The Girl with the White Flag

High is the author of the book The Girl With the White Flag. The book depicts the realities of war through the eyes of the protagonist, who is a little girl known as Tomtit. Tomtit lives on the island of Okinawa and resides with her family. When the war of Okinawa starts, she is separated from her family and struggles to survive. She has to forage for food, shelter, and her lost sisters.She delves within to find the strength and courage to survive. In this narrative, the author uses literary devices to reject the travails of the refugees in the Battle of Okinawa. The narrative is in a first- person mode using implicit and explicit quotes which allows the reader to empathic with Tomtit's thoughts and emotions. Through the use of implicit and explicit quotes, Tomtit High is able to uncover the harsh realities of life such as facing death and is able represent the transformation of a young timid girl into a mature and fearless person.In the beginning of the story, Tomtit is depicted as a naive girl who is sheltered by her family. In her book, Tomtit High projects her father as a strict caparisoning, determined to ensure that his children learn the lessons needed for life. This is reflected in the quote, â€Å"It must have hurt. But you've got to learn that seeds are next in importance to life. If you eat them up, you won't have any beans next year. And not only you, but Hooks and Hatfuls and Choosy. None of you will have any beans to eat. Do you understand! You mustn't ever eat seeds again† (High, P. 31).This quote is explicit as it directly states that Tomtit Fibular 2 should not eat the beans, so the reader doesn't have to make any inferences about what is happening in the story. Also, this quote shows the strictness of her father. In life, fathers always have to look after their kids and create rules for them to follow. A girl's father is a significant person in her life. A father guides and protects her by all means. Afterwards, Tomtit portrays her fath er as a very brave and courageous man who fulfills his responsibilities towards his family, which is depicted in this quote, â€Å"Now I want you all to listen carefully.There's going to be fighting here in Okinawa very soon. Life's not going to be peaceful for us any more. You must be prepared, so hat when the time comes, you'll be able to keep your head and know what to do† (High, p. 36). This quote is also explicit as in the quote Tomtit voices that her father is guiding his children for their survival. In war, there is isolation, and no one knows whether the family is alive or dead. Family is important to us as they help provide the support and comfort needed to prepare for life.When Tomtit lived with her family, she was protected, and she was sheltered by her family. The war transformed her into a brave and courageous person. When the war started, she had to face many tough obstacles. However, these hurdles eloped her grow as an individual. She had to cope with her broth er's death, see many Japanese soldiers commit suicide, and witness the deaths of many innocent civilians from the destruction of war. Also, she was separated from her family and had to survive on her own. Tomtit grew as a person from these hardships.She reflects this change through the following lines, â€Å"Poor man, I thought as I started to walk past him, he must have been pulled by one of those bullets. By that time, I had seen so many dead bodies here and there that I had become quite used to the site and was not frightened† (High, P. 55). This quote is explicit as it expresses that Tomtit doesn't have Fibular 3 to feel uncomfortable when near the sight of dead bodies. This quote depicts the transition of a fearful girl to a courageous person.If Tomtit would have experienced this earlier in the narrative, she would have not been able to cope with the dreadful sight of dead soldiers. Afterwards, Tomtit comes across an experience that displays one of the toughest memories in her life, which is Illustrated by the quote, â€Å"l said to myself as I walked along, resigned to my fate, staring at the round hole from which I expected a bullet to come toward me any minute† (High, P. 1 10). This quote is implicit as the reader doesn't know if Tomtit is going to live or die.It helps her grow and learn how to take life as it comes. This quote is strong as it reflects the statement that Tomtit has no problem accepting her fate of life and death. This is very courageous as our society is shown to not have the will power to make a choice that big. Tomtit is able to then enlighten the reader on the realities of life presenting that Tomtit doesn't have a problem of facing death. After living through these experiences, Tomtit was transformed into a fearless and confident person, who no longer depends on others to take care of herself.In this story, Tomtit reflects to the reader about the outcome of her experiences by citing, † I resolved then and there to write about my experiences in the hope that such suffering might never be repeated† (High, P. 127). This quote is explicit as Tomtit is exhibiting to the reader that she had resolved her experiences about war. This also explains that the suffering of war is so harsh, that a person does not want it to happen to them again. War can have an effect on a person's mental health which can cause a definite increase in the incidence and prevalence of mental disorders.War also impacts women more then men emotionally. In the end, Tomtit was transformed from a sheltered girl to a woman capable of living on her own. Fibular 4 After the war ended, Tomtit writes that she must move on with her life and forget the cruel memories of the war. She presents this to the reader by citing , â€Å"It was a scene straight out of hell. There is no other way to describe it. And sad and painful though it was, we could not afford to linger, and so we set off again trekking south† (High, P. 48). T his quote is implicit as we don't know what scene Tomtit is offering to in the book.Some readers may believe that it may be describing only one specific scene in the book, others may think that it is talking about Tomtit's experience of war as a whole. I believe that this quote in the book reflects Tomtit's experience of combat as a whole. This quotation also uncovers the truth that Tomtit is determined to move on. She expresses to the reader that having written about her experiences of war is a catharsis, and she is going to have to move on. In this story, Tomtit is able to depict in her writing that through the brutal experience of battle an innocent, timid girl can become a dauntless and gallant individual.From this story, Tomtit is able to represent the truth of a female utilizing her experience of war to turn herself into a valiant and risk taking individual that will do anything to survive in life. Like Tomtit, if we confront our tough times with courage, we will be able to fa ce our obstacles with bravery. It can also transform us and helps us evolve. I feel life as like a roller coaster, if we don't take risks and keep going on the same pattern then we would not be able to ascend in our character. Fibular 5

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Robert Frost’s â€Å"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening† is a poem that, at first glance, seems to simply describe the author’s journey through the woods. The poem’s language is uncomplicated and the rhyme scheme flows smoothly. Also, the subject matter is easily relatable to the audience; the poem speaks of things such as woods, snow, and a horse, which any reader can identify with or visualize. These qualities make it easy for the reader to take this piece at face value without reading into what the words mean rather than just what they say.Upon taking a closer look, however, the poem is undoubtedly the author’s memento mori. This becomes evident at the end of the poem, where there is an interruption in the flow of the language that elicits reconsideration of the poem’s facade of simplicity. Up until the last stanza, all the lines run seamlessly together. Then, the first two lines of the last stanza read â€Å"The woods are lovely, dark and deep/ But I have promises to keep. † What causes the reader to consider a second look at these two lines is the word â€Å"but. This word usually signals to the reader that what follows is in contradiction to what precedes it; however, in this case the second line does not contrast the first.Therefore, the reader must search for what is being contrasted. The author is not merely commenting on the â€Å"lovely, dark and deep† woods, but is contemplating something. To better understand what is being contemplated, a broader look at the poem is necessary. The first stanza the author writes, â€Å"He will not see me stopping here/ To watch his woods fill up with snow. This implies that the author is thinking about spending a considerable amount of time in these woods, which would be necessary to watch them fill with snow. The second stanza says that this snowy evening is â€Å"The darkest evening of the year. † It is possible that it means literally dark; howeve r, it is more likely that the author is figuratively speaking as to say his darkest, or most depressing, evening. The third stanza speaks of â€Å"downy flake,† which invokes images of soft down, commonly used as a pillow filling.The last two lines of the poem mention â€Å"miles to go before I sleep,† in which â€Å"sleep† is a euphemism for death. These six lines, when examined together, imply that the author is depressed and considering these woods as a final resting place. The author’s thought of spending much time, in this case eternity, in the woods using the downy flake to rest his head upon can be interpreted as his contemplation of memento mori. This brings the reader back to the word â€Å"but. † What is the author contrasting when he states that he has â€Å"promises to keep? The author is saying that although these woods are â€Å"lovely, dark and deep† and would make an ideal final resting place upon death, there are â€Å"mil es to go,† or more life to live before the journey of life ends. After reflecting on one simple word, â€Å"but,† which leads to an examination of the piece as a whole, it is evident that the this poem is the author’s memento mori in which mortality is contemplated and a final resting place is considered while stopping by woods on a snowy evening. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Robert Frost’s â€Å"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening† is a poem that, at first glance, seems to simply describe the author’s journey through the woods. The poem’s language is uncomplicated and the rhyme scheme flows smoothly. Also, the subject matter is easily relatable to the audience; the poem speaks of things such as woods, snow, and a horse, which any reader can identify with or visualize. These qualities make it easy for the reader to take this piece at face value without reading into what the words mean rather than just what they say.Upon taking a closer look, however, the poem is undoubtedly the author’s memento mori. This becomes evident at the end of the poem, where there is an interruption in the flow of the language that elicits reconsideration of the poem’s facade of simplicity. Up until the last stanza, all the lines run seamlessly together. Then, the first two lines of the last stanza read â€Å"The woods are lovely, dark and deep/ But I have promises to keep. † What causes the reader to consider a second look at these two lines is the word â€Å"but. This word usually signals to the reader that what follows is in contradiction to what precedes it; however, in this case the second line does not contrast the first.Therefore, the reader must search for what is being contrasted. The author is not merely commenting on the â€Å"lovely, dark and deep† woods, but is contemplating something. To better understand what is being contemplated, a broader look at the poem is necessary. The first stanza the author writes, â€Å"He will not see me stopping here/ To watch his woods fill up with snow. This implies that the author is thinking about spending a considerable amount of time in these woods, which would be necessary to watch them fill with snow. The second stanza says that this snowy evening is â€Å"The darkest evening of the year. † It is possible that it means literally dark; howeve r, it is more likely that the author is figuratively speaking as to say his darkest, or most depressing, evening. The third stanza speaks of â€Å"downy flake,† which invokes images of soft down, commonly used as a pillow filling.The last two lines of the poem mention â€Å"miles to go before I sleep,† in which â€Å"sleep† is a euphemism for death. These six lines, when examined together, imply that the author is depressed and considering these woods as a final resting place. The author’s thought of spending much time, in this case eternity, in the woods using the downy flake to rest his head upon can be interpreted as his contemplation of memento mori. This brings the reader back to the word â€Å"but. † What is the author contrasting when he states that he has â€Å"promises to keep? The author is saying that although these woods are â€Å"lovely, dark and deep† and would make an ideal final resting place upon death, there are â€Å"mil es to go,† or more life to live before the journey of life ends. After reflecting on one simple word, â€Å"but,† which leads to an examination of the piece as a whole, it is evident that the this poem is the author’s memento mori in which mortality is contemplated and a final resting place is considered while stopping by woods on a snowy evening.

