The Big Weight Dilemma Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Big Weight Dilemma - Term Paper Example A person is considered obese when the BMI measurement is 30 or more (Solomon, Berg and Martin, 2004, p. 892). Obesity is an acute case of malnutrition. And that it occurs when there is an increase in the size of fat cells or when there is an increase in the number of fat cells, or both. (Salomon, Berg and Martin, p. 892) There are numerous scholarly work and medical research that explain the causes and dynamics behind the problem. For instance, some studies suggest how obesity can be genetically inherited. However, the most widely recognized cause is primarily overeating and the sheer amount of fatty food intake that accumulates during childhood and in many cases until the adult life. There are also experts who point to the role played by social and lifestyle factors because of the patterns of food consumption and the physical activity level prevalent in a particular society. (Mooney, Knox and Schacht, 2010, p. 41). This is the reason why obesity is most pronounced in affluent countr ies. In lower income countries, the incidence of obesity is concentrated in urban areas and in people belonging to higher class (UK 2004, p. 48). Health Risk Obesity is a health problem and it is a cause of concern. This is because this health condition increases the risk for several illnesses such as diabetes, several types of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, asthma and other health problems. The World Health Organization reported that it is included in the top 19 health problems and that it contributes to about 300,000 deaths annually in the United States alone (Salomon, Berg and Martin, p. 892). A recent study suggested that obesity will shorten the average life expectancy of people by at least two to five years over the next fifty years, reversing the mostly steady increase in life expectancy that has occurred over the past two centuries (Money, Knox and Schacht, p. 40). Now these are disturbing because statistics depict an increasing trend in America. The latest figures released by the government show that more than 66 percent of American adults age 20 and older are overweight and 32 percent are obese (Hoeger and Hoeger, 2009, p. 149). From 2007 to 2008, it was revealed that at least 17 percent of the US children and adolescents are obese, which is roughly 12.5 million: 10.4 percent of 2-5 year-olds, 19.6 percent of 6-11 year-olds and 18.1 of 12-19 year-olds (O’Dea and Eriksen, 2010, p. 86). In addition to the health risk factors, obesity can also take its toll on the healthcare spending in the United States. By 2018, it is estimated that the medical cost associated with obesity will rise to about $344 billion or about 22 percent of the gross domestic product of the United States. This variable is particularly important especially that the overall cost of health care today is increasingly becoming less accessible to people. Conclusion Having, clearly identified the cause for the high incidence of obesity in America, one could say tha t it is easy to design interventions and solutions in order to deal with the problem. However, experts do not see the trend getting reversed anytime soon. I thin this is because solutions entail lifestyle changes, which is difficult for people to undertake. Also, obesity is widely seen as merely an indirect precursor to many health problems that is why people are taking

Women and Flexibility in the Workplace (week 2 assignment) Assignment

Women and Flexibility in the Workplace (week 2 ) - Assignment Example However, as time passes by, women’s role have changed and therefore, their needs have changed also. With the changing society, women need more flexibility. Women face structural and social issues that affects their flexibility in the workplace. However, there will come a time wherein the workplace will adapt to the changing workforce to be more productive. In the video, Open Mind: Women as Agents of Change Part I (2005), Kathleen Christensen raised the issue of the flexibility of women in the workplace. She argued that women need more flexibility in the workplace and the flexibility they needed is based on structural and social issue. Christensen believed that the private individual issues women are facing are not individual issues. She believes that these issues are structural problems. She believed that the structure of workplace is not suitable for the women especially to the mothers (Open Mind, 2005). For the past years, women are expected to take care of the children, sta y and organize home. However, as poverty spreads throughout the country, American women changed roles and entered the workplace which before, is exclusively for men. In 1889, Jane Addams and Ellen Gates opened an opportunity for middle class women to work, thus ignited the evolution of women in the workplace (Giraffe, 2011). This opportunity gave women the chance to go beyond what they are expected to do. This lifted the spirits of many women in the history and inspired them to pursue more participation in the society. Based on the history of America, women served as important instruments of change. Women fought for their rights that resulted to many changes in America. They participated in wars and leadership. Women proved that they are not only for housekeeping but they are also for the works that