A Brief Note On Reverse Racism And Affirmative Action

Patrick Ho Browne ENGL 2 May 9, 2016 Opportunities We often hear people say things like â€Å"Oh, this person only got into that university because of they’re black† or â€Å"that person only got the promotion because people feel sorry for him or her.† This is a classic example of reverse racism. The most common case of reverse racism is when Caucasian people claim that policies like affirmative action gives people of color an advantage over them. However this is not true at all; what affirmative action was meant to do is allow minorities an equal opportunity relative to Caucasians. Statistically, most people that do not attend universities tend to come from low-income families, which tend to have a certain demographic. When someone comes from a low-income family, there are things that tend to take priority over education, like getting a job for example. When people don’t have an education they tend to not get jobs that pay well which creates a large pay gap between the lower and middle class. I be lieve with affirmative action, we can close this gap by providing minorities with an equal opportunity. Although there are arguments that can be made for rejecting affirmative action as unfair advantage akin to outright discrimination, the socioeconomic pressures and issues that affect the higher percentage of minorities (resulting in their poor representation in collegiate demographics), lends support for a system that takes these disadvantages into account and in doing so, aids inShow MoreRelated Universities Must Continue with the Race-sensitive Admissions Process3209 Words   |  13 Pagessupport the University of California’s move to reinstate affirmative action in its admissions policies. This reinstatement has visible student support as seen in the March 15, 2001 rallies at the UC Regent’s meeting in which over 1,000 supporters of affirmative action came out to voice their opinion. This activity closely follows two other perceived victories for affirmative acti on proponents when two recent court decisions upheld affirmative action admissions policies at the University of WashingtonRead MoreThe Painful Truth About Affirmative Action1992 Words   |  8 PagesMinorities and their supporters in the late 1960s gave birth to the implementation of what is now known as Affirmative Action (AA) at institutions of higher education. This mark in history was viewed as a great effort to integrate minorities into society through the use of preferences in college and university admissions. Lately when addressing AA people have begun to question its cause and if it truly is a positive force for change. However, AA has not always been shrouded in a veil of suspicionRead MoreGender and Workforce Diversity6858 Words   |  28 PagesUniversity of Pittsburgh Erika Hayes James University of Virginia This introduction reviews some of the key issues that have been studied by researchers focused on gender and diversity in organizations. Issues such as discrimination, afï ¬ rmative action, barriers to career advancement, and sexual harassment at work are discussed. Although the study of gender and diversity in organizations has expanded in the last decade, key areas of research are still underrepresented. Issues for future researchRead MoreThe Broken Promise of Reconstruction the Need for Restitution5574 Words   |  23 Pagesaddressed. Liberals and African-Americans are more sensitive to the burden of the unfulfilled promise of Emancipation and Reconstruction, while so-called â€Å"realists† and conservatives proclaim that too much help has already been given (think: â€Å"Affirmative Action†). The truth though, does not lie neatly in the middle between these extremes. Horrific treatment was an unpleasant fact for the enslaved peoples, and they were denied an equal opportunity to enter fully the American body politic. To make mattersRead MoreCross Cultural Communication9880 Words   |  40 PagesThe effective communication holds one of the key of establishing business and personal relationship in these countries. This paper also looks into some of concepts and theories in intercultural and Cross-cultural communication, thus providing a brief empirical research into culture-based value variations and providing a short outline of the major works in this area (e.g. the works of Hall, Hofstede, and Schwartz). Having insight into the cultural dynamics of a country or region can be very helpfulRead MoreFaithful Citizenship10006 Words   |  41 Pageseach Catholic to hear, receive, and act upon the Church’s teaching in the lifelong task of forming his or her own conscience. With this foundation, Catholics are better able to evaluate policy positions, party platforms, and candidates’ promises and actions in light of the Gospel and the moral and social teaching of the Church in order to help build a better world. 6. We seek to do this by addressing four questions: (1) Why does the Church teach about issues affecting public policy? (2) Who in the ChurchRead MorePoverty and Social Work Essay example8858 Words   |  36 PagesThe salience of churches in raising money for poor relief is also discussed, with particular emphasis on the humanitarian impulse of the Quakers. Other societies based upon nationality, socializing, etc became involved in charitable giving. Trattner notes how a combination of public and private relief was used to assuage poverty during the colonial period, with little of the antagonism that surrounded the public/private debate in earlier periods. Trattner attributes the â€Å"urge to help† to three majorRead MoreSSD2 Module 1 Notes31223 Words   |  125 Pagesï » ¿MODULE 01 NOTES SOP- STANDARD OPERING PROCEDURE Determine the SOP purpose and target audience for distribution. Uniforms Your reference will be Local Policy, AR 670-1 Leaves and Passes Your reference will be AR 600-8-10 Motor Stables Your reference will be DA Pam 750-1 Key Control Your reference will be AR 190-51, 190-11, 735-5 References Citations must be accurate and thorough-title, type, number, and date of publication; online links if appropriate; and identifying information for correspondenceRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 PagesSHIFTS Projections of the growth and decline in jobs illustrates the economic and employment shifts currently occurring. Figure 1—1 indicates the occupations with the largest percentage growth anticipated between 1996 and 2006. It is interesting to note that in Figure 1—1 most of the fastest-growing occupations percentagewise are related to information technology or health care. The increase in the technology jobs is due to the rapid increase in the use of information technology, such as databasesRead More1000 Word Essay85965 Words   |  344 PagesContinuing Education Center ................... 34 AER - Army Emergency Relief ............................ 37 Army Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program ........... 40 EO - Equal Opportunity ................................ 44 AFAP - Army Family Action Plan .......................... 48 ARC - Army Red Cross ................................. 50 Army Reenlistment / Retention Program ...................... 51 Army Safety Program .................................. 53 Army Sponsorship Program ......

