Commodification and Globalisation in Dubai

Commodification and Globalisation in Dubai Dubai, one of the seven United Arabs Emirates (UAE), has captured the attention of the world as global city with a globally competitive economy. The city is has been known for oil industry but this has been replaced by its comprehensive tourism industry, hosting of events and construction projects. It is therefore evidenced that development of Dubai is line with concepts of globalisation and commodification. Globalisation is a function of Economy, Environment, Culture, Society and Politics, and effect on one result in effect on the other.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Commodification and Globalisation in Dubai specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Commodification is the process by which formerly non- economic things and relationships like institutions, objects, attributes, signs and even people are turned into commercial things whose prime purpose is sale in the market place, as Blunden (1975) explains. According to Mar xist political economy it refers to the extension of market trade to formerly non-market areas, and to the handling of things as if they were a tradable commodity (Blunden,1975) A commodity is typically associated with 3 types of values: use value referring to the design of commodities to meet certain need either physically or psychologically; Exchange value as they can be bought and sold in the market with money, and finally commodities have sign value as they act as mode of self-expression in a battle for social position. (Gottdiener, 2000, 26) In Dubai the global media has influenced the society by laying emphasis on the three value of a commodity. The use value of commodities implies that for every need there a product claiming to satisfy it. This has lead to continue product differentiation to meet the arising needs. Labour in Dubai has been heavily commodified with the growth of the fashion industry. The socialisation of women to do domestic work such as dressmaking, cooking, cleaning and caring for the children among others for free has changed. The Dubai shopping mall is a classic example of how the otherwise non-economic dressmaking has been commodified and the fashioners are making lots of money. The Dubai shopping mall travelhouseuk.co.uk/travelGallery/var/albums/General/festival/dubai_shopping_mall.jpg?m=1296818763 (p5)Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Leisure has been largely commodified in Dubai with distancing from work being perceived as prestigious and a symbol of honour. This is in agreement with Veblen’s observation that, conspicuous leisure; which means distancing oneself from industrial work attracts admiration. (Veblen, 1899). Commodification of labour, education, government service like education among others have been accelerated by globalisation, whose prime aim is to reduce people’s diversity by restric ting individuals’ freedom with the promise of economic gains. Another issue to consider is the increasing commoditization of the city and its impact in the eyes of tourists. According to what Galdauskas (2008) says, commoditization is a two-part complicated process which requires certain efforts and time. However, it must be kept in mind that the process allows to promote the place so that it could bring more profit and attract more tourists. However, Galdauskas (2008) warns that to achieve this goal, one will have to make sufficient alterations concerning the way the place looks and the facilities it can suggest to the newcomers (38). Thus, the question of national identity rises against the idea economical profit. To ensure the balanced correlation between the two, considerable efforts must be made. It is evident that both the part involving â€Å"dramatization of life on the stage† (38), as Galdauskas (2008) put it, and the one concerning the preservation of nationa l identity are leveled in Dubai. However, it does not mean that the process of commoditization must run uncontrolled in the city. Since one of the main concerns of the space regeneration is the idea of keeping the national identity, as Universidad de Barselona (1977) claims (77), it becomes clear that the key priority of Dubai citizen at present is to ensure that tourism can coexist with their national identity – otherwise they will be forced to abandon the former to preserve their sense of national dignity. Still, taking into account the culture of Dubai, it can be considered that its citizen can cope with preserving their national identity. Since people flood Dubai to indulge into sightseeing and all kinds of attractions, they bring certain misbalance into its established structure. Foreign elements in the clockwork of Dubai, they slowly make the city dissolve. To prevent Dubai from being gobbled by another culture, people have to undertake certain measures.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Commodification and Globalisation in Dubai specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another aspect of the problem, the space regeneration, deals with the economical issues. In this case, the principle of mutual recoupment can be put into practice: thus, certain spaces can be restored using the tourism incomes. According to what Universidad de Barselona (1977) suggests, the balance between tourism and the space and place maintenance can be achieved once the â€Å"appropriateness to the work in relationship to the place† (133) has been achieved. However, to achieve this goal, the dwellers of Dubai will have to follow the main principles of the Consumption Theory. Thus, one of the first challenges which the dwellers of Dubai are going to face is how to level the supply and the demand. Utilizing the principle of rationality, as Sherman (2008) suggests (332), it will be possible to achieve the desirable r esult. However, there are certain issues which require special attention of the entrepreneurs and the government of Dubai. For instance, it is crucial for the city to take into account the principle of rationality. Thus, the chief goal of Dubai is to suggest its guests the necessary attractions and entertainments which they