The Different Types of Aircraft Hazards and Support Equipment for ARFF

To become a firefighter is not an easy job. To become an aircraft rescue and firefighter (ARFF) takes a special individual because of the unique level of duties it requires. There is a great deal of preparation and skills that ARFF personnel must have to respond effectively to any aircraft accident or incident. â€Å"Because of the extensive nature of emergencies† that ARFF personnel may come across, they must be well trained to handle any of these circumstances (Jenkins, 2008). ARFF personnel are and have to be universal in a wide range of duties. ARFF personnel must have the comprehension and ability to handle fires, emergencies, and any other types of situations that they may encounter. Some other requirements for ARFF personnel to have may include an emergency medical technician (EMT) certificate or a paramedic license. â€Å"ARFF personnel will likely encounter rescue, mass-casualty, fire fighting, and hazardous material operations† (IFSTA, 2008). ARFF pers onnel are usually the first to respond to an aircraft incident or accident and must be fully prepared to address any hazards or dangers at the scene. This paper will discuss the different types of aircraft hazards and support equipment for ARFF personnel. The Different Types of Aircraft Hazards and Support Equipment for ARFF Personnel There are many types of aircraft hazards that ARFF personnel will encounter and/or must be familiar with at an airport. ARFF personnel must know and understand the different types of aircraft hazards. Aircraft accidents will have potential hazards that involve fluids, structures, and components which can all burn at high temperatures. ARFF personnel should always avoid inhalation or ingestion of smoke, fumes, and particles of a... ...y dangers and hazards during any emergency rescue and firefighting operation. ARFF personnel must be familiar with and know how to respond to any emergency. ARFF personnel have the skills from advanced training and experience to quickly respond to and rescue people from aircraft accidents or incidents. Technology has enhanced ARFF personnel’s capabilities and abilities to respond quicker during emergency rescue and firefighting operations. PPE and other safety equipment help protect ARFF personnel and must be worn at all times while performing any emergency rescue and firefighting operations. ARFF apparatus, support vehicles, and support equipment must be maintained and ready to support ARFF personnel during emergency rescue and firefighting operations. ARFF personnel has an extremely complex and universal profession which some people call a modern day hero.

Gawain :: Essays Papers

Gawain Passage Analysis An anonymous author around the fourteenth century wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The story is set in the time of King Arthur and deals with two major plot devices that are common in such tales: the beheading contest between Gawain and the green knight and the attempted seduction of Gawain by the lady. The passage contained in lines 928-993 occurs shortly after the lord of the castle invites Gawain into his home and offers him a meal. The section focuses on the introduction of the lady who will later try to tempt Sir Gawain to sin. The author describes her in such ravishing splendor that the reader can imagine how hard it would be to resist her advances. The hag by her side is also introduced here as a direct contrast to the lady. In this way, the lady's and the hag's respective physical characteristics are further enhanced by the presence of each other. Similar to other stories written in this period, the hag in this story has magical elements that are not revealed until much later. The lady of the castle comes to Gawain only after dinner and prayers are attended to by herself and her lord for she "Longed to look on the knight"(Norton, 222). Prior to her appearance, the lady has been secluded away in the church closet with her maids. From the very first words written about her, she is described as a very attractive person. The author goes on to describe her hair, face, and manner of dress, all of which only lend more brilliance to this vision. The passage is a testament to her comeliness and will later be important in the story since it sets the foundation for the obvious attraction Gawain feels towards this woman from whom "He claims a comely kiss, and courteously he speaks; / They welcome him warmly, and straightaway he asks / To be received as their servant, if they so desire"(222). The lady later admonishes Gawain the next morning when he fails to kiss her as a chivalrous knight should. The lady's appearance is only enhanced by the presence of the hag at her side. The magical element of the hag has also been introduced in such other literary works as "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell" and in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. In each of these stories, the hag turns out to be something other than what she seems. Gawain :: Essays Papers Gawain Passage Analysis An anonymous author around the fourteenth century wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The story is set in the time of King Arthur and deals with two major plot devices that are common in such tales: the beheading contest between Gawain and the green knight and the attempted seduction of Gawain by the lady. The passage contained in lines 928-993 occurs shortly after the lord of the castle invites Gawain into his home and offers him a meal. The section focuses on the introduction of the lady who will later try to tempt Sir Gawain to sin. The author describes her in such ravishing splendor that the reader can imagine how hard it would be to resist her advances. The hag by her side is also introduced here as a direct contrast to the lady. In this way, the lady's and the hag's respective physical characteristics are further enhanced by the presence of each other. Similar to other stories written in this period, the hag in this story has magical elements that are not revealed until much later. The lady of the castle comes to Gawain only after dinner and prayers are attended to by herself and her lord for she "Longed to look on the knight"(Norton, 222). Prior to her appearance, the lady has been secluded away in the church closet with her maids. From the very first words written about her, she is described as a very attractive person. The author goes on to describe her hair, face, and manner of dress, all of which only lend more brilliance to this vision. The passage is a testament to her comeliness and will later be important in the story since it sets the foundation for the obvious attraction Gawain feels towards this woman from whom "He claims a comely kiss, and courteously he speaks; / They welcome him warmly, and straightaway he asks / To be received as their servant, if they so desire"(222). The lady later admonishes Gawain the next morning when he fails to kiss her as a chivalrous knight should. The lady's appearance is only enhanced by the presence of the hag at her side. The magical element of the hag has also been introduced in such other literary works as "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell" and in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. In each of these stories, the hag turns out to be something other than what she seems.

