The Threat of Language :: Essays Papers

The Threat of Language America is a nation that promotes the image of diversity among its citizens. This diversity is what makes American unique and different from any other country in the world. As years pass the ethnic population of the United States grows at a rate comparable to the speed at which a bullet flies. With so many different cultures and languages coexisting within the boundaries of this nation, a question arises. Do languages other than English threaten American’s ability to unite socially, politically, and economically? Richard Rodriguez is a perfect example of an immigrant that came to American with his family and didn’t know any English. Starting when he was a young child Rodriguez had a very difficult time making friends and feeling comfortable out in public. This was because he didn’t know how to communicate with people outside his home. Richard realized that the only way for him to break this social barrier was to be able to speak English like everyone else. Rodriguez was not just able to learn English but he also was able to gain his own individuality with out loosing his ethnic background. â€Å"The bilingualists insist that a student should be reminded of his difference from others in mass society, his heritage. But they equate mere separateness with individuality.† Rodriguez regained his individuality when he was able to communicate and express himself to the community in which he lived. With the tool of the English language under his belt Rodriguez was able to succeed and share with others his experiences and feelings. Is it necessary for people of different cultures and languages to be able to speak English in order to succeed in America? Should their ethnic background be sacrificed in order to fit into American society? The U.S. Department of Education enacted the Lau decision to increase funding for bilingual education all over America. Many immigrants felt that this increased funding wasn’t helping to teach the children well enough. In one case a Chinese man in San Francisco complained that his children were at a disadvantage, both socially and economically because they weren’t being taught English adequately. The statistics are staggering regarding the success rates of minorities throughout high school and college. A report by the American Council of Education states that â€Å"50 percent of all Hispanic youths in America drop out of high school, and only 7 percent finish college.

Be Happier by Consuming Less Essay

Consumerist is a social and economic order that encourages the purchase of goods and services in ever greater amounts. In the American consumption, people do not know how much is enough, do we really need all we buy? Or we just buy it because everyone else has it? Does it make us any happier? In the article â€Å"The New Politics of Consumption: Why Americans Want So Much More That They Need† Juliet Schor shares with us her point of view about American Consumption. In Schor’s article says, â€Å"The average American now finds it harder to achieve a satisfying standard of living than 25 years ago† (411). Also that â€Å"The competitive consumption, the idea that spending is in large part driven by a comparative or competitive process in which individuals try to keep up with the norms of the social group with which they identify as a reference group† (412). Finally she believes that â€Å"Low income children are more likely to be exposed to commercials at school, as well as home† (413). Our personal consumer choices have ecological, social, and spiritual consequences. Much of what we purchase is not essential for our survival or even basic human comfort but is based on impulse, a momentary desire, and there is a hidden price that we, and future generations will pay for it too. The American economy’s ultimate purpose is to produce more consumer goods, not better health care, education, housing, transportation, but to provide more stuff to consumers. First, in Schor’s article she says, â€Å"The average American now finds it harder to achieve a satisfying standard of living than 25 years ago† (411). Nowadays people have to work longer hours than 25 year ago, to be able to pay all their desires. Having more and newer things each year has become not just something we want but something we need. The idea of more, ever increasing wealth has become the center of our identity, and this looks like an addiction. For example, my aunt Maria works 5 days a week to be able to pay all her bills and sometimes does overtime. She might have a lot of new and cool things, but she doesn’t even have time to enjoy all these things because she has to be working just to pay all she has. My aunt has a salary of $9. 25 per hour and getting a check of $740 biweekly which she have to use to pay her car $200, plus her phone $85, personal stuff $150, and the list keep going. I have worked 40 hours a week, going to classes full-time with little satisfaction. Without working that long, I am less stressed, and I prefer to learn how to spend less money, than spending more, and live stressed all the time. People should take more responsibility for themselves and their families and think outside of the box when it comes to life. Working less hours and buying fewer products is a good way to start. Also, Schor says, â€Å"The competitive consumption, the idea that spending is in large part driven by a comparative or competitive process in which individuals try to keep up with the norms of the social group with which they identify as a reference group† (412). People try to be in the same level that everyone else; if they see that somebody bought something, they will try to have that, just because that person has it. An example is the iPhones people are obsessed with them. The first iPhone was the 3G, then 3GS, 4, 4S, and the 5 that is the last one that just came out. All of these iPhones do almost the same functions; they just changed the size, and some other little things. People spend a lot of money buying the iPhones; the prices are between $300 and $500. The point is that people want to keep up with the newest things, just because other people will have it. For example, my cousin Heysus who is 23 years old, have been buying all the iPhones, because all his friends have them, and whenever came a new iPhone, he ordered it immediately to keep up with what his friends have. Another point is that people with less income, tend to watch more TV, in Schor’s article says, â€Å"Low income children are more likely to be exposed to commercials at school, as well as home† (413). Television and marketing are a big influence of how people spend their money. We watched an example of it in the movie of Super-Size Me, of how the companies spend a lot of their money on marketing, because they know that people is going to buy their products. We need to make people conscious about the problem that we all have as a society. Without our consumer impulse to buy the newest, coolest things on the market, there would be no market. People should think more about what they buy, and should not do unnecessary purchases I think that some people keep worrying more about what they can buy, and how they can have better and newest things instead of be worrying about how they can live happier, and less stressed. An individual does not necessarily have to live as a rich person to be happy. The thought of shorter hours working is a wealth of opportunity and adventure that no Disneyland or Las Vegas vacation can offer. It is actually stress-free and can help us to have time to more valuable parts of our life, like having more time to spend with our family and friends. Finally, as a student that works and studies at the same time, I have to be a smart consumer. I ask myself what I need and what I really don’t. Why do I need a car? Is it necessary to have a laptop when we have a library full of computers? We all need to learn that how to spend our money in a better way, and know that we do not need to have the newest and coolest things that the market offer us to be happy.

