Income Distribution in the U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Income Distribution in the U.S - Essay Example It looks at the income that the rich and the poor are getting. It also critically looks at the factors that can lead to income distribution inequalities like taxing, technology and globalization. It helps in explaining various theories like human capital and economic discrimination. For this purpose, it helps an economy to come up with ways to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. It has been a global concern in fighting poverty. Even though poverty can not be fully eradicated it can be reduced. It is important to look at how factors of production are distributed within an economy. How easy it is for every individual to access these factors is another way to know how well the income is distributed within an economy (Richard, pp.345-450). It is important to look at the income distribution trends in America to find out how the gap between the rich and the poor can be reduced. Very many economists are interested in fighting the gap between the rich and the poor. The gross domestic product (GDP) has been refuted in telling if the citizens of a country are rich or poor. Many economists argue that a country can have a very high gross domestic product but it is only being produced by 10% of the citizens who are the elite and affluent people of the society. The Gini coefficient has been used by the American economists to tell if the country has equal distribution of income. It can simply be said that some professions are well paid but others earn very low wages (Richard, pp.345-450). It is notable that 1948 to 1968, the Gini coefficient reduced. When the Gini coefficient reduces then it means that the citizens’ income per citizen is increasing. Thus between those years the income inequality in America had reduced meaning that families were receiving more income than before. On the contrary, the Gini coefficient increased between 1968 and 1998, this meant that the

The Main Critiques Of Liberal Democratic Model

The Main Critiques Of Liberal Democratic Model One of the most important political ideologies used in the modern era especially by the Western countries is liberal democracy. A liberal democratic state involves of the goals of both liberalism and democracy. This essay will talk about the critiques of liberal democracy explaining the four criteria of liberal democracy and why it works or does not work in the context to the case study countries. In a liberal democratic model, it is necessary to have some basic criteria on liberal democracy. The four criteria that will be explored in relation to the case study countries are multiple distinct political parties, separation of power into different branches of government, an idea of equality and lastly secularism. According to Gordon Smith political parties are, the summation of pluralist tradition. This means political parties are very important because of the role they play in society. Pluralists debate that there should be multiple contenders in opposing centres of power as the power should not rest in one group rather be divided and diffused (Schwarzmantel, 1994:51). Political parties represent the public interests. Likewise, multi- party system creates diversity and competition in turn parties makes efforts and try out to reach to a larger group of people making their policies relevant. It emphasises different groups of interests within the liberal democratic state which prevents any one group from dominating. As each human being have different perspective of looking at the world, similarly each party might have a different interpretation on a policy because of the different ideals and values. The main aim of political parties is to capture state power. This pluralist view applies to a co untry like Russia where they have multi-party system. It is practically accurate to argue that at the national level Russia has attained at least a semi-pluralistic political system, with number of national parties and the strong influence of business interests. On the other hand Elite theory rejects the pluralist theory that power can be diffused and can be divided and spread among different groups of society. Elite theory argues that the power rests in the hands of few, who are wealthy. They assert that the average person cannot be heard because the power is usually concentrated in a few at the top. Democratic elite theorists argued that the decrease in internal party democracy and meeting process did not matter much, so long as competition between parties still give voters the final power. Elite theory says that two-party or multi-party system is usually dominated by an elite. For example in a country like USA elite theory works more than the pluralist theory. United States has two parties unlike the other countries that have multi-party system. In a multi-party system, political parties usually have specialised agenda which in turn represents their interests like environment, labor or business. But in America with a more generalised syst em, the two parties have to please a wider range of people to be elected. Consequently, both parties act neither too liberal nor too conservative. Many people agree that United States has a two-party system but there have been few cases where third party candidate won an election. Third party candidates have to struggle to get elected. The last time when the country saw a third party presented elected was in 1860 when Abraham Lincoln became President. In the view of elite theory they agree with the two-party system in United States as campaigns costs a fortune in this country. In their view the wealth buys the political power by recruiting capable individuals to serve the interests of the ruling class, and by financing the campaigns of politicians and the operation of political parties'(Module guide).Political parties are important for keeping the check and balance of power through peaceful means and are thus important in a liberal democracy. Without having any form of competition t hen from an elitist, then there would be only one outcome and that is whatever the elite considers the best then that will be the decision. In a country to be liberal democratic state power should be divided among different groups so that state cannot rule the masses on their own and the power is distributed among different factions of government. Pluralism critique of the state suggests a solution to how democracies can be realised in large and complex societies and how to achieve popular power and at the same time limit the power of the state. Pluralism is strictly against the totalitarian government. A pluralist society is on in which the decisions are taken by associations of citizens, acting independently of state. They assume state as a neutral actor which helps control conflicts and negotiations among groups. As all groups do not have equal resources or influence as some of the other groups in society, state does not favour any of the group rather remain neutral. Pluralism prefers a federal system of government in which power is divided among executive, legislature and judiciary. So that there is checks and balanc es and no one can misuse the power. Madison advocated a simple logic stating that, grant independent power to the different branches of government, and each member of that branch will have a personal interest in maintaining that power and preventing the other branches from carrying out their repressive designs. It means if the power is distributed among different bodies in the government, no person will be able to impose his or her will. Pluralist theory can apply to a country like France where there is a federal system of government although the executive is body is slightly stronger than that of legislature. However all the power does not rest with the executive, power also lies within the two remaining branches of government, the legislative, and the judiciary. The second critique which describes the state is elite theory. In their view, the separation of power is unimportant within the state because in the end unified elite hold the power. They assert that the elites will always hold power in the society in different forms and their nature will directly determine the properties of society in which they live. The post- war elite theory critique C. Wright Mills argued that important decisions made in United States policy making were most of the times made by unelected power elite. For example, Unites States has a federal system of government in which power is evenly distributed among the 3 bodies of government , namely legislature, executive and judiciary but there certain cases where there are power elite makes the decisions. For instance the head of a big American business corporation or even the President or his appointed staff. On the contrary, Marxist theory argues that economy is the most important element in the society and that the s ociety should grow towards a classless structure with an equal distribution of power. Each citizen should be treated equally irrespective of gender, cast and religion to live in peace. Thus, idea of equality should be present in every country which makes it an important aspect of a liberal democratic country. Marxist Theory can best explain that why there is inequality among countries. Marxists states that unequal distribution of wealth is caused by exploitation in production as well as distribution of wealth. Capitalism and notion of private property creates class differences and unequal distribution of power. Private property maximises the gap between rich and poor. For instance if a person owns a property, he gets to exploit people who dont which leads to other people working for the person who owns the property and can provide them with money. This form of organisation develops two classes, the bourgeoisie or ruling class who control and profit from the system and the working class who are much more numerous. In Marxist view wealth should be equally distributed am ong people. Rejecting this theory of Marxism, elite critiques argue that economic or social class forces do not determine what happens in society rather elites do. Italian writer Vilfredo Pareto criticises Marxists for overlooking the control of elite. For example in a country like America and Nigeria there is a huge income gap between rich and poor due to capitalism. The wealth is concentrated in the hands of elites which gives an adverse effect on the welfare of citizens. Utter poverty for a large percentage of the people of Nigeria is because of the mismanagement of the economy and widespread corruption by political elites. Therefore both the theories can be applied in the countries like Nigeria and United States. All the liberal democratic countries should accept that citizens should not be prevented from practicing their religion and the state is no one to interfere with the religious decisions of citizens or their institutions. Marxist sees religion as a feature only of a class-divided society. The theory argues that whichever class controls the economic production also controls the production and distribution of ideas in society via institutions such as church, education system and the media. For example, France has declared herself as a secular country having divided church and state during the French Revolution. However, over 80% of her citizens claim to be Roman Catholics, on the other hand 10% claim to be Muslim (CIA).In spite of being a secular state France does not allow manifestation of religion in public sphere. In 2004, an anti-religious law passed through legislature that banned the wearing of headscarves, turban, skullcaps, or large crosses in the public schools as (Graham, 109) .Therefore looking at this example of France it can be said that the Marxist theory can describe secularism in France as the person who is ruling is passing all the laws which controls all the power in the government and can influence any law in his favour. Moreover this law in the end can lead to divisions in society. Similarly, Pluralism accepts all the religions in the society and rejects the notion that there can be a single belief in religion or culture. That is, pluralism is a simple recognition of the fact that there are many different faith groups active in the country. Pluralist theory works well in the liberal democratic countries as they demonstrate well about secularism. Pluralist theory works well in religious country like United States which is a multi-cultural society consisting of many religious groups such as Christians, Muslims, Hindus.

The Holocaust :: Jewish Holocaust

The Holocaust   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When you think of the holocaust, what do you think about? Is it the millions of Jews lives that were taken? Or is it a great, but wicked speaker named Adolph Hitler? Adolph Hitler, Auschwitz, and American involvement are some key roles in the holocaust.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adolph Hitler is probably one of the worst people ever to live. When people talk of evil deeds he is at the top of the list. He was a man of words, and could use them to his advantage. He had an ability to talk and make the Germans believe that the Jews were the reason for the problems in their country; so he gave them the idea to move them out. Then under his command they forced the Jews in to death camps.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Adolph Hitler convinced the Germans that the Jews were the center of all problems, he started to make camps to place all the Jews. These camps weren’t nice places to be. They were all used to kill millions of Jews. Auschwitz was the most feared of all. Over 2 million Jews were killed there in ways that aren’t humane, such as shooting them, or gassing them in a chamber, or even burning them alive. This camp even bought little farms and houses for places to kill. They had the ever so famous Little Red house and the Little White house. These were places that they took Jews to kill them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How does America get involved in this? They started to ban Jews in America. Nazism started up here in the land of the free. This made it harder for them to come to America and get out of harms way in Germany. They were leaving one country to come to another that feared the Jews taking jobs away, and believed they had to take action as did the Germans. Organizations tried to help bring people in to the country, and the government was making it almost imposable to get in.

