A Pair Of Tickets By Amy Tan Essays - Chinatown, San Francisco

A Pair of Tickets by Amy Tan A Pair of Tickets by Amy Tan Amy Tan is an author who uses the theme of Chinese-American life, focusing mainly on mother-daughter relationships, where the mother is an immigrant from China and the daughter is a thoroughly Americanized --yellow on the surface and white underneath. In her book, the mother tries to convey their rich history and legacy to her daughter, who is almost completely ignorant of their heritage, while the daughter attempts to understand her hopelessly old- fashioned mother, who now seems to harbor a secret wisdom, who, in the end, is right about everything all along. At the opening of the story "A Pair of Tickets" Jandale Woo and her father are on a train, the are destined for China. Their first stop will be Guangzhou, China where he father will reunite with his long lost aunt. After visiting with her for a day they plan to take a plane to Shanghai, China where Jandale will meet her two half-sisters for the first time. It is both a blissful time and yet a time of remorse, Jandale has come to China to find her Chinese roots that her mother told her she possessed, and to meet her two twin half-sisters whom her mother had to abandon on her attempt to flee from the Japanese. Some people have no opportunity to get to know their heritage and their long lost family members. Jandale however, had almost waited her entire life to connect with her heritage and her family. She was willing to visit China and meet with her two half-sisters only in recognition to her mother's wishes. Jandale should have been delighted to have the opportunity to visit China and get to know her roots and her family. The theme to this story was effectively treated in that the reader could see the reunion of the sisters, but yet could feel pain and sorrow inside of themselves. Having the story take place in China, helped it to become more realistic for the reader. The reader can feel as Jandale traces her Chinese roots and becomes in touch with her heritage and her past. It is also possible for the reader to place themselves in the same situation and experience the feelings that are being portrayed by the characters. The reader can certainly sense the joyful and the sorrowful events and their hearts can be touched by the happiness and the pain. The main character in the story is Jandale Woo; she is the one the reader becomes a part of because it is her life that is mostly being affected. When her mother told her that she would one day feel her Chinese blood, she never believed it, but now the reader can get a perception of her understanding her Chinese roots and believing in what her mother has told her. Although Jandale was not born and raised in China like her mother she now has a grasp on her life and on her mothers life too. The story is told through the eyes of Jandale, a Chinese-American women attempting to learn of her Chinese culture and her mothers past. Women readers may relate to this story more than the men because it is told by a woman character. Men may not connect to the experiences of a mother withdrawing from her own children to save their own lives. I, myself being a young women reader can connect with the pain that is felt throughout the story considerably better than a young man could. Learning about family heritage is something people do not always understand, like Jandale people do not always want to believe their past and the past of their families. When coming to an understanding of their past, people can lay to rest their urging thoughts and can come in closer contact to their present life. Now that Jandale has meet her sisters, she can now make peace in her life knowing that she has fulfilled her dreams and the dreams of her mother. She can now lay to rest the thought of her mother never seeing her twin daughters again and continue on with her existing life.

Charles Manson and the Tate-LaBianca Murders

Charles Manson and the Tate-LaBianca Murders On the night of August 8, 1969, Charles Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian were sent by Charlie to the old home of Terry Melcher at 10050 Cielo Drive. Their instructions were to kill everyone at the house and make it appear like Hinmans murder, with words and symbols written in blood on the walls. As Charlie Manson had said earlier in the day after choosing the group,  Now is the time for Helter Skelter. What the group did not know was that Terry Melcher was no longer residing in the home and that it was being rented by film director Roman Polanski and his wife, actress  Sharon Tate. Tate was two weeks away from giving birth and Polanski was delayed in London while working on his film, The Day of the Dolphin. Because Sharon was so close to giving birth, the couple arranged for friends to stay with her until Polanski could get home. After dining together at the El Coyote restaurant, Sharon Tate,   celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring, Folger coffee heiress Abigail Folger and  her lover  Wojciech Frykowski, returned to the Polanskis home on Cleo Drive at around 10:30 p.m.  Wojciech fell asleep on the living room couch,  Abigail Folger went to her bedroom to read, and Sharon Tate and Sebring were in Sharons bedroom talking. Steve Parent Just after midnight, Watson, Atkins, Krenwinkel, and Kasabian arrived at the house. Watson climbed a telephone pole and cut the phone line going to the Polanskis house. Just as the group entered the estate grounds, they saw a car approaching. Inside the car was  18-year-old Steve Parent who had been  visiting the propertys caretaker, William Garreston. As Parent approached the driveways electronic gate, he rolled down the window to reach out and push the gates button, and Watson descended on him, yelling at him to halt. Seeing that Watson was armed with a revolver and knife, Parent began to plead for his life. Unfazed, Watson slashed at Parent, then shot him four times, killing him instantly. The Rampage Inside After murdering Parent, the group headed for the house. Watson told Kasabian to be on the lookout by the front gate.  The other three family members entered the Polanski home.  Charles Tex Watson went to the living room and confronted  Frykowski who was asleep. Not fully awake,  Frykowski asked what time it was and Watson kicked him in the head. When  Frykowski asked who he was, Watson answered,  Im the devil and Im here to do the devils business. Susan Atkins went to Sharon Tates bedroom with a buck knife and ordered Tate and Sebring to go into the living room. She then went and got Abigail Folger. The four victims were told to sit on the floor. Watson tied a rope around Sebrings neck, flung it over a ceiling beam, then tied the other side around Sharons neck. Watson then ordered them to lie on their stomachs. When Sebring voiced his concerns that Sharon was too pregnant to lay on her stomach, Watson shot him and then kicked him while he died. Knowing now that the intent of the intruders was murder, the three remaining victims began to struggle for survival.  Patricia Krenwinkel attacked Abigail Folger and after being stabbed multiple times, Folger broke free and attempted to run from the house.  Krenwinkel followed close behind and managed to tackle Folger out on the lawn and stabbed her repeatedly. Inside, Frykowski struggled with Susan Atkins when she attempted to tie his hands. Atkins stabbed him four times in the leg, then Watson came over and beat  Frykowski over the head with his revolver. Frykowski somehow managed to escape out onto the lawn and began screaming for help. While the microbe scene was going on inside the house, all Kasabian could hear was screaming. She ran to the house just as  Frykowski was escaping out the front door. According to Kasabian, she looked into the eyes of the mutilated man and horrified at what she saw, she told him that she was sorry. Minutes later,  Frykowski was dead on the front lawn.Watson shot him twice, then stabbed him to death. Seeing that Krenwinkel was struggling with Folger, Watson went over and the two continued to stab Abigail mercilessly. According to killers statements later given to the authorities,  Abigail begged them to stop stabbing her saying, I give up, youve got me, and Im already dead.   The final victim at 10050 Cielo Drive was Sharon Tate. Knowing that her friends were likely dead, Sharon begged for the life of her baby. Unmoved, Atkins held Sharon Tate down while Watson stabbed her multiple times, killing her. Atkins then used Sharons blood to write Pig on a wall. Atkins later said that Sharon Tate called out for her mother as she was being murdered and that she tasted her blood and found it warm and sticky. According to the autopsy reports, 102 stab wounds were found on the four victims. The Labianca Murders The next day Manson, Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, Steve Grogan, Leslie Van Houten, and Linda Kasabian went to the home of Leno and Rosemary Labianca. Manson and Watson tied up the couple and Manson left. He told Van Houten and Krenwinkel to go in and kill the LaBiancas. The three separated the couple and murdered them, then had dinner and a shower and hitchhiked back to Spahn Ranch. Manson, Atkins, Grogan, and Kasabian drove around looking for other people to kill but failed. Manson and The Family Arrested At Spahn Ranch rumors of the groups involvement began to circulate. So did the police helicopters above the ranch, but because of an  unrelated investigation. Parts of stolen cars were spotted in and around the ranch by police in the helicopters. On August 16, 1969, Manson and The Family were rounded up by police and taken in on suspicion of auto theft (not an unfamiliar charge for Manson). The search warrant ended up being invalid because of a date error and the group was released. Charlie blamed the arrests on Spahns ranch hand Donald Shorty Shea for snitching on the family. It was no secret that Shorty wanted the family off the ranch. Manson decided it was time for the family to move to Barker Ranch near Death Valley, but before leaving, Manson, Bruce Davis, Tex Watson and Steve Grogan killed Shorty and buried his body behind the ranch. The Barker Ranch Raid The Family moved onto the Barker Ranch and spent time turning stolen cars into dune buggies. On October 10, 1969, Barker Ranch was raided after investigators spotted stolen cars on the property and traced evidence of an arson back to Manson. Manson was not around during the first Family roundup, but returned on October 12 and was arrested with seven other family members. When police arrived Manson hid under a small bathroom cabinet but was quickly discovered. The Confession of Susan Atkins One of the biggest breaks in the case came when Susan Atkins boasted in detail about the murders to her prison cellmates. She gave specific details about Manson and the killings. She also told of other famous people the Family planned on killing. Her cellmate reported the information to the authorities and Atkins was offered a life sentence in return for her testimony. She refused the offer but repeated the prison cell story to the grand jury. Later Atkins recanted her grand jury testimony. The Grand Jury Indictment It took 20 minutes for the grand jury to hand down murder indictments on Manson, Watson, Krenwinkel, Atkins, Kasabian, and Van Houten. Watson was fighting extradition from Texas and Kasabian became the prosecutions main witness. Manson, Atkins, Krenwinkel and Van Houten were tried together. The chief prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, offered Kasabian prosecutorial immunity for her testimony. Kasabian agreed, giving Bugliosi the final piece of the puzzle needed to convict Manson and the others. The challenge for Bugliosi was to get the jury to find Manson as responsible for the murders as those who actually committed the murders. Mansons courtroom antics helped Bugliosi accomplish this task. On the first day of court, he showed up with a bloody swastika carved into his forehead. He tried to stare down Bugliosi and with a series of hand gestures had the three women disrupt the courtroom, all in hopes of a mistrial. It was Kasabians account of the murders and of the control that Manson had over the Family that nailed Bugliosis case. She told the jury that no family member ever wanted to tell Charlie Manson no. On January 25, 1971, the jury returned a guilty verdict for all defendants and on all counts of first-degree murder. Manson, like the other three defendants, was sentenced to death in the gas chamber. Manson shouted, You people have no authority over me, as he was led off in handcuffs. Mansons Prison Years Manson was originally sent to San Quentin State Prison, but was transferred to Vacaville then to Folsom and then back to San Quentin because of his constant conflicts with prison officials and other inmates. In 1989 he was sent to Californias Corcoran State Prison where he currently resides. Because of various infractions in prison, Manson has spent a considerable amount of time under disciplinary custody (or as prisoners call it, the hole), where he was kept in isolation for 23 hours a day and kept handcuffed when moving within the general prison areas. When not in the hole he, is kept in the prisons Protective Housing Unit (PHU) because of threats made on his life. Since his incarceration, he has been raped, set on fire, beaten several times and poisoned. While in PHU he is allowed to visit with other inmates, have books, art supplies, and other restricted privileges. Over the years he has been charged with various crimes including conspiracy to distribute narcotics, destruction of state property, and assault of a prison guard. He has been denied parole 10 times, the last time in 2001 when he refused to attend the hearing because he was forced to wear handcuffs. His next parole is 2007. He will be 73 years old. Source:Desert Shadows by Bob MurphyHelter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt GentryThe Trial of Charles Manson by Bradley Steffens

