Dialogue Definition, Examples and Observations

(1) Dialogue is a verbal exchange between two or more people. (Compare with monologue.) Also spelled dialog. (2) Dialogue also refers to a  conversation reported in a drama or narrative. Adjective: dialogic. When quoting dialogue, put the words of each speaker inside quotation marks, and (as a general rule) indicate changes in speaker by starting a new paragraph. EtymologyFrom the Greek, conversation Examples and Observations Annina: Monsieur Rick, what kind of a man is Captain Renault?Rick: Oh, hes just like any other man, only more so.(Joy Page and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, 1942)How are you? I said.As you see, old Hernandez said, and he pushed his cap back on his forehead and smiled, alive.(Martha Gellhorn, The Third Winter, 1938) Eudora Welty on the Multiple Functions of Dialogue In its beginning, dialogues the easiest thing in the world to write when you have a good ear, which I think I have. But as it goes on, its the most difficult, because it has so many ways to function. Sometimes I needed a speech do three or four or five things at once—reveal what the character said but also what he thought he said, what he hid, what others were going to think he meant, and what they misunderstood, and so forth—all in his single speech. (Eudora Welty, interviewed by Linda Kuehl. The Paris Review, Fall 1972) Dialogue vs. Talk [T]he dialogue is selective--finely polished, and arranged to convey the greatest possible amount of meaning with the least use of words. . . . [Dialogue] is not a phonographic reproduction of the way people actually talk. It’s the way they would talk if they had time to get down to it and refine what they wanted to say. (Robertson Davies, The Art of Fiction No. 107. The Paris Review, Spring 1989)Talk is repetitive, full of rambling, incomplete, or run-on sentences, and usually contains a lot of unnecessary words. Most answers contain echoes of the question. Our speech is full of such echoes. Dialogue, contrary to popular view, is not a recording of actual speech; it is a semblance of speech, an invented language of exchanges that build in tempo or content toward climaxes. Some people mistakenly believe that all a writer has to do is turn on a tape recorder to capture dialogue. What hed be capturing is the same boring speech patterns the poor court reporter has to record verba tim. Learning the new language of dialogue is as complex as learning any new language. (Sol Stein, Stein on Writing. St. Martins Griffin, 1995)Once captured, words have to be dealt with. You have to trim and straighten them to make them transliterate from the fuzziness of speech to the clarity of print. Speech and print are not the same, and a slavish presentation of recorded speech may not be as representative of a speaker as dialogue that has been trimmed and straightened. Please understand: you trim and straighten but you do not make it up. (John McPhee, Elicitation. The New Yorker, April 7, 2014) Harold Pinter on Writing Out Loud Mel Gussow: Do you read or talk your dialogue out loud when youre writing it? Harold Pinter: I never stop. If you were in my room, you would find me chattering away. . . . I always test it, yes, not necessarily at the very moment of writing but just a couple of minutes later. MG: And you laugh if its funny? HP: I laugh like hell.(Mel Gussows interview with playwright Harold Pinter, October 1989. Conversations With Pinter, by Mel Gussow. Nick Hern Books, 1994) Advice on Writing Dialogue There are a number of things that help when you sit down to write dialogue. First of all, sound your words--read them out loud. . . . This is something you have to practice, doing it over and over and over. Then when youre out in the world--that is, not at your desk--and you hear people talking, youll find yourself editing their dialogue, playing with it, seeing in your minds eye what it would look like on the page. You listen to how people really talk, and then learn little by little to take someones five-minute speech and make it one sentence, without losing anything. (Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Random House, 1994)[A]lways get to the dialogue as soon as possible. I always feel the thing to go for is speed. Nothing puts the reader off more than a big slab of prose at the start. (P.G. Wodehouse, Paris Review Interview, 1975)Just as in fiction, in nonfiction dialogue—voices talking out loud on the page—accomplishes several important dramatic effects: It reveals personality, provides tension, moves the story along from one point to another, and breaks the monotony of the narrators voice by interjecting other voices that speak in contrasting tones, using different vocabularies and cadences. Good dialogue lends texture to a story, the sense that it is not all one slick surface. This is especially important in a blatantly first-person narrative, since it offers the reader relief from a single, narrow viewpoint. The voices in dialogue can enhance or contradict the narrators voice and contribute irony, often through humor. (Philip Gerard, Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life. Story Press, 1996) Pronunciation: DI-e-log Also Known As: dialogism, sermocinatio

