Oil and Gas Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Oil and Gas Management - Essay Example Based on a case study in Brazil, the Pantanal case is identified as a key point as to why the horizontal directional drilling can be the best alternative, as opposed to conventional drilling techniques (Pisupati, 2009, p.63). Methods of oil production in most cases determine the impacts on the surroundings and the possible consequences to those living in it. The most common methods available relate to the conventional methods of drilling and the much advanced method called the risk management plans to oil drilling. Petroleum produced in any other method that is not conventional is called unconventional. The most common types of unconventional ways include refining of extra heavy soils and oil sands using extremely heavy metal and high levels of energy. Besides these are the oil shale and thermal depolymerization (Patin, 2009, p.86). The former relates to extractions of shale gas from shale formations using current technology while the latter involves obtaining petroleum from waste pr oducts and decomposing sites. Another basic form of unconventional methods is the conversion of coal and gas using synthetic fuel techniques and advanced technology. Unconventional methods of drilling oil are still in their beginning phase and have come out of the need by the advanced nations to cater for the demand and balance it with the supply for continuous use. However, these methods have had their possible dangers especially to human health and the impacts to the environment (U.S. Geological Survey, 1996, p.3). Drilling Conventional or otherwise the traditional methods pose enormous losses and environmental impacts on the subjects. Firstly, they destroy the formation of the earth’s crust and core. The drilling of the well to create room for exerting pressure so as to extract the oil is by itself noise pollution and especially to the people living around the mining sites and more so to those undertaking the drilling works (Boesch and Rabalais, 2000, p.117). Potential env ironmental disasters arise in the sense that there are threats posed to the wildlife living nearby that has to flee to create room for the drilling process; displacement. This in turn threatens the survival of wildlife and especially with the availability of predators thus causing extinction of some species. Drilling requires broad land occupation and the possible environmental impacts would be release of harmful air into the environment, contamination of ground water from uncontrolled gas, fluids and spills and even uncontrolled waste discharges and leakages. Fluids and flow-backs contain radioactive materials which are hazardous to health and pollutants to the environmental (Shaw, Beven, Chappell and Lamb, 2010, p.243). Ground water if polluted with methane for instance leads to destruction of buildings and potassium chlorine cause salinity in drinking water. The wells once dug are left behind in the long run when the yield is below the targeted amounts or when the production cost s exceed the profits obtained. This poses a potential environmental threat again to the wildlife surrounding such vicinities with death should there be a fall out. The core of the earth is normally unstable, and the natural caused will always act to balance the pressure that mounts deep internally. When these oil wells are dug so deep, regions of imbalance are created within the crust and therefore these can lead to

Education in Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Education in Pakistan Essay President Asif Ali Zardari signed ‘The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2012’ into law. The bill, which sought to ensure all children between five to 1 6 years of age are provided free education. He urged provincial governments to promulgate similar legislations in their respective assemblies as well. He said the responsibility for providing free education rests with both federal and provincial governments, referring to article 25-A of the Constitution. The article 25-A of Constitution of Pakistan obligates the state to provide free and compulsory quality education to children of the age group 5 to 16 years. The federal government will now provide free textbooks and uniform s to children and ensure schools have qualified teachers. Free pre-school education, early childhood care and free medical and dental inspection will also be provided to all citizens and no child will be subjected to corporal punishment â€Å"Under the law, private schools will be required to provide free education to disadvantaged students, who will comprise 10% of each class,† Zardari said, adding that school management committees will be established to persuade parents into sending their children to schools. â€Å"We will honor our international commitments and achieve the targets set by the Education for All and Millennium Development Goals initiatives. National Educational Policy 2009 Under the 18th constitutional amendment control and management of the education sector has been devolved to the provinces. They are now responsible for the key areas of the education sector i. e. curriculum and syllabus, centers of excellence, standards of education up to intermediate level (Grade 12) and Islamic education. Planning and policy and standards of education beyond Grade 12 are covered under Federal Legislative List. All the provinces have shown their commitment to the National Education Policy 2009. The National Educational Policy (NEP) 2009 is a milestone which aims to address a number of issues including: * Quality and quantity in schools and college education * Universal primary education * Improved Early Children Education (ECE) * Improved facilities in primary schools. * Converting primary schools to elementary schools * Detaching classes XI-XII from college education * Adopting a comprehensive definition of ‘free ‘education * Achieving regional and gender parity especially at elementary level the share of resources for education in both public and private sectors Accordingto the latest Pakistan Social and Living StandardsMeasurement (PSLM) Survey 2010-11, the literacyrate for the population (10 years and above) is 58percent during 2010-11.

Sociological Perspectives on Alcohol Use, Problems, and Policy Essay

It is unfortunate that many people within our society and worldwide suffers from the affects of alcohol addiction. There are many issues associated with this addiction and many times it’s not only the victim that deals with the addiction but also the people in close association with the individual. Alcohol addiction can afflict anyone and knows no limits of its damage that it can do to a person’s life or the people in their lives. Most importantly are the ones whom seek help for their addiction as it becomes a lifelong healing period for them. It has become clear that constant consumption of alcohol leads to addiction. It has also become clearer with the laws and policies that have been drawn up to combat drunk drivers that it is not a normal thing to do anymore as was thought to be normal in the late 60’s and early 70’s. This is not normal behaviour and it becomes clearer as the laws for drinking and driving is enforced by law enforcement officers. It is a duty for addiction workers to help in the aid of these problems and its laws and policies that help in putting a stop to some of the problems that arise from this addiction. This research paper will help enable sociologists to determine what the ongoing effects have on an alcoholic and further provides information on the long-term effects that society has to deal with. The significance of alcoholism and sociology is the ability of sociologists to research and discover how human behaviour is affected on many aspects of its effects on a person. An alcoholic can be described as someone who is addicted to drinking alcoholic beverages in excess. What starts out as social drinking can lead to excessive drinking and the many problems associated with alcohol abuse and i... ...y therapy in the treatment of alcohol-related problems: A review of behavioural family therapy, family systems theraphy and treatment matching research. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, (17)3, 13-23. Latham, P.K., & Napier, T.L. (1992). Psychosocial consequences of alcohol misuse in the family of origin. The International Journal of the Addictions, 27, 1137-1158. Murray, Jane Lothian, Linden, Rick and Kendall, Diane. (2011). SOCIOLOGY IN OUR TIMES, Fifth Canadian Edition by Nelson Education Limited, Published by Thomson Wadsworth, USA. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Office of Applied Studies). Treatment Episode Data Set(TEDS): Highlights-2003. National Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services, Rockville, MD: Department of Health and Human Services, 2003. Walsh, F. (1998). Strengthening family resilience. New York: Guilford.

Crime Relate on Television

Crime relate On Television The crime rate in many cities is rising alarmingly. Some people have the idea that violent TV programs are the cause of real crime. However, many others disagree that TV violence can be blame are supported by good reasons. Violent TV programs cause crime give many reasons. First, many viewers are children who have not fromed a strong understanding what is right and wrong. The viewers imitate what they see. If a person on TV gets what he or she wants by stealing it, a child may copy this behavior.Thus the child has learned unacceptable values. Second, many heroes in today's programs achieve their goals by violent means. Unfortunately, viewers might use similar means to achieve their objective. Finally, people get ideas about how to commit crimes from watching TV. Violent programs have no relation to crime rates. First they claim that social factors, such as unemployment and homeless are to blame. Second some argue that watching violence on TV is an aceptable way to reduce aggressive feeling.In other words, people may become less aggressive through viewing criminal and violent scenes. Third even though children learn by imitation, their parents are the most influential models. Finally the villains are usually punished for their crimes. Whether or not violent programs are a factor in the rising crime rate. Some TV programs have to remove for the following reasons. First, some people enjoy them, and those who can change channels or turn their TV off.Second violent programs can be censored, perhaps other programs which may be important for our well being will also be censored. There are many things parents can do to help their children not get affect by television violence. One of the things parents can do is limit the number of hours their children watch television. Instead of letting them sit in front of the TV and wasting their time way, they can go out and be active. They can join a club or sport where they can interact with other chil dren and be social.By go out and getting involved, the children are using their time very wisely and their parents do not have to worry about their children being influenced negatively. One of the problems facing this solution is children are sometimes lazy. They are not willing to go out active but rather sit on the couch and do nothing but relax. Children also need to realize that their parents are not trying to stop them for watching TV and making their life miserable, but trying to help them get active and be a balanced person. Children need to know that here are other sources of fun then just sitting home and watching television all day. Parents should guide what their children watch on television and how much. This is an old recommendation  that can be given new teeth with the help of modern technology. It is now feasible to fit a television set with an electronic lock that permits parents to preset which programs, channels, and times they wish the set to be available for, i f a particular program or time of day is locked. the set won't turn on for that time or channel.Television violence is harmful to viewers. TV violence is a negative impact on children. TV violence corrupts the mind of children, causes them to behave in an aggressive manner, and puts unrealistic pictures of the world in their mind. TV violence is having a negative effective on the teenager of America. Parents cannot limit the influence of television violence on children, but with the combine effort of parents and children, television violence can have little or no influence on the young people of America.

Billy Elliot †Film Review Essay

Recently I watched a film entitled Billy Elliot. I personally thought that the film was great in several ways, scripts, film techniques .etc. Every aspects of the film were thought out with detail. The film was set in 1984 when the miners’ strike took place. The unique setting adds to why I like this film so much. Billy Elliot was directed by Stephen Daldry, and 1st published in the year 2000. Today this film still remains popular as a family movie. The story was told from the main character point of view, that is Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell). Billy was an eleven year old boy who has a dream to become a ballet dancer, after inheriting his mother’s love for dance and music. Unfortunately, Billy’s dream was opposed by his father, Jackie (Gary Lewis) and his brother (Jamie Draven). Every member of Billy’s family were coal miners and expected Billy to follow the same footsteps. However, this does not shatter Billy’s dream. Billy, supported by his friend, Michael (Stuart Wells), chooses to attend ballet classes outside his family’s knowledge. The film’s setting was in 1984 when a yearlong strike took place in Britain. Billy’s parents happen to be the coal miners involved in the strike. Throughout the film, the family’s struggle through the strike was filmed with much detail. Meanwhile Billy Elliot hopes to be a dancer. Billy’s father has already had enough struggles with the strike, and is enraged when he finds out the Billy has been attending classes without him knowing, and forbids ballet. Billy still remains firm and continued to pursue his dreams. Would Billy achieve his dream? Watch the film and find out. The main theme of Billy Elliot is mainly family issues and stereotyping. The film was set in the 1980s when stereotyping was done often. This affects Billy who wants to become a ballet dancer. Unfortunately, it was not only the public who stereotyped but Billy’s family too! After neither Billy nor his family are giving in to either accept Billy’s wish or to give up, family issues occur. The harsh struggle during the strike means even more family issues. If you pay attention various film techniques were used such as: music, the lightings or the camera’s angle. An example would be the image of the sky representing that the world is opening up as Billy is leaving for London. Sad moments include when everybody else is indoors celebrating Christmas as on the contrary, Billy’s father has to destroy the piano for wood to burn. The movie Billy Elliot is directed towards any age group, however it is not recommended for children under thirteen due to inappropriate aspects such as swearing or violence. Overall I give the film was great and I give it four out of five stars.

