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

Term - Research Paper Example The country, according to the annual report released by the Department of Health, shows that while there is progress in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there is still a long way to go in terms of the overall improvement of health services. The country still faces serious challenges for pregnant women, maternal mortality, poverty-related diseases and gender-based violence (2006). South Africa attracts a lot of attention from medical researchers due to the unbalanced health care among its citizens. In addition, the issue of racial apartheid was a problem prior to 1994 and this had a profound impact on the dissemination of health services among its citizens. Therefore, South Africa’s history of apartheid, unbalanced health care/ HIV-AIDS epidemic makes it an ideal place to examine. Location Geographically, the country is located on the Southern tip of the African continent. The Atlantic Ocean borders it on the west while the Indian Ocean borders it on both the South and East. Nam ibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe lie on its Northern border while Mozambique and Swaziland are located on its Northeast borders. South Africa uniquely encloses an independent kingdom called Lesotho (Inter Knowledge Corp, 2010). Population The country is about 472,000 square miles wide (equivalent to 1.2 million sq. km.) and lies beneath the Tropic of Capricorn. It is comprised of three geographical primary regions: an extensive central plateau – and a nearly unceasing cliff of mountain ranges that circle the plateau from the Western, Eastern and Southern side, with a strip of land along the coast (Inter Knowledge Corp, 2010). According to WHO statistics, South Africa has a population of approximately 50,133,000 with a gross national income per capita (PPP international $) of 10,360. In the year 2009, the life expectancy at birth m/f (years) was 54/55 but the probability of dying under five (per 1,000 live births) is currently unavailable. The total expenditure on health per capit a is approximated at 935 with a total expenditure on health % of GDP (2010) estimated at 8.9 (WHO, 2012). Government In pre-apartheid times, the South African government had a highly bureaucratic health care system. The administration of health care was divided into 14 separate departments, which were responsible for looking after the health of the different racial groups, the homelands, and six self-governing territories. The health care services were divided into preventive and curative among government departments, the provinces and the local authorities. The expenditure on tertiary health services was prioritized above primary health care services. This led to the development of a private health sector that is unregulated by the government. In addition, a lack of commitment by the government in terms of training, staffing and ways to eradicate poverty have contributed to the country’s high infant mortality, maternal mortality, life expectancy at birth and incidences of in fectious diseases (such as tuberculosis and measles) among many citizens, especially black people (Department of health, 2010). However, in 1994, South Africa was among the few African countries that had started transforming the health care system. Legislature passed bills that ensured equal distribution of resources, restructuring

