The Ideal Family of the Future Essay

Probably everyone has their own idea of the ideal family and their views about the family in general. I’ll tell you what I think about it. In my opinion, the ideal family should begin with â€Å"laying the foundation† of their own relations, also with the confidence and understanding to each other. In any family should prevail friendly atmosphere, along with love and mutual respect for all its members. Ideal family it is when they always support you in every difficult moment and is no matter what. Ideal family it is when despite everything going on around, including of all the possible issues with all global and family problems, disorders, scandals and quarrels you continue to be one strong and solid family. As for the future, in my opinion, the ideal family of the future consists in informing all the values of a culture from nowadays of your heirloom in next generation. Now I am a part of such a great family. And I am very grateful to my parents for it. Also, I hope th at my â€Å"ideal family of the future† will correspond of my idea about ​​it, and I will try to do everything possible that all it happens.

The Forgotten Offenders

â€Å"The Forgotten Offenders† Until recently the female offender was generally overlooked by an overwhelmingly male-dominated criminal justice system. There are so few women in prison in then men. Approximately 5,600 out of 196,000 inmates in state and federal prisons are women. Because of the small proportion of female prisoners, female facilities are not as well-equipped as male prisons. Educational and vocational training programs are limited. Life requires a plan in all of at least five basic life areas. These include: †¢ Subsistence Residence †¢ Children and family †¢ Health, mental health and sobriety †¢ Criminal justice compliance The ability to function successfully in the community requires a plan in all of the areas and equipping woman in each of these areas is masked by prisons. The criminal justice system discourages women from coming together, trusting, speaking about personal issues, and forming relationships. Women engage more often in self- mutilating behaviors, such as cutting, as well as verbally abusive and disruptive behaviors.They are also more likely to have a coexisting psychiatric disorder, have lower self-esteem, and more likely to use prescribed medications. With the higher rate of mental illness among female offenders, high rates of medication are given to them. The chance that they will become addicted to the medication is extremely high. Based on the crimes woman commit, they inconvenience society less then the crimes men commit and are usually non-violent and do not present a risk to public safety.These reasons alone should sentence women to community corrections whenever possible. This is important for several reasons: †¢ To reduce the incidence and the costs of incarceration †¢ To improve outcomes for women and their children †¢ To demonstrate an approach that may also be more effective with men. However, due to lack of treatment programs provided, most women in the criminal justice syste m are poor, undereducated, and unskilled. They are likely to re-offend and end up incarcerated again

Ray Bradbury’s The Utterly Perfect Murder

The actions of an Individual affect others around them emotionally and physically. In the story ‘The Utterly Perfect Murder by Ray Bradbury, there were two kids, one bullied the other. Doug (the victim) was bullied so Immensely by Ralph that 36 years later It still drives him crazy and makes him want to kill Ralph. The literary device shown here is flashback because the main character has a flashback for most of the story and really has a deeper meaning. This story teaches individuals to be nice to thers and what bullying can really do to a person.The moral of this story is to treat others how you would like to be treated. Doug was bullied for his entire childhood by Ralph. It destroyed Doug and ruined his childhood. Ralph abused Doug so much that 36 years later he still was upset about Ralph. So he decided to get revenge he was going to kill Ralph. Doug had moved out of his childhood home and had moved away during his life. When Doug decided to kill Ralph he took a train inste ad of a plane. Why may you ask, maybe he dldnt have the money or had a fear of heights? Doug took a train because he wanted to think long and hard about the past.Doug had a flashback to his childhood times. â€Å"Where are you, Doug? I need someone to beat. Where are you been Doug I got no one to pinch (Bradbury Pg. 3). † Doug thought about everything on the train and decided he was going to kill Ralph. Bullying impacted Doug immensely. As Doug stands there at the door of Ralph with his pistol in his pocket, he noticed something. He did not shoot Ralph, why? Why not get his revenge and kill Ralph? As Ralph opened the door, Doug noticed that time did not treat Ralph well. The old man standing at the door was fragile and frail.Doug could not kill Ralph. When he saw him he thought that Ralph was defeated later in life Just like he was when he was being bullied. Doug then walked away as Ralph repeated, Ilke a broke record â€Å"Doug, is that you? † without saying a thing. The actions of an Individual can affect others emotionally and physically. In conclusion bullying affects many people even If you think It doesn't. Bullying sucks with people for their enure life Just Ilke a scar but an â€Å"Emotional scar†. Do treat others how you would like to be treated.

Atypical Behaviors Reflection Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Atypical Behaviors Reflection - Movie Review Example This fetish is perceived to be very weird because balloons are associated with children and, accordingly, people who literally love balloons can be treated as pedophiles (Nikolaj Rantala). Foot fetish is one of a kind of fetish where people are attracted by some body parts (Ryohey Sasagawa). This fetish is treated as abnormality because people rarely pay attention to feet when it comes to romantic relationships or attractions. They are more likely to seek people with certain color or hair or eyes. The Love Dolls video by National Geographic deals with one more abnormal sexual behavior where men almost fall in love with human-like love dolls. Men give names to their dolls, take care of them and treat them like people. All these fetishes look strange to me because they really challenge traditional understanding of sexuality. I grew up in a traditional family with totally conventional beliefs about sex and relationships. Balloon and love dolls fetishes look really strange because I simply cannot understand why people feel sexually aroused by things like dolls or balloons. Overall, perception of sexual abnormalities heavily depends on the person who judges what is normal and what is

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 5

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example And some of these external factors include social influences such as lifestyles, households, sub-cultures, social class, and reference groups. While these influences are often remain undistinguished and mixed by laypeople, the distinction between each group is important in order to know up to what extent these groups influence an individual as regards her purchase decisions. One of these influences include sub-cultures. A culture usually pertains to a set of norms among a larger group, usually a country or a geographical region that has been shared and strengthened through traditions. It is the same for sub-cultures, a set of norms or a set of behaviours and beliefs that are acceptable within a given group, only that the group is a smaller one than a country or a geographical territory. Regions, organisations, clubs, and other smaller groups within the society have their own set of norms, their own cultures. These norms comprise what are called the sub-culture. A sub-culture is said to be more relevant to culture because these norms have more immediate effect to an individual. In terms of reference to an individuals identity, sub-cultures are also closer for them to associate their identity with. Therefore, a sub-culture, when an individual feels strongly being a member of a certain social group is a potent social influencer in terms of the individuals decision, including consumer purchase decisions. Another social influence is lifestyle. In contrast to sub-culture which is dependent on a larger groups norms and beliefs where the individual is a member of, lifestyle is the sum of the activities that define how an individual lives her life; a lifestyle is a certain way of living. Some examples of an active lifestyle include active lifestyles, where an individual pursues more engaging physical activities such as sport and other recreation, or passive lifestyle where activities include less physical activities such as music, etc. These lifestyles

Analyze two pictures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyze two pictures - Essay Example In this image, Nauman uses the literal depicting of linguistic performativity method in order to achieve layers of potential meaning to the viewer. Notions of identity and body, the role played by language, artistic process and the phenomena of spatial awareness and participation of the viewer can be said to be the most recurring themes in the Nauman’s artwork. Comparing the time this photograph was taken and when the â€Å"Self Portrait† by Albrecht Durer, 1500 was painted, it can be seen as a daring art since it is colored and digital, and that time they were considered to be artless and perfunctory in nature. It brings out the notion that the artist of the image was engaging insolently with the limits of discourse and art practice (Danto 149). In comparison with the oil painting, the photography can be identified to represent non-art functions even though it denies the autonomy and authorship of art. With the image acknowledging the representation of language through letters in art and manipulating power of the language, Nauman brings the notion that language in photography can function as a tool for guiding people in the society. Of course, language, images are inseparable from language as representation and can be invaluable source material in any artist’s future works that the pivot of the language instability by use of documentation through the camera. Therefore, this kind of Nouman’s art, transformed the world of art by bringing an installation or digital art. In the Eating my words photography, the tacitly mute Nauman derides the notion that, the image depicts self-expression in the context of art as well as to the public or viewer (Morgan 152). In the photography, language and the way it relates to the visual content of the photograph are seen as the central actors directed cleverly by Nauman. Following an innovative, rigorous approach, Nauman explores vario us means of expression and is considered

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 424

Assignment Example They search talent and make sure the right companies consume it the right way. Menasa and Partners has its values and norms. They have a highly passionate staff who is interested and keen in the future of their candidates and clients. Before appointing a recruitment partner there are several areas where the staff ponders over. They look for the staff who is interested in the company. Moreover, they would also highlight the consultants who provide the best advice. The company`s culture and market value are also fully highlighted. The staff of Menasa and Partners is well experienced and well aware of the National Recruitment Standards and Companignes. They understand the market value and know how to attract candidates. These Recruitment Compaigned are essential. They are responsible for locating individuals to the best available geography where they can excel. Menasa and Partners respect both public and private organizations. They keep note of the national and international standards. Talented candidates from Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman and Bahrain are located where they are needed best. Companies all over the world are in need for the perfect vacancy. Instead of going through hundreds of CVs and carrying out interviews, the companies convey Menasa and Partners their requirements. The staff of Menasa and Partners, works adequately to look for the right people needed for a

Fadiamn book, The spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Essay

Fadiamn book, The spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Essay Example Their different approaches and beliefs to Lia Lee’s condition, the miscommunication between the parents and the doctors, partly because of the language barrier, and her parents’ refusal to administer the medication leads to worsening of the condition that leaves Lia Lee brain dead. Since the Hmong culture believed that illness was practically a matter of spirituality and sacrifices, they did not take their daughter to the hospital for diagnosis. It was only after several seizures that they decided to take her to the hospital. The American doctors diagnosed Lia with epilepsy and gave her medication to manage the condition. The parents reluctantly agree to administer the medication but over the next four years, the anticonvulsants do not take effect as the doctors keep changing her prescriptions. This causes Lia Lees parents to doubt the effectiveness of the medication and consequently refuse to administer the drugs to Lia. This decision makes the American doctors take ac tion against Lia’s parents and place Lia in foster care where she could be given the drugs and hopefully get better. However a few months after returning home, Lai has a massive seizure that leaves her brain dead. With death imminent, the doctors allow her to be taken home by her parents, who were still hopeful that they would be able to unite Lia’s soul with her body and hence were organizing a pig sacrifice that was part of the Hmong’s rituals for uniting souls to their bodies. There is an evident cultural dissonance in regards to the Hmong’s view of sicknesses as tied to their culture and the American medical culture. The Hmong tie sicknesses to spirituality and believe that sicknesses are a result of an individual’s soul leaving its body and keep wondering after being possessed by spirits. In order to unite the wondering spirit with its body, the spirit has to be appeased by offering pig

