Friday, August 16, 2019
Money and Happiness, It Never Works Together Essay
Often times if you inherit a large amount of money your life can change forever much like in a lottery, however if you are not careful you may just be the opposite of happy. However, businessmen who earn their money are proud of it, just ask lottery winners who have had their lives altered because of that. Well, in Goodbye, Columbus the Patimkin family act a lot like lottery winners, Mr. Patimkin a wealthy businessman has a spoiled family who in actually doesnââ¬â¢t seems happy with their wealth. As more and more problems started to arise with money, things started to unravel with the family. In Goodbye Columbus, Phillip Roth shows that Brenda and her motherââ¬â¢s tensions over money, Brendaââ¬â¢s lifestyle decisions about money (including the nose job), and the obvious generation gap shows that financial success does not always lead to happiness. Brenda and her mother have issues about money, and Brendaââ¬â¢s apparent laziness over having maids leads her to believe she can do whatever she wants. They fight over Brendaââ¬â¢s view on her not appreciating the value of money, since her mother tells her ââ¬Å"You ought to earn some money and buy your own clothesâ⬠, but Brenda always thinks she doesnââ¬â¢t have to earn her money and ââ¬Å"daddyâ⬠should buy her clothes and nose jobs for her. Not only that, they fight about work ethic because Brenda thinks the maid should do everything and her mother think she is lazy for it was said by Brendaââ¬â¢s mother ââ¬Å"You ought to learn what a dayââ¬â¢s work means.â⬠(64). Brenda however doesnââ¬â¢t think that way, in fact she think she thinks sheââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"â⬠¦not a slaveâ⬠¦Iââ¬â¢m a daughterâ⬠which gives readers the impression that she is a brat, and that she does not appreciate the value of hard work or money. Brendaââ¬â¢s mother also believes Brenda is lazy, and Brenda thinks the maids can do all the dishes and housework: ââ¬Å"Whenââ¬â¢s the last time you washed the dishesâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬â¢Jesus Christ!ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬â¢Carlotta washes the dishes!â⬠this shows Brenda has a mindset that because she is rich she doesnââ¬â¢t have to do anything. Therefore, Brenda and her motherââ¬â¢s constant fighting show that they have plenty of tension between them to prove that money never has led to personal happiness. While Brenda and her mother have personal issues that lead to money not giving them happiness, Brendaââ¬â¢s personal decisions & her lifestyle have dictated her way on not being happy with money. Brenda always has a mindset that her maids Carlotta and Jenny do everything when in reality, she is the one that needs to be doing work, as this was stated during her fight with her mother: ââ¬Å"My god, mother youââ¬â¢d think we didnââ¬â¢t have Carlota and Jennyâ⬠(64). She because of her monetary status (being wealthy) she assumes that she doesnââ¬â¢t have any chores to do, however her mother thinks Brenda should help more around the house (and in a way calls her spoiled): ââ¬Å"When is the last time you lifted a finger to help around here?â⬠, therefore in a way their social and economic status had led to money being a problem because of their fighting. Brendaââ¬â¢s lifestyle choices also dictate why money doesnââ¬â¢t always bring happiness, for example Brenda wanted a nose job to smooth out the bumps in it, but in reality she wanted to look prettier: ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m pretty. Now Iââ¬â¢m prettier.â⬠If someone wanted to look prettier, they could have spent less money on her, but instead Brenda spent a thousand dollars on the nose job just to be prettier. The generation gap between the Patimkin parentââ¬â¢s and children could also explain why money doesnââ¬â¢t always lead to happiness. Mr. Patimkin explains that he wasnââ¬â¢t as wealthy as his was now, instead he ââ¬Å"â⬠¦had (to buy) forks and knives for the five and ten.â⬠(95) Which means he bought his things from nickel and dime ââ¬Å"discountâ⬠stores (like the Dollar Store) when he was a kid. However he then goes on to say that his kids ââ¬Å"â⬠¦need gold to eat off ofâ⬠(95) which implies that they are spoiled, however he isnââ¬â¢t angry at his kids instead he is happy he can pass on his current wealth to them ââ¬Å"but here was no anger far from it. However, his kids (the next generation) are exactly the opposite, instead of buying thinks from discount stores and working hard they are getting nose jobs, relying on their maids, and going to country clubs which are all things upper class people do. There defiantly is a generation gap between the working class Mr. and Mrs. Patimkin, and the spoiled Brenda, Ron, and even Julie Patimkin. The Patimkins are not a dysfunctional family by any means, in fact they are a loving family by many aspects, they respect each other, and in the end it is money that implodes the family. It is unknown if the familyââ¬â¢s generation gap is filled, but judging by the attitude of the children it seems that they may never be happy in their spirits. And while it seems that money is keeping them happy on the surface, maybe it is money that is driving them apart. Just ask anyone that ever won the lottery and you will know that their lives have change drastically, much like the Patimkins live have changed once they realized that.