Featured Post

The Protagonist Victor in “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” by Sherman Alexie

Victor In the absolute first sentence of Sherman Alexie's â€Å"This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona,† you can acce...

Monday, September 30, 2019

Alfred Wallace

The scientific understanding of life has been shaped with the guidance of intellectual breakthroughs in history. One of these breakthroughs Is Alfred Russell Wallace (1823-1913), a British naturalist born in Monotheistic, England who gained a reputation of greatness upon exploration of Malay Archipelago. Unlike other great Intellects Like Charles Darwin, Wallace had dropped his formal schooling at the age of fourteen to start providing for his family as a carpenter.Later In life Wallace acquires a job at the Collegiate school of Leister teaching, and it is here that he tests Henry Walter Bates, a naturalist who sparks Wallach's interest in nature. Alfred Russell Wallace is known to have advocate the the theory of intelligent evolution and co-discover natural selection alongside Charles Dawn. This theory suggests that evolution is purely built for utility and only occurs when changes are necessary for survival and purposeful. Wallace writes a letter to Darwin stating his theory, and c learly impacts him to write â€Å"Origin of Species†.Wallace becomes a spiritualist In 1860 and began to believe In theology. Wallach's new beliefs lead him to reject scientific explanations of human Intelligence and Instead believe that teleology was the cause of evolution. The theory of intelligent evolution was widely accepted alongside Drawing's by the science community up until Wallach's belief of spirituality developed. Although the theories of Darwin and Wallace are very similar, and were even viewed as the same in Darning's eyes, the difference between the two is that Darwin wasn't afraid to publish his and Wallace was.Public opinion of unorthodox theories of evolution at the time were very harsh and close-minded, but publication of these risky theories gave the public an opportunity to open up to modern thinking. The Intelligent mind of Alfred Wallace had been opened up to naturalism through the readings of numerous Influential works. Controversial academic publishin g Like â€Å"Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation† and â€Å"Constitution of Man† by George Combo suggested to the public that the environment around man is responsible for hang.More readings such as Charles Lye's Principles of Geology helped Wallace realize that mankind had the potential to change, thus sparking his curiosity and drive to understanding. Alfred Wallace By radicand breakthroughs in history. One of these breakthroughs is Alfred Russell Wallace reputation of greatness upon exploration of Malay Archipelago. Unlike other great intellects like Charles Darwin, Wallace had dropped his formal schooling at the age of fourteen to start providing for his family as a carpenter.Later in life Wallace acquires a Job at the Collegiate school of Leister teaching, and it is here that he spiritualist in 1860 and began to believe in theology. Wallach's new beliefs lead him to reject scientific explanations of human intelligence and instead believe that The intellige nt mind of Alfred Wallace had been opened up to naturalism through the readings of numerous influential works. Controversial academic publishing like Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation† and â€Å"Constitution of Man† by George

