Small Island Andrea Levy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Small Island Andrea Levy - Essay Example It was not only dehumanising but also very demeaning, inspiring a number of strong written versions of expression of anguish. This novel is an attempt to do the same. However, it is not the author who takes up the task of story narration, and in turn imposes her thoughts. Instead, the author gives greater levels fo autonomy to her four principle characters to take turns and narrate the story! Thus, it is akin to a personal account of the experience of these individuals, set in racist England. This write-up is an attempt to sketch the character of Hortense, who is a migrant from the island of Jamaica. Her character is round, and undergoes a number of changes, spiritually and psychologically through the novel. This is exactly what I have attempted to chalk out, in this paper. The character of Hortense is representative of the average immigrant from the island of Jamaica, who comes to England with dreams to pursue a career. Through her character, the author gives the readers an insight into the mindset and expectations that these immigrants envisage; and how they face sheer disappointment and trauma on reaching the place and living in the midst of racially abusive individuals. UPBRINGING Hortense's character is carved on the dynamic side. Hortense was the daughter of a learned and respected person, Lovell Roberts. He is referred to, as "a man of class". Hortense's childhood was not that of a typical 'Black' Jamaican. She was above them-she had skin "the colour of warm honey" and was certainly not 'Black'. She received class education to become a teacher and possessed polished manners and behaviour. Her hands were adorned with white gloves and she certainly was, a picture of class. Hortense was disappointed with her career as a teacher in Jamaica, since she had to teach the 'Blacks' and not polished youngsters of class. INITIAL RACIST VIEWS This initial description is a give away into the racist Jamaican society. There existed deep-rooted racism, based on the colour of skin. For instance, Hortense was considered a cut above the rest, since she did not have black' skin like the others and possessed a honey-coloured complexion. This establishes the fact that she belonged to the so-called higher strata of the society, back home in Jamaica. She was proud of her skin-tone that was her passport to a higher class in society. She certainly did possess racist views and loathed having to teach the Black children, who were 'wretched', as she felt. Thus, the initial phase of the novel is quite a revelation of Hortense's early life, her racist views and ambitions of making it big in her career. SHIFT IN PERCEPTIONS WITH SHIFT IN PLACE She married Gilbert, who is scheduled to move to England, for the sole reason that she too could get to go to England. She marries him

Cybersecurity Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cybersecurity - Coursework Example Compare this to now, where a semi-automatic machine gun can spray out hundreds of bullets per minute and rarely needs to be reloaded. The example used of a bank robbery is perfect because it is low risk and low reward. The robber is only going to be able to do it once, and he will only make a small return for doing so. If a hacker gains access to a computer system, he can steal multiple times and also take large amounts of cash each time. These two instances of crime are different in nature and different in reward. I also agree that those who commit cyber crimes should be punished more severely than those who commit traditional crimes. The level of skill involved almost removes the defense argument that the accused did not know what they were doing. 2. Although terrorists may seem irrational by their actions, they are actually clever and calculated when it comes to doing damage to those who they oppose. Risk and return is a huge part of any terrorist operation because there is no point in doing something only to be caught for doing so. Terrorists are always trying to do the most damage and gain the most value without being apprehended for what they do. Cyber terrorists, however, do not seem to act rationally when it comes to doing an illegal act. This is quite ironic because â€Å"computer geeks† are always thought to be smart and calculated. I agree that the objective may not always be to gain something, but to simply disrupt services already provided and diminish the public’s confidence in those services. The incentive for cyber terrorists is huge because they have the chance to disturb society from its normal state and become infamous at the same time. Owners of important government infrastructure need to ensur e that defenses against cyber terrorists remain strong, because if even one succeeds, it may spur other like-minded individuals on to doing

