The Other N-Words

The Other N-Words The Other N-Words The Other N-Words By Mark Nichol My recent post about terms for ethnic groups prompted a note from a site visitor proposing that I write about taboo words. I was not niggardly in my gratitude to the correspondent for his suggestion. Did your eyes just pop out when you read the fourth word in that last sentence? Unlikely, because most DailyWritingTips.com visitors know that niggardly has nothing to do with a similar-sounding offensive term for black people. But many people persist in thinking it does. In the late 1990s, an employee of the Washington, DC, mayor’s office resigned in the aftermath of his innocent use of the word, and a few years later, a schoolteacher came under fire when she included the term in a vocabulary lesson. Another person has noted that he avoids using the word renege around black people, even though it has nothing to do with the derogatory word nigger, derived from Negro. Nor does niggling, but some people argue that such near homophones should be tossed from the word-hoard because somebody, somewhere might be offended. Nitty-gritty, part of the idiomatic expression â€Å"get down to the nitty-gritty,† is a hoary word (oops perhaps I shouldn’t have used that adjective), but it’s also evocative. Unfortunately, some people believe erroneously that it originally referred to the excretory debris left in a slave ship after the cargo had been removed. Evidently, nitty-gritty was in fact originally a synonym for an adjective that rhymes with its component words, but now it is merely synonymous to business in â€Å"get down to business.† What about the original n-word? Did you flinch when I used it above? How dare I type the actual word! Well, it’s in the dictionary, for one thing, and I have a valid reason to use it in this dispassionate, scholarly context. (But I admit I’d hesitate to use it in front of one or more black people, even if I were reading this post aloud in a group setting.) Should nigger be allowed in print or online? It’s absurd to dodge it in a neutral context such as a post about usage. How about in literature? Mark Twain used it in Huckleberry Finn to further identify the fugitive slave Jim. Doing so was proper in the historical context of that work, and no one can deny that Twain considered Jim one of his most admirable characters. And anyone who refrains from using it in a valid literary context in a novel about young inner-city blacks who blithely bandy it about, for instance is self-censoring. The word is, admittedly, broadly unacceptable in written and spoken discourse. But should I be prohibited from using it in an essay about derogatory or allegedly derogatory language? Should it be stricken from reprints of Huckleberry Finn, and excuse the expression blacked out in all existing copies? Should a book about the ’hood omit it? The word is used countless times every day all over the United States. Most writers and speakers are justified in using it because they are black, and they’re taking it back, or because it’s being used in a valid context. Others, racists who use it to denigrate an ethnic group, are also justified because they are exercising a constitutional right to free speech, but that doesn’t mean I like it. Do we even have a right, if we’re not black, to decide whether to use it? It has eminently painful associations for black people, regardless of whether it has been used against them as a weapon. For that reason, I’m sensitive enough to use it only in this type of context. But I won’t refrain from using it as such, and I certainly won’t avoid writing or saying niggardly or niggling under any circumstances. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Fly, Flew, (has) FlownFlied?Taser or Tazer? Tazing or Tasering?35 Synonyms for Rain and Snow

Flight Feathers - The Flight Feathers of Birds

Flight Feathers - The Flight Feathers of Birds Feathers are a unique characteristic of birds and are a key requirement for flight. Feathers are arranged in a precise pattern over the wing. When the bird takes to the air, its wing feathers spread to create an aerodynamic surface. When the bird lands, feathers are flexible enough in their arrangement to enable the wing to fold neatly against the birds body without bending or damaging the flight feathers. Flight Feathers The following feathers make up the typical birds wing: Primaries: Elongated flight feathers that grow out from the end of the wings (the hand area of the wing). Birds typically have 9-10 primaries.Secondaries: Long flight feathers positioned just behind the primaries and grow out from the forearm area of the wing. Many birds have six secondary feathers.Tertials: Three flight feathers that are closest to the birds body along the wing, located next to the secondaries.Remiges: A term used to refer to primaries, secondaries, and tertials together.Greater primary coverts: Feathers that overlap the base of the primaries.Greater secondary coverts: Feathers that overlap the base of the secondaries.Median secondary coverts: Feathers that overlap the base of the greater secondary coverts.Lesser secondary coverts: Feathers that overlap the base of the median secondary coverts.Alula: The feathers that grow from the thumb area of the wing on the leading edge of the wing.Primary projection: The section of the primaries that, when the wing is folded, p roject beyond the tips of the tertials and sit at an angle towards the tail. Underwing coverts: Located on the underside of the wing, underwing coverts create a lining at the base of the flight feathers.Auxiliaries: Also located on the underside of the wing, the auxiliaries cover the armpit area of the birds wing, smoothing the area where the wing meets the body. Reference Sibley, D.A. 2002. Sibleys Birding Basics. New York: Alfred A. Knopf

