Free Essays on White Privilege

Cultural Anthropology White Privilege†¦ I Don’t Think So! Mr. Colin Powell Chief of Staff Black Male Ms. Condoleeza Rice National Security Advisor Black Female Mr. David Satcher Surgeon General Black Male Ms. Antonia Novello ex. Surgeon General Hispanic Female Mr. Thurgood Marshall Supreme Court Justice Black Male - deceased Mr. Clarence Thomas Supreme Court Justice Black Male Ms. Sandra Day O’Connor Supreme Court Justice White Female Ms. Ruth Bader Ginsburg Supreme Court Justice White Female Mr. R.J. Reynolds CEO Top Fortune 500 Co. Black Male- deceased Mr. Andrew Young U.S. Ambassador to U.N. Black Male America, being initially a British colony, will of coarse have a â€Å"white† history. In the days of slavery, the term â€Å"white privilege†, I am sure, had a true basis in everyday life. But can the term â€Å"white privilege† or even â€Å"male privilege† be used today to describe social subconscious thought? Perhaps it is my â€Å"white male denial syndrome† but I don’t think so. In an essay entitled â€Å"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack†, Peggy McIntosh goes on to list many items in her argument of white privilege. The root of her premise is that being a white person elicits subconscious advantages in society. Also, the white segment of society, especially the male portion, subconsciously oppresses all others. In my opinion it is people like this, with lists like hers, that continue the racial and gender divide. They need help. In her essay, McIntosh lists 26 examples of white privilege. I am sure she has more but I will choose a few from her list to examine. I will start with an easy one†¦ 9. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods that fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair. In my experience, music shop shelves are buri... Free Essays on White Privilege Free Essays on White Privilege Cultural Anthropology White Privilege†¦ I Don’t Think So! Mr. Colin Powell Chief of Staff Black Male Ms. Condoleeza Rice National Security Advisor Black Female Mr. David Satcher Surgeon General Black Male Ms. Antonia Novello ex. Surgeon General Hispanic Female Mr. Thurgood Marshall Supreme Court Justice Black Male - deceased Mr. Clarence Thomas Supreme Court Justice Black Male Ms. Sandra Day O’Connor Supreme Court Justice White Female Ms. Ruth Bader Ginsburg Supreme Court Justice White Female Mr. R.J. Reynolds CEO Top Fortune 500 Co. Black Male- deceased Mr. Andrew Young U.S. Ambassador to U.N. Black Male America, being initially a British colony, will of coarse have a â€Å"white† history. In the days of slavery, the term â€Å"white privilege†, I am sure, had a true basis in everyday life. But can the term â€Å"white privilege† or even â€Å"male privilege† be used today to describe social subconscious thought? Perhaps it is my â€Å"white male denial syndrome† but I don’t think so. In an essay entitled â€Å"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack†, Peggy McIntosh goes on to list many items in her argument of white privilege. The root of her premise is that being a white person elicits subconscious advantages in society. Also, the white segment of society, especially the male portion, subconsciously oppresses all others. In my opinion it is people like this, with lists like hers, that continue the racial and gender divide. They need help. In her essay, McIntosh lists 26 examples of white privilege. I am sure she has more but I will choose a few from her list to examine. I will start with an easy one†¦ 9. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods that fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair. In my experience, music shop shelves are buri...