Wal-mart supermarket Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Wal-mart supermarket - Essay Example The final important consideration by the company is that they should prioritize business processes and procedures more than the technology at hand; technology should be incorporated on the basis of business needs rather than joining the race of being equipped with the latest technology. The formulation of this strategy helps the company to maintain the technological development and ensure that it is directed towards the acquisition of the company goals. The founders of Wal-Mart have always treasured their customers and employees by giving them the status of ‘associates’; Koselka (1992) stated that Wal-Mart benefits these stakeholders in the following manner; by giving better prices and quality to their customers and empowering their employees. Information has been an integral part in the growth of the organization. Relevant and latest information has been available to the company with the help of their information systems. 3. Point of Sales System K-mart was initially co nsidered to be the biggest competitor of Wal-Mart. When K-mart started improving their business processes with technology, Wal-Mart also realized the need and deployed point of sales system in their stores. This system identifies each product in the store on the basis of its unique number and gives the respective price of the product from a database that is maintained by the IT department. A receipt is automatically generated with the respective product numbers and prices. This information is added in the sales reports and also used in the process of reordering inventory when more quantity is needed. The hardware technology that is used to identify the products is the barcode scanner. Barcode scanner makes the data available in the database immediately...Wal-Mart adapted the barcode technology while being influenced by its competitor. The incorporation of technology in the company reflects their commitment to providing value to their customers and improving their service. The point of sales system that was equipped with barcode technology proved to benefit the company in many different aspects; from automatic generation of receipts to accurate entries of transactions, from immediate entry of records to providing latest data for analytical purposes. However, barcode technology was adopted by the respective organization when computer technology was not as common as it is today. The lack of skills of several employees in this regard caused a certain level of resistance towards the technological change. Effective measures were taken to get the system accepted by the employees. Wal-Mart also utilized information technology to develop effective networking links with their suppliers. This technique reduced their communication barriers and avoided instances of undersupply. Timely re-orders resulted in a constant supply of products in the store and results in effective service for the consumer. The suppliers networking with the retailers provide them with useful information about the buying behaviour of the consumer so that they can alter their products according to the consumer requirements. RFID is a developing technology that will prove to be even more effective than the barcode technology.

History of medicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of medicine - Essay Example Starting with the English medical professions in the 17th and 18th centuries, one of the most major and significant factors here is the fact that of little was actually known in regards to the field of medicine itself; "Very little was known about hygiene in the 17th century. People were not aware that disease was spread by germs which thrived on dirt. They did not think of washing their hands before eating or dressing a wound, so diseases could spread quickly" (National Maritime Museum, 2007). One of the most influential doctors in the medical profession at this time was Nicholas Culpeper, who was an English botanist, herbalist, physician, and astrologer, and who also published several books in his time. Culpeper worked to "bring medicinal treatments from the mysterious to the comprehensible. His philosophy was to teach the common folk to minister to themselves by providing them with the tools and knowledge for self health" (Wikipedia, 2007). In regards to the Colonial medical professions in the 17th and 18th centuries, there are both similarities and differences when compared to that of the previously discussed. For instance, one of the most major similarities is in regards to how the physician attitudes to popular or lay medicine, which was for the most part generally permeable to ideas from conventional and more standard practice, as well had a very serious bearing on that of variations in the medical practice itself. Then on the other hand, one of the biggest differences between the Colonial medical profession from that of the English medical profession during this time is in regards to how the Colonial medical practitioners placed a lot of confidence on the supposition that popular medicine rested on generations of experience and that folkways were a prudent and economical alternative to many of the more expensive treatments. There are several different factors in particular which led to the development of clinical medicine in France in the first half of the 19th century, and this includes that of: genomics, human genetics, hygiene, pharmacology, and scientific research. Another issue that is incredibly relevant and significant here is that of the impact of the French Revolution on the development of clinical medicine in France during the first half of the 19th century, and the French Revolution really did have quite an impact in this regards. During the first half of the 19th century, great evolutions were being made in regards to the field of medicine; new medical schools were developing, and Paris was just one significant location in France which was quickly working its way towards becoming the world center in science and medicine. The French Revolution caused many changes throughout France, many of which had an incredibly significant impact on the field of medicine, the majority of which resulted pos itively. From this review we can conclude many different things, several which are of particular importance, such as the fact of how similar and different the English and Colonial medical professions were in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as what factors are considered to have led to the development of clinical medicine in France during this time, as well as during the first half of the 19th century, and furthermore we have also been able to understand about the impact that

Global operation and competition study of GlaxoSmithKline plc 181 Essay

Global operation and competition study of GlaxoSmithKline plc 181 - Essay Example Having over 99,000 employees, one unique feature of GSK is that fact that it came into existence only in 2000 through the measure of Glaxo Wellcome, SmithKline Beecham plc and SmithKline Beckman Corporation (quote). The table below outlines GSK’s key financials since 2009. There are a number of reasons that the pharmaceutical industry and GlaxoSmithKline were selected very specifically. In the first place, the selection of the pharmaceutical is based on the very favourable growth projections that have been made for the industry from now till 2018. MarketLine (2013) forecasted that by 2018, the industry will have a value of  £646.8699 billion, which is an increase of 26.8% since 2013 (see the figure below). This is an important projection that means that the pharmaceutical industry will be a major drive in global economic expansion. The rationale for selection is therefore based on the global economic hope that this unique industry gives. GlaxoSmithKline plc was on the other hand selected as a leader in the UK pharmaceutical industry to know how prepared the UK industry is to compete to be part of the global growth. Compared to its major competitors, GlaxoSmithKline has not been able to command a leading market capital for the past five years. This is regardless of the fact that compared to key competitors GlaxoSmithKline has a very large employee size. As showed in the table below also, GlaxoSmithKline has a very good gross margin but with the lowest revenue quarterly growth (quote). All these information shows that there are some fundamental causes to the company’s competitive position other than most of the internal factor that come from the everyday management of the organization. The aim of the research is therefore to understand how the external environment of the company impacts on its global operation and competition. The project shall be approached as a qualitative correlational study where GSK shall be compared to its major competitors to find

English assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English assignment - Essay Example rious sorts can take place in the lives of every man; a man who â€Å"is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along† is not free from the clutches of misfortune or suffering (Schakel & Ridl 737). The old people hope for a â€Å"miraculous birth†; however, the new generation or rather children do not â€Å"specially want it to happen† (Schakel & Ridl 738). The lines echo the indifference of the new generation towards the sufferings of the old people and show how the old people are being disrespected, uncared, looked down and are marginalised in the contemporary society. The poem effectively combines the tragedy of Icarus with similar portraits from the readers’ own world. Just as the ploughman neglected the ‘forsaken cry’ of Icarus, the modern man fails to value the martyrdom and loses hold of his human innocence. The poem, in a way, propagates the Christian values of showing empathetic feelings towards the sufferings of the fellow human beings. The poem brings to light man’s lack of concern for his fellow beings and exhorts the readers to look into their life introspectively to amend their ways and absorb the Christian values of love and empathy towards everyone. Even though the primary purpose of dramas is performance on the stage, an effective reader can give shapes and lives to the characters in a play in the mind of his imagination which can act as a theatre. Reading a play necessitates an awareness of the names, nature and the relationship of the characters to each other. Similarly, an effective reader should have the imaginative capability to visualize the scenery on the stage as well as the costumes and the appearance of various characters. The effectiveness of a play depends on the character formation and the building of the dramatic conflict in the play and this paper tries to bring out how character and conflict affects the drama The New New by Kelly Stuart. Unlike other plays the script of The New New â€Å"does not start with a list of

