The AFL Canadian: Labor, National Identity, and Transnational Discourse

The AFL Canadian: Labor, National Identity, and Transnational Discourse 1936-1955 â€Å"The American Federation of Labor is an American organization,† declared William Green, president of the AFL, in his 1947 keynote speech, â€Å"It believe[d] in American, the fundamental law of the United States, the Constitution, freedom, liberty and democracy. We will have nothing to do with Communism in any shape, or form ... This sixty-sixth convention will redeclare its opposition to Communism and to Communist philosophy, and ... to [those who would] attempt to establish it among the organized labor of our country.† Though Green declared â€Å"Communism abhorrent to American labor† not all the members of the AFL were American. Indeed, Canadians and their unions had been part of the AFL since its inception in 1881. Craft unions in Canada were primarily organized under the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada (TLC), which had been a subdivision of the AFL since 1910. However the power relation between these two groups had been hotly contested over that time. Should the Trades and Labor Congress be able to act independently of the AFL leadership? After all, as Green said in his 1947 speech, â€Å"The American Federation of Labor is an American organization.† Canada was a sovereign state, yet its labor organizations were dominated by a foreign power. At the 1939 American Federation of Labor convention in Atlantic City, NJ, this issue of Canadian labor sovereignty in regards to the AFL came to the fore. The executive council of the AFL recommended giving the Trades and Labor Congress sole authority to grant central labor body charters. Although primarily an economically unimportant act, as central labor bodies did not arbitrate wages or work conditions,... ...f the AFL, I am well acquainted with the particularities of union research. Additionally, over the summer and continuing through this year, I have been working on a labor economics research project between the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Federal Reserve, and Columbia. Developing econometric models of wage variation between industries, I could perform statistical analysis of data, although the focus of my project will always be on the voices of the rank-and-file, not an aggregation of the quantifiable. As I am conversant in economic theory however, I can use my knowledge of international trade and labor economics to detail the backdrop against which the Toronto AFL story develops. I believe I can bring the voices of the Toronto rank-and-file into the Canadian historical conversation, which will bring greater detail to the Canadian historical narrative.

Rousseau and Wollstonecraft

â€Å"The neglected education of my fellow-creatures is the grand source of the misery I deplore. â€Å"-Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Women. Rousseau and Wollstonecraft believed that children should be allowed to grow freely and learn to use their education practically. Children would then grow up to be free thinking adults that would keep soceity from becoming materialistic and oppressing. Nonetheless, they vehemently disagreed on who should receive such an education. Rousseau thought that only males, because they are stronger should receive such and education. Wollstonecraft believed everyone, no matter what sex, should be able to be educated to reform and better society as a whole. Though both their works were considered extreme, they are both apparent in the public education system of today. Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) and Rousseau (1712-1778) both agreed that society oppressed human kind, but Wollstonecraft felt that men were oppressing women. They both believed that education should mean letting children grow freely and placing little restrictions. They should protect them from immediate dangers and provide food and shelter. They should not, however, force books and controlled learning upon the children. He thought that children should also develop common sense and each child would choose whatever interests him to study in greater detail. He thought that this method of education would produce a well balanced, free thinking child. Therefore this would lead to a natural society rather than a materialistic one. Rousseau†s theory of natural education was not intended for all children. He felt that girls should be limited motherhood, and how to be a wife. To Rousseau, women exist in order to serve man, because they are weaker. Wollstonecraft stated that women should be taught medicine in order to take care of parents, infants, and husbands properly. She endorsed equal education for all children no matter what the sex. They should not only be taught the same things, but should be taught together, to learn social interaction they would encounter as adults. Girls and boys would attend day school together and then boys would be sent to their apprenticeships and girls would learn how to sew and other skills. Wollstonecraft tried to prove that by denying a woman†s education you are denying her the ability to raise children adequately. Therefore it would benefit both sexes if women were properly educated. Rousseau was applauded for advocating human rights and natural education but when it concerned women he broke no new ground. He actually promoted women†s role as a wife and mother present to serve her husband. He stated that because women were weaker physically that their minds were as well. Wollstonecraft upheld his philosophy of natural education to encourage individual freedom to benefit society. However, she detested his treatment of women. She advised that women and men should both be educated, and educated together. Both of Emile and The Vindication of the Right†s of Women were considered radical, they were both revolutionaries. Emile impacted practical applications, and the exploration of natural curiosity in education. Wollstonecraft†s radical idea of educating boys and girls equally, and together are applied on public education today.