How Global Warming Will Affect Human Health Essay -- Geology

How Will Global Warming Affect Human Health? Introduction: Certain threats to human health loom larger with rising temperatures. Extremely hot temperatures can cause heat illnesses and loss of life. Several vector borne diseases only occur in warm areas, and an increase in temperature could mean a spread of these diseases to larger areas. Also, warm temperatures can increase levels of air pollutants, including ozone, which can harm human health. Direct Effects: The most direct way that a rise in global mean temperature will affect human health is through a more frequent occurrence of heat waves. Heat can seriously harm or even kill during a heat wave. Extremely high temperatures push the human body beyond its capacity to cool itself through perspiration. Usually, the body perspires and is cooled through the evaporation of that perspiration. In conditions with extremely high temperatures and humidity levels, evaporation slows and the body has to work harder to cool itself. The elderly, the young, the overweight, and the infirm are vulnerable to heat stroke, as are people who have been overexposed to the heat, or have over-exercised for their age and physical condition. Men are more susceptible to heat illnesses than women, because they sweat more and dehydrate more quickly. The problem is exacerbated in urban areas because asphalt, concrete, and other manmade materials absorb a lot of light and reradiate it as infrared radiati on, which raises the temperature of the air. In a normal year, about 175 Americans die from extreme heat related illnesses, but that number could rise tremendously in response to global warming. Studies based on heat wave mortality statistics estimate that in Atlanta, even... ...w.epa.gov/airnow/health/ Fema. "Extreme Heat Backgrounder." http://www.fema.gov/library/heat.htm Greenpeace. "Global Warming May Spread Infectious Diseases." http://www.greenpeace.org/~climate/database/records/zgpz0707.html Hall, Mike. "Ground Level Ozone." http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~mjhall/glo/ Living Planet. "Emerging Infectious Diseases." http://livingplanet.org/climate/climate_docs/health_factsheet/emerging.htm Myers, David G. Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers, 1998. Nasa. "Islands in the (Air) Stream." http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/essd01may98_1.htm The University of Edinburgh. "What effects can the environment have on health?" http://www.med.ed.ac.uk/HEW/env/introeh.html Washington State Department of Health. "High Levels of Ozone Pose Health Risks." http://www.doh.wa.gov/Publicat/98_News/98-68.html

How Should Teachers Respond to the Ebonics Debate? Essay

What are teachers to do when our students respond to a question saying â€Å"It don’t make no difference† or â€Å"It ain’t good. † What about students write: â€Å"All the mens and womens was forced to go† in a research paper? On one hand teachers want to respect and honor our students’ heritage and culture, but on the other hand, we want to prepare them for the best chance of success. Ebonics refers to a form of language that many African-American students speak. The issue came to public attention in 1997 when the Oakland school board proposed to teach African American students by incorporating Ebonics into the curriculum. This began a heated national debate. Lisa Delpit (2002) explains the issue in a very poignant and insightful way: I have been asked often enough recently: â€Å"What do you think about Ebonics? Are you for it or against it? † My answer must be neither. I can be neither for Ebonics or against Ebonics any more that I can be for or against air. It exists. It is the language that is spoken by many of our African-American children. It is the language many African-American children heard as their mothers nursed them and changed their diapers and played peek-a-boo with them. It is the language through which they first encountered love, nurturance, and joy (p 93). Lisa Delpit’s article entitled â€Å"What should teachers do? Ebonics and culturally responsive instruction† goes on to explain how Ebonics is a reality, and that teachers must develop sound methodology to help students learn to code switch between the two languages. While some critics such as Christopher Todd (1997) fervently believe that if teachers are to acknowledge Ebonics as an acceptable form of language, then they in turn will only further handicap African-American students. Todd argues that this pedagogy will not give non-standard English speakers sufficient skills in Standard English, and in doing so teachers will help to perpetuate cycles of poverty that these very teachers purport to end. Catherine Compton-Lilly’s (2005) â€Å"Nuances of Error: Considerations Relevant to African American Vernacular English and Learning to Read† addresses the issue of how teachers should respond to students who did not grow up in homes where Standard English is spoken. She goes on to establish that African American Vernacular is a well documented form of spoken English, complete with its own syntax and intonation, and that it has been deemed inferior to standard English. Compton-Lilly suggests that until recently there has been very little awareness among teachers that by correcting student’s language, they also undermine their cultures and families. Compton-Lilly then sites research documenting the specific linguistic differences between standard and African American Vernacular. The bulk of the article’s original research is a case study of Lashanda, a first-grader who had fallen behind her peers in reading and had grown up in a house where African American Vernacular was used. Catherine Compton-Lilly tutored Lashanda individually over the course of several weeks and meticulously documented when and how her home language emerged to cause a miscue in her reading. Lashanda made typical â€Å"errors† such as reading aloud â€Å"the roses was broken† instead of â€Å"were† broken.

