Lack of Responsibility Kills Essay

When it comes to the battle between obesity among Americans and fast food chain companies, fast food falls hard for the one to blame. For many years, big food companies have been constantly under attack from health advocates and consumers for the contribution of growing waistlines, chronic diseases and lack of exercise in the United States. Of course, it is easy to blame fast food corporations given the ubiquity, proximity convenience and low cost of food options available. But who really is the one to point the finger at? We, the consumers, are fully responsible for what enters our mouths. No individual should sue any restaurant company from getting fat from eating their food. A decline in physical activity and a rise in more sedentary lifestyles have made it more difficult to balance food intake with energy spending in the last generation, leading to overweight people. It wouldn’t be such a big deal if the problem were simply aesthetic. But excess weight takes a terrible toll on the human body, significantly increasing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, gall-bladder disease, osteoarthritis and many forms of cancer. The total medical tab for illnesses related to obesity is $117 billion a year. According to the Surgeon General, and the Journal of the American Medical Association reported in March, poor diet and physical inactivity could soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. And again, Americans recognize the problem but do not seem to want to change. In the TIME/ABC poll they rated obesity alongside heart disease, cancer, AIDS and drug abuse as among the nation’s most pressing public health problems. Consumers’ attitude toward fast food has changed since there is a wide assortment of factors at work ranging from fewer sit-down meals, much more snacking, more latchkey kids who make their own food decisions without supervision. Consumers, as well as parents (kids are also falling victim to the obesity rates), need to engage in personal responsibility when it comes to consuming an abundant amount of fast food instead of putting the obesity blame on fast food franchises. Obesity and fast food chains were never an issue back in the day; Americans seem to have taken advantage of the easy availability and cheap prices of many unhealthy foods. The human lifestyle and diet 4,000 years ago seem to have changed dramatically over the years where our ancestors ate and drank in the healthiest way possible as nomadic hunter-gatherers. 50%-80% of food came from plants, and 20%-50% came from animals (The World is Fat 18). Chronic disease, diabetics, obesity, heart disease and even cancer were unknown. In the 1950s, less than 100 million Americans were overweight and obese individuals. People used to have to do daily activities that were extensive just to live their everyday lives like cooking food from scratch, walking most places and doing most things by hand rather than using technological machines to do it for them. Food wasn’t easy to get if you were poor. Walking somewhere was still common regardless of appliances such as dishwashers and ovens, and in 1960, only about 13.3 percent of people in America were obese, according to the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. And things haven’t been moving in a promising direction. Just two decades ago, the incidence of overweight in adults was well under 50%, while the rate for kids was only a third what it is today. From 1996 to 2001, 2 million teenagers and young adults joined the ranks of the obese. People are clearly worried. A TIME/ABC News poll released June 2004 shows that 58% of Americans would like to lose weight, nearly twice the percentage that felt that way in 1951. But only 27% say they are trying to slim down and two-thirds of those aren’t following any specific plan to do so. Americans love and strive for flavor and bigger portioned sized foods that’s fast and easy to attain, that is where fast food corporations come in place. Americans now are taking adv antage of the bigger, cheaper and faster foods that it has become a national problem. So, where do we draw the line between self-control and responsible business practice? For the past 10 years, McDonald’s and other fast foods chains have been victimized with numerous lawsuits because they either â€Å"got consumers fat, hypnotized kids or bribed with deals and promos† (Fast Food 19). In 2003, the United States district court for the Southern District of New York responded to a complaint filed against McDonald’s by a class of obese costumers (Fast Food 18). In 2011, sixty-four year old Martin Kessman filed a lawsuit against the fast food company, White Castle and was seeking unspecified financial damages against the fast-food chain, claiming that his local White Castle is in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act because the seating could not accommodate a customer of his size, keep in mind this man ate at White Castle on a regular basis. These frivolous and unnecessary lawsuits against corporations show the ignorance of many irresponsible Americans who cannot control their eating habits. It is not right to sue a fast food company based on the fact that consumers knowingly and voluntarily consumed the foods from McDonald’s knowing that the foods McDonald’s serves were in fact high in cholesterol, fat, salt and sugar. Consumers voluntarily spend over $100 billion annually on fast food per year. (Fast Food 8). The famous documentary, Supersize Me, shows Morgan Spurlock consuming McDonalds every day, 3 days a week. This of course led him to gain a significant amount of weight and develop some health complications. Spurlock makes his point by a way of exaggeration, he tells us something that we already know, fast food is bad. Of course it will be bad because he ONLY consumed fast food and nothing else, he did not eat anything healthy and did not exercise, all of this was done voluntarily. Should consumers eat fast food on a daily or even a weekly basis? The answer is simply no. Today Americans eat an extra 300 calories per day than in 1985 (Buzzle). When this trend occurs we get overweight Americans, and that is exactly what we are dealing with. 500 million Americans are now obese and an additional 6 or 7 million are â€Å"morbidly obese† (Chew on This 209). With this ridiculous amount of unhealthy people, you would think there would be a solution. And there is, lawsuits. Americans decide to turn to their lawyers for their ignorance and blame corporations for something that is obviously done by their own will. Consumers are too ignorant and blind to understand what it’s their mouth. We cannot deny that people are eating more and are getting fat, but that does not prove that fast food franchises are the culprit. Kids today are suffering severely and falling victim to obesity because of many unhealthy diets that are being practiced in their own home. Parents bring home the importance of food safety, quality and nutrition. When this habit continues to occur it leads to kids becoming teens who make poor choices who in turn leads to obese adults and a lifetime of health problems. Children in the United States are gaining more weight than ever before. They’re eating too much high-fat, high-sugar food and are spending less time be ing physically active. In 1989-1996 kids caloric intake became 80-230 extra calories per day (Food Inc. 225). The diets of American children don’t meet nutritional recommendations. In 1997, American children obtained about 50% of their calories from added fat and sugar while 1% of them resemble portions of food pyramid (Fast Food 29). At this early age kids can show early signs of health problems and of course obesity. A quarter of kids age 5-10 show premature warning signs for heart disease such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure with unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity and obesity (Food Inc. 229). Weight problems that develop during childhood can lead to weight-related illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. So, is parent’s lack of responsibility for their children’s food habits the one to blame? Of course, one thing kids will unfortunately experience is variety. With all the fast food chains serving the same stuff no matter where in the US. Parents with obese kids are struggling with a horde of problems when it comes to their child’s weight. They range from a lack of education about nutritional food, not knowing how to cook and limited money to buy healthier food, to longer working hours and marketing campaigns for junk food aimed at kids. But the more sedentary and lazy lives children now have are also creating huge problems. Type 2 diabetics actually increased in children when a study conducted in Cincinnati should that type 2 diabetics went up tenfold from 1982 to 1994. 75% of junior school children preferred to stay at home than go to their nearby park (Child obesity: Why do parents let their kids get fat). Watching TV was one of the most popular activities, with 89% saying it was how they liked best to spend their time away from school, according to researchers Lightspeed. In July, scientists from University of Montreal claimed that by the age of ten, toddlers had added inches to their waistlines each week t hey spend an extra hour in front of the television. Parents need to, from the start, control the eating and overall lifestyle of their children. It is dangerous for the future of the children to get used to such a risky addiction. Not only are we and our children eating more, but we are also exercising less. Lack of exercise is another factor to lack of responsibility. Fewer American adults today work in jobs that require physical labor. People drive to work in cars, rather than walking or biking; they take elevators instead of stairs; they use vacuum cleaners rather than brooms; and they cut the lawn with riding rather than push mowers. All of these simple changes reduce the amount of energy used to perform the tasks of daily living. A typical office worker today walks only about 3000 to 5000 steps in their daily activities. In contrast, in the Amish community where driving automobiles and using electrical appliances and other modern conveniences are not allowed, a typical adult takes 14000 to 18000 steps a day. The overall incidence of obesity in the group is only 4%. With 46.9% of the population meeting Physical Guidelines for aerobic/cardio physical activity (Exercise and Physical Activity). The problem for individuals is that willpower is not enough. We live in an environment where there’s food every half mile. It’s tasty, cheap, convenient, and you can eat it with one hand. We, the consumers, need not only to cut back on calories and fast food, we need to get active in any possible way we can to increase our health. Although simpler sounding on words then it is to actually pursue, exercise is Americans biggest challenge. Imagine a 7-year-old boy named John who, his whole has been given to-go fast food meals as his daily dinner at home. John has always been overweight for his age. As John has entered his teen’s years, he has become a hectic straight A student who studies constantly but never has time to make his own meals at home. John drives to local fast food joints and spends about $70 per week on his in-between-studies meals. Although, he has never worried about the way he looked and no matter what it has never occurred to him to want to change his eating habits, he continues to eat fast food on a regular basis. He consumes about 1,200 calories more than he is suppose to. Now being a grown adult with a settled job and cozy suburban home, he continues to eat unhealthy. No exercise is ever incorporated into his daily routines. He enters a McDonalds and stares blankly at the menu and clearly sees the sign that McDonalds has introduced a new Premium Caesar Salad with Crispy Chicken Strips but John chooses to ignore it because he thinks going to McDonald’s for a salad is like asking a prostitute for a hug. It just doesn’t make sense. He orders a Big Mac meal that costs him around $9.25 and around 1,130 calories (including drink), this does not bother John because this simple meal tastes great and satisfies his hunger and appetite (keep in mind John ate this meal in-between lunch and dinner so he has eaten more calories with breakfast, lunch and dinner). Oh, and why not make it supersized for 2 dollars more, he won’t be hungry till 2 hours later. John continues this routine for about two more months; he feels extremely tired and out of breathe just walking down the stairs of his home. He also has major pains in his hips and knees only to think this is due to age. As the shortness of breath and joint pains begin to intensify, John finally decides to go to the doctor to get a check-up. His result, John is morbidly obese and has developed osteoarthritis, which is the reason for the joint pains. He also has a respiratory problem that causes his shortness of breath. John is outraged at how he could develop such a health problem. He blames McDonalds for giving him such a horrible and negative effect on his health. He plans to sue the fast food company. Does John win his case? No, he does not. With his irresponsible lack of a healthy diet or exercise, he does not have a fair case against McDonald’s. His overweight and health i ssues are due to his irresponsible lack of awareness to his body and his lifestyle. McDonald’s is not the one to blame; he had the choice to eat unhealthy. No one is forcing him to consume fattening foods. The real culprits in his obesity problems (as well as many other obese Americans) are lack of personal responsibility and its henchmen, gluttony and sloth. What really causes obesity besides the overconsumption of food? Genetics is one factor. Some common forms of obesity are probably the result of variations within a large number of heritable genes between families. Obesity risk is 2-3x higher for a person with a history of obesity as oppose to someone with no family history. Genetic studies have shown that the â€Å"particular set of weight-regulating genes that a person has is by far the most important factor in determining how much that person will weigh† (The Real Cause of Obesity). The heritability of obesity, which shows how, many genes is a factor to obesity versus other factors is the same as the heritability of height. Also, many psychological disorders can lead to obesity as well. The basis of eating disorders and obesity usually lies with mixtures of psychosocial and environmental attributes. Individuals who suffer from psychological disorders (e.g. depression, anxiety, and eating disorders) may have a tough time managing control of their consumption of food, exercising an adequate amount, and maintaining a healthy weight. Those with weight problems can use food as a relieving mechanism, particularly when they are sad, anxious, stressed, lonely, and frustrated. In many obese individuals there appears to be a random cycle of mood disturbance, overeating, and weight gain. When they feel distressed, they turn to food to help them feel better which in turn leads to obesity (Psychological Risk Factors of Obesity). The culprits responsible for America’s progressively expanding waistline have little to do with the usual suspects popularized by the media. Many Americans believe Fast Food is the main culprits for obesity because of the clever tactics and unknown ingredients they use to get costumers to buy and their food and make them wanting more later. Fast food companies outnumber actual restaurants because it is affordable, easy to attain, big portioned and delicious. With the United States being the most obese nation, it has also become the nation that craves flavor and variety. Many turn away from greens because of its unappealing taste and lack of flavor. Fast Food companies produce food with flavor and hunger satisfying taste. Many become angry because of the effective advertising done on TV, ads, giveaways and deals. But what really angers consumers most are the chemicals they put in their food that makes it so delicious and irresistible. Polyfluoroalkyl phosphate pesters, PAPs, are chemicals that line fast-food packaging to make it grease- and waterproof, this leads to a number of health problems including cancer and liver disease. Dimethylpolysiloxane, a type of silicone, is added as an anti-foaming agent to McDonald’s chicken nuggets. This is the same ingredient that is used in breast implants and silly putty. Sodium Phosphate, which acts like a foam agent to many types of meat, is constantly used in many fast food joints. Dyes (red and yellow) behavioral attributes. Along with the mystery chemicals that go into fast food for its flavor, companies also supersize or increase the portions of their meals. During 1970s, marketing director of McDonalds corporations, David Wallerstein, determined that consumers would by more of a food item if sold in larger sizes and costs weren’t high. Portions increased from since 1980s to about 5x larger, which includes the drinks and side orders (Buzzle). A supersized coke, big mac and fries takes about 7 hours to burn with walking, now imagine people actually eating this without any exercise. We’ve been supersizing what we eat and that’s what consumers can’t get enough of. Many blame fast food for numerous health problems as well; asthma, strokes, type 2 diabetics, cancer, and cardio vascular disease. I myself have fallen victim to fast food, for example when I go on road trips with the family, we have no time to sit down and have a proper breakfast since we have to get on the road right away. We stop by a McDonalds because their breakfast is cheap and quick since we can eat it in the car. Also, it is no coincidence that fast food chains are everywhere where there are colleges and schools as well. College educated people or not poorly educated Americans are the most rapid growth in BMI between 1970 and 1990 (Fast Food 20). Obesity in college students in 1970 increased to 163% with many students claiming that with so much hectic studying and no time to eat, fast food is close by and quick to eat. So, it is no joke as to why people would blame fast food for their health troubles, since it is easy to attain and delicious but with many deadly ingredients. Personal responsibility is all it takes to decrease obesity. We live in a supersized world but as they say bigger is not always better. Fast food companies should not be blamed for obesity and instead be blamed on the consumers for lack of self-control. Fast food may look delicious but if people are aware of the health problems that are in the food, why do some continue to consume it regularly. Many need to take responsibility for their actions instead of taking it out on the companies by filing ridiculous lawsuits. No one forces us to eat a burger. It is not fast food that kills it is lack of responsibility that kills.