Global marketing - entering a new country with new product Term Paper - 1

Global marketing - entering a new country with new product - Term Paper Example The demographic profile of India also appears propitious for Costco to enter the country. India boasts of a young population and burgeoning middle class. The communication systems in the country are well developed and the government is committed to develop other infrastructural facilities in the country. When India gained independence in 1947, the country’s leaders adopted an inward-focused, socialist-style, economic framework. The economic goals were elaborated and pursued through the five-year plans. The banks were nationalized and their lending policies were aimed to meet the government targets with regard to priority sector lending. Private enterprises had little autonomy, to say the least. India remained a state-controlled  economy till the early 1990s (The Economist, 2011). The government-led Indian economy landed in deep trouble and faced a balance-of-payments crisis in 1991. The crisis provided the impetus for change and India embarked on the policy of liberalization, privatization and globalization. Since then, India has slowly but surely implemented reforms and has become a market driven economy (Wilson & Keim, 2006). India is the second most populous country of the world next only to China (See Appendix Figure 2-A: Population Pyramid). The total population of India is estimated to be more than 1.2 billion (CIA, 2014). The infant mortality rate in India is 43.19 deaths per 1,000 live births. The life expectancy at birth is 67.8 years. The population growth rate in India is expected to be 1.25 percent in 2014. India is likely to overtake China to become the most populous country of the world by 2030 (Haub & Sharma, 2006). The demographic profile of India is really attractive. India boasts of a pretty young population as 28.5 percent of the people living in the country are less than 14 years of age. 18.1 percent of the population is aged between 15 and 24 years. The

Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Strategy - Essay Example strategic decisions which an organization has to make relating to factors such as the direction of an organization in the long run, the scope of its activities, stakeholders’ values and expectations, responding to the ever changing business environment, building on its capability as a business entity, and acquiring a higher market share relative to its competitors. These decisions tend to be complex as they have to be made in an uncertain situation. The discussion section of this essay focuses on strategic management with respect to merger between two companies such as Cranberry and GreenHealth. The organization Cranberry is considered to begin its operations in the year 1980. The organization is the process of manufacturing beauty products. It experienced significant growth on a year on year basis. The organization is considered to be cash rich as compared to its numerous competitors. The company is on the lookout for opportunities to expand on a global scale and also to grow its core business and broaden its horizon. It seeks to identify such opportunities which complemented its existing business. GreenHealth is considered to be an organization which focuses on manufacturing of herbal supplements, minerals, and vitamins. The organization used to be bureaucratic in nature in a sense that it consists of a lot of processes. The average age of employees in the organization is considered to be over 45 years and many of its employees have worked for the company for their whole careers. GreenHealth is considered to develop its employees and promote them from within the organizat ion. The products that are manufactured by the organization are considered to be modern but the ethos is traditional and crafted. Employees of GreenHealth do not like change and are considered to do things the same way for about 100 years. It is considered as a source of pride for the organization and is not seen as a source of criticism. Both the organizations such as Cranberry and

Non-Conformism Is the Refusal to Conform Essay Example for Free

Non-Conformism Is the Refusal to Conform Essay Non-conformism is the refusal to conform to common standards, conventions, rules, customs, traditions, norms or laws. The bravest act of non-conformism I’ve seen would have to be, Malcolm X. During his life, Malcolm went from being a drug dealer and burglar to one of the most prominent Black Nationalist leaders in the United States; he was considered by some as a martyr of Islam and a champion of equality. As a militant leader, Malcolm X advocated black pride, economic self-reliance, and identity politics. He ultimately rose to become a world-renowned African American/Pan-Africanist and human rights activist. Throughout his life Malcolm X went through many transformations and through them all he still did not conform to what society expected of him. Malcolm (Little) X preached what he believed about racism, discrimination, and segregation. He went through many changes in his fight for equality. The three transformations that really changed the way Malcolm thought and preached where his transformation in prison, his transformation into the Islamic religion (following Elijah Muhammad), and the biggest transformation of all, his pilgrimage to Mecca. Malcolm had a lot of respect from those who believed in what he was preaching. He was a man who knew what he wanted and was going to change the way things were. Malcolm did not have the odds to make something of himself. He overcame those odds and became one of the most inspiring and important people in the struggle for equality. Every one should learn from the way Malcolm turned his life around for the better and how he made an impact on those around him. Malcolm (Little) X is definitely one of the people who made the biggest impact on the 20th Century. We have come along way since Malcolm’s assassination in the struggle for quality. We still have a ways to go before his final goal is reached.

International Entertainers Essay Example for Free

International Entertainers Essay The salaries of many singers, dancers and sports people have increased out of all proportion in recent years, while in places like Sudan people are starving to death. I do not beleive that anyone should be able to earn such enormous salaries whan so many people in the world are living in poverty. One af the factors which should affect what a person can earn ought to be the benefit of persons work to society. It is unreasonable for a famous singer to be able to earn far more from an evenings entertainment than, for instance, a medical scientist who develops a new drug which produces a treatment for a common disease. The pop star certainly has a value in society, but the value in no way exceeds, or even matches, the value gained from a successful medication. Secondly. work done should be paid according to the amount of effort and skill that goes into it. Nobody would deny that a famous person works hard and is skillful, yet such people do not work any harder than thousand of other workers who have no claim to fame. Yet market force are such that these superstarts can obtain millions of dolor while other unknown people sometimes earn less than they need to survive. Finally, it should be possible for governments to work together to ensure that the amount of money in circulation should be more more equally and fairly distributed. This seems only fair given that there are so many suffering. To conclude, it is clear that world poverty is a serious problem and yet the problem could be eased if governments and compenies gave more thought to paying salaries on a more equitable basis and if they started to contribute more money to those in need.

