United States Department of Labor Case Study Research Paper

United States Department of Labor Case Study - Research Paper Example The data available on the website was obtained through the occupational Information Network and the National Labor Exchange (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). The OINC provides information on the skills and employment requirements for vast occupations in the US. The NLE, on the other hand, comprises of Direct Employers Association and delivers information on the job requirements of various US corporations. Thus, the website provides a reliable documentation of labor benefits in the federal government regulations. The first feature is the fact that the website is primarily about the United States department of labor. This implies that the information available on the website is all about labor and employee welfare in the United States (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). The second feature is that the website gives an outline of all the employee benefits inclusive of their details. It clearly indicates what benefits the employees have and the conditions needed to be met for the benefit to suit the particular employee. For example, the website indicates that The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) requires that the employee’s health plan should observe a group health plan approach. The third feature is that the websites provides links to other websites that give more information related to the employee welfare. For example, some of the links provided in the website offer the reader information on the COBRA continuation coverage assistance under the American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009 among others. The fourth feature is that the website is simple and easy to understand and navigate its contents. The fifth feature is the fact that the website provides its information through other strategies such as the creation of tabs that allow the reader to navigate the various pages in the website. For example, the general arrangement of the website context favors all the audience by

The Roles Of The Nervous System Biology Essay

The Roles Of The Nervous System Biology Essay The nervous system plays an important role in the smooth functioning of the body and is a complex network of cells which transmits signals through the body. The signals are transmitted by the brain, so if someone wanted to catch a ball their brain would transmit a signal to their hands to reach and catch the ball and are specialized in certain function. These cells communicate with each other through electrochemical waves. The neurons and glial cells are the important components of the nervous system. The two parts in which the nervous system is divided are the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. The spinal cord and brain form the central nervous system and neural tissues lying to the exterior of the central nervous system compose the peripheral nervous system. The main function of the nervous system is to keep a control over the systems of the body through these following processes. Sensory receptors of the nervous system are useful for the extraction of information from the environment and sending it to the central nervous system. The sensory neurons carry the information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system. The central nervous system collects information from the sensory receptors and carries out the processing. The task of transferring and interpreting the information is carried out by the interneurons. The peripheral nervous system sends information processed in the central nervous system to the glands and muscles of the body. An appropriate response is then activated by these glands or muscles. The motor neurons carry out the function of sending instructions to muscles or glands. The autonomous nervous system responds involuntarily. The involuntary processes of the body such as breathing, digestion, body temperature regulation and etc, are carried out by the autonomous nervous system. The autonomous nervous system is sub-divided into sympat hetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Coordination of body movements and homeostasis is carried out by the hind brain. Hind brain consists of different parts such as medulla, cerebellum and pons. The receptors are classified as exteroceptors, interoceptors and proprioceptors. The exteroceptors are used by the nervous system in smelling, listening, looking, touching, tasting and feeling. The signals associated with blood pressure, alimentary canal, bladder and osmotic pressure of blood plasma are received by the interoceptors. The movement and position of body parts is tracked by the proprioceptors. This kind of stimulus received by receptors is also one of the modes of classifying the receptors. Chemical receptors, mechanoreceptors and thermoreceptors are different types of receptors classified on the basis of the above-mentioned criteria. Thermoreceptors which consist of warm and cold fibers are excited by rising and falling temperatures respectively. The mechanoreceptors carry information about the mechanical stimulation to the central nervous system. The chemical receptors are sub-divided into olfactory, gustatory and glucose detectors, which are responsible for detecting smell, taste and