Discrimination And Empowerment Mental Health Social Work Essay

Discrimination And Empowerment Mental Health Social Work Essay This essay will firstly define what discrimination is and what it means to discriminate. Examples will be used to demonstrate what discrimination may look like. A definition of empowerment will also be used. The essay will then critically explore theory and ideas around power and how power manifests between groups. This part of the essay will touch on the idea of othering. The essay will move on to focus on mental health, race and racism. The essay will use the idea that mental illness is a social construct and look at how mental illness can be open to influences of racism from society (Bailey 2004). The essay will make links to institutional racism in mental health and psychiatry. In a basic sense to discriminate means to: differentiate or to recognise a distinction (Oxford Dictionaries 2012). In this basic sense it is a part of daily life to discriminate. For example, a baby will often discriminate between a stranger and their caregiver. Discrimination becomes a problem when the difference or recognised distinction is used for the basis of unfair treatment or exclusion (Thompson 2012). Anti-discriminatory practice in social work concerns itself with discrimination that has negative outcomes; whether this is negative discrimination or positive discrimination. Both are equally as damaging. Thompson (1998) defines discrimination as a process where individuals are divided into particular social groups with an uneven distribution of power, resources, opportunities and even rights. Discrimination is not always intentional (Thompson 2009) and there are various types of discrimination (EHRC 2012). Discrimination can be direct, indirect, based on perception or on association (EHRC 2012). The Equality Act 2010 is legislation that protects individuals and groups against discrimination. The Equality Act 2010 brought together several pieces of legislation to protect several protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Discrimination does not just occur on a personal level, according to Thompson (2012), discrimination occurs on three levels; personal, cultural and structure. This will be explored more later on. Empowerment is a term that often comes in to play when examining discrimination; therefore it is important to have an understanding of both. Empowerment is the capacity of individuals or groups to take control of their circumstance and use their power to help themselves and others to maximise the quality of their lives (Adams 2008: xvi). Empowerment is then not an absence of discrimination and power but an individuals capacity to own or share that power and take control. Therefore empowerment is an anti-oppressive practice not an anti-discriminatory one. They are linked but not the same. Social workers act as mediators between service users and the state. Social workers are in a role that can potentially empower or oppress (Thompson 1997). For this reason Thompson (1997: 11) argues that good practice must be anti-discriminatory practice, no matter how high the standards of practice are in other respects (Thompson 2012). Thompson (1997) reminds the reader many times throughout his book that If youre not part of the solution you are part of the problem. I choose to include this because it reinforces that social workers need to challenge discrimination and take action against it. Discrimination is political, sociological and psychological (Thompson 2012). To accept and tolerate it and to not to challenge it does indeed make social workers part of the problem. Discrimination has links with power which the essay will move on to explain next. As defined by the Oxford Dictionary (2012) power is the ability or capacity to do something; the capacity or ability to act in a particular way to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events; or physical strength or force exerted by someone. From this definition power could be seen as a coercive force or authoritarian. However, some theorists would argue that there is more to power than just coercion and authority. Parsons (1969 cited Rogers 2008) took a different view on power. He saw power as a way of maintaining social order instead of a force for individual gain (Rogers 2008). Parsons (1969 cited Rogers 2008) believed that to be able to enforce coercive action and justify it, there needs to be a collective interest from the social system as a whole (Rogers 2008). Lukes (1974) would disagree with Parsons definition on power. Lukes argues that power is less abstract (Rogers 2008) and that exercising power is the decision to exert control. Lukes (1974:74) illustrates this point as: A exercises power over B when A effects B in a manner contrary to Bs interests. Dominelli (2008) focuses more on the idea of competing power; which group has more power than the other. This splits people to either be in the dominant group or the minority. A dominant group tends to be deemed superior, and with superiority comes privilege (Dominelli 2008). As a result the other group is deemed inferior, the minority and disadvantaged. It is this compound of dominance and oppression that discrimination derives from (Rogers 2008). It is a groups perceived superiorly over another group (Thompson 2012) that justifies coercive action, control and discrimination. When people form oppressive relationships the tendency is to make a strategic decision that excludes a particular group or individuals from accessing power and resources (Dominelli 2002). Othering can be experienced as multiple; multiple oppression. People can be othered simultaneously due to a number of social divisions (Domenelli 2002), for example, being a black woman who experiences mental health issues. Social workers need to recognise power and its links to discrimination. Not to could further oppress (Thompson 2012). It can feel uncomfortable to be in the privileged position; whether this is as a white person or a man and so on. The privileged group need to engage in the fight for equality (Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012). White people need to engage with the fight against racism and accept responsibility for racism as it is a problem of white society and therefore involves white people (Strawbridge cited Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012). This explanation can be applied to any other groups that are considered to be the other. Rogers and Pilgrim (2006: 15) suggest that superiority is a social construction: a product of human activity. Dominelli (2002) goes further to say that oppression itself is a social construct as oppressive relations are not pre-determined but they are reproduced between social interactions and routines. Language is often used as a key part of social interaction and is also a very powerful tool. This relates heavily to social work as social workers are responsible for writing reports/care plans/assessments. Depending on how social workers word written pieces of work can indeed paint a very different picture of the service user they are working with. I was once told that words are the bullets of prejudice, this illustrates that labels and language can be powerful, damaging, potentially discriminatory and oppressive. Although labels can be damaging they are a part of social interaction. Labels help us to construct our social world and we use them to find similarities and differences to process the world around us (Moncrieffe and Eyben 2007). Although the process of labelling is fundamental to human behaviour and interaction (Moncrieffe and Eyben 2007:19) social workers need to be aware of when these labels have the potential to be damaging, oppressive and rein forcers of discrimination. Social workers need to reflect and consider what labels they give people and what impacts this may have. Labels can be used to change or sustain power relations which can have an impact on prejudice and on achieving equality (Moncrieffe and Eyben 2007). This essay will use the themes discussed so far to focus in on mental health as an area of practice and critically explore institutionalised racism within mental health practice and psychiatry. To begin I will briefly return to Thompsons (2012) PCS analysis in relation to mental health and race. The P level is our own individual attitudes and feelings (Thompson 2012). Although it is important to examine our own beliefs we do not live in a moral and political vacuum (Coppock and Dunn 2010: 8). For this reason Thompson (2012) also refers to the cultural (C) and structural (S). P is embedded in C and C and P in S which builds up interlocking layers of discrimination; personal, cultural and structural. The C level is where we learn our norms and values. Individuals learn these values and norms through the process of socialisation which occurs through social institutions such as the family, religion and the media (Haralambos and Holborn 2008). These institutions can produce ideas about what is considered normal or right (Coppock and Dunn 2010). From this it is not surprising that there is an attitude in society that people who experience mental health issues are violent and a danger to society; even though there is no relationship between mental health and violence (Rogers and Pilgrim 2006). However, the general media uses terms like psycho (Ward 2012) or crazed gunman (Perrie 2011) in relation to acts of violence creates prejudice. This prejudice can then be used to discriminate. For example, a community may not want a mental home to open near them as the mental people will cause a threat to their community. The S level is the level of institutional oppression and discrimination. Ideas that Thompson (2012: 34) refers to as being sewn in to the fabric of society. Western psychiatry is laden with cultural values and assumptions that are based on western culture (Coppock and Dunn 2010). This suggests that western and white is normality and anything that deviates from this is abnormal (Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012), or as previously discussed; other. It is the C and S level which the essay will focus on more. Institutional racism explains how institutional structures, systems and the process embedded in society and structures that promote racial inequality (Jones 1997). It is considered to be the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin (MacPherson 1999). Jones (cited Marlow and Loveday 2000: 30) goes further than this definition to also include laws, customs, and practices which systematically reflect and produce racial inequalities. Institutional racism is believed to be a more subtle and covert type of racism (Bhui 2002) and often said to be unintentional (Griffith et al 2007). BME groups are differently represented in psychiatry (Sashidharan 2001). People of African-Caribbean heritage are over represented yet people of Asian heritage underrepresented in mental health settings (Sashidharan 2001). As BME groups deviate from the white norms they appear to receive either too much attention or too little (Sashidharan 2001). This would suggest that the systems which operate within psychiatry are institutionally racist. Both race and mental illness are social constructs (Thompson 1997; Bailey 2004). Thompson (1997) argues that despite the lack in biological evidence for the explanation of racial categories it is still a widely common way of thinking. Bailey (2004) argues that mental illness has always been a social construct therefore open to racism and other forms of discrimination. The declassification of homosexuality in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) illustrates Baileys (2004) point. Race immediately brings up issues around power and the relationship between what is seen as natural and social (Westwood 2002). Historically it was viewed that inequalities around race had a natural explanation (Westwood 2002). Race could be traced back to anthological tradition (Rogers 2006; Craig et al 2012) and colonial discourse with the belief that white identity is superior (Westwood 2002) and that black people are lacking civilisation, savages and a subhuman species (Bailey 2004: 408-409). According to Bailey (2004: 408) the effects of racism on psychiatry can be directly linked to the early stereotypes about black people arising from pseudoscientific racism. It is this pseudoscience racism (science which lacks scientific method or evidence) that underpins racism in mental health services today (Bailey 2004). Racism has many different sides and is a multidimensional form of oppression and discrimination (Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012; Thompson 2012). Racism is widely known to be the cause of disparities in health and mental health (McKenzie in Bhui 2002; Griffith et al 2007; Craig et al 2012). BME individuals find themselves navigating their way through a system that works from the dominant discourse of the medical model (Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012). This allows a small amount of room for different and alternative frameworks to challenge racism which is already ingrained in the system. To illustrate this point I will use an example from my practice. I work with a black woman who experiences mental health issues. She has spiritual beliefs and usually openly takes about her beliefs at home. She fears one resident as he is very religious and she feels that he has special powers. I supported her to an appointment with her psychiatrist as she had begun to feel mentally unwell. He did not enquire about any social, cultural or structural factors that may impact on her mental health. I tried to advocate the experiences she had shared with me and reiterated what she was saying. However, he advised her that the tugging she experienced in her stomach was physical and to see a doctor and increased her anti-psychotic medication. Her spiritual experiences were not validated, he individualised the cause of her illness and used a medical intervention. Western psychiatry tends to separate the mind from the body and spirit (Bailey 2004). According to Bailey (2004) many BME service users find this approach unhelpful and irrelevant to their experiences of mental distress. This is because for many BME the mind, body and spirit work in union and the feelings and behaviours behind this is woven into peoples wider existence (Bailey 2004). Kortmann (2010) believes that these types of clinical intervention are often ineffective due to service users non-western origin and tend to quit treatments earlier. For example, some African cultures can believe that seizures are cause by evil spirits (Kortmann 2010) and therefore do not take medication prescribed as they do not believe it to be an illness. Westwood (2002) writes that the negative impact of racism can have a significant impact on an individuals mental health. However in a recent piece of research Ayalon and Gum (2011) concluded that black older adults experienced the highest amount of discriminatory events but there was a weaker association with this and experiences of mental health issues. To account for this it was concluded that BME groups experienced more events of discrimination over their life course and as a result have become more resilient to it (Ayalon and Gum 2011). Some writers argue that to construct institutional racism as the explanation to the disparities in mental health can add to the debate and effectively alienate BME groups even further (Singh and Burns 2006). Singh and Burn (2006) state that, the accusation of racism within psychiatry will give service users the expectation that they will receive a poorer service and this will encourage service users to disengage with services or offer voluntary admission. What Singh and Burn (2006) are speculating is presented by Livingstone (2012) as self-stigma; the stigma that is present on an individual level rather than on a cultural or social. It is the stigma that is internalised that can prevent people from access services (Livingstone 2012) and thus, actively discriminating against ones self. Therefore, Singh and Burns (2006) argue that individuals to stay away from needed services until it is too late and there are few alternatives but to detain them and enforce treatment. Although Singh and Burn (2006) make a logical point they fail to recognise BME service user experiences of Mental Health Services. Bowl (2007) conducted a qualitative research to gain the views and experiences of South Asian service users as most literature is through the lens of academics and professionals. The experiences of this South Asian group would certainly suggest the presence of institutional racism within Mental health Services. The main areas identified were their dissatisfaction in not being understood in the assessment process due to language barriers and cultural incompetence (Bowl 2007). This misunderstanding led to misdiagnosis and refusal of services (Bowl 2007). Racism is often not the only form of oppression that people face. Disadvantage can occur from several areas (Marlow and Loveday 2000). BME groups experiencing mental health issues are already subjected to multiple oppression. There is not enough words in this essay to explore this further but wanted to acknowledge that forms of oppression are not experienced in isolation of each other. For example, links have been made between individuals lower socio-economic status and experience of mental health issues and how black people can face the added stress of earning less and experiencing higher levels of unemployment (Chakraborty and McKenzie 2002). This begins to illustrate the complexity and how oppression is inextricably intertwined. Institutional racism has been highlight in a number of Inquiries in practice. It was firstly highlighted in the Stephen Lawrence Report in 1999; a black young person who was murdered in a racist attack and yet again in the David Bennett Inquiry in 2003; a black man who died in 1998 after being restrained faced down by several nurses for nearly half an hour. Lord Laming (2003) also identified issues around racism in his Inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. There is not enough words to go into any of these inquiries in any detail but they have been included to demonstrate institutional racism in practice in the police, mental health service and social work. It may seem that whilst mental health services operate within the medical model that is catered towards the white majority things will not change. Institutions and systems are indeed difficult to change, however social workers can work with service users to empower, advocate, challenge and expose discrimination in services and bring about social change. Empowerment is complex in general but becomes more complex in relation to race and ethnicity (Thompson 2007). Social workers need to firstly be aware of institutional racism before they are able to challenge it (Thompson 2007). For social workers to challenge institutional racism they need to challenge policies that do not address the needs of BME groups. To do this, social workers need to be aware of the complex power relations and deeply ingrained racist patterns in society (Thompson 2007). In my practice in a mental health setting I have contact with medical professionals and often support services users to appointments. I find that I must hold onto my social work values and not get drawn into the medical model way of working but to remain holistic in my approach. To conclude, this essay has demonstrated that discrimination is far more complex than treating someone differently. It has focused on a more subtle, covert and indirect form of discrimination: institutional racism. The essay has examined the links between discrimination, racism and power and introduced the idea that mental illness and race are both social constructs. It is this subtle and covert form of discrimination that can be damaging. It can be hard to recognise as it is woven into the very fabric of society (Thompson 2012). However, the message in this essay is that social workers need to recognise power relations, how they operate, on what level they operate at and to challenge discrimination (anti-discriminatory practice) and work with service user to empower them to overcome these obstacles (anti-oppressive practice). Social workers must swim against the tide and not collude with these attitudes no matter how deeply ingrained and embedded they are in society. For the social workers that fail to do so will ultimately become part of the problem. Word count: 3281

Senpai, Another Protector in Japan :: Essays Papers

Senpai, Another Protector in Japan In America, differences of age and status do not affect the relationship between people as they do in Japan. Students can talk to professors in very casual ways. A freshman and a senior in college can be good friends. In Japan, however, when Japanese people get together, their behaviors are influenced by an awareness of the order and rank of each person within the group according to age and social status. Respect to seniors is a social obligation that cannot be neglected. Nothing more clearly describes this hierarchal nature of Japanese society that the Japanese word "senpai," meaning a senior or superior in any academic or corporate organization in our society. The attitude toward one's 'senpai' is characterized by formality, obedience, and trust. The relationship between inferiors or "kohai" and their "senpai" is very formal and strict. Japanese students meet their first "senpai" in junior or senior high school when they enroll in any kind of club, and this relationship lasts after their graduation. New students in the club are trained, just as soldiers are, to serve their "senpai." When they talk to their "senpai," they have to use a polite and formal language, called "keigo" in Japanese, to show respect to the senior. Whenever they meet their "senpai," they have to bow. Calling seniors by their first names is a taboo. These very strict and formal relationships are similar to those in an army. In this army-like hierarchal system, obedience is the kohai's most important value. When students enter the university, many different kinds of "senpai" wait for them: in the clubs, in the dormitories, and in the departments of the university to which they belong. April is the month when school begins, the cherry blossoms come into full bloom, and welcome parties for the new students are seen under those cherry trees in the park. Each club, dorm, and department has its own welcome party, called "a cherry blossom viewing party." Actually, these parties aim not to appreciate the beauty of nature but to make the new students drink as much alcohol as possible. At the party, the poor freshmen have to drink all the cups of beer and "sake," Japanese rice wine, given to them by their seniors. During cherry blossom viewing parties, ambulances come to parks and pick up the drunk students. They are forced to do whatever the seniors say, no matter how unreasonable or stupid it may sound.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 23 THE TRUTH

