Caribbean Sociology Essay

OVERVIEW Every discourse has a context. Every discourse has a motive. The Sociology that developed in 19th century France was a response to the social crisis that was experienced there at that time. The Sociology that developed in 19th century France had a context. The man who is considered to be the founding father of Sociology, Auguste Comte was convinced that a science of society was possible and would be capable of reconstructing French society. The major problematic of France in the 19th century was the need to reconstruct French society. Thus, the motive of 19th century European Sociology was to develop principles that would guide the reconstruction of France. It is extremely important to recognize that Auguste Comte was motivated by the need to make a contribution to the development of his society. As sociologists of the Caribbean, we cannot overlook this critical component of sociological discourse. Sociologists of the Caribbean must focus on making a contribution to the upliftment of the people of the Caribbean. In order to do this, we must identify the major problematic of the region i.e. the context upon which a genuine sociology of the Caribbean is built. Caribbean Sociologists can make a positive contribution to the development of the region. However, in order to this, they must adopt a highly critical perspective. We cannot continue to engage in what Holmes and Crossley (2004) refer to as the â€Å"uncritical, intercultural transfer of knowledge and models of development†. While sociological models of the Caribbean (plural, creole, plantation society theses) focus on the outer-structural features of the Caribbean reality, it is important to appreciate that Caribbean society is  reflected in a powerful way in the consciousness of Caribbean people. The peculiarity and complexity of the reality that is the Caribbean lies in the fact that making sense of the Caribbean is not simply about unravelling the denouement of social structure; moreso, it is about a peculiar and complex experience. The Caribbean experience is about human beings struggling to find a sense of place. This comes out powerfully in the work of Derek Walcott. I n the poem â€Å"A Far Cry From Africa†, Walcott writes: â€Å"I who am poisoned with the blood of both, where shall I turn divided to the vein? I who have cursed the drunken officer of British rule, how choose I between this Africa and the English tongue I love? I betray them both or give back what they give? How can I face such slaughter and be cool? How can I turn from Africa and live?† Derek Walcott’s work must be seen as a response to his experience of the Caribbean and as such must be regarded as sociological. Sociology is a response to social conditions. It does not have to be a science. It has to be true. We need to examine the Caribbean reality through pure lenses. The Caribbean region is an invaded space – a space invaded by capitalism. The notion invaded suggests that there is a fundamental difference between a genuine capitalist state and one that has been invaded. The Caribbean is yet to enjoy the benefits of capitalism as derived by real capitalist states such as the United States of America and Great Britain. It is safe to contend that the Caribbean is not a real capitalist space. The Caribbean is an end product of capitalism Mark Figueroa (2007) argued that the enigma of the Caribbean lies in the fact that the region has always been associated with capitalism. How then can we describe that space that has always been associated with capitalism? Related to the notion of invaded space is the notion of distorted space. A distorted social space refers to that which is characterised by multiple distortions and contradictions. The idea of distorted space has significant implications for the human beings that inhabit that space. Do we expect that the human beings of a distorted social space to have a healthy consciousness? Caribbean society was born out of oppression. Slavery was an oppressive  institution and therefore had a destructive effect on the human being. Slavery did not serve to humanise. Slavery dehumanised. We must come to terms with this fact – slavery had a dehumanising effect on Caribbean people. The question is: what have we done to rehumanise Caribbean people? Our issue in the Caribbean is to reconstruct the human being whose social and psychological orientation has been built on the legacy of an oppressive and dehumanizing system. The notions plural society, plantation society and creole society underscore the preoccupation of Caribbean social scientists with the structure of society. What we need to be concerned about is not simply the structure of Caribbean society but rather the state of the human being in the Caribbean. We should have developed perspectives on how to reconstruct the human being in the Caribbean. In so doing we would have been true to our context. In so doing, we would have contributed immensely to the progress of the region. It was Professor Hilary Beckles (2004) who said that the situation in the Caribbean is grave. He went on to say that we have not had economic growth in the region for twenty years. He therefore asked a very serious question: â€Å"What are we to make of our history?† I ask, what is the nature of the Caribbean development problem? THE INNER INNERNNER-DYNAMICS OF THE CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT PROBLEM The development problem of the Caribbean extends beyond the parameters of Economics. It emerges from a peculiar set of historico-psychological conditions. Non-economic factors therefore represent major components of the Caribbean development equation. Don Marshall’s (1998) examination of the West-Indian development experience illustrates the critical role of non-economic factors. Marshall argues that the key economic players –the planters, the merchants and the royalists had no real stake in the transformation of the region. It was not in the interest of these key players to transform the local economy. Rather, it was in the expansion of  the commercial sphere of the colonial economy that the planter-merchant elite could reproduce and entrench itself. The behaviour of the plantermerchant elite in West-Indian society is no doubt peculiar. It portrays the planter-merchant elite as a class motivated not solely by the need for capital accumulation but rather by the need to preserve its position of dominance. This paper contends that people of distorted social spaces do act in opposition to themselves. We now examine the link between capitalism and a poverty of consciousness. I refer to a study I conducted in 1998. The title – Dependency in a Banana Producing community in rural St. Lucia: A micro-level Sociological Investigation. The main aim of the study was to unmask the meanings that banana farmers attached to banana farming. CAPITALISM AND CONSCIOUSNESS Introduction The Shift from Sugar to Bananas in St.lucia  Caribbean societies are very unfortunate in the sense that they do not ‘own their spaces’. While capitalism developed naturally in Europe, capitalism invaded our space at a time when we were not ready for it. Invasions such as these do not facilitate the natural progression of the consciousness of a people. The introduction of the banana industry into the St. Lucian economy in the early 1950’s represented a significant historical moment. It was the first successful cash crop since slavery. Once again, the space that we refer to as the Caribbean was invaded by capitalist interests. It was the post-second world war period when Britain had lost its hegemony of the world. Consequently, it became more expensive for Britain to import fruit from America. Britain then encouraged its colonies to produce bananas for the British market. At the time of the introduction of the banana industry, St. Lucia had a vibrant peasantry whose efforts resulted in a relatively diversified agricultural sector. Casimir and Acosta (1980) note:  mono-production was not as acute in St.Lucia as in the other West-Indian islands. The country enjoyed a comfortable position as far as the production  of food was concerned.  The radical shift from sugar to bananas that occurred in the late 1950’s was possible through the existence of a vibrant peasantry. Elsie Le Franc (1980) noted St. Lucia’s uniqueness in that it was the only Caribbean island to have switched completely from one monocrop to another. In 1951, sugar represented 47% of the total value of St.Lucia’s exports, ten years later however, sugar represented a meager 1.3% of total exports. Plantation development in St.Lucia was relatively poor due to the instability created by the fourteen wars between France and Britain for its possession. As a result, land was available for the ex-slaves to squat upon rather than work for low wages. The planters were therefore forced to adopt the metayage system that allowed them to reap the benefits of labour without paying wages. Through the metayage system, peasants worked a plot of land, paying rent in the form of produce. This opportunity allowed the peasant class to develop a sort of independent spirit from the early stages of emancipation. Apart from being suitable to the poor economic situation of the planter class, the system of metayage was also suited to the orientation of the rural population. Peter Adrien (1990) notes the strong sentimental attachment to the land and the practice of communal ownership. By the late 1950’s peasant production had replaced plantation production in St. Lucia. It was therefore the rise of the peasant class that enabled the radical shift from sugar to bananas in St. Lucia. At that crucial point in St.Lucia’s history when a vibrant peasantry had overthrown the planter class, a banana industry invaded the possibility of the emergence of an autonomous peasant class that could have evolved into a true capitalist class. The invasion of the banana industry disturbed the movement towards the establishment of a diversified agricultural sector in St.lucia. Consciousness and the Banana Experience It was discovered that the banana farmers under study attached a very special sort of significance to money. For them, money was not simply about the ability to satisfy  material needs and wants. Rather, money performed a vital function within the  context of the ‘denuded self’. The latter was confirmed by the fact that these banana farmers relied on external stimulants such as alcohol and marijuana. In fact, alcohol was the best selling commodity of the community. The research also revealed that the banana farmers under study saw themselves as neglected by society, they did not feel part of the society. They said to me that the general feeling in the society was that Castries, the capital was St. Lucia. They felt alienated particularly with regard to the language. The formal language in St. Lucia was English while the language of the peasant was creole. The idea that farmers would do anything for money was extremely pervasive and is linked to the idea of the ‘denuded self’. This craving for money seemed to be  associated with isolation and neglect, as money helped to bridge the gap between the conditions of their existence and those to which they aspired. There was also a kind of nakedness about the banana farmer that needed to be clothed as banana farming was perceived to be a low-status activity. As a low status activity, banana farming was regarded not for its own worth but rather for the money that was associated with it. It was therefore not difficult to predict that the collapse of the banana industry would lead to the direct movement of the young farmers in particular into the illegal drug business. In addition, a significant proportion migrated to neighbouring Martinique where they felt at home as far as language was concerned. It was concluded that while the farmers were earning a steady income and while we celebrated the importance of the banana industry to the economy using proclamations such as â€Å"the banana industry is the bedrock/mainstay of the society†, banana farming created among the farmers a false sense of selfhood, one based on money/materialism. Their notion of self was based on  their ability to possess material things; their notion of self revolved around money. It cannot be said that this is linked in any direct way to an upliftment of consciousness. It is unfortunate that the development discourse of the Caribbean does not adequately deal with the component of consciousness. Development has to do with the evolution of consciousness in the positive direction. When genuine development takes place in a society, it results in the upliftment of the consciousness of the people of that society. As stated earlier, the Caribbean region is characterized by a poverty of consciousness. What form then should Caribbean sociology take? The work of the sociologist of the Caribbean must be linked to the major problematic of the Caribbean. Caribbean sociology must be fundamentally different from other sociology. Caribbean sociology must be about raising the consciousness of Caribbean people. SOCIOSOCIO-POETRY As a Sociologist of the Caribbean, I have identified a context and a motive for Caribbean sociology. The context is what I refer to as a poverty of consciousness. The motive therefore is to raise the consciousness of Caribbean people. My response so far has been the development of a new field – what I refer to as Socio-Poetry. Socio-Poetry is much more than poetry that is stimulated by sociological issues – the issues of poverty, crime, domestic violence, HIV/ AIDS, dysfunctional social institutions, unemployment and so on. Socio-Poetry is also about re-defining the boundaries of research and knowledge-making arguing for the greater use of imagination in capturing the complex and peculiar contours of the Caribbean. Socio-Poetry emerges from the conviction that the complexity and peculiarity of Caribbean society cannot be captured in its entirety by scientific methodology. Socio-Poetry offers a critical perspective. With regard to a critical perspective, in looking at â€Å"Research Development Initiatives in St. Lucia†, Holmes and Crossley (2004) argue that the development agenda in small states such as those of the Caribbean lacks the critical dimension. Holmes and Crossley therefore make a case for forms of knowledge such as music, dance and art that are in harmony with the socio-cultural reality i.e. knowledge that is sensitive to the meanings, values and processes underlying events and actions. In addition, Dr. Bhoendradat Tewarie laments  the lack of attention paid to critical thinking in the Caribbean. Speaking of the extent to which critical thinking is being practiced at the University of the West-Indies, Dr. Tewarie contends: †¦.I suspect it’s not as widespread as it needs to be and perhaps we are not as persistent at it as we should be given the current environment. Dr. Tewarie also argues that by writing about our own situation in the region, we will develop perspectives and insights about ourselves to share with others in the rest of the world.  Socio-Poetry is a step in that direction. Socio-Poetry is an alternative form of knowledge that represents the blend of sociological analysis and imaginative insight. Socio-Poetry is about writing about the Caribbean in an interesting way in order to reach a wider audience. To date, I have published two works of Socio-Poetry. My first work was called ‘SEEDS’ – that was a response to the crisis of identity of the Caribbean. ‘SEEDS’, was meant for adolescents and it was also aimed at portraying the role of the arts in human development. The Harvest is about consciousness-raising. It is about writing about the  Caribbean in interesting ways so as to stimulate dialogue, debate and further critical analysis . Please allow me to expose you to a socio-poetic portrait of the Caribbean from â€Å"The Harvest†: LICKS Five women at the street corner licking ice-cream, strawberry flavour. Five licking women clutching cones in the sun. Tongues racing against the disappearing hills. Licks for banana, licks for cane-sugar. And then the hands, the hands that served tongues, fall below the waists defeated, leaving five licking women in anger, searching for sweetness on cracked lips. Tongues never win. They’re trapped by teeth that delight in tasteless carriers of cream. Licks for banana, licks for cane-sugar. Five licking women stranded at the street corner. They’ve lost the way to the river, the sun burns. More ice-cream on a strawberry streetcorner. Licks for banana, licks for cane-sugar. The poem ‘LICK S’, examines the situation of the Caribbean in the global economy. It highlights the way in which we reinforce our status of dependency by being the tongues of the world, ready to ‘lick’ foreign produced goods at the expense of our own development. Essentially, the poem speaks to the notion that we are both the ‘lickers’ of the world as well as  those who get ‘licks’. Dependency is a fundamental fact of life in the Caribbean and we cannot wait till students get to the university level to expose them to it. Therefore, while, we may not be able to teach the work of Lloyd Best and that of Andre Gunder Frank to Secondary school students we can expose them to LICKS paying great attention to its theme. In so doing, we would be raising the consciousness of our secondary level students on the dependency status of the Caribbean. It is extremely important to expose students of  that age group to these themes as they are integral to who we are and as many of these students will not move on to university.  Through socio-poetry, a sociologist of the Caribbean is not merely focusing on teaching at the University level but is developing ways of taking her analyses of Caribbean society to the lower levels of the education system. The motive is to raise the consciousness of Caribbean people. A sociology of the Caribbean must be a practical project, one with a specific, practical purpose; one that is linked directly to the major problematic of the Caribbean. BIBLIOGRAPHY Adrien, Peter. 1990. Capitalism, Metayage and Development: A shifting shifting Pattern of Development in Dennery, St. Lucia, 18401840-1959. 1959. Masters Thesis, University of the WestWestIndies, Consortium graduate School of Social Sciences, Jamaica. Beckford, George. 1967. The WestWest-Indian Banana Industry. Industry. Jamaica: Institute of Social and Economic Research. Casimir. J and Y. Acosta. 1982 . Social Structural changes in St. Lucia. Holmes Keith and Michael Crossley (2004). â€Å"Whose Knowledge, Whose Values? The Contribution of Local Knowledge to Education Policy Processes: A Case Study of Research Development Initiatives in the Small State of St. Lucia. Lewis, Arthur. 1993. The Evolution of the Peasantry in the British WestWest-Indies. London Tewarie, Bhoendradat (2004), â€Å"Critical Thinking†. St. Augustine News, October 2003 – March 2004:10. 2004:10. Walcott, Derek. Collected Poems. Faber and Faber, London. 1996. Walcott, Derek. Omeros. Farar Straus Giroux, New York. 1991.

