Current and Significant Trend in Health Care Essay

Current and Significant Trend in Health Care - Essay Example The health sector, in the recent past, was marred with a shortage of staff, especially nurses. This was a setback to the sector as many people had to wait in long queues for the services. However, there is an emerging trend where the staffing has been increased. The healthcare sector has employed more nurses and health practitioners to help in serving the up surging demand. For example, according to the US Bureau of Statistics, employment in healthcare increased by an average of 26,000 jobs monthly (Acton, 2013). This is evident that the sector has initiated a plan of increasing the number of people offering services. According to the forecasts in the sector, it is estimated that the number of healthcare workers will have increased overall by 30% by the year 2020. This trend is significant as it has various advantages. First, people will receive high quality services. Secondly, people in need of healthcare services will avoid long queues. Advancement in technology is an aspect that has been gaining prevalence in many sectors of the economy. The healthcare sector has also started to appreciate technology (Ginter, Duncan and Swayne, 2013). In this era, there is a need to enhance accuracy in treatment. This is by enhancing diagnosis of different kinds of diseases and complications in the patients. The use of technology has had a positive influence on accurate diagnosis of diseases and complications. For example, cancer is a complication that is affecting a larger percentage of the American population. Apparently, the complication is controllable and treated with early diagnosis. However, when cancer is in its final stages, it is not easy to control or even cure. According to statistics in 2011, over 45% of practitioners in the health sector were using modern technology, which includes use of specialized computers and tablets. One year later, over 65% of the health practitioners in the health sector had access to

Strategic Fit between HR Strategy and Business Essay

Strategic Fit between HR Strategy and Business - Essay Example Strategic fit is basically related to a review of organizational resources in consideration of the fact that the important aspect to profitability is not only achieved by industry selection and positioning, but also through a strategy that seeks to utilize resources and capabilities. Capabilities and resources, which have unique characteristics, are matched to develop a competitive advantage in the long run. Fit as Strategy Integration Fit as strategy integration provides organizations with assess criteria with which integrations transactions may be optimized for achieving production frontier before, during, and after integration. The strategy elaborates how well an organization can meet the merger criteria without compromising on performance success. Organizations under mergers process and plans need to put into consideration smooth operations in merging deals, alongside maintaining successful asset combination production through strategy. Strategy integration comes in handy to enab le organizations to effectively manage added asset combination value and leverage positioning. Strategy integration, alongside due diligence, goes a long way in maintaining an organization’s profitability during mergers (Gleich, Kierans & Hasselbach, 2010, p.5). Strategy integration allows an organization to exercise more control performance measures and value added integration, rather than mere integration that may compromise on performance. Backward strategy integration may be undertaken to enable organizations access needed raw materials from a more dependable source. On the other hand, forward integration strategy enables a manufacturing company to build a more reliable market to its products. The integration strategy also allows an organization to gather more control on how it sells products and services and pursue product differentiation to build competitive advantage. The strategy generally outlines a clear perspective on what particular activities organizations should engage in with relation to its situations and visions to achieve increased profitability and success (Tan, 2002, p.48). The processes enable an organization to evaluate viability of mergers prior to proceeding with the transactions. More so, the process seeks to establish best practices that would enable growth, improvement, and attainment of better profitability prospects, alongside possible performance success obstacle identification and elimination. Strategic fit basically enables organizations to successfully launch merger integration amidst continued present successes, value added asset combination, and long-term performance success. Through strategic fit, organizations are able to optimize available technologies, human resources, and operation systems. Fit as an Ideal Practice Strategic fit is the best practice between human resource and business, although a number of practices may still be wanting for an organization. The human resource is widely actualized for its commitmen t and competencies that need to be governed by strategic focus that forms the best practice available. Through strategy, the organization is able to actualize its potentials with regards to complexities and multiple dimensions involvement of organizational human resource capabilities matched with available resources. Considering

