Assigment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assigment 3 - Essay Example I was unsure why I was doing the same but during the course of the day; I started to realize so many negativities that were in his personality. I had never envisioned Rick to be that bad but that day made me think of very negative things about him. I saw that he was not only mean but also very authoritative in his actions and undertakings, and that he would things as feels like. I was against such a personality in my mind but I never realized until that day that he was a bad person to be friends with. In short, I had come across so much about him in my mind that day that I could not even gather the same in the years passed by. It was an eye-opener for me. In the evening, we two met at the basketball court but did not talk to each other. Our combined friends were astonished as to what exactly was going on between the two of us. This was a very unusual experience for me since I could not have envisioned something that would keep me at a distance from Rick for one entire day. It was a heartbreaking thing yet I was more than happy to be away from him. We had not talked to each other the whole day and my animosity for him was growing with each passing minute. I was literally cursing him for the bad things that existed within his personality. At about 10 o’ clock in the night, I bumped into Rick at the store. He was getting his usual dose of cola drinks and I was there to get some medicines for my family. We still did not talk to each other, let alone did not even bother to have a second gaze. Suddenly the salesman asked me to wait for Rick to stop shopping so that we could pay together. I was amazed and so was Rick that nearly everyone around us knew so much about our friendship that they took us as ‘one’ and not two separate individuals. Suddenly something happened and it made me go and hu g him instantly. It was one of those feelings that one has very little control about.

Prairie Dogs Essay Example for Free

Prairie Dogs Essay â€Å"Prairie dogs have a significant effect on biological diversity in prairie ecosystems. More than 200 species of wildlife have been associated with prairie dog towns, with over 140 species benefitting directly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Williams 34). Terry Tempest Williams, author of the book â€Å"Finding Beauty in a Broken World,† delivers a strong argument as to why prairie dogs should be protected. Prairie dogs contribute to the welfare of animals around them in many ways. They create diversity, kinship and community. Williams also states, â€Å"They embody two million years of evolving intelligence† (Williams 33). They are social creatures, and they all live in towns and villages. They kiss when they greet each other, as a way of distinguishing one from another. Once recognized, they will engage in nuzzling and other affectionate grooming behaviors. They also are able to distinguish the light from dark. Dogs kept in zoos become so tame, visitors may pet them. Williams gives an example of this in her book when she visits a zoo in North Carolina. She witnesses a man talking to and affectionately petting the belly of a prairie dog (Williams 66). They are not just rodents and they can be extremely humane and friendly. â€Å"Prairie dogs, like beavers, are a keystone species- that is one that significantly alters the ecosystem and provides habitat for auxiliary species† (Outwater 73). In the book, â€Å"A Sea of Grass,† by Outwater, she delivers a strong argument as to why prairie dogs are beneficial to the grassland ecosystem. Prairie dogs create habitats for other species, because over 200 species live nearby prairie dog burrows. The burrows are never built all the same. Some have special pockets, turn-around rooms, and others have chambers with grass. The temperature underground is convenient for species living there, being as it is warm in winter, and cooler in the summer. Outwater presents a valid reason for protecting the rodents. For example, she states,† In the process of constructing their towns of tunnels, the prairie dogs once moved tons of subsoil above ground, where they mixed it with top soil and organic matter.. †(Outwater 74). Many species benefit from this churning of the soil because it creates grasses which are richer in protein. The prairie dogs also help to increase the amount of water that makes it underground, which enhances the productivity of the soil. Concurrently, more water goes into rivers and streams. Another component of prairie dogs is that they are social, loving creatures. They engage in their own communication. When they see a predator, they make a bark that signals all the dogs around to protect themselves. Prairie dogs provide burrows not only for themselves, but for other animals as well. They also aerate the soil and contribute to water drainage underground. Prairie dogs eat grass, which in turn shocks the landscape into greater, richer productivity. Prairie dogs need to be protected because they are such an important species to the grassland ecosystem and they are on the brink of extinction. â€Å"†We are living amid a sixth extinction,† writes Niles Eldredge, a curator at the American Museum of Natural History,† one that, according to the Harvard biologist E. O. Wilson, is costing the Earth some 30,000 species a year.. At this rate, the vast majority of the species on earth today will be gone by the next millennium†Ã¢â‚¬  (quoted in Williams 71). All species rely on another species for survival. If prairie dogs were to become extinct, many other species and habitats would be at stake also. Some species affected by the decline of prairie dogs include, but are not limited to: the black-footed ferret, mountain plovers and owls, golden eagles, foxes, ferruginous hawks, and deer mice. (Williams 57). The grassland ecosystem as a whole would be at stake, seeing as how every single species contained in it relies upon one another for survival. The author Outwater also believes there is a lot at stake if the dogs become extinct. She believes that if prairie dogs are eliminated, the productivity of grasslands decreases. Species such as turtles, skunks, snakes, toads, prairie chickens, tiger salamanders, rabbits, eagles, hawks, coyotes, foxes, and many more will not have a place to abide. Also, the water will be at stake because less water would be seeping underground. By less water making it underground, there would ultimately be less water going to streams and rivers. Both Outwater and Williams have extreme arguments as to why prairie dogs should be protected. Their arguments may differ in many ways, but they agree on a few core points. They both agree that these rodents create habitats for other species, and that they are definitely a keystone species. They prune grass, in turn creating more beneficial food sources for different species. They heighten the water drainage into the subsoil, in turn filling the streams and