Frostbite Chapter 13 Free Essays

string(55) " see the wheels of speculation turning in their heads\." Thirteen PEOPLE STOOD UP AND SHOUTED, everyone wanting their opinion to be heard. As it was, most of them held the same view: Tasha was wrong. They told her she was crazy. We will write a custom essay sample on Frostbite Chapter 13 or any similar topic only for you Order Now They told her that in sending out Moroi and dhampirs to fight the Strigoi, she’d be expediting the extinction of both races. They even had the nerve to suggest that that was Tasha’s plan all along- that she was somehow collaborating with the Strigoi in all of this. Dimitri stood up, disgust all over his features as he surveyed the chaos. â€Å"You might as well leave. Nothing useful’s going to happen now.† Mason and I rose, but he shook his head when I started to follow Dimitri out. â€Å"You go on,† said Mason. â€Å"I want to check something out.† I glanced at the standing, arguing people. I shrugged. â€Å"Good luck.† I couldn’t believe it had only been a few days since I’d spoken to Dimitri. Stepping out into the hall with him, I felt like it’d been years. Being with Mason these last couple of days had been fantastic, but seeing Dimitri again, all of my old feelings for him came rushing back. Suddenly, Mason seemed like a child. My distress over the Tasha situation also came back, and stupid words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them. â€Å"Shouldn’t you be in there protecting Tasha?† I asked. â€Å"Before the mob gets her? She’s going to get in big trouble for using magic like that.† He raised an eyebrow. â€Å"She can take care of herself.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah, because she’s a badass karate magic user. I get all that. I just figured since you’re going to be her guardian and all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Where did you hear that?† â€Å"I have my sources.† Somehow, saying I’d heard it from my mom sounded less cool. â€Å"You’ve decided to, right? I mean, it sounds like a good deal, seeing as she’s going to give you fringe benefits†¦.† He gave me a level look. â€Å"What happens between her and me is none of your business,† he replied crisply. The words between her and me stung. It sounded like he and Tasha were a done deal. And, as often happened when I was hurt, my temper and attitude took over. â€Å"Well, I’m sure you guys’ll be happy together. She’s just your type, too- I know how much you like women who aren’t your own age. I mean, she’s what, six years older than you? Seven? And I’m seven years younger than you.† â€Å"Yes,† he said after several moments of silence. â€Å"You are. And every second this conversation goes on, you only prove how young you really are.† Whoa. My jaw almost hit the floor. Not even my mother punching me had hurt as badly as that. For a heartbeat, I thought I saw regret in his eyes, like he too realized just how harsh his words had been. But the moment passed, and his expression was hard once more. â€Å"Little dhampir,† a voice suddenly said nearby. Slowly, still stunned, I turned toward Adrian Ivashkov. He grinned at me and gave a brief nod of acknowledgment to Dimitri. I suspected my face was bright red. How much had Adrian heard? He held up his hands in a casual gesture. â€Å"I don’t want to interrupt or anything. Just wanted to talk to you when you have time.† I wanted to tell Adrian I didn’t have time to play whatever game he was into now, but Dimitri’s words still smarted. He was looking at Adrian now in a very disapproving way. I suspected he, like everyone else, had heard about Adrian’s bad reputation. Good, I thought. I suddenly wanted him to be jealous. I wanted to hurt him as much as he’d hurt me lately. Swallowing my pain, I unearthed my man-eating smile, one I hadn’t used to full effect in sometime. I walked over to Adrian and put a hand on his arm. â€Å"I’ve got time now.† I gave a nod of my own to Dimitri and steered Adrian away, walking close to him. â€Å"See you later, Guardian Belikov.† Dimitri’s dark eyes followed us stonily. Then I turned away and didn’t look back. â€Å"Not into older guys, huh?† asked Adrian once we were alone. â€Å"You’re imagining things,† I said. â€Å"Clearly, my stunning beauty has clouded your mind.† He laughed that nice laugh of his. â€Å"That’s entirely possible.† I started to step back, but he tossed an arm around me. â€Å"No, no, you wanted to play chummy with me- now you’ve got to see it through.† I rolled my eyes at him and let the arm stay. I could smell alcohol on him as well as the perpetual smell of cloves. I wondered if he was drunk now. I had the feeling that there was probably little difference between his attitudes drunk or sober. â€Å"What do you want?† I asked. He studied me for a moment. â€Å"I want you to grab Vasilisa and come with me. We’re going to have some fun. You’ll probably want a swimsuit too.† He seemed disappointed by the admission of this. â€Å"Unless you want to go naked.† â€Å"What? A bunch of Moroi and dhampirs just got slaughtered, and you want to go swimming and ‘have fun’?† â€Å"It’s not just swimming,† he said patiently. â€Å"Besides, that slaughter is exactly why you should go do this.† Before I could argue that, I saw my friends round the corner: Lissa, Mason, and Christian. Eddie Castile was with the group, which shouldn’t have surprised me, but Mia was as well- which certainly did surprise me. They were deep in conversation, though they all stopped talking when they saw me. â€Å"There you are,† said Lissa, a puzzled look on her face. I remembered Adrian’s arm was still around me. I stepped out of it. â€Å"Hey, guys,† I said. A moment of awkwardness hung around us, and I was pretty sure I heard a low chuckle from Adrian. I beamed at him and then my friends. â€Å"Adrian invited us to go swimming.† They stared at me in surprise, and I could almost see the wheels of speculation turning in their heads. You read "Frostbite Chapter 13" in category "Essay examples" Mason’s face darkened a little, but like the others, he said nothing. I stifled a groan. Adrian took me inviting the others to his secret interlude pretty well. With his easygoing attitude, I hadn’t really expected anything else. Once we had swimsuits, we followed his directions to a doorway in one of the far wings of the lodge. It held a staircase that led down- and down and down. I nearly got dizzy as we wound around and around. Electric lights hung in the walls, but as we went farther, the painted walls changed to carved stone. When we reached our destination, we discovered Adrian had been right- it wasn’t just swimming. We were in a special spa area of the resort, one used only for the most elite Moroi. In this case, it was reserved for a bunch of royals I assumed were Adrian’s friends. There were about thirty others, all his age or older, who bore the marks of wealth and elitism. The spa consisted of a series of hot mineral pools. Maybe once they’d been in a cave or something, but the lodge builders had long since gotten rid of any sort of rustic surroundings. The black stone walls and ceiling were as polished and beautiful as anything else in the resort. It was like being in a cave- a really nice, designer cave. Racks of towels lined the walls, as did tables full of exotic food. The baths matched the rest of the room’s hewn-out d? ¦cor: stone-lined pools containing hot water that was heated from some underground source. Steam filled the room, and a faint, metallic smell hung in the air. Sounds of partygoers laughing and splashing echoed around us. â€Å"Why is Mia with you?† I asked Lissa softly. We were winding our way through the room, looking for a pool that wasn’t occupied. â€Å"She was talking to Mason when we were getting ready to leave,† she returned. She kept her voice just as quiet. â€Å"It seemed mean to just†¦ I don’t know †¦ leave her †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Even I agreed with that. Obvious signs of grief were written all over her face, but Mia seemed at least momentarily distracted by whatever Mason was telling her. â€Å"I thought you didn’t know Adrian,† Lissa added. Disapproval hung in her voice and in the bond. We finally found a large pool, a little out of the way. A guy and a girl were on the opposite side, all over each other, but there was plenty of room for the rest of us. They were easy to ignore. I put a foot into the water and pulled it back immediately. â€Å"I don’t,† I told her. Cautiously, I inched the foot back in, slowly followed by the rest of my body. When I got to my stomach, I grimaced. I had on a maroon bikini, and the scalding water caught my stomach by surprise. â€Å"You must know him a little. He invited you to a party.† â€Å"Yeah, but do you see him with us now?† She followed my gaze. Adrian stood on the far side of the room with a group of girls in bikinis much smaller than mine. One was a Betsey Johnson suit I’d seen in a magazine and coveted. I sighed and looked away. We’d all slipped into the water by then. It was so hot I felt like I was in a soup kettle. Now that Lissa seemed convinced of my innocence with Adrian, I tuned into the others’ discussion. â€Å"What are you talking about?† I interrupted. It was easier than listening and figuring it out myself. â€Å"The meeting,† said Mason excitedly. Apparently, he’d gotten over seeing me and Adrian together. Christian had settled onto a small shelf in the pool. Lissa curled up beside him. Putting a proprietary arm around her, he tipped his back so it rested on the edge. â€Å"Your boyfriend wants to lead an army against the Strigoi,† he told me. I could tell he was saying it to provoke me. I looked at Mason questioningly. It wasn’t worth the effort to challenge the â€Å"boyfriend† comment. â€Å"Hey, it was your aunt who suggested it,† Mason reminded Christian. â€Å"She only said we should find the Strigoi before they find us again,† countered Christian. â€Å"She wasn’t pushing for novices fighting. That was Monica Szelsky.† A waitress came by then with a tray of pink drinks. These were in elegant, long-stemmed crystal glasses with sugared rims. I had a strong suspicion the drinks were alcoholic, but I doubted anyone who made it into this party was going to get carded. I had no idea what they were. Most of my experiences with alcohol had involved cheap beer. I took a glass and turned back to Mason. â€Å"You think that’s a good idea?† I asked him. I sipped the drink, cautiously. As a guardian in training, I felt like I should always be on alert, but tonight I once again felt like being rebellious. The drink tasted like punch. Grapefruit juice. Something sweet, like strawberries. I was still pretty sure there was alcohol in it, but it didn’t appear strong enough for me to lose sleep over. Another waitress soon appeared with a tray of food. I eyed it and recognized almost nothing. There was something that looked vaguely like mushrooms stuffed with cheese, as well as something else that looked little round patties of meat or sausage. As a good carnivore, I reached for one, thinking it couldn’t be that bad. â€Å"It’s foie gras,† said Christian. There was a smile on his face I didn’t like. I eyed him warily. â€Å"What’s that?† â€Å"You don’t know?† His tone was cocky, and for once in his life, he sounded like a true royal touting his elite knowledge over us underlings. He shrugged. â€Å"Take a chance. Find out.† Lissa sighed in exasperation. â€Å"It’s goose liver.† I jerked my hand back. The waitress moved on, and Christian laughed. I glared at him. Meanwhile, Mason was still hung up on my question about whether novices going to battle before graduation was a good idea. â€Å"What else are we doing?† he asked indignantly. â€Å"What are you doing? You run laps with Belikov every morning. What’s that doing for you? For the Moroi?† What was that doing for me? Making my heart race and my mind have indecent thoughts. â€Å"We aren’t ready,† I said instead. â€Å"We’ve only got six more months,† piped in Eddie. Mason nodded his agreement. â€Å"Yeah. How much more can we learn?† â€Å"Plenty,† I said, thinking of how much I’d picked up from my tutoring sessions with Dimitri. I finished my drink. â€Å"Besides, where does it stop? Let’s say they end school six months early, then send us off. What next? They decide to push back further and cut our senior year? Our junior year?† He shrugged. â€Å"I’m not afraid to fight. I could have taken on Strigoi when I was a sophomore.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said dryly. â€Å"Just like you did skiing on that slope.† Mason’s face, already flushed from the heat, turned redder still. I immediately regretted my words, particularly when Christian started laughing. â€Å"Never thought I’d live to see the day when I agreed with you, Rose. But sadly, I do.† The cocktail waitress came by again, and both Christian and I took new drinks. â€Å"The Moroi have got to start helping us defend themselves.† â€Å"With magic?† asked Mia suddenly. It was the first time she’d spoken since we’d got here. Silence met her. I think Mason and Eddie didn’t respond because they knew nothing about fighting with magic. Lissa, Christian, and I did- and were trying very hard to act like we didn’t. There was a funny sort of hope in Mia’s eyes, though, and I could only imagine what she’d gone through today. She’d woken up to learn her mother was dead and then been subjected to hours and hours of political bantering and battle strategies. The fact that she was sitting here at all seeming semi-composed was a miracle. I assumed people who actually liked their mothers would barely be able to function in that situation. When no one else looked like they were going to answer her, I finally said, â€Å"I suppose. But†¦ I don’t know much about that.† I finished the rest of my drink and averted my eyes, hoping someone else would take up the conversation. They didn’t. Mia looked disappointed but said no more when Mason switched back to the Strigoi debate. I took a third drink and sank into the water as far as I reasonably could and still hold the glass. This drink was different. It looked chocolatey and had whipped cream on top. I took a taste and definitely detected the bite of alcohol. Still, I figured the chocolate probably diluted it. When I was ready for a fourth drink, the waitress was nowhere in sight. Mason seemed really, really cute to me all of a sudden. I would have liked a little romantic attention from him, but he was still going on about Strigoi and the logistics of leading a strike in the middle of the day. Mia and Eddie were nodding along with him eagerly, and I got the feeling that if he decided to hunt Strigoi right now, they’d follow. Christian was actually joining the talk, but it was more to play devil’s advocate. Typical. He thought a sort of preemptive strike would require guardians and Moroi, much as Tasha had said. Mason, Mia, and Eddie argued that if the Moroi weren’t up to it, the guardians should take matters into their own hands. I confess, their enthusiasm was kind of contagious. I rather liked the idea of getting the drop on Strigoi. But in the Badica and Drozdov attacks, all of the guardians had been killed. Admittedly the Strigoi had organized into huge groups and had help, but all that told me was that our side needed to be extra careful. His cuteness aside, I didn’t want to listen to Mason talk about his battle skills anymore. I wanted another drink. I stood up and climbed over the edge of the pool. To my astonishment, the world started spinning. I’d had that happen before when I got out of baths or hot tubs too quickly, but when things didn’t right themselves, I realized those drinks might have been stronger than I thought. I also decided a fourth wasn’t such a good idea, but I didn’t want to get back in and let everyone know I was drunk. I headed off toward a side room I’d seen the waitress disappear into. I hoped maybe there was a secret stash of desserts somewhere, chocolate mousse instead of goose liver. As I walked, I paid special attention to the slippery floor, thinking that falling into one of the pools and cracking my skull would definitely cost me coolness points. I was paying so much attention to my feet and trying not to stagger that I walked into someone. To my credit, it’d been his fault; he’d backed into me. â€Å"Hey, watch it,† I said, steadying myself. But he wasn’t paying attention to me. His eyes were on another guy, a guy with a bloody nose. I’d walked right into the middle of a fight. How to cite Frostbite Chapter 13, Essay examples

The Art Of Theater Essay Research Paper free essay sample

The Art Of Theater Essay, Research Paper The Art of Theater Neither a book nor a work, but an energy Theater is the most singular art of life. It is a collaborate art uniting different people into one solid group in which they work together harmoniously in order to portray a certain thought, construct, or piece of art. Theater trades with assorted signifiers of emotions and is most normally expected to go forth a hint or stimulate sentiments on the audience. The head plays a large function in theatre, for the art lies within our imaginativeness. Our head stimulates many different types of strong emotions such as power, choler, joy, and more. These intangible feelings created by our head, are the ground why theatre the most notable art of life. Theater is neither a book nor a work, but an energy. Theater is considered to be an energy because it is a deliberate act from get downing to stop. We will write a custom essay sample on The Art Of Theater Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A piece of theatre merely lasts for a specific period of clip. It has a beginning, in-between, and an terminal. Furthermore, every theatrical piece has a predestined decision. Implying that the audience is most frequently cognizant of what will go on at the terminal of the drama, yet the art of it is to ke ep them focused and interested until the really terminal. Furthermore, unlike other manners of communicating, in theatre one can non travel back and see a certain scene. A theatrical act takes topographic point in the present, has an stoping, and becomes portion of our yesteryear. Theater is a challenge to our head, for it makes us believe and allows us to utilize our imaginativeness. During a theatrical act, we are projected into a universe of phantasy and imaginativeness, a universe that merely lasts for a certain period of clip. A period of clip in which one feels hurting, joy, hatred, or love. This is reinforced by the direct contact between the histrions and the audience exciting more personal emotion between different persons. In my sentiment, the art of theatre is one of the most empowering factors in 1s life. For it is an energy which releases 1s inner most desires, feelings, and emotions. An energy that takes us on a journey of imaginativeness. An energy which merely lasts for a short period of clip, go forthing behind a scruples which stimulates one s head delivery world up against imaginativeness. For these grounds and many more, theatre is neither a book nor a work, but an energy, and in this sense it is the lone art of life.