Lab report Essay

Preparation is a key to success in this lab. For this reason, you are required to thoroughly read through the experiment information presented in the lab manual, and complete a pre-lab for each experiment you do. The prelab must be completed prior to the day of the experiment. Each Friday I will ask to see your completed prelab before I allow you to enter the lab. If you have not finished the pre-lab, I will not allow you to enter the lab and you will receive a zero. Note: Your prelab/lab report is to be done in your carbon copy lab notebook (sold in FIU bookstore) A complete pre lab has the following sections: I. Title of the experiment This is the name of the experiment as written in your lab manual. (ex. Experiment 1: MEASUREMENTS AND DENSITY DETERMINATION) II. Purpose or Objective (purpose and objective are the same thing) This section should be a couple of sentences SUMMARIZING why you are doing this experiment. This must be in your own words. (ex. For your first experiment on density determination and measurements your objective would be something like : † To become familiar with scientific measurements and the importance of recording measurements accurately and precisely. Also, to explore the concept of density, mass , and volume.†) III. Introduction In this section, in your own words you should discuss the important concepts of the lab. You should try to make this section flow from one concept to the next. You should make sure to include any important formulas mentioned in your lab manual for that particular experiment. (ex. A good way to organize an introduction for the density determination experiment would be something along the lines of: Experimental sciences such as chemistry, use measurements to quantify information about the physical world. Density, which shows the relationship between the mass of an object and its volume is an example of one such concept. The formula used to calculate the density of an object is D=M/V†¦. ) **What I want you to pay attention to in the above  example is that I have extracted information from the lab manual and condensed it into a logical paragraph that explains some of the important concepts. Notice that I did not include any â€Å"fluff† (useless information to make my intro duction longer.) Remember that there is no minimum length for any of your sections so you don’t have to worry about adding in anything that is not pertinent to the lab (unless you actually want to include some background info to help develop your ideas.) IV. Procedure This section should be concise. List each step of the procedure in either numbered format or you can use bullet points. Remember to always use PASSIVE language when writing lab reports. Never use I placed HCl into a 50mL beaker, instead say 50 mL HCl was placed in a 50 mL beaker. (ex. 1. Wash a 50mL beaker with deionized water 2. Into a 50mL beaker, add 2mL HCl etc†¦you get the point. ) Tip! If you look at your lab notebook, you will notice that there is a line down the middle of the page. When writing your procedure it is in your best interest to list your procedure on the left side (leaving a space between each step) so that you can list observations on the right side of the page when you’re performing the experiment, however, this is only a suggestion and not a requirement. V. Data As part of your pre-lab you must have all data tables already copied into your lab notebook. These tables have already been provided for you in your lab manual, so all you are required to do is copy them (neatly please) directly into your notebook. Recap: In order to be let into the lab you must have completed your pre-lab. Your pre-lab consists of the following five sections listed above (title, purpose, introduction, procedure and all data tables provided for you in the lab manual.) Remember that after you complete the experiment and you have recorded all of your data, you must complete the following sections: calculations (if any), discussion, and results. Check your lab manual for more information on what to include in these sections. Post lab instructions: Once you have completed an experiment you must complete a lab report. A complete lab report consists of the sections you completed as part of your prelab and a few additional sections which I will detail below. Lab reports are due exactly one week from the day you complete the lab. If you are making up a lab, your lab report is still due one week from the day YOUR LAB SECTION completed the lab. If you have any questions about this, please ask me 🙂 All labs must be turned in by 6 pm. If you choose to turn in your lab after class you have to get it time stamped from the stock room before you place it in my mailbox. If you fail to get it time stamped, I will consider it late and points will be deducted accordingly. Post lab sections to be completed after you have done the lab: VI. Calculations You will have to do calculations for some if not all of your experiments. If they are required, your lab manual will let you know. VII. Discussion (a.k.a conclusion) This is the most important section of your lab report. In this section you should discuss and tie together the concepts and theory discussed in the introduction. This section should include the results of your experiment, a brief discussion of any graphs you had to generate, identity of your unknown (if applicable) etc. Make sure to explain if these were the results you expected and why. If not, list possible sources of error. REMEMBER there is no minimum length required so you can make this section as long or short as you find necessary to cover all the important aspects of your experiment. If you need help with any part of your lab report please email me or come see me during help hour. I’m here to help you and I want you all to do well in this lab!