glucose respectively. The glucose detectors are also responsible for providing information about the acid-base balance in the body Endocrine System The endocrine system is a collection of glands that secrete different hormones for the various functions and chemical reactions occurring within the body. The main function is to maintain a stable environment within the body or homeostasis. For example, maintaining the blood sugar levels according to changes occurring in the body is homeostasis. The other function of it is promoting the structural changes of the body which are the permanent changes occurring in the body over time such as height, development of sexual organs, and etc. There are 8 major glands that help in the functioning of this vital system. These major endocrine glands are as follows, Hypothalamus, Pituitary gland, Parathyroid gland, Thyroid gland, Adrenal glands, Pancreas, Ovaries and Testes. Hypothalamus, a collection of specialized cells that are located in the lower central part of the brain is called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is the main link between the endocrine and the nervous systems. The nerve cells of the hypothalamus control the pituitary gland by stimulating or suppressing the hormone secretions. Pituitary Gland, the pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain just below the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland is the most important part in the endocrine system. The pituitary gland secretes hormones on the basis of the emotional and seasonal changes. The hypothalamus sends information that is sensed by the brain to pituitary triggering production hormones. The pituitary gland is divided into two parts: the anterior lobe and the posterior lobe. The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland regulated the activity of the thyroid, adrenals, and the reproductive glands. The anterior lobe also produces hormones such as Growth Hormone, to stimulate the growth of the bones and tissues. It also plays a role in the bodys absorption of nutrients and minerals. Prolactin, activate the production of milk in lactating mothers. Thyrotropin, stimulate the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. Corticotropin, stimulate the adrenal glands to produce certain hormones. Endorphins, reduces the feeling of pain. The pituitary glands produces hormones that signal the reproductive organs to secrete sex hormones. The menstrual cycle and ovulation in women is also controlled by the pituitary gland. The posterior lobe of the pituitary gland produces anti-diuretic hormone that helps to control the water balance in the body. Oxytoxins that trigger the contractions of the uterus in a woman who is in labour is secreted by the posterior lobe. Thyroid Gland, the thyroid gland is situated in the front part of the lower neck that is shaped like a bow tie or butterfly. The production and secretions of the hormones of the thyroid glands are controlled by thyrotropin secreted by the pituitary gland. Thyroid produces thyroxine and triiodothyronine, that controls the rate at which the cells use up energy from food for production of energy. The thyroid hormones are very important as they help in growth of bones and the development and growth of the brain and nervous system in children. Over or under secretion of thyroid hormones lead to a number of thyroid problems in the body. Parathyroids, these are four tiny glands that are attached to the thyroid gland. They release the parathyroid hormone that helps in regulating the level of calcium in blood along with another hormone produced by thyroid known as calcitinin. Adrenal Glands, there are two triangular adrenal glands situated on each of the two kidneys. The adrenal gland is divided into two parts. The outer part called the adrenal cortex produces corticosteroids, which influence and regulate the salt and water levels. They are also helpful in the bodys response to stress, metabolism, immune system and the function and development of sexual organs. The inner part called the adrenal medulla, secretes catecholamine like epinephrine. This hormone is also called the adrenaline, which increases the blood pressure and heart rate when the body is under stress. Reproductive Glands or Gonads, the gonads are present in males and females and are the main organs producing sex hormones. In men, the gonads are related to testes. The testes are located in the scrotum and secrete androgens. The most important hormone for men testosterone is secreted from the testes. In women, ovaries are the gonads that are located in the pelvis region. They produce estrogen and progesterone hormones. Estrogen is involved during the sexual maturation of the girl, that is, puberty. Progesterone along with estrogen is involved in the regulation of menstruation cycle. These hormones are also involved during pregnancy. Pancreas, these glands are associated with the digestive system of the human body. They secrete digestive enzymes and two important hormones insulin and glucagon. These hormones work together to maintain the level of glucose in the blood. If these hormones are not secreted in the required levels, it leads to development of diabetes. Pineal, the pineal gland is located in the center of the brain. Melatonin is secreted by this gland that helps regulate the sleeping