buy custom Small Team and Group Paper essay

buy custom Small Team and Group Paper essay Modern work environment incorporates a great use of team work because of the higher level of effectiveness in performance that team work offers to the organisation compared with separate individual contributions. Team work has been given immense importance in research studies, such as by Tuckman in 1965 relating to the stages of team development and work. It is crucial to set targets of the team, organise teams, assign roles and measure performance of the team effort. The main reason behind using team work in organisations is to benefit from the different perspectives and insights that each member contributes to achieve the targets but working in a team is not an easy task at first. Business schools for this reason prepare their students to work in teams and learn to work out differences and make the best out of each others strengths. Working in teams has allowed our groups to achieve the target we were given quite effectively and successfully and we have found that working in a team is nothing like working individually on a project. But most useful thing that has come out of working in a team is to get a hint of how formal group work takes place in organisations which we all will be soon taking part in. Our team progressed which comprised of 5 members through the five stages of team development based on the team development theory of Tukman. The first stage of forming began as the group first assembled and sat down to discuss the presentation assigned. The topic and related information that each member had about it was jotted down. Each member was asked to self-evaluate themselves relating to the grasp of concepts and based on the strengths of each, the roles were assigned informally and tasks were distributed. The group members were asked to further explore the topic and bring back to the next meeting any disagreement or contribution they have. The next meeting was much more heated with several disagreements as members discovered some new ideas and strengths for which they required separate tasks to be assigned to them. It was then understood that in order to settle down the disagreements a strong leadership was required and the one with the most effective communication skills and leadership skills, based on previous personal experience in the school, one of the members was chosen to be leader. This was the second stage : storming, where arguments were settled. The leader allowed the group members to choose the sub topics themselvs, and a coordinator was chosen to transfer information and bridge all gaps among the group members and using minimum authority and avoiding strict control the members were requested to transform their ideas into writing and paper to bring to the next meeting. In the next meeting, the leader evaluated each members work, in the form of drafts of the subtopics of the presentation. He evaluated the actual strengths and weaknesses of each member based on their work. The member were clearly communicated the evaluation and based on the analysis of the drafts prepared by each member, they were assigned new tasks, that is the subtopics that they were found to be better at. This resolved all conflicts and the team came into harmony. This was the start of the third stage: norming. By the end of this meeting, the leader gave each member the sources to make use of for gathering the information and requested each to use others if necessary and complete the content required for the presentation. This marked the start of the fourth stage: performing. Members were asked to communicate with the coordinator, with each other and the leader at all times so as to help each other out, when needed. The leader communicated by now that these two essential components are to be kept intact and should be followed. Communication allowed social learning to take form among the members. During the perfuming stage, the members benefited from communities of practice theory of learning. Lastly, it requires a practice. The practice implies the performance to achieve the goals of the domain. This theory was largely depicted practically when the team started to function. The members communicated to each other, sought help from others whom they thought knew about something they didnt and had access to a source they required to use for preparing their part. Some people had difficulty using powerpoint, which was settled by others who had expertise in that area. This allowed social learning to cultivate among all members. During the performing stage, several meetings were held, where each member showed and discuss his or her findings and progress of the work and allowed others to critique and suggest improvements. Viewing each others work, the members were able to improve their own work and learned how to better communicate. This allowed preparation for the presentation even before the preparation for preseenting had begun. Each member was given freedom to suggest and critique and explore new sources. This depicted the very important foundation of the management of the group which the leader had established in the earlier stage, empowerment. One by one each of us came up with excellent strategies for improvement and when the implementation period came, we were allowed to request any of the other members to assist us if we required any help. It taught an important lesson about empowerment. The final stage was adjourning, when we were ready to deliver our presentation. At this stage, the group understood and learned several of real organizational lessons. In the group work several problems were faced which related mainly to what to include and what not to include as upon hitting Google, we found that the brands were common in news, blogs, research journals, newspapers, etc. thus, to find out which piece of information was necessary and relevant for the paper and which wasnt was a challenge on its own. Our group leader was the most profound in this regard who created a system whereby each of us, with whatever information we obtained regarding the companies, was supposed to produce original reflections on it, and record it as we proceeded. By the end of week 1 of our research, we had gathered ample original reflections with their sources mentioned. These were peer reviewed to discover the ones not required and were discarded. When we began to prepare the report, the indiv idual reflections came in great use in producing a plagiarism free report and citation was also easily conducted. Being part of group work at three different areas, the group learned the successful traits of a leader, in terms of getting work done effectively from people to meet the deadline. The leaders job is not just to get the work done but to inspire the subordinates to do a work that is worth appreciating. Also, the team learned that through group work the importance of empowerment, and how well workers can work under decision making power vested on their hands and how well it eventually works out for the leader himself in the end. As the team progressed through stages namely: forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning, a different form of group based learning and motivation took place which contributed towards the overall performance and accomplishment of the target assigned to the group. Buy custom Small Team and Group Paper essay