Gambling in The Stock Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Gambling in The Stock Market - Essay Example NYSE was used as a platform to trade bonds and stocks. Following the establishment of stock and bond trading platforms, most people view it as a money tree, which creates wealth easy and quick. As a result, many people used their savings to invest in stocks and bonds. However, it is important to note that investing in stock market requires hard work and adequate research because it is unforgiving for amateurs or gamblers. Gambling in the Stock Exchange There are clear distinctions between gambling and investing in the stock exchange as indicated below. Gambling refers to putting money or other valuable assets into activities whose outcome involves chance. It can also refer to an immediate event or act, whose motive is immediate gratification. When the word gambling is mentioned, people easily identify casinos, gaming activities as well as lottery. However, they fail to identify that putting money into the stock exchange to buy stocks, bonds and other investment vehicles with no concr ete and clear goal may also qualify as gambling. Gambling in the stock exchange is not a new phenomenon among many new traders. Gambling can be addictive and destructive at the same time. Gamblers are risk seekers because they go for all or nothing. It is motivated by compulsion or entertainment. Little or no research, risk seeking, unsystematic approach, emotion like greed and fear is evident, motivated by entertainment or compulsion. Gambling is encouraged by introduction of internet enabled online trading making it cheaper and quicker to trade in the markets as well as easier and pleasant access to the market, which is provided by stock tickers and comfortable rooms. Investing in the stock exchange is characterized by long time investment horizon. It is a progressive process aimed at generating progressive net worth. With longer time, the value of stocks bought is likely to appreciate thus enabling long time investors to have higher chances of generating positive results in the m arket. Investment also involves putting money to purchase assets used to produce goods or services or spending in activities that promotes production of goods or services with an aim of making a profit. Therefore, investment involves provision of capital to companies which need to accomplish their goals. In addition, investment is about setting goals of building wealth in the future. Investors are usually risk averse as they try as much as possible to avoid risk unless they will be adequately compensated. Finally, investment is about risk aversion, systematic approach and is done after doing sufficient research. Who Gambles and Who Invests A person who invests in the long time horizon is an investor. Over time the value of the stock market is likely to increase, thus odds work in the favor of the investor. This indicates that the investor may lose money in the short term but gain in a longer time. Furthermore, in the stock market the outcome is not random. If a person takes a delibe rate step to research, and analyzes which stock to buy as well as develop a detailed plan and takes a much longer time horizon, then he or she is said to be an investor because he or she has better chances of succeeding or getting positive results. Doak (45) asserts that real investors invest after a rigorous research, they form their own opinions. Investors know and understand that well run companies will have the value of their stock rise while poorly

Agreements in the Package Holiday Industry and Market Opportunities Essay

Agreements in the Package Holiday Industry and Market Opportunities - Essay Example Package holidays are normally organized and structured by tour operators. These are the individuals or groups of people who put together different holiday elements into one package (Ryan, 1989). They then sell these packages directly to members of the public or indirectly through travel agents. Different holiday packages have different costs, depending on how they are structured. A normal package holiday may include the following: †¢ Accommodation †¢ Flights †¢ Meals †¢ Transfers Other elements of a package holiday can include: in-flight tickets, park tickets, ferry crossings and ski passes. Accommodation is normally offered by hotels or hostels in various tourism destinations. Transport is normally offered either by chartered or scheduled flight services. In the package industry, meals are normally offered on a board basis. This means that the tourist is offered meals depending on the type of board he takes up. Different types of board offered by package tour services include: †¢ Room only where there are no meals available †¢ Bed and breakfast where only breakfast is provided †¢ Half board where breakfast and an evening meal are the only meals provided †¢ Full board where the tourists can get three meals in a day: breakfast, lunch and an evening meal †¢ All or fully inclusive which normally includes three meals a day, soft drinks, snacks and locally available alcoholic drinks.

