How Does America Solve Food Deserts Essay - 1034 Words

How does America Solve Food Deserts? In Eric Holt-Gimenez’s article, â€Å"The Fight over Food Deserts: Corporate America Smacks Its Way Down†, the author provides answers the food desert epidemic facing the United States today. A food desert is an area in which fresh and nutritious food is not readily available to the masses. Whether it be because of economic or geographic reasons, the fresh ingredients are often scarce and expensive. Gimenez first addresses the corporate aspect of food desert problem and how the big box companies are looking to take advantage of impoverished neighborhoods (Holt-Gimenez 525). Next, Gimenez states a solution to the problem; improving wages for the working class, not providing big business with more money to move into local areas(Holt-Gimenez 526-527). While I agree with Gimenez that having the government fund the big chain stores is not the solution; I do not think that raising the minimum wage is the answer. To solve the food desert pr oblem, the farmers and local grocers need to be funded by the government. First, our nationwide economy cannot support a minimum wage of something like $15 per hour. The United States dollar is not the same in Idaho as it is in Washington. Our dollar carries different values per state and the state by state minimum wages support this. In Washington, the minimum wage is $9.49, while Idaho has the nationally allowed low of $7.25. This can be attributed to a variety of reasons: exports, education, and availabilityShow MoreRelatedFood Deserts Essay865 Words   |  4 PagesFood deserts are one of the main causes of obesity in lower income areas, and while initiatives are being created to solve this problem, more than just a few initiatives are needed to change the obesity issue. Over 60 million people are obese in the world today. The socioeconomic statuses of the Americans play a major part in the obesity rates across the country. 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College Drinking A Major Problem That Affects The Lives Of...

Josh Roy Essay 3 Final College drinking a major problem that affects the lives of many College drinking is a major problem and it affects the lives of students their families and the community. As the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website notes: â€Å"About four out of five college students drink alcohol. . .† (â€Å"College Drinking†). The Affects of alcohol have impacted the lives of many people. I believe drinking is a problem, and believe that it is a problem that it is often overlooked by Parents, colleges, and students. Parents, colleges, and students need to learn about college drinking, the factors that make it a problem, and how to prevent students from drinking while attending college or limit†¦show more content†¦. .† (â€Å"College Drinking†). My good friend John was one of those students that felt he had to drink to fit in. He was pressured into drinking when he started college. John never drank alcohol till his first year in college. He was against drinking he did not feel he needed alcohol to fit i n and could have fun without it. The people john hung with drank a lot and hosted a lot of parties. Overtime John said he felt the students looked down on him for not wanting to drink at the parties so he started to drink. The students told him everybody drinks and that it would not hurt him if he had a few drinks once in a while but they were wrong. Next addiction and binge drinking; both are problems related to college drinking. As the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website notes: Research shows that more than 80 percent of college students drink alcohol, and almost half report binge drinking in the past 2 weeks. . . .† (â€Å"College Drinking†). Over time john started to drink on a weekly basis and eventually became addicted to alcohol and started drinking almost every day. It was so easy for him to get alcohol there was always a party going on that had alcohol. John started to miss class and his grades started to drop. All john wanted to do was drink and after the first semester of his sophomore year he

