Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Slavery in the chocolate industry

Subjection in the Chocolate Industry Chocolate is a result of the cacao bean which develops fundamentally in the tropical atmospheres of West Africa and Latin America. The cacao bean is all the more normally alluded to as cocoa, so that is the term we will use all through. Two West African nations, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, flexibly 75% of the world's cocoa advertise. [l] The cocoa they develop and gather is offered to an assortment of chocolate organizations, including the absolute biggest on the planet. As of late, a bunch of associations and Journalists have uncovered the far reaching utilization of kid work, and now and again subjection, on West African cocoaSince that time, the business has gotten progressively mysterious, making it hard for columnists to not just access ranches where human rights infringement despite everything happen, except to then disperse this data to people in general. For instance, in 2004 a columnist was seized and stays missing today. [4] More as of la te, three columnists from an every day paper were kept by government experts in the Ivory Coast in the wake of distributing an article about government debasement identified with the cocoa business. 5] The ranches of West Africa flexibly cocoa to universal mammoths such s Hersheys, Mars and Nestlâ © †uncovering the industrys direct association with youngster work, human dealing and subjugation. chocolate contentl The Worst Forms of Child Labor In West Africa, cocoa is a product crop developed fundamentally for send out. As the chocolate business has become throughout the years, so has the interest for modest cocoa. Today, cocoa ranchers scarcely get by selling the beans and regularly resort to the utilization of kid work so as to keep their costs competitive.The offspring of West Africa are encircled by extreme destitution and most start working at a youthful age to help bolster their family. A few youngsters end up on the cocoa ranches since they need work and they are told t he compensation is acceptable. Other kids are â€Å"sold† by their own family members to dealers or to the ranch proprietors, and it has likewise been recorded that dealers frequently kidnap the little youngsters from little towns in neighboring African nations, for example, Burkina Faso and Mali. [3] Once they have been taken to the cocoa cultivates, the youngsters may not see their families for a considerable length of time, if ever.When a kid is conveyed to the ranch by a relative, that relative gathers a whole of cash either straightforward or toward the finish of a concurred term of work. Lamentably, the family members don't understand that the kids will be presented to a perilous workplace and denied of instruction. The majority of the youngsters are between the ages of 12-16, however kids as youthful as 7 have wind up chipping away at the cocoa cultivates through adulthood. A kid's workday starts at dawn and finishes at night. The kids climb the cocoa trees and cut the bean units utilizing a machete.These enormous, substantial, perilous blades are the standard instruments for kids on the cocoa ranches. When the bean units have been cut from the trees, the youngsters pack the cases into huge sacks and help or cloth them through the woodland. â€Å"Some of the sacks were taller than me. It took two individuals to put the sack on my head. Also, when you didn't hustle, you were beaten. â€Å"[2] †Aly Diabate, previous cocoa slave. Holding a solitary enormous unit in one hand, the youngsters hit the case with the cleaver and pry it open with the tip of the sharp edge, uncovering the cocoa beans. Each strike of the cleaver can possibly seriously cut a kid's fingers or hand.Virtually every youngster has scars on the hands, arms, legs or shoulders from mishaps with the blade. Notwithstanding the perils of utilizing a cleaver, kids are likewise ordinarily presented to gricultural synthetic concoctions on the West African cocoa ranches. [3] Tropical locales, for example, the Ivory Coast reliably need to manage productive creepy crawly populaces and decide to shower the units with a lot of mechanical agrarian synthetic concoctions. Without defensive gear, kids as youthful as 12 shower the cases with unsafe synthetics. [6] The homestead proprietors regularly furnish the kids with the most cheap food accessible, for example, corn glue and bananas. 2] now and again, the youngsters rest on wooden boards in little austere structures with no entrance to clean water or sterile athrooms. [2] Again, they may live in these conditions for a considerable length of time or even years. A large portion of the youngsters can't go to class while they are working, which is an infringement of the International Labor Organization (ILO) kid work guidelines. Denying these offspring of training has some present moment and long haul consequences for their lives. The offspring of the cocoa ranches have little any desire for ever breaking the pattern of poverty.Slavery as of late, cases have been reported in which youngsters and grown-ups on cocoa ranches were held without wanting to and compelled to work. 2] While the term â€Å"slavery' has an assortment of authentic settings, bondage in the cocoa business includes a similar center human rights infringement as different types of servitude all through the world. chocolate_content3Cases frequently include demonstrations of physical viciousness, for example, being whipped for working gradually or attempting to get away. [2] There have likewise been cases reported where kids and grown-ups were secured around evening time to keep them from of my life.I had seen other people who attempted to get away. At the point when they attempted they were seriously beaten. â€Å"[2] Drissa, an as of late liberated cocoa slave who had never at any point tasted chocolate, xperienced comparative conditions and when asked what he would tell the individuals who eat chocolate produced using slave wor k, he answered that the individuals appreciated something that he endured to make, including: â€Å"When individuals eat chocolate they are eating my substance. â€Å"†[8] Is sans slave Chocolate Possible? Until this point in time, generally little advancement has been made in diminishing and taking out kid work and servitude in the cocoa business of West Africa.The legislatures of Ghana and the Ivory Coast come up short on the assets expected to appropriately research and indict managers who disregard universal work laws. At any rate, they have consented to ork to dispose of what the ILO calls â€Å"the most exceedingly awful types of kid work. † These are characterized as practices â€Å"likely to hurt the wellbeing, security or ethics of children† and incorporate the utilization of â€Å"hazardous tools† and any work that â€Å"interferes with Currently, by far most of youngsters on West African cocoa ranches suffer â€Å"the most noticeably awful t ypes of kid labor† each day.Despite their job in adding to kid work, bondage, and human dealing, the chocolate business has not found a way to cure the issue. A progression of partnerships and oversight sheets may make great advertising, however cloud the reality cap the business has the ability to end the utilization of kid work and slave work by paying cocoa ranchers a living compensation for their item. The chocolate business is likewise being called upon to create and monetarily bolster projects to protect and restore youngsters who have been offered to cocoa farms.To date, the business has not focused on growing such a program. [9] chocolate_content2Are the Labels on Chocolate Meaningful? Beside enormous scope creation in West Africa, a lot of cocoa is likewise developed in Latin America. This is the place most of natural cocoa starts. 10] At this time, youngster work or potentially slave work have not been archived on these cocoa ranches. While it stays conceivable that some Latin American homesteads may utilize these practices, it is far-fetched and absolutely not across the board just like the case in West Africa.The truth is that purchasers today have no definite method of knowing whether the chocolate they are purchasing included the utilization of youngster work or slave work. There are a wide range of names on chocolate bars today, for example, Fair Trade Certified, nonetheless, no single mark can ensure that the chocolate was utilized exploitive work. In 010, the organizers of the Fair Trade Certification process needed to suspend a few of their West African providers because of proof that they were utilizing youngster work. 3] address the underlying drivers of â€Å"the most noticeably awful types of youngster labor† and servitude in West Africa. Be that as it may, the achievement of these endeavors will rely incredibly upon the veritable help or deficiency in that department from the chocolate business over the coming years. Proposa ls It is critical to offer manners by which individuals can settle on choices to put forth a valiant effort to not add to treacheries and brutalities associated with the food business. This issue is an ery troublesome one to completely access as the most genuine maltreatment are occurring over the world.However, that doesn't mean our duty is lessened since chocolate is without a doubt an extravagance (however some may feel in an unexpected way) and not a need like foods grown from the ground. Thinking about the entirety of this and taking a gander at the exploration that is accessible, as of now F. E. P. suggests that individuals don't accepting any chocolate sourced from territories in West African where youngster bondage is the most unavoidable. Questions : What are the fundamental, corporate and individual moral issues raised by this case? In your view, is the sort of youngster servitude talked about for this situation totally wrong nomatter what, or is it just moderately off-bas e, I. e. , in the event that one happens to live in a general public (likeours) that objects to subjugation? 3. Who partakes in the ethical duty regarding the subjection happening in the chocolateindustry: African ranchers? African governments? American chocolate organizations likeHershey, Mars, Nestle and Kraft nourishments? Merchants like Archer Daniels Midland Co. ,Barry Callebaut, and Cargill Inc? Buyers like you and I who think about thesituation however keep on buying polluted chocolate?

