How Do You Begin To Count Your Blessings Religion Essay

How Do You Begin To Count Your Blessings Religion Essay We embellish fear, many times covering it up, making it look like something else, so that we dont have to deal with it head on. By giving it a different cover, we can pass over it more readily and not see how it is camouflaged. Fear retains a darkness that we dont want to deal with, a place that we dont want to go, a dwelling that is undeniably uncomfortable. In the light we can speak our truth, in the darkness we can hide not wanting to venture out. The light has all healing powers, but why do we fear it so? Is it that we dont want to face ourselves, face our faults, and look ourselves in the eye? There is no issue in hiding fault, but the issues lie in opening up and facing the truth. So, we may be afraid of the ensuing circumstances, the possibility of rejection of removal or being shunned by family, friends, and society in general. But what comes of that, other than for us to slip back into the shadowy darkness. To suffer, to wallow in self pity, to yearn for a better life. Fear can grip us to the point of unmoveability, to the point of depression, to a feeling of cold and loneliness. We do not have to choose the route of others to be a part of the national alliance. We walk in shadows of other and that is ok as long as it is in the shadows of those who have gone before us and made an impact. But we do not need to walk in the shadow of those who are among us. We need to be strong, become front runners of an age of deliverance, an age that will bind those of us who are of the light. The more light that is spread, the smaller the darkness becomes until it is over powered overtaken. Light heals, darkness deceives. We have the ability to move forward, united, unified in the same thought and power to heal, to create the universe for all mankind to live in, peacefully and without fear of penetration by the dark forces. Our leadership will be from one of the light. But the masses will respond to a momentum created by the forces of light that will move us forward into a new millennium. We are the future of this earth, the keepers of the new way. We will be the teachers for those who do not believe, who have misgivings, who possess fear. Ones ability to see through the darkness, towards the light at the end of the tunnel, will encompass redemption in all of our souls. The masses will move forward, one by one, and then by groups until the flow will excel into a voluminous overthrow of the bitterness and evil of the existing mankind. We will manifest a lifetime of hope and inspiration, pushing back and pushing down, trampling on the darkness of possession, of grief, of solitude of depressiveness. We will embark on a journey to enlighten our souls, to truly understand what it is like to feel the power of love and acceptance. For those who have never felt this before, it will be all consuming, washing over you like a spiritual wind, caressing and subsiding your fears. Be willing to go to the levels it will take to bring forth and expedite this happening. Believe in the goal, believe in yourself. Believe in unity and perseverance. The sins will be washed clear when faith is put into the light. Past transgressions will be forgiven , debts will be paid, understanding will flow inward and truth will be spoken. Love will saturate the world, all will be as one and one will be all. There will no longer be an ongoing for we will live in the preset, in the presence of all that is good, all that is one, all that is beautiful in the light. Know that it may appear difficult at first, because you are unsure, because you are leery. Time and the past darkness have darkened your soul and your thoughts and beliefs. Change will not happen overnight, but just know that it will happen. Just be open to the possibility that life can and will be wonderful. We will remember our purpose, or intention and what we were set on this earth to achieve. The window will be opened and the brilliance will flow into our hearts. We will see the new world as it should be, not as it is. Once we accept our journey and our purpose, we will move forward with remarkable speed to achieve our oneness with the light. We will defy all odds, all obstacles in our path to rise above and blend with those of the same passion. What we create now will be passed on to generations to come. Our children will see the changes and become a part of the new family. Our grandchildren will be born of the light and with these gifts already instilled within them. They will be the children of the new age. The earth will respond, growing and developing more jubilantly and not whiter away. It will balance itself out and discontinue the purging to cleanse itself. We may not understand initially, but our journey is only beginning and it is going to be a wonderful journey. Keep an open mind and allow the new earths creation to seep into your awareness, becoming one with your soul. Go out into the world, into the jobs and the workplace into schools, government and every path of life and harvest the good, the tranquility and peacefulness that we know is ours for the taking. Vanquish the hostility, the inadequacies, the turmoil and look beyond the engrained believes we have been taught to live by. Qualify each person we encounter to be one of the light by your attitude toward them. Smile, share, bless, remove the hate, and rejoice in the light, which you are. Begin with yourself and remove the old self and replace it with the new improved you. When the stresses of the day begin to weight upon your body, inhale deeply and breathe in the light, the quiet, and the calm and become centered. Expel the stress, the negative thoughts, the irrational behaviors, those things that you cannot control. Send love and blessings to those who are the creators of your stress. Look around your surrounds and wish away any negative distractions or events that are occurring. Replace them with good thoughts and feelings of compassion and love. Dispel the resentments and quick response to point out the negativism. Quiet the multitudes by simply sharing the love and the happy thoughts. Believe and know that you are capable of making change happen by your own individual actions and through the words that you speak. Others will become aware and inspired by what they see