Toni MorrisonS Essay Recitatif Essays - Recitatif,

Toni Morrison'S Essay ?Recitatif? Mark Sommers Feldman 11/27/99 Recitatif Toni Morrison's essay, ?Recitatif? is about two girls, Twyla and Roberta, who grow up in an orphanage because their mothers could not properly care for them. The underlying theme in ?Recitatif? deals with racism. An interesting twist is the mystery of the girls' race. Leaving clues, but never stating whether Twyla or Roberta was black or white, Morrison makes it clear that the girls come from different ethnic backgrounds. At one point in the essay Twyla comments, ?that we looked like salt and pepper.? Due to the fact that the story is told in the first person, it seems natural for the reader to associate Twyla with himself/herself. ?Recitatif? proves to be a noteworthy experiment, ?toying? with the reader's emotions and effectively noting stereotypical races and their characteristics. Morrison never states the race of the girls for a purpose: to make the reader form his/her own opinion. The story begins with Twyla's mother dropping her off at the orphanage. There she met Roberta, who became her best friend, bonding because they were not real orphans with ?beautiful dead parents in the sky.? Instead of being ?real? orphans, they were just abandoned kids whose mother's did not want them. Although the girls had few friends, their lives did not lack adventure. For example, they enjoyed spying on the big girls who liked to smoke and dance, and sadly got a laugh out of yelling mean things at Maggie, the woman who couldn't defend herself because she was mute. One of the last times the girls saw each other in the orphanage was the day of the picnic. Shortly after the picnic Roberta's mother came to take her home, marking the first small fracture in their friendship. The next time they saw each other was years later in the restaurant that Twyla worked. Roberta acts coldly towards Roberta partly because she was high off of drugs, on her way to see a Jimi Hendrix concert. Twyla was deeply offended that her former best friend would treat her so badly. Twelve years later they meet again at a grocery store. Roberta married a rich man and was now called Mrs. Benson; she was dressed in dimonds and talked much nicer to Twyla. By this time, Twyla has one child and Roberta has four. Strangely, Roberta acts extremely friendly, like she has met her long lost best friend. Twyla can't hold back her emotions and questions Roberta about their last encounter at the restaurant. Roberta shrugs it off, ?Oh, Twyla, you know how it was in those days: black?white. You know how everything was.? A friendly goodbye and the women go their own separate ways again. The third time they meet is at the school where Roberta's kids attend. Roberta and the other mothers were picke ting because they didn't want their kids to be segregated. This led to a fight that would be not resolved until Twyla and Roberta meet for a final time, severing any last chance of friendship for the women. The problem lies inside the hearts of two special women, two childhood friends, and two different races. ?Recitatif? challenges the reader to not be judgmental toward of the either girls and accept their color. Morrison gives clues to encourage the reader to make assumptions about the girls' race. From the beginning the author asserts that one girl is black and one is white, but not which is which. There are many instances that Morrison uses things that are stereotypically ?black? or ?white,? almost begging one to infer the race of each girl. Although there is no answer to the mystery, what one decides for himself/herself says something about his/her own ethnic background. Morrison thrives off the stereotypes people have set for blacks and whites. For example, Twyla's mother told her that ?those? people smelled funny because they didn't wash their hair. This might suggest that Roberta was black because many black people don't wash their hair often. On the other hand she could have been talking about the orphans not bathing properly which could cause them to smell ?funny.? Everything seems to be a gray area. On the night of the picnic when her mother came to visit, Twyla was embarrassed because

Solutions to Nuclear Power Pla essays

Solutions to Nuclear Power Pla essays Solutions to Nuclear Power Plant Security Twenty-three percent of Americans think that nuclear power plants are the most likely targets for a future attack on American soil (Lake 1). The lack of security protecting our nations nuclear power plants is alarming. The only way to solve this problem is to upgrade the types of weapons used to protect the plants, better training, less work hours for the guards, update the design basis threat, and have nuclear security controlled by an independent government agency. One of the biggest problems in security is that the guards are not able to use a wider range of weapons. The type of weapons the guards use is vastly inferior to the weapons that terrorist are known to use. This is mostly to blame because some states have laws that restrict the kind of weapons and the ammunitions that can be carried by the private security personnel that protect the plants (POGO 3). The NRC, according to Meserve, have asked the states to give the security staff at the nuclear plants more leeway on the types of weapons they can use to protect the facilities (qtd. in Llanos 3). The guards should have access to a wider range of weapons to use like those terrorists are known to use like automatic weapons, M-16s, and grenades. This would create a more even situation between the security guards and the intruders The wider range of weapons would not be beneficial if the guards did not get the proper amount of training. The guards that are protecting the nations power plants are not being trained in using their weapons effectively. The NRCs says that, Each Tactical Response Team member shall requalify at least once every 12 months (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 73.46 2). This is all the training that the guards get is this once a year reunification, according to two former Seabrook guards they only received four days of tactical training, and three day...