Overview of Marine Insurance Policies

Overview of Marine Insurance Policies The structure of marine insurance Marine insurance is the way to cover vessels or cargoes in case of loss or damage from the port of origin until the destination. Marine insurance is a kind of insurance developed in maritime sector. The first types of marine insurance contracts were born in Genoa and other countries of Italy around the XVI century. During the 19th century Lloyds London and the Institute of London have developed standard clauses to use in marine insurance also called the Institute Clauses. Marine insurance is often grouped with Aviation and Transit risks, and known with the acronym MAT. The Marine Insurance Act includes a standard policy called SG. In 1991, the London market produced a new kind of standard policy called Mar 91 with the Institute Clauses. The MAR 91 form is a general statement of insurance; the Institute Clauses are used to set out the detail of the insurance cover. Lloyds of London is composed from names that are making their own wealth at risk to underwrite insurance cover. They provide cover for vessels, platforms and aircraft. Hull and Machinery policy is a kind of limited cover in case of explosion, fire contact with land conveyances, aircraft, salvage, general average, constructive total loss, total loss, partial collision liability and with additional premium limited cover for bursting of boilers and braking of shafts. All forms of hull cover have to be decided from an insurance broker. Protection and indemnity association provide a cover to loss of life, pollution and the risk of cargo for ship-owners. In other forms of insurance to cover vessels can be included war risk Strike and Freight defense. The underwriters are all liable together, but only for their proportion of the risk. If one underwriter should default, the others are not responsible to pick his share of the claim. Cover could be based for voyages and time. Definition of a PI club This is an association of ship-owners who are together to insure each other on a mutual non- profit-making basis, for their third-party liabilities. Mutual association The PL club is formed from ship-owners which are competitors in the business but they understood that it was more advantageous to cooperate together for insurance purposes. Currently the members of PL are international and different languages culture religion wont divided their cooperation because they are sharing the same risks and liabilities. In other words they are different people but with the same status and same objectives. Moreover would be better if all the members of the PL club have the same type of ship, same size, age, cargoes, involved in the same trade, with the same crew. Every ship-owner should have common characteristics to avoid unfair situations. For example a ship owner with a big tanker should pay more than a ship owner with a small bulk cargo. Every member of PI club shouldnt unfairly pay the other ship-owners. Since the PL is a no profit club the members want to ensure each other and try to achieve together optimum efficiency in the management of their money. The typical marine policy will cover just three-quarter of the insureds liability towards third parties. For this reason in the 19th some ship-owner created an underwriting clubs called PL to insure with all the members of the club the remaining part that the typical marine policy doesnt cover. These Clubs are still in existence Actual total loss and constructive total loss ALT (actual total loss) occurs where a ship owner has been irretrievably denied access to the property insured. Total loss happens when the vessel is completely damaged and the costs of repairing are higher than the insured value. In this case the Ship-owners will issue a notice of abandonment to Insurers. Insurers will take what is left of the ship and then dispose of the vessel in the best way possible. Average In the situation of partial loss or emergency repair of a vessel such as in case of storm or when they have to leave a part of cargo to protect the ship and the remain of the other cargo, a common law undertaking in the UK, may be declared. General Average requires all parties concerned in the venture as cargo, freight hull and bunkers, to contribute to compensate the losses or damages. Average adjusters are people specialized in marine claims and responsible to provide the general average statement involved from the insurers or ship-owners. Types of Policies The major types of marine insurance policies are Time policy The time policy is used for a specific period of time usually for12 months. This policy is most suitable for hull insurance. Voyage policy With the voyage policy the vessel will be insured just for a specific voyage for example from Karachi to Port Saied. The voyage policy has reasonable time. The ship will be also insured 24h after the arrival. When the cargo has an open cover it will be covered for a voyage in a specific period of time. If there will be some modification about ports, places and destination the insurers are not still responsible of the voyage. Moreover in case of deviation the ship may be covered with an additional premium. Mixed policy This is a mix between the Time policy and Voyage policy. In other words the vessel will be covered for a particular voyage and specific period of time. Floating policy Floating policy is taken for the habitual suppliers of goods. It covers several shipments which are declared afterwards along with other particulars. This policy is most suited to exporter in order to avoid trouble of taking out a separate policy for every shipment. Valued policy This policy will cover the cost of goods and shipping charges plus 10% to 15% margin for anticipated profit. This value could be more than the real value of the goods. Unvalued policy Where the value of the subject matter of insurance is not declared but left to be ascertained and proved later it is called unvalued policy. Builder’s risk This policy is valid for more than one year and it will be cover the ship during the construction until the trial voyage. Blanket policy This policy shows all the cargoes insured, with specific ports, destinations, voyages ,places and it will cover all the risks accordingly. Under this policy the maximum limit of the required amount to protect the vessel will be estimated. Port risk policy This policy will cover the vessel in a specific port for a determined period of time Wager policy This is called also gambling policy because the policy has not legal effects on the insurers and it cannot be taken to a court of law. Special hazards policy This policy is used to cover specific risks such as war or piratery. Composite policy This type of policy is bought from more than one person. When there is not freud each of them will be paid separately in case of loss. Block policy This kind of policy is usually used from golds buyers. It will cover all the risks to loss or damage of the gold from the port of delivery until the destination. Fleet Policy This policy will cover more than one ship which is member of the same ownership or management. Each ship will have a separate insurance. New Building risks: The policy is used to cover the risks of damage the vessel during the construction. War risks: Usual Hull insurance doesnt cover the risks of the ship in war zones. The vessel could be protected in war zone paying an additional premium. The areas with war risks are decided by the London-based Joint War Committee which has recently included the Malacca Straits. Increased Value (IV): This policy will cover the ship-owner in case of difference between the insured value of the vessel and the market value of the vessel. Overdue insurance: This is a form of old insurance and it is currently obsolete. It was used by the insurer in case the vessel was late to arrive at the port of destination or lost. A All Risks Another type of insurance policy is A-ALL Risks which doesnt mean that it will cover all the losses but just the ones by fortuitous condition. The requirement that the cause of loss be fortuitous excludes: inherent defects, intentionally caused losses ordinary wear and tear and naturally occurring losses. The term Inherent Vice refers to a loss arising from qualities inherent in the goods insured. The application of Inherent Vice is a strong possibility in certain cargoes, for example hydroscopic cargo, fruits and vegetables, wine, cocoa and coffee beans, iron and steel products, wood products, fish meal, leather goods, hides and skins, flour, soybeans, plantains, potatoes, pistachio nuts, walnuts, rubber, rugs, carpet backing, others. As Inherent Vice is an exception to liability, the burden of proof is on the insurer to support the declination of any cargo claim. An insurer does not agree to insure against damage that is bound to happen or inevitable as a result of the natural tendency of the cargo to deteriorate or sustain damage without an external fortuitous accident triggering the damage. The Inherent Vice exclusion can also apply to a loss which, due to manner in which the cargo is shipped, is regarded as inevitable. A good example is given by cargoes that are susceptible to high and low temperatures. Fresh eggs, chocolate, cocoa cake, wine, beer that are shipped in regular ocean containers during certain times of year when weather conditions are expected to be hot or cold, and without the use of a heated and insulated container ,are bound to sustain losses. Damage that occurs in the course of ordinary handling and transportation of cargoes, without the intervention of a fortuity, can be due to Inherent Vice and would be exuded from coverage.

The Truth Behind the Bus :: Buena Vista University Drinking Alcohol Essays

The Truth Behind the Bus There are many controversial issues concerning the bus service provided by Buena Vista University. BVU Rides, commonly known as the â€Å"Drunk Bus,† receives great reviews from the students using it at Buena Vista. However, members of the Storm Lake community are not as appreciative of this service. It is important, nonetheless, that people learn facts about BVU Rides in order to make an educated judgment. According to Behind the Arch, an essay compiled by students of Buena Vista University about the drinking issues within the university, citizens of Storm Lake feel that the â€Å"Drunk Bus† endorses drinking and drunkenness. The bus does in fact give students a chance to drink without being worried about a way back to their rooms. Some students who would not normally drink because of not having a ride are now able to drink without worrying about a designated driver. The bus system does facilitate ways for students to be able to drink. However, not only is the bus system sending a message to students that they can drink and not be worried about a way back to campus, but it also sends many other positive messages. The Storm Lake Community Believes: Getting Rid of the Bus will make a Statement that Drinking is not Acceptable and will Encourage Students to Abstain from Drinking One factor that Storm Lake citizens need to consider is that no matter what, there will be college students who drink. Not only are some of the students that use this service of age to drink, but it is likely that eliminating BVU Rides will not deter college students of any age from drinking. With there being a good chance of students out drinking, there has to be a way to get them back to their dorms. If Buena Vista were to take away the BVU Rides program, students who drink would not have a safe ride home. This would leave some students thinking that their only way of getting home would be to drive while under the influence. BVU Rides Allows Students to Get Drunk and Become Irresponsible Safety is a major concern when it comes to drinking. Drinkers are often reminded of this with billboards and commercial ads that tell them to â€Å"drink responsibly.† The Storm Lake community is also concerned about safety for themselves and students when it comes to student drinking.

Birth of Venus by Boticelli Essays -- painting analysis

In this article we will discuss the â€Å"Birth of Venus,† a well-known painting by the artist Alessandro di Filipepi Botticelli; completed in 1857. The reason why I chose this painting is, because of the fact that I wanted to give you a bit of information on this painting. Some of the examples I chose are; where did it come from, who originally wanted the painting, and why it came to be? I chose these examples because I have always wondered about these things myself, and hopefully I will be able to answer them for you too. However you may now wonder why I am even talking about this piece or what my intent behind this article is, you shouldn’t. The reason I am writing, is because I have always been fascinated by this piece and the calming effect it has on me. I remember whenever I saw it for the first I thought of the figure Pomona as a motherly figure and wanted to be beautiful like Venus, but that couldn’t be. Instead, I began to do research, since I wanted to learn a bit more about the piece myself. My main goal here is to try to and make you understand some of the things that I’ve already learned about the piece. So let’s get started and I’ll tell you some examples of the things I’ve learned while studying this piece. One that the piece was not originally released to the public, two it was not the most original piece out there, and three the piece was originally a commissioned work. Now, you might be wondering who commissioned the piece, the answer to that question is that the painting was commissioned by Lorenzo di Pier Frencesco Di Medici. He commissioned the painting, because he wanted it for private use in his villa and not for public domain. The second thing you might wonder now is why the piece was not original; the reason... ...re that if you just type in the Birth of Venus you will find a few pictures that make fun of or use the image again; but all of the imitations always keep the same theme so I would prefer not to discuss it anymore. ¬ While writing this paper I enjoyed telling you a bit about the things that I’ve learned about this piece and hope that you have enjoyed them too. I think that you should feel a bit better about knowing the fact that the piece is safe today and will continue to be, along with just knowing a few more things about this piece. Works Cited â€Å"Botticelli’s Birth of Venus†. Italianrenaissance.org. Italian Renaissance.org 2013 web. 12-6-2013 â€Å"Sandro Botticelli Biography†. Artble.com Artble 2013 web. 12-6-2013 â€Å"The Birth of Venus By Sandro Botticelli†. Uffizi.org 2013 web. 12-6-2013 Nicolas Pioch, â€Å"Botticelli, Sandro†. ibiblio.org. Jun 19, 2006 web. 12-7-13

nathaniel :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nathaniel is a magician’s apprentice. All apprentices live in their masters’ homes and their masters teach them magic, how to summon demons, and provide schooling for their apprentices. The also pick a name for them. The name is so that a magician or demon doesn’t find out what a person’s birth name because knowing someone’s birth name is a source of power to an enemy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now to the story. The story starts when Nathaniel is selected to be an apprentice to Mr. Arthur Underwood. He trains Nathaniel, only he doesn’t realize that Nathaniel is brighter than he looks. When Nathaniel is ten, he finishes all the books that his master said would keep him until he was twelve. At the age of ten, Nathaniel meets the villain of the story, Simon Lovelace. His master takes the liberty of showing him off to the other magicians. Simon questions Nathaniel’s smarts, and proves that Nathaniel is smart. Nathaniel answers all the questions correctly, but that ticks Simon off. Then, Simon puts a spell on Nathaniel, and embarrasses himself and his master. Since then, Nathaniel has been focused on revenge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When he turns twelve, he summons a demon called Bartimaeus. Nathaniel charges him to steal the Amulet of Samarkand. Little does Nathaniel know that Simon was planning to use it to overthrow Mr. Rupert Devereaux, the Prime Minister, and the rest of the government. One day, Nathaniel charged Bartimaeus to spy on his master in the study, but Nathaniel is called down to the study to talk to his master, exactly where Bartimaeus is. Mrs. Underwood uses â€Å"Nathaniel† because that’s his name, but it’s also his birth name. Bartimaeus hears it and thinks it’s his second name, but in the study, Mr. Underwood schedules a day for his official Naming. Bartimaeus is thrilled to hear this because whatever punishment Nathaniel uses, he can just direct it back at Nathaniel. Nathaniel threatens with a spell that confides Bartimaeus in a tin and Bartimaeus eventually backs down.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A couple of days after Nathaniel was Named, Mr. Underwood, family, Named apprentices, and other ministers are invited to Parliament for a gathering. Now Nathaniel is officially name John Mandrake. At the gathering, an attack is carried out by a group of people that call themselves the Resistance. The Head of Internal Affairs, Mr. Underwood, is really upset about this attack because he is supposed to be in charge of the finding and stopping the Resistance.