Conditions and Consequences of a Price War Essay

The objective of this essay is to â€Å"use economic theory and illustrative examples to outline the circumstances under which a price war could come about and the likely consequences for the participating firms and their consumers†. A price war is a period in which multiple firms competing within the same market will react to the other firms lowering of price by lowering their own price. They have short-term and long-term advantages and disadvantages. There are many reasons for which a price war may occur, in all cases the reason for starting the price war is different but the reason for its continuation is not to lose sales. They are when a firm attempts to maximise capacity, for survival purposes, in oligopoly markets, where there are homogeneous products and when a firm adopts a penetrative pricing strategy. â€Å"Excess capacity refers to a situation where a firm is producing at a lower scale of output than it has been designed for† Excess capacity http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/ detail.asp?ID=3209 [accessed 10th December 2006] If a firm has spare capacity to produce more of a good it is likely they will use this spare capacity to profit maximise but to achieve this they will have to lower prices to increase quantity demanded (see appendix item A). As they have decreased their prices, other competitors will likely drop their prices so as not to loose customers, creating a price war. Companies who face bankruptcy may try to lower their prices so to attract more consumers and increase sales volume. However, if they cannot manage to increase volume enough to cover the fall in contribution then it will fail to cover its variable costs and will be forced to leave the market. Other firms may recognise that the company is in trouble and in a bid to force the company out the market and not to loose their own customers will drop their prices below that of the company facing bankruptcy. An oligopoly is where â€Å"a small number of firms share a large portion of the market† Economics Handbook, David Gray and Peter Clarke. In an oligopoly price is usually stable and constant as competing firms will not wish to lower price as its competitors will also drop theirs and so all they have  achieved is lowering their profit margins (see appendix item B). However, one firm may believe it stands to gain from a price-cut by believing they can under-cut the competition through economies of scale or other factors such as slow market reaction. A price war will begin as firms will drop theirs to avoid loosing customers. If in a market the goods are homogenous meaning they are the same for example utility services then price is one of the only means for a firm to distinguish it from others. In this situation a consumer will always purchase the lower priced product. This cause’s fierce pricing competition as each firm will try to maintain sales by dropping their price below the other competitors. â€Å"Penetration pricing involves the setting of lower, rather than the higher prices in order to achieve a large if not dominant market share† Pricing strategies http://www.tutor2u.net/business/marketing/pricing_strategy_penetration.asp [accessed 10th December 2006]. If this occurs the other firms in the market will recognise this and drop their own prices to stop that firm from gaining a dominant market share. The firm adopting this strategy may then also drop their prices to try continuing their pricing strategy causing a price war. This strategy can also be used to try and force firms out of the marketA price war causes more competition between firms, it has both positive and negative aspects for the consumers and the participating firms but these are different in the short-term and long-term. Competition is seen as a positive thing in any command economy. The short-run benefits for the consumer are obvious as firms lower their prices they will receive a better deal this can be seen in a movement along the demand curve, there will also be more consumer’s demanding the product for that lower price (see appendix item C). They are also likely to see improvements to the augmented products associated with the good as firms try to compete through non-pricing strategies. These services are things such as warranties, loyalty cards and other ‘extras’. The short-run effects upon the firms in the market are negative. Firm’s profits are reduced as the price of the good is reduced (see appendix item D). All firms in the industry will be forced to improve their productive efficiency to reduce total average cost, in an attempt to retain profit-margins whilst prices fall. They may also wish to attempt a heavier marketing campaign to try to distinguish itself from the other firms, but this incurs further costs for the firm. Firms are also likely to undergo a faster pace of invention and innovation as they differentiate themselves. Some firm’s in the market will be able to use their economies of scale to combat lower prices. But, other firms will not have such efficiencies and will not be able to afford variable costs and will therefore exit the market immediately (see appendix item E). The long-run affects of a price war are that a lot of firms will leave the market, this causes the demand curve to move back to its original position, which increases market-clearing price creating a long-run equilibrium and so normal profits are re-established. This is a negative aspect to the consumer’s who will have to pay more than they have in recent periods, they are also more likely to try and shop round to find the best deal. The good itself is likely to have seen technological advances as firms competed to have the most innovative product. There will also have been improved services for the consumers. The firms left in the market are likely to have better control of costs; this allows them to increase the contribution towards profits as the average total cost has been reduced of the product. In conclusion, a price war can be initiated for many reasons such as efficiency by filling up spare capacity, as a means for survival, in intense rivalry in oligopoly markets, to differentiate a product and to build up brand name or force other firms out of the market. However, the consequences are usually very similar, some firms will emerge as dominate and others will leave the market. This can have both good effects and bad effects as consumers will initially be happy with lower prices but when the long-run equilibrium comes into effect they will search harder for bargains. They will also see improvements made to the product and services. The surviving firms do well from the price war; they are likely to see higher demand for  their product, as there are fewer competitors. They also are likely to achieve greater productive efficiency and so greater profit margins. â€Å"Vigorous competition between firms is the lifeblood of strong markets and is a central to productivity and growth in the economy† International Competitiveness (2001) UK Labour GovernmentBibliography†¢Hardwick, Khan, Langmead (1994) An Introduction to Modern Economics 4th Edition†¢Lipsey, Forrest, Olsen (1993) An Introduction to Positive Accounts†¢Hunt, Sherman (1990) Economics An Introduction to traditional and radical views†¢Sloman, John (2000) Economics 4th Edition†¢Begg, David (2005) Economics 8th Edition†¢Sloman, John and Sutcliffe, Mark (2004) Economics for Business 3rd Edition†¢http://www.tutor2u.net [accessed 10th December]†¢http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki [accessed 10th December]†¢Price War, What is it good for? http://mba.tuck.dartmouth.edu/pages/faculty/koen.pauwels/pdf/Price%20War%20what%20is%20it%20good%20for.pdf [accessed 10th December]References†¢Excess capacity http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/ detail.asp?ID=3209 [accessed 10th December 2006]†¢Economics Handbook, David Gray and Peter Clarke†¢Pricing strategies http://www.tutor2u.net/bus iness/marketing/pricing_strategy_penetration.asp [accessed 10th December 2006]†¢International Competitiveness (2001) UK Labour GovernmentAppendixItem AAs the firm increases the supply through using the spare capacity, supply curve shifts left from S1 to S2 as a result the market clearing price falls but quantity increases. Shifts in supply curve http://www.auhy69.dsl.pipex.com/images/dd202/b2p.jpg [accessed 10th December 2006]Item BIn this diagram you can see that in an oligopoly market it is unfavourable for the oligopoly firms to change their price, so it becomes static. Price Competition in Oligopoly Market, Foundations of Economics Handbook (2006) David Gray and Peter ClarkeItem CA Movement along the demand curve will increase the quantity demanded but reduce selling price. Demand and Supply www.investopedia.com/university/economics/economics3.asp [accessed 10th December 2006]Item DAs the price is set lower from P1 to P2

