Standardized Testing And A Grading System - 1629 Words

As a student I never really thought much about the grading system used by our public education system. As long as I passed I really did not care too much unless my parents put pressure on me to do better. I was an indifferent student who was fairly smart and did the minimum to get by. But that was then and this is now. Going into the field of education has opened my eyes to the competitive world in which modern day students are pressured to succeed. At the heart of this is the push for Common Core Standards, standardized testing and a grading system that is little changed since I was a student. However, it is not only the students who are being graded anymore. In order to improve academic performance teachers are now being targeted with grades on their performance. But is this really the best system we have for measuring success? In order to better understand how education has evolved we need to understand how we ended up where we are today. In the beginning there was only a pass fail system for education and students stayed with a teacher until they thought the student had achieved the requisite knowledge necessary. It was not until the 1700’s that a different system of grading was used. Unlike today’s system this system was a percentage system and was designed as a way in which educators could provide each other and parents with a way to gauge a student’s ability. This system was loosely based off of a system used for grading shoes made in a factory. The shoes were gradedShow MoreRelatedStandardized Testing Is Important For Education1250 Words   |  5 Pagesour education system that standardized testing is important for education. There is a belief that standardized testing is important student outcomes. The educational establishment believes that we should use standardized test to evaluate students and teachers. They believe that we should fire bad and incompetent teachers. . These bureaucrats believe that students need to evaluated based on standardized test. They believe there should be more accountability in our education system. What they wantRead MoreWhy Is A Standards Based Education Problematic? Essay759 Words   |  4 Pagesan educational Olympics† (Armstrong, et al., 21). This type of curriculum emphasizes competition rather than focusing on the individual student’s unique talents and abilities. †¢ C. Thomas Holmes also opposes standards-based education, claiming â€Å"Standardized test results should be used for identifying areas in curriculum that need improvement, not for holding students accountable† (Armstrong, et al., 21). Evidence: The Teaching Today, Edition Nine textbook briefly outlines three major proponents ofRead MoreWeek 7 Weak Curriculum Vsinadequateinst1238 Words   |  5 Pagesprocess of what works best to achieve higher level learning among students. Curriculum mainly focuses on the knowledge and skills that are important to learn where as instruction is what learning will be achieved to meet the needs of students, standardized testing, and outcomes. Teachers in the 21st century have to employ instructional strategies that are innovative, research-proven techniques/strategies, technologies, and real world resources-contexts in order to differentiate among the many learningRead MoreStandardized Testing : A Gateway Of Opportunities And Successes For Many Scholarship Bound Students821 Words   |  4 Pages Ogechi Nwokonko Mr. Marshall English 1301 11/12/2014 Researched Argument Although standardized testing was a gateway of opportunities and successes for many scholarship bound students, it was also the downfall in the educational system today. How can we define standardized testing? According to the Edglossary, state testing can be defined as a test that: â€Å"requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and thatRead More Alternative Assessment Essay examples1282 Words   |  6 Pagesstated that â€Å"the obsession with standardized test scores has set our agenda back decades. In some cases, it is impossible to propose project-based learning, because the entire academic year is devoted to practicing for statewide testing.† He went on to say that things can be different (Montague, 2000). He is correct; there are other ways to â€Å"test† student knowledge that are more beneficial to the students. These are called alternative assessment forms. Standardized tests can take various formsRead MoreTesting And De Grading Schools : Authentic Alternatives For Accountability And Standardization1080 Words   |  5 PagesJuly 4, 2015 EDDL 941 Book Review Bower, J., Thomas, P. L. (Eds.). (2013). De-testing and de-grading schools: Authentic alternatives to accountability and standardization. New York: Peter Lang Publishing Inc. Synopsis: I found De-testing and de-grading schools: Authentic alternatives to accountability and standardization by Bower and Thomas, an interesting read and consistent with the critiques of high stakes testing and assessment we’ve read about and watched in this class. It is a collectionRead MoreStandardized Testing Should Be Required1107 Words   |  5 PagesStandardized testing today is used in almost all schools and universities. These tests are designed in a certain way that are administered and recorded in a reliable method. Standardized testing is where all the test takers are obligatory to answer the same set of examinations. These exams sometimes have multiple choice or true or false questions, and the test takers are given a time frame to answer all the problems. Standardized testing is used to compare the performances of the individuals in aRead MoreThe Benefits Of Standardized Testing887 Words   |  4 PagesStandardized Testing is Not Valuable Standardized testing, what is considered to be a fair and balanced way of evaluating a student’s academic progress, is an incredibly controversial topic. The most well known standardized tests are the PSAT, ACT, SAT, and SAT II. Each of these standardized tests share a similar protocol: all students are to have the same set of questions and are to be scored in a â€Å"standard† manner (the usage of a computerized system). The makers and educators of the standardizedRead MoreStandardized Testing For Students Knowledge Of Materials And General Intelligence1598 Words   |  7 Pagesideas about how to formally assess student achievement. By the early 1900’s, statewide testing programs were becoming very common. Since then, the U.S. has been using standardized testing to assess students’ knowledge of materials and general intelligence (Alcocer). Standardized tests do not accurately assess students’ knowledge or academic potential. Many educational professionals feel that without standardized testing there would be no consistency in measuring student achievement and assessing the efficiencyRead MoreTaking a Look at Standardized Testing1518 Words   |  6 PagesStandardized Testing Currently Standardized Testing is one of the many issues currently plaguing the education community. Testing is a very touchy and controversial topic in the politics of education, particularly in the United States. There are many varying opinions debating on the successes and failures in the process of testing today. The controversies over standardized testing in the United State, and specifically New Jersey, stem from the testing process and the creation of these tests. Some

Mental Illness Affects Numerous Individuals In America,

Mental illness affects numerous individuals in America, with nearly 43.8 million adults in America living with a serious illness (Mental health facts in America, n.d). Many of these adults suffering with a mental illness also play the role of a mother, father, or caregiver. According to Costea (2011), â€Å"†¦31% of American women and about 17% of men have a 12-month prevalence of at least one psychiatric disorder, and of those 65% are mothers and 52% are fathers†. However, research focuses on the individuals suffering from a mental illness, and often overlooks the patient’s children and the distress the parents’ mental illnessmay cause on their children. Children of parents with a mental illness deal with a complex life that is filled with†¦show more content†¦According to Hayman (2009), â€Å"A curious role reversal [occurs], children who have a mentally ill parent are often the [caregiver] with all the strains and difficulties this entails and might have the added emotional strain of feeling as if they have lost their parent† (p. 268). From a young age the child is asked to play the role of a parent to their mentally ill parent. According to Hayman (2009), children of mentally ill parents are pressured to mature at a young age in order to care for their parent’s wellbeing. They feel compelled to perform tasks that many adults would find overwhelming like: housekeeping duties, assisting with appointments and medication regimens, witnessing parents’ difficult and bizarre behavior, and exposure to their parents’ inappropriate emotional venting (Hayman, 2009). The parent being physically unavailable to the child can leave the child feeling uncared for, which can cause the parent-child relationship to fall apart (Sherman, 2007). Furthermore, the parent-child relationship can be affected by the parents unpredictable behavior that can cause the parent to treat their children differently, which can crea te thoughts of confusion, helplessness, and disappointment in children (Santvoort, Hosman, Doesum, Janssens, 2013; Sherman, 2007). The unpredictable behaviors that interrupt the parent-child bond are detachment, physical separation, and emotional numbing.Show MoreRelatedAbnormal Psychology and Therapy: Physical Illnesses and Disorders1228 Words   |  5 PagesTherapy If you have an infection, you go to the doctor. There are many different treatments for any number of physical illnesses and disorders, but what if the illness or disorder is in your mind? For psychology to have any validity as a science, research must show there is a common way to think, react, and feel amongst humans; uniform mental processes. So far, research has shown that one can study the behaviors of a small group and compare them to a larger population; however, some people’s thoughtRead MoreChristopher Payne s Asylum : Inside The Closed World Of State Mental Hospitals950 Words   |  4 PagesChristopher Payne’s Asylum: Inside the Closed World of State Mental Hospitals, is the result of a seven-year survey of America s vast and mostly abandoned mental institutions of the late 19th century (Payne Sacks, 2009). Payne’s artistic eye captures images of numerous institutions throughout America and the abandonment that followed. Photographs which display an architectural perspective of 19th Century medicine and, as a by-product, the country’s early history of care for the mentally illRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Health1095 Words   |  5 Pagesstigma in the mental health system is deeply rooted and its origin goes back by centuries. The stigma is powerful that it has been codified in federal since last 50 years. But the realization that the stigma attached adversely affects mental health care system is still lacking. The discrimination against mental illness has invaded the systemic structure causing more worries to sufferers of mental illness and their families. While every individual and system is well aware of mental illness and the biggestRead MoreMajor Depressive Disorder And Its Variants1615 Words   |  7 Pagesmanaging numerous functions that entail the overall well-being of the body. It consists of the Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System of which participate in voluntary and involuntary controlled functions. Detrimental effects can occur if there are issues that interfere with normal functioning of this system that can lead to one of many mental and physiological illnesses. Notably, Depression is one of the most common mental ailments that occur in about 6% of adults in America (Mental HealthRead MoreHomelessness : The Problem Of Homelessness793 Words   |  4 Pageshousing because it is unavoidable. Alternatively, many individuals that are homeless have some type of mental illness or substance abuse problem thus creating a barrier to maintaining housing. Many of these individuals are incapable to preserve stable employment and have limited support to get off the streets. However, there are several programs that the federal government fund to assist with combating the problem of homelessness in America. Chronic Homelessness Questions to ask yourself, doesRead MoreFinal Project Psychology 11501 Words   |  7 Pagesfascinating. Approximately 20% of North Americans will be affected by a mental illness during the course of their lifetime. (MHA, ‘What You Should Know About Mental Illnesses) More specifically, 1 in 100 Americans will suffer from schizophrenia. That means that 300,000 people in America will, at some point in their life, be affected by a very serious and highly misunderstood mental disorder. (Schizophrenia Society of America) It is a serious disorder that consumes a person s life and is nearly impossibleRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness1745 Words   |  7 PagesThe majority of people that have a severe mental illness are object to challenges in double measure. From one point of view, they wrestle with the symptoms and disablement that result from the illness. From another point, they are tested by the stereotypes and preconceived ideas that stem from the misunderstandings about men tal illness. As a culmination of both, people with a mental illness are stripped of the chances that define a quality life such as a good job, safe housing, adequate health careRead MoreThe Inclusion Of Education On Mental Illness1461 Words   |  6 PagesArguing For the Inclusion of Education on Mental Illness Mental illness affects millions of people around the world. What is surprising, however, is the lack of public information and education about mental illness. With the amount of undiagnosed mental illnesses and disorders as well as the number of suicide attempts that occur daily, it should become a priority for the education system to introduce public classes on mental illness for not just adults or teens but for younger children as well. EducatingRead MoreDepression Is A Highly Prevalent Mental Disorder With Estimates1690 Words   |  7 PagesDepression is a highly prevalent mental disorder with estimates indicating that it affects up to 6.7 percent of the United States population age eighteen and older in a given year for Major Depression and 1.5 percent for Persistent Depressive Disorder. The prevalence of mental disorders is the greatest among those who are ages 16 to 24 years of age (ADAA, 2016). The prevalence of youth with mood disorders is 11%, with nearly 50% of youth aged 8 to 15 did not receive mental health services in the previousRead MoreSpanking Child Into A Problematic Life?1295 Words   |  6 Pagesthat 70% of parents that live in America, also, support the use of spanking (Perry). Despite the majority in favor of spanking, there are numerous debates about whether spanking is an effective way to discipline your child or not. In result of the debates, many researchers have conducted studies based solely on the outcomes of spanking. A great number of the studies have concluded that there is a positive correlation between spanking and aggression, mental illness, and antisocial behaviors in the