ACCT - Principles of Managerial Accounting Essay - 1

ACCT - Principles of Managerial Accounting - Essay Example A process order costing approach is however applicable when activities are homogeneous and involve mass production. As a result, allocation of cost per single activity would be irrational such as in a food company where costing done per process and not per unit product (Mowen, p. 182). Equivalent units of production are necessary in a process costing approach because it facilitate allocation of costs to unit elements of a production process. This is because costs are measured with respect to processes or departments that consist of a number of units. The equivalent units are then used to derive cost per unit of products (Mowen, p. 255). The equivalent units of production for direct labor and overhead can be either equal to, or different from equivalent units for direct materials. This is because of the availability of different approaches to costing. An actual or normal costing approach may lead to difference in the values while a standard costing approach may yield same values for direct labor, overhead and direct materials (Mowen, p.

The Effects Of Poverty On Education Education Essay

The Effects Of Poverty On Education Education Essay In the United States of America, there is great emphasis placed on equal rights for all. Further, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares Education to be a human right (Dhillon, 2011). Yet, in this great country, the poor still do not receive an equal education, an education that could raise kids out of poverty (Dhillon, 2011). Instead, impoverished children are often brought down by a classist system. The role of poverty in the U.S. Poverty is the strongest indicator of a child going to prison (Anders, 2011). Three times the amount of money goes in the prison system than in the schools (Anders, 2011). State governments benefit when people provide for their families with illegal labor rather than turning to welfare, plus the benefit of free labor from prisons (Anders, 2011). Social mobility through education is for the most part a myth; it only holds true in only some communities (Anders, 2011). One would think that the more compassionate and preventative method of providing a quality education would be the more preferable route. Compared to other industrialized countries, the United States of America is quite negligent of its poor. From 1999-2009, the child poverty rate has increased 19.6% (Armstrong, 2009). Every day, 2,500 children are born into poverty in the United States, giving the country one of the highest rates of poverty among industrialized countries (Anders, 2011). The U.S. also allocates fewer resources to social welfare programs, such as public employment services and modest support guaranteed for all children (child allowance, child care, and paid parental leave) than other Western countries, despite the high value placed on being able to work ones way out of poverty (Anders, 2011). Policy makers mistake work with self sufficiency, and feel that work is all that is needed to be able to live off of welfare programs (Anders, 2011). It is impossible to become independent of welfare at minimum wage, which is well below living wage; two full time, minimum wage workers cannot afford the average cost of a one bedroom apartment, and when food, transportation, and health care is added to the needs of the impoverished the debt becomes too much (Anders, 2011). Oftentimes, basic needs such as health care and a good diet are sacrificed by the poor because they cannot get assistance. Poverty and neurobiology. Food is essential to life. A full stomach and a clear mind are essential for learning (Armstrong, 2009). With the increase in child poverty, there has also been an alarming increase in food challenged children (Armstrong, 2009). Malnutrition can lead to vitamin deficiencies, particularly in B vitamins and iron, and in the long term can lead to neurological effects (Armstrong, 2009). Other maladies with possible neurological effects that are more common to low-income children include lead poisoning and asthma (Armstrong, 2009). In general, the brains of impoverished children develop differently (Armstrong, 2009). Many functions of the brain, such as language development and executive functioning (e.g. the ability to plan, remember details, and pay attention) develop much more slowly in low income children compared to their wealthier peers (Armstrong, 2009). By the age of nine or ten, the differences in the brain scans of poor kids, compared to wealthier kids, are almost equivalent to the damage of a stroke (Armstrong, 2009). Poverty effects the childs achievement when he or she is assessed in their first year of school and continues to affect children once they leave poverty; the effects of poverty may be lasting (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). Because the background of poverty affects the neurobiology of children, it raises the question of whether anything can be done to help these children. The role of the school. The schools do occasionally try to do something to help impoverished children. Schools sometimes have early, intensive, sustained, intervention programs that also provide good nutrition and health care (Armstrong, 2009). However, with the growth in the child poverty rate, the education system struggles to provide the programs low-income children need to succeed (Armstrong, 2009). These programs are often cut when the economy is down (Armstrong, 2009). Poor schools, such as those in rural areas, have low per-pupil expenditures (Fusarelli Militello, 2012). So, many schools do not have it in their budget to pay for such extensive programs for such a large proportion of their students in the first place. Poor schools also cannot afford good teachers. The students with the most need often have the least experienced teachers (Armstrong, 2009). Schools with high rates of minority students, impoverished students, and English language learners are more likely to hire beginning teachers (Armstrong, 2009). These teachers then move to more affluent schools as they gain experience because the schools dont have the money to retain them (Armstrong, 2009; Fusarelli Militello, 2012). These students are 77% more likely to get out of field teachers (Armstrong, 2009). These schools need to offer incentives such as targeted salary increases, bonuses, housing incentives, tuition assistance, and tax credits (Armstrong, 2009). They also hire non-traditional teaching candidates, such as retired military professionals and high-achieving college students (Armstrong, 2009). Poor schools also have less difficult curricula, higher student to teacher ratios, and receive less funding (Armstrong, 2009). Thus, n ot only are schools lacking in the extra programs that impoverished kids need to catch up with wealthier peers, but they are also hiring less qualified people to teach low-income children, giving children with a low socioeconomic status an unequal education. The role of the parent. If schools cannot make up for the difference in achievement between the poor and the rich, then perhaps the parents can. This assumption is one many policy makers and teachers have (Bower Griffin, 2011). Lack of parental involvement is associated with low student achievement and engagement (Bower Griffin, 2011). Parental involvement seems to be at the root of the achievement gap (Bower Griffin, 2011). Parental involvement is especially low for students of color and low-income households (Bower Griffin, 2011). Schools define parental involvement as volunteering in the school, communicating with teachers, assisting with homework, and attending school events and conferences (Bower Griffin, 2011). Correlational studies show that parental involvement leads to increased social competence and social networks, which leads to resources such as tutoring, enrichment opportunities, and curriculum extensions (Bower Griffin, 2011). By the traditional, white, middle-clas s definition of parental involvement, schools benefit by gaining resources. However, parenting in poverty is exceptionally difficult (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). Work schedules, difficulties with transportation, and difficulties with childcare prevent parents from coming to school events and conferences (Bower Griffin, 2011). Informal conversations and unscheduled meetings often work better for parents of low SES, but this is often see as obtrusive (Bower Griffin, 2011). Schools are warned against defining specific behaviors as parental involvement because it can disenfranchise families and make them feel like their efforts are going unrecognized (Bower Griffin, 2011). Low income families are ostracized by white middle class families who see their lack of traditional involvement as a lack of caring about their kids (Bower Griffin, 2011). Not all parents have the time and money the schools definition of parental involvement requires (Bower Griffin, 2011). Parents of poor and minority students, on the other hand, see the schools role as providing academic edu cation and their role as providing moral education; they define parental involvement as providing nurturance, instilling moral and cultural values, and talking with their children (Bower Griffin, 2011). Just because parents are not involved by the white, middle-class definition, does not mean they are not involved in their childrens lives. It is not necessarily the schools definition of parental involvement that determines the success of a child. A study by Kiernan and Mensah (2011) tested the effects of parenting, resources, and poverty on the achievement levels of children in elementary school in a longitudinal study. A parenting index was created using aspects that can help a child thrive despite the disadvantages of poverty: cognitive stimulation, promotion of play and learning, security and warmth in relationships, sensitivity towards the child, physical nurturance, boundaries and standards of behavior, and positive discipline (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). The top third scored 70% in good levels of achievement, the middle scored 51%, and the bottom scored 31% (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). Children were ranked from least number of risk factors to impede achievement to most and then put into quintiles; the first had 69% good achievement, the second had 64% good achievement, the third had 53% good achievement, the fourth had 4 2% good achievement, and the fifth, with the highest number of indicators, had 24% good achievement (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). Risk factors include income, mothers education, employment, housing, quality of the neighborhood, mothers age at birth, family structure, the number of children in the household, birth order, ethnic origin, and language spoken in the home (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). When tested for poverty, 60% of children who had not lived in poverty reached good levels of achievement compared to 40% in episodic poverty and 26% in persistent poverty (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). Kiernan and Mensah (2011) looked for interactions, and found that 44% of children who did not experience poverty had high parenting scores, compared to 11% of children in persistent poverty who had high parenting scores. Meanwhile, 66% of children in persistent poverty had low parenting scores (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). Similarly, 60% of children with the highest levels of family resources had high parenting sco res, while only 9% or children with low family resources had high parenting scores. Further, 69% of children with the lowest family resources had low parenting scores (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). Achievement