Global Systems Theory Essay

Global systems theory is perhaps one of the many theories related to capitalism and transnational corporations. This paper attempts to look into global systems theory in the context of capitalism by making use of three articles as part of the literature for the research. By outlining the major contentions for each of these three articles, this paper will further juxtapose these main points with global systems theory and arrive at a more developed and comprehensive understanding of the theory as a whole. Brief Literature Review In Robert Granfield’s article â€Å"Making It by Faking It: Working Class Students in an Elite Academic Environment†, he indicates how working class law students experience inequalities among upper class students which influences the class of law students. By collecting data through observation, personal interviews, small group interview and survey from a national law school in the eastern part of the United States, Granfield was able to expose the essential differences between law students in terms of class background. Through class background, Granfield also identifies the apparent discrimination between working class students and upper class students at school whenever working class students feel that they are being treated as ‘cultural outsiders’. In Hays’ article â€Å"The Ideology of Intensive Mothering: A Cultural Analysis of the Bestselling Gurus of Appropriate Childbearing†, he presents the key components of the ideology of intensive mothering, specifically: children are outside the market value, are priceless and are not economic assets; good childrearing requires intensive commitment on the part of the caregiver, and; childcare is the primary responsibility of the individual mother. The central focus of Hays’ article focuses on childcare especially on the role of mothers towards their children. The author further gives the emphasis that children are ‘sacred’ in a sociological sense because of the fact that childrearing and its effects on children reaffirm the belief in the importance of children. It creates a protected space of security, trust and close human connection inasmuch as it illustrates the generous and nurturing characteristic of individuals rather than being individualistic and always inclined for competition. In Webb’s newspaper article â€Å"A Crowded Family Enters the Space Age† featured in the New York Times, the author explores the case of Eric Alan’s family through the functionalist perspective. From a functionalist perspective, social institutions such as families and governments are analyzed and explained as collective means to satisfy specific or individual biological requisites. These social institutions, along with the rest, are composed of interconnected roles or norms such as the interconnected roles within the family (e. g. father, mother, etc. ). In the case of the family of Eric Alan, the worth of his family proves the idea that the family as a social institution has interconnected roles with the larger society. In particular, having to redesign his family’s home into something more ‘breathable’ exemplifies the presumption that the individual roles in the family, such as the role of the father to provide an ‘inhabitable’ home for his family, and the family in general is tied with the other segments of the society in such a way that one reinforces the values of the other and vice versa. Featured in the November 8 issue of the New York Times, â€Å"A Crowded Family Enters the Space Age† conveys the story of a father, Eric Alan, wanting to provide a larger house for his growing family with the aid of Architect Neil Denari. In return, Denari’s expertise and skills acquire a ‘living experience’ thus proving to be another feat not only in his career as an architect but also in the discipline of architecture. From a functionalist perspective, this very well provides a real life example of how the units of the society interact together harmoniously in order to continue with survival. Description of the Case Global system theory is a base for the concept of transnational practices. However, cross state boundaries do not necessarily originate with state agencies or actors. The global capitalist system operates to maximize profits at the expense of others. Murray Dobbing (1998) claims that the economic world order has changed and the nation-state is in decline. This paper will outline and support the claims of Dobbing through a discussion of the transnational practices in the economic and the cultural-ideological spheres in relation to the political sphere. The paper will further discuss the agencies that facilitate transnational growth. In the economic sphere, the global capitalist system offers a limited place to the wage earning masses in most countries. It has very little need of the subordinate classes in this sphere as sophisticated machines replace human laborers for cost saving and greater profit for capitalists. As John Kenneth Galbraith in Rifkin’s The End of Work (1995) indicates, the global capital system requires scientific minded managers who have specialized talent and can operate sophisticated machines. Unskilled workers and their families become part of an underclass and face permanent unemployment. Meanwhile, the global economy has created an environment in which many large corporations are becoming transnational corporations which bring wealth to both developing and developed countries often by lobbying to their governments so as to gain access to these developing countries. The governments of developing countries are jeopardizing their own legitimacy to cultivate an inviting environment for the private sector. While the global capital system provides resources for economic development, the global capitals’ desires for low prices and high dividends result in child labor, environmental destruction and the expropriation of land and resources from local communities including indigenous people. In the culture-ideology sphere, the aim of global capitalists is to persuade all classes, especially the working middle-classes, to consume above their â€Å"biological needs† for pursuit of capitalists’ profit, which will ensure the belief that global capitalist system will be perpetuated. The cultural ideology of transnational growth proclaims that the meaning of life can be found in the things that we possess. To consume, therefore, is to be fully alive, and to remain fully alive people must continuously consume. Moreover, the notions of men and women as economic or political beings are discarded by global capitalism as the system does not even pretend to satisfy everyone in the economic or political spheres. Their value to society is determined by what they can afford to purchase. Therefore, people primarily become consumers rather than citizens. The point of economic activity for working middle-class of the global capitalist system is to provide the resources for consumption to create the â€Å"global shoppers,† and the point of political activity is to ensure that the conditions for consuming are maintained. The advancement of the internet and technology has hastened the reduction of trade barriers and the increment of the â€Å"global shoppers. † According to Chomsky (2003), mass media overwhelmingly corporate and embraces the values of corporate leaders. Moreover, the major media outlets are linked in huge media chains, with many of these conglomerates owned by transnational corporations. Corporate control is further solidified by advertising paid in dollars to the media by corporations. Thus, the mass media consistently supports globalization, neo-liberalism, and the politicians who push these corporate agendas. Transnational marketing such as TV commercials, billboards, etc. are forced on the world’s middle-class consumers. Transnational corporations, such as Disney, heavily market their American pop culture products. By selling the same thing, the same way, everywhere with little or no reference to local cultural differences, transnational corporations has homogenized world culture. Analysis of the Case Robert Granfield’s article helps one to understand ‘global system theory’ as a whole. For the most part, Granfield’s discussion on how working class students adapt in the academic environment dominated by upper class law students gives us a brief but useful overview of how working class students attempt to join the remainder of the upper class of the workforce. The startling irony is that while Granfield espouses the idea that working class law students can blend well with their environment which is presumed to give much preference to upper class students by ‘faking it’ or by posing as one of the upper class, global system theory on the other hand implies that there is no substantial place for these working class students especially in the workforce. This is because the lower classes of the society or the working force comprising the bulk of the lower hierarchy, have already been replaced by sophisticated machines. Hence, manpower or physical labor becomes confined to those individuals who have sufficient learning to operate these sophisticated machines. If this is indeed the case, then it must also be the case that global system theory also espouses the presumption that the disparity between the highest and the lowest ranks of the social hierarchy grows parallel to the pace of global capitalism. But Granfield suggests that the working class students have the ability to ‘fake it’ which may also suggest the probability that even the individuals from the lower ranks can also make it to the bulk of the workforce able to operate the sophisticated machineries of the contemporary world. Nevertheless, the totality of the global workforce remains to this day comprised of a large number of working class citizens who fall at the median of the social hierarchy, notwithstanding children or minors who work which leads us to the next point. In Hays’ â€Å"The Ideology of Intensive Mothering: A Cultural Analysis of the Bestselling Gurus of Appropriate Childbearing†, we are given the presumption that children should be given the sufficient care and attention. This includes the idea that children or minors are not individuals who are expected to literally work whether in offices or factories. However, the opposite is true especially among nations below the poverty line or less-developed third-world countries. It is estimated that around 250 million children are under what we call â€Å"child labor† according to the statistics provided by Think Quest, an online database providing global child labor information (Think Quest, 2007). If global system theory is indeed true, then there would be little reason to believe that there is child labor among the less-developed countries where capitalism is beginning to grow its roots since children have very little knowledge on the use of sophisticated machines intended to replace the workers who handle the basics of the tasks in the corporations, for instance. But the case is that 250 million children work across the globe, which prompts us to question the claims of global system theory. On the other hand, global system theory may respond to this criticism by stating that the replacement of manpower with sophisticated machineries is only true for those transnational corporations operating in developed countries. Part of the reason to this is the idea that underdeveloped countries are not suitable locations for transnational corporate ventures largely because developed nations have what it takes for global capitalism—a strong and sustained demand for the goods and services being offered by these corporations. Webb’s article â€Å"A Crowded Family Enters the Space Age† reiterates the presumption that the family has its roles in nurturing its members which partially relates to Hay’s article that children should be nurtured and protected and should be treated as economic assets especially in terms of manpower or a part of the work force. The fact that Webb implies the idea that there are parental responsibilities towards the needs of the family especially of the children at least in terms of a suitable place to live point us to the idea that children or minors should be nurtured and cared for instead of being treated as members of the working class whether or not parents are able to provide for their needs. Ultimately, this brings us to the understanding that the decline of the nation-state as espoused by global systems theory is not fully achieved precisely because the basic unit of the society or of the nation-states for that matter—the family—reinforces the entirety of the nation-state by sustaining its integrity as a functional basic unit able to maintain its internal status. Conclusion In the end, global systems theory may not necessarily apply to the broadest range of nations, from developed to the developing and less-developed precisely because these nations have differences although similarities may also be noted. The presumption that the family remains a cohesive force in the society may substantially refute the claim that the nation-state is dissolving. Nevertheless, there are certain arguments of global systems theory that remains to this day a force with grains of truth in it. Apart from the fact that sophisticated machineries have slowly replaced the manpower of the working and lower classes of the society, capitalism has been reinforced by the expansion of transnational corporations worldwide. Works Cited Chomsky, Noam. Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies. House of Anansi Press, 2003. 1-20. Dobbing, Murray. The Myth of the Good Corporate Citizen: Democracy under the Rule of Big Business. Stoddart, 1998. 49-60. Hawken, Paul. The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability. 1st ed: Harper Business, 1993. 1-17. Rifkin, Jeremy. The End of Work: The Decline of the Global Labor Force and the Dawn of the Post-Market Era. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1995. 3-14. Think Quest, http://library. thinkquest. org/03oct/01908/800/whatisit_childlabor. htm, December 4, 2007.