and hear. This will not happened overnight but through a passage of time and endurance and faith. Like a chain reaction, it will move forward, spiraling outward through each and every person you encounter. Plant the seed of inspiration with everyone you encounter. Show by example. Look within first, the rest will come. The ability to move forward depends on the individuals intent, what they are willing to put forth, what they will do to guarantee their individual benefit from it all. Trust is highly essential to promote this well being and expansion. Reality in each individuals mind transcends all the fear that is stored there. Reality is what ones perception is of the world that we have grown accustomed to, not what is real in a spiritual sense. Adaptation is necessary to transcend the injustices imposed upon us from youth. Our reality is what we have grown accustomed to, what was beat into our minds and bodies throughout a lifetime, regardless of how short or long that life span is. We forgot who we were from the onset, who we were meant to be, who we were sent to be, and what our mission was and is. Our reality shields us from the darkness that we perceive to be there, but does not really exist. We need to quantify and qualify all our beliefs, right or wrong, to equate to one of the light, one o f the true being, one of the true self. History has taught us to be deceptive, to lie, and to cheat in order to get what we need. The reality is truth, seeking the answers that we know are out there, that will make us better individuals, true to ourselves, more than we have ever been. Perception is everything.. What we perceive is hidden in the darkness can only come to light with the reality of learning about the light and its meanings. The hidden secrets of the darkness only shields us from the truth of our own selves, of our own victimization of others, what is hidden, what is intrusive, what is not self supporting. Our goal is to reach into the darkness, draw forth the light that is hidden within, bring it to the surface and ignite it into the reality of truth and awareness. Being one with yourself and others is imperative to truth and reality. Awkward as it may seem, the shift will occur, the light will shine through, the reason and reality will surface, broadening into the daylight and sunlight, advancing forward in retribution of the ills of the past. We cannot continue to be evasive, hindering our progress, We cannot continue to breath stagnant air, living in the cesspool of a stagnant, non progressive lifestyle that we have all grown accustomed to over time. Reality is light, reality is freedom, and reality is the source of true spiritualism within the hearts of all. We cannot continue to be abolished and reprimanded for our faith and beliefs in the one true source. Indignation and self righteousness holds no place in the one who carries the spiritual light from within We atone for our sins as we grow spiritually and with love. The divine presence of God, our light source, our divination, whatever classification we give it, it is the soul of our existence. Matthew once said, it is I who has seen the light, it is I who have sinned and regressed. I come now with full heart and atonement to register my sins and my wrongdoing ,to face a new light, a new chapter in my book of transgressions. What we may believe and perceive as darkness, holds the light from shining through. We must breaks the shackles that hold us close the darkness and not freeing us or allowing us to break into the light of salvation. Forward we must go moving steadfast into a place of redemption.. Forward we must move into a place of no resentment, of no remorse, moving forward wit h love and light. Our blessings come from those who guide us from afar and within our guides or angels or believe that there is a better and more prosperous life waiting for us after we complete our journey on this earth. We consider moving forward and through each chapter of our progression as our time hear on this earth, this planet, this movement in our time span of evolvement. Christ is our savior we are thought to believe and honor. He came by example to show and lead the way. Mother sees and guides us through our times of treachery and tribulation, keeping our reality in check, causing us not to waiver in our times of questioning and despair. Matthew is my guide and shows me the true meaning of my existence. Be aware of the surroundings you live in, eliminate that which does not serve you anymore, physically, mentally and emotionally. Carry forth the blessings that have been bestowed upon you and ease outward and give from within. See the source of the light as it really is, w hat its stands for, what it means and brings to your life. Be real, be yourself, do not allow others to stain of mar what your mission and goals is in this life. Seek answers from within. Go to source of the matter he heart of things. Understanding will come with time, healing will come with the passage and removal of that which no longer works for your own good. Break free, break free from the limiting thoughts and negative cycle that you have been caught up on. Move forward, knowingly and hesitantly, but confidently for God and the source of all that is will be with you, leading the way, holding your hand and guiding you each step of the way. Do not fear that you will falter, for all of us are here to catch you if you strip and fall. Take us by the hand, walk with us, share with us, love with us. The darkness is but a house of fears holding us back, making us question of purpose and our existence. We are our own reality, the reality that we make for our life. The darkness is only necessary to the extent that it is a comfort zone, a place to be peaceful and restful. There is no fear in the darkness, only ones that we put there. There is comfort in the darkness only as you allow the light to penetrate add remove the insecurities that are stored there. Be fully aware that no one of the light can ever be harmful or prove malicious to you. The light is all good,, all sacred and all loving. The darkness should only be a period of restfulness where we can close our eyes and remove the stresses of the day and allow our insecurities and fears to diminish in to melt away to dissolve. Fear not for God is within the darkness, protecting you and keeping you safe.