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Task 2 - Essay Example The numerical model introduced by the Deming was viewed as unreasonable model. The new methodology of business introduced by Deming requested to change the entire framework and totally rebuild the framework. Rebuilding the total framework made the model disputable. Deming’s idea of variety can be executed to the study hall by understanding the measurable hypothesis. With the usage of the measurable hypothesis, it is anything but difficult to lessen the effect of variety by actualizing and improving innovation, plan of the investigation and through legitimate preparing of staff and understudies. A wood cutting machine cuts wood signs into attractive estimated amble. Wood logs are physically embedded with the assistance of lifting machine and afterward the logs are cut into half and afterward equivalent measured equal portions of timber are cut. The regular variety factors are hardness of the wood logs, wear of the cutting edges and machine vibrations. A few times the size of the wood logs varies from each other. In the comparative way, now and then the cutting edge quits pivoting which is caused because of the error of the engine bearing. Deming gave a deliberate and scientific quality control instruction strategy that necessary science, statics, and mechanical designing administration. There is a need to create vision, encourage the understudies drew nearer to be fruitful, choice ought not just founded on viable expense, continually improve the framework, train the staff and recruit individuals with great information and abilities to educate, give direction to the understudies as opposed to being their masters, gain regard of the understudies as opposed to requesting the regard, reward the endeavors of the understudies, never rebuff the understudies however permit than to self develop themselves. Juran’s reasoning stresses that quality, creation and economy can be expanded by improving the administration. He depicted the three administration improving plans to improve the system’s

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

How to Be Optimistic When the World Around You Isnt

How to Be Optimistic When the World Around You Isnt Happiness Print Being Optimistic When the World Around You Isnt Its possible to look on the bright side even when no one else is By Amy Morin, LCSW facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do, and a highly sought-after speaker. Learn about our editorial policy Amy Morin, LCSW Updated on November 22, 2019  Eva Bee / Ikon Images / Getty Images More in Self-Improvement Happiness Meditation Stress Management Spirituality Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Technology Relationships View All Sometimes, it’s hard to be happy when you think about what’s going on in the world. It’s harder still when the people around you constantly complain about all those things that are happening. That doesn’t mean that you have to join ranks with the pessimists, though. In fact, it means it’s more important than ever to look on the bright side as much as possible. Benefits of Being Optimistic Choosing to be optimistic offers surprising benefits. A study from the University of Pittsburgh concluded that women who had an optimistic outlook had a 30 percent lower risk of heart disease. A University of Michigan study linked optimism to a lower risk of stroke. Additionally, research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that optimists are less likely to experience disabilities as they get older and end up living longer than pessimists. Optimism Is a Choice If you think you’re a natural-born pessimist and there’s no way you can turn your mindset around, think againâ€"research published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry compared two groups of people to test their thinking patterns. The first group completed a 5-minute exercise that involved thinking positive thoughts about their future, while the second group just went about their daily lives without making effort to think optimistically. The first group significantly increased their optimism over the two-week period, with many of them feeling more optimistic after just one day. If you want to become a more optimistic personâ€"despite the negativity surrounding youâ€"then you can take measures to think positively and spread that optimistic outlook to those around you. Decide to Be Optimistic You have choices in your life. You can spend the day cleaning or spend the day reading. You can go out to dinner or cook at home. You can have coffee with that long-lost friend or you can blow them off. And, finally, you can decide to be positive or you can just go on living like you are. Being an optimistic person in a negative world begins with the decision to be positive and choosing to live that life every single day. Avoid Positive Energy Vampires You might refer to them as “whiners” or even “toxic,” but however you refer to them, pessimists suck the positive energy out of the room. These people think the world revolves around them, and they often lack any sense of empathy for others. It’s important to establish healthy boundaries with people who chronically choose to stay stuck in their own misery. That may mean having to say things to a friend like, “I notice every time I offer you an idea about how you could make your situation better, you insist nothing will work. I am not sure I’m able to help.” It may also mean distancing yourself a bit from a relative who insists on sharing his latest predictions about the end of the world. Limit your media intake as well. Watching too many tragic stories on the news or consuming too much political news on social media can decrease your ability to maintain a “glass half full” outlook. Recognize Your Negative Thoughts It’s OK to acknowledge that bad things might happen. After all, ignoring reality isn’t helpful. In fact, being realistic could be the key to doing your best. If you’re excessively positive about an upcoming interview, you might not spend any time preparing because you’re confident you’ll land the job. If however, you have an exaggeratedly negative outlook, you might sabotage your chances of getting hired. Thinking, “No one will ever hire me,” will cause you to look and feel defeated when you walk into the interview room. Your lack of confidence may be the reason you don’t get hired. A healthy outlook would be to remind yourself that all you can do is your best and you’ll be OK, regardless of the outcome. Being optimistic helps you believe that brighter opportunities are on the horizon and you’re able to put in the effort to earn those opportunities. When you’re thinking negatively, take a moment to assess how realistic your thoughts truly are. Reframing your exaggeratedly negative thoughts into more realistic statements can help you maintain a healthy dose of optimism. Bestow Positivity on Others While it’s not your job to make everyone happy, it doesn’t hurt to perk up someone’s day. Once a day, share positive feedback with someone. At work, compliment someone about a good question raised in an email or salient points that they brought up in an important meeting. At home, praise your child for how hard they worked on their math homework. Or, tell your partner how much you appreciate them. Making other people feel positive has lasting effects on your own life. With that, don’t forget to bestow positivity on yourself. Before bed, think about what you did during the day. Even if it was a generally lackluster day, there’s bound to be something you can praise yourself for, whether it was keeping your cool when a driver cuts you off or wrapping up a project that has really been a challenge for you. Imagine a Positive Future It sounds kitschy, but writing down your ideas of an optimistic future can truly make a difference when it comes to your overall outlook. If you need a primer, here’s what to do: Spend 20 minutes on four consecutive days on writing down what you want to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next yearâ€"feel free to dream big. You can also consider a serious challenge you have in your life right now and think about possible positive outcomes. Practice Gratitude Thinking about all the things you have to be grateful for, from warm sunshine to clean water, can give you an instant boost of optimism. You might even decide to keep a gratitude journal, in which you write down everything that makes you crack a smile during the day. If nothing else, take a moment to stop, smile and be grateful for the good things in your life. Savor the moments that make it possible for you to have a good life. It’s hard to be optimistic without feeling gratitude toward those that helped you get to that happy place. While thinking about how grateful you are is helpful, sharing your gratitude with others provides added benefits. You’ll spread a bit of joy and cheer when you tell others how much you appreciate them. Write a letter to someone who made a positive impact on your life, whether it’s a teacher, a former boss or even your mom. If possible, deliver that letter in person.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

