Video Games And Violent Violence Essay - 1630 Words

Video games are one of America’s most beloved pastimes, especially when it comes to teenagers. A whopping 97% of teenagers play video games, as opposed to only about 40% participate in sports. (http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/Horizons/2008/0916/by-the-numbers-teens-and-video-games http://www.aspenprojectplay.org/the-facts.) This high percentage is still growing. Teens devotion for video games is becoming more and more popular, especially as more games of all different genres are becoming available. One of these video game genres in particular has created a chain reaction of scientific studies involving fistfights all the way to mass shootings. This genre is violent video games. Over the years and continuing through present day, video games have increased in violence, becoming a topic that has recently exploded the media, especially when the violence in these games is linked to violence in real life. Violence in video games can motivate teenagers to be violent in their daily lives because of the use of an avatar, reward and punishment, and gaming situations that are unsettlingly realistic. At the beginning of almost every video game, the player is asked to pick an avatar. This animated avatar becomes the teens mirror image, the flesh being pixels and the blood static. Some game’s avatars can get so realistic it’s scary. The video game NBA 2K15, uses a camera to take a photo of the player and then mutilates the face. Avatars may act and look like the player, but theyShow MoreRelatedVideo Games And Violent Violence1345 Words   |  6 Pageseven specially made devices for babies and children. Video games are interwoven with our daily lives. For many, it is just an innocent way to relax or enjoy themselves. For others, it has become an addiction in which they cannot escape. Not all video games are violent, but what about those that are? Does society have an obligation to monitor every type of video game children and adults play simply because they believe it may lead to acts of violence? Psychologists, Sociologists, Anthropologist, SchoolsRead MoreVideo Game Violence : Violent Video Games1626 Words   |  7 PagesDavis English III 27 March 2015 Video Game Violence Violent video games have been being created since the first console. Yet only recently have we been blaming them for aggression in the player. We as humans have a tendency to blame our violent behavior on other things rather thin ourselves. Now aggression is being defined in many ways in this situation but mainly people point to the anger that’s brought out in the real world after the game or maybe it’s the gamers’ tendency to haveRead MoreVideo Game Violence And Violent Video Games2382 Words   |  10 PagesAbstract The issue of video game violence seems to be a hot topic right now after several shootings have occurred and made a connection to the shooters being video gamers. In looking at past research it is apparent that there seems to large amounts of research that contradict one work to another. Although I would have been interested in conducting a poll of the publics opinion regarding the use of violent video games and their connection to mass shootings I was not able to conduct the researchRead MoreViolent Video Games And Violence855 Words   |  4 Pagesof violence in the popular media influencing a young generation to violence has been hotly debated. Since the introduction of violent video games in the 1970’s, for example, the shooting games Empire and Maze War from 1973, people have noticed that violent video games induce violent behavior in players, especially in teenage males. Despite people seeing the negative influence of violent media earlier as well, only in the last two decades has video game violence come to the forefront as video gameRead MoreViolent Video Games And Violence1203 Words   |  5 PagesAre violent video games directly correlated to teen violence? This is the burning question many researchers are dedicated to answering. The common form of the question is â€Å"Is the increase in violence in games creating killer kids?† The simple answer is no. Instead the opposite has occurred, as games became more violent, the players became calmer. The games create a â€Å"safe† outlet for any anger or angst that young people possess. Crime rates in the teen population have lowered and violent teens admitRead MoreViolent Video Games And Violence1533 Words   |  7 Pagesthe unclear motives of the people behind such destructive behaviour. Unfortunately, many individuals have jumped to rash conclusions regarding the causes of such events by linking violent video games with violence in the youth population. Even more discerning individ uals have also criticized the role of violent video games in encouraging people to become mass murderers. With these opinions gaining popularity in the mass media, it has become the predominant belief of society to explain why there areRead MoreViolent Video Games Cause Violence : Cause Of Violence And Video Games1377 Words   |  6 PagesLit. 27 November 2017 The Blame Game Statistically, 2017 has become the year with second lowest crimes rates since 1990, assuming there isn’t a big resurgence in violent crime between now and the end of the year (Bump). However, violent crimes continue to be a problem in modern-day America. Many have sought out to find out the root of these crimes and what causes them, and as a result, many different things have been cited as a cause for violence. Violent video games are said to be a possible sourceRead MoreVideo Game Violence : The Cause Of Violent Video Games1000 Words   |  4 Pagesmentioned that the cause of violent video games became an issue for public debate after teenagers and the main cause of this is the parallel effect. Based on the Studies done for violent video games correspond with individuals having violent acts. Also, young adolescents reveal that those who play a lot of violent video games become more aggressive and see the world as more hostile. The article also revealed that this acts would be a coincidence or a cause from playing violent videos. Additionally, researchersRead MoreViolent Video Games Cause Violence843 Words   |  4 PagesVideo games have been around for half a century when, the first simple tennis game was designed by William Higinbotham in 1958. Since then, video games have gotten more in depth, with better graphics and more options which include violent video games. Violent videos have gotten more popular with a better amount of variety including the franchise of Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Grand Theft Auto. These are the most common and popular video games and because of the violence in them debate has startedRead MoreMedia Violence And Violent Video Games807 Words   |  4 PagesMedia violence has been tremendously growing and attaining the hazardous extents. Two-thirds of TV shows contain some kind of violence. Most self-involving video games contain some violent matter in it. For example, if you manufacture guns, you do not need to give any advertisement, because it is done by the amusement industry. Aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, hallucinations, and fear of being mishandled were caused by the media violence, was explained in a 2009 Policy Statement

Analysis Of Leonardo Da Vinci s Madonna Of The Rocks

For the Formal Analysis Essay, I have chosen the following artist and work of art to discuss: Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 1452-1519), Madonna of the Rocks, c. 1495-1508, oil on panel, 75Ãâ€"47 in. The National Gallery, London. The subject of the Vinci’s Madonna of the Rocks (Fig 120) portrays four human figures under the cave with a landscape as background. In the center, the modeled Virgin Mary is seated on the ground. By her side is John the Baptist, who she has her arm over. Across from John the Baptist, Christ is sitting on the ground, and an angel is next to him. Vinci chooses the medium of oil pointing to describe the meeting between Christ and his cousin, John the Baptist. The use of oil gives many color possibilities on this artwork. In fact, this work of art has two versions (Leonardo Da Vinci Biography). One was in the Louvre, Paris, and the other one is the one I do analysis with. Vinci is known as a renaissance man, so this art of work is high Renaissance (Leonard o Da Vinci Biography). One might claim that the baby on the left is the Christ, and the baby on the right is John the Baptist. I think that the baby on the right is Christ because he looks younger. The artist also uses iconographic setting because the hidden of the religious meaning is well understood to Christian or Catholic groups of people. The content of this work falls into the theme of art and spiritual belief because in reality, Christ is believed to be born without sin by Virgin Mary, which isShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of English Renaissance : Three Important Things922 Words   |  4 PagesA New Beginning Analysis of English Renaissance: Three Important Things When thinking of the Renaissance, it is often stereotyped as the medieval time where the only thing going on was knights jousting; there was a lot more to the Renaissance than the boys in tights, puffy sleeves, and the hats with the feathers in them. Although, I do believe these were all very common things during this time period, it wasn’t the meaning behind the renaissance. The Renaissance actually means the â€Å"rebirth† andRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesmain issues inï ¬â€šuencing the competitive position of a number of organisations in the same industry with a relatively short case. For a case that permits a more comprehensive industry analysis The Pharmaceutical Industry could be used. However, if the purpose is more focused – illustrating the use of ‘ï ¬ ve forces’ analysis – the TUI case study or Illustration 2.3 on The Steel Industry could be used. Some cases are written entirely from published sources but most have been prepared in cooperation withRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesshould be able to tell he was being sarcastic and wasnt serious about the two guys being friendly. He didnt mean for Ramone to take his statements literally. 2 11 There is a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon in which Calvin finds some charred rocks and ashes in his back yard and claims this is dramatic proof that UFOs landed in his backyard. That cartoon also illustrates the following principle of logical reasoning: Extraordinary statements require extraordinarily good evidence to back