rivers. They also create diversity, within the plants and the animals surrounding them. They are not just pests either, as agreed upon by Outwater and Williams. They have their own language and ways of communicating. They exhibit affectionate behavior towards each other and engage in grooming activities and kissing. Even though Williams and Outwater arrive at the same points, their methods of proving them are different. Williams proves her points through mosaics, saying the different broken pieces make up something greater. The different species involved in the grassland ecosystems all play an important role in the bigger picture. Outwater has a different technique. She shows prairie dogs in comparison to the buffalos, water systems, and other species of the grasslands. She also goes into greater depth of the prairie dog environment as a whole. Although both authors have valid points, I find Williams’ argument more compelling. Her quotes and examples convince one that prairie dogs really do need to be protected. She states, â€Å"Prairie dogs create diversity. Destroy them, and you destroy a varied world† (Williams 37). From the plants, to the animals in their grassland ecosystem, prairie dogs bring about diversity in everything. Williams uses mosaics as a way to describe the dogs as a part of their ecosystem. The prairie dogs are an essential part of the grasslands and Williams makes her argument more compelling by comparing them to mosaics. However, both authors come to the same conclusion. Prairie dogs are a species whose very presence contributes to the diversity of life and whose extinction would result in the extinction of species dependant on it. Extra Credit: Williams relates prairie dogs to mosaics by proving that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. Mosaics are composed of several â€Å"broken† pieces, making up one beautiful piece. Prairie dogs are just one essential part of the grassland ecosystems. Even though they are just one part, they are important to everything else around them. Williams uses mosaics as a way to describe the dogs as a part of their ecosystem. She also compares and contrasts the rules of mosaics with prairie dogs and their towns. She states, â€Å"Tesserae are irregular, rough, individualized, unique. Prairie dogs literally change the land with their hands†¦ Many colors are used to create one color from afar. Different hues from the same color were always used in ancient mosaics. Prairie dogs have a significant effect on biological diversity in prairie ecosystems. More than 200 species of wildlife have been associated with prairie dog towns, with over 140 species benefitting directly † (Williams 34). If one piece of the mosaic is missing, it is not a mosaic. Every single piece of the mosaic directly benefits and depends on the others, just like in grassland ecosystems. Every species of animal depends on and directly benefits from another. If prairie dogs were to become extinct, there are so many other animals that would be at stake also. Their burrows provide protection. Their pruning of the grasses creates a better quality of food for others. Their digging and aerating of the soils allows for more water to seep down and be absorbed by the earth, which in turn provides water for streams and rivers. Williams relates prairie dogs to mosaics in a very compelling argument. She knows that if prairie dogs were to face extinction, an essential part of the grassland ecosystem would be missing, and the rest of the grassland would be directly, negatively affected.

The Effect Of Race On Poverty

The Effect Of Race On Poverty Racism has existed throughout human history, and it continues to represent significant problems for many people in the United States today. Racism is the belief that ones race is primarily, the determining factor that reflects human traits and capacity. Racist ideology generally supports the premise that a particular race is either superior or inferior to another, and that a persons social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics. The distinction of racial differences, gives way to the belief of an inherent superiority of a particular race(s), while simultaneously ordering other races in a hierarchy. Institutional racism causes large numbers of individuals, who are deemed inferior, to be denied even basic rights or benefits befitting mankind. Conversely, the group that is deemed superior has, historically, been elevated to positions that allow them to enjoy preferential treatment over the so called inferior group(s). Why do people from one so cial group oppress and discriminate against people from other social groups; and why is it so difficult to eliminate? The purpose of this study considers if racial discrimination continues to represent a significant problem for African Americans and other ethnic minorities in the U.S. Some race theorist feel compelled to assert the rather pessimistic view that racism is permanent, and even the use of politics and policy will not curtail the development of racial distinction and antagonisms. Racial inequality has become an enduring, deeply regimented means of knowing and organizing the social world, and thus it is unlikely to be completely eliminated. The Black experience in the United States has enriched the fabric of American history and society in a myriad of ways, many of which have only recently been recognized. However, the overarching theme of Black and other minority group experience has been one of misery, exploitation, inequality, and discrimination. It is to this end, that those who wish to understand the minority experience in America ask the following question: Are minorities making progress in the United States? Recent battles regarding civil rights and race discrimination in the United States were fought on two fronts legal, and the publics perception of race. Legal fronts consisted of lawsuits and amended legislation prompted institutions such as schools, banks, and government agencies to lessen race discrimination. Brown vs. the board of education, the civil rights act of 1964/65, and other subsequent battles brought race discrimination to the attention of the American public. The former front involves the publics perception of race. Henry and Sears (2002) argue that public sentiment concerning African Americans is governed by a psychological blend of negative feelings and conservative values, particularly the belief that African Americans violate cherished American values. The perception of African Americans is rooted in an abstract system of early learned moral values and ideas that typically view them as social misfits. Racial conflict has plagued the United States from its inception, in particular it has been primarily driven by racial prejudice of African-American (Allport, 1979). While overt forms of racial discrimination, such as Jim crow segregation has all been eliminated in the United States, and whites opinions regarding racial issues have become more