History of the Fbi Essay - 726 Words

History of the FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation was founded in 1908 when the Attorney General appointed an anonymous force of 34 Special Agents to be investigators for the Department of Justice. Before that, the DOJ had to borrow Agents from the U.S. Secret Service. In 1909, the Special Agent Force was renamed the Bureau of Investigation, and after countless name changes, it became The Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1935. When the FBI was established, there werent an abundance of federal crimes, so it investigated criminal acts that dealt with national banking, bankruptcy, naturalization, antitrust, peonage, and land fraud. In June of 1910, the FBI grew larger because the Mann Act (Made it a crime to transport women to†¦show more content†¦Around this time, Americans feared the invasion of Communism, which triggered the FBI to investigate people within the U.S. whom were suspected of sabotage and undermining Democracy in the name of Communism. The FBIs role in fighting crime grew yet again after the Korean war. On March 14, 1950, the FBI began its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List to further increase the FBIs capacity to capture exceptionally dangerous criminals. Many advances in Forensic Sciences helped the FBI to become even more capable to assist local and state law enforcement agencies to catch criminals. By this time the number of FBI agents had made a steady climb to about 6,200, and in 1957 the FBIs budget started to rapidly increase. In the 1960s, civil rights and organized crime became major concerns of the FBI, and counterterrorism, drugs, financial crime, and violent crimes in the 1970s. During the 60s, Congress passed many new federal laws for the FBI to combat civil rights violations, racketeering, and gambling. Some of these new laws were the Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and 1964; the 1961 Crimes Aboard Aircraft Act; an expanded Federal Fugitive Act; and the Sports Bribery Act of 1964. By the end of the 1960s, the FBI had 6,703 Special Agents, 9,320 Support Personnel, and 58 field offices. Another new FBI jurisdiction came into play when President Kennedy was assassinated. TheShow MoreRelatedThe FBI : The Background History Of The FBI777 Words   |  4 PagesDid you know it is completely legal for the FBI to misconceive a jury while under oath, in court, to ensure that the nation’s security is protected? Also, you can simply request a copy of your personal file from the FBI and receive it in an email. The Federal Bureau of Investigations is known for their very conspiratorial litigations and highly advanced technology, but there is a lot of information that is widely available to the public eye, in which the people have no knowledge of. I am going toRead MoreThe History of the FBI Essay1521 Words   |  7 PagesFederal Bureau of Investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, also known as the FBI, is a corporation that seeks fidelity, bravery and, integrity for the United States of America. The FBI researches shocking and concerning crimes the news repo rts about politics, war and, safety that we hear on the television about issues that are being reported to the people. These cases of transgression are missions the FBI analyzes, such as hacking information from double spies, locating terrorists, seekingRead MoreFbi History Essay1906 Words   |  8 PagesThroughout its more than hundred year history, the Federal Bureau of Investigations has been a very important agency to the United States. As a threat-based and intelligence-driven national security organization, the mission of the FBI is to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and to provide leadership to federal, state, and international agencies (â€Å"A