Thursday, January 23, 2020
The art of loving :: essays research papers
The Art of Loving is a slim volume of only a little over a hundred pages yet it packs one hell of a punch. Written some fifty years ago, here is a more damning indictment of modern society than anything the existential crowd of Bertrand Russell, Albert Camus or Jean Paul Sartre could cook up. The Art of Loving is a very concise and pithy read, it is written in the terse lucid style of gospel, each word in each line serving a critical function. This is not a writer’s style nor is a critic’s but that of a scientist, impartial and wholly objective – some may think of it as cold. But it is also easy to see that it is written by a man who is completely at ease with his ideas, who has followed them to their natural conclusion – that Love is a dead flower; and only one in a million may ever resurrect it in his or her life. Something as audacious a title as The Art of Loving could only have been pulled off by a man of the calibre of Bertrand Russell, and as a social philosopher, reformer and rebel Erich Fromm is no less great a name. As a psychoanalyst, he diverged from the typical Freudian obsession with unconscious drives and insisted on the importance of economic and social factors for mental well-being. His works are noted for their emphasis on a â€Å"sane society†, one which is based on rational human needs and where individuality is not compromised in the name of economics or authority. Erich Fromm is one of the pivotal figures in the Humanist movement that reared its head for a short flicker after World War II. His highly influential works (including Man for Himself, Escape from Freedom, The Sane Society, etc.) paint the pathetic picture of dazed consumer and encourage a renaissance of new, enlightened values to salvage our humanity. And it’s more than just talk – in The Art of Loving, Fromm quotes effortlessly from Marx, Huxley, Rumi and several religious texts to hammer in his points. Is Love really an art? Undoubtedly, he answers, in as much as Life itself is an art – which has a very nice ring to it, but seems to be a wholly outdated formula – and which is where our problems begin. The world is a Market today, Fromm says, and our whole culture is based on the idea of a â€Å"mutually favourable exchange†.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Police Administration Essay
The role of police in the safety of the community has long been recognized. It is thus of great importance that the operations behind the police system be well understood in order to identify points that are considered to be exemplary, as well as areas which are in need of further evaluation and reorganization. This research paper will discuss areas of police administration that are related to the recruitment and hiring process. A brief review of other related areas of police administration will also be presented in order to provide a holistic overview of the topic. POLICE WORK AND RELATED PROBLEMS The area of police work is an occupation that is strongly associated with misconduct and criminal acts. The act of performing police work is highly discretionary because it entails a combination of both standard police principles and personal ideologies that influence a police officers values and morale. Police work also involves coercive activity that regularly occurs in the most private situations which are often not in the presence of their immediate supervisors but in the vicinity of witnesses who, unfortunately, often distort the details of the criminal event when interviewed or asked to testify. Police work is also strongly associated with corruption through the extreme abuse of police authority for the wrong benefits of other individuals (Klockars, 2000). Corruption is a form of misconduct that has long been a concern of every society. Several attempts has been made to control the application and use of corruption in police work yet there are several factors that decrease the likelihood of success in controlling this social problem. One of the factors that hinder the control of corruption is that police officers refuse to report activities that are deemed corrupt to their fellow officers. Also known as The Code or The Code of Silence, this secret has been with the police force for decades. Another factor that prevents the control of corruption in police work is that police administrators are hesitant in acknowledging that corrupt events do exist in their respective police agencies. The idea that corrupt activities may benefit the police officers in terms of extra financial income also influences police officers to continue performing or acknowledging corrupt acts. Another factor that prevents the success in controlling corrupt activities within the police force involves the scarcity of victims of these shameful acts who are willing to report the corrupt incident to federal investigators. For some time, corruption has been viewed by police administrators as a sign of the insufficiency of moral standards among police officers. To date, the officials of police administration has actively fought the problem of corruption in the police force by meticulously and cautiously screening the new applicants for positions in the police force in order to lessen the probability that newly hired police officers will not succumb to the perennial problem of corruption in their field of work. In addition, police administrators have also aggressively followed and hunted down any members of the police force that are known to deal with corrupt activities during their line of duty with the police force. Once these morally delinquent police officers are tracked, they are dismissed from their positions so that any additional cases of corruption will surely be prevented. The removal of these corrupt police officers also assure that the negative influences of these police officers will not spread to the rest of the members of the police force. The concept of removal of a corrupt police officer from the police force is similar to the bad apple theory in agriculture and this approach has been strongly criticized in the past years. In order to better understand the problems associated with police work, it is essential that the field of police work first be presented. THE ROLE OF A POLICE OFFICER            A police officer pertains to a working employee of the police force who has been trained in special responsibilities such as counterterrorism and surveillance. A police officer is also equipped with the capabilities for child protection as well as protection of diplomatic individuals. Police officers are experienced in investigating crimes such as murder, burglary, rape and drug trafficking. It should be understood that the duties of a police officer encompass a wide range of functions. These officers are expected to be capable of responding to any type of situation that may occur during their time of duty.  Police officers are considered as government officials during investigatory events of crimes. In specific cities and communities, it is the responsibility of a police officer to maintain peace and conduct in the area, even if they are not on duty.            Society perceives a police officer as a person who is responsible for instilling peace and order in his particular area of duty. Peace and order can be attained through the enforcement of rules or prohibitions in terms of social interactions. Police officers are also responsible in discouraging attempts to commit crimes, aside from investigating a crime that has already occurred in a particular area. In addition, police officers carry the legal role and authority to arrest any suspected individuals that may have played a role in a crime. They also have the authority to interrogate and detain the suspect, as well as report the incident and the associated suspects to the proper authorities.            Police officers may also help in instilling the safety of the public during large gatherings. Such role may be similar to an emergency service wherein they could be called on to facilitate in public operations such as town or city programs and parades. These individuals also serve as a source of immediate response during times of emergency and disasters because they serve as the first person at the scene of an incident. Once a police officer arrives at the particular site and makes a quick survey of the area, he then quickly informs the fire and emergency medical units of the city to respond to the situation. Depending on the state or country, police officers and firemen have the same line of call, wherein these two groups of government employees may respond to the scene of a disaster at the same time.            