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 25

Sometimes you wake up from a dream. Sometimes you wake up in a dream. And sometimes, every once in a while, you wake up in someone else's dream. â€Å"If he wanted to carry me off and make me his love slave, I'd do it, so long as I got advance copies of his books.† My first words spoken to Seth as I passionately discussed his work. Seth's initial impression of me. Head held high, hair tossed over my shoulder. A flippant remark always at the ready. Grace under fire. A cool social confidence introverted Seth could never muster but envied. How can she do that? Never miss a beat? Later, my rambling explanation of the five-page rule, a goofy habit he found infinitely endearing. Someone else who appreciated literature, viewing it like fine wine. Smart and deep. And beautiful. Yes, beautiful. I saw myself now as Seth had seen me that night: the short skirt, the racy purple top, brilliant as a bird's plumage. Like some exotic creature, hopelessly out of place in the bookstore's dreary landscape. All of this was in Seth, the past of his growing feelings for me mingling with the present, and I drank everything up. Not just beautiful. Sexy. Sensual. A goddess made flesh whose every move hinted at passion to come. The dress strap slipping off my shoulder. Faint beads of perspiration on my cleavage. Standing in his kitchen, clad only in that ridiculous Black Sabbath shirt. No underwear on under that. Wonder what it'd be like to wake up with her next to me, messy and untamed. It all spilled into me. More and more. He would watch me at the bookstore. Loved watching me interact with customers. Loved that I seemed to know something about everything. The witty dialogue he pondered for his characters coming to my lips without hesitation. Amazing. Never met anyone who talks like that in real life. My bartering with the used book store owner. A charisma that drew in shy, quiet Seth, made me glow in his eyes. Made him feel more confident. Still his feelings rushed through me. I had never felt anything like it. Certainly I had felt attraction and fondness in my victims, but never such love, not directed at me. Seth thought I was sexy, yes. Desired me. But that raw lust juxtaposed with something softer too. Something sweeter. Kayla sitting on my lap, small blond head against my chest as I braided her hair. A brief shifting of the image as he momentarily considered his own daughter on my lap. Fierce and witty on one hand, gentle and vulnerable on the other. My inebriated state at his condo. A swell of protectiveness as he led me to bed, watching me hours after I'd gone to sleep. He thought no less of me for the weakness, for my lapse of control and judgment. It was a letting down of my walls for him, a sign of imperfection that made him love me more. Further and further I drank, my desperate and weakened state unable to stop. â€Å"Why doesn't she date?† Seth asked Cody. Cody? Yes, there he was, in the back of Seth's mind. A memory. Cody secretly giving Seth swing lessons, neither of them telling me, instead making up vague excuses for why they always had to be â€Å"somewhere.† Seth, trying so hard to make his feet obey so he could dance with me and be closer to me. â€Å"She's afraid,† the vampire replied. â€Å"She thinks love causes pain.† Love causes pain. Yes, Seth loved me. Not the crush I'd imagined. Not a superficial attraction I thought I'd dissuaded. It was more, so much more. I embodied everything in a woman he could ever imagine: humor, beauty, intelligence, kindness, strength, charisma, sexuality, compassion†¦ His soul seemed to have recognized mine, drawn uncontrollably toward me. He loved me with a depth of feeling I could not even begin to tap into, though believe me, I tried. I wanted it. I wanted to feel it all, to suck up that burning within him. To consume it. Set myself on fire with it. Georgina! Somewhere far away, someone called to me, but I was too into Seth. Too into absorbing that strength within him, that strength fused with his feelings for me. Feelings brought on, amplified even, by kissing. Lips soft and eager. Hungry. Demanding. Georgina! I wanted to become one with Seth. I needed to. I needed him to fill me up†¦ physically, mentally, spiritually. There was something there†¦ something concealed inside him I couldn't quite reach, hovering in the background. A tantalizing piece of knowledge I should have long since recognized. You are my life. I needed to get in farther, reach out for more. Find out what was hiding from me. That kiss was my lifeline, my connection with something bigger than myself, something I had been aching for all my life but never known. I couldn't stop. Couldn't stop kissing Seth. Couldn't stop. Couldn't – â€Å"Georgina! Let go!† Rough hands tore me away from Seth, like flesh ripping from my own body. I cried out in agony at the broken connection, fighting the hands that pulled me and held me. I clawed at my captor, needing to find out the secret lurking beyond that kiss, yearning for the completeness of that union with Seth – Seth. My hands dropped, and I blinked, bringing the world back into focus. Reality. I was no longer inside Seth's head; I was still in my apartment. A feeling of solidness settled in me, and I didn't have to look down to know my body had stopped its shifting, my form snapping back to a short, slim woman with honeyed brown hair. The girl I had been long ago was buried within me once more, never to come out if I could help it. Seth's life force now filled me to overflowing. â€Å"Georgina,† murmured Hugh behind me, letting his hands ease up on my arms. â€Å"Christ, you scared me.† Looking across the room, I saw Carter, bedraggled as usual, leaning over Seth's body. â€Å"Oh God – † I sprang up and moved to them, kneeling beside the angel. Seth lay on the floor, skin pale and clammy. â€Å"Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Is he†¦ ?† â€Å"He's alive,† Carter told me. â€Å"Barely.† Stroking Seth's cheek, feeling the fine golden-red haze of his near-beard, I felt tears brimming in my eyes. His breathing came shallow and jagged. â€Å"I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to take so much†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You did what you had to do. You were in bad shape, could have died.† â€Å"And now Seth might†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Carter shook his head. â€Å"No. He won't. He'll need recovery time, but he'll pull through.† I drew my hand back, half-afraid my touch might harm Seth more. Glancing around, I became aware of the disheveled state of my apartment. It looked worse than Jerome's. Smashed china and glass. Broken tables. Overturned chairs and couch. The unstable bookshelf in pieces at last. From the kitchen, Aubrey hunkered down under the kitchen table, wondering what was going on. I wondered myself. The nephilim were nowhere in sight. What had happened? Had I really missed it all? The epic, divine battle of the century, and I had missed it for a kiss? Admittedly, a really good kiss, but still†¦ â€Å"Where is†¦ everyone else?† â€Å"Jerome's off doing, uh, damage control with your neighbors.† â€Å"That doesn't sound good.† â€Å"Standard practice. Supernatural battles aren't exactly quiet, you know. He'll do a little mind erasing, make sure no authorities get notified.† I swallowed, afraid to ask my next question. â€Å"What about†¦ what about the nephilim ?† Carter studied me, gray eyes holding me long and hard. â€Å"I know, I know,† I said at last, looking down, unable to return that gaze. â€Å"There's no ten years and parole, right? You destroyed them.† â€Å"We destroyed†¦ one of them.† I looked up sharply. â€Å"What? What about the other one?† â€Å"He got away.† He.My looming tears slipped out now; I could not control them. For you, I'll walk away. â€Å"How?† Carter laid a hand on Seth's forehead as though taking vital stats and then turned back to me. â€Å"It all happened really fast. He masked and went invisible in the confusion, while we were taking on the other one. And honestly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The angel looked at my closed front door, then at Hugh and me. â€Å"What?† I whispered. â€Å"I'm not†¦ I'm not entirely convinced Jerome didn't let him get away. He wasn't expecting two. I wasn't either, though I should have, in retrospect. After killing the first one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Carter shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. Hard to say what happened. â€Å" â€Å"Then he'll be back,† I realized, fear and relief blending weirdly in me over the thought of Roman's escape. â€Å"He'll be back†¦ and he won't be happy with me.† â€Å"I don't think that'll be a problem,† the angel observed. Gently, he lifted Seth up and walked to my overturned couch. A moment later, it flipped over untouched, righting itself. Carter laid Seth on it and continued speaking. â€Å"He took a real beating – the other nephilim. A really bad beating. I can't believe he had the power left to hide himself from us; I still keep expecting to feel him again any minute. If he's smart, he's running as fast and far from us as he can right now, getting out of our range – out of any immortal's range – so he can drop his shields and rest.† â€Å"Then what?† asked Hugh. â€Å"He's in bad shape. It'll take him a long time to recover. When he does, he knows he doesn't have the backup to return here again.† â€Å"He could still take on me,† I noted, shivering as I remembered Roman's wrath toward me at the end. It was hard to believe we'd been wrapped in each other's arms, caught in the throes of passion, less than twenty-four hours ago. â€Å"He could take you on,† agreed Carter. â€Å"But he can't take me on. Or Jerome. He certainly can't take both of us on. That was what decided it, in the end. They didn't expect that. Us teamed together. It'll give him pause to just come bursting back here, even if you alone pose no threat.† I didn't find that reassuring in the least. I thought of Roman, passionate and rebellious, always eager to make a point against the system. That personality type lent itself well to revenge. I had tricked him, made love to him, and then betrayed him, resulting in the annihilation of his plans – and his sister. Thank God for my sister. She's the only one I have, the only mainstay in my life. He might pause, as Carter had suggested, but not for long. Of that, I was certain. â€Å"He'll be back,† I whispered, more to myself. â€Å"Someday he'll be back.† Carter gave me a steady look. â€Å"Then we will deal with him then.† My front door opened, and Jerome entered. He looked neat and prim, hardly like he'd just been in an apocalyptic battle with his own offspring. â€Å"Housekeeping all done?† asked Carter. â€Å"Yes.† The demon's eyes darted over to Seth. â€Å"He's alive?† â€Å"Yes.† Angel and demon locked eyes then, and a tense moment of palpable silence hung between them. â€Å"How fortuitously unexpected,† Jerome murmured at last. â€Å"I could have sworn he was dead. Well. Miracles happen every day. I suppose we'll have to wipe him now.† I stood up. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"Nice to have you back with us again, Georgie. You look lovely, by the way.† I glared at him, angry at his joke, knowing it was Seth's energy giving me the succubus glamour now. â€Å"What do you mean you have to ‘wipe' him?† â€Å"What do you think? We can't let him walk away after everything he's seen. I'll diminish a little of his affection for you while I'm at it; he's a liability to you.† â€Å"What? No. You can't do that.† Jerome sighed, putting on the look of one who suffered long and hard. â€Å"Georgina, do you have any idea what he was just exposed to? He has to be wiped. We can't let him know about us.† â€Å"How much of me will you take from him?† Pieces of Seth's memories – my memories, now – glittered in my head like jewels. â€Å"Enough so that he forgets he has any more than a passing knowledge of you. You've been even more negligent with your job than usual these last few weeks.† I hardly thought that was Seth's fault; Roman had helped too. â€Å"Both of you will function much better if he finds some mortal woman to obsess on instead.† Don't you want to stand out in some way? Carter's taunting question from what seemed like an eternity ago whispered in my head. â€Å"You don't have to do this. You don't have to take me out with the rest.† â€Å"If I'm already in there, I might as well clear you too. There's no way he can just go on as usual after being exposed to denizens of the divine realms. Even you have to agree with that.† â€Å"Some mortals know about us,† I argued. â€Å"Like Erik. Erik knows, and he keeps it to himself.† In fact, I realized suddenly, Erik had kept Helena's secret to himself as well. He had figured it out after working with her over the years but had never revealed the full truth, only doling out small clues for me. â€Å"Erik is a special case. He has a gift. An ordinary mortal like this one couldn't handle it.† Jerome walked over to my couch, looking at Seth dispassionately. â€Å"It's better this way.† â€Å"No. Please,† I cried, running over to Jerome and pulling his sleeve. â€Å"Please don't.† The archdemon turned to me, dark eyes cold and shocked that I would dare grab hold of him like that. I knew then, cringing under that gaze, that something in our fond, indulgent relationship had changed forever – something small, but important nonetheless. I didn't know what had done it. Maybe it had been Seth. Maybe it had been Roman. Maybe it had been something else altogether. All I knew was that it had happened. â€Å"Please,† I begged, ignoring how desperate I must sound. â€Å"Please don't. Don't take me from him†¦ out of his head like that. I'll do anything you want. Anything.† I brushed a hand over my eyes, attempting to look calm and in control, knowing I was failing. One eyebrow shifted ever so slightly on Jerome's face, the only hint that I had piqued his interest. The term â€Å"deal with the devil† had not arisen lightly; few demons could resist a bargain. â€Å"What could you possibly offer me? The sex thing only worked on my son, so don't even think about trying it now.† â€Å"Yes,† I agreed, voice growing stronger as I plunged forward. â€Å"It worked on him. It works on all sorts of men. I'm good, Jerome. Better than you know. Why do you think I'm the only succubus in this city? It's because I'm one of the best. Before I hit this funk†¦ this, I don't know, whatever mood I've been in for a while now, I could have any man I wanted. And not just simply for their strength and life force. I could manipulate them. Make them do anything I asked, talk them into acts of sin they never would have dreamed of before meeting me. And they would do it. They'd do it, and they'd like doing it.† â€Å"Go on.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"You're tired of the ‘all lowlifes, all the time,' right? Me being negligent? Well, I can change that. I can raise your stock higher than you've ever dreamed. I've done it before. All you have to do is let Seth go. Let him keep his memories intact. All of them.† Jerome studied me a moment, mind working. â€Å"All the ‘stock' in the world won't do me any good if he runs around blathering about what he's seen.† â€Å"Then we'll see if he can handle it first. When he recovers and wakes up, we'll talk to him. If he doesn't look like he'll be able to cope with it all†¦ well, then you can erase his memories.† â€Å"Who will make the call if he can cope or not?† I hesitated, not wanting that decision in the demon's hands. â€Å"Carter will. Carter can tell if someone's telling the truth.† I looked at the angel. â€Å"You'll know if it's okay, right? Okay for him to know†¦ about us?† Carter gave me an odd look, one I could not interpret. â€Å"Yes,† he finally admitted. â€Å"What about your end?† asked Jerome. â€Å"Will you hold it up – even if Carter decides he's unsafe?† That was harsh. I had a feeling Jerome wouldn't negotiate on this one, but I was willing to risk it, so confident did I feel about Seth's capacity to process immortal activity. I opened my mouth, about to agree, when I caught Hugh shaking his head at me out of the corner of my eye. Frowning, he tapped his watch, mouthing something I couldn't understand at first. Then, it clicked. Time. I had listened to the imp talk about his job enough to know the rules of negotiation: never make an open-ended deal with a demon. â€Å"If Seth keeps his memories, I'll walk the succubus straight and narrow for a century. If they have to be erased anyway, then I'll still do it for†¦ a third of that.† â€Å"Half,† countered Jerome. â€Å"We aren't mortal. Even a century is nothing on the face of eternity.† â€Å"Half,† I agreed dully, â€Å"but no more than survival dictates. I'm not going to do this every day, if that's what you're thinking. I'll only get fixes as I need them, but they'll be strong ones. Very strong – loaded with sin. With men of good caliber, that'll be†¦ oh, every four to six weeks.† â€Å"I want better than that. Extra credit. Every couple of weeks, whether you need it or not.† I closed my eyes, unable to fight anymore. â€Å"Every couple of weeks.† â€Å"Very well,† said Jerome, a warning note in his voice. â€Å"But you will be held to this agreement unless I choose to terminate it for some reason. Not you. There will be no wiggling out for you.† â€Å"I know. I know, and I accept.† â€Å"Shake then.† He extended his hand to me. Not hesitating, I took it, and power crackled briefly around us. The demon smiled thinly. â€Å"We have a deal.†