Saudi Arabian Culture

Table of Contents Introduction Family, Marriage, and Children Norms, Religion, and Education Superstitions, Taboos, and Gestures Important Events in History Conclusion References Introduction Across the world, different countries have different cultures depending on racial and ethnic composition of citizens. Countries that have diverse races or ethnicities appear to have diverse cultures, while countries that have one race or ethnicity have common culture. Normally, the culture of a given population comprises of several elements of culture. Andersen and Taylor (2011) assert that elements of culture are norms, beliefs, values, and language, which comprise of material and immaterial things.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Saudi Arabian Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In essence, culture consists of concrete and abstract elements that shape human and societal behaviors across all ages. Since different c ountries have different cultures due to their racial and ethnic differences, people exhibit unique behaviors that reflect their respective norms, beliefs, values, and languages. Owing to globalization and increased intercultural interaction, people need to learn about other cultures. Learning other cultures is necessary because it enhances intercultural communication, which plays an important role in promoting economic, social, and political aspects of a country. In this view, by having common norms, beliefs, values, and languages, people can easily interact and perform businesses without undue cultural restrictions. Therefore, this essay examines elements of the Saudi Arabian culture with the objective of helping visitors to enjoy their stay in Saudi Arabia. Family, Marriage, and Children Family and marriage are central in the Saudi Arabian culture because they signify the procreative ability of the society. In Saudi Arabia, family is a crucial social institution because it enhance s the social status of an individual. The family provides an opportunity for parents to take care of their children and create businesses for the benefit of the family and society. The Saudi Arabian family has patriarchal structure, which makes husband the head the family with great responsibilities of protecting and providing for the family. Owing to the patriarchal structure, the family assumes the identity of the father. In this case, Sharia law (Islamic law) makes the father to be the custodian of the children when they are still young. According to Bowen (2008), Sharia law favors men because â€Å"in case of divorce, they receive custody of all children; boys at the age of seven and girls at the age of nine† (p. 11). This means that Saudi Arabian culture gives men the right to be custodians of children in the event of separation or divorce. Therefore, a foreign woman needs to know the state of family law in Saudi Arabia before marrying a Saudi Arabian man. In Saudi Arabi a, marriage is a civil contract where a husband pays dowry in the presence of family witnesses who sign marriage agreement. The aged family members have the responsibility of discussing marriage issues and signing the marriage agreement. Bowen (2008) states that, â€Å"marriage in Saudi Arabia is contractual, with rights and obligations established by means of a formal prenuptial agreement† (p. 11).Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Throughout the marriage period, wives are subject to their respective husbands who have absolute authority over what they do. Before marriage, fathers or male relatives dictate what women do in terms of work, education, and behavior, while husbands take over the role when they marry them. In the society, the responsibilities of women lie within the family, while the responsibilities of men lie in the public realm. Women have powers in making de cisions regarding household duties and upbringing of children. Moreover, Sharia law allows men to marry up to four wives provided they treat them equally. Hence, foreigners need to understand that women in Saudi Arabia are under absolute authority of men and that polygamy is legal. Norms, Religion, and Education Saudi Arabia is a country in the Middle East that exhibit cultural homogeneity as the citizens have a common culture. Cultural homogeneity is evident as Arabic is an official language and people believe in one religion of Sunni Islam. Additionally, Saudi Arabian monarchy is a political culture that supports homogeneity of the Saudi Arabian culture in the Middle East. The Saudi Arabians, therefore, share cultural elements that define their norms, beliefs, customs, traditions, superstitions, taboos, and language. Cultural elements of the Saudi Arabian culture are familiar in the Arab countries. Transfer of cultural elements from one generation to another depends on beliefs and norms govern families. In Saudi Arabia, beliefs and values that shape the culture of Saudi Arabians emanate from families and social structures. Norris and Inglehart (2012) argue that theories of multiculturalism envisage that people â€Å"acquire deep-rooted and enduring social norms and cultural values through the process of childhood socialization within the family, local community, and country† (p. 235). Thus, family and social structures of the Saudi Arabian culture have significant impact on beliefs, norms, and values of the people. Sunni Islam is a dominant religion in Saudi Arabia as it dictates the culture of people. Beliefs, norms, and values that Saudi Arabians uphold mirror Islamic teachings that are in the Quran and Sharia law. For example, the Quran teaches Muslims to dress in a decent and modest manner to discourage sexual temptations (Aziz, 2010). The dress code of Muslims in Saudi Arabia aims at concealing rather than revealing sensitive areas of the body th at the culture considers private. Unlike in the United States where people have freedom of dressing so long as the dress code is not explicit. Since legislations support the dress code, everyone in Saudi Arabia including foreigners must dress decently. While men wear white caps (taiga) and robe (throbe), women wear cloak (abayah) and head scarf.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Saudi Arabian Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to the Saudi Arabian culture, foreign men must put on long trousers that loosely fit and dress in shirts that cover upper part of the body well. The culture also dictates women to dress in long skirts, which fit loosely with hem covering the knees. In this view, foreigners need to understand how to dress lest they violate dress code that the Saudi Arabian culture and legislations stipulate. Saudi Arabia has integrated Islamic religion into its education system. The government of Saudi Arabia has made basic education compulsory, and thus many students have been able to pursue their education. Through education, students study theology and cultural studies, which have enabled Islamic monarchy to thrive in Saudi Arabia (Hefner, Zaman, 2010). Though men have higher literacy levels than women, current statistics indicate that Saudi Arabia has the highest number of graduates in the Middle East (Sabry, 2012). Despite the fact that the official language is Arabic, the education system of Saudi Arabia provides quality education. Superstitions, Taboos, and Gestures Islamic religion, which shapes Saudi Arabian culture, has numerous superstitions that revolve around many issues that affect humanity. For example, Sikhism (2013) states that, â€Å"if a fly falls on your food, take it and immerse it once more because according to the prophet Mohammed, the fly carries the medicine on one wing to counter the disease it carries on the other wing† (para. 1). Such superstition portrays a different way of how Muslims deal with flies when compared to other cultures. Another superstition is that when Satan urinates into ears, a person sleeps until sunrise (Sikhism, 2013). The superstition encourages people to wake up early so that they do not appear as if Satan has urinated on their ears. In addition to superstitions, the Saudi Arabian culture has some taboos. For instance, pointing at a person using a heel, toe, or any part of the foot is offensive in the Saudi Arabian culture. Moreover, nudity is a taboo because it demeans the dignity of human beings. Concerning food, Wang (2008) states that the Saudi Arabian culture regard eating of pork and drinking of alcohol as taboos. Hence, basing on these few taboos, one needs to understand their relevance in the Saudi Arabian culture. Saudi Arabian culture restricts gestures that people use. For example, the culture does not allow men and women to have direct eye contact because it encourages promiscuo us behavior. Moreover, the Saudi Arabian culture does not allow men and women to interact freely to prevent sexual temptation.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, women and men do not hug or hold one another in a suggestive manner, unless they are married couples (Center for Intercultural Learning, 2009). Hence, foreigners should be cautious when using gestures in Saudi Arabia because some gestures are offensive to Arabs. Important Events in History Mecca and Medina are historical places that tourists must visit in Saudi Arabia because they are sacred places that have significant importance to the Saudi Arabian culture. Soharwardy (2012) states Mecca and Medina are sacred sanctuaries where Muslims across the world visit during their pilgrimage. As Muslims mark Ramadan and Hajj, they visit pilgrim sites where they worship and celebrate their religious festivities. Mecca Medina Conclusion Saudi Arabian culture is a culture that has dominant beliefs, values, norms, and traditions that reflect Islamic culture. In this view, observation of Islamic beliefs, norms, values, and traditions enables people to understand the Saudi Arabian culture a nd adopt it. Islamic religion defines family structure, marriage, dress code, superstitions, taboos, food, gestures, and social interaction. Hence, foreigners need to adhere to Islamic beliefs, norms, values, and traditions while in Saudi Arabia to prevent occurrence of intercultural conflicts. References Andersen, M., Taylor, H. (2011). Sociology: The essentials (7th ed.). New York: Cengage Learning. Aziz, R. (2010). Hijab-The Islamic dress code: Its historical development, evidence from  scared sources and views of selected Muslim scholars. Web. Bowen, W. (2008). The history of Saudi Arabia. London: Greenwood Publishing Group. Center for Intercultural Learning (2009). Cultural information: Saudi Arabia. Web. Hefner, R., Zaman, M. (2010). Schooling Islam: the culture and politics of modern  Muslim education. New York: Princeton University Press. Norris, P., Inglehart, R. (2012). Muslim integration into Western cultures. Political  Studies, 60(1), 228-251. Sabry, T. (2012). Arab cultural studies: Mapping the field. London: I.B. Tauris. Sikhism, I. (2013). ‘Superstitious’ Hadiths Explained. Web. Soharwardy, S. (2012). Makkah and Madinah. Web. Wang, H. (2008). Communication with Saudis. Asian Social Science, 4(11), 124-130. This essay on Saudi Arabian Culture was written and submitted by user Devin Mitchell to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Microbes Petri Dish Experiment (Lab Report) Essays