My Special Someone Free Essays

In every story of life and love, there is always something new to discover and moments to treasure forever. Even is life is painful and full of suffering, there is always one thing that would give us the courage to stand and face all the consequences of living – love. Life is a never-ending journey. We will write a custom essay sample on My Special Someone or any similar topic only for you Order Now We tend to find someone that we thought that would last a lifetime but sometimes, we became too blind of loving to the extent of giving everything without anything in return that leave a result of being a martyr. However, in spite of the hardships that we have felt, we still fall in love again and hope that the next time we fall, our heart our fly along with our love and not fall in the ocean leaving us wounded alone. Personally, I can say that falling in love is the greatest feeling on earth. Despite of all the problems that occur in our path, it will always be fine because we knew that there is light through the eyes of our special someone. I believe this perspective because I presently feel the same way. After all, I knew that I have found the one for me and I am truly blessed to have this woman by my side and prayed that she will stay with me for the rest of my life. Because of the real feelings that I have for her, I want to share my special someone named Shabnam. Shabnam is a very fine, loving and caring person. She is 25% Spanish, 25% Filipino, and 50% Indian. Shabnam has a different life-story, which we only often see in the movie or television. Shabnam’s father is Indian while her mother is Spanish. Her father knew her mother in Spain where they fall in love. Their love with one another produced a child, which is Shabnam. While her mother was pregnant, her father and her mother went to India. When her father and mother got there, Shabnam’s mother found out that her father was already married to another woman who is also pregnant during those times. Aside from this, the family of Shabnam’s father does not want Shabnam’s mother because she is Spanish. Eventhough this was the case, Shabnam’s mother accepts the situation and still pursues the birth of Shabnam but her mother and father separated. Shabnam’s stepmother born her stepbrother named Vishal. Her father brought Vishal to San Jose, California, USA. Ew years later, Shabnam’s mother died due to cancer. After her mother died, she had to live with her father but despite her father exist, she still seeks for a mother figure that would guide and take care of her. She really wanted to have a mother that is why she went to India to ask her stepmother to go to the USA to bring back the family together. Through this story, I realized that she is not selfish because even if she wanted to have a mother, she did not search for anything else but her stepmother whom she asked to bring the family back, which is the original family. Through this personality of Shabnam, it really brought me to the fact of loving and taking care of her. She deserves to be loved because she does not have any anger and selfishness even if she was lack of love and concern coming from a mother. I was amazed and I admired her eagerness and concern of bringing back the family again after a long time.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Shabnam’s story can be a realization to other children who build hatred towards their parents because of their parent’s illegitimate relationship. However, despite of this situation of Shabnam, I love and will always love her as best as I could. I started admiring Shabnam because of her smile and expressive eyes. I did not even think that she had a special family situation because she seemed to be happy always. Having a special relationship with Shabnam is amazing because she is very caring and humble. I guess despite of her family background, she remains humble and generous for it is the only way of showing her love to other people that should be for her mother. She is a Libra and I am a Gemini. Based on the astrology, Libra and Gemini are compatible with one another. Maybe, we were meant for each other because even the astrology says that we have both found one another – I to her and her to me. We have also so many things in common; it is because we both have an Indian blood and though she has different blood aside from Indian blood, she was raised as an Indian because she lives in his father. My present relationship with Shabnam is great. We are having moments that I treasure inside my heart. I am always happy when we were together. She make me laugh, she make my heartbeats fast, she teach me to be understanding because she understand the deeper perspective of life even if it is very hard and problematic. Having an extraordinary feeling of great love and happiness, I used to think if getting married. I want to marry Shabnam because she is the one I am looking for. I know that not everything may seem to be perfect but despite of it all, I want to be with her for the rest of my life. Maybe people will think that I am too frustrated and too much rushing of getting married but logically, a person do not want to miss the opportunity of having someone he/she is looking for a long time. At may age, I know what I want and I know what I feel. I am sure with this next phase of my life in case she will accept my love. Now, I do not want to lose Shabnam for she is very special to me that I never felt before. When I am alone, I used to think of my future with my Shabnam. I think of our future life, which I know will be wonderful and unbeatable. I think of our future children that Shabnam and I will love and nurture. I think of our never-ending happiness even if we are already old. I also think of Shabnam while being with me – I will make her happy and contented in life. I will not leave Shabnam as long as I breathe and live. Writing this paper makes me express my love, joy and admiration to Shabnam. She opened my eyes to different perceptions of living in this kind of world. I used to live as it is before having my own world and ignoring many things but when I met Shabnam, things have change and made me become a better person that is why I love Shabnam everyday because she was not just a beautiful person outside but also inside. Today, we are having a great time together, keeping the fire burning in our hearts with love, faithfulness, and loyalty with one another. She may not tell that she do not want to be like her mother but I know she does so I will took care of her and love her as my one and only in this whole wide world. While writing this paper, I also created a simple poem for Shabnam that shows my love and admiration to her. I want to give her this poem as a sign of my love to her that will not fade until the day I die because I love her so much. I have searched for you, A long, long time ago. I thought I would never ever met, Someone who is like you. Now you’re here with me, And hope will always be. The one I admire before, Today, tomorrow and forevermore. You make my heart sing, You make my life ring. You bring sunlight in the sky, You bring colors in the dark. I want to be with you, I want to love you. I want to marry you; So please answer, I do. Work Cited Futral, Ann. Gemini with Libra. (2006) Retrieved August 27, 2007 from How to cite My Special Someone, Essay examples

The Biblical Archetypes in The Stone Angel Essay Example For Students

The Biblical Archetypes in The Stone Angel Essay In the same fashion that the law binds the Biblical Hagar to Abram and Sarah, Hagar Shipley is bound by the Currie code of values, the Shipley freedom, and the Manawakan elitist attitude, in addition to her own pride. Hagar Shipley is a modernised version of the Biblical Hagar, in that, people can no longer be bound as slaves in western culture but are, quite often, bound by personal or social restraints, like Hagar is. Hagars freedom is limited by the conflicting influences in her own life. The Currie virtue keeps Hagar from expressing any outward form of emotion, which, ultimately, limits or ruins the majority of her relationships, including her marriage to Brampton Shipley. Initially attracted to the Shipley casualness and freedom, because it is the exact opposite to the Currie conformity, Hagar marries Bram, a poor farmer and social outcast. Her marriage, however, seems to be more out of spite than anything else. Having gone from one extreme to the other, Hagar realizes that the Shipley freedom or, more accurately, laziness is not what she wants or needs. In the meantime, Hagar, like her archetype, plays the role of the dutiful wife. She engages in sexual activity with Bram even though she does not want to. As a result, she bears a son, Marvin, whom she never really loves or cares for. In addition, Hagar, having been a part of the Manawakan elite, is bound to their unwritten codes of conduct and values the same way that the Biblical Hagar is bound, by law, to Abram and Sarah. In order to elude additional persecution, both Hagars have to conform to the laws of their respective cultures and time periods. Hagar, already an outcast for marrying Brampton, excludes herself from social activities in order to avoid being ridiculed by the upper class Manawakans, including her father. Both Hagars are also bound by pride, a pride which, more than anything else, influences the decisions both women make with the little freedom they have. The Biblical Hagars pride grows when she bears Abram a son. As a result, she is rude to Sarah. After being reprimanded for her insolence, Hagar flees to the desert because she, filled with pride, cannot tolerate further degradation. Similarly, Hagar Shipley, tired of being persecuted on account of Bram, leaves Manawaka to reestablish and restart her life in Ontario. Both characters, however, are drawn back home. The Biblical Hagar returns to Abram only after an angel appears to her and foretells that Ishmael will bring great posterity. Hagar Shipley is drawn back to Manawaka for different reasons duty and family. John, her youngest son whom she loves dearly, lives in Manawaka with his father, Bram. As Bram becomes ill, Hagar, impelled to help him and her son, returns to the Shipley farm. Both women return home on account of their sons. Almost immediately after their return, however, both women leave again and set off to wander in the wilderness. The archetypal Hagar physically wanders in the wilderness where she finds God and becomes reassured that her son will have a great nation of descendants.