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
For the Benefit of the Child Essay
Jonathan Swiftââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposalâ⬠ââ¬â applied to modern times ââ¬â is focused on the idea that distribution of wealth is necessary for the future of the child living on welfare. But, what if there is very little or no money available to the child (through the government) to pursue his or her studies? The poor child, if he or she goes to school, would lag in the classroom for the reason that his or her parents cannot spend sufficient time to teach him after school. Children are applied to menial jobs, too, especially in the developing world. The developed world has had its indecent share of child labor in the past. When Swiftââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposalâ⬠was first published, there were far too many problems facing the child in the now-developed world. Although many of those problems were resolved as education yielded dividends in the now-civilized world ââ¬â there are problems facing the poor child still. These problems are not limited by space and time. It is therefore essential to consider the problematic issues facing the poor child in the modern world. This exercise is meant to increase our timeless appreciation of ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposal. â⬠After all, poor children around the world continue to face the troubles confronted by the poor child of Swiftââ¬â¢s time. George Orwell was correct when he wrote that ââ¬Å"All animals are created equal but some animals are more equal than others,â⬠actually referring to human beings whom scientists refer to as animals (5). Throughout the history of humanity, people have generally known that they were created equal. And yet, there have been separations, discriminations, dissimilarities, and inequalities, for the reason that God, Nature or Evolution ââ¬â depending on what we choose to believe in ââ¬â did not grant equal abilities, talents, and gifts to all human beings. Some men are richer and more intelligent than the others. Some are born deaf, dumb, and blind. And, some must rely on income support because they just cannot beat poverty on their own. But, what if income support is insufficient to meet the childââ¬â¢s intellectual needs? What if he or she is potentially brilliant but cannot do so well in the classroom because his parents cannot buy him books to read in the home? According to the United States Bureau of Census, the most recent poverty rates of children are higher than ever. A large percentage of children in the classroom are coming from low socioeconomic households. And, a huge amount of research has shown that a childââ¬â¢s socioeconomic status affects his or her intelligence level as well as academic achievement (Milne and Plourde). Vail writes that children from high poverty environments ââ¬Å"enter school less ready to learn, and they lag behind their more-affluent classmates in their ability to use language to solve problems (12). â⬠What is more, childrenââ¬â¢s socioeconomic status has been found to affect their consistency of attending academic institutions, in addition to the number of formal education years they eventually complete. Many researchers believe that there is a positive correlation between socioeconomic status and academic achievement. Still, Caldwell and Ginther have reported that ââ¬Å"[w]hile low-SES is highly correlated with low achievement, some low-SES students are academically successful (142). â⬠Then again, the words ââ¬Ëvicious cycleââ¬â¢ are often used when poverty is discussed. In a groundbreaking ethnographic study, Milne and Plourde discovered that children from low socioeconomic households who do well at school have parents who make sure that their children have educational materials available at home. All low socioeconomic families with children who are high achievers at school have books and writing materials for their children at home, even if these families have to rely on support systems to supply them with educational