Democracy and Public Agenda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Democracy and Public Agenda - Essay Example health insurance program for poor individuals and families, would undergo expansion to cover more low-income Americans. States that declined to take part in this expansion would lose federal subsidy for their existing Medicaid projects (Smith & Moore, 2011). The proposed expansion of Medicaid is consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ Article 25, which states that â€Å"everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services† (The United Nations, 1948, para 25). It is also compatible with the democratic principle that all individuals have specific basic rights, such as access to health care services. The main objective of democracy is to safeguard such rights (Machan, 2005). However, the opinions of numerous Americans on this issue are conflicting, which suggest that the public has not yet reached a ‘collective self-determination’. However, what is evident here is the existence of a ‘public discourse’. Majorities believe that the health care system has to undergo comprehensive reforms, and many argue that it is the obligation of the governm ent to make sure that everybody has sufficient access to health care. However, opinions differ when it comes to the possible costs of an expanded Medicaid (Smith & Moore, 2011). If we use the term public discourse to refer to the communicative processes by which public opinion is formed, we can say that the public discourse continuously but unsuccessfully strives to mediate between individual and collective self-determination to produce â€Å"a common will, communicatively shaped and discursively clarified in the political public sphere† (Habermas, 1987, 81). However, through public discourse Americans were able to reach a collective perception that lack of sufficient access to health care is the most

Human Rights and Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Rights and Women - Essay Example Women were therefore sexually exploited. Until quite recently, women were relegated to the background in respect of social and economic status, education, politics, health and non - recognition of her unpaid work at home in domestic food production, etc. Until quite recently even in Great Britain, a women's property was considered to belong to her husband. American Women were denied their civil right of suffrage until 1920. In 1960 Women got together to obtain legal equality with men. After the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, women obtained many gains in employment. In 1970, efforts were made by women to change the unfair practices and attitudes towards women in society. In 1970, the U.S. Supreme Court passed a landmark judgment in the case US V Virginia. The Supreme Court decided that Sex Discrimination is unconstitutional unless the state can advance an exceedingly persuasive justification. (Microsoft Corporation, Encarta article Women's Rights, Katrin Schultheiss) The atrocities against women are universal in their prevalence, as attested to by the fact that in the World Human Rights Conference held at Vienna in 1993, special mention was made of these issues.

Global warming and automobile industry Term Paper

Global warming and automobile industry - Term Paper Example It was determined that motor vehicles contributed a very small amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. Hence it was correct to conclude that global warming caused by motor vehicles is a myth. In recent times and modern day world, there has been a lot of concerns on the environment. It is true that the environment is critical for mankind to survive because environment provides most of the resources needed for daily activities. A region’s environment is, to a large extent, determined by the climatic conditions. Climatic conditions are purely determined by nature. There has been claims that mankind is contributing to changes in climatic conditions. Human activities are said to upset nature’s critical balance as far as carbon dioxide emissions are concerned. A lot of blame for global warming has been directed on the transportation sector of the economy. Is it really true that global warming exists because of motor vehicle emissions? The reason for this research is the belief that the automobile industry is the global suspect for global warming. According to Automotive News, this is not true. Research done by climate scientists indicates that global warming was even experienced centuries ago (Brown, 2007) . Evidence has been produced to show that the global temperatures were increasing even before the era of motor vehicle travel. This allegation has created discomfort among players in the automobile industry with some viewing it as a way to control the motor vehicle industry. In an interview with Automotive News, Bob Lutz, the vice chairman of General Motors argues that motor vehicle emissions account for a very tiny percentage of the total green-house gases emissions (Brown, 2007). According to the article automobile manufacturers read a sinister motive from the government. The manufacturers feel that the government wants to blame their industry for global warming so that they can introduce regulations on the s ame and in effect