Family values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Family values - Essay Example These values include unabated and unflinching love and affection among the family members, and extreme care and concern for the fulfilment of all the needs and requirements of the members. â€Å"The family is an intimate social setting where the child first experiences love, care and attention that eventually help in launching him/her into the bigger environment.† (Cruz et al., 2011:3) Hence, it is the moral obligation of the members to abide by these values for the strengthening of the family unit. If any member is in some trouble, or suffering from mental agony, illness or physical problem, the entire family should remain deeply worried till the solution of the problem as well as till his convalescence from the ailment. Another distinguished family value to be followed is the mutual respect and unity, which is rare in any other social institution. The enemy of one member should vehemently be considered as the rival of the entire family, and all members should look down upon him with great hatred and abhorrence. Furthermore, head of family, mostly the father, should work hard to provide financial support to the entire family unit, so that family members could lead a respectable and comfortable life in society. Mother should pay due heed in the brought up, nutrition and socialization of the children. She should also offer her professional services to generate money for the family at the hour of need. Family members must maintain deep feelings of respect and regard for one another. The family values urge the children to remain obedient and complying to the commands of the elders, and always observe honesty, devotion, kindness, compassion and dedication to all family members. Family values motivate the members to exercise generosity and emotional support to others, and forgive the others provided they consciously or unconsciously are hurt by the words or actions of others. Hence, the concepts like deceit, dishonesty,

International Business Theories. Outward Foreign Direct Investment Essay

International Business Theories. Outward Foreign Direct Investment from China - Essay Example Introduction It is said that no country is an island. The fact behind this saying is made evident in several theories including economic theories. For instance it is out of this realization that several countries and regions of this world are forming organizations and unions that seek to bridge the borders that hinder the easy flow of investment from one country to the other; allowing that investors of other nations have free access to do business and trade in other countries. A number of such organizations and associations of the world that foster free movement of investment for economic purposes can be mentioned. Some of these include the Gulf Countries Cooperation, Middle East and North African Organization, European Union and Economic Community of West African States. The freedom for other foreigners and foreign businesses to do business and invest in other countries bring to fore the discussion on foreign investment. Foreign investment comes in different forms, depending on what is involved in the investment. The differences in investment packages has over the years resulted in economic terms such as foreign indirect investment, outward foreign direct investment and inward foreign direct investment. Today, economic scholars seem more comfortable, discussing the phenomenon of flow of investment from one country to another as just foreign direct investment. ... To this end, Graham and Spaulding (2005) explain that â€Å"the definition has been broadened to include the acquisition of a lasting management interest in a company or enterprise outside the investing firm’s home country.† There is no denying the fact that China and India remain some of the world’s largest attracters of foreign direct investment; specifically outward foreign direct investment. This paper is therefore dedicated to researching into the general trend associated with foreign direct investment from those two countries in relation to how international business theories adequately explain the reasons for outwards foreign direct investment in those two countries. Overview of outward Foreign Direct Investment from China By definition, China is one of the most celebrated countries that enjoy â€Å"a type of investment that involves the injection of foreign funds into an enterprise that operates in a different country of origin from the investor† ( Economic Watch, 2011). Simply put, China enjoys massive foreign direct investment. Without saying the least, recent survey conducted by the United Nations has proved that investors rank China as the world’s first most important destinations for foreign direct investment over the 2010 to 2012 period (Asia Briefing, 2011). The implication of this top spot is that China enjoys and benefits from outward foreign direct investment like no other nation in the world. Indeed the success of China as the top ranked dates far back as Shaukat and Wei (2005) notes that â€Å"China is by far the largest recipient, and in 2004 surpassed the USA as host destination. It has consequently