Motivation and Learning in Physical Education

Physical Education is undoubtedly important in the total development of the individual pupil. It is beneficial not only in the physical sense but also in the intellectual and emotional aspect of the child. In the physical sense, the child’s physical self-concept is influenced by the results and accomplishments in exercise and sports. Jarmo Liukkonin pointed out that the resulting self-concept â€Å"relies heavily on social comparison process, this means that the reference group and the class environment contribute to the developing self concept† (p 137). In view of the above, this paper intends to provide an overview of the learning situation in the physical education as well as an analysis of the issues in motivational learning in physical education, particularly on how effective are the different approaches to learning and teaching. This paper will also discuss on the application of the different theories about whether or not they are useful in the classroom instruction. At the last part, is a case study of a particular student featuring particular issue on the student’s physical, intellectual, and emotional growth. In general the paper will be more on analysis of the motivational and learning process in physical education involving all the different factors such as teachers, students, the different approaches used, and the relevance of the different theories in physical education. Overview Research and knowledge in Physical Education has been in rapid expansion over the last twenty years concerning the many factors that influence the learning and teaching of the Physical Education. Colin A. Hardy and Michael Mawer pointed out that this learning and teaching â€Å"include such issues as the context in which physical education teachers work, what teachers think about when they are teaching and planning their teaching, and the knowledge they require to teach effectively† (p. 1). Colin Hardy and Michael Mawers view seemed to be pragmatic yet analytical of the learning situation of the physical education. They were quite critical also of the enormous years spent on research yet it was only in recent years that the real emphasis on physical education was put on the limelight. They contend that despite of such amount of time spent on research, Hardy and Mawer contends that it is only in current years that research has begun to provide an insight into what physical education teachers feel about their role and their lives in teaching, and what pupils themselves feel about the physical education they experience in schools. In order to understand fully the importance of physical education subject, the question ‘why is physical activity valued’ deserves an answer. Katherine T. Thomas cited the health benefit associated with physically active lifestyle as will as other physical advantages resulting from physical exercise. Thomas pointed out, â€Å"One reason we value physical activity is the health benefit associated with physically active lifestyle. Other reasons are the developmental need to explore and master our environment, to express our selves through movement, and to feel satisfaction resulting from successful movement. Physical activity also provides an opportunity for affiliation. Being part of a group—as a fan, a team member, or a walking partner—meets human need† (p. 5) Thomas thinking on this subject is certainly practical and seemingly based on actual personal experience. Her statement sounds to be a good advice for anyone whose health condition is not in the best state. Indeed, physical education truly brings a lot of physical benefit to our physical body. Other authors however emphasized the achievement of goal in order to understand the motivation and behavior of physical activity such as in sport. Robert Daniel Steadward, Elizabeth Jane Watkinson, and Garry David wheeler noted some authors such as Nichols (1984, 1989) and Harters (1978) which pointed out the goal concept theory. According to them, the concept of the achievement goal theory, refer to how people evaluate their competence. It assumes that individual are driven to demonstrate competence, and that perceptions of competence are critical determinant of motivated behavior. Analysis of the Issues in Motivational Learning in Physical Education The issue that I found interesting is â€Å"how effective are the different approaches to learning and teaching.† Susan Piotrowski noted that there is no single approach is going to be the most effective way to cater for progression and continuity. She pointed out that several or all of these approaches need to be used together to achieved effective progression and continuity in the transfer from primary and secondary school. Piotrowski stated that â€Å"what will work in any one situation depends on a number of factors, including the schools and their transfer structures and procedures, the head teachers, primary and secondary education teachers and their ability to work together collaboratively† (p. 204). Piotrowski further stated that local conditions, facilities, expertise, and policies have a bearing on the type of curriculum that can be realistically offered in both primary and secondary in any given area. It is quite easy to accept Piotrowski’s view as it draws a practical option. Regardless of how others would look at the learning process, I believe it is complicated in the sense that physical education students have different level of intelligence, different cultural orientation, and physical and emotional developments, which affects their own learning process. Thus Piotrowski wisely stated ‘that there is no single approach is going to be effective, and that combining two or more of the various approaches may be more effective.’ On the other hand, Colin Hardy suggested that more pupil-centered and less direct teaching approaches would allow pupils to take a more independent and active role in decision making in physical education lessons. Ken Green and Ken Hardman, quoting Kane, (1976), Underwood (1988), and Wright (1995) identified differences in teaching approaches used in physical education; either due to the demands of different activities or different intended out comes. Green Hardman pointed out that the recommendation, which suggest that in order to achieve the range of the learning outcomes, â€Å"teachers should employ a variety of teaching strategies to cater for differences in pupils’ abilities, attainment, needs, and ages† (p. 112). Green and Hardman also recognized that there is a need for employing variety of teaching strategies. But they noted that this is because of the demands of the different activities, or the different intended outcome. Regardless of the reason, it is clear that there is a need for teachers to employ variety of approaches in the motivational learning in physical education, to insure progressive learning process. These approaches, however, must be suited to the local conditions, expertise of the teacher, facilities, and policies, all of which have bearing on the type of curriculum. An Application of the relevant theories from each topic Theories on motivation and learning in physical education have been formulated in an attempt to extend our understanding of the teaching and learning process. Among these theories, the theory of constructivism, the theory of behaviorism, and the theory of cognitive mediation are particularly helpful in understanding the learning process in physical education. Stephen J. Silverman and Catherine D. Ennis explained that Cognitive Mediation Theory â€Å"recognizes the significance of reinforcement activities in the learning process.   This explains that what students do in classes is an important step, or mediating factor, between what teachers do and what students learn† (p. 151). According to them, what the students do in classes affect also what teachers do.   Basically, these activities shape teacher’s lesson and students’ understanding of the lesson.   Here is the full explanation of Silverman and Ennis regarding this theory â€Å"Although this modification seems so simple, it is a powerful reconceptualization of the role of the teacher. Rather than directly causing learning, as inferred in the process product paradigm, the teacher from this perspective has the job of structuring the learning environment in a way that encourages students to think and act in ways that will, in turn, enables them to learn† (p. 151) The main architect of the constructivism theory is Von Glasersfeld (1987), which views students as active agents in their learning. According to this view, students brings with them to an educational setting prior â€Å"knowledge and experiences from which they interpret and give meaning to their present experience† (p. 151). Silverman and Ennis noted that in this theory, knowledge is not something transmitted from the teacher to the students but learner constructs knowledge through her or his interpretation of events from the framework of prior experience, in effect, building or constructing knowledge that has individual meaning.   Ã‚  To apply this theory, teacher must relate the lesson on students’ sphere of experience and allow students to explore the given knowledge utilizing their own experience.   As a result, students will gain meaningful experience out of the new knowledge learned in the classroom. On the other hand, adherents of behavioral theory emphasized that the study of learning focused on the memorization of simple and rote elements and on the behavior of the learner. Silverman and Ennis pointed out, â€Å"This view of learning focuses on the learner as a rather passive responder to externally imposed factors† (p. 134).   Silverman and Ennis stated that this theoretical lens views students as recipients and accumulators of knowledge, able to learn by listening to lectures, by reading or by rote drill and practice of isolated decontextualized skills. This particular theory is very significant in most studies wherein students have to gain basic understanding of theories of studies before finding the general concept; such as in the case of nursing in which fundamental issues such as anatomy and health ethics must be memorized well before finding its relevance to the field of work. Learning all these theories provide ample understanding as to how students could learns best the subject of physical education. It means that teachers must employ the use of these theories in their teaching strategies in order to ensure efficient learning process.   Physical Education as a subject is not that interesting for many students; and in that case, teachers must make every learning situation a worthwhile experience.   Hence, applying these theories can help learning enjoyable and fruitful. In the cognitive theory, students learn through the activities. It means, the physical activities in the physical education provide the pupils learning opportunity. In many cases, this subject is most of the time seventy-percent activities with thirty-percent lectures.   Students are expected to learn from physical exercise of the techniques with occasional coaching from the instructors.   They learn from trying and from their mistakes. Using Constructivism Theory, students learn by utilizing their own interest and socialization in the learning process.   By relating physical exercises in their own experience will result to students’ acceptability of the learning situation, which may result to higher learning of the subject. Behavioral Theory could be applicable in terms of learning the theories of the subject.   Here, students are expected to memorize different terminologies and techniques of the subject as well as history and rules of the game. Below is a case study of a student in high school who has an obvious intelligence yet performing just above average student. Case Study of a Student Rick is a high school with obvious sophisticated intelligence but performs merely just above average student in most of his academic subjects in school.   Although, he excelled in Mathematics, but his ratings in his physical education class has been poor because he is not participating in all the physical education activities class.   He has a lung problem that is why he does not participate in his physical education class. According to the theory of cognitive mediation, reinforcement activities in school such as physical activities in the physical education class, shape the teachers’ lesson and the student understanding. The theory of cognitive mediation implies that student learning can be cause by these activities too. In the case of Rick, although he has obviously sophisticated intelligence, yet his academic performance reflects merely that of above average student. Ricks problem is that because of his inactive physical condition, his learning potential is not fully consummated. Learning coming from his experience of the physical exercise is lacking. The theory of constructivism also teaches that ‘experience provides learning aside from the class room instructions. The theory of constructivism emphasized that ‘knowledge is not something transmitted from the teacher but learner constructs their knowledge through their experience. Rick’s knowledge has been only a result of spoon-feed learning. He could have excelled in all his subjects had he tried himself to be involve in the physical activities in his physical education class. On the other hand, Rick can be a good model in the behavioral theory of learning as the behavioral theory emphasized that students are passive responder of the externally imposed factors. In general, the theories of learning have been great help in the learning process. Work Cited Capel, S. & Piotrowski, S (eds). 2000. Issues in Physical Education.   London: Routledge. Green, K. & Hardman, K. 2005. Physical Education: Essential Issues. London: Sage Publications Company Hardy, C.& Mawer, M. 1999. Learning and Teaching in Physical Education. Great Britain: Biddles Ltd. Liukkonen, J. 2007.   Psychology for Physical Educators: Students Focus, 2nd Edition. USA: Human Kinetics. Silverman, S. & Ennis, C. 2003. Student Learning in Physical Education: Applying Research to Enhance Instruction. USA: Human Kinetics. Steadworth, R.,Watkinson, E. & Wheiler, 2003. G. Adapted Physical Activity. Canada: University of Alberta Press. Thomas, K.   2003. Physical Education Methods for Elementary Teachers 2nd Edition. USA: Human Kinesics.      

