Genetically Modified Organisms Are Safe And Should Be Used

Day in and day out we are beginning to eat more and more foods with genetically modified organisms. A genetically modified organism is living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering. Although some see this as a bad thing, I personally feel that GMOs are safe and should be used routinely. Corn for example, is something that is used daily in the study of genetic modifications. One large example of the genetic modification is Bt corn. Corn has been around for many years and has served many useful purposes for humans. About eighty million acres are growing with corn crops (Capehart 1), Corn is an ingredient in a multitude of food and manufactured products such as starch, sweeteners, corn oil, drinking and rubbing alcohol (Capehart 1). The first genetically modified corn crop was planted in the United States in 1996 (Thomson 20). From 1996 to present day, the presence of genetically modified corn has increased considerably. The production of Bt-corn occurs in five steps. The first step is removing the desired gene from the organism. This step is a highly restrictive step due to the inadequate amount of information known about certain genes needed to enhance the genetic makeup of plants (Romero 1). Two main functions involved in this step are restriction enzymes and DNA ligase (Romero 1). The DNA ligase puts the DNA fragments back together. The second step is cloning the desired gene. The gene now undergoes aShow Mor eRelatedGenetic Engineering : Genetically Modified Organisms1485 Words   |  6 PagesA genetically modified organism, or â€Å"GMO,† is defined as being, â€Å"an organism or microorganism whose genetic material has been altered by means of genetic engineering.† This process is often used in plants and animals to produce desirable attributes. In the past, a plant with a desired attribute would be bred, by using selective breeding, to yield more plants with that desirable attribute. Now with the advancement of genetic engineering, this technique can be performed in a laboratory by moving orRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms779 Words   |  3 PagesINTRO Genetically modified organisms are genetically modified organisms. If you look in the average American cupboard many of the packages found there contain foods that have been genetically modified. Some researchers believe that people need to be more aware of the genetically altering chemicals put in their body. Co nsumers should be limiting the amount of genetically modified foods in their daily diet. â€Å"In a study in the early 1990s, rats were fed genetically modified (GM) tomatoes. Well actuallyRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms And The Food Supply1642 Words   |  7 Pagescommunities approval and it still continues today. Genetically modified organisms have contaminated the food supply. â€Å"A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced in the genes of an unrelated plant or animal† (Seeds of Deception). The results have no health benefits, only financial benefits to the companies that produce them. The genetically modified organisms of animals or plants today hurt the environmentRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms By Margaret Atwood926 Words   |  4 Pagestoo far when it comes to genetically modified organisms? Margaret Atwood shares her view on GMOs in Oryx and Crake. Atwood often expresses distaste for these altered organisms through her examples of pigoons and other genetically modified foods, which are still relatively new in our society. Despite more commonly occurring dislike from Atwood, she sees a few positives to GMOs. Although GMOs can increase food supply with higher yields, genetically modified organisms should be regulated to a certainRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms The Root Of All Evil1180 Words   |  5 Pages Are genetically modified organisms the root of all evil in the nutrition of our society? Essentially, not at all, GMOS are modified to enhance the original organism by manipulating the genetic code to produce a different outcome. Genetically modified organisms were developed all the way back to the prehistoric times when people were genetically modifying their food without realizing it . Our ancestors didn’t have an idea what genetics were but they did have an idea of artificial selection or selectiveRead MoreThe Ethics Of Plant Biotechnology1547 Words   |  7 PagesKitchen is a scientifically valid work, featuring many components that separate it from pseudoscience. Fedoroff and Brown, in fact, follow a format that effectively discredits pseudoscientific claims while reaffirming the actual science of genetically modified foods. The initial chapters describe the history of GMOs to establish their current status today. Once this background biology knowledge is established, ea ch chapter of the book opens with a question that anti-GMO advocates use to challengeRead MoreHow Is Foods Be Easily Modified?1042 Words   |  5 Pageseasily modified? Intro: In this essay, we will be talking about how foods can be easily modified (GM foods), how they can affect other people, and to see if it is safe to eat them. Body: As if you did not know, GM foods stands for Genetically Modified foods. That means that scientists take and copy the DNA from an organism (ie; a watermelon), and then they put it in with another organism (ie; a corn), which results the [modified] organism to be in the same colour as the copied organism. This hasRead MoreAre Gmo s Good For Humans? Essay1743 Words   |  7 Pagesproduced....there is still conflicting and confusing information about Genetically Modified Foods, but because of the intense work the scientists that work here do, we all feel confident in feeding them to our kids. Monsanto is a Fortune 500 sustainable agricultural company that started in 1901, introducing their first product, saccharin. They move on to produce agricultural chemicals in 1945, and by 1982 they were genetically modifying plant cells (DNA). They now have 404 facilities in sixty-sixRead MoreIs It Safe And Eat?1445 Words   |  6 PagesThis format can be seen in the chapter titled â€Å"Is It Safe to Eat?† for example. After explaining what genes are in further detail, particularly bacterial genes, Fedoroff addresses the commonly held viewpoint that bacterial genes and the CaMV 35S promoter in crops are often â€Å"singled out in reports on the safety of genetically modified foods.â₠¬  She specifically cites critic â€Å"Michael Hansen of Consumers Union† and his argument that the â€Å"FDA should require plant breeders† to â€Å"do more† and follow a strictRead MoreGenetically Modified Foods Safe Or A Hidden Danger? Essay1583 Words   |  7 PagesGenetically Modified Foods- Safe or a hidden danger? Joshua Yumul Pima Medical Institute â€Æ' Abstract Genetically modified organisms hold great potential to increase the nutritional value of food and as well as the productivity rate of crops, however they also provide many environmental and safety concerns. These concerns need to be looked at by all of society since we are the ones who are directly affected by these choices. The choice on genetically modified foods should be placed onto the informed

Poverty The Effects On Education - 1796 Words

Poverty: The effects on Education Poverty has nothing to do with education, right? School is school and we all receive the same education no matter where we attend, right? All children have the same opportunity of the best modern schools no matter of their financial situation, right? The answer is no, no, and no. Poverty has a huge impact on a child’s education, mental stability, and future of financial freedoms. Poverty-stricken communities across America have a constant uphill battle to survive and the effects it has on education is no different. Understanding the effect of poverty has on education we first need to establish what financial level defines poverty. The United States Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census released†¦show more content†¦He mentions how his teacher has a motivation problems (28-29) and how the boy gets upset because he’s going to learn from the same book his mother studied from 30 years ago (31). He mentions having no money for lunches or doesn’t know if there’s going to be food on the table at home (7-8). He talks about having to walk to and from school because of no money for gas, the vehicles broke down, and worst of all, a parent doesn’t care (87-88). These situations are not so off base and more realistic than some may think. Groups that fall under absolute poverty face difficult decisions just to sustain the ability to meet basic needs and receiving an education is the last thing on their minds when survival is at stake. An article published by the Huffington Post acknowledges that â€Å"It’s hard to argue that children who come from homes where they may be wanting—wanting for food, for time, or for resources—don’t enter the school door with a little less than others† (Slade). Multiple studies have been done on malnutrition, substandard living conditions, drugs, divorce, and the effects they have on education. Eric Jensen explains in Teaching with Poverty in Mind that â€Å"poor children often feel isolated and unloved, feelings that kick off a downward spiral of unhappy life events, including poor academic performance, behavioral problems, dropping out of school, and drug abuse† (9). he also adds that low income family stressors have significant effects particul arly on the youngest ofShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Poverty on Education1061 Words   |  4 PagesThe Cause and Effect of Poverty and Education Definition of poverty is used to define a condition of inability to satisfy ones basic needs of life-essential among which include; food, shelter, clothing and housing. It is the greatest modern form of slavery that humanity is suffering from. There are numerous chains of events of poverty leading to overall poor education. What is the poverty line anyway? According to the 2011 US Census Bureau, it is a family of four (two adults and two children underRead MoreEffects Of Poverty On Education940 Words   |  4 Pagesfamilies and children living in poverty in America day by day. Poverty is when you’re living in conditions below the average family. Many reason’s poverty is caused is when adults do not complete high school and receive a low education to deal with their whole life. Also is caused by wnot being able to receive a job. â€Å"According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 9.5 million of people who spent at least 27 weeks in the labor force were poor.†(Davis) Poverty is a big social issue in AmericaRead More The Effects of Poverty on Education Essay1157 Words   |  5 Pagesfactors in getting a good paying job is education. However, even the best schools cannot overcome some of the obstacles placed in front of the students that walk through their doors. Poverty, c haotic home environments, discrepancies in exposure to technology, and lack of funding for schools all negatively impact the effort to educate children. In today’s economic environment even the wealthiest states and districts are having to cut funding for education, while districts which were already teeteringRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Poverty On Education790 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many issues children go through in life, that can make a negative impact on their education. Students who live in poverty go through more stressful situations at an earlier age. Those situations can keep them from having academic success because they have too many other distractions in their life. The schools that have more low income families are amongst those who have the lowest test scores and the highest drop out rates. For that reason, a child may not be able to succeed academicallyRead MoreExtreme Poverty : Causes, Effects, And Solutions902 Words   |  4 Pagesin the world one of them is extreme poverty. Extreme poverty is an issue in many countries all over the world. There are several causes, effects, and solutions to this issue. Extreme poverty is living on under two dollars a day, migration, violence, lack of education, diseases, starvation and exploitation. Colombia is a country where there are people living on two dollars a day. A country where they are not getting the education that they need. In Colombia, aboutRead MoreEffects Of School Achievement On Children1306 Words   |  6 Pageslife impacting. Often the only way out of poverty is an education that can provide them with a job which can meet their income needs. If a child’s school achievement is affected by poverty, they have a higher chance of dropping out and continuing poverty in their generation. Effects of school achievement are measured by if the child has repeated a grade, suspended or expelled, and/or dropped out before graduating. A large amount of children that live in poverty will repeat a grade due to limit educationalRead MoreGrowing Up Of Poverty : An Important Aspect That Maintains An Individual s Place Essay842 Words   |  4 PagesENGL 1113 Comp I MWF 11:00 27th October 2016 Growing up in Poverty Economic status is an important aspect that maintains an individual’s place in the society. Economic status is the thing that matters more than gender, race or religion. Though it is not the actual fact but it is believed that you need to have an economic standard to create your identity in society. Society doesn’t give respect to poor and this is heart breaking. Poverty not only prevents you from getting a good and quality of lifeRead More So Rich, So Poor by Peter Edelman Essay1000 Words   |  4 PagesWhile it has proven to be difficult to end poverty in America, Peter Edelman is optimistic. In his book So Rich, So Poor Edelman makes a call to action. There are four prominent ideas that underpin Edelman’s reasoning throughout the book: (1) More people must understand why poverty is still so prevalent in America; (2) extreme poverty must be taken into consideration as a shocking 6 million Americans’ sole income was food stamps in 2011. This fact alone creates a sense of urgency that drives Edelman;Read MoreEffect Of Trade Openness On Developing Countries1591 Words   |  7 Pagespaper viz. a single equation random effect panel regression model and a two equation instrumental variable panel regression model, both for the years 2000, 2005 and 2010. First, we estimate the single equationmodel. The aim of this model is to find out the effect of trade openness directly on poverty in developing countries. The following equation is estimated: p = a + b1 (tra) + b2 (infr) + b3 (edu) + b4 (health) + b5 (gdpcap) + e(1) where, ‘p’ is poverty headcount ratio at $1.25 a day (PPP)Read MoreThe Effects Of Poverty On The United States1541 Words   |  7 Pages12/07/2015 Professor Sirkin The Effects of Poverty on Education For those who live in the United States, some do not see the correlation between poverty and its effects on people’s behavior to their academics. Poverty affects many students at a young age depending on the location they are in as it prevents underprivileged kids to seek higher education. However, with new opportunities [in effect], kids in poverty can have the same education as privileged kids. Poverty stricken students are disadvantaged