Sunday, September 29, 2019

The Use of Humor in Richard III by Shakespeare

There is no doubt that Shakespeare was the author of great pieces of literature during an interesting time period. Given the circumstances, he was indeed mastering his craft during a very tumultuous juncture in British history. When one reads Richard III, they don’t necessarily have to know a great deal about the War of Roses to understand that there is some serious strife going on. However, if the reader takes some time to understand this fascinating string of events, the story of Richard and his fall becomes much more interesting. In all of his brilliance, Shakespeare manages to toy with the idea of humor in this very morose play. As a matter of fact, he does this in many, if not all of his tragedies. However, few may match the juxtaposition of humor with the macabre in Richard III. After a reading of this play, one may ask, â€Å"how does Shakespeare use humor in this play? † The answer to that would be: in a few different ways. However, no matter which was he uses humor; the end result will be a perfectly balanced dialogue that is witty and snappy. First, the reader is introduced to the play’s protagonist, Richard. His opening lines are incredibly captivating, but they come to an abrupt halt when his brother Clarence approaches. Already, the audience is let in on Richards â€Å"dirty little secret† that tells us he wants to become king, and will kill anyone who stands in his way. Unfortunately for Clarence, he is in the way. However, the reader would be keen to notice that Richard is a manipulative satirist. He constantly uses humor and ridicule to expose the stupidity or even naivety of others around him. In the very first scene, Clarence is being led up to the tower by guards, which is all part of Richard’s master plan. When Richard asks about the situation, he is sympathetic and angry. At this point, the reader gains some insight to what kind of person Richard is, and may even see a slight hint of humor in the situation. Indirectly, the audience is almost spoken to in an aside type of manner. Readers of the play know full well what is going on, and the gullible nature of the unsuspecting murdered-to-be is funny. Again, in Act I, scene ii, the reader sees Richard interact with Anne. It is pointed out that he has killed her husband, and as the story unfolds, the reader can tell that she is not too happy about this. However, an argument ensues, and Richard manages to woo Anne. The exchange is full of colorful language and snappy wit, the kind Shakespeare is so good at. However, the best part of this exchange of words occurs at the end of the scene, when Richard states, â€Å"Was ever woman in this humor wooed? /Was ever woman in this manner won? † (ll 234-235) Obviously, the word humor in this sense is not how modern readers would understand it. However, the way the scene unfolded, and the way that Richard is pleased with himself is humorous, even if it’s the, â€Å"ha-ha, you think you’re hot stuff† kind of humor. In the following scene, members of the nobility are arguing over status. While some readers may find the exchanges between all of them to be funny because they are acting like children, the true humor lies in the false poise of Queen Margaret in her asides. While some of the members argue, she puts her two cents in, and then steps forward. The dialogue gets snappy and heated, but takes a sharp break when this part of the exchange comes: â€Å"Margaret. /Richard/Ha! /I call thee not! /I cry thee mercy, then, for I did think/ That thou hadst called me all those bitter names. /Why, so did I, but looked for no reply. (ll 236-241) The reader can imagine this exchange of dialogue taking place on stage, careening back and forth, until a little humor breaks it. However, the dialogue picks up again, and the bitterness continues. After she exits, they all talk to each other, pretty much asking, â€Å"what the heck was that all about? The next scene also has some prime examples of humor in this play. Here, two murderers are sent to kill Clarence. The text is so rich in indirectly describing the demeanor of these two, and the reader undoubtedly chuckles when reading the dialogue between the two of them. Primarily, the reader sees this in lines 110-115: â€Å"I’ll go back to the duke of Gloucester and tell him so. / Please, just wait a minute. I’m hoping my holy mood will pass. / It usually only lasts about twenty seconds. / How are you feeling now? / Actually, I’m still feeling some pangs of conscience. Even in modern times, the idea of a conscience coming and going instead of being unwavering is funny. Even funnier is the thief being aware of this, and saying, â€Å"hang on, it’ll pass†, as if his holy conscience were a case of bad gas or something like that. Further on, the two murderers talk about conscience, and how nobody would listen to it even if it flew out of a wallet. Of course, no Shakespeare play would be complete without the use of puns. Shakespeare uses this type of humor as a witty way to keep the dialogue fresh and flowing. The reader gets a taste of these funny little bits as early as the first act and first scene, when Brakenbury starts, â€Å"With this, my lord, myself have naught to do. / Naught to do with Mistress Shore? I tell thee, fellow, / He that doth naught with her, excepting one, / Were best he do it secretly, alone. / (ll 97-100) The reader sees Richard use a play on the word ‘naught’. Brakenbury seems to use it for a common meaning, â€Å"nothing†. However, Richard being as dirty minded and witty as he is, uses the word as ‘copulate’ or ‘naughty’. So, he implies that there should only be one guy having sex with Mrs. Shore, and that everyone ought to keep their sexual business to themselves. Shakespeare is using humor for the sake of it right here, but he also allows the reader to see the quick-thinking side of Richard. This really solidifies the image of Richard as an evil, two-faced person. Again, Shakespeare uses puns in the scene with Anne as well: O, cursed be the hand that made these holes; / Cursed the heart that had the heart to do it; / Cursed the blood that let this blood from hence. (ll 13-15) And yet again, the reader sees a subtle use of the pun in act I, scene I when Richard says, â€Å" Well, your imprisonment shall not be long, / I will deliver you, or else lie for you. / (ll 114-115) Here, Shakespeare lets the audience in on the little joke that only Richard and those who are reading know. The word lie to Clarence means, â€Å"Go to prison† or â€Å"stay in prison†. However, the reader knows for certain that Richard means lie as in ‘deceive’. And deceive he will, as this is his whole purpose in the play. Throughout the play, readers are reminded that this is a gruesome story about a man and his tragic flaws. Perhaps this man Richard even fell from grace, but he’d have to have grace to begin with. Shakespeare does a good job of infusing humor in the most fitting ways by characterizing Richard as a satirist and excellently deceiving linguist. Also, Shakespeare uses humor in sharp, brisk dialogue between characters to demonstrate ideas such as lack of conscience and close-mindedness. Again, while there may be humor in other Shakespeare tragedies, none may be able to balance out the storyline as well as it was done in Richard III.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Taget market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Taget market - Essay Example on of Apple’s target market is different from the competitors, because focus of the company is to target end users while other companies focus on targeting the overall market. The business plan of many organizations is based on market size, but there are companies like Apple, which realizes that people are the one who accepts or rejects any product. The selected target market of Apple has become so successful that many organizations are now willing to buy products of Apple, as they have realized that Apple has been able to define the needs of their customers on the basis of differentiation strategy. For the convenience of its users, Apple has converted complicated technology in a convenient technology, and this is the reason that millions of people around the world are attracted towards the products of Apple. The article has extended concepts that are discussed in the class that it is important for the companies to select appropriate target market for their products or service and without selecting proper target market, products of the company cannot become successful. Apple has tried to change concept of target market in such a way that company do not consider market size while selecting target market instead, the company aims to focus on targeting end user. This strategy of Apple has helped me to understand the significance of targeting end user, and I will try to understand needs of the end users in my professional career