liberal; nevertheless, racial discrimination remains a significant difficulty for many ethnic minority groups to contend with in the United States. Moreover, recent research shows that racism has evolved from these overt forms of Jim Crow segregation (older belief systems which incorporated social distance between the races). One form of research has developed around the basic idea that new forms of racism has taken root in America, is the symbolic racism theory (Sears, 1988). According to Kender and Sears (1981) symbolic racism is commonly described as a coherent belief system which supports concepts that, racial discrimination is no longer a valid point of contention for African Americans, and that their disadvantage stems from personal irresponsibility, and thus their continual demand for equal treatment is not valid. Proponents of liberal optimism, on the other hand, contend that viable solutions to our nations race problems are possible. Robert parks (1950) clearly articulate key concepts of a race relation cycle. Parks argues that race relations develop in a four cycle stage: contact, conflict, accommodation, and assimilation. The first stage occurs when two or more different races of people come together, and they are obliged to interact with each other. Competing for scarce resources, they fall into conflict, which eventually gives way to accommodation, where a stable but antagonist social order fosters a social hierarchy. Finally, Parks asserts that accommodation is attained when different races assimilate through a process of cultural and physical merging. The end result of such a merger is the development of one homogenous race, where class supersedes race as the primary focal point of social distinction. Parks ascertain that race relations invariably pass through the previously mention fo ur stages, and that the present location of particular race of people, offers strong evidence to suggest not only their past but also the future path that a particular race of people will encounter. Our society, like many others throughout the world, is organized by powerful dynamics that are often very difficult to interrupt. Privilege is a predictable precursor for such things as race distinction, because the privileged group must distinguish itself from other groups. Distinctions based on race may not always be carried out with malicious intent, however, to suggest that the effects of such characterizations are inconsequential, definitely deserves examination. But, how are we to understand the realities that both produce such distinctions and the ensuing consequences that they invariably produce? Do we view them as purely accidental, or as oddities that simply seem to happen? Or is race, in fact, reflective of designed dynamics that are sown into the very fabric of our society? III. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS Does race affect income equality? In theory, income does affect the quality of life, in terms of having resources to insure ones success. The concept of income level should demonstrate rather racism remains a significant barrier for the economic advancement of African Americans and other minorities in the U.S. The issues here that are under consideration do not dispute the fact that the position of African Americans and other minorities has changed in the last generation; rather it is the less traceable issue of whether these changes can be summed-up as measurable improvement of economic equality, and consequently an improvement in the quality of life of minorities in the United States. The social economic status of Caucasians (the comparison group), African Americans, and other minorities African Americans and other minorities will be compared to discovery which group, on average, has a total family income below 25, 000 dollars. The context of relative total family income level of, individuals in a particular race, demonstrates to what degree, if any, racial equality has been achieved by considering which group is more likely to live in poverty. IV. DATA AND VARIABLES In order to empirically examine rather race remains a significant barrier for the equality of ethnic minorities in the United States, this researcher uses General Social Services (GSS) data. The GSS were designed as part of a data diffusion project in 1972. The GSS replicated questionnaire items and wording in order to facilitate time trend studies. This data collection includes a cumulative file that merges all data collected as part of the General Social Services Surveys from 1972 to 2004. The 2004 survey was composed of permanent questions that appeared on two out of every three surveys and a small number of occasional questions that occurred in a single study. The DEPENDENT VARIABLE Income Level A comparative level of income between Caucasians (the comparison group), African Americans and other ethnic minorities over time will demonstrate rather racism remains a central hindrance to the advancement of minorities in the United States. That is, I hypothesis that Caucasians will show a higher mean income from that of minorities and, therefore, a lowered propensity for having a total family income of 25,000 dollars or less. If racial equality is present between races, then, we can expect to see a somewhat uniform distribution of income between the different ethnic groups, and an average number of people in different races, living in poverty. However, if we see a significant difference between mean incomes of different ethnic groups, then, we assume that there is no real equality. The continuous variable income was converted to a dichotomous variable (because of a skewed distribution of income) where if respondents total family income is 25,000 or less, then they are considered t o live in poverty; conversely, if the respondents total family income was above 25,000 dollars per year, then they are coded as not being in poverty. Income level is measured by the GSS variable (VAR: INCOME). Respondents were asked, In which of these groups did your total family income, from all sources, fall last year before taxes that is? A fifteen point response category was used to capture respondents answers: under $1,000; $1000 to 1,999; $2,000 to 2,999; $3,000 to 3,999; $4,000 to 4,999; 5,000 to 5,999; $6,000 to 6,999; $7,000 to 7,999; $8,000 to 8,999; $9,000 to 9,999; $10,000 to 14,999; $15,000 to 19,999; $20,000 to 24,000; $25,000 or over; refused; dont know, no answer; not applicable. The variable INCOME was converted into a dichotomous variable: 1) 1= living in poverty (income $25,000 or less) 2) 0= not living in poverty (income above $25,000). THE KEY INDEPENDENT VARIABLE Race The mere distinction of individuals by race invariably gives way to the belief that slight biological differences between certain groups of people predetermines the worth, intelligence, value, and other aspects of a persons being. As a consequence, race distinction, is typically followed by the formation of preset stereotypes