I HAD THE SENSE THAT I'D BEEN ASLEEP FOR A VERY long timemy body was stiff, like I hadn't moved once through all that time, either. My mind was dazed and slow; strange, colorful dreamsdreams and nightmaresswirled dizzily around the inside of my head. They were so vivid. The horrible and the heavenly, all mixed together into a bizarre jumble. There was sharp impatience and fear, both part of that frustrating dream where your feet can't move fast enough And there were plenty of monsters, red-eyed fiends that were all the more ghastly for their genteel civility. The dream was still strongI could even remember the names. But the strongest, clearest part of the dream was not the horror. It was the angel that was most clear. It was hard to let him go and wake up. This dream did not want to be shoved away into the vault of dreams I refused to revisit. I struggled with it as my mind became more alert, focusing on reality. I couldn't remember what day of the week it was, but I was sure Jacob or school or work or something was waiting for me. I inhaled deeply, wondering how to face another day. Something cold touched my forehead with the softest pressure. I squeezed my eyes more tightly shut. I was still dreaming, it seemed, and it felt abnormally real. I was so close to waking any second now, and it would be gone. But I realized that it felt too real, too real to be good for me. The stone arms I imagined wrapped around me were far too substantial. If I let this go any further, I'd be sorry for it later. With a resigned sigh, I wrenched back my eyelids to dispel the illusion. â€Å"Oh!† I gasped, and threw my fists over my eyes. Well, clearly, I'd gone too far; it must have been a mistake to let my imagination get so out of hand. Okay, so â€Å"let† was the wrong word. I'd forced it to get out of handpretty much stalked my hallucinationsand now my mind had snapped. It took less than half a second for me to realize that, as long as I was truly insane now, I might as well enjoy the delusions while they were pleasant. I opened my eyes againand Edward was still there, his perfect face just inches away from mine. â€Å"Did I frighten you?† His low voice was anxious. This was very good, as delusions went. The face, the voice, the scent, everythingit was so much better than drowning. The beautiful figment of my imagination watched my changing expressions, with alarm. His irises were pitch-black, with bruise-like shadows under them. This surprised me; my hallucinatory Edwards were usually better fed. I blinked twice, desperately trying to remember the last thing that I was sure was real. Alice was part of my dream, and I wondered if she had really come back at all, or if that was just the preamble. I thought she'd returned the day I'd nearly drowned â€Å"Oh, crap† I croaked. My throat was thick with sleeping. â€Å"What's wrong, Bella?† I frowned at him unhappily. His face was even more anxious than before. â€Å"I'm dead, right?† I moaned. â€Å"I did drown. Crap, crap, crap! This is gonna kill Charlie.† Edward frowned, too. â€Å"You're not dead.† â€Å"Then why am I not waking up?† I challenged, raising my eyebrows. â€Å"You are awake, Bella.† I shook my head. â€Å"Sure, sure. That's what you want me to think. And then it will be worse when I do wake up. If I wake up, which I won't, because I'm dead. This is awful. Poor Charlie. And Renee and Jake† I trailed off in horror at what I had done. â€Å"I can see where you might confuse me with a nightmare.† His short-lived smile was grim. â€Å"But I can't imagine what you could have done to wind up in hell. Did you commit many murders while I was away?† I grimaced. â€Å"Obviously not. If I was in hell, you wouldn't be with me.† He sighed. My head was getting clearer. My eyes flickered away from his faceunwillinglyfor one second, to the dark, open window, and then back to him. I started to remember details and I felt a faint, unfamiliar blush warm the skin over my cheekbones as I slowly realized that Edward was really, truly here with me, and I was wasting time being an idiot. â€Å"Did all of that really happen, then?† It was almost impossible to reassign my dream as reality. I couldn't wrap my head around the concept. â€Å"That depends.† Edward's smile was still hard. â€Å"If you're referring to us nearly being massacred in Italy, then, yes.† â€Å"How strange,† I mused. â€Å"I really went to Italy. Did you know I'd never been farther east than Albuquerque?† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Maybe you should go back to sleep. You're not coherent.† â€Å"I'm not tired anymore.† It was all coming clear now. â€Å"What time is it? How long have I been sleeping?† â€Å"It's just after one in the morning. So, about fourteen hours.† I stretched as he spoke. I was so stiff. â€Å"Charlie?† I asked. Edward frowned. â€Å"Sleeping. You should probably know that I'm breaking the rules right now. Well, not technically, since he said I was never to walk through his door again, and I came in the window But, still, the intent was clear.† â€Å"Charlie banned you from the house?† I asked, disbelief quickly melting into fury. His eyes were sad. â€Å"Did you expect anything else?† My eyes were mad. I was going to have a few words with my fatherperhaps it would be a good time to remind him that I was over the legal age of adulthood. It didn't matter so much, of course, except in principle. All too soon there would be no reason for the prohibition. I turned my thoughts to less painful avenues. â€Å"What's the story?† I asked, genuinely curious, but also trying desperately to keep the conversation casual, to keep a firm grip on myself, so I wouldn't scare him away with the frantic, gnawing craving that was raging inside me. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"What am I telling Charlie? What's my excuse for disappearing for how long was I gone, anyway?† I tried to count the hours in my head. â€Å"Just three days.† His eyes tightened, but he smiled more naturally this time. â€Å"Actually, I was hoping you might have a good explanation. I've got nothing.† I groaned. â€Å"Fabulous.† â€Å"Well, maybe Alice will come up with something,† he offered, trying to comfort me. And I was comforted. Who cared what I had to deal with later? Every second that he was hereso close, his flawless face glowing in the dim light from the numbers on my alarm clockwas precious and not to be wasted. â€Å"So,† I began, picking the least importantthough still vitally interestingquestion to start with. I was safely delivered home, and he might decide to leave at any moment. I had to keep him talking. Besides, this temporary heaven wasn't entirely complete without the sound of his voice. â€Å"What have you been doing, up until three days ago?† His face turned wary in an instant. â€Å"Nothing terribly exciting.† â€Å"Of course not,† I mumbled. â€Å"Why are you making that face?† â€Å"Well† I pursed my lips, considering. â€Å"If you were, after all, just a dream, that's exactly the kind of thing you would say. My imagination must be used up.† He sighed. â€Å"If I tell you, will you finally believe that you're not having a nightmare?† â€Å"Nightmare!† I repeated scornfully. He waited for my answer. â€Å"Maybe,† I said after a second of thought. â€Å"If you tell me.† â€Å"I was hunting.† â€Å"Is that the best you can do?† I criticized. â€Å"That definitely doesn't prove I'm awake.† He hesitated, and then spoke slowly, choosing his words with care. â€Å"I wasn't hunting fot food I was actually trying my hand at tracking. I'm not very good at it.† â€Å"What were you tracking?† I asked, intrigued. â€Å"Nothing of consequence.† His words didn't match his expression; he looked upset, uncomfortable. â€Å"I don't understand.† He hesitated; his face, shining with an odd green cast from the light of the clock, was torn. â€Å"I† He took a deep breath. â€Å"I owe you an apology. No, of course I owe you much, much more than that. But you have to know,†the words began to flow so fast, the way I remembered he spoke sometimes when he was agitated, that I really had to concentrate to catch them all†that I had no idea. I didn't realize the mess I was leaving behind. I thought it was safe for you here. So safe. I had no idea that Victoria,†his lips curled back when he said the name†would come back. I'll admit, when I saw her that one time, I was paying much more attention to James's thoughts. But I just didn't see that she had this kind of response in her. That she even had such a tie to him. I think I realize why nowshe was so sure of him, the thought of him failing never occurred to her. It was her overconfidence that clouded her feelings about himthat kept me from seeing the depth of them, the bond there. â€Å"Not that there's any excuse for what I left you to face. When I heard what you told Alicewhat she saw herselfwhen I realized that you had to put your life in the hands of werewolves, immature, volatile, the worst thing out there besides Victoria herselfhe shuddered and the gush of words halted for a short second. â€Å"Please know that I had no idea of any of this. I feel sick, sick to my core, even now, when I can see and feel you safe in my arms. I am the most miserable excuse for† â€Å"Stop,† I interrupted him. He stared at me with agonized eyes, and I tried to find the right wordsthe words that would free him from this imagined obligation that caused him so much pain. They were very hard words to say. I didn't know if I could get them out without breaking down. But I had to try to do it right. I didn't want to be a source of guilt and anguish in his life. He should be happy, no matter what it cost me. I'd really been hoping to put off this part of our last conversation. It was going to bring things to an end so much sooner. Drawing on all my months of practice with trying to be normal for Charlie, I kept my face smooth. â€Å"Edward,† I said. His name burned my throat a little on the way out. I could feel the ghost of the hole, waiting to rip itself wide again as soon as he disappeared. I didn't quite see how I was going to survive it this time. â€Å"This has to stop now. You can't think about things that way. You can't let this this guilt rule your life. You can't take responsibility for the things that happen to me here. None of it is your fault, it's just part of how life is for me. So, if I trip in front of a bus or whatever it is next time, you have to realize that it's not your job to take the blame. You can't just go running off to Italy because you feel bad that you didn't save me. Even if I had jumped off that cliff to die, that would have been my choice, and not your fault. I know it's your your nature to shoulder the blame for everything, but you really can't let that make you go to such extremes! It's very irresponsiblethink of Esme and Carlisle and† I was on the edge of losing it. I stopped to take a deep breath, hoping to calm myself. I had to set him free. I had to make sure this never happened again. â€Å"Isabella Marie Swan,† he whispered, the strangest expression crossing his face. He almost looked mad. â€Å"Do you believe that I asked the Volturi to kill me because I felt guilty?