Religions of the Caribbean and Latin America Essay

Religions of the Caribbean and Latin America - Essay Example This religion is seen not only in Haiti, where its origins lie, but also in Mexico and South America, and most famously in New Orleans, where its practitioners have included Dr John, the shaman Drummer, and Marie Laveau, the New Orleans healer. It is from the academic studies of this religion that we have received some of the most powerful images of modern mystery faiths. It is also known as Vodou, Vodun, and many other variations, depending upon the writer concerned. As at attempt at compromise, Voodoo will be used to discuss the Haitian religion as a cultural signifier, while Vodun (which means spirit or sacred) will be used to discuss the actual religion of the area. Vodun, moreover, is not the only religion in the area based upon the entwined influence of African Gods, Christian imagery, and native American shaman faiths. Other interesting religions of the area include Santeria, the faith of the Yoruba in Cuba and the Diaspora, Candomble, and Umbanda. These three religions are referred to under the umbrella term of ‘Macumba’.'Macumba'. While this essay will study the differences and similarities between the Vodun and Santeria, the other religions of this region are also worthy of mention, as they have produced transculturation in differing ways, especially Umbanda, which is unusual even for the area: Umbanda in perhaps the youngest of these forms only emerging in 1904 and strangely enough being a fusion not of Christian and African beliefs, but Hindu, Buddhist and African beliefs. (Patrice, 2003, page 7) Even such a well-known religion such as Jamaican Rastafarianism, which is fundamentally a Christian religion, combines elements of a pan-African religious perspective, including There would be a mystic return to the African homelandlinked to notions of cultural recovery through a spiritual connection to the African homeland. The belief in the soul's return to Africa after death was widespread in the Caribbean. (Olmos and Paravisini-Gebert. 2003, page 156-7) Rastafarianism is a connection between the deeply religious Christian community, and the equally religious Pan-African faiths of the Caribbean. Furthermore, the idea of a spiritual movement back to Africa after death ties it in strongly to the Vodun, Candomble, and even Espiritismo, which is the Creole interpretation of spiritualism in areas such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Southern states of the United States. In all the religions of the Caribbean so far discussed, the importance of spiritual connection with the dead, with ancestors in Africa, and direct contact with the gods, or Lwa, who will be discussed later. Voodoo is seen by outsiders as a very 'dark' faith, one in which the priests and priestesses kill their enemies through magic, the famous 'voodoo' dolls, and rites which involve animal sacrifice (and human sacrifice too, it is alleged). Other myths of voodoo imagine the creation of many Zombies as workers, have become the staple of horror movies, and TV shows such as 'Hex'. Santeria, while associated with Vodun, concentrates much more upon the worship of Gods in the guises of Catholic Saints. The very name means 'Worship (or way) of the Saints", and so provides a perfect example of the mixing of Christian and African religions in this melting pot of faiths known as the Caribbean. This essay seeks to analyze the true religions of Vodun and Santeria, approaching the faiths through a history of the people, from a consideration of the cultural influences of both religions, to the nature of the worship before Slavery was abolished. The role of Voodoo in Haiti and New Orleans will be considered,

Principles of Supervision Essay Example for Free

Principles of Supervision Essay As part of this course, you will be required to take field notes for the field portion of the class which I will grade at the end of the semester. These field notes should be taken as if you were a naturalist describing the biology/ecology of a newly-discovered environment. An example of what I expect: Date: October 22, 2011 Location: Fort DeSoto Time: 09:30 – 09:45 Conditions: Heavy rain and wind, occasional lightning, severe flooding due to extremely high tides Walking on the trail at the welcome center where the water was waist deep. At the southern red cedar tree I noticed a bull shark feeding on a brown pelican, at which time I turned around and went home. Species identified (for species you identify, sketches are often helpful, maybe even indicate whether or not you took a picture. I STRONGLY suggest you take notes on any diagnostic characters we talk about): Southern red cedar – 20 feet tall, with scaly, needle-like leaves, bluish berries, and brown, shredded bark Brown pelican – large, brown bird, with a long, broad beak and a white head Bull shark – 5 feet long, very deep-bodied (large girth), blunt nose Obviously I don’t anticipate that you will encounter a scene such as this, but similar detail is required. Notes should be taken both in class and during your out-of-class excursions. Include drawings of plants/animals, key identifying features, terms we discuss etc. These notes will be extremely beneficial when studying for your field exam as well as preparing your collections. NOTE: field notes do not need to be typed, but I must be able to clearly read your writing. Also, a simple list of species we encounter will not be sufficient. To receive full credit, at a minimum you must have a set of field notes for every field trip we take. Should you miss a field trip, it is your responsibility to make up the trip on your own.

Confucius :: essays research papers

Confucius and Lao Tzu Confucius and Lao Tzu were two highly known scholars in Ancient China. These scholars with their intellectual writings changed the views of the Chinese people. Confucius believed in the moral values and filial piety, he also wanted civic obedience. Lao Tzu was a mystical writer, his comparison between a "perfect world" and the "real world" made people think to act as loving and caring peoples. (Expand on what they thought about) Confucius was brought to the world sometime in 551 BCE in the state of Lu. Confucius was born to the name K’ung Ch’iu, and his father died when he was only 3 years old, leaving his family to a life of poverty. Even though poor, Confucius was given a fine education. Then at the age of 19, he married and had a son and two daughters, but after two years of marriage he was stricken with poverty once again. With poverty striking again he was forced into menial labors for the chief of the district in which he lived. When his mother died in 527 BCE he mourned for a long period of time. After this stage of his life he began a new way of life as a teacher, traveling from place to place with a small group of disciples preaching. His teachings of Chinese ideals and customs soon spread all throughout Lu. In his speeches he also taught the people gathered his view of filial piety and his views of moral values. Then at the age of fifty he was appointed as the minister of crime of Lu. This administration was very successful, and Confucius made Lu very powerful and free from crime. Confucius never wrote his teachings out on paper himself, however they were passed down through his disciples and later wrote out in text form in a document called "Lun Yu."(Encarta ’98, "Confucius) Lao Tzu was born sometime around 570 in the province of Henan and there he was a court librarian. Lao Tzu was not his real name; this name was given to him as an honorific title meaning "Old Master." Lao Tzu spoke to groups of people, about life the way he thought it should be, which was a natural way of life with goodness, serenity, and respect. He did not lay down any code of law of behavior; he believed that conduct came from instincts. He also believed that human life as well as everything else was influenced by outside forces, and simplicity was the key to truth and freedom.

GD Random

Chicago natives Grammar Award winner Kenya West and celebrated hip hop a artist and actor Common. Both artists provide the book's foreword as well. From convict to conqueror, pistol to pen, Ward serves as a legitimate role MO del and real life urban legend for today's misguided youth.A self made entrepreneur, politician n, community activist and leader, Ward is a native of Chicago Altered Gardens, one of the t suggest housing projects in America. The DVD chronicles his street life, criminal enter prices and rise to a life of rightful endeavors with Altered Gardens serving as the backdrop. A vivid and heart wrenching testimony to the laws of survival and success, â€Å"Ga nester with a Heart of Gold: The None G. Story† was produced by Block 8 Productions and directed by Goodie and Chick who are best known for their music video work with hip ho p artists Kenya West, Pit Bull, Ill' Jon and Moss Deft.Redrawing journalist Adam Matthews h eloped shape the film's narrative and wrote Common's script. While the film captures and portrays the essence of gang life in Chicago, Ward ‘s life growing up, family ties, imprisonment, his rise in the Gangster Disciples and his transit ion out and ended, the book is a more personal narrative from Ward offering straight fro m the streets life advice and motivation. Ward's personal story is an encouraging tale. The former gang leader has com platelet transformed his life and dedicated his path toward making a way for others t o follow.Political prisoner and founder of the Gangster Disciples, Larry Hoover, hand picked No none Ward to implement a new direction of change and betterment for the community at la urge, with â€Å"Growth and Development† becoming the new battle cry. â€Å"Street violence is not going to go away overnight,† Ward acknowledges. It is difficult to understand what these young people are dealing with if you haven't been the re and lived that life. I'm not proud of my past, but it is wha t it is and because of it, I now have a unique platform to engage the possibility of change. It crushes my heart to know that it's a war zone out here.Every time a child is killed, a part of me dies with them. I'm a soldier out here now trying to make a change. If my personal story can help someone then know God is using me and I'm a better man more for it. I'm giving away my books and DVD's to help get the word out n the streets that there is a better way and we have got to end the violence. † Ward is serious about pulling others up with him. Utilizing the hip hop com unity as his vehicle, he has garnered a list of noteworthy accomplishments to his credit ova re the years. He actively engages the efforts and support Of several hip hop luminaries.Cell, from NBC ‘The Voice† made a personal appearance at Ward's Chicago book signing race nutty and has committed to assisting with the holiday book giveaway. He partnered with race Roding artist Trey Songs to create the S ongs for Peace Foundation, joined with rapper/ actor T. I. O speak to youth in schools and hosted a toy drive for Chicago children with hip hop artist t Wake Flak. Ward's early accomplishments include working with President Barack Obama as an activist in Altered Gardens, and organizing Chicago first National Gang Summit for Pea CE attended by Russell Simmons, NFG legend Jim Brown and Minister Louis Farmhand.