Christian and Wiccan beliefs Essay

Two miles south of where Mary Anne lived, I encountered Sheila, a 36 year old self-professed astrology and tarot card reader working part-time for a local pharmacy. My initial data revealed that Sheila belonged to the Wiccan Rede principle which is currently considered radical among traditional Wiccan groups. Fortunately, Sheila was at home on her day-off and was talking animatedly with a client in her front porch. While waiting for her client to leave, I was allowed to wander around her house which was surrounded by huge trees making her home look gloomy. After a few minutes, I was ushered in and Sheila welcomed me graciously knowing full well about my intentions. She began by explaining how their group had grown lesser over the years as the other wiccan practitioners complained on the religious incorporation of Christian and Wiccan beliefs. Sheila added that the element of Wicca which includes fertility and reincarnation is incorporated in the key points of the divinity of Jehovah, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit as retained from Christianity that was also quoted in Guiley (1999). According to her, the combination of two religions, which was traditionally at odds with one another, is frequently criticized by members of other wiccan sects. For her, there is no other One God as the greatest and the Lord of all and that the Earth is the Goddess of common Wicca. She has equated the Holy Spirit as a Feminine deity that may be regarded as the Great Mother Goddess similar to the Christian thought. With this in mind, she showed me a picture of the Madonna and Child and claimed that the Holy Spirit is actually embodied in the Virgin Mary. Their small liberalized group was initiated by the BTW or the British Traditional Witchcraft coven. They were widely criticized according to her because many Wiccan practitioners consider Christianity to be incompatible with the pagan philosophy. She added that the merging of Christian and pagan beliefs was considered a lambaste to the Wiccan religion since the Christian faith is male-dominated and an insufficient acceptance of true Wiccan belief. She explained that Wicca, as a ditheistic religion may contain a male god and female goddess giving equal emphasis to the aspects of both divine beings. Admittedly, she said that the principal tenets of Christian Wicca elevate the status of a God which altogether makes it different as there is no equality between the male and female according to Guiley (1999). In the elements of nature symbolically represented by different objects, the Christian wicca believes in the instance of crystals and stones as objects for the element earth, and seashells for the water element in Salomonsen (2002). Sheila added that their group also worships and observes the eight sabbats of the year and the full moon. Most of the practitioners in their group may practice in solitaries but do attend gatherings and other community events but reserve other rituals when they are alone. Their initiation into a coven begins with a one-year study before the actual initiation that spins a religious dedication. She related her initial experience at the thrill of being able to join the coven six years ago which had been a long time dream for her. She had already ventured in yoga and Asian Buddhism before finally exploring the Christian wicca. Sheila unlike Mary Ann does not want to show me her altar and her wares but pointed out a small hut beside the family house as her â€Å"solitary camp† to prevent family members from disturbing her. For Sheila, wicca should not be mistaken for witchcraft as they are simply a religion with ethical standards to live by.