Lorna Dee Cervantes: Beneath the Shadow of the Freeway Essay

The form of the poem is not easy to determine. It consists of six stanzas of uneven length, which are, except for the first and fifth, again divided into sub-stanzas. The meter is irregular as well as the length of the verses and there is also no rhyme scheme. Cervantes plays very freely with the structure of poems. She does not use an established type of poem and ignores rhyme and meter, but she presents her words graphically in the form of stanzas, in separate but related sections. The six main parts are numbered. It can be assumed that the arrangement of the verses was done consciously and that it aims at a certain reception on the side of the reader. Each time a stanza or sub-stanza starts, a kind of pause emerges. This also allows the poem to have spatial and temporal leaps without transitions, but it also increases the difficulties concerning the understanding of the text. In addition to that, many things are only vaguely hinted or ambiguously presented. The inherent continuity of the poem is achieved by its themes and by its imagery. The first section deals with â€Å"the shadow of the freeway†, the image that is also in the title of the poem. It becomes obvious that the speaker lives next to a freeway; she can watch it right across the street from her porch. Every day she notices that the shadow of the freeway lengthens. This is interesting, because freeways usually do not cast shadows, they are flat. This seems to suggest that the freeway is actually a metaphor, so the speaker lives next to either a real or a metaphorical freeway. The family is introduced in the second part. It is an all-female family, consisting of three generations: grandmother, mother, and daughter. Grandmother is a â€Å"Queen†, mother is â€Å"Swift Knight, Fearless Warrior†, who wants to be a â€Å"Princess† instead. The speaker herself is conflicted by her role in the family. Because she cannot decide, she becomes a â€Å"Scribe†: a translator, someone who does â€Å"light man work†. These fairytale images contrast sharply with that of the freeway. They are a magic, mystic family that live next to a cold, plain freeway. In the third stanza the tense of the poem changes from past tense to present tense. Nature imagery is shown; it tells about seagulls and birds. Nature is again a contrast to the freeway. The last two lines of this part: Grandma â€Å"trusts only what she builds / with her own hands†, can be read as a hint that the freeway, not being built by oneself, is not to be trusted. This passage also contains accusations against men. The male mockingbirds are, in contrast to men, singing for their wives and â€Å"They don’t leave their families / borrachando†. This is said by grandma and it is very likely that she is speaking out of her own experience. In the poem the woman-family, left by their men, shows the difference between the imperfect human world and the idealized idea of nature: the mockingbirds’ family-structure is still intact. Men are to be made responsible for the destruction of the human family unit. This is made explicit in the next stanza. Grandma’s husband is described as â€Å"a man who tried to kill her†. Now if he indeed attempted to murder his wife or if he tried to kill her physically, would not make too much of a difference. It is shown that men are violent and the destroyers of the family. The tense is again past tense. The men of these women belong to the past; they are history. Grandma became a strong and self-reliant woman after being together with her husband. The family is shown as being happy by not having men, who could endanger their content lives. But the harmony of the female family is threatened. In the following stanza the speaker describes a man, entering the house during night, violent, drunk and spreading fear. It is not clear who he is; probable the man of the mother, but it could also be the grandmother’s husband. Most of this part is written in dialogic form, but it is uncertain who is speaking or who is addressed. It is also ambiguous what time this section refers to. Past tense is used, but conjunctive in the first line â€Å"in the night I would hear it† indicates that something similar happened (or happens?) more than once. The last section is finally harmonious and presents a positive outlook, also concerning men. Written in the present tense it tells about the present and the season is summer. It starts with a dialogue between one of the women and  her daughter. It is probable the mother talking to the speaker. She gives her pieces of advise, which are mainly warnings of men. She has had her experiences and does not have any illusions, but the daughter is more idealistic and trusts in a sort of natural law: â€Å"If you are good to them / they will be good to you back†. And it seems as if the speaker got confirmed in her opinion, because she is sleeping â€Å"with a gentle man / to the hymn of the mockingbirds†. This final stanza then also tells about the future. The things the daughter plans to do refer back to the grandmother. The three generations are thus linked together in cyclic harmony. A relationship with man can be achieved, if independence is preserved and confidence is only placed in oneself. The bond of the family, the unity between mother and daughter will always be stronger than any relationship between man and women. The mockingbird, which lives the ideal of a natural family including the male, is definitely a positive image and also a contrast to the freeway. The bird accompanies the grandmother’s patchwork and the speaker’s sleeping with her gentle man. The freeway is mentioned again in the last stanza, but this time without any negative connotations. It is just said that it is â€Å"across the street†. This is just a neutral statement, the freeway does not cast any shadows anymore. The natural, the mockingbird, and the unnatural, the freeway, have come to terms with each other. One could also argue that the mockingbird stands for the loving and caring female concept, involving instinct and nature, whereas the freeway expresses the male notion, being unnatural and without feeling and thinking, a â€Å"blind worm†. Just as nature and environment have to struggle with human progress, women have to struggle with men. A lot in this poems stays ambiguous and vague. Very often the voices of the three women are not to be identified; their identities merge and this increases the notion of continuity and connection among three generations of women, in which men will always be outsiders, even if they are â€Å"gentle†.

French and Indian War Essay

The French and Indian War altered the political, economic, and ideological relations between Britain and American colonies. Ideologically, this War brought up resentment toward Britain this changed the political relationship between Britain and its colonists because the British were forced to unfairly tax them due to their debt. The French and Indian war transformed North America by only leaving the British and the colonists left in their region. Greedy as the British were they did not treat the colonists fair by taxing them lead to resentment that lead to the American Revolution. After the French and Indian War, North America completely changed. Before 1754 English, French, Spanish, and the Russians had a portion of North America that they had power over. After 1763 the French were completely left out and had no land at all. (Document A) This impacted Britain and American colonists politically because it lead to the Proclamation of 1763 where Native Americans believed that the white people were not allowed to settle in their land that they had inhabited for hundreds of years. (Document .B) Britain thought that with the proclamation everything would turn out great, but it did not it just angered the colonists. They were angry because they believed they had no freedom. After the French and Indian War, England had to pay off a huge debt that had been accumulating over the years. The only way they saw to pay this was to regulate trade meaning that they would have fully control and know who and what they are trading with, and to tax everything. Britain made these changes and angered the colonists even more because the colonists felt it was not fair that all of a sudden they started taxing everything. (Document F) Taxation had a huge impact on the economic relationship between the colonists and their mother country because many of these acts forced the Americans to ship their raw materials to Britain, only to later buy the finished products from them. Mercantilism was soon abandoned when the colonists rebelled. An act that really angered the colonists was the Stamp act. Colonists furious of these taxations used boycotting as their weapon, they practiced non-importation and non-consumption. Although hurting the colonists and the British, the British soon came to realize that they were not messing around.(Document G) Colonists coming together and boycotting these acts had a huge impact on the British ideological values. The colonists felt that taxation was another thing that they should be mad at the British for. It added more stuff to what was already going on. The colonists were already mad about the Proclomation and just taxing everything did not make colonists happier. The colonists soon came to understand that they had little to no freedom which lead to the idea of becoming independent. Thinking that they could stand on their own. They don’t need the British. (Document D) The French and Indian war brought up resentment toward the british this changed the political relationship between Britain and the colonists because of the taxation that the British put on everything. Colonists began to change their mindset from being one whole colony to believing that they could stand on their own and become independent thus leading to the Revolution.

