Attendance and Daily Time Record System

Today, magnetic swipes are mostly used by many establishments and organizations to provide both security and convenience. Hotels use these as a replacement for the key system. Schools, specially the universities and college campuses also use these in the form of ID swipe system. (Ramsbrock, D. and Moskovchenko S. , 2011, p. 4) Researchers tested University of Maryland's Lenel System where the ID's of the students include their Social Security Number. The ID information can be used by the outsider for identity theft. Copying of these existing cards can be done without the help of electronics expertise. The internet provides the sale of commercial card reader and writer and can be used to create a duplicate of these ID cards. A more complicated but still basic attack on the ID is creating a card from a certain two information without actually having an access to the card. These information has been disclosed by the author due to security purposes. (Ramsbrock, D. and Moskovchenko S. , 2011, p. 4) Boarding School Student Systems (E-ID) Using Radio Frequency Identification RFID or Radio Frequency Identification does not require a person to do a manual scanning, but it uses radio waves to identify man, animals, or other materials plugged with RFID tag. This method compared with the manual ID scanning reduces man power and time to input data. RFID system is mostly made up of three components: An antenna or a coil, a tranceiver or a decoder, and an RFID tag which is very tiny and can be placed inside a human body for data storage and retrieving purposes. (Abdul Kahir H. , et al. 2009) RFID Matrix Card System was tested by researchers and proven efficient and handy. Students coming in and out the establishment can be monitored. Any individual without an RFID will trigger an alarm and the management can pull the students' information on the computer from their ID cards. (Abdul Kahir H. , et al. , 2009) Sampling in statistics, and survey methodology in selecting a subset, or a subgro up of individual within statistical population, to estimate characteristic of the whole population. Advantages of sampling are lower cost, faster data collection and a smaller data set improves accuracy and quality of data. Sampling involves several key stages defining the population concerned, specifying a sampling frame, specifying a sampling method, determining sample size, implementing the sampling plan and sampling with data gathering. The researchers chose to use non-probability sampling method (Arboleda, C. Writing a Thesis Proposal First Edition. 1998), specifically the incidental or accidental. The researchers first decided on the sample size by consulting with different school professors and with a thesis lecturer. After the consultations, the researchers decided to collect 100 surveys, as advised by the consultants. The researchers then proceeded to conduct the survey by handling out the surveys to the first 100 students who were more likely to return and re-enroll, were given more significance by the researchers as advised by those who were consulted. The researchers chose this sample method for three reasons. First, they had limited time, budget and workforce. Second, it was highly suggested by those consulted by the researchers. Third, it made statistical compilations easier by setting the size at 100. To maintain the quality and effectiveness of this survey research, the researchers chooses to have at least 100 samples. This survey evaluates the effectiveness and the impact to the student and faculties.

President Obama: Analysis of the 2014 State of the Union Address-Job Security and Future Essay

The State of the Union is an annual address the President of the United States delivers to a joint session of the United States Congress, and it’s now broadcasted on live television. It fulfills Article II; Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution—requiring the President to periodically give Congress information on the â€Å"State of the Union† and recommend any measures that he believes is necessary and expedient. The first State of the Union address was delivered by President George Washington on January 8, 1790, in New York City. The most recent address was delivered by President Barrack Obama on January 28, 2014, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. Mr. Obama talks about various topics that America currently needs to focus on: improving American health care, enacting immigration reform, a smarter national security approach, moving America on from war, calling for Congress to allow more room for U.S. Diplomats to maneuverer and education imp rovements for American job in tomorrow’s economy. Jobs consequently affect everyone and these people need to be aware of what the president has in store for their current situation and stability. In his speech, Mr. Obama specifically focuses on jobs, job security and job improvements. President Obama begins this aspect of his State of the Union address by calling all business leaders, labor leaders, faith leaders and law enforcement leaders—to repair the failing immigration system. He acknowledges how Democrats and Republicans, respectively, have already initiated the process to repair the immigration system and acknowledges that members of the House have intentions to follow suit of their Senate counterparts. According to Mr. Obama, independent economists have stated that our economy will improve expeditiously and will shrink the U.S. deficit by $1 trillion over the course of the next two decades. Obama says that immigrants play a vital role in the United States’ economy and growth; saying, â€Å"When people come here to fulfill their dreams — to study, invent, contribute to our culture — they make our country a more attractive place for business es to locate and create jobs for everybody.† (Barrack Obama. State of the Union. Washington, D.C. January 28, 2014) President Obama stresses the importance of have a plan in place by the end of 2014. However, Mr. Obama doesn’t just focus on immigrants realizing the â€Å"American Dream.† He has a vision for all Americans to have the necessary skills to  fill jobs. He talks about an inspiring woman, named Andra Rush; who had a vision to be an entrepreneur of her own auto parts manufacturing plant. She made a faithful call to the American Job Center, and received the workers that she needed to establish her company. Today, her company, Detroit Manufacturing Systems, has a workforce of 700 strong. Obama says this is the standard of â€Å"how it should be† for every American. President Obama made public that he called on Vice President Biden to lead America into a new, reformed training system. Vice President Biden is to ensure that every American has the opportunity to receive the necessary skills and training for a successful career. Mr. Obama gives Congress challenge—to concentrate on funding for proven programs. Mr. Obama publically displays his pleasure to Congress for letting unemployment insurance expire for an astounding 1.6 million people. He is convinced that if Americans had these benefits, they will be more readily to see k and gain employment. He tells of a letter a woman wrote to him and pleaded her case for unemployment insurance. She states that she’s never been dependent on government assistance, pays her taxes, and cares for her family and in time— confident that she’ll find a job. Obama demands that Congress to give hardworking Americans, like her, a fighting chance. He says he’s been asking C.E.O.s to give unemployed workers a fair chance for employment at their respective companies. He pleads with all business leaders to join him in the fight to end unemployment. Training children for â€Å"tomorrow’s workforce† is an essential part of the President’s speech. He believes that every child should be guaranteed access to a world-class education. He gives an inspirational story of a young immigrant boy, named Estiven Rodriguez. Estiven didn’t speak any English at the age of 9 when he moved to New York City. Obama praises Estiven because he not only shown perseverance through the language barrier, but he led his classmates on a journey to mail their college applications, having the love and support from parents and neighbors. Mr. Obama says proudly that Estiven is starting college in the fall. He proclaims that his administration, along with various government leaders, have already reformed how accessible student loans are readably available for aspiring college students. Obama states that all states should have a high standard in sending their children to college to pursue a successful career. He believes it is essenti al for schools to provide a more challenging curriculum to their students and  demands for parents to be more supportive for teachers—to help teachers find the most effective way to challenge their students to use their innermost thinking and problem solving. Obama stresses the importance it is to begin challenging children in the very beginning; by establishing high-quality pre-K guidelines. President Obama vows for the children to get quality pre-K then need. He reiterates his pledge that he guarantees high-speed internet access to 99% of the nation’s schools. He states proudly that over 15,000 schools and 20 million students will have that access over the next two years, without raising the national deficit. President Obama vows to help Americans, whom seem trapped by their delinquent student loan payments, to lower the monthly payment to 10% of their income. Mr. Obama makes a pledge to help American minorities and women obtain and maintain employment. He stresses how vital these Americans play a key role in the economy. Mr. Obama admits that it’s embarrassing that women only make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. He believes that both groups of people should have a fair shot to live the â€Å"American Dream† and not be discriminated against and calls for the rest of their counterparts to be unbiased. The president makes a proclamation that everyone should agree, despite their success, that no one should be subjected to raise a family in poverty. The pleas with employers to raise their wages—so families can strive and succeed. He then shifts his focus and calls for every mayor, governor and state legislator to no wait for Congress to initiate a move to raise the federal minimum wage. He praises corporations, as in Costco, who pay the employees high wages, and in turn see higher productivity and lower turnover ratio. Obama then claims that if an American is a federal contractor, they should not live in poverty, and vowed to hold an executive order to raise their wage to at least $10.10 per hour. President Obama proclaims he has a vision—for every American to strengthen their credit, reward their hard work and for them to have a strong, stable pension plan. This moves President Obama into the conclusion of his promises to Americans for tomorrow’s economy and workforce. He promises to help Americans save for retirement. He admits that most workers don’t have a pension plan and says that Social Security does little to relieve the stress for the elderly. He calls on the Treasury to create a new, innovative way to start their independent retirement savings—MyRA—which is a new savings bond that encourages people to build a  foundation, with no risk of losing what’s put in. He again calls on Congress to help him give fair tax breaks to everyone and to offer every American access to an automatic IRA. He concludes this portion of his speech by again making a vow that he wants to avoid another housing crisis and keep the dream alive for future Americans. President Barrack Obama has a broad, well-placed plan in effect. He stresses the importance of how vital each and every American plays a key role in the development of tomorrow’s economy. He wants to start from the beginning and train every American at an early age so th an America can thrive among world powers. He wants to do everything in his power to ensure that every American, regardless of race or sex, to have a fair shot at a successful future. Most importantly, he wants to ensure that every American should have the opportunity to earn a fair income during their working days and building for their future—American’s future.