Industrial Clusters and Corporate Social esponsibility

Question: Discuss about the Industrial Clusters and Corporate Social esponsibility. Answer: Introduction: Corporate Social Responsibility is the overall involvement of business to sustainable development. The researcher has chosen this topic to investigate because, developing countries leads to globalization, strong economic growth and huge amount of business activities that has a direct effect on social and environmental impact on the society. Corporate Social Responsibility plays an important role in humanizing the governance, moral, labour and environmental circumstances of the developing countries in which they maneuver. The importance of Corporate Social Responsibility is to capitalize on the positive communal outcomes of business activities. Research Objectives: The objectives of the research are as follows: To highlight the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility. To investigate the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility in Developing Countries. To critically analyze the growth of Corporate Social Responsibility. To understand the value of Corporate Social Responsibility in developing economies. Research Questions: The questions of the proposal are as follows: What is the major role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Developing Countries? What is the role of government in implementing Corporate Social Responsibility? How the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility has evolved over the years? Key Literature Sources: The key literature sources for this proposal are as follows: The Journal of Business Ethics (Boulouta and Pitelis 2014). Special issues on Industrial Clusters and Corporate Social Responsibility in Developing Countries (Lund-Thomsen, Lindgreen and Vanhamme 2016). The Current Situation and Development Trend of Global CSR (Shin 2014). Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility in Singapore (Pang, Mak and Lee 2015). Corporate Social Responsibility (Carroll 2015). Role of CSR in Developing Countries: From every small medium size enterprises to big multinational organization, every business entity consists of stakeholders and their impact on the society. The impact can be both negative and positive. The role of Corporate Social Responsibility is to examine the impact of business in the society and the positive outcomes of its operations on the environment (Boulouta and Pitelis 2014). The practice of successful CSR in the organization has driven the concerns of many investors to invest in the companies thus creating a financial advantage in developing economies. The major role of Corporate Social Responsibility is to increase the efficiency of business operations and thus developing countries with better organization and improving their economies. The efficiency in business operation is achieved in the following ways: Operational Cost Reduction: CSR provides initiative for investment in the environmental competence measures such as waste reduction and effective use of energy that yields profits through cost savings that are encouraging than commercial investments (Lund-Thomsen, Lindgreen and Vanhamme 2016). Increasing Reputation: Companies with good performance in sustainability of the environment are able to build good reputation, whereas providing poor performance can lead to poor brand value. CSR is important to organizations as creates an attention among media and consumers (Boulouta and Pitelis 2014). Better empathy with the Government: The government provides both formal and informal license to operate it is necessary for the organization to extend their business operations. CSR initiates meticulousness in meetings social and environmental requirements thus facilitating better corporate liaison with the government departments (Lund-Thomsen, Lindgreen and Vanhamme 2016). Role of Government in Implementing CSR: There are various roles played by the government to implement CSR in developing the country, they are as follows: Enhancing the benefits of foreign direct investment: The government initiates national investment strategies with various foreign investors to facilitate expertise in social savings education and training. Thus creating an effective benchmark to decrease the financial gap within the domestic business market (Shin 2014). Promoting social business practices: Government draws motivation from the CSR program to promote socially accountable firms and business enterprises domestically regardless of the involvement of international country. Thus shaping the subject matter of those interventions with CSR linked concerns (Pang, Mak and Lee 2015). Aligning business activities to achieve social objectives: The government provides clear goals of their public policy statements and frameworks for addressing all the critical issues of trade offs among the various social and environmental considerations that will enable to take strategic decision making of the business. The government also encourages strategies like national sustainable development to promote CSR in the country (Carroll 2015). Evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility: Corporate Social Responsibility is one of the most important steps towards sustaining the environment and creating healthier business concepts for the consumers. The concept of CSR has changed drastically over the few decades. From the realm of nice to do it has come up to the realm of need to do as people are getting much aware of the adverse effects of the environment and the need of sustainability (Brown, 2013). Many multinational companies along with domestic enterprises have made major changes in their CSR policy. Previously the concepts of CSR activities were irrelevant to the organization strategies and goals whereas now the companies have begun to approach CSR in a different strategic technique that provides the organization to earn competitive advantage in the society (Vogel and Trapp, 2014). Although the organizations have taken initiatives to consider CSR as their core responsibility but CSR is still equated with philanthropy and it is not incorporated with the interior bu siness strategies (Moon, 2014). Therefore, it is necessary for the organizations to understand the importance of CSR and take adequate measures to promote it in their day-to-day business operations. Research Methodology: Research methodologies are the various techniques through which the research is conducted. There are three types of study in a research such as exploratory, descriptive and hypothesis testing research. For conducting this research proposal, the researcher has chosen descriptive research study. Descriptive Research: The Descriptive research study is developed with actual concepts and theories and a clear concise concept about the topic. The research proposal is being prepared after taking into deliberation of information, journals and books. Data Collection Method: For conducting a research, data collection is one of the most important tools. The collection of data can be done both using primary data collection method and secondary data collection method. In this research proposal, the researcher has chosen secondary data collection method that includes surveys from various articles available online, journals and books are critically analyzed and evaluated. References: Boulouta, I. and Pitelis, C.N., 2014. Who needs CSR? The impact of corporate social responsibility on national competitiveness. Journal of Business Ethics, 119(3), pp.349-364. Brown, D. H. (2013). Corporate social responsibility. Carroll, A.B., 2015. Corporate social responsibility. Organizational Dynamics, 44, pp.87-96. Lund-Thomsen, P., Lindgreen, A. and Vanhamme, J., 2016. Special Issue on Industrial Clusters and Corporate Social Responsibility in Developing Countries. Journal of Business Ethics, 133(1), p.5 Moon, J. (2014).Corporate social responsibility: A very short introduction. OUP Oxford. Pang, A., Mak, A.K.Y. and Lee, J.M., 2015. Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility in Singapore: Toward More Effective Media Relations. In Role of Language and Corporate Communication in Greater China (pp. 127-148). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Shin, K.Y., 2014. The Current Situation and Development Trend of Global CSR. In Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting in China (pp. 61-77). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.. Vogel, A. L., Trapp, L. (2014). Corporate Social Responsibility.

The Life Philosophy Of Friedrich Nietzsche Essays (1823 words)

The Life Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche annon Born: 1844. Rocken, Germany Died: 1900. Weimar, Germany Major Works: The Gay Science (1882), Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883-1885), Beyond Good Evil (1886), On the Genealogy of Morals (1887), MAJOR IDEAS Self deception is a particularly destructive characteristic of West Culture. Life is The Will To Power; our natural desire is to dominate and reshape the world to fit our own preferences and assert our personal strength to the fullest degree possible. Struggle, through which individuals achieve a degree of power commensurate with their abilities, is the basic fact of human existence. Ideals of human equality perpetuate mediocrity -- a truth that has been distorted and concealed by modern value systems. Christian morality, which identifies goodness with meekness and servility is the prime culprit in creating a cultural climate that thwarts the drive for excellence and self realization God is dead; a new era of human creativity and achievement is at hand. -- Great Thinkers In The Western World. By: Ian P. McGreal, 1992 PREFACE Much information is available on Mr. Friedrich Nietzsche, including many books that he wrote himself, during his philosophical career. I took this as a good sign I would find a fountain of enlightened material produced by the man. I've had to go through a bit of my own philosophical meditations to put my own value judgements aside, and truly look for the contributions Nietzsche gave to philosophy. Much of my understanding came only after I had a grasp of Neitzsche's history; therefore, I encourage you to read-up on his history before diving into his philosophy (see Appendix I). The modern Westerner might disagree with every aspect of his philosophy, but there are many things one must unfortunately admit are true (only if you put your morality aside). So, from here, I will present his contributions to philosophy, and do my best to delete my own opinions, other than to say that he was not the chosen topic of this paper out of any admiration. THE PHILOSOPHY OF FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE Sometimes philosophy is called timeless, implying that it's lessons are of value to any generation. This may be hard to see in Nietzsche's work; but, we are assured that it was appropriate thought for his time. However, even Nietzsche's critics admit that his words hold an undeniable truth, as hard as it is to accept. Perhaps this is why his work is timeless, and has survived 150 years in print. Christianity God is Dead! announced Zarathustra (better known as Zoroaster), in Neitzsche's proudest book, Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883-1885). Unlike many philosophers, Nietzsche never tried to prove or disprove the existence of God, just that belief in God can create sickness; and to convince that highest achievements in human life depend on elimination of God. Whether God existed had no relevance in his goal. Proclamation of the death of God was a fundamental ingredient in the revaluation of values Nietzsche advocated. Nothing has done more than Christianity to entrench the morality of mediocrity in human consciousness. Christian love extols qualities of weakness; it causes guilt. Charity is just teaching hatred and revenge directed toward nobility. Belief in God is a tool to bring submission to the individual of noble character. -- F. Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Hero Morality Nietzsche had an ideal world in mind, with an ideal government and an ideal God: the Overman or Superman. These Gods were a product of natural selection, or social Darwinism. He felt, very strongly, that any kind of moral limitations upon man would only stand in the way of The Overman. The Will To Power, his strongest teaching, meant that The Overman should and would do anything possible to gain power, control and strength. If one showed the smallest bit of weakness or morality, he would be killed by the stronger Overman, and taken over. Thus, the advancement of The Master Race (Nietzsche's Master Race will be discussed later). Not mankind, but superman is the goal. The very last thing a sensible man would undertake would be to improve mankind: mankind does not improve, it doesn't even exist - - it is an abstraction. ... his superman as the individual rising precariously out of the mire of mass mediocrity, and owing his existence more to deliberate breeding and careful nurture than to the hazards of natural selection. Master Race Nietzsche is often referred to as a pre-Nazi thinker, by his idealism of The Master Race. He was, in fact, a prime influence on the writing of Hitler's highest men, and quoted in Hitler's speeches. But, his writings were mostly taken out of context, because he