Electronic Health Records Essay

Introduction Electronic health records (also known as ‘e-notes’) have commonly replaced the conventional paper records used in medical facilities. This discussion describes how electronic health records have provided a solution to a range of health care procedures, have offered cost savings and benefits, and still have greater potential for improvement through future efforts. Overall, this discussion documents the progress and demands for further convenience in regards to electronic health records, presenting concepts, statistics, and recent analyses published by authorities on the topic. Through this, it is evident that electronic health notes still have shortcomings that are commonly noted and targeted, but as they have solved many more problems inherent in previous systems, they are the ideal path for development and improvement in this area. Electronic Health Records Since the development of electronic health records, healthcare managers have been able to reach numerous solutions to previous problems in their systems; this has included improved capacities to record and store the clinical and demographic information patients, the capacity to observe or manage the results of laboratory tests, the capacity to give prescriptions, improved ease of managing billing data, and improved facilitation of analysis for clinical decisions. These improvements reveal the nature of challenges and demands relevant to operations using the previous form of records (paper), with electronic health records being substantially more organized, convenient, and manageable. According to Al-Ubaydli (70), the use of paper records â€Å"had several implications. On the one hand, writing on paper fast and easy, so it fits well with clinical workflow. On the other hand, notes are only useful to the person who reads them, no to the one who writes them. When writing, speed and brevity are essential as there are always more patients to visit and care for. But for the reader, speed means illegible handwriting and brevity means incomplete notes. This leads clinicians to ask patients questions to which the answers already exist in the notes† (Al-Ubaydli 70). Moreover, as the author pointed out, paper is more difficult to transfer or copy, leading to it ultimately becoming easiest to keep the records confined to one central place. With this, they cannot move as easily as the patient, and the chore of copying tended to result in the patients being without a complete set of easily accessible records. Meanwhile, there are substantial space and cost requirements associated with storing paper records. The development of computer hardware, software, and improved data storage techniques eventually led to the development of efficient and effective software capable of storing patient data in secure databases, further allowing all data to be stored in a size-efficient manner that could also be easily transmitted. With the development of the internet, patient files could even be stored and transmitted online, providing an ideal backup for databases while improving the capacity for patients to have complete record sets sent to a range of facilities. The general motivation for creating these electronic health records was to address the problems inherent in the paper records, with the most convenient aspect being the cost-effective nature of storage and transmission; the nature of this being a virtually free cost and nearly instantaneous transmission made the desire and changes especially significant. Moreover, electronic health records would allow users to improve the capacity for users to index, sort, and search through records faster than the time demanded to sort through the paper files manually (Al-Ubaydli 70). An additional benefit is the reduced potential for illegible notes, as the nature of the systems means that all data is entered in using clear computerized text characters. As mentioned, similar to the nature of demands and problems evident in the paper records, there are now demands for improving aspects of the electronic records. However, these problems can be addressed through improved organization, software, and other means that does not demand a drastic change in mediums, as was required to address the problems of the paper records. Al-Ubaydli (71) reported that electronic health records â€Å"must include checks and balances to audit and control access. Second, the user interfaces for adding to the records must become easier to that they fit better into clinical workflow and allow clinicians to do more in less time. Speech recognition continues to improve, and the designers of templates continue to innovate.† The author further points out that similar to the improved search engines of the internet (first challenging and then drastically improved with developments like Google), electronic health records can be similarly improved without restructuring comparable to restructuring paper records. Other researchers have analyzed the nature of electronic health records, further elaborating on the nature of solutions and remaining demands. DeVoe et al. (351) pointed out that the clear and detailed recording of all received and recommended services should be considered the most vital aspect of health records, which is most effectively addressed through electronic records rather than paper records. This further assists with insurance aspects, as the detailed and accurate aspects of recording services can improve coordination with claims and related demands. DeVoe et al. (352) further asserted that electronic health records have the potential to assist researchers and policy makers with overcoming prior restrictions in examining services provided in CHCs. Meanwhile, Hoffman and Podgurski (425) reported on the growth of health care and pharmaceutical costs, frequency of unnecessary medical procedures, evoked healthcare reforms, and critical roles of records in all of these processes. With this, comparative effectiveness research (CER) has commonly been coupled with electronic health records to show that many expensive procedures have had less desirable outcomes for comparable conditions that less expensive ones, pointing out the nature of some health care facilities and physicians. Meanwhile, however, some have argued that CER is likely to lead to limited patient choices, improper rationing of health care, homogenized care, and potentially refusal of needed treatments (Hoffman and Podgurski 425). Congress allocated $1.1 billion to CER through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, which included other aspects of improving and restructuring facilities. Soon it became evident that a unique application of CER could allow physicians to improve their decisions regarding treatment, as when coupled with electronic health records, physicians could conduct computer inquiries across a large database of patient records. Naturally, this would provide a valuable supplement to the patient’s history and literature. Hoffman and Podgurski (425) recommended that software be designed to summarize findings of queries by presenting the most relevant outcomes of patients with the most comparable conditions, while records be developed and stored in a manner which facilitates this. Thus, personalized comparison of treatment effectiveness or PCTE could become a phrase more common than CER in the future. Conclusion Electronic health care records have solved many of the problems that could not be effectively addressed through developments in the paper systems, with major improvements in the capacity to copy and transfer records, cost of storage, and clarity of information. Although this has led to implications for security and excessive copying, databases have been developed to improve the concerns in these areas. Moreover, researchers have proposed additional improvements in development as well as use, with records having the potential to serve as an informal accessible databank, thereby improving understanding and decision making. Works Cited Al-Ubaydli, Mohammad. Personal Health Records: A Guide for Clinicians. John Wiley & Sons: New York, NY, 2011. DeVoe, Jennifer, Rachel Gold, Patti McIntire, Jon Puro, and Susan Chauvie. â€Å"Electronic Health Records vs Medicaid Claims: Completeness of Diabetes Preventive Care Data in Community Health Centers.† Annals of Family Medicine 9.4 (2011): 351-358. Hoffman, Sharona and Andy Podgurski. â€Å"Improving Health Care Outcomes through Personalized Comparisons of Treatment Effectiveness Based on Electronic Health Records.† Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 39.3 (2011): 425-436.

Using the Federal Rehabilitation Act 1973 versus Americans with Disabilities Act in court essays

Using the Federal Rehabilitation Act 1973 versus Americans with Disabilities Act in court essays In this instance, Lawyer Smart thinks it is unlikely that Mr. Ganizer could win a suit against the public university in question under the Americans with Disabilities Act because although the terms of the act requires employers to make reasonable accommodates to individuals with medical disabilities, the individual in question must be able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations. What this means is that employers are not obligated to hire an individual if he or she cannot perform the skills needed to do the main parts of the job. Furthermore, the university is a public as well as a private institution, complicating the legal ramifications of the act. But a recent amendment, called Section 508, to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the Federal government be accessible to people with disabilities. This is one reason, besides the fact that the university receives federal funding, that lawyer Smart may think there is hope for winning a suite against the university under the Federal Rehabilitations Act of 1973. In this particular instance, no efforts were made by the registrar to make it easier for Mr. Ganizer to perform his actions necessary for the job through the use of technology. Given the 1973 law's recent change in 1998, it is likely that Mr. Ganizer's suite under the Federal Rehabilitations Act of 1973 will enable lawyer Smart to gain restitution for his client. Firstly, Ganizer's supervisors were made aware, early on, of his disability. Although Mr. Ganizer made a good faith effort to inform his employers of his disability, they did nothing to make it easier for him to perform his job to the best of his ability using informational technology available to the registrar. ...

