The Kim regime Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Kim regime - Literature review Example The Kim regime has manipulated the state’s philosophy in order to reflect the challenges and circumstances the country faced. North Korea is faced with a number of uncertainties (Carlin & Wit 2006, p. 33). One of the outstanding aspects of the country and its regime is the failure of the state to achieve Juche as it was intended by the country’s founding father. North Korea has moved from relying on the Soviet Bloc and Chinese support to seeking humanitarian aid from the international community and its southern neighbor. Joan Robinson wrote an article in which she outlined the economic achievements of the republic. This article was guided by the fact that North Korea has undergone changes over the years. Joan Robinson’s article was also guided by North Korea’s economic dynamism. The article gives a positive review of the economic policies of Kim II Sung. The author of the article compared the economic achievements of North Korea to its Southern contemporar y rival. This analysis of North Korea used the available economic data to provide insights into how the regime operated. Robinson’s focus was on defining the ideologies of the regime. She approached North Korea as an offshoot state of Soviet Marxism. Different perspectives of North Korea and the Kim regime are evident in other studies. In Scalapino and Lee’s study titled Communism in Korea, the researchers concluded that the Red Army forced communism on North Koreas. The two authors found that North Korea became a communist state.

Aoc vs the Constitution Essay Example for Free

Aoc vs the Constitution Essay The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution are only six years apart in history. Knowing this you would think that they have very few differences but it is the complete opposite. As soon as the Articles of Confederation were ratified, it got everyone thinking about how to create a good system of government. That is where the Constitution came in. The Constitution changed almost everything from the Articles of Confederation making the national government a lot more powerful. The Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781. The goal of the Articles was to balance the need for national coordination of the War of Independence with the fear that centralized political power was a threat to liberty of the people. The Articles stated that the new national government was to be a perpetual union. The Articles gave the thirteen states their individual sovereignty, freedom and independence. Under the Articles the national government had a one house Congress, where each state cast one vote. There was no president and no judiciary. Major decisions needed the approval of nine states to be passed. There were only a few powers given to the national government which were to declare war, conduct foreign affairs, and make treaties with other governments. Congress did not have financial resources. It did not have the power to levy taxes or to regulate commerce. Revenue came from contributions from the states and in order to amend an Article you needed a unanimous decision from the states. This made it hard to amend or to change anything. The Articles basically made it impossible to have a national government on a large scale. The Constitution of the USA was adopted in 1787. The Constitution created a legislature, an executive, and a national judiciary. Congress was given the right to raise money without having to rely on the states, like in the Articles, and states were prohibited from infringing on the rights of property. The idea was that the government would represent the people. The Constitution established a two house Congress consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Senate would include two members from each state and the House of Representatives would have members appointed according to the population of the state. Senators would be chosen by state legislatures while the Representatives would be elected by the people. This was the first step toward the expansion of democracy. The Constitution did not set any rules for qualifications to vote; they left that up to the states. The Constitution strengthened national authority. It gave the president the job of enforcing the law and commanding the military. It gave Congress the right to levy taxes, borrow money, regulate commerce, declare war, and foreign policy. The Constitution declared the national legislature as the supreme Law of the Land. It did however leave the majority of day to day affairs up to the states such as education and law enforcement. It created a checks and balances system between the states and the national government. This was the idea to prevent any branch of the national government from dominating the other two. I think that the Constitution did a better job protecting liberty. This is because even though there were way more provisions and what seems like way more restrictions, it actually gave guide lines so that your basic rights would not be taken away from you. It also made the voting system more fair and the fact that the House of Representatives were proportioned to the population size also made a lot of sense. It also gave strict provisions to insure that the state could not infringe your land. I also think that the Constitution did a way better job running a government. First of all it was a lot more specific so it cleared up a lot of confusion. Second the two house Congress was a much better idea and the checks and balances were also smart because it ensured that no one ever got too powerful. I also think it is a good thing that they insisted on picking a leader, president, for the whole country because I think you need one man to lead the country and make the decisions rather than a few arguing all the time. Also giving the national government some of the powers that the states once had ensured that the law would be fair to everyone, not just the ones making them in the states. As you can see the differences between these two significant documents of our history are tremendous. While the Articles set a few provisions basically empowering the states, the Constitution did the exact opposite putting the national government in charge. Obviously this was the way to go because this is the document that our country still runs by today.

