The Cause And Effects Of Consumerism Cultural Studies Essay

The Cause And Effects Of Consumerism Cultural Studies Essay Consumerism is the term used to describe the effects of equating personal happiness with purchasing material possessions and consumption. Today we live in a consumer culture obsessed world. Consumption encompasses our everyday lives and structures our everyday agendas. The values, meanings and costs of what we consume have become an increasing important part of our social and personal experiences. The main factor enforcing our actions in this way is the news media. The news media is filled with information about consumption- not only in the form of advertising but also as news about businesses, lifestyles and economic indicators. However none of this tells us how we came about as a culture that associates freedom with the freedom of consuming anything of our choice and as a means of self-fulfillment. All cultures have found meaning in material goods. Objects resemble a social status or go further than that and have an emotional attachment with ones self. Goods are not only consumed for there material characteristics, but even more for what they symbolize- there meanings, associations and there involvement in our self image. Consumption is not simply the acquiring of products predestined meanings. Instead, it should be seen as a form of social consumer culture. While consumption is an act, consumer culture is a way of life. It is quite likely that never before in history has consumption become one of the central values of a culture. In modern society one learns merely to consume, and tasteful or appropriate consumption is only one of the numerous choices. It is this focus on consumption as a central worth that makes us a consumer culture. Consumption no longer seems to reflect our cultural values; it has itself become a cultural value. It has entered into the warp and turmoil of this fabric we call modern life. Every public space, every occasion for public gathering, every creative expression is seen as an opportunity to encourage more consumption. To understand how we have become this consumer crazy culture it is important to understand the humble beginnings of this crazy fixation. Before the industrial revolution of the eighteenth century, what people consumed was, either goods mad by family members or a person the consumer has a personal relation with. In early Europe the form consumerism took place in the weekly markets and seasonal fairs. The historical pattern in America was somewhat different. Unlike in Europe, where markets and fairs preceded the development of shops, in America shops emerged as the customary way of buying and selling in its early colonial period. It was not until the eighteenth century that markets and fairs became popular in the United States. Fashion is one of the key elements that fuel consumerism. Fashion not only includes clothing, but also any object where there is a concern for what is different, new and improved and which allows us to express our individuality. Fashion is so central to modern day consumption that it is difficult to imagine a culture in which it is not a major force. People throughout time have always been interested in the beautiful or in signs of status and in the pursuit of anything that brings them pleasure or happiness. It was during the last quarter of the sixteenth century in England that consumption first took off amongst the European nobility. This powered to two important developments. First, Queen Elizabeth the first used the dramatic spectacle of fashion as a display of government power. Second, she forced social competition among the nobility by removing them from their locality where they were clearly superior and forcing them to attend the London court where they had to compete with equals. Previously consumption had always been a family matter and what benefited the family the most. But now Elizabethan noblemen began to spend less on their families and more on themselves to further show there class and status. Josiah Wedgewood was one of the pioneers in the consumption phase. He had this new understanding of fashion and the market place. Wedgewood was a manufacturer and retailer of pottery in the eighteenth century. He was the first to recognize that if the rich and elite could be induced to adopt fashions, the other classes would follow soon. There are only certain societies where it is possible for a fashion to spread to the higher class to the lower class. Fashion has to be affordable for those in the lower class and the classes must be close enough with some fluidity between them that those in the lower class could imagine themselves owing what those in the upper class have. In England during this period the lower class was eager to possess whatever the upper class deemed fashionable. Wedgewood understood the immense financial potential of such a social situation and learnt how he could control it. His fashion tool was pottery. Wedgewood learned to closely observe what the upper class was buying in order to predict what direction the lower class consumption habits would follow through. Another factor adding to the consumer culture is the portrayal of