Censorship Essays - Freedom Of Expression, Nat Hentoff, Mark Twain

Censorship Essays - Freedom Of Expression, Nat Hentoff, Mark Twain Censorship The First Amendment of the United States expresses that, Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. However, the list of banned books in public schools as well as in public libraries is quite extensive. Most proponents of literary censorship, both parents and organized public groups, act with what they perceive to be highest cause: protecting their families as well as their communities from evils and injustices. They see that they are preserving the values and ideals that the entire society should take in to account. The result, nevertheless, is always the denial of anothers right to read. And by denying the right to read, you deny the intellectual freedom that every child and young adult deserves. There is an excellent essay written by Nat Hentoff entitled, Why Teach Us to Read and Then Say We Cant. In this essay, Hentoff explores several different circumstances where books were challenged in the settings of public schools. He also tries to find the answers to why anyone would want to prevent a child from reading such classics as Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Sallinger or Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. Hentoff believes that the elimination of books such as these from school shelves is a form of thought control. Hentoff states, Attempts to control what children read, and thereby think, have been increasing across the country, according to annual accounts by the American Library Association and People for the American Way. He also points out that those figures that the ALA present are an understatement due to a great deal of underreporting that he discovered in his research. It is evident, supported by Hentoffs findings, that there is a major problem in this country when it comes to the censorship of literature for children. Why do people see it as a solution to the problems of Americas education system? Fortunately, the only encounter I personally had with this sort of ordeal was merely a near miss. In high school, when the curriculum called for the reading of Mark Twains classic, Huckleberry Finn, a debate had just started in a neighboring school district over whether it was suitable for reading in a public school. It was an issue my English teacher asked the class to keep in mind as we read the novel. By the end of the novel, I became quite aware of how ludicrous the idea of banning the book was. It was the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) that was pursuing the issue based on the fact that it contained the word nigger a number of times. The NAACP felt that the liberal use of such a modern-day derogatory word would prove detrimental to the self-esteem students in minority groups. This was so hard for me to understand based on facts that were so obvious to me: Twain used such slurs both as a way to accurately portray the tone and setting of that tim e as well as to poke fun at the absurd ways they were used. Twain was in fact against the discriminatory treatment of African-Americans. Each person that is involved in the debate over literary censorship believes that they are doing the right thing for the students. However, I believe that children and young adults alike, should be given the opportunity to determine for themselves what is offensive and what is acceptable. I have found that this type of learning is beneficial to a persons morale and will make that child a stronger and more knowledgeable person in the end. However, if that child is sheltered from all that is seen as offensive around her, she will grow up nave to the real world. In closing, I will leave you with a quote by Alfred Whitney that I think is suitable, Books wont stay banned. They wont burn. Ideas wont go to jail. In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost. The only sure weapon against bad ideas is better ideas. The source of better ideas is wisdom. The surest path to wisdom is liberal education.

Sumptuous

Sumptuous Sumptuous Sumptuous By Maeve Maddox In response to my post about the use of the word unctuous in the context of cooking, several readers suggested that speakers might be confusing unctuous with sumptuous. If they are, they must not know the meaning of sumptuous. English-speaking cooks who use unctuous to describe pork roasts are referring to taste, texture, and juiciness. The word sumptuous, although often used to describe a meal, has nothing to do with the taste of food. The word sumptuous derives from the Latin verb sÃ… «mÄ•re, â€Å"to take, consume, spend.† From the verb comes the Latin adjective sumptuosus, â€Å"costly, expensive.† At different periods of history, governments passed what were called â€Å"sumptuary laws,† laws that criminalized overspending by certain social classes. The expression â€Å"born to the purple,† meaning, â€Å"born into the royal family,† comes from sumptuary laws that restricted the use of an expensive dye called Tyrian purple. In ancient Rome, for example, only the emperor could wear a Tyrian purple cape trimmed in golden thread. Only senators were permitted to decorate their togas with a Tyrian purple stripe. European sumptuary laws were enacted throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and even found their way to the New World. The Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a sumptuary law to limit the wearing of lace, gold buttons, ruffles, capes, and other expensive items to citizens with a net worth of 200 pounds or more. A sumptuous meal is an expensive meal. It will have numerous courses made up of a wide variety of dishes and drinks. Here’s a description of a sumptuous dinner offered at the cost of $99,300 by a caterer to the rich and famous: The dinner includes ritzy ingredients such as duck eggs and truffles, as well as a dish of Wagyu beef touched with silver leaf that’s served on a bed of dry ice. Each dish in the eight-course meal is combined with a fine wine, such as the $27,680 bottle of La Romanee-Conti, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, 1990. The price tag also includes a harpist, a poet and doves, as well as chef Adam Simmonds, who earned a Michelin star in 2006.   One can probably assume that such an expensive and lavishly produced meal would include well prepared, tasty food, but not necessarily. It would be possible for a sumptuous meal to be lacking in palate-pleasing food. Another reader suggests that unctuous may be a mistake for scrumptious; an interesting thought, as scrumptious is a colloquial coinage thought to be an altered form of sumptuous. Initially, expensive or luxurious things were described as scrumptious, for example, â€Å"a scrumptious house.† Then, scrumptious became a general term of enthusiastic praise like wizard or smashing, for example, â€Å"That portrait of Thomas More is really scrumptious!† Finally, because it must have often been applied to food, scrumptious came to mean delicious. Another comment points to a possible explanation for the trending use of unctuous with English-speaking cooks: onctuex (feminine, onctueuse) is used by French cooks to describe food that is creamy. However, I can’t think that a word meaning creamy is exactly the right one to describe a pork roast. English has enough adjectives to describe things that taste good without resorting to unctuous or scrumptious. Here are a few: delicious delectable mouthwatering appetizing tasty flavorful toothsome palatable succulent luscious Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look†At Your DisposalApostrophe with Plural Possessive Nouns

Cost and value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Cost and value - Essay Example t project, a joint venture between an NGO and the private sector, presents an excellent example of how long-term benefits can be achieved by enhancing the overall value to all stakeholders. This paper analyzes the cost and value management processes in this project. Cost and value are both important concepts that need to be considered and controlled in any project, taking an integrated view. (Venkataraman & Pinto, 2008, pp.2-3) In order understand why this is so, and to appreciate the relationship between the two, it is necessary to first recount certain basic principles. Cost Management, at the project level, is concerned with cost estimation, budgeting and cost control at the implementation phase, and the revenue streams resulting from the pricing policy and volumes, the cost of capital, and the input costs at the post implementation phase. Value management is concerned with the maximization of the value created by the project within the constraints of cost, time and other resources. On an ongoing basis, the appraisal of projects on the basis of value crated should consider the direct and indirect returns flowing form the project that create value. The aim of value management is to ensure that the total value accruing to all stakeholders is maximized. It should be remembered that the concept of value will differ from one stakeholder to the other. Cost and value management need to be integrated in order to obtain optimum results. We can define value as the benefits accruing to various stakeholders. According to Venkataraman & Pinto (2008), value is â€Å"meeting or exceeding the expectations of project stakeholders.† In financial management, value addition is the difference between the net revenue generated and the cost of capital. Although financial management perspective is traditionally limited to that of the shareholder, current thinking in strategic management favours the inclusion of perspectives other than that of the financial returns alone. From this