Bloodlines Chapter Five

AND ON THAT NOTE, Rose left me so she could tell the others goodbye. Her words left me chilled. For half a second, I wanted to demand a reassessment of this mission. I wanted to insist that they send no less than a dozen guardians here with Jill, in the event her attackers came back. Soon, I dismissed that thought. One of the key parts of this plan working was simply not attracting attention. So long as her whereabouts were secret, Jill was safer if she blended in. A squadron of guardians would hardly be discreet and could attract notice from the larger Moroi community. We were doing the right thing. So long as no one knew we were here, all would be well. Surely if I told myself that often enough, it would become true. Yet why Rose's ominous statement? Why Eddie's presence? Had this mission really been bumped from â€Å"inconvenient† to â€Å"life-threatening†? Knowing how close Jill and Rose were, I kind of expected their goodbye to be more tearful. Instead, it was Adrian whom Jill had the most difficulty leaving. She flung herself at him in a giant hug, fingers clinging to his shirt. The young Moroi girl had remained quiet for most of the visit, simply watching the rest of us in that curious, nervous way of hers. The most I'd heard her talk was when Lee had tried to draw her out earlier. Her goodbye display seemed to surprise Adrian too, though the snarky look he'd worn on his face softened into something like affection as he awkwardly patted her shoulder. â€Å"There, there, Jailbait. I'll see you again soon.† â€Å"I wish you were coming with us,† she said in a small voice. He crooked her a grin. â€Å"No, you don't. Maybe the rest of them can get away with playing back-to-school, but I'd be thrown out on my first day. At least here, I won't corrupt anyone†¦ unless it's Clarence and his liquor cabinet.† â€Å"I'll be in touch,† promised Jill. His smile twitched, and he gave her a knowing look that was both amused and rueful. â€Å"So will I.† This small moment between them was odd. With his flippant, arrogant nature and her sweet shyness, they seemed like an unlikely pair of friends. Yet there was obvious affection between them. It didn't seem romantic but had a definite intensity I couldn't quite understand. I remembered the conversation I'd overheard between Abe and Adrian, where Abe had said it was imperative Adrian stay near Jill. Something told me there was a connection between that and what I was witnessing now, but I didn't have enough information to put it all together. I filed this mystery away for later. I was sad to leave Rose but glad that our departure meant parting ways with Abe and Keith. Abe left with his typically cryptic remarks and a knowing look for me that I didn't appreciate. I dropped Keith off at his place before going on to Amberwood, and he told me he'd keep me updated. Honestly, I wondered what exactly he had to update me on, since I was doing most of the work around here. As far as I could tell, he really had nothing to do except lounge around in his downtown apartment. Still, it was worth it to be rid of him. I never thought I'd be so happy to drive off with a vampire and a dhampir. Jill still seemed troubled during the car ride to the school. Eddie, sensing this, tried to soothe her. He peered back at her from the passenger seat. â€Å"We'll see Adrian soon.† â€Å"I know,† she said with a sigh. â€Å"And nothing else bad is going to happen. You're safe. They can't find you here.† â€Å"I know that too,† she said. â€Å"How bad was it?† I asked. â€Å"The attack, I mean. No one's getting into details.† Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Eddie glance back at Jill again. â€Å"Bad enough,† he said grimly. â€Å"But everyone's okay now; that's what matters.† Neither of them said any more, and I quickly picked up on the hint that no more details would be forthcoming. They acted as though the attack had been no big deal, that it was done and over with, but they were being too evasive. Something had happened that I didn't know about – that the Alchemists likely didn't know about – something that they were working to keep secret. My guess was that it had to do with Adrian being here. He had mentioned an â€Å"obvious reason† for coming to Palm Springs, and then Abe had hinted at some ulterior motive that Adrian himself didn't know about. It was all kind of annoying, seeing as I was risking my life here. How did they expect me to adequately do my job if they insisted on making this a tangle of secrets? Alchemists dealt in secrets, and despite my rocky past, I was still Alchemist enough to resent being denied answers. Fortunately, I was also Alchemist enough to hunt those answers down myself. Of course, I knew grilling Jill and Eddie right away wasn't going to get me anywhere. I needed to play it friendly and get them to relax around me. They might not harbor the secret belief that humans were creatures of darkness, but that didn't mean they trusted me yet. I didn't blame them. After all, I certainly didn't trust them either. It was well into evening when we arrived at Amberwood. Keith and I had scoped out the school earlier, but Eddie and Jill took it in with wide eyes. Whereas Clarence's home had seemed old-fashioned, the school was bright and modern, consisting of stucco buildings that were so typical of California and southwest architecture. Palm trees skirted along lush green lawns. In the fading light, students were still strolling, in pairs and groups, along the many walking paths that wove throughout the grounds. We'd picked up fast food along the way, but the late hour meant Jill and I had to split from Eddie. At eighteen, with a car and â€Å"parental permission,† I had a lot of freedom to come and go, but I had to answer to curfew just like everyone else when night came. Eddie was uneasy about leaving Jill, particularly when he realized how far away from her he'd be. Amberwood Prep's sprawling grounds were divided into three campuses: East, West, and Central. East Campus housed the girls' dorm while West contained the boys'. Central, the largest of the three, was where the administrative, academic, and recreational facilities were. The campuses were about a mile apart from each other and served by a shuttle bus that ran throughout the day, though walking was always an option for those who could stand the heat. Eddie had to have known he couldn't stay in the girls' dorm, though I suspected that if he had his way, he would have slept at the foot of Jill's bed like a loyal dog. Watching the two of them was kind of amazing. I'd never observed a guardian-Moroi pairing before. When I'd been with Rose and Dimitri, they'd been simply trying to keep themselves alive – plus, they were both dhampirs. Now, I was finally able to see the system in action and understood why dhampirs trained so hard. You'd have to, to remain that vigilant. Even in the most mundane moments, Eddie always watched our surroundings. Nothing escaped his notice. â€Å"How good is the security system here?† he demanded when we stepped inside the girls' dorm. He'd insisted on seeing it before going to his own. The lobby was quiet at this hour, and only a couple of students wandered through with boxes and suitcases as they finished last-minute move-ins. They gave us curious looks as they passed, and I had to quell the knot of anxiety rising in me. Considering everything else going on for me, high school social life shouldn't scare me – but it did. The Alchemists didn't cover that in their lessons. â€Å"Security's good enough,† I said, keeping my voice low as I turned back to Eddie. â€Å"They aren't worried about vampire assassins, but they certainly want their students safe. I know there are security guards that patrol the grounds at night.† Eddie eyed the dorm matron, a stout, gray-haired woman who supervised the lobby from her desk. â€Å"Do you think she has any kind of combat training? Do you think she could subdue an intruder?† â€Å"I bet she could wrestle down a guy sneaking into a girl's room,† joked Jill. She rested a hand on his arm, making him jump. â€Å"Relax. This place is safe.† In some ways, Eddie's concern was comforting and made me feel secure. At the same time, I couldn't help but think again about why he was so watchful. He'd been there for the attack that no one would tell me about. He knew the threats because he'd seen them firsthand. If he was this on edge, even now, then how much danger were we still in? The Alchemists had led me to believe that once we were hidden here at Amberwood, all would be well and it would just become a waiting game. I'd had that very conversation with Rose and tried to convince her of the same. Eddie's attitude was concerning. The dorm room I shared with Jill was small by my standards. I'd always had my own room growing up and never had to worry about sharing space or closets. During my time in St. Petersburg, I'd even had my own apartment. Still, o ur one window had a sweeping view of the dorm's back courtyard. Everything inside the room was airy and bright, with maple-finished furniture that looked new: beds, desks, and dressers. I had no experience with dorm rooms – but I could only assume by Jill's reaction that we'd gotten a good one. She swore that the room was larger than the one she'd had at her Moroi school, St. Vladimir's Academy, and was quite happy. I half-wondered if she thought our room was big simply because we had so little to put in it. Neither of us had been able to do much packing with such swift departures. The furniture gave everything a warm, golden feel, but without personal decorations or other touches, the room could've come straight from a catalog. The dorm matron, Mrs. Weathers, had been astonished when she saw us and our minimal luggage. The girls I'd observed moving in earlier had arrived with cars packed to bursting. I hoped we didn't look suspicious. Jill paused to stare out the window as we got ready for bed. â€Å"It's so dry here,† she murmured, more to herself than me. â€Å"They keep the lawn green, but it's so strange not to feel the moisture in the air.† She glanced over at me sheepishly. â€Å"I'm a water user.† â€Å"I know,† I said, not sure what else to add. She was referring to the magical abilities all Moroi possessed. Each Moroi specialized in one of the elements, either the physical four – earth, air, water, and fire – or the more intangible and psychic element of spirit. Hardly anyone wielded that last one, though I'd heard Adrian was one of the few. If Jill couldn't access her magic easily, I wasn't going to be disappointed. Magic was one of those things, like the blood drinking, that served as a slap-in-the-face reminder that these people I was laughing and eating with were not human. If I wasn't still exhausted from the drive with Keith, I probably would've lain awake agonizing over the fact that I was sleeping close to a vampire. When I'd first met Rose, I hadn't even been able to stay in the same room with her. Our hectic escape together had changed that a little, and by the end, I'd been able to let my guard down. Now, some of that old fear came back in the darkness. Vampire, vampire. Sternly, I told myself it was just Jill. I had nothing to worry about. Eventually, fatigue triumphed fear, and I slept. When morning came, I couldn't help looking in the mirror to make sure I had no bite marks or other sign of vampire harm. When I'd finished, I immediately felt foolish. With the difficulty Jill was currently having waking up, it made no sense to imagine her sneaking up on me in the night. As it was, I had a hard time getting her out the door in time for orientation. She was groggy, with bloodshot eyes, and kept complaining about a headache. I guessed I didn't have to worry about nighttime attacks from my roommate. Nonetheless, she managed to get up and around. We left our dorm and found Eddie, gathering with other new students near a fountain on Central Campus. Most of the crowd appeared to be freshmen like Jill. Only a few were the same age as me and Eddie, and I was surprised to see him easily chatting with those around him. With how vigilant he'd been the day before, I would've expected him to be more on guard, less capable of normal social interaction – but he fit right in. As we walked up, however, I caught him glance around stealthily at his surroundings. He might be playing a student, like me – but he was still a dhampir. He was just telling us about how he hadn't met his roommate yet when a smiling guy with bright blue eyes and reddish hair strode up to them. â€Å"Hey there,† he said. Up close, I could see a smattering of freckles. â€Å"Are you Eddie Melrose?† â€Å"Yes, I'm – † Eddie had spun around with that guardian efficiency, ready to take on this potential threat. When he saw the newcomer, Eddie went perfectly still. His eyes widened slightly, and whatever he'd been about to say faded away. â€Å"I'm Micah Vallence. I'm your roommate – also your orientation leader.† He nodded toward the other mingling students and grinned. â€Å"But I wanted to come say hi first since I just got here this morning. My mom pushed our vacation to the limits.† Eddie was still staring at Micah as though he'd seen a ghost. I studied Micah too, wondering what I was missing. He seemed normal to me. Whatever was going on, Jill was also out of the loop because she was regarding Micah with a perfectly ordinary expression too, no alarm or surprise. â€Å"Nice to meet you,† said Eddie at last. â€Å"These are my, uh, sisters – Jill and Sydney.† Micah smiled at each of us in turn. He had a manner about him that made me feel easy, and I could see why he'd been drafted as an orientation leader. I wondered why Eddie was reacting so strangely. â€Å"What grades are you in?† he asked us. â€Å"Senior,† I said. Remembering the cover story, I added, â€Å"Eddie and I are twins.† â€Å"I'm a freshman,† said Jill. Looking over our â€Å"family,† I noticed that Eddie and I could probably pass for siblings pretty easily. Our coloring was similar, and of course, there was the fact that we both looked human. While a human wouldn't necessarily look at Jill and say â€Å"vampire!† she still possessed certain features that marked her as unusual. Her build and paleness were definite contrasts to me and Eddie. If Micah noticed the lack of family resemblance, he didn't let on. â€Å"Nervous about starting high school?† he asked Jill. She shook her head and smiled back. â€Å"I'm ready for the challenge.† â€Å"Well, if you need anything, let me know,† he said. â€Å"For now, I've gotta get this party started. Talk to you guys later.