this culture. In the United States consumption spurred as a symbol for rebellion rather than a symbol a homogeneous conformity. Schutte and Ciarlante describe Coca cola, Levis and Marlboro as symbols of individualism and freedom. Three phrases from Stuart and Elizabeth Ewens Channels of Desire (1982) which they see as indicative of the recent tendencies within consumer culture describe it best. Today there is no fashion: there are only fashions. No rules, only choices. Everyone can be anyone. This suggests there is a war against uniformity, a surplus of difference which results in a loss of meaning. The repercussion is that we are moving towards a society without fixed status groups in which the adoption of styles of life which are fixed to specific groups have been surpassed. We have been encouraged to buy in order to establish our individuality in a mass-produced culture. To express our disgust with consumption by more consumption, to purchase the latest improved traditions. Now people are encouraged to buy to convey their rejection of homogenized lifestyles. This anti-consumption attitude only fuels more consumption. Years ago, many people imagined that life would be idyllic in the 21st century. Technology would have cured most human short-comings, and there would be abundance of resources available for all. Population growth and over consumption underlie many of the invasive environmental and social concerns that humans face today. Over consumption of our natural resource base is jeopardizing ecosystems throughout the world. Wealthy nations like the US amount to 20 percent of the worlds population, yet they use more than 70 percent of the earths resources and generate an even higher volume of wastes. Some of these wastes are released into the atmosphere, rivers and oceans, others are land filled or incinerated, a small part is recycled. The standard notion of economic development envisions the rest of the worlds population moving progressively up the ladder of mass consumption. Clearly, the environmental implications of the global spread of mass consumption for resource use and environmental was te is staggering. In present times design culture also has greatly been influenced consumerism. Cities such as Las Vegas have dedicated there entire landscape to advertising to feed the need of consumerism. For the Utopian design at hand I have targeted the hospitality sector of the economy which attracts consumers owed to the hectic and fast-paced life we live today. I have chosen the Singapore Cricket Club for my bar and restaurant. The design is held together by the concept of network. Taking into consideration that the bar is the main attraction of a bar and highest revenue earning point in an FB. Using the concept of network my design directs all consumers towards the bar. The bar acts as the main attraction of my design which can be viewed from all levels and spaces. The unconventional feature of the bar is that it suspends 3000mm from the ground. As people walk through narrow corridors directing them towards the bar they are suddenly engulfed by the large open suspending bar and LED lighting panels from the ceiling going past 3 floors lighting up the entire design and focusing mainly onto the bar. The cuckoo club in London is a great example of how the bar acts as a key attraction in the premises. The entire space communicates glamour, drama and luxury. It represents a grand, dramatic film set with huge doors sweeping stairs, silk and voile drapes. The bar acts as a key feature covered entirely in gold sequins, set beneath a ceiling of diamond pattern panels of LED lighting (acrylic domes set into panels and then colour-washed across the whole ceiling), fringed with diamante beading. The lighting is flexible, varying from simulated daylight to pinks and purple in the night. The second case study chosen is Wine tower bar in UK. A 13 meter high wine tower forms the alluring centre point of the Radisson SAS Hotel lounge and bar at Stansted airport. The temperature controlled structure, constructed out of 6.5 tons of laminated glass, a steel core and a pyramid shaped roof, is fitted with an acrylic rack filled with 4,000 bottles of red and white wine. The enchantingly lit column not only serves as a large open wine rack but also functions as a theatre in which 4 graceful wine angels suspended on cables collect the bottles ordered by the guests. With the help of remote control and computer controlled winches, these women glide effortlessly up and down, whilst also slipping in a few acrobatics in the between. In conclusion Consumer culture has been incredibly successful. Not only has it been successful in satisfying our needs and desires, but it also has been successful in redefining what are needs are and expanding our desires. If we accept these desires as natural or inevitable, then consumer society seems natural and inevitable as well. Consumerism on the other hand does not only feed our desires but has left this earth with beyond reconcilable damages. Today are demand for goods is increasing beyond the capability of what our earth can come up with it. If our greed for consumption keeps increasing we will have to very soon give up our basic needs because our demands cannot be kept up with.