History of Mexico City 1910 Essay Sample free essay sample

Porfirio Diaz was president in 1877 and ruled as dictator in Mexico for over 30 old ages. He had brought the country’s economic development in the usual Latin American manner. Through export gross revenues of agribusiness and mineral merchandises particularly oil which was controlled by British and American capitalists. During this clip railroads were built. oil Wellss were drilled. and foreign investors were welcomed. but nevertheless the people remained really hapless. In 1910 about all the land belonged to a few really powerful people. On November 20. 1910. the Mexican Revolution broke out which was lead by Francisco I. Madero. Diaz was hence overthrown in 1911. and Francisco Madero go president but two old ages subsequently was murdered by subsisters of the Diaz government who had hopes to retrieve power. Pancho Villa – a head. who lead a great trade of cowpunchers ( vaquereos ) in rebellion across the big. waterless northern province of Chihuahua and Emiliano Zapat an – mobilized a radical force to oblige the redistributions of land among the long agony Indian and mestizo neighbors. We will write a custom essay sample on History of Mexico City 1910 Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page were two hero’s during this clip in Mexico City but did non make much for Mexico. The mobilisation of Mexico City workers during this period ( 1910s ) was considered to be one of the greatest societal perturbations of the 20 century. Urban workers had a limited military function but they had emerged from the combat of the revolution by demoing militance and significance in the power construction. During this clip industrialisation and urbanisation transformed work and community in Mexico City and helped to sabotage the legitimacy of the radical order. There was cultural transmutations and corporate action which had occurred among the hapless and working people before and during the revolution. The event of the revolution transformed workers in ways that greatly enhanced their function in local and national political relations. In 1916 a general work stoppage happened in Mexico City. Strikers demanded just monetary values and rewards. a ingestion demand that ensured the support of much of the hapless urban population. Chief Venustiano Carranza was speedy to enforce aggressive Torahs and the work stoppage was shortly over. The work stoppage ended in repression it was portion of a series of popular challenges by which working people helped determine the post-revolutionary order and pushed labour brotherhoods to unprecedented prominence. The possibilities and bounds of mass urban engagement were outlined in the struggles that rose in 1916 and continued in the decennaries that followed. In 1917 a new fundamental law was set up. assuring land to the provincials. along with nice hours and rewards every bit good as brotherhoods for workers. equal wage for adult females. and the possibility of nationalisation of the belongings of reactionist Mexican Catholic church and of exploitatory foreign capitalists. During the 1920s and 1930s a unifying. centralising political party. referred to as Party of the Revolutionary Institutions or PRI. came to power reconstructing order. This organisation combined the nation’s new leading cadres – the military. bureaucratism. concern involvements. and labour brot herhoods – in a construction that would govern Mexico for the following 50 old ages.

Prosody - Systematic Study of the Meter of Poetry

Prosody - Systematic Study of the Meter of Poetry Prosody is a technical term used in linguistics and poetry to describe the patterns, rhythms or meters of a language. Prosody can refer to the rules for the pronunciation of a language as well as its versification. The correct pronunciation of words includes:(1)enunciation,(2)proper accenting and(3)making sure each syllable has its required length. Syllable Length: Syllable length doesnt seem terribly important for pronunciation in English. Take a word like laboratory. It looks as though it should be divided syllabically into: la-bo-ra-to-ry So it appears to have 5 syllables, but when someone from the U.S. or U.K. pronounces it, there are only 4. Oddly, the 4 syllables arent the same. Americans heavily stress the first syllable. lab-ra-,to-ry In the U.K. you probably hear: la-bor-a-,try When we stress a syllable, we hold it an extra time. The Latin for time is tempus and the word for the duration of time, especially in linguistics, is mora. Two short syllables or morae count for one long syllable. Latin and Greek have rules about whether a given syllable is long or short. More than in English, length is very important. Why Do You Need to Know About Prosody?: Whenever you read ancient Greek or Latin poetry you are reading the writing of a man or woman who has replaced the mundane with the loftier speech of poetry. Part of the flavor of the poetry is conveyed by the tempo of the words. To read the poetry woodenly without trying to grasp the tempo would be like reading sheet music without playing it even mentally. If such an artistic rationale doesnt motivate you to try to learn about Greek and Roman meter, hows this? Understanding the meter will help you to translate. Foot: A foot is a unit of a meter in poetry. A foot will usually have 2, 3 or 4 syllables in Greek and Latin poetry. 2 Morae (Remember: one short syllable has one time or mora.) A foot composed of two short syllables is called pyrrhic. A pyrrhic foot would have two times or morae. 3 Morae A trochee is a long syllable followed by a short and an iam(b) is a short syllable followed by a long. Both of these have 3 morae. 4 Morae A foot with 2 long syllables is called a spondee. A spondee would have 4 morae. Uncommon feet, like the dispondee, can have 8 morae, and there are special, long patterned ones, like the Sapphic, named after the famous woman poet Sappho of Lesbos. Trisyllabic Feet: There are eight possible feet based on three syllables. The two most common are:(1)the dactyl, which is named visually for the finger, (long, short, short) and(2)the anapest (short, short, long). AnapestDactylic Hexameter Feet of four or more syllables are compound feet. Verse: A verse is a line of poetry using feet according to a specified pattern or meter. A meter can refer to a single foot in a verse. If you have a verse made up of dactyls, each dactyl is a meter. A meter is not always a single foot. For instance, in a line of iambic trimeter, each meter or metron (pl. metra or metrons) consists of two feet. Dactylic Hexameter: If the meter is dactyl, with 6 meters in the verse, you have a line of dactylic hexameter. If there are only five meters, it is pentameter. Dactylic hexameter is the meter that was used in epic poetry or heroic poetry. There is one additional important bit of confusing information: the meter used in dactylic hexameter can be either dactyl (long, short, short) or a spondee (long, long). Why? They have the same number of morae. Diaresis - Division in a Line of VerseCaesura - Division in a Line of Dactylic HexameterTrochaic TrimeterIambic Trimeter Meter for the AP Exam: For the AP Latin - Vergil Exam, students need to know dactylic hexameters and be able to determine the length of each syllable. - UU|- UU|- UU|- UU|- UU|- X. The last syllable may be taken to be long since the sixth foot is treated as a spondee. Except in the fifth syllable, a long syllable can replace the two shorts (UU).

Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Sustainability - Essay Example In addition, one should considering the durability of the selected materials. In bridge engineering, the constructors have opportunity to make their decisions and provide solutions that will give a balance between the environments, social impact, and economical guidelines of sustainability. The bridge to be constructed is a unique one in nature since it will be capable of opening from the middle to enable large ships and vessels to pass freely. This will require a lot of time to design, rating or assessment of materials to be used (Institution of Civil Engineers, 2001). The bridge professionals and transportation authorities should ensure that the right materials and construction techniques are used and presented in a consistent, systematic and credible way. This project will consider the development of bridge sustainability putting into consideration its three pillars, that is; social, environmental, and economical factors. The project will focus on the materials used in constructio n, but not limited to the following content: 1) What is the mentioned material? 2) Why it is a good material to be used in the construction of a bridge? 3) What are the advantages and disadvantages of it in constructing a bridge in this project? 4) How it could be good for the bridge in the long run, is it durable? 5) Comparison between the properties of the materials and how it could be improved Materials used in the bridge Materials and other resources to be used in sustainable bridge construction should be ensured to be the most appropriate materials for the site and the future maintenance in case of recycling of the structure. The constructor should include sustainable materials and should be in a position to answer several questions such as: are recycled materials used in bridge construction? What is the cost of the materials? Is the bridge designed with a complete life cycle analysis in place? The construction of the bridge in question will require the following materials (Ste ele, 2004): 1. Steel (frame, deck, and structure) 2. Timber 3. Concrete 4. Wire cables 5. Winches 6. Solar panels 7. Small Wind turbines The design and the innovation of this bridge project will be determined by the materials above. In addition, the materials selected will also address construction of lifelong maintained engineering motorway bridge. Individual materials Steel (frame, deck, and structure) Steel is iron materials made from iron ore. It is used in the construction of structures that require strong foundation and based. Steel will be used to strengthen the bridge. In order to make the bridge stronger still bar should be used to reinforce the concrete. Deck will be used to span the distance between the two ends of the bridge, since the bridge is suspended, deck will form the open truss structure to support the roadbed, preventing the bridge from collapsing. Rivets are used to join steel and the deck. Steel will form the Beams, plates, and rods shown in the proposed bridg e picture (Parag, 1999). Advantages of steel Steel makes a strong foundation of the bridge. This is because steel is one of the strongest materials used in bridge constructions. It is also used to span distances that are cannot be spanned using other construction materials such as wood. It is stronger than

Buddhism in China, Korea and Japan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Buddhism in China, Korea and Japan - Assignment Example . The parable is about a father whose three young sons are inside a house on fire. The sons are too indulged in playing with each other to notice the danger posed by the fire. Rather than drawing their attention toward the fear and inculcating fear in them, the father lures his sons out by promising to each of them that if they come out, they would get the sort of cart desired by each of them individually. The father gives them the same type of cart once they come out of the house. In spite of his deviation in the fulfillment of his promise as he had originally made, his act is considered to be skillful and not deceitful because what he did saved the lives of his sons. The universal motif or theme the parable touches upon is that it is acceptable and not ethically or morally questionable to rationalize or not be entirely truthful about something if it serves a good purpose for the betterment of mankind. Sometimes, an individual has to make the best choice out of a number of unwanted options. In such circumstances, the individual should look for the greater good and accept to proceed with the option that produces minimal inconvenience and maximal good at the same time.