Enhancing quality and safety clinical practice in wards Thesis

Enhancing quality and safety clinical practice in wards - Thesis Example The expertise as well as experience of the nurse is also essential in dealing with the difficult situation and cases demanding critical care and preclusion of accidents. The safety of the patient is of utmost significance and therefore it becomes essential for the hospital management not to suffer with the downturn of experience and efficient nursing staff. Health care is the key to high-quality life, beneath the health care facilities safety of the patient dwells. Health care results portray the kind of care that has been provided and the extent of professional understanding for the quality care. According to Institute of Medicine (IOM), "patient safety is indistinguishable from the delivery of quality health care" (Aspden, 2004). Further, the level of health services in a given condition is directly proportional to the health outcomes. Harteloh (2003), revealed that "Quality [is] an optimal balance between possibilities realized and a framework of norms and values." The positive outcomes of quality health care encompass attainment of apposite personal care, manifestation or expression of health-supporting approach, health-associated eminence of living, judgment of the individual being appropriately cared for along with managing symptoms properly (Mitchell, 2004). In the present scenario, conceptual components of quality are given privilege as compared to other deliberate markers indicating that a profound safety in quality care, success of the care, patient focused approach, well-timed, proficient, unbiased and reasonable predisposition. Safety in health care is the underpinning parameter that leads to the assembly of all other aspect of quality care (Committee on the Quality of Health Care in America). Quality care is the most essential component of the health care. Quality care encompass the patient safety which is the most imperative of all the components of the health care facility. Considering the

Marketing Planning and Strategy (The buying process)2 Assignment

Marketing Planning and Strategy (The buying process)2 - Assignment Example As a result programmers and computer engineers have strived continually to find solutions to this. Anti-viruses have been produced over the years to deal with the different malware that arise. These anti-viruses, which can be acquired online, help in fighting malware and shielding computers from further entry and attack from them. This papers aims at discussing the online purchase process that can be used in purchasing antivirus. With the increased cases of cyber threats, many computer users are compelled to take preventive measures to enhance security of their data. There are a number of antiviruses that are always available for purchase online. The antiviruses have varying characteristics which depends on the specific type of system protection that a business organization is interested in (Sabri, Gupta, & Beitler, 2007). Computers user intending to purchase antiviruses online have to identify the different types and their potential benefits. The Norton anti-virus is one such product. It was developed by the American corporation known as Symantec that identified the continuous need to protect computers and other devices from attacks from malware attacks. The antivirus uses signatures and heuristics to identify the type of virus in invasion (MezgaÃŒ r, 2006). They provide internet security, phishing protection and email spam filtering. The product is well known in the computer market and is highly recommended for cases where the windows operating system is being used. This makes it very popular because of the fact those windows operating system is currently the most popular operating system (Mansour, 2013). The Bit-defender, a Romanian developed anti-virus is another antivirus that is common in the market. It ranks higher than Norton in terms of functionalities and effectiveness. Its package comes with the antivirus, anti-spyware, email-spam filtering, a firewall, backup,