West Side Story Free Essays

string(86) " first dance showdown between the White Americans and the Latin American adolescents\." In the context of 1960s, chain gangs and gang wars are prevalent between Latin and White American adolescents. For the reason that the White American adolescents despise and discriminate against the Latin Americans (particularly the Puerto Rican race), the Whites resort to bully the minorities and they even ostracize the Latin Americans by depriving them of their rights to use recreation places like the street’s basketball court, food houses, and the like upon believing that the White Americans are the most superior and the better race than the Latin Americans; and in so doing, the White Americans perceive and believe that should not mingle with those inferior and minority race (such that of the Latin Americans as an example) who were different from them (Brian 2005). Moreover, in this movie directed in 1961 by Jerome Robbins Robert Wise entitled: West Side Story, the conflict between the two opposing races namely the White and the Latin Americans was further described through presentation of some prevailing scenarios that the Latin Americans unjust encounter and experience with the White Americans. We will write a custom essay sample on West Side Story or any similar topic only for you Order Now Body The West Side Story is a movie adapted from Broadway’s musicale. It was an adaptation of the infamous Shakespearean play, Romeo and Juliet (UAPI 2009). Starred by Natalie Wood as â€Å"Maria,† Richard Beymer as â€Å"Tony,† and George Chakiris as â€Å"Bernardo,† the rest of supporting characters of the film includes: Russ Tamblyn as â€Å"Riff,† Rita Moreno as â€Å"Anita,† Simon Oakland as â€Å"Lieutenant Schrank,† Ned Glass as whom they call â€Å"Doc,† William Bramley (as the notorious police of the street) named, â€Å"Officer Krupke,† Tucker Smith as â€Å"Ice,† Tony Mordente as â€Å"Action,† Eliot Feld as the â€Å"Baby John,† and lastly, David Winters, as the one who portrayed the character of â€Å"A-Rab (Shulman 1961). † The Plot of the West Side Story The Movie West Side Story was depicted in the life of the citizens of the White and Latin Americans living in the 1950’s in Manhattan streets of the United States. A division was clearly evident as it was created and recognized by the adolescents of the east coast and west coast of Manhattan. The setting begins in the mentioned streets of Manhattan as a self-gratifying and self-centered musical song was sung by the Jets (the name for the White Americans’ gang and clique). Throughout the song sung by the Jets, the Puerto Ricans/Latin American adolescent gang led by Bernardo were discriminated and ostracized. First instance was when a fruit held by one of the Sharks (the name of the Latin adolescent Americans)–it was abruptly grabbed by another member of the Jets without consent and respect to the quiet Latino. Moreover, the Latin Americans/ Puerto Ricans were mostly driven away and out of establishments and public leisure places. It was evident in the entire film that the height of discrimination and prejudice occurred in the late 1950s to early 1960s and it was shown how the Latinos were mostly bullied by the White Americans (Dirks 1961). The setting of the West Side Story is at the basketball court of Manhattan. Even if the scenario in the court, it was obvious that the Latin Americans were discriminated as they were not favored to play in the same court with the White Americans. It was evident however, that there was a rival even in basketball for the two different races. Furthermore, a representative member of the Jets (White American adolescents) vandalized a wall and wrote: â€Å"Sharks stink! Upon catching this adolescent in the act, the Sharks saw what the White American adolescent did and so they chased after him and the riot between the White and the Latin Americans began (Howe 2003). The Sharks (East side) and the Jets (West side) A hot-tempered and authoritative cop was assigned in monitoring the activities of the two distinct groups, The Sharks and Jets. The cop’s name was Officer Krupke, played by the actor William Bramley. Officer Krupke’s major task and obligation is to control and to minimize the rate of crime and therefore maintain peace and order in the streets of Manhattan. Meanwhile, the Jets (West side) were preoccupied in praising themselves with all pride and self-centered egoism. According to the Jets, they walk tall as they consider themselves the kings of the streets in Manhattan. The Jets perceive that the east side, Sharks (the Latin Americans) were a threat to their dream of being the king of the streets, in so doing, the Jets consisting of the White Americans just would not stop throwing mock at the Latinos and drive them away wherever the Jets hang out. Further, the Sharks or the Latin Americans led by Bernardo just kept themselves mum at a time just to keep their group away from trouble. However their threshold of patience was reached at a certain point of them when Bernardo was mocked by the cop, Officer Krupke himself—showing that he was in favor of the White Americans. In this case, Bernardo decided he would stand up for his group and race and they decided to fight in defense of those Jets and other White Americans who interfere with their freedom and right of peace (RC 2008). Upon Bernardo’s (leader of the Sharks in west side) and his group’s implicit decision to fight for their right of freedom, respect, and peace in Manhattan, they resort to fight with the Jets in a dance showdown. From that dance, the difference of the two cultures was shown in terms of their specialties in music genre: the Latinos were good dancers of boogie, salsa, twist, and cha-cha, whereas for the white Americans, they are good dancers but not as good and as creative dancers as the Latin Americans. During the dance showdown, two eyes met as if they were magnetized to notice each other inspite of the numerous Sharks and Jets dancing on the floor. The two love birds were Maria (played by the famous Natalie Wood) and Tony (as portrayed by Richard Beymer). Maria (a Puerto Rican/ Latin American woman) fell in love at first sight with Tony ( a member of the Jets, a white American) during the first dance showdown between the White Americans and the Latin American adolescents. You read "West Side Story" in category "Papers" Further, the dance showdown halted as soon as Bernardo (Maria’s brother) noticed the undesirable scene. Bernardo obviously did not want his sister to fall in love with a White American especially with belonging in their opponent Jets (Shulman 1961). In the next scene of the film, the West side Jets claim they have departed the social norm that is why they are anti-social and juvenile delinquents. According to the songs they sing, they need help and they could not be blamed for their behavior since each one of them have their issues and problems in their families. Most of them were misunderstood and belonging in broken family set-up. At the end of their song, they address officer Krupke (RC 2008). The climax of this move is when the conflict between the Jets and the Sharks became intense up to the point that both parties decided to pick a fight and end their rival in duel. ON the other hand, Maria (Bernardo’s sister and Tony’s girlfriend) secretly meet with Tony even she knows that it is dangerous for the both of them. Since Tony was madly in love with Maria, he took the risk and courted Maria. However, Maria requested and pleaded her Tony to try to stop the war between the two groups. Tony, hesitant at first for the difficult request of Maria, agreed to do his best and try to stop the fight as soon as possible (Shulman 1961). The West Side Story: A grand slam receiver of Academy Awards Having been released by the United Artists in 1961, the West side story gained praise and at the same time critiques from the viewers and it also achieved the title of: â€Å"the 2nd highest grossing movie† in 1961. The West side story received a total of ten Academy awards and it achieved several nominations and recognitions in the United States. This award winning movie, West Side Story achieved success in depicting the current existing culture of the Americans (both for the White and Latin Americans) during the 1960’s. The West side story achieved several honors and Academy awards namely for the following categories: for Best Picture, considering Robert Wise is the producer; Best for Supporting Actor played by George Chakiris as â€Å"Bernardo;† Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno who portrayed the role of â€Å"Anita;† another Academy award for the film’s Best Art Direction category considering the aspects of the right choice of set color and design, claimed by Victor Gangelin and Boris Leven; Best in Cinematography category: good choice and quality for the film’s color which induces the movie’s theme, claimed by Daniel Fapp; another award of Best in Costume Design for Irene Sharaff; Best in Directing for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins; Best Academy award in Film Editing for Thomas Stanford; Award for the film’s Original Music Score and of the Musical Picture credited to Johnny Green, Saul Chaplin, Sid Ramin, and Irwin Kostal; and last but not the leas t, the West side story also gained the Academy award Academy for Best Sound as credit to Fred Hynes (Todd-AO SSD) and Gordon Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD) (Howe 2003). In addition, the West side story achieved further recognitions, awards, and nominations were the result of the cooperation of the cast and those working staff behind the scenes. In 1997, the film was promoted by the United States Library of Congress (USLC) as it has been considered as a film that is being â€Å"culturally significant† and it was chosen to be preserved in the collection of the National Film Registry. Similarly, the West side story achieved further awards and recognition as Best in Writing and Screenplay based on material from another medium, as credited to Mr. Ernest Lehman; another received award by this film is the Academy Award for Brilliant Achievements in the Art of Choreography on Film credit to and for Jerome Robbins (one of the directors of the West side story). Furthermore, the west side story achieved 1998 American Film Institution Recognition (AFI) as rating number 41 out of 100 movies in the United States. In 2002, it also gained American Film Institution Recognition (AFI) as rated number three in the Passions of the United States for 100 years. The songs used in the West side story also top rated the charts especially for the songs: Somewhere (rated number 20 for 100 years), also for the song America (rated number 35 for 100 years), and also including the song, Tonight (rated number 59 for 100 years) consecutively as recorded in 2004 charts. In 2006, it achieved recognition of100 Years of Musicals rating number 2 from AFI and apparently, the West side story achieved the recognition of 100 Years for 100 Movies in its tenth (10th) Anniversary Edition rating number 51 from AFI, as put into account in year 2007 (Howe 2003). The Soundtrack used in the West Side Story In order for a great multi-million dollar winning movie to become possible, the choice of songs as background music for the movie’s soundtrack plays a very important factor in determining the success of the movie. Originally, the West side story was a musical created by Johnny Richards. In 1961, West side story was adapted and recorded by the Stan Kenton Orchestra as musical collection jazz orchestra using Bernstein scores. However the Stan Kenton Orchestra’s version was viewed and evaluated by the film directors of the West side story, it was the different version of musicale from the musicale included in the ongoing film. In fact, upon seeing the Stan’s orchestra jazz version, the directors claim that they should have used Stan’s version as soundtrack of the film but it was too late and a new and different version was created by the song directors to be used in the West side story. Although The Stan Kenton’s version was not used as the basis of musicale background of the film, it gained a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Recording of a large group in 1962 (Shulman 196). This is not saying that West side story was free from flaws and considered therefore as perfect, but it was generally agreed by majority that the film was a good and timely musicale reflecting the current cultural norms and values of the Americans in 1960s. In manner of clothing, perception of power, basis for conflict, the prevalent prejudice and discrimination, and the diverse nature of language, music, and dance steps. The difference between the White and Latin Americans was explicitly described and presented in the portrayal of the main and supporting characters of the movie (RC 2008). Characteristics of the Characters in West side story Described as â€Å"New York’s classic of the 1960s,’’ West side story was astoundingly studded with magnificent and good starts who sang the songs like Tonight, Maria, I Feel Pretty, America, Officer Krupke, A Place for Us, and I Have Love (citation). Although Maria was criticized for delivering some lines the songs with uncertain accent, the musicale was a success for its overall success in portraying the life and culture of the adolescent, White and Latin Americans in 1960s. The characters of the West side story played a major role in making the film on of the best musicale created in the United States. First and foremost, Rita Moreno (girlfriend of Bernardo) and the one who played the role of â€Å"Anita,† delivered a great portrayal of her character in the movie. Anita, as a Latin American, was a graceful and flexible dancer, and at the same time, was good singer as she sang some songs in the film. Similarly, Russ Tamblyn, who played the role of Rif, was the persuasive leader of the Westside Jets and portrayed his character fairly as well. Having been playing the role of Maria, Natalie Wood portrayed her character as an innocent-looking, young, and a graceful dancer and singer, Maria. The character Maria fell in love with Tony, the member of the Jets gang in the west side. On the other hand, George Chakiris playing the role of Bernardo, as the brother of Maria and leader of the Sharks in the East side, portrayed the role of a discriminated leader of a minority group of the Latino adolescents in Manhattan. Bernardo could be quiet and soft spoken at times but he has the tendency for aggression to assert himself and represent his group in defending their race against discrimination and prejudice of the white Americans. Most and the rest of the characters exerted their best performance level in portraying their roles for the West side story (UAPI 2009). The Significance and Recommendation of the West side story Thought the West side story was just presented in such a simple way, it successfully addressed the important issues and problems in the society existing long, long time ago at the onset of 1960s and still exists nowadays. The social issues of family set up of the adolescents (particularly as sung by the Jets), the lack of attention parents and school personnel who should aid the personality development of the disturbed adolescents, the racial issues, conflict, discrimination and prejudice existing among culturally-diverse communities, increased the awareness of the viewers (who may be a parent, a policymaker, or district guidance counselor) and so, they could devise ways and create programs for the benefit of the currently growing adolescents. Even if the culture describe in the film was during the 1960’s it is obvious that discrimination and prejudice is still occurring in some communities in the United States; in so doing, this film may serve as a guide for the adolescents and the adults to address and provide solutions to current problems in the society and its members—especially for the benefit of the adolescents who are in pressing need of guidance, understanding, attention, and advice from the adults. In such case, the West side story is must-seen (UAPI 2009). Indeed, the West side story is a re-tell or a remake and a musical version of the popular novel/movie Romeo and Juliet (citation). It is a musical drama with soul-inspiring and enervating song lines sung by the stars of the film. Just like the tragic Shakespearean play Romeo and Juliet, the West side story ended with a tragic accident of killing the major characters in the movie namely Bernardo and Tony. Maria was left alone by her two loved ones due to the hatred built between the Jets and the Sharks of Upper West side Manhattan, New York City (RC 2008). Compared between the rival between Montague and Capulet families of Romeo and Juliet, the gangs Jets and Sharks hate could not stand each other as well. And so the gang wars between the two different races began (war existed between the Latin and White Americans in Manhattan, New York). Thus, the creation of the West side story was just in time to support the cinema/ silver screen in competition with the shows on television popularized during the 1960s (UAPI 2009). The Staff behind the Scenes of the West side story The film version of the West side story was based from the book of Arthur Laurents having the same title. Further, the musicale collection based from the collection of musical scores of Leonard Bernstein. The lyrics of the songs sung by the stars in the West side story were composed by Stephen Sondheim. Moreover, the choreography and the musical concept were contributed of Jerome Robbins. Further, the screenplay was written by Ernest Lehman. Producers of this film were Walter Mirisch, Robert Wise, and Saul Chaplin respectively. The cinematography on the other hand, was powered by the creative mind of Daniel Fapp. Color for the film was also powered by Technicolor and thus, the film itself was taken in Panavision 700. This movie was astoundingly directed two of the greatest directors of the era: namely, Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise (UAPI 2009). The Relationship of the West side story to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet The West side story was indeed a vibrant film which is full of life among the characters. Further the Broadway musicale style of the 1961 film written by Laurents and directed by Robbins was a â€Å"hit† top-notching the charts of the best movies in 1960s in the silver screen. Replicating the tragic, Shakespearean novel, Romeo and Juliet, the West side story has the same characteristics of the play Romeo and Juliet since the lovers in the story, Tony and Maria attempted to risk the danger of having a relationship despite of their difference in their races. Maria was Puerto Rican and Tony was a White American making them members of the two opposite races (UAPI 2009). The two opposing and distinct races and ethnicities, White and Latin Americans were the focus of this movie. In order to present the differences in culture of the White and Latin Americans, the movie was able to show the attitude of White, European adolescents towards the Latin, Puerto Ricans. Further, the story was presented by producing the story using a ground-breaking, exhilarating musicale with an astounding well-performed choreography by the various outstanding artists. The West side story poses the emerging conflict present among the inhabitants of the Upper West Side Manhattan in New York City during the 1960s. The movie poses the problems of the adolescents in engaging in criminal chain and gang wars which obstructs the peace and order in the community of Upper West side New York. Moreover, in order to present such existing culture and social problems of the United States in 1960, the entire movie was taken and shot in the streets of Upper West side New York City and in Manhattan. However, some of the parts and scenes in the movie were shot and recorded on