Storm Drainage Design Project and Flooding Assignment

Storm Drainage Design Project and Flooding - Assignment Example Surface streams and groundwater flows and the wetness of soil before a the storm are the factors to be considered. According to Dr Tim Stott, rainfall prediction is a matter of statistics. No one can predict what the rainfall and catchment conditions will be in the future. With climate change, past records are not reliable for future references. Engineering design will be based on specified probability storm and the runoff generated by catchments In the hydrographs of Cynon River, there was an almost steady flow of water in the river for the first 40 hours. As the height of water start to rise on the 42nd hour, water had a abrupt rise and on the 44th hour the water temporarily had a constant flow and began rising again on the 48th hour. The rise was constantly rising until it reached the peak flow and it was recorded to be 0.65m above the river bed and the rainfall recorded at 1.2mm. In the analyses of the river hydrograph, the rise of water is faster than when it starts to subside. It would take more time to subside, and having a steady downward motion. There are factors that control the shape of hydrographs. The typical shape are shown and the main components are labeled according to Weyman (1975). A hydrograph would show the difference between the peak rainfall from the peak discharge. This is known as the lag time. Then a lag time is greater, there is less chance of flooding whereas a short lag time will show that water had reached the river channel quickly. The rise in discharge or rainfall as shown in the graph is called the rising limb and the decrease in rainfall is the falling limb. There are several factors that affect a flood hydrograph. Areas with large basins receive more precipitation that the small ones and they have a larger run-off(Hoyt, 1936) Larger basins will have a longer lag time as water has a longer distance to travel before it can reach the river trunk. According to Gillesania, 2006, the shape of the basin which is typically elongated, would produce a lower peak flow and longer lag time than a circular one. The effect of the slope is also very important. The flow will be faster down a steep slope, thus producing a steeper rising limb and shorter lag time. Channel design Given Data Note: Given the discharge in the channel, apply the the Manning Q = 1.5 m3/s formula to get a suitable breadth b, of a channel with n = 0.019 depth d S = 1/2500 = 0.0004 d = 0.6 Formula to be used V = where: v = velocity Q = Av R = Hydraulic Radius Q = A S = slope A = bd n = Manning's coefficient R = Q = discharge Computations: A = db = 0.6(b) Q = A R = 1.5 = 0.6b 1.5(0.019) = 0.6b 0.0285 = 0.6b = 0.6 1.425 = 0.6 = 2.375 = (2.375)3 = b3 13.3964 = 13.3964 = 13.3964(1.44 + 2.4b + b2) = 0.36b5 19.2908 + 32.1513b + 13.3964b2 = 0.36b5 19.2908 + 32.1513b + 13.3964b2 - 0.36b5 = 0 b = 3.9798 m. The discharge flow of the river is also to be computed. The computation is necessary because a comparison will have to be made in order to determine