Does Diversity Affect Our Society - 985 Words

Diversity in college campuses has increased, which has let people assume that racism decreased and acceptance expanded gradually, however minorities still face prejudice and discrimination. Harvard University presented a research where they gathered college students from 4 particular public universities and questioned them about the social behavior they have experienced or witnessed. In the contrary, they discovered that college students have encountered racist comments or negative facial expressions towards them from Caucasians. This has led to propositions for instance, improving social conduct between children in school, more gratification in regard of one’s culture and positive outlook toward the culture of others because America’s obsession with race and racial attitudes continues to affect individuals emotionally. It is urgent to spread diversity at a younger stage of life, for upcoming children that are starting school. The need of role models around the nation i s necessary and relevant to help multicultural education in the schools. Diversity has become significant since people all over the country are passionate about others knowing where they come from and making it possible of a more diverse society in the future. There is urgency for emphasis for multicultural tasks across the course of studies in schools that can help improve positive social behaviors among children. The effect of culture on knowledge and behavior is natural and should be acknowledged throughShow MoreRelatedPeople Like Us By David Brooks861 Words   |  4 Pagescare about diversity all that much in America† (132). 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And when it is discussed in a manner that acknowledges its importance while being conscience of its sensitive nature, it can be truly beneficial and enlightening to the reader, which I believe you’ve accomplishedRead MoreManaging Diversity in the Workplace Essay1140 Words   |  5 PagesManaging diversity and demographical changes in the workplace presents many dilemmas. Confronted with constant change, management, business educators, and organizational consultants continue to meet the challenges of a new and diverse workforce in a number of w ays. Diversity can be defined in numerous ways. Diversity includes all the ways in which people differ, and it encompasses all the different characteristics that make one individual or group different from another. It is all inclusive and recognizesRead MoreDiversity, Culture, Gender, And Race Essay1103 Words   |  5 PagesWhat does diversity, culture, gender, and race all have in common with one another? These are all names of labels. In the TED podcast, â€Å"Beyond Tolerance† Arthur Brooks, Verna Myers, and Aziz Abu Sarah introduce the main problem between all of these labels. The common problem between these labels is diversity. Society has this mindset of what everyone should be like and if stepped out of that perspective, that person will be looked down upon. This in turn creates diversity. In The Gender Knot, AllanRead MoreThe Cloning Of Cloning For Medical Services1586 Words   |  7 PagesThe Ethicality of Cloning Cloning the latest process that could change the way we look at our environment, and the step to take us to lose what makes us unique and unparalleled. Cloning is the process of producing a genetically identical individual to the original. There are three types of cloning: gene cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. The disadvantages of cloning is that there had been many attempts at cloning and the results have been numerous deformations and abnormalitiesRead MoreDiversity1255 Words   |  6 PagesWhat Does Diversity Mean to You, and What Does a Diverse Insurance Industry Look Like? By Amanda M. White, CPCU, API As I was preparing to start thinking about the topic of diversity, I did what most of us do these days. I did an internet search on the term. The search results were overwhelming and easily set a picture of what diversity is, without even having to click on a single link. But, while the search results may provide a definition of diversity, those results do not reflect the importanceRead MoreDiversity At A Young Age920 Words   |  4 PagesDiversity is a very common word used in today s society. There is a lot of different categories of diversity that a person can fall under. Diversity can be defined by different races, ethnicity, socioeconomics, disabilities, giftedness, gender, sexual orientation, and many more. A human being can fall under one of these categories or even more than one. In the world around us, everybody is different in their own way. Diversity plays a huge part in breaking certain people in different categoriesRead MoreEthnic Diversity : The Melting Pot1054 Words à ‚  |  5 Pages each having individual characteristics. Ethnic diversity is rampant throughout today’s society, involving diverse individuals who share a common and distinctive culture, religion, and language. Many may not notice how these various ethnic