Friday, September 6, 2019
Alcoholic Beverage and Personal Communication Essay Example for Free
Alcoholic Beverage and Personal Communication Essay Introduction The use of a range of drug types, including alcohol, are part of the traditions of many, if not all, communities in Fiji. The Fijian and Indo-Fijian communities have long traditions of psycho-active drug use in the context of ritual and ceremony. 1,2 It has been noted that seafarers, together with indentured labourers, brought cannabis or Indian hemp traditions to Fiji, with the sugar cane plantations providing fertile ground for cultivation. 2,3 Meanwhile, kava was widely cultivated and consumed by ethnic Fijians. The Indo-Fijian community slowly adopted kava drinking rituals and gradually others began to increase their consumption. In addition, marijuana use emerged and spread with increasing popularity amongst youth, especially males. 2-5 This literature review explores the current licit and illicit drug situation in Fiji. It considers peer-reviewed articles identi? ed using Pub Med, Health Internet Work Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) searches and ââ¬Ëgreyââ¬â¢ literature, including published and unpublished reports, and web based resources (e.g. UNDOC, WHO). The review found that there is limited data available to assist in understanding the current situation and associated harms in Fiji, but notes more studies and reports have examined alcohol consumption patterns and associated social problems when compared with studies on illicit drug use. 1, 5-15 Alcohol use in Fiji According to the WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol, data from the 1993 National Nutrition Survey indicate that consumption of alcoholic home brew use is widespread in Fiji, as in other Paci? c nations. These beverages usually contain up to three times the alcohol content of commercially produced beer and are mostly drunk by younger men. 16 After 1995, unrecorded alcohol consumption in Fiji was estimated to be 1. 0 litre of pure alcohol per capita for the population older than 15 years (estimated by a group of key alcohol experts). 17 Although there are no recently published statistics on the number of drinkers and abstainers, the same survey found daily drinkers to be 1. 4% among males and 0. 8% among females aged 12 years and over. 18 Estimates from alcohol experts show that the proportion of adult males and females who had been abstaining (in the year prior to the survey) was 74% (males) and 98% (females). 17 Research shows that single drinking sessions with a high rate of alcohol intake (common practice among Fijian youth) can cause abrupt mood swings resulting in violence, accidents and ? ghts, exaggerated emotions, uncharacteristic behaviour, memory loss, impaired judgement, communication problems, sleepiness, coma, stupor and death (at very high intake) and suicide attempts. Binge drinking has also been implicated in schizophrenic and other psychiatric episodes. 19 165 REVIEW PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 While there is limited current information on the rate and consumption patterns of alcohol, cannabis and kava among young people,1,6,9 several studies2,3,8,11 were conducted to analyse the extent of tobacco and alcohol use among young people in Fiji in the 1990s and early 2000s. One of the studies4 found that alcohol is widely consumed in one form or another among young people, with about 2 in 5 of the young people surveyed having tasted it. The percentage of young people classi? ed as current drinkers ranged from a high of 26% among males to 9% among females. 4 Of concern was the high proportion of binge drinkers: about 3 in 5 young people reported having had 5 or more alcoholic drinks in one session. The study4 indicated that the high prevalence among 13-15 year olds poses a serious concern, and highlights the need for law enforcement and intervention programs to create an environment that promotes responsible drinking. Interestingly, the study found that when compared to smoking, alcohol and kava use, the proportion of young people using cannabis was relatively low. 4 A follow up survey of 2147 students in 2004 by the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council (NSAAC) found a general increase in substance use among secondary students (see table 1). Table 1: Youth Substance Use in Fiji (Comparison of the results for Fiji in the 1999 Global Youth Tobacco Survey by UNICEF and WHO and 2004 follow up survey by NSAAC). Substance Tobacco Alcohol Kava Marijuana GYT Survey (1999) 32. 3 40. 3 51. 9 12. 8 NSAAC (2004) 43 51 61 13 Signi? cant variations exist in the drinking habits of males and females in Fiji; there are many more male drinkers than there are female drinkers. 11 Ordinarily males consume the bulk of the alcohol in the company of other males, usually during drinking sessions with no special occasion, while most women drink alcohol during social functions or in night club settings in the company of men and other women. While women occasionally participate in drinking sessions, typically it is an exclusively male activity. 11,13 It is at these drinking parties where the most copious amounts of alcohol are reportedly consumed. Thus, when males drink, they tend to drink larger amounts of alcohol in one sitting than women do. Illicit drug use in Fiji Border Security and Drug Control Limited data exist to aid in understanding illicit drug use and the associated harms across the Paci? c. In addition, there are no surveillance systems. 20 However, Fiji by virtue of its geographical position is faced with the twin problems of illicit drug traf? cking and increasing use. 21,22 These are further aggravated by the rapid transitional and social changes arising from urbanization. These developments create an atmosphere which exposes entire communities to greater risk associated with drug use (Personal communication ââ¬â Fiji Police Department, 2008). Minimal use of drugs such as heroin, morphine, cocaine and hallucinogens occur, but this review found that Fiji is considered a transit area for smuggling. [20-23]. Drugs such as heroin, methamphetamines and 166 PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 REVIEW cocaine are not commonly used due to their high cost when compared to the average income. Raw cocaine has reportedly been found in Fiji and three Chinese men and a Fijian security guard were murdered in what was thought to be an organized crime execution linked to drugs. 22 National enforcement agencies have responded to curb traf? cking as is re? ected by the large seizures of illicit drugs. 24,25 In spite of this response, a drug laboratory found in Fiji in 200625 supports the view that organized crime groups could escalate their activities in the Paci? c islands. 21,25 A raid at an industrial estate in Suva, involving police from Australia and New Zealand and Fijian Customs Of? cer followed a major heroin seizure in 2000. 21,25] The lab identi? cation also suggests a transition of Fiji (and possibly other Paci? c Nations) from a transhipment point to a production base. According to the New Zealand Police, to succeed in future operations similar to the Suva bust, interested agencies need to work towards having ââ¬Å"robust communication systemsâ⬠across organisations to keep them connected and informed on crime in the region. 21 It is reported that there are about 5000 vessels transiting in the Paci? c on any given day. 21,24 Large shipments may be unloaded from a mother ship to smaller vessels, and can subsequently go in hiding at the many small, uninhibited islets and atolls, waiting for the next step. 21 Fiji has recently established a Transnational Crime Unit (TCU) with the Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority (FIRCA) as one of the key law enforcement agencies involved. This unit has been vigilant in promoting the cooperation between border organizations in order to assist the TCU in controlling the borders. 24 The Unit also compiles data for intelligence risk assessments throughout the year. It supports a Case Management Intelligence System (CMIS), whereby relevant information from the Police Department, Immigration Department, Local Government Authorities, Financial Intelligence Unit, and other Law Enforcement Agencies24 are automatically linked in the system. A number of cases which the TCU have been investigating include a Tongan syndicate smuggling drugs from Fiji to Tonga. In a recent example of program cooperation a number of TCU surveillance targets were arrested during a Police roadblock in Sigatoka (personal communication, FIRCA, 2008). Domestic Issues Cannabis is by far the most common and widespread illicit drug used in Fiji. 11 Like many other countries in the region, anecdotal evidence suggests there has been a considerable increase in drug use among young people4 despite the relatively small increase suggested by the 2004 NSAAC study (see table 1). However, it is not clear if the two studies they reported were directly comparable. Data collected by the St Giles Hospital and the Fijian Police Department support the view there has been an increase in use. Admissions data for St Giles Hospital reports on cannabis induced psychosis and other disorders. In 1987, ? ve young men were admitted to St Giles Hospital with cannabis related mental disorders. In 1988, the number rose to ? fteen with many more unreported cases. 26 The 2005 hospital data revealed that a total of 612 patients were seen at outpatients department diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder. These included 386 (63%) patients for marijuana, 59 (10%) alcohol, 99 (16%) kava and 99 (16%) tobacco use issues. In 2006, 272 admissions to St Giles Hospital were reported as drug related, consisting of 66% Fijians, 20% Indo-Fijian and 14% belong to other ethnic groups. It is probable that the political troubles in 2006 impacted on the number of admissions, but no data were available to con? rm or reject this view. Police arrest data report possession (see Table 2). 8,13,26 Statistics provided by Fiji Police showed 259 drugrelated crimes were committed in 2008. There was a 21 per cent drop from 2007 which had 329 drug-related 167 REVIEW PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 crimes. 27 There are also reports of increasing cannabis cultivation as a form of inter-seasonal cash crop substitution among farmers. It is estimated that Fiji has between 500 to 1000 cannabis producers, some of them citing the countryââ¬â¢s worsening economy as the motivator for production (personal communication, Police Drug Unit, November 2008). For generations, the villagers of Navosa have travelled for hours across rugged terrain to reach a road to the market to sell their produce with no guarantee their produce will be sold. Facing the same hardships as their ancestors, many of these villagers report having no choice but to resort to marijuana growing because ââ¬Å"The product is lighter, it has a steady market and is economically viableâ⬠(Personal communication with growers, December, 2008). Production is predominantly for local consumption. Table 2: Recent Crime Data ( Drug offences recorded by the Fiji Police Forces from 2000 to 2006). Year Drug offences 2001 433 2002 417 2003 417 2004 312 2005 312 2006 333 The Save the Children Fund in Fiji reports that the continuing political and economic instability in the country has also led to a lot more children working as drug traf? ckers or prostitutes. [28] Concern over the increasing number of children involved in drug traf? cking was sparked by the recent arrest of three school children caught selling drugs in an amusement centre in Labasa. The Fiji Womenââ¬â¢s Crisis Centre reported an increase in young Indo-Fijian girls working as prostitutes in urban centres. Furthermore, the National Manager for Save the Children Fund in Fiji, says there is a growing trend among poor families to send their children out onto the streets. 28 Drug and alcohol legislation and policy According to the literature, there is no regional-based illicit drug policy for the Paci? c and few treatment programs. 