Sociological theories of interpersonal violence Essays

Sociological theories of interpersonal violence Essays Sociological theories of interpersonal violence Paper Sociological theories of interpersonal violence Paper Violence can mean many different things to different people. The term violence can be used precisely or vaguely and can take many different forms including physical, sexual, verbal, psychological, emotional, social, spatial and financial abuse. This makes it very difficult to find a definition of violence that works for all situations and at all times. Therefore violence, what is meant by violence, and whether there is a notion of violence at all, are historically, socially and culturally constructed (Hearn 1998: 15). What is named as violent in one situation may not be named as violent in another; therefore violence is both historically and culturally specific. There are many different theories as to why men are more violent than women. These theories include biological theories, which focus on hormonal patterns and aggression; psychological theories, which focus on personality types and disorders; psychoanalysis, which looks at projection and displacement and sociological theories, which focus on concepts grounded in interpersonal, collective, institutional, structural or societal processes (Hearn 1998: 17). Biological theories propose that women are naturally less violent than men. Maccoby and Jacklin (1975) describe how women display aggression and interpersonal responses which are different to that of men, which mean that situations are usually resolved without incurring violent behaviour. Biological theories of how violence naturally occurs rely on explanations of differences between male and female chromosomes, hormones, genetics and territoriality. During research in the 1960s biologists found a number of genetic abnormalities in the cells of humans. As Ainsworth (2000) describes, one of these abnormalities was a condition which was labelled XYY. The name came from the discovery that a small proportion of males had an extra Y chromosome (males normally have one X and one Y chromosome, hence XY). This meant that the men with XYY had double male chromosomes, an abnormality which became nicknamed the supermale syndrome. The syndrome became associated with violent crime as it was claimed that these men were twice as aggressive and violent than the average male (Price et al. 1966 and Jarvik et al. 1973 Cited in Ainsworth 2000). However, later research showed that while XYY males were more likely to be involved with crime they were not necessarily more likely to be involved with specifically violent crimes (Witken at al. 1976 Cited in Ainsworth 2000). Some biologists suggest that human aggression is hereditary. As Ainsworth (2000) describes, one way of examining this claim is through the studies of twins. Identical twins have identical genetic make-up, so if aggression is hereditary then both twins should, in theory, display identical levels of aggression. However from studies carried out of identical twins that are brought up in different environments it has been shown that they often display different levels off aggression and therefore theorists have suggested that levels of aggression are much more closely related to environment rather than genetic make-up. Biological explanations are highly criticised for neglecting ideas of power, cultural and historical relativity and morality. Psychological explanations, on the other hand, locate explanation in mind, mental processs that transcend sex/gender or nature of the male of masculine psyche (Hearn 1998: 20). However, both biological and psychological explanations are criticised because they dont address interrelations of body and society, and of body, mind and society. (Hearn 1998: 20). This leads us to the psychoanalytical explanations of violence which include intrapsychic conflict, personality disorders, denial mechanisms, developmental deficiencies/impaired ego, narcissism, traumatic childhood, machoism (Dankwort 1992-3 cited in Hearn 1998: 21). Through the psychoanalytical perspective it is not violence that is the focus of attention, but instead the dynamics of violence which are more closely considered. Hearn (1998) describes how Freudian and Neo-freudian theorists believe that violence is internally driven, in other words violence is located inside a person. Freud describes how exaggerated masculinities cause men to act violently to compensate for their fears of femininity and of women taking control. Chodorow (1978 cited in Hearn 1998) goes on to explain how the development of a rigid ego is created by men to cope with separation from their mother and the absence of their father. This rigid ego derives from notions of how to be a man which involves the idea of the need to be aggressive in order to show masculinity. However psychoanalytical theories are criticised for placing too much blame on the victim. For example, in the case of domestic violence it is suggested that women let it happen because of treatment they received as children. Because of this psychoanalytical theories are often labelled as not feminist or antiwoman. (Hearn 1998: 21). Despite this, psychoanalytical explanations remain very powerful and influential in the social sciences, although more socially located theories have become increasingly significant. Socially located theories suggest then it is men with social dispositions, not psychological dispositions who are prone to violence (Hearn 1998). There are various socially located theories which include the Social Learning Theory, Socialization and Cognitive-Behavioural Analysis. All of these are based on the same basic idea that mens violence is behaviour which men learn. Although psychoanalytical theories suggest that observing other people committing violence or even expressing ones anger in a non-violent way may actually reduce violence in a person, this is not the case in sociological explanations where it is believed that violence is externally derived. Sociologists argue that violent behaviour can be closely related to an individuals socialization, namely through learning theories. Jones (2000) describes how there is a possibility that the expression of some violent behaviour is causally connected to either observation or experience of aggression. He discusses how human behaviour is based on learned experiences rather than instinct or some other innate characteristic (Jones 2000: 49). One of the best-known sociological theories of socialization is Sutherlands theory of differential association (Sutherland 1947 cited in Jones 2000). He argues that cultural, in this case delinquent, behaviour is learnt through interaction with others. Most people come into contact with both law-breaking people and law-abiding people, but it is when a person has more contact with the law-breakers that they become delinquent. Ray (2000 cited in Hearn 1998) describes how the crisis of masculinity could also be a causal factor of male violence. The crisis of masculinity refers to, amongst other things, increasing unemployment combined with increasing womens equality. Due to unemployment young men or lads begin spending more time on the street, (they dont want to go home as they believe that home is the womans place) and so have more chance to commit crime. Real manhood is based on devotion to group membership, particularly that of street gangs. These gangs or subcultures (Hearn 1998: 30) use violence as a way of confirming status in street culture and so encourage young men to act aggressively and violently. Sutherlands theory of differential association (1947 cited in Jones 2000) becomes clear in Rays (2000 cited in Hearn 1998) connection between real manhood and male violence; a person becomes violent because of stronger exposure to people who commit violence than those who dont, through association with other violent males on the streets. The social learning theory outlines the idea that violence is observed and then reproduced or imitated and focuses on past experiences, especially from childhood (Hearn 1998). According to social learning theorists early experiences in the childhood form a persons personality, basically if a child witnesss a parent being violent they are more likely to be violent themselves, even if it does not become obvious until later in their adult life. However social learning theorists also accept that if children witness violence being used as a punishment then they are less likely to copy, and therefore will be deterred from violence (Bandura 1973; 1977). Children develop learned patterns of violence through intergenerational relations (Hearn 1998; Hoffman et al 1994; Ainsworth 2000). However the exact process of learning violence is often less clear and there is a divide between theorists who believe that individuals learn through cognitive structuring, personality formation, behavioural reinforcement and modelling (Jones 2000; Hearn 1998). Cognitive-behavioural analysis looks at particular forms of learning that have taken place for particular individuals and how reproduction of violence occurs through intergenerational learning and socialization. Goldstein (1989:124 cited in Hearn 1998) identifies the three main areas in which aggression is learned: in the home, school and the mass media. He theorises that learning is either direct through individual practice of aggression or indirect through observation of people being rewarded for aggressive behaviour. Hotaling and Sugarman (1986) suggest that men who are violent to their wives were traumatized as children, either through being abused themselves or through witnessing abuse of their mother by their father, again focusing on the intergenerational production of violence. Bandura (1973; 1977), a major proponent of Social Learning Theory, combined aspects of behaviourism and cognitive psychology. He argued that people learn their behaviours not only through the idea of rewards and punishments achieved through certain types of behaviour but also through observing other peoples actions. By doing this individuals can learn to anticipate the effectiveness of particular courses of action in achieving desired goals (Jones 2000: 51; Hoffman at al 1994). To reinforce his theory Bandura conducted an experiment involving a Bobo doll (Bandura 1973; 1977). In this experiment, he had some children witness an adult aggressively attacking a plastic clown called the Bobo doll. The children watched a video where a model aggressively beat up a doll. In order to frustrate the children, after the video they were placed in a room with attractive toys, but they could not touch them. Then the children who had watched the video and some other children who had not witnessed the violence, were led to another room where there were identical toys to those used in the Bobo video. Bandura found that the children exposed to the aggressive model were more likely to act in physically aggressive ways than those who were not exposed to the aggressive model (Ainsworth 2000; Bandura 1973; Bandura 1977; Hoffman et al 1994; Jones 2000). However there are also many criticisms of these theories as the exact process of how social learning or socialization takes place is often unclear and often represent a very simple explanation of how violence happens and is reproduced. Hearn (1998: 27) also claims that there is an under theorization of gender amongst the socially located theories. Certain questions such as why dont girls copy violence like boys do? and why do boys understand and imitate the violence of men but not the violation of women? are extremely important issues which are not addressed in these explanations of male violence. Another set of theories which attempts to explain why men are more violent than women are reactive theories, which can be either psychological or sociological in focus. Reactive theories are based on the idea that violence is a response to external conditions, men use violence when their goals are blocked and non-violent alternatives are ineffective (Hearn 1998). The stress theory suggests that certain factors such as low income, unemployment, part time employment and a large number of children are more likely to cause stress to men which can make them more prone to violence. Despite this, it would be unfair to isolate stress as a causal factor of violence because it is a constant feature of everyday life which everyone, both men and women, have to deal with. Another criticism of this theory is that if stress is a single causal factor of violence then why is it mainly men and not women whoare violent? (Hearn 1998). Reactive theories also look at the abuse of alcohol as an exernal factor, and how this can cause men to act violently. However as Horsfall (1991) outlines alcohol cannot be seen as a direct cause of violence. She concludes that if alcohol is a causal factor of violence, why do some men react violoently when others do not and why does the social structuring of boys and men bring them up to think that in order to feel like a manyou must drink with the boys, often to excess. The construction of gender is a very useful starting point to understand why men are more violent than women. As Moore (1994) writes, discourses about gender construct women and men as different sorts of persons. Discourse that is used to describe men is active; men are portrayed as aggressive, thrusting and powerful (Moore 1994: 138). Whereas discourse that describes women is usually passive; women are portrayed as essentially powerless, submissive and receptive (Moore 1994: 138). However, these constructions actually only have the most peripheral relation to the behaviours of individual women and men. Moore (1994) goes onto describe how discourses engender women and men as persons who are defined by difference(Moore 1994: 139). They produce discursive effects which produce gender difference, therefore producing symbolic or culturally constructed categories of women and men as different from each other. The discourse used to conceptualize violence is also very important as it often tends to take the focus, blame and responsibility away from the man who commits the violence and pushes it towards the family. Phrases such as domestic violence, conjugal violence, marital violence and family violence are often used and although it is important to acknowledge the relational nature of gender and relational context of violence it is equally important not to reduce violence to the product of the relationship' (Hearn 1998: 28). So far we have identified that, according to socially located theories, violence is produced and reproduced through learning, socialization, modelling and imitation, and this can be conceptualized as producing an environment of violence which operates over time (Hearn 1998: 29), for example intergenerational violence. Cultural theorists go on to discuss how these environments can be thought of as a culture with norms and values, or a system with systematic characteristics. They shift the focus away from the individual to take into consideration social relations and raise important issues such as cycles of violence, whereby the victimiser may once have been the victim themselves (Geffner 1989: 107). Multi causal explanations of violence are very important and claim that violence is a result of not just one individual force, but numerous factors working together. Multi causal theorists bring all, or at least some, of the theories I have already discussed together. Edleson et al (1985) put forward a multicausal explanation where they combine: ideas of violence in the mans family origin from the social learning theory; personal characteristics, such as an individuals attitudes and ideas towards violence taken from the psychoanalytical approach; the use of substances as an external force from the reactive theory; and they also condsider the context of violence by looking at demographic and relationship variables and specific violent events from a mans past.

EFL Lessons

Reading Comprehension Dialogues for ESL/EFL Lessons These reading comprehension/dialogues provide an opportunity for both reading and speaking practice. Each dialogue is also followed by a multiple choice quiz for comprehension practice. Each dialogue is listed under the appropriate level with a short introduction regarding target areas for speaking practice. Teachers can check out the ideas on how to use dialogues in class and print them out for use. Beginner - Lower Intermediate The City and the Country - Comparative form, as ... asInterview with a Famous Actor - Daily routines, present simpleWhats in Your Office? - Use of there is / there are, prepositions and office furniture vocabularyWhat Were You Doing? - Use of the past continuous in combination with the past simpleThe Oregon Weather Forecast - Use of the future with will for predictions, weather vocabularyA Business Presentation - This dialogue allows practice of the present perfectAn Interview - Allows practice of the superlative formIntroductions - Basic questions used when meeting someone for the first timeBasic Personal Information - Questions related to name, address, and marital statusThe Meeting - Schedules, future plans.A New Office - This, that, some and any with objects.Cooking - Daily routines and hobbies.Abilities and Skills - Using can, and able to, making suggestions.A Busy Day - Plans for the day, responsibilities with have to.Planning a Party - Future with will and going to Making Phone Calls Practice making phone calls with these dialogues that cover making doctors appointments, leaving messages, making dinner reservations, calling school about your child, and asking questions about your bills. Business English Deliveries and SuppliersTaking a MessagePlacing an OrderTomorrows MeetingBusiness Meetings English for Medical Purposes Dialogues Making an Appointment with the DentistMaking a Doctors AppointmentDental Check-up - Doctor and PatientDental Hygiene - Dental Hygienist and PatientDental ReceptionistTroubling Symptoms - Doctor and PatientJoint Pain - Doctor and PatientA Physical Examination - Doctor and PatientPain that Comes and Goes - Doctor and PatientA Prescription - Doctor and PatientHelping a Patient - Nurse and Patient Professional Dialogues Cleaning Staff - Vocabulary and requests dealing with cleaning rooms and taking care of guestsA Drink at the Bar - Vocabulary and situations related to serving customers at a barSpeaking to a Customer Service Representative - Disputing a bill over the telephone. Making Casual Conversation A Chat With a Neighbor  - Using the present perfect, present perfect continuous and past simple interchangeablyDirections  - Giving and asking for directions.Having a Hard Time Finding a Job - Speaking about finding a job, with a focus on reported speech

Social Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Social Psychology - Essay Example As an amalgamation of what has historically been two disparate and distinct fields of inquiry, social psychology blends the two scholarly realms and provides a new perspective on such issues as social cognition, the individual within society as well as the role that individuals plays in shaping their wider environment. The perception of individuals is very important from a social psychological standpoint and this field allows scholars and researchers to undertake their inquiry from an interdisciplinary approach. Thus, from a social psychological perspective, the perception of individuals can be shaped by both internal psychological factors as well as the social environment. Sociology is a field which has traditionally focused group dynamics and behaviors. Psychology, on the other hand, is a field which is primarily concerned with the individual and the mental motivating factors in explaining thoughts and behaviors. From the perspective of social psychology then, the formation of soci al identity is the result of both social and psychological factors. Individual cognitive behavior influences social identity as does the environment one is raised in, the people he/she grows up with and social identity can be seen as a mixture of these forces (Baron 3-44). Social psychology, as a field of inquiry, has much to say about perceiving groups, norms and behaviors. Accordingly, social psychology looks at these concepts and sheds light onto both the social and psychological features of these issues. Accordingly, Discrimination is described as the prejudicial treatment of others based upon certain real or perceived characteristics. It is generally done on the basis of race, colour, sex, age, language, sexual orientation, religion and/or disability. Discrimination is often based upon pre-held beliefs, judgments and stereotypes about people and