Investment Analysis for Jewellery Business

Investment Analysis for Jewellery Business Executive Summary Babushka’s Baubles is a company producing jewellery at the budget end of the market and has seen a sharp decline in its financial position, in 2008. Despite this, sale levels are consistently high and gross profit margins are healthy. This report has uncovered potential problems in the costs attached to inventory such as administration and also in the way that the working capital is managed. However, the investors are confident that the company has a positive future and is, therefore, maintaining an earnings-to-price ratio which is far higher than the industry average. Introduction This report aims to give a summary of the position of Babushka’s Baubles as reflected in the accounts of the company, year ending September 2008, with reference to the accounts for the previous year. The aim of the report is to provide investors with a snapshot of the current financial position of the company and to draw conclusions in relation to the previous period. The report will also draw comparisons with a similar company in the same market sector (Benny’s Bling plc), in an attempt to explain the key factors influencing the company. (In doing so, the different strategies in terms of marketing position will also be identified and taken into consideration). As well as analysing the accounts for the benefit of the investors, other potential users of the accounts will be considered. This will enable the company to identify areas of potential improvement for the company for the future[1]. The report will first ask which groups are likely to be the key users of the accounts and what they would hope to achieve from reading and analysing the accounts, or the summary contained in this report. The report will then move on to consider the main body of the analysis, looking at the key ratios and what these tell the readers about the position of the company. Finally, conclusions will be drawn as to the current position of the company and the suggested improvements that could be made for the future of the company. User Groups Accounts are used by a multitude of people and for a wide range of purposes. It is important to recognise this when it comes to reporting the financial status, so that these accounts can be geared towards ensuring the appropriate information is given to the correct people. The primary users of any set of financial accounts are the investors. Looking at the figures and the trends of the company will allow investors to decide whether they should buy shares or sell the shares they own and what sort of return they should expect from investing in the company. As well as the investors, lenders will be keen to look at the financial status of the company so that they know the safety of the loans which they have forwarded to the company and also to make judgments if they are considering forwarding more loans to the company[2]. Managers primarily use the set of management accounts to give them the necessary information to make decisions in relation to the running of the company. However, they will also use the financial ratios and accounts to help establish where they are in relation to the sector, as a whole, and in comparison to specific competitors. For example, in this case, the managers can consider their ratios in comparison to those of Benny’s Bling in order to ascertain their competitive position and how potentially they could improve their own position in the future. Other users will include customers identifying how likely the company is to be able to continue to supply them for the future. Employees may also be interested in relation to their job security and career prospects. Financial Ratios Financial ratios are used as a way of presenting the financial position of the company and to provide greater analysis of the underlying financial accounts. Trends can be identified and they are particularly useful when it comes to drawing comparisons with other companies in a similar sector. In some circumstances, financial ratios can even assist in order to predict bankruptcy while it is still possible. Although ratios can be useful, there are also some limitations inherent in their use which can reduce their usefulness from the point of view of comparison with other companies. Each company is likely to follow slightly different accounting policies and standards, each of which will have an impact on the way that the ratios are displayed and may make the comparisons less useful than they could be. The ratios will only be as useful and as accurate as the financial information upon which they are based. Where the ratios are based on summary accounts, this may not give a truly accurate view of the underlying position and more investigation may be necessary in order to obtain a full impression of the company’s position[3]. Financial statements are historic and in some cases can be substantially out of date. This means that that the ratios, based on these statements, may no longer be relevant as they have already been superseded, prior to the analysis being undertaken. Furthermore, comparison across different accounting periods can be misleading as it does not take account of any inflationary effects. As the ratios will be compared with a competing company, caution should be exercised due to the naturally different structures and approaches being taken by the two companies. Different companies will inevitably have different approaches and comparing ratios directly may not take this into account. Babushka’s Baubles – Financial Ratio Analysis A detailed analysis of the ratios in relation to the company has been undertaken and, at relevant points, these have been compared with Benny’s Bling in order to try and obtain a rounded view of the company’s position, both in relation to the previous period and to one of its main competitors. Caution should be used as the two different companies have different market positions, with Benny’s Bling aiming for the upper end of the market in terms of both price and quality and Babushka’s Baubles focussing more on the budget end of the market, which is likely to lead to slightly different accounts. Profitability The gross profit figure simply shows how much is made on sales related to the cost of those sales; it does not include any reference to costs such as general administration or selling costs. The more complete figure is that of the net profit margin which shows the amount of money that is made once all cost of the sales have been taken into account. On a wider note, the return on capital employed shows how much is made for every  £1 of capital that is invested in the company[4]. In all cases, the performance of Babushka’s Baubles has weakened between 2007 and 2008. There has been a huge reduction in the net profit margin and also in the return on capital employed, with not such a large reduction in the gross profit margin. This indicates that non-direct costs such as administrative and selling costs have increased dramatically, but sales have not increased in proportion. The gross profit margin in Benny’s Bling has dropped from 26% to 25% in the last year which, although it reflects a reduction, is still considerably higher than the profit margins of Babushka’s Baubles. Liquidity Both tests for liquidity, the current asset and the quick ratio, are considered absolutely vital for all businesses. They reveal how readily the company can meet its liabilities with the cash that it has available. Cash is, of course, vital to the day to day running of the company and any weakness in this area