Only in Vegas

Replicated natural wonders of the world, indoor man-made waterfalls, simulated pirate ship battles, a dolphin habitat, and indoor gondola rides are a few of the small attractions that place modern day Las Vegas as a hotspot on the US map. In fact, there are so many small attractions blended with large attractions that the experience of Las Vegas itself has become an attraction. Disregarding traditional methods and exploring outrageous ideas in the areas of engineering, architecture, and planning, this city has become a very accepted destination that has become a marketing phenomenon.For a city that is in the middle of nowhere, it has a made quite an impression on the people it draws. It is no surprise that this city has had a history of prosperity and boom. The first main draw of the area known as Las Vegas was water. Water was not in over abundance compared to other cities, but the mere presence of spring water was a marvel for that region of the Mojave Desert. In the late 1820†™s, explorers on the Old Spanish Trail went into unexplored areas searching for the very thing that area known Las Vegas had to offer them, water.Water in the area had produced vegetation, and Las Vegas apparently flourished with it. The presence of water positioned Las Vegas on the map of the Old Spanish Trail. It shortened the path between Santa Fe and Los Angeles, and became a marked location on this increasingly traveled route. This area is repeatedly referred to as an oasis: Las Vegas was named accordingly, as its meaning in Spanish is â€Å"The Meadows. † Minerals were rich in the area, and according to local government history, Mining began in the late 1800’s.This, the railroad boom in the 1900’s, and a man name William Clark led to railroads being placed through the prime spot of Las Vegas because of its location between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, the climate of the general area, and of course, its abundance of water and vegetation among the vast desert. Railroads required workers, and workers required the usual: a place to sleep, eat, and of course, drink and seek entertainment. This led to the earliest of saloons and markets, building toward a city.According to the City of Las Vegas government, â€Å"Las Vegas was founded as a city on May 15, 1905, when 110 acres of land situated between Stewart Avenue on the north, Garces Avenue to the south, Main Street to the west, and 5th Street (Las Vegas Boulevard) to the east, are auctioned off. † This auction allowed for more relocation of people into the town. â€Å"In 1911 a gas plant, power company, and telephone system were projected† (Durnke 263). Las Vegas was starting to grow. â€Å"The modern attitude of Las Vegas, along with the rest of the American West, favors more exclusiveness.In March, 1909, the Las Vegas Promotion Society was organized at a citizens' meeting attended by fifty persons at the Opera House. ‘ Its purpose, as stated in the opening res olutions, was to make known Las Vegas' resources and to encourage new enterprises and industries† (Durnke 264). Shortly after, a city government was formed, and railroads and mining continued. Later, in 1931, construction of the Hoover Dam began and led to a further influx of workers. The population was estimated according to Clark County records to stand around 8000 between the period of the completion of the Hoover Dam in 1935 and 1940.Water, convenience, and work led people into this city prior to 1931. Later, with World War II under way, many military installations were established in the desert due to its attractive resources, including its low-priced energy available from the Hoover Dam. Defense industry was started, and a further opportunity for workers emerged. After the war was over, the post industrial society took advantage of the amenities offered by Las Vegas, and the entrepreneurs did the same. Gambling had previously been around in many states. It managed to rec eive a discerning reputation in the public eye. There were moral issues, and scandals involved.States were hot and cold with respect to certain types of gaming and lotteries; this eventually led to prohibition in 1910. Nevada officially legalized gambling in 1931. This was at the time when the construction of the Hoover Dam began. Nevada capitalized on the expected tourism that the Hoover Dam would bring. They capitalized very well. Entrepreneurs saw the enormous returns on gambling as a great opportunity to develop casino and hotels. They did just that, and followed an immediate boom in tourism, especially from California, where gambling was illegal, but the desire to do so was very prominent.Profits from gambling funded the elaborate themes and designs of Las Vegas attractions. Service industries arose from their inevitable need, and the marketing of Las Vegas was underway. Tourism became the niche that Las Vegas acquired. In fact, the number of tourists according to the 2009 Exec utive Summary was just under 36. 5 Million in 2009, down 3% from 2008. This small drop in tourism appears to have been heavily due to decreases early in the 2009 year, and has actually risen in the past 4 months of 2009. While tourism has risen since 2000, the population has risen as well.In 2000, according to the US Government Census, the population for Las Vegas and the surrounding metropolitan areas was over 1. 3 million and it is estimated that the 2008 population was over 1. 8 million. In the City alone, the 2000 population was 478,434 compared to the 2008 estimate of 558,383. Tourism is the main focus of Las Vegas, and it has had problems along with solutions to ensure that tourism remains high. One of the largest problems with Las Vegas was not that tourism was very high, but extremely seasonal and high at only peak times. Las Vegas used a superior marketing strategy that ensured its survival in the non-peak season.The Las Vegas Convention Center was built to attract visitors during these seasons of slow times. This ensured services offered by businesses a year round opportunity. The attempt to build consistency was a success. Many factors allowed for the convention center to become an ideal site for conventions and seminars. Among these were the desire to be in Las Vegas, the climate, landscape, incentives, inexpensive flights, rooms and convenience of transportation. This strategy to maximize occupancy year round has led to an 81. 5% occupancy rate year round in 2009 alone.Furthermore, having consistent visitors has allowed Las Vegas to offer permanent entertainment and resident performers. This has additionally furthered tourism. Another problem that Las Vegas has encountered is the deterioration of its downtown. Las Vegas was built on money and ideas, as long as both are around, newer and better things will come. â€Å"In he nearly 50 years since Bugsy Siegel built the Flamingo Casino, Las Vegas has indeed become a place unlike anything ever seen b efore- a city relentlessly reinventing itself as a caricature of itself, constantly trying to out-Vegas Vegas† (Goodman 91).This was apparent in the downtown of Las Vegas and something needed to be done about it. The Freemont Street Experience was introduced, and brought some life back to downtown. â€Å"In a further attempt to conquer the elements, a 100ft-high-canopy, called the ‘celestial vault’ has been erected over the city’s main street as part of a downtown revitalization project† (Goodman 88) This revitalization is a strategy to attract more attention back to this area. Cheaper rates in different areas have allowed Las Vegas to target all groups of people based on income.They have more recently targeted the college crowd for spring break. â€Å"‘We've been getting a relatively younger crowd down here on Fremont Street because they're beginning to discover we're here,’ said Golden Gate owner Mark Brandenburg. ‘The Fremont S treet Experience is pretty much an all-night party scene with free light shows, music entertainment and it's really an attractive place for spring break’† (Hillgrove 1). More recently, in the past few years, Las Vegas has drawn a more significant of spring breakers than other years. Las Vegas is currently the top destination for travel booked through Travelocity's site, pulling in 9 percent of the tickets booked on Travelocity for March 14 through April 26. In February, Travelocity named Las Vegas one of the ‘Top Eight Value Destinations for Spring Break,’ citing a 5 percent drop in average airfare and a 34 percent drop in average daily room rates from last year. † (1) Much of the downtown area offers these low rates in an attempt to build occupancy and remain open. Downtown is not the boom that it once was, but it remains open and has more plans in the future to continue to do so.It is just one example nationwide what happens to older areas, when bet ter planned modern areas are given the opportunity to develop. â€Å"The next generation of architects would do well to look beyond themed architecture and ironic formalism and to examine the story unfolding behind the neon light. We need to think of our cities not as hollow shells, good only a settings for marketing a fictionalized past, but as places where we can build centers of prosperity for a real future and real people† (Goodman 94).It will be very interesting to see what is in store for the downtown area in the future. Las Vegas does not have as many urbanization problems as one would initially expect for a city with tourism exceeding 36 Million visitors per year. This is probably due to the numerous amounts of suburbs in conjunction with the numerous amounts of ongoing projects. They face problems that any city would face with a large amount of tourism, but they successfully have the money to tend to most immediate problems, or they have accepted them as a way of lif e.According to the 2009 Executive Summary, Clark County had gaming revenues of almost 9 Billion Dollars last year, with just over 6 Billion from the strip and downtown Las Vegas. Apparently the only problems are those that can’t be immediately fixed with money. Ironically, the same thing that the early explorers sought this land for is the same thing that may be its next problem. Water shortage has become an issue due to the large growth of the city. It is estimated that the city and suburbs will reach over 2 million permanent residents by 2020. To meet the looming water crunch, the city, along with the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), proposes to build a 285-mile pipeline to haul groundwater from six valleys in eastern Nevada. The $2 billion project would mean sinking up to 195 production wells as deep as 1700 ft. below the surface to bring more than 50 billion gallons of water per year to the parched desert metropolis† (Hutchinson 1). This has been causing a de bate, and seems to be the biggest problem facing the city at the moment.The question will be whether pumping the water from the ground will be their best solution, or if it will see more heated debate. It seems that water may be the most valuable resource to the west in the near future. It will be interesting to see how a city this size will continue to grow with water shortages, and what lengths the city will go to for the purpose of ensuring this water supply. The city of Las Vegas has much to offer the rest of the world, and is very significant. It is well known across the world due to major publications, events, and movies that are based in Las Vegas.It is a place that can be easily recognized by its elaborate design, luminescent skyline of gorgeous hotels, and distinctive architecture. Las Vegas has set many trends and standards for gourmet dining, intricate theme based settings, and attractive shows. It sites â€Å"14 of the nations 15 largest hotels† according to the C lark County Government, and is also a very popular place to have anything from an inexpensive and quick wedding to one fit for a queen. It really is known as a place where anything can happen.Many other States have used the model of Las Vegas to design certain areas of their cities. The gaming model for instance has shown to be successful, and many new towns are opening up to lotteries and casinos simply to issue jobs and retain wealth for the education and the state and city. Ohio is an example of one of these recent candidates. This model is not only hoping to create jobs, but also influence and expansion of other service industries that can produce income and stimulate the local economies. Las Vegas is home of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, also known as UNLV.Las Vegas lies only 30 minutes from the Hoover Dam, a little over an hour to the Mojave National Preserve, 2 hours to Death Valley National Park, 3 hours to the south cove of Lake Mead, only 4 hours to Los Angeles, and roughly 6 hours to either the Grand Canyon National Park or Phoenix. If you are looking for an adventure, Las Vegas is a great hub to make the first stop on your excursion. Las Vegas is a city thriving on tourism built by money and gambling, but offers much more beyond the realm of casinos. It is an experience. I choose this city because it represents freedom and exploration in a natural form.One can go to Las Vegas and explore freely all it has to offer. One can explore not only the city, but the vast desert around with amazing national attractions waiting miles away. It is a way to experience the west in a fun and comfortable environment with so much perfection and beauty. I have experienced many trips to Las Vegas, and each was unique. I have taken trips for wilderness and exploration, others strictly for music or entertainment. I have gone on business; I have gone to visit friends and socialize. I have learned something about myself and loved it and every time.

