Omam Essay Questions - 2412 Words

What do Steinbeck’s first description of George and Lennie tell us about their characters? Discuss this in the regards to the role/relationship of Itinerant workers in the 1930’s Great Depression: In the 1930’s itinerant workers were migrant workers who travelled from land to land to find jobs, any occupation available to allow them to fend for themselves and survive in the disastrous world, they were living in at the time. We know George and Lennie are migrant workers due to the period of time the novella is based on. It was a catastrophic world as it was when The Great Depression occurred, unemployment and recession increased vigorously. Bearing this in mind, the way in which Steinbeck’s first description of George and Lennie, at the†¦show more content†¦George says, â€Å"You d drink out of a gutter if you was thirsty. Here we have the duplicate of a man who is not intelligent enough to check if the water is fresh and eligible to drink, but w ho also drinks in a very animal-like fashion. Lennie s mental delay comes across clearly, as he is presented as to be dehumanised in all situations when his actions are compared to those of ones of an animal. Good discussion about Gamp; L Aqsa, However you need to include much more evidence when you are explaining key scenes-you must make sure you back them up or your great interpretation will be invalid! The ending here needs to be tied up in relation to The great depression and role of itinerant workers in more detail. Talk about the desoeration, the need for this to work-how does George epitomise these struggles/sense of urgency? Choose on theme presented in OMAM and discuss its significance and development throughout the novella The theme I shall be discussing (do not need this-introduce it in a more sophisticated way! is light and the significance and development of it throughout the novella. The use of light is used in various sections of the novella and is first symbolic when we are introduced to Curley’s Wife,† the rectangle of sunshine/was cut off†. Some readers may interpret from this that Curley’s Wife wants to be the centre of attention so she â€Å"cuts† off the only light source presented in the passage. Others may understand from

Weakness Of Homelessness - 1232 Words

Strength. There are health centers for homeless to aid in not only their health, but their outreach programs set them up in the right direction. Like in this case study, the center assisted him in signing up for health insurance and food benefits. Some programs, give homeless the psychological help. Weaknesses. Unfortunately, homeless must want to not live on the streets and give up the additions to recreational and prescription drugs and alcohol. They tend not to because they feel ostracized, being criminalized and bused from one city to the next. Opportunities. There are many opportunities for assisting the homeless population. Increasing community awareness to there are not as privileged and no roof over their head and what they can do†¦show more content†¦California has the most unsheltered homeless population as well. The prevalence of being homeless is 1 in every 332 people. Riverside county, located in southern California, reported that there 2,165 homeless. Of those 2,165, only 841 were considered shelter while on the other hand 1,352 were unsheltered. They ran the same test for 2017 and the numbers increased. 2,413 are now accounted with the number of sheltered decreased to 775 and unsheltered increased to 1,638. (County of Riverside, 2017) There are numerous underlying problems as to why people experience homelessness. There is a lot of misconception of why or how people become homeless. Most people assume that others are homeless because they cannot maintain a steady line of work. However, 25% of homeless are employed. They are low-end jobs with little pay. Housing. The scarceness of affordable housing is the ultimate source of people being homeless. For renters to be able to meet the expense of a two-bedroom apartment, they would have to make twice the national minimum wage. (National Coalition for the Homeless, n.d.) Employment and Income. Underemployment and low wages are not sufficient to meet even the minimum requirements for the cost of living and is another cause of homeless. This issue burdens millions of people whether they are homeless or not. (National Coalition for the Homeless, n.d.) Health. Many individuals and families are reduced toShow MoreRelatedHomelessness Intervention Paper : Homelessness1134 Words   |  5 PagesHomelessness Intervention Paper Identify the problem Poverty and homelessness are connected when individuals, families and the working poor attempt to live below the poverty threshold. The underprivileged and those living under the poverty threshold are â€Å"frequently unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, health care, and education† (nationalcoalitionforthehomeless.org). Housing accounts for a major percentage of income and often must be eliminated. â€Å"Two issues that contribute to increasing povertyRead MoreHomelessness Of The United States Essay1459 Words   |  6 PagesJessy Clark Dr Iudicello English 102 30 November 2016 Homelessness in America â€Å"On a single night in January 2015, there were 564,708 people experiencing homelessness in the United States. Sixty-nine percent of those who were homeless were in sheltered locations and 31 percent were found in unsheltered locations† (Facts). People living in poverty are most likely have a high risk becoming homeless. Many other reasons why becoming homeless is due to economic conditions such as unemployment and increasingRead MoreHomelessness Is A Whole Spectrum1453 Words   |  6 Pagespeople out of every 1000 people experience homelessness (National Alliance to End Homelessness). In 2014, statistics have revealed that on any given night, almost half a million people experienced homelessness. Many people have a misconception that homelessness simply means living on the street. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development suggests homelessness is a whole spectrum. According to the HUD, people experiencing homelessness are people who don’t have a fixed and regularRead MoreThe Problem Of Becoming Homeless Essay1485 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"On a single night in January 2015, there were 564,708 people experiencing homelessness in the United States. Sixty-nine percent of those who were homeless were in sheltered locations and 31 percent were found in unsheltered locations† (Facts). People living in poverty are most likely have a high risk becoming homeless. Many other reasons why becoming homeless is due to economic conditions such as unemployment and increasing housing costs (Why). In addition, with all the new economic rules they areRead MoreHomelessness Persuasive Speech1217 Words   |  5 PagesHomelessness is the condition of people that do not have a permanent place to live, like a house or an apartment. The issue of homelessness is not subjected to one area, but it is a worldwide problem. Homelessness can result by depending upon a countries economy, and their government because the officials often ignores th e issue. Manila, Philippines has 22.8 million who reside in the slums, and 1.2 million of those people are children who live by peddling, or begging on the streets, (Castillo). TheRead MoreHomelessness Is A Big Global Problem1154 Words   |  5 PagesWhat do people think of homelessness? People think that they are people who can’t get a job and are too lazy to work.Seeing people on the streets, some yelling at others, some sleeping on the ground with no roof over their head,digging in the recycle to get as many bottles they can for money.Imagine living on the streets with not much food to spare or and love to spread,just concrete maybe a cardboard and a small blanket is all homeless will have. We can do so much more to help them. We can giveRead MoreWhat Ways Does Immigration Status Impact Homeless And Why?1631 Words   |  7 Pagesvulnerable to be be homelessness and stay homelessness than a resident (Thurston, Roy, Clow, Este, Gordey, Haworth-Brockman, McCoy, 2013). They lack social support, not enough resources available, shortage of affordable housing, jobs, family and social services and citizenship support (Thurson et al., 2013). The purpose of this Literature review is to find in what ways does immigration status impact homeless and why? What programs or laws need to be implemented to help reduce homelessness among LatinosRead MoreResearch Literature Review1653 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ SOWK 562 – Summer 2014 Assignment #3: Intervention Literature Review July 20, 2014 Dr. Hsin-Yi Hsiao Intervention Description There are two distinct service models for persons experiencing homelessness that also have issues with mental illness and/or addictions, the treatment first model or the Housing First model. Housing First models utilize a supported housing approach in which consumers start with permanent, independent apartments and providers work with consumers regardlessRead MoreHomeless Veterans: The Fight at Home1367 Words   |  5 Pagesturmoil and homelessness. The authors of Homelessness and Money Mismanagement in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans claim that soldiers â€Å"are less likely than civilians to meet their basic needs and more likely to have significant credit card debt† (Elbogen et al. S248). Adding these factors to the already difficult transition between military and civilian life a soldier can easily upset the delicate balance of family and financial stability, which can lead to unemployment and homelessness. After returningRead MoreHomeless Children : The Poverty Rate, Lack Of Affordable Housing And Single Parent Households1476 Words   |  6 PagesHomeless Children According to recent reports child homelessness, an estimated 2.5 million children are homeless in the United States. Sadly, nearly half of these children are under the age of five. In fact, one in every thirty children is considered homeless and the numbers continue to increase annually (Bassuk, E., DeCandia, C., Beach, C., Berman, F., 2014) Though many factors contribute to this social epidemic, the high poverty rate, lack of affordable housing and single parent households are

Terrorism and Religion for Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick

Question: Discuss about theTerrorism and Religion for Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick. Answer: Terrorism is one of the major threats which the world is facing at the moment and the mitigation of this is very important for the maintaining the harmony as well as the status quo of the world (Jongman 2017)[1]. It is significant to note that in the present times there are various reasons for the rise in the number of the terrorists activities which the world is facing at the moment like the economic condition of the various third world countries of the world, the injustices which the various communities or segments feel have been committed against them and various others (Nacos 2016)[2]. Therefore, religious terrorism is on the rise and many people are becoming victims to this particular evil. It is often seen that many culprits use the name of religion to justify their terrorist and other anti-social activities which cause a significant amount of damage to the other innocent people of the society (Spalek 2012)[3]. This paper seeks to compare and contrast two article related to the genre of terrorist activities, namely, The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities by Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick and the article What's so religious about religious terrorism? by Jeroen Gunning and Richard Jackson in the context of the views articulated by them in their articles. The article The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities written by the authors Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick and published in the International Review of Law, Computers Technology in the year 2011 seeks to give an overview of the terrorism and also the concept of counter-terrorism and the role of the religion in the process (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[4]. The article puts special emphasis on the role of the Muslim religion in the process of terrorism and how this particular religion is used by the various people to justify their anti-social activities which lead to a destruction of many valuable lives and property on a yearly basis (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[5]. The authors also seek to analyze the various legislations and policies which have been developed to counter the increasing number of terrorist activities in the various Muslim nations (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[6]. The article What's so religious about religious terrorism? by the authors Jeroen G unning and Richard Jackson published in the Critical Studies on Terrorism in the year 2011 also seeks to provide an overview of the concept of terrorism and it seeks to validate the concept of religious terrorism which is being committed in the various nations of the world in the name of the religion (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[7]. Furthermore, the article argues that the distinctions typically drawn between religious and secular terrorism are problematic (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[8]. Moreover, the article also seeks to provide an overview of the concept of the political religion and tries to relate it to the current definitions of terrorism (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[9]. It is to be noted that whereas the first article by the authors Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick seeks to repudiate the concept of terrorism and criticizes the role of religion in the process of terrorism (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[10] whereas the second article by the authors Jeroen Gunning and Richard Jackson, on the other hand, seeks the validate the concept of religious terrorism and also the concept of political religion which the major terrorist organizations of the world as well as the individuals use to justify their acts of criminality and terrorism (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[11]. Furthermore, it is to be noted that whereas the article by Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick focuses on the various legislations passed by the diverse nations of the world like the United Kingdom and others to curb the rising terrorist activities in the various Muslim nations of the world (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[12]. The article by the authors Jeroen Gunning and Richard Jackson, on the ot her hand, focuses on the role of beliefs and institutional structures, religious or otherwise, in producing political violence (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[13]. Furthermore, both the articles articulate the concept that just the development of policies as well as legislations is not enough. The various first world nations of the world also need to find out and analyze the major reasons behind the growing number of terrorist activities and address them in the most effective manner in a bid to resolve the evil of terrorism which the majority of the nations of the world are facing at the moment (Richardson 2013)[14]. In addition to these the various nations of the world also needs to develop other relevant strategies for the mitigation of this particular risk faced by the world presently (Spalek 2012)[15]. The primary strength of the article The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities can be said to be the penetrating insight which it provides into the concept of terrorism and the role which religion plays in the process of terrorism. Another significant strength of the article can be said to be the fact that it also tries to show how religion is used by the various people to justify their terrorist activities (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[16]. On the other hand, the strength of the article What's so religious about religious terrorism? can be said to be the fact that it seek it provide an insight into the process of religious terrorism and also seeks to validate the use of the concept of religion in the process of terrorism (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[17]. The weakness of the article The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities can be said to be fact that the article fails to take into consideration the role played by the other factors in the process of terrorism. The sole focus of the article is on the role which religion plays in the terrorism and not on the major factors. The weakness of the article What's so religious about religious terrorism? can be said to be the fact that the article puts too much emphasis on the concept of political religion and seeks to validate the concept of religious terrorism which is completely unethical. To conclude, it becomes evident that the problem of terrorism is one of the major issues which the world is facing at the present moment. It is significant to note that the various individuals use the concept of religion and other factors to justify their acts of criminality and brutal behavior which should not be the case. Therefore, the world needs to address this particular evil as it causes a significant amount of damage to property as the loss of lives on an annual basis. It is a reflection of this that the various nations of the world have developed certain legislations and policies related to the control of terrorism in the various nations of the world. However, just the mere development of policies is not enough the various first world nations of the world also need to address the major issues which give rise to the various terrorist activities. References Combs, C.C., 2017.Terrorism in the twenty-first century. Routledge. Jeroen Gunning and Richard Jackson 2011. What's so religious about religious terrorism?, Critical Studies on Terrorism, 4:3, 369-388, DOI: 10.1080/17539153.2011.623405 Jongman, A.J., 2017.Political terrorism: A new guide to actors, authors, concepts, data bases, theories, and literature. Routledge. Martin, G., 2017.Understanding terrorism: Challenges, perspectives, and issues. SAGE publications. Nacos, B., 2016.Mass-mediated Terrorism: mainstream and digital media in terrorism and counterterrorism. Rowman Littlefield. Richardson, L., 2013.The roots of terrorism. Routledge. Spalek, B. ed., 2012.Counter-terrorism: Community-based approaches to preventing terror crime. Palgrave Macmillan. Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick 2011. The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities, International Review of Law, Computers Technology, 25:3, 151-181, DOI: 10.1080/13600869.2011.617491

Plot, Setting, Comparing Themes, Character, Style, Tone, and Mood, Irony, Narrator and Voice Symbolism and Allegory Essay Example

Plot, Setting, Comparing Themes, Character, Style, Tone, and Mood, Irony, Narrator and Voice Symbolism and Allegory Paper Plot A series of related events in a story, each connected to the next. Sequence The order in which a storys events take place. Exposition The opening of a story, when the characters and their conflicts are introduced. Conflict A struggle between two forces. External Conflict Two characters, character and a group, character and an animal, or character and a force of nature. Internal Conflict A struggle that takes place in the characters mind or heart. Climax The most exciting part of a story; the moment when the outcome of the conflict is determined. (usually at the end of a short story.) A major decision. Resolution (denouement) The very end of the story, when loose ends are tied up. Flashback An action that interrupts the story to introduce an event that took place in the past. Flash-Forward An action that jumps ahead of the story to narrate an event that happens at a later time. Foreshadowing Hints in the story that certain events are going to happen later. Setting The time and place in which the story happens. Atmosphere Mood or feelings brought on by a storys setting. Subject The topic of a work of literature. The subject can usually be started in a single word or phrase. Theme The general idea or insight about human life that a work of literature reveals. The theme can be stated in one or more sentences. Generalization A broad statement that applies to many individuals, experiences, situations, or observations. A kind of conclusion that is drawn after considering as many facts as possible. Themes are expressed as generalizations. Genres The different forms of literature. (Short stories, novels, plays, poems) Universal themes Can be found in literature from different times, countries, and cultures. Universal themes cross genres as well as national boundaries, languages, customs, and historic periods. Characterization The way writers create characters in a story. Direct Characterization The writer tells us directly what a character is like (good or evil or lazy) Indirect Characterization The writer tells us clues in the story to decide what kind of person the character is. Protagonist The main character in a story. Antagonist The character that the main character struggles against. Subordinate Characters Minor characters on the story. Motivations The reasons behind a characters actions and feelings. Flat Characters A character who is not fully developed in the story. A flat character is almost never the main character. Round Character A character who is fully developed, just as a person in actual life. Dynamic Character A character who changes during the story. The change might involve recognition of some truth about life. Static Character A character who does not change during the story. Dialogue The conversations characters have with other characters. First-Person Narration A story told be an I(character) narrator. Style The particular way a writer uses language. (Word choice, sentence structure, and tone.) Diction The writers choice of words- an essential element of a writers style. Connotations Meanings and emotions associated with a word that go beyond its dictionary definition. Figures of Speech Imaginative comparisons in which one thing is described in terms of another. They are not meant to be understood on a literal level. Imagery Language that appeals to one or more of the 5 senses. Tone The writers attitude toward a subject or character, or toward the audience. Mood The overall feeling or atmosphere of a work of literature. Irony The difference between what we expect or what seems suitable and what actually happens. Verbal Irony When someone says something but means the opposite. Situational Irony An event that is contrary to, or the opposite of, what we expected. Dramatic Irony When we know what is going to happen to a character but the character doesnt know. Ambiguity A quality that allows something to be interpreted in several different or conflicting ways. Narrator The teller of a story. Omniscient Point Of View The narrator can tell us everything about the characters, including how they think and feel. First-Person Narrator A character in the story who refers to himself or herself as I or me. It only tells what the narrator know and chooses to reveal. Unreliable May not always tell the truth about characters or events in the story. Diction The writers choice of words. Tone The writers attitude toward the subject of a story, toward a character, or towards the audience. Voice The writers use of language and overall style, created by ton and choice of words. Symbol An object (a person, animal, or event) that stands for something more than itself. Public Symbol A symbol that has become widely recognized, such as the bald eagle (a symbol of the United States) or the olive branch (a symbol of peace). Invented Symbol A symbol invented by the writer, which usually stands for something abstract, such as evil, innocence, or love. Allegory A story which characters and settings stand for something beyond themselves, usually virtues and vices. Sometimes the characters in an allegory are given names that indicate what they stand for.