regarding a particular group of people, and the creation of a racial hierarchy. Distinction by race has been the catalyst, throughout mans history, for wars as well as hate-crimes, and it has caused untold human suffering not only in the U.S., but indeed, throughout the entire world. It is this authors hypothesis that race continues to plague minorities in the U.S. Race is measured by the GSS variable (VAR: RACE). Respondents were asked, What race do you consider yourself? Respondents were asked to select their appropriate race from a three-point scale: White, Black, or other (specify). The key independent variable RACE was dichotomized as follows: 1) Black or not, and 2) Other race or not. THE INDENENDENT VARIABLES: The independent variables in this study are: Age, Sex, Education, religion, political affiliation, and years of education and training. Age It is my hypothesis that the working age of an individual will be positively correlated with a higher mean income. That is, when people begin to work they will often start at the low end of the pay scale in their respective occupations. However, as they gain more experience on the job, their worth to their employer increases, and thus they can demand higher incomes. Age is measured by the GSS variable (VAR: AGE). Respondents were asked to indicate their age by selection from the approximate eight point choice category. The categories are listed as follows: 10-19 years of age (y.o.a.), 20-29 (y.o.a.), 30-39 (y.o.a.), 40-49 (y.o.a.), 50-59 (y.o.a.), 60-69 (y.o.a), 70-79 (y.o.a), 80 or over, and No answer/dont know. REMARKS: Respondents age: Data has been recoded into actual age in cols. 92 and 93. See Appendix D, and Appendix E. Age distribution, for the detailed response. The distribution for the first digit, col. 92 is given below. See Appendix N for changes. SEX Not only is income level stratified along racial dement ions, but, also by gender. Traditionally, the U.S. has always exercised patriarchal domination, and, as such men have characteristically held more prestigious employment positions that typically pay more. Therefore, I hypothesize that the mean income of men will be higher than that of women. Gender is measured the GSS variable (VAR: SEX). Code respondents sex, they were asked to indicate their gender by using the following two point response category: Male, Female; Male=1, female=2. Education Level I hypothesize that higher individual levels of education will be positively correlated with higher a mean income. Individuals who have higher levels of education will be more valuable to their employers because of special training, job skills, and knowledge allows them to perform specialized tasks. Education is measured by the GSS variable (VAR: DEGREE). Respondents were asked, What is your highest level of education? Respondents were asked to select their appropriate education level from a six-point scale which is listed as follows: 1) Less than high school, 2) High school, 3) Associate/ junior college, 4) Bachelors, 5) Graduate, and 6) Dont know. Religion Raised with I hypothesize those individuals who were raised in families that regularly attended religious services as children will have a stronger work ethic, than those who did not, consequently, those individuals who were raised with religion will possess a higher mean income than those respondents who were not raised in a family that attended religious services. Religion is measured by using the GSS variable (VAR: RELIG16). Respondents were asked, In what religion were you raised? Respondents were asked to select the religion they were raised in by making a selection from the following five-point choice selection category: Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, none, other (specify religion, and/or church denomination. The variable RELIGION was dichotomized as follows: 1) Jewish or not, 2) Catholic or not, 3) Protestant or not 4) Other religion or not, and None or not raised with any religion, is the comparison group. Political Affiliation I hypothesize those respondents who are republicans (who typically hold more traditional values) will be more positively correlated with higher mean income levels than those of other political affiliations. Political affiliation is measured using the GSS Variable (VAR: PARDYID). Respondents were asked, Generally speaking do you usually think of yourself as Republican, Democrat, Independent, or what? The variable PARDYID was dicothomised as follows: 1) Democrat or not 2) Independent or not 3) Other political party or not. Hypothesis 1: Is there any significant gap in the income of African Americans and other minorities compared to those of Caucasians in the United States, and what ethnic minorities are more likely to live under the poverty level? If we find that a particular ethnic group is more likely to live in poverty compared to Whites, then, one might conclude that racism continues to remain a significant obstacle for the economic advancement of the aforementioned minority groups. In addition to race, this study will also consider the impact of age, gender, religion, political affiliation, educational attainment, and the number of years spent obtaining formal education and training, with respect to relative income and those who live in poverty. Poverty is defined as the total family income level of respondents that falls at or under 25,000 annually. V. THE FINDINGS Frequency Distribution of the D.V. and the Key I.V. The main hypothesis of this paper singles out the dependent variable as total family annual income (VAR: INCOME), this continuous variable was converted into a dichotomous variable: 1) respondents whose total family income was 25,000 dollars or less are considered to be in poverty, and they were coded as 1; and 2) those respondents whose total family income is above 25,000 dollars were coded as 0and they are considered not in poverty. There was a total of 2,812 respondents.1, 764 respondents (71.1%) reported that their total family income was $25,000 or more (not in poverty), and 718 (28.9%) reported that their total family was income was below $25,000 (in poverty), and 330 (11.7%) respondents showed missing data for this question. The Key Independent Variable Race The key independent variable for this study is race (VAR: RACE), and this nominal variable was dichotomized as follows: 1) Black or not, 2) Other race or not (White is the comparison group). The frequency distribution for Black or not is as follows: there was a total of 2,812 respondents in this study, 377 of whom (13.4%) reported that they were Black, 2,482 respondents indicated that they were not Black, and 333 respondents failed to answer the question. The frequency distribution for Other race or not is as follows: 2812 respondents took part in the survey, and 201 persons reported that their race was Other (7, 1%), and 2,611 respondents reported that their race was not Other. Chart 1 Chart 2 Calculate Univariate Statistics. The dependent