Jamie Oliver Essay Example for Free

Jamie Oliver Essay Jamie Oliver is a chef who has made a number of television programmes for Channel 4; in most of these programmes he is cooking and instructing the audience, although he is sometimes part of documentaries about food, for example in schools. His style of speech is very different to many of his contemporaries: he uses his distinctive style to present himself as a down to earth, friendly TV chef. Oliver is the only person talking in this transcript because he is cooking and explaining his actions for the TV show. The fact that he is cooking while talking means that there are numerous pauses in the transcript, for example ‘you wanna coat the bottom (3) of the pan’. The three second pause indicates that he is demonstrating this action on the programme; it is important in his role as a TV chef that he doesn’t just sit and talk through a recipe because viewers want to see the recipes being made and they also want to be entertained and kept interested by Oliver moving around in the kitchen. Other pauses suggest that, although this programme is probably scripted to some degree, Oliver is not reading from an autocue but retains an element of spontaneity to his speech. The pauses at the start of the transcript, ‘I got a pan (.) er the right size pan about (.) sort of seven inches’, are indicators of this spontaneity, as is the non-fluent ‘er’. Although sometimes a sign of nervousness, in this case I think the pauses help Oliver to appear normal, like his viewers, so they are more likely to attempt his recipes and, of course, buy his books. Jamie Oliver’s Esturary accent and his accompanying use of London slang are also distinctive features of his talk. Words such as ‘chivvy’ and ‘squiggle’ are colloquial and are not words we expect to hear on a cooking programme. We are used to words from the cooking semantic field such as ‘whisk’, ‘bake’, ‘stir’ but Oliver’s language use again makes him seem very normal, approachable and relaxed. As well as specifically accented words such as the dropping of the ‘h’ in ‘orrible’, Oliver’s elisions ‘gonna’, ‘wanna’ and ‘kinda’ demonstrate his relaxed tone. As well as using these to build a successful TV persona, Oliver could be using this informal language because he is concentrating more on the actual cooking and explaining the key details of the recipe rather than the functional language he uses. It is important that Oliver does not appear too bossy to his audience: they need to feel like they can relate to him; it is therefore important that he moderates his use of imperatives. Throughout the transcript, he softens his instructions to viewers: ‘about (.) sort of seven inches’; ‘I guess er that’s on a medium heat’; this lack of precision is encouraging to people watching his because it suggests this recipe is easy to follow. The self-deprecating suggestion that Oliver is not entirely sure of what he is doing, just guessing, means that he does not assume a too-powerful position in relation to his viewers. Again, he needs to appear imitable and not too complicated. He continues to reassure the audience by saying ‘where there’s a gap there don’t worry (.) just tilt the pan’. The pause after ‘don’t worry’ suggests that he is about to offer a solution to viewers in case they are worried about this issue. The word ‘just’ implies that the solution is simple and easy, so Oliver maintains his persona as the ‘friendly, easy’ TV chef in contrast with someone like Heston Blumenthal and his very technical, scientific recipes that cannot be replicated in ordinary kitchens. Although he tones down his instructions, it is necessary for Oliver to be as clear as possible about some aspects of the recipe, seen when he says ‘don’t rush it otherwise (1) if you cook eggs too hard and too fast †¦which we don’t like’. His instruction is very clear when he says ‘don’t rush it’ but he then moderates this by explaining the reason for saying it, ‘if†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢He goes on to use the first person plural pronoun ‘we’ to indicate that the audience is included in this decision about how eggs should taste, this is not just Jamie Oliver making a pronouncement that must be obeyed. In conclusion, Jamie Oliver uses many features of talk that are typical of TV chefs, such as numerous pauses and imperative instructions which are essential in his role, but he also has a very distinctive personal style of talk, characterised by his accent, use of slang and colloquial vocabulary. He uses his own idiolect to create a successful TV personality that viewers can relate to and follow as a cooking role model.