Social and Cultural Framing in America Essay Example

Social and Cultural Framing in America Paper Social and Cultural Framing in America People build a series of mental filters through biological, social, and cultural influences, and they use these filters to make sense of the world. This is called framing. Framing is so effective because it is a mental shortcut, human beings are by nature lazy thinkers, and we don’t like to think too much or too hard. Frames provide people a quick and easy way to process information. Diana Kendall, a sociology professor at Baylor University has studied how mass media has portrayed upper, middle, working, and poverty classes by how they stereotype them in different ways. Rather than providing a meaningful analysis of inequality and showing realistic portrayals of life in various social classes, the media either play class differences for laughs or sweep the issue under the rug so that important distinctions are rendered invisible† (Kendall 330). The media has created the notion that in society the affluent are rewarded and the workin g class and poor are punished. TV shows like The Simple Life, Life of Luxury, and The Fabulous Life show how socio-economic classes are either played-up or minimalized and used for laughs. In a mass-mediated culture such as ours, the media do not simply mirror society; rather, they help to shape it and to create cultural perceptions† (Kendall 331). The media blurs the line between what is real and what is not when it comes to perceptions of economic or social class. Televisions shows, magazines, and newspapers tell us that the only way to move up in the world is to identify yourself with the rich and powerful and to live â€Å"vicariously† through them. My mother watches Entertainment Tonight and reads those tabloid magazines, and I constantly ask her â€Å"Why Mom? Why do you bother reading up on these people that waste their undeserved riches and get married and divorced at least 10 times? † and she just says â€Å"Well I want to know what’s going on in their life, and hear all the gossip†. But WHY?! How does their life affect YOU at all? The media bombards the middle and lower classes with these useless tabloid stories. Diana Kendall explains that â€Å"Viewers feel a sense of intimacy with elites, with whom they have little or no contact with in their daily lives† (Kendall 332). Non-elites over identify with the wealthy, because the media tells us that these upper class people are better than us. In contemporary society, equality does not exist. Although, media audiences can purchase material items that can somehow make you equal to higher class people. Take Paris Hilton, a woman famous for just being born into a wealthy family. She has made millions and millions of dollars by marketing products to her lower class fans so they can get a taste of her life, so they can be â€Å"Just like Paris†. We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Cultural Framing in America specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Cultural Framing in America specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Cultural Framing in America specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Not stopping at just jewelry, Ms. Hilton has decided to exploit people in even more ways: Calendars, toys, autobiographies, and another book about her dog’s life. But I can’t just pick on Paris Hilton; thousands of celebrities do the exact same thing. These egocentric people will slap their name on anything to encourage unnecessary consumerism among all their fans. The media loves to glorify the material possessions of these celebrities, as if ravenous consumerism can make you happy. People who extensively watch television have an exaggerated sense of how wealthy most Americans are and how they spend their money. Also, since television stimulates consumerist desires, extensive viewing may lead to more spending and less saving. Which makes sense, considering every commercial implies that â€Å"YOU NEED THIS† or â€Å"THIS MAKES YOUR LIFE EASIER†. Most media framing about the wealthiest class is positive, ranging from framing that depicts members of the upper class to be like everyone else, to framing that portrays them as generous, caring individuals. But the most popular type of framing for the wealthy class is called â€Å"emulation framing†. This type of framing suggests that people in all classes should â€Å"reward† themselves with a few of the perks of the wealthy, such as buying Paris Hilton’s jewelry. Many adults who try to live the â€Å"good life† through trying to buy happiness end up in the poor house. When will normal people realize that they do not have the household funds to just go off and spend food or house repair money on frivolities? Many reports are showing that middle and working class people are incurring massive debt because of the reckless spending on big houses, expensive vehicles, and other items that are beyond their budget. There is a stark contrast between the media framing of the upper class to the framing of the lower classes. At best the poor are portrayed as deserving of our sympathy only around the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas). Around these times, the poor are depicted as people who are just down on their luck, working class families who work really hard but just can’t catch a break. The worst types of depictions of the poor are stereotypical bums, drug addicts and losers who are poor because they deserve it or because of their bad decisions. â€Å"Episodic Framing† shows some of the problems of the poor, but does not link it to larger societal problems such as limited educational opportunities, high rates of unemployment, and low paying jobs. The media will keep this status quo of depicting rich people as perfect and poor people as something to laugh at or a faceless statistic. If the media industry persists in retaining the same old frames for class, it will behoove each of us readers and viewers to break out of those frames and more thoroughly explore these issues on our own† (Kendall 346). After Hurricane Katrina, some disaster photographs were released with some controversial captions. The two pictures in the article Loot or Find: Fact or Frame? By Cheryl I. Harris and Devon W. Carbado depict two such pictures. They are both of people wading thr ough chest deep water with supplies, although the captions were different. One of them was of a black man carrying Pepsi and a suspicious black bag full of items. The caption said the black man was â€Å"looting†. The other picture showed a white couple wading through water with supplies, and the caption said they were â€Å"finding†. As you can guess, people complained that the captions accompanying the images were racially suggestive. The fact that most of the people who were not allowed to leave the city and were left to fend for themselves were overwhelmingly black made some think that maybe the executive powers did not care about blacks. We all know about Kanye West’s amusing blurt â€Å"George Bush doesn’t care about black people†. Katrina challenged the notion of â€Å"Color Blindness†, that is, that race is not a factor in how we see the world. I believe that race is a huge factor in how some people see the world. I don’t think anyone is 100% colorblind, especially when the media depicts certain races different ways. When many of the black musicians today are portrayed as tough, gritty gangsters, what are you, the viewer supposed to think? When blacks in the media are shown wearing tons of gold jewelry, baggy clothes and carrying guns, what are you going to think when you see a black man with baggy pants and jewelry walking around? I don’t think that everyone who looks that way will act a certain way, but looks are a first impression. Most of the people suffering during Katrina were black and poor, and that raised a lot of questions. Was it â€Å"†¦a case of presidential indifference? Or dislike of, poor black people? Or was it†¦the predictable consequence of a natural disaster that befell a city that just happened to be predominantly black? Was it†¦the result of a culture of dependency combined with local bureaucratic incompetence? Was race a factor in determining who survived and who did not? Or did class provide a better explanation? † (Harris and Carbado 427). The point is that during Katrina, blacks were framed into being looters, criminals, or just uncontrollable rioters. I feel that one can only explain this type of disaster if one was there in the thick of it. The existence of racial frames makes it difficult for people to confront the complex problems of racism and racial prejudices. Immigration. I am very emotionally conflicted about immigration in America today. My father’s side of my family has been in this country for around 90 years, emigrating across the Atlantic from southern Italy. My mother’s side has been here for about 50 years, coming from a French town in New Brunswick. I can imagine how difficult it was to come to a new country that wasn’t fond of foreigners, get a job, a raise a family. It’s still the same now, Mexican immigrants come into the country looking for work in a somewhat hostile environment. I hate that illegal immigrants sneak into this country, and take labor away from Americans. But I’m conflicted because America is a nation of immigrants, and if this land belongs to anyone its definatly not White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, it’s the Native Americans. In the current presidential race, some candidates don’t want immigrants in the country. But it’s usually those same candidates who give tax cuts to the wealthy and couldn’t care less about working class folks or their jobs anyway. The whole terrorism scare with immigrants is a bit tricky. I believe that there could be terrorist cells in this country, but with basically all of these guys being extremist Muslim, how can our police force, with its inefficient and bureaucratic system, go after these bad guys without being criticized for being racist and religiously prejudiced? Things are different in this country today, and we can’t cling to our old xenophobic, materialistic values anymore. How can a nation run on values and principles that were established in 1776? Things change, people change, morals change, and America needs to change or else we will run ourselves into the ground.

Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors

Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors Christopher Columbus discovered previously unknown lands in 1492, and within 20 years the conquest of these new lands was proceeding quickly. How were the Spanish conquistadors able to do it? The Spanish armor and weapons had much to do with their success. The Swift Success of the Conquistadors The Spanish who came to settle the New World were generally not farmers and craftsmen but soldiers, adventurers, and mercenaries looking for a quick fortune. Native communities were attacked and enslaved and any treasures they may have had such as gold, silver or pearls were taken. Teams of Spanish conquistadors devastated native communities on Caribbean islands such as Cuba and Hispaniola between 1494 and 1515 or so before moving on to the mainland. The most famous conquests were those of the mighty Aztec and Inca Empires, in Central America and the Andes mountains of South America respectively. The conquistadors who took these mighty Empires down (Hernan Cortes in Mexico in 1525 and Francisco Pizarro in Peru, 1532) commanded relatively small forces: Cortes had around 600 men and Pizarro initially had about 160. These small forces were able to defeat much larger ones. At the Battle of Teocajas, Sebastian de Benalcazar had 200 Spanish and some 3,000 Caà ±ari allies: together they fought Inca General Rumià ±ahui and a force of some 50,000 warriors to a draw. Conquistador Weapons There were two sorts of Spanish conquistadors: horsemen or cavalry and foot soldiers or infantry. The cavalry would usually carry the day in the battles of the conquest. When the spoils were divided, cavalrymen received a much higher share of the treasure than foot soldiers. Some Spanish soldiers would save up and purchase a horse as a sort of investment which would pay off in future conquests. The Spanish horsemen generally had two sorts of weapons: lances and swords. Their lances were long wooden spears with iron or steel points on the ends, used to devastating effect on masses of native foot soldiers. In close combat, a rider would use his sword. Steel Spanish swords of the conquest were about three feet long and relatively narrow, sharp on both sides. The Spanish city of Toledo was known as one of the best places in the world for making arms and armor and a fine Toledo sword was a valuable weapon indeed. The finely made weapons did not pass inspection until they could bend in a half-circle and survive a full-force impact with a metal helmet. The fine Spanish steel sword was such an advantage that for some time after the conquest, it was illegal for natives to have one. Foot Soldiers Weapons Spanish foot soldiers could use a variety of weapons. Many people incorrectly think that it was firearms that doomed the New World natives, but thats not the case. Some Spanish soldiers used a harquebus, a sort of early musket. The harquebus was undeniably effective against any one opponent, but they are slow to load, heavy, and firing one is a complicated process involving the use of a wick which must be kept lit. The harquebuses were most effective for terrorizing native soldiers, who thought the Spanish could create thunder. Like the harquebus, the crossbow was a European weapon designed to defeat armored knights and too bulky and cumbersome to be of much use in the conquest against the lightly armored, quick natives. Some soldiers used crossbows, but theyre very slow to load, break or malfunction easily and their use was not terribly common, at least not after the initial phases of the conquest. Like the cavalry, Spanish foot soldiers made good use of swords. A heavily armored Spanish foot soldier could cut down dozens of native enemies in minutes with a fine Toledan blade. Conquistador Armor Spanish armor, mostly made in Toledo, was among the finest in the world. Encased from head to foot in a steel shell, Spanish conquistadors were all but invulnerable when facing native opponents. In Europe, the armored knight had dominated the battlefield for centuries and weapons such as the harquebus and crossbow were specifically designed to pierce armor and defeat them. The natives had no such weapons and therefore killed very few armored Spanish in battle. The helmet most commonly associated with the conquistadors was the morion, a heavy steel helm with a pronounced crest or comb on top and sweeping sides that came  to  points on either end. Some infantrymen preferred a salade, a full-faced helmet that looks a little like a steel ski mask. In its most basic form, it is a bullet-shaped helm with a large T in front of the eyes, nose, and mouth. A cabasset helmet was much simpler: it is a large steel cap that covers the head from the ears up: stylish ones would have an elongated dome like the pointy end of an almond. Most conquistadors wore a full set of armor which consisted of a heavy breastplate, arm and leg greaves, a metal skirt, and protection for the neck and throat called a gorget. Even parts of the body such as elbows and shoulders, which require movement, were protected by a series of overlapping plates, meaning that there were very few vulnerable spots on a fully armored conquistador. A full suit of metal armor weighed about sixty pounds and the weight was well distributed over the body, allowing it to be worn for long periods of time without causing much fatigue. It generally included even armored boots and gloves or gauntlets. Later in the conquest, as conquistadors realized that full suits of armor were overkill in the New World, some of them switched to lighter chainmail, which was just as effective. Some even abandoned metal armor entirely, wearing escuapil, a sort of padded leather or cloth armor adapted from the armor worn by Aztec warriors. Large, heavy shields were not  necessary for the conquest, although many conquistadors used a buckler, a small, round or oval shield usually of wood or metal covered with leather. Native Weapons The natives had no answer for these weapons and armor. At the time of the conquest, most native cultures in North and South America were somewhere between the Stone Age and the  Bronze Age  in terms of their weaponry. Most foot soldiers carried heavy clubs or maces, some with stone or bronze heads. Some had rudimentary stone axes or clubs with spikes coming out of the end. These weapons could batter and bruise Spanish conquistadors, but only rarely did any serious damage through the heavy armor. Aztec warriors occasionally had a  macuahuitl, a wooden sword with jagged obsidian shards set in the sides: it was a lethal weapon, but still no match for steel. The natives had some better luck with missile weapons. In South America, some cultures developed bows and arrows, although they were rarely able to pierce armor. Other cultures used a sort of sling to hurl a stone with great force. Aztec warriors used the  atlatl, a device used to hurl javelins or darts at great velocity. Native cultures wore elaborate, beautiful armor. The Aztecs had warrior societies, the most notable of which were the feared Eagle and Jaguar warriors. These men would dress in Jaguar skins or eagle feathers and were very brave warriors. The Incas wore quilted or padded armor and used shields and helmets made of wood or bronze. Native armor was generally intended to intimidate as much as protect: it was often very colorful and beautiful. Nevertheless, eagle feathers provide no protection from a steel sword and native armor was of very little use in combat with conquistadors. Analysis The conquest of the Americas proves decisively the advantage of advanced armor and weaponry in any conflict. The Aztecs and Incas numbered in the millions, yet were defeated by Spanish forces numbering in the hundreds. A heavily  armored conquistador  could slay dozens of foes in a single engagement without receiving a serious wound. Horses were another advantage that the natives could not counter. It’s inaccurate to say that the success of the Spanish conquest was solely due to superior arms and armor, however. The Spanish were greatly aided by diseases previously unknown to that part of the world. Millions died of new illnesses brought by the Spanish such as smallpox. There was also a great deal of luck involved. For example, they invaded the  Inca Empire at a time of great crisis, as a brutal civil war between brothers Huascar and Atahualpa was just ending when the Spanish arrived in 1532; and the Aztecs were widely despised by their subjects. Sources Calvert, Albert Frederick. Spanish arms and armour: being a historical and descriptive account of the Royal armoury of Madrid. London: J. Lane, 1907Hemming, John.  The Conquest of the Inca. London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970).Pohl, John. The Conquistador: 1492–1550. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2008.

Health Literacy and Patient Empowerment Assignment

Health Literacy and Patient Empowerment - Assignment Example Is it low, medium, or high? Explain your rating system for the three literacy levels. What are the factors that contribute to the literacy level for individuals? The three article literacy range from medium to high. The first article by Estruch, et al. (2013) about the diet for those with the chronic disease can be rated as medium as it dwells on only one type of diet and which is limited to people. The second article by Nag & Ghosh (2013) is rated as high as it discusses the rate of this chronic disease in Asia and the risk factors associated with it. This is very important information for prevention. Lastly is the article by Jeemon (2011) which is rated highly as it also provides the socio-economic reasons associated with cause and prevention as well as management of the cardiovascular disease. People as a result of the statistics on the cardiovascular diseases are running towards technology and medical books to seek every piece of information whether it is on causes, prevention or even management. The articles are peer reviewed and hence people are reviewing them mostly and relying on the information being provided. The information they present are based on research and hence are reliable. The only change would be to add more about the diet on the first article by Estruch, et al. (2013). Patient empowerment means that a patient of the chronic disease has taken time to learn about the disease and not just rely on what is being fed to him or her by the medical team. They have expansive knowledge on the area and have consulted on the best treatment plan and management methods depending on the stage of the disease or level they are in (Hebda, Czar & Mascara, 2012). A patient that is empowered is highly literate when it comes to health literacy. He or she has a wide array of knowledge that can even be used to teach others such as relatives. When it comes to patient empowerment, some of the patients are initially

Responds a topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Responds a topic - Essay Example treated the same way as the slaves and the children and this means she was by no means greater than them in any way and that was her social level (Lerner 79). The relationship between men and women prior to these ancient societies was one based on equality and cordial behavior. There was division of chores between men and women during the hunting and gathering era where the men who were physically strong hunted and the women gathered. No gender was superior to the other. All this however changed with the incorporation of agriculture and end of the hunting and gathering period and the women’s role in society started being that of subordination and inferiority while that of men become that of superiority and authoritarianism (Diamond 96). It was no longer about physical features and division of labor but became a master and slave kind of relationship with the slave in this case literary being the woman whose rights became non-existence especially with marriage. Virginity became a big issue for the women who were to ensure they stayed pure until they were married off. The husbands on the other hand were not required to be virgins. In fact the more women a man had slept with, the more of a conqueror he was considered to be. The society employed double standards on this issue including the fact that an adulterer women was sentenced to death while the man was simply released to go do as he wishes. Once married, the rules of society dictated that the woman move to go live with her husband and his family and was part of the man’s property from them henceforth to control and do with her as he pleases. The subordination of the women developed at this juncture where she was expected to obey and follow all the demands and commands of the husband without any question as the man was the authority figure. These beliefs and behaviors continued to intensify even after the society started moving from agriculture to other crafts such as engaging in trade with the western

Cruise Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Cruise Industry - Essay Example This therefore, divides the market into different influential spheres. The fragmented industry allows all its players to create niches and the market shares where each one of them can work in, unlike in the consolidated industry where there little or no niches for the small players (Enz' 514). Q.2 In the cruise industry the cruising market is a single and segmented entity where products are differentiated mostly by the preferences of consumers and the assumption is that there is an increase in the overall sustainability and completion. Therefore, the cruise industry can be characterized as an oligopoly. The market structure of the Cruise industry is noticeable by the fact that there are few large firms such as the Carnival Corporation, which dominate this market, which all offer identical services that have a significant barrier when making entries in this industry. The cruising industry is widespread in the world and diverse in all ways. It dominates most of the modern landscape tod ay and the economics. Each of the firms in the cruising industry keep a close eye on what other firms in the industry are doing. Thus, a firm’s success in the cruising world is not entirely dependent as a sole entity. The cruising industry can also be classified under the oligopoly as the prices are mostly rigid and competition is not involved through the change in prices. Q.3 Carnival Corp brands are the most recognizable in United Kingdom, North America, among other states. The brands offer numerous customer base products which are highly based on customer cultures, languages and other preferences. Numerous brands that are operated by Carnival Corp usually have synergies (Enz' 516). A synergy is a merger of two or more firms and produces an effect. For example, if one of Carnival Corp’s brands has excellent services and products but has poor distribution channels, and the other brand has an excellent channel of distribution but offers poor services and products, the two could form a synergy and benefit from each other. The firm’s brands range from the carnival cruise lines, Cunard line, Princess Cruises and the Holland American Line. A combination of these brands forms a synergy that is usually more than the sum of the sum value of these brands. Forward-looking statements of Carnival’s annual costs savings can be identified through the estimates made on synergies and the cost of time that is taken to implement the synergies in the brands. Q. 4. Brand strategy: The existing customer information can influence the brand strategies at Carnival Corps in the future by increasing the firm’s profitability and stock price. Customer information promotes the use of effective brand strategies for up-coming organizations. More information influencing the brand strategies is a guarantee of the future ability of Carnival Corp to compete strongly in this competitive market. Additionally, there is a guarantee that the firm will not introduc e any defective products to its customers, thereby reducing the risk of making of future losses. Information from the customers predicts on the firm’s future performance and increases the chances of the firm identifying its faults. Information from regular customers who have cruised in the same routes may remind Carnival Corps that they have to provide new port destinations and products (Enz' 516). Q. 5.Carnival’s existing customer perceptions of its brands: Carnival