Career profile research assignment

Career profile research assignment I chose to be a social worker. I chose this job because, in social work, every day is completely different.You may try and plan exactly what you want but you can bet that there will be many unexpected challenges to deal with each week. Social work constantly keeps you on your toes. It’s not a regular job because at any point during the day, you may receive a phone call that requires you to drop everything and go to the scene of a emergency. You visit homes, schools, hospitals and community centers. Being a social worker means engaging with the community and this cant be done from behind a desk. This job would be a good fit for me because I’m very interested in it and what they do help our community. I have a strong passion for this because just hearing about global issues and the struggles some people go through just makes me want to help them and try and find ways to make their lives better. Social work officially originated in the 19th century as a movement primarily experienced within the United States and United Kingdom. After the collapse of feudalism, people in poverty were seen as a direct threat to the social order, so the government formed something called Poor Law and created a system to provide care to them. As the Industrial Revolution sparked great leaps in technological and scientific advancements, the migrations to urban areas throughout the western world led to increased social problems and social activism. During this time, rescue societies ( later known as social workers), were to provide support to resolve the problems of poverty, disease, prostitution, mental illness, and other issues. Social workers identify people and communities in need of help such as veterans, the elderly, the mentally ill, and abused children They assess the needs, situations, strengths, and support networks of various individuals to find solutions to their problems Social worker s help clients adjust to changes and challenges in their lives, such as illness, adoption, substance abuse, grief, divorce, or unemployment. Social workers respond to crisis situations such as mass shootings, disasters, child abuse, and mental health emergencies. They follow up with clients to ensure their situations have improved. Social workers help individuals, families, and groups manage difficult and stressful situations. A group of social workers often meet to have a â€Å"case consultation† regarding a child in care. Social workers meet with clients and others involved in a case to assess the situation and select a plan of action. Staying on top of new policies and laws is important, social workers meet together and with other colleagues to discuss updated government policies and review reports. Social workers often have to hear and observe sensitive material and situations. Making visits and phone calls to foster homes, parents, the police, and other agencies is commo n for social workers. It is important that social workers keep accurate records and detailed notes about each case. Filing these documents is all in a day’s work. Some disadvantages of being a social worker are investing your feelings in a case/client could have you feel emotionally dead, this happens if you find it difficult to separate your personal life from your job. Social workers are not one of the top-earning careers, you have to really, really do it for the love of it, it is a secure income but many social workers live an average financial life. With all the paperwork and difficult cases, many social workers are overworked. Combined with low pay, that’s a very big con for this job. Some advantages are social workers can choose among a variety of specializations, such as child and family, schools, health care, mental health and substance abuse. They select among employers, including hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, the military, mental health clinics and substance abuse clinics. Social workers help people cope with mental or physical illness, unemployment, divorce, poverty, addiction, abuse, and discrimination, according to the National Association of Social Workers. Sample tasks including helping clients get access to support groups, healthcare and government assistance, such as Medicare and food stamps. Most social workers get a full-time income, but their wages vary with the specialty and type of employer. The number of jobs for all social workers will grow by an average of 25 percent between 2010 and 2020, faster than for most jobs. Some possible issues that come along with this job are some social workers tend to mix their personal life with their job. The average salary for a Social Worker is C$49,949 per year in Canada. Some locations of where social workers usually are and their employer include government departments, school boards, mental health clinics, and community health and social service agencies They also work in offices, but travel to meet with clients and attend meetings. Usually, on a regular week, they work 40 hours, sometimes including evenings and weekends. Social work license requirements vary on where you live. Most places require the licensure exam and follow up social work license verification. Also requires a criminal background check during the application process. The Social Service Worker Certificate program is designed if you want to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the field of social services or to upgrade your current position in the social work field. This program offers courses in social work theory and practice, counseling skills, lifespan development, social services and social science. Through a combination of online theory courses, you learn about situations to prepare yourself for possible experience’s throughout your career. Algoma University , Carleton University, Lakehead University, Laurentian University – School of Social Work, Laurentian University – School of Indigenous Relations, McMaster University , Ryerson University , University of Ottawa, University of Toronto, Univ ersity of Waterloo, University of Western Ontario – King’s College, University of Windsor, Wilfrid Laurier ,University and York University are all universities in just Ontario that have a social work program available. Empathy, mentoring, inclination and ability, interpersonal skills, self-direction, initiative, flexibility, and adaptability are all skills valued by employers. The work that social workers do is hard because you interact with so much pain and sadness. Whatever field the social worker is in, they end up connecting with a lot of difficult experiences. Also, some kids may not want to open up to a social worker, or anyone for that matter, about their problems. This is a huge issue because some social workers don’t open up a good environment or they don’t present themselves as caring and ready to help . This is rare, but still a problem. As a secondary student, I can prepare myself by taking courses that will help me get into certain University programs and what they look for. Also when looking at programs, I can make sure the courses that are being looked at, have high grades. Participating in school activities help me for the future, it looks good on a resume and also it gives you experience. In conclusion, after researching about this career, I have decided to continue on this path because social work allows you to go after a passion for social justice. If you feel like helping people or you start to see those who have not been born with the privilege that others have from a different point of view, becoming a social worker is one of the most effective ways of doing something to help. Working with all kinds of people who struggle for rights and resources, from the poor and homeless to immigrants to the LGBT community, social workers speak and have a voice for those who can’t make decisions, or aren’t prepared financially or children who’ve had a rough life. Social work is honestly just putting people who have been through a lot more than you, above your issues and helping out in your community and the feeling that YOU helped have a positive impact on someones life is probably the most amazing feeling in the world. I want to do this so I can wake up a nd think â€Å" Today I’m gonna save someones life† or â€Å" Today I am going to help someone through their tough times.† Everyone has problems in their life, but putting others in front of yourself doesn’t just show that you care, but it also shows that want to see others happy.Average monthly caseload of a case manager- about 1-49 cases come in each month.This graph shows the percentage of Glasglow’s child population supported by social workers.

IBM Business Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IBM Business Strategy - Case Study Example The contributing key success factors were : However, in 2002, with the achievement and success of its business model and the introduction of the new computing architecture like grid and utility computing, IBM made a high-profile announcement about its new corporate strategy centered on the concept of "on demand business". Unluckily, IBM's stock price plunged down and hit the lowest after the disappointing financial results in the first quarter of 2005 with sales increased by merely 3% from the previous year, far lower than many industry analysts' forecast of a 6% increase. It was some years after Sam Palmisano took over as chief executive officer (CEO) in March 2002. As a precautionary measure, the company announced an immense restructuring in its European operations. Even though there were improvements in the second quarter, some began to express their uncertainties and doubts whether the "on demand business" strategy would deliver the promised results. More distinctively, many started to question how and why such a strategy was accepted and justified in the first place. In order for IBM to remain competitive and ahead of its competitors in the increasingly crowded marketplace, a new corporate strategy called the "On Demand Business," was conceived. ... In an interview, Ginni Rometty, the global head of IBM's Business Consulting Services, talks about the on demand era and on demand business. "The on demand era is primarily characterized by change. Companies are being challenged to respond with speed to an increasingly fast paced and complex environment. Because the rate of change in this environment will become constant and unpredictable, adaptability and flexibility will be critical. Successful companies will have the ability to nimbly adapt to changes in their environment, from sensing and responding to the needs of customers in realtime to adjusting spending around market fluctuations. An on demand business is one whose business processes -- integrated end-to-end across the company and with key partners, suppliers and customers -- can respond with speed to any customer demand, market opportunity or external threat. In our research into the long-term business and technology trends affecting companies, IBM has identified four essen tial attributes of an on demand business: responsive, variable, focused and resilient. As companies move along the continuum between traditional and on demand business, they will more strongly exhibit these characteristics." On the other hand, we might wonder if this new strategy really works If this makeover is a success, why did the stocks of IBM plummet in the recent years Perhaps, there are loopholes in the process of implementation with this new corporate strategy. The result of my thorough investigation, analysis, and research showed that the critical issues involve here are Industry Development and Strategic Development. Industry Development. An Industry