Music Essays History of Rhythm and Blues

Music Essays History of Rhythm and Blues History of Rhythm and Blues Rhythm and blues was considered strictly black music. Although I am not part of the American culture, I consider my cultural heritage to be somewhat related to this culture. The black culture is a phenomenal subject representing the life style, imagination and accomplishments of people. One of the most outstanding and unique characteristic that makes this culture one of a kind is the music it has produced. Music has a common characteristic that is unique to all cultures throughout the world. However, the music’s form, or style, every culture in history includes music as an important part of everyday life. The four most popular categories of Black music are Blues, Jazz, Gospel, and Rhythm and Blues. Blues is an African American music that transverses a wide range of emotions and musical styles which is expressed in songs that verse injustice or express longing for a better life and lost loves, jobs, and money. Jazz is music that consists of musical instruments such as saxophone s, flutes, and clarinets. Gospel music refers to African American Protestant vocal music that celebrates Christine Doctrine in emotive. Rhythm and Blues is a combination of the swinging rhythm of jazz and other â€Å"race† music with the lyrical content, sonic gestures, and with the format of the blues. Today I want to focus on Rhythm and Blues and the influence it has made on the black culture, and discuss the three major forms that made Rhythm and Blues distinguishable, and how it has change from jazzy/blues to hip hop/rap. Rhythm and Blues music or RB has a variety of different types of music. It is produced and supported primarily by blacks around the world. Beginning in the early 1940s, rhythm and blues music embraced genres as jump blues, club blues, black rock, and roll, doo wop, soul, Motown, funk, disco, and rap. It was first coined in 1949 by Jerry Wexler, who became prominent with Atlantic Records. Wexler used the term rhythm and blues as a synonym for black rock and roll in the early and mid 1950s. RB provided the single greatest influence on popular music worldwide for much of the second half of the 20th century. The influence was traced in forms of rock music, country and western, gospel music, and jazz as well as in a variety of non western form of music known as worldbeat. According to Joseph Machlis and Kristine Forney in their book The Enjoyment of Music, Rhythm and blues is known for its predominantly vocal genre, featuring a solo singer accompanied by a small group including piano, guitar, acoustic bass, drums, and tenor saxophone. Its harmonies and structure are drawn from twelve bar blues and thirty two bar pop song form. As the name implies, the style is characterized by a strong, driving beat, usually in a quadruple meter. As the influence of various styles of Rhythm and Blues, black urban values have permeated a wide variety of other cultures, most notable of contemporary Euro American youth. (599) According Christopher Handyside’s book Soul and RB. Handyside states that Rhythm and Blues (RB) was a name given to a fast paced style of music that was influenced by blues, gospel, and jazz. Handyside states that RB also owed its style to â€Å"jump blues.† Jump blues was popular in the 1930s and 1940s, and was usually played by a large band that featured drums, saxophone, and trumpet, stand up bass, guitar, and other horns as well as a singer. By the late 1940s, jump blues had developed into RB which took the form of shorter, catchier songs. Whereas jump blues often extended the songs with improvisation, RB tended to use smaller bands that featured drums, piano, guitar, and bass to generate the same energy and excitement as a larger band. One of the most significant characteristics shared by both jump blues and RB was the importance of a strong vocal singer. Handyside also states in the late 1940s than writer for the music magazine Billboard, Jerry Wexler, coined up t he name â€Å"rhythm and blues† when he was editing the charts at the trade journal Billboard and found that the record companies issuing black popular music considered the chart names to be demeaning. The magazine changed the charts name in its June 17, 1949, issue, having used the term rhythm and blues in news articles for the previous two years. Although the records that appeared on Billboards rhythm and blues chart thereafter were in a variety of different styles, the term was used to encompass a number of contemporary forms that emerged at that time. (4-5) Handyside states the origins of rhythm and blues originated from the sociological, industrial, and technological changes that took place in the Unites States just prior to and during World War II. Among theses changes was a widespread shift in American demographics. Popular music and new styles were created to meet the changing tastes of the demographic group, which lead to the development of urbane sounds of RB. These sociological changes of the World War II period were accompanied by two significant technological developments, the invention of the electric guitar in the late 1930s and the newly relatively affordable discovery of the German invented tape recorder. With these two inventions it simplified the recording process. Enterprising individuals were able to start independent record companies, since the major record companies in the United States had little interest in RB music. Newly formed independent companies began such as Atlantic, Chess, Specialty, and Modern were crucial for the production and distribution of RB recordings. According to online data form Encarta, another important industrial change was the rise of television in the United States in the late 1940s. For fear that television would make radio stations obsolete, many owners sold their radio stations. The new radio station owners turned to urbanized black Americans. These emergent black oriented radio stations allowed the new independent record companies to air the sounds of Rhythm and Blues to a black urban audience. Although the sounds of black urban music were being performed throughout the United States, the recordings of RB began on two coasts. Big band jazz musician Louis Jordon formed a small ensemble in 1938, which he eventually named the Tympany Five. Jordon recorded primarily in the up tempo beat using the horn driven style of the jump blues. The jump blues style he originated rapidly spread among black musicians, with distinctive regional variants emerging in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Memphis, Tennessee. Jordon influenced every RB artist in the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s. There were two other styles of RB that were popular in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was the instrumental strain on jump blues and featuring a coarse, honking tenor saxophone sound. (Encarta) In the early1950s the strains of Rhythm and Blues began to be directed towards teenagers instead of adults. The vocal group style of the 1940s had given way to the 1950s doo wop. As Handyside states Rhythm and Blues vocal groups or doo wop groups, were becoming more and more popular. It was called Doo wop because of the nonsense syllables the vocalists would often use. It featured close harmony singing at slower tempos. Artists such as the Five Keys, the Coasters and the Drifters, sang songs with lyric themes that voiced concerns of American teenagers. (13) Motown soul music in the 1960s saw three important styles of R&B; the Chicago soul, which was influenced by gospel music songs, the Motown sound, which combined songwriting with a straightforward vocal, and southern soul, which was the most gospel influence style of RB. Chicago soul was epitomized by the work of singer and songwriter Curtis Mayfield with the group the Impressions. Mayfield wrote songs of faith and inspiration which featured several different lead singers trading vocal lines in the call and response fashion. In 1959 the Motown record company was founded by former boxer turned musician Berry Gordy Jr. Gordy was so successful at developing a recognizable sound for Motown that the company name quickly began to be a designation for a genre of music. The music he produced had its roots in gospel, jazz, and rhythm and blues, but with the Mo-town Sound. Its success was also due in part to the songwriting efforts of Lamont Dozier and brothers Eddie and Brian Holland. Motown represented the sound of American youth through most of the 1960s and for an independent record company, achieved unprecedented success. The Motown artist of the 1960s included Diana Ross with vocal group the Supremes, the one and only, singer and songwriter Smokey Robinson with the group the Miracles, and the Temptations. The majority of Motown artist were vocal groups that updated the doo wop style of the 1950s with a heavy, even beat. Southern soul was originated by James Brown and Ray Charles. On many of the early soul records, Charles would take a traditional religious song and transform it into a secular paean to love. Handyside states Rhythm and Blue’s first true superstar and all around musical innovator was Ray Charles. It is not often that one can point to a single song and claim that it invented a new genre, but this was the case with Charles. In 1954 Charles hit song â€Å"I Got a Woman† was the popular notion of â€Å"soul† music. He took the gospel song â€Å"I Got Religion† and changed the lyrics from a song about God to a song about a woman. The music’s bouncing feel was straight out of church and had a strong sense of syncopation. By adding a gospel flavor to the music, Charles had reconnected RB with the spiritual roots and rhythms of African Americans. (11) Handyside states James Brown was a contemporary of Ray Charles. Browns innovations in soul music, style, and live performance had earned him the nickname â€Å"The Godfather of Soul.