could reveal imminent troubles for the company in terms of cash flow. This is one of the first indications of bankruptcy and should be taken seriously[5]. The current ratio shows how easily the company can meet all current liabilities with the current assets available. A company should aim to have a ratio of at least 1 in relation to this ratio. Although it has reduced form 1.85 to 1.80, it is still well above the recommended minimum of 1. The quick ratio, on the other hand, considers the current ratio, but taking out the inventory element of the current assets as these cannot be easily converted into cash and, therefore, may not be relied upon to meet current liabilities. In this case, Babushka’s Baubles has a ratio of 0.42 (up from 0.41 in 2007). This is considerably below the desired minimum of 1. Moreover, it indicates that the company has insufficient cash and too much in the way of inventory. Benny’s Bling shows a similar trend, but its quick ratio is 0.8 which is much closer to 1 and indicates a much better inventory management policy[6]. Efficiency Efficiency is the next area that we are going to consider, as this may give a clearer view of how inventory is being managed. Inventory has been identified as a potential problem and, therefore, this area should be carefully considered. These figures indicate how many days it takes from the point of the inventory entering the business to the point that the inventory leaves the business. Other figures indicate how long it takes for the company to pay debtors and how long it takes for the company to receive money from creditors. The inventory period has become slightly longer, 32.23 days (up from 31.51 in 2007), which shows that the company takes around a month to produce the jewellery for sale. Benny’s Bling, on the other hand, takes just 22 days. It takes the company 29.98 days, on average, to pay its suppliers. This is up slightly from 2007, showing that cash is staying in the business longer. This in itself is a reasonably healthy figure, but when compared with the 75.26 day period that the company takes to get money in from customers, it is clear to see that work needs to be done on getting cash into the business more quickly after the products have been sold. Benny’s Bling, conversely, takes an average of 46 days to pay suppliers, yet receives payments in 26 days, showing a much better control over cash flow. Gearing Gearing simply shows the value of loans the company has in relation to shareholders’ equity. Ideally, the amount of shareholders’ equity should be higher than loans, as this indicates that the company has fewer obligations in terms of interest payments and is, therefore, considered to be in a better position financially. The lower the gearing figure the better. The ratio has remained reasonably consistent at 7.7% (down from 7.8% in 2007). This is healthy and indicates a low level of long term loans. Benny’s Bling has a gearing ratio of 50%, which is considerably higher and indicates a much larger amount of long term loans within the company[7]. Investments ‘Earnings per share’ is a basic measure of how much money is earned in the business for every share. In the case of the company, it is expected that this will be lower than in Benny’s Bling, due to the large levels of shares and the relatively low dependence on long term debts[8]. Price per share shows whether the purchase price of the share relates to the actual earnings the share is bringing in. If this figure is high relative to other companies in the sector, it indicates that the market is generally positive about the future of the company and is expecting an increase in performance in future periods. A low figure indicates a pessimistic view. The company has earnings per share of 0.21, which is down considerably from 2007 at 0.35; this is due entirely to the substantial drop in net profits between 2007 and 2008. The price / earnings ration is 18.10, considerably higher than the sector average of 9, indicating that the market is generally positive about the future of the company. Conclusions The company is in a generally positive position, with a good gearing position and solid sales. However, the company has potential difficulties in the way that it manages its efficiency and liquidity. Issues such as receiving money from customers and inventory management could have a dramatic impact on the short term ability of the company to meet its short term cash requirements[9]. If the company could deal with the inventory and cash issues it would have a long term profitable future, a view shared by the investors in the earnings / price ratio. Bibliography Atrill, Peter, Financial Management for Decision Makers, Pearson Education, 2005 Britton, Anne, Waterston, Christopher, Financial Accounting, Pearson Education, 2005. Chadwick, Leslie, Comparing financial performance: Ratio analysis and retail management, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, 12, 2, 1984. Drury, J.C., A Study of Industry Financial Ratios, Management Decision, 19, 1, 1981. Gillespie, Ian, Lewis, Richard, Hamilton, Kay, Principles of Financial Accounting, Pearson Education, 2004. Lewis, Richard, Pendrill, David, Advanced Financial Accounting, Pearson Education, 2003. Peterson, Pamela P., Fabozzi, Frank J., Analysis of Financial Statements, John Wiley and Sons, 1999. Siegel, Joel G., Shim, Jae K., Accounting Handbook, Barrons Educational Series, 2006. Stickney, Clyde P., Weil, Roman L., Financial Accounting: An Introduction to Concepts, Methods, and Uses, Thomson South-Western, 2004. Appendix – Financial Ratios Profitability Liquidity Efficiency Gearing Investors Footnotes [1] Gillespie, Ian, Lewis, Richard, Hamilton, Kay, Principles of Financial Accounting, Pearson Education, 2004 [2] Siegel, Joel G., Shim, Jae K., Accounting Handbook, Barrons Educational Series, 2006 [3]Peterson, Pamela P., Fabozzi, Frank J., Analysis of Financial Statements, John Wiley and Sons, 1999 [4] Stickney, Clyde P., Weil, Roman L., Financial Accounting: An Introduction to Concepts, Methods, and Uses, Thomson South-Western, 2004 [5] Chadwick, Leslie, Comparing financial performance: Ratio analysis and retail management, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management; 12, 2, 1984 [6] Britton, Anne, Waterston, Christopher, Financial Accounting, Pearson Education, 2005 [7] Lewis, Richard, Pendrill, David, Advanced Financial Accounting, Pearson Education, 2003 [8] Atrill, Peter, Financial Management for Decision Makers, Pearson Education, 2005 [9] Drury, J.C., A Study of Industry Financial Ratios, Management Decision; 19, 1, 1981

The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg in The Great Gatsby Essays -- F. Scott

The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg in The Great Gatsby In the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there is an important theme in the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. These eyes watch over the events and characters of the novel like the eyes of God. Many things happen in front of the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg, like the vehicular manslaughter of Myrtle. There is one quote in particular that describes the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg. This quote has many different meanings to the reader, depending on which way you pick it open. This quote goes '†¦ above the gray land and the spasms of bleak dust which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after a moment, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic – their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no ...