the improvised sets and studios prepared by the floor directors (UAPI 2009). In comparison of the West side story in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, The Montague family came to be the counterparts of the White American Jets in the West side story. Similarly, the Capulet family was the counterpart of the Puerto Rican/ Latin American Sharks. Relatively, Bernardo’s abduction of Riff in a gang fight (Tony’s elder brother), simulates the similar scenario of the tragic accident of Mercutio (Romeo’s friend in Romeo and Juliet) being killed by Tybalt, who appears to be Juliet’s cousin. As a result, Romeo resorted to kill Tybalt as well as a revenge for the death of his friend Mercutio. Apparently, the same related scenario of revenge in a fight simulates the scene where Tony abducted Bernardo after stabbing Tony’s elder brother, Riff. Furthermore several characters in the west side story have their counterpart or equivalent characters that portrayed similar roles in Romeo and Juliet and these are the following: Anita in the West side story portraying the â€Å"Nurse† (Juliet’s confidante in Romeo and Juliet) and Doc in the West side story portraying the role of â€Å"Friar Lawrence† in Romeo and Juliet novel. But it is to put into account that the tragic suicide of Romeo and Juliet at the end of the story was not the same with the ending of the West side story since Maria, after the death of her beloved Tony, did not kill herself but she just furiously pointed the blame to the pointless, mad desire of the Shark and Jets gang (citation). Critiques argue for the West side story that the movie was a similar recreation of other classic hit musicales like the â€Å"Gypsy† and the â€Å"Dolls. However it was interpreted that way by critiques and viewers, The West side story is considered as one of the America’s masterpiece production in the global silver screen. The West side story was a hit for it was a divergence from the current popular culture of movies in the 1960s. The unique musicale of the West side story discussed social problems in the United States: gang wars, racial discrimination, juvenile delinquencies and family problems through the songs sung by the adolescents, Jets in the entire movie (Zoglin 2009). Salient points to consider and some important scenarios in the West side story Focusing on Maria and Tony’s love affair, they seem to risk what danger could happen the moment the other members of the Sharks and Jets the get to know the forbidden relationship of Maria and Tony. When the lovers hear the arrival of Anita (Bernardo’s girlfriend) Tony quickly escaped his way out of the house and he said Maria that they should meet at the drug store owned by Doc to elope and get married. However, Anita accidentally caught the presence of Tony quickly escaping the house. Anita was startled and reacted negatively at first but she listened when Maria explained how she loved Tony so much. Inspite of Anita’s grievance over Bernardo’s death she resorts to help Maria arrange their plan of eloping and getting married. Moreover, Anita gave Maria a hint that Chino of the Sharks is after Tony to kill him with a pistol (Zoglin 2009). As the officer, Lt. Schrank arrived at Maria’s house he questioned Maria for the riot/gang wars that recently occurred between the Sharks and the Jets. Maria was careful enough for covering up Tony in order to protect him from the further questioning and investigation of the officer. Maria lured the Lt. Schrank by se nding Anita as an errand to Doc’s drugstore to buy a medicine to relieve the pain she is feeling in her head. Such action of Anita was for the purpose of delivering a message to Tony at the drugstore that Maria could not come and meet her for Maria was held as a detainee a under investigation of Lt. Schrank. However, upon entering the drugstore, Anita did not expect that she was going to be mocked by the White American, Jets. Not only this, the Jets tried to harass her as an insult to her being a â€Å"Puerto Rican. † Maria was disrespected by the rest of the Jets not giving her a chance to deliver Maria’s message for Tony. In so doing, the circumstance really made Anita really furious. Consequentially, Anita distorted the real message that she has to deliver (that Maria was detained due to Lt. Schrank’s queries) and she imparted that her message was to tell Tony that Maria was shot dead by Chino with a gun. The chaos was stopped by Doc as he yelled to them inside the drugstore and also, for the Jets to stop harassing and making fun of the Puerto Rican lady, Anita. The jets stopped and listen to the old man (Doc). However, Doc went down to the basement and checked out the hiding Tony. Further, he relayed Anita’s untrue, bad news to Tony that Maria was shot dead by Chino. So, Tony abruptly ran his way up and out of the drugstore’s basement and then he searched for Chino with desolation and hopelessness and how he’d wish that Chino would kill him as well (Zoglin 2009). While searching for Chino, Tony saw Maria on the road. The lovers were so happy to see each other again especially Tony when he thought that his beloved Maria was already dead. Suddenly, Chino appeared in the scene and shoot Tony. Maria was so startled as her lover fell on his knees and landed on Maria’s arms. Maria, trying to comfort her dying lover sang a song for him so that he will not be afraid. The lovers affirmed that if their love was not possible here, they should continue their love somewhere place as they should see each other again in their next life and in the other world. The White Jets and the Puerto Ricans Sharks ran towards the death scene together with the cops (including Officer Krupke in the scene). Maria was infuriated with the mere presence of officer Krupke and she yelled at him not to even dare to come closer the dead body of his beloved Tony. Maria took the gun from the suspect Chino and there she pointed the gun ate everyone: the Sharks and the Jets. She blamed that the death of Riff, Bernardo, and Tony was the fault of the both gangs and the result to all their selfish hatred. So for the reason that Officer Krupke was hindered by Maria to get even closer to Tony, some of the members of the Jets and Sharks took the initiative in carrying Tony’s corpse. After the tragic killings of the leaders of the Jets and Sharks in the streets of Manhattan, New York, the gang war between the two gangs was considered over (Zoglin 2009). Realism was shown and achieved in the West side story since the songs used in the entire movie were a mixture of English and Spanish songs. In order to reflect the underlying multicultural theme of the story, the songs were carefully selected and very well performed by the actors/singers. Together jam-packed with a set of dance steps, pirouette, leaps in its choreography, the overall mood of the movie was an exciting one (citation). The West side story was indeed a must-seen movie since it is very substantial and culturally significant. In order for people to understand the nature of conflict in different groups, and the reason for discrimination and prejudice, the West side story successfully presented the conflicts occurring among the adolescents resulting to their behavior problems and maladjustment in the society. In the form of musicale of songs and dances, the message of the film was carried out through the innovative and creative performances of the carefully-selected artists of the film (Zoglin 2009). Modified by Ernest Lehman, the rewrite version of the West side story had remained a striking and filled with energetic and enthusiastic songs reflected from its lyrics. Furthermore, the book version of the West side story play was containing songs which are mostly composed by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein. The talented directors of the West side story are Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Considering Robert Wise’s expertise I the field of directing, the collaboration with the professional dance choreographer, Jerome Robbins was a very intelligent decision and resulted to make the movie a real big hit in the silver screen (Zoglin 2009). Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins respectively gained recognition for the West side story. However, Jerome Robbins was pulled out of the West side story project since he was frequently the reason for procrastination of the shoots, budget-exceeding production rates, and also, Robbin’s frequent disagreement with Wise was a reason for the rest of the staff to remove him from the direction of the West side story. Robbins’ ideals for the completion of the West side story were becoming overwhelmingly expensive just for his wish to make the movie close to perfection. Four of the dynamic dance steps which Robbins choreographed in the West side story were the following: â€Å"Something’s coming,† â€Å"Prologue,† â€Å"Cool,† and â€Å"America. † The West side story is also focused on the love story of two different people having different races. However love was the foundation, Tony and Maria were separated due to hatred and violence. Tony was Maria’s first love. She loved the man inspite of the fact that they were belonging in different race and that her brother and their group of minority Puerto Rican gang (Sharks) not in good terms with the White American gang (Jets). When Maria first set her eyes with Tony, she fall (right then and there) madly in love with Tony and vice versa; these first encounter of Maria and Tony happened during the dance showdown between the Jest and the Sharks. Tony’s on the other hand, who was previously preoccupied with the activities with his gang in the West side has diverted his attention to Maria when he fell in love with her. However, considering the obvious fact that Maria’s brother, Bernardo was a leader of the Sharks and his prospect lover Tony was member of the opponent Jets, Maria still persists to pursue her forbidden and controversial love affair with Tony. Maria knows that Bernardo would never approve of her love affair with Tony for Bernardo knows how cruel, prejudicial, and discriminating the White American race was. Meanwhile, Jets Sharks just would not stop claiming right over the west side streets of New York for their gang’s territory. At first, the Sharks could be observed that they do not have any intention of keeping the streets to their own, but the Jets just would not stop bullying and discriminating, and driving them away wherever they see them. The Sharks think, especially Bernardo (as their leader) that this was too much and they believe they deserve a right to whatever the White Americans enjoy doing and hanging around. So what the Sharks did is to engage in a fight with the Jets most of the time to defend themselves from the unjust dominance of the Jets. Consequentially, the rival lead to a fight between the Jets and the Sharks and this caused the death of Riff, Bernardo, and Tony as well (Zoglin 2009). Maria requested Tony if he could no something to stop the mad fight between the two gangs. At first, Tony hesitated to give in to Mari’s request but because he loves her so much and he would love to marry her, he agreed with Maria and he said he would do everything he can to stop the war between the two gangs. The sad thing is, Tony did not expect that his brother Riff was going to be killed in the gang war. So, to avenge the sudden death of his brother in Bernardo’s hands, Tony resorts to abduct Bernardo as well due to the sudden rage of his emotions (Zoglin 2009). The 1960s showed a great importance to the subculture created by adolescent Americans. Although the Americans are a culture in itself, it has different influence of subcultures branching out and one example of this subculture is the Puerto Ricans. The multicultural society of the gangs among the adolescent White Americans and Puerto Ricans in the New York, West side community was emerged during the 1960’s where gang wars chain gangs had become eminent and widely spread in the local news (Zoglin 2009). The West side story was indeed an enticing film by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise. Similar to the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, the west side story successfully addressed the social problem of juvenile delinquency and discrimination in the multicultural society of the United States during the 1950s to 1960s. Relatively, the love story of Maria (Natalie Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer) is similar to the love story of Romeo and Juliet that the lovers crossed boundaries despite their difference in ethnicity, race, and culture. This shows that the heart does not choose the one to love. For Tony, It does not matter if Maria is a Puerto Rican, discriminated and a member of their enemy, Sharks. Same for Maria: she does not care if Tony is a white American, a mocker, discriminating, and a member of the Jets gang which is the opponent of Maria’s brother, Bernardo. The west side story was able to accomplish a creative, upbeat, and ardent choreography of dance steps and overwhelming lyrics of the songs sang by the characters in the West side story (Zoglin 2009). This invigorating and elating film is dazzling with the combination of songs and dance steps interpreting the lifestyle and culture of adolescent Americans in the United States during the 1960s. It was plausible to the extent that the prevalent gang wars among the diverging culture of the Puerto Ricans against the White Americans was portrayed in such a way that it seems less violent and therefore, there was no violent bloodshed in the movie. However, there was no need for blood-shedding, serious fight in the entire film in order to present how serious the outcome would be for engaging in gang wars of the New York streets (Zoglin 2009). Officer Shrank warned both the Jets and the Sharks to avoid fighting on his streets or else, Officer Shrank threatened the boys that he would beat the boys up. After the encounter with Officer Schrank and Officer Krupke, Riff led his group to sing a song which is praise for the Jets. The Jets despise the Sharks for they were a threat to the streets in which the Jets wants to own. He persuaded the rest of his Jets members to perceive that their gang is the most strenuous, invincible, and superior team and that they deserve the right to everything especially in the streets of the Upper West side New York. Riff was very anxious to control the spreading volume of the Sharks since it was a tendency that the Sharks might dominate the streets of New York, should the latter multiply its members. In so doing, Riff persuaded his gang mates that they should fight against the Sharks/Puerto Ricans and kill them if they have to so as to control their proliferation in the streets. The one who should win the fight would be declared as the winner and therefore, would have the right to dominate in the Manhattan streets of New York. Moreover, Riff resorts to fighting their rival gang, Sharks with deadly weapon like a dagger for instance (Zoglin 2009). Overall, the story shows that there is both a similarity and difference in the culture of the Puerto Ricans and the White Americans. Though they are different in race, color, and ethnicity, both races was shown to have the same interests like in dancing, singing, basketball, and favorite hang-outs. Because of such similarity and interests, the White American Jets, led by Riff was pissed off upon always seeing the Puerto American Sharks wherever they go and spend their time. Further, it was explicitly shown that the Jets are more confident than the Puerto Ricans since they are the majority of inhabitants or citizens in New York during the 1960s (Zoglin 2009). From a challenge to a dance night out with the Sharks, the Jets just would not stop pissing the Sharks and driving their rivals away so that the Sharks would not be a threat to their desire of keeping their authority and ownership of the streets of New York west side. But what happened in the dance was overlapped with the instance when Maria and Tony saw each other and locked each other’s eyes for long time as if they are not seeing anybody but the two of them. Bernardo caught the both of them in the act that is why he did not decide to finish the dance; hence, he took his sister’s hands and pulled her off the dance floor (citation). Because of pride, the Jets boosted their egos by singing themselves song of somewhat victorious melodic songs as if they were the superior race and the others are just second class. Riff (the current leader of the Jets) decided that Tony should be the one to coordinate the challenge of the Jets to the Sharks. At first, Tony was hesitant to give in to the request. However later on, Tony agreed to tell the message to the Sharks. For the reason that Tony was once the leader of the gang since Tony was also a mastermind in co-founding the group of White Americans. On the other hand, Maria was conversing with Anita at a bridal shop where Maria is working. Maria told Anita (Bernardo’s boyfriend), how much Maria loves Tony and that she explained to Anita that his brother Bernardo, should not be that too much, extreme protective of her (Zoglin 2009). Inspite of the distinct difference of the Puerto Ricans from the White Americans, the two divert gangs were shown to be enjoying themselves using their talents in dancing and singing which makes them similar in their interests. The gang members Sharks and Jets may have experienced conflict between their groups because of their overt difference. The majorities of the White Americans dislike the minorities of Puerto Ricans because the Whites believe and perceive that they are the strongest race, invincible, and therefore, they should walk tall and act like kings! For the Jets: they should own, rule, and dominate the streets and they should have the right to the territory no matter what it takes (Dirks 1961). Conclusion The West Side Story highlights the following scenarios which had occurred in the 1960’s: During the 1960’s, juvenile delinquencies are rampant among adolescents. Similarly, there is also prevalence of discrimination and prejudice among the White and Latin Americans. Puerto Ricans are disliked and bullied by the White Americans upon thinking that the White Americans are the superior race that should own the streets and that the Latin Americans, specifically the Puerto Ricans, have no right to be in places where the White American adolescents hang out and play. In so doing there were chain gang fights are everywhere. Emerging in late 1950s and early 1960s, the streets of Manhattan had become a place where there is no peace and order due to the frequent gang wars that occur between the two distinct races of the Whites and the Puerto Rican adolescents. However, the love story of Maria and Tony having the opposite race shows that love does not choose the color, race, and ethnicity of a person as a basis of whom it should love. Works Cited Brian, Paul. 28 November 2005. Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story. 29 April 2009 http://www. wsu. edu/~brians/love-in-the-arts/west. html. Dirks, Tim. 1961. West Side Story. American Movie Classics Company LLC. 29 April 2009 http://www. filmsite. org/wests. tml. Howe, Matt. 03 April 2003. West Side Story Impresses. 29 April 2009 http://www. amazon. com/West-Side-Story-Special-Collectors/dp/B00008972S. Shulman, Irving. A Novelation by Irving Shulman: West Side Story. New York: Simon Schister Inc, 1961. â€Å"West Side Story (1961). † 16 December 2008. Reel Classics, L. L. C. 29 April 2009 http://www. reelclassics. com/Musicals/Westside/westside. htm. â€Å"West Side Story. † 1961. United Artists Pictures, Inc. 29 April 2009 http://www. westsidestory. com/. Zoglin, Richard. 25 March 2009. Is West Side Story Overrated? 29 April 2009 http://www. time. com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1887470,00. html. How to cite West Side Story, Papers