Exploring Original Intent versus a Living Constitution Essay

Exploring Original Intent versus a Living Constitution - Essay Example For people that propagate approaches towards original intent, the very essence of ideas pertaining to the rule of law can be found by searching for the original intention in the constitution. This original intention is the very basis for differentiating between the acts of judging from the acts of legislating. Judges are bound to give rulings on the basis of what was intended by the constitution in terms of the given words. However, a large number of controversies have arisen regarding original intent in terms of the power with the Supreme Court as granted by the US Constitution. Hence, while deciding constitutional matters, the issue has often arisen whether the Supreme Court should abide by the original intent or should make attempts to interpret the Constitution in keeping with the present times. The question also arises whether the original intent was intended by the framers of the Constitution to always remain the original intent. People defending original intent hold that if ju dges are given a free hand in not entirely complying with the Constitution they will themselves become lawmakers. Thus it is important for judges to keep up with the Constitution instead of attempting to keep up the Constitution with present times (William, 1976). This is how the significance of original intent is determined in the present times, despite the far reaching changes that have taken place in society and value systems since the Constitution was written. The US constitution is not very lengthy and does not provide explanations or solutions for every situation. Moreover, even in circumstances that appear to be clear, conflicting rights and conflicting areas of authority and power come to the surface. It is in situations like this, when disputes arise and judges have to make interpretations of the Constitution. The constitutions of many countries are very rigid and provide for the judiciary to strictly follow its provisions, although adaptations are made sometimes in keeping with changes in technology, public opinion, political viewpoints and governments. However, the Constitution of the US has been described as a Living Constitution, partly because it can grow and be adapted to internal and external influences in being changed from one period and generation to another. All judges are not known to fully comply with the concept of original content and most do not adhere to it faithfully and uniformly. Judges attempting to use the judicial philosophy of original content are in agreement that only by applying it can courts be bound by the law instead of their own viewpoints on what is desirable. These judges believe that original content should be applied in order to conserve the spirit of democracy put forth by the Constitution. However, modernists hold that the Constitution has been purposely left vague in several areas, primarily to allow modern interpretation to supersede the old ideas as the Constitution becomes older. This is the interpretation and perception that represents the concept of the Living Constitution. It is held that the Constitution is quite flexible and has been changing the belief and values systems of people. As such, modernists do not deny the importance of originalism because they agree the historical perspective of the Constitution does have immense value. But they argue that the present needs of society are far more important than just adhering to

Proof Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Proof - Movie Review Example Proof happens to be really an extraordinary thriller that delves and elaborates on matters of heart and scholarship. The movie in a vivid manner elucidates the true ingenuity of a mathematical proof and the passion and emotion that is intertwined around it (Ross, 2011, p. 57). The hallmark of the movie is that it does succeed in creating a lifelike landscape of a university campus and the action and life inherent in it. The movie delves on its theme in a simple and lucid manner, without requiring the viewer to have any knowledge of mathematics. A Few Good Men tends to be an extraordinary movie that manages to tell a story that is both conventional and compelling, without resorting to any wastage of images or words (Valenti, 2000). The screenplay in the movie happens to be a good one that is directed with care, very much like Proof and the acting in the movie tends to commensurately support the story line. A Few Good Men indeed misses the intellectual weight of Proof, however it more than compensates for this lacking by presenting moving clashes of will marked by terrific buzz cuts. The direction of the movie is masterly that successfully manages to blend the plot and the characters to give way to a movie that really resonates with energy and passion. The crux of the movie lies in the court room drama it presents, which makes it watchable and praiseworthy. A Few Good Men has all the ingredients of a conventional Hollywood blockbuster that are an intelligent story line, loads of entertainment, and the lurking charisma of a p restigious and celebrated star cast. It goes without saying that it is very difficult to forget this movie. If Proof stands out by the dint of its emotive and intellectual capacity, if A Few Good Men comes out as a movie marked by drama, energy and passion, Chicago stands out by the worth of the incessant dazzle it accommodates that turns out to be somewhat depressing at times. The song and dance sequences in the movie rather than turning out to be spectacular actually come out as being callisthenic and too planned. The tone of the movie till the very end stands out to be facetious. Too much of razzle-dazzle in the movie may leave the audience tired and depressed, much contrary to the poignancy and focus surrounding Proof and A Few Good Men. However, each and every musical number in Chicago builds up to such a frantic scale that it may force the audience to clap. Overall the movie lacks the gravity and moral framework inherent in Proof and A Few Good Men. Hamlet is indeed an apt cin ematic version of Shakespeare’s famous play. Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet is indeed compelling and handsome that brings out this tragedy emphatically alive on the screen. Though the movie may not be perfect yet it is deeply engrossing. The plot indeed manages to bring to life the vengeance, passion, blood, gore and sweat that define the original play and thereby Hamlet is indeed unlike all the movies discussed till now. Barnagh successfully manages to enter the heart of the character and thereby portrays a character that is both roving and deep and that successfully manages to hold the audience in thrall. Hamlet unlike the other movies is a movie marked by a tremendous ambition and its budget is indeed commensurately ambitious. The movie is indeed gorgeous to look at and many of the performances in the movie are really remarkable. The Full Monty indeed supersedes Proof and A Few Good Men in terms of the setting creation which is as expected happens to be the Sheffield of t he nineties. The acting and the design departments have indeed done a wonderful job and the movie managed to be a commercial

In times of crisis, such as the one currently experienced in Europe, Assignment

In times of crisis, such as the one currently experienced in Europe, new ideas of how to manage and organise are required for - Assignment Example In this situation, it becomes important to create new organizations and create new jobs in order to sustain. The report will discuss about the global economic crisis and its impact on the national economies of the nations. In this context it will specifically highlight the Euro crisis and its impact on the affected countries. It will also emphasize the importance of new company establishments and job creation in a country. The report will also shed light on how individuals influence the management practices of an organization. Finally the report will conclude stating the extent to which an individual impacts in company establishment and management practices. Introduction During the last 15 years, countries around the world have been able to make impressive advancement and historical transformations in their economical policies. With rapid globalization and based on the institutional establishments nations have been successful in building up effervescent private sector. It has also le d the countries to participate in international trade (Rutkowski and Scarpetta, 2005, p.xiii). The economic growth has in turn helped the nations to reduce the level of poverty as well as brought higher incomes. However the global economic downturn has disrupted the growth process and clearly indicated that no economic policy is stable enough to face economic crisis. Many scholars thus highlighted that it is important for the nations to focus on reforming the financials of a country. In this context a number of scholars have highlighted that financials of a country can be best reformed by creating new business ventures and thereby creating new jobs. According to Global Entrepreneur Monitor (GEM) around the world there are 200 million who are engaged in the creation of new jobs. There are another 200 million people who are the managers or owners of newly established firms. The study was carried out in 75 countries of the world and which covered nearly 80% of the total population of t he world (Reynolds and Curtin, 2010, p.1). The focus of the project will be therefore based upon the issue of how creation of new business and jobs will aid a nation to embrace economic growth. The intentions of the projects will be also to uncover how new business and jobs will be created and sustained during the crisis periods. The next half of the project will discuss all the relevant theories as well as the earlier literatures from the same field of study. Discussion In the recent past one of the major economic crisis occurred in Europe, which is also known as the Euro Crisis. It is an ongoing financial emergency that has caused difficulties for a number of countries in Europe to refinance the debt of their Government. This economic catastrophe has impacted the Euro economy to a large extant. Countries such as Greece, Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Spain or collectively known as GIIPS were the major sufferers. It has actually destroyed the economies of European Union. A number of reasons have been highlighted regarding the cause of this economical turbulence. The Euro Crisis In Europe there

The Wall Fragment from the Tomb of Thenti Essay

The Wall Fragment from the Tomb of Thenti - Essay Example Egyptian pyramids were planned to preserve the body of Pharaoh and guard his possessions after death, so as to simplify his passage into life after death. All forms of architecture in ancient Egypt were controlled by a highly conventional set of traditional agreements and rules, which preferred form and order over creative expression.Egyptian architecture/tombs represent the power, belief, and culture of a kingdom during that era, and that is why it is important worldwide. As soon as the Greeks reigned Egypt inaugurates with a variety of remarkable works established in the 3000 years before the coming of Alexander the Great. They were centered on belief in a tactile and real afterlife that reflected life on earth, glassmakers, scribes, architects, goldsmiths, painters, and sculptor’s formed attractive obituary goods to work for the poor and rich in eternity. Spiritual beliefs that had altered slightly over three millenniums meant artwork was surprisingly reliable and stood by time-honored ethnicities that carried forward the distinct visual culture of historical generations. Also, it carried forward the iconic Egyptian treaty of signifying the human body. Wall Fragment from the Tomb of Thenti is simply an illustration that concurrently shows the side and front views of the body, the shoulders and eyes are front while the mouth, nose, and head are displayed in profile. A lot has been inscribed, spoken, discussed, and debated about the affluent culture of Egypt. However, the Egyptian culture has persisted as enigmatic and intriguing as it was many years ago, assuring an ever-increasing arrival of visitors and tourists to the country. Maybe it has to do with the scientific advancement, treasures, richness, the magical and the huge architecture, whatsoever the motivation, the Egyptian culture and Egypt as a country grasps the attention of the globe at large.

Fracking Essay Example for Free

Fracking Essay â€Å"Fracking,† or hydraulic fracturing, is a controversial technology that was originally developed over 60 years ago. It allows us to obtain oil and hydrocarbons from otherwise inaccessible underground locations by drilling thousands of feet into the Earth and intentionally fracturing the shale. The oils and hydrocarbons are collected and then refined into pipeline quality natural gas. Natural gas is cleaner, more reliable, and more abundant than other fossil fuels. In recent years, people in America have become more concerned with the environment, and fracking has been a topic of frequent debate. We have seen firsthand what a boost these natural gas extraction facilities can give the economy, there are thousands of jobs being created and increasing amounts of refined natural gas being sold. New steel factories are being constructed to produce the materials required for the natural gas well casings. We don’t have to do a lot of dealing with trading or transport of natural gas, because most of the natural gas we use in America is extracted from our own soil. For this reason, many people are concerned with the impact fracking is having on our health and our environment. One major issue with the process is the risk of contaminating the ground and drinking water near the fracking wells. The wells are filled with high pressure fracking fluid, which contains chemicals and metals that are harmful to humans and our soil. Another possible problem or danger is gas migration, where drilling activity can cause methane build up in nearby wells of drinking water, contaminating the air and water supply with the dangerous gas. The natural gas industry accounts for forty percent of methane gas emitted in America. Breathing in and drinking or eating these harmful pollutants is not only directly harmful to those in the area either, as the livestock and crop can become contaminated before being distributed for sale to unknowing customers. Effects of these pollutants vary, but most of them are hazardous to human health, and can include cancer, respiratory or cardiovascular failure, and developmental damage. Fracking certainly has the potential to decrease our foreign oil dependency by tapping into our abundance of shale gas. It would definitely be best to redesign our process first, before irreversible damage is done to our environment.