Cross Culture Management

Cross Culture Management Introduction Culture refers to the system of â€Å"shared attitudes, values, goals and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or a group†. Culture varies from region to region, since people tend to hold different beliefs, values and attitudes across the globe. Thus, cross cultural management refers to the process through which people learn about â€Å"variations of culture, practices, and preferences of an organization’s stakeholders†.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Cross Culture Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The increase in globalization and advancement in technology in the last two decades have created growth opportunities for multinational corporations. As competition increase in domestic markets, multinational firms normally join overseas markets in order to increase their sales and market shares. Firms that operate in foreign markets (countries), usuall y serve customers with diverse cultural backgrounds. Additionally, multinational firms usually employ individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds. Managing employees from diverse cultures is a challenge since people tend to think, feel and act differently in different cultures. Besides, effective communication is normally difficult to achieve in an organization with a multicultural workforce. Thus, cross-cultural management attempts to facilitate the creation of an organizational culture that every employee can identify with. The concept of cross cultural management will be discussed in this paper by analyzing the Home Furniture case study. Cross Cultural Management Policy Home furniture is a multinational corporation operating in Europe, Asia, India and America. The company has adopted a polycentric approach to recruit its employees. A polycentric approach involves recruiting nationals of a foreign country to manage most of the operations of a subsidiary of a multinational corpor ation. Under this approach, the subsidiary tends to be autonomous and develops its own policies. At Home Furniture, nationals of foreign countries normally hold midlevel management positions. An expatriate usually heads a subsidiary of the firm in the early years. The polycentric approach is beneficial to Home Furniture since it facilitates implementation of the firm’s sales and marketing policies. Since Home Furniture’s subsidiaries develop their own marketing policies, the company finds it important to recruit locals who have adequate market knowledge. However, the use of a polycentric approach has also created problems for the company. In particular, there are cultural conflicts between the subsidiaries and the headquarters. For instance, the headquarters and the US subsidiary have different views on teamwork. Solving such cultural conflicts call for the formulation of policies that promote harmony between the subsidiaries and the headquarters.Advertising Lo oking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, cultural conflicts can not be solved through a single policy. Thus, a multi-dimensional approach should be adopted to enhance harmony in a multinational corporation. The new CEO of Home Furniture can consider the following policies as she operates and recruit staff in different countries. Given the autonomous nature of Home furniture’s subsidiaries, the new CEO should consistently follow the polycentric approach in hiring staff. Staff selection is fundamental when forming a multicultural workforce. The human resources department must focus on selecting the right individuals to hold key positions with the company. Thus, it will be important to identify the desired characteristics of the workforce. For example, the firm can focus on hiring managers who can tolerate cultural differences. The identified characteristics should be use d to screen all potential employees during the selection process. Performance evaluation should, generally, be guided by the company’s overall human resource strategy. However, the actual performance evaluation process should be based on local procedures. The managers and the local staff should agree on acceptable targets and the procedure for evaluating performance. Empirical studies reveal that comparability and costs are the main determinants of remuneration and benefits in multinational corporations. The salaries paid to the employees should be comparable, both within the firm and in the industry. Additionally, the salaries should not strain the company’s revenues. A remuneration and benefits policy that reflects the expectations of the local employees is likely to be accepted. In contrary, a remuneration policy that is based on the expectations of the headquarters is likely to be rejected since it might contravene the local labor laws, and the expectations of labo r unions. In order to promote harmony between the headquarters and the subsidiaries, the new CEO should adopt an open culture policy. An open culture policy encourages employees to accept and appreciate their cultural differences. Formulating an open culture policy requires learning about the cultures of employees in various subsidiaries. This will help the CEO and the management to identify the cultural practices that are valued by local employees. Consequently, it will be possible to adapt the organization’s strategy to the local culture. For instance, staff and unions in the US subsidiary believed in negotiating organizational matters instead of a top-down approach to decision making. In such situations, the CEO should recognize the importance of negotiations to US employees in order to avoid conflicts.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Cross Culture Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An effect ive communication system within the organization is fundamental for the implementation of an open culture policy. The norms of communication should be established in advance to guide interaction among employees. According to Hofstede’s culture dimensions, individualism determines the extent to which employees can interact and share information about their cultures. Countries with high individualism scores are associated with little cohesion and interpersonal connection. Countries with a low individualism scores, on the other hand, are associated with strong group cohesion, respect for others and loyalty to the team. In order to promote cohesion among employees in countries with high individualism scores, the New CEO should encourage the management to acknowledge accomplishments of local staff. Additionally, â€Å"debate and expression of personal opinions† should be encouraged in order to promote understanding among the employees. Since perfect harmony can not be achie ved in a multicultural organization such as Home Furniture, the new CEO should adopt a conflict resolution policy to help in solving any conflicts that might arise between the local staff and the headquarters. The conflict resolution policy should address the following issues. First, there should be consensus on how various conflicts should be handled. Second, it must identify the parties to be involved in the resolution process. For instance, in China and Tunisia non-governmental organizations are actively involved in employees’ issues such work conditions and remuneration. In such countries, employees are likely to accept a conflict resolution team that includes members of organizations that fight for their rights. Third, the local employees and the management at the headquarters should agree on the communication channel to be used when resolving a conflict. The selected communication method should reflect the employees’ cultural make-up. Empirical studies revel that cross-cultural competency can be enhanced through effective employee training and development. Such training programs help in creating organizational cultures that take into account the cultural make-up of the local staff and the perspectives or expectations of the headquarters. A widely accepted organizational culture facilitates consistent implementation of strategy across all subsidiaries. Thus, an effective policy should be put in place to guide cross-cultural training programs at Home Furniture. The cross-cultural training policy should address the following issues. First, the policy should encourage the managers to value the cross-cultural training programs. The top managers at the headquarters should understand that training foreign employees on the parent country’s (Finland) business culture is an important strategy. Thus, accountability and ownership should be promoted in order to effectively implement the training strategy. Second, cross-cultural training should be a team effort that involves all stakeholders.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Outside experts, employees’ leaders, managers from subsidiaries and managers from the headquarters should be involved in developing the training model. Team effort will not only improve the quality of the training, but will also improve its acceptance. Third, cross-cultural training should be bilateral. This means that the employees in overseas subsidiaries should be trained on the business culture of the parent country. The employees from the parent country, on the other hand, should be trained on the business culture in foreign countries where the subsidiaries are located. Fourth, cross-cultural training should be incorporated in the process of employee orientation. New recruits at the headquarters should be trained on the business cultures in overseas subsidiaries. New employees in the subsidiaries should also learn about the business culture in Finland where Home Furniture’s headquarters is located. Finally, cross-cultural training programs should be reinforced wit h mentoring initiatives in order to ensure success. Mangers from both Finland (headquarters) and the foreign countries where the subsidiaries are located should be involved in the mentoring program. Mentoring programs promote high performance through commitment to the organization’s expectations and culture. Thus, it will encourage teamwork and tolerance to cultural differences among employees. Communication Strategy Cross cultural communication is concerned with how individuals from different cultures communicate among themselves and in other cultures. From a business perspective, cross culture communication â€Å"refers to interpersonal communication and interaction across different cultures†. Cross culture communication attempts to overcome cultural differences that prevent interaction in a multicultural workforce. Competency in cross cultural communication can be achieved through training, culture immersion and learning new languages. As a multinational corporation , Home Furniture should have an effective communication strategy to enhance interaction among the employees and to facilitate implementation of its business strategies. In developing a communication strategy for Home Furniture, the new CEO can consider the following guidelines. To begin with, developing a communication strategy starts with the formulation of the organization’s communication objectives. In this case, the objectives describe what the organization intends to achieve through its communication strategy. For instance, Home Furniture’s communication objectives could be to achieve cultural tolerance or to improve performance. The communication strategy should be driven by the needs of the organization rather than the employees’ need to communicate with each other. This means that the communication activities at Home Furniture should be a means of achieving strategic goals and objectives. This calls for aligning the communication objectives with those of the organization. Such alignments form the basis for justifying the need for a communication strategy and facilitate the success of the business. Once the communication objectives are set, the audience must be identified. In this context, the audience refers to the employees that the new CEO and other managers need to communicate with in order to achieve the objectives of Home Furniture. Identifying the correct audience helps in answering the question, ‘who should be consulted with what decisions’? Integration and cooperation in a multicultural workforce requires effective reporting relationships. Such relationships facilitate contribution of every employee towards achievement of the organization’s goals. In order to establish reporting relationships, decision rights should be identified and explained to every employee. Decision rights specify the authorities entrusted with the task of making decisions. The decision rights and reporting relationships should refl ect the cultures of the local employees. According to Hofstede’s power/distance culture dimension, some cultures tolerate inequality while others do not. A country with a high power/ distance score is likely to have citizens who tolerate uneven distribution of power. However, citizens in countries with low power/distance scores prefer equal distribution of power. Thus, in countries with high power/distance scores, decisions can be unilaterally made by the management since consultations are not valued. In this case, the management will be the audience. In countries with low power/distance scores, the management must consult as many employees as possible before making a decision. In this case, the audience may include the management and junior employees. The communication strategy should help the CEO to identify the messages to send to various managers and other employees. Strategic targeting, as well as, consistency should be emphasized when creating and conveying messages wit hin the organization. The message should be comprehensive, informative and sent to the right individuals within the organization. Hofstede developed the uncertainty avoidance index (UAI) to measure the level of anxiety under uncertain situations in different cultures. In the context of a multicultural organization like Home Furniture, uncertainty can arise if messages are not clear to the recipients. According to Hofstede, a high UAI score means that members of the society will try as much as possible to avoid ambiguous situations. Law, order and a collective truth tend to prevail in countries with high UAI scores. A low UAI score implies that citizens appreciate differences, and are less concerned with ambiguity. Thus, in countries with high UAI scores, messages should be planned, prepared and communicated regularly. Additionally, the messages should be communicated to the employees in time in order to avoid anxiety. The messages should be concise and clearly specify the expectatio ns of the management. Societies with high UAI scores tend to prefer formal business conduct and policies. Thus, all messages should be based on existing policies. Additionally, a formal structure will be necessary to convey messages in a country with high UAI scores. Societies with low UAI scores tend to prefer informal business attitudes. Risks and change are also accepted in such societies. Thus, creating and sending messages within the organization should not be based on strict rules and structures. Given the differences in uncertainty avoidance levels, the process of creating and sharing messages should be aligned to the business cultures of the subsidiaries. Appropriate tools and activities for communicating the organization’s messages should be identified. Home Furniture’s new CEO should identify the communication channels and activities that are suitable to convey important messages to the targeted audiences. The selection of appropriate communication channels i s determined by the message to be conveyed and the targeted audience. For instance, audiences from societies with a high UAI score tend to prefer formal communication channels. Audiences from societies with low UAI score, on the other hand, tend to be comfortable with informal communication channels. Understanding and embracing cross cultural differences require elimination of cultural barriers that hinder effective communication. Thus, there should be flexibility when choosing a communication channel or the communication activities to be used to convey important messages. The importance of flexibility is based on the premise that long term commitments to traditions vary across cultures. According to Hofstede, a high long term orientation (LTO) score means that people have long term commitments to their traditions. In such situations, focusing on the traditional communication channel will be beneficial to Home Furniture. However, societies with low LTO scores do not value traditions . In such situations, Home Furniture can easily change the communication channels in order to meet its strategic objectives. The CEO and the managers of Home Furniture should be open-minded and able to adapt their communication channels to prevailing cultures. Adequate resources must be allocated for the implementation of the communication strategy. Additionally, the communication strategy should be implemented within the set timelines. The idea is to avoid overspending in implementing the communication strategy. Finally, the communication strategy should be evaluated and amended accordingly over time. Communication audits should be performed in order to measure the effectiveness of the strategy. Communication audits can be performed through surveys or interviews that involve internal, as well as, external audiences of the firm. An independent or external party can be contracted to perform the audit in order to avoid biases in the evaluation process. The evaluation results should be discussed by the relevant stakeholders and used to improve the communication strategy. Conclusion Cross culture management attempts to enhance understanding and appreciation of cultural differences in organizations. Managing a multicultural workforce is usually a challenge to multinational corporations such as Home Furniture. The disagreements between the management of Home Furniture and its employees in subsidiaries across the globe are attributed to cultural conflicts. Consequently, the New CEO at Home Furniture must develop policies that will help in reducing cultural conflicts. Appropriate employment policies will help the New CEO to select employees who tolerate cultural differences. An effective cross cultural training policy will help in creating awareness about cultures of various stakeholders at Home Furniture. Additional, the training programs will encourage culture tolerance. The new CEO should also adopt an open culture policy in order to promote integration and coopera tion among employees. Promoting harmony and achievement of the organization’s objectives requires implementation of an effective communication strategy. In order to achieve success, the objectives of the communication strategy should be aligned to those of the organization. References Holden, N., 2002. Cross-Cultural Management. New York: McGraw-Hill. Johann, R., 2008. Cross-Cultural Management. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Majur, K., 2010. Positive Organizational Culture as a New trend in Cross-Cultural Management. Journal of Positive Management 1(2), pp.65-74. McCalman, J., 2009. Lateral Hierarchy: The Case of Cross-Cultural Management Teams. European Management Journal 14(5), pp.509-517. Shimoni, B., 2011. The Representation of Culture in Interactions and Cross Culture Management. Journal of International Management 17(1), pp.30-41. Thomas, D., 2008. Cross-Cultural Management. New York: Cengage Learning. Tjosvold, D., 2003. Cross-Cultural Management. New York: Ashgate Pu blishing. Usanier, J., 2011. Lenguage as a Resource to Access Cross-Cultural Equivalence in Quantitative Management Research. Journal of World Business 46(3), pp.314-319.