Air Pollution Essay Example for Free

Air Pollution Essay Air Pollution, addition of harmful substances to the atmosphere resulting in damage to the environment, human health, and quality of life. One of many forms of pollution, air pollution occurs inside homes, schools, and offices; in cities; across continents; and even globally. Air pollution makes people sick—it causes breathing problems and promotes cancer—and it harms plants, animals, and the ecosystems in which they live. Some air pollutants return to Earth in the form of acid rain and snow, which corrode statues and buildings, damage crops and forests, and make lakes and streams unsuitable for fish and other plant and animal life. Pollution is changing Earth’s atmosphere so that it lets in more harmful radiation from the Sun. At the same time, our polluted atmosphere is becoming a better insulator, preventing heat from escaping back into space and leading to a rise in global average temperatures. Scientists predict that the temperature increase, referred to as global warming, will affect world food supply, alter sea level, make weather more extreme, and increase the spread of tropical disease. Most air pollution comes from one human activity: burning fossil fuels—natural gas, coal, and oil—to power industrial processes and motor vehicles. Among the harmful chemical compounds this burning puts into the atmosphere are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and tiny solid particles—including lead from gasoline additives—called particulates. Between 1900 and 1970, motor vehicle use rapidly expanded, and emissions of nitrogen oxides, some of the most damaging pollutants in vehicle exhaust, increased 690 percent. When fuels are incompletely burned, various chemicals called volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) also enter the air. Pollutants also come from other sources. For instance, decomposing garbage in landfills and solid waste disposal sites emits methane gas, and many household products give off VOCs. Some of these pollutants also come from natural sources. For example, forest fires emit particulates and VOCs into the atmosphere. Ultrafine dust particles, dislodged by soil erosion when water and weather loosen layers of soil, increase airborne particulate levels. Volcanoes spew out sulfur dioxide and large amounts of pulverized lava rock known as volcanic ash. A big volcanic eruption can darken the sky over a wide region and affect the Earth’s entire atmosphere. The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, for example, dumped enough volcanic ash into the upper atmosphere to lower global temperatures for the next two years. Unlike pollutants from human activity, however, naturally occurring pollutants tend to remain in the atmosphere for a short time and do not lead to permanent atmospheric change. Once in the atmosphere, pollutants often undergo chemical reactions that produce additional harmful compounds. Air pollution is subject to weather patterns that can trap it in valleys or blow it across the globe to damage pristine environments far from the original sources. Local and regional pollution take place in the lowest layer of the atmosphere, the troposphere, which at its widest extends from Earths surface to about 16 km (about 10 mi). The troposphere is the region in which most weather occurs. If the load of pollutants added to the troposphere were equally distributed, the pollutants would be spread over vast areas and the air pollution might almost escape our notice. Pollution sources tend to be concentrated, however, especially in cities. In the weather phenomenon known as thermal inversion, a layer of cooler air is trapped near the ground by a layer of warmer air above. When this occurs, normal air mixing almost ceases and pollutants are trapped in the lower layer. Local topography, or the shape of the land, can worsen this effect—an area ringed by mountains, for example, can become a pollution trap. Smog is intense local pollution usually trapped by a thermal inversion. Before the age of the automobile, most smog came from burning coal. In 19th-century London, smog was so severe that street lights were turned on by noon because soot and smog darkened the midday sky. Burning gasoline in motor vehicles is the main source of smog in most regions today. Powered by sunlight, oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds react in the atmosphere to produce photochemical smog. Smog contains ozone, a form of oxygen gas made up of molecules with three oxygen atoms rather than the normal two. Ozone in the lower atmosphere is a poison—it damages vegetation, kills trees, irritates lung tissues, and attacks rubber. Environmental officials measure ozone to determine the severity of smog. When the ozone level is high, other pollutants, including carbon monoxide, are usually present at high levels as well (see Air Quality). In the presence of atmospheric moisture, sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen turn into droplets of pure acid floating in smog. These airborne acids are bad for the lungs and attack anything made of limestone, marble, or metal. In cities around the world, smog acids are eroding precious artifacts, including the Parthenon temple in Athens, Greece, and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide pollute places far from the points where they are released into the air. Carried by winds in the troposphere, they can reach distant regions where they descend in acid form, usually as rain or snow. Such acid precipitation can burn the leaves of plants and make lakes too acidic to support fish and other living things. Because of acidification, sensitive species such as the popular brook trout can no longer survive in many lakes and streams in the eastern United States. Smog spoils views and makes outdoor activity unpleasant. For the very young, the very old, and people who suffer from asthma or heart disease, the effects of smog are even worse: It may cause headaches or dizziness and can cause breathing difficulties. In extreme cases, smog can lead to mass illness and death, mainly from carbon monoxide poisoning. In 1948 in the steel-mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania, intense local smog killed 19 people. In 1952 in London about 4,000 people died in one of the notorious smog events known as London Fogs; in 1962 another 700 Londoners died. With stronger pollution controls and less reliance on coal for heat, today’s chronic smog is rarely so obviously deadly. However, under adverse weather conditions, accidental releases of toxic substances can be equally disastrous. The worst such accident occurred in 1984 in Bhopal, India, when methyl isocyanate released from an American-owned factory during a thermal inversion caused more than 3,800 deaths. Air pollution can expand beyond a regional area to cause global effects. The stratosphere is the layer of the atmosphere between 16 km (10 mi) and 50 km (30 mi) above sea level. It is rich in ozone, the same molecule that acts as a pollutant when found at lower levels of the atmosphere in urban smog. Up at the stratospheric level, however, ozone forms a protective layer that serves a vital function: It absorbs the wavelength of solar radiation known as ultraviolet-B (UV-B). UV-B damages deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the genetic molecule found in every living cell, increasing the risk of such problems as cancer in humans. Because of its protective function, the ozone layer is essential to life on Earth. Several pollutants attack the ozone layer. Chief among them is the class of chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), formerly used as refrigerants (notably in air conditioners), as agents in several manufacturing processes, and as propellants in spray cans. CFC molecules are virtually indestructible until they reach the stratosphere. Here, intense ultraviolet radiation breaks the CFC molecules apart, releasing the chlorine atoms they contain. These chlorine atoms begin reacting with ozone, breaking it down into ordinary oxygen molecules that do not absorb UV-B. The chlorine acts as a catalyst—that is, it takes part in several chemical reactions—yet at the end emerges unchanged and able to react again. A single chlorine atom can destroy up to 100,000 ozone molecules in the stratosphere. Other pollutants, including nitrous oxide from fertilizers and the pesticide methyl bromide, also attack atmospheric ozone. Scientists are finding that under this assault the protective ozone layer in the stratosphere is thinning. In the Antarctic region, it vanishes almost entirely for a few weeks every year. Although CFC use has been greatly reduced in recent years and will soon be prohibited worldwide, CFC molecules already released into the lower atmosphere will be making their way to the stratosphere for decades, and further ozone loss is expected. As a result, experts anticipate an increase in skin cancers, more cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eye), and reduced yields of some food crops. Humans are bringing about another global-scale change in the atmosphere: the increase in what are called greenhouse gases. Like glass in a greenhouse, these gases admit the Sun’s light but tend to reflect back downward the heat that is radiated from the ground below, trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. This process is known as the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide is the most significant of these gases—there is 31 percent more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today than there was in 1750, the result of our burning coal and fuels derived from oil. Methane, nitrous oxide, and CFCs are greenhouse gases as well. Scientists predict that increases in these gases in the atmosphere will make the Earth a warmer place. They expect a global rise in average temperature of 1. 4 to 5. 8 Celsius degrees (2. 5 to 10. 4 Fahrenheit degrees) in the next century. Average temperatures have in fact been rising, and the 1990s were the warmest decade on record. Some scientists are reluctant to say that global warming has actually begun because climate naturally varies from year to year and decade to decade, and it takes many years of records to be sure of a fundamental change. There is little disagreement, though, that global warming is on its way. Global warming will have different effects in ifferent regions. A warmed world is expected to have more extreme weather, with more rain during wet periods, longer droughts, and more powerful storms. Although the effects of future climate change are unknown, some predict that exaggerated weather conditions may translate into better agricultural yields in areas such as the western United States, where temperature and rainfall are expected to increase, while dramatic decreases in rainfall may lead to severe drought and plunging agricultural yields in parts of Africa, for example. Warmer temperatures are expected to partially melt the polar ice caps, leading to a projected sea level rise of 9 to 100 cm (4 to 40 in) by the year 2100. A sea level rise at the upper end of this range would flood coastal cities, force people to abandon low-lying islands, and completely inundate coastal wetlands. If sea levels rise at projected rates, the Florida Everglades could be completely under salt water in the next century. Diseases like malaria, which at present are primarily found in the tropics, may become more common in the regions of the globe between the tropics and the polar regions, called the temperate zones. For many of the world’s plant species, and for animal species that are not easily able to shift their territories as their habitat grows warmer, climate change may bring extinction. Pollution is perhaps most harmful at an often unrecognized site—inside the homes and buildings where we spend most of our time. Indoor pollutants include tobacco smoke; radon, an invisible radioactive gas that enters homes from the ground in some regions; and chemicals released from synthetic carpets and furniture, pesticides, and household cleaners. When disturbed, asbestos, a nonflammable material once commonly used in insulation, sheds airborne fibers that can produce a lung disease called asbestosis. Pollutants may accumulate to reach much higher levels than they do outside, where natural air currents disperse them. Indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2 to 5 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants are especially harmful because people spend as much as 90 percent of their time living, working, and playing indoors. Inefficient or improperly vented heaters are particularly dangerous. In the United States, the serious effort against local and regional air pollution began with the Clean Air Act of 1970, which was amended in 1977 and 1990. This law requires that the air contain no more than specified levels of particulate matter, lead, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, ozone, and various toxic substances. To avoid the mere shifting of pollution from dirty areas to clean ones, stricter standards apply where the air is comparatively clean. In national parks, for instance, the air is supposed to remain as clean as it was when the law was passed. The act sets deadlines by which standards must be met. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in charge of refining and enforcing these standards, but the day-to-day work of fighting pollution falls to the state governments and to local air pollution control districts. Some states, notably California, have imposed tougher air pollution standards of their own. In an effort to enforce pollution standards, pollution control authorities measure both the amounts of pollutants present in the atmosphere and the amounts entering it from certain sources. The usual approach is to sample the open, or ambient, air and test it for the presence of specified pollutants. The amount of each pollutant is counted in parts per million or, in some cases, milligrams or micrograms per cubic meter. To learn how much pollution is coming from specific sources, measurements are also taken at industrial smokestacks and automobile tailpipes. Pollution is controlled in two ways: with end-of-the-pipe devices that capture pollutants already created and by limiting the quantity of pollutants produced in the first place. End-of-the-pipe devices include catalytic converters in automobiles and various kinds of filters and scrubbers in industrial plants. In a catalytic converter, exhaust gases pass over small beads coated with metals that promote reactions changing harmful substances into less harmful ones. When end-of-the-pipe devices first began to be used, they dramatically reduced pollution at a relatively low cost. As air pollution standards become stricter, it becomes more and more expensive to further clean the air. In order to lower pollution overall, industrial polluters are sometimes allowed to make cooperative deals. For instance, a power company may fulfill its pollution control requirements by investing in pollution control at another plant or factory, where more effective pollution control can be accomplished at a lower cost. End-of-the-pipe controls, however sophisticated, can only do so much. As pollution efforts evolve, keeping the air clean will depend much more on preventing pollution than on curing it. Gasoline, for instance, has been reformulated several times to achieve cleaner burning. Various manufacturing processes have been redesigned so that less waste is produced. Car manufacturers are experimenting with automobiles that run on electricity or on cleaner-burning fuels. Buildings are being designed to take advantage of sun in winter and shade and breezes in summer to reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling, which are usually powered by the burning of fossil fuels. The choices people make in their daily lives can have a significant impact on the state of the air. Using public transportation instead of driving, for instance, reduces pollution by limiting the number of pollution-emitting automobiles on the road. During periods of particularly intense smog, pollution control authorities often urge people to avoid trips by car. To encourage transit use during bad-air periods, authorities in Paris, France, make bus and subway travel temporarily free. Indoor pollution control must be accomplished building by building or even room by room. Proper ventilation mimics natural outdoor air currents, reducing levels of indoor air pollutants by continually circulating fresh air. After improving ventilation, the most effective single step is probably banning smoking in public rooms. Where asbestos has been used in insulation, it can be removed or sealed behind sheathes so that it won’t be shredded and get into the air. Sealing foundations and installing special pipes and pumps can prevent radon from seeping into buildings. On the global scale, pollution control standards are the result of complex negotiations among nations. Typically, developed countries, having already gone through a period of rapid (and dirty) industrialization, are ready to demand cleaner technologies. Less developed nations, hoping for rapid economic growth, are less enthusiastic about pollution controls. They seek lenient deadlines and financial help from developed countries to make the expensive changes necessary to reduce pollutant emissions in their industrial processes. Nonetheless, several important international accords have been reached. In 1988 the United States and 24 other nations agreed in the Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Agreement to hold their production of nitrogen oxides, a key contributor to acid rain, to current levels. In the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, adopted in 1987 and strengthened in 1990 and 1992, most nations agreed to stop or reduce the manufacture of CFCs. In 1992 the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiated a treaty outlining cooperative efforts to curb global warming. The treaty, which took effect in March 1994, has been legally accepted by 160 of the 165 participating countries. In December 1997 at the Third Conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Japan, more than 160 nations formally adopted the Kyoto Protocol. This agreement calls for industrialized nations to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases to levels 5 percent below 1990 emission levels between 2008 and 2012. Negotiators have met regularly since 1995 to iron out the details of how this treaty could be enforced in ways that are agreeable for industrialized countries such as the United States, which releases more greenhouse gases than any other nation, and developing countries that are struggling to become industrialized and often cannot afford the expense that restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions would require. Antipollution measures have helped stem the increase of global pollution emission levels. Between 1970, when the Clean Air Act was passed, and 1995, total emissions of the major air pollutants in the United States decreased by nearly 30 percent. During the same 25-year period, the U. S. population increased 28 percent and vehicle miles traveled increased 116 percent. Air pollution control is a race between the reduction of pollution from each source, such as a factory or a car, and the rapid multiplication of sources. Smog in cities in the United States is expected to increase again as the number of cars and miles driven continues to rise. Meanwhile, developing countries are building up their own industries, and their citizens are buying cars as soon as they can afford them. Ominous changes continue in the global atmosphere. New efforts to control air pollution will be necessary as long as these trends continue.