Suicide Bombing Essay Example for Free

Suicide Bombing Essay Suicide terrorism is not mainly the product of Islamic fundamentalism or any other evil ideology independent of circumstance. The world leader in suicide terrorism is the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka theyre a Marxist group, a secular group, a Hindu group. The Tamil Tigers have committed more suicide terrorist attacks than Hamas or Islamic Jihad. Instead, what more than 95 percent of all suicide terrorist attacks since 1980 have in common are not religion, but a specific secular goal: to compel modern democracies to withdraw military forces from the territory the terrorists view as their homeland. From Lebanon to Chechnya to Kashmir to Sri Lanka to the West Bank, every suicide terrorist campaign since 1980 has had as its main objective to compel a democratic state to withdraw combat forces from territory that the terrorists prize. Mostly are organizational motivated and fanaticism and religiously motivation are two different angles of same picture. Religious rhetoric may help persuade attackers that their cause is either necessary or noble, and that glorifies or renames suicide as martyrdom, but it does not explain why suicide attackers choose that particular tactic. These can be explained by considering some other factors like individual, organizational, environmental and trauma-based motivations. Suicide Bombing is an act of violence that kills the attacker himself in addition to bystanders, but that also represents a tactic of terrorist organizations. The bomber perceives in his mind that by dehumanizing others he will be getting extra rewards like the extremists and fanatics of religious segments think; by giving their life they would be free to enter the heaven. Some other reasons which psychologically influence the mind of a terrorists are personal motivation, organizational, environmental, trauma- based motivations. Organizations provide the means, methods and group self-motivated fundamental suicide terrorism operations and often the ideology as well. They arise from a complex mix of social and political circumstances, psychological and religious context and interplay between the actions, sentiments and rhetoric of terror groups, their constituency and the perceived oppressor/enemy. When looking at the motivations on the organizational level we must acknowledge that terror-sponsoring organizations are largely political in their motivations and resort to terrorism when other political solutions have failed and to suicide terrorism when a specific set of circumstances exist. When one considers the suicide terror groups uses of religion to motivate individuals to sign up to die, it makes strategic sense. Any believer of any faith who is persuaded of the will act in extraordinary ways. Its history depicts that in south India, in the late 11th century, the local Kulasekhara kingdom had special suicidal squads to fight against their mighty neighbors, the Cholas. These Nair warriors were specially trained in so called Kalaris. These Nair race later transformed as the rulers of the region, and in war festivlas like Mamankam, they were still in use aganist the Zamorin rulers of Calicut. In the late 17th century, Qing official Yu Yonghe recorded that injured Dutch soldiers fighting against Koxingas forces for control of Taiwan in 1661 would use gunpowder to blow up both themselves and their opponents rather than be taken prisoner. However, the Chinese observer may have confused such suicidal tactics with the standard Dutch military practice of undermining and blowing up positions recently overrun by the enemy which almost cost Koxinga his life during the siege. During the Belgian Revolution, Dutch Lieutenant Jan van Speijk detonated his own ship in the harbour of Antwerp to prevent its capture by the Belgians. Another example was the Prussian soldier Karl Klinke on 18 April 1864 at the Battle of Dybbol, who died blowing a hole in a Danish fortification. In the 18th century John Paul Jones wrote about Ottoman sailors setting their own ships on fire and ramming the ships of their enemies, although they knew this meant certain death for them. Modern suicide bombing as a political tool can be traced back to the assassination of Tsar Alexander II of Russia in 1881. Alexander fell victim to a Nihilist plot. While driving on one of the central streets ofSaint Petersburg, near the Winter Palace, he was mortally wounded by the explosion of hand-made grenades and died a few hours afterwards. The Tsar was killed by a member of Narodnaya Volya,Ignacy Hryniewiecki, who died while intentionally exploding the bomb during the attack. Rudolf Christoph Freiherr von Gersdorff intended to assassinate Adolf Hitler by suicide bomb in 1943, but was unable to complete the attack. During the Battle for Berlin the Luftwaffe flew Selbstopfereinsatz against Soviet bridges over the Oderriver. These missions were flown by pilots of the Leonidas Squadron under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Heiner Lange. From 17 April until 20 April 1945, using any aircraft that were available, the Luftwaffe claimed that the squadron destroyed 17 bridges; however the military historian Antony Beevor when writing about the incident thinks that this was exaggerated and that only the railway bridge at Kustrin was definitely destroyed. He comments that thirty-five pilots and aircraft was a high price to pay for such a limited and temporary success. The missions were called off when the Soviet ground forces reached the vicinity of the squadrons airbase at Juterbog. Following World War II, Viet Minh death volunteers fought against the French Colonial Forces by using a long stick-like explosive to destroy French tanks. It has suddenly taken off like a wildfire spreading from Lebanon to Palestine, Sri Lanka, Chechnya, Morocco, Indonesia, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iraq and now sadly even originating in Europe and European bred bombers now even targeting Europe itself. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) carries out its first suicide bombing at the Nelliady army camp killing 40 security force (SF) personnel. May 21st 1911 Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and 18 persons are killed by a female suicide bomber in the town of Sriperumbudur, approximately 30 miles from Chennai, capital of the southern State of Tamil Nadu. This was the history of suicide bombing which shows that none of them were moved cause of Islam. The terrorist assumes he is in a extraterrestrial battle, involving apocalyptic forces which will wipe out either his side or the other, hence challenging a war of defense; He should dehumanize and his enemies by seeing them as the enemies of God; In joining the group and taking on its values and teachings, he has learned the mind of God is authorized to act in the battle by the will of God; The battle in which he is fighting is for sacred values and he must go to extraordinary means to eradicate and spot out those he sees as evildoers even innocent civilians who he believes are standing in the way of and offending God’s will. It may be noteworthy that suicide bombers mostly are rather young males between the ages of 18 and 27. This fact is momentous for a number of reasons. First, it is the age when testosterone soars. Studies significantly linked testosterone production to dominance orientation in males. When the desire to dominate is satisfied, high testosterone is not related to a rise in aggressiveness, however when such desire is frustrated it results in increased probability of aggressive response against oneself or others. The first motivational set is a trauma based and occurs within zones of active conflict. It is often: nationalistic; viewed in terms of self and community defense; expressive regarding meting out justice to the perceived enemy occupier; and includes acts of revenge. The individuals motivated within this set have witnessed firsthand and over the television their neighbors, family members and loved ones killed by what they view as an occupying force. Many have grown up witnessing countless acts of violence and as a result have not developed normally and often suffer from posttraumatic stress and dissociative disorders. Many have lost jobs, educational opportunities, been humiliated, and often struggle for basic daily needs and security. While the majority of traumatized individuals in conflict zones will not become suicide bombers even if invited to do so, an extremely small group will become vulnerable to terrorist ideologies that promote this tactic. Whereas suicide terrorism is planned and executed by individuals who are members of organizations, groups, or cells, these two levels are in turn influenced by broader environmental conditions that include the political, social, historical, cultural, economic, and religious context. Clearly, some of these sub-elements of the broader environment are more relevant in some cases than in others. Robert Pape, a political science professor at the University of Chicago and a renowned expert on suicide terrorism, argues in his new book Dying To Win that although Islamic fundamentalism seems to be the obvious central cause for suicide terrorism, at least half of the suicide terrorist attacks during the period 1980-2003 were not associated with Muslim fundamentalists. The belief for the strong link between Islamic fundamentalism and suicide terrorism, Pape says, has fueled the belief that to avoid future attacks like those of 11 September 2001, there is an urgent need for a radical transformation of Muslim societies. However, this presumed connection between suicide terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism is misleading and maybe encouraging domestic and foreign policies that are likely to worsen Americas situation. Between 1980 and the end of 2003 there were 315 suicide terrorist acts. The overall leader is the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, a secular group fighting to establish an independent state. According to some accounts, the Tamil Tigers have carried out at least five times more suicide attacks than other similar organizations put together. Tamil Tigers are said to be behind a very notorious suicide terrorist attack , the assassination of former Indian Prime Minster Rajiv Gandhi by a female bomber during an election rally in 1991. Cultural or religious worldviews enable people to feel that they are part of something larger, more meaningful, and, ultimately, longer lasting than themselves. Suicide bombing offers not only an identity, but also a place in community history life is exchanged for identity. Self-sacrificial behavior is present in many cultures, and is not exclusively linked with Islam. It is an assertion that you will survive as an identity even if you cannot survive in physical form. Individuals can attain symbolic immortality deciding to die for their country. But if offered other ways of achieving symbolic life, they may be encouraged to leave a legacy in a pro-social way, rather than through violence. Pro-social methods of extending identity beyond death include raising children, starting a company and the preservation of peaceful cultural or religious practices. Apart from one demographic attribute – that the majority of suicide bombers tend to be young males – the evidence has failed to find a stable set of demographic, psychological, socioeconomic and religious variables that can be causally linked to suicide bombers’ personality or socioeconomic origins. With the exception of a few cases, their life stories show no apparent connection between violent militant activity and personality disorders. Typically, most suicide bombers are psychologically normal and are deeply integrated into social networks and emotionally attached to their national communities. Randomly attached labels such as â€Å"mad† denote one’s inability to fathom the deeper reasons but don’t advance our understanding of the causes of the phenomenon of suicide bombing. Rather, they impede us from discovering its real nature, purpose and causes. The meaning and nature of suicide in a suicide bombing are strikingly different from ordinary suicide. Suicide bombing falls into the category of altruistic suicidal actions that involve valuing one’s life as less worthy than that of the group’s honor, religion, or some other collective interest. Religiously and nationalistically coded attitudes owards acceptance of death, stemming from long periods of collective suffering, humiliation and powerlessness enable political organizations to offer suicide bombings as an outlet for their people’s feelings of desperation, deprivation, hostility and injustice. Suicide is a major sin in Islam The Quran does tell Muslims, Do not kill yourselves and warns that those who disobey will be cast into the fire. The Prophet Mohammed is reported to have said that a suicide cannot go to paradise. If people do good to you, do good to them; and if they mistreat you, still refrain from being unjust. Another story tells of Mohammed ordering his soldiers not to mistreat women and children, even during a battle. Both the Quran and hadiths offer examples of respect given to Christians and Jews – both considered along with Muslims as people of the Book. But bin Laden and some other terrorists say the less militant parts of Muslim teachings simply dont apply to their war with the West. This belief can be traced to a few well-known figures of relatively recent Muslim history. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab was a contemporary of George Washington. His supporters say he was a religious reformer who cleaned up a corrupted version of Islam practiced in his part of Arabia. Opponents call him a political opportunist who used religion as a weapon. In either case, he declared that Islam had been corrupted a generation or so after the death of Mohammed, and he condemned any theology, customs or practices developed after that. Islamic laws oppose the practice. This religious prohibition has had the intended effect. According to Franz Rosenthal a scholar of the subject suicide was of comparatively rare occurrence in traditional Muslim society. The most extreme ways that people can invest in their world view is to sacrifice their own life for it. Physical risks help to secure their own immortality this is self sacrifice as self-defense. Harming innocent bystanders, even in times of war, was forbidden by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This includes women, children, noncombatant bystanders, and even trees and crops. Nothing is to be harmed unless the person or thing is actively engaged in an assault against Muslims. The predominant theme in the Quran is forgiveness and peace. Allah (God) is Merciful and Forgiving, and seeks that in His followers. Indeed, most people who spend time on a personal level with ordinary Muslims have found them to be peaceful, honest, hard-working, civic-minded people. In the fight against terrorism of all forms, it is important to understand who or what is our enemy. We can only fight against this horror if we understand its causes and motivations. The entire Quran, taken as a complete text, gives a message of hope, faith, and peace to a faith community of one billion people. The overwhelming message is that peace is to be found through faith in God, and justice among fellow human beings. At the time the Quran was revealed, there was no United Nations or Amnesty International to keep the peace or expose injustice. Inter-tribal violence and vengeance was commonplace. As a matter of survival, one must have been willing to defend against aggression from all sides. Nevertheless, the Quran repeatedly urges forgiveness and restraint, and warns believers not to transgress or become oppressors. If anyone slays a person- unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land it would be as if he slew all people. And if anyone saves a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all people. Quran 5:32Invite all to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching. And argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious And if you punish,let your punishment be proportional to the wrong that has been done to you. But if you show patience, that is indeed the best course. Be patient, for your patience is from God. And do not grieve over them, or distress yourself because of their plots. For God is with those who restrain themselves, and those who do good. Quran 16:125-128 The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree) but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from God, for God loves not those who do wrong. But indeed, if any do help and defend themselves after a wrong done to them, against such there is no cause of blame. The blame is only against those who oppress men with wrongdoing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land, defying right and justice. For such there will be a penalty grievous (in the Hereafter). But indeed, if any show patience and forgive, that would truly be an affair of great resolution. Quran 42:40-43. Goodness and evil are not equal. Repel evil with what is better. Then that person, with whom there was hatred, may become your intimate friend! And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, none but people of the greatest good fortune. Quran 41:34-35 The key motivator for a violent actor who seeks to die like a martyr is a strong attachment to a community, usually a religious community. There are dozens of reasons for killing, but violent martyrdom is first and foremost about belonging. Strong emotional ties and strong feelings of mutual obligation often hold religious societies together. They act out of personal despair, rage, hatred, belief in paradise or having been brainwashed. We also assume that their actions are completely irrational and destructive. What we need to look at, in order to correct these misconceptions, is the martyrs discourse and the rituals that surround religiously sanctioned suicide terror. References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_attack http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1066254.html http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1934101,00.html