Friday, September 27, 2019

Emily Dickinson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Emily Dickinson - Essay Example She spent much of her childhood and on writing letters to her friends and numerous poems. When Emily was only fourteen, she witnessed the death of her second cousin and close friend, Sophia Holland, and became traumatized. Her parents sent her away to live with family in Boston, where she was able to get proper treatment and recover from the horrific event. After she returned home to Amherst, she also returned to school, where she made numerous friends and correspondences, and found solace in her church. When she completed her time at the Academy, she briefly attended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, which was short lived due to a mixture of Emily’s failing health and her distaste for the evangelical fervor of the school. She returned home and became, more or less, domesticated, cleaning and cooking for her family. At eighteen, Emily was introduced to Benjamin Franklin Newton, who, according to letters written by Emily herself, was believed to play a large role in the majority o f Emily’s writing as she grew older. He encouraged her writing, sharing with her his belief that she had what it took to be an accomplished, published poet. It was Newton that introduced her to other famous writers and poets, such as William Wordsworth, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Lydia Maria Child. Unfortunately, Newton died not too long after from tuberculosis, and Emily’s brother took on the role of ensuring that his sister got all the books she could possibly want, including many works by William Shakespeare. In 1850, Emily’s emotional and mental states took a turn for the worst. In a span of just a few years, Emily lost a handful of close friends to various illnesses. As a result of these deaths, Emily withdrew into herself, keeping out of sight and sound of society. Emily continued to write her poems, though they focused greatly on the subject of death, which came as no surprise. However, the first half of the 1860s, the years following these deaths, â€Å"p roved to be Dickinson’s most productive writing period (Habegger 405).† In the later half of the 1860s, though, Emily became even more withdrawn, never leaving the house unless she absolutely needed to; even her poems became few and far between. In the mid-1870s, Emily lost both of her parents, as well as a few more close friends, plunging her into an even greater depression, where she remained until she died on May 15, 1886, from Bright’s disease. Emily was considered to be an intelligent poet due to the unique ways in which she wrote her poetry. They contained short lines, slant rhythm, unconventional capitalization and punctation, and they seldom had titles (McNeil 2). Emily often rejected pentameter, preferring to use trimeter, tetrameter, and dimeter, the use of all of these is considered to be irregular. She was also used dashes in the place of periods or commas, which would often increase the moods of her poems. The majority of her poems dealt with death a nd immortality; Emily viewed the latter as something attainable through her writing, which was also a thought she conceived during her brief friendship with Newton. Common themes include the use of flowers and gardens, morbidity, and gospel. Many of Emily’s poems were also peppered with psalms and riddles, as well as hymns and song-forms. When

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Customer Inserts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Customer Inserts - Research Paper Example The extensive use of this therapy is also a subject of focus within this paper. The paper also tries to categorize this therapy in terms of set models of classifications for treatment of mental illnesses. The various aspects of the therapy which require improvements are covered within the context of the paper. Introduction Schizophrenia can be identified as a chronic mental illness which is characterized by the inability to process thoughts. Individuals suffering from this condition experience various symptoms. These symptoms may include paranoia as a result of mental instability (American Psychiatric Association, 2000 ). The individual gets the impression that others are conspiring against him/her and thus paranoia begins. Other symptoms may include hallucinations, disorganized speech and delusions. Hallucinations come as a result of the individual hearing voices which do not exist. This condition has been associated with a number of factors. Though there exists a small percentage l inked to genetic factors, the condition is immensely associated with substance abuse. The most common drugs associated with this condition include are cannabis and cocaine. Environmental factors like social groups can also be linked to the development of the condition to a small extent. Most of the environmental factors associated though, seem to lead to substance abuse. It is therefore not clear whether there is a direct connection between the environmental factors and schizophrenia. There exist numerous medications which have been used to treat schizophrenia. Being a mental condition, the treatment targets the developed symptoms as there are no viruses or infectious pathogens. The most effective, known methods have been application of first and second generation antipsychotic. These are aimed at getting the individual away from the causative agent. There exist numerous interventions employed commonly in the treatment of this condition. These include cognitive behavioral therapy, s ubstance abuse treatment, family member education, assertive community treatment, training in social skills among others. All these interventions aim at reducing the symptoms displayed by an individual. The intervention Cognitive behavioral therapy is a reality based intervention employed to help people with schizophrenia. It has been extensively used in many cases where symptoms associated with schizophrenia become evident. The king’s college in London developed this intervention. Numerous studies and researches have been undertaken in different parts of the world aiming at providing more information concerning the application of this reality based intervention (Berrios, 1994). This therapy aims at improving cognitive abilities which become drastically reduced by schizophrenia. It targets at restoring the cognitive abilities of an individual suffering from schizophrenia. Supported employment has been profoundly used in the treatment of individuals showing severe symptoms of schizophrenia. Supported employment is part of the cognitive behavioral therapy administered for the treatment of severe mental conditions. Through the use of supported employment, the people with mental illnesses like schizophrenia have been able to maintain competitive employment. The method employed in this study for collecting information was to use individuals with a severe mental condition. Some of the individuals chosen also had to have a history of job failures. They were