Better Home and Gardens and The Home Depot Essay -- essays research pa

Better Home and Gardens and The Home Depot In the current issue of Better Home and Gardens (BHG) magazine, published on October, 2004, there is an advertisement presenting how BHG and The Home Depot work together to provide new ideas and products. This is a win-win situation for both companies. Once know as â€Å"Fruit, Garden and Home†, the â€Å"Better Homes and Garden’s magazine (BGH) was first published in 1922. This magazine has become a trusted friend for over 82 years for America’s neighborhood. Better Homes and Gardens is one of the leading women’s magazine which can be found in over 2 million homes. This magazine provides new ideas, techniques and simple ways to improve your life and home. The Home Depot provides the supplies to assist with the new ideas, techniques and simple way to improve your life and home.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Home Depot was founded in 1978 in Atlanta, Georgia, by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. During this time, the store contained 25,000 products; compared to today’s store which carry 40,000 different home accessories and building supplies. In the beginning, the vision of the store was to be a warehouse full of products that sold to men and women, providing the best customer service. During the next five years The Home Depot placed stores in five different states, with Texas being one of them. Today the company has over 1,700 stores which are satisfying over 22,000,000 customers each week. These stores bring in approximately $64.8 billion ... Better Home and Gardens and The Home Depot Essay -- essays research pa Better Home and Gardens and The Home Depot In the current issue of Better Home and Gardens (BHG) magazine, published on October, 2004, there is an advertisement presenting how BHG and The Home Depot work together to provide new ideas and products. This is a win-win situation for both companies. Once know as â€Å"Fruit, Garden and Home†, the â€Å"Better Homes and Garden’s magazine (BGH) was first published in 1922. This magazine has become a trusted friend for over 82 years for America’s neighborhood. Better Homes and Gardens is one of the leading women’s magazine which can be found in over 2 million homes. This magazine provides new ideas, techniques and simple ways to improve your life and home. The Home Depot provides the supplies to assist with the new ideas, techniques and simple way to improve your life and home.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Home Depot was founded in 1978 in Atlanta, Georgia, by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. During this time, the store contained 25,000 products; compared to today’s store which carry 40,000 different home accessories and building supplies. In the beginning, the vision of the store was to be a warehouse full of products that sold to men and women, providing the best customer service. During the next five years The Home Depot placed stores in five different states, with Texas being one of them. Today the company has over 1,700 stores which are satisfying over 22,000,000 customers each week. These stores bring in approximately $64.8 billion ...

Global Poverty Essay

The definition of poverty is a matter of debate. In 1795, English magistrates decided that a minimum income should be the cost of a gallon loaf of bread, multiplied by three, plus an allowance for each dependent. Today, the Census Bureau defines the threshold of global poverty as the minimum amount of money families need to purchase a nutritionally adequate diet, assuming they use one-third of their income for food. The term underclass has been applied by some social scientists to a population of people, concentrated in an inner city, who are persistently poor, unemployed, and dependent on welfare, with an emphasis on persistently. Initially, sociologist William Julius Wilson championed the concept to describe the plight of the truly disadvantaged. But he and a number of other sociologists have since expressed concern that the term underclass is being misused by some journalists and political conservatives to argue that the poor have created their own plight and are to blame for their poverty (Hinkle, 1994). Wilson contends that the underclass exists mainly because of a sharp climb in inner-city joblessness by virtue of the elimination of hundreds of thousands of lower-skill jobs, the growing polarization of the labor market into low-wage and high-wage sectors, the relocation of manufacturing industries out of the central city, and periodic recessions. The problem has been compounded by the concentration of the disadvantaged in inner-city ghettos and the isolation of these areas from more affluent communities (Hinkle, 1994). Before World War I, most African Americans lived in the rural South. But industrial jobs during World Wars I and II drew hundreds of thousands of blacks to cities in the North (Davis, 2004). Almost all of these people were poor, unskilled workers. Structural factors, i. e. the disappearance over the past quarter-century of hundreds of thousands of low-skill jobs, mainly involving physical labor, have meant that inner-city blacks have become a severely disadvantaged class (Hinkle, 1994). They settled in slum areas near the factories where they worked in the inner city. As slums grew, ghetto conditions worsened. These patterns are most evident in large American cities where smokestack industries once attracted young men with few or no skills to jobs that nonetheless paid well enough to support wives and children. Prejudice and discrimination have made it difficult for African Americans and other minorities to improve these conditions. Legislation has been used to try to eliminate ghetto conditions in the United States. But segregation remains a serious problem. Now poor urban blacks find themselves relegated to all-black neighborhoods where they are socially isolated from mainstream life (Davis, 2004). According to the conflict theory, though, the underclass indeed constitutes a minority of the poor. The underclass is a cote of inner-city poor, those individuals and families who are trapped in an unending cycle of joblessness and dependence on welfare or criminal earnings. Their communities are plagued by drug abuse, lawlessness, crime, violence, and poor schools. Many underclass women were teenage mothers and high school dropouts who subsequently found themselves sidetracked without the resources or skills to escape a life of poverty (Hinkle, 1994). Some sociologists portray global poverty as a structural feature of capitalist societies. The cyclical movements between economic expansion and contraction, boom and bust, contribute to sharp fluctuations in employment (Iceland, 2003). A century ago, Karl Marx contended that an industrial reserve army is essential for capitalist economies. The industrial reserve army consists of individuals at the bottom of the class structure who are laid off in the interests of corporate profits during times of economic stagnation, then rehired when needed for producing profits during times of economic prosperity. It is disproportionately composed of minorities, who traditionally have been the last hired and the first hired. Contemporary structural functionalists say that a new industrial order characterized by a significant shift from manufacturing to service-sector employment has produced massive vulnerability among all blue-collar workers (Hinkle, 1994). Poverty derives from a lack of income-producing employment. And high inner-city rates of family disintegration, welfare dependency, drug abuse, and crime are additional outcomes of faulty economic organization. Clustered in large ghettos and squatters Mexico, Africa, and some parts of Asia, the poor develop feelings of marginality, helplessness, dependence, and inferiority. These circumstances allegedly breed weak ego structures, lack of impulse control, a present-time orientation characterized by little ability to deter gratification, and a sense of resignation and fatalism. The resulting lifeways are both an adaptation and a reaction of the poor to their disadvantaged positions (Iceland, 2003). They become