† I could feel the blank incomprehension on my face. â€Å"Didn't you?† â€Å"Feel guilty? Intensely so. More than you can comprehend.† â€Å"Then what are you saying? I don't understand.† â€Å"Bella, I went to the Volturi because I thought you were dead,† he said, voice soft, eyes fierce. â€Å"Even if I'd had no hand in your death†he shuddered as he whispered the last word†even if it wasn't my fault, I would have gone to Italy. Obviously, I should have been more carefulI should have spoken to Alice directly, rather than accepting it secondhand from Rosalie. But, really, what was I supposed to think when the boy said Charlie was at the funeral? What are the odds? â€Å"The odds† he muttered then, distracted. His voice was so low I wasn't sure I beard it right. â€Å"The odds are always stacked against us. Mistake after mistake. I'll never criticize Romeo again.† â€Å"But I still don't understand,† I said. â€Å"That's my whole point. So what?† â€Å"Excuse me?† â€Å"So what if I was dead?† He stared at me dubiously for a long moment before answering. â€Å"Don't you remember anything I told you before?† â€Å"I remember everything that you told me.† Including the words that had negated all the rest. He brushed the tip of his cool finger against my lower lip. â€Å"Bella, you seem to be under a misapprehension.† He closed his eyes, shaking his head back and forth with half a smile on his beautiful face. It wasn't a happy smile. â€Å"I thought I'd explained it clearly before. Bella, I can't live in a world where you don't exist.† â€Å"I am† My head swam as I looked for the appropriate word. â€Å"Confused.† That worked. I couldn't make sense of what he was saying. He stared deep into my eyes with his sincere, earnest gaze. â€Å"I'm a good liar, Bella, I have to be.† I froze, my muscles locking down as if for impact. The fault line in my chest rippled; the pain of it took my breath away. He shook my shoulder, trying to loosen my rigid pose. â€Å"Let me finish! I'm a good liar, but still, for you to believe me so quickly.† He winced. â€Å"That was excruciating.† I waited, still frozen. â€Å"When we were in the forest, when I was telling you goodbye† I didn't allow myself to remember. I fought to keep myself in the present second only. â€Å"You weren't going to let go,† he whispered. â€Å"I could see that. I didn't want to do itit felt like it would kill me to do itbut I knew that if I couldn't convince you that I didn't love you anymore, it would just take you that much longer to get on with your life. I hoped that, if you thought I'd moved on, so would you.† â€Å"A clean break,† I whispered through unmoving lips. â€Å"Exactly. But I never imagined it would be so easy to do! I thought it would be next to impossiblethat you would be so sure of the truth that I would have to lie through my teeth for hours to even plant the seed of doubt in your head. I lied, and I'm so sorrysorry because I hurt you, sorry because it was a worthless effort. Sorry that I couldn't protect you from what I an. I lied to save you, and it didn't work. I'm sorry. â€Å"But how could you believe me? After all the thousand times I've told you I love you, how could you let one word break your faith in me?† I didn't answer. I was too shocked to form a rational response. â€Å"I could see it in your eyes, that you honestly believed that I didn't want you anymore. The most absurd, ridiculous conceptas if there were anu way that I could exist without needing you!† I was still frozen. His words were incomprehensible, because they were impossible. He shook my shoulder again, not hard, but enough that my teeth rattled a little. â€Å"Bella,† he sighed. â€Å"Really, what were you thinking!† And so I started to cry. The tears welled up and then gushed miserably down my cheeks. â€Å"I knew it,† I sobbed. â€Å"I knew I was dreaming.† â€Å"You're impossible,† he said, and he laughed oncea hard laugh, frustrated. â€Å"How can I put this so that you'll believe me? You're not asleep, and you're not dead. I'm here, and I love you. I have always loved you, and I will always love you. I was thinking of you, seeing your face in my mind, every second that I was away. When I told you that I didn't want you, it was the very blackest kind of blasphemy.† I shook my head while the tears continued to ooze from the corners of my eyes. â€Å"You don't believe me, do you?† he whispered, his face paler than his usual paleI could see that even in the dim light. â€Å"Why can you believe the lie, but not the truth?† â€Å"It never made sense for you to love me,† I explained, my voice breaking twice. â€Å"I always knew that.† His eyes narrowed, his jaw tightened. â€Å"I'll prove you're awake,† he promised. He caught my face securely between his iron hands, ignoring my struggles when I tried to turn my head away. â€Å"Please don't,† I whispered. He stopped, his lips just half an inch from mine. â€Å"Why not?† he demanded. His breath blew into my face, making my head whirl. â€Å"When I wake up†He opened his mouth to protest, so I revised†okay, forget that onewhen you leave again, it's going to be hard enough without this, too.† He pulled back an inch, to stare at my face. â€Å"Yesterday, when I would touch you, you were so hesitant, so careful, and yet still the same. I need to know why. Is it because I'm too late? Because I've hurt you too much? Because you have moved on, as I meant for you to? That would be quite fair. I won't contest your decision. So don't try to spare my feelings, pleasejust tell me now whether or not you can still love me, after everything I've done to you. Can you?† he whispered. â€Å"What kind of an idiotic question is that?† â€Å"Just answer it. Please.† I stared at him darkly for a long moment. â€Å"The way I feel about you will never change. Of course I love youand there's nothing you can do about it!† â€Å"That's all I needed to hear.† His mouth was on mine then, and I couldn't fight him. Not because he was so many thousand times stronger than me, but because my will crumbled into dust the second our lips met. This kiss was not quite as careful as others I remembered, which suited me just fine. If I was going to rip myself up further, I might as well get as much in trade as possible. So I kissed him back, my heart pounding out a jagged, disjointed rhythm while my breathing turned to panting and my fingers moved greedily to his face. I could feel his marble body against every line of mine, and I was so glad he hadn't listened to methere was no pain in the world that would have justified missing this. His hands memorized my face, the same way mine were tracing his, and, in the brief seconds when his lips were free, he whispered my name. When I was starting to get dizzy, he pulled away, only to lay his ear against my heart. I lay there, dazed, waiting for my gasping to slow and quiet. â€Å"By the way,† he said in a casual tone. â€Å"I'm not leaving you.† I didn't say anything, and he seemed to hear skepticism in my silence. He lifted his face to lock my gaze in his. â€Å"I'm not going anywhere. Not without you,† he added more seriously. â€Å"I only left you in the first place because I wanted you to have a chance at a normal, happy, human life. I could see what I was doing to youkeeping you constantly on the edge of danger, taking you away from the world you belonged in, risking your life every moment I was with you. So I had to try. I had to do something, and it seemed like leaving was the only way. If I hadn't thought you would be better off, I could have never made myself leave. I'm much too selfish. Only you could be more important than what I wanted what I needed. What I want and need is to be with you, and I know I'll never be strong enough to leave again. I have too many excuses to staythank heaven for that! It seems you can't be safe, no matter how many miles I put between us.† â€Å"Don't promise me anything,† I whispered. If I let myself hope, and it came to nothing that would kill me. Where all those merciless vampires had not been able to finish me off, hope would do the job. Anger glinted metallic in his black eyes. â€Å"You think I'm lying to you now?† â€Å"Nonot lying.† I shook my head, trying to think it through coherently. To examine the hypothesis that he did love me, while staying objective, clinical, so I wouldn't fall into the trap of hoping. â€Å"You could mean it now. But what about tomorrow, when you think about all the reasons you left in the first place? Or next month, when Jasper takes a snap at me?† He flinched. I thought back over those last days of my life before he left me, tried to see them through the filter of what he was telling me now. From that perspective, imagining that he'd left me while loving me, left me for me, his brooding and cold silences took on a different meaning. â€Å"It isn't as if you hadn't thought the first decision through, is it?† I guessed. â€Å"You'll end up doing what you think is right.† â€Å"I'm not as strong as you give me credit for,† he said. â€Å"Right and wrong have ceased to mean much to me; I was coming back anyway. Before Rosalie told me the news, I was already past trying to live through one week at a time, or even one day. I was fighting to make it through a single hour. It was only a matter of timeand not much of itbefore I showed up at your window and begged you to take me back. I'd be happy to beg now, if you'd like that.