† From the way his attention focused solely on her, it was obvious that the â€Å"if you need anything† was directed at Jill, and her blush showed that she knew too. She smiled, holding his gaze a moment, and then looked away shyly. I would've found it cute, if not for the alarming prospect it presented. Jill was in a school full of humans. It was absolutely out of the question for her to date one, and guys like Micah couldn't be encouraged. Eddie didn't appear to care about the comment, but it seemed to be more because he was still troubled about Micah in general. Micah called our group to attention and began the orientation. The first part of it was simply a tour of the grounds. We followed him around, in and out of air conditioning, as he showed us the important buildings. He explained the shuttle system, and we rode it up to West Campus, which was almost a mirror of East. Boys and girls were allowed in each other's dorms, with limitations, and he explained those rules as well, which caused some grumbling. Recalling the formidable Mrs. Weathers, I felt sorry for any boy that tried to break her dorm rules. Both dorms had their own cafeterias, where any student was welcome to eat, and our orientation group had lunch while we were still on West Campus. Micah joined my â€Å"siblings† and me, going out of his way to talk to each of us. Eddie responded politely, nodding and asking questions, but his eyes still looked vaguely haunted. Jill was shy at first, but once Micah starting joking around with her, she eventually warmed up to him. How funny, I thought, that it was easier for Eddie and Jill to adapt to this situation than it was for me. They were in a strange environment, with a different race, but were still among familiar things, like cafeterias and lockers. They slipped right into the roles and procedures with no difficulty. Meanwhile, despite having traveled and lived all over the world, I felt out of place in what was for everyone else an ordinary setting. Regardless, it didn't take me long to figure out how the school ran. Alchemists were trained to observe and adapt, and even though school was foreign to me, I quickly picked up on the routine. I wasn't afraid to talk to people either – I was used to striking up conversations with strangers and explaining my way out of situations. One thing, however, I knew I would have to work on. â€Å"I heard her family might be moving to Anchorage.† We were at orientation lunch, and a couple of freshmen girls sitting near me were discussing a friend of theirs who hadn't shown up today. The other girl's eyes widened. â€Å"Seriously? I would die if I had to move there.† â€Å"I don't know,† I mused, moving my food around my plate. â€Å"With all the sun and UV rays here, it seems like Anchorage might actually provide a longer life span. You don't need as much sunblock, so it's a more economical choice as well.† I'd thought my comment was helpful, but when I looked up, I was met with gaping stares. It was obvious from the looks the girls were giving me that I probably couldn't have picked a weirder comment. â€Å"I guess I shouldn't say everything that comes to mind,† I murmured to Eddie. I was used to being direct in social situations, but it occurred to me that simply saying â€Å"Yeah, totally!† would've probably been the correct response. I'd had few friends my own age and was out of practice. Eddie grinned at me. â€Å"I don't know, sis. You're pretty entertaining as you are. Keep it up.† After lunch, our group returned to Central Campus, where we parted ways to meet with academic advisors and plan our class schedules. When I sat down with my advisor, a cheery young woman named Molly, I wasn't surprised to see that the Alchemists had sent along academic records from a fictitious school in South Dakota. They were even fairly consistent with what I had studied in my homeschooling. â€Å"Your grades and tests have placed you in our most advanced math and English classes,† Molly said. â€Å"If you do well in them, you can receive college credit.† Too bad there's no chance I'll get to go to college, I thought with a sigh. She flipped through a few pages in my file. â€Å"Now, I don't see any records of foreign language here. It's an Amberwood requirement that everyone learn at least one language.† Oops. The Alchemists had messed up there in faking my records. I'd actually studied a number of languages. My father had made sure I had lessons from an early age, since an Alchemist never knew where he or she might end up. Scanning Amberwood's list of offered languages, I hesitated and wondered if I should lie. Then I decided I really didn't want to sit through conjugations and tenses I'd already learned. â€Å"I already know all of these,† I told Molly. Molly regarded me skeptically. â€Å"All of these? There are five languages here.† I nodded and added helpfully, â€Å"But I only studied Japanese for two years. So I suppose I could learn more.† Molly still didn't seem to buy this. â€Å"Would you be willing to take proficiency tests?† And so, I ended up spending the rest of my afternoon laboring over foreign languages. It wasn't how I wanted to spend my day, but I supposed it would pay off later – the tests were a breeze. When I finally finished all five languages three hours later, Molly hurried me out to get fitted for my uniform. Most of the other new students had long gone through already, and she was concerned that I might have already missed the woman doing the fittings. I moved as fast as I could without running down the halls and nearly bumped into two girls rounding a corner. â€Å"Oh!† I exclaimed, feeling like an idiot. â€Å"I'm sorry – I'm late for my fitting – â€Å" One of them laughed good-naturedly. She was dark-skinned with an athletic build and wavy black hair. â€Å"Don't worry about it,† she said. â€Å"We just walked past the room. She's still there.† The other girl had blond hair a shade lighter than mine that she wore in a high ponytail. Both of them had the easy assurance of those who knew their way around this world. These weren't new students. â€Å"Mrs. Delaney always takes longer than she thinks she will with the fittings,† the blond girl said knowingly. â€Å"Every year, it's – † Her jaw dropped, her words freezing up for a few moments. â€Å"Where†¦ where did you get that?† I had no clue what she meant, but the other girl soon noticed and leaned closer to me. â€Å"That's amazing! Is that what they're doing this year?† â€Å"Your tattoo,† explained the blonde. I must have still looked clueless. â€Å"Where'd you get it?† â€Å"Oh. That.† My fingers absentmindedly touched my cheek. â€Å"In, um, South Dakota. Where I'm from.† Both girls looked disappointed. â€Å"I guess that's why I've never seen it,† said the dark-haired girl. â€Å"I thought Nevermore was doing something new.† â€Å"Nevermore?† I asked. The girls exchanged silent glances, and some message passed between them. â€Å"You're new, right? What's your name?† asked the blond girl. â€Å"I'm Julia. This is Kristin.† â€Å"Sydney,† I said, still mystified. Julia was smiling again. â€Å"Have lunch with us at East tomorrow, okay? We'll explain everything.† â€Å"Everything about what?† I asked. â€Å"It's a long story. Just get to Delaney for now,† added Kristin, starting to move away. â€Å"She'll stay late, but not forever.† When they were gone, I continued on my way – much more slowly – wondering what that had been about. Had I just made friends? I really wasn't sure how one went about it in a school like this, but that whole exchange had seemed pretty weird. Mrs. Delaney was just packing up when I arrived. â€Å"What size do you wear, dear?† she asked, catching sight of me in the doorway. â€Å"Two.† A number of articles were produced: skirts, pants, blouses, and sweaters. I doubted the sweaters would see much wear, unless a freak apocalyptic blizzard hit Palm Springs. Amberwood wasn't particularly fussy about which ensemble students wore, as long as it came from the approved pool of fashion. The colors were burgundy, dark gray, and white, which I actually thought looked kind of nice together. Watching me button a white blouse, Mrs. Delaney tsked, â€Å"I think you need a size four.† I froze mid-button. â€Å"I wear a two.† â€Å"Oh, yes, you can fit into them, but look at the arms and the skirt length. I think you'll be more comfortable in a four. Try these.† She handed over a new stack and then laughed. â€Å"Don't look so mortified, girl! A four's nothing. You're still a twig.† She patted her ample stomach. â€Å"We could fit three of you into my clothes!† Despite my many protests, I was still sent away with the size-four clothing. I rode back to my dorm, dejected, and found Jill lying on her bed and reading. She sat up at my arrival. â€Å"Hey, I wondered what had happened to you.† â€Å"Got delayed,† I said with a sigh. â€Å"Are you feeling better?† â€Å"Yeah. A lot.† Jill watched as I put away the uniforms. â€Å"They're pretty terrible, right? We didn't have uniforms at St. Vladimir's. It's going to be so boring wearing the same thing every day.† I didn't want to tell her that as an Alchemist, I might have worn an outfit like this anyway. â€Å"What size did you get?† I asked, to change the subject. I was kind of a glutton for punishment. â€Å"Two.† A twinge of annoyance shot through me as I hung my uniforms in the closet beside hers. I felt huge by comparison. How were all those Moroi so skinny? Genetics? Low-carb blood diet? Maybe it was just because they were all so tall. All I knew was that whenever I spent time around them, I felt frumpy and awkward and wanted to eat less. When I finished unpacking, Jill and I compared schedules. Not surprisingly, considering the difference in grades, we had almost nothing in common. The only thing we shared was a multi-grade PE class. All students were required to take it every semester, since fitness was considered part of a wellrounded student's experience. Maybe I could lose a few pounds and get back into my normal size. Jill smiled and handed my schedule back. â€Å"Eddie went and demanded to be in our PE class since it's pretty much the only one we could share. It conflicts with his Spanish class, though, and they wouldn't let him. I don't think he can handle going the whole school day without seeing that I'm alive. Oh, and Micah's with us in PE.† I'd stalked off to my bed, still irritated about the uniforms. Jill's words caught my attention. â€Å"Hey, do you know why Eddie seemed weirded out around Micah?† Jill shook her head. â€Å"No, I didn't get a chance to ask, but I noticed it too – especially at first. Later – while you were testing – and we were waiting for uniforms, Eddie seemed to chill out. A little. Every once in a while, I'd see him giving Micah a strange look, though.† â€Å"You don't think he thinks Micah's dangerous, do you?† Jill shrugged. â€Å"He didn't seem dangerous to me, but I'm no guardian. If Eddie did think he was some kind of threat, it seems like he'd be acting differently. More aggressive. He mostly seems nervous around Micah. Almost – but not quite – afraid. And that's weirdest of all because guardians never look scared. Not that Eddie's technically a guardian. But you know what I mean.† â€Å"I do,† I said, smiling despite my grumpy intentions. That cute, rambling nature cheered me up a little. â€Å"What do you mean Eddie's technically not a guardian? Isn't he assigned to protect you here?† â€Å"Yeah, he is,† said Jill, toying with one of her light brown curls. â€Å"But†¦ well, it's kind of weird. He got in some trouble with the guardians for helping Rose and for, um, killing a guy.† â€Å"He killed a Moroi that attacked Vasilisa, right?† It had come up at my interrogation. â€Å"Yeah,† said Jill, lost in her own memories. â€Å"It was self-defense – well, and defense of Lissa, but everyone was shocked at him killing a Moroi. Guardians aren't supposed to do that, but then, you know, Moroi aren't supposed to attack each other either. Anyway, he was put on suspension. No one knew what to do with him. When I got†¦ attacked, Eddie helped protect me. Later, Lissa said it was stupid to keep him off duty when he could be helpful and that considering Moroi were behind this attack too, she said everyone was going to have to get used to the idea of Moroi being the enemy. Hans – the guardian in charge at Court – finally agreed and sent Eddie here with me, but I think officially, Eddie's not restored yet. It's weird.† Jill had delivered the whole speech without pausing and now stopped to catch a breath. â€Å"Well, I'm sure it'll be sorted out,† I said, trying to be reassuring. â€Å"And it seems like he'll get points for keeping a princess alive.† Jill looked at me sharply. â€Å"I'm no princess.† I frowned and tried to remember the complexities of Moroi law. â€Å"The prince or princess is the oldest member of a family. Since Vasilisa's queen, the title rolls over to you, right?† â€Å"On paper,† said Jill, looking away. Her tone was hard to read, an odd mixture of what seemed like bitterness and sorrow. â€Å"I'm not a princess, not really. I'm just someone who happens to be related to the queen.† Jill's mother had briefly been mistress to Eric Dragomir, Vasilisa's father, and had kept Jill's existence a secret for years. It had only come out recently, and I'd played a big role in helping Rose track Jill down. With all the fallout in my own life, as well as the emphasis on Jill's safety, I hadn't spent much time wondering how she had adapted to her new status. That had to be a serious lifestyle change. â€Å"I'm sure there's more to it than that,† I said gently. I wondered if I was going to be spending a lot of time playing therapist to Jill during this assignment. The prospect of actually comforting a vampire still seemed so strange to me. â€Å"I mean, you're obviously important. Everyone's gone to a lot of trouble to keep you safe here.† â€Å"But is it for me?† asked Jill. â€Å"Or is it to help Lissa keep the throne? She's hardly spoken to me since she found out we were sisters.† This conversation was steering into uncomfortable waters, into interpersonal matters that I didn't really know how to deal with. I couldn't imagine being in either Vasilisa or Jill's place. The only thing I felt certain of was that it couldn't be easy for any of them. â€Å"I'm sure she cares about you,† I said, though not really sure at all. â€Å"But it's probably strange for her – especially with all the other changes in her life too. Give it time. Focus on the important things first – staying here and staying alive.† â€Å"You're right,† said Jill. She lay back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. â€Å"I'm nervous about tomorrow, about being around everyone, in classes all day. What if they notice? What if someone finds out the truth about me?† â€Å"You did fine at orientation,† I assured her. â€Å"Just don't show your fangs. And besides, I'm pretty good at convincing people they didn't see what they think they saw.† The grateful expression on her face reminded me uncomfortably of Zoe. They were so alike in many ways, shy and uncertain – yet intensely fierce and desperately wanting to prove themselves. I'd tried to protect Zoe – and only failed in her eyes. Now, being here for Jill made me feel conflicted. In some ways, I could make up for what I hadn't been able to do for Zoe. Yet even as I thought that, some inner voice kept saying, Jill is not your sister. She's a vampire. This is business. â€Å"Thanks, Sydney. I'm glad you're here.† She smiled, and the guilt only twisted further inside me. â€Å"You know, I'm kind of jealous of Adrian. He thinks it's so boring at Clarence's, but he doesn't have to worry about meeting new people or getting used to a new school. He just gets to hang out, watch TV, play pool with Lee, sleep in†¦ it sounds amazing.† She sighed. â€Å"I suppose,† I said, a little surprised at the detail. â€Å"How do you know all that? Have you†¦ have you talked to him since we left?† Even as I said that, the idea seemed unlikely. I'd been with her most of the day. The smile dropped from her face. â€Å"Oh no. I mean, I just figure that's what's going on. He mentioned some of it earlier, that's all. Sorry. I'm being melodramatic and rambling. Thanks for listening to me†¦ it really does make me feel better.† I smiled tightly and said nothing. I still couldn't get over the fact that I was starting to feel so warmly toward a vampire. First Rose, now Jill? It didn't matter how likable she was. I had to keep our relationship professional so that no Alchemist could accuse me of getting attached. Keith's words echoed in my head: vamp lover†¦ That's ridiculous, I thought. There was nothing wrong with being nice to those in my care. It was normal, a far cry from â€Å"getting too close† to them. Right? Pushing my worries aside, I concentrated on finishing unpacking and thinking about our new life here. I sincerely hoped tomorrow would go as smoothly as I'd assured Jill it would. Unfortunately, it didn't.