scores for those in the lowest level of poverty with the lowest level of parenting were 19%, while it was 58% for the highest level of parenting (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). For those who had not experienced poverty and had high levels of parenting, their achievement levels were 73% (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). Poverty has about a 50% effect on achievement and parenting has a 40% effect on parenting within the study (Kiernan Mensah, 2011). Kiernan and Mensah show that although that poverty negatively affects a child, positive parenting practices can help counteract the effects of poverty. The role of the educator. Oftentimes, parents become an excuse not to teach impoverished children. Educators and policy makers absolve themselves of improving the problem with a blame-the-victim mentality by believing all parents of low income kids are lazy, addicted to substances, and dont care about their kids, and especially not their education (Armstrong, 2009). Teachers believe that parents will not become involved in the classroom, even though they refuse to try new methods (Bower Griffin, 2011). Often, the curriculum is not targeted to the children, even though children are most responsive to relevant materials and high stakes testing only exacerbates the problem (Anders, 2011). Instead of finding alternative methods to teach, schools see the child as deficit (Anders, 2011). There are definitely practices out there if teachers would only look. Teachers often do not relate to their students. Teachers primarily consist of white middle class women (Anders, 2011; Armstrong, 2009). Differences between middle and lower class include hidden social rules and communication, interactions, and expectations (Armstrong, 2009). There is a difference in symptoms of generational and situational poverty (Armstrong, 2009). Behaviors and the mindset related to poverty often affect learning (Armstrong, 2009). Identifying the students resources and strengths is proven to increase effectiveness of teaching (Armstrong, 2009). The best practice for educators working with impoverished students is that they should educate themselves on the effects of class and poverty and design curriculum relevant to poor students, drawing on the experiences and intelligences of the students (Armstrong, 2009). Teacher education programs tend to leave out critical conversations about how educators and education research relies primarily on white middle class educat ion (Anders, 2011). So, teachers tend to feel uncomfortable with their minority students (Anders, 2011). Finally, educators should be aware of their own biases and how they affect their interactions and expectations of students (Armstrong, 2009). This is good educational practice, but sadly it is not necessarily common educational practice. The standards of education are set to the white middle-class. Public schools want children to live by the behavioral standards set by the white middle class, including self regulation, memorization, social flexibility, compliance, and respect to authority (Anders, 2011). However, as stated above, children in poverty behave differently. Teachers know each pupil less on an individual basis and rely more on stereotypes (Anders, 2011). Knowing an individual child makes a behavior seem less disruptive and disrespectful and reveals the behavior as understandable and manageable (Anders, 2011) Based on differences, such as behavior, between the poor and the rich, students are academically sorted by socioeconomic status rather than ability based on stereotypes (Armstrong, 2009). However, merely educating oneself on the differences between students could help prevent this. Differences in behavioral standards between social classes lead to low income students being disciplined more in school. Zero tolerance policies, though they do not increase school wide academic achievement scores and in some cases lower them, contributes to school push out and school leaving (Anders, 2011). Students who jeopardize the schools achievement scores on top of having a disciplinary record are more likely to get pushed into the resource room or out of school altogether (Anders, 2011). No Child Left Behind leaves teachers with less time to focus on students because they have to focus more on curriculum and tests (Anders, 2011). In low-track classrooms, teachers rely on authoritarian compliance and give fewer opportunities for active learning (Anders, 2011). These teachers are compared to correctional officers when remembered by prisoners (Anders, 2011). Routines, compliance demands, condemnation, and targeting trained students for academic failure and dropping out (Anders, 2011). It raises the question as to whether or not the educational system, and society at large, wants kids to fail in life. The role of high-stakes tests. The educational system continuously places poor students on a lower track, and potentially forces them out of school, in order to protect their standing on high-stakes tests. Standardized tests test knowledge and skill sets that are more likely to be present in children of upper classes, yet these tests have become more important (Armstrong, 2009). A more prominent example is that the SAT has a persistent, but unintended, statistical bias in the verbal section that negatively affects African American students (Armstrong, 2009). The test has been recreated many times and it cannot relieve itself of bias, and the racial and class biases are very strong (Armstrong, 2009). Some postsecondary institutions base a large portion of their entry on the SAT without any other standardized test (Armstrong, 2009). This could impede impoverished students from getting into those institutions (Armstrong, 2009). Campbells Law, created in 1975, says that if a quantitative social indicator is used in decision making, the more subject it is to pressure and the more likely it will be to distort and corrupt what it was intended to monitor (Dutro Selland, 2012). Since No Child Left Behind, Campbells Law has lead to narrowing curriculum, reorganizing classroom time for tested subjects, reallocating funds for tested subjects (math and English) and students near the cut score, and to persuade teachers to teach in ineffective ways (Dutro Selland, 2012). High stakes testing only shows part of what a child knows. Too much focus on high stakes testing leads to cheating the system, a loss in quality of education, and increased dropout rates (Dutro Selland, 2012). Teachers must focus more on math and English and less on other subjects (Dutro Selland, 2012). They must drill students, especially poor students, on content and form (Dutro Selland, 2012). The form of the test though can often undermine important aspects of content students should know; for exampl e, the writing assessment over simplifies genre and the purpose and process of writing (Dutro Selland, 2012). High stakes tests certainly have their downfalls. Standardized testing is not all bad. Since No Child Left Behind, Schools must be held accountable for the education of their students; they must show this through adequate yearly progress (Booher-Jeening U.S. Department of Education, 2011). All students must be tested (Booher-Jennings U.S Department of Education, 2011). Unfortunately, in many schools there is no extensive help unless a child is in special education in many schools, which may explain why many poor students are pushed down to special education (Booher-Jennings U.S Department of Education, 2011). Further, Response to Intervention, a program that gives struggling children the extra help they need, rather than waiting for them to fail, is starting to be implemented across the nation (Fuchs, Litty, Hatch, 2011). Perhaps, things will change with the implementation of Response to Intervention. An important aspect is how high-stakes tests make children feel about themselves. High stakes tests place children in binary power relations of proficient or non-proficient (Dutro Selland, 2012). Non-proficient children can be locked into a pattern of powerlessness; once a person ascribes to a role or a competence, it is hard to see it another way (Dutro Selland, 2012). A third of the 4th graders knew where they were on the assessment, but didnt know why (Dutro Selland, 2012). They were certain about their reading competence, either for positive or negative (Dutro Selland, 2012). Dutro and Selland (2012) describe one child who despite having recently had a major success in reading, felt like she was a poor reader due to achievement tests. Students should not have to feel belittled by standardized tests, especially when they do work hard to make progress. Conclusion Children should not be put in the middle of a power struggle between the lower and upper classes. Three times the amount of money goes into the prisons than in schools, even though a proper education could easily reduce the amount of criminals because people wouldnt have to turn to crime to make money (Anders, 2011). Unlike in other industrialized countries, the United States does not give low income children the social welfare programs needed to the extent to equalize the opportunities to achieve. Families are left to struggle on their own to come up with resources such as housing, food, and health care. Many children of low income families academically develop at much slower rates due to lack of proper nutrition. Families also have a difficult time with housing and this provides discontinuity with curriculum and routines. Despite these difficulties, schools expect parents to make up for extensive schooling that they do not offer; poor schools have less money, less educational resou rces, and less qualified teachers than other schools. Parents do not have the time or money, and often times the education, to be extra involved and believe that it is the schools job to educate their children. Parents believe their job is to be the moral support for their child and the schools job is to be the academic support. A study by Kiernan and Mensah (2011) supports the parents belief that positive parenting can help a child to succeed, despite poverty. Unfortunately, the schools solution to offering extensive help to impoverished students is too often to push them to a lower track in school or forcing them out of school all together. Educators are primarily white, middle class women who do not relate to their students. If they did research on poverty, they could help prevent this all together. That way, students would not be discouraged and would not feel like failures for the rest of their lives. An increase in putting students in special education and forcing them to leav e school has increased due to high-stakes tests. While high stakes tests hold schools, teachers, and students more accountable, they also have lead to schools cheating the program and this is one really unfortunate result. Standardized tests tend to favor the white middle-class, meaning that poor students are at a disadvantage. Children who do poorly on the tests feel bad about themselves, even if they are making strides in the classroom. Even when they are not told how they did, they have a feeling how well they did on the test and are fairly accurate. It is important to keep in mind that poor children can succeed despite their disadvantages and more importantly despite all stereotypes. The poor in America are receiving unequal education thanks to stereotypes, funding, and high-stakes tests. While it is true that low income children may be disadvantaged from environmental stressors and are more likely to be delayed as a result of their environment and poor nutrition, with extensive programs and better nutrition more achievement can be gained. Equal education for the poor, and prevention of crime through better education, is attainable.