25 Things Every New Italian Language Learner Should Know

25 Things Every New Italian Language Learner Should Know So you’ve decided to learn Italian? Hooray! Deciding to learn a foreign language is a big deal, and as exciting as it can be to make that choice, it can also be overwhelming to know where to start or what to do. What’s more, as you dive even more deeply into learning, the number of things you need to learn and all the things that confuse you can start to demotivate you. We don’t want that to happen to you, so heres a list of 25 things that every new Italian language learner should know. When you go into this experience with clear, realistic expectations and a better idea of how to handle uncomfortable moments, it can often make the difference between those who say they’ve always wanted to learn Italian and those who become conversational. 25 Things Every New Italian Language Learner Should Know There is not even one â€Å"Learn Italian Quick† program that will be your be-all-end-all. There is no lightning in a bottle for Italian. There are hundreds of great, high-quality resources, many of which I can recommend, but know, above all, that YOU are the person learning the language. As polyglot Luca Lampariello often says, â€Å"Languages cannot be taught, they can only be learned.†In the beginning stages of learning, you will learn a ton, and then as you near that blessed intermediate level, you’ll have a period where you feel like you’re not making any progress. This is normal. Don’t get down on yourself about it. You actually are making progress, but at that stage, more effort is required, particularly when it comes to spoken Italian. Speaking of†¦Learning how to sound fluid and natural in Italian requires a lot of speaking practice and not just listening, reading, and writing practice. As you’re able to form longer sentences an d have a larger stockpile of vocabulary, you’ll want to find  a language partner. For some people, speaking can start from day one, but it depends on your experience, and a language partner can help you stay in this for the long-haul, which is critical because... Learning a language is a commitment that requires devotion (read: studying on a daily basis.) Start with a so-easy-you-can’t-say-no routine at first, like five minutes a day, and then build from there as studying becomes more of a habit. Now that you’re a language learner, you’ve got to find a way to weave it into your daily life.It’s meant to be fun, and it’s also absurdly gratifying- especially when you have your first conversation where you can connect with someone. Make sure to engage in activities that you find joy in. Find fun YouTube channels, work with tutors who make you laugh, find Italian music to add to your playlists. But know that...You will try to like Italian music, but you will probably be disappointed.  You will be able to understand more than you’ll be able to say. This is to be expected since at first, you’ll be taking in more information (listening and  reading) than you’re putting out (writing and speak ing).BUT, EVEN THEN...you may study for a long time and then feel brave enough to watch some Italian TV and not understand more than 15 percent  of what they’re saying. That’s normal, too. Your ear isn’t used to the rate of speech yet and lots of things are in dialect or contain slang, so be gentle with yourself. There is a thing in Italian where you have to make your nouns, adjectives and verbs agree in number and gender. This will happen with pronouns and prepositions, too. No matter how well you know the rules, you will mess up. It’s not a big deal. The goal is to be understood, not perfect.And in that same vein, you will definitely make mistakes. They are normal. You will say embarrassing things like â€Å"ano - anus† instead of â€Å"anno - year.† Laugh it off, and think of it as one entertaining way to acquire new vocabulary.You will get confused between the imperfect and the past tense. Just consider that challenge as a recipe you keep on tweaking. It will always be edible, but it could still be better.You will overuse the gerund tense when you mean to use the present tense. This and a host of other problems will arise from your  depending on English to inform your Italian.  You will totally forget to use the past tense during conversations. Our brains like to go to what’s easiest, so when we’re nervous while trying to have a conversation with a native speaker, it defaults to what’s easiest, which is often the present. And while you’re having those early conversations, you will feel like you lack a personality in Italian. As you learn more, your personality will re-emerge, I promise. In the meantime, it could be helpful to make a list of phrases that you often say in English and ask your tutor for the Italian equivalents.You will say â€Å"yes† to things you meant to say â€Å"no† to and â€Å"no† to things you meant to say â€Å"yes† to. You will order the wrong thing when youre dining out. You will ask for the wrong size when youre shopping. You will get a lot of weird stares from people trying to understand you, and you will need to repeat yourself. It’s all okay, and nothing is personal. People really want to know what you’re saying.When you visit Italy, anxious to put your Italian into action on its home turf, you will be English-ed, and it’s not meant as an insult.You will constantly wonder whether you should be using the â€Å" tu† or the â€Å"lei† form with all people everywhere that ever existed. At some point (or more realistically, several points), you will lose motivation and fall off the Italian studying wagon. You’ll also find new ways to get back on it. You will be impatient to reach â€Å"fluency.† (Hint: Fluency isn’t a real destination. So enjoy the ride.)You will consider using Google Translate for everything. Try not to. It can easily become a crutch. Use dictionaries like WordReference and Context-Reverse first.Once you learn how to use the word â€Å"boh,† you will start using it all the time in English.You will love the colorful proverbs and idioms that differ from English. ‘Who sleeps doesn’t catch fish’  instead of ‘the early bird catches the worm’? Adorable.Your mouth will feel weird pronouncing unfamiliar words. You will feel insecure about you’re speaking. You will think you should be further along. Remember that feeling uncomfortable means you’re doing something right. Then, ignore those negative thoughts and keep studying.You will forget that communication is about more than a perfectly constructed sentence and will try to learn the language through just studying the grammar. Resist the temptation for everything to be structured.But most importantly, know that you will, after practice and devotion, be able to speak Italian- not quite like a native, but comfortable enough to do the things that matter, like make friends, eat authentic Italian food, and experience a new country from the eyes of someone who is no longer a typical tourist. Buono studio!

How do external definitions of good and bad mothers and fathers impact Essay

How do external definitions of good and bad mothers and fathers impact on the actual experience of parenthood - Essay Example Also, good and bad have been defined by the respective culture and identity of mother and father rests in the context of their society. However, actual experience moves beyond these stereotypes. Kath Woodward (2002) in her book on Understanding Identity brings up the conflict between self identity and the society created images of the self and the ideal. Though identity is a matter of the individual, it is never free of social stigma and external definitions. She redefines ‘identity’ to encapsulate â€Å"the way of thinking about the links between the personal and the social† (2002). This psycho-social definition of identity offers another perspective of the stereotyping of mothers and fathers Vs actual experience of parenting. She discusses on the relative nature of the reality of parenting. The latter might be the identity they create for themselves, but however hard they strive, the identity cannot be free of the social context and definitions. Kath’s sociological definition of identity is not new, but could be traced back to Adam Smith’s Wealth of the Nations. The concept of individualized self is a modern invention, though. Kath, in th e modern context, reinvents the older concept. Kath also analyses the identity of motherhood with respect to the bodies and selves. She says that the first thing a woman could relate to in her role as a mother is her body. This could be symbols and evidence of patriarchal control of female body. However, the child evokes tenderness in her as against the anger toward the male body. This conflict is discussed by Rich. Any role is not subjective and is always relative to the others involved. For example, parent is relative to the child and the vice versa; the role of the teacher is relative to the role of the student. So roles are modified and moulded according to their relative positions and the feedback from the related roles. In addition, it is dependent on the expectations