† I grimaced. â€Å"Be serious, please.† â€Å"Oh, I am,† he insisted, glaring now. â€Å"Will you please try to hear what I'm telling you? Will you let me attempt to explain what you mean to me?† He waited, studying my face as he spoke to make sure I was really listening. â€Å"Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were starspoints of light and reason And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn't see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything.† I wanted to believe him. But this was my life without him that he was describing, not the other way around. â€Å"Your eyes will adjust,† I mumbled. â€Å"That's just the problemthey can't.† â€Å"What about your distractions?† He laughed without a trace of humor. â€Å"Just part of the lie, love. There was no distraction from the the agony. My heart hasn't beat in almost ninety years, but this was different. It was like my heart was gonelike I was hollow. Like I'd left everything that was inside me here with you.† â€Å"That's funny,† I muttered. He arched one perfect eyebrow. â€Å"Funny? â€Å" â€Å"I meant strangeI thought it was just me. Lots of pieces of me went missing, too. I haven't been able to really breathe in so long.† I filled my lungs, luxuriating in the sensation. â€Å"And my heart. That was definitely lost.† He closed his eyes and laid his ear over my heart again. I let my cheek press against his hair, felt the texture of it on my skin, smelled the delicious scent of him. â€Å"Tracking wasn't a distraction then?† I asked, curious, and also needing to distract myself. I was very much in danger of hoping. I wouldn't be able to stop myself for long. My heart throbbed, singing in my chest. â€Å"No.† He sighed. â€Å"That was never a distraction. It was an obligation.† â€Å"What does that mean?† â€Å"It means that, even though I never expected any danger from Victoria, I wasn't going to let her get away with Well, like I said, I was horrible at it. I traced her as far as Texas, but then I followed a false lead down to Braziland really she came here.† He groaned. â€Å"I wasn't even on the right continent! And all the while, worse than my worst fears† â€Å"You were hunting Victoria?† I half-shrieked as soon as I could find my voice, shooting through two octaves. Charlie's distant snores stuttered, and then picked up a regular rhythm again. â€Å"Not well,† Edward answered, studying my outraged expression with a confused look. â€Å"But I'll do better this time. She won't be tainting perfectly good air by breathing in and out for much longer.† â€Å"That is out of the question,† I managed to choke out. Insanity. Even if he had Emmett or Jasper help him. Even if he had Emmett and Jasper help. It was worse than my other imaginings: Jacob Black standing across a small space from Victoria's vicious and feline figure. I couldn't bear to picture Edward there, even though he was so much more durable than my half-human best friend. â€Å"It's too late for her. I might have let the other time slide, but not now, not after† I interrupted him again, trying to sound calm. â€Å"Didn't you just promise that you weren't going to leave?† I asked, fighting the words as I said them, nor letting them plant themselves in my heart. â€Å"That isn't exactly compatible with an extended tracking expedition, is it?† He frowned. A snarl began to build low in his chest. â€Å"I will keep my promise, Bella. But Victoria†the snarl became more pronounced†is going to die. Soon.† â€Å"Let's not be hasty,† I said, trying to hide my panic. â€Å"Maybe she's not coming back. Jake's pack probably scared her off. There's really no reason to go looking for her. Besides, I've got bigger problems than Victoria.† Edward's eyes narrowed, but he nodded. â€Å"It's true. The werewolves are a problem.† I snorted. â€Å"I wasn't talking about Jacob. My problems are a lot worse that a handful of adolescent wolves getting themselves into trouble.† Edward looked as if he were about to say something, and then thought better of it. His teeth clicked together, and he spoke through them. â€Å"Really?† he asked. â€Å"Then what would be your greatest problem? That would make Victoria's returning for you seem like such an inconsequential matter in comparison?† â€Å"How about the second greatest?† I hedged. â€Å"All right,† he agreed, suspicious. I paused. I wasn't sure I could say the name. â€Å"There are others who are coming to look for me,† I reminded him in a subdued whisper. He sighed, but the reaction was not as strong as I would have imagined after his response to Victoria. â€Å"The Volturi are only the second greatest?† â€Å"You don't seem that upset about it,† I noted. â€Å"Well, we have plenty of time to think it through. Time means something very different to them than it does to you, or even me. They count years the way you count days. I wouldn't be surprised if you were thirty before you crossed their minds again,† he added lightly. Horror washed through me. Thirty. So his promises meant nothing, in the end. If I were going to turn thirty someday, then he couldn't be planning on staying long. The harsh pain of this knowledge made me realize that I'd already begun to hope, without giving myself permission to do 5.0. â€Å"You don't have to be afraid,† he said, anxious as he watched the tears dew up again on the rims of my eyes. â€Å"I won't let them hurt you.† â€Å"While you're here.† Not that I cared what happened to me when he left. He took my face between his two stone hands, holding it tightly while his midnight eyes glared into mine with the gravitational force of a black hole. â€Å"I will never leave you again.† â€Å"But you said thirty,† I whispered. The tears leaked over the edge. â€Å"What? You're going to stay, but let me get all old anyway? Right.† His eyes softened, while his mouth went hard. â€Å"That's exactly what I'm going to do. What choice have I? I cannot be without you, but I will not destroy your soul.† â€Å"Is this really† I tried to keep my voice even, but this question was too hard. I remembered his face when Aro had almost begged him to consider making me immortal. The sick look there. Was this fixation with keeping me human really about my soul, or was it because he wasn't sure that he wanted me around that long? â€Å"Yes?† he asked, waiting for my question. I asked a different one. Almostbut not quiteas hard. â€Å"But what about when I get so old that people think I'm your mother? Your grandmother?† My voice was pale with revulsionI could see Gran's face again in the dream mirror. His whole face was soft now. He brushed the tears from my cheek with his lips. â€Å"That doesn't mean anything to me,† he breathed against my skin. â€Å"You will always be the most beautiful thing in my world. Of course† He hesitated, flinching slightly. â€Å"If you outgrew meif you wanted something moreI would understand that, Bella. I promise I wouldn't stand in your way if you wanted to leave me.† His eyes were liquid onyx and utterly sincere. He spoke as if he'd put endless amounts of thought into this asinine plan. â€Å"You do realize that I'll die eventually, right?† I demanded. He'd thought about this part, too. â€Å"I'll follow after as soon as I can.† â€Å"That is seriously†I looked for the right word. â€Å"Sick.† â€Å"Bella, it's the only right way left† â€Å"Let's just back up for a minute,† I said; feeling angry made it so much easier to be clear, decisive. â€Å"You do remember the Volturi, right? I can't stay human forever. They'll kill me. Even if they don't think of me tillI'm thirty†I hissed the word†do you really think they'll forget?† â€Å"No,† he answered slowly, shaking his head. â€Å"They won't forget. But† â€Å"But?† He grinned while I stared at him warily. Maybe I wasn't the only crazy one. â€Å"I have a few plans.† â€Å"And these plans,† I said, my voice getting more acidic with each word. â€Å"These plans all center around me staying human.† My attitude hardened his expression. â€Å"Naturally.† His tone was brusque, his divine face arrogant. We glowered at each other for a long minute. Then I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, I pushed his arms away so that I could sit up. â€Å"Do you want me to leave?† he asked, and it made my heart flutter to see that this idea hurt him, though he tried not to show it. â€Å"No,† I told him. â€Å"I'm leaving.† He watched me suspiciously as I climbed out of the bed and fumbled around in the dark room, looking for my shoes. â€Å"May I ask where you are going.'† he asked. â€Å"I'm going to your house,† I told him, still feeling around blindly. He got up and came to my side. â€Å"Here are your shoes. How did you plan to get there?† â€Å"My truck.† â€Å"That will probably wake Charlie,† he offered as a deterrent. I sighed. â€Å"I know. But honestly, I'll be grounded for weeks as it is. How much more trouble can I really getin?† â€Å"None. He'll blame me, not you.† â€Å"If you have a better idea, I'm all ears.† â€Å"Stay here,† he suggested, but his expression wasn't hopeful. â€Å"No dice. But you go ahead and make yourself at home,† I encouraged, surprised at how natural my teasing sounded, and headed for the door. He was there before me, blocking my way. I frowned, and turned for the window. It wasn't really that far to the ground, and it was mostly grass beneath â€Å"Okay,† he sighed. â€Å"I'll give you a ride.† I shrugged. â€Å"Either way. But you probably should be there, too.† â€Å"And why is that?† â€Å"Because you're extraordinarily opinionated, and I'm sure you'll want a chance to air your views.† â€Å"My views on which subject?† He asked through his teeth. â€Å"This isn't just about you anymore. You're not the center of the universe, you know.† My own personal universe was, of course, a different story. â€Å"If you're going to bring the Volturi down on us over something as stupid as leaving me human, then your family ought to have a say.† â€Å"A say in what?† he asked, each word distinct. â€Å"My mortality. I'm putting it to a vote.†