suppose to encounter in here. An advancement of an integration agenda between nations and it entails the widening of economic markets (Mittelman, 1997. pp. 2) globalisation has brought various benefits such as: growth of tourism industry through the movement freedom, enhanced trade widen access to information, rapid diffusion of creative and innovations, specialisation of work and benefit from large scale of production where countries produce what they can better and cheaply produce for local and export while they import what they cannot produce, enabling international relations and this has resulted to rapid economic growths as well as improved living standards. The immense impact of globalisation is felt in Dubai from all aspects of life i.e. Economy, Environment, Culture, Society and Politics. The great extent of globalisation in Dubai is demonstrated by its rapidly growing tourism industry with such baits for tourists as: Burj Al-Arab the only seven-star hotel in the world and an international icon of Dubai and Palm Jumeirah- an on-going project of the largest artificial island in the Arabian Gulf. The Dubai’s special features have been a major focus for the global media. (Elsheshtawy, 2004). The hosting of international sports has had immense gains for the Dubai’s economy. Although these prizes are won by the foreigners, they spend some of the money in Dubai. Also the fans of sport come in large numbers to watch the sports further contributing to the growth of tourism industry in Dubai. The city has become well-known for hosting famous tennis and golf tournaments, with Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods promotin g Dubai. (Student Personal World Wide Web Pages.2) Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More †Golfer Tiger Woods tees off the Burj Al-Arab helipad nearly 1,000 feet above the ground† http://www-scf.usc.edu/~jhorowit/globalization.htm. The integration of Dubai with other emirates to form United Arab Emirate and a further collaboration between the UAE and other countries has opened its market to the foreign investors. â€Å"Dubai attracts foreign investors and corporations because of the considerable economic opportunities offered to businesses there.† (Hollis, 2000, 52) Off shoring is a classic example which entails transfer of commodities from one country to another. Globalisation results in the free movement of people from one region to another. Dubai continues to create global job opportunities for low waged workers. According to Lang LaSalle the employment rate in Dubai has grown to 8.3 percent per annum while the population is growing at 5.8 per cent per annum (2004). This means the economy will continue to get more workforces locally and from interna tional market. The high level of globalisation has had negative effects on Dubai society. Some of the negative impacts of globalisation include: the freedom of movement of people from one country to another has made it difficult for the natives to preserve their culture and religion. Islamic had been the predominant religion in Dubai but with globalisation, other religions come up. This resulted in change of weekend from Saturday –Sunday to Friday-Saturday in a bid to accommodate both Muslims who emphasis on holiness of Friday and Christians who respects Saturday-Sunday. There is a conflict between the native’s culture and the western. In a global market an economic recession affect the whole world with the poor and middle income population being hit harder. As Hari (2009) emphasized, because of the economical crisis in Dubai a number of workers suffered great losses; many of them were not paid and thus could not leave the countries. Hari observed that policemen intimi dated the workers who complained or left their stations. (2009, pp6). Other negative effects of globalisation in Dubai include the increase in the prostitution which is as a result of the rapid growth in tourism. Globalisation enhances capitalism resulting in poor getting poorer thus the poor population of Dubai has turned to illegal business like prostitution, drugs and arms smuggling and also terrorism, as Davidson (2009) mentioned (p. 247). Commodification and globalisation have had both positive and negative impact in Dubai with the former outweighing the later. It is important for Dubai government to come up with policies that will enhance globalisation and commodification for Dubai to be consistent with the national development goals. Government should try to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich and reduce instances of crime and prostitution as this will not only devalue humankind but it also increases disease transmissions. If Dubai has to remain a world class city, i t has to deal with social problems of its citizens. Reference List Blunden, A., ed. Commodification, Encyclopedia of Marxism. [Online] marxists.org/glossary/terms/c/o.htm. Davidson, Christopher M., 2009. Dubai: the vulnerability of Success. New York, Columbia University Press. Elsheshtawy, Y., 2004. Planning Middle Eastern cities, an urban kaleidoscope in a globalizing world, Stamford, CN, Cengage Learning. Galdauskas, K. et al., 2008. Serving culture: tourists, lobsters and restaurants of  Ogunquit, Maine. Ann Arbor, MI, Pro-Quest, Gottdiener, M, 2000. New forms of consumption. Oxford, Blackwell Hari, J., 2009. The dark side of Dubai. The Independent (London). [Online] independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html. Hollis, R. 2000. Managing new developments in the Gulf. Washington, DC.Brookings Institution LaSalle, J. L., 2004 Winning cities of the decade [Online] Available at: www-scf.usc.edu/~jhorowit/profile.htm. Sherman, H. J., et al ., 2008 Economics: An Introduction to Traditional and Progressive Views. Armonk, NY, M. E. Sharpe, Inc. Student Personal World Wide Web, n.d. The effect of globalization on Dubai’s economic development: Available at: http://www-scf.usc.edu/~jhorowit/globalization.htm- . [Online] Universidad de Barcelona, 1977 Urban Generation: A Challenge for Public Art. Barcelona, Edicions Universitat Barcelona. Veblen, T. (1899). The Theory of the Leisure Class New York, NY, New America Library

