Thirteen Days A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis free essay sample

An analysis of Robert Kennedys book describing his account of the Cuban Missile Crisis. This paper begins with a summary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The basic plot and the main characters detailed in the book are then identified and the decision-making process is analyzed. A background of the author and origins of the book are provided. A critical analysis of the book follows. Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis published in 1969, is Robert Kennedys account of the major symbol (the Cuban missile crisis) of cold war confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the year 1962, after the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the USSR increased its support of Fidel Castros Cuban regime. In the summer of the same year, Nikita Khrushchev, who was heading the Soviet Union, secretly decided to install ballistic missiles in Cuba. In October, the U.S. reconnaissance flights revealed the clandestine construction of missile launching sites, [U-2 had just finished a photographic mission (Kennedy: 1971, 19)] Which led to President Kennedy publicly denouncing the Soviet actions. We will write a custom essay sample on Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He imposed a naval blockade on Cuba and declared that any missile launched from Cuba would warrant a full-scale retaliatory attack by the United States against the Soviet Union. On October 24, Russian ships carrying missiles to Cuba turned back. On October 28 Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles and dismantle the missile sites. Consequently, the United States ended its blockade on November 20, and by the end of the year the missiles and bombers were altogether removed from Cuba.

Dementia Essays - Cognitive Disorders, Psychiatric Diagnosis

Dementia Essays - Cognitive Disorders, Psychiatric Diagnosis Dementia What is Dementia ? Dementia is an organic brain syndrome which results in global cognitive impairment. Dementia can occur as a result of a variety of neurological diseases. Some of the more well known dementing diseases include Alzheimers disease (AD), multi-infarct dementia (MID), and Huntingtons disease (HD). Throughout this essay the emphasis will be placed on AD (also known as dementia of the Alzheimers type, and primary degenerative dementia), because statistically it is the most significant dementing disease occurring in over 50% of all demented patients (see epidemiology). The clinical picture in dementia is very similar to delirium, except for the course. Delirium is an acute transitory disorder. By contrast Dementia is a long term progressive disorder (with the exception of the reversible dementias). The course of AD can range anywhere from 1.5 to 15 years with an average of about years (Katzman, Lasker AD is usually divided into three stages mild, moderate, and severe. Throughout these stages a specific sequence of cognitive deterioration is observed (Lezak, 1995). The mild stage begins with memory, attention, speed dependent activities, and abstract reasoning dysfunction. Mild language impairments also begin to surface at this period. In the moderate stage, language deficits such as aphasia and apraxia become prominent. Dysfluency, paraphasias, and bizarre word combinations are common midstage speech defects. In the severe stage the patient is gradually reduced to a vegetative state. Speech becomes non-fluent, repetitive, and largely non-communicative. In addition, Auditory comprehension becomes exceedingly limited, with many patients displaying partial or complete mutism. Late in the course of the disease many neuropsychological functions can no longer be measured. Furthermore, primitive reflexes such as grasp and suck emerge as well. Death usually results from a disease such as pneumonia which overwhelms the limited vegetative functions of the patient. Dementia is commonly differentiated along two dimensions age and cortical level. The first dimension, age, serves to distinguish between senile and presenile dementia. Senile dementia is used to describe patients who become demented after the age of 65, whereas presenile dementia applies to patients who become demented prior to that age. Late onset AD (LOAD) also known as senile dementia of the Alzheimers type (SDAT) is the predominant cause of senile dementia. Early onset AD (EOAD) is the most frequent cause of presenile dementia, but HD, Picks disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease though not as frequent are also important causes in presenile dementia. The second dimension, cortical level, differentiates between cortical and subcortical dementia. Cortical dementia is used to describe dementia which results from brain lesions at the cortical level, whereas sub- cortical dementia applies to dementia which results from subcortical brain lesions. AD and Picks disease are amongst the best known examples of cortical dementia; whereas HD, Parkinsons disease (PD), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) are good examples of subcortical dementia (Derix, 1994). When dementia with both cortical and subcortical features occurs, the term mixed dementia is used. MID is a common example of mixed dementia. Historical Developments in Dementia Pre-Modern Developments The use of the term dementia dates back to Roman times. The Latin word demens did not originally have the specific connotation that it does today. It meant being out of ones mind and as such was a general term for insanity (URen, 1987). It was the encylopedist Celsus who first used the word dementia in his De re medicina, published around AD 30. A century later the Cappadocian physician Aretaeus first described senile dementia with the word dotage: The dotage which is the calamity of old agedotage commencing with old age never intermits, but accompanies the patient until death (URen, 1987, P. 1). Curiously, dementia was mentioned in most systems of psychiatric classification throughout pre-modern times, though the precise meaning of the word is often unclear (URen, 1987). Nineteenth Century It can be argued that the origins of the scientific study of dementia date back to the early nineteenth century. The initial steps were undertaken by the great French psychiatrist Pinel at the beginning of that century. Pinels observations led him to conclude that dementia is caused by idiotism. He used the term dementia in relation to the progressive mental changes seen in some idiots (URen, 1987,3). Furthermore, Pinel thought that dementia was a distinct abnormal entity,