materials. What is more, these families have time allotted every day for their children to engage in academic activities, including homework, with their parentsââ¬â¢ participation. These families also believe in monitoring the use of television by their children (Milne and Plourde). All of the mothers in this study had at least completed tenth grade in school, and expressed that they would like their children to know the importance of education too. The parents of these children openly talked about the importance of education with their children. Finally, they all agreed that they did not want their children to believe that schooling was an option. Rather, education was considered a necessity in these homes (Milne and Plourde). All the same, such families are few indeed. Not all poor children have mothers that show interest in education. Similarly, a poor childââ¬â¢s needs may be disregarded completely if his or her parents are alcoholics that use up all income support on liquor. After all, there are frustrations in the poor childââ¬â¢s home, and these may take the form of drug abuse or domestic violence. If not, a poor childââ¬â¢s parents may send him off to work. Swiftââ¬â¢s scenario for the poor child may take another shape in India, for example. In that part of the developing world, poverty is intense, with 41 percent of the worldââ¬â¢s poor. So therefore parents encourage their children to work instead of going to school. The policy of the Indian government on child labor has evolved over many years. The country did not find it possible to ban all forms of child labor at once, seeing that working children contribute greatly to household income. Besides, the country finds that children contribute to economic growth, being the cheapest labor force (Krueger and Tjornhom). As mentioned previously, child labor laws took time to develop in the now-developed countries, too. Children were recognized as economic assets before regulations stepped in to either stop the employment of children altogether or vastly reduce their representation in the labor force. As an example, Bradbury, in her book, Working Families: Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal, takes the reader down Montrealââ¬â¢s streets and into the dwellings of working class families who helped shape Canadaââ¬â¢s industrial revolution. The lives of working men, women, and children have all been documented (Bradbury). If Swiftââ¬â¢s child enters their lives, he or she would be a welcome part of the working family described by Bradbury. Likewise, McIntosh, working at the National Archives of Canada, has produced a well-documented book on child labor during the 19th and early 20th centuries: Boys in the Pits: Child Labour in Coal Mines. The book is an exploration of the history of boys between the ages of 8 and 15 who labored hard in the mines and were known only for their work. Such children may also join Swiftââ¬â¢s circle of little friends in ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposal. â⬠The fact remains that children continue to be disproportionately hurt by poverty in our time ââ¬â of sports cars, rockets, and lots more. If properly trained, many of the same children may add great value to our world. But, there are problems such as poverty and illiteracy that refuse to go away. No matter how one tries to attack poverty, it takes a U-turn to complete its cycle after cycle. Swiftââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposalâ⬠takes such a dismal view of poverty with an electrifying hope, which the author displayed through satire. On a similar note, it is possible to suppose that the vicious cycle of poverty would break once and for all, at some point in time, for all poor children of the world. Regardless of our beliefs about the reasons for poverty, the government has shouldered the responsibility to care for the poor by spending a part of its spending budget on income support programs such as social insurance, public assistance, and work/employment programs. In order to raise the standard of living of the poor, the government also considers education as an essential social welfare program. Still, there are poor children with parents that refuse to buy them books and other educational materials for use at home, even though the government is providing them with income support. What should the government do in order to break this cycle of illiteracy and poverty combined? ââ¬â Perhaps a paradigm shift is in order. To provide for and educate every child, it is the governmentââ¬â¢s responsibility to educate every parent. Perhaps it would take the advertising industry to work alongside the government to boost sales of books instead of booze. For the benefit of the poor child, many changes are called for. Works Cited Bradbury, Bettina. Working Families: Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007. Caldwell, G. P. , and Ginther, D. W. ââ¬Å"Differences in learning styles of low socioeconomic status for low and high achievers. â⬠Education (1996), 117, pp. 141-148. Krueger, Dirk, and Tjornhom, Jessica. ââ¬Å"Economic Inequality and the Emergence of Child Labor Laws. â⬠Discussion Paper. Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (Aug 2002). 11 Nov 2008. . McIntosh, Robert. Boys in the Pits: Child Labour in Coal Mines. Montreal, Quebec: McGill- Queenââ¬â¢s University Press, 2000. Milne, Allison, & Plourde, Lee A. ââ¬Å"Factors of a Low-SES Household: What Aids Academic Achievement? â⬠Journal of Instructional Psychology (Sep 2006). Orwell, G. Animal Farm. London: Secker and Warburg, 1945. Vail, K. ââ¬Å"Grasping what kids need to raise performance. â⬠The Education Digest (2004), 69, pp. 12-25.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 12
Micha ââ¬Å"Dude, where the fuck is your head today?â⬠Ethan asks and seconds later a grease rag hits me in the face. I throw it back at him, hard. ââ¬Å"You're starting to piss me off with this crap.â⬠Ethan widens his eyes exaggeratedly. ââ¬Å"Whatever man. You've been so distracted for the last two days.â⬠He sticks his head back under the hood. ââ¬Å"And I'm not going to say why.â⬠ââ¬Å"Good, because I don't want to hear it.â⬠I round the back of my car and eye over the tools on the wall of the garage. I grab a rusty toolbox, one of the few things my dad left behind, and toss it into the garbage can. He called again this morning, begging on the answering machine for either my mom or I to pick up. Ethan raises his head up and eyes the garbage can. ââ¬Å"Wanna explain what that was for?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nope.â⬠I pick up a wrench and start working on the car. We work on it for a while, but it's hot and I'm getting more pissed off at my dad by the second. Finally, I move back and throw the wrench down onto the concrete. Ethan doesn't ask questions this time. ââ¬Å"We should have a party tonight,â⬠I announce, unable to hold still. ââ¬Å"A big one, like the one we had on graduation night.â⬠ââ¬Å"You really want to relive that night?â⬠Ethan backs out from under the hood. ââ¬Å"Because I'm not sure I do.â⬠I step outside into the sunlight, determined to get my mind off stuff. ââ¬Å"What you can't remember doesn't hurt, right?â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't think you want to go there.â⬠Ethan walks next to me and we stare down the driveway at an old guy pushing a shopping cart. ââ¬Å"There are plenty of times in my life I wish I could remember ââ¬â that I'd give anything to remember ââ¬â but I can't. I lost like a year of my life. It's better to stay within the boundaries of a semi-clear head. Besides, this doesn't sound like you at all. What's up?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nothing's up.â⬠I sigh, raking my fingers through my hair. ââ¬Å"I'm just thinking out loud.â⬠Ethan returns to the garage and starts working on the engine again. Around sophomore year, he started hanging out with these kids at school, who had really heavy views on the world and liked to sit around and get high while they talked about it. Ethan somehow ended up being friends with them, and within a month, he had dropped out of school and got into some pretty heavy shit. A year later he made the decision to get some help. He cleaned up his life, cut the habits, and worked the hell out of himself to catch up in school. He was a grade behind, but managed to graduate with our year. Looking at him, you wouldn't guess. The side door of Ella's house swings open and Lila steps out. She looks upset, although not as bad as she did last night. She glances up the driveway at the house across the street, where there's a very loud game of tackle football going on in the front yard. Her eyes roam to my house and then widen when she sees that I'm watching her. She gives a tentative wave from the top step. ââ¬Å"Hey, Micha.â⬠ââ¬Å"What's up?â⬠I say with a nod of my chin. ââ¬Å"Is Ella up yet?â⬠Shielding her blue eyes from the sun, she looks up at Ella's window. ââ¬Å"Yeah, she said she'd be out in a second. She's just talking to her brother.â⬠ââ¬Å"He's not being a dick, is he?â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not sure what constitutes as a brother being a dick, since I don't have one.â⬠A smile cracks at her lips. I walk toward the fence, pulling up my jeans that are riding low on my hips. ââ¬Å"There's no yelling going on?â⬠Lila shakes her head and meets me at the fence, plucking some of her blonde hair away from her mouth. ââ¬Å"But Ella's not much of a yeller, is she?