men usually do (Smith, 2009). The works women do in the society is indeed helpful for the progress of the country, however, their first role as mothers still outweighs their roles as wor kers in the society. The role of women as mothers and household keeper is in conflict with the demands of the present structure of workplace. The present workplace structure of the society is in conflict with the lifestyle of women. It affects their flexibility in work especially in time. The workplace of the society is designed for male workers. From the beginning, men are the ones working for the family. Most of the employers in workplace demands full time job (Giraffe, 2011). This means that the desired employees should have a lot of time and focus for the work. The jobs that requires full time employees are not suited for women workers who have family. After working, women are expected to organize home and look after their children. The required 40-hour a week for an employee is heavy for a woman who has children to take care of (Open Mind, 2005). This is the reason why some women are not flexible enough to do requirement of their jobs. Aside from the demanding schedule, the str ucture of workplace is designed for men’s activity. Before, farming is the dominating available work for people. During industrialization, different companies opened and created more jobs. Also the prominent available jobs during that time are on steel, coal, mining and cars industries (Giraffe, 2011). It can be analyzed that throughout the history, the workplace is designed for male workers. Although the war made an opportunity for women to participate in labor work because most men were in the battlefield, the work give to women are just temporary and inappropriate. Today, the available jobs can now be categorized as blue collar and white collar. However, most companies still view women as less competitive compared to men that’s why women cannot sometimes be in the job they wanted to be.

The Underground Railroad Essay Example for Free

The Underground Railroad Essay The Underground Railroad was an important element in the fight for and promotion of freedom for blacks enslaved within the United States during the 19th century. However, in order to understand its importance to the development of U. S. society it is necessary to understand its historical and contextual basis. Leading off from the Mexican-American war which ended in 1848 there was increasing tension between Americans living in the northern section of the United States and those living in the south particularly over the issue of slavery (Epps, 2004). Those in the North had long demonstrated their intolerance for the continuance of slave practices in the Union and those in the South had long expressed sentiments that the practice of slavery would continue. This variance in viewpoint soon led to the North-South divide which also took on a strongly political aspect. Blacks in the South, jealous of their counterparts in the North and craving freedom from a lifetime of slavery, had long been exploiting this variance in viewpoint with regard to slave since the 1780s by finding opportunities to escape their plantations in the South and find refuge in the North or in Canada. This practice kept increasing as the divide between the North and South widened. Run-away slaves were often quite welcomed in the North and some sympathizers, beginning with the Quakers, assisted them in their escape. The practice of helping slaves cross over into the North and Canada was figuratively referred to as the Underground Railroad or the Liberty line. The literal Underground Railroad was a network of safe havens (Hicks, Montequin Hicks, 2000, p. 27) in the form of safe houses, churches and shelters (Anonymous, 2003, p. 10) to which safes running away could turn to facilitating their onward progress to the North, which represented freedom. The network of safe havens stretched from the states in the South to as far as Canada (Hicks, Montequin Hicks, 2000). The concept of this network as a railroad is evident in the codes that those involved used to refer to various components of the movement. Slaves that were running away were referred to as passengers, persons who were guiding them along the different routes were called conductors and the places at which they stopped were named stations. Thus the Underground Railroad was not a physical place or space but a movement aimed at liberating blacks from slavery. Numerous individuals collaborated in making this movement into the success it is now proclaimed to have had. Some estimates are that about 30, 000 blacks were able to escape via the Underground Railroad (Anonymous, 2000, p. 10) and still others put the figure at twice as much. Though the precise numbers are not known it is still very evident that the work of the individuals involved in the Underground Railroad movement was quite effective in bringing many blacks out of a lifetime of slavery. As has been noted before the movement began with the work of the Quakers. Over the lifetime of the Underground Railroad countless other individuals, the majority of whom were black but including whites and women, were involved in the process. One of the names most notably associated with the Underground Railroad is Harriet Tubman. She had herself been a slave when she took the opportunity, in 1849, to head north along the Underground Railroad. She subsequently became actively involved in helping other blacks escape slavery. It is reported that she made a total of nineteen round trips between the North and South bringing to freedom approximately 300 African slaves (Chism, 2005, p. 47). The persons who facilitated the slaves moving between safe houses on the Underground Railroad, were putting themselves at considerable legal risks and thus activities had to be carried out as clandestinely as possible. There were laws designed and implemented specifically to curb the rate of assistance that escaped slaves were given in the North. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 gave owners the power to retrieve their slaves from whatever state they escape to, even in the North. This act proved to be unsuccessful so it was later reinforced with additional provisions in 1850. Under the new act persons were obligated to return runaway slaves to their owners and law officials in all states were mandated to upkeep this law and participate in active slave recovery (Williams-Myers, 2005). With these stringent legal conditions it was indeed with fear and trepidation that many slaves took on the challenge of running for the North. The efforts made by the conductors, the keepers in the safe houses and all who facilitated the journey, are indeed commendable since they reached out to humanity without regarding person safety. Several states northern states, as a result of the large genesis of African Americans into the North, soon became de jure slave settlements. In Mid-West states such as Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan as well as in Northeast states such as Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine (Sayers, 2004, p. 437) large numbers of newly escaped blacks took up permanent residence and began to make a life in freedom. The Underground Railroad indeed represents not only the struggles towards emancipation but also, according to Williams-Myers (2005) â€Å"a moral challenge to an immoral mindset† References Epps, Garrett. (2004, Summer). The Antebellum Political Background of the Fourteenth Amendment. Law and Contemporary Problems, 67(3), 175-211. Williams-Myers, A.J. (2005, Jul). Some notes on the extent of New York Citys involvement in the Underground Railroad.  Afro-Americans in New York Life and History, 29(2), 73. Sayers, D. O. (2004). The Underground Railroad Reconsidered. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 28(3), 435-443. Hicks, B., Montequin, L. Hicks, J. (2000, Jan). Learning about our community: From the underground railroad to school lunch. Primary Voices K – 6, 8(3), 26-33. Chism, K. (2005, Mar). Harriet Tubman: Spy, veteran, and widow. OAH Magazine of History, 47-51. Anonymous. (2003, Feb 13). Researchers to study Natchezs role in Underground Railroad. Black Issues in Higher Education, 19(26), 10.

The Importance Of Good Governance To Democracy Politics Essay

The Importance Of Good Governance To Democracy Politics Essay Democracy cannot flourish in the absence of good governance. The pre-condition for good governance is effective democratic institutions for democratizing the society. Improvement of the living standard of people cannot happen where people cannot participate in governance, human rights are not respected, information does not flow, and civil society and the judiciary are weak. Nine criteria of to be referred as the Nine Is of good governance or Nine I model of good governance. In the absence of these Nine Is good governance in Bangladesh like any other country will be a far cry. These components constitute the foundations of modern democracy and create the underpinning to establish free economy and spur domestic and foreign investment, specially the potential investment of the Non Resident Bangladeshis ( NRBs) particularly in the case of Bangladesh. It is not true that only elections lead to a democracy. Democracy should be home work (Manifesto) of the political parties where they ought to outline their ideas and concept of democracy they want to offer to the citizens in lieu of their votes. The political parties should make it vividly transparent as to how and when they will apply their policies for establishing a democratic society ensuring parity, rule of law, equitable distribution of wealth, social justice, freedom of speech and thought if voted to power. The political philosophy and the commitment of the political parties should be expressed in the form of party manifesto much ahead of elections for empowering the voters so that they can make good governance may be used to determine whether any country qualifies to have good governance are: 1. INDEPENDENT AND NON PARTISAN ELECTION COMMISSION 2. INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND THE RULE OF LAW 3. INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH 4. INDEPENDENT ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION 5. INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE 6. INDEPENDENT AND EFFECTIVE PARLIAMENT 7. INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 8. INDEPENDENT OMBUDSMAN SYSTEM 9. INVESTMENT FRIENDLY GOVERNMENT. I would propose these Nine components informed decisions before casting their votes during the elections. In Bangladesh, unfortunately the practice of presenting the manifesto of the political parties are not transparent and as such it may be stated that political