Comparison Between the Sunnis and Shiites Essay -- Religion Religious

A Comparison Between the Sunnis and Shiites Have you ever wondered about other religions that are out there and why they are out there? I have and that is why I chose to write my paper on the Sunnis and Shiites. Read on to learn more about a brief history and then I will break each of them into separate religions. In books written on Islam the word "hadith" usually refers to the sayings or "traditions" which have been given from the Prophet. Muslims hold these to be the most important source of Islamic teachings after the Qur’an. A lot of books have been written in English about what the hadith means in Islam and a number of important translations have been made. Almost all the studies have been limited to the point of view of Sunni Islam and based on Sunni sources and collections. Practically no one has ever paid any attention to the different nature of the hadith literature in Shiism and the different sources from which the hadiths are recieved. The main difference to be made between Shiite and Sunni hadiths is that in Shiism the traditions are not limited to those of the Prophet, but include those of the Imams as well. I will explain more of the distinctions later on. The difference between the two religions is still hard to distinguish even with easy to understand books like the Encyclopedia of World Faiths. There, the author of the article is aware that there is some difference between Shiism and Sunnism on the question of which hadiths are included, but he thinks that it lies in the fact that the Shiite collections accept "only traditions traced through 'Ali's family." But this is incorrect, since a lot of traditions are also gotten through other sources. What the author fails to mention is that the hadith literature as understood by Shiites is not limited to the sayings of the Prophet, but includes those of the Imams as well. The most famous and reliable collections of Shiite hadiths are four books. These books relate to the Six Correct Collections in Sunni Islam. These are al-Kafi fi 'ilm al-din (The Sufficient in the Knowledge of Religion) by Thiqat al-Islam Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni (d. 329/940), Man la yahduruhu al-faqih (For him not in the Presence of Jurisprudent) of Shaykh al-Saduq Muhammad ibn Babuyah al-Qummi (d. 381/991), Tahdhib al-ahkam (Rectification of the Statutes) by Shaykh al-Ta'ifah Muhammad al-Tusi (d. 460/ 1068) a... ...egarding the holding of spiritual and political authority remained strong even after the end of the Caliphate itself in the 13th century. The Sunnites’ strongest belief has an emphasis on the views and customs of the majority of the community, as distinguished from the views of other groups. The Sunnites compromised by allowing the other groups to bring their beliefs and customs that had nothing to do with the Qur’an. The Sunnites recognize the six "authentic" books of the Hadith, which contain the spoken tradition attributed to Muhammad. In the 20th century the Sunnites constituted the majority of Muslims in all nations except Iran, Iraq, and perhaps Yemen. They numbered about 900 million in the late 20th century and made up nine-tenths of all the followers of Islam. In conclusion I would like to comment on a couple of things. First of all the Shiism makes up 10 percent and Sunnism makes up the other 90 percent of the Muslim religion. Second of all the Shiites and Sunnis both are closely related, but have many differences. The two religions are both very complicated and difficult to understand. I hope after reading this paper you have learned a little more about both.

Iron Crowned Chapter 6

I glanced around uneasily. I knew there had to be guards on watch in the garden and wondered what it would take for them to come tackle a crazy old woman. Unless she openly jumped me or something, I had a feeling I was on my own. â€Å"Unless your power extends to some kind of mind control over Katrice, I don't see how that's going to happen,† I said finally. She crooked me a grin. â€Å"No, that's not a gift the gods have chosen to bestow on any of the shining ones. Even they know the limits of mortals.† I pulled the robe more tightly around me. Seeing as I couldn't sleep, I might as well humor her. â€Å"Then what's your plan?† â€Å"You need to find the Iron Crown.† â€Å"The what?† â€Å"The Iron Crown.† She said it in a grand, ominous way †¦ one that really deserved an echo chamber to give it its full effect. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"I'll bite. What's the Iron Crown?† â€Å"An ancient artifact. One worn by the greatest, most powerful leaders in the shining ones' history. Leaders feared by all, who ruled many kingdoms.† â€Å"I have a crown. A few of them.† Only one was my official â€Å"crown of state,† but designers had crafted me others to coordinate with my outfits. â€Å"Not like this one,† she said. â€Å"Let me guess. It's made of iron.† She nodded and looked like she was waiting for me to be impressed. â€Å"Sorry. Like I said, short of mind control power, I'm not going on some magic object quest. My life is already like a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.