Starbuck’s FDI

1. Initially Starbucks expanded internationally by licensing its format to foreign operators. It soon became disenchanted with this strategy. Why? When Starbucks started its international expansion in Japan, it initially decided to license. As it is known licensing is â€Å"the method of foreign operation whereby a firm in one country agrees to permit a company in another country to use the manufacturing, processing, trademark, know-how or some other skill provided by the licensor†[1]. Advantages of licensing are obvious: it is less expensive, less risky as the risk is held by licensee and it ensures additional profitability with less initial investment. However, licensing has disadvantages and for Starbucks the main disadvantages of licensing in Japan are: †¢ This strategy did not give Starbucks the control needed to ensure that the licensees closely followed Starbucks’ successful formula. Starbucks successful formula† refers to its basic strategy: To sell the company’s own premium roasted coffee, along with freshly brewed espresso-style beverages, a variety of pastries, coffee accessories, teas, and other products, in a tastefully designed coffeehouse setting and also providing superior customer service[2]. Starbucks found it necessary to successfully replicate the look, feel, and experience of an American Starbucks that is why Starbucks transferred American employees to the Japanese stores to help train workers in the Starbucks way. With licensing Starbucks had limited control of expansion rate. Simultaneously with entering the market in Japan, in US Starbucks developed new cold beverage (Frappuchino) with Pepsi, signed contract with Dreyer’s for making ice cream. However, the expansion rate in Japan was not controlled under licensing agreement as could be done in US and the realization of new products was slow in Japan. 2. Why do you think Starbucks has now elected to expand internationally primarily through local joint ventures, to whom it licenses its format, as opposed using to a pure licensing strategy? Joint venture is â€Å"an enterprise in which two or more investors share ownership and control over property rights and operation†[3]. In short, the advantages of joint venture are: the company can be more informed about the situation in the market and how the consumers respond to the products; the fixed costs for new product entrance are shared with the company; synergy effect can be achieved. The main disadvantages of joint ventures are that more capital investment is needed versus licensing; the financial losses and risks are higher compared to licensing; a potential conflict between partners exists. By using joint ventures Starbucks managed to share the cost and risks of developing its foreign markets with the licensee and at the same time to have higher control over the operations of the licensee. Another reason for expanding through local joint ventures was that Starbucks had access to local knowledge through the partner and can measure the process of product adaptation. Pure licensing did not give enough power to Starbucks to control which helped Starbucks to sustain competitive advantage. The pure licensing limits the important information about market situation in the country. 3. What are the advantages of a joint-venture entry mode for Starbucks over entering through wholly owned subsidiaries? On occasion, Starbucks has chosen a wholly owned subsidiary to control its foreign expansion (e. g. , in Britain and Thailand). Why? Entering a new market is always risky and is accompanied with huge costs. Using joint venture model allows Starbucks to have controls over those risks by sharing them with a local company. The advantages of joint ventures, if compared with the wholly owned subsidiaries, are the opportunities to share the costs and risks associated with entering and developing in the market, having access to greater resources as well as getting acquainted with the local market, its culture, characteristics with the help of the local partner’s experience and knowledge. An advantage of Joint venture is also the opportunity to widen economic scope fast; building reputation is often difficult, time consuming and expensive. At a joint venture, Starbucks has the opportunity to widen its economic scope without spending too much money and waiting for a long time[4]. With the Joint venture model, the local company also has incentives and motivations for the total joined success and growth. It would be much lengthier, difficult and expensive process in case of entering through wholly owned subsidiary. One more advantage of joint venture is still having large measure of control over the situation, even though the control is more limited if compared with a wholly owned subsidiary, however it gives the opportunity to have sufficient control over the local situation. A joint venture example of Starbucks is entering into a joint venture with a Swiss company, Bon Appetit Group, the largest food service company in Switzerland. The disadvantages of joint venture are the following: it takes time to build the right partnership relationship with another business, especially when the objectives of the two partners are not entirely agreed and communicated[5], or there are differences in cultural and management styles. Also control and decision making are sometimes compromised in joint ventures. Since there is an agreement that divides which one will take over a particular operation, the other may not be satisfied with how the things are worked out with another. This leads to another disadvantage of a joint venture. There would be no communication or agreement issues in case of wholly owned subsidiaries. Another disadvantage is that the profit generated in the local market is shared. There are several cases when Starbucks preferred a wholly owned subsidiary in the process of its foreign expansions. There were different reasons for making such decisions. One reason was if the country had appropriate operations up for sale. Such example was in Britain, when Starbucks acquired an existing coffee chain that was modeled after Starbucks. An American couple, originally from Seattle, had started Seattle Coffee with the intention of establishing a Starbucks like chain in Britain. The chain was already successful; some of the risks that would normally be associated with introducing a new concept to a foreign market were eliminated. The other reason of choosing a wholly owned subsidiary model would be if control was very important in the country of expansion or if the country didn’t have an appropriate joint venture partners which have prerequisites acceptable by Starbucks. In case of Thailand, Starbucks chose to shift to a wholly owned operation, after the jointed venture with Coffee Partners, a local Thai company, didn’t manage to raise capital from Thai banks for further pre-agreed expansion of Starbucks in Thailand. Thus by acquiring Coffee Partners, Starbucks had a goal to have more control over the expansion strategy in Thailand. 4. Which theory of FDI best explains the international expansion strategy adopted by Starbucks? Starbucks followed Internalization theory, which suggests that when licensing is difficult, foreign direct investment is appropriate. The theory was developed by Buckley and Casson, in 1976 and then by Hennart, in 1982 and Casson, in 1983. Initially, the theory was launched by Coase in 1937 in a national context and Hymer in 1976 in an international context. In his Doctoral Dissertation, Hymer identified two major determinants of FDI. One was the removal of competition. The other was the advantages which some firms possess in a particular activity (Hymer, 1976). [6] Advantages of Foreign Direct Investment are †¢ A firm will favor FDI over exporting as an entry strategy when transportation costs or trade barriers make exporting unattractive A firm will favor FDI over licensing when it wishes to maintain control over its technological know-how, or over its operations and business strategy, or when the firm’s capabilities are simply not amenable to licensing[7] This theory fits Starbucks wants to maintain product quality and brand identity in all countries it has internationally expanded, to be perceived in the same way in all cultures, and preserve taste preferences, work habits and ways of doing business all over the world.