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

Southwest - Essay Example Evolutionary change is beneficial for both workers and managers. This type of change is slow and will give people time to see how the organization will react. 2) The types of changes that deal with restructuring that this company has undertaken include, changing task and authority relationships, It has also been involved in redesigning the organizational structure and the culture to improve organizational effectiveness. Economic, political and global forces – this tends to affect where the firms produce the goods and services like political instability. For example, political instability has been shown to depress the GDP and foreign investment (Jones 138). As the firm moves it operation elsewhere, it will lead to fewer work opportunities and a continued cycle of instability. Demographic and social factors – organization must adapt to handle substantial knowledge loss and cope with work force issues. For example, 77 million baby boomers are projected to retire in the next 20 years. This means that organizations has to rearrange it work forc.e Ethical issues –the trend in social responsibility can lead changes in how organizations obtain supplies. For example, in 2008 Gap leaned that one if is suppliers was suing forced child labor on one product batch. This led to the entire batch being pulled out of the store and destroyed. At the organizational level, power and conflict can resist change especially when there is too much resistance. Some of the resistance can be beneficial. For example, those workers who form Unions can help the organization to retain knowledge that is helpful in the long run. However, too much resistance can inhibit the change needed. Functional orientation, this makes people to become overspecialized (Jones 140). For example, the HR team can be highly cohesive with the marketing team but may not be cohesive with the sales team. This makes it difficult coordinate changes

Summary of an article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Summary of an article - Essay Example It is remarkable that all 3 games reviewed by the authors are strictly place-specific (namely, they are about the city of Madison and its surroundings) and with the domination of reality over fantasy. The ludological analysis and the positive feedback from the pupils, the users and even the designers of the games, testify that such augmented reality simulations actively engage learners in their present-day environment and develop awareness of surrounding space by locating the cognition in social and spatial contexts (Squire et. al., 2007, p. 269). Several key challenges and principles of interactive games of this kind are defined: firstly, the notion of space as contested (when the interaction with space is undermined by certain conflict that has to be resolved, be this the conflict of past and present, as in The Greenbush Game, or the one that is based on â€Å"the political control over space†) (Squire et. al., 2007, p. 287); secondly, role-playing narration, or interactive storytelling (p. 288); thirdly, the usage of memorable moments and experiences (when knowledge is gained through the active absorption of the strategies that have worked in certain contexts, which, by the way, makes game-based learning radically different from more traditional ways of transmitting knowledge) (p. 289); and last, the â€Å"potential of linking games-for-learning into other inquiry activities† (p. 270), like in the case when the students have collected the information and brain-stormed for the design of The Greenbush Game. Overall, the article is full of pedagogical insights, as it offers an optimistic outlook on the game-based learning with the emphasis on interactivity and the role of place. However, game theory covers much more aspects that need to be addressed in the context of learning. One of them is the limits of the ideological construction of games (Squire et. al., 2007, p. 267), as all games have conventions

The Beatles recording catalog covers a wide range, to say the least, Essay

The Beatles recording catalog covers a wide range, to say the least, from the likes of Love Me Do (1962) to Revolution 9 (1968) - Essay Example These forms of life were reflected in their production of music with Hindustani, avant-garde and Western classical influences (Young 14). This period saw the Beatles redefine the meaning of rock and roll as a form of culture. Some of the American artists, whom they admired, such as Elvis Presley, became their inspirations and role models for the younger rock musicians. Consequently, the first songs that the Beatles wrote and recorded widened the musical range as well as the expressive scope of the music genre they had inherited. They used subtle arrangements, vocal harmonies, and clever touches in production (17). Additionally, they used elemental rhythm that was characterized by drumming. It added beauty and excellence to their songs. In the wake of the student protest eruptions in France and Mexico, the Beatles gave up their roles as global leaders of an immature youth culture. Nevertheless, they continued recording and releasing new music while maintaining their popularity that has remained unshaken ever since then. Apple was their record label that was launched in 1968, with the hope of nurturing pop art. However, they only created commercial failure and chaos. Nevertheless, the band continued enjoying extensive popularity. Abbey Road, launched in 1969, became the Beatle’s most-loved and best-selling album (19). The Beatles laid the benchmark for teen idol quality. Before their arrival, the pop scene in the United States was stale. However, the Beatles blasted the pop landscape with their exotic accent and queer looks. While Paul was the cute and adorable one, George was quiet and shy, Ringo was fun and goofy and John was smart and slightly dangerous (20). Their character traits covered all teen tastes. Also, their matching â€Å"moptops†, collarless suits, and Cuban ankle boots made their appearance uniform. Different from their competition, the Beatles controlled their appearance. Despite the fact that disrespect has existed for

The science of Addiction - psychology Assignment

The science of Addiction - psychology - Assignment Example It provides an insight of chemical interaction that takes place at the synaptic level that causes the drug user to feel â€Å"high†. The most interactive and yet knowledgeable was â€Å"Mouse Party†. It is self-explanatory and provides an in depth understanding about the 7 most dreaded drugs of abuse causing addiction encompassing: LSD, Cocaine, Alcohol, Methamphetamine, Marijuana, Ectasy, Heroin. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter located in our Central Nervous System making it one of our most important neurotransmitters. Another neurotransmitter of CNS called Norephinephrine is manufactured from dopamine. Dopamine, along with Norephinephrine, plays an imperative role in attention and focus. Drugs affecting attention and focus affects the signaling pathway of dopamine and therefore many of the aspects of the website focus on the neurotransmitter Dopamine which is also called as â€Å"happy neurotransmitter† responsible for the feeling of pleasure, attachment, sense of altruism and integration of thoughts and feelings. Moreover deficiencies of Dopamine cause anhedonia, lack of ability to feel love, sense attachment to another, lack of remorse about actions, distractibility. Thus dopamine play imperative role in the control of movement and therefore the website emphasized a lot on dopamine. The action of various drugs is well explained on this site under the section â€Å"How Drugs Can Kill†. This states that drugs are toxic substances and long-term drug abuse can badly affect the health of an individual, on the other hand even a single dose can be detrimental. E.g. Heroin is the cause for maximum deaths due to overdose of the drug. Under normal conditions the respiratory balance is maintained by excitatory and inhibitory signals by glutamate and GABA respectively, but a toxic dose of heroin enhances the inhibitory effect of GABA which reduces the breathing and

The Beatles recording catalog covers a wide range, to say the least, Essay

The Beatles recording catalog covers a wide range, to say the least, from the likes of Love Me Do (1962) to Revolution 9 (1968) - Essay Example These forms of life were reflected in their production of music with Hindustani, avant-garde and Western classical influences (Young 14). This period saw the Beatles redefine the meaning of rock and roll as a form of culture. Some of the American artists, whom they admired, such as Elvis Presley, became their inspirations and role models for the younger rock musicians. Consequently, the first songs that the Beatles wrote and recorded widened the musical range as well as the expressive scope of the music genre they had inherited. They used subtle arrangements, vocal harmonies, and clever touches in production (17). Additionally, they used elemental rhythm that was characterized by drumming. It added beauty and excellence to their songs. In the wake of the student protest eruptions in France and Mexico, the Beatles gave up their roles as global leaders of an immature youth culture. Nevertheless, they continued recording and releasing new music while maintaining their popularity that has remained unshaken ever since then. Apple was their record label that was launched in 1968, with the hope of nurturing pop art. However, they only created commercial failure and chaos. Nevertheless, the band continued enjoying extensive popularity. Abbey Road, launched in 1969, became the Beatle’s most-loved and best-selling album (19). The Beatles laid the benchmark for teen idol quality. Before their arrival, the pop scene in the United States was stale. However, the Beatles blasted the pop landscape with their exotic accent and queer looks. While Paul was the cute and adorable one, George was quiet and shy, Ringo was fun and goofy and John was smart and slightly dangerous (20). Their character traits covered all teen tastes. Also, their matching â€Å"moptops†, collarless suits, and Cuban ankle boots made their appearance uniform. Different from their competition, the Beatles controlled their appearance. Despite the fact that disrespect has existed for

Industry Paper-Exploring organaizational development and strategies Essay

Industry Paper-Exploring organaizational development and strategies - Essay Example With the advent of time, the vacuum cleaner industry has undergone drastic changes. The globalization of the markets, rapid developments in the technologies, easy access to cost-effective manufacturing destinations and growing concern for eco-friendly products and services have stressed the need of modifying the organizational structures and strategies (European Commission, 2009). The vacuum cleaners are supplied in accordance to the demands of the customers, government, society and environment so that every stakeholder can get benefitted. All the key players of the vacuum cleaner industry such as Dyson, Dirt Devil, Electrolux, Kirby, Hoover, Vax, Black & Decker, Miele, Oreck and many more have same organizational structures and strategies. However, they differ in terms of their competency level and product differentiation strategy. The early form of vacuum cleaners was the self-contained ones which were the foremost and sole suction machines. These first machines were introduced and invented in Europe by Hubert Booth in early period of 1900s and his company’s name was Goblin. Next, the upright vacuum cleaners were created which had a revolving brush for loosening the debris. These appliances were conceived by James Murray Spangler and a few years later were introduced in US by Hoover. The early entrants of the vacuum cleaner market in UK were Electrolux in 1908, followed by Vorwerk in 1929 and Miele in 1931 (European Commission, 2009). During the period of 1960s, the concept of professional carpet cleaning was inaugurated. This latest trend was refined by Alan Brazier under the brand Van in 1980s. This was the turning point in the European vacuum cleaner industry as Vax Ltd. took over more than half of the UK market by the end of 1980s. Hoover and Bissell launched the extractors or upright carpet washers in Europe and US in the early years of twenty-first century. In 1911,

