member to pay penance to his leader. Yubitsume involves the severing of a little finger joint which is then offered to the leader. This tradition contributes to one of the most common stereotypes of the yakuza, which is that they all have missing fingers. Also, yubitsume actually has its origins from a few centuries ago when the more influential yakuza wielded the katana (the weapon of the samurai) and the loss of a finger joint will weaken their grip of the katana. This increases the reliance of the errant member on his leader and he therefore becomes more indebted (Stratfor, 2012, Inside the Yakuza World section, para. 5). Once again, the influence of the samurai, which is a Japanese entity, can be seen in the traditions of the Yakuza. Another thing that the Yakuza adopted from the samurai would be the values from bushido, in particular the values of ninjo (obligation or strong sense of duty) and giri (human feeling). With these values, the yakuza could demonstrate that they, like the samurai, could combine compassion and kindness with their martial skills (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 17). These values are part of what makes the yakuza uniquely Japanese. Furthermore, the adoption of these values may have contributed to the stereotypical yakuza hero that was formerly portrayed in yakuza movies in the 1960s a chivalrous yakuza that had to choose between his interests and obligations (Schilling, 2003, p. 23). Additionally, the Japanese Yakuza demonstrated their chivalry when they generously provided various types of relief supplies to disaster victims after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan; they also did so after the Kobe earthquake in 1995 (Norman, 2011). The chivalry demonstrated by the yakuza casts doubt on th eir identities as criminals and sets them apart from ordinary criminals and perhaps other criminal organisations like the Mafia (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 18). However, there are some that argue that the yakuza were more chivalrous in the past. Shotaro Hayashi, a yakuza boss, asserted that the real yakuza existed until only the end of the Showa era [1925] and that there was more chivalry in those days (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 126). This could be why the stereotype of the yakuza has seemed to change in recent years; the modern-day gangsters as portrayed in more recent yakuza movies are more merciless and far from noble, yet they are said to be more realistic (Schilling, 2003, p. 19). This shift in portrayal calls into question what the yakuza really are currently. Yet, the current stereotype in the yakuza movies seems to be contradicted by the recent actions of the yakuza in the Japanese earthquake or perhaps there might be a deeper meaning behind the actions of the yakuza. Part 3: Yakuza as nationalists Besides being chivalrous followers of the samurai values, the yakuza are also nationalists. The beginning of the nationalist yakuza began in 1881 when Mitsuru Toyama set up the Genyosha (Dark Ocean Society), the forerunner of Japans modern secret societies and patriotic groups. This led to the creation of a new type of yakuza that were heavily involved in political activities, specifically ultranationalism (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 22). They funded their political activities through sponsorships from wealthy patrons or typical yakuza crimes. Initially, the more traditional yakuza acted separately from these new yakuza but as it became clear that they shared similar beliefs (such as Shinto) (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 23) and both favoured the right wing (due to threats from the left wing), many of the bosses and their gangs converted to ultranationalism (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 24). In 1919, a national federation of gangsters, the Kokusui-kai, was created, which eventually became the par amilitary arm of one of Japans significant political parties then; eventually, some yakuza bosses even managed to become members of the parliament (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 25). Besides that, the yakuza continued to contribute manpower for fighting and other purposes so as to advance their cause (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. 26). Although all these events happened before the war, even till today the yakuza are affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party, which is a right-leaning political party (Stratfor, 2012, The Meiji Restoration section, para. 4). In this case the yakuza seem to be just Japanese trying to advance a political cause in Japan, instead of criminals. Part 4: Yakuza as Mafia The Japanese Yakuza can also be seen as similar to another non-Japanese criminal syndicate, namely the Mafia. After all, the criminal activities that the yakuza are involved in are quite similar to those of the Mafia. Also, like the Mafia, the yakuza are influential in the construction and entertainment industries; they also control numerous legitimate businesses which are sometimes used as fronts for their illegal ones. Both of them have some political power behind the scenes as well (Kaplan Dubro, 2003, p. xviii). The