20,29 Information from the Paci? c Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) indicates that Fijiââ¬â¢s Illicit Drugs Control Act is an adaptation of the Regional Model Law on the Control of Illicit Drugs which was developed by the Secretariat. There was no formal committee, but it was endorsed by a Cabinet sub-Committee on legislation which was chaired by the then Attorney-General. Both the Fijian Government and PIFS are advocating for a regional legislative framework to respond to the increase in illicit drugs in the region (personal communication, PIFS, 2008). Amphetamines are a key drug of concern with the regionââ¬â¢s geographical vulnerability highlighted as a key factor in the rationale for this approach. At the time of writing, Kiribati and Fiji are the only two PIFS member countries to have adapted and enacted the model law. Furthermore, a Code of Practice has been developed by PIFS to assist stakeholders such as law enforcement agencies and pharmacies to classify, register and dispose of illicit drugs (personal communication, PIFS, 2008). It may be adapted by Forum member countries with modi? cations to suit national legal and administrative arrangements. Legislative control on the consumption and sale of alcohol to minors has not been widely and effectively implemented. While minors are legally barred from consuming alcohol, the sale of alcohol beverages to under-age drinkers is common throughout the country. 11 For the minor who is unable to gain access to commercial alcohol beverages, homebrew is an easily obtained alternative. Anecdotal evidence suggests that minors make up a large and undetected percentage of consumers of alcohol beverages. 168 PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 REVIEW Sexually Transmitted Infections Sexually Transmitted Infections, including HIV, are emerging public health problems in Fiji. 13 A recent WHO report indicated that the rise in the number of HIV cases, in addition to increasing number of patients accessing STI clinics, in an ongoing concern. In 2006, MOH statistics indicated30 that Fijians comprised 83% of con? rmed HIV diagnoses, Indo-Fijian 13% and ââ¬Ëothersââ¬â¢ 4%. Since 2004, Fijian males had replaced females as having the highest number of cases. Overall, males comprised 59% and heterosexual transmission accounted for 85% of all cases. By the end of 2004 a total of 182 HIV infections had been reported in Fiji13 and the number of new cases reported each year has increased for the last ? ve years. In Fiji, reported cases of syphilis and gonorrhea have ? uctuated between 1998 and 2004. In 2004 there were 852 reports of syphilis and 1182 gonorrhea. The number of cases reported for 2008 were 1004 for syphilis, 1064 gonorrhea and 283 HIV cases. 27 Recent statistics from Fijiââ¬â¢s Health Ministry on Sexually Transmitted Infections are a cause for concern with the high rate of STIs among people aged 20 to 29 increasing the risk for HIV infection. 31,32 Fijiââ¬â¢s Director of Public Health notes that statistics gathered over the past eight years by the Ministry show that gonorrhoea and syphilis are the most frequently reported STIs in the country, which ââ¬Å"highlights the underlying concern of unsafe sexual behaviour among young peopleâ⬠and the ââ¬Å"same high-risk behaviour for the transmission of HIV. â⬠He also said that ââ¬Å"sex is serious businessâ⬠and that ââ¬Å"anyone, especially young people, who participates does so at their risk, in view of the sad consequences of infection from so many STIs including HIV, pelvic in? ammatory disease and infertility. â⬠32 Risk/Protective Factors Some religious groups in Fiji, such as Islam, strictly forbid the use of alcohol. Christian denominations such as the Assemblies of God, Jehovahââ¬â¢s Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventist Mission also prohibit the consumption of alcohol. Individual members of these religious groups vary in the degree to which they adhere to these principles. Any negative effects of combining tobacco or alcohol with kava use are currently conjecture, with relatively little work done to explore the nature of the relationship between these substances in the Paci? c. 1,6,9,26,33 However, anecdotal evidence suggests an inter-relationship exists with social and health consequences. 1, 4-6, 9, 13, 26, 33, 34 Reports of kava drinking followed by a beer chaser, known as ââ¬Ëwashdownââ¬â¢, are not uncommon and suggests the need for further exploration of potentially harmful consumption patterns. Excessive drinking, drinking too frequently and too much, often re? ects the drinking pro? le of the majority of young people in countries like Fiji. 5, 11, 14 Excessive drinking is reported as a signi? cant contributor to motor vehicle accidents, violence and aggressive behaviour, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and criminal activities. 3, 14, 15, 18, 26 It has been suggested that the alcohol consumption pattern of young Indigenous Fijian males follows the traditional kava ritual of drinking until there is nothing left in the kava bowl. In many instances, young people often end their kava drinking session by consuming alcohol (ââ¬Ëwash downââ¬â¢). [3, 5] It is reported that most youths drink excessively to manage their problems, but it may result in new problems like unsafe sex, crime and violence and even suicide. 5, 14, 15, 34, 35 A study in Fiji10, 11 revealed that alcohol was a factor in 58% of all homicide between 1982 and 1992 and approximately 80% of the crime in the country is alcohol-related. 10, 18 169 REVIEW PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 Furthermore, the effects of alcohol on the physical, mental and social health of Fijiââ¬â¢s citizens have in recent years been the subject of considerable concern amongst health-care professionals and social scientists, as well as the ordinary citizens. 2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 23, 26, 33 At present there is suf? cient evidence from a variety of research ? ndings1, 6, 10, 11, 34 to suggest that the heavy consumption of alcohol contributes other health problems in Fiji, such as diabetes, heart problems, obesity and hypertension. Among the social consequences of excessive alcohol consumption in the country,10, 11 violent crime, domestic violence, and road fatalities have been identi? ed as the most serious. 8, 23, 34 While alcohol and home brew drinking are more common, marijuana cultivation, sales and distribution has become pervasive in some Paci? c Island countries. It has been seen as a good source of income. A further emerging substance abuse issue is glue snif? ng among school age children, mostly in their early teens. In addition, unemployment in youths is a major problem in the Paci? c. In Fiji it has been estimated that out of nearly 10,000 youths seeking employment, only 1500 can be employed. 2, 3, 13 Studies and observations in some urban areas of Paci? c countries point to an increasing numbers of people between the ages of 15-19 engaging in commercial sex worker with some aged even younger. 2, 3, 11, 15, 35, 36 Conclusions There is a range of evidence and data suggesting the potential for increased risk of HIV infection associated with substance use in Fiji, but there is a need to explore this issue further with social behavioural and qualitative research. While harmful substance use patterns and sexual health risk factors are increasingly reported, there is little current analysis regarding the interaction of the two. Of particular concern is the current environment of rapidly changing substance use patterns with little in the way of structural responses to protect the people of Fiji from the range of social and health-related harms. In addition, dif? cult economic conditions and the tangible bene? ts of cannabis growing and distribution (and potential for amphetamine production) lend urgency to the need to investigate these issues further and to develop viable interventions that are informed by robust data and research information. References 1. Goundar R, Kava consumption and its health effects. Journal of Community Health and Clinical Medicine for the Paci? c 2006. 13(3): p. 131-5. 2. Plange, N. K. , Social Aspects of Drug and Alcohol Abuse: An overview of the situation in Fiji. Fiji Medical Journal, 1991. 17(3): p. 5-12. 3. Plange, N. K. , Alcoholism and Crime among Urban Youth in Fiji. 1991, University of the South Paci? c. 4. UNICEF. , Substance use among adolescents in Fiji: A surveillance Report from the Fiji Global Tobacco Survey. 1999. 5. Rokosawa, M. Alcohol problems in Fiji. 1986 [cited. 6. Moulds RFW, M. J. , Kava: herbal panacea or liver poison? [For Debate]. Medical Journal of Australia, 2003(178): p. 451-3. 7. Morrison F, H. F. , Gaylord J, Leigh B, Rainey D. , Adolescent drinking and sex: ? ndings from a daily diary study. Perspective on Sexual Reproductive Health, 2003. 35(4): p. 162-8. 8. Adinkrah, M. , Homicide-Suicides in Fiji: Offence patterns, situational factors socio-cultural contexts. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 2003. 33: p. 65-73. 170 PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 REVIEW 9. Kava, R. , The adverse effects of Kava. Paci? c Health Dialog, 2001. 8: p. 115-18. 10. Adinkrah, M., Violent encounters: A study of homicide patterns in Fiji society. 1996, Fiji Council of Social Services. : Suva, Fiji. 11. Adinkrah, M. , Crime, deviance delinquency in Fiji. 1995, Suva, Fiji: Fiji Council of Social Services. 12. Plange, N. K. , Social aspects of drug and alcohol abuse: An overview of the situation in Fiji. Fiji Medical Journal, 1991. 17(3): p. 4-12. 13. WHO, National Workshop on Alcohol Related Problems in Fiji. 1986. 14. Naiveli, B. , Alcohol and Crime. 1986, Royal Fiji Police. p. 34,35 15. Kippax, D. D. , The Genesis of Alcohol -Related Problems. 1986, Fiji School of Medicine. p. 24-28. 16. Na tabili kavoro: The place of alcohol in the lives of Fijian people living in Aotearoa New Zealand. ALAC Research Monograph series: No. 4. Wellington, Sector Analysis, Ministry of Health for the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand, 1997. 17. Alcohol per capita consumption, patterns of drinking and abstention worldwide after 1995. Appendix 2. European Addiction Research, 2001. 7(3): p. 155-157. 18. http://www. who. int/substance_abuse/publications/en/? ji. pdf, WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol 2004: Geneva. 19. Recommendations for policy to support health promotion. A report to the Minister of Health., N. C. f. H. Promotion, Editor. March 1998. 20. Devanney M, R. G. , Baldwin S, Crofts N, Power, R, Illicit drug use and responses in six Paci? c Island countries. Drug and Alcohol Review, 2006. 25: p. 387-900. 21. Drug Enforcement Administration Intelligence Division, Drugs Intelligence Brief: the paci? c islands region, v. Alexandra, Editor. 2004, Drug Enforcement Administration. 22. United States Of? ce on Drugs Crime, Paci? c Islands: UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Paci? c. 2003. 23. Ratinisiva M, Drug Traf? cking, Prevention and Control in Fiji. Fiji Medical Journal, 1991. 17(3): p. 5-12. 24. Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority, Annual Report. 2006. p. 17. 25. Louisa, C. , Paci? c ripe for drug ring boom, in NZ Herald. 2004: Auckland. 26. Abusah, P. Y. , The Drug Scene in Fiji. Fiji Medical Journal, 1991. 17(3): p. 21-25. 27. http://www. stats? ji. gov. fj/Key%20Stats/Miscellaneous/15. 7%20crime%20cases%20recorded. pdf. 2008. 28. http://tvnz. co. nz/view/page/425822/37544, More Fijian youth in drugs, prostitution 2001. 29. Illicit Drugs Control Bill Draft. Fiji: Paci? c Islands Forum Secretariat. 2002. 30. Ministry of Health, Annual Report Shaping Fijiââ¬â¢s Health.2007. 31. http://www. health. gov. fj/index. html. 2008. 32. http://www. stats? ji. gov. fj/Social/health_cdeath. htm. 2008 [cited. 33. Council out to Fight Drug Abuse, in The Fiji Times. 34. Caswell, S. , Alcohol in Oceania. 1986, Alcohol Research Unit, Dept of Community Health and General Practice, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand. p. 25. 35. Kippax D, O. M. J. , Alcohol-Related Problems in Fiji. 1986, Suva: Suva. 36. Ali, S. , Family Life Education. 1986, Ministry of Education. p. 36-39. 171 REVIEW PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 172.