Distributive Bargaining Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Distributive Bargaining - Coursework Example The purpose is to set parameters that determine the reservation price. The third skill set is Skill 3.3 which refers to the ability to learn the other party`s offer and bracket it so as to attain a desired outcome in a distributive negotiation. The forth skill set is Skill 3.4. It refers to the ability to recognize custom practices and use them in evaluating offers, making counter offers, and reaching acceptable settlement points. The final skill is Skill 3.5, which refers to the ability to learn the significance of framing in its role in negotiation. The purpose of the skill is to influence others perception and how they respond to offers (Carrell 2008). Zone of possible agreement (ZOPA): if assumed that the buyer’s maximum price is b. the sellers minimum acceptable price by the seller is s. if b is greater than s then ZOPA exists. In other words ZOPA occurs because the buyer is willing and able to meet or surpass the minimum price set by the seller. ZOPA reflects the negotiating latitude, bargaining attitude, settlement range or bargaining range. Experienced negotiators argue the criticality of making the initial offer because it can greatly influence the other negotiating party`s perception of Zone of possible agreement since each party bases estimation of ZOPA on their reservation (Carrell 2008). Relational information are beliefs, facts and feelings concerning the relations of the parties. Relational information help in building a good will relationship in distributive bargaining. Substantive information are facts or questions concerning the other party`s offer that utilizes reason and logic. The information can be used to dictate negotiation in distributive bargaining. Equality norm refers to a scenario in a distributive bargaining case where both parties in the negotiation split the difference and gain an equal amount. Equity norm refers to a situation where the split is carried based on the input of the parties involved in

Art of early medieval europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Art of early medieval europe - Essay Example These tables are so informative and they have lots of knowledge embedded within them. The Book of Kells contains all the four Gospels. It is of critical significance to note that majority of the texts found within the Book of Kells draw their origin from the original Bible. However, a number of the texts found in the Book of Kells are from Vulgate. It is important to acknowledge the fact that the Book of Kells was written in a Columbian monastery. One of the propositions is that the creation of the Book of Kells took place in Britain. However, there are several speculations that the creation of the Book of Kells took place in Ireland. In relation to this, majority of the people around the world majorly believe that the creation of the Book of Kells took place in Ireland. The reality surrounding the exact place of origin has made many scholars of the book spend more time in research. However, on this basis, a number of propositions have been put forward relevant to this. However, it is important to note that such propositions as well as suggestions have been contradictory. This has also created a sense of controversy following the discrepancies in similarity amongst the scholars’ findings. In addition, the exact date and time when the Book of Kells was created has also been a matter of discussion for many years. However, the most important thing to note irrespective of the different speculations, predictions as well as suggestions from the scholars is that the book has drawn lots of interest from several people around the world. It is believed that the Book of Kells was written by three key personalities2. These personalities have had various influences in certain key artistic aspects of the Ireland during such periods. They were very famous artists during the time when the Book of Kells was being written. As such, they took the roles of ensuring that the book had

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Globalization - Essay Example Although liberal economies are very crucial, there is a great need of defending the consumers from exploitation especially on basic commodities. The government should not allow her people to be exploited by the sellers simply because of anticipation or may be as a way of making maximum profit from a situation such. The current issue of Obama-care is a good example of a move that tends to interfere with liberalism theory. American dream is based on universal right to existence, freedom, and contentment. This is the dream of every individual in the world and its pursuit is everyone’s responsibility. All these visions are based on an individual’s health hence proving the importance of a healthy body and mind. The reason there is no universal healthcare is the attitude that most people do have that healthcare is more like socialism, which do not imply democracy. Sebelius (2013), explains that the political elites have continuously disagreed on the importance of universal he althcare being that they do not even feel the pinch when faced by sickness and diseases due to their financial advantage (Web). Do they really care for the common person? Lots of money is spent on wars than healthcare services. All the companies in the healthcare sector are clearly in the business of making profit without even thinking of the welfare of their clients thus making diseases and sickness big business. In fact, the US healthcare is the most costly due to the players in this fundamental sector thus making it unproductive to throw money in this system (Sebelius, 2013). Demand for healthcare has since been limited by demand because it is provided in the market and any attempt to provide it freely can only be limited by rationing which happens in most countries practicing this system such as Spain, South Korea, France, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Most people would be given appointments with the doctors, which may in turn take a very long time hence causing death to the patients . Patients who could have gone to their doctors with their money now die because they cannot pay for their own doctors’ visit and buy efficient drugs rather than ineffective or expensive drugs pushed by companies to hospitals (Sebelius, 2013). Countries that have adopted this kind of system make their citizens get lesser service than the normal sufficient service due to long waits for doctors, lack of medicine and bureaucratic procedures. Not every citizen can get best possible care regardless of one’s salary or socioeconomic status. Generally, living standards in most countries particularly in Eastern Europe have increased hugely because of economic growth. Globalization has actually helped many nations across the globe to access many markets for their exports. Every nation is trying to access international market by employing unique techniques. In fact, laxity can only be the reason for an individual’s country failure in this error of globalization. Countries like china have currently dominated African market and this is really vital in her rapid economic growth. China exports a lot of products and USA is amongst her biggest market as well as Africa as a continent. They have actually instituted laws that encourage investments and even manufacturing of export products (Sutter, 2013).

Smoking labelling Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Smoking labelling - Research Proposal Example The most affected are young children and expected mothers. Therefore, there have been attempts to segregate smokers from the rest of the population. However, the law is rarely implemented. This is because the politicians are not willing to lose their popularity. This is aggravating an already worse condition. Many of the smokers in the country have stated that they are more aware of the consequences of their behavior than before (Fischhoff, Brewer, Downs, & United States, 2011). Have the graphic images have not dampened their desire to smoke. Many state that whenever they come across the graphic warnings, they become more aware that smoking is hazardous to their health. Nevertheless, the addition empowers these cautions and the desire to quit the vice. Labeling of cigarette packages with warnings has a major impact on deterring new smokers from starting this behavior. Many of the young people feel that the graphic images make them to think of the repercussions of starting this behavior. However, those who were already affected by addition find it very hard to stop it (La, 2013). Therefore, the number of people who are joining the list of smokers has reduced in Saudi Arabia. However, the number of those who are quitting is very minimal. This is an indication that the warnings are more effective in deterring non-smokers not to engage in smoking behavior rather than encouraging the smokers to quit this vice. Therefore, the government should implement other more effective measures such as imposing stricter law on public smoking and stiff penalties to those who violates these rules. Cigarette packages warning labels acts as an effective tool for educating both the smokers and non-smokers on the health risks that are likely to face after using tobacco. This has increased the level of awareness among non-smokers and children. In addition, parents now have information on the repercussions

Macro Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macro - Assignment Example (Riecher, 2013) Figure 1: Unemployment Rate in Germany1 Germany has been able to deal with structural changes efficiently as its policy doesn’t include laying off workers rather makes the work shorter hours. So when workers cut off their working hours, the government makes up half of the wages of lost working hours. This is a better alternative than being unemployed. Apart from that there a system known as hour bank where workers put extra hours during good times. So these hours could help to compensate in downturn where less hours is worked. Also the unions and management negotiate together on reducing working hours. (Baker, 2013) According to IMF Inflation in Germany by the end of 2012 was 2.137 percent and is expected by IMF that inflation will average to 1.6 percent in 2013. The economy is growing but is not putting an upward pressure in price. This is because the government is able to control inflation because of its tight monetary policy where it has maintained its curre ncy strong too. (Stefan, 2013) Figure 2: Inflation Rate in Germany2 Answer #2 Germany is a part of European Union so it does not have its own money and can’t use its own monetary policy. It follows the policy that is set by the European Central Bank. Current Interest rate maintained by the European Central Bank is only at 0.5 percent. ... So it is important for it to maintain balance in interest rate policy. (Stefan, 2013) Germany fiscal policy shows that’s its revenue as by IMF data has over the years accounting to 1201.38 billion expected in 2013 that is 44.372 percentage of the GDP. Its government expenditure as percentage of GDP amounts to 45.005 percent in 2012 and 44.703 percent expected in 2013. Government’s high share in expenditure is having negative effect on growth rate as it is not giving a room for private investments which has been low around 17.219 percent of GDP in 2012 and expected 17.369 percent in 2013. Low investment means low domestic demand for goods and services which needs to be created by the government. Also the tax rate in Germany on individuals income is progressive, higher the income, higher the tax rate which ranges around 14 to 45 percent on individuals income. Effective corporate tax rate is around 30 to 33 percent. It needs to make sure to reduce taxes in order to encoura ge more growth and investment in the economy. (Randow, 2013) Answer #3 Germany is the power house of industrial base and world’s second largest exporter. One policy Germans adopted was not to borrow money rather they focused to live with their own means as taking debt meant paying back with huge interest costs. They consider taking loan as doing something wrong and feel guilty for it. Germany made its labour market strong in 2003 when it came up with fundamental labour market reform. The government maintained good relations with labour unions in order to easily negotiate on labour wages. At same time workers kept working hours low keeping in mind it was better than to getting unemployed. This helped the economy to flexible in labour

Explore the presentation of women in Much Ado about Nothing Essay Example for Free