LAW 421 Theory to Practice Essay Example for Free

LAW 421 Theory to Practice Essay Theory to Practice Questions 1.At one point, if ever, did the parties have a contract? The parties had a contract when they agreed on the key terms of the distribution contract. The first agreement was a 90-day negotiation agreement and the second was an oral distribution agreement in a meeting prior to the end of the 90-day negotiation. The oral agreement was followed by an e-mail sent to Chou in which the terms of the agreement were reiterated by the manager of BTT. The manager of BTT showed objective intent to contract. In addition, â€Å"faxes, e-mails, letters, memos, and receipts help establish [a] handshake deal† (Hartline, 2007, para. 3). In other words, when BTT sent the email stating all the key terms orally discussed between the parties were agreed upon, both parties showed intent to contract, therefore the agreement of key terms should be considered under contract. 2.What facts may weigh in favor of or against Chou in terms of the parties’ objective intent to contract? Favor: †¢Chou received payment from BTT, leading Chou to believe BTT had intent to come to agreement. †¢The meeting ended with an oral agreement. †¢There is proof of the oral agreement via the BTT e-mail. †¢The e-mail may be considered a rough draft of the contract. †¢The manager sent the e-mail including all of the key terms the parties agreed upon. †¢Even though a month had passed, BTT still requested a copy of the distribution agreement draft. †¢The amount of time spent on the contract and in contact with both parties shows intent to contract. Against: †¢No signatures from either party to bind the contract. †¢The 90-day negotiation deadline passed with only a written agreement, even though the negotiation agreement stated only a written contract was valid. †¢The contract wasn’t drafted until BTT requested a copy a month later. †¢The e-mail did not use the words â€Å"contract†. 3.Does the fact that the parties were communicating by e-mail have any impact on your analysis in Questions 1 and 2 above? The fact that the parties were communicating via e-mail did not impact the analysis of  questions 1 and 2. E-mail is a viable and effective form of communication in today’s world, especially in business. E-mails can be saved and used as evidence in many court cases. According to the mailbox rule, the e-mail was sent prior to the 90 days and was considered accepted when it was sent (Melvin, 2011). 4.What role does the statute of frauds play in this contract? The statute of frauds applies to the sale of goods over $500; sales over that amount need to be in writing (Melvin, 2011). The provisions of the statute of frauds are satisfied if the writing contains several items, including quantity, signature, and clear, concise language (Melvin, 2011). The textbook states that key terms were discussed and agreed upon in the e-mail, however I am not sure if that included quantity. However, BTT provided an electronic signature in the e-mail and the language in the e-mail could be interpreted by a reasonable person as intent to form a contract. Therefore, the e-mail pretty much satisfies the statute of frauds conditions. 5.Could BTT avoid the contract under the doctrine of mistake? Explain. Would either party have any other defenses that would allow the contract to be avoided? I don’t think BTT can void the contract under the doctrine of mistake. A contract is void under the doctrine of mistakes because of misunderstanding in the parties involved such as unilateral mistakes and mutual mistakes. Nothing in the text indicates BTT made a mistake; their reason for not fulfilling contract was a change in management. Chou made the mistake of thinking the e-mail was a draft of the contract, however the fact that BTT requested a copy of the draft a month later gave Chou the impression the company still wanted to conduct business. 6.Assuming, arguendo, that this e-mail does constitute an agreement, what consideration supports this agreement? In order for a contract to be binding, it must be supported by agreement and consideration. The promise (Chou) was willing to give up something of value (his game) and the promisor’s (BTT) promise was part of a bargain for exchange (the key terms in the agreement, specifically price and time frames). BTT led Chou to believe that they were under contract because of their mutual agreement and consideration. References Hartline, K. (2007, September). Oral contracts: Do they carry any weight?. Legal Zoom. Retrieved from http://www.legalzoom.com/business-law/contract-law/oral-contracts-do-they-carry Melvin, S.P., (2011). The legal environment of business: A managerial approach: Theory to practice. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Retrieved from: The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database

Courage In Little Women And Treasure Island