Country analysis of The Democratic Republic of Congo Essay

This location allows grief from neighboring countries on the other hand it is in an ideal location by way of trade routes to other countries and access to the Atlantic Ocean and the Congo River. The Democratic Republic of Congo is also dense with valuable minerals making it regarded as one of the richest countries as ar as natural recourses go. However, it is one of the poorest countries in the world In 1998, the second Congo war began, this war was also known as â€Å"The African world war†. It directly involved nine other African nations: Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and a few others. The war started because neighboring countries as well as citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo wanted to gain some of the minerals and natural resources from the nation originally creating a civil war which spread to other nations, sucking them in and starting a full out war between the countries. The war officially ended in 2003 however; battles and bitterness still resound and cause mass conflict between the African nations today. This war is said to be the worst conflict since World War II. Around five and a half million people have been killed so far due to this conflict. About 90% of the victims were not killed in battle. They passed on due to ravaging diseases such as malaria. They also died from pneumonia and malnutrition. These reasons for death were brought up by displaced populations living in unsanitary, heavily over populated conditions and were denied access to food, water, medicine, and shelter. This ongoing war has devastated a nation that in theory could be a rich, well off nation. The Democratic Republic of Congo has mass amounts of untapped raw mineral deposits. These deposits are worth 24 trillion dollars. This nation contains 30% of the world’s diamond reserves and 70% of the world’s coltan. There are also enormous reserves of gold, copper, and cobalt. The mineral extraction is done in a process known as â€Å"artisanal and small scale mining†. Mining has created severe problems in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There were many illegal organizations profiting off the mines. Because of this, the government shut down the eastern part of the country to mining. During the war, many of the commanders were making illegal trades with foreign countries with their minerals and natural resources. This trading was labeled as â€Å"mass scale looting†. When the mass scale looting died down soldiers were then encouraged to take part in small scale looting. This brought forth the â€Å"active and extraction phase†. Because of all this looting, there were large amounts of inflation. The Congolese government lost much of their profits from Uganda and Rwanda to transport their resources. They often exported diamonds and coltan out of the country. They would then repackage the diamonds and â€Å"legally’ sell them as it they were from their own country. Rwandan soldiers made around 20 million dollars a month from smuggling resources out of the Democratic Republic of Congo. These large mining operations attract migrant workers. Many people migrate to The Democratic Republic of Congo as well to escape the violence in the Great Lakes region. The number of immigrants has been rapidly decreasing over the years. The mass amounts of immigrants have taken over the work force there. In recent years immigrants are starting to migrate to the European nations rather than other nations in Africa. Due to the dense population and poor living conditions, poverty runs rampant through this nation. This also means there are large amounts of crime even though there is a police force, the Congolese national police force. One of the most prevalent crimes in this area is of rape and sexual slavery. The Democratic Republic of Congo is known as â€Å"the rape capital of the world†. With the recent war, the numbers of rape victims have drastically increased. Although the Congolese law rohibits rape these laws are almost never enforced. Rape was a main weapon used in the Second Congo war, which started this ongoing epidemic of sexual violence. Prostitution and human trafficking are prohibited and have a penalty of twenty years in Jail according to the law. However, there will be years where there is not a single investigation of either of these. Proving that the laws are not as heavily enforced in these areas, as they should be. There are also no laws against spousal abuse. This lack of law enforcement is brought up by the lack of a stable and secure government rom the ongoing war. Left with an insecure government the nation is slowly starting to repair itself. The Lusaka Peace Accords set up a government system in 1999. A president was finally elected in 2006. The economy is starting to take a turn for the bright side but it is still wrought with poverty and a failing economy due to the war and mining conflicts. Due to the violence and unstable government, there are few markets and public services. This does not allow farmers to be able to sell their own goods. It forces civilians to fend for themselves. Due to the lack of public services, here are very few hospitals and medicals centers. Disease runs rampant through this nation. Since this nation is so heavily populates diseases spread easily through the communities. There are vast amounts of major health problems in this region including; HIV, aids, malaria, polio outbreaks, cholera, typhoid, yellow fever, the Ebola virus, hemorrhagic fever, and tuberculosis. Many of the illnesses are from poor living conditions, living in filth and with bugs. Diseases are spread through bug bites. Diseases like HIV and Aids are easily spread through a multitude of ways. Diseases re spread through the movement of soldiers and refugees, few HIV testing sites, mass amounts of untreated sexual diseases, human trafficking, sexual abuse, prostitution, and diseased blood transfusions. Due to the ongoing wars and conflicts, it has made it difficult to set up an organization for stopping the spread of these diseases. Because of how poor the civilians are, they have no money for medical help, which is expensive and required to be paid in advance in full cash. The Democratic Republic of Congo is not only rich with minerals but is also a great agricultural location. The general temperature ranges between 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a region covered with rainforest and savanna areas. The farming is done mainly in the open savanna areas. Some of the major cash crops include peanuts, beans, bananas, plantains, rice, yams, and sugarcane. Cottee is also a major crop grown here. It is one of the most exported natural resource. Most of the farming is done through the Feronia Arable Farming division. Smaller farmers often use the slash and burn method of farming nearer the rainforest. This method however, is destroying the environment and the rainforest. Using the slash and burn method it takes around fifteen years before the burned field can recover and be used again making the farmers cut down more and more of the rainforest to sustain products and and income. The Democratic Republic of Congo is an up and coming nation it requires vast amounts of revision with the nation’s government system, the conflicts with other countries need to be amended, and laws should be more strictly enforced to create a working nation. The DRC has the potential to be one of the richest nations in Africa by way of its large mineral reserves and demand on the natural resources cultivated here. Major reforms need to be made before this country thrives.

Supernovas Essays - Astronomy, Star Types, Matter, Nature

Supernovas Essays - Astronomy, Star Types, Matter, Nature Supernovas A supernova is a STAR that explodes. It suddenly increases in brightness by a factor of many billions, and within a few weeks it slowly fades. In terms of the human lifespan, such explosions are rare occurrences. In our Milky Way galaxy, for example, a supernova may be observed every few hundred years. Three such explosions are recorded in history: in 1054, in 1572, and in 1604. The CRAB NEBULA consists of material ejected by the supernova of 1054. Such materials, known as supernova remnants, are common in the heavens. The supernovas observed in modern times have all occurred in other galaxies, the most distant yet having been detected in 1988 in a galaxy 5 billion light-years away. The most interesting supernova of recent times was detected in the relatively nearby Large MAGELLANIC CLOUD, on Feb. 23, 1987, by an astronomer at Chile's Las Campanas Observatory. It quickly became an object of intense study by all the means available to modern astronomy. A supernova may radiate more energy in a few days than the Sun does in 100 million years, and the energy expended in ejecting material is much greater even than this. In many cases, including the Crab nebula supernova, the stellar remnant left behind after the explosion is a NEUTRON STARa star only a few kilometers in diameter having an enormously large density and consisting mainly of neutronsor a PULSAR, a pulsating neutron star. There are two common types of supernovas, called type I and type II. Type I occurs among old stars of small mass, whereas type II occurs among very young stars of large mass. It is not known how a small-mass star can release the very large amounts of energy needed to explain type I supernovas. Scientists generally believe that this must involve binary systemstwo stars revolving around each other. In such a system one of the stars is a WHITE DWARF, a small, dense star that is near the end of its nuclear burning phase. After attracting matter from the companion star for some time, the white dwarf eventually collapses with a great rush, becoming a neutron star, and ejecting matter outward. This rebound of matter is thought to be the supernova. Stars with large masses burn their nuclear fuel very rapidly. Within a million years or less, such stars build cores containing much iron. When the iron eventually burns, energy is quickly drained from the core, and the star cannot continue to support itself against gravity. It suffers a mighty collapse analogous to that of a type I supernova, and the rebound causes matter to be ejected in a type II supernova explosion. Stars ending in this way are typically red SUPERGIANTS, but the one that exploded as 1987A was a blue star, named Sanduleak, with a mass only about 15 times that of the Sun. Its pattern of brightening and fading also varied notably from that of typical type II supernovas, and an as yet unexplained mystery spot appeared some time after the explosion, apparently near to Sanduleak's former location. In 1989 astronomers thought that they had detected an extremely fast-spinning pulsar at that location, but much further data is still needed before this finding is confirmed. Cosmologists estimate that the Universe came into existence about 15 billion years ago. This involved the initial creation of hydrogen and helium. Since then nuclear fusion in stars has changed some of the original hydrogen and helium into heavier elements (see STELLAR EVOLUTION). Supernovas have played an important role both in producing the heavy elements and in ejecting material back into space, where it has been used to make new stars and, probably, PLANETARY SYSTEMS. It is possible that one or more supernovas exploded shortly before the formation of our solar system. Elements ejected from these explosions could have mixed with the solar nebula, eventually becoming part of the structures of the Sun, the Earth, and all living things. Bibliography : Clark, D. W., and Stephenson, F. R., eds., Historical Supernovae (1977); Jastrow, Robert, and Thompson, Malcolm, Astronomy (1984); Marschall, Laurence A., The Supernova Story (1988); Murdin, Paul and Leslie, Supernovae (1985); Shy, Frank, The Physical Universe (1982); Woosley, Stan, and Weaver, Tom, The Great Supernova of 1987, Scientific American, August 1989; Zeilik, Michael, and Gaustad, John, Astronomy (1983).

Reaction paper to film, A Question of Color essays

Reaction paper to film, A Question of Color essays The film, A Question of Color, taught me a lot about the psychology behind discrimination within the African American race. The film reminded me even more of the continuous discrimination African Americans face, yet it bothered me to know that I too am a participant in that discrimination. We are the products of a society that treats African Americans as second-class citizens. It seems like the closer a persons appearance is to the African image, the farther that person is from the white idea of beauty. I think I can say with certainty that we all have associated a persons character with the tone of their skin. If not as an enlightened adult, then for sure we all have done so as children. The film pointed out that our society teaches us that white is right; the closer a person is to white, the better off that person is perceived to be. The film also made me more aware of the detrimental psychological lessons that African Americans have learned about their value in this society. The film noted how some other non-Caucasian groups have sought to emulate the white ideas about beauty, but it has not eroded their sense of worth as it has done African Americans. I thought the footage of Malcolm X in the film telling of the white mans plot to keep African Americans down by making African Americans devalue who they are, was effective in getting that point across. This was also evident, when an African American mother and her two sons were eating breakfast, and the older brother teasingly asked the younger brother if he ever wished he was light skinned, the younger brother did not have to say a word; his answer was all over his face and it was obvious it made him uncomfortable. In his young mind he already knew that his darker skin was less desirable. Socialization had already taught him that people with lighter compl exions are better in some way than those with darker complexions. ...