cycle of a person. Genetic System Genes are the basic units of hereditary transmission of characteristics. Heredity is the passing of traits to offspring (from its parent or ancestors). This is the process by which an offspring cell or organism acquires or becomes predisposed to the characteristics of its parent cell or organism. Through heredity, variations exhibited by individuals can accumulate and cause some species to evolve. In humans there are 23 pairs of Chromosomes which are located in the cell nucleus. Each person has 46 chromosomes, half from our mother and the other half from our father. The difference in the sex hormones is that Females have XX chromosomes while Males have XY chromosomes. This full set of genes in any organism is known as the Genome. No single gene determines a particular behaviour due to its complex traits involving multiple genes that are affected by a variety of other factors. But it share traits such as nurturing, cooperation, and altruism. These behavioural characteristics enhance t he survivorship of each species. Raquel Deering (2002) stated that a study performed by Harvard and MIT scientists involved the silencing of the gene responsible for coding of an important enzyme, CAMKII, in lab mice. Mutated mice were found to be unusually aggressive and daring. When placed in an open field, a mutated mouse would dawdle. However, when under the same conditions, a normal mouse would immediately run to the perimeter for cover. The atypical brazen attitude of a mutant mouse would make it much more susceptible to attack by prey in nature. Therefore, this trait is not frequently observed among mouse populations because it has been naturally selected against. A genetically influenced trait tends to be polygenic in characters involving many genes acting in concert to produce a certain response and also depends on the interaction of multiple gene sequences with environmental influences. These multiple gene systems are referred to as quantitative trait loci (QTL), reflecting their ability to quantitatively distribute phenotypic characteristics. The recently completed human genome sequence has greatly assisted the detection of QTLs and polymorphisms It must also be emphasized that genes do not directly dictate action, but rather are mediated by the proteins that they code for (Peter McGuffin, Brien Riley and Robert Plamin, 2001). It is necessary to examine not only the genes but also the assortment of proteins responsible for expression of particular traits (Joseph D. McInerney, 1999). It is anticipated that detailed analysis of the human genome will contribute to understandings about gene organization and transcription, and hence regulatory elements that control expression. By utilizing genomic and proteomic tools, the relationship between gene/protein and behaviour may be more accurately described. (Deering, 2002) Traditional research strategies in behavioural genetics include studies of twins and adoptees, techniques designed to sort biological from environmental influences. More recently, investigators have added the search for pieces of DNA associated with particular behaviours, an approach that has been most productive to date in identifying potential locations for genes associated with major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Genetics and molecular biology have provided some significant insights into behaviours associated with inherited disorders. For example, we know that an extra chromosome 21 is associated with the mental retardation that accompanies Downs syndrome, although the processes that disrupt brain function are not yet clear. We also know the steps from gene to effect for a number of single-gene disorders that result in mental retardation, including phenylketonuria (PKU), a treatable metabolic disorder for which all newborns in the United States are t ested.(McInerney, 2008) The importance of biological perspective in achieving the goals of psychology The field of Psychology is the study of the mind, how it works, and its impact on thinking, behaviours, and our abilities to relate to our environment. Psychologists practice their craft based on different theoretical beliefs of behavioural causes but they all share similar primary goals which are Goals, Description, Explanation, Prediction, Change, Considerations and others have also recognised Observing and Improving as part of the primary goals. Biology has brought in brain and body structural understandings of typical and different types of people for understanding and brought about solutions in how to cure and treat the disorder. Researchers in biological psychology draw techniques and theories from related fields to identify the relationships between the activity of the nervous system and observable behaviour. Example high levels of testorones are associated with increased aggression (Dabbs, 1990 cited in Laura A. Freberg, 2006, pg.3). Biology in this case appears to be driving the behaviour and have helped in achieving goals in psychology through case studies, correlation studies, surveys, laboratory test and others to find the cause and solution for such problems. Researchers have also have brought about Imaging method to watch and identify the differences between how typical people and people with disorders/serial killers brain function by