American industry during the era from the late 19th century to the Essay

American industry during the era from the late 19th century to the 1930s - Essay Example The prime purpose of the paper is to present and discuss about the influence of managers and workers towards controlling of wage structure and application of newly used methods other than strike. The history of labour in United States is determined as the history of working people and organized labour. The umbrella labour federations of organized unions consist of citywide federations and AFL-CIO have merged, evolved, split, participate and fought against the periodic federal government interference and changing priorities. In 1894, Samuel Gompers was elected as AFL-CIO leader. At the time of emergence of mechanization, it has become pivotal to replace machines from highly skilled craftspeople. At the time of late 19th century to early part of 20th century, most of the Americans left small towns and farms to work in factories which was effectively categorized by steep hierarchy and organized by mass production. The effect of industrialization has been enormous on working people and result of the alteration of worker lead to the increase in the competition of jobs, loss of the bargaining power and lack of personality on relationships between employer-employee in any new organization1. Unskilled labours were paid less. Moreover, the working condition was often dangerous and unhealthy. The increase of industrialization and rapid upsurge of economic growth meant that percentage of wages growth from 1860 to 1890 in United States was around 60%2. The wage structures for American skilled workers are much higher than that of other countries in Europe. Under the leadership of Samuel Gompers, the Federation of Organized Labour and Trade Unions came in to existence. It has been estimated that between year 1881 and 1905, more than 37,000 strikes were organized by the labour unions. The influence of managers and workers has been supreme towards the formation of strikes. The main goal for occurrence of routine events of

The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living Socrates Philosophy Essay

The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living Socrates Philosophy Essay The unexamined life is not worth living. With these words, Socrates stated the creed of reflective men and women and set the task for ethics: to seek, with the help of reason, a consistent and defensible approach to life and its moral dilemmas (Walters 22). Ethical inquiry is important to us when we are unsure of the direction in which we are heading. New philosophy calls all in doubt, wrote John Donne in the wake of the Copernican Revolution and of Charles Is violent death, suggesting that new thoughts had challenged old practices (Donne). Today, new practices in the biomedical sciences are challenging old thoughts: New medicine calls all in doubt (Walters 22). Few moral convictions are more deeply ingrained than that of the sanctity of life. If plausible once, however, the view that life is a sacred process (initiated, sustained, and finally halted by God) is now more difficult to maintain (Baier 1-4). Recent advances in the biomedical sciences allow us to intervene in, and sometimes take control of, the processes of life and death. Not only can death, quite often, be kept waiting by the bed or machine, doctors and scientists can now also intervene in, indeed, initiate the process of life: cloning and recombination of DNA are two examples; in vitro fertilization (IVF) is another (Walters 23). It is not surprising, then, that in the wake of these revolutionary developments, bioethics is flourishing. Despite the obvious enthusiasm of philosophers to take a stand on many complex moral issues in the biomedical sciences, however, a curious skepticism pervades the enterprise (Walters 23). Take the comments by a dean of an Australian Medical School on the teaching of medical ethics: Like any other lifelong clinical teacher I have firm views about such topics as euthanasia, continuing severe pain, acceptable and unacceptable risks of various treatments, the appropriate use of life support systems and numerous other matters of this sort which I discuss with my colleagues, assistants, and students but would not wish to teach dogmatically since much depends on the religious and ethical views which they may have and which also must command my respect (Medical Ethics). The paragraph suggests that although ethics is not a matter of dogmatism, it is a matter of personal preference or choice, something one cannot-or should not-argue about. Then there is another attitude, implied in a newspaper article by B.A. Santamaria, that ethical inquiry is useless unless those investigating bioethical issues have been à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦endowed with authority by Almighty God [or] the Prime Ministerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Santamaria). Since the study of ethics is all about what is right and what is wrong, it is not possible to come to a correct conclusion unless one is directly appointed by God to make this conclusion. God is the only One who can correctly decree what is ethical and unethical; we as imperfect humans should not even attempt to do this job. IVF raises many of these difficult moral issues. If the above conceptions about the nature of ethics were correct, however, discussion of these issues would either be futile (because morality is a matter of personal choice or opinion) or superfluous (because morality is what a divine or secular authority says it is) (Walters 23). In this paper, I want to suggest that it is not only possible, but also necessary to inquire into the ethics of such practices as IVF because the fact that we can do something does not mean that we ought to do it. To begin with, I will provide the basic medical facts involving IVF to give a solid understanding of what goes into the whole process and what facts involving this process cause the questioning of the ethical and moral issues. Infertility affects about 4.9 million couples in the United States, or one in every twelve. Approximately one-third of infertility cases can be traced to causes in the female (Encarta). However, a small proportion of infertile women can produce healthy eggs but, although they have a normal uterus, they have damaged or diseased fallopian tubes which prevent the egg from passing from the ovary to the uterus (Warnock 29). Aside from conventional methods of fertility treatment, there