Single Teenage mom with newborn Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Single Teenage mom with newborn - Case Study Example Character Name Age (years) Marital status Father Vinod 53 Married Mother Sushma 49 Married Eldest daughter Swarthi 25 Married Swarthi’s husband Mukesh 30 Married Eldest son Raja 24 Married Raja’s wife Sheela 20 Married Son Sidhart 22 Single Son Kali 20 Single Daughter Sohni 19 Single Daughter Minakshi 15 Single Daughter Bhoomika 13 Single Swarthi’s son Rahul 1 Raja’s daughter Meera 3 Minakshi’s dance tutor Bob 31 Married Of the four daughters, three are unmarried and are in their teenage. Minakshi has recently been found to have acquired a pregnancy. She is only 15 years of age, and is quite disobedient towards her parents. Few days before their shocking discovery, Minakshi’s parents were thinking about moving back to India just because of her. They thought that they would be in a position to better exercise their rights over their daughter in India than in Las Vegas. It is important to mention here that Vinod and Sushma took the decision of migrating to America in the first place because of Sushma. Sushma was gifted by nature with a very beautiful face and body. Although she was not very fair by the complexion, yet her features were extremely beautiful and adorable. Sushma had large and lustrous eyes, and the length of hair was up to the hips. She managed her hair well and tied them into a ponytail which added to her beauty. She was quite tall for her age, and was slim and smart by figure. She danced very well. Her teachers in India encouraged Minakshi’s parents to take her abroad to gain proper education in dance and build her career in this field. Since the time that they had migrated to Las Vegas in 2006, they started to loose control over Minakshi. In the Western culture with increased power in the hands of juveniles and where individualism prevails at large in the society, Minakshi felt free of the dominance of her parents that prevails in the Indian society. She remained out of the home till late night wit hout the permission of her parents, and would not listen to them as they advised her to get back straight to home after the dance class in the evening. At she turned 14, she developed a relationship at a physical level with her dance tutor, Bob who was a Christian and a native of Las Vegas. Bob got married to a Christian girl in 2000 and fathered 3 daughters. Diagnosis of Pregnancy: Minakshi’s parents did not realize that their 14 year old daughter was in a physical relationship with her tutor for the whole year until by the mid of January, 2011, they found out that Minakshi was pregnant. It so happened that one day, Minakshi felt very dizzy and was frequently vomiting. Initially, Sushma thought her daughter might have taken some wrong medication for the treatment of sore throat. But Minakshi’s frequent vomiting caused Sushma to consult the doctor without wasting any time. The doctor took the sample of urine, and after a brief physical examination, the doctor diagnosed that Minakshi was expecting. Family’s Reaction and Immediate Consequences: The news was extremely shocking and traumatizing for each and every member of the family. To hear the news of her 15 year old daughter’s pregnancy, Sushma lost balance and fainted right on the spot in the clinic. She was immediately given treatment and within a matter of minutes, she regained senses. The news was so shocking for her that she could not speak. She tried to speak out but could only manage to murmur. Minakshi remained silent all this while and did not know what to do. Minakshi and

Encouragement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Encouragement - Essay Example So let me clarify once and for all; your objectives are to attain and execute the highest level of scholarship, character, community service, and leadership. When I say scholarship, I do not mean a Fulbright Scholarship. Well, it’s nothing less than a privilege to have one, but i mean to talk about scholarship in a more generic and holistic sense. You need to be a scholar, or at least act out as one till you become one. As they say, â€Å"Fake it till you make it.† It’s not THAT difficult, you’ve got to trust me on that one. When it comes to achieving big goals, it’s the little things that matter. Sleep less, workout more, eat moderately, think positively†¦so remotely connected to scholarship as all this appears, it is just as much intrinsically linked with scholarship. And not just with scholarship, but also with character building. To build your character, you need to reflect. Make it a regular practice. Don’t go to sleep until you have reflected upon your day’s experiences. You’d realize and learn more. And hopefully, you would be able to apply more. You’d literally s ense the process of becoming a more responsible son/daughter, sibling, citizen, and in the long run, spouse, and parent. â€Å"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth† (Ali cited in Rivanna Natural Designs, 2013). You would be a living legend many would cherish and adore. But all this would not come just from character building, you would actually have to do some community service to be there. And when I say â€Å"some community service†, that means â€Å"a lot of it†. Community service can be done even by sowing a seed, by watering a plant, and by sharing the fruit of your own grown tree with others. You can get motivation to do community service by having a firm belief that you would receive what you send around. â€Å"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give† (Churchill cited in Lycoming College, 2011). Whether or not

Interviewing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Interviewing - Coursework Example For behavioral interview, the candidate should prepare for questions like â€Å"how you behaved† rather than â€Å"how you will behave†. These interviews are trickier as they check the present mindedness and promptness of response of the candidates. Best way for preparing for a behavioral interview is predicting and brainstorming questions and suitable answers to them. Unless otherwise instructed, a parole officer needs to be dressed in collar shirt preferably with a tie and dress pant. Flip-flops, stocking hats, baseball hats, knit caps, and mini-skirts are not allowed. The formal dressing inculcates formality in the behavior which aids in the interview preparations. Proper dressing of the candidate serves as a symbol of his/her respect for the job, organization, and the interviewer. Although there is no proper dress code, yet it is preferable for the candidate to wear well pressed collar shirt with a dress pant. Men should preferably wear light shades of blue, white, and grey. For both types of interview, i.e. the traditional interview and the behavioral interview, the aforementioned dress code suffices.

Time to Rethink the Portfolio Essay Example for Free

Time to Rethink the Portfolio Essay Summary statement of the problem: Church Dwight Co. Inc. is a 160 years old company that has been working to build a market share on a brand name that is rarely associated with its name. In spite of having this status in the eye of consumers its product can still be found among several consumer products in 95% of all U. S. households. Because of its rapid growth brought by its several acquisitions it is now facing new challenges. It must now rationalize the firms expanded consumer products portfolio of 80 brands into the existing corporate structure while continuously seeking new opportunity for growth. Another issue that is evident is how will the company’s small size be able to compete for market share with its giant competitors both domestic and international market. 2. Summary statement of the recommended solution: The issues that the Church Dwight Corporation face is not an easy task for its board and management. The expanded consumer products should contribute to the continuous and steady growth of the company by retaining products that generates more revenues. Penetrating international market and removing barriers such as transportation cost will gain a competitive edge against the giant players in the market. The Church Dwight Corporation a was founded 160 years ago and became the world’s largest producer and marketer of sodium bicarbonate-based products in United States. Although its name was not popular one, its products can be found in variety of consumer products 95% of all U. S. households (Wheelen Hunger, pp. 35-2). The injection of key decision makers with extensive marketing experience abroad would be the key in penetrating the global market. This weakness would become its strength if the right people will be handling it. Right key personnel will surely make a better decision for the success of the company. International market could be jungle for company who has no experience but having somebody to handle wild encounters would be a key to its survival. The consumer products will surely be here to stay for the need of the consumer is endless. Therefore the fight for market share will always be present. The strength of Church Dwight will be continuously challenged all through out by newcomers. They should always be ahead all the time. Environmental issues will also be a major factor for them. Comply with existing environmental bill while promoting its products is a very good strategy. Nothing is more important in the mind of the consumer if you can show the usefulness of your product while taking care or the environment where he lives in. This is the same as hitting two birds as one.