commitment of the parties to the people is also not transparent which gives the parties a space to shift form their commitments and promise after the election. Sound policies and their execution are essential pre-condition of development. Good Governance necessarily means govern justly, invest in the people, and encourages private economic enterprise. Bangladesh is yet to promote principles of good governance, and initiative of our civil society reinforces the need for good governance. Through cooperative ventures of our parliament, judiciary, executive organ of the state along with the civil society it is possible to enact policies and design the governance so that human dignity and freedom are allowed to flourish. Some of the principles of good governance date back to the time of ancient Greece . Others are principles developed in more recent years, or lessons learned from our own history and that of other democracy practicing societies. Broadly speaking, good governance promotes fundamental and universal human rights. As per constitution of Bangladesh , the political power lies with the people  (Article 7). Principles of good governance allow people to pursue their lives in a just, equitable and democratic society. Countries like Bangladesh need the tools to educate their citizens to take part in the opportunities offered by the global economy. We need to do hard work to eradicate corruption. Perhaps the most basic and important principle of good governance is that a nations political institutions be democratic. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a form of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. This means that the rights and principles of democratic government can and should be universally applied. They are not a uniquely American invention. The right of every person to speak freely about his government is a basic human right to overcome bad governance even by a elected government by the party, for the politician and nothing for the people. The right of any citizens to express his opinion about his government is one that is supported by the doctrine Rule by the Ruled as has been recognized by nations all over the world. Now let us examine the Nine Is of Good governance INDEPENDENT AND NON PARTISAN ELECTION COMMISSION Independent and Non Partisan Election Commission is a precondition for free fair participative elections to elect public representative to the parliament. Elections, however, are not the only cornerstone to democracy. Accountable leadership and fulfillment of the will of the people are essential to ensuring that elections are a means to a democratic society, not an end in themselves. It is critical that a nations elections be free and fair in level plane ground. This means that every citizen have a equal access and opportunity to compete to become public representative. Voters have a choice among candidates and that they have a right to information concerning those candidates background. Free and fair elections are open and transparent to all people without discrimination based on sex, religion, or race. Such elections are not restricted by government interference and coercion by money and muscle. The right to free and fair elections should be guaranteed by independent nonpartisan election commission having appropriate capabilities and skill to deliver honest acceptable elections. And such elected government can only be held accountable to their citizens. Voters should be able to participate freely in the political process, whether through political parties or independent candidates. INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND THE RULE OF LAW Another criterion of good governance is independent judiciary, important for preserving the rule of law. It is very essential to have a strong judiciary and courts to ensure that a nations laws are enforced constantly and fairly. All organs of government must be law abiding. The rule of law also is the basis for the formation of business enterprises and the establishment of a free market, which underpin economic development. Citizens or their elected representatives should be involved in all levels of lawmaking including the local government. Another characteristic of good governance is the presence of constitutional limits on the political power. Such limits include transparent, creditable, periodic elections, guarantees of Fundamental Rights, guarantees of Human Rights by a independent judiciary, which allows citizens to seek protection of their rights and redress against government actions. These limit help make government departments accountable to each other and to the people. Accountability is another characteristic that is considered globally for the eligibility when determining whether a country practices good governance. Not only should the law be enforced, but it should also be enforced fairly and without any sort of discrimination. Good governance means equal protection for all without any discrimination of sex, cast, creeds, and race. An open and easy access to judicial and administrative systems. A nations courts should not be open to only a select few. Government agencies should allow appeals of regulations as well as citizen participation in their decision-making process, and citizens should be granted access to these bodies in a timely and easy manner. Governments also have a duty to protect their citizens from