variable INCOME was converted to a dichotomous variable (in poverty or not) and it has a frequency of 2482, a mean of 0.2893, and a standard deviation of 0.45352. Most respondents in the survey had incomes that were 25,000 or more (not in poverty). The key independent variable RACE was dichotomized as follows: Black or not, and Other race or not (Whites are the comparison group). The frequency for Black or not is 2812, with a mean of 0.1341, and a standard deviation of 0.34079. The frequency for Other race or not is 2812, with a mean of 0.0715, and a standard deviation of 0.25767. AGE has a frequency of 2803, a mean of 45.96, and a standard deviation of 16.1801. RESPONDENTS SEX has a frequency of 2812, a mean of 1.54, and a standard deviation of 0.498. RS HIGHEST DEGREE has a frequency of 2811, a mean of 1.61, and a standard deviation of 1.207. RELIGION IN WHICH RAISED was dichotomized as follows: 1) Jewish or not, 2) Catholic or not, 3) Protestant or not, and 4) Other religion or not (No religion is the comparison group). Jewish or not has a frequency of 2809, a mean of 0.0228, and a standard deviation of 14924. Catholic or not has a frequency of 2801, a mean of 0.2960, and a standard deviation of 45656. Protestant or not has a frequency of 2801, a mean of 0.5598, and a standard deviation of 49650. Other religion or not has a frequency of 280, a mean of 0.0421, and a standard deviation of 20092. PARTYID was dichotomized as follows: 1) Democrat or not, 2) Independent or not, and 4) Other political party (no political affiliation is the comparison group). Democrat or not has a frequency of 2800, a mean of 0, 3425, and a standard deviation of 0.47463. Independent or not has a frequency of 2800, a mean of 0.3539, a standard deviation of 0.47827. Other political party or not has a frequency of 2800, a mean of 0.0104, and a standard deviation of 0.10126. Pearsons Correlation Analysis As hypothesized Pearsons correlation supports the premises that the total family income of Blacks, on average, is likely to fall at or below 25,000 dollars (poverty). Pearsons correlation is 0.175 (very significant); therefore we reject the null hypothesis, and accept the alternative. That is, there is a significant difference between the average total families incomes of Blacks compared to Whites. Other races appeared to earn slightly more that Whites. Pearsons correlation for Other is -0.003. Therefore, we fail to reject the null hypothesis for Others, and conclude that there is no significant difference between the average total family incomes of others as opposed to Whites. Pearsons correlation for income and other political party is -0.029, indicating a slight decrease in the number of other political party members who have a total family income of 25,000 dollars or less. Therefore, we fail to reject the null, and conclude that other political party affiliation does not significantly affect the total family income of these respondents, as opposed to Republicans. Pearsons correlation between poverty and Democrats show .064. Therefore, we reject the null, and accept the alternate hypothesis; Democrats are significantly more likely to show a family income of 25, 0000 or more a year. Democrats are less likely to have a total family income of 25,000 dollars or less. Pearsons correlation between Independent party and poverty is -0.064, which is significant, therefore we reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis. Independent party membership has a significant affect on poverty. That is Independent party members are more likely to have total family incomes of 25,000 dollars or less. Pearsons correlation between the Jewish religion and poverty is -.052 which is significant. Therefore, we reject the null hypothesis, and accept the alternative hypothesis. We conclude by stating that respondents who are Jewish are more likely to have a totally family income that is above 25,000 dollars. Pearsons correlation for Catholics is -0.55 which is significant. Therefore, we reject the null hypothesis, and conclude that Catholics are less likely to show a total family income of less than 25,000 dollars. Pearsons correlation for Protestants is -0.028 which is insignificant. Therefore, we fail to reject the null hypothesis, and reject the alternative hypothesis. We conclude that respondents who are Protestant are not likely to have incomes below 25, 0000 dollars. Pearson correlation between other religions and poverty is 0.017 which is statistically insignificant. Therefore, we fail to reject the null hypothesis, and reject the alternative hypothesis. Respondents who coded as having Other political affiliation are not likely to have total family incomes below 25,000 dollars. Likelihood Ratio Chi-Sq. 390.482** Nagelkerke R-Square .2093 *P

I Write to Impress, Expose, and Inspire :: Writing Composition

I Write to Impress, Expose, and Inspire I'll just say it, "I like myself." I shake hands with just about every "part" of who I am. I have an admirable supply of self-esteem and I...well,...I show it off. I'll say this, "I'm a pretty decent writer." Of course, that's my own opinion, but I'm modest. I don't think I'm as good as "they" get, nor do I think that I'm as good as I can get. I like manipulating words so that they are comprehended at face-value and understood at a deeper value. I like to be enthusiastic when I write, and I like to project this to the reader. Am I doing that yet, you lovely reader, you? I like who I am, I like to hear myself talk, and I think I speak well. When rereading my introductory paper for this class, I smiled as I remembered typing it the night before it was due. I could tell that I wrote it, and that I had a bit of fun doing so. I used quotation marks around sarcastic, or pun-ny phrases. I used contractions and slang to sound more like "me" than anyone else. I had a flowing, conversational style, as Lanham might put it, with a catchy first sentence and a smile-producing conclusion. I admit that there's obvious theme paper influence within it: I have a definite intro, 4 paragraphs of "discussion," and a predictable conclusion; but I didn't let my creativity sit in the corner. I based my information on my own life, my own experiences, and my own darn opinion. I didn't look in a book for anything for that paper, and yet, it's believable. I think that there is definite magic within words and their organization on a page or in the air. While I think that I'm in control of what I say and what I mean when I say it, I can look back at something I've written and see a different, maybe deeper, meaning. In my intro paper, I can see the frustration about which I write, within the style of my writing. I get excited and poetic when I write about going to school forever to fill those barren 2/3rds of my brain, and when I write about how I'm beginning to know what I want. On the other hand, my writing "slows" in a sort of literary sigh when I write about my lack of dollars and the ambiguous future.