Tata Steel Marketing Strategy

Tata Steel Marketing Strategy In this report, Tata Steel Group (Tata Steel) has been chosen as an organisation to analyze the strategic changes made over past five years including strategic positioning, strategic capability, SWOT and drivers behind these changes. Tata Steel currently is a major player in global steel industry. In year 2005 (Figure 1), Tata Steel operation was mainly focused in Indian subcontinent and revenue generated was close to US$ 5.0 billion only. However their initiative to expand their operations globally proved very successful over last five years. From being a mere local steel producer, they transformed themselves into a major global player in steel producers (Figure 2). They have been aggressively involved in capacity expansion by acquisitions and organic growth. Business Standard once commented that Tata Steel moved into its next target to become the worlds second largest steel company by 2012 with the help of its most expensive bet worth US$ 12.9 billion on Corus Group. Last two years has been very difficult period to global steel industry because of worldwide recession. The global crude steel production for year 2009 was 1220.0 mpta (million tonne per annum) as reported by World Steel Association lower by 8% against that of 2008. The decline in demand was due to deterioration in economy experienced by key steel end users. Table 1, shows the growth/decline in terms of crude steel production for the top ten steel producing nations. However, by acquisition of Corus and other assets, Tata Steel now ranks among worlds top ten (Table 2) largest steel producers with current steel production capacity of 32.0 mpta. After five years of its expansion programme, Tata Steel is now worlds second most geographically diversified steel producers. Mission Statement In its mission statement Tata Steel expresses that while honesty and integrity are the essential ingredient of a strong and stable enterprise, profitability provides the main spark for economic activity. Founded way back in 1907, Tata Steel stress on their core ideology in its vision statement by making emphasis on their people, supplier of choice, innovative approach and their conduct. Tata Steels vision statement is now became a tangible asset, which provide right direction to their managers and employees. Tata Steel has highly skilled employee asset of 81,000 spread over five continents. Tata Steel stress on creating differential value for their customer with help of continuous improvement in their business process and product technology. Value Chain Analysis The value chain is an economic tool used to determine the strategic resources available to a company. Basic principle of the Value Chain Analysis is that the basis for a competitive advantage of a firm lies primarily in the application of the bundle of valuable resources at the firms disposal. To transform a short-run competitive advantage into a sustained competitive advantage requires that these resources are heterogeneous in nature and not perfectly mobile (Barney, 1991, p105-106; Peteraf, 1993, p180). Effectively, this translates into valuable resources that are neither perfectly imitable nor substitutable without great effort (Barney, 1991, p117). Tata Steel has few major strategic capabilities which are valuable, unique and non-substitutable. Tata Steels Strategic Capabilities Tata Steels strategic capabilities are presented in Table 3, below. Table 3 ÂÂ   Resources Competences Threshold Capabilities Threshold Resources Threshold Competences Steel production plants at various geographical locations. Production and Sales management. Offices and buildings at various geographical locations. All other general management skills. Sufficient supply of raw materials for steel making. Sophisticated IT skills. Sufficient cash flow. Safety management. Pool of skilled personnel. Excellent customer service. IT System in place. Efficient management structure. Logistic, freight and shipment facilities. Effective employee welfare system. Capabilities for Competitive Advantage Unique Resources Unique Competences Varieties of products which caters to industries like Infrastructures, Automobiles, Aviation, Energy etc. Very competent sales team with high negotiation skills which create market for their products. Tata and Corus brands. Excellent use of IT systems for very effective use in sales process. Highly capable management team. Continuous developing and upgrading new products to serve different industry levels. Online portal Metal junction for buyers. Highly skilled managers and directors who improve and support the company success. A century experience in steel making. Integrated supplier and buyer management. Strong financial backing from group. Lowest cost steel producer in world. Very strong presence in India which is a big market for their products. Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) to eliminate risk associated with various processes. First mover advantage through innovative products processes. Continuous Improvement Process (CIP). Excellent RD for cutting edge technology and products. Operational efficiency and excellent quality control. Many proprietary products such as Tata Tiscon etc. Long-term relationship with buyers and suppliers. Porters Five Forces Analysis Tata Steel has registered double digit growth in past few years except their European business. By applying Porters Five Forces analysis principal, we can evaluate the Tata Steels market competitiveness and its current and future strategy towards intense competition faced at various fronts. Threat of New Entrants: Low Threat to new entrants in any industry sector is a major challenge. However in steel industry entry barrier is high hence threat of new entrants are relatively low based on factors such as huge capital investment, economies of scale, government policies and product differentiations. Steel industry requires huge capital investment to set up an integrated steel production facility plant which is currently close to US$ one billion/mtpa as per Steel Manufacturers Associations recent estimate. This deters any new entrants entering in this field. By increasing their production capacity to 50mtpa and wide variety of products they can lower their cost, hence more profit, sustainability and these conditions are unfavourable to any new entrants. Raw material is a major issue with corruption related to mining allocation and land acquisition, it makes difficult to new entrants to come in this field. Various regulatory clearance and environmental issues also pose big barriers to new entrants. Entry barriers in terms of product differentiation are very low in steel industry. Competitive Rivalry: High The steel industry is truly global in terms of competition with large steel producing countries like China significantly influencing global prices through their aggressive exports. In steel industry, branding is not very common hence little differentiation exists between their competing products. Tata Steel faces stiff competition with their competitors such as Arcelor Mittal, POSCO etc. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: High Tata Steel enjoys greater autonomy in raw materials supply as they own mines for raw material supply. Tata Steels fully integrated supply chain system keeps abundant supply of raw material for their plants. However, other steel producers, who dont have their own mines, have to rely on raw material suppliers. On global level raw material market is dominated by the three mining giants BHP Billiton, CVRD and Rio Tinto. They make mineral market as oligopolistic and supply two-thirds of the processed iron ore to steel producers hence command very high bargaining power. Other steel producers, who dont have their own mining operations, must buy raw material at market prevailing price and pass that hike to consumers which makes them less competitive. Threat of Substitute Products: Low New materials may pose threat to viability of steel. Aluminium, plastics and other composite materials are being considered as substitute in sectors like auto, aviation etc. Concrete is another substitute material that may pose threat to use of steel in infrastructure and energy sectors. Some of the substitute materials such as aluminium itself are very costly, hence doesnt pose very big threat against steel producers. However the growth led by infrastructure sector, automobile sector, aviation sector and consumable goods will keep demand up for steel hence more growth for Tata Steel. Bargaining Power of Buyers: Average Bargaining power of buyers is very limited due to their fragmentation. Big players of the major steel consumers in sectors such as auto, aviation, energy etc may squeeze greater amount of bargain. On the other hand these bulk consumers may offer long term procurement offer to the company hence more revenue generated. However, small and retail consumers are scattered, though they consume significant amount of steel production, dont have the same bargaining powers as in case of big players. Tata Steel Group SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis of any firm provides knowledge about the challenges and opportunities faced by Tata Steel group in future. They are detailed below. (S)trengths Tata Steel has acquired vast mineral reserves which is a key to their operations. These reserves can cater their raw material demand for next three decades. Tata Steels mineral reserves are located at various strategic geographical locations such as India, Australia, Canada, Mozambique, Oman, Ivory Coast etc. Tata Steel has very capable, credible and reliable top management. Their successful global expansion plan in last five years proved this. Tata Steel has successfully acquired and integrated Corus Europe, NatSteel Indonesia and Millennium Steel Thailand. Tata Steel uses custom made state of art integrated information management system for their routine operation. Their advanced RD capability has improved further by acquiring Corus which is world renowned for its product innovation. Tata Steel uses Tata Groups strong distribution and retail network. Its Groups demand for steel is very high due to their presence in most of the sectors. Currently Tata Steel produces 32 mpta of steel and by completion of DPCL project its total capacity will reach to 50mpta which will make it second biggest steel producer in world. Tata Steel has structured risk management process in place in their operation known as Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). ERMs key function is to identify risk at every level and mitigate the same. Tata Steel mitigates very well the cyclicality situation which occurs in steel industry occasionally by its broad spectrum of its product portfolio. Tata Steel expansion plan has consolidated its position worldwide and by diversifying its portfolio and market is in process to become a pioneer in steel industry. Tata Steel has very strong brand value for its products. This has strengthened further by acquiring Corus which itself is a big brand. Their successful integration with Corus was a benchmark in corporate history. (W)eaknesses Tata Steels substantial debt burden of US$9.8 billion is a major weakness. Their debt equity ratio is currently 1.77, which reflects company finances are met by debt due to Corus acquisition. Its European business (Corus) has a high exposure to spot price and a high operational gearing thus creating very high risk of price volatility. Tata Steel relies for some raw material on international suppliers, which expose their profitability in case of steep rise in their prices. Tata Steels Indian operation is very much hampered by lack of infrastructure, shortage in power supply, lesser productivity, bureaucratic hurdle in export etc. Additional levies and tax imposed by local government put them in less profit making situation. The subsidies provided by some nations (China etc) will make their product less competitive in price hence reduce their demand. (O)pportunities Currently the emerging economies are undergoing huge infrastructural developments, which require significant amount of steel in all sectors. In India the scope for expansion of its steel products are enormous in every sector, which Tata Steel can exploit very well with its increased production capacity. As per World Steel Association estimate, the consumption of steel will be doubled in next two decades. By Acquiring Corus and improving its own RD activities, Tata Steel moved towards a better product differentiation and enhanced product portfolio which provide them new opportunities over its competitors. Their geographical locations with integrated operations and marketing strategy are a key factor in capturing market share and increasing their financial performance. They can implement Coruss advanced automation technology in their own plants to improve productivity, economies of scale, cost reduction, increased output and operational efficiency to achieve better performance. Following recent recession, various assets (minerals, plants facilities etc.) are available at a very low price due to their financial difficulty. Tata Steel, with strong backing from its parent group can secure future supplies of raw materials for steel making. With increased steel production capacity of 50 mpta, they will be the second largest steel manufacturer after Arcelor Mittal and most geographically diversified company with wide variety of product mix. (T)hreats Steel Industry is major source of greenhouse gas emission, which makes them very vulnerable against many litigation and legislation in future. The raw materials used in steel production are non-renewable and their source is depleting very fast. Due to rising cost of steel products, the end users are looking for substitutes of steel; which can be a major threat to Tata Steels business. Intense competition among international steel player and cheap steel available from China are another major threat to Tata Steels performance. Tata Steels huge debt is one of major threats against them. The rising interest will increase their debt burden. Future Outlook Following two years of worst global economic downturn, the world seems to be regaining some economic stability. There is moderate growth from developed world; however emerging economies are registering very strong and sustainable growth with robust domestic market. Before recession, the steel demand was very strong with over 6% growth during last decade; this is primarily driven by robust growth in BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), South East Asia and Middle East. By 2025, as per forecast BRICS countries will have 46% of global population and will consume 65% of the global production and will have three quarter of the global GDP. The raw materials for steel making are going at record due to high demand, higher freight rates and monopoly of three big natural resources companies. The effects of the above factors are reflected in higher steel price and decrease in profit margin of steel companies. However Tata Steels strategy adopted over last five years for securing long term contract for raw materials supply or acquiring new raw material mines at various geographical location has helped them to keep their prices competitive and making whole operation as viable. Tata Steels integration with Corus has completed successfully and producing better result than expected. Tata Steels strategic effort of capacity expansion and effort to secure raw materials source at various geographical locations yielding positive results. Tata Steels upstream integration process ambition will lead them to achieve 100% self-sufficiency in India and around 50% self-sufficiency in Europe in next 5 years. Tata Steel is investing heavily in RD to get breakthrough technologies and develop new products and services that reduce the production cost and environmental impact over the product lifecycle. To improve its processes, priority is given to energy conservation schemes; in technology break-through such as Ultra Low Carbon Steel making and in other innovative projects where the Group has proprietary technology. Conclusions It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, this famous quote meant a lot to Tata Steel. Five year back, just after starting of their ambitious global expansion plan, they were hit by worldwide financial tsunami which tested their resilience. Their well formulated and proved business strategy has shown resilience and ability to withstand the unprecedented highs and lows of a future that often comes unheralded. They have taken proactive initiative across all geographies to minimise aftermath shock of recession. Their strategy began to pay off towards the last quarter of year 2009, when they rebounded to profit after the turmoil of recession. Undeterred by the economic turbulence, the Company continued to place emphasis on working practices in health, safety and corporate citizenship, with specific initiatives taken in all these areas. In addition, a continued focus on engineering solutions for customers is helping it maintain its position of a product pioneer. Tata Steel believes in staying alert to future opportunities while never letting go of its core values. This is the philosophy that has underpinned its growth over the years and one that remains its key driving force. The strategy adopted by Tata Steel during last five years to become a global player paid off. They increased their revenue and production by six fold by capacity expansion or acquisition. They achieved raw material self-sufficiency of 50% by year 2010 and by year 2012 they aim to increase it to 60% by more investment in mines acquisition. In last five years Tata Steel became a global player from a local steel producer with currently global presence in 50 markets and manufacturing operations in 26 countries. Appendix A: Reference List Tata Steel Group Annual Report 2009-10 G Johnson, K Scholes R Whittington (2008), Exploring Corporate Strategy, 8th Edition Text Cases, Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall http://www.tatasteel.com Barney, J. 1991. Firm Resources and sustained competitive advantage, Journal of Management, 17 (1): pp99-120. Barney, J.1995. Looking inside for competitive advantage, Academy of Management Executive. 9(4). Pp49-61. Peteraf, M. A. (1993). The cornerstones of competitive advantage: A resource-based view, Strategic Management Journal, 14 (3), 179-191 Porter, M.E. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy, Harvard Business Review, January, 78-93. Porter, M.E. (1996). What is Strategy? Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec, 61-78.