Genetically Modified Foods, Pros and Cons persuasive essay Essay

â€Å"When you light a candle, you also cast a shadow. † – Ursula K. Le Guin. No matter what good some people believe they are doing, everything seems to come with a consequence, and the question is whether or not the good overpowers the bad. Many experts argue that Genetically Modified foods are actually beneficial to, not only people, but animals, plants, and the world overall. Some experts even state that, not only are they beneficial, but that they also protect the environment and aid food productivity. Most farmers actually recommend GMO’s because they are easier to grow, maintain, and tend to be more profitable; however, countless other experts have come to realize that GMO foods are untested, unsafe, and unhealthy. Studies indicate that these â€Å"acclaimed† GMO foods will not, feed the world, end hunger, increase the profit of farmers, or reduce the cost of farming. GMO’s even have long term effects that haven’t been adequately tested, and the effects could be catastrophic if they are not handled with caution. Although some experts claim, â€Å"GM foods reduce effectiveness of pesticides. † However, that is the point. GM foods are created in order to decrease the amount of pesticides. It is a healthier and safer option than the use of chemicals going into your body. For example, members of the Northern Canola Growers Association express, â€Å"GM foods such as BT corn can help eliminate the application of chemical pesticides. † Because pesticides are harmful to humans, GM foods are the better solution; they decrease the danger. This quote shows that GM foods are already being produced in foods such as corn, and nothing has gone wrong yet. They are actually healthier because pesticides aren’t used. In a 2000 Washington Post editorial, Hassan Adamu, Nigeria’s minister of Agriculture, explains to readers that, â€Å"in Africa, GM foods could almost literally weed out poverty. † And, â€Å"many African countries face poor growing conditions that thwart any attempts to grow traditional crops. † Since the world population is growing rapidly everywhere each day, eventually there will not be enough land to feed everyone. GM foods wound not only create more food for people all over the world, but would also create more jobs across the world. GM foods would increase food production and decrease world hunger and unemployment. Contrary to popular belief, most farmers actually recommend the use of genetically modified foods, because they are easier to grow, and are more profitable. An example of how they are easier to grow is that genetically modifying plants can make them more resilient and tolerant to harsh conditions. According to UC Southern California Professor of Biology Terrel Edwards, â€Å"a gene from the grey manganese has been genetically implanted into tobacco in order to make it tolerant to salt and many other ionic stresses. † These recent developments in biotechnology make it possible for plants to grow in places that have harsh conditions such as deserts. This is good for farmers around the world, because they can utilize land that was once useless, and baron land is extremely cheap, so farmers could make more profit. Furthermore, GMO crops have been in use since the early nineties in the United States, and have changed the way farming has been done forever. According to Hembree Brandon, an advisor to the National Research Institute, â€Å"In 2009, GE crops have accounted for more than 80 percent of all soybean, corn, and cotton acres. † Clearly, modified foods have already been in our society for over eighteen years. Also, GE crops are more profitable, because a farmer yields more crops per acre than ever before, like in corn. Farmers are now getting six times more corn out of a crop, making the need for gargantuan farms go down. This downsizing makes room for more homes and different crops. In addition, GE crops are easier to grow. For some crops, it’s not cost efficient to remove weeds by physical means, such as tilling, so famers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides to destroy weeds, a time consuming and expensive process that requires care so that the herbicides don’t harm the plants or environment. A farmer grows these soybeans which then only require one application of weed killer instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste. In initiation, Agribusinesses, who promote their GMO foods, have asserted fallacies about their GMO’s, stating that they will save the world from hunger by generating more food, create more productive crops, and reduce the cost of farming; those of which have all been invalidated by experts. For example, Andrew Kimbrell , the executive director of the International Centre for Technology Assessment, argues that food production is not the problem , and in fact â€Å"The world produces more than enough food to feed its current population†, that the problem is in distribution. The world actually produces so much food that â€Å"enough is available to provide 4. 