What are Sensitivity Readers (And Should Authors Use Them)

What are Sensitivity Readers (And Should Authors Use Them) What are Sensitivity Readers? (And Should Authors Use Them?) A conversation is raging in the writing world and it’s not about the latest Harry Potter â€Å"backstory† that J.K. Rowling revealed on Twitter. Sensitivity readers lie at the heart of the debate - and the controversy has hit such heights that it has drawn attention from media outlets ranging from Literary Hub to the New York Times.For an author, the argument over the correct use of sensitivity readers might be smothering what they actually do. This post will clear the fog and uncover exactly what this kind of reader is - and what you can expect when you work with one. Hopefully, by the end, you’ll have a better idea of whether you need one. What are sensitivity readers?Sensitivity readers are a subset of beta readers who review unpublished manuscripts with the express purpose of spotting cultural inaccuracies, representation issues, bias, stereotypes, or problematic language.While these readers are not new to the publishing landscape, they have recently risen to prominence. Thanks to encouragement from organizations like We Need Diverse Books, there has been an earnest push to include more diverse characters in published literature, though some of these good-faith efforts have met with mixed reception.Such readers particularly became a hot topic in 2016, when the pre-release of the young adult novel The Continent was quickly met with online reviews pointing out problematic portrayals of people of color. The book’s release date was pushed back and galley copies were sent off to sensitivity readers, which resulted in numerous changes. Which brings us to both the case for them - and against them. Asked and answered: What are sensitivity readers? Discover more inside this post The case for sensitivity readersPublishing has a diversity problem: not only is the industry predominantly white and middle-class, but the stories overwhelmingly feature white characters. In recent years, the tide has shown signs of turning as inclusion and equity have become increasingly sought-after in an effort to represent the variety of cultures and diverse backgrounds that make up the world.However, the reality is that while more diverse books are being published now, many of them are written by white authors. Writers, like all human beings, are the products of their upbringing and often have little real-world context for writing about a culture outside their own - hence where the skills of such specialized readers come into play. Feedback from such readers can:Ensure better representation on the page. As diversity in literature becomes increasingly in-demand, it’s important that characters are represented accurately, without perpetuating stereotypes. This kind of reade r helps by pointing out unintentionally insensitive or incorrect portrayals of race, sexuality, religion, and physical disabilities.Improve the quality of the book. All books benefit hugely from a multidimensional, rich, and nuanced cast of characters - something that the use of sensitivity readers will encourage, as the feedback can steer characters away from being one-note cardboard cutouts.Moreover, in today’s real-time and divisive online environment - spurred on by such sites as Twitter - this kind of reader helps prevent the worst-case scenario: backlash which results in a book being withdrawn from publication. For publishers, these readers can avert the embarrassing predicament of canceling a book launch on the back of a public apology. The Continent was far from the only book that sunk because of a turbulent online reaction to its representation of diversity: Amà ©lie Wen Zhao initially called off the summer 2019 publication of Blood Heir due to criticism of the w ay that her novel dealt with indentured labor and slavery.Zhao only recently announced that Blood Heir is back on schedule for publication - after editing the novel and â€Å"taking the time to make sure the hallmarks of human trafficking were being incisively drawn.†The case against sensitivity readersCensorship is generally at the heart of every argument against these readers. Their detractors are concerned that these readers police expression of thought, resulting in homogenous stories that are afraid to touch complex topics - and a sterilized world of books in which controversial language can’t be used.Though one of the most common pieces of advice you’ll hear for an author is to â€Å"write what you know,† some also argue that the increasingly looming need for such readers discourages authors from experimenting and writing outside of their own perspectives. As Francine Prose wrote in an article for the NY Books: â€Å"Should we dismiss Madame Bova ry because Flaubert lacked â€Å"lived experience† of what it meant to be a restless provincial housewife? Can we no longer read Othello because Shakespeare wasn’t black?