Technology and Laziness Speech free essay sample

Technology is not progress Good afternoon fellow students and respected teacher. In today’s society technology can be very helpful, as it helps our society advance. Technology is advancing our phones, transportation, medical studies, Education, and many other things. These things don’t necessarily mean that we are progressing; in fact humans are actually losing the ability to do the most basic things. People are losing the ability to physically write, to spell, and even to do proper research. They are losing the ambition to do work, cannot socialise face to face, and technology is making our present generations to be lazier. Society is dependent on technology, but don’t see the negative side effects so I’m going to talk about the negative side effects and how to prevent the side effects it could have on our health. Technology is encouraging our society to be lazier, when television came out kids would rather watch television all day instead of going to play outside to get their daily exercise. But some people would rather sit in front of the television or computer and play video games. Technology is advancing, but it’s not helping our society in the case of laziness. People in society would rather take the bus or drive their car to work, even if it’s just down the street. Parents will drive their children to school even if it’s just around the block, because there child is too tired to walk or bike. Also technology has changed the way we do things like mowing the lawn instead of a push mower, we have tractor mowers we you sit and press the gas without doing any physical activity, even using the elevator to go up just one floor instead of using the stairs. All this technology is making us lazier and it’s impacting our health. A Canadian study in 2003 has shown that children between the age of 7 to 11 years of age, the use of computers and television increased the risk of being overweight or obese. They also found that children who spent 3 hours or more a day in front of technology had 17 to 44 % percent increase of risk of being overweight, or a 10 to 60 % percent increase risk in obesity. Being overweight has a big impact on people’s health as it increases the chances of getting Diabetes, Coronary Heart Disease, cancer, Asthma, and high blood pressure. It affects your mood, breathing, and mostly it affects people’s self-esteem, as being overweight impacts a person’s entire life. So think about your health before you decide to watch television all day and play video games. Technology, also has an impact on our social skills, with the cell phone or with Facebook, msn, and twitter, are all new ways with communicating with each other, but the negative effect about it is that you’re not even face to face, you could chatting on the internet with someone that’s sitting right beside you. The computer screen is almost a shield; you would say things to people online that you wouldn’t say to the person’s face. With advancing technology cyber bulling has become an issue, people today are now using the internet to bully others, people aren’t just bullied at school or on the playground, now it’s everywhere you go, internet is helping bullies to bully others 24/7, and cyber bullying is leading to depression, poor grades, eating disorders, drugs, and drinking. People in society have committed suicide because of cyber bullying. Some statistics have shown that over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet, and over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying. People should realize that cyber bullying is a serious problem, and should be prevented, but it’s getting worse because of all the use full technology people can use to bully one another. Technology has a negative effect on bullying, and it’s not helping our youth. Technology also has social networking which is causing people in society to lose the skills to meet, interact, and maintain a conversation with someone in public, but your overall interaction and your social skills to suffer. Statistics say that 57% of teens view their cell phone as the key to their social life. Internet takes control of peoples social lives and the ability to socialize face-to-face is decreasing. The advancement of technology has negatively impacted our social interactions because it detaches us from what is truly happening around us. The lack of personal communication and the excessive Internet usage can have an overall negative effect on mental and physical health. Technology is having a negative effect on our writing skill, people are now depended on Microsoft word to do all the spell checking, and fixing grammar for us. People are relying on technology to do all the work for them. All that does is allow for people to make mistakes but never learn from them. In society people should make an attempt to actually learn when they see the red squiggly line under the word they type on word and try to figure out how to spell it right instead of using spell check and then forget about the word. Maybe people should start writing papers by hand. Read essays out loud and listen for punctuation. Small steps can make a big difference not only now in English classes but also in the future, because when you have to write up a resume to get a job they look at spelling and grammar, to see how good your writing skills are. In conclusion technology is not progress, because of all its negative effects on our social skills, we don’t speak to each other face to face anymore it’s all about the cell phone and Facebook, and cyber bulling because of the internet, and most important its negative effects on our health, it’s not too healthy becoming lazy. We all look at technology a good thing, but in some ways it’s a bad thing. Thank you very much fellows students and respected teacher for listening to my speech.

Vulnerable Population free essay sample

It is situational and is greatly affected by personal perception. There are various terms to describe these populations, such as â€Å"underserved populations,† â€Å" medically underserved,† â€Å" medically disadvantaged,† â€Å"underprivileged,† and â€Å"American underclasses† (Shi amp; Singh, 2010, p. 255). From the factors mentioned above, socio-economic, health, and geographic locations attribute the most to their vulnerability. Identifying, who is vulnerable can be extensive as there are no specific guidelines to define vulnerability thereby leaving it open to interpretation. Many groups embody this category such as the poor, mentally ill, drug dependents, undocumented immigrants, the veterans, people with disabilities, women, the young, and the eldery. The determination who belongs in these category is difficult as there are no standards what makes a person vulnerable thereby making the list boundless. This paper will focus on the homeless, as one identified vulnerable population and its effect on the health care delivery system. Demographics The term homelessness has a comprehensive definition. We will write a custom essay sample on Vulnerable Population or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The National Coalition for the Homeless (2011) website A homeless person is someone who does not have a fixed, regular, and sufficient night-time residence. According to Shi and Singh (2010) â€Å"Approximately 3. 5 million people experience homelessness each year on a national level† (p. 264). Determining the number of homeless in the streets or shelters is a challenge because of the different methods use to yield the information, thus resulting in underestimates of homelessness. Standardized reporting of data on homelessness was initiated in 2007 by the Department of Housing and Urban Development via the Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, which is released in June of each year National Coalition for the Homeless, 2011). Different factors and trends attribute to the rise in number of the homeless. Poverty and unaffordable housing increase the likelihood of homelessness for certain demographic groups. It is believed that the young, the elderly, and women are the most vulnerable of the groups but homelessness appreciates no boundaries. It can affect people of all ages, regardless of gender, race or ethnicity, income, or educational level. Studies show that children account a large portion of the homeless population at 39%. ; of this number, more than 40% were under the age of five. Numbers can vary in different cities, especially in rural areas. In 2004, 25% of the homeless were ages 25 to 34; the same study found percentages of homeless person aged 55 to 64 at 6% (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2011). The number of homeless families with children is also increasing in number and make up 30% of this population and is the fastest growing segment (Shi amp; Singh, 2010). Males are bound to be more exposed to homelessness than women. In 2007, a survey by the United States Conference of Mayors found that of the population surveyed 35% of the homeless people are members of households with children are male whereas 65% of these people are females. However, 67. % of the single homeless population is male, and it is this population that makes up 76% of the homeless population surveyed (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2011). The United States Conference of Mayors surveyed 25 cities and found the African American homeless population to be the highest at 42%, 38% white, 20% Hispanic, four percent Native American, and two percent Asian (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2011). Tough economic conditions also resulted on declining wages for many workers. Most of the states, making minimum wage makes impossible to afford a decent dwelling. The federal definition of affordable housing for a minimum-wage worker is working more than 80 hours a week to sustain a two-bed unit (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2011) . Educational level is also a determinant for homelessness. According to Blisard and Harris (2002) â€Å"Approximately 22% of the total United States population has never received a high school diploma† (p. 9). It is believed that education has some bearing on the issue because those who lack education has no bargaining power in the job market resulting in unemployment. Statistics on the homeless population education level shows 38% have less than a high school diploma, 34% with GED, and 28% have more than high school education (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2011). Mental health, violence, marital status, addictive disorders, and chronic medical conditions, are other factors that can make this population at an even greater risk for becoming homeless. It is clear that there is no one description to represent what makes up a homeless person as individual needs may vary, depending on the circumstances that pre-dispose the individual. Barriers, Challenges, and Impact on Health Care Homeless are said to be the most vulnerable because of the increased risk for unfavorable health-related outcomes brought about by unsanitary living conditions. They are more susceptible in acquiring communicable diseases because of malnutrition, unsafe health practices, and lack of access to medical care. Aside from the financial aspect, meeting certain eligibility requirements for health coverage provided by the government is unrealistic for them. Transportation to medical facilities is un-accessible to this population. The homeless population in general has a high incidence of untreated medical condition whether acute or chronic, psychiatric problems, and recreational drug use (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2006). Violence against this population is high because of exposure to rough environmental elements (Shi amp; Singh, 2008). Furthermore, the society’s perception of the homeless causes prejudice and discrimination leading to disparities in accessing health care services. Delivering medical and emergency services to this population can be a challenge because of lack of permanent dwelling and transportation. Lack of education, unemployment, limited job skills, substance abuse, medical, and special status in society such as criminal involvement and immigration issues add up to the already challenging face of homelessness. The growing number of the homeless population has resulted in increased need for health services and is impacting the use of emergency services in hospitals all over the country. The homeless population also account for high degree of hospital admissions because of various conditions, notably psychiatric care, and substance abuse. The demand for emergency food assistance has also risen because of job loss, foreclosures, and other aggravating circumstances (Blisard amp; Harris, 2002). This crisis has created a huge economic and environmental impact on health care, and there is no apparent resolution in sight. Stakeholders and the Homeless The stakeholders in this case, the government, insurance companies, hospital organizations, nonprofit organizations, and the consumers are directly affected by the problem. Despite of the challenges, efforts to improve the homeless population has been astounding. The homeless population in the United States is supported in various ways by governmental and nongovernmental organizations. The idea of physical and financial aid is supported by these groups. Another advocate of this population is The National Alliance to End Homelessness who represents the group by coordinating with the different government agencies for the creation of new policies that will help the homeless. Housing programs, whether transitional, permanent, or emergency is provided at an affordable rate (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2006). Supportive services for substance abuse such as counseling, access to treatment centers, and rehabilitation are part of the programs most agencies provide for the homeless. Currently, there is one federally funded program, Health Care for the Homeless, which is outlined particularly to provide primary health care services for their complex health needs (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2006). Universal access to low-cost, safe, and quality care is vital in the fight to end homelessness. The development of a standardized and effective health care system is necessary to closed-in the gap of this vulnerable group to the rest of the population. Conclusion Vulnerability is not a representation of one’s personal deficiency but rather a result of an interplay of multiple factors, over many of which individuals have little or no control. Predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics increase the susceptibility of these groups to negative events (Shi amp; Singh, 2010). This population groups face challenges and barriers in health care access and delivery of service. Homelessness, as a result of these factors, has become a global problem. As many as 3. 5 million people experience homelessness in a given year, which is one percent of the entire Unites States population (Shi amp; Singh, 2010). The needs of the homeless population is complex as it requires medical, social, financial, and environmental assistance compared to other population groups. Operating and sustaining homeless support services is a costly undertaking. Funding for these programs greatly affect the stakeholders and consumers in general. Tax dollars and private donations are a big part of mobilizing the different government programs designed to help this population. As a society, we should continue advocating for changes that will ease the problems brought by homelessness. Job retraining and educating this population to be an active and productive member of the community is a frightening task, but we must persevere. Volunteering in a shelter, organizing events, involving others, and connecting with local housing coalition in the area are ways to help the homeless. It is foretold that the current recession will worsen the homeless crisis in the years to come but continually educating ourselves, our families, and the community and to contribute to every way we can, we can make a difference. Breaking away and ending homelessness is a tall order. For the time being, helping people enduring the effects of homelessness and supporting the agencies that oversee this population is a strategy we can adapt as a community to serve the homeless better. Furthermore, changing the society’s perception of the homeless and prevent the stereotype but instead treat them with compassion and kindness as humanly possible.