Once and future king expanded my mind Essays

Once and future king expanded my mind Essays Once and future king expanded my mind Essay Once and future king expanded my mind Essay Essay Topic: The Once and Future King Expanding my Mind The romance novel, The Once and Future King, contains several major humanistic themes. Its central theme throughout the entire book is Urethras exploration of human nature regarding power and Justice, as he tries to suppress the widespread might is right attitude. Through the transformations Merely provided Wart, I was able to develop my own attitude toward the subject of war. The antiwar theme became most prevalent in the chapters where Merely morphs Wart into different species. Each of the spiritual adventures that Merely gives Wart intends to teach him a specific lesson. The first transformation that Wart makes is into a fish. As he explores the underwater kingdom, he meets Mr.. P, who tells him only might is right (52). Mr.. P is the epitome of absolute power and his portrait of power is rather unintelligent. The despotic perch lunges toward Wart in an attempt to eat him. In the battle between brains and brawn, however, Wart learns that intellect can conquer even the most robust creature. The next animal that Wart morphs into is a Merlin. During his time in the Mews, Wart is interrogated and hazed by the senior birds. Throughout this Journey, the author criticizes knighthood and modern military by evicting their rituals as a brutal test. Thus, showing his resentment toward the subject. Next, Wart is changed into the most significant figure: an ant. In this chapter, he learns about what life would be like in a war. The ant farm is a totalitarian regime; who live monotonously working for the queen. The ants are an allegory for Nazism. They believe that war required; (121). In his next adventure Wart is converted into the opposite of what the ants represent. When Wart is a goose he finds that geese think for themselves, because their government is accepting. All of the geese are benefiting room the individuality. The author makes it quite obvious that this is his ideal representation of a utopia. Warts experience as a goose has taught him (subconsciously) to respect the idea of peace and harmony. The final creature that Wart transforms into is a badger. During his visit to the badger hill, Wart hears a story about how mankind has become dominant over every other animal in the world. After reciting the theory, Badger expresses his doubtful feelings toward humans. After all, man is one of the few kinds that declare war on their own species. Wart, a war figure, tries to defend his hobby by arguing that it establishes a sense of nor, camaraderie, and power, to which the badger asks him, Which did you like best, the ants or the wild geese (196). The conversation between Wart and the badger show that the glamour gallantly gained from the act of war is still a desire in Warts mind. Reading The Once and Future King has opened my previously ignorant mind to both arguments of war. Although T. H. White is biased, he allowed the opportunity for readers to develop their own opinion on the matter. Despite the fact that the experiences were deliberately for Wart, I felt as if I were right there with him. Once and future king expanded my mind By Emily-Custer

Slide, Leap or Climb into Writing . . . and Accept the Results

Slide, Leap or Climb into Writing . . . and Accept the Results I’ve shifted in how I talk to writers who contact me, asking for my advice on their particular journeys. Before I guide them on agents, contests, grants and the general â€Å"how can I start earning a living at this† questions, I ask: â€Å"What are you trying to do with your writing? What are your goals?† Most say: â€Å"I want to get published.† â€Å"I want to work full-time as a writer.† â€Å"I want to make money and I like to write.† Then I ask what they are doing about reaching that goal. I’ve yet to find a single writer who has an answer to that question other than â€Å"I’m writing this story†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There are three ways to become a professional writer. I use the word professional as the opposite to hob SLIDERS You are watching everyone else. You are also reading blogs, attempting to make â€Å"friends† online in various places with some of them, joining chat groups . . . all in the name of talking about writing. You exclaim over someone’s success, saying you hope to do that one day. You bash someone the media is already gnawing on, proclaiming them blasphemous to the profession. You write when a good idea strikes. You pick up an old story and piddle with it during NaNoWriMo. You enter a contest or two, blaming nepotism or good-old-boyism when you do not win, or you are honest and say maybe you still need to work harder. LEAPERS Well, damn, you’ve decided to be a writer. Today, this instant. Where can you submit? How do they pay? How long before you have enough to pay the bills and dump the crazy job you hate? You are now committed to being a writer, and you’re going to take the leap and see where you land. Ray Bradbury said leap and you sprout wings on the way down. If the concept is good enough for him, it’s good enough for you. CLIMBERS You want this title WRITER, maybe even AUTHOR one day. The goal is on that peak way up there, where you’ve published and earned a living as a writer. You see others grabbing flights to that peak, but you’re using your feet, your hands, the tools at your grasp, and taking the journey one hard, craggy step at a time. You do not want to reach that peak too soon, for then you have to prove to people what you know. That knowledge is in each step, each slip, each backsliding effort that makes you regroup and grip harder, dig in deeper. It might take you a while, but the fear of reaching that peak prematurely gives you the incentive to embrace the journey up the mountain. Not only will your muscles be stronger, your self-esteem deeper, but if you somehow stumble and fall off the mountain, you know exactly what it takes to get back up there.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive Essay

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive - Essay Example Townsend (2011, p. 587) illustrates that the compatibilities which electronic and electrical equipment must comply with include designing equipment during the production process in a manner which facilitates reuse, repair, recycling and disassembly. This compatibility is guided by the WEEE’s principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The major goal of the directive is described by Vaisvila and Vaicikonis (2006, p. 43) as the minimization of the disposal of unsorted municipal refuse or waste and thus facilitate the achievement of a separated WEEE collection. Additionally the directive provides that the management systems within electrical and electronic industries must be designed and organized both in individual basis and collectively so that the directive is not violated by these industries.   Hidy, et al. (2011, p. 990) add that apart for provision of recycling and recovery targets, the WEE directives provides that export of electronic and electrical equipment ca n only be achieved through compliance with the WEEE directive. Furthermore the directive provides that manufacturers of this equipment must take responsibility for the costs associated with the picking of waste from the collection centers and also for the processes of refurbishing the equipment in readiness for reuse or recycling.Quinnell (2005, p. 71) explains that the large appliances which are used in households such as washing machines and refrigerators are covered by the WEEE directive. Small appliances such as hair dryers.

Rice Industry in Burma during Colonialism Essay - 1

Rice Industry in Burma during Colonialism - Essay Example Private merchant companies served as the instrument of expansion – these were the English East-Indian company (1600) and the Dutch East-Indian company (1602), having gained monopolistic rights from their governments to have trade relations with Asian countries. By the middle of the 16th century, Portuguese have been almost pushed away from their Asian possessions, while the English and the Dutch became masters of the biggest territory of Southern and Eastern Asia. (Wilson) 'Asian countries have always been known as the main producers and exporters of rice and during the colonial era Burma became the main world center of cultivation and exporting rice.' (Frank, 2002, p. 261) At the beginning of the 19th century Burma attracted the English not only by its strategic location, but by its raw materials, and the abundance of rice and teak. After the second English – Burma war of 1852-53, the English gained the control on the Lower Burma, which was hardly populated at the time, and only 5% of the land, suitable for cultivation, was used for agriculture. This very region was going to become the new granary of the whole Burma, and thus, a big economic center. (Frank, 2002, p. 259)

CO 2520 Prejudice Quiz Essay Example for Free

CO 2520 Prejudice Quiz Essay 1. Punishing those who behave in prejudiced ways is: A- the quickest solution to ending the problems of prejudiced behavior. B a response that is impossible since most prejudiced behavior is difficult to observe or prove. C unlikely to make a major difference since those who are the most prejudiced tend to have already received more punishment than most of us have received. D Both B and C. 2. If one thinks prejudiced thoughts, one should suppress them or avoid thinking them. A Yes, Thoughts are very close to actions and one should avoid thinking negative thoughts about other groups of people. B No. One should not suppress the thoughts, but should actively replace them with more positive images of the group members. C No. Prejudiced thoughts are normal and harmless; they are part of being in a group. D Yes. If we dont start on a personal level to reduce prejudiced thinking, then the problems simply grow. 3. Prejudices dont cost our society and therefore are really only a problem to those who are the victims of prejudiced behavior. A To discuss the monetary cost of prejudiced behavior is impossible. B The cost of prejudiced behavior is a human cost and is not a national economic issue. C The cost of sexism and racism alone have been estimated at over one-half trillion dollars per year. D Both A and B are true. 4. Most people are not prejudiced. A Surveys show that well over 75 percent of people in the U. S. do not consider themselves to be racist. B Those who discriminate represent a very small proportion of the U. S. population. C Research has shown that those who identify themselves as low in prejudiced beliefs still discriminate. D Both A and C are true. 5. There are no inexpensive methods of managing prejudiced behavior. A This is true because prejudiced behavior is so widespread, but we still need to try. B There are ways of managing prejudiced behavior that cost next to nothing. C While the training might be expensive the long term savings are worth the investment. 6. Those who risked their own lives to save Jewish people in Western Europe during the period that the Nazis were practicing genocide were more religious than those who did not try to save Jewish people. A True. B – False 7. Those who saved Jewish people from Hitlers genocide had more resources than those who did not. A – True, they had larger attics or larger basements. B False, they had no more resources. 8. Those who are in positions of authority can do a great deal to manage prejudice within the ranks of an organization. A True B – False 9. Being strongly prejudiced has little to do with a persons intellectual functioning or ability to make other types of judgments. A True B – False 10. The motivation of a strongly prejudiced person who is committing an overtly prejudiced act is basically the same as that of a person with lower levels of prejudiced behavior who is functioning out of a stereotyped perception. A True B – False 11. When a person who does not hold prejudiced beliefs behaves in a prejudiced way he or she often feels a personal sense of discomfort. A True B – False 12. Those who are most strongly prejudiced toward a target group generally know no more negative stereotypes about those they are prejudiced toward than those who are low in prejudiced behavior toward the same group. A True. B – False 13. When the leading scientists of the world look at the issues that threaten our future they look at environmental concerns not prejudiced behavior. A Scientists have little agreement about the things that threaten our future and there is nothing that even looks like a consensus. B There is clear consensus among the majority of leading scientists in the world about what threatens our future and it includes concerns about prejudiced behavior. C There is clear consensus among the majority of the leading scientists in the world about what threatens our future and it includes concerns about prejudiced behavior, specifically sexism. 14. Sexism, racism, ageism, xenophobia, homophobia and prejudices toward those with disabilities all have basically the same dynamics. A They are all basically the same except for homophobia which functions very differently from the others. B Each is different and has its own set of dynamics. C They are all basically the same except for prejudices toward those with disabilities, which function very differently from the others. D They are all basically the same.