Endogenous And Exogenous Antioxidants Benefits

Endogenous And Exogenous Antioxidants Benefits Despite the usefulness of oxidation reactions to life, it could also cause a great harm to humankind. Human beings have body that generates free radicals very continuously and these are always produced from the oxidation reaction that constantly takes place in living cells. Apart from the radicals that results from oxidation, some other ones are generated from immune cells to combat bacteria and viruses and also from ingestion, inhalation, and or absorption from our immediate environment during burning by sun or ultraviolet rays. Damage caused by free radicals includes aging, destruction of DNA and clogging of arteries. It is also believed that free radicals may play a role in cancer, strokes, and heart disease. Oxidative stress may also damage or kill cells. Free radicals cause damage to skins structural support and decrease its elasticity, resilience, and suppleness. Antioxidants stop the chain reactions of free radical, and inhibit other oxidation reactions. An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. There are two types of antioxidants: exogenous and endogenous. Exogenous antioxidants are antioxidants we get from our diet and endogenous antioxidants are made by our bodies. Endogenous antioxidants repair free radical damage on the inside by initiating cell regeneration; exogenous antioxidants repair some free radical damage from the outside on in by stimulating cell regeneration. The role of endogenous and exogenous antioxidants Exogenous antioxidants are antioxidants we get from our diet by eating antioxidant-rich foods and by taking supplements. Some well known examples of exogenous antioxidants are vitamins A, C and E. Even though exogenous antioxidants can be obtained from food sources, in our modern day world it is nearly impossible to get enough exogenous antioxidants from our diet to neutralize all of the free radicals generated. This is why antioxidant supplementation is so vital. Endogenous antioxidants are made by our bodies. Because they are produced by our own bodies and not obtained from food sources, endogenous antioxidants are far more potent than exogenous antioxidants. Endogenous antioxidants repair all of the free radical damage by initiating cell regeneration from the inside on out, whereas, exogenous antioxidants only repair some of the free radical damage from the outside on in by stimulating (not initiating) cell regeneration. There are five extremely powerful endogenous antioxidants. They are: Glutathione (GSH), Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Unfortunately, the bodys production of endogenous antioxidants declines as we age. For example, our glutathione levels decline about 10-15% per decade as we grow older. This decrease in endogenous antioxidants is found to be a strong factor in contributing to premature aging and degenerative diseases. There is more than enough studies to verify that by increasing our endogenous antioxidant cellular levels, such as our glutathione levels, we can greatly help prevent many age-related health issues and degenerative diseases like Diabetes, Alzheimers, Cancer, Heart Disease, and many other health concerns. (Curr Cardiol Rev.2008 Nov; 4(4):259-68.) (Kaneto et al, 1999) Sources of Antioxidants All plants produce antioxidants. Even meat, dairy products, and eggs contain some antioxidants, which mainly come from the nutrient-rich plants the animals fed on. Plants and animals maintain complex systems of multiple types of antioxidants, such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well as enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and various peroxides. Antioxidants protection against diabetes Diabetics have high levels of oxidative stress, which basically means too many free radicals and not enough antioxidants to neutralize them. It would be beneficial for anyone suffering from Diabetes to increase their antioxidant supplementation. Glutathione, being the master antioxidant, would naturally be the best choice. Furthermore, inflammation leads to and contributes to insulin resistance. Glutathione, on top of being the most potent antioxidant, is also a powerful ant-inflammatory. Increasing evidence in both experimental and clinical studies suggests that oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of both types of diabetes mellitus. Free radicals are formed disproportionately in diabetes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Abnormally high levels of free radicals and the simultaneous decline of antioxidant defense mechanisms can lead to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.development of insulin resistance. These consequences of oxidative stress can promote the development of complications of diabetes mellitus. (Wiley 2003) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there is evidence for increased oxidative stress in diabetesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.With regard to diabetes, antioxidantsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦supplementation have been shown to be beneficial. Thus, it appears that, in diabetes, antioxidant therapy could alleviate the increased attendant oxidative stress and emerge as an additional therapeutic modality. (Vega-Lopez et al, 2004) Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have discov ered that inflammationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦leads to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Science Daily (Nov. 7, 2007) Antioxidants protection against cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke Apples, and especially apple peels, have been found to have a potent antioxidant activity and can greatly inhibit the growth of liver cancer and colon cancer cells (Wolfe et al. 2003) (Eberhardt et al. 2000). The total antioxidant activity of apples with the peel was approximately 83 ÃŽÂ ¼mol vitamin C equivalents, which means that the antioxidant activity of 100 g apples (about one serving of apple) is equivalent to about 1500 mg of vitamin C. However, the amount of vitamin C in 100 g of apples is only about 5.7 mg (Eberhardt et al.2000). Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, but research shows that nearly all of the antioxidant activity from apples comes from a variety of other compounds. Vitamin C in apples contributed less than 0.4% of total antioxidant activity. (Liu et al. 2001) Prospective studies suggest that people with high intakes of fruit and vegetables or blood antioxidant concentrations (Pandey et al. 1995) (Enstrom et al. 1992) in the highest quintile of the distribution have low risks of epithelial cancers,( Steinmetz and Potter 1991) coronary heart disease,(Gaziano et al.1995) and stroke. At least 10 prospective studies have shown that high intakes of fruit and vegetables confer protection against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke (Steinmetz and Potter 1991) (Gillman et al.1995) Abundant evidence proves the role of virgin olive oil in protecting against cardiovascular disease. While it has long been known that olive oil helps decrease total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (Covas et al.2006) new research is shedding light on its additional cardiovascular benefits. According to the Food and Drug Administration, Eating about 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.(Fito et al. 2005). Scientists have proposed that several constituents of olive oil may be responsible for its anti-cancer effects. These include its anti-oxidant polyphenols as well as the lipid oleic acid, which is highly resistant to peroxidation. (Owen et al. 2004) However, there are a number of dietary antioxidants that have been identified that would help us to understand how the antioxidants function, and some are still in the process of development and testing. (Uddin and Ahmad 1995) A group of chemists at University of Scranton in Pennsylvania says that adding a mixture of antioxidants to sunscreen may help enhance protection of cancer. In animal studies, they found that a mixture of various topical antioxidants was more effective than single antioxidants in preventing the formation of skin tumors induced by ultraviolet light. In another study, the same research team found that black tea, green tea, grape seed and cranberry extracts were all promising antioxidants for fighting skin cancer when applied topically. Both studies were presented at the 229th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the worlds largest scientific society, in San Diego on March 14, 2005. Conclusion We need to eat a healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables. We cannot depend on any single super antioxidants, a variety of antioxidants are needed. Currently only antioxidants from food compounds with vitamins (vitamins A, C and E) have been proven with antioxidant efficacy. Environmental factors that produce free radicals could be avoided. In numerous epidemiological studies, apples have been associated with a decreased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and asthma. In vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that apples have high antioxidant activity, can inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol, potentially explaining their role in reducing risk of chronic disease. The potential health benefits of apples are numerous. Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, including apples, as part of a healthy diet may aid in the prevention of chronic disease and maintenance of good health.