† Masthera frowned. â€Å"Dragons haven't lived in the Otherworld in centuries.† â€Å"Forget it. Thanks for the, er, advice, but I'm not interested.† I shifted uncomfortably. â€Å"I should really get to bed.† Masthera leaned forward, undaunted. â€Å"You don't understand, Thorn Queen,† she hissed. â€Å"Only a few are capable of completing the tasks required to gain the crown. Most would not even be able to wear it.† That was easy to figure out. â€Å"Right. Because it's made of iron. I don't think an ability everyone already knows I have from being human would be that impressive.† â€Å"Queen Katrice would think so. Many of her people would too. Her armies might revolt. She herself would be afraid and back off.† â€Å"All because of the reputation of a crown that doesn't have any power?† I asked skeptically. â€Å"Where is it?† â€Å"Far away, in a place unknown.† â€Å"Oh good grief. If no one knows where it is, then how am I supposed to get it?† â€Å"That's part of the challenge. Find it, and you end the war.† I eyed her carefully. â€Å"If this is such a great idea, why not bring it to Dorian? Your king?† â€Å"He knows of it,† she agreed. â€Å"He's old enough to remember the legends. But he couldn't wear it. Only you.† Now she eyed me carefully. â€Å"Your father sought it – and failed.† I stiffened, my voice turning to ice. â€Å"Is this part of the prophecy? Some way of marking me as the conqueror's mother? Is it something I'm supposed to give to my hypothetical son?† â€Å"No,† she said. Her demeanor turned humble, but those eyes still looked shrewd. â€Å"It is merely a means to help you end your war.† â€Å"I've heard enough of this ridiculousness.† I stood up. â€Å"I'm going to bed.† Masthera started to call after me as I strode away but then bit off her words. I wondered if she had accepted my refusal or simply feared the guards' responding to continual harassment of me. I returned to Dorian's room and slipped back into bed with him. His arm unconsciously wrapped around me, and although it took a while, my troubled mind finally calmed enough to allow me some brief sleep. It was his movements that woke me a few hours later. I sat up in bed, watching as he dressed. Through the windows, the sky was barely a pinkish purple. â€Å"You're going to meet the armies already?† I asked quietly. From a chaise, he lifted a breastplate made of fine copper chain. Normally, he had attendants dressing him, and I knew he was doing it alone so that a group of people traipsing through his room wouldn't wake me. Watching him fumble at fastening it, I hurried over to help. â€Å"Katrice's forces will attack as soon as they have enough light. They may have already. It's only the unfamiliar terrain that stopped them from doing it overnight.† I finished hooking the chainmail, trying not to think about how rare it was for him to wear any sort of armor. It was a sign of the danger he walked into, even if he avoided the front lines. â€Å"I wish you weren't going.† He gave me that easy smile and rested his hands on my bare hips. â€Å"Me too. I'd much rather be back in bed with you. Stay a couple hours. I'm sure I'll be right back.† That brought a smile to my lips, though I felt no humor. â€Å"Yes, I'm sure that's all it'll take.† He released me and turned to a cabinet on the wall. Opening it, he revealed a number of weapons. One of them was an exquisitely made copper sword, crafted by a metalsmith in my employ named Girard. Dorian touched it reverently, then slipped it into a scabbard he fastened around his waist. While dangerous in and of itself, the sword possessed an extra threat because of Dorian's connection to the earth and its elements. He could infuse it with power. â€Å"Dorian †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated, afraid to ask my next question. â€Å"Have you ever heard of the Iron Crown?† â€Å"Of course.† He finished fastening the scabbard and glanced back up at me. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I ran into a woman named Masthera last night, who told me about it.† â€Å"Ah, Masthera,† he said fondly. â€Å"Every court should have a seeress. Her predictions are right about half the time – which is quite remarkable. You should see the farce of a seer they've got over in the Maple Land. I'd be humiliated to keep someone like that around.† â€Å"Hey, focus,† I chastised. â€Å"This Iron Crown. Masthera claims it could end the war. That by winning it and proving our – er, my – power, I could make Katrice back down.† The smile faded as Dorian frowned, looking deep in thought. â€Å"That's a very real possibility. And you could wear it, couldn't you?† A sense of wonder lit his words. â€Å"The iron wouldn't bother you. In legends, some shining ones could wear it through strength and force of will. But you'd need none of that. It'd just be in your nature.† I could hardly believe he was speaking about this seriously. â€Å"And you think she's right? This crown – with no power except a reputation – could end the war?† â€Å"Well, it's not the crown's reputation, exactly,† he said. â€Å"It's the reputation you gain by fighting the many obstacles to get it. Show you can do it, and you show your power.