The Central Processing Unit :: essays research papers

The Central Processing Unit Microprocessors, also called central processing units (CPUs), are frequently described as the "brains" of a computer, because they act as the central control for the processing of data in personal computers (PCs) and other computers. Chipsets perform logic functions in computers based on Intel processors. Motherboards combine Intel microprocessors and chipsets to form the basic subsystem of a PC. Because it's part of every one of your computer's functions, it takes a fast processor to make a fast PC. These processors are all made of transistors. The first transistor was created in 1947 by a team of scientists at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. Ever since 1947 transistors have shrunk dramitically in size enabling more and more to be placed on each single chip. The transistor was not the only thing that had to be developed before a true CPU could be produced. There also had to be some type of surface to assemble the transistors together on. The first chip made of semiconducitve material or silicon was invented in 1958 by Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments. Now we have the major elements needed to produce a CPU. In 1965 a company by the name of Intel was formed and they began to produce CPU's shortly thereafter. Gordon Moore, one of the founders of Intel, predicted that the number of transistor placed on each CPU would double every 18 months or so. This sounds almost impossible, however this has been a very accutate estimation of the evolution of CPUs. Intel introduced their first processor, a 4004, in November of 1971. This first processor had a clock speed of 108 kilohertz and 2,300 transistors. It was used mainly for simple arithmetic manipulation such as in a calculator. Ever since this first processor was introduced the market has done nothing but soared to unbelievable highs. The first processor common in personal computers was the 8088. This processor was introduced in June of 1978. It could be purchased in three different clock speeds starting at 5 Megahertz and going up to 10 Megahertz. This CPU had 29,000 transistors. Then came the 80286 and 80386 processors. The 386 was the first processor to be introduced in the DX, SX, and SL versions. Next came the 80486 processors of which there were even more choices here. The first 486 processor had 1,200,000 transistors and the latest have 1.4 million transistors. There clock speeds varied any where from 16 MHz on the first ones to 100 MHz on the most recent 486 processors. Some of which are still in use in homes all around the country.

Creon - The Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone :: Antigone essays

Creon -  The Tragic Hero in Antigone There is still a great debate on who is, in fact, the tragic hero in Sophocles’ Antigone. Many hold that it must be Antigone, herself; after all, the play does bear her name. But in actuality, Creon, not Antigone, is the tragic hero. In order to determine whether or not Creon is the tragic hero, one will first have to answer the question, â€Å"What is a tragic hero?† Aristotle, when discussing the nature of such a hero in his theory of drama, states that such a hero is neither purely innocent nor purely evil. This person is usually born high in the ranks of society and must also possess a tragic flaw, which originates from within and usually manifests itself through poor judgment and/or extreme arrogance. The tragic flaw also dooms the character to a ruinous end. Creon, as king of Thebes, is at the top of the social ladder. He thus already meets one of Aristotle’s chief criteria. Yet, not only is he king, he is also human and possesses frailties which qualify him to make serious mistakes and he possesses talents which allow him also to excel. Hence, Creon is neither overly good nor bad. It is also written that the tragic hero’s actions may determine the fates of one or more characters within the tragedy. Appropriately, Creon’s station as king place shim in a position of great power, influence and responsibility. The extent of this power was quite evident when he sentenced Antigone to death for disobeying his proclamation. Now we come to what, if anything, is the single most important component of being a tragic hero. Here we have the tragic flaw. Creon’s tragic flaw was his hubris or his pride and arrogance in the face of divine powers. His downfall began when he denied the basic divine right of burial to Polyneices and was cemented when he condemned Antigone for her opposition to his law. When one closely examines Antigone’s reasons for burying her brother, it becomes clear that she was simply demonstrating her love, honor, and loyalty to her family. Creon - The Tragic Hero in Sophocles' Antigone :: Antigone essays Creon -  The Tragic Hero in Antigone There is still a great debate on who is, in fact, the tragic hero in Sophocles’ Antigone. Many hold that it must be Antigone, herself; after all, the play does bear her name. But in actuality, Creon, not Antigone, is the tragic hero. In order to determine whether or not Creon is the tragic hero, one will first have to answer the question, â€Å"What is a tragic hero?† Aristotle, when discussing the nature of such a hero in his theory of drama, states that such a hero is neither purely innocent nor purely evil. This person is usually born high in the ranks of society and must also possess a tragic flaw, which originates from within and usually manifests itself through poor judgment and/or extreme arrogance. The tragic flaw also dooms the character to a ruinous end. Creon, as king of Thebes, is at the top of the social ladder. He thus already meets one of Aristotle’s chief criteria. Yet, not only is he king, he is also human and possesses frailties which qualify him to make serious mistakes and he possesses talents which allow him also to excel. Hence, Creon is neither overly good nor bad. It is also written that the tragic hero’s actions may determine the fates of one or more characters within the tragedy. Appropriately, Creon’s station as king place shim in a position of great power, influence and responsibility. The extent of this power was quite evident when he sentenced Antigone to death for disobeying his proclamation. Now we come to what, if anything, is the single most important component of being a tragic hero. Here we have the tragic flaw. Creon’s tragic flaw was his hubris or his pride and arrogance in the face of divine powers. His downfall began when he denied the basic divine right of burial to Polyneices and was cemented when he condemned Antigone for her opposition to his law. When one closely examines Antigone’s reasons for burying her brother, it becomes clear that she was simply demonstrating her love, honor, and loyalty to her family.

Free Great Gatsby Essays: East and West :: Great Gatsby Essays

The Division between East and West in The Great Gatsby  Ã‚   The division between East and West is a significant theme in The Great Gatsby. The author has projected the historical East/West division of the States on the division of class and society in the 20th century. The Mid-West, which represents the new territory of hope and the old pioneer spirit, corresponds to West Egg in New York. For Fitzgerald, there was a certain old-fashioned stability resting on the old, unchanging values and close relationships. Some of these values are: honesty, human respect, divinity, idealism, romanticism, faith, ambition, community, and other spiritual values which are all personified in Gatsby. The novel mirrors the East-West divide of the whole country in the division between West Egg and East Egg. Nick and Gatsby live on West Egg, which means that they have retained their closeness to western values. The Buchanans on the other hand have become Easterners, they represent the corruption of the East. The main characters, Daisy, Nick, Gatsby, and Tom are all from the Mid-west. While Tom and Daisy Buchanan live an East Egg, being attracted by its glamour, excitement and promise of success, Nick enjoys living on West Egg. He mentions the friendship between Mid-Westerners, who are brought together by their extremely long and cold winters (in contrast to the New York summers' heat). Nick's neighbor Gatsby is a wealthy person, who spends a lot of money giving parties for strangers only to meet Daisy, the dream of his life. He is seen as representing "new money" because he has no good education and no family background over several generations, he is self-made, invented by himself. For this reason, he is not accepted as being dignified enough to enter the exclusive "old money" upper class. Tom and Daisy are "old money", rich and from old established families living on East Egg, which the millionaires inhabit. The East symbolizes fashionable life, sophistication, the "modern society" and the land where anything can happen. This is the world of brutality, corruption, carelessness, materialism and failure of emotion. By moving to the East, the Buchanans lose contact with the deeper values. They are superficial, aimless, irresponsible, empty and lonely. They have no desires, their talks are meaningless and their spiritual values are forgotten or dumped. Another symbol of the East is the Centre of New York.