John Dewey and His Impact on Society :: Pragmatism Essays

John Dewey was an American philosopher and teacher who, with Charles Peirce and William James, were the originators of the philosophy known as "pragmatism." Dewey had a long and distinguished career as a teacher, labor activist, and "public intellectual" who was not afraid to deal in his philosophical writings with real social issues. Dewey changed philosophy and its view forever and has made a large impact on the way modern philosophers look at things today. Dewey started off as a Hegelian idealist, but changed from idealism to experimentalism, which studied the human mind and real life issues, and which emphasized the ways in which human intelligence may be applied to the solution of real problems in real life. Dewey published over 100 books during his lifetime, dealing with topics such as education, ethics, logic, metaphysics, aesthetics, religious experience, war, politics, and economics. He was often scorned by other philosophers who thought his philosophy was too concerned with practice and not concerned enough with theory or with traditional philosophical issues like epistemology (or "how can we know"), ontology ("what is real"), or traditional logic ("what is truth"). Dewey was quite blunt in his claim that "Philosophy recovers itself when it ceases to be a device for dealing with the problems of philosophers and becomes a method, cultivated by philosophers, for dealing with the problems of men." (The Need for a Recovery in Philosophy, 1917) This set Dewy apart from the rest, and made his view on philosophy (Pragmatism) very unique and moving. His theories on human intelligence have helped numerous Universities, schools, and doctors help people learn. Dewey was one of the greatest minds to ever walk the face of America. Timeline and achievements of John Dewey  · Born Burlington, VT October 20, 1859  · 1875, attended University of Vermont major of philosophy  · 1879, taught high school in Oil City PA  · 1882, attended Johns Hopkins University- studied philosophy and psychology  · 1884, first job at University of Michigan  · 1886, married Alice Chipman  · 1888, worked at University of Minnesota as head of philosophy dept.  · 1889, worked back at U. Michigan as head of philosophy dept  · 1894, worked as head of philosophy and psychology departments at University of Chicago (1894 - 1904)  · 1894-6, founded University Elementary School, now the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools  · 1905, worked as professor of philosophy at Columbia University