Art and Power Essay

When a sub-culture becomes dominant in society, it is said to have attained hegemony. A hegemonic subculture has the power to convince the vast majority of people that its ideas are the best right mainstream ones. It can also brand other subcultures and their ideas as deviant. Hence, a hegemonic power has control over ideas in society and shapes the way society thinks. They can come in the form of institutions in society, and hegemonic ideas tend to be those of the ruling class in society. Art which the ruling class favors comes to be known as high art. Because the ruling classes want to preserve their privileged social position, their attitudes tend to be deeply conservative. One feature of art sponsored by power factions in society is that it tends to be highly ornate and decorative. Art serves as a way for these people to show off their material wealth and power. This takes the system of patronage, where wealthy patrons of art sponsor skilled artists and commission works. Sub-cultures can also achieve hegemony without having real wealth, political power, or being at the top of the social ladder. However, they still tend to be affiliated with the ruling class in society (if now how are they to be influential?). For examples, art academies, such as the French Academy, Academie de beau-arts came to dominate the art world through the Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical periods. These academies receive government support and had the power to determine what constituted â€Å"high† serious, socially approved art. Art was therefore expected to conform to the rigid principles established by the academies. One reason for the founding of the French Academy was to distinguish ‘true’ artists from mere craftsmen. The crowning achievement for any artist at that time would have been to become a member of the Academy, an acknowledged expert with the power to dictate artistic principles. This is therefore an institution of the artworld.

The GeoScot Ltd Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The GeoScot Ltd - Case Study Example To motivate the new and old members of the organization, it is proposed that several strategies be used. By sharing company information with all employees, mentoring the new workforce, integrating the work environment to work in teams and giving personal rewards on good performance are some of the strategies that will definitely increase the motivation. However with the expansion, there is a need to divide the office into two segments. Although an ideal option would be to integrate all employees in the old building, but due to lack of space and due to the disadvantages of shifting the office to another location, having two separate offices is the best option. This way the new employees are in the new building and the old employees in the old office, however both offices will be synced and interaction will be kept strong to integrate their functions. By doing this the experienced and the young graduates will be able to communicate and learn from each other which is essential for any o rganization. This recruitment will be done using the 'Realistic Job Preview' strategy in which the prospective geologists will be given exciting offers and shown the brilliance of GeoScot as well as a chance of earning a bright future for themselves. The drug tested, drug-free workforce will be shown to the world hence improving the reputation of the company and increasing the chances of earning better employees and contracts with partners in the future. Contents Contents 3 Hiring a New HR Manager 4 Factors to Keep in Mind 4 Cost 4 Personal Characteristics/Skills 5 Need for Evaluation 5 Company Dynamics 6 Company Policy 6 Total Employees 6 Decision 7 Motivation 7 Hygiene Factor 7 Mentoring helps in Motivation 8 Share Company Information 9 Integrated Work Environment 9 Encourage Groups and Teams 10 New Blood versus Old Blood 10 New Information 11 Different Perspective of the Market 11 Globalization 11 Location Decision 12 Recruitment Strategy 13 Job Description 14 Selection Devices 14 Application Form 14 Interview 15 Paper n Pencil Test 15 Assessment Centre 15 Drug Testing 15 Advantages 16 Disadvantages 16 Need Creation 17 Creating Awareness 17 Education about Drug Testing 17 Explaining the Need 17 References 18 Hiring a New HR Manager Employing a HR manager is a big decision for a company like GeoScot Ltd. since it is a small sized company and in its introductory phase. Usually when hiring any employee, there needs to be a complete evaluation of the candidates before any decision can be made. For the situation the company is in, the current requirements and the future needs all have to be kept in mind before the decision of part time or permanent HR manager is taken. Factors to Keep in Mind There are various factors that can influence the decision one way or the other. Cost The cost plays a major part in the decision making. A part time employee hired on a contract instead of on a permanent basis can give many economic benefits as well (Zhu, 2005). For example, GeoScot may need to invest in various funds related to each permanent employee, some of which is even paid to the employee when he/she leaves the organization. All these expenses are nil in case of contractual employees. So, hiring an employee on a contractual basis would be economically suitable as well. But since the organization is in the running for 3 years now, it would have some available funding to hire a full time HR manager.

Analyzing the Value in the Arts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analyzing the Value in the Arts - Essay Example This relates to the initial question in this discussion. Would I buy an artwork not created by the one who signed it? Would I buy if it was an exact copy? There are four ways this problem can be argued or viewed against. The first is the aesthetic valuation. The artist who copies the original also copies the aesthetic value of the original. Everything that the original artist created or wished to depict has been reproduced and visually offers the exact same aesthetic experience. So, aesthetically speaking, the valuation would be equal. However, if we have prior knowledge that this work of art was originally created by someone else, historically, the value would be otherwise. The historical value of an â€Å"original† Monet would be different from a reproduction. In today’s world when making copies has become much easier through newer mediums such as screening, copies made by the artist himself or herself would hold well on the ethical scale. But if the copy was not sanc tioned by the artist, the ethical value would drop. We must remember that the value of originality is a composite: that is, the value of this piece would still remain high on visual and aesthetic grounds but may fall on ethical and historical grounds. Finally, let us see what the above analysis have an effect on the value of the art piece in monetary terms.

Document 20 Oral interview with robert Rasmus Essay

Document 20 Oral interview with robert Rasmus - Essay Example He says it felt like being in a dramatic movie, but with the added terror of it actually being real. It took a while for him to get used to this. Later in the interview he describes his six week tour of duty, and actual examples of the battles he was in and how they were. Throughout the rest of the interview though he returns to that same conflict he feels between the excitement of the war and the horrors of the reality of it, and how he doesn’t want to die. He says he was â€Å"pulled in two directions: Gee, I don’t wanna get killed. And, Boy, this is gorgeous country.† In the rest of his interview he talks about the experience of taking one German town and then another one, and how the first to die was a sergeant everybody hated and wanted to kill. But he is sure nobody in his platoon did fire the shot, and that it was a German. The immediate historical context of this document is the end of World War II. It is a war that many people thought had to be fought be cause of the evils of Hitler and the holocaust. Despite that, and despite the worthiness of the cause of the war, to the soldiers fighting in the war it was still terrifying. This accounts for the sense of â€Å"schizophrenia† that Robert Rasmus refers to several times in the interview. He felt simultaneously as if he was doing the right thing, and that it was great, and that he was going to die, and he did not want to die.

The Effectiveness Of UK Anti-Corruption Policy A Research Proposal

The Effectiveness Of UK Anti-Corruption Policy A - Research Proposal Example The article explains that there are several macro-level and cross-country studies, which have focused on the effectiveness of specific anti-corruption strategies (Cooper & Shour, 2012: p126) and on the particular characteristics of countries that have managed to reduce their corruption levels to notably low levels (Burrell et al, 2010: p28). However, it was also noted that most studies of this kind normally provide for correlations, instead of broader causal relationships, especially given the significant differences that occur between different countries and regions. Therefore, in this research study, an attempt will be made to only utilize those evaluations of anti-corruption, which have been carried out at micro-level. This research study will evaluate econometric or observational, quasi-experimental, and experimental studies that have evaluated anti-corruption interventions at the micro-level that had to do with incentives and monitoring, as well as changes to systemic rules in reducing corruption among employees in the public sector in the UK. In searching for relevant literature, the researcher will look for English-language literature that was authored between 2002 and 2013. To do this, a search of major databases like EBSCO, JSTOR, and EconLit, will be carried out, as well as gray sources of literature like ProQuest, Index of Theses, NBER, and IDEAS. In addition, databases and websites of relevant government institutions and organizations will be used, while expert opinions and reference searches will be solicited and conducted respectively.

Economy in relation to environmental protection. Environment and Essay

Economy in relation to environmental protection. Environment and Sustainable Development - Essay Example The need to protect the environment has presented critical global challenges that require immediate responses. The linked environmental, economic, social and political issues all falling under the sustainable development framework require a delicate balancing act between competing interests whilst at the same time taking decisive strides towards protecting scarce resources that are becoming even scarcer by the day. This paper will talk about the main difference between the Stockholm Declaration and the Rio Summit -- mainly that the Rio Summit solidifies the linkage between development and the environment, acknowledging that the two concepts are inextricably intertwined. Environmental considerations have to be incorporated in the development process, and human development should be considered in environmental protection mechanisms. It is illuminating to compare Principle 1 of the Stockholm declaration with Principle 1 of the Rio Declaration. The former reads as follows: â€Å"Man has the fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well being, and he bears a solemn responsibility to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations.† In contrast, the Rio Declaration reads as follows: â€Å"Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development†, and that, â€Å"They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.†... A rights-based approach is important because it makes the State duty-bearers, or imposes and obligation on them to ensure that environmental rights of their citizens and other human beings are guaranteed and protected. There are critics, however, who feel that there was a dilution in focus on environmental protection from Stockholm to Rio, and even all the way to Johannesburg. To quote the Center for International Environmental Law, â€Å"Whereas Stockholm brought to light transboundary and global environmental issues, Rio and Johannesburg incorporated a development dimension that required analysis not only of environmental issues but also of economic and social issues. (2012, p.2)† As further observed by CIEL: While integration of these issues is key to effective environment and development outcomes, this change in focus has, to a large extent, over?burdened the agenda resulting from the last two summits, posing significant strains on the ability of international institutions and other governance arrangements to effectively address the broad array of issues involved in the umbrella concept of sustainable development.  Ã‚  At the same time, the international agenda that emerged in relation to sustainable development appears to have prioritized the economic aspects over the social and environmental dimensions.  Ã‚  In this regard, there is a real risk that Rio+20's green economy theme could eclipse thE other dimensions of sustainable development, as well as the need for reforms in institutional governance.   (2012, p. 2) However, this paper argues that talking about the economy in relation to environmental protection is important. The first is because scarcity is a vital concept of sustainable