Coroperate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social responsibility Introduction A few years ago firms only goal was to gain economic profit from their businesses. In recent times it has been discussions if economic profit are the only reason for businesses to exist (Kilotons 1991) In modern society the belief that businesses have responsibilities against the society they operate in have grown bigger, but there are still people and organizations who believe that gaining economic profit from their business are the only thing they have to be concerned about (Chant 2013).The purpose of this essay is to discuss and compare the different viewpoints of corporate social responsibility (hereafter referred to as CARS) and the key issue is to see why corporations and their management should be concerned with CARS. The paper will start by explaining what CARS is and how businesses can gain profit from applying CARS. Thereafter the counterargument, that business doesn't have any other responsibilities then gaining profit, will be presented. An example of good CARS-work will thereafter be demonstrated.The relationship between ethics in business will also be discussed. Different views of CARS There are many different definitions of what corporate social responsibility is but one ay to look at it is that corporate responsibility is used to describe the work that companies do voluntarily that has a positive impact on society, the environment or the economy (Shill, Apothecary ; Kansas 2010). CARS is supposed to help businesses to behave ethically and gain economic profit and at the same time helping to solve social issues (Chant 2013).Not only are CARS good for the society and the people in it but also for the stakeholders of the company. CARS can change stakeholders purchase behavior, employment seeking and also investment. Over mime CARS can also help the company to build a stronger brand and in that way also gain an economic profit (Shill, Apothecary ; Kansas 2010). In recent times a lot of critiques have been pointed to CARS. The counterargument meaner that business only responsibility against the society is to gain economic profit and only do what the business was created to do (Chant 2013).Many opponents against CARS say that businesses only should use their resources and engage in activities that are designed to increase profits so long as it stays within the law (Kilotons, 1991). Why corporate social responsibility? The question is if businesses and corporations have a social nature and responsibility or not? My own answer to this question is that businesses, in the modern society, is of social nature and have responsibilities against the society. Corporations and businesses are a big part of our society and what they do make a big impact on people, environment and also how other business act.I would like to compare it with people walking on the street and don't put their rubbish in the garbage bins. I believe that almost everyone thinks that it would be ethically wrong not to put t heir rubbish in the bins. If everyone throws their rubbish on the street the society and community would not have looked nice and people would care less about, in this case, the environment because no one else does. My point of view is that it reflection of the people in it and so are the corporations and business (Chant 2013).It's understandable that some corporations think it is unnecessary to implement CARS and that it only will cost them money that they won't get back. To demonstrate how businesses can gain economic advantages from CARS I will use a Swedish company ‘KEA. KEA is a big home decoration company that operates all over the world and ton is one of their most important raw materials. The company want all cotton used in their products to come from sustainable productions. By using the better cotton initiative they can help reduce environmental and social impacts.They have also proved that this initiative can help KEA to offer competitive priced products that satisf y customers' needs and also helps the company to reach one of their ambitions to provide responsibly sourced products (CARS: Sweden leads by example in corporate responsibility 2013) With that said, my point is that many companies have to look ore on the output they can gain from CARS and not so much on the input. Conclusion There are many ways of looking at and understand CARS and my point of view in this paper is that CARS is a good thing and that corporations and businesses can gain both social and economic profits from it.On the other hand it can be difficult to measure performance of CARS and to compare business with each other (Chant 2013). But maybe comparing and competitiveness is not necessary as in economical ways. Maybe CARS can be Just a question of good ethics, something as obvious as throwing rubbish in the garbage bin or pay your employees' salary in time. Is that a realistic goal? Probably not, because it takes that CARS belong to some sort of common sense if that's going to happen.The important thing for businesses to understand is that CARS should be a part of their business strategy and goal. The modern world is growing and businesses have to keep up with the changes in the environment around them. People are getting more knowledge about ethics and culture and that's why it's getting more important for businesses and their management to apply it in to their strategy. Maybe people are going to choose one supermarket in front of the other cause the first one didn't care about the ethical issues with food production.

Prop 34: the Death Penalty

The Death Penalty, also known as Capital Punishment is a world wide controversial issue. Should the death penalty be repealed and replaced with life imprisonment without possibility of parole? California voters on Tuesday rejected a ballot measure that would have repealed the state's death penalty. Supporters against Prop 34 claim that California is broke and taxpayers would pay at least $50,000 annually, giving lifetime healthcare and housing to killers who tortured, raped, and murdered children, cops, mothers and fathers. A yes on Prop. 4 states that no offenders would be sentenced to death under state law. Offenders who are currently under a sentence of death would be resentenced to life without the possibility of parole. The state would provide a total of $100 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies over the next four years. I strongly agree with a vote yes on Prop. 34. The death penalty isn’t an effective way to prevent or reduce a crime. Not only does this no t prevent future crimes and murders, but sometimes the death penalty is applied unfairly to innocent people.Evidence has shown that more than 100 innocent people have been sentenced to death in the United States and some have been executed. Prop. 34 means that the state of California will never execute an innocent person. Franky Carrillo was 16 when he was arrested and wrongly convicted of murder in Los Angeles; it took 20 years to show his innocence. Judge LaDoris Cordell, from Santa Clara said â€Å"If someone’s executed and later found innocent, we can’t go back. † I agree with this judge because what if later we find evidence that the offender is innocent there no way we can bring someone back to life.So then again who has the right to take the life of a human, when God is the one who decides when our time on earth has come to an end. Life without parole would be less expensive than the death penalty. California’s death penalty is too costly and is ha rdly used. Only 13 people have been executed since 1967 and no one since 2006. Prisoners are put to death row but die of old age before they make it to there punishment. We waste millions of tax dollars on special housing for these inmates, when they just sit around doing nothing.To me it makes more sense to keep a killer in a prison for the rest of his/her life until they die. An impartial study found California will save nearly $1 billion in five years if we replace the death penalty with life in prison without possibility of parole. The savings would come from eliminating lawyers’ fees and special death row housing. California is broke and Prop. 34 will save us money. We all know that killing another person is the most evil crime that one can commit.But it seems that our government is being hypocritical when it states that capital punishment is allowable because, after all, the criminal did murder an innocent victim, and therefore should be killed. This is known as the â⠂¬Å"eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth theory. † Of course, if we used this system all the time, there would be no need for laws. The majority of countries in Western Europe, North America and South have abandoned capital punishment. Why is it that the United States remains a user of capital punishment?The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It denies criminals their natural born right to life. The death penalty should be abolished because it has never been shown to lower crime rates or stop serial killers from killing. It costs far more to execute a person than to keep him or her in prison for life. Capital punishment is against the humanity, we can find other alternatives to it. As Voltaire once said, â€Å"It is better to risk saving a guilty man than to condemn an innocent one. †

Soy Protein Substitutes in Meat Products essays

Soy Protein Substitutes in Meat Products essays For the past couple of year the number of Americans that are overweight keeps increasing. Today fifty five percent of Americans are overweight. Because of this unhealthy trent the media, researchers, doctors and specialists have been educating and informing the population that eating a healthy diet is beneficial for the body in many ways. As a result of the growing awareness of the benefits of eating a healthy diet today's consumers have become more health-conscious than ever before. When researchers and scientists talk about a healthy diet they emphasize on cutting back on a diet high in animal fat, which increases one's risk for osteoporsis according to a study done at the University of California in San Francisco (shape magazine Nov. 2001) and focusing on a plant-based diet, which has many health benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease, protecting against breast and prostate cancer, and helps in the prevention of osteoporosis. The focus on a plant-based diet has sti mulated the interest in soy products in the United States. Dana Jacobi states that soy is a complete vegetarioan protein derived from soybeans that has been consumed by people in Asian countries for thousands of years. This protein is considered "complete" because it contains all eight amino acids (protein building blocks) that are essential (cannot be made by the human body) to maintain healthy cells in the human body. "Recently soy has been gaining recognition and popularity as the American population learns more about its potential health benefits. In Octover of 1999 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the "heart healthy" claim on soy protein products." The FDA put this claim on soy because it can reduce the risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of deaths in the United States, can help protect the immune system, ward off heart attacks, strokes, osteoporosis, diabetes, and kidney disease. Soy is also an excellent sou...

Issue 1 Example

Issue 1 Example Issue 1 – Article Example HUMAN RESOURCE Lecturer’s Affirmative action- equal employment opportunity compliance Human resource office has the responsibility for implementation and development of affirmative action as well as equal employment opportunities compliance. They are committed to fostering an equitable, friendly as well as a diverse conducive environment where all staff members in a work place have an ability of achieving work life balance despite of their race, gender, age, faith, medical condition, sexual orientation and expression. Affirmative action is not a misnomer; rather it can be considered as firm actions that protect human resource at the work place (Crosby, Iyer, & Sincharoen, 2006).Current state of EEOC regulationsIt is not lawful to discriminate any individual in regards to promotion, transfer, performance, training, wage benefits or any employment privilege due to certain characteristics. Managers and employers need to adopt the best practices to reduce such instances of employe e’s discrimination as address the challenges facing equal employment opportunities (North-Samardzic & Gregson, 2011). According to the current guidelines employees, should not be discriminated based on their region, race, color, sex or origin. According to the guidelines race, discrimination ought to occur if an individual is subjected racial jokes, offensive comments, and ethnic slums on the basis of the person color or race. The guidelines prohibit against sex based wage discrimination, protect elderly individuals, prohibit discrimination against disabled and qualified persons and in case of any discrimination, it advocates for monetary damages charges. It also prohibits the discrimination of employment on the basis of the genetic information on the employee or applicant. The guidelines prohibit against medical state, pregnancy and childbirth discrimination (Kenney, 2004). Therefore, employers and managers need to understand and act in regards to the EEOC regulations to enh ance equal employment practices.ReferencesCrosby, F. J., Iyer, A., & Sincharoen, S. (2006). Understanding affirmative action. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 585–611. doi:10.1207/s15324834basp1501_2Kenney, S. J. (2004). Equal employment opportunity and representation: Extending the frame to courts. Social Politics. doi:10.1093/sp/jxh027North-Samardzic, A., & Gregson, S. (2011). Commitment or Even Compliance? An Australian University’s Approach to Equal Employment Opportunity. Relations Industrielles-Industrial Relations, 66, 279–301.