The Emperor?s New Clothes :: essays research papers

‘The Emperor's New Clothes’ is a tale of an emperor who was exceptionally fond of new clothes. Two swindlers came one day and claimed that they were weavers and said that they could weave the finest cloth ever seen. They claimed that the colours and patterns were not only exceptionally beautiful, but the clothes made from this material possessed the wonderful quality of being invisible to anyone who was hopelessly stupid or incompetent. They were paid handsomely to weave this cloth and given a room to work, as the emperor wanted to wear his new robes in an upcoming parade. When they decided that they had finished ‘weaving’, the emperor sent in his ministers to judge the quality of the cloth. The ministers, not wanting to lose their respected positions, told the emperor that it was magnificent when they could not see it at all. The emperor, believing his ministers could actually see the robes, and not wanting to seem a fool, paraded in the streets wearing th e new clothes, which were, of course, non-existent. The public admired the emperor’s clothes, for they too did not want to be labelled fools; only a child came out and said that the emperor was actually wearing nothing at all. Upon this outburst, the rest of the public realized that this was true, and the emperor finished the parade in shame for his stupidity of believing the two swindlers in the first place. One of the morals of this fairytale would be to not succumb to peer pressure. Had the emperor not cared about looking like a fool in front of his ministers, he would have declared that he could see nothing, and would have asked whether the ministers could actually see anything. Another moral would be to always give your honest opinion.

Fruit and vegetable consumption among young adults Essay

The World Health Organisation is predicting that chronic disease will account for over sixty per cent of deaths; with 41 million deaths by 2015.1 Up to 80% chronic disease could be prevented by eliminating tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol.2 Chronic disease and obesity in Australia are continuing to contribute to premature death and burden of disease.3 Cardiovascular disease and cancer remain the main causes of disease burden and type 2 diabetes prevalence has trebled in the last ten years and is expected to be the leading cause of disability and death by 2023.4 The rapid rise in diabetes incidence and prevalence is thought to be due to the rising rate of obesity.5 61% of Australian adults, using measured BMI are currently either overweight or obese6 , with younger age groups gaining weight more quickly than previous generations.7 Approximately 32% of Australia’s total burden of disease can be attributed to modifiable risk factors. 4 Considerable reductions in morbidity and mortality from diet-related diseases could be achieved if the population increases healthy eating behaviours including increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables (FV).8 Fruit and vegetable consumption is strongly linked to the prevention of chronic disease and to achieving better overall health.9 Internationally up to 2.6 million deaths and 1.8 % of global burden of disease is attributable to low FV consumption. Inadequate FV intake in Australia is thought to be responsible for 2.1% of the overall burden of disease.10 Increasing individual FV intake could reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease by 31%.11 In particular reviews of studies have indicated that FVs reduce the risk of developing cancer12; cardiovascular disease13 and obesity.14,15 A meta-analysis of studies investigating FV intake and the incidence of type 2 diabetes indicated no significant benefits for increasing FVs but an increase in green leafy vegetables could sign ificantly reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.16 The mechanism of action is thought to be related to their micronutrient, antioxidant, phytochemical and fibre content.17 Current recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption Based on  available evidence the World Cancer Research Fund recommends eating at least 400g of non-starchy vegetables and fruits per day (2007).12 The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that Australians consume a minimum of two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetable daily.9 Current consumption patterns are well below these figures. Data on FV consumption in Australia is collected predominantly via validated short questions as part of the National Health Survey. This self reporting of FV consumption does incorporate a number of errors related to the ability of individuals to determine serve sizes18 and the validity and reliability of the short questions. Alternative measures of FVs, predominantly food frequency questionnaires have been determined for different age groups19, 20. For adults the most recent determination of FV intake indicates that only 56% of females and 46% of males over the age of 15 are eating t he recommended serves of fruit and 10% of females and 7% of males over the age of 15, are eating the recommended serves of vegetable daily. 15 The 2007 national children’s nutrition and physical activity survey used a combination of multipass 24 hour food recalls and food frequency and indicated that only 1-2% of older children were consuming three serves of fruit and only 1-11% of older children met the guideline for vegetable consumption21. In another survey specifically looking at young adults 34-43% of those aged 19-24 year olds met the daily fruit consumption guidelines of two serves a day but only 8-10% of young adults ate the recommended five serves per day of vegetable.3, 22 Low consumption of FVs is, therefore, an issue across the spectrum of age groups. While young adults do not necessarily have FV intakes any worse than older adults and children, the lack of overt medical problems has meant that the 18-24 year old age group have received little attention.23 Given that fewer young adults consume the recommended serves of vegetable, strategies that focus solely on vegetables would appear to be appropriate . Young adulthood is a critical age for weight gain24; and in the United States the transition from high school to college is a potential period of rapid weight gain increasing the risk of obesity in later adulthood.25 Chronic conditions are a significant challenge for Australia’s young people because these conditions can affect normal growth and