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

Literature - Essay Example This passage is from Devora Baron’s â€Å"Bill of Divorcement† on page 55. The language is a translation of a Jewish author’s work. The length of sentences varies to slowly build up the action. The first sentence has 37 words and active voice shows the woman’s sense of control over her life. The second sentence has twelve words. It signifies how much she loves and adores her husband. The word â€Å"boil† seems to be a metaphor for her â€Å"boiling.† It foreshadows her fate as the one who will be cooked. The last sentence has sixty words and reads like a death sentence. Indeed, the word â€Å"sentence† is mentioned. Furthermore, the â€Å"hardness† or harshness of what happens to her can be summarized in how Isser Ber cannot look at her. He is guilty for what he will deliver to the woman who loved him too much. This passage is significant to the story, because it shows the hardships of women as wives in any patriarchal society, where they are supposed to play specific traditional gender roles. They must fit certain social expectations, or else, they will get sacked and get the Bill of Divorcement. The home that they painfully and patiently built will be gone in an instant that society decrees them unfit as a wife. This passage summarizes how society treats women who cannot be exactly what men want them to be. No matter how much a woman loves or sacrifices for her man, she will get no mercy for not being the woman that society wants her to be. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. H. On the day I became thirteen years old and a member of the congregation, my mother, peace be with her, bound her kerchief around my neck. Blessed be God, who has given His world to guardians. There was not a spot of dirt to be found on the kerchief. But sentence has already been passed on the kerchief, that it was to be lost through me. This kerchief, which I had observed so much and so long, would vanish because of me. This passage is from Agnon’s story, â€Å"The Kerchief† at page 64. The language comes from the viewpoint of a deeply religious person. The sentences vary in length. The first sentence talks about the rite of passage of a Jewish adolescent. His mother must be proud of him to use her best kerchief for him. Agnon believes that God gives His world to His people. The kerchief is also described as spotless, a sign of purity. It is a metaphor for goodness. However, the last two sentences show guilt for losing the kerchief. This passage is significant to the story, because it stands for the meaning of purity. Purity is not something people wear like a kerchief during Sabbath. It is not like an accessory that people can choose to wear or not to wear as they please. Agnon depicts that purity is about following God’s words every day of one’s life, even if it means giving a precious kerchief to a beggar. Through his action of com passion, he shows that indeed, God has â€Å"given His world to guardians,† if these guardians know how to show love and mercy to those who need it the most (Agnon 64). ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. J. The rabbi’s son needs only a single moment to pass silent judgment on the woman who was intended to be his bride: Her dress hangs from her like a sack, her eyes are large, black, and pretty, but she flutters her eyelids

The Possible Benefit from Tobacco Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Possible Benefit from Tobacco - Term Paper Example In order to have a clear understanding of the importance of cigarette taxes, it is appropriate to give a historical background of the object- cigarettes. Historically, tobacco became popular in the United States in 17th century which was often associated with slavery since tobacco plantations required massive manpower. However, when America started trading with other colonies after the American Revolution, tobacco in the form of cigarettes became popular. The origin of cigarette smoking can be traced to Western Europe. The cigarette was actually smoked by members of the lower class population in Andalusia which was adapted by the French during their conquests there. Later during the Victorian period, the British adopted tobacco to suit their taste and style but in the form of â€Å"dainty looking cigarette† which can used by the ladies (Burns 132 ). In the United States, Maryland and Virginia competed heavily in tobacco farming resulting to the establishment of two different types of auction system for loose-leaf. This caused tremendous pressure to the government leading to the enactment of the Tobacco Inspection Act that directs the Secretary of Agriculture to impose controls on the tobacco Industry ( McGrew ). In addition to this, McGrew asserts that the government imposed regulation since â€Å"the tobacco industry provided more than $4.8 billion in taxes in 1971† (USDA, Tobacco Situation, 1971b: 44). Strictly speaking, the first federal excise tax on tobacco was included in the Alexander Hamilton’s tax.

To what extent is increased legal regulation of the privately rented Essay

To what extent is increased legal regulation of the privately rented sector justified and desirable - Essay Example Additionally, housing benefits have an inflationary impact on the levels of rent especially at the lower end of the market thereby worsening the situation3. In some of the sub-markets characterized by a high number of claimants, the impact of this is acute with the landlords being able to set rents at levels that are artificially high to match the Local Housing Allowance4. Furthermore, the security of tenure availed by private property owners, of between six and twelve months is not sufficient for some families particularly because the landlords have control of these regulations hence can make adjustments relative to their own interests5. The private rented sector has gone through extraordinary revitalization through the past twenty years to become increasingly critical to considerations concerned with the housing markets as well as the benefit system6. Currently, there are approximately over four million houses in England privately rented and these accounts for about 18% of all the family units7. The industry has also doubled in magnitude since 1989 while having more households presently compared to social housing while occupation by owners is on the decline8. Following this is the quick increase in the housing benefit bill that has increased exponentially in regards to real terms through a similar period reaching an excess of twenty four billion pounds in the UK. Consequently, the amount claimed by tenants from private property owners has also increased and doubled through the past ten years to almost ten billion pounds. These figures demonstrate the deteriorating affordability of private rented housing that an increasing number of people are forced to use as a consequence of the drop in social housing along with challenges to house ownership9. Along with the costs of renting, an additional challenge that has emerged with the growing dependence on private property owners includes the nonexistence of security provided to renters who seek

The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson Essay Example for Free

