Issue of immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Issue of immigration - Essay Example First of all, we should never forget the fact that United States is a country of immigrants from the very its creation. This makes USA essentially multicultural as there are a lot of representatives of different cultures and nations cohabitate on the same territory. Recent researches show that the level of immigration in the US is increasing not only because of a better economical level of life, but also because of the multiculturalism of the country, which allows people from different counties feel comfortable on the US territory (Clark, Hatton, and Williamson 359). In addition, it is very important for immigrants to live in a country that can provide them with special adaptation to their cultural consumer needs, like production of special goods, adaptation of language, and ethnical-based education. These policies indeed exist in the US and depend on a state and the amount of foreign immigrants in it (Crockett et al. 50). However, racial and national humanism that exists in the coun try is obviously not the main reason why people from all over the world strive to live in USA. The main reason is a high level of life and possibility of gaining material prosperity in the United States (Orrenius and Zavodny 949). Still the increasing level of immigration has caused some difficulties concerning changes in the US immigration policies. This new restricted laws and conditions of checking of incoming immigrants forbid a lot of people to become US citizens. One of such issue is division of immigrants’ families where children born within the US borders are citizens while their parents are illegal (Hwang and Parreà ±as 100). The problem causes a lot of discussions as the restricted immigrant law often breaks families, creating unhappy citizens of the country and forming a specific layer of society. In fact, these actions break the liberal principles of

Pr campaign brief Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pr campaign brief - Coursework Example We shall stress on the advantages of building the bypass and at the same time try to counter any adverse reaction. My firm will present its ideas to the relevant authorities with the full realization that while it may not be their responsibility to buy these ideas, it is our responsibility to sell them. We will therefore try to have these authorities interested by stressing on the importance and urgency of the project (Deegan, 2001). Our petition to the House of Commons will be aimed at facilitating any kind legislation needed to undertake this process. We shall present the risks posed to the inhabitants and the vehicle drivers by the numerous vehicles passing through the village centre. We shall particularly present the risk of fatal accidents to the residents, school children, senior citizens and other members of the Ponteland and Darras Hall community as well as the drivers. In addition, we shall present our concerns about the centre’s pollution, traffic congestion and the traffic slows down; leading to longer travel time, fuel wastage and loss of timing for the vehicles. We shall also present the overwhelming support this proposal has received, not only from the community, but also other organisations such as AA, RAC, the British Coach Operators Federation and the Freight Drivers Association. To achieve this goal, will create awareness through methods such as radio talk shows, protest meetings and media coverage to increase pressure on the MPs. Moreover, we shall use posters, stickers and other methods to publicize the issues and carry out door to door canvassing to enrol more and more members. From our cost-benefit analysis, we shall show the Department of Transport and the ex-chequer that even though the bypass will cost some amount of money, its long term benefits will be much more than the cost of building it. We shall bring to their attention the immense saving they will make in

Witchcraft And Demonology In Europe

Witchcraft And Demonology In Europe The witch-hunts were one of the most important events in the history of early modern Europe, taking place from the mid-15th century and ending in the mid-18th century. The view of witchcraft evolved throughout the period, with the Canon Episcopi calling the belief in witches a heresy, to Pope Innocent VIII issuing a bull in 1484 to denounce the practice of witchcraft as a heresy all in a span of about 500 years. On the topic of witchcraft, it is unavoidable that the issue of gender would be discussed. The central question of this report would be how historians account for the persecution of more women than men in the witch-hunts in early modern Europe. The report will first outline the stereotype of a witch and discuss how this stereotype was promulgated. It will be concerned with two possible explanations that attempt to account for the persecution of more women than men firstly, how the persecutions may be a results of a misogynistic and patriarchal culture, and secondly, how the hunts may be been a result of the lack of tolerance for social deviance of women. The Stereotype Of A Witch A collection of statistics indicate that a majority of accused witches were women, with most estimates