are also several newer techniques, collectively known as assisted reproductive technology (ART). The best known of these is in vitro fertilization (IVF) (Encarta). The concept of IVF is simple. A ripe human egg is extracted from the ovary, shortly before it would have been released naturally. The egg is then mixed with the semen of the husband or partner so that fertilization can occur. The fertilized egg, once it has started to divide, is then transferred back to the mothers uterus. It is common practice to transfer more than one embryo to a potential mother whenever possible because of the normal hazards that come along with pregnancy, such as the egg not attaching to the wall of the uterus (Warnock 29-30). As many ripe eggs as are accessible are harvested. Each egg is then mixed with semen to achieve fertilization. Assuming there is no abnormality in the semen, the success rate of fertilization is usually at least 75%. When the time comes to transfer the embryos to the woman, it may be that only one embryo is suitable for transfer, or there may be several. The reason for transferring more then one embryo is that this should give the woman a better chance of achieving a pregnancy (Warnock 30). Nearly 0.2% of American and 1% of British babies are being born after IVF. There are now more than 300,000 IVF babies worldwide. Patients stand in line for treatment, regardless of the stress, discomfort, and risks, and despite the fact that the success rate for the treatment is seldom better than 1 in 5 or 20% (Gosden 26-27). This surprisingly high number of IVF babies, and the many more IVF attempts that do not produce babies, which are currently being produced around the world present a need for the discussion of the ethical, or unethical-ness of in vitro fertilization. To call an infant born as the result of IVF a created individual is to imply that there is some difference between a child conceived and brought to term in this way and one conceived in the womb and carried through completely to term by the mother. To many religious people, the work of creation belongs, in the first place, to God, as it is outlined in the creation stories of the book of Genesis. God is the one who creates life and order out of chaos. Mankind is the highest product of creation, made from materials, which are part of creation. To man, who is made in the image of God, there is given dominion over the created world and the authority to exercise a stewardship which involves caring for what has been created. This has been developed within the Christian tradition so that man may be considered a partner with God in the continuing work of creation (Walters 88). In examining the question of IVF we are not looking at a question of creation out of nothing, but rather what may be seen, from the religious viewpoint, as an aspect of the trust given to mankind to care for creation. It may then be more appropriate to think of the facilitated rather then the created individual when we consider human intervention in the process of human fertilization (Walters 88). In considering this question and its ramification we will look at the viewpoints of some writers, both within and outside the Judeo-Christian ethical tradition, and try to determine whether or not basic notions of humanity are threatened by the artificiality which some have claimed is involved in the process. One argument against IVF is presented by the Roman Catholic Church using natural law as the basis for their argument. The theory of natural law is widely taken to mean that God has visibly set forth Gods laws in nature and humans should obey them (Dyson 52). The primary feature of IVF that comes under scrutiny from natural law is undoubtedly concerned with IVF as external fertilization. This is to say, the primary accusation coming from natural law focuses on the fact that in IVF, fertilization occurs in vitro in a glass dish, rather than in vivo, namely in the womans body. A second feature of IVF that is challenged by natural law is the use of masturbation by the husband or donor to provide the sperm without which the external fertilization cannot go ahead (Dyson 53). A rebuttal against this is presented by Fletcher, in which he has proposed a personal instead of a biological interpretation [of the natural law theory], so that the nature to be respected becomes not the reproductive process but what is worthy of a human being-freedom, planning, control of physical nature to serve human nature! à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Mans vocation is actually to frustrate nature as do medicine and technology, if rational needs and purposes require it (Fletcher 323). Another argument that many use to defend IVF, and also abortion, is that the embryo is not actually a human being but instead just a mass of cells with the potential to become a child, therefore not worthy of respect or careful treatment as that which would be awarded to a baby. Walters, however, argues that the embryo is actually living: it metabolizes, respires, responds to changes in the environment, grows, and divides (Kass 32-60). It is actually human; it pertains to the species homo sapiens. It is inappropriate, therefore, to refer to it as potential human life. We could, however, say it is potentially a mature human being (Walters 51). Walters continues this argument using the reasoning of Paul Ramsey. The human individual comes into existence first as a minute informational speckà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (with the single exception of identical [multiple births]) no one else in the entire history of the human race has ever had or will ever have exactly the same genotype. Thus, it can be said that the individual is whoever he is going to become from the moment of impregnation. Thereafter, his subsequent development may be ascribed as a process of becoming the one he already is. However, some would counter-argue that, since twinning and recombination are possible in the early days after fertilization, irreversible individuality had not been achieved at this stage. These possibilities show the uncertainty of human individuation at conception. If the uncertainty remains as long as twinning is possible, it would seem that individuality could be certainly established only at blastocyst (an embryo four to six days after fertilization). Before this period, the embryo may be considered as only potentially a human being. This would imply that it is worthy of respect but not the same degree of respect as accorded to a mature