development, quality of life,  long-term health and wellbeing, and successful participation in society, education and employment.3 Studies predominantly undertaken in the United States and Europe are contradictory with respect to whether food habits are positively or negatively affected in the transition to independence. In one study students living independently were more likely to consume a healthy diet than their counterparts living at home. Independent living may increase responsibility of various food-related activities such as budgeting, purchase, preparation and cooking which young adults living at home have not yet developed.26 Other research however indicates that dependent students consume more FVs – independent students may take more responsibility for their food choices while dependent students may be controlled by the primary care-givers.27 It should be noted that the transition from highschool to university in Australia is not necessarily marked by a move out of the family home as it does in the United States, Canada and parts of Europe. Living on campus or in university-provided accommodati on is only undertaken by a small percentage of students in Australia. In 2008, there were almost 3 million young people aged 15–24 years in Australia, accounting for 14% of the total population.3 In addition the majority of Australians who start a course at a higher education institution are aged between 15 and 34 years of age and in 2009 more than 45% of young adults aged 18-24 years were enrolled in a course of study leading to a degree or diploma qualification.28 Universities and other higher education institutions would therefore be an appropriate setting to target individuals in this age group. Determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption The National Public Health Partnership identified the primary determinants of FV consumption to inform the development of strategies.29, 30 These are outlined in the table below. Table 1 Identification of determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption Determinant Objectives Food supply Increase and sustain access to high quality, safe, affordable FVs Awareness Increase the proportion of the population aware of the need to increase consumption of FVs Attitude/Perceptions Increase the proportion of the population who perceive the benefits of FVs in terms of taste, convenience, low relative cost, safety and health. Knowledge Increase the proportion of the population with the knowledge of the recommended minimum intakes of FVs Skills to purchase and prepare Increase the proportion of the population with the knowledge, skills and confidence to select and prepare convenient low cost, tasty FV dishes For children, adolescents and adults, previous consumption or exposure to FVs, knowledge, awareness, preparation skills and involvement in food preparation, lack of time and taste preference have all been implicated in the consumption of FVs .31,32,33 From an environmental perspective, availability of FVs within home, school and community settings plays a significant role in promoting FV consumption.32, 34 Those who report eating home grown produce have significantly higher intakes of FVs while poor accessibility to shops and high FV prices have been shown to have a negative impact on FV consumption.35, 36 The presence of a major food retailer in an area has been associated with improved FV consumption.37 In Australia, the evidence is less clear-cut with those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas having similar opportunities to purchase FVs when compared to those in levels of higher advantage.38 Recent work has indicated that price and availability in disadvantaged areas are similar to those in more advantaged areas but that quality could be seriously compromised, which could impact purchasing behaviour.39 FV prices have been identified as a significant barrier in FV consumption with intakes among those of lower and middle socioeconomic positions more price responsive than their higher socioeconomic position counterparts (Powell et al 2009).40 The national public health partnership identified the lack of recognition of the low relative cost of FVs as a barrier to consumption.29 However, given the recent rapid increase in FV prices identified by the Australian Bureau of Stati stics (15.5% increase for  fruit and 11.4% increase for vegetables in the December 2010 quarter) the perception of cost now may be a reality and a significant barrier to consumption.41 For young adults at university many of the determinants described above are applicable. In addition, access to cooking facilities and equipment, increased availability of unhealthy and convenience foods choices, lack of access to transport, cost of food, lack of time to prepare and to shop, lack of knowledge and of cooking skills were all identified as barriers to FV consumption.42, 43 Given the increased mobility of young adults a focus on home or school may not be sufficient. Recent research indicates that 40% of eating occasions for young adults were on average 6.7 miles (10.5 km) away from their primary place of residence regardless of whether they were living with care-givers or independently.44 This being the case proximity may play a relatively minor role in an individual’s food choices. Instead decisions may be based on a complex web including food quality, pricing, variety, availability, travel patterns, social or cultural influences and various other factors.44 Strategies Based on the determinants and using the Ottawa Charter as a framework, strategies can be divided into two primary categories those that build personal skills and those that create supportive environments. The majority of interventions have not been undertaken with the target group but rather with children (primarily in school settings) and adults. Work with the young adult age group however has highlighted that there is a general lack of understanding about motivators25 but that negative health outcomes are not particularly relevant and the focus should be more on taste.45 Social and environmental cues, on the other hand, could be especially significant.46 In Australia, the broadest population campaign has been Go for 2 and 5. This media campaign began in Western Australia and has since been implemented nationally and in each individual state. The campaign primarily aimed to increase FV consumption through the increased awareness and knowledge of the benefits of FVs, ways to cook FVs and serve size awareness. Evaluation has indicated that the campaign was successful in reaching the target audience and achieving increased awareness of recommended serves of FVs. The Western Australian campaign achieved an average increase of 0.5 of a serve.28 Primary target groups have been children and adults, adolescents and young adults have not been a focus. Education strategies have included embedding curricula in primary and secondary schools and providing regular newsletters to increase knowledge.47 For children and adolescents other successful strategies focus on creating supportive environments combined with elements of education including the provision of free or subsidised fruit either directly or through the provision of tasting programs, snacks, gardening or cooking. 