Minor offenses are also reported by police officers in the form of citations which generally results in the implementation of fine. One good example of a minor offense includes the violation in the laws of driving and traffic such as illegal parking or over-speeding. Other traffic violations may include accosting a driver who has consumed more than the allowable amounts of alcohol drinks. The detention of drivers that manipulate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol prevents car accidents as well as deaths. Police officers are also trained in assisting individuals that are caught in the middle of an accident or even a simple car breakdown. It is interesting to know that police officers are trained in techniques in first aid as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).            Park rangers are also considered as police officers who man the national parks and other open recreational locations. These individuals also enforce specific laws in order to instill peace and order in these specific areas. Police officers are also visible in areas where rallies and political activities are frequently held. These law enforcers are responsible in suppress overly active protests that hinders the rest of the public from performing their daily functions such as going to work. Police officers make sure that rallies and other kinds of protests are held within the allowable parts of the public area such as sidewalks and the rest of the people and vehicles are not hindered from moving through their usual activities. There are some cases wherein protesters may be extremely upset regarding a particular political or ethical issue and these individual may start screaming and acting in more violent behavior. Should this be the case, the police officers are authorized to control such actions to an acceptable level of protest. QUALIFICATION OF A POLICE OFFICER            The credentials of a police officer often vary in each country, mainly depending on the expectations and roles of the police officer in that part of the world. However, it is a general requirement that a candidate for a position of police officer must show proof that he has completed some kind of formal education. Several decades earlier, police officers were not required to finish a college degree yet currently this has changed. Mostly due also to the changing times and the evolution of the society in terms of values and morals, candidates for positions of police officers are now required to carry a tertiary degree. In addition, the candidate for police officer is required to undergo two to three years of training as a police constable prior to promotion to a position of higher rank such as inspector or sergeant. It is a common path that a police officer originates from a military or security position.            In addition to carrying a college degree, a candidate for police officer is also required to undergo a physical fitness examination. In the United States, there are currently laws that vary by state that describe the requirements for candidates for the position of police officer. The requirements include specific information regarding the applicant’s age and educational level, as well as the criminal records and training. A police agency is generally similar to that of a semi-military organization that requires particular training and experience before applicants are admitted to the police force. There are also specific qualifications before a particular police officer can be promoted to a higher position in the police force. It should be noted that promotion to a higher rank in the police force is not an automatic operation that occurs once a police officer has served for three years. Promotion to a higher rank entails taking additional examinations that serve as tools that will help assess the police officer if he is ready and competent enough to hold a higher ranking position. An interview is also conducted by the review board that serves as a personal questioning session for the candidate police officer for promotion. The stringent requirements for promotion of a police officer to a higher rank are commensurate to the responsibilities that this police officer will hold once he is awarded the higher police rank. It is actually normal for a police officer to remain in the same position ranking for some time and it is usually the highly competent officers that are often deserve a higher rank in the police force. There are some instances when a specific police officer stays at the same position rank for a decade or more because it has been observed through their performance that the particular police officer is not competent to serve from a higher position. Police officers who have served in the police force for a particular duration may also apply for the position of police specialist. The specialist positions include the detective, firearms officer or motorcycle officer. TRAINING AT THE POLICE ACADEMY            A police academy is a training facility that is generally managed by the police department in order to serve as a venue for the education and development of the new recruits. These individual recruits were previously hired by the police department yet they are first required to undergo training at the police academy before they are allowed to work with the police force. The trainees at the police academy are taught essential skills that are expected of a police officer. The training involves both classroom and actual action training that runs for several months. Full-time training requires that the candidates are present for the entire day at the police academy, with provisions for letting them stay in for several months. In private police academies, training is conducted during the evenings so that the trainees are able to work during the day time to earn their wages to support themselves. In police academies that are run by the police department, stipends are given to the trainees because they are already considered as employees of the police force. Training at the police academy includes the principles of arrest and booking of individuals. The use of firearms is also taught at the academy. Special driving skills are also taught at the police academy because this is essential is chasing suspects and criminals. The trainees are also educated in terms of CPR and first aid skills because these capabilities are expected of a competent police officer. Trainees are also taught skills in writing police reports as well as ethical measures in interacting with individuals that they would likely deal with on a daily basis as a police officer. Theories of investigation and criminality will also be undertaken during the training of police officers. Methods in interacting with the community will also be taught at the police academy.            After several months of training at the police academy, the trainees are required to take written and practical examination to gauge the comprehension of the lessons that have been given to them. Upon passing the requirements of the written and practical examinations, the trainee is awarded a certification of police academy training and will then be assigned as a member of the police department. It has been observed that there has been an increase in recruitment of police officers in the past decade and it has been predicted that the number of newly recruited police officers will increase in the coming years. This is mostly due to the change in the society and politics of the country, as well as the increase in urbanization of cities. THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 AND EQUALITY AMONG MEN            The hiring and recruitment of police officers has been influenced by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Years ago, Martin Luther King had a dream that all men and women would be equal. The laws and progression of civil rights and immigration has changed the United States. Racial inequality and color prejudice has damaged the United States; affecting the government system through legislation. The differences in culture background and heritage are being traversed. Borders are supposedly being crossed. Educational theories and classroom practices are taking up new forms in order to conform and meet the educational needs of the global societies. Educators and teachers are being expected to share views and recognize values from different cultures, races, societies and ethnic groups. They are expected to move outside the system and custom of the dominant society and incorporate beliefs other than those they are accustomed with. Our laws and progression of Civil Rights and immigration has changed the United States (AARP, 2004). The challenges that face our nation’s children relates to the civil right movements and immigration laws. The 1800’s industrialization expansion and slave trade increased immigration to the United States, bringing around twenty-five million people between 1866 and 1915.  