Lady Macbeth Letter Essay Example for Free
Lady Macbeth Letter Essay I have just finished reading a letter hand written from my husband Macbeth. He has informed me about a mysterious prediction that was made to him by three not mortal beings. The letter tells of how his prediction says he would be King of Scotland, and before this Thane of Cawdor. The foresight that he would be Cawdor was not incorrect ââ¬â so why not to be king? My wonderful husband could become king and I, Queen of Scotland. Macbeth would be a noble king, far more worthy than Duncan. King Duncan is not fit to be called a man let alone king of a country grand as Scotland. My courageous Macbeth was the reason the war against the barbaric Norwegians was won, not Duncan. The only problem is by the time Duncanââ¬â¢s reign on the throne has ended, when the wretch is dead and buried, I too and Macbeth shall most likely be old and feeble ââ¬â if not dead ourselves. I must find a way to put an end to Duncan, I cannot risk losing an opportunity as grand as this for Macbeth and myself. Perhaps murder is the only options, I could not commit such a thing myself, I have not the strength nor the willpower but Macbeth? The trouble would be convincing him, Duncan has such high opinions of my love and Macbeth returns the favour equally as well; but he loves me and I am sure I can convince him. Maybe when I show him what this could mean for us and use my feminine charm on him heââ¬â¢ll be convinced. I am not deceiving him, the eventual result is for his benefit, how I miss him so much already, heââ¬â¢s such a wonderful man and would make such a worthy king. I can hardly wait for him to return, itââ¬â¢ll be so wonderful. He was a born ruler, my true love; we shall be King and Queen Macbeth of Scotland. I do not care that ââ¬ËGodââ¬â¢ chose King Duncan I will give my husband his crown and we shall rule. Even if I have to call down the evil spirits and take my emotions away, I want to feel like a man and kill him without remorse. I must go now and decide how he shall die, farewell.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Impact of Exchange Rates on Stock Market: Evidence from Pakistan
Impact of Exchange Rates on Stock Market: Evidence from Pakistan Today in the present world foreign currency is a key component or tool for different kinds of businesses, and many countries in the world did businesses in foreign currencies like in Dollars, Euros etc. on the other hand movement in the stock market index is a key indicator for the financial performance of a country. Stock market may have bullish or bearer trend which reflect its relative strength in specific period. It also shows the investor confidence and sentiments toward markets. The establishment of the relationship among the stock market and foreign exchange rates is important for some reasons. Initially, it can affect decisions about monetary policy and tax. Gavin (1989) analyze that financial market has a large impact on the aggregate demand. The policy maker should be aware about the relationship regarding stock market and demand. Secondly, the relation between the aggregate demand and stock markets may be used to forecast the direction of the exchange rate. It will be useful for multinational firms to actively manage their exposure associated to foreign contracts and exchange rate. Thirdly, currency is treated as a commodity or an asset in portfolio of investment funds. So the awareness about the relationship among currency and other assets in the portfolio of investment funds is important. This is not the first study to look at the exchange rate and equity markets in the world as well as in Pakistan. Like Aquino analyzed the foreign exchange exposure countenance by Philippine companies around the Asian financial crisis. It was concluded that stock returns were not statistically significantly affected by the instability in foreign exchange. But after the crises, there was a significant impact of the fluctuations in exchange rate on the stock returns (Aquino 2005, 2006). Yau and Nieh investigated the relationship between Taiwan dollar/Japanese yen and the stock prices for the period from 1991 to 2005. They found that among the exchange rate and the stock prices of both countries there was no long-term relationship. But this linkage exists only to shorten the period (Yau and Nieh 2006). But the present study is exceptional in the sense that it uses the most recent data of the exchange rate and stock market which may provide latest linkage to the investors and other policy makers in Pakistan. There are three stock exchanges known as Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) and Islamabad Stock Exchange (ISE) currently operating in Pakistan. Among these Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) is considered as major and the well known stock market of Pakistan. It is regarded as a representative of all three stock exchanges of Pakistan. Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) formed on September 18, 1947. It began its operation with five companies that have paid a capital of Rs.37 millions of dollars. The first index was the 50 index of trade and was done through open-out-cry system. But now KSE has 662 listed companies and considers a main economic and business hub of Pakistan. The daily KSE-100 Index published by the Karachi stock exchange is announced at 3:10 pm. Therefore KSE-100 index can be used as performance indicators of the stock market in Pakistan. KSE played an important role in the economy of Pakistan in different problems like political, social, financial and other i ssues (Karachi Stock Exchange, 2011). To identify the linkage of foreign exchange rate with equity market is significant because of above reasons. So in this study the researcher tries to identify this relationship by using various statistical techniques. Rationale of the study The currencyà market may be linked withà equity marketà in many different ways. It can be seen that if there is an upward trend in the stock market, then there will be a large influx of foreign capital in the country due to international investors. This influx of foreign money would be a key indicatorà for the betterment of economic position of any country. The adversary also sustains that if there is a long downtrend visible on the stock market, foreign investors, the most likely rush to sell their shares that would have a substantial impact on the stock market of a country. This reasoning can be applied to all currencies and stock markets in the whole world (Kathy Lien, 2009). The basic idea behind this study is to provide a clue to the stock brokers, managers, planners, policy makers and regulatory authorities that they actively share information about the change in macroeconomic variables. AND also provide considerable information essential for them, which may be used for future decisions about stocks and stock markets of Pakistan especially about KSE noting the movement of the exchange rate in Pakistan. This investigation is also useful for executives, managers, responsible for the decisions, researchers and students who are not familiar with the exchange rate and securities markets in Pakistan. Problem identification Due to globalization and technological innovations any one can access the foreign markets. The business in foreign countries needed to intact with change in exchange rate dynamics. Since, the exchange rate can be defined as the price of currency of one country expressed in the currency of another country. So the change in the exchange rate might have some impact on the macroeconomic variables of any country. The stock market of Pakistan may be influenced due to change in exchange rate. So to identify this impact of exchange rate on the stock market is a matter which requires intentions. Problem Statement The main focus of this study is to know that, how exchange rate affects the equity market of Pakistan? It further explores the direction (positive or negative) and strength of relationship among exchange rate and stock market in Pakistan. For this purpose researcher links the exchange rate with equity market of Pakistan to see a clear picture about them as they influence several other variables. Research Question What is the possible impact of exchange rate fluctuation on the equity market of Pakistan? Objective This study aims to examine the effect of exchange rate on the Karachi stock exchange. The objectives of the study are: .To analyzes the impact of exchange rate fluctuation on equity market of Pakistan. .To determines whether the impact is statistically significant or not. Resources Resources include financial data of KSE, articles, books, newspaper and internet. The data will be collected from yahoo finance and the website of Karachi Stock Exchange. Scope of the research It is believe that the financial position of an economy is vulnerable to the foreign exchange rate. So it is very crucial to explore the linkage between the exchange rate and equity market. The present study is an effort to investigate this important aspect and it tries to analyze the impact of exchange rate on the equity market of Pakistan. LITERATURE REVIEW In the following section, there are some studies associated to this area of study that has been investigated earlier by other researchers. Hussain et al. examined the Impact of Macroeconomics Variables on Stock market by using the periodical data of some macroeconomic variables such as foreign exchange rate, broad money M2, whole sale price (WSP) index, industrial production index (IPI), gross fixed capital formation and foreign exchange reserve. The period of time to study was started from 1986 to 2008. The result showed that, after the reform in 1991, the pressure of the exchange rates and reserves effects significantly to the equity market, while the variables as IIP, and GFCF had no significant effect on the stock prices. In addition, concluded that internal factors of the companies such as increasing the production and capital formation had no significant effect while external factors such as the exchange rate and reserves significantly affected the stock prices. (Hussain et al. 2009). Nishat and Shaheen analyzed long-term relationships among set of macroeconomic variables and the equity market of Paksitan. The macroeconomic variables that were used in their study includes: industrial production index (IPI), the consumer price index (CPI), M1 and the value of an investment earning the money market rate. Vector error correction model was used to investigate the relationship from 1973 to 2004. It can be revealed that there is a fundamental connection between the equity market and the economy and showed that industrialized creation was the major positive determinant of Pakistani stock prices. On the other hand, inflation was the major negative determinant of equity prices in Pakistan. It was established that the macroeconomic variable granger caused stock movements in prices, the reverse causality was observed in the variable in industrial production and the stock prices. In addition, argued that statistically significant durations between fluctuations in the bag and changes in the real economy were relatively short. Additionally, it was further argued that statistically significant lag lengths between fluctuations in the stock market and changes in the real economy were relatively short (Nishat Shaheen, 2004). Bhattacharya et al. analyzed a case study to explore the linkage between stock market and macroeconomic variables such as Exchange Rate, Foreign Exchange Reserves and Value of Trade Balance. They used method of non-causation that was considered by Toda and Yamamoto (1995) for the period from 1990 to 2001. Proxy used in the investigation of stock market was