â⬠I rest my arms on the top of the fence. ââ¬Å"It depends on which one we're talking about.â⬠Her face falls. ââ¬Å"How could I know her for eight freaking months and not know anything about her. It must say something about me, right?â⬠I feel bad for her. ââ¬Å"I think Ella kind of made it her mission to keep who she was hidden from you. It's not your fault.â⬠She eyes me over with this suspicious look. ââ¬Å"Honestly, it seems like she's that way with everyone, except for you.â⬠ââ¬Å"We've known each other forever,â⬠I say. ââ¬Å"We have a comfortable relationship.â⬠Her blue eyes twinkle with mischievousness. ââ¬Å"One where you feel her up in the car?â⬠ââ¬Å"It feels like you're trying to start some trouble,â⬠I say, liking the girl even more. ââ¬Å"Maybe I am.â⬠She leans over the fence to the side of me so she can get a better view of the inside of the garage. ââ¬Å"Is that Ethan in there?â⬠I step back so she can get a better look. ââ¬Å"Yep, he's working on the car.â⬠ââ¬Å"I think I'll go give him some help.â⬠A grin spans across her face and she hops over the fence, squealing as her shoe gets caught in the wire. Trying not to laugh at her, I unhook her shoe and she walks into the garage, surprising Ethan. The door to Ella's house opens and my attention centers on her as she steps out into the sunlight. She's wearing a tight, black and purple plaid dress, and knee high lace-up boots, but her hair is curled up neatly. It's like a mix of her old look and her new one. Her face is guarded as she ambles across the driveway, with this strange look in her eyes, like she's terrified yet excited at the same time. ââ¬Å"Did Lila come out here?â⬠She bites her lip and I want to lean over and bite it for her; taste her and feel her like I did last night. Without taking my eyes off her, I nod my head at the garage. ââ¬Å"She's in there with Ethan. I think she might have a thing for him.â⬠ââ¬Å"I think you're right.â⬠She pauses. ââ¬Å"I think I might have freaked her out a little, just barely.â⬠ââ¬Å"You mean you and Dean might have freaked her out a little?â⬠ââ¬Å"She told you I was talking to Dean?â⬠ââ¬Å"She mentioned it.â⬠I extend my hand to her. ââ¬Å"Why don't you come over and join the party on this side of the fence?â⬠ââ¬Å"A party of four?â⬠she asks, trying not to grin and looking as cute as hell. I snag her by the hip, jerk her toward me playfully, and dip my lips to her ear. ââ¬Å"It can be a party of two. Just say the word.â⬠She shivers from the feel of my breath on her neck. ââ¬Å"I think we better keep it a foursome.â⬠I press my fingers into the curve of her hips. ââ¬Å"I didn't know you liked it kinky.â⬠She swats my shoulder and I laugh, my dad problems feeling less heavy. ââ¬Å"Relax, I was just kidding, even though you're the one who brought it up first.â⬠ââ¬Å"I was joking.â⬠ââ¬Å"I knowâ⬠¦ I think I am going to have a party tonight.â⬠ââ¬Å"Don't you have one of those every night?â⬠I cock my eyebrow. ââ¬Å"Besides the night you showed up, have you seen one going on?â⬠She wrinkles her forehead. ââ¬Å"No.â⬠She sits down on the fence, swinging her legs over to my side. ââ¬Å"Micha, what have you been doing for the last eight months?â⬠ââ¬Å"Pinning for you.â⬠I avoid the truth. That I haven't been doing much of anything besides looking for her and helping my mom take care of things. She tucks her dress underneath her legs and I get a small glimpse of the black lacy panties she has on. ââ¬Å"Where do you work?â⬠Against her protest, I spread her legs apart and put myself between them. ââ¬Å"I work at the shop with Ethan a lot, but it's not going to be forever. I have plans. I'm still working on getting everything lined up.â⬠She places her hands on my chest, holding me back. ââ¬Å"I think the lines between our friendship are getting a little blurred.â⬠ââ¬Å"That happened a long time ago,â⬠I tell her, gliding my palms up the sides of her bare legs. ââ¬Å"At least for me it did.â⬠Her jaw tightens. ââ¬Å"It's things like that which make them blurry and things last nightâ⬠¦ and things like in the car.â⬠ââ¬Å"There seems to be a lot of things, which I think might be a hint that you and I belong together.â⬠Her eyes snap wide and I back off to try another tactic. She needs to smile and let those stressed lips free. I pinch her side and she squeals. ââ¬Å"Don't do that,â⬠she says, holding back a laugh. ââ¬Å"You know I hate being tickled.â⬠I graze my fingers across her other side and she squirms, before falling over the fence and landing on her back in the grass. I leap over the fence easily as she scrambles to her feet. She narrows her eyes, backing toward her back door. I run up to the side of her and she skitters out of my reach. She glances at the door and then at the front yard, which is closer to her. ââ¬Å"Micha, seriously,â⬠she warns. ââ¬Å"We're too old for this.