The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson Essay 1) What is my opinion about the statement, â€Å"What you are missing you already have†? I totally agree with it, since I have seen it play out in my life. I grew up in a household of lack thinkers. It was common to hear things like; â€Å"It’s always something,† â€Å"People like us can’t just can’t get ahead,† â€Å"With my luck†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Therefore, most of my adult life I spent chasing something that I thought I wanted. The perfect job, car, situation always seemed to be just out of grasp. I paid for a New age type conference in Scottsdale Arizona. I signed up for a Psychic ability workshop. I came away with a different understanding. What happened was I got seated next to some total strangers. As polite conversations took place, some ah-ha moments happened. I revealed that I do Healing Touch. With that modality, I can attune to a patient’s energy fields. As I described my abilities, strengths and talents, a small group of onlookers appeared. Many made comments like, â€Å"I wish I could do that,† and â€Å"You are amazing†. I also witnessed someone who passed out after a seminar. I responded, and was able to talk to the person who was lying on the floor waiting for EMS. A small group of hotel staff and well-meaning strangers appeared. A physician was there too. However, the doctor was trying to ask the fallen patient many questions about her health history. In fact, the doctor was literally asking the patient a question while she was throwing up. I could not believe it!. As the scene unfolded, I realized that all of my feelings of inadequacy, and thoughts of being an imposter were invalidated right then there. A light bulb went off over my head as I realized that I can be of service. I will know what to do in times of crisis. Furthermore, my emotional sensitivity is actually a blessing in dealing with patients when know one else (even those who are professional caregivers and extremely intelligent) is actually listening to the patient. I have seen many example of my gifts and talents arise when I least expect it. I can fulfill a role and serve a niche. The important part to note is that I need to follow my intuition and not over-think things. All of the gifts, skills and talent have been with me all along. My searching for something I already have seemed ridiculous to me once I realized that is what I’ve been doing most of my life. Now I embrace my abilities. Where is this true in my life? This concept appears when I undertake something new, like a class. Particularly this coaching course. Many time I felt like an imposter, and inadequate. However, as the classes came went, I realized that the skills I have fit in perfectly for becoming a coach. Especially when I pay attention to spirit and energy when I coach. It seems to be a golden opportunity for me to utilize all of my previous academic, work and personal life experiences to be an effective Health Wellness Coach. 2) What do I believe about the statement, â€Å"Everyone has a big dream†? I believe that the statement is true. In fact, I hear snippets of conversations everyday that elude to the dissatisfaction most people seem to have when they talk about their jobs, family life or education. Many people wish they were doing something else. I meet very few people that are doing what they absolutely love. However, most seem to settle for the mundane, safe and secure. What is my big dream? I want to be a successful Healer, Teacher, Speaker, Coach and Author. How am I fulfilling on my dream? I am a practicing Healer by providing Healing Touch to patients at Hudson, WI Hospital. I recently taught 2 classes (Winter Quarter) at the Minnesota School of Business. I also had an article â€Å"Healing Touch† published in Twin Cities Naturally April 2009. Therefore, I am living small aspects of my dream. I hope to make more money at it and be in demand more once I fulfill the Life Coach Practitioner requirements. Then I will feel legitimate and be ready! 3) What was the invisible wall of fear for Ordinary? It was the part of the journey, whereby Ordinary in order to continue, he must turn on back on familiar. This requires breaking through the comfort zone. When have I hit my wall of fear? I was in the Graduate Education program (Ed.D.) at Hamline University in 2001-2003. I felt like an imposter. Especially since my fellow classmates were all elementary school classroom teachers. I could not identify with their mind-set, jargon or profession. Therefore, I created obstacles for myself. What happened? I eventually withdrew from the Ed.D. program. I felt an overwhelming sense of inadequacy and failure. I still do not talk about it much. However, I’ve come to realize that everything happens for a reason and I am better off now for having the experience. 4) When have I been stopped from moving forward by something that was really important to you? My plans for moving forward have been put on hold, by may father’s diagnosis with a chronic health condition. Since he was diagnosed in June of 2007, I have not taken any trips, attended any conferences or explored long-term options on anything. It turns out that my relationship with my Father is very important to me. Furthermore, the role of caregiver, and planner is one that feels good to me. For most of my life, he has provided a stable environment t for me my brother. Now I am privileged to help him. Who rose to the occasion? Who is my Champion (s)? I have many people who support me and champion my activities. Many cousins, uncles, aunts, previous co-workers and classmates. Particularly the Healers in the group. Many people support me. To my surprise, many support my living at home and taking care of Dad. I never have to explain, why I am still living at home with my dad. In fact most admire respect me for this. When people see me, they often ask how my dad is? Similar to when people ask how a spouse is doing etc. For sake of privacy, respect and personal reasons, I am declining to actually name the champions in my life. 5) How similar is Champion’s commitment to being a Border Buster that to being a Coach? Champion wants to help Ordinary break through the opposition. Champion does not want to do it for him, nor instead of him. Therefore, Champion is like a coach due to that philosophy. Coaches help empower the client to come to their own decisions. Coaches do not make decisions for their clients, nor fix them. This is done by helping the client understand a situation. Putting things into context, and broadening awareness. The coach can help their client understand the value in things that may seem undesirable. Turning opposition into opportunity. This helps a client clarify their plans and achieving their dream. 6) What role did Faith play throughout the story? Faith gives Ordinary strength. Faith helps set the path, and reminds Ordinary what is truly important. Faith reminded him that, â€Å"Food enough for the day. Water, when he needed to drink. A path to follow that led to Faith.† The role of Faith also allows the traveler to leave behind baggage of the past. It is no longer needed, no longer serves, and is a hindrance now. What role is Faith playing a role in my big dream? Faith is reminding me to allow things to happen, and give up trying to make things happen. The right person, situation or job will find me when I’m prepared. Things will fall into place in their own time. It is allowing me permission to control the things I can, and accept those that I cannot. It gives me hope that everything is how it is supposed to be. 7) What is meant by unbelief is more dangerous, to a dream, than any giant? Unbelief means taking a risk. If Ordinary turned into unbelief, then the big dream was dead in its tracks. Unbelievers return to the comfort zone and may forfeit any change to strive for their big dream in the future. When has unbelief undermined my dream? I stopped perusing any Ph.D. programs. The disbelief that I could make it through the rigors of taking the GRE, getting accepted and subsequently writing a Ph.D. Thesis research project has stopped me from going any further with it. Therefore, I have settled for teaching undergraduate level college students at second-rate colleges. 8) What truths did Ordinary learn? Everybody has a big dream, it is important and its never too late to pursue it. A big dream never dies. Every Nobody was made to be a Somebody. Wake up to the big dream that God has given you and set out on a journey to achieve it. Face fear as you leave the comfort zone. You will encounter opposition all around. This opposition can actually be opportunity to learn from it. Enduring a season of difficulty will test your faith. The concept of surrender is important to feel one with God. Fight the giants. You can reach your full potential as you achieve your dreams and brings honor to God. When and how have I learned the same truths? I have learned the power of surrender by giving up the hope of finding a job whereby I actually go into work for a company. Any attempts to apply for jobs has proved frustrating. When I gave up the need to plan, I received a call regarding grant money for school, and was offered a temporary teaching job (from an unrelated organization) ten minutes later. Therefore, I was reminded to trust in the ways of God, and stop trying to think my way out of my problems. The struggling to find a job, brought me to the Workforce Center. There I met some individuals that had information. This information led me to a new journey of self discovery and enlightenment. 9) What happened that Ordinary didn’t recognize the big dream when it was right in front of him? The lovely city he had imagined was not his Dream, but a picture of what his Dream would accomplish. The big Dream matches the big Needs of so many people. Therefore, Ordinary’s Big Dream fulfills many people’s needs. He was caught up in the pursuit, that he did not recognize it playing out right in front of him. The busyness of doing helps fulfill the action of carrying out the Big Dream. 10) What was ordinary’s song? It is a song about a special place that everybody has in the Dream Giver’s heart†¦Every Anybody is made to be Somebody Special and accomplish Great Things. What is my song? My song is one of Healing and Helping. My song includes taking my previous work, life, and learning experiences combining them with healing abilities to help those in divine alignment to heal. My song is important for others to learn because†¦ I have learned some valuable lessons by experiencing thing the hard way. I have also changed my views of the world, and am now more in tune to energy. I am a Healer, and apply my ability to help humans and animals in the physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions. My Healing abilities have come about by a series of initiations that have each brought me greater understanding (wisdom) and healing power. I can teach, heal and show others the path to their Big Dream. I am an amalgam of the past, present and future. I meld the feminine and masculine. I embrace the inter-connectedness of all beings. Energy cannot be destroyed, it can only change form. I am sensitive and perceive other’s energy auras. I pay attention to these highly tuned senses in order to help those who come to me for coaching. There is perfection in the divine coincidence which brings me as a Coach and my future Client together to walk through the valley of Transition.