Inclusive Education

Introduction Inclusive education is a process whereby the school systems, strategic plans, and policies adapt and change to include teaching strategies for a wider more diverse range of children and their families. Inclusive education implicitly means to identify a child’s learning style and adapt the classroom and teaching strategies to ensure high quality learning outcomes for all members of the class. Everyone is important, unique and valued for their contribution to the school. Kirk et al. ,(2009).In this assignment we are going to tackle about inclusive education, its advantage towards learners with and without special education in schools and also the characteristics of a school that make it effective for the implementation of inclusive education. We are also going to discuss about steps to follow in order to create an effective school for all in my region and to discuss the challenges of inclusive education in Namibia lastly we are going to make recommendation on how th e challenges of inclusive education can be met.Question 1 Discuss the advantages/benefits of inclusive education towards the learners with and without special educational needs in Namibian school. The learners will all feel accepted and loved In an inclusive classroom, disabled children have a chance to feel â€Å"like the other kids. † They are less likely to miss out on social events, and they have more opportunities to make friends. The chance to achieve alongside their non-disabled peers can help their self-esteem.With the support of a skilled teacher, they may become more socially competent and feel less isolated. There are potential benefits for non-disabled students, too, who may gain greater understanding and empathy as they learn to accept and appreciate their disabled peers. Non-disabled students may also benefit educationally from the more individualized and personalized approach that inclusive teaching can provide. They will all have effective learning In inclusiv e education, children with and without disabilities are all expected to study, learn, read, write.By having higher expectations for children with disabilities coupled with good and effective instruction, they quickly learn academic skills. Because the philosophy and mission of inclusive education is intended to help all students to learn, all children in the class benefit from the method of instruction. Children with disabilities in the classroom tend to show academic achievement in several areas including improved performance on mastery of IEP goals, standardized tests, motivation to study and learn, overall good grades and classroom behaviour.Also, children with disabilities who are instructed under general educational settings have scored higher on literacy than those children educated in segregated classrooms They have increased understanding and learn to accept diversity When students participate in classes that mimic the differences and similarities of individuals in the outsi de or real world, they naturally learn to accept diversity. Understanding, acceptance, and respect grow as the children with differing cultures and abilities interact with each other.Inclusive classrooms also create venues where children form and develop friendships with each other while strengthening their social and interactive skills. Children with differing abilities will learn from each other. Because it creates a solid group, the inclusive classroom promotes the civil rights of all students, provides support to the social value of equality and respect, teaches collaborative and socialization skills, builds interdependence and support between students, promotes social peace, and provides children a micro model of the real world. They all have normal livesFor families with disabled children, the dream of living a normal life comes true thanks to inclusive classrooms. Of course, all parents want their kids to live normally: have friends, be accepted by others, and have regular ac tivities. Inclusive classrooms make this a reality for children with disabilities. Through inclusive settings, children with disabilities can achieve a sense of belonging with diverse groups of people. Therefore, it provides a good venue for learning and growing. In terms of socialization, children learn to develop friendships while enhancing self-respect.It allows no discrimination as all learners are treated equally When students with special education needs are placed into a separate classroom from their peers, it puts a label on those students and marks them as â€Å"different. † Inclusion practices sort children into classrooms without the bias of special needs or non-special needs entering into the process. In this way, inclusion allows each student to have access to the same teachers, instructional materials, tools and lessons as every other student in the school. They will have real-world experienceWhen students leave school and enter the real world, they will not alw ays find themselves surrounded by other people who are exactly like them. Students with special needs will need to learn to function with people who do not have special needs, and the opposite is also true of students in regular education programs. An inclusive classroom helps students learn about the differences between people while they are still young and exposes them to diversity by allowing them to work and play alongside children who are different from themselves. A positive learning environmentEach and every learner feels welcome and is given the opportunity to perform at his/her educational needs; they are also empowered to participate frequently in cooperative learning, peer tutoring and decision making. Learners with and those without special needs they will have on going contact with each other both within the academic and social setting. They will feel empathy for one another, gain an increased sense of self-esteem, develop a positive understanding of each other, develop friendship and develop strong and social communication.Question 2 Characteristics of a school that make it effective for the implementation of inclusive education The school promotes a sense of belonging to all learners; all learners are treated equally despite their differences. Learners who can’t walk are provided with wheelchairs so that they can move everywhere they want without someone helping them and learners with hearing impairments are provided with earpiece to block any background noises which can affect them.Learners with visual impairment are provided with eye glasses and they are projectors in classrooms which can project texts so that they can see well and so that learning can be facilitated They are corridors that are designed to help learners on wheelchairs to move smoothly without any problem and they are also physical therapists, counsellors and support groups that help these learners. Question 3 You are appointed as inclusive educational officers at your r egion. You are given a responsibility to be one of the policy makers.What steps will you follow so that you create an effective school for all in your region? Developing a common philosophy and strategic plan The establishment of a school philosophy or mission statement serves as to define its intend in terms of how the needs of all learners will be addressed and to foster an individual and collective involvement and participation by all education professionals, families and communities towards acceptance and care for all learners included in the regular education classroom. Providing strong leadershipTo have responsibility to set the tone of the school and to ensure that decisions are made, challenges are met and interactions and processes are supported that are consistent with the school’s philosophy and defined purpose. Promoting school and classroom cultures that will welcome appreciate and accommodate diversity Make sure that schools have to acknowledge value, respect, e ducate and socialise all its learners. It has to develop a caring culture that welcomes, appreciates and accommodates all learners.The schools personnel have to attend to their learners needs for acceptance, belonging and friendships as the social environment significantly influences learning itself. The social interactions between the teacher and the learner and those among learners are critical ingredients in the learning process therefore each learner has to feel valued, safe, connected and cared for in order for inclusive education to succeed. Developing support networks It is important to develop school support networks for both teachers and learners needing encouragement and assistance in an inclusive education setting.The support network of a particular school may include various types of teams and other support systems that help ensure that the philosophy or mission statement of the school, to effectively meet the needs of all students, is operationalized. Using