Marketing Plan Laser Eye Surgery

Laser XY, Inc. Marketing Plan Week 3 Assignment 1 MKT500 July 22, 2012 Executive Summary Laser XY is preparing to open up Clinics in predominantly Afro-American areas. It will be using promotional tools directed at Afro-Americans with Glaucoma. The strategy of Laser XY is to assist the Afro-American communities due to this groups high-risk for eye diseases. Thus, the company creates communications that conveys a positive concern for the eye health of the Afro-American communities.Laser XY has completed the initial market research to evaluate the potential sales opportunity in the United States (â€Å"Glaucoma health guide,† 2012). If successful, Laser XY is prepared to launch clinics in the Canadian markets as well in order to address the customer needs. As part of the preliminary research, Laser XY identified the market and target segments for its services and completed a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis to evaluate business fit. In addition, Laser X Y created and effectively communicated its position statement for the clinic lunch. â€Å"Glaucoma health guide,† 2012) Laser XY background Laser XY is a specialty clinic that performs Laser correction for African Americans with Glaucoma. Laser XY is an exciting, life-enriching procedure. Laser XY understands that each patient must feel fully comfortable with his or her decision to have the treatment, as well as with the vision care team who will supervise each step of the process. That's why Laser XY combines proven, state-of-the-art, FDA-approved technology with a professional team that specializes in Glaucoma correction. Strategic mission statementLaser XY â€Å"Healthy Vision for Life: Focus on African-American Eyes† is the latest aspect of its ethnical marketing platform to raise awareness of the eye health needs of at-risk group. The initiative started with the fast-growing African American market at higher risk for many eye health issues, in 2013. In addition to superior experience, Laser XY ensures the utmost success and safety during laser vision correction involves using state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained personnel. This is translated into a higher cost compared to the so-called â€Å"discount Lasik chains†. We believe that our patients understand that a compromise on quality is unacceptable when it comes to one's vision. It is our commitment to best service and technology. † Marketing plan Determine and decide upon at least one (1) foreign market for the product and service. Provide your rationale for this market. Canada is a world leader in laser eye surgery and every year almost 40-50% of the laser eye surgery-taking place in Canada is conducted by a number of companies. The cost of laser eye surgery in Canada is more reasonable and affordable.This is due to a favorable exchange rate on the Canadian dollar, the lack of laser royalty fees in Canada, and the cost-effective economies of scale that are achieved in a sub-specialized center with many patients. According to the 2006 Census by Statistic Canada, 783,795 Canadians identified themselves as black, constituting 2. 5% of the entire Canadian population * About 30% of Black Canadians have Jamaican heritage. * An additional 32% have heritage elsewhere in the Caribbean or Bermuda. * 60% of Black Canadians are under the age of 35. 60% of Black Canadians live in the province of Ontario. * 97% of Black Canadians live in urban areas. There are 32,000 more black women than black men in Canada (â€Å"Why chose Canada,† 2012) Discuss the potential audiences for a marketing plan and the needs of those potential audiences. Worldwide, Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. It is also the first leading cause of blindness among African Americans. It is not clear why people of African ancestry have higher rates of glaucoma and subsequent blindness than Caucasians.One factor may be that African-Americans are more susceptible to devel oping elevated eye pressure (IOP) earlier in life, which is thought to contribute to optic nerve damage and eventual vision loss. Another reason may be that patients of African descent are less likely than Caucasians to have early eye examinations that may detect and treat glaucoma. Glaucoma affects 1 in 200 people aged fifty and younger, and 1 in 10 over the age of eighty. If the condition is detected early enough it is possible to arrest the development or slow the progression with medical and surgical means. Glaucoma Treatment, 2012) Marketing Strategy: ? Target Market: Low to Middle Income consumer’s ? between the age of 18-up 1) Positioning: To create and increase buyer awareness of the Laser XY services and brand. To attract new customers, resulting in increase in sales and market share for Laser XY insurance in the private health insurance industry along with encouraging long-term relationships with the existing and new customer through advertisement and media. It is e ssential that this target segment use all the marketing variables.In particular a judicious use of pricing policy can lead to excellent growth in sales revenues. 2) Product Line: Laser XY provides members with clear vision and freedom at a lower expense. Augmented services include care booth before and after the Lasik laser eye surgery, with four years free of charge guarantee, and customer support. 3) Price: Below competitors. Interest Free special for 12 or 24 months! Spread the cost of laser eye surgery over 12 or 24 months and pay no interest if you repay the total cost within the agreed timeframe. No deposit required. 2, 36, or 24 convenient monthly payments No early settlement fees or penalties. Laser Cost for One Eye – $1500, Laser Surgery Cost for Two Eyes – $3000. 4) Promotion: Laser XY will establish outlets and free vision screening booths in localities that have a high Afro-American population. Special outlets to be organized and price-offs to be offered fo r limited time period. This will allow the members to expand benefits with a lesser payment. Major newspapers, trade magazines and other health periodicals will be used to promote the service.Along with brochures describing the benefits of Laser XY surgery insurance will be made available in all services outlets. In addition, Laser XY, Inc. will promote the service via the Internet, providing a large amount of information, using banner exchange, and contacting particular user groups. (Glaucoma Treatment, 2012) Discuss the target market and provide a rationale for this target market. Consider the strategy of Laser XY. It declares the Afro-American communities as a high-risk group for eye diseases and creates communications that conveys a positive concern for the eye health of the Afro-American ommunities. For instance, Laser XY will open booths for checking eyes. This is a strong marketing strategy. When the potential customer presents herself for a check-up a need for service is rev ealed and the customer is directed to Laser XY. ? Laser XY sends communications targeted at the Afro-American community. It shows concern for the members of the communities, communicates that the Afro-American communities are at a far greater risk with a detection of Glaucoma, and so they need Laser XY services.The valuable education that they give is a disguised marketing communication targeted at this potentially lucrative segment. From the perspective of Laser XY, the Afro-American communities are a potentially attractive and lucrative segment. Perform a SWOT analysis (strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats) for the company. The use of SWOT analysis is important to identify ways to minimize the effect of Laser XY Inc. weaknesses while trying to maximize its strengths and at the same time recognize ways to exploit its opportunities and respond to its threats.Strengths: * Afro-American communities as a high risk group for eye Glaucoma causes this a potentially attractive a nd lucrative segment * Unique offering with little or no competition in the market. ? * Locating Laser XY Inc. stores in Afro-American predominant areas and using promotional tools directed at Afro-Americans will go a long way in increasing the market share of Laser XY, Inc. Weaknesses: * Lack of brand name and reputation in the marketplace as compared to existing clinics. ? * Laser treatment does not give a surety of a 20/20 eye vision.However, it allows the patient to have a proper vision in absence of any glasses or corrective lenses. Such improvement encourages the patient to take a chance with the complication associated to laser eye surgery. Being a startup company, there is lack of strong financial base for spending on advertising or promotions compared to established clinics. Opportunities: ? * Strong growth opportunities in emerging markets in US, as well as strong potential in developed markets in Canada * The development of this service especially for Afro-American commun ities opens up new opportunities or Laser XY Inc. to maximize its revenues from the Afro-American segment. * Laser XY Inc. will show concern for the members of the communities, communicates that the Afro-American communities are at a far greater risk of Glaucoma, and so they need Laser XY, Inc. Threat * Threat of competition from established clinics as well as new potential entrants in the market due to low barriers of entry. ? * Major threats are potential imitation from other competitors and need to offer new products regularly in order to maintain competitiveness. Clients choosing more economical vision correction choices, such as prescribe eye drops, eyeglasses, and contact lenses. * Cost of LASIK eye surgery cost differs widely from one provider to another and depends on many factors. African American is a high risk of vision loss from this disease. With the commitment of our professional management team and enthusiastic staff, the culture of the organization driven by Laser XY , Inc. has been created to make a difference to this targeted group.Our marketing segment is to exploit our services for both men and women from low to middle segments of the society that are willing to use our services. Our target customers will not only have optional payment plans, it will also encounter superior experience, safety laser vision correction. This involves using state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained personnel. Furthermore, locating Laser XY, Inc. stores in Afro-American predominant areas and using promotional tools directed at Afro-Americans will go a long way in increasing the market share of Laser XY, Inc.References Glaucoma /treatment. (2012, June). Retrieved from http://www. glaucoma. org/treatment/laser-surgery. php http://adam. about. net/reports/000025_8. htm African-Americans' glaucoma risk http://outlook. wustl. edu/2011/dec/glaucoma-risk Glaucoma health guide. (2012, July). Retrieved from Glaucoma http://health. nytimes. com/health/guides/disease/gl aucoma/risk-factors. html Why chose canada. (2012, July). Retrieved from Why choose Canada–http://www. lasikmd. com/north-york/corporate-information/why-choose-canada