groups impact todays society. By narrowing our perspective, we can see how society is influenced by ethnic diversity by the foods we eat, the way we dance, and the way we communicate with one another. What does the average American, no matter their race or ethnicityRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Baker Hughes1158 Words   |  5 Pagesculture, ensuring a safe and secure work environment for our employees, protecting the environment, supporting the communities in which we work, and developing sustainable technologies and products. From investing in these activities, they help to motivate employees, support community growth and development, minimize risk, reduce costs, and increase shareholder value. Being part of the oilfield service area, Baker Hughes has to prove to society that they are willing to have a big part in the environmentRead MoreFactors Affecting Teaching And Leadership Essay1728 Words   |  7 Pages Contents Abstract 3 Introduction 4 Theories of psychology of education and learning 4 Benefits of Educational Psychology 5 Constructivism 5 Student Diversity in the Classroom 6 Out-of-School Influences 7 Bibliography 9 Abstract In this assignment, we have tried to list and analyse the factors that affect the teaching and learning of children and young people and evaluate the importance of individual differences in this scenario. For proceeding with this study on

Childhood and Young Person free essay sample

Be able to contribute to assessments of the development needs of children and young people 1. 1 Observe and record aspects of the development of a child or young person. 1. 2 Identify different observation methods and know why they are used. Naturalistic – These are carried out in the Childs natural surroundings. This observation allows the child to do tasks which they would normally do without structuring being attempted by the observer. They are used to see independence and research behaviour. Structured – It is the opposite of naturalistic, it’s when the childminder has setup a particular activity to observe how a child carries out specific tasks. They are used to observe a child’s motor skills such as balance and co-ordination. Longitudinal – when you have been in a pattern of regularly observing and recording your findings you will start to have a longitudinal record of observation. These are used to show the progress of a child and the changes that are happening. Snapshot – this is a type of observation that is like a snapshot of how a child is behaving at a random given time. Such as when a child will get dropped off see how they react and workout how to be helpful towards that. 1. 3 Support assessments of the development needs of a child or young person. These may include avoid being bias, considering children’s wishes, views and feelings and also confidentially consideration. 1. 4 Suggest ways the identified development needs of a child or young person can be met in the work setting. Meeting individual needs, reflecting children’s interests and views through play for children in early years. Also providing challenges and making flexible plans. Be able to support the development of children and young people 2. 1 Carry out activities with a child or young person to support their holistic development. 2. 2 Record observations of the child or young person’s participation in the activities. 2. 3 Contribute to the evaluation of the activities meeting the child or young person’s identified development needs. It is to make sure to check how each activity benefits the child and their learning and development. When children have already their individual needs identified, activities can be planned to meet those needs. Know how to support children and young people experiencing transitions 3. 1 Describe the different transitions children and young people may experience. Emotional – Personal experiences Physiological – Puberty, long term medical conditions Physical – Moving to a new educational setting, new home Intellectual – Moving from pre-school to primary school to high school 3. 2 Explain how to give adult support for each of these transitions. Supporting the child for new place settings and can help by visiting with parents/carers before they start, this helps the get used to the setting with a familiar adult. Also letting them bring certain items they are familiar with such as a blanket or favourite toy. Telling them or showing them a routine so they can see the day plans and also when their parents will be back, this will reassure them that their parents will be back. A lot of adult support is necessary e. g. play with the child, spend time with the child and talk to them. Having a positive relationship with them will help them feel secure. Also some children just need time to feel okay with where they are. Be able to support children and young people’s positive behaviour 4. 1 Explain how a work setting can encourage children and young people’s positive behaviour. Developing positive relationships with the children and listening to the children and valuing their opinions. Providing a stimulating and challenging environment also giving children and young person’s choices. Meeting individual needs, inclusive practice and to have an adult role model. Well planned experiences, following plans for individual behaviours and following behaviour policies. 