† Brown had a raspy, soulful voice that he combined with his fancy dance moves. By the mid 1960s he was taking soul in a whole new direction. He laid the ground work for what would be called funk music. Southern soul had remained a significant presence in popular music throughout the 1970s. (19) In the late 1960s at the height of soul music’s popularity, there were significant changes and cultural views began to be articulated by many black Americans. By the end of the 1970s, the soul/RB sound had been eclipsed by the music it had influenced, disco and funk. With the help of James Brown, funk music began to emerge in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Funk was a looser form of soul music. It was based around the groove of the bass guitar, funk songs would stretch out well past the usual three to four minutes of a soul song. According to Handyside, funk’s appeal was limited, and in the late 1960s, rock artist improvised and broke the rules they were also stretching their songs out into extended â€Å"jams.† Funk de-emphasized melody and harmony, bringing rhythm, it often had loud horn sections, scratchy guitar rhythms that extended into wild guitar solos, and was short on lyrical content. Funk musicians tended to favor one line sayings. This style was adopte d by a number of artists. Musicians synthesized the funk style with elements from white rock music. (33) Disco rivaled funk’s popularity in the early 1970s and surpassed it by the middle of the decade. Hanydside states, like funk, disco was a dance oriented style. It was born out of funk, mixed with the slick Philly Soul. It was named not for any particular characteristic of its music, but after the places where it was originally played, the discotheques. (38) By the mid 1970s funk’s grooves had been smoothed over to help create disco. In contrast to funk, disco was dominated by arrangements featuring strings and synthesizers to boost the important beats. Disco was viewed by many as a substantial treat to rock music. It gave rise to a handful of highly original ensembles, as Earth, Wind Fire and the Fatback Band. Although the craze for disco eventually waned, it was an important source of rhythms and sounds in hip hop, techno and house music. (39) According to online data from Encarta, in the late 1980s and 1990s disco gave way to other genres like hip hop and rap music. By the early 1990s, hip hop had become a major force in music. Hip hop began when DJs such as Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Africa Bambaataa would mix beats or â€Å"breaks† of funk and disco records so that people could dance to the beat continuously. In 1991 Mary J. Blige teamed up with producer Sean â€Å"Puff Daddy† Combs and added the hip hop attitude to RB. Blige was one of the first artists to blend urban, contemporary RB singing with hip hop beats, rhymes, and attitude. Machlis and Forney states that after a while people began to rhyme or â€Å"rap† over these beats. The first rap recording was â€Å"Rapper’s Delight,† by the Sugarhill Gang in 1979. The technological developments of the early 1980s, including the use of synthesizers and other electronic devices, paved the way for rap, a highly rhythmic style of musical patter that had been popular with New York audiences in the 1970s and later developed wider appeal. Run DMC was largely responsible for the commercialization of rap, their collaboration with Aerosmith on the cover recording of the 1977 hit song Walk This Way introduced the style to white audiences. A year later, conscious rap found its prominent voice in the group Public Enemy. Public Enemy produced several highly influential rap albums. Rap in its diversified forms has continued as one of the most popular types of African American music. (606-607) In the late 1980s rap’s controversial subgenres, gangsta rap raised with the debut album Straight Outta Compton. (Encarta) Machlis and Forney states gangsta rap of the 1990s has further disseminated the style through graphic descriptions of inner city realities. The violent shooting deaths of Tupac Shakur in 1996 and Notorious B.I.G in 1997, has highlighted the violence associated with this musical style. (607) Rhythm and blues did more than just influence other music. It allowed African Americans to sing about their own experiences in their own style and in their own words. Today it is still here in dance parties on Saturday night’s and in churches on Sunday morning. Rhythm and Blues and soul continue to thrive now even more so than rock ‘n’ roll, which dominated the mainstream for so many years. From the classic soul singing of artists such as D’Angelo and Maxwell, to Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, to the eclectic experiment of Andre’ of the hip hop group Outkast. These musicians carry on the tradition of earlier innovators such as Ray Charles, Prince, and Michael Jackson. R B has by far taken over in the 21st century. Although Rhythm and Blue was considered strictly black music, it is loved today by people of all races. One thing we all know is that music of all kinds is the expression of emotion. From folk songs, to religious chants; the range and diversity of music is almost incomprehensible. It has been said that the best way to learn about the people, and its culture, is to observe and listen to their music. Music is all powerful because it stimulates, manipulates and dissipates our moods through the emotions. Music, in our culture, functions in many ways; it can make work more enjoyable, create a fraternity among men, encourage a spirit of worship, and be an expression of emotion. Music can make hard work seem easier, or rather, make it tolerable. If you don’t believe me next time you drive past a house that is undergoing construction or anywhere people are doing hard manual labour, stop and listen for music. Quite often there is a radio blasting. Rhythm and blues music in the 21st century has been used to encourage a spirit of worship and to communicate with God. Many churches today begin their services with some form of worship music, whether it’s all through song or just playing of the Organ. In some form it’s designed to gear people’s minds to hear a word from God. My Church in particular has one hour of worship before the service begins. Although rhythm and blues is not a favorite listen to music by many, we can all agree that its style is the most powerful on earth depending on your age. It can make you fall in love, strike down an enemy, or weep for lost friends. Its style is also a source of reconciliation, exhilaration, and hope that never fails† I thank God for blessing many musicians with the gift of music, If it hadn’t been for one particular song I might be married to my husband today. Without music in everyday life, the world would be an extremely hostile and maybe even an ugly place to be. Music has become the most powerful freedom given by God. Works Cited Handyside, Chris. A History of Soul and RB. A history of American music. Oxford: Heinemann Library, 2006. Machlis, Joseph, Kristine Forney, The Enjoyment of Music: An Introduction to Perceptive Listening. New York: W.W. Norton, 2000. Rhythm and blues. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 17   May   2008. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9063492. Rhythm-and-Blues Music, Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2008 http://encarta.msn.com 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation.