3 pounds of food to every person, every day† (Kimbrell 1998). Agribusinesses lie to the people claiming that their GMO’s are saving people, and ending hunger in the world to try and convince you to buy their product, when in effect food production is not the problem. Secondarily, GMO’s are said to be more productive, and create greater yields; however Stated by Kimbrell, â€Å"there are currently two principal types of biotech seeds in production: Herbicide Resistant, and ‘Pest’ resistant seeds. And in â€Å"A Two year study by the University of Nebraska† revealed that the GMO â€Å"Soya beans actually resulted in lower productivity that achieves with conventional Soya beans† (Kimbrell 2003). The claims that GMO’s will produce more yields are false and will hurt farmers everywhere. The GMO manufacturers have brought nothing good to the table, and are only deceiving people with fallacies in order to make money. As a final point, GMO’s are supposed to reduce the cost of farming and create cheaper products; all the same, GMO’s have failed to do that as well. GMO companies have created what is called â€Å"Terminator Technology†. â€Å"TT† is when the companies genetically engineer plants to â€Å"Produce a sterile seed after a single growing season† (Kimbrell 2003) ensuring that farmers cannot save their seed, having to buy their seed every year. With â€Å"More than half of the world’s farmers relying on saved seeds for their harvest† this technology can have a cataclysmic impact on food production, the cost of food, and could spark mass starvation. GMO’s have yet to bring a single product to the table that actually benefits consumers, or farmers. These products are only full of risks, more costs, and dangerous effects on the market; therefore they aren’t the solution, only a major part of the problem. Genetically modified foods have long term effects that have not been adequately tested, and in order to assure the consumer that what they’re purchasing is safe, extensive testing is mandatory, otherwise, there could possibly be catastrophic effects in the future no one suspected to occur. For example, Dr. Keith Kantor, who was appointed CEO of Service Foods, Inc. in 1994, all the while working with food sciences for 27 years, expresses that GMO’s have antibiotic features included within them, making them â€Å"resistant to certain diseases and viruses†. At first glance, this fact appears to be a plus side of GMO foods, but Kantor explains how, when humans consume GMO’s, our very own genetic structure changes and the â€Å"antibiotic features persist in our bodies and make actual antibiotic medications less effective†. In addition, Kantor’s own studies with his patients involved with nutrition were observed to have an improved state of being, both in weight and health, when they discontinued the use of all GMO products; therefore, Dr. Kantor does â€Å"not recommend using any GMO foods until more testing is done†. Next, Jeffery M. Smith, world’s bestseller on the topic of GMO foods – â€Å"Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating† and â€Å"Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods† –, has many expert opinions and horrifying facts about these products. Smith reviews the few tests that have been done on rats and mice and produces shocking evidence of genetically modified food dangers; some of the mice and rats who were fed strictly GMO foods ended up developing tumors, widespread organ damage, premature death (50% males, 70% female), most of their babies dying in the womb, the babies that were born were smaller in size and quantity and grew up to have problems becoming pregnant, and some embryos had significant changes in their DNA. Male rats and mice became infertile or had altered sperm during these tests as well. All these signs not only appear in test rats and mice, but in our world’s livestock, such as in the US, where various farmers reported that â€Å"thousands of pigs became sterile after consuming GM corn varieties†. Some of the pigs had â€Å"false pregnancies† while â€Å"others gave birth to bags of water†. Not only have there been effects on animals, but on humans as well; Smith’s research shows that, in the Pacific Northwest, about â€Å"five-hundred people reported allergy or flu-like symptoms†, and some of those same people â€Å"had to go to the emergency room† because the effects were so severe. These same symptoms were repeatedly reported in India in 2008 by farm workers who worked around GMO cotton containing Bt, or a self-produced herbicide built inside the engineered foods. Yes, herbicides are used in organically grown crops, but the built-in herbicides contained in GMO crops are â€Å"thousands of times more concentrated than natural Bt spray†, so it’s basically food covered in poison, and since it is built-in, one cannot wash it off the plants. Not only does this affect humans, but ecosystems; ecosystems are in danger from the pollen coming from these plants since they could perish from all the toxins built inside them to kill weeds, and when the plants start to die out, so do the herbivores who eat them. Moreover, even if the purpose of the built-in herbicides are to kill the weeds, there would be cross-pollination that would create a â€Å"superweed†, continuing to compromise ecosystems as it would overtake other plants and become immune to current made weed-killers. Every story has two points of view; however, it’s up to the individual to decide for oneself what the truth is. Many experts argue that GMO foods are actually beneficial not only to people, but animals and plants as well. Some experts even go as far as to say that not only is it beneficial, but also protects the environment and aids food productivity. With any positive side, there are adverse effects, however. GMO foods have long term fallouts which are somewhat unknown due to lack of testing from agribusinesses, but the ones made clear consist of animal deaths and cancer. GMO foods are becoming part of our society whether we like it or not. Many truths have been stated in this argument, but one has to decide for his or herself what they believe. GMO’s will be on shelves, labeled and unlabeled, whether they are an iniquity to life as we know it, or the cure and wonderful elucidation to all our problems.