Challenges to Sexual Health Care in Todays Society

Challenges to Sexual Health Care in Todays Society Meeting the sexual health demands facing young people in todays society The issue of sexual health in adolescent people is a vast topic with an associated vast literature on the subject. In this essay we aim to consider some of the major themes and critically analyse some of the peer reviewed literature to act as an evidence base for further consideration. (Berwick D 2005) In broad terms, sexual health can be divided into areas of physical health and emotional (or psychological) health. The adolescent age is classically one of turmoil, of establishing identity, values and ideals. This is arguably the time when the emotional turmoil relating to sexual identity comes to the fore. We should remind ourselves, before perhaps dismissing the notion of psychological health as being on a different level of seriousness as an overtly physical problem such as a sexually transmitted disease, (Coyle KK et al 2001), that one of the commonly accepted definitions of health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being, and not just merely the absence of disease or infirmity. (UN 1995). One can argue that it is an essential component part of the developing person’s ability to become well adjusted, responsible and productive (in every sense of the word) members of society (UN 2002) Issues of sexuality have, ideally, to be resolved. The apparently eternal adolescent dilemmas of â€Å"am I sexually attractive?† â€Å"am I gay or straight?† or â€Å"am I ready to have sex?† clearly have a direct relevance to the psychological health of a person but the behaviour patterns that these questions can engender in an attempt to resolve them, can pose clear risk patterns to the physical sexual health of the adolescent. (Larson, R., et al. 2002.) To a large extent the issues that concern the adolescent have their origins in earlier life. As they progress through childhood, adults treat boys and girls differently, and thereby establish different expectations for their behaviour. These expectations are clearly influenced by their culture and a myriad of more subtle influences. They largely determine life outcomes. They also shape the adolescent’s introduction to sexual practices, sexuality and relationships generally. (Aarons SJ et al 2000) The reason for dwelling on these factors is that they have a fundamental bearing on the possibility of adverse reproductive and sexual health outcomes in later life, including events such as unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion and sexually transmitted diseases, all of which have major socio-economic components. (Churchill D et al 2000), Differential gender expectations and social treatment in childhood and the early adolescent period are thought to be frequent causal factors in adolescent problems. The bulk of this essay will be on the issues surrounding the major issues of STDs in the adolescent community. One of the most pressing issues in this regard (at least in terms of sheer numbers) is the issue of chlamydia. (Fenton KA et al 2001). In the specific terms of meeting the demands of the adolescent population we will begin this examination with a consideration of the National Chlamydia Screening programme. The programme was originally set up after the realisation that chlamydia was responsible for a large amount of morbidity in the community which had, hitherto been unrecognised (Cates W, et al. 1991). It is now seen as the single most commonly transmitted STD in the UK today. A huge proportion of what used to be called NSU is now recognised as being due to the chlamydia pathogen (Duncan 1998). If we consider the issues behind the screening programme, on one level the issues appear fairly straightforward and simple. Because we know that many cases of chlamydia are asymptomatic and that it can cause considerable damage and that it is also easily treatable, why not screen for it and minimise its impact? (Kufeji O et al 2003) On a more sophisticated level one must consider the cost-effectiveness considerations together with issues such as feasibility, efficiency and use of resources. If we examine the published rationale behind the National Chlamydia Screening programme as set out by The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) we can see that it states that: Genital Chlamydia trachomatis is the commonest Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) in England Genital chlamydial infection is an important reproductive health problem ~ 10-30% of infected women develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). A significant proportion of cases, particularly amongst women, are asymptomatic and so, are liable to remain undetected, putting women at risk of developing PID. Screening for genital chlamydia infection may reduce PID and ectopic pregnancy. They also concluded that there was not a great deal of data on the cost effectiveness of the possible procedure (Harry et al 1994) The paper itself is extremely detailed and, in essence, it points to the fact that it is extremely cost effective to detect and treat asymptomatic patients before they develop complications that then need treatment. Complications are outlined in the paper by Berry (et al 1995) and include the sequelae of infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy in women together with the complications that can occur in the male partners (infertility and prostatitis). The authors point to the fact that their screening programme reduced both the incidence and prevalence of pelvic inflammatory disease by 60% when compared to the unscreened population. Of particular relevance to our theme, we note that the screening programme became cost effective when the incidence of infection in the population of asymptomatic women rose above 1.1%. Figures quoted by Pimenta J (et al 2001) suggest that in our target age range the prevalence is approaching 11%. If we examine the literature on the subject we can see that the adolescent age range has the fastest growing proportion of chlamydial infections (Gilson et al 2001). This finding is therefore at odds with the logic of the report commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO 1998) which suggests that the groups to be screened under the National Programme should be: Everyone with symptoms of chlamydia infection, All those attending genitourinary medicine clinics, Women seeking termination of pregnancy. Opportunistic screening of young sexually active women under 25 years Women over 25 with a new sexual partner or two or more sexual partners in the past year. It will therefore be immediately apparent that there is no provision for screening for asymptomatic men and also that the adolescent population are not to be specifically targeted unless they attend clinics. On the subject of screening young men, there are a number of well written papers on the subject. Notable amongst them is the Duncan paper (Duncan et al. 2001) which looks at the issues of male screening from both a Public Health viewpoint and it also considers it from a feminist sociological angle which makes it, (in our examination of the current literature), almost unique. It is a thoughtful and well written document and tackles the thorny issue of the fact that many young women are reluctant to attend screening clinics as being screened for STDs has overtones and perception of being dirty and unattractive. A positive screening result can be associated with considerations of promiscuity. Such feelings are clearly counterproductive, particularly in the light of our earlier comments relating to the developing psyche of the adolescent. Duncan puts forward the hypothesis that by not screening men, it not only fosters gender inequalities, but it sends of negative messages regarding the man’s responsibility for sexual health (Pierpoint et al 2000). Critical analysis of this point suggest that although it may be intuitively true, the authors don’t produce any counter evidence with regard to the cost effectiveness of screening adolescent males (or any other age group for that matter) in the population (Stephenson et al 2000) Other authors do also make the point that it appears to be a generally accepted fact that women are actually easier to target than men as they tend to be heavier health care users than men in this age range (Stokes T 2000). The main practical thrust of this paper however, is in its call for a greater understanding of the woman’s point of view when organising and running screening clinics in order to broaden their appeal to the intended target groups (Santer et al 2000). Clearly this point is central to our considerations here as clearly there is no point in providing services to meet a perceived need if there is no uptake from the targeted population. If we turn our attention to the second most common STD in this age range we need to consider genital herpes. (Schacker T et al 2000) There are many common arguments in the areas of screening for genital herpes and chlamydia. Qualitative studies have shown a greater level of concern relating to genital herpes amongst the adolescent population that there is for chlamydia, and it is second only to HIV/AIDS (Corey L et al 2001). The specific problem with the age range that we are specifically considering here is that there is a general perception that genital herpes is a nuisance and a comparatively trivial condition. Indeed the majority of infections are either mild or subclinical. Serious complications are actually comparatively common and there is an increasing body of evidence that suggests that genital herpes infection is a potent facilitator of sexual transmission of the HIV virus. (Tripp J et al 2005) The major epidemiological factor that is relevant with genital herpes is the fact that transmission can occur in a long-standing monogamous relationship. Its immediate problem is that the longer the period of infectivity, the greater the potential for transmission. In the adolescent years when there is a greater likelihood of a number of sexual partners, infections can be contracted only to be passed on at a considerably later time due to the fact that subclinical or unrecognised reactivation in the infected partner is intermittent. (Hopkins J 2005) There is another element of sexual health that is specific to the adolescent age range. As we have already observed, adolescence is a time of considerable turmoil not only in terms of psyche but also in terms of hormones. There is an eye-catching paper by Brabin (2001) which considers the impact of fluctuating hormone levels on the body’s susceptibility to STDs It is already established that sex hormones play a role in the host’s resistance to STDs (Hewitt RG et al 2001). We can show this by considering sex differences in susceptibility to infection, variations in the clinical manifestations of infection during the menstrual cycle (Greenblatt RM et al 2000) and also during pregnancy (Brown ZA et al 1997) and also by the fact that the OC Pill predisposes to some infections (Wang CC et al 1999) The paper considers the implications of these facts with particular reference to the adolescent age group. It points to the sex differences in the acquisition of STDs with the adolescent girl getting infections such as genital herpes and chlamydia with greater frequency than the adolescent boy. (Obasi A et al 1999) Sex differences also have an effect on the efficacy of a genital herpes vaccine trial which showed a limited protective efficacy against genital herpes in women but none in men. (Stephenson J 2000). The whole area of the ability of the NHS to meet the demands of the sexual health needs of the adolescent is vast. We have not presumed to cover all of the relevant areas in this particular essay. In the areas that we have selected for examination and consideration we have been at pains to critically assess the evidence base as this is fundamental to the acceptance of the comparative validity of the various papers used. The adolescent age group has certain unique characteristics which set its sexual health related problems apart from the rest of the population. In short, they can be encapsulated in the turmoil of the characteristic psychological and physical changes that are typical of the age. We have examined how the psychological issues impinge on both the sexual behaviour patterns and therefore the disease exposure risks and also the willingness to attend clinics if a sexually acquired disease process becomes apparent. We have contrasted this pattern with the pattern of screening that is currently advised and implemented under the auspices of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme. We have also examined the negative aspect of the disproportionate concentration of resources of the older female population and therefore, by inference, the impact that this will have on the adolescent population. Issues such as genital herpes also have unique implications for the adolescent, particularly with the long period of infectivity that is relevant to this disease process. We also have examined the implications of the hormonal differences that are amplified by the hormonal changes that are apparent in this age range. References Aarons SJ, Jenkins RR, Raine TR, El-Khorazaty MN, Woodward KM, Williams RL, et al. 2000 Postponing sexual intercourse among urban junior high school students. A randomised controlled evaluation. J Adolesc Health 2000; 27: 236-247 Berry J, Crowley T, Horner P, et al. 1995 Screening for asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis infection in male students by examination of first catch urine. Genitourin Med 1995;71:329–30. Berwick D 2005 Broadening the view of evidence-based medicine Qual. Saf. Health Care, Oct 2005; 14: 315 316. Brabin L 2001 Hormonal markers of susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections: are we taking them seriously? BMJ 2001;323:394-395 ( 18 August ) Brown ZA, Selke S, Zeh J, Kopelman J, Maslow A, Ashley RL, et al. 1997 The acquisition of herpes simplex virus during pregnancy. N Engl J Med 1997; 337: 509-515 Cates W, Wasserheit JN. 1991 Genital chlamydial infections: epidemiology and reproductive sequelae. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1991; 164: 1771-1781 Churchill D, Allen J, Pringle M, Hippisley-Cox J, Ebdon D, Macpherson M, et al. 2000 Consultation patterns and provision of contraception in general practice before teenage pregnancy: case-control study. BMJ 2000; 321: 486-489 CMO 1998 Chief Medical Officer. Main report of the Chief Medical Officers Expert Advisory Group on Chlamydia trachomatis. London: Department of Health , 1998. Corey L, Wald A. 2001 Genital herpes. In: Holmes KK, Mà ¥rdh PA, Sparling PF, eds. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 4th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill; 2001:285-312. Coyle KK, Basen-Engquist KM, Kirby DB, Parcel GS, Banspach SW, Collins JL, et al. 2001 Safer choices: reducing teen pregnancy, HIV, and STDs. Public Health Rep 2001; 116(suppl 1): 82-93 Duncan B, Hart G. 1998 Screening for Chlamydia trachomatis: a qualitative study of womens views. Prevenir 1998; (suppl 24): 229. Duncan B, Graham Hart, Anne Scoular, and Alison Bigrigg 2001 Qualitative analysis of psychosocial impact of diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis: implications for screening BMJ, Jan 2001; 322: 195 – 199 Larson, R., et al. 2002. Changes in Adolescents’ Interpersonal Experiences: Are They being Prepared for Adult Relationships in the Twenty-first Century?† Journal of Research on Adolesence 12(1): 31-68; 2002 Fenton KA, Korovessis C, Johnson AM, et al. 2001 Sexual behaviour in Britain: reported sexually transmitted infections and prevalent genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Lancet 2001;358:1851–4. Gilson RJC and Mindel A 2001 Recent advances: Sexually transmitted infections BMJ, May 2001; 322: 1160 1164 Greenblatt RM, Ameli N, Grant RM, Bacchetti P, Taylor RN. 2000 Impact of the ovulatory cycle on virologic and immunologic markers in HIV-infected women. J Infect Dis 2000; 181: 82-90 Harry T, Saravanamuttu K, Rashid S, et al. 1994 Audit evaluating the value of routine screening of Chlamydia trachomatis urethral infections in men. Int J STD AIDS 1994;5:374–5 Hewitt RG, Parsa N, Gugino L. 2001 The role of gender in HIV progression. AIDS Reader 2001; 11: 29-33 Howell MR , TC Quinn, CA Gaydos. 1998 Screening for Chlamydia trachomatis in asymptomatic women attending family planning clinics. Annals of Internal Medicine 1998 128:277-84 Kufeji O, R Slack, J A Cassell, S Pugh, and A Hayward 2003 Who is being tested for genital chlamydia in primary care? Sex. Transm. Inf., June 1, 2003; 79(3): 234 236. Obasi A, Mosha F, Quigley M, Sekirassa Z, Gibbs T, Munguti K, et al. 1999 Antibody to herpes simplex virus type 2 as a marker of sexual risk behavior in rural Tanzania. J Infect Dis 1999; 179: 16-24 Pierpoint T, Thomas B, Judd A, et al. 2000 Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in young men in north west London. Sex Transm Infect 2000;76:273–6. Pimenta J, Catchpole M, Gray M, Hopwood J, Randall S. 2001 Screening for genital chlamydial infection. BMJ 2001 321: 629-631 Santer M, Warner P, Wyke S, et al. 2000 Opportunistic screening for chlamydia infection in general practice: can we reach young women? J Med Screen 2000;7:175–6. Schacker T, Zeh J, Hu HL, et al. 2000 Frequency of symptomatic and asymptomatic herpes simplex virus type 2 reactivations among human immunodeficiency virus-infected men. J Infect Dis. 2000;178:1616-1622. Stephenson J. 2000 Genital herpes vaccine shows limited promise. JAMA 2000; 284: 1913-1914 Stephenson J, Carder C, Copas A, et al. 2000 Home screening for chlamydial genital infection: is it acceptable to young men and women? Sex Transm Infect 2000;76:25–7. Stokes T, Mears J. 2000 Sexual health and the practice nurse: a survey of reported practice and attitudes. Br J Fam Plann 2000;26:89–92 Tanne JH 2005 US teenagers think oral sex isnt real sex BMJ, Apr 2005; 330: 865 ; Tripp J and Viner R 2005 Sexual health, contraception, and teenage pregnancy BMJ, Mar 2005; 330: 590 593 ; UN 1995 United Nations. 1995. Population and Development, vol. 1: Programme of Action adopted at the International Conference on Population and Development: Cairo, 5-13 September 1994, paragraph 7.2. New York: Department of Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, United Nations. 1994 UN 2002 United Nations. 2002. World Youth Report 2003: Report of the Secretary- General (E/CN.5/2003/4), para. 16. New York: Commission for Social Development, United Nations. 2002 Wang CC, Kreiss JK, Reilly M. 1999 Risk of HIV infection in oral contraceptive pill users: a meta-analysis. J AIDS 1999; 21: 51-58 Wilson JS, Honey E, Templeton A, et al. 2002 A systematic review of the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis among European women. Human Reproduction Update 2002;8:385–94. ############################################################# 11.3.06 PDG Word count 3,100