The Global Issue Of The Industrial Revolution - 2149 Words

The industrial revolution known for many things including the peak point where human population hit one billion. It took humans 130 years to hit two billion and as time moved on it took less and less time, the fifth billion only took 13 years to accomplish (Worldometers). It may have started as a great thing in the industrial revolution but now in the twenty-first century population has become a global issue. A global issue can be identified because it is not only affecting the whole human race, but also global in the sense that it affects the whole world. War and conflict, poverty, high cost of living, degradation of the environment, depletion of natural resources, and unemployment all caused by the ever growing human population. William Halal and Michael Marien identified, what is known as the Mega Crisis, â€Å"A global environmental and economic collapse or near collapse, along with attendant problems of rising prices, mass protests, wide-spread psychic stress, and lawlessness .† (Halal and Marien. 2011) and although I admire the work of these authors one aspect that they tend overlook is the connecting link between all trends leading to the Megacrisis, overpopulation. Over population is when the number of living humans is compared to the available resources, such as water and the essentials they need to survive. Imagine in some extraordinary event the world loses a quarter of its population, many of these trends mentioned and those identified by Halal and Marien wouldShow MoreRelatedSummary Of Kenneth Pomeranzs Political Economy And Ecology On The Eve Of Industrialization827 Words   |  4 Pagespublished titled â€Å"Political Economy and Ecology on the Eve of Industrialization: Europe, China, and the Global Conjuncture†. This was the works of Kenneth Pomeranz who provoked a distinctive question about China in relation to Great Britain around the 1800s. In his published book The Great Divergence, Pomeranz states that China and Great Brita in were on similar trails leading towards the Industrial Revolution until a â€Å"Great Divergence† arose during the 1800s that sent these two emerging nations towards diverseRead MoreThe Causal Chain Of Climate Change1405 Words   |  6 Pagesthis research paper, I will discuss what climate change is and what causes it. 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Developing countries do not understand the impact global warming has and how they should contribute to it while developedRead MoreTheories or Concept Practices of Developing Countries1234 Words   |  5 PagesCountries Developing nations have undergone many transformations in terms of governance, education, infrastructure, economy and on human rights issues. Developing countries have utilized a lot of concepts and practices in order to meet society needs. Over the last decade, African countries had dictatorial leaders, but since the beginning of this century, revolutions have taken place, a very good example is the fall of Gaddafis, Mubaraks governments in Libya and Egypt respectively. Democracy is  a processRead MoreGlobal Warming : Causes And Mitigation1319 Words   |  6 Pages Global Warming: Cause and Mitigation Global Warming: Cause and Mitigation Introduction The topic of global warming has received a lot of attention for the past couple of decades. The massive impacts and risks posed by this phenomenon on humans and environment have been severe, thus calling for swift attention. Basically, globalization refers to the rise of average temperature of oceans and earth’s atmosphere. Global warming is a reality which has faced the human society for over aRead MoreApplications For Real World Problems1534 Words   |  7 Pagesor her knowledge of the pure sciences to make practical applications for real world problems is by definition an engineer. Engineers are the people who create solutions to issues that the world faces on a daily basis, from miniscule problems such as creating a more ergonomic workplace to large scale issues such as global warming. Without engineers the world would not be as advanced as it is today, we would all still be clueless about electricity, we wouldn’t have the advanced knowledge on spaceRead MoreThe Concepts Following Sociological Imagination675 Words   |  3 PagesSociological imagination defines our unique abilities and to let us be ourselves no matter the circumstances. TROUBLES AND ISSUES Sociological Imagination is concerned with aspects such as â€Å"troubles and issues† of individuals and tries to find ways of resolving them. Troubles are difficulties that are faced individuals but they tend to have control over them, where else issues are difficulties that affect not only individuals but groups of people and they mostly have little or no control over them

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Essay Gilgamesh and John Campbells Heros Journey

When reading Gilgamesh, it is not uncommon for many to relate the tales protagonist to John Campbells theory on the twelve steps of a Heros journey, which characterizes the typical progression of most epic stories. However, I make the claim that, as per Campbells theory, it is not Gilgamesh himself who is the hero of the tale. Rather, Gilgamesh and his ally Enkindu combine to form the single hero of the story, with Enkindu actually meeting most of Campbells criteria. Together, both characters symbolize one hero who embodies mankinds yearning to â€Å"incarnate unearthly covenants† (Campbell, 1968, p. 3), consistent with Campbells views on mythology. The tale begins with an exposition describing Gilgamesh and Enkindus daily life.†¦show more content†¦The fact that the trapper requires Shamat to remove the man from his woods and â€Å"overpower† Enkidu implies that the wild man would have refused his â€Å"call to adventure† had Shamat not been there. This initial rejection to adventure satisfies Campbells third criteria that a Hero will initially refuse this call. Gilgamesh, in contrast, arguably lacked this criteria entirely; While it can be argued that Enkidus intervention in the marital chamber when Gilgamesh tried to rape the newly wedded woman – and the subsequent brawl that occurred as a result - could have served to meet Campbells second and third criteria, these events would not have happened had Enkidu not been called first. Enkidu also profoundly meets Campbells fourth and fifth criteria; meeting the mentor and crossing the threshold. At this point in the story, Gilgamesh has yet to truly fulfill any of Campbells steps. Arguably, then, Gilgamesh is not a hero during this first leg of the tale; rather, he serves as Enkindus mentor. Mentors are significant because they often provide the hero with guidance and wisdom, which requires these figures to have some sort of superiority over the hero. It is clear, then, that Gilgamesh is a guide; not only is he, being royalty and part god, higher on the social hierarchy than Enkidu, it is also established throughout the poem that Gilgamesh has â€Å"mightier [in] strength† (Anonymous , n.d.). Gilgamesh also must have more wisdom than Ekindu, as, most of

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Universal Healthcare Persuasive Free Essays