What is the best type of data to use when doing research in your field Essay - 1

What is the best type of data to use when doing research in your field of - Essay Example e need to design and implement efficient international relations guidelines and practices, it has become imperative that more accurate international relations researches are conducted. Among the issues surrounding international relations researches is that of the best research method and type of data to be used. Central to these debates are quantitative and qualitative data, which are the two major types of data used in most disciplines. This paper explores the type(s) of data that is best suited for researching international relations, taking the stance that these two types of data can be used complimentarily in international relations research since each has its strengths and weaknesses, which could be complimented by the other. That the two data types can be combined to ensure accurate international relations researches is supported by the fact that while quantitative data are numerical representations and the manipulations of the obtained observations to describe and explain international phenomena, qualitative data emphasises meanings and processes that may not be measured (Mahoney & Goertz, 2006). From these definitions, it is quite evident that both numerical and non-numerical aspects of international relations would be catered for if researchers combined both qualitative and quantitative data (Mahoney & Goertz, 2006). That is, qualitative data presents, interprets and explains non-numerical aspects of an observation so that underlying international relations patterns, issues and meanings are discerned and understood. In other words, the two types of data have relative values depending on the nature and the objectives of the international relations research to be conducted. The aspects of international relations issues that qualitative data may help explore and explain are issues whose quantity, intensity, amount or frequency may not be rigorously measured. In other words, this type of data would emphasise the social nature and the relationships of

Analysis of Section 2-204 of the Uniform Contract Code Assignment

Analysis of Section 2-204 of the Uniform Contract Code - Assignment Example The offer has to be accepted and this acceptance has to be communicated to the other party. The acceptance has to be with respect to a particular consideration. Such consideration has to be in respect to the contract which is formed. The consideration is the purpose behind which every contract is formed. After the acceptance and the communication of the same, the contract starts to exist. Purpose and Function of Uniform Commercial Code: â€Å"The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), a comprehensive code addressing most aspects of commercial law, is generally viewed as one of the most important developments in American law.† â€Å"This body of law, created by a private author, aimed to create a uniform scheme applicable to the sale of goods and commercial transactions. The UCC applies to the sales of goods and commercial transactions. The sales of goods involve the buying and selling of tangible items, such as boxes of a product. Commercial transactions include primarily banking tra nsactions and are considered debt instruments.† Understanding from the above notions with respect to the Uniform Commercial Code, we can ascertain that the Uniform Commercial Code governs and manages all the contracts formed within the different territories of the United States of America. The Uniform Commercial Code basically creates a uniform scheme and system for all the contracts which are formed in the United States of America. The Uniform Commercial Code, therefore, is a procedural and a substantive law which overlooks the affairs of all the contractual obligations taken forwards in the realm of the contract law in the United States of America. Contract of Sale: In order to understand the contract of sale, here is an example which shall help explain the infer functioning and the working of the contract for sale. Don, who is a shopkeeper, has an Apple showroom. He is running the Apple showroom in Oklahoma and manages all the Apple products.  Ã‚  

Explore the class system in America. In what way does it still exist Research Paper

Explore the class system in America. In what way does it still exist Or, in what way does it really not exist - Research Paper Example Kendall defines the definition of the class system as follows (219): The class system is a stratification based on the ownership and control of resources and on the type of work they do (qtd. in Rothman). Classical Perspectives on Social Class Karl Marx and Max Weber viewed class as an important factor in determining social change. According to Karl Marx, class is defined as a relationship to the means of production. In his opinion, a class can be capitalistic or it can be a working class. A capitalistic class consists of those who own the means of production. Workers in a working class are those who need to sell their labor in order to earn money. Major factor described by Marx’s theory involved in distinction between the two classes is power and authority (Kendall, 221). Weber came up with another theory as he was living in an era in which capitalism changed over time. He came up with a multidimensional approach to social stratification. He suggested there are three main fac tors wealth, power and prestige, out of which no single factor can determine the class level. Individuals can rank high in one factor and low in the other (Kendall, 221). Combining the Weberian and Marxian approaches to social class, research Dennis Gilbert (2003) developed a model of social class based on three factors: education, occupation, family income (Kendall, 223). Stratification based on education, occupation and income (Kendall, 224). ... duced that education is not a direct factor contributing in the status level, but it indirectly influences the two other dimensions, that is, occupation and income. Education also shapes cultural behavior. Statistics of 1993 confirms that education the role of education in generating America’s social division. It shows that among individuals earning more than $100,000 per year, 49 percent had postgraduate degrees (Fleishman, 57). Sajjadi in her article discusses about social class system as a description of how scarce resources are distributed in a society. Those scarce resources are wealth, income, education and occupation. She further writes that income is an important scarce resource. But, it is occupation that provides income, and it is education that determines the type of occupation. Income is also related to other life consequences such as the quality of education obtained, health care, and housing (Sajjadi, Social Stratification in United States). As mentioned above, U S individual income depends on education. In 2005, the top 15 percent of income earners were actually the ones with doctorate and professional degrees. Those who had bachelor’s degree had incomes above the national median and people with college degree had less income (Sajjadi, Social Stratification in United States). Education serves as one of the most essential class feature in US, which is directly linked in income and occupation. Level of Disparity Let us see how rich the riches are in US: (Durden, A Visual Reminder of US Social Stratification). A Harvard professor and behavioral economist asked more than 5000 Americans on their opinion on wealth distribution in US. Most of them thought its more balanced than it actually is (Durden, A Visual Reminder of US Social Stratification). (Durden,

Health Reform Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Reform - Research Paper Example Preskitt (2008) indicates that Clinton’s health reform plan is one that not only affected patients but also other service providers and physicians.. First, studies indicate that about 36 million Americans were uninsured at that time (Preskitt, 2008). This percentage of Americans comprises of the poor and majority depended on aid from other sources. On a realistic point of analysis, it would be extremely tasking for Clinton’s policy to apply among such population brackets. This can be discussed on a cost constraint point of view, since the available resources were not well reorganized. Universal recognition not being the centre of the focus of Clinton’s reform plan, failure of the plan was indeed in the pipeline. Brady & Kessler (2009) indicate that Clinton’s Health Care Reform failed for the reason that this plan was more inclined towards promoting a market for insurance on a long term basis. The administration was of the opinion that expanding then public health sector would be very expensive for the government. Long term insurance care was on a great extent left for the private sector. Investors were at an advantage that was geared towards coming up with a market for private employers, in terms of provision of long term care. The costs of health care rose tremendously, provision of long term care was then laid on the line. Preskitt (2008) indicates that Clinton’s health plan did not receive public support both from the liberals and conservatives. Democrats were opposed to the fact that none of the constituencies was fully for the program. For instance, the aged feared the cutting down of Medicare and nothing would do good to them in return (Starr, 1995). The high costs of health plans were also expected to be expensive; thus, taxing to the common citizens. Generally, Clinton had no back up to support the policies. It is in line to this argument that Oberlander (2002) argues that Clinton’s health plan would have been planned and