†From this point of view, sensitivity readers monitor freedom of thought, which is antithetical to what creative writing should be all about.What can you expect from a sensitivity reader?With all of the debate around the topic, what actually goes into a reader’s work can easily get overlooked. So what exactly does it entail? Well, the entire process depends on the individual - but generally, the collaboration between reader and author plays out in four stages.1. Finding the right reader for the bookTo add value to a text, the reader must match the needs of the book. For instance, if you’re a white author writing a book with a black protagonist, your reader would ideally come from such a background and understand the nuances of 1. writing from such a perspective, and 2. depicting th e culture. Likewise, make sure that the reader is experienced in the genre. A reader that specializes in reading children’s books wouldn’t be a good fit for an adult genre novel, and vice versa.Here are some more best practices to keep in mind for the search:Expect to pay for a reader’s services. Prices will vary, but generally fixed prices start from $250 for a novel. Some sensitivity readers charge by the hour - make sure that you get it all down in a contract so that both of you are on the same page before starting the collaboration.Find a reader who understands publishing. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they must be writers themselves - merely that they ought to understand the nuances of the writing process and be up-to-date on publishing debates. It shouldn’t just be any random person off the street - these readers are professionals in their own right and should know the ins and outs of the industry, as well as the contexts that require their knowledge.Set a firm deadline with the reader. Generally, the turnaround time is 2 to 5 weeks. Hash it out with the reader beforehand to avoid any confusion.As for where you can find these readers in the first place, the Writing in the Margins database is a good place to start. Ask around on Twitter and various writing communities - fellow writers will be happy to offer recommendations or share insight from past collaborations with sensitivity readers. "How to find the right sensitivity reader for your book" and more questions answered in this guide 2. Allow time for the reader to, well, readOnce the contract is ironed out and all of the details of the collaboration are fixed, the author will give the reader the entire manuscript to read. As we mentioned earlier, this stage usually takes between 2 to 5 weeks, depending on the length of the manuscript - the reader won’t be speedreading, but carefully evaluating characterizations, noting down sentences that are off, and appraising the tone of the book.3. Listen to the feedbackWhen the reader is done with the manuscript, it’s time for the reaction. It depends on the reader, but most of the time, feedback takes the form of comments in the margins of the manuscript and a detailed letter. Usually, a follow-up consultation, such as a phone call, can be taken up to resolve any lingering questions.Much of the time, the feedback will pinpoint things that an author might not have ever considered. As sensitivity reader Dhonielle Clayton revealed in an interview with Vulture: â€Å"I read a middle-grade book about a little black girl who loves to go to national parks, and I told the author that the first thing she needed to reconcile was, how did this black girl get into national parks? Historically, black people weren’t allowed to visit national parks, so going to national parks is not a thing we do, as a group. I wrote to her that if this little girl loves to camp, you need to figure out how that happened, how that passion was stoked, how her parents and grandparents felt about it. Or you have to make her white. Because otherwise it’s a paint by numbers diversity piece and it rings false.†Keep an open mind when you receive the feedback. The reader will point out blind spots - things that wouldn’t have occurred to an author who is writing about a different culture - and may raise delicate tonal questions. Like a developmental editor does for a manuscript, the criticism is ultimately meant to raise the quality of the book.4. Revise the manuscript accordinglyWhen the dust settles and all is said and done, it’s up to the author to make the final decision on whether or not to make the reader’s suggested edits. Nobody is stopping you from doing anything - on the contrary, a sensitivity read simply provides you with choices and information.What a sensitivity read offers is advice: it’s not compulsory to change the story according to their counsel, though it’s certainly recommended once you’ve reached this stage.Do you need a sensitivity reader?So do you as an author need a sensitivity reader?It depends on a number of variables: the subject on which you’re writing, your characters, and where you fall in the debate of censorship. Some writers may think, â€Å"Better safe than sorry,† while others believe that such readers are unnecessary. We’re not here to tell you what you should or should not do, but it’s important to be informed and to know ex actly what you’ll get out of the process if you do decide to hire a reader’s services.If it would be helpful to hear from authors who have previously worked with such readers, here are a few personal accounts that you can peruse before you go:Anna Hecker: The Problem with Sensitivity Readers Isn’t What You Think It IsJames Tilton: Sensitivity Readers! What Are They Good For?Literary Hub: On the Use of Sensitivity Readers in PublishingHave you used a sensitivity reader before and what's your take on them? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below.