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind Useful inventions of all time If asked about the biggest invention of our time, people would probably name the Internet. It allows us to connect with friends around the world and establish connections we never knew existed. You want to talk to your favorite celebrity or find out what has been going on in Eastern Asia? - Google will help you! A hundred years ago, we could not imagine the luxury of interacting with people miles away from us. The credit goes to Lawrence Roberts, the inventor of the first Internet prototype. However, apart from the global communication system, what can we name as the greatest invention? You may argue about the usefulness of this or that device, but we can assure you they have all made a fair contribution to our routine. Where would the mankind be, if it was not for the phone or text messages we are used to exchanging whenever we want to share information? On top of that, we should include some of the things that were necessary for the development of the human race: The wheel. The wheel is truly one of the inventions of the humankind, the value of which cannot be overlooked today. The concept of the first wheel was developed in 3500 B.C., and it was a blessing for everyone. People had massive problems with transporting goods and moving them from one town to another, so we guess this discovery was by far one of the most expected in the history of human civilization. These days, wheels are used everywhere, and the history we know was shaped with the help of this tool. The compass. Do you remember Captain Jack’s compass that showed the thing you wanted most? Well, magic aside, sailors used to navigate by the stars. Suffice to say, it was not a very safe methodic, as it forced them to skip their craft on cloudy evenings or in the daytime. Before the invention of the first compass, captains were bound to obey the mere changes of the weather, and had to wait until the sky was clear again. The situation changed, however, when the compass we know today was invented. The secret to successful navigating is the magnetized needle, which points north. The printing press. As we know, very few people had access to books back in the Middle Ages. The printing press appeared as a revolutionary device and changed the way we perceive printing today. Johannes Gutenberg decided to alter the course of history by inventing a special machine, which pressed ink to the paper so that the paint remained on the surface for long. This is another invention that led to the development of the human race, the importance of which cannot be overstated. The printing devices we have today allow us to immerse in the world of literature and become educated individuals through reading. The telephone. The invention of this device presents a series of experiments, which all led to failure. Many scientists struggled to build an electronic device, which would allow people to communicate via wires. However, electronic transmission did not seem possible until Alexander Graham Bell took the initiative in his hands. He invented the phone in 1876, and was awarded a patent for his discovery that led to revolutionizing the world of communication. He had a lot of successors, who tried to improve the said gadget, and fortunately, phones as we know them today allow to transmit electronic signals at long distances. The light bulb. It is hard to imagine our daily lives without this device. Electricity was in poor state when Thomas Edison decided he would change the face of the world we know. Of course, we cannot attribute this success to his personality alone, as many people played a significant role in inventing the light bulb, but generally, the credit belongs to Edison. Prior to this, we depended on natural lightning and the light of the candles. That was romantic, in some ways, and uncomfortable as well, as people had to work during the day and finish their chores before the sun went down. Now, we can sit up all night and be sure the lightning is bright and comfortable, thanks to the invention that Thomas Edison proudly patented. Penicillin. The story behind the invention of Penicillin is awesome. In 1928 there was a Scottish scientist named Alexander Fleming, who conducted a series of experiments in his private laboratory. During one of the experiments, he left a lid on a dish with bacteria opened. Later, he discovered that bacteria were dead as the dish became contaminated with mold. Later, Fleming found out that the mold was called fungus Penicillium, and it was cleared and purified by scientists to turn it into a strong medication, which changed the course of science and was a big history turn in the first half of the 20th century.