Indian, the Bombay sensitive Index (BSI). The three major macroeconomic variables incorporated in the investigation was effective exchange rate, the foreign exchange reserves and the balance of trade. The study revealed the attractive resulted in the structure of the stock market Indian, mainly as regards the exchange rate, the foreign exchange reserves and the balance of trade. It is suggested that there is no relation between cost and equity the three macroeconomic variables studied ( Bhattacharya Mukherjee, 2001). Dimitrova examined the association between stock prices and the exchange rates using multivariate model. He focused on the stock markets in America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK) during the period 1990-2004. The result of the study shows that there was a relationship between the exchange rate and the stock market. The examiner stressed that there was a positive correlation when the price of actions were the main variable and be expected negative when exchange rates were the main variable. (Dimitrova, 2005). Sohail et al. conducted a study on Lahore stock exchange (LSE), the objective of that study was to observed the long-term, as well as the short-term associations between Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) and some important variables. Using the monthly data for the variables from 2002 to 2008, it was found that there was a negative impact of the consumer price index (CPI) on the stock market returns in Pakistan while industrial production index (IPI), real effective exchange rate, the money supply had an important positive long-term effect on stock returns to Pakistan(Sohail Hussain, 2009). Robert Gay investigated time series relationship between stock exchange index and some of the macroeconomic variables of the price of oil and the type of change in China, India, Russia and Brazil, using the Box-Jenkins auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model. It came to the conclusion of his study in which there was no significant association between exchange rate and the price of oil on the index of the stock market of these countries. Moreover, there was no significant relationship between past and present yields of the stock markets in these countries (Gay, 2008). METHOD Sample Since there are 660 listed companies in Karachi stock exchange of Pakistan on November 7, 2010. This research uses KSE-100 Index as a benchmark to find out the impact of exchange rate fluctuation on equity market of Pakistan. Instrument and Measures This research will be based on secondary sources, thus no questionnaire will be distributed. The study uses the financial data of last 6 years of Karachi stock exchange (one of the major stock exchange in Pakistan) and exchange rate. This study will investigates the impact of foreign exchange rate on equity market in Pakistan. This study uses KSE-100 index as a proxy of equity market of Pakistan and uses exchange rate between dollar and rupees to analyze the impact of exchange rate fluctuation on equity markets of Pakistan. So, this research treats KSE-100 index as the dependant variable and exchange rate as independent variables. Procedure The following statistical tools will be used to examine the impact of exchange rate fluctuation on equity market of Pakistan. Descriptive statistics Correlation matrix Regression analysis Descriptive statistics illustrate the main features of a collection of data quantitatively. It may include mean, median, mode, standard deviation, maximum and minimum. Correlation model will be tested to observe the linkage between the exchange rate and equity market of Pakistan. It will also enlighten about the direction and strength of relationship between the variables. Further to find out the impact of exchange rate on stock market of Pakistan, the study will performed the regression analysis. The data of Karachi stock exchange will be compared with the data of exchange rate of Pakistan. Statistical tools including timeline graphs and others will be constructed and made use of to determine the respective effects and a comparison between exchange rate and equity market. Research papers of various authors related to the study will be studied and judge against with the results of this particular research. REFRENCES Bhattacharya, B., Mukherjee, J. (2001). Causal Relationship Between Stock Market And Exchange Rate, Foreign Exchange Reserves and Value Of Trade Balance: A Case Study For India. Website: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/7297/ Cruz, M., Walters, B. (June 2008). Is the Accumulation of International Reserves good for Development.à Cambridge Journal of Economics. website: http://cje.oxfordjournals.org/content/32 Dimitrova, D. (August 2005). The Relationship between Exchange Rates and Stock Prices Studied in Multivariate Model.Issues in Political Economyà , 14. Website: http://org.elon.edu/ipe/Dimitrova Elizabeth. (2006).à the oxford dictionary of Phrase and Fable.à Retrieved February 10, 2010, from Encyclopedia. website: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214 Encyclopedia. (2009).à The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. Retrieved February 14, 2010, from Encyclopedia. website:http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999 Gay, R. D. (March 2008). Effect of Macroeconomic Variables on Stock Market Returns for Four Emerging Economies Brazil, Russia, India and China.à International Business Economics Research Jornalà , 7. Website:http://www.cluteinstitute-onlinejournals.com Gulf News. (2008).à Investment. Retrieved March 15, 2010, from gulfnews. website:http://gulfnews.com/business/investment/pakistan Hussain, D. I. (2009). Why does Pakistan have to accumulate foreign reserves? Website: http://ishrathusain.iba.edu.pk/papers Karachi Stock Exchange. (2010).à introduction. Retrieved February 2010, from Karachi Stock Exchange website: http://www.kse.com.pk Ministry of Finance Islamabad, Govt of Pakistan. (n.d.). Capital Markets.à Economic Survey of Pakistanà . Islamabad, Pakistan: Govt of Pakistan. Mohammad, S. D., Hussain, A., Ali, A. (2009). Impact of Macroeconomics Variables on Stock Prices Emperical Evidance in Case of KSE.à European Journal of Scientific Researchà , 38 no. 1, 96-103. Website:http://pdfcast.org/pdf/impact-of-macroeconomicse Nishat, D. M., Shaheen, R. (2004). Macro-Economic Factors and Pakistani Equity Market. State Bank of Pakistan. (2010, January). Foreign Reserves. Lahore, Pakistan: State Bank of Pakistan. Should Children of Illegal Immigrants Get an Education? Should Children of Illegal Immigrants Get an Education? Should Children of Illegal Immigrants Be Able to Get an Education? Education is a very important topic that impacts our nation as a whole. Some American citizens think education is needed for everyone while others dont. With the rise of illegal immigration, more and more people are wondering whether or not the children of illegal immigrants should have the same rights as the children of American citizens. Many people say that it is too expensive to give them an education, but if they dont get an education, the United States can see negative effects in the future. It is only right that children of illegal immigrants have the opportunity to get an education in order to learn the skills to make their lives and the country better. Illegal immigrants come to the United States knowing that they are at the risk of getting caught, going to jail, and getting deported out of the country. This causes a lot of fear and anxiety in their every day lives. The main reason many immigrants come here is for work and to better their familys lives. To better their familys lives, their children need an education. Today, children of illegal immigrants still have the chance to get an education because of the 1982 case, Plyer v. Doe, where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (5-4) that a 1975 Texas law denying public-school education to children of illegal aliens violated the 14th Amendments equal-protection clause (Miller). Having this law is very helpful for those who do not have a citizenship. Most children of illegal immigrants face many obstacles throughout their schooling. Some start out not knowing English very well and do not have the help they need from their parents at home. Giving them the basic studies and a place for them to learn can help these kids develop in a way that would not be possible without a public education. The numbers of illegal immigrants continue to go up in the US, but mostly in states like Texas, Florida, and California. According to Berna Miller, the education of these children is important because California is already facing a shortage of highly skilled workers. If children of illegal immigrants are not allowed an education, they may turn to gangs and crime because they do not have a good foundation. If these kids grow up with violence and drugs around, it only makes their communities more dangerous for everybody. And not having a good education does not help in getting a job in the future. The same happens when the situation is turned around. If children of illegal immigrants are given an opportunity to become more skilled, they can get a better job later on which will help out the economy. Some argue that the costs of educating these children is too high, but when compared to the possibility of these children developing into adults who contribute to the economy, the United Sta tes can see itself having positive long term effects. Although some people feel that illegal immigrants shouldnt come to the United States, others feel the opposite. Teachers, schools and universities are standing up for the rights of undocumented children or children with undocumented parents. In November 30, 2016 presidents of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities pledged themselves to protect to the fullest extent of the law undocumented students on our campuses and to promote retention of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program' (A pledge to protect Dreamers). It is important that these schools stand up for the rights of illegal immigrants children because not all had a choice when coming to this country.Ãâà The presidents that stood up for these kids said their communities are immeasurably enriched by the presence, intelligence, and committed contributions of undocumented students, as well as of faculty and staff of every color and from every faith tradition (A pledge to protect Dreamers). That statement shows that h aving people from other cultures in the same education system helps everyone. Children of illegal immigrants are getting the chance to educate themselves while they also make their school better with their culture. Another problem that comes up with educating children of illegal immigrants is that even though they can get a public school education, most do not go to college.Ãâà In 2008, about 65,000 illegal immigrants graduated from American high schools, but only 5 percent went on to college (Preston). This can be because most immigrants do not have a lot of money and cannot apply for financial aid to help their kids. And if their children are illegal as well, they can feel afraid of being exposed when going to a university. Not helping these kids can be harmful in the future because they will remain low-skilled workers. In this day and age it is very important that people get a good education to get higher paying jobs. This is why the DREAM act helps these kids a lot. The idea behind the Dream Act is that the U.S. should assimilate, rather than expel, dedicated young people who are not at fault for their illegal status (Preston).