self-perpetuating patterns as the ethos associated with the culture of poverty is transmitted to successive generations. United Nations bureaus revealed that nearly half of the state’s children have mothers who have failed to fulfill elementary school. Statistics illustrate there exists a positive relationship between parents’ educational attainment and their offspring’s odds in their latter life. Children of parents who have no adequate formal education are prone to endure scarcity as they age. Poverty-stricken people around the world suffer from the lack of many things they need. For example, they are less likely to receive adequate medical care or to eat the foods they need to stay healthy. The poor have more diseases, become more seriously ill, and die at a younger age than other people do. Poor people often live in substandard housing in socially isolated areas where most of their neighbors are poor. Many low-income families live in crowded, run-down buildings with inadequate heat and plumbing. The jobs most readily available to the poor provide low wages and little opportunity for advancement. Many of these jobs also involve dangerous or unhealthful working conditions. Financial, medical, and emotional problems often strain family ties among the poverty-stricken (Iceland, 2003). In Laos, saddled with debt, lacking infrastructure, and short of trained personnel, the government simply cannot afford to provide basic schooling for all of their children. However, this is not a problem of lack of resources, but rather a problem of resource allocation. In Ghana, misdistribution and capitalistic exploitation make the medicines inaccessible to the poor clients in the district. If in the past, the causes of illnesses may have been shared between man and nature, from this time forth, diseases are brought about by the caustic arms of industrialization, which might have not destroyed or alternatively benefited the sub-Saharan Africa. In Thailand, young people, some hardly elapsed pre-school age, vending on streets virtually every single day is a heartbreaking scene to the passersby. While at first glance it may seem to be effortless, risk-free toil that equips a deprived family a most wanted boost, it essentially stems from a chain of causes, and begets a mesh of costs for the child, his family and the society in which they are trying to survive. Eventually, many unschooled children would eventually realize finding themselves sidetracked without the resources or skills to escape a life of poverty. Within the United States, President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society produced a flurry of social programs rivaling those of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Some are gone, while others were severely cut or revamped by the Reagan and Bush administrations. The government provides two main types of aid: social insurance and public assistance. Social insurance mainly covers people-or their families-who have worked and paid special taxes in the past, whether or not they are poor. Public assistance provides aid to the needy regardless of their work record (Iceland, 2003). Education is a key element in reversing poverty. For some people in Asia and Africa, education is a means to improve oneself. Education is greatly related to social status because a high degree of education involves money and motivation. Some people insist that the forces that are making the world into a single economy have separated people from longstanding identities and have, at the same time, weakened nation-state. Particularly, McDonaldization of global society has allowed to target highly specific groups wherever they are and so the ethnic bond tails them too (Ritzer, 1996). People in developing countries are starving, purely so that our developed society can be provided with excess food. Chemicals, necessary for the uniformity of its products, are destroying the environment and putting lives at risk due to increased nitrate levels. This way, McDonaldization of society wouldn’t make the world a better place, as it will simply turn into a bigger breeding ground for exploitation, pollution, and economic imbalance around the world furthering global poverty.

Peruvian Andean Women

This research will focus on the Andean woman of Peru in the sixteen century. First, I will explore the role that the woman played in the Inca society. Secondly, I will reflect on the impact the Spanish invasion had on the role woman played in her kinship, in the household, in religion and in relation with productive activities and politics. Later on, I will discuss the contradictory perceptions of the Andean woman as a victim and as a skilful negotiator. Furthermore, I will focus on change and continuation of the roles that women played in society. The impact of the changes in the demography of Andean communities and all over the Inca empire, the labour division and degradation of the status that women played in society in contrast with the relationship between Spanish men and Indigenous women and its repercussions in the society. Peruvian Andean Woman Before the arrival of Spaniards onto Peruvian soil, Andean woman enjoyed a respected position in the Inca society and was an active collaborator and participant of the political, religious and economic life of the Inca Empire. Silverblatt (1978); presents different elements to show the parallel role of woman and man in Inca societies, like the structure of kinships, she noticed that women were entitled to inherit lands following her maternal line and men through their paternal line. She also observes that the authority in the kinship was not related to gender but to birth order. She continues focusing on the active role of women in the economy and their labor roles; specializing as weavers, brewers, traders and agronomists. A reference to a plead to Carlos V of Spain, requesting protection for indigenous women from Spaniard’s abuses, stresses the importance of women’s work as essential to household labor and complementary to men’s. Karen Viera Powers (2000) noticed the clash between Spanish and native understanding of gender relations, gender roles and sexuality. She puts special emphasis in gender parallelism and complementary roles of men and women, acknowledging that women and men performed different social, political and economic roles; but that these where perceived as equally mportant and that their contributions were valued in the same manner. Powers argues that marriage was not a form of subordination but that â€Å"the Andean ceremony clearly symbolized a union of equals through a ritual gift exchange between husband and wife and between their families that was intended to create balance and harmony between peers. † The Spanish could not understand the way in which t he Inca Empire worked, the Spanish failed to comprehend the reciprocity, parallel and complementary activities performed in the community and impacted a well organized system forever. The role of women in pregnancy, childbirth and childcare was associated with fertility and considered significant to the subsistence and survival of the community. Every year the communities in the Inca empire were inspected by the Inca officials whom had the task to chose the most beautiful virgins to become wives of the Inca. The virgins called acllas, that means chosen in Quechua, were secluded in special institutions to guard their sexuality. These women were expert weavers that produced fine cloths that were used in religious ceremonies or given as gifts to Inca’s allies. Some were taken by the Inca as second wives or married to Inca nobles or to rulers of conquered territories to seal alliances. Polygamy and exogamy for political purposes was very common among the elite members of the Inca Empire. When the Spanish arrived, the Incas tried to consolidate alliances with them through offering women in marriage. In the words of Karen Viera Powers: The Inca’s assignment of beautiful young women to be wives to his allies, not only created intra-elite and interethnic bonds through a reward system, but also produced a sophisticated, hybrid political system. The role of the women in the colonial society has been studied with prejudice towards