criminal violence, especially the practice of trafficking of persons. Women, girls and children are most vulnerable to this illegal trade, which can only be stopped by diligent law enforcement. Respect for the Citizens rights relating to personal privacy is a far cry in a weak democracy like Bangladesh . INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH To function properly, a democratic society must ensure free exchange of information and ideas. This is best realized in the creation of a free and open media and the freedoms of speech and expression. A free and independent media provides voters with the information they need to make informed decisions. It facilitates the exchange of political discourse, creating an open place for ideas where no view is neglected and the best are chosen. Free Media can also serve as a check on government power ensuring that bureaucracy, public officials and government departments remain accountable to the voters. The medias ability to report on trade and industry and the economy is also important for preserving public trust in the free economy and for attracting domestic and foreign investment including the potential investment of the NRBs. The right of the free media to publish, to editorialize, to criticize, and to inform is a fundamental principle of democracy. INDEPENDENT ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION Good governance also means combating corruptions, and countries can not be considered having good governance, if they are corrupt. To preserve the integrity of democracy, governments must strive to rid themselves of corruptions and bribery. Corruption destroys economic foundations, impedes the ability of developing countries to attract foreign investment. Corruption hinders the growth of democratic institutions, and concentrates power in the hands of a few having money and muscle. The best way to combat corruption is for governments to be open and transparent. Official Secrecy Act must not be abused. While in certain cases governments have a responsibility to retain secrecy and confidentiality regarding national security and alike issues. Strong laws against corruption, application of such laws and the actions of law enforcement agencies that work against corruption demonstrate a governments commitment to this principle. INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE Good governance requires that governments invest in their people and work to preserve the welfare of their citizens, without regard to gender, race or religion. Governments should invest in health care, nutrition, housing, education, and poverty elevation. They should ensure an economic environment where people can find jobs and establish business enterprises. Along with other measures, a governments ability to provide job and a high standard of living for its people is considered by the democratic world in determining governmental effectiveness. The importance of the other Four Is i.e., Independent and Effective Parliament, Independent Human Rights Commission, Independent Ombudsman System, Investment Friendly Government could not be discussed here due to limitations of space which I have intention to discuss later in some other articles of mine. CONCLUSION Only practicing these components  (Nine- Is)  of good governance results in a democratic society where people can pursue their hopes and aspirations. This will facilitate the creation of free markets, which are trusted by investors and financial institutions. Good governance is a pre-condition for any economic development. Development cannot flourish where people cannot participate in governance, human rights are not respected, information does not flow, and civil society and the judiciary are weak. UNDP and the World Bank, among others, have come to realize that development assistance that focuses only on economic governance at the expense of democratic governance fails. The proof is that, 42 of the 49 high human development countries on the UN Development Index are democracies  (UNDP source). With few exceptions, all of the worlds richest countries have the worlds most democratic governance. The fundamental rights and the standard of living of Bangladeshi citizens will be enhanced through good governance. But one has to remember the rule that no good governance no democracy. Governments that govern rationally with the commitment of good governance become democratic and get support for their reform efforts from their people as well as from the democratic world. #

Resume :: essays research papers

OBJECTIVE:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Motivated, a proven performer in retail sales management and operations for multiple industries. Record-setting sales leader skilled in coaching best practices and maximizing profits. Fast-track career progression and history of repeated rewards. Committed to providing an atmosphere of exceptional employee morale and impeccable customer service. Dedicated to achieving sales targets while providing excellent customer service. EXPERIENCE:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10/1999 - Present Footlocker Inc. Dearborn, MI   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Assistant Manager Manage day-to-day activities of sales floor with 1.9 million inventory and drive sales forward. Taking on responsibilities such as manager duties, open and closing procedures, dealing