Cross-Cultural Communications Essay Example for Free

Cross-Cultural Communications Essay Setting standards and guidelines, such as the Florida Department of Education’s Subject Area Competencies for ESOL K-12, makes for a goal-oriented curriculum or educational program. Competencies, in all aspects, are the unique sets of â€Å"knowledge, skills, or attitudes† (CePH, 2006) that people from different fields of learning or work should accomplish or possess in order for them to meet the standards or expectations of education or work. For this reason, setting competencies in all fields of learning or work is extremely important because it provides directions or guidelines to people for them to accomplish success. In the field of education alone, setting competencies not only motivates students to acquire adequate knowledge, skills, or attitudes to achieve learning goals and objectives, but also helps in improving the quality of education by qualifying learning content and how educators should plan and carry out the teaching process, which are all based on what the students need to learn. Thus, setting learning competencies, just as creating learning goals and objectives, serve as precursors to other aspects of learning, including the selection of teaching strategies or approaches, instructional design, lesson planning, execution, the creation of assessment or evaluation tests, and so on. (Spector, 2007; Richards Rodgers, 2001) Consequently, it paves way to the development or progress of learning and education because it primarily makes the educational process precise or scrupulous and pertinent, and directs learning to the right path. Due to the perceived significance of learning competencies, the remainder of this discussion will explore how setting competencies affects the process of education specifically. This objective will be achieved by analyzing one of the Florida Department of Education’s Subject Area Competencies for ESOL K-12 and how it directly relates to education and the teaching and learning process. The Florida Department of Education’s Subject Area Competencies for ESOL K-12 The Subject Area Competencies for ESOL K-12 set by the Florida Department of Education contains the knowledge, skills, or attitudes that students in K-12 should exhibit or possess, which are specific to different subject areas under the English to Speakers of Other Languages learning programs in various schools in Florida. Since the basic learning necessities of ESOL students are distinct as compared to the learning program for a regular classroom setting, the competencies are constrained to the learning of English across various disciplines. From the 11 skills or competencies identified by the Florida Department of Education for ESOL K-12, only one will be considered for exploration and analysis. For this discussion, the underlying concepts and issues of the third competency will be used to explore learning and education in ESOL K-12. The third competency requires the student to display â€Å"Knowledge of sociolinguistic, cultural, ethnic, and sociopolitical issues. † Under this competency, there are nine sub-competencies that specify issues concerning sociolinguistic diversity, government policies, political and social trends, culture, cultural adjustment and adaptation, student involvement, and multicultural sensitivity. (Florida Department of Education, 2006) By and large, this third competency is concerned with the knowledge, skills, and values or attitudes that English Language Learners (ELLs) should acquire or exhibit in terms of the relevance of learning English in the present social, cultural, and political landscape of society. Exploring the Subject Area Competencies ESOL entails many difficulties and challenges especially since the learning goals and objectives vary from the regular classroom setting. Challenges and difficulties arise from the complex aims of ESOL. The program is not merely focused on teaching the English language to non-English speakers but also on how the learning process is relevant or correlated with other disciplines such as Science, History, Mathematics, and so on, and how it matches current social and political situations and addresses various cultural as well. The complex structure of the ESOL program is best illustrated by the Fourth Touchstone that makes up the foundations of All Language Teaching or ALL curriculum. The Fourth Touchstone reflects how communication, which is the medium and goal of language learning are intertwined with four other principles. The four principles include socio-cultural aspect of language learning, learning how-to-learn, language and cultural awareness, and general knowledge. (Vale Scarino, 2000) (Vale Scarino, 2000, p. 33) The integration of the other four principles establish the idea that language learning programs, including ESOL, are not simply concerned with language acquisition. Since these kinds of programs are adapted into a standard classroom setup such as K-12, the forerunners of language teaching and learning thought it best for these kinds of programs to be relevant and practical. At this point, language teaching and learning have evolved into the use or purpose of learning the English language. Thus, the goals and competencies prescribed for language learning programs, such as ESOL, include the acquisition of adequate knowledge, skills, and attitudes of ELLs that will enable them to communicate through the English language properly with the awareness of how it fits well with social landscapes, cultures, and politics. (Vale Scarino, 2000) These concepts and ideas match with the third competency included in the Florida Department of Education Subject Area Competencies for ESOL K-12. Sociolinguistic diversity refers to the different ways by which language is used and interpreted, based on social factors including culture, race or ethnicity, beliefs or ideologies, norms and mores, sex or gender, religion, contextual and connotative meaning, and so on. (Corson, 2001) This means that the practical use and interpretation of language shift due to the influences of various societal factors. For instance, the phrase â€Å"grab a bite† is a colloquial speech known to mean, â€Å"to eat,† for native speakers of English. However, for non-native speakers of English who are learning the language, the phrase maybe most likely interpreted literally losing the actual meaning of the colloquial phrase. In religion, ELLs may also find it hard to understand the meaning of English terms. One example would be the use of the word â€Å"Anaphora. † In language and literature, the term â€Å"anaphora† refers to a figure of speech. However, in Catholicism, â€Å"anaphora† is a prayer read during mass that conveys celebration. In addition, there are many varieties of English, American and British being two of the most widely used, thus the use and interpretation of English differ between these varieties, making language learning complex. (Pope, 2002) This only means that culture is very much tied with language structure. In terms of culture, ELLs should be aware of how cultural diversity affects the use and interpretation of the English language because their knowledge will depend on how they will communicate or interact with other people from various cultures later on. It will become easier for ELLs to understand other people from other cultures, and relate to cultural television shows, films, music, customs, and so on, if they learn how culture diversifies language. The confusion that arises due to differences on how the English language is used and interpreted, especially between native and non-native speakers of the language, requires that ELLs understand the concept of sociolinguistic diversity and how it influences the learning process – how the language is used and interpreted in different settings. When ELLs become aware of sociolinguistic diversity, they will be able to use and distinguish the English language comprehensively such that their knowledge and understanding of the language expands from the literal context to the connotative, colloquial, and even metaphorical contexts or meanings. Consequently, ELLs gain the skills and self-confidence to use the English language properly in real life situations. For these reasons, learning content and instruction in terms of sociolinguistic diversity cover how the language is used in diverse settings. Apart from sociolinguistic diversity and aspects of culture, government policies and political trends on educational programs for ELL affect the learning process. Although English language learning was not recognized until the 1970s in the United States (The Education Alliance, 2006), the educational policies being implemented by the federal and state governments today support English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. This is in line with the growing population of U. S. residents with no or limited knowledge of the English language. Some of these people are also enrolled in several public schools in the country. By conducting surveys, the U. S. government learned that the students’ lack of ability in applying the English language was significantly affecting their academic performances. (EPE Research Center, 2004) Thus, educational policies in the country instigate the development of learning programs developed with the ultimate purpose of improving English proficiency and academic performance among students. Perhaps the most significant policy is the No Child Left Behind Act implemented in 2001 that includes guidelines on language learning. This policy mandates that all school evaluate the English language competencies of students, and students who will not meet set standards will undergo fast track educational programs that will help them learn adequately and cope with their peers. (EPE Research Center, 2004) By and large, the entire point of the issue is that government policies concerning language education affects the success and achievement of ELLs. A government that supports bilingual education helps ELLs to obtain access to quality education and emerge successful from their undertakings. Changes in political and social trends influence the learning content of ESOL programs simply because the practical use of the English language by ELLs in the real world requires that they are also aware of current social and political issues. Their awareness of social and political trends allow them to not only use the English language but to use the language to relate with other people, especially since societal and political issues are two of the most common topics of conversation. At present time, for instance, most people use the Internet for socialization through social networking sites such as Facebook. To familiarize ELLs with social networking, learning content should include English terms used in cyberspace or in Facebook for that matter, so that they would be able to participate in the online community. In terms of student factors, the cultural backgrounds of ELLs may significantly influence their ability to adjust, learn, and participate in the ESOL program. There are various stages in cultural adjustment wherein one initially experiences feelings of enthusiasm and elation. When an individual begins to realize the great differences between the old and new culture and has trouble of coping or adjusting to unfamiliar cultures, he experiences hostility and loneliness. Through time, an individual learns to adjust until he finally adapts to and accepts the new culture. At times, people undergo re-entry when they climb down to their old ways or culture. (Hernandez-Gantes Blank, 2008) For ELLs, it is extremely important to understand these four stages of cultural adjustment in the beginning of the ESOL program in order for them to become aware of what they will come to experience as time passes. In doing so, ELLs know the challenges and difficulties that lie ahead and thus, are prepared to handle and overcome them. Consequently, language learning becomes less stressful or complex. However, cultural adjustment, as well as student participation and learning involvement of ELLs, are influenced by their beliefs, ideologies, values, attitudes, etc. as dictated by their culture. For example, ELLs who belong to cultures that value family ties and tradition may experience difficulties in adjusting to a new culture and thus, affect how their participate in class and adapt to the learning process. This is especially the case for ELLs who go to other countries to learn the English language. The distance between them and their families may become a source of distraction due to loneliness and depression that ELLs might feel, disabling them to focus on their studies, learning, and adapting to a new culture. For ELLs, understanding the roles of culture in cultural adjustment, student participation, and learning, enables them to assess or evaluate what part of their culture interferes with their learning of English. In doing so, they will be able to realize the importance of setting aside cultural differences and prioritize their personal learning goals and objectives. The last sub-competency requires ELLs to determine strategies and methods to increase their multicultural sensitivity. Multicultural sensitivity refers to an individual’s responsiveness to cultural differences, allowing him to understand that change and diversity are unalterable. This also allows him to understand his own culture in relation to other cultures as a means to reconcile differences. (Dana, 2005) By and large, multicultural sensitivity influences the achievement of other competencies already mentioned. When an individual learns to understand, accept, and respect other cultures, it will allow him to appreciate his own culture, adapt to a new culture that speeds up cultural adjustment, and ultimately, embrace his learning tasks and responsibilities increasing his student participation, learning, and chances for success. Furthermore, it is also important that in discussing issues in multicultural sensitivity in an ESOL class, the topics of universal ethics and human rights should be discussed to enrich the learning process by means of making it globally relevant and practical. Conclusion Ultimately, the competency and sub-competencies previously discussed covers the social, cultural, and political aspects of ESOL due to their roles in making English language learning relevant, efficient, practical, and purposeful. These competency and sub-competencies do not dwell too much on the technical aspects of learning the English language but on its practical uses as a means to express and communicate with other people, and understand current global or local issues and situations that are affecting the state of the people. Although these competency and sub-competencies were intended for the accomplishment of ELLs, these are also important pieces of information that the teachers and educational institutions should be aware of. These competencies not only ensure that ELLs will be able to achieve learning goals and objectives of ESOL but also ascertain that the teaching process designed, including the learning content, instructional design, teaching strategies and approaches, and so on, are in line with the competencies in order to directly help students in accomplishing them. References Corson, D. (2001). Language Diversity and Education. Hoboken, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. CePH. (2006). Competencies and Learning Objectives. Retrieved from Council on Education for Public Health, 1 Aug 2009. http://www. ceph. org/files/public/Competencies. pdf Dana, R. H. (2005). Multicultural Assessment: Principles, Applications, and Examples. New York, NY: Routledge. The Education Alliance. (2006). Linking Language Policy to Practice for English Language Learners. Retrieved from The Educational Alliance, 02 Aug 2009. http://www. alliance. brown. edu/tdl/policy/index. shtml EPE Research Center. (2004). English-Language Learners. Retrieved from Editorial Projects in Education, 02 Aug 2009. http://www. edweek. org/rc/issues/english-language-learners/ Florida Department of Education. (2006). Test Preparation Guide for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) K-12. Retrieved from State Florida Department of State, 02 Aug 2009. http://www. collier. k12. fl. us/hr/certification/studyguides/ESOL%20K-12. pdf Hernandez-Gantes, V. M. and Blank, W. (2008). Teaching English Language Learners in Career and Technical Education Programs. New York, NY: Taylor Francis. Pope, R. (2002). The English Studies Book: An Introduction to Language, Literature and Culture, 2nd Ed. New York, NY: Routledge. Richards, J. C. and Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, 2nd Ed. Cambridge University Press. Spector, J. M. (2007). Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology, 3rd Ed. New York, NY: Taylor Francis. Vale, D. and Scarino, A. (2000). Pocket ALL: A User’s Guide to the Teaching of Languages and ESL. VIC, Australia: Curriculum Corporation.

