The Problems that Lake Tahoe Faces

Barbie Doll Poem Essays

Barbie Doll Poem Essays Barbie Doll Poem Paper Barbie Doll Poem Paper English 1B 7 November 2011 Never Enough, Never Perfect, Never Happy Society tells us what we should be, who we should be, what we should look and act like and what is perfect. Too many women try to fit this ideal of what we should be based on media and society in an imperfect world. Marge Piercy is criticizing this in her poem â€Å"Barbie doll†. The poem shows how ridiculous it is the way we try to conform to what society’s ideals are for the perfect woman. And presented dolls that did pee-pee/ miniature GE stoves and irons/ and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy† (2-4). These are all traditional toys for girls but also things that have an influence on a girls identity and essentially put them in their place for their future roles in life. The dolls body image is what to look up to and a role model of sorts for how it is expected you should look to be pretty. The â€Å"GE stoves and irons† (3) show what kinds of things they wil l be expected to do when they grow up. The lipstick shows sexuality and that appearance is the most important of all. â€Å"Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said:/ you have a great big nose and fat legs† (5-6). Puberty not only emphasizes the growing up and into a different stage in life because a girl starts her period but also when life can start to be more difficult because this is when kids start to be more mean and more critical of each other. The classmate criticizing her appearance starts a downward spiral into her endless struggle for perfection. â€Å"She went to and fro apologizing. Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs† (10-11) shows how she repeatedly we try to gain others approvals and change things to make people happy and when we don’t we apologize for our imperfections. We have such a skewed view at this point that we think it is our fault and that we need to try harder if others don’t see us as the ideal woman in our society. We start to let others perceptions define w ho we are and skew our self-image into something grotesque. â€Å"She was advised†¦/exercise, diet, smile and wheedle† (12, 14) Piercy describes how society tells us what we must do to have others like us and to become the ideal. We must obey, shut up, and have the perfect body image or nobody will love us and we mustn’t love ourselves the way we are we must be continually trying to be someone we aren’t but someone everyone else thinks we should be. â€Å"Doesn’t she look pretty? everyone said. / To every woman a happy ending† (23, 25). These last few lines I think are the most important. You can hear them dripping with sarcasm and irony that only have she has killed herself and destroyed who she is by taking away what others deem to be imperfect is she finally accepted but at what cost? The reality is that it will never be enough no matter what we do because there will always be people who don’t like the way we are and demand that we change if we want to be accepted and so we will keep on trying and trying until there is nothing left of ourselves. We behave based on how others perceive us and we take offense and try to change ourselves when others put us down and try to tell us we aren’t who society says we should be. Marge Pierce describes in her poem how our struggle to conform to society and media can make us self destruct and harm ourselves in that endless pursuit. Stereotypical gender roles in our society dissolve our self-confidence and destroy our self-image. She ironically uses a Barbie doll to describe this as a Barbie is made to look perfect and made to look exactly like what we believe is the ideal for our society in the time that our society is in. The Barbie doll is idealized as a blonde who is attractive but dull, who doesn’t speak up and who knows little other than what she is told to do. Unfortunately, this is not a realistic image for girls today but it is exactly what they are being told is an acceptable role model.

Learning Centers in Elementary Education Research Paper

Learning Centers in Elementary Education - Research Paper Example Making my students work independently is a process where I will try to cultivate a culture with the help of the strategies I propose below. Firstly, I will not follow the traditional teacher’s practice of instinctively helping students most of the time, a habit which will most likely develop a tendency to depend too much on the teacher. Unless I refrain from it on a daily basis, the students will get the message that I will interfere whenever there is a problem. For instance, I will give the students academic choice that has been suggested in education research as a way to cultivate motivated learners (Gottfried, 1985). For instance, I will encourage them to find answers to questions that they raise. This will equip the students with tools to solve any difficulty that might arise while they are working at the learning centers. Choice, however, has to be balanced with control to some extent (Boud, 1988). Control, in my opinion, is not direct but exercised indirectly to facilitate independence. To illustrate, reorganising classroom space is one way to reduce dependency on teacher. If students know where to look for supplies, for instance, they will not have to interrupt the teacher. This is a strategy to reduce potential problems that usually make students seek teacher’s help. Structured learning also helps as it has features of control and choice. I will set up well-structured learning activities as learning centers tasks and ask them to make choices within that framework. I consider such frameworks as providing scope for independent work within boundaries that the need for teacher’s support becomes least likely. This includes providing all the materials needed on the learning activity and clear rules and expectations of behavior (Reeve & Jang, 2006). One way to teach the behavioral expectations is to do role-plays. I will also check understanding by asking questions to them