using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and etc . Theres also Recording method whereby it records electrical charges across their membrane using electrodes on the surface of the skull such as Single-Cell recordings and Magnet o encephalography (MEG). Theres also medicine prescribed to help control the fluids, hormones and etc in our body to maintain stability for future health reason. These methods are used to explain to the world how are persons behaviour is determined and what makes their thinking and character unique from others. Since the most important part of psychology is the brain, they must look for the help of biology, which is a sub-field that focuses on the brain movements. They also have found out the ancient histories of human bodies and how it has changed since then and also how will it change further in the further, also known as evolution, was all found out and brought to the worlds recognition and understanding through these biology. Its been stated that single cell organism appeared about 3.5 billion years ago and animals with very simple nerve nets developed about 700 million years ago. More complex animals with the first rudimentary brains, appeared about 250 million years ago and the first human brain probably appeared about seven million years ago (Calvin, 2004, cited in Freberg pg.54) and are using the samples of the ancient body parts to study, refer and relate to the present humans of biological factors and behaviours. Through many studies it has brought about cure and proper treatment plan for disorders or severe illness such as migraine, bipolar disorder, tumour, autism and etc also have predicted what may happen to a person in the futur e and are also still doing more research to study about learned and instinctual behaviours which are still are underlying questions in the world. Biology is the study of life. Without biology, we would have no idea about an organisms makeup or the most basic unit of life, a cell. It plays a very important role in our lives by teaching a person about body functions and how to take care of it. You have a better overall view when you know all areas of academic study. Likewise, you get to know the scientific method. Biology influences a person in many ways. Such as teaching why should we take care of the environment, why of our body, and a better overall view. As mentioned above environmental factors, body factors (genes and bodily functions), food all plays a role in determining and developing a persons behaviour and sometimes explanation is required to the world. Through these fundamentals brought in from biological perspective, it helped in achieving goals in psychology. (2599 words)

Essay on Personal Freedom Song of Solomon -- Song Solomon essays

Search for Personal Freedom Song of Solomon      Ã‚  Ã‚   Personal freedom is the ability to ignore societal and familial influences to find the true sense of self. Individuals are truly liberated when they are physically, mentally, and spiritually free. The search for personal freedom is exemplified in Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. The main protagonist, Milkman achieves personal freedom through attainment of knowledge, by confronting his family, and by overcoming the prejudices of society.    Knowledge is a primary factor in the attainment of personal freedom. This includes not only scholarly education but also awareness of historical heritage and familial legacy. The fact that African-Americans were held in human bondage cannot be forgotten; it has to be remembered and passed on through rememory. Moreover, literacy gives minority cultures a voice to reach out to others with encouragement and hope.    Milkman has a high school education which he took for granted. For Milkman to achieve personal freedom, he needs to search for his ancestral roots. Milkman's father, Macon Dead, Jr., denies Milkman his rememories because Macon assumes that achieving the American Dream means erasing his past. However, as stated above, Morrison believes Milkman has to remember; he has to know his past in order to know his self. His father taught him that Athe one important thing you'll ever need to know: Own things. And let the things you own own other things. Then you'll own yourself and other people too@ (Morrison 55). Macon falsely leads Milkman to believe that "You'll be free. Money is freedom Macon. The only real freedom there is" (163). Milkman buys into his father's fallacy as he too frantically searches for the gold that will s... ... personal freedom is not an easy one, but we must persevere. Milkman's realization of his personal freedom came as his life ended. We must all remember the old Chinese proverb "The longest journey begins with a single step".    WORKS CITED Carmean, Karen, Toni Morrison's World of Fiction, Troy: The Whitston Publishing Company, 1993. Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York: Plume, Peach, Norman. Modern Novelists Toni Morrison. Ed. Norman Page. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1995. Storhoff, Gary. "'Anaconda Love': Parental Enmeshment in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon." Style 31 No. 2 (Summer 1997). 290-309. September 18, 2001 <http.//p26688.cl.uh.edu:2071/cgi-bin/web>. Willbern, David. "Reading After Freud." Ed. G. Douglas Atkins and Laura Morrow. Contemporary Literary Theory. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1989. 158-179.