In 1917, the United States began placing and enforcing restrictions on immigration.  The government did have provisions before, however most statutes were requirements for naturalization, government powers, reporting of aliens or items allowed to import. Amid 1875 to 1888, the government wanted to exclude people from coming into the United States that were criminals (whether convicted of crime or misdemeanor), prostitutes, paid or slave laborers, people with contagious diseases, polygamist, anarchist, or any person who wanted or thought it was okay to overthrow a government through forceful violence or assassination of public officials.  On February 5, 1917, a commission set forth by the President Woodrow Wilson, proposed and passed a law that enacted previous exclusions and added to exclude illiterate aliens. The excludable people were â€Å"imbeciles, feeble-minded persons, persons with physical or mental defects which may affect their ability to earn a living, persons afflicted with tuberculosis, children unaccompanied by their parents, persons who admitted the commission of a crime involving moral turpitude, and women coming to the United States for immoral purposes†. The 1920 U.S. census showed that the heaviest immigration prior to that time were from Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, and other countries in northern Europe. In the course of the ending of World War II in 1945, the number of aliens both legal and illegal increased dramatically. Immigrants were trying to escape poverty and oppression from all over the world. Citizens of the United States began feeling the pressure of immigrants taking their jobs and using expensive social services provided by the U.S. government with American tax dollars. The media began to portray evidence of racial inequality and color prejudice, damaging the image of the United States. Therefore, immigration and racial equality became debated hot topics. In 1857, the National Education Association (NEA) was formed to benefit teachers and students, and work to bring attention to educational issues, such as low teacher’s salaries, teacher retirement benefits, student testing and other bureaucratic demands. The NEA became an advocate for students and teachers through curriculum enhancements to both English language arts and history to benefit Immigrants, African Americans, and Indians (Holcomb 2006). The NEA lobbied to encourage laws like The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Immigration Nationality Act of 1964, which still affects our laws today, encouraging the idea of multiculturalism, thus expanding subjects such as history and language arts to include viewpoints of historically powerless and oppressed groups. During the civil rights movement, there were two America’s, a black America and a white America. The school, bathrooms, water fountains, restaurants, bus seats, libraries, movie theaters, hospital floors, and even the line to see Santa Clause were all segregated based on the color of skin. African Americans went to school four months out of the year because they needed to help earn incomes the rest of the months. Their schools had no cafeteria, most with outside bathrooms; and their books were passed down from the white schools so they were all out of date. The school building that contained African American students were falling apart.  The classes were overcrowded with too many students, and not enough room for all the needed classes and materials. For the most part, these students had teachers that were substitutes who didn’t know what they were doing. The teachers that were in these schools had fixed values for these students and did not provide curriculum that was interesting or pertained to the students who were learning. The assumption of teachers was that these African American students did not deserve â€Å"a great deal in life and that a little, even a very little, (a very little) for a Negro child is a great deal more than he or she has earned†. Complaints were being vocalized with the school districts letting white students ride the bus to attend white schools, and black students had to walk to their school when they lived right next to an â€Å"all white†school. In 1951, the Supreme Court finally had to face and rule on the subject of civil rights. A group called the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), created in 1909 to work towards eliminating segregation and discrimination, came together in a court case Brown versus Board of Education. African Americans had started filing suits against the educational systems as early as 1845, but the Supreme Court combined five cases to hear in 1951. The issues brought before the court was because of school conditions, segregation, deficient curriculum, pupil to teacher ratio, teacher training, extracurricular activity programs offered, transportation deficiencies, and of course teacher salaries. The discriminatory environment derived from civil rights and immigration issues unlocked, and then caused the world to see that human tendencies are to prejudge, discriminate against, and stereotype people based on their ethnic, religious, physical, or cultural characteristics. In 1954, Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka, also called Brown I ruled by Chief Justice Warren, acknowledged learning to be the most significant task of state and local government and repudiated the separate but equal doctrine, deciding that racially segregated schools were inherently unequal (Brown Foundation, 1996). The decision had great impact and important to the civil rights movement. The Supreme Court ruled that school had no place for separate but equal status. A year later the Supreme Court decision in Brown II defined how and when school desegregation would be achieved because there was no standard or deadline set in Brown I. The legal precedence of this time caused far reaching social and ideological implications that brought about changes in the 1960’s and beyond. On the other hand, the legal wrangling did not make immigration and civil right issues disappear because of the ambiguity of the legal decisions. The 1960’s brought about race riots all over the U.S., deaths because of race, and more laws that declared discrimination illegal. On January 20, 1964, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into the Presidency, after the sudden death of President John F. Kennedy. As America mourned the death of JFK, President Lyndon B. Johnson placed his hand on the Holy Bible that was being held by his wife and took the oath of office. On that particular day, Lyndon B. Johnson launched his new program called the Great Society. The agenda was intended to produce a better quality of life for all Americans.  Reporters knew the Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson as a legislative miracle.  In fact, Dick West of the Dallas Morning News expressed that Mr. Truman could not get started on a civil rights bill because a rebellious congress passed an immigration law over a veto.  Jack Kennedy took one whirl at federal aid to education, and then backed off. Then he tried to get Congress to set up a Department of Housing and Urban Development with Cabinet Status and was turned down in the House 264 to 150. On the other hand, West writes that President Johnson was able to get these laws passed exactly the way he wanted them, thus being named The Congressional Magician.  President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on July 2, 1964, during a luncheon honoring late President Abraham Lincoln in the East room of the White House. The bill was about discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The President sat at a small table in the center with racks holding 72 pens, which was an insufficient amount.  He actually used over 100 pens to sign this triumphant bill into law.  Robert F. Kennedy sat in the front row, Martin Luther King sat in the second row, and other senators and cabinet members attended.  President Johnson’s speech was swift but had great emphasis as he called on all Americans to close the springs of racial poison and eliminate the last vestiges of injustice in our beloved America. The President spoke of the challenge that Lincoln bestowed upon America asking for preservation of the union, enlargement of liberties for America and for being true to the Declaration of Independence which gives liberty to all.  