human being (Walters 53). There are many more arguments concerning the ethicalness of in vitro fertilization, but the discussions stated above are the main points stated by the opposing sides. I do not believe one single conclusion can ever be drawn from these arguments. One can form him or her own personal opinion, but there will never be a single right or wrong answer. Based on the arguments I have read and learned about while writing this paper, I have drawn my own conclusions regarding the ethicalness of in vitro fertilization. I believe an embryo is a human being from the moment of conception and therefore its life should be treated with as much respect as a born baby should. I believe this life is precious and a creation of God. A baby is also, or should be, the representation of two people coming together in love to create a life. It should not be done outside of the body. An argument presented in Walters book that defends this position states: Those who reject human interference at the beginning of life would most certainly do so on the basis that what nature has decreed cannot take place ought not to take place. For an infertile couple, this implies that they must remain infertile: if they cannot produce a child by the normal means of conception then they must remain childlessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(89) This is not necessarily the case and is a very narrow-minded conclusion to draw, as I will explain in the next paragraph. I sympathize with the couples who wish to have a child that shares their genetics, but I believe God made the couple infertile for a specific reason. He made them infertile so they could have the opportunity to give an orphaned or abandoned child a home. There are thousands, maybe even millions, of children without families all over the world. These children deserve love and a home just as much as the couple deserves to have a child. As William Walters put it so clearly, instead of insisting on the right of a couple to have a child, as some have done, let us be mindful rather of the right of a child to have parents (Walters 78). Just because a couple cannot produce their own genetic child does not mean that they must remain childless. While many people may not agree with other conclusions I have drawn regarding the personhood of the embryo or the immorality of a couple having a child outside of intimacy, there is no disputing the fact that infertile couples have an alternative to having a child created through science. They could make something good out of a seemingly bad thing by giving a child without a family a home, love, and a life. There is an alternative to infertility without relying on scientists, test tubes, and small chances. They can create their own miracle by giving life to an already-born deserving child. Baier, K. The Sanctity of Life, Journal of Social Philosophy. Vol. 5. April 1974: 1-4. Donne, John. The First Anniversary. Dyson, Anthony O. The Ethics of IVF. Mowbrey: 1995. Fletcher, J. Anglican Theology and the Ethics of Natural Law, Christian Social Ethics in a Changing World: An Ecumenical Theological Inquiry. Association Press: New York, 1966. Flynn, Eileen P. Human Fertilization In Vitro: A Catholic Moral Perspective. University Press of America: 1984. Gosden, Roger. Designing Babies. W.H. Freeman and Co.: New York, 1999. Kass, L.R. Making Babies Revisited, The Public Interest. Vol. 54. 1979: 32-60. Infertility. Encarta 1998. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation, 1993-1997. Medical Ethics. Editorial. The Medical Journal of Australia 11 June 1977: p. 871. ODonovon, Oliver. Begotten or Made? Clarendon Press: 1984. Ramsey, Paul in Rachels, J. ed. Moral Problems. Harper Row: New York, 1975. Santamaria, B.A. Medics Play God With Babes on Ice. Perth Independent 26 May 1981. Walters, William and Peter Singer ed. Test-Tube Babies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1982. Warnock, Mary. A Question of Life. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1984.

Gertrudes Suicide :: essays research papers

Gertrude’s Suicide? In the Shakespearean tragedy "Hamlet," Prince Hamlet’s mother Gertrude encounters many misfortunes, which she feels that she is to blame for. Gertrude was brought into the middle of everybody’s dilemmas and thus felt responsible for the occurrences that happened to all of the significant characters throughout the play. She allows her emotions to build up in an unhealthy manner and this leads to her eventual death. The question that surrounds her death is whether she committed suicide or led a natural demise? This is an unknown fact because on the night of her death she drank a poisoned cup of wine which was meant for Hamlet. However there was a possibility that Gertrude knew that the wine had deadly toxins in it. Although there is no definite guarantee that she committed suicide, the evidence is overwhelming that she knew that the wine was tainted. Prior to the opening of the drama, Gertrude was having an incestuous affair with her husbands brother, Claudius. Claudius then killed his brother (King Hamlet), and shortly after married Gertrude. Prince Hamlet could not handle this and was disgusted by the entire situation. He then decided to put on an "Antic Disposition," meaning that he will pretend to be crazy in order to find out the details of what is going on. Gertrude observes that Hamlet is not his usual self, and she feels responsible because her remarriage is so soon after her old husbands death. This makes Gertrude feel absolutely terrible and could be a possible justification for suicide. The Chief Counselor of Denmark, Polonius and his family, play a big role in determining the motivation of a possible suicide. Hamlet was in the midst of avenging his fathers death, to kill Claudius. He was having a conversation with his mom when he heard someone in the room spying on them. Thinking it was Claudius, he drew his sword and stabbed though the curtain where the impostor was in concealment. It turned out to be Polonius, who was now dead, and again Gertrude couldn’t help but feel accountable. Polonius’ daughter Ophelia was affected dramatically by his death. She was romantically involved with Hamlet, and couldn’t handle the fact that her boyfriend murdered her father. This destroyed Ophelia’s character and led to her suicide. Polonius’ son Laertes, had now lost his entire family and wanted to get revenge by assassinating Hamlet. Laertes was having a meeting with Claudius and they were planning the details of how to kill Hamlet.