Microbes Petri Dish Experiment (Lab Report) Essays Microbes Petri Dish Experiment (Lab Report) Paper Microbes Petri Dish Experiment (Lab Report) Paper Also, pupils from the senior school are going through puberty and tend to sweat a lot more than little kids, especially the boys. Sweat glands also work more rapidly with boys going through puberty, as their hormone levels are beginning to increase. During P. E classes, girls also are more reserved and are not as intense about sports during the day as the boys are. This is more of a social aspect than a scientific one, but is relatively true. On top of that, girls and boys generally have different standards when it comes to hygiene. Judging from personal experience, loud assume that girls tend to care more about their hygiene and aesthetics than boys do. Lastly, the Senior School gym has been there for quite a long time. The elementary school is still relatively new, especially compared to the senior one. Therefore, I also would assume that the senior school gym would have more microbes than the elementary. Variables: Independent variables: The independent variable for this experiment will be the location/area in which we will take samples from (Senior School, Elementary School girls and boys locker rooms). Independent variables generally answer the question What do we change? In this case, we get to alter the areas in which we will be sampling from. Dependent variables: Our dependent variable will be the number of microbes growing in an area. Dependent variables tend to answer the question What will we observe or measure? In this case, we will indeed be observing the microbes growing on the Petri dish after put in an incubator for 72 hours. Controlled variables: Controlled variables are there for us to keep constant. The temperature, time, medium, the way the sample is collected and the incubation will be our controlled variables. It is important that they remain the same throughout our whole experiment. Also, we will be having an open controlled as well as a closed Petri dish. We will be testing the agar dishes, to see if they really are as sterile as we think. If the open controlled will have bacteria growing on it after being incubated, that is as expected. However, the closed control should be spotless in order for our other results to be completely accurate. Apparatus: 3 Petri dishes with lids Agar jelly 4 cotton buds Incubator set at 25 degrees Celsius Tape Screw top vials Bunsen burner Soap Ethanol Four different locations Risk assessment: We must make sure to follow certain rules for this investigation. It is important to wash hands before eating and before class/at the beginning of class. Also, once the dish has been incubated, we should not open the lid. The incubator, for this experiment, must be kept below human pathogenic growing levels, which is 37 degrees Celsius. Sterile gloves should also be worn to collect samples for accurate results. Petri dishes should definitely be safely and properly disposed of when the experiment has ended. Method (sterile technique included): Before anything is done, it is important that hands are disinfected. Wash them with warm water and soap. It is important to wash them with warm water, as cold water does not clear away most of the bacteria. Afterwards, put on some sterile gloves to make sure sampling is done accurately. Following, make sure that there are two Petri dishes, one open controlled and closed controlled. One should be kept open the entire time, while the other should be kept closed. This is to test the sterility of the Petri dishes. Afterwards, take four cotton buds and screw top vials. For good results, you should wet the cotton buds with distilled water and then swab the areas you wanted to sample. After that is done, head back to the science lab, making sure that you have Petri dishes with agar jelly, tape, a Bunsen burner and ethanol. (All of this shouldve been done with sterile gloves on). For the best effect, operate the Bunsen burner with the safety flame. This should ensure that the atmosphere is relatively bacteria free. After, clean the table using ethanol (also to sterilize the area) and place the Petri dish (which you will swab with your samples) on top of the table. When that is done, swish the cotton buds lightly inside the Petri dish (one in each separate quarter) where the agar jelly should already be. Make sure you do not dig the cotton bud in, as we do not want the microbes to be growing in the middle of the jelly. We want to be able to observe the microbes from above. Finally, after all four quarters of the Petri dish are finished with swabbing, tape the open controlled, closed controlled and the experiment dish closed. To save place, tape those three altogether and place them in an incubator (25 degrees Celsius). This must stay constant, as e WOUld not like the incubator to reach human pathogenic temperature (37 degrees Celsius). After 72 hours have passed, take the Petri dish out, but do not open it. Observe and record the results. Below is a diagram of how everything was set up. Processed Data Discussion/Evaluation Overall, the experiment went quite smoothly. Of course, there couldve been improvements. The results shouldve definitely been more accurate, especially for the counting of the colonies that we did, and the percentage cover. We had a lot of microbes growing in our Petri dish and it was very difficult to count the exact amount of colonies. These were just estimated approximately. Perhaps we couldve had more people verify our counting skills, for example, get someone else to count the colonies after we did for comparison and accuracy. Also, for these four locker rooms, we swabbed different places/areas each time. Since locker rooms are quite large, this is rather imprecise. We shouldve stuck to swishing only the floors with the cotton buds or the walls instead of taking a variety. Our results showed that the place with the most microbes out of the four areas was the elementary boys locker room. In that quarter of the Petri dish, there ere a total of 78 colonies. Actually, I think there definitely were more. However, it was just too difficult to count, as most of them were clustered together, relatively small and the color was hard to see. Also, compared to the rest of the results, the elementary school boys locker room had a significantly higher percentage coverage and colony number. The next place with the most microbes was the elementary girls. They had a total of 47 colonies and a percentage cover of 43%. The difference between this quarter of the Petri dish and the elementary boys was that this one had larger colonies which were easier to count. They also werent so clustered and were scattered all over their quarter. Perhaps this is to do with how we swished the cotton buds on top of the agar jelly. The last two with the least microbes were the girls and boys senior locker rooms. The boys had about 34 colonies covering 30% of their quarter. This area looked quite similar to the elementary boys quarter. The colonies were both extremely small, very hard to count and clustered altogether. The only difference between them is that the senior boys generally had less in numbers. The senior girls had 19 colonies covering 20%. This was one of the most interesting quarters. The colonies itself were relatively small, however, they were clustered very tightly together to form almost a large group and was most definitely scattered around the quarter. The larger groups were definitely not in each others vicinities. This again, perhaps, has something to do with the way my partner and I worked with the Petri dish. We took turns swabbing the dishes, so perhaps that affected our results in some way. For example, maybe I put more pressure on the agar jelly than my partner did, or vice versa. Conclusion Unfortunately, for this experiment, most of my hypothesis was incorrect. However, now that Ive done the experiment, I can see why. The elementary boys locker room proved to be the one with the most microbes. I can deduce that this is because elementary school children tend to go outside a lot more and run around, getting themselves dirty in the process. One would hardly find any middle and high-school pupils running around and getting dirty. After all, small children even like to run around in the rain and cold, where certain microbes love to thrive in. My partner and I did guess right about the girls locker room having fewer microbes than the boys though. The elementary girls had less than the elementary boys and the senior girls had less than the senior boys. However, am not yet ready to accept these results.

Ideal Gas Law Example Problem

Ideal Gas Law Example Problem The ideal gas law is  an equation of state the describes the behavior of an ideal gas and also a real gas under conditions of ordinary temperature and low pressure. This is one of the most useful gas laws to know because it can be used to find pressure, volume, number of moles, or temperature of a gas. The formula for the ideal gas law is: PV nRT P pressureV volumen number of moles of gasR   ideal or universal  gas constant   0.08 L atm / mol KT   absolute temperature  in Kelvin Sometimes, you may use another version of the ideal gas law: PV NkT where: N number of moleculesk   Boltzmann constant 1.38066 x 10-23  J/K 8.617385 x 10-5  eV/K Ideal Gas Law Example One of the easiest applications of the ideal gas law is to find the unknown value, given all the others. 6.2 liters of an ideal gas is contained at 3.0 atm and 37  °C. How many moles of this gas are present? Solution The ideal gas law states PV nRT Because the units of the gas constant are given using atmospheres, moles, and Kelvin, its important to make sure you convert values given in other temperature or pressure scales. For this problem, convert  °C temperature to K using the equation: T  °C 273 T 37  °C 273T 310 K Now, you can plug in the values. Solve ideal gas law for the number of moles n PV / RT n ( 3.0 atm x 6.2 L ) / ( 0.08 L atm /mol K x 310 K)n 0.75 mol Answer There are 0.75 mol of the ideal gas present in the system.

Should college athletes be paid to play Research Paper

Should college athletes be paid to play - Research Paper Example Yet again, not all students are interested in playing sports as a side activity. Consequently, apart from their initially decided terms of a sports scholarship, they often get little part in the revenue these sports generate for their school. Critics and coaches are, therefore, now arguing in favor of these players saying that they deserve a share of the revenue, as they for the most part contribute towards generating. The debate is a highly heated one with each side feeling just as strongly of their opinion. The number of college athletes in a particular college can be very significant and all these athletes have a choice of which sport they want to take part at the college level. Some sports may have a high popularity level while others low. Deciding upon paying athletes for playing may compel the college to pay all the athletes for all the different kinds of sports in the college. This may result in heavy payments at the end of the day and it may also reduce the profits earned by the colleges at a massive level. Those who argue in favor of paying athletes generally say that colleges make millions of dollars off these athletes abilities and, therefore, for them to get no money from it is unfair, and, in a sense, exploitation to them (Haden 673). Without these players there would be no generated money, and without this money, many colleges would be unable to function. Colleges gain popularity at the sports arena due to the talented athletes that represent the college in the sports. Earning by the talent of the athletes and not paying those athletes sounds an unfair practice. Accordingly, it seems fair to pay to these players, just as any national sports association would pay its players. But, of course, the counter-argument to this claim is that students should be kept away from the business side of a college, regardless of the link between both elements (Parent 226). College level is the stage where the students explore their talents and

Compensation Plan Outline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compensation Plan Outline - Essay Example In addition to providing its employees with competitive salaries, the company undertakes regular review of the pay thus ensuring that the workers are equally compensated for their hard work. To ensure that the company gives competitive salaries, it benchmarks the pay against similar positions in the competing companies. Another aspect that makes PepsiCo compensation policy appropriate is the annual incentive compensation. By providing performance-related annual incentive compensation to the executives, their performance is enhanced thus increasing the profitability of the company. The 2004 EIC Plan is a policy that is adopted by PepsiCo in its executive compensation. During the compensation, the company considers financial position of the company, the company strategic position and the extent to which the managers motivate and manage other employees. Additionally, the company uses pre-approved earnings per share target to compensate its executives. Pepsi compensation philosophy entai ls long-term incentive compensation. According to the management team, the interest of company shareholders and those of the executive can be effectively aligned by providing stock-based incentives as well as stock ownership awards (Heneman, 2002).   . With a history of linking stock-performance to the employees pay, PepsiCo has benefited from effective compensation policy that is fair. In the same way, the company offers target grant to the executives once they meet their goals. Based on the stiff compensation in the soft drink industry.... Another aspect that makes PepsiCo compensation policy appropriate is the annual incentive compensation. By providing performance-related annual incentive compensation to the executives, their performance is enhanced thus increasing the profitability of the company. The 2004 EIC Plan is a policy that is adopted by PepsiCo in its executive compensation. During the compensation, the company considers financial position of the company, the company strategic position and the extent to which the managers motivate and manage other employees. Additionally, the company uses pre-approved earnings per share target to compensate its executives. Pepsi compensation philosophy entails long-term incentive compensation. According to the management team, the interest of company shareholders and those of the executive can be effectively aligned by providing stock-based incentives as well as stock ownership awards (Heneman, 2002). . With a history of linking stock-performance to the employees pay, Pepsi Co has benefited from effective compensation policy that is fair. In the same way, the company offers target grant to the executives once they meet their goals. Based on the stiff compensation in the soft drink industry, offering a target grant to the executives is an essential policy since it result to the attainment of the corporate goals. In this way, the company is able to effectively compete with Coca-Cola Company despite the latter being a market leader. To ensure that all the employees are motivated, it is imperative for employers to come up with appropriate beneficial ratio in their compensation system. Internally, Pepsi should ensure that employees in all the department earns three quarter of what the departmental mangers are earning. Through the ratio of 3:4,