Asia & Australia in World Affairs Essay

In as much as the unsuccessful Taiping Rebellion of 1850 played a significant role in ending China’s isolationist outlook, it also paralleled the socialist ideals put forth by Marx and Engels in the Communist Manifesto of 1848 to manifest itself in the communist seizure of power in China in the 20th century Student: Ben McCosker Teacher: Mr Hart Due Date: Thursday 24 March 2005 Against the backdrop of a passive and inflexible Chinese state devastated by the foreign incursions of the 1840 Opium War, the Taiping emerged to overthrow the Confucian Qing Dynasty and establish an egalitarian community based on the quasi-Christian beliefs of its leader, Hong Xiuquan. In their struggle to â€Å"adopt institutions of equality and communism† (Newsinger, J, 2000), Hong and his followers paved the way for the formation of the People’s Republic of China in October 1949 by tapping into the passionate anti-Manchu nationalism among the peasantry. In as much as the unsuccessful Taiping rebellion of 1850 played a significant role in ending China’s isolationist outlook, it also paralleled the socialist ideals put forth by Marx and Engels in the Communist Manifesto of 1848 to manifest itself in the communist seizure of power in China in the 20th century. While Hong’s dream for a ‘Kingdom of Heavenly Peace’ was not brought to fruition in his lifetime, his recognition and attacks upon dynastical weakness awakened an oppressed nation to rebellion and served as the catalyst for social and political reform in the 20th century. On the eve of the communist seizure of power in China, Mao Zedong spoke of the tireless efforts of Chinese reformists, including the Taiping, when he said that â€Å"I have witnessed the tremendous energy of the masses. On this foundation it is possible to accomplish any task whatsoever†. This essay will investigate the interconnection between the Taiping Rebellion of 1850 and the communist seizure of power in the 20th century against the backdrop of their shared socialist underpinnings. The exploitation of the peasant class and unerring belief in China as ‘Zhongguo’, or the centre of existence, were the main criticisms that Hong held of the feudalist Qing dynasty, led by Dao Guan. Hong disapproved of the Chinese system of reform, which historically had encompassed a series of deteriorations and restorations of dynastic houses with the aim of perfecting systems of the past rather than instituting true change. As an unsuccessful scholar of the civil service, Hong came under the influence of Christian missionaries and after suffering from an intense fever in which he claimed to have been visited by God, he proclaimed himself as â€Å"God’s Chinese Son† and declared a mission against the Confucian ideals and incompetent rule of the Qing Dynasty. In the context of 19th century China, where revolt was endemic and hatred for the gentry class was widespread among the peasant population, Hong’s call for revolution quickly gathered support. When rallying for the defeat of the Manchus, Hong would preach his distorted version of Christianity; â€Å"I have received the immediate command from God in his presence; the will of Heaven rests with me† (Xiuquan, H, 1850, quoted in Spence, 1996, p.67). Discontent with the unequal treaties and proliferation of Western activities among some sections of Chinese society, Hong and his Taiping rebels questioned not only traditional Confucian principles, but also the right of foreigners to rule, highlighting the powerful anti-Manchu theocracy that underpinned the revolution and encouraging the recognition of Chinese superiority. Spreading through the eastern valley of the Chang River, the Taiping movement captured Nanjing in 1853, before undergoing reform at the hands of Hong Rengan in 1859. Rengan understood the problems of Chinese society far more profoundly than his contemporaries and played a vital role in bringing Hong Xiuquan’s original ideas to maturity. Under Rengan, the Taiping continued to dominate the Qing resistance, capturing the port of Ningpo in 1862, until the death of Hong in 1864 and the resulting fragmentation of Taiping units. Although a technical failure, the Taiping rebellion played an integral role in changing the way Chinese government functioned. Under the Manchu government, as one poor peasant woman argues, â€Å"we were vulnerable and exploited†¦our anger was a cause of our government’s lack of power and increase in corruption† (Kong, H, 1870). With the rise and fall of the Taiping Rebellion, China was forced to adopt a broader and less centralised world view and relax its foreign policy, thereby ending the reign of the indolent and corrupt nobility of the Qing Dynasty. The egalitarian aspirations of the Taiping closely mirrored the ideals expressed by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels in their publication â€Å"The Communist Manifesto†. Marx and Engel’s seminal work also formed the ideological foundation for the communist seizure of power in 1949, clearly identifying the Taiping rebellion as the antecedent to the Chinese communist state. Marx began the Communist Manifesto with the words â€Å"A spectre is haunting Europe–the spectre of Communism†; little did he know that less