When is the Best Time to do Something free essay sample

When is the best time to do something? Tomorrow? A week, a month, or a year? This is the question that circled my head like a hurricane as I was being accepted by People to People to be a Student Ambassador. I would be traveling to Australia in the summer of 2010 to travel, study in Australia, and feel the joy of cultural discovery. The only problem is this program comes with a hefty price tag. This â€Å"Journey of a Lifetime† will cost my family and I 6,000ish for me to go on. Naturally, many questions ran through my head. â€Å"Can I really do this?†, â€Å"How are you going to raise that much money when you live with your retired grandparents?† Then I stopped †¦took a deep breath and asked myself the most simple and logical question, the one I live my life by. â€Å"What do you want to do?† Of course, my answer was, â€Å"Hell yeah, I want to go to Australia!† Over the course of my life I have learned the best time to do anything is now. We will write a custom essay sample on When is the Best Time to do Something? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A great man once said, â€Å"The only thing a man regrets doing, is the things he didn’t do.† Why should I limit my experience in life because of money? Money is by no means something that tells you whether or not you can do something. I don’t care if I live with my grandparents who live on a fixed income; I’m still going to try. The only thing that ever puts a barrier between you and your goal is you. If you want something, and you believe in yourself, you are going to get it. This is the way I live my life, and so far it has worked out incredibly well. I want to have good grades, I got good grades. I want to learn to play guitar, I learned to play guitar. I want an attractive girlfriend, I have an attractive girlfriend. Why is going to Australia and different? I realize that belief alone is not going to pay for my plane ticket to Australia, but without belief nothing would happen. I am going to have to go the extra mile for this to become reality. 6,000sih is not an easy sum of money to meet and I will have to work very diligently to attain it. However, I already have some great ideas such as a holiday fundraiser, a garage sale, and being sponsored to run at a local race. I have a great deal of work to do in the coming months, but think of how much I already done. I received good grades my entire life for this opportunity to be possible. I was also put through a rigorous interview process of two hundred people and was chosen to be one of the forty Student Ambassadors. I am proud of myself and I believe the hardest part of my journey is already complete. When I complete my goal, I know I will feel a great sensation of accomplishment. I will go on the journey of a lifetime. I will learn about different cultures of the world, a different government, and become an improved citizen to my own country. More importantly, I will reinforce my belief that anything I desire is an arms reach away, from a job, to college, and even my career. I will not put boundaries on my life because the best time to do anything is now.

