Immortality of Soul

Free Essays on Moores Ford Lynchings

The Long Route Home: On July 25, 1946, two young black couples- Roger and Dorothy Malcom, George and Mae Murray Dorsey-were killed by a lynch mob at the Moore’s Ford Bridge over the Appalachee River connecting Walton and Oconee Counties (Brooks, 1). The four victims were tied up and shot hundreds of times in broad daylight by a mob of unmasked men; murder weapons included rifles, shotguns, pistols, and a machine gun. â€Å"Shooting a black person was like shooting a deer,† George Dorsey’s nephew, George Washington Dorsey said (Suggs C1). It has been over fifty years and this case is still unsolved by police investigators. It is known that there were atleast a dozen men involved in these killings. Included in the four that were known by name was Loy Harrison. Loy Harrison may not have been an obvious suspect to the investigators, but Harrison was the sole perpetrator in the unsolved Moore’s Ford Lynching case. The motive appeared to be hatred and the crime hurt the image of the state leaving the town in an outrage due to the injustice that left the victims in unmarked graves (Jordon,31). Many African Americans lived on farms and tended for white landowners. Bob Hester was a landowner, on this farm the Moore’s Ford Lynching began. On July 14, Roger Malcom followed Dorothy Malcom to Hester’s farm, Roger was arguing with her. According to the original FBI report, Hunter 2 Hester’s son, Barney, told Malcom to leave. As he was leaving a fight broke out between Malcom and Hester. Malcom then pulled out a knife and stabbed Hester in the chest. The reason for the argument is uncertain although at that time Barney Hester may have been having an affair with Dorothy Malcom. One of the neighbors said that the black community felt it had more to do with sex than anything else did (Suggs,C1). After the fight broke out, Barney Hester was taken to the hospital and Roger Malcom was taken to jail. On the morning before the lynching s, Harrison d... Free Essays on Moore's Ford Lynchings Free Essays on Moore's Ford Lynchings The Long Route Home: On July 25, 1946, two young black couples- Roger and Dorothy Malcom, George and Mae Murray Dorsey-were killed by a lynch mob at the Moore’s Ford Bridge over the Appalachee River connecting Walton and Oconee Counties (Brooks, 1). The four victims were tied up and shot hundreds of times in broad daylight by a mob of unmasked men; murder weapons included rifles, shotguns, pistols, and a machine gun. â€Å"Shooting a black person was like shooting a deer,† George Dorsey’s nephew, George Washington Dorsey said (Suggs C1). It has been over fifty years and this case is still unsolved by police investigators. It is known that there were atleast a dozen men involved in these killings. Included in the four that were known by name was Loy Harrison. Loy Harrison may not have been an obvious suspect to the investigators, but Harrison was the sole perpetrator in the unsolved Moore’s Ford Lynching case. The motive appeared to be hatred and the crime hurt the image of the state leaving the town in an outrage due to the injustice that left the victims in unmarked graves (Jordon,31). Many African Americans lived on farms and tended for white landowners. Bob Hester was a landowner, on this farm the Moore’s Ford Lynching began. On July 14, Roger Malcom followed Dorothy Malcom to Hester’s farm, Roger was arguing with her. According to the original FBI report, Hunter 2 Hester’s son, Barney, told Malcom to leave. As he was leaving a fight broke out between Malcom and Hester. Malcom then pulled out a knife and stabbed Hester in the chest. The reason for the argument is uncertain although at that time Barney Hester may have been having an affair with Dorothy Malcom. One of the neighbors said that the black community felt it had more to do with sex than anything else did (Suggs,C1). After the fight broke out, Barney Hester was taken to the hospital and Roger Malcom was taken to jail. On the morning before the lynching s, Harrison d...

Jewish culture and cartoons Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jewish culture and cartoons - Research Paper Example Ideally, the information gathered herein is very essential as it helps in reaching to the disabled and prejudiced in Israel and empowers them to be acceptable in the society (Kaplan 125-146). The story dates back to 1933. It was in the course of 1933, that the Global world was experiencing vibrant and seismic changes in the political and modern culture field. Their lived a Jewish Novelty Salesman identified as Maxwell Charles "M.C." Gaines, who had a lot of passion in reading old comic strips, he had read various books since he was jobless. He initiated a very brilliant idea, as much as he loved reading comic books, there was a probability that even other Americans could develop such an attitude. Such an idea, from Maxwell enhanced the birth of an American Comic book. The book was reprinted in newspaper comical. Famous Funnies #1, Series 1, was thus published in February 1934, by Gaines and Harry at Eastern color printing. Publishing of this book enhanced a rise in rival comic book publishers. However, this did not last long and by the mid 1930s publishers has already drained the backlog of both daily and Sunday strips that were to be reprinted. The only opportunity that had been left for the emerging comic book features was to faucet writers and writers, who had no access to any literature, either due to their young age, untested or the Jewish. The advertising bureaus had anti-Semitic quotas, and newspaper consortiums only rarely got a token Jewish cartoonist like Milt Gross or Rube Goldberg. However, most of the Comic book companies were manned by the Jewish publishers, like, Timely Comic’s Martin Goodman or DC Comic’s (Harry, Baskind, Sherman 145-155). The situation could be reflected to the olden times motion picture industry, through which the Jewish Directors, producers and the studio executives who experienced anti-Semitism in other industries, resolved into setting up their own. Since the comic book stories, had taken