Place Before And After Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Place Before And After - Essay Example The kids in the neighborhood just loved to play sports in the park, families go on fishing, mothers do their groceries and the rest of the town dwellers just walk the streets for some fresh air even in the night as it was safe and well crowded. This was the best place for me, and I intended to pass it on to my future family the things, events and the values I loved which my father shared with me. However, these perceptions of mine in the said town did not seem to last as I saw a different place 15 years after. The change of the said town motivated me to discover the reasons as to why this paradise town and an ideal place to be in before, suddenly turned into a place where nobody would prefer to be in now. The town's safety, people, perceptions, and environment took its downturn from the time I enjoyed it 15 years ago. The ideal place for safety, celebrations, cleanliness, family values, hospitality, and peace now turned into a meeting place and fighting arena of gangsters and alike. The once clean and safe streets now turned into a drastic place of murderous acts, piles of garbage with beer and bottle cans scattered everywhere. The once happy and peaceful park is now known to be a graveyard of murdered gang members and even old folks of the said town, which were killed out stolen valuables. The celebrations such as holidays and Thanksgiving have once celebrated freely anywhere in the town, but now it is advised and preferred for residents to stay in their homes when celebrating these events.

An Overview of Neo Colonialism

An Overview of Neo Colonialism What is Neo-colonialism? Discuss with reference to specific examples. Neo-colonialism is the control of less-developed countries by developed countries through indirect means. The term neo-colonialism was first used after World War II to refer to the continuing dependence of former colonies on foreign countries, but its meaning soon broadened to apply, more generally, to places where the power of developed countries was used to produce a colonial -like exploitation-for instance, in Latin America, where direct foreign rule had ended in the early 19th century. (halperin, n.d.) When the Queen of Britain felt that her duty her duty is to extend the model of government and culture to other parts of the world. Hence, she started neo-colonizing while exploited the resources of all such colonies. This happened primarily not with the white colonies. These were usually self-governed colonies with large number of settlers. The main problem makers or rebellions were only brown colonies which were dealt with a divide and rule policy together with a string of home treaties with sociable splinter groups who had their hidden interest involved to gain much from continued British Rule; like the Indian maharajas. Examples of neo-colonialism have been studied in most corners of the world since the end of the Second World War. In fact, its difficult to find a place that scholars do not claim has been subject to cultural imperialism of some sort since 1945. From Egypt to Belize to India to Britain to the United States of Americaall of these countries have observed some sort of influence over their culture from another country (Reid 57; Everitt 42; Altbach 902; Cooper and Cooper 61). This is hardly a surprise; after all, globalization is no secret. Cultural imperialism and hegemony, however, are not concepts that can be described so simply as globalization. Neo-colonialism, the modern colonialism, has emerged as an influential force; used by powerful countries for a variety of reasons, it is continually shaping not only individual cultures, but the global culture. There are two terms that most completely bring out the subtleties of neo-colonialism: cultural imperialism and cultural hegemony. Cultural imperialism is best summarized as the way that certain cultural products have attained a position of dominance in a foreign culture through a process of coercive imposition, usually through their ties to political or economic power (Dunch 302). While imperialism is characteristically determined by military control, this is definitely not the case with cultural imperialism. Cultural imperialism also differs slightly from the idea of cultural hegemony, which is an aspect of Marxist philosophy that calls attention to the promotion of one culture over another with the objective of that the ruling class worldview becomes the norm. This cultural assimilation is particularly useful in that it creates a situation ripe with potential for the economic benefit of the ruling class. By persuading the subordinate group that the profits from agreement outweigh the losses of not working together, the ruling culture is able to maintain their superior status (Schultz 275). It is the intertwin ing and collective definition of these related concepts -cultural imperialism and cultural hegemony that paint the ultimate picture of neo-colonialism and cross-cultural promotion in the interests of one country, often at the expense of another. It exists the power exercising control is often the State which formerly ruled the territory in question, but this is not necessarily so. For example, in the case of South Vietnam the former imperial power was France, but neo-colonial control of the State has now gone to the United States. It is possible that neo-colonial control may be exercised by a consortium of financial interests which are not specifically identifiable with any particular State. The control of the Congo by great international financial concerns is a case in point.The means by which a country may impose an unequal cultural relationship on another are wide ranging, but economics is by far the most common tool used in neo-colonialism (Petra 139). By providing monetary support and forming economic partnerships, the financial institutions, governments, and particularly the multinational corporations of the colonizing power ingratiate themselves to their subjects and integrate them into their own capitalist system. Th ere are two particular concepts that deeper explore this culturally hegemonic relationship. One is another Marxist theory, complimentary to cultural hegemony, which is understood as dependency theory. This theory declares that by the penetration of multinational corporations, economic sanctions, partnerships, and the like, developed countries intentionally foster and enforce a culture within developing countries that is economically dependent on their own. Dependency theory contends that the weaker nation is further impoverished to the benefit of the stronger country due to the subsequent capitalist use of the weaker countrys resources and labour. This practice continues because of the strong hegemony of the colonizing power. A concept that is similar, yet more functionalist than dependency theory is the world systems theory. This theory says that the world is divided into segments of a powerful core, a moderate semi-periphery, and weak periphery nations. The three categories of nat ions each engage in neo-colonialism with varying degrees of success on the other two kinds of nations. Essentially, world systems theory explains how the core can dominate and take control of the resources and labour supplied by the periphery for a profit. Just as in dependency theory, the core benefits because of these mechanics. Dissimilar to dependency theory, however, the peripherys marginal benefits are acknowledged since they are provided with some economic gain. World systems theory can definitely be extended to the broader methods of neo-colonialism if we think of the cultures of the core and periphery in the same way we would otherwise think of their economies. In the present era, we can also look to two key case studies of neo-colonialism: Sino-African relations and The United States of America as an economic power. To this day, more than one million Chinese are African residents, and Chinese investment in Africa exceeds 40 billion dollars. They have spread their money and culture throughout the continent, and are now trading in excess of 166 billion dollars per year with Africa; securing 50 billion in minerals. Africa receives goods in return, and most of these goods support further resource extraction and industrial development. While this relationship was once seen as quite exploitive, views are changing as China fosters goodwill in these nations with more equitable agreements (Africa and China). Similar Chinese examples of economic neo-colonialism have been identified all over the world, from Canada to Ecuador (Kay; Scheneyer and Perez). The United States of America is another core country that is heavily invested in neo-colonial pursuits. One of the most astute concepts that illustrates the worldwide flow of American culture by mostly economic means is called Coca-Colonization. This concept calls attention to Coca-Colas global pervasiveness as a symbol for the Americanization of nearly every corner of the earth (Kuisel 98). Through huge multinational corporations such as Coca-Cola, American values and culture have been strongly infused all over the world. As one of the most influential countries in the world, there are certainly many other tools that America uses to engage in neo-colonialism, (including many of the ones already mentioned), but economics and multi-national corporations are by far the most commonly referenced (Petras 2070). These historical examples, and others like them, provide a solid basis for examining the exact motivations that nations might have for their neo-colonial pursuits. This is because they show how core countries have benefitted from the cultural assimilation of the periphery, and identifying these benefits then exposes their motivations. Indeed, there are inherent economic benefits for powerful nations to realize as a result of their cultural imperialism: core countries can expand their business to the nations theyve culturally assimilated and also make use of the low-cost resources and labour that they are able to obtain from the periphery. Often times, the subordinate culture becomes dependent (as described by dependency theory) on these foreign operations within their own borders; they rely on outside multinationals for jobs and goods. Because of this dependency, the core is able to set low wages and prices for raw goods and operate at a high profit. As such, these practices pay off financially for the multinational corporations and (by the extension of taxes) the governments of the colonizing power. It can be concluded that the substantial fin ancial gain to be had as a result of neo-colonialism is definitely a motivating factor. While financial profit is one of the most straightforward ways that a nation can benefit from neo-colonialism, there are more motivations that might cause a country to engage in these pursuits. One of these is national security. Just as in the Cold War, nations have an interest in fostering goodwill and dependence in other parts of the world; creating allies and dependent states that would not go to war against them, or support them in the event of the war. Another motivating factor is to acquire resources. As the worlds population multiplies, valuable resources are being stretched thin. Growing countries such as China and India need to secure access to fuel and food to provide for their citizens, and neo-colonialism has been shown to allow them the influence to negotiate access to these resources. Diplomatic power also seems to be a reason to engage in neo-colonialism; countries that have similar cultures are likely to agree and vote identically on international issues. Even if they dont agree, countries that are dependent on another nation may feel obligated to act in the wishes of their neo-colonizer, as a derogatively titled puppet state. The new face of colonialism has shown itself in a wide variety of places around the world, and we can see that countries have benefited in various ways; exposing their motivations. It is also important to look at future implications should these activities continue. Cultural homogenization (most commonly referred to as globalization) is perhaps the most powerful force affecting the global landscape today. For instance, estimates include a ninety percent reduction in the number of languages spoken around the world by the year 2100 while others clearly show that the number of speakers will be highly concentrated in a handful of languages by this time (Ryan; Graddol 27). Global trends such as these are directly related to the practice of neo-colonialism. While the future prevalence of some languages is due to rising populations, it is no surprise that the languages at the top of these lists also have homelands that are known for engaging in neo-colonialism in the past and present. So, while the term globalization seems to indicate that the result is a diverse global culture, the reality is that this ongoing homogenization of ethos is more composed of the cultures that are most aggressive in neo-colonial pursuits. The core nations culturally imperialistic practices reduce the influence of other cultures and strengthen the influence of their own, indeed leading to a global culture that is more comprised of the core than the periphery. If neo-colonialism continues to be practiced, then the current situation of nations can be expected to expand. Many will be quick to point out that the periphery nations benefit in the same way as the core; that they would be a lot worse off should they limit their relationship with the core, and that their loss of culture is not all that significant (Bowen 179). Still more point out that these benefits are marginal, and require that the periphery countries submit to the exploitive objectives of the core pointing primarily to the issue of human rights, they contend that the wages received and benefits incurred (cultural or otherwise) are not nearly enough to compensate for the capitulated resources, labour, autonomy and culture; especially when considering the relative profits of the core (Koshy 26). Most agree that relatively small cultures will eventually be washed out by the cultures of the most powerful nations; that human rights issues must continue to be questioned. If neo-colonialism continues to perpetuate itself in this way, there is little hope that conditions will change for these nationsthe core will remain at the core, and the periphery and semi-periphery will struggle to flourish. This school of thought is quite large, and has given most of the terms already discussed an overwhelmingly negative connotation. However, as already mentioned in the case of Sino-African relations, the core is beginning to realize their own dependency on the periphery which is slowly improving these human rights conditionsthough the general cultural assimilation remains. The modern colonialism benefits countries that spread their culture throughout the world. The tools employed by those countries to this end are varied, ranging from economics to education. As beneficiaries of the financial, military, diplomatic, and resource stability that comes from having nations culturally assimilated to them, there seems to be no reason for powerful core nations to cease in their neo-colonial activities. Illustrated by concepts such as dependency theory, world systems theory, and Coca-Colonization, the forces of cultural imperialism and cultural hegemony are contributing to the globalized world in a way that favours the most powerful of nationsfor better or for worse.