Labour Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Labour Law - Essay Example It is submitted at the outset that the issue remains contentious particularly in light of the continuous changes in working practices. From a statutory perspective, the legal definition of employee is described under Section 230(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) as â€Å"an individual who has entered into or works under†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..a contract of employment†. The section 230 definition has been criticised for being ambiguous (Honeyball & Bowers. 2006) and it is necessary to refer to the common law test for defining the status of employee. The statutory provision is bolstered by the Ready Mixed Concrete test (Ready Mixed Concrete (South East) Ltd v Minister of Pensions & National Insurance [1968] 2 QB 497), which requires an examination of the â€Å"overall picture† (Jupp, 2005) The starting point for determining whether an individual is an employee is the â€Å"control† test (Honeyball & Bowers. 2006). This was established in Yewens v Noakes (1880 6 Q.B.D. 530), where Bramwell LJ asserted that:â€Å"a servant is a person subject to the command of his master as to the manner in which he shall do his work† (at pp.532-533). However, socio-economic developments in the labour market have changed the shape of employment status, thereby undermining the suitability of the control test as a sole determinant of employment status (Pitt, G. 2007). This was further acknowledged by the Court of Appeal in Walker v Crystal Palace FC ([1910] 1 KB 87), where the control test was given a different slant by focusing on whether the employer had the right to control the background arrangements for the work such as when and where the work was done, payments and holiday entitlements. However, the Walker extension of the control test was further developed into the â€Å"integration† test as propounded by Lord Denning in the case of Stevenson Jordan and Harrison v MacDonald & Evans ([1952] 1 TLR 101) â€Å"†¦under a contract of service, a man is employed as part of the

Impact of ICT in libraries over the last 25 years Essay

Impact of ICT in libraries over the last 25 years - Essay Example In past few years the operational structure of each area of life has transformed and emerged as more organized, disciplined, managed, and easy to handle structures. Influence of the new technology emergence can also be seen on the traditional structures of library system. New technology at libraries (public, academic) has offered a better way of knowledge handling, management. The vital transportation is about the widening the knowledge and information access. The aim of this research is to assess and examine the main technological changes which have occurred in the library environment over the past twenty five years. In this paper I will examine the two main kinds of libraries (public and academic libraries). The main concentration in this research will be given to the effect on the library services in respect to the following areas, materials circulating, library budgets, library infrastructure, and staffing and library security. Before we start our discussion about implementation of ICT in library we should know the basic concepts. ICT (information and communications technology - or technologies) is a collection or combination of two terms, one is information and while other is communication technology. ICT consists of any communication device or application, encompassing: television, cellular phones, radio, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and many more, also there are diverse services and applications connected with these devices, for instance videoconferencing and distance learning. ICTs are normally spoken of in a specific perspective, for example ICTs in education, health care, or libraries (TechTarget, 2004). However this paper will concentrate on libraries. Oliver (2003), has outlined the emergence of ICT technology in our life. (Oliver, 2003), stated that Information and communication technology is a force that has