† It was similar to what Masthera had said. â€Å"If others have possessed it – â€Å" â€Å"Not for ages,† he interrupted. â€Å"Okay, even if it hasn't been for ages †¦ why would I have to quest for it? Wouldn't the last owner have just kept it around? Passed it through the family?† His smile came back. â€Å"It doesn't work that way. The crown won't stay with anyone unworthy. Once its owner passes, it returns to its home – a home that kills many who seek it.† â€Å"You didn't answer the earlier question,† I pointed out. â€Å"Could it end the war? Peacefully?† He sighed. â€Å"I don't know. Maybe. But as much as you fear me going out today †¦ I'd worry more about you going after this trinket.† I caught hold of his hand. â€Å"You wouldn't help?† I teased, though I still wasn't buying any of it. His free hand cupped my face. â€Å"I would if I could. And maybe I could. If the legends are true, you pass through iron fields to get to it. Hardly any of the shining ones could do that. I might be able to, with my abilities†¦. I'd stand a better chance than most.† I didn't like the tone of his voice. It sounded as though he was actually considering this. He might connect with the elements of the earth, but iron was still beyond him. â€Å"I could bring Volusian,† I said, wanting to distract him. â€Å"If something happens to him, no harm done, eh?† Dorian's face stayed serious. â€Å"No, the legends are quite clear. The Iron Crown's lair is blocked to the dead.† â€Å"Well, none of it matters,† I said. â€Å"The whole idea is ridiculous.† His face lightened, and he pressed a soft kiss to my lips. â€Å"Which is why I leave now.† My heart sank, knowing the inevitable had arrived. I hurriedly put on my jeans and shirt so that I could see him and the accompanying soldiers off. I knew the armies they would join were massive, but as he rode off toward the rising sun, his group seemed so frighteningly small. When he was out of my sight, I went to summon the rest of my own party. It was time for us to go home. Most had enjoyed their â€Å"night out,† but my mood that morning soon set the tone for our journey back. The one small comfort to my dark morning was that Jasmine hadn't gotten impregnated. Shaya assured me that my sister had never left her sight throughout the night and that Jasmine hadn't actually even tried anything sinister. She had simply been content to be away from my castle. Eyeing her tight iron cuffs and the chains that connected them, I felt a small pang of guilt. I quickly banished it. Those constraints had to stay. After that, it was time for another Tucson jump. I first summoned Volusian and sent him to Dorian's side, both for backup and later reports. I knew Dorian wouldn't welcome my minion, but his having a fighter that couldn't be killed would certainly make me feel better. Once that and other household affairs were settled, I went back to join humanity. The scene at my house was nearly the same as yesterday. A quiet morning, with Tim cooking in the kitchen. Only, today he was dolled up in full costume. â€Å"You're Lakota,† I said, once he'd recovered from the shock of my abrupt arrival. â€Å"What happened to Tlingit?† He shrugged. â€Å"The Tlingit are cool, but your average stereotype-loving tourist expects this.† He wore tassled buckskin pants and a long feathered headdress. His bare tanned chest looked like it had been oiled, and it had beaded necklaces hanging on it. Studying him, I reconsidered. He wasn't true Lakota either. Just some amalgamation of stereotypes, like he'd said. â€Å"Why are you dressed up so early? Morning commuters aren't going to stop for poetry slams.† â€Å"It's Saturday, Eug.† â€Å"Is it?† I asked, startled. My timing was all awry with my double life. â€Å"There's a cultural fest out by the university, just begging to hear my beautiful insights on nature.† He flipped some sunny-side up eggs onto a plate with a flourish. â€Å"A cultural – ?† I groaned. â€Å"Tim, the local tribes will be there. You know they'll try to beat you up again.† He flashed me a grin. â€Å"Be a pal. Come protect me.† â€Å"Can't. Too much stuff to do.† A knock at the back door astonished us both. We didn't get a lot of visitors. Hoping it wasn't a missionary, I opened the door and gaped at what I found. I couldn't have been more surprised if Katrice had come calling. It was Lara. She smiled at my shock. I almost never saw her in the flesh. She worked out of a home office, most of our correspondence being handled by phone and e-mail. â€Å"Come in,† I said, still amazed. She stepped into the kitchen, just as tiny, blond, and cute as I remembered. A big stack of papers was in her arms. â€Å"I don't like the looks of that.† â€Å"It's your – â€Å" Lara came to a halt when she saw Tim. Her eyes widened. He flipped his last egg onto a plate and glanced up at her. His eyes registered equal amazement. And in that charming, con-artist way of his, he instantly slipped into character. â€Å"A beautiful blossom has joined us, her petals brilliant and unfurled in the morning sun.† He was using his awful ‘How, white man' voice. Hastily, he pulled out a chair at the kitchen table. â€Å"Join us. We'll feast and enjoy Mother Earth's bounty together.† Dazed, Lara walked over to the table and sat down, unable to take her eyes off of him – his chest in particular. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"It is my honor to – shit! The cinnamon rolls!† Tim dove backward, grabbing a mitt and opening the oven, from which smoke was pouring out. Lara turned to me conspiratorially as he groaned about the state of his baked goods. â€Å"Eugenie, why is there a hot Native American chief cooking in your kitchen?† she whispered. â€Å"Well,† I said, suddenly realizing the two had never actually met. â€Å"He's neither a chief nor Native American. That's Tim.† â€Å"That's what – ?† Her baby blue eyes opened even wider. â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"Positive.† Tim meanwhile was scraping blackened bottoms off of his cinnamon rolls. He held one up for my inspection. â€Å"It's fine,† I said. He turned to Lara, putting his smile back on. â€Å"I beg your pardon a thousand times for this unworthy feast I must set before you. Such a delicate, beautiful creature like you deserves – â€Å" â€Å"Oh for God's sake,† I exclaimed. â€Å"Will you cut the bullshit, Tim? This is Lara.† â€Å"This is †¦Ã¢â‚¬  The cinnamon roll dropped off his spatula, back onto the pan. â€Å"Are you sure?† I sighed. Both seemed at a loss for what to say. Lara's mouth moved, no words coming out for several moments. Finally, she blurted out, â€Å"I brought tax paperwork.† Tim swallowed. â€Å"I †¦ That's pretty cool.† I moved past sighing or groaning. Now, I was fighting hitting my head against the table. â€Å"No, it's not. Can we get on with breakfast?† â€Å"I †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Tim finally recovered himself. â€Å"Sure. Of course.† He looked at Lara. â€Å"Do you like eggs and cinnamon rolls?† â€Å"I love eggs and cinnamon rolls.† He promptly built her a plate and handed it over. â€Å"Hey!† I said. He shot me a glare. â€Å"Be patient a sec. We have a guest. You should be more polite – especially since she went to the trouble of doing your taxes.† â€Å"I pay her to do my taxes.† Lara bit into a cinnamon roll. In his daze, Tim had forgotten to cut off the bottom. â€Å"This is the best thing I've ever tasted. How is this even possible?† She gave him a shy smile. â€Å"Good looks and cooking skills.† He smiled back, nearly dropping the plate he handed to me. â€Å"I have all sorts of skills.† â€Å"Oh my God,† I said. Until this moment, I'd thought nothing was more annoying than their phone bickering. I suddenly wished they'd get into an argument now. â€Å"Besides,† he added, joining us with his own food. â€Å"You've got mad tax skills. I could never do that.† â€Å"That's because you don't have an income or actually file taxes,† I said. â€Å"Hey,† he shot back. â€Å"Don't judge. You obviously can't do your own.† â€Å"I don't have to! That's why I pay someone.† With great effort, Lara managed to drag her eyes over to me and remember her job. â€Å"They're all done. I just need you to sign them. I wasn't sure you'd ‘get around to it' if I mailed them.† I nodded. As far as the federal government and state of Arizona were concerned, I was a self-employed contractor who did assorted home repairs. Which wasn't that far from the truth. â€Å"That was really nice of you,† said Tim. â€Å"Taking time out of your Saturday for that.† â€Å"I take my job seriously,† she replied. â€Å"Besides, I didn't have any other plans.† â€Å"Really?† He leaned forward. â€Å"Do you want to go over to the university's cultural festival with me? I'll be reading poetry there.† She gasped. â€Å"I would love that. I bet your people have some really amazing insights on the world.† â€Å"He's not – † I began. Lara turned back to me, her business face on. â€Å"Make sure you sign these while we're gone. And you know your schedule today, right? Three jobs?† â€Å"Yes, yes. While you guys are out slumming with college kids, I'll be fighting for my life.† Tim stood up and set his barely touched plate on the counter. â€Å"We can go whenever you're ready.† She handed him her equally untouched plate. â€Å"I'm ready now. Just let me run to the bathroom first.† The instant she was gone, Tim turned on me. â€Å"Why didn't you tell me she was so nice? All this time, you've let me think she was a total bitch.† â€Å"I've told you a hundred times she wasn't a bitch! You're the one who decided that, after talking to her on the phone. You only think she's nice now because you've seen her and want to get her into bed!† Tim gave me a grave look. â€Å"Eugenie, that is not the kind of woman you have a one-night stand with. She's a goddess among women.† â€Å"Unbelievable,† I said. When Lara returned, I noticed she was wearing lipstick and had neatened her hair. â€Å"All set.† I scowled at the dirty plates Tim had left on the counter. â€Å"Don't forget to do the dishes when you get back!† I called as they headed out the door. â€Å"Don't forget to earn a living while we're gone!† he called back. â€Å"This mortgage doesn't pay itself.† â€Å"Neither do you,† I muttered. But they were already gone, lost in the throes of infatuation. Considering all the things that had happened in my life, you'd think nothing could surprise me anymore. Clearly, I was wrong. Turning around, I set to washing the dishes myself, deciding that kicking some supernatural ass was exactly what I needed.