47,48, 49, 50 Within more community settings, interventions have included point of purchase information, reduced pricing, promotion and advertising and increased availability and variety.51 However, there is little evaluation of the effectiveness of these strategies for improving fruit and vegetable consumption in the wider community. Very few of these interventions have been trialled with young adults as the target group. For the few programs that have focussed on young adults the strategies have centred on the development of personal skills through the provision of education either as on-line individualised programs25; tailored individualised counselling52; newsletters promoting FV intake23; and via a general nutrition course to enable students to move from knowledge to application.53 All of these showed modest short term increases in FV intake, a lack of data means that long term establishment of behaviour has not been determined. Based on the available evidence there is a need to focus on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among young adults. Given the large numbers of young adults at tertiary institutions – universities are an appropriate setting. There are few strategies that particularly focus on young adults in the Australian context. However, based on the underlying determinants, strategies should focus on improving knowledge, awareness and preparation skills, changing taste preferences, increasing availability of FVs within local settings, reducing the cost of FVs in selected settings. The development of a comprehensive, multi-strategy program specifically addressing increased fruit and vegetable consumption is required in order to  improve general health outcomes and specifically reduce the risk of chronic disease. References 1. World Health Organisation. (2005). Preventing Chronic Diseases: A Vital Investment. World Health Organisation Geneva. 2. World Health Organisation. (2008). 2008-2013 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases. World Health Organisation: Geneva. 3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2010). Australia’s Health 2010. Canberra, AIHW. Australia’s Health Series no. 12. Cat. no. AUS 122. 4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s Health 2008. (2008). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: Canberra. Available from: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10585. 5. Colagiuri, R., Colagiuri, S., Yach, D. and Pramming S. (2006). The answer to diabetes prevention: science, surgery, service delivery, or social policy? American Journal of Public Health 96.9:1562–9. 6. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). Summary of Results National Health Survey 2007-2008. Cat #: 4364.0 h ttp://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/4364.0Main%20Features42007-2008%20(Reissue)?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=4364.0&issue=2007-2008%20(Reissue)&num=&view= Accessed February 24th 2011 7. Allman-Farinelli, M.A., Chey, T., Bauman, A.E., Gill, T., and James, W. P. T. (2007). Age, period and birth cohort effects on prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australian adults from 1990 to 2000. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 62: 898-907. 8. McCullough, M. L., Feskanich, D., Stampfer, M. J., Giovannucci, E. L., Rimm, E. B., Hu, F. B., Spiegelman, D., Hunter, D.J., Colditz, G. A., Willett, W.C. (2002). Diet quality and major chronic disease risk in men and women: moving toward improved dietary guidance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 76(6): 1261-1271. 9. Department of Health and Ageing. (1998). Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Canberra: DHA. 10. Begg S, Vos T, Barker B, Stevenson C, Stanley L & Lopez AD 2007. The burden of disease and injury in Australia 2003. AIHW cat. no. PHE 82. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 11. Lock, K., Pomerleau, J., Causer, L., Altmann, D.R., McKee, M. (2005). The global burden of disease attributable to low consumption of fruit and vegetables: implications for the global strategy on diet. Bulletin of the World Health Organization

“Don Juan” is a digressive satire

â€Å"Don Juan† is a digressive satire aimed at mocking the traditional characteristics of literary Romanticism and is atypical of Byron’s earlier poetry. The structure of the poem’s stanzas are written in eight line iambic pentameter, where the final two lines form a couplet and are often used to deliver a comedic punch line. At times the language is idiomatic and Byron often employs slang, which contradicts the traditional formality of Romantic poetry and further defines the poem’s satirical nature.The poem’s most striking feature, however, is that Byron employs his stream of consciousness throughout the poem, interjecting his cynical sense of humor upon the reader. â€Å"Don Juan†, as depicted by Lord Byron is not a character of permanent values; he is an individual of permanent interests to whom self-aggrandizement is a cardinal virtue. A poet is the master-feeler and he can not avoid the effects of two elements in his writing.Firstly, th e period to which he belongs; secondly the conditions of the society and the ‘standard of life’ and the ‘standard of living’ of people, as it prevailed at a given time. Simplicity and innocence of rural life, beauty and nature, fascinate the poet. His emotional chords respond quickly and he finds it difficult to tolerate or accept the abuses of society, against which he hits back in his own style, with sharp witticisms. He knows pen is mightier than the sword, and he uses his latent literary genius, to strike at the right time.A poet like Byron had the capacity to worship the positive qualities and attack the negative tendencies