Technology solution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Technology solution - Assignment Example Basically, the kind of human resource needed is skilled labor, who should be experts in information technology. There shall be two major groups of human resource needed for this project. The first shall be the implementers of the system where as the second shall be the operators of the system. The implementers shall be tasked with the responsibility of getting both hardware and software components of the program fixed. After the fixing of the program, the operators shall take over and use the system to manage the sales and product department. This means that whereas the implementers shall be external experts, the operators shall be internal or existing staff of the company. Hardware The system to be developed needs a very large hardware base. This is because the centralization of information technology for all sales and products sales of the company means that there shall be a large database to be handled, which needs sophisticated and well advanced hardware. The hardware shall basic ally be made up of components of a mainframe computer to be used at the central IT station. There shall also be hardware made up of components of personal computers to be used in various sales and product stores to transmit information across to the central IT station. ... There shall basically be software for the developing an integrated spreadsheet that will collate all sections of sales and product manufacturing that takes place in the company. There shall also be software that will generally make the transmission of online information from store-to-store basis and store-to-IT centre basis. Data There shall be two major forms of data to be used in the new information technology system. These are data on sales and date on product manufacturing and availability. It is expected that these two data shall play complementary roles where by data on products manufactured and products available will aid in knowing and determining expected sales. This way, it will be easier for accountants to balance their sheet on the flow of cash into and outside of the company. Network It is common knowledge the centralized information technology system for the sales and products department of the company cannot function in the absence of a well harnessed network base. Thi s is because wit the centralization, all IT systems in the company shall be reporting directly to the IT center and this can only be done if there is a network system. The preferred network system will be a wide area network (WAN) since the company has several branches outside its parent home. Activities: The newt system shall function based on the following internal activities: input There shall be two major controllers of input, who shall be operators from the sales IT centre and operators at the various sales stores. Data input from the sales stores shall basically be on the amount of sales that are done. Input data from the sales IT centre shall be feedback on the data received from the sales stores by the accountant and auditor of the company. Processing Data

Stock Price Increases in 1990s Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Stock Price Increases in 1990s - Case Study Example However the sharp price increases in the stocks might have been the result of factors like irrational over-enthusiasm on the part of the investors, lower interest rates and higher level of savings by the middle-class and the consequent increase in their investment in stocks. Apart from these reasons, the relationship between the earnings increase and the stock price increase was negligible. Hence the expectations of the large investors in their setting higher target levels on the return on capital employed from those firms in which they held the investments on the assumption that the share price increases would automatically increase the earnings would hold no ground. While the factors responsible for the share price increase are totally different from the performance of these companies it would be illogical to expect the managements of the large companies to service their shareholders with larger returns on the capital employed based on the share price performances. With this backgr ound this paper examines the rationale behind the statement that during the 1990s, nearly all FTSE 100 and S&P 500 companies failed to reach pre and post-tax return on capital employed targets set by large investors and the managements of the giant firms during 1990s should be considered responsible for the mediocre return of capital employed as well as the moderate growth of sales of their firm in spite of the higher stock prices. 2.0 Reasons for Stock Price Increases: As outlined earlier the stock price increases during the 1990s were caused by factors like "Irrational Exuberance' on the part of the investors, declining interest rates and higher level of stock market investments out of savings by the middle classes. The signs of greater economic stability prevalent during the period convinced both the business managers and the investors to take extra risks which later resulted in both positive and negative consequences. Let us analyse the reasons for the increase in the share prices. 1. Irrational Exuberance on the part of the investors: Coined and used by the Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan as a word of caution against the repercussions of the stock market boom, denotes a warning that the market might have been overvalued and a natural consequence, slumps in the prices of the stock was inevitable. "The term "irrational exuberance" is often used to describe a heightened state of speculative fervor." (Robert J Shiller 2000) Irrational exuberance is defined by Shiller (2000) as the psychological basis of a speculative bubble. The speculative bubble on the other hand is the situation where the potential investors are lured by stories justifying the share price increases, who irrespective of their doubts about the real value of the assets continue to invest in the stocks. This luring is also partly due to the excitement created by such investments which resemble gambling and partly owing to the envy of the investors on the others' successes. This might be the main reason for the stock market boom that the world witnessed during the 1990s. 2. Declining Interest Rates: One of the other reasons, though not major, that was attributed to the share