Corsi Block-tapping Task (CBT) Performance Experiment

Corsi Block-tapping Task (CBT) Performance Experiment Abstract The Corsi block-tapping task (CBT) is a widely used experimental tool for assessing visuo-spatial memory in both clinical and research contexts. However, whether information other than those spatial and visual (i.e., motor information) play also a role in CBT performance is still a matter of debate. Here, we investigated such issue through a crossed double dissociation design by observing how motor, visual, and spatial secondary tasks affect the performance on three versions of the CBT (standard, automatic and two-dimension). Results showed a double dissociation pattern, wherein two motor secondary tasks had larger effects when the CBT was administered by the examiner tapping on the blocks (standard version). A spatial secondary task had larger effects when the CBT was administered by automatically illuminating the blocks (automatic version). Finally, a visual secondary task had larger effects on a two-dimension, computerized version of the CBT. These findings suggest that memory for movements plays a relevant role in the CBT, and are especially relevant due to their implications for assessment of brain-damaged patients, besides providing further evidence of a fractionation of visuo-spatial memory into multiple sub-components. Keywords: Corsi block-tapping task, visuo-spatial memory, memory for movements. Acknowledgements: The study was supported by a MIUR grant C26F014219 to F.F. Introduction The Corsi Block Tapping test (Milner, 1971; Corsi, 1972) has been widely used in cognitive psychology and in clinical neuropsychology to measure visuo-spatial memory (e.g., Kessels, de Haan, Kappelle, Postma, 2003; Vandierendonck, Kemps, Fastame, Szmalec, 2004) usually within the framework provided by the working memory model (Baddeley Hitch, 1974). The standard apparatus consists of identical blocks irregularly arranged on a board. According to the standard administration procedure, but procedures vary widely among authors, the examiner taps on the blocks in randomized sequences of increasing length. The subject has to immediately reproduce each sequence, continuing until no longer accurate. Performance is measured as the longest sequence of blocks that is correctly reproduced. Notwithstanding Baddeley (2001) reported the CBT as the task that is most closely related to the visuo-spatial short term memory, it is still not clear what of the two components, visual or spatial, it actually measures (Berch, Krikorian, Huha, 1998; Quinn, 2008). This issue is relevant, since studies of both healthy individuals and brain-damaged patients demonstrated dissociable visual and spatial memory systems in humans (Klauer Zhao, 2004; Carlesimo, Perri, Turriziani, Tomaiuolo, Caltagirone, 2001). Such a fractionation of the visuo-spatial working memory is in fair agreement with evidence in primates of separate processing streams for visual and spatial features of objects (e.g., Goodale Milner, 1992). Indeed, it has been proposed in both primates and humans that the dorsal visual system supports spatial working memory functions, and that the ventral visual system supports visual working memory for features of objects (e.g., Goldman-Rakic, 1987). Evidences for a further fractionation of the visuo-spatial working memory were also reported, suggesting specific components of working memory for motor and kinesthetic information (Smyth, 1990). A close link between motor systems and visuo-spatial working memory was actually proposed since the very first studies about working memory (Baddeley, Grant, Wight, Thomson, 1975). However, Smyth and her co-workers (Smyth Pendleton, 1989) firstly suggested that a specific kinesthetic component of working memory might be responsible for the encoding and maintenance of remembered patterned movements (those aimed to bring the body parts into a specific configuration), whereas positional movements (movements targeted towards specific external spatial stimuli) appear to be encoded and maintained within the visuo-spatial sketchpad. Notwithstanding the evidence favorable to a fractionation of the visuo-spatial working memory into multiple components, not necessarily independent one of each other, their relationship with the CBT has been actually scarcely investigated in literature. Though, the complex administration procedure of the CBT makes a more detailed analysis of the processes underlying the CBT strongly needed (Berch, Krikorian, Huha, 1998). More interestingly, and maybe less obviously, the CBT might involve a memory for positional movements, because the administration procedure focuses on the movements of the examiner. However, the contribution of a memory for positional movements in the CBT task has never been investigated so far. It is also worth noting that computerized, two-dimension CBT versions have been frequently used (e.g., Vandierendonck, Kemps, Fastame, Szmalec, 2004), albeit it is not known whether the standard and