4. 2 Demonstrate how children and young people are encouraged to engage in positive behaviour. 4. 3 Reflect on own role in promoting positive behaviour in children and young behaviour. Promoting positive behaviour from my role would to be a good role model and make sure I have an ongoing positive attitude so the children can see that and get used to a positive surrounding. Also keeping up to date with behaviour policies and get them across. Be able to use reflective practice to improve own contribution to child and young person development 5. 1 Review effectiveness of own contribution to the assessment of the development needs of a child or young person. An assessment of the needs of children and young people as it gives you an understanding of where they are in there development status and condition to make sure you can identify the areas which are in need of attention. 5. 2 review effectiveness of own role in supporting the child or young person’s development. Supporting the child or young person’s development in your role is to be very supportive and helpful towards the development of the child or young person. Be able to have a good relationship with them so they can feel comfortable and progress through physical, cognitive and social development. 5. 3 Identify changes that can be made to own practice in supporting child and young person development. Take time to concentrate on each child separately as children can develop at different paces and will need different help towards developing. Also being patient and understanding with the children and young persons development.

The Idea of the Middle Class White Collar Workers and Peruvian Society

Table of Contents Introduction Summary Critical Evaluation The Wider Latin American Community Primary Sources Conclusion Work Cited Introduction The Idea of the Middle Class: White Collar Workers and Peruvian Society, 1900-1950 is a 266-page book authored by D. S. Parker and published in University Park, Pennsylvania by Pennsylvania State University Press in 1998. The book gives a detailed history of Lima’s middle class in the period between 1900 and 1950.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Idea of the Middle Class: White Collar Workers and Peruvian Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Parker gives a reflectively inventive and comfortably familiar assessment of the Latin American Society, specifically the Peruvians. His clear account follows the creation of the middle-class, its economic and cultural aspects, its political activity, and the way in which it evolved as Lima’s demographic and economic growth changed the city’s labor structure. For these grounds, The Idea of the Middle Class enjoys a wide audience from diverse population groups: economists, social historians, among others. Parker analyses Peru’s middle class community by combining the techniques of social historians with interest on language as he examines the factors that led Peru’s white-collar employees to identify themselves as members of a special middle class. He follows the foundations of this new class identity and demonstrates the long-term effect that the phenomenon had on Peruvian economy, politics, and customs. Summary The Idea of the Middle Class centers on the intricate interaction between ideas and structure, between the personality of white-collar employees and how state mechanisms strengthened and articulated that personality. White-collar employees, locally known as empleados, viewed themselves as privileged members of the society, separate and superior to the blue- collar masses, known as obreros. The beliefs of this middle class was not a universal idea aimed at restoring Peru’s image in a democratic bourgeois revolution, instead, the middle-class’ aim was to guard their privileges and hence their social dissimilarity through political means. Therefore, the middle-class’ plan led to a struggle to employ state mechanisms to strengthen, articulate, and guard their priviledge, instead of creating an alliance with the lower-ranked members of the society to depose the oligarchy. The distinction between the privileged and unwashed masses had been created by the colonialists to indicate a disparity in moral worth (Parker 24). Superior status was demonstrated through a distinguished family legacy, an excellent education, a light skin tone, and correct dressing code. Parker informs us of the vagueness of using race to define one’s social position among the Peruvians (Parker 26), in this system, whites and mestizo (of Indian and white descent) occupied the highest level (42). The separation between the empleados and obreros is initiated with their relationship to the nobilities. Empleados were the permanent employees in firms that were dominant in Peru’s economy. Their jobs demanded that one be literate and have elementary mathematical capabilities, as well as a reputable conduct for interaction with the public. On the