Scene where Eddie kisses Catherine and Rodolfo Essay Example for Free

Scene where Eddie kisses Catherine and Rodolfo Essay In this scene Eddie comes home early from work because it is Christmas holiday. He is drunk and seems unsteady. He calls out to Beatrice to see if she is at home. Catherine enters the room you got home early she says knocked off for Christmas early he replies. Rodolfo then appears in the bedroom doorway, Eddie sees him and he is slightly shocked. This scene shows Eddies character to be quite angry. He loses his temper very quickly, he threatens Rodolfo and at one point you think he might actually hit Rodolfo. Eddie shouts very loudly at Catherine and he makes her cry because he doesnt usually talk to her in this way. He is usually very nice to her but lately since Rodolfo moved in, he has been very unsupportive of her and he is trying to get her to change her mind about him because Rodolfo is not like him. There is evidence of this when Eddie says he marries you hes got a right to be an American citizen. Thats whats going on here the guy is looking for a break, thats all. Eddie does not approve of Rodolfo because he has blond hair, he sings, cooks and he doesnt know how to box! Eddie thinks that all men should be physically strong, hard working and supporting his family. Eddie is more favoured towards Marco because he has the same qualities as he does. Eddie doesnt have anything in common with Rodolfo because he thinks Rodolfo is different and that he isnt right. Basically Eddie doesnt think Rodolfo is anything that a man should be. Eddie is not pleased to find Catherine and Rodolfo at home alone together. Catherine seems distressed and frightened at Eddies behaviour towards her. This is when she becomes rather tearful. Catherine is bold enough to stand up to Eddie but Eddie suddenly grabs her and kisses her on the mouth. Rodolfo jumps to Catherines rescue by yelling at Eddie and forcing him to let go of Catherine. Rodolfo then flies at Eddie in attack and then Eddie pins his arms, laughing and suddenly kisses him. Catherine is raged at Eddies behaviour; she is horrified by what he did. Rodolfo is rigid. Both Eddie and Rodolfo are like animals torn at one another and broken up without decision, each waiting for the others mood. The tensions being explored in this scene are the ones between Eddie and Rodolfo and also the tensions between Catherine and Eddie. Eddie kisses Catherine because he is sexually attracted to her. There is proof of this in the beginning of the play when Eddie says you been giving me the willies the way you walk down the street, I mean it. Kissing Catherine could be something that Eddie has been waiting to do for a while. Eddies obsession with Catherine is something he is not able to recognize or understand for himself. Instead he focuses all his anger and frustration on Rodolfo. Rodolfo has no responsibilities and has a more frivolous, light-hearted attitude towards life. If it is this that Catherine finds attractive about Rodolfo, Eddie finds it repulsive and unmanly. Eddie is suspicious of Rodolfos interest in Catherine; he thinks that Rodolfo only wants to marry her in order to gain American citizenship. In the play evidence is given to prove this point when Eddie says Katie, he is only bowing to his passport, he marries you and hes got the right to be a citizen! It becomes clear to Catherine that Rodolfos intentions towards are honourable and motivated by his love for her. There is evidence of this when she tells Eddie that hes got all kinds of respect for me. And you to! We walk across the streets and he takes my arm he almost bows to me! You got him all wrong. When you analyse the way in which Eddie talks, looks and acts towards Catherine gives you the impression that Eddie has feelings for her. Eddie has intense desires for Catherine and he wants to have a sexual relationship with his wife. This is shown when Beatrice says to Eddie when am I gonna be a wife again. Eddie makes excuses and says that he hasnt been feeling good since Marco and Rodolfo moved in. Beatrice thinks that Eddie doesnt find her sexually attractive anymore. It is shown when she says whats the matter Eddie, you dont like me heh? She asks whether something is wrong.

To what extent did Solidarity contribute to undermining Communism in Poland? :: European Europe History

To what extent did Solidarity contribute to undermining Communism in Poland? Communism in Poland was self-consciously the workers-state, largely responsible for creating the modern Polish working class through industrialization and raising expectations of equality and of higher living standards. It is widely believed that Solidarity undermined Communism in Poland, partly by disrupting the Communist program of production through strikes, but more by transferring the trust and loyalty of the Polish people from Communism to itself. The supposed "adversaries" of Polish workers - the church, the officer class, the national leadership - were in fact combined by Solidarity as allies of the workers to "break the resistance" of Communism to reform. What the state never appreciated in Poland was that it was seen as Russian, oppressive, and corrupt, having created the working class they then, in line with Marx's prediction, demonstrated their control of the means of production (strikes) and undermined Communism in Poland. However, one cannot ignore the pull of the capit alist west in displacing communism in the eyes of the people. In this essay I plan to show the extent to which Solidarity was responsible for undermining communism and also to question how far other factors, such as the Poles hatred of Russians, their strong allegiance to the Catholic church, and the raging Cold War, displaced communism in the eyes, and from the hearts of the people. Solidarity weakened Polish Communism providing a vehicle of transmission for years of grievances against a government out of touch with the ideals of the Polish people. This is shown below in the picture taken from: "http://encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.asp." Solidarity took workers grievances, and grafted onto them more general national grievances (Russian dictatorship, suppression of the church etc.). Photographs of Solidarity led demonstrations show how they united people to challenge what they believed to be wrong. The challenge to the government's principles undermined it as a unit, lost any credibility, and weakened it in the eyes and minds of the people. Solidarity not only weakened Communism by providing an organized channel for grievances, but also gave people new ideas, as seen in the "1980 Gdansk Agreement", article 4, issued by Solidarity: "To re-establish the rights...of all students who have been excluded from...higher education because of their opinions" This idea of free speech and thought was new as Communists devoted mass energies to suppressing this. The Church also received active support, where it had been oppressed by the government, turning the masses towards Solidarity, and against the present government, this possibly being Solidarity's trump card.

Selena Quintanilla a Gifted Icon

When I was a little girl, I was a big fan of Selena Quintanilla. I had all her music, disks and posters all over my room. My dream was to meet her in person and it came true when I assisted one of her concerts. I knew everything about her even though I was 4 years old. She was a role model for me, she was family oriented and she is still today living in my memory. I memorized every song of hers word by word, and I would imitate her dancing all day long. As a little girl I could not understand why someone would have wanted to take her life away when she was a good person. Selena Quintanilla is considered to be one of the most popular and influential Hispanic music icons of all times because of her history, culture, and all the people she influenced with her charisma. Selena Quintanilla in her early years was a girl who had the spirit to believe in a dream, blessed by being born in a musical family. Quintanilla was a Mexican-American singer born in Lake Jackson, Texas, where her musical career began. Her father Abraham Quintanilla was the greatest influence and inspiration in her music career (). Mr. Quintanilla stimulated the musical talents in all his children, teaching them to play instruments and sing in Spanish. Selena Quintanilla made her first performance at the age of 8 in the year of 1980 at her father’s Mexican restaurant (PapaGayo), and recorded her first record at 9(). Through her adolescence years she was mostly on the tour bus â€Å"Big Bertha†. Everything was not a bed of roses, her education was probably the hardest she ha d to accomplished. Her father made her dropped from regular school education permanently when she was in 8th grade. His major concern was to give her the opportunity to concentrate and devote more time to music. Selena Quintanilla in order to perform the music with her family on long trips crossing the states was forced by the nature of the music venture to complete her high school diploma through the American School in Chicago, Illinois by mail(encyclopedia supplement/library vcc)and this was the way she earned her general education diploma(GED) in 1989. She enrolled at Pacific Western University as a correspondence student taking business classes(contemporary/vcc library). Quintanilla had a love life like any other girl. The singer fell deeply in love with guitarist Chris Perez. This relationship led the singer to a very troubled life and finally her family accepted him because they realized he made her happy. The Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla had multiple talents. Since the age of 8 she was a vivacious entertainer. Her passion for music took her to the stage of being one of the most recognized Latino singers in the United States. Her ability to sing in a sexy and charismatic way made her an idol of the American and Latin markets. Throughout her short life filled with success Quintanilla was a singer, song writer, record producer, and to add to those multiple talents she also dabbled in acting, making a cameo in a romantic comedy in the Johnny Deep Film ‘Don Juan de Marco’. She also danced at the stage making her performance more appealing to the audience. Included among other qualities she enjoyed to design her own clothes. Her unique way of designing her own bustier earned her the nickname of â€Å"The Mexican Madonna†(BD). Among her career successes as a singer vocalist it is obvious why she got so famous, she was hooked on music and her passion for it brought her success, music was in her heart. In 1982 the family band moves to Corpus Christi, Texas and the Tejano music flourishes making Quintanilla a Tejano music star. Her first album was â€Å"Ya Se Va†; the second album was â€Å"The New Girl in Town† in 1985; â€Å"Alpha† and â€Å"Munequito Ea Trapo† in 1986. Also in 1986 Quintanilla was discovered by two huge names in the tejano music industry, Rick Trevi, founder of The Tejano Music Award, and Johnny Canales, the host of one of the top Spanish television shows. She won the tejano music award for â€Å"female entertainer of the year† in year of 1987, and in the same year the â€Å"female vocalist of the year† and â€Å"performer of the year† honors at the annual Tejano music awards. Other awards follow, in the late 1980’s Quintanilla’s was known as â€Å"La Reina de la Honda Tejana† (â€Å"The Queen of Tejano Music†). Her popularity attracted her with annual awards and a contract EME Latin Records in 1989. The band attracted 11,041 people, more than Clint Black, George Straight, Vince Gil and Reba McIntyre. All of Quintanilla’s efforts pay of quickly. Her band reaches their popularity to the highest peak in 1993 with â€Å"Entre a mi Mundo† making Quintanilla the first tejana to sell more than 300,000 albums. In 1993 she signed with SBK Records to produce an all-English album, and eventually replaced with the bilingual â€Å"Dreaming of You†. The record â€Å"Dreaming of You† sold 175,000 copies on its first day of release, making its debut number one on billboard magazine pop chart. Also in 1993 Selena Live received a Grammy Award for best Mexican album (notable Hispanic American women). The song â€Å"Fotos y Recuerdos† reached the top ten on Billboard magazine’s Latino charts. By 1995, â€Å"Bidi Bidi Bon Bon† won the singer a song of the year award at The Tejano Music Award, making her the winner of an additional 5 more awards, including â€Å"Female Entertainer†, â€Å"best female vocalist†, album of the year, record of the year, and tejano crossover song. Quintanilla quoted, â€Å"Never in my dreams would I have thought I would become this big. I am still freaking out. †(notable Hispanic, 5) She was recipient for ten consecutive years of the â€Å"Best Vocalist† award. Quintanilla becomes a millionaire By the year of 1995 Selena Quintanilla had become an icon in the Hispanic community, a beloved figure to whom Mexican-Americans attached their aspirations and their feelings about their cultural identities. Her music crossed cultural boundaries touching the lives of young and old. She will be remembered in the years to come by her fans for her kindness, her positive attitude and the wonderful music she made. The American and Spanish speaking Western Hemisphere markets had been influenced by Quintanilla’s music were she took the Tejano music into new stylistic realms. Her death has perpetuated and immortalized her image for future generations. The queen of tejano will live forever in the people’s heart(SME). Quintanilla’s death shocked Latinos and non-Latin across the United States. She was cried by thousands of fans who rendered the ‘Queen of Tejano music’ the last goodbye in the Friday she died; this day will always be known as black Friday, March 31, 1995 (IP). Her body was displayed at the Bayfront Plaza in Corpus Christi. Two weeks after her death Governor George W. Bush declared Selena’s Day in Texas(biography based ). The violent death of Selena by Yolanda Saldivar, her fan club president, compares to the grief to the one experience by American people after the death of such major cultural figure as President John F. Kennedy. Quintanilla became immortalized after her death. In conclusion, Quintanilla influenced millions of people around her from young to old, including g me. Everyone has been able to know Quintanilla’s history and appreciate what she was as a person to her people. I understand what her family went through at the time of losing their Selena. I also recognize that as a human being she was like any other person with troubles and economic problems. I can related to her as a person now that I have learned as about her as a cultural icon. Sometimes we just have to go with the short but successful happy life.