Australias Unfair Legal System :: miscellaneous

Australia's Unfair Legal System In theory all jury systems (which have existed for almost 800 years) are fair and just. The jury system originated in England and has so far failed in cases (all too common) when defendants are wrongfully prosecuted or convicted of crimes which they did not commit. In societies without a jury system, panels of judges act as decision makers. They weigh the evidence and apply the law. In the court system, criminal law is interpreted by a jury who are seen as expressing the sense of justice of ordinary men and women. Juries date back to the Middle Ages in England, and while membership, role, and importance have changed throughout the ages, they were part of the system of England’s Common Law. The purpose of the jury system was to ensure the civil rights of the ordinary citizen. It is important to remember that at the time, ordinary people had few rights. I believe that the jury system is an unfair system due to the limitations which are included during jury selection. Many professionals and groups of people are exempt from jury service: police or anyone dealing with the law (law student, lawyer, judges, assessors), anyone dealing in medicine (doctors, nurses), small or large business owners Pregnant women or women in general can claim special considerations, along with; teachers, accountants, ministers of religion, or generally anyone with a professional/education. So due to this, people who serve on a jury can be unemployed or part of a less educated and informed strata of society. Due to such limitations within the jury selection process, it is hardly said to be a fair and just system. In Europe, defendants are always tried by judges and assessors which I believe to be a much fairer way in deciding the innocence or guilt of a person. Assessors are legally qualified magistrates, with long experience in presiding over their own courts. When sitting in the superior court as assessors they are not mere advisors, but an integral part of the court. They have the same right as the judge to question the witnesses. Legal issues which are decided exclusively by the judge or panel of judges are evaluated prior to this decision by the assessors together with the judges, deliberating and voting with equal status. Decisions under this system seem much fairer and more reliable than under the jury system as it exists today.