contrary, obreros were temporary, unskilled employees, and had no direct contact with the business bosses.Advertising Looking for report on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To maintain one’s status as an empleado, one had to dress and eat appropriately, and live in prescribed locations, besides, the spouse should not have been employed and the children ought to have attended private schools. These social demands meant that the empleados suffered from inflation more than the obreros. These expectations were lat er changed and political demands were used to identify empleados (Parker 18). Political demands used to categorize Peruvians were stated as law 4916 in 1924. In these laws, only empleados were assured of a 3-month severance in cases where one was fired without notice, and a payment of two months’ wages for every year in which one was employed. Besides, the employees were to be given life insurance and disability allowances (Parker 105). Parker mentions that these labor policies led some obreros to reclassify their status as an empleado, while the new status did not come with material gains, it improved one’s status in the society. In the Peruvian society, status mattered more than material wealth, and the author corroborates this statement by informing us of students’ unwillingness to take up blue-collar jobs regardless of the pay (132). Politically, the social and economic pressure felt by the empleados turned into support for Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Ame ricana (APRA), the leading political party. Empleados were attracted to ARPA due to two factors: nationalism and racism. Through APRA, empleados felt their jobs were secure since the party campaigned against employment of foreigners, besides, APRA denounced firms that either underpaid or exploited empleados, thereby strengthening their support among the middle class (Parker 173). Critical Evaluation Overall, The Idea of the Middle Class gives an intriguing outlook of the creation of a different type of middle class; one based on retaining difference rather than conquering inequality. However, the weakness of Parker’s work is found on its lack of wider theoretical connections, from being drawn on historiography rather than on political science or sociology. Parker’s explanation of the consumption patterns of the empleados could have been easily comprehended had he used Weber’s comprehension of a status group rather than from Marx’s idea of class. Weberâ₠¬â„¢s theory states that an individual’s association to the ownership of the means of production is normally the foundation of group identity. The status group recognition of the empleados would have been further strengthened by the Latin American tradition of conexiones (connections). In the Peruvian system, the probability of success is determined by who you know, such acquaintances will assist you in acquiring material wealth, jobs, and even a spouse. Under such circumstances, the empleados’ close connection with their bosses appears as less an outdated desire for status and pride, than a practical defense of their life success.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Idea of the Middle Class: White Collar Workers and Peruvian Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, in building his assessment, Parker challenges a generation of intellectuals to reconsider their thoughts on the formation and classification of social groups. While The Idea of the Middle Class explains empleado identity, it also brings up vital questions for dependency theory. The author observes that small-scale businessmen did not define the values of the empleados because the petit bourgeoisie were foreign and hence not easy to organize. The Wider Latin American Community Social historians contend that no social class has bred more debate than the middle class, and nowhere has the debate been felt than in Latin America. This class is blamed for failing to steer the Latin American economy to greater strides, a role that the same group has carried out in other regions. Besides, the group is also blamed for failing to instill democracy and progressive ideas in the region, for example, in Peru, the empleados sought government support instead of monitoring it activities. This failure can be attributed to the social pressures placed on them because of being members of the empleado. Primary Sources Parker provides a rich account of the lifestyle, values, and customs of this upcoming class and the persistence in seeking economic stability, propriety, and revolution in the Peruvian system. Using skillfully written biographical profiles based on a number of archival articles, Parker achieves success in enlivening the empleados in a way that creates an urgency to flip through the pages by using primary sources to support his statements. Parker also utilizes a number of records drawn from data collected during the period between 1900 to1950, for example, on page 136, he gives unemployment statistics for selected occupations drawn from the 1931 statistics. These records indicate that unemployment percentage for masons was the highest, followed by