Problems in Australian Society :: australia

Australia: Still the Lucky Country? Fire, flood, drought & cyclones. These are just some of the natural disasters that the so called, Lucky Country, Australia endures every year. And, with 5% of Australia’s population living overseas, we are beginning to question if Australia really is ‘the lucky country’. IT’S true, that Australians are luckier than people from most other countries in the world, but are we really living in THE lucky country? Is there even really a lucky country at all? Once a dumping ground for criminals and never-do-goods during World War II. Australia became a home for almost seven million immigrants, many of them British people who sought a new start over in a sunny country with a hopeful future. Australia was once a dumping ground for criminals and never-do-goods during World War II. Now, Australia’s luck may have run out. Australia has had many different sorts of problems throughout the recent years, as: Twenty years ago, the regular Australian employee was too busy to worry about the happenings of parliament. Numerous people waited until Bob Hawke became Prime Minister, after only two years in parliament. The politically naive voted for this â€Å"regular bloke† who understood â€Å"real Australians† and he spoke like one to. His â€Å"fair dinkum† accent was his greatest asset. As soon as he became Prime Minister; this courageous, fair minded, man for the nation’s citizens turned into a wimpy, deceitful man, who had lost touch with his fellow Australians and walked the same direction as his forerunners. The Howard government was not much improved; it improved the economy, but had a terrible record on human rights issues. It’s only actual triumph had been to restructure the indirect tax system and to boost the reserve bank’s independence. Then there are natural disasters; over the years, Australia has experienced more than enough natural disasters. Drought is without doubt one of the most complex troubles that Australia must deal with. Due to the fact that Australia has an enormous area of desert, and very low annual rainfall, the country is very dry. Fire is another problem within Australia. They are among the natural disasters that cause the greatest loss of both humans and material. The fires break out for many different reasons, but one of the main causes is the dry air, that throughout summer, blows from the deserts to the coast. Another cause is during droughts, there is a lot of dry land, the heat from the sun can cause fires.