most striking similarity between the two criminal syndicates will perhaps be their unwritten laws as shown in Kaplan Dubro (2003): Never reveal the secrets of the organization. Never violate the wife or children of another member. No personal involvement with narcotics. Do not withhold money from the gang. Do not fail in obedience to superiors. Do not appeal to the police or even the lawà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(p. 125) These similarities seem to suggest that the Japanese Yakuza might have been influenced by entities outside of Japan as both the Yakuza and the Mafia are involved in similar activities and are governed by the same rules. Conclusion There is little doubt that the Japanese Yakuza are indeed criminals as their involvement in various criminal activities is extensive. However, they seem to differ somewhat from the average gangster due to the values they seem to uphold, which could be due to their Japanese roots and the influence that the Japanese samurai had on them. Furthermore, the yakuza seem to be strongly affiliated with the political right-wing of Japan, making them akin to nationalists as well. Their similarities with the Mafia, though obvious, seem to be rather limited as various differences can be noted and were mentioned in the paper. Ultimately, the yakuza are originated from and based in Japan, so although it would be a stretch to call them uniquely Japanese as no nationality is completely unique, they definitely possess the characteristics that show that they are Japanese.

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In the increasing diversity and challenges in education, every student looks for an effective institution that will cater their needs and interests as an individual. Each one feels the need to be comfortable not only in the curriculum or degree they are taking but at the same time the availability to expand their knowledge and experience outside the four walls of the classroom.In the end, the integral part of the learning process involves synchronizing student goals with the framework of the school/college.The choice of education has always been an important decision for me as I engage into another phase of my life. I feel the need to prefer a school that will cater to my needs as a student and at the same time offer opportunities to grow in my other talents and capabilities. Moreover, it must also showcase a nurturing environment where I can establish healthy social relationships with my peers and colleagues.Lastly, I favor an educational institution that will accommodate for my hol istic maturity as an individual. With all of these, Gonzaga College High School came into my mind.One important reason how the Gonzaga will benefit me as a student is the fact that it can serve as my training ground to have the necessary skills to be competitive amongst my counterparts. Its curriculum boasts numerous classroom programs aimed towards enhancing potentials inside and outside the classroom.Likewise, it can instill in me the discipline and proper attitude to address work and study. By giving me these relative experiences, I can better deal with more complex and complicated situations without compromising effectiveness and quality of work.Another reason that Gonzaga can provide assistance in my education is its ability to harness my other capabilities and talents. With my current interest in lacrosse, I feel that I can be a good contribution to the team if ever I am accepted. I will try to the utmost of my capacity to make it one of the best in the league.On the other han d, my musical inclination can be enhanced by the school as well. By giving me the opportunity to play in a musical band, my guitar skills can be better and at the same time provide enjoyment to listeners.Lastly, I do believe that Gonzaga can supply my interests as a student which is why it has been my first choice for attending and independent school. This is because I do not believe that the public school system can give me the sufficient academic and social environment that Ð ° student like myself desires and needs for future advancement.With a better management and dedicated educators, I feel that making this choice shall never be a mistake. This is why I firmly believe that the admission in Gonzaga will give me an edge and provide a learning environment in which I can use to excel and pave the way for a good college education.In the end, it may be true that a good educational institution is beneficial for the student to have a better future. However, it must also take the dedic ation and perseverance of an individual to succeed. I believe that I too must also contribute to my overall improvement.Though the school can have the necessary tools towards attaining these objectives, the rest of the process still rests on my part. Due to this, I feel that having the proper attitude and mindset towards education and learning can supplement what the school and teachers provide. It is this merging and continuous exchange between two processes that the overall goals of self improvement and success are attained

E-Discovery Procurement