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

How should Scotland vote Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How should Scotland vote - Essay Example All political activities and operations transferred to London after the agreement. In 1880s, 1913 and 1979, Scotland unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate for its independence. Continued agitation for independence led to the reestablishment of Scottish parliament in 1999. The parliament would make its own policies and exercise its legal powers but had to be financially dependent on London. The dominance of the Scottish National Party (SNP) led by Alex Salmond in the Scottish parliament after the 2011 election worked to renew calls for independence (McLean & Lodge 2013, pg. 2). The push for independence succeeded on October 2012 when Alex Salmond and David Cameron signed the Edinburg agreement that will allow for September 18, 2014 referendum vote. Considering various economic, political and social issues, Scotland should vote â€Å"No† to secession. Scotland has been a member of the UK for over 300 years and this quantifies the great level of attachment to British. In fact, it is currently difficult to isolate real English from Scottish considering the great freedom of movement and operations of citizens of the two associate countries. According to McLean and Lodge (2013, pg. 3), London oversees most of international politics, economic and security operations and concerns of Scotland. This means that secession of Scotland from the United Kingdom will lead to serious setback for the Scottish. Most of the arguments presented by pro-independence led by Alex Salmond have been vague every time when subject to critical analysis. The need to enjoy economic freedom and control of Scottish internal affairs is unquantifiable considering that many Scots currently enjoy significant economic prosperity and hope under the umbrella of the British union. There is a hidden obsession by the Scottish political class to control the Northern Sea Oi l and taxes collected in Scotland (McLean & Lodge 2013, pg. 3).

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Compare the role of women in Caroyl Churchill's top girls and Essay

Compare the role of women in Caroyl Churchill's top girls and Shakespeares taming of the shrew - Essay Example It revolves around the theme of mistaken identity of two sisters Katharine and Bianca. Katharine is apparently rude, ill tampered and defiant while Bianca is meek and nice with moderate manners. Both girls fight for gaining their father’s attention. Katherine’s jealousy and selfishness is due to Bianca’s approval by everyone as she says, â€Å"She is your treasure, she must have a husband; I must dance bare-foot on her wedding day† (The Taming of the Shrew. 2.1.35-36).1 Katherine is independent and has free will, but at the same time she is bitchy and her father want her to get married at any cost. On the other hand, Bianca pretends to be obedient and portrays the image of innocent girl who submit to her elder’s will. Shakespeare’s woman is wild, rebellious, ruler or suppressed by the male dominated society. He reassigned the role to women who independently operate in a social structure which is not favorable for her. However, right role for woman in Shakespeare’s point of view is submission to man’s will; be it her father or husband. Initially Bianca is showed as right and good because of her humble behavior towards orders, irrespective of what is going on inside her. Katherine on the other hand is rejected due to her insolent doings besides her independent and free spirit. At the end of play, role of both sisters shift just because of submission to their husband’s will, irrespective of what is going on inside their heads. The word taming reminds me of animals who need to be trained in order to be ready to serve better. Katherine is resembled with many animals and objects, for example, title itself suggests her to be a shrew, a mouse like animal. She is also compared with asses, horses and hawks. This idea can be observed in Act III, Scene II clearly when Petruchio says: Male domination over woman is obvious in the

Monday, September 23, 2019

Postfeminism and the Future of Feminism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Postfeminism and the Future of Feminism - Essay Example The definition of feminism may vary, as the view concerning it may be directly associated with the prevailing ideologies within the society. For example, a patriarchal society influenced by the mass media might understand that feminists are anti-male or are the ones seeking the opportunity to let the women be equal to men. Feminism in this context seems to be a movement against men. According to Hooks, a society founded by Christian culture may continue to believe that women should be under the authority of men, and so they will be ruled over and continue to be submissive (Hooks 2; Shaw and Lee 33). Understanding feminism on this context may be tempting for us to believe that it is about women’s quest to be equal with men. However, Hooks believes that feminism should be defined as a â€Å"movement† to stop â€Å"sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression† (Shaw and Lee 33). From this definition, Hooks tries to emphasize that the problems lie within the actual sex ist actions or thoughts and they are what the feminist movement should need to eliminate. Hooks just wants to correct the popular thought about feminism and its high association with the belief that it is against-the-men movement or women move to be equal with men.   It is at this point that there is a great chance for somebody to develop a theory out of it if exploration and analysis have to be initiated. In fact, one would be able to gain social, cultural, economic and political perspectives by studying feminism, by which one should understand the quest for social justice as the main motivation of the movement to end sexist oppression (Haslanger, Tuana and O’Connor). What is postfeminism? Postfeminism in contrast, tries to define feminism as hopelessly outmoded in the contemporary society as it contains discourses or ideological beliefs trying to make us believe that equality has been achieved (Ringrose 1; Shaw and Lee 15). Postfeminism therefore still defines feminist pe rspective, but the differences start from its associated criticism against feminism that is said to be simply no longer in use. For instance, postfeminism places women as the primary benefactors of globalization taking place in the twenty-first century (Ringrose 3). At this point, it may potentially appear that postfeminism is still a form of feminist movement, but it is placing a different context in it as it tries to position women on top in today’s post-modern world, providing the basis that a woman indeed has achieved the equality she deserves to obtain. This is quite interesting and we might be able to appreciate this point further if we try to take a look at the actual role of the women, their status and the level of achievements they might have acquired and the actual similarities or dissimilarities of opportunities they might have experienced before and in today’s society.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Violence in Prisons Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Violence in Prisons - Research Paper Example Their situation is made worse by the fact that they are placed in confined environments in their hundreds while the manpower to watch over them is hugely outnumbered. Within the inmate population there is therefore high prevalence of violence incidences. Inmates also experience violence from the guards and vice versa. Prison violence therefore is not a surprising phenomenon not only in the United States but also in the rest of the world. This paper shall therefore elaborate on the different types of prison violence, reasons for this violence and the various solutions to solving prison violence menace. Byrne et al. (2008) state that prison violence comes in various forms namely violence of a prisoner towards another prisoner, prisoner violence on officers and officers violating prisoners. Prisoners in the United States have for a long time developed a gang rule culture which is attributed to be the biggest cause of prisoner violence on a fellow prisoner. Gangs have been seen have a form of territorial control in prisons where members of gangs have better access to facilities and inherent protection rights from gang members. These gangs recruit people to join them where there are rituals while joining which are not necessarily as rosy considering the privileges that accompany their membership in the harsh prison environment. Incidences of sexual harassment and rape have been reported as quite common during recruitment (Jones and Pratt, 2008). It also important to note that in a single prison there can be a number of gangs which obviously compete for the available privileges and res ources, for example the cells to occupy and the kind of chores to engage in. This competition breeds violent acts towards members of other gang members. This escalates the prevalence of prisoner to prisoner violence. In cases of extreme violent conducts prisoners even murder