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Samuel Taylor Coleridges The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is said to be his attempt to bring supernatural terrors to a naturalistic setting. Some critics have argued that the moral truths of the poem are not only unintelligible but also irrational. But for other critics, this irrationality is what gives the poem its greatest quality. In analyzing and critiquing Coleridges poem, an in depth analysis of the irrational is needed. This irrationality is not Coleridges failure to explain the supernatural but actually an evidence of its Christian moral code and that the poems irrationality emerges because of Coleridges inner conflict with his conversion from Unitarianism to the Anglicanism religion. This hermeneutic must be in mind when attempting to interpret Coleridges poem. Before we can look at modern critics such as Christopher Stokes, J Robert Barth, John T Netland, and even Jerome J. McGann, we must first look at how earlier critics have looked at Coleridges work through a Christian eyes. The article Coleridge And The Luminous Gloom: An Analysis Of The Symbolical Language In The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner' by Elliott B. Gose, Jr. examines the poem through a Christian perspective only because Gose believes the poem is filled with Christian trappings (239). Gose shows how symbols carry a Christian ideology and spends considerable time on examining how the sun (whether glorious or red) represents God while the other forces in the poem represent the forces of nature. In the end, Gose claims that nature is subordinate to God and that the Mariners voyage does not deal with a physical voyage but it represents a Romantic urge to explore the eternal soul and the temporal emotions (244). But throughout the article, Gose fails to fully explain the other stran ger elements in Coleridges poem. For instance, he brings up life-in-death, who wins the Mariner in a gamble, but then dismisses her by stating how she is obviously outside the Christian hierarchy and is connected with a whole strand of non-Christian figures, incidents, and images in the poem (242). He interprets this from the obscure explanation given from the gloss and continues with the rest of the poem still in Christian ideological framework. More modern critics will point out how though much of the poem seems to use Christian terms, the more stranger elements and the ambiguous details create distance between familiar and unfamiliar which gave trouble to many earlier Christian critical readings of Coleridges text. Goses confusion with the gloss and its obscure Christian emphasis can be explained in Reading And Resistance: The Hermeneutic Subtext Of The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner by John T Netland. He suggests that the poem displays an incongruous mixture of pagan and Christian symbols (38) and examines the use of the gloss as a hermeneutic. Although the gloss-writing editor is responding to the original poem and seeks to interpret it for a modern audience, the editor marginalizes the Mariners experiences and emphasizes the Christian overtones of the poem. Netland states the gloss and the poem itself create a unique tension between contrasting religious imaginations (41). One is a world of categorized and rational set of religious experiences (inferred from gloss) while the other a spiritual, mystical, irrational religious sublimity (from the poem). Netland states that Coleridge may have gotten his idea from Bibles at that time with their gloss notes that gave a clearer interpretation of the b iblical text. This is very similar to Jerome J. McGanns examinations in his brilliant article, The Meaning Of The Ancient Mariner, where McGann briefly details the poems history from its initial criticism to Coleridges embracing of Christian ideology to his Higher Critical analytics of the re-interpretative process of the Bible to Coleridges attempt in mimicking this layered hermeneutic upon his own work. McGann points to the fact that Coleridges poem was originally a literary ballad among all the other lyrical ballads found Wordsworths printed work, Lyrical Ballads. With the second edition, and with Wordworths concerns, Coleridge made alterations to make the poem less a literary ballad and more a lyrical ballad. Coleridge may have realized what he was doing was similar to what occurred in Biblical narratives. Coleridge had argued in length on issues of Higher Criticism that Scriptures were not an unmediated and fixed biblical text but an evolved and continuously evolving set of rec ords which include the Churchs later glosses on and interpretations of the earlier documents (47). McGann remarkably suggests that Coleridges revised version of his poem shows four clear layers of development: (a) an original mariners tale; (b) the ballad narrative of that story; (c) the editorial gloss added when the ballad was, we are to suppose, first printed; and (d) Coleridges own point of view on his invented materials (50). The last shows Coleridges own theory of religious and symbolic interpretation. McGann believes that The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is Coleridges imitation of a culturally redacted literary work (51). But coming back to Netlands article, the gloss, he believes, becomes an inadequate hermeneutic for analyzing the poem. Netland suggests that the gloss is inadequate as a hermeneutic since the editor reduces the Mariners spiritual journey, actions, and sufferings into a straight-forward neat plot to emphasize Christian redemption. Netland states that the Marinerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦has experienced something of the religious sublime (whether real or delusive), and his compulsive retellings of his story point to the inexplicable profundity of his experience (51). The writer of the gloss fails to understand this and the gloss represses the Mariners heightened religious experience. Netland suggests that we instead respond like the stunned Wedding Guest which is far more consistent to Coleridgean hermeneutics when analyzing the journey of the Mariner. But can the gloss be ignored? McGann disagrees and states that the changes (as well as the addition of the gloss) from 1798 to 1817 show an important story in Coleridges development of the purposes of his poem. Many believed that these changes were a reactionary movement in which a daring and radical poem is transformed into a relatively tame work of Christian symbolism (42) when Coleridge retreated from his radical views to his later Christian ideology. McGann, in his article, dives deeply into Coleridges understanding of the Higher Critical analysis of the Christian Bible to show Coleridges Hermeneutic Model of his poem originating from his ideas of the process of the Bibles creation. Coleridge saw how Gods Word was expressed and later reexpressed through commentary, gloss, and interpretation by particular people at different times according to their differing lights (43). Coleridges poem is presented as just this type of reinterpreted text retaining its own ideological coherence e ven through the fragmentation from reinterpretation. McGann states that the poem shows Coleridges process of textual evolution and the symbolic meaning of that process is a Christian redemptive one. We can see how the very nature of religion affected Coleridge in his earlier 1798 version and his later 1817 version (with gloss) and can conclude that the poet himself and his faith must be examined. J. Robert Barths book, Romanticism and Transcendence: Wordsworth, Coleridge, and the Religious Imagination, delves deeply into Coleridges theories, struggles, and faith. Although, he spends the first four chapter exploring Wordsworths works and how it practices Coleridges theories of imagination, he examines closely the nature of religion in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in chapter 6. Although Coleridge had theological speculations, he was a practical Christian (89). Coleridge believed in living out the practical aspects of his faith. Barth does not give a complete examination of Coleridges poem, but hones in to what he believes gives strength and beauty to Coleridges poetry. The notion of polarity (a balance or reconciliation of opposites (6)) is central to Coleridges theories of ima gination. Opposite objects, qualities, or tensions exist within the same field of force' (6). Barth also looks at prayer as a means of bringing these two forces into harmony (natural and supernatural). Coleridge is concerned with prayer but at a deeper level as a means of uniting the creature with the Creator (90). Coleridges guilt and need for redemption is bound to his longing for forgiveness and friendship with God. Coleridge calls prayer the the effort to connect the misery of Self with the blessedness of God (90). It is a means of connecting the natural to the supernatural, the temporal to the eternal, and the immanent to the transcendent. Barth states that even though Coleridge does move from his Unitarian ideology to his Christian ideology, a shift that can be seen in the poem and its revision, this idea of prayer is still deep within Coleridges soul. Although, Barth explores prayer within the poem during Coleridges conversion, this shift of faith can be explored further as m eans for a proper hermeneutic in interpreting Coleridges poem. Christopher Stokes article My Soul In Agony: Irrationality And Christianity In The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner explores the struggle between the physical and the spiritual world in Coleridges poem. His poem contains strange elements that seem unintelligible and irrational. Stokes states that these elements stem from Coleridges Unitarian moral theory that he subscribed to at the time. Because these strange elements are unintelligible, there is an ambiguity between the supernatural events and orthodox religion. Though much of the poem seems to use Christian terms, there is still details that are ambiguous and this creates distance between familiar and unfamiliar. Stokes states that these ambiguous moments create a divided tone and he claims this is from Coleridges difficult transition from Unitarianism to Anglican Christianity. Coleridge struggled with Christianitys concept of original sin and a closer examination must be conducted to understand why he possibly struggled with it. The concept and doctrine of Original Sin was developed by the early Roman church and was based on Pauls teachings found in the Book of Romans. In the Old Testament (specifically from Genesis), Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden and the result was that they were cursed and banished out of the Garden. Because of the actions of Adam and Eve, sin (a propensity to disobey God) originated in the Garden and continued to all future generations. Paul teaches a reinterpretation of this Genesis story. In Romans 5.12, Paul states that just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. At the time of Pauls teaching, audiences of the early Gospels will be familiar with the story of Jesus (especially since Mark and Matthew may have been circulating prior to Romans being written). The audiences would understand that Jesus died as a sacrificial lamb for the sins (actual personal committed sins; a personal disobedie nce) of all man. But Paul goes to reinterpret Christs death to add that Jesus died to not only remove our personal sins but also to remove the hold of original sin on humanity which results in death. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous (Romans 5.19). This meant that all humanity was guilty for their personal sins and guilty for the sin of Adam and Eve that was passed to generations. Later under the Roman church, Saint Augustine of Hippo taught that all of humanity was in a state of sin that came from Adam. Man is born with sin and a weakened free-will that gravitates toward sin. Adam and Eves sin and guilt is carried onto each generation (Kelley, 34-38). This was the concept of Original Sin. This is a belief that is still held today by Catholics and Protestants (although, it may vary based on demonization). But Unitarians do not believe in the concept of Original Sin. They do not believe that the sin of Adam and Eve corrupted all of humanity and that we still carry their guilt. They state it would contradict the love and justice of God to attribute to us the sin of others, because sin is ones own personal action (JoÃÅ' zsef, 107). This was a key to why Coleridge struggled in his conversion to Christianity and is evident in his poem. Stokes, in his article, explains the struggle readers have with the strange and irrational elements in the poem are reflective and evidence of Coleridges struggle in his departure from Unitarian ideology to Anglican ideology. An example can be seen with the killing of the Albatross which many critics agree is a strange element to the poem. The Mariner simply kills the bird with no thought prior and the only shock is from the Wedding Guest. The crew at first thought it wrong, but then agreed that the bird was bad luck. Without the gloss notes (and in the original 1798 version), it seems that even nature is unmoved by something that seemed like a crime and the reader isnt given any reason that the killing set any clear event in motion (a determinative effects of motives based on Unitarian moral theory (5)). The albatross death is a powerful but initially unintelligible event but has no obvious moral or religious significance (6). Coleridge, after his conversion and firming in Christian ideology, comes to term with original sin and revises his work (through additions, subtractions, and including a gloss for the poem) giving it a more Anglican tone. The gloss becomes an Anglican hermeneutic bringing the poem under a Christian ideology and moral order. The poem under the gloss gives it a Christian salvational trajectory (20). It is only through the gloss (and Coleridges later revision in 1817) that we learn that the ancient Mariner inhospitably killeth the pious bird of good omen. Stokes understands the common critical belief that the Mariner conspicuously relies on Christian rituals and beliefs . . . the Christian doctrine fails to explain his world of excessive suffering and irrational events (11). But he states that before we dismiss these strange elements as irrational, we must explore Coleridges religious thinking at the time of writing the poem and both its revisions. It is only through the examination of his personal faith and conversion that we can develop a proper hermeneutic to interpret Coleridges poem. It would be erroneous to assume irrationality as a failure of the poems Christian moral code. One must look at Coleridges conversion as well as his struggle with the Christian doctrine of original sin that creates the irrational or at least creates ambiguous language. It is only through this hermeneutic that we can fully understand and appreciate Coleridges poem where he attempts to understand and present to us the concepts that are beyond understanding.