Treaty of Varsailles - P3ip Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Treaty of Varsailles - P3ip - Essay Example Accordingly, more than two million young German men lost their lives during the Great War and our cities remain deserted and destroyed following this unfortunate war. We, the German people, take issue with many of the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles and respectfully submit our challenges to a document which we believe does not but punish the suffering German people and lay the groundwork for future conflict on this great continent we share. We turn to the American delegation and plead for a just and amicable resolution to the Great War. We do not seek to provoke further animosity with our neighbors and believe that a peaceful settlement can be reached, provided that the understanding that we have all suffered in this dreadful conflict, is brought to the fore (Boemeke et al., 2009). First and foremost Germany takes issue with the â€Å"War Guilt† clause which stipulates that we alone are guilty of this War. We cannot forget the more than two million young German men lost their lives during the Great War and it would be dishonorable to tarnish their legacy by declaring exclusive guilt for the travesty which befell all of our people. With respect to land and the seemingly unilateral desire to take German land away from our people including Alsace-Lorraine, Eupen and Malmedy, Northern Schleswig, Hultschin West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia, we must object. The annexation of this land by foreign powers will do more to sow disharmony between the Western Powers and Germany and we seriously hope that the division of Germany by the victors in this terrible conflict will be reconsidered. Furthermore, we believe that a â€Å"League of Nations† which excludes the great nation of Germany will be unrepresentative of the civilized people of this earth and fo r it to work in the manner in which it is presently being designed it

The life of James Derham Essay Example for Free

The life of James Derham Essay James Derham is identified as one among the ten most famous male nurses in the history of mankind (National Institute of Health). He is indeed termed as the first African-American to practice formal medicine in America despite the fact that he owned no M. D. degree. Derham was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by a slavery couple (Kirschman). Being a slave, he was owned by many medical practitioners, one of whom was Dr.  Robert Love, who identified Derham unique potential and encouraged him to practice medicine. With permission for his master, Dr. Robert Love, Derham successfully worked as a nurse, managing to by his freedom from slavery in 1783 (Kirschman). Being a freeman, he went on to open a medical practice. It is estimated that at the age of 26, Derham was earning over $3,000 annually from his medical practice (National Institute of Health). This has been closely attributed to large patient pool he enjoy owing to his ability to speak various languages. He was fluent in speaking English, French, and Spanish languages. It is claimed that Derham once met with the father of American medicine, Dr. Benjamin Rush, with whose encouragement he moved to continue his medical practice in Philadelphia (Kirschman). In Philadelphia, Derham emerged as a medical expert mainly dealing with the treatment of throat and climate caused diseases. He is given great honor for his historical contribution on the relationship between climate and diseases affecting mankind (National Institute of Health). However, James Derham disappeared in 1802 and no available information about his fate. He his believed not to have had married by the time he disappeared (Kirschman). Due to his honor, the state of New Orleans established the James Derham middle school in 1960. Derham was and still is a hero of the American history.

Doris Lessing :: Biography Biographies Essays

Doris Lessing Doris Lessing is considered a South African writer, although Africa is not the place of her birth. She was, in fact, born in Persia (now Iran) to British parents in 1919. As a child, she and her parents moved to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), where she lived until 1949 (Sage, 15). White colonists had not previously settled in the part of Africa to which her family moved (Charters 894). In 1949 she moved to London where she still, apparently, resides. Lessing's life appears characterized by displacement. Charters tells us that "Lessing left school at the age of fourteen in rebellion against her mother" (894). Although neither Charters nor Lessing tell us for certain, it seems she may have been pushing against a representative of the colonialist mindset and way of life that she fought as an adult. Her unease with her status as a British national in Africa can be clearly seen in an event related by her biographer Lorna Sage in a quote from Lessing's "Being Prohibited," a piece written for The New Statesman. At the age of 16, Lessing was waiting in a train at a border crossing between Southern Rhodesia and South Africa. The forms she had been given to fill out at the border required her to declare nationality, birthplace, and other information. In this quotation, Lessing relates her discomfort at being one of the "Herrenvolk" (Sage 16): I had written on the form: Nationality, British, Race, European; and it was the first time in my life I had to claim myself as a member of one race and deny the others . . . The immigration man . . . looked suspiciously at my form for a long time before saying that I was in the wrong part of the train. I did not understand him. (I forgot to mention that where the form asked, Where were you born?, I had written, Persia.) "Asiatics," said he, "have to go to the back of the train†¦" "But," I said, "I am not an Asiatic." (Sage 16) For Lessing, this incident seemed to display her lack of a secure "place" in the world. Insecure in the role of British national, unable to be a "real" national of her adopted homeland, she is further separated by the place in which she was born. According to Sage, in the same piece Lessing investigates the idea that maybe "it was her Persian birth rather than her 'red' anti-racist politics that made her a prohibited alien" (16).