US Border Patrol Pros & Cons Essays (679 words) -

US Border Patrol: Pros & Cons The U.S. Border Patrol is the organization that polices the entry of illegal immigrants into our country. The official mission of the United States Border patrol is to protect the boundaries of the United States by preventing illegal entry, and by detecting, interdicting, and apprehending illegal aliens, smugglers, and contraband. Today, the United States Border Patrol consists of 21 sectors. Each sector is headed by a chief patrol agent. There are 145 stations located throughout the continental United States, and in Puerto Rico. The Border Patrol controls the border by land, sea, and air. The Border Patrol has jurisdiction across all United States borders and at least 25 miles off the border. The Border Patrol agents are responsible to check factories for illegal workers. As of September of 1995, the Border Patrol had 530 agents. The Border Patrol's efforts may be sufficient but many people believe that there are many problems in the methods of the Border Patrol. First, many people think that all of the equipment is costing the taxpayers too much. An estimation by TIME magazine states that in California alone, $400 million is spent on healthcare for illegal immigrants. CNN says that the care of illegal immigrants in one hospital in Jacksonville, Florida costs taxpayers $44.5 million. A Federal Government estimate says that $1.6 billion dollars is spent on the education of illegal immigrants each year in California alone. Just think of how much money is spent on illegal immigrants across the country. Now this is just the cost of the immigrants that get through the border patrol. These costs could be greatly lowered if the Border Patrol would do its job. Let alone the cost of the illegal immigrants that manage to get through the Border Patrol, the Border Patrol alone is costing plenty. In an overview, some people believe that we are spending too much money on the border patrol, considering that they simply are not doing their job. We are giving them so much money to get the latest equipment, but still people are getting through. The people in favor of the Border patrol have the basic idea that, yes, the Border Patrol used to be ineffective, but now due to many improvements in federal money, manpower, and technology the Border Patrol is very effective. They say that the reason for all the illegal immigrants in the U.S. is due to when the Border Patrol was not as effective as it could or should be. From the start of the Clinton administration, a $500 million crackdown on illegal immigration was put into effect, most of that money put into the Border Patrol. "Operation Gatekeeper" financed new lights, fencing, vehicles, equipment, and agents. It was the most extensive crackdown ever made against illegal immigrants. Robert Bach, the top policy and planning official for the immigration agency states, "It is a wonderful progress in an area where, frankly, most of us never believed that government intervention like this would work", "This is historic. These routes of travel that Mexicans have been using for decades. We have broken that up." After only one year of "Operation Gatekeeper," the size of the Border Patrol has doubled. The amount of immigrants caught has also almost doubled. In an overview of the supporters argument, they believe that new improvements in the Border Patrol have indeed decreased the amount of illegal immigrants and should be allowed continuing funding to further decrease the amount of illegal immigrants entering the country. As you can see, there are many different views toward the processes of the Border Patrol. There is no doubt that the Border Patrol and the illegal immigrants getting into the country is costing the American Government a lot of money, but is the money being spent as well as it could be? Do you think that there should be more or less funding of the border patrol? Where do you find yourself in this debate? Are you for or against the efforts of the United States Border Patrol?

Article Review on Online Identity

Article Review on Online Identity Article Review on Online Identity In You Wanna Take This Online, Chu has addressed the prevalent issue of cyber bullying. Chu commences the article by introducing the reader to a case study about a certain girl, Taylor and what she loves most as illustrated on her blog page. Chu progresses to illustrate how Taylor was informed by Sidney, her friend, about a list of Hos in which she has been listed. Chu has used a case study approach to introduce the reader to the topic at hand, creating a form of suspense to the reader who anticipates what the author is attempting to imply while reading through the article. Chu has selected the use of technology to pick on other people as the thesis for his article Chu implies that cyber bullying is inversely relative to physical bullying in terms of gender illustrating the fact that girls bully other girls online whereas in the physical bullying boys are the victims. To reinforce on this point, Chu has provided survey results illustrating that 17% of the girls have been cyber bullied whereas less than 10% of the boys have been cyber bullied. Throughout the article, Chu has cited a survey by Clemson University who have investigated the topic thoroughly. Chu has developed his ideas and presented them in a chronological order. From the case, Chu has then introduced the aspect of cyber bullying and then he has progressed to introduce the manner in which this trend has developed and increased with the internet becoming increasingly popular. The presentation of ideas throughout the article has progressed from simple explanations to complicated aspects of cyber bullying. Chu has used a number of specialists who have contributed to the findings of his article. These specialists include Kowalski, Aftab and Taylor, who has had experience with cyber bullies. Chu extends the discussion to providing an explanation for the reasons as to why cyber bullies bully other people. The article has illustrated that the emotional or psychological problems (Chu 52). Using Aftab’s explanation, Chu has then illustrated the fact that some of the cyber bullies evidently suffer from a hormonal imbalance. To completely relate the writing of his article with the target audience, Chu has used language that is commonly used by young teenagers. The use of phrases such as Wanna and OMG is a depiction of the audience that Chu targets while writing this article. The use of slang is evident throughout the article. The use of slang words as well as the informal nature of the language used has been highly effective in ensuring that the author establishes a connection with the teenage readers. The diction is also highly informal. For instance, Chu has used the words Hos to mean whores and ‘Sooo’ to exaggerate the term ‘so’. This form of writing is highly effective in capturing the attention of the young readers. Chu has adequately researched the topic and thus is merely informing the reader about this trend. This has been illustrated by the multiple references included in this article. The information provided throughout the article is informative and hardly inquisitive. This is the main purpose of the article. Chu is attempting to reach the parents and teachers about the trend of cyber bullying as well as informing the teenagers that being picked on through the internet by their colleagues is in fact being bullied. Chu’s diction is grammatically incorrect. The use of multiple quotation marks to illustrate continuity in speech is one such error. Chu has also used certain in applicable punctuation marks such as ‘â™ ¥Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ to replace the word love. These punctuation skills that have been used are formally unusual but commonly applied in the informal setting particularly by the target readers, teenage girls. Another unusual component of Chu’s article’s punctuation is the uncalled for capitalization to illustrate emphasis. The humor that has been illustrated by the author has been illustrated through the use selected character quotations which are some of the ways through which the author has managed to keep the audience interested in the article yet manage to grasp the main information presented in the article. Chu has concluded the article through the use of Taylor’s mother course of action to watch her child over such cases of cyber bullying, illustrating that the parents need to be actively involved in the lives of these children. However, this article is spectacular based on its purpose and it engagement with the target readers. The audience has been greatly considered by Chu throughout the paper. Additionally, the content that has been presented in this article is highly credible and professionally researched. It is this core aspect of this article that has made it spectacular and relevant. Chu has also addressed the purposes of this paper well, outlining the role of the parents, teachers and the teenage students in attempting to curb and prevent the occurrence and increase in the cases of cyber bullying. Additionally, the article’s informality has been of great importance in that the author manages to interact with the thoughts of the readers. ______________ is a professional essay writing service which can provide high school, college and university students with 100% original custom written essays, research papers, term papers, dissertations, courseworks, homeworks, book reviews, book reports, lab reports, projects, presentations and other assignments of top quality. More than 700 professional Ph.D. and Master’s academic writers. 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Soccer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Soccer - Essay Example One way or another you have to be totally involved to watch the game and live with it. It is a matter of fact that at least 80 percent of fans are good players. Many people consider simplicity to be the fundamental of soccer popularity, even if you see the game for the very first time you can figure out this game’s manner. But alongside with its simplicity, soccer is a game of great skill and strategy. If we take a look at the crowd, watching the game at the stadium, we would admit that regardless of the age, race or religion they become equal, wearing their teams replica’s shirts or scarves, chanting and supporting their team. The object of the game of soccer is to move the ball across the field and to drive a ball right into an opposing team’s goal and to score a point as a result. There are eleven players in each team playing on a rectangular field and apparently the team that scores the most points is a winner. It is almost impossible to list every existing aspect of the game and each country where soccer is played. Soccer has its interpretation of game culture, own kinesics as a body language of communication between the team players. As the game of contradictions soccer implies development of skill and endurance. You will hardly ever be able to play the ball and perform difficult techniques without training to do so. There are many characteristics a player should gain in order to succeed. Training of strength and endurance is essential feature. Soccer is a game of confidence, reaction and rhythm, thus developing speed, power and agility is important. You have to be flexible in order to warm up or cool down when the situation requires. Soccer game requires proper equipment to increase player’s effectiveness and safety. Shoes with spikes on the bottom are special feature that increases ability to stay on player’s feet and provide a better traction on grass. Socks are very long and sometimes a player has to buy them on his own but

Following the sub-prime crisis and the impact of 'Toxic' debt is there Essay

Following the sub-prime crisis and the impact of 'Toxic' debt is there a future for the securitization of commercial property - Essay Example But soon turbulence came with sudden loss of confidence within the securitization and financial engineering sector. The present statistical model for assessing & pricing credit risk can be blamed for the disastrous situation that engulfed the entire financial world. The most surprising fact about the crisis was that it originated in those countries which were believed to have the most efficient risk management technology. (Caprio, Demirgà ¼Ãƒ §-Kunt & Kane, 2008, p. 2). With the unfolding of the crisis, the financial world witnessed a series of unpredicted and unprecedented events which uncovered the fault of AAA credit rating system used in UK banks for more than 150 years. The crisis, also known as meltdown, even highlighted the default of US safety net for covering major insurance banks; investment banking and government sponsored housing finance companies. Downfall in the major economic drivers led to sharp plunge in world wide stock and capital markets. This crisis soon migrated from US to other developed countries and economies like that of Australia, Ireland, and Germany. It can be estimated that the loss caused by this financial crisis lies in between the ranges of $1 trillion to $2 trillion (Caprio, Demirgà ¼Ãƒ §-Kunt & Kane, 2008, p. 2). The crisis that engulfed the financial market since august 2007 had its origin in the housing mortgage market of the United States. Housing markets in other countries like Australia, Canada, Spain, and United Kingdom were also facing high rise in prices along with the highly leveraged mergers and acquisition. But none of these countries faced financial crisis due to the housing bubble, so this makes the fact clear that there were certain distinguished features with in the US housing finance system that gave birth to such enourmous financial crisis. The prime factors can be segregated as below: Housing construction peaked in the United