Superbowl Story :: essays research papers

HERE BEGINS THE BOOK OF THE TALES OF THE SUPER BOWL: When the frigid air of January has blanketed every treetop and house alike with its gentle frost; when birds, squirrels, and the like are nowhere to be found close to home- then folks long to go on trips to temperate sites; and especially from every corner of the States they travel to Pasadena every few years, to watch The Super Bowl there; the finals for the great football season which has entertained them the past few months.One day in that season when I went to Landesman Travel in Teaneck, ready to reserve a seat on an airline for Pasadena no matter what it took, I saw a sign for a special offer, half the price of what I had planned on spending, for a private jet to The Super Bowl; first seven people served. As I inquired, I discovered that I was the seventh and final person. We were to meet at terminal 76B at Newark Airport one half hour before scheduled take-off, 6:30 A.M. Super Bowl Sunday, to check the luggage and make acqu aintances for the ride, which I am going to tell you about. But, nevertheless, while I have time and space, before I go farther in this account, it seems reasonable to tell you all about each of the passengers, as they appeared to me; who they were, and of what social status, and also what sort of clothes they wore. And I shall begin with the Sports Doctor.There was among us a Sports Doctor who was a great follower of the Hippocratic oath, never neglecting any player who believed he was in need. He had preformed admirably in the Giants' struggle for success, during which he had traveled near and far by their side, keeping the team in greatest health. Even in this time off of his, he wishes to be close by their side, front row by the Giants bench, giving his support, only morally not physically. He owns two foreign sports cars( how appropriate for his occupation) and his dress is most informal for a practicing doctor, just a buttoned down shirt and slacks.Next was an Electrician, who worked quite diligently all week long and would help his neighbor no matter what hour of day. But if it would happen that any person in distress would require his assistance during the three tense hours of Giants football a week, on Sunday or even Monday night, he would apologetically decline and offer his service at the end of the game.

Hazing Essay for Law Essay

Hazing is a term that many people are familiar with, but not everyone thinks of it in the same way. Hazing can be defined as â€Å"any act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or that destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for the continued membership in a group or organization.† The issue of hazing can be controversial at times because some feel that it is nothing more than a way for a group to bond, but others fight against all kinds of hazing because of their belief that hazing is a serious threat to those who have to endure it, especially the youths of the world. Hazing is most often associated with fraternities, but it is an issue in many different organizations, including sororities, the military, athletic teams, student clubs (such as marching bands), and in high schools. Those who have never been involved in hazing may wonder why the victim would agree to the often humiliating or dangerous initiation rituals. The most common answer to this question is that they participated because they believed it would give them a sense of belonging, despite the fact that these so-called traditions may harm the participants. Most anti-hazing laws make it clear that it does not matter if a person consented to be subject to hazing because of the pressure they are under at the time and their lack of knowledge about what the process would involve. One of the most common forms of hazing, especially within fraternities and sororities, is the forced consumption of alcohol, often in lethal doses. One such incident involved Chuck Stevens, who was taken from his dorm in New York State, locked in the trunk of a car, and forced to drink a mix of bourbon, wine, and beer. Chuck died as a result of being hazed, and his mother, Eileen, has since founded the Committee to Halt Useless College Killings, or C.H.U.C.K., in memory of her young son. This organization promotes awareness and educational programs, tries to find alternatives to hazing, and works towards stricter anti-hazing laws. People’s perception of exactly what hazing is often varies form person to person, which makes it hard to separate acceptable traditions from unacceptable traditions. Even people who have witnessed hazing rituals or been a part of a hazing ritual are reluctant to label it â€Å"hazing† because of the stigma associated with the word. Victims of hazing will often not report the incident because they are unsure if what they suffered is classified as hazing and they are afraid of no longer being a part of the group they had worked so hard to join. A study conducted at Alfred University explored the various reasons why anyone would want to participate in a hazing ritual. Nearly half of those surveyed answered because they thought it was fun and exciting, but the majority of those students were only subjected to humiliating hazing. Other reasons include they were scared to refuse, they felt it brought the group closer, they wanted to get out some aggression through fighting, and they were immature when they agreed to the hazing. The study also discovered that many students did not know whether hazing was illegal in their state, and that if there was a law, it made no significant difference in the level of hazing behaviour. Hazing is something that occurs much more than we are aware because most incidents go unreported. Those students who did report hazing also reported both positive and negative consequences of the actions committed by them and by others. A common occurrence among those hazed was depression, which often included anger, and if the hazing was physical, the victim may suffer internal bruising and pain. Not all hazing has such serious penalties, though, and one positive aspect that was reported by students is that they felt they had gained a valuable life experience and had been able to mature. The outcome of hazing is different for each person who goes through it and it all depends on what type of hazing they endure and for what purpose they felt it was worth agreeing to. Aside from hazing taking place in the fraternities and sororities of universities, it is also a dominant problem in schools athletic teams. † Nearly 80 percent of student athletes reported being subjected to one or  more hazing behaviours, ranging from shaving their heads to being tied up and paddled, as part of their team initiations.† Amazingly, only twelve percent of these students were willing to call what they had gone through hazing. Many rookies, especially males, are also forced to humiliate themselves and others through some kind of sexual abuse or nudity, such as walking around naked while holding another mans genitals. Members of the University of Vermont’s hockey team in reportedly carried out this shocking behaviour in October of 1999. Former UVM hockey player Corey LaTulippe, who filed a civil lawsuit against the university, has told the media that he was repeatedly subjected to hazing by other members of the team, and that school officials did nothing to end it. Women’s athletic teams also face hazing rituals, but they are more likely to embarrass their rookies, where men are more likely to be involved in extreme hazing, such as beatings or theft. In addition to hazing being a major component of universities and high schools, it is also an issue that the military must deal with constantly. Military hazing â€Å"can be used to describe anything from a good-natured punch on the stripes when someone is promoted, to Navy chiefs who make a new chief wear a dress, to boot camp activities when superiors or peers try to transform a balky recruit into a trustworthy team player.† Hazing is an issue for branches of the military all over the world, including Canada, the United States, and Russia. Hazing in the Russian armed forces can be particularly harsh, considering that many first-year soldiers die at the hands of their â€Å"grandfathers,† or their superiors. In the United States, the public knew nothing about military hazing until 1956, even though it began over a century ago. Just a few short years ago, there was a scandal that rocked the military when videotapes of Marines participating in blood pinnings were released to the media. This initiation ritual involved Marines ramming gold-wing pins into the chests of fellow Marines, which sickened all those who viewed the graphic footage. Despite the many dangers that are associated with hazing, experts warn against eliminating it altogether. Sociologist Jamie Bryshun has said that â€Å"the traditions often run too deep, and nothing any coach or university administrator says or does can end them.† There is fear that if all hazing  is completely forbidden, then the organizations will just take it underground, where it may become even more dangerous. Different groups have tried to come up with alternatives to hazing, such as planning special events as a way for the members to bond with each other. The penalties for participating in hazing are on the rise. Hazing is now illegal in 41 states in the U.S.A., and many are working towards increasing that number. Under Texas law, hazing has been committed if a person engages in hazing, solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid another in engaging in hazing, intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly permits hazing to occur, or has firsthand knowledge that a hazing incident is being planned or has occurred and does not report their knowledge to the proper authorities. Even if the person has agreed to be a part of the hazing activity, it is still classified as hazing and charges could still be filed. Some criminal penalties include: a fine up to $1000 and/or up to 180 days in jail for failing to report hazing, a fine of $1000-$5000 and/or 180 days to one year in jail for being involved in hazing that resulted in serious bodily injury, and a fine of $5000-$10000 and/or one to two years in jail for participating in hazing that resulted in the death of someone. Despite the increase in awareness about the subject of hazing and the tougher anti-hazing laws, it is still a major problem for organizations all over the world. Even though many have died and countless others have been hospitalized, the trend of dangerous hazing has continued to grow, and it will not end until groups such as universities and the military receive a major wake up call. It is up to the leaders of the organizations to ensure that all its members are made to feel safe and no longer pressured to participate in activities that they know could endanger their lives.