Imaginative writing (George)/writing to describe (Harley Davidson) Essay

(1) Imaginative Piece of Writing Characters from Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck George now has a wife, Rose and 2 kids. He wakes up every night remembering that he murdered Lennie. Darn flies, *splat* mmph better get up *yawn* and go get a glass of water otherwise I’ll never get to sleep again. *Walks downstairs* Stupid creaking stairs ooo the lino’s cold. Glass Glass Glass, right Water, mmm that was nice. Feels cold in here†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.where the heck’s that draft comin’ from†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦*huff* windows open, I told Rose to close that. *Looks out window* Crops lookin’ good, I’ll get ol’ big red out the barn tomorrow and start cuttin’ it down. *Thinks about Lennie* Lennie would have like this place†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..he could have helped me with the crops†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pushed the kids on the swing in the old apple tree†¦..and al’ the animals would have kept him happy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦he would have loved the rabbits that run free al’ over the farm. If only I hadn’t sho, no, what I did was right, it was for the best. Yeah that’s it I did him a favour, yeah, yeah. I keep telling myself I did the right thing but I still feel so damn guilty†¦..i just wish we’d never gone to that ranch and never met her†¦it was all her fault†¦.it was all because of her. But Lennie’s safe now†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.he’s safe from people like her †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. I bet Lennie’s up in heaven chasing the rabbits with his pup *laugh* Lennie, I’ll never forget you†¦..you’ll always be in my heart. * Rose calls down from upstairs* George, you there? *Calls back* I’ll be up in a minute Rose. Right, come on then, better get back to bed n get some sleep. *Walks upstairs* Sssh stop creaking, don’t wana disturb the kids. *Talks quietly to Rose* Rose, I couldn’t sleep so I went and got a glass of water. *Whispers† Were you thinking of Lennie? Yeah George, you could have a garden with rabbits and other things that Lennie liked, then when you can’t sleep, you could go there and think about him. *Thinks about Lennie’s garden and replies happily* Yeah, that’s a great idea, I’ll get the kids to help me make Lennie’s garden tomorrow. What would I do without you Rose. *Switches off light* Night Darlin’ Night George *Rose Kisses George on check* (2) Writing to describe (Harley Davidson Motorbikes) Harley Davidson are a company that make motorbikes. The company was formed in 1903 in Milwaukee, by William Harley and Arthur Davidson. To begin with Harley Davidson produced push-bikes but in 1903 they made their first motorbike, the racer. Harley Davidson bikes are well known for being strong and reliable and because of this, they are commonly used by both the American police and the fire department. When people think of Harley Davidson they think of gangs of men with leathers, long beards and hair riding chopper bikes, with long forks and handlebars. Who travel from town to town terrorising the townsfolk and who live on the open road. People dream of having the same freedom as the gangs and wish they could be like them. The dream that comes with owning a Harley Davidson is of travelling through the great wilderness of the mid west and along Route 66. To fly like the eagle along the road and let nothing hold you back from your journey. Although Harley Davidson was first created in America people all over the world have joined the Harley Davidson family by owning one of their machines. When you buy a Harley Davidson you not only get a piece of the American dream you also gain entry to the exclusive Harley Owners Group, HOG, where you can make friends with other proud owners. All other Britain different Chapters of owners get together and ride to seaside towns in the Southwest. At these rallies bikers get together to admire each others bikes. Many have specialist artwork, such as Wolfs and Eagles, on their bikes and clothing Harley Davidson also make merchandise that feature their many designs. Merchandise such as: Jackets, T-shirts, Hats and Wallets. Harley Davidson have various logos. Many of them have the American Eagle, which is a symbol of power and freedom. Most of the logos feature strong bold designs in black and orange. Harley Davidson give people excitement and danger which contrasts with their normal boring everyday life. My advice to you is to go and buy a Harley Davidson fuel your imagination. Go on, make it happen, there’s no time like the present.

Benefits of Social Media

In today’s society, communication is somewhat effortless with as much as a cell phone or computer. A text or instant message, via one of the various social networking sites, is how the majority of people today interact with one another. Social media has allowed new unconventional means of education to thrive amongst students of all ages and facilitated new means of easier communication among family and friends. However, along with a broadened network of communication there are precautions and concerns that many have taken in response to the vulnerability of this vast cyberspace. Although social media has its pitfalls, it has also changed the world for the better because it has introduced new innovative methods of education, facilitated easier communication, and has created a new environment for self-expression. Social networking, such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Formspring, and Instagram, has virtually enabled students around the world to create online study groups and chat rooms to enhance their learning experience. In an article by Paulette Stewart, an author for Feature magazine, a group of high school library volunteers are brought together by their librarian to test out an online literature study group on Faceboook. The students mingle and begin to become thoroughly engaged as they read one book each month and then converse about the literature they had read. Throughout the simulation, the students begin to come forward and speak more openly about their opinions and literary views of the novels they had read (29). This example shows how Facebook, a social networking site, proved to be a productive educational outlet for students to engage socially with each other in a virtual classroom which resulted in authentic research and easier communication amongst students via a social media outlet. Although social media such as Facebook, has helped broaden education into different outlets other than the traditional classroom, there are some questions many people have about how safe these online environments are. Dr. Stephanie Huffman, an Associate Professor at the University of Central Arkansas with a PhD in Leadership Studies, reveals that â€Å"social networking increases the likelihood of new risks to the self†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"†¦loss of privacy† are very prominent aspects of joining a social networking site (154). There are many disputes today that debate whether social networking is safe because it allows, not only friends and family, but an entire network of people, most of whom are strangers, to see personal information, interactions with others, and individual thought. Although there are some risks of putting information on the web that reveals ones identity, as Stewart mentioned in her article previously, there are many privacy settings that are enabled to the user of the account (30). For example, on Facebook there are settings that allow the user to limit their profiles to be viewed by only people that they are friends with, which are called â€Å"Privacy Settings†. Websites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and other social media are very beneficial in many ways that are helpful for education and introduces new styles of education to educators. Even though these new forms of learning are not traditional and physical forms of a classroom setting, these virtual classes still provide all the necessary components of learning. For example, Stewart conveyed activities such as social camaraderie amongst students by working together, researching subjects in more depth due to access to more information, and students having more honest opinions in a non face-to-face environment versus an online group chat (32). However, students are warned to remain aware that â€Å"once information is released into cyberspace, it becomes a part of a global network† (Huffman 155). On the other hand, students do have the choice to take full advantage of privacy settings and monitoring the status of their information that they release to the web, friends, and potentially unknown viewers of their information. Overall, when using social media for educational purposes there are many benefits that, when taken advantage of, enhance educational experiences because of modern-day advancements in social media and networking. Over the last decade, social media has undoubtedly changed the way people communicate. Two people no longer have to be face to face to communicate and can now receive responses within seconds. In an article written by Nafaa Jabeur, Sherali Seadally, and Biju Sayed, authors for the Communications of the ACM journal, called â€Å"Mobile Social Networking Applications†, GPS tracking systems in Mobile Social Networking (MSN) devices allows users to locate other users, areas and amenities nearby that concern the same interests as them (74). Social media has assisted communication by facilitating the means of connecting multiple individuals. Examples include Jabeur, Zeadally, and Sayed’s article’s claim that news is easier spread using the technology of MSN, which helps notify copious amounts of people in an urgent manner, of incidents in their local areas (Jabeur. Zeadally, Sayed 76). However, there are questions about if social media is taking over society in a negative aspect rather than helping it. In a study called â€Å"Problematic Use of Social Networking Sites†, documented by Dr. Parth Singh Meena, Pankaj Kumar Mittal and Ram Humar Solanki, Psychiatrists for the Industry Psychiatry Journal, research shows that social media is greatly increasing in, mainly, teenagers and young adults to somewhat of a dangerous high (94). Studies have shown that â€Å"from April 2008 to April 2009, the total minutes spent on Facebook in the U. S. , in particular, has increased from 1. 7 billion minutes to 13. 9 billion minutes† (Meena, Mittal, and Solanki 95). Although these numbers of the increased amount of social media users is shocking, there are many beneficial reasons for taking advantage of new technology. A positive example of why excessive use of social media may be helpful is received through an article called â€Å"Targeted Social Mobilization in a Global Manhunt† where Alex Rutherford, data scientist at the UN Global Pulse Research Center, and many other researchers followed a simulation to track down five individuals in many different cities and states based on just a headshot, using nothing but social media sites for urgent information (1). Using websites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google search engine, the simulation found three out of the five individuals only used social media (Rutherford, et. al. 2). This example shows how using social media can be helpful in communicating with people around the world in urgent situations. Social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Formspring, and Myspace make it capable to talk to people’s next-door neighbors or to talk to someone halfway across the world. These sites allow individuals to create profiles and custom pages that showcase personal information, interests and hobbies for virtually anyone to see. For example, Twitter has a certain section of the website that allows users to see â€Å"Trending Topics† around the world that involve the most popular topics of conversation to be shared with the entire Twitter community. By using the Trending Topics the user is connected with, virtually, the entire world by communicating with people from different countries, backgrounds, languages, and cultures. Dr. Stephanie Huffman, as mentioned earlier, believes that social networking allows users to broaden their experiences â€Å"through presentation of self, learning, building relationships, exposure to other diverse groups† and many more valuable attributes (154). An important issue to be made aware of in social media is cyber-bullying. There have been numerous studies and extensive research about the effects of cyber-bullying and speculation of how to put an end to this phenomenon. Neal Geach, a professor and extensive researcher at the University of Hertfordshire, and Nicola Haralambous, a researcher and professor of Criminal Law at Coventry University, produced an article, â€Å"Regulating Harassment: Is the Law Fit for the Social Networking Age? †, that discusses the dangers of cyber bullying and the laws that are being put into place to regulate it. Their article exhibits many laws, some of which do pertain to the Internet and social media. There are laws being put into place specifically dealing with harassment that occurs on online social media sites (Geach and Haralambous 248). Dr.  Peter Kiriakidis, a professor of research at the University of Queens and has a Ph. D. in Educational Leadership, and Dr. Demarques Lakes performed a case study on student-to-student bullying to gain insight from teachers and educational staff on what they have observed about online bullying. Their research found that â€Å" most teachers also reported that they associate academic underperformance of certain students to be the result of some form of cyber bullying† which supports the idea that educator’s are becoming more aware of this issue and it’s side effects and trying to find helpful solutions (Kiriakidis and DeMarques 109). The Internet can be a productive and innovative outlet for positive self-expression if used correctly and cautiously. Social networking sites help users gain insight for themselves and others by discovering new interests and groups of people that enjoy the same pastimes as them (154). Although these freedoms come with a price, there are many ways to cut down online obstacles such as bullying, harassment, and negative pressures of society. There are several privacy settings on sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace that eliminate the chance of an unknown user viewing your profile and personal information (Stewart 30). Also available to all users on every social networking site is a â€Å"Block Report† button that allows the user to block as many other users as they want from their page so that none of their information, comments, or personal information is released to that certain user. If a certain user is becoming an issue with violent or irrational behavior over the Internet, every user also has the option to report another user for inappropriate behavior to the site to resolve the issue. In conclusion, society has benefitted greatly from social media networks and offers a multitude of advantages for many reasons. Education has been greatly impacted by the numerous and endless possibilities of transforming the concept of learning into a more modern and experimental structure. Social media has facilitated a new form of open communication that has made long distance relationships possible and global communication easier. Social networking has also introduced a new era of presentation of self by allowing online users to share their monumental, life moments through pictures, status’, comments, and interests. When all is considered, social media among children, teens, college students, and other adults is overall beneficial and innovative to society.