The United States is the only developed nation without universal health care coverage, and the current state of affairs is bankrupting millions. the United States spends more on health care per an individual than any other nation, the World Health Organization reports that the United States only ranks 28th for life expectancy and 37th for mortality of children under the age of 5. For immunizations, the United States ranks 67th – Botswana is 66th. We will write a custom essay sample on Universal Healthcare Persuasive or any similar topic only for you Order Now More than 46 million Americans go uninsured each day, 9 million of whom are children. Some believe that universal health care would bankrupt America, but the Congressional Budget Office found that it would actually save $100 to $200 billion dollars per a year, according to the Connecticut Coalition for Universal Health Care. The cost of health care in the United States is also costing American jobs. To avoid hefty insurance premiums, American businesses have moved offices out of the States. Health Care Statistics in the United States Health Insurance. The United States is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not have a universal health care system. Source: Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences In 2010, the percentage of Americans without health insurance was 16. 3%, or 49. 9 million uninsured people. Source: US Census Bureau Of the 83. 7% of people with health insurance in 2010, coverage was 55. 3% employment-based, 9. 8% direct-purchase, and 31. 0% government funded (Medicare, Medicaid, Military). (Overlap reflects coverage by more than one type of health insurance). Source: US Census Bureau The primary reason given for lack of health insurance coverage in 2005 was cost (more than 50%), lost job or a change in employment (24%), Medicaid benefits stopped (10%), ineligibility for family insurance coverage due to age or leaving school (8%). Source: National Center for Health Statistics More than 40 million adults stated that they needed but did not receive one or more of these health services (medical care, prescription medicines, mental health care, dental care, or eyeglasses) in 2005 because they could not afford it. Source: National Center for Health Statistics Medicaid, which accounted for 15. 9% of health care coverage in 2010, is a health insurance program jointly funded by the federal and state governments to provide health care for qualifying low-income individuals. Source: US Census Bureau Medicare, a federally funded health insurance program that covers the health care of most individuals 65 years of age and over and disabled persons, accounted for 14. 5% of health care coverage in 2010. Source: US Census Bureau Medicare operates with 3% overhead, non-profit insurance 16% overhead, and private (for-profit) insurance 26% overhead. Source: Journal of American Medicine 2007 Since the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was created in 1997, the percentage of children ages 0-17 with health insurance has increased from 86% to 93%. Source: National Center for Health Statistics: December 2011 2. 5 million young adults have gained health insurance as a result of the provision in the Affordable Care Act that allows them to remain on their parents insurance plans until age 26. Source: National Center for Health Statistics: December 2011 Health Care Expenditures Health care expenditures in the United States were nearly $2. 6 trillion in 2010, an average of $8,402 per person. Source: Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services In 2009, national health care expenditures were paid by households 28%, private businesses 21%, state and local governments 16%, and federal government 27%. Source: Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services 75% of all health care dollars are spent on patients with one or more chronic conditions, many of which can be prevented, including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, lung disease, high blood pressure, and cancer. Source: Health Affairs Half of health care spending is used to treat just 5% of the population. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2012 Since 2001, employer-sponsored health coverage for family premiums has increased by 113%. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2012 The share of the economy devoted to health care has increased from 7. 2% in 1970 to 17. 9% in 2009 and 2010. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2012 The U. S. spends substantially more on health care than other developed countries. As of 2009, health spending in the U. S. was about 90% higher than in many other industrialized countries. The most likely causes are higher prices, more readily accessible technology, and greater obesity. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2012 Infant Mortality In 2005, the United States ranked 30th in infant mortality. Singapore has the lowest rate with 2. 1 deaths per 1000 live births, while the United States has a rate of 6. 9 deaths per 1000 live births. Infant mortality is considered an important indicator of the health of a nation. Source: CDC, NCHS Data Brief, Number 23, November 2009 Approximately 30,000 infants die in the United States each year. The infant mortality rate, which is the risk of death during the first year of life, is related to the underlying health of the mother, public health practices, socioeconomic conditions, and availability and use of appropriate health care for infants and pregnant women. Sources: CDC and National Center for Health Statistics, 2008 The main cause contributing to the high infant mortality rate in the United States is the very high percentage of preterm births. One in 8 births in the United States were born preterm, an increase of 36% since 1984. Source: CDC, NCHS Data Brief, Number 23, November 2009 Life Expectancy Life expectancy at birth in the United States is an estimated 78. 49 years, which ranks 50th in highest total life expectancy compared to other countries. Source: CIA Factbook (2011) Lack of health insurance is associated with as many as 44,789 deaths per year in the United States. Source: Harvard Medical School Study, American Journal of Public Health, December 2009 People without health insurance had a 40 percent higher risk of death than those with private health insurance, a result of being unable to obtain necessary medical care. Source: Harvard Medical School Study, American Journal of Public Health, December 2009 Bankruptcy Nearly two-thirds, or 62%, of all bankruptcy filings in the United States in 2007 were due to illness or medical bills. Source: American Journal of Medicine, June 2009 Among the medical bankruptcy filers in 2007, most were well-educated, owned homes, employed in middle-class occupations, and three-quarters had health insurance. Source: American Journal of Medicine, June 2009 Everyone has the right to health, including health care, according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Health care is a public good, not a commodity. The U. S. health care system must fulfill these principle s†¢Universality: Everyone in the United States has the human right to health care. †¢Equity: Benefits and contributions should be shared fairly to create a system that works for everyone. †¢Accountability: The U. S. government has a responsibility to ensure that care comes first. If you are against universal health care or don’t have an opinion on it at all, I urge you to read the following. I will attempt to simply and concisely prove why the United States needs to change its current health care system. In the United States of America, 44. 8 million people are without health insurance. Either they can’t afford it or they are denied coverage because the companies do not think they will be â€Å"economical enough†. Even if one does have medical insurance, chances are they will be denied coverage at one point in their life. This is due to the privatized, profit-driven system, which encourages legalese like co-pays, thresholds, limited coverage, and more. Our private system, contrary to popular belief, is incredibly expensive for the state. We give 15% of our GDP to healthcare for a system that is supposedly run by corporations. That’s the highest GDP percentage in the world that is spent on healthcare. Here’s why a universal healthcare system would be better for many reasons. Those who agree that health care is a basic human right (78% of Americans do) would easily list this as the first reason. Universal Health Care would also be cheaper. According to the WHO, the United States spends $3371 per person, per year for health insurance. Look at what these countries pay: Australia: $1017 (#2 in the world). Yeah. We pay three times as much as Australia, the number two country on the list, for a fundamentally broken system. And where does most of that money go? Into the pockets of big insurance company management. As for the doctor pay: Yes, doctors will be paid less. Perhaps as much as 30% less. In spite of this, doctors will still be one of the highest-paid professions in the United States, even with universal health care. Furthermore, under the new system that many are proposing, med school would be partially or completely subsidized by the government. Another argument often heard: â€Å"Taxes would spike†. Not if it’s done right. US government spending is SECOND-HIGHEST in the world per person, for a private system. Countries with Universal Health Care, like Australia, Canada, UK, etc. all have less government spending per person that us, and a better system. Same or less amount of spending means the same or less amount of taxes. Enough of the status quo. It’s time for change. It’s not just about voting with your heart, it’s about voting with your brain. Universal Health Care is the logical alternative. How to cite Universal Healthcare Persuasive, Essays