Ãâà By giving these kids the chance to better themse lves, the United States can advance more in the future. By helping children of immigrants, we are creating members of a society that can contribute economically or even culturally. This helps the whole nation. It is true that even people who dont support these kids now will see a good change in this country later. Even if theyre illegal, these kids can create the next invention that can change the world. Many people are supporting the higher education of illegal immigrant children. According to Rosa Ramirez, a student at Miami-Dade College was classified as an out-of-state student because she could not provide the legal status of her parent. In the case, it is said that the student was born in Florida and that she had graduated high school in the state. The universitys rule was making her pay a lot more because of her parents status. It should not matter where her parents stand, what really matters is a persons motivation to get a good education. By making her pay extra, she had another obstacle to face before she could go to college. If she did not speak up, she would have lost the chance to continue getting a higher education. Luckily a Florida judge ruled that making her pay out-of-state tuition violates the equal protection of the laws guaranteed under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. More and more cases like this are being won by children of illegal immigrants. This shows that people are opening up their eyes to the importance of education for everyone and that if someone is willing to put in effort to get an education, then they deserve it. It has not been easy in the past years for children of illegal immigrants to register for public schooling. Even if the law says they should get an education, a lot of schools in the country are making it hard for these kids to enroll. According to Tim Walker, one 17 year-old student recounted to the researchers that she was told that she could not start school until after exams, delaying her enrollment by four weeks. This is because some schools think that children of illegal immigrants are going to fail when taking standardized tests. These schools are afraid of looking bad by accepting these students. Education should be about making people better not just caring about grades. Another thing that some public schools do is make up a lot of rules that have to do with residency or they make the enrollment process too hard for some immigrant families to understand. Sometimes if a public school does not want to accept a student, they will steer students to alternative education programs , including, but not limited to, those intended for children with serious behavioral problems, even if the student in question displays no such issues (Walker). This is another unfair way to treat children of illegal immigrants. If a student does not have behavioral problems and only wants to succeed, they should not be forced to take another step back. Even though it seems like the country is split up over this problem, it is good to see things through a humans plain point of view. If a human did nothing wrong and is being denied an education which only makes a them better, then there is a problem. If we let children of illegal immigrants follow their dreams and make something of themselves then we can expect good results. By giving these kids the tools, they can create a better America in the future. Many of them have different talents and intelligence that can be a good thing for this country. Their parents risked a lot to help them have a brighter future. If we deny education to children of illegal immigrants, we are denying the American dream. Works Cited A Pledge to Protect Dreamers. America 19 Dec. 2016: 10. General OneFile. Web. 9 Feb. 2017. Miller, Berna. Educating the other Children. American Demographics Oct. 1997: 49. General OneFile. Web. 10 Feb. 2017. Preston, Julia. Raised in the U.S., but Still Illegal: How Should the U.S. Treat a Million Young People Who Were Brought Here Illegally as Children? New York Times Upfront 15 Mar. 2010: 8. General OneFile. Web. 10 Feb. 2017. Ramirez, Rosa. Judge: U.S.-Born Children of Undocumented Parents Can Pay In-State Tuition. Nationaljournal.com 6 Sept. 2012: n. pag. General OneFile. Web. 10 Feb. 2017. Walker, Tim. How Undocumented Students Are Turned Away From Public Schools. NEA Today. N.p., 23 Apr. 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2017. Interactive Whiteboards: Advantages and Disadvantages Study Interactive Whiteboards: Advantages and Disadvantages Study Having personally conducted surveys whilst studying at University in England and Australia, I found at times it was frustrating, time consuming and the strike rate less than 5%. At other times it was very rewarding with the strike rate at a healthy 30%. Firstly the paper will take a look at four different papers and what pro and cons they gathered on IWBs Secondly the paper will contain a model for conducting a large scale research survey. It will contain: The initial phase to implement the survey The methodology used to collect data The questions used in the survey Analysis of the data Justification The research is very important for teachers as it let them know if the IWB improves the pedagogy in teaching and learning. It will also help the teachers understand their weaknesses and strengths using new technology in the teaching and learning environment. They will then be able to plan their lessons so the students are able to get a full understanding of the IWB as a teaching tool and not a plaything. The teachers may find they have to teach basic computer skills to the students, such as: Terminology (literacy) How to turn their computers on How to log in and out Software use How to access the internet Key board skills The teachers may say that they do not have time to teach a separate subject as it will encroach on the lessons they are teaching. Without recognising the weaknesses of the students, in using the IWB, the students may miss out on valuable opportunities that are fundamental in their pedagogy growth Quotes According to Sudgen that something, ââ¬Å"as bland as a projected image could be used interactively in this wayâ⬠(Sudgen 2002). The difficulties he experienced with the IWB showed that there were logging on problems by the students and if the IWB was knocked it had to be re-calibrated (Sudgen 2002) Other problems encountered were light shinning on the IWB caused shadows making it difficult to see the images, the key board only shows lower case letters, making it hard for some students to recognise letters and problems caused by the students resting their hand on the IWB whilst writing (Sudgen 2002) Even with the difficulties Sudgen encountered during the lesson, he found the students worked with each other on how to find the correct word and itsââ¬â¢ spelling using the IWB (Sudgen 2002). He also found by the end of the lesson the students had gained confidence in using the IWB even if they put in the wrong answer, they all supported each other by offering alternative answers (Sudgen 2002) Research by Dorothy Walker at the Royal Docks Community School in 2003 found some surprising results IWBsââ¬â¢ had on the pedagogy of the students and how it improved the time teachers spent actually teaching. With the help of the deputy head, Tom Smith, Walker found that the teachers where getting 20 ââ¬â 25 per cent more time teaching (Walker 2003) The school was that impressed with the value of the IWB; they have 54, which are housed in a purpose built building (Walker 2003) Smith has asked to be benched marked against other schools, but as yet Ofsted ââ¬Å"canââ¬â¢t find anyone like usâ⬠(Walker 2003) The Docklands school has 1,200 who speak over 48 languages, this made Smith search for innovative technologies to help the students, whose special needs exceeded 10 times the national average. When Smith first saw the IWB he knew it would help with literacy, as many of the students are visual learners (Walker 2003) The students are enthusiastic in helping new teachers use the IWB as well, (the teachers) receive extensive in house training (Walker 2003) The students use the IWB to interact with each otherââ¬â¢s ideas by sharing their work, with over 600 PCs in the school the students can access the IWB to evaluate what they have be presented with in the previous lessons as well as being able to download their homework. Hull University together with Promethean (the maker of IWBs) and with funding from NESTA carried out research in August 2002, to find out how effective IWBs are in delivering excellence in the teaching and learning environment (Hull University 2002) The aim of the project over two years, focused on 200 classroom observations in schools and colleges. During the observations the researches noted the strengths and weaknesses of the teachers using IWBs in teaching and learning. The data collected helped them develop digital resources used for research in the learning environment. The researchers found that teachers have to consider that IWBs can be beneficial for teaching if they make sure the students can see the fonts from all areas of the classroom, they can all hear the IWB and that light entering the room may make the IWB hard to read. They found that teaches could use wireless technology so they donââ¬â¢t have to go back to their computer, also the teachers could use the IWBs technology to save time by saving the WEB sites accessed on the hard drive (Hull University 2002) Using an interactive whiteboard (IWB) The research taken out relied on a single researcher observing lessons using an interactive white board and conducting interviews with teachers The primary school was purposely built for teachers to use ICT and how it would enhance pedagogy in learning and teaching (Beauchamp 2004) Over the period of two years the teachers where trained on how to use ICT, giving them differing levels of confidence. When they started in the new school the IWB was new to them. The researcher divided the data collection into four stages: Data collection Validation Interpretation Action (Beauchamp 2004) The researcher had the consent of the teachers and management to observe seven teachers using the IWB over a two day period (Beauchamp 2004) During the lesson the researcher took contemporaneous notes and after the lesson the researcher had an unstructured interview with the teacher on any issues they had using ICT and the IWB During the initial stages the teachers where given plenty of notice by the researcher what lessons would be observed The researchers noted the amount of skills the teachers had in using ICT, and teachersââ¬â¢ pedagogic practices in using ICT. It was noted that there was a range of skills and competencies in using ICT. The researcher categorised the skills and competencies of each teacher by: Black / white board substitute Apprentice user Initiate user Advanced user Synergistic user (Beauchamp 2004) Validation After the initial phase of the observation the researcher was able to table the characteristics of the teacher and how they progressed. The second stage of observation carried out a year later allowed the teachersââ¬â¢ time to develop their skills and pedagogy in using ICT During the second stage of the research, the focus of the observations matched the skills on the framework developed from the data collected from the initial stage. The interviews conducted with the teachers were taped in order to validate and ground the findings (Beauchamp 2004) During the second stage interviews the teachers were given the frameworks developed from the first stage. Unlike the initial interviews, the framework provided a structure to the questions asked by the researcher The research did not take into account the years of experience and age of the teachers, as itsââ¬â¢ aim was to get an overall representation