carpenters, while farm workers were the least employed persons. On page 77, he gives the reported occupations of ARPA members from the 1931 to 1945. Again, he gives empleado marriages in Lima by race from 1932 to 1947, records that clearly indica te that a higher percentage of empleados belonged to white/white and mestizo/mestizo marriages as compared to mixed marriages.Advertising Looking for report on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Parker also gives a ‘typical’ empleado’s (Rodrigo Gonzalez) household budget in 1949, Rodrigo earned 600 soles (described as a meager amount in 1949), his monthly budget adds to 572 soles. Other primary sources include the composition of Lima-based employees of a Peruvian company (1930) and a table on the Distribution of empleados by Sector and Gender, 1940 (Parker 212). Conclusion Parker provides a careful assessment of how the 20th century invention became an essential part of the Peruvian culture. This brilliant and painstaking examination of Peruvian white-collar employees gives a near-perfect mix of the material, cultural, and political elements of class formation. Work Cited Parker, David Stuart. The Idea of the Middle Class: White Collar Workers and Peruvian  Society, 1900-1950. University Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1998. This report on The Idea of the Middle Class: White Collar Workers and Peruvian Society was written and submitted by user Kingsley Gilliam to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

United Arab Emirates Public Library and Cultural Center (UAEPLCC) Risk Management Plan

buy custom U.S. Embassy Cables essay

buy custom U.S. Embassy Cables essay In my research I explore U.S. embassy cables related to a crisis in the relations between the United States and Armenia over arms transfers to Iran. The cables were published by WikiLeaks in December 2008. The main the reason why I chose this topic is because I am interested in any development concerning Armenia, my homeland. This leak is also interesting from the viewpoint of the both the sad outcome of the arms transfer and the language of threats the United States makes to force other countries to play by its rules. Wiki Leaks Research Project According to the United States Government, some weapons recovered from two Shia militant attacks on U.S. soldiers in Iraq in 2007 had been transferred from Armenia to Iran. A United States soldier was killed and six others were injured in that attack. The United States Government had concluded that those weapons were connected with Armenias facilitation of Iran's purchase of rockets and machine guns in 2003. The leaked cable includes a letter from John Negroponte, United States Deputy Secretary to Serzh Sargsyan and President of the Republic of Armenia. In the letter Negroponte expresses the concern of the United States Government over the alleged arms transfer and the possibility of imposing sanctions against Armenia if the latter fails to ensure prevention of future arms transfers to Iran. Interestingly, the United States Government had attached a long list of measures intended for preventing arms transfers to Iran. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is reported to have denied any involvement in the arms transfer to its southern neighbor. After the Wiki Leaks published the cables, Serzh Sargsyan announced that Armenia had never sold arms to Iran. In an interview to Russian Echo Moskvy Radio station, Sargsyan said that Armenia would not do it since there was an Armenian military detachment serving in Iraq. However, aided by its highly acclaimed intelligence, The United States had managed to track all the dealings of Armenia in the saga such that it had almost all the relevant documentation. They had managed to successfully identify where the RPG rockets were manufactured (Bulgaria) by Vazovski Mashinostroitelni Zavodi. Arsenal, also a Bulgarian arms factory, had manufactured the machine guns. The American intelligence had also concluded that the arms were taken to Iran soon after being transported to Armenia. This was facilitated by two arms companies from the two countries and it was also revealed that Zao Veber, the Armenian company in the deal, is owned by the Armenian government. Additionally, evidence showed that the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad government had paid for the arms. However, the payment was never trailed (Spiegel). Serzh Sargsyan, it was claimed, played a major role in facilitating the purchase of the weapons. Bulgaria had expressed its reluctance in selling the arms but he assured them that the weapons wont find a way out of Armenia in a self written letter. These softened the Bulgarians stance and hence were coerced in to the deal (Spiegel). The then U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, complained to the Armenian government about its action. She claimed that Iran, and its government, was promoting terrorist activities in The Middle East. Therefore, The United States threatened Armenia with sanctions if they engaged in such a deal with Iran again (Spiegel). Despite all these warnings, Serzh Sargsyan