Argentina Economy - Analysis Project Research Paper

Argentina Economy - Analysis Project - Research Paper Example Argentina economy is the third biggest economy in Latin America, with high standards of living and per capita income. Argentina is an upper middle-income economy and exhibits the characteristics of a strong foundation for future market size expansion, and increments in foreign direct investment. It also exhibits an augment in the percentage of high technology exports as a share of the entire manufactured products. Argentina gains from rich natural resources, high literacy rates of its population, an agricultural sector which is export oriented, and a diversified industrial base. Traditionally, Argentine economy had been agriculture based, but in the recent years, service and industrial sectors have grown in importance (Paolera & Taylor 88). Prior to the 1880s, the country relied on the salted meat, leather, hide, and wool industries for the larger component of its foreign trade and the generation of local income and earnings. Over the years, the country has experienced economic expansion in the various sectors. Argentina is among the international principal producers of agricultural commodities. The country is amongst the top producers and exporters of fruits and vegetables, maize, soybeans, honey, wheat and sorghum among others. In 2010, the agriculture sector accounted for 9 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (Paolera & Taylor 90). The manufacturing sector of the economy accounts for 19 percent of the country’s economy. The manufacturing and agriculture sectors of the economy are well integrated; more than half of the country’s industrial exports are agricultural in nature. ... 0, the country experienced persistent economic crises, relentless current account and fiscal deficits, high inflation rates, escalating external debt, and capital outflows. A severe economic depression, escalating external and public indebtedness, and bank run culminated in 2001 were the most serious social, political and economic crisis in the Argentina turbulent history. In December 2001, interim President Adolfo Rodriguez SAA declared a default on the government’s external debt, which was the biggest in history. President Rodriguez resigned a few days after taking office (Baer & Fleisher 8).3 In early 2002, Rodriguez’s successor, Eduardo Duhalde, declared an end to the peso’s 10 years long 1-to-1 peg to the U.S. dollar. During this year, there was deterioration of the economy with real GDP being 18 percent lower compared to that of 1998 and almost 60 percent of the Argentines were living under the poverty line. After six years, the economy started to grow with an average real GDP annual growth rate of 8.5 percent. The economy took advantage of previously inactive labor and industrial capacity, a bold debt restructuring and diminished debt burden, excellent global financial conditions, and expansionary fiscal and monetary policies. Also, the economy experienced high rates of inflation (Baer & Fleisher 10).3 However, in early 2007, President Nestor Kirchner’s administration responded to the inflation through price restraints on businesses and export taxes and controls. In late 2007, Cristina Kirchner succeeded her husband as President, and the rapid growth of the economy of previous years started to slow down sharply in 2008. This was as a result of government policies, which reduced exports and the global economy fell into recession. The economy has recovered

The Press. Role of the media in the Vietnam war Essay

The Press. Role of the media in the Vietnam war - Essay Example Television (TV) in the mid-1960 was considered to be one of the main sources of news to the Americans. Thus as the Vietnam war was proceeding most Americans turned to the TV as their primary source of news. Intense visuals of the war helped explain the complex nature of the Vietnam war to the Americans who could not understand the military's technical language. The Vietnam war took place between 1957 to 1975. It's the most unpopular war of the 20th century. It resulted in more than 60,000 deaths of American soldiers and between 2 to 4 million Vietnamese deaths. The various TV networks set permanent bureaus in Saigon. By 1968 during the Tet Offensive, 86% of NBC and CBS nightly news programs covered the war. The media were generally supportive of Americans in the war. By 1967, 90% of the nightly news was devoted to the news. Gradually support for the war began to reduce. The military didn’t establish media censorship, thus the journalists could follow the military to the battle fields and reported what they saw. They presented the public with graphic images of what they saw. The turning point of the media support occurred in the late of January 1968 during the Tet Offensive. The public got information first hand from the journalist rather than the military personnel. Thus the media were not biased in showing the American forces deaths and the wounded soldiers. The most damaging the massacre that occurred at My Lai. American forces killed more than 350 civilians, thus introducing the subject of war crimes to the population.

ASBO - For the Evan's Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ASBO - For the Evan's Family - Essay Example Case Analysis In order to analyze whether the threshold criteria are satisfied in the case of Barry and Felicity, having a clear view of the Section 31 of the Children Act 1989 is essential. The Section 31 particularly says about the care and supervision that must be provided to children if they are exposed to harmful living situations. According to Section 31(2), â€Å"A court may only make a care order or supervision order if it is satisfied – (a) that the child concerned is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm; and (b) that the harm, or likelihood of harm, is attributable to – (i) the care given to the child, or likely to be given to him if the order were not made, not being what it would be reasonable to expect a parent to give to him; or (ii) the child is being beyond parental control† (Children Act 1989, as cited in legislation.gov.uk). Both the children have not reached the age of seventeen and hence they are under the jurisdiction of this l egal provision. Barry and Felicity are likely to suffer significant harm if a care order or supervision order is not made. The case makes it clear that Mrs. Evans, with whom the children are residing currently, is not much concerned about the wellbeing of her children. The way Mrs. Evens responds to Mr. Jones who complained to her about the noise disturbances made by Barry late at night clearly reflects that she does not care about her children. Mrs. Evans replies Mr. Jones why she should care what Barry does when his dad does not care at all. Although Mrs. Evans’ words indicate her anger toward her ex-husband, this attitude is not good for the future of Barry and Felicity. Similarly, it seems that Barry has been hanging out with a gang of older boys who have criminal background and they frequently visit Barry’s house late at night. They drink, smoke, and play music loudly. From the information available, it seems that Mrs. Evans cannot control her son or she does not try to do so. When Mrs. Evans mentions Mr. Jones’ complaint to Barry, he shouted at her and left the house and did not return for three days. He still plays music loudly at the mid-night and frequently disappears from home for days. Considering that Barry is only 15 years old, it can be argued that he is beyond parental control. He says that the lots of spare money he received from his father were for doing odd jobs for him. However, even Mrs. Evans is not sure whether he was telling the truth. Arguably, it can be suspected that Barry earns money through gang crimes or other illegal activities. If this suspicion is true, Barry is really exposed to criminality and this situation may cause him many troubles in future. In addition, substance abuse and alcohol consumption pose many potential challenges to Barry’s future. The fact that Barry’s attendance at school has been erratic over the last six months clearly indicates that Barry has been greatly affected by the separation of his father and mother (which happened six months back). Due to his unsatisfactory attendance rate, he is getting behind the coursework during a crucial time in his GCSEs. These evidences are enough to support the claim that Barry is likely to suffer a significant harm in the absence of a care order or supervision order. And, the harm is attributable to the care given to the child by his mother. Likewise, the case study indicates that Felicity has come to school in dirty clothes over the last six