a deliberate process to ensure accountability Successful inclusion depends on a proactive process to ensure sufficient, effective and on-going planning and monitoring of the learners. Planning sessions must be treated as part of an on-going process and not as ends in themselves.Regular and efficient team meetings are necessary in order to monitor progress. Developing organised and on-going technical assistance There will be a need for regular, comprehensive and innovative staff development opportunities in schools, there will also be a need for a task force to provide technical assistance for all individuals involved in teaching learners with special educational needs in an inclusive education setting. Regular needs assessment should be conducted to identify the types and content of the technical assistance activities that are most needed.Maintaining flexibility To make sure that schools welcome and educate all its learners. It has to respond to the challenges posed by learners with diverse edu cational needs in their pursuit of education. Examining and adopting effective teaching approaches To see if they are best possible approaches and to ensure effective teaching and learning by all learners. L earners have varying strengths, weakness, needs and learning styles. Teachers need to know each learners well enough to have good sense of their, strengths and underdeveloped abilities.They also need to appreciate the varied talents and special abilities as well as the disabilities that their learners may bring to the classroom. Celebrating successes and learning challenges School staffs ought to be creative and innovative. They ought to demonstrate a positive focus and recognise the importance of acknowledging, celebrating and building on success. They also ought to develop a culture of self-reflection and continuous improvement. The schools needs to nourish and incorporate its successes into its school policy and day to day practice Being knowledgeable about the change process People experience and react to change differently. The change process can be slow and time consuming. Since change is considered a process, educators can use it as a rationale for slowly phasing in new practices in schools. to avoid implementation failure, all stakeholders at all levels must join together to facilitate a comprehensive planning of the new change that is consistent with the school’s mission statement. 3. 1 What are the challenges of inclusive education in Namibia? Not enough teachers trainingRegular education teachers often do not have the appropriate training or education to understand the needs of students who have disabilities. A teacher is not able to provide special needs students with enough care or attention in the classroom, so the student falls behind or acts out behaviourally. Even the most flexible teacher can have difficulty. Due to continued demands for standardized testing or other academic standards, she may be unable to be as creative in teachin g as she might otherwise be. General Education Practices Have Not Changed EnoughInclusion may not have changed teaching practices in the regular education classroom enough to benefit special needs students who are integrated into the classroom. Most classrooms tend to teach to average level students and it can be difficult for the learning disabled student to keep up with the pace of the classroom. Regular education teachers may resent slowing the classroom pace for the few special needs students, as they feel it might be detrimental to the majority of students in the classroom. Lack of Funding for Appropriate ResourcesSome of the detriments of inclusive education could be minimized if the regular education classroom had the appropriate resources available for teachers. For example, inclusive classrooms can be benefited by having a teacher's aid or paraprofessional in the classroom to assist the regular education teacher with behavioural issues, study skills and assignments of speci al needs students. Funding for these resources is sparse though, so the teacher may find that keeping control of a large inclusive classroom is beyond his abilities.Lower Educational Standards and Loss of Advocacy Parents and special education teachers may be concerned that the lesson plans in a regular education inclusive classroom will be watered down to accommodate the special needs students. This would end up being a detriment not only to the regular education student, but the special education student as well. Special education teachers are specifically trained to understand the strengths of individual disabled students. Therefore, lesson quality can be higher in the special education classroom.With the shift from special education classrooms to regular education classrooms, students could not only experience a loss of quality in the teaching, but a loss of advocacy from the teacher. 3. 2 Make recommendation how the challenges above can be solved. Having external support servic e This external support must be provided by an expert team (qualified staff) who needs to work at the regular school jointly with children, teachers, other services and education community as whole.Learners with special educational needs should receive additional instructional support in the context of the regular curriculum. Training regular teachers It is actually one of the foundations that can lead us to make inclusive education a successful reality. Qualified teachers know that classroom needs must be approaches from a curricular standpoint in which difficulties are defined depending on each specific task and activity and on classroom conditions. The types of curricula they develop are process based therefore they are flexible and they adjust to the unique diversity of each group.They are not based on learning goals that resort exclusively to testing to measure how much a child has learnt. Qualified teachers know that sometimes they need to modify materials, techniques, methods , etc. that when necessary they have to replace or skip activities that they might have to adjust scheduled times. Teaching-learning material Learners must have access to the materials that they need, learners with disabilities they are supposed to have in class-help, be extracted from certain activities, have additional after school-help and also to have additional homeworks.Physical access and learning environment Where physical factors pose barriers to learning and participation, simple ramps and internal classroom arrangements can easily help the situation. Furthermore, improvements in the physical environment of the centres of learning, such as the design of the building, the availability of water, electricity and toilet/sewerage facilities will enable students to participate in the range of learning activities in and out of the classroom and provision of necessary facilities learning aids and support materials.These changes benefit all students. Curriculum and Assessment Curri culum needs to be relevant to the children and flexible enough to respond to all children's needs. The curriculum can facilitate the development of more inclusive settings when it leaves room for the Centre of learning or the individual teacher to make adaptations so that it makes better sense in the local context and for the individual learner.Being re-trained in curriculum and evaluation, teachers need to be trained to change their attitude of special needs children. Conclusion In this assignment we mainly discussed about inclusive education, and we have seen that inclusive education is very important to our education system here in Namibia as it makes learners to accepted diversity and to make them feel that they are loved, cared for, valued and that they are important members of the society. It also improves the learning of learners and to know that they are all equal.Inclusive education must be implemented in schools and the steps we mentioned need to be followed in order to im plement an effective schools for all in my region as whole as Namibia at large. Challenges of inclusive education need to be addressed and solved, and also parents, teachers, learners and the community as a whole need to work together in order to have a successful inclusive education in Namibia. Reference list Haihambo, C. K. , Hengari, J. U. , & M? wes, A. D. (2010).Introduction to inclusive education. University of Namibia: Centre for external studies. Kirk,S. ,James. J,Coleman. M,& Nick,A. (2009). Educating exceptional children(13th ed. ). USA: Wadsworth. Walton,E. (n. d. ). Key challenges in inclusive education. Retrieved April 12,2013 from www. inclusion. co. za/media/docs/? key%? 20challenges%20of%? 20inclusive. Mae,L. (nd. ). Challenges of an inclusive classroom. Retrieved April 12,2013 from www. ehow. com  Ã¢â‚¬ º †¦Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ º Parents of Students  Ã¢â‚¬ º Early Childhood Education.