Jacksonian democrats Essay

Thomas Jefferson was consistently inconsistent by switching from a strict constructionist view to a broad interpretation on the constitution to support his political views. Similarly, Jacksonian democrats occasionally altered their belief of being guardians of the political democracy, individual liberty, economic opportunity, and the Constitution to suit their purposes. President Andrew Jackson had several ways of ensuring political democracy thus he is regarded as a guardian of it. The spoils system is an example of Jackson stressing political democracy. According to Senator William Marcy the spoils system was acceptable since the benefits of winning should go to the winner. He supports this thought by saying, â€Å"To the victor belongs the spoils.† The spoils system allowed Jackson â€Å"Old Hickory† to rid his opponents of government jobs and award them to his supporters the â€Å"Hickoryites.† Another example of political democracy is rotation in office. Rotation in office is what Jackson utilized to incorporate the â€Å"common man† into a government role. Jackson believed that any man was capable of doing the job. â€Å"Every man is as good as his neighbor,† he declared, â€Å"perhaps equally better.† The inevitable dilemma that arises from Jackson’s notion on political democracy is that illite rates, incompetents and crooks obtained positions of public trust. The result of this was Samuel Swartwout, the collector of customs at the port of New York, stole a million dollars from the government. Jackson, although he was a rich aristocrat at the time of his election, might have been influenced to raise the common man on a pedestal as a result of him having been born poor. One of his first acts as president was to invite the working class of America to his inaugural. The White house was only emptied upon a rumor that said spiked punch had been served on the lawns. As a result, the inaugural is often referred to as the â€Å"inaugural brawl† and Jackson being the leader of the common people was called, â€Å"King Mob.† This represented what Jackson emphasized and that was the importance of individual right. Jackson believed that it was unfair for power to be in the hands of an elite few. Therefore, he advocated the rights of the common man through his land policy. His land policy would allow people to expand  further into the west. The more obtainable land there was signified a higher electorate. Jackson’s belief of rotation in office allowed average men to try their hand at government. Rotation in office is something which had been previously limited to the aristocratic elite since they were the only ones viewed as capable of managing the job. His success in achieving basic individual rights is shown in Doc. D. when Harriet Marineau, a British visitor to the United States reported that she had seen every man as an independent citizen and controversies â€Å"of which the people were to be judges.† However, the concept of individual liberty is not applied to minorities such as the blacks and Indians. This is seen in Document E. when Philip Hone, a New York City businessman describes riots in Eastern cities. â€Å"The spirit of riot and subordination to the laws†¦appears to have been produced by†¦ hostility to the blacks and an indiscriminate persecution of all whose skins were darker than those of their enlightened fellow citizens.† Document G also demonstrates that individual liberty was only directed towards whites. If individual liberty had been meant for all the Indians would not have been removed from their homeland. Further proof of whites against minorities is represented in Document A when George Henry Evans explains that all men are created equal, and allowed the rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Obviously, the Indians, immigrants and blacks were not granted these rights to individual freedom. Jackson was a guardian of the economy since he supported economic opportunities. To make sure that economic opportunities were achieved Jackson had to be anti big business. A big business tended to monopolize a certain part of the economy and not allow other businesses to expand and earn money. He wanted to ensure that the economy was not in the hands of a few rich men. In 1835 Jacksonian Roger Brooke Taney replaced Federalist John Marshall as Supreme Court judge. In 1837, a case known as Charles River Bridge versus Warren Bridge was about monopolies and charters. Two companies wanted to build bridges across the Charles River, but only one had a long standing charter. In the Marshall Court, the ruling would have been that the contract was stronger than the interests of anything else. But, under the  Jacksonians, it was ruled that the interests of the people were more important then any charter. Jackson viewed the bank as unconstitutional and undemocratic. In Document B Jackson describes the bank as incompatible with the Constitution he also says, â€Å"The present Bank of the United States†¦ enjoys an exclusive privilege of banking†¦almost a monopoly of the foreign and domestic exchange.† Therefore, when Henry Clay proposes a bill to congress in 1832 that would recharter the bank four year before needed Jackson vetoes it. After this Jackson bleeds the bank dry by removing federal deposits and started placing surplus money in â€Å"pet banks† which were pro-Jackson banks. The nullification issue emerged due to the Tariff of Abominations which protected it us from European competition. It angered South Carolina since they had to buy expensive manufactured goods and had to sell crops on an unprotected market. As a result of the high tariff Britain does not purchase as many goods as it previously did. The south also feared the tariff as a possible foothold for later federalist interference with slavery in the southern states this was brought on by a the South Carolina Cxposition written by John Calhoun which stated that the federal government has a compact with the states and that the state conventions had the power to declare laws unconstitutional and states should nullify the tariff. The tariff of 1832 was null and void they undertook the necessary military preparations and threatened to secede from the union if the United states government came to collect the customs and duties by force. Jackson was furious because he was against nullification therefore he quietly prepared an army and passed the force bill which authorized the president to use the army and navy to collect fed tariff duties. Henry Clay, although a supporter of the tariff influenced the compromise tariff of 1833 which said that the tariff would be reduced by 10% over a period of 8 years. By 1842 it would be back at 20-25%.Through Jackson’s aggressive reaction of South Carolina threatening to secede from the state we can see that Jackson believes in states rights. However, if he has to choose, the union comes before states rights. Being a guardian of the constitution means protecting many things at one time  since the constitution is basically a summary of the rights we possess. The rights that had to be protected were individual liberty, and economic opportunity among other things and the Jacksonians were not guardians of these rights. The time Jackson was president tends to be regarded as the â€Å"Age of the Common Man.† The reason as to why is that Jackson attempted to incorporate the â€Å"common man† into the current political& economic situation. The type of common man that was favored by Jackson was a poor westerner who desired land, freedom of choice, and a say in politics. He succeeds in incorporating the common man into politics through Rotation in office and involving them in government rallies. However, the problem with improving the common man was that anyone else who would fall out of this category: women, slaves, Native Americans, wealthy, Easterners, Northerners, were often den ied their own rights which is a direct violation of the constitution. (Doc D). The exempting of those who wouldn’t fit the category of the common man, helped stress universal manhood suffrage. Jackson’s personal view of the Bank of the United States was that it was unconstitutional. However, John Marshall had made it very clear in McCulloch vs. Maryland that the bank was constitutional. Jackson believed that preservation of the union preceded states rights. This was an unconstitutional view considering it was the states who had created the government. Therefore, if the government was stepping it’s rights the states could protest against the government’s actions. The first amendment is violated in Document F when the U.S. Post office suppresses abolitionist mail into the South. The reason why this was done to keep the multitude from finding out which would have motivated many to become anti-slavery. The Jacksonians could be described as two-faced considering they were for the common man while being a part of the aristocratic elite. They attempted to promote economic opportunities by eliminating the Bank of the United States. The Panic of 1937 was a repercussion of removing the bank yet Jackson succeeded in his main effort. His main focus was retrieving power from Nicholas Biddle, the owner of the bank. The belief of Union preceding states was utilized to assert the power of the executive branch. Finally, Jacksonian democracy did allow more people to vote than ever before and made government more directly responsible to the people.