pointing to about 80% of all victims being women (Ross, 1995: 334). Levack (1987: 142) provides a list of statistics indicating that in most regions in Europe, about three-quarters of the accused were women, with the figures being 90% in regions in Poland and England. Very evidently, the predominant notion of a witch is that it is foremost a woman. In discussing the stereotype of a witch it is difficult not to make reference to the cumulative concept of witchcraft (Levack, 1987: 32-51), which points to certain factors that would help in the identification of a witch. These include a witchs association with the Devil, the pact with the Devil, the Sabbath, nightflying and metamorphosis. Reginald Scot in 1584 described witches as women who were â€Å"commonly old, lame, blearie-eied, pale, fowle, and full of wrinkles, poore, sullen, and superstitious†. This stereotype was promulgated by both genders. Women in early modern Europe were viewed as the weaker gender that was dependent on men in many ways, including for livelihood (Larner, 1984:86). Since the society was heavily patriarchal, women who did not fit in to the mould of a normal woman threatened the idea of females behaving in a particular manner. These women were nonconformists, and therefore put the livelihoods of other women at risk. Hence, they were ostracised by normal women. In behaving in a manner that was different, these women also threatened male domination and therefore had to be condemned by men. Both genders fed the idea that a woman who looked and behaved in a certain manner was a witch, hence allowing the stereotype to persist and spread. In addition, the stereotype of a domestic witch could have been said to be reinforced by a vicious cycle. This is evident in some cases, such as in that of Anna Schwayhofer, who confessed to stealing the Consecrated Host but still bothered to sweep up the crumbs after she had done so (Barry, Hester and Roberts, 1996: 230). The association of witches and broomsticks or distaffs used for spinning also fed the stereotype. Women were mostly restricted to the confines of their allotted spaces, and those practicing harmful magic would most likely be found in those spaces (Blà ©court, 2000: 303). Hence, it was not surprising that witchcraft was associated with the women and their domestic activities. Gendered Witchcraft And Misogyny The elite perception of women pointed to how they tended to be intellectually weaker than men, yet have more insatiable sexual appetites and a higher tendency to pursue the occult, a view propounded by 16th century friar Martin de Castaà ±ega and in the Malleus itself by Kramer and Sprenger. Hence, historical literature tended to point towards how women were the more inferior of the two genders, and therefore had the larger propensity to be driven towards becoming a witch. Without a doubt, the society in Europe at that point of time was one that was highly patriarchal in nature (Hufton, 1983, 125-141). While the society was essentially patriarchal in nature, there are arguments as to whether this can be extended to be characterised as being misogynistic. Anderson and Gordon (1978) point to the innate inferiority that women possessed in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church, the dominant religious authority in that time, saying that the Church saw women as more â€Å"amenable to the allures of Satan† (Anderson and Gordon, 1978: 174). The paper also highlights the role of the Malleus Maleficarum (1486), that was anti-feminist and very popular, reprinting fourteen editions. The Malleus essentially highlights women as creatures possessing insatiable lust, yet not having the strength of mind to counter the temptations of the Devil. However, statistics also show that women were not the only ones who were victims of the witch-hunts. In several regions, men were the ones who were heavily persecuted instead. Regions such as Finland show a relatively even number of male and female persecutions, while in areas such as Normandy and Iceland, the number of accused male witches far exceeded the number of female ones. This clearly shows that if there had been a culture of misogyny, it was not uniformed throughout Europe. Monter (1964: 563) points out that the stereotypical witch in the French province of Normandy was not a poor, old woman, but a shepherd who may be a youth or an old man. Similarly, in Iceland, only 8% of all the accused witches were women (Levack, 1987: 142). The analysis and discussion of these statistics seem to point to the fact that there were differences in societal perspectives towards women and the differences in questioning techniques (Monter, 1964: 588). Monter (1964: 589) suggests that women wer e treated with leniency during the trial, and some were kept in prison alive for interrogation, even while the men were being executed. The reasons behind why men were more persecuted in some societies and women in others are unclear, but most historians point to the fact that it was impossible to pinpoint a particular reason in every society why this was so. Much of the reasons behind the gender imbalances must be attributed to the culture and views of the society itself, but what can be certain is that the witch-hunt was not strictly