Aaliyah: an Angel Back to Heaven

Aaliyah: An Angel Back to Heaven When I was younger, I looked up to my older sister a great deal. Anything that she did, I wanted to do. She was like my hero, or that cartoon character ever child wanted to go up and be like. When my sister and I were growing up, we listened to a lot of music and watched a lot of cartoons, but only because she wanted to. My sister, Christine, had a favorite rapper and singer. Now her rapper choice I thought was great but he wasn’t my favorite. Christine, or sometimes Tine, favorite rapper was Tupac Shakur.Though we did not agree on the same rapper, we did however, agree on our favorite singer together. We both chose an artist by the name of Aaliyah Dana Haughton. The first time I heard her music I fell in love. Aaliyah D. Haughton was born on January 16, 1979 in Brooklyn, New York. She was one of the best recording artist of her time. I loved her voice and her style. She wasn’t the girly type of R&B singer that was mostly seen. She had h er own style and that is one of the things I loved about her. Another thing I loved about her is that her song spoke truth and had real meaning.She didn’t just make a song to try to make a hit. Aaliyah related to the emotions of her fans and connected people with her. Because of this, she was loved by so many different types of people. Though Aaliyah was a beautiful and talented artist, she did not get to have a long life legacy. After shooting her last video, â€Å"Rock the Boat†, in the Bahamas, she got on a plane and left to head back to the U. S. On Augusta 25, 2001, that plane did not make it to the United States. Because they were in a rush to get back home, because they finished the video shoot early, they had to get on a smaller plane with all of their luggage.Instead of landing on an airway back in the states, the plane crashed approximately 200 meters away from where it took off. The plane crashed killed everyone aboard, including my favorite singer Aaliyah. My sister came home and turned on the television. That’s when I saw it. I saw the plane burnt to black ash and people cleaning up the debris. The headline flashed, â€Å" Aaliyah killed in plane crash. † I was so heart broken. I couldn’t believe she was gone. I felt like I lost apart of me. Ever since that day, I never had a favorite singer. I felt like that place was reserved for her.People around the world knew she was special. They said she was just an angel here for a short time. She had to be sent back to heaven. This tragedy made a great impact on my life. It made me realize that even at a young age, commayou could leave this world. I have three older sisters but I only spent time trying to get close to one. That was my sister Christine, who I looked up to the most. After this accident, I started to bond more with my other two sisters. With this I also begin to bond more with my nieces, nephews, parents, and my younger cousins.Though Aaliyah was not a part of my own family, I felt like she was a family member I lost. She did more than entertain with her music. She was a role model for me. I loved her poise, her style, the way she talked, and just even the things she was about. Even though I did not know her personally by meeting her, I felt like I knew a great deal about her from her music and the things I use to read about her. Even though I was only eight years old when Aaliyah died, it impacted my life a great deal. Though I did not get to meet her personally, her death made me realize things at a young age.Of course I knew that everyone was to die, but that would happen when they were real old. It never occurred to me that young people died everyday until her death. Even at a very young age, it made me realize, though it had been preached in church, that everyday is not promised. When I started to bond with my family more, there were less problems and more laughter. I even helped my mother’s and father’s side of the family bond more. This has changed my life greatly, because I have such a great support system now. Though her death was a tragedy, it brought joy into my life and my family.