Sunday, May 3, 2020

A Day in Court Essay Example For Students

A Day in Court Essay I choose for my, â€Å"Day In Court assignment to venture to the Winchester County Circuit Court. It was a brisk, rainy Monday and to my own dismay the courthouse was nearly empty. The only cases in session were in, â€Å"2D† a smaller sized courtroom on the second floor. As I walked in and was met with wary eyes the judge started to call out a list of various names; Robert Delgado Pinto, Brandon Segfurd, Steve Everett, Joseph Holland, and Billy Kessner. I was very curious as to why the judge was calling out these various names. Then I figured out by scanning the courtroom that all the names listed were the civilians in the room waiting nervously to be called up to the stand. This certain Monday in the courthouse only consisted of appeals and recalls unfortunately. The first man called to the front of the room to stand before the judge along with his short Asian attorney was Brandon Segfurd. When Brandon stood before the judge, the judge made him swear an oath, raise his right hand and say, â€Å"I will tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help me god. I couldnt quite understand what the judge was saying, but it sounded as if Brandon’s case was due to a drug charge or DUI I wasnt certain. The judge turned to Brandon with an unflinching stare and asked him why he missed his June 26th court date? (Still not sure what the June 26th apt. was necessarily. ) Then the judge asked Brandon why he missed his ASAP class and ASAP apt. without notifying the judicial system. The next set of questions the judge asked Brandon consisted of, â€Å"Are you employed,† â€Å"What is your current address† â€Å"have you received these letters notifying you of your June 26th apt. â€Å"Where were you living during the time of June 26th? † In response to the serious, somewhat grim judge, the attorney answered with a pathetic cycle of excuses such as â€Å"victim of unexpected attack,† â€Å"financial issues had to change apartments,† â€Å"car crash made my client unaware and bedridden. † The judge didnt care for these silly excuses and said, â€Å"120 days previous jail sentence, 90 days suspended, 30 days served, next. † For the next 2-3 hours these appeals and so called recalls went on and on. The judge didn’t budge on any of the cases where the defendant skipped his previous court appts. Every single time the defendant was sentenced to 30-120 days of jail due to their incompetence. The judge in each appeal or so called â€Å"recall† (I honestly dont know the difference) case started off by making the defendant swear an oath, then asked them what their address was, where they currently live and so forth. The judge then would let the attorney have a rebuttal. The attorney would explain why their client missed his certain apt and ask for no jail time. The judge coldly declined the defendant’s plea each time, to my own amusement. The hot shot Bailiff who was super antsy, and annoyed during these 3 hours would then escort the defendant out of the courtroom Im assuming to transfer them to the Winchester County jail. All in all my experience at the Winchester County Circuit Court was very beneficial interesting. I am a criminal justice major and my goal in life is to end up working in law enforcement so to learn all the nuances of courtroom appeals recalls, and how testimonies work, was very compelling to me. I thought this assignment was very unique and to watch a down to business merciless judge do his thing was awesome.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Essays -

Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad I. Historical Analysis Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E), one of the longest regional railroads in the United States, was Created in 1986 out of a railroad line others wanted to abandon, DM&E has overcome adversities and met many challenges to gain a prominent position among the nations regional railroads. The railroad's mainline extends from the Mississippi River at Winona, Minnesota across southern Minnesota and central South Dakota to Rapid City. In 1996, the DM&E acquired more than 200 miles of track from Union Pacific Railroad, extending from Colony, Wyoming through Rapid City to Crawford, Nebraska. DM&E began operations with 130 employees, 37 locomotives and no freight cars. DM&E now employs 350 people, and owns or leases approximately 70 locomotives and almost 3,200 freight cars. SALES REVENUE 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 45,726,418 56,562,557 57,481,756 56,913,098 60,921,784 NET INCOME 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 3,389,769 2,824,944 593,215 2,630,427 3,671,342 Grain currently accounts for more than 40 percent of the railroad's 60,000 annual carloadings, which have increased more than 40 percent since 1987 Other major commodities include bentonite clay, canned goods, cement, fertilizer, iron and steel, kaolin clay, lumber, paper products, scrap iron, soybean oil and meal, crushed stone, wheat flour and wood chips. Marketing and Advertising

Friday, March 6, 2020

Works of Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith Essay Example

Works of Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith Essay Example Works of Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith Essay Works of Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith Essay The conflict identified in the short story, â€Å"Country Lovers† by Nadine Gordimer (1975) and the poem, â€Å"What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl† by Patricia Smith (1991) centers around ethnicity and race which represent how being black plays a role in individual versus society, showing that humans can be critical of themselves and others and also judgmental. Both stories have strong characterization meaning the author uses this to reveal character, by outright description of an individual, by what an individual says and does, and by what others say about the individual (Clugstone, 2010). The message from these two stories are racism of two strong black women who were faced with discrimination, poverty, hatred, love, and both stories end in unhappiness. Most of us have experienced racism in this lifetime it is important for us to stay focus on what is most important. According to the textbook the main character both the short story and the poem was about the black female. There are still racial and ethical problems witnessed and experienced in today’s society in places such as the general public, the workplace, and even schools. This was not a subject that was discussed enough because it was very sensitive and the outcomes of the discussions were normally filled with anger or depression. Country Lovers and What It’s Like To be A Black Girl use the same theme like ethnicity or race. Nadine Griner wrote the short story, Country Lovers, in 1975. It took place in South Africa. Country Lovers is about the love between a young white boy named Paulus and a you ng black girl named Thebedi. From the start of this short story you could tell the theme was about interracial relationships and interracial problems. Paulus and Thebedi are the main characters in the story. The black ancestors were Thebedi’s racial ethnicity and the ancestors were white on Paulus’s side. They have known each other for years because Thebedis father was a farm s

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Discuss the nature of slavery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discuss the nature of slavery - Essay Example It should be noted that these types of slavery had been transformed and transferred to different generations one after another (Rodriguez). It will not be incorrect to state that slavery was marked less in the societies where capitalism was not practiced as the core governance phenomenon. On the other hand, capitalist societies of the world have changed the shape of slavery into a wage system. They have given the rights of slaves in such a way that they are destined to work for the interest of capitalists (Toledano). The concept of energy in terms of the labor that is provided by the workers in the pre-mechanized societies is one issue of debate. Since these people were forced to work in filthy and critical circumstances, they had a number of health issues. In the wake of energy provision, races that were not dominant in the society were forced to do the hardest work

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

The termination theory versus the deprivation account Essay

The termination theory versus the deprivation account - Essay Example The paper tells that all human beings must die. This is the only thing that we know for a fact. The certainty aside, death still presents many questions to the living that make them curious of what exactly it means to die. Some people believe that death is the end of everything and nothing remains except the memory of a person in the ones he leaves behind. A number of philosophers have focused at length on the philosophy of death and have offered contrasting viewpoints on what their take on death is. The question that many people ask is whether death is evil or not. This is where the contrasting viewpoints arise whether the person believes in some form of immortality or not. One school of thought claims that death is an evil simply because it puts an end to all the good things that we experience in life. The benefits that humans accrue from being alive are activities, desires, perception, thought and all aspects that generally constitute the human life. Despite the misery that fills our lives on occasion, we still have the good times that we treasure and that is the greatest thing about being alive. On a scale, there are many experiences that we go through that are positive and fill us with joy, hope, and all other good emotions we experience. On the contrary, there are experiences in our lives including the death of our loved ones that make our lives worse. For this reason therefore, one would assume that life is a neutral as the good cancel out the bad. However, the good usually outweigh the bad and the result is positive meaning that the experiences of life far outweigh its consequences. The other school of thought is regarded as the termination thesis in which philosophers like Epicurus ascribe to. This school says that as long as we are alive, death is not with us but soon as we die, then we do not exist. The philosophers of this school say that there is nothing to fear in death. PART I The termination thesis is false. This is because it purports that when a person dies, there is no change that occurs except that the person has simply ceased to exist. It also claims that the person’s psychological or moral importance is not eroded due to death. Another argument that the termination thesis makes is that when a person dies, he does not continue to exist as a corpse. The existence of a person is the cornerstone of the termination thesis and it states that if a person continues to exist as a corpse, the person continues to exist and is contrary to the thesis. To die is bad, not because of death itself, but because life as we know it is a good experience and the loss of it is a deprivation. It is not bad because of any positive elements that it might have but because it removes what we consider desirable. PART II The termination theory in my account is false. This however does not mean that the arguments by Epicurus are easy. In any case, it makes the termination theory even harder while making those of the deprivation theory look harder too. The termination theory does not purport that there is no life after death. In fact, neither does the deprivation theory. In the opinion of Epicurus and other like-minded philosophers who support the termination theory, there are a number of points that need to be considered. When a person dies, he ceases to exist. That is the consensus between the two theories. However, the termination theory goes ahead to say that that occurrence cannot be considered as being an evil and as such, people should not fear death. When a tree dies, there is a remaining stump that is still firmly rooted to the ground albeit lifeless. Therefore, when a person cuts the tree off and counts the annual rings, then one can tell the age of the tree when it died. When one looks into the field, you see what was once a tree. If this is the case for all organisms, then, we all cease to exist at some point but the signs of our existence are still visible. There is a transition that is involved in the dea th of