gender-specific. Without a doubt, a society that places emphasis on patriarchal values cannot be dismissed as misogynistic simply based on statistics alone. At this point it is relevant to note that there were differences between the elite and peasant conceptions of witchcraft, and this extended to the persecution of women. For the peasantry, the persecution of witches was less of the pact with the Devil and more of practical concerns such as the failure of crops or the death of livestock (Laurence, 1995: 216-218). Similarly, with the persecution of women, the concerns circled around the fact that babies and young children were being â€Å"victims† of maleficia, rather than the witch being a Devil-worshipper per se. Unsurprisingly, therefore, a large number of women who were accused of being witches were the lying-in maids for more privileged families, who looked after the newborns and had direct contact with them, as in the case of Anna Ebeler of Augsburg (Roper, 1991: 19). Roper (1991: 23) also points to how this may be a result of the association of femineity and maternity. Normal women were able to have children, yet witches w ere unable to, leading to a sense of envy that bred the feeling of hatred towards mothers and their babies. Strands Of Deviance One of the central themes occurring in the witch-hunts would have to be the fact that the society in early modern Europe had very little tolerance for those who were different from them. Jews and homosexuals were persecuted, and the society was predominantly peasant, poor and part of the Roman Catholic Church. Those who were different were frowned upon. Women generally married and had children at a young age, were uneducated and viewed as weak. Their primary purpose was to be subservient to their husbands and serve their families, keeping the household. This view of women can be contrasted to the stereotype of a witch, as mentioned above. Being old and unmarried, as well as being socially isolated, these alleged witches were evidently different from the general conception of a woman in society. Larner (1981:92) puts forward the idea that witches were persecuted not because they were women, but because they were â€Å"non-women† who did not fit into the societal view of a woman. While a typical woman was maternal, witches were unable to have children; where typical women stayed home at nights, witches flew to remote locations to join Sabbaths. This fit in with the elite conceptions that the reality in which witches lived in was essentially one that was an anti-society. Blà ©court (2000: 300) explains that God was a â€Å"guardian of social norms†, while the Devil was just the very opposite. These â€Å"non-women† were persecuted for disobeying the social norms, and some historians even argue that women accused other women of being witches because they felt threatened by an individual who did not conform to the male image of them (Larner, 1981: 102). The role of the Roman Church was also not to be ignored in the reinforcement of this stereotype. Women ha d an increased likelihood to practice love magic as compared to men (Blà ©court, 2000: 303), and since only priests of the Church could legally practice magic, they were more likely to be persecuted as a result. Remote Possibilities While the possible presence of a repressive patriarchy or a societal aversion to deviant behaviour have often been cited as the reasons behind the gender imbalance during the witch-hunts, there are a few other remote possibilities that will be mentioned in the passing. Scully (1995: 857-858) points to how Venetian witches could choose witchcraft as a career option as opposed to being married or forced into prostitution, and this could be an escape from a possibly malevolent life, thereby proving to be a popular alternative for women in the region at that time. In his paper, Goodare (1991: 291-292) argues that economic factors could have been one of the reasons for the witch-hunts. Since the people had fallen upon hard times, those dependent upon charity handouts were hostile to others who were their competition and these were mainly women. Another article by Ross (Ross, 1995: 333-337) draws an interesting correlation between the outbreak of syphilis in the 16th century and the perse cution of more women than men. He posits that women, being the symbols of fertility, could be shunned due to syphilis as they would be spreading the venereal disease. Further, much of the witchs behaviour, he says, could be attributed to the madness that is a symptom of the disease. While fascinating, these observations by historians seem to be unique suggestions that do not appear in the literature as main causes for the increased persecution of women. Conclusion To conclude, this report has outlined the stereotype of a witch and what perpetrated this stereotype throughout early modern Europe. It seems persuasive to argue that although there was a strong patriarchal society in those days, this culture did not amount to being misogynistic in nature. The stereotype of the witch that emerge during this period and that was adopted by most modern historians emphasise a few features of witches that generally seem to be a result of the lack of tolerance for social deviant behaviour, and simply reinforced time and again in a vicious cycle. The trend points to the fact that there are a variety of factors that resulted in more women being persecuted than men. Often, this phenomenon can only be attributed to the differences in the various societies in Europe, and the culture of the region or country. Ultimately, it can be concluded that a combination of factors led to more women being persecuted than men. References Anderson, Alan and Gordan, Raymond. 