Friedrich St.Florian, About the WWII Memorial Designer

Friedrich St.Florian, About the WWII Memorial Designer Friedrich St.Florian (born December 21, 1932 in Graz, Austria) is widely known for only one work, the National World War II Memorial. His influence on American architecture is mainly from his teaching, first at Columbia University in 1963, and then a lifetime career at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, Rhode Island. St.Florians long teaching career places him at the head of the class for mentoring student architects. He is often called a Rhode Island architect, although this is an over-simplification of his world vision.  Settling in the United States in 1967 and a naturalized citizen since 1973, St.Florian has been called a visionary and theoretical architect for his futuristic drawings. St. Florians approach to design melds the theoretical (philosophical) with the practical (pragmatic). He believes that one must explore the philosophical background, define the problem, and then resolve the problem with a timeless design. His design philosophy includes this statement: We approach architectural design as a process that begins with exploration of philosophical underpinnings leading to concept ideas that will be subjected to vigorous testing. To us, how a problem is defined is critical to its resolution. Architectural design is the process of distillation that purifies the confluence of circumstances and ideals. We deal with pragmatic as well as fundamental concerns. In the end, the proposed design solutions are expected to reach beyond utilitarian considerations and stand as an artistic statement of timeless value. St.Florian (who leaves no space within his last name) earned a Masters Degree in Architecture (1958) at Technische Universadad in Graz, Austria, before receiving a Fullbright to study in the U.S. In 1962 he earned a Master of Science Degree in Architecture from Columbia University in New York City, and then headed to New England. While at RISD, he received a Fellowship to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1970 until 1976, becoming a licensed architect in 1974. St.Florian established Friedrich St.Florian Architects in Providence, Rhode Island in 1978. Principal Works St.Florians projects, like most architects, fall into at least two categories - works that got built and those that didnt. In Washington, D.C., the 2004 World War II Memorial (1997-2004) stands center stage on the National Mall, in site of the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Closer to his own hometown, one finds many projects in and around Providence, Rhode Island, including the Sky Bridge (2000), the Pratt Hill Town Houses (2005), the House on College Hill (2009), and his own home, the St.Florian Residence, completed in 1989. Many, many architects (most architects) have design plans that are never built. Sometimes they are competition entries that dont win, and sometimes they are theoretical buildings or architecture of the mind - sketches of what if? Some of St.Florians unbuilt designs include the 1972 Georges Pompidour Centre for the Visual Arts, Paris, France (Second Prize with Raimund Abraham); the 1990 Matthson Public Library, Chicago, Illinois (Honorable Mention with Peter Twombly); the 2000 Monument to the Third Millennium; the 2001 National Opera House, Oslo, Norway (compare with the completed Oslo Opera House by the Norwegian architecture firm Snà ¸hetta); the 2008 Vertical Mechanical Parking; and the 2008 House of Arts and Culture (HAC), Beirut, Lebanon. About Theoretical Architecture All design is theoretical until actually built. Every invention was previously just a theory of a working thing, including flying machines, super tall buildings, and homes that use no energy. Many if not all theoretical architects believe that their projects are viable solutions to problems and can (and should) be built. Theoretical architecture is design and building of the mind - on paper, a verbalization, a rendering, a sketch. Some of St.Florians early theoretical works are part of the Museum of Modern Arts (MoMAs) permanent Exhibitions Collections in New York City: 1966, Vertical City: a 300-story cylindrical city designed to take advantage of sunlight above the clouds - The regions beyond the clouds were designated for those most in need of light- hospitals, schools, and the elderly - which could be continually provided by solar technology. 1968, New York Birdcage-Imaginary Architecture: spaces that become real and active only when in use; As in solid, earthbound architecture, each room is a dimensional space, with a floor, a ceiling, and walls, but it has no physical structure; existing only when drawn by the moving airplane, it depends entirely upon the airplanes presence and on the pilots and air-traffic controllers consciousness of designated coordinates. 1974, Himmelbelt: a four-poster bed (a Himmelbelt), set upon a polished stone foundation and beneath a heavenly projection; described as the juxtaposition between real physical space and the imaginary realm of dreams Fast Facts About the WWII Memorial Friedrich St.Florians winning design balances classical and modernist styles of architecture... states the National Park Service website, and celebrates the victory of the greatest generation. Dedicated: May 29, 2004Location: Washington, D.C. Constitution Gardens area of the National Mall, in the vicinity of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Veterans MemorialConstruction Materials:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Granite - approximately 17,000 individual stones from South Carolina, Georgia, Brazil, North Carolina, and California  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bronze sculpting  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stainless steel starsSymbolism of Stars: 4,048 gold stars, each symbolize 100 American military dead and missing, representing more than 400,000 of the 16 million who servedSymbolism of Granite Columns: 56 individual pillars, each represent a state or territory of the U.S. during World War II; each pillar has two wreaths, a wheat wreath representing agriculture and an oak wreath symbolizing industry Sources Elements of the Vertical City by Bevin Cline and Tina di Carlo from The Changing of the Avant-Garde: Visionary Architectural Drawings from the Howard Gilman Collection, Terence Riley, ed., New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2002, p. 68 (online accessed November 26, 2012).Birdcage by Bevin Cline from Envisioning Architecture: Drawings from The Museum of Modern Art, Matilda McQuaid, ed., New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2002, p. 154 (online accessed November 26, 2012).Himmelbelt by Bevin Cline and Tina di Carlo from The Changing of the Avant-Garde: Visionary Architectural Drawings from the Howard Gilman Collection, Terence Riley, ed., New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2002, p. 127 (online accessed November 26, 2012).Frequently Asked Questions, History Culture, National Park Service Website. NPS website accessed November 18, 2012Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Faculty Profile and Curriculum Vitae (PDF), accessed November 18, 2012; Design philosophy from www.fstflorian.com/ph ilosophy.html, accessed November 26, 2012. Getty Images from Mark Wilson and Chip Somodevilla; Library of Congress aerial image by Carol M. Highsmith