Why Me

What was I going to do My mom was going to freak out on me. Oh no! Not my Dad, he is going to kill me. I have no idea what I am going to do Who is going to be there for me and help me get through all this. At this point I had no idea what to do. I sat in my room crying and praying to God to get me through all of this and give me courage to tell someone what was going on. Tina, I barely said crying to my sister as she answered her cell phone. Whats wrong My sister replied. Tina†¦ I need to talk to you please help me†¦ Im scared, I said hysterically crying. Why Maria What is going on Where are you she asked in bothered manner. Im here at home. Please dont be mad at me, I need you, I said barely even enunciating my words. Maria, I need you to calm down, hon tell me whats going on, she said in a soothing concerned voice. Tina, I said with tears pouring out my eyes. I found out that.well Im pregnant. Oh honey, are you sure Ill make a doctors appointment for sure, but until we know for sure dont say anything. So calm down and Ill call you later. I love you, Tina told me. I love you too! Thanks. I said with a new feeling of comfort. I know my sister would be there for me, but I was astonished in how understanding she was about this. She went with me to the doctor and when we found out that I was ten week into my pregnancy. She talked to me about all the options. It was clear to me that it would be hard to have a baby so young, but I knew I had to keep my angel, I would have to face the consequences of my actions. The next two weeks were the longest weeks of my life knowing in seven months I would be having my own little angel. Right then I knew I had to change my life. I tried to get back in the jest of things at school but there was no way I could pass with all that I had missed. So I started working and saving money, but as things started to go straight and I got my head back on my shoulders, I had a miscarriage. I cried in pain because my baby was gone and I couldnt do anything to get my angel back. Maybe it was for the best because God knows what hes doing. That was my wake up call, to start over get things straight for my own good. Im in my senior year doing everything I can do to succeed. Working as hard as I need to, in order to get in a University and be successful, not for just me but for my angel that will come back later in my life when Im more ready and prepared. I have no regrets, because my trust is in God, and I respect His decision. So now I need to do my part and Im willing to work as hard as I need to, to be what I need to be. Its crazy to think that I probably wouldnt even be in school writing this because I would be having a baby any day now. I wonder why this had to happen to me, and when I think about it I just want to cry because a part of me has died. Although, Im also relieved, because I know God did this to open my eyes and make me turn my life around. Now Im working as hard as I can to make my dreams of going to college and being successful come true, not for any body else, but myself and my little angel. Why Me What was I going to do My mom was going to freak out on me. Oh no! Not my Dad, he is going to kill me. I have no idea what I am going to do Who is going to be there for me and help me get through all this. At this point I had no idea what to do. I sat in my room crying and praying to God to get me through all of this and give me courage to tell someone what was going on. Tina, I barely said crying to my sister as she answered her cell phone. Whats wrong My sister replied. Tina†¦ I need to talk to you please help me†¦ Im scared, I said hysterically crying. Why Maria What is going on Where are you she asked in bothered manner. Im here at home. Please dont be mad at me, I need you, I said barely even enunciating my words. Maria, I need you to calm down, hon tell me whats going on, she said in a soothing concerned voice. Tina, I said with tears pouring out my eyes. I found out that.well Im pregnant. Oh honey, are you sure Ill make a doctors appointment for sure, but until we know for sure dont say anything. So calm down and Ill call you later. I love you, Tina told me. I love you too! Thanks. I said with a new feeling of comfort. I know my sister would be there for me, but I was astonished in how understanding she was about this. She went with me to the doctor and when we found out that I was ten week into my pregnancy. She talked to me about all the options. It was clear to me that it would be hard to have a baby so young, but I knew I had to keep my angel, I would have to face the consequences of my actions. The next two weeks were the longest weeks of my life knowing in seven months I would be having my own little angel. Right then I knew I had to change my life. I tried to get back in the jest of things at school but there was no way I could pass with all that I had missed. So I started working and saving money, but as things started to go straight and I got my head back on my shoulders, I had a miscarriage. I cried in pain because my baby was gone and I couldnt do anything to get my angel back. Maybe it was for the best because God knows what hes doing. That was my wake up call, to start over get things straight for my own good. Im in my senior year doing everything I can do to succeed. Working as hard as I need to, in order to get in a University and be successful, not for just me but for my angel that will come back later in my life when Im more ready and prepared. I have no regrets, because my trust is in God, and I respect His decision. So now I need to do my part and Im willing to work as hard as I need to, to be what I need to be. Its crazy to think that I probably wouldnt even be in school writing this because I would be having a baby any day now. I wonder why this had to happen to me, and when I think about it I just want to cry because a part of me has died. Although, Im also relieved, because I know God did this to open my eyes and make me turn my life around. Now Im working as hard as I can to make my dreams of going to college and being successful come true, not for any body else, but myself and my little angel.

English Coursework

Think before you ink†. I read the article with an open mind so as not to judge. Clearly you did not have the same sentiment. Within the subtitle you decided to slate tattoos, and a variety of celebrities with them. I was amazed that you said â€Å"doesn't make it classy,attractive or wise† since it was a very strong and unfounded opinion. I was equally appalled by the rude and negative language towards these people, the things that were said about them were extremely offensive.I don't think it's appropriate for the article to contain such a negative attitude especially to these celebrities who have achieved great things. An opinion is one thing, but judgment is another. Firstly when you mention tattoos as † body graffiti† its like you associate it as unlawful vandalism-let makes the reader feel as though they are performing an illegal or public act of crime when they get a tattoo,whereas they are expressing themselves through a form of art. However, when you mention it as â€Å"a form of art† its very hypocritical, contrasting when it isn't derogatory. Graffiti † is usually described as vandalism art, which generally is all the same. This is stating that you think that all tattoos and body art are all the same and is a crime. Your opinion is incorrect and shows your lack of knowledge about tattoos. Your extremely sexist towards women. You slate mostly females for example: Amy Whininess, Victoria Beckman, Madonna and Angelina Coli etc. You have criticized each and every one of these females for either their tattoos or their image.This can be proven in the subtitle when it says â€Å"among celebrities such as Angelina Coli and Amy Whininess† These are both females, which is presenting tattoo think its only females that have tacky tattoos and a poor image. Why not include equal amounts of males to females? Why just insult females in which are clearly successful for a reason? It seems like your jealous of their fame, so are trying to downgrade them at your advantage. When you say â€Å"beautiful women has been anything but blighted† it seems as though its your attitude of class judgment.Its an old fashioned attitude, showing how narrow minded you are. The word â€Å"blighted† is referring to disease, which is rude,offensive, and a lexical choice. TTS a sexist response, judging women by their looks. let makes women feel insecure and negative about themselves. They can be extremely sensitive and take things personally which can cause many issues and problems with confidence, self esteem and so on . This could of been prevented by your attitude in your article;elf you wouldn't of been so negative towards females and tattoos many problems wouldn't be apparent.You marks a judgment that you think that tattoos are â€Å"cheap plumage of the attention seeker† meaning that you think they are tacky, and brightly colored o make them more visible to others and to draw attention to themselv es. You also state that people with tattoos are desperate to be noticed on which is shown when it says † last-chance barflies and aspiring † as the word â€Å"aspiring† is referring to an ambition be another person in which in this case is by having a tattoo. That is totally an incorrect statement, hence not everyone with a tattoo has an incentive or desire to be on TV, and people don't aspire to aim to be on TV.Your clearly stereotyping celebrities, making them out to be attention seekers without talent. As many people know the rate of anorexia is increasing and more patients are being diagnosed with different forms of anorexia. There are many comments about Amy Whininess's' body which will cause offence among many people but mainly anorexia sufferers. It says † the ugly marks that covered her emaciated body'. Firstly the comment about her tattoo being â€Å"ugly† is very inconsiderate, but the irrelevant and trivial comment was calling her body â₠¬Å"emaciated†, since its stating she looks malnourished and abnormally thin.People don't realism how offensive it is to call someone thin ND they think aims only rude to call someone fat. They are both opposites and are very disrespectful to people. Some people have extremely high metabolisms and can't help being extremely thin, so making them feel ashamed of something they can't help is wrong. Also on the other hand anorexia is a mental illness which is something that they couldn't help. Slating someone whom might have this illness is the wrong thing to do and most likely make things worse. Did you take any of the public into consideration? What are they going to think when they read this, and how this may effect hem?Offending and criticizing Amy Whininess because of her weaknesses and problems is insensitive. Rape is a very sensitive topic, which many people are victims of rape. It is wrong to use rape in the wrong context, as people don't understand the severity of sexual v iolence. The reason it's so wrong is because it causes either flashbacks of rape or brings back memories of rape or people they know who have been raped. No one should ever have to go through rape and when they try to forget about it so they can carry on living life it shouldn't be brought back up into their minds.Joking and using rape out of context shows how oblivious you are of the effect rape has on people and how immature your thought can be to be so stupid to use that to describe something you don't agree with. This can make people anxious about rape- thinking they can be raped by a needle which clearly isn't the case, and that the action taken to get a tattoo is life changing and very violent. Using violent vocabulary to scare people to not getting tattoos isn't the right way to approach it and will only annoy people.You try to joke about tattoos being on â€Å"hyperactive five-year old† which have men â€Å"let loose with a rainbow pack of sharpies†. This is qu ite a stupid and immature thing to say. The fact you would associate tattoos being like â€Å"hyperactive five year old† as if they have designed and drawn the tattoos shows your dim and negative attitude to them. You don t however, need to assault people with them as if there tattoos are badly drawn and not to a high quality. The fact you bring religion into the subject of tattoos is unnecessary. Some people are extremely sensitive to things about religion so that was an extremely risky thing to bring up.Comparing tattoos and saying that Victoria Beckman thinks her tattoos are â€Å"dead spiritual†¦ Like scented candles and Madonna albums† and incorporating religious sarcasm is insensitive. Why compare scented candles with Madonna's albums, that just makes you come across as stupid. Furthermore, why compare or relate any of that with tattoos? What right do you have to say Madonna body a â€Å"holy war of Hindi Sanskrit, Hebrew Latin and Roman numerals† You can't mix religions and you can't associate her tattoo with a mix of different tattoos, without you knowing it by fact.This is very â€Å"old school† in the sense that your picking different religions which go against each other. Why pick these religions? Why not others? Its a fundamental misunderstanding of terrible atrocities in History and belittles these tropic events. This makes you seem discourteous and a condemnatory act. Think this article should be removed from media to stop animosity to people affected by rape, anorexia, insecurities etc. In future I don't think there should be articles with such strong negative opinions. The effect these articles have on people is huge.It leaves people with negative attitudes especially those who have suffered with mental health issues and rape. One point I didn't include was that Tattoos are also used for pigment for breast surgery etc. This can be hurtful to those who have had surgery and a tattoo to correct the issue. This arti cle will end up leaving innocent people feeling bad for having tattoos, and all the other rude and negative remarks. Hope you see the effect of this article in another light. I'm sure many people agree with me and I hope something will change from now on.