The speech was a direct challenge for all Americans to ensure that all people including Black American’s will be a part of a complete and equal society. Immigrants thus have an equal opportunity to apply as police officers. However, it has been observed that most immigrants do not perform well in the written examination for police officers because the links between illiteracy and illegal immigration is astounding. Hispanic immigrants come to the United States without having the basic literacy skills needed (Garraty and Carnes, 2001). Teachers in Texas are finding that their classes are mostly English language learners. Bilingual assistants are there to translate to students and teacher regarding teaching information and notes; they are also there to translate during parent teacher conferences. Each state requires that each police officer candidate establish a language proficiency assessment to show that he passed the proficiency and achievement-level this is required for those individuals whose primary language is not English. The examining committee classifies the applicant and recommends placement and help to benefit the applicant.  There are now reports that the translator and the English Language Learning programs are now improving. Most immigrants are visual learners hence English or Spanish languages are no barriers to learning. The problem is when the Hispanic people take the summers off to return to Mexico. Jackie stated that it seems like they lose the English proficiency learned previously. While some teachers see the problem improving there are immigrants who have voiced their concern. There are certain citizens who are concerned that teachers are spending more time because of English Language Learners and have even dealt with hearing the American-born individuals in a special class because of observation as a slow reader. Upon further investigation, it was realized the teacher was teaching and reading to the children in Spanish, which English-speaking students did not understand. Because education focus has become multi-cultural teachers use literature to teach about other cultures. Multi-cultural literature develops values and self-concept for students. On the other hand, some say American-born students reading and writing scores are declining and achievement gaps are closing. Some believe that many linguists and educators focus on the multicultural aspect, degrading the English Language. As of 1992, many states require teachers to have a certification to teach English as a Second Language, also called ESL in order to assist immigrants who are in training.  Teachers must have the appropriate academic background is ESL theory and methodology. While there are some educators who back bilingual education, which is where students learn basic skills in their own language while they are learning to speak English. English-speaking students will have a chance to learn Spanish. However, we are facing political efforts to make English the United States official language.  Senator Pete Domenci of New Mexico expressed that the inherent shallowness behind ‘English Only’ would deny the United States the opportunity to meet is full market potential. Therefore, he introduced an approach called English Plus.  English-plus, adopted in New Mexico’s constitution requiring those public school teachers must be trained in both English and Spanish so that Spanish-speaking students will be taught English properly.  On the other hand, many believe there is no need to make English the official language of the United States because it limits us from having a world–view.  The English Language is the most multi-cultural language and it celebrates diversity because of the multi-cultural influences from the French, Germans, and African’s, which continually make it powerful and diverse. There is an increase in the need for police officers to establish peace and order in the country. At the same time, the country is experiencing a rapid immigration increase of Hispanics and African American students. The appeal of the current level and police administration in terms of the hiring and recruitment process is an interesting area to cover. The costs of raising education potential for both African Americans and Latino students in order to provide equal opportunity for hiring immigrants would be high, yet there would be benefits by savings in public peace and order expenditures and increased tax revenues based on higher incomes.  Holding onto our legacy of the past, we are now teaching with a cultural approach attempt to raise the academic and professional achievement of all trainees and students through culturally relevant lessons.  Reference AARP, LCCR, & Library of Congress (2004). Save Our History: Voices of Civil Rights. The History Channel: The Hearst Corporation. Brown Foundation (1996). Brown VS Board of Education: About the Case. Retrieved March 9, 2006 from http://brownvboard.org/summary/. Garraty, J.A. & Carnes, M.C. (2001). A Short History of the American Nation. (P. 450). New York: Longman Klockars CB (2000): The measurement of police integrity. U.S. Department of Justice Research Briefs. May 2000.
Monday, January 6, 2020
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Architecture Of Europe During The Eighteenth Century
During the fifteenth century, architecture in Europe underwent a dramatic change in architectural styles, transitioning from Gothic to Renaissance. However for Italy, who had substantially less involvement with Gothic compared to other countries in Europe such as France, not only revolutionised in terms of architecture but also in terms of their social and economic state. With Italy positioned between Western Europe and Byzantium on the east, it acted as the trade hub for products coming out of the Orient, and as a result, trade flourished immensely, with merchants being able to export luxury goods and textile industries. This also affected the civic life especially in Italy’s main cities, dominated with more and more people who were becoming wealthy and powerful not from the traditional source of inherited landholdings, but the new mercantile profits gained from trading. The economic boom experienced in Italy allowed experimentation and discovery of more imaginative pathways, sparking a revolutionary effect in architecture, sculptures and paintings leading to a view of humanism, allowing empirical observations of the physical world to be answered and expressed through rationalism and individuality. At the same time, the recovery made from humanist scholars of Classical Greek and Roman texts, such as Vitruvius’s De architectura allowed architects to use them as a guide and aspire to construct a then modern world resembling and to better the classical world that has been anShow MoreRelatedThe French Revolution And Neo Classical Era1585 Words  | 7 PagesLumià ¨res Show Title The 18th century was a time for human knowledge to thrive, as well as the challenging of long held dogmatic practices; this meant much change for both the commoner as well as the nobility. Lumià ¨res is the title of our exhibition, which translates to â€Å"Enlightenment†in French, which we found to be most appropriate for this era. This show title would instantly grab the audience’s attention as it effectively communicates the meaning behind the exhibit. The enlightenment was amongRead More Neoclassicism and the Enlightenment Essay1272 Words  | 6 Pagesinnovation and evolution. One of the most significant movements which owes at least the majority of its beginnings to the Enlightenment is the architectural and artistic movement of Neoclassicism. This Neoclassicism of the mid eighteenth to mid nineteenth centuries is one that valued ancient Greek, Roman, and Etruscan artistic ideals. These ideals, including order, symmetry, and balance, were considered by many European generations to be the highest point of artistic excellence. AlthoughRead MoreAndrea Di Pietro Della Gondola1442 Words  | 6 Pagesin Padua was one of the most influential figures of the Renaissance architecture. At age thirteen Palladio was a stone cutter and then moved nearby Venice. During his training in the Northern Italy in Vicenza in 1524, Palladio was trained as a stonemason and later on his patron, Giangiorgio Trissino, granted Palladio an opportunity to study the Ancient architecture in Rome where he was influenced by the Roman and Greek architecture. After his returned Venice and his connection