Food, Values and Identity in the Middle Ages Essay

Food is one of the basic essentials for humans to live. The food we eat gives us the sustenance for our daily duties. Even during the ancient times, humans had a wide variety of foodstuffs to choose from with meat and plant food as the two general categories (Adamson, 2004). However, even if there are same food resources all around the world, what people eat vary from one culture to another, thus there were variations on how they cook different foods and how they eat. As time progressed, simple meals became elaborate with the continuous addition of different ingredients to make it more palatable to the taste of many. Diets of people evolve, depending on their needs, status, time periods and of course, the availability of the food itself. Through food, some people are able to show their values or principles that they believe in. For example, Muslims do not eat pork because the pig is considered as a dirty animal in their religion. The food people consume is sometimes used to characterize them (Scholliers, 2001), not only as individuals but as part of a group. All over the world, food portrayed a great role in shaping humans, their values, identity and the society and period they live in. One notable period in history is the Middle Ages. It was the time when there were many political, social, economic and social changes and the period which also led to the transformation of many European states (MSN Encarta, 1993-2008). What role did food play in the medieval ages? What was its relationship between values and identity in the period of the Middle Ages? It is interesting to note how food contributed to the culture of the people during these times of immense changes in the society and way of living of people. Eating in the Middle Ages was distinguished for the different social classes of people that lived during that time. For peasants and those who lived in poverty, their diet consisted mainly of vegetables and cereals. It was said by Mennell (1985) that descriptions of how the poor ate can be seen from the some of Chaucer’s and Langland’s writing. Serfs were provided by their lords’ limited variety and amount of foodstuffs, mainly consisting of bread, a morsel of cheese, ale or cider and dish of either fish or meat. This fish and meat were usually eaten during special occasions but it was still a known fact that meat was a luxury to the poor (Ferreires, 2006). It was also said that the poor was also associated to eating dairy products (Mennell, 1985) while the rich people had a disregard for them. Meat was always associated with the rich and it was them who always had a plentiful supply. Selling of meat was complicated during the time of the Middle Ages. There were many rules regarding butchering and the sale of meat in Europe (Ferreires, 2006). These rules were created for health reasons and so as to create a good quality of products for the buyers. These rules were also specific; one of them is that any flesh or meat dying of other means aside from butchering must be burned. Slaughtering of an animal also had strict standards and the market was strictly supervised as well by the lords of the city. In this aspect, meat was not only used as part of a recipe or dish but also for political purposes because charters created for the sale of meat were watched over closely by the lords of the city (Ferreires, 2006). There were different kinds of butcher shops found around the city, the town butcher shop and the common butcher shop. These two kinds of shops were different because they sell different qualities of meats (Ferreires, 2006). These meats were mostly for the consumption of the rich because the town butcher shops sold high quality meats while the common butcher shop sold, though not low quality, meat sold there was considered as second rate Ferreires, 2006). Poor people had another option where they can buy meat and this was a free market where decaying meat could be bought. Although there were strict rules for selling of meat, selling rotting meat was not prohibited as long as they sell it outside the town so people can make a distinction on where they can buy fresh meat and where to but the decaying ones. Ferreires (2006, p. 48) noted that for those who live in the country though, it was not a problem for them to find food since they also produce their own and sometimes tended animals. On the other hand, those who lived in the city, though could also produce their own food, remained as consumers since most of the markets could be found in the city. Even if there was a social distribution of food among the people during the Middle Ages, how food was cooked was very simple for both rich and the poor. Slow boiling (Mennell, 1985) was the major method in which food was cooked during the Middle Ages primarily because the meals prepared during this time were dominated by soup. In most cases, the soup prepared for the meal contained meat, together with onions, cabbages and beans. For the poor, sometimes food was simply cooked in boiling water or milk. Little is known about the recipes that people cooked during the Middle Ages. However, cooking manuscripts were also created during these times (Mennell, 1985). Much of these manuscripts are similar to what we would call as recipe books or cookbooks. But these cooking manuscripts were generally created for the upper class because you will find recipes in these manuscripts as the ones prepared by cooks at the dinner tables of the rich and nobility. Most of the recipes in medieval cuisine particularly focused on the ingredients and the combination of flavors that is put into a dish. Unfortunately, the first recorded recipes were vague, written with lack of precision on how it was cooked, how much of an ingredient was needed and what utensils were used. Earliest recipes in the Middle Ages were seen simply as a list of ingredients. Most writers of the culinary manuscripts were anonymous and it was difficult to trace more information about the recipes. But with the emergence of the master-chefs, cooks who wrote recipes from personal experience, specifying details of the dish to be cooked, written recipes evolved. This evolution of recipes may have also been attributed to the evolving culinary techniques, practices and strategies of the cooks that time. Other factors, such as introduction of a new ingredient, new found use of a utensil contributed to the evolution or improvement of medieval recipes (Adamson, 1995). Food preparation became more elaborate. Together with the evolution of the recipes, more and more cooks and chefs came out from their anonymity and were recognized. They were then appropriately recognized for their collection of recipes. We can say that food was able to give identity to the chefs such as those who provided the people with new recipes in medieval cooking manuscripts. According to Mennell (1985, p. 49), there were four best known cookery manuscripts from late medieval Northern Italy which had many points in common with each other and probably has one source. Food would then be used to signify wealth and rank in the medieval cuisine. Food prepared for the rich may not necessarily taste delectable but they should certainly look appetizing. There were also certain foodstuffs that gave the rich their identity to the rich because they are the only ones who can easily access it, such as meat which was mentioned earlier. The saying â€Å"You are what you eat,† can be taken literally because whatever food that goes into our body contributes to how our bodies are made of. Whatever food an individual eats gives them the physical identity. Identity is the set of characteristics by which an individual possesses, as he or she is recognizable as a member of a certain group. All human beings have identities, so we will have something to identify with, to give us a sense of belongingness. Without people realizing it, the food we eat was a huge factor in determining our identity. For example, we usually identify countries with the foods that can commonly be found in them (not necessarily crops). We also sometimes identify certain groups of people to the food they eat. In the Middle Ages, we already mentioned that the evolution of the recipe writing was able to give identity to the chefs