Student Role in Politics Essays

Student Role in Politics Essays Student Role in Politics Essay Student Role in Politics Essay Subject: Research By: Making a Difference, Not a Statement: College Students and Politics, Volunteering, and an Agenda for America Peter D. Hart Research Associates 1724 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20009 April 2001 Date: From February 24 to March 2, Hart Research surveyed a national representative sample of 809 students in four-year colleges and universities; this research, conducted on behalf of the Panetta Institute, gauges students’ views of and involvement in civics and politics. This report summarizes our key findings. The margin of error is  ± 3. 5% for the overall sample and higher for specific subgroups. Forty years ago, something began to stir on the nation’s campuses. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy, sensing the potential idealism of the nation’s youth, signed an executive order creating the Peace Corps, and a few months later, the first cohort of Peace Corps volunteers embarked for Africa. That same year, college students traveled south to join the Freedom Rides, risking life and limb for the civil rights cause. It was the beginning of a youth movement that ultimately changed the face of America, as it touched everything from race relations to women’s rights to war and peace. Four decades later, could students once again provide the energy and idealism that drive social and political change? The results of our national survey among college students suggest that the potential is indeed there. Indeed, the civil rights and women’s movements are now a source of inspiration. And if this potential is realized, this generation is clearly poised to move the country in a progressive direction. In their issue preferences and political leanings, the youth of Generation Y embrace a progressive agenda while rejecting the anti-government cynicism of their Generation X forerunners. Yet, only a fraction of this great potential has been realized so far. Unlike their predecessors four decades ago, today’s college students enjoy the legal right to vote, but only a small minority of Americans age 18 to 21 exercised that right in 2000. These young people care about the issues of the day, yet few believe that working on a political campaign or contacting their congressional representative, for example, can help make society better. They say they want to contribute to their society and make a difference, but most spurn government service as a career option. Their values and priorities seem disconnected from their level of political engagement. Certainly, neither presidential candidate managed to connect with this generation. Today’s students are simultaneously progressive and apolitical; they embrace many government solutions, but evince little interest in government itself. Nevertheless, the survey results indicate that it is possible to get college students involved in the nation’s political life. Indeed, today’s generation of students is like tinder awaiting a spark. New political leadership, making the right kind of appeal and challenging young people to get involved as President Kennedy did in 1961, could once again awaken a powerful response on the nation’s campuses. I. College Students’ Current Outlook 1. Today’s college students are progressive in their views. College students’ agenda for the nation is strongly progressive. Among all the policy priorities tested in the survey, the top three are improving schools by hiring teachers and reducing class size (85% very top or high priority), strengthening and preserving Social Security (76%), and providing assistance to low-income families (73%). The three lowest priorities are strengthening the military (34%), reducing the size of government (23%), and allowing oil exploration in the Alaskan Arctic Wildlife Refuge (21%). Looking back at our history, today’s college students identify with progressive social movements. Overwhelming majorities feel that the civil rights (89%) and women’s rights (78%) movements did a great deal or quite a bit to make American society better. Smaller majorities say the same about the environmental movement (58%), human rights organizations (56%), and the Democratic Party (57%). In contrast, far fewer believe that the Republican Party (45%), the war on drugs (40%), the campaign for teen abstinence (29%), or the anti-tax movement (23%) has changed things for the better. In anticipating the future, many college students look far afield and point to progressive solutions to both international and domestic problems. A majority (59%) believe that most problems facing their generation will be domestic in nature (e. g. , Social Security), but a significant proportion, 37%, think that most will be international in scope. This outlook is reflected in the majorities of students who believe that the following global issues should be either the top priority or a high priority for Congress and President Bush to address: dealing with the worldwide AIDS epidemic (70%), promoting human rights abroad (64%), and cracking down on imported goods made in sweatshops or with child labor (59%). College students’ political affiliations provide further evidence of the progressive environment on most campuses; by a considerable 48%-to-33% margin, students identify more with the Democratic Party than with the GOP. To a lesser extent, this progressive viewpoint is evident in their vote- Gore edged out Bush by 46% to 42% among those who reported voting (another 9% supported Nader). And had they voted, non-voters with a preference among the candidates would have supported Gore by an even larger margin: Half (52%) would have voted for him over Bush (38%); 7% would have voted for Nader. Nevertheless, their votes make clear that neither of the major party candidates managed to connect with these younger voters. Gore, in particular, had the most to gain from the political disposition of the majority students and the issues they believe are important. Yet, while Democrats enjoy a 15-percentage-point advantage over Republicans on campuses nationwide, Gore held only a 4-point lead over Bush in the college vote. 2. Students do not see politics as a primary means of bringing about positive change. Young people are political voyeurs- they watch, but they don’t participate. Students clearly question the efficacy of getting more deeply involved in the political process. Only 12% believe that volunteering on a campaign is a way to bring about a lot of change (40% say some change). Only half that proportion, 6%, actually participated in a federal, state, or local political campaign during the 2000 election cycle. Students also question the effectiveness of other forms of political action. Only 17% say that attending a demonstration can bring about a lot of change (46% say some change). And as far as contacting an elected official about an issue, only 13% to 17% (depending on whether they are e-mailing or writing) say that this is a way to bring about a lot of change. Because students are not sure that their individual involvement will make much of a difference, most students choose not to get involved other than in the easiest, most convenient ways. Although 56% tell us that they have signed a petition, only 19% have participated in a demonstration, and only 18% have written to a member of Congress. 3. The 2000 presidential election may have sparked an interest in politics and an appreciation of the importance of voting. If the election had a single legacy, it would be arousing this generation’s interest in the political process. Students took an active interest in last year’s presidential election: The vast majority (88%) reports checking the latest news at least once a week during the election. Two in five (42%) say they kept up on the news every day, whereas only 6% say they checked the news no more than once a month. One of the most compelling findings from this research is the respect that students say they have for the vote, which perhaps is a result of the historically close election and the equally historic controversy surrounding the Florida recount. A strong majority (84%) believe that voting in a presidential election is a way to make a difference: 47% say that it can bring about a lot of change, and 37% say that it can effect some change. For most students, voting is far more effective in bringing about change than is volunteering on an election campaign, as only 12% say that the latter can bring about a lot of change. The power of one’s vote is recognized particularly among freshmen (88% a lot/some change), women (87%), and students affiliated with one of the major parties (84% Democrats, 85% Republicans). 4. Students believe in and prefer the direct benefits of volunteering. What’s the alternative to politics? An overwhelming majority (86%) of students tell us that doing volunteer work for groups that help the needy is a way to bring about needed change (50% a lot of change, 36% some change). Most students believe that volunteer programs- more so than the two political parties- have made society better. Solid majorities say that youth-mentoring programs, such as Big Brother/Big Sister (68%); private charities (66%); and groups like AmeriCorps (59%) make a great deal or fair amount of difference toward the betterment of society. Because they believe that getting involved in volunteer programs is a way to help their local communities, most students volunteer during their time in college. A large majority (68%) say that they have been involved in volunteer or other types of charitable activities. Sixty-three percent have volunteered at a local school, hospital, or neighborhood center; 38% have been tutors or mentors; and 27% have helped raise funds for a local cause. Volunteering has become part of the college experience. Among students who have gotten involved in their communities, two in five (39%) have volunteered through a program offered by their college or university. Alternatively, they have worked with an organization (13%) or a religious group (12%) with which they are affiliated. The value that students find in volunteerism is evident in their willingness to consider a longer-term commitment to an organization. Nearly three in four (73%) students would consider volunteering for either Habitat for Humanity (42%), the Peace Corps (21%), AmeriCorps (7%), or VISTA (3%) after they finish college or during a break. The vast majority (83%) of students also says that working for an issue organization is an effective way to make a difference. Most students admire progressive issue organizations for their contributions to society: 59% believe that Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and other groups promoting alcohol awareness have made a great deal or fair amount of difference; 56% say the same of international human rights’ groups such as Amnesty International. 5. Young people are committed to making a difference, but not through government service. Half (49%) of all college students say that in choosing a career, it is very important (a 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale) that it contribute to society. Yet, only about half as many (26%) tell us that they are very or fairly interested in government service; two in five (42%) say that they have no interest whatsoever in working for the government. In part, students question the government’s ability to make changes for the better. While 50% believe that doing volunteer work to assist the needy can bring about a lot of change, only 20% say the same about choosing a career in government. As a result, even those who put a premium on a career’s potential for making a difference are unwilling to consider government service; among this group, only 26% say that they would be interested in working for the government. Sixty-four percent of students say that providing financial aid or forgiving student loans might be an incentive to participate in public service. Three in ten say that it might help to have a parent or professor encourage them to participate. 6. Today’s students don’t hate the government, but they feel disconnected from it. Generation Y is not hostile toward government. Only 23% say that smaller government should be a top or high priority for the nation; 68% say that they are satisfied with the country’s political leadership; and only 38% feel that a candidate’s working to change the way things are done in Washington is a very important quality. If anything, Generation Y would like to see more from government: 85% say that hiring more teachers and reducing class sizes should be a top or high priority for Congress and President Bush; 76% believe that government should be strengthening and preserving Social Security; 73% want government to assist low-income families with children; and 69% say that the President and Congress should put prescription-drug coverage for seniors on the national agenda. Students don’t know what to make of government. When asked whether they think about government as the government or our government, 60% say the government and 39% say our government. Of course, the degree to which students (and presumably most Americans) feel any ownership of government may depend on who is in power- 47% of Bush voters and 46% of Republicans say our government, compared with only 36% of Gore voters and 35% of Democrats. II. How Can We Engage Young Adults in Politics? tudents’ concern about and willingness to help the vulnerable and disadvantaged demonstrate that they can be engaged. But this is not the 1960s- they are concerned more with the impact they will have and less with the ideal they will serve. If candidates, political parties, and social-change organizations hope to involve young people, they should understand the following: 1. Young people want to make a difference, not just a statement. While today’s generation is drawn to ideals, whether in voting or volunteering, it also wants tangible results. Asked what they would most like to see in a political candidate, half (50%) of college students say that it is very important that they be idealistic and stand up for principles, but more (63%) say that it is very important that candidates be practical and realistic. This pragmatic orientation is reflected in the 50% who believe that volunteering in one’s community can bring about a lot of change; only 17% say the same about participating in demonstrations. Three in four students say that people can make a difference just by living their lives in a way that is consistent with their social and political values. Thus, to inspire college students, political leaders must offer a vision and back it up with concrete action. 2. Students are looking for honest leaders who understand young people’s concerns. This generation has tremendous respect for the gains made by the civil rights and women’s movements. Hence, today’s students want candidates who can address similar challenges as well as be forthright in face of great adversity. They want candidates who are honest (65% say this quality is very important) and who say what they think, even if their positions are unpopular (51%). Nearly half (46%) of students feel that a candidate’s understanding of their values is very important. 3. Provide avenues for individual empowerment and celebrate the power of voting. Today’s students are empowered by volunteering because they believe their individual efforts contribute to a larger cause that makes a difference. Students do not feel the same way about volunteering for a political campaign, however. But the 2000 election left a legacy, a legacy whose effects may be felt for quite some time to come: Students now believe strongly that their individual votes truly count. We must build on this belief by giving young people ways to participate in the political process (e. . , aggressive voter registration and GOTV). 4. Build a bridge between direct service, and politics and public service. Many have already volunteered in their communities, and even more are open to working with Habitat for Humanity or the Peace Corps after graduation. Cultivate their willingness to act on their beliefs, not as an alternative to political engagement, but as an additional reason to either participate in the political process or make a career of public service. The challenge for political leaders and parties is to show young people who are willing to help Jimmy Carter build affordable housing, for example, that public policy and government can accomplish even more, or show Peace Corps volunteers that only the world’s governments have the resources to tackle global problems such as AIDS or exploitative child labor. The potential is already there- students want a government that does more, whether it is hiring more teachers and reducing class sizes or providing assistance to low-income families. 5. Support and encourage young women. Female students (59%) are much more likely than male students (39%) to say that making a difference is a key consideration in choosing a career, and they are more likely than male students to believe that volunteering for a campaign can make a big difference (59% vs. 43%). Moreover, female students already are more involved than their male counterparts- by 35% to 23%, women are more likely to have boycotted a product because of a manufacturer’s wrongdoing, and by 72% to 64%, women are more likely to have volunteered in their community. Yet, women are much less likely than men to say that they would seek elected office: Only 24% of women, compared with 39% of men, report any interest in running for a federal office, and just 24%, versus 43% of men, are interested in running on the state or local level. And while 31% of men say that they are very or fairly interested in a government career, the same can be said of only 21% of women. Young women’s commitment and idealism is there, but it has not yet been linked to politics or public service. They need role models and support. . To reach this generation, go on-line. The attention that many students paid to the election may have been facilitated by the Internet. While television was almost certainly their chief news source about the election (51% say they get most of their political information from TV) a significant proportion also looked to the Internet. Three in ten (29%) say they follow the latest news about politics and civic affairs on-line. Of those studen ts who followed the presidential election each day, 35% say they rely on the Internet for their news. Of those who checked the news once a week or less during the election, only 23% say that most of their news comes from an on-line source. In fact, the Internet has surpassed the newspaper as a chief news source on most college campuses- just one in five (21%) students say that they get most of their news from a city or national newspaper. 7. Parents must lay the groundwork. Ideally, college is a place where young people are on their own for the first time; it’s a place where they can begin to express themselves politically or choose whether to volunteer in their community. On many if not most campuses, students will have the opportunity to see speakers or authors address political issues; they will be asked to sign petitions for a range of causes; they will witness or even participate in demonstrations; or they may become a volunteer through a program offered by their school or an on-campus organization. Whether students take advantage of these new freedoms depends in large part on their parents. When children grow up discussing politics with their parents, they grow up to be far more interested and involved, both in the political process and in their community. Half of all students say that while they were growing up, they discussed politics with their parents very or fairly often; 39% indicate that they rarely did so; and 11% say that they never discussed politics at home. Of those college students who regularly discussed politics with their parents, 50% report checking the latest political news every day during the 2000 election, compared with only 34% of those who grew up in households where politics was not a topic of conversation; 10% of those reared on politics have volunteered on a political campaign, compared with only 2% of students from apolitical households. In addition, young people raised on politics are more likely to believe that a career in government or public service leads to change (24% major change, 47% some change); among students in non-political households, only 16% believe it would make a major change, and 50% say it would bring about some change.