Direct Digial Control (Building Automation)

The Importance and Understanding of having a Building Automation System Herbert Cuthbertson UAE210 — DIRECT DIGITAL CONTROLS In the past, there was little worry about energy consumption and costs associated with keeping Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC), lighting and mechanical machines running at all hours of the day and night possibly. But due to the energy crises of the 1970’s and the last decade of rising costs of oil, the costs of energy not has forced not only families to conserve energy but companies, schools and businesses as well. In comes Direct Digital Controls (DDC) and/or Building Automation System (BAS) Basically a BAS/DDC system is a system that uses microprocessors, digital controls, to control not only hvac, but security, lighting, paging, and telecommunications if necessary. I recently spoke with a neighbor of mine who in the 1970’s worked for facilities management company representing various building in Cincinnati, Ohio. He explained to me that in the past, he and others, at the end of the day/night would have to go to every floor of these buildings and physically switch off the lights and hvac systems to try to conserve energy. With a BAS system, a lot of that time could be eliminated. A BAS system can now turn on a particular set of lights based time, occupancy indicators, or an outside light sensor. It can turn on and off a hvac system in a certain area of the building based on occupancy, provide additional heating or cooling based on a afterhours switch on a thermostat, send out alarms to a facility technician, security, police and fire personnel, and allow trained personnel to remotely access the system and change certain parameters instead of making a possible trip to the building. Preventive Maintenance (PM) on hvac equipment can also be integrated in the BAS. Instead of predicting the amount of run time hours, the BAS can show the correct amount of run time hours and notify personnel when equipment is due for its preventive maintenance. This ensures the equipment is routinely serviced according to the equipment manufacturers schedule. If a building does not have any BAS installed and management personnel is ready to invest in its installation, then this will take a well thought out plan. This plan will need to be constructed by trained personnel who will do the job correctly. This will enable both the building owners and the occupants of the building to enjoy the benefits of future financial gains and a more comfortable building.

The History of Vending Machines

The History of Vending Machines Vending or automatic retailing, as the process of selling merchandise via automated machine is increasingly known, has a long history. The first recorded example of the vending machine comes from the Greek mathematician Hero of Alexandria, who  invented a device that dispensed  holy water inside Egyptian temples.   Other early examples include small machines made of brass that dispensed tobacco, were found in  some taverns in England around  1615.  In 1822, an English  publisher and bookshop owner named  Richard Carlile built a newspaper dispensing machine  that allowed patrons to purchase banned works. And it was in  1867 that the first fully automatic vending machine, which  dispensed  stamps, appeared.   Coin-Operated Vending Machines During the early 1880s, the first commercial coin-operated vending machines were introduced in London, England. Invented in 1883 by  Percival Everitt, the machines were found at railway stations and  post offices, as they were a convenient way to purchase  envelopes,  postcards, and  notepaper. And in 1887, the first vending machine servicer, the  Sweetmeat Automatic Delivery Company, was founded.   In 1888, the Thomas Adams Gum Company introduced the very first vending machines to the United States. The machines were installed on the elevated subway platforms in New York City and sold Tutti-Fruiti gum. In 1897, the Pulver Manufacturing Company added animated figures to its gum machines as an added attraction. The round, candy-coated gumball, and gumball vending machines were introduced in 1907. Coin-Operated Restaurants Soon, vending machines were available that offered almost everything, including cigars, postcards, and stamps. In Philadelphia, a completely coin-operated automat restaurant called Horn Hardart was opened in 1902 and stayed opened until 1962. Such fast-food restaurants, called automats, only took nickels and were popular among struggling  songwriters and  actors, as well as celebrities of that era.   Beverage Vending Machines Machines that dispensed drinks go as far back as 1890. The very first beverage vending machine was located in Paris, France and allowed people to buy beer wine and liquor. In the early 1920s, the first automatic vending machines started dispensing  sodas  into cups. Today, beverages are among the most popular items sold through vending machines.   Cigarettes in Vending Machines In 1926, an American inventor named William Rowe invented the cigarette vending machine. Over time, however, they became increasingly less common in the United States due to concerns over underage buyers. In other countries, vendors have addressed the issue by requiring that some sort of age verification, such as a drivers license, bank card or ID be inserted before a purchase can be made. Cigarette dispensing machines are still common in  Germany, Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Japan.   Specialty Vending Machines Food, beverages, and cigarettes are the most common items sold in vending machines, but the list of specialty items sold by this form of automation is almost endless, as a quick survey of any airport or bus terminal will tell you. The vending machine industry took a big jump around 2006 when credit card scanners started to become common on vending machines. Within ten years, almost every new vending machine was equipped to accept credit cards. This opened the door to the sale of many high-priced items through vending machines. Here are just some of the specialty products that have been offered via vending machine:   Fishing baitOn-line internet timeLottery ticketsBooksElectronics, including I-pads,  cell phones, digital cameras, and computers.  Hot foods, such as french fries and pizzaLife insuranceCondoms and other contraceptivesOver-the-counter drugsMarijuanaAutomobiles Yes, you read that last item correctly.  In late 2016, Autobahn Motors in Singapore opened a luxury car vending machine that offered Ferrari  and  Lamborghini  cars. Buyers clearly need hefty limits on their credit cards.   Japan, Land of the Vending Machines Japan has gained a reputation for having some of the most innovative use of vending machines, offering machines that offer products including fresh fruits and vegetables, sake, hot foods, batteries, flowers, clothing and, of course, sushi. In fact, Japan has the highest per capita rate of vending machines in the world.   The Future of Vending Machines A coming trend is the advent of smart vending machines that offer things like cashless payment; face, eye, or fingerprint recognition,  and social media connectivity. It is likely that the vending machines of the future will recognize your identity and tailor their offerings to your interests and tastes. A beverage vending machine, for example, may well recognize what you have purchased at other vending machines all around the world and ask you if you want your usual skim latte with a double shot of vanilla.   Market research projects that by 2020, 20% of all vending machines will be smart machines, with at least 3.6 million units knowing who you are and what youd like.

ANALYSIS AND COMPANY PROFILE of Hewlett Packard

ANALYSIS AND COMPANY PROFILE of Hewlett Packard On 1 January 1939, there are Stanford University graduates which are Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, they formed their partnership and decided to start a business. They decide the company’s name with a coin toss. They made a historic commitment to innovation when they founded HP in a garage. The first product they created was an audio oscillator used by Walt Disney to make Fantasia. For over 70 years since then, HP has continued innovating and helping people, businesses, and communities worldwide use technology to improve their businesses and lives. In 1957, the company goes to public. In keeping with Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard’s respect for workers, HP takes the then-unusual step of giving stock grants to employees. The growing company begins building on the site that will become its corporate headquarters in Palo Alto, California. HP also embarks on a path toward globalization, establishing manufacturing and marketing operations in Europe. In the 1980s, HP becomes a major player in the computer with a full range of computers, from desktop machines to portables to powerful minicomputers. HP also links computers with its electronic instruments and medical and analytical products, making them faster and more powerful. HP makes its entry into the printer market with the launch of inkjet printers and laser printers that connect to personal computers. HP’s high-quality, inexpensive inkjet printers spell the end of dot-matrix printers. In 1984, HP debuts the LaserJet printer line, goes on to become the company’s most successful single product line ever. The quality and reliability of HP’s printers make HP a highly recognizable brand by both consumers and businesses. HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers, from individual consumers to the largest businesses at the beginning of the 21st century. HP grows to become the world’s largest technology company with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. Later in the decade, a steady stream of acquisitions increases HP’s influence in the software, personal computing and printing markets, and in 2007, HP achieves $100 billion in revenue. In 2009, after the acquisition of EDS, HP moves up to No. 9 on the Fortune 500 list. GENERAL PEST The PEST analysis is the macro-environment or defined as external environment in business point of view. It has been affirmed to be important strategic tools to assess the market growth or decline and it is also a business measurement tool to analyze the external impact of the strategic development of a business. The factors of the PEST are Political, economic, social and technological. These elements are likely to impact your future business. It is drag in an organization considering of the external environment before the project is began. PEST analysis is very simple to complete, is a good material for the workshop session and it is also an effective brainstorming session. Political environment, including a country’s social system, the nature of the ruling party, the Government’s guidelines, policies, laws and so on. Different countries have different social nature, different social system of the organization have different restrictions on activities and requirements. Even if the social system is constant of the country, due to distinct of the ruling party, the government policy features and influence of policy orientation of the Organization is changing at different stages. There are several important political and legal variables which are the nature of ruling party, political system, economic system, tax policy, trade and tariff controls, social and employment legislation.