Special Populations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Special Populations - Research Paper Example This paper will research special education in the Carroll Independent School District (CISD) of Texas. The boundaries of school districts in Texas do not always align with city or county boundaries, whereby one district may occupy several cities or counties, while some of the larger cities may be divided between several school districts. Although most special education students are disproportionately English language learners, minority and the poor, the CISD indiscriminately serves 11 schools in the upper income area of Dallas, Texas. It is the largest school district to have been rated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as exemplary in performance, recording an exceptional zero percent dropout rate and 97 percent attendance in 2007, a rating it holds to date. CISD believes that for majority of its special education students to achieve the same standards as other students, they ought to be given specially designed support, instruction, accommodation and appropriate access as require d by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Texas is among the states in America that have worked for a few decades to have all students included in their education systems. The commitment has seeped into both the provision of education serves and approaches employed in evaluating the system’s success in a bid to meet all the students’ needs. CISD believes that students with special needs deserve more than pity or protection from the high expectations associated with non-special students. They should also not be excluded from necessary assessments that indicate whether they are progressing towards the expectations as desired or not. Some of the cases that compelled CISD to address special education include intellectual disabilities; developmental disabilities; specific learning disabilities; language and speech impairments; orthopedic, hearing and visual impairments; autism; and traumatic brain injury. Special education developed following the governme nt’s growing need for involvement in education (Wilmshurst & Brue, 2010). Before the 1975 passing of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act by the federal government, special education programs had to be improved to include additional services as prescribed by the plans mandated federally. They would therefore be able to benefit from IDEA. To this end, after the Act was passed, Texas established several schools that give special care and attention to students with disabilities to help them grow intellectually, socially and emotionally. In CISD, they have schools that are specially designed and equipped to address the needs of students with learning or physical disabilities. The schools develop students’ talents and skills within caring and safe environments. This is in conformity with the provisions of IDEA that stipulate that each special needs student is given an Individualized Education Program (IEP), outlining how the schools will meet their individual need s (NCD, 1994). CISD further embraces the requirement by IDEA that special needs students must be provided with free, appropriate, public education, which should be conducted in the least restrictive environments. Special education is provided in varying degrees in schools run by the government in CISD. The settings range from the least restric

Psychology Behind Supreme Court Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Psychology Behind Supreme Court Case - Essay Example was in the business of vending drugs in the school premises. After conducting this search and accruing much incriminating and objectionable evidence in the purse of T.L.O., the vice principal contacted the appropriate authorities and T.L.O. was subsequently arrested by them. T.L.O. sought to suppress the evidence recovered by the school authorities at her trial, claiming that this violated her Fourth Amendment rights pertaining to unreasonable search. The school authorities did say that they had a reasonable reason to conduct this search. Hence T.L.O.’s motion was totally denied by the concerned court and this evidence recovered by the school authorities was declared admissible in the court of law. Following her conviction on the basis of the evidence recovered by school authorities from her purse, T.L.O. appealed against her in the New Jersey Supreme Court, citing the same reason that the search conducted by the school authorities violated her Fourth Amendment Rights (Slobogin 207). The New Jersey Supreme Court concluded that the search was indeed unreasonable and consequently reversed the conviction of T.L.O., setting her free. The state of New Jersey appealed against the reversal of T.L.O.’s conviction in the US Supreme Court. The US Su preme Court ruled in favor of the State of New Jersey, by a resounding margin of 6-3, declaring that the search conducted by the school authorities was valid and thereby the exclusionary principle did not apply to the evidence presented against T.L.O. While delving on the psychology behind this Supreme Case, it does need to be mentioned that the Supreme Court thoroughly considered the claims of all the stakeholders in this particular case. The honorable Court did say that the students in the high school do have the right of privacy against unreasonable search as enshrined in the Fourth Amendment. Yet, the court did acknowledge that when it comes to the constitutional rights of the children and

MANAGING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

MANAGING - Essay Example The human resource management as a research field describes and deals with the organizational human capital. Wherever, humans are involved, there will be power politics present as well. In this way, the philosophy of postmodernism defines organizations as a setup that is a social entity, and it remains subjected to political forces as well (Jordan & Troth, 2004). The sub-concept of power roles emerged because organizations are powerhouses, and therefore, somebody has to house the power. The operational power of getting things done resides with the middle managers, and the top ones have to operate through them in order to keep moving the organization forwards in strategic terms. The humans have a propensity to watch their self-interest as well. The managers create problems by choosing strategies that cause them to face least amount of pain and struggle. They do not necessarily safeguard and look after the interests of the shareholders that is the prime purpose of their existence (Solansky, 2008). The literature of management calls the abovementioned phenomenon as the agency problem. The agency problem manifests itself when agents do not serve the objectives of their principles. The managers are agents of the shareholders of a specific company, but the former group has to assist the latter one in the process of attaining the goals. The corporate world operates in order to provide dividends to the investors, and the organisations also provide capital gains to the shareholders by increasing the market demand of their shares. The agency problems originates when managers have a belief that they can get away with committing fraud with the investors. The employees develop the tendency to skip and avoid their responsibilities because they might be experiencing psychological contract breach. They attempt to balance out their professional efforts with their current

Anna Quindlen Essay Example for Free

Anna Quindlen Essay When you think great American author, many people think of Anna Quindlen. She won many awards. They include but are not limited to a Pulitzer and two Clarion Awards. She is an older sister and a daughter, as well as a wife and mother. Anna Quindlen has published many, many literary works, including novels, children’s books, nonfiction works, columns, and new table pictorials. This woman is not only an author, but she is a role model and hero to some, having accomplished her dreams with great dignity and grace. Anna Quindlen was not always Anna Quindlen the famous author. First, she was Anna Marie Quindlen, the oldest of five children in Philadelphia, and later on, New Jersey. She has one sister and three brothers, all of which are younger than she is, her sister being the youngest of the five. When Anna was nineteen, her mother, an italian woman, died of ovarian cancer at age fourty. She uses that experience in much of her writing, such as â€Å"A Short Guide to a Happy Life.† This left her with only her father, and Irish man, as most of the characters in her books such as â€Å"Object Lessons’ are. Since she was a teenager, Anna Quindlen has been a feminist, and although her reasoning has changed quite a bit, she still remains one. Anna currently is married to a man named Gerald Krovatin and has three children. They all live in New York City. This incredible woman has written and published four best-selling novels. They are â€Å"Object Lessons,† â€Å"One True Thing,† â€Å"Black and Blue,† and â€Å"Blessings.† â€Å"Black and Blue’ was made into a movie as well as â€Å"One True Thing†. Anna also has three collection of her colums published. They consist of â€Å"Living Out Loud,† â€Å"Thinking Out Loud,† and â€Å"Loud and Clear.† She also wrote about her own personal experiences in â€Å"A Short Guide to a Happy Life, â€Å"Being Perfect,† and â€Å"Imagined London.† â€Å"Being Perfect† is a national bestseller as well as â€Å"A Short Guide to a Happy Life.† She was a columnist for the New York Times from 1981 to 1994, and 1990 was a big year for her. In that year she was given the title of the third woman in New York Times history to write a column for the Op-Ed page. In 1995 Anna became a full-time book writer and left her column and journalism. In 1992, Ms. Quindlen won a very honorable prize. In the category of Commentary, Anna Quindlen won a Pulitzer Prize. However, she did not stop there . She went on to win a Mothers At Home Media Award in 2001, and two Clarion Awards. The first, in 2001 for Best Regular Opinion Column in a magazine, and the second in 2002 for Best Opinion Column from the Association for Women in Communications. Annna has received honorary doctorates from Moravian College, Smith College, Denison University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Mount Holyoke College. She was also give the University Medal of Excellence from Columbia. Ms. Quindlen was also a Victoria Fellow in Contemporary Issues at Rutgers, a Poynter Fellow in Journalism at Yale, and a Fellow of the Academy of Arts Sciences. These things, among others, are what set her apart from others, and she has something to show for her achievements. And so Anna Quindlen accomplished more emotionally than any other woman on Earth. She was the third woman to write a certain column for the New York Times, and a best-selling author at the same time. As a role model for women everywhere, Anna Quindlen went from being little Anna Marie Quindlen to the great woman she is now. Her words have allowed the people of the twenty-first century to make great life choices and love people for who they are. Anna is thanked and revered for as long as she is remembered, which will definetly be for years and years to come.