Messages In The Songs Of Female Rappers Cultural Studies Essay

Messages In The Songs Of Female Rappers Cultural Studies Essay Rap is considered to be a type of music which serves as a means of expression for those who feel alienated and outraged in American society for certain reasons. According to many scholars hip hop in America originated from disadvantaged neighborhoods and served as a voice for people of who lacked post secondary education and had difficulties in finding a job in the new post-industrial service sector economy.  [1]  In the early beginning rap artists rapped about poverty, racism and injustice. As the genre was developing, rappers would look for inspiration in other aspects of their every life. Male/female relationships would appear as a common motif in their songs. As discussed in the first chapter misogynistic messages could be found in a great share of male rap hits. Although rap has been associated mainly as domain of men, female contribution to this genre is also significant. Hence it is worth to examine how their legacy contributed to the black female image in the United State s. It is also important to note how the messages in their songs differed from those of male rap artists. In this chapter I am going to focus on the motifs of black female identity which permeated the lyrics of female rap hits starting from the late eighties through the beginning of the twenty first century. I will support my analysis by referring to the works of literary black hip hop culture critics such as Tricia Rose, bell hooks, Gwendolyn D. Pough or Cheryl L. Keyes. The findings presented in this study will be based on the existing researches on the subject as well as my lyric interpretation of Billboards Hot Rap Year End Charts. One of the recognized social theorists, Patricia Hill Collins, set the theory that much of the contemporary social phenomena is understood and analyzed from the European, white male standpoint  [2]  Moreover, by this approach black women in particular have been perceived as non-human, commodified and objectified.  [3]  Needless to say it is important to counterbalance this approach by interpreting black womens lives from their perspective. I find artistic works of female rappers, as well as their interviews to a be a great source for such a counter analysis. Female rap artists would oftentimes identify themselves as belonging to a certain crew or would use the words as fly, attitude, queen, diva while describing or referring to one another. Based on those self imposed labels Cheryl L. Keyes in her study distinguished four prevailing types of female rappers: Queen Mother, Fly Girl, Sista with Attitude and Lesbian. These categories reflect certain images, voices and ages of Afr ican American women.  [4]  Interestingly enough rappers assigned to these groups marked their presence on the hip hop scene in this particular order but, as Keyes noted, they can swing between these teams or belong to a few concurrently. According to Keyes, the first group Queen Mothers consist mainly of early female rap pioneers in the 80s such as: Queen Latifah, Roxanne Shante or MC Lyte. They express strong connection to their African heritage by calling themselves Nubian queens, and wearing ethnic clothes and jewelry. The symbol of queen mother may be supposedly rooted in African court tradition. Mothers of kings in many African kingdoms used to be cult objects and granted special privileges.  [5]  Queen Mothers in hip hop culture also consider themselves as strong, intelligent black women responsible of spreading the word among the community. They discuss issues similar to their male counterparts marginalization, subjugation, and hardship of an urban life.  [6]  A theme for their concern would be also heterosexual advances of men toward women, as well as domestic violence, and male sexism. These female rappers tended to present black women as self assured and independent in their songs.  [7]   Similarly to male rappers they would aim to challenge racist white supremacy by their music. Whilst black males in order to empower themselves oftentimes resort to sexist notions addressed towards their female counterparts, Queen Mothers do not apply the same strategy of subordination. As the excerpts from the songs presented in the first chapter show, many male hip hop artists depict women merely as sexual objects and generally cast derogatory light on them. Some black culture critics, as bell hooks, claim that male gangsta rappers engage in this behavior because women supposedly emasculate black men, negating their manhood and reducing the respect received from others.  [8]  The critic also states that most black males lack of strong male (father) models to look up to. They are being convinced throughout their childhood that they are not destined to grow up as successful, strong, virtuous males. Instead they receive education how to become emotionless thugs. The author blames t he mass media for perpetuating the image of a strong, angry black woman as opposed to black castrated male who is not able to provide for his family.  [9]  Other reason for that may be the fear of female sexuality, thus women must be controlled. Queen Mothers demand respect not only for black community in general but for black women in particular. This causes a huge inner identity conflict among black women, whether to be loyal to your ethnicity and race or gender. Extending the theory of black feminism to rap, black female rappers provide back lashing voices against male sexism and misogyny.  [10]  However being a black feminist should not mean rejection of the African heritage. The African legacy may be utilized as an additional source of strength and power in this struggle. Tricia Rose in the her book, Black Noise, argues that in the late 1980s and early 1990s pioneer female rappers although refraining from calling themselves feminist, expressed three feminist standpoints: female empowerment, agency, and independence. They would rather call themselves womanists as they did not feel much connection with the predominantly white second wave feminism movement. Moreover, they felt as having been overlooked or even purposel y excluded by white feminists in their struggle for female empowerment.  [11]  These artists rejected and challenged representations of women as simply sexual objects. Rose states that these artists use rap music as a platform of dispute between other female and male artists, and their audience in general.  [12]   The most noticeable Queen Mother on the hip hop scene is Dana Queen Latifah Owens. Although latifah in Arabic means feminine, delicate and kind she proved to be also a strong and influential rap artist. At the young age of twenty one, she became well acclaimed artist. Despite her young age, her maternal behavior and mature approach to life made her to be perceived as a Queen Mother. Although she would find such comparison flattering, she tried to distance herself from being labeled. She would call herself a queen because every black female is a queen to her.  [13]  The reason why Queen Latifah and other rappers have been allocated to the group of Queen Mothers may be linked to the othermothers phenomenon in black African community. Patricia Hill Collins elaborates on this notion in Black Feminist Thought. She claims that black women take a significant part in fostering of the black society in the United States. They have developed an image of a strong black woman who contribute t o the whole black community well-being. The notion of motherhood in general, whether invoked by bloodmothers or othermothers, has powerful connotation.  [14]  It seems that African American community seeks for strong mother figures not only in real life but also on the hip hop scene. Queen Latifah reflects the image of othermother by taking up serious political-economic issues of the black community in her lyrics, as in The Evil that Men Do  [15]  where she raps about struggle of women on welfare.  [16]   Another example of a strong political commentary is Queen Latifahs song Ladies First.  [17]  She focuses here on promoting womens importance and clamors for their equal treatment. She raps about the need for sisterhood which prompts women to support each other. The notion of sisterhood is emphasized here by the fact that the artist collaborates with another black European female rapper, Monie Love. They feel connected with each other by the bonds of the same gender and race. This is a typical approach of women of color engaged in the Third Wave Feminist Movement in America. The concept of global sisterhood coined by the Second Wave feminists is questioned and challenged here. Black feminists manifest more connection with other women of color from different countries or countries of their origin than with white middle class women from the United States. The video to this song is also a tribute to African American womens history featuring images of activists and abolitionists as Ro sa Parks, Angela Davis, Harriet Tubman, or entrepreneurs as Madame C.J. Walker.  [18]  The video also features the image of Winnie Mandela which may serve as a commemoration of the struggle against segregation in South Africa as well as emphasis on the concept of global black sisterhood. The rappers bring back these images into the light in order to re-inspire all women of color and prove they are capable of achieving the highest goals as breaking the racism and sexism. Queen Latifah in her Grammy Award- winning song U.N.I.T.Y, as one of the first female artists not only proves of her rapping skills but also takes up the issues which divide black community. She focuses here on perpetuated hatred directed by black males toward black females.  [19]  She answers back to males who use the insult bitch in reference to women. She does so by using similar forms that are used by many of their male counterparts to denigrate women. For instance, by the use of vulgar language she reclaims those forms for women. Another pioneer rapper, MC Lyte in her song Paper Thin also makes a black female as a subject. She brings it to the center of discussion by rapping about the constrains of her intimacy and setting the rules by which she will date a man. According to Rose, the above mentioned artists messages are both emancipating and liberating for women. They rebel against the restrain of black female voices, offering counter hegemonic perspectives. Female gangsta rappers in particular, have created and imposed their own definitions of womanhood through their use of vulgarity, voice intonations, and sexuality.  [20]   Although most female rappers identify themselves by belonging to specific rap crews some of them would fall from one category to another or exist in many simultaneously. As an example of such a swinging artist may serve Yo Yo. The rapper and activist when perceived through the prism of her artistic and social work would be allocated to the group of queen mothers. Her songs are devoted to her view on the political issues and black feminism. She is the founder of the group Intelligent Black Women Coalition (I.BW.C.) which aimed to fight against racism and sexism. Yet, Keyes claims that her style and attire would suggest she also fits the category of so called Fly Girls who gained recognition on hip hop scene mainly in the nineties. The origin of the new meaning of the word fly dates back to the sixties and seventies and describes someone wearing fancy clothes. The style has been presented in the blaxploitation movies like The Superfly (1972), Shaft (1971), The Mack (1973) or Foxy Brow n (1974) and then adopted by the black youth in the eighties and nineties.  [21]  Indeed, what distinguished Fly Girls from Queen Mothers at first sight was their sense of fashion. Queen Mothers tried to affirm their eroticism that refrains from the nakedness and exposure of Western styles by rejection of miniskirts or high heels. Fly Girls did not fear to wear tight clothes which accentuated their sexuality. They tried to counterbalance western European beauty canon by showing the beauty of black female body, accompanied by eye catching hairstyles, shiny jewelry and suggestive dancing. By doing so they made a statement against the white supremacist stereotype of the black round female body being undesirable. It was their fashion style that made them not only heard but also visible. The male hip hop group the Boogie Boys describe a fly girl as: [Woman] who wants to see her name, her game or her ability. . . she sports a lot of gold, wears tight jeans, leather miniskirts, a made up face, has voluptuous curves, but speaks her mind.  [22]   The most prolific and well pronounced Fly Girls of hip hop scene is undoubtedly the trio Salt- N- Pepa. They aspired to be acknowledged as models of real independent and successful black women of the nineties.  [23]  They reached the peak of their popularity in the early nineties by releasing controversial hits like Lets Talk About Sex (1991), What a Man(1993), or Shoop(1993). While the first mentioned hit raised awareness about safe sex, the other songs can be interpreted as manifestation on female sexuality and appraisal of men in terms of friendship, love and intimate heterosexual relations. Lyrics from their popular song Aint Nuthin But a She Thing, again typify messages of their powerful womanhood: Im a female, and I got it goin on /Dont be fooled by my s-e-x/It aint that simple, Im more complex/Lets keep moving forward, girls, never look back.  [24]  In this song artists are exchanging ideas with women and men in general, warning men not to rely on clichà ©d notions of gender roles when interacting with women. They refuse to be considered as a weaker sex. They prove of their ability to work as hard as men, yet their intention is not to empower, or emasculate men. Similarly, they are passing on the same message to women while concurrently urging these women to progress, not regress, in their thinking and behavior. Such messages permeate most of the Salt N- Pepa top hits. Many examples of the Fly Girls songs take focus on female agency in male/female relationships perceived from the womens point of view. In the chorus of her song, Whats Up Star, Suga initiates the interaction with males: Whats up star, Id like to get to know who you are/Lets have drinks at the bar/And if I like what I see then the drinks is on me.  [25]  While men are usually considered to be the initiators in heterosexual relationships, here the artist takes it over and demonstrates her empowerment on this field. By doing so she violates an unwritten procedure of male-female courtship. She breaches the gendered norm of conduct. Instead of waiting for a man to approach her with an offer to buy her a drink, she would rather sit in judgment and contemplate over possible suitors. Upon positive evaluation of a potential mate she offers to buy him a drink. Another example of assuming power comes from a rapper and bass dancer, MC Luscious, who in her song Boom! I Got Your Boyfriend seiz es another hypothetical womens partner: Ill take him, shake him, ring him out/ Ill show your man what its all about./ So when he tells you its the end./Thats when you know I got your boyfriend.  [26]  Her use of the verbs take, shake, and ring in reference to her male lover illustrates the control that she maintains over him. She outdoes her female competitor by articulating her ability to sexually expose what the girlfriend cannot to the boyfriend, leading to the termination of the relationship. Thus, she demonstrates her control and manipulation of the lover and eventually her supremacy over the female opponent by stealing her boyfriend. Although deceitful and potentially unethical, MC Lusciouss desires, and behaviors are at the core of attention in her song.  [27]   Another significant group of Fly Girls worth noticing is TLC ( Tione T-Boze Watkins, Lisa Left-Eye Lopez and Rozonda Chilli Thomas). Their popularity had been quickly developing since their debut in 1991 and reached its maximum in the second half of the nineties. They spread similar messages to the other Fly Girls like rising awareness about safe sex (Waterfalls)  [28]  or fighting with women insecurity (Unpretty)  [29]  . They also introduced more diverse fashion sense. Instead of accentuating their fit bodies with tight clothes, they would wear baggy pants as a symbol of solidarity with women of less flattering shapes. Similar approach was taken by another Fly Girl Missy Misdemeanor Elliot. Being a successful writer and producer paved her way to the enormous success in the music industry. In no time she was offered a possibility to launch her clothing line and appeared in GAP and Adidas commercials. The fact that full-figured Missy became a model of the established clothing brand could be perceived as ground breaking in the sphere of perception of black female bodies. She serves as a role model to many black women who doubt in their attractiveness.  [30]   As during the late nineties rap became commercialized, gained greater audience and shifted to mainstream it is worth examining what were the messages conveyed by the female rappers. During this time some female artists were as popular and selling as many records as men; for example, Lil Kim and Foxy Brown both had albums that sold one million copies.  [31]  Contemporary female rappers of the late nineties and beginning of the twenty first century also endeavor in empowering and subversive mission against male domination, but the lyrical content of their songs show surprising and alarming similarities between them and male rappers. This may be one of the reasons these female rappers gained more commercial recognition than the pioneers. As means of empowerment they apply the strategy of giving the attitude and answering back in a rude manner to their male counterparts. This group of female rappers fall into category of Sistas with Attitude which consist of such popular rappers as F oxy Brown, Lil Kim, and Da Brat, or Sis, or Eve. The characteristic of their style is the employment of the same symbolic speech and behaviors as their male fellow rappers. It may seem that by doing so they show to be equal to men on every level. The lyrics of their songs included motives of indulging in hedonistic activities as partying and smoking marijuana with their men, seducing, harassing, and sexually emasculating male characters; as well as disrespecting (dissin) their male and female counterparts. Although so called dissing in female rappers songs is mainly directed at male sexism, an analysis of contemporary female rap songs reveals that there are instances the same strategy is aimed at women. It is well visible here that these women seek for their self empowerment by all means. The content of songs with attitude is abundant in vulgarity. The use of derogatory terms may be interpreted in a positive way. I trace some similarities between Sistas with Attitude and some of the Third Wave of feminism representatives. Similarly to them, female rappers reversed the pejorative meaning of vulgar words addressed to women.Sistas may be considered a coarser, clad version of Third Wave of feminism Girlies or Riot Grrls. These were usually members of underground punk bands who addressed issues as rape, female sexuality, domestic abuse, and female empowerment. Same as Sistas they also adopted derogatory, insulting words as cunt bitch slut in their vernacular. By writing these words on their skins or t-shirts they ridiculed and nullified their derogatory meaning.  [32]  On one hand reclamation of the frequently used word bitch may be perceived as positive way of self empowerment or provide healing liberation. Other critics claim that this may bring worse returns as the message of female empowerment seem to be diminished and eradicated by female self-objectification.  [33]   One of the most reoccurring motives found in female rap lyrics is their swaggering feminine self assurance. This characteristic of rap has its roots in part of African-American oral tradition of toasting , where the toast-teller employs in verbal self- enhancement, and presents himself or herself as the dreams of his [or her] Black audience and symbolize for them triumph and accomplishment against the odds.  [34]  For instance, in Sittin on Top of the World, Da Brat writes: Im on top of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/Girlfriend offender cuz they mans think Im all that/ One of the baddest bitches on the planet.  [35]  She highlights how she is so bad, meaning great to such extent that she aggravates other women because their men find her beautiful. Another fitting example of braggadocio can be found in Eves song What Ya Want,  [36]  writing Popular since I started my lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/ Every thugs dream wife, see the love in they eyes/My time to shine, whole package make her a dime. In these lyrics, the rapper is presenting herself as popular, and good-looking to every male and a perfectly shaped physically ( adime in hip hop vernacular). Many rapper enhance their sense of attractiveness by emphasizing their possession of precious objects that others cannot afford. Foxy Brown, who adopted her moniker from the seventies blaxploitation movie protagonist of the same title, in Ill Na Na raps: Uhh, rollin for Lana, dripped in Gabbanaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/And yall gon see by these mils I possess/Never settle for less, Im in excess.  [37]  Foxy highlights here the fact that she wears expensive womens designer clothing that working class and middle-class individuals could not afford. Furthermore, the audience gets the message that Foxy earns millions of dollars from her rapping. She also admits she is not willing to settle down and start a family but would rather live in abundance of material goods on her own. A vast majority of the female artists mentioned owning luxurious products of mass consumption. Obviously, possession of extravagant material goods are crucial for many contemporary female artists. Material success, fame, and sexual satisfaction is their achieved American Dream. Similarly to male rap artists who glamorize life a of a pimp, these female artists present themselves as physically attractive to possible mates as well as in possession of goods that regular people do not and cannot acquire. This type and degree of overconfidence permeates throughout rap music and is common to both sexes of rappers. It illustrates artists abilities, or their dreams, to overcome obstacles (unattractiveness, lack of money) and eventually achieve (sexual and material) success. The partying, alcohol and drugs abuse is a frequent theme also in Sistas with Attitude rap music. In the overall sample in Owares study of 44 female hip hop songs of the nineties, in each song there was an average of one-and a-half references made to alcohol or drugs.  [38]  For instance, in her song Deeper, rapper called Boss refers to both alcohol and drug use. In these lyrics, Boss is indulging in a popular malt liquor, and also smokes chronic, a strong form of marijuana mixed cocaine. Another song by Queen Pen, Party Aint a Party, presents: Im tipsy from the cab, down the whole bottle of Henney/ Is you dealing with the cat thats blunted. Queen Pens alcohol is Seagrams Hennessy and blunted means being under the influence of marijuana. These female rappers refute the stereotype that women refrain from hard alcoholic drinks and illegal drugs.. These women depict themselves as being equal to men by engaging in similar potentially harmful behaviors.  [39]   Another feature of rap music that is often taken up by female rappers is disrespecting or dissin, which is the act of verbally insulting an opponent. Dissin allegedly has its origins in West Africa, among tribes such as the Efik in Nigeria and later could be found in early African-American oral traditions.  [40]  Smitherman writes women rule when it comes to signifyingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦female rappers use this age-old rhetorical strategy to launch critical offensivesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [41]  Traces of such style can be found in the verse rapped by Heather B.: Fuck how much you sell cause, I read your album cover/You couldnt write a jam if your last name was Smucker.  [42]  As jam may also mean a hit song she ridicules here the amount of records sold by her opponent while dissing his writing skills contrasting them with a popular food product brand Smuckers Jam. Most disrespecting attitudes were pointed at males who attempted to pursue women with pretentious tales of sexual gratification. While some rappers resorted to warning of the potential suitor who must approach them in a courteous manner or gets rejected, other rappers would openly ridicule males sex skills and their fear of womens sexuality. Considered to be one of the most overt and explicit rappers, Lil Kim in Hardcore rhymes: The sex was wack, a four stroke creepà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/(later he asked) Could he come over right fast and fuck my pretty ass?/Ill pass, nigga dick was trash.  [43]  The rapper sets here her own conditions for a sexual intercourse. She keeps men under control and reserves the right to choose her partner by assessing his sex skills. She also implies what is surely feared by most of the heterosexual males to be ridiculed by a woman for poor sex performance. Black males in particular who have been trying to conceal the image of an emasculated black man may fee l highly sensitive about it. As many instances of male rap hits presented in the first chapter show that they tried to apply many strategies to regain their control over women. Boasting about their sexual hyper skills was a frequent topic. Gangsta Boo, a successful Sista with Attitude of the late nineties and early twenty first century, touches upon similar themes in her lyrics: Ha-ha, hey, Ladies check this out/ Well, let me tell this story about this nigga/ With a little dick but when its hard, hes swearin it (is) bigger/ Im not to be the one guess you aint got much to offer.  [44]  Here, Gangsta Boo speaks directly to women about false male machismo. Boo, similarly to her counterpart Lil Kim sets the norms here and evaluates whether her possible mate lives up to her expectations. When finds out that the man is poorly endowed she ridicules him in front of other women. Hence, as Rose writes you have women speaking to men, engaging in critiques of supposed male sexual prowess; in addition, they are speaking to other women about the failed attempts of these men to satisfy them sexually.  [45]  These disses provide a female response to male rappers chauvinism, misogyny and bragging about their sexual potency. Similarly empowering themes also permeate throughout the songs and lyrics that present female sexuality. Several popular female rap artists depicted themselves as explicitly sexualized. Lil Kim in one of her songs vulgarly demonstrates her acting upon a partner and presents herself as not submissive in sexual relationship.  [46]