Baz Luhrmanns Romeo And Juliet Review Film Studies Essay

Baz Luhrmanns Romeo And Juliet Review Film Studies Essay Baz Luhrmann brings a unique visual style to William Shakespeares renaissance tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Set in a modern Verona Beach, Luhrmann sets the assertive and trendy tone of his adaptation within a decaying Miami City. Within minutes, the opening TV prologue hurls us into the white-hot intensity of the two warring families, bombarding the audience with chaotic action scenes and passion. Constructing an edgy and dynamic environment, his brash interpretation uses rapid cuts and erratic zooming techniques to create a comic strip style sequence against the multicultural backdrop of the graffiti scattered streets of Verona. Though effective, the restlessness of the camera becomes confusing, slicing the action into short, sharp images that can mystify rather than illuminate. Such fervent action so soon into the film is dizzying and unexpected. Luhrmann attracts the audience with his lively cinema style, speeding up the action to hype up the confrontation and the rivalry of the two f amilies alongside an intense soundtrack of contemporary and popular music. As a contemporary film director, Luhrmann clearly values the younger audience who would usually only come into contact with Shakespeare in a school environment. This could explain the roaring energy of car engines and elaborate guns instead of horses and swords originally used in earlier productions. Encompassing the elegance of Shakespeares text, Luhrmann introduces the star crossed lovers in a tender exchange of affectionate eye contact across the shimmering light of an aquarium. The pair follow each other across the length of the glass in an enduring and delicately youthful and romantic moment, capturing the innocence of the fated pair. Luhrmann creates a sensual and glamorously romantic atmosphere whenever the lovers meet alone. The balcony and swimming pool scene in particular surrounds the pair in a glimmering sheen of water and light. Luhrmanns use of atmospheric lighting leaves the audience to swoon, drinking in the glow of the dreamy eyed couple as they exchange their most iconic and enduring dialogue. Though their love is prohibited by tradition, ego and prejudice in the society of Verona, Luhrmann exposes Shkespeares drama to a contemporary world without limits, modernising the play with radical scenes of drug use, drag queens and public brawls. A couple so concerned w ith the traditional morals of their families in a world of law breaking and promiscuity comes as a stark contrast which at times, is unconvincing. As the audience enjoy the rowdy and loose morality at the Capulet Ball, it is initially somewhat difficult to believe that two young people in love would not act upon their passionate attraction. However, the undeniable beauty of the couples love is infectious. As they lie in the church lit by thousands of candles, the beauty of Shakespeares romantic tale is undeniable in the soft, atmospheric style with which Luhrmann combines light and opulent religious design to glamorize the tragic scene in which the love affair comes to an end. The language used in this film is lifted from the pages of Shakespeares text; which is surprising and pleasing as the dialogue fits seamlessly into the style of the film. Luhrmann has stripped the dialogue right down the necessities in order to sell to a commercial younger audience who may not understand the complexities of the original dialogue. The bare bones of the text are delivered confidently, notably by Friar Lawrence. Actor Pete Postlethwaites portrayal of the Friar as a new age herbalist gives the audience a glimpse of Shakespearean imagery and rhythm as he optimistically agrees to marry the pair in a bid to turn the households rancour to pure love. Similarly, Harold Perrineaus portrayal of Mercutio adds an exotic and audacious tempo to the film. Perrineau portrays him as entrancing and compelling, emphasising Shakespeares skilfully witty character, which becomes most poignant during his speech before they are due at the house of Capulet. The volatile style in which he prese nts this famous speech builds from a jovial and bawdy exchange with Romeo at the steps of a run-down theatre, to an explosive and passionate conclusion. Delivered naturally, Luhrmann heightens suspense by climaxing the speech with a furiously bright light and sound of a single firework. The audience are brought to a peak of tension and anticipation, unsure where this volatile character will take them next. As well as presenting an aggressively modern adaptation with the setting and language of the play, Luhrmanns interpretation of Shakespeares tragedy is styled inventively by costume designer Kym Barrett. The clothing is eclectic and riotously colourful, complimenting the up-beat and psychedelic style of the film. Reflecting the disposition of the characters, Kym Barrett dresses the characters as a portrayal of their position in the society within the plot. The contrasting morality within the generations and conflicting traditions between the families is illustrated by the way they dress. The Capulet boys for instance, are dressed in smart and formal suits throughout the film, proudly reflecting their traditional Latino heritage which Luhrmann portrays. Creating a contrast, the Montague boys are dressed in very casual beach shirts and board shorts, illustrating the less mature and jovial features of their characters. In a comparison to the younger members of the cast, the parental and authoritative figures are dressed in expensive and regal clothing, suggesting the traditional values of their society. Both women at the head of each household are seen to be dressed in the luxurious clothing typical of wives of influential men. As their wealth is illustrated in the elegance and glamour of their dress, the authority that their husbands hold within the city is also established. It is interesting to note that Luhrmann includes a modern style drag queen in this adaptation, dressed in a provocative and bold sequined outfit. Though not unknown in the other Shakespearean plays, cross dressing, most involve women dressing as men. Mercutios flamboyant style of dress at the Capulets ball is an expression of sexuality ineffectual to the plot, not a central theme to the resolution of the plot as in many of Shakespeares plays. Luhrmann heightens the aesthetic sexuality in his film adaptation to attract a younger and more contemporary audience. The romantic characters of the fil m remain innocent. Dressed to reflect her youth, Clare Danes instils the naivety and youthfulness of Juliet in a modest white dress and plain style of hair and make-up. Similarly, Romeo reflects her adolescence and compliments her dress, choosing a simple black suit and tie. Before they fall in love, the audience can pick up on their compatibility by the harmonizing styles of the lovers. The costumes and setting of the film generate an up-beat and boldly elaborate overall vision. The audience are bombarded by an audacious and lively interpretation complimented by an energetic soundtrack and attractive cast. Though incredibly pleasing on the eye, Luhrmanns concentration on the aesthetics of the film does sacrifice the story and dialogue for style. However, this interpretation of Shakespeares classic does bring renaissance drama into the 21st century. Luhrmann tells the story in an edgy and fast paced film which smashes the Shakespeares stereotype of stodgy, uninteresting plays that are difficult to understand. As a director, Baz Luhrmann revisits the play with great attention, choosing to only leave out scenes that are really futile to the plot. This may be due to the audience his film is designed for, catering for the commercial audience who require more of the action and romance than the subtleties of Shakespeares dialogue. His style of directing is sometimes intrusive, zooming in and speeding up the action in a way which draws the audience in, almost too close to the drama. His wild style of filming places the audience into the action immediately, which at times, particularly the opening scene, is obtrusive and gaudy. This adaptation of Romeo and Juliet is significant in that only one other film edition is recognised with the same commercial acknowledgement. Franco Zeffirellis 1968 adaptation is a traditional take on the play, set in the 15th century Renaissance period and filmed entirely in Italy. With only one other well-known film version of the play, Luhrmanns film has become an important alternative to the conventional style of renaissance drama. Largely shot in Mexico City, there is a strong unapologetic ambience, giving the film more of an attitude than the traditional setting of Verona. Luhrmanns definitive rendition of the play is outrageously narcissistic and easy on the eye, opening the world of Shakespeare to a wider audience in a contemporary and brash interpretation that leaves the commercial audience wanting more of Shakespeares compelling drama.

Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - Nick Carraway, Detached or Dishonest? :: Great Gatsby Essays

The Great Gatsby Nick - Detached or Dishonest? The Great Gatsby is a difficult book to interpret, particularly because of the style in which it is written. Not only must the reader differentiate between the separate views of Nick as the narrator and Nick as the character, but he or she must also take into consideration at what time period, relative to this story, are these views being expressed. After all, Nick the narrator is presently evaluating the manner in which his character behaved the year before, as well as allowing his character to voice his opinion, as his opinion had been during that time frame. We learn to trust Nick as a narrator, because all the pieces of information he gives to us, received through symbolism, imagery, or personal reflection, lead us to make significant decisions regarding the other characters of the novel. His character, on the other hand, cannot be looked upon in the same manner; it can be seen as dishonest and hypocritical, yet it is these negative characteristics that humanize him, allowing rea ders to relate to him as a person. What Nick thinks as the narrator is not always the same as what his character portrays. In just the third paragraph of this book, we learn that Nick is "inclined to reserve all judgments (Page 5)," but that his tolerance, "has a limit (Page 6)." True, his opinions might not be expressed in words, but it is important to realize that those opinions still exist. The narrator's role is to make us aware of Nick's "judgments," for his character neglects to respond to such feelings. Various techniques allow us to draw our own conclusions, the most interesting one being symbolism. The "foul dust" mentioned throughout the novel serves to corrupt everything it encounters. It is this foul dust that represents the lives of Daisy, Tom, and Jordan. After all, they are all immoral characters. A word such as dust successfully gives off a negative ambiance, but for Nick to go the step further and declare such dust to be "foul" truly represents his disapproval of their actions. Thus, without proclaimi ng his opinion in the form of words, Nick presents it openly through symbolism for us to see. However, even though we know that Nick as the narrator, reflecting back on that summer, did not see the three to be honorable people, he still spent a great deal of time with them.

The Work-Study Program of Full-Time and Part-Time Students

There are many similarities and differences between full and part-time students. Each student is trying for the goal of educating themselves to become more successful in life. As students begin their education there is a sense of motivation and eagerness. Knowing the possible compensations and honor that comes with this achievement. There can be a feeling of tension and uncertainty that comes with this new adventure. If an individual does not become discarded, and is willing to except the challenge of this feat, there is no limit to the success one can attain in their life. Students receive their degree at different times in their lives depending on their finances, responsibilities and time restraints. Full-time students are generally younger, and just out of high school. Full-time students must take a minimum number of courses, generally 12 or more semester hours. They normally have a set semester schedule of daytime or nighttime classes to choose from. They are often eligible for financial aid, or work-study programs because of the higher cost for a higher education. They may also receive a number of scholarships to help pay for their education. Full-time students usually do not have a family or as many outside responsibilities. They usually only have a part-time job and still live at home with their parents. The time restraints that full-time students have are homework, studying and fitting their job schedule into their school schedule. These students can complete a full degree program in about 4 – 5 years. Part-time students are generally older, and living on their own. For part-time students it takes a longer time to achieve the goal of graduation. Many students can not afford to go to college on a full-time basis because of the cost of education. They are often not eligible for financial aid or work-study programs because they take as few as 1 – 3 semester hour courses. Scholarships are usually not offered to part-time students. They do not normally have the problem of course overload, unless they are taking too many courses at once, while trying to work full-time. At times even one course can be too much to handle, depending on the student†s home situation. Part-time students often have additional responsibilities of home and family, and must handle their other responsibilities in addition to school. Often, part-time students are taking classes to help them in their career. Some professions require taking classes to continue their education and are taken on a part-time basis to enhance their work skills. These types of classes are normally taken evenings, weekends or holiday breaks. Part-time students sometimes have a difficult time finding the courses they need at the time they need them. It may take months or years before needed courses are offered. Whether the student is going to a university or a community college, they must consider all possibilities before entering college. If you have a full-time job or career, one would usually become a part-time student. If money in not an issue, a full-time route would probably be taken. If family is an issue, a student may decide to go part-time. Either way a student goes, the goal of a diploma can be achieved. Both full and part-time students consider their finances, responsibilities and time restraints to accomplish a higher education. Regardless of the time frame in which each person may fulfill this goal, there is usually a feeling of success, pride, and relief in knowing that graduation is at hand. Through many hours of strenuous research and sacrifice, an individual can put their knowledge towards their desired profession. This accomplishment of success is not only measured by financial rewards, but also knowing that this knowledge will help many others.