Prejudice and racism

Prejudice and racism How do the writers Nadine Gordimer and Mildred Taylor explore prejudice and racism in different cultures? Both writers explore racism and prejudice in their books, but you can spot racism and prejudice in one book much quicker. Both writers show how racism affects not only black people but also the whole of society and your family. Both stories are set in different locations and have different affects on the people and society. Racism is shown in different ways in both stories. â€Å"Country Lovers† is set in South Africa, during the time of apartheid. â€Å"The Gold Cadillac† is set in North America and a black family goes down to South America and face a new experience. The new experience they face is racism and it affects the family in many ways. â€Å"Country Lovers† is written by Nadine Gordimer, it is written in 3rd person, while â€Å"Gold Cadillac† is written in 1st person. Both view points are effective. The 3rd person view point shows us an unbiased and direct view of what is happening, without any interference. The 1st person view point in â€Å"The Gold Cadillac† is also very affective as you are seeing out of the eyes of a young child, whom doesnt understand racism and its affects. We see quite clearly the reaction of the little girl when she doesnt understand what is being said. In â€Å"Country Lovers†, the black children play together with the white children, at a very young age. This is because the pressure of racism in the society doesnt influence small children as they are still young. However, when the white children go to school ‘they soon dont play together anymore. This shows us that racism is already starting to spread even though the children have only started to go to school now. This is due to the fact that the society is evolving around these children and the ‘vocabulary of boarding school has brain-washed them into believing that white people are the masters and black people are the servants. The black children start calling their former playmates ‘missus and baasie this is described as an ‘easy transition but surely it cant be due to the fact that their body is changing as well as their minds. Black children are turning into teenagers and they feel that calling their former playmates ‘missus and baasie is a normal transformation for every black person. In â€Å"The Gold Cadillac† on the other hand we can acknowledge the fact that not all black people are inferior to white people. Racism is better concealed in â€Å"The Gold Cadillac†. We dont know if the family is black or not until we reach line 166, where ‘Lois father says he wants to go down to Mississippi with the ‘fine car. Mr. Pondexter says ‘Not much those folks hate moren to see a northern Negro coming down the in a fine car. Although, the text only reveals the fact that they are black but we have been given clues on the speech and dialect by ‘Lois. Wilbert doesnt change his mind even though he was told it was too dangerous for a black man to go down South even though he was told they would ‘lynch you. The word ‘lynch sent a shiver through ‘Lois and her sister even though they dont know about racism. By this we can see how racism in the north has not affected the two black girls at all. The educational system started with both white and black children in primary education where they spoke local dialect and then after that the white children went to secondary education, where they learnt Standard English and the black children went to work, on farms of the white people, and they learnt the language of authority and how to obey it. Immorality Act 1950 1985 was one of the first Apartheid laws in South Africa. It attempted to forbid all sexual relations between whites and non-whites. In 1949, interracial marriages had been banned by the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act. This law is to separate black and white. This caused trouble for Paulus Eysendyck and Thebedi (two main characters in this story) as they were secretly in a relationship between a white boy and black girl (which was against the Immorality Act). ‘She had to get away before the house servants who knew her, came in at dawn. This shows the compassion and determination to keep their relationship ongoing. The only relationship that can be between blacks and whites is servant and master, no other relationship is permitted under the legal laws of South Africa. Families have to stick together and also stick together with friends. In â€Å"The Gold Cadillac†, the dad of ‘Lois decided to go all alone to Mississippi but was then persuaded to go down there all together, so that they were stronger to tackle racism and prejudice believes and views. A group of people are mentally and physically stronger than one person all alone and with no one to back him/her up with. They were leaving to go down South to Mississippi. In the second paragraph of â€Å"Country Lovers† it said ‘The first holiday after he had gone to boarding school he brought home for Thebedi a painted box he had made in his wood work class. Here we can see how he developed their relationship even though they havent been in contact for a while. He couldnt give the box directly to Thebedi because ‘he had nothing for the other children in the kraal. Thebedi is shown to be inferior to Paulus, ‘He told her, each time when they would meet again. This clearly shows that Paulus has all the power in the relationship and that is controlling the inferior Thebedi. Thebedi doesnt say a single word; this shows the effect or racism and how racism and authority made them believe they were servants had set into their minds and also that they had no control of whether or not to do what is being told. To me in this part of the story it just seems like an affair not like love at all. The family enters South America and they soon start noticing sign like ‘WHITE ONLY, COLOURED NOT ALLOWED. This distracts ‘Lois and she doesnt understand what these signs meant or why they were there. They began to see South America in a different view, the racist view. In â€Å"Country Lover†, Paulus and Thebedi meet on a very hot day at the river bed side. They just sit there at first without talking or anything. Paulus seems to be evolving around the beautiful nature. Nadine Gordimer portrays their meeting and sex as a natural occurrence when she puts it alongside such a beautiful environment, next to the water flow. This just gives us a sense of reality and the richness of this love is seen. ‘he was surprised and she was surprised by it too, they didnt know it could be so lovely and the nature just seems to evolve around both of them. Nadine Gordimer is making a direct remark against the prejudice that black people are ugly and white being the only beautiful colour. This scene also shows the immodesty of the white girls as they are seen in ‘bikinis but Thebedi is shown as ‘her dress bunched modestly. This shows how modest Thebedi is and that she doesnt want to be tricked into believing things to quickly. She is looking o ut for herself. Nadine Gordimer compares this to the cheap plastic relationship they had had in Paulus house when ‘the Mercedes drove away. She portrays as it is much better to have a relationship in the nature. A police car comes and stops the Wilbert family in the Southern States and he ‘eyeballs the car. The police officer call Mr. Wilbert ‘boy which you can see is prejudice as he is already looking down at him. Without asking any questions, the white police man asks whose car it is and Mr. Wilbert tells him its his. But the police officer accuses Mr Wilbert of lying. As you can see the real prejudice of white people is coming out and you can see how they are treating him. This is the real first time ‘Lois has feared this much because she never has felt the full on effects of racism and prejudice acts. The family had lost their relatives or they would have not been enquired by the policeman like this. The policeman would have thought twice about pulling over this car. Njabulo was married to Thebedi but Thebedi didnt tell a single word to Paulus about this and this was the end of their unlawful relationship. A baby was born within two months after their marriage and this was not a shame because it was custom for the husband to check if his wife is not ‘barren. The baby however was mixed race, so Paulus ends up killing the baby. Thebedi took this case to court, which was the first time she went outside the farm. She claimed he had murdered the baby. Paulus claimed his innocence; Thebedi was becoming weaker, ‘she cried hysterically. As time was passing, she couldnt control her emotions. It was up to Njabulo to protect her and give her confidence but on the second trial of the court, Thebedi doesnt say anything. This can be reasoned to the fact that she has accepted the death of her baby and that live always moves on. Wilbert had been released and he decided to go back, he kept on going out of the southern states but he was getting very tired, so he pulled into a grove of trees and fell asleep. ‘Lois on the other hand was terrified and couldnt fall to sleep. She was so scared and she wanted to protect her family. ‘I took hold of it, she was so scared that she had taken hold of a ‘sharp knife and she was ‘ready to strike. The Cadillac is brand new and gold in colour. It shows that the black family who owns it is no longer poor and downtrodden. The car highlights the conflict in the story. There are two main areas of conflict in the family and in society as a whole. Racism effects people in many ways and many people havent felt the full on effect of racism but the reaction we get from Mr Wilbert and Thebedi is acceptance of racism. Both of them get affected by racism. ‘Lois had felt a strong force called racism at a young age so she will know what racism is and how it affects people, she will always remember it. Even though ‘Lois mum said Wilbert could keep the car, Mr. Wilbert went out and sold the car and came back home walking. All the neighbours thought he had lost most his money but this was not the reason, the reason was to pull his family together again. So they were the closest family. The death of the mixed race baby was not all the fault of Paulus it was the fault of Thebedi as well. She knew what he was going to do, but she didnt stop him. She just stood outside waiting for him to finish. She never went to look at the baby on that day. She had accepted it. If she had stopped him, she would have had a baby now but she had accepted that life was life and that racism and prejudice was everywhere in South Africa. Mr. Wilbert could have also ceased the opportunity tom not show ‘Lois what racism was like, but he didnt and she felt the full on effect of racism and also did he. Here we see racism affects man, woman, boy, girl and even a baby. Racism and prejudice views affect everyone. The Gold Cadillac causes conflict within the family. It impresses the local black community. It causes and exposes jealousy. The car provides a learning experience to Wilbert and ‘Lois who tackle racism for the first time. I think the car finally makes the family stronger and makes their bonds more rigid. Nadine Gordimer shows us how black people had been treated unfairly. She portrays racism to us directly as the script is in 3rd person. I have learnt that racism is all around us in this world. Even the minority of people in one country can affect the majority of people. Education is a key factor in society and in ways to tackle racism. Without education you are always inferior and will be seen as a servant. Both stories are perfect examples of racism and prejudice believes. I think both stories show the reader how racism is felt, but I feel that The Gold Cadillac has a stronger source for racism because Lois has told more from her narration. From ‘The Gold Cadillac Lois being a narrator helped me understand the story better because we can see how she feels when something happens, it looks like your just standing next to Lois when she narrates and I can see a better understanding of the text. In ‘Country Lovers I feel the story was more on love than racism. When Njabulo falls in love with Thebedi is another long paragraph on love. The Immortality act which represents ‘Country Lovers was quite a strong racial point. But still I believe ‘The Gold Cadillac revealed more racism.

Trees :: essays research papers

Trees Trees are woody plants with a distinct stem, or trunk. They are usually the tallest of plants, and their height and single main stem differentiate them from shrubs. Trees are perennials that live at least three years. Some tree species are extremely short but others may reach a height of more than 367 feet. The General Sherman Tree, a giant sequoia in California’s Sequoia National Park, has a height of 275 feet and a diameter of 37 feet. The largest trees are not always the oldest. The bristlecone pine, for example, grows to a height of only 30 feet but one specimen has been dated to be at least 4600 years old.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are two general types of trees, angiosperms and gymnosperms. Angiosperms are flowering plants that have a seed. They include maples and oaks, which are dominant species in Kentucky. Gymnosperms, on the other hand, do not bear flowers. Their seeds lie exposed in structures such as cones or fleshy cups called arils. This group includes conifers, gingkos, and cycads. Trees grow throughout the world, from the icy regions near the Arctic to the steaming tropical regions near the equator. They may grow along steep cliffs, in swamps and deserts, and on mountaintops at even the highest of elevations. Although trees can grow alone, most grow in strands, which consists of one species or a mixture of species. A forest is a plant community that is made up of the trees, shrubs, and herbs that cover an area. Forests provide many social, economic, and environmental benefits. Forest provide wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities, prevent soil erosion and flooding, and help to provide clean air and water. Forests are also an important defense against global climate change. Through a process known as photosynthesis, plants exchange the oxygen that is necessary for life with carbon dioxide, the chemical most responsible for global warming. By decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide forests may reduce the effects of global warming. In the United States, forests are threatened by extensive logging, called clear-cutting, which destroys much of the plant and animal habitats and leaves the landscape bare. Until the 1990’s, the U.S. Forest Service was directed by Congress to maximize the amount of timber harvested in order to provide jobs. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, environmentalists sued the government for violating the National Environmental Policy Act. As a result, the amount of timber harvested was reduced and foresters were directed to follow a policy known as ecosystem management.