Estimating a Multiple Regression Model (The impact of Consumption and Statistics Project

Estimating a Multiple Regression Model (The impact of Consumption and Investment on the GDP in Qatar (1990- 2013)) - Statistics Project Example Considering the topic selected the impacts that consumption and investment have on the GDP covers a wide range of economic aspects. These range from all activities that involve investing and all those that relate to consumption. The consumption aspect consolidates all consumption needs that range from consumption of oil products and other products. Understanding these and the employment of graphs will help one understand the impacts that each has had on the growth of the country for the years under consideration that is 1990 to 2013. The study covers these and details the description of the data, development of estimates, the discussion of the results and a conclusion that aims at creating a summary of the study and indicating the different achievements over the study conducted. Considering the data identified, one learns that the consumption is reflected as the expenditure. It covers both the government expenditures and the expenditures of the different households. Combining the two results to the expenditure for the economy, which is analyzed in the work below? Understanding this helps in understanding the impact that the expenditure aspect had on the GDP for the different years under consideration. In the data collected, the consumption is provided in the percentage terms and in billions of Qatar’s local currency. These provided are as obtained from an online source on Qatar economic statistics and indicators. The data collected on the different investment aspects also provides information with regard to the investment opportunities for the country and their impacts to the economic performance of Qatar. Understanding this helps one understand the actual performance of the economy with the investments that the country engages in accounted for the GDP. The data collected on the GDP is also obtained from the same website and

Introduction to computing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Introduction to computing - Essay Example f software programs that run on a much deeper level than these surface uses that are essential to the usability and accessibility of any of these other programs. This type of software is called system software, without which the computer would be a nearly useless collection of plastic, metal and wires. This software governs everything from how the computer stores and interprets data to how it is analyzed and accessed and eventually displayed on the screen for user input. Additionally, how the computer responds to user signals is also managed by system software in operations that are generally never seen or even imagined by the end user. To understand how this works, it is necessary to understand the difference between the shell and the kernel embedded in the operating system as well as the main features of graphic user interfaces as opposed to command line or human/computer interfaces, ending with a look at some of the more common programs such as Unix, Linux and Windows Vista. A shell is the interface program that allows a user to communicate with the computer. Like the shell of a turtle or crustacean, the shell can be viewed as the outermost layer of the computer’s operating system. â€Å"Shells incorporate a programming language to control processes and files, as well as to start and control other programs† (â€Å"Chapter 11†, 1997). There are various ways in which a shell acts to facilitate information transfer between the user and the computer including providing the necessary prompts for user input, translating that input into language that the computer can understand and acting to turn any output from the computer into usable information back out to the user. This process can take place either through information transferred through the use of a keyboard or through the execution of a set of commands contained in a file called a shell script. â€Å"When you log in to the system, the system locates the name of a shell program to execute. Once executed,

Politics (the founding fathers) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Politics (the founding fathers) - Essay Example They attempted hard to erase the concept of elitism and worked hard to bring equality in the nation. America through the enlightenment achieved great homogeneity and unity. They committed the entire nation to a single language unlike the Europeans. This homogeneity that was generated out of the enlightenment became the greatest strength of America and founded the base for what it is now. The powerful dreams of the American Enlightenment paved the way for America's independence. This alone created the basic principles of the American Government. The enlightenment concepts made people understand that a ruler or a government needs to strictly adhere to the higher laws of the republic. Political geniuses like Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Alexander Hamilton, Samuel Adams, John Adams, and James Madison successfully built up a government that was supported by the people of the republic. These founding fathers were able to put the foundation of such an unconquerable kingdom that is still keen in protecting the natural rights of man. They made lasting impacts on the democracy of America. The encouraging ideas of the classical writings and the atmosphere that helped people develop a craze for wisdom and knowledge were the major feature of the enlightenment period. Developments started putting in the fields of science, religion, and politics and thinkers supported the entire process with their exploding thoughts. Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" and Thomas Jefferson's "Declaration of Independence" were some of the outcomes of the radical Enlightenment assumptions. Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" was one of the results of the enlightenment period. The pamphlet that was published during the American Revolution stimulated the revolution and criticized the British rule harshly. The thoughts of the pamphlet became extremely popular and echoed in the minds of the American citizens. Paine gave the copyright for Common Sense to the states, thereby becoming the greatest volunteer of the enlightenment movement. Thomas Jefferson's "Declaration of Independence" is another written proof of the enlightening thoughts of the period. â€Å"Declaration of Independence† which is the most important reform of American history said that the Thirteen Colonies were independent of Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the declaration has clearly stated the reasons for the separation from the British power. This â€Å"Declaration of Independence† is the ultimate reaction of the enlightenment period that earnestly sought freedom from the powerful hands of the British Empire. It is the written form of the desire of the early Americans. The thirst for independence that developed through the ideas of the enlightenment thinkers culminated into the United States Declaration of Independence. The philosophical background of the â€Å"Declaration of Independence† is nothing but the spirit of republicanism that was born during the enlightenment period. Repu blicanism or the basic framework of liberty is the core of the enlightenment philosophy. George Washington’s name can never be omitted if we speak about the history of democracy in the United States. George Washington had in his hand the choice to make America a democracy, dictatorship or kingdom. More than thrice he had the