Demand and Supply Theory for Sugar

Demand and Supply Theory for Sugar Sugar is refined sugar from cane and beet molasses squeeze made. Sugar in the production, packaging, transportation, storage process, it is easy to contaminate the pathogenic microorganisms. Especially to store more than one year, the color yellow sugar, often contaminated meats. According to the experiment, from 500 grams of sugar, he even checked out 15,000 mites. If people eat sugar was contaminated mites, parasitic mites enters the digestive tract, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea and other symptoms, and some even cause allergic reactions. If the infant or elderly foods directly into the pollution raw sugar, probably due suffocation and other mites into the lungs and cause asthma or hemoptysis, complicated by bronchitis or pneumonia and easily. Sugar, divided into two categories, namely, sugar, white sugar and cotton. White sugar is sucrose crystals, generally more than 99.8% purity, from a chemical point of view, this is a very pure substance. White sugar has a pure sucrose sweetness, in addition to direct consumption, but also the main varieties of industrial sugar. Cotton, sugar, cane sugar is fine grains are wrapped in a layer of invert sugar syrup made of, its purity and white sugar considerably. Here invert sugar plays a soft, flavored, functions as a co sweet. This is because the invert sugar having a honey-like scent (the main component of honey is invert sugar) which is greater than the sweetness of sucrose (sweetness of sucrose is 1, the conversion of sugar sweetness 1.2), invert sugar than the ability to maintain a strong absorption of sugar pills soft, so soft sugar taste better than white sugar. Soft white sugar optimum direct human consumption, it is preferred to eat cold drinks cold, but not used to make adva nced pastries. Sugar is one of the main source of nutrition for the body, the bodys consumption of thermal energy produced should be maintained after glucose oxidation, the energy needed by the body activity by about 70% of the sugar supply. Sugar nutrients, but should be controlled within a certain number range. In the end how much sugar a person the right of foreign opinion more consistent day to eat are: daily per kilogram of body weight control in about 0.5 grams. That is, the weight of 20 kg per day for children less than 10 grams, 60-kg adult, about 30 grams per day. So, usually to grasp the amount of sugar in food, in order to avoid over-feeding. Depending on the process of sugar, cane sugar, white sugar and carbonation curing can be divided into sugar. Because sugar carbonation shelf life longer, better quality, the price is relatively high sugar cure. Sugar sulfide, sulfurous clarifying technology is a typical pure juice and syrup decolorization method in the production of industrial sugar, because the law has less equipment, process is relatively simple, easy to manage and so on. However, with carbonic clarifying technology comparison, due to the soft process of clarifying the main workers rely on calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate to adsorb impurities in the juice, syrup and sulfur bleaching effect are based on the principle of the reduction reaction, therefore, Asia sulfuric acid produced sugar white sugar quality is often poor, long after the home as well as yellowing phenomenon. In general, the sulfite method of sugar production of white sugar sucrose products are likely to meet the requirements of the physical and chemical indicators, only individual, non-sugar index can not meet the requirement, which is Sulfitation sugar white sugar causes of poor quality. Thus the color values of white sugar production up to about 150I U, even more than 200IU high. Obviously, to improve the quality of Sulfitation sugar, white sugar is bound to reduce the value of the product color. Carbonized sugar, sugar carbon method features: with lime and carbon dioxide as a clarifying agent to clarify the method is called carbonation juice with carbonated process production of sugar called carbonation sugar, also known as carbon (acid) method sugar. Carbonate produced using sugar, in addition to more than a non-glycoside Shakespeare sulfuric acid method, the obtained high purity refined sugar, lower color values, less sulfur, can be stored for a long time without discoloration. However, the carbonation process is more complex, required more machinery and equipment, consumes a lot of lime and carbon dioxide, and thus a higher cost of production. As agricultural products, national sugar production will inevitably be affected by floods and droughts and other natural disasters, weather, natural disasters in recent years, the impact on sugar production is particularly evident. Climate. Sugarcane in the growing season with a high temperature, light intensity, water demand, absorption of fat and more features, therefore, constitute the climatic resources of heat, light, water and other conditions have a special dependency. Droughts, floods, high winds, hail, frost and other weather have low impact on the growing disaster in sugarcane, and this effect is long-term, once formed. At the end of 1999 in the main producing areas of frost China cane occurred, allowing rotation germination rate decreased, resulting in the 1999/00 sugar production more than 200 million tons of sugar. With international oil prices rising, some countries to reduce dependence on oil joined the search for sugarcane ethanol and other bio-system alternative energy, sugar cane is no longer solely as an agricultural product, the sugar market has become increasingly look as an energy product, oil price changes affect not only the global economic situation, the impact of international shipping, but also the influence of alcohol production, thereby affecting the global sugar production. Therefore, the oil price changes will inevitably affect the trend of sugar prices. According to demand theory, demand is the number of goods bought at a particular place and time with the current price and time. If an item on the demand is affected by its own price (P), income level (Y), and the price of other commodities (X), and assuming a constant elasticity of demand, the demand can be exponentially mathematically expressed in terms of a demand function as Eq. When prices rise, demand reduction, there will be more suppliers, and lead to increased supply. This concept actually refers Supply Act. Supply Act refers to suppliers more willing to sell more products at a higher price, rather than at a lower price. It also said that these suppliers will try to increase production in that period, in order to increase their profits. For example, when the price of sugar is increasing, the quantity demanded will be decreasing while the quantity supplied will be increasing as well. There are indications that demand factors explain why sugar is inelastic. First, complementary products. Complementary products such as sugar are often flexible. For example, if the sugar prices, the demand for coffee will decrease. Coffee changing demand curve to the left. It is the price of sugar, because they need to demand a negative correlation between coffee each other at the same time. There are other factors that will affect the elasticity, such as the substitution of the closeness, the proportion of income spent on the good, the time elapsed since the price change. First, substitution of the approximation degree. Sugar is a necessity of goods, it has a weak alternative, therefore considered inelastic demand. Second, the proportion of income spent on good. We spend a very small proportion of sugar daily income. Thus, sugar is inelastic demand. Finally, the time, because the price changes through. Elasticity of demand depends on whether the value of the sugar can live a very long time. In this case, the sugar is inelastic, and therefore a greater elasticity of demand. Instead of sugar, for example, in a long time, consumers will find, because they have no choice but to set the price. When the high sugar prices, supply will be higher, and because providers can earn more profits, while demand will be lower. Therefore, it would result in a surplus of graphics. When there is a surplus of supply over demand, excess quantity quantity certain price. In surplus supply and demand curves represented by the above equilibrium price point. When the presence of excess product oversupply buyers to choose from, you may pay less for goods and services. For sellers, they are working with other suppliers to compete for customers and their prices will fall, but also their sales. Sugar prices, sugar subsidies due to the Malaysian government. Government subsidies are paid to producers by reducing the price paid by the buyer, the seller increases the price received. There are effects of subsidies, such as falling prices and increasing supply. Subsidies to reduce the price of sugar and increase the supply of sugar. In addition, the government paid to the supplier. Government subsidies to pay for each ton of sugar suppliers of sugar. For example, suppliers to increase their supply of 60 million tons of sugar a year receive $ 20 a ton of subsidies. Suppliers receive payments from the government. The government is using the concept of price ceiling to control the sugar market. According to the following chart, the price ceiling is below the equilibrium price set by the government price. Government price ceiling for the sugar market applications for several reasons. First, in order to prevent the black market. The illegal black market is a market equilibrium price exceeds the ceiling price. For example, some suppliers may sell their products and buyers above the government-set price. Most foods contain sugar, so sugar prices will directly affect the price of food and other indirect effects of rising prices. Because most of the time, businesses will be because some products from government control and the opportunity to adjust the price of the goods. Recently, Malaysia, rising prices, people attracted a lot of criticism, seafood, vegetables, gasoline, transportation, postal services, etc., are the price a lot. Because the level of inflation in Malaysia has reached a new high in six years. Consumer Price Index, referred to as the CPI rose 3.2%, mainly due to food and non-alcoholic beverages and transport prices. (Refference : http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=2267%3Aconsumer-price-index-malaysia-january-2014-updated-1922014catid=48%3Aconsumer-price-index-malaysia-lang=en) Consumers in Malaysia, there are a variety of menus for their daily diet, sugar is the most important asset, its a. Therefore, the sugar market is an important factor in the Malaysian economy.Sugar is needed in life, so the sugar industry is very important. In addition, the evolution of the food processing industry leads to the expansion of the sugar industry. Recently, the Malaysian government has decided to cancel or reduce sugar subsidies. Opening in 2010, the government began to reduce sugar subsidies, which will lead to an increase in sugar prices. There are two parties who damaged; consumers and food vendor. When the study has been completed, the results show that the food sellers had to increase the price of its products, but not directly because of the price of sugar. Price increase is due to rising prices of other products. The removal of subsidies to the sugar industry led to increased product prices by the government, as well as sugar. Reduce food sellers income. Shortage occurred because the industry tends to use sugar, sugar prices from wholesalers to buy cheaper than buying from the sugar industry itself. Consumers and sellers of food from the impact of the shortage. In addition, the increase in sugar may occur again in the next time, because the government wants to gradually reduce the price of sugar subsidies. Therefore, through this research, I can educate the community to prepare for the consequences they may face in the future. Sugar is an inevitable product does not replace sugar, so its elasticity of demand. However, the sugar market does not follow the law of demand. In order to explain the reasons for the increased demand for sugar, and even raised the price because of the situation in various parts of Malaysia. Consumers worried the government will once again raised the price of sugar. Thus, in the first case, demand is inelastic, however, increased again when the sugar, sugar market that it is slightly returned to normal, although it still does not follow the law of demand. The Government should be aware that could lead to food retailers and should recognize that consumers face problems affecting the country. Consumers should be aware of the burden faced by food retailers, do not blame them, when the price of their products increases. Perhaps consumers will reduce consumption and increase imports of good local good consumer, rather than helping the country. As a conclusion, sugar has a very broad topic to talk about, especially in Malaysia, where the sugar supply and demand, price ceilings and subsidies and price elasticity of sugar can be linked together in the economic field. Brought a lot of influence from the government-imposed policy to the sugar industry in Malaysia, such as the price ceiling. Until today, the price of sugar in Malaysia is still relatively low compared with other countries, because the price ceiling and sugar subsidy policy. However, the low price of sugar in both leaded and lead to high consumption of sugar diabetes. To create a healthy lifestyle, the Government proposes to cut subsidies and educate the people by consuming less sugar to create a healthy lifestyle. I think, the incremental price of sugar can positively and negatively affect consumers. This is a positive effect, because as prices rise, demand reduction of sugar consumption has done. Excessive intake of sugar harmful. In Malaysia, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has been on the rise, and even children were reported to be obese in the past few years. For example, the US government imposed restriction sugar American consumers. This allows the American people to buy sugar for a cheaper price, so that they consume a lot of this year a total of up to 150 pound average sugars. They not only suffer from the financial burden of health care, but also for the health care burden. In contrast, the negative effects of sugar increment that consumer spending will increase. This is because the consumers willingness to have to spend more money to buy sugar, and its complementary products, such as sweetened condensed milk and soft drinks. Incremental demand for sugar can cause by population, income and food consumption of consumer preferences. Changes in sugar prices are due to push prices higher, in order to satisfy the equilibrium price and quantity to meet the buyers and sellers of market forces. In addition, increasing the price of sugar can help people by reducing sugar intake to control their sugar consumption. However, the high price of sugar to the burden on consumers to increase their spending on food expenditure in terms. (2517 words) References: -(n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=2267:consumer-price-index-malaysia-january-2014-updated-1922014catid=48:consumer-price-index-malaysia-lang=en -High sugar prices hit MSM bottomline Business News | The Star Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.thestar.com.my/Business/Business-News/2013/03/05/High-sugar-prices-hit-MSM-bottomline/?style=biz -Retailers warn of sugar price hike if subsidy is removed Community | The Star Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2013/10/12/Retailers-warn-of-sugar-price-hike-if-subsidy-is-removed/ -Sugar subsidy removal more bane than boon, say consumers Community | The Star Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2013/10/28/A-nottoosweet-surprise-Sugar-subsidy-removal-more-bane-than-boon-say-consumers/ -Keep prices reasonable, associations advised Community | The Star Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2013/10/29/Keep-prices-reasonable-associations-advised/ -Hope food outlets dont raise prices Letters | The Star Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Letters/2013/10/30/Hope-food-outlets-dont-raise-prices/ -The recent price hike is affecting small traders of Chinese New Year snacks Community | The Star Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2014/01/23/Cookie-costs-increasing-The-recent-price-hike-is-affecting-small-traders-of-Chinese-New-Year-snacks/ -Shahrir calls for end to sugar monopolies The Rakyat Post. (2013, October 30). Retrieved March 3, 2015, from http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2013/10/30/shahrir-calls-for-end-to-sugar-monopolies/ -Sugar subsidy of 34 sen to be cut from tomorrow The Rakyat Post. (2013, October 25). Retrieved March 3, 2015, from http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2013/10/25/sugar-subsidy-of-34-sen-to-be-cut-from-tomorrow/

Epic Heroes Essay examples -- Hero Roland Siegfried Balian

Heroes may fall, but they are never forgotten. An epic is an enlightening story with its true purpose to portray a historical person or event. Epics centralize on concepts such as loyalty and valor, which were important to those of medieval times. Epics were not recorded for a long time after they actually occurred. An epic hero is an individual with phenomenal finesse and extraordinary abilities. They represented a culture's highest standards or values. A heroic flaw is usually the triumphant downfall of a hero. Most heroes are depicted to have a heroic flaw which shows their mortality or ephemerality, meaning they do not live forever or just a brief amount of time. Epic Heroes are thrust into greatness upon their birth, but it is up to them to fulfill their destiny. Roland was truly a brave and valiant knight. In the section read it begins as Roland, his best friend Oliver, and the rest of the French rear guard face the immense Saracen army. Roland is consistent and pretentious, many knights and warriors fought for honor and dignity. Roland although courageous and dari...

Elwira Bauers Nazi Propagandist Childrens Book Trust No Fox on Green

Elwira Bauer's Nazi Propagandist Children's Book Trust No Fox on Green Meadow and no Jew upon his Oath In response to the factional society of the Weimar Republic, Nazism endeavored to create a new, more-unified society; an ideal national community, populated by an ethnically and culturally homogenous citizenry dogmatically obedient to the theories, laws, and policies of the central governing apparatus (the Nazi Hierarchy and ultimately Hitler). To attain its aims, Nazism employed a variety of tactics: laws were enacted to ethnically purify the population (e.g., the 1935 Nuremberg Laws), sentiments were propagated with the intention of uniting the population behind its leadership (i.e., the Fà ¼hrer Principle), and policies were instituted to ensure total cultural, political, and economic unity (e.g., the 1933 implementation of â€Å"Gleichschaltung†). In addition, Nazism utilized enormous amounts of written and oral propaganda to reinforce its principles and accompany its measures, rendering them more palatable to the public and consequently increasing their success,  "Local cooperation and leadership were essential to the success of Coordination. So was a bombardment of propaganda from party newspapers and publicists†¦[e.g., Dr. Goebbels, der Angriff, etc.]† (Bergen 65). The excerpt entitled â€Å"The Fà ¼hrer’s Youth† from Elwira Bauer’s 1936 Nazi propagandist children’s book Trust no Fox on Green Meadow and no Jew upon his Oath, exemplified the new ideal society envisioned by Nazism and reinforced Nazi theories and processes. The title of the book itself, â€Å"Trust †¦ no Jew upon his Oath,† reinforced Nazism’s principle that â€Å"non-Aryans† were inferior to â€Å"Aryans† and, consequently, supported Nazism’s position that an ethnically homogen... ...bably appeared in children’s stories written prior to the twentieth century and still in circulation today is not surprising in light of the fact that Hitler’s, and consequently Nazism’s, beliefs were unoriginal, â€Å"Adolf Hitler was not a brilliant, original thinker. There was nothing new about his views nor even in the way he combined them†¦.What was different was the intensity with which he held his views†¦his ability to captivate large audiences [and] the tremendous power he achieved after he became chancellor of Germany†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bergen 40). Works Cited Bauer, Elwira. â€Å"The Fà ¼hrer’s Youth.† Nuremberg: Stà ¼rmer Verlag, 1936. Bergen, Doris. War & Genocide: A Concise History of the Holocaust. New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2003. Gay, Peter. Weimar Culture: The Outsider as Insider. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, 2001.