women. Elinor Burkett (1978) condemns authors who have written with prejudice towards women and presents a different approach focusing on â€Å"indigenous society by considering tribute as a household rather than an individual obligation. † Men and women worked as a team, as did the whole family. Indeed men and women even shared some professions. Karen Graubart (2000) explains this by citing the chronicles of Fray Bernabe Cobo: The Indian women spin not only at home, but when they go outside, whether they are sanding in one place or walking. As long as they are not doing something else with their hands, walking does not interfere with their spinning, which is what most of them are doing when we meet them on the streets†¦. Although women are the ones who generally practice this occupation as their own, nevertheless, in some places the men consider it to be their own also. After making the thread, it is doubled and twisted; they never weave with single threads. The same women twist it in the same way as they spin it, and some of the men will generally help in this, especially the old men who are not able to do other work. Karen Graubert (2000) argues that the chronicles are bias identifying the work performed by Andean women as proper: when they weave, make chicha (corn beer), cook and undertake other type of agricultural work. When the Andean men produced textiles they were considered as artisans. While both, men and women were producing a garment to be paid as tribute for the state and religion, these activities were identified and constructed as distinct. Graubert observed a more detailed description of the works performed by women in the writings of Pedro Cieza de Leon, when he says: These women are hard workers: because they are the ones who break the ground, and sow the fields, and reap the harvests. And many of their husbands are in the house weaving and spinning and repairing their weapons and clothing, and†¦ doing other female activities. The Spanish had an ethnocentric view of how society, gender relations and religion were supposed to be. They imposed their political models onto Andean societies and destroyed the organization of the Inca society. Women were removed from their former positions of authority, and the society was transformed into a male-centric society where women had to depend on men for formal representation. Under Spanish rule, the Inca noblewomen were not allowed to attend to new schools, only indigenous men were allowed into the educative system set up by friars to educate the native elite. The Inca Queens of the Andes lost her status. Her role as the axis of the female political system was eliminated. The Spanish faith excluded women of all participation in religious practices and women were forbidden to perform former roles of midwife, healer and confessor. Although, despite all the efforts of the Spanish to convert Indians and introduced them to Christianity, Indians found ways to hold onto their beliefs and to continue their ancestral practices. According to Irene Silverblatt (1978): Among the archival material there is a legal suit which documents a cult to â€Å"Woman Moon,† a goddess venerated by women from several neighbouring communities. This feminine cult crossed community boundaries, articulating women from different kin groups in an organization centred around the worship of the moon. The Spanish, influenced by 800 years of war with the Moors, viewed the world under patriarchal eyes and condemned these practices. The transformation of the Inca society took place through Catholic syncretism; Andeans understood the new religion through their religious believes, associating the image of Mary and female saints with the moon and mother earth. Spanish priests did not rest emphasising the importance of virginity and introduced legal codes that defined extramarital sex as criminal (Powers, 2000). The new Spanish system to forced labor, created changes in the role of women but also impacted the demography of the communities all over the Inca Empire. An example of this is found in the work of Bianca Premo; she observed an imbalanced population in the Chucuito census, imbalance that she attributes to a â€Å"combination of deception and real absence† of men: Almost 45 percent of adult women were said to be unmarried†¦ The total number of unmarried adults in the province seems higher than might be expected in communities where land rights were linked to marriage and where marriage amounted adulthood. The way in which the Spanish used, abused and transformed the organisation of the tributary Inca system and its networks and lines of kinship have resulted in impoverishment and isolation of Andean regions. While in the Inca tributary system, the government taxed only men and women who were married, during the Spanish rule the taxes were imposed on men, women and widows. While the Andean male population was being depleted in the mines and through infections and diseases, the Spanish populations grew due to immigration and higher birth rates (Powers, 2000). In 1618, legislation was enacted requiring women to stay in the villages, even if their husbands were absent or had disappeared. As Premo (2000) observed, the labor in mines, especially in the case of Potosi, left the community of Chicuito and other nearby communities without the support of men; single women and widows were paying tribute by weaving textiles, with the aid of young children. Premo cited a local leader reporting: The whole community is working for the benefit of the tribute and it is impossible to pay in silver more than we already are neither women nor the old nor the children can contribute more. In a community called Juli, Jesuits priests were accused to have had women locked up, sewing day and night. Another example of exploitation of the women labor is found in a reference to a letter dated on 1672, where Viceroy Conde de Lemos is quoted: In these already dissipated provinces, the judges from Potosi take these Indians, leaving the land uncultivated and the women and children without anything to eat. In contrast to views that the women were exploited and abused by the Spanish, we also have the accounts of Elinor Burkett; she recompiled information about Andean women working in household as domestics, inheriting from Spanish people, sewing and engaged in small trading; while men were isolated in mining work, construction and agriculture. According to Burkett, the proximity of Andean women to Spanish men, Spanish women and Spanish families put her in a privilege position than the Andean men; she learnt the language, customs and ways of the Spanish. Burkett (1978), examining records of Potosi, finds Indian women selling pastry, candy, silver items, groceries, bread, preparing food and selling other goods and concludes that the Andean women is depicted as a strong, wilful woman, either Indian or mestiza, aggressive economically and socially. Conclusions After a thorough research of the role of the Peruvian women in the sixteen century, I have observed the great challenges that Peruvian women had encountered during that period, from having a religion an identity related to beauty, reproduction and in some cases chosen as priests, they were not only forced into a new belief system but also forbidden to practice their religious rituals. Their Inca queens also lost any trace of royalty and became mistresses. Their man, partner and parallel was taken by the new government and forced to labor. From being an integral part of the kin, women became workers, in many cases they were enslaved, chained, raped and treated like the last rung in the ladder of society. Nevertheless, the Peruvian women, went to the mines looking for their partners, to the point that Spain had to edict legislation to stop them. The Andean women, adjusted to the changes, she wove when she had to weave, but she also looked for other opportunities, migrated, sold cloths, became a trader, worked in Spanish household and also learnt the language. Nowadays, Peruvian indigenous women have just as much a central role within a household as 500 years ago; they are often the primary caregivers of family and kinship and continue to play a vital role in the Peruvian society.