Definition and Discussion of Lexical-Function Grammar

Definition and Discussion of Lexical-Function Grammar In linguistics, lexical-functional grammar is a model of grammar that provides a framework for examining both morphological structures and syntactic structures. Also known as  psychologically realistic grammar. David W. Carroll notes that the major significance of lexical-functional grammar is the shunting of most of the explanatory burden onto the lexicon and away from transformational rules (Psychology of Language, 2008). The first collection of papers on the theory of lexical-functional grammar (LFG)Joan Bresnans The Mental Representation of Grammatical Relationswas published in 1982. In the years since, notes Mary Dalrymple, the growing body of work within the LFG framework has shown the advantages of an explicitly formulated, non-transformational approach to syntax, and the influence of this theory has been extensive (Formal Issues in Lexical-Functional Grammar). Examples and Observations In LFG, the structure of a sentence consists of two distinct formal objects: C[onstituent]-structure of the familiar kind plus a functional structure (or F-structure) which displays certain additional kinds of information. Most important in the F-structure is the labeling of grammatical relations like subject and object (these are called grammatical functions in LFG).The first part of the name reflects the fact that a great deal of work is done by the lexical entries, the dictionary part of the framework. Lexical entries are usually rich and elaborate, and each one inflected from a lexical item (such as write, writes, wrote, written and writing) has its own lexical entry. Lexical entries are responsible for dealing with many relations and processes handled by different machinery in other frameworks; an example is the voice contrast between actives and passives.(Robert Lawrence Trask and Peter Stockwell, Language and Linguistics: The Key Concepts, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2007)Different Kin ds of StructuresA natural language utterance is rich in structures of different kinds: sounds form recurring patterns and morphemes, words form phrases, grammatical functions emerge from morphological and phrasal structure, and patterns of phrases evoke a complex meaning. These structures are distinct but related; each structure contributes to and constrains the structure of other kinds of information. Linear precedence and phrasal organization are related both to the morphological structure of words and to the functional organization of sentences. And the functional structure of a sentencerelations like subject-of, object-of, modifier-of, and so onis crucial to determining what the sentence means.Isolating and defining these structures and the relations between them is a central task of linguistics. . . .Lexical Functional Grammar recognizes two different kinds of syntactic structures: the outer, visible hierarchical organization of words into phrases, and the inner, more abstract hierarchical organization of grammatical functions into complex functional structures. Languages vary greatly in the phrasal organization they allow, and in the order and means by which grammatical functions are realized. Word order may be more or less constrained, or almost completely free. In contrast the more abstract functional organization of languages varies comparatively little: languages with widely divergent phrasal organization nevertheless exhibit subject, object, and modifier properties that have been well-studied by traditional grammarians for centuries.(Mary Dalrymple, John Lamping, Fernando Pereira, and Vijay Saraswat, Overview and Introduction. Semantics and Syntax in Lexical Functional Grammar: The Resource Logic Approach, ed. by Mary Dalrymple. The MIT Press, 1999) C(onstituent)-Structure and F(unctional) StructureLFG contains multiple parallel structures each modeling a different aspect of linguistic structure. The main syntactic structures are (c)onstituent-structure and f(unctional) structure . . .C-structure models the surface syntactic form of language: it is here that surface precedence and dominance relations are encoded. C-structures are phrase-structure trees, characterized by a particular form of X theory . . . designed to accommodate the large amount of phrase structure variation found cross-linguistically, from the relatively strict configurationality of languages like English to the more radically non-configurational languages of Australia. . .C-structures are always base-generated; there is no movement. . . . [T]he effect of movement is achieved by the fact that different c-structure positions can be mapped into the same f-structure via unification.The level of f-structure models grammatical relations. Unlike c-structures, which a re phrase structure keys, f-structures are attribute-value matrices. F-structure attributes may be grammatical functions (e.g. SUBJ, OBJ, COMP, also nonargument functions TOP(IC), FOC(US)), tense/aspect/mood categories (e.g. TENSE), functional nominal categories (e.g. CASE, NUM, GEND), or the predicate (semantic) attribute PRED. . . . The contents of f-structure come from the lexical items of the sentences themselves, or annotations on the nodes of the c-structure linking pieces of c-structure to parts of the f-structure.(Rachel Nordlinger and Joan Bresnan, Lexical-Functional Grammar: Interactions Between Morphology and Syntax. Non-Transformational Syntax: Formal and Explicit Models of Grammar, ed. by Robert D. Borsley and Kersti Bà ¶rjars. Blackwell, 2011) Alternate Spellings: Lexical-Functional Grammar (capitalized)

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

History - Essay Example In the then society, — between the early 19th century to the mid 20th century — there were many technologies invented in the US, such as railroads, airplanes, refrigerators, textile mills and telephones among others. Similar to other technologies, telephones brought a dramatic change in the economic pattern of the US by influencing its societal relations as well as economic developments by a substantial extent (Lasen, 2001). Emphasizing the aforementioned notion, this discussion henceforth will aim to provide with an insight about the impact of telephone, as an innovative technology, on the 19th century American society, i.e. at the time of its invention. Importance of Technology In the year 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented telephone, which was used to communicate with people in distant places. After the invention of telephone, President Rutherford, on viewing it for the first time quoted, â€Å"That’s an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them† (Elon University, n.d.). ... The telephone technology required no third party operator, as a direct communication was possible with the recipient(s) at the other end, which the postal mode lacked to a great extent. Additionally, unlike postal modes, telephone users did not require literary knowledge of writing and reading, which was a major advantage in the 19th century American society, especially for women. Hence, a strong need for telephone was felt by every individual, which could make their life much easier and convenient (Kang, n.d.). The telephone technology bought with itself an industrial revolution in America in the 19th century with the formation of American Bell Telephone Company. As a matter of fact, the importance of telephone was felt by the government as well, owing to the fact that this technology permitted communicate easily, with minimum chances of misinterpretation, and in a secured way assuring confidentiality along with time-efficiency. The technology also proved to be helpful in mitigating the limitations of geographic distances to a substantial extent, even though the telephone technology was not as advanced as it is today in communicating with people at distant places. Subsequently, the telephone industry saw a rapid growth in America as people were not only using this technology in their professional lives, but were also readily adapting the same in their personal area (Elon University, n.d.). Competencies and Setbacks of the Telephone Technology Telephone had given emphasis to true communication, which means a regular speaking and listening interaction within a group of people (Kang, n.d.). The telephone technology also enhanced the time efficiency of communication channels as now information could be send within few seconds from one

Product Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Product Report - Essay Example Keeping this theory in mind, it is quite obvious that the product category of ‘ketchup’ is in the maturity stage. This is apparent due to the following reasons: i. The market has become saturated with many variants of the basic product. For example, tomato chilly ketchup, sweet and sour ketchup. ii. Market share growth is at the expense of some other competitor rather than actual growth in the market (this is quite clear from the fact that competitors try to motivate consumers to try their product and appear superior to other brands of ketchup rather than just sell the idea of having ketchup with one’s fries or burgers). iii. The product is constantly being modified by players in the industry to differentiate their product from those of competitors (Ex: Heinz Dip & Squeeze Ketchup). iv. Emphasis of the promoters in the industry is to build brand loyalty and give customers incentives to switch over to their brand (As Heinz has done in this case study by offering fr ee fried chicken with the dip and squeeze and earlier by offering free fries and ketchup in their mobile vans). There are many strategies that marketers use to manage their product’s life cycle.