Khmer Rouge essays

Khmer Rouge essays On April 17th, 1975, The Khmer Rouge (a communist group led by Pol Pot), took over power in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. They forced all of the villagers into the countryside to labor camps. During Pol Pots reign there are an estimated 2 million dead because of starvation, torture or execution. Pol Pot declared the year to be zero. He began a radical program to create an idealized agrarian communist society. He crushed all social institutions like banking, religion, all stores, hospitals and schools. Intellectuals and anyone else seen as standing in the way of their new social order was killed on the spot, and from the many who did escape execution usually died from overwork and starvation. Everyone had to work anywhere from 12-14 hours a day, 7 days a week. Children were seperated from their parents to work in either mobile groups or as soldiers. All of the people were only fed one watery bowl of soup with a little bit of rice in it. The Khmer Rouge killed people if they did not like them, if the they did not work hard enough according to their standards , if they were educated, if they came from a different ethnic group or if they showed any kind of sympathy when they were taken away from their family, or if their family was taken away from them to be killed. All th e people had to pledge allegiance to Angka, (the Khmer Rouge Government). Their campaign was based on proposing total fear and keeping the people of Cambodia off balance. Once the Vietnamese invaded and released the Cambodian people 600,000 of them went to Thailand border camps. Ten million land mines were left in the ground though, one for every person of Cambodia. The United Nations then installed the largest peacekeeping mission in the world in Cambodia to make sure there were fair elections. Cambodia was ruined by the Khmer Rouge years. Pol Pot really did turn it back into year zero, and up to ...