the computerized versions of the task are equivalent. The present study aims at investigating the architecture of the visuo-spatial working memory as measured by the CBT, through a crossed double dissociation design (Dunn Kirsner, 1988). We followed a standard dual-task procedure, using four secondary tasks aimed at interfering with the spatial, visual, and motor components of visuo-spatial working memory. They were crossed with three versions of the CBT: a) a standard version, wherein the sequences were given by the experimenter tapping on the blocks; in this version of the CBT the supposed motor/positional component was fully present; b) an â€Å"automatic† version, wherein the sequences were given by the blocks being illuminated; in this version the motor/positional component was removed from the task, while the spatial component was unaffected; c) a two-dimension version, presented on a computer monitor, wherein the sequences were given by the squares on the monitor changing their color; in this version, the spatial componen t of the task was reduced, albeit obviously not eliminated, by requiring the task to be performed on a 2D plane instead than in a 3D space. Method Participants. Forty-eight healthy, right handed individuals (mean age 22.4 years) participated in the experiment. All the participants reported normal or corrected-to-normal vision, and were naà ¯ve as to the purposes of the experiment. Stimuli and apparatus. The apparatus was composed of eight translucent white 3 x 3 x 3 cm blocks, each one containing a red light emitting diode (LED). The blocks were fixed at random positions on a 23 x 30 cm translucent white board. Procedure. Three administration procedures were used. In the standard procedure participants observed the experimenter tapping on the blocks, with his/her index finger, at a rate of one block per s, lifting the hand straight up before moving it to the next block (Standard). In the second procedure the to-be-remembered sequence was presented by the computer turning on and off the red LEDs inside the blocks, at a rate of one block per s (Automatic). A third, two-dimension version of the CBT was also used, as it is frequently used in literature as a substitute of the standard version. It was composed of eight blue squares appearing on the computer screen at the same relative positions as the 3D version described above. On each trial, the to-be-remembered sequence was indicated by the blocks changing color from blue to red and again to blue, at a rate of one block per s. The CBT was administered to all the participants according to the three procedures described above, in random order. P articipants had to reproduce the sequence immediately after its administration, by tapping on the blocks using their index finger. Sequences from 3 to 9 blocks in length were presented in ascending order, with two trials per length. All the fourteen sequences were administered to each participant. For each subject, different sequences, equated for paths’ length, were randomly assigned to the three versions of the test. Each participant performed each version of the task both alone (single task condition), and along with one of four interference conditions (dual task condition), in random order: patterned-motor interference, motor interference, spatial interference and visual interference. In the patterned-motor interference condition, participants had to tap with their right index finger on the four corners of a mouse-pad, while the to-be-remembered sequence of blocks was administered. The movement had to be performed clockwise and continuously, at a rate of about one tap per s. Whereas this task is known to interfere with the CBT (Smyth Pelky, 1992), it has both spatial and motor features that makes it difficult to disentangle their contribution. Thus, to remove the spatial component from this task we added a motor interference condition, wherein participants had to snap fingers with their right hand, while the to-be-remembered sequence of blocks was administered. The movement had to be performed continuously, in a regular manner (one snap per s, approximately). The experimenter controlled for the movement being correctly executed. In the spatial interference condition, participants were required to say aloud the side of each of a series of 1000 Hz tones randomly presented to their left or right ear through headphones, at 30 Db Spl with a constant inter-stimulus interval of 2 s. This listening task is supposed to interfere with the spatial component of the visuo-spatial sketchpad [18]. Finally, in the visual interference condition, one of three LEDs placed at the center of the board (one of three colored circles in the Two-Dimension Version) were turned on and off at a rate of one per s. On half the trials the regular sequence was violated, by turning on a differently colored led (on the 3D versions) or displaying a different colored circle (on the 2D version). At the end of each trial, participants were required to say whether a violation