Political socialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Political socialization - Essay Example Indeed, to the best of my understanding, integrity and fear of God cannot be perceived to be different. Rather, they are complementary to each other. Politics is said to be a dirty game. This is a conclusion made after observing too many incidences of political foul play. Indeed, politicians acknowledge there is no true friendship when it comes to politics. I have grown hearing this word in news bulletins. Therefore, politicians and community leaders thrive by painting their opponents as enemies of their course and unacceptable to people, especially when elections are near. They do this through character assassination. However, there are certain positions I accepted, not because of experience or exposure. I grew up knowing that. For example, it was unacceptable to try to imagine a leader endorsing same sex relationships. We have lived to see gays running for political offices and claiming equal rights with others. As long as I can remember, the society treated such people as outcasts , and in some societies, they were killed. Through childhood training, I knew that people who subscribe to my value system as the best when it comes to politics and economy. This has caused communities to stick to the leaders to who come from their background. It becomes hard to accept people across the economic and political divide. Prejudices occur after years of training during the growing process of a child. I feel safe when I have a leader who can be fit into my community or convictions. This includes sharing the same faith and the same origin. After years of aggressive campaigns on government, political and society, the stand has softened. It is now possible to endorse a political leader who does not share the same roots with me. However, the mistrust still continues because politicians thrive by defining positions and power in terms of communities support and ethnicity. Extremely rich people prefer rich

History of Colonization

History of Colonization Revolts in French ruled countries as opposed to Britain ruled countries To understand the causes of consequences, it becomes binding to have an idea of the background before the matter in dwelled into as a larger picture. The scramble for Africa started at the end of nineteenth century. European powers wanted to establish separate dominances over varied parts of the continent. After the initial hindrance of the geographical location was taken care of, each European power had vested interest in particular areas. Thus, they redrew the boundaries and the structure of the countries in the continent was revised to an immeasurable extent. The already existing political institutions were not concentrated upon. It led to forced partitions and mergers of a majority of the African countries. The traditional groups and monarchies were forced to break down and share their territory with literally new people. Thus multiple independent groups with each having their own history, culture, language and tradition were now belonging to one territory which would be ruled by one or more powers. Each ruling power was only looking for their own benefit. After a mass re division of the land, some parts were traded between the ruling countries to satisfy their own goals. Any kind of resistance by the native Africans was severely oppressed and made to die down by various Treaty and Conquest tactics. Although the colonial rule was expected to go on for over a period of more than 100 years, the ruling powers lacked sufficient man power to take over administration, governance over the economic growth. Indirect rule was favored with African authorities and thus emerged a new class if intermediaries whose job was to make sure that the government orders were fully executed. The pattern of economic activity started changing with commercial agriculture at a good pace. The countries started fair exports of these commodities as well as minerals. In certain parts of the continent, a given holding of a territory was declared as White Land. The literacy and primary education introduced throughout Africa by the Christian Missionaries led to the elites espousing nationalist ambitions. But it didn’t result in anything at this point as the African countries had nothing among them which would or could hold them together against the colonizing powers. Africans were residing in mere geographical boundaries. With the second World War, the game changed in Africa. All the new infrastructural developments and the rapid increase in agricultural production as well as the manufacture of other items that took place were to ensure the sustainability of the ruling European nations in the war. When the African troops were deputed for war, they learnt to a great deal about the freedom movements and struggles in the other parts of the world. When the war came to an end, just like the rest of the world, there was a lot of restlessness and frustration in Africa. Those who had served in the army were hoping to be rewarded by some share in the government of their country. The standard of living by then was in complete shambles. No proper housing facilities, high prices, no jobs and the problems continued. In order to provide some relief which would benefit their own interest, the colonial powers carved a way to include some of the African people in the political game. But gradually, some African thinkers started to believe in the idea of ‘self-government’ and demanded the same from the colonial power ruling that particular country. When this freedom was granted, the upcoming African political leaders were not trained and capable enough to run a country. Thus policies and decisions were not suitable for the development which led to increased corruption. Although no one really campaigned for independence, the political aspirations were centered on securing for the African population the same rights and privileges as those enjoyed by the fellow metropolitan people of the colonial power. But gradually, the march towards independence started in Africa. Like in any revolution, there were revolts across countries, against the governments. But there was a very obvious difference between the type and intensity of revolts in countries ruled by Britain and those ruled by the French. This is more of a comparative understanding rather than an analytical one. Here on, there is a sincere effort been made of following a timeline. When the continent of Africa was being divided by lines pre decided by the colonial invaders, some territories were swapped to satisfy their purposes. The British were primarily interested maintaining secure communication lines to India which led to initial interest in Egypt and South Africa. Then they intended to establish a Cape-Cairo railway. The control of Nile was also viewed as a strategic and commercial advantage. France had two motivations for its colonisation. Firstly, it wanted to establish markets, strategic bases for the French military and trading fleets around the world. Secondly, it wanted to exploit the natural resources and cheap labour of the colonies. Britain traded parts of northern Nigeria with France for fishing rights. France exchanged parts of Cameroon with Germany in return for German recognition of the French protectorate over Morocco. At the end of all the exchanges, the French claimed 3.75 million square miles while the British claimed 2 million square mil es. Early African reaction to European intrusion into Africa in the late 19th century was not uniform. A few groups that had suffered from long-term warfare or slave raiding (such as in parts of East Africa) gave an uncertain welcome to European presence in their regions in hope that there would be peace. Other groups strongly resisted the coming of European political control. However, many people had no initial reaction to colonialism. This was because the early year’s colonialism had little impact on the lives of many rural African peoples. This situation changed as the impact of colonialism became more widespread and intense in the middle decades of the 20th century. Until after the Second World War almost all the Africans living in the colonies of France were not citizens of France. Rather, they were French Subjects, lacking rights before the law, property ownership rights, rights to travel, dissent, or vote. Until after the Second World War almost all the Africans living in the colonies of France were not citizens of France. Rather, they were French Subjects, lacking rights before the law, property ownership rights, rights to travel, dissent, or vote. But post WW2, France started regarding their colonies not as separate territories but as a part of ‘La Plus Grande France’ But Britain’s strategy of pacifying all the nationalist ideas was different. They started by introducing new constituencies, providing for elections for a handful of members of the legislative councils. In the 1950’s, violence broke out in Algeria as France refused to grant Independence. The Algerian war started with the insurrection organised by the National Liberation Front (FLN), on November 1st, 1954, and lasted until 1962 when Algeria became independent. During those eight years one million Algerians died. In 1954 there were 200,000 Algerians living in France. Of those 150,000 were working, the majority in the building or steel industries. Slowly but surely the FLN began to organise Algerians in France. It was Algerians in France that were to finance the war. Tunisia and Morocco were granted independence and the rest 14 territories that France had under its wing, remained loyal to them. In British West Africa, everyone who was politically conscious was deemed to be a nationalist. On the other hand in French West Africa, there are Catholics and anti- clericals, Communists and Gaullists, Socialists, Syndicalist and Existentialists. LÃ ©opold SÃ ©dar Senghor was the first President of Senegal and the first African to be elected as a member of the French Academy. He wanted to not just stay in the French Union but the French Republic. Thus, he advocated political federation rather than independence between France and Africa. Post World War 2, the French Government bore a considerable amount of the administrative costs and provided subsidies for export crops. Until 1958, majority of the public investment and a sizeable amount of annual running costs plus vast sums of infrastructure were financed by France. When a new constitution was being drafted in the French ruled countries, except for Guinea, all other countries voted for a Franco-African community. But this did not last long and the African rulers demanded greater control. France then reached the conclusion that all territories under them would have to be launched as independent states. Meanwhile, in all the Britain ruled countries, the violence had been reaching a boiling point forcing England to jettison all long term plans of independence. Throughout the period of colonization, the French, no doubt ruthless colonisers, seem to have been more willing to consider the people of Africa a part of their culture and nation rather than believing in the principle of the ruler and the ruled upon as followed by Britain to a large extent. The French also wanted to see the fruits of their anti-slavery efforts in West Africa. Assimilation was one ideological basis of the French colonial policy. In contrast with British imperial policy, the French taught their subjects that, by adopting French language and culture, they could eventually become French. The famous Four Communes in Senegal can be seen as proof of this. And probably the only proof of the same. Here Africans were, in theory, afforded all the rights of French citizens. The French Assimilation concept was based on the idea of expanding French culture to the colonies outside of France in the 19th and 20th century. Natives of these colonies were considered French citizens as long as the culture and customs were adopted. This also meant they would have the rights and duties of French citizens. The French appeared to understand fully, even at an early stage, that assimilation of West Africans under tier control was not in the offing. Both the cost of implementing such a program and the tenacity of the indigenous populations prevented full-scale assimilation. Instead, the French sought to control the West African populations. By contrast, in the British colonies the approach was the opposite: they used local power holders rather than installing a whole new administration. Each system aimed to benefit the colonizers. The French were rather harsh in their administration and their attempts to increase their economic footholds, utilizing such means as forced labor and imprisonment to maintain and expand their interests. One of the most important aspects of the French colonization of West Africa was the requirement placed on the colony to pay its own way as a colony. The French administration sought to increase productivity and extract valuable resources. They fostered production of groundnuts and cotton where appropriate conditions were present and imposed taxation as a means of inducing participation in the cash economy. Where crops could not be grown, they encouraged migration to wage- earning areas. The French colonial encounter in West Africa was driven by commercial interests and, perhaps to a lesser degree, a civilizing mission. The political administration and the economic interests were fairly uniform throughout the colonial period. Little was done to improve the lives of West Africans, although attempts were made to provide minimal health and educational services. Whereas in the British areas of West Africa some portion of the economic gain accrued to an African middle class, no such dynami c occurred in the French context. Bibliography https://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/m7b/activity4.php http://www.historytoday.com/martin-evans/french-resistance-and-algerian-war http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-resistance.html http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=2920 file:///C:/Users/hp/Documents/africa/List%20of%20French%20possessions%20and%20colonies%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia.htm file:///C:/Users/hp/Documents/africa/French%20West%20Africa%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia.htm file:///C:/Users/hp/Documents/africa/Scramble%20for%20Africa%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia.htm http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-17_u-504_t-1362_c-5244/qld/sose/colonisation-resources-power-and-exploration/colonisation-history/france http://www.africa.upenn.edu/K-12/French_16178.html -Shalmali Ghaisas