ALDI & Australia

The retail industry in Australia is considered as one of pillars of its economy. The industry has improved immensely as the players in the market have increased and the variety of commodities has expanded immensely. At present, the industry is populated by companies that range from multinationals to small and medium scale. Among the players, ALDI Australia is considered as a major player in the industry. The firm has expanded from a single foreign branch to a major retail chain. It operates in the main markets of Australia and in other regions across the country.ALDI was taken from the original name of the company which was Albrecht Discount. Before expanding to Australia, ALDI established its presence in Germany Gradually, the company operations stretched to other locations across the world. ALDI is regarded as one of the biggest supermarket chain worldwide. In Australia, ALDI has approximately 160 retail chains. This number is expected to grow as ALDI continues to be aggressive in the industry. Despite strong competition, ALDI Australia has managed to establish its own identity and has already controlled a significant portion of the market.It is imperative to study the current situation within ALDI Australia. The outside environment of the company is another important aspect to investigate. The succeeding discussion will focus on the capacity of ALDI to dominate the market. This requires evaluation of the capacity of ALDI and the external aspects that can affect its performance. The strategies used by ALDI have been working so far. But there are still rooms for improvements that needed to be manifested. II. The External Environment Porter (1979) introduced the concept of five forces that seeks to analyse the competition in an industry.This serves as an effective tool used in creating a picture of the retail industry. Based on the model, there are four forces that have to be assessed to determine the condition of the fifth force (McGahan, 2004). These interact with other to determine the overall condition of the market. The five forces model is critical especially to retail firms. The level of competition in the industry is high. Hence it is imperative for ALDI Australia to appraise the situation of the industry. The threat of new entrants shows the possible repercussions of the openness of the industry which is high in the industry.The current condition of the industry coupled by the continuous increase in demand justifies the viability of the industry as an investment hub for new entrants. New entrants, however, have to consider the barriers that can affect their success. Australia is a major market and houses consumers with high buying power. This means that the opportunity for retailers to operate is high. In addition, demand for consumer products has remained high. The emergence and threat of substitutes shows the low tendency, but suddenly emerging alternative retail firms.The conventional form of retail includes the shops and stor es located in strategic areas. With the advent of technology, several forms of retailing have flourished. Online retailing has become a threat because most consumers have patronised the online retailing scheme instead of the traditional shopping. The bargaining power of the consumers determines the capacity of the consumers to purchase the goods and price sensitivity. It has to be noted that most products in ALDI are demand inelastic and the income per capita in Australia is one of the highest in the world.This means that price changes will have gradual effect to the buying decision of the consumers. Moreover, the buying capacity of Australian households can satisfy their needs and have spare for luxuries. Buyer preference is also another major consideration. Consumers in Australia are dynamic and susceptible to changes. It is important to weigh company goals with consumer requirements. The bargaining power of the suppliers which is high provides the capabilities of the supplier to meet the demand of the industry. Basically, the agricultural industry of Australia is of quality as evidenced by the fresh food sold in retail stores.In addition, raw material is cheaper making retail products highly affordable for consumers. Australia is also highly accessible some Asian countries. The possibility of importing products is given and savings gained from such strategy are high. ALDI has all the resources to satisfy the demands of the consumers and sustain changes. These factors sum up the rivalry among competitors, which intensify in the industry. The retail industry is highly competitive and can potentially allow investors to succeed. It is evident that ALDI will continually face threats both industry based and substitutes.ALDI Australia is in an environment where it can take advantage of the opportunities. Intense competition leads to quality retailed food and eventually benefits for the customers. III. Internal Aspects Deming (1986) mentioned the need to attain qua lity results in all the process of production. The technical process pertains to the emphasis of quality in the different stages of operations. The rationale behind this strategy is that the continuous inclusion of quality in the process will result to highly competitive and superior products.The social process is provided by Juran (1974) in the assumptions of TQM. The social process includes the provision of suitable tools to boost the tendency of workers to prioritise quality. ALDI Australia has to evaluate its capacity within to achieve sustainable success. One significant observation that can be made is that the company has wide range of quality food sources. This is in references to the responsible food sourcing that the company adopts. At present, ALDI boosts up to 700 different grocery products. The supplies of the company are considered as one of its valuable resources.Because of its outstanding food production materials, the quality of the finished products has improved. Bo osting the food with the finest inputs allow the company to effectively satisfy the needs of the consumers. The quality sources also make the company more cost-effective. Another important resource of the company is its identity. This is established through the brand name of ALDI. The brand has the gained the distinction of being the most trusted retailer in Australia. Over the years, the brand name has been embraced in different areas of the world.The credibility of the company is one of its intangible resources that deserved to be recognised. It is known as one of best stores in finding cheap commodities. ALDI Australia greatly depends on its employees for positive results. Indeed, the performance of the workers will influence the success of the firm. ALDI Australia boasts a workforce loaded with competency and talent. The hiring system of the company ensures that the best are selected at the end of the process. The company provides comprehensive training programs to continuously equip the employees with the skills needed in the industry.At present ALDI have over 2,000 employees across Australia. This manpower is one of the most valuable components of the retail store. It addresses the needs of the consumers and provides top-notch service. The stores are regarded as one of the finest. The stores of ALDI Australia are uniquely designed suit the shopping preference of its customers. All ALDI stores have similar sizes and designs. Unlike conventional retail shops, the stores of the company provide an aesthetic environment for buyers. The company emphasises of proper location which makes the stores effective.The success of the stores is credited on the ability of the firm to match substance and form. It is important to instil in the minds of the consumers that more than quality food, buying at ALDI Australia stores is a wonderful experience. The franchises that the company has established worldwide has helped the company is establishing global market presence. T he supermarkets represent ALDI overseas and such resource has provided huge dividends. Several investors in other countries have noticed the increased attention given to the food products of ALDI. This will translate to better opportunities for the supermarket in the future.IV. Company Strategies Strategies of firms are considered to lean towards the strategic scope focusing on the demand, and the strategic strength concentrating on the supply. Porter (1980) further simplified the method by reducing the strategy to three dimensions that include: cost leadership, differentiation, and segmentation. These aspects will be used to analyse the strategy of ALDI Australia in its objective to remain at the forefront of the competition. ALDI values the cheapness of its products. Low-cost goods available at ALDI stores entice most of its consumers and prospects.The cost leadership strategy values efficiency. ALDI has been providing several programs to improve its efficiency. Specific strategie s involve the establishment of distribution centres. Transportation expenses were reduced because of accessible distribution points. The logistic system has been improved to reduce non-performing components of the distribution process. The differentiation strategy of the company is assigned to the research and development team. ALDI have been working with suppliers. This is the initial process that will eventually lead to better products and innovative solutions.Workforce efficiency is a major issue that the company includes in its strategies. Incentives are also provided to workers based on the quantity and quality of work. The performance of the firm is highly dependent on the manner in which customer service and operational activities are manifested by the employees. The contribution provided by the personnel along with the top-notch products sum up the offering of ALDI Australia to its customers. Porter (1985) identified primary activities and support activities in the process o f value-adding. ALDI Australia has been dedicated in maximising value and minimising cost.The company has provided top-notch inbound logistics with its equipments and machines transferring the raw materials without damaging the freshness. The handling of the food from the farmlands to the processing site is meticulously managed. Moreover, the manner in which the food are packed and processed follows quality procedures. In the processing part, ALDI Australia has devoted all necessary resources to maintain the high value of food taken from the finest farms in Australia. ALDI retails stores are designed to ensure the high quality of its products.After the products have been placed in distributions centres, the sales and marketing team will work (Bonn, 2007). Aside from the television and print advertisements, the company has relied on the Internet to introduce ALDI Australia in the market. In addition, the stores of ALDI Australia are highly accessible ensuring that shoppers will exper ience no problems while purchasing food. The customer service initiative of the company is highly recognised since service is extended after the purchases are completed. The company has been using storage devices that emphasise on the freshness of the products.Products that have long shelf lives are safely stored in areas free from causing damage. The transportation arteries from the company to the distribution sites are improved and results to fast travel. Cost is reduced through efficient storage devises and the consumption for energy is decreased using better delivery systems. The company strictly follows a low price philosophy. In most convenient stores, products are usually priced with high mark-ups. The strategy of ALDI is to sell in high quantity at lower prices. ALDI has created an efficient checkout system (Bonn, 2007).This is implemented to prevent customers from spending time queuing when making payments. Aside from the checkouts, ALDI Australia has a systematised product display. Customer can easily identify the location of the goods needed without hassles. Although company savings are important for ALDI, the retail store understands that customers also need to be provided with ample savings in all forms. ALDI Australia sells a wide variety of products. Some stores are limited, but ALDI caters to the needs of its customers. As stated earlier, ALDI sells at least 700 kinds of products in its stores.These products range from highly perishable to preserved products (Bonn, 2007). Aside from food, ALDI also sells other merchandises used for general purposes. The firm has been using a stringent quality control process. ALDI personnel ensure that damaged products are segregated from the intact goods. The inventory system of ALDI also assures that the fresh stocks are provided to the consumers. Expansion is one of the goals of the company. ALDI targets its store count to be in the 200 level by 2008. This means that ALDI Australia will be established in oth er areas where demand is high.At present the store count of ALDI Australia is at 165 shops. Although the target still huge, it is highly realisable considering the capacity of the company. ALDI Australia remains committed to serve its customers and make the stores closer to households. V. Strategy Analysis In the retail industry, the success of strategies can be measured through operational decisions and marketing decisions (Bonn, 2007). Both are strengths of the ALDI Australia and remain as the fundamental driver of success. Because of its selling philosophy, the most logical method of market segmentation is by income.The social structure of households in Australia is part of the middle to upper levels. Aside from this group, ALDI Australia can control the lower bracket in the society. These groups are the consumers with the lowest income. The cheap products offered by ALDI Australia fits their budget. In theory, positioning refers to the perceptions developed in the minds of the t arget market. It entails the creation of image of the brand and the entire organisation (Trout and Rivkin, 1996). Positioning is purely procedural and relies on the completion of stages before making further improvements.Consumer preference is the most important aspect in this process. In addition, ALDI has to target the specific needs before making its position. It is evident that ALDI has established a niche in the industry. From this position, ALDI can become a strong player in the market. Combining the different aspects associated to marketing is vital to the company. The development of marketing mix entails strategies that are design to ensure consistency in the quality of performance (Culliton, 1948). Price and product quality are the two main components of the mix. Low price is insufficient to attract the consumers.Combining such aspect with high product quality creates better chances of succeeding. Strategic management is one of the staple initiatives being implemented by AL DI. Mintzberg (1989) observed that strategy is linked to plans and the behaviour patterns within organisations. The technical process of realising strategic management is divided into two areas. The first phase regard planning as course for intended strategy and the patterned actions are the realised strategies. The process of strategic planning has allowed ALDI to meticulously evaluate their positions in different markets.In addition, strategies of ALDI have remained generic. But ALDI has realised the need to make the strategies flexible to satisfy various needs of consumers. Lewin (1983) stated that corporate social responsibility highlights the duty of the organisations to their stakeholders. Instead on focusing on corporate activities, firms have decided to undertake endeavours with perceived social relevance. This has been one of the weak spots that ALDI needs to improve. Although financial gains from the process are low, ALDI can further improve its reputation. In the retail i ndustry, perception is an important influence to buyers.Firms that tend to provide aid to community activities are being supported by consumers through purchases. Benchmarking is another aspect that has to be developed by ALDI Australia. McNair and Leibfried (1992) contends that benchmarking is designed to leave the past behind and embrace the future. The benchmarking process has many defining aspects. It has to be purposeful, externally focused, measurement based, information intensive, objective, and action generating. All practices performed according to the needs of the firm. VI. Recommendations ALDI Australia is successful because of the pay less strategies and sound management fundamentals.The company needs to sustain its strengths and slowly eliminate the weaknesses. A foreign venture appears to be logical because the domestic market is starting to become overpopulated. The firm has to boost is project refresh and continue the dedication to provide the best infrastructures an d workforce. Combining these components with effective management and good strategies will ensure the robust growth being enjoyed by ALDI Australia. Expenses for advertisements cover most of the budget allocated for marketing. ALDI Australia has to provide inputs on matters that will improve the advertisements.The firm also needs to provide funds for the airing of the advertisements on televisions and even radios. Advertisements done using newspapers and other prints need to reflect the essence of Marks and Spencer food products. The advertisements in the websites need to be easily viewed and accessed (Drummond and Ensor, 2001). These initiatives have to be combined with traditional processes. It is also important for ALDI Australia to maintain balance between price and quality. There are criticisms made by competitors that ALDI’s initiative to sell goods in low prices is driven by the sub-par quality of goods.Ensuring that prices remain competitive is a must for ALDI. But th e company has to continuously address the need to keep product quality high. Through this strategy, ALDI will go on and improve its performance. References ALDI Australia. (2007). Company Philosophy. Date extracted: 9 November 2007, from: ALDI International. (2007). Date extracted: 9 November 2007, from: < http://www. aldi. com/> Bonn, I. (2007). â€Å"ALDI in Australia†, in Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach. Hill, by Hil, C. W. and Jones, G. Spring, IA: Houghton Mifflin College.Coriolis Research. (2000). ALDI in Australia: Whaty will be the Impact? Auckland: Coriolis Research Limited. Culliton, J. (1948). The Management of Marketing Cost. Boston: Harvard University – Graduate School of Business Administration. Deming, W. Edwards. (1986). Out of Crisis. Cambridge: MIT Centre for Advanced Engineering. Drummond, G and Ensor, J. (2001). Strategic Marketing Planning and Control. London: Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd. Juran, Joseph. (1974). The Quality Control Handb ook 3rd Edition. New York: McGraw Hill. Lewin, T. (1983). The New York Times.â€Å"Business Ethic’s New Appeal. † McGahan, A. (2004). How Industries Evolve – Principles of Achieving and Sustaining Superior Performance. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. McNair and Leibfried. (1992). Benchmarking: A Tool for Continuous Improvement. Oliver Wright Publications. Mintzberg, Henry. (1989). Mintzberg on Management. London: Free Press. Porter, M. (1980). Competitive Advantage: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. New York: Free Press. Porter, M. (1985). Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Free Press.