Guns Dont Kill People, People Kill People :: Say No To Gun Control

In the United States today, gun control has become a very big issue in the lives of its citizens. People arguing with each other over whether it is our constitutional right to be able to obtain and bear any kind of arms that we choose or that it only belongs to the militia. Many arguments come up over whether or not just average people can show up at a gun show and sell a gun to any person without giving them a background check first. Not only do they want back ground checks they want restrictions, and bans. Should there be bans on certain kinds of weapons? If so what kind of weapons? Should any person be able to buy a gun anytime or any place? Are people getting the right picture on what guns do for the country or are they getting deprived of information? It was shown that, â€Å"Out of 300 evening news segments, anti-gun stories outnumbered pro-gun stories by 164 to 20† (Dickens 1). This is an outstanding number that shows that the media plays a huge role in what people thin k about the issue of gun control. If all they see is guns involved with murders, and not involved with self-defense; how much longer will we have our guns? All of these things are factoring in to the issue of gun control and how important it is to some people and hated by others. In this paper I will lay out different views, arguments, and issues that could affect gun collectors, hunters, and the every day citizen for years to come. Gun control is in issue that dates back to the early 1900’s, near the times of prohibition. The first federal gun law was passed in 1927 which made it illegal to send weapons through the mail. This law did not really prevent the trade of firearms because people would just ship them other ways such as, trains, boats and cars. To follow up on this law the congress passed the National Firearms Act of 1934. This law consisted of, â€Å"Didn’t actually outlaw machine guns or sawed-off shotguns, but it imposed a 200$ tax on their manufacture, sale, and ownership† (Henderson16). As you can see the Federal government began to step in early on in this nation’s history. This is not a new issue it has been debated for years whether or not the government should be able to restrict America’s right to bear arms.

A blog for teenagers about using public transport

You're wearing your clothes, all dressed up to watch the X-Factor finals with your friends. But your dad's car broke down, and your mum has plans. What are you going to do? Have you considered using public transport? It's cheap, easy and very quick, however it does have its down sides. Using public transport is very cheap and free for all ages 16 and under. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson agreed that he would â€Å"look at what we can do next year to bear down on fares†. However if you lose your oyster card or are off by 20p you're forced to walk on your own two feet. So public transport isn't what it's cracked up to be. Using public transport teaches us to be more independent in terms of being capable as a person to navigate around networks and read maps as well as in terms of being able to get around without relying on your parents. In contrast, the media has shown that crime rates on public transport have increased. â€Å"Policeman reveals rape victim for EIGHT minutes before being thrown off bus for not having the full fair.† The 22-year-old student begged the bus driver to let her on board but he refused because she was only 20p short, â€Å"She was so badly battered that her mother failed to recognise her.† Reported the daily mail. Worried about the environment? Well, using public transport is a greener and a better mode of transport for the environment as oppose to going everywhere by car. Carbon emission will be reduced with your help. You could use public transport or bike to get around, as well as keeping you fit and healthy it's like a walk in the park. On the other hand waiting for the bus or train is a death penalty; you never know who is sitting next to you. Practically in urban areas there can be problems with behaviour and conduct with other passengers as well as the driver. Getting the train to get from A to B is the quickest way as you're avoiding all traffic and congestion. Although getting on the tube is like visiting a hospital, with all the germs around who know what you could catch. Viruses spread through the air and also transfer via hand-to-hand contact. On public transportation, the transfer takes place when you touch a support bar or strap that a sick person held. You rub your itchy eye, you welcome the Swine Flu. The most popular method of public transport as researchers have found the 64% of 14 – 19 year olds use the bus to manoeuvre, because it's the least cost effective. Whilst 64% of teenagers use the bus to get around only a mere 32% of parents encourage their children to use it. However public transport is a nightmare, delays and engineering works could ruin your day or night out. Sara Jama from Queens Park has been using public transport for 4 years now and says â€Å"I wouldn't use any other way, I have been using the bus to get to school, and haven't been late more than twice. It's very easy all i have to do is tap my oyster card and wait 'till my stop arrives. Using the train is similar, i top up my oyster card which costs around  £1.40, depending on where i'm going and sit in my seat. And if i ever get lost i've always got the tube map to help me.† As an experienced traveller i personally agree with Jama, using public transport is a piece of cake. So the next time you're ready to go out, but your dad's car broke down and your mum has plans, don't panic. Just grab your oyster card and hop on the nearest bus or train, but go with a sibling or arrange to meet up with a friend. Just in case, because public transport has the X-Factor. Evidence â€Å"I wouldn't use any other way, I have been using the bus to get to school, and haven't been late more than twice. It's very easy all i have to do is tap my oyster card and wait 'till my stop arrives. Using the train is similar, i top up my oyster card which costs around  £1.40, depending on where i'm going and sit in my seat. And if i ever get lost i've always got the tube map to help me.† – Sara Jama