than two years after writing these words, this ‘spectre of Communism’ would be spreading ferociously across the Chinese mainland. With the capture of Nanjing in 1853, Hong and his followers built an autonomous state based on the principles of laissez faire, supported by the twin pillars of communalism (essentially a debased form of communism) and equality. This doctrine of ‘communalism’ involved the appropriation of all private property by the Taipings and its redistribution among the Chinese based on their needs, a concept that emerged in both the Communist Manifesto and the communist seizure of power almost a century later. Although it is almost certain that the Taiping rebels were oblivious to the socialist movement in the Western world, the similarities between the rebellion and the struggles of the proletariat in Europe are unmistakeable and are representative of the self-development of the Chinese people, culminating in the Communist seizure of power in 1949. The communist seizure of power in 1949 was not in itself the embryonic Chinese interpretation of European socialism it was perceived to be, but rather a fulfilment of the ideals espoused by the proto-communist Taiping rebels almost a century earlier. When viewed objectively, the Heavenly Kingdom of the Taipings is not so distant from the classless egalitarianism that Mao Zedong instituted on 1 October 1949 with the seizure of power by the Chinese Communist Party. Indeed, the doctrinal pillars upon which Hong built his Heavenly Kingdom have been described as â€Å"a primitive form of communism† (Hooker, R, 1986) and some have gone as far as to say that â€Å"the communist revolution may have been but a realisation of an underground movement in China [The Taiping Rebellion] which began in the mid eighteen-hundreds† (Ny, G, 1991). Like the Taiping Rebellion, the communist seizure of power was an example of western ideals being adapted to the Chinese condition and similarly , both revolutions started in the agrarian centres of the South before moving north towards the political epicentre of the Chinese state, Beijing (Peking). Both revolutions shared common egalitarian elements, the most notable of which was the immersion of women into society as the social and economic equals of men. Under Hong’s leadership, all members of Taiping society were seen as â€Å"brothers† and â€Å"sisters†, which both established equality among the sexes and discouraged the formation of relationships among those with administrative positions. This was a radical departure from the traditional Confucian philosophy promoted by the Qing Dynasty, which preached women’s inferiority and subservient role to men. Indeed, under the Manchu government, the practice of foot binding was still widespread, as women had to bind their feet to be eligible for marriage in the eyes of the law. Like the Taiping rebels, the Chinese Communist Party realised that the liberation of women was integral to the true emancipation of the country as an egalitarian nation; so in a parallel for the Fun Yu-Lan, or ‘rules of the Heavenly Kingdom’ laid down by Hong Rengan, the communist government enacted legislation that revolved around the protection of women including the Chinese Marriage Law of 1950 and the Labour Insurance Regulations Law of 1951. In their contextualisation of Western theologies, both the Taiping Rebellion and the communist seizure of power banished the traditional androcentric beliefs of their preceding governments, instituting systems of equality in their place. Sun Yat-Sen’s ‘Three People’s Principles’, as published in the Guomindang Manifesto of 1924, itself a forerunner to the ideals of the CCP, reflect the original motives of the Taiping rebels; increased power for the people (democracy), equality among the citizenry (people’s livelihood) and the development of a national identity for China (nationalism). The shared social institutions and egalitarian precepts of both uprisings serve only to illustrate the fact that the Taiping Rebellion of 1850 was the philosophical forerunner to the Communist seizure of power in the 20th century. While the Taiping philosophy was sound in itself, a combination of inadequate military strategy, diplomatic incompetence, ideological inconsistencies and insufficient resources condemned the rebellion to failure while its latter-day counterpart, the Chinese Communist Party, thrived due to more consistent and efficient management. The very basis of the Taiping movement, Hong’s distorted version of Christianity, detracted from the authenticity of the rebellion in the eyes of foreign onlookers, which meant that the Taiping were unable to forge valuable alliances with more conventional Christian powers in the west. This oversight had fatal implications in the summer of 1864, when the Taiping looked to foreigners for support, but encountered the opposition of Westerners opposed to Hong’s bastardised version of Christianity. Mao Zedong, Li Dazhao and the other leaders of the CCP had the benefit of viewing revolutionary precedent through the failure of the Taiping Rebellion, t hus it can be seen that the ‘lessons’ of the Taiping were able to be applied to CCP strategy, lessons which resulted in Mao’s inclusion of peasants against the Marxist model and drive for agrarian revolution over urban uprising. Both conflicts arose from