El Gringo :: essays research papers

El Gringo   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Way back before there was such a thing as toothpaste, there lived a man by the name of Jesse Pruitt. Jesse Pruitt was not your typical young man. Although he was of normal size, six foot 165 pounds, he had immeasurable strength. When he was a baby he was able to life objects three times his weight. For example when he was only ten months old he picked up his older brother, Wayne, and threw him clear across the yard. From then on his strength only grew his age. Although he had this amazing strength, he did not like to show it off much because he did not like the attention that came along with it. Not to say he was a shy guy he was just very humble. Well that is until one day he up and left his family in Virginia and explored his way to a little piece of land called Tejas. Now Tejas had never been intruded upon by a white man or any other ethnicity for that matter other than Hispanic. But nothing got in the way of the determination of ole Jesse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jesse road his horse, Stick, from Virginia to Tejas in only 8 days. Though he was a little nervous about invading the land of Tejas, Jesse decided that he was going to go in there and just be a happy-go-lucky kind of guy and make friends with all of the natives there. The very first people Jesse and Stick stumbled upon was a group of natives that consisted of about 350 people who called themselves El Jefe. Although they were the smallest â€Å"tribe† in Tejas, the refused to be known by anything other than â€Å"The Boss.† To make a long story short the tribe of El Jefe was a very accepting group and ended up nicknaming Jesse and called him El Gringo or Gringo. In their time together Jesse would teach the natives new techniques about hunting and even introduced to them the idea about bathing. In return the natives would teach their Gringo about such things as making clothes out of animal skin, new was to cook things over an open flame and how play a wooden flute. Needless to say, the natives and Jesse were meant to be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Jesse had been with the natives for almost six years, Jesse had not revealed his amazing strength and he had no intention of sharing his secret.