Seattle Essay Example for Free

Seattle Essay Dr. Tom Kerns, Introduction to Bioethics, http://www. bioethicscourse. info/casesite/cs-torture. html GEPE 4040Â  Ethical Dimensions Contemporary Affairs Prof. : Milosz Mariusz Jacko, Ph. D. At 9:30am a phone call was received at The Seattle Times from a person claiming to have placed a bomb at an undisclosed location in downtown Seattle. The caller indicated the device was set to detonate at 2pm the same day. The device was described as a small yield nuclear device capable of massive collateral damage and loss of life for ten square blocks in downtown Seattle. The possibility of destruction, injury, and further loss of life outside the initial blast radius is apparent. The caller did not specify any demands before terminating the call after 20 seconds. The assumption of credibility is leant to this threat because over the past several weeks there have been a series of unsolved bombings. Before each of these prior bombings a similar phone call was reported. With this particular threat there are important and notable differences. This scenario has a grievous magnitude described by the unidentified caller and there is a suspect in custody of law enforcement. The suspect in custody has not yielded any information disclosing the location of the explosive device. For 90 minutes, the authorities in custody of this suspect have employed aggressive interrogation techniques in order to persuade the suspect to cooperate to no avail. The bomb is set to explode in the next 90 minutes. With time running out, it was suggested that the suspect be tortured in order to get the captured man to disclose the location of the nuclear device.

Japanese culture Essay -- Essays Papers

Japanese culture The small island country of Japan is rich in a culture that has developed over thousands of years. It is very difficult to analyze another culture without some knowledge of that culture first. During my two year residency in Japan, my eyes were opened to the culture of Japan and its people and I grew to love it as much as my own. (The ideas expressed in this essay mainly consist of my own knowledge and observations of Japan). The Japanese are a very traditional people. But this should not be confused with a primitive people, because the Japanese are not primitive by most dictionaries' definitions of the word. Japan has been changing in recent years in its view of its own economy, in its social interactions, in its thoughts about religion, and in its overall view of its place in the world and among other nations. For the past decade, the Japanese economy has been one of the strongest and most stable economies in the world. In analyzing why it has been so successful, several factors must be considered. First, the education system of Japan is one of the highest ranked in the world. The reason for this is that Japanese children go to school and study more than students in most other countries. The school year lasts for 240 days and each school day is very long. Furthermore, most students go to "cram schools" to study even more after the regular school day is over. This is all in preparation for the college entrance exam (Morton, 251-255). Some people have also said that this prepares Japanese youth for their future in companies with jobs that require great dedication and 80 to 90 hour work weeks. This dedication of Japanese employees to their work contributes greatly to the strength of the economy of Japan. They feel like they are part of a big family (the company). Employees work together for the benefit of the company as a whole. They truly feel that their hard work and success contribute to the company's success and growth. Companies also have special programs and classes for the employees, who are the children, to make them feel at home. There are company athletic clubs and cultural classes, such as flower arrangement and the tea ceremony. Since everyone is a member of the "family" in Japan, decisions that the company must make are circulated among the lower echelons of the work force for their opinio... ...a well-organized priesthood. Although its view of the world is quite different than that of Shinto, the optimism that the two share causes them to mesh well. Christianity is also present in Japan, but only about 1% of the total population is of the Christian faith. In spite of the low percentage of Japanese Christians, many people have Christian weddings in Japan now. Finally, comparing Japanese culture to American culture is a very daunting task. Japan is a country which is thousands of years older than the United States. Although one might think the Japanese seem to be nothing like Americans, they are outwardly very much the same. For example, the Japanese listen to music, watch movies, play sports, and go to work and to school the same way Americans do. But it is the "kokoro," which is the mind and soul, of a Japanese person that is truly different than that of an American. This "kokoro" is something that can not be easily explained or understood. It is an awareness which one slowly receives as he or she is truly immersed in the culture of the rising sun of Japan. Bibliography Morton, W. Scott. Japan, Its History and Culture. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994