Courage In Little Women And Treasure Island Little Women was written in the 19th Century in the time of the American Civil War. Many men were away fighting the war or supporting their cause, so women were often left to await their return and run their lives without the support of their husbands and fathers. Treasure Island was written in Britain nearly 20 years later, at a time when the British Empire was at its zenith and British citizens felt invincible. In both books the children are affected by financial issues and it is this that ultimately brings out the courage in the children. Courage is defined as the quality that makes a person able to meet dangers without fear†¦.Bravery. I do not believe that any of the children faced their lives without fear, but they managed to control it to allow them to cope with their own dangers. In this context we must look at how they meet dangers, deal with consequences of their actions and face adversity. We must also look at how their courage, or lack thereof, affects the outcomes in certain scenarios. Courage can be shown both physically and psychologically, but it is the mind that drives a person to show courage; for instance people who show acts of physical bravery are only able to carry the act out with a strength of mind and in turn a psychological courage. The first book I will look at is that of Little Women. The four March sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy, are left in the care of their mother Marmee when their father goes off to the American Civil War, after losing the majority of their wealth, Mr March lost his property in trying to help an unfortunate friend. Each of the sisters has a different personality and this is no less apparent in the way in which their individual courage is portrayed in the story. The story is set in a difficult period in American history and the author bases the book on her own childhood. The story touches on the fight for independence amongst women at the time and portrays a story that captures courage, love and adversity. It is also very much written for girls as it appeals to the sort of life girls would have recognised in the mid-nineteenth century. The sisters show solidarity through the adversity and one word that crops up frequently, when the author describes the girls change in lifestyle, is Pilgrim. This is an example of courage; the fact that they are prepared to try to make changes in their personalities in time for their fathers return in one year. They face challenges to rid themselves of their flaws and although this is not always a complete success, they show great resolve and strength of mind not to be beaten. This form of courage may not be as colourful as the more obvious, physical courage that is shown in Treasure Island but it has many qualities and gives the readers a belief that they can improve their own lives. Courage is an inspiring trait and it is what makes great leaders; it is the reason that the readers can become engrossed in and involved with the main characters of both the books we are looking at. Courage for the girls is of enduring, of patience and conquering their fears for their father and overcoming their own personality defects. Fetterley suggests that the girls take on this model of womanhood not from choice or out of virtue, but from necessity. This is certainly true of Jo, who longs to break the mould and become a writer, but she knows it is her fathers wish that his little women will do their duty faithfully, fight their bosom enemies bravely and conquer themselves beautifully. She remains true to herself, although her task is to control her temper and try to overcome her dislike of housework. She gets into dreadful scrapes, but has a wonderful enthusiasm for life, which is viewed by the others in varying degrees of disapproval or wistfulness. Alcott gives Jo a steadfast friend and admirer in the shy and retiring Beth. All their striving to improve is worthwhile when Beth gets better and their father returns safely to them. Meg finds love and a future husband, Beth has her health and her father and Jo and Amy are satisfied with their lot. Jo has Laurie, which the reader hopes will blossom successfully in another book. At the last it is Jo who we feel has the courage to step out of the system Jo lounged in her favourite low seat , with the grave, quiet look which best became her. She offers us the most promise for the future, she has the most courage. It is courageous to live in society as a poor relation, to follow their mothers strong moral code in the style of John Bunyons Pilgrims Progress. It is not exciting courage, where the enemy is an evil person, but it is the mundane courage to improve and strive to be good. Marmee allows the girls to make their own mistakes. When they are given 3 months vacation, they ask if they can take their break following their own desires. Marmee agrees to this, but wisely says You may try your experiment for a week and see if you like it. I think by Saturday night you will find that all play and no work is as bad as all work and no play. Of course Marmee is quite right and the girls realise what a peculiar and uncomfortable state of things was produced by the resting and revelling process. The narrative utilised in each of the books is also a determinant of how the various areas of courage are shown and paint different pictures from the simplistic view of what courage is. In Treasure Island Jims narrative of his heroic acts is valuable because he records them modestly, giving us an insider view of heroism that is not very glamorous. Jim is not arrogant, but instead is humbled by his mistakes and successes. He takes full responsibility for his errors rather than finding excuses for them, and he confesses to moments of panic, indecision, and regret rather than bragging exclusively of his successes. Jims remarkable honesty and sincerity often make the heroic or noble