humanity in a disarming style. It is but strange that how he could maintain and nurture the intimate feelings or romanticism, considering the tough stages that he went through in his real life. The love-feeling remained intact in spite of the vicissitudes in his personal life. Is it one of the vagaries of Nature that The Romantic Er a (1776-1830) and the Industrial Revolution happened at the same time!Powerful and unexpected changes took place, drastic modifications occurred in the life of the common man during this period, the old values had to be shunted out, whether one liked that process or not, commercial angle replaced many unselfish virtues of human beings, and the poets of the era responded well to those changed circumstances. As described by Graham Hough about Lord Byron, â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦it is rather a picture of society-and Juan is there to show the way the natural man might live in. † To Byron, beauty is not renunciation; it is participation, what if an element of selfishness is involved in the process!He is fascinated by the grandeur of richness and the beauty that encompasses it rather than the dullness of poverty-ridden virtues. He is not a tragic-type of lover; he adores dynamic love, the variations in love, and considers the hurdles as jokes. Let us move away for a while from Lord Byr on’s ‘Don Juan’ to an allegory, to understand him better. ‘The full moon is shining in the sky. It is full moon day. Seeing the beauty of the moon, a tempest rises in the ocean beneath. The ocean, in an effort to reach the moon, sends the roaring waves (love thoughts) one after another.But alas! Can the waves reach the moon howsoever big they may be? Can the moon ever come down to the Earth (the reciprocal feelings) whatever be the intensity of the wish? ’—in such a situation, Byron would still believe in the fructification of the love, by taking the help of twinkling stars in the sky. He is thoroughly convinced about the human fascination with external beauty and he is vocal about its open exhibition, like the ocean and the moon. They enjoy the struggle and won’t mind others witnessing and experiencing the beauty of the struggle.Byron’s poems are deeply affected by thoughts of recollection of his own past, poor and not glorious, and his subsequent accomplishments, that took him to great heights and material welfare. He is candid and open about the virtues of wealth and the status-gains involved in the process. Enjoy them, he declares a jovial mood through his poems. He is not willing to keep morality on the high pedestal. Just as trials and tribulations are part of the life, so are comforts and luxuries and status. Why a human being should shy away from them? Byron doesn’t believe in the bifacial strategies and a show off as for morality.â€Å"Lord Byron reflects most of the characteristics of the Romantic Era such as the focus on emotions over reason, human nature and nature. He uses many historical references and poetic devices to emphasize the themes. The themes of human shallowness and artificial focus on wealth and beauty are conveyed through comparisons with nature and each other. The unexplored realm of human feelings that directly affect the humans’ actions is displayed through the m ultiple deeds of the characters. † (Lord Byron's†¦. ) Lord Byron is at the height of his satire and attacks the foundations of the society through his potshots at the institution of marriage.â€Å"As a Romantic, Lord Byron talks extensively about love and human nature. The poem greatly exposes loveless marriages and the mirage of expectations in the society of marriage being the ultimate nest of eternal love. According to Andrew Sanders, the recognized literature critique, â€Å"Juan’s adventures and misadventures, and the narrator’s worldly-wise commentary on them, served to debunk a series of received ideas and perceptions ranging from the fidelity in love†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The perception of love and misunderstanding of feelings is evident in this excerpt: â€Å"The love and marriage rarely combine, Although they both are born in the same clime;Marriage from love, like vinegar from wine – A sad, sour, sober beverage – by time It sharpn’ d from its high celestial flavor Down to a very homely household savor. † (Lord Byron, Canto III, 5, lines 35- 41) Compare this to the traditional mind-set of the people as for the institution of marriage. ‘.. Marriage of two individuals means to flow together harmoniously. Two distinct individuals, two different personalities, born, bred and brought up in two different sets of circumstances, try to come together from the day of marriage, to find a common identity, a common goal, and to be precise, a common all!’ Byron moved from one woman to another, poor or rich, married or unmarried, like a monkey that would jump easily from one branch of a tree to another. He would forget the earlier relationship easily, and had no psychological problems about termination of the earlier intimate bond. Considering the time to which be belonged the satire of Byron is too strong to accept even by the yardsticks of beliefs of the 21st century. The literary dagger used by him is to o sharp. It wounds, hurts and sometimes kills, without actually killing!(The human values) â€Å"And finally, the thing Juan is best known for: both Byron and Juan seemed irresistible to women. Byron had numerous affairs with women from all walks of life, from ordinary housewives to rich countesses. Juan scored even better: not even sultanas or the Czarina could escape his spell. † (Don Juan†¦. ) Love, platonic love and carnal love were one and the same for Don Juan. He changed his ‘loves’ as the Nature would change the seasons. He lived the life of a butterfly that goes from flower to flower to enjoy the beauty of hues and to suck honey. ’ If the flowers won’t mind, why the butterfly should mind?’ seems to be the question of Lord Byron. Don Juan did not believe in deep planning about his future life. He lived life as it came and thought of crossing the bridge, when he arrived at that spot. He did condemn the society for its fixed values , but seemed to pity the people, and how they were caught in the cob-web of procedures, customs, traditions and thought very sincerely about their love-life. How they stretched extra to make the love-life work, fearing the backlash and criticism from the moral guardians of the society. Personally he scoffed them by his writings and actions!