Hinduism, Buddhism, and the Human Condition Essay

Hinduism and Buddhism are both eastern traditions with much to say about the human condition as well as the reason human beings exist at all. In some ways they are different while also being similar in other ways. In this essay, those differences will be discussed and the similarities examined for their message. In conclusion, we will examine what these two faiths offer to the human beings of the twenty-first century. According to Hinduism, at the most basic level, the purpose of life is to perform one’s social duty and live the exemplary life of the householder by marrying, having children, providing for them and observing the rituals required by the gods. Later, the Upanishads claimed that the purpose of life is to achieve unity with Brahman, the divine essence of all life. Humans were not to pursue worldly goods but choose a life of asceticism and seek enlightenment. This view is similar to what Buddhists believe the goal of life should be and they also share an explanation of the human condition. Both Buddhism and Hinduism cite worldly attachment and ignorance of the true self as the causes of human suffering which occurs in unending cycles (samsara or the wheel of death and rebirth) until we finally free ourselves from our own blindness. [ 3 ] Buddhism teaches that the reason for being a human is that it gives a soul a chance to finally achieve enlightenment, describing in detail what other varieties of conscious beings must endure because they do not have an opportunity to gain merit or to perform dharma. The human being is a singular entity that may achieve enlightenment and become a Buddha through good works, right living, and meditation. [ 1 ] Hinduism, on the other hand, teaches that human beings exist to uphold the structure of dharma and perform the tasks strictly assigned (as described by Krishna in the Mahabharata) to them by their caste. Atman puts on one body and performs that function assigned at birth and then sheds that body when it gets old and dies and puts on a new one, repeating the process endlessly. The Upanishads, the final Vedic scripture, changed that to reflect the search of atman to be reunited with the universal soul through enlightenment. [ 3 ] Buddhism in the twenty-first century is still applicable in such a fast paced and confusing world. Despite all of our advanced science and technology, we understand even less our reason for existing and we know more than ever just how big the universe is and how uncaring. These circumstances drive people to seek out spirituality even today in order to achieve the basic comfort required for them to conduct their daily lives. The recent episodes of tremendous violence have placed an unsavory patina of stifling ignorance over the religions of Christianity and Islam as they continue to carry on like demented spinsters in the decaying finery of their former glory with no intention of acknowledging the catastrophe of their current circumstances. Buddhism, with its sterling values of moderation, peace, and detachment from the impermanent things of this world, now appears dignified and splendid as the ancient beauty of Asia to modern seekers. No longer do we seek judgment and rigid, inexplicable rules from our God, with the hellfire and damnation that once drove us onward. We crave logic and sense from our world and in those circumstances, this faith tells us that lusting after expensive cars and clothes which we do not need will make us miserable. That is easy to understand. That makes sense. Use only what you need. Be compassionate to others, be charitable, avoid violence, and respect all life. All these things are self-evident in their truth. If all people acted this way, we would not feel so violent and conflicted and we would be without suffering. These ideas are not ambiguous and do not require us to submit to a priesthood or clergy which may become corrupt and abusive. We only need to read, for ourselves, the teachings of Buddha and reflect on our own conduct. The same can be said for Hinduism, although because of the near-global distaste of the oppressive caste system and the shameful practice of Sati, or widow-burning, as well as the curse of untouchability, Hindus in India are convulsed with their own reforms of belief. Yoga, however, has seen a tremendous rise in popularity in the West because of the need for a system that brings mind, body, and spirit into harmonious alignment. The tranquility offered by gurus who accept all backgrounds and beliefs in the search for God is a powerful lure for modern people whose lives are often chaotic. There has been a long trend historically away from the mysteries of a powerful and omnipotent priesthood towards a more personal, private, and intimate relationship with the divine. The ancient beliefs of Asia were first seeded among a patient and adaptable people who have endured for thousands of years and therefore are well-suited to weather the spiritual storms of mankind. For these reasons, both Hinduism and Buddhism will remain relevant for ages to come. Resources utilized: 1. World Scripture (Unknown). Buddhism: Chapter 7 The Human Condition. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.unification.net/ws/intch7.htm. [Last Accessed 11/22/2012]. 2. Ananda W.P. Guruge (2000). Buddhism in Modern Life. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/modern.html. [Last Accessed 11/22/2012]. 3. Shaheen Emmanuel Lakhan, MS, PhD (2009). The Human Being in The Eye of the Hindu. [ONLINE] Available at: http://hinduism.about.com/cs/basics/a/aa120803a.htm. [Last Accessed 11/22/2012]. 4. Dr. Neria H. Hebbar (2002). Modern Hinduism. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=1494. [Last Accessed 11/22/2012].

Deadly Unna Essay

Deadly Unna by Phillip Gwyn is a story about the friendship between two boys set up in a small country town in the 1980’s South Australia. Gary Black (or Blacky) is the protagonist, a fifteen year old boy with many siblings, who develops and matures. He becomes highly aware of racism in the small country town against aboriginal people, as well as many other issues through out the course of the novel. Through out the story he meets a girl named Cathy that he gets smitten by, he looses his friend Dumby because he died in a shoot out down by the bar, so he drastically matures as the novel progress. Some of the other significant themes dealt with by Deadly Unna are the issues related to life in a small country town and the idea of loss of childhood innocence. Let’s begin when Blacky’s ALF team gets trophies for a specific category e. g. : scored most goals ECT. Dumby was the ‘best man on field’ so he obviously deserved and earned the ‘Best Man on Field’ Trophy. But instead the trophy was awarded to Mark-Arks. Remember when Dumby tried to mug Macca’s bar, he died because he shoot him with a shotgun and the police didn’t even try to solve the case. Basically nobody cared just because Dumby was just another Aborigines kid. Speaking of Maccas’s bar, all the gonyas sits in the front of the bar. But the Nungas is in the back. Except for one person called Tommy who always says Chug-A-Lug. But he’s only there because he is always drunk and it’s funny for the Gonyas. When the Slogs wrote BOONGS PISS OFF. This really affected Blacky because he became so aware of racism ever since Dumby’s death. Blacky’s loss of childhood innocence begun when Dumby died, one of his best friends that he has ever had just disappeared and now his childhood has basically vanished because everything he knew as a child is now gone. When Gary wanted to grab some paint and a brush his dad busted him and told Blacky to put the brush and the paint down. But Gary has matured because he as gone through so much that he has lost his childhood. All the Sad stuff that has been going on in his life made him realise that he is not a little kid anymore, especially when Darcy said ‘I dare say they should Blacky, I dare say they should†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ He now sees what racism people have against the Aboriginal population, and now his childhood has passed away. Another example is when Gary gets smitten by Cathy, this is a prime example that he has now matured and moved on to his teenage life.