How to Succeed in College Essay

Hints on How to Succeed in College Classes The Key to Success: Study Time The single most important key to success in any college course is to spend enough time studying. A rule of thumb is that you should expect to study about 2 to 3 hours per week outside of class for each unit of credit. For example, a student taking 15 credit hours should expect to spend 30 to 45 hours each week studying outside of class. Combined with time in class, this works out to a total of 45 to 60 hours spent on academic work†not much more than the time a typical Job requires, and you get to hoose your own hours. Of course, if you are working while you attend school, you will need to budget your time carefully. As a rough guideline, your study time might be divided as shown in the table below. If you find that you are spending fewer hours than these guidelines suggest, you can probably improve your grade by studying longer. If you are spending more hours than these guidelines suggest, you may be studying inefficiently; in that case, you should talk to your instructor about how to study more effectively. If Your Course Is: Time for Reading the Assigned Text (per week) Time for Homework Assignments (per week) Time for Review and Test Preparation (average per week) Total Study Time (per 3 credits 2 to 4 hours 2 to 3 hours 2 hours 6 to 9 hours 4 credits 3 hours 8 to 12 hours 5 credits 3 to 5 hours 3 to 6 hours 4 hours 10 to 15 hours General Strategies for Studying 0 Budget your time effectively. Studying 1 or 2 hours each day is more effective, and far less painful, than studying all night before homework is due or before exams. 0 Engage your brain. Learning is an active process, not a passive experience. Whether you are reading, listening to a lecture, or working on assignments, always make sure hat your mind is actively engaged. If you find your mind drifting or falling asleep, make a conscious effort to revive yourself, or take a break if necessary. 0 Don’t miss class, and come prepared. Listening to lectures and participating in class activities and discussions is much more effective than reading someone else’s notes or watching a video later. Active participation will help you retain what you are learning. Also, be sure to complete any assigned reading before the class in which it will be discussed. This is crucial, since class sessions are designed to help reinforce key deas from the reading. 0 Use your textbook effectively. For a science book, for example: Begin by identifying the learning goals of an assigned chapter, and get an overview of key concepts by studying the illustrations and reading their captions. Next, read the chapter twice: On the first pass, read only the narrative, skipping any optional or boxed features; on the second pass, include the boxed features, and make notes on the pages to remind yourself of ideas you may want to review later. After you complete the reading, check your understanding by trying some of the end- f-chapter problems or any on-line quizzes or tutorials that may be available. 0 Start your homework early. The more time you allow yourself, the easier it is to get help if you need it. If a concept gives you trouble, first try additional reading or studying beyond what has been assigned. If you still having trouble, ask for help: You surely can find friends, peers, or teachers who will be glad to help you learn. 0 Working together with friends can be valuable in helping you understand difficult concepts. However, be sure that you learn with your friends and do not become dependent on 0 Don’t try to multitask. A large body of research shows that human beings simply are not good at multitasking: When we attempt it, we do more poorly at all of the individual tasks. And in case you think you are an exception, the same research found that those people who believed they were best at multitasking were actually the worst! So when it is time to study, turn off your electronic devices, find a quiet spot, and give your work a focused effort of concentration. 02013, Jeffrey Bennett (www. effreybennett. com). Permission granted to photocopy as a two-sided handout for college classes. How to Succeed in College Classes, Page 2 Preparing for Exams 0 Rework problems and other assignments; try additional questions to be sure you understand the concepts. Study your performance on assignments, quizzes, or exams from earlier in the term. 0 Study your notes from classes, and reread relevant section s in your textbook. Pay attention to what your instructor expects you to know for an exam. 0 Study individually before Joining a study group with friends. Study groups are effective only if every individual comes prepared to contribute. 0 Don’t stay up too late before an exam. Don’t eat a big meal within an hour of the xam (thinking is more difficult when blood is being diverted to the digestive system). 0 Try to relax before and during the exam. If you have studied effectively, you are capable of doing well. Staying relaxed will help you think clearly. Presenting Homework and Writing Assignments All work that you turn in should be of collegiate quality: neat and easy to read, well organized, and demonstrating mastery of the subject matter. Future employers and teachers will expect this quality of work. Moreover, although submitting homework of collegiate quality requires â€Å"extra† effort, it serves two important purposes directly related to learning: 1. . The effort you expend in clearly explaining your work solidifies your learning. In particular, research has shown that writing and speaking trigger different areas of your brain. By writing something down†even when you think you already understand it†your learning is reinforced by involving other areas of your brain. By making your work clear and self-contained (that is, making it a document that you can read without referring to the questions in the text), you will have a much more useful study guide when you review for a quiz or exam. The following guidelines will help ensure that your assignments meet the standards f collegiate quality: 0 Always use proper grammar, proper sentence and paragraph writing should be fully self-contained. A good test is to imagine that a friend is reading your work and to ask yourself whether the friend would understand exactly what you are trying to say.