Zz Packer

ZZ Packer The Alternative Master Narrative â€Å"By our second day at Camp Crescendo, the girls in my Brownie troop had decided to kick the asses of each and every girl in Brownie Troop 909† (Packer p. 1). Not exactly how one would think a brownie girl would act, but that’s the trope, author ZZ Packer sets in every one of her stories, in Drinking Coffee Elsewhere. Like most authors, ZZ Packer has her own style of writing. She uses similar patterns and techniques throughout her collection of short stories.I will look at two of her stories and how they relate to her style of writing. â€Å"Brownies† is a story that many people of cultural value can relate too. This short story has many moral values in it. Brownies takes place at Camp Crescendo, a summer camp for fourth graders near the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. The story is told in first person by an African American girl named Laurel, also known as Snot. On the second day of camp Laurel announces to all the gir ls in her Brownie Troop that they were going to â€Å"kick the asses† of every girl in the troop, who were all white girls.The black girls disliked the white girls the minute they saw them. There ringleader Arnetta, said they smell â€Å"like chihuahuas. Wet chihuahuas† (Packer p2). The black girls have seen whites before, but they’ve never really had much to do with them. Being at the camp with them was the closest encounter they’ve ever had. which made it realistic and hard to not have any hatred towards them. This story is one of Packers most obvious labels that she usually talks about.As the story goes on, it follows another patten how the narrator of the story Laurel is a loner. Ever since the first grade she has always gotten made fun of, and got the nickname â€Å"Snot†. â€Å"The Ant of the Self† is another story that Packer talks about. It follows the themes of blacks to minorities, the presence of blacks on the east coast, and the main character Spurgeon is a â€Å"loner†. The Ant of the Self is a story about Spurgeon, the intelligent son of Ray Bivens Jr.Throughout the story he finds himself carrying the burden of supporting his self centered father on his shoulders. Ray doesn’t know the true meaning of an intimate relationship and is oblivious to his own son’s needs. When thinking about a father son relationship, you would imagine love, respect, laughter, and support, but when it comes to Spurgeon and his father, their relationship can be described as a business transaction. Spurgeon always supports his father, whatever it may be and he never gets any acknowledgement from his father for being there.In the beginning of the short story Spurgeon bails his father out of jail with money that he earned, and instead of his father showing appreciation or thanking him, he tells him â€Å"Opportunities. You’ve got to invest your money if you want opportunities† (Packer p82). The car ride home his Spurgeon’s father thinks of ways of making fast money, and comes up with an idea. Spurgeon tries telling his father that it’s a bad idea, but of course he doesn’t listen. This story, like many others ends with a the lack of a â€Å"happy ending†.