of all primary school teachers. This eliminated any variables to ensure a model was developed which represented all teachers (Beauchamp 2004) Interpretation and Action A qualitative analysis was used to analyse the data collected by the researcher. The data collected identified common features as well key differences in areas of cognitive and pedagogical development of how teachers used ICT and IWB The variables noted were: Operating system use Mechanical skills Program variables Classroom management and pedagogy (Beauchamp 2004) The researcher noted on occasions there where advancements predominantly in the pedagogical and mechanical skills of the teachers. Difficulties The research conducted in the primary school looked at how the teachers used and implemented ICT and IWB in the learning and teaching environment. The research was conducted over two days observing and interviewing the teachers in two stages, with a gap of one year between each stage. The length of time between each stage may of led to a belief by the teachers that they had plenty of time to improve their skills. The evidence presented by the researcher does not suggest the skills where improved in leaps and abounds over the year. Seven teachers took part in the research; all had prior knowledge of which lessons would be observed. The small number of teachers used in the research would make it very difficult and probably bias to come to a general consensus. The interviews in stage one were unstructured, whereas in stage two they were taped and structured. The problems of having an unstructured interview would of made the analysis of the data unreliable and complex in being able to validate the findings. Stage Two The initial phase to implement the survey I would look at getting backing from the Education Department to conduct the survey. This would give the survey credibility and help to get participation from the schoolsââ¬â¢ management and teachers. The letter to the Department of Education will contain this preamble: Problem Definition i.e. The use of the Interactive White Board (IWB) in the teaching and learning environment and how it improves pedagogy. With the event of new technologies used in the classroom there is a need for the system to be investigated. Increasing the knowledge of teachers in the use of IWB will give them knowledge of itsââ¬â¢ potential as a tool in the pedagogy process. If teachers feel more comfortable using the IWB it will benefit them in lesson planning, understanding the needs of their students and how to combat any difficulties their students may have. The IWB is expensive, but it is here to stay, with the emphasis on using Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in the 21st century classroom. If a teacher feels incompetent in using the IWB they may not use it in primary schools. This could disadvantage the students when they go to higher education. The aim is to ask primary schools to participate in a wide scale research project. Data will be collected by way of: An online questionnaire Interviews Observations The survey will not contain any personal information on teachers or students. Note: The preamble would be written as a letter The letter will include the questionnaire and any other relevant material that will support the proposal. Bu way of a bulletin, primary schools will be asked to participate in a large scale research project. The rational of which is to improve the use of new technologies in teaching and learning. The schools will be told that the survey will be online and conducted by way of observation and interviews. They will be able to pick which ones they would be happy to participate in. The schools will be asked to register at an encrypted WEB site. After registration the schools that register will be given a registration number. The schools will be required to provide: Size and type of school i.e. private, public, special ed etc Subjects taught using IWB The range of teachers experience Location; city suburban, country The schools will be then asked to fill in the online questionnaire (below) The survey: After collecting the online survey an analysing by way by way of graphs the second phase of the survey will come into place. This will entail a suitably qualified person going to schools and conducting the observations and interviews e.g. retired teacher The observation and interview will be conducted with an arrangement between the teacher and data collector. The observer will note: The subject being taught. The grade being taught. What the IWB was used for e.g. Internet, research etc. Length of time the teacher used the IWB. Whether it improved pedagogy or complemented it. The competency of the teacher. During the interview, the observer will ask the teacher: How the IWB complimented their pedagogy. Had they had training on the use of the IWB How long had they been using the IWB Would they like more training Any issues they have with the IWB Any improvements The interviews should take no longer then five minutes with a tick box sheet and a small comment section. The data collector will then log into the WEB site and upload all the data Conclusion Without large scale research it is very easy to generalise and come to conclusions that the researcher wants. As we found at Docklands, Smith could not get a benchmark that would help him assess the effectiveness of using the IWB Other researchers collected data from a small group, compared to the amount of schools, yet they tried to generalise their finding to the overall schools populace. It seems that IWBs are going to be the future of teaching, therefore the Education Departments and Governments need to make certain data collected on the benefits of IWBs needs to quantitive and qualitive, without which could lead to problems in literacy and pedagogy that will impact on teachers and students alike. Bibliography Internet Druin A, et al, http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/, Sydney Australia,à 13 May 2006 Beauchamp Gary, http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/, Sydney Australia, 15th May 2006 Hull University et.al, http://www.thereviewproject.org/about.htm,Sydney Australia,à 27th May 2006 Roschelle J, http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/, Sydney Australia 13 May 2006 Sudgen D, http://ferl.becta.org.uk/ , Sydney Australia, 27th May 2006 Walker D, http://www.tes.co.uk/, Sydney Australia, 27th May 2006 The complete addresses http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.0266-4909.2003.00028.x http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/1475939x.asp http://ferl.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=2640 http://www.tes.co.uk/section/story/?section=Archivesub_section=Online+Educationstory_id=373324Type=0 http://www.thereviewproject.org/about.htm Bibliography Internet Druin A, et al, http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/, Sydney Australia 13 May 2006 Beauchamp Gary, http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/, Sydney Australia 15th May 2006 Roschelle J, http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/, Sydney Australia 13 May 2006 The complete addresses http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.0266-4909.2003.00028.x http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/1475939x.asp
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Political and Migration Issues Affecting Puerto Ricans in the United St
Political and Migration Issues Affecting Puerto Ricans in the United States Puerto Ricans have a very distinct and complicated history. Their history is unlike any other immigrants who migrated at the United States at any time. Their island became a focus of the United States in 1898, when they won the island as booty in the Spanish-American war. Puerto Ricans residing in the United States have always had the dilemma of having to straddle both the American and Puerto Rican cultures and Spanish and English languages. In my opinion, Puerto Ricans have never had it easy living in the United States. So when I ask my grandparents, and other older generation Puerto Ricans why they decided to migrate from what I thought was "paradise" to the United States, they all give me the same answer. They wanted a better future for their families. They all felt that once they lived in the United States, opportunity would be knocking at the door. As exemplified in the novel, Memoirs of Bernando Vega: A Contribution to the History of the Puerto Rican Community in New York, Puerto Ricans struggled just as much in the mainland as they did on the island. Because of the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico, one would think that Puerto Ricans would have had many advantages over other immigrants, especially after passing of the Jones Act of 1917, which granted Puerto Ricans a partial citizenship status. However, that was not the case either. Puerto Ricans still dealt with discrimination, a great deal of setbacks and downfalls, as well as issues of forced assimilation. Their high hopes of becoming successful in the United States usually came to an end after about a month or so of living in the United States when they realized it w... ...sly and were more involved politically. The difference is also due to the times in which these political groups were active, and the level of compliance Puerto Ricans had with the American political system, and improvements to individual organizations. Still there were many improvements made, and the same could not have been accomplished without Vegaââ¬â¢s older generation of politicians. Still the efforts continue. It is now up the future generation of young Puerto Ricans to help unite their people, and their community advance. The politics of the Puerto Rican people has evolved from class politics, to ethnic politics, to what is now identity politics. In the beginning they struggled to be heard and represented in their small communities, and now we must continue to fight to have a voice and representation, not just in our community, but in the government as well.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Vertical Analysis of PepsiCo and Coca Cola Essay example -- Business A
All companies use financial documents to record and journalize their business transactions. These financial documents are not only used internally by company executives, but the financial documents are also used by outside sources to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a company. The purpose of this paper is to provide financial analysis of PepsiCo and Coca Cola, provide examples that explain which company is more financially sound, and to provide recommendations on how to improve each company financially. The first item that I will discuss is a vertical analysis of both companies. Vertical analysis is used to evaluate data and express the items of a financial statement as a percentage of a base amount listed. For the vertical analysis of PepsiCo and Coca Cola I looked at both the balance sheet and the income statements. The valuations that I took into consideration for this vertical analysis were the cost of goods sold as a percentage of net sales, net income as a percentage of net sales, current assets compared to total assets and the percentage change year to year, and the current liabilities compared to total liabilities and the percentage change from year to year. The cost of goods sold percentage shows how much is actually costs to produce and sell the items that a make company money. The net income as a percentage of sales shows how much money from the sale of an item is actually considered income that the company makes. The current assets compared to total assets shows how much of the assets a company has are actually available at a given time. Th e current liabilities compared to total liabilities shows how much of a companyââ¬â¢s liability lays in a current status for the year. PepsiCo 2004 2005 Percentage C... ...it would add capital to the reserves and they would in turn be able to expand. With Coca Cola I would recommend increasing their assets. One way to increase their assets would be to decrease their payout ratio, in my opinion these two items go hand in hand. With an increase in assets the company would be able to expand and ultimately increase their profits as well. In conclusion, all companies use financial documents to record and journalize their business transactions. These financial documents are not only used internally by company executives, but the financial documents are also used by outside sources to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a company. The ability to read and understand financial statements and to perform a financial analysis is a great skill for all business professional, whether they are investors, creditors, or company executives.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Fathers Have Few Rights in Washington State Essay example -- Argumenta