a strong desire from the proletariat for social and political reform, but it was the Chinese Communist Party that most effectively gathered the people’s support, while largely avoiding the corruption and poor foreign policy that plagued the Taipings. While the Chinese Communist Party remained a tightly-networked organisation in its struggle for power, the Taiping force was split into various factions before capturing Nanjing in 1852, which had the two-fold consequence of denying the rebels the opportunity to conquer Shanghai and also foregoing the continued pursuit of the Manchus after capturing Nanjing, which, as Larlee argues, â€Å"proved to be a fatal flaw in the rebellion† (Larlee, D, 2000). The failure to adequately support the Northern Expedition of 1852 resulted in Western Powers, already antagonised by the suppression of opium from Taiping-controlled China, to forge allegiances with the Qing Dynasty, a movement which ultimately ended t he Taiping rebellion. Like its communist progeny in the 20th century, concubinage amongst leaders was prevalent in the upper echelons of the Taiping leadership, which invoked doubt in the peoples’ minds over the capacity of the rebels to institute true change. Finally, in 1860, intervention by foreign powers came in the form of a British Envoy led by Frederick Bruce, who supported Prince Gong (the leader of the opposing Manchu government) in his quest to â€Å"purge the country of the sinful rebels† (Poon, 2000). After the death of over 25 million Chinese citizens (McEvedy, 1978) and the devastation of 16 provinces, The Taiping Rebellion was finally suppressed in 1864, ending 16 years of reform but paving the way for the Communist Seizure of Power in the 20th century. Philosophically, the Taiping Rebellion of 1850 and the Communist Seizure of Power in the 20th century shared remarkable similarity in their egalitarian goals and quest to overthrow oppressive rule. Both were born out of a socioeconomic situation of deprivation and shame, with drought, famine, and overt foreign influence common to both uprisings. The Rebellion cannot be judged objectively on its failure as a revolution alone, as its primitive implementation of socialist ideals and reformation of China’s isolationist outlook manifested itself in the communist seizure of power 100 years later. Its failure to institute permanent reform reflected not only the ideological flaws of Hong and his followers, but also the society’s resistance to change, a result of hundreds of years of dynastical rule. As â€Å"one of the early tremors of a communist earthquake† (Franz, M, 1999), the Taiping rebellion played an integral role in the Communist seizure of power in the 20th century. Bibliography Charles, G, 2001, Taiping Rebellion[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://www.lcsc.edu/modernchina/u3s1p3.htm (accessed 4/3/05) Childs, R, 1987, Leading the Chinese Revolution, The MacMillan Company Ltd, Wellington China, Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopaedia, 2005, http://encarta.msn.com Cohen, J, 2004, Reader’s Companion to Military History – Taiping Rebellion[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/mil/html/mh_051600_taipingrebellion.htm (accessed 22/2/05) Diagonal Media Group, 2003, Hong Xiuquan – Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopaedia[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://www.phatnav.com/wiki/index.php?title:Hong_Xiuquan (accessed 16/2/05) Dowling, M, 2002, The Electronic Passport to the Taiping Rebellion[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://www.mrdowling.com/613taiping.html (accessed 4/3/05) Garcia, S, Bart, C & Hart, S, 2005, History[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://samaratx.tripod.com/id6.htm (accessed 5/3/05) Heng, X, 1997, The Changing Role and Status of Women in China[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://www.1990institute.org/publications/pubs/ISUPAP8.html (accessed 4/3/05) Hooker, R, 1996, Ch’ing China : The Taiping Rebellion[ONLINE], Available from: URL: www.esu.edu:8080/~dee/CHING/TAIPING.htm (accessed 3/3/05) Larlee, D, 2000, The Taiping Rebellion[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://mutton.editthispage.com/stories/storyreader$18 accessed 22/2/05) Maher, J, 2001, China’s Confession[ONLINE], Available from: URL: www.chinasoul.com/e/e-wk/episode4.htm (accessed 4/3/05) Meisher, M, 1999, Mao’s China and After – A History of the People’s Republic. The Free Press, New York Ny, G, 1991, The Indian Mutiny and the Taiping Rebellion : Armed Conflicts Against Change, Washington University Press, St. Louis Poon, L, 2000, East and South East Asia on the Eve of European Expansion from the late 18th Century to 1860 : An Introductory Survey[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://homepage.mac.com/stray/ib/history/historyHLregional/option.pdf (accessed 4/3/05) Reilly, J, 1997, God’s Chinese Son[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://pages.prodigy.net/aesir/gcs.htm (accessed 5/3/05) Revision Notes UK, 2005, Effects of the Taiping Rebellion[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://www.revision-notes.co.uk/revision/815.html (accessed 4/3/05) Rius et. al. 1980, Mao for Beginners, Writery and Readery, London Seiler, M, 1997, The Taiping Rebellion – The Destruction of the Chinese Culture[ONLINE], Available from: URL: http://sun.menloschool.org/~sportman/westernstudies/second/24/gblock/matts (accessed 3/3/05) Spence, J, God’s Chinese Son, Norton, New York