Presidential Campaign Policy Essay Example for Free

Presidential Campaign Policy Essay The 2008 presidential campaign will be remembered for the stark contrasts between the two candidates and their respective policies. Other than the obvious contrasts of race and age, John McCain and Barack Obama represent two very different philosophies of government. Two examples of this contrast are the domestic policy area of taxes and the foreign policy issue of the war on terror. John McCain, the Republican candidate, has proposed lowering the corporate tax rate from 35% to 25% (The McCain Economic Plan 6). This proposal reflects the traditional Republican philosophy which believes that lower tax rates for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and corporations will result in more jobs for working Americans, increased productivity, and, ultimately, in greater tax revenues. In addition to reducing taxes for corporations, McCain has also proposed reducing individual income taxes. Under the McCain plan, families with an annual family income of more than $2. 87 million would receive a 4. 4% decrease in taxes, or about $269,000 less in income taxes per year (Obama and McCain Tax Proposals). This income bracket represents the top 0. 1% of incomes in the United States. The average annual income in the United States is slightly less than $42,000 (World Bank, 12). Under the McCain Plan, an American with an average income would have his taxes reduced by 0. 7%, or $319 per year (Obama and McCain Tax Proposals). McCain has not always favored giving larger tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and less generous tax breaks to the middle class. In 2001, McCain was one of two Republican senators to vote against the Bush tax cuts (Weisman A01). At that time, McCain argued that the country could not afford to give such large tax cuts without corresponding reductions in spending. McCain also expressed concerns about the lopsided nature of the Bush tax cuts, which gave the greatest tax relief to the wealthiest taxpayers and offered little reductions in taxes to middle class or low-income wage earners. In 2002, McCain said that he would like to see much more of this tax cut shared by working Americans. . . . I think it still devotes too much of it to the wealthiest Americans (McCain, quoted by Weisman A01). McCain changed his position on taxing working Americans at some time before March of 2008, when he voted with other Senate Republicans to continue the Bush tax cuts. Barack Obamas tax plan increases the amount of income tax paid by the wealthiest Americans and reduces, if only slightly, the amount of income taxes that would be paid by middle class families. Under the Obama plan, Families making more than $250,000 will pay either the same or lower tax rates than they paid in the 1990s (Barack Obamas Comprehensive Tax Plan). Families earning more than $287 million, which received a tax reduction of 4. 4% under the McCain plan, would face a tax increase of 11. 5% or $701,885 a year under the Obama plan (Obama and McCain Tax Proposals). An individual with an income of $42,000 would have a tax reduction of 2. 4% or $1,042 per year under the Obama plan (Obama and McCain Tax Proposals). In the March 2008 vote, Senator Obama voted with other Democrats to reject the Bush tax cuts. McCain has argued that economic growth should come from the top down, while Obama has argued that economic stability comes from the bottom up. The recent collapse of Wall Street and the government bailout of several banks and investment firms reinforces Obamas argument and weakens McCains position. McCain and Obama also have different views about the war on terror. McCain contends that the United States was correct in its decision to pursue Al Qaeda into Iraq and that the United States military should stay in Iraq until the insurgency has been brought under control and the Iraqi government no longer needs the support of the United States military (Strategy for Victory in Iraq). Obama has argued that the war in Iraq is a dangerous distraction from the pursuit of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan (Obama calls Iraq war a dangerous distraction'). Obamas position on the war in Iraq is consistent with his initial criticism of the decision to go to war in Iraq in 2002. At one time, Obama argued that the United States should have a clear deadline for the withdrawal of all troops from Iraq. Since that time, Obama has somewhat modified his position. While he is still calling for a reduction in troops with a goal of an eventual withdrawal by the summer of 2010, he has also acknowledged the need for a residual force (to) remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq and to protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel (War in Iraq). Obama noted that we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in (War in Iraq). Obama has also tried to calm fears that he might be reluctant to use military force if necessary to defend the United States. Democrats have historically been viewed as being weak on national defense, which has traditionally been a strong issue for Republicans. While Obama has been critical of the war in Iraq, he has also argued strongly for increased troops in Afghanistan. Obama has also stated that, if necessary, he would pursue Al Qaeda into neighboring Pakistan, which is where he believes Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda members are hiding (War in Iraq). In these remarks, Obama has been more hawkish than McCain, who has warned against threatening Pakistan. John McCain has argued that the American strategy in Iraq is an important part of the overall war on terror. McCain has been consistent in his views of the war, even when his position was unpopular and could have potential cost him the nomination of his party (Page). McCains status as a former POW gives him a great deal of credibility in the area of military defense. McCain has argued against any type of scheduled withdrawal from Iraq, warning that any such timetable would provide an advantage to the insurgents in Iraq and to Al Qaeda forces. McCain has also acknowledged that American military forces may have to stay in Iraq for several years to ensure the stability of the region and to protect American interests. Although McCain has argued for the need for military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, he has also warned against making threats to Pakistan and other countries. Obamas argument about the war is weakened by his lack of experience and knowledge in foreign affairs, a fact that McCain likes to point out as often as possible. Obamas choice of Joe Biden as a running mate was no doubt intended, in part, to address these concerns about foreign affairs. His logic about who military forces should be used, however, is strong. It makes little sense to fight a war in Iraq when it is clear that the enemy is hiding in Afghanistan and Pakistan. McCains strength is in his knowledge of foreign affairs, firsthand knowledge and understanding of war, and in his commitment to protecting American lives and American interests. McCains position of experience, however, was weakened by his choice of an inexperienced running mate who has no knowledge of foreign affairs or national security.

Our Living Shield: The First Amendment Essay -- essays research papers

Our Living Shield: The First Amendment The authors of the Constitution of the United States created a magnificent list of liberties which were, at the time ascribed, to most people belonging to the United States. The main author, James Madison, transported the previous ideas of f undamental liberties from the great libertarians around the world, such as John Lilburne, John Locke, William Walwyn and John Milton. Madison and other previous libertarians of his time were transposed into seventeen different rights which were to be secured to all those in the United States. These seventeen civil liberties were compressed into ten different groupings which were designated as the "Bill of Rights." In this document lay the First Amendment which stated that the people of the Uni ted States had the "freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government..." The First Amendment was drafted by federalist Madison mainly as a political tactic to abolish anti-federalist resistance to the Constitution. After its passage in December of 1791, the First Amendment remained more idealistic than realistic. The First Amendment remained a set of ideals which were not to be carried out during its first century, then progressed to more realistic terms during its latter half of utilization. During the first century of the First Amendment, the First Amendment was paid a glance by all when it came to actually carrying out...