Cricket and Politics Essay Essays

Cricket and Politics Essay Essays Cricket and Politics Essay Essay Cricket and Politics Essay Essay In South Asia during 1880-2005 political relations gained an unusual bedfellow. Cricket was introduced to India by Great Britain for a intent that was widely discussed. Some believed cricket brought their people together and incorporate different castes and civilizations within India and Britain. some believed the athletics was merely another manner for the British to govern over India and appear superior. and others criticized the spiritual nature nowadays in many of the tourneies. This issue could be better understood by including an article by a British common man who participated in the Quadrangular Tournament to do it apparent that they truly did desire to distribute faith and it wasn’t an overreaction by the Hindus or Muslims. It would besides be contributing to include an article written by an Indian opinion elite who was the chief beginning of any kind of political power or political dealingss with British elites so the reader can acquire a greater apprehension of the existent function of cricket in political relations and to see if there were any struggles over the solve issue of cricket during political arguments. To get down with. there were those persons that believed cricket was a consolidative force and was purposeful in conveying everyone together to merely play a athletics. These people had small commentary on any relation cricket could hold had to political relations whether there was a immense relation or non. In papers 3. an English cricketer tells how he believes cricket has a immense consequence on the colonisation of Britain. He says how cricket has the power to unify â€Å"the swayers and the ruled† and that it provides many different values to its participants. In papers 4. an Indian societal reformist Tells of a state of affairs where a group of upper-caste cricket participants allowed a low-caste participant onto their Hindu squad and how the athletics of cricket has truly played a immense function in the fusion of the Indian people. Since the writer of this papers is a societal reformist for the Indian newspaper they would desire to demo that they are of class making their occupation as a reformist and seting out effectual reforms. This could hold been a type of reform that was forced on the upper-caste members to let new members of different castes into their squads. They besides wanted to demo Indians that their state looked good and was respected in that they said. â€Å"let India cease to be the express joying stock of the whole universe. † In papers 5. another point of position is shown that clearly demonstrates how cricket gives a brotherlike feel to those who participate even if they are of different faiths. Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the first leader of Pakistan and writes how Muslims should be rejoiced when winning titles of cricket. He uses absolute address here demoing he clearly has a side as to which squad needs to be brotherly toward the other. Stating the Muslims will decidedly win the tourney makes it apparent that they are non brotherly at all and that in fact one is clearly seeking to lift above the other. In papers 10. a really indecisive president of the Pakistan Cricket Board leaps back and Forth between whether the cricket games should take to war or whether it brings people together. He clearly negotiations of India and Pakistan as two different people and topographic points. He besides likely had to be highly careful with his words due to the fact that this was an interview and words could be twisted. This could hold been why he was leaping back and for with his sentiments and had a really scattered and ill-defined sentiment. In add-on. there were those who looked at cricket as a manner for British to govern over India even more and spread out the cloud of influence they had over Indian personal businesss. In papers 2. a image and caption is shown of the Prince of India that was shown in the London newspaper. This image depicts the Prince holding a restful clip playing cricket in a proposed visit to England. it should be taken into history that the trip has non been taken yet. The paper speaks on his behalf stating he is thrilled to be fall ining the English participants and that the squad. in bend was excited to have him. In papers 1. the Indian cricket participants signed a request and sent it to the governor of Bombay. India. The request was inquiring for the Indian cricket team’s Fieldss back that were utilizing it for Polo. This was rupturing up the Fieldss and destructing them for the cricket squad. Since the squad contacted the governor it shows that this was a political issue and that the athletics was going a affair of the authorities. It besides shows that the British had dominant control on what happened on the field and that they had first choice. Since British ruled India. this was merely another advantage they had over India. The writer could hold besides been seeking to do cricket expression like a more of import athletics than Polos so that they could acquire their field back. In papers 6. an Indian Natore XI cricket nine protagonist writes an article for their monthly magazine. Of class. since he is composing the article for the Natore XI he is bound to talk really extremely of the nine and stress his privation for them to hold their equality against the English cricket squads particularly during the old ages of 1925-1926 when tensenesss could hold been assumed to be high in India and Britain as India was forcing for independency. Finally. Indians and Pakistanis were angered by the continued engagement of faith in the cricket games during post-independence times. In papers 7. the Indian athleticss diary. complains about increased engagement of faith in the Quadrangular cricket tourneies. The column complains that spiritual fanatism is resent at games and that this has disturbed the peace but at the same clip. the writer refers to the field as sacred conveying a spiritual vibration into their ain authorship. British and Indian faiths were really different and the writer could hold been back uping Indian faith because their audience was chiefly Hindu or Muslim and non the British faith of either Christian or Catholic. In papers 8. Gandhi. an independency leader. speaks strongly of the Quadrangular tourneies and how he agrees that they should be stopped due to the spiritual issues. Gandhi supported peace and wanted independency for India but most probably did non desire to see it be done this manner. He supported the Hindu’s and spoke of how Colleges and Institutions should be playing against each other and non faiths. Gandhi does non turn to the political nature of cricket and Tells of sportsmanship which was neer truly present in cricket. In papers 9. a Hindu patriot is quoted in the newspaper Muslim India and speaks of how it is non right that the Muslim Indians are non heartening for their ain state but alternatively for Pakistanis because they are Muslim. This shows more spiritual engagement in the games doing it apparent that it’s non about the game of cricket but more about who it is acquiring in front and what faith wins. The patriot could be seeking to promote the Indian Muslims to hold more pride for their state and be dishonoring them into back uping the Indians alternatively of the Pakistanis. In decision. cricket was a immense factor in political relations and had many different point of positions on how it impacted life in India and Britain. Some were shaken by the political and spiritual nature and others felt it was a great manner to convey people together whether rich or hapless. In all. cricket was more than merely a game and greatly wedged British and Indian/Pakistani relationships.