â⬠I spread my arms out to the side innocently. ââ¬Å"I'm not doing anything.â⬠Her eyes flick to her house one last time and then shaking her head, she spins around and runs for the front yard. I give her a head start before I sprint off after her. When I round the house, she's up on the front porch, jiggling the door knob. I laugh at her. ââ¬Å"Is it locked?â⬠She heaves a frustrated sigh and hops over the railing, slipping on the grass. ââ¬Å"Dammit Micha! I'm so going to kick your ass for this.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm planning on holding you to that threat.â⬠I jog after her across the neighbor's yard. She races across the grass, her hair falling out of a clip. She leaps over the brick fence into the next yard and smashes a row of flowers. Without using my hands, I hop onto the fence, but trip during my dismount and fall on my knees. She freezes in the middle of the lawn and starts to laugh at me. ââ¬Å"You so deserved that.â⬠I get to my feet, dusting the dirt off my knees, and a dark smile rises on my face. ââ¬Å"You think that's funny?â⬠Her eyes sparkle and it's worth the fall. ââ¬Å"You look ridiculous.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do I?â⬠I take a step toward her. She takes a step back. ââ¬Å"You do.â⬠Abruptly the sprinklers turn on, drenching the grass and her. She screams and covers her head with her arms. ââ¬Å"Serves you right for laughing at me,â⬠I say with a grin. She lets her arms fall to the side and smirks. ââ¬Å"Well, at least it keeps you away from me.â⬠Her dress is clinging to her body in all the right places and pieces of her wet hair stick to the sides of her face. She begins to twirl in circles with her hands up above her head. ââ¬Å"You're beautiful,â⬠I say, unable to help myself. Ella Micha looks ridiculous and I can't help but laugh. I haven't laughed in so long that it feels unnatural leaving my mouth. It's like we're kids again, as if this moment belongs in another time where things are weightless and full of sunshine. As I'm laughing at him, the sprinklers turn on and my clothes instantly get soaked. At first I squeal, but then I let go, lifting my hands above my head and twirling in the water, figuring he won't come in after me. He calls out something about me being beautiful and then he charges into the sprinklers, completely blind-siding me. His arms snake around my waist and we collapse to the ground but Micha holds my weight up, so I land on the wet grass gently. ââ¬Å"Micha,â⬠I say, trying to be serious. ââ¬Å"Don't do it. You know how much I hate being tickled.â⬠ââ¬Å"Which makes it even more appealing.â⬠Water beads in his hair, his long eyelashes, his lips. With one hand, he pins my arms above my head and presses his body against mine. My wet clothes cling to my skin and I can feel every part of him. ââ¬Å"I take that back. This is more appealing.â⬠He lets his hand move up my ribs, his thumb sketching along the ridges, sending my body into a frenzy. I stop fighting him and lay perfectly still. Water sprinkles our faces as he lowers his lips to mine. Our wet tongues twine together, full of desire as they collide. A strange, unfamiliar feeling opens inside of me again and my legs fall apart and hook around his waist, requesting more of him, like they did last night. Micha draws back, looking surprised as he glances at the house to the side of us and then at the street. Then he lets out an untamed growl and deepens the kiss, thrusting his tongue deep into my mouth. I suck on his bottom lip and trace my tongue along his lip ring. It sends a quiver through his body and I'm secretly pleased, but my pleasure confuses me. ââ¬Å"Ella,â⬠he groans and then kisses me fiercely. His hand travels upward and cups my breasts. His thumb circles around my nipple and through the wet fabric of my clothes, the feeling is mind blowing. It's driving me wild and my knees vice-grip against his hips. A moan laced with ecstasy crumbles from my lips. I'm starting to lose control again and it's alarming. I try to get past it this time, but it consumes me and I have to stop. After a lot of effort, I get my arms between our bodies and I push him away. ââ¬Å"We should get back.â⬠I look at the brick home of the yard we're laying in. ââ¬Å"Besides if Miss Fenerly comes out, she'll have a heart attack.â⬠Micha's aqua eyes penetrate me. There's mud on his forehead and grass in the locks of his blonde hair. ââ¬Å"If that's what you want.â⬠Maneuvering to his feet, he takes my hand and lifts me to mine. He plucks pieces of grass out of my hair and lets his hand linger on my cheek. Holding hands, we walk across the grass and down the sidewalk, leaving a trail of water behind us and something else. Something invisible to the outside eye, but to me it's more noticeable than the sun in the sky.