Life of Fame

Life of Fame Marilyn Monroe once said, â€Å"Hollywood is a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul† (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). Marilyn Monroe was an actress, singer, model and showgirl. She is highly regarded as one of the greatest sex symbols of the twentieth century (Lefkowitz 5). â€Å"It's better for the whole world to know you, even as a sex star, than never to be known at all† (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). She starred in a number of successful motion pictures during the 1950’s (Krohn 2). People loved Marilyn Monroe because she was a combination of beauty and brains.Although Marilyn Monroe was an influential figure, she lived a life of controversy filled with scandalous affairs and life style choices broadcasted for the world to hear and see. Marilyn Monroe had a very difficult life. She was born into the world on June 1st, 1926. She was born at California’s LA General Hospital. Marilynâ⠂¬â„¢s birth name was Norma Jeane (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). Norma Jeane’s parents weren’t always there for her. She never knew her father, and her real mother was not loving. Gladys, Jeane’s mother, put Norma Jeane into a foster home at age six. She was an orphan for awhile.When she was in the foster home, she did not feel loved. She felt like a maid in the house she lived in. Living in the foster homes, she felt like she grew up without someone taking care of her (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†) At age nine, Norma Jeane was over weight for her age. She felt different and alone. Jeane often dreamed about being beautiful. In her eyes she thought everything would be easier (Krohn 25). Grace, her favorite foster mom, said, â€Å"One day you’ll be a beautiful woman- maybe even a movie star (22). Later on Jeane went to high school. She lived with Grace for 7 years. Norma Jeane loved sports.She tried to get into drama, but she thought it wasn’t her thing. She made many of friends and she grew into her body. It was the first time she felt beautiful. Every time she walked, she got the attention of all the boys (30-35). She realized then she liked the feeling of attention (25). Norma Jeane used her beauty to win love and attention of others (Lefkowitz 25). In 1933 Gladys came and took her away from Grace because she got a steady job at a movie studio (18). They bought a house in Hollywood (19). Their address was 6812 Arbol Drive. After a few months, their grandfather died (19).Gladys went into major depression and was not fit to take care of Jeane. She got put into a ward house, where she would spend the rest of her life (21). Again, Jeane went into a foster home. She thought that marriage was the only was out(41). She married three times, and she got divorced 3 times (43). Norma Jeane realized what she wanted to do in life. She got a job at studios and she decided to go into modeling. She changed her name to Marilyn Monroe. She picked the name Marilyn because she simply liked how it sounded with Monroe. Monroe was her grandmother’s last name (57).Marilyn Monroe had a very successful career that lead to her untimely death. On August 5th, 1962, Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her California home at the age of 36. They ruled out the cause of her death as an overdose, since they found an empty bottle of sleeping pills by her bed. Marilyn Monroe was buried on August seventh (Krohn 113). Over the rainbow played at her funeral. (114). Even today Marilyn Monroe accomplishments in movies are still remembered by many people. Marilyn Monroe had many noteworthy achievements in her life. To begin, she is remembered for her beauty.Marilyn Monroe is still popular today (â€Å"The Lovely Marilyn Monroe†). A person once said about Marilyn Monroe â€Å"She will be making people laugh and cry for generations to come†(Krohn 114). Her major accomplishment is being the biggest and strongest sex symbol in t he world (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). Her first movie was in 1946; her first part was an unimportant role as a Telephone Operator in the 1947 film ‘The Shocking Miss Pilgrim (Krohn 116). Her biggest movies were Some of Marilyn Munroe's most famous movies were: Some Like It Hot, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Something's Gotta Give, and How To Marry A Millionaire.She made more than 200 million dollars per-movie (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). Marilyn Monroe won three Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture Actress in Comedy/Musical for Some Like It Hot (1960), World Film Favorite Female (1953), World Film Favorite Female (1962). She was also nominated for another Golden Globe for: Best Motion Picture Actress in Comedy/Musical Bus Stop (1956)(â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). She went into modeling. She was in she first issue of â€Å"PlayBoy†. Marilyn Monroe’s most famous picture was â€Å"The Dress†(â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). Marilyn Monroe is most famous for performance of â€Å"Happy Birthday† to former president, John F.Kennedy. In her remembrance, in 1995, the US Postal Service paid tribute to her honoring her with a thirty-two cent stamp with her picture on it (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). In addition to Monroe’s accomplishments, she set standards in the movie and modeling world of Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe made an impact on the world by becoming a role model for some people, despite all the gossip perpetuated by society. Marilyn Monroe overcame a difficult childhood to become of the world's biggest sex symbols and beauty icons (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). She encouraged people to believe in themselves (â€Å"The Lovely Marilyn Monroe†) She was a voluptuous model.Today, she would not be a model. She was a size 12 in dresses (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). She once said â€Å" I don’t want to make money, I just want to be wonderful† (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). She just wanted to inspire people to follow their dreams because she followed her and she ended up where she wanted to be. She showed girls that you can be happy without a man, but like always said â€Å"You can’t live with them, you can’t live without them† (â€Å"The Lovely Marilyn Monroe†). She was a strong girl and did not take no for an answer. When they were looking for a blonde head girl, she dyed her hair.She tried her best to get what she wanted. Some people underestimate her for being a dumb blonde, but her favorite thing to do was read (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). She loved challenges and attention. She was the ultimate role model for young women and girls who admired her glamour and image. She knew she was not flawless. She had flaws and she sometimes did show them (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). Even though Marilyn Monroe left a positive impression on the world, her actions resulted in negative rumors about her. These rumors was not what people made her out to be. To some people, she was sleazy and a dumb blonde.Since people thought that, they also believe she had twelve abortions before the age of twenty-nine. Some may look down on her because of her appearance in the first issue of Hugh Hefner's Playboy as the first Playmate (â€Å"The Lovely Marilyn Monroe†) She posed naked for Playboy. She was Playboys â€Å"Sweetheart† in December 1953. One of the most scandalous things people still talk about it is her performance to the president. It is known as the National Scandal. She performed for President, John F. Kennedy, on his forty-fifth birthday. On May 19th, 1962, she sang Happy Birthday at Madison Square Garden.It was a Democratic fundraiser. Later that night, a black and white picture was taken of them laughing and talking. The picture is worth fifty thousand dollars, it is the only picture of the together. After that night, some people thought that Marilyn Monroe and JFK had an affair. Later on, things got around that she w as involved with Robert Kennedy, John Kennedy's brother, around the time of her death. Sadly, no one will ever know if any of that was true because two months later Marilyn Monroe died, so did the Kennedy brothers. It has been fifty years and that rumor still goes on (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†).Rumors are that Marilyn was being monitored by the Kennedy's and the Mafia (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†). Since these thoughts got around, she was looked down on. She was supposed to be a role model for young girls all over the world. She stood for independence in women. In effect Marilyn Monroe set an inadequate example for young girls by having these affairs. Marilyn Monroe’s death had a devastating and permanent impact on the world; no one saw it coming. She was found dead in her California home. Her death was declared a suicide by an overdose of sleeping pills, but many signs show it was murder, making it impossible for a suicide (Berman 132-133).Marilyn Monroe was a sweet, inn ocent, vibrant young woman who got caught up in the glamour of show business. She took miserable situations and made a brilliant career out of herself. Marilyn Monroe's troubled life and apparent suicide, along with her failed relationships with the very high profile men in her life, aroused sympathy and interest amongst her fans. This helped Marilyn Monroe's career as a legendary figure (â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†) Marilyn Monroe joined The Walk of Fame on February 9, 1960. Her star is placed at 6774 Hollywood Boulevard.Marilyn Monroe left a mark on the world that can never be changed. She set the standards for modeling and acting that no one can ever even attempt to meet (â€Å"The Lovely Marilyn Monroe†). Some of her rumored actions were forgivable, but the Playboy incident smirched her reputation. She was supposed to be a role model for young children, yet she modeled naked for everyone to see. This inappropriate action led her to a lowered self-image, which impacted ne gatively in society; however, she will still live on through her legacy in our hearts.