1978. ‘Witchcraft and the Status of Women The Case of England. The British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 29, No. 2: 171-184. Barry, Jonathan, Hester, Marianne and Roberts, Gareth. 1999. Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe: Studies in Culture and Belief (Past and Present Publications). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. de Blà ©court, Willem. 2000. ‘The Making of a Female Witch. Gender and History, Vol. 12, No. 2: 125-141. Goodare, Julian. 1998. ‘Women and the Witch-Hunt in Scotland. Social History, Vol. 23, No. 3: 288-308. Hufton, Olwen. 1983. ‘Women in History. Early Modern Europe. Past Present, No. 101: 125-141. Larner Christina. 1981. Enemies of God: The Witch-Hunt in Scotland. London: Chatto Windus. Larner, Christina. 1984. Witchcraft and Religion: The Politics of Popular Belief. New York: Basil Blackwell. Laurence, Anne. 1995. Women in Engliand, 1500-1760, A Social History. London: Weidenfeld Nicolson Illustrated. Levack, Brian. 1987. The Witch-hunt in Early Modern Europe. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Monter, Williams. 1997. ‘Toads and Eucharists: The Male Witches of Normandy, 1564-1660. French Historical Studies, Vol. 20, No. 4: 563-595. Ross, Eric B. 1995. ‘Syphilis, Misogyny, and Witchcraft in 16th-Century Europe. Current Anthropology, Vol. 36, No. 2: 333-337. Sawyer, Ronald C. 1989. ‘Strangely Handled in All Her Lyms: Witchcraft and Healing in Jacobean England. Journal of Social History, Vol. 22, No. 3: 461-485. Scully, Sally. 1995. ‘Marriage or a Career?: Witchcraft as an Alternative in Seventeenth-Century Venice. Journal of Social History, Vol. 28, No. 4: 857-876. Primary sources: Darst, David H. 1979. ‘Witchcraft in Spain: the Testimony of Martin de Castaà ±egas Treatise on Superstition and Witchcraft (1529). Kramer, Heinrich and Sprenger James. 1484. Malleus Maleficarum. Accessed 6 October 2009. Available at http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org/. Scot, Reginald. 1584. The Discoverie of Witchcraft. Retrieved from Early English Books Online. The practice of harmful magic

Body Image Essays -- Psychology, Physiology

When navigating to the official website of Self, one of today’s leading women’s magazines, I was not surprised to immediately stumble upon a photograph of two slender women, in skimpy shorts and sports bras, exercising on the beach. â€Å"Flat belly Secrets† was the headline under the image, along with the subtopics â€Å"Magic Moves that Work Your Whole Core,† â€Å"Superfoods for a Sexy Stomach,† and â€Å"4 Ab Mistakes Everyone Makes.† It is no secret that modern American culture gives great importance to body image, namely to having a â€Å"perfect† physique, although a vast majority of the population is far from attaining said physique. I struggled for years to â€Å"make peace† with my own body and obtain a positive body image, hence why I have chosen to research body image and the media, focusing more on the female aspect of it. With so much attention being given to people’s perceptions of their own physical beauty, numerous studies have been conducted on men and women of all ages. Every single study I read about in gathering information for this report showed that body image dissatisfaction, â€Å"the feeling that people may have that their actual physical appearance is not how they would ideally like it to be† (Kovar), is experienced by an astonishing number of men and women. That being said, it was also evident from the research that women are significantly more affected by body image dissatisfaction. One particular study of male and female undergraduates concluded that compared to men’s perceptions, â€Å"women's [body image] perceptions place [greater] pressure on them to lose weight† (Fallon and Rozin). Body dissatisfaction is a risk factor for eating disorders and is said to be most common in Western cultures, predominantly with teenage girls (Boone and... ...ave A Negative Impact On Body Image And Behaviors? Factors And Processes Related To Self And Identity." Journal Of Social & Clinical Psychology 28.1 (2009): 1-8. Academic Search Premier. Fallon, A. E., & Rozin, P. (1985). Sex differences in perceptions of desirable body shape. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 94(1), 102-105. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.94.1.102 Kovar, Allie. "Effects of Media on Body Image." Health Psychology. Vanderbilt University, 30 Apr. 2009. Web. 02 Feb. 2012. . SELF Magazine, Nutrition, Health and Advice: Self.com. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. . Thompson, J. Kevin, and Eric Stice. "Thin-Ideal Internalization: Mounting Evidence for a New Risk Factor for Body-Image Disturbance and Eating Pathology." Current Directions in Psychological Science 10.5 (2001): 181-83. Print.