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Genetics and hybrid animal technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Genetics and hybrid animal technology - Essay Example Genetic and hybrid animal technology describes a group of techniques that are applied to modify or manipulate the genetic make-up of organisms using recombinant DNA. According to Montaldo (2006), the technique allows for identification, replication, modification and the transfer of cells or tissues and, in some cases the complete organism. On a wider perspective, the technology, which entails the incorporation of DNA markers for selection, aims at improving the quality of breeding and the subsequent offspring. The technology relies on genetic information of animals in order to effect the improvement. Animal selection is usually done by understanding the effect the genes to be transferred will have the same. According to Montaldo (2006), the transfer of a particular gene depends on the expected advantages it is likely to proffer to the animal. The following techniques are used in genetic and hybrid animal technology. Transgenics: This is the most common technique applied in hybrid animal technology. Also referred to as recombinant DNA, the technique involves the transfer of a particular trait from one organism to the other (Bioscience, 2015). In transgenic, the gene splicing method facilitates the introduction of a gene for a required trait from one organism to the other. Upon the successful transfer, new DNA is integrated into the second animalââ¬â¢s genetic material, and this leads to the creation of a transgenic animal (Montaldo, 2006). The transgenic animal acquires new characteristics following the alteration of its protein makeup. Cloning: In this technique, nucleus of differentiated adult cells is moved to an oocyte without of nucleus (Bioscience, 2015). The result is the production of several copies of almost the same animals (Bioscience, 2015). According to Bioscience (2015), this technique is used in producing copies of animals with superior traits such as high milk production and wool
Compare the five Business functions in two organisations (SEE Essay
Compare the five Business functions in two organisations (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) - Essay Example Business functions are structured and operate differently in different contexts. With this in mind we shall consider here the success or failure of two competitors namely, Wal-Mart and Kmart, both of who are general merchandise discounters. While Sam Walton (CEO Wal-mart) did start off with the basic idea borrowed from Kmart but his strategy was unique. At the outset it was the marketing strategies of Wal-Mart that fetched them a smooth take off. While Kmart opened up shops in large metropolitan cities like New York, Wal-Mart opened good sized stores in smaller towns. Wal-Mart chose isolated rural towns where more than one retailer could not survive and hence in no time all the local shops had to down their shutters. While Kmart wanted to supply private cheaper brands to the affluent, Wal-Mart chose the national brands at low prices. This could be possible because of bulk purchase. He managed to keep the prices so low that people could shop from home rather than make trips to the cities. They understood the needs of the customer. Human resource management was another stronghold of Wal-Mart as right from the inception they did not believe in allowing or forming a union (Mitchell Levy and Paul A. Losch 2002). They felt it was detrimental to the interest of the company and the union only fed itself from both the management and the labors. They believed in exhorting their own people, motivating them through incentives and awards such as company stocks by which they could also make up for the low wages. A corporate culture was set which encouraged the employees and managers to consider the customer the focus of business. The customer is the king was the policy at Wal-mart whereas at Kmart customer service was poor. Staffing is a perennial challenge for any business. They should know when and where to employ the right number of people. This is another sector where Kmart lost
Monday, August 12, 2019