Free Essays on Environmental Justice

Environmental justice has been broadly defined as â€Å"the pursuit of equal justice and equal protection under the law for all environmental statutes and regulations without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and /or socioeconomic status† and also as one of four related concepts including environmental equity, environmental racism, and environmental classism. Environmental justice seeks to protect minority and low-income communities from bearing a disproportionate share of pollution. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits federally funded programs and activities from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Because many state programs are delegated by federal law, Title VI complaints have been brought against some state environmental permitting decisions that involve pollution sources near minority and low-income communities. Environmental racism can be defined as the intentional sitting of hazardous waste sites, landfills, incinerators, and polluting industries in communities inhabited mainly by African-American, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, migrant farm workers, and the working poor. Minorities are particularly vulnerable because they are perceived as weak and passive citizens who will not fight back against the poisoning of their neighborhoods in fear that it may jeopardize jobs and economic survival. Studies The landmark study, Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States, described the extent of environmental racism and the consequences for those who are victims of polluted environments. The study revealed that: Race was the most significant variable associated with the location of hazardous waste sites. The greatest number of commercial hazardous facilities were located in communities with the highest composition of racial and ethnic minorities. The average minority population in communities with one commercial hazardous waste facility was twice the average minor... Free Essays on Environmental Justice Free Essays on Environmental Justice Environmental justice has been broadly defined as â€Å"the pursuit of equal justice and equal protection under the law for all environmental statutes and regulations without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and /or socioeconomic status† and also as one of four related concepts including environmental equity, environmental racism, and environmental classism. Environmental justice seeks to protect minority and low-income communities from bearing a disproportionate share of pollution. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits federally funded programs and activities from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Because many state programs are delegated by federal law, Title VI complaints have been brought against some state environmental permitting decisions that involve pollution sources near minority and low-income communities. Environmental racism can be defined as the intentional sitting of hazardous waste sites, landfills, incinerators, and polluting industries in communities inhabited mainly by African-American, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, migrant farm workers, and the working poor. Minorities are particularly vulnerable because they are perceived as weak and passive citizens who will not fight back against the poisoning of their neighborhoods in fear that it may jeopardize jobs and economic survival. Studies The landmark study, Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States, described the extent of environmental racism and the consequences for those who are victims of polluted environments. The study revealed that: Race was the most significant variable associated with the location of hazardous waste sites. The greatest number of commercial hazardous facilities were located in communities with the highest composition of racial and ethnic minorities. The average minority population in communities with one commercial hazardous waste facility was twice the average minor...

Make a Memory Book With Questions to Ask Your Relatives

Make a Memory Book With Questions to Ask Your Relatives Important pieces of a familys history are found only in the memories of the living relatives. But many times those personal stories are never written down or shared before it is too late. The thought-provoking questions in a memory book can make it easier for a grandparent or other relation to recall people, places and times that they thought they had forgotten. Help them tell their story and record their precious memories for posterity by creating a personalized memory book or journal for them to complete. Make a Memory Book Begin by purchasing an empty three ring binder or a blank writing journal. Look for something that either has removable pages or lies flat when open to make writing easier. I prefer the binder because it lets you print and use your own pages. Even better, it also allows your relative to make mistakes and start over with a fresh page, which can help lessen the intimidation factor. Create a List of Questions Be sure to include questions which cover each phase of the individuals life: childhood, school, college, job, marriage, raising children, etc. Get your family into the act and have your other relations and children suggest questions that interest them. These history interview questions can help you get started, but dont be afraid to come up with additional questions of your own. Gather Together Family Photos Select images that include your relative and their family. Have them professionally scanned into digital format or do it yourself. You can also photocopy the photos, but this generally doesnt yield as nice a result. A memory book offers an excellent opportunity to have kin identify individuals and recall stories in unidentified photos. Include one or two unidentified photos per page, with sections for your relative to identify the people and place, plus any stories or memories which the photo may prompt them to recall. Create Your Pages If youre using a hard-backed journal you can print and paste in your questions or, if you have nice handwriting, pen them in by hand. If youre using a 3-ring binder, use a software program such to create and arrange your pages before printing them out. Include only one or two questions per page, leaving plenty of room for writing. Add photos, quotes or other little memory triggers to accent the pages and provide further inspiration. Assemble Your Book Decorate the cover with personalized sayings, photos or other family memories. If you want to get really creative, scrapbooking supplies such as archival-safe stickers, die cuts, trim, and other decorations can help you add a customized, personal touch to the publishing process. Once your memory book is complete, send it off to your relative with a pack of good writing pens and a personal letter. Once they have completed their memory book, you may want to send new pages with questions to add to the book. Once they return the completed memory book to you, be sure to have photocopies made to share with family members and protect against possible loss.

Call to action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Call to action - Essay Example They as well offer local volunteer opportunities, mentorship programs for students and social events. Evaluate the laws about Fracking To address the major issues of environment, health and compensation, groups that draw membership from the immediate environment affected by drilling, the Environment Law Society should make it their responsibility to look at the current laws in place. This is an effort to aid those affected. As part of the Arizona state, they should mind their environment using the law knowledge they have. In Arizona, there are a number of groups that are deeply and widely involved in environmental issues. However, these groups are riddled with politics when it comes to the issue of fracking and as such, a rather ‘independent and neutral’ group should be used to champion issues that arise. With consideration of the sub issue of compensation, a rather affected group should be chosen. Considering this, the best group is the Arizona Farm Bureau, a Tucson bas ed farm and ranch organization. The groups should come together to propose a law that may be sent to the responsible arm of the state administration. The environment law society of the University of Arizona should be the uniting body and streamline all legal actions of the groups to form a strong proposal. Extend Legal Education to the community regarding effects of fracking Since the group is based on the values of a free and enlightened community that is environmentally sensitive the Environmental law society should involve the community. It should realize the need to educate people more on the environment, face challenges and come up with solutions. There are shaky environmental laws which are not known to many. While they make proposals for better and stringent laws that govern fracking they should also is to disseminate legal environment knowledge to as many as possible as a step towards conservation. What should be of importance to them is the fact that the environmental laws are functional, well known to the people and followed accordingly. The constant bickering and politicking regarding environmental issues should not concern them. The environmental law society should not only leave a community that is aware of laws about fracking and their rights to safety, it should also do that on other environmental laws. This is a call to action for them in time since there are many issues affecting the environment especially executed by drilling companies that do little to mind the people. Conduct Mass Awareness Campaigns The Environmental Law Society is a major contributor to the Arizona Journal of Environmental Law & Policy (â€Å"AJELP†) which is a multi-discipline student-run journal. The AJELP examines environmental issues from scientific, legal, public policy, economic and other perspectives. This helps in creation of an engaging, responsive platform to discuss and drawing attention to pertinent environmental issues in law and policy. The journal pu blishes environment articles on a rolling basis thereby of providing updates that are timely and legal and of interest to the environmental community. The club should use this platform to advocate for a response by airing the grievances of the affected people on print media. The issue of the negative effects of drilling has long been concealed due to lack of exposure for what they really cause. The environmental law society should dwell on this until audience is given. The other feasible actions

Justice, Ethics and Law - critical evaluation of one of the three Essay

Justice, Ethics and Law - critical evaluation of one of the three topics below - Essay Example They insist that the idea of all people possessing certain rights by virtue of their humanity, even in the absence of legislation, is baseless and only loose talk.2 The ambiguity regarding the credibility of human rights dates back to the 18th century shortly after US Declaration of Independence in 1776, and thirteen years ahead, the French declaration of ‘the rights of man’. The US Declaration stated that every man is ‘endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights’ while the French Declaration asserted ‘men are born and remain free and equal in rights’. Not long afterwards, Jeremy Bentham, in his writings between 1791 and 1792,3 differed with the concept of human rights and called for its dismissal. Bentham claimed that the idea of human rights was borrowed from the Americans and was not practical. Even today, there is still widespread disagreement on issues relating to human rights. Most critics maintain that human rights lack coherence, cogency and legitimacy while some still point out grey areas such as social and economic rights.4 Amartya Sen5 proposes several guidelines for the elements of a human rights theory that adequately address the issue of legitimacy of human rights. I will consider these six guidelines as conclusions to arguments which he bases on one or more premises explained under each subheading. The paper will analyse each of these conclusions and their supporting premises and critically assess their legitimacy and any alternative suggestions. Sen claims that human rights are primarily ethical demands rather than legal commands.6 He makes this conclusion based on two premises. First, even though human rights have often resulted in legislation, it is considered a further fact, as opposed to a characteristic of human rights. Second, Sen states that human rights are agreements on certain ethical affirmations and the