Multiculturalism in canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Multiculturalism in canada - Essay Example According to Bertrand, this commission was formed with the aim of investigating the existence of different cultures and ethnic groups in the country, and to devise recommendations on how the government can incorporate all of them in all walks of life in the country. The commission was also to take into account the cultural enrichment that the other ethnic groups provided in the country and find measures that could be taken to safeguard that contribution (Bertrand, par 3). Although it seems as though multiculturalism is a phenomenon that confers some advantage to a country, this essay outlines some of the damaging effects it expedites. It would be worthwhile to investigate how multiculturalism in Canada has promoted the creation of "segregated racial and ethno-cultural enclaves within local communities," (Garcea), leading to a country where the people are divided into numerous ethnic groups with different cultural backgrounds instead of uniting them. Garcea continues in this article t hat though the government tries hard to concentrate "immigrants with similar racial or ethno-cultural backgrounds," into the same location, multiculturalism "promotes and supports the creation of ethno-specific secular and religious institutions to serve the needs of each major ethno-cultural community." Clearly, immigrants to Canada do not automatically adopt the same national identity that the locals share, but they retain their own sense of identity and culture that they bring along from their own native country. Banting and Kymlicka have found that multiculturalism actually leads to feelings of alienation among the immigrants, and they quote that " racial minorities are less confident they fully belong," (Banting and Kymlicka, 54). Multiculturalism has also been blamed for resulting in discrimination and racism. Banting and Kymlicka claim that these minorities are " clearly are victims of racism," (Banting and Kymlicka, 64), and that they are more likely to be discriminated upon and face racist situations in the country. Banting and Kymlicka also state that " in comparison with white immigrants, minority immigrants have a greater sense of discrimination and vulnerability," (Banting and Kymlicka, 55). Additionally, "multiculturalism fosters competition and inequality between ethno-cultural groups," and also, "after some period of struggle a very clear group hierarchy will emerge and thereafter life chances will again be a direct consequence of ethnic background," (Garcea). He further states in his article that "this inequality results from the political dynamics between the relationships of the leadership of ethno-cultural groups and some political parties whereby the former seek political status and financial resources to advance the group's and personal interests, and the latter seek various forms of support to win elections," (Garcea). Clearly, multiculturalism does not lead to the creation of an equal and egalitarian society where everyone has the same chances of success in life regardless of their ethnicity; it instead promotes the creation of a hierarchal system, based on one's ethnicity. Multiculturalism has also led to the creation of conflicts between the different ethno-cultural gr

Minimum Legal Drinking Age Debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Minimum Legal Drinking Age Debate - Essay Example They are therefore at a higher risk of harming or even killing themselves and other people by engaging in drinking before age 21. In this paper, I will be arguing that MLDA21 has been effective and therefore should be maintained. Minimum Legal Drinking Age is a controversial topic in the United States. The MLDA in the United States is set at the age of 21 whereas 90 percent of the countries around the world have set lower MLDAs. Interestingly young adults in the countries that have lower MLDA seem to consume alcohol in a more proper way while binge drinking and alcohol poisoning continue to present as serious issues in America. This phenomenon has raised a growing public concern with groups like Choose Responsibility beginning to call for lowering of the MLDA to 18. On the counter argument is Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) who proposed the MLDA 21 in 1984 back with the federal government’s support. The original purpose of setting MLDA at the age 21 was to curb the rise drunk driving presented which was a serious issue at the time. There are more hidden benefits of this law that have been realized along the way of its implementation. MLDA 21 has been effective in preventing not only drunk driving but also reducing the spread of drug use to lower age groups and thus lowering the MLDA may cause spillover effects through the introduction of alcohol-related issues to younger populations. In July 2008, more than one hundred university and college presidents signed the Amethyst Initiative, calling for public debates and reconsideration of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age. As a voice of those who demand to lower the MLDA continued to get louder and louder, Jeffrey A. Miron, a senior lecturer of Harvard University, wrote an article on Forbes discussing the background factors.  

If you could pursue any occupation regardless of education, training, Essay

If you could pursue any occupation regardless of education, training, special talent, or expense, what would it be and why (maximum two pages, single spaced, - Essay Example Many companies require a bachelors degree in Computer Science, Information Science or Scientific Programming, according to EUREKA. And experience is some times required too. The common experience wanted is two to six years in systems support, programming, network services, diagnostics and/or communications, again according to EUREKA. Some of the best colleges in California to earn a degree in computers are Cal Tech, Cal Poly, USC, and Cal State Fullerton. What should I take while in college to become a software business analyst? A software business analyst is a programmer first and foremost. So they need a strong background in computer programming. Also a software business analyst is required to have some skills in computer-controlled equipment, CAD/CAM system development, and familiarity with programming languages, such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, XML, PHP, and Assembly. Other abilities needed include strong organization skills, principles in computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis and other techniques, knowledge of design software programs, and the ability to plan and oversee projects (1). There is a TV show called The Screen Savers that started in 1998 and continues today. I started watching the show from the beginning but I wasnt really interested in it fully, I really only cared about what games I could play on my computer. But about a year later something happened that sparked my current fascination in computers. So I find the career of software engineer will give me a great chance to learn a variety of different areas. I interviewed my computer teacher in Bangalore University, who has been in the computer field since 1988 and currently works at Bangalore University. I asked him what he thought was the best way to get in to computers and he said that getting a good education and that if you have a high enough GPA, some companies recruit students straight out of college. Another

Business plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business plan - Research Paper Example The warehouse will be needed for comedies, late night partnerships with palladium artists; it will also be open for dance and band shows and cabaret style opportunities to both talents. Carmel also referred to as Carmel by the sea is a city found in the Monterey County in California in the United States, whichwas founded in the year 1902 and incorporated in 1916. The city is widely known for its natural scenery and the great artistic history. The city has a great artistic value from the early decades and even got its name from the poets and writers in Carmel. The city has widely been dominated by artists over the decade and the city is widely known for the dog friendly environment, restaurants, numerous hotels, and retail establishments that attract guests with dogs to the region. The country is located on the pacific coast where it is about 350 miles to the north of Los Angeles, and 190 kilometers to the south of San Francisco. According to the United States census in the year 2010, the city was reported to have a population of approximately 3,722. The population density of the city had 3,455.5 people located per square mile. According to the races in the region, the whites took the larger portion of 93.1% of 3464 people, the African American took a portion of 0.3% with 11 people, the Native American were 8 of them with a 0.2, Asians were 111 people at 3%, the Pacific Islander took a 1.2% with 45 people, 1.2% came from other races in the town while the Latino or the Hispanic took a 6.8% with a population of 174 persons. From the census, it reviewed that all the people lived in their households and non-at noon- institutionalized quarters. The population at Carmel was spread out with 10.2% of 381 people were under the age of 18 years, 114 people were of the age between 18 to 24, 544 people of the age between 25 to 44, 1355 people were of the age between 45 and 64 while above 65 years of age there were 1328 people. The city of Carmel

Helios Essay Example for Free

Helios Essay The author makes a point that the corporations should look to the city of Helios for new business opportunities or a new location. Author makes this point on the evidence that the unemployment in the city has been lower when compared to the regional average and that it has historically provided more manufacturing jobs than its share of the region. Further, the author says that Helios is attemption to expand its economic base by attracting companies to focus on Research an developmen of innovative technologies. However, the evidence provided by the author does not straight away lead to the conclusion that the corporations should consider Helios as a new location for seeking business opportunity. The following paragraphs explains how the evidence is not sufficient and the assumption incorrect. Firstly, the author states that the unemployment rate was lower in Helios when compared to the regional average. However, Helios being a industrial center of a particular region, its unemployement rate cant be compared with the region, but shall be compared with other developed cities. Further, author states that Helios has provide more than its share of regions manufacturing jobs. It fails to provide the information regarding its share of jobs in other sectors. The author wrongly assumes that the high share of jobs in manufacturing sector as a representative of its share of total jobs. Further, unemployment rate and high share of manufacturing jobs are not the criterions that corporations look for when investing in a new location. The author should have provided some other information which corporations look for in order to make a more logical conclusion. Further, author states that Helios is attempting to expand its economic base by attracting companies that focus on research and development of innovative technologies. Author fails to state what is being offered by Helios to attract the corporations. Author once again fails to provide complete information. Author must have stated the various schemes, stimulus packages, tax exemptions, land allocation etc which could be offered to the companies if they invest in Helios. Thus, the author does not provide valid evidences and complete information in order to evaluate the argument putforth. Author should provide additional specific and relvant information so that corporation can evaluate whether to invest in Helios or not.