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Test System Essay Example for Free

Test System Essay Answer the following questions (you may use MS Project Help): 1) What are the three base calendars included in MS Project and what are the default values of each? a) Standard Default base calendar, Monday to Friday, 8 to 5, lunch noon to 1. This is the default base calendar used for the project, for tasks and for resources. b) Night Shift Usually for graveyard shift, 11 PM to 8 AM, five days a week, lunch 3 AM to 4 AM. c) 24 Hours – Work never stops here. Typically used for projects in a manufacturing situation, midnight until midnight 7 days a week. 2) What is the difference between a base calendar and a resource calendar? d) A base calendar defines the usual working and nonworking times and days, and exceptions, such as holidays, for the project or for a group of resources. Resource calendars ensure that resources are scheduled only when theyre available for work. This includes the resource’s vacations and off times. 3) Why schedule one project meeting after completion of the last task, Test System? e) This would be a final meeting to discuss the success or failure of the system test. If the test was successful, the project team will be released to their other duties or projects. If the test was a failure, the team meeting will allow discussion on how to proceed to address the issues that caused the failure. 4) Give an example of when you would assign a 24-hour calendar to a resource. f) You would assign a 24-hour calendar to a contractor or an outside source, they work on their own time within the required days. If you were doing a senior project, what would be the base calendar you would use for students working on the project and what adjustments would you make to it? * I would make it working hours of 6-10p Mon-Wed (3x/week) and possibly another day if needed and they would also have school holidays off as well.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Singapore Cultural Analysis Cultural Studies Essay