Over Representation of African American Students in the Special Education System. Essay

Introduction My current school has special education roster of 32 students in self contain with over 90% of the students being African-American. This paper will address the large number African-American students in the special education system. Attention will be focus on the social economic roles that play a part in placement. When done properly and in appropriate perspective, special education is beneficial for students with a real disability, but special education services are inappropriate when a student receives it when it is not needed. African-American students are being placed in the special education system at an alarming rate. They are being labeled with disabilities at ages as early as five years old, because they progress slower than the rest of the class, bias in assessment instrument, discrimination in society reflected in the school or they may present some behavior issue. Special education is appropriate placement for students with real disabilities, but minority blacks are being disproportionately place in special education. This unjust placement at early ages are causing these children to be stereotyped as slow learners causing low self esteem and low achievement rate during and after school. This is a major problem when addressing special education for African Americans. Many attempts have been made to solve the issues but there have been no satisfactory results. Theoretical Framework The disproportionate representation of African-Americans students in the special education system is well documented. This misrepresentation has been problematic since the inception of the special education program. This paper will probe the reasons many of these students have been categorized with various type of learning disabilities or emotional disturbances. These labels given to students have proven to be life altering to students given incorrect placement. Lawsuits have been filed charging that placements of high numbers of African American, especially male, in special education classes has been a tool for resisting court ordered desegregation (Harry and Anderson, 1992). In many instances there is a lack of or unwillingness to properly place African American students because of educators in some systems being culturally diverse. Secondly there is a lot of mistrust between educators and parents. Many parents don’t seek appropriate services or disagree with educational placement because they feel they will be see as ignorant or â€Å"talked down† to by teachers and administrators placing their children in special education. This paper will also discuss the long term effects that hinder students educational progress as well as there adult life. Once placed in many special education programs student may not be in line to receive a high school diploma. Many students have difficulties in the community getting jobs because employers feel they will be slower then there counterparts that received a regular education. This then snowballs into the child being placed in a lower social economic bracket because of the type of employment they will have to settle for in adulthood. African-American students are disproportionally placed in the special education system around the country. This misrepresentation is may be due to teacher ineffectiveness. Improving teachers’ capacity to provide culturally responsive instruction to African American students is like to improve student learning ability (Darling-Hammond, 2004). New teachers must meet a vigorous undergraduate program to become certified they continue to graduate enable to effectively teach African American students. Many exit program with a misconception of black students. They think that the African American students are not as smart as other races. The purpose of this study is to prove there is a misrepresentation of African American students in special education. I also plan to illustrate the problem of disproportionate representation of African American students in special education is not just a special education problem issue or concern but, instead, must be viewed in the context as it refers to racism in the whole educational system. I will discuss how racism contributes to and maintains disproportionality in special education by (a) insufficiently funding schools attended primarily by African American and poor children: (b) employing culturally inappropriate and unresponsive curriculum; (c) inadequately preparing educators to effectively teach African American learners and other students of color. I will show that to effectively address the problem of disproportionality, researchers, practitioners and  policymakers must place inequitable educational resource allocation, inappropriate curriculum and pedagogy and inadequate teacher preparation at the center of education research, policy, and practice. Significance of the Study There is much significance for this study. Being a special education teacher I have seen many students come to me because they were a behavioral problem during their elementary years. I believe it is our responsibility to find a solution to this growing problem. First, we as educators, we need to find out if this race of students are get misplaced in the educational system. These students not getting a proper education are causing a negative effect on their entire life. This causes this particular group to have to depend on state aid and weakens the workforce. Secondly, we need to find out if there is a problem with teacher preparedness. If this is a problem we need to figure out what can be done in state colleges and universities to solve these problems. Would adding a more ethically diverse curriculum better prepare teachers to educate African American students? The majority of the teachers coming out of college will be spending there first few years teaching intercity kids, with the majority being African Americans. Finally we need to educate or children to be reliable productive citizens. I feel that these children are not being given an equal shot at being productive if they are being thrown in the special education class in the back of the building. We already know there is a problem, now we need to work together to find a solution that will best benefit the students. Definition of Terms Disproportionate numbers: Having greater representation within a subgroup  compared to the number of students in the population as a whole. Some researchers use plus or minus 10% to determine proportionality (Harry & Anderson, 1994). Discrimination The ability to make or perceive distinction; discernment. Partiality, or bias, in the treatment of a person or group, which is unfair, illegal, etc(Loren & Orfield, 2002). It is my opinion that African American children are being placed in special Education because of biases unfair grouping. High Achieving: School-wide trajectory of API (if in California) and Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) growth over three years of all subgroups. There must also be a minimum movement of two deciles within 3-5 years. ] Special Education: Services and supports designed to minimize the impact of disability and maximize opportunity to grow and learn (Hehir, 2007). Limitation, Delimitation and Assumptions Limitations of Study The limitations of this study would be to find willing participates, because of the reasons I have discussed earlier parents will be willing to admit that their child was placed in special education because of a lack of knowledge on their part. Another limitation that will affect them outcome of this research is because I am directly employed in the parish that I have chosen to do research. This position will limit the effectiveness of my research because of student privacy and my position in the parish. It is also my opinion that school districts will not want to release information that could possible be used against them. As stated before I think students of color or being illegal classified as students with special needs and placed in special education. These are a few factors that could limit my study. Delimitations of the Study  External validity may be effected based on the number of student/parents being interviewed. Validate may be effected due to other minority races not being included in the study. Also the size and school locations may limit my ability to get adequate data to fully prove my hypothesis. The small sample population was feasible for my research rather then venturing out into larger areas. This is significant in that the findings may not be applicable to other schools. Assumptions of the Study References Artiles, A. J. (2003). Special education’s changing identity: Paradoxes and dilemmas in views of culture and space. Harvard Educational Review, 73, 164-202. Artiles, A. J. , Rueda, R. , Salazar, J. J. , & Higareda, I. (2005). Within-group diversity in minority disproportionate representation: English language learners in urban school districts. Exceptional Children, 71, 283-300. Billingsley, B. (2004). 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Gender and sociodemographic factors and the disproportionate identification of culturally and linguistically diverse students with emotional disturbance. Behavioral Disorders, 27, 109-125. Eitle, T. M. (2002). Special education or racial segregation: Understanding variation in the representation of Black students in educable mentally handicapped programs. The Sociological Quarterly, 43(4), 575-605. Elhoweris, H. , Mutua, K. , Alsheikh, N. , & Holloway, P.(2005). Effect of children’s ethnicity on teachers’ referral and recommendation decisions in gifted and talented programs. Remedial and Special Education, 26(1), 25-31. Ferri, B. A. , & Connor, D. J. (2005). In the shadow of Brown: Special education and overrepresentation of students of color. Remedial and Special Education, 26, 93-100. Hosp, J. L. , & Hosp, M. K. (2002). Behavior differences between African American and Caucasian students: Issues for assessment and intervention. Education and Treatment of Children, 24, 336-350. Hosp, J. L. , & Reschly, D. J. (2002). Predictors of restrictiveness of placement of African American and Caucasian students. Exceptional Children, 14, 20-34. Hosp, J. L. , & Reschly, D. J. (2003). Referral rates for intervention and assessment: A meta-analysis of racial differences. Journal of Special Education, 37, 67-81. Hosp, J. L. , & Reschly, D. J. (2004). Disproportionate representation of minority students in special education: Academic, demographic and economic predictors. Exceptional Children, 70, 185-199. Kurlaender, M. , & Yun, J. T. (2007). Measuring school racial composition and student outcomes in a multiracial society. American Journal of Education, 113, 213-235. Neal, L. V. , McCray, A. D. , Webb-Johnson, G. , & Bridgest, S. T. (2003). The effects of African American movement styles on teachers’ perceptions and reactions. Journal of Special Education, 37, 49-57. O’Connor, C. (2002). Black women beating the odds from one generation to the next: How the changing dynamics of constraint and opportunity affect the process of educational resilience. American Educational Research Journal, 39, 855-903. Park, J. , Turnball, A. P. , & Turnball, H. R. , III (2002). Impacts of poverty on quality of life in families of children with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 68, 151-170. Shealey, M. W. , Lue, M. S. , Brooks, M. , & McCray, E. (2005). Examining the legacy of Brown: The impact on special education and teacher practice. Remedial and Special Education, 26, 113-121. Skiba, R. J. , Michael, R. S. , Nardo, A. C. , & Peterson, R. L. (2002). The color of discipline: Sources of racial and gender disproportionality in school punishment. Urban Review, 34, 317-342. Skiba, R. J. , Poloni-Staudinger, L. , Gallini, S. , Simmons, A.B. , & Feggins-Azziz, R. (2006). Disparate access: The disproportionality of African American students with disabilities across educational environments. Exceptional Children, 72, 411-424. Skiba, R. J. , Poloni-Staudinger, L. , Simmons, A. B. , Feggins-Azziz, L. R. , & Chung, C. G. (2005). Unproven links: Can poverty explain ethnic disproportionality in special education? Journal of Special Education, 39, 130-144. Zhang, D. , & Katsiyannis, A. (2002). Minority representation in special education: A persistent challenge. Remedial and Special Education, 21, 180-187.