English Literature Antigone Ismene Thebes

English Literature Antigone Ismene Thebes Antigone Ismene Thebes Inductive essay of Antigone In the play Antigone, written by Sophocels, there are many complications. The most important event is the killing of Antigone’s two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices. It was the main inspiration for the whole play. It all starts after King Oedipus was banished from the city of Thebes after he knows that he has murdered his father, his younger son Eteocles declares to be the king, banishing his older brother Polyneices. Polyneices then attacks Thebes with a huge army, but none of the two brothers wins the war because they both kill each other in combat. Creon then declares the kingdom of Thebes, and he decides that Eteocles should be buried and honored as a hero while Polyneices body shouldn’t be honored, but it should be thrown in the streets of Thebes left for dogs and birds to be eaten in humiliation. Creon decides that the punishment for trying to bury the body of Polyneices will be death. Antigone, Eteocles and Polynices’ sister, insists that her brothers body must be buried so that his spirit can rest in peace, in spite of the cautious advice of her younger sister, Ismene. She goes to the battleground, pouring sand over Polyneices body and performing burial rites. After that the guards discovers that someone was trying to bury the body, they uncover the dust from the body, and they starts to look for who does that. Antigone comes back insisting on burying her brother’s body .She finally allows herself to be captured after coming out of hiding when some guards try to uncover the body again, and a rebellious Antigone is brought to Creon. He decides to execute only Antigone since Ismenes is innocent and Antigone is sent outside of Thebes to starve to death in a cave. Even though Antigone was nothing but a girl left alone, she faces many obstacles by herself to do what she believes it is right without any concerns about the consequences. The first obstacle that faces Antigone was her sister, Ismene. They were the only two family members left after their father’s death and their two brothers’ shameful war against each other and killing each other in the battlefield. Instead of supporting her sister, and trying to keep what’s left of the family together, Ismene abandons Antigone and tries to convince her to obey the king’s orders. The author quotes Ismene saying â€Å"The worst of all if we violate the laws and override the fixed decree of the throne, its power- we must be sensible. Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men† (Sophocles 1144). It is clear that Ismene is so frightened of Antigone’s decision to bury her brother Polyneices. It is also clear how Creon, the king, put his fear in his people’s minds so he will has full control over his kingdom. Antigone doesn’t worry about Creon’s punishment and decides to continue. The autho r quotes her answering her sister â€Å" So, do as you like, whatever suits you best- I’ll bury him myself. And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory.† (Sophocles 1144). This quote shows how determined Antigone is to bury her brother without having any concerns about the result. It also shows how she considers the death a glory to her for doing what’s she believes is right. She considers honoring her brother by giving hem the proper burial is her obligation. Antigone overcomes this obstacle by excusing her sister from joining her to bury their brother. The second obstacle that faces Antigone is the king himself. He wanted to force his authority and power over the kingdom after the disturbance that happened in Thebes. He wants his orders and commands to be followed by everyone. Creon creates a monster of himself to scare his people; he likes power, authority, and to be obeyed. That’s why everybody was scared and afraid to disobey Creon except Antigone. She did what’s right; she wasn’t even afraid when the guards arrested her, she bravely surrendered to them (1152). Creon felt that he lost his power and authority once Antigone disobey his orders. Creon says, â€Å"This girl was an old hand at insolence when she overrode the edicts we made public. But once she’d don it- the insolence, twice over- to glory in it, laughing, mocking us to our face with what she’d done† (Sophocles 1154). He considers Antigone’s act an insult to the king without considering that she wants to give her brother the proper burial to honor him as prince. That explains why he was so harsh in his verdict to execute her by starvation. Antigone knows that she is doing what’s right and she surrenders to her destiny to be killed. On the other hand she seems to refuse to be killed by Creon, that’s why she killed herself as if she considers killing herself more honor than Creon kills her. The final obstacle that faces Antigone is her lover, Haemon, who was Creon’s son and who was very sad that he’s going to lose his pride. Antigone thinks about her lover. She doesn’t want to die and leave him because she loves him so much. She is between two difficult decisions. One of them is if she decides to step on what she believes in and forget about her honored brother to stay with her lover, the other decision is to leave her lover and to die for what she believes in. Antigone doesn’t think about her happiness; she rather dies because of what she believes in than stays with Haemon. She overcomes this obstacle by deciding to kill herself. Haemon, on the other hand, was used by Gods to punish Creon for his acts. He was not convinced with his father’s actions. Haemon states, â€Å"I see my father offending justice-wrong† (Sophocles 1161). He continues his conversation asking â€Å"Protect your rights? When you trample down the honors of the gods?† (Sophocles 1611). Haemon realizes the fact that his father doesn’t realize, is that he dishonors the gods. Haemon wants to explain to Creon that no matter what happened don’t disobey or disrespect the gods. Another thing Haemon realizes that Creon doesn’t realize that there is more powerful force than Creon’s force which is the gods force. Creon thinks that he has the ultimate power and authority that’s why he can’t see Haemon point of view. Haemon goes to Antigone’s grave and he couldn’t see her kills herself in the front of him, so he kills himself. In the play, Antigone faces a lot of obstacles, and she overcomes them all. She doesn’t give up, and once she feels that the king’s authority will bring her down, she decides to take her own life rather than the injustice system does. She is determining to do what she feels is right, no matter what the laws of the kingdom says. She is motivating by her obligations towards her family, and by her personal beliefs. She first faces her sister who is against her from the beginning, because she is afraid of Creon’s decrees. Antigone excuses her sister from burying her brother with her. Second obstacle Antigone faces is the rigorous king, Creon, who gives his strict orders that whoever bury Polynices will die. Antigone doesn’t care about Creon’s decrees; she knows the consequences will be the death penalty, but she stands bravely in front of Creon. The final obstacle Antigone faces is her lover who is so in love with her and he can’t see her dieing. Antigone also can’t see her lover cries and she can’t leave him as well. This is the most difficult obstacle that faces Antigone. Finally she kills herself when she finds that it’s more honor to kill herself than Creon kills her. Antigone knows that she will die for what she did. She put what she believes in before her and sacrifices her own life to do what’s right.