between people he wasRead MoreAnalysis Of Gulliver s Travels By Jonathan Swift1365 Words  | 6 Pages Neoclassical means the revival of the ancients. The Neoclassical age coincided with the Enlightenment in the eighteenth century and lasted into the early nineteenth century, competing alongside Romanticism. Neoclassical architecture, however, lasted from the eighteenth century through the twenty-first century. Neoclassicis m originated in Rome, but quickly spread throughout all of Europe when European art students returned home from the Grand Tour in Italy with newfound knowledge of rediscoveredRead MoreEssay Baroque Art in Europe and North America1408 Words  | 6 PagesBaroque Art in Europe and North America nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Throughout this research paper the topic is going to be along the lines of the Baroque Art in Europe and North America, which comes from chapter nineteen of our Art History book. The main purpose is to review major ideas and principles in this chapter by writing an analysis of certain points that were highlighted. For example, certain techniques that were used to define the Baroque Art, major sculptures, architectures, and paintingsRead More Dublin City Hall Architectural Analysis1885 Words  | 7 Pagescity’s finest neoclassical buildings (Noel Byrne, 2013). It is spectacular piece of architecture, designed by Thomas Cooley and built as the Royal Exchange for a then prosperous Dublin’s merchant population (Heritage Island, 2014). The thesis is completed detailed history interior architecture analysis of 18th century Irish building which is representative to Neoclassicism. External building analysis of 18th century Irish building which is Dublin City Hall was completed. These identified that DublinRead MoreThe Age of Reason and Revolution Essay810 Words  | 4 Pagespolitical, scientific, and literary aspects of the eighteenth century. The Age of Reason and Revolution was a time of change. This age, and the changes in it, was mainly brought upon by the Renaissance, along with some other technological inventions that made reasoning possible. But mainly, the Renaissance provided the historical roots for the Age of Reason. The Age of Reason had tremendous influence in arts and architecture, intellectual position of people, science and technologyRead MoreHow Architects Change The World1638 Words  | 7 PagesChange the World â€Å"To provide meaningful architecture is not to parody history, but to articulate it.†- Daniel Libeskind Mankind has built structures since the beginning of time and every structure which has been built throughout history has a story behind it. The reasons for building these structures are many and varied. The main reason for building a structure is out of necessity. Buildings such as the aqueducts of Rome, Windsor Castle of Medieval Europe, and the Golden Gate Bridge, were builtRead MoreEssay on The Baroque Art Style713 Words  | 3 PagesThe Baroque Art Style The era known as the Baroque period includes the seventeenth and most of the eighteenth centuries in Europe. The Baroque style was a style in which the art and artists of the time focused upon details and intricate designs. Their art often appeals to the mind by way of the heart. During this time the portraits began to portray modern life, and artists turned their backs on classical tradition. Much of the art shows great energy and feeling, and a dramatic use of lightRead MoreEssay about French Baroque 1600c.e.-1750c.e.957 Words  | 4 Pages French Baroque 1600-1750 Europe in the 1600s was at the end of Counter Reformation, and as the political and cultural shifts took place, we begin to see art, particularly in France, influenced more and more, by the ruling monarchy. The transition from Mannerism into Baroque is not clear, but eventually the arts started to adopt a new look. And feel. Paintings started to become more exuberant, dynamic and ornamented. The scale of work produced during this time increased dramatically. Where Mannerism
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Essay on Biography of Audrey Hepburn - 1574 Words
Biography of Audrey Hepburn â€Å"What is needed in order to really become a star is an extra element which God gives you or doesn’t give you. You’re born with it. You cannot learn it. God kissed Audrey Hepburn on the cheek and there she was†(Harris 11). Seen as an angel by all those who adored her, Audrey Hepburn portrayed the true image of a Hollywood star. Her grace and elegance touched all those whom she met and her death brought sorrow to millions. Living her life as a princess, Audrey had everything she had ever dreamed of. But her journey to such an end was not easy. Living through the devastation of World War II was only one of the many struggles and triumphs Audrey had to face throughout her life. These events, which may†¦show more content†¦At the age of five, Audrey’s mother sent her to a boarding school in England. As much as she disliked being away from her family, Audrey soon realized that it was a â€Å"good lesson in independence†(Paris 8). Although it may have been a good lesson, Audrey soon became shy and withdrawn. She failed to make any friends and could usually be found in the garden, hiding underneath a tree or bush (Harris 21). To make matters worse, Audrey’s parents were in the process of getting a divorce. She once said of the incident, â€Å"The most traumatic event in my life was when my father left my mother†(Harris 19). In the middle of the court proceedings, Audrey’s mother moved to London to be close to her daughter. There was an immediate change in Audrey’s personality. She soon became more open and made many friends, and she even made the honor roll (Harris 22). It was around this time that Audrey took up ballet, a passion that would consume her over up to the start of her film career. By the time Audrey was ten the tensions with Germany, Italy, and Japan in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia threatened to become worldwide if they were not stopped (Harris 22). Eventua lly, England and France declared war against Germany. Fearing what would become of her daughter if she remained in England, Ella pulled Audrey out of her London school and moved to neutral Holland (Harris 22). It would be a decision they would both regret. Audrey suffered a mild case of cultureShow MoreRelated Audrey Hepbrun: A Hollywood Fairytale Essay1446 Words  | 6 Pages nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Outline I.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Intro: nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Thesis- Audrey Hepburn took a difficult childhood and turned it into a gilded fairytale effortlessly. II.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Family Life/Growing up: nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;A-Shyness nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;B-Turbulent family III.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Suffering in Holland:Read MoreAudrey Hepburn, Star Of Dinner At Tiffany s717 Words  | 3 PagesInformative Essay Audrey Hepburn, star of â€Å"Breakfast at Tiffany s,†remains one of Hollywood s greatest style icons and one of the world s most successful actresses. Not only did she lead the life of beauty and fame, she was also a philanthropist. Audrey is one of the few actresses to win a Tony, Grammy, Emmy, and an Academy Award. Later in her lifetime, she put acting on the back burner. Her love for helping others started off when she was younger. During most of World War II, Hepburn studied at ArnhemRead MoreAudrey Hepburn was a Winner749 Words  | 3 PagesAudrey Hepburn Audrey Hepburn is a Grammy, Emmy, Tony, and Academy Award winner. She has starred in numerous movies and Broadway productions. She is a film and fashion icon and has created a name for herself around the world. Although a large amount of people have heard of her, many don’t know a lot about her life, what she did, and what she accomplished throughout her life. Audrey Hepburn was born in Brussels, Belgium on May 4, 1929. Her father’s job had her moving moving between England,Read MoreCultural Categories Of Audrey Hepburn931 Words  | 4 PagesDRESS AND CULTURE Paper 1: Cultural Categories Audrey Hepburn I. Person A person that I have admired my entire life is Audrey Hepburn. She is the definition of grace, class, and beauty. Her physical attractiveness is mysteriously captivating. She went from â€Å"no one†to â€Å"someone†in just one film. People were overwhelmed by the appearance symbols she projected through her acting and lifestyle. Audrey died at the age of 63 in the year of 1993 (1). Audrey defined the power of femininity. She dressedRead MoreCompare/Contrast Essay824 Words  | 4 Pages Compare/Contrast The fascination of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn still stays strong to this day. We often find ourselves loving the idea of these two flawless icons. Everyone wanted to be them then, and it is still true today. They were two major icons in the 1950’s. They were two beautiful, inspirational women. Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn really did live the lifestyles of the rich and the famous. Most people only see the similarities, but in fact, they are more different than someRead MoreAudrey Hepburn and Personality Theories1215 Words  | 5 PagesAudrey Hepburn and Her Personality Theories Psy/300 Audrey Hepburn and Her Personality Theories Audrey Hepburn was born in 1929 in Brussels Belgium during a time of economic hardship and personal strife. Her life took an amazing twist from her once food deprived, fatherless, war frenzied, childhood and adolescent years by becoming a 20th century icon. She withheld perseverance for life that drove her into the Land of the Free and ironically into the luxurious world of film-makingRead MoreCoco Chanel1588 Words  | 7 PagesGabrielle â€Å"Coco†Chanel was born on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France. (A+E Television Networks, LLC â€Å"Coco Chanel Biography†) When Chanel was twelve years old, her mother, Jeanne Devolle, past away from tuberculosis. A week after her mother’s passing, her father, Albert Chanel, who was a street peddler, abandoned Chanel along with her brothers and sisters. (Savio Dsilva â€Å"Coco Chanel Biography amp; Life Story†) After Chanel and her siblings had been abandoned, they were placed into an orphanage, whereRead Mor eBeyond the No.5: The life of the legend Coco Essay1605 Words  | 7 Pagesknown as the â€Å"Little Black Dress†or the LBD. While Chanel advocated for the wearing of these dresses as early as 1915, she created the true designs for these in 1920. After ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, an iconic movie starring the iconic and chic Audrey Hepburn, these dresses spread like wildfire. Chanel took the simple canvas of these dresses and accessorized them with flamboyant costume jewelry. Chanel believed the role of jewelry was to adorn an ensemble instead of flaunting riches, and she challengedRead MoreTruman Capote Helped Shape Journalism by Giving it an Edge554 Words  | 2 Pagesexcused this behavior by claiming it was research for a new book. As it was, he then came out with a book called â€Å"Breakfast at Tiffany’s†. This book was a huge success, especially among the high society as this book was made into a movie starting Audrey Hepburn. The b ook that most considered his Masterpiece was called â€Å"In Cold Blood†, the story of the 1959 murder of four members of a Kansas farming family. â€Å"In Cold Blood†brought its author millions of dollars and most of all fame from other writersRead MoreAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry1856 Words  | 8 Pagestogether. Lorraine Hansberry was born on May 19, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois. She was an African American, and when she and her family moved to a white neighborhood when she was eight, she faced discrimination. Her family was â€Å"violently attacked†(Biography), and they moved when the case Hansberry vs. Lee was taken to Supreme Court. Hansberry was the first in her family to not a attend a black college; she attended the University of Wisconsin. At first, she worked as a waitress and cashier, and writing
Friday, December 13, 2019
Tablet Computer Market Analysis (Economics) Free Essays
string(129) " prevent consumers from switching from one supplier to another if the other supplier is offering the same good at a lower price\." EC180 Economics Assignment Tablet Computers Market Table of Contents Table of Contents2 Brief Introduction3 1. Factors affecting Demand4 2. Price and Income Elasticity6 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Tablet Computer Market Analysis (Economics) or any similar topic only for you Order Now Price Discrimination8 4. Fixed and Variable costs9 5. Scale Economies10 7. Market Structure12 8. Barriers to Entry13 Summary and Conclusion14 References14 Brief Introduction In this report, the market of ‘Tablet Computers’ will be analysed. ‘A tablet computer is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen’ Editors PC magazine (2010). These products are gaining increased popularity in today’s world. Apple, Microsoft and Lenova are already in this market, with Apple’s popular product, the ‘I pad’ leading the market share. This relatively new market `will be thoroughly investigated using various microeconomic theories and findings. 1. Factors affecting Demand In economics, demand is defined by the desire to own anything, the ability to pay for it, and the willingness to pay (Sullivan Sheffrin,2003a) The diagram below shows the demand curve. Factors affecting demand would cause a shift in the demand curve. An increase in demand will cause an outward shift to the demand curve (D1 D2), thus increasing the market equilibrium price. A decrease in demand on the other hand will cause an inward shift of the demand curve ( D1 D3), decreasing the market equilibrium price. The diagram proves the ‘Law of Demand’ which states that quantity demanded for a good decreases as the prices increases. The following are the factors that affect the demand of a good or service. * Price * Income * Substitutes: Price of substitutes * Trend * Number of consumers in the market/ population Price: One of the main factors affecting demand would be the Price of the product or service. There is an inverse relationship between the price of the product and it’s quantity demanded. As the â€Å"Law of Demand†says, the quantity demanded for a product decreases as it’s price increases. Therefore the higher the price of tablet computers the lower the quantity demanded. Income: Another major factor which affects the demand for a good would be consumers’ income. The higher the income, the higher the demand as consumers will have more disposable income. Tablet computers are a relatively pricey and a luxurious good, therefore only consumers with a relatively high income will be able to afford them. Price of substitutes: The price of substitutes of this product would also be a factor affecting the demand for the product. A substitute good offers the same services to the consumer as good A, if the price of a substitute good would increase, the demand for the original good would increase as consumers want to pay the least they can for the same product. Therefore an increase in the price of for e. g. Laptops would cause an increase in the demand for Tablet computers. 2. Price and Income Elasticity Price elasticity of demand measures the relationship between a change in quantity demanded and a change in the Price. It shows the percentage change in quantity demanded caused by a percentage change in price. This can show the extent of movement along the demand curve. PED = % Change in quantity demanded % Change in price There are a number of factors which can influence the price elasticity of a good: Availability of substitutes- One major factor of influencing the price elasticity of a good would be the availability of its substitutes. The greater the availability, the greater the elasticity. The availability of substitutes like Laptops and Desktops in this market is quite high, therefore tablet computers have a high price elasticity. Necessity or Luxury- Luxury products tend to have a greater elasticity as consumers don’t actually ‘need’ them. Necassity products on the other hand like ‘tobbacco’ or ‘petrol’ for certain consumers can have a very low elasticity as consumers will be willing to pay a higher price. Tablet computers are a luxurious good, therefore they have a greater price elasticity than for example petrol which could be regarded as a ‘neccassity’ good in today’s world for certain consumers. Proportion of income required by the item – The higher the proportion of income required by the product, the higher the elasticity will tend to be. This is because consumers will be more careful and hesitant to purchase a good which would acquire the majority of their disposable income. The price of tablet computers can range from around ? 300 to ? 