Census Tract 78.09

Census Tract 78. 09 In the middle of the Pacific Ocean lays the biggest chain of islands, the Hawaiian Islands, and on the Island of Oahu within census tract number 78. 07 (figure 1) is my home. This tract is in the southern part of the island and its east boundary is Aiea. This tract is also between two main roads: on the north there is the H-1 freeway, and from the south Moanalua Rd. , which is also bordered with Pearl Ridge Shopping Center. This tract, even though it may not seem like it, is somehow in the middle of the island. It is located off the freeway which makes it convenient to reach other parts of the island. It is about a fifteen minute drive to down town, Waikiki, Kaneohe (east side), and Waipahu. A 25-30 minute drive will bring you to the North Shore or Ko Olina, which is located on the western end of the island. This tract appears to be a high-order central place that includes one of the four major malls on the island. In addition, Straub Clinic & Hospital is less than a mile away, and there are many restaurants, car repair shops, gas stations and schools nearby. The residents of this tract and other tracts nearby can find answers to almost all their needs and wants at a walking distance. With the help of the U. S. Census Bureau I am able to analyze and understand better the nature and characteristics of this tract. Census tract number 78. 07 is more than just a street and road map; it is a map that states the boundaries of different social demographic and economic components. With the updated information and data the U. S Census Bureau provides and with the field survey I have performed, I am able to analyze and describe the environment and people I live around. In this tract there are 5,351 people and the number of males and females is relatively even with 47. 1% female and 52. % male. The majority of people are between the ages of 25-44: 23% are 25 to 34 years old and 20. 5% are 35 to 44 years old, which makes a total of 2,309 people at this age group. It is obvious this area is home to younger adults with children than older people (the median age is 34. 5). There are 304 children under the age of 5 (5. 7%) while there are only 132 who are 75 years old and older. Indeed, when walking around the area you notice more young children with their parents, or groups of teenagers, than people in their older years. It seems that this tract is more appealing for younger families (45. % are married compared to 12. 9% who are divorced) with children under the age of 18 (490), than a household with individuals 65 years and over (96). Big portions of the people in this tract (4,562) are 16 and over, which makes them eligible to hold a job and become part of the labor force. 79. 5% of this group is part of the labor force. Within this number, 4. 5% are unemployed (204 people), and 10. 8% are in the armed forces. Women over sixteen represent almost half of the total population with 2,145 in number. The female labor force is smaller with only 72. 8% participant, and only 63% employed. With today’s economic rollercoaster these numbers are relatively very good. The data on the average income supports and corresponds to the information mentioned above. 63% of working people are private wage and salary workers mainly in the management, professional, and other related occupational fields (34. 8%) or in sales and office occupations (32. 7%). Since this area is urban, there are only a few (only 5 people) who practice farming, fishing, or forestry occupations. In deed most of the people I meet in the elevator or see in that area are dressed up with suits, briefcases, and laptops on their shoulders. As for 1999, the median income for households was $41, 696 when 22. 1% earned $50,000 to $74,999, 18. 6% made $35,000 to $49,999, and only 5. 6% made less than $10,000 a year. According to the make, model, and shape of cars and the people’s appearances, those numbers seem to be fairly accurate. Income and employment rates are often times an indicator of the educational level and number of graduate and degree holders. In this tract the percentage of educated people is quite high. Out off all children age of 3-4 years 52. 6% are enrolled in school, in the 5 to 14 years group 95. % are in school, and more encouraging information is that all kids ages 15-17 years are attending school. The busy traffic and crowded sidewalks with kids and their parents around eight in the morning and between 2:00-3:00 p. m. is living proof of accurate statistics. Out of the 613 people between the ages of 18-24 there are 520 (84. 8%) high school graduates and 191 who are enrolled in college or gradua te school. The overall education of that section is somehow similar to the number of the younger generation. 90. 5% of people over 25 have graduated from high school or higher, and 31. % hold a bachelor degrees or higher. Most people in this tract hold American citizenships (81. 9%) and the rest are mainly from Asia. 43. 1% of those with American citizenships were born in Hawaii, 34. 9% were born in the continental United States, and 3. 8% were born outside of the US in Porto Rico, US Island areas and born abroad to American parents. The majority of the foreign born population is from Asia (86. 7%), especially from Eastern and South Eastern Asia. From Eastern Asia (58. 8%) there are mainly 7. 1%from China, 11. 2%from Japan and 40. 5% from Korea. South Eastern Asia (26. %): 22. 1% from the Philippines, 3% from Vietnam, and 1. 8% from Thailand. This information appears to be correct. Even though it is sometimes hard to distinguish where a person is from, it is obvious they are somewhe re from Asia. The rest of the foreign born people are from different countries from around the world, but they represent a smaller number, and are barely noticeable. On the other hand there are only 252 (4. 7%) who are native Hawaiian or from other South Pacific islands. Surprising information indicates that there are 7. 