Ways to Prevent Human Trafficking | Essay

Ways to Prevent Human Trafficking | Essay Throughout the world today, a silent plague has been sweeping the nations. Although it may be more prevalent in third world countries, its presence also roams the streets of more progressive nations (Kelly, 2001). According to the Bureau of Public Affairs of the United States Department of State (2004), human trafficking is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation (para. 1). Anti-trafficking initiatives are already in place and, while this may be a step in the right direction, it cannot be denied that more needs to be done. Because human trafficking is a worldwide predicament, government and non-government organizations must strengthen their initiatives and extend these efforts to create and to implement laws that would reduce trafficking, improve the lives of the victims, and make the community more aware of this inhumane act. In relation to this, the purpose of this research paper is to provide the reader with sufficient information on the different efforts of government and non-government organizations (NGO) to abolish human trafficking. In addition, suggestions on the improvement of these existing programs are also tackled. Lastly, the goal of this paper is to raise awareness about human trafficking as an intolerable crime. In order to reach these objectives, extensive research on the causes and effects of human trafficking was done. Aside from this, the researchers also examined various anti-trafficking efforts all over the world and the needed measures for the total abolishment of human trafficking. A Heart of Steel Human trafficking clearly violates numerous human rights, particularly those pertaining to personal freedom. It can be considered a modern form of slavery because, aside from the fact that victims are bought and sold like commodities, they are subjected to forced labor that ranges from manual work in sweatshops to prostitution in brothels (Sharma, 2001). Women and children are mostly the victims of this horrendous crime. Across international borders, it has been estimated that 600,000 to 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked, and the number is only getting higher. 70 percent of these trafficked individuals are women and 50 percent are children (Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the United States Department of State, 2004). On one hand, women serve as domestic workers, prostitutes, and mail-order brides to abusive employers or husbands without their full consent. Children, on the other hand, become pitiful victims of sexual exploitation and child labor. Despite receiving promises of well-paying jobs and legitimate employment from their recruiters, the victims find themselves in a constant state of abuse and helplessness under their employers (Kelly, 2001). The control their employers have over them can be attributed to two things. The first is debt bondage, wherein victims pay off the amount their employers paid for them through forced labor. They receive no pay or little pay until the money has been reimbursed. When they are able to pay it off, they are informed that they have incurred additional debts through lodging, food, and other expenses. In some cases, the victims are told that the money is being held for them or sent to their families back home (Kelly, 2001). Because they do not directly receive the money, they are unable to escape from their jobs. The second factor trapping the victims is the lack of legal documents needed in order for them to flee. Most of the victims have been transported through illegal means, including falsified documents and passports (Kelly, 2001). This makes it impossible for them to contact the authorities and to ask for help, in fear of being seen as illegal immigrants and being deported to their home country shamefully. Also, upon arrival at their destination, recruiters and employers confiscate whatever documents the victims possess and forbid them from contacting anyone, including members of their own family. Deprived of any means of escaping, they are forced to continue with their work, no matter how deplorable the conditions may be. Because of their powerlessness, they are left vulnerable to many forms of abuse (Bureau of Public Affairs of the United States Department of State, 2004). Domestic workers are prone to physical and sexual abuse. Several of them report that they have been battered, sexually assaulted, and raped (Cheung, Karlekar, De Dios, Vichit-Vadakan, Quisumbing, 1999). Prostitutes recall being verbally abused, being assaulted, and being forced to have intercourse against their will. Since they have no control over the sexual acts they will perform, they are often brutalized by their customers (Kelly, 2001). They are unable to refuse because their pimps or managers beat them up or threaten to stop sending money to their families once they do so (Sharma, 2001). In children, they are beaten up, molested, and sometimes, forced into child pornography or prostitution (Katsuma, 2001). Even after the ordeal is over, trafficked victims continue to carry scars from their horrifying experiences. Women who once worked as prostitutes end up with unwanted pregnancies or, worse, HIV/AIDS (Sharma, 2001). Aside from this, child laborers are severely malnourished and suffer from various respiratory infections and diseases as a result of exposure to toxic fumes in factories. The children have underdeveloped intellectual and mental capacities, not only because of the lack of education, but also because of exposure to an environment not fit for their age. Trafficking victims are often psychologically damaged, left with a feeling of inferiority and a low self-esteem (NGO Group for the CRC Sub-Group on Child Labour, 2002). Trafficking and the Mafia Aside from human rights violations, trafficking is a major global concern because of its contribution to the growth of international organized crime. According to Salt (as cited in Bruckert Parent, 2002), because human trafficking involves source, transit, and destination countries, it requires considerable amounts of money, connections to powerful people in many countries, and good organization, in order to be carried out successfully. Aside from this, the routes used for trafficking are the same as those used for the drug trade, and it is a known fact that the drug trade is controlled by these criminal groups. All these establish and support a link between human trafficking and international organized crime. In fact, several criminal groups have been reportedly involved in human trafficking activities. Chinese triads traffic women from Russia and the Ukraine into brothels in Macao and Hong Kong (Ovchinsky, 2007). Also, the highly notorious Russian mob smuggle women from the former Soviet Union into Israel, sometimes using them to hide weapons that they are smuggling as well (Israel- A Human Trafficking Haven, 2004). Despite these facts and reports, it remains hard for authorities to apprehend traffickers because of the clandestine nature of human trafficking itself. Even illegal recruiters who run small-scale operations in rural areas are hard to track because they can easily disguise themselves as acquaintances of the family of the victim. Also, human trafficking is made possible by political corruption. Recruiters may initiate the process, but the furtive transfer of the victims from one area to another requires some sort of conspiracy between the traffickers and certain authorities. Traffickers are known to bribe government officials in order for them to pass through the borders and for the falsified documents to be disregarded. For example, in Bosnia, local immigration officials were reported to have received free sexual services from prostitutes in brothels in exchange for deliberately ignoring the fact that these women were trafficked (Agbu, 2003). Working Things Out Actions done by governments and non-government organizations have greatly reduced trafficking and have protected those most susceptible to it (Bureau of Public Affairs of the United States Department of State, 2004). Just by beginning with rural areas to local urban communities where human trafficking is egregiously present, different government and non-government organizations (NGOs) have shown concern regarding this issue by implementing ordinances and laws to serve as a halt to the mentioned illegal deed. Both international and national laws have likewise been passed to stop human trafficking. In view of the fact that trafficking is an international social predicament, plans made by governments for protection and prevention have been well-promulgated among societies. Nevertheless, people who are of full-knowledge regarding the laws and its impact on culprits and still choose to infringe it may be punished depending on the gravity of lawbreaking. Given that children and women are surveyed to have the most number of trafficking cases, most international efforts give much attention and focus to such cases. The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children aims to establish a clearly defined international standard regarding trafficking cases (Raymond, n.d.). The United Nations (UN) provides a comprehensive account of the many challenges facing the international community and of the joint ongoing efforts to find solutions. This action by the UN (2000) towards the prevention of human trafficking upholds that effective action to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, especially women and children, requires a comprehensive international approach in the countries of origin, transit and destination that includes measures to prevent such trafficking, to punish the traffickers and to protect the victims of such trafficking, including by protecting their internationally recognized human rights (p. 2). Also, governments have implemented measures to provide for the physical, psychological, and social recovery of trafficked women and children, including, in appropriate cases, the cooperation of NGOs, other relevant organizations, and other elements of civil society. An example of the aforementioned organizations includes the International Labour Convention (ILO). The ILO recognizes the newly approved law of Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act or RA 9231. This law eliminates the worst forms of child labor such as slavery, prostitution and pornography, drug trafficking, and any work that is hazardous to the health and safety of children. By any violation to this law, a person will automatically be imprisoned, the length of time depending on how grave the trafficking act is (Establishments employing children warned, 2005). At the present time, most third-world countries implement a kind of judicial reform that would allow victims to demand strong penalties for the traffickers-enough to provide deterrence to an extremely profitable criminal activity. The Anti-Human Trafficking Law of the Philippines allows victims to take action against traffickers. Basically, this law not only provides the right for victims to decide on how grave the chastisement they want the traffickers to go through, but also the assistance, recovery, and rehabilitation of trafficked victims from their traumatic experience under these criminals. This way, the Anti-Human Trafficking Law does not only reduce the number of trafficking cases, but also alleviates the pain caused by this crime to its victims (Solidarity Philippines Australia Network, 2003). A Victims Plea International and local groups have been established to specifically combat human trafficking. Different governments and NGOs have come up with departments that can help stop human trafficking. In the Philippines, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) launched a National Family Violence Prevention Program where families are informed about the rights of women and children as well as the necessary actions to protect them. To prevent trafficking in children, social workers have been posted at the airports to monitor the travel of children abroad. As to NGOs, GABRIELA, which is the national alliance of womens organizations in the Philippines, is actively involved in massive awareness campaigns to prevent the trafficking of women and girls from the country along with the National Commission on the Role of the Filipino Women (NCRFW) who has been aggressively advocating policies and programs to stop trafficking in women and children, foremost of which is the enactment of a n anti-trafficking bill into law (Espada, 2003). In addition to that, an anti-human trafficking confederacy such as the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women works with international policymakers and human rights advocates to promote womens rights and to stop human trafficking (Kelly, 2001). In this case, laws and ordinances do not only cover local communities nor nations as a whole, but also includes international or world-wide policymaking. With the help of the UN and other global federations, a basic notion of equity in terms of policies and laws can be implemented among nations. Moreover, under local cases, the Visayan Forum Foundation raises awareness about trafficking in the Philippines and provides halfway houses for trafficked victims (Odronia, 2008). Awareness about the effects of trafficking among its victims and the consequences that traffickers may go through is a vital aspect for the organization. Averting an Unambiguous Malfeasance Because human trafficking in not yet completely abolished, there is a need to improve existing programs and to create new ones that are more efficient and comprehensive. Kelly (2001) asserts that, since human trafficking is a major global concern, there is a need to develop a legal framework with appropriate penalties, which provides redress for all the ways in which traffickers and exploiters violate womens human rights and is effective in prosecuting these crimes (p. 35). Furthermore, she stresses the need to improve on current anti-human trafficking initiatives, suggesting that, including measures directed at the young men who recruità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and daring to target demand, at home and abroad, would be a radical and welcome step (p.35). The government should also see to it that the criminals involved in these crimes get the right punishment. There have been incidences wherein the government has turned a blind eye to these issues, therefore making the existing laws ineffectual. Despite the existence of laws, trafficking remains widespread particularly because of the corruption and the indifference of government officials (Sharma, 2001). A single policy will not be able to solve the problem entirely, but it will greatly contribute to the solution. In addition, combating problems such as crime, poverty, migration, labor, mental health, and law enforcement, should also be part of anti-trafficking initiatives, as these problems are related to and often lead to trafficking (Sharma, 2001). By addressing these issues and finding solutions to them, there would be a lesser need for people to resort to illegal means such as human trafficking. Awareness vs. Oblivion Bringing awareness to the people about anti-human trafficking initiatives should also be one of the main concerns of these government and non-government organizations. As Sharma (2001) stated, public awareness campaigns are imperative to bring issues of sexual trafficking before the public in order to stimulate community based support (p. 49). It is important to a society to have citizen cooperation because without this, more people become vulnerable to becoming victims of these illegal and degrading crimes. Traffickers capitalize on their victims ignorance and desperation to get out of poverty. As a matter of fact, poverty is the leading cause of human trafficking. Because of poverty, people are deprived of the essential education that they need to acquire jobs (Cheung, Karlekar, De Dios, Vichit-Vadakan, Quisumbing, 1999). These people end up considering illegal options, and human trafficking is one of them. This does not just pertain to the victims, but the traffickers themselves. They take advantage of those people who are willing to work and deceive them with false promises of legitimate employment. The victims, seeing no other alternative and completely unaware of the possible consequences, succumb to the lures of migration and find themselves in forced labor or slavery-like conditions (Kelly, 2001). Because of this, local governments, especially in rural areas, should educate the citizens on how to recognize human trafficking and what to do when faced with such an ordeal as they cannot be proactive if they are not well-informed about the situation (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, n.d.). This