Monday, January 27, 2020

Spanish Language Varieties in Spain and in Mexico

Spanish Language Varieties in Spain and in Mexico Spanish language varieties in Spain and in Mexico. George Bernard Shaw regarded Great Britain and America as ‘two countries divided by a common language’. This viewpoint can be also applied to Spain and Mexico, the Spanish-speaking countries with different language varieties and dialects that have been formed under the influence of specific historical, cultural, political and social events. Despite the fact that Spanish is spoken in many countries, the major varieties of Spanish can be observed in Latin America and Spain, where the language, according to Clare Mar-Molinero (2000), â€Å"is buoyant and secure† (p.18). Spanish belongs to the Indo-European language family and comes from Vulgar Latin language, although Spanish vocabulary consists of Italian, French and Arabic words. Spanish language in Latin America has five major varieties: the Caribbean, the South American Pacific, the Argentinian-Uruguyan-Paraguayan, the Central American, and the Highland (or Standard) Latin American. However, this classification is too generalised, as it is based only on the differences in pronunciation. Due to â€Å"the immensity of the territory where Latin American Spanish is spoken† (Lipski, 1994 p.3), linguists analyse language varieties â€Å"along geographical, political, ethnic, musicological and social lines† (Lipski, 1994 p.3). The residents of Mexico mainly use the Caribbean and Highland Latin American dialects that emerged after the formation of Peruvian Spanish. Nahuatl dialect that belongs to the Uto-Aztecan language group (Andrews, 1975) and has â€Å"the greatest influence in centra l Mexico† (Lipski, 1994 p.6) is an ancient Spanish dialect. About one million Mexican people speak Nahuatl dialect nowadays. In Spain there are also two principal language varieties – the Castilian and the Andalusian dialects that were formed in the middle ages, although some regions of Northern and Southern Spain create other specific dialects. As Spanish language descends from Castile, the Spanish region that became a centre of political significance since the thirteenth century, the Castilian dialect is one of the most widespread varieties and is accepted as a national criterion in Spain. Mar-Molinero (2000) considers that the phenomenon of ‘Castilianisation’ was initiated by the Visigoths; however, it was only in the eighteenth century when the Castilian dialect displaced other language varieties as a result of Charles’ III 1768 declaration, demonstrating a profound impact of political prevalence on linguistic prevalence. Mar-Molinero (2000) also states that the Andalusian dialect considerably influenced the formation of the Standard Latin American (pp.36-37), although this viewpoint is strongly opposed by sociolinguists. Other crucial language varieties in Spain are Euskara, Galician and Catalan; these dialects have some parallels with Portuguese and French languages, although they do not belong to the Indo-European language family. The emergence of these three Spanish varieties is closely connected with the spread of nationalism. The Levantine varieties also constitute an important group of dialects utilised in such Spanish regions as Alicante, Valencia and Castellà ³n. People in these areas currently use Catalan/Valencian, Murcian, Andalusian, Aragon, and La Manche/Castile dialects. The differences in all these Spanish language varieties attribute to pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar (Penny, 2000). In particular, pronunciation of the Standard Latin American differs from the Castilian, similar to the dissimilarities between British English and American English. In the Castilian dialect the sounds ‘ce’ or ‘ci’ are changed into ‘th’: ‘gracias’ (thanks) appears as ‘gratheas’; however, in the Standard Latin American the word ‘gracias’ is pronounced as ‘gras-see-as†. Such separate pronunciation of the word ‘grasseeas’ is a characteristic feature of the Standard Latin American dialect. In the Castilian dialect some words are ended in a vocable vowel, losing their last consonants, while two Mexican dialects are characterised by the pronunciation of final consonants. Overall, the speech in Mexico is slow in comparison with the speech in the majority of Spanish regio ns (Hill Hill, 1986); however, the Caribbean, or Lowland dialect is defined as a rather prompt and informal variety of Spanish language. In addition to the differences in pronunciation, there are some differences in grammar. In Mexican Spanish ‘ustedes’ (you) is utilised both for formal and informal address, while in Castilian Spanish there are two words for formal and informal address – ‘ustedes’ and ‘vosotros’, respectively. Some verbs in the Caribbean and Highland Latin American dialects have changed their initial forms, acquiring certain Anglicisms and Americanisms. In particular, Mexican residents say, â€Å"Apliquà © a la Universidad† (I applied to the university), while Spanish people utilise a more precise form – ‘Postulà © a la universidad’. Similarly, Spaniards in Spain prefer to utilise pasado perfecto (the compound tense that is similar to English Present Perfect tense): ‘Yo he viajado a los Estados Unidos’ (I have travelled to the USA). Mexican people use a more simplified tense – pretà ©rito indefinido (Englis h Past Indefinite), for example, â€Å"Viajà © a Estados Unidos† (I travelled to the USA). According to Julia Kristeva (1989), â€Å"Language is so intimately linked to man and society that they are inseparable† (p.3); thus, the utilisation of Anglicisms and Americanisms in Mexican Spanish reflects historical and social differences between Spain and Mexico. Duncan Green (1997) points at the impact of the United States on language and identity of Mexican population; in particular, the author states that â€Å"The mass media has become a battleground in the struggle to define Latin American’s identity† (pp.98-99). The simplification of Spanish language in Mexico reveals that various social changes modify language, and language shapes the identity of Mexican people. As Mar-Molinero (2000) states, â€Å"Not only does language have an instrumental role as a means of communication, it also has an extremely important symbolic role as marker of identity† (p.3). Due to the fact that social identities of Mexican and Spanish people differ, Spanish language of Mexico and Spain is characterised by a rather diverse vocabulary. For instance, the word ‘Okay’ is translated as ‘Sale’ in Mexico, and as ‘Chungo’ – in Madrid; similarly, the word ‘work’ is rendered as ‘chambear’ in Mexico and as ‘currar’ – in Spain. Another difference that distinguishes Mexican Spanish from Spanish in Spain is the preservation of archaisms in the Caribbean and Highland Latin American dialects. Such words and expressions as ‘Órale’ (All right), ‘Ya mero’ (almost) or ‘Quà © pedo?† (What is going on?) are normal for Mexican Spanish, but they are not utilised in Spain. John Lipski (1994) considers that these language varieties emerged as a result of cultural and social interactions of Spain and Mexico with other countries. The Standard Latin American dialect was considerably influenced by Italian and African immigrants who arrived in Latin America at the end of the nineteenth – the beginning of the twentieth centuries (Lipski, 1994 pp.11-12). Skidmore and Smith (2000) reveal the similar viewpoint, claiming that in Latin America â€Å"languages, food, sports, and music all show profound and continuing African influence† (p.356). Simultaneously, the Standard Lat in American and the Caribbean dialects reflect native roots, especially Indian roots that are rather distinct in Mexican Spanish. For instance, the language of the Mayans serves as the basis for more than thirty dialects in Mexico, let alone the language of the Aztecs. In particular, many modern Mexican dialects preserve initial and final sounds tl- in certain words, like ‘Nahuatl’, ‘Quetzalcoatl’, the god of Aztecs, or ‘Tlaxcala’, Mexican state. As Skidmore and Smith (2000) point out, â€Å"Aside from the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas, there were many other Indian cultures. In the area of modern-day Mexico alone there were over 200 different linguistic groups† (p.14). However, the impact of the Castilian language on the formation of Mexican Spanish is the greatest, as the Castilian was the only language taught in Mexican schools with the arrival of Spanish settlers. Thus, three major aspects aggravated the differences between Spanish spoken in Spain and Spanish spoken in Mexico: Spanish settlements in Mexico, immigration of English, Italian and African people, and finally, linguistic drift. Analysing Spanish language varieties in Mexico and Spain, the essay demonstrates that the differences mainly exist in spoken language, influencing such linguistic aspects as vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. The Caribbean and Highland Latin American dialects in Mexico and the Castilian and the Andalusian dialects in Spain are characterised by diverse accent, idioms and unique words, but these variants are integral parts of Spanish language. As a result of various social and political changes, modern Mexican Spanish has been exposed to the process of Americanisation, which considerably simplifies vocabulary and grammar of Spanish dialects in Mexico and intensifies the differences between Mexican Spanish and Spanish spoken in Spain. The spread of travels and mass media changes Spanish language in both Mexico and various areas of Spain, revealing unique cultural identities of different Spanish-speaking groups.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Bibliography Andrews, J. R. (1975) Introduction to Classical Nahuatl. Austin, University of Texas. Green, D. (1997) Faces of Latin America. Nottingham, Russell Press, Latin American Bureau. Hill, J. H. and Hill, K.C. (1986) Speaking Mexicano. Tucson, University of Arizona Press.   Kristeva, J. (1989) Language: The Unknown An Initiation Into Linguistics. London, Harvest Wheatsheaf. Lipski, J.M. (1994) Latin American Spanish. London, New York, Longman. Mar-Molinero, C. (2000) The Politics of Language in the Spanish-Speaking World from Colonization to Globalization. London, New York, Routledge. Penny, R. (2000) Variation and Change in Spanish. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Skidmore, T. E. and Smith, P.H. (2000) Modern Latin America. 5th edition. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Needs Are Artificially Created