Latino essays

Latino essays The first inhabitants to occupy the Americas were Europeans who came from Spain and England. Theses settlers had the greatest deal of diversity that was spread through cultures and over the land. Each in it self created its own powerful empire and ruled and governed its people. These two groups also fought for what they thought was right in their independence that redid their political systems. The large and sometimes unruly groups spread across the country forming small towns and sometimes much larger cities in and around where everyone migrated. What many scholars though to believe at the time was a native population of close to 110 million people, (Gonzalez P.4). The Spaniards and English with both awestruck and the inhabitants that currently resided in the Americas, many tried to build their cities in much the same format as these groups. But, with the new comers to the Americas so did disease, and sickness, and the onslaught of new religions and customs on the current inhabit ants. The church also played a key role in this. It tried to spread the word, and convert as many of the natives to their form of Catholicism. The natives were spread throughout the land, and the new arrivals were migrating into their territory. Seeing as how the natives were scared of these new people, many were forced into slavery due to the face that they new immigrants saw them as a lower class. On the other side of the boarder, in Latin America, things where happening at a different pace. Annexation of the Spanish-speaking borderlands evolved in three distinct phases: Florida and the Southeast by the 1820s; Texas, California, and the Southwest by 1855; and finally Central America and the Caribbean during the second half of 1898 (Gonzalez P. 28). Even those much of this land was already inhabited by local tribes like the Aztec, Mayas, and Incas. Even though these civilizations lived by their own rule and authority, as s ...

Globalisation leads to the homogenisation of culture. Discuss Essay

Globalisation leads to the homogenisation of culture. Discuss - Essay Example Globalization has brought many hopes to such countries as they can utilize the expertise and technology of developed countries for the mobilization of their idle resources. Another important aspect of globalization is the cultural homogenization. The exchange of labour force across the boarders is a common thing at present because of globalization. Outsourcing and offshoring of business are common things at present which need the interaction of multicultural workforce. In short globalization has forced the world to develop towards a common culture. This paper briefly analyses the homogenization of culture as a result of globalization. Berry, (2008) has defined Globalization as the multiplicity of linkages and interconnections between nations (Berry, 2008, p.329). Kalantzis & Cope (2006) have referred globalization as the enemy of diversity (Kalantzis & Cope, 2006, p.402). Peng, (2009) has argued that Globalization brings closer integration of the countries and the people of the world by acting like the swings of a pendulum (Peng, 2009, p.19). Globalization has been defined in many ways by different people. It is the sum of all the definitions given above. The essence of Globalization is the unification of global culture for the collective growth. The major enemy for economic growth in many countries is the conflicts between countries. For example, the conflicts like India-Pakistan, Israel - Palestinians, US-Afghanistan etc are causing immense damage to the economic development prospects of these countries. Many people argue that the current financial crisis in America was the child of different wars America engag ed in different countries. Pakistan also is a victim of underdevelopment because of the increasing conflicts even inside the country. In short, conflicts and wars can retard the economic progress of a country. On the other hand,

Fatigue in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients Essay

Fatigue in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients - Essay Example 2006, p. 58) Fatigue is very common among patients with multiple sclerosis and yet is it a symptom that is quite poorly defined. (Flachenacher et al., 2002). This very fact makes evaluation of fatigue as a symptom of multiple sclerosis difficult. And yet, since it is such a common complaint of patients with this condition, its evaluation as part of the disease process cannot be ignored. The paper by Flachenecker and colleagues is an important one dealing with the problem of fatigue in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Of the 151 consecutive patients who entered the study and were given the standardized questionnaires, 94 had the relapsing-remitting type of multiple sclerosis which is our main interest as far as the symptom of fatigue is concerned. One of the most important aspects of this paper in the evaluation of fatigue is the fact that the authors used 4 different fatigue scales namely, Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), MS-specific FSS, Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). To evaluate a symptom as vague and non-specific as fatigue, it was important that the authors relied not just on one fatigue scale but on four different fatigue scales in order to reduce the incidence of errors. In order for a patient to be included in the â€Å"MS-related fatigue group† (MS-F) they had to have stated in the questionnaire that fatigue: 1.is one of their three most disabling symptoms; 2. occurs daily or on most days of the week; and 3. limits their activities at home or at work. Patients who fulfilled none of these criteria were labeled MS non-fatigue group (MS-NF); those who had only one or two of the criteria were labeled â€Å"borderline† (Flachenecker et al., 2002 p. 524). This was another way of ensuring that only those who were truly fatigued were included in the group of MS patients with fatigue. It is also significant that Flachenecker, et al. (2002) used a depression screen as part of the evaluation of fatigue in MS.