still remained adamant, maintaining innocence all along. Hence, The United States presented him with all the compelling evidence they had gathered. This time round, he had been cornered and he duly accepted responsibility for the whole saga. The United States then demanded that Armenia legislate some tougher export controls to prevent such deals from being done again (Spiegel). A meeting between Serzh Sargsyan and The US diplomats happened in early 2009. The Armenian government, clearly rattled by the whole saga, and fearing further diplomatic breakdown, was willing to address the fears raised by the Americans. On their part, The American administration wanted an amicable solution found. It promised to not impose, and waive, sanctions to Armenia if it was assured that they (Armenians) will continue to cooperate (Sanamyan, 2010). The Armenian president, Mr. Sargsyan, distanced himself, and his country, in any future arms dealings with Iran. He accepted to work on the requests and demands of The United States. The acceptance of responsibility in the sale, the willingness to cooperate and the promise to never engage in shady arms deal with Iran all seemed to have pleased America. They again started to warm up on Armenia, and Sargsyan (Sanamyan, 2010). Sargsyan, in his effort to improve the countries relation even further, pointed out the undeniable long standing cooperation between Armenia and The United States of America since the formers inception in 1991. This cooperation touched on matters such as security and non proliferation. Indeed, the then US president, George Bush, wrote a letter to thank Armenia, and its president, for their role in helping US troops in the fight against terrorism in Iraq. For three years, Armenian servicemen had been deployed in Iraq near the border with Iran as part of the US led coalition (Sanamyan, 2010). After such positive exchanges between the two governments, the seemingly irreparable relation was on the mend. The two governments were back to working together. As a result, the United States never introduced any sanctions it had threatened confirming the amicability of the resolution of the whole saga (Sanamyan, 2010). So far, weve looked in detail at the whole storm. But what are the implications of this saga on the ensuing relations between the two countries? Will the United States start to treat Armenia with suspicion? To find a clue, I will delve in to the relations between the two countries before, during and after the conflict calmed down. Armenia and The US became trade partners back in 1992, a year after Armenias inception. Since then, an estimated 70 US firms are in operation in Armenia, especially the computer-related ones such as Dell, IBM and operating systems giant Microsoft. Other US investments in Armenia are in the hotel business, home based products manufacturing like carpets and furniture and construction. Additionally, some US firms have their subsidiaries in Armenia. These include IT firms like Viasphere Technopark and Coca Cola. Other investments are in the beauty industry, textiles and mining (US Department of state). The United States claimed to have played a major role in the transition of Armenia from non-democracy to democracy. On top of this, it has granted Armenia humanitarian assistance in excess of $2 billion. The US diplomats and their Armenian counterparts meet on a yearly basis to review the two countries development progress. The US has also supported peaceful co existence between Armenia and its surrounding countries and also put measures to boost its economy such that its growth potential is realized. Armenias health sector has also benefitted greatly from this assistance. The US government agencies like USAID, the MCC have been on the forefront of this humanitarian and economic assistance. Another key sector of the Armenian economy, agriculture, has benefitted greatly from this bilateral relation. Specifically, The US has helped improve the rural infrastructure, irrigation programmes, technical support to farmers and commercialization of the agricultural sector (US Department of Sta te). The democratic development of Armenia has also been on the agenda of The United States. It has put up programs to help the Armenian government be more accountable and also more democrratic. The programs include legal based practices such as educating the public, prosecutors and lawyers on legal matters, enhancing the Judiciary, promoting human rights practices. It has also helped in the fight against corruption. The people of Armenia have also been educated to demand for government accountability. They have been urged in taking a leading role by participating fully in the political and democratic process. The US States has also fought government interference in the media industry. Additionally, it has promoted measures to make the Police force and the judicial system more transparent (US Department of State). Analyzing the accounts above of the relations between the two countries, it appears that the row brought about by WikiLeaks was not, and has not been, treated as such a big deal. Indeed the failure of The US to press on