Warehousing and distribution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Warehousing and distribution - Essay Example Continuous improvement, on the other hand, is based on the lean and quality management approach. It is essential to understand this three approaches and how their application in a warehouse can help improve its operations. This paper will discuss, in detail the differences among these three approaches. The paper will highlight several definitions of the three approaches and point out the differences. This essay will also review how the application of lean principles in a warehouse can improve its operations. This essay will start by defining what continuous improvement is. It will give an overview of continuous improvement and a brief history of the concept. It will further define quality management and lean approach and compare this approach to continuous improvement in a warehouse or a distribution centre. It will give a detailed comparison between the quality management and lean approach versus continuous improvement. The essay will then discuss how lean principles can be applied in a warehouse or distribution centre. It will seek to define what lean principles are and what causes waste in the warehouse. The essay will focus on how the application of these lean principles improves processes used in a warehouse. Deming (2000) defines continuous improvement as a long-term approach to work aimed at achieving small, incremental changes in processes so as to improve efficiency and quality. Continuous improvement is also referred to as Kaizen. It is a constant, deliberate effort by an organization to better its information, products, services or processes. For an organization to attain the desired effect of continuous improvement, the changes have to be totally incorporated with a commitment to making them last. An organization should also hire the right personnel or train existing ones how to improve the process. Kaizen is a Japanese word that means change for the better but when translated to English, it means continuous improvement. Dr. W.

You are called to a small terraced house where a man in his 80s has Essay

You are called to a small terraced house where a man in his 80s has fallen. He is unsure about what happened but his carer indicates that he has a long and complex medical history - Essay Example Older adults are vulnerable to various health issues. Due to their advanced age, they are also likely to suffer from chronic diseases which require full-time care (Poon, et.al., 2003, p. 53). They are also vulnerable to senile dementia which compromises their memory and their normal mental functions. Communicating with these patients can be a major challenge. Moreover, health care interventions cannot be implemented in their behalf without an adequate and accurate assessment carried out on their person (Poon, et.al., 2003, p. 54). However, with limitations in the communication process, the assessment, planning, and treatment of the patient may be compromised. It is possible however to make an accurate review and assessment of the patient based on his current conditions, and based on a review of his history and current health care needs (Poon, et.al., 2003, p. 54). A discussion of these issues can also provide adequate strategies to address the health care needs of the patient. Moreov er, through the application of adequate communication strategies, it is possible to secure a thorough and appropriate plan for the patient’s care. Informed consent and its various applications are part of the core values of health care delivery. There are however specific problems which can be seen when working with vulnerable groups (Milligan, 2011). For those with disabilities or with health issues which limit the application of informed consent, informed consent is still possible and the health care giver still has the obligation to ensure that such consent is gained from the patient. In instances when a patient is unable to make a fully informed decision or does not have the mental capacity to make a decision, the Mental Capacity Act of 2005 must apply. In these instances, the care giver must consult with specific persons, and gain their advice in relation to the patient’s care, as well as what the patient’s

The Role of the American Soldier Essay Example for Free

The Role of the American Soldier Essay We live in a very conflicted world today. Billions of people live in poverty, and war is a reality for everyone. However, there is still hope for freedom and a decent quality of life for all people. The American soldiers are the people responsible for protecting and promoting these ideals. While they dont make the executive military decisions, its their loyalty and dedication towards spreading and protecting democracy and freedom that gives them the ability to do their job exceedingly well. One of the first things that make the American soldiers so good at their jobs is their belief in America. Soldiers are some of the most patriotic Americans because they believe so strongly in American ideals. I think that becoming a soldier and fighting for your country truly allows you to fully comprehend what your country is all about. American soldiers understand and believe in America, and this drives them to do their job and if necessary, die for their country. The United States of America is the worlds leading superpower, so why should we care about the rest of the world? It is because we have a moral obligation to not only protect ourselves, but to help protect innocent people around the globe from evil and tyranny. It is the responsibility of the American soldiers to fight for justice and to keep evil from harming our world. Overall, they are fighting to keep peace, whether its defending an attack or eliminating a threat. In 2003, the staff of Time Magazine did something that they had never done before. They didnt give the Person of The Year award to a single individual, but instead to a whole group of people, the common American soldiers. I understand why they made that decision. The American soldiers are dedicated to protecting America and making the world a better place. They believe so strongly in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that they will die fighting for these ideals. This dedication to their country and beliefs allows them to play a key role in making a better future for humanity.