Marriage between Hijra and men in modern India Research Paper

Marriage between Hijra and men in modern India - Research Paper Example Hijras are used to cite people who regard themselves as transgender or transsexual. It is a typical error within the South Asians and absence of courtesy for wanting to understand the transgender community that they presume hijras to be men who adopt feminine gender roles, have feminine identity and dress up like women. A long recorded history of hijras is present in the Indian subcontinent, from ancient times onwards. This history highlights a number of conventional roles within the sub continental cultures that are part survival and part spiritual. The word ‘hijra’ is Urdu-Hindustani and is derives from Semitic Arabic root and has been borrowed into Hindi. Since, there is mix up among the real hijras and the ‘invented’ one, some hijra activists and western non-government organizations (NGOs) are working together to locate and separate the born hijras from the artificial ones and educate them. Fanatics of the mother Goddess Bahuchara Mata, their precious power are fortuitous upon their asexuality. However, in reality most of the hijras are actually prostitutes, who are frowned upon in the society, therefore to be out of the circle of criticism and humiliation many of the prostitutes prefer to have a husband (Nanda. 1986). Transgender may be rejected in the society and are frequently insulted and robbed off their right, but no one can deny the fact that as a human being they are eligible to have basic rights no matter what they look like or how the society perceive them to be. Therefore, to have some warm and affectionate relationship in their life they look forward to the institution of marriage. Following is an example of a hijra living in Mumbai and working as a sex worker was married for nine years. Lalita, a very feminine looking hijra was married to a well stabled man and enjoyed the marital bliss for nine years until his husband got married to a real woman and left him, but still

Models of Consumer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Models of Consumer Behavior - Essay Example The economic situation of the consumer determines the washer or dryer one is going to purchase. The higher the disposable income, the more likely the individual will prefer a high-end Whirlpool washer and dryer and vice versa. Role of involvement in purchase decisions Consumers tends to illustrate high involvement with Whirlpool washers and dryers since these products form a crucial component of their lives. The consumers have to determine between various Whirlpool washers and dryers before reaching a purchase decision. The post-purchase behavior of these consumers involves a more critical evaluation of the different features and benefits offered by the various whirlpool washers and dryers. Due to the significant differences identified with the washers and dryers and the high involvement of consumers purchasing these products, the consumers display a complex buying behavior. The consumer has to determine between various product differences including the top loading or the front loadi ng and the different capacities for the washers and dryers. The high involvement and the complex buying behavior are associated with products that are infrequently purchased such as the Whirlpool washers and dryers. The consumer seeks all the relevant information before determining the specific Whirlpool washer or dryer they hope to purchase. Consumer decision-making process Whirlpool marketing strategies have to influence the eight steps associated with the consumer decision-making process when deciding to purchase a washer and dryer.

The History of the Criminal Justice System Research Paper

The History of the Criminal Justice System - Research Paper Example The main systems are: During the colonial period, Americans were living in a society that did not have any rules and laws that were formalized so as to protect and guide behavior from criminal activities. Americans were still figuring out the way to coexist in a land that was new. The modern criminal justice system is the outcome of many several evolution changes that have been undergone by the society from the time of the United States’ inception. Over the years, mechanisms have been established the institute and enforce the society’s rules as well as punish offenders and assign responsibility. Currently, those functions are undertaken by the police, and corrections. Initially, United States’ criminal justice system did not have this structure. Prior to the establishment of the formal laws, rules, and institution, Americans depended on religion and sin as the way of shaping the society and its behavior. Biblical terms defined a lot of colonial crime codes, which made offenses like p rofanity, sacrileges of the Sabbath, and blasphemy highly punishable (Falk, G. 2010). Punishments like stoning, dunking, and whipping were made to humiliate the offenders and eventually result to their repentance. As the American society grew, both in population and location, religion became less frequent in guiding criminal justice. Now the laws were designed to uphold and values and morality, which were a common concern for many people during this time rather than religion. The changes led to increased laws and more violations. Whether right or wrong, ineffective or effective, these events shaped the contemporary criminal justice system of the United States. The shift from small, religiously same towns as large cities that are diverse and cultural customs were of great extent, permanently transformed the landscape of the criminal justice system, this created the necessity for formalized courts, police, and corrections (Monkkonen, E. H. 2002). The time

Advantages Of The Issues Of Bonus Shares Finance Essay

Advantages Of The Issues Of Bonus Shares Finance Essay The term bonus issue also called as stock dividend means an extra dividend paid to shareholders in a company from additional profits. When large fund gets accumulated out of profits of a company much beyond its expectations and needs, the companys directors may decide to share out a part of it among the existent shareholders of company in the form of bonus. Bonus can be paid in two forms either in cash or in form of shares. The company pays cash bonus when it gains large amount of profits as well as cash to pay dividend. But many a times, it happens that a company is not in a position to pay bonus in cash though it has enough amounts of profits because of poor cash position or because of its unfavorable effects on the working capital of the company. In such a situation, the company pays a bonus to its shareholders in the form of shares; a free share thus issued is known as a bonus share. A bonus share is a free share of stock given to current/existing shareholders in a company, based upon the number of shares that the shareholder already owns at the time of announcement of the bonus. The important point here is, that the issue of bonus shares only increases the total number of shares issued and owned, but it does affect the value of the company at all. Certain classes of shares only are allowed to bonus issues and it depends on the constitutional documents of respected company. Bonus share is free share in fixed ratio to the shareholders. For example ABC ltd. issues bonus share in 1:1 ratio where the dividend is 20% and Rs.10.00 as face value dividend/share this means that the company will be giving Rs. 2 of dividend per share and with bonus share it goes double i.e. Rs. 4 as one free share is given to shareholder based upon the number of shares he/she already has. Sometimes a company may change the number of shares in issue by capitalizing its reserve. In other words, it can convert the right of the shareholders because each individual will hold the same proportion of the outstanding shares as before. Main reason for issuance is the price of the existing share has become unwieldy. Advantages of issue of bonus shares: To the company: Conservation of Cash: In issuing bonus shares, cash outflow is not at all involved. The company can retain earnings as well as satisfy the desire of the shareholders to receive dividend. Keeps the EPS at a reasonable level: Company may face problems having high earning per share both from employees and consumers. Employees may feel that they are underpaid. While consumers may feel that they are being charged too high for the companys products. Issue of bonus shares increases the number of shares and reduces the earning per share. Increases the marketability of companys shares: Issue of bonus shares reduces the market price per share. Enhances prestige of the company: By issuing bonus shares, the company increases its credit standing and its borrowing capacity. It reflects financial strength of the company. It helps in financing its projects: By issuing bonus shares, the expansion and other projects of a company can be easily financed. The company need not depend on outside agencies for finances. To the Shareholders: Tax benefits: When a shareholder receives dividend in cash, it adds to his total income and is taxed at usual income tax rates. Indication of higher future profits: Issue of bonus shares is generally an indication of higher future profits. Increase in future dividend: The shareholder will get more dividends in the future even if the company continues to offer existing cash dividend per share. High psychological value: Issue of bonus shares is usually perceived positively by the market. Limitations of Bonus Issues: For the company: After the issue of the bonus shares the shareholders expectation of increment in the existing rate of dividend per share continues. It becomes really a challenging task for the company to retain the existing rate of dividend per share. Issue of bonus shares prevents new investors from becoming the shareholders of the company. For shareholders: Some shareholders may prefer cash dividend to stock dividend, such shareholders may feel disappointed (no doubt they can very well sell their bonus shares and get their money). Dividend Tax Policy in India: Before 1997 in India, dividends were taxed in hands of the shareholders. They used to disclose the dividend income under the head Income from Other Sources and then used to pay tax on dividend at a rate that depended on their individual tax bracket. After 1997, Government of India introduced the dividend distribution tax, according to which, when company announces dividends, it also pays the dividend distribution tax directly to the Government of India. Therefore, shareholders do not have to pay any tax they receive. The Finance Act, 1997 introduced the dividend distribution tax for the first time in India and under this system, companies used to pay dividend distribution tax directly at the rate of 10%. Here, this act benefited to those shareholders who fell in the higher than 10% tax bracket. The 2002-03 Budget reverted back to the earlier system for one year where dividends were again taxed in hands of shareholders. However, the 2003-04 Budget reintroduced the dividend distribution tax rate in India but at a higher rate of 12.5% plus surcharges. And currently the effective dividend distribution tax rate in India is 16.609%.

Beowulfs Superiority :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf, the great Geatish warrior, lives a very adventurous life filled with many voyages, battles, and victories. Through all of these events, he meets various people who are considered to be heroes like himself. These heroes, however, are unable to have the same abilities and characteristics of Beowulf. His great achievements cannot be matched by anything that they have done in their lives. Beowulf is a superior hero to Hrothgar, Unferth, and Wiglaf in the epic of Beowulf because he kills every monster that he fights, becomes a widely feared warrior and king, and dies in battle completing his final heroic act. Beowulf is superior to Hrothgar, Unferth, and Wiglaf because he kills every monster that he faces. When Herot was ravaged by Grendel and his mother, Hrothgar lacked both the strength and the courage to defend his people. Hrothgar was hindered by his old age and lacked the vitality of his youth that would have made him capable of slaying the monsters. However, when Beowulf grows old and becomes king, he is not affected by the factor of old age. Beowulf’s kingdom is attacked by a great dragon just like Hrothgars kingdom was attacked by Grendel. The difference is that Beowulf in his old age still had the strength and courage, unlike Hrothgar, to protect his kingdom. Unferth was considered to be the hero of Herot, but yet when monsters attacked the people that he was suppost to protect, he did nothing to stop it. Grendels reign of terror started many years before Beowulf came, so Unferth had plenty of time to at least make an attempt at stopping him. But because of Unferths lack o f action, Beowulf has to take on the task of slaying Grendel. By killing Grendel and his mother, Beowulf succeeds where Unferth has failed. Wiglaf and Beowulf both fought the dragon, but Beowulf is the one who actually killed it. Wiglaf was in full strength and was unhurt but all that he could do was stab the dragon. Beowulf, however, was badly wounded, but still managed to provide the fatal slice to kill the dragon. Hrothgar, Unferth, and Wiglaf all relied on Beowulf to kill the monsters that they could not kill themselves. This makes Beowulf superior to them because he obtained the strength, courage, and will that they all lacked. Beowulf is superior to Hrothgar, Unferth, and Wiglaf because he becomes a widely feared warrior and king.