Explore the presentation of women in Much Ado about Nothing Essay Explore the presentation of women in Much Ado about Nothing The women in the 1500s were always expected to do things such as taking care of the family not working outside of their houses and always seen as possessions, not people. As in Shakespeares time they were seen not heard. Shakespeare used this as a theme in him novel, Much Ado about Nothing, and the character Hero in particular portrayed the typical woman. The typical woman was modest, convectional, reserved and many women were pressured to be exactly like her. There are many other ways of which women are presented in this 1599 play about love and the deception of appearances. The play was very popular with the audience and was a comedy. Women who had a high status were usually linked with honour. Hero is an example of this as her father, Leonato, is a successful character and has high status. He is described as a, honourable father, which means that if she was to be, unfaithful, to Claudio then her whole family would go down in status and she Hero would be seen as an unclean creature now worth nothing. Heros overall presentation is a typical woman and is used as a plot device to move the story along, so she is valuable but her value is not recognised. An example of this is when she furthers the plot when she is, unfaithful, to Claudio. Hero is a possession to be passed on from father to husband as the society was patriarchal and the women were dominated by men and were assets to bargain. In the wedding scene Hero hardly says anything in her defence, and what she does say are only in one line blocks, is my Lord well that he doth speak so wide? She is not saying that he is wrong, but just asking him to rethink what he is saying. This shows us that she is a typical, modest woman and cannot stand up for herself. When Hero is accused of being unfaithful to Claudio, her father doesnt defend her like a typical father would do today, but he says, do not live Hero, do not ope thine eyes, Leonato is ashamed to be linked with his daughter and basically says that he wants her to die. This is not how women should be treated. They have no voice and people would believe a mans word over a womans. Hero is seen as a, plague right well prevented, which means she is no longer any use to Claudio and is a plague on him. Once women had lost there virginity to a man when they were not married, they were seen as useless and unclean, a woman would not be able to get a husband and would be put in a nunnery or kept indoors. Honour is linked to virginity because then the women were not worthless and so that they could be married to someone of high status. Claudio thinks Heros appearance is deceiving him and he ruins her life as she had ruined his, thoughts of harm. He ruins her life because now people think that she is unfaithful, rotten orange, she will be worthless and kept indoors. Another example of Hero as a typical Elizabethan woman is at the party when she gets proposed to. Hero is told what to say to her marriage proposal and has no choice in what to say. Beatrice even prompts her on what her actions should be, speak cousin, or if you cannot, stop his mouth with a kiss. Womans sexuality was controlled by men. Hero would be like any other good typical wife in Elizabethan times, she, would do any modest office. She is quiet and chaste and conforms to the norms of the society. Hero is very predictable, again like the typical woman, now going to kiss Claudio, Beatrice prompts her on her actions. In contrast Benedicks and Beatrices relationship has more equality and they come across as comfortable with one another as they use, you , and, your, as apposed to, thee, and, thou, as Hero and Claudio use. Beatrice is presented in a very different way to Hero. Beatrice is presented very openly. All of her emotions are shown and she always says what she thinks, the commendation is not in his wit, but in his villainy. This shows us that Beatrice is a very plotting and witty character who is in control of the situation. She is an independent woman, who was not like how women in Elizabethan times were presented, she was like Queen Elizabeth. Hero and Beatrice are complete opposites. Beatrice doesnt want any man to rule her life, in marriage, so takes an independent look to things. She doesnt want a husband because she wants to remain like she is, I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me. Her strong voice is a strong comparison to Heros silence; it makes them seen very opposite and is not the norms of Elizabethan society. Because Beatrice is so independent, she uses her wit to stop her from getting hurt, so I would not he should do me, my Lord, lest I should prove the mother of fools. It shows that Elizabethan women were quite vulnerable. The love that Benedick has for Beatrice is true love, this gives Beatrice the power to manipulate him, and she tells him to, kill Claudio, because she has to rely on a man to carry out what she wants to be done. The women in those times could not carry out a duel with someone else, as it was no, expected, of them to do that and they had to conform to the typical woman, like Hero. Beatrice shows her frustration when she says, O God that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market place, shes saying that if she was a man she would kill Claudio herself so makes Benedick chose if he looses a friend or love. Beatrice shows that she can be a domination person when she cuts Benedicks sentences short, Beat-, then she says, Princes and Counties! Overall I think that the women in, Much Ado about Nothing, were pressured into being quiet, chaste and not seen, like Hero. Beatrice is the total opposite and has her own strong-willed, independent mind. Men and women were not treated as equals and men had so much more power and freedom and saw the women as possessions not wives. Hero resembles the perfect presentation of what a woman should be like. Beatrice does not because she is not quiet and is not told what to do, she is different, she is stubborn and will do things her own way.

Marriage in industrial societies

Marriage in industrial societies Compare and contrast two theories of the change in the age of marriage in industrial societies. There are several theories which attempt to explain the causes behind the changing ages of marriage in industrial societies. While no theory should be seen as all-encompassing or as universally applicable, many have made valuable contributions to the overall debate. The theories presented by Valeria Oppenheimer (1988, 1994, 1997) and David S. Loughran (2002) are two such examples of incisive works that have influenced the direction and scholarly thought on this topic. Before delving into the particulars of these two scholars, it is important to point out some of the problems inherent in attempting to account for such a diverse and important phenomenon. Indeed, the concept of marriage is one that is often culturally contingent and one that can vary among demographic and religious groups. Also, it is important to examine the question of how modern values have contributed to contemporary patterns of marriage. As such, not all industrial societies can be understood as uniformly similar and that the change in age of marriage should also be thought of in terms of time, socioeconomic status, race, and ethnic group. Oppenheimers ‘A Theory of Marriage Timing is deeply concerned with challenging the then popular and prevailing notion that womens economic independence was the major factor in the â€Å"decline in gains to marriage†¦ (and the) rise in delayed marriage† (1988). This notion, to Oppenheimer, is particularly problematic because it tends to â€Å"push people into one of two polar positions:† the growing independence of women could be seen as too high of a price to pay because of its negative impact on society or as an â€Å"unavoidable price for womens liberation† (1988). Instead Oppenheimer, through a modified search-theoretic framework, argues that even if the gains to marriage are reduced through economic independence, the result can have minimal effect on marriage gains in general. The greater independence that women experience creates an environment where they neither are forced to settle or remain in an undesirable situation (1988, p.587). Oppenheimer further discredits the â€Å"independence hypothesis† in ‘Womens Employment and the Gain to Marriage: the Specialization and Trading Model† through a detailed analysis of the literature supporting this notion (1997). Assumptions made by theorists, particularly those held by Gary Becker, are critically examined by Oppenheimer. An important criticism the author makes deals with questioning the starting point of the â€Å"high correlation of the various time series trends† employed by supporters of the independence hypothesis (1997). If one pushes these time-series backwards (and does not have them dated in the 1950s and 1960s) it becomes clear that divorce rates were on the rise well before womens employment started to grow (1997). Further, Oppenheimer attempts to clarify the difference (which she believes is often misunderstood) between the delay of marriage and nonmarriage. She cites important factors why individuals may want to delay marriage, s uch as economic factors or educational attainment (among others) without actually delaying the relative worth or desirability of marriage (1997). In ‘Womens Rising Employment and the Future of the Family in Industrial Societies Oppenheimer explains the change in marriage through the declining position of men in the labor market. Supported by strong evidence linking the connection between early marriage and strong labor markets, Oppenheimer illustrates how men who lack a stable career or career path become less desirable, thus prolonging the search for potential mates. Beckers theory of marriage, which Oppenheimer connects with ideas presented by two of sociologists most notable figures (Parsons and Durkheim), maintains that â€Å"the major gain to marriage lies in the mutual dependence of spouses, arising out of their specialized functions—the woman in domestic production (and reproduction), the man in market work† (Oppeheimer 1997). As the economy grows and wages rise, womens market work in turn also rises. For Becker, this means that the work women engage in becomes less specialized and more economically independent â€Å"leading, in turn, to a decline in the desirability of marrying or of staying married† (Oppenheimer 1997). Of particular concern to Oppenheimer is Beckers argument that a ‘major gain to marriage is lost through womens economic independence. Oppenheimer, however, calls into question several facets of Beckers theory by arguing that families are adaptable and have placed both women and children in the wor kforce when it was demanded by particular economic conditions. Oppenheimer stresses, through the employment of micro and marco level analyses, how the decline in male economic opportunity in the 1970s and 1980s served as an integral factor in reducing the supply of marriageable men. This parallels both Loughrans and Easterlins (Birth and Fortune, 1987) arguments that individuals (both men and women) are more likely to be married in the areas in which higher proportions of men are ‘marriageable (for Loughran this notion hinges on wage inequality and for Easterlin it rests on the particulars of the birth cohort). Oppenheimer further deviates from many of her predecessors by stressing the relative importance uncertainty in career entry and path plays in the delay of marriage. Couples would thus spend a greater amount of time (the concept of delaying marriage as opposed to nonmarriage is again stressed) when searching for suitable (as defined by men and women with an established career path) partners. Loughran, in â€Å"The Effect of Male Wage Inequality on Female Age at First Marriage† argues that â€Å"rising male wage inequality is responsible for a proportion of the decline in the age-specific propensity to marry between 1970 and 1990† (2002). The author, who also uses a search-theoretic framework, discusses how his hypothesis fits naturally into a model of female marital search (2002) and how it â€Å"reveals a negative correlation between male wage inequality and female propensity to marry.† That is, â€Å"if women search among a pool of men characterized by their wages, theory predicts growing male wage inequality will increase the duration of female marital search and, hence, age at first marriage† (2002). As similarly noted by Oppenheimer, Loughran agrees that modeling marriage behavior in this way shows that it is less of a ‘decline in marriage as it is of a ‘delay. Loughran, in a similar vein as Oppenheimer, dispels alternative h ypotheses such as rising female wages and employment and concludes that the rising male wage inequality increases the return to marital search, which in turn lengthens â€Å"search duration and decreas(es) age-specific propensities to marry† (2002). When comparing the theories of Oppenheimer and Loughran, one can see that the latters economic analysis supports the formers on several key points. One of Loughrans hypotheses deals with describing how wage inequality (beginning in the early 1970s) meant greater variability in the economic suitability and stability of potential husbands thereby leading to greater rewards for women who extended and prolonged their marriage search. This notion supports Oppenheimers emphasis on taking the stress away from womens independence as the critical factor in changing age of marriage and instead placing it on the declining role of males in the marketplace. Criticisms of these theories are bound to occur, as they fail to account for all of the intricacies associated with marriage trends. It is interesting to note the relative absence in the discussions presented by these authors of the importance of religion and its particular influence on marriage trends. When one considers the very nature of marriage, and the values and ideals it is naturally associated with, the idea of its close relationship with religious belief becomes easily noticeable. As such, it may be interesting in the future to examine these theories with respect to groups that have different levels of religiosity. When considering both of these theories, it becomes clear that the economic opportunity of both men and women should be studied together if one is interested in discovering the reasons behind change in marriage age. While neither the growing wage inequality among young men nor the independence among young women is wholly responsible for the delay in marriage, they are both seen to be important contributors to the phenomena and overall debate. Oppenheimer, in particular, has proven to be influential in influencing the direction of the discourse by calling into question some of the key prevailing notions which have persisted throughout the past century. References: 1.) Easterlin, R. A. (1987) Birth and Fortune: The impact of Numbers on Personal Welfare. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, second edition 2.) Oppenheimer, V.K. (1997) Womens employment and the gain to marriage: the specialization and trading model. Annual Review of Sociology, 23, 431-453 3.) Oppenheimer, V.K. (1988) A theory of marriage timing. American Journal of Sociology, 94(3), 563-591 4.) Oppenheimer, V.K. (1994) Womens rising employment and the future of the family in industrial societies. Population and Development Review, 20(2), 293-342 5.) Loughran, D.S. (2002). The effect of male wage inequality on female age at first marriage. Review of Economics and Statistics, 84(2), 237-250.