Compulsory Heterosexuality :: Sexuality Gender Society Essays

Compulsory Heterosexuality In today’s world, as humankind is still in progress, we have a much more liberated world compared to past. In terms of politics, we learned discrimination is not a honourable case to be involved in and we tried to minimize constraints reflected on â€Å"other† races, â€Å"other† nationalities, in short all of the others that are not similar to â€Å"us†. â€Å"Us† is, without doubt, white, Western man. Despite all the back-drawed prejudices of others in the name of liberation, respect and equality, it does not seem to be the situation for non-heteronormatives to live in a peaceful environment. Since I came to Amsterdam as an exchange student this term, I had the opportunity to experience daily-life with all the people from different sexes, genders not considered â€Å"normal† which is rarely the case in Turkey. Amsterdam made me face non-heterosexual world and I realized that these people do suffer from unequal rights mostly in other parts o f the world. I questioned myself as being far away from that topic in the past and it really made sense to me to investigate about supremacy of heterosexuals. In my opinion, only after we learn to respect all kinds of differences out of majority we are able to have liberal minds, which makes the world a better place to live for all people. That is the reason I decided to write my paper on compulsory heterosexuality. To come to main idea, my arguement will be dominantly on heteronormativity. I will try to prove that both heteronormativity and gender are social constructs, which means that they are all learned behaviours by society through culture, tradition and religion. I will show a world where any norms and taboos exist, to turn our origins of nature. I will support my arguement by the works of writers and researchers on that topic. My whole effort will be on to claim that there is nothing called heteronormativity by nature, it can not be. We can not rule out the genes and instinct behaviour of people. It is just a coverage, to live in a reproductive and moral society. My final idea would be to accept all forms of non-heterosexuality as being â€Å"normal† , just like heterosexuality, by ignoring all social constructs to open our mind to a brighter world. Review There is quite extensive research on studies of lesbians and gays and the compulsory heteronormativity. One major researcher is Adrienne Rich.

Homelessness in Ireland Essay

What is Homelessness The Housing Act 1988 defines a homeless person as somebody who has no reasonable accommodation to live in or lives in a hospital, institution or night shelter because of a lack of home. Human Dignity Issue Shelter is a basic human need, yet throughout the word there a people looking for a place to live with dignity. Being homeless is more than just not having a roof over your head – it usually means that a person’s security and belongings needs are also not met. You can become homeless for many different reasons. These could include: * Being evicted * Losing your job * Health problems * A disaster such as fire or flooding In 2009 there were up to 4,000 people reported to be homeless. 800 of them were children and two hundred of these children were under the age of 12. Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, designed a pyramid to explain the basic needs required to protect human dignity. In this pyramid he not only names shelter as a basic human need but also names the need for security. Security needs include the need to be safe and protected when if homeless, is broken. To protect human dignity the local authorities have to take action. Duties of Local Authorities towards Homeless People While the 1988 Act does not impose a duty on housing authorities to provide housing to people who are homeless, it does clearly give responsibility to the local authorities to consider the needs of homeless people and expands their powers to respond to those needs. For example authorities may house homeless people from their own housing stock or through arrangement with a voluntary body. (Simon Community, St Vincent de Paul) The Act also enables the local authority to provide a homeless person with money to source accommodation in a non -governmental institution. In addition to the provisions relating to direct responses to people presenting as homeless, Section 10 of The Act enables local authorities to provide funding to voluntary bodies for the provision of emergency accommodation and long term housing for people who are homeless. The 1988 Act requires that local authorities carry out recurrent assessments of the number of people who are homeless in their administrative area, as part of their housing needs assessment. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for the health and in-house care needs of homeless people. In terms of funding, this means that local authorities are responsible for the costs of providing accommodation while the HSE Areas will provide funding for homeless persons’ care and welfare needs, including in-house care. Making a Difference There are many charities and voluntary organisations towards homeless people in Ireland such as: * Simon Community * The Salvation Army * St Vincent de Paul * Sonas Housing * The Peter McVerry Trust One of the biggest in known charities is Focus Ireland. Focus Ireland is a non-profitable organisation made specifically to help homeless people. Ireland, though a relatively modern country has many people, even children ‘sleep rough’ every night and it is our responsibility to help them. References www.cpa.ie www.theirishcentral.com www.whycare.ie www.focusireland.ie www.citizensinformation.ie en.wikipedia.com