occurred on that trial. Twelve participants were randomly assigned to the Patterned-motor, Motor, Spatial, and Visual Interference conditions, respectively. The participants’ performance was measured as the longest sequence that was correctly reproduced at least once (memory span). Performance data were analyzed in a 3x2x4 ANOVA mixed design, with Version (standard, automatic, and two-dimension, within subjects), Condition (single task, dual task, within subjects), and Interference (patterned-motor, motor, spatial, and visual interference, between subjects) as factors. Results One participant in the Spatial Interference condition and two participants in the Visual Interference condition have been excluded from the following analyses because of the relatively large number of errors committed on the interference tasks. The remaining participants performed all the interference tasks at optimal levels, committing less than 3% of errors across visual and spatial interference tasks, and maintaining a regular mean rate of finger snapping and spatial tapping of about 1.2 per s. Figure 1 and Table 1 show the mean memory span length for each version of the CBT and for each interference condition. A preliminary sphericity test failed to show any significant violation of the assumptions underlying the Version and the Version by Condition interference effects (p>.05 in all cases). The analysis of performance data showed significant main effects of Condition (F1,41=139.93, MSE=.42, p2,82=4.24, MSE=.63, p6,82=3.61, MSE=.63, p6,82=4.33, MSE=.63, p.05 in all cases). This finding ensures that the administration procedure did not affect the difficulty of the task. However, the effects of the four kinds of interference upon the three versions of the CBT were very specific. Indeed, the patterned-motor and the motor interference tasks affected negatively the standard version of the test (p.5 in both cases). The spatial interference task affected negatively the participants’ performance at the automatic version of the test (p.05 in both cases). The visual interference task affected negatively the participant’s performance at the two-dimension version of the test (p.05 in both cases). Importantly, such finding cannot be ascribed to the three interfering tasks being not equivalent with respect to each other, because of the triple dissociation procedure we em ployed. Discussion Results of the present experiment suggest that a component of working memory that deals with motor information has the major role in the standard version of the CBT. Indeed, the effects of both the motor and patterned-motor interference tasks were notably larger than those of the spatial and visual interference tasks in the standard version of the CBT. The crossed double dissociation general pattern of results strongly supports this interpretation. Indeed, the spatial interference task was more effective than both the motor interference tasks in the â€Å"automatic† version of the CBT, whereas only the visual interference task was effective in the two-dimension version of the CBT. Such result does not depend on confounding due to the three versions of the CBT being not equated in terms of difficulty, because in the single task condition the performance of the participants was the same in the three versions of the test. Also, it does not depend on the spatial interference task involving a verbal coding of the spatial locations where the tones came from, as the phonological loop has been shown to be not involved in the CBT (e.g., Vandierendonck, Kemps, Fastame, Szmalec, 2004). The finding that the performance on the standard version of the CBT largely depends on individuals coding the movements of the examiner is in fair agreement with the hypothesis that a component of working memory that deals with motor information actually exists, and is independent of the component of working memory that deals with spatial information (e.g., Smyth Pendleton, 1990). It is also in fair agreement with the growing body of neurophysiological and psychological studies that suggest a close link between observing and performing an action (e.g., Rizzolatti, Fadiga, Gallese, Fogassi, 1996). Interestingly, van Asselen and coworkers (van Asselen, Kessels, Sebastiaan, Neggers, Kappelle, Frijns, et al. 2006) have recently interpreted results of a study on stroke patients as suggesting that the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the right posterior parietal cortex (PPC) are involved in keeping spatial information in memory over a short time period, as was assessed wi th the CBT. While the involvement of both the DLPFC and the PPC in spatial memory tasks is not new (e.g., Walter, Bretschneider, Groen, Zurowski, Wunderlich, Tomczak, et al. 2003), it is worth noting that this is not at variance with the hypothesis that a specific component of working memory for positional movements is involved in the CBT. For instance, lesion and physiological studies have shown that the DLPFC has a crucial role in visuospatial control