with prospective customers, sales, and handling merchandise. Also capable of scheduling for entire staff, meeting daily and monthly gains and goals, training other employees, hiring, supervising, dealing with an high quantity of inventory daily and also taking care of excessive paperwork daily. Selected contributions:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *Store was ranked the #1 high volume store in entire league *Had contribulate in making the store a 1.9 million-dollar store for the entire year of 2004   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5/2003 - 9/2003 Kraft General Foods Battle Creek, MI Factory Worker Had the experience to work in a factory doing jobs such as cleaning and running machinery. (Summer help only) 5/2000 - 5/2003 Allstate Insurance Battle Creek, MI Secretary Dealing with Insurance and having responsilibilites such as taking payments, getting claims and quotes for insurance, answering phones, typing, filing, and greeting customers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   EDUCATION:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9/2001 - Present Wayne State University Detroit, MI   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pharmacy Major/Business Admin. Minor Focus on getting my Bachelor’s Degree in pharmacy. Later, go to graduate school and receive my Ph. D. Degree in pharmacy also. Also, working on getting my Associate’s Degree in Business Administration. 9/1997 - 6/2001 Battle Creek Central High School Battle Creek, MI A diploma received with general studies KEY SKILLS:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Merchandising, Service/Sales Incentive Programs, Strategic Planning, Record-Setting Retail Sales Growth, Fiscal Management, Loss Prevention Initiatives, Motivational Training, Supervision, Cost Control Strategies, and Customer service skills.

College Essay examples -- essays research papers

The Importance of a College Education Johnny is a fifth grade student who is almost ready to graduate and move on to the sixth grade. Johnny however, can not multiply or divide. He cannot spell or read. Johnny fell behind in the third grade. His teacher overlooked his failure and promoted him so that he would not be held up socially. Johnny's fourth grade teacher promoted him to fifth grade hoping that he would catch up with his classmates. Johnny is now about to enter the sixth grade with the educational skills of a second grader. The situation described above is called social promotion. It is the process of moving children through grades regardless of learning or skill. For years it has been the common practice in education to move " students from grade to grade because of chronological age" (Mitzel 468). Students should have an adequate education in order to be equipped for the twenty- first and twenty-second century. The injustice of social promotion should be ended and society must discover the best route to achieve genuine student success. "Students who are socially promoted have no skills for life. The number of social promotions each year nears two million" (American Federation Teachers, afta.com). Social Promotion shows children that no matter what grade they achieve they will be promoted. This creates two problems. Students will not work to achieve; laziness is created in children. Second, the students who work hard and learn the material are often overlooked so that a teacher may help a student who is behind because of social promotion. Social promotion was brought to the attention of the country when President Clinton gave his State of the Union Address in 1999. In this address he stated many educational goals such as a mandatory third grade reading goal and the reformation of the school system in order to equip it for the twenty -first centuries. Along these same lines the President has called an end to social promotion. President Clinton proposed not just to hold back failing students but to do something about their failure. Such as remedial classrooms, identifying weakness before it is too late, strengthening learning opportunities and placing strong well-trained teachers in classrooms (Galston 35). If a student was asked in the nineteenth cen... ...ided to go back and get a degree. My mother has my utmost respect for her dedication for higher education. Even after all these years she could’ve just relaxed and enjoyed the fruits of her labor, instead she chose to attend college again. After weighing all of my options and seeing all the signs I knew it was time to get back in the game. I mean, today's society's level of norm based on an individuals qualifications has three fold in the past 30 years, whereas more than 55% more high school seniors attend college than in 1968. (http//:bostonu.edu) Once where an individual could be successful and needed no college education, now needs to attend some form of continuing education institution. As a result, I am now attending the University of Phoenix. I now attend to college to please myself, achieve a goal and to create better opportunities for me and my future generation. It took a while for me to fully understand and appreciate what a college education was for and could do, starting with Johnny in the 3rd grade to the advantages it held for me. I admonish everyone, young or old to pursue their degree if they have not already done so. It is never too late...for education.