Fluency & Learning Essay

The purpose of this paper is to specify an interesting story and design reading activities around it to increase the reading fluency of students. The paper starts with a synopsis of The Cay, a tale of survival, in which a young boy is blinded by a severe blow on the back of his head while his ship which makes him entirely dependent on Timothy. The adventurous nature of this story makes it interesting for the students to read and carry out different activities on it, thus contributing to their reading fluency The Cay The book is written by Theodore Taylor. The story deals with a young boy’s misconceptions about race and a black sea man, Timothy, with whom he gets shipwrecked on a deserted island. The young boy, Philip, is blinded by a severe blow on the back of his head while his ship was destroyed by the enemy torpedo. This makes him entirely dependant on Timothy, at least initially through his stay at the island. As Philip explores the island and learns the art of survival and relies less on Timothy, their relationship and mutual respect grows for each other, when they learn to survive and live within the means available at the island. Their struggle to face the odds and survive on an isolated island with no food and water, indeed makes this an interesting tale of survival. (Polette, 1995) I’ll be employing following five different activities for the children to work with the story. Student-Adult Reading In student-adult reading, the class will be divided into small groups and each group will be assigned a chapter from the novel to read. The student will read out loud from the novel with me while the rest of the children listen. I will read the text first, which will actually give the student a model of fluent reading. This is followed by the student reading the same text, while I would assist and encourage him or her during the process. I would repeat this process with individual student until the subject gains fluency in reading the particular passage. (Fluency & Learning to Read – Reading Fluency) c In this activity the students will read a particular passage from the novel along with me as a group. To carry out this activity, each student will be provided his/her own copy of the novel. I would read a particular passage starting from the first chapter so that the children begin to comprehend the story ad they are familiarized with the words. After reading a particular passage I would re-read the passage aloud to model fluent reading but this time asking the students to join in and read the passage along with me. This would be repeated three to five times on selected days of the week. At the end of this routine students should be able to read the text independently. (Reading Fluency, 2002) Tape-assisted Reading This activity follows a different method. Students are supposed to read from their books while they hear and follow a fluent reader read the text from the book on an audiotape. For this activity to be a success the recorded voice should be reading the text at about 80-100 words per minutes. Each student must have his/her copy of the novel in front of him/her and the recorded voice should be loud and audible. To start with, student should point along the text with his finger while listening to the recorded voice. After this practice the student must read out the text aloud with the tape. Reading the text loud with the tape must continue until the student gains fluency and can read the material without the support of the recorded voice. Fluency is important in readind as it allows the particiants to groud words together and focus more on their meanning rather than decoding the text. On the other hand less fluet readers direct more attention towards word recognition than comprehension of the given text. The above mentioned exercise is therefore aimed at easing the hesitation in reading. (Fluency, 2001) Partner Reading Partner reading is an activity which involves a couple of students taking turns to read the text aloud to each other. This would turn out to be an effective reading practice in which fluent readers can be paired with less fluent ones. The less fluent reader will use the fluent reader’s style of expression as a model and learn quickly. The better skilled reader provides help to the weak reader with word recognition and assists him in the process. Another approach to partner reading is check list reading where both the partners are given checklists. After explaining the students how they can change the pitch of their voice to make it more realistic, each students is asked to read out the passage to their respective partners thrice following the above instructions. At the end each students submits a report regarding their partner’s fluency which can be improved upon in the next session. (Murray) Readers’ theatre Readers’ theatre involves students rehearsing and performing a play for their fellow students and friends. Characters from the novel can be assigned to different students who can then act out the play by reading from their individual scripts derived from the novel. ‘The Cay’ will be a suitable book for this practice as it is rich in dialogues. This kind of activity makes reading more appealing and enhances fluency by providing students with the opportunity to interact with their peers on a different level. References Fluency & Learning to Read – Reading Fluency. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 2008, from http://www. time4learning.com/readingpyramid/fluency. htm Fluency. (2001). Retrieved July 2008, from Reading Rockets: http://www. readingrockets. org/teaching/reading101/fluency Murray, D. B. (n. d. ). Developing Reading Fluency. Retrieved July 2008, from http://www. auburn. edu/%7Emurraba/ Polette, N. (1995). The Cay by Theodore Taylor. Retrieved July 2008, from http://www. nancypolette. com/LitGuides/cay. pdf Reading Fluency. (2002). Retrieved July 2008, from http://readingserver. edb. utexas. edu/downloads/primary/guides/Fluency_Presentation. PDF