of actions and visuomotor transformations (e.g., Curtis D’Esposito, 2004). Indeed, Hoshi (Hoshi, 2006) in a recent review suggested that the dorsal part of the DLPFC is involved in representing processed motor information, such as arm use or target location, and in integrating multiple classes of information for planning action. Similarly, the PPC is involved in visuomotor transformation, and is thought to serve as a sensorymotor interface for visually guided eye and limb movements (Buneo Andersen, 2006). Moreover, evidence has been recently provided that, within the fronto-parietal network of brain regions involved in learning spatial sequences, two partially segregated neural systems are involved in processing spatial sequences in reaching and navigational space (Nemmi, Boccia, Piccardi, Galati Guariglia, 2013), supporting the idea of a further fractionation of visuo-spatial memory into multiple sub-components. Though, more research is needed in order to specify the relationship between the complex functional architecture of the DLPFC – PPC system and the specific features of the working memory components, including those measured by the CBT. Finally, it is worth noting that the motor and spatial interference tasks affected only marginally the performance on the two-dimension version of the CBT. Such a result suggests that the two-dimension and the standard versions of the CBT cannot be considered as equivalent. This finding is especially relevant because recently two-dimensions, computerized versions of the CBT have been used rather frequently in clinical and experimental settings (Vandierendonck, Kemps, Fastame, Szmalec, 2004; Joyce, Robbins, 1991). In conclusion, the present study shows that the performance on the Corsi block-tapping task  depends largely on a component of working memory specifically dealing with motor information and that this component is independent of that component of working memory that deals with spatial information. Beside providing further evidence of a fractionation of visuo-spatial memory into multiple sub-components, present findings have important implications for clinical assessment of brain-damaged patients and should be taken into account when interpreting the performance on the CBT for neuropsychological rehabilitation treatments in clinical settings.

The Fat Lady Essay -- Character Analysis, Dr. Yalom, Betty

The Fat Lady Book Report In the third story of Loves Executioner: â€Å"The Fat lady† , Dr.Yalom decides to treat a twenty-seven year old overweight woman named, Betty. Though Dr. Yalom was reluctant to treat Betty at first due to her being obese, Dr. Yalom decides to put aside his counter-transference issues and views treating Betty as a way to improve his skills as a therapist. Not only does Dr.Yalom learn throughout treating Betty that there was more substance to her than he had initially anticipated, but he connects with betty while overcoming his counter-transference issues,helping Betty uncover the pathology of her depression and discovering her identity. First and foremost is Dr.Yaloms first meeting and reactions toward Betty. During first initial meeting, Dr. Yalom is taken back by Betties physical appearance as Dr.Yalom goes into explicit detail for his distaste for fat woman as he states, â€Å"I always been repelled by fat women. I find them disgusting: their absurd sidewise waddle, their absence of body contour,breasts,laps,buttock,shoulders,jawlines,cheekbones, everything I like to see in a woman obscured in an avalanche of flesh.† (Yalom, 2000 p. 94) Dr. Yalom proceeds asking the the typical questions what is troubling her as Betty tells Dr.Yalom that she is depressed and her eating has been out of control. Dr. Yalom, realizing his counter transference issues may make it hard for him to relate or even treat Betty, instead he views Betty as a challenge of being able to overcome his aversion toward fat women as a way of better helping future patients. In the next few sessions Dr.Yalom finds Betties endless chatter about her life extremely unmoving. Dr.Yalom describes their talks as, â€Å"cocktail chatter† with no real substa... ...Yalom, 2000) Betty then inquires about those changes as Dr.Yalom embarrassing admits he did not feel comfortable with obese people. Betty berates Dr.Yalom telling him that he never once touched her in the whole therapy session, let alone look at her directly for the first six months. Betty also tells Dr.Yalom, Ironically, Betty tells him how she cant stand fat people either and thats why she has a distaste for groups. Dr.Yalom then gives her a hug, surprised that he is able to put his arms around the once obese two hundred and fifty pound woman. Not only in the end did Dr.Yalom learn to move past his counter-transferense issues he had with fat women, but he grew with his patient as they both took something away from therapy, Dr.Yalom being empathetic and moving past Bettys intital obese appearance, and Betty appreciating life in the now and becoming a real identity.

Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You… Essay

As a president of a biggest country of the world, we can see that our president is skillful speaker. He is the one of greatest american speakers. One of his famous speech is † Ask not what your country can do for you† when he is in his inaugural address. President Kennedy have used many of the tools in rhetorical or presuasive writing. He has full knowleged with Aristotle three areas of rhetorical such as: Ethos, Pathos and Logos. JFK also uses repetition to persuade the American people. He begins several sections in the middle of his speech with the same phrase, â€Å"Let both sides. . .† then uses very strong verbs to call the public to action such as â€Å"explore,† â€Å"formulate,† â€Å"seek,† and â€Å"unite.† Kennedy also uses the literary tool, the metaphor, â€Å"The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world.† We cannot literally light the world on fire, but he means that we can influence the world as an incendiary nation. Perhaps the most famous sentence is immediately following that metaphor. It is a sentence, that was delivered with great enthusiasm, as illustrated by the fervor behind JFK’s delivery, â€Å"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.(americanrhetoric.com)† This play on words is one of the most remembered phrases of all time. Why? Because JFK delivers it with rhythm and charisma.

Free Essays on A Life Of Pleasure

A Life of Pleasure In a fast paced society, where everyone is always working and striving to be on top there is always a need for pleasure. Many people today enjoy living for the moment. A Latin phrase known as Carpe Diem quickly comes to mind. This phrase when translated to English means seize the day. That means to suck out everything possible out of life that you possibly can. There is no need to save anything for tomorrow because you may not get another chance. Why should we look into the future when we are in the present? In numerous poems written by Li Po he showed to us that he led a very pleasurable lifestyle. In his poem Bring in the Wine, Li Po states, â€Å" Taste pleasure to the limit,† and â€Å" all I want is to stay dead drunk and never sober up.† Through these statements he makes it very clearly shows his wild and pleasurable lifestyle, similar to many lifestyles led by people today. Clearly Li Po enjoys being intoxicated. Some may question what the need for stimulants may be. Some people may find enjoyment while intoxicated but it doesn’t mean everyone needs to be drunk to have fun and enjoy themselves. Everyone has something that is pleasurable to them. Some people enjoy shopping for themselves or for others. Whereas somebody else may enjoy watching a Sunday football game on their big screen television. There are even those people who find enjoyment working twelve or more hours a day and seven days a week. No matter what it may be that pleasures you, it is suggested to become indulged in it, to such an extent where nothing else matters. Is money an object? Can we put a limit on how much to spend for pleasure? Li Po did not put a price on pleasure. Li Po sent his servant to pawn and trade his possessions for more wine. Some may look at this as if he can’t control himself or that he may have problems with his desire to drink and be drunk all the tim... Free Essays on A Life Of Pleasure Free Essays on A Life Of Pleasure A Life of Pleasure In a fast paced society, where everyone is always working and striving to be on top there is always a need for pleasure. Many people today enjoy living for the moment. A Latin phrase known as Carpe Diem quickly comes to mind. This phrase when translated to English means seize the day. That means to suck out everything possible out of life that you possibly can. There is no need to save anything for tomorrow because you may not get another chance. Why should we look into the future when we are in the present? In numerous poems written by Li Po he showed to us that he led a very pleasurable lifestyle. In his poem Bring in the Wine, Li Po states, â€Å" Taste pleasure to the limit,† and â€Å" all I want is to stay dead drunk and never sober up.† Through these statements he makes it very clearly shows his wild and pleasurable lifestyle, similar to many lifestyles led by people today. Clearly Li Po enjoys being intoxicated. Some may question what the need for stimulants may be. Some people may find enjoyment while intoxicated but it doesn’t mean everyone needs to be drunk to have fun and enjoy themselves. Everyone has something that is pleasurable to them. Some people enjoy shopping for themselves or for others. Whereas somebody else may enjoy watching a Sunday football game on their big screen television. There are even those people who find enjoyment working twelve or more hours a day and seven days a week. No matter what it may be that pleasures you, it is suggested to become indulged in it, to such an extent where nothing else matters. Is money an object? Can we put a limit on how much to spend for pleasure? Li Po did not put a price on pleasure. Li Po sent his servant to pawn and trade his possessions for more wine. Some may look at this as if he can’t control himself or that he may have problems with his desire to drink and be drunk all the tim...