CIS Snapshot :: essays research papers

..::CIS Snapshot::.. When I think of CIS one thing always comes to mind. My first day. No, not my first day this year. The day I’m referring to was the first time I ever came to CIS last year. Near completion of the Danish â€Å"Folke Skole† you have to choose and apply to various â€Å"Gymnasiums† much like applying for university after high school in the states. One of the schools I wanted to attend was CIS. I asked my supervisor if she couldn’t arrange a day where I could go to CIS and see what the IB programme was all about. She said she would try and the next day I got a letter from her telling me the date and time when I would have to go to CIS. When I first arrived at CIS, I was a little overwhelmed at the size. It isn’t a very big school but its layout was a little difficult and I had a hard time finding my way around until I finally ask a student where a Mrs. Richardson was. He, of course, didn’t know. After about 10 minutes of wandering around the halls I finally find the office and they tell me her office was downstairs. I find her at last and she seemed confused why I was there. Apparently she thought I wasn’t due until the week after. I was beginning to have some doubts about the organisational skills of the school. She looks around the halls and pulls the first student she can find to the side and asks if she doesn’t mind showing me around. She nods and tells me to follow her quickly as she was late for class. So my first class at CIS was art. I thought this was going to be fun as I always liked art but after the first mind numbing hour I realised that this wasn’t cut out for me. Th e class itself was fine and the teacher was a fun guy but I had nothing to do other than just watch the other students make their brilliant masterpieces of art. There was one high point and that was when the art teacher told the class that he read an article about a homicidal doctor who would stick ice picks up people’s noses. Fun. After two hours we were finally allowed to go. â€Å"Now what† I thought. Well apparently nothing.

Rebel W/out A Cause Essay -- essays research papers

REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rebel Without A Cause is a movie about three troubled, identity-seeking teenagers alienated from the world of their parents (Jim Stark, Judy, and Plato). Each of the movie’s main characters is searching for understanding, companionship, and a sense of belonging, much like most of the teenagers today. Even thought the movie is dated, it depicts the main problems and concerns that teens currently face. This film offers no answers. It merely presents the problems and the viewer is left to ponder how they'll turn out. I could identify with this movie on many levels. And I think that much of the young audiences out there could as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie seems to tell the audience that just because teenagers do some bad things, doesn’t mean they’re bad at heart. I agree. In the movie, Jim is pressured into participating in a chickie run with a local gang leader named Buzz. A chickie run is where two guys race in a car towards a cliff. The first one to jump out from his car is a chicken. Jim feels he has something to prove. He doesn’t want to race, but he feels he has to show everyone he’s tough. Usually most teenagers today don’t want to get into trouble, but if it is necessary to put their lives on the line they will, simply to maintain their reputation. This is primarily associated to a phenomenon that teens encounter every day of thei...

Moving On With a Disability :: Papers

Moving On With a Disability 'Disability' something that disables a person, a physical incapacity caused by injury or disease. To me the word was somewhat closer to home. I am going on fourteen and am seated in a wheelchair permanently, I always have been. Cameron is the name, walking is the game. The wish more like. Being stuck in a wheelchair is very infuriating and when I am in that mood, just don't try and get me out. Talking of going out I don't. Well very rarely. I stay in my room most of the time with my books and my tutor. It is where I want to be. It is no-one's fault I am in this way and there is nothing anyone can do about it. I need to face facts; I am glued to the chair. " Good morning Cam!". He stood there like he did every morning at 9am sharp, but DiÃÆ'Â ¡z was not a sharp man. Messy struck me as more of the correct word. My tutor was in his mid thirties with short, brown hair. He hadn't shaved. Stubble the colour of cigarette ash clung to his jaw. His big round glasses bounced as he walked. His clothes were shabby and he often wore the same items for days running. DiÃÆ'Â ¡z was a good friend; my only friend and he shared my love of books. He often brought me a book from his collection. They were about all sorts but I liked the detective ones best. I wished I was Sherlock Holmes. Mind you I wished I could walk too but as Mum always says, ' Life does not come on a silver plate.' Well it should come on a gold one, that's what I think! I don't think you can understand what it is like not to be able to do something that everyone else can. I definitely don't think I can explain it! When I wake up, I cannot dress myself. How would that make you feel? Incompetent maybe? That's how it makes me feel. Everyone else can dress themselves, why can't I?

Critical Review: with No Direction Home: Homeless Youth on the Road and in the Streets by Marni Finkelstein