Table of Contents Assignment #1: e-Discovery Project Procurement Management2 Introduction2 Plan e-Discovery Procurements3 Conduct e-Discovery Procurements5 Administer e-Discovery Procurements6 Close e-Discovery Procurements8 Conclusion9 References10 Assignment #1: e-Discovery Project Procurement Management Introduction Most projects of whichever size or significance cannot be completed using 100% in-sourced resources. But Project managers must still procure their project’s resources that are not obtained in-house, and that must be done through outsourcing.To that end, the project procurement process â€Å"tries to maximize the value derived from all funds invested in the project to obtain goods and services. This occurs by reducing the cost and using more effectively and efficiently whatever is obtained† (Rapp, 2011, pp. Kindle 2974-2975). Seasoned project managers know that the deceptively humdrum aspects of procurement can be a greater source of pain for a projectâ₠¬â„¢s quality, recovery schedule and budget if they are not given their due recognition and attention.New project managers need to realize that at the core of their success stands, among other things, great management of their project’s procurements and precise logistics, which is essential to success. Therefore, procurement success begins with planning procurements, conducting procurements, administering procurements and closing procurements. The procurement process â€Å"includes the processes necessary to purchase or acquire products, services, or results needed from outside the project team† (PMI, 2011, pp. Kindle 5723-5724).This paper will discuss the procurement process that could have been applied to a law firm matter for which e-Discovery services had to be outsourced. According to the EDRM (2013)E-Discovery is the management of electronically stored information (ESI) to mitigate risk and expenses during the discovery phase of a matter and though it is not alwa ys a full blown legal case , it could evolve into that. The law firm had a client who had a desire to review for relevance hundreds of thousands of documents on a hard drive which held a collection of data from client servers.As project manager of the e-Discovery part of this matter, I was tasked with managing that procurement from inception to closure and the inter-organizational relationships thereof. Plan e-Discovery Procurements For the procurement inputs, we must first document any and all decisions and legal requirements that the appropriate stakeholders or legal entities have made regarding the outsourcing of materials, services, and results expected and acceptable in a legal matter.In an e-Discovery project, this would require the use of and input from the following according to the PMBOK Guide (2011): Scope Baseline Requirements Documentation Teaming agreements Risk register Risk related contract decisions Activity resource requirements Project schedule Activity cost estima te Cost performance baseline Enterprise Environmental Factors Thus, the circumstances and technical reasons that preclude us from in-house e-Discovery can be determined utilizing make-or buy analysis and expert judgment.We would show what we need in order to execute outsourced e-Discovery, and the boundaries within which we must control an outsourced deliverable by using the scope baseline, WBS including jargon definitions for lay stakeholders. Also, the PM would document the level of service that is required to achieve the client’s goals with relation to the legal matter and apply planned value, earned value and actual cost analyses for estimates. Next, all contracts between the firm, the client, the e-Discovery seller and any other parties including the contract types – hether fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, time & material, or some hybrid should be codified. If this is a matter where the government is represented, it is likely that an agreement would disqualify the use of some types of contracts, specifically cost plus percentage of cost contract types. Commercial matters may or may not have the same restrictions. With the preceding inputs the PM can then identify and document risks, risk owners and risk responses at all e-Discovery stages and include all project contributors.Identify and record all contract decisions that could present risks or opportunities during the execution of the contracts and parties that are responsible for those risk responses specific to each contract. Confirm positive market conditions, rate comparisons and local regulatory requirements. The plan began by â€Å"determining which project needs can be fulfilled internally by the project team and which can best be met externally (Marchewka, 2012, p. 382). The project team made decisions about when, how, what quantities and what sources would sustain the insourced and outsourced tasks.With this information and the results of the plan inputs, tools and techniques, eith er a detailed or a broadly organized project procurement management plan that includes guidance for procurements from inception to closure. The documentation would comprise the e-Discovery procurement statement of work identifying where documents should be collected, and from which custodians. Where documents should be sent for processing, processing specifications