Lifetime Health and Fitness Essays

Lifetime Health and Fitness Essays Lifetime Health and Fitness Essay Lifetime Health and Fitness Essay Fitness has always been a part of my life. I am not going to lie, I did struggle with it during my younger years. I was what people call a â€Å"fat middle-schooler† because when I was 12 years old, I weighed 150 pounds. But the catch was, I was still very athletic. I played sports year round like soccer, flag football, and mostly basketball, all physical sports, but still could not loose the weight. My mom, just like every other mom who does not want to hurt their children’s feelings, always told me I was not fat, just big boned. This of course did not help one bit. I knew I was fat and there was nothing I could do about it. Eventually my weight became out of hand. I was 15 years old and weighed 165 pounds. Enough was enough. Fortunately, I had a very physically fit older brother whom I looked up too. I begged him to teach me how to get â€Å"fit† because I hated how much I was getting made fun of by the other kids in school. So he helped me by going to the gym and eating the right kind of food so that my gut would fall right off. And he was right. In about three months, I went from an overweight 15 year old, to a physically fit 15 year old. When I went back to school after the 3 months off for summer, no one recognized me. It was amazing. From that point on, I promised I would not let my body look as bad as it did back then. Now, the reason I am telling you this is because these were the fundamental building blocks of my physical health and fitness, which of course is the reason we take this class. From this class, I really liked that we got down to the point, got exactly what we needed to know, and was not surprised with what was on the tests. What I did not like about the class was the 25 minute presentation because it just seemed way too long and most of it was about the information we had already learned from the class. One thing I would change from the class was the 25 minute presentation. I would change it to a 10 minute presentation and give the students a guideline on what the teacher wanted specifically. Overall, this was one of two classes I looked forward to going to.

Market research is the key to success Essays

Market research is the key to success Essays Market research is the key to success Essay Market research is the key to success Essay p9) It might also have used customer interviews or questionnaires, focus or user groups, surveys or panels as one of the sources in order to have a general consumers overview. There are several advantages associated with field research. Tesco could aim questions directly at research objectives, derive latest information from the marketplace and assess the psychology of the customers. Moreover, the relevant data could be a competitive advantage as other rivals will not have had access to it. As for the drawbacks, it can be costly, time-consuming and at the same time Tesco taking risk of bias questionnaires and interviewer. In additions, the research findings may only be usable if comparable backdata exists (Marcouse, 2008, p144). On the contrary, desk research uses secondary data that already exists. If Tesco carried out desk research, it could collect data via internal and external resources. Internal resources may consisted of company accounts, internal reports and analysis, retail data (e. g. loyalty cards) and stock analysis (Biz/ed, n. d. ); whereas external resources may comprised rivals marketing literature, government-produced data, trade press and the internet (Marcouse, 2008, p143-144). Desk research often obtained a wide range of data without high cost, and usually based on actual sales figures or research on large samples which increase accuracy of the data. A further advantage is allowing Tesco to have a good overview of the market. However, the data may not be updated regularly and not tailor-made to companys need. Similarly, the reports may be expensive to buy on various marketplaces (ibid, p144). Market research data could be numerical or psychological, namely, quantitative or qualitative (Marcouse, 2008, p143). If Tesco used quantitative research, it concerns with gathering hard data on large sample of people and presenting information on statistical basis, such as diagrams that could be used to analyse the information. It usually interrelated with data on the market size, shares and growth. Three key perspectives to be considered by Tesco, that are sampling, writing an unbiased questionnaire that meet the research objectives, and assessing the validity of the results (ibid, p146). If Tesco used qualitative research, they could understand consumers behaviour, attitudes and perceptions in some depth but not statistics data. It usually conducted by psychologists and takes two main forms which are focus groups and depth interviews. Focus groups conducted with psychologists and a group of consumers; whereas depth interviews only between a psychologist and a consumer, which is better as to avoid risk that group opinions will be swayed by certain influential person (ibid, p145). It is at best if Tesco combined both research types as one because if only one research type being conducted, Tesco would not get a whole picture of consumers behaviour, attitudes and perceptions. Sampling means selecting people as representative of the whole of a population which their view will be taken as representative of all first-time buyers. There are three main sampling techniques that Tesco might have used. If Tesco used random samples, it ensures everyone in the population has an equal chance of being selected. It would be effective, but costly and time-consuming, and may have chosen those not in the right group. If Tesco chosen quota sampling, it selecting interviewees in proportion to the consumer profile within the target market (ibid, p146). It aims at obtaining a sample that represents the overall population (tutor2u, n. d. ). It is relatively cheap, effective and most commonly used. However, it is not random thus enduring some risk of bias. If Tesco opted stratified sampling, it only involved interviewees with key characteristic required for the sample. Within this stratum of population, individuals could be found indiscriminately or by setting quotas based on factors such as region (Marcouse, 2008, p143). Although it still random, it is more focussed, relevant and may be more cost effective. It is important for Tesco to consider the sample size and response rate as these could lead to serious issues such as launch of product flopped. Generally, a sample of 100 respondents is far more meaningful if the results are clear-cut. A sample of 1000 respondents is possible but costly. Survey methods may have influence in response rate and built-in bias rate. Database-driven research, for instance, may be the most accurate and reliable resource as it information bases upon current or ex-customers. Market research helps firms to plan ahead rather than to guess ahead (The Times 100). Large established companies such as Tesco have huge advantages over new smaller companies as their knowledge of consumer attitudes and behaviour constructed from years of market research conducted. However, it may not be the only factor that determines the success of a business. Test marketing, for instance, could provide more accurate data than marketing research, thus allows more accurate sales forecasts and identify a weak link; howsoever, it is far costly, acquire large-scale of production and allows rivals to foreseen. Besides, innovation enables company to distinguish themselves from rivals and even interrupt the product life cycle by extend the product maturity. Furthermore, external factors such as economic and environment could be the main issues. As an example, global recession is claimed by Tim Mason to be one of the factors that caused Tescos losses in US stores (Finch, 2009). Taking everything into consideration, certain conclusion can be drawn. Tesco which has strong home branding and in a very good financial health, that Fresh and Easy strategy would be far more effective and accurate if Tesco conducted both primary and secondary marketing research which combining both qualitative and quantitative research in specific locality of their United State stores. It appears probable that marketing research may be fairly important as one of the factors that determine the success of a business but may not be the only crucial factor.