Ken Kesey, Novelist and Hero of 1960s Counterculture

Ken Kesey, Novelist and Hero of 1960s Counterculture Ken Kesey was an American writer who attained fame with his first novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. He helped define the 1960s as both an innovative author and a flamboyant catalyst of the hippie movement. Fast Facts: Ken Kesey Born: September 17, 1935, in La Junta, ColoradoDied: November 10, 2001 in Eugene, OregonParents: Frederick A. Kesey and Geneva SmithSpouse: Norma Faye HaxbyChildren: Zane, Jed, Sunshine, and ShannonEducation: University of Oregon and Stanford UniversityMost Important Published Works: One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest (1962), Sometimes a Great Notion (1964). Known For: In addition to being an influential author, he was the leader of the Merry Pranksters and helped launch the 1960s counterculture and hippie movement. Early Life Ken Kesey was born September 17, 1935, in La Junta, Colorado. His parents were farmers, and after his father served in World War II, the family moved to Springfield, Oregon. Growing up, Kesey spent much of his time in the outdoors, fishing, hunting, and camping with his father and brothers. He also became involved in sports, especially high school football and wrestling, exhibiting a fierce drive to succeed. He picked up a love of storytelling from his maternal grandmother and a love of reading from his father. As a child he read typical fare for American boys at the time, including western tales by Zane Grey and the Tarzan books of Edgar Rice Burroughs. He also became an ardent fan of comic books. Attending the University of Oregon, Kesey studied journalism and communications. He excelled as a collegiate wrestler as well as at writing. After graduating from college in 1957, he won a scholarship to a prestigious writing program at Stanford University. Kesey married his high school girlfriend, Fay Haxby, in 1956. The couple moved to California for Kesey to attend Stanford and fell into a lively crowd of artists and writers. Classmates of Kesey included writers Robert Stone and Larry McMurtry. Kesey, with his outgoing and competitive personality, was often the center of attention and the Kesey house in a neighborhood called Perry Lane became a popular gathering place for literary discussions and parties. The atmosphere at Stanford was inspiring. Teachers in the writing program included authors Frank OConnor, Wallace Stegner, and Malcolm Cowley. Kesey learned to experiment with his prose. He wrote a novel, Zoo, which was based on the bohemian residents of San Francisco. The novel was never published, but it was an important learning process for Kesey. To make extra money while in graduate school, Kesey became a paid subject in experiments studying the effects of drugs on the human mind. As part of the US Army studies, he was given psychedelic drugs, including lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and instructed to report on its effects. After ingesting the drugs and experiencing profound effects, Keseys writing was transformed, as was his personality. He became fascinated with the potential of psychoactive chemicals, and began experimenting with other substances. Success and Rebellion While working a part-time job as an attendant in a mental ward, Kesey was inspired to write what became his breakthrough novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, published in 1962. One night, while taking peyote and observing patients in the mental ward, Kesey conceived the story of the inmates in a prison mental hospital. The narrator of his novel, the Native American Chief Broom, sees the world through a mental haze influenced by Keseys drug experiences. The protagonist, McMurphy, has feigned mental illness to avoid laboring on a prison work farm. Once inside the asylum, he finds himself subverting the rules imposed by the institutions rigid authority figure, Nurse Ratched. McMurphy became a classic American rebel character. A teacher from Stanford, Malcolm Cowley, had given him editorial advice, and with Cowleys guidance Kesey turned undisciplined prose, some of it written while under the influence of psychedelics, into a powerful novel. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest was published to positive reviews and Keseys career seemed assured. He wrote a another novel, Sometimes a Great Notion, the story of an Oregon logging family. It wasnt as successful, but by the time it was published Kesey had essentially moved beyond mere writing. The theme of rebellion vs. conformity became a central theme in both his writing and his life. The Merry Pranksters By 1964 he had gathered a collection of eccentric friends, dubbed the Merry Pranksters, who experimented with psychedelic drugs and multi-media art projects. That year, Kesey and the Pranksters traveled across America, from the West Coast to New York City, on a garishly painted converted school bus they named Further. (The name was originally misspelled as Furthur, and appears that way in some accounts.) Dressed in colorful patterned clothes, a few years before hippie fashion became widely known, they naturally attracted stares. That was the point. Kesey and his friends, which included Neal Cassady, the prototype for Dean Moriarity in Jack Kerouacs novel On the Road, delighted in shocking people. Merry Pranksters on Further, their fabled bus, in San Franciso, 1965. Getty Images Kesey had brought along a supply of LSD, which was still legal. When the bus was pulled over by the police on several occasions, the Pranksters explained they were filmmakers. The drug culture that would scandalize America was still a few years in the future, and the cops seemed to shrug off the Pranksters as something akin to eccentric circus performers. An official from the Smithsonian was quoted as saying it was not a typical bus, adding Its historical context is important for what it meant to the literary world of a certain generation. The original bus, the article noted, was at that time rusting away in an Oregon field. It never was acquired by the Smithsonian, though Kesey at times pranked reporters into believing he was preparing to drive it cross-country and present it to the museum. The Acid Tests Back on the West Coast in 1965, Kesey and the Pranksters organized a series of parties they called The Acid Tests. The events featured the ingestion of LSD, bizarre films and slide shows, and free-form rock music by a local band, which soon began calling itself the Grateful Dead. The events became notorious, as did a party at Keseys ranch in La Honda, California, which was attended by other counterculture heroes, including poet Allen Ginsberg and journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Kesey became the heroic main character of journalist Tom Wolfes deeply reported chronicle of the San Francisco hippie scene, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. The Wolfe book solidified Keseys reputation as a leader of the burgeoning counterculture. And the basic pattern of the acid tests, exuberant parties with rampant drug use, rock music, and light shows, set a pattern which became standard in rock concerts for years. Kesey was arrested for possession of marijuana and briefly fled to Mexico to avoid going to jail. When he returned, he was sentenced to six months on a prison farm. Once released he backed off from active involvement in hippie adventures, settled with his wife and children in Oregon, and joined his relatives in the dairy business. Author Ken Kesey at a 1991 public reading. Getty Images   When the film of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest became a hit in 1975, Kesey objected to how it had been adapted. However, the film was wildly successful, sweeping the 1976 Oscars with five awards, including Best Picture. Despite Keseys refusal to even watch the film, it propelled him from his quiet life on an Oregon farm back into the public eye. Over time he began writing and publishing again. His later novels were not as successful as his first one, but he regularly attracted a devoted following at public appearances. As something of a hippie elder statesman, Kesey continued to write and give speeches until his death. Ken Kesey died in Eugene, Oregon, on November 10, 2001. His obituary in The New York Times called him the Pied Piper of the hippie era and a magnetic leader who had been a bridge between the Beat writers of the 1950s and the cultural movement that began in San Francisco in the mid-1960s and spread across the world. Sources: Lehmann-Haupt, Christopher. Ken Kesey, Author of Cuckoos Nest, Who Defined the Psychedelic Era, Dies at 66. New York Times, 11 November 2001, p. 46.Kesey, Ken. Gale Contextual Encyclopedia of American Literature, vol. 2, Gale, 2009, pp. 878-881. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Kesey, Ken. The Sixties in America Reference Library, edited by Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast, vol. 2: Biographies, UXL, 2005, pp. 118-126. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Having single sex schools in the United States and the benefits of it Essay

Having single sex schools in the United States and the benefits of it - Essay Example The stakeholders involved in the production of more single-sex educational environments include parents of these young children who are responsible for promoting learning and advancing motivation for achievement related to knowledge and personal development. Additionally, teachers and the administrative environment in these schools are stakeholders as they are the driving force behind curriculum development and work consistently to create a more unified classroom environment. The students, obviously, represent another group of stakeholders who would be affected, the primary stakeholder faction, as single sex classrooms would seem to limit diversity related to gender socialization. All of these stakeholders are affected by the decision to segregate genders in the classroom and it would, ultimately, impact the quality of education and learning. Having identified the key stakeholders affected, it is important to recognize the many positive advantages of single sex classrooms. Research o n these types of educational environments indicates that single sex schools have constructive benefits, especially for young girls. Girls in single sex classrooms are more prone to speak freely, have a higher tendency to major in science and mathematics, and are more motivated to attend college or graduate school (Sadker & Zittleman, 9). Thus, there is evidence that socialization is improved and motivation to learn beyond the public school environment is enhanced in this type of environment. Another case study identified that children in single sex classrooms developed a stronger sense of community and exhibited a much stronger respect for the educator (www2.ed.gov, x). This same case study research further reinforced the quality of a single sex educational environment by uncovering that a more optimistic student role modeling occurred when compared to coed schools (www2.ed.gov). The reasoning behind whey these social factors were improved in single sex schools is unclear, however i t may be a byproduct of a closer camaraderie between students or the provision of an educator that is intensely familiar with one specific gender and can therefore provide more than just knowledge, but focus on gender-specific psychological factors as part of their curriculum program. One notable public figure, Hillary Clinton, also supports the existence of single sex environments, being quoted as remarking, â€Å"Certainly, there should not be any obstacle to providing single sex choice within the public school system. We could use more schools such as this† (brighterchoice.org, 1). Clinton is referring to the Young Women’s Leadership Academy in New York City as the reference for her opinion on single sex schools, citing the positive achievements gleaned from a case study single sex school environment. Her rationale for this assessment is unclear, however it reinforces that even top level public figures believe that coed schools should not be the only option availabl e in today’s society since they have been proven to achieve encouraging results in educational provision and life-long learning. Women’s rights groups, however, are the largest opponent of single sex schools as they believe it suppresses women’s rights. One adversary of single sex education cited the Bush administration’s alleged attempt to remove gender equality from schools as a rationale for opposing gender-segregated classrooms. â€Å"

The Impact of Cinematography and Editing Options Movie Review

The Impact of Cinematography and Editing Options - Movie Review Example The paper will analyze the movie Wizard of Oz. Cinematography and editing options like color, focus, transitions, lighting, and camera shots influence the placement and movement of characters and props in the scene showing Dorothy leaving Kansas for Oz (Leroy, 1939). Black and white colors defined movies produced in the 1930s (Dirks, n.d). However, the movie Wizard of Oz was the first movie of the 1930s to depict multiple colors as seen in the camera shot below (Leroy, 1939). The above camera shot shows the lighting placed between the character and the foreground. Apparently, the cinematographer moved the rear light behind the plant and on the right side of the shot but in front of the main character. Additionally, there are two front lights positioned in front of this character. The left light is on the lower side while the right light is on the high side, which facilitates the highlight of Dorothy and the colored plant with no visible shadows. The cinematographer did the camera sho t with a backdrop shot of the black and white house on the background that defined immense creativity at the time. Indeed, the producers introduce the first color shot in the film when the main character opens the door to see Oz and the yellow brick road that leads to this destination (Leroy, 1939). The cinematographer relies on double exposed film to blur Dorothy’s image depicting a dream. The camera shot shown below shows a spiraling house with the main character on it defining the journey to Oz (Leroy, 1939).