of that time. They became more respected because they did not just conform to old traditional recipes but they created their own styles in making dishes. The social classes during the Middle Ages were also given identities by the food they eat. The rich and nobility for example was usually identified with meat and many other variety of food that was accessible to them. While for the commoner, it was vegetables and dairy that was clearly identified with them (Mennell 1985). More food was of course accessible to the rich because they had more money to buy a wider variety of foodstuffs than the commoner. Their diet consisted mainly of fresh bread, cheese, meat and wine. Relationship between identity and food in the Middle Ages could also be seen in the prescribed diets of the time. Foods that were coarse, heavy and inexpensive were prescribed to eat by those workers who had heavy physical work. They were supposed to become more accustomed to these kinds of foods because these foods would be able to sustain the energy they consume up in their work. Other foods which may not be acceptable and considered unpleasant to eat such as nerves, tendons, and innards were included in the list of prescribed foods for the laborer. These laborers then would be given the identity that they have tough stomachs because of the many repulsive foods that they can eat (Ferreires, 2006). On the other hand, the rich or those with inactive lifestyles such as the scholar were prescribed to eat lighter foods such as white bread, white wine and the white meat of the chicken because this foods suits best the brain activity (Ferreires, 2006). They were advised as well to lessen their physical activity, anything that may become hindrance to their brain activity. In turn, they would be more identified with gentler stomachs, one that cannot or should not digest or intake foods eaten by the laborers because they do not consume too much energy as workers do. Although food has a great role in the identity formation during the Middle Ages, it should not be deduced that food is a major factor in identity formation because there are still many factors such as in social, economic and political aspects that should be considered when looking at people’s identities. Another role that food may have a relationship with is values in the Middle Ages. The relationship between food and values goes a long way back to ancient history. Values were held by individuals as something that they believe in firmly. The relationship between food and values in the Middle Ages may be closely linked to religion. Early accounts of prescribed diets can be found in the Bible. Animal flesh was primarily used as sacrificial offering to God Adam and Eve were not allowed to eat meat and according to Adamson (2004), it was only after Noah and those who followed after him were the ones allowed to eat meat. It was under Moses that the dietary rules were changed and there were certain animals that cannot be eaten because they were unclean and consuming blood was also prohibited. People followed these rules strictly as it is written in the Bible. The holy meal of the body and blood of Christ were represented by the wine and bread which people must take to receive the Holy Spirit. Since the holy meal was represented at the body and blood of Christ, according to the religious teachings of the Middle Ages, people were eating the God who suffered and died on the cross. Therefore the act of eating the holy meal was like an act of suffering with God as well (Adamson, 2004). Another value important to people in the Middle Ages was the voluntary act of withholding food or fasting. It was also an act of suffering, because you are denying a basic need of your body. By withholding food, you are somehow telling the gods that you are willing to do anything for them to grant whatever wishes or prayers you have. Taking part in communal fasting also gives the feeling of belongingness of a person. People were striving for purity during this time and fasting was one ay of cleansing the body. Connections were made between gluttony (eating too much) and lechery (excessive indulgence in sexual activities) so many people took part in fasting to purify themselves. However, fasting was not an act of eating nothing at all but eating simple foods such as bread, salt and water only. Fasting was primarily done not to starve people who take part in it but to control themselves in indulging in too much food, thus controlling the desires of their body and to prepare themselves for receiving the divine truth (Adamson, 2004). Fasting was not only taken seriously by holy people such as monks but a number of girls who loved in the Middle Ages which became the cause of their deaths. This was termed â€Å"holy anorexia† according to Adamson (2004, p. 195) because these girls starved themselves to death and sometimes imposed immense pain to their bodies. Most of these girls were not really poor but wanted to be in control of their lives, seeing to it that at that time, the only options for females were either to marry or enter the convent. By denying themselves food, they were somehow able to gain control of their lives and not simply being a slave to the tradition. Lastly, the link of food and values to religion are laws about clean and unclean foods and food preparation during religious rituals and festivals. According to Adamson (2004, p. 199) both Jews and Christians in medieval Europe observed the same Jewish festivals where food played an important role. There were certain foods that cannot be eaten during these festivals such as bitter and black foods. One of the rules Jews have is that animals should be slaughtered in such a way that all the blood must be drained out because it is prohibited for them to consume blood. Food in the Middle Ages was used to associate certain groups of people and individuals because the foods they ate were â€Å"identified† with them, such as the rich and meat and vegetables for the poor. These foods were the most accessible and available to them thus giving them the identity like, if you usually eat meat, you are considered as a rich person. However, it might be dangerous to conclude that food determines the identity of an individual or a group because there are still a lot of factors to be considered when determining one’s identity. The relationship between food and values is closely linked to religion because there were particular foods that were considered as â€Å"clean and unclean† by different religions. Values of the people are affected by the food they ate because they wanted to follow the set of laws in their religion. They show their beliefs through avoiding the foods considered unclean and eating only the clean. They also show these by following certain rules that some foods cannot be eaten on certain days. Lastly, food was also used as a powerful tool to show one’s value as some of the women in the Middle Ages were able to use food to gain control in their lives. Food truly portrayed a great role in the Middle Ages and how it came to shape the values and identity of how people lived during those times. Food was also able to contribute to the rich culture that medieval Europe had. Its contribution to identity and values in the Middle Ages can prove that eating is not simply a biological way of providing energy for individuals to keep up with daily life. References Adamson, M. W. (1995). Food in the Middle Ages: A Book of Essays. New York: Garland Publishing Adamson, M. W. (2004). Food in Medieval Times. Connecticut: Greenwood Press. Bynum, C. (1987). Holy Feast and Holy Famine. Berkley. Carlin M. and Rosenthal J. (Eds. ). (1998). Food and Eating in Medieval Europe. London. Ferreires, M. (2006). Sacred cow Mad Cow A History of food Fears. New York. Columbia University Press. Mennell, S. (1985). All Manners of Food: Eating and Taste in England and France from the Middle Ages to Present. Oxford. MSN Encarta. (1993-2008). The Middle Ages. Retrieved May 6, 2008 from http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761578474/Middle_Ages. html Scholliers, P. (2001). Food, Drink and Identity: Cooking, Eating and Drinking in Europe since the Middle Ages. Oxford: Berg Woolgar, C. et al. (2006). Food in Medieval England: diet and Nutrition. Oxford.