The Effect of Different Substances on the Freezing Point of Water Ess

The Effect of Different Substances on the Freezing Point of Water Ess The Effect of Different Substances on the Freezing Point of Water Period 4 January 19, 2012 The Effect of Different Substances on the Freezing Point of Water Introduction Water is essential for all life on Earth and covers 70% of the Earth surface. Water is a chemical substance composed of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H2O. Pure water is transparent, colorless and odorless. Water is mostly seen as liquid. However water can be found in all three states of liquid, solid, and gas depending on the temperature. At room temperature, water is a liquid. But it becomes solid (ice) when the temperature drops to 0oC or it turns into gas when the temperature rises to 100oC. The reason water changes its state is molecules have energy. Water molecules in a liquid form have more energy than in a solid form. They move around quickly. When the liquid cools down, water molecules slow down their movement and the energy is reduced. When the water temperature reaches around 0oC, the molecules almost do not move and stick together to form a solid ice (Manahan, 2010). When water and ice are in contact with each other, two things happen that (1) ice molecules escape into the water (melting) and (2) water molecules are captured on the ice surface (freezing). When the rate of freezing is the same as the rate of melting, the amount of water and the amount of ice do not change. The ice and water are said to be in dynamic equilibrium. The balance point between freezing and melting of the two states of water is at 0oC (Wolf, 2010). But this balance between freezing and melting can easily be disrupt when either water or ice changes conditions. Baking soda, better known to chemists as bicarbonate of soda, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, or sodium acid carbonate, is a chemical compound with a chemical formula of NaHCO3. Baking soda is a white solid and often appears as a fine powder with crystalline grains. Baking soda can form naturally. However, most baking soda sold in stores are man-made by combining carbon dioxide (an odorless gas) and soda ash (extract from sources like a mineral called trona and ashes of certain plants). As baking soda is formed by combining an acid (carbonic) and sodium hydroxide, it reacts with other chemicals as a mild alkali. Therefore, when it is mixed with acid, baking soda neutralizes the acid, breaks down proteins, and gives off carbon dioxide gas (commonly seen as bubbles) (Zukowski, 2009). Because of its chemical and physical properties, baking soda is used for a wide range of applications such as baking, cleaning, deodorizing, buffering, and fire extinguishing. Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of ionic salts. Salt is in a crystalline form but varies in color from colorless when it is pure to white, gray or brownish due to other natural mineral elements within the crystal. Salt is formed naturally and can be found everywhere in the world like underground and sea. There are many different types of salts. Salt is not only essential for human and animal lives but also often used to assist in various manufacturing and productions like textile dyeing, soap making and pottery production (Roman et al, 2011). When a substance like baking soda or salt is put into water, it is dissolved in the water. This is because the polarity of water molecules can attract the polar ionic compounds and separate the molecules of other substances. In this process, scientists term the substance to be dissolved as a solute and refer the water as the solvent the one that does the dissolving. The formed mixture is called a solution (Amora and Chu, 2010). Research has found that the freezing point of a solution is lower than 0oC, the freezing point of the pure water. This is because the added solute disrupts the equilibrium of the water states of liquid and solid. There are fewer water molecules in the solution as some of the water has been replaced by the solute (Senese, 2010). This means that the number of water molecules able to be captured by