Poverty in America Essay

Poverty is a disturbing but significant global concern. Just as it is for millions of other people all over the globe, poverty is occurring in America. Over the past decades, income disparity is ascending, in addition to the number of communities that failed to keep up with the national economic standard. Although poverty is present everywhere, it is more serious in developing countries, wherein one in every five person lives on not more than $1 for each day, which is the threshold being applied by the World Bank to classify poverty. The unrelenting problem of poverty is a multifaceted one that embraces individuals and communities who, without their fault, find themselves powerless to manage in this information-intensive and constantly developing world. For the majority Americans, poverty implies destitution, or the lack of ability to provide the family with reasonable shelter, clothing, and nutritious food. Despite the fact that material destitution does exist in America, it is relatively confined in severity and scope. To be aware of poverty in America, it is necessary to observe several statistics, as well as to observe the actual living conditions of the persons that are considered poor by the government. Overview of Poverty in America A large numbers of the country’s population live at or below the threshold of poverty, which means payment of bills every month and financing for the essentials, consisting of shelter, clothing, and food, not counting access to health care and a number of simple comforts is a constant struggle. According to estimates in 2003, roughly 25 percent of counties in the United States had low rates of workforce participation, soaring rates of unemployment, high reliance on government transfer expenditures, and incomes that is lower than one-half of the national average or less for each person. The Census Bureau classifies poverty as a family of three earning not more than $14,680, and not more than $9,393 for a worker without any dependent (Blanco, 2004). According to the 2003 statistics of the Census Bureau, almost 36 million Americans lived in poverty, which is 1.3 million more in 2002. Since 2000, the country has experienced an increase of 4.4 million people who lives in poverty (Blanco, 2004). According to a survey, the present American families are experiencing worse living conditions than they have in the previous years, as 10 percent of all families or approximately 7.6 million families in 2003 lived in poverty, which is an enormous ascend from the previous years (Blanco, 2004). In 2005, the registration of the United States Census Bureau of poor individuals in the country totaled to approximately 37 million poor Americans (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Therefore, there is one in every eight Americans that is struggling with inconceivable poverty. These millions of Americans are asserted to be deficient of the necessary clothing, shelter, and enough money for the food, as well as being forced to live in unpleasant conditions (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Common Factors of Poverty In the concluding half of the 20th century, the three factors that are generally offered to explain movements of poverty in the United States are changes in family structure, economic inequality, and income growth. If the average per-capita incomes are increased, such as increasing wages and employment, then it is expected that poverty will generally decline. Nevertheless, economic inequality can take the edge off the overall constructive impact of income growth if lower-income workforce and unemployed citizens do not benefit from the fruits of such development. On the other hand, changes in the family structure, primarily the ever-increasing number of families headed by female may be linked with higher rates of poverty for the reason that such families are more expected to be poor and are more economically vulnerable. I. Economic Equality Certainly, the country has made several enhancements over the intervening decades in terms of the overall minimum living standard as measured through material conditions. Yet the living conditions of the poor individuals are severely different from that of families and individuals who take advantage of various degree of economic security as measured through income levels that provide unstressed and comfortable situations. The escalation in the number of poor individuals and families in the country ought to provide the government various apprehension, but even more upsetting is the increasing difference between the underprivileged and wealthy in America. In the previous decades, compensation for more affluent Americans has considerably ascended, stimulated by increase in stock options, bonuses, salaries and other rewards. However, the compensation provided for millions of lower-wage workforces dropped off; and in fact, a number of them have even lost their jobs (Blanco, 2004). Therefore, this factor has prevented the advantages of economic growth from being equally drawn out. Moreover, in 2005, non-Hispanic white men, not less than 25 years of age, holding only high-school qualification have $35,679 median income; whereas women within the same age group, need a degree in college in order to obtain a comparable median income (Spriggs, 2007). The outcome is that the households headed by female are harmed by the major earnings gap, which has a poverty rate of 31.1 percent in contrast to their male-headed household counterparts, which only had a 13.4 percent poverty rate (Spriggs, 2007). In 2005, poverty for women is excessively elevated than men, which is14.1 percent in contrast to 11.1 (Spriggs, 2007). The disparity reflects unrelenting gaps in earnings between male and female workers. At the same time, since 1959 the median income of white males with a family of five has been higher than the poverty line, but for women with a family of three, it was only in 1990 that their median income broke beyond the poverty line (Spriggs, 2007). Further, notwithstanding the progressive structure of benefit procedure in Social Security benefits, the constant gap is best reflected in disparities in poverty among the elderly, where the lifetime earnings of women suggest they have lower assets than men. II. Family Structure Higher rates of poverty among women have generally been contributed to the changes in family structure. The percentage of families headed by single female with children rapidly rose over the previous decades of the 20th century, which reached 26.5 percent in 1995 from only 11.5 percent of all families with children in 1970; with higher rates for Hispanics and blacks. At the start of year 2003, roughly 26.1 percent of the entire families with children in the country were headed by single woman. A number of such families do not obtain any or adequate child support from the absent fathers of the children. It is suggested in one study that if fathers married the destitute mothers of their children, approximately three-quarters of the single-parents would instantly be elevated outside poverty status (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Obviously, two parents in a household generally earn more than single-parent. The burden of receiving enough income to raise dependent children outside poverty additionally confronts women who are the single head of the family, as well as getting and paying for child care concurrently with their work and management of the household without help. Since this hazard confronted by women of serving non-working dependents as well as their efforts in looking after their elderly parents is not distributed by society, women who head such families are expected to obtain lower levels of education, therefore, resulting to their lower earnings. Aside