and options, document review requirements and rules, categorization specifications, production format agreements and production deadlines.Included would be the documentation for any make or buy analyses and peripheral procurement documents like proposals, bids and technical documentation. And finally, the plan will include the final source selection criteria utilized to rate and select the e-Discovery seller would be documented as well. With the attainment of this procurement management plan depicting activities from creating procurement documents through contract closure and accepted by the stakeholders, the PM can comme nce with conducting procurements. Conduct e-Discovery ProcurementsNow that the project procurement plan has been hashed out, the RFP has been sent out, bids have been received and analyzed (this process is often repeated until a select pool is attained), the PM can focus on awarding a contract to the seller that best fits the needs of the legal matter and the e-Discovery requirements according to the plan documentation and some tools and techniques. Utilizing the following inputs, that selection will be made to engage a seller according to the PMBOK Guide (2011): Project management plan Procurement documents Source selection criteria Qualified seller list Seller proposals Project documentsMake-or-buy decisions Teaming agreements Organizational process assets The PM will utilize the above inputs to describe and codify the e-Discovery project procurement process from inception to closure. The objective is to obtain a sensible range of possible high quality proposals in order to achiev e the e-discovery goals of this matter. The project documents help to build a solid selection criteria such as a weighted system, which through past experience will be based on the PM’s expert judgment about seller criteria, independent estimates and bidder conferences to further narrow down the most qualified of sellers.When it is necessary to extend the pool of bidders, some can be obtained through advertisements in industry publications and with organizational process assets such as preferred vendors and partnering agreements. For e-Discovery, it is not likely that a random internet search would suffice to identify sellers as this is a very specialized field. Through proposal evaluation techniques that have been approved by management, the selection criteria will evolve. The details of the sellers’ proposals will have everything that the PM needs to make a fair weighted selection.Matching the requirements to the project documentation will ensure that the PM is stayi ng within the bounds of the project requirements and the risk register. The use of the make-or-buy decisions will determine whether portion of the project should be insourced or should remain part of a teeming agreement. Organizational process assets will identify other sellers that qualified for previous projects as well as documented best practices and lessons learned from previous project whether they were successful or failed.The result of conducting procurement is a selected seller which is typically approved by management and other critical stakeholders if necessary. The contract, with the structure that was approved â€Å"defines the terms and conditions or such things as responsibilities and authorities, technical and project management approaches, proprietary rights, financing, schedule, payments, quality requirements, and price, as well as remedies and process for revisions to the contract† (Marchewka, 2012, p. 83), is signed sealed and delivered. For an e-Discovery project, the contract can also contain the agreed upon project calendar and resource calendars that depict court dates and deadlines, change request procedures with integrated change control measures. Finally, the updates to the project management plan and project documents are executed including the baselines and the risk register. With the project updates complete, the PM can now administer procurements. Administer e-Discovery ProcurementsNow that the project documents are updated the seller and the buyer are in a relationship guided by the contract, the client expectations have been set, resources have been affiliated with the project scope and the stage is set to execute the project deliverables. Each party, buyer and seller must accomplish their obligations at a high level of quality according to the Ts & Cs of the contract. Rules are created to manage changes to the contract, procurements are reviewed on a scheduled basis, reports with the results of inspections and audits to show the effectiveness of the process.Functional structures such as payment systems, claims administration and records management are set up. The inputs toward these activities according to the PMBOK Guide (2011) include: Procurement documents Project management plan Contract Performance reports Approved change requests Work performance information * The PM will utilize the inputs to create the final procurement documentation. In an e-Discovery project the â€Å"contract documentation allows people who did not participate in forming the contract to carry out the agreement made by the people who did† (Garrett, 2010, p. 6). It will contain the