The Motion Picture Industry: Executive Summary

The motion picture industry is a competitive business. More than 50 studios produce a total of 300 to 400 new movies each year. The financial success of each motion picture varies considerably. The opening weekend gross sales (in millions), the total gross sales (in millions), the number of theaters in which the movie was shown, and the number of weeks the motion picture was in the top 60 for gross sales are common variables use to measure the success of a movie. Data Collected for a sample of 100 movies produced in 2005 are contained in the file named Movies. xlsx. This file is attached to the assignment link on Blackboard. Using this data prepare an executive summary detailing how each of the variables help explain the total gross sales. In other words, your total gross sales is a function of opening gross sales, number of theaters, and number of weeks in the top 60. The executive summary will contain the following parts. 1. What are your initial assumptions or hypotheses? Which of the variables have the highest correlation with total gross sales? IE, which variables to you think make the most difference toward total gross sales? By studying the information, I believe the variable with the highest correlation with total gross is the opening gross sales. The movie with the highest opening gross also ends up with the highest total gross sale. 2. Develop the descriptive statistics for each of the four columns. 3. Develop tabular and graphical summaries for each of the four variables along with a description of what each summary tells us about the motion picture industry, if anything. 4. Develop a scatter diagram to explore the relationship between total gross sales (y) and opening weekend sales (x). Display the regression and slope equations with a trend line. . Develop a scatter diagram to explore the relationship between total gross sales (y) and Number of theaters(x). Display the regression and slope equations with a trend line. 6. Develop a scatter diagram to explore the relationship between total gross sales (y) Number of weeks in the top 60 (x). Display the regression and slope equations with a trend line. 7. Which of these three variables have the most effect on total gross sales? Does this make sense to you? Why or Why not? * T he variable that effects the total gross sales the most is the opening sales with R? = 0. 9298. It does make sense to me because usually If the movie does not start with a high opening gross, meaning people don’t go to premier, it will start falling behind as other movies are following to come out. 8. Does this final analysis square with your initial assumptions or hypothesis? Why or why not? -Yes it does, in my hypothesis I came to the conclusion that opening gross was the main variable and had the most effect as it was shown in the data given, and It made sense to me since I watch a lot of movies, usually if it doesn’t start with a high gross, it will not have a great total gross sales if comparing to other movies. . If you were the marketing executive in charge of spending $100 million to promote the new Iron Man 3 movie coming out this summer, where would you concentrate your money and efforts? Why there? -I would concentrate the money in trailers and commercials as this is how it will show consumers how the movie will be, a sneak peak which everyone loves, an d for the ones that don’t have an idea of what the movie is about, it will show them and will most likely encourage them to watch the movie, pretty much it pumps up people and excite them to watch the movie.

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 5~6

Chapter 5 A day later, the train screeched to a stop. â€Å"Baton Rouge!† a conductor called in the distance. We were getting closer to New Orleans, but the time was creeping by far too slowly for my liking. I flattened my back against the wall of the car, noticing passengers hastily packing up their belonging as they prepared to vacate their quarters, when my eye fell upon a green ticket, emblazoned with a large boot print. I knelt down and picked it up.Mr. Remy Picard, Richmond to New Orleans. I tucked it into my pocket and jauntily walked back through the train, until I felt someone gazing at me curiously. I turned around. Two sisters were smiling at me through the window of a private compartment, their expressions bemused. One was working on a piece of needlepoint, the other writing in a leather-bound diary. They were being watched with hawk-like intensity by a short, plump woman in her sixties, clad in all black, most likely their aunt or guardian. I opened the door. â€Å"Sir?† the woman said, turning toward me. I locked my gaze onto her watery blue eyes. â€Å"I believe you left something in the dining car,† I said. â€Å"Something you need.† I continued, copying Damons low, steady voice. Her eyes shifted, but I sensed that this was different from the way the conductor had responded to my words. When Id tried to compel the conductor, it was as if my thoughts had collided with steel; here, it was as though my thoughts were breaking through fog. She cocked her head, clearly listening. â€Å"I left something † She trailed off, sounding confused. But I could sense something in my brain, a sort of melding of our minds, and I knew she wouldnt fight me. Immediately, the woman shifted her bulk and stood up from her seat. â€Å"Why, ah, I believe I did,† she said, turning on her heel and walking back down the hall without a backward glance. The metallic door of the car closed with a click, and I pulled the heavy navy curtains over the little window to the aisle. â€Å"Nice to make your acquaintance,† I said as I bowed to the two girls. â€Å"My name is Remy Picard,† I said, surreptitiously gazing down at the ticket poking out of my breast pocket. â€Å"Remy,† the taller girl repeated quietly, as if committing my name to memory. I felt my fangs throb against my gums. I was so hungry, and she was so exquisite I mashed my lips together and forced myself to stand still.Not yet. â€Å"Finally! Aunt Minnies never left us alone!† the older girl said. She looked to be about sixteen. â€Å"She thinks we arent to be trusted.† â€Å"Arent you now?