Moby Dick Premonitions essays

Moby Dick Premonitions essays Herman Melville employs numerous motifs in the novel Moby Dick that all serve some purpose, though that purpose is oftentimes somewhat ambiguous. One of the more peculiar motifs that I traced throughout the novel was Melvilles strange tendency to foreshadow events to come. Normally, most novels attempt to maintain a certain amount of suspense until the climax, which usually contains some sort of surprise for the reader. But before getting even halfway through Moby Dick, the reader knows that when Ahab encounters Moby Dick, he will die. One would think that knowing the end to a novel would spoil it, but the methodology behind Melvilles hints and the fashion in which they are presented only contribute to the excitement of the climax, and ultimately to the purpose of the novel itself. The hints are absolutely everywhere in the novel; they are sometimes hidden, sometimes blatant, and sometimes confusing. And with every sign that Melville drops for the reader, the excitement builds up until the hopeless battle with Moby Dick. One of the first signs in the novel of the impending doom Ishmael will face is the name of the owner of the Spouter Inn: Coffin? Spouter? Rather ominous in that particular connexion, thought I (18). The chapel where people were worshipping the dead, and the two trees that looked like a gallows near the Try-Pots Inn add to the mounting number of signs telling Ishmael to back away. However, Ishmael is an educated man; despite these rather peculiar premonitions, he will not be deterred from his course. When the prophet Elijah warns them about Ahab, saying ..some sailors or other must go with him, I suppose; as well these as any other men, God pity em! (89) Ishmael tries to wave off the mans words as the ramblings of a trickster. But i n truth he is worried about the upcoming voyage. As the chase for Moby Dick progresses, the signs bec...

A Look at Feminist Utopia and Dystopia Literature

A Look at Feminist Utopia and Dystopia Literature Feminist Utopia Feminist utopia is a type of social science fiction. Usually, a feminist utopia novel envisions a world in stark contrast to patriarchal society. Feminist utopia imagines a society without gender oppression, envisioning a future or an alternate reality where men and women are not stuck in traditional roles of inequality. These novels are often set in worlds where men are entirely absent. Feminist Dystopia Often, a feminist science fiction novel is more of a dystopia. Dystopic science fiction imagines a world gone terribly wrong, exploring the most extreme possible consequences of current society’s problems. In a feminist dystopia, the inequality of society or oppression of women is exaggerated or intensified to highlight the need for change in contemporary society. Explosion of a Subgenre There was a great increase in feminist utopian literature during the second-wave feminism of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Feminist science fiction is often seen as more concerned with societal roles and power dynamics than the technological advances and space travel of â€Å"typical† science fiction. Examples Early feminist utopias: City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan  Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Contemporary feminist utopia novels: Works by Marge PiercyThe Wanderground by Sally Miller Gearhart Feminist dystopia novels: Walk to the End of the World by Suzy McKee CharnasThe Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood There are also many books, such as Joanna Russ’ The Female Man, that explore both utopia and dystopia.