Russias Economic Transition :: Russian History Historical Communism Essays

Russia' Economic Transition In August of 1991, the collapse of the communist system in the USSR and it's neighboring republics occurred. Out of the smoke emerged fifteen new republics and a union known as the Commonwealth of Independent States. These new regimes faced formidable obstacles. The collapse brought massive inflation which in turn forced the economy into a spiraling decline and a state of almost worthless value. Many people were quick to point the finger at their communist past, and even more eager to lay blame. Traditional communist ideology was to "provide for every individual an equal amount of goods and services, thus creating a state of equality amongst the populous" (Leveler, 16). Many people felt as if their current hardships could be blamed on the communists and their economic policies, specifically their "Core-Periphery" plan. The communist sponsored "Core-Periphery" economic policy that was evident in Russia was quite simplistic in nature. The theory, traditionally used to describe inter-continental trading and production, was adapted for use in the Russian economic zones. The theory was as follows; Areas which surround the capital (core region), usually rich in one material or another, would be used for the extraction of raw materials. These materials would then be shipped back to the capital in order to be manufactured into goods. From there, the manufactured products would be shipped back to the surrounding regions (periphery region) for resale. The citizens of Russia were surviving on this system, but barely. The Core-Periphery policy was not efficient, nor effective, for usually a product needed on one side of the federation, was produced at the other end. Factors such as transportation costs and adequate use of human resources was very inefficient and cost-consuming. Strong influences from the world urged Russia to make the transition into the market-oriented economy. This seemed tempting, for the market-oriented economy preached individual wealth and prosperity. Seeing no better solution to their current economic woes, Russian policy-makers took the plunge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By 1995, 4 years since the beginning of the transition into a market- oriented economy, no satisfactory economic improvment had taken form. Productivity in many states such as Turkmenistan and Belarus continued to fall (Table 2), and inflation was still at high levels. Many new Russian capitalists in the regions chose to exploit what had already been exploited in the past; raw materials. Looking to make a fast income, these new Russian capitalists sold whatever they could get their hands on, for practically no cost at all (Co- Existence, 146). Expropriation of state property, shady deals, and corruption were rampant. Productivity in industries such as agriculture declined as farmers did not want to take care of their land (Co-Existence, 146).

Carandiru - Movie Overview Essay examples -- essays research papers

Carandiru The adaptation of Carandiru Station, a best-seller by Drauzio Varella, Carandiru proposes diving into the heart of SÃ £o Paulo's prison, the largest in Latin America with approximately 7,000 prisoners with a capacity for 4,500. Guided by a humanist doctor (the author) who has an affection for the prisoners, the audience shares in the daily life of the condemned before the massacre perpetrated on October 2, 1992 by the police force following a riot. The film opens with a settling of scores by Ebony, a prisoner in charge of the kitchens. While the director quickly arrives on the spot, Ebony doesn't let go of the reins of the situation. He's understood: in Carandiru, the voices of management and prisoners rise in a choir and vibrate in diapason, in order to maintain a balance and precarious order, essential for the place to function well. The armed sentinels carrying out their rounds along the ramparts, always discrete, only represent only the last resort in case of outbursts. What's immediately striking about Babenco's film is the details used to account for the tacit rules laid down in this place of imprisonment. Killers, robbers and rapists seem to cohabit by enacting their own rules, often transpositions of the law of the street, with its codes, duties, rights and punishments. Between the walls of the various wards, one witnesses the everyday life of a city totally apart, with its neighborhoods, trades, residences. No cell is closed: the impression...

The Host Book Review

The Host Book Review Melanie Stryder is one of few â€Å"wild† human rebels who have evaded the alien souls currently taking over the Earth. With her younger brother, Jamie, and the man she loves, Jared Howe, Mel is on the run from souls who hunt down host bodies for use. Souls are creatures that rely on host bodies to survive. After insertion, they erase any mental presence of the being originally there and establish a claim over the body and mind. Earth is Wanderer's ninth planet, and Mel is her ninth host body.Upon waking inside her new body, she is shocked not only by the vividness of human emotions, memories, and senses, but quickly learns that Melanie Stryder is not willing to give up the entirety of her mind. Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga has often been described as vampire fiction for people who don’t like vampires. It is fair to say that with The Host, her latest novel, she has once again managed to break the usual genre stereotypes. This time, writing a science fiction novel for people who don’t like science fiction.Unlike the most popular alien invasion movies and science fiction television shows, The Host doesn’t have Will Smith or Richard Dean Anderson to save the planet against a background of gun fire, secret weapons, and loud explosions. In The Host humanity is lost, vastly outnumbered and overwhelmed by superior technology. There are tiny pockets of resistance left; just a handful of humans who have yet been captured, but they don’t spend their days plotting to retake the planet from the aliens.Just trying to survive consumes all their time. The Host isn’t really about saving the planet from alien invaders; it’s a story about what it is to be human, about identity and about individuality. Most of all The Host is a story about the nature of love. Romantic  love, love of family, love of friends – all of these emotions are explored by Wanderer as she first surrenders to Melanieâ₠¬â„¢s emotional memories then surrenders to the emotions for herself.There is more than just memories left of Melanie though; she is trapped inside her own head unable to take control of her own body, forced to be an unwilling host to the alien Wanderer. Which makes things very interesting when Wanderer and Melanie eventually meet up with Melanie’s loved ones. Possibly the largest similarity between The Host and Stephenie Meyers Twilight Saga is the character of Wanderer. She has something of a Bella vibe going on. It is the way that they are both self sacrificing.Wanderer’s alien nature actually makes her even more self sacrificing than Bella which means that she needs others to look out for her and take care of her since she has little instinct for self preservation. Unlike the Twilight Saga, I would recommend The Host for both teens and adults. Stephenie Meyer wrote this book to attract a wide audience. All in all The Host makes a very compelling read. Avoiding the obvious science fiction cliches, it concentrates on humanity and the human emotions experienced by an alien invader who really wants to be a human.