Battle of Yorktown in the American Revolution

Battle of Yorktown in the American Revolution The Battle of Yorktown was the last major engagement of the American Revolution (1775-1783) and was fought September 28 to October 19, 1781.  Moving south from New York, a combined Franco-American army trapped Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis army against the York River in southern Virginia. After a brief siege, the British were compelled to surrender. The battle effectively ended large-scale fighting in North America and ultimately the Treaty of Paris which ended the conflict.   Armies Commanders American French General George WashingtonLieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau8,800 Americans, 7,800 French British Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis7,500 men Allies Unite During the summer of 1781, General George Washingtons army was encamped in the Hudson Highlands where it could monitor the activities of  Lieutenant General Henry Clintons British army in New York City. On July 6, Washingtons men were joined by French troops led by Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau.  These men had landed at Newport, RI before proceeding overland to New York. Washington initially intended to utilize the French forces in an attempt to liberate New York City, but met resistance from both his officers and Rochambeau. Instead, the French commander began to advocate for a strike against exposed British forces to the south. He supported this argument by stating that  Rear Admiral Comte de Grasse intended to bring his fleet north from the Caribbean and that there were easier targets along the coast. Fighting in Virginia During the first half of 1781, the British expanded their  operations in Virginia. This began with the arrival of a small force under Brigadier General Benedict Arnold  which landed at Portsmouth and later raided Richmond. In March, Arnolds command became part of a larger force overseen by Major General William Phillips. Moving inland, Phillips defeated a militia force at Blandford before burning warehouses in Petersburg.  To curb these activities, Washington dispatched the  Marquis de Lafayette  south to oversee resistance to the British. On May 20, the army of Lieutenant General  Lord Charles Cornwallis arrived in Petersburg. Having won a bloody victory at Guilford Court House, NC that spring, he had moved north into Virginia believing that the region would be easy to capture and receptive to British rule. After uniting with Phillips men and receiving reinforcements from New York, Cornwallis commenced raiding into the interior.   As the summer progressed Clinton ordered Cornwallis to move towards the coast and fortify a deep water port. Marching to Yorktown, Cornwallis men commenced building defenses while Lafayettes command observed from a safe distance.   Marching South In August, word arrived from Virginia that Cornwallis  army was encamped near Yorktown, VA. Recognizing that Cornwallis army was isolated, Washington and Rochambeau began discussing options for moving south. The decision to attempt a strike against Yorktown was made possible by the fact that de Grasse  would bring his French fleet north to support the operation and prevent Cornwallis from escaping by sea. Leaving a force to contain Clinton in New York City, Washington and Rochambeau began moving 4,000 French and 3,000 American troops south on August 19 (Map). Eager to maintain secrecy, Washington ordered a series of feints and sent false dispatches suggesting that an attack against New York City was imminent. Reaching Philadelphia in early September, Washington endured a brief crisis when some of his men refused to continue the march unless they were paid one months back wages in coin. This situation was remedied when Rochambeau loaned the American commander the needed gold coins. Pressing south, Washington and Rochambeau learned that de Grasse had arrived in the Chesapeake and landed troops to reinforce Lafayette. This done, French transports were sent north to ferry the combined Franco-American army down the bay.   Battle of the Chesapeake Having arrived in the Chesapeake, de Grasses ships assumed a blockading position. On September 5, a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Graves arrived and engaged the French. In the resulting Battle of the Chesapeake, de Grasse succeeded leading the British away from the mouth of the bay. While the running battle that ensued was tactically inconclusive, de Grasse continued to draw the enemy away from Yorktown.   Disengaging on September 13, the French returned to the Chesapeake and resumed blockading Cornwallis army. Graves took his fleet back to New York to refit and prepare a larger relief expedition. Arriving at Williamsburg, Washington met with de Grasse aboard his flagship Ville de Paris on September 17. After securing the admirals promise to remain in the bay, Washington focused on concentrating his forces. Joining Forces With the Lafayette As troops from New York reached Williamsburg, VA, they joined with the forces of the Lafayette who had continued to shadow Cornwallis movements. With the army assembled, Washington and Rochambeau began the march to Yorktown on September 28. Arriving outside the town later that day, the two commanders deployed their forces with the Americans on the right and the French on the left. A mixed Franco-American force, led by the Comte de Choissey, was dispatched across the York River to oppose the British position on Gloucester Point. Working Towards Victory In Yorktown, Cornwallis held out hope that a promised relief force of 5,000 men would arrive from New York. Outnumbered more than 2-to-1, he ordered his men to abandon the outer works around the town and fall back to the main line of fortifications. This was later criticized as it would have taken the allies several weeks to reduce these positions by regular siege methods. On the night of October 5/6, the French and Americans began construction of the first siege line. By dawn, a 2,000-yard long trench opposed the southeast side of the British works. Two days later, Washington personally fired the first gun. For the next three days, French and American guns pounded the British lines around the clock. Feeling his position collapsing, Cornwallis wrote to Clinton on October 10 calling for aid. The British situation was made worse by a smallpox outbreak within the town. On the night of October 11, Washingtons men began work on a second parallel, just 250 yards from the British lines. Progress on this work was impeded by two British fortifications, Redoubts #9 and #10, which prevented the line from reaching the river. Attack in the Night The capture of these positions was assigned to General Count William Deux-Ponts and Lafayette. Extensively planning the operation, Washington directed the French to mount a diversionary strike against the Fusiliers Redoubt at the opposite end of the British works.   This would be followed by Deux-Ponts and Lafayettes assaults thirty minutes later.  To help increase the odds of success, Washington selected a moonless night and ordered that the effort be made using bayonets only.   No soldier was permitted to load their musket until the assaults had began. Tasking 400 French regulars with the mission of taking Redoubt #9, Deux-Ponts gave command of the assault to Lieutenant Colonel Wilhelm von Zweibrà ¼cken.   Lafayette gave leadership of the 400-man force for Redoubt #10 to Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton. On October 14, Washington directed all of the artillery in the area to concentrate their fire on the two redoubts.  Around 6:30 PM, the French commenced the diversionary effort against the Fusiliers Redoubt.   Moving forward as planned,  Zweibrà ¼ckens men had difficulty clearing the abatis at Redoubt #9. Finally hacking through it, they reached the parapet and pushed back the Hessian defenders with a volley of musket fire. As the French surged into the redoubt, the defenders surrendered after a brief fight.   Approaching Redoubt #10, Hamilton directed a force under Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens to circle to the rear of the enemy to cut off the line of retreat to Yorktown. Cutting through the abatis, Hamiltons men climbed through a ditch in front of the redoubt and forced their way over the wall.   Encountering heavy resistance, they ultimately overwhelmed and captured the garrison. Immediately after the redoubts were captured, American sappers began extending the siege lines. The Noose Tightens: With the enemy growing nearer, Cornwallis again wrote to Clinton for help and described his situation as very critical. As the bombardment continued, now from three sides, Cornwallis was pressured into launching an attack against the allied lines on October 15. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Abercrombie, the attack succeeded in taking some prisoners and spiking six guns, but was unable to breakthrough. Forced back by French troops, the British withdrew. Though the raid had been moderately successful, the damage inflicted was quickly repaired and the bombardment of Yorktown continued. On October 16, Cornwallis shifted 1,000 men and his wounded to Gloucester Point with the goal of transferring his army across the river and breaking out to the north. As the boats returned to Yorktown, they were scattered by a storm. Out of ammunition for his guns and unable to shift his army, Cornwallis decided to open negotiations with Washington. At 9:00 AM on October 17, a single drummer mounted the British works as a lieutenant waved a white flag. At this signal, the French and American guns halted the bombardment and the British officer was blindfolded and taken into the allied lines to commence surrender negotiations. Aftermath Talks commenced at the nearby Moore House, with Laurens representing the Americans, the Marquis de Noailles the French, and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Dundas and Major Alexander Ross representing Cornwallis. Through the course of the negotiations, Cornwallis attempted to obtain the same favorable terms of surrender that Major General John Burgoyne had received at Saratoga. This was refused by Washington who imposed the same harsh conditions that the British had demanded of Major General Benjamin Lincoln the year before at Charleston. With no other choice, Cornwallis complied and the final surrender documents were signed on October 19. At noon the French and American armies lined up to await the British surrender. Two hours later the British marched out with flags furled and their bands playing The World Turned Upside Down. Claiming he was ill, Cornwallis sent Brigadier General Charles OHara in his stead. Nearing the allied leadership, OHara attempted to surrender to Rochambeau but was instructed by the Frenchman to approach the Americans. As Cornwallis was not present, Washington directed OHara to surrender to Lincoln, who was now serving as his second-in-command. With the surrender complete, Cornwallis army was taken into custody rather than paroled. Shortly thereafter, Cornwallis was exchanged for Henry Laurens, the former President of the Continental Congress. The fighting at Yorktown cost the allies 88 killed and 301 wounded. British losses were higher and included 156 killed, 326 wounded. In addition, Cornwallis remaining 7,018 men were taken prisoner. The victory at Yorktown was the last major engagement of the American Revolution and effectively ended the conflict in the Americans favor.

French Words for Writers

French Words for Writers French Words for Writers French Words for Writers By Maeve Maddox Here are some French words and expressions of special use to writers. auteur theory This term has come into use from the writings of French film critics. The auteur is the director and the film is interpreted in relation to that directors personality and personal view of the world. Such criticism usually compares the film being analyzed to other films by the same director. belles-lettres (beautiful literature) Since in current usage the word literature is used for everything from Moby Dick to publicity flyers, the term belles-lettres is useful when one wishes to differentiate between lasting literary works, as opposed to writing of a more ephemeral or prosaic nature. critique As a noun, a critique is a critical examination of a work according to some set of standards, with an intention of defining it and assessing its worth. A critique goes into more depth than a review. In English critique can also be used as verb: My assignment is to critique Cargoes by John Masefield. dà ©nouement (unknotting/untying) The dà ©nouement is that part of a mystery story in which the solution is presented and the missing details provided. It follows the climax and heralds the end. film noir (black film) This term was coined by French film critic Nino Frank to refer to a type of crime film of the 1940s. Prime examples: The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, and Touch of Evil. A few non-crime films are also classed as film noir, for example: Blood on the Moon (western), and The Lost Weekend (a film about alcoholism). What they have in common is that most were filmed in black and white with the camera held at odd angles. They make use of voice-over narration. Lighting is dark and forbidding, and the nature of the story is depressing. More recently, the television series Twin Peaks has been called soap noir. nom de plume (pen name) Although nom de plume is an expression made up of French words, it was probably coined by English speakers on the model of the French expression nom de guerre (war name) which already has the meaning fictitious name. Everyone knows that Mark Twain was the nom de plume or nom de guerre of Samuel Clemens. pastiche The French got this word from an Italian word meaning pie. A pastiche is a parody or literary imitation, usually written with the intention to ridicule, but it sometimes results from too great an admiration for another author. Parodies are usually of short-lived interest or amusement, but sometimes a pastiche turns out to have lasting entertainment value. Alexander Popes long poem The Rape of the Lock is a pastiche of the heroic epic and is still funny to anyone who has read the Iliad. Likewise the film Galaxy Quest is hilarious to anyone brought up on the original StarTrek television series. prà ©cis (from French word for precise) A prà ©cis is an abstract of the essential facts of a work, presented in the same order they appear in the original. This is different from a summary which may present the essential information in a different order. roman clef (novel requiring a key) The word roman in this expression is French for novel. In this kind of novel the fictional characters and events represent real persons and events. Primary Colors (about Bill Clinton) and Postcards from the Edge (about people in Carrie Fishers life) are romans clef. RSVP (please reply) Everybody knows that RSVP on an invitation is a request for the persons invited to tell the host if they will in fact attend the function. Ive seen invitations that say Please RSVP. The abbreviation RSVP stands for Rà ©pondez sil vous plaà ®t. The sil vous plaà ®t is the equivalent of please. RSVP is all thats needed. 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 General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire YouConnotations of 35 Words for Funny PeoplePassed vs Past

Self-assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Self-assessment - Essay Example It also determines individuals about their strengths and limitations in specific areas. It acts as a reflective evaluation for one, which is beneficial in recognition and making respective changes accordingly. 1a. Through the questioner of procrastinator and deliberate decision- maker, I came across with the knowledge that I have a blended style of decision making and I have emotional stability and conscientiousness. I do not rush myself especially in rational decisions. Although, I do rush in personal matters like eating, walking and reaching on time, but I take time for decisions so I can assess the pros and cons of it. Thus, with the help of rational model I can change my habit of occasional rash decision making as well. Delaying or postponing tasks on hand increases work stress and hence, one regrets on the wasted time which cannot be turned back. I found that I tend to put tasks in pending and realize about the delay as well, but none practical approach was adopted by me to change the habit of postponing. Through the score of 28, I came to realize that this habit can prevail and can become a reason of regret for me in future. Therefore, I intend to change this habit of delaying tasks and put it on the top of my new-year resolution list .However, it sometimes helps me in making clear decisions after analysing all the aspects. The score of my emotional intelligence discovered that I might perform better in jobs of sale and management, where targets are achieved through interpersonal skills and working in team describes one’s ability to manage work and differences effectively. Though, EI is genetically coded, but flexibility to accept differences can make one more comfortable with others either at work or in personal life. 1b. The reward determining grid indicated that I am motivated through material rewards and would prefer to work in non challenging environments. It

Safety Culture and how this overlap between Culture and Safety Affect Essay

Safety Culture and how this overlap between Culture and Safety Affect the Project In KSA CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY - Essay Example However, it is important to know that solution to this existing problem does not end with just having policies on health and safety in place. This is because Stank, Daugherty and Gustin (2004) made mention of a number of safety policies that exists in the construction industry, which have not been adhered to adequately by field supervisors and site managers. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and The Health Standards 1926 and 1910 are mentioned as examples of existing health and safety policies that have easily been overlooked by the construction industry. In an independent study, Symons (2005) noted that there are several site managers and supervisors who refuse to adhere to health and safety policies because they hold the opinion that the solution to increasing cases of accidents and injuries at the sites is not in documented policies. To most of these supervisors and managers, the need for field based practical interventions that address specific problems at the site should be the way forward. But as rates of injuries and accidents have been said to go up by up to 23% in the last decay, there is evidence that the field based interventions are not working well (Stank, Daugherty and Gustin, 2004). This calls for the need to revisit the use of documented policies that can be factored into the overall safety cultures of the companies. According to Williamsen (2013), safety culture provides the project leader with the courage to follow through all the decisions that he has made because without it, his decisions will most likely not be taken seriously by his subordinates, and will,  in fact, become meaningless. This means that the call to have documented safety policies will be a way to establishing and implementing safety culture because it will ensure that safety practices are followed in more specific means than in arbitrary ways. This means that in the Saudi