† I teased, easing into the flirtation as the compliments and responses volleyed back and forth. As a human, I would have hoped such an exchange would end with a squeeze of the hand or a brush of lips against a cheek. Now, all I could think of was the blood coursing through the girls veins. I sat down next to the older girl, the younger ones eyes searching me curiously. She smelled like gardenias and bread just out of the oven. Her sister–they must have been sisters, with the same tawny brown hair and darting blue eyes–smelled richer, like nutmeg and freshly fallen leaves. â€Å"Im Lavinia, and this is Sarah Jane. Were going to move to New Orleans,† the one girl said, putting her needlepoint down on her lap. â€Å"Do you know it? Im worried Ill miss Richmond horribly,† she said plaintively. â€Å"Our papa died,† Sarah Jane added, her lower lip trembling. I nodded, running my tongue along my teeth, feeling my fangs. Lavinias heart was beating far faster than her sisters. â€Å"Aunt Minnie wants to marry me off. Will you tell me whats it like, Remy?† Lavinia pointed to the ring on my fourth finger. Little did she know that the ring had nothing to do with marriage and everything to do with being able to hunt girls like her in broad daylight. â€Å"Being married is lovely, if you meet the right man. Do you think youll meet the right man?† I asked, staring into her eyes. â€Å"I I dont know. I suppose if hes anything like you, then I should count myself lucky.† Her breath was hot on my cheek, and I knew that I couldnt control myself for much longer. â€Å"Sarah Jane, I bet your auntie needs some help,† I said, glancing into Sarah Janes blue eyes. She paused for a moment, then excused herself and went to find her aunt. I had no idea if I was compelling her or if she was simply following my orders, because she was a child and I was an adult. â€Å"Oh, youre wicked, arent you?† Lavinia asked, her eyes flashing as she smiled at me. â€Å"Yes,† I said brusquely. â€Å"Yes, I am wicked, my dear.† I bared my teeth, watching with great satisfaction as her eyes widened with horror. The best part of feeding was the anticipation, seeing my victim trembling, helpless,mine. I slowly leaned in, savoring the moment. My lips grazed her soft skin. â€Å"No!† she gasped. â€Å"Shhh,† I whispered, pulling her closer and allowing my teeth to touch her skin, subtly at first, then more insistently, until I sank my teeth into her neck. Her moans became screams, and I held my hand over her mouth to silence her as I sucked the sweet liquid into my mouth. She groaned slightly, but soon her sighs turned into kittenish mews. â€Å"New Orleans, next stop!† the conductor yelled, breaking my reverie. I glanced out the window. The sun was sinking low into the sky, and Lavinias nearly dead body felt heavy in my arms. Outside the window, New Orleans rose up as if in a dream, and I could see the ocean continuing on and on forever. It was like my life was destined to be: never-ending years, never-ending feedings, never-ending pretty girls with sweet sighs and sweeter blood. â€Å"Forever panting, and forever young,† I whispered, pleased at how well the lines from the poet Keats suited my new life. â€Å"Sir!† The conductor knocked on the door. I strode out of the compartment, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. He was the same conductor whod stopped Damon and me just outside Mystic Falls, and I saw suspicion flash across his face. â€Å"Were in New Orleans, then?† I asked, the taste of Lavinias blood in the back of my throat. The ginger-haired conductor nodded. â€Å"And the ladies? Theyre aware?† â€Å"Oh yes, theyre aware,† I said, not breaking my gaze as I slipped my ticket out of my pocket. â€Å"But they asked not to be disturbed. And I ask not to be disturbed, too. Youve never seen me. Youve never been by this compartment. Later, if anyone asks, you say there may have been some thieves who got on the train outside Richmond. They looked suspicious. Union soldiers,† I invented. â€Å"Union soldiers?† the conductor repeated, clearly confused. I sighed. Until I had compelling under control, Id have to resort to a more permanent style of memory erasing. In a flash I grabbed the conductor by the neck and snapped it as easily as if it were a sweet pea. Then I threw him into the compartment with Lavinia and shut the door behind me. â€Å"Yes, Union soldiers always do make a bloody mess of things, dont they?† I asked rhetorically. Then, whistling the whole way, I went to collect Damon from the gentlemens club car. Chapter 6 Damon was slumped right where Id left him, an untouched whiskey glass sweating on the oak table in front of him. â€Å"Come on,† I said roughly, yanking Damon up by the arm. The train was slowing, and all around us passengers were gathering their belongings and lining up behind a conductor who stood in front of the black iron doors to the outside world. But since we were unencumbered by possessions and blessed with strength, I knew our best bet was to exit the train the same way wed entered: by jumping off the back of the caboose. I wanted us both to be long gone before anyone noticed anything was amiss. â€Å"You look well,brother.† His tone was light, but the chalkiness of his skin and the purpling beneath his eyes gave away just how truly tired and hungry he was. For an instant, I wished Id left some of Lavinia for him, but quickly brushed aside the thought. I had to take a firm hand. That was how Father used to train the horses. Denying them food until they finally stopped yanking on the reins and submitted to being ridden. It was the same with Damon. He needed to be broken. â€Å"One of us has to maintain our strength,† I told Damon, my back to him as I led the way to the last car of the train. The train was still creeping along, the wheels scraping against the iron lengths of track. We didnt have much time. We scrambled back through the sooty coal to the door, which I pulled open easily. â€Å"On three! One Two † I grabbed his wrist and jumped. Both of our knees hit the hard dirt below with a thud. â€Å"Always have to show off, dont you, brother?† Damon said, wincing. I noticed his trousers had been torn at the knees from the fall, and his hands were pockmarked with gravel. I was untouched, except for a scrape on my elbow. â€Å"You should have fed.