Challenges of the Lgbt Population on College Campuses

Challenges of the LGBT Population on College Campuses A review of the Literature Challenges of the LGBT population on College Campuses A Review of the Literature The need for institutions of higher education to stay relevant dictates that change is necessary. For most, it will require a concerted effort to embrace diversity. Racial and ethnic diversity have historically been the most widely addressed dimensions of diversity. However, as institutions continue to advance their efforts, they create a more welcoming campus climate for all individuals and groups.A current focus of diversity efforts includes the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population. This review will look at the issues and challenges of the LGBT population on college campuses; mainly covering the need to ease the levels violence and harassment on campuses and the desire for inclusion and social justice, and suggesting strategies to address these issues. Due to the nature of the coming out process, there are fundamental challenges to learning the experiences of the LGBT population.The labels lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender as sexual identity labels present particular problems: A student may be able to articulate feelings of attraction to the same-sex, though are reluctant to adopt the label of lesbian, gay and/or bisexual (Rankin 2003). The challenges that the LGBT population face are neither new nor surprising but the need to address them is certainly relevant (Thiel, 2010). In fact, it appears that for as much progress that has been made on some campuses, there has been no progress on others.The presence of violence and harassment, as well as the desire for inclusion and justice, indicates the need for attention and research as a chilly campus climate can make for a distressing experience for LGBT students, faculty, and staff. As might be expected, LGBT students’ perceptions of the campus climate and their experiences differ from those of other members of the campus community (Rankin, 2003; Liang & Alimo, 2005). Some LGBT students feel that they are treated different because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.They have difficulty achieving their full academic potential and trouble fully participating in the campus community (Rankin, 2003; Brown, Clarke, Gortmaker, & Robinson-Keilig, 2004). In a study by Liang & Alimo (2005), students shared that they had been discriminated against, physically assaulted and harassed in residence halls, and marginalized in their classes. Physical and verbal anti-gay and lesbian harassment has been documented on all campuses where research on the LGBT population has been conducted, and these behaviors seem to be on the rise nationwide (National Lesbian and Gay Task Force, n. . ). This homonegativity affects LGBT individuals’ physical as well as psychological health (Liang & Alimo, 2005). The LGBT campus experience is at best benign and at worst hostile (Rankin, 2003). Among these challenges, Ran kin (2003) states are mental health issues, discrimination, relationship issues, and harassment/abuse. Likewise, LGBT faculty, staff, and administrators may suffer because of the same prejudices, limiting their ability to achieve their career goals and to mentor or support students.Because the LGBT population is an invisible minority, LGBT individuals may experience anxiety about who knows their sexual orientation or gender identity and who they can safely share that information with (Rankin, 2003). In addition, individuals who identify as LGBT are often at higher risk for substance abuse and suicide because of these issues and the lack of a positive support system. LGBT individuals do not share the same protections as other minorities groups in the United States.While it is no longer legal to discriminate based on race, skin color, ethnicity, disability, age, sex, or veteran’s status, it is still legal to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Relations hips may also suffer. A LGBT’s social network may ebb and flow drastically as they come out to individuals they consider â€Å"friends. † LGBT individuals may lose some friends and gain others as they come out. This could drastically change their social network.Similarly, LGBT individuals often face rejection from their families. This can manifest as a loss of financial assistance, being â€Å"kicked-out† of the home, or being completely cutting off from all communication and ties to their families. Harassment and abuse can also be a problem. LGBT individuals may face harassment in many different forms. LGBT individuals may encounter increased negative attitudes, jokes, verbal taunting, or bullying because of their sexual orientation or gender identity (National Lesbian and Gay Task Force, n. d. ).In addition, LGBT individuals may be intimidated or blackmailed by others who threaten to â€Å"out† them if they do not do something. This population may also be targets of violence. They could be targeted because they may be seen as â€Å"weaker† or less likely to either fight back or report the crime/incident (Thiel & Diehl, 2010; University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, n. d. ). LGBT individuals are less likely to report these incidents because they do not want to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to authorities for fear of further repercussions from colleagues, friends, or family.Research shows that involvement in college life positively affects the LGBT experience (Rankin 2003). In addition, there are indications that the campus climate affects students’ social and emotional development, as well as their academic performance (National Lesbian and Gay Task Force, n. d. ). It also appears that there is much more in the way of student support on college campuses than there is faculty support. It is no surprise then, that the student experiences are somewhat better while the faculty experiences a chillie r climate (Brown et al. 2004). These findings suggest that an effective strategy for improving the campus climate for LGBT students needs to include system-wide efforts and involves promoting the acknowledgement, acceptance, and affirmation of all people. Campus diversity leaders and student affairs professionals will likely to be the most receptive, while some faculty and administrators will be more supportive than others will be (Brown et al. , 2004).Other recommendations to improve the campus climate for LGBT students include recruiting and retaining LGBT faculty, staff, and students, demonstrating institutional commitment to LGBT issues and concerns, integrating LGBT issues and concerns into the curriculum, providing educational programming on LGBT issues, and creating safe spaces for dialogue and interaction (Rankin, 2003; Liang & Alimo, 2005; University of Wisconsin Madison, 2008).Incorporating sexual orientation and gender identity topics into student, parent, faculty, and st aff orientation courses is important, as is informing parents of LGBT students about resources and services available on campus for their child (Angeli, 2009). Freshmen seminars and other first-year courses could be important venues for discussions of LGBT-related topics. Residence hall assistants (RAs) are also an important target group for training, as RAs are often a first esource for LGBT students dealing with coming out issues (Brown et al. , 2004). Other recommendations for improving student recruitment are as follows: Improve accessibility to LGBT information on college web sites (create one if there is not), attend national LGBT recruitment fairs, and work with the LGBT Campus Center to create a recruiting pamphlet on LGBT life on campus. For campuses without an LGBT Campus Center, the school should work to create one.LGBT Centers exist to reduce violence and harassment, and aid in the effort to promote inclusion and social justice (University of Wisconsin Madison, 2008). To ensure fair and equal treatment in the classroom, the main priority for faculty is to involve the students in the process of teaching/learning. With the many races, cultures, and groups that make up classes, having a continually engaged classroom is a challenging proposition at best and no one wants to feel marginalized.Additionally, when discussing current events, include LGBT issues as one of the topics, and be very clear with your students that homophobic and heterosexist comments and actions are not acceptable (Lock Haven University, 2000). Another initiative that could help support the LGBT student population while at the same time demonstrate institutional commitment to would to create â€Å"safe spaces† or â€Å"safe zones† where faculty/staff/students can choose to make their office or department a place for mentoring, peer counseling, dialogue, and interaction with LGBT students, faculty, and staff (Angeli, 2009).Faculty/staff leaders should work closely with campus diversity leaders (and the LGBT Campus Organization, if there is one) to ensure the inclusion of LGBT faculty and staff in the campus’ various recruitment efforts and to provide programs and services important to LGBT faculty and staff retention. This would include working to achieve domestic partner benefits for LGBT and other unmarried campus faculty and staff, and the creation and funding of an LGBT faculty/staff mentoring program (University of Wisconsin Madison, 2008).Such initiatives should be the combined efforts of administrative, faculty and staff representatives (University of Wisconsin Madison, 2008). Encouraging openly LGBT students, faculty, and staff to join and lead university committees and organizations without fear of repercussion is also a step in the right direction (Angeli, 2009). Campus administrators should enforce local anti-discrimination laws and policies on campus, ban discrimination in instructional materials and textbooks, and encourage th e use of materials that reflect gender diversity.Angeli (2009) reported that not all campuses have established such inclusive policies, and this leaves LGBT students without many options for repercussion when they experience discrimination. For example, hateful graffiti on campus should be removed quickly and those who did it punished appropriately. Sexual orientation and gender identity could be considered its own demographic and colleges should collect and report LGBT data in the same manner as gender, race, ethnicity, and disability data (Angeli, 2009).As more surveys and forms include questions on sexual orientation and gender identity, and, as campuses provide assurance that students’ privacy will be protected, it is likely that data that are more complete will become available. In other words, as the climate becomes â€Å"less chilly,† more students, faculty, and staff will feel more welcomed and, thus, more likely to share more about themselves (Angeli, 2009). P ositive attitudes of heterosexual peers can help to provide a campus climate that is welcoming and more supportive of the LGBT population, which may facilitate the development of a positive identity (Liang & Alimo, 2005).Heterosexuals have a large role in perpetuating this climate, as they have been the source for much of the homonegative behavior (Liang & Alimo, 2005). If the campus promotes itself an advocate for justice, it is not enough just to change a policy or to use ‘buzzwords;’ a new culture/atmosphere has to be created. Implementing such a campus-wide approach will necessitate support from top campus administrators (Rankin, 2003; Tierney, 1992).In addition, just because an anti-discrimination statement has been updated to include sexual orientation & gender identity, this does not mean inclusion, or even a consistent welcoming climate (University of Wisconsin Madison, 2008). Not seeing any progress in any of the areas discussed above is an indication that the campus has not yet integrated LGBT issues into the university’s understanding of its responsibilities to create a diverse and inclusive climate (Lock Haven University, 2000; University of Wisconsin Madison, 2008).The right thing to do is to create a more welcoming campus climate for all individuals and groups by reducing violence and harassment, and advancing social justice and inclusion efforts. All groups deserve this consideration because they matter. References Angeli, M. California Postsecondary Commission at its meeting on June 9, 2009. Access and equity for all students: Meeting the needs of LGBT students. Retrieved online on March 24, 2010 from http://www. cpec. ca. gov /completereports/2009reports/09-14. pdf Brown, R. D. , Clarke, B. Gortmaker, V. , & Robinson-Keilig, R. (2004). Assessing the campus climate for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) students using a multiple perspectives approach. Journal of College Student Development, 45(1), 8-26. Liang, C. T. H. & Alimo, C. (2005). The impact of white heterosexual students’ interactions on attitudes toward lesbian, gay and bisexual people: A longitudinal study. Journal of College Student Development, 46(3), 237-250. Lock Haven University Safe Zone. (n. d. ). Originally written by Troy Gilbert of StanfordUniversity, then modified by Martha Ann Spruill (Jan 14, 2000), then modified again for the LHU community. Retrieved online on March 24, 2010 from http://www. lhup. edu/safezone/support. html National Lesbian and Gay Task Force. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 23, 2010 from www. thetaskforce. org /issues/hate_crimes_main_page/overview. Rankin, S. R. (2003). Campus climate for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people: A national perspective. New York: The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute. www. ngltf. org Thiel, M. J. , & Diehl, S. (2010).Campus gay and lesbian issues in the new millennium. Retrieved on 3/20/2010 from http://www. gvsu. edu/allies/index. cfm ? id=80B3F0D0-A5DC-ECEE-44313D44883F471B University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. (n. d. ). Issues/concerns for the LGBTQ Population. Retrieved March 23, 2010 from http://safezone. uncc. edu/allies /ally-manual/issues. University of Wisconsin Madison Faculty Document 2056. (2008). Report of the committee on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. Retrieved onlineMarch 23, 2010 from http://acstaff. wisc. edu/FacDoc2056LGBT-AR07. pdf

Owning a Pet

You go to the mall, and there in center court is a bunch of cute, soft, wiggly puppies and kittens; some of them are in cages and some are being walked around by handlers. There is a crowd of adults and children surrounding them. You just have to hold one of them for just a minute, and then you are hooked. Everyone knows that pets are loveable, soft and cuddly; what we forget about is the responsibility that comes with pet ownership. Outside of the time commitment to caring for a pet, there is also the financial aspect.When you own a pet, they have to be fed, groomed, exercised and loved; most of the time, with puppies, there is the training aspect of getting them to let you know when they need to go outside to eliminate waste and not to chew on furniture or other house fixtures. Try to avoid the use of second person â€Å"you† in your writing. Pets also add to the normal housekeeping routine due to pet hair and shedding which may require additional vacuuming. And, with cat ow nership, there is the need to keep the litter box clean.All of this takes time from an already busy schedule. Add to that the expense of owning a pet: food, grooming, veterinarian and training expenses, to name a few. Consequently, what seemed like a good idea can have a drastic impact on your life. Most of us work; what do you do with the pet during the day when you are away from home? Or, what if you plan a trip and are unable to take the pet with you? Do you have a family member willing to take on the responsibility of caring for your pet while you are gone?Or, do you pay to have the pet boarded while you are gone? Cats are fairly self-sufficient and can be left alone for long periods of time; dogs, not so much. If you own a dog and are away at work, what do you do about the dog using when it needs to go outside? These are all important considerations prior to walking out the door with that cute, fluffy pet. We all know that pets are loving and loyal companions. Above all, one sh ould consider the consequences of pet ownership, in terms of time and expenses.