In this critical review of Marni Finkelstein’s ethnography â€Å"With No Direction Home: Homeless Youth on the Road and in the Streets† I will analyze and evaluate some of the strategies and methods used by this author. One primary issue I will discuss is the sample population. Finkelstein may have set the population limitations to strictly for this ethnography. Her limited observation location and time is also a major issue. She chose to study a transient population that, very likely, primarily comes out at night. Yet, she limited herself to one primary location and she only went there in the daytime. I will discuss the lack of follow up to the individual interviews as well. While she discovered some fascinating information about this subculture, she did not find what she stated she initially set out to find. Finkelstein’s goal was to study â€Å"gutterpunks† (Finkelstein, 2005), but what she actually studied were the substance abusing homeless youth of Tompkins Square Park. In her original hypothesis she wanted to learn about â€Å"alternative youth subcultures, especially those revolving around music† (Finkelstein, 2005). She does not seem to have accomplished this goal. There was little talk about music in the ethnography, on her part or the part of the kids. Was it because she found that there was no relation to music or because she did not specifically try to find youth involved with the music. It seems like she basically settled for just plain old homeless drug addict and alcoholic kids, which would be great if her goal was not more specific to finding â€Å"gutterpunks. † The ethnography is also based on an extremely small sample size. According to Finkelstein’s own numbers, she only interviewed 50 youth over the period of the two summers. That seems like an extremely low number of participants for which to base an entire ethnography. I would think that over a period of two summers- let’s call that 6 months- a researcher would have the opportunity to encounter hundreds of potential candidates to provide informational interviews. Part of the trouble may have been that she limited her participants ages to being between 15-20 years old. I believe that this restriction left out a great deal of potentially vital informants and information. It may have substantially limited her population size. For example, the 25 year old, named Scratch, who had been on the streets for 10+ years, would have been a cornucopia of information. But, all she did was use him to refer her to other kids in her required age group. The street culture in Tompkins Square Park did not have age limitations. I’m not sure that Finkelstein should have either. It’s important to note that all of the kids involved were heavily dependent on drugs and alcohol. Also important to note, is that she was paying her participants. This combination may have created unintended consequences. It’s possible that the kids were willing to tell vivid and imaginative stories to Finkelstein in hopes of being interviewed again and, thereby, being paid again. Many of the youth were willing to admit to prostitution in order to earn money for drugs or alcohol. Is it possible that they would prostitute lies about their own lives for the same end? Is it possible that they never really left New York? Did they just move into shelters in the winter? It’s impossible to know for sure. These kids are caught up in the culture of lies and delusion surrounding drugs; that is to say, who says they aren’t just verbally fantasizing with Finkelstein and passing it off as the truth. The location limitation was also unfavorable for this kind of ethnography. If one is going to write ethnography about a transient population, they should become somewhat transient themselves. Traveling with the youth would necessarily be required in order to get a full picture of their culture. The stories from the kids may have been accurate and detailed, or they may have been fabricated, but, either way, it is not the same as having experienced it personally. In order to fully understand and appreciate a subsistence strategy, one must subsist from it, if only for a brief period. She might have considered a more interactive participant observation model to more fully experience their culture. Finkelstein should have gone out into the park when more kids were out and about. She mentioned that she only when out in the daylight, â€Å"I would try to get to the field site early before the kids were either too drunk to be interviewed or completely passed out in the grass† (Finkelstein, 2005). Because these kids are alcoholics and drug addicts, it is very likely that much of their life takes place after sundown and before sun up. I imagine that they have quite a tolerance and are relatively functional for much of the early part of the evening. â€Å"Drugs and alcohol were a major part of the kid’s lives† (Finkelstein, 2005). I can certainly appreciate her concern for personal safety, but if th is is the population she wanted to study she might have made more of an effort to be around when the activities were in full swing. She only mentioned being at one party in the book. I have to believe that there were countless similar activities during her research, of which she was not a part. I have gathered from the ethnography that Finkelstein interviewed each kid only once. From that interview, she sprinkled quotes throughout the book. She mentions a few times in the book that she would interview kids and then never see them again. For accuracy purposes, and to get an idea of the level of honesty from her informants she should have conducted multiple interviews with the same kids. This would have been more likely if she was willing to spend more time in their â€Å"natural habitat. † Follow up on the interviews with the youth should have been done. Talking with the family or schools of the kids would have added much needed detail to the ethnography. Since she was paying the kids, perhaps she could have paid more for verifiable information about their previous mainstream lives. Then followed up on the information provided and reported her results. It would have been nice to have a section on what their families and teachers said about how the kids were before their lives on the street. Perhaps, verifying or debunking some of the information the kids told her. It’s not only important that the kids are on the street, but why. What lead them there and are the youth truthful overall? It would have been interesting if Finkelstein could have interviewed ex-Tomkins Square Park kids for her book. Do they ever get out? Do they move on to other arenas for homelessness as they age? Clearly, in Chapter 9, the kids have plans for the future. It’s also clear that their plans are of then just a shared illusion. They don’t currently have the means or the wherewithal to accomplish the goals they’ve set out. The kids, like Jeff and Joyce, clearly have plans to buy land, but no real idea of the amount of money it requires. I am sure there are people that did grow up and out of this subculture. I would like to have heard from them on how they got out and what became of their lives. I can’t say that have the answer on how to find them either, but it would have been interesting. Finkelstein did make macro conclusions from individual or micro level research. But she does come up with some interesting information about the small group of Tompkins Square Park youth she interviewed. This should not be disregarded, as homeless youth often are. It was eye opening to pear into this culture and community. The homeless kids often had a common bond because of prior abuse. (Finkelstein, 2005) They also bonded out of shared needs. Whether those needs be drugs, alcohol, or food, they were willing to share with those they knew were in the same situation. When they would panhandle they would pool their money with other youth. If one got some food, he or she would share it with another who was nearby. This happened specifically when Finkelstein bought some pizza for a youth named Tommy. Although he was starving himself, he effortfully walked across the street to give half of it to a girl who was panhandling. Tommy did not know the girl; he just knew they shared the common bond of being homeless. The Tompkins Square Park youth considered themselves apart from mainstream culture. Yet, they required it for survival. If they were truly apart from society they would have been growing or hunting for food. They would have traveled from place to place on foot. That simply did not happen. Wasting of food by mainstream society allowed them the opportunity to dumpster dive for food. Caring people would sometimes buy them food. Modern modes of transportation allowed them to travel around the country in quick fashion. The kids panhandled and begged for money. They participated in this ethnography because they were getting paid to do it. While the youth would like to consider themselves apart from mainstream, the reality is that they are just one part of it. What one has to keep in mind always, is that these are not highly idealistic youth as much as they are kids caught in the fog of drug and alcohol addictions. From the drugs and alcohol came the extreme level of violence. These youth walked around with weapons, usually a knife or things called â€Å"smileys. † The smiley would be made from a bicycle chain which sometimes had lock on it too. This weapon appears to have the capability of causing some pretty disfiguring injuries. These kids have no qualms about deploying these weapons. In fact it seems to be a regular event. This level of unreported violence is definitely one area where they keeping themselves separate from mainstream society. The question for me is: Are they reverting to more primitive behaviors because of the lack of civilized structure or is the alcohol and drug use the main problem. Finkelstein’s ethnography is a remarkable piece of anthropological work. It s also possible to learn from some of her mistakes. She states that her objective is to study the relationship between music and this subculture of kids on the street. She never makes any further reference to that issue. How did the music play a part in this culture? She stated that the size of the street kid population is substantial, approximately 100 million worldwide, but she only had 50 youths in her study. She interviewed them only once without and any follow up with the youth themselves or their families, school, or other organizations. Furthermore, she studied a transient population from one single location, primarily Tompkins Square Park. It would seem appropriate to have traveled with this population to get a real sense of their culture. Did they act in California as they acted in New York? Did they really travel at all? A main concern is that this work is based on personal stories from youth who are deluded by drugs and alcohol. There is no real verification of the facts presented. From these personal stories Finkelstein makes claims about all homeless youth, when she should really just be discussing Tompkins Square Park youths.

Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned

According to certain people, violent video games should be banned; they feel that violent video games are the source of today’s violence amongst children. I strongly disagree with them. Video games, like movies, music and any other form of art, are there to entertain people and to enjoy, not restrict. What most people fail to realize is that the video game industry, like the film industry, is heavily regulated with a strict code of parental guidelines already in place. Even the game consoles to play these violent games have parental controls.What I fail to understand is that some parents believe its okay to give their children 18+ rated games even though they are well under that age, and say that these games are the sources of violence between children. If parents would not let a 10-year-old watch 18+ rated horrors movies, then why would parents let a 10-year-old play Gears of War, or Grand Theft Auto with its gang, crime and sexual content? Today, the debate to ban violent vi deo games is drastically increasing in popularity.Video games that have violence in them such as Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, or Gears of War, might be banned for showing mature content. Video games sold in the United States reach retail sales of twenty one billion dollars a year. If they are banned, the economy can lose a tremendous amount of profit, and not to mention almost every mature adult around the world would be extremely furious. When people say that video games are very influential on the youth of today, they are probably right.However, the youth of today probably shouldn't be playing violent video games to start with, just as they shouldn't be watching violent movies. Violent video games have an age rating on them for a reason. If parents want buy their under aged children violent video games, then they should not complain that the video games are causing their children to become violent. Before complaining, they should actually pay attention to the age ratings posted on the games themselves and not ignore it, and then to make things worse; try to ban the games that other people might enjoy playing.Today’s game consoles (Sony's Play station 3and Microsoft's Xbox 360) are both aimed at mature adults, with the consoles having parental controls, and age warnings on the game boxes. Personally, I couldn't think of anything worse if violent video games get banned. The last thing that I want to do is go into any store and only be able to buy games that are aimed at 3-year-olds, such as Kung fu Panda or Dora the Explorer.In conclusion, I can say that violent video games have become one of the most favorable forms of entertainment to any teenager or adult around the world in the 21st century. And if they were to get banned, many people would get extremely furious. Violent video games are aimed strictly at mature teenagers and adults (as indicated on the game box itself), not children. Parents that complain that some video games are too violent and should be banned should stop and think; because after all, they are the ones who bought their kids the violent video games.

Carbon Dioxide Essay

Carbon dioxide is the main pollutant that warms our planet Earth. Living things produce carbon dioxide when they breathe. However, carbon dioxide is considered to be a harmful pollutant when linked with any vehicle, trains, power plants, as well as other various human activities that involve burning fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas. Studies have shown that In the past 150 years, such activities have released enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to raise its levels higher than they have ever been before. One of the most obvious consequences of carbon dioxide emissions is gray, muggy smog hanging over large cities. Smog creates many harmful health effects to human beings, it can cause anything from minor pain to deadly diseases such as lung cancer. When an area becomes covered in smog, people feel the effects immediately. But there are many different kinds of pollution, some visible, some invisible – that contribute to global warming. Generally, any substance that people bring into the atmosphere that has damaging effects on living things and the environment is considered air pollution. Other greenhouse gases include methane—which comes from such sources as swamps and gas emitted by livestock—and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants such as hairspray, until they were banned because of their deteriorating effect on Earth’s ozone layer. Another pollutant associated with climate change is sulfur dioxide, a component of smog. Sulfur dioxide and closely related chemicals are known primarily as a cause of acid rain. But they also reflect light when released in the atmosphere, which keeps sunlight out and causes Earth to cool. Volcanic eruptions can spew massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, sometimes causing cooling that lasts for years. In fact, volcanoes used to be the main source of atmospheric sulfur dioxide; today people are. Indus trialized countries have worked to reduce levels of sulfur dioxide, smog, and smoke in order to improve people’s health. But a result, not predicted until recently, is that the lower sulfur dioxide levels may actually make global warming worse. Just as sulfur dioxide from volcanoes can cool the planet by blocking sunlight, cutting the amount of the compound in the atmosphere lets more sunlight through, warming the Earth. This effect is exaggerated when elevated levels of other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap the additional heat. Most people agree that to put a harness around global warming, a variety of measures will need to be taken. On a personal level, driving less, (carpooling when you can, using mass transit systems as much as possible) recycling, and conservation reduces a person’s â€Å"carbon footprint†: the amount of carbon dioxide a person is responsible for putting into the atmosphere. On a larger scale, governments are taking measures to limit emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. One way is through the Kyoto Protocol, an agreement between countries that they will cut back on carbon dioxide emissions. Another method is to put taxes on carbon emissions or higher taxes on gasoline, so that people and companies will have greater incentives to conserve energy and pollute less.