How has automobiles made changes to our society and what do people Research Paper - 1

How has automobiles made changes to our society and what do people think about automobiles - Research Paper Example wever many firsts that were seen on the road to building a functional automobile that the modern world depends so much on, from one part of the present automobile to the next. Each part of the automobile has a rich history of invention from steam engines that pioneered, to electrical and gasoline driven engines that are seen today. Great men, from Karl Benz, the man to have come up with the first practical automobile to the pioneer of assembly line production in the industry, Henry Ford. Thanks to years of innovation, steam engines that first powered automobile prototypes were improved to the machines we use today to transport both ourselves and goods to different locations. All citizens of planet are affected by the automobile even in the most remote parts of the world where roads as we know them as non-existent. We are able to cover distances that would in the past take humanity months, in a matter of days thanks to the automobile. Help is able to reach the needy in remote locations because of the automobile. Every individual on the face of our planet is positively affected by the automobile to the last person alive. Like Henry Ford said: â€Å"I invented nothing new. I simply assembled the discoveries of other men behind whom were centuries of work. Had I worked fifty or ten or even five years before, I would have failed. So it is with every new thing. Progress happens when all the factors that make for it are ready, and then it is inevitable. To teach that a comparatively few men are responsible for the greatest forward steps of mankind is the worst sort of nonsense.† The history of automobile is one of the most divisive subjects because it can be traced to the fifteenth century and was improved over centuries, which makes it very difficult to specifically spot its point of origin. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot is within this entire division, credited with the first steam powered automobile in 1768. It was not until 1807 when Francois de Rivas came up with an