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 46

Case study - Essay Example hains under the umbrella of Inditex are involved in various business industries such as manufacturing, textile, real estate, and finance among others (Ghemawat and Nueno 7). Despite being under the same umbrella of Inditex, each chain operates independently, a factor that has contributed to Zara’s massive success in comparison to the other chains. With an expansion strategy from the firm’s founder, Amancio Ortega Ganoa, Zara has been able to open new stores in the past years with the first opened in upmarket shopping street in La Coruna, in 1975, in Spain, Zara’s home base (7). Expansion has however, seen it go international with other store being opened beyond the Spanish boundaries from which it has been able to expand substantively especially in logistics and IT (9). Zara has been able to beat its competitors in the market by making customer preference their priority, enabling for the production of distinctive products that meet the customers’ needs. In a strategy named ‘vertical integration,’ Zara observes the current trends in the fashion industry and works towards production of products that are considered the next trend in the fashion industry. Ideally, this has been the greatest success orientation for Zara. In addition to expansive marketing, Inditex, as an umbrella organization through its supply chains including Zara, has established effective and able management team that run each of the chains with utmost objective in achieving success (6). This aspect has as well contributed immensely towards the overall success of Inditex and its chain units. Despite the success orientation that Inditex has been to experience in the past years, difficult times are looming in the new future for this firm considering that a majority of the stores under it are working on expansive strategies that would see them acquire new market bases. This could be disastrous to Inditex considering that each of the chains operates on an independent basis. Other than the

Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international Essay - 1

Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you - Essay Example My mother and father figures have played quintessential roles within our lives and most significantly within my life’s folds. I value them for their coveted place and nothing at all can come close to matching them in entirety. Ever since I have graduated from school in 2001, my parents want me to go for the PhD degree program which would eventually complete me as a qualified and educated person. As we hail from Saudi Arabia, I understand why my parents want me to be educated because my mother brought me to America for completion of my education. Such is the kind of emphasis that our family pays towards education in essence. Both my parents were studying within America and this is one of the reasons why both my parents would require me to be a part of the Chapman University, which is indeed an esteemed place to acquire education. I hope that I can live up to the dreams of my parents and attain the PhD degree at the

Nestle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nestle - Essay Example Nestle’s Nescafe, the leading coffee brand, is drank in almost every country and the company owns scores of other household names, including confectionery such as Kit Kat, Smarties, Yorkie and Aero along with Perrier water, in the UK. Hot Pockets in the US, Baeren Marke in Germany, Mucilon in Brazil, Orion chocolate in Czechoslovakia and Slovakia and Maggi seasoning in Asia are among its well-known brand names. (Johnston) The past two years has seen Nestle’s Maggi ready-mix seasoning targeting Asian ethnic cuisine with mixes for sautees, broths and others. The new Cranberry Raisenets was launched in March last year as an addition to the Nestle Raisinets family. To take care of distribution Nestle has 406 subsidiaries and offices in 104 countries and joint ventures with Coca-Cola, General Mills, L'Oreal and Fonterra, not to include several other corporations not as large (â€Å"Nestle SA: Who, Where, How Much?†) Nestle aggressively promotes its products and is hig hly visible in energy drinks and supplements for athletes. In developing countries where it sources some of its raw materials, Nestle is highly visible in events which build up the goodwill and image it has established over the decades of doing its businesses. Nestle’s Milo in Asia has built a solid image as an energy drink indispensable in the growth of young aspiring athletes.

Rhetorical and cultural analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Rhetorical and cultural analysis - Essay Example Rhetoric and cultural/critical analysis will emphasize on the study of culture, public discourse and texts, and its analysis processes of the influence to the society in multiple media, including essays, books, mass-mediated, speeches and online public discourse. Different authors in multiple media use texts, videos, films, images and other sets of objects in media in order to express and bring out a message that will be interpreted differently with regard to culture. Context One message that has incorporated several sets of objects was the campaign advert of Ron Paul in 2012 when he was campaigning for GOP nomination. He made use of visual aid to pass on a message that would boost his polls in the presidential election. The visual aid made use of texts and video to create an impression in the minds of people. This advert was run on national television in the different media companies. Running the advert using television media achieved a lot compared to media’s like newspaper that many do not read in depth but are interested in the overview of the message. Using television to convey the message meant that the message would capture a large audience. In America, 98% of the households own a television set hence airing the advert would lead to lots of views (McDonough). Compared to the number of people who read text in newspaper the use of video was best suited to deliver the message. In America the people who read the printed newspaper are estimated to be at 23%. Main aim of using media is to pass on information and thus there is need to choose the best method (PewResearchCenter). The presidential aspirant also made use of newspaper to pass on his message in the campaign but the video is what created impact in the rise of his poll. The text and video are connected in that they both are being used to convey a similar message. Rhetoric Analysis The rhetoric devices identifiable in the set of objects used in the television and newspaper was the use of Enumerat ion. Ron Paul makes a details summary of the troops in the Middle East and gives a vivid description of the kind of lifestyle in the Middle East with the presence of foreign troops in the land. This vividness helps great a clear picture in the mind of the viewer. He has also made use of metaphors where he tries to compare the situation in the Middle East with the hypothetical situation in Texas. The metaphor is seen where foreign troops have come and positioned themselves in Texas and he says that the same situation in the Middle East. He has also used allusion to make reference of the promise made by President Obama during campaigns that he would get the troops of America out of the Middle East but he has not done that hence he has not kept his promise and thus he should not be chosen (O’Donnell). These are the noticeable rhetorical devices you will find in the video. There was also amplification or the use of the word revolution. His campaign was based on revolution and fre edom rhetoric to capture the audience through their patriotism. The similarity between the video and the text is that they are conveying the same message using the same rhetoric devices. The video and the text however have very different impacts to the society that the message is intended for. The Video was aired in

Writing to Convince Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Writing to Convince - Essay Example The state of Oklahoma is no exception to protecting its pivotal civilians and, therefore, presents provisions to protect the societal individuals. Once the society selects the few who should be contained and restrictions offered, individuals might relate better to their normal routine. However, Oklahoma has witnessed a high number of inmates in prisons with the crime rate increasing and the law providing fewer alternative rehabilitation measures for less crime offenders. Among this number are women whose number is increasing in the prisons leaving a void in their homes, with the majority of children growing up without the motherly care. The number of inmates has surpassed the state’s budget on the initial expectation of the figure that are in the prisons. There is an alarming rate of sex offenders with elevating crime against children and corruption in businesses. This paper argues on the need to reduce the number of inmates in Oklahoma prisons and the impact of this problem o n individuals and society. The number of individuals increasing in these prisons means that there is a substantial increase in the crimes committed to the Oklahoma community. The law has recognized serious crimes to be against children and in embezzlement of finance in organizations. This has led to a witnessed an increase in the number of women in prisons escalating to protect the victims. There are non-violent offenders and those that are most dangerous who are included in this program. The lack of a proper system to rehabilitate the non-violent offenders and the parole system flaws has led to the integration of the entire criminals within the limited spaces. Oklahoma is mentioned as the only state with the provision that the governor should sign every parole program before the prisoner is inducted. The number of inmates increasing ion the prisons has an implication of unhealthy living within the confines leading to violence elevating in

Genetics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Genetics - Assignment Example Accordingly, the accumulation of mutant mtDNA in the reproductive tissues appears to underlie/impair fetal viability, thus, increasing chances of having recurrent miscarriages. 8 In the following pedigrees, the disorders or traits presented follow simple patterns of Mendelian inheritance. For each trait, determine the most probable mode of inheritance, stating whether the trait is due to an autosomal or X-linked gene, and a dominant or recessive allele. In each case, indicate and explain the evidence for each pattern, giving at least one statement and example from the pedigree to defend each part of your analysis. Then, providing a legend for your symbols, assign genotypes to the specified individuals. (15 marks) 9 Achondroplasia is an autosomal dominant disorder associated with a gene on chromosome 4. Sickle cell anaemia is due to a gene on chromosome 11. A man and a woman with achondroplasia, who each had a normal parent, are carriers for sickle cell anaemia. Every individual has two copies of each of the genes in their system, one from each parent. The color of the human eye color is determined by at least three hereditable genes. However, only two are well understood. A gene often has two alleles: a dominant one that confers eye color (B for blue eye color) and a recessive one which gives rise to the brown eye color. A brown eyed dad and a green eyed mom may be carriers of the recessive gene of eye color, and thus be able to pass down brown eye genes to their children. As alluded to in the diagram above, both parents are carriers of the brown eyes genes. There is, thus, a slim chance that brown eyed child [bb/gg] being born in the family. Both lead to monoallelic expression [without altering the genetic sequence]; that is genomic imprinting and X-inactivation share certain physical properties such as DNA hypermethylation, altered replication timing

Writing is an important thing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing is an important thing - Essay Example Writing helps students achieve goals and objectives related to other subjects within and without the teaching and learning environment. As a writer, I have come to understand that writing is not as easy as it appears. Writing can be as simple as one could think, or as complex as it could ever get. On the same note, forms of writing are many and different. For this reason, the experiences of a writer are broad in terms of scope, and these experiences show one’s creativity and imagination in writing. Personally, when I joined this class I did not know what defines a well-written essay. With the free writing assignment, however, I learnt proper essay writing through getting information, organizing the content, and targeting the intended audience. When writing, it is important to capture the intended main idea. Through free writing, I have learnt how to identify the main ideas from a given piece of writing. Main ideas give meaning to any written piece. On the same note, the style and strategy of presenting written work matters as far as the audience is concerned. In this respect, I have learnt to address major factors that improve the quality of writing. In so doing, I have become a more competent writer. Over and above improving the quality of writing, I have understood synthesizing, comparing, and contrasting information and/or content of written work. In the process, I have become a writer who thinks outside the box when presented with a piece of information and/or text.