Transformational Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Transformational Leadership - Research Paper Example The following questions would like (Drenkard, 2013)wise be appropriately addressed: (1) is the style currently being used? (2) Has it been revised? (3) If it is being used, in what area is it used most often? The chosen leadership style would be expounded, as stated; and provide details if it was found to have a place in health care today. The definition of transformational leadership was described by Johnson & Potts (2012) as an â€Å"action-based leadership style that recognizes the need for change, which is guided by admirable influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized attention† (p. 12). This was corroborated by Clavelle (2012) who described transformational leadership as â€Å"striving for open communication and fostering change in an environment of shared leadership and decision making† (p. 345). From these definitions, it could be deduced that as perceived from the word ‘tranform’, this style of leadership aims to change some facets of the work setting towards remarkable improvement, growth, and professional development. In fact, Leach (2005) emphasized that â€Å"transformational leadership is a suitable approach in organizations requiring change, development, initiative, and creativity in turbulent and uncertain environments† (p. 228). T his statement therefore indicates that there are some conditions or situations that were deemed to be emergent prior to confirming that the tranformational leadership style is appropriate. The conditions include: (1) current status being in a turbulent or substandard scenarios; (2) there are opportunities seen that would significantly improve the current work environmen; and (3) proposed changes would bring the organization or its stakeholders to unprecedented heights of professional growth. The concept of transformational leadership, reported to have been initiated in 1978, was attributed to

Dp# edmond Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Dp# edmond - Assignment Example s the employers in not just understanding the potential employees but it also assist in protecting the welfare of their interest groups such as the current employees, partners, customers as well as financial regulations of the company (133). Information from social media ca help employers receive some insights about the potential employees which is particularly important in some jobs such as in day cares and hospitals that deals with minors. Information on shared on Facebook should never be private hence job applicant should ensure that private matters that they may not want people to be aware of, should never be shard on social media platforms. By seeking some information on social media, employers are able to minimize some risks associated with sensitive departments such as finance and administration (134). The case of Edmond can be strengthened by adding more examples of some of the jobs that require detailed background information on the life of the potential job seekers. By listing only one case lowers the backing of access to Facebook account by employers. Firms dealing with intelligence services need to have access to the Facebook accounts of their potential employees. This is because, the firms deal with very crucial matters that need not to be shared to the public owing to their great

What music means to me. Rock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What music means to me. Rock - Essay Example 27). I believe this is a thoroughly accurate and insightful comment about the role that music plays in the human experience. If we look around to the different periods and different cultures of the world throughout humankind’s history, we see music as one of the few timeless facts of existence. Music is touching, as Mr. Joel says, because it expresses the inexpressible. In other words, it allows us to connect to concepts, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and the knowledge of other people, just by the simple act of listening. Going from the beginning of my life to the present moment, I can think quite clearly of the defining soundtrack to that progression of events. Starting in the mid- to late-1970s, which was during my childhood years, I can recall bits and pieces of my favorite music. I know that classics like â€Å"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer† and other Christmas songs were still very much popular. More generally, however, I remember Schoolhouse Rock! very vividly be ing a big hit at my school and with my parents. Schoolhouse Rock! was a television program that had a number of hit musical recordings for children. I think that the social aspect of Schoolhouse Rock! helps me remember so much about it, partly because it was so incredibly popular with kids my age. I preferred â€Å"Science Rock† the most, probably because it reflected my young interest in the sciences, particularly space and physics. It would make me feel happy about my love of learning as a young kid in physics class. Also from my childhood, I remember loving Mister Rogers Neighborhood and the songs he would sing to his television audience. His voice is iconic of my time as a young child growing up in front of the television. In my adolescence, between 1984 and 1991, my taste in music started to be influenced by my family and friends. In 1984, at 11, Stevie Wonder was my favorite performer. His song â€Å"I Just Called to Say I Love You† struck me for Stevie’s great singing ability and skill as an instrumentalist and lyricist. At about 13, I began to like the music that my friends liked. In 1987, I remember Guns N’ Roses’ â€Å"Welcome to the Jungle† being extremely popular, along with U2’s â€Å"With or Without You†. Listening to this music helped me feel connected with others, just like the children’s music of the 1970s had the decade before. Nevertheless, this new style of rock music that was emerging did give me an element of rebelliousness that pop music from singers like Whitney Houston and Rick Astley lacked. Accordingly, I tended to like the heavier rock more. My taste for heavy rock continued in that direction for much of the remainder of the 1980s. I bought tape cassettes from Quiet Riot, Def Leppard, and Whitesnake, all of whom really represented the youth of that time. In line with Billy Joel’s insight, I think the music I listened to helped give me a point of contact with other young people at that time. Moving away from the 1980s and toward today, I no longer associate hard rock or metal with comfort. Rather, I find comfort in contemporary R&B music. â€Å"R&B† stands for â€Å"rhythm and blues†, and refers to music that combines elements of hip-hop, soul, and funk (George, 2003, p. 23). Contemporary R&B is polished with saxophone sounds, drum machine rhythms, and talented vocalists. In terms of finding comfort in music, I usually turn to voices like Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, and Jamie Foxx, who all represent that genre of music. When I am feeling disappointment or stress, this music helps me put my problems into perspective. Because much R&B music deals with grander problems, it helps me realize that some of the challenges I face do not compare in size and scope with those being sung about in R&B music.

Bridget Jones Diary as the New Feminism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Bridget Jones Diary as the New Feminism - Essay Example Her lack of a love interest is the primary concern of her mother and the dominant thought in her mind. She spends the entire movie trying to work out her life in an acceptable fashion, working to try to choose between two men that continue to enter her social sphere. However, it is only when she is under the right male influence that she is able to achieve any kind of the stability and direction necessary to move forward in her life. Her greatest challenge, then, is to determine which man is the right one to help her move forward. All of her other accomplishments to that point have amounted to virtually nothing as a result of her flighty, feminine ways. Although one of the men in the story turns out to be just as flighty and directionless, this fact doesn’t emerge until near the end of the story, allowing both men throughout much of the movie to appear as though they are the quintessential man, strong and sturdy in their differing beliefs and goals and equally capable of provi ding Bridget with her needed stabilizing influence. Seen in this light, it is difficult to understand why the book and subsequent film became so popular with a contemporary audience. This paper is an attempt to explain this popularity and examine its significance in context of the ‘second wave feminism.’

What music means to me. Rock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What music means to me. Rock - Essay Example 27). I believe this is a thoroughly accurate and insightful comment about the role that music plays in the human experience. If we look around to the different periods and different cultures of the world throughout humankind’s history, we see music as one of the few timeless facts of existence. Music is touching, as Mr. Joel says, because it expresses the inexpressible. In other words, it allows us to connect to concepts, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and the knowledge of other people, just by the simple act of listening. Going from the beginning of my life to the present moment, I can think quite clearly of the defining soundtrack to that progression of events. Starting in the mid- to late-1970s, which was during my childhood years, I can recall bits and pieces of my favorite music. I know that classics like â€Å"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer† and other Christmas songs were still very much popular. More generally, however, I remember Schoolhouse Rock! very vividly be ing a big hit at my school and with my parents. Schoolhouse Rock! was a television program that had a number of hit musical recordings for children. I think that the social aspect of Schoolhouse Rock! helps me remember so much about it, partly because it was so incredibly popular with kids my age. I preferred â€Å"Science Rock† the most, probably because it reflected my young interest in the sciences, particularly space and physics. It would make me feel happy about my love of learning as a young kid in physics class. Also from my childhood, I remember loving Mister Rogers Neighborhood and the songs he would sing to his television audience. His voice is iconic of my time as a young child growing up in front of the television. In my adolescence, between 1984 and 1991, my taste in music started to be influenced by my family and friends. In 1984, at 11, Stevie Wonder was my favorite performer. His song â€Å"I Just Called to Say I Love You† struck me for Stevie’s great singing ability and skill as an instrumentalist and lyricist. At about 13, I began to like the music that my friends liked. In 1987, I remember Guns N’ Roses’ â€Å"Welcome to the Jungle† being extremely popular, along with U2’s â€Å"With or Without You†. Listening to this music helped me feel connected with others, just like the children’s music of the 1970s had the decade before. Nevertheless, this new style of rock music that was emerging did give me an element of rebelliousness that pop music from singers like Whitney Houston and Rick Astley lacked. Accordingly, I tended to like the heavier rock more. My taste for heavy rock continued in that direction for much of the remainder of the 1980s. I bought tape cassettes from Quiet Riot, Def Leppard, and Whitesnake, all of whom really represented the youth of that time. In line with Billy Joel’s insight, I think the music I listened to helped give me a point of contact with other young people at that time. Moving away from the 1980s and toward today, I no longer associate hard rock or metal with comfort. Rather, I find comfort in contemporary R&B music. â€Å"R&B† stands for â€Å"rhythm and blues†, and refers to music that combines elements of hip-hop, soul, and funk (George, 2003, p. 23). Contemporary R&B is polished with saxophone sounds, drum machine rhythms, and talented vocalists. In terms of finding comfort in music, I usually turn to voices like Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, and Jamie Foxx, who all represent that genre of music. When I am feeling disappointment or stress, this music helps me put my problems into perspective. Because much R&B music deals with grander problems, it helps me realize that some of the challenges I face do not compare in size and scope with those being sung about in R&B music.