claims of the grown-ups, pirates and honourable citizens alike, seem like empty bluster. Jims inclusion of both his follies and his fortunes make his narrative seem more genuine and the adventure more real. If we look back at what defines courage and in particular at the statement that acts of bravery are wit hout fear, we can see that everyone experiences fear even if their ultimate act is one of courage and heroism, it is how ones mind deals with the fear, that creates the courage, as is depicted in the quote from Treasure Island; My curiosity, in a sense, was stronger than my fear we can understand a little of his personality and how he overcomes his natural instinct to be afraid. Although he is courageous, Jims impetuous individualism reminds us that he is still a youth. His tendency to act on his whims and his growing self-awareness also shows that he is caught between two worlds-between childhood and adulthood, and between the lawful, rational world and the lawless pirate world. Jims story is therefore not merely a fanciful adventure tale but also a narrative about growing up. The fact that it is written in the first person allows the reader to enter the world of Jim Hawkins and allow themselves to become the character, incorporating their personalities and in turn understanding th eir strengths and weaknesses fully. Both books look at the growth of the individuals, in Little Women each of the girls sets out to better herself, by losing her least endearing traits and growing into a finer woman because of this. In Treasure Island Jim starts out life as a scared boy who is frightened easily and runs to his mother when he is. As the story continues after the death of his father, Jim becomes more assertive and courageous. In both stories, it is the courage of their convictions that allows them to mature and become what they desire. They all possess strong will-power and a strong understanding of what is wrong and right. In order that they live their lives in this way they must each possess courage. The role that the courage plays in each of the books is creating a hero and keeping the reader interested. Jims physical bravery and heroic acts were aimed at inspiring the boys of that generation. The book was written in a time when men were expected to be brave and courageous and the story of Jim Hawkins taps into the mind of boys who were going through an unsure stage in their lives. The fact that Stevenson made Jim a timid, frightened boy at the beginning of the book and then took him trough a journey of growth and maturity, shows that he was understanding of how many boys of that age were feeling and was hoping that this would inspire and show them the way to become a man. It is believed that Stevenson based the story about his own feelings as he grew up; his 12 year old son was also a major influence on how Jim should be portrayed. In Little women we see a similar influence that the role of courage has on the reader. The book was aimed at young teenage girls who were growing up in a time of expectation. The expectation that you must marry well, not be outspoken, and be a devoted wife. Little women breaks this mould and shows girls in a different light. Jos courage to be outspoken and wilful showed the reader that life didnt have to mean conforming and Beths bravery through illness would show them that courage through times of adversity is a positive attribute. It gave teenage girls in this time another outlook on life and the courage shown by the little women could be related to their own lives in some way. Both books show various forms of courage in children and the historical element plays a large part in the authors choice of character. War affected countries and traditional values made for hard times for many children of the era. The authors were able to free the children from their normal lives and enter into lives of children they could relate to and if they chose to, emulate. Although Treasure Island is a fantasy tale, it again incorporates realistic virtues and traits, it interests the children of the time and is understood by many boys of the era, who lost their fathers . Although the death of Jims father is not a major part of the story, it is the turning point for Jim as he begins to find his courage and maturity. Books are often written to give children role models and the most successful have characters that they can relate. This is still true of todays writing and character inspiration for many of todays leading childrens novels has come from the realisation that the need for a courageous, brave main character is paramount to encouraging children and young teenagers to read so they can live their own lives through these people and take on their qualities. I believe that the role of courage of the children in both Little Women and Treasure Island is the overriding reason for the success of the books. As has been mentioned above, the historical reasons, the need for children to read about their peers acting in a courageous way and the inspiration that the characters produce for the reader are all reasons for the success of the books. The courage and bravery of the children has been so powerful that it has led to future authors trying to reproduce the characters in their stories. They may be extremely different characters, but if you look at how Pullman created Lyra or Rowling created Harry Potter they all share one trait in particular, courage.