Value of Friendship

Kayla Saeteurn Friendship is the Value of Life â€Å"They're a rotten crowd', I shouted across the lawn. You're worth the whole damn bunch put together. † † F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby Everyone places value on something for very different reasons. The most significant thing is what our values are and the importance we give to those values. So many things that we think have so much value, really have transient value, and we overlook the things of true and lasting importance. We should always place great value on what is real and genuine. Mostly everyone places great value on life.So hat's the value of life? I believe the value of life consists of many qualities. To me, the main value of life is friendship. Friendships bond the world together by the tie of promises and morality between people. It causes the world to connect in so many diverse ways it is unbelievable. For example, long lasting friendships can be created by Just meeting in a coffee shop or at a gro cery store. The connection with another can give you the ability to see yourself as others see you, and only then you would know how exceptionally special you are.Life is filled and fortified with friendships, rom the first friendships with your parents and family, to your childhood friends, and even teachers. The meaningful outcome of friendship made me realize different goals in my life and profoundly shaped me into who I am today. There's always that one friend that surpasses every other person youVe ever met in your life. The person who has constantly believed in you with all their heart and soul. The one who can lift your spirits by Just saying a few simple words and being there through tenacious struggles that life hurls at you.Typically, that one friend is called your best friend. I would say I have the greatest friend of all time. I know its clich ©, but she's the one person that has made the biggest difference in my life. She's the person that gave me a whole new outlook on life which caused me to make wise decisions for myself and not others. The effect of my best friend has led me to meaningful aspirations and the ambition to always be the best I can be without losing who I am. So basically, this implicates how friendships benefit the world and creates a humbling connection that bonds people together and can sometimes make you reevaluate life.I believe friends can change who you are for the better, whether egatively or positively, the people you surround yourself with have an evocative influence on where your life takes you. A friend can be one of the most goal aspiring and motivational person that encourages you to be a better person. My best friend Specifically, I believe my best friend got me to where I am today. I was a hopeless person that was indecisive of whether to do bad actions or to lose my former friend that never really cared about the true meaning of our friendship. My former friend, which I surrounded myself with was known for the b ad habit of shoplifting and theft.IVe known this girl ever since the third grade and I was great friends with her ever since the incident. Knowing right from wrong, I made the most idiotic and regretful decision of my life, I chose to go in the wrong direction by choosing not to lose her as a friend, and to shoplift. During my friendship with my former friend, our â€Å"hanging out† consisted of going to the mall to rip the tags off items and stuff them in our purses until our purses were too full to fit anything else. The adrenaline of walking through the exits of a store without getting caught really gave my former friend and I a rush.This addicting, yet horrible habit, got the best of me and led me to getting caught at a local store. I had to call my parents and pay a shoplifting fine of $250. Unfortunately, by associating myself with shoplifting, I destroyed my life because of my actions. I'm not putting all the blame on my former friend because, it was my choice to shopl ift and I made the decision that led to the outcome of my stupendous actions. I take all the blame for the brainless choices I made. It was my fault that I surrounded myself with a negative person most of my life.One of the worse things was that my family and former riends at school, assumed I was going to steal their things and they kept my mistake in the back of their mind for years. I was left trying to find a way for my family and friends at school to put their trust in me and realize I transformed into a whole different person and IVe honestly never felt better. Although, the incident led to everyone losing trust in me, the only person who still believed in me was my best friend of four years. She was the only person that still had faith in me and was there for me when no one else was.She was always my number one supporter and ally. My est friend has literally made the biggest difference in my life. I owe it all to her that IVe developed into a person with goals and ambitions t o always improve as a person. I wouldn't be who I am today if I didn't have my best friend. I realized that by stepping away from pessimistic people and bad actions, I have become a more structured and overall better person. I honestly believe the greatest thing in life is friendship. The moral importance of friendship is that you bond and connect with other people and that kind of relationship can make an enormous impact on your life.Although, it's rare to find a friendship that is long lasting, life changing, and true, that doesn't mean that it won't be meaningful or genuine. One of my favorite quotes is â€Å"To the world you are someone, but to someone you are the world. † By a random woman named Lisa. This quote really explains how friendship and love isn't Just one sided. We are all important and we all deserve the gift of a true friend that loves you for who you are and brings out the very best of you. We always see the worst in ourselves, that's why we need someone to prove us wrong. Friendship is the value of life.