Government must seekto meet citizens needs :: essays research papers

SOME INVESTORS have applied to the government for permission to operate ferry services between Tuen Mun and Macau and the Pearl River Delta (PRD). However, the Transport Bureau has delayed approving their applications, greatly to the applicants' and residents' resentment. If there were such services, things would be much more convenient for north-western New Territories residents who want to go to Macau or the PRD, and it would be in line with Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's strategic plan of making better use of the PRD hinterland. People cannot help asking why it remains impossible to offer the public such ferry services. The government has been saying it wants to remove obstacles to the market's smooth operation. However, it has delayed approving those applications, whose approval would bring about new jobs. How does the government propose to justify itself? Nearly one million people live in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and adjacent areas (north-western New Territories). At present, a citizen living there must take a one-hour vehicle ride to Tsim Sha Tsui or Central if he wants to go to Macau or the PRD by ferry. Such a ride takes almost as much time as a ferry journey from Central to Macau. More important, Tuen Mun is nearer Macau and the Pearl River's mouth. It would take 10 minutes to 15 minutes less time for a jetfoil to travel from Tuen Mun to Macau than from Central. If there were a Macau ferry terminal there, north-western New Territories citizens going to Macau could save more than one hour and some money. Two companies have applied to the government for permission to operate ferry services from Tuen Mun to Macau and Nansha. Last year 19 million citizens left Hong Kong by sea. Most of them went to Macau or the PRD. As one out of seven Hong Kong citizens live in north-western New Territories, one may infer that last year more than two million north-western New territories residents travelled to Macau or the PRD by ferry. If the government decided to have a new Macau ferry terminal in Tuen Mun, things would be much more convenient for them, and investors could do business. However, nothing has been heard about those companies' applications since they were submitted. In response to our inquiries, a Transport Bureau spokesperson said that, since the two existing Macau ferry terminals would not become saturated until 2011, there was no urgent need of building another.

International Business Environment Essay

Venturing into new business and market frontiers like Malaysia requires extensive understanding of the environment in terms of the political establishment, business potential, legal and regulatory framework, and availability of resources, socio-cultural aspects and to an extent geographical position and infrastructural development of the country. The research and analysis of these key and crucial factors are important in analysing the potential and business environment of Malaysia. Malaysia possesses unique features and characteristics which are different from any other nation and it’s therefore essential to scan and research the market. Geographically located in Eastern Asia, Malaysia has been one of Asia fastest developing markets in the last half century. Malaysia is among the â€Å"Asian Tigers† a terminology given to the Asian economies which transformed from third world nation status to middle income nations within a short span thanks to sound and effective economic policies. It has a sizeable population of around 28. 3 million with diverse ethnic composition largely comprising the Ethnic Malays, Indians and Chinese population (CIA fact book, 2010). Similarly Malaysia is a developing nation with growing high per capita income making it a potential market for introduction of any business. The nation has well established and developed financial markets and excellent world class infrastructure in transport air and sea and moreover it’s known worldwide for the technology superiority and advancements. It’s highly developed commercial and manufacture sectors makes it a target for many international business. Malaysia has enjoyed a relative stable political stability which has been instrumental in spurring its economy and attracting foreign firms. It’s also a competitive business environment with flexible legal and regulatory framework making it easy to operate business. Therefore it’s very important to explore and understand these aspects and others in detail to ensure conclusion and market analysis of Malaysia is obtained through in depth understanding of the market. This would enable the company to undertake its strategies and plans effectively and efficiently in Malaysia. The paper tries to look some of the aspects mentioned above in more detail. Conclusively, In order to expand business to other countries, many factors should be put into consideration so as to ensure there is professional development of the business. Critical analysis, exploring and report writing is therefore important considering these issue and thus should be undertaken respectively. Introduction In business, the understanding of a given culture in which business is to be done and be based is very critical and thus important. With connection to these some aspects have to be considered so as to know where and which country qualifies better for allocation of such business. These can be well achieved through exploring and analysing the business environment of a prospective country. For instance, Culture and cultural practices are very important and have to be understood in order to make sure all the selling strategies have been able to offer good fruits in the business (Sandra, 2001, p 58). This paper thus comes up with the choosing of Malaysia as an example of a country on which as the Business Development Manager of Australia have chosen with the aim of expanding business. Therefore this paper discusses the critical analysis and the report obtained from exploring and analysing business environment of Malaysia which in return helps in determining where the country fits in the complexity of international business environment. Many factors should be put into consideration so as to decide whether the business will effectively run smoothly (Dunning, 1998, p 98). Country Profile Situated in Eastern Asia Geographically Malaysia covers approximately area of 392,748 square Kms, this is lightly larger than New Mexico in United States and a population of 26 Million people (C.  I. A fact book, 2010) this is a sizeable population which can be viable for any target market and introduction of business ventures. In Malaysia Islam is the pre-dominant and largest religion practised by the ethnic Malays but the nation is a multi-ethnic society and has other religious beliefs like Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Taoism practised by the minority ethnic population of Indians, Chinese and a small proportion of immigrant labour force. Ethnic Composition of Malaysia has around 53. 3% ethnic Malays, Chinese 26%, Indigenous 11. 8%, Indians 7. 7% others 1. % and Islamic religion has 60. 4% followers, Buddhism 9. 2%, Christianity 9. 1%, Hinduism 6. 3% ( CIA fact book ,2010) Its essential to know the ethnic and religious composition in order to understand the fabric of the society properly. Bahasa Melayu is the official language along with Chinese , English and Tamil are the languages used pre-dominantly in Malaysia and it’s a plus to have English as one of the languages as it makes it easy for transactions and communication when the business and corporations aspiring to penetrate Malaysian market are from English speaking nations. The country is contained of two distinct parts which are separated by the South China Sea whereby, the parts, the east and west share similar landscape in that they have coastal plains which rise due to densely forested hill and mountains. Malaysia neighbours Indonesia and thus the two countries share some cultures (Carsrud & Brannback 2007, p, 54). This is due to the Indians ethnic community which is quite well represented in Malaysia and also it borders countries like Singapore and China. The nation is well endowed with natural resources, good infrastructural development in communications technology and transport and a good coast line with proximity to major sea routes. Economy Malaysia transformed from a third world economy to middle income economy within a duration of around three decades and the nation shifted from being a primarily agricultural economic based to an industrial and commercial economic hub. The country actively participates in international trade which has been enhanced by the shipping routes around its coastline and has well established manufacturing sector. Malaysia produces top exporter of manufactured goods, palm oil, rubber, petroleum and liquefied natural gas. Malaysia is considered as a newly industrialized country although not a developed one but on the way to become one and research shows its GPD per capita ( of around $14000) in the year 2008 was recorded high thus ranking the country 48th in the world and 2nd in Southeast Asia (Drucker, 2007, p , 23). The nation has a GDP of $313 billion and an average GDP annual growth rate of 5. 9 %( Ibp USA, 2008, p. 7 ) The GDP growth rate has been consistent over a long period of time and the economy has shown resiliency during the wake of economic crisis like the Asian economic crisis and recent global recession. It’s known for the developed commercial sector producing and exporting electronic products and other advanced technological goods. Export market is $158 billion and its currency Malaysian currency (ringgit) exchanges at $3 (Ibp US, 2008 p. 18) The exchange rate of ringgit against major currencies has been consistent and stable avoiding currency fluctuations. Malaysia has a floating exchange rate although it has pegged its currency to the dollar. Similarly the nation is a member of almost all major trading blocs around the region and Asia, from WTO to regional economic trade blocs making it an open and very competitive market. Political System  Since Malaysia gained independence its economic performance has been high in comparison with other Asian nations due to its stability and has avoided military coups ( Nayland,2001,p. 164) Another critical factor to consider is the political system of the country. Politics and economy are intertwined and interrelated and political stability determines the environment which economy and business operates. The political stability of the democratic nation like Malaysia makes it an attractive place for investment. Malaysia is a federal constitutional elective monarchy having a head of state is referred as the king of the nation who is elected to a five year term and a parliamentary system of government headed by prime minister and has a healthy democratic space with opposition parties Parliamentary elections are held after every five years and thus only registered voters of age 21 and above are allowed to vote for the members of the House of Representatives (Ahmad & Seymour, 2008, p, 76). Legal and Regulatory Framework MIDA (Malaysian Industrial Development Authority) is a body charged with promoting investments activities both local and foreign, and to helped and guided investments in the business environment (Cheang Lo, 1997, p. 57) This is one of the bodies created by the government to eliminate the bureaucracy in obtaining legal documentation in the country by simplifying the licensing and regulatory process of businesses which wish venture in that country. Although any business needs to go through the required government process in obtaining licences the government has created an environment where restrictions and licensing red tape has been reduced significantly. Socio- Cultural Environment The socio-cultural environment in Malaysia is well defined by its ethnic composition and religious diversity. Malaysia is pluralistic society with Malays being the majority and the other significant minority group like the Chinese, Indians and Tamils each with different religion. With such a rich cultural heritage, acquiring the relevant skills and cultural knowledge in order to conduct business in Malaysia is crucial to your success (Communicaid, n. d) the socio-cultural environment settings in Malaysia although comprising different ethnic groups and religious affiliations is a conservative society and thus it’s important for people to understand how to address the people. Each particular ethnic group has its own mode of communication and interaction and it’s critical to ensure you understand the culture and behaviour of each ethnic group in Malaysia. Generalizations of the all Malaysians while conducting business may be costly to the business as it may be viewed negatively by other ethnic groups. For instance â€Å"the Chinese for example expect punctuality, whereas both ethnic Malays and Indian business people have a more relaxed attitude towards time (Communicaid, n. ) In regard to the consumer attitudes towards products and goods there is a general tendencies among Malays of regarding goods produced locally to be somehow inferior to the goods made by the developed nations which are advanced more than them and hence produce quality products. Quality is sensitive to Malays consumers. â€Å" Malaysian local products are regarded with skepticism compared to south Korea products but are believed to be of high quality in comparison with goods fr om India ,china, Mexico and Thailand. (Ghazali et al,2008, p. 7) Resources  The country is well endowed with natural resources and enough raw materials which it has continued to exploit in its quest to develop its economy. During most of the 1970’s and 1980’s Malaysia was the largest producer and exporter of tin, tropical timber, palm oil and natural rubber (Vincent, 2005, p. 10) Although Currently, Malaysia is not a major producer of some of the raw materials like natural rubber it still has abundant supply of tin, timber palm oil and natural rubber which has been used effectively by the government in exploring and developing its economy. Malaysia has transformed itself from primarily agricultural based economy to an industrial, technological and commercial giant due to the availability of human resources in the country. Malaysia has been known to be open in attracting foreign labour in its economy to make it competitive and potent. However there have been slight problems in obtaining and retaining skilled labour from Malaysia. â€Å"In contrast to this 44% of Australians firms reported difficulty in maintaining skilled labour in Malaysia (Nayland, 2001, p. 0) Ethical and Social Responsibility â€Å"More than 60% of managers in Malaysia were supportive of the view that that to improve market share and public image their firms would have to show there are social responsible (Harrison, 2005, p. 208) Malaysian socio-cultural structure is based on conservative setting like Islamic religious dimension on the Malay population which actually sees the aspect of giving back to them community is a responsibility rather than f avour. Corporations and business doing business in Malaysia are therefore obligated to be active in supporting projects in communities to uplift their image of sharing with the community the profits obtained from them. Conclusion and Recommendations Having noted some of the major findings and factors affecting the level of entrepreneurial activities from research that has been done, it will be necessary to agree on the need of making Malaysia one of the key standards of venturing into any fast developing markets. Also, it is necessary to note that, some of the factors that affect the level of business and entrepreneurship in this country tend to have direct impacts on other economic activities and performances and they have been identified as positive and potent. Once all the factors have been keenly identified and outlined, it becomes quite easy to address them respectively so as to attain overall economic performance and development (Datamonitor, 2009, p, 31). From the analysis and research based on political stability, economic performance and availability or resources the general picture can be concluded that Malaysia is a potential and viable environment to conduct any business of any nature. Although it may have some challenges and obstacles, the business environment and its market potential makes it a conducive environment to establish business ventures and has a potential market for growth. The nation is also strategically placed to penetrate other markets in Asia.