Bob Marley Essay -- Biography Biographies Bio

Bob Marley is a name most people know but his accomplishments and dedication to music is often overlooked. Bob was more than just a reggae artist, he was an inspiration to the country of Jamaica. He was a role model to the poverty stricken island and gave hope to many people. Bob was born on February 6, 1945 in his grandfather's house. He was the son of a poor farm girl and a British naval Captain. Soon after his birth Bob's father, Norval Marley, left his mother. He remained responsible and provided financial support and occasionally came back to see them. In the 50's a depression hit Jamaica and Bob followed his mother to West Kingston also known as Trenchtown. It was in Trenchtown were Bob's love for music began. Bob Marley's music has given people everywhere hope for a better tomorrow. His life and involvement with the Rastafarian movement left an impact on the world that is still felt today. He sang of peace speaking out against slavery, poverty, and oppression. His philosophy was to send a message through his music that all people are equal and should unite together to make this world a much better place for our future generation. "Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny"(Stephens 2). When Bob Marley said this he was referring to the battle with the Americans and the Indians of the west, where slaves from Africa were forced to fight. He wrote the song "Buffalo Soldier" as a tribute to the injustice of the war. They were brought to America and forced to fight against the Native American Indians. The Indians called them buffalo soldiers because their hair was tightly woven and to them, it resembled the curly and matted buffalo's coat. In the line "Stolen from Africa, brought to America Fighting on arrival, figh... ...y never gave up on his goal for world peace. The point of many of these songs were that you will never loose until you give up your fight. If everyone gave up on the things they were doing once they had failed then where would the world be today? If the U.S. had surrendered in our first world war when one soldier was shot down would we have our great country today? No, we wouldn't because no one gets anywhere when they give up. No one has anything when they give up just another failure to write in their book of history that will most likely not be remembered. All of our great leaders had to try more than once to get what they fought for. Like George Washington fought for freedom for years and when he got it he was known as a great leader to America and it's future generations. Maybe if the world were like Bob Marley we could be further into the future than we are now.

The Art of Coffee :: essays research papers

The Art of Coffee When I began my job as a Barista at Mainline Coffee I knew next to nothing about this art. I enjoyed hanging out at coffee shops with friends, and appreciated the energy boost drinking a cup could give me; however, the sum of my knowledge appeared to be only that I knew how to brew coffee at home. I didn’t know the differences between espresso and drip brew coffee, or the differences between a cappuccino and a latte. I was ignorant of how much more went into the process of creating good quality coffee. During my first few months there I strove to learn as much about this trade as possible. Similar to any other job that I have worked at, I felt that it was my duty as a paid employee to become as fully qualified for the position as possible. An emphatic enthusiast about coffee, my manager Josh took me under his wing and began to impart his vast sum of knowledge to me. Every day I worked with him he would teach me more and more about roasting techniques, different origins of coff ee and their complex tastes, the best way to foam milk, and the correct names for specialty drinks. He worked on developing my palate for coffee by requiring me to taste each new origin we ordered and then, using coffee vernacular, describing it to the best of my ability. We would also have competitions between ourselves as to who could create the best micro-foam when frothing milk. As my knowledge of this art increased, I was excited by the potential that I was finding in coffee. I was able to experience excellent coffee and espresso, and it opened my eyes up to the fact that there was much more to coffee than the â€Å"traditional† Maxwell House, Folgers, or instant coffee could ever offer. Once roasted, coffee beans begin to oxidize, and they rapidly turn stale and bitter. Packing and refrigeration is able to slow down this process, however, it can never be prevented. Maxwell House, Folgers, and similar brands come already ground, and who knows how long they have been sitting on the shelf in the grocery store. The flavors brought out of these coffees can’t compare to the rich, smooth, and full-bodied flavors of coffee that is recently roasted and ground immediately before brewing. I had discovered something that was good, and I wanted to share my new wealth of information with other coffee drinkers like myself.