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 8~9

Chapter 8 October 4, 1864 As a human, I'd thought it was my mother's death that had shaped the men Damon and I would become. I'd called myself a half-orphan in the initial days after she died, locking myself away in my room, feeling as though my life had ended at the young age of ten. Father believed grieving was weak and unmanly, so Damon had been the one to comfort me. He'd go riding with me, let me join the older boys in their games, and beat up the Giffin brothers when they made fun of me for crying about Mother during a baseball game. Damon had always been the strong one, my protector. But I was wrong. It is my own death that has shaped me. Now the tables have turned. I am the strong one, and I have been trying to be Damon's protector. But while I have always been grateful to Damon, he despises me and blames me for what he has become. I had forced him to feed from Alice, a bartender at the local tavern, which had completed his transformation. But does that make me a villain? I think not, especially as the act had saved his life. Finally, I see Damon the way Father had seen him: too imperious, too willful, too quick to make up his mind, and too slow to change it. And as I had also realized earlier this evening as I stood just outside the dim glare of the gas lamp, the body of the dead nurse at my feet: I am alone. A full orphan. Just as Katherine had presented herself when she came to Mystic Falls and stayed in our guesthouse. So that's how vampires do it, then. They exploit vulnerability, get humans to trust them, and then, when all the emotions are firmly in place, they attack. So that is what I will do. I know not how or who my next victim will be, but I know, more than ever, that the only person I can look out for and protect is myself. Damon is on his own, and so am I. I heard Damon steal through the city, moving at vampire speed down the streets and alleys. At one point, he paused, whispering Katherines name over and over again, like a mantra or a prayer. Then, nothing Was he dead? Had he drowned himself? Or was he simply too far away for me to hear him? Either way, the result was the same. I was alone–Id lost my only connection to the man Id once been: Stefan Salvatore, the dutiful son, the lover of poetry, the man who stood up for what was right. I wondered if that meant that Stefan Salvatore, with no one to remember him, was really, truly dead, leaving me to be anyone. I could move to a different city every year, see the whole world. I could assume as many identities as Id like. I could be a Union soldier. I could be an Italian businessman. I could even be Damon. The sun plunged past the horizon like a cannonball falling to earth, dipping the city into darkness. I turned from one gaslit street to the next, the soles of my boots rasping over the gravelly cobblestones. A loose newspaper blew toward me. I stomped on the broadsheet, examining an etched photo of a girl with long, dark hair and pale eyes. She looked vaguely familiar. I wondered if she was a relative of one of the Mystic Falls girls. Or perhaps a nameless cousin whod attended barbecues at Veritas. But then I saw the headline:BRUTAL MURDER ABOARD THE ATLANTIC EXPRESS. Lavinia. Of course. Id already forgotten her. I reached down and crumpled the paper, hurling it as far as I could into the Mississippi. The surface of the water was muddy and turbulent, dappled with moonlight. I couldnt see my reflection–couldnt see anything but an abyss of blackness as deep and dark as my new future. Could I go for eternity, feeding, killing, forgetting, then repeating the cycle? Yes. Every instinct and impulse I had screamedyes. The triumph of closing in on my prey, touching my canines to the paper-thin skin that covered their necks, hearing their hearts slow to a dull thud and feeling a body go limp in my arms. Hunting and feeding made me feel alive, whole; they gave me a purpose in the world. It was, after all, the natural order of things. Animals killed weaker animals. Humans killed animals. I killed humans. Every species had their foe. I shuddered to think what monster was powerful enough to hunt me. The salty breeze wafting from the water was laced with the odor of unwashed bodies and rotting food–a far cry from the aroma across town, where scents of floral perfume and talcum powder hung heavy in the air of the wide streets. Here shadows hugged every corner, whispers rose and fell with the flowing of the river, and drunken hiccups pierced the air. It was dark, here. Dangerous. I quite liked it. I turned a corner, following my nose like a bloodhound on the trail of a doe. I flexed my arms, ready for a hunt–a gin-soaked drunk, a soldier, a lady out after dark. The victim didnt matter. I turned again, and the iron-scent of blood came closer. The smell was sweet and smoky. I focused on it, on the anticipation of sinking my fangs into a neck, of wondering whose blood Id be drinking, whose life Id be stealing. I continued to walk, picking up my pace as I traced the scent to an anonymous back street lined with an apothecary, a general store, and a tailor. The street was a replica of our own Main Street back in Mystic Falls. But while wed only had one, New Orleans must have had dozens, if not hundreds, of these corridors of commerce. The rusty smell of iron was stronger now. I followed twists and turns, my hunger building, burning, searing my very skin until finally, finally I came to a squat, peach-colored building. But when I saw the painted sign above the door, I stopped short. Sausages in their casings hung in the buildings grimy window; slabs of cured meat dangled from the ceiling like a grotesque childs mobile; carved ribs were nestled in ice beneath a counter, and in the far back, whole carcasses were strung up, draining blood into large vats. This was a butcher shop? I sighed in frustration but my hunger forced me to push the door open anyway. The iron chain snapped easily, as if it were no sturdier than thread. Once inside, I gazed at the bloodied carcasses, momentarily mesmerized by the blood falling into the vats, one drip at a time. Over the sound of the raining blood, I heard the slightestping, no louder than the twitch of a mouses whiskers. Then came the light shuffle of toes passing over concrete. I reared back, my eyes darting from corner to corner. Mice scuttled beneath the floorboards, and someones watch ticked in the building next door. All else was quiet. But the air around me suddenly felt thicker, and the ceiling lower somehow, and I became acutely aware that there was no back exit in this room of death. â€Å"Who goes there?† I called into the darkness, whirling around, my fangs bared. And then came movement. Fangs, eyes, the thud of footsteps closed in around me from all corners. A low, guttural growl echoed off the bloodstained walls of the shop, and I realized with a sickening jolt that I was surrounded by vampires who looked all too ready to pounce. Chapter 9 I crouched low, my fangs elongated. The heady scent of blood permeated every corner of the room, making my head spin. It was impossible to know where to attack first. The vampires growled again, and I emitted a low snarl in response. The circle closed in tighter around me. There were three of them, and I was caught, like a fish in a net, a deer surrounded by wolves. â€Å"What do you think youre doing?† one of the vampires asked. He looked to be in his mid-twenties and had a scar that ran the length of his face, from his left eye to the corner of his lip. â€Å"Im one of you,† I said, standing at my full height, fangs on display. â€Å"Oh, hes one of us!† an older vampire said in a sing-songy voice. He wore glasses and a tweed vest over a white-collared shirt. But for the fangs and red-rimmed eyes, he could have been an accountant or a friend of my fathers. I kept my face impassive. â€Å"I have no ill business with you, brothers.† â€Å"We are not your brothers,† said another with tawny hair. He looked not a day over fifteen. His face was smooth, but his green eyes were hard. The older one stepped forward, poking his bony finger against my chest as if it were a wooden stake. â€Å"So, brother, nice evening to dine or die. What do you think?† The young vampire kneeled next to me, gazing into my eyes. â€Å"Looks like hell do both tonight. Lucky boy,† he said, ruffling my hair. I tried to kick him, but my foot simply flopped harmlessly against air. â€Å"No, no, no.† While the scarred vampire watched wordlessly, the boy grabbed my arms and wrenched them so sharply and abruptly behind my back that I gasped. â€Å"Dont be disrespectful. Were your elders. And youve already done quite enough disrespecting already, if Miss Mollys house is any indication.† He drawled her name as if he were a benign, genteel Southern gentleman. Only the steel grip on my limbs betrayed that he wasnt anything of the sort. â€Å"I didnt do anything,† I said, kicking again. If I were to die, then Id die in a fight. â€Å"Are you sure?† he asked, looking down at me in disgust. I attempted to twist away, but still I couldnt budge. The elder vampire chuckled. â€Å"Cant control his urges. Impulsive, this one. Lets give him a taste of his own medicine.† With a flourish, he released me from his grasp, pushing me forward with strength Id never before felt. I hit the plaster wall with a crash and fell on my shoulder, my head cracking against the wooden floorboards. I cowered beneath my attackers, the realization sinking in that if I were to survive this encounter, it would not be by might. â€Å"I didnt mean to do anything. Im sorry,† I said, my voice breaking on the word. â€Å"Do you mean it?† the young vampire asked, a glint in his eye. The sound of wood breaking assaulted my ears. I flinched. Would one vampire stake another? This was not a question I wanted answered the hard way. â€Å"Yes. Yes! I didnt mean to come in here. I didnt know anyone was here. I only just arrived in New Orleans,† I said, scrambling for an excuse. â€Å"Silence!† he commanded, advancing toward me, a jagged piece of wood in his hand. I pressed my spine into the damaged wall. So this is how it would end. With me dying on a makeshift stake, killed by my own kind. Two hands crushed my arms, while another two pinned my ankles together so forcefully that it felt as though I were stuck under boulders. I closed my eyes. An image of Father lying prone on his study floor swam to the forefront of my mind, and I shook my head in agony, remembering his sweating, terrified face. Of course, Id been trying to save him, but he hadnt known that. If he was watching, as an angel or a demon or a mere specter condemned to haunt the world, hed be thrilled to see this scene unfold. I squeezed my eyes tighter, trying to evoke some other memory to the fore of my mind, one that would take me to another place, another time. But all I could think of were my victims, of the moment when my fangs sliced into their skin, their plaintive wails descending into silence, the blood dripping down my fangs and onto my chin. Soon, all the blood Id taken would be released, seeping out of my own body and back into the Earth, as I was left to die, for real this time, forever, on this wooden floor. â€Å"Enough!† A female voice sliced through the montage in my mind. Immediately, the vampires let go of my hands and feet. My eyes sprang open, and I saw a woman gliding through a narrow wooden door in the back. Her long blond hair descended in a single plait down her back, and she wore mens black pants and suspenders. She was tall, though slight as a child, and all the other vampires shrank away from her in fear. â€Å"You,† she said, kneeling next to me. â€Å"Who are you?† Her amber eyes gazed into mine. They were clear and curious, but there was something about them–the darkness of the pupils, perhaps–that seemed ancient and knowing, which stood in sharp contrast to her rosy-cheeked, unlined face. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore,† I answered her. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore,† she repeated in a perfect Italian accent. Although teasing, her voice didnt seem unkind. She ran a finger gently along my jaw, then placed her palm against my chest and she pressed me against the wall, hard. The suddenness of the movement stunned me, but as I sat, pinned and helpless, she brought her other wrist to her mouth, using her fang to puncture the vein. She dragged her wrist along her teeth, creating a small stream of blood. â€Å"Drink,† she commanded, bringing her wrist to my lips. I did as I was told, managing to get a few drops of the liquid down my throat before she yanked her hand away. â€Å"Thats enough. That should fix your wounds at any rate.† â€Å"He and his brother have been wreaking havoc all over town,† the large vampire said, his makeshift stake pointed at me like a rifle. â€Å"Just me,† I said quickly. â€Å"My brother had no part in it.† Damon would never survive the wrath of these demons. Not in his weakened state. The blond vampire wrinkled her nose as she leaned even closer toward me. â€Å"Youre what, a week old?† she asked, leaning back on her heels. â€Å"Almost two weeks,† I said defiantly, lifting my chin. She nodded, a hint of a smile on her lips, and stood, surveying the shop. The plaster wall was partially caved in, and blood smeared the floor and speckled the walls, as though a child had stood in the center of the room and twirled around with a wet paintbrush. She tsked, and the three male vampires simultaneously took a step back. I shivered. â€Å"Percy, come here, and bring that knife,† she said. With a sigh, the youngest vampire produced a long carving knife from behind his back. â€Å"He wasnt following the rules,† he said petulantly, reminding me of the Giffin boys back home. They were both bullies, always ready to kick a kid in the schoolyard and then turn around and tell a teacher they had nothing to do with it. She took the knife and stared at it, running the pad of her index finger over the gleaming blade. Then she held it back out to Percy. He hesitated a moment, but finally stepped forward to take it. Just then the girls canines elongated and her eyes flushed bloodred. With a growl, she stabbed Percy right in the chest. He fell to his knees, doubled over in silent agony. â€Å"You hunt this vampire for making a scene in town,† she seethed, stabbing the knife in farther, â€Å"and yet you attempt to destroy him in this public space, in this shop? Youre just as foolish as he is.† The young vampire staggered to his feet. Blood streamed down the front of his shirt, as though hed spilled coffee on himself. He grimaced as he pulled the knife out with a sucking sound. â€Å"Im sorry,† he gasped. â€Å"Thank you.† The woman held her wrist toward Percys mouth. Despite her youthful look and apparently violent temper, she also had a mothering quality that the other vampires seemed to accept, as if her stabbings were as normal to them as a light swat would be to a high-spirited child. She turned toward me. â€Å"Im sorry for your troubles, Stefan. Now, can I help you be on your way?† she asked. I looked around wildly. Id thought no further ahead than escaping this room. â€Å"I â€Å" â€Å". . . dont have anywhere to go,† she said with a sigh, finishing my thought. She glanced toward the other vampires, who were now huddled in the corner of the room, heads bent in conversation. â€Å"Ill just be going,† I said, struggling to my feet. My leg was fine, but my arms shook, and my breath came erratically. With local vampires watching my every move, where would I go? How would I feed? â€Å"Nonsense, youre coming with us,† she said, turning on her heel and walking out the door. She pointed to the young vampire and the one who wore glasses. â€Å"Percy and Hugo, stay and clean this place up.† I had to practically run to keep up with her and the tall, scarred vampire whod watched my torture. â€Å"Youll need someone to show you around,† she explained, pausing only slightly. â€Å"This is Buxton,† she said, grabbing the elbow of the vampire with the long scar. We walked down street after street until we neared a church with a tall spire. â€Å"Were here,† she said, turning sharply to enter a wrought-iron gate. Her boots echoed against a slate path that led to the rear of a house. She opened the door, and a musty scent greeted me. Buxton immediately walked through the parlor and up a set of stairs, leaving me and the young female vampire alone in the darkness. â€Å"Welcome home,† she said, spreading her hands wide. â€Å"There are plenty of spare rooms upstairs. Find one that suits you.† â€Å"Thank you.† As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I took in my surroundings. Black velvet curtains fastened with golden rope blocked every window. Dust motes floated in the air, and gilt-framed paintings covered the walls. The furniture was threadbare, and I could just make out two sweeping staircases with what looked like oriental runners and, in the next room, a piano. Though at one point this must have been a grand house, now the soiled walls were cracked and peeling, and cobwebs draped over the gold-and-crystal chandelier above us. â€Å"Always enter through the back. Never draw back the curtains. Dont ever bring anyone here. Do you understand, Stefan?† She looked at me pointedly. â€Å"Yes,† I said, running a finger along the marble fireplace, cutting a path in the inch-thick dust. â€Å"Then I think you will like it here,† she said. I turned to face her, nodding in agreement. My panic had subsided, and my arms no longer trembled. â€Å"Im Lexi,† she said, holding out her hand, allowing me to raise it to my lips and kiss it. â€Å"I have a feeling that you and I will be friends for a long time.†

Byzantine Empire Essays

Byzantine Empire Essays Byzantine Empire Paper Byzantine Empire Paper A Resource to Accompany History Alive! The Ancient World Brings Learning Alive! Teachers Curriculum Institute 1. Introduction In Chapter 37, you learned how the emperor Constantine moved his capital from Rome to the ancient city of Byzantium in 330 C. E. This city eventually became known as Constantinople. After Constantines reign, power was usually divided between two emperors. One was based in Rome, and one in Constantinople. After the fall of Rome, the eastern half of the empire continued for another 1,000 years. Today we call this eastern empire the Byzantine Empire, after Byzantium, the original name of its capital city. This great empire straddled two continents, Europe and Asia. It lasted from about 500 to 1453 C. E., when it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. East and west did remain connected for a time through a shared Christian faith. But the church in the east developed in its own unique way. It became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church. Over time, Byzantine emperors and church officials came into conflict with the pope in Rome. The conflict eventually led to a permanent split between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Justinian more than anything wanted to restore the Roman Empire, and while restoring it he wanted to include much of the Roman fortifications used in the old Roman Empire. As shown in document 5, Justinian built the Hippodrome which was modeled after The Circus Maximus. Justinian started restoring the Roman Empire by trying to conquer the land that first belonged to the eastern Roman Empire. He gained back southern Spain, all of Italy, and northern Africa. Once he started gaining all this land he had to start to find a way the gain back all the money he spent on conquering land. As shown in document 6, The Byzantine Empire reached its greatest size under Justinian. Because of the location the Constantinople, Justinian had a great advantage because it was right in the center of two cross roads between Asia and Europe, so the empire gained a lot of money in trade because if its location. Because of all these advantages of Constantinople, it was known as the center of power. Without all the contributions Justinian made, the Roman Empire probably wouldn’t have been rebuilt. Out of the many contributions that Justinian gave to the Roman Empire a few stand out. One of the many contributions Justinian made was the building of the Hagia Sophia which was a huge dome like building that when entered gave people the influence of god. In document 3 the Hagia Sophia is described as a spherical-shaped dome that is exceedingly beautiful. The entire ceiling is covered with pure gild, which adds glory to the beauty. The Hagia Sophia was known as a place of god, a place where people worshiped god. This was important because it taught people how important religion was in their lives and the beauty it can bring. Another contribution Justinian gave to the Byzantine Empire was his code of law; his laws kept the empire in order and told people the way to live. According to document 1, people were finding the laws obscure because they had become for more numerous than they should be and in obvious confusion because they disagreed with each other. Justinian preserved them in the Legal Code of Emperor Justinian by controlling their discrepancies with the greatest firmness. That means that he controlled their conflicting ideas by creating this code of law. Justinian created the laws so that everybody had fair rights. Justinian’s main goal in rebuilding the empire was to preserve the Greco-Roman culture. Justinian kept some of the old Roman traditions but fixed them to fit the requirements for the new empire, for example, laws were rearranged to become fair to everybody because many citizens didn’t agree with them and new buildings and structures were constructed which lead to a lot trade and cultural diffusion. Justinian made a large impact to the new empire.