Discuss the portrayal of Indian society in this poem

Deception, written by Rabindranath Tagore is told through the eyes of a narrator, who is the husband of Binu. He tells a story of Binu and her husband and their life together in Indian society. In the poem the portrayal of Indian life, is illustrated through various aspects, such as arranged marriages; the class distinctions, Laksmi the goddess, the poverty and dowries. The class distinctions in Hindu society are called the Caste system. This is portrayed in the poem at several occasions. When Binu introduces Rukmini to her husband and explains that Rukmini needs money. ‘She looked me in the eyes, Bowed, withdrew to the platform where she stood clutching a pillar' This shows that obviously Rukmini was in a lower class than Binu's husband because of the way she reacted, she bowed to and then withdrew from his presence and stood at a distance. I think that Rukmini might have been in the ‘untouchable' caste because she did not consider herself worthy enough to even stand in the presence of Binu's husband. She had to go and stand at a distance while Binu explained Rukmini's need for money. The way that she bowed in front of him also portrays that she was lower class than him because she was showing him a sign of respect. In The Caste system the Jats determine which range of jobs you do. Marriage usually took place between people of the same Jat and people normally died in the same group. There are certain rules that say that people in different Jats cannot eat, drink or even smoke in each others company. The word clutching shows the fact that Rukmini was desperate and that she really need help, this also supports that she was in the untouchables caste. There are four groups which are called the Varna. There is also a fifth which are called the ‘untouchables'. The untouchables did not belong to any caste. They were called the Dalit. They were untouched by the four other castes. In some areas even their shadow touching a member of the Varnas was considered polluting. They worked in what was considered polluting jobs and were never accepted by society. The Highest status was called the Brahmins and this consisted of priests and intellectuals. I think that Binu's husband and Binu herself were part of this caste because it says in the poem ‘And began to read an English novel that I had bought' This shows that Binu's husband was very well educated because he spoke English and only the rich and high powered could afford to learn to speak English. This therefore supports the fact that Binu and her husband are from the Brahmin's caste. In the quotation ‘Whoever heard of such a thing? The woman was probably a sweeper or something equally disgusting' The harsh sounding of the word disgusting shows the contempt and hatred that the upper caste show towards the untouchables. It shows the fact that Rukmini was part of the ‘untouchables' caste because Binu's husband was saying that Rukmini had some equally disgusting job such as a sweeper. This therefore would have been considered a polluting job so she would not have been fit to been seen associating with. There is another quotation that supports the fact that there were huge distinctions in class. ‘†Where is Rukmini?† They reacted blankly†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ This shows that Rukmini was very unimportant because even the people in the lower castes of the Varna did not have any sort of idea who Rukmini was, when Binu's husband asked after her at the station. The word blankly shows that even though Rukmini had worked and lived at the train station for years, she was still so irrelevant that no one had even noticed that she was there and that she had gone. The only recognised who she was when Binu's husband said ‘†The wife of Jhamru the coolie†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Rukmini was obviously so insignificant that they did not even know her by name and she used to work at the station. The only reason that they recognised her was because Binu's husband remembered the name of her husband. Then they only barely remembered who she was because they recognised the name of Rukmini's husband. ‘She lives in the row of huts by the well over there;' This also links the fact that Rukmini is in the ‘untouchables' caste because she lives in poverty. She did not live in a very respectably, she lived in a shack, by the side of the train station; she had no land and no money, not even able to find 25 rupees for her daughters dowry. She did not belong to one of the four Varna, so she was nobody of importance to bother about. The next subject that I am going to discuss is arranged marriages. I think that perhaps Binu and her husband had, had an arranged marriage because it says in the poem that ‘Left her parents-in-laws house for the first time since marriage' ‘Our meetings furtive' This shows that the couple had not met of their own accord, but that their parents have arranged for them to meet. They have only met secretly and on very brief occasions. This shows that there was an arranged marriage because you do not marry someone that you have only met a few times in your life. Parents when looking for a suitable husband for their daughter in arranged marriages have to look for certain things such as the social castes that they are in and financial status. It is the girl's