Jeannine Burk

September of 1939 was when Adolf Hitler’s evil Nazi army, invaded Poland and the war was declared. It was the month Jeannine was born, with no knowing of what was going on with the government and Germany’s crude and cold army. In May, 1940, the Germans swept across Western Europe and Brussels was occupied for the second time of the century. Rumors constantly rose about the Jewish nation getting â€Å"rounded up† and that is when Jeannine’s father (Isaac Rasalowicz) made plans to hide Jeannine and Jeannine’s sister (Augusta) and brother (Max).Her sister was bed ridden at the time, which made a difficult transaction. In 1942, Jeannine’s father boarded a train with her, to arrive at a Christian home on the outskirts of Brussels. As they arrived at their destination, the lady answered occupied by her two older daughters. This was the last time Jeannine saw her father and she kept hidden in the house for two years, without ever leaving (1942 †“ 1944). Being so young, Jeannine wanted to go outside and live a little, but because she was of Jewish decent, she could only play in the backyard.She did this alone as the two daughters were out of age range to properly enjoy any fun time with little Jeannine. She had to create imaginary friends and made little crafts, like handbags, out of newspaper clippings. Jeannine’s biggest fear was the Nazi army parading around the streets of Brussels. Jeannine stated, as you see them march on television, they used to march the exact same right outside of her hidden home. People had to keep their doors open and once this rule applied, Jeannine had to hide in the outhouse. It was a small structure made out of two by four plywood.As she hid, she used to peer through a crack that was created in the outhouse, and watch the world from there, while hiding in the outhouse Jeannine stumbled across a kitten that was oddly enough right outside the foot of the outhouse. This kept her sane for two years. Her father was later arrested by the Gestapo, at five o’clock in the morning. They woke up the neighbor and ran through the entire house, climbing over the wall to Jeannine’s house where the broke in and broke down her parents bedroom door. They grabbed her father by the arm as he screamed, and threw him in their cold, musty, truck.The officer then grabbed Jeannine’s bed ridden sister, and as they did this their mother (Sarah Bluman Rafalowicz) screamed after them: â€Å"You can shoot me. You can shoot me right here. But I am not leaving my daughter. She is very sick with a disease. (This sickness was never spoken of). As the officer saw Jeannine’s sister lying there, he tore the covers off of her, exposing her Jewish body wrapped up in a cold, white cast. The officer told Sarah they’d be back for her later, and in the time of them being gone, she contacted the Catholic Hospital and they sent an ambulance for her sister, shortly after placing her in the Isolation ward.Jeannine’s brother was also rescued by Christians. He was in a Christian home, for boys only, and he stayed there for the duration of the war and after the war. When the liberation was complete, he had found his way home, while Sarah was still hidden. Her mother had gotten away by saying that she was not Jewish, and escaped easy at this because most of the S. S blandly looked for dark olive eyes and hooked noses. Sarah had blond hair, and blue eyes. She got a job and it was pre-arranged that she would be a nurse’s assistant or a practical nurse in the nursing home.The Nazi’s were afraid of entering the Isolation ward as they were so selfishly, scared of getting sick from disease. Max had then found the family and was 12 years senior by the time they saw him again, also being married at a very early age. As they waited for her father, weeks went by until they found out that he had been exterminated in Auschwitz. In 1986, Jeannine moved to New Orleans in 1986. She was a mother with six children and she still had fantasies that her father was alive. Later on, still being 1986, there was a gathering of survivors in Philadelphia and a nice group from New Orleans went.Jeannine, her sister and her brother all attended, and the gathering took place in a big hall. There were mostly Polish survivors. Some were French. Most would state their ethnicity. The arrived a large table, where the Germans had meticulously recorded every Jewish citizen that was deported and every city in that country. Jeannine spotted her fathers name, and under it was when he was deported and when they were set free. Jeannine’s father had the listing of when he was deported, but never when he was set free.This is when she realized, her father really was dead. After the war, she did not observe religion for a long time. She never denied she was Jewish. She just stopped believing. She stopped believing, because she questioned how God wou ld allow such a genocide to occur. How God could have allowed what happened to her father, or the rest of the six million people, half a million being children. To this Day, Jeannine Burk does not forgive the German nation. Jeannine still resided in New Orleans by 1971, with her husband and six children.