Greek Mythology: the Story of My Father and His Son Essay

My father was not a very good man. He was an alcoholic, womanizer and physically abusive to his wives (he was married twice) and his children. He had a genius mind, with a simpleton’s attention span. If he were to be given an evaluation today, he may be on the autistic spectrum, maybe leaning toward Asperger’s. He would sit on his throne and eschew orders like he was ready at any moment to wield the lightning bolt and kill us all. He was the Zeus to my Ares, and despite everything I loved him fiercely. I defended him even when he wouldn’t defend himself and since I have a fiery temper (anyone can ask my wife, the only fire extinguisher I will ever need), we often clashed like titans. It is a good thing we shared the mutual love of exploring ancient Greek myths and figures, as we could have been reading about ourselves. My Zeus died in 2008. When I was young, my father and I were forced by the courts to spend weekends together after he and my mother divorced. She was tired of Zeus, and bashed his head in with a frying pan while I watched wide-eyed and silent. During these visits, my father would at least pretend to be sober enough to entertain the product of his first wild, young marriage. He had a huge collection of books, pictures and slides of Greece and the mythologies which could appear to anyone else to be funny since we are 150% Italian. I would stare in fascination at these pictures of places, pretending I was there; and the people, pretending I was them. Eventually my father would finish whatever was in his cup and come find me, furiously afraid I was destroying his collection and threatening ghastly vengeance on me if I had. What he did do was make me want to look more. Eventually I could read, and instead of chasing me out of his office would actually spend time with me in there, most of the time sleeping it off I realize now. But as I read on through the months I began to worry less and less I would be beaten for exploring in there if I was careful, and began to ask him questions about things I didn’t understand. Why did the stories talk about so many gods, when my Catholic education taught me there was only one? What did this have to do with the stars and sky, and what was up with all the monsters? I think he figured humoring me was a way out of actually having to take me anywhere and would answer me, grabbing volumes and flipping the pages. I crept into within arm’s length and we spent many hours going over all sorts of what a child’s mind would find unfathomable. Our favorite was a bright orange tome titled Greek Mythology, and had such chapter titles as The Monster-Killers. How interesting that one is. I would still see Zeus all the time, as I tried his patience as a child does, or whenever he felt like it. As I have said, he wasn’t a very nice man. My mother knew it, my friends knew it, even the dog knew it I think. I was desperate for male influence as my mom after her divorce moved us in with her mom, who was a widow living with†¦her mom. So as a father now I can see how I would take even the worst interaction over none at all. I always had a temper, my mother telling me I was like my father when she was exasperated of me†¦when in fact I see myself now as the Ares to his Zeus. As they were father and son so were we. So on the weekends he would come and get me that lessened as he built his second family, that is what we did. Saw a couple movies of his choosing and then would retreat to his house on Wellington Dr. to let me loose in the office. The older I became the looser his grip on the office collection, but I knew Zeus was watching and if I ever dog-eared a page I furtively looked around before smoothing it back, praying as a child does he wouldn’t find out. The older I got, the less I saw my father as happens as one goes through the teens and beyond. I would still bring up our favorite interest when I talked to him, asking if he found any new books or saw any specials on TV. â€Å"Sure kid. â€Å", he would tell me while I knew that the only one looking and watching was me. I collected every National Geographic on the topic, have many DVD’s of documentaries, and even went to a convention a few years back where I saw some artifacts like pottery and coin rubbings. That temper of mine got me in quite a few scrapes and when I would tell the Old Man about my latest exploits he would laugh at me and usually one-up me. You can’t compete with Zeus I guess. After my son was born came his three sisters and any free time I have to devote exclusively to reading the Myths. I love them as much as I ever have, and the family knows it. They despair if I ever come across something new on Netflix knowing what comes next. But I never told them about the link to my father, I guess some things just stay put until the right time. My wife just thought it was something I always liked for no special reason. She didn’t like Zeus, whom she distrusted immediately. She has good radar. She also knows how to put me in my place when I start to get fiery, I have children of my own who can push my hot-button for sure. But I have never done more than yell because Zeus taught me that no one benefits from it. Back to my son. He discovered the Percy Jackson books by Rick Reardon, and the eventual movie. These books are Greek Mythology with a modern spin but still as factual. He loves, loves  them. In fact, as he read more he wanted more. So I found books like the Treasury of Greek Mythology by National Geographic, and we in turn spend many hours reading together. I think he is smarter than me, and certainly more computer literate so he finds new â€Å"stuff† all the time for us to check out. The boy who sometimes I can’t look at, because he looks back at me with Zeus’s eyes. In those eyes I see someone who hurt me so much, in a body I know loves me unconditionally. The boy who has Asperger’s. Dominic is 10 and still the age where I know what I am talking about. Zeus died in 2008. He left this world as he came in, drooling from the drugs they gave him in a futile attempt to save the liver which had finally given up on him. He had people bringing him alcohol to the hospital right to the last day. No one said no to Zeus. I will never forget that last image I have of the powerful god. So in a way with my son, the Myths are helping to fix the broken bond my father and I didn’t have. In his will he left nothing to no one, his words almost exactly. But he had one thing in safe deposit box. A faded orange book by John Pinsent, titled Greek Mythology. In it was a picture of him and me – Zeus and Ares, probably taken by my mother†¦marking a severely dog-eared page.

Research Challenges Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Research Challenges - Essay Example These factors identify my weakness in developing research questions. Data analysis is another key challenge that I would face because of the involved technical approach and tools. Qualitative data analysis’ subjective approach that relies on a researcher’s background knowledge towards rational opinions is particular problem that I would face. I also lack experience in the research method’s application of software for data analysis and this would limit my ability develop my conclusion and recommendations. I would address the challenge of constructing good research questions by researching on strategies for conducting literature reviews and understanding other researchers’ approach to developing problem statements. I would also share my reviewed literature and problem statement with peers and my supervisor for identification and correction of possible mistakes and inconsistencies. I would further review qualitative research articles to understand authors’ approach to subjective data analysis besides consulting with an experienced researcher on the qualitative analysis technique. I would also attend training on software applications for qualitative

Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sports - Essay Example For example, the 100 Metres race is known to be dominated by black people. White people shy away from it because they assume that they do not have the energy to run as fast as the blacks do. On the other hand, white people dominate swimming more than the black people do. White people are known to spend most of their time in water. This creates the perception to blacks that whites are best at swimming, and other races in the sport cannot replace them. This essay will explain the effects of race in sports, and how it affects the performance of participants in different fields of sports. Most people and participants know the effect of race on sports. In various universities in the USA, there are certain sports that are mostly practised only by people of a certain racial identity. This has a lot to do with the economic condition of people who belong to the African American community; which is historically underprivileged also due to preconceived notions and prejudices. There are many rea sons for this, the primary one being the historical one where they had access to formal education for a short period due to slavery. Even today, there are many prejudices that are associated with race in the minds of people of all races. Sport is seen as one of the main ways African youths can escape the poverty of the places they were born. For the eradication of such beliefs, education is considered as the best remedy. People like Booker T. Washington (Washington, 2006) also suggested this. There are, however, problems that have occurred during the implementation of this policy. Many African Americans secure admissions to good colleges because of their skills in sports, and this often makes them to neglect other aspects like their education. Due to the oppressive circumstances, they have to go through; many see this as the only avenue that is open. This discussion is about those sections of the African American community that is economically underprivileged, and not those that hav e achieved a high social status in their lives. The importance of this difference must be understood, and affirmative governmental action should be taken to account for the differences that are engendered by class distinctions, while at the same time being aware of the handicaps that racial oppression has created in the society. Interest in sports has also to do with history and the challenge that the African American community took up for attempting to rival the other races that had oppressed them for long. Sadly, this took on the form of a machismo that had the corollary of leading to the oppression of African American women at the hands of African American men. It is important to look at this lack of strategic essentialism, in an analysis of the importance of sports in the development of certain unhealthy social trends amongst people of the African American community. Sport has led to the achievement of many laurels for the United States of America. However, it has led to the pol arisation of several communities based on essentials that has stemmed from historic stereotypes and inequalities. In Stuck in the shallow End: â€Å"Education, Race, and Computing, UCLA researcher† Margolis Jane outlines the history of swimming in the USA to show how blacks have been affected by inadequate access to swimming facilities and lessons. She asserts â€Å"In most cases of discrimination, typecasts and systems of beliefs about dissimilar ethnic gender groups genetic makeup and