Caledonia Products Integrative Problem Essay Example for Free

Caledonia Products Integrative Problem Essay The following observation will describe the decisions made by a financial analyst who is working for the capital budget department at Caledonia Products. The organization has asked Team B to evaluate the potential risk involved in an upcoming transaction and identify several options in how to proceed. Because this is the team’s first assignments dealing with risk analyzes the team has been ask to further explain the details. The organization analysis will focus on free cash flows, projection of cash flows, projects initial outlay, cash flow diagram, net present value, internal rate of return, and if the project should be accepted. Why focus on project free cash flows Team B believes that Caledonia should focus on the project’s free cash flows and not the accounting profits. Evidence exists that the accounting profits will be earned by the project because there is a positive cash flow to the shareholders. With any investment there is the expectation that there will be an increase to the firm’s cash flow. Free cash flow is the total cash available to creditors who have invested their monies to finance the project. Accounting profits includes costs such as depreciation, interest, and taxes to run a business therefore it should not affect free cash flows. The project free cash flows range from year zero to year five and illustrate how much Caledonia Products will benefit if they choose to take on this project. Projection of project in years one through five There is annual working capital requirement of $100,000 to initiate the project. The incremental cash flows for the project in years one through five shows increase. For each year, the total investment in net working capital will be equal to 10% of the dollar value of sales for that year. In year one free cash flow is $2,100,000 in year two $3,600,000, which means fist year increase of $1,500,000, and it is about 53% increase. In year two 23% increase and year three to four decreases of 28%, and in year five free cash flow is $1,560,000, which means 43% decrease. Year-1:$2,100,000 Year-2:$3,600,000 Year-3:$4,200,000 Year-4:$2,400,000 Year-5:$1,560,000 Initial outlay This project’s initial outlay includes the necessary capital needed to purchase fixed assets and ensure they are in operating order to start the project. Cost of new plant and equipment: 7,900,000 Shipping and installation cost: 100,000 Initial working capital required to start the production: 100,000 8,100,000 The initial outlay for this project is $8,100,000 Cash flow diagram $3,956,000$8,416,000$10,900,000$8,548,000$5,980,400 ($8,100,000) Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return Unit Price x units sold 1:$21,000 2:$36,000 3:$42,000 4:$24,000 5:$15,600 Therefore, NPV = $94,575.83 NPV Values for Years 1: $18,260.90 2: $27,221.17 3: $27,615.68 4: $13,722.40 5: $7,755.98 The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) = 12.61% Project Conclusion Deciding on whether to follow through with a project is done by evaluating either the internal rate of return or net present value. According to Investopedia, â€Å"All other things being equal, using internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV) measurements to evaluate projects often results in the same findings† (Investopedia, 2013). If comparing one project to another, the one with the higher rate or return would be the more favorable one. In this instance several projects were not compared, and the IRR is below the current discount rate, which makes the project not feasible. The problem with IRR, however, is that it does not take into account changing discount rates. As market conditions and other factors change, so does the IRR. Net Present Value (NPV) on the other hand, takes changing rates into account and is a calculated using very complex formula taking many factors into account for each stage of the project. If the Net Present Value is calculated to be above zero, or positive, it is considered to be feasible, and the project should be accepted. Our calculations show the NPV in each year to be positive and believe that the project in this case should indeed be accepted. References: Investopedia US, A Division of ValueClick, Inc. . (2013). Internal Rate Of Return IRR. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/irr.asp#axzz2HtkRBF6q

Afrocentric vs. Eurocentric Worldviews :: Afrocentrism Eurocentrism Essays

The Afrocentric, or African-centered, worldview is very different from the Eurocentric, or Europe-centered, worldview. Afrocentrism is centered around the beliefs that: . The highest value of life lies in the interpersonal relationships between men; . One gains knowledge through symbolic imagery and rhythm; . One should live in harmony with nature; . There is a oneness between humans and nature; . The survival of the group holds the utmost importance; . Men should appropriately utilize the materials around them; . One's self is complementary to others; . Change occurs in a natural, evolutionary cycle; . Spirituality and inner divinities hold the most significance; . There are a plethora of deities to worship; . Cooperation, collective responsibility, and interdependence are the key values to which all should strive to achieve; . All men are considered to: be equal, share a common bond, and be a part of the group; . The Afrocentric worldview is a circular one, in which all events are tied together with one another. The Eurocentric worldview is centered around the beliefs that: . The highest value of life lies in the object, or in the acquisition of the object; . One gains knowledge through counting and measuring; . One should control and dominate nature; . There is a dichotomy, or separateness, between nature and humans; . The survival of the fittest holds the utmost importance; . Men should have an unlimited exploitation of the materials around them; . One's self is distinct from others; . Change occurs to meet the immediate objectives, and is quite arbitrary; . A distant, impersonal god holds the most significance; Afrocentric vs. Eurocentric Worldviews :: Afrocentrism Eurocentrism Essays The Afrocentric, or African-centered, worldview is very different from the Eurocentric, or Europe-centered, worldview. Afrocentrism is centered around the beliefs that: . The highest value of life lies in the interpersonal relationships between men; . One gains knowledge through symbolic imagery and rhythm; . One should live in harmony with nature; . There is a oneness between humans and nature; . The survival of the group holds the utmost importance; . Men should appropriately utilize the materials around them; . One's self is complementary to others; . Change occurs in a natural, evolutionary cycle; . Spirituality and inner divinities hold the most significance; . There are a plethora of deities to worship; . Cooperation, collective responsibility, and interdependence are the key values to which all should strive to achieve; . All men are considered to: be equal, share a common bond, and be a part of the group; . The Afrocentric worldview is a circular one, in which all events are tied together with one another. The Eurocentric worldview is centered around the beliefs that: . The highest value of life lies in the object, or in the acquisition of the object; . One gains knowledge through counting and measuring; . One should control and dominate nature; . There is a dichotomy, or separateness, between nature and humans; . The survival of the fittest holds the utmost importance; . Men should have an unlimited exploitation of the materials around them; . One's self is distinct from others; . Change occurs to meet the immediate objectives, and is quite arbitrary; . A distant, impersonal god holds the most significance;