Should This Business Update To Windows 2000 From Windows 98 :: essays research papers

Should this business update to Windows 2000 from Windows 98 for its office PCs?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the business world today, computers and the software applications that run on them basically control an well-organized business. Every major company is equipped with a computer, or network that connects through different branches throughout the firm. To keep up with the fastest technology that dominates the market is to be a sensible buyer. A system can be outdated in a matter of two years time. Therefore, it is necessary for the business to update to Windows 2000 from Windows 98 for its office PCs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Windows 2000 is intended to the business world and others who are running large networks of computers. It has a lot of things going for it, but just because it has some advantages over Windows NT and Windows 98 doesn ¡Ã‚ ¦t mean everyone should try it. My purpose here is not to evaluate the software but to counsel caution before you undertake a major operating systems update. Even though Microsoft did a good job testing thousands of business applications, there are always rough spots in a transition. In fact, Microsoft has dedicated several Web pages to upgrade issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once if you then decide to update, do it when you can devote time to the changeover. If you have multiple machines, make the change in stages running the old operating system during the transition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, the first thing is to determine that Windows 2000 is compatible with your machines. According to Windows 2000 ¡Ã‚ ¦s description,  ¡Ã‚ §you need, at minimum, a PC with a 133-MHz Pentium-compatible CPU, 64 megabytes of RAM and one gigabyte of disk space. It is better with a faster CPU (300 MHz or better) and several gigabytes of disk space. A bit more memory would be nice too. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Therefore, some small businesses would like to upgrade Windows 2000 but they are bound by their hardware. Actually, we can say that Microsoft has done a good job of ensuring that most business applications will work with Windows 2000. But before you take the plunge, be sure all the programs you depend on are compatible with it. Major applications such as accounting, word processing and database software probably will be OK, but some specialized programs, games and multimedia applications may not be compatible.

Prisoner – Creative Writing

At least the sun's shining on this old decrepit prison. I can't understand why they've put me in this remote room, alone. I've just arrived. From the 1st of December until my last breath, you would expect to be greeted with open arms, wouldn't you? It's not like she didn't deserve it†¦ Meeting our new friends will be as amusing as reading – I can't think of anything worse. I'd rather listen to her baby wail, scream and shriek again. I sometimes wonder what happened to that baby, watching its mum suffer. Time is valuable, so I won't waste it with those ‘freaks', they're all the same – worthless vermin. Well they'll see, I have got it all planned out. Dear Jason, It's hell here. I feel like Satan's minion, sweeping, scrubbing, and sweating in this ‘hell-hole'. An insignificant ant challenging the irrefutable Mount Everest – each step is an anxious challenge; as for every single stride I make, I end up stumbling back. Pointless. There is a burden of anxiety and mental suffering depicted in the face of every man, as we are all pampered like peasants; especially Little Bill, he can't defend himself so everyone takes advantage. I've just been placed with Derrick my new cellmate, the old fool's fifty, twice my age; his senseless stories of driving his own crane in ‘the good old days' shuttles you towards insanity – without mentioning his nauseating scar which runs the length of his face; my stomach convulses when I gaze upon it. Sneering when he answers ‘How did that happen?'- He fell down flight of stairs; he must think I'm mad to believe him. That's the other problem, I can't trust anyone – I will need to eventually though. ‘Bro', when you next visit Mum's grave can you leave a bunch of roses from me; she always cherished the aroma they produced: even though I still hate them. Do you know she's the only thing that's keeping me going? If only she hadn't taken that job as ‘her' assistant none of this would have happened. Mum didn't deserve so much pressure, she was only the ‘messenger' doing as she were told, without a wink of sleep in over two weeks a car accident was inevitable. But I have no remorse for what I did to ‘June', revenge is sweet. Jake I am gazing through the confined window; the icy steel bars obstruct my route from death. The frenzied frost tearing at my tender hands. I'll be out there soon, we will be free, I can smell it. Old, dilapidated and weathered; these bricks can't withhold us. From slavering away in the kitchen at a Kings pace a few helpful utensils have been gathered; a carving knife, spoon and fork. These can be stored inside the T.V; no one would bother looking there. ‘Derrick? Where are you, idiot, get here. You've worked in the demolishing business for long enough; tell me, can we burst through now?' ‘Too right son, too right.' ‘Luckily this fork and spoon has lasted from wear, but it looks the knife won't be needed ‘aye Del'.' ‘It's getting late my boy, move your rock of a bed back to its normal spot. The incessant stomping of the pigs will soon pass our cell. We must wait until dusk.' The moon's beams of lurid light echoed through the prison. A steely smell of anxiety overhauled the sound of the snoring from the convicts. This was nearly it. Weeks of planning boiled down to this. Thankfully, I'm fearless, this time I will get away, we will be free ‘Jimmy.' We could go, now? Just leave Derrick; he's someone we can't trust anyway. We should desert him; he would soak up all the blame. Droplets of blood were dripping on the floor; my hands sore and weeping from pounding powerful punches like a boxer at the gapping hole in the corner of the cell – I only had to make it half a foot wider whilst being quiet as possible. A seed of adrenaline sprouted inside me, the round circle in the wall had subsided. It was time. Psyching myself was easy, I knew what had to be done. ‘ESCAPEE, AN ESCAPEY!' I turn around horrified, standing still paralyzed. Derrick? ‘No it can't be, y-you set me up?!' Glaring him straight in the face – I had no choice†¦

Diana Ecks Essay

Diana Eck’s writings in Darsan: Seeing the Devine Image in India address many of the key elements of the Hindu culture and traditions. Much of her writing deals with the visual aspect of the religion, and how it is more about the spirituality rather than the actual image itself. Within each chapter she hit on other major details within in the Hinduism. However this essay will discuss the specific concepts such as pilgrimage to certain sites, importance of the visual aspect, and how the construction is a religious discipline in itself. Diana Eck’s essay begins with the discussion of how Hinduism is a visual religion. Numerous times she explains how sight was a major aspect in worship and Darsan. In this section she goes on to explain that the very phrase of the Hindu religion is seeing is knowing. The whole point of the darsan aspect is to see and be seen by the god, goddess or diate that lives in the shine. Furthermore the eyes play a key role in the worship of gods. Through the eyes on can gain blessings of the divine. However to get to the dwelling places of these gods is not always a simple trip to a local shrine. She begins to discuss the pilgrimages or journeys of many people in order to achieve darsan at a specific place. During this portion of the essay she talks about the journeys and dedication that many of the Hindu followers partake in. not only do people traveling for gods but also living religious figures. For example Ghandi was perhaps the most exalted living Hindu figure. Thousands would travel just to get a glimpse of him passing in an attempt to achieve darsan. Towards the end of her passage she explains the importance of the construction of the images, and how each one was a religious discipline in itself. Later on in the passage she begins to explain how the construction of a temple becomes part of the cosmos; and in its construction the entire universe is rearranged. The very ground plan is a geometrical map of their cosmos with the sacred image at its center. Many of the temples are models of sacred mountains said to be the dwelling places of the gods, and diates. In a larger sense the temple are said to be images themselves. The construction of the temple gives evidence to this. Eck explains that from the beginning of the construction to the end is a ritual. My thoughts on the passage were that the author had extensive knowledge on the Hindu art forms along with its culture and myths. Her organization made it so each topic led to one another, and also goes into detail on almost every topic discussed. On the other hand I found one of her weaknesses was that the information got repetitive and made it difficult to focus throughout some of the paragraphs. A clear point however was the comparisons between Christianity’s god and the Hindu gods. Many times she compares the two saying a person that practices the Hindu religion could not comprehend the idea of one almighty invisible god, and that it would also be difficult for us to understand the importance of vision being a main part of the Hindu religion. This book has also shown me that each and every design has a specific importance to the religion itself. Before I assumed most of it had to be meaningless decoration, and that gods with more than eye actually serve a purpose for in achieving darsan. I had always assumed that it was just decoration or something completely different from its actual purpose. In this essay I have given a brief summary of some the major points in Diana Eck’s book Darsan: Seeing the Devine Image. These points include importance of the visual aspects of Hinduism, the ritual practice before during and after in constructing a hindu monument, and what the purpose of the pilgrimage is. I also have given a person opinion on the author strengths and weaknesses, prior stereo types and some comparisons that can be found within the book. Overall I found the book to be helpful in the fact that it gave specific reasons for many of the decorations and practices in the Hindu religion.