† I shrugged. The whistle of the train shrieked, and I took in the sights. We were on the edge of New Orleans, a bustling city filled with smoke and an aroma like a combination of butter and firewood and murky water. It was far bigger than Richmond, which had been the largest city Id ever known. But there was something else, a sense of danger that filled the air. I grinned. Here was a city we could disappear in. I began walking toward town at the superhuman speed I still hadnt gotten used to, Damon trailing behind me, his footfalls loud and clumsy, but steady. We made our way down Garden Street, clearly a main artery of the city. Surrounding us were rows of homes, as neat and colorful as dollhouses. The air was soupy and humid, and voices speaking French, English, and languages Id never heard created a patchwork of sound. Left and right, I could see alleyways leading down to the water, and rows of vendors were set up on the sidewalks, selling everything from freshly caught turtles to precious stones imported from Africa. Even the presence of blue-coated Union soldiers on every street corner, their muskets at their hips, seemed somehow festive. It was a carnival in every sense of the word, the type of scene Damon would have loved when we were human. I turned to look over my shoulder. Sure enough, Damons lips were curved in a slight smile, his eyes glowing in a way I hadnt seen in what felt like ages. We were in this adventure together, and now, away from memories of Katherine and Fathers remains and Veritas, maybe Damon could finally accept and embrace who he was. â€Å"Remember when we said wed travel the world?† I asked, turning toward him. â€Å"This is our world now.† Damon nodded slightly. â€Å"Katherine told me about New Orleans. She once lived here.† â€Å"And if she were here, shed want you to make this town your own–to live here, be here, to take your fill and make your place in the world.† â€Å"Always the poet.† Damon smirked, but he continued to follow me. â€Å"Perhaps, but its true. All of this is ours,† I said encouragingly, spreading my hands wide. Damon took a moment to consider my words and simply said, â€Å"All right, then.† â€Å"All right?† I repeated, hardly hoping to believe it. It was the first time hed glanced into my eyes since our fight at the quarry. â€Å"Yes. Im following you.† He turned in a citcle, pointing to the various buildings. â€Å"So, where do we stay? What do we do? Show me this brave new world.† Damons lips twisted into a smile, and I couldnt tell whether he was mocking me or was speaking in earnest. I chose to believe the latter. I sniffed the air and immediately caught a whiff of lemon and ginger.Katherine.Damons shoulders stiffened; he must have smelled it, too. Wordlessly, both of us spun on our heels and walked down an unmarked alleyway, following a woman wearing a satin lilac dress, a large sunbonnet on top of her dark curls. â€Å"Maam!† I called. She turned around. Her white cheeks were heavily rouged and her eyes ringed with kohl. She looked to be in her thirties, and already worry lines creased her fair forehead. Her hair fell in tendrils around her face, and her dress was cut low, revealing far too much of her freckled bosom than was strictly decorous. I knew instantly she was a scarlet woman, one wed whisper about as boys and point to when we were in the tavern in Mystic Falls. â€Å"You boys lookin for a good time?† she said languidly, her gaze flicking from me to Damon, then back again. She wasnt Katherine, not even close, but I could see a flicker in Damons eyes. â€Å"I don't think finding a place to stay will be a problem,† I whispered under my breath. â€Å"Don't kill her,† Damon whispered back, his jaw barely moving. â€Å"Come with me. I have some gals whod love to meet you. You seem like the type of boys who need adventure. That right?† She winked. A storm was brewing, and I could vaguely hear thunderclaps in the far distance. â€Å"Were always looking for an adventure with a pretty lady,† I said. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Damon tighten his jaw, and I knew he was fighting the urge to feed.Don't fight it, I thought, fervently hoping Damon would drink as we followed her along the cobblestone streets. â€Å"Were right here,† she said, using a large key to unlock the wrought-iron door of a periwinkle blue mansion at the end of a cul-de-sac. The house was well kept, but the buildings on either side seemed abandoned, with chipping paint and gardens overflowing with weeds. I could hear the jaunty sound of a piano playing within. â€Å"Its my boardinghouse, Miss Mollys. Except, of course, at this boardinghouse we show you sometruehospitality, if thats what youre in the mood for,† she said, batting her long eyelashes. â€Å"Coming?† â€Å"Yes, maam.† I pushed Damon through the doorway, then locked the door behind us.

Julius Cesar essays

Julius Cesar essays Julius Caesar is one of the most famous people in world history. He was a very interesting man. It was Caesar who changed the way that the Roman government worked. He was also a great warrior and claimed a great deal of land for the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar was born on July 12th or 13th in 100 B.C. His father died when he was 16 years old. Soon after this he was married. In 84 B.C. he married Cornelia, the daughter of Lucius Cornelius Cinna. In 82 B.C., after some troubled debates about his marriage to Cornelia, Caesar left Rome to spend time in the military service in Asia and Cicilia. He returned in 78 B.C. He soon left again and travelled to Rhodes to study. During his journey he was captured by pirates. While he was being held hostage he convinced these pirates to raise his ransom higher, which increased his importance to the Roman people. When he was returned to Rome in 73 B.C. he put together a small naval force and went out to find the pirates who captured him. When he found them he crucified them and left them to die in the hot Mediterranean sun. In 68 or 69 B.C., Caesar was elected quaestor. Soon after his wife died he married Pompeia, a relative of Pompey. From 65 B.C. to 62 B.C. he was elected to several different offices. Caesar was making a very big name for himself in politics and after a scandal he divorced Pompeia. In 61 B.C. Caesar was made governor of Spain. When he returned to Rome the next year he formed the first triumvirate with Crassus and Pompey. Pompey and Caesar became very close when Pompey married Caesars only child, Julia. In 59 B.C. he married Calpurnia. The following year he was appointed governor of Roman Gaul. During the next eight years Caesar successfully conquered Gaelic Gaul to the north. Following the death of Crassus, in 53 B.C., Roman politics changed ...