Leaving Home

My brother, Ricky, sister, Amrit and I had only found out a week before, that we were just about to be whisked away to a foreign country we hadn't set in for seven years, and seven years before that. We would be staying there for a whole month, so as you can imagine, we were taken aback, yet somewhat sceptic, as we'd always heard our parents mentioning a trip to India for a few months, but never actually believed they would go to the bother of booking the tickets. After all, my mother had only taken my now 5-year-old sister to see her family there four years ago. My immediate concern was language. I can read and write my mother tongue, and understand what people are telling me, but wasn't very good at speaking back. I think this pleased my parents, they thought it would be good for us, as they knew we would have to start learning to talk in our mother tongue Punjabi. It wasn't really difficult to prepare for the trip, well not for me anyway. All I had to do was make sure I had a holiday form, homework and suitcase packed. However, my poor parents had to sort out the passports, visas, currency, jabs (ouch) and house security while we were away. I didn't really tell my friends until the last minute, as I was expecting a cancellation, change in plan or even told I'd been set up and it was all a joke. I was actually a little annoyed with my parents for not booking during school holidays, not because I'd miss school, only the workload I'd have to catch up on. But once they explained that they couldn't get a holiday the same time as us, I felt quite sorry for them. When I think back to it, I was actually disappointed that we were going to India, instead of Canada in the summer, which is where I was hoping go, which was no longer possible. India as I last remembered it, was freezing in the morning, and boiling in the afternoon (we went in December), pretty smelly, the people were scared to talk to me and my brother (my sister wasn't born then), and we didn't really want to say anything to them. The thing that disgusted me most about this country was definitely the latrines. I tried not to go to the toilet unless I had a full bladder and was desperate; it was also hard to get toilet paper over there. This time, we prepared ourselves with plenty of rolls before we left. I wasn't very impressed then, but it was also the reason we had gone in the first place, that we didn't feel like enjoying ourselves. It was pretty depressing, as my mother's brother had died in a tractor accident on Diwali, so my mother left England a few weeks before us to go to his funeral. I must admit that I was a little exited, as many of my relatives from Britain had gone a few weeks before us, so we would be meeting them there as well. The flight had been delayed three hours, so I didn't really have a positive attitude when we arrived at the airport. The one thing that thrilled me when we were boarding the plane was that the passengers went on the stairs instead of the corridor, like in the movies, so that we could actually see the plane as we were boarding it. I' m not scared of flying, but I did grow a little nervous as I approached the plane, the paintwork was hand done, the panels looked loose, and generally dirty. I didn't look like it would make it all the way to India. The airhostesses also looked scary. The were from Kyrgystan, the airline company we were travelling with, and spoke in Russian to each other and in a Russian accent to the passengers. I had to strain to understand them properly. They wore thick bright coloured make up, and were always smiling. This had the opposite effect on me than intended, they reminded me of clowns! Inside, the plane was pretty cramped, and during the take off, my ears hurt and I felt sick. Since we were stopping in Turkey for a break, and changing planes in Russia, I had to go through this six times before we even landed in India. On the plane journey, my family were relaxing, listening to music, and reading magazines, but I was working away, struggling to get my homework finished before we reached India, so I could feel free without the stress of having to catch up there. Although we would be so busy I wouldn't even have time. The whole journey lasted two days, the second plane was even worse. Russia is so cold, that there was ice forming inside the plane! It was brilliant when we actually landed in Delhi. The sun was out and the people at the airport were so welcoming. After we came out through customs, we were re-united with my sister's water gun, and mother's almond hair oil, which had been confiscated in Birmingham. I had to laugh. Then we came across a big problem. One of our suitcases was missing. It contained all of my Ricky's clothing. We could claim the contents on insurance, but had to take him shopping for new clothes as soon as possible. I was thirsty, and wanted a drink, but there was one thing that stood in my way, no rupees. While my parents sorted out the lost property forms, l sneaked over to one of the currency exchange bureaus and decided to test the Indian in the office. I got out one pound and put it on the desk. He said, â€Å"is that all? † grinning. I replied,† it's all I've got. † Then he said, â€Å"well only for you then! † I got my sixty-five rupees, and went straight to get a coffee. My mother and I went to the arrivals lounge, where we met my uncle. They were hugging each other, and they all started chatting in Punjabi. The poor man had been waiting for ages, as he hadn't known about the delay, so I went to get the rest of my family. I whispered to my mum â€Å"Mum, he looks nothing like you. † Then she told that he was her cousin, not her brother. We somehow managed to pack everything into the Sumo, which is like a type of jeep or taxi. I was squashed in the back, it was very uncomfortable, but I concentrated on everything around me. There were loads of children coming back from school in their mopeds. Apparently, the timing for our trip had been brilliant for the weather, but our cousins would be taking their exams at this time. In India, the children have to take an exam at the end of every school year; the result of this exam determines whether they will be allowed into the next class. If they fail, they will have to repeat the year. I felt a bit like an intruder when I heard this, because they would have vital work to do, and I would be expecting them to show me around or getting bored. We arrived at the village we would be staying at, Gureh in Ludhiana, Punjab for the next week at around about midnight. I was surprised; could say shocked at the state of the house. The standard was better than the housing in England. The layout is not quite the same, but there was a toilet, a decant shower area, separate bedrooms, and they even had a car. I met my aunt, and my cousin Manjit, who's eighteen years old. He seemed quite shy, and always walked with his head down. His sister who is my age was already gone to sleep. We dumped our bags in our room, and after about an hour, went to sleep. The next day, we got up late and relaxed the whole day. When I met Pardeep, I remembered her from seven years ago straight away. She was pretty cheeky, and sometimes a bit spoilt, but she showed me around the village. I felt ever so conscious of my clothes. I was wearing trousers and a top, but everybody else, in their salwar kameez (type of Indian suit) just smiled. For the next the day of two, we visited relatives from villages that lived near Ludhiana. My uncle drove us. I felt a bit rude, as I didn't remember many of them. One day that week, we took the car ourselves, and I was told I was going to go to Mussayala. This village I could not forget. Last time Ricky and I had great fun chasing after the chickens, feeding the cows the chapattis we refused to eat, running around with our uncles and aunts. They're actually our age, but it's one of the funny age differences that happen a lot in our family tree. At this village lived my great granddad, which gave me something to talk about at home. The only way I can think of to describe Mussayala is that it is one of those ancient forgotten old places in the middle of nowhere. The village had a single toilet, which was sometimes pretty embarrassing. As I thought about how many times we had watched the home video we made from last time, I grew more exited. But when we arrived, in the evening, my â€Å"cousins† acted as if they couldn't figure out who we were. Okay, so maybe my Punjabi wasn't great, but they were so shy. I hoped that this would not carry on. Because my parents had arranged to see an architect about the building on the plot of land for my grandmother. The only architects we knew of were in Chandigardh, the capital of Punjab. I didn't really have any expectations of the city at first, but was very impressed. We got there on the bus, which isn't the best way of travelling in India. We were out in the town, and got to travel in the rickshaws. The roads were a lot cleaner than those in the villages. It was practically like England. We went an actual fast food restaurant, but it didn't sell meat so we just ordered chips and pizza. I wasn't anticipating there would be so many young college students, who wore the same sort of trousers and top I did. I immediately regretted my decision to wear a traditional suit that day. This was the one time I would have felt comfortable in my normal English clothes, and I'd just wasted that chance. The architects had a proper office, and were very professional, not just some back room of a shop, and didn't take long to find. It wasn't a very long meeting, as my parents didn't have enough information about the plot to make a plan. The data had to be really detailed, such as which direction the sun rises. I didn't realise that little things like this affected the construction of a house. We wandered around the centre of the town for a while, and the things I saw made me sure I would have felt comfortable staying here for a few days. But the problem of having too many things to do and too little time to do it in always got in the way. The city is really quite modern and developed; in fact, the whole of the country has really progressed in the last seven years. The shantytowns still lie on the outskirts of the towns, but technology is more advanced and the nation has noticeably prospered. Some people in the farm villages were even walking around with mobile phones. I think that which area of India you see that affects the overall impression. If you compared somewhere like Mussayala to Gureh, you can really see the change. The original plan had been to spend one week in Punjab, two weeks in U. P. where my mums family lived, and go to somewhere like Goa or Bangalore for the remaining week, before heading back towards Delhi. Since we had spent so long in Punjab because of this plot business, this was no longer possible. My dad said that it was silly that we thought we could get everything done in only a month. I was delighted that my cousin Pardeep had holidays and could come to U. P. with us. We really couldn't afford to be lazy the day we were leaving, we got ready early that day, but were still delayed, as the Sumo we had hired had to go back and get a roof rack for all of our luggage. My mum gave the servants some money, and we left with everybody waving goodbye. I was very grateful for their hospitality. This trip took the whole day. Me, Pardeep, Ricky and Amrit sat at the back, parents in the middle and drivers at the front. I just read a magazine, my brother and sister played, and my cousin listened to the Walkman. We stopped off at a few of what would be the equivalent to cafes a few times, bought a supply of crisps and some drink, and went to the latrines while we had the chance. On the route to U. P. , we had to go through a beautiful rural state called Haryana. This is the sort of place where you meet village maids milking cows, there was green grass everywhere and the landscape was beautiful. I had never seen anywhere like it, not even in the Hindi films. On the map, the state was just a small chunk of land. As we came nearer to the heart of U. P. (my mum's family lived south of UP) we saw many women wearing cloths over their heads, there were many more Muslims living here. I also noticed that the signs were written in Hindi. It was annoying, because I couldn't understand what they said, and felt quite ignorant. In Punjab, the main language was Punjabi. Even when the people here spoke Punjabi, they did with a Hindi accent which was difficult to understand fully. I didn't realise that such a change could happen only across states. As it grew dark, we were just approaching the town nearest to my mum's village, Kashipur. We stopped here to buy some bottles of coke. It was here that I began to get exited, we were so near. Pardeep kept telling us how far we were. My mum had already warned me, that most of my cousins my age, would be at their boarding schools, but the younger ones would be here. I was a bit worried, but also enthusiastic. We were all half asleep when we arrived. As we approached the house, I saw a huge a mass of people waiting to welcome us. I never realised I had such a big family. We got out, and everyone was hugging everybody else. It felt good, even if you didn't know who was who. My mum began telling how I was related to everyone else which sometimes got a bit confusing. My older cousins were joking, telling me how they were planning to marry me off some overweight drunk from India. They were also joking about my brother, because he doesn't speak much Punjabi. â€Å"He wouldn't know if we were swearing at him though, would he? He'd just ignore it. † This made me laugh. During the next week, some of cousins came from boarding school for a bit, but there was only one day where everyone was there together, and that was on Ricky's birthday that was celebrated with a couple of party poppers. In the middle of the last week, me and my family, Pardeep, my mum's brother and his son, Jatinder, my mum's sister's daughter, Kuldeep, and my mum's late brother's daughter, Amandeep, who is a bit bratty went on a day trip to Nainital, a village on the foothills of the Himalayas. This is the place my parents visited when they first bought Ricky and me to India. My brother and I of course couldn't remember the place at all, and didn't understand why they were so keen to go back there again. But when we actually got there, we soon found out. We were all crammed into the back of a jeep, and arrived in two and a half hours. During which Jatinder, who was sitting opposite me, flicked nuts at me, tapped me continually and succeeded in annoying me, although he is a year older. Nainital was BRILLIANT. It reminded me of Nepal. The people looked Nepalese and spoke in a Nepalese accent. We even dressed in Nepalese costume and took photos. We went on a few rides, and rode on some horses up the mountains. The view on the ski lift was spectacular, and the scenery of the Himalayas was amazing. Me, Ricky, Jatinder and Pardeep went to on a paddleboat on a large lake for an hour or so. This was tiring, yet relaxing at the same time. It was shortly after this, that we left to go back to UP. I was disappointed when we returned to Delhi for our last night. I didn't miss England at all, not even the tele. There were tears as we left the village. I felt sick at the bottom of my stomach when we waved goodbye. I'd got a little gift for each of my cousins, and made my uncle promise he'd make sure they got them. † See you in four months† I said to him, as we dragged our entire luggage to the x-rays. I knew there wasn't much chance of my parents letting me come back in the summer