The Benefits of Group work in Learning

Group work is an effectual manner of acquisition and cooperation with others, and the purpose is to larn through group cooperation and promote all pupils to take part in the acquisition procedure. This attack is defined in the schoolroom as a group ( Normally 2-6 people ) . The members obtain utile information from each other to widen their cognition and abilities through the cooperation. Besides this method can be helped by reassigning inexplicit cognition to explicit cognition, and derive some satisfaction by ego betterment and competency through the sharing. This essay is traveling to explicate some benefits held from the group work experience, and besides introduce two of import tips of being successful in group work.Benefits:†¢ Group work requires pupils to inquire inquiries and explicate their points of position to others. This non merely assists pupils to increase the chances to use their cognition, but besides enhances their involvement and ability of larning. Furthermor e, it enables them to accept different sentiments, extends their penetrations, and promotes the sustainability and development of thought. †¢ Group work helps to better larning efficiency. That would mention to every member of the group to actively take part in the acquisition procedure and activities, each member should hold great enthusiasm, and learn from undertakings shared by everyone. Besides, it is encouraged that each member should brainstorm, and to show their point of positions. Everyone is besides encouraged to portion their attempts and make their best with the energy created, so the job can be solved. †¢ Group work can heighten the concerted feelings among pupils, and develop pupils ‘ interpersonal accomplishments. Group work is a procedure of interchanging information and cognition between pupils, which refers to the advancement of directing the emotion and senses by pass oning and assisting others, and particularly understanding the civilization differences which refers to different backgrounds. It should be learned that to take attention and assist each other by acknowledging their virtues and besides be tolerant of their defects. Furthermore, it is encouraged to listen with an unfastened head to larn from others and listen to their points of position. This will let each member to incorporate themselves into a corporate squad, and heighten their corporate consciousness. †¢ Group work assists pupils to develop their self-learning ability. Group work involves pupils to take part instead than be bystanders. It encourages the pupil who has mastered a certain cognition and accomplishments to reassign and learn others who do non hold themselves. Students who seek for an outstanding public presentation in group work must carefully larn the category stuff, and read through the text book analyzing its content. Some contents may non be available in current text books, so it encourages pupils to happen information by seeking on the cyberspace, and besides makes some notes. These enterprises improve pupil acquisition, so that it promotes their self-learning abilities. †¢ Group work broadens the learning infinite for pupils. It is a procedure that transfers the single competition to a collaborative group attempt.Tips:†¢ The Panel discussed the content of concerted acquisition, it is non under all status that the group work ever be the best and effectual. For illustration, sometime we can see this sort of state of affairs occurs: when the pupils in the group during concerted acquisition or coverage exchanges, they either say nil or have no consensus understanding but merely organize their subjective points of position. The chief ground this state of affairs occurs is that pupils either do non analyze in-depth and understand the category stuff exhaustively, or have no instance readying. Therefore, pupils should analyze in progress and understand the importance and high spots from the class. In add-on, group work should hold some interesting content, feasibleness, and unfastened enquiry by finding the input of content and clip demands for co ncerted group acquisition. †¢ Do non disregard and avoid the single answerability to believe independently in the concerted group larning. In general, group work in the schoolroom is based on the procedure of this construction, that is 1 ) . Tasks lead the manner, 2 ) .the single independent acquisition, 3 ) .group acquisition, 4 ) .group exchanges, 5 ) .collective rating. In other words, for new cognition, new information, pupils should believe independently, so the deepness of thought, quality and originality can be developed. Through, group acquisition, single sentiments can be released, so everyone in the group has a opportunity to portion the thoughts and result of the treatment ; so the group will sum up each of the information and contents, and study to the whole category by taking a group representative. Finally, the group result can be viewed under rating of the category and by the instructor.Decision:Group work is a concerted acquisition among pupils through exchange in order to accomplish the c omplementary strengths to advance cognition of building, to the full arouse the pupil ‘s subjective consciousness, explore their topic of individualized acquisition, and developing pupils ‘ creativeness and invention. Besides, it makes pupils larn in an unfastened ambiance, and carry out active exchanges of information and cognition ; therefore heightening assurance, advancing for the best pattern of chances. In add-on to developing pupils ‘ sense of competition, the corporate values and spirit of cooperation, so that establishes a corresponding development for different pupils. Wordss count: 805

The Problems of British Society

There are many issues the British society is facing, it is not a perfect society. British society just like Chinese society,European society and American society have positive things but also some problems that need to solved. British society is not perfect, it means it has a lot of issues. We need to look at them in order to find out what problems are and also suggest some methods. This essay will discuss three important issues, firstly, we are going to discuss that waves of immigration brings tension and stress to UK.Then, it will states the social crisis from population aging. Finally, it will look at how the monarchy affects British society and presents some arguments for abolishment. â€Å"Immigration is regarded by the public as the biggest problem facing British society, a major new survey taking stock of the state of the country reveals †(Boffey, 2013). Many people think that conflict between settlers and persons born in Britain is the principal reason of division.Boff ey (2013) makes the point that during the past twenty years, both immigration and emigration grew rapidly,the number of people going in Britain is more 100,000 than leaving Britain annually since 1998. According to modood & Sault (2013),â€Å"Large-scale population flows into and out of a nation have many social and economic implications†. Therefore, it gave rise to a set of implications at national and local levels, for example,the allocation of the welfare state, degrees of concentration on health and educational provision, unemployment or skill shortages.In this situation, the speed of control and number of immigrants is necessary, the immigrant restrictionism should be made correctly. There are some suggestions have been provided, such as immigrants must learn to speak English, the governments use BELTS to process immigration and student visa applications . Actually it is a test that checks out your proficiency in English language. Only those people who have sufficient ab ility to pass the test can have quality to stay in UK. Similarity, the welfare state should be open to those born abroad who have contributed to society and play by the rules.In my opinion, it is a good method to relieve stress effectively from immigrants in the UK. Secondly, let us have a look at aging population in the UK. According to the BBC News (2013), â€Å"The UK is ‘woefully underprepared’ for the social and economic challenges presented by an ageing society, a Lords committee has warned†. (BBC, 2013). An ageing population problem is when a country has a high percentage of old generation people. The problem may lead to a series of crises in public service provision.Drabble said: â€Å"From 2010 to 2030 there is expected to be a 50% increase in people aged 65 and over and the UK is by in no position to cope unless significant changes are made, according a special inquiry by the House of Lords†. (Drabble, 2013) The Royal Geographical Society (2013) summaries two megatrends causing these demographic changes, the first reason is low / declining fertility rate. Women have been having fewer children during the past 40years; though birth rates have grown in a bit in the past 20 years. In Britain, women are presently having 1.9 children,the highest figure since 1973,but far lower than 1964. The second reason is rising longevity. Individuals have longer lifetime benefits from improvements in diet, health and preventative health care. In the 20th century, the average life span added up by 30 years. With the elderly being the fastest growing age group in UK, it will create increasingly force in healthcare and social services. According to BBC (2013),†Peers said significant changes in pensions, health care and employment practices were needed to help people ‘sustain a good quality of life’ as they aged†.Thus, the state should assist people in later life was a priority. There are some suggestions has been raisen from Royal geographical society (2013), for example, raise the age of retirement, sustain or increase levels of migration-to help fill labor /skills gaps and improve financial planning for older age by increasing older people’s incomes and reducing costs for older people. Some people argue that spending money on the elderly is a waste of money, it is better to spend on the young who can still contribute to society.However, this is the fact that the elderly ever contributed the nation when they were young. Therefore, the problem of the elderly must not be neglected. In my opinion, these suggestions are effective to solve these social problems? Finally, we will discuss the monarchy in UK. â€Å"Calls for the U. K. to abolish the monarchy and become a republic are ever-present†(Khazan, 2013), this is because there are some problems produce from the monarchy. Firstly, the monarchy is a waste of taxpayers money. According to Buckingham Palace, Ithas been acknowledged that s ustaining the royal family costs Britons 53 pence, or about 81 cents, per person, per year. The total came to about 33. 3 million pounds (about $51. 1 million) for 2012-2013, according to the Palace, up from 32. 4 million pounds the previous year (Khazan, 2013). Therefore, the public are confused to this money is given to them instead of being given to support troop or fund hospitals. And it is enough to pay for thousands of teachers, nurses or polices officers at a time of sweeping public spending cuts.(Smith, 2012) However, it has been argued by Cole that â€Å"Britain’s royal family is an affordable indulgence†. (Cole, 2011) â€Å"Britain’s royal family is worth a staggering ?44 billion as a brand, according to a new study. †(Thornhill,2012) This is no doubt that the monarchy’s quality brings in heaps of tourism revenue, millions of tourists come to England to see the Monarchy per year, and many ships in London thrive on tourism. Although there are some benefits from the monarchy, there are still some suggestions on abolishment exist. Because in the past, the monarchy was the dominant power in UK.Nowadays, all affairs are solved by the British government, and the monarchy has no place in UK anymore. There are other methods have been suggested to solve, such as make a vote too decide whether to abolish the monarchy according to the opinion of the public. In my opinion, it may be not an effective method to solve by soliciting public opinion. In conclusion, it has been discussed which three key problems are influencing the British society. These problems are about immigrants, aging population and monarchy. For immigrants, the method of group of control by setting the level is used to solve the problem.For Aging population, it is inevitable cultural phenomenon with the development of economy and technology, it has been suggested to sustain the elderly quality of life as central concentration by improving financial planning. At last, whether to maintain the royal family has been suggested to decide by making a vote in the public. Among these methods, I think solutions on issues of immigrants and aging population are effective. But for the monarchy, I think the opinion of the public may be not decisive factor to abolish the royal family.