Idealism as an approach in international politics is simply naivety, Essay

Idealism as an approach in international politics is simply naivety, do you agree - Essay Example The synchronization of the local and international policies can lead to improved success and ease of integration. Idealism is based on personal values are integrated into social values (Connelly & Panagakou, 2010, p. 56). In spite of having the best values and approach in domestic issues, idealism has failed to the replicated in the global arena because of the difficulty in transforming the values. The concept of idealism has not been effective in handling the global conflicts based on several issues affecting countries. The capitalistic nature of countries has made the challenge extremely difficult. Countries currently focus on what will benefit them and not on idealistic values. The creation of allegiance between countries is based on country’s interest and not values (Tomuschat, 2010, p. 45). For instance, the continual negativity and difference in stance between Russia and America is a product of interests and not values. These interests affect the development of values an d principles guiding the countries. Since the development of the concept of idealism, several issues affected the society that in turn influenced the social values. Failure of idealism The failure of idealism can be linked with the events after the First World War because it failed to capture the issues affecting society. In fact, the postwar issues were not addressed by the idealism present by the international policy. The failure to address the relationship status of the countries affected the nature of international development, which in turn affects the countries around the world. Idealism is dependent on personal and state values and policies which depended on the interest of the nation (Podany, 2010, p. 136). During the First World War, it is estimated that over sixty million civilian and military causalities which led to the development of a new political theory. According to idealist theory, a lasting peace is constructed around the elimination of war. The argument of the id ealist is that the war was caused by defects in the process of real politics. The result of the ideology is the creation of the new organization called The League of nations. The League of Nations was an international organization focusing on control and moderation of the individual states’ actions against each other. The approach was supported by the initiation of international treaties (Perkins, 2013, p. 113). The aim of the international government was to limit weapons while maintaining collective security and renouncing the use of war as a national policy. The League of Nations did not achieve success because after the First World War, the Second World War occurred and the development of other inter-nation aggression and war. The failure indicated the non-relevance of the idealist approach employed after the First World War. Human reason as a basis of idealism Idealism relies on human reason as the foundation of its development. The philosophical basis of the Wilsonâ€⠄¢s peace law was borrowed from Bentham’s idea, which was developed a century earlier. The placement of faith in the power of reason, public opinion, individual liberty and social openness as the key values to the idealistic principles led to failure. The concept rejected secret negotiations and alliances which is a prevalent feature in the current international relations. The main principle was the reliance on the human reason (Tomuschat, 2010, p. 13). Human reason allows an

Coping Tactics in Translation Essay Example for Free

Coping Tactics in Translation Essay One cannot deny the astounding success of the â€Å"Twilight† series of books and films. Seemingly overnight, almost everyone has been sideswept by the popularity of the four-book series namely, â€Å"Twilight†, â€Å"New Moon†, â€Å"Eclipse†, and â€Å"Breaking Dawn†, all by debuting author Stephenie Meyer. The book’s characters have also become household names, the most popular ones being Edward Cullen, Bella Swan, and Jacob Black. Not surprisingly, the actors who portrayed them in the films have also been catapulted to stardom: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner, playing the mentioned characters respectively. Definitely amazing, considering the simplicity of the story, a love triangle involving three teenagers. What probably makes the difference is that two of them are not human. Twilight Mystique 4 Demystifying the â€Å"Twilight† Mystique Most of us dream of making it big. Maybe to discover or invent something that will change the world, or put together an award-winning record album that will go platinum, or possibly, write a book that will sell millions of copies worldwide. The Author Herself Stephenie Meyer had a dream, literally. â€Å"A vivid dream took her to a forest meadow where she saw an average-looking girl and a stunningly handsome vampire having an intense conversation†, it says in her website, stepheniemeyer. com (cited in Vaz, 2008). She then began to flesh out a story, and after three months, she finished the first book, â€Å"Twilight†. She submitted her manuscript to several literary agencies and eventually ended up in the hands of the publishing company, Little, Brown where the road to success got a jumpstart, to say the least (stepheniemeyer.com, 2010). The rest of the saga has then followed the path to fame and fortune. Crossing age barriers the world over, the â€Å"Twilight† series has proven that if you take seemingly ordinary characters in a seemingly ordinary setting and spice it all up with something extraordinary, create situations and experiences that are almost believable, then you have got a winning formula. The Twilight Series The back cover of the first book, â€Å"Twilight†, teases us with the words, â€Å"About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him – and I didn’t know how dominant that part might be – that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him† (Meyer, 2005, back cover). Twilight Mystique 5 Almost immediately, two things jump out at the reader, the fact that there is a vampire involved, and so is that crazy, adrenaline-pumping emotion called love. The lore and legend of vampires goes way back into the olden days, with practically every culture having its own imaginative version of the creatures, often tortured souls who drink the blood of their victims (Vaz, 2008, p. 13). In fact, â€Å"Twilight† director Catherine Hardwicke says, â€Å"One reason the Twilight series has such resonance may be that the vampire myth is deeply rooted in the human psyche† (Vaz, 2008, p. 15). Joel Schumacher, director of â€Å"The Lost Boys†, a film about vampires haunting a resort town on the California coast, remarked in his commentary on the said film’s DVD, â€Å"I think one of the reasons vampires have an enduring quality is they’re the only monsters that are really sexy† (cited in Vaz, 2008). True enough, vampires are often portrayed as very attractive human beings, the only obvious giveaway is when they bare their fangs, to satisfy their thirst for blood. The universal theme of love has been used countless times in books, movies, poetry, music, and all other possible vehicles of expression. Thus, the obvious love angle in the â€Å"Twilight† series may be nothing new, but it still definitely sells. As an article by S. A. Dalton declared, â€Å"Every girl dreams of falling in love one day. She dreams of that perfect soulmate who was put on this earth to love no one but her†¦It’s a love that voids all pain and validates the very reason that either of them were born†¦Because of this love, the Twilight series was a huge success! † (cited in helium. com, 2002-2010) The character of Bella herself, as the narrator, often articulates the extent of their feelings. In the second book, â€Å"New Moon†, she narrates, â€Å"My head was already spinning by the time he leaned closer and pressed his icy lips against mine†¦I forgot all about my worries, and concentrated on remembering how to inhale and exhale (Meyer, 2006, p. 16) Twilight Mystique 6 Hardwicke even accurately observed that â€Å"for all the inherent darkness that came with vampires, it was the love story that touched people† (Vaz, 2008, p.134). The reader can also easily identify with Bella’s character, for she was portrayed as an ordinary, not particularly popular, oftentimes clumsy teenage girl. In the third book, â€Å"Eclipse†, she said, â€Å"We were almost to the clearing when I fell. I could see the wide opening ahead, and that’s probably why I got too eager and forgot to watch my feet. I caught myself before my head bashed into the nearest tree, but a small branch snapped off under my left hand and gouged into my palm† (Meyer, 2007, p. 470). Incidentally, the movie version of this third installment, to be shown June 30, 2010, is being eagerly awaited by the fans, as attested to by the â€Å"official online destination for all Twilight fans,† thetwilightsaga. com (thetwilightsaga. com, 2010). Stephenie Meyer makes it all so believable. After all, Bella remains unchanged, as unassuming as ever, even for instance in the fourth book, â€Å"Breaking Dawn†, wherein she was driving a new Mercedes Guardian and two strangers asked to have their pictures taken beside it. â€Å"It took me a second to process that. ‘Really? You want to take a picture with the car? ’, says Bella. † And as the two guys proceed to take pictures by the hood and even the back end, Bella whimpers to herself, â€Å"I miss my truck† (Meyer, 2008, pp. 6-7). This fourth installment meanwhile, will be shown as two films, and back-to-back shooting is expected to begin in October 2010, as stated in an article by Erik Davis (cited in cinematical. com, 2003-2010). Twilight Mystique 7 Anyhow, as Peter Facinelli, the actor who portrays Edward Cullen’s dad, said in his interview with Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez, â€Å"Anything that gets kids to read is a fantastic thing too† (cited in cbsnews. com, 2008). And so the â€Å"Twilight† phenomenon goes on. It will forever inspire us to follow and live our dreams, be it literally or figuratively speaking. So when a sudden inspiration strikes, take it as a hint to possibly start something big. Twilight Mystique 8 References Cbsnews. com. (2008). Facinelli on â€Å"Twilight† Phenomenon. Retrieved May 15, 2010, from http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2008/11/21/earlyshow/leisure/boxoffice/main 4625399. shtml. Dalton, S. A. (2002-2010). Why the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer became so successful. Retrieved May 15, 2010, from http://www. helium. com/items/1430290-stephenie- meyers-twilight-was-a-success. Davis, E. (2010). It’s Official: â€Å"Breaking Dawn† will be Two Movies. Retrieved May 15, 2010, from http://www. cinematical. com/2010/02/11/its-official-breaking-dawn- will-be-two-movies. Meyer, S. M. (2005). Twilight. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Meyer, S. M. (2006). New Moon. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Meyer, S. M. (2007). Eclipse. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Meyer, S. M. (2008). Breaking Dawn. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Stepheniemeyer. com. (2010). Bio. Retrieved May 15, 2010, from http://www. stepheniemeyer. com. Thetwilightsaga. com. (2010). Eclipse Movie Tie ¬-in Books. Retrieved May 15, 2010, from http://www. thetwilightsaga. com. Twilight Mystique 9 Vaz, M. C. (2008). The complete illustrated movie companion:twilight. New York: Little, Brown and Company.