Company report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Company report - Assignment Example The early years of business were focused on serving military and designing and manufacturing aircraft engines, built-in engines and railway vehicle brakes. After ruins of WWII the company had tough time reviving its production plant and it was by 1947 that the company started production of two-wheeler. After rejecting Daimler’s takeover move the company emerged as a strong entity which specialized in manufacturing highest quality motor vehicles. The company has three luxurious brands BMW, Rolls Royce and Mini that remain strong and popular amongst those who wish to experience innovative luxury available across BMW global network (BMW AG). The company has a strong financial position as reported in its annual report 2008 the company has generated revenues of â‚ ¬44,143mn and net income of â‚ ¬384mn in 2008. The company has a healthy dividend payout of 61% which may imply higher shareholders’ confidence in the company’s financial position and its ability to generate cash flow in the future. The company’s total assets are worth â‚ ¬23,316mn in 2008 whereas its current liabilities and long term obligations were â‚ ¬7,974mn and â‚ ¬9,933mn. The company’s equity is â‚ ¬5,338mn and EPS of â‚ ¬0.49 (BMW AG). Despite of the recession in the global economy the company has been able to generate healthy earnings and its share prices have been on the rise in the last 9 months period currently trading at â‚ ¬35.94 on Xetra Exchange after closing at low of close to â‚ ¬18 in Feb 2009 (BMW AG). Group Management Report identified current financial crisis and slowdown in consumer spending as one of the major reasons of company’s financial deteriorating financial performance. The falling revenues within different business segments lead to lower dividend payout than previous year. The company had to pull back its capital expenditures on different upcoming automobile models in

Role of Organizations in the Profession of Nursing Research Paper

Role of Organizations in the Profession of Nursing - Research Paper Example American Association of Critical Care Nurses is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, which represents the interests of more than 500,000 nurses who vehemently work toward the objective of providing care for acutely ill patients. The essence of the AACN mission statement is that â€Å"AACN drives excellence because nothing less is acceptable†. At the same time, its vision statement reflects that â€Å"AACN is dedicated to creating a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and families where acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution† (Ebright , 2010). I choose the AACN for this assignment because the organization exemplarily operates its critical care and it has won many awards for its excellence including The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Membership requirementsThe AACN offers six various membership options including active membership, affiliate membership, student membership, emeritus membership, international digital membership, and retired or disabled membership. The membership requirements are different for different options. The annual subscription rate also varies in accordance with the type of membership option chosen. History and demographicsThe AACN was established in 1969 and the first intensive care units (ICUs) were introduced in 1950s with intent to provide improved care to critically ill patients. The improved technological applications have assisted the AACN to place itself on the world’s top position.’s top position. Presently the organization has the power of over 80,000 members. The AACN members include 89% male and 11%female. Similarly, Caucasians constitute 78% of the AACN members. The current trend shows that the member strength of the organization increases day by day. Priority agenda items The AACN website says that â€Å"our patients, our nurses, our units† are the main priorities of organization. The scope of the AACN is to provide quality hea lthcare to its members by establishing a sustainable and healthy worksite environment. The AACN encourages effective leadership so as to promote worksite environments, which are â€Å"respectful, healing, and humane† (American Association of Critical- Care Nurses, 2011). The AACN works with other organizations to vie with common nursing care issues and establish a professional nursing practice. The modern trends indicate that the organization gives great emphasis on ambulatory care centers by employing more nurses in this sector. The increased vacancy rate of AACN indicates that the organization will suffer troublesome nurse shortage issues in the coming years unless it recruits adequate nursing staff immediately. Hence, the AACN has recently implemented a variety of programs for meeting its nurse staffing requirements. The main focus of the organizations is to meet the needs of its members whose family includes individuals who are acutely and critically ill. In addition, the AACN specifically emphasizes and advances nursing education through technology as the organization greatly promotes patient safety and improved care. Likewise, the organisation offers extensive payment concessions to its existing members, who completed a specific membership period,