Production Possibilities

Production PossibilitiesProduction possibilities frontier (PPF) or more commonly known as transformation curve is a graph that demonstrates the difference between two goods that an economy with scarce resources could produce. There are two primary determinants that may greatly affect the orientation of the PPF of a nation. These are production functions and factor endowments. There is relatively a very big possibility for the PPF of a nation to shift inward. Instances such as the occurrence of war and technological disturbances that may cause technological growth and development to cease are two of the possible causes of a PPF inward shift. The Principle of Diminishing Marginal Returns can also affect the shift of the PPF of a nation. Other factors such as currency devaluation or technological and political innovation can also shift a nation's PPF inward.Figure 1 shows the inward shift of the PPF curve of a nation that has undergone war. Due to the war, the resources of the nation, w hich are primarily used to produce the food and medicine have been devastated. This devastation of the resources leads to decrease in the rate of technological innovations. Moreover, the war also gave rise to the currency devaluation of the nation. By these, it can be concluded that these instances can increase the possibility of the nation's PPF to shift inward.Given a fixed proportion of resources added with another unit of resource needed by a nation for the production of two goods and the machines needed by the nation in the production, the curve of the production possibility frontier of a nation would shift inward to  the left in time – this is due to the law of diminishing marginal returns. The law states that even though other units of resources are added to the nation's tool for production, the marginal output of the nation would decrement until it reaches negative. And when it reaches the negative value, the PPF curve of that nation would shift inward. Currency dev aluation also affects the inward shift of a nation's PPF curve when some of the nation's resources are being purchased from other nations. The decrease in the value of the nation's currency would affect the amount and the value of the resources purchased. Decline in the rate of innovations could also aid in the inward shift of the PPF curve of the nation since technological innovations may help develop and improve the production process.References:Devadoss, S., Song, W. (2003). Factor Market Oligopsony and the Production   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Possibility Frontier Review of International Economics, 11, 729-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   744.RetrievedNovember 5, 2007 from SSRN database.Goodwin, N. R. (2007, October 9). Production possibility frontier. Retrieved November 5,   Ã‚   2007 from http://www.eoearth.org/article/Production_possibility_frontier.Parasuraman, N. S. (2002, May 1). Production-Possibility Frontier (PPF) Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   November 5, 2007, from http://www.geocities.com/parasu41/PPF/.Suranovic, S. M. (2007). International Trade Theory and Policy [Electronic Version]. Retrieved November 5, 2007, from http://internationalecon.com/Trade/Tch60/T60-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   7.php.