Digital Fortress Chapter 45

David Becker wandered aimlessly down Avenida del Cid and tried to collect his thoughts. Muted shadows played on the cobblestones beneath his feet. The vodka was still with him. Nothing about his life seemed in focus at the moment. His mind drifted back to Susan, wondering if she'd gotten his phone message yet. Up ahead, a Seville Transit Bus screeched to a halt in front of a bus stop. Becker looked up. The bus's doors cranked open, but no one disembarked. The diesel engine roared back to life, but just as the bus was pulling out, three teenagers appeared out of a bar up the street and ran after it, yelling and waving. The engines wound down again, and the kids hurried to catch up. Thirty yards behind them, Becker stared in utter incredulity. His vision was suddenly focused, but he knew what he was seeing was impossible. It was a one-in-a-million chance. I'm hallucinating. But as the bus doors opened, the kids crowded around to board. Becker saw it again. This time he was certain. Clearly illuminated in the haze of the corner streetlight, he'd seen her. The passengers climbed on, and the bus's engines revved up again. Becker suddenly found himself at a full sprint, the bizarre image fixed in his mind-black lipstick, wild eye shadow, and that hair†¦ spiked straight up in three distinctive spires. Red, white, and blue. As the bus started to move, Becker dashed up the street into awake of carbon monoxide. â€Å"Espera!† he called, running behind the bus. Becker's cordovan loafers skimmed the pavement. His usual squash agility was not with him, though; he felt off balance. His brain was having trouble keeping track of his feet. He cursed the bartender and his jet lag. The bus was one of Seville's older diesels, and fortunately for Becker, first gear was a long, arduous climb. Becker felt the gap closing. He knew he had to reach the bus before it downshifted. The twin tailpipes choked out a cloud of thick smoke as the driver prepared to drop the bus into second gear. Becker strained for more speed. As he surged even with the rear bumper, Becker moved right, racing up beside the bus. He could see the rear doors-and as on all Seville buses, it was propped wide open: cheap air-conditioning. Becker fixed his sights on the opening and ignored the burning sensation in his legs. The tires were beside him, shoulder high, humming at a higher and higher pitch every second. He surged toward the door, missing the handle and almost losing his balance. He pushed harder. Underneath the bus, the clutch clicked as the driver prepared to change gears. He's shifting! I won't make it! But as the engine cogs disengaged to align the larger gears, the bus let up ever so slightly. Becker lunged. The engine reengaged just as his fingertips curled around the door handle. Becker's shoulder almost ripped from its socket as the engine dug in, catapulting him up onto the landing. David Becker lay collapsed just inside the vehicle's doorway. The pavement raced by only inches away. He was now sober. His legs and shoulder ached. Wavering, he stood, steadied himself, and climbed into the darkened bus. In the crowd of silhouettes, only a few seats away, were the three distinctive spikes of hair. Red, white, and blue! I made it! Becker's mind filled with images of the ring, the waiting Learjet 60, and at the end of it all, Susan. As Becker came even with the girl's seat wondering what to say to her, the bus passed beneath a streetlight. The punk's face was momentarily illuminated. Becker stared in horror. The makeup on her face was smeared across a thick stubble. She was not a girl at all, but a young man. He wore a silver stud in his upper lip, a black leather jacket, and no shirt. â€Å"What the fuck do you want?† the hoarse voice asked. His accent was New York. With the disorientated nausea of a slow-motion free fall, Becker gazed at the busload of passengers staring back at him. They were all punks. At least half of them had red, white, and blue hair. â€Å"Sientate!† the driver yelled. Becker was too dazed to hear. â€Å"Sientate!† The driver screamed. â€Å"Sit down!† Becker turned vaguely to the angry face in the rearview mirror. But he had waited too long. Annoyed, the driver slammed down hard on the brakes. Becker felt his weight shift. He reached for a seat back but missed. For an instant, David Becker was airborne. Then he landed hard on the gritty floor. On Avenida del Cid, a figure stepped from the shadows. He adjusted his wire-rim glasses and peered after the departing bus. David Becker had escaped, but it would not be for long. Of all the buses in Seville, Mr. Becker had just boarded the infamous number 27. Bus 27 had only one destination.

SAP's Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

SAP's Plan - Essay Example The software of this company was written in Walldorf, they took several months to develop, and their installation would require a team of experts. The coming of the internet brought turbulence to the SAP business. Internet brought completion in the software market. Other companies were producing software that were easy to install and were relatively cheaper than those of SAP. The management of SAP was suspicious of the internet business. However, they decided to experiment on it by creating of subsidiaries dealing exclusively with internet. The move by management to give internet a trial was a prudent one. Creation of subsidiaries was also a safety precaution that the outcome of internet business would not have an effect on the core operations of the company. In addition, the company made acquisitions. One of the acquisition companies head was Mr. Agassi who was a founder of four companies by the age of twenty-four. The management of SAP is in the hands of Mr. Kagermann and Mr. Plattner as co-chief executives. In the making of decisions concerning the operation of the organization, one does not see consultative meeting between them. Mr. Plattner argues with Mr. Agassi in their first meeting. As a result, he challenges him by giving him difficult assignment. Further, he places Mr. Agassi in charge of hundreds of staff and web units. The decisions by this executive seem to be authoritative. The mode of communication is top to a bottom. Mr. Agassi becomes a success in his responsibility. The executive decides that it is time to let go of their conservatism and drive the organization into trending business strategies. This is a major decision. Proper implementation of this decision would make the organization profitable and competitive in the global market. The executive needs to offer leadership which can be done through communication and involving all stakeholders. The management puts Mr. Agassi in charge of taking the organization

Different responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Different responses - Essay Example People with specific leanings, shaped by their age, gender or values, may observe and interpret Mrs. Mallard’s character using their own lens of perception. Feminists readers, on reading the immense emotional turmoil that Mrs. Mallard goes through as the realization dawns on her that she is finally free, may lament the bondages of marriage that pushed a woman to such desperation and depravity that she had to wait for a husband’s death to breathe in free air. A feminist perspective would therefore interpret Mrs. Mallard as a wife, who was feeling stuck and suffocated by her husband, probably due to lack of compatibility between them. In spite of this repressed desperation, Mrs. Mallard has been conditioned by the society to continue to play the role of a good wife. She plays that role as automation, even forgetting what her true feelings and desires were, until one day her husband is dead and her deeply buried feelings rush to the surface. Even at that specific moment, she reacts, with I believe female readers would relate and sympathize with Mrs. Mallard’s character, as more often than not, women have experienced suppressi on and had to repress their desires to maintain appearances of congeniality imposed on them by society. On the other hand, male readers probably would be harsher and judgmental of Mrs. Mallard, as she is a woman well provided for by her husband who had a â€Å"face that never looked saved with love upon her†. Ideally, in a male dominated society, a woman’s assigned position is to dedicate herself to husband and home, which is does not appear to be the case with Mrs. Mallard. A woman, whose husband is dead, is expected to feel the emotions of remorse, despondence and even fear of a long and lonely life, even if that husband was a dastard when alive. Chopin has managed to capture the presumed dead husband’s character in just a few sentences - that he was a good husband who

Reading and Writing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reading and Writing Skills - Essay Example The book "Rereading America† was very helpful to me. The essay â€Å"Learning to read† by Malcolm X was very inspiring. Malcolm X explained how he learned to read despite the challenging conditions he faced in life. I liked the way he struggled to learn how to read and write. He claimed, â€Å"I had commanded attention when I said something. But now, trying to write simple English, I not only wasn’t articulate, I wasn’t even functional†.His struggle in jail as he tried to learn how to read and write was a great challenge to me. At least, I had helpful and understanding lecturers, friends, as well as useful reading and writing materials. At first, he started by copying everything in the first page of the book he got into his tablet, including the punctuation marks. He went on copying the contents of the dictionary in his tablet, and after some time, he started making meaningful progress. He claimed that after so much practice in writing, he gained up writing speed. I have copied the same idea and I write a lot to improve my writing skills. I believe that I have learned a lot of writing skills. The only challenging part is that I have not yet gained the full understanding of all the vocabulary in the English world. I still need more work to understand the underlying meanings of some of the complicated words. The essay by Jonathan Kozol â€Å"Still ‘separate, still unequal† was the most challenging piece of reading, yet most educative.... The essay by Jonathan Kozol â€Å"Still ‘separate, still unequal† was the most challenging piece of reading, yet most educative. It is undeniable that Kozol gave an extensive research on the status of education in America by exploring the different society issues which affect the education system. Most of his facts in the essay were illustrated with statistical figures. I learned that in order to make a strong point and to be convictive to the readers, facts represented using statistical figures could be very efficient. It is true that the education system in America is changing for the better, but for the times of Kozol, things were out of proportion. He claimed, â€Å"Even these statistics, as stark as they are, cannot begin to convey how deeply isolated children in the poorest and most segregated sections of these cities have become† (Colombo, Cullen & Lisle, 2010, p. 219). The piece of work really developed the title of his work. Indeed, he presented the image of the society just the way it was. Racial segregation and discrimination were the most difficult society issues at the time. Perhaps, the same still remains in some regions. The most luxurious privatized learning institutions serve the whites, whereas the low-end learning institutions serve the less privileged black Americans in the American society. Although the learning environments may be different, I have learned from Malcolm X that determination is what matters most. It is possible to go to privatized luxurious institution and fail or attend a low-class learning institution and become successful depending on your attitude, focus, and commitment to education. I read this essay several times and I feel that it