Japan’s Anime: Implications on Western Society Essay

Anime, which is short for Japanese animation, is an element in Japanese pop culture that is acclaimed for its global impact. With origins from the manga or Japanese art of comics and cartoon pictures and now significantly contributing to film and games production; it is not only bringing in market influences but is also contributing significantly to Western culture. In this essay, I would like to share some ideas about the roles of anime, a supposedly Japanese artifact in the transformation of a seemingly distant Western society. A few assumptions have to be established prior to elaborate discussions on the matter. First, anime must be viewed as a result of Japan’s endeavor to offer a different way of telling stories that allowed the artists to enjoy creativity in character building and imagination in choosing location. Second, initially created for their locales, it reflects both social limitations of and desires of its people in relation to history. Hence, anime is telling more about their past and its present implications. Third, with globalization’s power to cross borders, through open market and information and communications technology, anime’s popularity in Europe is a manifestation of transculturalism. Fourth, there is growing debate about the source of this anime popularity among Westerners and even postmodernists too started deconstructing this Japanese Art and relate its subjects and characters to critical socio-political and economic themes such as gender and identity. Anime also enabled outsiders’ exploration of Japan culture and history by seeing through their stories. Fifth, anime may have missed essential elements due to translations in language to cater to its foreign audience. Yet again, the effort to do so shows the interest in knowing foreign interpretation of life, and perhaps if it is attractive to the audience, then the latter must have agreed to the elucidation made thereof. These assumptions help us in generating our thesis statement, which is that anime, has its local purpose whose inherent characteristics although might have been owed to the creator are nonetheless historically and socially bound. Capitalism and the interest in profit might have encouraged countries across the globe to invest in it such that the classic in anime becomes a distinctive option for Westerners. Its popularity nonetheless is predicted to be influencing most especially the youth in terms of lifestyles, views and behaviors. This forecast makes scholars analyze anime’s content and opine about its transformative power in other nation’s culture while some even went to reading its gender issues, power relations, and philosophical renditions. For me, it is the diversity of analytical interests that emerged from ANIME that truly increased its transformative role in Western societies. Because anime’s Western adaptation became successful (e. g. Astro Boy, Pokemon, etc), it was thought to be potentially profitable. Westerners have always been curious about the Asian country that used to challenge superpowers- Japan. Anime to them was exposing a lot about Japan culture. Japan’s homogenous society and constancy in traditions either is remarkable for Westerners or naive-either way, it has stirred human interest and curiosity. If anime is an imported product, it will be bought because it is from JAPAN- the meaning is both socio-cultural and economic. The will to understand anime beyond the visual images led them to study Japanese language. In pop culture, growing imitation is a measure of success. In the United States and Europe, animators have emulated the methods, styles and gags in anime. This certainly required expertise from the artists that are never better without collaboration with the Japanese animators and filmmakers. Not only are the anime drawings the source of inspiration but also the taglines and cliches in anime that were borrowed in animated TV series in the US. The growing number of anime fanatics triggered the foundation of conventions where Japanese writers, directors and artists are invited to speak or lecture. They enjoy dressing up like the anime characters and attend in the so-called cosplay. In schools and universities, anime clubs gain prominence and so are seminars engaging understanding of Japan. Anime also provided options for the youth in Western societies who became tired of their own culture. Japan’s image became a perception of the future, the untold and the daring as exemplified in Akira by Otomo Katsushira that was shown in US and Europe in 1990. The Western youth have always desisted cultural resistance and are easily disillusioned by politics but anime gave them a fresh image of robotic, merciless youth in the postmodern