collection activities during discovery, the chain of custody for the hard drive or other media containing data, the processing specifications, any de-duplication issues and the exception report showing which documents could not be processed and suggestions for addressing any that are of interest to the client. The contract documentation will contain details about the document review, and â€Å"modifications, invoices, meeting notes, payments, and correspondence† (Garrett, 2010, p. 8), as well as technical facts from the seller about the deliverables. Also, the PM will update the organizational process assets, such as â€Å"assumptions about present or future company assets that can impact the success of the project such as the capability of your enterprise project management methodology, the project management information system, forms, templates, guidelines, checklists, and the ability to capture and use lessons learned data and best practices† (Kerzner, 2009, pp. Kindle 9889-9891).In an e-Discovery project, this is very critical because the industry is always growing and changing. Finally, change requests are processed for review and action and then the project management plan is updated as the final output. With the administration of procurements complete, the project plan updated, and the document review and final production complete, now the PM can close procurements. Close e-Discovery Procurements Closing procurements involves the â€Å"process of verifying that all administrative matters are concluded on a contract that is otherwise physically complete.This involves completing and settling the contract, including resolving any open items† (Kerzner, 2009, pp. Kindle 18292-18293). The PM will commence with closing the procurement with the following inputs according to the PMBOK Guide (2011): Project management plan Procurement documentation Fleming (2003) recommends that it is a best practice to ensure that the seller has completed all of the tasks, terms and conditions of the SOW and contract unless the circumstances dictate otherwise as â€Å"there are often residual issues which must be addressed† (Fleming, 2003, p. 27). Ultimately, with these issues resolved, the PM will use the inputs to conduct procurement audits to identify and document the good, bad an d ugly achievements and disappointments in performance of the contract. The PM can also explore and execute any negotiated settlements of open items to avoid litigation, however sometimes litigation is unavoidable, though not wanted. Finally, the records management system must be updated with the above tools and techniques outcomes.The e-Discovery project is closed when the PM closes procurements and thusly notifies all appropriate stakeholders that the contract has been completed and details any spin-off actions that might apply. The procurement file, derivable acceptance and lessons learned documentation should all be updated, finalized and executed accordingly so that the entire contract process can be written in stone for future reference or projects. ConclusionMost e-Discovery projects of varying scope will not be completely in-sourced so they require some level of outsourcing or procurement. According to the PMBOK Guide (2011, p. 313), procurement success begins with planning procurements, conducting procurements, administering procurements and closing procurements and these steps may intermingle, may require multiple discrete or ongoing efforts and individuals or teams to complete. The PM must initially plan the procurements using the inputs tools and techniques as a basis for the conducting procurement.Next, the PM should conduct procurements using the inputs, tools and techniques as basis for administering procurements successfully while all along documenting the outputs and updates. Third, the PM must administer the procurements using the inputs, tools and techniques as a basis for closing the procurement while updating documentation and resolving buyer and seller differences along the way. Finally, the PM will close procurements and wrap up any lose ends with the ultimate goal of project success and notification to all parties that the procurement is closed.The procurement plan will make it a simple exercise for all of the stakeholders whether they were involved in the procurement or not to know the status of the procurement throughout the outsourcing lifecycle. References EDRM. (2013). The Electronic Discovery Reference Model: Establishing guidelines. Setting standards. Delivering resources. Retrieved from edrm. net: http://www. edrm. net/resources/edrm-stages-explained Fleming, Q. W. (2003). Project Procurement Management Contracting, Subcontracting, Teaming. Tustin, CA: FMC Press.Garrett, G. A. (2010). World Class Contracting (5th Kindle Edition ed. ). (W. K. Legal, Ed. ) Aspen PUblishers. Kerzner, H. (2009). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. Wiley. Marchewka, J. T. (2012). Information technology project management with CD-ROM. (4th). Wiley. PMI. (2011, Jan 01). A guide to project management body of knowledge. (4th). Project Management Institute. Rapp, R. R. (2011). Disaster Recovery Project Management: Brining Order from Chaos (Kindle Edition ed. ). BookMasters.