Slang Words Ending in O

Slang Words Ending in O Slang Words Ending in O Slang Words Ending in O By Mark Nichol Among the more curious classes of slang words is that of terms ending in the letter o, the topic of this post. Several categories exist in which informal words end in o. Among the oldest are those consisting of words to which an extraneous o has been added, such as cheerio (from cheer or cheery), which in British English is used as a greeting or a farewell, and boyo, an extension of boy, just as kiddo is derived from kid. Sometimes, a word ending in o is simply a truncation of a word in which o is naturally the last letter of the abbreviation, such as condo, for condominium, which originally meant â€Å"joint rule or sovereignty† but in the mid-twentieth century came to refer to a privately owned apartment. (The word to which the element con-, meaning â€Å"with,† has been attached is cognate with domain.) Another example is demo, short for demonstration, in the sense of a presentation of a product or a rough version of a music recording. Sometimes the o is attached to a truncated word after the first syllable regardless of which vowel follows in the full form of the word, as in aggro, for aggressive (generally to describe a hostile person or hostile behavior); ammo, for ammunition; combo, for combination (usually in the sense of a small ensemble of musicians, especially those who play jazz); convo, for conversation; and journo, for journalist. Australia is fertile ground for word formation of this type (as well as other diminutive forms, such as applying -ie, as in alkie, for alcoholic, and barbie, for barbecue). Some more obscure abbreviations from Australia include arvo, for afternoon; doggo (in the expression â€Å"lie doggo,† meaning â€Å"lay low†); and muso, for musician. One slightly truncated word in American English is rando, from random; several decades ago, the latter word was first employed as a noun to describe a peculiar person, and from there it acquired the sense of someone who is sketchy or undesirable. Rando inherited that connotation, usually in the context of a stranger who unexpectedly tries to make contact with another person, either in person or through social media. An older, synonymic term is weirdo, which sports an o attached to weird. On this model was beardo formed to refer to someone sporting a trendy-looking full, bushy beard, especially one who might also be tagged a rando or a weirdo. Occasionally, a word ending in o is adopted from another language. In the case of mondo, which denotes excessiveness or outrageousness, it derives ultimately from the Italian word for world; the context is Mondo Cane, the title of an Italian documentary about human eccentricity. (The loose English translation of the title is A Dog’s Life; cane is cognate with canine.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Useful Stock Phrases for Your Business EmailsExcited ABOUT, not "for" 150 Foreign Expressions to Inspire You

Article Review and Reflection TopicHuman resouce Literature

Article and Reflection TopicHuman resouce - Literature review Example Research Questions or Hypotheses The research question holds a central position in a research paper. It addresses the idea, in brief, that the researcher explains in the course of his paper. Generally, the research question is stated specifically although sometimes, to address complex issues, multiple questions have to be mentioned. A common phenomenon observed among the Chinese enterprises is described by the phrase ‘lasting briefly, and growing with difficulty’. With the passage of time, the mindset of people has undergone changes along with economic development of the country. In the later part of the 1980s, the term ‘Private Economy’ emerged in China. The economic entities which are invested into by a non-government body or a private enterprise or individual and run by them are known as privately operated economy. They are based on private resources and do not embody the state capital. There are several small and medium enterprises that are emerging in t he country based on private investment. Such firms, although faring well in the initial phase, sometimes cannot grow further later on. It is quite difficult for any enterprise to hold on to its existence if it becomes stagnant. The hypothesis made in this paper is: whether the difficulties faced by the private enterprises is owing to the problem arising in the management of their human resources. Literature Review The literature review of a research paper provides guidance in the formation of a theoretical and conceptual framework required for the study. This builds the base on which the entire research work is founded. The literature review provides the backdrop for research work and shows further avenues for conducting research. In this current paper, the theory of small and medium private enterprises in China and their basis of management have been well established. Consequently, the authors have discussed the hurdles that these firms face, and the links between these problems an d their improper management structure. Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework pertaining to a research work is inclusive of three broad things: the problem to be addressed, the literature review and the purpose of research. Foreign companies operating in China had brought in the term ‘Human Resources’ into China. In simple words, the term refers to the workers that work in a certain organization and their capability to do productive work. They are an integral part of an enterprise since the development of a firm, both economically and socially, depends to a great extent on the human resources of the firm. The workers’ efforts can be categorized into two divisions: physical work and intellectual work. Not only does the quantity of production made by the workers put an upward thrust on the performance of the company in the market but is also largely dependent on the efficient management of the resources that would lead to a good quality of their performance. Human resources management, thus, plays a crucial role in any organization’s administration for it to remain healthy over time. By ‘effective human resources management’ one emphasizes the management of human resources in a reasonable and scientific way. A reasonable utilization of human resource

Identifying Ethical Differences in Culture Essay

Identifying Ethical Differences in Culture - Essay Example In regarding guanxi, it usually outstrips any rules and regulations that run contrary to it. In China guanxi obliges one to defer to a complex system of personal relationships and moral obligations, which may even date back generations, in all aspect of life. This certainly includes business as well. Guanxi places relationships above all other considerations and in business one may be forced to use their position to purchase products from an associate that may in fact be more expensive or of less quality than is available somewhere else. Actions like these, if detected by a company from one of its staff would usually be grounds for dismissal as well as legal action in many cases. This disparity between worlds is due to one of the major cultural differences between the U.S. and China. In the US business and even personal relationships are usually transactional, that is there is a give and take that is considered an equitable exchange between two parties. This usually holds for both bu siness entities as well as personal relationships. Chinese cultural is far more relationally oriented and is often guided by complex associations of family and friends over many generations. Based essentially upon honor and respect, it is far more important to maintain good relationships under the rules of guanxi than it is to do what is best for your company. This is of course considered treason in the U.S., while in China it is accepted and tolerated by most organizations. Although the law does limit it to some extent and the excessive.

Strategy management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Strategy management - Essay Example According to Yip, internationalization is driven by market, cost, government and competitive drivers, which influence the level of market competitiveness and success of globalization. In the telecommunication industry, globalization has become a major way of improving sales, market control and performance (Yip, Biscarri & Monti, 2000). Companies such as apple, Samsung and Nokia have entered markets in different parts of the globe including emerging and developed countries. Market driver remains the major motivation for globalization by most of these companies as it seeks to improve its presence, perception and performance in the market. Market drivers describe the needs and preferences of the customers, the existence of global demand among others (Lal & Strachan, 2007). Telecommunication industry is one of the most dynamic sector in which consumer loyalty is not assured and changes in taste and preferences affect the demand of different products. Within the telecommunication industry, products such as mobile phones, smartphones and computers perform based on how they satisfy the needs of the market. Companies such as Samsung and apple have upped the competition in the telecommunication industry, developing a strong market control as compared to other companies. The companies in demand in Africa, Asia and other parts of the world due to the strong consumer preference that has emerged due to the sleek designs and consumer centrality adopt Apple products. This has caused a need for these companies to enter into new markets and fill the void currently within the global market beat the strong competition (Yip, Biscarri & Monti, 2000). Cost drivers include the need to adopt scales economies, improved supply chain and exploitation of country specific cultural differences across the globe. To achieve the economies of scales, businesses cannot continue serving the national or domestic markets. As a result,