Questions on Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Questions on Investment - Essay Example With the combination of these securities in the portfolio investors can minimize their risk without sacrificing their expected return. Ans 1b In table 1, we can see correlation coefficients of five different funds, if we want to invest in any of the two funds in the portfolio with minimum risk. For example Aviva Property and HSBC Asian Growth with correlation coefficient 0.10 can minimize the risk without sacrificing any of their expected return. In such a combination of these funds the risk will be diversified effectively without decreasing the level of expected return whatsoever. Ans 1c We have a portfolio of two funds, Aviva property and HSBC Asian Growth. We have also combined other funds and analyzed their risk exposure and found that their portfolio has minimum levels of risk. This investor is investing 50% of the cash in both the funds minimizing its risk without change in the expected return. Aviva property has risk of 2.3% with negative return while HSBC shows 6.5% risk with a good level of return. If investors will invests separately in these funds, the risk will be more but in other combinations the risk will also be greater. Ans 1d i) As shown in figure 1, the curved line denoted with (a) is referred to as Efficient frontier while the straight line denoted by b is referred to as capital market line. The other points mentioned in the figure are, D which is the risk free rate and C is the market portfolio. ii) When an investor has a portfolio at point E as shown in figure 1, where return is also decreasing but not that much with the risk. Every investor wants to hold the C point where only market risk is to be faced, but all the other risks are diversified and at point E the risk associated with the portfolio is high but both systematic and unsystematic risk are in its way. Only unsystematic risk is diversifiable but other risks can also be shown at beta. iii) Every investor tries to reduce the risk associated with its portfolio. If the investor is wi lling to accept 10% of risk as shown in figure 1 it is difficult to get good results. As the risk is high and return is also high, this position becomes more sensitive to the market fluctuations. At this position a slight change in the market will affect the portfolio more. Investors can go for the risk free return but it is usually unrealistic as allowances for the differences in borrowing makes the model more complicated. Ans 2a In US-style option, the buyer has the right to exercise at any time before the expiry of the option and counterparty must follow in the part of the buyer of option for execution. Counterparty doesnââ¬â¢t have any right to deny the execution of the option before the expiry of the risk associated with the counterparty. The reason for counterparty risk is basically due to the credit risk of the option writer (Klein and Yang 2010, p.1) Ans 2b The biggest advantage of using options contracts is that it gives stability and security to the investors and the tr aders. This makes them contribute more in the market operations and also greatly contribute to the economy. It reduces the risks involved and also increase investors confidence thus they buy more options the agents sells. Since unsystematic risk is normally unverifiable, the risk occurs due to external factors which are unpredictable. In order to minimize
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Nonconsequentialist Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Nonconsequentialist Theories - Essay Example The essay "Nonconsequentialist Theories" talks about the Non Consequentialist theories that state that consequences should not find their way into our moral judgments. It means that actions are to be judged good or right in line with other criteria i.e. divine command or intuitions. They are categorized as; Act non-consequential theories and Rule non-consequentialist theories.Rule Non-Consequentialist theories are of the idea that blanket rules should be employed to govern the society since they will introduce a greater good. One of the major examples in Rule Non-Consequential theory is the divine command theory that claims that our only source of morality or moral authority is from a higher source, a spiritual deity like God. On the real world, an example is the adherers of the Catholic Church. Many of these followers base their moral values on what is written in the Bible. They believe whatever the scripture says or its interpretation by the church leaders to be moral. Two examples are the Catholic Churchââ¬â¢s opposition to birth control and homosexuality. These stands would never be agreed upon by secular reasoning alone, it takes religion. Act Non-Consequentialist Theories are of the idea that we should not employ general or blanket rules but act on a case by case basis. The theory states that only individual acts and situations count morally. The theory is against generalization since every situation is different. They are based on emotions and intuitions to be able to come up with moral conclusions.
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