can be done through various forms of media such as infomercials, documentaries, print media, and the like. These forms of media can serve to inform the viewers about the telltale signs of human trafficking and to promulgate existing laws in order to deal with the increasing number of human trafficking cases. As a matter of fact, various NGOs and other groups have utilized the media in order to spread vital information about human trafficking. The Save the Children organization has worked with networks for the broadcasting of television segments containing hotline numbers of various anti-trafficking organizations (Anti-Sex Trafficking Organization, 2005). Under local cases, the Phil ippine Overseas Employment Agency has released an anti-trafficking infomercial airing on local TV networks (United States Department of State, 2007). Aside from this, the different anti-human trafficking campaigns should have full support and cooperation from the government in order for them to be as effective and well-spread as possible (Kelly, 2001). These campaigns are mostly needed in more rural areas of a country since most of the victims come from these areas. As stated earlier, these people are usually desperate to get out of poverty that they do not know the true nature of this horrendous felony. Hand in Hand: A Conclusion The eradication of human trafficking cannot be done overnight. Even the toughest anti-trafficking legislation will be ineffective without the support it needs. This is why programs by both government and non-government organizations call for global cooperation and local participation in order for the complete abolishment of human trafficking to be achieved (United Nations Population Fund, n.d.). Human trafficking is an issue that needs to be addressed because, aside from the fact that it perpetuates crime all over the world, it severely damages the lives of its innocent victims. Measures to reduce trafficking have been taken by governments and non-government organizations, and these include the creation of both international and national anti-trafficking laws and programs for the prevention of trafficking and rehabilitation of trafficking victims. However, it is evident that more needs to be done. Aside from having more aggressive campaigns against human trafficking, raising awareness for prevention should be at the forefront of all anti-trafficking initiatives. With an activity as clandestine and as lucrative as human trafficking, it may appear that the battle cannot be won. Initiatives taken to eradicate trafficking have only been successful in reducing it. However, in the 19th century, slavery was abolished worldwide. If it has been done once, then surely it can be done again. With the needed support from the international and national level, the dream of abolishing trafficking may soon be realized. Effects of IPods on Childhood | Annotated Bibliography Effects of IPods on Childhood | Annotated Bibliography Are iPads healthy or poisonous apples in early childhood? Have we ever thought there was too much technology at early years? In the past few years, technology has developed rapidly. Electronic devices have been applied everywhere. Since the launch of iPad in 2010, it has become increasingly popular in early-years learning. Nowadays in early age, children are more accessible to the iPad devices than ever before. Parents are buying them for their children and allowing them to use freely. They consider iPad as their â€Å"electronic nanny† which engages the child throughout, allowing parents more free time for themselves. They believed that iPad is not only harmless but also function as an educator to their children, pushing their technological intelligence to the next level. As a teacher, I am often asked by the parents to recommend some educational apps, which could help their children learn at home. In my opinion, the existence of latest mass communication media symbolizes the rapid advancement of our modern world. This breakthrough enhances the convenience of sharing and searching information amongst the children. Media exposure enriches their knowledge in terms of life quality. However, the British leading psychologist Dr. Aric Sigman indicated ‘‘Children should be banned from using computers until they are 9 years old because the early use of technology is destroying the development of their intelligence.’’ (2010, British Dailymail) Furthermore, the recent report of Singman’s relevant research pointed that using electronic equipment for long period of time would affect children’s attention as well as their social skills. In addition, a child who watches the popular 3D movies frequently would affect his/her perspective development. Based on Sigman’s view, I have the urge to read more literatures, and thus explore the impact of technology usage on children in early years. Annotated Bibliography Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory of mass communication. Media Psychology, 3(3),  265-299. doi:10.1207/S1532785XMEP0303_03 Bandura promoted the concept of â€Å"social cognitive theories†. In this article, it focuses on discussing the increasing role of the media and the effects of modeling. He indicates that behaviour can be learned via social prompts, and values are learned through human modeling behaviour. Bandura’s theoretical structure describes how observational learning including direct pathway and socially meditated pathway that influence extensive behaviour changes. Bandura puts a lot of effort of developing social cognition study and has published many books and journal articles about this theory. This article links social cognition theory with the roles of electronic media and mass communication, gives us an in-depth understanding of how children change their behaviour based on the models of others. Media has strong impact in the learning of social roles and responsibilities. Cicconi, M. (2014). Vygotsky meets technology: A reinvention of collaboration in the early  childhood mathematics classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(1), 57-65.  doi:10.1007/s10643-013-0582-9 This journal article examines the implications of Vygotsky’s social learning theory in the early- childhood classroom. The findings suggest that the use of educational technology increases children’s confidence and willingness to share their knowledge, fostering communication and collaboration in learning mathematics. The author discusses the use of three web-based tools, Voke, VoiceThread, and Vodcasts, which engage children with great enthusiasm, and empowering them of all abilities. The research also indicates that children, who armed with instructional technology, the amount of interaction, collaboration and scaffolding are increased. As an educator, the author stresses that the practical instructional technology demonstrates positive impact in learning where children could collaborate effectively. Elliott-Hall, G. (2013). Learning together with iPads. Every Child, 19 (4), 22-23. In this article, Giulia Hall gives an overview of how iPads enrich the learning environment and enhance children’s learning. She states the importance of using iPads to support young children and meeting their learning needs. With iPads, the selection of learning activities is mainly focus on literacy and numeracy. In order to function it well, teacher should develop rules for children by following instructions while using iPads in class. Hall also describes the advantages of using iPads. They are: documenting children’s learning, keeping track on children’s learning progress, developing independence of individual learning and promoting interaction by grouping kids in pairs and using iPads as a positive reinforcer to reward for positive and on-task behaviour. In summary, Hall indicates that iPads helps provide more guidance and modeling in a small group setting, children’s experience with digital technologies enable them to interact, share ideas and create new things. Haddon, L. (2013). Mobile media and children. Mobile Media Communication, 1(1), 89-95.  doi:10.1177/2050157912459504 This article examines a range of research issues with regards to children and digital devices. They are 1.Children’s screen time. There is a growing trend that children spend more time in screen activities; 2. The need for establishing rules of children’s use of technology devices in different social spaces; 3. Challenges of handling the increment of technological options, in terms of age and social norms; 4. The impact on children’s cognitive development; 5. Problems that associate with parental involvement and the difficulties of monitoring, such as bedroom privacy; 6.The potential growth of new logistical challenges, including problems with picking children up in the car; 7. The possession of digital devices within peer groups. All these issues were discussed in various contexts with different cultural perspective towards children and adolescents. McCarthy, C. (2014). Should babies and toddlers use iPads? Harvard Health Publications.  Harvard Commentaries on Health. This article discusses the impact of traditional screen devices towards toddlers in terms of interaction and creativity. It also made contrast between traditional devices and iPads. The author stresses the ideal activity for toddlers is to involve active and exploratory play together with adult, displaying a sense of human touch. Toddlers sitting long time in front of a screen leads to problem with attention. Children imitating TV program with high level of violence can make them more aggressive. In comparison between iPads and traditional screen devices, the former has the quality of better than play toys, more interactive and at the same time tailor to children’s age and learning needs. The author advises that old fashioned play is better than an iPad for children’s development, the amount of time for children to play iPad should not exceed an hour a day. In addition, parents can refer to the reviews on the selected Apps and determine its level of suitability for thei r children and interact with them. Sigman, A. (2012). Time for a view on screen time. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 97(11),  935. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2012-302196 The author indicates that watching screen media is the main leisure of children in this computer age. Children nowadays spent high amount of time on all sorts of screen devices. It has become part of their lives. Undesirable information affects children’s cognitive development. Prolong usage of view screen media contributes to personal health risk, lacking physical activities. Children who watch television and consume food affect its duration of consumption, as it extends beyond the usual time of watching. Body fat mass increment is largely affected by continuous hours of TV watching. Depriving physical activities result in unfavorable health condition. Extensive computer games addiction causes subsequent attention problems and in childhood and even late adolescence stage. Children, who spent more time watching television or using computer exhibit higher level of psychological and emotional difficulties, Social skills diminish as more new technologies skills are acquired. A reduction in screen exposure significantly elevates improvement in child health and development. The impact of uncontrolled and unscreened media that are made available to the children is generally unhealthy life styles. Sherman, T. M. Kurshan, B. L. (2005). Constructing learning: Using technology to support teaching for understanding. Learning Leading with Technology, 32(5), 10-39. In this journal article Sheman and Kurshan advocates that online mass communication allows students and adults to work together from apart effectively solving specific problems under their umbrella of advance technology. It is a tool where students can utilize and maximize their learning capability even from home. Technology is considered as multiple platforms for social interactions. Through network learning platform, students and teachers could discuss questions in different locations, which enables students to express their thoughts as well as expanding their understanding. Technology-based activities not only develop students’ intelligence but also facilitating their collaboration of problem solving. Sherman and Kurshan conclude that through organised interaction, it becomes another form of social activities. Stein, M. T. (2011). The effects of media use in children. Journal Watch. Pediatrics Adolescent  Medicine, doi:10.1056/PA201112280000002 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) conducted a research on media exposure in early childhood, and its effect on children and adolescents in 2011. In the process of the survey, children under the age of 2 denote that 90% of children watch media, such as television and videos. At age 3, 30%of children have televisions in their room, which drastically affects their sleep pattern. Over exposure to TV affects their speech expression, a drop in their executive function and attention problems. Delayed sleep, obesity and fatigue results from over exposure of TV watching are unhealthy practices. Parental intervention, guidance and discussion with their children are necessary to handle their emotions and social behaviour. This article provides strong evidence of supported data in terms of the children’s behaviour in the presence of long duration media exposure. Suazo-Garcia, B., Attewell, P. A., Battle, J. (2003). Computers and young children: Social  benefit or social problem? Social Forces, 82(1), 277-296. doi:10.1353/sof.2003.0075 This research involves school-age children and examines the correlates of time spent at home with computers. It reviews the popular topic of whether computing promotes or reduces young children’s cognitive skills, well-being aspects and learning development. It indicates that computers rob away some normal experiences, such as outdoor activities and social interaction time with peers or other adults. Most children rely largely on playing computer games and stay away from pure educational programs and activities. It reflects on a decline in participating social networks and tends to be more of a loner. The research also reveals that computer integration should be implemented into classroom teaching as many school works are done via computer. Heavy usage of home computers for eight or more hours weekly is linked to less time on physical activities. Furthermore, long term sitting can cause vision problem and bad posture problem. This article highlights on the importance of reduci ng time spent on home computer. Wood, E., Specht, J., Willoughby, T., Mueller, J. (2008). Integrating computer technology in early childhood education environments: Issues raised by early childhood educators. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 54(2), 210. This study explores the issues faced by the educators with regard to the integration of technology in early childhood education environment. It addresses different perspectives of the children, parents and the educators through the survey responses. Educator pointed that computers is not age-appropriate for very young children, it limits their social interaction with peers and the engagement of social problem-solving. Through the group discussions, they revealed their concerns about the potential loss of traditional educational formats, such as hands-on learning experiences. However, they did acknowledge that computers are the useful learning tool for older children, as it allows children to share information and learn independently. This article discusses the role of computers and provides a better understanding to parents and early childhood educators. Conclusion: Technology is a double sided sword, it has its advantages and disadvantages. Its application depends largely on the integrity of the user. For instance, iPads are like cars and the iPad user are like the drivers. Many accidents are caused by reckless drivers, the problem lies in the mentality and the skills of the driver, rather than the function of the car. As our children are innocent, dependent and vulnerable, parental guidance and engagement is crucial at this junction. Constant monitoring and interaction with the children’s engagement with their iPad is of utmost importance. Parents and teachers involvement in constructive learning with the children, results in more closely monitored in their engaging activities. Establishing rules, controlled timing on iPads usage and careful selection of suitable Apps are the key settings towards healthy learning environment. It promotes their mental and social development in a positive way. We can simply say that a healthy apple is attained when the above mentioned criteria are met.