Colourism In The 21st Century Cultural Studies Essay

Colourism In The 21st Century Cultural Studies Essay Even though the term colourism, otherwise known as shadeism, has gained popularity in recent years, the concept is deeply rooted in the colonial days of slavery. Defined as a form of  prejudice or  discrimination  in which persons are treated differently based on the social meanings attached to skin color, this light skin versus dark skin issue has had a damaging effect on the psyche of young black Jamaicans today. However, according to Cedric Herring colourism operates in two different ways: interracially and intraracially. Interracial colourism occurs when members of one racial group make distinctions based upon skin color between members of another racial group. Intraracial colourism occurs when members of a racial group make distinctions based upon skin color between members of their own race (3). While I will be analysing both forms of colourism, the focus of this thesis will be on intraracial colourism, specifically within the Jamaican community. After the abolition of slavery in Jamaica, the immersion of a middle and lower class was integrated into the hierarchical structure of Jamaica that previously only claimed whites as the elite. As a result, due to the preferential treatment that was awarded to mulattoes-a treatment that allowed them to have an education-, they became the ruling middle class with the then former black slaves turned peasants as the lower class. To make matters worse, the historical and stereotypical depiction of Africans as ugly, stupid and uncivilized and Europeans as pretty, intelligent and superior only served to brainwash black Jamaicans into thinking that they are the inferior race. Thus, the tendency to perceive or behave toward members of a racial category based on the lightness or darkness of their skin tone has resulted in, not only the segregation of a people within a specific ethnic group, but it has also created, amongst the African Diaspora of Jamaica, extreme methods through which the they will do anything to attain as many refined European attributes as possible. According to William Lynchs letter The Making of a Slave, his secret to controlling slaves is by pitting them against each other, by exploiting differences such as age and skin color that would, after some time, sow dissension amongst them, one that would last for many years to come. While there has been extensive research and academia founded on the topic of racism within the West Indian context during the colonial period, only a few have examined intraracial skin color hierarchies amongst the black race and even less amongst the African Diaspora of Jamaica in the 21st century. It is therefore, the purpose of this study to show how stereotypes and perceptions about light and dark skin signify an inheritance of similar attitudes documented in earlier generations of black Jamaicans, which in turn, sheds light on the ever-present discrimination that continues takes place on a day to day basis in their lives. It is my hope that this study will address the following: Demonstrate the link of Jamaicas colonial past to colourism today Show the medias role toward preference and how it has affected black Jamaicans Explain the extreme measures taken in order to be brown Many historians (Henriques 1953; Norris 1962) have acknowledged the fact that slavery has had adverse psychological effects on Africans (Danieli 394), especially those of a darker complexion. As such, the preferential treatment that was awarded to mulatto slaves (James and Harris 234) has been able to transcend years of black empowerment movements in such a way that it is clearly evident in Jamaicas society today through colourism (Herring 3). According to Carolyn Cooper, the remnants of Jamaicas colonial past are ever present in the social interactions of its people today, no matter the context. Her argument is further supported by Deborah Gabriel (28) who has studied race relations among Jamaicans and attests to the fact that colour prejudice is visible in the societys socio-economic environment. Moreover, Antonio Gramscis cultural hegemony theory, which is explored in the works of Boggs (39), Gail Dines and Jean M. Humez (62), adds another dimension to the analysis of colourism by stating that the superimposition of one culture over another negatively affects their already established social structure. It is common knowledge therefore that the white ideal- through which all analyses of colourism is based- expresses the view that blacks are the inferior race and whites, the superior (Kardiner et. al 315). Even Fanons psychoanalytical theory of racism and the dehumanization of African slaves in the colonial epoch support the idea that white supremacy has led black people to develop an inferiority complex. Yet, despite the call for black unity among the African race advocated by numerous social and political groups such as the Pan-African movements and Rastafarianism (Caravantes 2003), there are still messages being transmitted that stipulate that light skin people are better t han their darker counterparts. Carl Boggs lends aid to this belief through his analysis in the role of mainstream media. His study shows how the elite in society have been able to perpetuate the ideology that whites are the superior race (39). On the other hand, however, Margaret Andersen and Howard Taylor examine the way in which light skin black people are depicted as elite in their own right when compared to their darker counterparts (53). Consequently, the association between white people and light skin people as more intelligent, more beautiful and more civilized can be found numerous media outlets in Jamaica. To add to that theory is the analysis of Buju Bantons song Love me browning by Patricia Mohammed who stated that his song has reinforced and reflected the idea that men value the colour of light skin in women in Jamaica (35). This preference has led to the exacerbation of black womens self-esteem who now take it upon themselves to bleach their skin in an attempt to seem more desirable. According to Natasha Barnes, not only is skin colour used as a handicap to gain social access, it is also seen as a form of economic mobility and stability among the light skin people of Jamaica (*). Therefore, it isnt necessary that black people work as hard as they do to move up the socio-economic ladder because decent job qualifications are not more valuable than the colour of ones skin (Miller, ). However, after having researched the subject for this thesis project, I found that there was an abundance of information based on African American experiences along with the numerous studies which have proven that people with darker skin are subjugated to more prejudice than their lighter skinned counterparts. In fact, very little of the information found related to the theme of colourism as a system of language, internal scripts and external practices that govern the everyday interactions and experiences of young black men and women as it relates to skin tone  [1]  in the contemporary society of Jamaica. While I do agree with many historian sociologists, such as Fernando Henriques and Katrin Norris, who have highlighted the topic of skin politics in Jamaica, I intend to go further by examining the phenomenon of colourism as it relates to present day interactions and experiences. By examining the historical and contemporary significance of skin color, it will be proven that discrimination based on skin color is a present reality that will assume increasing significance in the future as current understandings of race and racial classifications disintegrate.   Furthermore, for the purpose of this thesis I have taken the liberty of looking at numerous primary and secondary sources, such as those written by Marcus Garvey, Dr. Eric Williams, Francis O.C, Anthony Richmond, and David Lowenthal. They have all have given me great insight into historical context of race relations during the colonial period and how black people reacted to this unjust treatment through the various black power movements, especially those executed by Rastafarians. On the other hand, however, due to the fact that this thesis is based on race relations within a specific social group in contemporary Jamaica, many of the research executed had to be done via questionnaires and face to face group discussions with Jamaican men and women. As a result, their responses have allowed me to fill in the information that was lacking in the secondary sources. Through the use of questionnaires, I was able to target audience of ten people in an efficient amount of time. Nevertheless, as with all data collection, some of opinions expressed warranted a deeper analysis of the subject at hand. Consequently, I resorted to focus groups of r people and individual interviews so that greater insight would be given as to why people had certain opinions; to know how they thought or felt about this topic, as it is a term that is rarely used in public spheres, and even less so in private ones. To conclude, this research speaks to the gaps in empirical research and theoretical conceptualizations of colourism by providing an in-depth exploration of skin tone bias and discrimination among African Jamaicans. Additionally, it seeks to develop a foundation for a theoretical framework that captures the key features of colourism in the 21st century. As such, an examination of race relations will show whether or not there is a preference for lighter skin in Jamaica, and if so the extent to which one would go to achieve features that approximate a Caucasian appearance. The origins of colourism The whites claim superiority, as is done all over the world, and, unlike other parts, the coloured, who ancestrally are the illegitimate off-springs of black and white, claim a positive superiority over the blacks. They train themselves to believe that in the slightest shade the coloured man is above the black man and so it runs right up to whiteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ -Marcus Garvey () Colourism exists everywhere in the African Diaspora where slavery or colonization brought with it the imposition of western ideology and white supremacy, (Gabriel, 25). Approximately six hundred thousand Africans came to Jamaica from the Bight of Biafra, the Gold Coast, West Central Africa and the Bight of Benin between 1533 and 1807 (http://www.nlj.gov.jm/NLJ/files/u1/slave_trade_bibliography.pdf, 15/03/2013) to work as slaves on the sugar cane plantation. Upon their arrival, European plantation owners established themselves as superior based on a paradigm through which Africans were biologically and legally inferior because of their skin colour and as such they were forced to endure hard labour. This racist social system, known as white supremacy, resulted in Negro subordination through white domination. However, with the start of miscegenation between white slave owners and African slaves- through rape- a new racial group was created which in turn created a new paradigm. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it was widely held that slaves of colour should not be employed in field labour and that they should be given preference in the training of tradesman, the flower of the slave population.' (Higman, 189). Mulatto children, although most of them were not freed, they were considered better than the black population because of their close proximity to the whites. As a result, they were offered an education, an opportunity through which they held an even greater advantage over the African slaves. Thus, when the sugar plantations experienced a decline in revenue and plantation owners were sinking into debt, some of them left Jamaica, retuning to live in England off the money they had earned through the hard labor of the Africans. This movement off the island by the whites left a void in the social hierarchy, which mulattos came to fill (Gabriel, 27). Consequently, gradations in skin colour through social stratification allowed these mulatto men and women to assume a higher status, socially and economically, according to the lightness of their skin tone. This hierarchical structure persisted even after the complete emancipation of slavery in 1838 with the introduction of freed slaves as lower class, mulattoes as middle class and whites as the elite. Yet, even after more than 200 hundred years of freedom, the idea that a persons destiny is predetermined by their skin tone proves that this historical continuum still exists. Colourism is so deeply embedded in the structure and organization of Caribbean societies that people identify themselves and form relationships according to the standards implemented by the white British (Flynn, 2011). While the 21st century has seen many changes with regards to race discrimination, interpersonal and intrapersonal colourism continues its reigns in Jamaican society. This is ever present in the social interactions among young adults and children who experience discrimination because they are too dark or preference because they are light skin. A standard that is further highlighted by a 22 year old male interviewee who recounted a particular situation in high school where a girl told him outright that she would not date him because he was too dark. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦because internalized racism is so firmly entrenched in the consciousness of black people, they are often unaware that they have a colour complex (Gabriel, 22). Browning, which replaces terms like mulatto, terceroon, quadroon, mustee, musteefino used in the colonial period is a fabled ideal of female beauty and male power in Jamaica society: the just right mix of white and black (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120122/focus/focus5.html, 12/03/2013). However, this term browning also reduces the person being referred to as a mere object, a trophy, a prized possession; they are only seen for the colour of their skin and the socio-economic status attached to their nearness to European characteristics and distance from the African (Henriques, *). As a result, many men and women in Jamaica today are obsessed with trying to attain this ideal because they see it as a sign of upward mobility from their destitute stations. Therefore, while it is totally understandable that e ach person is entitled to their preference, the fact remains that this preference is based on a premise which reinforces the idea that black is undesirable and light skin is ideal. This train of thought is in keeping with the social stratification theory that has been interwoven in the socio-historical tapestry of Jamaica. For a mother to insist that her daughter, black or coloured, gone to buckra [master] house, gone live so that she gone lift de colour was seen as a sign of pride during the days of slavery (Henriques,*). Even now, there are parents who prefer their sons and daughters marry white (Norris, *) because they see it as a chance for their children to move upward in a society that acknowledges and propels the worth of the white bias. Consequently, these children have grown up with the idea that a dark skin tone limits ones chances to a better life and a lighter complexion is the pathway to success. An ideology that is further cemented by the responses given to a survey conducted on this theme of colourism, more specifically preference for lighter skin in Jamaica, through which the majority of respondents despite age, social class and education believ e that if one is fairer in complexion, they are automatically offered more opportunities. Likewise is the case for young adults transitioning from school life to independent status by entering the workforce. I am not surprised that certain employers request light-skinned individuals for recruitmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Appearances do matter in recruitment, and generally speaking, Jamaicans are unable to see the beauty in a man or woman of African descent (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110914/letters/letters1.html, 