The Top Five Factors Contributing to American Ignorance essays

The Top Five Factors Contributing to American Ignorance essays Americans have become not only ignorant about their own country and its political affairs but also have been blind to the impact of five factors that contribute to this ignorance. The influence of family, the media, education, popular culture, and one's own environment are the five sources that have caused the people of the United states to be ill-informed about political affairs. "NEWSWEEK recently asked 1,000 U.S. citizens to take Americas official citizenship test. Twenty-nine percent could not name the vice president(Romano). Many families in the United States derive their main source of information on political matters from their own family members and their family's opinions. They rely upon their family's political party preference or what they learned about politics at home to make their political decisions. But these opinions are not necessarily being based upon what is best for the country but instead are based upon family tradition, such as whether the family identifies with being a democrat or republican, with being a conservative or liberal, or even with being of the middle class, the poor, or of the wealthy of society. Americans have taken for granted that they live in a democracy, and we have become ignorant about our own country because we suffer from a lack of information rather than a lack of ability (Romano. The media is obviously the first place most people think to turn for information on political affairs. What most Americans have not realized is that the prominent news networks most widely watched today are controlled. We are heading towards an election, what they learn about the candidates will be what the media shows them tells them, decides not to show, not to tell (Outfoxed). Fox News is one of the most popular twenty-four hour news networks watched for political opinions and for all-around information on politics. To the public's surprise, several former employe...

Understanging the Parallel Structure of English

Understanging the Parallel Structure of English One of the most common writing mistakes in more advanced English learners writing is parallel structure. Parallel structure refers to structures which are repeated because they are connected by words such as: and, but, and or. These connecting words are referred to as coordinating conjunctions. Here are a few examples of correct parallel structure. Tom enjoys taking hikes, riding his bicycle and paragliding in his free time.I went home, took a shower, changed my clothes and ate some lunch. Here are the same two sentences using incorrect parallel structure: Tom enjoys taking hikes, to ride his bicycle and paraglide in his free time.I went home, take a shower, change my clothes and eat some lunch. In both cases, there is a mistake in parallel structure. Notice how the verb forms in the correct version of the two sentences use the same verb form. In the incorrect version of the sentences, the verb forms are varied. Parallel structure refers to the same structure repeating throughout a sentence. In other words, if the gerund form (ing form) of a verb is used after one verb, all the listed verbs also take the gerund form. Remember:  If you are listing verbs after the main verb, keep the verbs in the same form. (verb infinitive, verb gerund) He hopes to play, eat and get some rest.She enjoys listening to music, reading novels and playing tennis.He would like to have some lunch, study and then play the piano. If you are conjugating a number of verbs to relate a story for the same subject, use the same tense. We went to church, bought some lunch, came home, ate and took a nap. There are also other types of parallel structure mistakes. Which two types of mistakes in the parallel structure do you think are made in these sentences? Bob drove carelessly, quickly and in a reckless manner.Peter mentioned that he wanted to go home, that he needed a shower, and go to sleep. ... and the correct versions of the sentences: Bob drove carelessly, quickly and recklessly.Peter mentioned that he wanted to  go home, that he needed a shower, and wanted to go to sleep. In the first sentence, adverbs are being used in a list and should continue, rather than injecting an adjective. carelessly, quickly, recklessly, ruthlessly, etc. RATHER THAN carelessly, quickly, and in a reckless (adjective) manner. In the second sentence, the dependent clauses are used that he wanted to go home... that he needed a shower, etc. and should continue in the same manner. Notice also that the verb used in the third clause of this string of clauses is in the present tense, rather than the past as the other clauses. Here is another example of a similar adjective mistake in parallel structure. Which adjective is incorrect? Why? Jennifer appears to be tired, distracted and upsetting. If you answered upsetting, you are correct. The first two adjectives tired and distracted refer to the state that affects Jennifer. In other words, she feels tired and distracted. Upsetting refers to the effect that she has on someone else. Jennifer is upsetting to Jim. In this case, the intent is that Jennifer appears tired, distracted AND upset. All three adjectives refer to how she feels, rather than the effect she has on someone else. Double-Check for Mistakes in Parallel Structure A good way to check for mistakes in the parallel structure is to look for anything you list using commas  and make sure the list of equal elements are all in the same form. Parallel Structure Exercise Identify and correct the mistakes in a parallel structure in the following sentences.   Alex decided to get up early, go jogging, eat a healthy breakfast and got ready for school.I wish he would listen to his father, take his advice, and applied for a job.James stopped smoking, drinking and to eat too much.Jason invited Tim, her, they and Peter to the wedding.He is an articulate, thoughtful, and meaningfully speaker.Alexander did her homework, cleaned her room, but doesnt play the piano.The politicians hope to clean up, and modernizing this city.Eating healthy food, drinking lots of water and get exercise improves your quality of life.The teachers had graded the tests, completed the reports and meeting with parents before they went on summer vacation.Sheila misses seeing Tom, going on long walks with her friends, and played football. Answers: Alex decided to get up early, go jogging, eat a healthy breakfast and  get  ready for school.I wish he would listen to his father, take his advice, and  apply  for a job.James stopped smoking, drinking and to  eating  too much.Jason invited Tim, her,  them  and Peter to the wedding.He is an articulate, thoughtful, and  meaningful  speaker.Alexander did her homework, cleaned her room, but  didnt  play the piano.The politicians hope to clean  up and  modernize  this city.Eating healthy food, drinking lots of water and  getting  exercise improves your quality of life.The teachers had graded the tests, completed the reports and  met  with parents before they went on summer vacation.Sheila misses seeing Tom, going on long walks with her friends, and  playing  football.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze a significant incident from Essay