Immigrants and Us Economy Essays

Immigrants and Us Economy Essays Immigrants and Us Economy Essay Immigrants and Us Economy Essay The Economic Impact of Illegal Immigrants and the US Economy According to most American people the view of illegal immigration is often a negative one. Philip Martin, an associate professor at University of California – Davis, wrote in his essay, over 90 percent of American population wanted to stop illegal immigration and another 80 percent wanted to reduce the numbers of illegal immigrants in the United States. (Martin, 1982) Illegal immigrants who â€Å"free ride† using the government programs such as unemployment, welfare, education, drain resources for those US citizens. An April 2006 FoxNews poll indicated that 87 percent of those polled expressed concern that illegal immigrants would overburden government programs and services. Sixty-five percent believe that illegal immigrants would cost the country more because they don’t pay taxes yet use public services such as schools and emergency care. The top three proposals in dealing with illegal immigration are: Eighty percent favored building up border patrols, 73 percent favored imposing fines to those employers who hire illegal immigrants, and 59 percent favored allowing temporary status for illegal immigrants. Fox News, 2006) Free ride is defined as receiving the benefit of a good without paying for it. How will illegal immigrants pay for public goods and services if they do not pay taxes? The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), is an organization whose common belief is to reform immigration policies to secure our nation’s interest. They raise issues regarding the impact illegal immigration on the US economy. FAIR estimated the number of illegal immigrants in the United States, to be approximately 13 million people as of 2007. Other numbers range from 10-12 million between the years of 2004-2006. In 2000, the Census Bureau estimated 8. 7 million and that and that the population will grow by at least 500,000 per year. (FAIR, 2008) FAIR says it costs the United States, in 2000, over 36 billion dollars for just three programs (education, medical and incarceration) to accommodate illegal immigrants in the US, with costs projected to be higher in 2010 and 2020 going up to 71 billion dollars and 106 billion dollars, respectively. With this many illegal immigrants one would wonder if America’s resource will be exhausted. Resource such as land, water and natural gas are limited resources and can be used one and then it is gone and no longer available for anyone else to use. Is it right that an illegal immigrant be given access to such resources without paying for them while the American taxpayer bears the expense? This paper will demonstrate how the US economy is impacted. The economic cost of illegal immigrants it taking a toll on the American people at their expense. A population explosion has Americans worried that illegal immigrants will use up public goods and services and will eventually exhaust its resources which were meant for American citizens. The numbers for American unemployment between the years of 2000 and 2007 are 136,559,000 to 146,032,000, respectively. The difference of 9,473,000 people in a 7-year timeframe is a surge in unemployment. Today, unemployment is at an all time high without the added issue of illegal immigrants â€Å"taking jobs away† by doing the jobs that no one else would want. Unemployment as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Persons are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks, and are currently available for work. Persons who were not working and were waiting to be recalled to a job from which they had been temporarily laid off are also included as unemployed. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010) The reason why illegal workers are often employed is because it makes it easier for the employer and employee to escape paying taxes. In Ernesto Zedillo’s book, â€Å"The Future of Globalisation: Exploration in Light of Recent Turbulences†, he argues that without paying taxes, illegal immigrants can become a drain on social services and a public charge upon those states receiving the bulk of the inflow (Zedillo, 2007). With the free ride of not having to pay taxes, illegal immigrants are more prone to abuse and exploitation without the aid of the government programs. Zedillo concludes that while working in these harsh conditions, many illegal immigrants find it hard to economically and culturally live in the U. S. due to having the risk of become an underclass and face a social conflict with U. S. citizens (Zedillo, 2007). By having social conflicts with others, illegal immigrants will hurt government services by not actively articipates in contributing taxes however they will benefit the overall economy in which immigration is essential to the dynamism of the American economy and for sustaining its pace in job creation (Zedillo, 2007) (Gupta, 2010). On the other hand, Gupta argues that the impact is favorable for illegal immigrants because it keeps inflation low. [ (Gupta, 2010) ] He goes on to say those immigrants bring with them a hard work ethic, while most natives believe that they have a hidd en agenda to come to America to take advantage of it opportunities in hopes of making a better life and decide to stay in America. Another benefit for immigrants to join the work force is it keeps wages low resulting in decreased production costs and prices so consumers can spend more money. On the other hand, because most immigrants are less educated and earn less than natives, wages are decreased making the job market very competitive. Taking up residence in America would be imposing on the natives because again their resources and access to public goods will be limited by the growing numbers of illegal immigrants that are crossing America’s borders. Many could conclude that immigrants who come to America would exhaust the services that are currently being used by low-skilled workers who are just trying to survive through programs such as welfare and education. Before the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, also known as the Welfare Reform Act, was signed by President Clinton, the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) existed. US Dept of Health and Human Services, Unk) AFDC was established by the Social Security Act of 1935 (HHS ASPE, 2009) It was a grant program in