During a childââ¬â¢s early years he/she establishes parental bonds which will influence the rest of his/her life. However, in Washington few children will realize this bonding with their fathers. In fact, the evidence is clear, census reports, court records, and statements from the people of Washington themselves all point to a State biased against fathers. Unfortunately, this bias extends beyond just the courts, even beyond state run agencies like DSHS; this behavior runs rampant through our very streets. We, as citizens, partisans, and voters of Washington State have been given the impression, through media outlets, feminist organizations, and movies that mothers simply make better parents. In reality, there is another side of the story, one which we rarely saw or heard, until now. The other side of the story starts in the early 90ââ¬â¢s. 1991 census reports, less than 20% of all custodial-parents were childrenââ¬â¢s biological fathers. When asking why, one could look to SPARC an online resource for men which reports 50% of all mothers admitted to seeing no benefits being provided by fathers; and 40% of all mothers admitted to interfering with the fatherââ¬â¢s visits as punishment. Taken together, these statistics portray a picture of men as providers, and incapable of being nurturing parents (SPARC). According to Cohn, Alvin W. based on census reports, infant fatalities decreased, general living conditions for juveniles had seen a substantial increase, and single father homes also increased between 1991 and 2001. These particular increases portray that fathers, in contrast to popular belief, are capable of providing nurturing stable homes for their children, possibly even more so then mothers. However, today, based on the WSCCR (Washingt... ...gov/wsccr/docs/ResidentialTimeSummaryReport2010.pdfâ⬠Bleckblog, Anonymous, ââ¬Å"Fathers rights endangered in Washington Stateââ¬Å", Sun, 05/31/2009 - 22:20 ââ¬Å"http://bleckblog.org/comp/node/3400â⬠Alan Booth, Mindy E. Scott, and Valarie King ââ¬Å"FATHER RESIDENCE AND ADOLESCENT PROBLEM BEHAVIOR: ARE YOUTH ALWAYS BETTER OFF IN TWO-PARENT FAMIIES?â⬠Columnist, Tabitha S. "Labors of Love: Trying to make Marriages Work." Seattle Post - Intelligencer: A.17.Washington State Newsstand. Apr 07 1995. Web. 29 Sep. 2011 Thompson, Bankole, ââ¬Å"Fathers, step upâ⬠Michigan Times, 6/13/07 Mike Mccormick ââ¬Å"Obama's Responsible Fatherhood Bill--Not Enough Carrot, Too Much Stickâ⬠the Buffalo News, 6/30/07 Mike Mccormick and Glenn Sacks ââ¬Å"Protect Fathers' Loving Bonds with Their Childrenââ¬Å", Web, 1 October, 2011, http://acfc.convio.net/site/DocServer/Protect_Fathers_Article_June_18_2008.pdf?docID=1521
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Abortion as an illegal act and an act of murder through the scientific and biblical view of life Essay
Introduction Two handfuls of flour go flying into the empty mixing bowl on the freshly washed counter.à Three eggs crack against the lip of the bowl, the yoke flowing out.à A pinch of salt lands on the freshly cracked eggs as olive oil oozes out of the bottle.à The bowl is placed under the running fossett for a few seconds to complete the mixture.à Strong hands knead the ingredients into a moist dough ball.à After a few hours, the dough is taken out of the refrigerator, ready to be turned into macaroni (pasta).à The dough is put through the hand crank dough roller to be flattened.à Then, it is formed into long strings and laid to dry on the comforter in the spare bedroom.à I have witnessed my grandma carry out this process of making delicious, fresh homemade pasta many of times to prepare for Sunday dinner.à This simple but important ritual has been passed down through my family starting from my great grandma to my sisters and myself. One of the groups I am part of is Italian Americans, or more specifically 4th generation millennial Italian Americans.à While there is a vast amount of research on the ethnic identity of Italian Americans who immigrated to the United States during the early to 1900s, the research regarding the ethnic identity of 4th generation Italian Americans is scarce.à Ethnic identity is different from personal identity because it focuses on the way a member of an ethnic group is influenced by that ethnic group.à For Italian Americans, food plays a significant role in their ethnic identity.à Many Italian Americans that grew up in the early to mid-1900s never went to restaurants to eat, so the only food they knew was Italian food (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).à Today, as a 4th generation Italian American that is fully assimilated to the American society, homemade Italian food is still a significant part of my life.à Lorraine Caputo (2011) describes how he r daughter went to Japan, but when she came back, she asked Caputo to make her some of her favorite Italian dishes (p. 194).à This embodies the Italian Americans after being fully assimilated to the American society.à I love the American culture, but I always come back to my Italian roots. The Italian Americans who immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s lived in communities dominated by Italian Americans.à These communities became very close and were a dominant element in the Italian American culture.à The tight-knit Italian community along with the importance of Italian food played major roles in the ethnic identity of the 1st and 2nd generation Italian Americans that immigrated to the Unites States in the early 1900s.à However, Michael Buonanno (2011) believes that the identity of Italian Americans today is still evolving, but instead of focusing on the ââ¬Å"old timesâ⬠we should be focusing on the ways in which Italian Americans are creating their ethnic identities today (p. 9).à Andrea Dottolo (2015) and Lorraine Caputo (2011) have written autoethnographies about Italian Americans and how they themselves retain their ethnic identity after being fully assimilated to the American society. However, these authors are significantly older t han I am.à There have not been any autoethnographies about how 4th generation millennials retain their ethnic identity in the American society.à In this autoethnography, I myself am a 4th generation millennial Italian American, and I can shed some light on how we foster our ethnic identities.à I foster my own ethnic identity through my close-knit family that allows me to have a strong foundation.à Additionally, Italian food has given me the opportunity to not only embrace my culture, but also to experience a part of my ancestorââ¬â¢s lives.à Lastly, telling the stories of my ancestors has become a substantial piece of my ethnic identity because it allows my family to keep our history alive. Literature Review à Food Food has always been a significant part of the ethnic identities of Italian Americans. à Andrea Dottolo (2015) analyzes how food represents ââ¬Å"family, morality, culture and homeâ⬠to Italian American women (p. 373).à Additionally, as Caputo (2011) says, ââ¬Å"Italian Americans are either revered for the sensual art they have made of food or objectified as the Hollywood gangsterâ⬠(p. 182).à Both Dottolo and Caputo are focused only on how the aspect of food affects women.à However, Italian food has played a significant role in my life as well as the women in my family.à In the past, women have usually done more of the cooking than males.à However, in todayââ¬â¢s society, women work in the workplace just as much if not more than men do.à The stereotype that only women do the cooking is dying and would be considered a sexist comment today.à I usually help my mom make dinner and have learned the recipes that have been passed down in our family for generations such as making homemade pizza. Community Italian Americans who emigrated from Italy to the United States in the early 1900s usually in communities like Bostonââ¬â¢s North End that were comprised of almost 100% Italians (Smajda & Gerteis 2012 p. 626).à Many of the Italians who came over, like my great grandma, did not speak English and it was hard for them to make friends outside of the community (Litwin).à Because many of the Italians could not relate to anyone outside the community, the community became a very strong in-group.à But, Allport (1954) says that every in group also must have an out-group (p. 40).à The out-group for the Italian Americans was the immigrants who had come before them, primarily the Irish.à My grandma told me that when her parents came over from Italy, the Irish looked down upon the Italians and made them take the dirty, grimy jobs such as working in the coal mines (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).à The well-paying jobs were hard to come by for the Italians in part due to the discrimination they faced mainly by the Irish.à Part of this discrimination may have come from the stereotype that Italian Americans were gangsters. à Cavallero (2004) examines how the American media in the 1900s created the stereotype of the Italian mobster (p. 50-63).à Additionally, Cavallero (2004) says that the 1930s were a time of constant ââ¬Å"denigrationâ⬠for the Italian Americans (p. 52).à This discrimination further bonded Italian communities together. In Smajda and Gerteisââ¬â¢s (2012 p. 3-9) article ââ¬Å"Ethnic Community and Ethnic Boundaries in a ââ¬ËSauce-Scented Neighborhoodââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ , the ethnic communities essentially prevented assimilation because the people in the communities were so closely knit socially.à These communities came to be known as ââ¬Å"Little Italiesâ⬠.à The ââ¬Å"Little Italiesâ⬠were densely populated and vibrant communities.à However, as time progressed, many of the Italian A mericans began to move to the suburbs and the ââ¬Å"Little Italiesâ⬠began to shrink.à Buonanno (2011) says that the ââ¬Å"Little Italiesâ⬠that exist today are nowhere near as lively and upbeat as the ones that existed 50 years ago (p. 9).à Today, few of these communities still exist and the ones that do are much smaller than the ones that existed in the early 1900s.à I live about 30 minutes outside of Baltimore, where there is still a ââ¬Å"Little Italyâ⬠today.à Although it is still a lively community with many authentic Italian restaurants and shops, it is nothing like the ââ¬Å"Little Italiesâ⬠of the past.à The close-knit community that was at the heart of the old ââ¬Å"Little Italiesâ⬠has disappeared from the ââ¬Å"Little Italyâ⬠in Baltimore and many of the residents are not Italian. Effects of Assimilation The diaspora of the Italian Americans has significantly changed the dynamic of what Italian Americans consider their ethnic identity.