from the fact that women are more expected to earn significantly less than men with similar qualifications, mothers have a tendency to accumulate less experience than other workers. III. Income Growth Poverty is associated with the lack of sufficient income, so the core problem therefore is the compensation for the workers. Among the poor, only 11.4 percent or 2.9 million jobs around the clock is available for the whole year (Spriggs, 2007). This sector of the population is further directly impaired by minimum-wage laws that have hindered costs of living. This setback is particularly severe for poverty stricken American-Hispanics and American-Asians, where 18 percent of them worked year-round for full time (Spriggs, 2007). There are several reasons why numerous people lack the income to overcome poverty. For instance, people do not work or if they work, they do not earn sufficient amount of money. Whether in good or bad economic times, the ordinary poor family with children exerts only 800 hours of work throughout a year or 16 hours of work for each week (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Evidently, almost 75 percent of poor children would be lifted outside certified poverty status if work is provided in every family, that would increase the work hours to 2,000 for every year or comparable to 40 hours for each week all through the year (Rector & Johnson, 2004). In 2005, approximately 61 percent underprivileged families have no less than one worker; and of twice-poor families, 71 percent have no less than one worker. In view of the 1990s record job creation, the number of poor but working people declined to 8.5 million in 2000 from 10.1 million in 1993. In short, America is capable of dealing with poverty. But there have been vast stubborn concerns that have lodged the face of poverty. Mounting disparity in the labor market has increased the share of the working age poor citizens, and the unsympathetic federal minimum-wage laws that have amplified the numbers of poor people working year-round for full-time. In a country with a per capita Gross Domestic Product is exceeding the poverty line for a family of four, it is atrocious that there are still more than 12 million poverty stricken American children, and nearly 3 million people work around the clock, for one whole year who are still finding it hard to make ends meet. Facts Concerning the American Poor Sector Based on the American’s accepted definition of poverty, only a small number of the 37 million individuals fit the poor description, contrary to what the Census Bureau classified. Despite the fact that real material destitution undoubtedly does take place, it is limited in severity and scope. A number of America’s underprivileged lives in material conditions that would be considered as well-off or comfortable some generations ago. The following are information obtained from different government reports regarding people classified as poor by the Census Bureau: 1. Roughly 46 percent of the entire poor households actually own their individual houses (Rector & Johnson, 2004). The typical house owned by persons identified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with a garage, one-and-a-half baths, with at least a patio or porch. 2. About 76 percent of underprivileged families have air conditioning in their houses (Rector & Johnson, 2004). By comparison, merely 36 percent of the entire population of the United States benefited from air conditioning 3 decades ago. 3. Only 6 percent of the underprivileged families are considered overcrowded, and not less than two-thirds of them have extra two rooms for every person (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 4. The typical poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Athens, Vienna, London, Paris, and other cities all over Europe (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 5. Practically three-quarters of poor families own an automobile, while 30 percent own at least two automobiles (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 6. Approximately 97 percent of poor households own at least one colored television, while half of the said percentage has at least two colored televisions (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 7. Roughly 78 percent own DVD or VCR players, while 62 percent have satellite or cable television reception (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 8. Around 73 percent of the poor households have microwave ovens, one-third owns an automatic dishwasher, and over half own a stereo system (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Further, as a group, America’s poor are far from being constantly malnourished. In fact poor children have usual protein intakes of 100 percent beyond the medically suggested levels and consume more meat than children of higher-income do (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Nevertheless, despite the fact that in general the poor are well-nourished, there are still several poor families who experience short-term distress due to food deficiencies. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, although most of the time the hunger is temporary, still 2.6 percent of poor children and 13 percent of poor families experience food shortage sometime during the year (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Approximately 89 percent of the poor account sufficient food to eat to their families, at the same time only 2 percent says they often do not have adequate food to eat (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Conclusion / Recommendations Following the United States government classification of poverty, the typical poor American people have a living standard far superior as compared to what the public envisions. Nevertheless, the typical poor person’s living conditions should not be taken to suggest that every poor American lives devoid of hardship. Millions of Americans are still continually struggling to hang on, making tough choices between housing, hunger and health care for their families. Economic inequality, income growth, and changes in family structure without doubt affected poverty trends over the latter half of the 20th century. Poverty in America can be readily reduced, if parents are provided with sufficient hours of work and if fathers are at all times present with their families. Although marriage and work are unyielding ladders away from poverty, the country’s welfare system uncooperatively continues to be unsympathetic to both. Foremost programs such as Medicaid, public housing, and food stamps keep on reprimanding marriage and rewarding idleness. Therefore, if welfare could be turned around to uphold marriage and work, the remaining number of poor family would quickly decrease. Further, as a matter of course, the United States has employed over the years job creation and economic growth to trim down poverty, but at present situation the courses are consequential only to the extent that inequality on wages is reduced. Poor people are generally not victims of themselves, but of appalling economic policies along with obstructions to opportunity. Since work generates income, it is important therefore that the government must provide a great increase in available working hours in different labor sectors for the poor. Along with the work opportunities, it is also important to eliminate economic inequalities based on gender, age, economic status, and many others in order to provide higher wages and higher incomes to the underprivileged sectors of the country. America is a nation with one of the most productive and strongest economies in the world. As such, the country must exert a continuing effort to fully utilize the abundance and therefore eliminate the country ’s alarming poverty rate.