which states could provide payments for children in need to did not have a parent in the household, whether they were disabled, had died or unemployed. Each of the contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands initiated and implemented an AFDC program PRWORA categorized immigrants and outlined who was entitle to certain public goods and services. Legal and illegal immigrants were barred from certain government programs including welfare. However, the Act was revised to allow services for various categories of immigrants to access emergency services and education. (MPI, 1996). The revision was known as Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, also signed by President Clinton. Title V of this Act ensured immigrants received access to public benefits and imposed requirement to obtain sponsorship for immigrants’ relatives. (VisaPortal, 2006). The purposes for such pieces of legislation were to ensure that immigrants and natives were given access to ensure they had facilities and programs for which they could survive. FAIR states the healthcare costs in California alone . 4 billion dollars in unreimbursed costs (Gluek amp; Cihak, 2005) . In the states of Texas and Arizona, respectively, the cost are as high as . 85 and . 4 billion a year. The costs continue to rise not only in the welfare and healthcare arena but there are also costs associated with the education of illegal immigrants and their children. Educating children of illegal immigrants could also cost the American taxpayers more money than if programs are not created to educate them. Three areas where it could cost the American taxpayer are: the legal system, the workforce, and for wages and taxes. (Miller, 1997) In the legal system, if education is not enforced then it is assumed that they will become delinquents and turn to crime and become involved in gang activity, resulting in attorney fees and possibly incarceration which again would hit the taxpayer’s wallet. Secondly, without an education, they would become illiterate and unable to obtain employment. An educated employee would receive a paycheck and pay taxes like the rest of the legal immigrants and American taxpayers. The more education received the more likelihood of being able to sustain themselves and their family. In due time, as members of society, they would â€Å"payback† the funds that were used for them and replace the needed funds through their taxes they paid for those in need. The cycle perpetuates itself because it is likely that children will pursue a better education. In the state of California alone, it has 12 percent of the nations public school students in grades K-12, but it is home to 46 percent of the nations 2. 8 million Limited-English Proficient (LEP) students. Programs have been created to accommodate those who do not speak English at home. The numbers of students are increasing. In 1990 it was 18 percent and rose to 25 percent in 1996. (Miller, 1997). In addition to creating programs, there is a growing need for bilingual teachers also. The shortage creates an education that could be deficient in learning skills hat are necessary to succeed through school. The Federation for American Immigration Reform as mentioned earlier, is an organization whose common belief is to reform immigration policies to secure our nation’s interest. They raise issues regarding the impact illegal immigration on the US economy. FAIR was organized in 1979 and has three main objectives: (1) improve border security, (2) stop illegal immigration, and (3) pr omote immigration levels consistent with national levels. FAIR writes publications and conduct research to assist government officials to write immigration legislation. Immigration is an important topic because it permeates every facet of the American way of life. From healthcare, education, welfare, our legal system, our environment, to budget and other areas all of which immigration legal and illegal; affect the American economy. Many people believe that immigration reform to legalize 11 million immigrants will inundate public services resulting in making it difficult for American to find employment. The issue of immigration is a very sensitive topic for most. While many support giving amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, there are almost the same amount who do not support immigration reform. Immigration reform has its pros and cons. Many say that immigration reform will help America’s economy. Some say immigrants help out the economy by purchasing goods resulting in money coming back into the economy. Some say they drain the economy because they are competing with American natives who are low skilled workers by taking their jobs, who are just as unskilled as the natives are. If they do not further their education and strive to sharpen their skills, they will remain at that skill level. Unskilled labor usually mean s a higher poverty rate with increased unemployment rates. The laws of economic supply and demand would make the situation worse by lowering wages. On the other hand supporting immigration reform would mean more flexibility for businesses who use cheap labor. Increased productivity means increasing the supply for the demand to buy such products by consumer. Another reason supporters agree with reform is it give immigrant families an opportunity to work and support a family â€Å"back home†.. Immigrant families who come to America see coming to America as a land of opportunity just like ur forefathers did from Euroope. In summary, this paper addressed concerns about illegal immigrants getting a free ride by using public services such as welfare, education and unemployment. The American taxpayers have concerns and believe the United States and the federal government should move to limit the number of illegal immigrants to have access to public goods and services. The new welfare reform, PRWORA is the latest example. This legislation bar s illegal immigrants from virtually all public benefits. It also bars or permits states to bar legal immigrants from major federal programs including cash welfare, food stamps, Medicaid, and Supplemental Security Income, although these provisions are currently under challenge. (Smith amp; Edmonston, 1998) 1llegal immigrants who free ride should pay the taxes like others do and not partake of public services in place now and not take advantage of their neighbors who have managed to getting a service when they need it.