Shiloh :: essays research papers

Shiloh   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several elements of literature that can be analyzed when discussing a good short or long story. The elements are plot, characterization, theme, setting, point of view, irony and symbolism. I read the short story Shiloh and have chosen to discuss the plot of this story. This is a great story expressing the way miscommunication in a marriage can tear the marriage apart. This is story is told in the first person by Leroy Moffitt. He is the main character who deals with conflicts within himself, his wife, and the environment around him. Shiloh first begins discussing how Norma Jean Moffitt (one of the main characters) is working at transforming her body by excessively working out. Leroy Mallard, her husband, had been a truck driver 15 years of their marriage. Now he is no longer driving truck, has suffered a highway injury to his leg and is in a wheel chair at home. The first conflict in this story is between Leroy and his distance from his wife for such a long time. Mrs. Moffitt has been trying to cope with her husbands’ absence by doing other activities such as: working out, going back to school, and visiting with her mother. Another conflict resides within Leroy himself. He has not been there for his wife and he is trying to make it up to her in any way he can. This couple has been through the loss of an infant child in addition to Leroy’s absence. This is another issue that is causing them to experience the conflicts they do. Mr. and Mrs. Moffitt do not speak of this lost child, which causes more conflict between their marriage  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   together. Leroy, once being settled at home with nothing to do, began to work with his hands to construct or design objects. He wanted to build his wife a log cabin as he was making replicas out of toothpicks. I think him wanting to build this house is to prove to himself and his wife that he can still be productive and good for something. The relationship Leroy has with Norma Jean’s mother is quite different. Any time she comes around, he makes jokes instead of having real conversation with her. I think he makes the jokes to ease the tension and to not address real issues that are present. Leroy has also stated that all those years driving in the same neighborhood he did not take the time to notice how much it had changed.

Native American DBQ

In an attempt to overcome conflicts with the possession of Native American and, the United States set in place policies that were Often inconsiderate to the Natives, but that they believed to be better economically, politically, and morally. These policies varied from government provided food for the Natives, to the distribution of the new land, and the treatment of Native for their various practices. All of these things greatly affected the course of Native American people and their cultures to this day. As Americans took over more land in the west, they began to kill the buffalo that lived there for supplies in massive amounts.Document C, Figure 16. 2, wows a mound of buffalo skeleton bones that would be shipped to the East for various fertilization purposes and represents the â€Å"extent of the devastation† to the buffalo population. Document C also shows the numerous ways that Native Americans used the buffalo in their everyday life. Various purposes that the buffalo serv ed were food from meat and fat, tools and weapons from the bones, clothing from the hide of the buffalo, and many others uses on the long list. No part of the buffalo was wasted by the Natives.When Americans came to their land and slaughtered the population, the Natives were left without any supplies for living. The Natives were forced to live off of food that was provided for them by the government, even though it was the same white settlers who took away their food supply in the first place (Document C). Economically, this helped the United States. They had more land to sell and make money from, and they benefited off of the buffaloes. This was not equally beneficial to the Natives however. They were not even considered by the government that continued to invade their homes and lives.The government may have thought they were helping the Natives by providing them with the small food rations that they did, but the government as actually the root of the Natives food dilemma. There wa s discussion amongst the nation's leaders over what should be done with the newly ceded land. Secretary of the Interior Carl Scours argued that the tribes are â€Å"in the way Of the development Of the country as an obstacle. † To overcome that, his suggestion was to give the Natives portions of the land as reservations, but that sections within that land be used by the government (Document B).In 1 887, Congress passed the Dates Severalty Act that allowed the President to resurvey Native American land reservations if e see fit that the land could be advantageous for agricultural and grazing purposes (Document E). Then in 1889, Theodore Roosevelt stated that it was obvious for them to â€Å"break up the Indian reservations, disregard the tribal governments, allot the land in severalty, and treat Indians as we do other citizens,† and that they are respecting Natives more than the Natives have respected them (Document F).It is made clear though that the Natives wish to be left unbuttered, both them and the land. In a letter to Roosevelt and the â€Å"Washington Chiefs† they express their concerns with how they farm and retreat the Hopi land. The Natives had a certain cycle for farming the land that could be ruined by the settlers (Document H). The Americans did not consider this Hopi petition though. This was a political move to prove to the Natives that they were a â€Å"weaker race† and also to pass legislation that supported it.The Americans may have thought they were doing well to the Natives, as Carl Scours said himself â€Å"To civilize them†¦ And absolute necessity if we mean to save them,† but they Were only disrespecting their land and their requests. One thing that created such a strong barrier between the Natives and the Americans were cultural differences. The Dates Severalty Act allowed for the united States â€Å"to ban crucial aspects of Indian culture, including native practices related to religion, educati on, language, and even dress and hairstyles† (Document C).This shows the type of ignorance that the American people had towards the Native American cultures. They knew nothing about them, yet they banned their practices. These sometimes harsh judgments were driven from fear. Some of the Native American practices legitimately frightened the Americans, particularly, the tribal gatherings where â€Å"men, omen, and children participated in the ritual dance, moving in a circle and singing. † These rituals scared them so much, that in December 1 890, â€Å"U. S. Troops attacked and killed several hundred Indians† (Document G).The American people again may have thought they were cleansing the Natives, but were only being inconsiderate to them as people. Their actions were morally unjustifiable. This time period has a long lasting effect on the world. Entire tribes and cultures died because of the mistreatment and misjudgment of the Natives. Whether or not the American people thought they were helping in some way r another, they were only destroying lives as if they truly were just â€Å"obstacles' and the nation's course of development.