Essay --

Chief Joseph was the Nez-Pierce chief. He became famous when he tried to get his tribe to the Canadian border to be free. He did it so he and his tribe don’t go to reservations. He was considered to be one of the best chiefs ever. He took his fathers place as chief. His early life, leading years, and the end of his life tells what he had to go through to lead his tribe to freedom, even though it ended in vain. Joseph was born on March 3, 1840, in Wallowa Valley, Oregon Territory. His formal Indian name translates to Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain, but he goes by Joseph. He was named after his father, Joseph the Elder. He was named after he was baptized. His father’s relationship with the whites was unclear. He had been one if the first Indians to convert to Christianity. He forged a new treaty that created a reservation for the Nez Perce. When gold was discovered in the territories, white people began to come onto their lands. The treaty was soon destroyed after the U.S. government began to take back millions of acres that they had promised to Joseph the Elder. When Joseph the ...

Christian Humanism :: essays research papers

Christian Humanism Christian humanism was the humanists’ efforts to unite classical learning with the Christian faith. The Christian humanists rejected what they regarded as medieval Christianity’s excessive emphasis on other worldliness. They desired to bring their knowledge of the classical languages to bear in their effort to attain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith. Christian humanism was properly nothing but a reclaiming of the basic inheritance of history and the natural connection of culture with the religious vistas of the human being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Desiderius Erasmus was probably one of the biggest and most outstanding of the Christian humanists. He was known as the â€Å"Prince of the Humanists†. He mostly devoted his life to classical studies. His Adages, a collection of Latin proverbs, established his scholarly reputation. Most of his other early works attacked corrupt church practices and the scholasticism developed by churchmen. In the Praise of Folly, his most famous work, made fun of many attitudes of his time which were ignorance , superstition , and greed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another big time humanist was Thomas More. An English statesman and writer, known for his religious stance against King Henry VIII costed him his life. He was England’s greatest humanist. More’s most famous work Utopia described an ideal world where society was based on reason and ignorance. The citizens practiced a Christianity that was free of ignorance and superstition. There was no private property and no desire for profit and there was no war except in self-defense. More contrasted this society with the evils existing in his own society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These Christian humanists had similar characteristics and helped Martin Luther in his reformation process. They both wanted huge reform in the Roman Catholic Church. In Erasmus’s Colloquia his continuing assaults on the evils and errors of the church authorities and on superstition made him vulnerable to the accusation that he was a Lutheran. They both used and emphasized on scripture. Even though Erasmus denied being a Lutheran and at times even verbally attacked Luther, he is often regarded as a precursor of the Reformation. The humanists work in translating and analyzing original sources often uncovered discrepancies among these sources, which led to questions about the Catholic Church's practices and encouraged efforts for reform. Erasmus got this ball rolling and Luther just blew it up. There was just one difference between Erasmus and Luther. Christian humanists believed strongly in the unity of the church and the preservation of a Christian Humanism :: essays research papers Christian Humanism Christian humanism was the humanists’ efforts to unite classical learning with the Christian faith. The Christian humanists rejected what they regarded as medieval Christianity’s excessive emphasis on other worldliness. They desired to bring their knowledge of the classical languages to bear in their effort to attain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith. Christian humanism was properly nothing but a reclaiming of the basic inheritance of history and the natural connection of culture with the religious vistas of the human being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Desiderius Erasmus was probably one of the biggest and most outstanding of the Christian humanists. He was known as the â€Å"Prince of the Humanists†. He mostly devoted his life to classical studies. His Adages, a collection of Latin proverbs, established his scholarly reputation. Most of his other early works attacked corrupt church practices and the scholasticism developed by churchmen. In the Praise of Folly, his most famous work, made fun of many attitudes of his time which were ignorance , superstition , and greed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another big time humanist was Thomas More. An English statesman and writer, known for his religious stance against King Henry VIII costed him his life. He was England’s greatest humanist. More’s most famous work Utopia described an ideal world where society was based on reason and ignorance. The citizens practiced a Christianity that was free of ignorance and superstition. There was no private property and no desire for profit and there was no war except in self-defense. More contrasted this society with the evils existing in his own society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These Christian humanists had similar characteristics and helped Martin Luther in his reformation process. They both wanted huge reform in the Roman Catholic Church. In Erasmus’s Colloquia his continuing assaults on the evils and errors of the church authorities and on superstition made him vulnerable to the accusation that he was a Lutheran. They both used and emphasized on scripture. Even though Erasmus denied being a Lutheran and at times even verbally attacked Luther, he is often regarded as a precursor of the Reformation. The humanists work in translating and analyzing original sources often uncovered discrepancies among these sources, which led to questions about the Catholic Church's practices and encouraged efforts for reform. Erasmus got this ball rolling and Luther just blew it up. There was just one difference between Erasmus and Luther. Christian humanists believed strongly in the unity of the church and the preservation of a

Not All Homeless People Are Crazy Essay -- Are the Homeless Crazy?, 20

One of life’s truly rarest treasures is human unselfish charity. The greatest thing in the world is mutual understanding and the endless feeling of appreciation of having a Home. A place that every one of us has to have: where a happy, loving family could be born, where love, support and acceptance, no matter what, always are, and where kindness, warmness, understanding are sincere and never go away. I think those of us who have homes have to count ourselves exceedingly fortunate, because we are blessed. Home--the roof and the walls--protects us from outside pressure, and gives strength and desire to live, which is the important moral base of a psychologically healthy human being. But what about those who don’t have it? Those who we call Homeless? Unfortunately, there is always a dark cloud in a blue sky, and in â€Å"Are the Homeless Crazy?† Jonathan Kozol questions the primary cause of homelessness in the United States. Are the homeless people really â€Å"pa ranoids of the street† and â€Å"among the most difficult to help?† When I read, â€Å"Are the Homeless Crazy?† I was amazed how clearly and skillfully the writer shows the reality, the conditions, and causes of homelessness through presenting an impressive array of statistics and showing the numbers of homeless children. The author writes: â€Å"nearly half the homeless are small children whose average age is six,† and â€Å"since 1968 the number of children living in poverty has grown by 3 million† (463). He uses statistics to show the level of Federal support for low-income housing, which â€Å"dropped from $30 billion (1980) to 7.5 billion (1988),† the average of rents, the declining welfare benefits for families with children, the loss of traditional jobs in industry, â€Å"2 million every year since 198... ...the attempts of homeless people to overcome the misery and destitution must be heard and evaluated. People need the response from society on their unbearable and intolerable life conditions. Kozol makes very clear for everybody that nothing would be solved until everyone will be understood. Let’s just imagine what if we were in those people’s places, without a place to live, and in total destitution. Are we going to ask for help? I think people cannot be degraded to the level of crazy beasts; they don’t have to demean themselves and their families to ask and to accept official charity. I strongly believe that they can desperately implore for Dei gratia but not for society to deign to help. It isn’t too much to desire to have a Home. And it is not a crime to have it. Works Cited Kozol, Jonathan. â€Å"Are the Homeless Crazy.† Yale Review, 1988.