9% Hispanic or Latino people. I have been living in this area for about a year now, and have worked here for over three years, and I do not recall recognizing or interacting with Hispanic or Latino people. All the White, Asian, Hawaiian, Latino, and any other race seem to live together in harmony. There are no visual signs (like graffiti or fights) of any cultural or race issues. When walking in my neighborhood taking my dog for a walk, I often times notice couples that are not from the same ethnic background. The same observation is true for the groups of kids hanging out in parks, the mall, and the bus stations. Hawaii in general is a huge collection of cultures, ethnicities and religions. While sometimes local people like to make fun of â€Å"white† people, they are a welcoming society who accepts cultural differences with open hearts. I can say from my own experience that whenever my neighbors or other people nearby hear that I am from Israel, they show no sign of rejection, but of acceptance. I believe that this attitude among people is what helps the crime level. We are no different than other places in the world; we have our own casualties and problems. Every once in a while I hear about a car that was broken into or stolen, or I hear about suspicious rumors of drug dealing going on in the area. But the overall feeling is that this is a considerably safe, low crime area (especially compared to other areas on Oahu). This tract may seem small, but it is in the center of Aiea. There are two elementary schools within walking distance and few more located less than a mile away. The mall is just a cross the street which provides a variety of stores, services (banking, medical, post office, etc. ) and restaurants. Even though it appears to by a busy urban locale, the people in this area do not neglect their religious practices. There are four different churches in less than a half mile radius of that tract. I am usually not awake and outside on Sunday mornings, but every once in a while my shift starts early and I get to watch my community on their way to the different churches. Due to the area the tract is located in, one would expect to see a concentration of high rise buildings. This tract is no exception, there are high rise buildings but at the same time there are also low rise units. This tract is a combination of high rise building (like the one I live in) and some town houses on the other side of the road. This gives people the ability to live in an urban area with the opportunity to choose to live in a smaller more affordable apartment, or in a bigger more suburban style home, all within the city. 87. 7% of the units are in 20 or more units structure, 5. 1 in 5-9 units per structure, and 4% 3-4 units in a structure. Most of the units were built more than thirty years ago. 59. 3% were built in the seventies and the majority of the rest in the eighties. The data may indicate that the buildings in the area are quite old, but have been well taken care of. As part of the board of directors of my building, I know that the residents and the association are doing a good job to maintain our property, and make it look as new and as attractive as they can. The outside of the units in the tract are always clean and painted. Each association has its own landscaping that contributes to the warm friendly environment of the neighborhood. At Christmas time, the entire track is glowing with Christmas lights and colorful decorations. Out of the 2,666 occupied units, more than half (64. 3%) are renters and are usually a one person household (43%). It seems like the renters are younger people (36% are between the ages of 25-34), perhaps students, people at their beginning of their careers, or soldiers. The location of the tract is centralized to military bases. On the east end is Marine Corps Base Hawaii which is about 18 miles away. On northwest end is Schofield Barracks with a 13 mile distance, and on the south end there are Pearl Harbor Navel Station and Hickam Air Force Base about 5 miles away. There are a few smaller military facilities that are even closer to the tract. Many people who are part of the armed forces find this location very convenient. More so, most roads in that area are not as congested as other main roads in other parts of the island (H-1 for example). Even in rush hour traffic there is no heavy traffic unless there is an unusual event (car accidents, event in the stadium, etc. ), cars are moving smoothly and traffic in general is open. Over the past year I have attended Windward Community College, which is on the other side of the island (about 14 miles from my house). I leave for school at 7:45 A. M. and come back at 3:00 P. M and I experience no typical rush hour bumper to bumper traffic. In general, it is easy to navigate in and out of the tract. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the average gross rent is between $500-$1500 when the majority 50. 7% falls in $750-&999 ranges. This may have been accurate for 2000, but it is undoubtedly not the price range today in 2009. A two bedroom one bathroom apartment in my building can start from $1400 a month. Other data that in my opinion does not match today is the occupants per room. In 2000, both renters and owner occupied units was mostly between 0. 5-1 per room. With increasing rent and decreasing resources, like the situation in the past year, people cannot afford to splurge and enjoy the connivance of each having his/her own room. More and more I hear about families moving in together, young couples seeking for a roommate to help with the monthly payment, and single parents looking for one bedroom for them and their child. It is obvious from the information above that census tract number 78. 07 is located in a central urban area. It is a mix of cultures, people of different races and ages. Although the data suggests that the population is relatively young, there are still many older people who probably moved to this area many years ago when it was not as developed and commercialized as it is now. When it comes to analyzing an island, it is a bit more difficult than if analyzing a state on the mainland. On Oahu there is the main and only city Honolulu, and the other areas are considered to be more like a town due to its size and number of people. If Hawaii was just like any other state, Aiea which is where the tract is will be considered a city. Other than Waikiki, there is no other area on the island that provides as many services and goods as Aiea do. The tract is being transformed into a more modern area that in few years from now will contain mostly young small families and individuals who want to live in a more centralized location. This area may not offer new luxurious homes, but it will offer the fast paced and energetic life style a city creates.