Overview of the Book Stigma by Erving Goffman

Overview of the Book Stigma by Erving Goffman Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity is a book written by sociologist  Erving Goffman in 1963 about the idea of stigma and what it is like to be a stigmatized person. It is a look into the world of people considered abnormal by society. Stigmatized people are those that do not have full social acceptance and are constantly striving to adjust their social identities: physically deformed people, mental patients, drug addicts, prostitutes, etc. Goffman relies extensively on autobiographies and case studies to analyze stigmatized persons’ feelings about themselves and their relationships to â€Å"normal† people. He looks at the variety of strategies that stigmatized individuals use to deal with the rejection of others and the complex images of themselves that they project to others. Three Types of Stigma In the first chapter of the book, Goffman identifies three types of stigma: stigma of character traits, physical stigma, and stigma of group identity. Stigma of character traits are: â€Å"...blemishes of individual character perceived as weak will, domineering, or unnatural passions, treacherous and rigid beliefs, and dishonesty, these being inferred from a known record of, for example, mental disorder, imprisonment, addiction, alcoholism, homosexuality, unemployment, suicidal attempts, and radical political behavior.† Physical stigma refers to physical deformities of the body, while stigma of group identity is a stigma that comes from being of a particular race, nation, religion, etc. These stigmas are transmitted through lineages and contaminate all members of a family. What all of these types of stigma have in common is that they each have the same sociological features: â€Å"...an individual who might have been received easily in normal social intercourse possesses a trait that can obtrude itself upon attention and turn those of us whom he meets away from him, breaking the claim that his other attributes have on us.† When Goffman refers to â€Å"us,† he is referring to the non-stigmatized, which he calls the â€Å"normals.† Stigma Responses Goffman discusses a number of responses that stigmatized people can take. For example, they could undergo plastic surgery, however, they still risk being exposed as someone who was formerly stigmatized. They can also make special efforts to compensate for their stigma, such as drawing attention to another area of the body or to an impressive skill. They can also use their stigma as an excuse for their lack of success, they can see it as a learning experience, or they can use it to criticize â€Å"normals.† Hiding, however, can lead to further isolation, depression, and anxiety and when they do go out in public, they can, in turn, feel more self-conscious and afraid to display anger or other negative emotions. Stigmatized individuals can also turn to other stigmatized people or sympathetic others for support and coping. They can form or join self-help groups, clubs, national associations, or other groups to feel a sense of belonging. They might also produce their own conferences or magazines to raise their morale. Stigma Symbols In chapter two of the book,  Goffman discusses the role of â€Å"stigma symbols.† Symbols are a part of information control; they are used to understand others. For example, a wedding ring is a symbol that shows others that someone is married. Stigma symbols are similar. Skin color is a stigma symbol, as is a hearing aid, cane, shaved head, or wheelchair. Stigmatized people often use symbols as â€Å"disidentifiers† in order to try to pass as a â€Å"normal.† For instance, if an illiterate person is wearing ‘intellectual’ glasses, they might be trying to pass as a literate person; or, a homosexual person who tells ‘queer jokes’ might be trying to pass as a heterosexual person. These covering attempts, however, can also be problematic. If a stigmatized person tries to cover their stigma or pass as a â€Å"normal,† they have to avoid close relationships, and passing can often lead to self-contempt. They also need to constantly be alert and always checking their houses or bodies for signs of stigmatization. Rules for Handling Normals In chapter three of this book, Goffman discusses the rules that stigmatized people follow when handling â€Å"normals.† One must assume that â€Å"normals† are ignorant rather than malicious.No response is needed to snubs or insults, and the stigmatized should either ignore or patiently refute the offense and views behind it.The stigmatized should try to help reduce the tension by breaking the ice and using humor or even self-mockery.The stigmatized should treat â€Å"normals† as if they are honorary wise.The stigmatized should follow disclosure etiquette by using disability as a topic for serious conversation, for example.The stigmatized should use tactful pauses during conversations to allow recovery from shock over something that was said.The stigmatized should allow intrusive questions and agree to be helped.The stigmatized should see oneself as â€Å"normal† in order to put â€Å"normals† at easy. Deviance In the final two chapters of the book, Goffman discusses the underlying social functions of stigmatization, such as social control,  as well as the implications that stigma has for theories of deviance. For instance, stigma and deviance can be functional and acceptable in society if it is within limits and boundaries.

Business #3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business #3 - Essay Example The development of a comfortable working environment as well as the awarding of bonuses on a regular basis for work well done is means of not only containing costs, but also motivating employees. The need to be fair and consistent helps to build the trust of workers and this in such a way that it ensures that the latter are encouraged being more productive. Fairness also helps to build worker confidence on management and this confidence often translates to greater output. However, among the threats related to being fair and consistent is that there are times when workers might not take management seriously or might resist changes that need to be implemented. Future employees must have the necessary educational background to carry out tasks within the company. This background should be accompanied by at least five years’ experience because it allows for greater understanding. Finally, employees should have proven that they are skilled enough to function within a business environment without making major mistakes. Hiring should involve recruiting on a full-time basis because this allows for greater access to knowledge concerning the individuals over time. Furthermore, full-time employees often work better as teams (Hyland, 2013). Finally, full-time employees often develop a sense of loyalty to the company. Potential employees can be found through advertising vacant positions. In addition, finding potential employees can be done through word of mouth. Finally, there are situations where individuals tend to look for jobs themselves and they might land a job in the process. Diversity can be achieved through ensuring that there is some form of gender and ethnic balance within the work force (Tatli and Ozbilgin, 2009). It is also essential for management to ensure that employees are not discriminated against based on religion; the latter should be treated equally. Finally, all forms of