Special characteristic of BU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Special characteristic of BU - Essay Example As a student, I feel that I learn best when I test the theories that I have studied through textbooks. Boston University attracts teachers who are at the forefront of their respective fields and are passionate about fostering a learning environment. They are there for the love of the students and the learning that is going on at the school, not for the money as typical in other schools. In addition, the diverse backgrounds of the students encourage the sharing of varied cultural perspectives with each other. Such communication is invaluable because it is a unique opportunity that cannot be replicated anywhere else. Also, the learning is not just limited to the classroom. At Boston University, students are encouraged to explore rather than to memorize the textbook. These are the reasons why it must be Boston University. – BU attracts students from more countries than are represented in the United Nations. Our global presence and reputation are important and are reflected in the perspectives, opinions, and experiences of our students. Why is this type of environment important to you? (500 words, 5000 characters) My status as an international student is a testament to the importance of a global perspective of the world in today’s global economy. If I did not understand its value, I would not have chosen to pursue the challenging path of trying to benefit from an American educational system while overcoming cultural and language barriers. Part of what has shaped my outlook.

The Management of a Student whose Standard of Practice is Cause for Essay

The Management of a Student whose Standard of Practice is Cause for Concern - Essay Example Although the standards of practice have been set by the academic setting, nurse educators and mentors can however find it difficult to fail students who are actually failing. Some of them often pass these students, sometimes, encouraging them to persist in their studies. This practice can however lead to various issues in nursing where incompetent nurses may be allowed to test their skills in the clinical setting. This paper shall critically explore the management of a student/learner whose standard of practice are cause for concern. This analysis shall include how the individual should be managed in terms of fitness for practice accountability, responsibility of the mentor and how this event would be documented. The implications of failing to fail learners who do not meet with the required standards to practice both personally and professionally will also be discussed. This study shall also consider when an action plan would be developed, whether or not I would get involved, and the assessment strategies which would be considered. This paper is being undertaken in order to establish ways by which the nursing profession can be whittled down academically and objectively in order to ensure that only competent nurses are to be allowed to practice. Body Undoubtedly, failing students can be a difficult and stressful experience for students and mentors. However, a nurse’s knowledge of one’s accountability as a mentor and supervisor and the complex process of crafting failing students imply that these decisions can still be made with utmost confidence (NHS, 2010). Mentors are considered gatekeepers because they guarantee that students who cannot comply with the standards of the practice are not allowed to enter the practice. The crucial stage of the assessment process seeks to protect the general public and the patients from incompetent nurses (NHS, 2010). Various concerns on how effective the gate keeping role is being carried out have been expressed by various practitioners. Failing to fail can have dire consequences to the general public (NHS, 2010). A 2004-2005 survey established that out of about 1400 issues of misconduct, poor practice was cited in majority of these incidents. Incidents of poor practice included errors in drug administration, inadequate record keeping, unsafe clinical practice, and failure to care for basic needs (NMC, 2005). According to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN, 2007), the mentor’s role is to generally offer support and guidance to the student and to help the patient understand the practice and to help him apply theory. The mentor’s role is also to assess, evaluate and provide feedback to the student; and to supervise reflective practice (RCN, 2007). These mentors are also tasked with ensuring that the students: are fit for the purpose of the practice, can fulfil the needs of registration, and have the depth of learning in order to be granted a diploma or a higher degree (RCN, 2007). These mentors are also considered positive role models and are there to assist students in gaining confidence; to promote professional relations with students; to assist appropriate supervision; and to offer honest, yet constructive feedback (RCN, 2007). The registered nurses’ role as a mentor is crucial because it ensures the protection of public health and interest (RCN, 2007). It is the responsibility of mentors to