Strategic Management Case Study Essay Example for Free

Strategic Management Case Study Essay Introduction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strategic management is one of the most challenging but important element that defines the success of both private and state owned organization. The fundamental issue of defining and clearly stipulating an organizations strategy is to enable the institution have a distinct sense of direction, vision and strategy that will enable the institution deliver efficient services and/or products to its clientele and add value to its customers, achieve sustained a market niche or market share, and thus position the company strategically in the market in order to gain and maintain competitive advantage over its rivals (Dobson, Starkey Richards, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In state owned enterprises or generally institution where the government is the major stakeholder, one of the biggest problems is balancing between social and commercial objectives in defining the mission statement and policies governing the general direction and brand name or the organization. TVNZ as an organization has had a relatively positive growth in the long run and is still one of the major broadcasting organizations in New Zealand. From the given case, analyzing TVNZ’s historical performance reveals several strength, opportunities weaknesses and threats that the organization is facing given its nature as a broadcaster, form of organization (I.e. public organization) and its line of operation market (Spicer, Powell Emanuel, 1997). This paper is an in depth evaluation into TVNZ a state owned New Zealand broadcasting institution using the strength weakness, opportunity and threat analysis, the paper will analyze the dilemma of managing the company as a revenue generating entity and a medium of furthering social objective for the government and further recommend policies that can be used in defining strategic management objective that can the company meet both objectives. Strength of the organization.   The company was able to invest in latest technology namely digital media making it more competitive and hence retaining its market share. A good example can be illustrated by the Alvan TV center which had the latest equipment that enabled the company to outsource its services to other production firms and diversify its operation to teleccomunications (Hanson et al, 2008). Another feature that made the organization grow is monopoly, the organization enjoyed a monopoly thus had ample time to set up a good base and acquire a large market share. Therefore, though the organization has not enjoyed monopoly from 1980, the company was able to retain and maintain 70% of the market share thus with good strategy it will be able to consistently work to improve and provide good services (Hanson et al, 2008). Weaknesses of the organization. Among the major weaknesses TVNZ has include the fact that it has to balance between social objective and commercial ones. Looking at the companies history, balancing between commercial oriented operation and pursuing social oriented objectives as stipulated by regulations (given the fact that it is a government owned institution) has led to different approaches that have even led to pursuance of different contradicting strategy which have proved to be counterproductive and detrimental to the organizations well being and growth. For example, in 2002 when the charter was introduced, some politician expected the company to adopt social objective but still remain profitable and self sustaining as a business entity. In most cases, social and commercial objectives normally contradict and hence it would be a very difficult and almost impossible for TVNZ to fully adopt social oriented programs and still remain at the same level or increase advertising revenue (Hanson et al, 2008). Reviewing the programs being aired to conform to values that are in tandem or will further the growth of social standards and the integrity of the country means that entertainment department will have to change its program line up to conform to acceptable cultural standards. This can consequently lead to a fall in ratings given that many viewers prefer to watch explicit entertaining channels rather than informative programs.   Therefore, the company will loose a lot of advertising revenue since ratings might significantly drop given the loss of market share to privately owned broadcasters who will continue airing what the majority of viewers want to watch (Hanson et al, 2008). Opportunities in the organization. The organization as a government institution has had various features that led to the organization growth and stability to become a giant internationally recognized broadcasting house. One of the opportunities that act as a driving force for the company is, being a state owned institution, it has abundant resources and relatively cheap source of funding that can be used to further its objectives and attain optimality. For example, the company has the capability of diversifying its market to capture the international market and this can help it strategically in that in the event of loosing a significant share of the local market, the company can still remain profitable from its international focus (Hanson et al, 2008). Threats.   The major threats facing TVNZ as an organization are political interference and government regulations that are imposed on the company given the fact that it is a chartered company. Over the past 35 years of its existence, there has been a major strategic shift of the company due to government regulation which brought about to be indecisiveness and lack a clear long term vision and hence compelled the institution to dilly dally between pursuing   social objectives and commercial objectives. According to Spicer, Powell Emanuel (1997), there has always been pressure from treasury to TVNZ a revenue generating entity while other politicians feel that commercial objectives are secondary to social objective. This has led to dilution of the company’s mission statement and vision which are core elements in charting the long term growth and sustainability of any organization whether private or public, profitable or not-for-profit. Entrance of other players in the market and fragmented clientele might lead to loss of revenue if the company keeps on changing its tactical strategy due to inconsistency which brings about unreliability. For example, according to Hanson et al (2008), each of the five CEO’s introduced a different strategy of management with diverse views for example Brent Harmont (1991 – 1995) in an attempt to make entry in the international market introduced a very complex organizational structure which was realigned by Chris Anderson (1995 – 1998) in attempt to reclaim the companies core business. Solutions. Strategic management involves analyzing the institution by looking at the nature of business with regards to the customers needs or defining the nature of your market and your competitive advantage, financial obligation and needs required to satisfy your clientele needs, other stake holder’s needs and external environment and the learning and growth of the company (Dobson, Starkey Richards, 2004). According to Beiman (2006), Establishing a clear, repeated, and ongoing strategy management process more than doubles the chances of becoming a winner†¦.. And helps companies establish clear strategies that, when used effectively, serve as a foundation for an effective strategy management process. Analyzing the threats and weaknesses facing TVNZ as an institution, it is obvious that the loss market share due to pursuance of social objective is imminent. Given that this is externally based and hence out of control of management in relation to strategic management and formulating of policies, management has to formulate strategies to mitigate and redefine their strategy in order to maintain or compensate the loss that can be instigated by the conditions stipulated by the charter (Sexty, 1983 Spicer, Powel Emanuel, 1997). Firstly, TVNZ has to redefine its objective and evaluate their strategies in terms of mission, vision and objectives spelled out by the charter. This entails looking at the customer needs and market niche as restricted by the set out conditions. The charter postulates that the broadcaster needs to promote New Zealand’s cultural value’s among other objectives, these introduces a new aspect thus TVNZ needs to focus on the clientele who fit this criteria. Therefore, instead of approaching it as a threat the company should focus on ways that will turn this into revenue generating by applying strength – opportunity techniques (QuickMBA, n.d. Beiman, 2006). After formulating the company’s policies, it is very important that management considers the change process. Given the volatility in the market, efficient change management entails formulating chronological implementation policies that will gradually introduce stakeholders to the changes that will take place, effective and consistent communication between the customers, management and other stakeholders and setting up a good feedback mechanism techniques that will ensure that both implementers (TVNZ), and the market understand and appreciate the change process (Schein, 2004). Thus management should continue to play the stewardship role by consistently briefing the employees, customers and other stakeholders to minimize resistance and possibly loss of revenue, effective communication vertically ensures that the employees understand the need for change and these leads to smooth and successful change in two ways. Firstly, employees will be motivated due to involvement and understanding of the change, secondly, they will act as agent in conveying the message to the external environment thus facilitate smooth and successful implementation (Schein, 2004). TVNZ as a charter company compared to other stations has the capability of acquiring funds hence one strategy would be to diverse the business and expand their market internationally. In addition, the business can capitalize on telecommunication given its resources hence increase revenue that will cushion potential loss of advertising revenue. The strength-opportunity approach can be illustrated by the examples below: Tourism sector can benefit from TVNZ if they adopt strategies to sell New Zealand’s heritage, rich culture and geographical wonders globally. Similarly, given the level of globalization in the business world, investors are always looking for new areas to invest their funds, therefore TVNZ can be used as a medium to sell the country as a good investment destination. This move will enable the company attract a new type of clientele worldwide in the business and tourism sector e.g. hotels, airlines, banks among others who can benefit from services offered by the station given its new approach and objectives.         REFERENCES: Beiman, I.   (2006). Chapter 6: Managing SOE’s for improved performance. Retrieved 24th June 2008 from http://www.adb.org/Documents/Books/Balanced-Scorecard/chap6.pdf Dobson, P., Starkey K Richards, J. (2004). Strategic management: Issues and cases. Blackwell Publishing Inc. Hanson, D. et al (2008). Strategic management: Competitiveness and Globalization. Asian pacific 3 Ed. South Melbourne. Thomson Publishing Inc. Spicer,B., Powell, M. Emanuel, D. (1997).   The remaking of television New Zealand 1984 – 1992. Auckland University Press. QuickMBA (n. d.). Strategic Management: SWOT analysis. Retrieved 24th June 2008 from http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/swot/ Schein, E. (2004) Organizational Culture and leadership. Jossey-Bass A Whiley imprint. Inc. Sexty, R. (1983). â€Å" Accountability dilemma in Canadian public enterprises: Social versus commercial responsiveness.†Ã‚   Annals of Public and Cooperative economics. Vol. 45 (1). Pp 19

The Rebirth of Ignatius in The Confederacy of Dunces Essay examples --

The Rebirth of Ignatius in The Confederacy of Dunces      Ã‚  Ã‚   "You learnt everything, Ignatius, except how to be a human being" (375).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chained to a dominant character who is so vast and yet so embryonic that he is not only protagonist but also, in many ways, his own antagonist, The Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole, has been called "a broad satirical view of the modern world" (Holditch "Introduction" The Neon Bible xi). Since this short definition fails to explain that the view presented is primarily that of the slug-like character of Ignatius Jacques Reilly, it also fails to take into account that one's view from the womb is, of necessity, somewhat limited. Although Ignatius is thirty years old and has a Master's Degree, he is so emotionally unprepared for life that he hides in the safety and sanctuary of his womb-like bedroom, anxiously peers out at the world around him, and condemns all that he sees. As observed from this view, the world does, indeed, appear to be a fearful place.    Having lost faith in modern religion at a young age, Ignatius claims to embrace a medieval worldview in which fate rather than free will is mandated. Like Oedipus, Ignatius attempts to evade his destiny, but rather than trying to run from it, and thus, running right into it as did Oedipus, Ignatius attempts to hide from his fate by refusing life, itself. Afraid of both life and death, Ignatius lives in a Limbo of his own devising. In his writings, Ignatius declares, "'I have always been forced to exist on the fringes of society, consigned to the Limbo reserved for those who do know reality when they see it'" (30). Of course, in rejecting his own possibilities to participate actively in determining the outcome of events in... ...res a jump-start--a massive jolt of terror-inspired impulses. Ignatius now reaches such a moment when his life is charged by this powerful psychological and physiological impetus.       In spite of the fear which propels him, there is finally hope for Ignatius. Waddling fearfully into the world, he can now learn to accept his common fate with the rest of humanity--his own humanness and inherent vulnerability in a world over which he has no control. In her frustration and resignation, Ignatius' little mother, an unusual Earth Mother at best, once sadly and plaintively tells her son, "You learnt everything, Ignatius, except how to be a human being" (375). Therein lies a lesson for us all.      Works Cited Holditch, W. Kenneth. The Neon Bible. Grove Press: New York, 1989. Toole, John Kennedy. A Confederacy of Dunces. Grove Weidenfeld: New York, 1980. The Rebirth of Ignatius in The Confederacy of Dunces Essay examples -- The Rebirth of Ignatius in The Confederacy of Dunces      Ã‚  Ã‚   "You learnt everything, Ignatius, except how to be a human being" (375).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chained to a dominant character who is so vast and yet so embryonic that he is not only protagonist but also, in many ways, his own antagonist, The Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole, has been called "a broad satirical view of the modern world" (Holditch "Introduction" The Neon Bible xi). Since this short definition fails to explain that the view presented is primarily that of the slug-like character of Ignatius Jacques Reilly, it also fails to take into account that one's view from the womb is, of necessity, somewhat limited. Although Ignatius is thirty years old and has a Master's Degree, he is so emotionally unprepared for life that he hides in the safety and sanctuary of his womb-like bedroom, anxiously peers out at the world around him, and condemns all that he sees. As observed from this view, the world does, indeed, appear to be a fearful place.    Having lost faith in modern religion at a young age, Ignatius claims to embrace a medieval worldview in which fate rather than free will is mandated. Like Oedipus, Ignatius attempts to evade his destiny, but rather than trying to run from it, and thus, running right into it as did Oedipus, Ignatius attempts to hide from his fate by refusing life, itself. Afraid of both life and death, Ignatius lives in a Limbo of his own devising. In his writings, Ignatius declares, "'I have always been forced to exist on the fringes of society, consigned to the Limbo reserved for those who do know reality when they see it'" (30). Of course, in rejecting his own possibilities to participate actively in determining the outcome of events in... ...res a jump-start--a massive jolt of terror-inspired impulses. Ignatius now reaches such a moment when his life is charged by this powerful psychological and physiological impetus.       In spite of the fear which propels him, there is finally hope for Ignatius. Waddling fearfully into the world, he can now learn to accept his common fate with the rest of humanity--his own humanness and inherent vulnerability in a world over which he has no control. In her frustration and resignation, Ignatius' little mother, an unusual Earth Mother at best, once sadly and plaintively tells her son, "You learnt everything, Ignatius, except how to be a human being" (375). Therein lies a lesson for us all.      Works Cited Holditch, W. Kenneth. The Neon Bible. Grove Press: New York, 1989. Toole, John Kennedy. A Confederacy of Dunces. Grove Weidenfeld: New York, 1980.