Adolescents essays

Adolescents essays Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder "Robert daydreamed so much that he was pulled out of school. Frank went into such trancelike dreams that one had to shout at him to bring him back. Equally problematic were Sam's restlessness and verbal diatribes. Virginia, too, demonstrated a tendency to talk on and on. Thomas experienced school problems, in part because of his high energy. Nick's tendency to act without thinking caused him to have several scrapes with death and near-tragedies, such as plunging to the earth from the roof of a barn, clutching an umbrella (Cramond). These are examples of situations that are common to many children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Children with ADHD tend to have creative and unique was of thinking, and many problems focusing on one task, especially in school situations. Today children with this disorder are frequently prescribed medications to control their attention and/or hyperactivity. But are we doing what is in the best interest for children, or making it easier on the adults who have to deal with these children daily? In the previous stated examples we can see how the concentration, hyperactivity, and unique ways of thinking, and behaving that were exemplified by Robert Frost, Frank Llyod Wright, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Virginia Wolf, Thomas Edison, and Nikola Tesla. All of these individuals faced school problems, dark diagnoses, or worse. These are example of creative individuals whose behavior could also be interpreted as the inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Cramond). The truth is within the past two generations a phenomenon has taken place in connection to children across this country. Today one and a half million children take medication to focus attention and control hyperactive behavior (Freed 216). Most of these children have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hypera...

Battle of Hamburger Hill in the Vietnam War

Battle of Hamburger Hill in the Vietnam War The Battle of Hamburger Hill was fought May 10-20, 1969, during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). In late spring 1969, American and South Vietnamese forces commenced Operation Apache Snow with the intent of driving North Vietnamese troops from the A Shau Valley. As the operation moved forward, heavy fighting developed around Hill 937. This soon became the focus of the battle and additional American forces were committed with the goal of securing the hill. After a grinding, bloody fight, Hill 937 was secured. The fighting on Hill 937 was covered extensively by the press who questioned why the battle was necessary. This public relations problem escalated when the hill was abandoned fifteen days after its capture. Fast Facts: Battle of Hamburger Hill Conflict: Vietnam War (1955-1975)Date: May 10-20, 1969Armies Commanders:United StatesMajor General Melvin Zaisapprox. 1,800 menNorth VietnamMa Vinh Lanapprox. 1,500 menCasualties:United States: 70 killed and 372 woundedNorth Vietnam: Approximately 630 killed Background In 1969, US troops began Operation Apache Snow with the goal of clearing the Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) from the A Shau Valley in South Vietnam. Located near the border with Laos, the valley had become an infiltration route into South Vietnam and a haven for PAVN forces. A three-part operation, the second phase commenced on May 10, 1969, as elements of Colonel John Conmeys 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne moved into the valley. Among Conmeys forces were the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry (Lieutenant Colonel Weldon Honeycutt), 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry (Lieutenant Colonel Robert German), and the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry (Lt. Colonel John Bowers). These units were supported by the 9th Marines and the 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, as well as elements of the Army of Vietnam. The A Shau Valley was covered in thick jungle and dominated by Ap Bia Mountain, which had been designated Hill 937. Unconnected to the surrounding ridges, Hill 937 stood alone and, like the surrounding valley, was heavily forested. Moving Out Terming the operation a reconnaissance in force, Conmeys forces began operations with two ARVN battalions cutting the road at the base of the valley while the Marines and 3/5th Cavalry pushed towards the Laotian border. The battalions from the 3rd Brigade were ordered to search and destroy PAVN forces in their own areas of the valley. As his troops were air mobile, Conmey planned to shift units rapidly should one encounter strong resistance. While contact was light on May 10, it intensified the following day when the 3/187th approached the base of Hill 937. Sending two companies to search the north and northwest ridges of the hill, Honeycutt ordered Bravo and Charlie companies to move towards the summit by different routes. Late in the day, Bravo met stiff PAVN resistance and helicopter gunships were brought in for support. These mistook the 3/187ths landing zone for PAVN camp and opened fire killing two and wounding thirty-five. This was the first of several friendly fire incidents during the battle as the thick jungle made identifying targets difficult. Following this incident, the 3/187th retreated into defensive positions for the night. Fighting for the Hill Over the next two days, Honeycutt attempted to push his battalion into positions where they could launch a coordinated assault. This was hampered by difficult terrain and fierce PAVN resistance. As they moved around the hill, they found that the North Vietnamese had constructed an elaborate system of bunkers and trenches. Seeing the focus of the battle shifting to Hill 937, Conmey shifted the 1/506th to the south side of the hill. Bravo Company was airlifted to the area, but the remainder of the battalion traveled by foot and did not arrive in force until May 19. Soldiers inspecting the damage in the surrounding area of Dong Ap Bia during Operation Apache Snow, May 1969. US Army Military History Institute On May 14 and 15, Honeycutt launched attacks against PAVN positions with little success. The next two days saw elements of the 1/506th probing the southern slope. American efforts were frequently hindered by the thick jungle which made air-lifting forces around the hill impractical. As the battle raged, much of the foliage around the summit of the hill was eliminated by napalm and artillery fire which was used to reduce the PAVN bunkers. On May 18, Conmey ordered a coordinated assault with the 3/187th attacking from the north and the 1/506th attacking from the south. Final Assaults Storming forward, Delta Company of the 3/187th almost took the summit but was beaten back with heavy casualties. The 1/506th was able to take the southern crest, Hill 900, but met heavy resistance during the fighting. On May 18, the commander of the 101st Airborne, Major General Melvin Zais, arrived and decided to commit three addition battalions to the battle as well as ordered that the 3/187th, which had suffered 60% casualties, be relieved. Protesting, Honeycutt was able to keep his men in the field for the final assault. US Army Photographer and assistant climbing through the devastated landscape on Dong Ap Bia after the battle. US Army Military History Institute Landing two battalions on the northeast and southeast slopes, Zais and Conmey launched an all-out assault on the hill at 10:00 AM on May 20. Overwhelming the defenders, the 3/187th took the summit around noon and operations began to reduce the remaining PAVN bunkers. By 5:00 PM, Hill 937 had been secured. Aftermath Due to the grinding nature of the fighting on Hill 937, it became known as Hamburger Hill. This also pays homage to a similar fight during the Korean War known as the Battle of Pork Chop Hill. In the fighting, US and ARVN forces suffered 70 killed and 372 wounded. Total PAVN casualties are unknown, but 630 bodies were found on the hill after the battle. Heavily covered by the press, the necessity of the fighting on Hill 937 was questioned by the public and stirred controversy in Washington. This was worsened by the 101sts abandonment of the hill on June 5. As a result of this public and political pressure, General Creighton Abrams altered US strategy in Vietnam from one of maximum pressure to protective reaction in an effort to lower casualties.