The Singapore Cultural Analysis Cultural Studies Essay Singapore is a small island in southeast Asia Known for its trade and tourism. It is a small island with not much history but has a strong economy, stable government and a vibrant culture. II. Brief discussion of the countrys relevant history Singapore was a British colony for nearly 150 years merged with the Malay territory. In 1965 it gained independence from the British and was separated from Malaysia to from a new country called Singapore the name derived from singa-pura which means city of the lion. . (everyculture.com, n.d) III. Geographical setting Situated in Southeast Asia, Singapore is a small island with a total area 647.5 square kilometers, with land being 637.5 and water 10 square kilometers including the main island and around 60 islets and the coastline extends to 193 kilometers. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei are the bordering countries to Singapore. It is the focal point in the Southeast Asian sea routes. A.Location Singapore is located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia in between Malaysia and Indonesia. 1 22 N, 103 48E is the geographical location of Singapore. B.Climate Singapore experiences tropical climate with high humidity and rainfall. There are no specific rainy and dry seasons but during the northeast monsoon (dec-mar) it receives abundant rainfall and during the southwestern monsoon (jun-sep) it is the driest comparatively. C.Topography Singapore Island is mostly low-lying, green, undulating country with a small range of hills at the center. The highest point is Bukit Timah which is 166 meters and the lowest point is the Singapore strait which is 0 meters. There are sections of  rainforest  in the center and large  mangrove  swamps along the coast, which has many inlets, particularly in the north and west. Singapores harbor is wide, deep, and well protected(Singapore overview , 2007). IV. Social institutions A.Family 1.The nuclear family The general family trend in Singapore is a nuclear family which is the parents and the unmarried children living under the same roof. About 85% of Singaporean families are nuclear families. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 2.The extended family Close links are maintained between the relatives from both the mothers and fathers side. There is a positive amount of interaction between the extended family with them getting together during festivals and celebrations. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 3.Dynamics of the family a.  Parental roles The parental roles that is the duties and responsibilities of a parent towards their children are shared equally by the mother and the father. b.  Marriage and courtship Monogamy or having only one wife is the general rule in Singapore but Polygamy or having more than one wife at the same time is allowed among Muslim Malay. The divorce rate in Singapore is seemingly increasing but Interethnic marriages still are had to come by. The average age at first marriage has increased, and it is customary for young people to live with their parents until they marry. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 4.Female/male roles (changing or static?) The male and female roles are changing with 80% male employment and 50% female employment. Women are being given more importance in society through the time but there still lacks female involvement in the managerial or high level roles. (everyculture.com, n.d) B.Education Singapore has a very high literacy rate with a strong education system. The education system is based on six years of primary school, four years of secondary school and later vocational school or university, depending on the grades and student prefferences. The best schools are very demanding with the competition being high and fierce. (everyculture.com, n.d).Singapore one of the most prominent education hubs in Asia with high levels of education standards attracting students from all over the world with some of the best universities and institutions in the world. 1.The role of education in society Education plays a very prominent role in society were children are thought to hold the key not only to their own future but also to the future of their families. The average age at which children start school is six. (everyculture.com, n.d). Due to the increasing competition for jobs and personal improvement in Singapore there is high emphasis given to good education and nurturing and promoting the various talents of the students. a. Primary education Primary education is a total of six years which consists of a four year foundation stage from Primary 1 to 4 and a two year orientation stage from Primary 5 to 6. The overall aim of primary education is to give students a good grasp of English language, Mother Tongue and Mathematics. There is no fee for primary school but there are some miscellaneous expenses which add up to SGD $11/ month. During primary school the students are encouraged to participate in Co-Curricular Activities and Community Involvement Programs to develop early skills. At the end of primary school the students have to take a national level examination called the Primary school leaving examination (Ministry of education, 2012). b. Secondary education Secondary education consists of four to five years of school in which the students are placed in Special, Express, Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) course according to how they perform at the  Primary school leaving examination. The different curricular emphases are designed to match their learning abilities and interests. The fees for secondary school varies from $5/ month for public schools, $3-$18 for autonomous schools and $200-$300 for independent schools. For graduating from secondary school the students have to attend a national examination called GCE O Levels(for Special/Express courses) or GCE N Levels (for Normal course).All students take part in at least one  Co-curricular activity;  CCA  performance is considered for admission to  JCs,  CI, polytechnics and  ITE(Ministry of education, 2012) c. Higher education Singapore has some of the best universities offering various programs. The National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and Singapore University of Technology and Design are some of the most reputed universities in Singapore. These universities have a worldwide reach and attract thousands of students each year. There are universities from all over the world also who offer their programs in Singapore either by collaborating with Singaporean institutions like university of Whales and university of Bradford who offer their programs through Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) or by setting up a sister campus in Singapore like INSED which is one of the worlds premier business school from France and James Cook university an Australian university have sister campuses in Singapore. 2. Literacy rates Singapore has a high literacy rate due to the emphasis given to education. The % of people above the age of 15 who can read and write is total population:  92.5%   male:  96.6%   female:  88.6% (2000 census) (Singapore-counrty profile ,2012) C. Political system Singapore is a republic with a parliamentary system. As a former British colony, Singapore since independence in 1965 has adopted the Westminster Module. The head of state is the president, who is elected for a fixed term of six years. The parliament is elected in a general compulsory election every five years. There are also six nominated members of the parliament. The cabinet is the executive organ of the state, and execution of government policies is carried out by ministries and statutory boards. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 1.Political structure: Singapores government is segrigated into three segments. -Executive- This includes the presedent who is the head-of-state abd the cabinet which is lead by the prime minister.(www.sg , 2011) -Legislative- The Legislative branch is the  Parliament, which is elected by  general election  every five years. The first sitting of Parliament was held on 8 December 1965. The first general election for Parliament was held on 13 April 1968. There are 22 registered political parties. .(www.sg , 2001) -Judiciary- The  Supreme Court  and its  Subordinate Courts make up the judiciary. The Judiciary administers the law independently of the Executive and this independence is safeguarded by the  Constitution.(www.sg , 2011) 2.Political parties- There are 22 political parties in singapore and are as follows: Singapore Chinese Party Persatuan Melayu Singapura Partai Rakyat, Singapore State Division Angkatan Islam The Workers Party Pertubohan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura Peoples Action Party (PAP) United Peoples Party Barisan Socialis (BS), Socialist Front (SF) Parti Kesatuan Raayat (United Democratic Party) Singapore Indian Congress Alliance Party Singapura United National Front National Party of Singapore The Peoples Front Justice Party, Singapore Democratic Progressive Party Peoples Republican Party United Peoples Front Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) National Solidarity Party (NSP) Singapore National Front. (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) 3.Stability of government The Singapore government is very stable. There has never been a political imbalance and the government has never been dissolved. 4.Special taxes 5.Role of local government Since singapore is such a small country it does not have divisions in local government and is ruled by divisions of the central government instead. In 1996 the then primeminister of singapore Goh introdused a system of community devolopment councils (CDCs). In november 2001 the number of CDCs redused from 9 to 5 consisting of South West, North West, Central Singapore, South East, and North East. They are managed by a council comprising a mayor and between 12 and 80 council members. (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) D. Legal system The legal system of Singapore is designed on the bases of British law. . (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) 1.Organization of the judiciary system. The judicial system consistes of the supreme court which is the higest level headed by the chief justice who is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the primeminister.It divided into the high court the Court of Appeal, and the Court of Criminal Appeal. This id followed by the subbordinate courts which are magistrates courts, trying civil and criminal offenses, the disrtict court, the juvenile courts, for offenders below the age of sixteen and the coroners courts; and the small claims courts, which hear civil and commercial claims for sums of less than S$10,000. . (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) 2.Code, common, socialist, or Islamic-law country? 3.Participation in patents, trademarks, and other conventions 4. Marketing Laws E. Social organizations 1.Group behavior 2.Social classes 3.Clubs, other organizations 4.Race, ethnicity, and subcultures Singapore is predominantly Chinese with 77% of the population being Chinese according to the 2002 census. It also mentioned that Malays consist of 14% of the population and Indians consist of 8% of the population. The rest 1.4% of the population consisted of various other ethnic groups.(nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) F.Business customs and practices V. Religion and aesthetics A.Religion and other belief systems There is freedom of religion with some exceptions. Singapore has been described as one of the most religious countries in the world. The major religions are Islam (Malay), Hinduism (Indians), Buddhism, Taoism, and folk religion (Chinese), along with a substantial number of Christians of various denominations. 1. Orthodox doctrines and structures There are many Chinese and Indian temples, Malay mosques, and Christian churches in the main public arenas for religious activities. Much religious activity is also carried out in the home. There are different street festivals according to the ritual calendars of the different ethnic groups. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 2. Relationship with the people Even with the vast difference in religious beliefs the people of Singapore live in peace with each other maintaining good relationships with people from all religious backgrounds. 3. Which religions are prominent? The Chinese religions of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism are the most prominent with 51% 4. Membership of each religion The Chinese with Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism take up most of the population with 51%. About 15% of the population is Islamic About 15% of the population is Hindu And the rest of the population are from various other religions such as Christianity, Jewish, Jain and Sikh (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) B.Aesthetics 1.Visual arts (fine arts, plastics, graphics, public art, colors, etc.) 2.Drama, ballet, and other performing arts Today in Singapore people who go to theatres enjoy traditional ethnic theatre such as Chinese opera and Malay  bangsawan  (which took root in Singapore in the 19th and 20th century respectively), as well as contemporary theatre, which emerged in 1950s and 60s with the establishment of mainly amateur groups. English language theatre gained prominence from the 1980s with a change in educational policy which emphasised English to be the main language of instruction. Today with more than 130 theatre companies and societies in Singapore, practicing a range of contemporary and traditional ethnic theatrical forms Singapore has a vibrant performing arts developed through time..(National Arts Council, 2012) 3. Folklore and relevant symbols Singapore like most Asian countries hos a rich folklore and legends from which symbols are dericed. One such folklore about the symbol of Singapore which is the merlion explains that one day the villager in the southern cost were awakened by howling winds and crashing waves. It was covered with black clouds and was thought the whole island would be engulfed by the sea. The villagers went down on their knees in prayer and suddenly in the sea appeared a gigantic creature half lion and half fish and won the battle against nature and saved the villagers. (10 Legends and Myths of Singapore, 2012) VI. Living conditions Singapore has one of the best living conditions in the world attracting people from all over the world to live, work and study there. A.Diet and nutrition 1.Meat and vegetable consumption rates Singapore has high meat and vegitable consumption rates. With the variety if foods available in singapore the main components in every day meals are Rice, fish, chicken, and vegetables. 2.Typical meals There are 3 main meals breakfast lunch and dinner and Rice, fish, chicken, and vegetables are the staples. The main ingredients are mixed with spices, coconut, lime, chili etc create numerous varieties of dishes. Each ethnic culture has its own special dishes. (everyculture.com, n.d) 3.Malnutrition rates Singapore has a low malnutrition rate with childern below the age of 5 having only 2.2% malnutrition rate.