Sex Tourism in Thailand Essays

Sex Tourism in Thailand Essays Sex Tourism in Thailand Paper Sex Tourism in Thailand Paper The Southeast Asian region is one of the most dynamic tourist destinations in the world. Hordes of Western visitors visit the region for its scenic spots, warm climate, and unique culture. This influx of visitors creates employment opportunities for the locals and augments the income of the poor. More importantly, tourists bring with them currencies that are needed by countries to engage in international trade. In Thailand, tourism revenue amounts to six percent of the countrys gross domestic product of US$196. 6 billion. While tourism is greatly encouraged for the benefits it brings to the countries of destination, it also has its dark side. Not all of the tourists who visit Asia are in the region to do what ordinary tourists do. Some of them are in Asia to seek a different kind of entertainment that traditional tours dont provide. Men, being enterprising by nature, have created another purpose for tourism by linking it with prostitution in what is commonly known as the sex tourism industry. As the term implies, it uses commercial sex as a come-on to visitors. Thus, tours are not solely organised to visit historical venues and picturesque spots, theyre also conducted to provide foreigners access to the red light districts. Sex tourism is loosely defined as engaging the services of prostitutes for carnal pleasures typically by tourists from affluent countries. The United Nations World Tourism Organization unit describes sex tourism as organised trips under the guise of common tours with the primary purpose of providing tourists commercial sexual activities with residents in a particular destination. Despite the enactment of an anti-children prostitute law, minors are still engaged in this trade. Sownia Nairs essay written for the U. S. Department of Justice in 2007 and the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington will be cited to provide perspective on the issue. Like other studies, this paper found a correlation between poverty and prostitution. But in addition, this paper will also probe if sex workers are willing participants or theyre doing the trade for other reasons. In this regard, Justin Halls Prostitution in Thailand and South East Asia will be cited to relate women experiences in the trade. A study conducted by Cholthira Satyawadhna will also be referenced in explaining gender-based labor division in Thailand and its relation to prostitution. Health concerns will always be involved when commercial sex is the issue. Thai sex workers are among the worlds high-risk groups to contact the deadly HIV/AIDS virus. In the late 1980s, an AIDS epidemic spread throughout Thailand as sex workers and drug dependents who were infected spread the disease to their customers, wives, husbands, partners and children. As a result, the government launched a massive campaign to control the situation. A report from the international organisation AVERT and other groups are used to trace how AIDS spread in Thailand and what control measures where implemented by the government to stop the disease. Sex Tourism 6 Prostitution: History Current Situation Chinese voyager Ma Huan alluded in 1433 about a certain practice by some Thai people that could be likened to prostitution. In 1604, Dutch visitors to the country have certainly mentioned in their records that there are whores in Siam (Thailands old name). There are no records, however, that points to how this trade exactly started. The point is, prostitution has long been practiced in the country. Anthony Reid, a distinguished Australian scholar of Southeast Asian history, has cited that what appears to be the beginning of brothels in the country was in the 1680s when a Thai official was given a monopoly to run a prostitution den using hundreds of slave women as sex workers. During those times, majority of the customers were locals and some were Chinese. In the twentieth century, Western involvement in Thailands sex trade began when American soldiers came to the country during their rest and relaxation period from the Vietnam War to find solace and entertainment, which they generally found on cabarets with English names. These clubs have thousands of hostesses that the soldiers can have in exchange for a sum of money. As for the Japanese people, it was the soldiers in the Second World War that first came in contact with the Thai sex workers. In fact, it was the Japanese conquerors who forced women from captive lands to engage in sex.

Lessons we have learned from Suits. Read all about it here

Lessons we have learned from Suits. Read all about it here 5 Life Lessons we’ve learned from 'Suits' Life is made up of fascinating and memorable moments. We get to learn so many things from different spheres of life, some are learned from the streets, and others are learned from books and few from experiences. All we need to do is just pay little attention to these experiences. You can gain knowledge about social and business confidence from USA Network’s Suits. The wake of pain caused by retained emotional wounds can be taught by Sopranos and the breaking bad teaches you about pride and limits of loyalty. The following are the list of 5 lessons you can acquire from Suit: 1) Recognize Your Character: In the show Suits, Harvey is known to be proud, bold and charming. He is a man who recognizes his worth and doesn't allow what people say about him to discourage him or pull him down rather he utilizes their negativity to his advantage. How to apply this in your life? Have this at the back of your mind that the world perceives you from your own point of perception. If you see yourself as a failure the world will see and treat you as a failure that has nothing good to offer to them, this is why it is of good importance your carry yourself with a lot of dignity. Don’t be easily swayed by other people opinions about you. If someone provides you a reason to re-adjust your opinion or direction, reflect that in private and not in the open. Make your decision in a relaxed state of mind, rather than accepting their opinion in the moment because it sounds good. 2. Your Appearance: In the first episode of Suits, Harvey stated: â€Å"People react to how we’re dressed, if you want to be addressed as a king you may need to dress in notable regalia or else you will be addressed as a slave if you dress otherwise. For you to be the person you want people to address you as; you need to begin taking steps to doing things that will depict you to others the way you want to be addressed. So like it or not this is what you ought to do. The way you dress your body and move your body - your body language - provides a path for others to know your intention. 3. Be focused on getting solutions: At an early scene, Harvey asked Mike, his apprentice fake lawyer, â€Å"What choices do you have when someone places a gun to your head?† Mike replied him that he will do exactly what he is being instructed to do. Then Harvey responded with this golden nugget of a line: â€Å"Wrong! You either take hold of the gun, or you pull out a bigger one for yourself and you can do any one of the hundred and forty-six other things.† Having this kind of mindset Harvey said enables you to stay focus and not wallowing in depression. Rather it gives you room to be a solution provider for yourself and for others and this contributes to you gaining recognition and respect from others. 4. Try to maintain a strong eye contact: When you do this it shows your level of confidence and enables the person you are with to know how engrossed you are in their situation at the moment. A strong eye contact can be maintained between your clients, families and of course attractive women. 5. Believe in yourself: Harvey best quality was the faith he had in himself; he was so confident about his resources mentally, abilities and his dispositions. Harvey said it is better to ask for mercy rather than permission because if we depend on other people to accept or organize our next steps in life, we will never know what it means to grow or triumph over issues of life.