Brief History of the FBI†). The Bureau’s success hasRead MoreHistory of the Fbi and Women1574 Words   |  7 PagesBureau in 1924, he inherited two female agents: Jessie B. Duckstein and Alaska P. Davidson, who both resigned within a few months as part of the Bureau’s reduction of force. In 1972, JoAnne Misko and Susan Malone were the first two women to enter the FBI Academy. In 1978, Special Agent Christine Karpoch (Jung) would become the first female firearms instructor—and she would shoot the coveted â€Å"possible,† a perfect score on the FBI’s Practical Pistol Range. In 1990, Special Agents Susan Sprengel andRead MoreEssay about History of the FBI953 Words   |  4 PagesThe early 1900’s gave rise to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Founded in appalling times filled with tension, the FBI would slowly transform American law to apprehend the nation’s most notorious criminals, and become one of the vital agencies that protect American sovereignty. Influenced by the Progressive Movement and the belief that the federal government’s intervention was required to alleviate injustices in a dark society of corruption where a war between capital and labor raged, PresidentRead MoreArgument1501 Words   |  7 PagesArgument The Need for the FBI Over the years, the FBI has grown from a small bureau into a service that not only the nation needs, but also the world. It has helped in many significant cases throughout history, such as Al Capone, the Unabomber, Bonnie and Clyde, and without the FBI, would not have been solved or taken care of as easily (â€Å"Famous Cases† 1). These have proven to make the environment a better place to live in. The FBI is needed to protect the country’s safety and the well being ofRead MoreSpeaking FBI, people will think of the following picture: and FBI agent hold the gun point it to1500 Words   |  6 PagesSpeaking FBI, people will think of the following picture: and FBI agent hold the gun point it to the suspect one hand, the other hand show the certification and shouting FBI. They exist in numbers of movies and TV series as heroes. Are FBI in real life same as people seen on TV? The fascination of TV â€Å"Criminal Minds† has affected many viewers about FBI, however, the real agents are different than they are on TV. As people know, FBI are very mysterious organization. They have many secrets, andRead MoreThe Mission Of The Fbi997 Words   |  4 Pages The mission of the FBI is to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners. It performs these responsibilities in a way that is responsive to the needs of the public and faithful to the Constitution of the United States. History of the Federal Bureau of InvestigationRead MoreThe Patriot Act Of Terrorism1616 Words   |  7 Pagesfuture terrorists from executing their malicious attacks. Despit the law’s ability to keep this country safe, we sacrifice some of our freedom for the good of each of us. Although the American government has retrieved personal information throughout history, our civil liberties should be preserved along with the safety of our exclusive information from the United States government. Our civil liberties as American citizens were put to the test through many ways. This act allowed the government to invadeRead MoreFunding Of The Bureau Of Investigations Essay1261 Words   |  6 PagesFUNDING OF THE FEDERABL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is an agency that engages in the enforcement of laws at the federal level and is under the department of Justice. (Schlesinger, 2012) There are many challenges that the USA faces in terms of criminal activity that requires a singular approach that cannot be provided by the state departments of police whose jurisdictions are limited to the states they operate in. In this case, there is need for a policing agency