Melina Marchetta’s “Looking for Alibrandi” Essay

In Melina Marchetta’s novel, â€Å"Looking for Alibrandi†, the theme of identity is a process of discovery along a journey for most of the characters. Although John Barton’s journey is short by the end, he knew what he wanted and he made sure that no one was hurt more than necessary when he achieved it. Josephine Alibrandi discovers her identity after many developments in her life, many of which include Jacob Coote, John Barton and Katia Alibrandi. Katia Alibrandi, Josie’s grandmother, (nonna) has experienced a lot in her time but still needs Josie’s help to let go of her past. Jacob Coote went along with what everyone expected of him until he met Josie. She helps him to reopen the door to his journey of identity. Melina Marchetta has provided a text with the identity issues that many face and she has provided her readers with outcomes that prove to be perfect examples of the outcomes of discovery of identity. John Barton does not know what he wants in life but he knows what he does not want. He does not want to follow in his father’s footsteps; to â€Å"make promises I can’t keep†¦I don’t want a lot of responsibilities in life†¦I don’t want to climb to the top† (pg 47). As John Barton continues to discover his identity, he dislikes it more and more. He convinces himself that he does not want to live anymore. It is a fact that many teenagers face and Marchetta portrays it extremely well though John Barton. When John First tells Josie that he does not want to live anymore, she, like many teenage friends, did not fully understand. â€Å"At first I didn’t understand†¦ watching those vacant eyes I realised he meant no other life† (pg 134). Many songs portray the feelings that John Barton fells, an excellent example being the chorus of Simple Plan’s Welcome to my Life: â€Å"To be hurt To fell lost To be left out in the dark To be kicked When you’re down To feel like you’ve been pushed around To be on the edge of breaking down And no ones there to save you No, you don’t know what its like Welcome to my life† The next time that Josie and John are alone together, he seemed fine, â€Å"there was a euphoria about him that was catching,† (pg 228). Marchetta foreshadows John Barton’s future with the link of â€Å"I don’t think I want to live this life anymore,† (pg 134) and â€Å"I’ve got my whole future planned out the way I want it and there is nothing anyone can do to take that away from me,† (pg 229). The journey of John Barton may have been short, but that just made it all the more necessary to understand. Josephine Alibrandi is a senior student, at St Martha’s College, who is confused with her social and cultural status. Josie considers herself to be stuck between two cultures, Australian and Italian. â€Å"As far as the Italians are concerned we weren’t completely one of them. Yet because my grandparents were born in Italy we weren’t completely Australian,† (pg 7) Josie also feels that she does not fit in at school. â€Å"The ones like me didn’t belong in the eastern and northern suburbs,† (pg 8). Josie hated Ivy Lloyd, yet envied her social status and desperately wanted to belong to her world. â€Å"No matter how much I hate Poison Ivy, I want to belong to her world†¦a world where I can be accepted,† (pg 32). All she wants more than anything is to â€Å"be free and think for myself. Not as an Australian and not as an Italian and not as an in between,† (back cover). It was not until after Josie left the walk-a-thon that she realised, with Sister Louise’s help, that she and her friends were not as socially out of it as they thought. â€Å"Socially we weren’t as shitty as we thought we were,† (pg 184). With the mixture of John  Barton’s death and Jacob Coote, breaking up with her Josie realised that she wouldn’t wake up one day and everything would feel liberated. It had taken her a year to become so. â€Å"I just sat there thinking back on the year and I realised that I was emancipated long ago. It wasn’t one particular point either it was several,† (pg 258). The walk-a-thon was one of those points, â€Å"I remember feeling socially out of it at St Martha’s, yet when the fiasco of the walk-a-thon happened, I realised I wasn’t,† (pg 258), after Nonna telling her about Marcus Sandford she