Meaning of Life and Socrates Essay

Socrates was considered by many to be the wisest man in ancient Greece. While he was eventually condemned for his wisdom, his spoken words are still listened to and followed today. When, during his trial, Socrates stated that, â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living† (Plato 45), people began to question his theory. They began to wonder what Socrates meant with his statement, why he would feel that a life would not be worth living. To them, life was above all else, and choosing to give up life would be out of the picture. They did not understand how one would choose not to live life just because he would be unable to examine it. Socrates felt that if he was unable to examine life, he would not be really living. To Socrates, living meant being able to question the world around him. Examining life gives one freedom. Once one examines himself and understands who he is, he can take control of his life. Socrates believed that the ability to ask, to examine, and to understand would make a life whole. He believed that the purpose of life was to grow, both physically and spiritually. Being able to explore and understand would lead to a deeper understanding of the world around us as well as a deeper understanding of ourselves. (Plato 46) Socrates felt that, above all, one should be a good citizen and always do the right thing (Plato 18). However, many in his time did not worry about doing what was correct. Socrates realized this, and understood that they did not care to look into their actions and beliefs. Their first thoughts were on the goals that they had, such as money and pleasure, rather than the thought of whether or not the goals they held were actually what should have been considered important and right (Plato 26). Socrates knew that, unless they took the time to question their lifestyles, they would never do the right thing. By living a life that was being examined, the citizens would be living a life that was, for the most part, also right. Socrates†¦ Personally, I have found great value in examining the wisdom of many acts in my life, yet there are many types of people in this world, and if some do not ponder the wisdom of their actions much at all, must we (or particularly they) conclude their life is less worth living? It seems awfully condescending. The people who don’t examine their lives much probably aren’t examining Socrates statement. If they did, they might object to the interpretation with which it is adopted by philosophers. The live in which I let other people tell me what the questions of life are, the life in which I let other people give me their answers without my thinking through to my own answers, is the unexamined life. Socrates is saying that the life in which I ask my own questions and answer them for myself in a reasonable manner is a more valuable life than the unexamined life. The examined life is so much better than an unexamined life that Socrates is willing to die for that value. Through out generations, mankind has been asking themselves what is the purpose of life. And obviously, it would not easy for one alone to answer or explain what the meaning of life is. Nevertheless, one’s life is monotonous if it is meaningless, and it is not monotonous if it has a purpose, a target to go. Thus, the question here is how one knows that his life is worth living or not? Socrates, the father of ancient philosophy, once stated, â€Å"An unexamined life is not worth living. † In order to make one life becomes worth to live, this famous statement strongly addresses that one must exanimate himself first and then others in the society to find the meaning and happiness of life. After reading Plato’s account of Socrates defense, the Apology, I was completely blown away by the power of Socrates words and ideas. The reading left me thinking about how I felt regarding what he had said about virtue, truth and the quest for both. In class, we discussed Socrates search for virtue and we touched on the topic of this paper: the reasons Socrates believed that â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living for man†. It is my opinion that he is correct in that view and in this paper I intend to show you why. Like many philosophers alive in his time, it was Socrates belief that virtue could only be attained through examination. Only through exploration can you really understand what virtue is, and begin to act virtuously. Understanding, as well as sharing, this information was very important goal to Socrates. The significance of examining and understanding our lives is far greater than one might think. Understanding and comprehending the behavior of friends, as well as of ourselves, enables us to have empathy and compassion for them. And, allows us not to stand in judgment, which, in turn, allows us to live the moral, noble lives that Socrates spoke of. As one analyzes the â€Å"Apology† by Plato, one is able to analyze and contrast and most people would agree with Socrates when he claims that â€Å"†¦the unexamined life is not worth living†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . From a more personal standpoint I would completely agree with Socrates point of view, due to the fact most of us in society have chosen to live the â€Å"unexamined life† for centuries and as a result we live in a society where one has to live segregated from our freewill as human beings as well as a society that is restrained by rules and other types of social â€Å"walls†. When one reads and is able to contrast Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† it clearly shows a great and perhaps the most clear example of the point that Socrates was attempting to make to the jury, in the â€Å"Apology†. For example in Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave†, Plato makes the reader visualize a cave where there are a great number of prisoners who are restrained and are faced staring at the wall where all they can see is shadow movements that are projected from a fire that is placed right behind these prisoners, and this fire is displaying false images from what appears to be images of the outside world. As the story proceeds, one of the prisoners manages to pe the cave and he walks outside into the â€Å"real† world and is able to see a completely different view of the real world and this prisoner is able to see a completely different image of the outside world, different from the images that the shadows inside the cave were exposing to the prisoners. What Socrates is implying is that if one decides not to discover thyself and attempts to focus more on material interest and the acquisition of personal power, one is capable of abusing this power to an extent where it may result in havoc and possibly the destruction of those who occupy the state, either emotionally or physically and all as a result of decisions that were not taken into consideration before being applied. † What I was able to grasp from this quote that Socrates phrased is that one has the wisdom to accomplish anything in one’s personal life, but one should able to find our soul and locate the wisdom that one contains inside the mind before one attempts to reach personal obstacles in life. the greatest good of all man is daily to converse about virtue. When the time for the exam came along I decided not cheat in the exam simply because I was going to have to live with a guilty conscious for quite sometime and although cheating on the exam appeared tempting at the time I still needed some time to myself and ponder about the decision that I had to make that was probably going to damage my personal morality as an individual. † The part of the phrase that really caught my attention is when Socrates says â€Å". † What Socrates is trying to make us see is that the more one speaks about virtue the more a person is able to learn about the â€Å"virtues† of one’s personal life, or in other words we are able to acquire more knowledge of the human mind and its capabilities. I did not go where I could do no good to you or to myself; but where I could do the greatest good privately to everyone of you , thither I went, and sought to persuade every man among you that he must look to himself , and seek virtue and wisdom before he looks to his private interests, and look to the state before he looks to the interests of the state; and that this should be the order which he observes in all his actions. In my third semester in Santa Monica College I was taking a math class and during the first month of the semester I had already taken two exams and had failed on both, as a result before the day of the third exam arrived I was feeling somewhat nervous due to the fact that I was not prepared to take this exam. So as the moment was arriving for this exam, I began to ponder about idea of cheating in order for the results to go my way. When the escaped prisoner decides to go into the cave and attempts to explain to the other prisoners about what is really occurring in the outside world, the other prisoners decide to gain up on the â€Å"liberated† prisoner, because they were not prepared to see reality for what it really is, so they decided to chose to somewhat live the life of a â€Å"social slave† and not the life of a person who lives a life of freedom nor freewill. Another quote that Socrates applies in this story is when he quotes â€Å". The same thing goes for the â€Å"unexamined life†, sometimes we as a human being attempt to achieve a certain level of success in life and sometimes at the expense of others and although we may acquire success, we will always live with the conscious of such guilt that later on in life it is going to comeback and hunt us. â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living. † (Apology, p. 41) Socrates held him self up to this standard by allowing the courts to take his life because they would not allow him to continue his quest set forth by the Oracle. An unexamined life would be just coasting through and not making any decisions or asking any questions. Socrates could not see a point in living if you were unable to ask questions and challenge your way of thinking. An examined life would be trying to understand your purpose and the current state of things. By examining your life, therefor understanding yourself, you will not be subject to actions motivated by passion or instinct. Socrates demonstrated this when Crito arrived at his jail cell with news that he could help Socrates escape. This was an event where they had to act quickly, however Socrates said â€Å"Let us examine the question together, my dear friend, and if you can make any objection while I am speaking, make it and I will listen to you, but if you have no objection to make, my dear Crito, then stop now from saying the same thing so often, that I must leave here against the will of the Athenians. I think it important to persuade you before I act, and not to act against your wishes. See whether the start of our enquiry is adequately stated, and try to answer what I ask you in the way you think best. † (Crito, p. 51) Socrates examines the situation with Crito instead of acting hastily. This example displays how dedicated Socrates was to his way of thinking, and helps explain Socrates actions in court. Meletus was the catalyst of this case brought against Socrates. Meletus’s affidavit said â€Å"Socrates is guilty of wrongdoing in that he busies himself studying things in the sky and below the earth; he makes the worse into the stronger argument, and he teaches these same things to others. † (Apology, p. 25) Socrates says all these claims are false and challenges anyone in the court to speak up if they are true. Socrates was also accused of corrupting the young and of not believing in the gods the city believed in but believing in his own gods. Socrates attacked each of these accusations point by point. To disprove the accusation that he corrupts the young he says â€Å"They say: That man Socrates is a pestilential fellow who corrupts the young. If one ask them what he does and what he teaches to corrupt them, they are silent, as they do not know. † (Apology, p. 29) To disprove the statement that he does not believe in the gods the city believes in, he starts to question the jury. Socrates states â€Å"Does any man, Meletus, believe in human activities who does not believe in humans? † â€Å"Or in flue-playing activities but not in flute-players? † (Apology, p. 32) Socrates sets up these analogies so he can compare them to the statements that he does not believe in any gods. Socrates then applies this analogy to himself by saying. â€Å"Then since I do believe in spirits, as you admit, if spirits are gods, this is what I mean when I say you speak in riddles and in jest, as you state that I do not believe in gods and then again that I do, since I do believe in spirits†. (Apology, p. 32) Socrates in his defense is trying to prove that Meletus’s charges are blown out of proportion and they are wasting the courts time. Socrates is posed with the question â€Å"Are you not ashamed, Socrates, to have followed the kind of occupation that has led to your being now in danger of death? † (Apology, p. 33) Socrates replies â€Å"Whenever a man has taken a position that he believes to be best, or has been placed by his commander, there he must I think remain and face danger, without a thought for death or anything else, rather than disgrace. † (Apology, p. 33) Socrates is saying when you dedicate your life or you strongly believe in a belief or subject no matter what the danger, you should still stand behind your beliefs. By doing this, you live an examined life. In Socrates case, if he were to accept the punishment of never practicing philosophy he would be living an unexamined life because he could just set aside his beliefs and move on through life. Socrates explains his passion for philosophy by saying â€Å"Gentlemen of the jury, I am grateful and I am your friend, but I will obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall not cease to practise philosophy, to exhort you and in my usual way to point out to any one of you whom I happen to meet. † (Apology, p. 34) The way Socrates explains himself to the jury, I see a man who truly believes in what he preaches. He demonstrates that he has lived an examined life, and even with the threat of death and an opportunity to escape death, he sticks with what he truly believes is right. He questions everything and will not accept ignorance. However I feel that since Socrates was at the age of 70 his fear of death was dramatically reduced. I think if he were younger he would have taken the opportunity Crito presented to escape, so he could continue his quest. â€Å"Now the hour to part has come. I go to die, you go to live. Which of us goes to the better lot is know to no one, except the god. † (Apology, p. 44).