United Arab Emirates History and Independence

Before its re-creation as the United Arab Emirates in 1971, the UAE was known as the Trucial States, a collection of sheikhdoms extending from the Straits of Hormuz to the west along the Persian Gulf. It wasn’t a country so much as an expanse of loosely defined tribal groups spread out over some 32,000 square miles (83,000 sq. km), about the size of the state of Maine. Before the Emirates For centuries the region was mired in rivalries between local emirs on land while pirates scoured the seas and used the states’ shores as their refuge. Britain began attacking pirates to protect its trade with India. That led to British ties with the Trucial States’ emirs. The ties were formalized in 1820 after Britain offered protection in exchange for exclusivity: the emirs, accepting a truce brokered by Britain, pledged not to cede any land to ​any powers or make any treaties with anyone except Britain. They also agreed to settle subsequent disputes through British authorities. The subservient relationship was to last a century and a half, until 1971.​​​ Britain Gives Up By then, Britain’s imperial overreach was exhausted politically and bankrupt financially. Britain decided in 1971 to abandon Bahrain, Qatar, and the Trucial States, by then made up of seven emirates. Britain’s original aim was to combine all nine entities into a united federation. Bahrain and Qatar balked, preferring independence on their own. With one exception, the Emirates agreed to the joint venture, risky as it seemed: the Arab world had, until then, never known a successful federation of disparate pieces, let alone bicker-prone emirs with egos enough to enrich the sandy landscape. Independence: December 2, 1971 The six emirates that agreed to join in the federation were Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Sharjah, and Quwayn. On Dec. 2, 1971, the six emirates declared their independence from Britain and called themselves the United Arab Emirates. (Ras al Khaymah initially opted out, but eventually joined the federation in February 1972). Sheikh Zaid ben Sultan, Emir of Abu Dhabi, the richest of the seven emirates, was the union’s first president, followed by Sheikh Rashid ben Saeed of Dubai, the second-richest emirate. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have oil reserves. The remaining emirates do not. The union signed a treaty of friendship with Britain and declared itself part of the Arab Nation. It was by no means democratic, and rivalries among the Emirates didn’t cease. The union was ruled by a 15-member council, subsequently reduced to seven—one seat for each of the unelected emirs. Half the 40-seat legislative Federal National Council is appointed by the seven emirs; 20 members are elected to 2-year terms by 6,689 Emiratis, including 1,189 women, who are all appointed by seven emirs. There are no free elections or political parties in the Emirates. Iran’s Power Play Two days before the emirates declared their independence, Iranian troops landed on Abu Musa Island in the Persian Gulf and the two Tunb islands that dominate the Straits of Hormuz at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Those islands belonged to Ras al Khaymah Emirate. The Shah of Iran contended that Britain had wrongfully granted the islands to the Emirates 150 years before. He was retaking them, he alleged, to look after oil tankers traveling through the Straits. The Shah’s reasoning was more expedience than logic: the emirates had no way to endanger oil shipments, though Iran very much did. Britains Enduring Complicity in Complications The Iranian troop landing, however, was arranged with Sheikh Khaled al Kassemu of the Sharja Emirate in exchange for $US 3.6 million over nine years and Iran’s pledge that if oil were discovered on the Island, Iran and Sharja would split the proceeds. The arrangement cost Sharjas ruler his life: Shaikh Khalid ibn Muhammad was gunned down in a coup attempt. Britain itself was complicit in the occupation as it explicitly agreed to let Iranian troops take over the Island one day before independence. By timing the occupation on Britain’s watch, Britain was hoping to relieve the emirates of the burden of an international crisis. But the dispute over the islands hung over relations between Iran and the Emirates for decades. Iran still controls the islands. Sources and Further Information Abed, Ibrahim, and Peter Hellyer. United Arab Emirates: A New Perspective. London: Trident Press, 2001.  Mattair, Thomas R. The Three Occupied UAE Islands: The Tunbs and Abu Musa. Abu Dhabi: The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, 2005.Potts, Daniel T. In the Land of the Emirates: The  Archaeology and History of the UAE. London: Trident Press, 2012.  Said Zahlan, Rosemary. The Origins of the United Arab Emirates: A Political and Social History of the Trucial States. London: Routledge, 1978.

The Events Of The Summer Olympics And Michael Phelps...

From the year 2008 many of us still remember the important events of the Summer Olympics and Michael Phelps winning 8 gold medals and being the first person to ever do this in history. We also remember the election of the 43rd president of the United States Barack Obama who was the first black president to be elected before going on and being elected for a second term. Out of all of these great events in American history in the year of 2008 the most remember event in this year is the financial turmoil that was caused by the crash of the stock market and caused the second biggest recession in United States history. A recession is a â€Å"period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally†¦show more content†¦It is also said that these factors are the biggest reason why recessions occur. As some may already know, the recession of 2008 was the second worst in U.S. history and really makes you wonder what were the causes of th is devastating event and also what was happening before this. According to moneymorning.com the biggest reason for the recession of 2008 was a Housing bubble that eventually led to subprime lending. From 1996 to 2006, home costs nearly doubled. Robert Shiller s Home index number changed from 87.0 to 160.6. revealing sixty fifth of this growth occurred from 2002 to peak costs in 2006. When the bubble burst, costs quickly plunged. The index was at one zero five.7 by 2009. This surge in growth followed by fast decline is not shown within the history of U.S. real housing costs, in line with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is estimated that about 7 million Americans lost their homes due to this recession, it is also estimated that about 1.2 million households were lost in this recession according to bobsullivan.net and nbcnews.com. This only shows a part of how strong this recession ended up being and why us as Americans are so thankful that this nightmare finally ended years ago. Before the recession eventually