Skills assignment 1: ‘Needs Are Artificially Created’ Requirements Max 700 words incl referencing, titles Excl bibliography Source for every argument APA referencing Explain terminology Intro * Definition of marketing * Definition of needs -> motives -> biogenic or psychogenic, artificial needs? , wants and demands * Definition of artificially creating * Represent the guiding essay question, represent your stance: needs are already existent and marketing merely satisfies the needs. Needs pre-exist marketing. Essay question: Are the ‘needs’ of consumers artificially created? Body 1 Theoretical argument (assumption): * Theory of rational consumer choice * Microeconomics book: research combinations of prices and goods, preferences, optimal consumption point * Maslow pyramid: needs are in a hierarchical order, but they already exist. logical reasoning: needs are prefilled, therefore cannot be created. Marketing is mainly guidance for consumers about availability and prices of products. 2 Empirical arguments -> factual * Contra: observations that disprove iPhones/Tablets -> statistics of sales * Industry of organic food -> statistics * Pro * Safety advertisements Conclusion ————————————————- Summarize. Clear end sentence â€Å"Marketers do not create needs: Needs preexist marketers, marketers along with other societal factors, influence wants. Marketers might promote idea that Mercedes would satisfy a person’s need for social status. They do not, however, create the need for social status†. (Philip Kotler, Marketing Management: eleventh edition, chapter one, page no. 1) Need becomes motive (p 98 kotler) when it is aroused to a sufficient level of intensity to drive us to act. 3 theoretical arguments: freud, maslow, Herzberg. Freud: psychological shaping behaviour i. e. need for recognition, esteem or belonging. Freud states that there’s unconscious behaviour/needs/motivation†¦ Such as size, shape, weight and brand name. Marketers can use the technique â€Å"laddering† which traces a person’s motivations on a scale. (look up? ) This can help the marketer decide at what level to develop the message and appeal.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Literature in Question