realised that her illegitimacy â€Å"had never been my cross. I had only made it mine,† (pg 258) and with her culture she realises that she is not where the people have placed her but â€Å"an Australian with Italian blood flowing rapidly through her veins,à ¢â‚¬  (pg 259). Josie realises that no matter how perfect she is people will still talk. She realises that it only matters â€Å"who I feel like I am – and I feel like Michael and Christina’s daughter; Sera, Anna and Lee’s friend and Roberts’s cousin,† (pg 261). Katia Alibrandi, nonna, is always fighting with her daughter, Christina Alibrandi, and her granddaughter, Josephine Alibrandi. Josie thinks that it is because her grandmother loves to meddle and is forever worrying about what people think and talk about. â€Å"She tends to forget that all she does to mama when they’re together is nag her about the way she’s bringing me up,† (pg 34). Melina Marchetta foreshadows a hint of secrecy and betrayal in Nonna Katia’s past with â€Å"I understand, Christina, more than you think I do,† (pg 97) when they are fighting about her going out on a date. It was not until Josie gave in to the urge to ask about the photos in Katia’s house that Katia told anyone about the mysterious Marcus Sandford, even if it was only a fraction of the whole story. She told Josie about her life in a country where no one could understand her. â€Å"You do not know how much I hated Australia for the first year. No friends. No people who spoke the same language as me,† (pg 114) Melina Marchetta foreshadows the same hint of secrecy and betrayal with another clue; â€Å"Francesco couldn’t afford to come home and then go away again†¦I was†¦alone for Christmas,† (pg 200). Then when Josie was at her Mother’s birthday party it was said â€Å"conceived a week before which was Christmas day,† (pg 215) Josie was furious at her Nonna because she had been such a hypocrite, and it took her a week to realise  that she did not care. Katia told Josie all about the affair with Marcus Sandford and Josie realised Nonna â€Å"hadn’t live the life the way I though†¦hadn’t worried about what other people thought. She had taken chances. Broken rules,† (pg 226). Katia Alibrandi, by discussing her j ourney of identity with her granddaughter, has re-established the relationship with her daughter and granddaughter. Everyone expects Jacob Coote amount to nothing and he would be more than happy to prove them right, he was proud of getting bad marks and thought that it did not matter because he was going to be a mechanic. Right from the beginning he had decided what he was going to be because it was easy and no one expected more from him. That was until he met Josephine Alibrandi. She was smart, and he did not think he was. â€Å"You’re intellectual. I’m an idiot,† (pg 249). When the started going out he started to change, â€Å"I think that during that year Jacob got a bit more ambitious than he used to be,† (pg 260). He did not want to be a mechanic that worked all day and complained about house payments and petrol prices, he wanted to be a mechanic that has a variety of options, and he wants to discover his identity. â€Å"Because you opened me up to this whole new world out there. I don’t want to become a mechanic and work all day long and then at night go to the pub and marry someone just like me and have two children and whinge about housing payments and petrol prices and the economy†¦ But this year I realised, because of you, that there is more to life†¦ I want to step outside my circle and look at other options. I don’t want to be stereotyped because of the school I attend or the suburb I live in,† (pg 251) Melina Marchetta has written a novel, Looking of Alibrandi, which shows the youth of today that in order to discover your identity you need to have travelled the journey of life, however short that may be. She uses John Barton, Josephine Alibrandi, Katia Alibrandi and Jacob Coote to show that no matter how old or how bad you think you life is you can still make the decisions to make it better or worse. She cleverly states that when you no longer have the ability to dream you have nothing left to hope for. â€Å"And to be that smart means you know the answers and when you know all the answers  there’s no room for dreaming.†