A Comparative Analysis of Natural Inclinations Essay

A Comparative Analysis of Natural Inclinations - Essay Example A philosopher like Hobbes would disagree. He would argue that our natural inclinations are competitive, and that we are naturally destined for destruction. In between these two extremes is the notion of rationality. Kant, for instance, argues that we can overcome our natural inclinations, whatever they may be, by using reason.This question is significant because the answer has important implications. How we choose to govern ourselves depends, in large part, on how we answer the question of natural inclinations. How constitutions and legislation treat notions of liberty and freedom of expression, for example, depend on the extant to which the drafters perceive human beings to be capable of moderating their behavior. In short, how we choose to form laws to govern ourselves is dependent on our assumptions regarding our natural inclinations.These are a few of the questions posed and addressed in the works of John Stuart Mill, Thomas Hobbes, and Immanuel Kant. This essay will identify eac h thinker's analysis of the human being's natural inclinations, the implications of each thinker's analysis, and then offer a brief comparative analysis.As an initial matter, John Stuart Mill, in Utilitarianism, argues that natural inclinations are not innate. Human beings are not born with a natural predisposition to compete (Mill, 1863). Satisfaction of our basest needs, such as food, shelter, or a mate, does not compel us to satisfy our needs at all costs. We do not begin hunting for food until we are taught how to hunt. We do not steal the food of others until we are aware of the possibility of stealing. Nor do we believe in monogamy or polygamy at birth. These are not natural drives. They are not genetic predispositions. Who we are is the product of our environment. Our inclinations, as they develop throughout our lives, are taught and learned. In Mill's view, therefore, an innate compulsion or natural inclination is absent in the very beginning. On this basis, he reasons that the formation of laws should be used to condition people. More specifically, he believes that the creation of a fair and just society will create fair and just citizens. We should discourage authoritarian forms of government, for instance, because they are unnecessary and because they will teach us destructive habits. To this end, he advocates personal liberties and freedom of expression. The government does not need to dominate its people because its people are conditioned by these broader concepts of justice, moderation, and restraint. They will follow the examples set forth in just and reasonable laws. More specifically, he advocates the formation of laws which emphasize the satisfaction of the people rather than the domination of the people. Mill states that, "Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness" (Mill, 1863). His notion of happiness is twofold. First, happiness is physical pleasure. Laws should encourage and allow people to pursue interests of importance to the individual. Second, happiness is mental pleasure. Freedom of expression and diversity of opinion are to be valued rather than prohibited. Proper laws can, in the final analysis, teach us how to be happy and thereafter operate to sustain our happiness. The significant point is that human beings are not naturally inclined to commit bad or destructive acts; on the contrary, we are capable of forming laws and principles which can result in moderate political and social structures. Mill employs a balancing test. The goal is to promote maximum happiness while minimizing unhappiness. This tends toward

Law - Finance and Investment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Law - Finance and Investment Law - Essay Example In the United Kingdom, there was a survey which was conducted by the insurance industry. The results showed that the UK annually loses  £85 billion every year, and more than half of this amount is related to drugs. However, there are a number of laws in the UK which can prevent the occurrence of money-laundering. One of the important obligations that a British citizen has, is to report a case of money laundering if he or she is aware of that. If the person doesn’t make a report however, he or she may have to spend fourteen years in prison. The Authority of the House of Lords (2009, p.8) states ‘Money laundering involves the following stages, which may overlap: Placement stage: where cash derived directly from criminal activity (for example, from sales of drugs) is either placed in a financial institution or used to purchase an asset; Layering stage: the stage at which there is the first attempt at concealment or disguise of the source of the ownership of the funds; Integration stage: the stage at which the money is integrated into the legitimate economic and financial system and is assimilated with all other assets in the system.’ In essence, money-laundering is the process through which illegal money obtained from means such as drug trafficking, prostitution and extortion is forced through a cycle which eventually makes that same money appear as if it was obtained through legal means. It’s extremely difficult of putting a perfect value of money-laundering. The International Monetary Fund of the IM F estimates that the money-laundering industry worldwide is worth about one trillion U.S. dollars per year. This amount is 3% of the world’s aggregate gross domestic product. The Authority of the House of Lords (2009, p. 27) states ‘The major exception in international practice to the default position, mandated by the UN

US and Australian Employment Laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

US and Australian Employment Laws - Essay Example Today, the employment-at-will doctrine in the US is subject to the following exceptions: the public policy exception; the implied contract exception, and; the covenant-of-good faith exception. Table 1 shows that of the 50 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.), 43 recognise the public policy exception, 38 allow the implied contract exception, but only 11 states honor the covenant-of-good-faith exception. The public policy exception makes the termination of an employee wrongful despite the employment-at-will doctrine if such termination violates an express and well-established public policy. It is commonly held that public policy can be found on a state constitution, statute or administrative rule. In Petermann v International Brotherhood of Teamsters 174 Cal App.2d 184 (1959), an employee was summarily discharged after working for ten years with the Teamsters Union the day after he defied his superior’s order to make false statements in a legislative hearing investigating corruption in his workplace. (Muhl 2001) The Court declared the termination a wrongful discharge because it breached public policy, which covered acts that had a â€Å"tendency to be injurious to the public or against the public good† (Muhl 2001).On the other hand, the implied contract exception is attended by three elements: a promise of employment security by the employer; consideration or acceptance by the employee, and; the employer violated the promise (Peritt 2006).

Anil story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anil story - Essay Example The boy’s state depict how fearful he was for what would happen in future. He is being forced to the city yet he really does not want to. By crying out loud and asking the questions, it is evident that he does not like what may happen when he is away. Some theme of fear has been described in this section. The writer describes Anin’s state and goes ahead to describe his feelings and imaginations. He believed there could be a ghost outside that will make him not return. Anin feared the dark and unforeseen circumstances. The fact that Anin did not dare go out of the house himself is proof enough that he did have fear. The Author develops this theme by using vivid description. He describes the ghostly tree and he fact that Anin made attempts to move out and came back. We are even told that Anin knew he would not return, which blankly develops this theme. The fact that Noor has described the feelings and emotions around Anin depicts instance of fear. This is a boy who has certainly watched the incident of suicide. In addition to this, the author brings out his body language that clearly shows that the boy was gripped with fear. This story further explores how the village people slept and dreamt from the opening paragraphs. Definitely this young boy lacked the sleep, creating the element of fear. Fear of exposure. In this section, Marimuthu definitely knew all was not well, someone had sported him. The Author describes his guilty looks and this brings the element of fear. In this category, the village headman and Anil’s also seem fearful of any repercussions because they know the death was not suicidal. Consider the sentences â€Å"I have to talk to you, Ragunathan. I have to talk to you about this son of yours† and ‘Are you sending me off because I saw him do it?’ These two show some element of fear thus the actions that transpired. The author has used onomatopoeia to create setting and environment of fear. The

Review the key elements of educational thinking that have brougth into Essay

Review the key elements of educational thinking that have brougth into focus the role of reflective thinking and their impact on how we understand the learning and teaching process - Essay Example It is said that man is a social animal and the society demands that in order to live properly and harmoniously an individual needs to posses certain qualities, namely, solicitousness, responsibility and creativity. It is very naturally understood that a person, who has all these qualities in him, is of strong ethical and moral principle. He also has deep reflection over other issues, including politics, economic and moreover, aesthetics. The philosophy of education depends over the process of distribution of knowledge from microcosmic to macrocosmic level and vice-versa. Through this natural way a person gradually educates himself. It also helps him to develop an educational thinking, at the same time that in the longer run contributes to the development of his individual reflection over the incidents, happening around him. Once an individual explores this reflective self, it automatically leads him to understand and analyze the learning and teaching process. Students’ failure to understand the learning or teaching process is a very common phenomenon these days at the level of higher education. There are certain factors, which act as obstacles in their process of learning. It is important, at the primary level, to introduce novel ideas that would help the students to explore their reflective self and at the same time, become capable of developing their educational thinking in order to understand properly the learning and teaching process. A person, who is sociable and educated from inside, automatically implies that he is solicitous, creative and responsible. While some people come to the earth by inheriting all these virtues, others acquire it from their acquaintances as well as from their surrounding. A child develops seeds of all these features in his childhood and as he grows mature, these qualities are also nourished accordingly. Hence, it can be said that these virtues are essential ingredients of educational thinking.

Perception and Learning Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Perception and Learning - Dissertation Example Here in the following case study the Vice president of marketing at Hy Dairies Inc, Gilman have the believe that his own way of working as marketing research co-ordinator can also boost the career of his brand manager Rochelle Beauport. In spite of very good track record in the brand management the vice president never asked her about her career interest rather directly told her to join research team as technical support position. These give rise to the employee dissatisfaction and anxiety amongst the employees. Gilman should have identified the social identity of his employees and their likings to enhance their personality (Simply psychology, n.d.). Question 2 What can organisations do to minimise misperceptions in these types of situations? In minimising this kind of situations the vice president of Hy dairies Gilman should give proper attention towards active listening process. Gilman should have discussed with Rochelle about her points and should understand what she wants to do i n her future. Speaking directly to the listener before taking any decision can help to minimise misperception to great extent. Though this type of culture is not considered appropriate in many cases but if done it can be very effective. Lastly one should understand the reason for a particular decision and should clear the points why the particular decision was taken against her. Reference Changing Minds, (2011).