Race Matters Essay

In America, society likes to believe that America is a Color Blind Society. They say they don’t see race, but just Americans. It has been noted that whites who are exposed to images or shows of upper-middle-class blacks, like the Huxtable family in The Cosby Show, the Kyle family in My Wife and Kids or the Banks family in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, believe that blacks have the same socioeconomic opportunities as whites (Gallagher 94). Media is one of the main reasons why people in today’s society might believe that America is a Color Bind Society with television shows, like the ones stated above, and celebrities, like Jay Z and P-Diddy, who are doing very well for themselves. A 1997 Gallup poll found that most whites believe that blacks have â€Å"as good a chance as whites† in the community in finding jobs and a Kaiser Family 1997 Poll found that most whites believe that blacks are doing at least as well or better than whites in income and educational attainme nt (Gallagher 98). However black men, over the age of 25, had a 12.3 percent unemployment rate in 2012 while white men, over the age of 25, had a 6.1 percent unemployment rate in 2012 (Bureau of Labor Statistics: House Hold Data Annual Averages). With that being said, in 2010, the educational attainment of black men was 17.7 percent, slightly lower than the year before, while the educational attainment of white men was 30.8 percent, slightly higher than the year before. Black men are at a disadvantage. They are already deemed as a threat to society, a stereotypical threat that is. With cases like Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis and even as far back as the case of Emmett Till, it is obvious that when a person sees a black man they will associate them with trouble. First it was whistling at a white woman, now it is a hooded sweatshirt or playing loud music in a car (Harris-Perry). â€Å"But always, this one thing has been the same. No presumption of innocence for young black men. No benefit of the doubt. Guilt not determined by what they did or said–but presumed to be inherent in their very being. They need not wield a weapon to pose a threat. Because, if you are a young, black man, who you are is threat enough† (Harris-Perry). This paper will prove how America is not a Color Blind Society through statistics and cases of how race matters, in regards to blacks especially black men. It started as early as how skin got its color. Human skin gets its color  from melanin. The primary function of melanin is to protect the skin from being damaged by the sun. Since humans are not hairy like mammals, the hairlessness exposes humans to radiation hazards, such as ordinary sunburn, but it can even expose humans to skin cancers, including malignant melanoma, which is one of the deadliest diseases (Harris 7). Humans saw race and color as early as 6000 B.C. depending on what side of the equator a person lived on (Harris 9). In Europe, fair-skin was preferred because they tended to grow up and be taller, stronger and healthier than their darker siblings, so in that part of the world white was beautiful, or preferred, because white was healthy. In the equatorial latitudes, however, it was quite the opposite since vitamin D was never in short supply, and rickets and osteomalcia were rare, darker children were preferred because they were usually free from disfiguring and lethal malignancies. In that part of the world, black was beautiful, or preferred, because black was healthy (Harris 9). If society were Color Blind, then color wouldn’t have mattered. A parent wouldn’t choose certain children simply because they happened to be lighter or darker. Natural selection, or survival of the fittest, and cultural selection, when society selects cultural traits that will enhance the survival of a civilization, wouldn’t apply to color, but it would apply to things people can actually obtain or change. A person can’t change their skin color unless they try tanning or bleaching, which holds problems in itself. As a society, race is seen. Blacks are seen as thugs, people of Arabic descent are seen as terrorist, and whites are seen as the workers, or elite. People of Arabic descent who wear traditional clothing might be stared and ridiculed at on a regular day, but imagine if that were to happen on 9/11; many people would either fear them, or be racist towards them. That wouldn’t happen to a white person on the anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing. In The Lost Boys of Sudan, a documentary on two Sudanese refugees who leave Africa and come to America so they can start a new and better life, a group of them were asked to stop traveling in packs because store clerks were threatened by them, but in all actuality they travel in packs because they are the ones that are scared. The unknown is scary, and they are in an unfamiliar country. It is common knowledge that during the pre-Civil War era, blacks were kept ignorant but physically strong, especially black men. Blacks were not supposed to read because an educated black would begin to understand that their treatment was wrong, and not just of the norm. An educated black would’ve known that something could be done about their treatment. Many whites slave owners believed that educated blacks could start a riot especially since they were kept physically strong. Race was seen in slavery days, even within the slaves and servants. A white worker was called a servant had to be paid and were in low supply, which is why they turned to slaves who worked for free and in high supply (Zinn 9). They were viewed as property, not humans. They could be auctioned off like a person auctions off his car, these days. Race was seen back in those days, and it is still seen today. A study showed that if a black man pushed a white man, 75 percent saw it as violence were as 6 percent saw it has horsing around or dramatic. In contrast, if a white man pushed a black man 17 percent saw it as violence and 42 percent saw it has horsing around or dramatic. â€Å"America’s nightmare. Young black and didn’t give a fuck† (Menace II Society 1993). This referred to a young black male who was deemed a menace to society. A person would rarely, if ever, use the term menace to society to describe a young white male; they would use a term like â€Å"troubled teen.† Teenagers are known for being reckless and careless, a Color Blind Society would have said America’s nightmare: young and didn’t give a fuck, but since black was added, it shows people that race matters. Black isn’t desirable it is feared. White is desirable, even Hitler tried to make blond haired, blue eyed society. No one has ever successfully tried to make a black only society. Race is a social concept because the idea of race has changed so much over time (Omi & Winant 18). In contemporary British politics the term black was referring to anyone being nonwhite (Omi & Winant 19). But a Jamaican or Latino would be offended being called black because one, they are not black, and two, black is not desirable. It has been noted that black men are frequently stopped and frisked by the police whether they are driving a car or just walking down the street. Black  men, especially those who live in New York, have encountered many impromptu frisking. Although blacks only makeup 23.4 percent of the New York City population, they make up 53 percent of the New York police stops. In Contrast, Whites, Asians and Native Americans make 47.3 percent of the New York City population, but they make up 13.3 percent of the New York police stops. This means a black person is about four times more likely to be pulled over in New York than White, Asian or Native American person, but society wonders why blacks are disproportionally represented in prisons. Even more specifically more black men were stopped by the NYPD in 2011 than there are black men in New York City. Black men only make up 1.9 percent of the New York City Population, but make up 25.6 percent of NYPD stops. Black men are feared that is why police stop them. They stop them because police believe that they are up to no good. The way they dress may be a factor but it is not the reason they are stopped and frisked so frequently because the police have no problem stopping and frisking a well-groomed black man. Since 2003, the NYPD stop and frisks have increased by 600 percent (Mathias 2012). They have even gone as far as stopping and frisking people in their buildings, with their landlord’s permission. It is called â€Å"Operation Clean Halls†, which has been in effect since 1991. It allows police to do â€Å"vertical patrols† that allows them to go into private buildings and do stop-and-frisk searches in hallways. Almost every private building in the B ronx allows Operation Clean Halls, which population coincidentally has 30.1 percent blacks (2010 Census). In the first three months, last year, the NYPD stopped and frisked people 203,500 times. Two men sued the NYPD because they were forced out of their livery cabs and were searched by cops. Both men accused police of racial profiling and unlawful searches. Being able to pull a person out of their cab and search them should be illegal. It is understandable that the police want to minimize crime in their cities, but people still have the right under the Fourth Amendment to not have to undergo any unlawful search and seizures. About 15,000 police stops over the last six years are unconstitutional and lack legal justification and 9 out of 10 of those stopped in 2011 were not even arrested, which in other words means, had little to no reason to be stopped. The police shouldn’t have the right to search a person without probable cause. Race is not probable cause. Actually the â€Å"crime control policies of the Regan and Bush administration in the 1980s, which many academics believe to be partially responsible for the increased use of policing tactics such as racial profiling, have been disastrous for minorities, particularly young Black males. Likewise, young males, especially young Black males in their late teens and early twenties, are disproportionately represented in arrest statistics and thus, as a social group are often the targets of the police. In recent years, however, as racial profiling emerged as a highly visible intersection of racism and policing, the broader problem of racially biased policing has become considerably more important† (Reitzel & Piquero). Racial profiling also proves how America is not a Color Blind Society. Pulling over, unreasonable and unethical stop and frisks, stereotypes etc. are all ways proving America sees race. Those all prove that race and color matter to some, if not most, if not all. The Trayvon Martin case opened a lot of questions on racial profiling that had been ignored before. Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old black male who was gunned down by a 28-year-old Hispanic American male on February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida. George Zimmerman, Trayvon Martin’s murderer, saw Martin come into the neighbor and called the police because he looked suspicious. Martin had on a hoodie and sweatpants, something most kids these days wear especially when it’s a rainy day. Martin was walking to his father’s house who lived in the neighborhood and talking on the phone with his girlfriend holding a bag of skittles and an iced tea because he had just left the store. Although the dispatcher told Zimmerman to wait for the police to get there, Zimmerman took it upon himself to follow Martin. There was a brawl and a gunshot was fired. Martin was pronounced dead at about 7:15 that night. No one canvassed the area to see if anyone knew Martin because they assumed he was trespassing. No one uses Martin’s cell phone to locate his family. Martin’s own father thought he was missing for three days because they said he was a John Doe in the morgue. His body was even tested for drugs and alcohol. Although Zimmerman admitted to murdering Martin, he was only questioned and released and no charges were brought against him, the night of the incident. Zimmerman wasn’t charged with Martin’s murder until April 11, 2012, almost a month and half after the incident. Many people  argued Zimmerman was not arrest because there were ambiguities, but since he admitted to the murder the prosecutor should bring upon those ambiguities during trial. Other argued Zimmerman was not arrested due to the Stand Your Ground Law. The Stand Your Ground Law clearly states, a person is not allowed to use deadly force, unless, â€Å"He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony† (Hutchinson 2012). In that case, the Stand Your Ground Law should’ve protected Martin. Zimmerman chased Martin. Zimmerman had a gun while Martin was unarmed. Therefore, Martin was the victim, but since he was a black man, he was deemed as a threat. America clearly didn’t get the message because close to a year after the death of Trayvon Martin, the death of Jordan Davis arose in Jacksonville, Florida. Jordan Davis was another 17-year-old black male shot to death. Michael Dunn, a 45-year-old white man, murdered him but unlike the Trayvon Martin shooting, there were witnesses. Dunn allegedly told Davis and three other men in the car to turn down their music, but after a few negative words were exchanged between Dunn and Davis, shots were fired. Again, the murderer tried to go for self-defense under the Stand Your Ground Law in Florida. Davis was unarmed, like Martin. Davis was the victim but still he was deemed as a threat. Unlike the Martin case, it only took a month for Dunn to be convicted of first-degree murder, however, Zimmerman is still not convicted and his trial begins June 10, 2013. Even before Jordan Davis and Trayvon Martin, there was Emmett Till. Till was a 14-year-old boy from Chicago who was visiting relatives in Mississippi. On the night of August 24, 1955, Till allegedly approached a white woman in a grocery store. While the stories are unclear of what Till actually did, the husband of the white woman, Roy Bryant, was offended. Bryant thought his wife’s honor was tarnished after being approached by a black boy. A few nights after the incident, Bryant and his half brother, J. W. Milam, kidnapped Till, beat him, shot him, after seeing a picture of a white woman in his wallet, and then threw him into the river. Although Bryant and Milam were charge with murder, an all-male, all-white jury acquitted them. Bryant  and Milam told the truth to an Alabama reporter, William Bradford Hule, since they could not be charged again due to the Fifth Amendment. Emmett Till wasn’t a threat. He didn’t hurt the white woman. His murder was premeditated. He was taken from a relative’s home, beaten and killed, but they couldn’t just stop there. They couldn’t just leave his body there. They took his lifeless body and throw it into the river hoping it would never be discovered, leaving his family wondering. Jordan Davis wasn’t a threat. He was shot in a car for playing loud music. The police found no weapons in the vehicle. Trayvon Martin wasn’t a threat; an armed man chased him down. He tried to fight back which resulted in his death. After his death, no one tried to locate his family but instead left him in the morgue to rot because they assumed he was trespassing in the neighborhood. Proper protocol was not used with the arrest of his murderer. It took over a month for him to be arrested, even after Zimmerman admitted to the murder since there were ambiguities, they let him go after questioning. All those cases would have been handled different if national attention wouldn’t have shinned light on the wrongdoing. It’s not always about putting someone in jail, but fixing the problem. The consequences to not having a Color Blind Society leads to things like racial profiling, racism as a whole, stereotypes, bullying etc. It also leads to minorities not being able to have a fair chance at life. When people hear things like, 5 percent of blacks with a criminal record will get a call back in terms of jobs, while 17 percent of whites with a criminal record will get a call back in terms of jobs and 14 percent of blacks without a criminal record will get a call back in terms of jobs, while 34 percent of whites without a criminal record will get a call back in terms of jobs, in enrages people (Pager 233). However, it also opens the eyes of a lot of people. Race matters when it comes to jobs. It has been noted that if two exact resumes were turned into a job, but the names were different. The person with the â€Å"traditionally white† name would be called back before a person with a â€Å"traditional black† or â€Å"ghetto† name. It also matters when a white man receives three times as many job offers as an equally qualified black who interviewed for the same positions (Gallagher 98). But not only are minorities just not called back for jobs, but Black and Hispanic job applications suffer blatant and easily identifiable discrimination one in every five times they apply for a job (Gallagher 99). In fact, many blacks are overqualified for the jobs they hold (Sterba 124). .Race matters when it comes to the war on drugs. Since 53 percent of juvenile drug offenses are by blacks while 26 percent of juvenile drug offenses are by whites (America’s Racial Report Card 410). However, in terms of the usage of drugs, whites use drugs more than blacks, but since blacks are more likely to be arrested for drugs because they are more likely to be searched, blacks makeup a large percentage of prisons. The purpose for the war on drugs is to stop the usage and distribution of drugs, however, since the police force mainly focuses on black usage and distribution of drugs, the war on drugs will remain a war. Race matters when it comes to getting loans for housing. Since minority applicants are 50 percent more likely to be denied a loan than white applicants of equivalent economic status. More specifically, blacks seeking loans are two to three times more likely to be rejected than whites and blacks were 12 times more likely to be rejected tan whites at the highest level of assets and collateral (Gallagher 98), which is the reason why it is harder for black to remain middle class. Last, but certainly not least, race matters when it comes to education. Although blacks are at a low percentile when it comes to attending college or university, those who actually earn a degree still face racial inequalities. Blacks with a bachelor’s degree earn as much as $15,180 less than their white counterparts and although native-white males make up only 41 percent of the United States population, they comprise 80 percent of all tenured professors, 97 percent of all school superintendents, and 97 percent of all argil positions in Fortune 100 industrial and Fortune 500 service companies (Sterba 123). With those statistics, minorities don’t stand a chance because even when they try to better themselves and get an education or a job, they face discrimination. They face hardships. They face inequality. If race didn’t matter there wouldn’t be a black history month, where people highlight the â€Å"first blacks† to do something, or the blacks who stood for change. If race didn’t matter there wouldn’t be Census specifying gender and race, such as the unemployment rates, dropout rates, poverty rates, or educational attainment rates of blacks, or more specifically, of black men. If race didn’t matter, Trayvon Martin wouldn’t even be dead from the result of George Zimmerman’s gun because Zimmerman wouldn’t have followed him because he would have never looked â€Å"suspicious.† If race didn’t matter, no  one would have cared that Roy Bryant was white and that he killed an innocent black boy, but that a young child was dead in result of the rage of a husband. If race didn’t matter, some statistics wouldn’t even be relevant because most statistics foundatio n is based off of racial inequality. Most importantly, if race didn’t matter, something else would. America is not a Color Blind Society, which has been showed through statistics and the cases of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis and Emmett Till. America notices race more than anything else. America first sees black then sees a black man. A person looks at news reports and it would state the race before anything. People wouldn’t know how to function in a Color Blind Society because race has matter for so long, racism is becoming the norm.