( Health Statistics  > Malnutrition prevalence, height for age > % of children under 5 (most recent) by country, n.d) 4.Foods available Due to the vast culture and ethnicity Singapore has a variety of dishes from Chinese cuisines, Indian cuisines, Malay cuisines and with the influence of western culture have a large variety of wesrten cuisines available. Singapore is the food hub of Asia and because of the availability of such vast cuisines is an attraction to people from all over the world. B.Housing A vast majority of population live in public housing which is publicly developed managed by the Housing and Development Board. About 80% of the population live in public housing which are like small town ship with schools, markets and health centers. The rest of the population live in privately developed houses and appartments which are slightly more expensive than public housing. (Housing in Singapore, n.d) 1.Types of housing available There is public housing which includes three-room, four-room, five-room and executive flats. A three-room flat has two bedrooms , which is about 1,000 sq ft. A four-room flat has three bedrooms which is about 1,200 sq ft of space. A five-room flat is about 1,400 sq ft. An Executive mansionette has three and they are relatively larger than any other public housing units- some even have double storey, with the rooms on the second level. The rest of the population live in private housing which include privately maintained apartments, condominiums and landed properties.(Housing in Singapore, n.d) 2.Do most people own or rent? 80% of the population live in public housing the most part of this own their own houses. 3.Do most people live in one-family dwellings or with other families? Most people do live in one- family dwellings and not with other families as 85% of the population believe in nuclear families. C.Clothing Singapore is the fasion capital of Asia and one of the mian attraction to sinsapore is the variety of clothing availablt there. It has clothing from the best designers from all over the world and orchad street in singapore is a 5 kilimeter streach of shopping on both sides. Singapore without saying goes hand in hand with fasion and shopping. 1.National dress Singapore because of its vast culture and ethnicity does not have a natioal dress but each culture has its own traditional dresses wich are- The Peranakan- who are the mixed race of chinese and malay- The Nyonya Kebaya  is the traditional dress The chinese- Cheongsam is the traditional dress for the women. The Indians- Sari is the traditional dress for women and Dothi Kurtha is the traditional dress for men. The Malay- The Baju Kurungis the traditional dress for women and The Baju Melayu is the traditional dress for men. (Deliatoh, 2011) 2. Types of clothing worn at work The normal clothing worn to work consists of trousers, long-sleeved shirts and ties for men and blouses, skirts or trousers for women. Because of the weather being hot and humid jackets are usually not required. Although Singapore is a liberal country, women should make sure they do not wear clothes that are too revealing. (Communicaid, 2009) D.Recreation, sports, and other leisure activities Recreation and leasiure activities play an important role in the busy lives of Singaporeans. Different groups are interested in different activities such as sports, adventure and water sports as Singapore has beautiful beaches or even shopping, parties and gambling. 1.Types available and in demand There are various ways singaporieans spend their time away from busy sceduels. The most popular are Motor racing, football, swimming, paragliding, scoobadiving, boatimg, gambling, sailing, surfing, camping, trecking, cycling and horse racing. (Adventure and Rcreation in Singapore, n.d) 2.Percentage of income spent on such activities E. Social security In Singapore instead of of a national social security there is Central Provident Fund. The Central provident fund is a compulsory savings scheme that was introduced in 1955 to help cover the cost of living for Singapore residents upon retirement / termination of employment. ( ExpatFocus.com, n.d) Money that is saved in the Ordinary Account of the CPF can be used to help pay for home ownership, education and investment. The Special Account is meant for old age and contingency purposes and to purchase retirement-related financial products. A portion of the CPF known as Medisave can also be used to help pay for hospital treatment and for medical insurance (known as MediShield). ( ExpatFocus.com, n.d) Every Singaporean and Singaporean Permanent resident should contribute to the CPF. Foreigners who are on a Work Pass are not required to contribute to CPF. However, when a foreigner takes up permanent residency in Singapore, the foreigner will be expected to contribute to the CPF scheme. Both the employer and the employee contribute to this fund in varying proportions. ( ExpatFocus.com, n.d) F.Health care The Singapore healthcare system comprises public and private healthcare, complemented by rising standards of living, housing, education, medical services, safe water supply and sanitation, and preventive medicine.Over the years, Ministry Of Health has followed the principle of ensuring that good and affordable basic medical services are available to all Singaporeans. MOH has been continuously fine-tuning the health care system to ensure that Singapore has developed its healthcare system into one that has received praise and recognition both locally and internationally.(Ministry of Health, 2012) VII. Language Singapore with its variety of cultures is a multilingual country. Its national language is Malay. English is the administrative language and the medium of instructions in school and the students choose one of their mother tongues either Malay Tamil or Chinese. (everyculture.com, n.d) A.Official language(s) The official languages of Singapore are Malay, english, Tami and chinese(Manadarin) (everyculture.com, n.d) B.Spoken versus written languages C. Dialects [insert text here] IX. Sources of information -photius.com (1999) Singapore geography, retrieved from http://www.photius.com/wfb1999/singapore/singapore_geography.html -Ministry of education(2012) Singapore: education system. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/ -everyculture.com(.n.d) Culture of Singapore-Countries and Their Cultures retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Singapore.html#b nationsencyclopedia.com (2007) Singapore overview, retrieved fromhttp://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Singapore.html#b Singapore- Country Profine (2012) retrieved from http://www.indexmundi.com/singapore/ www.sg(2011) Who We Are , retrieved from http://app.www.sg/who/18/Government.aspx#ixzz28HNqHH4U National arts council (2012) arts forms, retrieved from http://www.nac.gov.sg/art-forms -10 Legends and Myths of Singapore (2012) retrieved from http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/singapore-legends-and-myths/ Health Statistics  > Malnutrition prevalence, height for age > % of children under 5 (most recent) by country (n.d) retrived from http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_mal_pre_hei_for_age_of_chi_und_5-height-age-children-under-5 -Housing in Singapore (n.d) retrieved from http://www.singaporeexpats.com/housing-in-singapore/housing-in-singapore.htm -Deliatoh (2011) The Traditional costumes of Singapore retrieved from http://comesingapore.com/travel-guide/article/546/traditional-costumes-of-singapore -Communicaid (2009) Doing business in Singapore retrieved from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Singapore.pdf -Asiaroom.com (n.d) Adventure and Recreation in Singapore retrieved from http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/singapore/adventure-and-recreation-in-singapore/index.html -ExpatFocus.com(n.d) Singapore-Social Security Retrieved from http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-singapore-social-security -Ministry of Health (2012) our health care system retrieved from http://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/our_healthcare_system.html