Counseling the Dying Patient Essays

Counseling the Dying Patient Essays Counseling the Dying Patient Paper Counseling the Dying Patient Paper Death is certain to come. It is only a matter of time and how we face it. Ironically, it is part of life. There is no fearful human experience than going through the anguish of dying. Attitudes toward death are not completely positive or negative; rather, they are on a continuum. At one end of the continuum is the perception of death as humanitys mortal enemy†¦ at the other end is accepting and even welcoming death as a passage to a more blissful state of being. (Aiken, 2001, p. 5). Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, in her years of caring for the dying patients, described death as a wonderful experience. In her book On Death and Dying, she cited five stages wherein terminally ill patients undergo during their final moments. The First Stage is Denial and Isolation. Due to the terrifying as well as stressful effects of dying both physically and emotionally, the patient usually refuses to accept the reality that his life will end soon. He thinks that there must have been some mistakes and that this is not happening to him. The patient still thinks that life is normal recalling more often happy memories with his loved ones. The Second Stage is Anger. Realizing that the situation is no longer controllable and that he is helpless, the patient demonstrates emotional outburst of anger with himself and his surroundings. Feeling that there is no choice but to die, the patient experiences a sense of loss that is unbearable to him. The Third Stage is Bargaining. Realizing that death is imminent after all the medical measures have been done, the patient now tries to make a compromise in order to make his remaining days fruitful and memorable like making peace with God or settle grudges with the family, friends and other people he has hurt before. If given more time, he promises to do good deeds and attend an important family event like his children’s graduations or birthdays. The Fourth Stage is Depression. Knowing that you are dying adds up to your misery after battling the deadly disease that ends up for nothing. The patient feels that all his efforts and struggles are all useless. Angry and incapable knowing that death is near, the patient develops these guilt feelings he thinks causing so much pain to him and his loved ones. The Fifth Stage is Acceptance. This comes after the patient has explored all possibilities available and dealt with all the struggles and conflicts in his final moments that he now realized this is really happening. With less emotions, tired and weak, he comes to terms with reality that it is okay to die. The battle is over and he is ready. With these thoughts, he accepts death as part of life and that the world will continue even without him. Counseling the Dying Patient. A number of health institutions are now integrating care for the dying patients. From the foregoing it is evident that the terminally ill patient has very special needs which can be fulfilled if we take the time to sit and listen and find out what they are. The most important communication, perhaps, is the fact that we let him know that we are ready and willing to share some of his concerns. (Ross, 1989, p. 240). This special therapy is known as Hospice that focuses mainly on caring rather than curing. Specifically, it pays attention to the patient’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects trying to ease pain and suffering that will prepare him and his family for death. This is provided wherever the dying patients are mostly in their homes but it is also available in nursing homes and hospitals for long-term inpatient care. Hospice care is a comprehensive interdisciplinary program of care designed to provide hope, care and comfort to terminally ill people and their families or loved ones in the familiarity of their own communities. (Hospice Hawaii, 2004,  ¶2). In home settings, two family members are assigned shared responsibilities of care giving. Hospice staff visits the home on a regular schedule to assess the patient and provide support for the whole family. They are on call 24 hours a day seven days a week. However, if there is some difficulty or symptoms that would require continued professional care a short-term inpatient solution could be provided. The team composing the hospice care includes doctors, registered nurses, social workers, chaplains/clergies, home health aides, and trained volunteers. The team’s major responsibilities are: manages the patient’s pain and symptoms; assists the patient with the emotional and psychosocial and spiritual aspects of dying; provides needed medications, medical supplies, and equipment; coaches the family on how to care for the patient; delivers special services like speech and physical therapy when needed; makes short-term inpatient care available when pain or symptoms become too difficult to manage at home, or the caregiver needs respite time; and provides bereavement care and counseling to surviving family and friends. (Caring Connections, 2006,  ¶4). The patient’s physician continues to be in-charge of his medical care. The team formulates care plan designed to suit the needs of the patient for pain management and to control symptoms. Counseling the dying patient and his loved ones is an important service of hospice care. Bereavement support is offered to families for at least a year after death by way of visits, support groups, telephone calls, and literature on grieving. This approach is covered by health insurance and is given to those who are only willing to undergo. Dr. Kubler-Ross in her own experiences with dying patients came to realize that death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow. (EKR, 2006,  ¶15). Reference Aiken, L. R. (2001). Dying, Death and Bereavement. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. ; 4th edition. Mahwah, NJ. ISBN: 0805835040 Ross, E. K. (1989). On Death and Dying. Routledge; Reprint edition. London. ISBN 0-415-04015-9 Hospice Hawaii, AssistGuide, Inc. (2004). Creating Comfort Giving Hope Connecting Lives. Retrieved October 20, 2006, from hospicehawaii. org/home/default. asp? PF= Caring Connections. ((2006). How Does Hospice Work? Home Advance Care Planning. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Retrieved October 20, 2006, from caringinfo. org/i4a/pages/index. cfm? pageid=3467 EKR (Elisabeth Kubler-Ross) Foundation. (2006). Selected Quotes. Life, Death, Compassion. Retrieved October 20, 2006, from http://dying. about. com/gi/dynamic/offsite. htm? zi=1/XJsdn=dyingzu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. ekrfoundation. org