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Essay

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman - Essay Example By taking her away from things that are important to her, such as her ability to read and write, John causes the narrator to become insane. Although The Yellow Wallpaper has all the elements of a fictional short story such as plot, setting, characters and a common point of view, the story gives us an insight into the author’s world and time, especially the subjugated role of woman in the 19th century. Gilman’s short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† begins when the main character, an unnamed woman, her husband, their newborn baby and her sister-in-law go to a rented summer house. The house, especially the room the narrator stays in, is the setting of the story. The story takes place at about the time it was written, the late 19th century. At the beginning of the story, the narrator is suffering from postpartum depression, and the summer house will function as a place for her to recuperate. The narrator feels uneasy in the rented mansion and wishes to spend her ti me writing and socializing. She is of the opinion that activity and interesting work will help her condition. However, the narrator’s physician husband, John, forbids her from engaging in any type of physical activity and does not even allow her to see her baby. This causes the narrator to feel lonely and bored. The conflict results in the narrator’s repression. She begins her secret journal, Sebastian 2 writing about her thoughts. As the narrator is forced to lie in bed all day and rest, she becomes entranced by the yellow wallpaper in her room and tries to decode its design. First, the narrator sees the wallpaper as ugly. Next, she sees patterns and shapes in it and finally, she sees a woman trapped behind it and trying desperately to get out from it. The climax of the story is when the narrator who has gone completely crazy, tears off the wallpaper so that she can never be put back into her prison. When John comes home, he finds the door to his bedroom locked. Later , John sees his wife creeping on the floor and faints. At the conclusion of the story, the narrator continues to strip off the wallpaper, convinced that she has found freedom at last. The narrator who is unnamed in the story is the protagonist. She is a new mother and the wife of a doctor. When she suffers from nervous depression, she and her husband rent a country house so that she can rest and recover. She is confined to a room that used to be a nursery. Despite her love for writing, her husband, John, does not allow her to read, write or engage in any mental activity. â€Å"He hates me to write a word†, she says. The narrator, however, has a different opinion: â€Å"Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do?† (Gilman). The narrator is feeling trapped in a marriage that does not allow her freedom to express herself. Thus, she begins to write a secret journal and becomes obsessed with the yellow wall paper. First, she sees the soiled, ripped and an unclean yellow wallpaper. Then, she notes, â€Å"But there is something else about the paper – the smell! †¦The only thing I can think of that it is like, is the color of the paper! A yellow smell† (Gilman). The smell shows the progression towards insanity. She is first bothered by the sight of the pattern and now the smell. Her mind has completely overpowered her senses, making her believe these things. Eventually, she associates herself with the woman who appears to be behind bars or in a Sebastian 3 cage. Her final act of

Marketing management case 2 Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing management 2 - Case Study Example Motor starters were installed on or near individual pieces of equipment and usually operated only a single motor. They ranged in price from $50 to several thousand dollars. Motor control centers consisted of dozens or even hundreds of motor starters that were combined in a customized enclosure and were capable of starting motors in various areas of the plant from a centralized location. They ranged in price from less than $50 000 to several hundred thousand dollars. The motor starter made fewer sales than the projections. It however managed to sell 8.5% of the entire industry sales. Repair parts were the most improved products, after realizing sales of 14% of the whole industry sales. The control centre increased in sales by 83.03 5%, the motor starter product fell by 5.76% and the repair parts increased by 25.42%. The total performance for all the products was an increase of 8.952% from 2001 to 2002. 1. Yvonne Belanger, owner of Yvonne’s European Deli, has decided that she wants to add a new item to the current selection of baked goods she sells in her upscale deli. Currently, she sells cookies and brownies for $2 each, and muffins for $3 each. She makes a standard 30% margin on all sales. Yvonne wants to buy homemade apple, cherry, and lemon pies and sell them from a local supplier for $10 each. 3. Fashion Forward operates three retail locations across Canada: in Halifax, Toronto, and Vancouver. It recently purchased a limited-edition collection of 300 designer dresses and sent 100 to each city. The dresses were all suggested to sell for $1200 each; all dresses had a net cost to Fashion Forward of $400. Sales results from the three locations varied: 1. Ontario Steel Manufacturing (OSM) manufactures steel components for other manufacturers. It has the opportunity to make stainless steel taps and faucets for a Canadian hardware company that will then package the products and sell them under