Nestles Baby Formula and Third World Countries

Nestles Baby Formula and Third World Countries Nestle’s Baby Formula Controversy Nestle’s baby formula marketing in Third World countries has become a conventional case which illustrates social responsibility and business ethics. The company entered the market of Third World countries without changing its strategies and marketing techniques. This was one of the company’s major faults which led to the international scandal and boycott of Nestle’s products in Third World countries.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Nestle’s Baby Formula and Third World Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company was accused of promotion of its products and discouraging breastfeeding among woman in developing countries (Davidson 2009). Various reports and surveys were conducted. Health care employees reported that the use of Nestle products led to malnutrition and even deaths in many cases (Cateora 2011). Nestle’s Responsibility It is necessary to note that even though the products were boycotted, many people advocated Nestle’s products. For instance, these people claimed that malnutrition and high rate of infant deaths was caused by social and economic situation in the countries, rather than by the use of Nestle products. Nestle also argued that in many cases women misused Nestle products which led to health problems or fatal cases. Besides, Nestle also stressed that the company never discouraged breastfeeding among woman in any country. On the contrary, the company always articulated the idea that breastfeeding is the best option. Nonetheless, Nestle also admitted that some of their marketing techniques needed rethinking (Frederick 2002, p.233). For instance, such practice as distribution of free products among women or nurses was seen as inappropriate. It goes without saying that Nestle can be regarded as an example of the multinational which can be socially responsible. Thus, when the company ackno wledged that some of its practices were unethical or wrongful, it started reshaping its marketing strategies. Nestle followed the rules set by WHO and made a decision to start marketing its products only when particular laws and regulations would be enacted. Admittedly, this is an ethical and responsible position. Recommendations to Nestle However, the contemporary world brings new challenges to the fore. Thus, spread of HIV infection in Third World countries is the issue which needs drastic measures. In this respect, Nestle’s products can become one of the strategies which can reduce the rate of this infection spread. Reportedly, breastfeeding is one of the ways of HIV infection transmission.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This matter has been one of the most disputable issues during the past decades (Moland et al. 2010). Scientists try to discover new wa ys to prevent this kind of transmission (Iliff et al. 2005). Apparently, there is one easy step to be undertaken. Thus, Nestle can address world public and assure Third World countries as well as WHO and developed countries that the company will start a campaign aimed at raising awareness concerning proper use of Nestle’s baby formula. For instance, the company can start up an advertising campaign. However, the major attention should be paid to the proper use of the product rather than the product itself. It is also essential to stress the benefits of breastfeeding. Admittedly, the company should present new ways of its products marketing. Nestle should initiate new discussions concerning distribution of its products in Third World countries. It can be helpful to implement new surveys in the area. The company should also provide reports on its products safety. In this way the company can contribute to prevention of HIV transmission. It will also help to rehabilitate baby prod ucts worldwide. Reference List Cateora, PR, Gilly, MC, and Graham, JL 2011, Ch. 5. Culture, management style, and business systems, in Cateora et al. (eds), International Marketing, McGraw Hill, Berkshire, UK, pp. 146-148. Davidson, K 2009, Ethical concerns at the bottom of the pyramid: where CSR meets BOP, Journal of International Business Ethics, vol. 2 no. 1, pp. 22-32. Frederick, R 2002, A companion to business ethics, John Wiley Sons, Oxford.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Nestle’s Baby Formula and Third World Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Iliff, PJ, Piwoz, EG, Tavengwa, NV, Zunguza, CD, Marinda, ET, Nathoo, KJ, Moulton, LH, Ward, BJ, the ZVITAMBO study group, Humphrey, JH 2005, ‘Early exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of postnatal HIV-1 transmission and increases HIV-free survival’, AIDS, vol. 19 no. 7, pp. 699-708. Moland, KM, Paoli, MM, Sellen, DW, Esterik, P, Lesh abari, SC, Blystad, A 2010, ‘Breastfeeding and HIV: experiences from a decade of prevention of postnatal HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa’, International Breastfeeding Journal, vol. 5, no. 10, pp. 1-7.