Operations Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Operations Management - Assignment Example Therefore, the project implementation tends to incorporate an effective set of attributes and enable the council to achieve its ultimate desired objectives. It has been found that with the implementation of the planned project, the community safety would increase by manifold and would enable the council to reduce the rate of crime in the Bedford community. Project management can be considered as one of the major management paradigms, which enables the business organisations to effectively and efficiently achieve their business goals within the constantly changing phase of the business environment. An effective project management approach facilitates the organisations to execute various business competencies to effectively handle uncertainties, risks along with pressure of its competitors within the existing market (Laureate Online Education, 2010). Moreover, project management can be differentiated with the various standards of the business operations with respect to focusing on uniqueness, timescales, financial projection, resources, risks and uncertainties along with the major activities regarding skills, tools and processes of project management (Westland, 2003). The methodology to be followed to gain required information is the evaluation of information available from secondary sources. With due consideration of preparing project implementation plan, this report will highly focus on developing the major aspects and processes of project management which will be highly beneficial for Bedford Borough Council. The discussion of this paper will cover the major elements and their activities in order to successfully implement of the new and developed project management. With respect to the observation from last three years, it has been ascertained that Bedford Borough Council has aimed at minimising the amount of general

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Essay Example for Free

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Essay Ralph Waldo Emerson’s theory of individualism is a stance that emphasizes the importance of self-reliance for personal success. One of the main tenets of the theory claims that a genius is someone who perseveres with one’s plans regardless of others’ opinions and that nothing is sacred other than the integrity of one’s own mind. This essay will further discuss this tenet to support Emerson’s Individualism. People should live their lives without being burdened by the opinions of others. Emerson, in reference to babes, writes â€Å"their mind being whole, their eye is as yet unconquered nfancy conforms to nobody; all conform to it. † All of the greatest inventions came about from someone who did not conform to society. Society ends up conforming to those who follow their own dreams, as adults conform to the ways a child acts. In todays society, success is often measured by a person’s wealth, status and fame. However, no one should judge what success and failure is aside from the person it concerns. Very often society looks down on those who do not conform to its rigid structure. If a person does what everyone else is doing, who will innovate? Unsurprisingly, all those considered successful were those who broke out of the mold and followed their own vision. A genius is someone who perseveres with his or her plans regardless of the negativity around them. Thomas Edison’s teacher said that he was too stupid to learn anything. Although the number of attempts varies, there is a consensus that the lowest number of times Edison failed to create the light bulb was around 1,000. When asked how he felt about failing so much, Edison answered, â€Å"I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps. † Emerson writes â€Å"God will not have his work made manifest by cowards. † Whether or not a person is religious, the meaning holds true. No coward has ever been able to achieve anything great because cowards tend to give up easily. Another one of Edison’s famous quotes states, â€Å"genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. † This claim supports Emerson’s Individualism because it takes a genius to perspire and work through the numerous obstacles that stand between him or her and success. Everything can be broken and worked around other than what a person truly believes. Emersons theory argues that if a person were to betray his or her own belief, it could be damaging beyond repair. Emerson states, â€Å" if I’m the devil then I shall be the devil,† suggesting only a person’s mind can truly decide what is moral and what is immoral. Emerson also writes, â€Å"to believe your own thought, to believe what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men,-that is genius. This is how revolutions happen, when a large group of people decides that the laws are no longer right. No law, no life, is greater than a person’s own beliefs because Emerson states, â€Å"nothing is sacred other than the integrity of your own mind. † A successful person is often, if not always, fully dedicated to what they believe in because a person will never give up on something they believe to be truly right. Emerson’s theory of Individualism doesn’t encourage selfishness because that would be a moral judgment. The theory does not make any statements of morality. It claims that a person should rely only on himself or herself to make decisions and to define what they believe to be right and wrong. Outside forces should not be relied on or even considered when trying to achieve personal goals. If a person believes that failures are actually successes because they bring them one step closer to the final goal, failure does not exist. Success and happiness will come to a person as long as he or she relies on his or her own judgment, perseveres regardless of the negativity of external influences, and stays true to their minds without breaking their integrity.

Analysis of Barbara Kruger

Analysis of Barbara Kruger For this short essay writing I get an example of single contemporary artist Barbara Kruger. Barbara Kruger is an American conceptual artist. A lot of her effort consists of black and white photographs overlaid with declarative captions-in white-on-red Futura Bold Oblique. The phrases in her works frequently consist of use of pronouns such as you, your, I, we, and they. I begin my essay with the retort how Barbara Kruger be considered illustrative of Baudrillards or Barthes theories. Postmodernism was born out of a response in opposition to the policy of Modernism. Most particularly, Postmodern artists discarded the Modernist obsession with the aesthetic and began by questioning the recognized qualities tied to this aesthetic. As the Postmodern movement progressed, this critique intensified and moved beyond simply formal concerns; artists also began criticizing many underlying notions of Modernism, together with ideas about creativity and authority. Simultaneously, French philosophers Roland Barthes and Jean Baudrillard introduced theories concerning the rising artistic practices of appropriation and simulation. Barthes, in his elaboration on the theory of appropriation, described principles and practices that a lot of artists were employing in their critiques on Modernism. The work of American artist Barbara Kruger gives the most powerful embodimen t of Barthes theories of appropriation. Roland Barthes, in his 1967 essay The Death of the Author, stripped mutually authority and authorship from artists and writers, declaring, A text is not a line of words releasing a single theological meaning (the message of the Author-God), but a multi-dimensional space in which a variety of writings, none of them new, blend and collide. This theory not only described the postmodern artistic practices of the time, but it undermined Modernisms lofty goals and claims of creating original artwork. According to Barthes, no author or artist creates something new and unique. Instead, every formed thing is a recycled regurgitation of that which preceded it. As Postmodernism continued to develop, many artists not only acknowledged Barthess denouncement of originality but also embraced it as a means through which to further critique the works and tenets of Modernism. These artists favored the readymade object as more powerful than the supposedly new crafted objects shaped by Modernist artists. By openly acknowledging the process of appropriation that occurs within the manufacture of all art, these artists leveraged the power of pre-existing imagery and signs to produce new works with multiple layers and multiple meanings. Barbara Kruger began her career as a graphic designer and commercial artist for publications and magazines such as Mademoiselle. Her work as a postmodern artist began to garner attention in the early 1980s; about fifteen years later than Barthes published The Death of the Author. Krugers experience in the profitable design world greatly influenced her work both officially and philosophically. She embraced both the imagery and language of advertising, combining black and white photographs with ambiguous but accusatory statements in collage-like presentations. But she concurrently rejected the philosophies of commercial advertising and the majority, by raising questions concerning gender equality, consumerism, and stereotypes. Regarding the state of culture, In Untitled (Your Comfort is My Silence), 1981, Kruger combined a black and white image of a mans head with his index finger over his mouth and two lines of text reading, Your comfort is my silence. The initial two words cover the mans eyes, further eliminating his exact identity and reducing him to a generic symbol of masculine dominance and control. The text is presented in a combination of black text over white rectangles and white text in red rectangles in a cut-and-paste manner. By employing collage to join pre-existing imagery with authoritative statements, Kruger practices the appropriation that Barthes described. Krugers work also assigns an interpretive role to both the viewer and culture at large, as posited by Barthes. By keeping her statements to some extent cryptic or ambiguous, Kruger forces viewers to build meaning from their own earlier experiences, thereby actively participating in the procedure of appropriation. In addition I am going to cover the answers of is it simplistic for an artist to rely heavily on theory, Does good art go beyond theory and Are these original works? While Kruger and other artists who deliberately practice appropriation are most likely aware of Barthess philosophies and statements, it is hard to say how much their work and practice is shaped by such theory. Oftentimes theory seems somewhat reflexive to contemporary practices; critics notice existing artistic trends and then posit theories and extend technical language to describe such practices. As such, one could disagree that artistic practice influences theory just as much as theory influences the practice that follows. Certainly theory plays some role in virtually every piece or work of art, even if the producer or artist is unaware of it. Sometimes, the identical theory can even direct artists in two completely different or opposing directions. Modern theory, for example, called for aesthetic experience and form al purity, and many artists worked to attain the ideal representation of these criteria. Postmodern practice should not be viewed as alike attempt to perfectly render the theories of Postmodernism; rather, it is more perfectly a reaction against the tenets of Modern theory. From my point of view it seems then that theory and practice share a somewhat cyclical relationship. Artists produce new work, and then critics develop theories and language to describe it. Other artists take these newly-formed theories as information for what constitutes art at the time and turn out their art accordingly. After a period of extremely following the most recently canonized theories, other artists consciously operate outside of the dominant theory or refuse it altogether and produce another new type of work. This appears to be a recurring trend in the relationship among art theory and art practice. The work of artists such as Barbara Kruger, poses many essential questions and reiterates those raised by Roland Barthes. Although such artists intentionally employ the process of appropriation in producing their artwork, their works are no less original than that of other artists. Even Modernist painters, who so adamantly strove for originality and uniqueness, operated within the framework and visual language of the preceding millennia of art and history. As Barthes says, The writer [or artist] can only imitate a gesture that is always anterior, not at all original. Possibly this means that, concurrently, not anything is original and everything is original.