Anderlini and Clover Essay

In their article, Anderlini and Clover (2009) speak about China’s and Russia’s desire to purchase IMF bonds. While China considers buying about $50bn of IMF bonds, Russia seeks to spend no more than $10bn for these purposes. Both countries will use these investments according to essential criteria of reasonable returns and safety, which are in no way associated with the countries’ search for additional political power in international contexts. It appears that for Russia and China to purchase IMF bonds means to express their desire to trace and monitor the distribution of international monetary commitments. The money Russia and China are prepared to pay for IMF bonds is expected to help developing countries tackle with the major economic challenges. For example, Russia proposes that IMF uses additional funds to help Ukraine resolve its gas issues with Russia (Aderlini & Clover, 2009). Although the IMF is not very optimistic with regard to sponsoring Ukraine in its balance payment issues, purchasing bonds may shape a good ground for better stability in broader financial markets. Response The fact of Russia and China seeking to purchase IMF bonds signifies the growing international commitment to reducing trade barriers. With the growing realization of the benefits which the reduction of trade barriers can bring internationally, the IMF bonds and additional funds can be readily used to support developing countries in their striving to better trade liberalization and business openness. On the one hand, the developed countries’ desire to stimulate international trade signifies their preparedness to better dialogue with developing countries in terms of business and trade. On the other hand, such openness also provides developing countries with better chances to become a part of the developed business community. As a result, whether the changes in the structure of international financial assets help reduce trade barriers also depends on how well countries and organizations manage them. Response 1 In his article, Bogoslaw (2009) suggests that the time has come when India, Brazil, and China should become the major investment targets. Given that the state of economy is not limited to economic markets in the U.  S. , it is more than important to look beyond the boundaries of the American economic attractiveness and to provide other countries with a better chance for economic growth. It should be noted, that the concept of market economic system is integrally linked to the concept of economic freedom, and where countries seek to implement the principles of market economy these imply the absence or minimization of governmental involvement. In case of China, India, and Brazil, governments still remain the powerful elements of economic growth. Simultaneously, dozens of smaller developing countries need additional investments for their gradual transition to free market relationships. Thus, not Brazil or India with their well-established economic images, but other developing countries with sound legal systems and investment opportunities should attract additional funds. In any case, stocks and investments always involve risk, and if investors believe that by cooperating with India or China they secure themselves from the major losses, they are deeply mistaken. Response 2  For many years, embargos have been an effective measure of economic and diplomatic discipline. The leading world powers frequently apply to embargo as the measure of last resort, and whenever countries are unwilling to follow the basic principles of international legal or economic conduct, embargos appears the most reliable method of imposing balanced legal and economic requirements on them. It appears that to stop supplying countries with the critical resources is more important that trying to persuade such countries to change their convictions and political beliefs. It should be noted, that embargo implies putting a legal ban on commerce, and individuals are those who suffer these limitations the most. As a result, whether embargo is an effective measure depends on what perspective one chooses to review its benefits and drawbacks, but that embargos significantly reduce the scope of the major business operations and prevent individuals from achieving their individual purposes is clear.