Comparison Essay on Fall of the Roman Empire

Comparative Essay – Step By Step STEP 1 – Diagnosis †¢ Read the Question and break it down in for what it is asking †¢ In the Margin, determine all of the information that you know about it o Start from broad to specific (time period, location, concepts, events, etc. . . ) STEP 2 – Organization and Planning †¢ Find three topics that you can group together into paragraphs †¢ Plan out your essay into a brief skeleton that you can draw upon as you write STEP 3 – Creation †¢ Write your essay following the point structure below and paying attention to the examples. POINT 1 – Thesis If you don’t have one you can’t gain this point or point #3 for supporting your thesis o Consider the thesis to be the essence of the paper, it is your essay in one or two sentences o Introduce each paragraph with a topic sentence linked to the thesis o The thesis MUST address Similarities AND Differences in either the introduction or the conclusion to get full credit †¢ The thesis can only be counted as the thesis and not also as a direct comparison †¢ You don’t need to write an introduction, so don’t. Leave blank space to come back and write one if you have extra time.POINT 4 – Direct Comparisons †¢ 1st Sentence for each body paragraph should be a comparative (a direct comparison sentence) o Remember you must make Direct Comparisons, (apples to apples) so make it very clear to the reader your comparing in your sentence ? Use linking comparative words such as â€Å"whereas† to help set up direct comparisons ? For Example: â€Å"Both the Haitian and Russian revolutions drew considerable strength from the subjugation of the under classes into oppressive conditions, slaves and serfs repectiveley. POINT 5 – Analysis for Direct Comparisons †¢ 2nd sentence then explains/analyzes the direct comparison in the first sentence. ? For Example: â€Å"The Haitian Slaves we re worked in the demanding sugar market in a foreign continent without a demographic representation that allowed for stable familial ties that had been a strong part of their culture, without the widespread allowances to have families the choice was clear, â€Å"rebel now and maybe die, or be worked to death slowly†.While Russian Serfs were allowed few more rights than a slave, they were bound to the land the worked for their elite Boyar ‘Little-Princes’ while the influences of the enlightenment and liberalization of Western Europe had long since freed their equals to the west. As the wars of their absolutist Czars brought Russians into contact with western ideas it was only a matter of time that the lower classes would demand a change. Thus the regimes dominating these two classes created a ‘powder keg’ in their much larger in population under classes. POINT 3 – Historical Evidence Then subsequent sentences in the paragraph should provide at least 2 prior knowledge statements/evidence in each paragraph. o You will do this for each of the body paragraphs in the paper so at least six will be written o This content should be from your coursework and can POINT 2 – Addresses all parts of the question †¢ Must address similarities AND differences for a full 2 points †¢ Address Comparisons, Chronology, Causation, Connections, Themes, Interactions, and Content EXTENDED CORE †¢ You have already written yourself into the extended core if you have followed the step by step!!! If in the comparative question there is a parenthetical qualifier such as (political, economic, cultural), it is not required that evidence is given for each. This parenthetical qualifier helps students think about what to write. AP World History Comparative Essay Generic Rubric Overview |Basic Core |Expanded Core | |Historical skills and knowledge required to show competence. |Historical skills and knowledge required to show excellence. |1. Has acceptable thesis. 1 Point |Expands beyond basic core of | |(addresses comparison of the |1-7 Points. The basic core of a 0-2 Points | |issues or themes specified) |score of 7 must be achieved | | |before a student can earn expanded | |2. Addresses all parts of the 2 Points |core points. |of the question, though not | | |necessarily evenly or thoroughly. |Examples: | | |Has a clear, analytical, and comprehensive thesis | |(Addresses most parts of the (1) |Addresses all parts of the question (as relevant): comparisons, | |question: for example, deals with |chronology, causation, connections, themes, interactions, content. |differences but not similarities) |Provides ample historical evidence to substantiate thesis. | | |Relates comparisons to larger global context. | |3. Substantiates thesis with 2 Points |Makes several direct comparisons consistently between or among | |appropriate evidence. |societies. | | |Consistently analyzes the causes and effects of relevant | |(Part ially substantiates thesis with (1) |similarities and differences. |appropriate evidence. ) | | | | | |4. Makes at least three relevant, 1 Point | | |direct comparisons between or | | |among societies. | | | | |5. Analyzes at least three reasons 1 Point | | |for a similarity or difference | | |identified in a direct comparison. | | | | |Subtotal 7 |Subtotal 2 Points | |Points | | TOTAL 9 Points