Evolution of Ideas and Practices From Ancient Times :: essays research papers

Evolution of Ideas and Practices From Ancient Times   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plato’s symposium is a array of speeches on what love meant in the society. Although the term â€Å"homosexuality† was not present in ancient times, it was something that was well practiced. Men and women still shared intercourse, but it was not thought of as wrong, or out of the norm, for there to be male and male interaction, and sometimes female and female interaction. Love, the kind shared between two males, came from physical attraction, emotional attraction and mental attraction. Love, the kind shared between a man and a woman came from emotional and mental attraction, and a need to procreate. After the times of Plato female homosexuality was completely forbidden, although male homosexuality was deemed acceptable. Marriage was often just for procreation, but there was also love involved. Homosexuality in modern times is often thought of as wrong. It is thought of as completely inappropriate for two men or for two women to be together in a sexua l way. It is interesting to see how the idea and practice of homosexuality and the practice of love and marriage has evolved through the times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There was much male and male interaction in the times of Plato. Older men often took younger men â€Å"under their wings.† An older man would teach younger men about the world of love, politics, business etc. in return for sexual favors. In the beginning of â€Å"Symposium† Agathon requests that Socrates be seated next to him so that â€Å"I may touch you,† he said â€Å"and have the benefit of that wise thought which came into your mind in the portico...† Agathon believed that he were to touch Socrates and be with Socrates he could learn Socrates’ many wisdoms. It would not have been uncommon for the other men in the room to witness a sexual interaction between males, for they themselves surely participated in it. Although it is later learned that Socrates is not a enthusiast of sexual pleasures, he looks better upon stimulation of the brain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Who is really to say which kind of love is the true kind of love? Aristophenes tells a story of a different people, and â€Å"Androgynous† people. In the beginning a human was one being with four arms, four hands, four legs, and four feet. This being even had two faces, on either side of the one head it shared. The being was egotistical and upset Zeus, and so Zeus cut it in half and made two of one in an attempt to humble this being.

Ethical Leadership and How to Create a Positive Work Environment Essay

Leadership nowadays has encountered various problems. One of the most common one and which is contaminating the main business environment is that individuals at work are not engaging as they should. We have to ask ourselves, why is this happening and how can we prevent it? Dr. Charmine Hartel commented in the seminar that almost 20% of all the active workers in every organization do not work in favor of it. Instead they engage against the organization in various ways. This is a really big issue, because this means that there is something happening inside the organization and its leadership that is making these counter-productive acts. Recent researches that have been made show us that there are 3 different things that usually happens in the organization that get the workers to engage in a bad way their work as they should. * Work Environment * Negative Work Environment * Stress When the brain is under stress chemicals are released that weakens functions of the brain that gives us a higher level of structure (this is called the prefrontal cortex). When stressed, we are likely to engage inappropriate actions and lack the ability to regulate our emotions. With this in mind, we are encountering serious problems for the organization, because if these workers don’t have the use of their brain area they are not going to be able to engage the work they can and should do. Ethical Leadership The fruits of ethical leadership are Positive Work Environments, also known as PWE’s. PWEÂ ´s exists when the workers see their places as positive, respectful, inclusive and psychologically safe, and when leaders and coworkers are trustworthy and there exist an open diversity characterized in just policies and decision making. The entire above are needed to complete and get a PWE. PWE provides the set of emotional experiences necessary for human flourishing. We know that on average the positive emotional experiences outweigh the negative emotional ones. So, with this in mind, when you see your environment is safeyou have the ability to start being more creative and start being yourself. We should always keep in mind that an emotion is a response of the person when they have a particular event. They can have Destructive or constructive consequences. Organizations are responsible for the work environment they create. This is called the organization culture. When people and how the people interpreted the environment around their workplace. This is about how the organization context shapes the meaning and actions of its members. People management have the need to build resilience, diversity openness and be able to create a support to people trough change. There always exists the need to belong and to be valued for our uniqueness. Servant Leadership Many leadership approaches think about other things and focus their attention on what the followers need and develop things around them. Its an approach around the about the energy and direct it to the best place. With that in mind looking at the person as a whole being, not just as one more worker. One of the key things is that they can understand the core value of the workers and respect them as they deserve. There exist the emotion focus coping and problem focused coping they both have constructive and destructive emotions and impulses. The Giving Voice of Values (GVV) is designed to help individuals learn to recognize, clarify, speak and act on themselves when those conflicts arise. The focus is on how a manager raises this issues in an effective way.

The Black Hawk War - Deception and Demise essays

The Black Hawk War - Deception and Demise essays The systematic slaughter of the Native Americans from the time of Columbus to the time of Roosevelt has often been compared to the holocaust of Jews in nazi Germany. Millions of Native Americans were brutally tortured and murdered by an invasion of foreign forces so as to steal their land and recourses (Churchill,126). Those who were not exterminated were forcefully removed from their land (either at gunpoint, the point of a bayonet or by forged treaties) and driven off to federal prison camps called reservations (source). In the early nineteenth century, whites started moving into what is now the state of Illinois. This movement precipitated numerous clashes with the Indians, including Black Hawks war. The defeat of Black Hawk removed a large obstacle to white settlement in the Old Northwest. In 1803, an exploratory push by Lt. Zebulon Pike, an American explorer, into the upper Mississippi valley signified the end of an era for the Sauks and their allies, the Foxes. The Indians debated whether to accommodate or resist the advance of the whites frontier. One group, headed by Keokuk, a Sauk, argued for accommodation, but Black Hawk, another Sauk leader, fiercely opposed such a policy. Black Hawks convictions were confirmed in 1804, when white settlers convinced the Sauk and Fox Indians to sign a treaty decreeing that they move west of the Mississippi. The treaty had no real claim to validity and was hardly understood by the Native Americans. Some refused, however, and soon after the War of 1812, Black Hawk denounced the treaty and proclaimed the Indians determination to retain their land. The next decade witnessed a steady decline in the fortunes of the Sauks and the Foxes. White population pressures forced the Indians to adhere to the treaty of 1804 and abandon their old territory. By the end of the 1820s, all had been forcibly removed and the lands sold by the state at public auction. Despite th...

Mixed American Essay examples

Mixed American Essay examples Mixed American Essay examples Mixed-American â€Å"There is a drill that nearly all Asians in America have experienced more times than they can count. Total strangers will interrupt with the absurdly existential question â€Å"What are you?† Or the equally common inquiry â€Å"Where are you from?†...†(1) Living in Southern California as a â€Å"Hispanic American†, I have definitely received those same exact questions countless times. Although I know they are of good intention, I usually like to throw out the answer they weren't looking for and watch them get frustrated with my not so serious answer. I'm sure Mission Hills, California doesn't seem as â€Å"exotic† as Sinaloa, Mexico might sound (which is where my father is from), but I would still much rather be here than over there. Even though we are only a few hours away from Tijuana, Mexico; I still haven't even been to any part of Mexico. However, my eventual answer is that my heritage, or â€Å"ethnicity† is Mexican-American. Helen Zia needed someone to question the origin of her name, actually guessing if it was Pakistani, to help her awaken her own personal American revolution. Up until then, Zia was, â€Å"someone living in the shadows of American society...†(1). Later on, while discussing civil rights with her friend Rose, Rose badgered her saying, â€Å"Helen, you've got to decide if you're black or white.†(1). Problem was, she still wasn't really sure what she saw herself as, since the term â€Å"Asian American† hasn't been coined yet. The problem with racially identifying yourself, is that it is a complicated mixture of information that you absorb sub-consciously, â€Å"Everybody learns some combination, some version, of the rules of racial classification, and of their own racial identity, often without obvious teaching or conscious inculcation. Race becomes "common sense"- a way of comprehending, explaining and acting in the world.†.(5) The main problem is, when you ask an Asian-American to racially define themselves, they may have trouble defining themselves, similar to Helen Zia, not being sure exactly what she is. Zia felt that other â€Å"Americans† viewed her as the enemy, so she would be discriminated even though she wasn't the person we were fighting at the time, let alone the correct â€Å"race†. Victor Wong went through similar situations, referring to his face as, â€Å"the face of the enemy.†(3). While we may have only been at war with one country from Asia at a time, whether it be with China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, etc., The average American who wasn't out to war with a gun, was at war with all Asians in their own communities using their hard head as their weapon instead, and boy was it effective. This mindset that people have against Asian groups, turns them into â€Å"perpetual foreigners†(4), who no matter how long they live in the United States, they will always be labeled as foreigners from another country. It is not fair that we treat the ancestors of those who came here in the 1800's, working hard in the mines, and plantations, helping build the nation to what it is today, with disrespect. Even if it is not a direct ancestor, we should not be prejudiced towards any Asian group, because we all did our part in developing this nation, so we all deserve a piece of the proverbial American pie. Choosing your race seems like something that is not up to you, it seems like something that other people make up to help define you so they can single you out and put you into some group. However, â€Å"The effort must be made to understand race as an unstable and "decentered" complex of social meanings constantly being transformed by political struggle.†(5). Victor Wong said he had to â€Å"make my own manual to live in this country.† because being Asian-American was not simple. Race is not set in stone, since it is a mixture of many forces that come together to define the race, it constantly change from time