à Growing up in America in a community that was not dominated by Italians, meant that my only exposure to my Italian heritage came through my family.à The schools I attended and the friends I made were mostly non-Italian.à For this reason, instead of thinking of myself as Italian first, as my ancestors once did, I think of myself as American first and Italian second.à An ââ¬Å"American Italianâ⬠you might say.à This is due to the assimilation of the Italian Americans that took place as they moved out of their tightly-knit communities that prevented assimilation.à So the strong sense of community that the Italian Americans felt had slowly disappeared.à This caused Italian Americans to hold onto their ethnic culture in different ways.à As the dynamics of a group change, the group adapts, but still holds onto its roots.à As Allport (1954) says in-groups can evolve and adapt in order to reflect the values of the members of the in-group (p. 37).à In-groups are not static because the beliefs and values of the people in those in-groups are not static.à In the case of 4th generation millennial Italian Americans, we are assimilated to the American society and have never been part of the communities that were once so pivotal to our ancestors.à Instead, we hold onto our ethnic roots through the closeness of family, family traditions, food, and the memories of the ââ¬Å"old daysâ⬠passed down from our grandparents. Autoethnography Christine Walley (2013) says that autoethnographies take a look into family memberââ¬â¢s lives while in the context of a larger conversation and attempt to apply their lives to society as a whole (p.15).à Autoethnographies attempt to fill a gap in the research that has been done on a particular in-group through the use of scholarly research but also personal experience in that in-group.à Gordon Allport (1954) defines an in-group as a group of people who use the term ââ¬Å"weâ⬠to signify the same thing (p. 31).à My most prominent in-group is Italian Americans, or more specifically 4th generation Italian Americans.à Many autoethnographies would split this section into multiple sub sections, however, I feel that family, food, tradition, and memories are too intertwined for me to split them up. In my family and many other Italian families, family comes first.à Whether itââ¬â¢s missing a party with my friends to go to family dinner at my grandmaââ¬â¢s house or taking an hour out of my busy schedule to sit down and have dinner with my family every night or going to see my cousinââ¬â¢s play, family always comes first.à At least once every month, my immediate family, my cousins, aunts, uncles, and my grandparents would all gather together at one of our houses (usually my grandmaââ¬â¢s) to celebrate basically anything that we could.à Sometimes we would just get together for no reason if we hadnââ¬â¢t seen everyone in a couple weeks.à These celebrations have given me some of my fondest memories of my childhood, but also shaped the person I have become.à Having such a close family has given me a self-confidence that I could not have achieved without my family.à I know that I have a strong foundation and that I can always count on my family.à Thi s has helped me to be confident in myself and take challenges head on.à For example, I would never have been able to achieve a 4.0 in high school all four years without my family supporting me.à However, having a family as close as mine does have some drawbacks.à For example, my social life was significantly affected.à While most of my friends were hanging out on a Friday or Saturday night, I was with my family.à Additionally, your privacy is essentially non-existent when you have such a close family.à Whenever something happened in our family, large or small, it would spread through the family rapidly whether you wanted it to or not.à For example, when I got a new girlfriend, I got calls from all of my relatives within a couple hours of telling just one of my family members.à However, one of the best things from when we do get together was that we always have extremely excessive amounts of food no matter what the occasion.à I remember one time at my grand maââ¬â¢s house where it was just my immediate family and my grandparents.à My grandma made enough pasta and gravy (thatââ¬â¢s what pasta sauce is called in my family) to feed about 20 people.à Many non-Italians have never heard of pasta sauce being called gravy before, but in Italian families, especially in the ââ¬Å"old timesâ⬠, it is always called gravy.à My grandma grew up in an Italian community in Bayonne, New Jersey.à Both of her parents were first generation Italian Americans who met in the United States (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).à In the community that they lived in, as well as in the majority of Italian American communities, pasta and red sauce or meat sauce was always called macaroni and gravy (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).à This tradition has been passed down in my family for generations and I will pass it down to my children as well.à As you can see, all self-respecting 4th generation Italian Americans such as myself will call the sauce you put on your pasta (or macaroni as my grandma calls it) gravy. Another tradition that my family has is that we host the Christmas party every year.à The preparation for the party starts about a week before Christmas.à The first couple days are spent cleaning up the house and setting everything up for the party.à The rest of the time is spent cooking.à The house smells of freshly made bread, gravy simmering on the stove, the ham cooking in the oven, and much more.à We usually have to make enough food to feed about 100 people because we invite all of my extended family including 2nd cousins and family friends.à On Christmas day, my grandparents are always the first ones to show up.à My sisters and I help them bring in a carful of homemade food ranging from my grandmaââ¬â¢s famous brownies, chocolate chip cookies, a couple cakes, biscotti (an Italian cookie), meatballs, my grandfatherââ¬â¢s homemade rolls, and a couple bowls of fresh fruit.à Loraine Caputo (2011) describes how cooking became a way for her grandmothers and her to embrace their ethnic heritage.à She says that she spends hours in the kitchen preparing meals and perfecting her dishes (p. 194).à Both of my grandmotherââ¬â¢s along with my mom have also chosen to spend so much time cooking because they feel it is part of their ethnic identity.à Caputoââ¬â¢s daughter says it best when she tells her mom that ââ¬Å"We are Italianâ⬠when Caputo complains about spending so much time in the kitchen (2011 p. 194).à However, I have learned to cook the traditional Italian meals in addition to just my sisters as it was when my grandma grew up.à Learning to cook my familyââ¬â¢s meals has allowed me to share in a substantial part of my ancestorââ¬â¢s lives, something that I would never have without Italian food. As time passes, the house fills up, making it hard to move through the rooms.à The upstairs is filled with laughter, conversation, and of course story-telling.à My grandfather will retell the stories growing up in a row house with little money.à His father fixed shoes for a living in an Italian community much like in the North End.à As Smajda and Gerteis (2012 p. 628) say, ââ¬Å"You used to be able to have your shoes fixed here but thatââ¬â¢s not so easy anymoreâ⬠.à Next, heââ¬â¢ll talk about how he started his own paper route when he was 12 years old to help his parents pay the bills.à These stories remind us of our roots and keep the family history alive.à My grandma will tell us the stories about her parents that just like me, she had heard hundreds of times (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).à I will pass these same stories down to my kids along with my own stories.à Additionally, these stories have taught me that you nev er can tell when you are in the ââ¬Å"good old daysâ⬠(or the memories that you remember for the rest of your life) until you leave them.à This has had a significant impact on my life because I try to make the most of every day, whether that means getting up early to work out instead of sleeping in or making sure that I do my absolute best on a paper. ââ¬Å"Dinner!!!!â⬠My dad calls down in the basement and all of the kids rush up the stairs to get in line.à The aroma coming from the kitchen is floating throughout the house and everyone gets in line to taste the delicious food that my mom, along with our help, has been preparing for days.à My momââ¬â¢s chicken parmesan is front and center next to my dadââ¬â¢s delicious mash potatoes.à Thereââ¬â¢s pasta and meatballs, sausage and onion, pork and sourcrout, ham, mac and cheese, corn, my grandpaââ¬â¢s homemade rolls, lasagna, bread from Chef Palinoââ¬â¢s (a small mom and pop Italian restaurant), and much more. à Many people make the mistake of filling up too much on dinner because thereââ¬â¢s so much food.à Their mistake always proves costly when they see the dessert table.à We usually have more dessert than we do food for dinner.à Thereââ¬â¢s my grandmaââ¬â¢s brownies, chocolate chip cookies, candy cane cookies, biscotti, three or fo ur cakes, tandy cakes (a thin vanilla cake topped with a layer of peanut butter and a layer of chocolate), thumbprints (a tradition of my grandmaââ¬â¢s), fresh fruit, and any other desserts that our guests bring.à Sitting around the table for dinner and dessert embodies my ethnic identity as an Italian American.à All of my family is there laughing, telling stories of the ââ¬Å"old daysâ⬠, continuing our family traditions, and making new memories that we can add to the wealth of memories that my family already has. Conclusion 4th generation millennial Italian Americans today still embrace their ethnic identities, but the ways in which they do so have evolved.à The ethnic communities that existed in the time of our great grandparents and grandparents are almost non-existent today.à The assimilation that took place after the Italian Americans left the ââ¬Å"Little Italiesâ⬠, transformed the way that Italian Americans look at their ethnic identities.à There was no longer a strong community to fall back on, but instead a tight family to fall back on.à Today, close family, Italian food, traditions, and the memories of their ancestors allow Italian Americans like myself to embrace their roots, but also to keep adding to the history of Italian Americans.à How will my kids and my kidsââ¬â¢ kids embrace their ethnic identity?à I donââ¬â¢t know for sure.à I hope they will continue to love Italian food like I do, raise their families to be as close as mine is today, and continue to t ell the stories of our family.à Most likely, they will evolve my definition of what I believe to be my ethnic identity into their own version. à References Allport, G. W. (1954). Formation of In-Groups. The Nature of Prejudice (pp. 29-47). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Buonanno, M. (2011, fall). Ethnicity, Nostalgia, Affirmation: The Rhetoric of Italian American Identity. Voices, 37(3/4), 3-9. Caputo, L. (2011, July 1). Gender, Food, and Loss. Studies in Gender and Sexuality, 12(3), 179-195. Cavallero, J. J. (2004, summer). Gangsters, Fessos, Tricksters, AND Sopranos: The Historical Roots of Italian American Stereotype Anxiety. Journal of Popular Film & Television, 32(2), 50-63. Dottolo, A. L. (2015 August 31). Slicing White Bre(a)d: Racial Identities, Recipes, and Italian-American Women. Women & Therapy, 38(3-4), 356-376. Gerteis, J. & Smaja J. (2012, September). Ethnic Community and Ethnic Boundaries in a ââ¬Å"Sauce-Scented Neighborhoodâ⬠. Sociological Forum, 27(3), 617-640. Ã
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