650. Income elasticity of demand measures the relationship between a change in quantity demanded and a change in income. It is measured by the following formulae: YED = % Change in quantity demanded % Change in consumer’s income Normal goods’ have a positive income elasticity of demand, this means that an increase in income will lead to an increase the quantity demanded as well. ‘Inferior goods’ on the other hand have a negative income elasticity of demand. An increase in income will lead to a fall in the quantity demanded for the product/service. Tablet computers are a normal good therefore it will hav e a positive income elasticity of demand. They can also be considered a luxorious good therefore the demand responds by rising more than proportionate to a change in income. The income elasticity of demand ill be more than +1 so demand for tablet computers would be elastic relative to income. 3. Price Discrimination As cited by Krugman (2003b, p142) ‘Price discrimination exists when sales of identical goods or services are transacted at different prices from the same provider. ’ Firms often use price discrimination as a method of maximizing profits. However there are two main conditions for discriminatory pricing to work 1) Differences in the Price elasticity of Demand between markets: There must be a different price elasticity of demand from each group of consumers. Firms can then charge a higher price to the group with a price inelastic demand and a relatively lower price on the other hand to the group with a more price elastic demand. 2) Barriers to prevent consumers to switch suppliers: There must be certain barriers to prevent consumers from switching from one supplier to another if the other supplier is offering the same good at a lower price. You read "Tablet Computer Market Analysis (Economics)" in category "Essay examples" One common price discrimination method the firm could use for the sale of tablet computers would be the ‘third degree (multi-market) Price discrimination. This method involves charging different prices for the same product in different segments of the market, it is linked directly to consumers’ willingness and ability to pay for a good or service. The market can be separated by geography, so a higher price can be charged to overseas markets if demand is more price inelastic than in home. In today’s knowledge world, many firms use the internet to price discriminate. Many websites can gather enough information about consumers and their buying habits to give sellers an opportunity for discriminatory pricing. One example of this would be Dell, ‘which charges different prices for the same product on its web pages, often depending on whether the buyer is a state or local government, or a small business. ’ In this case the same method can be applied to the sale of the tablet computers. 4. Fixed and Variable costs Fixed costs are costs to a business that are constant, they do not vary with the quantity of product/service produced. Variable costs are costs to a business that actually do vary with the quantity of product/service product. Fixed + Variable costs = Total costs Fixed costs: * Land purchased for production of goods, for e. . an industrial factory * Salaries of staff paid on monthly rates, independent of how many hours the employees work. * Advertising: Marketing Campaign for launch of product. * Electrical equipment like lighting or air conditioning which may be kept running even in periods of low activity. Variable costs: * Cost of Raw materials * Salaries of staff pai d on an hourly basis, hours can be varied therefore it is a variable cost. * Electrical equipment, as the company grows, the more the plant will be run therefore more electricity will get used which makes this a variable cost. 5. Scale Economies Economies of scale in economics, refers to the cost advantages that an enterprise obtains due to expansion. A firm can experience reduced averaged costs in the long run by increasing output or ‘expansion’. There are 5 types of internal economies of scale. 1. Technical: Only large firms can afford to invest into expensive quality machinery. This makes them more cost effective by making use of large scale capital technology which brings down cost per unit. New entrants generally don’t have that much capital to start off with, therefore suffer with high production costs and lower efficiency. . Purchasing: This is when firms buy large quantity of raw materials and get them in a lower cost per unit. Large firms in this market like Apple can buy their raw materials in bulk and get discounts from suppliers, thus achieving low production costs. 3. Financial: Larger firms are usually believed to be more trust worthy by the financial markets. They are able to negotiate chea per finance deals and therefore get better deals at banks. Banks prefer to do business with larger experienced firms as they usually take a bigger loan therefore banks get a bigger interest. Smaller banks on the other hand can face higher rates of interest on loans. 4. Marketing: Large firms can afford the most effective and expensive types of Marketing whereas new entrant firms could find it difficult to raise enough capital to compete with promotional and marketing methods. At times, incumbent firms can deliberately invest heavily on advertising making it difficult for the new entrants to survive in the market. This is known as ‘market power theory of advertising’ (Moffatt,2008) . 5. Managerial: Large businesses can have specialist managers in every area. This can lead to much more efficiency therefore lower costs. The market for Tablet computers has an oligopolistic market structure, where a few large firms dominate the market (this is explained in further detail in section 7 of this report). Therefore large firms like Apple, IBM and Microsoft will enjoy the benefits of Economies of scale to a high extent making it difficult for new entrants to survive in the market. 6. Minimum efficient scale and Diseconomies of Scale The minimum efficient scale achieves production of a good at the lower possible point on it’s LRAC curve. Long run average costs are minimized at this point, and it is not possible for the firm to produce the good at any lower cost. The efficiency is maximized at this point. The MES can be used to determine the most likely market structure of the market. For example, if the MES is small compared to the overall size of the market, then will then be a large number of firms in the market. The market will be more contestable and firms would behave in more of a perfectly competitive manner. (Carlton and Perloff, 2005) Diseconomies of scale occur when a business grows so large that the costs per unit increase. This often only happens in extremely large scale production. A business can experience difficulty in communication as it expands. There are more workers and more managers. Communication has to be passed down many levels of hierarchy; therefore messages can be distorted leading to workers being unsure of what they have to do. Multi-national firms have production in different countries which also makes communication more difficult within the business. To avoid this problem very large businesses often de-merge and break themselves into smaller units. Workers down the order can feel demotivated playing a small role in a very large firm. They can feel unimportant which eventually leads to more sick days off and therefore decreasing efficiency of labour. In the case for the tablet computer market, there are already very large incumbent firms like Apple and Microsoft who have grown and diversified themselves into different markets. These firms are so large that it is likely that they have diseconomies of scale. New entrants can therefore see this as an opportunity. The diagram below illustrates Economies and Diseconomies of scale. It is however important to understand that not all firms will experience diseconomies of scale. Therefore it is possible the LRAC (Long Run Average Costs) curve is just downward sloping. 