Nitaqat

Nitaqat, the Localization System for Jobs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: cause for denial of job opportunities for expatriates Guiding Principle In order to reduce the unemployment rate among the Saudi citizens, the Saudi government issued a new system for the localization of jobs in Saudi Arabia under the name of â€Å"Nitaqat†. The new system replaces the system applied since 1994 under the name of â€Å"The Saudization†. Nitaqat adopts several principles, which will have impacts on non-Saudis working in the Kingdom.A. Introduction The economy in Saudi Arabia – as it is the case in other states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – depends largely on the existence of a large proportion of expatriates1 working for various establishments in the private and public sector. However, unlike the other states of the GCC, Saudi Arabia has large number of unemployed citizens2, which creates a state of resentment among those citizens. B. The SaudizationIn an att empt to reduce the unemployment rate among the citizens, the Saudi government applied a system in 1994 for the localization of jobs under the name of â€Å"The Saudizationâ€Å". The basic principal of the system was the requirement to appoint certain percentage of the total workforce of all the establishments existing in the Kingdom from the Saudi citizens. This percentage varies in accordance to the activity of the establishment. Generally the percentage was fixed by 30%.However, due to several reasons, the system did not achieve the desired objectives and mostly the 30% has not been reached. Now, more than 6. 5 million non-Saudi are working in the private sector of the Kingdom compared to 700 thousand Saudis. In addition, more than 2 million work visas were issued during the preceding two (2) years. C. Nitaqat Therefore, the Saudi government has endeavoured to find other solutions to eliminate the phenomenon of unemployment among Saudi nationals. The efforts of the government r esulted in the implementation of several strategies.The most important of these strategies was the issuance of a new system under the name â€Å"Nitaqat† for localizing the jobs in the Kingdom to replace the system of Saudization. The name Nitaqat means Ranges in Arabic, which actually represents the main idea of the new system as the main obstacles faced the previous system that it was not practical to apply one fixed percentage, regardless of the particular circumstances of each activity, such as the availability of the qualified manpower for certain activities.Nitaqat divides the labour market into 41 activities and each activity into 5 sizes (Giant, Large, Medium, Small and Very Small) to have in total 205 categories. The performance of the establishment in the localization of the jobs is to be evaluated compared with the similar establishment’s activity and size in order to have fair standard for the evaluation After the evaluation, Nitaqat classifies these establ ishments into ranges (Excellent, Green, Yellow and Red) based on the ratio of the citizens working in the establishment.The Excellent and Green range, which are the ranges with the highest localization ratios, will be rewarded, while the system deals firmly with the Red range, which is the range with the lowest localization ratio and gives more time for the Yellow range to adjust their positions, being the medium range. The motive of applying the Nitaqat system is to make the appointment of Saudi citizens represent a competitive advantage for the establishments in the Kingdom. D.The Rewards to the Excellent and Green Ranges and the Disadvantages of the Red and Yellow Ranges. The MoL has granted the establishments located in the Excellent or in the Green Ranges several advantages by giving the establishments the eligibility to issue work visas for the development of new business. Furthermore the MoL will give them the ability to contract with non-Saudi workers from the establishments of the Red and the Yellow ranges in the Saudi market, which allows such establishments to benefit from their experience and presence.This will result in granting the establishments that have achieved high rates of localization the opportunity to appoint non-Saudi workers with no need to issue new work visas, which helps to rationalization the recruitment and employment of additional non-Saudi labor. In contrast, the establishments located in the Red or in the Yellow range will be forced to speed the localization of the jobs within the establishments to upgrade their range to the Green or the Excellent range to maintain the expats they have.Otherwise, the establishments located in these ranges – Red and Yellow ranges – will be denied from obtaining new or alternative visas, lose control over the non-Saudi workers in the establishment as they will have the freedom of contract with a new employer and will not be allowed to obtain new work visas to appoint new-non-Saudis workers or to set up a new subsidiary or branch. DOHA: Thousands of Asian expatriates in Saudi Arabia are facing the prospect of unemployment and deportation with the Saudi government going ahead with its job nationalisation drive, called Nitaqat.This has sent shockwaves across the tiny south Indian state of Kerala, which has more than half-a-million of its people working in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi authorities are cracking down on companies that have failed to achieve a job nationalisation target, the deadline for which passed last Wednesday. Law enforcement officials have reportedly booked a large number of expatriates for violating the residency law over the past week and many more are expected to be declared illegal residents.The labour ministry has identified about 250,000 small and medium-sized enterprises that have failed to comply with the Nitaqat provision of employing at least one Saudi national in the ‘red’ category. The deadline for complying with the provisi on passed on March 27, said a report carried by Khaleej Times yesterday. According to Nitaqat provisions, the ministry will not renew work permits of employees in the ‘red’ category. This means they will have to leave the country. The Saudi cabinet has already passed a law to arrest and deport such workers.According to Saudi newspapers, about two million expatriates are likely to lose their jobs as a direct result of implementation of the Nitaqat policy. The workers are mainly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Egypt, Yemen, and Indonesia. Indians constitute the largest chunk of expatriates in Saudi Arabia, and among them Keralites are the largest group. According to a recent study by Kerala-based Centre for Development Studies, the number of Keralites in Saudi Arabia in 2011 was 574,739, said the daily.Nitaqat will hit Keralites the hardest as a substantial number of them are working in small and medium-sized enterprises. The majority of Kera lites in Saudi Arabia are from the northern Malabar region of the state, said the report. Kerala yesterday urged the Indian government to intervene in the matter so that Saudi Arabia takes a liberal approach to implementing the Nitaqat policy. The new policy might lead to denial of job opportunities to a large number of expatriates from India, especially from Kerala, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It has come to my notice that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has initiated strong steps to implement the Nitaqat law to expand employment avenues for its nationals, which may ultimately lead to the denial of job opportunities for expatriates,† he said. Conceding that there were limits to Indian intervention in internal policy decisions of Saudi Arabia, Chandy said: â€Å"but an appeal to the Saudi Arabian authorities to give more time for the implementation of Nitaqat may give breathing space for the expatriates and avoid immediate reper cussions. † ::::::::ARTICLES:::::::What Nitaqat means for Kerala:::: By P M Mathew 13th April 2013 07:25 AM The Nitaqat (classification) law being implemented by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia makes it mandatory for Saudi Companies to reserve 10 per cent of jobs for Saudi nationals. Saudi Arabia has very strong socio-economic reasons to justify such a policy. Unlike other gulf countries Saudi Arabia itself has large number of unemployed citizens. According to recent estimates the unemployment rate among Saudi nationals has reached 12 per cent. It is also reported that more than 6. million non-Saudis are working in the private sector of the Kingdom compared to 7,00,000 Saudis. In 2012 there were 3,40,000 firms in the Kingdom that did not employ any Saudi. Of late there is a growing feeling of resentment among the citizens of Saudi Arabia resulting from the labour market competition they face from expatriate workforce. The Nitaqat law is aimed at eliminating unemployment and locali sing jobs in the Kingdom. Nitaqat seeks to replace the 1994 scheme of Saudization which required 30 per cent of the jobs to be reserved for Saudi citizens.Saudization scheme failed due to the inherent loopholes in the system and the targeted 30 per cent localisation of jobs could not be achieved. The new law, Nitaqat, divides the Saudi labour market into 41 activities and each activity into 5 sizes (Giant, Large, Medium, Small and Very Small) to have in total 205 categories. Nitaqat classifies establishments into ranges (Excellent, Green, Yellow and Red) based on the ratio of the citizens working in the establishment. The Excellent and Green range, which are the ranges with the highest localisation ratios, will be rewarded with incentives.The new law proposes to deal firmly with the Red range, the range characterised by the lowest localisation ratio. More time is given to the Yellow range to improve their positions, it being the medium range. The most recent additions to the Nitaqat law that an expatriate worker should work only under his sponsor and the worker is not meant to perform any job other than the one mentioned on his job card have raised much panic among the expatriate workers. More over the Saudi government has increased the fee for renewing labour cards (iqamas) to SAR2, 500 from SAR100.The strict implementation of the Nitaqat law recently has raised much concern in Kerala. Majority of the Indian migrant labour in Saudi Arabia are from Kerala. In 2011, some 5,70,000 Keralites were working in Saudi Arabia. Though the impact of Nitaqat would be on less than 3 per cent of this migrant population remittances by them were consistently contributing to the economy of the state, especially to the northern districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargode. The inflow of remittance payments from Saudi Arabia has considerably raised living standards in these districts.Saudi Arabia continues to be the most desired destination among the low and semi-ski lled Keralites. The strict adherence to the Nitaqat regulations will result in immediate job losses and reduced job opportunities. Many small scale shops and establishments in Saudi Arabia are run by Keralites under licences in the names of Saudi nationals. Now all such shops and establishments must have 10 per cent of their employees from among Saudi nationals who should be paid at least 3 times more salary than their expatriate counterparts. It is almost impossible now to run companies on the licences given to Saudi nationals.Strict actions are being taken against benami businesses. Most shops run by Keralites are already closed. The impact of the crackdown on illegal foreign workers in Saudi Arabia will have serious consequences for Kerala’s economy. The sudden exodus of the unemployed could trigger off economic crisis and social unrest in the state. The sudden fall in remittances from Saudi Arabia may lead to a ripple effect on interlinked sectors like real estate, constr uction, transport, etc. The problems will be much more if other gulf nations too emulate the Saudi policy.The job losses and reduced job opportunities are expected to aggravate in the coming days since Saudi labour ministry has reconsidered the liberal sponsorship rules that are prevailing. Under the Inspection Intelligent Scheme (IIS) inspection of company premises and residences of free visa holders are being intensified. Most raids at labour camps are unannounced. The government also issued an order that iqama (labour card) violators will be arrested in raids. On an emergency basis both the central and state governments must plan out strong rehabilitation packages for the unemployed Saudi returnees.The assistance offered for safe return and sponsoring the air fares of the returnees are all short term relief measures by the Government of India. The most recent announcement by the Saudi administration that Nitaqat inspections will be temporarily stopped for 3 months to allow illega l immigrants to legalise their stay in Saudi Arabia is to be viewed only as a temporary relief. Ryadh governor’s recent order of deferring the process of catching illegal migrants in Riyadh also provides some temporary relief to the illegal migrants.Given the proven strictness of the Saudi administration, the statements made by Kerala ministers that the expatriates need not panic and that the issue could be bilaterally solved by dialogue with Saudi authorities are not providing much hope to expatriates. According to leading immigration trend analysts in Kerala the Saudi crackdown on illegal migrants should be viewed as a blessing in disguise since it is going to open up more opportunities for the legal migrants from the state. There is no need for the legal immigrant worker to panic.The Nitaqat effect is not just on Indians. Lakhs of illegal migrants in Saudi Arabia are from countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Egypt, etc. Kerala can grab this opportunity by prov iding the needed skills to the future migrants and allowing them to migrate legally. Kerala must focus on more employment opportunities for its labour force. The government should also undertake massive investments in infrastructure and industrial development to boost up employment opportunities. The author is professor of economics at Christ University, Bangalore