12/03/2013). Explicit discrimination in the hiring process of many firms is a cause for concern within the Jamaican job market. Historically, darker men and women were not allowed to work in banks, government offices or at the front desk of private businesses until the 1960s (Gabriel, 33). Yet, even though change has been fought for by many involved in the Pan-African and Rastafarian movement, the existence of companies that openly state that they want light skin applicants does nothing for the advancement of a country whose motto recites Out of many, One people . The Acquired Anti-Own Race Syndrome created by Clinton Hutton, a lecturer in political philosophy and culture at the University of the West Indies, Mona refers to the the philosophy and psychology of assumed European world cultural superiority expressed by African peoples in their relations with each other and in perceiving and operating in the world (Hutton, ). Consequently, this ideology expresses the views that both socially and economically, Jamaicans have used the predetermined white supremacy standards to interact with each other. With this in mind, it is no wonder why dark skin Jamaicans think it necessary to try to elevate themselves out of their situations. They are measured by unrealistic goals designed to keep them at the bottom of hierarchical structure and they will remain there if the damaged psyche of those who reinforce these ideals dont change. If not, black Jamaicans will never truly be able to gain access to decent jobs based on merit alone as light skin far outwei ghs education and training skills (Miller, 3164). *** Many sociologists have argued that the mass media promote narrow definitions of who people are and what they can be (Andersen and Taylor, 53). For centuries the media has influenced and propagated the ideal body image for men and women across the globe, which in turn affects their personality, how they interact with one another and their health (Lubkin, 197). Even long before the advent of technological advances the global population has been exposed to paintings of idyllic body images as can be seen in the works of Rubens, Renoir and Raphael who influenced cultural standards for the ultimate body type in their respective eras (Kirsh, 126). As such, one shouldnt be surprised by the outright and even subliminal messages (Jackson, 350) projected to the masses that stipulate what is beautiful and what is not. Televisions, magazines, music and more notably in contemporary societies, the internet, have transmitted these idealistic images that would later epitomize an era. Intrinsically, i t is these major multibillion-dollar media conglomerate companies that concentrate their control on what is assimilated on a day to day basis. Their promotion on what is culturally acceptable has had an explosive effect on the way people think about themselves and about others. According to Italian communist Antonio Gramscis theory on cultural hegemony- through which he broadens the materialist Marxist theory- the ruling class within a culturally diverse society superimposes its values, whether social, economical, political or religious, upon the lower classes, who in turn buy into the status quo operating against their established social structure (Dines and Humez, 62). This dominance of one class or group over another can be used to explain the way in which media is used as a tool by the elites to perpetuate their power, wealth and status [by popularizing] their own philosophy, culture and morality (Boggs, 39). As a result, through analysis of the history of all forms of media leading up to the 21st century, one can easily stipulate that European features and fair skin are more pervasive- no matter the race-, youth is more accepted and beauty is whatever and whomever can approximate to both these ideals. A correlation can then be made between media and th e black ugliness/white beauty binary of imperialism and slavery that has spawned a racialized beauty empire (Rodrà ­guez, Boatcă, Costa, 196). And it is this correlation that highlights the conditions under which black people must perform in order to be successful; the same correlation that stipulates black beauty in the 21st century is a paradox. Marcus Garvey advocated for Black Nationalism whereby he encouraged African people to be proud of their race and see the beauty in their own kind (Caravantes, 2003). This movement de-centered white beautys iconicity through anti colonialist aesthetics focused on natural hair and black self-love so as to redefine blackness through positive valuation (Rodrà ­guez, Boatcă, Costa, 198). In collaboration with Rastafarianism, these Pan-Africanism Movements promoted ideologies like black is beautiful and Im black and Im proud, however, when mainstream media daily bombards the population with images that say otherwise, what is this country Out of many, one people supposed to believe? The idea that political, social and economical institutions have bought into this perception of superiority/inferiority within the African race only serves to reinforce this long standing belief. Advertising agencies have projected this standard at all levels in the Jamaican society. According to Carolyn Cooper, colourism can be found even at tertiary level education. It is the faces of lighter skin males and female students that are used to advertise the institutions at an international level, whereas the darker students were found in the local yellow pages. She further explains another situation in which family oriented advertisements display images of a dark skin father and light skin mother with a dark skin son and light skin daughter. Social ads also show the same thing. They big-up all the light skin girls them. Yuh cant leave yuh house without seein them brownins on billboards, in the news, on party flyers, in magazines. They dominate the industry, says a 23 year old cocoa coloured female interviewee who resides in Trinidad pursuing her bachelors degree at the University of the West Indies. The idea that men are not as affected by skin colour, hair texture and facial f eatures as their female counterparts, demonstrates their social and economical mobility in a patriarchal society despite the colour of their skin. As a result, it is only the representations of dark-skinned African women as those who are not ideal that is subliminally and openly transmitted. Indubitably, when one references Jamaican media, its music is highly influential, beginning with the famous Bob Marley, who put Jamaica on the map musically, with songs that referenced peace and black unity. However, when Buju Banton came out with his song Love me browning in 1992, consisting of the following lyrics: Me love me car, me love me bike, me love me money and ting but most of all me love me browning, it caused an uproar within the Jamaican society who accused him of denigrating the image of black women by promoting a colonial mindset (Mohammad, 35). Yet, even though he sang Love Black woman within that same year as a response to all the negative comments he was receiving, it didnt hide the fact that he was expressing the views of many Jamaican men who had a penchant for lighter-skinned women. Likewise in contemporary Jamaica, with the popularity of skin bleaching in songs from Vybz Kartel, who has also bleached his skin colour because he wanted to show off his tattoos ()*, Jamaicans are bombarded with the views that having a lighter complexion is the way to go. Music videos use women that are fairer in complexion when the song is about love and for dancehall music the predominantly darker skinned women are used to gyrate. Objectified as a sexual creature a darker woman isnt seen as someone a man would want to build a life with because she is considered only within a sexual context. While there have been some transitions in music where dark skin women are used with terms of endearment, the majority of the popular music videos shown still illustrate the European influenced cookie cutter image of women to sell their songs. The media is all about selling goods and selling fantasies is one of their products. It presents men with the ideal woman and vice versa. As such, lighter complexioned men and women, as depicted in all forms of media, are seen as trophies. According to Natasha Barnes, skin colour still serves as a handicap in access to good service, securing decent jobs, housing and other social amenities (Barnes, 286). Thus, a higher complexioned woman is seen as the symbol of a mans success whereas the man is seen as a way out of poverty and an elevation of social status for women. As such, the following statement given by a 20 year old anonymous female in response to a question about social interactions in Jamaica and the perceptions men and women have of each other, will clearly provide insight into the minds of young African men and women of contemporary Jamaica: If you have a light skin man in Jamaica, especially if you come from inner city Jamaica, is like you have gold. Youre introduced to a new world, you meet new people, have more opportunities because his world is completely different to your own. You cant force anyone to think black is beautiful when the evidence around them testifies to the contrary.   And which of our leaders are going from a rich mahogany to a high yellow shade? The poor can only afford bleaching creams, but the  well-to-do have other means (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120226/news/news4.html, 25/01/2013) With particular attention to the Jamaican government ministers and officials, one sees that darker hued representatives are a minority. While it is not the fault of these officials to possess the education necessary that would allow them the chance to enter into such high esteemed positions the questions remain: Were they offered more opportunities due to their skin complexion? With such a high percentage of those who were given questionnaires saying Yes (82%) a lighter skin hue does open more doors for you, doubt still lingers. However, when newspaper ads highlight the fact that there are still proprietors requesting that trainees be brown or light-skinned as a prerequisite for employment in their firms (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110911/lead/lead1.html , 02/02/2013) it supports the idea that discrimination persists to this day. Certainly, the government has spoken out against any form of skin prejudice and promised to take action, even urging people to boycott businesses lacking black faces, but few express confidence that the culprits will ever be named, (http://www.ipsnews.net/2011/09/jamaica-wanted-light-skinned-only-please/, 02/02/2013). A Darker Shade of Pale Weighing about 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) on average and covering some 22 square feet (2 square meters), the human skin is the largest organ of the body, composed of a complex system of cell layers, nerves and glands that not only protects them from but also connects them to the outside world. However, what makes an African persons skin colour different to that of a white person, is the amount of melanin produced in the epidermis. As such, darker-skinned people produce more numerous and deeper-colored melanin particles than their fairer-skinned counterparts, which in turn acts as a benefit since they dont need as much bone-strengthening vitamin D, produced through exposure to UV rays  (http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/skin-article/, 09/03/2013). Skin bleaching, also known as skin lightening or skin whitening, on the other hand, refers to the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to reduce the prominence of skin discolorations and even lighten skin tone by lessening the concentration of  melanin produced. This whitening process can help lighten a tan, fade scars, and alleviate dark patches on the skin through the use of topical skin lightening creams and lotions that often contain plant extracts that have bleaching effects on the skin or chemical agents such as hydroquinone, azelaic acid, and retinoic acid. While several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, some have proved to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles. Their harmful effects add to the controversy surrounding their use and the impacts they have on certain ethnic groups who apply skin lighteners to their entire body so as to achieve a lighter complexion. But this can be very risky as the active ingredient in some blea ching creams contain steroids or mercury, a toxic agent that can lead to mercury poisoning causing serious psychiatric, neurological, and  kidney  problem (http://www.webmd.com/beauty/face/skin-lightening-products, 09/03/2013) With a history that can be dated as far back as the Elizabethan age of powder and paint (Williams, 1957), the elaborate white make-up of Japanese Geishas (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/apr/04/japan.nicolemowbray, 08/03/2013) or even the deep rooted desire Indians to have pale skin because it will that is entwined with Indias complex social hierarchy or caste system (Gomes and Westerhof 2001), it is evident that skin bleaching has existed for thousands of years. Yet, despite the warnings given by health officials to educate the masses about the dangers of skin bleaching creams, there are millions of people worldwide who dont heed these messages, particularly Jamaicans, who in fact, have reached dangerous proportions, particularly in the countrys slums. For them, a lighter complexion is seen as a ticket to upward mobility: socially, professionally and economically. As a result, they paste their entire bodies with white cream, don a track suit and intermittently try to refrain fr om the suns darkening powers. The various homemade concoctions such as toothpaste, curry powder, milk powder, household bleach, aloe vera and cornmeal that are used as part of their skin-lightening routine, a routine that some people do up to three times a day, is a way for them to achieve their goal (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20091115/news/news3.html, 12/03/2013). Frantz Fanon (1952), the Martinique-born French psychiatrist, used psychoanalytical theory to explore the psyche of the Negro as shaped by the Eurocentric world in which he lives, especially in a colonial context vis-à  -vis skin colour. Although he does not actually reference skin bleaching, he does speak of the inferiority complex engendered in the mind of Black people, who try to adapt to and imitate the culture of the colonizer so as to attain some sort of identity, especially after having been forcibly removed from their own African roots.   With that in mind, the attempt to assign color privilege based upon proximity to whiteness by circumnavigating the parameters of the white/non-white binary racial hierarchy is the spectrum upon which Pigmentocracy, and therefore colourism, is based (Blay, 5). It is the unconscious and unnatural training of black people from a young age to associate blackness with wrongness that has given rise to this widespread global phenomenon of skin w hitening.   The idea that ones destiny is intertwined with the colour of ones skin is ludicrous to some, however, in the lives of these Jamaicans, it is as absolute as night and day. Synonymous with the practice of slaves in the past, men and women are currently trying to ameliorate their socio-economic standing by marrying into families of a higher breed, but the only way to even reach this gateway of social mobility, according to them, is to physically alter their looks as well. Popular Jamaican proverbs like anything too black nuh good, or when yuh black yuh affi stick back and if yuh brown come around reinforce the high degree of colour prejudice existing in contemporary Jamaica today. The White  ideal (Kardiner   Ovesey, 1962) which includes pale skin, long, straight hair, and aquiline features, assesses the enduring influences on societal assessments of human value. Skin bleaching then represents one attempt to approximate the White ideal and cons