7. Market Structure Market structure are the competitive characteristics of the market. They are used to determine the potential for profits and market efficiency. There are four main types of market structures: perfect competition, monopoly,oligopoly, and monopolistic competition. ’ The market structure of a firm is determined by various factors. A summary of the four basic types of markets in and their key characteristics is shown below using this table. Charectristics| Perfect Competition| Oligopoly| Monopoly| Monopolistic Competition| Number of firms| Many| Few| One| Many| Type of product| Homogenous| Differentiated | Limited| Differentiated| Barriers to entry| None| High| High | None| Economic Efficiency| High | Low | Low | Low| After analysing the tablet computer market and its characteristics, the market structure of tablet computers seems to be oligopolistic. An oligopoly is a market structure in which a market is dominated by a small number of sellers. The tablet computer market currently seems to be dominated by large firms like Apple, Lenova/IBM, HP who own a large percentage of the market share. As mentioned earlier in this report, the barriers to entry in this market are fairly high which is one of the characteristics of an oligopolistic market. At the moment, 8. Barriers to Entry Barriers to entry are obstacles that make it difficult for new entrants to enter the market. The higher the barriers to entry, the lower the threat of competition. The main barriers for the tablet computers market would be the following: 1. Economies of Scale: As mentioned previously in Section 5 of this report, economies of scale could also be a barrier to entry in this market. Large incumbent firms like Apple and Microsoft have significant cost advantages which allow them to produce their tablet computers at lower costs than small or new entrant firms. Therefore new entrants would have lower profit margins making it difficult to survive in the market. 2. Customer Loyalty: Another advantage the incumbent firms would have in this market would be having customer loyalty. Large firms like Apple and Microsoft already have existing customers in the market who are loyal to their brand. Especially with the presence of Apple which definitely has high customer loyalty. This would make it extremely difficult for a new firm to enter the market as many of the consumers would still rather stick a trust and more experience brand. 3. Sunk Costs: One major barrier to entry would be the existence of ‘Sunk Costs’ in this market. Sunk costs are the costs to a business which cannot be regained when exiting a market. A new entrant to the tablet computers market would have to invest heavily in Advertising and Promotion methods. In case the firm doesn’t succeed and decided to exit the market, the cost of this investment cannot be retrieved. The sunk costs involved in this market could be high due to large incumbent firms like Microsoft and Apple’s existence. 4. Advertising – Apart from advertising being a sunk cost, it can also play another role in make it difficult for new entrants. This was explained in Section 5 of this report ( Market power theory of advertising ) 5. Patents Summary and Conclusion The market for tablet computers is an oligopolistic market. Large firms like Apple, HP an IBM seem to be owning the majority of the market share which could it make it very difficult for new firms to enter and survive in the market. The market is also relatively elastic which could limit profits. In addition the existence of high barriers to entry and economies of scale benefits enjoyed by incumbent firms will not help new entrants. Price discrimination is possible for this product, however only to a certain extent. References Carlton D. and Perloff M, â€Å"Modern Industrial Organization†Fourth Edition, 2005 Editors PC Magazine. Definition of: tablet computer†. PC Magazine. Accessed April 17, 2010. Krugman, Paul R. ; Maurice Obstfeld (2003). â€Å"Chapter 6: Economies of Scale, Imperfect Competition and International Trade†. International Economics – Theory and Policy (6th ed. ). p. 142. Sullivan, Arthur; Steven M. Sheffrin (2003a). Economics: Pr inciples in action. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Prentice Hall. pp. 79. Sullivan, arthur; Steven M. Sheffrin (2003b). Economics: Principles in action. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Prentice Hall. pp. 157. How to cite Tablet Computer Market Analysis (Economics), Essay examples
Thursday, December 5, 2019
The Bitter and the Sweet free essay sample
The candy’s smooth wrapper crinkles as I trace its edges with my fingertips, imagining its contents. The wrapper tears like a fine fabric, revealing a corner of dark chocolate. I break off a piece and take pleasure in its creamy essence. I have always had a sweet tooth, but it is not just sugary snacks that I crave. Being raised by a single parent has been a bittersweet experience, but one that has given me resilience and ambition. When I was young, my mother would tell me that the racks of candy in the store’s checkout line belonged to the cashier. She said this not to confuse me, avoid spoiling me, or even to teach me a lesson about earning rewards, though she inevitably did. She said it because she didn’t want me to worry because she could not afford a 50-cent chocolate bar. Nevertheless, I saw through her tactic and made a promise to myself that I would grow up to be prosperous enough to buy my family all the Hersheys on the stand. We will write a custom essay sample on The Bitter and the Sweet or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Instead of focusing on our economic instability, my mother selflessly pushed me to strive for success so that I could lead a more comfortable life than hers. She worked long hours every night and struggled to pay the minimum due on her bills. Still, she would find time to read and snuggle with my sister, Emily, and me. Mom taught me the value of perseverance, education, and moral fiber. Although I did not have two parents, I was loved and nurtured just as much. Not all of life’s milestones were easy; some left an insurmountably bitter taste in my mouth. Domestic abuse, divorce, and homelessness, for example. I dealt with these when my mother married a man in Maryland and moved us several states away from our roots in Georgia. The first few months were great: baseball games, family trips to the mall, dinners together, and movies. It felt like we were the perfect All-American family. Then things changed. Baseball games were too expensive, and trips to the mall were replaced with days Emily and I spent isolated in our rooms on his orders. Screaming matches between my stepfather and my mother interrupted dinners, and he swapped movie tickets for vodka. We spent five years living in a family setting that had turned into a war zone. I remember the verbal spats became so routine that I would no longer rush to my little sister’s room to cradle her in my arms and wipe away the tears spilling down her cheeks. Emily and I grew so used to this lifestyle that we just turned on the televisions in our rooms to drown out the screams. We became immersed in the world of sugar-coated sitcoms, pretending the spiteful cursing matches downstairs were normal. Then one evening, an argument erupted. My sister and I had begun to predict the start of these altercations. We called our system ETF, Estimated Time of Fight, named for its accuracy. Emily joked about patenting it some day. But on this night my mother swung open my bedroom door and told me to pack – we were leaving and not coming back. I could hear Emily sobbing in her room. We loaded our things into Mom’s Ford, my step father barking hatefully all the while. We drove for a long time before Mom pulled into the parking lot of a large store. I gazed out the window, watching people carry bags to their cars and head off to their warm homes. They were oblivious to our bittersweet tears. They had no idea how relieved and traumatized we felt, all at the same time. I was 14, my sister 11, school was still in session, and we were homeless. â€Å"We’re not the first people to go through this, and we won’t be the last,†Mom assured us. A friend of my mother’s let us stay with her. Each day, Mom would wake us before dawn so we could commute from Virginia to Maryland for our last three months of school. I remember looking out at the gleaming Washington Monument from the Potomac bridge, wondering how many others in the nation had suffered in silence. How many had packed up and moved on? We eventually relocated to Texas, where Mom is still working to re-stabilize her life. And now, as I compose this essay with some dark chocolate – my favorite candy – close at hand, I realize my family and I are at the best point in our lives. I have triumphed here, both academically and personally. I  satiate my hunger for knowledge by remaining dedicated to my intellectual pursuits – for example, the Distinguished Graduation Plan with its rigorous course of study and community service, and the learning opportunities it offers. I savor the fact that I am not a bitter product of my environment; I am not a person who lets trying times interrupt her focus, for I know that they are learning experiences also. Success, like candy, can be the sweetest treat of all. Visitors to TeenInk.com/raw chose this story by voting for their favorite. Go online to cast your vote!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)