Salary Negotiation Skills for Women Close the Pay Gap! Part 2

Salary Negotiation Skills for Women Close the Pay Gap! Part 2 Salary Negotiation Skills for Women: Close the Pay Gap! Part 2 Last week, I wrote about the importance of salary negotiation skills for women in my article, Salary Negotiation for Women. In it, I drew from information presented in a webinar by Professor Deborah Ellis that emphasized how salary negotiation skills can help close the gender pay gap. I promised last week to share more about specific salary negotiation skills. Following are some of the issues you might run into and how salary negotiation skills can help you address them. What if you’re asked about your prior salary or salary expectations at any point in your job search? Some employers try to get you to state a number before they do, which is in no way a good thing for you. A low number sets you up to be underpaid by some organizations, and a high number sets you up to be eliminated from consideration. Knowing how to answer the salary expectation question is hugely important for women so that they get paid fairly, not based on a previously too-low salary. Here’s how Professor Ellis recommends responding if you’re asked about your salary expectations or previous salary: If you’re in California, Massachusetts, Delaware, or Oregon, or in the cities of New York City and Philadelphia, you can explain that there are laws stating you are not required to answer it. These laws are a great step toward ending pay discrimination. For instance, say, â€Å"I’m sure that if you decide I’m the best candidate for the job, we can agree on an appropriate salary for the position.† Or ask them â€Å"What is the range that you’re thinking of for the position?† Show them you’ve done your research. Say, â€Å"I’ve done some research and understand that the range for this position is $X to $Y. I trust you will offer a fair salary based on industry standards.† If you must state a number, state a range. Or ask for a number at the top of the range you’ve researched, and explain you’re hoping for that salary but are willing to negotiate. Once you get an offer, here are Professor Ellis’s tips on how to negotiate effectively: Do not initiate a salary negotiation conversation before you get a job offer. Do not ask in your initial phone interview about salary, benefits, or working from home. Wait until you’ve been offered a position before you bring up any of these issues. Otherwise you will be seen as immature at best, and greedy at worst. You won’t get a second interview. Be prepared. Before you step into a negotiation, calculate your target, your ask, and your bottom line. Gather as many objective facts as possible, including the salaries of others. There are two main ways to do your research: Surf the web. Use salary.com, glassdoor.com, and industry-specific websites. Ask your networks (including LinkedIn!). If you’re a woman, ask your colleagues what a man would ask to be paid for this job. If you want to work from home, find out ahead of time whether other people in similar positions have worked from home. Ask for up to 20% over your target. And don’t accept anything below your bottom line. Negotiate the total package just salary–keep salary and benefits, title, scope of responsibility, travel, flexibility, and resources to accomplish your job on the table. Asking for more than one thing allows you to trade off. Keep in mind that some benefits might be non-negotiable, and do not push on those. Note: If you’re asking for multiple things, let the employer know at the beginning of the conversation- and ask them in what order they would like to address those things. Understand and leverage the concept of anchoring. Here’s how anchoring works: The first number anyone says is the number that everyone will remember. So don’t say a low number first or you’ll be stuck with a low number! Start with a high number and then anything else will sound smaller. If you have another offer, that’s a great benchmark and bargaining point. Always be conversational and pleasant while you’re advising a potential employer of other offers! Identify employer’s interests. For more good advice on this strategy, read Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton. Ask for time to consider an offer if you need it. If a company wants you, they’ll be willing to wait- whether that’s overnight or even a week or two, depending on the situation. Practice with peers or a professional interview coach- and then go negotiate! How can I learn more about salary negotiation and salary negotiation for women? Here are some great resources suggested by Professor Ellis: AAUW, American Association of University Women Babcock Laschever, Ask For It: How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want (2009) Babcock Laschever, Women Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation- and Positive Strategies for Change (2007) Roger Fisher, William Ury, Bruce Patton, Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In (1991) If you are a woman (or a man) with an upcoming interview, try using some of these salary negotiation skills, strategies and tactics. I’d love to hear the results!