holidays, even though I told them I was willing to go alone. Apparently, it was so hot, that I wouldn't be able to survive, and would get ill quickly. When Kuldeep asked me when I was coming back, I jokingly told her on her wedding day, though she is only seventeen, but I was surprised when she made keep it as a promise to her. I had picked up many skills throughout the holiday. These include: milking a cow, driving a tractor, making ghee, and insulting somebody in Punjabi, many of which are pretty useless to me in Britain, but it was the experience of learning theses things from my relatives that I treasure. When the plane landed in Britain, I don't think I've ever felt so down. I still want to turn around and go straight back. The weather suited my mood perfectly, it was pouring down. My friends at school and family said there were three things that had changed about me. My skin colour was darker, or as my friend Shona said, â€Å"glowing†. (This sounded much nicer. ) I had also lost a bit of weight, which I have unfortunately regained. I think the change that most people especially my relatives noticed was, that I spoke much nicer Punjabi, and my words flowed better. I think this is because, in England, I could get away with thinking in English, translating the words into the other language, and then letting them out. Whereas in India, you must think sharply and reply quickly, so I had to train my mind to think, as well as speak in Punjabi, which is why it has improved so much. Leaving Home It was the last time I saw my Mother. My grieving pain for my mothers love infinitely grew. She was god in my eyes but was I the god given daughter she had hoped for? Everyday I had run to her absorbing her warmth as I wrapped my long limbs around her waist. The waist that had carried me for nine months, but was I worth the wait? Mother's predictable great force would transfer into my weakened bones forcing me to collapse onto the striped wooden floor. I would land with a thud hoping that the chances of me receiving a hug the next day would increase. Maybe my accidental escape was for the best. Perhaps I was destined for this moment, this was fait in the palms of my hand, waiting for me to reach out and snatch the opportunity. Mother had snatched my rights to live as a normal human being away. It was forbidden for me to even talk to her. I needed permission. I told my self through every breath that everything would end up right, I was right. Rain, rain everywhere. Summer had died out, until next year. Autumn had approached me. My memory remained in the happy days but my solidified body moved on with life. My inner self, deep down, stands proud and fearless to this world creation signed to god. I always believed that if god brings you to it, he will bring you to it. I was eight. I was blessed with the perfect parents. Both their hearts were fulfilled with love and care. Every moment was heavenly. I lived in an averaged sized, 3-bedroom apartment in what was considered ‘normal. ‘ It was good enough for me. The oval shaped window revealed its outer secrets, the growing towers bordered with a beautiful skyline. Father was a man of great expectations. A man of many wise words. His broad shoulders would easily swing me from side to side like a wild hungry lion ripping and swinging his possession; his raw meat. In my case I was the loving prey for my Father, the predator, the bread winner of the family. I was his little princess. Mother was a lady, petite sized with a facial appearance carved from the clouds up above, the clouds in heaven. Mother was a woman who glowed with love for me. Her greatest asset was her silky, black locks that matched her thinly waxed eyebrows which also complimented her brown tan. One day, for the first time every Mother and Father were in their bedroom raving. It wasn't a common sign which usually are positive. I could hear smashing and slamming against the walls. My ears sensed danger. They were noises that I had never heard before. The sense of love that flowed like a river through the air had shattered into broken pieces like corrupted glass which were non-fixable. I could barely make out what was being said. My distraction towards the aromatic spices and herbs from the kitchen flew up my tempted nose. The cuisine had blended with my tears of sadness. I couldn't understand, everything used to be perfect, what could have happened? Before the argument I had thought of Mother's voice as a relaxing tone, music being played from a magical flute that only she could master. Then the tables had turned. My voice seemed as sweet as sugar compared to mothers. Hers was now flat and dull. The lifeless mono-tone wasn't Mother at all. It was as if a Hoover had vacuumed out the energy, the encouragement, the enthusiasm. I thought that the past argument was normal for all married couples until it became a trend. To see physical fighting would be less painful than my pain. It felt as if a needle had attempted to pierce its way through my heart but got stuck leaving never ending pain. The trend became daily. The light ore around both my parents, especially Mother, had faded into the dark shadows. As everyday passed the hatred between the two grew and grew. Mother's once soft, tanned skin mounted with make up for affect had altered to a yellow, pale colour. I preferred Mother without make up but it was far better then seeing Mother like this. She didn't even attempt to make her self look better. You could tell by the way that she lounged around the house that she was too lazy to even care. Mother would sit on the Indian decorated sofas which stood out. The black, long shiny hair had also moved on to knotted tangles. Personally I blame the bottles containing alcohol that Mother used to wash down accompanied with her finger-sized cigarettes. I would watch her drown her sorrows as the booze over took her mind flooding her inner self with this poison. Mother's behavior began to really show. As much as I detested my life I loved it. Half of my heart, the candy half, told me everything would be fine and to carry on loving Mother but the other half, the cold half, would send messages to my brain whispering in my ears for me to leave. To escape! Escape to where though? All the pressure from my parent's constant arguments was too much for me to handle. My sensitive brain was over powered. The repeated parrot phrase ‘leave home' would haunt me in my dreams. Everyday before bed time I would bend my legs, clasp my hands tightly together so pearls of sweat would form. I would pray to god with devotion asking for him to solve my problems. I wished to exit my world of stress and tension. I never gave up. I waited and waited and waited†¦ The day came unexpectedly. With care I would drift pass Mother's negative energy. Deep down my love grew towards Mother no matter what she was. Mother was soft and sweet like gum on the inside but her hardened shell took over on the outside. She was brainwashed. I was always alert of every sharp movement she made, every sligh glance she gave me in the corner of her beady camera eyes, every snarl she would utter under her rotten breath. I quickly limped across the carpet like a sneaky mouse to find my self in front of the powerful door. I called it the ‘deciding door' as it decided weather I should leave the house and never return. On the way I had passed the rose red, ribena stain from when I spilt my glass on the floor. Mother had rescued me from injury. The memories were so fresh in my mind. It was as if it were yesterday. As I opened the door, the invisible wind flew in and out of my ears sending shivers up and down my spine as if an elevator were traveling to different floors. I would stand there shivering, imagining myself in Mothers arms. The whole of my Indian coloured skin would cover in goose bumps, each individual one containing a hair all stood up equal sized looking like they were under commandment in an army. My first step onto the African rug could have been my last. I wished. My long legged limbs would co-operate together so I could travel to where I wished to travel. They were under my instructions. I reached the pavement on the sides of the roads. As the first car lead the rest my heat rotated at a ninety degree angle to the right. No cars in sight. As I reached mid point in the road an internal feeling of sickness approached me. I looked down to find no blood. My consciousness was fading vastly. As I tried to demand my legs to get up they laid there lifelessly. I blinked once, the blue sky. I blinked twice, half the sky. I blinked 3 times, nothing†¦ Leaving Home It was the last time I saw my Mother. My grieving pain for my mothers love infinitely grew. She was god in my eyes but was I the god given daughter she had hoped for? Everyday I had run to her absorbing her warmth as I wrapped my long limbs around her waist. The waist that had carried me for nine months, but was I worth the wait? Mother's predictable great force would transfer into my weakened bones forcing me to collapse onto the striped wooden floor. I would land with a thud hoping that the chances of me receiving a hug the next day would increase. Maybe my accidental escape was for the best. Perhaps I was destined for this moment, this was fait in the palms of my hand, waiting for me to reach out and snatch the opportunity. Mother had snatched my rights to live as a normal human being away. It was forbidden for me to even talk to her. I needed permission. I told my self through every breath that everything would end up right, I was right. Rain, rain everywhere. Summer had died out, until next year. Autumn had approached me. My memory remained in the happy days but my solidified body moved on with life. My inner self, deep down, stands proud and fearless to this world creation signed to god. I always believed that if god brings you to it, he will bring you to it. I was eight. I was blessed with the perfect parents. Both their hearts were fulfilled with love and care. Every moment was heavenly. I lived in an averaged sized, 3-bedroom apartment in what was considered ‘normal. ‘ It was good enough for me. The oval shaped window revealed its outer secrets, the growing towers bordered with a beautiful skyline. Father was a man of great expectations. A man of many wise words. His broad shoulders would easily swing me from side to side like a wild hungry lion ripping and swinging his possession; his raw meat. In my case I was the loving prey for my Father, the predator, the bread winner of the family. I was his little princess. Mother was a lady, petite sized with a facial appearance carved from the clouds up above, the clouds in heaven. Mother was a woman who glowed with love for me. Her greatest asset was her silky, black locks that matched her thinly waxed eyebrows which also complimented her brown tan. One day, for the first time every Mother and Father were in their bedroom raving. It wasn't a common sign which usually are positive. I could hear smashing and slamming against the walls. My ears sensed danger. They were noises that I had never heard before. The sense of love that flowed like a river through the air had shattered into broken pieces like corrupted glass which were non-fixable. I could barely make out what was being said. My distraction towards the aromatic spices and herbs from the kitchen flew up my tempted nose. The cuisine had blended with my tears of sadness. I couldn't understand, everything used to be perfect, what could have happened? Before the argument I had thought of Mother's voice as a relaxing tone, music being played from a magical flute that only she could master. Then the tables had turned. My voice seemed as sweet as sugar compared to mothers. Hers was now flat and dull. The lifeless mono-tone wasn't Mother at all. It was as if a Hoover had vacuumed out the energy, the encouragement, the enthusiasm. I thought that the past argument was normal for all married couples until it became a trend. To see physical fighting would be less painful than my pain. It felt as if a needle had attempted to pierce its way through my heart but got stuck leaving never ending pain. The trend became daily. The light ore around both my parents, especially Mother, had faded into the dark shadows. As everyday passed the hatred between the two grew and grew. Mother's once soft, tanned skin mounted with make up for affect had altered to a yellow, pale colour. I preferred Mother without make up but it was far better then seeing Mother like this. She didn't even attempt to make her self look better. You could tell by the way that she lounged around the house that she was too lazy to even care. Mother would sit on the Indian decorated sofas which stood out. The black, long shiny hair had also moved on to knotted tangles. Personally I blame the bottles containing alcohol that Mother used to wash down accompanied with her finger-sized cigarettes. I would watch her drown her sorrows as the booze over took her mind flooding her inner self with this poison. Mother's behavior began to really show. As much as I detested my life I loved it. Half of my heart, the candy half, told me everything would be fine and to carry on loving Mother but the other half, the cold half, would send messages to my brain whispering in my ears for me to leave. To escape! Escape to where though? All the pressure from my parent's constant arguments was too much for me to handle. My sensitive brain was over powered. The repeated parrot phrase ‘leave home' would haunt me in my dreams. Everyday before bed time I would bend my legs, clasp my hands tightly together so pearls of sweat would form. I would pray to god with devotion asking for him to solve my problems. I wished to exit my world of stress and tension. I never gave up. I waited and waited and waited†¦ The day came unexpectedly. With care I would drift pass Mother's negative energy. Deep down my love grew towards Mother no matter what she was. Mother was soft and sweet like gum on the inside but her hardened shell took over on the outside. She was brainwashed. I was always alert of every sharp movement she made, every sligh glance she gave me in the corner of her beady camera eyes, every snarl she would utter under her rotten breath. I quickly limped across the carpet like a sneaky mouse to find my self in front of the powerful door. I called it the ‘deciding door' as it decided weather I should leave the house and never return. On the way I had passed the rose red, ribena stain from when I spilt my glass on the floor. Mother had rescued me from injury. The memories were so fresh in my mind. It was as if it were yesterday. As I opened the door, the invisible wind flew in and out of my ears sending shivers up and down my spine as if an elevator were traveling to different floors. I would stand there shivering, imagining myself in Mothers arms. The whole of my Indian coloured skin would cover in goose bumps, each individual one containing a hair all stood up equal sized looking like they were under commandment in an army. My first step onto the African rug could have been my last. I wished. My long legged limbs would co-operate together so I could travel to where I wished to travel. They were under my instructions. I reached the pavement on the sides of the roads. As the first car lead the rest my heat rotated at a ninety degree angle to the right. No cars in sight. As I reached mid point in the road an internal feeling of sickness approached me. I looked down to find no blood. My consciousness was fading vastly. As I tried to demand my legs to get up they laid there lifelessly. I blinked once, the blue sky. I blinked twice, half the sky. I blinked 3 times, nothing†¦