parents that traditionally pay for the wedding as a gift to the newly wed couple. They shower the girl with presents that she is to give to the groom's family when she moves in. It is traditional that the bride goes to live in the groom's family. When the couple marry everything that once was the wife's now officially belongs to the husband. The quotation above says that Binu after living with her parents-in-law left there house for the first time. This supports the fact that Binu and her husband have had an arranged marriage. Another quotation that supports the fact that the couple had, had an arranged marriage is ‘The airless sequestration of the joint family' This portrays that the family have lived in very close contact with Binu and her husband. I think that maybe the family have been interfering with the couple. The word sequestration suggests the fact that the family have been interfering with the couple, because sequestration means enclosure, which suggests that Binu and her husband were enclosed with the family they did everything together. ‘Like the everlasting vermilion in the parting of laksmi's hair' Laksmi is the goddess of wealth and beauty. Laksmi is the household goddess and she is a favourite among women. She is depicted as a beautiful woman who has four hands. She is either sitting or standing on a full bloomed lotus, which stands for beauty purity and fertility. Her four hands represent the four ends of human life Dharma- righteousness Kama- desires Artha- wealth Moksha- liberation. In the Krishna avtara Laksmi comes to earth as Rukmini. This is particularly interesting since the Lady that Binu's husband was meant to give twenty five rupees to was also called Rukmini. I think that maybe the goddess Laksmi was testing Binu's husband to see whether he had any compassion for the people who were in lower castes than him. If this is so then the husband failed the test because he treated Rukmini with contempt and only out of pity did he give her two rupees? He then however, told Binu that he had given Rukmini the whole twenty five rupees. Rukmini based the whole of her last two months of life on the fact that her husband loved her so much that he would give twenty five rupees to a complete stranger who Binu had met and befriended at the train station. However, just before Binu died she told her husband this. Her husband was filled with guilt and repentance. He went back to try and find Rukmini and pays her the twenty five rupees that he owed her, so that it would ease his conscience. Rukmini had moved on and this was the husband's punishment. He had to deal with the fact that he had lied to his wife and now had to live with the guilt and desperation. This I think is the meaning of Laksmi being mentioned in this poem. The dowry is quite significant in the poem since it is the reason that Binu asks her husband to pay the twenty five rupees to Rukmini, and the whole reason that the husband feels so guilty at the end. A dowry is a gift that the bride's family give to the groom's family upon marriage. In some of the richer castes dowries are an exchange of wealth between too families which are intermarrying. In many countries the dowry is a large part of property which is either exchanged or given to the family. The dowry insures that the wife will not be badly treated by the husband because it acts as a forfeit from the wife's family to the groom's. ‘Bracelets, bangles, armlets for the dowry' This is what Rukmini asks the money for so that she can buy a suitable dowry for her daughter so that she will not be rejected by the husband. The dowry that Rukmini wants to give is not particularly extensive, so this also supports the idea that Rukmini is not particularly rich since in wealthy families large amounts of land and property are given as dowry presents. If the brides family do not give a dowry then it is seen as disrespect and the whole wedding can be called off, since the groom's family do want to marry into a family that either disrespect the rules of the dowry system or they are not wealthy enough to supply a sufficient dowry for there daughters wedding. This is therefore what Rukmini is saying in the poem, she is pleading to Binu because I think that perhaps she feels that she will get a better reaction out of a woman who has never really seen the world and has lived rather a sheltered life, than a man who is in one of the highest groups of the Varna. She is saying that if she cannot afford the dowry and if she does not give one then her daughter will be rejected from the marriage, which will be embarrassing for the family. Therefore, I conclude that the poet has used the portrayal of Indian Society to try and make people who are reading the poem understand the way that Indian Society actually works. The poet portrays the caste system in this prejudiced way because maybe he feels that the system is principally unjust. The Caste system has many floors, but it has brought some sort of order to Indian Society meaning that people are recognised and distinguished. The poet uses the portrayal of Indian Society very well to get the effect of the drama and desperation in the poem. The poor lady Rukmini needs money so that her daughter can get married she is desperate for help and pity from the rich. However the uncompassionate husband feels that Rukmini is unworthy of even touching his shadow.