A Literary Review of Everyday Use by Alice Walker

A Literary Review of Everyday Use by Alice Walker American writer and activist Alice Walker is best known for her novel The Color Purple, which won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. She has written numerous other novels, stories, poems, and essays. Her story Everyday Use originally appeared in her 1973 collection, In Love Trouble: Stories of Black Women, and has been widely anthologized since. The Plot of 'Everyday Use' The story is narrated in the first-person by a mother who lives with her shy and unattractive  daughter, Maggie, who was scarred in a fire as a child. They are nervously waiting for a visit from Maggies sister, Dee, to whom life has always come easy. Dee and her companion  boyfriend arrive with bold, unfamiliar clothing and hairstyles, greeting Maggie and the narrator with Muslim and African phrases. Dee announces that she has changed her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, saying that she couldnt stand to use a name from oppressors. This decision hurts her mother, who named her after loved ones. During the visit, Dee lays claim to certain family heirlooms, such as the top and dasher of a butter churn, whittled by relatives. But unlike Maggie, who uses the butter churn to make butter, Dee wants to treat them like antiques or artwork. Dee also tries to claim some handmade quilts, fully assuming shell be able to have them because shes the only one who can appreciate them. The mother informs Dee that she has already promised the quilts to Maggie. Maggie says Dee can have them, but the mother takes the quilts out of Dees hands and gives them to Maggie. Dee then leaves, chiding the mother for not understanding her heritage, and encouraging Maggie to make something of yourself. After Dee is gone, Maggie and the narrator relax contentedly in the back yard. The Heritage of Lived Experience Dee insists that Maggie is incapable of appreciating the quilts. She exclaims, horrified, Shed probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use. For Dee, heritage is a curiosity to be looked at and something to put on display for others to look at, as well. She plans to use the churn top and dasher as decorative items in her home. She plans to hang the quilts on the wall, [a]s if that was the only thing you could do with quilts. She even treats her own family members as curiosities. She takes numerous photos of them, and the narrator tells us, She never takes a shot without making sure the house is included. When a cow comes nibbling around the edge of the yard she snaps it and me and Maggie and the house. But Dee fails to understand that the heritage of the items she covets comes precisely from their everyday use their relation to the lived experience of the people whove used them. The narrator describes the dasher as follows: You didnt even have to look close to see where hands pushing the dasher up and down to make butter had left a kind of sink in the wood. In fact, there were a lot of small sinks; you could see where thumbs and fingers had sunk into the wood. Part of the beauty of the object is that it has been so frequently used, and by so many hands in the family, suggesting a communal family history that Dee seems unaware of. The quilts, made from scraps of clothing and sewn by multiple hands, epitomize this lived experience. They even include a small scrap from Great Grandpa Ezras uniform that he wore in the Civil War, which reveals that members of Dees family were working against the people who oppress[ed] them long before Dee decided to change her name. Unlike Dee, Maggie actually knows how to quilt. She was taught by Dees namesakes Grandma Dee and Big Dee so she is a living part of the heritage that is nothing more than decoration to Dee. For Maggie, the quilts are reminders of specific people, not of some abstract notion of heritage. I can member Grandma Dee without the quilts, Maggie says to her mother. It is this statement that prompts her mother to take the quilts away from Dee and hand them to Maggie because Maggie understands their history and value so much more deeply than Dee does. Lack of Reciprocity Dees real offense lies in her arrogance and condescension toward her family, not in her attempted embrace of African culture. Her mother is initially very open-minded about the changes Dee has made. For instance, though the narrator confesses that Dee has shown up in a dress so loud it hurts my eyes, she watches Dee walk toward her and concedes, The dress is loose and flows, and as she walks closer, I like it. The mother also shows a willingness to use the name Wangero, telling Dee, If thats what you want us to call you, well call you. But Dee doesnt really seem to want her mothers acceptance, and she definitely doesnt want to return the favor by accepting and respecting her mothers cultural traditions. She almost seems disappointed that her mother is willing to call her Wangero. Dee is possessive and entitled as her hand close[s] over Grandma Dees butter dish and she begins to think of objects shed like to take. And shes convinced of her superiority over her mother and sister. For example, the mother observes Dees companion and notices, Every once in a while he and Wangero sent eye signals over my head. When it turns out that Maggie knows much more about the history of the family heirlooms than Dee does, Dee belittles her by saying, Maggies brain is like an elephants. The entire family considers Dee to be the educated, intelligent, quick-witted one, and so she equates Maggies intellect with the instincts of an animal, not giving her any real credit. As the mother narrates the story, she refers to Dee as Wangero. Occasionally she refers to her as Wangero (Dee), which emphasizes the confusion of having a new name and also pokes a little fun at the grandness of Dees gesture. But as Dee becomes more and more selfish and difficult, the narrator starts to withdraw her generosity in accepting the new name. Instead of Wangero (Dee), she starts to refer to her as Dee (Wangero), privileging her original given name. When the mother describes snatching the quilts away from Dee, she refers to her as Miss Wangero, suggesting that shes run out of patience with Dees haughtiness. After that, she simply calls her Dee, fully withdrawing her gesture of support. Dee seems unable to separate her new-found cultural identity from her own long-standing need to feel superior to her mother and sister. Ironically,  Dees lack of respect for her living family members as well as her lack of respect for the real human beings who constitute what Dee thinks of only as an abstract heritage provides the clarity that allows Maggie and the mother to appreciate each other and their own shared heritage.

Christian Expression Vocation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Christian Expression Vocation - Essay Example Third, Christian vocation may connote gifts and leadership in readiness for lasting service. In view of this, Cooling (19-31) indicates an individual is self-conscious of his or her own gifts and capacities and to exhibit a fairly focused sagacity of the manner in which God wants these qualities to be employed to the advantage and betterment of the general world. Abraham is one of God’s servants who exercised utmost faith in the Creator by following all the commands of God. After the death of his father, Abram was instructed by God to abandon his homeland for another place where He would direct him (Eslinger 189-193). The faithful took his household of three including his wife Sara and Lot and followed God’s commands to what is today Israel-Palestine land. Despite the fortunes in the rich land, Abraham never built a home in this new environment but led a nomadic life, moving from one place to another to earn a living. The immense faith demonstrated by Abraham led him into securing his descendents the rich land. Additionally, God altered his name from Abram to Abraham and his wifes from Sara to Sarah. This is a clear manifestation of the strong faith he had in God. Few would agree to change their name in favour of a new beginning. According to Eslinger (192-207), God tempted Abrahams faith in Him by instructing him to offer his only son, Isaac for sacrifice. This event was imperative on two grounds: if the Isaac was sacrificed Abram would not have any heir to take over the land that God had assured Abraham. If Abraham successfully offered his son to God as sacrifice, he must have had faith in the coming back to life of the departed. Once God witnessed the seriousness of Abraham, in regarding the sacrifice of his son, He set forth and offered him a ram instead, to offer in the occasion.