Pharmaceuticalisation of Sexual and Repruductive health Essay

When it comes to the interaction of males and females with social structures in society, a degree of inequality has always been existent. Many times the female gender bears the brunt of these inequalities. Cultural ideologies drive these inequalities, and shape our ways of being and views on life’s situations; particularly evident when it comes to the issue of sexual and reproductive health. These phenomena have gained significant amounts of popularity with the evolution of time. And have also been subject to much social construction. It is from those constructions that the pharmaceuticalization of sexual and reproductive health arose. This essay will look at sexual and reproductive health as social constructs, and discuss the impact of these social constructions on pharmaceuticalization and how they have influenced it. The essay will also explore the differences in how sexual and reproductive health have been pharmaceuticalized in male and females, and the possible reasons behind it Pharmaceuticalization is a process which is intimately linked with medicalisation. In this way these two phenomena could be defined as processes by which more and more of society’s social problems have come to be seen and described under medical terms, and hence medical interventions have been put forth as solutions for these problems (Zola, 1983, p. 295). Hence we can say that one is as is by the influence of the other, pharmaceuticalization driving and sustaining medicalisation (Conrad 1981). However the medicalisation of society is as much a result of medicine’s potential as much as it is society’s desire for medicine to use that power (Zola, 1972, p 182). Given this statement, it can therefore be argued that the society’s ideas, culturally motivated or otherwise, have a lot to do with the pharmaceuticalization of sexual and reproductive health. Almost as though it is society’s ‘wish’ for pharmaceuticalization to exists. Hence we can say that pharmaceuticalization is also in part a process of capitalizing on the views of sexual health and reproduction. The evidence of the existence of the four bodies indicates that the body is not just an excluded or separate entity from social structure. Similar is the case for the meaning attached to the penis in males. It is not just another organ carrying out its designated functions but it carries a lot meaning for the man in society. The penis is not only intimately connected to men’s sexuality but it is also connected to masculinity and virility. And as with most things that carry meaning in society, the meaning of ‘the proper/perfect’ penis has been a subject of much social construction. A study(2012) conducted in Australia among 103 women found that the majority of the women preferred or were more attracted to men with larger penises, it was argued that the reason behind that had to do with the famous saying that ‘bigger is better’. This comes upon a time were sex has increasingly become used for recreation rather that procreation. Hence we see hear reports of penis enlargement pills and surgical procedures that can bring forth that kind of penis which is desired by the men and their women. In contrast however, we find that women’s sexual health has not been pharmaceuticalised to the extend it has been in men. Perhaps it has to do with the old age stereotype that women are passive and fragile. This notion links into the idea of sex in a way that the man is the one who is most active during the sexual act. And hence the one who carries the responsibility for the sexual climax of both himself and his partner. And it is because of this pressure to perform that more and more men are using pharmaceutical methods in order to acquire ‘the perfect penis’ to do the ‘perfect job’, proving their masculinity in the process. This ties in with the use of Viagra in older males. Another interesting factor is the wide commercialization of the male condom as a form of sexual health in the context of HIV/AIDS, whereas the female condom is to some extend looked down upon by both male and females, UK study (1997). We also find that female sexual health has not been commercialized to the extend it has been in males. The Johannesburg CBD for example, is crowded with posters at all corners advertising penis enlargement resources and guaranteeing a ‘better, bigger penis’; the long term effects of which are not well known, similarly the credibility thereof. Among all these posters I have yet to witness an advert for female sexual health. And you find that even men in the prime of their youth use these penile enlargement resources, debunking the stereotype that it utilization of these resources is by aged men. It is not to say however that women do not use sexual enhancement pharmaceutical products. Whereas in women it is found that the use of sexual enhancement resources is done most by older women, a majority of which have been through menopause. When we come to sexual reproductive health however, we find that there is an interesting shift in positions. It is women who are often put under the spotlight of pharmaceutical companies. Again this can be said to have arose because of the common stereotype ‘the weaker female body’ has to be the one with the issue when confronted with infertility. So the pharmaceutical companies position themselves to target women with solutions for sexual reproductive health. Here we see medicalization, whereby women are encouraged to go for regular pap smears to reduce the risk of cervical cancer and infertility in the future. This pressure on sexual health may be said to result from the fact that women are only fertile up to a certain age whereas men can be fertile till the day they die. This essay argued the extends to which male and female sexual and reproductive ability have been medicalised and pharmaceuticalized. I extended my exploration to the possible reasons behind the approaches that may have influenced this differences in the degrees of pharmaceutilisation. In addition my analysis showed how these different approaches are influenced by socio-cultural factors.

Facemasks in Hockey essays

Facemasks in Hockey essays I can see a little bit, but I dont see really. Its not a big help for me, I just have to wait until it comes back, said Mattias Ohlund defensemen for the Vancouver Canucks. Right now, Ohlund, has limited vision, it comes and goes. He held his hand six inches from his face and he couldnt see it. He was struck in the eye with a puck in a preseason game way back in September, he still is unable to see some things. The injury occurred when an opposing player shot it and it hit the stick of one of Ohlunds own players and ricocheted and hit Ohlund right in the eye. He was considered the best all-around defensemen for the Canucks. He was expected to only miss 10-14 days but ended up missing the whole season. NHL officials said that if he were wearing an eye-shield or facemask, he would still be playing right now for his team continuing his career. He was asked if he were able to play again would he use a visor or a facemask. He answered, I dont know yet, Im sure my mom will make me though. Another incident was with Toronto Maple Leaf Bryan Berard who was struck in the eye by the stick of the Ottawa Senator, Marian Hossa. Hossa was following through on a slap shot. It is unlikely that Berard will lose his eye. Berard has to get the blood removed from the eye and they have to see exactly how damaged the retina is. The eye cavity is filled with blood. He will need exploratory surgery. As ultrasound shows he has numerous other injuries to his eye. Dr. Rob Devenyi told ESPN that it is unclear on when he will return if he can still play. The blow of Hossas stick caused a significant cut in the eyenearly on inch. He can only see the difference between light and dark, Devenyi also said that he has seen players with similar injuries and they did return. ESPN asked Devenyi and Berard the question, Would wearing a shield have prevente ...