Development of Employment Law The WritePass Journal

Development of Employment Law Abstract Development of Employment Law ). However, an employee has to be at the school leaving age to get the wages. Unlike the NMW, the Equality Act 2010 was drawn due to pressure from external forces, especially other EU countries (Hardy, 2011). Despite the forceful implementation, employees have equal rights regardless of gender, age, religion, race and sexual orientation. Recent moves by government and opposition leaders to curb unions affect the development of employment law. In as much as unions have rights of their members at heart, their leaders end up taking advantage of union positions. As witnessed in the past, decisions by the union chiefs do not reflect the opinion of the majority of union members (Pitt, 2009). The new proposal stating that for a union to carry out a strike it would need majority backing from members is beneficial to the government. The move is also politically instigated due to the financial support offered to political parties. With the recent move by Tory MPs to push for a referendum by 2017, the odds on some sections of the employment law hang in a balance. The referendum’s aim is to hand over the decision to the public to either stay or pull out of the European Union; this is according to an article â€Å"Tories fight off 11-hour filibuster over EU referendum laws† in The Telegraph dated July 18th 2013. According to many silent voices, leaving the EU might be a wrong decision with regards to long term plans (Turner, 2013). For instance, in the event Britain manages to pull out of the EU, then it is possible that new laws might not meet international standards (Holland and Burnett, 2013). Sensitive laws affecting the public including the employment law will be left in the hands of legislators to decide. However, the opposition indicates that the referendum calls might be a hoax from the Conservative Party to try and misdirect the public. According to an article â€Å"EU referendum bill: MPs back in/out poll by 304-0† in The Independent dated July 5th 2013, the Labour Party say the referendum issue is not a matter of national interest. Douglas Alexander, the shadow Foreign Secretary, said that the move was a sign of weakness and not strength. He added that it was a sign of external electoral threat spiced with internal leadership threats. The Agency Workers Directive (AWD) 2010 was a brilliant idea in solving unemployment cases. More people have since been employed through this initiative (Hardy, 2011). However, its regulations under employment law are rather displeasing to employers. Initially, the joint cost for outsourcing workers from an agency was low compared to permanent workers due to extra costs (Holland, 2012). Currently, the government requires that agency and permanent workers be paid same (Benny and Jefferson, 2012). This indicates that an employer will pay extra for the agency worker. In addition, employers tend to avoid tribunal cases involving such workers. Case Laws Case laws are written materials containing judges’ explanations on rulings made. Judges may refer to rulings made earlier or statutory laws. Some current cases may be similar to previous cases (Turner, 2013). In such instances, judges may make similar rulings or alter the ruling based on self-understanding. Reference is still made to the previous case, and reason for deviation also stated (Cushway, 2007). This shows that the same altered ruling can be used later in the future. Statute laws on the other hand, are additional laws mostly from assented bills. At times, they offer further interpretation on the main law. Conclusion Employment laws are subject to further amendments in the future whether internally or through external influence. As long as Britain will still be a member of European Union, it has to stand with other members under common directives. This makes some British statesmen call for the disintegration of the EU. Whether the move will succeed, is a story for another day. What is essential currently is that the government ensures favorable employment laws for its people to ensure economic growth. References Bell, A. C. 2006. Employment law: textbook series. London, Sweet Maxwell. Benny, R., Sargeant, M., Jefferson, M. 2012.  Employment law, 2012 and 2013. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Blanpain, R. 2007.  The global workplace: international and comparative employment law: cases and materials. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Cushway, B. 2007.  The employers handbook: an essential guide to employment law, personnel policies and procedures. London, Kogan Page. Hardy, S. T. 2011. Labour law in Great Britain. Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands, Kluwer Law International. Holland, J. A. 2012.  Employment law 2012. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Holland, J. A., Burnett, S. 2013.  Employment law. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Kidner, R. 2006.  Employment law 2006-2007. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Lewis, D., Sargeant, M. 2004. Essentials of employment law. London, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Pitt, G. 2009.  Employment law. London, Sweet Maxwell. Turner, C. 2013.  Unlocking employment law.

Species Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Species - Essay Example The US alone estimate that invasive species cost its economy approximately $138 billion per year (Pimentel, Lach, Zuniga & Morrison, 1999). The introduction of this non-native species has proved to have dire consequences to the environments and ecosystems. One invasive species that has had severe costs to host nations is Bufflegrass. As an invasive species it has now become naturalized in the Americas, Australia, Hawaii and Mexico to name a few. Bufflegrass thrives in low rainfall a condition which makes it the perfect species to introduce to arid countries and was first introduced in the US and Mexico to improve forage for cattle, Arizona and the Sonaran desert were the ideal ecosystems for the grass to grow. Bufflegrass is drought resistant so thrived in its native countries including Africa. The grass will withstand heavy grazing and so was introduced for this purpose so the conversion of forest, homogenous grassland and savanna to pasture for grazing created the ideal environment for this hardy grass to grow. However the problem lies in that this invasive grass has spread from cultivated areas to natural ecosystems at an alarming rate as it will grow in all soil types and including sandy and stony soils. Bufflegrass grows densely and so crowds out native plants of similar size and due to its ability to resist drought will remain dense even in dry years. It attacks native plants by its ability to win competition for natural resources such as water, space and soil nutrients so prevents homogenous plants from maturing and germinating and secondly it is highly flammable but resistant to fire, once a grass fire has occurred it is not unusual that only the Bufflegrass grows back. The Sonaran Desert evolved without fire as an ecological factor and most of its plants cannot tolerate it. The Bufflegrass populations in Saguaro National Park have quadrupled in size between 2002 and 2006 despite the outbreaks of several vastly spread fires (Bean & Betancourt, 2006). The economic factor is that with the increased risk of fires utility infrastructures are threatened, property may decrease in value as areas become known for fire hazards, insurance rates rise not to mention the cost to governments in having to find means of managing the invasive grass. There is also the cost of life involved, in November 2005 a man was burned to death in a Bufflegrass fire in Arizona Bibliography Bean, Travis M. & Betancourt Julio L. (2006) Bufflegrass in theS onoran Desert: Can we prevent the unhinging of a unique American ecosystem The Plant Press THE ARIZONA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY VOLUME 30, NUMBER 1 (Retrieved on 18th November 2008) http://aznps.org/PDFs/PlantPress/PP30.1.pdf Pimentel, D, Lach, L, Zuniga R, & Morrison, D. (1999) Environmental and Economic Costs associated with Non-Indigenous Species in the United States College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca

A Case Study of Two Entrepreneurs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Case Study of Two Entrepreneurs - Essay Example He is not only a hard worker but he finds the application of creativity to pure business solutions very invigorating. Because of his dedication to the industry he was awarded an OBE for services to the retail industry. He is keener in using skill and craft to come up with exclusive products and prefers to make simple dresses. He likes to work in a team. Conran’s designs are inspired by early garments of Coco Chanel and he is known for the elegant versions of the British tweed suits (Answers Corporation, 2010). He did not change his main collections every season and hence his garments were considered a long-term investment. He was a talented person but did not get the opportunity to expand to his fullest potential. Under a ten-year licensing agreement with the Marchpole Group Plc, Conran would be able to penetrate the European market with his menswear collection and expand the range to include accessories. However Conran did manage to position himself solidly in the British fashion scenario with clientele such as Diana, the late Princess of Wales. The motivation was from his father who too was a designer – Sir Terence Conran, known as the design guru (Donald, 2010). One of the top fashion designers, Conran has had a prosperous profession for the past twenty years (Mahalo, 2010). He was amongst the first designers to show at London Fashion Week. Over the years he entered into furniture, luggage, children’s wear, fragrances and fine bone china. Overall his collections personify sophisticated, authoritative lines. He started his career as a design consultant but within a year launched his own collections. He is the recipient of several awards in the fashion world. He has 45 different lines sold in 68 different countries (Roberts, 2009). Although he has it in his genes to be a designer like his father, but Conran did not find it easy to be the child of a living god who has to carve a place for himself in life. Conran has also entered