American History Research Paper (Tobacco) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American History (Tobacco) - Research Paper Example obacco growing would be embraced by so many people in Virginia that it became one of the most important cash crop and export from Virginia, and eventually becoming a dominant force in the economical and social structure in the region (Davies, 2015). Robert Adams, Captain of the Elizabeth transported Rolfe’s tobacco samples to England on 20th of July 1613.Even though Rolfe’s initial tobacco was regarded by the British to be of â€Å"excellent quality† all the same, it was not as good as the Spanish one. However, Rolfe was of the opinion that its quality would improve after some more expense and try all in the curing, it would definitely be comparable to the best product West Indies could offer. Rolfe was proved right when 20,000 pounds of tobacco from Virginia were shipped in 1617 to England with that quantity doubling in 1618 (Wertenbaker, 2009). It is these tobacco experiments performed successfully by Rolfe that inspired others to start planting tobacco in the vacant land in Jamestown as well as settlements alongside River James. General planting initially started at West as well as Shirley hundreds; moving eastwards to Point Comfort alongside a one hundred and forty mile stretch of River James. In spite of the 1622 Indian uprising that led to the killing of around 350 colonists together with the destruction of numerous plantations, the crop of the settlers produced sixty thousand pounds. The British afterwards in the 1620s took control over of cleared Indian plantations and spread tobacco growing even more by making use of the headright system, whereby farmers paid to ferry people across the Atlantic for 50 acres of land. By 1629, cultivation of the Accomac peninsula started in earnest when a sum of two thousand acres of tobacco was cultivated there (Wertenbaker, 2009). At around the same period, the uneconomical practice of cultivating 3 to 4 tobacco crops within the same field started to exhaust the soil nutrients around and within Jamestown. In 1632, a

Review of Three Ethical Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Review of Three Ethical Theories - Essay Example According to this theory, individuals are seen as rational and utility maximizing entities. Several business decisions today are based on this principle; that is, the correct business decision is one that maximizes the net benefit to the society. Thus, the decision which is in the best interests of the society is one that maximizes the net benefit to the society. The founder of traditional Utilitarianism, Jeremy Bentham, argued that best and most valuable judgments are those that are based on objective considerations (Scarre, 1996). Thus, the benefits and costs of each public policy should be weighed and then the policy should be executed only if the benefits outweigh the costs. The theory inherently assumes that the costs and benefits can be measured (Scarre, 1996). Thus, the value of the costs can be subtracted from the value of benefits. The theory does not aim at maximizing an individual’s utility. It aims at maximizing the net benefits to the society. The provision of pub lic and merit goods is based on this theory. It is consistent with morality since it takes into account ‘everyone’s’ interests in equal amount. ... According to him, each individual have a moral right to this and that this moral right of individuals translates into duties for other individuals. The first foundation of this imperative is based on the principles of universibility and reversibility (Butler, 2008). Thus, individuals must ask themselves how they would feel if other treated them the same way and how would they feel if everyone did the same. Thus, according to Kant, the immoral decisions and actions were those that one wouldn’t want for oneself (Butler, 2008). The second imperative states that individuals ought not to be treated merely as means; that is, their capacity to choose freely for themselves must also be developed. This clearly demonstrates that while the Utilitarians imply an ‘economically rational’ justification for actions, Rights Ethics correctly captures the human values and goes beyond the traditional cost-benefit analysis. Thus, according to Utilitarians, individuals could be deprive d of their right to liberty simply because the net benefit isn’t maximized (Jeurissen, 2007). Hence, Rights Ethics takes a step forward by respecting not only the positive but also the negative rights of individuals ( that is, the freedom from coercion). Thus, the Rights Ethics many of the flaws associated with the Utilitarian view. Firstly, the utilitarian view simplistically assumes that all the consequences of an action can be quantitatively measured (Smart & Williams, 1973). This is not always the case. For instance, how could one assign a value to one’s life? Secondly, it deals insufficiently with rights, morals and justice (Smart & Williams, 1973). As outlined in the following