SHORT-TERM AND TIME-DEPENDENT FLEXURAL BEHAVIOUR OF STEEL-FIBRE Research Proposal

SHORT-TERM AND TIME-DEPENDENT FLEXURAL BEHAVIOUR OF STEEL-FIBRE REINFORCED REACTIVE POWDER CONCRETE - Research Proposal Example it should be noted that high strength concrete is also very brittle, which is a undesirable property(Rossi, 50, 2001). For this purpose, concrete has been experimented with several materials in order to remove the brittleness. One such material is the fiber material, which is added to concrete in order to improve its properties. Fiber reinforced concrete was introduced in order to reduce the brittleness of concrete. With its enhanced and improved properties, extensive research and studies have been conducted on it. In recent times, fiber reinforced Reactive Powder Concrete has been subjected to research and development. As compared to conventional concrete, Reactive Power Concrete is considered to be a new construction material. It exhibits brilliant and outstanding properties such as high strength, toughness, durability, etc. because of these properties, RPC is considered to be an ideal construction material for construction because of its high compressive strength and durability to withstand high tensile forces (Rossi, 51, 2001). RPC and steel bars are used to make reinforced RPC, which has significant conceptual and practical importance. Countries such as China, Koreas, Russia, France, etc have experimented with RPC in order to study and investigate its properties. It was first introduced in the early nineties (Richard, Cheyrezy, 1509, 1995). The study will employ the used of steel fiber reinforced RPC, which will be developed from the materials which are available locally. The material will be subjected to wide ranging tests in order to understand and evaluate its material properties. Additionally, time dependent properties will be analyzed. Reactive Powder Concrete is considered to high strength material, which has cementing properties. It is made from fine powders and has silica fume content. At the same time, it has a low water cement ratio as compared to normal

Synthesis of -carbolines as novel CDK4 inhibitors Lab Report

Synthesis of -carbolines as novel CDK4 inhibitors - Lab Report Example Considering the importance of Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), a set of protein kinases, it is essential to explore its mechanism that makes it relevant for the lab process. The kinases aid in regulating the cell cycles, transcription Mrna processing and differentiation of nerve cells. In the function of these kinases, cyclin is crucial considering that it acts as the regulatory protein which binds the CDKs. Consequently, this means that in the absence of cyclin, less kinase activity takes place because of the absence of cyclin-CDK complexes1. CDK4, acting as a member of the cyclin-dependent kinase family, functions as an intrinsic catalyutic protein kinase complex for cell cycle G1 phase progression. D type cyclins and CDK inhibitor are important for the functioning of the kinase since they suppress the action of tumour in causing cell proliferation. The kinase works in phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma gene product thereby helping in preventing the occurring mutation of the genes responsible for the tumuourigenesis of various types of cancer 2. Further, small compouds such as pentacyclic quaternary salt, act as promising factors in the direction for treatment of cancer. The action of the kinase in causing DNA-interchelation can be reduced by ÃŽ ²-carboline which usually acts as a non-planner maintaining the activity of CDK4. Fascaplysin acts as a pentacyclic quaternary salt used as an anti-cancer agent considering its action in suppressing certain leukemia cells in mice. Further, the salt also end up hindering CDK4 leading to arrest of cell cycle in both normal and tumours ncells in the G phase. The hindering process occurs because it binds to theATP pocket of the kinase, resulting to G arrest via a bidentate hydrogen bond donor/acceptor pair. The chain involving phosphorylation of pRb enables the cell to pass through the G1 checkpoint leading to completion of division cycle because of the associated release of E2F proteins.

Writer's choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 48

Writer's choice - Essay Example When the decision of abortion is left with a mother, the life of an innocent baby is at risk. Rarely can a mother in an awkward situation make a sound and credible decision pertaining to abortion. However, sometimes the judiciary ignorantly leaves such a decision to the mother. The legal status ought to be resolved by the legislature because of direct contact with legislators with locals. The legislators can easily air the input of locals in law-making chambers hence comprehensive debates can generate reliable statutes. The judiciary should not be involved because many women have been jailed in any countries, including Chile for abortion even when their lives were in danger. Restrictions are better, and the intent of an abortion must be evaluated before a legal action is taken against a mother (Ginsberg et al. 83). This situation notwithstanding, the life of the child must be preserved in case there is no danger posed by the birth process. The legislature can adjust various abortion statutes, depending on the trend and relevance of abortion cases in society. It will deter reckless abortions in

Circumstantial Evidence Within The Casey Anthony Trial Research Paper

Circumstantial Evidence Within The Casey Anthony Trial - Research Paper Example did not merit proving the case of intended murder of Caylee beyond reasonable doubt, it is evident that the prosecutors had adduced evidence that had sufficiently served the principle of ‘reasonable doubt’ as a requirement of the law (Sarokin, 2011). Circumstantial Evidence is the important piece of evidence in criminal cases prosecution, owing to the fact that only a small percentage of crimes would be executed out of existing direct evidence. If all cases were to depend on direct evidence where a witness was present when the accused committed a crime, only a meager criminal file cases would even pass for trial (Fanning, 2009). After all, what would hinder the defendant denying being involved even when the witness still witnessed the crime being committed? In this respect, Circumstantial Evidence is vital for criminal trial, since it provides for the relevant pathway through which reasoning can be applied, so at to reach to a conclusion regarding how the crime was committed. The Casey Anthony Trial appears to have deduced sufficient circumstantial evidence, only that it was not executed properly. First, false testimony that Casey gave to the law enforcement officers when they set on investigating the case is sufficient to indicate that the defendant was determined to obstruct the course of justice (Ashton & Pulitzer, 2012). Despite the fact that reasonable doubt as a basis of determining the guilty or not guilty verdict for the accused is a necessity, nothing could be more indicative of the fact that the defendant must have known something about the death of Caylee than the false statements. Therefore, Casey was lying so that she could obstruct the law enforcement officers from being able to conduct a fruitful investigation. Casey had lied to her mother that Caylee was either with a nanny, in the beach, in the house and a host of other places for the whole time that her grandmother was asking for whereabouts (Russell & Cohn, 2013). Additionally, Casey lied

Writer's choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 48

Writer's choice - Essay Example When the decision of abortion is left with a mother, the life of an innocent baby is at risk. Rarely can a mother in an awkward situation make a sound and credible decision pertaining to abortion. However, sometimes the judiciary ignorantly leaves such a decision to the mother. The legal status ought to be resolved by the legislature because of direct contact with legislators with locals. The legislators can easily air the input of locals in law-making chambers hence comprehensive debates can generate reliable statutes. The judiciary should not be involved because many women have been jailed in any countries, including Chile for abortion even when their lives were in danger. Restrictions are better, and the intent of an abortion must be evaluated before a legal action is taken against a mother (Ginsberg et al. 83). This situation notwithstanding, the life of the child must be preserved in case there is no danger posed by the birth process. The legislature can adjust various abortion statutes, depending on the trend and relevance of abortion cases in society. It will deter reckless abortions in

Chinese Burial Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinese Burial Practices - Essay Example An older person, according to Chinese tradition, does not show respect to someone younger so if a young child dies, no burial rites are performed since there is no one that can pay their respects. A child is buried with silence. If a young unmarried man dies, his parents cannot bring his body home or offer prayers. However, burial practices for an elderly person must strictly adhere to certain traditions. These rites which befit the deceased’s age and social status must be carried out by the family whether or not they can afford it without going into debt (â€Å"Chinese Funeral Customs†, 2003). After a person has died, their body is cleaned with a damp towel dusted with powder then dressed in simple, basic attire before being placed in the coffin. All of the other clothes of the deceased are burned. The body is not dressed in red as this is believed to transform the body into a ghost. The body is covered with a light blue cloth, the face with yellow (â€Å"Chinese Funeral Custom†, 2003). Adornments such as jewelry are not worn because â€Å"the deceased has already taken rebirth and would not be able to take anything along with him† (Suvanno, 1996). In the house of the deceased family, mirrors are temporarily removed because it is thought that if someone sees the coffin’s reflection in a mirror, this will lead to their own demise. Red paper covers any statues of gods in the house and a white cloth is placed over the front door of the house with a gong placed either to the left of the cloth if a man died or to the right for a woman (â€Å"Chinese Funer al Custom†, 2003). During the wake, the coffin is positioned on a stand in the home if the deceased passed away at home or is placed outside if the person did not die at home. The coffin remains unsealed during the wake and is positioned with the head of the body toward the home on two stools about a foot tall. Visitors are obliged to light incense to show respect for the departed and to