Gender identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gender identity - Essay Example These stereotype environmental effects also evolve with time as the trends in recent decades have seen changes in gender behaviors and roles. Today, there is an expectation that women will show a more feminist and assertive side, while can now show a more compassionate and softer feminine side (Blakemore et al 23). Rather than reinforcing the aspect of nurture, however, this shows that one should not try too hard to nurture a child to conform to the environment. Therefore, nature must be more important in gender identity development because the child is born with a pre-determined identity. Modern research and science have contended that gender identity is not a choice made consciously. Rather, it is a result of factors in one’s biological make up, such as the difference in size of specific brain areas, genetics, and hormone levels. There is evidence suggesting that genetics plays a critical role in sexual identity. Sexual identity is wired into infant’s brains as they d evelop because of these genetic factors. For example, there are various genes involved in brain development that are active during sexual organ development. Infants and young toddlers show typical differences in gender identity (Blakemore et al 24), which suggests that gender is the first and most important player in gender identity development. Youngsters will normally start identifying with their gender before they reach mid-childhood (Blakemore et al 32). Their awareness of being a girl or boy starts in the initial year of their life by the tenth month of their lives, especially as they become mildly aware of their genitals. By the time children are two years of age, they begin to realize the physical differences between girls and boys, while it is possible for them to call themselves a girl or boy by the time they are three, acquiring a better and stronger concept of the self-concept. The gender identity of the child is already established and stable by the time they are four ye ars of age (Blakemore et al 32). By this time, it is possible to say that they know that they will always be girls or boys. It is also possible for anyone to observe a behavior and classify it as being â€Å"girlish† or â€Å"boyish†. For example, without being nurtured, boys prefer playing with toy guns and truck-cars, prefer science and math, are more active physically and more aggressive, and possess better hand-eye coordination and spatial reasoning (Blakemore et al 33). Girls, on the other hand, prefer cooperative play and dolls, have better motor skills, learn to talk and read earlier, and possess more empathy and emotions. Most of these things are inborn and innate without any need to teach them. This shows that nature has an important role in shaping gender identity. Even when parents choose to treat their children in a gender-neutral manner, the results are always according to nature (Blakemore et al 33). For example, a parent who insists on her young girls pl aying with trucks will find that her daughters refer to the trucks as mommy trucks that are on the way to pick their children from baby-care. On the other hand, a boy given a truck will fill it action heroes, while racing it all over the playing area and making noises of squealing tires. This is most certainly due to nature, which pre-determines the gender identity

No Child Left Behind Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

No Child Left Behind - Essay Example eir demands and requirements, in spite of claims that this recent legislative process will enhance the academic performance of the elementary and secondary schools in the United States. Nevertheless, evaluations between adolescent literacy investigation and the recent U.S. federal guidelines offer a distinct opportunity to analyze what people have gained knowledge about adolescent literacy, re-verifying and bolstering some of people’s ideas and raising concerns about prospective directions (Stecher, 2003). Recognizing the matters surrounding learners with disabilities within a standards-governed system necessitates an acknowledgement of the vagueness between the ideas of individual rights as it has developed at the latter stage of the twentieth century in United States and an educational scheme that advances a normative perspective of fairness. Basically, both ideas surfaced from an understanding of the legitimate assurance to the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The framework of individual rights perceives that every individual would evenly enter into and revenue from societal organizations. This initial interpretation of individual rights in the United States asserted in contrary to the government’s control of economic or social systems, involving schools, and education was legitimately postponed to each American state. An important transition in this construct of individual rights started when reformers initiated to perceive government’s objectivit y or nonparticipation from intervention with the individual as detrimental to many (ibid). People of race, the impoverished and the disabled were not safeguarded under the former ideas of individual rights and, as a matter of fact, were rejected access to the same privileges that others enjoy. Though it should be a concern of educators that every child performs at an early level of literacy, it is merely as significant to take note of the learning demands of those who perform well

To What Extent Does the Current Use of Imprisonment as Crime Control Research Paper

To What Extent Does the Current Use of Imprisonment as Crime Control Reinforce Existing Inequalities and Segregation in the UK and the USA - Research Paper Example Traditionally imprisonment has been used – along with other crime prevention/ punishment measures - in order to control crime within a specific region. However, the terms under which the specific policy has been applied around the world have not been quite clear up to now. In any case, mass imprisonment has been found to be related to specific social ‘characteristics, like the unemployment, gender, and race. On the other hand, despite the fact that a series of measures have been taken by the British and the USA government regarding the improvement of the terms of mass imprisonment, still, the specific measure enforces inequalities among the population. It could be stated that the terms of mass imprisonment that are currently applied present many similarities with the ones used in the past. In accordance with Hallett (2002) ‘due to late 20th-century imprisonment policies, a renewed understanding of prisoners as commodities has emerged; the historical pattern of raci ally distinct commerce in imprisoned human beings, most of whom are poor, non-violent, minority offenders, has returned’ (Hallett, 2002, 369). The terms of mass imprisonment applied today would be improved so that inequalities are no longer enforced; but this target is a challenging task – especially if taking into account the resources (employees, funds, and technology) required. The development of technology in the developed countries around the world – including the USA and the UK – has not necessarily led to the improvement of the terms of justice or the limitation of inequalities in the society. The above fact is clear through the studies and the findings presented below.Current use of imprisonment as crime control and reinforcing of existing inequalities and segregation in the UK and the USA

Politics is to be done by one or a few, not by many Essay

Politics is to be done by one or a few, not by many - Essay Example According to Aristotle, individuals who are naturally able to come up with a generation of powerful and leading members of a community for political positions are chosen to represent the highest point in government (Aristotle, 80). These members of a community with exceptional attributes and features make leadership associated with only one or a few but not many. On the other hand, citizens who submit to be governed by these special leaders are placed on political command which implies that they are adapted for aristocracy. In addition to this, the leaders end up well-matched for constitutional freedom, existing naturally as a group capable of ruling and creating way for other well to do leaders (Aristotle, 81) Owing to this account, in case an entire family or one person turns out to be so preeminent leading to surpassing everyone else in a nation, then it is evident that they need to be royal families and ultimate to all. This is easily explained when one person stands and becomes a king of an entire country. Aristotle further suggests that giving select individuals an opportunity to lead is not only acceptable to the basis of right, which the initiators of all nations, whether aristocratic or oligarchic or in addition democratic, are familiar with, but works with the already established leadership policies. In fact, it is not justifiable to kill, or ostracize or put to exile this kind of person or suggest that they should take their turn in being ruled (Aristotle, 196).

Kants Deontological Ethics in Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals Essay - 1

Kants Deontological Ethics in Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals - Essay Example Kant’s Deontology posits that the best way to act morally to act from duty with the consideration of the highest good, that is, acting through the moral determination of the will. Kant’s acting through the moral determination of will meant that the motivation of one’s action must pursue the good without a condition which is intrinsically good by itself (Kant 30). He formulated his deontological ethics in a categorical imperative of doing good for the sake of good regardless of its consequence (Kant’s Ethics). The three propositions of moral determination of the will are as follows; a. Universal Law formulation - "Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law (Kant 30) ". This means that if one is to act good, that will should not be subjected to any condition or any physical constraints. b. Humanity or End in Itself formulation - "Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your ow n person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end† (Kant 30). This meant the free will is a source of rational action. A logical free will should, therefore, be an end itself because an end is subjective that they needed to be pursued. Whereas, the rational action is objective and therefore must be categorically pursued. c. Kingdom of Ends formulation - is the integration of the first two laws that says "All maxims as proceeding from our own [hypothetical] making of law ought to harmonize with a possible kingdom of ends (Kant 30)". This meant an autonomous will is not subject to anything but it must bind itself to the first two laws to make it applicable to everybody that people by themselves are both a means and an end. Kant explained the etymology of the expression of his deontological ethics. According to Kant, imperatives imply what they meant which are command such as â€Å"wake up early†. Often they are hypothet ical imperative because they only serve a specific objective or purpose such as â€Å"wake up early so you will not be later for work†.

Diverse Statemnt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Diverse Statemnt - Essay Example More so, vocabulary can be taught in different ways such as asking learners to state words beginning with given alphabetical letters, reading comprehension passages and identify new words and look up for their meanings from their context of use in relation to their dictionary meanings (Taber 13). In addition, grammar and spelling are other areas that should be adhered in teaching of English. Students with learning difficulties or special needs learners have to be accorded with special care and methodologies if educational objectives have to be achieved. These learners can be assisted through the provision of special and differentiated instructions, encouraging group or peer learning, repeating the taught content several times, encourage learners in the areas where they are good at and present them only relevant content and leave out less important content (Taber 9). These learners exhibit extra abilities as compared to the average learners. They are sometimes referred to as high achievers, talented or great thinkers. They are exhibited by their performance of task, high achievement in school, and are highly placed compared to the grade level learner. They are helped and taught using special methodologies, theories and procedures just like the slow learners since their pace of learning is not comparable to that of the average learners. There is an identified way of teaching these learners known as Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) or Talented and Gifted (TAG, or G/T). Learners are allowed to learn new things for themselves since they are able to digest new ideas and keep high level of motivation. They learn best through self-discovery and when experimental method of learning is applied (Taber

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

Gun Control - Essay Example Some people think that by banning guns crimes would be removed but this may not be so, as we know that there are many laws made but they are not necessarily followed. These laws which are not followed by the criminals have two adverse effects. First of all those sellers who are not allowed to sell arms and ammunitions become rich selling their weapons illegally. This will lead to a formation of a black market and we will lose complete control over it. â€Å"I am convinced that we can do to guns what weve done to drugs: create a multi-billion dollar underground market over which we have absolutely no control.† (Roman) Secondly, the law abiding citizens face a loss as they now have no weapons while the criminals, who don’t even bother to respect the law, will still be armed. This will reduce the number of lives saved by such law abiding citizens. This shows that the criminals are criminals because they don’t follow the laws and we cannot expect them to do so. †Å"Expecting a carjacker or rapist or drug pusher to care that his possession or use of a gun is unlawful is like expecting a terrorist to care that his car bomb is taking up two parking spaces.† (Chew) People who fought for independence also had guns. It is not the guns that matter; it is the intention of the one using it. Depriving people of guns doesn’t solve the problems but it only worsens it. Think about those nations who are now independent just because they fought for their independency. If they would have no guns, then they wouldn’t have got their independence. Like all the other things, gun control has some positive aspects as well. Guns are weapons and if not handled safely they can cause all the kinds of damage. In 1998, 30708 deaths were caused by weapons in the United States. Of that number, 12102 were assassinations, 17424 were suicides, 366 were accidents, 316 had nameless causes, and only 154 were confirmed to be in self-protection. (Guns in Our