with the sanctions it had threatened supports this stance. This brings us to another dilemma. What are the consequences of these WikiLeaks reports to the affected nations? Do people find such revelations that serious? Should such extremely secret information be revealed to the public? Ill try to look these questions, with the case of Armenias sale of weapons to Iran my reference point. It is universally accepted that governments, and even people, keep some secrets for the good of the country. This is especially true when it comes to military operations and other security-related information (Sifry). Failure to do so can expose the country to its enemies or cause unnecessary tension. This is exactly what happened in the Armenian case. Though it proved inconsequential in the end, it was feared that there may be a total breakdown of communication between the two countries. In the stern letter released, economic sanctions were to be imposed to Armenia which would have had serious implications on its citizens. It would have been better if the matter had been left, and dealt with, secretly without causing a public outcry. With the advent of the internet, and especially WikiLeaks, information, however graphic and/or secret, now flows freely in to the public domain. This is because in any institution theres always someone willing to share the information in total disregard of its far reaching implications (Sifry). Such cases also bring mistrust among the employees of the affected institution. In this case, its claimed that a former soldier was responsible for the leak. The public was not overly concerned about the outcome of the whole saga. Rather, many wondered how such letters would be released to the public. Indeed, the initial reaction of the two governments was to deny the cables. Trust issues were raised at the time and even there were death threats. This leak, I suppose, may have played a major role in the end of the conflict since The US could not claim a high moral ground when it had in its midst citizens giving out vital information. Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has received a lot of criticism, especially from The US. Their Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, claimed that through his website, he was in effect sabotaging international relations (Sifry). This cannot be further from the truth when you take the Armenian-US relations in to account after the leak. She would have preferred that it was kept a secret rather than involving the public at large. The leaks have raised serious concerns in international relations, not just US-Armenia. Conclusion Although WikiLeaks has received a lot of criticism from authorities and governments, and sections of the public, some people have come to embrace it as a vital tool in getting news that they would never have known. Apart from the Armenia-US saga, the website has published such information implicating Pakistans close working with Taliban, Saudi Arabias plea to America to bomb Iran, North Korea backing military authoritarian rule in Myanmar. Buy custom U.S. Embassy Cables essay

Two Recent Merger and Acquisition Cases Research Paper

Two Recent Merger and Acquisition Cases - Research Paper Example Verizon shareholders were the winners in the deal in that the new wireless unit was expected to have an annual income of 21.8 billion as operations income, a major boost to Verizon wireless coffers. The implication would be that Verizon wireless would have huge capital for investment in its wireless network infrastructure to take over competition wars to new levels. The deal was particularly of much importance to Vodafone shareholders as the company was not in a position to control operations and dividends in the U.S market. As such, the deal liberated Vodafone to focus more on reinventing and improving its operations in the European market where they have total control of their operations. Concentrating on the European market would improve the value of the company to its shareholders. In other words, the company made efforts to concentrate in smaller market segment hence improved performance and obtaining a competitive edge. The move to sell Vodafone U.S to Verizon was a response to the dwindling fortunes in the European market, which was badly affected by the debt crises. As such the buyout would leave Vodafone in improved financial status for boosting its network in the European market, which would be a win to Vodafone shareholders after several years of misfortune. The lucrativeness of the deal was evident by the fact that Verizon had agreed to sell its 23% stake in Vodafone Italy back to Vodafone at a cost of $3.5 billion. The amount is a fraction of what Verizon churned out for Vodafone US. On the other hand, the deal was a major boost to Verizon shares in the market. Verizon was expecting at least 10% gain per share since the buyout, a major surprise in the U.S communication market. However, the deal was not without a cost to Verizon. The company faced a major downgrade risk from S & P due to its high debt, with its credit rating being downgraded by one level and risking sinking deeper towards