Review the key elements of educational thinking that have brougth into Essay

Review the key elements of educational thinking that have brougth into focus the role of reflective thinking and their impact on how we understand the learning and teaching process - Essay Example It is said that man is a social animal and the society demands that in order to live properly and harmoniously an individual needs to posses certain qualities, namely, solicitousness, responsibility and creativity. It is very naturally understood that a person, who has all these qualities in him, is of strong ethical and moral principle. He also has deep reflection over other issues, including politics, economic and moreover, aesthetics. The philosophy of education depends over the process of distribution of knowledge from microcosmic to macrocosmic level and vice-versa. Through this natural way a person gradually educates himself. It also helps him to develop an educational thinking, at the same time that in the longer run contributes to the development of his individual reflection over the incidents, happening around him. Once an individual explores this reflective self, it automatically leads him to understand and analyze the learning and teaching process. Students’ failure to understand the learning or teaching process is a very common phenomenon these days at the level of higher education. There are certain factors, which act as obstacles in their process of learning. It is important, at the primary level, to introduce novel ideas that would help the students to explore their reflective self and at the same time, become capable of developing their educational thinking in order to understand properly the learning and teaching process. A person, who is sociable and educated from inside, automatically implies that he is solicitous, creative and responsible. While some people come to the earth by inheriting all these virtues, others acquire it from their acquaintances as well as from their surrounding. A child develops seeds of all these features in his childhood and as he grows mature, these qualities are also nourished accordingly. Hence, it can be said that these virtues are essential ingredients of educational thinking.

Homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homework - Essay Example However, some of them might also lead to the country’s stunted economic growth. Should a government run a budget deficit? Running it would be government action. Not running it would be inaction on the part of the government. Government inactions could either be a good or bad move which could be justified in the resulting output. In other words, investment and accumulated capital, available resources, compatible institutions, technological growth, and entrepreneurship are either specific government actions or inactions that are potential sources of economic growth. 3. What factors affect productivity? Factors that would embolden productivity are economic policies. These include policies to Embolden Saving and Investment, growth through import investment, policies to control population expansion, policies to build up education level, policies to technologically innovate, policies to provide funding for research, and policies to maximize the economy’s openness to trade. 4. What are the key topics in macroeconomics? The key topics in macroeconomics are growth, business cycles, unemployment and inflation. 5. Describe fiscal, monetary, and structural policy. Fiscal policy is regarding changes in government spending or taxes, to make more active or slow down economy. Monetary policy helps influence the economy by initiating changes in the banking system’s reserves that would affect money supply and credit availability in the economy. Structural policy on the other hand focuses in general on economic productivity and growth. 6. Describe the factors that will affect demand and supply (in other words, what factors will shift the supply and demand curves). Factors such as income, prices of other goods, tastes and expectations are factors affecting demand. Those factors affecting supply are prices of inputs, technology, taxes and subsidies and expectations. Factors affecting demand are mostly those that consumers are looking forward prior to their purc hase. Factors affecting supply are in general would affect the creation of certain product or service offerings. 7. a. Explain thoroughly what the supply and demand curves represent. The supply curve is a representation of the relationship between price and quantity supplied while the demand curve represents the relationship between price and quantity demanded. Assuming everything is constant; supply curve will have the slope upward to the right. So, the quantity supplied should increase in response to the rise in price, in the absence of shift factors. Assuming other things constant, the demand curve slopes downward to the right, which means the rise of price makes the quantity demanded goes down. b. Draw a supply and demand curve for petroleum. Be sure to label all curves and axes. c. Draw the effect of a ban on petroleum imports on the graph drawn in part (b). Show the effect on price and quantity. Assuming the demand is constant, there would be a decrease of supply when there is a ban on petroleum imports. The result would be increase of price due to lack of supply as clearly stated based on the characteristic of supply curve. d. Explain the difference between demand and quantity demanded. Demand is a schedule of quantities of a good that will be bought per unit of time at diverse prices, other things cons

Drug Abuse and Addiction Essay Example for Free

Drug Abuse and Addiction Essay Drug abuse and addiction are a major burden to society. Many people do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterize those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior. What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction that it is a disease that impacts the brain and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and resume productive lives. So what is drug abuse and why do we became addicted to certain drugs? Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is a patterned use of a substance (drug) in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with methods neither approved nor supervised by medical professionals. Addiction is the continued use of a mood altering substance or behavior despite adverse dependency consequences, or a neurological impairment leading to such behaviors. Addictions can include, but are not limited to, drug abuse, exercise abuse, sexual activity and gambling. Classic hallmarks of addiction include: impaired control over substances/behavior, preoccupation with substance/behavior, continued use despite consequences, and denial. Habits and patterns associated with addiction are typically characterized by immediate gratification (short-term reward), coupled with delayed deleterious effects (long-term costs). Physiological dependence occurs when the body has to adjust to the substance by incorporating the substance into its normal functioning. This state creates the conditions of tolerance and withdrawal. Drug addiction and drug abuse, chronic or habitual use of any chemical substance to alter states of body or mind for other than medically warranted purposes. Traditional definitions of addiction, with their criteria of physical dependence and withdrawal (and often an underlying tenor of depravity and sin) have been modified with increased understanding; with the introduction of new drugs, such as cocaine, that are psychologically or neuropsychologically addicting; and with the realization that its stereotypical application to opiate-drug users was invalid because many of them remain occasional users with no physical dependence. Addiction is more often now defined by the continuing, compulsive nature of the drug use despite physical and/or psychological harm to user and society and includes both licit and illicit drugs, and the term â€Å"substance abuse† is now frequently used because of the broad range of substances (including alcohol and inhalants) that can fit the addictive profile. There are many different types of drugs you should be aware of. Some are prescribed, others are known as club drugs, illicit or illegal substances, and some are called designers drugs. They include: Antidepressants, Barbiturates, Cannabis, Depressants, Hallucinogens, Inhalants, Narcotics, Steroids, Stimulants and Tobacco.