era. Anime then has transformed Western culture in a phenomenon referred to as the transmission of thoughts, culture and politics from East to West. An essential component of one’s belief system is ideology or at least a set of ideas. Behaviors are affected by the specific belief system. Should there be a specific group’s belief system, it forms part of a given culture. The belief system of the Japanese youth was described in the â€Å"Kawaii style† in the mid 1970s or the Japanese cute. Kawaii means â€Å"cute† in English, which portrays a childlike character having the innocence, simplicity, gentleness, and amiability of a child. It is represented by pink romanticism to a funny genderless style. It became a means for the youth to express in an ambiguous manner, how adulthood means having the authority, knowledge, skills and experience to be able to cooperate in the society and fulfill responsibilities and obligations, but fails enormously. Childhood is seen as a place of individual freedom, which is unreachable nonetheless while condemning the adulthood. Kawaii fashion and lifestyle was used as a form of rebellion from the Japanese youth. This style was mimicked by the Western youth who apparently was able to confirm their views on realities of life through the Japanese genre. European women started creating the â€Å"Riot girls† style wearing baby-doll attires with boots and other masculine accessories. From America to United Kingdom, bands with members exemplifying Japanese cute became popular. Hence, the impact of Japan’s culture has created lifestyles in Western society that mirrors common sense of individualism, of the dynamism of youth and capacity for change. Anime that concentrates on visual images drawn manually yet skillfully in frames is characteristic of simplicity and magic. Of particular importance are the works of Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of Princess Monanake, Castle in the Sky, Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service among others. The success of these anime around the world made this old man, indeed a legend and a master of anime. The characters in Miyazaki’s anime are mostly change enthusiasts, dynamic and hopeful too- quite ironic in a system where change is resisted and tradition is extolled. The traditional dichotomies between the protagonist and antagonist are caricatured in a different way. Thus, Miyazaki’s anime has been treated as an escape valve from the rigidity of Japanese culture, insisting change and while the general appearance of the film is Japanese in culture and history, it tries to suggest how a country of such former colonial powers could embrace modernity with discretion as to properly choosing allies or that it is possible to be both traditional and modern. His anime presents a lot of contradictions that are not usually discussed in reality but is highly characteristic of life. Thus, its appeal to Western audience is never distracted by cultural difference instead builds a common ground between two different worlds. For instance, the prostitutes and lepers that she takes care of despite her destructive activities in the forest that threaten animal life respect Princess Monanake’s Lady Eboshi. The heroine in the Spirited Away was described by Miyazaki as successful not because she was able to defeat evil but because she was able to survive. True enough, this lack of explicit clarity in Miyazaki’s works in defining good and evil was explained by his pessimism in a world that will soon be lifeless because of man’s own doing but the children deserves a positive world view nonetheless. So, he didn’t want to use traditional stereotypes even in children’s stories at this time when tradition itself needs reexamination. Kiki’s Delivery Service and My Neighbor Totoro are both devoid of villains but are more reflective of traditional animism and Japanese culture. The challenge in life may not necessarily point to cultural differences but to the stereotypes and dichotomies that are embedded in each culture, be it Western or Japanese. This sounds Marxist but this is not surprising for someone who has been inspired by Marxism. He used to see things according to class like in Castle in the Sky, which portrays the laborers in a good light. However there are common themes that all cultures could relate to like the issue on the environment. This is why Miyazaki’s anime emphasize on environmentalism. Worshipping a tree (My Neighbor Totoro), fascination in forests, wolves, flowers and trees (Princess Monanake), and cleansing a river with spirit (Spirited Away)- these are products of Miyazaki’s childhood experience where in his hometown, the environment has been used to further economic progress despite degradation. He then configures