History of Societal Acceptance for Homosexuality

History of Societal Acceptance for Homosexuality There are obvious outgrowing numbers of gays and lesbians communities in our country and all over the world. People become increasingly engaged into homosexual affiliations. Many variables influence the emergence of sexuality in all young people. These variables are changes in biological processes, relationships and community interactions. The level of acceptance between gays and lesbians has changed over the years. The researchers would like to determine the level of acceptance of the society between gays and lesbians. This study was conducted with the purpose of analyzing the factors that lead to the acceptance of society between gays and lesbians. This study identified the variables and factors influencing and may affect the societys level of acceptance between gays and lesbians. Statement of the Problem The study aimed to determine the factors that lead to the acceptance of the society between gays and lesbians. Specifically, it sought to determine the following: What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of: age sex civil status religion educational attainment What are the attitudes and behaviours of gays and lesbians which contributes to the level of acceptance of the society? What are the factors that influence the emergence of being homosexual individual? What are the challenges faced by lesbians and gays on the acceptance of the society? How the respondents are reacting to communities of gays and lesbians? Significance of the Study The study has significance to gays and lesbians, as they will be aware of the level of acceptance of the society to them and the factors that contribute to the willingness of the society towards them. To the parents, that they will be aware of the condition of their children, as the findings were presented to them, they will be encouraged to improve their views and beliefs regarding homosexuality. To the society, that they will be aware of the happenings to the homosexual based on their opinions, beliefs, and views, as they give it in relation to their acceptance and may find ways to improve the level of acceptance between gays and lesbians. Scope, Delimitations Limitations of the Study The respondents of this study include 25 lesbians, 25 gays, 25 parents of either lesbian or gay, and 25 individuals who have gay/ lesbian friends. They will be asked regarding attitudes and behaviours of homosexuals which contribute to their level of acceptance in the society. They will be given chances to give their opinions, views and beliefs regarding homosexuality. Definition of Terms The terms included in the research paper will be defined to facilitate understanding of the study. Lesbian. Homosexual woman; the condition in which a woman is sexually attracted to, or engages in sexual behaviour with another woman. Gay. Homosexual man; the condition in which man is sexually attracted to, or engages in sexual behaviour with another man. Homosexuality. The condition of being sexually attracted, covertly, or overtly, by members of ones own sex. Society. Organized and interdependent community. Morality. Degree of conformity to moral principles. Acceptance. Willingness to accept. CHAPTER 2 Review of Related Literature and Studies This chapter includes discussion on related literature and studies both foreign and local, which provides relevant facts about the societys level of acceptance between gays and lesbians. It also aims to determine the level of acceptance from past to present. Foreign Studies On the study conducted by the researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation entitled Inside- out : A report on the Experiences of Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals in America and the Publics Views on Issues and Advices Related to Sexual Orientation. The are two national public opinion surveys: one, to gather information on the experiences of seslf-identified lesbians, gays and bisexuals: and the second to gauge the general publics attitudes towards this group and their views on key policy issues related to sexual orientation. They did it to determine where the public really stands. Researchers found out that large majority of self-identified lesbians, gays, and bisexuals believe that there is more acceptance today compared to a few years ago. One third from their respondents say that their family or a family member has refused to accept them. According to the research, lesbians are more likely to report not having been accepted by their families. It was found out that majority of the general public reports knowing someone who is gay, lesbian or bisexual believes that there is more acceptance of lesbians and gays today compared to a few years ago. Most say that greater acceptance is either good for the country or does not matter one way or the other. The majority also believes that homosexual behavior is a normal part of some peoples sexuality. Individuals age 65 and older those with a high school education or less and those who do not have lesbian and gay co-workers, friends or family members are least likely to have accepting attitudes towards lesbians, gays, and bisexuals. Religious affiliation also has significant effect on attitudes and level of acceptance. Overall, the public is increasing accepting gays and lesbians in the society. On the study conducted by Elizabeth Mehren entitled Homosexuals finding more Acceptance. Poll says states that gays and lesbians have experienced a dramatic rise in acceptance over the last two decades, according to a new Los Angeles Times Poll-2004. In ltwo Los Angeles Times polls in the mid- 1980s and other data from the same era, the level of sympathy toward gays and lesbians was half what it is today. Researchers found out that gay people in general are feeling more comfortable in society and society is feeling more comfortable with gay people. The study revealed that 62 percent say their community accepts gays and lesbians. Based on the survey conducted by the members of the Public Agenda Organization entitled Ambivalence and Mixed Messages, acceptance of gays and lesbians has risen significantly, and currently about half of Americans say homosexuality should be an acceptable lifestyle. Survey questions about whether American society should accept homosexuality often draw different responses depending on the examples mentioned which is an indication of public ambivalence. Questions that raise the issue of fair treatment typically draw much higher levels of public support. For instance, substantial majorities of Americans say they support equal protection for homosexuals against hate crimes and equal rights in terms of housing and jobs. surveys show that slight majorities say a gay person could be a good role model and as good a parent as anyone, yet they are divided on whether they would allow a homosexual to baby-sit their child and half say they oppose allowing gay couples to adopt. The survey conducted by the faculty staff of The University of Arizona entitled Equitys 1992 Campus Climate Report was aimed to investigate the climate for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals on campus. Majority of their sample comprised of heterosexuals. They allow their respondents to rate in the scale of 1-10 on every question. As a result, majority placed 8 to 10 range on the level of acceptance with the women expressing high level of acceptance than men. Respondents employment status had no significant impact on the acceptance scale, with no major differences surfacing among faculty, staff, and graduate students. They also asked if their religion influences their views on homosexuality; seventeen percent of the respondents marked yes. But not only religion appeared to influence people toward negative views. A series of items asked respondents to characterize the level of respect shown for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals by others in their department, specifically their immediate superv isor, co-workers, department head, and students. All in all, the responses to questions about respect levels in departments reveal that the immediate environment for gay, lesbian, and bisexual members of the University is not a particularly good one, but that department heads and supervisors show generally higher levels of respect than co-workers and students. Justin J. Jagosh, in his thesis entitled Moving toward understanding and acceptance: Parents experiences after finding out their children are gay, lesbian, and bisexual aimed to explore how the parents will accept their childs sexuality. Through qualitative inquiry, 12 Canadian parents (7 mothers and 5 fathers) were interviewed to develop an in-depth analysis of their thoughts, feelings, and actions in relation to having gay, lesbian, and bisexual children. He found out that parents went through a process of understanding and acceptance, in which they made sense of past experiences they had with their children, reacted emotionally to finding out, changed their perspectives on issues, and shared their experiences with others. There are still hindering factors but with the strategies suggested in which researchers, educators, health professionals, media personnel, parent support groups, and parents themselves can use like some mentioned above, it will not be difficult for parents to un derstand and accept their gay, lesbian, and bisexual children. Foreign studies On the book overview of Lesbian, Gay and bisexual identities and youth by Anthony R. OAngelli, Charlotte Patterson explore the psychological dimentions of lesbian, gay and bisexual identities from puberty to adulthood. There are changes in biological processes, relationship and community interactions influence the emergence of sexuality in all young people. The article, Chasing the Rainbow; Is a Gay Population an Engine of Urban Revival? Cities are beginning to think so by Richard Florida sees that openness to the gay community is a good indication of the low entry barriers to human capital that are so important to spurring creativity and generating high-tech growth. The homosexuality represents the last last frontier of diversity in our society, and thus a place that welcomes the gay community welcomes all kinds of people. Also an article in New Zealand by the LGBT organization on that country which is entitled A Civil Union Ceremony in Wellington last December 20006 states that New Zealand society is generally fairly relaxed in acceptance of gays and lesbians. The gay-friendly is epitomized by the fact that there are several Member if Parliament who belong to the LGBT community, gay rights are protected by the New Zealand Human Rights Act. And New Zealand is relatively small population. The LGBT community is small, but still visible, with Pride festivals and LGBT events held around the country throughout the year. Local Literature J. Neil C. Garcia in his book Philippine Gay Culture: The Last Thirty Years, Binabae to Bakla, Silahis to MSM tackles the perception of Filipinos to gays and lesbians from the last thirty years. The anxiety of Western civilization toward its many different genders- not just masculine and feminine-finds its fecund expression in the varieties of camp (butch/femme) and transvestisms (macho, queer, transvestophilic, transgenderist, etc.) which, over the last century, have come to be institutionalized as legitimate self-expressions within the gay and lesbian cultures of the United States, Europe and Australia, This anxiety is deeply rooted in the Judeo-Christian metaphysical tradition which, until recently, was a rather inexorable force in the Western subjects life. On the other hand, this study has argued that the Philippines has its own dualist tradition in respect of sexual identity, and although it would seem that the effeminate bakla and the mannish tomboy attest to the fluidity of g ender concepts and roles in our culture, at the level of desire they merely reinforce the babae and the lalake, whose pale reflections they are. Rafael cannot be farther from the truth when he ascribes to kabaklaan the parodic and self-reflexive character which it doesnt (yet) possess. As things stand, the dominant conception of the bakla identity strictly confines the bakla to an agonistic effeminacy (a poor copy of femininity). In fact, the masculine bakla is simply unthinkable. He therefore must be a closet case, or a double-dealing fraud (silahis). Suffice it to say, then, that at the core of the social construction of the bakla is coreness itself. As a recent ethnography reiterates, the bakla is a man with a womans heart who, like a real woman, deeply desires a real man to be happy. The silence of local psychological institutions in the early sixties about homosexuality and homosexual counseling seems strange, given that globally, the problems of adolescent homosexuals never fail to make it in the agenda of any conference on juvenile mental health (for only obvious reasons). By the rest of the 1960s, as well as the early seventies, however, this situation had palpably changed, and homosexuality was made to belong under the aegis of psychological science, as may be proven by the existence of positivist works on it which were written around this time. (A partial listing of the sundry academic studies on homosexuality in the Philippines is included in the last section of this book). The consequence of this is the renewed and intensified medical psychopathologization of the bakla as inversions homosexual: a man whose psychological being does not coincide with his anatomic sex. Only this time, his sexuality has become the central defining feature of his by now psycho sexually inverted identity. He concluded that the bakla is the only kind of (male) homosexual Philippine culture has, relatively speaking, known; and therefore also the only (male) homosexual Philippine culture has discriminated against and/or dismissed as sick, deviant and sinful-as bakla, precisely. Any local text proclaiming itself gay or homosexual cannot help but relate itself to and to situate itself within kabaklaan, hence. CHAPTER 3 Methods and Procedure Research Methodology The researcher used descriptive method in the study. Descriptive method of research is a fact finding study with sufficient and accurate interpretation of the findings. It describes what is. It describes with emphasis what actually exist such as current condition, situation practices, or any phenomena. Since the study is concerned in the Analysis on the acceptance of the society between gays/lesbians. Subjects of the Study The researchers chose 100 respondents divided into four categories. These composed of 25 gays, 25 lesbians,25 parents of gays or lesbians and 25 individuals who have gays or lesbians friends. The Sampling Technique The researchers used simple random sampling and the size of the population is 200 and the study of population is people who have known a friend or any related of gay and lesbians also the respondents and the parents. Sample: 25 respondents 25 gays 25 lesbians 25 parents Those 25 to sum up of 100 is from the population of 200 and was chosen by simple random sampling. Procedure of Data Gathering The researchers used in the method of collecting data is normative survey, researchers used this for its very effective and looking for the commonalities of the said subject. This would be the best and most appropriate method to use in data gathering. Statistical Treatment of Data The role of the statistical treatment of data in research. The researchers is considering much in the age and gender also their state of consciousness and the rationality and also the emotion are being needed through the research.