Representation Of Women In Music Cultural Studies Essay

Representation Of Women In Music Cultural Studies Essay In 1969 when asked why there werent any other powerful women in the music industry, Janis Joplin said its not feminine, maybe, to really get into music, instead of float around on the top like most chick singers do. Maybe that is why today, in the 10s there is a lack of challenging female artists who truly break down boundaries. The contemporary music industry offers very few independent, strong female role models who do more than simply sell sex to make people buy records. This investigation will focus on the representation of women in music, specifically in punk and underground music, from their breakthrough in the 70s to their lack of representation today in the 10s. The primary case studies will be various female punk bands from the 70s to the 90s such as Xray Spex and Siouxsie and The Banshees, with Beth Ditto as my contemporary focus. I will analyse music videos and song lyrics, as well as their physical representations. I will examine theorists such as Germaine Greer, Naomi Wolf and Laura Mulvey to assess how their work can be applied. As second-wave feminism took hold in the 60s, music turned into a political manifesto for feminists, as female singer-songwriters began to campaign for womens rights. Their music often dismantled myths held about women, and enabled women to embody their own self-made identity as opposed to that which society and culture allocated for them. Janis Joplin was largely unconcerned with the feminist movement, but proceeded to represent a feminist symbol for women in a male dominated rock culture, influencing generations of female musicians to come. Women were of significant importance to the punk culture of the late 1970s; beginning in New York with performers like Patti Smith and Debbie Harry, punk rock spread around the world and women in punk music became more visible. As punk music gave them an outlet for their edgy, political, anti-establishment lyrics, and non-conformist, unconventional female personas, it became perfect for feminist musicians to have their voices heard. Women in punk music had to be strong to stand against their male contemporaries. By the late 70s, punks peak in London, female-dominated bands like Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Slits and X-Ray Spex were playing on the same bills as all-male bands like The Clash and the Sex Pistols. These bands gained public recognition not only because of their revolutionary music, but also by challenging expectations of femininity. Widely considered the most influential woman in punk rock ever to walk the Earth Siouxsie Sioux said in 1974 I dont carry anything for any females, and I hate being called the best female singer cause I think Im better than any male singer as well. These bands didnt want to be classed as a separate category from male musicians; they just want to be classed as musicians. Siouxsie Sioux said it was a powerful time for women. Girls were finally picking up instruments and not just being a puppet held up by a man with strings in the background. Laura Mulvey is a feminist media critic who is best known for her seminal essay entitled Visual Pleasure and narrative cinema (Sight Sound 1975). In it she sites the media as o tool for male oppression and that women are seen merely as objects for male gratification. The camera, she argues, sees from the Male gaze. Mulveys theory also states that the media satisfies and reinforces the masculine ego and represses the desire of women. The Siouxsie and The Banshees video Happy House, goes against Laura Mulveys theory that images of women are displayed as sexual objects. In the first shot of this video Siouxsie looks fiercely into the camera, her eye make up is dark and she has bright red lips; her signature look. She looks androgynous as she is wearing an oversized jester outfit with short spiky black hair. No skin is visible except for her face and hands. The camera follows Siouxsie around, showing she is controlling the video, contradicting this quote from Laura Mulvey: in their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed. As the camera follows her, it is not in a voyeuristic way, she is simply the main focus of the video, and the camera angle remains level with her face throughout the video, showing she is dominant and confident. Despite being the only female seen, she appears more confident than the male members of the band, overshadowing them by controlling the video. Siouxs ie is also shown playing instruments, displaying her as equal to the male musicians. This opposes Mulveys idea that men always dominate. Also, she continuously looks aggressively at the camera, conveying she feels superior to the audience. Nothing in this video suggests Siouxsie is being portrayed as a sex symbol, in fact quite the opposite. Many of these women did not seem to care about being sexually alluring, this contrasts with Germaine Greers theory of there being a dominant image of femininity which rules our culture and to which all women aspire. It also disagrees with Naomi Wolfs argument that women in Western Culture are damaged by the pressure to conform to an idealized concept of female beauty. On The Slits first album cover they are pictured topless, covered in mud, looking dishevelled, not appearing to have made any effort at all to look good. Despite being topless, this cover is not shot through the male gaze as the women appear dominant and in control as opposed to passive. The women of these bands took their entire personalities onstage, often involving wearing clothing that reflected their thoughts and attitudes. Siouxsie Sioux frequently performed wearing black leather and rubber bondage attire, as well as heavy eye make-up, making overt statements about her sexuality. When asked about her appearance, Siouxsie said image represents in a way, a kind of rejection of a stereotype, a blonde, dumb cuteness that was sought after by most singers, especially female, conveying that she dresses for her own pleasure and not others. Ari Up of The Slits, constructed an image that played on conventions of female sexuality by always sporting long dreadlocks, never using make-up and often wearing underwear over her clothes. In New York, Patti Smith and Debbie Harry of Blondie expressed two very different takes on punk femininity; Smith was a cross-dressing, androgynous woman, comfortable with blurring her gender, and Harry was a bleached-blonde former playboy bunny, still playing on the stereotypical conventions of female singers. Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex was a geeky teenager, overweight, and with large metal braces, known for wearing bright abrasive clashing colours onstage. Xray Spex dealt with various issues on their album Germfree Adolescents such as the environment and living in a consumer society where you have to live up to the expectations driven by advertising and consumerism. Even lead singer Poly Styrenes name reflected the fake and plasticness of the society they were living in. The song Plastic Bag reinforces her view as she sings my mind is like a plastic bag that corresponds to all those ads it sucks up all the rubbish. Art-I-Ficial contains the lyric I know Im artificial but dont put the blame on me, I was reared with appliances in a consumer society. When I put on my make-up the pretty little mask not me thats the way a girl should be, this conveys Pollys feminist views and her opposition of societys expectations of women. This theme can also been seen in Xray Spexs most widely known song Oh Bondage Up Yours where Polly begins by saying softly in a childlike voice Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard, but I think before exploding with a screech of Oh bondage, up yours, turning the girly voice into something more distasteful. This song is about the aversion at being constantly scrutinized by mainstream society. After a lack of female punk bands in the 80s, Riot grrrl exploded in the early 90s. It originated from the punk movement, initiated by nonconformist female bands who aimed to stomp out sexism and inequality in response and developed into an underground feminist movement in the early 1990s. It is often associated with third-wave feminism and it is sometimes seen as its starting point as a response to the backlash against initiatives and movements created by second-wave feminism. The subculture gave women a place to exist out of the system. Riot grrrl was about 90s women making a stand, screeching against authority and exploring what they wanted a woman to represent. Todays music charts seem only to reflect generated pop-rock, especially where females are concerned. The only mainstream female band with political views and strong female role models, who want more than to just be sex symbols currently are Gossip. Competing with artists marketed through the male gaze, its no wonder Gossips Beth Ditto is deemed controversial in todays music scene. Whether its because shes openly gay, a non-shaving punk, or morbidly obese, mainstream society sees her as an outsider. 30 years ago, it wouldve been typical in the underground music scene to see individuals like this. Beth Ditto is said to be a fan of Riot Grrrl and states Xray Spex as her biggest influence. Gossips lyrics are often about society and feminist issues, disguised with a mainstream catchy electro-beat. Even Gossips most widely recognised song, Standing in the Way of Control is extremely political as it is attacking George W. Bush in response to same-sex marriage being prohibited in some states of the USA, the resistance can be seen in the lyric were standing in the way of control, we will live our lives. Her unwillingness to conform to societys expectations is clearly visible on the NME issue on which she appears unshaven and naked on the front cover. The image shows Beth with her hand on her bottom which has a kiss mark on it and another hand covering her breast. She is looking at the camera, not in the conventional, seductive way female singers are usually photographed, but instead almost snarling as if she doesnt care what anyone thinks of her. The headline reads Kiss my ass, once again reinforcing her reluctance to conform. This image shocked the teenage audience of the magazine and sparked controversy as it is an image that mainstream society is rarely subjected to. It was also nominated to be crowned the best magazine cover of all time. This image doesnt represent the usual ideology of women and this is why Germaine Greer has praised Ditto on appearing like this on the cover of a mainstream magazine, and also NME for allowing her to do so. Greer speaks highly of Beth stating: h er intention is to force acceptance of her body type, 5ft tall and 15 stone, and by this strategy to challenge the conventional imagery of women. Laura Mulveys theory of feminism can be seen here; Beth Ditto is the dominant female who refuses to be passive to the male viewer. Gossips video Listen Up, follows two transvestites, one male and one female and depicts what it means to be masculine and feminine. This is an alternative theme for a music video and so once again Ditto challenges mainstream society. However, in this video, Ditto herself is not shown in her usual rebellious way, but instead appears to be typical of a music video, showing that everyone needs to conform to sell records. My research has established that despite years of feminism and social movement, women are still objectified as sex symbols in the music industry. For my linked production I will be producing a music video in the style of 1970s female punk bands to the song Oh Bondage, Up Yours by X-ray Spex. The target audience for the video will be predominately female teenagers who feel their views and values arent represented in mainstream music. The video will not sexualise women and it will reject the male gaze. Word Count 2002

Company of Lovers :: essays research papers

THE COMPANY OF LOVERS: JUDITH WRIGHT Judith Wright’s 1946 poem â€Å"The Company of Lovers† makes a juxtaposition of two essential forces of major impact upon human existence, the effects of love and those of death. Within the poem it can be noted that the two stanzas reflect each of the certain themes. The first, a universal description of love and the ambitions two lovers might have, whilst the second a reflection of how quick all may soon be lost through the loneliness of death. Wright is renown for her use language, and many of her poems contain paradoxes in which the reader is confronted with a phrase completely unrealisable, but effective in portraying the nature of the poem. â€Å"The Company Of Lovers† itself opens with the use of a paradox â€Å"†¦We meet and part now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  instils an image of simultaneous unity and depart, evoking in a sense of temporary cohesion that may soon be lost. This may represent a changing nature of ‘lovers’ and perhaps such a quick meeting and farewell represents the promiscuous nature of some who class themselves as ‘lovers.’ Nonetheless, a different approach is taken as the first stanza introduces ‘the lost company’ which could quite well represent lost ideals or values that once offered what was a company of lovers, which has now become short-term relationships. This emphasis goes on to describe, with passion, the joining of ‘hands together in the night’ of those â€Å"who sought many things, throw all away for this one thing, one only† – love. Such descriptions change, however, as the last lines change in tone, bringing forth a harsh reality, even to those submerged in the unified joys of love with a strategically placed ‘narrow grave’ to emphasise the loneliness of death. Ambiguity can also be noted through the use of many words within the poem, even from the first lines of the title itself. The word ‘company’ has several connotations of which could signify the reader being within the company of lovers, or perhaps lover’s in the company of one another.