John Bergers Extended Definition of Home

John Bergers Extended Definition of Home A highly regarded art critic, novelist, poet, essayist, and screenwriter, John Berger began his career as a painter in London. Among his best-known works are Ways of Seeing (1972), a series of essays about the power of visual images, and G. (also 1972), an experimental novel which was awarded both the Booker Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction. In this passage from And Our Faces, My Heart, Brief as Photos (1984), Berger draws on the writings of Mircea Eliade, a Romanian-born historian of religion, to offer an extended definition of home. The Meaning of Home by John Berger The term home (Old Norse Heimer, High German heim, Greek komi, meaning village) has, since a long time, been taken over by two kinds of moralists, both dear to those who wield power. The notion of home became the keystone for a code of domestic morality, safeguarding the property (which included the women) of the family. Simultaneously the notion of homeland supplied the first article of faith for patriotism, persuading men to die in wars which often served no other interest except that of a minority of their ruling class. Both usages have hidden the original meaning. Originally home meant the center of the world- not in a geographical, but in an ontological sense. Mircea Eliade has demonstrated how the home was the place from which the world could be founded. A home was established, as he says, at the heart of the real. In traditional societies, everything that made sense of the world was real; the surrounding chaos existed and was threatening, but it was threatening because it was unreal. Without a home at the center of the real, one was not only shelterless but also lost in nonbeing, in unreality. Without a home everything was fragmentation.​ Home was the center of the world because it was the place where a vertical line crossed with a horizontal one. The vertical line was a path leading upwards to the sky and downwards to the underworld. The horizontal line represented the traffic of the world, all the possible roads leading across the earth to other places. Thus, at home, one was nearest to the gods in the sky and to the dead of the underworld. This nearness promised access to both. And at the same time, one was at the starting point and, hopefully, the returning point of all terrestrial journeys.*  Originally published in  And Our Faces, My Heart, Brief as Photos, by John Berger (Pantheon Books, 1984). Selected Works by John Berger A Painter of Our Time, novel (1958)Permanent Red: Essays in Seeing, essays (1962)The Look of Things, essays (1972)Ways of Seeing, essays (1972)G., novel (1972)Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000, screenplay (1976)Pig Earth, novel (1979)The Sense of Sight, essays (1985)Once in Europe, novel (1987)Keeping a Rendezvous, essays (1991)To the Wedding, novel (1995)Photocopies, essays (1996)Hold Everything Dear: Dispatches on Survival and Resistance, essays (2007)From A to X, novel (2008)

Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast Cancer Treatment â€Å"Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body† (Carlson et al., 2009). Cancerous cells are also referred to as malignant cells. â€Å"Cells act as the building blocks of organisms† (Carlson et al., 2009). Under normal circumstances, cells will undergo cell division depending on the body’s needs, and then die once their function ends.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Breast Cancer Treatment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, malignant cells divide very fast and sometimes fail to die. Cancer develops in different tissues and organs of the body. Cancerous cells have the characteristic of spreading from their source to other parts of the body (invasive). Cancerous cells that remain at their source are said to be noninvasive. The breast is one common organ that cancer affects. Breast cancer occurs in two main categories (Carlson, et al., 2009). Ductal malignancy: this is the most common type of cancer. This type of breast cancer manifests itself in the tubes/ducts which form the channel for transporting milk from the breast to the nipple. â€Å"Lobular carcinoma: this type of cancer usually begins in the milk producing regions of the breast (lobules)† (Breast cancer, 2011). Rarely does cancer develop from other parts of the breast. â€Å"Breast cancer is known to occur in invasive or noninvasive form† (Breast cancer 2011). Thus, cancerous cells in the breast may metastasize to other parts of the breast from their source. The prevalence and causes of cancer vary. â€Å"Cancer biologists have discovered that most breast carcinomas are sensitive to the hormone estrogen† (Breast cancer, 2011). The hormone causes the cancerous cells to grow. The breast cancer cells that respond to estrogen have estrogen receptors on their surfaces (Breast cancer, 2011). Cancer biologists refer to these estrogen receptor possessing breast cancer c ells as receptor-positive/EP-positive cancer cells. Scientists have discovered a certain gene called HER2 that helps breast cancer cells to multiply and repair themselves. It has also been noted that women with this type of gene have a severe breast cancer than their female counterparts who lack it. In addition, HER2 bearers have a higher risk of breast cancer reoccurrence. Generally, chances of developing cancer increase with age. The older one becomes, the higher the risk. Women above 50 years have advanced breast cancer cases. Women are twice more likely to develop breast cancer than men. Family history plays a central role in dictating the chances of someone developing breast cancer. Persons whose close relatives had ovarian, uterine, breast or colon cancer are at a high-risk of developing breast cancer. Scientists have also discovered that women who experience very early periods (before the age of 12), and those who continue to experience periods through menopause (after age 55 ) have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Moreover, excessive alcohol (for adults) and radiation therapy around the chest area in children present a risk of developing breast cancer.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Women who have received hormone replacement therapy with estrogen and those that used diethylstilbestrol (DES) are at a higher risk. Child birth has also been found to have an effect on breast cancer. Bearing several children and at an early age, reduces the risk. On the other hand, women who bear children after the age of 30 or those who do not bear children at all poses a great risk of developing breast cancer (Giuliano et al. 2011). Breast cancer at an early stage does not present any symptoms (Hayes, 2007). That is why experts encourage women to go for regular checkups. However, after it has progressed it may present the following symptoms. A ha rd lump in the breast or armpit that does not induce pain is an indicator of breast cancer. The lump has uneven edges. Change in the appearance (size and shape) of the nipple may be another indicator. The nipple may show some reddening, dimpling or puckering. The nipple may also produce a discharge. The fluid could be bloody, clear, and yellow or appear like pus. â€Å"Symptoms of advanced breast cancer are bone pain, breast pain and discomfort, skin ulcers, weight loss and swelling of one arm next to the breast with cancer† (Breast cancer, 2011). The treatment of cancer depends on the type, stage, sensitivity to certain hormones or whether the cancer over expresses HER2/neu gene (Carlson et al., 2009). Doctors usually conduct certain tests before deciding the type of treatment to give. Such tests include breast MRI, biopsy, ultrasound, mammography, sentinel lymph node biopsy or CT/PET scans. Three options may be employed. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy (to kill cancer cel ls) and surgery to remove the cancerous tissue (could be lumpectomy or mastectomy). Hormone therapy may be prescribed to women with ER positive breast cancer to inhibit certain hormones that cause uncontrolled cell division. Newer strategies include biologic/targeted therapy and immunotherapy (Carlson et al., 2009). â€Å"In targeted therapy, anticancer drugs are used to recognize and inhibit certain changes in cells that may lead to cancer† (Breast cancer, 2009). Immunotherapy utilizes activated immune system cells to treat cancer cells. More research is being carried out to shade more light on the use of immunotherapy. References Breast Cancer (2009). Breast Cancer. Web. Breast Cancer (2011). Breast Cancer. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Breast Cancer Treatment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Carlson, R. et al. (2009). Breast Cancer: Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Journal of Comprehensive Cancer Network, 7(2), 122-92. Giuliano, A. et al. (2011). Axillary Dissection vs no Axillary Dissection in Women with Invasive Breast Cancer and Sentinel Node Metastasis: A Randomized Controll Trial. Journal of the American Association (JAMA), 305(6), 569-75. Hayes, D. (2007). Clinical Practice: Folow-up of Patients with Early Breast Cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine, 356(24), 2505-13.

Impact of customer motivation on profitability of financial Essay

Impact of customer motivation on profitability of financial institution in Oman - Essay Example Without these people this work would not have come to a smooth completion. May the Almighty Allah bless you all and protect you. Research findings have potent that customer motivation is an essential ingredient in the performance of a financial institution all over the world. It has been shown by business research that well satisfied customer’s guarantees at least 2% increment in business profitability by the end of every trading year. Customer satisfaction reduces the cost of business operations on advertizing by over 5% every year according to research findings. This is because a satisfied customer is an advertisement to a business by itself. This research study is aimed at finding the motivational tools used by financial institutions in Oman in achieving their financial objectives. The objective of this study is to evaluate customer motivation techniques in Oman banks and other financial institutions. It focuses on the influences of these motivations to the achievement of these institutions goals and objectives. Business experts have agreed to the fact that businesses that invest in customer motivat ion more often than not makes high profits than those that do not. Over a long time financial institutions have adopted the idea of treating customers as assets. This has therefore necessitated the need to measure the value of the customer and the value customer by financial institutions. This also has provided several institutions with the need to identify opportunities for the growth of the customer value and the return of investment on customer base and loyalty to an institution. Such findings often are seen as the basis of employee actions in the creation of the values that attracted and increased the customer base in an institution. The achievement of such objective requires the development of appropriate incentive

Process Analysis on how to cook a specific item ( author's Choice) Essay

Process Analysis on how to cook a specific item ( author's Choice) - Essay Example Pasta can be used with almost every meal but the taste would be seemingly different in accordance to the type of sauce, cream and associating dishes added to it (Woodruff, 2001). The Al Dente term is defined as ‘to the tooth’ which translates to that pasta strand with the outer lying soft texture but still firm on the inside. In other words, the pasts is not overcooked and is much firmer that most commonly cooked pasta. Al dente pasta is more of a cooking technique rather than an actual type of pasta. Cooking pasta the al dente way means it attains a particular texture. Al dente pasta has its health benefits as it helps lower the glycemic index which translates to our bodies having less blood sugar thus avoiding blood sugar spikes. Overcooked pasta on the contrary, has high Glycemic Index rating which cause a spike in the sugar level in the blood (Woodruff, 2001). Pasta is a starch-based filling just like bread, rice and potatoes which makes for a healthy diet. People ar e encouraged to eat at least 6 servings of starch daily. People can be creative and make the pasta more interesting by making different kinds of pasta. One has the option of using vegetables, chicken and shrimp. Other options include simmering pasta with sauces, spices and herbs like in the Mediterranean dishes. Americans prefer the plain old macaroni and cheese or mixing pasta with casserole dishes (Woodruff, 2001). Ingredients Some of the requirements include several sprigs of fresh rosemary, bread pieces, mustard, quality beef or pork which should be minced for the meat balls. In addition, oregano, salt, pepper, basil, garlic, chili and cheese for spicing up the meat ball sauce. Not forgetting the egg which is used for making the spaghetti meat balls and vinegar, onions, tomatoes and of course s The Pasta One thing that someone must have in mind before starting the cooking of the ‘Al dente’ pasta is that it must be soft enough but also have some sort of rigidity and maintain shape. This means that it must not be sticky but instead be starchy at just the right amount so that the meat ball sauce may stick on it. Method The first step is to put water in a large cooking container and let it boil. The amount of water should be about four to five times the amount of pasta which is being cooked. The amount of pasta also depends on the number of people to be served. So for 250gms of spaghetti, it is advisable for one to use about a liter full of water to prepare it. Salt is added to the water at this point not so much and not too little; just the right amount. Then the pasta is added into the pot or cooking container once the water has boiled. This is done by slowly dropping in the pasta into the boiling water. Once the pasta and water are now boiling in together, the heat at this point should be monitored and kept as a medium. One can simmer down until the pasta is well-cooked or put the heat high enough to stir up the pasta so that the strands remain separated. During the first few minutes, one can stir the pasta with a fork and the stirring can be reduced or completely stopped once the water is becoming used up. By keeping the pasta at the right temperature, and ensuring that the water does not all dry up, then the pasta is less likely to stick onto the sides of the pot. Depending on the instructions on the spaghetti packet, one should not cook for a time longer than what indicated there. About a