The purpose of this paper is to analyze a significant incident from your own experience in which help was needed by another pers - Essay Example Although, adapting to the environment and compromising is sometimes the only way to survive in these times, stronger and more successful are those men who stick to their principles and never deviate no matter what. It is to such people that our world still has a little bit of dignity and humanity left. Many like instances have occurred in my life, forcing me to choose and make important decisions that firmed the path of my life forward and laid foundation of my relationships with people involved. I will quote here one such instance and describe the event and its consequences in detail. I was thirteen years old at that time. Recently, reunited with an old friend who went to US for few years and returned that summer, I used to spend a lot of time playing and chatting with her. We had been together since we both were two years old; added to the fact that we were neighbors; nothing that we did not share and knew about each other. Be it clothes, toys, books, stationary or lunch, we never kept anything to ourselves. Same school, same classes, same locality, we were inseparables. Although her recent visit to US that took a little longer than expected, was a frustrating time for me since I was not a crowd-loving person, and had very few close friends, it did not prove successful in ruining our friendship. When she returned, we reunited with double energy, like the two ends of rubber bands, which doubles their momentum once they are suspended from their farthest ends. Revisiting old memories and catching up on new ones became our favorite pastime. Nevertheless, as they say, the only constant thing on this earth is change (Rupert, 1). Like all good things, this had to end too. Whilst catching up on each other’s recent past stories, I found out that she was dating a boy in our neighborhood ever since she went to US. Amazed and shocked by her recent updates, I decided to keep it to myself only since her reputation was dear to me. On hearing more, I found out that no one in her family knew about the boy, which troubled me a little. Now, it is important to understand why it was a big deal. Since our community is very conservative about inter-gender relationships, young teenagers seen dating or even talking together were scandalized and reprimanded. Therefore, my first reaction was that of fear and anxiety since I did not want her to get into any trouble. Nevertheless, the daring and spoiled kid she had always been, she did not pay attention to me. Now, I turn to the climax where the incident occurred. So one fine day, I was at home, alone since it was afternoon, and my mother had gone to shop for groceries. I hear a doorbell and I saw my friend in the peephole, surprised and delighted at the same time. When I opened it, she greeted me with over excitement and it was then when I sensed something weird. I asked her to come inside to which she declined. Then, she stated her purpose, which caught me by utter despair and shock. She announced that she was going to see her boyfriend at his place and wanted me, her best friend, to accompany her. Now this was a real tricky situation for a recently turned teenager who had a picture-perfect life with no such deviant experiences. I looked at her in complete disbelief to which she gave an incredibly surprising normal reaction. I tried to talk her out of it but she would not listen. She kept on arguing and convincing me to agree to her crazy