Huck Finn Literary Criticism

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain portrays his main character and the novel’s namesake, a deeply complex individual, even as a child. He has obvious abandonment issues and continues to struggle with finding his place in society. Huck starts by trying to fit in with Tom and a band of young boys, but eventually finds true companionship in a slave named Jim. Huck continues in his struggles as his moral beliefs conflict with the moral beliefs of the society of his time.This conflict comes from Huck being so immersed in a society that he does not seem to belong in, all while still trying to find a place that he does belong. According to Harold Bloom and Leslie A. Fiedler, â€Å"The moral crisis of the book is created by the constant disjunction in the mind of Huckleberry Finn between what he thinks he ought to do, and what he is aware that he must do† (Bloom and Fiedler 25-39). This is seen throughout the novel, as Huck struggles with following society or following his heart.A nother critic, Gemma Marshall, makes a point very similar to Bloom and Fiedler, saying, â€Å"Through the character of Huck and his internal debates, we see the conflict between what is morally right and what is legally enforced† (Marshall). At one point in the novel, Huck, himself, says: [The Widow Douglas] told me what she meant–I must help other people, and do everything I could for other people and look out for them all the time, and never think about myself†¦.I went out in the woods and turned it over in my mind a long time, but I couldn't see no advantage in it–except for the other people; so that at last I reckoned I wouldn't worry about it any more, but just let it go. (Twain) This statement, which completely supports the views of both critics, does not come from Huck being a selfish individual. Rather, it comes from him struggling to survive. Once Huck meets Jim, it is seen that he does put Jim first in many occasions, because at that point, he can afford to.Earlier in the novel, he could not let his blooming moral compass get in his way of survival. This moral conflict also contributes to Huck’s disregard for the law and his reasons why he does so throughout the novel. Earlier on in the novel, Huck is seen trying to fit in by joining Tom’s gang even if that meant killing people. At that point in the novel, one might say that Huck agreeing to this was just out of loneliness and wanting to belong. As the novel progresses, however, Tom’s actions seem to become more and more aggressive. As Bloom says, â€Å"Tom's scheme for stealing way a Negro whom he knows to be free is not only sadistic but thoroughly immoral. † Though to readers Tom’s actions might seem immoral, he is simply acting as a product of his society. Just as Huck was trying to fit in with Tom by agreeing to join his gang, Tom is trying to fit into his society by following the normalcies that have been exposed to him. Based on this point, Bloom goes on to say that there â€Å"is nothing any more ridiculous about what Tom does than there is about what society inflicts on them every day† (Bloom 25-39).Readers, therefore, cannot judge the moral level of the characters based on today’s moral code, but rather of the moral code of the society that these characters were placed in. As the novel progresses, however, Huck begins to become aware of the morals in society, but chooses to go against them anyway. Bloom argues: It never enters his head for a moment that protecting Jim against recapture is anything but wrong; for he has no abolitionist ideas and questions the justice of slavery no more than did Aristotle.He considers, however, that as an outcast he has little to lose. (Bloom 25-39) If Huck is becoming aware of the morals of his society, yet is still choosing to go against them, this can mean that Huck is subconsciously forming his own moral code. Even though he knew that helping Jim was wrong, h e must have felt, some place down in his heart, that it was right. Otherwise, why would he risk his own life to do so in the first place? In a society full of moral confusion, the one character â€Å"is presented as intelligent, analytical, [and] highly moral† is Jim (Marshall). Does Jim not make for a far more suitable role model than the drunkard Pap? † Marshall asks. He does, in fact, as he goes as far to create a home for Huck, that Pap never did. As unconventional as it may be, Jim and Huck become a family, with the river as their home. As they travel up the rive â€Å"it gradually becomes clear that the two characters leave the constraints of society behind them and create their own world on the water- it is within this world that the influence of societal values are suppressed in favour of a more logical, practical system of values† (Marshall).It is along this journey that Jim teaches Huck what values are really important in an individual, regardless of wh at society says is correct. He teaches Huck what it means to value another person’s life as much as one value’s his own. It is easy to see the moral complexities in this novel reading it through a modern lens, especially in the case of Huck. Readers are constantly struggling with whether nature or nurture will come out victorious: will Huck rise above his society because he was born with the ability to think beyond what he sees in it or will society’s pressures cause Huck to break?Contemporary reviews of the novel were also asking this question. On February 20, 1885, a review was published in The Hartford Courant. It’s author asked, â€Å"What, for instance, in the case of Huck, the son of the town drunkard, perverted from the time of his birth, is conscience, and how does it work? † This show how contemporaries of Mark Twain were able to see and appreciate the moral complexities of his novels and his characters just as easily as readers can today. The whole study of Huck's moral nature is as serious as it is amusing, his confusion of wrong as right and his abnormal mendacity, traceable to his training from infancy, is a singular contribution to the investigation of human nature,† the author of the review goes on to say. The fact that the author uses the term â€Å"confused† by the author of that review is an interesting one. It implies that while Huck may think of his actions as wrong, as determined by his society, his actions actually prove Huck’s ability to think in morally superior terms of his society.Had a Southerner written this review, it may not have had the same implications. As a Northerner, who likely had much stronger anti-slavery views than a Southerner, wrote this review it makes it easier for him to appreciate the development of Huck’s moral code, despite what society was telling him. All three sources of criticism are in agreement about the moral difficulties faced by Huck throughou t the novel. They also all agree that Huck is put at odds with his society because of his moral character, whether he views himself as moral or not.Since the two pieces of literary criticism are quite modern, it is not surprising that the critics are able to look at the novel and pinpoint all of the complexities that are entangled in this novel and in the life of Huck. Since a Northerner wrote the contemporary review, and Northerners were obviously more progressive in the ideas of abolition and anti-slavery than Southerners of the time, that could explain the level of forward thinking presented in the review.All three reviews also agree that Huck’s main conflict throughout the novel is that between himself and society. This is what causes him to set forth North in search of a place where he may belong. Luckily, however, throughout this journey he was able to find his sense of belonging right there with Jim. At the very end Huck reconciles with the fact that without Jim, Huck has nothing, as he does not belong to this society. He finds harmony by deciding to head west. Works Cited Bloom, Harold, and Leslie A.Fiedler. â€Å"Huckleberry Finn: Faust in the Eden of Childhood.. †Ã‚  Bloom's Major Literary Characters  (2004): 25-39. EBSCOHost. Web. 17 Feb 2013. Hartford Courant 20 Feb 1885, Page 2. Web. 18 Feb 2013. www. etext. lib. virginia. edu/twain/harcour2 Marshall, Gemma. â€Å"Literary analysis: Controversial themes in Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. †Ã‚  Helium: Where Knowledge Rules. 05 Dec 2008. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Ed. Guy Cardell. New York: Penguin Classics, 2002. Print.

Favorite Memory

Samantha Vega Eng 073-08 My Favorite memory My Favorite memory was when I first played in a softball game, it was very exciting, nerve reckon and challenging. Stepping into the field was the best feeling in the world. The air was so fresh. The field was very smooth and the dirt was crispy brown. I remembered watching girl’s plays softball at a young age and I always wanted to see how it felt to play. I became fascinated and was amazed how older girls played amongst themselves and I actually learned just by watching. Playing softball for the first time was exciting.The weather was very nice, the sun was shining, the sky was blue, the birds chirped and the wing blew so smoothly. I could also hear the crowed yelling and shouting excited to see the game. My parents were also there supporting me at my first game. Lincoln high school, a school that wasn’t very good in softball but that was my team. We were facing a school from Parsippany. It was a home game so we played in ou r field in Lincoln Park. It was diamond shape. The dirt was very smooth as I entered the field with my team. The grass on the outfield was wet and green, it was very shiny.Being my first time I was very happy and excited to play. I couldn’t imagine how much fun I was going to have. Softball is very nerve reckon sport. Trying to catch every ball that comes your way or hitting the ball to make a run. Having two strikes on you, 2 outs, last inning and the game is tied makes you really nervous. In my memory, after the team got ready and prepared to face the opponents, number 23 stepped up to the plate and started of the game. I was in center field on the outfield. I was going to give it my all and have our first win. So number 23 had 2 strikes and 1 ball.Yari, our team captain was pitching; everyone was rooting her on to make that out. Number 23 was a big girl, she looked strong and hit the ball all the way to outfield were I was playing my position. I ran as quickly as I could t o catch that ball and I actually caught it. It was fun running and forcing me to catch it. I was very excited that the ball came to me and it was up to me to catch it. I was so nervous and thought to myself â€Å"What way should I run? † â€Å"What to do? † When I caught it the crowd got so happy and screamed my name rooting me on. Lastly, playing in my first game was very challenging.I didn’t expect it was going to be as challenging as I thought it would. Stepping into the plate for the first time made me feel strong and proud to wear my royal blue with the lion logo uniform. My uniform was crisp and ready to get dirty. The wind was blowing in my face as I was holding my bat ready to swing as hard as I could. The first pitch came my way all you heard was â€Å"STRIKE†, â€Å"STRIKE TWO† the umpire yelled. I hit the ball the third time and hit it to 3 rd base and ran as fast as I could after I ran to first base I tripped on the base but quickly got up before they called me out.I was safe. It was a great feeling being safe but it was very challenging when the girl on first almost got me out. Although, in this game there is so much competition, but the whole point of this game is to have fun and be the best you can. In my case, I had the best time playing my first game. We actually won our first game with the score of 10-8. I had so much fun and worked hard to get my spot in the team. It isn’t all about winning or losing it about having the best time and creating friendships with team members.

Discrimination story

The movie â€Å"The Great Debaters† shows how there were discrimination and corruption in the society 75 years ago. The movie somewhat relates to discrimination and corruption to this day. For example, back in 1935, white people thought black people were lower than them. In 2013, some Americans think they are above illegal immigrants from Mexico. The racial profiling of Arabic people can compare to the thinking that every black person in the movie was a share cropper.Those are Just a ewe examples of the movie's relation to discrimination in today's United States of America. Illegal immigration can be related to how white people thought they were higher in society than black people in the sass's. Some Americans now think they are higher than immigrants from Mexico, and that is wrong. No one is higher than someone socially. I believe that illegal immigration should be stopped, but I also believe that I am no better than any one of the illegal immigrants.Americans think that Mexi can immigrants are taking our Jobs, which may or may not be true. But either way, I believe, that as long as they have documentation, they have a right to make a living. There was recently an issue of racial profiling against Arabic people because of the 9/1 1 attacks and others. This would probably be because people think that all terrorists are Muslim and none of them deserve to be on airplanes because of what happened almost 12 years ago. There have been many incidents of hate crimes against Muslim people.It has somewhat of a relation to the movie. The sheriff was beating up the two black people because of the sharecropping, so he thought that all black people were to blame. Even discrimination against gay people is an issue. There are anti-gay crimes all over the place. You hear people call each other the f-word or Just straight up â€Å"gay'. It is really not cool to say those things. Just because someone is gay does not mean they are not human. Every human is human, no matter what race, gender, sexuality, religion, or background.