this idea in Castle in the Sky and Nausicaa of Valley of the Wind. It projects conflict between military and nature. The former destroys culture and natural resources that endangered the inhabitants of the community. But his anime films favor anti-war principles. War is featured as destructive, merciless and futile. Another recurrent theme is his anime is feminism especially since most of his protagonists are strong-willed and independent women. Likewise, childhood is one issue that is given emphasis by Miyazaki. According to him, he worries about modern children at the same time he is concerned with how they should understand the world by keeping in contact with nature. The technologies of video games have isolated them to the real world that is why his anime centers on children’s hopeful efforts at identifying truth by wisdom. Other Japanese animation have presented varied themes but nevertheless consistent in inviting change and flexibility. Ranma ? for instance is a story about a young boy who changes into being a girl when in contact with water. Sailor Moon also has characters that are mostly bisexuals. Gender critiques and conservatives attacked this quite bold interpretation of human sexuality and gender at the same time. To some, it is proving the existence of dichotomies and differences between male and female- the fact that Ranma ? was laughed at and received funny comments about his eccentricities. However there are some who interpreted it in a humanist sense such that the anime reveals that in each person there is always the presence of feminine and masculine sides. Whichever analysis prevails, it certainly gives us the idea that Japanese anime touched the consciousness of Western society to a great extent. The influence is both in structure and in value. Filmmakers have been inspired to use themes in anime that used to be neglected in a world that was so driven by capitalistic profit and traditional conventions. This time, transformations in the light of globalization meant also giving importance to life and nature in form and substance- that despite inherent differences, unity and reconciliation is preferred. In a book entitled, Japanamerica: How Japanese Culture Has Invaded the US, Ronald Kelts explained how the 9/11 tragedy led Americans to embrace Japanese anime during a time when the government failed to represent its people resulting to death and destruction. An article by Sharon Kinsella entitled, The Japanization of European Youth tells how anime serves as a source of wisdom for the youth in Western countries while they are confused about how strong individuals must be characterized. Some may comment that Japanese anime is nothing but entertainment to Japanese who are living proofs of â€Å"all work, no play† personalities- a sort of escapism. But taken in a context where the audience is known for maturity and liberal etiquette, the impacts of Japanese anime is more than leisure related. Anime reminds people of world divinity that is difficult to remember. Thoughts on teamwork, individualism, courage, sensitivity to nature and justice are good to advocate don’t you think? For as long as Japanese anime contributes to the well being of every person in whatever nation it deserves the recognition. It might have transformed the culture in Western societies yet meaningful transformation could only take place when the audience captures the nobility that anime has been created for. For one, it is noble to transcend childish cartoon characters and give children new characters in anime that are mature and responsible. In Western society, children have been encouraged to enjoy their youth so cartoons like Tom and Jerry, Superman, etc are either made to make children laugh not to think, and whose main characters are adults trying to save children. Let us not forget that Anime is Japanese Art. Different cultures have varied forms of art but there is simply more inspiring and epic arts than others- this depends on current trends, issues and prospects. If nowadays, the whole world is affected by issues on war and terrorism, sustainability of environment, racial and gender discrimination, economic crisis- then Japanese Animation truly deserves its stance. References Gauntlett, David. Media, Gender and Identity. UK: Routledge, 2002. Izawa, Eri. â€Å"The Romantic, Passionate Japanese in Anime: A Look at the Hidden Japanese Soul†. Japan Pop! Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture. New York: M. E. Sharpe, 2000. Kelts, Ronald. Japanamerica: How Japanese Culture Has Invaded the US. USA: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. Kinsella, Sharon. The Japanization of European Youth. 1997. Hayao Miyazaki. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Hayao_Miyazaki