Brand Community Analysis

Brand Community Analysis As the development of communication technology and global market, the concept of Brand Community was fist defined as ‘a specialized, non-geographically bound community, based on a structured set of social relationships among admirers of a brand’ by two social scientists, Albert M. Muniz, JR and Thomas C. O’Guinn (2001). This essay will firstly give a brief overview of brand community, and then point out three main characteristics and further discuss these features of brand community based on the article by Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) using the supporters of Manchester United Football Club as an example.Brand community is a customer-customer-brand triad. It reflects on a collection of brand-centric social group stressing the use of brand and the relationship formed by emotion between consumers (Muniz and O’Guinn, 2001). Furthermore, McAlexander, Schouten and Koenig (2002) have extended this model to the extent that brand communit y is actually a customer-centric network and aim to provide customer special brand-related consumption experience. They have also emphasized the concept of brand experience in a community.Any brand experience comes from the interaction among members, and at the same time customers also construct the meaning of the brand in the process of interaction and experience. Subsequently, by the research in the abandoned Apple Newton, Muniz and Schau (2005) found brand community can be regarded to a kind of religious affiliation. Manchester United Football Club (MUFC) is a famous professional football team founded in 1878 in England. It is the best supported in Europe (Rice, 2009) and probably the most popular football club in the world.According to the article by Cass (2007) from Daily Mail, the number of worldwide MUFC supporters was closed to 333 million in 2007. In this case, I assume the fans of MUFC all are the members of the club community and they principally consume match tickets and club-related products. Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) raised 3 basic characteristics for brand community, like other traditional communities, which respectively were a shared consciousness, rituals and traditions and a sense of moral responsibility. The most important shared consciousness is group awareness.It means there is an implicit relationship between community members and members can be distinct from others. Rituals and traditions is a vital social process. Brand and the meaning of brand community with their history, culture and consciousness can be duplicated and passed on through ritual and traditions. Moral responsibility indicates that community members are responsible for each other. These 3 characteristics show the nature of brand community. For the sense of consciousness, members feel a great relation toward one another is more important than the connection to the brand (Muniz and O’Guinn, 2001).That is why two main organisations for MUFC supporters in the UK, Independent Manchester United Supporters Association (IMUSA) and Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST), were established to let like-minded people join together and formed local communities. IMUSA has even set up a committee to better represent the interest and voice of supports. Supporters from all around the world can also just easily use web-based communication tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and forums like MUFC fansforum (http://community. manutd. com/forums/) to share updated news and maintain connections.On the other hand, members, ‘also set them apart from others and makes them similar to one another’ Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) claimed, especially try to distinct them from the main competitive brand in the market. This regards to oppositional brand loyalty. In this MUFC case, the oppositional brand is its main rivalry in the Premier league located in the same city – Manchester City Football Club (MCFC). Fans from MUFC always differentiate them against MCFC supporters. Members usually said MCFC is built by money, just an upstart and a noisy neighbour.Most of the community members despise this kind of team because they think MUFC has the glories that MCFC lack of and embodies the passion and excitement of the world's most popular sport (Hill and Vincent, 2006). Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) indicated rituals and traditions focus on sharing consumption experience with the brand. Supporters sing several specific songs during the match regarding to different circumstances to encourage and cheer the team. Those songs have already become a kind of spiritual symbol of the MUFC brand, and therefore will be passed on each time they are sung in matches.Celebrating the history of the brand is crucial for maintaining community and reproducing culture (Muniz and O’Guinn, 2001). For the MUFC community, the most vital history is the trophies they gained. After MUFC won their 19th English top league title last season, the Barclay s Premiership Trophy Cup was being demonstrated around the world for the whole summer in 2011. This tour is not only presenting the precious trophy cup to supporters but also a promotion of the great history of MUFC to further raise reputation and attract new members.Sharing brand stories is another important means of maintaining and creating community (Muniz and O’Guinn, 2001). MUFC fans always mention either face to face or on internet about the classic victory of the champion league final in 1999 in Munich. This can be related to viral marketing by which positive image and consciousness of the brand and community can be delivered through word of mouth or improved by the internet network effects. ‘The sense of moral responsibility is what produces collective action and contributes to group cohesion’ Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) said.There are two traditional shared missions: intergrading and retaining members and assisting members in the proper use of the br and. Firstly, it is crucial to retain existing members and obtain new ones. The fundamental way for MUFC to save and fascinate supporters is to keep winning. Getting consistent good record and reputation will really help the brand to attract and retain members. MUFC also gives discount to the existing official members to renew their membership and buy season tickets in the following year. Thus members can gain benefit from their loyalty.Secondly, moral responsibility also provides assistant normally in problem solving and shares brand-related information. For instance, members share transport information in away games on fansforum. In conclusion, the notion of brand community has been extended in recent years and become a usual marketing phenomenon. The three key characteristics represent the essence of brand community and each of them has its own manifestation. Due to the improvement of communication way, members of brand community are more convenient to communicate and the brand i s also easier to build connection with customers and create brand communities.Looking to the future, I believe brand community will become a crucial and staple marketing strategy. Reference: Cass, Bob (2007). â€Å"United moving down south as fanbase reaches 333 million†. Daily Mail (London: Associated Newspapers); 15 December 2007. Manchester United official fansforum: http://community. manutd. com/forums/t/84281. aspx Manchester United Membership benefit: http://www. manutd. com/en/One-United/Member-Benefits. aspx McAlexander, J H, Schouten , J W, and Koenig , H F. Building brand community[J ] . Journal of Marketing; Jan 2002; 66, 1; ABI/INFORM Global p. 8 Muniz Albert M. Jr. and Thomas C. O’Guinn (2001), Brand Community, Journal of Consumer Research; March 2001; 27, 4; ABI/INFORM Global p. 412 Muniz Albert M. Jr. and Schau, H J. (2005), Religiosity in the Abandoned Apple Newton Brand Community, Journal of Consumer Research; Mar 2005; 31, 4; ABI/INFORM Global p. 737 Rice, Simon (6 November 2009). â€Å"Manchester United top of the 25 best supported clubs in Europe†. The Independent (London: Independent Print). Vincent, John, Hill, John S. (2006) Globalisation and sports branding: the case of Manchester United.

Malcom X “My First Conk” Essay

Through the years African Americans have been growing their roots in the United States. It wasn’t too long ago that they weren’t accepted as a part of society. Since then the gap between them and the Caucasian community has begun to close. As both populations blend together we start to think of them as one nation with more similarities than differences. What happens when one society bleeds out its culture more than the other? African Americans have increasingly opted to ditch their natural selves and instead take on the task of manipulating themselves in order to appeal to the white man’s idea of beauty. Rather than revolt against the insults thrown at blacks they seem to have adopted them as true. Why is it that instead of defending their natural kinks they cover them up with wigs or chemically alter them? Although some beauty practices are commonplace throughout most African American communities engaging in these activities is the equivalent of validating the notion that blacks aren’t good enough. Malcom X illustrates for us in his piece titled â€Å"My first Conk† how his first conking went. For those unfamiliar with the term conking is a procedure in which black males concoct a gel, using mainly household ingredients, then apply it to the hair in order to straighten it. The incorporation of lye in the gel is what causes the bearer to feel as though the scalp burns. Malcom was at first a devoted conker but through the years has come to regret his old habit. At first he explains how good the conk made him feel, later in his life he mentions that conking was his first step towards self-degradation. He calls out all those who have or still sport a conk and urges them to stop. He even goes as far as saying it makes blacks look foolish. He also concludes that hair unimportant and it’s a shame that so much time has already been wasted on this. A compelling story I stumbled upon tells the drastic measures some are willing to take in order to shed themselves of the image they have come to associate as inferior. A woman around 35 years old willingly admitted that she bleached not only herself but her children. She wet cloths with store-bought Clorox and placed the on her and the kids’ faces for about a couple of minutes. This woman openly acknowledged that she was ashamed of being black. Alongside with her there were other testimonies who felt the same. They all mentioned how they were looked down upon for being black. They told some of the insults they faced on a day to day for being who they were. They felt the measures they took to appeal to the white community was  necessary. It was necessary if they wanted to feel good, if they wanted to be seen as equals, and if they wanted to stop the mental abuse . When I first came upon these people I was shocked. How could someone be so insensible as to literally bleach their skin? What would compel people to undergo such painful procedures as the one mentioned by Malcom? I was shocked but little did I know I too was just as guilty of caving in to society’s ideals of what I should look like. Just last year, my senior year in high school, I would have a morning ritual. At 5:00 a.m. sharp I would stumble out of bed and turn on the coffee machine. The energy from the coffee was to help me stay awake so I could complete the lengthy task of straighten my hair. 2 long hours it took for me to do only my hair! As is probably imaginable I was often late to school. I was late so many times in fact that I nearly didn’t graduate on stage. How then did I dare judge poor lady who bleached herself when in reality I was no different? I too unnecessarily took it upon myself to change the way I was because the pressure I felt to be just a bit sim ilar to white people. Consciously I did not notice this was what I was getting across, as I presume many black people that do things such as perming or wearing wigs are also unaware, but ultimately we have been brainwashed so much that this behavior is reasonable. Many may argue that we have the right to express ourselves any which way we want. This is true but why then are blacks ridiculed when they defy the expectations and take pride in their true selves. Why must wearing their natural selves take courage? We as a blended society should know better than to judge. Oppressing people has to be a thing of the past. The oppressor is not the only one to blame here. The oppressed are guilty of not fighting back. No change will come until we try to change ourselves. Too many have suffered and continue to suffer. Both mentally and physically these people are abused but to no avail. Society will not let up. Instead of conforming to society, as we have done for so long, we must pave a different path. Comparing ag ainst another race is futile. Blacks will never be the same as whites, they shouldn’t try to be. Each a culture rich in its own way. Teach ourselves and our peers to take pride in our appearance once again. Dig back into a culture once covered up and exhume it. Let it breathe for when it does so will we.