The outsider, written by Albert Camus and Perfumer by Patrick Suskind are two books that have addressed critically the concept of rationality and absurdity. The protagonist in the outsider is a controversial one, since he apparently does not have feelings even to his own mother. He goes undeterred even with her mother’s death. He does not care about Marie- his girl friend- and even God. He wonders why the priest worries himself by visiting him. In a way he has created a world that he himself can understand.   It is absurd that Meursault’s inability to lie and his insensitivity make the authority to perceive him as a threat. The concept of reason for any action he does is irrelevant. It is in this breath that the author of The Outsider perhaps wants the readers to believe that it is not always that we have emotions that we ought to have had. And sometimes we play up an emotion that was expected to exist but in actual sense the emotion did not exist within us. It is to this effect that Mersault’s only acknowledgement of life is tangible, physical things rather than corruptible emotion. He is, in this case, a model in which the author shows the principle of existentialism where individuals have full responsibility for creating the meaning of their own lives. He does not need to rationally think with the rest of the society. Camus becomes an existentialist in this case by showing that conscious human beings will always find in themselves a world of their own. Existentialists believe that the ultimate and unquestionable is not reality, is not thinking consciousness but being in the world. Mersault is just in the world. In fact no one- even the society- can give a reason for Meursault to be in the world.   He does not need a justification to exist in the world. Camus wants to show us that a person cannot go against the society and the majority, be it good or bad, will always win; this is shown by the change of attitude by Mersault at the end of the novel. At this point the society has won by converting Meursault to its side but still there is no justification in the way the society perceives what transpires in Mersault’s life. He has got the right to think the way he thinks and do whatever he does. The book focuses on absurdity of life and death, as well as the society. It is in this sense that Camus expounds on the theme of existentialism and rationalism. He addresses the concept of subjectivity, individual freedom and choice, where life becomes a choice. Mersault’s behaviours might be attributed to his choice in life rather than subjecting it to societal conventional reasoning. For him, apparently, rationalism is relative and depends on individual. He does not even succumb to the mercies offered by the priest while he awaits his execution. It is the choice of an individual to choose to believe in God or not; he has chosen not to believe and even death does not give him a reason to believe in God. Meursault does not seem to care whether he lives or dies- he is not remorseful even at a time he could be seeking repentance; all seems to be absurd and vanity to him. Mersault emotions are at most of the time switched off, which makes him possible to be an observer of his own life – watching it as an outsider. Camus writes the book in the first person so that the main character describes everything that happens to him in a very elaborate way but does not talk about his sentiments. The writer creates a cathartic effect by making the reader put himself in the position of the main character, yet at the same time creates a disturbing effect increased by the recurring deaths. (Three deaths in the book includes that of the mother, climax produces the Arab man’s death, then Meursault execution.) The character starts showing emotions at the end- by recognizing his love for his girlfriend Marie. This gives a new lease in Mersault’s life. He, at least, though late, revives his emotions, changes his attitude and has a reason to live. The societal absurdity wins over Mersault; he has conformed to the societal norms- which include showing emotion. At this point, Camus shows that regardless of someone’s stand, life is paramount beyond reason and rationalism. By referring to his past regarding how he gave up after having given up ambitions when he was a student. This reflection of the past shows that at a point Mersault did everything as per societal expectation but later realized the need for being who he was regardless of what the society would think of him-he could not figure out why he ought to do things to the societal satisfaction and not for his own satisfaction. Patrick Suskind, on the other hand brings out the issue of absurdity in his novel Perfume by showing how Jean Baptiste Grenoulle engages in his great passion-in his sense of smell leading him to become a murderer. Jean-Baptiste Grenoulle born with one uplifting gift of smell; and this being a gift that nothing can be done to stop-we as readers are left doubting if we have to blame him for the iniquities that come along with the gift.   The fact that he survives his birth by default complements this. The reader asks himself if indeed fate has destiny.   His identification of his gift to isolate every kind of smell is also an important aspect that comes in his infancy. It is irrational for the society to isolate an innocent person because of an inherent, unique gift. For Grenoulle, he needed not to persuade the society to like him because all he got was an inborn gift. It is absurd how people in the society tend to give reasons as to why the society has to like them instead of living their own lives. He is rejected by the society, grows up in an orphanage, unloved and malnourished.   If indeed rationalism was to be applied in this case, no substantial reason can be given for the tribulations that Grenoulle undergoes. It is equally irrational for the society to treat him the way it does instead of sympathising with him and according him a chance to exploit his gift. Isolation from the society is the reason for him developing disgust for fellow humans and hence distinguishing himself by the uncanny sense of smell. It is amazing how he even uses his gift to find the beautiful girl. He could not believe his nose and was threatened that the nice smell was from human race, which he had come to despise. It is quite paradoxical that he hates human race which he is part of. It is due to the absurd situation he finds himself in and with the intention of preserving his sense of scent he kills the beautiful girl. This shows his effort to find meaning to the universe and of course a place since, humans to him, are a threat. Though tortured by the scent he continues to search the scent and this keeps his survival going- a weird way and reason to survive. This scenario creates an absurd and irrational situation whereby Grenoulle is sandwiched between the nice smell and the repugnance of human beings. He develops an even greater disgust for human as he goes through the journey in the forest to the extent of being repulsed by the scent of human of human existence. It is quite irrational and absurd how the greed to find this perfect scent drives Grenoulle into the forest. He lives for seven years in a dark cave where he was intoxicated by smells he preserves in his internal   ‘palace of smells’ His high aptitude for mixing strange and exotic perfumes would be an asset in the rational world but instead, in his apparently irrational way, he takes responsibility for creating the meaning of his own life. The skill and gift leads him to his desire to cover his own lack of smell and quest to create the most unique perfume the world has ever known.   This in essence explains the passion the protagonist lives for- creating most unique perfume- but unfortunately, a human being has to be killed for the perfume to be made. It is absurd that this passion supersedes even the life of humans. To the society, Grenoulle’s acts are unacceptable but then when he is supposed to be executed the same society becomes remorseful and throws his deeds to the dogs in the expense of the perfume. It is equally illogical or irrational for Grenoulle to be engulfed with the power of dissatisfaction because the society does not love him but his perfume; he instead ought to be celebrating! Patrick Suskind has succeeded to show that it is not right to judge individuals in the society and yet the society itself is irrational in its thinking.   Grenoulle’s situation is inexplicable to the society but he has all the justification as to do what he does. He tries to find meaning in the universe but fails. It is absurd that he becomes a murderer from being a scent smeller. He does not comprehend why he should not act in the case where his reason, his power of reflection tells him. He is being only himself by doing all he does; after all it is the same society that made him who he is by isolating him. In deed he uses his power of following his favorite scent only to find out that it is for human beings who he loathes and kills them one by one, eventually turning out to be a dangerous murderer.   This complements the fact that life is more than the rational thinking. This in essence is a case where man has chosen to embrace his absurd condition instead of following the rational thinking of the society. The protagonists in the two novels evidently show that man’s freedom and the opportunity to give life meaning lies in the acknowledgement and acceptance of absurdity. The freedom of man is therefore established in man’s natural ability and opportunity to create his own meaning and purpose. Mersault and Grenoulle, both create a world of their own and a purpose to live in it. The individual becomes the most precious unit of existence, as he represents unique ideals that can be characterized as an entire universe by itself. The two writers have succeeded in bringing out the principles of absurdism, rationalism and existentialism. They have managed to create characters that have stood out of the society by defying the societal norms. These characters enable the readers elicit some crucial questions on about their existence.   The writers manage to bring out the irrational way the society thinks of individuals who are only but living their lives. The rejection of reason as a source of meaning dominates the two works by focusing on the feelings of fear and dread -by the protagonists- that are felt in their own radical freedom and their awareness of death. The writers succeed in showing that indeed human counter their fear of being in the world by believing that they are rational and everyone else is; they do not have the anything to fear and no reason to feel anxious about being free. They make the reader to view human beings as subjects in an indifferent, objective, often ambiguous and absurd world, in which meaning is not provided by the natural order, but rather created by human being actions and interpretations. Reference Camus, A. (1983) The Outsider. Berkshire: Penguin Books Coleburt, R (1968) An Introduction to Western Philosophy. New York: Sheed & Ward Jean, P (1946) Existentialism is Humanism. London: Routledge Soren, K (1849) The Point of View of my Work as an Author. Journal [27, 1849] Suskind, P. (1985) Perfume. Berkshire: Penguin Books   

Thursday, January 2, 2020

International Business - 774 Words

With a population of 48 million, South Africa represents 10 per cent of Africa’s population and 45 per cent of the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP). Its GDP is almost as big as the rest of sub-Saharan Africa’s 47 countries combined. As the engine of growth for Africa, South Africa recently has been growing at 5 per cent annually. It is the largest economy in Africa, and is among the top-ten emerging economies. Before 1994, South Africa had been ruled by a white minority government that earned notoriety for its apartheid (racial segregation) policy. In 1986, international sanctions led many multinationals to divest their South African operations. In 1994, South Africa accomplished a peaceful transition of power, with a†¦show more content†¦A number of leading South African firms listed on the New York Stock Exchange, such as AngloGold, SAPPI, Sasol and Telkom have disclosed BEE as a risk to shareholders because these firms cannot guarantee that BEE transactions would take place at fair market price. BEE also affects foreign firms. Foreign firms interested in securing government contracts in excess of â‚ ¬10 million are required to invest at least 30 per cent of their sales in local blackowned firms. In the case of defence contracts, the percentage increases to 50 per cent. Firms such as Sasol complain that in a country whose official unemployment rate is stubbornly high at 25 per cent (which may really be as high as 40 per cent), BEE scares away investment and deters foreign firms. Some observers noted that the scheme mainly helps the wellconnected black elite in the name of affirmative action, but fails to create jobs for the millions of poor and unemployed blacks, while lowering the quality of some public services. In other words, BEE has sliced up the economic pie differently but has done little to expand it. Labour regulations are another area attracting business complaints. Unions are given broad power to block layoffs and limit the outsourcing of contracts, making a lot of firms reluctant to hire in the first place. TheShow MoreRelatedInternational Business Ventures2671 Words   |  11 PagesInternational Business Ventures Measuring a potential business venture has many aspects which the international manager must be aware of in order to convey the correct information back to the decision makers. Being ignorant to any of the aspects can lead to a false representation of the project, and hence an uninformed decision being passed. 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